Reach Beyond’s Mission Manifesto articulates renewed passion and purpose in fulfilling the 82-year-old ministry’s efforts to reach the un reached
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – HCJB Global announced today that the 82-year-old ministry, founded in Quito, Ecuador is changing its name to Reach Beyond. The new name and the release of the Reach Beyond Mission Manifesto are intended to encourage and challenge Christians worldwide to reach beyond their comfort zones and perceived limitations to share the love of Jesus in places where the gospel has seldom, if ever been heard.
The mission is defined by the tagline, “The Voice and Hands of Jesus. Together.” Through its “voice” ministries, the mission works with partners to use radio and modern media to make the gospel accessible in places where it typically isn’t available.
The “hands” ministries of the mission provide much-needed healthcare service in places where even common medical help isn’t readily available. Reach Beyond “hands” ministries takes many forms including mobile community healthcare clinics, counseling centers in war torn areas, clean water projects and general hygiene training, all with an emphasis on demonstrating the love of Jesus to recipients of the care.
Reach Beyond also values partnership with local Christians, churches and ministry partners as its core way of operating, signified by the word “together” in its tagline.
“For more than 80 years our missionaries and partners have boldly been going to places where people have never had the opportunity to experience the love of God,” said Wayne Pederson, President and CEO of Reach Beyond. “But now is the time to accelerate and multiply those efforts. Through the use of modern media and healthcare we work arm in arm with partners to show people that a relationship with Jesus Christ can change their lives forever.”
The “Reach Beyond Manifesto” challenges believers to reach beyond borders and their own comfort level in an effort to accomplish the Great Commission. It serves as a declaration for how the renamed Reach Beyond wants to invest its time and efforts in making Christ known to the ends of the earth. It’s also a call — and a challenge — for other Christians to recommit themselves to the same effort.
To read and sign the Manifesto, visit www.reachbeyond.org.
“With all the technology, knowledge and experience available to us today, there is no reason why we can’t make Christ known to everyone on the planet,” said Pederson. “We hope the ‘Reach Beyond Manifesto’ causes all like-minded Christians to renew their commitment to demonstrate God’s love as His ‘voice’ and ‘hands.’”
Founded in 1931 as World Radio Missionary Fellowship Inc., Reach Beyond has focused on making disciples of Christ around the world. With ministries in more than 100 countries, Reach Beyond equips partners to air Christian content in more than 120 languages and dialects. The name change also reflects the ministry’s ongoing international focus and commitment to reach areas where less than 2 percent of the population is Christian.
“Adaptability has always been a strength of the mission,” said Curt Cole, Executive Vice President of International Ministries. “When the best model was to own a large hospital or broadcast over shortwave radio, the mission leveraged those strengths. Today, technology and the world are changing, and we are adapting. That’s why we place such a high premium on partnerships with local Christians. They know their own culture and needs far better than we do. If the need is for a small, community healthcare clinic or a local FM radio station, we’re committed to equipping the people with all the resources they need to reach their own people in their own culture.”
HCJB Global’s “Beyond the Call” radio program, on more than 1,000 stations around the U.S., will now be called “Reach Beyond.”
“The new name is much more than a brand change,” Pederson said. “Reach Beyond is a reflection of our ministry DNA. It’s about doing whatever is necessary to reach those who have never heard the name of Jesus. In essence, it’s a call to Christians to reach beyond their comfort zones and challenges them to actively participate in making Christ known among the nations.”
The organization hopes the “Reach Beyond Manifesto” will serve as a call to action for Christians to focus their attention and efforts on those areas of the world where Christ has yet to be proclaimed.
“We hear it every generation, but perhaps it’s more true now than ever,” Pederson said. “We are at a pivotal time in our history. We have the means and ability to spread the message of Jesus to everyone who is alive today. We can accomplish this by renewing our commitment and reorganizing our priorities. Reach Beyond wants to be on the forefront of this new gospel era and encourage others to join us in making Christ known in every country, city, village and community around the globe.”
For 82 years the passion of Reach Beyond (formerly HCJB Global) (www.reachbeyond.org) has been to make disciples of Christ. Using mass media, healthcare and partnership around the world, HCJB Global has ministries in more than 100 countries. The gospel is aired in more than 120 languages and dialects. Thousands of healthcare patients are meeting Jesus. Local believers are being trained as missionaries, pastors, broadcasters and healthcare providers.
Reach Beyond Frequently Asked Questions:
What is HCJB Global doing related to its name?
After many years of operating as HCJB in various forms, the ministry has changed its name to Reach Beyond. Our mission has changed from being an Ecuador-centric mission to being a global, partnership driven ministry. This expansion of our ministry has opened a door to cast a fresh expression of our vision under a new name as we reach out in the 21st century, providing hope through the message of Jesus Christ and physical care in His name.
Why would HCJB Global change its name after so many years?
Originally founded as World Radio Missionary Fellowship, the mission adopted the name HCJB World Radio and later, HCJB Global to refer people back to the call letters of our flagship station in Quito, Ecuador. Over the years, the letters HCJB became synonymous with the ministry in Latin America. However, as a growing global ministry, those letters no longer mean anything to people who do not know us. Further, as we share our vision for the future, using a name that has little meaning actually hinders the effective communication of who we are and what we do. Simply put, now is the time to cast our vision under a fresh identity.
Why “Reach Beyond?”
Reach Beyond is a ministry founded on core objectives that we call, “Global Ends.” These objectives outline our mission to reach the unreached and under-engaged with the Good News of Jesus Christ through modern media and community healthcare. The call of Christ on every believer is to reach out to those who don’t know Him. To reach “beyond” is a challenge to everyone to go outside of their comfort zones to be a part in fulfilling the Great Commission. That’s also why we’ve adopted the tagline, “The Voice and Hands of Jesus. Together.” Our goal is that His name would be made known among the nations, and people everywhere would have a chance to enter into a growing relationship with Him.
What about all the people who have known and respected HCJB Global?
God has given us a tremendous legacy of people who have served and partnered with us for more than 80 years. Reach Beyond honors those people by building on the legacy they established and advancing it to the next generation of those who are compelled by Christ’s love to reach the unreached.
What is the vision of Reach Beyond?
As the name implies, our vision is really twofold. First, we want to motivate and equip the Body of Christ to reach beyond borders, comfort zones, geographic, social, economic and religious barriers to make the name of Jesus known among the nations. Second, we want to enable those who do not know Christ to reach beyond their circumstances to receive eternal hope found only in Him. The specific motivators that drive this vision are found in our mission manifesto.
What is the Reach Beyond Mission Manifesto all about?
The Christian faith is more than a belief system. It is a relationship with the Creator of the universe who came to redeem his fallen children. The Reach Beyond Manifesto is a declaration of how we want to invest our lives in proclaiming the name of Christ to the ends of earth. We invite like minded believers anywhere to join us in fulfilling the vision of this manifesto. You can sign the manifesto at ReachBeyond.org
How does Reach Beyond accomplish its mission?
God has granted Reach Beyond three primary methods of accomplishing our mission:
1) Media – Since its inception in Quito, Ecuador, Reach Beyond (HCJB Global) has leveraged the power of media to reach into areas where the name of Christ is unknown, resisted or marginalized. Today our media ministry includes AM/FM radio, shortwave radio, satellite broadcasts, Internet, social media and any other developing forms of modern communication.
2) Health and development - The world is filled with those who suffer the effects of poverty, violence, abuse, war and pain. At Reach Beyond we aim to bring comfort and help to those people as we share the Good news of Jesus Christ and present Him as the only answer to life's problems. He is the one who heals and restores broken lives, bodies and minds.
3) Partnership – God’s Kingdom is multiplied when believers empower other believers to use their resources and talents to further the gospel in their own context and culture. Reach Beyond equips local leaders, churches and ministries with the resources and training necessary to carry the Good News to the unreached.
How is Reach Beyond funded?
Reach Beyond is funded by generous donors who are committed to being an integral part of fulfilling the Great Commission and taking the gospel to unreached people. It is through their faithful partnership that Reach Beyond is able to equip and empower others around the world to share the gospel through media and healthcare. You can join the Reach Beyond movement by visiting ReachBeyond.org.
Does Reach Beyond use missionaries to accomplish its mission?
Yes. Reach Beyond has a dedicated team of missionaries working around the world to establish radio stations, develop healthcare clinics, conduct clean water projects, provide media training and a host of other functions. Our missionaries are dependent on a vast network of faithful supporter who give so they can go where God has called them. You can join a missionary support team by visiting ReachBeyond.org.
How is Reach Beyond structured?
Reach Beyond conducts its work using our Regional Offices and World Offices. Regional Offices are staffed by Reach Beyond Missionaries who work to develop partnerships with local believers, churches and ministries to establish media and community healthcare ministries. The primary mandate of World Offices is to represent the global ministry of Reach Beyond and to recruit missionaries in their home countries. They also develop media and healthcare efforts in their areas conducted under their supervision. Regional Offices are supported by the Ministry Service Center in Colorado Springs. This offices support the global mission’s efforts through fundraising and administrative assistance.
(Derek Kickbush/HCJB Global Australia)