It is with excitement that I tell you that the ministry of Family Talk is coming together rapidly and that our first broadcast is scheduled to be heard beginning May 3rd. The best estimate at this time is that approximately 200 radio stations will carry the program at least once daily throughout the United States. The format will feature my two associates, Ryan Dobson and LuAnne Crane, and me in a 30-minute discussion about family-related topics, cultural issues, and matters relevant to our Christian faith. Much prayer and deliberation have gone into these plans, and we see evidence of divine guidance at every turn.
Family Talk now has assembled a team of outstanding men and women who have joined us in this new venture. We are located in Colorado Springs, in the building pictured below, and are beginning to acquire the equipment needed to get the broadcast on the air. We will begin construction on a new studio as soon as the funds for it become available. Your help in meeting these and other expenses would certainly be appreciated. It is a challenge to support a growing ministry, especially during an economic downturn. Nevertheless, God is in control and we are following what we believe to be His will for us. If we are right about that, He will provide.
Some of you have asked why Shirley and I left Focus on the Family, and why we have started this new outreach, Family Talk. It is because after 33 years at Focus, I began to be aware that the time had come to turn the ministry over to the next generation of leaders. One of the most common mistakes made by founder/presidents is to stay too long, eventually resigning and leaving the organization leaderless and in disarray. I was determined not to do that.
Another reason we have started this new ministry is to continue our defense of righteousness within the culture. That commitment to moral and spiritual truths has not changed and will not be compromised one iota. Please don’t expect me to take a “softer, gentler” approach to the issues that burn within my soul. I have never spoken or written without passion for the values which I believe, and I don’t intend to start now. Babies are dying, the very definition of marriage is under attack, the financial underpinnings of families are being destroyed by confiscatory taxation, and children of all ages are being taught wickedness and every form of godlessness. This is no time to grow timid!
Our primary emphasis, however, will be on the principles of building successful marriages, and on raising godly, self-disciplined, and respectful children. Accomplishing that goal is no easy task in this shockwave world, but we will tackle it head-on.
There is one more matter I want to address, in closing. In the weeks immediately prior to our departure, Focus invited many of you to send Shirley and me a final note saying anything you wished. More than 30,000 people wrote the most wonderful and loving messages to us. We are going through them now, and they are a blessing to us. We find, however, that those notes have been removed from their envelopes. As a result, only a tiny few had return addresses, which has made it impossible for us to reply or even send expressions of our thanks. This explains why you have not heard from us. We don’t know who most of you are.
If you would like to be on our mailing list, please let us hear from you. We took none of Focus’ names and addresses with us, so we are starting from scratch. You were sent this note because you are known to us personally. I hope you will pass along this information to your friends and help us “get the word out” in the days to come.
You can find us on our website at drjamesdobson.org/. Our mailing address is 540 Elkton Dr., Suite 201, Colorado Springs, CO 80907. And don’t forget to tune in May 3rd and beyond. If your local Christian station doesn’t carry our program, you might want to call the manager and suggest that he/she obtain relevant information by calling the Ambassador Advertising Agency. Our wonderful friends there can provide the details.
Do let us hear from you, and please be in prayer for us when our names come to mind.
Blessings to you all,
James C. Dobson, Ph.D
President, Family Talk
P.S. My new book, Bringing Up Girls, is finished at last, after three years of blood, sweat and tears. It hit the bookstores on April 13th. You can receive a copy from us for a contribution of $26 by clicking on this link. Some outlets are selling the book for much less, and you may want to obtain it from them. However, those of you who would like to help us with our start-up costs can do so by contributing the publisher’s suggested retail price. I have waived all royalty for books distributed through Family Talk, so that the money received will go directly into the ministry. We can certainly use it!
I will also send a personally autographed book for a generous contribution of $150 or more. Is it worth it? No, but it would be most helpful to us. When I published When God Doesn’t Make Sense, I made the same offer at a time when Focus on the Family was struggling financially. Would you believe, we received requests for more than 10,000 books, (whew!) and I signed them like crazy. Focus received a million dollars in donations at that critical time. The money went directly into our work on behalf of families. It would be magnificent if something similar would happen again, this time for Family Talk. I’ll start signing books and hope you’ll start signing checks!
If you can’t help us financially at this time, we certainly understand. We do, however, ask you to pray for this new ministry when our names come to mind. The Lord is doing a work here, and we are so pleased to be part of it.