On the Road: How to Use Your God-Given Platform (from NRB)

Brad:
On today's episode of Go Mad with Doug and Brad, we are at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Florida, and we are so excited to share with you some of what God has been teaching our hearts through our time here.

Doug:
If you listen to anything in Christianity, you listen to Christian radio, you watch

Brad:
There's some very practical ambassador tips to go make a difference in the world around you in today's episode, so stay tuned.

Jesse:
Hey everyone, Jesse here, producer for Go Mad. Happy you joined us. On today's episode, Doug and Brad are live at NRB 2023.

That's the National Religious Broadcasters Convention. The Burrows share some stories from this year and from previous years attending. If you've listened to the podcast before, you know that we're passionate about leveraging every opportunity to be Christ's ambassadors.

Doug and Brad explore some insights that they found through NRV. that we think will be really helpful. Don't forget to leave a review if the episode speaks to you.

For now, let's go mad!

Brad:
Welcome everyone back to Go Mad with Doug and Brad. Now Doug we can't see Jesse right now. We can't.

Doug:
I'm gonna tell you why real quick We're in Orlando, but he's not. What? Yes, we're here at National Religious Broadcasters Convention. If you've never heard of this You should look it up because anything you listen to in the Christian world, anything you watch is happening the nuts and bolts All of the preparations, all of the um the advertisements, all of the many of the people that are behind it or that star in it. are here and you can get a really interesting grasp, a really interesting peek into the future of what is coming up.

Brad:
Yeah, and that's why I mean I there's so much energy around her because of all these people who are having conversations. Now you have conversations about people saying, hey, this is the radio program I have or want to do, this is the podcast, this is the movie, but really you have a lot of make a difference conversations having here in fact You may hear some of them in the background behind us because you w look, are you finding a s totally quiet spot at NRB? No, and that's part of the fun of it is because You're getting to be around like-minded people.

Doug:
So as you hear that noise in the background here, it can kind of get you excited because this is where we're having some of our most amazing guests. We've got Ted Bear coming up in a very soon future episode. Mark Job, the president of Moody Bible Institute.

Brad:
And others we're going to be sitting down with. But can you start with um An NRB hope story first. Let's do it.

I don't know if this is actually a hope story, but the so for years, you and Rick And our dad we're th they're you guys are going to NRB and you're talking about it and everything and then the time came and they were like, Ju Brad, you know, you're Probably should go. There's a lot of people to talk to, connect with, even about native things and and getting the word out about what God's doing, Native America. And I was like, eh.

I it was just it was this feeling of like that it's not my jam to kind of be in this setting where people like who can I talk to, who can I meet, and everything else. And then I was I I came my first year and I realized I had the wrong perspective about NRB. The reason that we're here now there are people who come and want to network in certain ways.

But what I learned is that there are so many people here, so many people around, from radio to TV to movies, to podcasting. Who are all about wanting to use their platform to make a difference for Jesus?

Doug:
And that's what this podcast is all about as believers. That's what our lives are about. You know, I was here a couple years ago, and there was a huge ballroom where there was an invitation to come see the first episode of a show.

And I was like, well that sounds that sounds interesting. I I sort of recognize the guy's name. So um I had a couple minutes, so I went to this grand ballroom that probably seats about 3,000 people now Two nights previously I was in there and there was this big almost this big party this celebration about a a movie studio And they had strobe lights and they had music pumping and all this energy and it was loud and raucous and you could not find a seat in there.

I didn't have this problem. Um when I came to this uh little first episode of this show, I walked in. About 3,000 seats and literally maybe 30 people there.

A guy walks up on the stage and he starts to tell a story. about how he had a a couple years ago, he had a big contract with uh secular movie studios that were that were hiring him to make faith based films. So he puts his first one out.

Called The Resurrection of Gavin Stone, and it bombs at the box office, and before the first weekend is out, he has lost that contract. And he said, this is why I have decided to work on this project. This is how the Lord brought me to this project Well the guy's name was Dallas Jenkins.

I've heard of him. And he was introducing a show called The Chosen. Wait.

I've heard of that. You'll go look it up. You may have heard heard of this, but there were thirty people.

You were one of the thirty people and you watched that first episode. Floored Absolutely floored and I remember thinking this is going to make a big impact if the other episodes are like this. Dad was there or Dad Ron, we got a chance to pray with Dallas right afterwards.

And he was very humble and not six months later that Josen was starting to become a a juggernaut. That is what is so cool about National Religious Broadcasters Convention is that you are getting a peek into not only What is coming down the pike in Christian entertainment and in Christian media, but also the heart behind it. And like Brad said, What I love about NRB is it is a microcosm of the entire body of Christ.

And just like the body of Christ internationally People that are here have different callings. Some are uh you'll you'll meet people who are into international missions and and using literally using ham radio to get into places like North Korea um other closed countries. You'll meet people that have forty million dollar budgets for their next big Christian movie Um there are folks who are into politics here, folks who are passionate about Israel here.

They all have this in common and this is why we love being here. Like Brad said, each has a calling. And they have recognized it.

They are put in the body of Christ with an assignment, each being an ambassador. And that's what I pray this podcast is when Brad and I are being as transparent as we can, all we really want is prayerfully. We pray about this all the time.

that the folks that we're talking with, you are friends and us, Brad, myself and Jesse, everyone involved That we will better understand from spending some time together what it is that God is asking us to do in this very crazy world. And how we can with our families, with our friends, with our coworkers, our wives, our children, how we can be Christ's ambassador. Because man, when people are trying to find answers in this world.

They're if they're going to be looking to a Christian without even realizing it. The rest of that verse, we are Christ's ambassadors as if God was making his appeal through us. We are God's billboard.

Yeah. Whether he's real or not. So National Religious Broadcasters NRB, a wonderful place.

We've got some Pretty fun cool stories to tell you and some amazing interviews coming up in the coming weeks from our time here.

Brad:
Now here's the uh here's a couple of my takeaways Doug from NRB and then I'm gonna ask you a couple of yours because these are takeaways that I feel apply to anyone listening right now because the reality is you may as we said in the Very beginning of this, there's gonna be something for you in this episode because we're not just here to talk about hey, we met here, we met there, or anything else. That's that what we wanted to do was give you a glimpse of how This kind of, as you said, microcosm, this this peek into what God is doing can motivate and be a part of equipping even believers who want to make a difference. Ephesians 5.

16 hit me. Make the most of every opportunity, because these days are evil. So that's one that that's kind of the first thing that I would say is a takeaway here.

that there are people here who are saying we want to make a difference. We want to have an impact. Now uh different people have a different focus here.

So I'm talking about kind of the ones that we meet with specifically um that we're talking with these kingdom thinkers who are saying, you know what? Well, how can we work together? And I'm gonna get to that in just a second.

But they're saying how can we work together?

Doug:
Because we want to make the most to work together. I know that's the uh that's Wait a minute. That sounds like unity. I'm gonna look at it somewhere it's somewhere in there.

Brad:
It's in there So it's it says, don't be fools then, but try to find out what the Lord wants you to do. That's in Ephesians 5 as well. So what we are looking at is What does God want us to do?

So that's that's number one takeaway is I would encourage you that as you're listening to this to say have a reset right now, even as we head into summer as it is a time to say, Lord, what is it you want me to be about even in these next few weeks as I have more time with my kids, as I have more time maybe to talk with neighbors, as I'm on vacation, whatever it might be. What are the things you want me to be focused on that will bring you glory because the days are evil and just because we have time off in the summer, just because we go on vacation, just because there's no school does not mean that we are not supposed to be making the most of every opportunity. So that's kind of my first takeaway from these times with people.

But the second one is what you were just uh we were just getting at there, Doug, is That the body of Christ when we work together with like-minded individuals Whatever our background, whatever our history, whatever our denomination. God can use that. Dad talks a lot about the uh the hand and the fist.

So you you right now if you're listening, unless you're driving, don't do this. We don't you know. Okay, well I'm gonna do this with you.

Take out your hand and just put five fingers up. You're just making count of five. There you go.

Okay. So then you try to Doug, let's slap each other real quick. That didn't really hurt, did it?

Doug:
How about that?

Brad:
I think they actually can hear that a little bit. So there we go. We that didn't really hurt now.

Make it into a fist. Ball it up into a fist. Now Doug.

What are you gonna do with that thing? I'm gonna hit you first and you tell me it does it. Hold on.

But that's the reality is that when instead of these separate fingers and we're all doing our own thing, we become this fist, this powerful force for the kingdom because we find like-minded people and that's what I like at NRB is do we uh work with everyone that's here? No. But do we uh say, hey, you know what?

Doug:
We're open to it. Exactly. You sit and talk with people.

Exactly. To work with other kingdom minded people Uh, I think it is so vital. One of my takeaways here, Brad.

I think it is so vital for a believer now that lives in our day and age. To be aware of what's happening in media and especially Christian media. There are so many amazing resources.

So many amazing movies, Christian movies, look, I'm not one let's not pretend here that Christian movies have a little bit of a history of not being so great in production values. Um some of 'em were okay. Some of them.

Um the most uh some of them even very terrifying in their early years. Yeah, yeah. What was that one called?

Brad:
I oh man, we just uh oh my goodness, just uh horrifying.

Doug:
But things like the chosen, like Jesus Revolution, even even things that are coming up for kids, there's so much greater quality And it is a great idea for a believer to know who their friends are, what makes their friends tick, especially ones that might not know Jesus, and keep your ear to the ground on something in media that might interest them because it's it can be hard sometimes, especially for someone who's not super open to spiritual things. To say, hey, can we sit down and talk about Jesus? But what you might be able to do is say, I there is a a show that I watch, and yes, there's some There are some spiritual undertones to it, but I want to tell you what I noticed in it that made an impact for me personally.

That something that was life-changing for me, and I wonder if you might be interested in watching this too. Um so we can share Jesus with people through what's coming out in media. We can communicate things about ourselves uh uh in what's coming out in Christian media.

So NRB is a great reminder of that, that there is great power in Christian radio in Christian Podcasting. What? Christian Podcast.

Did I see have I mentioned podcasting yet?

Brad:
Can people share podcasting Is that are they able to share that with friends?

Doug:
Can they leave reviews? I think they can. You turn a corner and you you don't know you're gonna see my my sister Lisa was here years ago and I have just gotten a picture of Brad uh with his family, they had started on the way to NRB.

We drove down here and he's standing next to Montgomery, Alabama. Yes, a statue and I went, wait, is that Rosa Parks? And then Lisa saw the text and she said, you know, actually when I was at NRB years ago, I saw Rosa Parks and had an amazing conversation with her.

She was very strong. She was amazing, a real hero by the way. Yep.

I was the my first year went to NRB We had just watched October Sky. My wife and I love that movie about Homer Hickam, the uh the guy who uh worked so closely with NASA and helped the first uh rocket propulsion systems. I'm saying that like I have any idea what that means to get to the moon And um and Homer Hickam is who that movie was about.

And sure enough I'm I'm walking around and I turn a corner and there he is with the book has just come out. I'm like, wait, Homer Hickam's a Christian And I got to talk with him a little bit and I went to a breakfast the other she he told me to blast off. So I w Oh no. What?

Doug, come on. I told him look, look, man, you go rocket. Okay, you go rocking with your with your should I keep going this?

Brad:
No, no. So then I uh just a few years ago I came to NRB. They you talk about the kind of random bumpins and there I am. I go to this uh breakfast, it's a uh ministry breakfast and Lots of people just kind of you just find a seat at a table.

So there I sit down and I'm like I look across the table. I didn't totally didn't notice before sitting down who was sitting there. Hercules, Hercules, Kevin Sorbo.

He was uh so God's not dead and everything, but originally Hercules and I'm just like I'm just eating breakfast, chilling with Kevin Sorbo. So it's it's an interesting world, but the reality is scared me brought out huge Sword out. That was weird.

Doug:
So bizarre. You think you think Kevin Sword will just use a regular body.

Brad:
This is how I help people.

Doug:
And I remember when you went to another breakfast here and you had ham for breakfast. No, no I I got to sit you sat with ten hams

Brad:
table. That was uh what did he say to you? Ken Ham if you have never seen it. Ken him loves his ministry, Answers and Genesis.

Doug:
But he also has a great sense of humor and so by the way, a great sense of humor with an Australian accent. is even better. If you've ever even things that aren't funny are funny are are engaging with an Australian accent. And Ken has a if you've never heard him talk, has a very strong

Brad:
They were uh they were winning an award for a lot of uh the media they've done with answers in Genesis and after I realized I was not eligible for it just by sitting at the table. I was I was willing to sit there, but I Ken just leaned over and I he I'm a stranger to him and he just leans over and said When they call our name, would you hoot and holler for us? I he was totally joking, I I think.

But he was totally joking and I I did anyway, but I so it's it's We get glimpses of just kind of the like you said, Doug, I think what those things show us when you get to have those conversations with seemingly random bumpins, you get to hear people's heart. And you realize that there's so much you look at social media, there is so much uh I think this would be another takeaway for me that I'd I think can apply to anyone. There's so much judgment out there on social media of motives of why someone is doing something, of well, oh, they did this in media or they're saying these words and everything, and there's not time taken to realize the heart behind something.

And I think we need to in life we need to be able to whether it is a celebrity, a Christian celebrity, which is a weird phrase, but uh someone that's really well known in Christian circles or It's our someone at our church, whatever it is, to not just jump to conclusions of why someone is doing something, what the motives are, but to sit and talk with them. to hear their heart because maybe when you hear their heart you'll be like, oh that's something I want to be involved with. That's something I want to be part of.

Doug:
You know, another takeaway from you Brad that is for anybody, not just coming to NRB. is we need to as God's people give a lot of thought to supporting um with our prayers and with our resources, our financial resources, media companies, especially ones That are serious about getting the gospel out to the lost and especially the lost that might be considered on the fringe or ones who are very Hard to reach. I was just in a conversation in a meeting with dad and with Rick Whitmer um with a place called Far East Broadcasting.

I believe it's company, F E B C and with the gentleman named Ed Cannon who's the president of it in the whole conversation we thought we were gonna be talking business Boy, the first 80%, the first uh the the main part of the conversation was hearing their heart for How heartbreaking it is that there are so many in places like North Korea, places like Ukraine, where they have a strong ministry. They actually have radio going on in Ukraine there Um, and how desperate people the more desperate the life situation is, being under a dictatorship or being in a war, the more desperate people are for hope And many times the only way people are receiving hope is through relief organizations, yes, which is awesome, which by the way, speaking of, Franklin Graham actually spoke here last night ahead of Samaritan's Purse But the primary way a lot of people are getting their hope in what seem like hopeless situations are through these international radio ministries. And it's Disheartening to hear sometimes how little resourcing there can be for that kind of thing.

Because look, I'm all I do this myself. Both Brad and I do. We give money to places like Compassion, World Vision, Food for the Hungry.

Um because we need to be caring about those in those situations. That's how we show Jesus love. But there is a great need.

in the body of Christ for more that are out and getting the hope of Jesus to some of the hardest to reach people on this planet They need our prayer. Yes, I'm I'm praying for the young man that's on our that's on our refrigerator because we're supporting him in that way. But but these places I was listening to these stories, Brad, of their people in Ukraine and and their president was telling the story of how The next day we had to go and and bring all of our radio people to another place because this gal's apartment was in ruins, was in rubles 'cause it got hit by a rocket, or they were in danger of getting killed, so we but we refused.

to stop broadcasting even if we had to travel a hundred miles overnight to get somewhere safer. So just amazing. So just be in prayer, do some research about who really connects.

We're all about Heart Connects. We're all about what we call heart matches at at RHM and on Eagles Wings. Find media companies, radio, TV, podcasting, that you connect with on a heart level And commit to pray for 'em and commit to give them some resources to do the incredibly important work they're doing.

Brad:
And I'll say A small gift with some of those organizations can go a long way. Uh the one last thing, Doug, am I allowed to uh can I be honest? Am I I mean this is this isn't happy go lucky on us.

This is kind of I'm checking it. A challenge honesty. Hold on, I'm Googling this.

Hold on a sec. Honesty is the best Policy? Poly policy.

Policy. All right, there we go. Honesty.

In that case, I think we're safe. Well One other takeaway from being here. There are a lot of great ministries and organizations doing a lot of great things.

But one of the things that uh is hard is when people lose focus on the most important messages. Which the most important message is getting the hope of Jesus and the gospel out there. Now there are other arenas where you need to have a voice and represent truth.

But as soon as something becomes a distraction, when if it's politics, if it's media, whatever it is, if it becomes a distraction From the primary goal of making Jesus known and discipling people in how they can walk with Jesus, being an ambassador. You need to take a step back and say, Lord, how do you want me to reset and how do you want me to make the most, going back to the Ephesians 5, make the most of every opportunity. So it's just an encouragement to those who are listening right now to make sure you use the platforms God has given you to make a difference for his glory.

There's so many things that can distract us in this world. Don't let the things of earth distract you from what God wants you to do to make his name known.

Doug:
A great way you can tell if you're being distracted. Is see how you're doing in the tone with which you're communicating. Oh.

Because the great thing about God's word, we don't have to guess About when when Jesus gives us the Great Commission, we read God's word, all of Paul's letters, there is so much instruction about what our communication will be like. So it's gonna be wise. It's going to be gentle.

Wait a minute. It's going to be gentle. It's going to be loving.

Uh, and so if The media that uh you're loving and consuming uh has Christians that aren't necessarily being Loving, and gentle in their communication, and maybe look somewhere else.

Brad:
Ephesians four twenty-nine. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs. So we can glorify God through that.

Doug:
That's good, Doug. We have had an amazing time at this National Religious Broadcasters. I uh it's in Orlando this year, so Brad and I did Bring our families with us. There are apparently a couple things to do down here in Orlando. I w we would have brought them right if it was in North Dakota.

Brad:
Sure. So I'm probably the home of NRB and I actually I I really like when they're there in National. You know, it's music sound.

Forty of them. What about your boots? And thank you for coming along with us for just a few minutes today on this episode of Go Mad.

We Well hope and pray you are encouraged and challenged a little bit in some of the takeaways we've had from our time here. As Doug mentioned, we are excited about the week's head where we Sit down with Ted Bear, sit down with Mark Job and others, and where you get to hear some of what God's doing through these other men and women of God who are here this week.

Doug:
So until next time, go mad.