After hundreds of years of relying on Bibles and prayer to spread the Gospel, Christian missionaries have turned to installing 'God TV' in Aboriginal communities across northern Australia.

Key points: Missionaries have been installing Christian TV in the homes of Aboriginal people in remote Kimberley communities since 2013

Missionaries have been installing Christian TV in the homes of Aboriginal people in remote Kimberley communities since 2013 Fundraising material claimed communities with the service had no suicides after it was installed

Fundraising material claimed communities with the service had no suicides after it was installed The director of God TV says the company believed the claim to be true at the time. It has since been removed from the company's material

God TV is the most popular channel that comes with Instal-Life Christian TV, a satellite and cable service of televangelist-style programming, which has been installed in many communities in the Kimberley region.

In recent years, missionaries from southern Australia have been raising tens of thousands of dollars to travel to remote Aboriginal communities by plane and truck, offering to install the service for free.

The service has proven a hit in some communities, with residents reporting it has helped alcoholics stop drinking and provided a wholesome entertainment option for children.

If you or anyone you know needs help: beyondblue on 1300 22 4636

beyondblue on 1300 22 4636 Lifeline on 13 11 14

Lifeline on 13 11 14 Headspace on 1800 650 890

Headspace on 1800 650 890 Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467

But others are troubled by the missionaries' claim that Christian TV has stopped suicides in the communities they've visited, saying it is untrue and exploitative.

Until recently, the Christian TV satellite company made the following claim in fundraising materials for a 2020 mission to install the service in Aboriginal communities in far-north Queensland:

"The Instal-Life team know that installing Christian TV is changing lives. As far as we know, there has NOT been one suicide in any community that we have installed.

"The youth suicide seems to have stopped & we look forwards to the positive reports into the future of LIVES transformed, HOPE provided & the HOLY SPIRIT filling the people."

The ABC has confirmed there have been suicides and self-harm attempts in some of the communities in which Christian TV has been installed.

One community that has had God TV for several years recorded two suicide deaths this year alone.

Gordon Marshall, left, said Christian missionaries were often well-intentioned but did not understand traditional culture. ( ABC News: Erin Parke )

Gordon Marshall, who is co-chair of the Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre, said there was no doubt the Christian TV roll-out was popular.

"Some people like God TV because if they're Christian, it helps them stay sober and stay healthy," he said.

"But it's not stopping suicide. I think it's a bit false, and people thinking about funding it should be doing a bit more research to find out for themselves if it's true."

God TV's Australasian director Wayne Knapman said the company believed at the time that claims about suicide rates were true. ( Supplied )

Director of God TV Australasia Wayne Knapman said the company had not been aware of the deaths, believed the statement to be true at the time, and had since removed the claim from its materials.

"Our heart is to help, to help stop or reduce suicides," he said.

"I personally believe that Jesus is the answer and so do our Instal-Life customers who help fund the free installations via our Missions Plan or donations."

Baptism in a bathtub

Missionaries from southern WA have been installing Christian television in the homes of Aboriginal people in the Kimberley since 2013.

The Chariots of Fire Mission first focused on the desert community of Mulan, baptising 32 local people in an outdoor bath with a garden hose, and installing Christian cable television units free of charge.

Residents of the Mulan community were baptised with a hose in a bathtub during the missionaries' original trip to the Kimberley in 2016. ( Supplied )

They've since toured the region, installing 67 rooftop satellite units in more than a dozen bush communities.

The rooftop units allow isolated Christians free access to more than a dozen TV channels featuring a constant stream of sermons, religious-themed films and calls for donation.

Brian Sonnerman, who led the Chariots of Fire trips, said they got an overwhelmingly positive response.

The God TV missionaries setting off on their 2019 trip through the Kimberley. ( Supplied: Brian Sonneman )

"When we go into these communities it's just a blessing to see people change, and you can see the joy on people's faces," he said.

"When we first put on God TV, people say, 'Oh this is great, it's awesome, thank you, it is a blessing!'

"So it's been very exciting to see their attitude."

Mr Sonnerman said the ministry was careful not to pressure people to convert.

"We don't go in pushing Christianity, we just start a conversation and see if they're interested.

"We don't want to destroy their culture."

Worship in a tin shed

Sandra Cox was among those happy to sign up.

She lives in Yiyili, which is a bush community 50 kilometres west of Halls Creek.

Sandra Cox says Christian television has been a source of spiritual strength for her home community of Yiyili. ( ABC News: Erin Parke )

Like many Indigenous people in the Kimberley, she's a born-again Christian, and has been happy to leave behind the traditional Aboriginal spirituality of her elders.

"I do think to myself, how can culture and God fit together? The culture just come and go in our lives, but God is eternal to me, I'd rather accept God," she said.

"Cultural life is good for the ones who wish to carry on both, but I'd rather take God's way."

The God TV channel encourages viewers to donate and purchase blessings and Bibles. ( Supplied )

She said maintaining daily Bible study was difficult without a local pastor, so she was overjoyed to have God TV installed for free in the tin shed the community uses for a church.

"I needed more encouragement, to study more and find more ways of how to connect with God, and so God TV's really good, it makes me understand," she said.

"It's also good for the old people who can't read, that can understand God from the TV."

'It's not suicide prevention'

Religion has become a sore point in some remote northern communities in recent years, with the actions of some visiting preachers causing feuds and upset.

While there are no such issues linked to Instal-Life or the missionaries who promote it, concerns have been raised about the claim that they may be stopping suicides.

Suicide prevention advocates reject the idea that Christian TV is a solve-all for the Kimberley suicide crisis.

"It's not suicide prevention, and reductive belief systems borne of even well-meaning evangelism may for many perpetuate traumas," said suicide researcher Gerry Georgatos.

Financial counsellor Toni Cork says greater protections need to be enacted to protect communities with limited financial literacy. ( Supplied: Toni Cork )

Darwin-based financial counsellor Toni Cork said she was surprised to see the missionaries making the claim without providing evidence.

"Their claims that installing God TV into communities has directly been responsible for no suicides happening, I think is very misleading and mind-boggling to be perfectly honest," she said.

Instal-Life removed the reference to Christian TV stopping suicides after being contacted by the ABC.

Donation or payment?

Some Aboriginal people in the Kimberley have signed up to commercial contracts to get a Christian television satellite dish installed, separate to the free roll-out offered by the visiting missionaries.

Among them is Patricia Riley, who lives in the small bush community of Pandanus Park, east of Broome.

Patricia Riley was initially happy to have God TV installed at her Pandanus Park home. ( ABC News: Erin Parke )

"I saw it advertised on YouTube and I was interested because I've changed my life to stop the bad habits and turn my life around, and I thought part of that could be subscribing to God TV," she told the ABC during a recent visit to Pandanus Park.

"It's good for the kids to watch, because there's no bad language, there's preaching about God and talking more about love and respect."

But Ms Riley said the payment arrangement was different to what she thought she was signing up to.

"I thought it was a one-year contribution to help others and then it would be a free channel for us to watch, to spread the good word of God," she said.

"[I thought] it's a charitable thing, that whatever we pay for the gear, it goes towards installing more dishes for other Christian people who want God TV, so I was contributing towards that for over a year. But I couldn't stop the payments."

It turns out Ms Riley was not making donations, but paying a commercial hire fee for the equipment; a hire fee Instal-Life calls a 'Missions Plan' in promotional material.

God TV is the most popular channel that comes with Instal-Life''s Christian TV services. ( Supplied )

The company charges customers an up-front fee to cover the purchase and installation of the satellite equipment, and then an ongoing monthly payment described on its website as "becoming a Missions Plan Supporter partnering with Instal-Life to take the Gospel to those who need it."

Ms Riley said she understood this to be a donation that she could stop paying if she wished.

Mr Knapman, a co-owner of Instal-Life Christian TV, said the company donated all profits to mission work.

He also defended the company's communication with remote community residents.

"We have a conversation in English when someone enquires commercially with us," he said.

"Customers reach out to us, not the other way around — we do not do any cold-calling.

"We discuss the product, the offer and the terms very clearly, and the customer then decides and chooses yes or no to hire the equipment on our Missions Plan.

"It is made very clear."

Financial counsellor Toni Cork said the situation showed the need for better regulation of how companies and charities deal with groups known to have poor financial literacy and limited English, such as residents of remote Aboriginal communities.

"I suggest all should be using translators, as most clients that we deal with would not be able to deal with the language that comes in contracts. I've never seen a contract that's written in plain language, never," she said.