For more than eight decades, the National Religious Broadcasters Association has been at the forefront of advocating for Christian communicators — and under the leadership of President Troy Miller, it’s continuing its mission of protecting free speech and promoting excellence in media while navigating an ever-evolving communications landscape.
Founded in 1944, NRB was borne out of a desire to ensure that Christian communicators had a fair and equal platform in a growing media environment.
“NRB has been around for 80 years. Last year, we celebrated our 80th anniversary,” Miller shared. “Our primary mission is to be advocates for Christian communicators in the public space. We work hard on regulations and laws across this country to ensure they’re fair and inclusive.”
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Miller’s leadership comes at a pivotal time in media history, which he described as a “golden age of communication” thanks to the reach technology now affords.
“You can be sitting in Nashville, Tennessee, and communicate with people in China, Japan or South America. This accessibility changes how Christians, pastors and organizations communicate locally and globally.”
When Miller took the helm as NRB’s interim CEO in 2019, the organization faced significant financial difficulties. “Part of that was some bad decision-making, part of that was just the economy in general,” he said.
Drawing from his extensive management experience, including his time in the U.S. Navy, where he served with distinction from 1983-1988, and leadership roles in business and ministry, Miller led NRB out of financial crisis and into stability. In 2022, he was announced as president and CEO of NRB.
“We’ve brought NRB to the best financial position in its history,” he said. “That’s really set us up for our future goals, which is to expand the influence of NRB beyond just what’s going on at Capitol Hill because a lot of work today happens in the corporate C suites and boardrooms of companies out there that we really have to work with and help them understand what the Christian community is all about.”
Miller’s tenure also saw NRB maintain its programming and conventions through the challenges of COVID-19. “By God’s grace, we didn’t miss a single convention,” he noted, adding that these gatherings, including the upcoming NRB International Christian Media Convention remain vital for networking and equipping Christian communicators.
NRB has a long history of hosting prominent dignitaries, politicians and thought leaders at its annual convention, including President Donald Trump. Trump, who spoke at last year’s convention, warned of a growing anti-Christian sentiment in the government under the Biden administration.
While some critics suggest NRB is overly focused on politics, Miller sees advocacy as central to its mission. NRB, he said, works tirelessly to address these challenges, advocating for First Amendment freedoms and supporting policies that protect religious speech.
“We’re an advocacy organization,” he said. “We’re about making a fair and equal playing field for our members who are all Christian communicators. There have been several laws passed, several pieces of legislation that have been proposed and regulatory rules that have been changed that unfairly targeted Christian communicators.
“Historically, government was our biggest impediment, but today, corporate America and legacy media also play significant roles,” he said.
“Politics, in the sense that the people who make policies, make laws, rules and regulations — yes, NRB is very involved in that and will continue to be. We continue to support the kind of people running for office who are going to subscribe to the kinds of policies that aren’t going to be impedance to Christian communicators and even policies that are going to help Christian communicators advance.”
Miller is optimistic about the current administration’s constitutional approach to governance, which he says upholds freedom of speech, religion and press.
“We are so happy there are so many people in this administration, from President Trump on down to his appointees, who really do hold to a constitutional understanding of how our country and how our republic works. And because of that, they hold the First Amendment in very high regard with all the aspects of freedom of speech, free exercise, freedom of religion and freedom of the press,” he said.
“We are hopeful that some of the laws and some of the rules and restrictions that were put in place over several decades, not just over the last administration, are going to finally be addressed and righted so that they’re not biased toward the secular media or the secular communicators, but it’s a fair playing field for the Christians here.”
Miller’s path to NRB was shaped by a diverse faith background and a commitment to excellence. Raised Catholic, he found faith in Christ through an Assembly of God church and later served in Lutheran and Presbyterian congregations. This broad experience, he said, has equipped him to lead NRB’s ecumenical membership, which spans denominations and traditions.
His favorite book of the Bible, Hebrews, reflects his practical approach to faith. “Hebrews gives us a sense of how our faith applies on a day-to-day basis,” Miller shared, adding that he finds inspiration in the Bible’s overarching narrative — from Genesis to Revelation — of God’s plan to dwell with humanity.
As NRB moves into its ninth decade, Miller said he’s focused on helping Christian communicators leverage technology for the Gospel, emphasizing the importance of using media responsibly.
The NRB Convention, a cornerstone of the organization’s mission, exemplifies this commitment. Bringing together broadcasters, filmmakers and communicators it serves as a hub for innovation and collaboration. This year’s event, held in Grapevine, Texas, promises to build on NRB’s legacy while equipping attendees for the challenges of modern communication.
“Technology can be used for good or bad. As Christians, we must push forward and take ownership of these platforms for the good of communities and the proclamation of the Gospel,” he said.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
