Lonnie Melashenko was speaker/director for the Voice of Prophecy, the world's second oldest religious broadcast from 1993 to 2008. He began working with the radio ministry in January 1989, serving as announcer while continuing as senior pastor of the 1400-member Paradise, California, Seventh-day Adventist Church. He was associate director-speaker from May 1991 through December 1992, and upon the retirement of H. M. S. Richards Jr. became speaker/director on January 1, 1993.

During April and May of 2003, Pastor Melashenko presented a month-long evangelistic series, "The Voice of Prophecy Speaks," uplinked from Columbia, South Carolina to all of North America and the Caribbean. Major goals were toshow that Jesus is at the very heart of Bible prophecy and to demonstrate that an understanding of prophecy provides the security and peace that people seek amidst today's crises.

"The Voice of Prophecy Speaks" series is available on DVD, video, and cassette. The messages are also archived as text, audio, and video at the website www.prophecyspeaks.com.

In 2001 the Voice of Prophecy launched "The Voice to the World," a new strategy of global evangelism. Its three parts -- Plant the Word, Preach the Word, and Preserve the Word -- include setting up Bible Schools in countries where there are none, coordinating evangelistic meetings around the world, and following up persons who make decisions through broadcasts and Bible studies.

During his years at Voice of Prophecy, Pastor Melashenko conducted evangelistic series in Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, the Philippines, Venezuela (Caracas), the Cayman Islands, Zambia, and Hong Kong. The Zambia programs were carried by satellite to 2,000 downlink sites and 1,000,000 viewers across Africa in September 2003. He also held series across North America, including Los Angeles; Columbia, South Carolina; Bismarck, North Dakota; and Miami.

Fifty years of Voice of Prophecy ministry in the Philippines were commemorated in 1996 with Target 50,000 -- which achieved the goal of 50,000 baptisms. Pastor and Mrs. Melashenko participated in reaping rallies throughout the country, following evangelistic meetings held by pastors, students, and others from the Philippines, the United States, Canada, and a dozen other countries.

During Brazil '93, Pastor and Mrs. Melashenko and the North American VOP team joined the Brazilian VOP to present rallies throughout South America's largest country. Audiences ranged from 4,000 to 30,000 in arenas, stadiums, and public gymnasiums. Meetings featured mass baptisms of as many as 1,200 persons in a single session. By the end of Brazil '93, half a million persons graduated from VOP Bible courses and more than 25,000 were baptized.

Pastor and Mrs. Melashenko also held an evangelistic series in Perm, Russia during 1993. The 75 members of the host church personally distributed more than 100,000 handbills. Double sessions were held to accommodate the crowds, and more than 500 persons were baptized as a result of the series.

Their meetings in Borislav, Ukraine, in 1992 resulted in establishing the first Seventh-day Adventist church in that city. Jeannie says, "Meeting the precious people from the former USSR, learning of their oppression, yet unshakable faith in God, has changed my life."

The Voice of Prophecy was begun in 1929 by H. M. S. Richards on one Los Angeles radio station and is now aired either weekends or daily on more than 400 stations in North America, on shortwave worldwide, and on the Internet as audio-on-demand at the VOP website (www.vop.com). A weekly telecast airs on the Hope Channel, 3ABN, SafeTV, Blue Mountain Television, and local cable channels. Overseas, programs in dozens of languages are aired by more than 1,000 radio stations, including shortwave facilities whose signals reach nearly every country.

The ministry also utilizes Bible lessons to proclaim the good news that Christ will soon return. The Bible Correspondence School at VOP headquarters was established a month after the radio broadcast went coast-to-coast in 1942.

Locally operated Discover Bible Schools have been established at 2,400 churches across North America. The Discover Bible Guides are available in printed form and also on the Internet (www.vop.com). The Focus on Prophecy lessons present the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation.

Around the world, Bible courses in 66 languages and dialects are offered by127 affiliated schools. One of the newest is the reopened office in Havana, Cuba. Pastor Melashenko was present in July 1994 for the dedication and presentation of diplomas to the first 600 graduates.

Goals include not only planting a new Bible School in every country that does not have one, but also translating and printing the Discover Guides in all the world's major languages.

Pastor Melashenko was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, and was only a year old when he first came to the VOP. His father, Joe, was bass in the King's Heralds quartet and an instructor in the Bible School from 1948 to 1950.

Lonnie graduated from Highland View Academy in Hagerstown, Maryland. He received his bachelor of arts degree in theology from La Sierra University. InAugust 1967, just prior to his senior year at La Sierra, Lonnie married Jeannie Jones, a native of Frederick, Maryland.

After receiving a master of divinity degree from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University, Lonnie was assigned to the Vallejo Drive Seventh-day Adventist Church in Glendale, California, as an associate pastor. In 1972, he was appointed pastor for the Seventh-day AdventistChurch in Camarillo, where the 350-seat sanctuary was built during his tenure. He was ordained during a camp meeting at Lynwood, California, in 1974.

Pastor Melashenko joined the It Is Written telecast staff in 1977, serving as associate director-speaker until 1981. His responsibilities included coordinating and directing Revelation Seminars with George and Nellie Vandeman. In 1980, he helped coordinate the launch of "Prayer Alert," a telecast segment which featured stories of answered prayer and changed lives.

In 1981, he accepted the position of senior pastor at the Paradise Seventh-day Adventist Church in northern California. He adapted his weekly worship services into a radio program, "Sounds of Praise." He also served as a member of the board for Feather River Hospital and for the Chico Exchange Club for the Prevention of Child Abuse in Northern California.

Pastor Melashenko's byline has appeared on articles in magazines and newspapers. His most recent book is Salvation 101. Another of his books, What the Bible Says About, presents study outlines on 31 Bible topics along with a Bible marking plan. Among the books he has co-authored are The Joy of Jesus, Parables for a New Millennium, Galactic News From Three Angels, Walking With Angels, Stand at the Cross, Your Most Radical Decision, In the Presence of Angels, Sex: The Myth and the Magic, An Insider's Guide to the Kingdom, A Kid Named Joe, More Than Amazing Grace and Popcorn, the Pearly Gates, and Other Kernels of Truth.

He has spoken at churches, schools, and camp meetings across the United States and Canada. His appointments have also taken him to Mexico, Bermuda, Brazil, Venezuela, Cuba, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, the Netherlands, Italy, England, Russia, Ukraine, Tanzania, Zambia, Israel, Jordan, and Egypt.

Pastor Melashenko appeared on some telecasts of It Is Written and Lifestyle Magazine, and hosted or narrated other video productions. In 1990, he was the television anchor for the first live telecasts of the General Conference in session. He was also the host anchor for the 1995 General Conference session telecast live by satellite from Utrecht, Holland.

Pastor Melashenko, his parents, and his four brothers have presented gospel concerts throughout North America and in Bermuda. They have also been featured on television and radio. Their recent CDs include Generations and Step Into the Water. They have also released a video, MelashenkoFamily Singers--Live From Arizona Camp Meeting , with all 23 members of the Joe Melashenko family. Another video is nearly completed. Previous Chapel Records albums were The Happy Home (1964) and The MelashenkoFamily Sings. In 2001 Lonnie and his brother Joedy released a CD of duets, Brothers in Song.