10,000 watts, 24/7, 1160AM
by Benji Dryden
In the early 1970’s, Dr. Tom Freeney, General Director of Baptist International Missions, Inc., suggested a Christian radio station be built on Antigua, an island ideally situated at the center of the Lesser Antilles. Around the same time, a group of Caribbean missionaries and pastors wrote BIMI expressing the need for a fundamental Christian radio station in the West Indies. Soon there were three families (Al Snyder, Rolen Cornelius, and Curt Waite) on their way to Antigua to begin a radio ministry that would end up impacting millions of listeners.There were a few “religious” radio stations and programs throughout the islands so Caribbean Radio Lighthouse (CRL) was founded for the purpose of setting “a standard of true Christianity through the use of doctrinally sound broadcasting and music that has the character of Christ” (Curt and Barbara Waite). When choosing a name, Al Snyder wrote, “We think the Lighthouse identity will help the spiritual purpose of the station to be better understood, and we are praying that God will use the beaming of the Light of the Gospel of Christ to lead many souls out of darkness and into new life in Jesus Christ.”
Caribbean Radio Lighthouse began to take shape and on September 7, 1975, started broadcasting on the AM band for seven hours daily. For 50 years, CRL has not only been a beacon for the truth of the Gospel of Christ, it has also been a constant source of information and updates during the many hurricanes that have come through the Caribbean over the past five decades. There have been a few times when CRL has been the only radio station on air during and following a storm.
The most effective way to teach an audience is with local radio personalities and programs that relate directly to a society and its culture. Praise the Lord for those individuals whom He has sent at the time they are needed! Along with Christ-honoring music, preaching and teaching programs are heard each day. Several pastors throughout the islands are featured as well as call-in programs answering Bible questions and receiving song requests. There are wellness programs and public announcements. God has used faithful supporters of CRL over the years to keep the Gospel going out over the airwaves, and this ministry is well worth our prayers and financial aid. Nathan and Renee Owens manage and care for this fantastic ministry and are in much need of more technical support. Although the Owens have been part of CRL for over a decade, they have been the only missionaries with CRL for more than half their time in Antigua. Please consider and pray about surrendering and becoming a part of this vital ministry.It was my distinct privilege to attend the 50th Anniversary of CRL. I learned so much from listening to testimonies and reading about their history. One account was shared about a boat captain who lost all navigation equipment and was basically “lost at sea.” He remembered CRL and tuned his hand-held radio to 1160 AM. He followed the strongest signal, constantly checking his “bearings” until he found the safe harbor. What a physical analogy of the spiritual necessity for CRL! One lady wrote in how she was about to take her life when Oliver B. Greene, The Gospel Hour, said, “Don’t do it!” She gave her life to Christ instead of taking it and now has grown significantly in the Lord.
Over the last 50 years, CRL has been blessed to expand to 10,000 watts for 24-hours a day and can be heard for nearly 300 miles. In 2001, CRL also began broadcasting in Antigua on 92.3 FM from a tower on Boggy Peak. CRL has been on the internet for 11 years, and during the 50th Anniversary, they released a mobile app that can be found using the QR code, inviting all to easily download the app and listen to CRL via a smartphone or smart device. Of the two ministry buildings on the property in Valley Church, one is a home for Nathan and Renee Owens while the other houses the studio facility. The downstairs of each building is used as dormitory space for visiting missions teams and workers, guest apartments, and other local church functions. These two downstairs Ministry Apartments have been honorably named for the Curt Waite family and the Jerry Baker family who served in Antigua for over 30 years.
For nearly 25 years now, CRL has been making advancements toward an increasingly automated programming schedule. Their goal is to present God’s plan of salvation to non-believers and to instruct and encourage Christians in the principles and doctrines in the Word of God. CRL continues to offer a free Bible correspondence course for all ages, and they freely distribute Bibles and Bible tracts. There have been many changes over the years, but through them all one thing has remained constant: CRL’s commitment to maintain their adherence to the doctrines and principles on which the station was founded—a basis of biblical truth.
In November, a part in CRL’s AM transmitter exploded, and the resulting fire led to catastrophic damage to some transmitter parts. Brother Nathan Owens was able to make some repairs and get the AM station partially on the air for their nearby audience. However, the transmitter still has many technical issues, and some of the necessary replacement parts are unique and obsolete. CRL needs to replace the 30-plus-year-old transmitter in order to reach their entire audience once again. Please pray that God will supply the necessary funds to get CRL back to full operating capacity. If you would like more information, please contact Nathan Owens.
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