Jesus the Good Shepherd once said long ago that he would never abandon any member of his flock. Minot’s newest radio station, KFLK The Flock, on 95.9 FM, is trying to continue that notion with its ministry through the radio waves.

This month, KFLK The Flock reached its one-year anniversary of being on the air. The low power FM station is a radio ministry of the local church body at Calvary Chapel in Minot and shares the systematic teaching of the Bible. It is on the air 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Bill Smith, pastor of Calvary Chapel, said the radio station started through a prayer group and after the Federal Communications Commission announced the opening of low-wave stations. Smith and his group filed the station with the government and were issued a license to broadcast their station on 95.9 FM. The station was funded mostly through the congregation.

KFLK The Flock is comprised of about eight people, all volunteers. Smith said it was a challenge starting a radio station since they are not radio people. They built the software for the station first and didn’t broadcast for a few months, just to get a feel for the station and to learn how things work, he said. He said they learned through trial and error.

“The station is considered community based, not for profit, and is transmitted on 46 watts,” Smith said.

One thing listeners to KFLK The Flock will not hear much of is music. The station provides line by line, verse by verse Bible teachings.

“We play very little music,” Smith said. Instead, the station has an agreement with large ministries across the United States to broadcast national programs and some local teachers’ programs.

KFLK The Flock also offers public service announcements to area businesses, organizations and county government as a way to try to serve the community. The station will also offer air time to other communities if they want to broadcast, Smith said.

The station’s regular programming includes enriching lessons from pastors such as Greg Laurie’s “A New Beginning,” the late Chuck Smith’s “The Word for Today” and Brian Brodersen’s “Back to Basics.”

In addition to the regular shows, The Flock produces its own radio program, “Step by Step,” where Smith takes listeners through the Bible in a down to earth and relatable way.

Three Christian radio stations are similar to KFLK The Flock, but Smith said The Flock does a completely different format so as not to step on their toes.

“KFLK The Flock is the only one here doing this format,” he said.

Smith said the radio station was started because he saw the teaching of the Bible as a need in the community and as a way to reach out to people who typically wouldn’t go to church.

Christian radio is a passion for Smith, too.

“Christian radio is huge to me,” he said. “When I was first saved, I heard a radio station that played line by line, verse by verse Bible study and it rocked my world. I got an intense hunger for God’s word. I began to listen consistently (and) began to study the Bible, having listened to these phenomenal teachers on the radio.”

Other congregation members share Smith’s same sentiments as well.

“I just love how God always knows what we need to hear right at the right time and so every time I turn (KFLK) on, he just meets me where I’m at” said Chelsea Shea.

Church member Craig Ereth echoed a similar sentiment.

“KFLK has really been a blessing in my life,” he said.

In the future, Smith said he would like to transmit KFLK in other communities. The station is also currently streaming broadcasts over the Internet and their app comes out next month.

For more connection to God’s word or for more information, visit The Flock’s website at theflockminot.org.