We used to live in a world where public evangelism and huge bulky overhead projectors were used to share God’s message of hope to the world. However, with the advent of digital evangelism, technology has provided various ways to support the gospel and receive it in various ways.
Adventist Church members in East Indonesia realized this massive opportunity of utilizing media for the mission. They purposed to join the Communication Training spearheaded by the Communication Department and Media Ministry Services of the East Indonesia regional office held in two different locations, at the Gedung Gereja Masehi Advent Hari Ke Tujuh Remu on September 29 and 30 and at the East Indonesia Union office from October 2-3. Driven by the theme, “Scale Up,” church members aim to learn, understand and develop their skills to create content for different media available both online and in print.
“We need to involve our church members in this endeavor because with commitment and dedication, I have faith that God will empower each of us to be utilized in this field of work,” said Pastor Harry Waworuntu, Communication director of the Adventist Church in East Indonesia. “Learning is a process. It may be challenging at first, but with continuous learning and training, our church here in East Indonesia can learn and work together for this purpose,” Waworuntu added.
In Sorong, more than fifty delegates from West Papua, Papua, and Maluku regions attended the meeting to express their support and interest in equipping themselves to be a part of this media movement. On the other hand, an estimated number of 170 delegates from the regions of Sulawesi, Minahasa, Nusa Utara, and Manado graced the meeting at the East Indonesia Union headquarters. Despite the challenges of transitioning to new technology and the advancement of different media practices, local church members dedicated their time to immerse themselves in understanding other media practices to help amplify the mission.
“I believe that the media ministries are not just for those who have an inclination to digital technology. I believe that our coming here has a purpose: to utilize every means of technology that we have to spread the gospel in this new age,” Wendsney Arviany Sadi, a local church member from Manokwari, Papua.
Southern Asia-Pacific region representatives joined the meeting to share valuable thoughts on incorporating local church members into this vast media movement. Pastor Mamerto Guingguing, Communication director in the Southern Asia-Pacific Division, together with Anthony Stanyer, Jessica Vicente, and Edward Rodriguez, representing the Communication Department of the division office, discussed news writing techniques and practices, Adventist identity, and branding strategies.
"Our mindset when we write our stories is that we inform locally and inspire globally," Guingguing said. "Our objective is to inform our community about our existence, to inspire the world church about God's mission happening within our territory, and reach out to everyone around the world through the stories we share in various mediums," Guingguing added.
In his presentation, Edward Rodriguez, writer for the Adventist Church in the Southern Asia-Pacific region, discussed the example of Jesus and the effectiveness of His storytelling in His ministry.
“Jesus shared the gospel of hope through parables. These stories connect and send messages to different people who listen to him,” Rodriguez cited. “Jesus’ storytelling is effective, and we can follow that example,” he added.
The church has strengthened its digital platforms in recent years. Alongside it is the reinforcement of our Adventist identity through consistent and accurate usage of the visual assets generated for the church.
Jessica Vicente, a Communication representative from the division, reiterated the power and value of preserving the church’s identity. She encouraged delegates that staying true to our brand gives us one voice and sound. It “allows us to create a link for the world to our church and help people to understand the Bible to find freedom, healing, and hope in Jesus.”
With the church’s gradual immersion in digital evangelism, Anthony Stanyer explained that there is still more to discover and that what we have been utilizing is just the surface. “We need to discern our brand, purpose, and message,” said Stanyer, Digital Ministry Specialist for the Adventist Church in the Southern Asia-Pacific region.
“Love is our brand, Jesus is our identity, and Adventist is our logo,” Stanyer added.
Next year, Adventist Communication leaders plan to enrich and develop comprehensive four-day training for communication leaders and media practitioners in Indonesia through the partnership of the West and East regional offices.
Edward Rodriguez, with additional reporting from the East Indonesia Union Conference media training delegation