3084 Edition
April 4-10, 2011
Headline News
Christians urged to adopt “weapons of mass communications” to further the gospel
Reported by Lin Yi-ying
Written by Lydia Ma
April 17 is typically the day the PCT honors mass media and communications ministries and tries to shed light and raise funds for such ministries. Currently, PCT’s mass-media communications ministries include New Eyes Television, radio program shows hosted by local pastors regularly, and PCT’s official newspaper Taiwan Church News. The goal of these ministries is to edify Christians and nurture them in their spiritual journey with God.
With this in mind, Taiwan Church Press, in partnership with other ministries is urging interested people to get involved by being a citizen reporter, also known as a reporter at large so that Christians can use various means of communication to share the gospel far and wide.
It is no secret that many Taiwanese are tired of cable channels’ biased reporting and sensationalized newspaper headlines and they are also weary of watching more pharmaceutical commercials as their only alternative. Many have turned to the internet but worry about the veracity of news on the net. For this reason, PCT members felt that mass media and communications ministries were important and dedicated every third Sunday of April to fundraising for such ministries.
Maintaining a communications ministry is no small feat – just ask any New Eyes Television employee about the network’s ups and downs in the past two years. Besides producing quality programs, fundraising enough to stay on the airwaves is another monthly challenge.
Taiwan Church News (TCN) has faced the same level of difficulties over the past century – albeit of a different kind. Founded by Rev. Thomas Barclay in 1885, Taiwan Church News was banned during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan and was later twice confiscated during martial law era in Taiwan.
Swept along into the Internet age, TCN launched Taiwan Church News Network (TCNN) on December 27, 2010. TCNN’s purpose is to supplement TCN – not only is it an electronic version of TCN, it strengthens TCN by adding instant news and audiovisual coverage if necessary. With the advent of TCNN, more people from around the world – especially younger generations who depend on Internet to access news – can read TCN via Internet.
The launch of TCNN also signals TCN’s need for citizen reporters from around the world. As natural disasters afflict this world more and more frequently in the near future, mass media and communications ministries will play an increasingly important role in giving people hope through hearing the gospel.
Yes, Christian mass media and communications ministries have high potentials of becoming a powerful tools for furthering God’s kingdom on earth in this new era. That is the reason why we covet your prayer support and financial support.
