It’s no longer quietly whispered.  Christian media experts are openly predicting that an explosion of Christian content online, changes in media consumption habits, and the fast development of communication technology will end the era of listening to preaching and teaching of the gospel on radio.  That day may come … but not yet. Radio is still an effective platform for delivering the gospel.

So it has been from the beginning. The origin and history of radio is intertwined with the story of using the technology to preach the Word.

THE GROWTH OF THE PLATFORM

From the invention of radio to the present day, there seems to have been Divine guidance in the medium’s rise to prominence as a tool for ministry.

Physicist James Clerk Maxwell, who discovered radio waves in 1865, was a Christian. Guglielmo Marconi, known as the father of radio, thought his work in science to be a part of God’s will.

In 1921, just a few months after becoming the world’s first radio station, KDKA (Pittsburgh, PA) aired the first religious radio program…a sermon from the evening service at Calvary Episcopal Church. A short time later, Paul Rader, Charles Fuller, Donald Grey Barnhouse and other pioneering pastors and evangelists ventured into the new medium with innovative strategies.

Today, the platform consists of about 2400 radio stations broadcasting Christian programming in the United States.  When combined with television, the total audience reach is 75 million.

According to Craig Parshall (senior vice president of the National Religious Broadcasters), “About 40 percent of people who regularly listen, do so specifically so they can listen to teaching, preaching and talk formats.”

Granted, studies have shown a decrease in the overall audience size of Christian radio in the last few years (offset in part by population growth). But, there is still no other Christian media platform in existence today that daily impacts as many people for Christ as religious broadcasting.  Under God’s guiding hand, Christian radio has grown into the largest platform for proclaiming the gospel the world has ever known.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PLATFORM

In 2005, The Barna Group reported that a greater percentage of adults were getting their religious information from Christian media – radio and television predominantly – than from monthly church attendance.  The headline of an article about the report said it all, “More People Use Christian Media Than Attend Church.”

Millions of American’s are still turning to some of America’s most trusted Christian communicators, exclusively for their spiritual information. Radio station personnel, in turn, steer these audiences – better prepared for effective service – into local church fellowships.

The local audience for Christian radio consists of individuals from all walks of life and religious backgrounds. The radio station and its gospel programming are common ground. Listeners will often connect, support and fellowship with one another at special events. They link arms at times to work together in ministry and mission, making their communities a better place to live.

THE FUTURE OF THE PLATFORM

It’s true. There’s an ever increasing amount of excellent Christian media accessible online. Online distribution channels and relational networks are growing. The audience for new media ministry endeavors is expanding locally and globally, among Christians and non-Christians alike.

So, it does raise the question. In a world where every ministry platform has audio, video and text, could the audience for terrestrial broadcast only diminish to the point that Christian radio’s business model is undermined?  A case could be made for that scenario. Is it inevitable? The outcome hasn’t been decided.

Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

Over the next few years, Christian broadcasters have a historic opportunity to be among the leaders in shaping a new future for Christian communication.

It will mean a change in thinking about methods for broadcasting and ministry. It will mean becoming more intentional about collaborating with the local church to find new ways of creating and delivering Christian content to the world. Like the early days of broadcasting, it will mean taking action steps of faith that involve risk, uncertainty, even danger. It will require audacious faith and a total dependency on God.

Can Christian broadcasters, in concert with local churches, create a new and stronger platform for the gospel to reach a perishing world? The answer to that question and others like it will determine the the future of radio’s continued effectiveness for the gospel.

With bold leadership, joining together with new allies, and God’s guiding hand, the single most important chapter in the story of Christian radio is still to be written.

Through digital technology, God has made it possible for literally any church or ministry to broadcast the gospel online day and night. Many are embracing the opportunities, a few including “interactive” and “on-demand” services.

As we continue to look forward at Christian communication, we’re exploring some of the issues related to building an Internet broadcasting platform for the gospel.

We’ve talked about “creating legacy” and “improving effectiveness.” In this segment we look at progress on the building site, opportunities for media workers, and the importance of prayer to the building project.

A call to build

I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land. (Ezekiel 22:30)

Churches are building. According to a 2008 Barna Group report “Use of Technology in Churches,” about 62% of Protestant churches have a website. 26% have some presence on social networking sites. 16% are podcasting (47% in churches attracting more than 250 adults). 13% have blog sites or pages where people can interact with church leaders.

Hundreds of churches are regularly broadcasting live video streams of their worship services, or other live events. The Leadership Network is keeping track of churches with an Internet campus. As of November 2009, the number stood at 48.

People are accessing content through the platform. In a 2005 Barna survey on Christian media, the Internet was the only mass medium that showed a growth in audience share during the past decade. The proportion of the population using the Internet for faith purposes has increased by two-thirds since 1998.

An enormous audience of roughly 45 million Americans are going digital to acquire church sermons and teaching content. In all, 23% of adults said they downloaded a church podcast in the past week, according to the 2008 Barna study.

Churches are reporting significant numbers of people joining Internet campus communities for regular live interaction.

A call for workers

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:37-38)

Since 1940, traditional terrestrial Christian media has influenced tremendous multitudes for Christ. And since 1995, there has been straight-up growth in the number of people going online for spiritual content. So what’s the report?

It’s estimated that there are only about 2 billion Christians in the world, those that would say they’re Christian. That number doesn’t indicate how many are truly committed followers of Christ. The rest of the world’s population of 7 billion people are unsaved.

The mission is not complete. More workers are urgently needed.

I see opportunities for workers in two fields of labor. First, in church planting. Workers are needed to help establish a church within easy access of every person on earth. Second, in Internet gospel broadcasting. Pastors, church leaders and technology workers are needed to help make the gospel available online to every person on earth, until the churches are established.

The local church is God’s primary instrument to evangelize the world. Internet gospel broadcasting is God’s tool to help the church evangelize the world faster.

A call to prayer

I have posted watchmen on your walls; they will never be silent day or night.

Isaiah 62:6

Throughout the Old and New Testament God instructs His people to watch and pray. In Isaiah the call was for the people to take their places on the wall as watchmen. This wasn’t to be a one-time prayer meeting. It was to be a continual commitment.

What a breadth is given to the watchmen’s prayer:

• Prayer for protection from an enemy that will attack and disrupt any church that seeks to use technology for the gospel; double-down on its commitment to complete the Great Commission; and, work with others to accelerate the process.
• Prayer for God’s will regarding strategies, such as Internet broadcasting. The last thing you want to do is create a project of your own.
• Prayer that God would begin to surface the people, resources and technologies needed to accomplish His plans in your church.
• Prayer that doors will open for the gospel in your city and other nations through your Internet broadcasting efforts.
• Prayer that the glory of God will be seen among the nations.

Every church can be an Internet gospel broadcaster. It begins by ascending the wall to pray.

Questions: What is your church doing to determine what type of online presence it will have? What type of online initiatives have been undertaken in the last 12 months?