This is the first published roundup of most read posts on my blog covering a one month period of time.

The top 10 post roundup for August 2010

In descending order:

1. My Key Takeaway From Chris Brogan’s Visit to Church Online

2. Innovate Now or Be Left Behind, Technologically

3. Review of the National Facebook Fast

4. Is Online Baptism “Real Baptism?”

5. 25 Reasons To Become An Online Missionary

6. Seven Views of Being the Church Online

7. My About Page

8. Seven Lessons for Taking Online Ministry from Good to Great

9. Connecting Everyone On Earth By 2015 Stirs The Imagination

10. Five Essential Building Blocks of Christian Media

Honorable Mention

11. Needed – Strong, Spiritual Women

Taking Notes

Four of the most read posts in August were written 4-6 months ago, leading me to consider the importance of content longevity and the subjects readers are interested in.  My About page came in seventh, confirming Michael Hyatt’s prediction that it would be one of the most visited pages, and in need of attention.

The Honorable Mention was a guest post written by Pastor Bob Russell and published in August 2009. I started blogging just a few months earlier. This confirms again that ‘quality lasts.’ Gives me inspiration to keep working at it.

Improving

Web analytics provides a wealth of information. It enables me to ensure site quality, monitor what information readers want and identify ways to improve on the information I write about. I’m continually learning. The posts you read are a huge help and conversations are always welcomed.

I’m honored that you’re visiting right now. Thank you.

Question: What’s the best advice you’ve heard or used for writing a blog post?

Let’s look at five building blocks provided by God that have sustained Christian media for nearly 100 years.

Looking back

Five building blocks God provided for traditional broadcasters.

1. The network. God had a redemptive purpose for man’s “harnessing” of radio technology. The U.S. Christian broadcasting network currently consists of 2400 full power radio stations and 100 full power TV stations, and a total audience reach of 75 million.

2. The workers. God always calls people to fulfill His purposes. Over the years, hundreds of thousands have answered the call to work in radio, TV and church media. The National Religious Broadcasters and The Gospel Music Association were formed to provide community and bring unity to these Christian media workers.

3. The content. God’s promises have been the cornerstone of a wide range of faith-based, hope-filled and family themed broadcasting content. Created by pastors, churches, ministries, individual broadcasters, networks and artists.

4. The partners. Through donors and advertisers, loyal audiences, public and private partnerships, God has provided support for the greatest Christian communication platform the world has ever seen (to date).

5. The results. Whenever I’ve asked someone involved in using media for the gospel what the greatest benefit of their work is, they’ve always said, ‘the lives of people changed for Christ.’ It’s the reason we do what we do. Historian Tona Hangen defined the impact this way:

In the latter half of the twentieth century, religious broadcasting made possible coalitions and personal relationships that permanently changed individual lives and revitalized a set of religious traditions that seemed on the verge of extinction.

Looking forward

“I know that everything God does will endure forever. Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.” (Ecclesiastes 3:13-15)

The individual characteristics of the five building blocks will change to accommodate new technologies, globalization, and participants but their fundamental nature will remain intact. “Everything God does will endure forever.”

The network. God has a redemptive purpose for man’s “harnessing” digital technology. The global communications network is providing tens of thousands of Christian individuals and organizations with the opportunity to build local and global outreaches, reaching massive audiences. Some are using both traditional and new media. Some exist entirely online.

The workers. A new breed of worker is being called to jobs such as Digital Pastor and Director of Digerati. Roles are being redefined in traditional media organizations to incorporate an understanding and execution of new media.

The content. Digital technology is making it possible for Christian new media networks like LifeChurch.tv Open to create and distribute ‘free’ libraries of creative materials and sermon series. Faith Comes By Hearing has developed Bibleis, a ‘free’ suite of mobile and social media applications for reading, listening to, and sharing the Bible around the world, in over 450 languages.

The partners. A consensus is forming on the need  for more partnership and collaboration. To break down barriers between organizations by sharing knowledge, skills, experience and financial resources. What new media evangelism, discipling and community service ventures will materialize as broadcast stations, churches and ministries join forces?

The results. Lives are being changed by the gospel, through all forms of electronic media, on a global scale never seen before.

We are the first generation in all of human history to hold within our hands the technology to reach every man, woman and child on the earth by 2020, said Walt Wilson, founder and CEO of Global Media Outreach.

The future of Christian media

The future of Christian media will include revolutionary technology innovations, new workers, attracting younger audiences, greater collaboration and impacting all nations for the glory of Christ.

Success will, to some degree, depend on how well the aforementioned five enduring building blocks, the legacy of religious broadcasters, are kept in place as a firm foundation for constructing the new Christian media platform.

Trusting that, “God will generously provide all that you need,” to accomplish the mission.

Question: What are some other key building blocks of Christian Media in the Digital Age?

It’s no longer quietly whispered.  Christian media experts are openly predicting that the era of using radio for the full-time preaching and teaching of the gospel is ending.  Stronger still, is the notion that ‘too much’ preaching on radio and television is stifling growth and limiting effectiveness of all religious broadcasting.

A closer examination of these perceived concerns will help in the dialogue.

The Growth of the Platform

From the invention of radio to the present day, there seems to be what could be called “Divine guidance,” in the construction and operation of the platform.  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 no other Christian media platform in existence today that daily impacts as many people 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 the article about the report said it all, “More People Use Christian Media Than Attend Church.”

Even with the increasing (over)abundance of content distributed through the internet and other technologies, millions of American’s are still turning to radio and America’s most trusted Christian communicators, exclusively for their spiritual information. Radio station personnel, in turn, are steering their audiences into local church fellowships, better prepared for effective service.

This vast audience consists of thousands of small community groups, church and organizational networks. They often get together at special events. Strong bonds develop. And always, the common interest of these relationships is the Good News.

In partnership with the local church, Christian radio continues to be a powerful tool for the gospel.  More than anything, the stories of life change speak resolutely of the continued effectiveness of the platform. 

CJ Casciotta of conversantlife.com and media activist Phil Cooke looked at the impact of these changes on Christian media during a live online discussion titled “Is Religious Media Dead?”

According to Cooke, the state of Christian media…particularly radio and television… is not good. His diagnosis included at least 10 symptoms that would indicate religious media, if not dead, is in need of immediate resuscitation.

Religious Media Ailing:  What are the Symptoms?

1. Growth and effectiveness limited by scheduling back-to-back preaching programs
2. The perception by the general public that all religious programming is bad
3. Aging audience of predominantly Women 55+
4. Tight control of media organizations over what is said and preached, and by whom
5. The “bubble effect” (preaching to the choir) created by commercialization
6. Insufficient audience size for attracting major national advertisers
7. Broken revenue model of programmers paying for time and raising financial support
8. Program producers replicating content instead of innovating
9. Failure to reach audience outside the church
10. Need for more focused goal setting

There won’t be agreement on all of the symptoms Cooke has identified or with every suggested remedy, some of which are outlined in his new book The Last TV Evangelist: Why the Next Generation Couldn’t Care Less About Religious Media and Why It Matters. That’s o.k.  What this interview does, is put a set of issues and honest questions about the future on the table.   Participants at the upcoming NRB Research Symposium will be asking similar questions in discussions titled “Current Religious Trends” and “Future Technological Environment.”

The search is on for the best way to build the future of religious media.

One idea being proposed is for communicators to find new ways to deliver “the message.”  A comment.  New creative approaches for presenting the gospel are fine, to a point. The Great Commission has been in place for 2000 years. The use of modern media forms to help carry it out has been in existence for about 100 years. When it comes to the handling of God’s word (teaching/preaching)…whatever media or technology used…religious broadcasters will, I’m certain, not want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Is this the end of Christian media? I don’t believe so. The need for the gospel is immense.  God has provided the tools.  Traditional media and new technologies must all be used.  Is change called for? Yes! It’s happening to all sectors of our society, wanted or not.  It’s an opportunity that should be embraced.

We will continue to cover the dialogue, the issues, and the innovative ideas for going forward in subsequent posts.