Over the years I’ve listened to a lot of stories on the Bridges set. While each story is unique, most of them include challenges and ultimately lead to the hope we have in Jesus Christ.
My guest on the Bridges set this particular day was a petite, natural beauty, with gorgeous hair. I’m going to protect her privacy here so for the sake of this article we will call her Christy.
There was no Blame Shifting
Christy’s story includes a divorce that left her a single mom. As I listened carefully to Christy’s story what stood out to me was that she owned her mistakes. There was no blame shifting or attempts at besmirching her ex-husband. Instead, her story was about acknowledging her sin, and the freedom she found in Christ.
I could see that through Christy’s honest confession and repentance she found grace. The kind of grace that frees us from all condemnation and gives us a new start. The kind of grace that can only be found in Jesus Christ.
Sin Doesn’t Have to Define Us
These are the kinds of stories I want to feature on Bridges. I want everybody to know that our sin doesn’t have to define us. When we repent and trust Christ, we are given a brand-new start – and a new identity in Christ. Sharing Christ and the redemption He provides is what Christian Television Network is all about. For over 40 years CTN has been sharing the gospel 24/7. Here is some more good news —-we are not about to stop – in fact we are expanding. CTN is expanding to include all types of media – from Christian Films to streaming platforms. There is no greater season to celebrate this expansion than the Christmas season where we celebrate the birth and life of Jesus Christ.
Our Nashville studio received an incredible and unexpected gift that provided the means for us to complete a studio makeover. I never imagined in my 26 years at CTN that we would see such a miracle. We have new sets – new cameras – new lights. It was all things new in 2022.
I am very aware that God never wastes anything. The gift wasn’t just about new gear. The gift is about sharing new life in Christ. I told the team at WHTN that
God didn’t do all that just so we could have a new studio. God provided the gift because He has life giving plans for our studio.
In With the Outcasts
In our beautiful new studio, we will be filming quality Christian shows for every age group. We are stepping into uncharted territory where we will be producing shows for children, teens and adults. This has been my prayer for many years and to seeing it come to fulfilment now is beyond words. We just started filming In with the Outcasts – a children’s show with Nedy and Cheryl. Stay tuned and we will provide all the ways to watch very soon.
As I reflect on my conversation with Christy, I recall both the simplicity and substance of the gospel. The simplicity of coming to Christ where you are and just being honest about everything. Then, the substantive power of Christ – His blood that cleanses our sins and makes us brand new.
In our brand-new studio, we will continue sharing the simplicity and substance of the gospel. The message of Christ is timeless. What’s new is WHTN’s ability to be more creative – and create quality content that spans every demographic – with the truth, grace, and love of Christ.
Today’s Secret from the Studio: When we repent and trust Christ— sin loses its power to define our lives.
Monica Schmelter enjoys sharing the secrets she’s learned in the studio. “I’ve learned something significant from each and every Bridges guest and it’s my honor to share what I’ve learned”. Bridges is a daily show that airs in over 50 million homes on Christian Television Network. Monica serves as the General Manager of WHTN/CTN.