November/December 2014
His Message. Multiplied
Our Prayer for Myanmar pg. 6
pg. 12
Restoring
REINVESTING in the Future
THE FAMILY
pg. 10 BEHIND THE SCENES:
with Jay-R pg. 14
Will You Take
the Coffee@Home
Challenge?
Editor
Letter From The
BILL SNIDER, Director ASIA PACIFIC MEDIA
If the gospel is not represented in this communication era, we become a silent people. Over 25 years ago, this concept directed the missional heartbeat of APMedia—utilizing technology and print resources to impact lives in the Asia Pacific. As we utilize the power of media we resource churches, equip families and grow individuals for life-success on a grass-roots level. As we do this, we also have an open door to connect people to Jesus. APMedia legacy is etched in 25 years of success stories. (You can find many stories at apmedia.org.) This foundation of success is reinforced daily through sacrifice, prayer, time and obedience. It’s a building model repeated over and over in Scripture. We continue to multiply His message with film, Web, radio, magazine, training opportunities and church resources throughout the Philippines, Myanmar and China. Ministry partnerships are [2.] APMedia MISSION / apmedia.org.
also allowing us to support workers in Indonesia and Cambodia and projects like “Bijay” for Nepal. We refuse stop here. It requires common vision, teamwork and trust to secure that future.
The greatest challenge of the hour is to reinvest in APMedia at ground level to keep up with the pace of our growth. We are asking God to raise up partners like you, who know the importance of media and want to see others, who have no other access to the gospel, have a chance to see, hear and respond to the Good News. The digital message, empowered by God’s Word, has the ability to travel where missionary feet cannot tread. Kim and I are pictured (to the left) outside of Ulaan Baator, Mongolia, on a recent assignment—teaching and meeting with media workers. In this issue of Mission you’ll find out about some new ministry opportunities. You’ll also meet our video specialist Jay-R Manalo and learn about resources APMedia is producing to build the family. We are excited to seize these opportunities as we partner together to see His Message, Multiplied to the next generation!
November/December 2014 [3.]
FOCUS “At APMedia we are called to minister to the family. We are producing a second U-Kids series. One video short is focused on the subject of ‘Prayerfulness.’ It is exciting to see more opportunities to distribute materials that are already made.” —Alena Palad APMedia Audio Specialist
Watch
bit.ly/ukidspromo
U-KIDS PROMO at: apmedia.org [4.] APMedia MISSION / apmedia.org.
November/December 2014 [5.]
FOCUS
MYANMAR UPDATE “This part of the world needs to understand who Jesus is. Together we can do that.” —Bill Snider, APMedia Director Thank You APMedia Partners for your investment in Myanmar! We have an immediate project need for $4,500 (U.S. dollars) for camera and editing equipment. [6.] APMedia MISSION / apmedia.org.
I am so excited about the opportunities opening up in Myanmar for APMedia. There is so much possible in this land! In September, I spent time with leaders, ministering, shooting videos and training a new worker. It was a fruitful trip. We launched a media department with a full-time individual in Myanmar. He will be coming to the Philippines for three weeks of intense training in several formats of video production and then we will be mentoring him in the next 12 months. He will learn how to take testimony, documentary videos of Buddhists who have come to Jesus and had their lives transformed. The goal is to mobilize the church there to the needs of unreached people, cities and communities. Videos will inspire evangelism nationwide. They will produce teaching videos for the growth of pastors and emerging leaders. Equipment will need to be purchased to produce these videos. The estimated costs to purchase camera and editing equipment for the Myanmar team is around $4,500 (U.S. dollars).
PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS NEW ENDEAVOR 1. New APMedia team member to grow quickly in his skills, and for a strong relationship between the Manila and Myanmar offices. 2. The development of a drama script for a movie speaking to a Buddhist audience in Burma. The Burmese people group is the largest in the country and less than 1/10 of one percent of the people are Christians. 3. $4,500 for camera equipment and video project funding. 4. Foundational funding for APMedia so we can continue to grow our ministry in Myanmar and for more workers to come alongside this ministry. I look forward to sharing many more exciting Myanmar updates in the year ahead!
Watch bit.ly/myanmar2014update FOCUS: MYANMAR 2014 at apmedia.org. November/December 2014 [7.]
STORIES
Watch
bit.ly/rutheredwardposadas
RUTHER’S STORY at: apmedia.org
“I believe many people want to be saved but they don’t know how. The movie (‘Ama Anak’) inspires young people to share the gospel with the parents.” —Ruther Edward Posadas Sunday school teacher and youth small group leader, Philippines
[10.] [8.] APMedia APMediaMISSION MISSION/ /apmedia.org. apmedia.org.
November/December 2014 [9.]
by Marilyn Luce Robertson
BEHIND THE SCENES Jay-R MANALO repackaging truth for a new generation We caught up with Jay-R Manalo, video editor and specialist with Asia Pacific Media, and talked with him a bit about what drew him to work with APMedia, his experiences and hopes for the future.
different way. So before, I thought my job here was only to produce and edit, but now I see myself as a teacher and as a mentor to students, especially church workers, on how they can use media in their churches.
APMEDIA: How did you become involved with APMedia?
APMEDIA: One of the things we’ve been doing is looking at content that was produced several years ago and reformatting it for our current audience. As a video specialist, do you see this approach as being beneficial in reaching new audiences and a new generation?
JAY-R: I worked for seven years with another ministry, and I prayed to God for a place where I could grow and utilize my skills. Now, at APMedia, I have an opportunity to multiply myself by training students in video production, writing and church sound systems. I never saw myself as a teacher before, but in having an opportunity to teach and train students, now I see ministry in a [10.] APMedia MISSION / apmedia.org.
JAY-R: We have requests for our “Usapang Pamilya” videos to be broadcast on some cable channels in the provinces, and to me, that says that our materials - continued -
like the “Usapang Pamilya” videos and all the dramas that we have produced before are still being used by individuals to reach out to the unreached, maybe to the provinces especially. It will take time to reedit a lot of the materials, but repackaging them in a way that is appealing to this generation will make many churches, groups and ministries able to take advantage of these tools to be used for their cause. APMEDIA: We know that these full-length videos have segments that are particularly dramatic and moving, and we understand that even those small segments are being repackaged and distributed. Can you tell us more about the effectiveness of this project? JAY-R: We gather small clips from the “Usapang Pamilya” videos and other movies to be used in this way. It results in a quick format video, and there are websites now, that cater to these kinds of videos – for example, WingClips. Churches will get segments from movies and use them to emphasize topics. For example, forgiveness, honesty, reconciliation, etc. And, all of the topics that we have are ones that are still relatable and applicable to what’s happening in our culture now. APMEDIA: Do you feel the issues we deal with in our
dramas have timeless appeal? JAY-R: Yes, these are really timeless problems. These topics are still relevant. People still experience these things. Although some of our materials are old, a lot of it is shot in standard definition, but the heart of the videos still uses the Bible to answer the problems that we still encounter during these times. I can say that it still can be used for this generation. Filipinos love dramas. One of the longest running shows in the Philippines is “Maalaala Mo Kaya.” It’s about people telling their stories and showing them to people in a dramatic format, and Filipinos still watch dramas. They really have a long shelf life. APMEDIA: What would you like to say about your experiences so far with Asia Pacific Media? JAY-R: I am thankful to APMedia for trusting me to teach the students about video production. They saw my potential as a teacher, and it’s a place where I really grow. It’s really been a fun ride so far, and I expect more time to grow. And, I want to thank the Lord, and the bosses here at APMedia for giving me a chance to be a part of this wonderful team.
Watch bit.ly/btsjayrmanalo
Jay-R’s BEHIND THE SCENES at apmedia.org. November/December 2014 [11.]
FOCUS
by Jennifer Taylor
“USAPANG PAMILYA”—
a return to family values “When I bought my first ‘Usapang Pamilya’ series DVD from APMedia, I knew I needed to share it with my brothers in Saudi Arabia so they could share it with the church there.” —Pastor Edgar Diaz, Overseas Foreign Worker
Watch
bit.ly/storiesedgardiaz
EDGAR’S STORY at: apmedia.org
Living and working in the Filipino culture, Director, Bill Snider, and the ministry team of Asia Pacific Media have found a key to gaining access into the lives of the people: family. “From family needs, we are able not just to present the gospel but, to disciple people,” Bill says, speaking of their “Usapang Pamilya” (“Family Talk”) series, which continues to be popular in Asia Pacific. ADDRESSING THE GREATEST CHALLENGES OF THE FAMILY APMedia is currently working on repackaging the series material to go out, through various methods, to reach as many families as possible. Some families may find the most help from the videos focused on addressing the struggles of their teenaged or young adult children— such as drugs, marriage, sexual issues and peer pressure. “We are meeting with a number of high quality youth workers and putting together a series that features these dramas,” Bill says. “Then, we are going to package it with a lot of contemporary youth video material.” PARENTING FROM A DISTANCE Others find the most encouragement in the material designed for Overseas Foreign Worker (OFW) families. APMedia materials teach them how to survive separation and find God’s plan for each family during this difficult time. “Workers usually go to help support their fam-
ilies with the educational support for their children. But the challenge is that families are often badly messed up because they’ve had an absent mother or father for many years,” Bill says. APMedia is partnering with several groups in building awareness of the need of OFW’s. “We are also a great resource center for OFW’s and the organizations supporting them because we produce more content for them than anybody else.” QUALITY PARTNERSHIPS RESULT IN RELEVANT MESSAGES APMedia is collaborating with Christian leaders to put together these series packages for the Filipino family. People can use the materials in church services, youth groups, small groups, as well as retreats, and more, to share the Message of God’s saving love in relatable ways. “I am excited about new approaches that target specific family issues and offer a packaged way that churches or families can address these challenges and also grow in their relationship with God. This strategy along with opportunities opening to air this series on cable television in Metro Manila and other parts of the Philippines, is going to bring increased usage, particularly targeting youth and the OFW family, Bill says. These are promising times ahead and we are thankful for our many partners in this endeavor to meet the needs of families in the Asia Pacific.”
November/December 2014 [13.]
Coffee@Home
APMEDIA PARTNER CHALLENGE
As the world changes so does our resolve as we find new creative ways to share the power of Christ through all media avenues. And all we are asking YOU to do is partner with us in some way in this great endeavor. Whether God is nudging you to move through prayer or finances, we need your support. Several weeks ago, we asked for 100 people to support APMedia with a commitment of $50 per month—or 50 people committing $100 per month. It is imperative that we have immediate response to this need in order to secure our future. “$50 IS MORE THAN I CAN AFFORD,” YOU SAY What if we challenged you to one month of only drinking coffee at home. What if instead of purchasing your favorite latté each week, you gave that money to APMedia? What if you challenged a friend to do it with you? What if you challenged your small group or your church to do it—for one month? How far could one month of sacrificing some take-out coffee go to cover $5,000 in APMedia operating/training costs? These small sacrifices will help build a stronger foundation to meet the ever-increasing demand, as well as opportunities, to reach the Asia Pacific. Can you imagine the impact for Christ? Can you imagine how your funds would help impact another family or equip another church? SEARCH YOUR HEART—WHAT CAN YOU GIVE? Whether $10, $20, $50 or $100 one time or as a monthly pledge, every dollar will go towards meeting our monthly $5,000 operational budget that spans across the Asia Pacific to see souls impacted for the kingdom. Is God calling you? Maybe a friend? Take the challenge, and declare it on your social media pages using the link apmedia.org/give, and state it: “I’m having coffee at home in order to give to APMedia.” You’ve seen, you’ve witnessed and been challenged—it’s your call! HELP REINVEST IN THE FOUNDATION OF APMEDIA FOR THE WORK AHEAD!
His Message, Multiplied
[14.] APMedia MISSION / apmedia.org.