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The General Conference of the Church of God (Seventh Day) Southwest District, GC COG7 SWD, Media Ministry partners with every other Ministry, Local Church, and Leader in the SWD and beyond.  Jamin Teran has served as the Director of this young District Ministry ever since it was launched.  Sister Jamin recruits and builds a Team of Ministry Partners throughout the SWD to work with her in communicating newsfeeds, encouragements, helps, and resources to help Local Churches and Leaders excel in the work of the Lord.

It is important to note that Media Ministry is not the message, it is the tool for the message.  Also, regardless of how well the Church does Media Ministry, there is always room for traditional ministry that provides real-time in person service one to another.  Media Ministry is neither holy nor cursed.  It depends upon its use for its value.  Use it wisely.  In the GC COG7 SWD we think we are using it very wisely.

Today as the SWD Media Ministry is highlighted I want to 1) share its Mission Statement, 2) make you aware the SWD Media Ministry is always searching for gifted and disciplined Ministry Partners to continue expanding this already robust District Ministry, and 3) consider an implied biblical basis for having a Media Ministry.  Yes, it is implied.  Electricity had not yet been discovered when the authors of the Bible were being moved by the Holy Spirit to record the Word of God for those following them.  Electricity was here.  But mankind did not know how to use it.  If the Lord delays his coming, what will the Church be able to do in another 30 years in the cause of Jesus Christ?

SWD Media Ministry Mission Statement: To develop a Christ-center vision in the SWD district using media for the full engagement of the believers and non-believers in the areas of the Church’s mission. Our goal is to create resources to educate, encourage, promote, and create awareness of the 21st century vibrant church vision that the General Conference in the United States and Canada are following.

The SWD Media Ministry is always looking for people who want to share the gospel through media.  SWD Media Director Jamin Teran says, we need people who are responsible and thriving to find creative ways to engage, communicate, teach, educate, and most importantly share the gospel using media.  We need passionate and compassionate team members that are willing to use all their gifts to any tasks.  If you are one of them, send us an e-mail at: swdmedia@cog7.org and let us know you are interested.

Currently we are seeking for the following:

• ANIMATORS (2D & 3D Animation, and Motion Graphics)
• VIDEOGRAPHERS
• GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
• PHOTOGRAPHERS
• WRITERS

Also, the SWD Media Ministry Director has developed a SWD Media Ministry Application.  You can find it on the SWD Media Ministry webpage.  The Superintendent has used that Application as a template to expand the application and make it suitable for recruiting and building a pool of potential SWD Ministry Directors and Workers in multiple areas of ministry.

There is an expression made famous a few years ago, “What Would Jesus Do?”  Bracelets, Coffee Mugs, T-Shirts, and about anything on which something could be printed has been used to communicate the message.  However, Andy Githens, one of the parishioners I served when I was a Pastor in Wister, Oklahoma, has often said, “there is another phrase I like better than ‘WWJD’.  It is ‘WDJD’.  ‘What Did Jesus Do?’”  Like Andy, I like both questions and find them helpful in communicating principle application during circumstances that could distort or tempt one to make a serious or even incorrect choice.  I would like to use that question in the focus on Media Ministry’s place in the Church.

“What Did Jesus Do”, when it came to using media in his ministry?  What Jesus did was to use everything at his disposal to communicate, educate, disciple, teach, preach, and facilitate the work he had been commissioned to complete in his stay on earth.  Jesus used object lessons, visual aids, sounds, history, revelation, miracles, parables, literary devices, and everything that could improve the level of communication to his audience.  Yes, Jesus even used sound projection and acoustics to improve his presentation of the good news being authored through him.  Jesus was not reluctant to get in a boat to create a stage on the water and often used a hill or knoll to afford his audience improved reception of his message.  It is very likely Jesus and his disciples would be using every media available in today’s world to share the message, fulfill the Great Commission and observe the Great Commandment.  It seems unthinkable to us there was ever a time when simple writing was not an option.  But such was the case.  In the times of the prophets, and writers of old they used writing to their greatest advantage, sometimes using scribes to mass produce the message.  

Besides what “Jesus Did”, what did the Apostles Do?  For the most part, besides there in-person work, they wrote letters, often addressing current circumstances and situations in the Church.  I expect they would have been overjoyed to be able to use word processors and the Internet to communicate their message through email and social media.  They would be amazing leaders in today’s world.  While some speculated about whether some method was holy enough to be used, they would have been sharing that which is truly holy, the message of our Lord, the Word of God.

Jesus made a comment that offended the Pharisees and offers some insight to us about which is important, the means or the message, the observable behavior or the heart.

Matthew 15:10-14, NKJV

10. When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 
11. Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” 
12. Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 
13. But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 
14. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” 

Consider the following Bible verses and think of their relevance for the Church, not only for their message, but also the implication of using whatever means are at the Church’s disposal to communicate the message, care for the family of God and glorify God.

Romans 10:14-15

“How beautiful are the feet of those who carry good news”

In Bible times the only way to “carry” good news was to walk or run from one place to another.  Consider Jonah at Nineveh and how his message of condemnation had to be delivered on foot through street after street.  But it turned into good news for those evil people because they repented of their sins and God spared them 100 years.  Throughout the Old Scriptures very often the messenger was treated in accordance with his message.  So, messengers like to carry the good news.  However, technological advances have vastly increased additional communication channels, all of which we can use to amplify the rate at which we spread the Word.

Matthew 28:16-20

The Great Commission: “Go make disciples of all nations”

Jesus tells us to go and make disciples of all nations – to spread the Word of the good news of God, the gospel, to people wherever they are.  In an age when God’s revelation of knowledge has resulted in such technological advances as voice and face recognition using iPhones, laptops, computers of many types, and the Internet, should we not use the technology available to us?  Jesus met those whom he would meet, whether Zacchaeus in a tree, a woman of many relationships in Samaria at a well outside of Sychar, people in need of healing both inside and outside the temple, feeding thousands in the wilderness, or on trouble seas.  Peter would go to a Gentiles house for his and his household’s salvation.  Today people are using electronic devices and social media for major portions of their communication.  This is not to say that is preferable.  It is an observation of fact.  Should we not meet them there?  We are called to extend the message to people wherever they are, and technology allows us to do exactly that.

1 Corinthians 12:21

“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’”

Every member of each Local Church is blessed with a different set of skills and talents – embracing all of them is essential to building a strong community.  While you may excel in teaching or shepherding, others may find their strengths in technology.  God bestowed each person with these gifts for a reason.  SWD Media Ministry desires to facilitate Church Leaders to create an environment that encourages people to take advantage of their skillsets and use them in ways that glorify the Lord.

We live in a world that is constantly evolving and adapting.  Emerging technologies need not contradict our beliefs; instead, they can help us spread God’s word.  When we look to scripture for guidance, we learn that leveraging new advancements can fit in perfectly with what we are setting out to do – to reach more lives.

We rejoice in thanksgiving to God for the District Ministries which he has provided to help us complete the task he has for us.  SWD Media Ministry is a great ministry.  If God has gifted you in the areas where your talents are needed in the SWD Media Ministry, I invite you to contact the SWD Media Ministry Director Jamin Teran with the information included in this post, on the website or social media pages.

Let the Lord make you a blessing to someone today.  If you use the technological advances of today’s media ministries, you will be able to be a blessing to many people for an indefinite time.  Let the power of God be the salt and light this world needs working through you.