Lord, we don’t need another mountain
There are mountains and hillsides enough to climb
There are oceans and rivers enough to cross
Enough to last ’til the end of time
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love
No, not just for some, but for everyone*
I keep being asked how we should respond to the news. How should we respond to the latest on the virus? How should we respond to what’s happening in Washington? Or around the world?
And my answer is always some variation of “listen to your listener”. We’re continuing to do focus groups and music testing, now all online, and a consistent theme of “Don’t bring me down” keeps coming up.
A woman in one of our groups spoke recently about how masks in the grocery store were such a downer. She said she just needed a song with uplifting lyrics when she got back in the car! She wanted to be reminded of God, and of His goodness instead of all the negative that was going on around her.
How to be the hug your listener needs
Here’s the answer to the question about how to respond to the news:
Make it Christ-focused.
Shift away from the facts of the news event and towards actions your listener can take to pray for the situation. Your listener is bombarded by messages about the pandemic, and masks, and politics in other media. She doesn’t need it, nor want it, nor expect it from your Christian radio ministry. But she may be looking for ways to re-center herself towards Christ.
What she needs from you is a hug. Your listener needs a hug. A pro-active–reach-through-the-radio-verbal-affirmation. A this-has-gone-on-so-long-and-we’re-in-this-together-love-you-friend-message.
All this social distancing has gone on now for a year! We’re all ready for it to be over. As Christian media friends, we can help our listener by being a supportive, affirming, loving friend.
And think in terms of giving out long overdue hugs.
*What The World Needs Now Is Love”
Songwriters: David, Hal / Bacharach, Burt F
What the World Needs Now Is Love lyrics © New Hidden Valley Music Co., New Hidden Valley Music Company, Casa David Music, New Hidden Valley Music Co, BMG Rights Management (Uk) Ltd (Hal, David)
