Interview: New Coral Ridge Head on Challenges Young Evangelicals Face in Ministry, American Culture
Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007 Posted: 4:03:03PM EST
A 34-year-old evangelical has stepped up to the plate to lead a prominent global media ministry in boldly spreading biblical truth to millions. Brian E. Fisher, former executive vice president of Coral Ridge Ministries, was promoted this month to president and CEO, becoming the second ever head of the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based ministry. He succeeds the late founder, Dr. D. James Kennedy.
(Photo: The Christian Post / Coral Ridge Ministries)
Fisher doesn’t consider himself a leading young evangelical for his generation but with deep concerns for the Church and the saturation of America by the media with “culture lies,” he is compelled to speak out and is willing to follow where the Lord takes him, whether it’s becoming a visible voice for a younger generation of evangelicals or a leader in the background.
The following are excerpts from The Christian Post's interview with the new ministry head:
CP: First, congratulations on becoming the new CEO. Were you surprised that they chose someone as young and as new to the ministry as you?
Fisher: Yes and no. ‘Yes,’ in the sense that they could’ve gone out and found really anybody (laughs) – a name, and who’s known, and has been around for a lot longer. And certainly when you’re talking about only the second CEO ever of the ministry, it was a pretty good step. ‘No,’ in a sense that any time that a board promotes from within, it simply means that they’re validating the entire team. I do not consider the promotion to be so much a statement about me as it is the board saying we really like the direction the ministry is going and we don’t want anything to change. So I think it’s a great testament to 115 people who have been working their tails off trying to get it done.
CP: One of the integral features of Coral Ridge is its radio program and Dr. Kennedy's teachings broadcast to millions worldwide. You mentioned in your blog some changes to truths that transform. Could you give away some of those changes?
Fisher: We’re making adaptations to both TV and radio, and we’ll be in many ways reinventing the radio show from the ground up. I think we’re looking at either a February 1 or a March 1 launch. The radio show at this point will have a new name, it will have a different format, it will contain the same Dr. ‘Kennedyish’ elements – meaning his phenomenal ability to expose a cultural or immoral lie and present its absolute truth through more than one way. Dr. Kennedy is unique in that he did not just give one reason we should believe something. He would give multiple reasons. He would obviously always give a biblical reason but then he would support it with history or science, philosophy or logic and that apologetic nature of his is embedded into the new radio show. So we will have a male and a female host and a whole different format but containing the same very courageous approach to the issues of the day that our Church and our non-believing friends desperately need to hear.
CP: Will you still be featuring only Dr. Kennedy’s teachings or will other voices be included?
