‘Piensa en Grande’: Plenitud La Radio celebrates seven years of ministry, growth

Francisco Amaya, Plenitud La Radio Director, explains what is like working with the radio. Amaya became director in 2018 and together with his team helped rebrand the ministry by changing the name, transferring to different streaming platforms, and creating new programs. Photo by Paola Mora Zepeda. (Thursday, August 19, 2021)

On October 22 and 23, Plenitud La Radio, a broadcast ministry that begun in Springfield, Tenn., back in 2014, will be celebrating its seventh anniversary. Plenitud La Radio focuses on sharing the gospel through a wide range of programs which reach a global audience.

This radio ministry, which was originally known as “Piensa en Grande” (Think Big), was started by Pastor Nathan Delima who was working at Springfield Hispanic Church during that time. In their first year, Delima, with the support of his church and KYTN Conference, organized broadcasting classes for volunteers, built the radio’s studio and rented airtime on WSGI 1100 AM in Springfield.

In 2018, Francisco Amaya, church member at Madison, Tenn., Hispanic Church, took over as the director for Plenitud La Radio. Emilio Perche, pastor at Madison Hispanic Church, is the president. The new team worked on rebranding the radio by changing the name, transferring to different streaming platforms, and creating new programs.

“The transition took us about a year,” Amaya said. “We did a lot of research prior to it and consulted with experts… it was a lot of work, but it was a blessing.”

Plenitud La Radio now broadcasts 24/7 in seven different platforms including MIXLR, TuneIn and their website. According to Luz Resendiz, assistant director and church member at Maranatha Hispanic, Ill., Church, the radio has received more than 2 million streams in MIXLR and has a global audience with listeners across the US, Mexico, Chile, Italy and more.

“Really, anyone who has internet access can listen to [Plenitud La Radio],” Resendiz said. “We have a lot of platforms, so our reach is wide. For me, I am just touched that so many people get to hear about the love of God.”

Plenitud La Radio is all done by volunteer work. There are 13 announcers in Tennessee, California, Missouri and Illinois – all which prepare their own programming. The programs include daily devotionals, Bible studies, health seminars and music sessions. In addition to volunteering their time, announcers also help finance the ministry.

“We have an agreement to contribute a monthly amount to help pay for the budget [of Plenitud La Radio],” Resendiz said. “We do it with great pleasure because it’s a ministry that we believe in.”

To celebrate Plenitud La Radio’s anniversary, the team is preparing a special event that will be livestreamed on October 22 and 23. During this weekend, organizers will also conduct a fundraiser that will help pay for the yearly licensing fee of the streaming platforms.  

“What keeps me going is hearing all the testimonies of the people who met Jesus or got rebaptized because they came across our radio,” Amaya said. “This is my first time working in a Christian radio and I do not receive any payment. But what better payment is there than knowing that a soul gave itself to Christ?”

To find out more about Plenitud La Radio visit their website at plenitudlaradio.com, email 12companerosdelcamino@gmail.com, or contact Amaya at (615) 582-2018.