So, you’re a content creator.
There are so many ways that you could go about distributing your content, and there are a plethora of platforms and media outlets that could host your content. How do you choose which platforms and outlets you use? Does it make a difference to you whether your media platform of choice is faith-based?
It is good for Christian communicators to distribute their content on secular platforms, but there is also a place for using and relying on faith-based media platforms to distribute content. These faith-based platforms are important gospel partners in your work and ministry. Whereas your partnerships with secular platforms are purely transactional, partnerships with faith-based platforms extend to your mission. Sure, faith-based platforms are running a business, but they also have a vision for how their platform and your content work together to advance the message of the gospel throughout the world.
As a content creator, there is something powerful about knowing that your partners in content distribution are pursuing the same mission you are and want to see you succeed because they want to see the gospel message going forth.
“People of faith understand the tenants of faith,” author and journalist, Billy Hallowell said when explaining the importance of faith-based media platforms. “We understand Scripture.”
And when content creators and media platforms hold to the same tenants of faith, those media platforms can be better stewards of the content that Christian communicators are creating. Christian content can only be effective if there is a means by which it can reach an audience. While there are certainly opportunities to distribute this content through secular platforms, faith-based media platforms play a significant role in ensuring that the Christian communicator’s message reaches an audience.
“In world with so many messages, we want to make sure that we have outlets out there helping point people toward Jesus,” Hallowell said.
And faith-based platforms and media outlets are essential for doing that. We are not guaranteed this opportunity on secular platforms today, and as digital censorship increases, we are certainly not guaranteed that opportunity tomorrow. But when content creators and media platforms are holding to the same values and pursuing the same mission, that partnership of Christian communicators can continue to advance the gospel of Christ even with other outlets reject gospel proclamation.
Faith-based media platforms also have the opportunity to distribute content that stands out in a media space cluttered with negativity and the exaltation of sin and self. As Christian communicators, how do we counter the celebration of sin that we see across media and Hollywood?
“We counter it with the hope of the gospel that we distribute through those amazing [faith-based] platforms,” Hallowell said.
While at times it may be beneficial to partner with secular media platforms as a means of reaching your audience with your message, Christian content creators should also remain purposeful in building robust partnership with faith-based media platforms that are eager to join in advancing their mission.
