Voice of Prophecy
Template:Short description Template:Multiple issues Template:Use mdy dates Template:Italic title Template:Infobox company Template:Seventh-day Adventism The Voice of Prophecy, founded in 1929 by H. M. S. Richards, is a Seventh-day Adventist religious radio ministry headquartered in Loveland, Colorado.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Initially airing in 1929 on a single radio station in Los Angeles, the Voice of Prophecy has since grown to numerous stations throughout the United States and Canada. It was one of the first religious programs in the United States to broadcast nationally. Under the leadership of Shawn and Jean Boonstra, the ministry has now expanded into additional forms of media, including the weekly Authentic broadcast<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Discovery Mountain radio adventure series for kids. Additional projects include humanitarian efforts in countries such as India<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Myanmar.
History
H.M.S. Richards, Sr. began a regular radio program on October 19, 1929, on KNX (AM) in Los Angeles.<ref name="VOP_bio">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="VOP_ttd">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="record"> Template:Cite web</ref><ref name = "Land">Template:Cite book</ref>
Richards earliest studio was his South Gate Tabernacle near Long Beach, where he was presenting nightly evangelistic meetings. His office was a renovated chicken coop in Walnut Park, California. Seventh-day Adventist Church members donated their old eyeglasses and gave teeth with gold fillings and jewelry and watches to help buy the first radio time on Long Beach station KGER.<ref name = "UPI">Template:Cite journal</ref>
Later Richards presented daily live broadcasts of The Tabernacle of the Air over KGER in Long Beach, California, and live weekly remote broadcasts from his tabernacle to KMPC (AM) in Beverly Hills.<ref name="VOP_bio"/><ref name = "Keys">Template:Cite journal</ref>
In January 1937, the broadcast footprint expanded over a network of several stations of the Don Lee Broadcasting System, and the name of the broadcast was changed to the Voice of Prophecy.<ref name = "Land"/> The first Voice of Prophecy coast-to-coast broadcast was over 89 stations of the Mutual Broadcasting System on Sunday, January 4, 1942.<ref name="VOP_bio"/><ref name="VOP_ttd"/><ref name = "Land"/> It was one of the first religious programs to broadcast nationally.<ref name = "Knight">Template:Cite book</ref>
Up until the early 1950s broadcasts were produced live. Mispronounced names and singer mistakes went out unedited to the listeners. By 1980, Richards had a $6 million budget. The Voice of Prophecy broadcast each Sunday to 700 stations around the world.<ref name = "Keys" />
Throughout the years Voice of Prophecy broadcasts were marked by an opening theme song of "Lift Up the Trumpet" performed by the King's Heralds quartet and closed with Richard's poem "Have Faith in God" each week having a new verse written.
Speakers
Richards, Sr. was speaker from 1929 to 1969. In 1969, Richards' son, Richards, Jr., succeeded him and was speaker from 1969 to 1992. Later speakers included Pastor Lonnie Melashenko, Fred Kinsey, and Shawn Boonstra. Template:S-start Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:S-end
Musicians
Various musicians perform on the broadcast. Female vocalist Del Delker began as a regular on the program since 1947. The male quartet King's Heralds also performed weekly on the program from 1936 until 1982. Wayne Hooper served as musical director until his retirement in 1980.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Discover Bible School
A key program of Voice of Prophecy is the Discover Bible School. Introduced on February 1, 1942, as The Bible School of the Air, it was one of the first correspondence Bible schools in North America.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Later known as the Discover Bible School, it offers free Bible guides by mail<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> or online<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and has affiliate schools in over 120 countries with lessons in over 80 languages and dialects.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2010, the Bible School celebrated its one millionth graduate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Evangelists
Jim Reinking became a Voice of Prophecy evangelist in 1998 and served the ministry for 13 years.
See also
- 28 fundamental beliefs
- Biblical Research Institute
- History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
- List of religions and religious denominations
- List of Seventh-day Adventist hospitals
- List of Seventh-day Adventist medical schools
- List of Seventh-day Adventist secondary schools
- List of Christian denominations
- Questions on Doctrine
- Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Seventh-day Adventist eschatology
- Seventh-day Adventist theology
References
External links
- Independent ministries of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Adventist organizations established in the 20th century
- Christian eschatology
- Christianity in the United States
- Christian television networks
- Conservative media in the United States
- Religious television networks in the United States
- American Christian radio programs
- Television series about Christianity
- Seventh-day Adventist media
- 1929 establishments in California
- Loveland, Colorado
- Adventism in the United States