The NRB 2025 Media Leadership Dinner proved to be an evening of profound insights and shared purpose, bringing together leaders who are on the frontlines for free speech, shaping the landscape of Christian communication.
David Pierce, Chief Media Officer at K-LOVE, opened the gathering with a word of prayer, blessing the leadership represented in the room and asking for “courage to be able to proclaim with humility the message of grace through Jesus.”
The event was sponsored by Christian Health Care Ministries (CHM) and the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). Craig Brown, president & CEO of CHM, stated their mission is that “health care should be about wellness through compassion, stewardship, and freedom.”
Abigail Robertson, host and producer of the CBN News podcast, shared a timely message to the gathering of Christian media professionals.
“This is a time to get bold and to find creative ways to work together and to support each other as we use these new media and new technologies to go and make disciples of all nations and fulfill the Great Commission,” Robertson said.
The highlight of the evening was the address by Jonathan Turley, a nationally recognized legal scholar who has written extensively on constitutional law, legal theory, and tort law. He has served as a counsel in some of the most notable cases of law in the last two decades. Turley is a consultant on homeland security and constitutional issues and is a frequent witness before the House and Senate. He is ranked 38 in the top 100 most-cited public intellectuals and is the second most-cited law professor in the country.
“One of the most important aspects of free speech is for a diversity of viewpoints to be heard,” Turley began. “This organization is the bastion of holding that line to make sure that viewpoints of faith and traditional values are not made a stranger to media and the public discourse. And we all salute you for that.”
Turley delved into the themes of his recent book, Free Speech in an Age of Rage, offering a historical perspective on the ongoing struggle for free expression. He argued that the real threat to free speech comes not from what he calls “rage rhetoric,” but from the state’s reaction to it.
“The problem is that throughout our history, rage rhetoric has led to what I call state rage,” Turley said. “It has led to crackdowns on free speech.”
Turley concluded his remarks by underscoring that free speech, not rage, is what defines and unites the human person.
“To be human is always to hope,” Turley said. “The hope that we can become something greater than we are now, that we were created for something greater still. We are designed to be creators, to speak, to express, to project part of ourselves and the world around us.”
The evening left attendees with a sharpened sense of their responsibility in defending free speech, particularly amidst today’s shifting cultural tides.
About The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). CBN is a global, nonprofit ministry dedicated to preaching the Gospel through media evangelism and humanitarian aid. Its flagship program, The 700 Club, is hosted by Gordon Robertson and has been running since 1961. CBN’s Operation Blessing shares the love of God through disaster relief, clean water projects, food provision, and life-changing surgeries. CBN News has bureaus in Washington D.C., Jerusalem, and Virginia Beach, and our trusted journalists around the world report on breaking news, top stories, and more through the lens of faith. CBN News shares hope through fact-based reporting—Because Truth Matters. Learn more at their website.
About Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM). Founded in 1981, CHM is the nation’s original health cost sharing ministry. We’re a ministry made for people like you—Christians who expect more from their healthcare. Our biblical community of members in all 50 states and around the world works together to share (voluntarily pay) the burden of medical expenses. CHM shares 100 percent of eligible medical bills and overall has satisfied nearly $10 billion in members’ healthcare costs. With us, you can save on your healthcare without giving up your freedom. Learn more at their website.
The NRB 2026 International Christian Media Convention will take place in Nashville, Tenn. from February 17–20, 2026. For more information, go to www.nrbconvention.org.