Rob Wagman “Three Little Pigs and Five Foolish Virgins”

Are you ready?  Is your station ready??

How often do I believe I am one of the five foolish virgins in Matthew 25, who find themselves in need of oil, but lacking in supply when suddenly the need for its use is now?

Too often.

The good book doesn’t lie to us, but its author is so madly in love with us that He shares a parable in the form of a passive warning to be ready in season and out, because the bridegroom is coming and those who are ready will get the invite to the feast.  Don’t let the brightness of your oil lamp falsely lead to you believe that your stock is good.

In the Three Little Pigs, they build with straw and the wolf exhales it into the story of ‘This Little Piggy Went To The Market,’ and then they build with wood, because pigs don’t play Jenga so they must learn the hard way that a wooden structure can topple.  Have you ever played Jenga with Bricks?

It would be too easy in this year that will be remembered by the Coronavirus to think this is just a one-off issue and that life will get back to normal, once this pandemic is over.  I pray for that to be the case, but I don’t bank on it to be the case because we have been warned with parables and children’s tales that we should be ready, that our foundation should be strong and that if we fail in those two areas that the God, we think we serve will tell us He doesn’t know us.

Melatonin Dreams

There are things happening around us that could lull us to sleep during what could be trial and/or tribulation.  Christian radio has seen great support from their audience in this time, with Vidare Creative’s Bill Scott posting success stories of stations who hit beyond their pledge drive goals sometimes upwards of 200% or more in donor dollars.

In some major markets there are stations seeing huge ratings, and many beating out secular competitors and some that sit at #1 overall.  These are scenarios that deserve to be celebrated, but with a sensitivity for the need that currently exists, and the greater needs which are on their way.

Ultimately, what does the oil represent, and what does the hay, wood and bricks represent?  Your faith.  Is your faith active?  Is the foundation of your faith solid, or will it crumble, wither and burn under extreme pressures or temperatures?

We aren’t just people who are button pushers at facilities that play God tunes to encourage those who hear the songs, but instead we are faith filled people, purposely put in position by God to determine the times which are coming upon us, and those which are here.  We are put in these positions to guide those who believe, to stay faithful and to guide those who haven’t found faith yet to Him, who is the Rock, and not Dwayne Johnson.

Exhortation and other Words I Have To Look Up

Our job is to encourage and build up the flock, reminding them of the deceptions of evil and the glory of the truth.  If it ends at great ratings and successful pledge drives, then we’ve made it all about us.

When the lockdowns started, and when there began deliberate divisions of race and politics, many artists began to sit down and write a song that would capture the moment; and we have been blessed by some of those which have made it to the airwaves, but what if there was an artist that was so in tune with the times which were to come that he had already written the perfect song?

There was.  It was a song from Jonny Diaz that our format paid little attention to, ‘Define Me.’  Its lyrics said about the devil, “He knows the ways we’re different.  When we’re tempted to choose a side.  Takes the beauty in our diversity, and he’ll use it to divide. And he’ll split us over doctrine, or the color of our skin.  And when we fight with fear and hate, he’s the only one who wins.”

Had this song come out this year, we’d have thought Jonny was trying too hard to get airplay with the intentionality of those timely and topical lyrics, but when we realize they are over two years old; it shines a light on our quickness to judgement that a song that talks about the devil will never work in our format, but instead that in these times, the listener could use a reminder that they can defeat the devil.

Ready Or Not!

Is your oil in plentiful supply?  Is your house built upon the rock?  Then, whether this is a pre-cursor to the real trials and tribulations written of in the Word, or whether we’re already in it, you are ready, and your radio station will be as if it is a city on a hill, a beacon of hope, known by the one true God.

Blessings upon the work of your faith.  Amen.

Since 1991, Rob Wagman has been known first by his faith, and then by his skills in the secular side of this Industry, and now is known by his versatility, having succeeded in both radio and records in multiple formats from Christian Contemporary, Rock, Alternative, Top 40, Rhythm, Urban and Hot AC, in various roles from On Air to Programming to Marketing and Promotions.

Wagman has worked in all of the Top 3 markets, LA, NYC and Chicago, and returned to LA in 2012 as his entry way into CCM, in PM Drive at KFSH, 95.9 The Fish before becoming the Network PD for WAY-FM.

In 2013, Wagman launched Straight Path Media + Entertainment, a consulting firm which hyper focuses on talent and each station’s greatest need for growth, supplying a la cart programming services for branding, from music strategies, promotional and marketing think tank brain storming, promo and imaging creative, talent coaching and airchecking. Wagman presently coaches 27 air talents, consults 13 stations plus 4 clusters.

Contact Rob Wagman at StraightPathMandE@gmail.com