I guess we should have had a party – a little confetti and at least a cupcake or two – but, nobody planned a celebration. So, two weeks ago when Toby and I finished recording Know Your Bible program #1400, we just left the studio and went on with the day. In case that number slipped right past you, let me repeat it. That was program 1400 – as in One Thousand Four Hundred! 700 hours of TV broadcasts. 140 seasons of a standard Netflix series. Approximately 10,000 questions answered. Now 1,400 episodes of one TV program is not anywhere near a world record, (I checked) but it is a LOT – in many ways.
First, the number 1400 demonstrates a LOT of sacrifice and faithfulness by a whole lot of people. From the first “KYB Sunday” in 1986 when our elders asked Northsiders to pay for the first year until this 33rd year when many individuals and other congregations have joined us in the financing, hundreds of Christians have given sacrificially to make #1400 possible. Also, hundreds of folks at Northside, Watermill in Springfield, in Burlington, and in Sioux Falls have given of their time and knowledge to grade the thousands of Bible courses generated by each weekly broadcast. Phone operators in all those places have also shown up faithfully each week to be the first contact a viewer has with the Lord’s church. We can count the number of programs recorded, but no one can count the dollars and hours poured into Know Your Bible by sacrificial servants over 32+ years.
Second, 1400 represents a LOT of seed sown in a LOT of hearts. We often mention that KYB works because we just do what Jesus told us to do, “sow the seed!” Every Sunday morning thousands of folks watch the program. Some ignore it, some resist it, some like it, and some receive it – just like Jesus said would happen. The seed of the gospel has taken root in many hearts over 32+ years. We know some of them, but will never know the total number until “the roll is called up yonder.” I don’t know what the program count will be by then, but I guess that will be a good time for that party we missed at #1400.