Our History

The History of CBN

From humble beginnings to a global ministry

"It is all God, He must increase, I must decrease". Pat Robertson - 1930-2023

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matthew 24:14

The CBN Story

History & Background

CBN United Kingdom is part of the global ministry of The Christian Broadcasting Network, founded by Dr Pat Robertson in 1960.

Over six decades after its humble beginnings in the defunct Portsmouth, VA, TV station, no one can dispute that CBN is one of the largest television ministries in the world. Yet, with its strong international network, CBN goes beyond the bounds of broadcasting to reach the world with tangible aid and a message of hope from the Bible.

Founded on January 11, 1960, CBN first went on air on October 1, 1961, on WYAH-TV (from Yahweh, the Hebrew name for God), a UHF television station with barely enough power to reach across the Portsmouth city limits. With a modest income from a few local supporters, CBN began broadcasting live half-hour programs every night from 7:00 to 10:00 PM.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

A Vision for Christian Television

Pat Robertson refused to accept commercial advertisements, so in an effort to raise funds for the program, CBN conducted its first telethon in 1963 to raise the $7,000 per month needed for the following year’s budget.

Robertson told viewers that a “club” of 700 contributors, each giving $10 a month, would enable CBN to meet its expenses. A year later, The 700 Club telethon was a significant turning point for CBN!

Today, CBN is a multifaceted non-profit organization that provides cable, broadcast, and satellite programming to nearly 200 countries, with a 24-hour telephone prayer line. Chief among CBN’s broadcasting components is The 700 Club, a daily television program featuring Gordon Robertson, Terry Meeuwsen, Andrew Knox, Ashley Key, and news anchor John Jessup.

On the air continuously since 1966, The 700 Club is one of the longest-running programs in broadcast history. Seen in 97 percent of the television markets across the United States, the show’s news/magazine format presents a lively mix of information, interviews, and inspiration.

To learn more about the life and amazing legacy of Dr Pat Robertson, click on the button below.

Innovate Again

Our past informs our future. From making a way where there was no way, our vision will always be greater than our resource. If God is for us, who can be against us? We will continue to pioneer, try, test, fall, and innovate. Our world needs to know the hope of Jesus, and in our relentless pursuit of sharing His love, we will innovate again. With each challenge, we find new opportunities to spread His message more effectively, driven by faith and creativity. Together, let’s embrace the spirit of innovation and bring the light of hope to every corner of the UK and beyond.

The birth of CBN in the UK

The story continues

The UK Story

The establishment of CBN in the UK

Established as a non-profit in the United Kingdom in the year 2002, we officially began operations from January 2004. Under the leadership of our former director, Mr Peter Darg, the charity was set up as the headquarters for CBN’s ministry in Europe.

With humble beginnings and a small team, we began broadcasting the Gospel with a regional TV station in Swindon. This was followed by satellite broadcasts on the GOD TV channel reaching the UK and Ireland. We sent out programming on Beta-cam tapes via courier delivery to various TV stations and launched the first CBN Europe website in 2006 which kick-started our fundraising initiatives.

In these key formative years, the ministry of CBN grew and took ground in the United Kingdom and Europe, with an office formed in Hereford. We expanded our reach through broadcasting the daily 700 Club, opening a UK based prayer centre, creating a website, airing yearly telethons which were instrumental for us to grow our donor database, launching the new Superbook animated Bible series and forming crucial partnerships with various organisations.

In 2017 Mr Peter Darg retired and handed the baton to Mr Mark Dijkens. A special celebration was held in London where we celebrated Peter’s years of service to CBN together with over 100 CBN partners. This was a milestone in CBN Europe’s young history.

We moved to a newly rented premises in Hereford, where the Lord further established our CBN Europe headquarters. Named ‘The Anvil’, our new headquarters certainly became a place where the Lord forged many new connections, sparking extensive ministry activities across the region. This was also the birth of our UK based media ministry as we begun to record local testimonies and social media content. Our team and reach grew allowing us to focus on innovative ways to share the Gospel through both media evangelism and humanitarian outreach right on our doorstep.

 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

CBN UK Today

In 2024 we appointed Mrs Alisa Latty-Alleyne as the new CBN UK & Ireland Director.

This will help us to further the ministry in the UK, in alignment with the vision Alisa received from the Lord to introduce 1 million people to Jesus as well as allowing the wider region of Europe to be developed under Mark’s leadership. With a strong vision to share the Gospel and prepare disciples through media evangelism and humanitarian outreach, CBN UK will be able to connect with many more people – sharing the Gospel with every generation.

As we embark on this new chapter under Alisa’s leadership, we are deeply grateful for our history and where we have come from. We have full confidence that Alisa’s vision, expertise, and unwavering faith will propel us to new heights enabling us to continue sharing the love of Jesus to a nation that desperately needs it.

On the road to 1 million salvations

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