As he prepared to accept one of Christian media’s most prestigious awards, Pastor Robert Jeffress emphasized the importance of integrity in leadership and warned that no minister is beyond the possibility of moral collapse.
“I’m very honored and feel very undeserving to receive the reward,” the 70-year-old pastor, author and broadcaster told The Christian Post before receiving the 2026 NRB William Ward Ayer Award for Distinguished Service at the National Religious Broadcasters International Christian Media Convention. “It’s a sober reminder none of us is immune” to moral failure.
The honor was presented during the NRB’s annual convention at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center and recognizes longstanding excellence and character in Christian communications.
Jeffress, who leads the 16,000-member First Baptist Dallas and serves as the Bible teacher for the broadcast ministry Pathway to Victory, said the recognition reinforces his commitment to remain faithful.
“We all know there are many ministers and ministries that have fallen into sin and really given enemies of the Lord a reason to blaspheme the name of Christ,” he said. “We need to be alert, as the Scripture says, on guard. Our adversary, the devil, roars about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.”
Founded in 1996 after a church member in Jeffress’ previous Texas congregation offered to fund its first year on television, Pathway to Victory has grown significantly. Today, the program airs on more than 1,100 radio stations and 10,000 television outlets in seven languages.
Reflecting on shifts within the broader church landscape, Jeffress said denominational labels carry less weight than they once did. “People really don’t care anymore about what denominations believe. They want to know, ‘What does the Bible say?’” he said. “It’s not ‘Thus saith Robert.’ It’s ‘Thus saith the Lord.’”
Citing 1 Corinthians 4:7, he added, “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you act as if you did not receive it?” He said any good in his life is attributable to “what God or others with God’s power have done for me.”
Jeffress also encouraged believers not to abandon the local church despite its imperfections. “The Bible says Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her,” he said.
“If you ever find a perfect church, don’t join it. You won't find that till you get to Heaven, but you can find a Bible-based church. There are plenty of biblically based churches with sincere men and women in leadership. Find that church, and if it's not perfect, work to make it better, but don't give up on the church.”
Addressing declining church affiliation in the United States, Jeffress said he does not anticipate a nationwide spiritual awakening in the near future.
“If there were a great revival going on, you would see people flocking to church, not exiting from the church,” he said. “I think there are pockets of it here and there ... but that shouldn't discourage us, because the truth is, the light of the Gospel shines brightest in the darkness.
“If there were a great revival going on, you would see people flocking to church, not exiting from the church. If there were a great revival going on, you would see basic positions of Christianity being held on to, rather than let go of. If you saw a great revival, you would see a great increase in sexual morality and so forth.”
Jeffress cautioned that legislative victories alone cannot substitute for spiritual transformation. “I'm not reneging on what I've said in the past,” Jeffress said. “I think as Christians, we should vote our biblical convictions, but we need to understand that the short-term trajectory of this nation is downward away from God, but that gives us even greater opportunity to share the Gospel well.”
The full original interview is available at The Christian Post.
