The Hope Virtual Assistant (Hope VA) was put to the test during the recent PNG for Christ series in Papua New Guinea, with more than 83,000 messages received from contacts and replied to on any given day of the 16-day program, regional Seventh-day Adventist church leaders reported.
Promoting Hope VA on various sites led to 8,500 individuals engaging in free Bible studies and health lessons through WhatsApp.
Russ Willcocks, senior ministry systems specialist at Adventist Technology in the South Pacific Division of the Adventist Church (SPD), said the PNG for Christ program demonstrated the potential of Hope VA as a powerful discipleship tool, seamlessly integrating technology with real-world evangelism.
“The success of this initiative has set the stage for the anticipated expansion of Hope VA to other parts of the South Pacific and beyond, with plans to offer it on the Facebook Messenger platform in time,” Willcocks said.
Recently added additional features and integrations with Adventist Technology’s new THRIVE application enabled Hope VA to share sermon notes during the PNG for Christ campaign. For each of the 10,000-plus downloads made during the meetings, Hope VA invited users to register for further information from the Adventist Church on a range of topics.
“As Hope VA continues to evolve, the potential to impact more lives grows, promising a future where technology and faith go hand in hand in nurturing the journey from first contact to baptism and beyond,” said Mike Wolfe, manager of the ministry projects team at Adventist Technology.
Building on technology developed at Novo Tempo in Brazil, Hope VA is revolutionizing the way individuals can access and engage with spiritual and health-related content. Designed to bridge the gap between digital and face-to-face connection, it offers a pathway from social media interaction to engagement with the local church.
“Hope VA’s integration with our new THRIVE Contact Management System will help the Church in its efforts to ensure that every decision to explore Bible studies is met with comprehensive support and guidance,” Matt Atcheson, of Adventist Technology, said. “Further integrations between discipleship and leadership platforms are underway. We are working on connecting Hope VA and THRIVE with the ministry development portal to give pastors and conferences the tools they need to see the discipleship taking place under their care.”
About Hope VA
Hope VA is a virtual assistant with the potential of bringing hope and health to the SPD church region. People can simply search WhatsApp for the word “Bible” or “Health” using specific numbers or links and get a message back to start the journey for free.
The tool can assist people with Bible studies, taking them on a journey to discover the great hope of life in Jesus and the difference He can make in their lives.
It can also provide health lessons, helping people discover a healthier version of themselves and how to be part of bringing hope through healthy habits.
Finally, Hope VA can offer connection through a guide team that can support and help people find others on a similar journey of health and hope-filled living.
Hope VA has been produced by Adventist Technology and the South Pacific Division Ministry and Strategy Team, in partnership with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Hope Channel, and the 10,000 Toes campaign.
The original version of this story was posted by Adventist Record.
