2019-2020 Annual Update Volume 32, Issue 1 The age of the digital Missionary Open Doors to Reach rthe net Generation
KINGDOM MULTIPLICATION IN 90 MINUTES, 24 DIGITAL MISSIONARIES REACHED OUT TO 196 PEOPLE 2019-2020 Annual Update
Volume 32, Issue 1
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Bill Snider MANAGING EDITOR/DESIGN Amber Weigand-Buckley COPY & LAYOUT EDITOR Tom Young EDITORIAL SECRETARY Annette Santos WEB MANAGER Patrick Tan APMedia was established in 1989 as a regional ministry of Assemblies of God World Missions.
[2.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
Vision Statement We see Christ followers effectively utilizing media to reach every people group in Asia Mission Statement We advance the gospel in Asia Pacific by empowering Christ followers to effectively utilize media and technology Values Statement We are a Christ-centered ministry that values: • Integrity • Excellence • Contextual relevance • Innovation • Partnerships and teamwork
Letter from
Bill
BILL & KIM SNIDER ASIA PACIFIC MEDIA DIRECTORS
A LARGER NET TO CATCH THE NEXT GENERATION One of my favorite psalms uses the term “next generation.” Psalm 78:4 speaks about our responsibility to pass on our faith. “We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord” (NLT). The Psalmist could not have imagined our day and the myriad ways we can communicate. Nothing surpasses face-to-face with our families, but the vast majority of people in our cities and towns are growing up without someone to tell them. How will it be done? How will the emerging generation hear about God’s glorious work and His plan? Social media offers a large net that lcan catch the attention of this generation with the Message of Hope. Creative messages and stories of hope will attract those seeking more. During the Asia Institute for Media in Ministry, an instructor jokingly paraphrased the Scripture, “the harvest is great, and the laborers are not online.” During one 90-minute session of online social media evangelism, 196 contacts were made and 19 people made decisions for Christ. This edition of MISSION magazine features stories of people who are using the tools, and you’ll learn of open doors and challenges we face. I would also encourage you to go to apmedia.org and check out the digitally enhanced version of this issue with all the video extras. Thanks for every prayer and gift of support so we may cast a larger net to catch the next generation. Annual Update 2019-2020 [3.]
[4.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
-bringing digital missions to Japan-
CHALLENGE OR
OPPORTUNITY by Jonathan Lowrance
As we try to reach countries with very few Christians, it is easy to focus on the many. The truth is that the “needs” are everywhere, and meeting these needs can be difficult at best. We can meet these challenges with confidence because we serve a God with unlimited power and resources. Knowing our victory is assured, we see these impossible situations, not just as challenges, but as incredible opportunities for God to show His miraculous power. In Japan, where fewer than 1 percent of the 127 million people know Jesus, we see this challenge become an opportunity. There is an intentional shift by the national church to focus on ways to reach the next generation. Right now, the most significant opportunity is to provide creative content and training to help connect with the unreached in new ways. Many churches in Japan are severely under-resourced and lack the tools needed to reach this current generation. We are currently partnering with two churches in Tokyo to help build creative teams to extend their reach beyond the walls of the church. Using the multiplying effect of media, we will be empowering the church to make an impact in Japanese communities with messages of hope. We will also continue discussing with leaders of the national church about how we can partner with them to bring the incredible resource of APMedia Workshops to Japan. We echo their desire to provide opportunities for training as many churches in Japan as possible. We want to be a resource and blessing to the church so that, together, we can reach a new generation of believers here. Please pray that God would continue to open doors for APMedia in Japan. And pray that He would connect us with more creative Japanese believers who are passionate about reaching their nation through the power of media.. Annual Update 2019-2020 [5.]
Watch some of our AIMM students’ video projects in the digitally-enhanced issue of Mission at apmedia.org. [6.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
“ I plan to share what I have learned with the people in my church .“ -the next generation of digital missionaries-
MEET HA —Video Production—
I did not grow up in a Christian home. I had a friend who invited me to church. I finally accepted her invitation. I was really impressed with the music. I felt lifted up and joyful. I still didn’t believe in God, but I kept going. After a long time, I began praying and reading the Bible — all the things my friends there did. And in time, I experienced the presence of the Lord. He slowly came into my life. I finally came to believe in him. I have done a lot of video clips for our church, especially for our youth ministry. I started by taking photos and recording video clips, but I slowly began to do other stuff like editing and rendering the things that I captured into DVDs. I started recording the pastor’s sermons and posting them online. I had high hopes when I came to AIMM. I wanted to learn new things. Before AIMM, I recorded videos because I found it interesting, but it was very amateur. I didn’t know about how to use lighting and camera angles and how to deal with sound and music correctly. Here at AIMM I have learned about all of that. I have always been a volunteer in the media ministry in my church. I do videos and I upload them on Facebook. Through that, there are people who came to know about God and have come to my church. That really encouraged me. I want to develop more in this field. I wish to develop a small team at my church so we can build up our media ministry again. I know I can’t do that alone because I’m too busy (I work a full-time job), and this is too big. But I plan to share what I have learned with the people in my church who have the same interest. I would like to thank the staff, the instructors and all the people who make AIMM possible. Annual Update 2019-2020 [7.]
“ I want to mobilize our youth to be cyber-missionaries.”
-the next generation of digital missionaries-
MEET LILLETTE —Social Media—
As a teacher and a principal in a Christian school, I know all my students are on Facebook and all the social platforms. I felt this training would help me understand how to deliver the message of the gospel in such a way that would be relatable to them. I saw the need for me to enhance my knowledge in that area. One of the most important things I learned at AIMM is that we need to offer our talents and creativity to God. It doesn’t matter how much skill you possess. What matters is your heart to serve. Even if I’m not convinced of my talents or skill, I can do it. The Lord will give me the ability to do it. That strengthens me and encourages me to start and know the Lord will be there. In Gospel Light Christian Church, I want to mobilize our youth to be cyber-missionaries, to spread the gospel message in as many ways as we can. I’m inspired by the messages I’ve received from my students. They see my posts about Jesus. The Word of God is planted in their hearts. When they graduate, they sent me notes telling me, “Thank you for letting me know Jesus. Through you, I saw Jesus. I was really touched.” If more people would rally to this cause, we would win more souls for Jesus. I would like to thank the APMedia staff for organizing this wonderful event. I know I will come home a different person, armed with the necessary skills to be a cyber-missionary. I’m excited to see more souls for Jesus. To see more movement for the glory of God. [8.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
Watch more of our AIMM student testimonies in the digitally-enhanced issue of Mission at apmedia.org. Annual Update 2019-2020 [9.]
Watch more AIMM student testimonies in the digitallyenhanced issue of Mission at apmedia.org. [10.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
“I wasn’t involved in doing video or graphics or writing, but then Facebook came along.” -the next generation of digital missionaries-
MEET—Media ANGELICA Writing—
Since I was born and raised in a Christian family, we know how to pray. We know how to surrender everything when we have nowhere to go and no one else to turn to. There was no one to hear us; no one to bear with us. Those were the times that I prayed, “Lord, be with me as always.” And that’s when the Lord revealed to me, “I will be with you always.” I started my ministry in the church. I loved to sing and compose songs. The music ministry and the media ministry in our church work closely together. I wasn’t involved in doing video or graphics or writing, but then Facebook came along. Everybody was using Facebook and Instagram. We created a page and had videos. Then I got interested in making videos. In order for us to share the teaching we can get here at AIMM, I signed up for the writing course. Some of my church mates are in the social media track and some in the video production track. But that’s great. We can be a media team in the church. We can share a lot. I have already seen improvement in our church’s social media and video ministries, but we really needed help developing our writing skills. After this week of training, I really want to help bring that (writing), not just for the short term, but for the long run. One of the good things about AIMM is that we have our files and our technology, so we can save the projects we have worked on. For our church to grow the way that God wants us to, we have to bring everything we have learned. Here we have learned individually in our own areas, but together we have learned as a whole. The AIMM team taught us that learning here is not just about the skills; it is sharing Jesus through the skill. It is being a witness through the skills we have learned here. Annual Update 2019-2020 [11.]
“ We would like to create videos in our own dialects...”
-the next generation of digital missionaries-
MEET KAMEEL —Video Production—
I got involved in media ministry when I was very young. My dad was involved in radio ministry at a station in our city. When I was in grade 6 (12 years old) they asked me to have a children’s program on Saturdays from 9 to 10. I would read verses and play Christian songs for children and invite them to know Jesus live over the air. I also did live interviews with guests in the studio. I want to help my church grow with the use of media. The church needs to learn more and develop skills. We have some ideas, but it would be better to have knowledge of how to use the media in ministry properly. This year we started to penetrate the schools — high schools and colleges and universities. We were doing film showing of testimonies. We even asked for some footage from APMedia we could use for film showing. It is working. After the film, we have prayer and altar calls so people can ask forgiveness of the Lord. We would like to create videos in our own dialects, because the ones we are using are in English and Tagalog. In Mindanao we have a lot of dialects. We have Cebuano, Blaan, T’bsli and Ilongo. So, we would like to use the members in our church to create films. I’d like to help the church with their multi-media ministry, to create a channel in which we would be able to share the gospel of God. I think it would be best to spread the Word. I want to thank God for those who support APMedia and AIMM. This program helps a lot of people, especially those like me who feel called into digital ministry. [12.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
Watch some of our AIMM students’ video projects in the digitally-enhanced issue of Mission at apmedia.org. Annual Update 2019-2020 [13.]
Letter from
Keith
KEITH & DELSEY GARNER ASIA PACIFIC MEDIA—PHILIPPINES
MOVING THE MESSAGE Imagine a group of young people talking together. What do you think they are talking about? Who is “it” in a game of tag? The latest movie? Are they complaining about how bored they are? A staff member recently met a group of 10- to 15-year-olds and was amazed at their conversation. They were discussing their personal YouTube channels and video editing. For most adults, getting a picture to Facebook from our phones is a challenge, but these kids are already producing and publishing videos! Young people appear hardwired for media because they grew up immersed in it. As a result, media is important to them, and any message viewed on a screen has added credibility. This raises the question: How does the Church respond to this reality? The goal of the Church is to present the gospel to the masses, and right now the masses are in front of a 3.5-inch screen that fits in their pockets. Christ-centered media resources are needed to reach through these screens to communicate the gospel accurately and creatively. Our last training event started with our commenting about how young the attendees were. By the end of the first day the comments switched to how talented they were. These young people were passionate and eager to share Jesus in their native language — media. Training is good, but without empowerment it is useless. At our training events, we are meeting talented young songwriters, videographers and writers who are looking for ways to express their faith, speak to their generation and bless their churches. Since that training event, numerous evangelistic social media sites have been created, church media ministries have been enhanced, and the gospel message is being multiplied. We are now beginning to invite some of these participants to join us in the creative process and help us produce new media materials to share the gospel. Their energy is contagious. Their creativity is inspiring. Their love for Jesus is unbridled. APMedia—Philippines is equipping and empowering the next generation to multiply His Message through media. [14.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
HIS MESSAGE, MULTIPLIED Through APMedia’s digital ministry tools and training, we are expanding our reach into Indonesia, Mongolia, Cambodia, Taiwan, Philippines and Myanmar. Most of these resources can also be accessed by Filipinos living in many nations of the world, including the Middle East and Europe.
Filmmaking
Web and Social Media
Print Publication
Radio Ministry
Video Production
Media Training
REACHING ASIA PACIFIC Annual Update 2019-2020 [15.]
WE WILL WIN
THE WAR ON DRUGS
-by Pastor Jerry ErojoGospel Temple AG, General Santos City, Philippines Pentecostal preachers have been preaching against drug abuse for decades. As President Duterte waged war against drug abuse, millions of addicts voluntarily surrendered and were jailed.
The War on Drugs in the Philippines began long before President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in 2016. [16.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
The Church partnered with the police in order to help the drug addicts. Many pastors went to the jails to preach the gospel of deliverance. Some pastors joined the “oplan tokhang,� an operation in which police and
volunteers like pastors knock on the doors of a suspected drug addict, asking them to repent and change their addictive lifestyle. We in Gospel Temple Assembly of God prayed for direction about how to help with this campaign against drug abuse. We discovered the five Freedom Story films available from APMedia. We discerned that these would be another creative way to bring a Christ-centered message of freedom from drugs.
to show the film inside a classroom. We modified our approach, asking the students to write down their reactions. It was very encouraging to read those feedbacks. A former priest, who is now a faculty member in the same school, invited us to show the film to all of his value formation classes. They wanted us to continue to minister classroom to classroom.
So, we took Freedom Stories to the streets. At first, the people were not interested, thinking it might be just another boring religious film. But after the film and the prayer, they wanted more. They brought their own chairs for the second film.
We also went to Mindanao Polytechnic College, where marine students viewed the Freedom Stories in their auditorium. We asked them to speak about their understanding of the story. Some testified that they were in drugs and wanted to recover so that they can finish their college.
We also took Freedom Stories to the public schools. Surprisingly, the guidance counselor welcomed us
The Freedom Stories are touching lives of drug addicts and bringing them to repentance and forgiveness.
Watch the latest Freedom Story in the digitallyenhanced issue of Mission at apmedia.org.
Annual Update 2019-2020 [17.]
[18.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
INSPIRING
FREEDOM
by Peter Banzon The Lord’s Assembly in Quezon City, Metro Manila The APMedia Freedom Stories are equipping pastors like me to minister in powerful ways to those caught by drug addiction. These testimonies in video format, which are carefully scripted, shot and edited, add a dimension that connects with the audience in a deeper way, reaching them right where they are. These well-crafted videos add credibility to the story and the storyteller — the former addict now set free by Christ to effectively reach this digital generation. I have used APMedia’s Freedom Stories when I worked with a particular group of drug dependents. I have to work hard to get their attention when I give my talks on freedom and the road to real life in Christ. Many who are taking first steps have difficulty with focus; they slip in and out mentally as I talk with them. But when I show a Freedom Story, they are more focused. They look intently at the screen, watching someone they can identify with relate their story of freedom. The quality of the production with reenactments of critical parts of their story gives our Freedom Stories a fresh and fast-moving dimension. These stories are a great tool for pastors and workers to use who work among people caught up in a lifestyle of drug dependency. Annual Update 2019-2020 [19.]
HOW YOU’RE HELPING US
REACH ASIA PACIFIC MYANMAR— • In the past year, we have completed a new video and audio studio in Yangon. • The media team has created salvation stories and had thousands of viewers on their MEDIA for HOPE Facebook page. • We brought two workers to Manila for additional production training. • A new video series for pastors and church workers on “What We Believe” is in production and will be available in the fall of 2019.
INDONESIA— • We will be training church workers and two campus ministry outreaches this fall. • Both campus outreaches regularly interact with Muslim students.
[20.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
PHILIPPINES— • APMedia Philippines has a new director. Keith and Delsey Garner assumed leadership of the Manila team in April 2019. • Beyond training, the Philippine ministry has launched several Facebook ministry pages targeting youth, women and families. • The latest series of Freedom Stories will focus on people from an LGBTQ background who have found freedom in Christ.
VIETNAM— • The APMedia training team did a first ever workshop for church leaders and workers in March 2019. • We provided scholarships for two Vietnamese participants to come to the Asia Institute for Media in Ministry. • Our team will be back in Ho Chi Minh City in October for additional training with several media teams.
CAMBODIA— • The APMedia training team did a first ever workshop for ministry leaders in the fall of 2018. • We will do a follow up with participants in October in Phnom Penh. • Our goal is to see functioning media teams for churches and outreach ministries in this heavily Buddhist country. Annual Update 2019-2020 [21.]
Thank you, Partners!
FOR HELPING US INVEST IN TRAINING DIGITAL MISSIONARIES IN ASIA PACIFIC Every digital missionary we train has an exponential impact on the kingdom of God. They return to their churches and communities ready to reach the unreached with the Message of Hope. Ha wants to build a media ministry team in his church in Vietnam. Angelica wants to write scripts for her video team that will clearly present the gospel. Lillette wants to mobilize youth to be cybermissionaries. Kameel plans to produce evangelistic videos for under-served language groups in Mindanao. For the year ahead, we need as many scholarships as possible to cover students coming in for training sessions across Asia Pacific. The cost when spread out over the year averages $100 per student. Can you make an investment in the next generation of digital missionaries? Will you give $100 right now (or $25 monthly for four months) to train one media missionary? Or perhaps you can cover the cost of training several. Thank you for giving your best gift this month to help us multiply the workers across Asia Pacific — so we can walk through OPEN DOORS TO THE NEXT GENERATION with the good news.
[22.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
Annual Update 2019-2020 [23.]
