After my recent post on Christian Radio and the Christian Family, I had a broadcaster leave a comment and instead of responding via the comment function on that post, I thought I would write a follow-up post, attempting to clarify my position in light of this broadcaster's observations. 

He or she wrote...

I think that you bring up some valid points.  However, speaking as a broadcaster myself, there is a bit of reality that I would like to interject...

Not to seem defensive, but I too am speaking as a broadcaster (Moody Broadcasting Network); as well as a professor of radio studies at the Moody Bible Institute.  These blog entries are an attempt to discuss these topics as I continue to grow as a broadcaster and as I teach the next generation of broadcasters.

The fact is, Christian radio has an obligation to serve the WHOLE Christian community (and reach out to non-Christians as well).

You are right that Christian Radio needs to reach out to the whole community of believers (we can discuss the role to non-believers in a later discussion).  That really is my point. 

First, a significant part of my critique comes from anecdotal evidence and industry reported data that indicates that Christian radio is focusing predominately on women and seem satisfied with missing a significant part of the Christian community...men (depending on the format, women seem to out-number men in the audience by as much as 2 - 1). 

Second, when I listen, Christian radio's culture tends to assume that everyone in the audience looks to youth programs, youth pastors and youth groups for the spiritual development of their kids (not to mention institutional education).  I'm not saying that everything on a Christian Radio station has to come from a "homeschool perspective" but I do think that Christian Radio--in seeking to reach out to the WHOLE community--should actively seek for ways to equip its "family-centered/homeschool constituents" to be successful as educators/disciplers at home in the midst of all the other youth-focused, "family-friendly programming."

I think that Christian radio does a GREAT job of unifying the Christian community in a given area, even more so than Christian TV. It creates opportunities for partnerships across denominational lines, allows ministries to share with other ministries, and to provide a platform for diverse voices of faith to be heard.   In your points, you seem to imply that Christian radio has failed in these areas.

I would agree that there are many things Christian Radio is doing well.  I did not mean to imply that Christian Radio has failed, rather, as we look to the future we need to challenge ourselves to do more and/or do better. 

In 1997, Frank Gray, formerly of FEBC, published a little booklet about the 14 Roles of Radio.  These include: Information, Entertainment, Instruction, Advocating Change, Inspiration, Positioning, Witness, Apologetics, Proclamation, Counceling, Supplementary, Celebration, Modeling, Participatory.  Without a doubt, many of these things we are doing well, however, I would venture to guess that most of us can identify areas from this list that we have never considered before.  Dr. Gray is encouraging us to look for ways to reach beyond the "religious broadcasting conventions" and seek for ways to reach out more fully to the community around us.  That is what I am also trying to do.

As I reread them, I would have to think how anemic our churches and ministries would be today WITHOUT Christian radio. In fact, if there were NO Christian radio, every one of your points would not only be valid, but true.

I agree in principle (or why would I want to improve it?), though there are plenty of areas that clearly demonstrate that the Church is struggling with anemia--even with Christian Radio's influence.  One example is the troubling trend reported by the Southern Baptist Denomination of the high percentage of teens that leave the church and never return (as high as 80 to 90%).  This is despite the billions of dollars spent on youth programs, youth curicuulum, concerts, books and entire Christian Stations with youth formats.  Something isn't working, and this is what leads me to consider a different approach to strengthing the family through radio.

This is not meant to be a critical response. I love Christian radio, and I know its power. I have seen it transform cities here in the US, and nations on the mission field.

I too have seen the transformational power of Christian Broadcasting, and this is one of the motivations for looking at it critically; so that we can, as broadcasters, not only sell CDs, books, and conferences, but  as the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians:


Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 

If we, as broadcasters do our job for His glory, and in His way, we can play a part in presenting the Church [the Bride] to Christ, without blemish.


Paul