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