Christians working in the media are playing a vital role in helping a new generation discover the Gospel, according to the Bishop of Horsham.
Rt Rev Ruth Bushyager says growing numbers of people, particularly younger generations, are exploring faith through podcasts, documentaries and social media rather than traditional church services.
Speaking at the Christians in Media 'Engage' conference in London, she described what she believes is a significant shift in attitudes towards Christianity.
She said "aggressive secularism" has become the "dominant story" making it feel "like a drought that we've had for a few decades", adding that it had been a "dry environment for mission and evangelism.”
However, she continued, “Now, we are living through this shift, and we are seeing an extraordinary set of things happening that is really exciting. The rising generation is saying ‘I have feasted on the secularism that you have fed me, and it has made me sick. Where can I go to find people who will tell me the truth about who I am and how I can find hope and healing?’
“There is this beautiful openness to the gospel primarily among the young, although not exclusively, and churches are welcoming in all these lapsed atheists. The hunger is just there.”
Bishop Bushyager said there were now encouraging signs of renewed spiritual interest, with many young people questioning whether secular society could provide the meaning, hope and identity they were seeking.
The bishop told the delegates, from a wide range of media roles that they were often the first people introducing individuals to Christianity. She said many people were encountering Christian messages through online videos, podcasts and other digital platforms, sometimes before ever entering a church: "Most of these people are not hearing about truth from the kinds of pulpits that people like me stand up in. They are hearing it from you in the media. That’s their first experience.
“They are hearing it on a podcast, in a documentary, in a column, in a 30-second clip on their phone at one o’clock in the morning. You are standing at the frontline of this shift.”
Bishop Bushyager also acknowledged the challenges facing Christians working in journalism, broadcasting and entertainment, including criticism and hostility towards their beliefs.
She thanked Christian media professionals across denominations for continuing to represent their faith in an often difficult working environment.
The conference explored how Christians can communicate truth, love and integrity in an increasingly divided society.
