South Africa (MNN) — Cape Town 2010, The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization, in South Africa is on its fifth day of joining believers from across the globe together in unity. The conference has already served as a meeting place for networking ministries.
The CEOs of six international radio networks met yesterday, again today, and will possibly continue through tomorrow to discuss radio ministry throughout the world.
"We'll be meeting with the CEOs of these six major international broadcasters, talking about strategy and collaboration and philosophy for reaching the world with the Gospel through media," explains Wayne Pederson, president and CEO of HCJB Global.
HCJB is just one of the six ministries represented which make up "World by Radio." The other World by Radio organizations meeting at Lausanne are Trans World Radio (TWR), Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC), International Broadcasting Association (IBRA), FEBA Radio, and Gospel For Asia (GFA), all of which are collaborating to reach the world by radio.
Although the group meets every year, Lausanne has proven to be the ideal setting to discuss the future of radio ministry. World by Radio is able to network and learn about spreading the Gospel in other countries by direct contact with national believers. "We've got people from 120 countries who are doing God's work, probably more effectively than some of us in the U.S. It's really quite humbling," says Pederson. "So the networking potential for us — for HCJB Global — and communicating the Gospel worldwide through media is tremendous."
As the group meets non-Western believers, they are able to get a better handle on church growth and thus alter their ministries accordingly.
"In Europe and North America, we're seeing a decline of the church. But in other parts of the world, we're seeing a huge incline of the church as the church pushes south and east, and experiencing phenomenal growth in that part of the world." Pederson says this is something to learn from.
Pray for World by Radio as they continue to meet and discuss the future of radio as a ministry tool. Pray that God would continue to provide young people who can reach other young people with digital and social media in order to spread the Gospel most effectively for today's changing world.
