As José Moreno* sits in the huge green studio, waiting to be interviewed by the ‘Buenas Noticias’ (Good News) programme’s new director, Esteban Lozano, he knows it is a privilege to speak to around 70,000 viewers (‘a football stadium’s worth’ of people, comments Martin Tatham, who was listening  to José’s account of his experience). Recording two interviews for a series on ‘The Christian’s Armour’, José will answer questions on ‘The Helmet of Salvation’ and ‘The Shield of Faith’, trying to keep control of his nerves and, although he knows more or less in what direction the interview will go, and has prepared as thoroughly as possible, he must appear natural in his responses, with no notes to refer to. He wants to give a simple exegesis of the texts, and then explain their relevance to listeners as regards their need for faith and for salvation. What he is most concerned about is that the Lord will be honoured, and that he will be able to give gospel-centred answers to Esteban’s questions. ‘To the praise of the Lord I say this …’  José affirms  ‘… I just felt the Lord very much with me’. ‘Tell me about that’, urged Sarah Bassett, EMF’s Communications Lead, fascinated by this statement. José explained ‘I felt an unusual freedom to say things. I felt that I was getting through to people’. It was as if he was watching himself speak, he confessed.

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There was no need to do any retakes. This fact impressed Sarah Bassett, who as a former BBC journalist has extensive experience of speaking in front of a camera!  A TV studio is imposing (José admits that on his first visit he found the experience ‘overpowering’). He hears ‘a lady that seems to be in heaven’ keeping the recording well-directed, and endures a make-up session that is well out of his comfort zone! Yet José is no stranger to TV appearances, as this was his fourth time on ‘Buenas Noticias’, and he records regularly for the TV station in his home town of Alcázar de San Juan. A slightly less intimidating scenario in that case, with only one TV technician;  José often records with his wife Virtudes in the church building itself. Having published books on a variety of subjects, he is never short of things to talk about in these programmes, but the gospel is always the central theme.

Martin Tatham asked if there was any follow-up to the programmes. ‘Oh yes!’, José replied enthusiastically, explaining that there is a phone line for enquiries and to offer help. Around thirty to forty individuals use this service each week, and a number of people have been converted. A free book is offered to viewers. In fact, some years ago, our EMF director Andrew Birch’s book  ‘Ante la Cruz’ (At the Cross) was one of those. The book was published by Editorial Peregrino, headed up by EMF’s Matt Hill, and ‘EP’ regularly provides literature for ‘Buenas Noticias’. Our missionary in Madrid, José de Segovia, is also often asked to contribute to the programme, using his knowledge of culture and current ideologies as a bridge towards Jesus Christ.

Please pray that these programmes (we will endeavour to publish links to these when they are broadcast in early 2024, God willing) will be watched by many people, and that the truly good news of salvation in Christ Jesus will be understood and embraced with joy.

* José is known to many of our supporters as 'Pepe', but he prefers us to use 'José' in articles like this.

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