Some 50 Seventh-day Adventist communicators from across Europe, Israel, Cyprus and North America, met for a communication conference in Rogaska Slatina, Slovenia, from September 8 to 12.

Experts from different fields of communication, including media and public relations, shared their ideas on how to use the latest technology, particularly the Internet, to promote the good news of Jesus Christ.

“One of the challenges our church is facing is to use arts and technology faithfully in communicating Christ to a vast audience of over one billion people,” said Pastor Miroslav Pujic, communication director of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-European region. “The Internet provides a great opportunity to create cyber faith communities where people can talk about life issues and share their personal experiences. That way, they can connect with those who are trying to find a meaning in life but do not want to attend any public meetings.”

Participants recognized that the latest technologies are giving the church new and exciting opportunities, but at the same time agreed that the church image on the Internet must be professional, constant and recognizable.

Rajmund Dabrowski, director of communication at the world church headquarters, emphasized the necessity to “move into the neighborhood”, meeting people’s needs where they are and as diverse as they are. He advised that the Internet provides possibilities to embrace people all over the world, but the language, designs and topics conveyed must be relevant, open and sensitive to the cultural and individual needs of people.

The underlying message of all the presenters was: Today’s technologies are excellent tools to reach out to people, but we must remember that ultimately there is no substitute for personal face-to-face relationships.