Description
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8–9 The story of WBNH radio begins with one man’s obedience. In the late 1970s the Lord began to lay on the heart of Bubie Goodman a burden for a Christian radio signal in our community. And in 1980 a board was formed called the Central Illinois Radio Fellowship (CIRF) was incorporated. In 1983 ten thousand dollars was invested for equipment that would receive a signal from the Moody Broadcasting Network transmitting by way of a sub carrier to a local fm station. The signal could only be received with a special radio designed to lock in on the Moody programming. Soon after an application was submitted to the FCC for 100 watts station that would be heard at 88.5fm, and on the last day for public filing an ecumenical group submitted an application for the same frequency. “In early years, we really had no budget, just a few givers. We had a gentleman who happened to be from Minier pass away about that time, and to our surprise he left us some money in his will, about $28,000 that really came in at the right time to keep us looking good on the books,” explains Wayne Carmichael, CIRF Board. Later Bubie’s father-in-law gave an interest free loan of $50,000, which later he forgave. The station was operated from a small room in the basement of First Baptist Church. The CIRF was responsible for programming from 6pm to 8am and signed on with a power of 3000 watts December 15, 1988. The ecumenical group shared the frequency airing from 8am to 6pm with the understanding that if either could not sustain financially, the other group would have the option of buying them out. “On Friday my husband had just resigned from Excel Foundry and really felt this [radio ministry] is what God wanted him to do. On Tuesday the other group went belly-up, so on Tuesday my husband had to start programming for 24 hours,” says Arlene Goodman, co-founder of WBNH. The station assumed the entire obligation for transmitter equipment and tower lease, and the power of the station was later increased to 4,500 watts. The board members personally guaranteed a $27,000 loan to complete the purchase of the equipment. In 1990 SHARE had to reach a budget of $86,000, however with just 49 listeners consistently giving only $13,000 was able to be raised. A year later, an application was granted by FCC to increase power to 7,000 watts and the ministry hired its first full time employee--a station manager. In 1994, WBNH entered Bloomington/Normal on 100.7fm and later in the year, the office and studios were moved to the Commerce Bank building suite 218 now known as the Sud building. A new automation system was installed to enhance the on air sound. Barb Trecek was hired as bookkeeper and a couple of men were hired to assist with production responsibilities. By 1998, share pledges had increased to over $163,000.