Producing Relevant Christian Programming

Many of us in Christian media work for a particular ministry. We may be the producer / director, or media director, or a shooter or an editor. Some are on the worship team of a church /ministry that has a television ministry. Our ministries' exposure in Christian media is regular – either weekly or daily, and quite predictable.

The question remains, is it working? Are we having an impact upon our world? Is “Christian Television” even worth watching? Does it present Judeo-Christian morals and values in such a way that our American culture is impacted?

First of all let me say that I personally am a product of Christian Television. For the past 35 years I have produced programs that have aired on CBN, TBN, PTL (INSP), CTN, DAYSTAR, and many other networks and syndicated TV stations across the country. But what does the face of Christian TV look like today? Some have described it as a ghetto. Others call it talking-head TV. Yet others see it as an infomercial for various churches and ministries – a continual stream termed ministry. But does it impact society? Now I don’t mean to be critical, but I believe it is high time we took a good look at the message, the methods, and the motives to see if we are really impacting our American society.
Let’s begin by looking at the condition of our nation and the world today. Islam is on the rise; the acceptance of sin as an alternative lifestyle is on the rise; and a switch from the good values we have had just a few decades ago is on the decline. Church attendance among the young is on the decline as well. What is the solution? Can it be found in Christian Media?

If you ask any pastor, he or she will tell you that what we all need is Jesus. He is the answer. But how do we motivate people to take the time to hear us out and learn about Jesus? If we really feel that watching our programs is the answer and the viewer doesn’t necessarily have to attend our church services in person, then the question remains, are our programs – the endless stream of sermons and Bible teaching day after day on nearly every Christian TV channel – are they doing any good? Are people watching and listening? Are our programs relating to the audience that needs our message the most – I am talking about the unsaved?

Can we as Christians in the media actually steer others to the right way – to Judaic or biblical values without sending a hostile message and without compromise? I believe we can – but we can’t do that and continue to “minister” to our traditional audience of middle-aged or older Christians who are paying the bills.

You and I both know that for the most part we are preaching to the choir. Christian television is designed mostly for Christians to enjoy. So when a ministry or minister decides that he wants to evangelize the unchurched, should his program go on “Christian Television?” Not necessarily. There are many other ways we can reach out to the lost than through Christian TV. Some have produced feature-films. Many have designed state-of-the-art websites and podcasts or God-casts to reach today’s generation, but still we are not reaching those across the oceans with the Gospel message. People in China and Japan, and most of Europe need the Gospel, too.

We may never agree on the type of program or the right medium to get the job done, but I want to challenge you who are visionaries – who are vibrant and youthful. Now is the time to use the technology that is out there to reach the unsaved in America and around the world. We have the creativity, but the realities of the situation are that we must consider the potential viewership, donor response, even ratings, as much as we consider the spiritual impact and financial return.

Some churches today think they “get it.” They have added the lights, the graphics, the awesome sound systems and are presenting today’s music in a manner that appeals to the youth of today. Quality and excellence have become bywords, but is it just a show – a program? Or is the Lord even there? Are we giving the Holy Spirit the freedom to move, to lead, to guide, to direct? Is He in control, or are we? And the ministers – some have fine-tuned their charismatic appeal, tweaked their style and made it appear as though their success depended upon the personality of the host as presenter.

I like programs that are authentic and creative – not the run of the mill variety. But that type of program requires a larger budget – just like all the whistles and bells in the church service require more technical equipment, larger staffs, more volunteers, and a larger budget.

There has to be a way to attract the “world” to genuine Christianity. Many have stepped out in pure faith and used the technology at hand in their attempt to effectively communicate the Gospel message. I applaud them for stepping out of the boat and walking on the water.

Reality secular television is becoming a “ghetto” of sorts. But the answer may lie there in that format. What if we focused upon Reality Christian Television themes? In any case, let’s use our influence in whatever state we find ourselves to be truly led by God’s Spirit, and just like 35 – 40 years ago when the Pat Robertsons and the Paul Crouches and the Jim Bakkers of the world tried a new thing and Christian Television was born – let’s see how the Holy Spirit will use this generation’s media ministers and the rest of us who work in the media to effectively reach the lost as well as teach and disciple Believers.

Let us allow the Lord to enable us to produce programs that relate to the unsaved and present the answer they are seeking and do it with excellence. Let us produce programs that are sincere as well as having excellent production values. If we are entertaining, let us put forth our Judeo-Christian values in our humor, in the situations we present. But let us make certain that we actually relate to our audience. What we present in the media must be relevant – real – and to do that we may possibly have to re-invent Christian programming. How we accomplish this on a grand scale is yet to be seen.

Let us encourage fresh vision, fresh approaches, innovative ways of utilizing websites and other methods to make our programming and media ministry relevant to today’s culture. Take for example the program series Travel The Road (TravelTheRoad).

The producers have done a wonderful job of relating to today’s culture and BTW they give the viewer the opportunity to travel vicariously and see the world through the travelers’ eyes.

I say that all of us who claim to be producers of Christian Media programming find out what this generation wants to experience in or from the media, then let’s deliver it – the reality of it, sharing the absolute truth, with sincerity, and whenever possible let’s produce programming that has entertainment value as well. And let’s weave in the Judeo-Christian values, too. Let’s utilize the technology, the new hardware, the new gear to provide the excellence, the skin, the method, but let us be creative with our message using new formats. Let’s provide the leadership to produce the programs that present themes about overcoming impossible odds, God (or good) triumphing over evil, messed up lives finding answers, etc. Let’s demonstrate through the productions our values that really show the world the reality of the Gospel and our Christian love, our beliefs, and why we believe the way we do. Let us present Jesus – our living Savior. Let us present the cross, self-sacrifice, what it means to be a real Christian. Let us present a God of miracles! Let us find the resources (the financial backing) to do it right!

I feel the urgency for each of us in whatever our capacity or sphere of influence is to seek the Lord and ask Him right now to show us what His will is for us in the media.

I know for myself, a few years back God spoke to me that one program series I was producing were off base theologically – just a bit – and that God was not pleased that I would have any part in this production. And since I could not change the concept, I had to back away, submitting to God, and quit producing that series. God just wouldn’t allow me any longer to have a part in the production of that series when it was not the Lord’s perfect will in the first place that this message even be on the air.

When we hear from the Lord and obey what He tells us to do, we will have favor and blessing. When we surrender to His will and not our own – His agenda and not ours, then the blessing will come. Everything will click!

As my pastor – Billy Joe Daugherty in Tulsa says, “Where God Guides, He Provides!” The resources will be there. God will call others alongside you to help you fulfill your vision just like Pat Robertson and The 700 Club and other similar pioneers of Christian Television caught the vision and raised the funds to launch Christian TV a generation ago.

God has you and me – each one of us in our individual spheres of influence for His purpose. For myself, I plan to seek the Lord more than ever before and ask Him to reveal just a glimpse or a vision of how He plans to use me in this next decade to influence our world – starting today – so that we as Christian producers of media resources might impact our culture with the Gospel message and enable millions to have the opportunity to come to the Lord while there is still time.