CHURCH
Back to God Name Goes
International
Christian Reformed
Church
Grand Rapids, MI
-After nearly 70 years
as The Back to God Hour,
the electronic media
ministry of the
Christian Reformed
Church in North America
has changed its name to
reflect the growing
diversity in the ways it
brings the gospel
message to people around
the world.
Synod 2008, the CRC's
annual general assembly,
this week approved
changing the name to
Back to God Ministries
International, a name
that "communicates more
clearly the
international and
multi-media scope of the
ministry."
Rev. Robert Heerspink,
director of the Back to
God media ministry, says
that the Web site, logo,
letterhead, signs and
other public aspects of
the organization have
been or will be changing
soon.
Heerspink said that
donors and other
supporters of the
ministry can continue to
use the old name until
all of the paperwork is
completed to formalize
the change.
The Back to God Hour
started its ministry as
a one-hour radio program
in the Chicago area.
"Many people know about
the Back to God Hour
radio program,"
Heerspink said, "but are
surprised to learn we
are much more than that.
The identification of
the entire ministry with
a single English radio
broadcast has, at times,
impeded our ability to
communicate our full
mission and vision."
Starting in the 1950s,
the ministry began using
print, television and
later the Internet.
Following its first
Arabic broadcast in
1958, international
outreach "has grown into
nine languages reaching
people in more than 190
counties," the
organization says.
Today, Back to God
Ministries International
(BTGMI) is a
wide-ranging ministry
that includes radio,
television, Internet,
video, and other forms
of outreach and
evangelism to urban and
remote areas of
Indonesia, to
communities across
China, to countries in
Latin America, and to
countries in the Middle
East.
Besides English, BTGMI
offers the message of
Jesus Christ in a
variety of languages,
including Arabic,
French, Portuguese,
Japanese, Chinese,
Russian, Korean and
Spanish. The ministry is
based in Palos Heights,
Ill., but has production
studios and follow-up
centers in Cyprus,
Egypt, Brazil and
Lebanon.
"Our mission has long
been to use media to
proclaim the Gospel of
Jesus Christ throughout
the world and to make
disciples of all
people," Heerspink said.
He said it was important
to keep "Back to God" in
the name because that
affirms continuity with
the agency's historic
mission of calling
people everywhere back
to God, and assisting
believers worldwide to
grow in a life centered
in Christ.
Adding "International"
expresses the global
impact of the ministry
and sends the message
that staff and partners
worldwide that are fully
included in the agency's
ministry.
About Back to God
Ministries
International:
Back to God Ministries
International is a
ministry of the
Christian Reformed
Church in North America.
For more information,
contact Rev. Robert
Heerspink at
616-224-5876 or heerspib@crcna.org
or visit www.btgh.org
About the Christian
Reformed Church:
The Christian Reformed
Church is a Protestant
denomination with about
275,000 members in more
than 1,000 congregations
across the United States
and Canada, working to
create and sustain
healthy churches and to
express the good news of
God's kingdom that
transforms lives and
communities worldwide.
To learn more visit
www.crcna.org
Henry Hess
Director of
Communication
Christian Reformed
Church
Voice: 616-526-8466
Email:
synodnews@crcna.org
