Have you tuned into Hope Drive lately?

Key points

  • Meet our new Hope 103.2 Drive host Chris Jolly!
  • “In less than a year, we’ve gone from being these very secular, scientific, rationalist types to having a faith, learning more about the Bible and loving Jesus.”
  • “Coming to Hope – well, I’ve loved radio since I was a teenager, so I’ll get to combine that with the truth I’ve found in Jesus.”
  • Catch Chris on Hope Drive from 3-7pm weekdays.

You will have heard a fresh voice on the airways, 3-7pm weekdays.

We sat down to learn more about Chris, and his story (hint: he’s a brand-new Christian, with an amazing testimony!)

What’s the Chris story?

I grew up near Mascot airport in a non-religious home; not going to church nor a Christian school, although we had scripture at school once a week.

My parents were nominally Christian, but religion was neither discouraged nor encouraged. However, I’ve always had an interest in spirituality.

In high school, I decided to get into radio but did the ‘responsible’ thing and studied science at uni.  I did chemistry, mathematics and philosophy which included a bit of philosophical religion.  Many of the lecturers were secular and really pushed against faith and belief. Then I did IT for 15 years – tech support, trouble shooting, repairing computers – that sort of thing.

Making your drive home better – Join Chris Jolly weekdays from 3pm

When I was 30, I wasn’t getting any satisfaction from the so-called ‘smart’ things, and thought I should do the thing I’d wanted to since I was a kid.

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While still in IT, I went into community radio at 2RRR in Ryde, and when I was about to be made redundant from IT, decided to study at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School.

In 2020, aged 40, I landed my first job in commercial radio at 2TM Tamworth, then after a couple of years moved to MAX 107.3 Taree.

Meeting God changed everything…

Vanessa and I both come from a science background and one night at dinner last October we got into this odd conversation.

Vanessa said she’d been listening to some Christian Podcasts and asked if I’d drive her to church on Sunday. I said I’d come too because I’d also been listening to Christian media and Podcasts. I’d searched online and began reading the Bible, because I’d always meant to.

I thought, if I’m going to have any voice on this – for or against – I should actually read it with an open heart and spirit. The more I read, the more it felt real – it was like ‘knowing’ this is true.

“In less than a year, we’ve gone from being these very secular, scientific, rationalist types to having a faith, learning more about the Bible and loving Jesus.”

I was watching ‘The Chosen’ while reading the Gospels so that really solidified my love for Jesus.

Vanessa decided to go to Taree Presbyterian church. We’d never been to a church before, and we loved it.

In less than a year, we’ve gone from being these very secular, scientific, rationalist types to having a faith, learning more about the Bible and loving Jesus.

Why Hope Drive?

It’s been a whirlwind.  We were married and baptised recently, and now coming to Hope – well, I’ve loved radio since I was a teenager, so I’ll get to combine that with the truth I’ve found in Jesus.

Vanessa said, if you wrote this as a movie script it’d seem a bit unreal – how it’s all come together like that, but that’s been the journey so far.

For me, one of the big things about working in commercial radio was not being true to myself. Lots of the people were nice but some were anti-Christian.

I think much of it was misguided because Vanessa and I had a lot of misconceptions before going to church. Everyone told us it wasn’t true and here are all the reasons you shouldn’t believe. None of that happened. Christian community is really beautiful.

“Coming to Hope – well, I’ve loved radio since I was a teenager, so I’ll get to combine that with the truth I’ve found in Jesus.”

One Podcast I’m listening to says you should seek every day to glorify God in whatever you’re doing. I’ve tried to do that in my secular job but there’s even more chance to do that in Christian media.

So, I’m looking forward to being able to more openly glorify God each day and connect listeners with Him and the joy that brings.

A lot of secular media looks at what’s wrong with the world, rather than what’s good.  Since [Covid-19] I’ve kept that goal of… let’s try to lift up rather than drag down.

The world can be a dark place but what I’m looking forward to most is being in that community lifting up and being lifted up.  I’m really excited that Christian media lifts people up – as God intends us to do.

Catch Chris Jolly on Hope Drive, on the Hope 103.2 app or wherever you listen to the radio, 3-7pm weekdays.


Photos supplied and used with permission.

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