22 February 2009

On-Line: The way to go

Modernity is shaping everybody’s mind on all aspects of communication. The Seventh-day Adventist Church considers technology as God’s wonderful gift that can be used to expand the Lord’s work in modern times. Employing it for evangelism brings the church closer to the professionals, the elite, and the technology wizards. Through the Internet, many people are given opportunities to learn the Scriptures that eventually invite them to take sides with the truth the Scriptures offer.

Responding to the “Tell the World” program of the Seventh-day Adventist world church, local church leaders saw the versatility of the Internet to reach out to the people of southern Luzon in the Philippines and beyond. One of these leaders, Melvin Roy Garbida, Voice of Prophecy coordinator of San Nicolas Adventist Church in Iriga City, felt the need to share his expertise in technology with those whom he can get in touch with. He organized and coordinated with the Worldtech Resource Institute (WRI), where he serves as computer instructor, to reach out to his students and to those others beyond his classroom.

“I have been thinking of how to reach out to professionals who are our acquaintances in the workplace,” said Garbida. “When I presented it to the church, we came up with the idea of ‘One Reach One!’ We then agreed to study the lessons ourselves so we can teach and sponsor at the same time,” added Garbida.

The fruits of the labor of this team of teachers and sponsors paid off when 34 of their VOP enrollees finished their courses. During the first graduation this year held on February 22, to the delight of the church members, the graduates included WRI school administrators, teachers, and graduating students.

“I have attended graduations like this in the past, and thus far this is the best. Next time I will see to it that my husband gets enrolled in these Bible classes and graduates from them,” commented Ms Arlene Malaya, WRI administrator, when asked for her comments at graduation time.

“The Amazing Facts on-line lessons were very timely. As the students answered their lessons on-line, they were excited to know immediately the results of their quizzes,” Garbida further said.

At the graduation, Pastor Joven Histosis, ministerial secretary of the Adventist Church in southern Luzon (SLM), gave the message. With the support of Ric Moreno, district pastor, and the church members, such program signaled a more vibrant participation of church members in future events.

“I found out that our enrollees performed well in their lessons. Most importantly, our church members who were sponsors and instructors were more benefited as these became review sessions on Bible doctrines,” Garbida furthermore commented. “In fact, the spouses of the enrollees also got interested with the lessons and they promised to finish them in order to join the next graduation event,” he concluded. [Eden N Lumbao/AND Staff]