After more than five years of dreaming and planning, the Campus Hill church is committed to a faith-stretching venture—preaching Christ each week on KDOC-TV. The commercial television station reaches 5.4 million viewers in Los Angeles and the Inland Empire.

“Our program touches all kinds of people—not just Adventists, not just Christians, but also the un-churched,” said Hyveth Williams, senior pastor for the past nine years. “Viewers have called from San Diego, Pomona, Colton, Orange County, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles. We also received a letter representing several women in the Chino prison.”

Because the program springs from the life of a local congregation, some viewers have begun showing up at the Campus Hill church on Sabbath morning.

“Lifeline” is a 30-minute program broadcast on Sundays at 10:30 a.m., featuring sermons by Williams. Associate Pastor Christian Iordan produces the program, guiding volunteers who run cameras, audio equipment, and manage the stage. Later, he extracts the sermon (with audience shots) from the 90-minute Sabbath worship and edits it to fit the half-hour time slot.

“We’re surprised by the number of responses,” Williams added. Other Christian television ministries cautioned her not to expect more than one or two phone calls per week. On the first Sunday, 20 people called. Two weeks later, 33 called. Only once has the number dropped to six. Volunteers stand by to pray with callers, take orders for DVDs or books, and receive donations.

Financing a TV ministry is not for the faint-hearted. Before the first program was filmed, Campus Hill invested $130,000 in cameras and related equipment. Air-time costs $2,800 a week. To launch "Lifeline," the church paid for two months up front.

Fortunately, a ministry that attracts a good TV audience may begin paying for itself within a year. Williams said, “We pray that this will happen—and more.”

More? “With God’s blessing, we hope this ministry will not only become self-sustaining, but will also underwrite other ministries,” she explained.

The vision is large. Campus Hill church will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year. The congregation is poised to renovate the sanctuary, offices and fellowship hall—and also to add an auditorium for worship and community activities. For a church engaged in every-week evangelism, new facilities may come none too soon.

Questions about “Lifeline” can be addressed to Campus Hill Church, 11057 Hill Drive, Loma Linda, CA 92354 or by calling toll free, 877-762-5368.