<p style="text-align: justify;">23 June 2015 <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 28px; text-align: justify;">| </span>St Albans, United Kingdom [Mirjana Tešanović, <em>ted</em>NEWS] We live in a time in which people’s lives are unavoidably dominated by the presence of media. A time in which reality can often seem veiled by social media and programmes broadcast on the Internet are both popular and commonplace.</p>
<p>In response to such a growing influence, the Trans-European Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (TED) has established a social media evangelism initiative known as LIFEconnect (<a href="http://www.lifeconnect.info" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.lifeconnect.info</a>). The purpose of this initiative is to connect with the millions of people who use the Internet on a regular basis.</p>
NewsJune 23, 2015
23 June 2015 | St Albans, United Kingdom [Mirjana Tešanović, tedNEWS] We live in a time in which people’s lives are unavoidably dominated by the presence of media. A time in which reality can often seem veiled by social media and programmes broadcast on the Internet are both popular and commonplace.
In response to such a growing influence, the Trans-European Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (TED) has established a social media evangelism initiative known as LIFEconnect (www.lifeconnect.info). The purpose of this initiative is to connect with the millions of people who use the Internet on a regular basis.
‘Connect to Escape’ in EnglishLIFEconnect is an online community which strives to be a place where people can both feel ‘at home’ and explore life together. The content produced is aimed at those who are earnestly seeking to investigate life and a deeper understanding about Biblical values. However, the content displayed on LIFEconnect is not just for online users, but can also be applied in a small group or local church setting. This enables engagement on a more personal level, whereby continuing Christ’s mandate to make disciples. The site has enjoyed 7.8 million visits from over 200 countries, and now has over 200,000 members!
‘Connect to Escape’ in HungarianGod has truly been using LIFEconnect to make a positive difference in people’s lives and assisting them in their search for truth. One particular programme broadcast by LIFEconnect is called ‘Connect to Escape’ (CTE). It was first organised in public halls, and was attended by guests invited via either newspaper, radio, television or online advertisements. One evening, a young lady, a famous singer from Macedonia, who had seen the ‘Connect to Escape’ Facebook advert, began to attend the programme. She returned each evening. At the end of the week, she had become so excited and enthused about the topics that had been presented, that she decided to visit the local Seventh-day Adventist church. Now, in a few months’ time, she will be baptised.
In addition to LIFEconnect’s social network, LCTV (www.lctv.today), an Internet television channel was established in 2013 using streaming technology.
‘Connect to Escape’ in SerbianHere, one can watch a variety of programmes (nearly 250) on many different topics in 12 languages. The channel has already enjoyed success, with 523,500 viewers and has been represented at various world famous music festivals, book fairs, children camps and charity events. The LCTV programmes have also been broadcast on a few national television channels, one of which was SHUTEL TV in Macedonia. Such publicity has meant that LCTV has gained a wide and varied viewer base; even reaching those of the Muslim and Catholic faith! One Catholic missionary commented that he would be making sure that LCTV was promoted in his church!
Similarly, in 2013, a young Albanian woman from a traditional Muslim background attended the programme ‘Connect to Escape’. When an appeal was made at the end of the programmes, Xheni felt there was something special about the Lord of the Bible. Despite the fact that she came from a particularly Muslim background, she was drawn to the Adventist message.
In December 2014, her cousin got baptised in the Adriatic Sea after the second series of ‘Connect to Escape’ programme and Xheni almost joined her in the water, but something kept her back.
Xheni getting baptised, May 2015A short while afterwards, she began to attend youth meetings in Tirana Central Adventist Church, as well as having Bible studies with Pastor Julian Kastrati. At the beginning of 2015, after watching yet another programme on LCTV, Xheni decided to get baptised no matter what.
The positive change in her life did not go unnoticed by her parents; so much so that her father also came to a church service in Tirana. Whilst there, he told the Pastor that his daughter now ‘belonged to the Christian Adventist faith’ and that he was “fine with that”.
LIFEconnect invites you to join its fellowship and to become a part of its community; exploring life together and sharing our thoughts and beliefs. Do help us spread the message of the gospel through modern technology! [tedNEWS]
tedNEWS Staff: Miroslav Pujic, director; Deana Stojkovic, editor 119 St Peter’s Street, St Albans, Herts, AL1 3EY, England E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.ted-adventist.org
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