USA (MNN) — Hundreds of Christian communicators and ministry leaders met last week in California at the annual National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) convention. Find highlights here on NRB’s website. Speakers included media personality Mike Huckabee, pastor Greg Laurie, Sam Brownback – the U.S. ambassador at large for international religious freedom – and more.
MNN sent a team to the event, and so did Ron Hutchcraft Ministries. Ministry founder Ron Hutchcraft told us about a couple of trends he sees emerging in the world of Christian TV, film, and radio.
“I think there [are] two themes that seem to be coming through,” he begins, then describes how communication methods are on the rise and time is running out.
Gospel communication “by all means”
(Photo by Kristina Paukshtite from Pexels)
The media world is like a meadow full of wildflowers. The plant types are all the same – flowers – but the specific kinds are countless: poppies, sunflowers, daisies, cosmos, etc. In the media world, the end goal is the same – communication – but the specific methods are endless: TV, radio, film, social, etc.
“Everybody is trying to examine the enormous range of communication devices that are out there,” Hutchcraft says. “There is this feeling that we need to get the Gospel where people can reach it easily.”
Selecting the right method and media platform is essential, Hutchcraft adds, because the Gospel provides life-saving truth. He shares the following true story as an example.
Doctors diagnosed a woman in the South Pole with cancer, and she desperately needed medication which could only be delivered via plane. The plane couldn’t land in the village; its crew had to drop the package within a space identified by a circle of barrels. Thankfully, the aircrew completed its mission successfully and the woman received the life-saving medication she needed.
“Someone is dying, and what they need to survive has to be exactly within their reach,” concludes Hutchcraft. “It wasn’t enough that the plane was bringing it [or]…that it got dropped somewhere. It had to be dropped where [doctors] could reach it.
“We need to be dropping the Gospel where people can reach it.”
Hutchcraft’s daily “A Word With You” radio broadcast has touched countless lives with the Good News of Jesus Christ for more than 40 years. Another RHM ministry – On Eagles’ Wings – constantly utilizes various media to engage Native young people with the Gospel message. More about those ministries here.
“Work while it is day”
While meeting with Christian communicators and fellow ministry leaders at NRB 2019, Hutchcraft identified a second trend. “I think there is a sense that time is short,” he says.
“We don’t know how close [Christ’s] return is. I can’t predict a date; I just would say it looks more like what He said He would come back to than ever.”
Ministry leaders are sensing a rapid move toward the darkness among cultures and people, and a move away from the light, Hutchcraft adds.
So what?
If you’re a Christian, these trends apply to you, too.
“Live urgently; live importantly, please don’t be content to be a pew sitter and a meeting-attender and a committee member – it’s not enough!”
Prayer’s a good place to start. Ask the Lord to help you see the opportunities He puts in front of you. Pray for an obedient heart to follow wherever the Holy Spirit may lead.
Take an audit of your latest social media posts – do they point people to Christ? Consider using social media as an easy way to “live out” your faith.
Finally, consider studying this with your small group: A Life That Matters. It’s a book and group curriculum that motivates and equips believers to reach lost loved ones and friends for Christ.
Header image courtesy of NRB via Facebook.
