Shine 104.9 Gives Back

By: Rachel Sumagpung

Shine 104.9 Office Staff

Shine 104.9 (KEEH-FM) is nearing thirty years in ministry and continues to touch lives in Upper Columbia Conference. The station works to give back through Adventist radio outreach and is consistently ranked near the top of Nielsen’s radio charts, fully funded by listeners donations. This year the Shine Gives Back program supported many projects and ministries in the surrounding communities serving Spokane and North Idaho.

“This year our staff invited multiple community ministry leaders into the studio to interview,” shares Darin Patzer Shine 104.9 manager. “We ended each interview by presenting donation checks towards the work their ministries are doing.”

Shine 104.9 staff have also hosted a local food drive benefitting five regional food banks; partnered with Cure International to provide listener-sponsored surgeries in third-world countries; sponsored the digging of freshwater wells in Guatemalan villages; and during the station’s own pledge drive invited callers to allow a portion of their gift to be shared with a third-world radio ministry (FEBC) broadcasting the gospel into North Korea.

Playing contemporary Christian music with a mix of daily programs like Family Life Today, and Every Word from It Is Written, a local Saturday sermon, and a mix of Christian announcers, Shine shares how passionately their love for Jesus is to the community.

“We want to share Jesus with as many people in the Pacific Northwest as we possibly can,” adds Patzer.

With the decline of church attendance in the Pacific Northwest, many listeners have written that the radio station serves as weekly spiritual encouragement for their family. For more than two decades, the station has hosted a Discover Bible School, offering both mail and website Bible studies. Gina, a listener wrote, “My husband and I just recently rededicated ourselves to following Jesus, and since that day I have only listened to this station. I get to hear the Word, praise, worship, and pray all day every day! I look forward to turning on the station every morning. This radio station really is helping in the changing of lives.”  

KEEH works to partner on dozens of local ministry events challenging listeners in their faith, while building bridges in the community. Examples include, arena concerts, and providing publicity to the Journey to the Cross and Journey to Bethlehem experiences bringing thousands of viewers in from the community. At this year’s annual October Be Bold for Jesus weekend featured speakers shared their testimonies, including Tim Tebow, Laura Story, and Kirk Cameron.

Mable Dunbar, a ministry leader in the community sums up the impact this radio ministry is making, “Shine 104.9 has blessed our organization, Women’s Healing and Empowerment Network through informative interviews for our community and with financial support that helps us to continue the mission of Jesus, which is to preach the gospel to the poor, heal broken hearts, help the blind recover their sight and set at liberty those who are bruised.”

The Shine 104.9 live-streaming app can be downloaded on the website: www.shine1049.org.