For the last 30 years, Christian Family Radio has worked diligently to fulfill their mission “to showcase God’s glory through the story of his people by using life-changing media.” (christianfamilyradio.com/about-us/our-mission/). As CFR is celebrating its 30th anniversary, they are just as devoted to that mission as they were when they first started.
In 1984, Warren County grain farmer James Troutman took his kids out west and heard Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) for the first time, and immediately fell in love with it. When the Troutman family returned home to Warren County, James felt called to pray for a CCM radio station to come to south central Kentucky. With fervent and dedicated prayer, James spent the next two years helping found Christian Family Radio by forming a steering committee, applying to the Federal Communications Commission, and finally, helping the organization sign on for its first broadcast in 1986. Nearly 31 years later, CFR is broadcast on three different FM radio stations in Kentucky, and to more than 125 countries via livestream.
While CFR plays plenty of positive and encouraging music over their airways, they also seek to serve the community as a source of strength and inspiration through their broader media ministry. They provide encouraging scripture verses, testimonies, prayer time, and information about local Christian events. CFR seeks to be a source of encouragement to the struggling, depressed, or lonely; an uplifting and constant reminder of faith; and a service to the community. They are actively working to bring life to others by pursuing social justice and meeting physical and spiritual needs in the community. Executive Director Bridget Kehrt-Groce says “we are here to serve our city and to provide a media presence with a kingdom worldview.”
Most recently, CFR held a radiothon to eradicate women from sex trafficking with the Cups of Cold Water program (cupsofcoldwater.com), donated clothes to Socks for Seniors and Barren River Safe Space, and helped bring Christian artists like For King and Country, Casting Crowns, and Natalie Grant to the area.
According to Bridget, CFR “brings the vision of uniting the voice of the church through media.” This theme of unity is reflected in the listeners that they attract. CFR is interdenominational and is listened to by people of all faiths, and even people of no faith who are seeking positive and uplifting programming.
Bridget has served CFR since her college days at Western Kentucky University, and for the past three years has served as the Executive Director and vision-caster for the organization. She finds great fulfillment in this role, stating, “We get to tell the stories: churches, pastors, non-profits, personal testimonies…we are directly engaging in spiritual warfare,” through the ministry of CFR.
To celebrate their 30th anniversary in 2016, CFR hosted an open house and planned 30 community events to serve their main broadcast location, the city of Bowling Green. These events included a number of free concerts, community events to serve the homeless and the hungry, outreaches with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in local schools, participating in the annual See You at the Pole Rally, and various other events throughout the year. Their goal in all of these events was to make an impact by representing Christ in the Bowling Green community.
For 30 years, CFR has been on a mission to share all the stories of what God is doing in their community and how lives are being changed. Bridget says that “the mission is to showcase God’s glory through the story. We tell that story continually, keeping it current…it should be vital, vibrant, alive, and well-displayed.”
CFR wants to hear and share more stories from its listeners, whether it’s a praise report, prayer request, or something that God has taught or is teaching them.
There are three different ways to support the mission of CFR:
1. Listen, share your story, and/or lead a prayer time.
2. Connect your church with CFR and ask them to volunteer their services and partner with the ministry of CFR.
3. Financially support CFR by giving.
For Owensboro listeners, Christian Family Radio can be found by tuning in to FM 91.7 WCVK.
