​Christ Gen Media: A Story of a Successful Failure

Written by: Rev. Christopher Shabu

​The beginning of 2010 was a period shadowed by failures and crises in my life. In May of that year, my resignation from the St. Thomas Evangelical Church and the subsequent restrictions pushed me into a state of emptiness. However, it was from the depths of that collapse that a new idea—one unwilling to accept defeat—was born within me. As a "mobile maniac," using technology as a tool for gospel proclamation was a natural thought for me. Thus, the concept of a Christian media ministry was birthed on the IVRS (Interactive Voice Response System) platform, typically used by mobile service providers to interact with customers.

​From May to August 2010, I worked day and night on a broken 'Dopod' Windows mobile phone to shape this idea. The creative suggestions and support of my soulmate and seminary classmate, Biju Mathew Achen, were a source of strength during this journey. It was Achen who gave the venture the meaningful name 'Christ Gen Media.'

​Approaching the IVRS company NTS in Udaipur, and with the help of a team consisting of Ankit Bhargava, Uttam Pegu, and Pranjal Saikia, 'Christ Gen Media IVRS' was officially launched on August 1, 2010. I spent an entire sleepless night preparing the 'Call Flow Statement'—the blueprint of how the system should function—on my broken phone.

​Driven by the desire that my life should not fall apart, the financial assistance to start this venture was provided entirely by my mother-in-law. It was her generosity and love that laid the foundation for the dream called Christ Gen Media. I remember with gratitude her great soul, who has now passed behind the veil of time.

​The operation of this system was remarkable. Without the need for internet, one could listen to the complete Audio Bible, songs, and devotional messages in both English and Malayalam 24 hours a day through a simple phone call. It also featured the facility to select any part of the Bible as desired. In those days, this was a revolutionary change in media gospel work.

​In the early days, thousands of people began using the service. Advertisements were also aired on Powervision Channel. However, the lack of a private office or a steady source of income became a major challenge. The inability to implement a proper subscription system was also a setback. As the number of callers increased, the monthly bills escalated into massive amounts. Apart from Biju Achen, my twin brother Shaju Paliode, Rev. Sam Emerald, Dr. Sam Kadammanitta, Pastor Gopi Vellarada, and another pastor from Dalumugham tried their best to help, but we could not escape the mounting financial liabilities.

​I struggled on until 2012, starting and stopping several times. Finally, in April 2012, 'Christ Gen Media,' which had been heralded as the world's first religious IVRS, had to be brought to an end. Although the venture failed, Christ Gen Media remains in my heart as the history of a journey that sought innovative paths by overcoming crises.