New programs on SAT-7’s Turkish-language channel aim to support people with the power of God’s Word and highlight His work in Türkiye, both past and present.
Parts of Türkiye are still suffering from the devastation caused by the earthquakes last February, and people across the country have been struggling financially because of ongoing economic instability.
As plans for new programs in 2024 are unveiled, SAT-7 TURK’s Executive Director, Melih Ekener, said:
Amid the difficult time our country is going through, SAT‑7 TÜRK is giving people God’s greatest support: God’s Word. Through our new programming, Türkiye’s Christian heritage is being highlighted and celebrated, and we are acting as the voice of the Church in the country. We are also investing in programs for our children and youth. Of course, we should not forget our new and ongoing teaching programs that aim to engage and support Christians in their faith journey.”
Among the new programs for 2024 is About Christianity, which will help viewers see God’s goodness and the message of His Gospel in all manner of places. After careful research, the production team decided that a short and attractive program, created for social media and packed with cultural references, was the best way to appeal to online users and generate interest in the Christian message.
This program focuses on great works of art – films, songs, books, sculptures, and more – that point to or directly proclaim the Christian message. By unpacking these one by one, presenters Behram Kocaeli and Defne Alara Kandil hope to reveal the beauty of the Gospel.
Christian History
Unusual Churches in Türkiye will showcase the country’s Christian heritage, which is little known to many Turks. The program takes the form of a documentary featuring church buildings across the entire country: churches from the highest location to the lowest, the hottest place to the coldest, the biggest building to the smallest, and the oldest to the newest. Many viewers will be surprised to learn from Unusual Churches in Türkiye that there are traces of Christianity all over their nation, even in its remotest corners and most extreme places: even submerged ruins in the “wettest place” episode!
Another new SAT-7 TÜRK project for 2024 is Frequently Asked Questions, a social media program exploring some of the most common questions about the Christian faith. Dynamic 5–10-minute episodes present biblical answers in a clear and engaging manner, helping social media users grow in their understanding of Christianity and in their relationship with God. Some episodes relate to the foundations of the faith, such as “Has the Bible always been the same?”, “What is the Church?”, and “What is the Trinity?”, while others address more specific questions, such as “Can Christians go on sinning?”, “Why was God born?”, and “Why are there sacrifices in the Bible?”
Beyond Türkiye
As well resourcing Turkish viewers, SAT-7 TÜRK is creating new content for the people of Azerbaijan, whose native language is closely related to Turkish. Taste and See – in addition to the ongoing Azerbaijani program, Pleasant Chat – has been created to address the challenges that women in the country face, including loneliness, financial difficulties, and domestic violence, and to encourage them in the areas of faith and family.
Borrowing inspiration from SAT-7 TÜRK’s popular programs, such as One Kitchen, One Story and Homemade, each episode of the new program is filmed in a kitchen studio, with the presenters cooking simple meals and conversing about the episode’s topic over food. Through heartfelt discussion, encouraging testimonies, and Bible-based wisdom, Taste and See hopes to make an impact in the lives of its female viewers from Azerbaijan.
Please Pray
- That God will guide the production process and bring about the successful completion of the new shows.
- That the staff working on them will be strengthened and encouraged.
- That the channel will educate and encourage many Turkish and Azerbaijani viewers in the Christian faith.
