31 July 2017 | Kaunas. Lithuania [tedNEWS] When Pastor Bertold Hibner organised media training for his pastoral team in Lithuania earlier this year, he rapidly came to the conclusion that Mission School participants also needed the same practical skills to share Jesus using modern techniques.
A man never short of persuasion, he invited TED Communication and Media director, Victor Hulbert, to lead a weekend of training at the Lithuanian Conference headquarters, Kaunas, 7-9 July 2017. The aim was to be very practical. Two theory session on Friday afternoon gave a strong background in basic media skills and ideas for sharing Jesus in the internet age.
Following multi-media worship on Sabbath morning, enjoyed by the whole Kanuas church, participants then put theory into practice. Dividing into two groups they headed to a nearby park, equipped with video cameras and questions to engage the public. While one group asked a health-related question regarding a government change on the sale of alcohol, the second group inquired as to what newspaper people read, and introduced them to the Adventist Newspaper, Vilties Šaltinis.
Returning to the Conference office, trainees reviewed their work, then prepared an introduction and a conclusion to their video project. By Sunday lunchtime there was a finished product.
Sunday morning led participants through a series of writing and photography sessions. They also had fun with a second very practical exercise, developing voicing and breath control skills, useful both in preaching and in media production. Even those who spoke no English enjoyed working through “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers”, learnt the variations of pitch, pace, pause and intonation in their speech, and practised making Bible reading more engaging and interesting. They even took a chance to experience Facebook Live, another means of sharing their faith.
The Lithuanian Mission School has been running over a series of weekends for the past four years. Students have gained, among other things, skills in Bible study and in witnessing. This latest weekend, and the last before the Lithuanian Conference Session this autumn, aimed to stretch participants imaginations, and give them new ideas and techniques to share Good News in their communities where 765 Adventists endeavour to impact a population of 2.8 million.[tedNEWS]
tedNEWS Staff: Victor Hulbert, editor; Deana Stojkovic, associate editor
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tedNEWS is an information bulletin issued by the communication department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-European Division.
