The Hope Channel family of television networks has recently been blessed with a new 24/7 satellite channel: The Hope Channel NAME (North Africa and Middle East). Broadcasting in the Arabic, Turkish and Persian languages, the network’s aim is to earn the viewership of the people and language groups in the 10/40 window that have remained virtually unreachable through previous SDA Church mission programs.
This new channel started broadcasting its promotional videos on satellite Hotbird 8, 13° East (Frequency: 10722.88 MHz, Polarization: horizontal) on December 15, 2010. On January15, 2011, a new Internet live streaming feed (www.hopetv.org/watch-now/watch-live-online/middle-east/) was created on the Hope Channel website, providing internet access to the full schedule of Hope Channel NAME programming. The fully operational satellite service will be activated on February 1, 2011. At that time the entire scheduled programming—already present on the Internet— will be available through satellite transmission.
Addressing the disciples, our Lord affirmed: “This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed to the whole world as evidence to the nations. And then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). Undoubtedly, a significant challenge in fulfilling this Gospel commission is in the countries located in the 10/40 window, a region whose regimes and official state religions are particularly hostile to the Bible message and where the work of Christian missionaries is forbidden.
A question which has been baffling the collective Church mind is: In this decaying and collapsing world, how will God lead His church to respond to such an overwhelming challenge in reaching the Islamic world? This powerful new tool, the Hope Channel NAME, constitutes a strong assurance that the One who knows the times, is at the wheel, guiding His people in accordance with His Great Commission. “All programming will be strategically produced to be respectful of Muslims in an effort to earn their viewership. There will be no anti-Muslim rhetoric, no political posturing. Every program will lovingly and kindly share the Bible and its most important truths. Every program will minister in the most tactful manner,” said Brad Thorp, Hope Channel president.
There will be no geographical or political borders to hinder the message of Hope Channel NAME in its satellite footprint area. Through this new satellite transmission all countries located between Morocco and Afghanistan, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran, will be reached with Bible truths.
Through the internet, where this channel can be watched in all points of the compass— including Indonesia, with the largest Islamic population in the world—an unprecedented achievement is being made possible: the spreading of the Gospel in the 10/40 window is unrestrictedly making an opening wedge through Hope Channel NAME programming. With this new evangelistic tool we have even stronger evidence to support our belief that we are almost home!
Hope Channel is a group of family friendly television networks that span the globe in multiple languages. Their world headquarters are located just outside of Washington, D.C., in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. Hope Channel also has several offices, television studios and uplink centers in various locations including Brazil, Germany, South Africa, and California, USA.
Hope Channel programming appeals to people of different nationalities and languages, providing a rich variety of culturally relevant topics for all ages. As a spiritual values network, Hope Channel broadcasts programs that help improve the viewers' relationships, health, careers, intellectual knowledge, and spiritual well-being.