Christian Family Radio celebrates 40 years with Glasgow ribbon cutting
Staff from the station visited The Hive Coffee & Bakehouse on Tuesday to mark 40 years on the air with a ribbon cutting hosted by Barren Inc.
GLASGOW, Ky. — Forty years ago, a vision took shape to launch what would grow into one of the region’s most far-reaching Christian radio networks.
Christian Family Radio is a nonprofit station headquartered along Bowling Green’s Scottsville Road, with signals also originating in Glasgow and Owensboro.
Staff from the station visited The Hive Coffee & Bakehouse on Tuesday to mark 40 years on the air with a ribbon cutting hosted by Barren Inc.
Christian Family Radio staff and local dignitaries participate in a ribbon cutting ceremony.
While on vacation, James and Ann Chapman discovered a Christian radio station in Greeley, Colorado, between Cheyenne and Denver. They were drawn to its blend of music and faith-centered conversations between songs, said Bridget Khert Groce, the station’s current executive director and a Barren County native.
“The music that they heard touched their heart, it touched their mind, it championed them to be the best they could be,” Groce said.
The Chapmans began traveling to Franklin, Tennessee, often bringing stacks of records back to the youth group they led at Woodburn Baptist Church.
They later joined First Assembly Church in Bowling Green, where one Sunday Pastor Joe Timberlake mentioned the possibility of starting a Christian radio station, according to CFR’s website.
The station would need $250,000 to get off the ground, prompting James Chapman to encourage others to pray over the effort.
“Several years later, in 1984, Warren County businesses, churches and individuals got together,” Groce said, recalling the story of when James Chapman told how much it would be to apply for a license for the radio station. “Would you know that night that amount of money was raised in that room.”
Attendees at Tuesday’s ribbon cutting erupted in applause.
“If you're praying for something today, don’t stop. Your prayers are the seed that sews for generations to come,” she said.
The station has been on the air since April 23, 1986, with hopes it will continue for years to come. Groce said the mission has remained constant: pointing people to Jesus Christ.
“It is an absolute honor to do what we get to do every day,” Groce said.
As a reminder, Groce said the National Day of Prayer will be observed at 7:30 a.m. May 7 at the Barren County Courthouse in Glasgow, and the community is invited to attend.
She also noted that Jason Crabb will perform in concert Saturday, July 11 at 7 p.m. at the Plaza Theatre. Buy tickets here.
