Summary
Children's Bible Hour ("CBH") ministers to children, families, churches and other groups who wish to learn more about the Bible and the principles that it teaches. CBH produce daily and weekly radio programming that is broadcast by over 500 radio stations worldwide, and provide other materials in print and other media that present Biblical principles in easily understood contemporary formats. The weekly 30-minute radio program is the "hub" for all their activity. CBH is "on the air" with a well-rehearsed, Christ-centered broadcast by and for children. CBH also produce a 5-minute and a 15-minute program, which is used by many stations on a weekly basis and by several others as a daily feature. Many Spanish-speaking areas of the world air a weekly 10-minute Spanish program. CBH help underwrite a children's program in the Mandarin dialect of Chinese, and the Ilongo dialect in the Philippines. CBH also underwrite the production of a 15-minute weekly program in the Romanian language. Other program translations are also being considered. On March 3, 2001 Children's Bible Hour launched its new radio program "Down Gilead Lane", replacing "Children's Bible Hour", a program with a 58-year history. Gilead was created to be a compelling program for today's children and families to draw them into a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ. This organization is a nonprofit. Contributions to it are fully deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
Contact Information: [ Back to top ]
| Mailing Address: | PO Box 1 (2065 Three Mile Road, NW 49544)
Grand Rapids, MI
49501-9501 |
| Website: | www.cbhministries.org |
| Phone: | (616) 647-4958 |
| Email: | You need to enable javascript to see the email |
Organization Details [ Back to top ]
EIN: 381675000
| CEO/President: |
Terre Ritchie |
Tax Deductible: |
Yes |
| Chairman: |
Mr. Dodd Morris |
Fiscal Year End: |
September 30 |
| Board Size: |
6 |
Financial info from: |
990 |
| Founder: |
Mr. Mel Johnson |
Member of ECFA: |
Yes |
| Year Founded: |
1942 |
Member of ECFA since: |
1993 |
Children's Bible Hour ("CBH") ministers to children, families, churches and other groups who wish to learn more about the Bible and the principles that it teaches. CBH produce daily and weekly radio programming that is broadcast by over 500 radio stations worldwide, and provide other materials in print and other media that present Biblical principles in easily understood contemporary formats. The weekly 30-minute radio program is the "hub" for all their activity. CBH is "on the air" with a well-rehearsed, Christ-centered broadcast by and for children. Many hours of planning and rehearsal are necessary each week to produce a quality half-hour program. This is done at their studios and offices at 1331 Plainfield Ave., N.E. in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
On March 3, 2001 Children's Bible Hour launched its new radio program "Down Gilead Lane", replacing "Children's Bible Hour", a program with a 58-year history. Gilead was created to be a compelling program for today's children and families to draw them into a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.
CBH also produce a 15-minute program, which is used by many stations on a weekly basis and by several others as a daily feature. Also, a 5-minute daily devotional program is aired by many stations. CBH has more than 675 outlets for their broadcasts. In addition, CBH is aired on about 351 low-powered translator stations.
A weekly 10-minute Spanish program is aired by 175 stations, many of them in Spanish-speaking areas of the world. CBH help underwrite a children's program in the Mandarin dialect of Chinese, and the Ilongo dialect in the Philippines. CBH also underwrite the production of a 15-minute weekly program in the Romanian language. Other program translations are also being considered.
This organization is a nonprofit. Contributions to it are fully deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
Children's Bible Hour expresses its mission statement as follows:
CBH Ministries is an international Christian ministry based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which produces and distributes
excellent media resources primarily through the age of 14.
Program Accomplishments [ Back to top ]
Several hundred missionary and military families receive CBH's radio programs via cassette tape, a "lending library" ministry which is available to those in areas where CBH cannot be hard on the radio. Also, some of their stories have been translated into other languages for use in producing programming for other countries.
Two Bible correspondence courses are being used by thousands of boys and girls. These studies help them learn the basic truths of the Word of God. Audio/visual materials are also a part of the ever-expanding outreach of Children's Bible Hour. CBH have produced music and story albums, songbooks, quiz books, music and story videos, puppet scripts, and "flashcard" pictures to use with some of their stories. These are excellent for churches, clubs, camps, the home, etc. Several stories have also been edited for "Phone-A-Story" use. Detailed information on these materials is available from CBH. Keys For Kids is a daily devotional booklet designed to be read TO or BY children. It is excellent for family devotions. The book has a two-month format and includes suggested Scripture, memory verse, and practical application. One copy of each issue is free to every family who writes and asks for it. Additional copies are available for $1.00 each ($3.00 foreign). Keys For Kids is not available by subscription. Two books of Keys For Kids have been printed in Spanish, two in Portuguese, and one in Romanian. Other languages are being developed.
News and Notes, a bi-monthly publication, features poems, a story, letters from listeners, a few jokes, a "chat" with Uncle Charlie, etc. It provides an avenue of keeping in touch with their supporters and is available to all who contribute $5.00 or more each year. The radio staff is available for meetings in churches for area-wide rallies. This phase of the work keeps the staff busy on many weekends. In June the group goes on a ten-day summer tour, holding meetings each evening.
Statement of Faith [ Back to top ]
Children's Bible Hour expresses its statement of faith as follows:
THE BIBLE is the inspired Word of God, and it is the Christian's final authority from God.
THE BIRTH of Jesus is evidence of His deity in that He was virgin born and is God in the flesh.
THE BLOOD of Christ, shed on Calvary, is the only atonement for man's sin.
THE BURIAL and the bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus and His ascension into heaven are literal facts.
THE BELIEVERS are called "the church," which is composed of all those who be faith have accepted Christ as Savior and Lord.
THE BLESSED HOPE of the Christian is the personal return of the Lord Jesus to take all believers to heaven. Those who reject God's plan of salvation will be condemned to everlasting punishment.
Children's Bible Hour expresses its history as follows:
In November of 1942, a group of men headed by Dr. David Otis Fuller inaugurated the first Children's Bible Hour broadcast on a local Grand Rapids station. Interest mounted, funds were supplied, and many radio stations were added. Today, by the guiding hand of God, Children's Bible Hour is a nation-wide program, and it is also heard in many foreign countries. The history of the Children's Bible Hour and the personal history of Charlie Vander Meer run along parallel lines. Children's Bible Hour began broadcasting in November 1942. About a year later, when he was nine years old, Charlie was picked out of a studio audience to participate in a live broadcast of CBH.
From there he went on to a regular spot in the program, reading from "Charlie's Scrapbook," reciting poems, helping in the dramatized stories, and often serving as "junior emcee." At 17, Charlie left the program for four years of college study, graduating in 1956 with a major in radio and television production. Immediately he joined the staff of Children's Bible Hour and in 1959 was named Assistant Director. He worked closely with "Aunt Bertha" Shooks until her retirement in 1972 when he assumed the directorship of the ministry and host of the radio programs.
Now known as "Uncle Charlie" to boys and girls around the world, he heads a ministry that is currently aired on 600 broadcast outlets in all 50 states and in approximately 80 foreign countries. In addition to broadcasts in the English language, CBH is involved in six foreign language broadcasts for children. CBH also has an extensive print ministry, specializing in a bi-monthly devotional guide for children called KEYS FOR KIDS. This book has also been printed in seven other languages. Audio-Visual materials produced by CBH include music and story cassettes, CD's, music and story Videos. The children heard on the radio broadcasts also appear in monthly concerts, and a 10-day summer tour.
In addition to serving on the Board of Directors of Children's Bible Hour, Charlie also serves on the Board of the Arizona based Family Life Communications. Charlie and his wife Bette have three grown children and eight grandchildren. Charlie also has a "wooden friend" named Wally who goes with him in many children's meetings, where Charlie has a presentation of ventriloquism, Gospel magic, and dramatized story. He believes that Jesus meant what He said in Mark 10:14: "LET THE CHILDREN COME TO ME...AND FORBID THEM NOT!"
CBH are absolutely dependent on God to provide the wisdom, love and courage to produce materials that will impact lives for eternity. As such, CBH have established the CBH Prayer Network to recruit people willing to pray daily for their needs at CBH. If you sense a calling to intercessory prayer on their behalf, CBH would love to communicate with you.
Research Analysis
Transparency Grade [ Back to top ]
| Transparency Grade of : B |
| Criteria category | Grade | Other Comments |
| Timeliness: | 70 | 10/28/2011 3:02:25 PM: Organization made financial information available greater than 7 ½ months. |
| Financial Information: | 100 | |
| Foundational Clarity: | 100 | 10/28/2011 3:02:15 PM: Descriptive information was abundant and thorough. |
| Level of Cooperation: | | |
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MinistryWatch.com 5 Star Financial Efficiency Ratings [ Back to top ]
| Ranking Category | Rating | Overall Rank | Educational Media Sector |
|---|
| Overall Efficiency Rating |  | 283 of 347 | 30 of 38 |
| Fund Acquisition Decision |  | 151 of 347 | 16 of 38 |
| Resource Allocation Decision | | 295 of 347 | 32 of 38 |
| Asset Utilization Decision | | 300 of 347 | 33 of 38 |
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MinistryWatch.com’s Take
Children’s Bible Hour
More than sixty years ago, a Christian minister was asked the following question: “why are there no radio programs for children that talk about Jesus?” The minister thought it was a good question, and his eventual response was to form a radio ministry for children. Since that time, the “Children’s Bible Hour” has been a Saturday morning tradition for two generations of children. The purpose of the show was to reach out to children with the timeless truths of the Bible. Its method was to communicate those truths via stories and songs performed by kids for kids. Charlie VanderMeer was the Executive Director and radio adult voice of Children’s Bible Hour for more than forty years. During that time, “Uncle” Charlie’s warm voice and kindly wisdom made him a perennial favorite in Christian radio.
The last original episode of the “Children’s Bible Hour” aired in 2001. Randy Hekman was hired to replace VanderMeer as Executive Director. The new leadership decided that the time had come to speak in a new voice to a new generation of kids. The Children’s Bible Hour officially became CBH Ministries, and the fifty-eight year old program was shelved to make room for a new feature broadcast program. Where “Children’s Bible Hour” had been something of a variety show with songs and a story, narrated in large part by “Uncle Charlie,” CBH Ministries’ new show was conceived as a drama, complete with a full cast of recurring characters (children and adult) and a more contemporary tone. CBH Ministries insists that although the “message of Jesus Christ NEVER changes . . . the way it’s communicated NEEDS to change.”
Down Gilead Lane
“Down Gilead Lane,” the show which replaced “Children’s Bible Hour,” began airing on March 3, 2001. The name “Gilead” is a familiar one to those acquainted with the geography of the Holy Land. CBH Ministries (hereafter, CBH) describes the region as “a mountain range north of the Dead Sea . . . named ‘Gilead,’ or ‘a hard, rocky place.’ Gilead, however, is best known as “a place of healing. . . . Scholars tell us that a tree that grew in Gilead produced a balm that acted similar to medicine, and people from around the world would go to Gilead to seek this amazing, healing balm.” Thus, the title “Down Gilead Lane” indicates that “[s]ometimes healing can only be found in the hard places.”
Gilead Lane is an out-of-the-way street located in the fictional town of Coleraine. Two houses located on Gilead lane, the Morrison’s home and the home of Grace Andrews, together with the magnificent home of the Richter’s, which is located in town, give the drama a symbolic structure. The house of Grace stands at the end of Gilead lane; thus, grace is presented as the ultimate source of healing, the balm in Gilead. The Morrison’s are a Christian family whose children are the principle characters in the drama. The Morrison household, though not perfect, is characterized by faith, caring, and acceptance. The Morrisons serve as a winsome testimony for Christ, and those who spend time in their home are, whether they know it or not, on the path that leads to healing.
Not everyone that comes into contact with the Morrison family travels all the way down Gilead Lane. Although some of the characters in the series do come to accept Christ, others persist in rejecting him. Some people reject God’s grace because they prefer the world and all it has to offer. The wealthy Richter family, and particularly Mrs. Richter’s pride in owning the grandest house in town, symbolizes the trap of materialism. Other characters hesitate to come to Christ due to an “honest” skepticism. Everyone, however, is presented as redeemable. The listener comes to believe that the salvation of the unsaved characters is possible and learns to earnestly hope for conversions to occur.
The Christian characters on the program are not free from struggles of their own. The believer’s dependence upon Christ is portrayed through the hopes, disappoints, failures, and successes of the members of the Morrison household. The often humorous accounts of their various trials and tribulations provide listeners with wholesome entertainment while at the same time illustrating the relevance of the Christian faith for all of life.
Although the show obviously incorporates some symbolism, it is written as a contemporary drama for kids. The characters inhabit everyday places, speak contemporary, idiomatic English, and deal with life and one another in realistic, though definitely instructive, ways. One of the differences between “Children’s Bible Hour” and “Down Gilead Lane” is that in the former program the stories occasionally tended to sound like thinly-cloaked occasions for teaching good morals (as in a fable), while in the latter the stories tend to be interesting in their own right. In other words, “Children’s Bible Hour” tended to preach spiritual truths; “Down Gilead Lane” tends to portray such truths.
Beyond Coleraine
CBH produces two radio programs in addition to “Down Gilead Lane”: “Keys for Kids,” a five-minute show which features Uncle Charlie reading from CBH’s daily devotional for children, and “Parent’s Minute,” a ninety-second radio spot in which CBH Executive Director Randy Hekman shares “Bible-based parenting ideas that work.” “Keys for Kids” is published in book form by CBH on a bi-monthly basis. This devotional book has proven to be popular with kids all around the world. CBH maintains an extensive website where current episodes of each of CBH’s current radio programs as well as a host of classic “Children’s Bible Hour” programs can be accessed free of charge. The website also features two online Bible studies for kids. The first of these is an introduction to the New Testament, and the second covers major Bible doctrines. Discussion forums, links, and an online store are also featured at the CBH site.