News this week of the demise of classical music radio in St. Louis brought tears of grief and anger to fans of Beethoven, Brahms and Bach. But fans of evangelical Christianity reacted to the same news with tears of joy.

In fact, tears of joy came in torrents from Sandi Brown, general manager of Christian contemporary station Joy FM, and puddled at her feet as her company Gateway Creative Broadcasting announced its $26 million purchase of KFUO (99.1 FM) from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.

"I don't use the word 'miracle' often," Brown wrote in a fundraising note on Joy FM's website. "But there are times when the only explanation is ... God. The opportunity to purchase 99.1 FM is ... a miracle." (The ellipses are Brown's own.)

The St. Louis-based Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod is the second-largest Lutheran denomination in the country, with 2.4 million members in 6,000 congregations. There are about 160,000 members in the St. Louis area.

The church said this week that its decision to sell KFUO-FM was the result of its board's "continuous evaluation of church assets and a stewardship decision regarding the best use of assets for furthering mission and ministry."

The money the church receives for the radio station license, officials suggested, would be used "to broaden its use of technology, including social media tools to connect with members and nonmembers alike to proclaim the Gospel worldwide."

In other words, a $26 million Twitter account.

No, not really. Board Chairman Donald Muchow said the church could concentrate on its "myriad national and international ministries and mission endeavors, not the least of which is a movement focused on reaching 100 million people with the Gospel by 2017."

The church's president, the Rev. Gerald Kieschnick, said church officials "will avail ourselves of the opportunities this acquisition agreement will provide as we strive to reach the world with the precious and saving Good News of Jesus Christ."

So — as Brown said in her fundraising note this week — the deal is good for everyone, right?

"God gave us wisdom and favor," Brown said. "He provided a sound plan and win/win scenario: for the LCMS, Joy FM, the St. Louis community and ultimately, His kingdom."

But while a stronger signal may take Gateway Creative Broadcasting's Christian message into more homes, and an infusion of cash may make it easier for the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod to invest in social networking media around the world, it's not at all clear that "the St. Louis community," as Brown put it, wins. At least those who care more about classical music than about spreading the Gospel. That's where the tears of grief and anger came in.

KFUO-FM's own general manager told Post-Dispatch reporter Sarah Bryan Miller the sale made for "a sad day at the radio station." The president of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra called the sale "a tragic loss for the city."

The executive director of the Bach Society of St. Louis told Miller that after news of the sale, it felt "almost like there's a death in the family." The executive director of the St. Louis Chamber Chorus said the sale "further damages our big-city status."

Both sides of the KFUO-FM sale this week said they would explore ways to keep classical music in the St. Louis market. A member of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod board said it was looking at "the possibility of broadcasting classical music over a high-definition channel and via a radio translator system."

And Brown told the Post-Dispatch that Joy FM would be "open to discussion" about a high-definition classical music radio channel.

But for now, Joy FM is just jumping for joy about the possibilities of using a powerful radio signal to fulfill its evangelical mission, and it's busy asking listeners for $18 million.

"This ministry will reach a population of 2.7 million people," Brown wrote. "Hundreds of thousands of listeners will be 'seek'ing on the radio dial. Hurting people. Lost people. Discouraged people. People in need of Jesus. And we can make sure they hear about HIM!"

At the beginning of the Old Testament book of Joshua, the 12 armies of Israel are encamped, in the Plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River, poised to take the Promised Land by conquest.

Joshua, Moses' successor, leads the Israelites across the Jordan River and into the land of Canaan. Joshua takes his military orders directly from God, and when the Israelites reach the city of Jericho, God gives Joshua his instructions.

For six days, Joshua's troops are to circle the walled city once each day carrying the Ark of the Covenant, preceded by seven priests blowing seven rams horns. On the seventh day, the troops are to circle the city seven times, and at the sound of the longest blast of the rams horns, "all the people shall give a mighty shout," God tells Joshua.

"When the people heard the sound of the horns, the people raised a mighty shout and the wall collapsed," the narrator of Joshua writes. "The people rushed into the city, every man straight in front of him, and they captured the city. They exterminated everything in the city with a sword: man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and ass."

Similarly, Joy FM's Brown used war imagery this week to describe the evangelical opportunity her station has with the acquisition of a more powerful signal. "We're in a battle," Brown wrote. "Let's wage war in the heavenly realms."

She invited her station's supporter's to pray, and to donate to its fundraising effort, so that the louder voice of the larger station can bring the message of Jesus to all of St. Louis.

At the end of her note, Brown channeled Joshua himself as he instructed the Israelites to let their voices be heard by the doomed people of Jericho and by the heavens.

"Shout!" Brown told Joy FM's listeners. "For the Lord has given you the city!"