SCL

Having lived in an area with no listener-supported Christian station, I can definitively say that the only thing worse than a share-a-thon are the ads on a commercial Christian station. The words “from your caring Christian podiatrist” just should never cross the airwaves.

How about “Avoiding Your Favorite Christian Radio Station Like the Plague During the Last Few Weeks of Christmas?” …PLEASE, can you just play the normal stuff again?

I use to live in a place with 2 contemporary Christian radio stations. One was commercially supported while the other was listener supported.

I use to listen to the commercially supported station until they agreed to air commercials by Pepsi back when Brittany Spears was doing an ad campaign for them. I listen to Christian radio so I don’t have to hear Brittany Spears. That is the only reason. OK her and boy bands, which brings me to my frustration over the new Christian boy bands so now I don’t listen to the radio at all, but I digress.

I switched to the listener supported station and even started giving a small amount to support them because it was the right thing to do. Then I stopped supported them when they started lying to me.

This is the thing that makes me the most angry with “listener” supported stations. Listing to commercials on them followed by an audio track telling me that station is listener supported and commercial free.

I’m sure you know what I’m talking about, some business in the area agrees to give a big chunk of change and so the announcer on the radio gives a special thank you to the company every hour and then tells you about the great service there and blah blah blah commercial.

I get that they need the money and it takes only 1 commercial sponsor to take the place of 10 or more regular listeners, so it is easy to go that route. That isn’t the problem I have, it is that they keep telling me that their station is commercial free while slipping in these commercials.

Word Verification: lenti

Tea that is specially formulated to be high in antioxidants and holiness for consumption during lent.

“Cure you Mardi Gras hangover and sanctify your body with Lenti, now available in mint.”

Wow, our radio station plays songs like crazy during share-a-thon. They actually incorporate them into giving “challenges.” And sometimes they play those eternally long live worship songs where the band goes off on a freestyle jam contest for 15 minutes, and they play it in a loop and say “We just need 3 more ‘more than music mission partners’ before the conclusion of ‘Open the Eyes of my Heart’…”

Actually, I love our share-a-thons. It was one of my “I pretend to hate it so I can be cool, but actually I really enjoy it” comment contributions.

I hate it when they talk every 5 seconds in a song…can’t you wait until the song is over before you tell us how many people called!

And in regards to Christmas music…starting before Thanksgiving, 24/7 is too early! There are only so many times I can here Drummer Boy, no matter if it is sung by someone different every single time! My husband and I count down the days of Christmas, just so the normal music will come back!

Though now, I miss any Christian radio!

share a thong…

oh my…not in my wildest would I ever have come up with that

First let me defend Christmas music, with the qualifier that yes, before Thanksgiving is too early. Technically, before Christmas is too early, since we are still in advent and awaiting His coming (Christmas figuratively, preparing for the Second Coming actuallly). Then we would have twelve days (really, do we need more?)to really enjoy Christmas music.
I console myself by reminding myself that for some people, “The Little Drummer Boy” and “The Virgin Mary Had A Baby Boy” are as close as they will come to hearing the Gospel all year, so I should just suck it up and hope they have a “Come to Jesus Moment” in spite of Frosty and Rudolf.
Listener supported stations….sorry, there is too much demand on my money now. Boys Town, Covenant House, Mercy Home for Boys (and Girls) are close to my heart and that of my husband’s because these are kids in need for a variety of reasons. Food pantries and Salvation Army kettles also call to our hearts. Pro-life causes call to our hearts, Our own Church has needs and we have a responsibility to help meet them. We have to say no to someone, and that winner is…..dingdingding…..listener supported stations.

What? There are stations that play all Christian music? Okay I actually knew that. Am I the only Christian who can’t stand the majority of “Christian” radio stations? Give me a good old secular station any day!

I don’t like when they compare it to last year. For example, “We are only going to have five days of share week instead of two weeks, so it is really important to give because we made $XXX and now we only have five days to collect that money.” Then when they don’t meet their goals they say biblical phrases like “God will provide even though we didn’t make enough to cover a yearly expenses.” That sounds like post share-a-thon begging.

Lastly, I give but I don’t pledge say a monthly donation, but at the end of the fiscal year, they begin reporting that people have been slacking on their monthly pledges and then I feel like I need to pick up the slack.

What I don’t understand is why Christian organizations don’t buy advertising. Chik-fil-a would be a great company to buy advertizing on Christian radio. Maybe Zondervan could buy space advertising that buying their bibles might possibly make you holier. Then have that wickedly fast disclaimer saying that owning a bible doesn’t guarantee extra holiness and all that razzle dazzle.

@ Lisa C,

It could always be worse. It could be a commercial “from your caring Christian proctologist Dr. Balaam.”

Curtis, great post! Back when I used to listen to Christian radio*, I hated the Share-A-Thon. I too had the inner debate. I think what is worse is when you buy a book/sermon CD/etc. from a ministry and then they spend tens and tens of dollars sending you junk mail to buy more stuff.

And thanks for the technical explanation of how Christian radio works. I wonder how secular radio works?

*By the way, I don’t have a problem with Christian radio. I just very rarely listen to it any more. It just kind of happened. The radio station’s tower got hit by lighting and was out for several months. When they came back on, it was that time of the year for non-stop Christmas music, which I like, but in moderation. I switched over to the AM dial and I now I’m a talk radio junkie. It engages my mind a lot more than hearing “I Can Only Imagine” six times a day.

that’s funny. i feel the same way about npr. sometimes, i will just sit and listen to the threats of “what if you woke up tomorrow and public radio didn’t exist? that could really, truly totally probably happen if you don’t become a member today. don’t wait! if you call now, you could get the exclusive gift of this FLEECE VEST! I KNOW! SERIOUSLY! IT IS SO COOL. And clearly fashionable.”
it makes me feel guilty, but not enough to give them money. i’m holding out for the wind-up radio.

I second skipping “Avoiding Your Favorite Christian Radio Station Like the Plague During the Last Few Weeks of Christmas.” I am all for a little season stuff. Like maybe an hour a day…ok all day during the week of Christmas. or could we at least have an hour a day of regular music? I am sorry they made so many Christmas recordings that can only be played at one time during the year. Is it my fault? NO. They should have done a better job picking the songs or not sold out and made a cheesy Christmas album.

Oh, thanks for letting me rant. Wanted to do that for a couple years but didn’t want to appear un-Christmas like. Which, of course is near being unchristian!

Word verification: noused. Is this a supernatural warning/threat about what might happen when a supposed Christian complains about not wanting to hear Christmas songs 24/7 during December.

Maybe I should leave this comment anonymously…

Yeah, Lauren, I was the other person confessing to like shar-a-thons that day…

My local Christian radio station has some pretty awesome people working there and they go beyond music to do some great outreach projects, so I try to keep that in mind when I hear the non-commercial commercials or a song I don’t particularly love…who knows? Maybe it will help someone else. I participate in their music surveys to try to voice the type of music I want to hear…even though I’m probably outnumbered. But I’m glad I have the opportunity to do that and I’m glad that Christian radio gets played where I live. I would much rather have my kiddos singing along to “Song of Hope” vs. oh, I don’t know….”I’m in Love with a Stripper.” So here’s my shout out to WBGL! Woot!

Okay, all that being said:
“Heaven 87″ Yessss…..too funny, Curtis!

“your caring Christian proctologist Dr. Balaam” Just when I thought nothing could beat the share-a-thong…

You guys crack me up!!

Since you brought up thongs…

Back in my day, “thongs” were flip flops.
I grew up wearing thongs all summer and talked about it openly ’cause there was no reason not to.

WHen my sons were in Jr. High and high school, they would DIE when I would say, ALan,(hubby) would you grab my thongs, I’m going to the beach with my friends”.
They’re like “GROSS, MOM, NO!”
I’m like, “WHAT?”

Then my friend comes over and shows me her new oufit for her cruise and I’m like, “Wait, you can borrow my thongs- it will be a perfect match!”

Boys were cringing!

And yeah, I’m with you on the Christian radio give-a-thon.
Then they say your name, town and the amount you pledge trying to Up the competitiveness between the thong-wearin’ Christians everywhere!

It just ain’t right.

And here I was thinking I was the only person in the world who couldn’t stand Beg — er, Share-a-thons. *sniff*sniff – I’m touched.

Not only do they interrupt the song every 5 seconds to give you a caller count, but apparently they feel the need to repeat their phone number just in case you missed it 2 seconds ago.

“Operators are standing by to take your call at 1-800-123-GIVE. Once agan, that’s 1-800-123-GIVE. We’re going to play a song in just a minute but I encourage you to call right now, 1-800-123-GIVE. Oh, operator #3 is now available. Call her at 1-800-123-GIVE. And remember, we’re faith based.”

I hold the opinion that radio is more entertainment than ministry. I’m not discounting the value of Christian radio as an uplifting source of entertainment. Secular radio entertainment sells commercials for their support. Christian radio should, too. If Christians business people would support Christian radio, then Christians would support Christian businesses. Then Christian radio stations could have telethons to support Christian causes and not Christian entertainment.

I live in the Dallas area, and I love that the station I listen to does that.

@hucklebuck,
You had to go with the guy that was spoken to by an … um donkey for your proctologist.

I about fell out of my seat.

For those that think I am grammatically incorrect for using “an” with donkey it is because an goes with another word that I am kindly subbing in donkey for so I don’t offend anyone. I may have grammar issues but not this time.

Word Verification: hersicur

IMspeak for “she is sick and you are going to be as well.”

“I can’t believe you were kissing, hersicur.”

Alternated “himsicur.”

*snicker*
Here’s to “sweet baby angels”!
Love it. Love. it.

My local Christian radio station just went commercial, but prior to that I could tolerate their share-a-thons. The national Christian radio station, though? I quit listening to it altogether because of their demands for my money. Rather than wait for a scheduled time, it felt like every time they needed an extra influx of cash, they opened up the airwaves and berated us for using their services and not paying for them.

Christmas on Christian radio? Scrooges. *grin*

mandy: when i was a kid, i actually wondered if next week npr would not be on the air if my parents didn't give during the pledge drive. would i still get to hear click & clack the tappett brothers, or garrison keillor?

somehow i've missed pledge drives/share-a-thons on our local christian radio station. i'm not sure if it's because i've been lucky (blessed?) or because they are commercially supported somehow and don't need to ask for our support.

Not listening is no excuse to not support the station. We were sent notices asking for pledges about a month before. The only thing with that is when they were getting near the end, they had contests. If we gave all our support before that, we couldn’t participate in the fun giveaways, like the ALFLAC ducks.

I enjoyed listening to them for the DJ banter that went on. Fun stuff, especially when they were giving away AFLAC ducks.

One year while waiting for the share a thon, we noticed it was missing. The reason: they sold themselves to the devil.

Oh they gave their reasons, but when you start hearing the cash advance commercials, the miracle cures, I realized they were no longer Christian in anything but name. This is when we stopped listening to them.

We moved and found there are only commercial stations. Silence is a good thing.

If any of you are blessed to still have listener support radio, support them so they can continue on.

i loathe christian radio. this summer, they ran a promo for back to school where there was this whiny kid, “if i just had new shoes, a new ipod, etc. etc.”. then they gave away a shopping spree. (ugh.) and a trip to l.a. to see some band that is loosely related to someone in nashville. makes me throw up a little bit in the back of my throat.

Christian radio? Thank goodness for Pandora on the iPhone.

I usually only listen to Christian radio if my iPod has died and won’t play on my car anymore. The random mix of songs that are played just makes me feel awkward. It’s like they never figure out a good order to play songs in. I don’t know.
Also, the announcers are just terrible. They are ridiculously cheezy. Sometimes I can’t take it. I agree though that it would be good if companies like Chick fil a or in-n-out advertised instead of the local children’s doctor. Much better than a share-a-thon.

Actually, I once heard a Christian radio jock slip and say “share-a-thong” on the air.

Anyhoo. I can’t be a Sharathon hater. No Sharathons = no paycheck for Jen.

I like it when Christian radio stations do a share-a-thon. Cause if there’s one thing we don’t have enough of in the Christian church it’s good old fashioned guilt.

(It took me several hours to come up with that. But I did. All on my own.)

word verification SOPPR
being without money, desperate for even small change, enought to beg others for it and then some

We’ve always called them “beg-a-thons” in our Christian home.

OK, I just had to put my two-cents into the Shar-a-thon kitty.
As a Christian radio DJ, yes I admit to it (and of course I’m posting anonymously), I know first hand what it takes to broadcast quality.
Why is it that when we are bombarded every minute of the day on the internet, tv, radio, in stores, while you’re driving…get my drift…we accept that. We pay 5 bucks for a cup of coffee at least twice a day but say we don’t have any money. However, when a ministry needs help to share Jesus, we throw a fit and complain?
Our station prays for people (on air and on the phone), we give time to national ministries and local pastors, and we reach out and touch our community through food ministries.
My question for all of you who are complaining about Shar-A-Thon’s is, “Do you support your home church?”
While I hate Shar-A-Thons, I also understand the necessity. If just those who listen would give a little, even one of the 5 dollar coffees per month, there would be no need to have a fundraiser.
Am I bitter? No. However, from an insider, I wanted to give a different perspective. I love SCL and the purpose is to give us a different perspective. Well, here’s mine.
P.S. Do you also buy one CD or download and make 20 copies and then give them away and call it “Music Evangelism”? It’s called theft and God says that thieves will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Now there’s something sobering. Try writing a blog on that one.

@Hucklebuck: Okay, I hope you’re not trying to promote your personal doctor on SCL. That would just be shameless self-promotion.

@Anonymous: I personally have nothing against the share-a-thon, I just know how I can be…as soon as I hear that the share-a-thon is in full swing, I run for the hills.

w.v.: “glyzzer”-(n.)- razzle dazzle Christian glitter that kids use while making manger ornaments in Sunday School.

A Christian radio station once played the same song repeatedly for over an hour during Share-a-Thon week while they attempted to reach their goal. I don’t listen to them any more. Actually, I don’t listen to any “real” Christian radio stations now that I’ve discovered the wonders of internet radio: Christian music I actually like, very few commercials, no Share-a-Thon week, and no ads with people who think that the fact that they’re Christian should be enough to make you choose them.

@Pye’s in Haiti

To cure you of all trauma associated with “The Little Drummer Boy”, go check out sonneta’s comment on SFL today. You will never think of that song the same again!!

wv: bonuto.. I have no idea for a definition, but I have to admit I said it out loud like some guy on a “Learn Spanish in a Day” tape!

Let me just go ahead and put myself in the line of fire as the first poster on this topic who actually seems to work at a listener-supported Christian radio station.

I admit, I chuckled when I saw the topic line on this one. I know several people who have said as much to me. And the post itself was harmless enough, even though I can’t seem to tell if it’s telling people to support Christian radio or make fun of it.

The comments, though, have ranged from snide to just downright mean. It seems it’s now become cool to bash Christian radio and talk about how much secular music you listen to. I have no problem with secular music; I listen to a lot of it myself. In fact, I probably don’t listen to much Christian radio outside of when I’m at work.

The fact remains, though, that there a lot of people who do listen to Christian radio, and (gasp!) there are some people who actually enjoy it. Just because you think it stinks doesn’t mean everybody does. I would imagine there a lot of people who think Coldplay is kind of overrated, too.

I don’t really know anyone getting rich from working in Christian radio. I’m sure somebody is, but I don’t know them. I do know there are a lot of stations with extremely small staffs working their butts off just to survive. And why are they there? Because at some point Christians expressed a desire to have Christian radio. Then, because they wanted to be cool, they quit supporting it, leaving most of the stations scrambling for money. And then when those stations go dark (which one of ours did), people complain and want to know what happened.

The reason listener-supported stations have to run what sounds like advertisements is because the listeners don’t pick up the slack. And it’s not like it’s fashionable to advertise on Christian radio. Christ himself is offensive, so I wouldn’t imagine it would be a slam dunk to go after advertising on Christian radio these days. And, again, no one that I know of is getting rich from running these spots anyway.

Probably the most important thing I could say, though, is that people who work at Christian radio stations hate asking for money as much as you hate listening to them do it. It’s humiliating, in a sense, and that humiliation is compounded when you have to go on the air and say you didn’t get what you asked for. I would love to never have another share-a-thon ever again. Without going into the specifics of being a non-commercial station, though, that’s what we have chosen to do. Truthfully, it everyone who listened would just give a little bit, we’d be done in no time. But most of the time, we can’t even get that. And it’s demoralizing, especially when you believe in what you’re doing.

So can we please knock off all the “Christian radio sucks” posts? I don’t get on here posting about how crappy your job is. How about having a little understanding for not only the people who work at these stations, but also the listeners who legitimately enjoy the programming and actually support it?

(Sorry for the length of this…)

@Eddie and Laura,

Excellent comments! As someone who has had to ask for money before to go on a mission trip, I know how difficult that is. It was hard and humbling, but necessary. And made me more accountable to make sure I got the most out of that money. And as we prepare our church’s budget for 2009, I will have to stand in front of the church soon with the other trustees and ask people to commit to giving. Like you said, if people gave generously, then this would be a non-issue.

“Christ himself is offensive.” True. So much so that many so-called Christians are offended enough to run to secular indulgences because they still want to look cool in the eyes of the world.

I apologize if I came off as bashing Christian radio. The fact is, I really just don’t listen to much music Christian or otherwise anymore in the car. And secular stations are just as guilty of overplaying a song as Christians radio stations.

@Eddie and Laura

Thanks for saying so well what I was thinking! I work at a listener-supported Christian station too, and we just came off of our Sharathon week, and a bit short of the goal at that. Until you’ve been behind the scenes at one of these things, it’s hard to appreciate just how incredibly draining they can be.

I’m sure any Christian radio person would agree that in a perfect world we wouldn’t have to do it, because people who listen and love it would step up and help out. But, alas… not a perfect world. So we gotta ask.

Thanks Eddie and Laura! I like listening to Christian radio and am grateful to you for going in there and doing your jobs!

@Eddie and Laura,

Agreed.

You guys really ROCK (in terms of all Christian radio)

most of us listen at least occasionally and longer when we hit upon songs we love or hate to admit we love,

so send a check in you guys.

5-10-15 or more…it can only help!

Dear Anonymous, Eddie and Laura, and Jen,
First, I want to apologize, not for not having enough money to send in, but for any and all snideness in my last comment. I should know better. I used to teach in a Catholic school, so I know that much sacrafice of time and money go into jobs that are also a ministry. The time and money sacrificed only mattered to me when I felt underappreciated, and it is true that we have underappreciated you today. I am sorry.
I would like to add that Anonymous’ comment about five dollar cups of coffee bothered me, since I haven’t been able to afford those for years. I am not crying poor. I have a home, plenty of food, an internet connection to communicate on…compared to many, I am living the dream. But since the economy tanked, my “extra” money is being spent on extra food for the local food panty (requests for food from food pantries has increased by 33% in Cook county, and I am betting we are not alone), sent to places that care for displaced teenagers, right to life organizations….I just don’t have five dollars more. I am know you have earned more than you are paid, and I could probably be persuaded to pinch the penny a bit harder on those grounds, than by being talked down to about what I should spend less on.
Maybe you know Christians who copy music and pass it along, but I don’t. How about anyone else out there? Is this more common than I think? Most Christians I know BUY the music they like and want to pass on as gifts. Do I live a sheltered life?

I also agree that share-a-thons have gotten particularly bad in the past few years. I’ve heard everything from grossly misquoted Scripture to someone actually saying, “God is calling you to pledge…”

The hard fact is for the same amount of money that will buy one hour of Christian music, I can feed, clothe and educate a child through some amazing ministries. Christian music is nice, but as others have mentioned you can get it for free on the internet via streaming radio or in many cases Christian bands are giving away free downloads or CDs as a ministry. God has called us to care for the orphans and widows. Christian music is a nicety, but not a necessity.

Here is a little irony- For two different jobs, I worked the phones at a shar-a-thon and a npr pledge week but I don’t listen to the radio at all, christian or secular. I always found that weird.

wv: unzingle- the unzipping process of removing the Christmas songs from your brain on Dec 26th

Shouldn’t we be happy that we live in countries with enough freedom that we have the legal right to broadcast christian radio rather than complaining that they occasionally need some support?

I totally avoid the “-thons.”

Money Grabbers.

Need more love in the world not more money.

Oy vey

I’m am right there with you! Guilty as charged.

As for me, I think music is wonderful, but I think that the music industry is unnecessary (not unimportant and unused – just unnecessary). Music edifies, but it’s not as though there are only enough musicians out there to bless the whole nation and beyond so we must band some businesses together to have a CD for everyone, I mean 150 different CDs for everyone. I feel that it is just fine for a local church to use it’s gifts to bless one another without having to be famous and “reach” everyone else. (I suppose this gives away my opinion on people “moving to Nashville to break into the Christian music business”). I am not against fame, just think the whole thing is silly.

I buy an occasional latte, I love music, I don’t buy much of it, but if I was going to choose … I would definitely choose a starving child over another CD. People were edified years ago without having an enormous stash of Christian music or otherwise. Music has always existed … maybe we should rethink why today’s accepted cultural form is considered so necessary.

And that is why I don’t support Christian radio. I rarely listen to it, and if I listened, I wouldn’t feel the least bit compelled to donate. I park at the church parking lot, but don’t feel the need to become a parking attendant because of it. That’s a faulty analogy.

And, I love people … if someone next door was a DJ I would not think their job is evil just because I don’t think this method is necessary. I believe God uses us whether we are a janitor, dj or pastor …. So I have no intention of bashing anyone.

In fact … I get quite bothered when a fun post becomes an excuse for people to come out of the woodwork with a yucky “Yeah, I hate that” attitude.

michele

I avoid our Christian radio station nearly all the time. I listen to either talk radio, BBN, or sports radio. My reasons are: the share-a-thon, lack of content from the Word, two minute prayer time in the morning (should be longer with all the burdens), and the music sounds more like the pop station than music that honors God.

Ha, I thought I was the only one who listened to the “other” stations during share-a-thon!

*slinks away guiltily*

I LOVE when they start begging for pledges over the songs that are playing. At first I thought it was my subconscious urging me to given, then I realized they were breaking in over the songs to catch you off guard.

Share-a-thons stink. I try to pledge early in the week as to head off the guilt trip.