2024 National Partners’ Conference: Innovations in Ministry

Simon Diercks, head of communications and media at Allianz-Mission e.V., Germany, spoke about digital discipleship. He described it as a way to connect content creators with digital communities, intentionally shaping encounters. Diercks ended his presentation with a question: "To which spaces and places should we take the gospel?"

We also heard about four pillars of digital ministry from Tyler Church, TWR's vice president of digital ministry: content creation, digital channels, audience engagement and promotion. Church compared paid promotions on digital platforms to amplifiers which can enhance our digital presence. "I usually refer to promotions as rocket fuel," Church said.

We should be wise with how we engage with AI, prompting it after filtering the information through ourselves and engaging with the Holy Spirit

Several people provided advice on using AI as a tool for ministry. Tyler Church encouraged people to think critically when using a new technology. We should be wise with how we engage with AI, prompting it after filtering the information through ourselves and engaging with the Holy Spirit. The Farsi ministry director warned that restrictive governments declare that they will think on behalf of the people. AI also offers to think for you. It is important to think for yourself and use AI as a tool that is subservient to us.

The highlights from the TWR Europe region included an outreach initiative in Paris, a testimony from Albania that was released in September as part of our Reach the Last series, and a Bible chatbot called Nicodemus.AI developed by ERF Germany.

Under communism, religion was banned for more than 40 years in Albania. The government held rigid control over the press, yet in 1980, Capt. Albert (Berti) Dosti heard a voice on the radio say, “If you want to find out more about God, we will meet again tomorrow.” While monitoring the airwaves to help prevent any entry of hostile transmissions into Albania, Capt. Dosti heard TWR’s 15-minute Christian program that was broadcast into Albania every night. Dosti’s compelling story shows the power of the gospel to change lives and produce lasting fruit.

Phare FM in France gave an update about their GamesTalk outreach initiative, praising God for nearly 80 interviews with Christian athletes and Christians working with athletes and sports associations. The broadcast reached half a million listeners. Through Phare FM's Living Bus, the team conducted interviews and engaged with various initiatives around the city. Phare FM shared TWR content with Parisians and tourists on the street and heard amazing testimonies.

Highlights from the TWR CAMENA region included new content for the Kurdish Kurmanji dialect and animated programs for deaf communities in Central Asia

The highlights from the TWR CAMENA region included the creation of new content for the Kurdish Kurmanji dialect, animated programs for the deaf communities in Central Asia, a 24-hour online radio station for Farsi-speakers called Persian World Radio, a new program airing next month for Kabyle-speakers in North Africa, and a thriving digital ministry for Arabic speakers in the Middle East and North Africa.

Overall, the National Partner Conference encouraged one another through prayer, fellowship and learning how to best utilize new innovations to reach the world for Christ by mass media so that lasting fruit is produced.

Jade Alger and Becky Matthews.