Rusty Benson
AFA Journal associate editor
January 2012 – “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” the old adage goes. That wisdom could apply to the National Religious Broadcasters (www.nrb.org), an organization with a rather institutional sounding name, but with a mission that is anything but ordinary.
“NRB was born in the fires of adversity to keep the doors of electronic media open for the spread of the gospel,” said Frank Wright, NRB president and CEO. “That battle began in 1944 and is still being fought today in Washington, D.C. There are so many ways – by regulation, legislation or legal action – that people attempt to stop the gospel message.”
Wright has a long history of involvement in Christian communications, including a 25-year association with the ministries of the late Dr. D. James Kennedy. Today, Wright spends much of his time in the nation’s capital, building relationships with decision makers and advocating on behalf of Christian communications organizations.
On a recent visit to the American Family Radio network, Wright discussed the work of NRB.
AFA Journal: Why should Christians who are not in the broadcasting business care about the work of NRB?
Frank Wright: Because NRB is about proclaiming the gospel. When I took this position, one of our NRB members said: “Frank, it is all about access.” I heard that many times. Then I realized it’s not just about access. It is about access for the gospel. What good is access to media platforms if you are not proclaiming truth?
AFAJ: What does proclaiming truth look like for NRB?
FW: We have a three-fold purpose: to advance biblical truth, to promote media excellence and to defend free speech.
AFAJ: How do you do that?
FW: NRB is a membership organization. We have created a framework to insure that our members stay true to the Scriptures. It’s a seven-part statement of faith like one of the historic creeds, like the Apostles’ Creed. If members get off the reservation – and we’re not talking about denominational doctrine – they will not long be a member of NRB.
AFAJ: How does that work?
FW: We have an ethics committee to deal with charges that might be brought against an NRB member for doctrinal error, but that is rare. What happens more often is that organizations are denied membership when they can’t legitimately subscribe to the NRB statement of faith.
AFAJ: How do you promote excellence in Christian broadcasting?
FW: First, we promote the idea that as Christians we need to do our jobs as well or better than the secular media. After all, we are ultimately doing it for the glory of God. So, we offer training and leadership development opportunities and give awards that recognize excellence in broadcasting.
AFAJ: How does NRB defend free speech?
FW: This is the core of what we do. In Washington, D.C., there are three major arenas where we engage: legislative, which is Congress; regulatory, the Federal Communications Commission; and legal, the courts. From time to time, all three of those tend to impinge on our freedom to proclaim an unfettered gospel. So, we work diligently at the FCC, in the House and Senate, with the administration in various executive branch agencies and in the courts, mostly at the appeals level to defend free speech. If we don’t stand up and defend free speech we are going to experience what has happened in European nations, and even what has happened in Canada. Clearly, media outlets in those countries do not have the freedom to proclaim the gospel in their broadcasts.
AFAJ: I assume that you often have the opportunity to speak to NRB members privately and as a group. What do you tell them about their responsibility in proclaiming the gospel?
FW: In my last address at the NRB national convention, I said, “You know, we face all these external threats to limit the gospel message. But the most serious threat comes when we censor ourselves and fail to proclaim the full counsel of God.”
Recently, I have been closing my speeches with this simple question: “What are you going to do in the next year to take the gospel wider and farther and deeper into the culture than it has ever been before?”
At the next NRB convention I’m planning to exhort our members to be clear and explicit with the only power that God has given us – the gospel of Christ. 
