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GodTalk is a two-hour call-in program on a popular Winnipeg radio station where issues about God are discussed.
Hosted by Baptist pastor Chris Wells, Vineyard pastor Greg Musselman and radio producer from MB Communications (Family Life Network) David Balzer, GodTalk is contemporary and evangelical. Guests include atheists and humanists who debate the believers' view. Callers can offer opinions or challenge the guest or hosts. Started on Sept. 27, shows have dealt with topics such as "Who is God", "What is Heaven?" and "Is evil real?"
The show came about after CJOB talk-show host Peter Warren, who was interviewing a representative of Promise Keepers in 1997, kicked him off the program for saying that Jesus Christ was the only way to salvation. The overwhelming listener response decrying the unfair treatment by Warren made station executives realize a large percentage of their market share was interested in faith issues.
Wells wrote a letter to the station challenging Warren to an on-air debate on the facts of Christianity. Musselman, who is well-known in the media community for his broadcast work with TSN sports network and on Trinity Television's It's a New Day, joined Wells for a three-hour on-air discussion on faith. The show was promoted as "Stairway to Heaven" with Warren and the station manager as skeptics and the two pastors as believers. The station liked the show so much, it asked Musselman and Wells to come up with a weekly radio show idea.
Then Balzer heard about the idea and asked to meet with Wells and Musselman. They were excited about the vision that Balzer shared with them. MBC is now a full partner with the radio station. While CJOB owns the show, MBC provides technical and administrative support. In return, CJOB gets the share of the market and MBC gets to promote Christian issues for a non-Christian market.
Said Balzer, "`Don't be bigotted and don't be boring', is what they told us."
The irony, remarked Balzer, is that three years ago, MBC approached the radio station with producing a Christian-content show and was rejected. Now, the station is saying to them to go ahead. Moreover, for Balzer this new relationship represents an answer to prayer. He said he asked God to give him one opportunity in 1998 to work with one secular radio station in Winnipeg. "I call 1998 the year of prayer; 1999 I call the year of implementation of that prayer."
Starting Jan. 10 GodTalk will run 7-10 p.m. on Sundays. Talks of broader distribution are in progress.--PW with reports from ChristianWeek
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