Wow, that's deep Brant. I appreciate your honesty. I always thought it would be awesome to be able to minister in some way AND get paid for it, but you're right. It comes with a certain guilt doesn't it? The truth is, God sees our hearts and not our words in pretense. I think that it's easy for a lot of us to go through the motions of being a Christian even if we are in the ministry business. But the sure fact that you are confessing this to all of us is proof of your humility. Only God can judge your heart, but I wouldn't be so ******* yourself. We Christians want a radio station that is different from the rest of what the world listens to. If you weren't getting paid to do your job, we wouldn't be blessed with the music you play and the show that you bring us. I love listening to your show in the morning.
Thanks!
Angie

Thanks tons, Angie.

I really don't feel guilty about earning a living in Christian radio, unless I find myself saying things about Jesus, or using Christian-ese, BECAUSE I get paid for it.

I don't ever want to use Jesus as a means to an end. He's the End. But there's a certain challenge that comes with being in professional Christian ministry of any sort.

Brant,

I just woke up to your comment about "getting paid for your faith" and I want you to know how much I appreciate your honesty about questioning your motives every day before going on-air. I was in a position at my church for 7 years where I designed & operated (or coordinated volunteers to run) the visual media for Sunday Services. For the last couple years of that, I only did it because I was getting paid to do it, and finally after much prayer, and though it was difficult to lose the income (small as it was), I told the pastor I could not continue in the ministry because my motivation was the money, not the worship. God honored the whole situation by providing someone immediately to take over the ministry (I had not been able to find anyone to do this for most of the 7 years) and God also provided me, immediately, with another means for an income (I am a stay-at-home Mum) that was not at conflict with my faith.
Again, thank you for talking about the 'conflict' of paid ministry.
Sandii, Harrisburg PA

Sandi -- Thanks for your honesty, too. It mirrors an experience I had, as a church youth minister.

I realized I was doing it for security's sake, and became increasingly convicted about it. Dangerous, because we already had a kid, but I quit without having another job ahead. I just thought God would take care of us, someway, somehow. I filled at an application at Wal-Mart that day, and later that day, was offered my first-ever job in radio, as a guy on a morning show. I do, in retrospect, think God has been exceedingly faithful. I want to return the favor.

Brant, you shared exactly what i feel like most of the time i'm on the air. I've never been the get-real-religious-on-the-air type. But i've also never really shared my heart or what i think about this life, living in it, and being a follower of Jesus. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this as it's something i think most people in Christian radio deal with on some level. And thanks for being real on the air. It's helping me try to do the same.

Hey Brant,
I'm glad you talked and wrote about this topic. It's something I've wondered about because I've felt for some time that God is preparing me for public speaking. It's something I definitely want to do and I want to share my personal story of redemption and the freedom extended to me by Christ while encouraging others to surrender all and put total faith in God, but I feel weird pursuing it too much because the fact is, I'd have to make a certain amount of money doing it. I think you're right, if we're getting paid to talk about Jesus, we MUST honor our Provider by speaking truthfully and being authentic/transparent instead of just saying what the ones with the money want to hear. You and Nikki and Pablo do a tremendous job of this every morning and I appreciate it so much. It is SO refreshing to turn on the radio and hear you guys talking just like my friends and I do when we're together and know you serve my Lord. Keep it up!
Erin

Wow. I love what you had to say, and you're right! Those moments when I "slip" and say what I really feel about a situation and see the blood drain from co-host's face I close the mic and expect the caller to rake me over the coals for not being something I could never be: perfect. Instead, 9 times out of 10 it's a woman who feels just like I do and she thought she was the only one. We end up doing what the body of Christ is suppose to do, encouraging each other like sisters. Those moments are priceless, and in my opinion, what being "real" and connecting with each other is all about. Thanks!!

Brant,

I appreciate your honesty. My take on this: my family has been in ministry for generations. My Great-Grandfather planted churches, most of his children are in ministry, my Father was a pastor, my Aunt is a singer and recording artist. I have watched over the years as my parents struggled to make it because my Father didn't make much pastoring. The thing is, the word says that a workman is worth his hire. Whether you work construction, or do Christian radio, or are an evangelist or missionary, God knows what you need to make it through life monetarily. Sometimes He provides miraculaously, but most of the time, we get paid a regular paycheck, and according to this scripture, that's ok. And I believe Jesus is ok with that. He actually commands us to take care of our families, and I don't think He expects us, if He calls us into ministry, to work without pay.

As far as speaking"Christian-eese": well, we all do it, we tend to do this when we're around each other, and more so, your job kinda lends itself to it. Most of us can hear the heart through the "christian-esse" and those of us who can't, either will not listen, or tune you out. Either way, we are still getting the messgae through the music, and that, as I understand it, is what Christian radio is all about. It's a ministry for those of use who don't want to listen to the stuff that the world puts out, and alerts us to new ways and new songs to worship to. And, if you were failing, the Word wouldn't be where it is today.

Keep up the good work, I enjoy listening to you when I can.

Thank you for your honesty really made me think.

I listen to your show in the morning, on my way to work, and I absolutely love it! Keep up the good work on proclaiming who Christ is!

I believe it comes to authenticity. I've been on both worked at a secular station and as well as listener supported Christian Station.
We are told to smile when we speak into the microphone...because listeners can hear you smile. The same is true...of Christian snippets when tossed over the airwaves...Christian listeners can hear the authenticity of our walk in our voices. So if we are throwing a facade about our faith...it will be seen and heard. I think that is hypocrisy.

I, too, have not tossed in the towel on Christian Radio. I no longer work over the air.

As a Christian, I'm called to glorify God in all that I do. And that is being vulnerable to my shortcomings as a follower of Jesus and fall face down seeking forgiveness to Him daily. In our weakness, He is strong. And He presents to us trials that make us rely on Him...so that He may be glorified. I want my life to be one that screams that I need Christ in every moment. Am I ready to count the cost...(crickets chirping). And that is being honest. But through the process of santification, I'm learning daily what that means.

i wish the endless conference-peddling, book-hawking, hollywood-image enamored, Christian marketing machine and all involved would get a conscience, or at least half the conscience that is displayed in your post.
i wonder what response you've gotten from the 'Christian radio industry website' readers.

I agree with your thoughts and appreciate your struggle. One word of caution, though, is to not measure your obedience to Christ by achievements in this world.

Some errantly interpret God's blessings as the confirmation of alignment with His will. (e.g. "God must want me in this job because I keep getting raises" OR "I must not be doing what God wants because it's hard to pay the bills.")

I personally think it's just as theologically dangerous to look at our sacrifice to prove obedience. (e.g. "Nobody likes me and I have no money, so I must be living for Jesus" OR "If I just give up a little more, God will have to be happy with what I'm doing.")

If we focus for too long on either God's blessings or our sacrifices, we're missing the point. If our hope is in the world to come, neither blessings nor sacrifices on earth are of much importance, and neither proves our heart and devotion.

It all reminds me of a quote I once heard: "There's no shower strong enough to wash the ********** off your soul." I apologize if the strong language offends anyone, but it seems quite appropriate. That's why Christ's blood and love is necessary. It washes and transforms that which needs to be transformed, but would love to resist.