National Director Virgile Ouendo, describes the vision of Media Evangelique du Benin (MEB), TWR National Partner in Benin, as follows: “To reach the world with media so that sustainable fruit can be produced.”
But to simply have that be a description of MEB’s ministry would be an oversimplification, as MEB is connected throughout the country of Benin in many ways, partnering with 54 churches and eight local radio stations.
One of the primary purposes for why the organization exists is to get the Word out into Benin through programmes translated into local languages. MEB sends their programmes to the radio stations to be broadcast, and they also send them to pastors and others for use through WhatsApp. The programmes often receive strong feedback from the listeners.
“God set me free from shyness,” said one listener’s testimony. “I am a born-again Christian. I love God and I love his Word, but I am shy, and I don’t speak when there are people, and this prevents me from sharing the Gospel with other people, and when I read the Bible, it does me good because I am thirsty for the Word of God.
“I asked one of my brothers in the Lord to add me to the TTB (Thru the Bible) forum. I started following, I listened to the programmes every morning and also on the radio. They produce in me joy, in a way that I cannot prevent from sharing what I heard with other people.”
WhatsApp Ministries
MEB also uses WhatsApp to conduct prayer groups, send Bible verses for encouragement, and even teach literacy through a special programme.
There are currently two prayer groups, each having hundreds of members. Local pastors will have a chance for a time of prayer where they pray for the specific needs of those in the WhatsApp group.
MEB’s Word of Hope group is used to encourage those who may be in despair by sending Bible verses. In order to motivate the members, there are Bible quizzes, and winners will receive a Bible.
Churches and Radio Ministry
Another purpose for the partnership with local churches is to encourage radio ministry among the churches’ pastors.
“They (the pastors) say that radio is very intimidating because they do not know how to hold a microphone,” Ouendo said. “So, where do they start from?“We… give them basic training in radio. We give them general tips, and we take them to the studio of one of the radio stations. We go on air with them.”
Some pastors actually take to radio ministry. Sponsored by their church, they start hosting their own segments on the local radio station so that they can share the Gospel and interact with the people.
The main goal, however, of this initiative is to simply bridge the gap between the churches and the communities the churches reside in. Since the radio stations are spread out across the country, they each provide an opportunity to speak and listen to a specific region. Therefore, these pastors are better able to take calls from people and to connect with their specific community. In turn, they provide feedback to MEB.
Radio Distribution and Women’s Ministries
Beyond WhatsApp groups and radio stations, MEB has distributed thousands of radio sets. The ministry would not be fruitful if people weren’t able to listen to programmes in the first place. They also facilitate prayer meetings for the women of the country, with over 600 women meeting regularly. They send the TWR Women of Hope prayer calendars to the prayer groups. In this way, the women pray with millions of women across the globe for the same prayer needs every month.
In a country that is split amongst itself between Christianity and other religions, the ministry of Media Evangelique du Benin continues to carry great importance to the work God is doing in Africa.
Radios For Africa Appeal
We are currently running an appeal to raise funds for Radio distribution across Africa find out more here.
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