Podcast Episode 31
National Religious Broadcasters
with CEO Troy Miller & host Nick Walters
This episode features a Deep Dive interview focused on the founding and early development of the National Religious Broadcasters, the organization created in the 1940s to protect and advance the rights of Christian communicators. The guest is Troy A. Miller, President and CEO of NRB, whose leadership continues a long tradition of advocating for free expression and equal access for ministries using media to share the gospel. Instead of explaining the interview itself, this section provides historical context that helps frame why the founding of NRB remains significant.
NRB emerged at a time when evangelical broadcasters faced substantial obstacles on commercial radio. As radio grew into a national force, federal policies and network decisions increasingly limited access for Christian ministers and teachers. Many were denied airtime altogether. NRB was founded in 1944 to address these challenges and to secure fair treatment, viewpoint neutrality, and freedom from discriminatory practices. Its founders believed that Christian communicators should have the same opportunities as any other broadcaster, and they organized to make sure those protections were in place.
Over the decades, NRB helped open the door for Christian radio ministries, Christian television networks, missionary broadcasting, and now digital-first platforms that reach audiences around the world. The organization became a central gathering place for pastors, filmmakers, podcasters, authors, and media professionals committed to proclaiming Jesus Christ through every available form of communication. NRB’s work continued as technology evolved, from the rise of cable and satellite to today’s social platforms and digital media landscape.
The mission that launched NRB remains relevant today. Christian ministries rely on strong protections for free speech, equal access to communications platforms, and a unified voice that engages national debates about faith-based expression. Understanding the origins of NRB helps explain why its advocacy still matters for churches, ministries, and Christian communicators who depend on open channels to share the gospel.
September 20, 1921 – Hymn music writer William J. Kirkpatrick died at his home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A Civil War veteran and lifelong student of sacred music, Kirkpatrick became one of the most influential hymn composers in American evangelical life. He wrote the music for “Jesus Saves,” “He Hideth My Soul,” “Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It,” and “’Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus.” He also wrote both the words and the music to “Lord, I’m Coming Home.”
September 15, 1648 – In the midst of the English Civil War, the British Parliament approved both the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. These texts, along with the Westminster Confession of Faith passed two years earlier, became foundational documents for Reformed and Presbyterian theology. The catechisms provided structured teaching for generations of Christians and remain widely used in churches throughout the world.
