On November 4, the South American Division (SAD) launched Share Studio, a free phone application that assists users in creating and sharing faith-based content online. The app is intended for people who want to spread the gospel message online but do not have time, design experience, or easy access to official church materials. Share Studio is now available on iOS and Android.
The app was developed by the Adventist Institute of Technology (IATec) in collaboration with the SAD. Jairo dos Anjos, IATec president, launched Share Studio during SAD's Annual Council.
For dos Anjos, the app fulfills IATec's purpose of using technology intentionally to further the message of Jesus. "We understand that technology is not a goal in itself, but a powerful way to connect people, break down barriers, and expand the reach of the gospel," he said. The challenge, he continued, had been creating a simple, accessible solution for everyone, regardless of age or familiarity with social media networks.
A survey of church members in the SAD indicated that many Adventists already share church-produced materials but rarely create their own content. According to Herberth Borges, IATec technical director, many young people stop publishing digital content because of limited time or ability. He also identified difficulty finding high-quality official church content as an obstacle Adventists face when posting.
Borges believes that, with the help of Share Space, digital evangelism can be similar to distributing tracts in the street. "In the past, people of all ages participated in evangelism by distributing tracts. In the digital world, it can be like that too. For this reason, we want to give each person the conditions to share about Jesus."
Share Studio was born out of OneVoice27, a global initiative of the Adventist Church marking the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus' baptism. The proposal takes the message "Jesus makes all things new" to the whole world through television, radio, online platforms, and local churches.
"The idea was that the more church members present in the digital realm, the greater the reach and stronger the church's voice would be on social media," Borges explained. With multiple people posting simultaneously, he explained, it is important to preserve the visual identity of the church.
Dos Anjos sees OneVoice27 as a call for the church to unite in proclaiming Jesus' message to the world. Share Studio, he said, is here to facilitate this task. "Our [the church's] mission never changed, but the way we teach people has evolved. We have an extraordinary opportunity on our hands. Through a simple smartphone, we can bring a message of hope to people who may never have had the opportunity to know Jesus," he said.
Dos Anjos and his team clarified that Share Suite is not limited to the OneVoice27 initiative. Each church campaign taking place in the SAD will be added to the app with premade posts, designs, and notices. This, he said, is valuable for the division's campaigns.
From the idea to the post
Share Suite uses artificial intelligence to help users create original posts. A user describes in their own words the design they need, and the app produces it. When the design is linked to a campaign, the integrated artificial intelligence applies the campaign's color palette and logos. The app also includes content the SAD is highlighting at a given time, such as books, official materials, and Bible passages.
For users who prefer not to create original content, the app offers ready-made posts using church-approved designs. Premade posts can be shared as is or be minorly adjusted.
Users who want to create posts from scratch can do so in the creation studio feature. In this page, the user can insert their own photos, write and adjust text, and change thematic colors. Users can also access a gallery of official SAD photos, allowing them to use SAD photos in personal content while maintaining the church's visual standards.
Share Suite also includes a calendar featuring SAD's upcoming campaigns. This feature allows users to prepare content for upcoming campaigns. As campaigns approach, users receive notifications about designs and available premade content.
The app works in Portuguese, Spanish, and English and features large print, wide buttons, and screen reader options.
Management for leadership
Share Studio is managed by the SAD. Carlos Magalhães, SAD Digital Strategies director, said the division will also be responsible for selecting what is included in the application. It will also be responsible for supplying the platform, sharing the tool, and producing the official content that users can share with their contacts.
In addition to individual use, Share Studio will include a dashboard for local congregation and conference communication and administration teams. This feature will manage designs and content highlighting individual campaigns and projects within the local region. Thus, each region can highlight its own campaigns on the app. The dashboard also shows the reach of each campaign.
The app will soon be updated to include a community map showing how many posts were created using Share Studio by region. By selecting a region on the map, users can view a gallery of content produced in that region. According to Borges, the map will help congregation and conference communication teams identify popular themes and the effectiveness of church-produced content.
Dos Anjos believes that the reach for each campaign could expand to thousands or even millions of people if members use the app for their personal social media. He encouraged members to download Share Studio, learn about its resources, and start sharing the gospel online immediately.
The original article was published on the South American Division news site.
