“Now seems a good time to do as the old hymn says – ‘Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done,’ says Mike Procter, one of the founders of Spotlight (Specialised English) programme, who has officially retired from ministry with Feba and HCJB Global this spring. “I thought that I’d give a potted history of our time with Feba. Some readers have prayed for us, some supported us financially, and many have stayed with us throughout.”
In telling his story Mike describes how a long-term commitment to a project is needed to bear fruit. Over the years these values-based programmes have impacted communities, helping people make better choices in their lives.
Starting Specialised English on assignment in the ME
“Anne and I applied to Feba in 1992. Previously we had lived for twelve years in the Gulf, where I was a broadcast engineer in a TV station. I had thought Feba would put me in an engineering role, but instead they decided to utilise our Middle East experience. We were allocated to the Feba Middle East office to develop new ministries in the Middle East. Despite having worked in TV, my medium of choice has always been radio (‘Radio is like TV, only the pictures are better’, right?) so I listened a lot – I still do.
“One broadcast I picked up in the mid-1990s was a Voice of America service called Special English. To the casual listener it’s simply English read slowly, but actually it’s more complicated than that. (It uses a particular controlled vocabulary and sentence structure.) I also discovered that Special English had been on the air for almost 40 years and had a popular following worldwide. And yet no one was using this technique in Christian radio. Could this be done? How would it sit with the general wisdom on international Christian broadcasting – to reach as many people as possible in their own heart languages?
Going on air with Spotlight
“Think of the world population as a large round cake. Normally we slice a cake into wedge shaped pieces – think of these as the languages and cultures of the world. But with Special English we take the whole cake and stand it on its edge; then we take a big, thin circular slice – a layer right through the cake. People from all over the world are in our slice – people who are trying to learn or use English as a foreign language. Our target audience was becoming clear. It would probably include younger, outwardly looking people. We changed a few words in the Special English vocabulary, and re-named ours Specialised English, indicating both a similarity and a difference compared with the original. We went on the air from Seychelles in November 1999 – initially weekly to the Middle East. Today the programme is called Spotlight; it is a daily programme broadcast on about seventy stations all over the world.
“But by 2005 it became clear that my work had shifted from a primarily Middle East focus to a global ministry so we returned to the UK. I continued work with Feba on Spotlight, together with a small team based in Worthing. Spotlight’s help with English provides a built-in reason for people to listen. Imagine! Non-Christian people seeking out this Christian broadcast! Over the years we have developed an ethos of holistic service. We try to sincerely serve our listeners – not just with English but with our programme content. We become helpers, on-air friends. They grow to respect the Christian worldview that pervades the programme. They listen when we explain a matter of faith because there is mutual respect and appreciation. We try to make Spotlight integral mission by radio. (John 20:21).
Spreading the ministry to other partners
“Last year, Feba handed its primary involvement in Spotlight to HCJB Global UK; (I have been seconded to them for the past fifteen months). There are also two other production partners – both in the US. I was privileged to be involved in the founding of this ministry, but it is not ‘my’ ministry. Dedicated people have nurtured it, and as I retire, I leave it in the hands of a dedicated group of people in several countries, I see quality radio programmes on seventy stations, I see a popular website (www.spotlightradio.net) attracting 80,000 visits per month – many from traditionally ‘closed’ countries, I see 7000 fans on Facebook, I see over 40 Spotlight English Clubs around the world, and I see people at these clubs coming to Christ. This work is a partnership in the Gospel – a partnership in which you have been participating in prayer, interest and support. Thank You.”
Building Communities through English in the UK
There is no better place to see Spotlight’s hands-on service to listeners than at a Spotlight English Club (SEC). This is true internationally, where English is a minority language. But it is also true in English speaking countries, like the United Kingdom.
Barbara coordinates a vibrant SEC just outside of London, on behalf of the London City Mission. This club has members from around the globe, including a large group of Pakistani Muslim women, an intergenerational Chinese family and many other participants from Eastern Europe, Japan, Korea and India. The club combines English classes for beginners, with SEC listening and discussion for intermediate and advanced speakers. A dedicated team of 9 volunteers builds warm relationships with the 40 participants, including offering to pray for specific needs, as requested. Once a month, they share a potluck meal together – reflecting the wide variety of communities from which the participants come, and the new community they are forming.