Spring 2019 e-issue [1.]
[2.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
Letter from
Bill
BILL & KIM SNIDER ASIA PACIFIC MEDIA DIRECTORS
A MUSTARD SEED
INVESTMENT
The Bible is full of stories where small things are multiplied to produce great things. In fact, that mustard seed of faith is probably the most exceptional example of that multiplication. The disciples of Christ multiplied from 12 to 70 to 120 on the day of Pentecost, then to 3,000 and beyond. How will this MESSAGE reach those who have never heard? By faithfully investing in mustard seed opportunities¬, we can ¬¬share His Message, and then train others to share it within their own culture and communities. The recent Asia Institute for Media in Ministry (AIMM) is an example. Participants came together from nine nations. They learned new skills, and God spoke to many about using communication to share the MESSAGE in creative ways. In this issue of MISSION, you’ll hear some of their stories. Kim and I launched Asia Pacific Media over 30 years ago. Beyond the dramas and stories, the radio programs in new languages, movies being on national television, what I will always remember are the people who are using media and reaching their own nations. His Message Multiplied. It happens when others take a seed and plant it in serving Christ. Today there are people across Asia who are sharing this good news through creative stories and social media. Thank you for every mustard seed you have invested that is yielding eternal results — together.
Spring 2019 e-issue [3.]
[4.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
HIS MESSAGE, MULTIPLIED
INDONESIA —Meet Citra – Social Media Student—
I have been involved in media ministry in my church, starting simply with announcements. Before that, all announcements were given from the stage. I began looking at the great video work from other churches, and that became a great motivation for me. I also started a Facebook page and Facebook group. I came to AIMM because I wanted to learn more about how to use social media as a tool to evangelize people. The way we are doing it is not as effective as it can be. There are just a few viewers. We don’t get much feedback when we post pictures or videos. In my class, we learned that we need our viewers and followers to give feedback. I hope to be able to improve our Facebook page and group. I also hope we can start live streaming. We have so many branches, and we have people who go abroad. Live streaming or podcasts would help them keep up with what’s going on at our church. I hope I can teach these things in my church and to others also. We have some very traditional branches. They don’t have media; they don’t even know how to start. I want to help them have a great media ministry, starting with what they have, even if it’s just getting photos and videos with their cell phones. I would like to see training like this come to Indonesia. It is majority Muslim. It is hard to evangelize. I think a media ministry is an essential tool for reaching unbelievers, especially Muslims. Most of our churches do not have a media ministry, but they all have creativity. This kind of training would be beneficial for Indonesian churches. Spring 2019 e-issue [5.]
[6.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
HIS MESSAGE, MULTIPLIED
CHINA
—Meet Walter – Social Media Student— My home church doesn’t have access to Western-style social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. In fact, they are prohibited. The most popular social media platform in China is WeChat. Because of restrictions, though, we don’t have much freedom to share the Message of Hope through media. A few years ago, my church tried to set up a web site. We now have a WeChat account. We have been attempting to promote our church and the good news through the Internet, but because of the limitations, we cannot post too much. We can’t post too many faces or anything that would put believers in jeopardy. So we don’t really have any social media outreach. Here at AIMM, I have learned that social media is powerfully relevant. We have to do it, but we have to think about how we can do it in China. Our church is blessed with many university students and young people. Many of them are very gifted and have a great deal of experience with social media. Even if they haven’t used it for talking about faith, many have used it for business. Someday, perhaps, they will be able to help our church with its social media ministry. In the meantime, we use WeChat a lot to check with one another online. Unfortunately, it is currently limited to friends we already know, especially the people already in our church. But I know we need to reach those we don’t know. There are about 500 in my church, which is very limited compared to the Chinese population. I am expecting that through social media, we can encourage many people who are struggling in the future. Spring 2019 e-issue [7.]
-pray for Media Missionaries as they -
SHARE THE GOSPEL
IN ASIA PACIFIC
The harvest field is ready! Thank you for partnering with us to multiply the workers in Asia Pacific. Would you take the time to pray for every media missionary who took part in the 2019 AIMM training and for future Multiply Training Seminars? Pray for them as the take their training to their own countries and implement that training in their churches, ministries and surrounding communities. These are some of their prayer requests: • Pray that congregations across Asia Pacific will catch the vision for spreading the gospel through media ministry. • Pray to the Lord of the Harvest (Luke 10:2), that He would send co-laborers in media ministry. • Pray that equipment and other resources would be made available so they can build an effective media ministry that will reach the unreached areas of Asia Pacific. • Pray that these media missionaries will find favor, even in restricted areas, so they can boldly walk through open doors to communicate His Message SO ALL MAY HEAR! [8.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
HIS MESSAGE, MULTIPLIED Through AP Media’s digital ministry tools and training, we are expanding our reach into Indonesia, Mongolia, Cambodia, Taiwan, Philippines, Myanmar and Vietnam. 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 Spring 2019 e-issue [9.]
[10.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
HIS MESSAGE, MULTIPLIED
THE PHILIPPINES —Meet Judith – Writing Student—
In college, I was passionate about writing. In fact, I was a campus activist who wrote articles critical of the school administration. I also participated in campus protests. During one protest, one of my friends was killed. That experience shook me. But my story doesn’t end there. I had a friend who invited me to InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, a college campus ministry. I found Jesus. I realized my life had changed, but I didn’t go to church yet because my Catholic parents would not permit it. When I finished college, I met my husband, Dennis. He brought me to his church. Together we served the Lord in their children’s compassion ministry, washing dishes and serving food. We are still working with the children, but now I am the director of our Project Compassion, serving 317 children, and my husband is the chairman of the board for our church. I found out about the AIMM training when I saw an ad and noticed there was a course in writing. I still do online freelance writing. I felt this course would improve my skills. So far, I have not used my expertise in ministry; it has just been a job. It is time to use it in ministry in the church, to share God. The church is planning to have a small publication that will promote the activities of the children to other people and to reach them. Now I am planning to persuade them to have a publication in our church. I also want to use my writing to inspire youth and children, encouraging them to pursue their dreams. AIMM is a blessing to all the participants and us. We have dreamed about having media in our church. Now we know if someone else has done it, we can do it in our church. Spring 2019 e-issue [11.]
[12.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
HIS MESSAGE, MULTIPLIED
INDIA
—Meet Jim – Video Production Student— I have been very active in the media ministries in my church, including photography, videos, music ministry and helping with the PA system. I received a master’s degree in media and in mass communication from two different universities in India. I felt I needed to attend the AIMM training because it’s a fastchanging world. Photography and journalism were my thing. I wanted to catch up with the development of technology. I wanted to know how the video production piece worked. In many places in India, the spread of the gospel is very restricted. So what do you do? People are into television, so you get to them through video. For example, our ministry broadcasts the Word that our pastor preaches. There are not many Christians in our town of 200,000; it’s a challenging situation. When we use the media, we go to different houses in different places. We can go at different times. We can reach more people now and in the future. I want the media to reach people. My father started the church in 1987. He rode a bicycle around and handed out tracts to people. That was his media ministry back then. We have better tools now. We need to use every tool we have to reach the people. Email, video, print, online magazines. I want to see this happening in our church. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the people that helped make this happen. I don’t know if they realize they are making a big thing, sowing big seed here. It’s not just people from a lot of countries coming here and learning. They will go out and DO it. Spring 2019 e-issue [13.]
Watch DigiTracts “Love Is.”
HIS MESSAGE, MULTIPLIED
VIETNAM
—Meet An – Video Production Student— As a child, I watched cartoons about Bible stories. That’s what got me interested in media. As a teenager I watched a lot of videos, animations and shows. I thought, I want to make those. I downloaded some software and started experimenting. I was in seventh grade when I made my first video. AIMM is more than just training to me; it is something unique that God has called me to. When in high school, I told my parents I wanted to go into media, but they didn’t let me. They thought a girl could never make it in that field. Still, I knew it was something God wanted me to do. In time, without realizing it, I had given up. A year later, at a service, the Lord spoke to me through a prophetic word: “You thought that I had forgotten the promise, but I never forgot it. I will do things to carry out the promise. I will slowly do things to carry out the promise that I have for you.” I just burst out crying. This promise is something I always carried in my heart. When the announcement first came out, a friend sent it to me. I was really interested. But the dates were the exact dates I was supposed to have my exam week. And I couldn’t afford it. But over the next few months, the Lord worked miracles: moving my exam dates and providing financially. I now have a dream. Someday, I want to have a studio that is focused on producing Christian films. Spring 2019 e-issue [15.]
Thank you, Partners! FOR HELPING US TRAIN 50 MORE
MEDIA MISSIONARIES IN ASIA PACIFIC As you help us equip media missionaries to reach their community through Multiply Training Seminars and our annual AIMM Training, we have seen the resources we have created for over 30 years be multiplied exponentially by indigenous churches all over Asia Pacific. Why is this much more important than creating the resources ourselves? These media missionaries are taking ownership of the gospel message and packaging it in culturally relevant ways to reach the most remote areas of Asia Pacific in the most effective way possible. You are not only helping to MULTIPLY the WORKERS; you are giving them tools to grow the church through the power of media so all can hear the Message of Hope through Jesus Christ. In fact, in one 90-minute exercise during AIMM 2019, 21 Social Media for Evangelism students made 196 contacts through social media. The students shared the gospel 82 times, resulting in 19 people accepting Christ as Savior. Another 33 requested follow-up conversations. Because you have walked beside us in partnership, God is MULTIPLYING these stories! From the bottom of our hearts, we say, thank you. Please go to apmedia.org to watch even more student testimonies and student videos from the 2019 AIMM.
[16.] AP Media MISSION / apmedia.org
Spring 2019 e-issue [17.]
