Christian broadcasters, journalists and digital communicators gathered in London earlier this month for ‘Revive 2026’, a conference hosted by the Christian Broadcasting Council (CBC) at Premier Christian Radio’s new headquarters.
The event marked the 40th anniversary of the CBC, who represent Christian media in Parliament, and brought together media professionals from across various media outlets to discuss the future of Christian communication in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, misinformation and cultural division.
Oxford Professor John Lennox was in discussion with broadcaster and keynote speaker, Justin Brierley, about the rise of artificial intelligence.
Lennox acknowledged the benefits of AI, particularly in medicine, logistics and Bible translation, but warned that overreliance on technology could increase deception.
“Artificial intelligence has two sides,” he said. “It is a great help in many areas, including Christian mission. But there are huge dangers because it is going to make people lazy, and it is already doing so.”
Referencing recent academic studies, Lennox suggested that even limited daily AI use may negatively affect critical thinking skills. He also warned of the spread of misinformation and deepfakes, arguing that Christian communicators must become increasingly vigilant.
“The greatest danger is deception,” he said. “Deepfakes are going to become increasingly realistic, and putting those fires out will become difficult.”
Lennox encouraged Christian media professionals not to retreat from public discourse but to engage thoughtfully.
“Do not simply think about what you want to say,” he advised. “Think about how your message could be misunderstood.”
Another keynote speaker, Gareth Russell, chief executive of communications agency Jersey Road, presented findings from the organisation’s ‘Christianity in the News Media Report 2025', which examined a year of mainstream coverage of Christianity in the UK.
Russell argued that reporting on Christianity often remains narrow and stereotypical, focusing heavily on institutional churches while overlooking the diversity and growth of modern Christian communities.
“The narrative around Christianity has often been misrepresentative of our faith,” he said. “We wanted to change that through better stories.”
Russell said younger generations were increasingly reconnecting with faith, but that media narratives often failed to reflect those realities.
He pointed to the visibility of Christian footballers and public figures as examples of positive influence. “Young men are seeing sports personalities and public figures confidently talking about their faith,” he said.
Russell encouraged churches to engage more proactively with local and national media, particularly by sharing personal stories and examples of community impact.
“People don’t necessarily care that you are Christian,” he said. “They care that you are doing good in the community.”
Lani Charlwood, executive director of Langham Arts and chair of Christians in Media, called for unity among Christians working in journalism and broadcasting despite differences of opinion.
“We are not called to uniformity of opinion,” she said. “We are called to unity of purpose.”
Charlwood described Christian media as a voice not of outrage or division but of “purpose, integrity, hope, challenge and justice”.
Premier CEO Kevin Bennett reflected on the history and influence of Christian broadcasting in the UK since Premier became a licensed broadcaster in 1995.
“The media tells us what is on the agenda and what is important, it then sets the agenda. It then tells us how to understand the issues with how it frames them,” he said.
He continued: “The media has huge influence. You only have to ask yourself: what does a dictator do first? They crack down on the media. Media has power.”
Quoting poet William Blake, Bennett concluded: “We become what we behold. We have to choose what we behold each day, whether that’s in the media or real life”.
