New Radio toys for Christ

I hope my handful of readers had a good Christmas and will have a great new year. This Christmas I got a Roku HD unit for my Christmas gift. This box allow streaming on most any TV. The TV in question can have a HDMI connection. This cord usually runs from a video item like a Blue-Ray player or a better cable box to your modern flat screen TV or monitor. Some computers have an HDMI out too. This allows the Roku HD to put out in 720p resolution. Most of what it streams is well below that. It can hook to an older screen with the old red, white and yellow cords that carry left and right audio and video. (I did not check that option out.) Once hooked up to power and TV, the box will automatically fire up. (No power switch.) The Roku is about the size of a thick sandwich and can sit by your TV. This box may (and I say may) be the future of TV. You do have to have a good high speed internet connection for this wireless device to work. This box displays various “channels” on your TV. Most people will use it to stream Netflix movies to their TVs. It will show films in 720p witch is an upgrade from a WII at 480p. (Best Netflix machine is probably a Sony Playstation 3 at 1080p) It also is easy to listen to the Pandora web based music service on this box too. With that program you just enter a person, band or type of music you like and it does the rest. Its very easy to use, but just music.

“Scott, Scott stop, what does this have to do with radio or faith?” Lots, As I stated the little box is streaming box. Several channel apps have been developed for radio. The Tune In radio app and Shoutcast (grand daddy of internet radio apps) work great on this little box. You pull up the Tune In channel, punch in call letters like my favorite KSBJ, and it will give you that station and its HD2 NGEN. Other search options are available to find Christians stations.

This device also can pull TV stations if the station has been made an available stream on Roku. For people of faith this is really cool. I found all the TBN TV stations and several more stations on offer. If you like those stations and do not want to pay a satellite bill to get them, this box is perfect for internet users. Air One has its own little channel that makes tuning to their fine Christian rock radio station a breeze. You just punch the channel and play. The artist is displayed while it plays. Many large churches and even some smaller ministries have also used the Roku to stream services live and put up clips. I found my own church sermon streaming on Viemo video channel.

I also found seprate channels for the BBC TV and audio, Fox audio and video clips. Like any internet item it can be used for porn and other media you may not want exposure to. You can control who adds channels with a pass code.

If you go out and buy one of these boxes you will find a very limited channel offering on their website (which you will need to set up an account on.) The fun of this thing is finding “private” channels. The Roku must be based on open source programming. Anyone can get the developers pack put up a channel and stream something. The developer is then responsible for promoting the channel and publishing a simple code so it can be activated from the Roku website. Some of the best Roku channels are private. You can find list and sites on the internet with a simple search. Start with picking channels off the Roku site. Those are “public” channels. Then look for “Private” channels and put in some codes.

This box for a one time fifty dollar payment is a must for internet radio fans. There are some services that want you to subscribe. You simply can choose not to load them. I did find a Christian network as a pay channel. The Roku people wil require a credit card number to hold, in case you charge a channel or buy a game. (Yep games too.) You can get the several versions of a Roku box. Most sites say this verson or an older LT box is fine. The better ones come with some neat upgrades including 1080p. Next time we will look at Windows 8. At first look it is making internet radio easier.

A Christian station in Seattle Washington and Listening to the World to inform your faith

I have been busy with work. The great thing about my job is I can listen to terrestrial radio all night in the car. On a great radio e mail newsletter called RadioInfo.com, I noticed that they mentioned Spirit 105.3 KCMS in Seattle, Washington. The station just got a new programming person Matt Stockman, who was working in Christian radio consulting in Spain, Sweden and Nigeria. Sounds like missions to me. The newsletter is available to anyone who wants it and wants to keep up with the business of radio.

So I tuned in KCMS though the net. They seem to have a great play list and good on air personalities. Their internet signal must be fairly high quality. They are owned by Christa Broadcasting which is a part of Christa ministries. You can find them at www.spirit1053.com If you knock around a little you can also find a internet Christian rock station, a praise station, and a ministry station owned by them too. Personally I just like finding stations that are reaching major markets and Seattle/ Tacoma is a big place. I will be praying for this group of stations as they reach the North West. If you live in their town check out their concert and festival listings.

Now on to another positive thing about radio on the net. English is a great language. The British and the US to some extent have spread it far and wide. With internet radio you can listen to radio that originates in many places in the world that speak English with wonderful accents. You may ask the question why do I want to listen to music and news from Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Britain (really good radio), Ghana, India, Australia, New Zealnd and the Philippines. There are more counties, that is just the ones I know I have listened to. The best way to find out about cultures is to listen to them talk to their own. This can be amazing stuff. As a Christian, I know many of the places I just named need constant prayer. A great way to be aware of what they are doing is to listen in with near perfect sound. I have heard Christian stations in most of these countries. The news from a place can be an eye opener. As a Christian called to minister to the world around us, this is a great way to listen to it. A great starter for a person wishing to expand their horizons is http://www.citifmonline.com/ This is citi fm's website. From their you can listen to this secular station and read news about this African Nation. One of my favorite non US Christian stations is Life FM out of New Zealand. http://www.lifefm.co.nz Their website looks like any Christian radio station out of the US. Their music is pretty upbeat. They also offer a worship stream if you wish. I urge you to listen to the main stream to get the flavor of the place. Another station that I have found is Two Oceans VibeRadio in Johannesburg, South Africa. They are an internet only stations aimed at a local market but available to the world. A few years ago, South Africa decided not to have a bloody revolution by getting rid of rules controlling the lives of the majority of their citizens. This has caused some problems and situations. This station probably a product of the present reality of this fine country at the tip of the world. There url is www.2oceansviberadio.com Another South African secular station is http://www.highveld.co.za Highveld radio. She is a terrestrial that has been around a long time. I just bumped into a fine DAB+ (Australian digital radio) Christian station called Inspire. You can find it at www.inspiredigitalradio.com

How to be a child of God Video by David Howell 

This is a video of an actual illustrated book that is being shared in prisons and rehabs. It really tells how to get saved, and grow in Christ. The artwork is compelling and the narration is beautiful. One could share it with unsaved friends or coworkers. It is about 20 minutes long and you should have a good internet connection as it is a video.

 What to do on churchless Sundays, a discovery and an update.

At this time I am excited to see that 368 people have viewed the page. Today I want to give an update about me, a good radio thing for people away from church on Sunday and a neat accidental discovery I made.

Things are looking up for me and the family as a church has finally expressed an interest in me being their pastor. This blog started when I between churches. This has been a time of relying on the Lord and learning. Your prayers are requested at this time for my career as a pastor to restart. I hope to keep up the blog as radio and faith are really my only two interest.

That post leads me to my next subject. While not pastoring I have been a security guard at a local Wal Mart. I drive a car around the parking lot and I am allowed to listen to the radio. On the occasion of working on a Sunday I decided not to let that totally take me out of worship. At 8AM I tuned in Joel Osteen, of Lakewood on KKDA, 99.1FM “Sunny” in Houston. I think it can be accessed on vtuner.com At 9:30 I tuned in Second Baptist with Ed Young and at 11 I tuned in First Baptist with Greg Matte. These where on KHCB, 105.7 FM, Houston, it can also be accessed through vtuner.com I am not a big fan of Osteen, but he has the largest church in town and is very positive. Ed is a prince of preachers in the US and was speaking on family. Greg Matte always has a good message and is ministering to thousands of young families with dynamic messages. This did not replace church. People are a huge part of church, but I was fed by God's word and in the last two I got to sing with the people as these are full service recordings for folks like me and shut ins. Thank God for old fashioned radio in Houston, Texas.

Next a simple discovery. I was playing with vtuner.com and found Hindi Christian Music at the top of the India listing. The music has a wonderful Hindi influenced sound. Some English is thrown in. The voice station ids are randomly thrown in and a little annoying, but I will trust the developer. Their website can be accessed at www.hindichristianmusic.com It did not do to well when I went to it. It refused my email and only some parts are functional. Who knows, Satan, time, or problems may be happening. It plays very well on a UM Player from vtuner.com and ok from their site. Great music. You may be tempted to swing, sway and worship our God who wants all to be saved.

Please write me and tell me if this stuff is informative or helpful. God Bless

scotttalbert1963@gmail.com.

The land of blessing and Big Questions in Houston

I live in Houston. For years this has been a one contemporary Christian music town. Over thirty years ago KSBJ was born out of the prayers of believers who began to seek outlets for Christian music. Commercial stations had been tried and failed. Christian music does not have a great track record of commercial stations. An exceptions may be KLTY in Dallas. The Christian community in Houston has been blessed with this outlet for many years. (www.ksbj.org) With the advent of online and HD radio, KSBJ proudly introduced NGEN to the public last year. This station plays youth oriented music and plays a lot of music KSBJ does not chose to play. NGEN (www.ngenradio.com) came out about a year ago online and as an HD2 Station last year. Because KSBJ has acquired a new terrestrial (real analog fm station) and some translators (low power fm stations) NGEN is now an HD-2, internet, smart phone and translator station. She is gaining a regular audience spread out around the Houston area.

This story has a real interesting twist now. The guys at EMF (Educational Media Foundation), the owners of the national network KLOVE (www.klove.com) have brought their rock oriented AIR1(www.air1.org) to town on a terrestrial frequency. EMF is huge in the Christian music world. If your town does not have a locally run station, you probably have a klove outlet near by. If that has done well then a AIR1 may also be near by. These stations also do huge internet broadcasting and rank well in listened to hours.

The elephant in the room may be “Is Houston big enough for these two music ministries?” Houston all ready supports KHCB(www.khcb.org) a teaching station that is one of the oldest Christian stations in town. A couple of commercial teaching outlets, and an AFR station, and a few others. Like many Texas towns they are donor money rich and Houston is a huge town.

Now some of my ideas and my ideas alone.

KSBJ is a fine Christians station. She actively ministers in the community she has chosen to call home. She is well know and well respected. She has been about the number 4 station in our markets for years. She has tried to have a presence in this town and on the street for 30 years. She has a huge reach from the Louisiana border to Victoria, this is most the upper Texas Gulf Coast. She has been an internet broadcaster for a long time and has a great signal strength in town and through a newly acquired sister frequency. She does have a tightly controlled play list that makes her attractive to females and older listeners. She will not lose this audience any time soon. She and NGEN do have an absolute stranglehold on concerts in the area. You can try to promote a Christian concert, but she just has the best machinery to do this. I have to think this has built up some folks who are not happy about this. Buddy Holiday wanted a good premium powered station to minister to the town, they have it and will have it as long as God blesses it. To over simplify her sound is to say she is the light rock station of the Christian music world of Houston.

Air1's parent EMF has some positives too. Experience and lots of cash. They have bought a rim shot (Close by station) outlet that can be heard over most of Houston. They play a harder format than KSBJ or their parent KLOVE. Sadly, my experience of KLOVE in Austin and Midland is that they can not be too involved in the community. They headquarters in California. They do a local events calendar and sometimes concert promotions. I would be stunned to see them do much in Houston. Will they stay? Are they testing the water? I just bet we will see a few bumper stickers and that will be that. It does not cost a lot to run a station with a satellite and transmitter and no studios. Their format is comparable to a straight CHR station with rock and very little rap. They do produce good dj driven rock radio. It is very good with djs around the clock.

NGEN is great stuff if you are young and young at heart. She plays rap and some pretty hard rock. She plays little the big sister plays. KSBJ has bent over backward to promote NGEN. NGEN started as an HD2, internet and low power fm station. She has gained some more translator and is being heard by a larger terrestrial audience. (Lets face it, you have not heard of too many single station internet broadcasting giants, but this is changing.) She is gaining folks who listen to her. She is the most youth oriented of the bunch. Think of her as a little sister among a big sister and a new kid in town. She will and can win the youth vote. She has djs most of the time, except on the overnight.

So, is their a pink elephant in the room? Not really, if all concerned just stick to their game. The town can support three stations of varying formats. If one of the three gets greedy, things may change. The scriptures are good here too. In Mark 9:38-41the disciples saw another person ministering in Christ name. They really wanted to stop the competition. Jesus said if they where honoring His name and working with power, leave them alone. In Acts the Jewish church wishes Paul well as he ministered to whole different bunch. Both had a place in God's plan. First Corinthians 3:5-9 is good here too. Let each minister and build up the body. Its all about God, not radio stations. Houston is just a blessed place for Christian Music, just pray for the ministries that are doing it now.

God Loves Rock and Roll

As a child of the late 70s and 80s I grew up with Pop Rock and Album Rock. I quickly gyrated toward the Album Rock crowd. As a youth, I awaited the latest releases of Jethro Tull, ELO, Led Zeppelin and the like. Sadly I also ran with a crowd that emulated some of the behavior. Despite this stupidity, God was not through loving me. During the midst of this time of rebellion in my life, God used Christian Rock to speak to me deeply and in moving ways. In those concerts I felt whole as a young emotional person wanting to know Jesus and express stuff that just did not fit the modern hymnolgy.

I learned names like Larry Norman (I wish we had all been ready.), Petra (The coloring song.), Steve Taylor (So you want to be a clone.), Stryper (To hell with the Devil) Daniel Amos, Servant, Resurrection Band, Degarmo and Key, and many others. This was not just typical Contemporary Christian stuff. This was music that unappolegitically turned up the volume and kept it up. The bands knew they were new wave and sometimes controversial, but they saved this little baptist boy's musical soul. This was where my journey with Christian music started and even at 49 I still like my music a wee bit on the loud side.

This form of Christian music took root on most Christian stations as an after thought on Saturday night, or Rock stations on a Sunday morning. Some Christian Rock stations came and went, but most went.

This form of music helped form my basic view of Christian music and worship all together. Music is 1 percent message. That message is huge and life changing. It is 99 percent culture. In Africa, I have sung the old Anglican Hymns on drums. In Africa, I have used a guitar to sing the latest worship in the bush. In some old church with a median age of 65, I have sung the great hymns with gusto with an organ and piano. In a contemporary setting, I have sung my friend Louie Giglio's Passion music with kids. And in a parking lot in Austin I have heard God praised with Rap lyrics that God was crazy about. Its all about that 1 percent. The music is about us. It's all good. I suspect God loves it all and has some stuff in heaven we are yet to hear and can understand.

As this blog is about internet radio, you can guess where I am going. I have some excellent suggestions. I will probably just give you a website then tell you if you can listen to it on www.vtuner.com to keep it simple. I like vtuner because it is big and easy to use. There are other services like tunein radio but I just don't have time to chase listings down. It also taxes an old pc a little more. Most of these stations have apps for Ipods and android phones or tablets too.

My favorite station in this category, is Ngen Radio, out of Houston's KSBJ. Ngen is KSBJs HD-2 station on HD radio. Interestingly enough, areas around Houston get it as a low power terrestrial (non HD) FM. In Houston you have to get it as a HD-2 on an HD radio. (Full blog column later.) This station can be heard at www.ngenradio.com or Vtuner. They play a mix of Christian Rock, Rap and other teen themed Christian music. They are hosted with live Djs from 6am to 10pm central US time. This is a really good public station that is making a difference all over Houston and the world. They will expand terrestrially this Summer.

The next station I want to discuss is Rise FM out of Dallas. This one is an interesting case. She is an HD-2 of an old Dallas station KVIL that's owned by CBS in Dallas. KVIL plays very commercial soft rock. Rise on the other hand plays very loud Christian rock. I have not heard Djs, but the music is awesome. They are at www.tunein.com/radio/1037-HD2-RISE-s67540 Vtuner also carries there signal. Look in USA, Christian Rock and Texas.

Another fine Dallas station comes to mind too. Power FM 98.7 is a terrestrial station that has been in Dallas for decades. They do have Djs and they are a player in a market dominated by a huge commercial Christian station called KLTY. Power FM plays good Christian rock. She is a non profit. You can find this station on www.897powerfm.com They are also on Vtuner.

A really great international outlet is Life Radio out of New Zealand. They are a typical Pacific Asian Christian Rock station. They may occasionally play a secular song. Its ok, its the song's message they are interested in. They play a format heavy in Christian music that is well picked out and hosted by Djs that are young and smart. I have tried to do a feature on this bunch, but they are a little slow getting back to me. They can be found at www.lifefm.co.nz They are also on vtuner. I have had some filter problems with this station, but the Vtuner access is fine.

Probally the biggest player in younger contemporary Christian music is KlOVe's Air1 station chain found around America. They play the mainline stuff on KLOVE and use Air1 to speak to a younger market. This is a well done, good sounding station with Djs. They can be found at www.air1.com and not on vtuner.

Oh yeah, the bible. Pslam 150 has always guided my thoughts on Christian music of any musical type. Read those 6 verses. Two words stick out with me in the NIV text “clash” and “resounding.” This is loud stuff. It woke it's listner up and moved them toward God. Another element strikes me too. No less than 7 instruments are listed. We gotta use a variety of instruments and styles to reach people. Also the text mentions dancing, but I will save that for later.

If you have a comment, or “amen” please write me at scotttalbert1963@gmail.com

Great news for Christian Music

and Rock fans in Houston

and around the world

KSBJ has now served the Houston area for about 30 years. Even in the old days they tried to have a progressive Christian rock show on Saturday nights from 10pm to 12 am called “Rock of Love.” As a young person I needed to hear believers expressing themselves with Rock and Roll. KSBJ itself has always majored on music and simply done a lot of ministry in the Houston area. It is one of the finest public supported stations in the world. It also has a local PPM rating to prove it. (It is always in the top five stations of the town.) As time rolled on, they added some translators in distant towns and a fine internet signal. When HD Radio came about they added a new station called NGEN. This station plays Christian Rock and Rap. It is the station the “Rock of Love” folks dreamed about. That station is also available on the internet and mobile devices. Recently KSBJ acquired a new signal west of town on a new signal. That gives the station two 100,000 watt plus outlets to serve a large part of the Texas Coast. This acquisition also allows engine to be on some old translators that are now in the middle of the new signal. Ngen will broadcasting from several live small translators and HD-2 on terrestrial radio. As of now, she only does this in two smaller close by markets and HD-2. NGEN has also provided an internet stream to vtuner.com This allows NGEN to be tuned in by many more internet listeners and several internet radios that use the site for stations.

Over the past years it has been exciting to see this ministry grow and reach the Upper Texas Gulf Coast and indeed the world. It is a top notch station. It has Djs 24/7 and has people who can pray with callers most of time. They also take prayer request by email and answer those too. They also are a leading promoter of concerts in the area too. NGEN is also coming into its own quicker than was expected. They will be in 5 or more markets terrestrially this July and do well as a station on the internet. Their new WMA internet signal is rock solid if you wish to grab it with vtuner.com You can also get it at their site and with mobile devices.

To get started with these two fine ministries you can go to ksbj.org or ngenradio.com

Scott, If you have questions please write scotttalbert1963@gmail.com

Equipment Time

Well as I originally said when I started this blog, I hoped to talk about the nuts and bolts of internet radio. This is a huge topic. One can talk about it from a hardware point of view or with applications for our computers or simply websites. As I write this I am listening to Spin 103.8 in England. (I believe) This is secular music. I have not given up on real radio. This is a good teenage station. Today I want to focus on hardware. Really just my stuff. The real advantage hear is that my radio setup really did not cost me over 200.00 USD.

The little box that looks like a comic book jam-box is a Radi.osphy HD AM/FM radio that I got for about 100.00 USD. Like many HD radios you can hook external antenna to the FM and the AM side. In town this radio works well on the FM side with the rod antenna that it came with. As the HD FM comes in, a light comes on and you can tune the sub channels. (Alas we will cover HD later.) The radio comes with a loop for AM but pulling an AM HD station is not easy. I know the technology works. My car radio feasted on AM HD in Denver. In my market we get 1 Disney station in AM HD. (Sounds good too.) The radio also has a auxiliary jack that allows one to hook up anything that comes with a headphone connection. This is where internet radio comes in.

The teardrop component is an Aluratek Internet Radio tuner. This little radio can be found for under 100.00USD. It uses vtuner.com listings for station listings. It comes with a remote control that you use to operate it. You will need to hook it up to an amplification source. My Radi.osphy radio was perfect for that. One could use some old computer speakers or a whole stereo. I have hooked it up to a stereo and it sounds great. The Aluratek will need a source of the internet. I have used a cable wireless modem and a dsl wireless modem and it works OK. It does seem to have a limited wireless range. Occasionally you just need to turn it off and turn it back on for it to get a good connection. This is not a huge problem. It will show time only when its on. The display is very bright and only shows station info for a second before going to time. I have tried to find a way to override the time display. No luck. Once you power the unit up you have about 10,000 stations at your fingertips. Like the vtuner site the radio will display stations by country, genre or you can search for stations by name. You can also turn the display off so the brightness will not blind you.

The bonus concerning this rig is simple. No computer. The Aluratek does all the work and the Radi.osphy is perfect for low level listening or headphones. I like to listen at night with a simple pair of Sony headphones. With this rig I have heard great stations all over the world.

Oh yeah faith. With these simple things I hear stations and great information from around the world. Do you need some things to hear God's voice and direction. Sure. I would start with a heart focused on Jesus. I then would find a good bible to read. Right now I use English Standard Version. Its a great, readable translation. Next I would have a simple plan. Right now I am reading a chapter of Old Testament and a Chapter of New Testament. I try to do this daily. I pray between the readings. I use the ACTS prayer system. I have some verses about adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication in a notebook. Then I have a prayer list that I update often. On this list I can see what the Lord has done in response to my request. This is not a method I will do all my life. I may change versions, prayer method or may focus on the bible in a different way. It will take me a while to read the Old Testament and by the time that happens I will probably read through the New Testament several times. Like my desire to hear radio stations all over the world the sound I want to hear most is God's voice.

Please write me if this blog helps you. I love questions about faith. No question is beyond looking at. I love technology questions to. I taught computers and I have taught religion. No technology question is beyond a good look. Please email me at scotttalbert1963@gmail.com

Lets Celebrate Easter With Support for Justice
The bible is full of God's desire for people to deal justly with each other. In the Old Testament this theme is seen many times. Adam's son comes to God attention because of his desire to murder his brother. Noah is told he is to witness the flood because the rest of the people are evil. Egypt's defeat is seen as reward for injustices done to God's people. The Ten Commandments are about man's relationship with God and man's relationship with man. The kings of Israel are judged very honestly in terms of Justice. Prophets of the Old Testament cry out for justice over sacrifices.
This theme continues as John the Baptist calls for “works worthy of repentance.” He tells his new followers to do things to show their new relationship to God. Jesus calls for justice when he knows it is missing. He especially confronts the pharisees about practices that value religious practice over the real needs of people. Paul will tell his followers to live Christ like to win others to the faith. In first John, the apostle tells us that faith and lives of justice go to together. In Revelation God is seen ending history with Judgment on evil.
In our day the church would rather fight ourselves and look for anyone veering from some theological line in the sand, rather than publicly take a stand against evil and injustice in our society.
This is where radio, (I'm still on this.) comes in. Radio in its most basic forms tells victims of injustice that a world is concerned about their plight. I think the kid locked up in slavery or trafficking knows there is a better world out there somewhere. He knows it because a two dollar radio blares it while they suffer. On great news outlets we hear of a world consumed in sin and injustice. Human trafficking, the flesh trade and just out right worker abuses are well documented on the BBC and other fine outlets.
As a Christian I love to listen to the Word of God in music and preaching. The internet just allows me to hear more and more. As I write this, I am listening to Revival 100.8 in Central Scotland. We also need to listen to the news of our world. God has always been at work in History. The bible is all about God's actions in history. I like local news outlets and big outlets like BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk will take you to a world of news, television on demand and radio, lots of radio.
Today I am asking you to go to http://www.72daysforfreedom.com This site is about signing a letter to the United States President about fighting human trafficking. This effort is being spearheaded by the folks at Atlanta's Passion City Church. They became the display spot for the biggest anti trafficking art project. The display was built for students at Passion 2012 conferences to inspire them to give to this cause. God did huge stuff. The conference had a goal of students giving 1 million dollars to fight slavery. They gave 3.2 million to this cause. Because of their work some people will be set free or prevented from becoming slaves. 

Scott Talbert, As always your comments are welcome. Please write me at scotttalbert19963@gmail.com 

Some truths about Christian Calling

and A great station in Sacramento, California

Exodus 3:10 Come I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. (ESV)

This is a great passage on calling. God calls us to work with Him in His plan to bring captive souls to freedom.

“Come, I will send you...” This is the essence of God's work and call to anyone who ministers in his name.

“Come” Go from where you are to where I want you to be. This may be dramatic, sin to salvation to ministry. This may be from inactive in His kingdom, to active. This may be from one place of service to another. This could be a physical move. In my life, I moved from Texas to Africa to serve God and know Him better. Last week it was up the highway so we could lead a Vacation Bible School in a poor rural community and in a rough side of town in a small city. The African thing went for two years and the Vacation Bible School was less than a week. Lately I have moved from being employed by a church to waiting for a church to look at my resume. God used that me to move me to a much more cross cultural situation that He is showing me His work with African nationals.

“I will send you” Not “You will decide what to do for God.” Not “This is what the kingdom needs.” We do not take a survey and tell God what we are going to do. “I will send you.” God is saying “I will position you to co-labor to carry out my plan. I God is sending you, how can you fail or be without power? I really do not remember God having a plan in the bible then short circuiting it, sabotaging it, or refusing to make it happen. Timing and our openness to that plan are other questions.

The last part of the verse deals with rescue. The children of Israel needed a rescue. They were crying out for rescue. Verse 9. “Lord we are perishing.” Listen to you heart. Can you hear a perishing people crying out for rescue. “Why is marriage so hard?” Why can I not stop drinking?” “Why are my children so badly deceived?” On a recent trip I preached in state prison, worked with a poor rural church and with poor minority children in a park?” The screaming for rescue was hard to drown out or not listen to.

Is God calling you to rescue the perishing. Are the voices too loud to ignore. Is His voice getting clearer amid the pleas for rescue?

On the radio front, my find of the column is Lead me to the Rock radio. They are web based station hoping to be an FM station in Sacramento, California. They seem to be part of the CCM picture in the town. They have a good page for getting a good stream. They work on Windows Media, Win Amp, I Tunes, and Real. (More on software later) I found them featured on Windows Media page. The Win Amp 128k stream sounded great on my old machine. The stations web site is www.leadmetotherock.com Their stream page is http://loudcity.com/stations/lead-me-to-the-rock-radio/files/show/lclaunch.htm They have news and on air personalities during the day and a good mix at night.

3^rd blog Entry: Conversion a true parable

I am not sure when I got my first radio. As a kid I was fascinated with the world of music and words. I could not afford to by every record I liked. Even as a 14 year old I had diverse taste. I grew up in a world of pop radio, hard rock and country music. I would later come to love a fairly new genre called Contemporary Christian music, and quickly Christian rock. On a radio I could find some of this. In those various stations I found community too. Country fans all listened to a certain station. Christians listened to certain stations. Hard rock fans listened to a great station. Some of those stations still exist, but they do not hold the power they did years ago. The only exception was the Christian station that started while I grew up. (KSBJ – Houston christian station, public supported, link on the right) Did I mention baseball and the last radio mystery nationally produced. I loved baseball on radio, still do. I would listen to CBS radio Mystery Theater. This was the last of a dying breed.( You can find it on the internet archives site, I may link to it later.) Major actors used just their voices to scare you to death.

Some where in the march of time I discovered shortwave radio. “You mean there is more than AM and FM radio. It comes from where.” In those days most every country had a radio outlet. Radio Moscow, the BBC, Radio Cuba, various religious broadcasters, and even just some AM stations that just wanted to be heard around the world. As I learned more then I could listen to Ham Radio operators talk endlessly about their subject. (Why I do not have a license today.) Then scanners came into my life. I could listen to the cops and even halves of phone calls. Digital communications would send even high dollar scanners into the dust bin. I think you know where I am going with this. Fear not, I do still own a tun of radio gear. I am a huge HD radio fan and will write about it later. Later I would go on to volunteer at a Christian radio station and collect a few radios, that I still own. Computers where not too much of contenders. Early on, streaming anything in dial up was not to satisfying. Except the BCC, they just figured it out early. My joy in radio was hearing various formats and information. News from Europe, with their spin. Music from Cuba. (Still awesome, even on shortwave.) As a christian I have all ways been excited about how radio can build faith with music teaching or talk. Radio's power to inform us as voters is just stunning. Yep radio is part new, part ridiculous and part snake oil sales. It all ways has been. Border radio from Mexico is proof of all that. Men sold Goat Gonad implants to solve all male problems. As I write this, I have an old SW receiver simply hooked up to commercial AM loop on top of my PC. It works. Where am I going with this.

Conversion, change. Change to get the same and better joy. Digital has been a lot for radio to adjust to, just ask the US TV folks. Remember I listen to radio to hear what is being said so it can entertain, teach or disciple me.

Oh yeah, this is a parable. Before we came to Christ we tried to get joy from everything, but a loving savior, who died to give us ultimate joy in the arms of God. We looked for joy in people, things, and philosophies. We needed conversion. If you do not know Jesus, you need conversion.

Back to my story. Recently I have discovered all that I was looking for in the radio world, I can easily get in the world of internet. Sound is not so hard, so the gear and the connection does not have to be great. My internet radio was just a little tuner, that cost about 80 dollars. (I”ll blog on internet radio's later.) On a wireless router I get more stations than I ever could on AM, FM, HD FM or SW. Most of those outlets broadcast on the net. Some great stuff is being preserved on the net. 40S and 50s music is being saved on the net, at no charge. Old formats that have long gone away are on the net. I know I have not hit it all. As an avid listener, this is a no brainer. Basic table top radios have been rolled out. Cars are coming. This stuff, for know is a blast. I needed to convert web based radio. I have and this blog is proof.

Conversion has that effect. I changed and now get a tun of more joy from listening to the web versus terrestrial(conventional) radio. Is this important as my salvation? NO WAY. Its a parable, remember. Sadly conversion is mainly preached as going from the disaster and judgment of sin to the happiness of God. That is true, totally true. My Parable is not about that, It may be more real for some folks in experience or need. My parable is going from “ok” to happiness. It like going from “good” to “great.” Many people's lives are not totally ruined by sin. I was converted young. I do not have a drugs and destroyed life story before Christ. But till I totally put my life in Jesus' hands I did not have real joy and meaning. When I finally gave Jesus my whole heart, life was better than it could ever be before I totally trusted God with my whole life. It just makes a lot of since to do something better when it has been shown to you. I wanted variety and quality, conventional radio has some big limits. Right know web based listening is just a better choice.

So is conversion to Christ. How is being spiritually lost doing for you? How is ruined relationships, gnawing doubts about eternity, and the eternal unease going for you. In Christ, all that and more is solved. Time to convert, time to change. Look to Jesus. If you don't know him? Please start a relationship with him. Email me and let me help you. (See link on right.) Some of you need a post conversion, conversion. You really are trusting Christ for eternity, but you are waiting for joy. Seek Christ presence in every area of your life. Seek Him in His Word, seek Him in Prayer, and seek Him in a God honoring Church.

Ok stop here, parable over. Just a few stray thoughts, I understand that Radio people love the joy of the pursuit. Strange signals from strange places. OK. I like this stuff too. But really I am looking to hear what I find and find it again. Don't miss this articles lesson. Conversion is what we all need. When I convert to Christ, I put away a sinful world and come to Christ. (Read, no going back) In the world of radio and communication I went primarily web based. I still own a lot of radio's for one guy. Radio's do fit some situations well. One day, when time allows I will put all this gear in a room and spend time listening to whatever is out there. Someday.

Please, I would love to hear from a reader, about faith or Radio, or both. Scott Talbert

 scotttalbert1963@gmail.com

The Second Post, Hey listen to Radio on your Computer, oh yeah faith

I want to thank all the folks who visited this blog on its initial week. Thanks. As I said I want to use this blog to build your faith, comment about radios and communication, and will freely mix both topics. In my future post I hope bring you information about internet radio, faith, discipleship and even people using radio to reach the world for Christ. I presently am waiting for a response to some interview questions from a station called “Life Radio” in New Zealand. They sound great. You can listen to them online at the links I have on the right of the page. Today I just want to point you to those links and give you some help on using your computer as a great radio. As well as a great radio it can be a good tool to build you up and maybe for the guys keep you out of online trouble.

Stations have been and will all ways will be anxious about getting people to listen to them. The internet has provided an awesome forum for this. The great thing that some folks know and fewer have tried is internet radio. You can listen to most any station, any place you can get a decent internet connection. Also, some stations are just on the net. I know about a great Christian “oldies” station called “247Christian Classics.” If you have moved from home, you may be able to get your favorite home town station right on you computer, ipod, pad or even smart phone. You can also sample other stations in other markets. A news station from LA or New York is interesting. A Christian station from India is really quite interesting. A few warning. Standard for all of this are not in place. Some stations need installed software. Some stations just play because they use very simple technologies. Some times you have to go to a web site, but most of the times you can just go to a listing of stations and push a link. In my short experience of this I have also learned some stations are there one day and rules or situations change and poof they are gone. Somebody compared it to early satellite. They said in the early days every one's signal was free, then pay schemes came in, but you still watch a few things on satellites for free. (Free to air – another column) Most radio organizations are still trying to figure out why the want to be on the internet. Who really needs news and adds from Waco, Texas, outside of Waco? People in office buildings that can only get a station on a computer are quite happy with internet broadcasting of their favorite station in Waco. The rest of us may be curious, but really we do not have a lot of reasons to listen very long. What ever may happen, well over 10,000 stations are out there for your listening pleasure. For the eternally curious like me, I just love this stuff. What does radio in the Philippines sound like? Pretty good really. Side note: Lots of English is spoken outside the US, take a listen. If it was an British Colony, US protectorate or English was adopted because they had too many dialects you can hear a lot of stuff you can understand. Indian radio again, is just a riot when they play American rock classics.

Ok, where to start? I have put some good links to the right of this blog. Two of them are really just perfect for anyone playing with internet radio. Vtuner and Tune In Radio. These services are actually used for internet Radios (yep another topic for later) as a huge station index. The station listings are not a secret, these sites just put them in one place for you to sample. They also give you a few tools to sort through the 10,000 plus stations around the world. “Vtuner” is pretty simple and slightly smaller than “Tune In.” Vtuner offers some television stations that offer their signal around the world for free. Lots of education, faith and public broadcasting on these stations. Warning Internet TV can be rough on some older computers. If a station fails try another. Internet radio usually works pretty good. Vtuner will usually just get a station and play it in windows media if it can. Tune In will probably try to go to a stations site and play the station in a window. All that really maters is that you get sound. If a stations bombs just try it again on a different browser or software. (Remember, no real standards of how they get sound to us, some stations use lots of methods, some just use one.) There are other radio sites that work quite well. I also included “I heart Radio” on right side of the blog. This goes to most Clear Channel stations. It has lots of nifty stuff. If you have a favorite, email me a link and I will try it out and maybe add it to the ones I have listed,

A lot of stations have apps for phones or listening through a site. Most stations just offer you an opportunity to look up their websites and push a “listen” link and usually a window pops up and plays the station. Most stations are that way. You can Google a station you know, and go to the site and push “listen” and that works pretty good. (Suggestion, bookmark your favorite stations. Poor man's tuner.) A lot of stations will offer a free phone app that you can tune in their station or a group of stations with a touch on your ipad or smart phone. Usually you will need a droid app, Iphone app or Blackberry app. I have found that a smart phone browser can usually play stations from the web. I have listed a few Christian stations that I like. I mentioned Life Radio earlier, KSBJ is a personal favorite and I listed KLOVE. They are a national radio network (They normally have stations in markets where Christian Radio is weak or the listener base is too small for a local public Christian radio station) that does great contemporary Christian radio. God has blessed their on line work, they are one of the most listened too online stations in the world. They are a very good ministry that is just scary big.

Ok Scott, how does this help my faith. This really is a not a mystery. You are what you putting in your mind? Paul in his letters Philippians 4:8 tell us that we should focus on what is true and perfect. I do not know of anything better than sermons, Christian talk, and music that focus me on the Lord. Out there is plenty of Godly stuff that is at your finger tips. Also as a believer I have found that variety and a little change does a soul good. As I write this, I am listening to KLOVE. The connection is on my old XP computer using an air card to a DSP router. The station sounds great. Worship music, the News Boys latest song and great on air personalities that sound a lot better than a station on auto pilot playing songs from a computer. PS I am a huge Christian music fan. KLOVE has articles and links on some of my favorites. I can also submit a prayer request or read and uplifting article or two. Lately I have listened to a Christian station in the United Kingdom, (Premier. Yep another blog post.) They have some repacked US preachers and some very good stuff that I have never heard. Some teaching stations just have a good mix and people on at the right time. Side Note: If you listen to stations from overseas just be aware that time zones may effect what you hear. Morning Drive time anywhere usually equals good talent.

Last point. If you are easily offended bail now. I find internet radio can also help men who struggle with inappropriate internet browsing. If you are playing praise music, preaching or Christian rock you may be less tempted to browse in place that you know God and you know that you shouldn't. When you listen to God honoring stuff, God is at work and you really have to try too hard to look at stuff you shouldn't. Try it, email me if it helps.

Scott Talbert

scotttalbert1963@gmail.com

Scott Welcomes Himself to His New Blog with an Interview

Interviewer: We are here with Scott Talbert. A simple question Scott, why Of Faith and Radios?

Scott: Well these are two very important things for me. My relationship with God is the most important thing in my life. I just try to love Jesus and get others closer to Christ. I am not perfect, but I know God is. He helps me live every day of my life as I read his word, the bible and talk to Him everyday. Radios for me cover a lot of topics. If it is communication and can inform or entertain, I call it radio. Also so many times this stuff intersects in great ways and awesome adventures.

Interviewer: Scott, what gives you any creditability in these areas?

Scott: Good question I, can I call you I?

Interviewer: Sure, now why do you feel qualified to speak to the subject of faith and Radios.

Scott: I have pastored for over 10 years in a Baptist context. I have a Masters of Theology degree from one the worlds largest Seminary. I love Jesus and Love his Word, the bible. I do not think of my self as qualified, but more of an experienced fellow traveler and coach. I hope all I would say would move people closer to God.

Interviewer: Ok, that's cool, but what about the Radio part. At a very young age I think I decided I loved the radio, maybe more than television (which I know pretty well to). Good radio is a theater of the mind. As a kid I listened to CBS Radio Mystery Theater (still available in the Internet Archives) and Houston Astro's baseball. In baseball you just imagined you were there standing with the batter seeing it all. Later I would discover the world of short wave. Stations from all around the world, some not so nice to the United States. It was fascinating to hear the BBC, probably by way of the Caribbean, and hear good radio, really well done radio. Later I would get a scanner and hear all kinds of discussions and up to the moment action. For a short while, If it broadcasted I could hear it. Now digital has limited that, and I may write about it. But digital is ok to. Lately I have been enjoying HD radio and even internet radio. I hope to speak to all this stuff as time goes on.

Interviewer: Scott, you said these worlds of communication and faith intersect. How so?

Scott: Yes they do. Since the early days of radio, people of faith have recognized radio as a great way to touch millions of listeners of faith and even little or no faith. This has been good and bad. “Just send in ten dollars for an autographed picture of Jesus, and for ten dollars more we will bless it with super power holy water.” Yep that stuff is crazy and interesting. (Hint: Boarder Radio) Then I think of people like Billy Grahm and Charles Swindall. Great preachers, with great God honoring words from the Bible. The internet Radio has proved to be fascinating, as I have heard great Christian radio stations around the world that I just want to share and comment on.

Interviewer: Well Scott, how often will we see this updated?

Scott: I hope to write new post several times a month. I am in transition, and I do not know what time will be like.

Interviewer: What are you hoping people will get out of this blog?

Scott: Entertainment, discipleship, closer to the Lord, good reliable information and maybe a reason to step out in faith of a lest access some wonderful resources we have at our fingertips on the computer.