Don’t Miss This Critical Opportunity
To every pastor and believer,
In 2011, with God’s help, I started Christian Media International. We started with our first broadcasts in India, and I began traveling the country preaching and asking churches to think outside of the box when it came to outreach, and the use of media. With God-given global media relationships and secular training in broadcast media, it has opened doors all over the world to spread the gospel.
In 2013, while preaching and trying to raise support I spoke in over 150 churches and it was apparent that what was I was doing was not working. Less than 15 churches supported CMI. God still had a way and He opened doors in the secular business world and supplied our needs. Now we broadcast in over 100 countries and have a network of over 1,000 pastors who partner with us to get the gospel around the world by way of media, capture the responses, and plant churches. God has truly been faithful to what He has called us to do. Since then we have conducted media seminars both domestically, and on foreign soil, because it is our goal to help others see and use the power of media to reach the world with the gospel.
Fast forward to 2020 and the COVID-19 crisis, and how it has affected churches. We have been inundated with calls from churches, missionaries, and evangelists who need help in the area of media. We have helped well over 60 churches in the past few weeks with their on-line giving as well as streaming to make sure they stay connected to their congregation during this crisis.
With all of that being said I don’t want to miss the opportunity to draw some attention to a few things…
1) Even though you may see media as a temporary fix so that you may connect with your congregants, many people around the world rely on this method due to their contextual circumstances. Many in underground churches and those who serve in remote areas must rely on these methods each week to connect with their people and find new potential converts. In many ways, pastors in 3rd world countries are better at connecting with their people digitally than many in the United States. You are now getting a better understanding of what it is like to pastor in Laos, China, Iran, Pakistan, and many other closed countries as you have to rely on other methods to connect with your people when an in-person meeting is prevented or under scrutiny from the government. This is no different than what many of our partners face each week as they meet in private, secret places, whisper their congregational songs, and create innovative ways to connect so that they do not end up in prison or worse.
2) Just this past week numbers were published and well over 100,000 churches tried to stream their services or messages. The velocity was so intense that it crippled Facebook for a short period and many experienced issues with streaming. When you look at that staggering number it is amazing and apparent to me how the hand of God must be present in this situation. Hundreds of millions of people as they scrolled their social feeds were presented with the gospel. My only hope is that the effort you placed in pushing your sermons in front of your people when they could not meet with you does not diminish when this present crisis is over. The world is lost and dying every day before and after the Coronavirus. They need you! Don’t Stop! Don’t Pull Back!
3) Don’t forget that it is not only your church that is watching, but your digital messages will reach unbelievers too. We are faced with this every day as we broadcast around the world. In our efforts some are planting, some are watering, and some are reaping. Don’t let your on-line message be a deterrent from those who are listening to the presentation of the gospel for the first time. You are not preaching in the confines of your church walls. Your pulpit is now broadcasting to the masses when you live stream or place your messages on social media. Let’s “adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.”
4) If CMI can be a help to you, please let us know. We want to help in any way possible. Follow us on Facebook or connect with us on-line and we will do our best to be responsive in this very busy time. Also, we have been asked to resume our media workshops for churches. If your church would like to host one in the future, please let us know.
5) Lastly, CMI still has less than 25 churches that support the ministry, and God has been faithful to provide. However, if you see the vision of how media can reach the world, amplify the voices of pastors and missionaries, and help with church planting we need your partnership. We serve over 100 countries and have nearly 100 more to go to cover the globe. We broadcast in over 25 languages but need 25 more. We have opportunities just waiting on us to find the resources and preachers to fulfill the need. Please consider thinking outside of the box with your missions’ support and consider CMI. To learn ways to partner with CMI click here – https://sharecmi.com/compassion/
God Bless,
Eddie Wilson
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Eddie graduated from The Ohio State University School of Broadcasting with a degree in Broadcast Sales and Marketing. He studied marketing at Georgia Tech and business management at Emory University. His degree in Theology is from Hyles- Anderson College. He is now the President of Affinity Worldwide and speaks at business conferences across the country. His passion for using Media to reach the world with the gospel keeps him on the road helping churches and missionaries alike understand how to best use the tools that we have been given to be most effective.