VISION

More Than The

Can See

PART FIVE

RICHARD BERRY

Many examples could be cited from both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible of men and women who, through their faith and obedience to the commission the Lord had called them to fulfill  - were able to accomplish great exploits for God. They were not people who lived without a clear sense of direction and purpose. They were people of great VISION, some having received literal visions and or dreams from the Lord. Many others knew from the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit the direction in which He was leading them in life, in order that they might fulfill their God-given destinies.

Since the time of Christ, and the subsequent twenty centuries of the Christian Church, there have been many outstanding men and women in so many nations  of the world who have been people of vision, who in their lifetimes have impacted their families, their local communities, their villages, towns, cities, and nations for the Kingdom of God.

Probably the vast majority of these have been individual Christians who have devoted themselves wholly to following the Master, the Lord Jesus Christ wherever He would lead them and who have remained largely unknown to the world. They have been faithful servants of the Lord who knew their calling and commission from the Lord and followed that call with simple devotion to the Master. Sadly, there have also been many Christians throughout the Christian era who, though having a commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ, have never pushed through to discover and fulfill the vision that God has or had for their lives - that they might make an impact for the Kingdom of God in their lifetimes.

Some of you who are reading this would know that I have been involved in Christian broadcasting for some years in the past, in a full time capacity from 1981 to the early 90's, firstly with Radio Rhema in Christchurch, New Zealand, and then from 1988 to 1991 at Launceston's WAY FM in Tasmania.

In relation to this blog theme of Vision, I would like to highlight one man whose tenacious dedication to follow the vision he received from the Lord resulted in a worldwide media ministry, starting from primitive beginnings in a makeshift studio in his garage at his Christchurch home. The man's name was Richard (Dick) Berry.

In 1961, at the age of twenty, he was miraculously healed of a back injury. He was already a Christian, but this healing prompted Richard Berry to an even greater commitment to God, and in gratitude to the Lord, he offered himself to serve the Lord in whatever way he could.

It was then that he received a clear direction (vision) from the Lord to establish Christian radio in New Zealand, dedicating his life to that one consuming goal.

In those days, there was no such thing as private radio. On the contrary, there was strict government restriction on any form of private broadcasting with no real possibility of private groups gaining broadcasting licences.

In 1966, after several unsuccessful attempts by a private radio consortium to have the courts approve a private radio licence for Auckland, New Zealand's largest city - they brazenly fitted out a ship called the Tiri with radio broadcasting equipment and a transmitter, and commenced broadcasting from outside the three-mile maritime limit in waters off New Zealand in the Hauraki Gulf. The station was called Radio Hauraki. In time, they were granted a licence and a land-based station was then located in Auckland - and continues to this day.

With the commencement of privately owned and operated commercial radio stations in New Zealand, this no doubt offered a glimmer of hope for those praying and believing for an open door for Christian radio - but there were still many hurdles to cross before this would become a permanent reality in "The Land of the Long White Cloud."

Although very few others were able to share his vision or enthusiasm and excitement for it, Dick Berry began to seek the Lord for ways he could implement his plans, and that is when the first studio was built in his own garage. A foundation of prayer was laid in these early years, which has characterized the ministry throughout its history. This commitment to prayer carried the vision through many years of struggles, disappointments and heartaches....and was the key to ultimate victory.

In 1968, a church property was purchased in Glenfield Crescent, in Mairehau, a suburb of Christchurch, from which the first one day broadcast was held on the 23rd November, 1974 - a day which Richard Berry looked back on as one of the most significant and memorable of his life.

On the 11th November, 1978, an even greater event took place, as Radio Rhema began broadcasting on a full time basis.

This was a milestone, not only for Christchurch and New Zealand, but also throughout the British Commonwealth. It was a tribute to the extraordinary faith, determination and courage of one man, who dared to take God at His word, and who had fought almost single-handedly against incredible odds to pursue the mission and the vision to which God had called him. 

                                                                                                                                Dudley Scantlebury, the                                                                                                                                                     first station manager, 

                                                                                                                                    outside the Glenfield Crescent

                                                                                                                                                studios in Christchurch

In the forty two years since Radio Rhema began broadcasting permanently with the call sign 3XG, Christchurch, not only has the radio ministry expanded to cover all of New Zealand on three networks; the Rhema Broadcasting Group also have a television station called Shine TV, as well as proclaiming the Gospel message and teaching through the internet, smart phone apps and printed publications. Internationally, as the umbrella organisation, UCB (United Christian Broadcasters), they have, in Australia an ever expanding radio network, called Vision Christian Radio with some 730 cities, towns and smaller communities in every state and territory being able to receive and broadcast programming 24/7 from studios based in Brisbane, Queensland. AND THE END IS NOT YET! The continuing vision for Vision Christian Radio is: Christian Radio for every Australian.

UCB International is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand with broadcasting affiliates in over twenty five countries. It also publishes and distributes the popular daily devotional called "The Word For Today," written by Bob and Debbie Gass.

ALL THIS from one man who dared to believe the vision he had of establishing Christian radio in New Zealand, was against seemingly insurmountable odds, with time and patient faith, divinely possible.

Did Richard Berry ever receive a supernatural vision from the Lord played out before his eyes like a video or movie presentation? Not that I know of, but he certainly had a clear vision inspired by the Holy Spirit of fighting the good fight of faith to see Christian media become a reality in New Zealand and beyond.

Personal tragedy struck when at the age of 44, he was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer, and sadly subsequently lost his battle with the disease at the young age of 47, in 1988 - but the ministry has grown exponentially since then, for many years under the leadership of Hal Short, who was a very close ministry executive associate of Richard Berry.

The above is but yet another example of many men and women whose lives have impacted many by their faith and unwavering commitment to see birthed fruitful endeavours for the Kingdom of God, touching many lives with the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Postnote: Much of the information above concerning Richard Berry was gleaned from a special tribute edition of Rhema's "Frequency" magazine, Issue No. 153 (October 1988), following his death.