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.
MOUNTAIN GOSPEL
WMTC
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 teach. 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 telling Floyd about the Kentucky Mountain Holiness Association and all the churches in the area. “When I was finished,” said Dr. Fisher, “He brought up the idea of a radio station again. He said that he had twenty thousand dollars to start it! This made the difference.” WMTC came from Floyd Boyington’s idea and the money he donated to build it. 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 whether it was necessary for the association, while others suggested using the money for evangelistic campaigns. However, the money was explicitly given to 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 the emphasis was to keep the station Christian — to “show people their need for Christ and 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 on WMTC from the beginning is the Birthday Club, which Louis Bouck started. This program is still 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.”
Pastors would bring their churches to serve on the air for other programs. 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 enjoyed radio preaching, though he did not want to take people away from their churches.
WMTC Mountain Gospel Radio still provides uplifting Christian music and programming.
WMTC radio has blessed people’s lives in many ways. “Sometimes you don’t see what happens,” said Dr. Fisher, “but I have seen that before there was a station, I would do three-week revivals to prepare people.” Dr. Fisher noted that long revivals would prepare hearts because people did not know much about holiness, and now the radio station, with its Christian programs, helped teach 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.”