Adventist communicators gathered for the annual Global Adventist Internet Network received a clear reminder that their work extends far beyond technology, media production, and information management. During a keynote devotional, Pastor John Bradshaw, president of It Is Written, urged communication professionals to view themselves first and foremost as evangelists entrusted with proclaiming Jesus Christ to the world.
Speaking from Revelation 14, Bradshaw emphasized that while communication technology continues to evolve, the church’s mission remains unchanged.
“The most important thing is not a thing, but a Person,” Bradshaw said. “Without the Holy Spirit, you can have the best of everything and still have nothing.”
He described the Adventist Church’s communication ministries as part of God’s prophetic plan to carry the everlasting gospel “to every nation, tribe, language and people,” reminding attendees that every technical skill, broadcast, publication, website, and digital platform ultimately exists to support that mission.
Bradshaw challenged participants to recognize that the role of an evangelist has expanded beyond traditional public preaching.
“Those who enable evangelists, those who enable the proclamation of the message, those who enable the lifting up of Jesus are the people in this room,” he said. “We are all evangelists because God has given us a message.”
Throughout his message, Bradshaw repeatedly returned to the gospel as the church’s central message. He summarized it simply: Jesus became human, lived a perfect life, died for humanity’s sins, rose from the grave, now ministers in heaven as High Priest, and will soon return.
“The center of the message is Jesus,” Bradshaw said. “The constellation of doctrines we attach to Christ is important, but the center of the message is Jesus.”
While affirming the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s theological heritage, educational institutions, healthcare ministries, publishing work, and global media networks, Bradshaw cautioned that these resources have value only when they point people to Christ.
“I don’t care if you have the best storage, the best switches, the best coding, the nicest studios or the latest laptops,” he said. “If you don’t have a message to share along that information highway, you have nothing.”
Drawing from the biblical account of Ahimaaz in 2 Samuel 18, Bradshaw contrasted merely carrying information with faithfully delivering God’s message. He encouraged communicators to recognize the countless opportunities God provides each day to share hope through both personal conversations and professional ministry.
He also reflected on personal experiences in airports, city streets, and everyday encounters, acknowledging moments when he missed opportunities to witness. Rather than emphasizing guilt, he invited communicators to pray each day for divine appointments through which they could introduce others to Jesus.
Near the conclusion of his address, Bradshaw connected the Adventist hope of Christ’s return with the promise of the resurrection, quoting 1 Corinthians 15 to remind listeners that the gospel ultimately removes the sting of death through Jesus Christ.
“No more death, no more sting, no more pain, no more sorrow,” he said. “Jesus died to take away the pain of sin and death and give us everlasting life.”
Bradshaw concluded by praying that the convention would produce more than stronger technical expertise.
“It’s not IT. It’s not tech. It’s evangelism,” he prayed. “When we leave this convention, may we be more committed to sharing Jesus with others.”
The devotional opened the General Conference Communication Convention, where communication leaders, media professionals, and digital ministry practitioners from around the world gathered to explore how emerging technologies and collaborative strategies can strengthen the church’s global mission while keeping Christ at the center of every communication initiative.