Christ in Media Institute: Current projects and activities

Updated March 2016

View the agenda of the upcoming

Gospel Outreach with Media online conference,

open to participation from March 28 (the day after Easter) until April 10.

 

Projects involving Gospel outreach via mobile devices:

1)   Academia Cristo: invited to work with Missionary Mike Hartman (WELS Mexico) to establish an online school with courses in Spanish. Tasks assigned to us:

  1. Locating contact tracking software – completed
  2. Locating phone-to-TV connection technology [consultation continues]
  3. Designing an “encourager” network [schematic provided]
  4. Participate in promotions planning

2)   Iglesia Cristo: invited to work with Mike Hartman to establish an online congregation, with worship services in Spanish. Tasks assigned to us:

  1. Designing broadcast hardware [hardware list developed]
  2. Locating online platform [recommended Churchonline]
  3. Request for face-to-face meeting in Manizales, Colombia
  4. Financially support trip by technical expert to set up broadcast streaming

3)  Mobile Gospel outreach in Mexico: working with Missionary Brad Krause to develop a digital “library” of materials that can be distributed phone-to-phone.

4) Mobile Gospel outreach in India: invited by ELS Board for World Outreach to help design an outreach strategy via mobile phones.

  1. We purchased and sent a Gospel Distribution Unit to enable phone-to-phone transfer of digital files
  2. We sent printed materials to help get the program started.
  3. Need to strengthen web presence. [http://www.christinindia.org was developed last year by Rocky Mt. LHS in our Christian Mobile Phone project, a good start.]
  4. The India program will help promote mobile outreach throughout Asia in a workshop at regional conference in Seoul next summer

5)   Mobile Gospel outreach in Haiti: invited to work with Missionary Terry Schulz: ideally we should send a teacher/ adviser / crew to go there.

6)   Mobile Gospel outreach in Peru: exploring potential in mountains and jungle with Terry Schultz and the ELS Board for World Outreach.

7)   Mobile Gospel outreach in Africa: we continue to advise mission workers in three countries about mobile strategies.

  1. Malawi: Missionary Rob Wendland
  2. Zambia: Missionary Dan Sargent
  3. Nigeria: Missionary Doug Weiser

8)   Mobile Gospel outreach in Asian nation (details not public)

9)    Mobile Gospel outreach in S. Asian nation (details not public)

10)   Outreach to US great west: invited to work on major effort with Time of Grace, Truth in Love, and WELS Kingdom Workers.

11)  Consulting with WELS Multi-Language Publications about preparing mobile-friendly audio and video files of “culturally relevant” Christian music from South Asia, for distribution in South Asia, India, and Latin America.

  1. Prof. Paulsen’s class at Bethany Lutheran College created a music video out of a Spanish language song.
  2. World Christian music exchange site: we are working with a consultant to design this website that will enable Christian musicians from around the world to share and exchange their locally-produced music.

 

Projects engaging technology other than mobile devices:

 

12) Agents for Christian Artists project: can our talented young Christian artists benefit from the services of business-savvy agents?

  1.  Preliminary discussion held with BLC Fine Arts, Media Arts, and Business Departments, and Entrepreneurial Facilitation Center

13) Gospel outreach through Lutheran Elementary Schools: preliminary visit with the BLC Education Department to explore the potential for training lay members to establish mobile outreach programs in our congregations with schools.

14) Consulting with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod Board for Christian Service on an innovative digital monument honoring those in military service.

15)  GEM videos: extending the 2013 Lutheran College Conference’s theme “Teaching through a Lutheran Lens,” these short videos by college faculty members show prospective students and others what is different about Lutheran higher education. A DVD of several dozen short videos was turned over to the Bethany faculty chair and administration.

16)  Invited presentation at WELStech Conference, July 9-11, 2015, Waukesha. “GospelTech: employing technology for Gospel Outreach at home and worldwide.”  This breakout session will survey everything we have learned so far at the Christ in Media Institute about using technology and mass media to reach out with the Gospel at home and around the world, with special attention to applications in congregations and schools. We will peek ahead at future challenges and opportunities, and welcome ideas from the audience.

17)  Invitation to take part in a June 18-19 conference at Mequon hosted by newly created WELS Global Ministry Commission, who will be studying “various tools to help immigrants in our fellowship take the gospel back to their countries of origin.” They would like presentation on “the appropriate role of The Christ in Media Institute in such a process.”

18)  At suggestion of Antioch Foundation, Jonathon Roberts of Spark and Echo connected with Studio Director Greg Vandermause at Bethany, where they are assisting S&E with video editing tasks.

19) Partnering with a Mission Organization to host an information session during Media Week, in connection with 2015 Speechless Film Festival. Session scheduled for Monday, March 16, focusing on Gospel work in an Asian nation.

20) Consulting with a WELS Youth Outreach program seeking numerous leader demonstration videos.