About Mountain Gospel Radio
Mountain Gospel Radio is dedicated to presenting the message of holiness, to keep listeners informed on current issues from a Christian perspective, and to encourage and uplift the listener through music and programs that will bring glory and honor to God.
Mountain Gospel Radio is the largest locally owned and operated southern gospel station in Eastern Kentucky. Since our founding in 1948 on WMTC and 2015 on WBFC, we have been a faith based ministry supported by our listeners through charitable donations and advertising. Consequently, The ministry has flourished through the Godly leadership of people, including, Lela G. McConnell, Wilfred Fisher, Eldon Neihof, Seldon Short, Jennifer Cox, Dan Lorimer, and our current general manager Seth Stevenson. Above all, however, one thing has remained the same through the years: Holiness is our passion.
With 70 years of devoted service, Mountain Gospel Radio continues to deliver quality Christian programming for the whole family to the mountains of Eastern Kentucky and now, through online streaming, the World.
Learn more about our individual stations:
With a vision to reach the surrounding community, Dr. Wilfred Fisher founded WMTC (“Winning Men to Christ”) in June of 1948 as a part of the Kentucky Mountain Holiness Association. For thirty years, he served as the general manager until 1978. Actively investing in the community, Seldon Short continued the work until his retirement in 2006. Under Seldon’s leadership, WMTC added the FM 99.9 station in 1991 and modified the motto to “Winning Many to Christ.” In 2006 WMTC began playing southern gospel full-time, and our name changed to Mountain Gospel.
An Unexpected Blessing
After graduating from Asbury seminary in 1939, Dr. Fisher and his wife Alice came to Kentucky Mountain Bible Institute where they were invited to come teach. One time while visiting family back in Oregon, Dr. Fisher was telling his Father-in-law Floyd Boyington about the Christian work being done in Eastern Kentucky. “I told him about Mt. Carmel High School and KMBI,” said Dr. Fisher, “and Floyd suggested that it would be nice to have a radio station.” He agreed that this would be good, but to Dr. Fisher the possibility of having a radio station in the association was “none at all” due to finances.
He continued to tell Floyd about the Kentucky Mountain Holiness Association and all of the churches in the area. “When I was finished,” said Dr. Fisher, “He brought up the idea again of a radio station. He said that he had twenty thousand dollars to start it! This made the difference.” WMTC came from the idea of Floyd Boyington and the money that he donated to build it. In 1948 WMTC was established with Dr. Fisher as its first general manager.
The Question of Acceptance
Before starting a radio station in the area, the issue of whether or not it would be accepted had to be addressed. Some people questioned if it was necessary for the association, while others suggested using the money for evangelistic campaigns instead. However, the money was specifically given for the radio station, and Dr. Lela McConnell, founder of the KMHA, supported the idea. Despite initial concerns, the station was established with a Christian emphasis, intended to demonstrate the importance of Christ and sanctification to listeners.
Early programming on Mountain Gospel was not all religious though Dr. Fisher said that the emphasis was to keep the station Christian — to “show people their need for Christ and need to be sanctified.”
In the early days for example, once a week groups from local schools would come to do a program with the kids on the air. The station became well known from this since the parents would listen to their children on the radio.
One program that has been on WMTC from the beginning is the Birthday Club started by Louis Bouck. This program is still being aired on weekdays at 10:00 AM and 7:30 PM. Dr. Fisher stated that Mr. Bouck was “a genius in front of the microphone.”
For other programs, pastors would come and bring their churches to do a service on the air. Other times students from KMBI would sing and testify for programs. The Church of the Air was what this was called. Dr. Fisher said that he really enjoyed preaching on the radio himself, though he did not want to take people away from their own churches.
WMTC Mountain Gospel radio still provides uplifting Christian music and programming.
WMTC radio has blessed the lives of people in many ways. “Sometimes you don’t see what happens,” said Dr. Fisher, “but one thing that I have seen was that before there was a station, I would do three-week revivals to prepare people.” Dr. Fisher said that long revivals would prepare hearts because people did not know much about holiness, and now the radio station with its Christian programs helped in teaching people. Dr. Fisher noted that WMTC prepared people for the message of holiness. The Christian emphasis of Mountain Gospel Radio has not changed since these beginning years. The purpose is still to “show people their need for Christ.”
WBFC, “We Broadcast For Christ,” is a locally owned radio station that has been broadcasting the gospel for over 40 years in Stanton, Kentucky.
WBFC was built in 1974 and started out as a totally listener-funded radio station under the ownership of Forest Drake. A few years later, the station was sold to Pastor Roger Wells. Under Brother Wells’ leadership the station began supplementing income with local advertising and adding many new and exciting programming options. The station was then sold to a young man by the name of Jerry Wilson. After eight successful years of managing the station, Jerry sold WBFC to Bud Parks of Stanton, Kentucky.
The Combs Family
After a few short years, a minister by the name of James H. Combs felt God calling him to purchase the station. From October of 1998 through September of 2015, the Combs family faithfully used the ministry God had given them to proclaim the good news of the Gospel through music and the Word to the people of Eastern Kentucky.
For several years those at Mountain Gospel Radio had been praying that God would open additional avenues for ministry for the people of Eastern Kentucky. In February of 2014 news of an upcoming sale of WBFC 1470 AM reached the staff at Mountain Gospel. Both Pastor James Combs and the staff at Mountain Gospel had a desire to see WBFC remain a solid Christian station in the Stanton community. After a year and a half of much prayer and planning, WBFC was sold to the Kentucky Mountain Holiness Association, becoming a sister station of WMTC.
Today, WBFC and WMTC partner together to bring solid Christian programming and the message of the gospel through Southern Gospel music to the people of Eastern Kentucky. Together, Mountain Gospel Radio reaches as far as Lexington to Hazard, Kentucky over the airwaves.
Adoration Radio Stream
Our most recent addition to the Mountain Gospel Brand, Adoration Radio sprang from a desire to reach more people with the good news of the gospel and play Christian Contemporary music with music that is in line with our Wesleyan-Holiness heritage. This led to the formation of Adoration Radio, as an online radio streaming station that we hope will inspire you to worship and deepen your connection with God’s love. Our mission with Adoration Radio is to support Christians in loving God with all their heart, soul, and mind by providing Biblically sound Contemporary Christian music.