New Christian TV program reaches Turkish youth

A large part of the population in Turkey is younger than 30 and the number of Christians among this group is increasing. Young people struggle with questions like ‘How can we translate the message of the Bible to our daily lives?’ and ‘Isn’t the Bible something particularly for children or old people? What does it have to say to me?’, To reach this target group, a Turkish partner of 3xM has recently started with the TV program 40 foxes in my head. Today, October 12th the first broadcast will take place. This is the first Christian program which especially aims at young people.

Taboo

The title of the program refers to the many questions which may run around like foxes in the heads of young people. Martien Timmer, international director of 3xM, explains: “In the Turkish culture it is not a matter of course that young people can talk about existential questions with for example their parents or their pastor. Due to this they often struggle with questions without knowing who they talk to about this. The new TV program offers young people the chance to break out of this isolation. The questions which occupy their minds are now mentioned and can be discussed regardless of the taboo.”

Existential questions

A pastor or Christian leader is the guest in each talk show. Besides this there are three young people in the studio who are allowed to ask this guest all kinds of (existential) questions. All of these young people have a different Christian background. There are young people with a Protestant background, an Armenian-orthodox believer and a Syrian-orthodox believer. The topics which are discussed vary from friendship, living like a Christian in Turkey to Christianity and science.

Minority

Although the number of Christians is increasing in Turkey, Christians are still rather a minority. As far as is known there are only 3,000 Protestants in Turkey. Among this group are remarkably many singles, because it is difficult to find a partner who shares the Christian faith. For that reason the program also wants to offer encouragement to young people who may sometimes feel lonesome because of their faith. The program also wants to show that the God of the Bible is for everyone, how old or young they may be.

3xM

For more than 30 years 3xM helps local Christians in producing and broadcasting television programs. Passing on knowledge is part of the mission. 3xM particularly aims at countries in which few Christians live in the so-called 10/40 window and is mainly active in West-Africa, Asia, Turkey and Bulgaria.