Pastors, church leaders, and lay members from across the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands gathered at Newbold College of Higher Education (NCHE) for ConnectED25: Faith, Tech and the Future of Outreach.

The one-day conference, organized by the South England Conference (SEC) Communication and Media Department in partnership with NCHE’s Centre for Ministry and Mission, explored how digital tools can support the Church’s mission. The South England Conference oversees the work of te

“This was a visionary event, inspired by the Holy Spirit… anyone who missed this, you must come to the next one. It was informative, inspirational, and exactly what you need to move into the future of media and communication,” said Cynthia Osei Owusu-Arthur, HR professional and presenter of the IN2G show, produced by the British Union Conference (BUC).

A Spirit-led Call to Connect

The conference opened with a keynote by Joe Philpott, newly elected associate communication director of the Trans-European Division (TED). His presentation, “Digital Discipleship – Called to Connect,” blended personal storytelling and theological reflection on Acts 1:8.

“Jesus didn’t give them a communication strategy,” Philpott said. “He gave them a mandate through which the Spirit would work.”

He urged attendees to see the reporter’s pen, the photographer’s lens, and the designer’s screen as modern pulpits.

“The same power that carried the disciples in their ministry is the same Holy Spirit who empowers us today,” he concluded.

Engaging with the Realities of the Digital World

Sorin Petrof, SEC Communication and Media director and event organizer, examined the intersection of faith, technology, and society. Citing historian Yuval Harari, he noted that faith communities that lose touch with technical realities risk missing the questions people are asking.

“If we don’t engage meaningfully with technology,” he said, “we won’t simply struggle to reach people—we won’t understand the world they are navigating.”

He said ConnectED25 was designed to keep digital outreach “relevant, effective, and faithful,” offering both vision and practical skills.

Challenging Assumptions: The TED-style Talks

Eight fast-paced, TED-style talks followed, covering digital disruption, creativity, AI, and communication strategy.

Carlos Magalhães, director of Digital Strategies for the South American Division, presented “AI, Gaming, Streaming to Engage Gen Z,” showcasing AI tools in mission and emerging platforms, including VR and the metaverse. His four key takeaways were: people use technology to seek connection; younger audiences lead the desire to use these tools, but all ages value community; Christ’s method removes fear of innovation; and the Church must be present where Gen Z lives digitally.

Paulin Giurgi, vice president of Hope Media Europe, shared principles for digital ministry in “From Screens to Streets: Faith in Action,” emphasizing relevance, context, innovation, and presence. He shared insights from across nine media centres in the Inter-European Division, which currently reach 2.5 million people each month. He also outlined ten principles to guide digital ministry, including relevance, context, innovation, and presence.

Keith Kirk, CEO of Code Group Music, led a presentation titled “Harnessing Music Publishing for Digital Mission.” A music business expert, he surprised the audience by noting that only 1.5% of the 695 hymns in the Adventist hymnal were written by Adventists. He gave a short history of Chapel Music (formerly Chapel Records), a Seventh-day Adventist record label, and presented opportunities for Adventist composers to collaborate with global music agencies. He also highlighted the growing influence of Christian music as a tool for outreach.

Dan Serb, principal of NCHE and co-organizer of the event, presented “RELATE: Faith, AI & Relationships.” While affirming AI’s potential to support mission, he expressed concern about its autonomous decision-making capabilities. He quoted Rowan Williams, saying, “The holy presence is not one item to be noticed among others, but the foundation of all noticing.”

BBC presenter Neil Nunes addressed the attention economy in “Communicating to a Distracted Generation.” He proposed that communicators appeal to the H.E.A.R.T., meaning Holy intention, Empathy, Attraction, Revelation, and Touching the will, in order to engage meaningfully with those immersed in digital spaces.

Christian Salcianu, principal of the Adventist Discovery Centre (ADC), began his talk “Leading in a Digital Age: From Scripture to Strategy” by asking, “Where were you in 1982?” Referencing Time Magazine’s decision to name the personal computer ‘Machine of the Year,’ he highlighted how deeply embedded technology has become in society. His message urged attendees to develop spiritual vision in order to lead effectively in digital spaces.

Eunice Alves, BT product designer, presented on “Maximizing Your Canva Skills for Digital Outreach.” She outlined four principles for good design: beauty draws attention, story builds connection, familiarity builds trust, and emotion drives action.

“God is the original designer,” she said, encouraging participants to bring intentionality and excellence to their church websites, posters, and social media.

In his presentation “Exploring WhatsApp for Pastoral Connections,” Pavle Trajkovski, youth pastor at Newbold Seventh-day Adventist Church, explored how group chats can be repurposed for pastoral care. Drawing on his MA Theology research, he invited the audience to consider the question, “Can the warmth of a handshake be translated into digital spaces?” He concluded that, with prayer and purpose, even a “dreaded WhatsApp group” can become an instrument of grace.

From Inspiration to Application

In the afternoon, each speaker expanded their talks into 50-minute interactive workshops, allowing participants to apply concepts in a more practical setting.

A closing panel addressed questions on the chief challenges of digital outreach, balancing public platforms with private spaces, and elevating Gen Z voices in church communication. Panelists agreed that community and connection must remain central. To remain relevant, leaders said, the Adventist Church in the UK and Ireland should embrace digital spaces as Spirit-led environments for mission.

Reflecting on the day, Philpott concluded, “ConnectED was excellent. The environment was good, the networking opportunities superb, and the event was Spirit-led.”

The original article was published on the Trans-European Division news site.