By Alleyhandra Celio anak Anis, Sarawak Mission Media Volunteer
Tuesday, 3rd November 2026
The Central Zone of Sarawak Media Training was successfully held on 30 and 31 October 2026 at the Sarikei Seventh-day Adventist Church. The programme brought together 60 participants from eight churches, including church leaders, youth leaders and church members. It aimed to strengthen digital communication skills and encourage church members to take part in sharing the Gospel through social media platforms.
The training focused on creating digital content, especially posters and short spiritual videos suitable for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Through the OneVoice27 initiative, participants were encouraged to use their creativity and digital skills as new ways to share the Good News with the community. The message “All Things New, Hope Starts Here” was also highlighted as a call to share God’s hope and love through positive, attractive and Christ centred content on social media. During the poster design session, participants were guided by Miss Jennicia Isaiah, assisted by Josephine John. They received practical guidance on the basics of poster design, the use of visual elements, text arrangement and how to create attractive and effective digital promotional materials for evangelism.
Meanwhile, the short spiritual video production session was led by Belden Suboh and Junwatson Dunggau. Participants learned techniques for producing creative short videos, presenting spiritual messages in a simple and engaging way, and adapting content for Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Group activities also allowed participants to work together and produce digital content that could be used in the ministries of their respective churches. Besides developing media skills, the training also highlighted important areas of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s life and ministry, particularly Adventist Identity, resource management and Global Mission.
During his presentation, Pr. Chan Tin Loi emphasised the importance of understanding and protecting the identity of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He reminded participants that the church’s identity is not only about its name or organisation, but also includes its beliefs, values and mission, which every member must continue to uphold. He stated, “Protecting the identity of our church is very important. It is our shared responsibility.” He also connected Adventist identity with the church’s responsibility to take an active part in Global Mission, including using digital media as a way to share messages of hope with the world. Elder Dave Keith Mina, Treasurer of the Sarawak Mission, also highlighted the important role of financial management in supporting the church’s mission. He reminded participants that every member has resources that can be used to support God’s work. Responsible financial management and the proper use of resources are not simply administrative matters, but are also part of the church’s commitment to evangelism. He shared an important message: “Each of us uses the resources available to carry out God’s mission.” This reminded members that their resources, including money, time, energy and abilities, can be used to support God’s work, especially in expanding the mission throughout Sarawak.
Meanwhile, Pr. Brian Scott Padam, Executive Secretary of the Sarawak Mission, emphasised that involvement in the church’s mission should be a shared effort. He explained that ministry is not only the responsibility of the administration, pastors or certain leaders, but also the responsibility of every church member. He further stressed the importance of making God’s Word the foundation of every aspect of life and ministry. He stated, “The Bible should be our main foundation and guide for both our lives and the church.” His message reminded participants that every ministry effort, including communication and digital evangelism, must be guided by God’s Word. Cooperation among church leaders, pastors, youth and church members is important to ensure that the church moves forward with one vision and purpose. The training was also attended by several pastors who supported the effort to strengthen media ministry at the local church level. They were Pr. Iliphsonlie Maing, Pr. Jwenson Vive, Pr. Wise Li and Pr. Steeve Ton. Their presence, together with church leaders, youth leaders and members, showed a shared commitment to strengthening communication ministry and digital evangelism in the Central Zone of Sarawak.
One of the achievements of the training was the production of 60 social media posts using the hashtags #allthingsnew and #hopestartshere, together with five short spiritual videos created through group activities. These results showed that participants not only gained new knowledge but were also able to apply the skills they had learned directly to digital evangelism. Overall, the Central Zone of Sarawak Media Training served as an important platform to equip church leaders and members with digital communication skills, strengthen Adventist identity and increase awareness of their shared responsibility in Global Mission. The participation of 60 people from eight churches also reflected the spirit of cooperation and willingness among local churches to work together in media ministry.
Through the OneVoice27 initiative, the Sarawak Mission hopes that every church, youth leader and member will continue to use social media creatively and consistently to spread hope, share the love of Christ and reach more people. The training served as a reminder that everyone has a role to play in sharing the Gospel, and that digital platforms can be used meaningfully to bring God’s message to the wider community.
One voice, one mission, one hope. Together, sharing the message “All Things New, Hope Starts Here” with the world.
