In a wide-ranging conversation on Israel365’s “Biblical Money” series, National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) President and CEO Troy Miller shared insights on bringing faith-based values into corporate leadership and addressed the changing landscape of religious broadcasting with host Rabbi Rami Goldberg. The interview offered a unique glimpse into the intersection of faith, media, and business leadership from a figure who has navigated both secular and religious organizational environments.
Miller, who leads the 80-year-old association representing over 1,600 Christian broadcasters and communicators, drew from his humble beginnings as a “poor farm kid” in Nebraska through his journey to becoming a prominent voice in religious broadcasting. Under his leadership, NRB has taken bold steps to support Israel, most notably through the Biblical Heartland Resolution passed at the NRB Convention in February 2024, which urged member organizations to cease using the term “West Bank” and instead refer to the region by its historic name of Judea and Samaria.
“Words matter in how we control the conversation and the language,” Miller explained when introducing the resolution. “Younger Christians don’t understand that the West Bank is within the biblical boundaries of Israel.” This initiative, aimed at promoting historically accurate terminology in media coverage, reflects Miller’s broader commitment to strengthening evangelical Christian support for Israel. His efforts were recently recognized when he was named one of Israel’s Top 50 Christian Allies for 2024 by the Israel Allies Foundation.
Miller’s approach to leadership was shaped by his diverse career path, including five years of service in the Navy and an executive role at Gateway computers, where he helped grow the company into a $9 billion global enterprise. Even in secular corporate environments, he found opportunities to incorporate faith-based initiatives. Under his leadership, Gateway supported various charitable causes, including organizations focused on missing and exploited children, Catholic charities, and local community initiatives.
“As a Christian in a secular company, you definitely feel a little bit like an outsider,” Miller reflected. “Sometimes you get labeled – ‘Oh, Troy’s gonna talk, that’s the religious guy.’ But we’re called to do that. We’re not called to be quiet. Our faith is never to be held in our house of worship only.”
The discussion highlighted NRB’s evolving role in an increasingly complex media environment. As Miller explained, the organization serves dual purposes: advocating for Christian broadcasters in regulatory and legislative matters while helping faith-based communicators adapt to technological and cultural changes. “We advocate on their behalf for all legislation that might affect anybody who’s in Christian communications,” Miller said.
Miller noted the significant shift in broadcast standards over recent decades, pointing to the diminishing role of the FCC’s decency regulations and the challenges this creates for parents navigating today’s media landscape. “It’s tough for parents today,” Miller observed, highlighting the proliferation of streaming platforms and digital content that falls outside traditional broadcast regulations. “[In the past,] you only had to control one medium, maybe television or radio, and they were kind of on your side. But today, with all of the different opportunities for streaming… you really have the Wild Wild West out there.”
One of the most compelling segments of the interview focused on young adults’ relationship with faith in the digital age. Contrary to popular narratives about younger generations abandoning religious belief, Miller expressed optimism about their spiritual curiosity and openness to authentic faith discussions. “We always see the extremes in the media,” Miller noted, “but the everyday under-35 person, when you start to talk about religion or your own personal faith journey, for the most part, they really want to hear what you have to say. They’re very curious.”
The discussion touched on the power of individual influence in the digital age, with Miller citing research suggesting that personal networks of 600-700 people can be influenced more effectively through direct communication than through traditional media channels. Under his leadership, NRB has fostered an environment where prayer and Bible study are welcome parts of the workday, while still maintaining professional standards and productivity.
The interview concluded with Miller sharing a guiding principle from Romans 13, emphasizing the importance of living out one’s faith in all aspects of life: “We don’t leave our Christian values, our morals, our ethics, our principles behind. We take them with us wherever we go.”
As NRB approaches its annual conference in Dallas at the end of February, where Israel365 will once again have a significant presence, both organizations are building on their successful collaborations of the past year. From the Biblical Heartland Resolution to new initiatives in accurate reporting, the partnership between NRB and Israel365 continues to shape how Christian media engages with events in Israel and the broader Middle East.
