GOD Radio

GOD Radio came into being from the vision and initiative of radio entrepreneur Bas Emons. After a life-changing period in his own life, he decided to dedicate his many years of experience in commercial radio to the proclamation of the Gospel. His desire was to build a professional, nationwide radio station that would not only broadcast Christian music, but also carry a clear message of faith, hope and restoration. That vision eventually took shape in GOD Radio: a contemporary Christian radio station on a mission to let the sound of hope resound throughout the Netherlands.

My own radio adventure began back in 1994 at Hawaii Hit FM, the local broadcaster of the former municipality of Aalburg and one of the first local stations in the Netherlands. From that moment on, radio became an obsession. Almost everything revolved around making programmes, selecting music and shaping live radio. Like so many young radio makers, the great dream was to one day be discovered and break through to national radio. Preferably, of course, through Radio Veronica — the place where so many of the great Dutch radio voices had begun their careers. So when the Veronica Radio School was founded at the end of the nineties, I signed up immediately. I made it through several rounds of selection, but was eliminated in the final round. I was turned down and, with that, a great dream seemed to have died for good.

Yet I kept on making radio. Year after year I worked for a wide range of local and regional stations, including Transmedia Radio, Maasstad Radio, Altena FM, Vestingstad FM, Smart FM and Regio8. But as time went on, the gap between my faith and the mainstream radio world became increasingly visible. The lyrics of much of the music proclaimed a message that stood directly opposed to the message of Jesus Christ. The decisive moment came when, during a broadcast, I first heard a commercial for a hypnotist, followed by another commercial inviting people to join a witches' coven. For me, that was the last straw. I no longer wanted to be part of it and, in good conscience, I no longer could. That choice was necessary, but it was painful — radio had been an important part of my life for decades.

For years I carried within me a sharp and fully developed vision for a national Christian radio station. I even wrote about it in one of my books. And then, all of a sudden, there was Bas Emons, who began putting exactly that vision into practice. My first reaction was, honestly, deep disappointment. I had waited too long and had been too passive, while someone else was now doing what I had been seeing for so long. So my first message to Bas was in fact a congratulation with the words: "You are carrying out my vision!" His answer changed everything: "Then let's do it together, shall we?"

And that is how it went. GOD Radio was not my initiative; that honour belongs to Bas. But I was given the opportunity to join in later, help build it further and put my many years of radio experience to work for the same mission that had been alive in my heart for so long. In this way, a dream that seemed to have died at the end of the nineties came back to life after all — in a far more meaningful form. Not national radio to make a name for myself, but radio to make the Name of Jesus Christ known.

From LoveUnlimited, we also support GOD Radio in practical ways. That fits the way in which, over the years, we have quietly helped, strengthened and helped build up several ministries from the background. Not every initiative has to be our own for us to invest time, knowledge and resources into it with conviction. Wherever we recognise that God is bringing something about and that we can be of value in it, we are glad to contribute in concrete ways.