Mission Winter 2024 E-Issue Update

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Bill Snider

MANAGING EDITOR/DESIGN

Amber Weigand-Buckley

COPY & LAYOUT EDITOR

Tom Young

EDITORIAL SECRETARY

Michaela Kinney

WEB MANAGER

Patrick Tan

APMedia was established in 1989 as a regional ministry of Assemblies of God World Missions.

Vision Statement

We see Christ followers effectively utilizing media to reach every people group in Asia Pacific.

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

BILL & KIM SNIDER ASIA PACIFIC MEDIA DIRECTORS

WE IGNITE, THEY MULTIPLY

In the past decade, we’ve focused heavily on training the next generation. We believe the best way to see the message go to new places is by empowering local workers, both pastors and media teams. The result of this focus is that our team ignites a flame of possibilities and a way to take the church beyond its four walls. The message is carried into the community and beyond as indigenous local churches take ownership of the media mission.

We equip Asian believers with digital media skills, then they creatively spread Christ’s message in their cultural context. This ripple effect continues long after we leave. Recently, I was impressed again with Jesus’ simple words in the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples.” Our objective is to see this vision for using all means to win some multiplied in others. We teach, we model, and local workers run with the message.

It brings me overwhelming joy to see our training ignite a ripple effect as Christ followers utilize media creatively within their communities. Thank you for supporting media movements through your faithful partnership with APMedia!

Asia Pacific is ground zero for innovation when it comes to spreading the gospel message digitally. Driven by necessity during the pandemic, forward-thinking church leaders tapped into online tools to foster connection within scattered faith communities. This pivot also enabled reaching new mission fields previously inaccessible, all without stepping foot outside church buildings.

REACHING NEW GROUPS AND GEOGRAPHIES

Myanmar offers a prime example through its Media for Hope website. Even though parts of the nation are in a civil war, this outreach continues to grow. Online, digital content about hope found in Christ engages Buddhists unaffiliated with physical churches. Even before the current struggles, visionary workers responded with initiative to spread gospel light online, adapting to bring Good News directly to people. Now it is even more critical.

EQUIPPING LEADERS TO REACH THEIR COMMUNITIES

Members of our 7,000-member online Asia Pacific Media Ministry Forum have become a digital learning community. Through webinars and group sharing, teams are growing in effectiveness. By embracing technology, the Church has discovered effective Great Commission methods for the digital age.

In-person training has resulted in media being more widely used as workers equipped with these skills have returned home to train additional congregations in Japan, Vietnam, Myanmar, the Philippines, Indonesia and beyond.

PERPETUATING A MEDIA MINISTRY REVIVAL

This spark has ignited a rapidly growing movement demonstrating the hunger to innovate through technology and media.These digital communication innovations allow deeper relationships and ability to meet pressing spiritual needs.

We must trust God’s flawless timing in positioning His people to advance the Kingdom. The Asia Pacific church offers inspiration about blessings possible when utilizing new opportunities to spread the reach of the gospel. The future shines brightly when believers unite through media to shine His light.

Thank you for your partnership which makes it all possible!

When Asian believers catch God’s vision for digital discipleship, a media revolution begins!

Last month in Jakarta, APMedia witnessed this firsthand while equipping Indonesian church leaders to harness social media for “mission and discipleship.” Participants gained eye-opening new perspectives for online outreach, with excitement to digitally engage entire communities.

The recent APMedia social media training in Indonesia imparted local church leaders with a fresh vision for online discipleship, sparking ideas to creatively engage communities. For Mila, Andreas, and Lianto, their takeaways reveal tangible next steps to accelerate media ministry.

Thinking Bigger

Mila shares that she appreciated learning strategic approaches for effective communication, especially compelling calls-to-action.“I would like to set up goals. I would like to think bigger. Now I am equipped to know how to share it wisely.”

Gaining Clarity

Andreas highlighted the persona creation exercise as a breakthrough moment. “It gives clear understanding of what our content should be. We have been missing the mark, but this resembles our demographics and congregations.”

Approaching Differently

Lianto sees brainstorming ahead where they can improve and expand their reach. “We’re going to approach our materials in a different manner, and hopefully that will make us more effective messengers of the Word.”

Multipliers Carry the Torch

These testimonies exhibit the multiplying momentum APMedia trainings ignite. Witnessing local media workers like these catching this vision, APMedia now feels an urgent calling to train multiplying digital movements across Asia Pacific. Every in-person training session shows that equipping leaders births continuity, synergy and viral growth, resulting in disciples, not just decisions, to fulfill the Great Commission across Asia Pacific.

Pray for Asia Pacific Pray for Asia Pacific

media workers in Jakarta and East Java.

2) Grateful for the thousands of people in Myanmar who have been exposed to gospel messages through Media for Hope.

3) Thankful for the addition of several new team members to our Manila ministry center in recent months.

4) Rejoicing that we were able to reconnect with individuals we collaborated with over 20 years ago. They shared how their journey in media ministry has been influenced, in part, by APMedia’s guidance.

PRAYER REQUESTS

1) Please lift up the Myanmar Media team in your prayers as they create messages of hope for a nation facing significant turmoil.

2) Pray for the success of the Vietnam media worker training, that the knowledge gained by over 100 workers will be effectively utilized in their digital ministries.

3) Intercede for a strong response and widespread attendance for the upcoming Asia Institute of Media in Ministry (AIMM) scheduled to take place in Cebu City, Philippines, in late April 2024.

4) Pray for the success of evangelistic productions being prepared for use leading up to Easter.

5) Join us in prayer for additional financial partners. We are heavily investing in training the next generation of gospel communicators and require at least 40 new partners to help meet our financial obligations.

HIS MESSAGE, MULTIPLIED

Through Asia Pacific Media’s digital ministry tools and training, we are expanding our reach into Indonesia, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Philippines, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam and the South Pacific. Most of these resources can also be accessed in many nations of the world, including the Middle East and Europe.

CHURCH DIGITAL MEDIA TRAINING & MENTORING

CHURCH MEDIA CONFERENCES

SOCIAL MEDIA

VIDEO PRODUCTION

RADIO & WEB BROADCASTING

SHORT FILMS

DIGITAL & PRINT PUBLICATION

“Our media team is not just for playing music and sermon presentations. We are eager to prepare content, share, and train to expand our knowledge of media so that we can align with God’s greater vision. —a Vietnamese worker

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The chance to advance Christ’s message across in Vietnam has never been greater! APMedia equips Vietnamese pastors and digital missionaries with crucial media training to seize this kairos moment. Their workshops teach how to use technology to spread the Good News.

ANOTHER INVITATION

APMedia held an intensive 3-day digital media workshop in Hanoi, attended by eager pastors and missionaries from across Vietnam. It was a huge success! Participants learned to powerfully utilize social media, videos, podcasts and more to share the gospel online.

We are eager to equip these leaders again, in a few weeks time, who will take what they have learned to train others—increasing the reach of Christ’s message across Vietnam.

NEW OPPORTUNITY, IMMEDIATE NEEDS

In a few weeks, we will be returning to Vietnam, but current funding constraints and increased travel costs for our training team are a challenge. Would you prayerfully consider a gift of $150 or more to help seize this moment? We are needing an additional $1,500 for this training. You can partner with us respond to this immediate need for funds at apmedia.org/give. Just put “Vietnam Travel” in the subject line.

CHURCH LEADERS LONG FOR TRAINING

Vietnamese social media users are online nearly 3 hours every day. Within those hours, we long to equip Vietnamese church leaders to provide hope through media to the next generation. Please pray with us for the church in Vietnam and greater Asia Pacific as we advance the gospel through digital training opportunities.

In 1995 at an AIMM conference, a young Mongolian man caught a vision for Christian media. Returning home with a media vision, Batjargal dreamed of launching the first Christian radio station in Mongolia. Despite being told approval was impossible, he received the license and Wind FM has been broadcasting nationwide for many years, bringing the gospel to remote regions. A number of years later, we visited him in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, and saw the ministry firsthand.

THE RIPPLE EFFECT

As a product of Asia Pacific Media training, Batjargal recently contacted us to speak to FEBC (Far East Broadcasting Company) coordinators on digital discipleship strategies. His mission is to serve FEBC teams developing content across Asia. It’s amazing the ripple effects of that initial 1995 AIMM seed. APMedia is now going to be involved with key language group creators of content supporting digital outreach to many different nations.

EXPANDING THE POSSIBILITIES

The ripple effects of AIMM continue through the 2024 Momentum Conference in Cebu City, Philippines, April 23–26. This special training will equip church media teams with practical strategies on content creation, video production, graphic design, social media outreach, digital discipleship, and more to build gospel momentum.

GENERATING MEDIA MINISTRY COMMUNITIES

APMedia facilitates critical equipping opportunities like these which are growing media training hubs across Asia Pacific. Their efforts expand the ranks of media workers able to navigate local harvest fields. Just as Batjargal’s seed of faith grew Wind FM’s reach, APMedia strives to nurture within each student the vision and skills to grow national ministries reflecting Christ’s light across the greater Asia Pacific.

Asia Pacific Media (APMedia) is revolutionizing evangelism by training media workers and pastors across the region that they can utilize something as simple as a smartphone to spread hope and faith, one text at a time.

ENGAGING CONVERSATIONS

Our mission is clear: to empower individuals to use social media platforms for meaningful engagement and spiritual outreach. Through workshops, participants learn to leverage the technology at their fingertips as tools for connecting hearts and transforming lives.

At the core of our training is relational evangelism. We teach individuals to cultivate authentic relationships through intentional interactions online. From sending encouraging messages to sharing gospel videos, each interaction becomes an opportunity for genuine dialogue and connection.

UNFOLDING POSSIBILITIES, GROWING COMMUNITY

What sets our approach apart is its scalability and sustainability. Training a network of individuals fosters the organic growth of vibrant online communities of faith.

Our vision extends beyond outreach; it encompasses discipleship and community building. Participants learn to shepherd online communities, providing spiritual guidance and support to those in need.

YOU INVESTMENT IS THE SEED THAT MULTIPLIES THE WORK

The essence of our mission is encapsulated in the idea that every interaction, no matter how small, has the potential to spark a lifechanging conversation. By investing in the training of media workers and pastors, we invest in the future of evangelism in the Asia Pacific region.

Thank you for partnering with us as we continue to Multiply His Message through Every Means. Consider giving today at apmedia.org/give. Together, let’s make a difference—one text at a time.