Girl at Radio, Library of Congress

I chose to start this series on this point because it anchors the discussion in the vein that began this journey of exploration.  A number of years ago, Pamela and I were returning home from a homeschool conference and as we reviewed the weekend's challenge of turning our hearts to our home/kids/family, we both were struck with the same seemingly unrelated question: "What would a homeschool radio station look like?"  Not a station run by a homeschool family [though that may happen someday] but rather, what would a Christian Radio station look like that affirmed the Christian Family?

Many broadcasters that I know would argue that they are already "affirming the Christian Family" by providing children's programs, youth programs, programs for men, programs for young singles, programs for mothers, programs for wives...or as one radio station here in Chicago claims: "Radio that is safe for the whole family."  

In my view, the problem with much of today's "family radio" is that it puts all its energy into reaching the parts of the family without a proper focus on the whole.  Too often, each of these programs see reaching their segment of the audience as the end.  There is not enough attention given to the larger community that segment is a part of.     

What this blog entry aims to articulate is a different philosophy that I hope argues for a better way for Christian Radio; one that affirms the Christian Family as the foundational institution that faith informs, that will then build up the local church and even the magisterial or civil sphere.  If I were to summarize this approach as a slogan, it might be something like: "Radio that unifies and makes the family whole." 

For the sake of time (and space) let me make five belief statements without a whole lot of explanation that I think capture the essence of my position:

(In the points that follow, "Christian Radio" encompasses its programs, messages and producers)

1. Christian Radio ought to position itself under the authority of local church.  Too many producers that I know view themselves as the ones who need to give the "audience what they need, not what they want."  In fact, I would argue that too many producers have taken on the role of elders in the lives of the audience without meeting the qualifications for Spiritual oversight as identified in 1 Timothy 3.

2. Christian Radio needs to be under the authority of the home.  Programs that attempt to bypass the role of the father/parent and don't encourage the children to ask questions about or discuss with their parents those topics that they have heard, encourages a low view of spiritual authority in the home and can lead to turning the hearts of children away from their parents.  Also, programs that don't model what the home should be and merely reflect what "homes are like these days" risk reproducing weak homes and improper attitudes instead of building up "Christ-honoring homes."

3. Christian programming that lets fathers and husbands "off the hook" for the spiritual development and discipleship of the family is hurting, not helping the family. Or to put it another way, when Christian Radio allows men to sit back and let "an expert" do his God ordained responsibility in the family, it will consistently reproduce spiritual weakness and passivity.

4a. Christian programming ought to build up and train men to be strong leaders in the family, which will lead to strong church leadership and eventually, strong civil leadership (how can a man be an elder or govenor when he can't train his own children?).

4b. Christian Radio must do more to reach out to men and not be satisfied with the predominately female audience demographics; however, this should not be accomplished through increased sports coverage/discussion, recreational programming or other frivolous topics.  Rather, as Scott Brown, Norm Wakefield and Kevin Swanson all said to me, "men need to be challenged with a big vision" and given programming that will deepen their knowledge and spiritual discernment so that they can bring the "meat of the faith" into their homes and "wash their wives" and children with Biblical and Theological truth.

5. Christian Radio needs to leave behind its infatuation with youth culture, fads, and fickleness.  Programming that allows youth to remain immature and self-focused does not build up the body.  This is a huge problem for most stations who chase after younger and younger audiences instead of honoring the "older saints in our midst."  Our culture has marginalized "old people" and the church has done the same.  WE NEED MORE WISDOM ON THE RADIO that can best come through older men and women who God has ordained to train the younger men and women (Titus 2).

As I read over my own list I am struck with the lack of specificity in the mechanics, but I hope that those things will come as I continue to struggle with this question of Christian Radio and the Christian Family. 

One tangible concept that I do have comes from an email that Fletch sent me from Steve Walker, an elder at Central Valley Presbyterian Church.  He referenced 2 Timothy 4 and I think it provides an important Biblical foundation to this question...

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.  But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

These verses speak to me as a broadcaster (and to us as fathers, elders, pastors, etc.) and provides three main approaches as I teach:

1. Persuassion (convince or change someones mind)
2. Rebuking (a prophetic message against wickedness or unrighteousness)
3. Exhorting (encouraging righteousness, holiness, godliness, etc.)
 
Three tested tools as I begin to wrestle with applying these principles in my own sphere of influence as a teacher and broadcaster.  I hope that they are just the first of many.

This summer I had a number of conversations with men I respect greatly regarding Christian Broadcasting and the family.  Some of them have been broadcasters, others have been pastors and elders, and all are fathers who care deeply for thier families.

For the last few years I have had a growing concern about religious broadcasting and the culture of how we do things, who we feature and what we say (or what we don't say). 

Over the next few blogs, I am going to try and process some of the topics we discussed and lay out an emerging philosophy for religious broadcasting.  These ideas are still being developed and I am grateful for those who are helping me work through them.

For those who know my background and current employment, I wish to say that these comments are not intended to imply that those who have trained me and given me such great opportunities are not thinking about these things, rather it is an opportunity for me, as a father and an instructor of the next generation of Christian Broadcasters, to reconsider the way things are done and shape how it could be done in the future through them.

Some of the topics I'll highlight include:

1.) The role of Christian Radio in the Christian Family.

2.) Changing the demographics of the Christian audience.

3.) Creating familial accountability in the confluence of spiritual discipleship sources.

4.) Best methods for changing the industry.


Feel free to leave comments and enter into the dialogue.


From Proverbs 3


Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
      And lean not on your own understanding; 

In all your ways acknowledge Him,
      And He shall direct your paths. 

Do not be wise in your own eyes;
      Fear the LORD and depart from evil. 

It will be health to your flesh,
      And strength to your bones. 

Honor the LORD with your possessions,
      And with the firstfruits of all your increase; 

So your barns will be filled with plenty,
      And your vats will overflow with new wine.