How will the mega-shifts in communications affect the church? That’s the question Christianity Today posed in its online article, What’s Next: Publishing and Broadcasting. Some clips . . .

. . . in a world in which every individual is his or her own “media baron,” as John Roos of the Inspiration Networks puts it, quality content will still rise to the top. The surface challenge of technology calls for creativity, innovation, and flexibility. The deeper test begs for books and programming that matter.
Publishers of fluff will die, says Cameron Strang of Relevant Media, because younger readers long for authenticity. Christian bookstores may not survive, either. As Christian books find more and more outlets, from online e-book sites to mass retailers like Wal-Mart, topics will become wider ranging and more attractive to nonbelievers. Furthermore, predicts Al Hsu of InterVarsity Press, authors will better reflect “the multiethnic, global [church], with a truly international exchange of ideas.”

But the focus on Christ won’t change. “We like to say that the Bible has a long shelf-life,” says Joe Davis, COO of Salem Communications. “It didn’t start with Gutenberg, and it won’t end with new consumer habits and means of delivery. The best [Christian communicators] have always shared a deep respect for Scriptural truth. That won’t be any different 50 years from now.”

What do you see as the future of Christian publishing and broadcasting?