3abn Station Programing, SDA Gospel Message or Not? Options

[Ian]

I find it interesting that the "Joint Declaration of Commitment" was added to the "About 3ABN" page in December 2006. Why do you think it was added at that point? It may be somewhere on the website prior to that, but not prominently displayed.

It must have been moved in 2006, but actually it was always on the web site, and was very prominently displayed right on the main Homepage, as your link reveals:

http://web.archive.org/web/19981111184753/...//www.3abn.com/

This post has been edited by Ian: Sep 26 2007, 01:25 PM

[Ian]

I find it interesting to read 3ABN's "About Us" or "About 3ABN" web pages throughout the years. I attempted to highlight the portions that change from the different times...


http://web.archive.org/web/19981111185131/http://3abn.org/

About Us

Three Angels Broadcasting Network is a 24 hour Christian Television Network with a mission to reach the world with the gospel. 3ABN began in 1984 when Danny Shelton was impressed to build a television station that would reach the world. Today, unexpectedly surrounded by the rolling farmland of Southern Illinois, 3ABN beams its signal across North and Central America as well as Europe and North Africa.

Three Angels Broadcasting Network airs programs with a down-to-earth approach. Its blend of spiritual teaching, health and family oriented programming offers a wide variety of choices. Programming focuses on topics that meet specific viewer needs, such as stop smoking clinics and drug and alcohol recovery programs. Thousands of viewers take advantage of its toll-free prayer and pastoral counseling line each month.

3ABN's absence of large fund-raising efforts or telethons holds a special appeal for its viewers. 3ABN is an independent, nonprofit, supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

As you brought this up in the DS Hospitalization thread, and referred us to your post here, and as the topic of this thread is 3ABN station programming... Here is the entire About us Page from Nov 1998, which includes a section on programming. Also of interest is the history of how, and who founded 3ABN.

About Us


Three Angels Broadcasting Network is a 24 hour Christian Television Network with a mission to reach the world with the gospel. 3ABN began in 1984 when Danny Shelton was impressed to build a television station that would reach the world. Today, unexpectedly surrounded by the rolling farmland of Southern Illinois, 3ABN beams its signal across North and Central America as well as Europe and North Africa.

Three Angels Broadcasting Network airs programs with a down-to-earth approach. Its blend of spiritual teaching, health and family oriented programming offers a wide variety of choices. Programming focuses on topics that meet specific viewer needs, such as stop smoking clinics and drug and alcohol recovery programs. Thousands of viewers take advantage of its toll-free prayer and pastoral counseling line each month.

3ABN's absence of large fund-raising efforts or telethons holds a special appeal for its viewers. 3ABN is an independent, nonprofit, supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.



3ABN HISTORY

Three Angels Broadcasting Network began in the early morning hours of November 15, 1984, when Danny Shelton, a carpenter from Southern Illinois, was kept awake by troubling thoughts. Shelton recalled the Christian television stations where he and his daughter Melody had sung gospel music. He was concerned at the way in which God was misrepresented at times on those stations. He longed to find a way to express God's love to the world, and was then impressed to build a television station that would reach the world with the gospel.

Although he had no degree in communications and no experience in television, immediately he began to explore the ideas that finally developed into 3ABN.

Later, he visited a friend, a pastor who had some television equipment. Shelton told him about what he had been impressed to do. To his amazement, his friend told him he had recently been asked to sell his television equipment, but then had been strongly impressed to keep it until God further directed him. He told Shelton that he felt God would show him the time and place to give away the equipment. As they spoke on the phone later, the pastor volunteered to donate the equipment to Shelton.

Many things happened in the next few months. As Shelton began to speak in area churches others began to catch his vision. One person donated two acres of land in Thompsonville, Illinois, on which to build the station. When a microwave interference study was conducted on the property, an amazed technician remarked, "Mr. Shelton, you must be the luckiest man I know. On those two acres you have a clean sweep of every satellite in the horizon without microwave interference.... This is probably one of the only sites left in all of Southern Illinois."

A visit to the local Christian television station a few days later brought about another conversation, this time with Clarence Larson, the station engineer. After introducing himself to Shelton, he pulled him aside, and said: "I don't know why I'm telling you this, but I believe a satellite uplink station could be built here in Southern Illinois, in the Thompsonville area." Interestingly, Larson volunteered this information with no knowledge of Shelton's dream.

As progress on the project continued, Shelton discovered three-phase power would be required to operate the station. Larson indicated that the cost to run lines from the nearest main road was prohibitive. But upon investigation he discovered three-phase power lines a few hundred feet away from the property, simply following a country road. When Shelton contacted the power company, he asked why those lines ran through open fields away from any factories or heavy machinery. The power company responded, "We honestly have no idea."

As Shelton moved forward, doors continued to open. A satellite uplink dish manufacturer agreed to begin building a $300,000 satellite dish with only $10,000 down payment. Over the next few months the studio and office facilities were built and furnished, and equipment was purchased and installed without incurring any debt. Amazingly, on November 23, 1986, just over two years after Shelton had the initial idea for the station, Three Angels Broadcasting Network went on satellite.

Today, 3ABN has grown steadily and has completed a second production center with 20,000 square feet of floor space, which includes two large productions studios, control rooms and additional office space. One studio includes an audience viewing area, while the other features multiple set capability.



3ABN WORLDWIDE

Three Angels Broadcasting Network began work in Russia in 1992 when 3ABN, in cooperation with Australian evangelist John Carter, conducted a series of meeting in Nizhny Novgorod. This city is the third largest in Russia and for many years has been closed to the gospel. Response to the meetings resulted in many conversions.

Following the meetings, the local church officials realized that the 2,500 people baptized into the Christian faith needed a place to worship. Three Angels Broadcasting Network purchased an unfinished building with over 70,000 square feet of space to develop into an evangelism center to help meet this need. Today, the 3ABN Russian Evangelism Center includes a church, a large auditorium, television studios, offices and a literature distribution center.

In 1993 3ABN began to produce a Russian language program airing 7 days a week on a commercial television station in the city of Gorky, now renamed Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.

The program, called "Face to Face" is considered one of the best produced programs on that station. An offer of free Russian Bibles to all those requesting them brought an overwhelming response of 1,000 - 2,000 requests per week!



PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Three Angels Broadcasting Network offers a wide variety of Christian programming 24 hours a day. Believing a healthy mind promotes a healthy spiritual life, 3ABN considers health programming to be of particular importance. Programs are designed to bring the viewers important information on medical and lifestyle issues such as cancer prevention, diabetes and heart disease.

A stop smoking clinic runs continually for those who wish to break their addiction to nicotine, while other programs deal with issues such as drug and alcohol recovery. Vegetarian cooking programs feature recipes showing viewers how to cook with less added fat, salt and sugar.

Another popular program, "Help Yourself to Health," deals with subjects ranging from strengthening your immune system to home remedies for everyday ailments.

A variety of family-oriented programs address everything from child development to Christian education. Family experts share their insights on such topics as discipline, education, parental roles and how to select a lifetime partner.

3ABN also produces Christian children's programming as a healthy alternative to the usual commercial fare. A mix of songs, stories, recipes and experiments keep children's attention focused while they learn important values and life skills.

3ABN's Biblical programs address topics ranging from current Christian concerns to Bible Prophecy Seminars. Weekend church services meet the needs of those unable to attend their local church. Some programs are videotaped on location, while other programs address viewer questions on Bible topics. 3ABN carries several nationally syndicated religious programs as well.

President and Vice-President Danny and Linda Shelton host its flagship program, "3ABN Presents". This program airs daily, and features interviews with guests from around the world, as well as a variety of musical artists. A two hour live version of the program airs on Thursday nights and viewers are encouraged to call in their questions and comments.

[Whtz Happenin]

As you brought this up in the DS Hospitalization thread, and referred us to your post here, and as the topic of this thread is 3ABN station programming... Here is the entire About us Page from Nov 1998, which includes a section on programming. Also of interest is the history of how, and who founded 3ABN.

There have been many references to the "About Us" page. This may not tell us the fact of who founded 3ABN, but at least it shows the fact of what has been on the website throughout the years.

The wonderful thing about the facts is that one may spin it, edit it or play it backwards on a phonograph, but the facts never change.

If only we could go back to the archives of life and save a lot of time.

"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." John Quincy Adams

[lurker]

Too bad they didn't have a website back when they first went on the air. I believe it was in 1985. I think it might have read a little differently. The archive doesn't go back to the beginning. But if it isn't fully documented, it didn't happen-Right?

Didn't ancient kings or pharaohs try to destroy all traces of their predesessers so they alone would be remembered?