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NRB Returns to Nashville With Praise for the Power and Potential of Podcasting and New Media
The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) 2026 International Christian Media Convention was held at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee from February 17 through 20, 2026. NRB welcomed over 5,700 Christian media outlets that included 272 international attendees representing 43 countries beyond the United States. The event featured live broadcasts, discussions, films, networking opportunities, radio, receptions and workshops. The convention hall had 56,000 square feet of exhibits showcasing major Christian communication companies, ministries, services and much more.
NRB President Troy A. Miller greets the convention attendees on opening night. With all that going on – we found ourselves, even after an informative orientation session – asking what should we explore as we simply cannot do it all? So, we mainly sought out what appealed to us here at MCN. That is - we focused on books, music, the Messiah, and movies about UFOs and other epic myths and legends. Also, of interest to us was NRB's ongoing support of God's chosen people and the Holy Land of Israel. Tuesday night was the NRB kickoff that included an informative update on the organization along with its history from NRB President Troy A. Miller. "A new era of Christian media starts now, and it starts right here. NRB is actively working for the people in this room, clearing the way for you to do the ministry God has called you to. Not merely to create content, but to call the church to obedient, public, visible faith. Faith that bears fruit," NRB President Miller said in his opening remarks. "Faith that is in it to win the game. And the end goal of the game is eternity with God."
A Great Awakening; one-time MTV VeeJay Adam Curry; and a whole lot of artistic portrayals of Jesus at NRB. We also heard a rousing message from H.B. Charles Jr. - a Pastor-Teacher at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church of Jacksonville and Orange Park, Florida - who reminded folks that words are just words. Thus, urging those present to pair good works with the gospel. In addition to encouraging in-person and video speeches there was also a full slate of uplifting music on night number one at the NRB. Up first was the award-winning Michael W. Smith who presented a new song about communion along with a medley of praise that included "Waymaker". The kickoff concluded with an animated worship session led by Nicole C. Mullen. She had folks on their feet singing and swaying. Nicole ended her soulful set with the hit "Redeemer". Immediately following the opening session was the annual Industry Reception where folks learned more about NRB from committee members while enjoying light refreshments. More music was found at The Freedom 250 event featuring speakers along with singer/songwriter Matthew West. Although we did not have an opportunity to talk with him, we spotted John Schlitt of Petra chatting with the media but we did meet Barry & Batya Segal who are among Israel's leading inspirational recording artists. We picked up the Salt EP by the hard rocking Christian band Empowered. Also of note was the B&H booth on the exhibit floor that showcased live performances daily. Their stage and surrounding setup let people know about B&H's on-line electronics shop that started out as a photo and video store back in the 1970's. Artisans and a number of organizations from Israel attended NRB 2026. One of our favorites was the Israel365 Shabbat Experience that was held every hour on the hour during NRB. It was a hands-on experience that explained the biblical heartbeat of Shabbat while offering attendees an opportunity to support the Holy Land in a meaningful way. Israel365's goal is to strengthen Israel by building bridges between Jews, Christians and all who share faith-based values.
Music was provided by Michael W. Smith, B&H and Nicole C. Mullen. At the Shabbat Experience, we took our seat at a table with bread dough ready to be braided while a Rabbi talked about the important spiritual symbolism of challah which includes God's provision for his people. He also emphasized that Shabbat is a time for families to enjoy a meal and spend time together without screens. Instead, they pray, play games, rest and attend religious services. We moved to another room to watch a short film on Shabbat's positive impact on community life and how important this weekly observation is to families living in the turbulent nation of Isreal. We were told that the late Charlie Kirk had recently started the practice to help bring some peace and quiet time into his life. Lastly, we sat at a round table set for dinner where a number of people shared their Shabbat stories. As we left, all were given a Isreal365 gift bag that included a challah roll coming all the way from Brooklyn, New York but more importantly we were reminded that in a time when America is searching for connections the practice of Shabbat has never been more inspiring or more needed. It is a God-centered, family-centered tradition that is transforming lives and bringing people together in profound ways. During NRB 2026 there were a number of screenings to see. The Chosen gave a preview of season six which we were unable to attend - as already mentioned it is challenging to take in everything. We did catch part of Mendel's Messiah the Bronze Halo Award-Winning Gospel Musical that is now a movie with a very Broadway vibe to it. The story goes that after an anti-Semitic mob trashes Mendel's candy store in Brooklyn - he closes the shop. He then asks God "why is there so much turmoil on the earth?" In reply, the Angel Gabriel appears and guides Mendel through dreams and visions to show Mendel God's love for his people. The story is told with dances, humor and music. On the other side of the spectrum was the speculation that aliens are demons. UFOs and GOD directed by Wes and Amanda Llewellyn explored the UFO craze and its impact on Christians. It featured discussions with experts in astronomy, theology, sociology, military intelligence, archaeology, biblical history, experiencers and astrophysics. The husband and wife team were at NRB 2026 to introduce the movie and field questions. Another documentary of importance was Legends of the Lost Ark. A visually rich film following archaeologist Dr. Chris McKinny as he investigates three enduring legends surrounding the fate of the Ark of the Covenant. Dr. McKinny meets with biblical scholars, historians and scientists to dig deep into the Ark's history and spiritual significance. Legends of the Lost Ark is scheduled to hit theaters this spring.
Authors, movies, podcasting and Charlie Kirk memorials were all featured in Nashville. Two other films that were receiving notable amounts of promotion at NRB were The Flood: End of Mankind in theaters this October. The biblical-themed film directed by Tim Chey dramatizes the Genesis account of Noah's Ark, where God decides to destroy humanity due to widespread corruption and sin, saving only Noah and those on the ark. The narrative centers on themes of judgment, corruption by the Nephilim and the return of the world to a state of watery chaos, representing a total "uncreation" in a movie created for the big screen as it is truly an epic and epoch tale. A Great Awakening had an advance screening at the Opry Mills Mall where viewers watched this American historical drama film directed and written by Joshua Enck that follows the friendship between George Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin and Whitefield's impact during the pivotal Great Awakening religious movement. A wider release was scheduled for early April in theaters nationwide. We had attended NRB in 2024 and this year there seemed to be less authors. Instead broadcasting, podcasting and tech innovations such as translation tools filled much of the exhibition floor. However, there were still plenty of titles to be found. We picked up "Tame Your Thoughts" by Max Lucado; a booklet called "The System or The Ecosystem" by Michale H. Peters focusing on Jesus's plans to change the world; The important "Revolution In World Missions" by K.P. Yohannan along with the helpful "Where To Go In The Bible When..." by David Jeremiah. Rich is especially looking forward to diving into "What Are The Odds?" by Mike Lindell, "The Mystery of the Jewish Rapture 2033!" by Joseph F. Dumond, "The King Is Coming" by John Bevere, The Middle East Conflict by John Hagee and "It's Time To Flee" by Sharon Braner - all titles he acquired at NRB that are next on his immediate reading list. A big part of NRB 2026 was their AI and Church Media Lab sessions that featured daily discussions, live demonstrations, strategies and tools. NRB says, "Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how ministries connect with people, manage data, and create content. The AI Lab, presented in partnership with Gloo, offers attendees an in-depth look at AI's role in analytics, ministry strategy, legal ethics and faith-based media as a whole." To that end they developed several exclusive sessions to help attendees navigate the nascent and potentially revolutionary trend including "How AI Can Impact Your Post-Production Process", "Protecting Pastor's Image & Tone in a Deepfake Era", "Licensing: What It Is and Why AI Needs It", "Universities on the Frontlines of Faith and AI" and "How Can Ministries Prepare to Avoid AI Lawsuits?"
We celebrated a Shabbat service straight Out of Zion in Nashville. The Church Media Lab was a two-day deep dive into the art and strategy of modern ministry communication. Designed for churches navigating an increasingly digital world, this program moved beyond surface-level production tips to deliver actionable insights on creating content that multiplies the impact of a single sermon. By teaching how to craft a cohesive visual identity, and ensuring legal and licensing compliance - attendees left equipped to streamline workflows, elevate worship environments and build a media ministry that is both innovative and sustainable. Sessions included: "Beyond the Pulpit: How to Multiply Your Message Across Platforms", "Reels & Shorts Lab: Creating Scroll-Stopping Sermon Clips", "Legal & Licensing Essentials for Church Media", "Staffing Your Media Ministry: Volunteers, Hiring & Culture" and "Hacking Canva: Pro Visuals for Non-Designers". At NRB an older, well-established technology was receiving a lion's share of the spotlight at this year's event. So, what better way to dive into the wonders of Podcasting then by having one of its recognized inventors Adam Curry on site in order to expound on the benefits of the platform especially as it relates to religious broadcasters and communicators. Now, in his former life Curry was best known for being one of the original four veejays on MTV where he hosted the Headbangers Ball from 1988 to 1990. Today, the relatively new Christian happily declared that he is gone from "podcaster to Godcaster" as he continues to help ministries monetize their message through the popular medium. As we walked around the expansive Exhibit Hall several other vendors caught our eye including: The Glory of Christ Art Heritage who had a number of stunning pieces that presented Jesus via colorful, contemporary art; SonSet Solutions was handing out their Solar Ministry Toolkit designed to spread the Gospel in some of the world's remaining untapped and hard to reach places; the Freedom Truck brought the full story of American independence to NRB complete with educational, interactive and inspiring content for conference attendees; and, The Joseph Project and Vision For Israel detailed their work to fight poverty in the Holy Land. A big theme offered throughout the muli-day event was how to find meaning while forging a way forward in the divided world we are in currently living in. On Thursday, at the NRB Freedom 250 Celebration gala at the Gaylord, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth delivered keynote remarks to offer his take on just why everyone was gathered together in Nashille. "As religious communicators, you give voice to the average person in the pew," Secretary Hegseth said. "Once you serve and strengthen their communities, it impacts every area of life, including serving in the military. We people of faith must not back down. We will continue to praise Christ and exalt God. And if we did back down, as it says in Luke 19, the very rocks will cry out to praise Him."
A terrifying timeline; more music, movies and an Amish mystery; and, religious revival all made an appearance at the Gaylord Opryland ballroom in Nashville. Related Links: For more information on NRB and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - NRB.org | NRB Convention | Gaylord Opryland | The NRB Turns a Grand Ole Eighty in Nashville
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