Total Living International, Inc.
Running the Race, Keeping the Faith
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
At TLN, we care and we are intentional about reaching our community. We are a ministry first before we are a media outlet. Our soul mission is to “Win Chicagoland for Christ” just like we started to do in 1976. We fulfill this mission by partnering with both local and national ministries to bring wisdom and entertainment that is safe for the whole family. We w provide programs that help viewers understand the Bible and the culture, and that show how to put your faith into action. We want viewers to be inspired to take the next step for the Lord. We bring Bible-based video content to your finger tips through TV, laptops and smart phones. We want you to know more of what’s happening in your community. We want you to know how to pray for the faint and disheartened and we want you to realize that God is up to a lot of good things right where you live. There is hope. We would like to be a partner with you as we run the race for Christ together.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Broadcast Television
For forty years, the Total Living Networkhas been faithfully spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ through media in the Greater Chicagoland Area. For the last eighteen of those years, through the acquisition of TLNWest, we have also expanded our outreach to include the San Francisco, CA Bay area as a full-power broadcaster.
As a Christian broadcaster, TLN has recognized its responsibility to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ through multiple electronic means. For TLN/TLNWest that has included over the air as a broadcaster; through cable via Comcast, AT&T, Astound, Google, Inc. and ON DEMAND; through satellite via Dish and Direct TV; through online streaming platforms such as Roku, AndroidTV, Amazon Fire TV; and via live streaming on our websites www.tln.com and tlnwest.tv; through direct products via MP3s, CDs, videos and DVDs; through radio and through films.
Since signing on the air in 1976 as Chicago’s first Christian television station, TLN provided airtime to a wide variety of bible teachers looking to reach people for Christ outside the doors of their churches or ministries. But we did more than that. TLN led the way by being content providers as well, producing thousands of hours of original content in the form of news programs, talk shows, children’s programming, prayer specials, women’s shows, ministry/counseling programs, health programs, music/variety/inspirational programming, documentaries and specials to meet the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of our audience: thus the name change to the Total Living Network – programming designed for body, mind and spirit. In the early 2000’s, TLN expanded its reach further by producing several Christian-themed films, and in partnership with Grizzly Adams Productions produced a national television series and specials for the Pax Television Network. Our original teaching program Journey was also distributed on Grace Radio.
On a national level, TLN’s original programming is seen on the NRB Network and Sky Angel and has reached international markets through partnerships with Alpha Omega television in Romania and SAT 7 in the Middle East. As a consultant to the International Correspondence Institute in Brussels Belgium, TLN President Jerry Rose wrote and narrated three teaching series in development of International Christian Education programming. TLN is committed to excellence and has won numerous local and national awards, including over 30 Emmy awards.
TLN also serves ministries in the major markets we reach in order to build up the Body of Christ and further kingdom work for the glory of God collectively. For the last several years, TLN has identified and come alongside specific ministries and helped them begin television programming of their own. The homeless shelter Pacific Garden Mission is one such example. Serving Chicago’s homeless for over 135 years, PGM has been spreading the gospel through their radio broadcast “UnShackled”, for over 60 years, but they’d never considered using television as another outlet to expand their reach until TLN produced a TV pilot for them, pro bono. We then walked them step-by-step through every phase of TV production until they were fully able to produce a weekly, hour long program. TLN’s goal was to see an effective ministry expand the gospel and their outreach further through television. This goal was reached beyond all expectations. In conjunction with other marketing efforts, through the addition of the television program, Pacific Garden Mission has seen their donations triple. Further, the gospel is proclaimed creatively through a quality television program aired on TLN. TLN is currently partnering with “Heart for the City”, an urban ministry alliance aimed to petition God to move on behalf of the violence in Chicago’s inner city. Other ministries TLN has recently partnered with to spread the gospel through quality electronic communications via television and video programming include Moody Bible Institute’s Founder’s week, Illinois Family Institute and Hashtag Productions for the Fate of Our Nations series and other video packages, Project HOOD with Pastor Corey Brooks for the Presidential Series on Urban Issues, and The Orchard Church with Pastor Colin Smith. TLN will continue to reach into the communities it serves as partners, servants and leaders to creatively use every electronic tool available to fulfill the Great Commission.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
ECFA - Charter Member 2018
External reviews
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our mission has remained consistent for over 40 years now: Direct people to Christ and address life’s concerns through media. We want to provide hope and encouragement for those of the faith, and be a safe place for families to be entertained; and we want our programming to impact those seeking Christ and a new way of life.
Total Living Network has a heart for our viewers. As a broadcaster since 1976, we are dedicated to meeting the needs of our audience. Our goal is to communicate the need for a TOTAL relationship with God; body, mind, and spirit. We believe each person was created by God, needs God and through God can live a vibrant, healthy and wholesome life that is a blessing to themselves and a positive spiritual influence to others. We consider media to be a strategic tool for communicating these truths.
Spreading the word of God is our cornerstone goal. We do that by sharing faith based and teaching programs on a variety of media platforms. We want to make homes and communities places where our viewers can feel safe, included and loved. Sharing the love of God, holding firm to biblical principals and helping people live for Christ drives our ministry.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We work toward meeting our goals in a variety of ways.
- We produce award winning programming
- We partner with other faith based broadcasters to bring quality shows to our channels
- We live by our guiding principles
- We are rooted in prayer
- We connect with individual viewers for prayer
- We host community events to bring our message to the people
- We provide online and print resources for our viewers
- We expand wherever possible to reach the greatest number of viewers
- We stand beside local ministries to amplify their voice
Our team is small but dedicated to reaching our communities for Christ.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Our team is comprised of highly skilled and dedicated believers who can dream, plan and execute on all levels of the broadcast process. Total Living Network has over 40 years experience in the field. Our depth of knowledge in the industry and our team of creative and technical staff make us uniquely qualified to carry out our mission.
As the first Christian programmer in the Chicago area, we have a long standing reputation that sets us apart from others. We have always been local and can address the community in unique ways. In the San Franciso Bay area we are home to many local programmers who spread the good news. in both markets we are partners and friends to the church and ministry community. We come along side them to support and encourage their ministry efforts. Together with churches we are stronger and develop synergies that enable us to reach our goals.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
There is so much left to do! For every salvation story we receive, there are so many more people who are still lost and hurting. Our work will continue until every last person has heard the word of God or until Christ calls us home. Until then we will continue to produce the best programming possible, partner with trustworthy ministries to deliver their programming and working with local organizations in the communities we serve.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Total Living International, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 11/02/2023
Jerry Rose
Total Living International Inc.
Term: 1975 - 2023
Jill Carter
Rich Grant
Dale Berkey
BBS Ministry
Ken Swanson
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
No data
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
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