Category Archives: Ministry

Business, Ministry

Gloo Launches New AI & the Church Initiative

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The initiative includes a $25 million investment fund to accelerate responsible AI innovation in the faith ecosystem

BOULDER, Colo.- Christian Newswire/ — Gloo, the leading technology platform dedicated to connecting the faith ecosystem and releasing its collective might, announced a new effort, the “AI & the Church Initiative” to empower the Church to responsibly navigate and engage the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI). The AI & the Church Initiative includes multiple components including collaborative funding, events, resource hubs, content, and participation in a cross-industry working group for the responsible use of AI in ministry.

“We believe there is a moral imperative to responsibly use technology to advance human flourishing. AI is a powerful technology that should better support, not replace, relationships,” said Scott Beck CEO and co-founder of Gloo.

The initiative includes a $25 million AI investment fund to invest in efforts at the forefront of responsible AI research and development within the faith ecosystem. Gloo will partner with other aligned investors and organizations who are also seeking to advance the responsible use of AI.

An additional component of the Gloo commitment to AI is a first-of-its-kind hackathon, an event rallying developers from across the U.S. who will come together and rapidly advance AI-based technology to serve the faith ecosystem. Slated for this fall in Boulder, Colorado, the event promises to advance groundbreaking technologies leveraging the Gloo platform, where winning creators will receive awards and acceleration from a $1 million funding pool.

Gloo will launch this month the AI & the Church Hub, which will provide a single place where leaders can access the most current AI news, events, insights, and recommended technologies from top thought leaders. The hub will be a centralized, trusted place where church leaders can stay informed on all things AI & the Church. Ministry leaders can sign up to be notified once it goes live.

Partners across technology, content, research, ministry and funding are joining the initiative to ensure that the entire Church is served well in the conversation. “Understanding what AI means for ministry is vitally important to Christian leaders and their communities. We are honored to continue Barna’s partnership with Gloo for this significant effort. They’ve purposely created an initiative in which anyone and everyone in Christian ministry can participate,” said David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna.

Some of the participating partners include David Kinnaman (Barna Group), Bobby Gruenewald and Nona Jones (YouVersion), Rob Hoskins (OneHope), Ed Stetzer (Talbot School of Theology at Biola University), Kenny Jahng (AIforChurchLeaders.com), Carey Nieuwhof, Bishop Claude Alexander (The Park Church), Tim Dalrymple and Nicole Martin (Christianity Today), Ben Elmore (Servant.io), Scott Evans (Outreach Media Group), as well as many collaborative initiatives such as AI and Faith, and others (expanded list available at gloo.us/ai).

Gloo will become part of a working group of organizations coming together to align and define standards for the appropriate use of artificial intelligence in the faith ecosystem. “As church leaders, it’s important for us to approach every new technology innovation thoughtfully and intentionally. This won’t be figured out by any one organization—it will take a concerted effort across the faith community,” said Bobby Gruenewald, CEO of YouVersion.

“Our ultimate goal is to connect and release the collective might of the Church. The AI & the Church Initiative is all about helping leaders do that,” said Steele Billings, Head of Gloo Exchange and AI Initiatives at Gloo. “We know leaders are asking how or if AI can benefit them in their ministry and in serving their communities. And most importantly, how can it help people have deeper relationships with God and one another? Whether it’s collaborative funding, new technologies, gatherings, or equipping resources, Gloo is committed to empowering church leaders to responsibly leverage AI to help fulfill their missions.”

Gloo welcomes faith leaders who are eager to help the Church drive a global conversation around the responsible use of AI. Find ways to get involved and read Gloo’s full statement at gloo.us/ai.

Ministry

Child Evangelism Fellowship Aims to Reach 100 Million Children with the Gospel

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ST. LOUIS /Christian Newswire/ — Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), one of the world’s leading child evangelism organizations, is reemphasizing its commitment to the Great Commission with a new slate of ambitious goals. CEF has been called by God to make it their highest priority to present the Gospel so children may be discipled in God’s Word. Their commitment is to:

  • Reach approximately 26.5 million children in 2023.
     
  • Minister to 100 million children each year globally with the Gospel in the near future.
     
  • Increase the number of Good News Clubs®, which already serve children in about 3,500 American public schools.
     
  • Train hundreds of thousands of adults worldwide to reach more children for Christ.

“These goals might seem bold or improbable. But we are already sharing Christ with nearly 20 million children every year,” says Moises Esteves, executive vice president of Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEFonline.com). “What may seem impossible to man is attainable with God, for Whom nothing is impossible.”

Child Evangelism Fellowship, which was founded in 1937, has been rapidly establishing Good News Clubs® in countries around the world for decades. Clubs are thriving in Belize, Ukraine, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sri Lanka and many other nations.

Last year, through CEF’s combined ministries, more than 19.5 million children worldwide heard the Good News. In 2022, more than 439,000 teachers were trained around the world.

CEF’s powerful in-person ministries include:

  • Good News Club®
     
  • 5-Day Club
     
  • Military Children’s Ministry
     
  • Christmas Party Club
     
  • Camp Good News
     
  • SPAN
     
  • Christian Youth in Action

Each club includes a clear presentation of the Gospel and an opportunity for children to trust Jesus as their Savior. All the clubs have strong discipleship training to build moral character and strengthen spiritual growth. Each week, an exciting Bible lesson is presented using colorful materials from CEF. All children are encouraged to attend a local church.

Last year, more than 6 million children reached by CEF made professions of faith.

Business, Ministry

Cooke Media Group Wins Eight Telly Awards for Feature Documentary and Fundraising Videos

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LOS ANGELES — Christian Newswire/ — Cooke Media Group announced its win of eight Telly Awards in the record-breaking 44th Annual Telly Awards. Honoring excellence in video and television across all screens, competing companies include major Hollywood studios Disney, Universal, Netflix, and Paramount as well as corporations such as Apple, Sony and Microsoft. Cooke Media Group’s Telly Wins represented high-caliber work in videography/cinematography, cause marketing, editing, writing, voice-over and documentary filmmaking.

“With a decade-high record number of exceptional entries submitted, winners truly represented the most innovative stories being told across all screens,” said Sabrina Dridje, executive director of the Telly Awards. She added, “As a Telly Winner, you are truly a standard bearer of excellence in our industry.”

The winning entries produced by Cooke Media Group are:

  • Silver Telly Award: Museum of the Bible–5th Anniversary
    Winner in Non-Broadcast–Videography/Cinematography: Official Listing
     
  • Silver Telly Award: The George Shinn Foundation Charity Car Auction: Benefit for Ukraine
    Winner in Non-Broadcast–Cause Marketing: Official Listing
     
  • Silver Telly Award: Voice of the Martyrs–The John Chau Story
    Winner in Non-Broadcast–Editing: Official Listing
     
  • Silver Telly Award: Nativity–The Art of Maltese Crib-Making
    Winner in Television–Editing: Official Listing
     
  • Silver Telly Award: Nativity–The Art of Maltese Crib-Making
    Winner in Television–Writing: Official Listing
     
  • Silver Telly Award: Nativity–The Art of Maltese Crib-Making
    Winner in Television–Documentary: Long Form (Above 40 minutes): Official Listing
     
  • Bronze Telly Award: Nativity–The Art of Maltese Crib-Making
    Winner in Television–Videography/Cinematography: Official Listing
     
  • Bronze Telly Award: Nativity–The Art of Maltese Crib-Making
    Winner in Television–Voiceover (Roma Downey): Official Listing  

“As a Christian company, our goal is to convey excellence in every form of messaging we produce, whether it’s a fundraising video, broadcast television, film or documentary,” shared Phil Cooke, co-founder and CEO of Cooke Media Group. Thrilled to receive the coveted Telly Awards, he added, “We were particularly excited that what our team produced for the Museum of the Bible fundraising event was recognized in competition with top studios in Hollywood and international spheres.”

The Telly Awards report 2023 as a record-breaking year with nearly 13,000 entries from across the globe and top video and television content producers. Cooke Media Group’s Telly Wins this year add up to a total of 28 Telly Awards since 2010 including productions for the Salvation Army, The Global Water Center, and TBN.

View the full list of 44th Annual Telly Award winners at www.tellyawards.com/winners.

View Cooke Media Group’s Telly Award wins at
https://www.tellyawards.com/?s=Cooke+Pictures and here: https://www.tellyawards.com/?s=Cooke+Media+Group

Ministry

Bible App for kids celebrates 100 Million Installs Worldwide

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YouVersion and OneHope Reach Kids Around the Globe

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. /Christian Newswire/ — YouVersion and OneHope created the free Bible App for Kids in 2013 to encourage children to engage with God’s Word. Since then, the app has been installed by families in every country in the world. While it took seven years to reach the first 50 million installs, the app saw another 50 million installs in the past three years alone. With this recent surge in growth, Bible App for Kids is now celebrating 100 million unique installs.

“We know that the most important influence in a child’s life is their family,” said Bobby Gruenewald, Life.Church Innovation Pastor and YouVersion Founder and CEO. “With that in mind, we’re really encouraged to see millions of families around the world choose to turn to the Bible and learn about God together.”

With the app available in 66 different languages, more than 85% of those 100 million installs are from outside the U.S. The app has been translated into some of the world’s most-spoken languages like Spanish, Chinese, and French, but it’s also available in other languages like Polish, Mongolian, and Swahili. In every experience, Bible App for Kids is designed to bring Scripture to life through interactive animations and fun activities to help children experience 41 of the major stories of the Bible.

“Through this Bible experience, we’re seeing children in every country fall in love with God’s Word,” said Rob Hoskins, OneHope President. “We’re passionate about equipping the global Church to engage the next generation with interactive stories from the Bible and help lay a foundation for future spiritual growth.”

Children around the world are using the Bible App for Kids to share God’s Word with their peers. In Russia, 7-year-old Arisha used the app to tell her friend Mariana about Jesus. After a few weeks of using the app together, Mariana made the decision to follow Jesus.

“She doesn’t hesitate to share her faith and tell her friends about Jesus,” said Olga, Arisha’s mother. “After we downloaded the Bible App for Kids, she has become more interested in the Bible. The Bible comes alive for her now.”

One way Bible App for Kids equips the global Church is through the Bible Adventure Curriculum and supporting resources for parents, pastors, and church leaders. These resources are produced in partnership with Life.Church, the Oklahoma-based church that created YouVersion. As a digital ministry of the church, the entire Bible Adventure Curriculum is completely free through the Life.Church Open Network.

“We love using Bible App for Kids and the matching curriculum for our children’s ministry,” said Melissa Glynn from Life Valley Community Church in San Jose, California. “Just recently, I had a mom tell me that her 5-year-old ran through the house quoting Joshua 1:9! These resources are making a difference in our children’s lives, and they’re such a blessing to our congregation.”

With a story from Bible App for Kids at the heart of each lesson, the easy-to-use curriculum is designed to help children ages two through kindergarten discover how the Bible impacts their lives. Each video lesson includes original music, memory verses with motions, and small group guides that enhances what they’re learning through the app. Each Bible Adventure lesson also has a Parent Guide to give families tools to encourage their child’s faith journey.

Visit bibleappforkids.com to learn more about the app as well as parent guides, church resources, and more.

Faith, Ministry

New Documentary THE FATHERLESS EPIDEMIC Highlights Importance of Mentorship in Combating Nationwide Issue

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Available Free on YouTube Beginning March 31

FLORENCE, Ala., /Christian Newswire/ — Approximately 18 million children in the United States live without a biological, step or adoptive father present in the home. The Alliance for Ending the Fatherless Epidemic is not only on a mission to eliminate fatherlessness by providing resources and grants but is also announcing the debut of its new documentary, THE FATHERLESS EPIDEMIC. Available for free on YouTube beginning Friday, March 31st at 5 p.m. CT, the film highlights mentorship as a solution to the nationwide issue of fatherlessness, challenging churches and ministries to stand in the gap.

“The 21st-century version of a widow is the single mom, and the orphan is a fatherless kid,” said Executive Director and Founder of The Alliance for Ending the Fatherless Epidemic Eric Swithin. “It’s time for churches to raise men to be intentional about identifying the fatherless in their communities and doing something about it.”

Watch the trailer for THE FATHERLESS EPIDEMIC here.

THE FATHERLESS EPIDEMIC strives to encourage viewers that the epidemic can be solved and we can present the love of God to youth in desperate need of a Godly father figure.

“The key to erasing the fatherless epidemic is through mentorship,” said Swithin. “We are thrilled to provide this documentary as a resource to many ministries to highlight the intense need for men to step up.”

THE FATHERLESS EPIDEMIC is a short documentary addressing the most pressing issue in America, fatherlessness. While everyone attempts to solve our societal ills by treating symptoms, the church is being called to fight the issue at its roots. The solution to curing the epidemic is not to outsource it to the government but to mobilize the church and wage war against the enemy decimating our homes.

Go to fatherlessepidemic.movie to download resources and to receive updates on how to watch THE FATHERLESS EPIDEMIC for free beginning Friday, March 31 at 5 p.m. CT and follow on YouTube at @FatherlessEpidemic.

For more information on how to support The Alliance for Ending the Fatherless Epidemic, visit http://www.fatherlessepidemic.org/ and follow on social media at @TheFatherlessEpidemic.

About The Alliance for Ending the Fatherless Epidemic
THE ALLIANCE is a network of Christ-centered ministries across the United States who are committed to ending the fatherless epidemic through mentorship by sharing resources, ideas, best practices and wisdom, which facilitates faster growth and more efficiency for the sake of bringing glory to God. For more information visit fatherlessepidemic.org.

About Abba Heart Films
ABBA HEART FILMS was born out of a desire to reach as many people with the Gospel as possible. We seek to inspire true discipleship and to educate and encourage the Church to engage in God’s mission! To learn more visit abbaheartfilms.com.

SOURCE: EPIC

Ministry

Good Friday in the Gardens, A Free Community Event

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Miami Gardens, FL – The Fountain Church under the leadership of Pastor Wayne Lomax, will host Good Friday in the Gardens on April 7, 2023, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Betty T. Ferguson Recreational Complex Amphitheater located at 3000 NW 199th Street in Miami Gardens.

We invite you to come out and enjoy a night with family and friends and enjoy a variety of musical genres, including Jazz, Hip-Hop, R&B, and Gospel. This free live concert features the Florida Memorial University Royalty Jazz Band, Queen K, Tyler Watts, Courtney Mickens, and The Fountain Praise Team. Again, bring your entire family and enjoy the food trucks, bounces houses, Easter egg hunt, and some good old fashion fun and fellowship.

The Fountain Church is located in Miami Gardens at 4601 NW 167th Street, Miami Gardens, FL 33055. Our mission is “Growing and Serving Others”.

For information, please contact Wendy Jackson wjackson@thefountain.net or (786) 830-4081 or visit —www.thefountain.net/events.

Ministry

OneHope Reaches 2 Billion Children and Youth with God’s Word

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POMPANO BEACH, Fla./Christian Newswire/ — OneHope, an international Christian ministry, has crossed the threshold of sharing God’s Word with two billion children since 1987.

To commemorate this incredible milestone, Bob Hoskins, OneHope’s founder, traveled to El Salvador, where OneHope’s programs launched in 1987. Watch the live recording of this special moment here. 

The vision of OneHope was born when Hoskins received a vision of Satan attacking the children of the world. “For days, I was weeping for what I saw–millions of children being slaughtered–and prayed, ‘Lord, what am I seeing and what should I do?'” Bob said. “And the Lord said, ‘The only thing that will save them is truth, and the truth is in My Word. Take My Word to the children of the world and do it through leaders.” 

Marcos, El Salvador

In 1987, Hoskins sent letters to major leaders in South America and was invited by the minister of education of El Salvador to give Scripture to every student in the nation. El Libro de Vida, the Spanish version of the Book of Hope, was created to share the Gospel with the children in El Salvador in an engaging and contextualized way. This was the beginning of OneHope.

“Since the beginning, all that God has asked of us is to keep a pure heart and clean hands,” Hoskins explained. “God has given us the privilege of stewarding this ministry, and through His faithfulness, we’ve seen His Word transform young people and their communities worldwide.”

OneHope’s programs present a biblical message of hope to children and youth through age, language, and culturally specific print, film, and digital media. In the past few years, OneHope has embarked on digital innovation, giving youth around the world easier access to Scripture. By partnering with YouVersion, OneHope created Kids Bible Experience and the Bible App for Kids, which has been downloaded more than 75 million times worldwide.

“OneHope’s digital programs are changing how the next generation discovers the grand narrative of the Bible. Also, through OneHope’s digital programs, we are able to reach children and youth in hard-to-reach places,” said Bobby Gruenewald, YouVersion founder and member of OneHope’s board of directors.

“My dad’s original vision is still–and always has been–the guiding force of our mission,” said Rob Hoskins, OneHope’s president. “In the midst of victories and milestones such as this, we strive to maintain the same humility and purity that have always been the cornerstone of our ministry. We also know the work is not done until we reach every single child with God’s Word, so we continue to pray for more partners to adopt the vision and join us in this mission.”

For more information about OneHope, visit https://onehope.net.

Ministry

Celebrating Revival & the Next Generation at AzusaFest 23

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LOS ANGELES /Christian Newswire/ — Azusa Street Mission & Historical Society announces the 117th  anniversary of William Seymour traveling to Los Angeles on Feb 22nd, 1906, the Azusa Revival, April 9, 1906 and the winners of the coveted William J. Seymour award. This year’s William J. Seymour National Award winner is Bishop Ed Smith, founder of Nehemiah Project LA. Nehemiah Project LA is a faith-based initiative that works to build greater awareness of the challenges faced by our nation’s at-risk and transitioning foster youth.  Bishop Ed Smith stated “We are helping former foster youth ESCAPE CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS WITH SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, TO build A brighter future  with the support of a ‘forever family.’ Indeed, this is God’s love extended!”

The William J. Seymour International Award will be presented to Bishop Bill Hamon, founder of Christian International Ministries. Dr. Bill Hamon, a prophet for sixty years, is respected by church leaders around the world as the senior leader of the prophetic/apostolic company. God is raising up in these last days. CI is comprised of over 900 ministers in the USA and 3000 globally!

The awards will be presented during the annual AzusaFest celebration on Saturday, April 15th near the footprint of the original mission. The theme for this year’s celebration, is “Do you believe in miracles?: Bridging the Generations (Psalms 105: 4-5).” All services are free and open to the public.

Apostles Fred and Wilma Berry, founders of the Azusa Street Mission & Historical Society, have awarded pastors and leaders the William J. Seymour Award since 2006. Prior recipients of the award have been: Bishop Charles E. Blake, the COGIC presiding Bishop, USA; Pastor Sunday Adelaja, from Kyiv, Ukraine; Dr. Patricia Bailey-Jones, USA; Apostle John Eckhardt, USA; Dr. Myles Munroe from Nassau, Bahamas; Apostle Sam Korankye Ankrah from Accra, Ghana; Pastor Jabes de Alencar, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Al Hollingsworth of Boss the Movement, USA; Lou Engle of TheCall, USA; Pastor TD. Jakes of the Potters House, USA; Pastor Bonnie Chadva, USA; Pastor Robert Kayanja of Miracle Center in Kampala, Uganda; Dr. Mel Robeck of Fuller Theological Seminary, USA; Pastor W.M. Dwight McKissic, Sr. of Cornerstone Baptist Church, USA; Apostle Ron Hill of Love and Unity Church, USA; Sean Feucht of Let Us Worship, USA; and Dr. Robert Fisher of Spiritual Renewal Ministries, USA.

The original Azusa Street Revival began in 1906 and was the catalyst that started the Pentecostal Movement. Currently, it is estimated that over 800 million Pentecostals in the United States, Latin America, Africa, and Asia can trace their religious origins to the Azusa Street Revival and Bishop William J. Seymour. Apostle Wilma Berry carries on the history of Azusa Street as an international representative through the Azusa Street Mission & Historical Society. Apostle Fred Berry transitioned to heaven on November 16, 2021. The organization’s mission is to carry the flame of Azusa Street to the next generation throughout the world’s nations. For more details on Azusafest 2023, please visit www.azusafest.com or call 323.692.7268.

SOURCE Azusa Street Mission

Ministry, Music, Worship

‘Cascading River of Love:’ Uplifting Worship Song from John Pape Offers Hope and Encouragement to Worshipers

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(Christian Newswire) — Christian songwriter John Pape is thrilled to announce the release of his latest song, “Cascading River of Love,” a powerful and uplifting song created to bless and inspire worshipers everywhere. The song is currently available on all major streaming platforms.

With its memorable melodies and powerful lyrics, “Cascading River of Love” is the perfect addition to any worship playlist, designed to create a meaningful and uplifting experience for worshipers in the church. The song was written and produced by John Pape, with the goal of providing a song that inspires worshipers to draw closer to God.

Every song has its genesis in an idea. In this case, several verses in the Bible inspired “Cascading River of Love,” including Isaiah 43:12 which says “Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

The song starts by setting the stage for individuals who are in a spiritually dry place. It expresses the desire to be refreshed and renewed, and highlights that Jesus is the source of living water. The image of a cascading river that pours down paints a picture of the continuous spiritual filling that comes from God.

However, the song also reminds worshipers to examine their individual motives and desire to be purged of the dirt that dwells in their heart. Water not only refreshes but also has the power to clean. “Cascading River of Love” is a story of restoration, renewal, and refreshment by the love, mercy, and grace of God.

To help worship leaders learn the song “Cascading River of Love,” John Pape is also making available free learning resources to help worshipers learn and connect with the song. These resources include sheet music, chord charts, and instructional videos, all of which are currently available on the artist’s website.

“I am thrilled to be able to offer this song to worshipers everywhere,” says John Pape. “My hope is that this song will resonate with people and help to create a powerful and meaningful worship experience.”

John is a Christian musician who creates music as a form of worship and ministry. His lyrics align with biblical truth, offering encouragement, hope and inspiration to those in difficult times. John’s skills are evident in his songwriting process, and he has a passion for using his platform to share the gospel and lead others to a deeper relationship with God.

SOURCE Mediatunes Inc.