‘Sowing in Tears, Reaping with Joy’: The GATE Radio Celebrates Three-Year Anniversary

By Caroline Pierce

Three years ago, George Flores walked down the stairs to the basement of International House of Prayer Eastern Gate and stopped at the bottom. There sat four rooms filled with an array of odds and ends. Christmas decorations filled one room, while another held some extra food. These four, cold, junk-filled rooms eventually would become the home of the GATE Radio.

Flores entered one of the rooms and closed the door behind him as warm tears began to spring from his eyes and trace the contours of his cheeks.

“Did I not hear you right, God?” Flores said. “Is this vanity? Is this even possible?”

This same space, where he once cried out to God, would be where he would soon reach nations with the word of God. This space would be where Flores would sow in tears and later reap with shouts of joy.

On February 9, Flores, constructor of The GATE Radio, celebrated the station’s third anniversary with friends, volunteers, and musical guests.  Festivities included prize giveaways, live interviews, tours of the station, and a “State of the GATE” address at International House of Prayer Eastern Gate in Cranford, New Jersey.

The GATE is a Christian internet streaming station with a mission of reaching people worldwide for God. The GATE, which invites listeners to “enter by the narrow gate” as Jesus instructed in Matthew 7:13, presents worship music, news, and prayer and praise 24 hours a day.

“We’re about 24/7 prayer because there is always something to pray about,” said Flores. “We’re about 24/7 praise because God is worthy of more than 24 hours. Even if there were 25 hours in a day, it all belongs to Him.”

In his “State of the GATE” address, Flores, a former DJ at WFMU, 970 DJ, WMCA and Star 99.1, said he never expected to start his own radio station. Following the conclusion of a seven- year season at Star 99.1, Flores sensed that he was to “wait on God and be silent” for his next steps.

“You know how hard it is for a DJ to remain silent?” Flores joked.

During that silent time, Flores’ brother Paul presented him with a blue AKG broadcast microphone for his birthday. Inside the box was a note that read: “Hey, big bro, this is a birthday gift for you. If you’re gonna tell the world about Jesus, you’re gonna need a mic.”

Flores looked at the mic and thought, “Wow, he’s given me this microphone. What in the world am I going to do with a microphone? There’s no place to use this!”

It was then that Gary DePasquale, founder and director of IHOPEG, approached him about starting a radio station and being an intercessory missionary.

Today, that blue microphone is frequently used in the GATE’s production room.

Flores happily reported to the assembled anniversary guests that listeners in over 45 countries around the world have tuned in to the GATE, including Brazil, Germany, China, Korea, Turkey, India, Ethiopia and all across the United States.

Special performances at the anniversary party included musical guests Late Night Pizza and Glacia Robinson, plus International House of Prayer Eastern Gate’s Harp and Bowl team.

In this past year alone, the station has interviewed such musical artists as TobyMac, Phil Wickham, Darrell Evans, Newsboys, for King & Country, and Nicole C. Mullen, as well as ministry leaders, authors, and many kingdom servants.

At the anniversary celebration, Flores thanked a long list of people who’ve contributed to either helping or sponsoring the station, including the GATE’s amazing volunteers, the staff missionaries at IHOPEG, and interns from Wheaton and Pillar Colleges. Sponsors over the past year have included New Jersey Center for Pain and Rehabilitation, Jesus Book & Gift Store, Gateway Church in Staten Island, Abundant Life Worship Center in Whippany, The Historic Bible Society, and The Crossing Church of Livingston.

Listeners can hear The GATE online at www.thegateradio.org.  For hand held devices, the free GATE app can be downloaded via Google Play and the App Store (Type in “TheGATE” as all one word, then look for the (((GATE))) logo).