(Feb. 24, 2012 - by Ralph Kurtenbach) An AK47 rifle pointed at your head with the demand that you mustn't go to church. You do what? A young boy in Pristina, former Yugoslavia, stood up to such a threat, willing to die for what he believed. His faith inspired a bystander, a soldier named Danny.

Toaster radio

Now Danny tells his own account of faith in God on a recent "Toaster Challenge," a 60-second audio spot that begins with, "So why do people believe in God?"

"The 'Toaster Challenge' is mainly an opportunity for one person's faith story to get a much wider audience on Facebook and Twitter," says Colin Lowther, chief executive of HCJB Global-UK. During his 13-year run as host of "The Full Breakfast" radio program on Sundays, Lowther aired many such faith stories.

"We stuff two rounds of bread (insert two slices) into the toaster," he'd tell listeners to Radio Station Pulse 2 in West Yorkshire, "then give one person just 60 seconds to tell us their story before the toast pops up." Although the program is brief, it invites people in rather than putting them off.

"It also stops the page from sounding too religious," Lowther said. "It's important in the world of Facebook for users to know that their attention will only be required for 60 seconds."

Colin Lowther

Not all the "Toaster Challenge" participants tell dramatic accounts of threatened martyrdom as "anyone with a faith in God can be a participant," according to Lowther. "We have secretaries, care workers, builders, teachers, nurses, shop assistants, you name it. I guess we're trying to show that not just pastors and clergy have a faith; the person who lives next door or works in the local shop may believe just as much."

But has the micro messaging of Facebook and Twitter caught on with people of all ages? And in Western cultures where faith is an intensely personal matter, do participants immediately touch on such themes as sin, guilt, grace, salvation and heaven?

"We tell them to be concise but most people end up talking for three to five minutes," Lowther said, explaining that producer Luke Haley edits the "toastermonies" (testimonies) to a clear, one-minute message.

"The first question is, 'Why do you believe in God?' Sometimes this can lead to lots of religious language and jargon, so we always follow it up with, 'And how did it happen to you?'" said Lowther. "That's when we get the meaty bits!"

Despite the fanfare and promise of friendships, social networking sites may not satisfy people. "They may be suffering with loneliness, addiction, illness or whatever," Lowther offered, excited about the prospect of faith stories reaching into people's needs. "Hearing how one other person in the world found help and release with God's help could be the catalyst for change."

To listen to the "Toaster Challenge," visit: http://audioboo.fm/TheToasterChallenge.

Sources: HCJB Global, Audioboo