Back in 1977, a healthy baby boy was born to Donna and Barry, a profoundly deaf couple in Sydney. Donna is 1 of 8 children (three of which were deaf). Barry’s mother had German measles while pregnant with Barry and deafness was the result. The baby was placed in front of a TV for hours each day… why? Because Barry & Donna desperately wanted him to hear ‘normal’ voices and learn to speak English properly. Little did they know they were training him for his future! Raising him in the way he should go.
Fast forward about 45 years, and that same baby boy has helped thousands of families connect to Christian Satellite TV. He has paved the way to install Christian TV into 12,000 prison cells and has utilised all his baby TV training to glorify God on Australian Television .
You see, back in 2005, Wayne Knapman and his wife Anne-Katrin held hands and prayed, asking God what He would have them do with their time. The very next day they learned about Christian Satellite TV via a radio advertisement and their spirits leapt. This answer to prayer has provided the framework and direction every day since, helping people across Australasia to get Christian TV.
As a couple, they made a commitment that 100% of Instal-Life profits would go towards funding missions. This is their calling and the fruit of that commitment? To date, they have allocated more than $17.5 million (yes, $17,500,000) to fund missions and enable people to have access to Christian television.
Wayne believes firmly that as we DO THE LITTLE THINGS RIGHT, GOD GIVES US BIGGER THINGS. (Luke 16:10)
The more generous they were in giving, the more God gave them to steward. They were now ready for a team of dedicated people to help them grow. That’s when I felt called to join them. I’ve worked closely with Wayne & Anne-Katrin since 2009, to bring Christian TV into prisons, drug, and alcohol rehabilitation clinics, and to far remote First Nations communities. I’ve helped in a consulting role, with admin, with customer-service and whatever project needed an extra hand. As with the miracle of the loaves and fishes, this small team continues to accomplish far and above what we could in the natural.
We began by funding missionaries who were reaching the unreached in Nepal and India. We provided support for 3, then 6, then 12, then 30 missionaries and their families!
But it wasn’t long before more needed support. It was time to take a big step of faith and declare that we would provide financial support for 100 missionaries and their families! Reaching that goal was truly miraculous! And then, during covid we felt God’s prompting to go even further – by doubling that number for that season. As we’ve come to experience, God, through his generous people, provided the finances needed, and today you are still funding100 missionaries!
Wayne has persevered through many challenges throughout his life. In 2023, he stood facing his biggest mountain; one that affected YOU, Instal-Life, men and women in prisons, rehabs, and remote First Nations communities, all who watch Christian TV, AND the Community of Christian Broadcasters who are currently on the satellite.
Again, they positioned themselves in prayer and God miraculously opened a DOOR to become BROADCASTERS on a satellite platform called VAST. VAST is a free to air satellite that brings the ABC, SBS, Channel 7, 9, 10 to televisions where a normal TV antenna doesn’t work. With over 430,000+ homes presently connected, the VAST viewers in these homes may not know God yet, so bringing the Community of Christian Broadcasters side by side with secular channels, is super exciting and we all see it as not only an answer to prayer but also, a way to reach a million more for God’s kingdom in a way that was not possible before!!!
Instal-Life want to ensure Christian TV reaches the difficult to reach. The Farmers and Remote Indigenous Communities (whom both have the highest suicide rates in Australia) along with YOU, their loyal customers, every prisoner, the men & women in rehab centres and in remote communities where Christian TV broadcasts.
The tasks ‘behind-the-scenes’ to make the switch to VAST seem insurmountable. Think about it: developing a new VAST box to carry Christian channels, collaborating with technicians Australia-wide, adjusting 10’s of thousands of customer satellite dishes, shipping and installing new VAST boxes, providing training for staff and customers, communications, marketing, and providing all the headend equipment and engineering expertise to aggregate (like Telstra and Optus have done historically) for a dozen networks to move to the new platform (and I didn’t mention all the admin, phone calls, customer service, etc…)
Perhaps the biggest miracle needed is the money required to accomplish all these tasks! It was just not there! Moving to a new satellite is a huge step of FAITH and costs a small fortune. Wayne and Anne-Katrin want so much to help cover your costs in the change-over and to help the networks get onto VAST, that I’ve been told that they took a second mortgage on their family home to ensure they could help with subsides if need be. They even considered putting the Bayswater office space up for sale (where the Instal-Life & GOD TV staff work). Their sacrifice and willingness to take what God has blessed them with and reinvest it into our lives is something I’ve always admired about them. The funny thing is, they never seem worried (overworked and stressed at times? Yes, but never worried).
They trust that if God wants Christian TV on VAST and they have a team happy to do all the work required, (which we are), then God will provide everything that is needed… and more. He will use what is in our hands. And you know what, He did. He enabled the team to accomplish every single task in order to broadcast the networks and help the viewers. So many miracles had to occurs, in the right sequence, and they all did. God is good!
Why am I writing their story in so much detail? Well, it is one that Wayne & Anne-Katrin haven’t told to many people! I have known them deeply for over a decade, and I believe it is time that their story is unmasked. I believe it is time that we, as a Christian community rally behind them for a change.
I know that the last 3 years has been particularly difficult for them and their family. The spiritual warfare is intense at times and I would like you to consider rallying with us on their behalf.
Over the years, I’ve heard many of you say that you don’t know what you’d do without Christian TV… that Christian TV is your lifeline, and for some, even your church. Today, I want to encourage you and your household to stand with Wayne and Anne-Katrin. If you haven’t done so yet, let’s all work together to move your dish and upgrade your box. I guarantee they will be doing all they can to make the switch easy for you.
By standing with them, you are also standing with the Christian TV networks, and standing for the Gospel to be broadcast to those who need it most.
So, would you join us in prayer? With your support, not only will Christian TV remain a powerhouse force for His glory, but on a Missions Plan, you will be providing continued support for missionaries and their families, keeping Christian TV in prisons, rehabs, and remote communities – all while you continue watching your favourite Christian TV channels.
As spokesperson for the entire team behind Wayne & Anne-Katrin, may God bless you, keep you and provide all you need… and more so that together we can walk in faith to see His Kingdom expand.
Blessings,
Diane Spicer
Instal-Life Mission Consultant
P.S. Together, let’s see this transition to VAST through God’s eyes and bring the gospel to even more who are desperately seeking the Truth & Hope found in Jesus.