The Deadline Looms: A Dream in Jeopardy
It was May 26, 1973, just two days before a crucial deadline. My parents, Paul and Jan Crouch, the founders of Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), were in a race against time.
If they couldn't get their first station on the air by May 28th, they'd lose the frequency, jeopardizing their dream of sharing faith and inspiration through television.
"If they couldn't get their first station on the air by May 28th, they'd lose the frequency...
Unexpected Obstacles Emerge
Excitement filled the air at our new studio in Santa Ana, California, as volunteers worked tirelessly to prepare for TBN's debut. But anxiety soon replaced the excitement when an insurmountable obstacle emerged.
The studio's new microwave unit was supposed to send the TV signal to the transmitter on Mount Wilson, about 50 miles north from us. But for three days, TBN's engineers struggled, unable to establish a connection. It was as if an invisible force was blocking the signal.
The Experts Declare Defeat
Experts delivered the devastating news: the signal couldn't reach Mount Wilson because a part of the mountain itself stood in the way. Their advice? Give up. It was impossible.
I can still see the discouragement on my father's face as he ended the call. After so many open doors on TBN's journey, it seemed like one word from the "experts" had slammed them shut.
A Prayer of Faith
But my father wasn't ready to accept defeat. He walked outside that evening, climbed a ladder to the studio roof where the microwave dish was installed, and turned to the only One who could help.
"Lord," he prayed, "you said that with faith even as small as a mustard seed, we could tell a mountain to move, and it would."
With tears streaming down his face, he touched the cold steel of the dish and poured out his heart to God. "Lord," he prayed, "you said that with faith even as small as a mustard seed, we could tell a mountain to move, and it would."
At that moment, something shifted. A strong sense of peace and determination suddenly washed over my father.
When Faith Moves Mountains
He hurried back down to the studio and asked the exhausted, skeptical engineers to try one more time early the next morning. Though they likely doubted it would make a difference, they agreed.
At 8:00 AM on Sunday, May 28th, we all gathered in the control room. The chief engineer called the technician stationed at the Mount Wilson transmitter.
Then we heard the astonishment in the engineer's voice as he shouted through the phone, "We've got it! The picture is crystal clear!" God had answered my father's prayer, moving a literal mountain to make way for TBN's future.
That weekend, my dad taught me a powerful lesson: God wants to work in our lives, in both big and small ways. All we have to do is ask.
"God had answered my father's prayer, moving a literal mountain to make way for TBN's future."
It's a lesson I've carried with me throughout my own life and have tried to instill in my own children. And it's a lesson that continues to inspire us all at TBN as we share God's love with the world.
Sharing Stories of Faith
We all have stories of answered prayers, big and small. These glimpses of God's faithfulness aren't for bragging – they're meant to be passed on. They light the way for others.
So, what's the mountain you're gazing at today? Don't be afraid to pray boldly, for our God is still the God who moves mountains.
Have you experienced a mountain-moving moment in your life? Share your story or prayer request with the TBN family. Your testimony could be the spark of hope someone else needs.
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