KJNP, King Jesus North Pole

KJNP is a 50,000 watt AM and a 25,000 watt FM gospel radio station located near Fairbanks, Alaska. 

It is also an 18,000 Watt gospel TV station on Channel 4. The powerful AM station reaches literally across the "top of the globe," reaching thousands of listeners with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

History of KJNP
KJNP really started in April of 1956, when co-founders Don (deceased-May 8, 1997) and Gen Nelson came to Alaska in April 1956 with their daughter, Judy. They started a ministry in Steven's Village, with the sole purpose in life of reaching souls for Jesus. Don learned to fly, and they conducted Daily Vacation Bible Schools in various villages. They held meetings in the villages as well.

Starting KJNP 
One year there was a winter storm right when they wanted to celebrate Christmas with the Villagers. They could only do it by getting on the radio station in Fairbanks and broadcasting the message from there. The response they received was so overwhelming that they were asked to do a regular program, which they named "Far North Gospel Song and Hymn Time." The program used country/gospel music interspersed with comments from Don and Gen. 

KJNP was a result of the frustration of trying to fly into all the villages, and radio was seen as a means of being in those villages with the gospel message.

KJNP furnishes room and some board for singles, if available. There is a dorm with four bedrooms (one person per room for privacy) with all sharing a living room, kitchen, eating area, and bathroom. It is estimated that a single person can get by on $150 - $200 a month, depending on their eating and spending habits.

Married couples and those with families are furnished housing, if available, but again, living and personal expenses are paid by each family. Living expenses include their grocery, electric, telephone and oil bill (if the house has an oil stove) and car expenses. 

The mission has staff cars available at the rate of 18 cents a mile, but volunteers must have an Alaska Drivers License to be put on their insurance in order to be a driver. 

Staff Responsibilities 
Most of the staff do not spend 8 hours a day in just one area of work at the station. Some spend 2-4 hours a day in radio or TV and the remainder of the time in one or more other areas. Some staff is involved in office work, TV, or radio. Since it is a mission, they all try to work together as a team to do whatever is needed to keep the stations in operation. The staff is expected to be willing to help out in other areas. Staff members are generally trained in either radio or TV (not both), unless they remain more than a year. Then, if there is an opening, there might be a chance to cross train into the other area.

Travels on the Alcan
For years Don traveled the Alcan Highway, going back and forth from Fairbanks - North Pole to Minnesota and a few times to Seattle. In the beginning of Don's 155 Trips to Alaska, we drove the Alcan as it was more reasonable on the pocket book.

Don not only traveled the Alcan taking our daughter Judy out in the month of August to attend school in Minnesota, but then in June after school was out, he would drive down to pick Judy up, along with two or three summer Bible School Workers, as every year we held Bible School in a number of villages north of the Yukon River. In August Don would drive down again taking the Summer Bible School workers and Judy back down the Highway to Minnesota or Wisconsin for their school year.

Once we decided the Lord was leading us into Radio, Don started to haul equipment up the Highway for the Radio Station.

When Don would drive down to the Lower 48 States (better known to us Alaskans as "Outside.") he would also hold missionary services to promote the work here in Alaska and raise finances to not only put the Mission Radio Station on the air, but to bring back supplies from some of our churches to help support the staff. This all was a tremendous help.

There came a time when Don decided it was just too hard and too much for him to do this alone. That was the time when he returned from one of his trips and said to me (Gen), you're just going to have to go with me, especially for the meetings and too -- it really is lonely on that long road. I had always remained at North Pole to work at the Radio Station.

Well, Don has been with Jesus almost two years now. May 8, 1997 was his going home day. None of us did much on driving the highway in 1997, however, in June of 1998, Bonnie Carriker and I drove down the Alcan Highway and survived. Our purpose was to attend the Evangelistic Missionary Fellowship Convention in Denver, Colorado. That was my 106^th trip and Bonnie's 12^th trip.

The middle of January 1998 to the middle of February 1998 Dick and Beverly Olson flew out to Minnesota and Wisconsin for vacation and encompassed some meetings for the station at that time. In October of 1998, Julie Beaver and I flew to Minnesota, picked up my car and drove through some of Minnesota, Kansas and Colorado holding a number of Missionary Meetings for the Radio Station and for Bibles For Others. We traveled for one month and then flew back home. We were so thankful for the good reception we received.

But now...It's Your Turn Dick! Dick has made a number of trips up and down the Alcan. He has made some partial trips down the Highway as far as Grand Prairie, Alberta, Canada to meet Don, who was driving a truck with a heavy load of equipment, to act as lead car or safety car for the load.

In January of this year, 1999, Dick and Beverly got behind the wheel of the station Windstar and drove down the Alcan Highway. We were sending a load of supplies and other things to Camp Home/Bibles For Others in Northern Minnesota.

Dick and Beverly attended the National Religious Broadcasters Convention (NRB) for the station and took care of some station business. This year it was held at Nashville, Tennessee...A Fun Place! When Don was here with us, he and I would attend the NRB and most years we would take two others of the staff along. Both Dick and Beverly had attended a number of times before, but separately. Beverly would team up with Julie or Bonnie and Dick with Roger Skold or Neil Cook (who is with the Lord now also.)

This trip, the Olson's also went to visit the station's lawyers in the Washington D.C. area and then traveled on to York, PA to hold a Missionary meeting for the station there in a fellowship church. They also held some other meetings in Manitowoc, Portage, Eau Claire and Hillsdale, Wisconsin. This is not an easy job as I can speak from experience....But IT'S YOUR TURN...DICK!

Bibles for the World!
The interest in Bibles and other Gospel Literature continues in the Third World Countries. We are continuing to send the Bibles upon request to individuals who really want one.

Just today I read a letter that arrived from Ghana, West Africa. A fourteen year old boy wrote "My Hobby is learning the Word of God in the Bible, so please kindly send me some Bibles. I hope you will send me the Bible in Jesus Name."

We have much to Praise The Lord for. It is a privilege to be able to send out God's Word. We thank the Lord for the helpers He has sent along to not only do the work, but for those who send the finances, not only to buy but to send.

The most recent report from Bibles For Others came in today. (We receive one every Monday). On March 21, 1999 the report read 941 Bibles, 98 New Testaments plus other Gospel literature SENT.

We have recently sent one "M" Bag to a West Africa prison in care of the chaplain there with Bible Study books and other literature to use among the prisoners. These mainly are for used Bibles or Bibles too heavy to send to an individual due to the cost of postage. We are also preparing the second "M" Bag to send there. The "M" Bag can weigh 70 pounds.

Meet the Staff: 

Please, we need your prayers for wisdom in all parts of the ministry. We do not want to deprive anyone from hearing or reading the Word of God. We do thank those who carry this burden along with us. I'm sure the reward will be great!

David (Dave) Ainley was the Second Person to join Don and I when we started the PROJECT...KING JESUS NORTH POLE. Dave was born December 25, 1923 in Woodlake, California. His folks lived on a ranch and David was one of five children. He was the second boy of three boys and two sisters. He first came to ALASKA in 1949. He came to work at Koonz Processing Plant in the North Pole area. In 1955 he homesteaded the property that KJNP is housed on and other property in this immediate area. David attended a Presbyterian Church in California, but when he came to North Pole, Alaska, he attended the Community Church which later became the North Pole Assembly of God Church and he still makes that his church home.

At the time Dave joined Don and I, we were starting the paperwork for KJNP (KING JESUS NORTH POLE). He heard we were looking for property for the Radio Station. The first piece of property he offered us was not big enough for everything that had to go on it. (Towers, guy wires, station and etc.) Dave was and is a man who is sold out to God and His Work. He told Don to choose what property he wanted and he ended up giving us fifty-seven acres. The property is surrounded on three sides by water. David not only gave us the property for the radio station but he also gave us the use of his equipment for building it and for making the roads into the property.

David also gave of himself and his time in all the projects, including taking a time slot on the air and even answering the phones when we were short a phone girl. In other words, when Dave saw a need, he jumped in to fill that need. He moved into the men's dorm and I like to call him our Dean of Men. In latter years he accompanied Don on some of the trips up and down the Alcan Highway so Don wouldn't have to go alone. You name it, in radio and TV work and getting the stations on the air and keeping them on the air, DAVID AINLEY had a part of it here at KING JESUS NORTH POLE...THE LORD'S WORK!

Bonnie:

Bonnie was the first to join Don and I when word got out that the Lord was leading us to put a Christian Radio station on the air for Jesus. It would be staffed by Missionaries and Volunteers. That was 35 years ago.

Bonnie was born in Carbonado, Washington. She traveled and lived with her family to places like the Panama Canal before moving to Alaska in1949. Her dad was the first safety engineer for the Alaska Road Commission. Bonnie was saved in a Christian Missionary Alliance Church in 1940. Her parents were devout Christians and both were active soul winners. She met the man who was to become her husband in 1953 while attending Central Bible Institute in Springfield, Missouri. In the early days of the old RevivalTime Choir with C.M. Ward, Bonnie was a member and was on the very first program.

Upon hearing of the new Radio Station and the need we had for a bookkeeper she made the decision to join us. She also became one of our first Board Operators. A Board Operator is better known as a DJ.

The reason Bonnie was free to come to KJNP; her husband had lost his life in the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake. They were missionaries in Valdez, Alaska at that time. Her husband, Duane had to work as a Longshoreman on the docks as they did not have enough support. The Duane Carriker family was made up of Duane, Bonnie, Jannette (6) and Leland (2) at that time.

Bonnie, having heard of the proposed Radio station, contacted us regarding our needing help. She was wondering if there was a place for her as she felt the Lord would have her stay in Missionary work in Alaska. I was praying for a Bookkeeper at that time. Bonnie was our answer. Bonnie has been with us since Day One. Every Sunday morning she puts the station on the air for the Sunday Morning programming. The station goes on the Air at 8 AM and she stays on until 1 pm when the next Board Operator takes over. Weekdays, Monday through Friday she produces the program "Pastors Partner." Bonnie has been one of the Executive Managers since KJNP went on the air. She serves as the Secretary/Treasurer.

We would like to introduce you to one Staff Member or a family that is part of KJNP or Bibles For Others/Camp Home in each Newsletter. This is new and we trust you will appreciate hearing about our workers.

Julie:

BELLS started ringing around KJNP on July 12^th of this year when OUR Julie Kay Arestad became Mrs. Peter Jacob Beaver.

Julie came to KJNP Sixteen years ago to work for the Lord. Don had spoken at the Seattle Bible Training School during Chapel Hour and expressed the need for a secretary and other workers as well at KJNP.

Now after almost sixteen years of service as Don's secretary and heading up our TV Department, she took another step forward. That of being Mrs. Julie Beaver.

Julie and Peter had planned on Don being able to have their Wedding Ceremony and tie the knot for these two special people. But as you know, first Don became ill and then JESUS called him Home.

Though this brought a sadness to some of us, we encouraged Julie and Peter to continue on with the Wedding arrangements. Truly it turned out to be a BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL Wedding. The decorations were not over done - just enough. The cake was very beautiful. The brides attendants were very attractive and the grooms men were good looking. The groom was HANDSOME and the bride was GORGEOUS and it all made a wonderful picture and story to tell everyone that would listen.

Julie continues her work here for the Lord at KJNP and we Thank God for her and her new husband, Peter, who loves the Lord and does not interfere with Julie's Calling.

Yes, the BELLS Rang on from that time and are still Ringing as we finish the year off for Jesus.

Bev and Dick:

Richard (Dick) and Beverly Olson were the third folks to join the work at KJNP. Dick grew up in Adams, N.D. and Bev (Christianson) Olson spent her childhood years in Strum, WI and teen years in Union Grove, WI.

They met in Minneapolis, MN, while working in the same restaurant, & Don and I met them in our home church at Soul's Harbor in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Don was speaking at church and was telling of the VISION the LORD had given him for a Radio Station in ALASKA to reach all the people that were so scattered all over that great STATE. He also told of the need for workers to help build and run it. The Lord spoke to Dick and Bev and they truly felt the LORD would have them come as missionaries to work with us in Alaska.

They arrived in July of 1966 and immediately went to work in the building of buildings, hauling of rock and gravel and again...you NAME it and they had a hand in it. We held sessions and self-taught ourselves for the different positions. Dick Olson became an Assistant to Don and was also in charge of sales, did D.J.ing and helping wherever it was needed - things like running the snow plow and keeping fires going during the long, COLD, COLD winter days and nights.

Since Don's home-going, Gen has moved up to President/Director and Dick is now Vice President of Evangelistic Alaska Missionary Fellowship, Inc. Bonnie Carriker is Secretary/Treasurer. Bev has been and continues to be the Program Director, which includes writing copy for spots for programs. She also had her times to be the D.J. to run the Station programs.

Bev produced her own children's program for a number of years as well as helping Gen in cooking for the single folks that work at the Station. She also heads up the village Christmas projects and gets involved with helping to feed the work crews.

After about 7 1/2 years in Alaska, the Lord Blessed Dick and Bev with a daughter, Reba Colleen Olson. Last October 3, 1998, Reba became Mrs. Kevin Fansler and is now expecting her first baby in April. Reba is a CNA, Certified Nursing Assistant at Denali Center in Fairbanks and Kevin works for Sisco, a food distribution company.

[As noted above, this last section has been excerpts from newsletters sent out by Gen Nelson.]

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