December 1999

Newsletter from Hong Kong

One of the things I have learned to do since I came to Hong Kong (besides how to use a computer) is how to do broadcasting over the radio. Having no communications experience before, I was given the opportunity to be involved in Christian radio broadcasting in 1998 when there was no one to coordinate and produce the English weekly programs over RTHK, the government’s public radio station.

Since then, I have discovered a whole new challenge in bringing good news over the airwaves in this very unique ministry. The Christian Religious Broadcasting Committee airs music and devotional programs from Monday to Friday, and a worship service from a local church on Sunday mornings. An ecumenical team of volunteers from the Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Churches share the workload in cooperation with the broadcasting committee.

Besides learning how to script and present a program over the radio (which is not the same as preaching from the pulpit!), I have come to appreciate how much sensitivity and knowledge it takes to work with so many ministers and churches from different backgrounds. Even more, I have come to understand the importance of having spiritual programs on the air as part of the normal schedule of a government/public service broadcasting station in an open society. The threat of losing our slots was very real a year ago. With much prayer and lots of negotiations, we convinced RTHK to let us continue our Christian radio programs as before. It certainly helped that their surveys showed our English Sunday morning worship had 23,000 listeners, of which 22,000 were Cantonese Chinese speakers. It is one of their highest-rated programs on that channel.

As we face the new millennium, there are continuing challenges ahead. One is the issue of other world religions doing religious broadcasting on the English programs. Christians have had the monopoly on the air for the past 30 years, and the Government is hearing criticism of the lack of diversity from other faiths that locally have larger numbers than Christians. This multi-faith issue has arisen in several other areas (such as Buddha’s birthday as a public holiday), and needs to be addressed. The Christian Broadcasting Committee is working on a new mission statement and reorganization to clarify its position. We want to be in compliance with the government’s religious broadcasting policy in recognition of the religious freedom that all people of faith should be able to enjoy in the SAR ("SAR" is the abbreviation for "Special Administrative Region," which is what Hong Kong is in relation to the People’s Republic of China. It is a common abbreviation for Hong Kong now. Macao will become another SAR this month.) We also want to honor the wishes of our supporting churches and never compromise our Christian commitment to proclaim God’s ultimate saving work in Jesus Christ. This is not always an easy task, but we have seen cooperation and friendship among the major faiths in Hong Kong, in activities such as the interfaith colloquium of six religious leaders and the running of the multi-faith prayer room at the new Hong Kong international airport. I personally believe our own Christian life and understanding grow as we know more about the best of each other’s religions in a spirit of mutual service to God and society.

Judy Chan

The 1999 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 180