Alan Bloom on Christian Journalism

Best-selling author, speaker and advocate for Christian apologetics Dr. Alex McFarland, best-selling author and apologist Dylan Burroughs together bringing you truths for a new generation. This is TMG radio Proverbs 1 verse seven says that the fear of the Lord is the ending of wisdom. The Bible also tells us not only to seek wisdom, but to pursue truth and so on.

Today's visit program will going to talk about truth and wisdom and were going to talk about worldview as it relates to media, this is Alex McFarland with Dylan Burroughs and Dylan. It's good to be back with you brother welcome back to truth for new generation radio greatly with the is always Alex. I'm excited about our guest today. We have quite a show for you here to announce when you introduce our listeners to Mr. Alan Bloom today while I'm really excited folks, because this gas that were going to talk with now is somebody I've respected for years. Alan Bloom is known to many people around the nation as the editor of the biblical recorder not only the newspaper but the website paragon of Christian journalism, but he's been a pastor for many years. He was pastor of a great church in our nation. Mount Vernon Baptist Church and I gotta say this is we bring Alan Bloom to the microphone.

I am very indebted because more than two decades ago. The first time ever, the first time ever that I had anything in print. He printed an article I wrote for a publication that he was editor off and so on so many levels. I appreciate this your brother, but he is also a great partner entry for new generation we have for years very successfully advertised in the biblical recorder and I read his website daily to keep up with world news and current events from a Christian perspective. So with all that said, we welcome to the program.

Our colleague and friend Alan Bloom welcome brother, thank you very much Alex. It's an honor to be with you guys today.

Well I know you're busy with your staff in the newsroom there, what's what.

What headlines do you have on the press coming up. Well, actually there's some things pending that we Talk about how Gaza we hear rumors of a madman that something happening and that may be coming in and so where in the news business.the rumor business so we have to, Sonali Seligman, how we can we can always match what we know about the recently like last week was a very busy week for us because two men in southern Baptist life actually both of them from North Carolina stepped forward to announce their candidacy as president of the Southern Baptist convention and we got the news before anybody else.

All medicine was was, sitting on and waiting to break it. So this week. Slow down a little bit last week was a busy week for sure will let me ask you a twofold question number one.

How did you get into journalism and then this the follow-up question that you can address what is the importance of worldview in journalism and the media that we ingest, but first of all a little bit of your journey. Alan well as a pastor always been interested in keeping up with what's going on in the world around me. But in southern Baptist life is, many people know about 30 years ago a a new direction started to emerge for Southern Baptists to many Southern Baptist felt like you have been convention was going in the wrong direction theologically and that there were many who were concerned and took some steps to start leading the convention back to our biblical roots and I was one of those involved in that and we started a newspaper North Carolina that was actually intended to be an alternate paper to the one that I'm now editor of we had that we began publishing what was called the conservative record because there was so much dissatisfaction among conservatives about the biblical recorder whereafter and so we publish that and actually during the conservative resurgence of Southern Baptist. There was somewhere around 10 or 12 alternate newspapers that sprang up across Southern Baptist convention, the one that I had a number of other keys. Conservatives in the state put together was actually the longest-running. We ran for almost 20 years and it was on record as the longest-running of all the alternate papers and so then we noted the recorder began to take a conservative direction by electing board members who were more biblically focused and so when that happened. It turns out they called me, which I honestly was not interested.

I was pastor I felt like I would spend the rest of my ministry and life in pastorate and I actually declined it for the last of all, but the short story is that after number of very very clear messages from the Lord about this. I said okay I'll consider it and pray about it and then in a short while they asked me to step up and be the editor and swallows out a blue complete surprises for me. But God has a way, surprising us often when we think we got our life already planned out for him. You know well yeah I want to say thanks because you you really have been a leader in defending the faith defending biblical orthodoxy and really setting the standard for good solid journalism, but from a Christian perspective.

And Alan, let me throw this question to you how much does worldview influence journalists and those who bring us the news where if everything it drives the news and sadly journalism in recent decades has become fairly activists you know sometimes we talk about activists and judges in some of our court systems who are part of making laws up from the bench at Lisette's perception was, like that and in journalism. A lot of news has surfaced that is activists nears its intended to shape the thinking of the public, rather than actually reporting what's going on and the worldview of the reporters is important.

And of course worldview is simply how you see things and I know that there there are what we call bubbles that nomenclature to identify the people are in a certain thought pattern like we say there is a Washington DC bubble inside the belt line and people there think it a certain way. There's a certain bubble in every city in every culture. It shapes the way we think we see things through the eyes of those who have begun to tell us that certain things are true, even the way you see issues of life.

You know, we call ourselves.

For example, people who believe in the value of human life and sanctity of it. We say we are pro-life but you will see that in the news, you will see us called antiabortion people so that's the news trying to say that we are negatively anti-something I'm proud to be against the death of children and then brother thank you for joining hear the truth for new generation will be right next to the first 315 tells us to be ready always to give an answer for the hope we have were instructed to be prepared to defend our faith. This is Alex McFarlane for the life answers teams students we train at North Greenville University, a leading Christian college in South Carolina. The life answers. Teams are made up of students who will inspire and your congregation. These apologetics teams. We train speaking churches to youth groups and train Christians of all ages to address key issues of our times. From a biblical perspective. Is there a God is the Bible true about gender and moral issues.

Call me at 864977 2008 and we will arrange for the life answers team to come to your church and give a presentation that will benefit your people for years to come. 864-977-2000 eight and always be ready. Attention all Christians believe that America needs a spiritual revival awakening a message of the gospel for our times this is Alex McFarlane encouraging you to attend the 2018 edition of truth for new generation. The conference on apologetics worldview and evidence for the Christian faith, Greensboro, North Carolina, March 23 and 24 here, an amazing lineup that includes Josh McDowell apologist Jay Warner Wallace porn green storms both from Fox news attorney Dave Hamilton, the third of the American family Association music by the band and orchestra from a university, and much much more sessions for all ages equipping to share your faith confidently in any situation. Visit truth for new generation.com that's truth for a new generation.com TNG 2018 say nation March 23 and 24 brought by North Greenville University. Christ makes the difference that the truth for new generation so excited about our conversation with Alan Bloom is editor of the biblical recorder and also one of the Christian sites that I urge you to follow. I do. Their website is be are now.org. If you go there. I am very proud to say you will probably see a banner for truth for a new generation to TNG 2018 is coming up pretty soon. March 23 24 were so excited people from around the nation are signing up to convene on Greensboro, North Carolina, March 23 24. Speakers will include from Fox news, Todd Starnes, Lauren Greene, who you probably see every weekend doing the news on Fox and Josh McDowell, legendary apologist will be there. Josh McDowell, the counterculture mom from many television shows Tina Marie Griffin, she's making a lot of ways talking about the way Hollywood influences our kids also former Islamic terrorist literally a jihadist mausoleum who found Christ in his testimony is amazing Jay Warner Wallace cold case Christianity a great leader in the apologetics world right now. The theme is save a nation. The dates March 23 24. The place Greensboro, North Carolina. I hope you will pray, promote, and plan to attend this addition of the TNG apologetics conference. We hope to see you there. Right now we want to continue our conversation with a just a beloved colleague and friend Alan Bloom and give people contact info about the biblical recorder would you will our printed paper is been around since 1833 we just celebrated our hundred and 85th anniversary on January 17 so it's been around a while just a new kid on the block and it still an implant will have the circulation primarily across North Carolina but it does go around the world and we also have a digital version of that plant that's available online in the PDF so you can actually flip the PDF pages online and view those and we have all line a subscribe tab on the front page of B are now.org.

If you look at that subscribe tab.

It'll give you the options of subscribing to the print and digital or just one, but they you can actually bundle the print and digital 415 99 a year, but we have some deals for churches that have group plans that are less than that precious. 1150 year per subscription. And so we would send those in bulk when they come out every two weeks to a church or a church can actually have what we call a family plan for 1250 where church gives us a name and addresses of families in their church. And then there mailed individually to the mailbox of the home of each of those families that digital is 599 year so if you just want to have it on your your tablet, your phone, your laptop, whatever you can now subscribe only to the digital and then it has back issues on their going back to about 2011 and were always adding more back issues so the point Alex is that we are trying our best to support the ministry of the local church and the pastor whose preaching the word week by week who sometimes is standing up on Sunday morning and addressing a congregation who has been brainwashed.

In a sense through the week with news that is not entirely accurate or is negative toward the church and toward scriptures and toward pastors and so he has to sort of try to regain ground every week because of people, his people have been fed the wrong things. But if if they'll take the biblical recorder and visit our website and let that be a news source that they feed on. They will see a biblical worldview and they will be able to not lose ground during the week and there thinking of what is true and what's not true and what's important for Christians to know because were not slamming Christians where supporting the biblical worldview with the news that we provide, thereby supporting the great commission call of local churches and the biblical preaching of the pastors so that all pairs together and helps the church move forward rather than backwards you want to jump in your Alan and mentioned a little bit how much the news headlines of our time. Touch on issues of faith. This is something that we see time and time again we've had our own president at a national prayer breakfast.

You have a feature on your own website right now about Sarah Huckabee Sanders in her role as both the mother and for spokesperson there at the White House and time and time again faith issues are coming up in our headlines and people need to be informed of how this interacts with what they believe and how they live out their faith can think of is maybe a couple of examples of how you see faith intertwined with today's headlines and why that's important for us as believers to be aware of less critical because God called us to touch this lost world, this dark world and where to shine the light of Jesus into this darkness and if we don't even know what's going on than they were living in darkness so we need to be aware of the challenges that are out there which are so strong you know the pro-life issues and the news is going to give you the wrong picture of that issues of racial conflict. Other kinds of family and liberty issues deliver religious liberty. You know when the press reports on it.

They do so negatively, or they don't do it all. How often they just won't tell you about some of the court cases that we are telling you about it right now on our website at this moment I'm looking at a story about how Jim Hamm was canceled from speaking at a university because of the LGBT group opposed him, and he's a Christian apologist and creationist and is focused about you, not some group just pops up and says we don't like them, and so University says okay will we won't let Christians the caravan and that's a religious liberty issue and not Christians need to be aware another story we have right now. The website is about their Christian take Baker who the courts in California actually gave him a win and the news doesn't always want to say anything about the winds that Christians have right let me jump in there Alan if I could just say will be right back after this break, and I doing here more about this issue of media bias how that influences how we see cultural issues and how our faith should inform how we look at these topics will be right back country for any generation. Stick with attention all Christians would like to become more effective in presenting and doing things, this is Alex Farland and I heard for a new generation evidence.

PNG is coming to Greensburg Carolina March 24. Amazing lineup. Josh McDowell apologist Jay Warner Wallace, Lorne Greene and Tom Starnes both from Fox news and much much more. This is Abraham Hamilton, the third of American families is battle for the future of our nation and I want to see you for new generation as we pray and get equipped to defend the faith, asking God to sing.

Don't miss truth for new generation March 23 24 Greensboro, North Carolina. You may register for a new generation.com that truth of toward truth for a new generation.com. If you're a Christian parent, you will of course want to instill a biblical view of life in the hearts of your children, your pastor, you want to offer ministry that draws young families to your church. This is Alex McFarland encouraging you to check out my new book and video curriculum. The 21 toughest questions your kids will ask about Christianity. I interviewed hundreds of children ages 5 to 12 and we address actual questions from actual children. The spiritual issues that are on the minds of your kids the book and video lessons are great for groups of any size and was produced with the goal of equipping kids to stand strong for Christ in any situation. The 21 toughest questions your kids will ask the book study guide and video series. You'll find it@afastore.net that AFA store.net Dylan Burroughs together Alex McFarland on truth for new generation radio and were speaking with Alan Bloom today at present of biblical recorder and we are now.org and were continuing our discussion on Christian journalism and also some of the topics we see today in our culture of media bias. We may get one story for two different outlets to get to completely different perspectives depending on whether the outlet is more progressive or more conservative night becomes more and more of an issue in today's media doesn't Alan oh yeah, yeah, there's a lot of media bias out there and out it was probably well illustrated by the interview with Dan Cathy of Chick-fil-A is a classic classic example of how media handles things I interviewed Dan Cathy, and wrote a story and then the story published first in the biblical recorder.

It was picked up by Baptist press switches are more national news agency but with in hours at the Huffington Post and some other papers picked it up and they wanted to focus on the negative.

The story was simply about Dan Cathy and Chick-fil-A's biblical values and the interesting thing was we we ended up titling it quote guilty as charged.

Dan Cathy says of Chick-fil-A's stand on faith, which is an exact word from Dan Cathy. When I asked him you have family values.

He said oh yes, guilty as charged. We have family values and wrote about well the negative side of that depressed decided to say ha ha Dan Cathy is guilty of hatred of bigotry, you know, and they go down that line of saying he hates gays and Chick-fil-A is out to destroy the LGBT movement is destroying our country and they support all these family organizations and so forth and so that made them take that and run with it in a negative way. I began to get calls from media outlets all over the country asking me would not come on their program like your program here, but to talk about this and it turns out once I got only found out that there was a positive story here wasn't negative and they were running with the wrong story. I even called one media outlet that is a religious news outlet and I said look, you just ran this story and it is entirely wrong. You said the wrong thing. Dan Cathy didn't say that I did the interview I could play the audio for you and sadly that even that religious leader got real quiet and he said well we don't care about the original. We care about what the other media outlets are running but here was the real clincher. I got a call my secretary said that you have a call from the sun, nationally known woman in media from Washington DC that are just not in a murkier.

She is a Christian and she called and she said Mr. Bloom amounted to speak with you.

I'm want to get to the bottom of this and I said my mom wanted to speak to you. How can I help you, and here's where the conversation went.

She said I want to know what Dan Cathy really said when you ask him about homosexuality and I saw man that's easy. Nothing because we never did. I never ask him in that question. She said really well then why did he bring it up and I said ma'am he didn't bring it up.

I could play the entire audio for you and you will hear that homosexuality and gaze were never in the conversation. It was never brought up and she got real quiet and she said well well well then what's all this imply about civil ma'am you don't have to ask the rest of the secular media because it was entirely generated based on what they wanted to say rather than what Chick-fil-A and Dan Cathy was all about. My goodness, it's a powerful word yeah and I'll just let you know the firestorm that created it was created out of all about the attention given to Chick-fil-A.

All because one Christian ministry or media outlet like us, writes a positive story and the majority of media outlets run in the negative direction and say what what was never said in the original story that that's amazing.

And you know the term sake news has become kind of a buzzword nowadays. Is there any way that you could put a percentage of the news leader, whether people are watching socks or reading MSNBC are there watching CNN. I mean, what percentage of the news from secular media is fake news. Could you hazard a guess wow that would be difficult. I would have to say there's a lot of it. That is just so wrong and usually it's because as is well known and documented in several books and articles.

The overwhelming majority somewhere between 80 to 90% of journalists have a liberal leftist worldview and many of them are aggressively promoting bad and they they are in it to do it that way now. There obviously some Christians in media who are trying to bring integrity and stability back about me. I would say the overwhelming people involved in media are promoting a a left leftist or liberal anti-Christian world. Slowly jump in and say you know not only a media that leans left but also public schools and the universities. So many of which have a secular agenda all the more reason that people need to read B are now.org and great conservative Christian journalists like yourself that bring the news of the day from a Christian perspective were just about out of time and that Dylan isn't it a blessing that people are out there like Alan Bloom that bring scholarship but a scriptural perspective to the table. It's refreshing to me to hear from Christians in journalism who are seeking to work with integrity and to stand for what is true and like he said this is a minority in today's world.

So we want to celebrate those who do and encourage those who are seeking are perhaps looking into the field of journalism from a Christian perspective to continue to do so. So thanks for being with us today.

Alan, thank you for joining us today all of you relisting and we encourage you to go to truth for new generation.com where you can get a copy of today's podcast and listen. Again, thanks so much for the truth for new generation in association with Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries exist to equip Christians with the biblical worldview through conferences and camps for information about upcoming events visit for a new generation.com or give us a call at 877 yes God one that's 877 yes, God in the number one TMG radio is made possible by the friends of Alex McFarland evangelistic ministries PO Box 485, Pleasant Garden, NC 27313 that's PO Box 485, Pleasant Garden Carolina 71 will give online@alexmcfarland.com generation.com.

Thanks for listening and join us again next time. As we bring you more true for a new generation on TMG radio