“Why do you play secular Christmas music?”
It’s a question we get often, and we actually have a very good answer for it.
We know that Jesus is the reason for the season, which is why we introduced our Advent feature this year to further point back to Jesus during this time. It’s why we love and still play the classic hymns you know and love like “O Holy Night” and “The First Noel.”
Christmas is a time to spend with loved ones. And nothing brings people together like their favorite Christmas songs. We enjoy the traditional hymns as well as the more secular Christmas music and lots of other people do, too. These are classic Christmas songs that many of us grew up with. They invoke feelings of nostalgia which brings people comfort and joy.
You may not realize it, but songs like “Jingle Bells” and “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” actually play a vital role in our ministry. These songs are fun and bring people joy. Joy is what we are in the business of spreading.
Furthermore, non-believers are more receptive to the Gospel and more likely to tune into Christian radio during Christmas than any other time of the year. And these classic Christmas songs are what draw them in. They come for “Jingle Bells” while also being exposed to “Silent Night,” our Advent feature, and our other ministry features.
Our hope is that by listening to our station at Christmas time, they become loyal listeners year-round, further exposing themselves to the Gospel. Our research also shows that January and February are the highest in terms of new listenership for us. People that come during December just for the Christmas music, may stay into the new year and possibly all year long. Our ultimate goal is to spread the Gospel to as many people as possible; people who may not be exposed to it any other way.
Please know that we value your feedback, and every decision we make is made with careful consideration and much prayer. Thank you for listening, and have a very merry Christmas!
-Team Hope FM
Very well explained, Robin. Thank you! 😄