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The History of GRN

Joy Ridderhof founded the work of Gospel Recordings in 1939. Joy was a single missionary in Honduras in the 1930's but was forced to return to the U.S. due to ill health. Her missionary heart was still with the mountain people she had left behind. Although poor and illiterate, these people had responded to the gospel and were delighted to hear God's Word.

As Joy prayed for them, an idea came to her. She remembered how phonograph records had played in the villages, blaring out songs in English and Spanish. If only she could make a record with a gospel message and Christian songs in Spanish, then it could stay with the people to repeat over and over the words she could no longer say to them in person.

In late 1938 the first record was produced and sent to missionaries who would take it into the mountain areas. The response was amazing and soon requests were coming from many Spanish-speaking areas for copies of that record. In 1941 Joy received a request for a Navajo recording from missionaries to the Navajo Indians. Joy's decision to record this second language was a major landmark in the history of Gospel Recordings, opening the way to a global outreach that would eventually touch the ends of the earth. Gospel Recordings today is committed to fulfill the vision that God gave to Joy Ridderhof.

GRN Today

Gospel Recordings has developed into an international mission with centers and bases in over 30 countries. Our international identity is Global Recordings Network. GRN is comprised of autonomous but interdependent centers from 23 nations. An international Council, international coordinator and five regional coordinators provide leadership and coordination for the global ministry to zealously pursue capturing the good news in everyone's language. Having the same founder, the same vision, the same ministry tools and the same language library gives us all a special common bond.

Joy: A Remembrance

The following article is from a special newsletter marking the 75th anniversary of Columbia International University.

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Related information

From the Diary of Joy Ridderhof: Joy Ridderhof founded GRN in 1939 ... read this devotional extract from her diary.

Memorable Milestones: How Shall they Hear?: The Apostle Paul asks: "How shall they hear (the gospel) without a preacher?" As the ministry of Gospel Recordings grew, that question could be paraphrased: "How shall they hear (the recordings) without a player?"

Memorable Milestones: Keeping Up With Technology: Joy Ridderhof's simple but brilliant idea of using phonograph records took her and her young Gospel Recordings ministry down a path that relied on increasingly sophisticated high-tech equipment to reach low-tech people.

The History of LRUK: How the work of GRN in UK began and has grown.

History of GRN in Australia: Time line of the history of Global Recordings Network in Australia over 50 years.

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About GRN