Adventist youth leaders and secretaries from more than 400 local churches in the North Central Mindanao (NCM) territory in the Philippines recently convened for a two-day seminar on Youth Leadership Training, focused on empowering and equipping our youth through media evangelism.

The convention’s goal was to prepare and equip young people with innovative and adaptive approaches relevant to the current generation’s needs. Along with the topics given, the region’s Youth Department, headed by Eugene Dela Pena, spearheaded the election of the Adventist Youth Ministries Executive Committee, who will work with him in the various activities under the motto, “For the Youth, by the Youth.” 

The Southern Philippine Union Conference (SPUC) Youth Department has partnered with the local Communication Department and Hope Channel South Philippines in addressing the challenges of involving the youth in media ministry.

“Most young people are inclined to digital technology,” SPUC communication director Roxie Pido said. “This is an opportunity for us to encourage our young people to utilize their talents in using modern-day technology to spread the gospel, as they create the best contents to introduce Jesus to the world.”

After a successful media evangelism campaign during the height of the pandemic, the Adventist Church in southern Philippines sees unending possibilities of bringing the gospel to the airwaves. “It is something that will allow the message to reach more people in places we have never gone before,” leaders said. 

Leaders explained that the convention sought to help Adventist young people to realize their full potential in empowering and utilizing media in spreading the gospel in different avenues available in our generation today. “This collaboration between youth and media ministries will establish the church’s mark as a faith-based broadcasting network in the Philippines,” they said, adding that it will offer unique TV programming and opportunities for its viewers to help them understand the Bible to find freedom, healing, and hope in Jesus.

“Creating a mindset for our young people to utilize their God-given talents in the field of technology readies the church for more ministry opportunities in the future,” SPUC youth director Jemsly Lantaya said. “We have to make sure that we give our young people the proper guidance and leading [so] that they can be effective digital ministers for God.”

The original version of this story was posted by the Southern Asia-Pacific Division.