22 October 2024 | Bracknell, UK [Catherine Anthony Boldeau with tedNEWS]
Pastors, church leaders and lay members from across the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands gathered at Newbold College of Higher Education (NCHE) on Sunday 12 October, for ConnectED25: Faith, Tech and the Future of Outreach. The one-day conference, organised by the South England Conference (SEC) Communication and Media department in partnership with NCHE’s Centre for Ministry and Mission, explored how digital tools can be used to advance the Church’s mission.
“This was a visionary event, inspired by the Holy Spirit… anyone who missed this, you must come to the next one. It was informative, inspirational and exactly what you need to move into the future of media and communication,” said Cynthia Osei Owusu-Arthur, HR professional and presenter of the IN2G show, produced by the British Union Conference (BUC).
A Spirit-led Call to Connect
The conference opened with a keynote address by Pastor Joe Philpott, newly elected Associate Communication director of the Trans-European Division (TED). His presentation, “Digital Discipleship – Called to Connect”, blended personal storytelling and theological grounding, drawing on Jesus’ commission in Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you shall be my witnesses…”
“Jesus didn’t give them a communication strategy,” Philpott stated, “but He gave them a mandate through which the Spirit would work.” Emphasising authenticity in witness, he urged attendees to see the reporter’s pen, the photographer’s lens and the designer’s screen as modern pulpits for proclaiming the gospel. “The same power that carried the disciples in their ministry is the same Holy Spirit who empowers us today,” he concluded. “All we need to do is answer the call: ‘Here am I, send me.’”
Engaging with the Realities of the Digital World
Dr Sorin Petrof, Director of the Communication and Media department at the SEC and event organiser, offered a deep dive into the intersection of faith, technology and society. A researcher in media studies and a guest lecturer at NCHE, Petrof referenced historian Yuval Harari, noting, “Religions that lost touch with the technical realities of the day forfeit their ability even to understand the questions being asked.”
“If we don’t engage meaningfully with technology,” he said, “we won’t simply struggle to reach people – we won’t understand… the world they are navigating.” He added that ConnectED25 was created to help the Church remain “relevant, effective and faithful” in its digital outreach, providing both vision and practical skills.
Challenging Assumptions: The TED-style Talks
Attendees expecting tips on posting devotionals and scripture verses on social media quickly discovered a steeper learning curve. The morning featured eight fast-paced TED-style talks from global experts exploring digital disruption, creativity, AI, and new strategies for communication and mission.
Pastor Carlos Magalhães, Director of Digital Strategies for the South American Division (SAD), delivered a session titled “AI, Gaming, Streaming to Engage Gen Z.” He shared examples of how artificial intelligence is being used in mission, including an AI Bible tutor and AI-generated films that retell the gospel parables. He also described how technologies and platforms such as virtual reality and the Metaverse can support Pathfinders. His four key takeaways were: people use technology to seek connection; younger audiences lead the desire to use these tools, but all ages value community; Christ’s method removes fear of innovation; and the Church must be present where Gen Z lives digitally.
Paulin Giurgi, Vice President of Hope Media Europe, shared insights from across nine media centres in the Inter-European Division, which currently reach 2.5 million people each month. His message, “From Screens to Streets: Faith in Action,” cautioned against treating faith as a commodity. “We are not sellers, we are disciples,” he said. He outlined ten principles to guide digital ministry, including relevance, context, innovation and presence.
Keith Kirk, CEO of Code Group Music, led a presentation titled “Harnessing Music Publishing for Digital Mission.” A music business expert, he surprised the audience by noting that only 1.5% of the 695 hymns in the Adventist hymnal were written by Adventists. He gave a short history of Chapel Music (formerly Chapel Records), a Seventh-day Adventist record label, and presented opportunities for Adventist composers to collaborate with global music agencies. He also highlighted the growing influence of Christian music as a tool for outreach.
Dr Dan Serb, Principal of NCHE and co-organiser of the event, presented “RELATE: Faith, AI & Relationships.” While affirming AI’s potential to support mission, he expressed concern about its autonomous decision-making capabilities. He quoted Rowan Williams, saying, “The holy presence is not one item to be noticed among others, but the foundation of all noticing.”
BBC presenter Neil Nunes addressed the attention economy in “Communicating to a Distracted Generation.” He proposed that communicators appeal to the H.E.A.R.T., meaning Holy intention, Empathy, Attraction, Revelation and Touching the will, in order to engage meaningfully with those immersed in digital spaces.
Pastor Christian Salcianu, Principal of the Adventist Discovery Centre (ADC), began his talk “Leading in a Digital Age: From Scripture to Strategy” by asking, “Where were you in 1982?” Referencing Time Magazine’s decision to name the personal computer ‘Machine of the Year,’ he highlighted how deeply embedded technology has become in society. His message urged attendees to develop spiritual vision in order to lead effectively in digital spaces.
Eunice Alves, BT Product Designer, presented on “Maximising Your Canva Skills for Digital Outreach.” She outlined four principles for good design: beauty draws attention, story builds connection, familiarity builds trust and emotion drives action. “God is the original designer,” she said, encouraging participants to bring intentionality and excellence to their church websites, posters and social media.
In his presentation “Exploring WhatsApp for Pastoral Connections,” Pastor Pavle Trajkovski, Youth Pastor at Newbold Seventh-day Adventist Church, explored how group chats can be repurposed for pastoral care. Drawing on his MA Theology research, he invited the audience to consider the question, “Can the warmth of a handshake be translated into digital spaces?” He concluded that, with prayer and purpose, even a “dreaded WhatsApp group” can become an instrument of grace.
From Inspiration to Application
In the afternoon, each speaker expanded their talks into 50-minute interactive workshops, allowing participants to apply concepts in a more practical setting.
A closing panel discussion brought all presenters together to answer audience questions, including: what is the single biggest challenge for digital outreach, how do we balance public platforms with private spaces, and how do we elevate the voices of Gen Z in church communication?
The consensus across the panel was that community and connection must remain central to outreach. To remain relevant, the Adventist Church in the UK and Ireland must embrace the digital space, not merely as a communication tool but as a Spirit-led environment for mission.
Reflecting on the day, Philpott concluded, “ConnectED was excellent. The environment was good, the networking opportunities superb and the event was Spirit-led.”
[Photos: Kevin Guthrie]
