AWR CDE equips youth to create a meaningful online experience

November 21, 2022 • in News & Events

“This is one of the best social media-evangelism-focused training I have ever attended,” confessed one participant in the recently-concluded Digital Evangelism Training conducted by the Adventist World Radio (AWR) Center for Digital Evangelism (CDE).

The training invitation attracted more than 150 digitally-registered participants. However, as venue limitation requires, it received almost 100 young influencers and pastors who created a wonderful learning experience and interaction with one another.

AWR, as the radio arm of the Adventist Church, aims to strengthen its 1800 radio stations and frequencies worldwide and empowers the use of digital media platforms to reach more audiences from different walks of life. The training emphasizes the peculiarity of its people living in this digital world and the need for each missionary to be an amiable, versatile, and Christ-centered influencer of this internet-dominated society.

The participants enjoyed lively, informative, and soul-inspiring discussions with Pr. Elexiz Mercado, the Associate Director of the AWR CDE, who established the biblical foundations of digital ministry that everyone has the task of “making disciples by going, preaching, and teaching.”

In this digital world, we can efficiently use Facebook, YouTube, Tiktok, and various social media platforms by filtering our posts, reactions, comments, and content to parallel the Adventist fundamental beliefs.

Topics deliberated by digital missionaries from AWR CDE were “Related Contents” by Jezciel Nuqui; “Meaningful Conversations” by Karah Kristal Benliro; “Social Media Diet” by James David from Kenya; and “Filtering Social Media Information” by Febe Ann Sumicad.

Fun and camaraderie filled the hall with pictorials, sumptuous meals, and the incorporation of timely illustrations during lectures and trainees’ participation.
Mr. RhoenCatolico, the Davao Mission (DM) Communication Director and, at the same time, the Media (AWR HopeRadio Davao and HopeChannel Davao) director, led in distributing the tokens, AWR-CDE shirts, and certificates to the resource speakers and participants just before everyone left the hall.

Pr. Mercado shared the story of David on how he fought the giant, Goliath: “He fought not just by his transformation nor by being trained as a shepherd boy nor having the right tools he carries—David fought the giant with his total dependence on God!”

“Therefore,” he continues, “every digital missionary should not rely on your transformation and the training you receive, not even the tools you have in your hands but rely on and place your trust in the Lord God Almighty!”

Catolico, on the other hand, calls on everyone to be a part of this digital empowerment. “I challenge each of you to go online and share the love of God with everyone on your list! Do not just post religious content on your social media accounts. Create and establish a wonderful social media experience for your online friends! This is not the time to sit and watch miracles happen! This is when you want to be a part of a miracle happening!”

Adventist author and pioneer Ellen White challenges everyone, “Workers are needed to devise methods for reaching the people. Something must be done to break down the prejudice existing in the world against the truth.” (Evangelism, p. 129.1)

Indeed, this ministry has no walls, borders, and limits as its broadcasts and digital ministries travel where missionaries cannot go, transforming lives for eternity. (Dan Florante Callo/DM Communication)