215 Media Professionals from 15 Countries Acquire Cutting-Edge Skills

Contact: Steve Johnson, 719-388-2281, sjohnson@hcjb.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Aug. 7, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Across the continent of Africa, 215 Christian radio producers are going home to 15 countries with new tools and skills to share the gospel. HCJB Global recently joined with Moody Radio in a four-day Global Partners Project radio training intensive in Aburi, Ghana, West Africa, for seminars, hands-on practice and spiritual enrichment.

Photo: A total of 215 participants -- up from the anticipated number of 150 -- from 15 countries attended the radio training in Accra, Ghana, June 18-21. The event was a partnership of Moody Radio, Theovision International, HCJB Global and Africa by Radio.

Classes were offered in leadership, fundraising, production, interviewing, on-air presentation, web integration, emerging technology, video production and social media.

"The interaction with participants was dynamic," said Jon Fugler, vice president for advancement at HCJB Global, who brought expertise in fundraising to the training. "They shared their ideas with one another and planned real steps of action to take upon returning home. There was a strong spiritual aspect as well. We paused during the teaching for a prayer of thanksgiving that God is in control, despite the obstacles."

With its origins 85 years ago in a single radio station in Quito, Ecuador, HCJB Global is now an international ministry utilizing the latest broadcast technology to take the gospel to the remote, rural and hard-to-reach places of the world.

Partner organizations joined in a consortium of experts to offer training for local radio stations across Africa. The idea was birthed when conference host Theovision International extended an invitation to Moody Radio to conduct training for radio personnel. Moody then invited HCJB Global and Africa by Radio to partner in the training.

"This conference exceeded our expectations in an amazing way," said Stephen Asare, project coordinator for Moody Radio. "Originally we had room for 150 attendees but were able to accommodate 215. There is a great hunger for training in Africa."

Many participants traveled long distances to attend the continental conference. The cultural diversity set the backdrop against which Christian media professionals found it surprisingly easy to express their local challenges and seek input from others for solutions. Presenters worked intentionally to avoid a Western mindset in sharing with their African counterparts and sought to learn what is working in the African context.

"How on earth could I be blessed like this?" said one African radio producer. "These teachers have given us resources to make our work easier. I will never forget Theovision, HCJB Global and Moody Radio."

In addition to morning seminars, afternoon sessions were devoted to onsite practice. Facilitators guided participants to use the tools and training to create short features and develop real content for broadcasting. Evening services brought a blending of cultures into one Body of Christ, with energetic dancing and songs of praise and worship.

One participant, a pastor from Liberia, said on the last day, "This conference has been a spiritual revival for me."

While radio was the primary media target, basic video instruction also was presented to enable participants to understand how video production can be used effectively in sharing the gospel.
A sample of their video features may be viewed at youtu.be/omrnkfI5mZ8.

The four-day conference culminated in a closing ceremony with participants receiving certificates of completion. Rev. Theodore Asare, president of Theovision International and member of HCJB Global's board of directors, charged them to make good use of their new knowledge and skill to promote their ministries, stressing that with the right training, Africans can be empowered to do even more than their counterparts in the West.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Moody Radio, Theovision International and Africa by Radio," said Fugler. "Together we were able to provide our African brothers and sisters with not just theory, but real tools they can use. This is the power of partnership."

For 80 years the passion of HCJB Global (www.hcjbglobal.org) has been to make disciples of Christ. Using mass media, healthcare and education, and working with partners around the world, HCJB Global has ministries in more than 100 countries. The gospel is aired in more than 120 languages and dialects. Thousands of healthcare patients are meeting Jesus. Local believers are being trained as missionaries, pastors, broadcasters and healthcare providers.

To schedule an interview with Jon Fugler, contact Communications Director Steve Johnson at 719.388.2281 or sjohnson@hcjb.org.