The New Media Frontier [eBook]

Blogging, Vlogging, and Podcasting for Christ

A Pew Study reports that only 2% of America’s twelve million bloggers claim “religion, spirituality or faith” as their main topic. This leaves a great mission field in cyberspace, say contributors to The New Media Frontier, because the latest forms of communication present so many opportunities to promote the cause of Christ in other topics and fields. Before blindly jumping in, however, Christians need to weigh the possibilities against the consequences, and then proceed with the practical discernment and grace this book provides.

With a foreword by national radio host Hugh Hewitt-who has been at the forefront of the new media movement among Christians-editors Roger Overton and John Mark Reynolds (along with an impressive list of other new media experts) survey the current landscape and explore specific areas in which God’s people can creatively expand their reach to a lost world. By stressing the urgency for Christian involvement, unearthing the dangers, and advising readers on how to use this media with different audiences, this book equips believers to advance, demonstrate, and utilize the Christian worldview in this exciting realm.

JOHN MARK REYNOLDS is the founder and director of the Torrey Honors Institute and associate professor of philosophy at Biola University. He has written two books and numerous journal articles. He is also a regular guest on radio talk shows such as the Hugh Hewitt Show and actively blogs on cultural issues at www.johnmarkreynolds.com.

ROGER OVERTON (BA, California State University Long Beach) has taught apologetics classes and workshops at numerous churches, schools, and youth camps in Southern California. He is currently working toward his Master’s degree. He blogs at www.ATeamBlog.com.

“This wonderful book explains how a new technology of communication is revolutionizing our culture, and how Christians can and must use the new media properly to spread the good news.”
—Phillip E. Johnson, Author, Darwin on Trial and Reason in the Balance

“The New Media Frontier is a much needed book that looks at the historical, philosophical, and biblical why’s behind the rising communication forms of blogging, vlogging, and podcasting. These are powerful opinion expressions and tools that can be used for good, bad, and ugly purposes. So we’d better be prayerfully and intelligently thinking about the words we type or say. All persons with a computer, whether living in a major city or in an unpopulated rural area, now all have the same instant ability and potential to build, encourage, challenge, or tear down others to an unlimited audience on the Internet. You will not look at blogging, vlogging, or podcasting the same way again after reading this book.”
—Dan Kimball, Pastor, Vintage Faith Church; author, They Like Jesus but Not the Church

“The New Media Frontier provides us with expert insight into the new media revolution transforming our lives and today’s culture and how it can be used as an effective communication tool for advancing the love and truth of God’s Kingdom.”
—Andrew Jackson, Blogger, SmartChristian.com; Author of Mormonism Explained: What Latter-day Saints Teach and Practice

“Can’t tell a URL from and MP3? Here’s a place to start.”
—Marvin Olasky, Editor in Chief, World News Group