Faith FM listeners around Australia have jumped at the chance to have dinner with other listeners and Faith FM show presenters.
Over the past two months, Faith FM has partnered with churches in Coffs Harbour, Tamworth and Armidale in New South Wales, and Adelaide in South Australia, to run Faith FM community dinners. These events provide an excellent opportunity for Faith FM listeners to connect over a meal with local church members and to meet and chat with Faith FM show presenters.
During the dinner, a Faith FM presenter will give a 20-minute fast-paced, hi-octane-styled presentation expanding on their show’s theme. These presentations often give listeners bonus insights and material beyond their on-air show, leaving an appetite for more. One of the highlights of these dinners is the promotion and invitation to join a follow-up series conducted by the local church, which invites people to dig deeper into the great truths of Scripture.
“We have seen tremendous success with these local church partnerships,” said Pastor Robbie Berghan, Faith FM content and promotions manager.
“For example, in Coffs Harbour, I met several long-time Faith FM listeners who had never connected with a local church. However, after connecting with Ben Rea, the local pastor, at a Faith FM lunch we held there, they have since begun Bible studies.
“And then in Tamworth we saw more than 110 people attend the dinner, with 40-plus people joining the follow-up ‘Hope’ series conducted by local pastor David Cherry. And what makes this exciting is that we have seen similar results at every location where we intentionally invite listeners to connect.”
“I often get asked, ‘Does radio ministry make any real difference at the local church?’,” said Faith FM station manager Michael Engelbrecht. “Well, if these Faith FM community dinners are anything to go by, the answer is—absolutely! We have been working hard to develop a real intentional process for leading people to Jesus. And it is exciting to see these kinds of results coming in from all over Australia.”
The most recent event occurred in Armidale, NSW, where just over 100 people from the community attended the dinner. Those who joined the meal had the chance to meet with Pastor Berghan, who is also the host of “The Faith Experiment” podcast. After sharing how “Ancient Mysteries reveal the future”, a good number of listeners signed up for a follow-up series run by the local pastor. “I am so happy with the results here in Armidale,” said Pastor Luke Reeves. “This was such a great event!”
“Faith FM is about more than just airing great gospel content. We are about taking a real person on an intentional journey to make a lasting decision for Jesus,” said Pastor Berghan. “And these community dinners are a part of that strategy. Decisions for Jesus are rarely made in isolation. So, connecting to a local community of faith and forming relationships with real people is super important to us because it was important to Jesus.
“Please continue praying for the ministry of Faith FM in Australia and upcoming events in Newcastle and Wollongong later this year.”
To find out more about Faith FM and how to get involved with radio ministry in Australia, visit https://faithfm.com.au/now/.
