Developer Andrew Daryl Gungadoo displays iPad apps at the Georgia World Congress Center on Sunday. [photo: Josef Kissinger]
Hoping to spread the gospel to the younger generation, several church organizations with a strong presence at the General Conference Session have released software for wireless phones and computer tablets that enable quick access to a host of information.
The software, commonly known as apps, short for applications, made their debut for the start of Session last week in the nearly five-acre exhibit hall of the Georgia World Conference Center, where some 250 vendors and organizations are displaying products and services.
At least six organizations released apps for Apple iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch players, and in some cases, mobile software that runs on the Android system.
SpiritRenew, of the Pacific Union Conference, in the North American Division, provides a daily devotional app. The General Conference Sabbath School Department's app gives access to study lessons for adults and children. Center for Youth Evangelism shares information about the next international Pathfinder Camporee. The Ellen G. White Estate makes available 17 books from the Spirit of Prophecy. Adventist World Radio has a guide for radio station locations.
"It's important for young people to see their church fresh and current, up to speed like the rest of their world," said Ron Whitehead, executive director of CYE, the Center for Youth Evangelism.
"This generation wants it quick, and fast and new," he added.
CYE's app includes many resources, including one called Church of Refuge, a directory of congregations that are known to provide worship and programs where youth can feel comfortable.
One segment of the app lists churches that go through an evaluation process to determine where they stand on nine issues, including whether they are committed to: providing a "meaningful" Sabbath experience, "accepting people just as Jesus did," and if their congregation's leadership believes in "change that leads to improved young adult ministry."
Adventist World Radio's app contains a broadcast schedule of stations around the world that offer its programming, which airs in 107 languages. The highlight of the app, developed by Andrew Daryl Gungadoo, is a world map, which users can tap to retrieve information about stations in that region.
"We are very excited to see people are grabbing this technology and using it to good use," Gungadoo said while demonstrating the app.
Marilyn Perez, staffing the booth for the Ellen G. White Estate, said the organization's app provides full access to 17 books, which allows users to share the Spirit of Prophecy.
"A lot of people have come by and said, 'thank you,'" Perez said, because, "a lot of people have it on their phones."
Most of the apps that debuted at the General Conference Session were developed by the website management firm SimpleUpdates.com.
Each of the apps is available for download, for free, from the online iTunes store.