“This is NOREA RADIO broadcasting at Radio Luxembourg…” I still remember the real encouragement it was to me as a teenager in the late 70’s to listen to these Christian youth programmes on this popular radio channel. Not only did the programmes provide me with good biblical content, it also modelled Christian media presence in a major entertainment media channel. But at that time, an evangelical media ministry such as NOREA[i] was different from other “non-media” mission organizations.

Three decades later, the new media technologies are transforming every Christian ministry into media outlets, at least in technology-rich contexts. Such technological platforms as the internet, the mobile phone, and satellites create innumerable new opportunities and arenas for sharing the biblical Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It is natural to ask ourselves whether we are sufficiently creative and critical in our engagements with the contemporary media technologies. This includes whether we are proactive with new social media.

However, in the midst of our legitimate enthusiasm for the new transforming media technologies we need to remind ourselves of three fundamental realities:

• Theological content is much more important than technological context.
• The human touch is much more important that the technological touch.
• Cultural relevance is much more important than technological relevance.

These are some of the reasons why I am convinced that The Cape Town Commitment will be a key document for all of us.

But when all this is said, we need to encourage and equip each other to “go online” as missional churches and organizations with the authentic and relevant biblical Gospel.

 

[i] NOREA = Nordic Radio Evangelistic Association, which is a Scandinavian independent partner of Trans World Radio. Recently, NOREA RADIO has changed its name to NOREA MEDIA MISSION.