February 29, 2016
McGraws bid farewell to ministry that counts
Husband-wife team
reflect on 30-plus years
with radio outreach
By Laura Poff
SOUTHERN SPIRIT STAFF
When Regina McGraw started working for The
Salvation Army THQ in 1982, she was a newlywed
just looking for a temporary job while she got
settled in Atlanta. She started out in the Community
Relations Department under the direction of Major
Leon Ferraez, who told her she would spend some
time each week working with the Radio Ministry
Department as well.
“I found the job to be wonderful,” McGraw said.
“It was very intriguing for me because it gave me an
opportunity to be a part of something that got the
gospel out around the world.”
As the ministry grew, Regina joined the Radio
Ministries Department full time. Soon after, her
husband Mike, who was working as a music teacher,
joined the department as well, heading up production
while Regina managed the marketing and business.
The pair, who soon became synonymous with
Salvation Army radio, retired earlier this month after
more than 30 years of service for Regina and 28 for
Mike.
“In the beginning with radio ministries we had
just a few stations on reel-to-reel tape and it was just
Regina and I and the secretary,” Mike said.
“Wonderful Words of Life” (WWOL), the most
popular program of the department, began in
1955 and became national in 1975. For many years,
this 15-minute program was the entirety of radio
ministries until in the early 1990s, when the culture
and technology shifted dramatically, prompting many
changes under their leadership.
In 1992, a Spanish language version of WWOL was
created, called “Maravillosas Palabras de Vida.” Then
in 1996, a one-minute program called “Heartbeat” was
created in response to the need for short soundbites
and lowered attention spans among radio listeners.
In 2000, a Spanish language version of this program,
“Latido” was also created.
In 2001, WWOL moved online and in 2003, all of
the programs soon joined it. In 2005, WWOL was
awarded the NRB milestone award for 50 consecutive
years of broadcasting. In 2013, the Soundcast app was
launched, from which all programs can be streamed
on mobile devices.
Even as the technology has changed, the work has
remained consistent.
“We are continuing to get out the unchanging
gospel,” Regina said. “Everything else changes, but
the essence of the gospel does not.”
Over the years, Mike and Regina have received
countless letters from listeners around the world who
were touched by their programming and ministry.
The radio programs reach remote areas of the world
7
(Left) Mike and Regina McGraw
recently retired after their long
association with Salvation
Army radio ministries “Wonderful Words of Life,” “Maravillosas
Palabras de Vida.” “Heartbeat”
and “Latido.” (Below) The
McGraws are pictured with the
radio ministies team from the
mid-1990s. L-R, unidentified
engineer, then Captain WIllis
Howell, Major Henry Arrowood,
Ernie Bangs, Regina and Mike
McGraw, Major Jorge Booth
and Major Jim Hylton. (Bottom)
Commissioner Phil Needham
and the McGraws are shown at
a 50th anniversary celebration
of the radio ministry in 2005.
where many other
media cannot. After all
of these years, many of
these notes have faded
or been misplaced, but
some signs of the scope
of their work have
remained. Regina turned
to the filing cabinet
behind her desk and
retrieved a worn cassette
tape, sent in to her in
1993, more than 20 years
ago.
“We received this
little cassette tape in the
mail from a listener in
Thailand,” she recalled.
“After he made the
cassette tape, he talked
about how much he
was ministered to by
the program and how
much he appreciated the
program. Being blind
and living in Bangkok,
he couldn’t get out
much. His whole contact
with the outside world
seemed to be through
the radio.”
Listener mail and
testimonies reflect the
driving force of the
McGraws’ combined
50-plus years of service: to advance the mission of The
Salvation Army around the world and to serve others.
“I think if you can do everything that you do with
The Salvation Army’s mission statement in mind
then you will be successful in The Salvation Army,”
Regina said. “It’s been thrilling; it’s been a great ride.
Our passion for the ministry has not waned at all.
If you’re going to live your life, you’ve got to live it
for something that counts, and we believe that this
counts.”
Frederick clients glimpse new hope
Continued from page 1
learning.” And through the
Pathway of Hope partnership with
the Literacy Council of Frederick
County, Chrissy has learned to
read.
“Now she’s able to read a level
one book by herself