Great Commission Media Ministries (formerly IRR-TV)

In Hebrews 11, we see that where there is no risk there are no works of faith.

For some reason that's the way it is in the Kingdom of God.

I think of Abraham as he started out on his journey to the Promised Land. Imagine the seemingly impossible risks that he took.

Abraham was rich. He was comfortable where he was. Yet, one day Abraham had told his household, his herdsmen, his chiefs, that they were about to embark on an incredible journey very soon.

I can just picture Sarah that same night whispering into her husband’s ear: “You just delivered the speech of your life. You got everyone fired up. You convinced everyone to go! No one objected! Abe dear, there was only one thing you didn’t say. You didn’t say where we all were going. Come on, dear you can tell me, I’m your wife.”

Believe it or not

"Sarah, dear", he replied. "Believe it or not—I don’t have a clue!”

Perhaps Sarah objected, “Abe, I‘ve always admired your courage, but have you thought this one through? There are hundreds of people and thousands of head of cattle, camels, horses and sheep in your household! What happens if we wind up in a dry desert? Where will you find food and water?”

Obviously the risk was much greater than Abraham could humanly deal with. At that point in his life, Abraham’s experience with God was very limited. His people were best known for their moon worship. Abraham’s encounter with God in Genesis 12:1-3 had to have been so spectacular, so convincing that it removed any doubt he may have had. He desperately wanted what God had in store for him.

God bountifully rewarded Abraham’s faith. It was credited to him as righteous, Where To Abraham? not fanaticism. Out of Abraham’s seed came forth the Savior of all mankind, Jesus Christ.

No risk, no works of faith!

Whenever God sends us on a mission, there is always risk. The truth is simple: no risk, no works of faith, the greater the stakes—the greater the reward. So it was with Abraham, and so it is with each of us.

When Laura and I got married in the Soviet Union 33 years ago, the stakes were high. We were bound for radio ministry in the west—something considered ideological warfare by the Russians in the 1970’s. There was risk. It was probable that Laura would not be permitted to leave Russia. It was also possible that we would never be able to live together because she was a Soviet citizen and I was a Canadian.

In 1980 we launched “hostile to atheistic ideology” Christian radio to Russia from Finland. There was risk. We were warned that “Russian tanks would roll across the border into Finland."

By the late 1980’s, we launched TV program production aimed at the Soviet Union. TV ministry is expensive. We had no money. Our board of directors told us that we had to find funding on our own. So, we went to the bank and took out a huge personal loan. We had no equity. Our pockets were empty. Less than a year later we had the needed equipment, debt free.

What followed was what we in missions call the “miracle of the century”. Our programs aired on Soviet Central Television to 300 million viewers for 52 weeks, with the 52 best stories from the Bible. All-time TV viewership records were broken and the Moscow Post Office was buried in mail from the viewers.

The year was 1998. Without warning we were evicted from our office and studio facility by the media organization, which we had served for 18 fruitful years. The challenge was colossal. With no building fund, we saw a new state of the art home for the ministry of IRR/TV rise from “ashes."

In 2003 mega-city saturation campaigns in Russia and Central Asia were considered a product of a “hallucinating” mind and such campaigns in Israel were considered “simply impossible."

Today, we look back and see how the God of Abraham has bountifully blessed and rewarded our faith. As the Scripture says: it’s impossible to please God without faith. We must “believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Heb.11: 6).

Heaven Knows

Through over 40 city wide campaigns, together with you, our friends and prayer warriors, and by the grace of God we have reached over 70 million people in Russia, Central Asia and Israel. Our call centers have logged over 110,000 calls. Over one million powerful evangelism books have been printed and distributed. Thousands of people have come to faith in Christ. God has called us to acts of faith that certainly have and will involve risk.

I invite you to be part of the frontline of faithful missions workers in this generation. God bless you and your loved ones this fall season with many grace-filled moments.

Hannu Haukka