'Ed Bousman, Lynchburg, Ohio, signing off'
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
A man whose voice and message that "God is just a prayer away" for more than 50 years has died, leaving a legacy of serving God and spreading his message to the masses.
Ed Bousman, a Lynchburg resident whose radio ministry reached Christians worldwide, died Monday morning after a long illness, according to friends and neighbors. His message was broadcast over 700 AM WLW, and many other stations, every Sunday.
According to Bousman's website, www.gijapa.org, "In 1962, he started the God Is Just a Prayer Away radio ministry. In 1984, he started the Preaching Christ TV program. Preaching Christ TV was seen mainly on satellite all of North America and parts of Alaska and South America. In September 1997, he started on Shortwave Radio - Bible Voice Europe, reaching all countries throughout Europe including Russia. In November 1997, he began Shortwave Radio Africa, reaching over 140 million English-speaking people in three former British Colonies: Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon. Beginning June 1999 we started broadcasting in to India by the SUPER-POWER Radio Sri Lanka, the Giant of Asia. This shortwave broadcast reaches India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the local language is English, reaching out to over 1 billion. Excess funds from the The Preaching Christ TV Ministry made it possible in April 2003 to begin broadcasting into Western Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic and Bulgaria by means of the the powerful 100,000 watt transmitter - Bible Voice Russia. Truly God is able to bring things about which we think are impossible."
Friend and neighbor Bob Stevens said that while Bousman's death is a great loss to his friends, family and the community, they celebrate that he is now with the Lord he served for so many years.
"He was probably the best friend I've ever had, even though there is a 30-year age difference," Stevens said. "We developed a real close friendship over the last 20 years or so. He has been a mentor, as far as preaching, to me."
Stevens has been the minister at the Allensburg Church of Christ for 26 years, a post that was once held by Bousman. They both resided on Abernathy Road in Allensburg.
"He would have celebrated 50 years on the radio and in the radio ministry this coming fall," Stevens said. "He preached for over 50 years or so. Ed was a very quiet-type person, but once you got to know him, you had a friend for life. He was very self-disciplined. Before he got very sick, he walked about two miles every day and exercised. He loved his two German Shepherd dogs."
Stevens said that the ministry Bousman built with his wife, Naomi, has reached countless people over the years, in numerous countries.
"The neat thing was, they did it right from their home," Stevens said. "I expect he lived down there for 60 years, at least. I think this is going to leave a void in some really conservative Bible-based preaching, not just locally, but across the country. But at least his wife is planning on carrying on his ministry on the radio by use of sermons they have recorded over the years. I believe they have a five-year supply without ever having to repeat one. They were planning ahead for a time when he wouldn't be here."
The GIJAPA newsletter is available on www.gijapa.org, and in the May edition, Bousman's daughter, Melanie Rightmyer, wrote about his illness and the work he did in the ministry. In the newsletter, she wrote, "We pray for the Lord’s will to be done. While none of us know the time when we will be called to our spiritual home, as Christians we do have the promise of a better tomorrow and one fabulous family reunion. But for now, we are thankful for each additional day the Lord gives Ed to minister."
Funeral arrangements are pending at the Turner and Son Funeral Homes. Check back to www.highlandcountypress.com or go to www.turnerfuneralhomes.cc for a full obituary, as soon as it is available.
Ed Bousman, a Lynchburg resident whose radio ministry reached Christians worldwide, died Monday morning after a long illness, according to friends and neighbors. His message was broadcast over 700 AM WLW, and many other stations, every Sunday.
According to Bousman's website, www.gijapa.org, "In 1962, he started the God Is Just a Prayer Away radio ministry. In 1984, he started the Preaching Christ TV program. Preaching Christ TV was seen mainly on satellite all of North America and parts of Alaska and South America. In September 1997, he started on Shortwave Radio - Bible Voice Europe, reaching all countries throughout Europe including Russia. In November 1997, he began Shortwave Radio Africa, reaching over 140 million English-speaking people in three former British Colonies: Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon. Beginning June 1999 we started broadcasting in to India by the SUPER-POWER Radio Sri Lanka, the Giant of Asia. This shortwave broadcast reaches India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the local language is English, reaching out to over 1 billion. Excess funds from the The Preaching Christ TV Ministry made it possible in April 2003 to begin broadcasting into Western Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic and Bulgaria by means of the the powerful 100,000 watt transmitter - Bible Voice Russia. Truly God is able to bring things about which we think are impossible."
Friend and neighbor Bob Stevens said that while Bousman's death is a great loss to his friends, family and the community, they celebrate that he is now with the Lord he served for so many years.
"He was probably the best friend I've ever had, even though there is a 30-year age difference," Stevens said. "We developed a real close friendship over the last 20 years or so. He has been a mentor, as far as preaching, to me."
Stevens has been the minister at the Allensburg Church of Christ for 26 years, a post that was once held by Bousman. They both resided on Abernathy Road in Allensburg.
"He would have celebrated 50 years on the radio and in the radio ministry this coming fall," Stevens said. "He preached for over 50 years or so. Ed was a very quiet-type person, but once you got to know him, you had a friend for life. He was very self-disciplined. Before he got very sick, he walked about two miles every day and exercised. He loved his two German Shepherd dogs."
Stevens said that the ministry Bousman built with his wife, Naomi, has reached countless people over the years, in numerous countries.
"The neat thing was, they did it right from their home," Stevens said. "I expect he lived down there for 60 years, at least. I think this is going to leave a void in some really conservative Bible-based preaching, not just locally, but across the country. But at least his wife is planning on carrying on his ministry on the radio by use of sermons they have recorded over the years. I believe they have a five-year supply without ever having to repeat one. They were planning ahead for a time when he wouldn't be here."
The GIJAPA newsletter is available on www.gijapa.org, and in the May edition, Bousman's daughter, Melanie Rightmyer, wrote about his illness and the work he did in the ministry. In the newsletter, she wrote, "We pray for the Lord’s will to be done. While none of us know the time when we will be called to our spiritual home, as Christians we do have the promise of a better tomorrow and one fabulous family reunion. But for now, we are thankful for each additional day the Lord gives Ed to minister."
Funeral arrangements are pending at the Turner and Son Funeral Homes. Check back to www.highlandcountypress.com or go to www.turnerfuneralhomes.cc for a full obituary, as soon as it is available.