It's OK To Be "Christian" On Christian Radio!

I think there can be a programming tendency-in an attempt to draw in more listeners- to keep things from becoming "too Christian."

Funny thing is, our listener expects us to reflect their values, and that includes faith. It would be very tough to program a CCM station and then be asked to minimize Christian values and beliefs.

In my life, I have always taken the approach to be unashamedly Christian, both on and off the air. In fact, the programming and on-air staff at KTIS makes great effort to share Christ in a humble, confident and honoring way. Not in an arrogantly or haughtily, but as fellow followers of Christ on the same road together, humbly living out real life and letting faith, love, courage, whatever, shine through.

That is our differentiator. That is our brand. That is what makes us who we are. So when a song like Sanctus Real's "Confidence" released last year at this time, we jumped on it right away. Why? Because, for me, I thought of it as the ultimate "Sunday School" song! What mom wouldn't want her kids singing about faith like Daniel, hope like Moses, and a heart like David? I thought, "Wow, when was the last time we heard about Bible names in a radio single?" I jumped on the song immediately for that reason.

It helps us to be bold. The song and the theme is actually unique and refreshing. To be sure, my training in secular radio would have me saying, "Woah-way, way too churchy!" But I think we've all come too far to now balk at communicating explicitly-Christian perspectives as a Christian radio station.

When we get to know our listener-and serve them, then it is a whole new day. I have found in my life, it takes time to learn how to see things like this. It takes some time to see things in a new way. Perhaps there are one or two things at your station that you might chose to see in a new way in 2019. And while you are reading this, there is a crowd of thousands gathering in the largest Mall in America to sing that song with Sanctus Real in an amazing testimony to God, that just might-with God's blessing-draw in a few more listeners!