I've been doing online podcasting/internet radio now for almost ten years. It will be ten years in May 2015, and it's interesting because in that time, I've found a few things to be consistently true about Christians and how they consume Christian media. Here they are...
1. Just like the world, Christians love controversy. You can discuss politics, homosexuality, abortion, pre-trib, post-trib etc and as long as there is a difference of opinion and someone bashing another believer with different views, you will get ratings.
2. Christians love to fight over things that honestly do NOT matter. I've witnessed insane attacks on believer on believer because the Reformed Camp loves to attack the Dispensational camp. You'd think that both camps would get a clue and realize that their theological beliefs aren't about them... but see, that IS Americanized Christianity.
3. By and large the word EVANGELISM is a word that scares the potatoes out of Christians. The reason why is because so few self professed Christians actually evangelize and so just the word scares them.
4. Another word, especially in radio, that just sinks ratings to the basement is MISSIONS. OMG... don't ever do a show on missions if you want someone to hear you. Missions is like the coffin for Christian radio. If you want your show to die a slow painful death, discuss missions.
5. Christian persecution. When I started doing this ten years ago, virtually no one was discussing Christian persecution. Thank God, NOW, some people are and the more people in America begin to feel the sting of being a follower of Jesus, the more people will wake up. I actually believe the reason so few in the so called body of Christ actually discuss missions or Christian persecution, is because 99.9% of people who say they are Christians, aren't.
6. Last thing to kill a radio show rating is discussing the bible. Bible study to be more specific.
Here's what I've learned in a decade of doing a show with about 30,000 downloads a month. People want to hear bad news. They want you to debate politics. They want you to expose evil (to a degree) and they do NOT want to do anything once you actually tell them what is going on.
In fact, some of the most vicious email I have ever received has been from Christians who flamed me because I told them what was happening with the homosexual agenda. People in my former church... to be even more specific.
Few people enjoy shows that bring glory to Christ and are about Him. Few people will sit and hear a sermon about evangelism or missions.
Pretty pathetic huh?
But I can have on Gavin MacLeod on my show and thousands tune in. Today I had on a representative from Wycliffe Bible Translators and I had 5 listens. FIVE.... five people of 30,000 tuned in.... pathetic isn't it.
Well, despite the horrific state of the American church, I will continue to discuss the things most Christians hate. Missions, evangelism, and telling the truth about what is happening in the culture. Unlike the paid off possies in most ministries, I don't make a paycheck for what I do and I honestly am not out to be a kiss ass or man pleaser. If that was the case, I'd do something completely different.
My only hope and prayer is that someone from a place where they can't hear the gospel or get the gospel message easily, will tune in and find the God of Love who loves them. I heard from a young man in the Philippines recently and I'm sure he's telling a few friends. My my mouth to God's ears.
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