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Ray Dabrowski, Director
 Seventh-day Adventist Christians are commissioned by Jesus
to be messengers of “good news” in a world that thrives on “bad news.”
The good news of Jesus Christ is the driving
force behind the activities of the communication ministry at the church’s world
headquarters.
The Department of Communication operates as a management
function of the administration of the church, and has specific assignments in
the context of the mission of the church. Recognizing our varied audiences within
and outside the church, these functions include corporate identity, public and media relations, news and information, and online services.
The department is recognized for its advisory role regarding
the most effective communication methods used by the General Conference to inform,
explain, motivate, educate, and train church members and leaders in the mission
of the church.
The years 1995-2000 are marked by a global communication
strategy for the church. In 1995, delegates at the world church session in Utrecht,
Netherlands, endorsed a document that identified several primary communication
objectives for the international church.
The strategic vision is simply stated: Seventh-day Adventists
will communicate hope by focusing on the quality of life that is complete in
Christ.
Reflecting on the Past
In the past five years the world church has embraced the
contemporary and the new technological advancements in communication, including
satellite programming and the Internet, and pursued new developments in radio
broadcasting. There was also regular consultative coordination of communication
activities with the world divisions of the church.
The following are examples of communication activities during
the past quinquennium:
The department promoted and coordinated the activities
of the Communication Strategy Council. A variety of “Hope” publications, such
as HopeFiles and Hope 2000, and other materials were developed,
including 12 People of Hope video programs and Hands of Hope: The
Video. The Hands of Hope book became a best-seller, with more than
100,000 copies in print. The department assisted in the Adventist Review’s
“People of Hope” special issue. All communication publications are marked as
“A People of Hope Production.”
A “Bridges of Hope” concept became an example of
the church working together in realizing the hope vision. In the South American
Division (Florianópolis, Brazil) the Communication Department participated in
a multifaceted community program expressing the hope perspective; in the South
Pacific Division the Hope Strategy became known as “Reach Out . . . With Hope.”
Other parts of the world saw a proliferation of hope-related activities, including
numerous media productions, such as Revelation of Hope, by It Is Written.
In North America, the division created a public awareness campaign focusing
on the “quality of life” theme.
Following its establishment in 1994, the General
Conference information service strengthened and expanded the Adventist News
Network (ANN), the official news agency of the world church. The weekly news
bulletins portray the church as a Christian denomination that cares about quality
of life, healthy lifestyle, religious liberty, and responding to those in need.
A more outward-looking news perspective was developed that shaped our language
and news angles so as to relate more effectively to non-Adventist audiences.
The ANN news service is used regularly by the Adventist Review, Adventist
World Radio, and Adventist Communication Network, as well as many church and
nonchurch publications.
The Communication Department has become more proactive
in dealing with the media. An “isolationist” stance, in which we communicate
mainly among ourselves, leaves us vulnerable to misunderstanding and may be
misrepresented by both the press and the general public.
The department has developed an international media
database and fax/e-mail distribution system that aims at quick mass dissemination
of all ANN releases to the internal and external media.
An ever-changing world of cyberspace requires the
church to focus on new, effective, and sustainable methods of communication
that will serve the church globally. In mid-1994 the General Conference established
an Adventists Online Forum on CompuServe. An Internet presence was established
in 1996, when www.adventist.org was born. The world church Web page offers a
“face” of Adventism to its various publics. The Internet activities are run
on a Linux-based in-house system. The Web traffic is increasing, with more than
a half million individuals from around the world having visited the site during
the first months of 2000. The Internet provides the official church news, with
an ANN mailing list of more than 6,000 and increasing weekly by 100. The Web
site has a variety of features, including photo galleries, audio and video,
as well as interactive offers.
In this quinquennium the Office of Public Relations
was established at the world headquarters. Probably the most significant public
relations innovation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the quinquennium
was the development and implementation of the logo, the church’s corporate identity.
The Office of Public Relations coordinates the
public relations with the Greater Washington, D.C., community and operates a
visitors’ center at the Silver Spring, Maryland, headquarters complex. Between
15,000 and 20,000 people have visited this church complex for personally narrated
tours.
The department also offers assistance to the president
of the church in public and media relations. The president’s public affairs
functions, especially internationally, offer the church an opportunity to address
or profile issues and concerns as a world Christian faith community.
• The department continues to promote a public voice
for the church not only in religious matters, but also on important social and
moral issues that interest or affect the larger community. A compendium entitled
Statements, Guidelines, and Other Documents has been issued in several
updated editions.
Crisis communication has become an important feature
of the General Conference communication activities. The quinquennium has seen
difficult developments all requiring instant and credible communication: the
public burning of two church members in Dagestan, Pastor Anthony Alexander’s
plight in Sri Lanka, the unexpected change in the presidency of the General
Conference, the destruction of a church building in Turkmenistan, and various
other situations with real or potential negative publicity in the media. The
department has produced a Crisis Communication Manual and provided consultative
services in this area to the world divisions of the church.
Looking Into the Future
While the communication strategy remains the same, to fulfill
the mission of the church will require new mind-sets and sustainable methods.
Although there will be a need to acquire new hardware, the bigger challenge
will be to craft a compelling way of communicating the content of our message.
Much of the desired results will depend on the commitment of every Seventh-day
Adventist as an active contributor reaching into the world for Christ.
The biblical message and values of Adventism, in order to
be compelling today, must be presented in contemporary attire and language to
reach today’s society. The community around us wants relevancy. There needs
to be clarity in the way we express and practice the Advent message.
The department will encourage an increased involvement of
the church’s communication directors and other professionals in information
sharing. We need news correspondents in all parts of the world for Adventist
News Network news service.
The evolving world of cyberspace calls for a discussion
of new and effective ways to use the Internet in response to the church’s mission
objectives. An international consultation early in the new quinquennium would
explore new areas of utilizing technology in the mission of the church.
Openness and disclosure of how the church works and what
it stands for will make our communication even more credible in the years to
come. As well as giving the church greater institutional credibility and increased
name awareness, our willingness to comment on “hot” issues should help show
that we are a relevant church, that we have something to say about the things
that affect people’s daily lives.
A fresh, intentional, and professional approach in the way
we, as a church, talk to each other and interface with the world is on our agenda.
The establishment of an International
Society of Adventist Communicators will move
the communication service of the church to a higher professional level.
In Summary
As another quinquennium comes to an end we applaud the efforts
of tens of thousands of church communicators representing local congregations,
church administrations, and institutional services. The team was as diverse
as the palette of the languages spoken. The methods were varied. Their message
reflected optimism for the Advent hope.
This report is a tribute to all Adventist communicators,
the known faces and the unknown contributors behind the scenes. A special big
thank-you to the General Conference communication team, including those who
have served and moved on to other assignments.
The best communication ministry days are still ahead of
us. The Advent hope compels us to make our mission relevant, attractive, and
effective . . . until He comes.
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