Dr. Poland is founder, chairman, and CEO of Mastermedia International, a ministry to the top leadership of film and television in Hollywood and New York, and one which seeks to keep Christian believers informed of the spiritual dynamics inside media. He’s the recipient of the coveted Covenant Award for significant, Christian influence on the secular media and the founder of the National Media Prayer Breakfast. Harvest House publishers included Dr. Poland on their list of “The 365 most influential people in the world” based on his network of relationships with those holding global media power.
Media has been a key part of Dr. Poland’s life since the late 1970’s when he hosted an issues-oriented television talk show which was syndicated in major TV markets across Canada. He hosted a short radio feature, The Mediator, which was aired daily on hundreds of radio stations for 18 years.
Dr. Poland is the past director of the Agape Movement, an international volunteer service organization under Campus Crusade for Christ, Intl. This movement trained more than 800 volunteers for service and opened 35 nations for volunteers during his eight years of leadership. He has traveled to 100 countries of the world.
Dr. Poland has been a college professor, founded WMCU-FM, the first Christian radio station in Miami, Florida, and was executive producer of the world’s largest traveling mixed media production, World Thrust. He is an ordained minister, lecturer, conference speaker, consultant, and writer. He has authored numerous articles in national periodicals and seven books, Spirit Power, Rise to Conquer, The Last Temptation of Hollywood, The Coming Persecution, Master Key, a novel, 2084, and Lion’s Den Survival Principles.
Having placed his personal faith in Jesus Christ as a young boy, Dr. Poland committed his life to God for vocational Christian service while an exchange student to Germany in 1956. In 1967 he was seeking a greater spiritual challenge and prayed, “God, give me a job so great that if You don’t undertake, I’ll never be able to do it.” In three days he was asked to assume the position of president of Miami Christian College in Miami, Florida, making him the youngest college president in the United States at age twenty-seven.
Larry Poland is a native of Ohio and a graduate of Wheaton (Illinois) College with a Bachelors degree in sociology. Dr. Poland also earned Masters and Ph.D. degrees from Purdue University in college administration and a Master of Divinity degree from Grace Theological Seminary.
Larry and his wife, Donna Lynn, have six children, Christian, Desiree, Cherish, Destiny, Chalet, and Valor. Larry’s hobbies include collecting toys and toy trains.