Children's Bible Hour
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| Motto | God's story opening Hearts |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1942 |
| Founder | Rev. Gil Cosselman |
| Headquarters | Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan 49501 |
| Coordinates | 42°58′17″N 85°40′24″W / 42.9712729°N 85.67330700000002°WCoordinates: 42°58′17″N 85°40′24″W / 42.9712729°N 85.67330700000002°W |
| Website | www |
Keys for Kids Ministries (formerly known as Children's Bible Hour and CBH Ministries) is an international Christian media ministry organization that produces radio programs (such as Down Gilead Lane), and formerly Children's Bible Hour, print materials, and web-based media for evangelism to children, targeting ages 6 to 12 with Bible-based materials.
Keys for Kids Ministries started in 1942 when a young girl asked her uncle Gil, Rev. Gil Cosselman, "Why are there no radio programs for children talking... Jesus?" This was the genesis of CBH. One uncle led to a meeting of four pastors which led to a group of ten that launched the Children's Bible Hour that same year. Their first broadcast was aired in November from the studios of WLAV in Grand Rapids, Michigan. CBH is famous for having "uncles", most notably Uncle Charlie narrating the broadcasts, but when CBH first started, there were four uncles, Carl Bihl, Morry Carlson, Mel Johnson, and Malcolm Cronk. The first office was in the Keeler building, in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Children's Bible Hour's first director, was "Uncle Mel" Johnson, who served from 1942 to 1946. Dr. D.O. Fuller, pastor of Wealthy Street Baptist Church, served as chairman of the CBH board from the very beginnings in 1942 for thirty-three years.
One of the first two aunts, "Aunt Dorothy" Boli, described the radio program as "... an hour long divided into four sections - Bible Question Time, Chorus Time, Bible Memory Time, Bible Story Time, each having fifteen minutes. As to the script, there was little written out... most of the program was ad lib. But the spontaneous response and harmonious spirit made it a lively and profitable program."
By 1943, CBH was now being heard world-wide via HCJB Radio. That year, a printed communication with their listeners and donors was started with the "CBH News". They also started printing yearly calendars to encourage people to pray for them regularly. Nineteen years later, the "Cheery Chats" newsletter was introduced as a bi-monthly contact with contributors. It was changed twenty-seven years later to "News And Notes".
The year Children's Bible Hour went global, 1943, the one year anniversary celebration was the beginning of a 56-year series of annual rallies. The first rally was held at the Welsh Civic Auditorium in Grand Rapids.
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