We are living in a historically significant time for Christian media in the United States. America’s ministries and churches are reaching more people with the gospel through the use of technology and media than at any time in history.
But, the future of the most influential evangelistic platform the world has ever known is not guaranteed.
This is truly a unique moment.
On the one hand, these are days of unprecedented opportunity for the Church.Tremendous new communication technologies are rapidly moving the entire world toward wireless, “always on” connectivity.
God has given His people the media tools to reach every man, woman and child on earth for Jesus Christ, even in countries closed to conventional means of preaching the gospel.
On the other hand, there is fierce opposition.
“I believe that a time is fast approaching – I think it will be in my lifetime – when the preaching of the Gospel is referred to as hate speech,” Graham wrote in a commentary posted on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association web site.
Christian warriors
How should Christian media warriors handle this opposition to proclaiming the hope of Christ?
The evangelistic work of the first Christian soldiers was constantly threatened.
“They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John, and put them in jail.” (Acts 4:2-3)
How did those early Christians respond?
“On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.” (Acts 4:23-24)
They prayed!
The lessons and courage of the first followers of Christ has been an example for believers facing perilous times ever since.
Pastor E.M. Bounds was just beginning his calling as a pastor when the Civil War broke out. He said…
Prayer must diffuse all effort, impregnate all ventures, decide all issues. The Christian soldier must be as intense in his praying as in his fighting, for his victories will depend much more on his praying than on his fighting.
E.M. Bounds
Pessimists or optimists
Someone has said that the difference between a pessimist & an optimist is that a pessimist sees a problem in every opportunity. But an optimist sees an opportunity in every problem. Whenever the children of God have faced great adversity in advancing the gospel, they’ve also had great opportunity. None greater than the opportunity to pray.
We are living in another of those crucial spiritual moments.
Sustaining churches and ministries using media for God’s work will take great commitment, great resources and great sacrifice. It will take innovative ideas, bold strategies and new business models.
It will take leaders following in the footsteps of the “men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do.” (1 Chronicles 12:32)
It will take Christians getting out of the pews and into the battle.
It will take Christians everywhere willing to pray with one heart and one mind, “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.” (Acts 4:29)
As it was in the 1st century, so it can be again in the 21st century, when “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
Let this sacred occasion, the 60th Annual National Day of Prayer, be a reminder that the greatest opportunity for doing God’s work is to call on Him together in prayer.
The future of Christian media depends on it.