National Religious Broadcasters

The information on this page was last updated 2/3/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]

Summary

NRB is a nonpartisan, international association of Christian communicators whose member organizations represent millions of listeners, viewers, and readers. NRB works to protect the free speech rights of our members by advocating those rights in governmental, corporate, and media sectors, and works to foster excellence, integrity, and accountability in our membership by providing networking, educational, ministry, and relational opportunities.

Contact information

Mailing address:
National Religious Broadcasters
660 North Capitol Street NW
Ste. 210
Washington, DC 20001

Website: nrb.org

Phone: 202-543-0073

Email: [email protected]

Organization details

EIN: 221841274

CEO/President: Troy Miller

Chairman: Frank Wright

Board size: 50

Founder: 150 Christian broadcasters and church leaders

Ruling year: 1969

Tax deductible: Yes

Fiscal year end: 06/30

Member of ECFA: Yes

Member of ECFA since: 1981

Purpose

NRB is a unique group of people, united by purpose and message: to spread the life-changing truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through every electronic medium available. Our member outreach touches every continent through Christian radio, television, Internet and other platforms. We hold deeply-rooted beliefs that religious liberty is the cornerstone of a free society, and that we must protect those freedoms so that the transforming reality of Jesus Christ can reach hearts and minds the world over.

We provide our members with important resources and effective tools to help them reach their mission goals. NRB also fosters unity among its members, promoting their passion to share knowledge and find solutions to challenges, thereby increasing excellence in their craft. NRB protects access to the world's electronic and digital media, ensuring that the Gospel goes out unhindered around the world.

Mission statement

The Association exists to represent the Christian broadcasters' right to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. NRB works to equip, advocate for, and encourage Christian communicators.

Statement of faith

1. We believe the Bible to be inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.

2. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father and in His personal return in power and glory.

3. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential, and is administered solely by the grace of God through our faith in Jesus Christ.

4. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.

5. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.

6. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

7. We believe the following about marriage and human sexuality:

Preamble

We believe that all matters of faith and conduct must be evaluated on the basis of Holy Scripture, which is our inspired, infallible, and inerrant guide. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Since the Holy Bible does speak to the nature of human beings and their sexuality, it is imperative that we correctly understand and articulate what the Bible teaches on these matters.

We are committed to the home and family as set forth in Holy Scripture. We believe God has ordained and created marriage to exist between one man and one woman, with absolute marital fidelity. The Bible sets forth specific home and family values, which include the distinct roles of husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, and children. It is our firm conviction that we uphold the dignity of each individual as we embrace the unchanging and longstanding principles of scriptural truth.

Religious Beliefs

Based on Holy Scripture and the historic moral teaching of the Christian Church, we believe:

Marriage - National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) defines marriage as the permanent, exclusive, comprehensive, and conjugal "one flesh" union of one man and one woman, intrinsically ordered to procreation and biological family, and in furtherance of the moral, spiritual, and public good of binding father, mother, and child. (Genesis 1:27-28, Genesis 2:18-24, Matthew 19:4-9, Mark 10:5-9, Ephesians 5:31-33)

Sexual Immorality - NRB believes that sexual acts outside marriage are prohibited because they are sinful. Consequently, NRB members must resist and refrain from any and all sexual acts outside marriage - including but not limited to adultery, fornication, incest, zoophilia, pornography, prostitution, voyeurism, pedophilia, exhibitionism, sodomy, polygamy, polyamory, sologamy, or same-sex sexual acts. (Exodus 20:14, Leviticus 18:7-23, Leviticus 20:10-21, Deuteronomy 5:18, Matthew 15:19, Matthew 5:27-28, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-13, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, Hebrews 13:4, Galatians 5:19, Ephesians 4:17-19, Colossians 3:5)

Sexual Identity - NRB believes that God created mankind in His image: male (man) and female (woman), sexually different but with equal personal dignity. Consequently, NRB members must affirm their biological sex and refrain from any and all attempts to physically change, alter, or disagree with their predominant biological sex - including but not limited to elective sex-reassignment, transvestite, transgender, or non-binary "genderqueer" acts or conduct. (Genesis 1:26-28, Romans 1:26-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

Sexual Orientation - NRB believes that God created and ordered human sexuality to the permanent, exclusive, comprehensive, and conjugal "one flesh" union of man and woman, intrinsically ordered to procreation and biological family, and in furtherance of the moral, spiritual, and public good of binding father, mother, and child. Consequently, NRB members must affirm the sexual complementarity of man and woman and resist any and all same-sex sexual attractions and refrain from any and all same-sex sexual acts or conduct, which are intrinsically disordered and sinful. (Genesis 1:27, Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6, Mark 10:5-9, Romans 1:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Ephesians 5:25-27, Revelation 19:7-9, Revelation 21:2)

Sexual Redemption - NRB believes that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and should seek redemption through confession, repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ. Consequently, NRB members must welcome and treat with respect, compassion, and sensitivity all who experience same-sex attractions or confess sexually immoral acts but are committed to resisting sexual temptation, refraining from sexual immorality, and conforming their behavior to NRB's Statement of Faith. (Matthew 11:28-30, Romans 3:23, Ephesians 2:1-10, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Hebrews 2:17-18, Hebrews 4:14-16)

Celibacy - NRB believes that Holy Scripture grants two life-enhancing options for human sexual behavior: (1) the conjugal "one flesh" marital union of one man and one woman, and (2) celibacy. Either is a gift from God, given as He wills for His glory and the good of those who receive and rejoice in His gift to them. Celibacy and faithful singleness is to be celebrated and affirmed within NRB. (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18, 21-24; Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:5-8; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Corinthians 7:1-8; Matthew 19:12; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Romans 12:10; 1 Timothy 5:1-2)

Application

All of our members, employees, and volunteers of the association must affirm and adhere to this Doctrinal and Religious Absolute statement on marriage and human sexuality to qualify for involvement with the ministry. This is necessary to accomplish our religious mission, goals and purpose. Behavior or counter-witnessing that does otherwise will impede and burden our integrity and religious mission. We believe that God's grace can wipe the slate of guilt and sin, though the consequences are still incurred.

Authority

The Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God, acting as the source of authority over morality, our beliefs, Christian lifestyle and conduct. The NRB Board of Directors is charged with the ministerial responsibility of Biblical interpretation and promulgating religious policy. On behalf of the association, the NRB Board of Directors will determine life application as well as final matters relating to church theology, philosophy, Christian practice, faith, divine truth, morality, and theological and doctrinal resolutions.

9. We believe the following about the sanctity of human life and abortion:

Preamble

NRB believes that all matters of faith and conduct must be evaluated on the basis of Holy Scripture, which is our inspired, infallible, and inerrant guide. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Because Holy Scripture speaks to creation and human life, it is imperative that we correctly understand, articulate, and abide by what Holy Scripture teaches on this matter.

NRB believes that God has created mankind in His image (Imago Dei) and that human life begins at fertilization. God, in his infinite sovereignty, uniquely formed human beings and gave them a special dignity, personal freedom, and individual accountability among all the works of creation. Human beings have been made for relationship with God and to be good and faithful stewards of creation. God created each person's inmost being, knitting each person together in his mother's womb. (Psalm 139:13) As God's individualized and personal creation, each person is fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14) God has ordained all the days of each person's life before he came to be. (Psalm 139:16)

Religious Beliefs

Based on Holy Scripture and the historic moral teaching of the Christian Church, NRB believes:

From the moment of fertilization until natural death, every human life is sacred because every human life has been created by God, in His image and likeness.

From the moment of fertilization, every human life must be recognized, respected, and protected as having the rights of a person and the inviolable right to life.

The right to life and physical integrity of every unborn human life is inviolable-it is not a concession made by society or the state, but is instead inherent to the unborn human life by virtue of its creation in the image of God.

Because human life begins at the moment of fertilization, it is against our religious and moral conviction to formally or materially cooperate in the termination of unborn human life.

We are strongly committed to the preservation and defense of unborn human life, which compels our religious, moral, and ethical duty to defend unborn human life from destruction, whether by surgical abortion or use of drugs, devices, or services that have the intent, design, effect, or risk of terminating unborn human life or preventing its implantation and growth post-fertilization.

The Church and all her ministers and ministries should publicly witness to society and to the state regarding the intrinsic, inherent, and inviolable dignity of all human life, from fertilization to natural death.

Donor confidence score

Transparency grade

A

To understand our transparency grade, click here.

Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Advocacy

Category	Rating	Overall rank	Sector rank
Overall efficiency rating		716 of 1106	24 of 42
Fund acquisition rating		421 of 1107	12 of 42
Resource allocation rating		1020 of 1107	39 of 42
Asset utilization rating		498 of 1106	20 of 42

Financial ratios

Financials

Compensation

Compensation data as of: 6/30/2022

Response from ministry

No response has been provided by this ministry.

The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 2/3/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]

History

In the early 1940s in America, the emerging culture of hostility between socalled mainline Protestant denominations and the rapidly growing Evangelical Christian movement reached a crisis phase in the world of radio broadcasting. Protestant denominational leaders argued for regulations that would restrict access to the radio broadcast spectrum. They claimed independent Evangelical preachers who were unaccountable to any denominational entity could not be trusted with the public airwaves.

In those early years of radio broadcasting, pioneer Evangelical broadcasters like William Ward Ayer, Paul Rader, Donald Grey Barnhouse, Walter Maier, and Charles Fuller had built radio audiences in the millions and were faithfully proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By 1942 The Lutheran Hour was receiving more mail than the wellknown Amos 'n Andy radio program, and The Old Fashioned Revival Hour was the largest program on the Mutual Broadcasting System, purchasing 50% more airtime than the next largest secular broadcaster. In that same year, the Mutual Broadcasting System received more than 25% of its total revenue from religious broadcasters.

Yet in 1943, the Federal Council of Churches (later renamed the National Council of Churches) supported proposed regulations that would result in every Evangelical broadcaster being taken off the national radio networks. They demanded that religious broadcasting should only be aired as a public service during free or "sustaining" time donated by the radio networks. They further argued that these public service slots should only be allocated to "responsible" religious broadcasters that had been approved by local and national denominational councils - like themselves. The Federal Council of Churches was eventually able to persuade all three national radio networks - NBC, CBS, and the Mutual Broadcasting System - to adopt the proposed regulations. Subsequently every Evangelical Christian broadcaster was taken off the national radio networks, with their only access being small independent stations with a very limited audience.

In response to this challenge, 150 Evangelical Christian broadcasters and church leaders held a series of meetings which led to the formation of the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB). In the fall of 1944, members of the NRB adopted their Constitution, Bylaws, Statement of Faith, and Code of Ethics. And thus began a multiyear effort by NRB to build credibility for Evangelical broadcasters, to secure their fair share of the available public interest slots, and to overturn the ban on the purchase of radio airtime for religious broadcasting.

In 1949, that effort bore fruit as the newly formed ABC radio network reversed the ban on paid religious broadcasting, with the other networks following their lead. In a few short years, Evangelical radio broadcasters were again a dynamic and growing presence on major radio networks, with scores of new programs serving a vast national audience.

Seven decades later, the Christian multimedia association birthed by these visionary radio broadcasters operates in a far more complex electronic media environment, while retaining its original focus of defending and expanding access to electronic media platforms for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And the audience for religious broadcasters has expanded dramatically, with 141 million Americans listening to or watching some form of religious broadcasting at least once per month.

Program accomplishments

NRB is an international association of Christian communicators with more than 1,100 member organizations reaching millions of viewers, listeners, and readers. The Association exists to represent the Christian broadcasters' right to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.

Needs

Your donations enable NRB to continue advocating for access to the airwaves, promoting education and training, and providing networking opportunities to help promote the Gospel.