BY MELINDA JAMIESON

Led by the Lord
Internship after internship, job after job,
George Johnson, Jr., finds the perfect fit.

Not sure you would want to work for the Seventh-day Adventist Church? Not even thinking about it? Neither was George Johnson. But after trying several other career paths, he now finds himself working in a medium he loves.

What was your major and where did you go to school?
I began Columbia Union College in 1992 as a biology premed major. I wanted to be an optometrist. I completed one semester and decided I wanted to be a physical therapist. I did my internships, but I just wasn't passing college biology. I transferred out of CUC after doing two full years, still thinking I was going to do PT. I went to University of Maryland in Baltimore County, figuring I could get into their PT program. When I was going through biology for the second time, it hit me: "Maybe this isn't for you."

My aunt asked me what classes I did like at CUC. I remembered taking an Introduction to Oral communications class. I enjoyed it. I looked forward to going to class and got very good grades.

I looked at the communication classes available and saw that they appeared interesting. Speech class, television classes. Who gets to go to class and watch television, make commercials, and create television shows? I looked at the curriculum and called the advisers, set a meeting with them, and changed to communication with an emphasis in PR journalism and broadcast media.

What were your goals while in college?
I jumped onto a fast track, and my advisers let me take some upper-level classes. My goal at that point was not to stick out like a sore thumb. I really just dived in and applied myself to get everything done in one and a half years.

As time went on and I took broadcasting classes, I decided that I wanted to work for the local news. I got an internship at the CBS affiliate in Baltimore, Maryland, early in my studies in communication. It was fast-paced with serious deadlines. It was just amazing to me—an adrenaline rush. It's what I wanted to do.

When I started taking newswriting classes, I found the love of newswriting. I didn't like writing before—I had viewed it as term paper writing. News stories I liked, and I thought maybe I could work for a TV station.

I had so many internships. I did one at my local church as a communication director. I produced their newsletter, changing the design and coordinating and writing news stories. I also had an internship with the ABC affiliate in Washington, D.C., and at the same time I did one at a government agency in Bethesda, Maryland. So I had a lot of different experiences.

School was almost over, and I still didn't have a job. I wondered: What happens after graduation? What am I going to do the next day? My girlfriend at the time, now wife, assured me I was going to find something. About a week or so before graduation I got a call from Celeste Ryan, who was, at the time, in the position I have now. She gave me a call and offered me a summer internship. I took it.

After that internship I began an internship at the Columbia Union Conference that lasted for 3 years. After that I worked for Pine Forge Academy; now I'm back here in the same office I began my denominational work. I've been here since October 2002.

The Lord has been with me in all my career moves. I'm 30 now, and I've had a lot of different work experiences. I know He's guided me. Anytime I tried to do it on my own, it didn't work out.

Tell me a little bit about your job.
I am the media relations director for the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I pitch stories to media across North America—for radio, print, newspapers, some magazines, and television. I usually work closely with our union communication directors. We have a solid team across North America.

I find out what our church is doing across North America, then figure out how and where to promote the news stories. It's really about finding the ministry in the event—and the connection to the community. I try to find out how to make it relevant for the local town.

How do you think your job here compares to a job in the "real world"?
It's right up there. There are jobs just like this in the real world. I'm doing the same thing that a media relations professional would be doing outside. I've had people tell me that I should be outside of the church with all my experience, but I disagree. I love working for the church. We do real work here. We do important work just like our counterparts in secular markets.

I'm finding that if you develop the reputation of being somebody dependable, you'll have connections. I keep making relationships with news editors across America, and we're working to get them to call us for information. We strive to get the name of the church out. We're establishing a good reputation for a knowledge of health care, education, Protestant faith, youth programs, etc.

Being a young person in the General Conference, what do you think some of the advantages of working for the church are?
There are a lot of young people working here. The older people were once young like us. They went through the system. And I think we'll do the same thing. We're going to be the "old" faces too, later on.

As a young person, you get to see how things are run. We are involved in a lot. [The administration] cherish and value our opinions (at least my boss does). They give us a lot of responsibility.

Where do you think this career is leading you?
I don't know. I've learned that God is going to decide where I'm going. I know He's going to point me in the right direction. I'm going through graduate school right now. I know the classes I'm taking are preparing me for something. I'm learning in the classroom and bringing it to the workplace.

What is your advice for people looking to work at the GC?
I don't think any work environment is the "perfect" work environment. You will always have questions and concerns. The people I work with are open to questions and concerns.

I say, "Try it." You might like it. I know a lot of people think that if they work in this environment for the church, they'll dislike the church because they see the inner workings. But that's not what I've seen. If we look at humanity and its faults, then we are going to fall, because we do have faults. God did ordain people to work for Him, and if they're not working to the best of their ability, He's going to deal with them. So continue to look toward God. Don't get caught up with the faults of man.

Unseen Faces of the Church
What keeps Ludi Leito working at the GC?

When you think of church work, what comes to mind? Pastors? Conference workers? The world church president? Though these people are often the face of the church, there are many other individuals who help make the church run smoothly. Ludi Leito is one such person you may not hear much about. She tells how she got started working for the church and what it's like at the General Conference (world headquarters for the Seventh-day Adventist Church) in Silver Spring, Maryland.

What was your major in college?
I have a degree in biology, but I graduated with a bachelor's degree in public relations/communication from CUC.

When you were in college, what were your goals? What kind of things did you expect to be doing?
I started out in biology because I wanted to be a pediatrician, and then I wanted to be a physician's assistant. Two credits before I graduated I decided biology was not for me. A friend told me, "I've always seen you in communications." I'd never thought about it.

I went and looked at the department and just sort of fell in love. I did that degree in one year. Plus, I was a student dean and also on the gymnastics team—but it was my easiest year.

At the time, the GC public relations director, Lynn Caldwell, came and gave a seminar in my public relations class, and I loved it. I wanted to work for the Communication Department in the General Conference after graduation. I got an internship with the North American Division Communication Department. It was a-year-and-a-half internship that turned into a full-time job. It was wonderful.

What do you do right now?
I'm the marketing specialist for the Hope Channel. I work with Gary Gibbs, Hope Channel's associate director. Since it's a new department, a new communication medium for the church, we're pioneering a lot of things.

I get international calls from people asking about the Hope Channel, and they are so excited about it—it's amazing.

You know, while you're in school you think you know everything. You do your internships, but then you actually get into your field and start to learn. I'm learning things still. It's just phenomenal.

How do you think working for the church compares to working in what some would call the "real world"?
Honestly, knowing other young adults who have worked out in the "real world," I find a safety here that you really don't find outside. It's even keel—it's not the same rat race you have to work in.

You have to focus on your spirituality a little more simply because you come here and don't expect people to react or act a certain way, and when they do, it's shocking. When it happens, you have to say, "Let me step back. I'm working with people—for God." Human nature does take over sometimes. There are problems in every situation. You have to pray about every situation.

The great thing is that not only is going to the prayer chapel allowed, it's encouraged—you can pray; you can read the Bible openly.

You may not have the problems of running a rat race, but what are some of the struggles a young person working for the church might run into?
As a woman? As a young adult? There is advancement if you take advantage of it and work at it, but there isn't much. Once you've reached a certain position, it's really hard to move up. A lot of directorship positions are elected officials; a lot of elected officials come with ministerial credentials, so a woman getting into those positions is not that common. Yet it's not impossible for a woman to do it; it's just limited as to what position you can get to as a woman.

What do you think are some of the advantages of being young and in this setting?
The fact that you have the ability to shake things up when you want to. You can say, "I'm young; I'm going to change it, so let's go—let's change it." Sometimes you have to fight against the grain, but there are a lot of people in positions around here who are no longer the young adults and who are encouraging us, such as José Rojas.

When I first started working here, we were a department of four young adults. We worked with View magazine, and in our little corner at any given time, noise would be coming—laughter, talking, and a lot of real work. People from other departments would come by because they knew that we had energy in there. We were a close-knit family of four.

Did you have any opportunities for jobs in a more secular setting?
I have had some offers. You see your counterparts making double the money and ask: why am I here? Sometimes you get frustrated and see what's out there, but honestly, I can't imagine working anywhere else. Even if not in the GC, I would still love to work for an Adventist organization.

I believe in our church. I stand firmly behind its beliefs and principles. And I feel proud when I tell people I work for my church. I've had opportunities to go outside, and I've not taken them. It's always been a matter of prayer, so I believe I'm where I need to be. I've been working in the GC for five years.

Has there been anything in your job that has made an impact on you?
Sometimes I forget that I am working for God—simply because I get so bogged down. Especially since we're pioneering this department. It's awesome when I step outside the work spectrum—maybe to a church—and they're showing something from the Hope Channel. I can say, "I helped put that together, or helped market that; that was one of my projects." I guess we don't often see the blessings that a small action can create. It's very satisfying sometimes.

What is your favorite part about working at the GC?
Fridays half off. No joke! People know, do not call or look for Ludi at noon on Friday because she will be gone, clocked out, goodbye, out running her errands. It's a blessing to get home, do grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, and be relaxed by sunset.

The prayer chapel is also a wonderful getaway.

Do you have any advice for young people who might be looking to work at the GC?
Working for the church is not for everybody. I've known young adults who have hated it from day one. A lot of people have left and then yearned to return to work for the church. You have to find your niche. When I first started working here, there were a handful of young adults. Now it's almost a haven for young adults. It's a great place to start out, even if you don't stay within church work. It's great to come and get experience.

Working for a Purpose
Writing and editing keep Wendi Rogers busy.

No career or workplace is perfect. There are difficulties in any job. Despite the challenges that face the church as it communicates its messages to the world, Wendi Rogers enjoys her work for the Adventist News Network of the GC Communication Department.

What were your collegiate goals? Did you have any idea what you wanted to do after college?
My major was broadcasting, with an emphasis on public relations. My minor is in business. I had no idea what I wanted to do for a career but finally figured it out—I was a business major but switched to communication in my junior year. It took me five years to graduate; I finally did, from CUC.

I knew I wanted a job in communication, but I just didn't know what job. I did an internship at CNN in Washington, D.C., and a couple of radio internships. I decided I didn't really want to go that way but wasn't sure which way to go. I got a job with a Xerox sales agency. I hated it. I worked there for a few months, then I got a job in the GC Communication Department. (I interned here one summer during college, so it wasn't too hard to get work as a floater.) It soon opened up to a full-time position when a few people left, and I took their place. When I started doing some writing and editing, I realized that this was what I really wanted to do.

What exactly do you do?
I work with the Adventist News Network on weekly assignments. When I started, I was working for the public relations director. I did that for a couple years, and then they pulled me over to the news. So, same office and everything, but just a different job. I've been in the Communication Department for four years now.

We get stories from all over the world. For most of the authors, English is not their first language, so we rewrite them, making them read well. We also write a lot of our stories from scratch. That's the main thing I do.

What prepared you the best for this job?
The internships I did taught me what I didn't want to do. I did intern here, and sometimes interns have to do "yuck work," but I did things that were helpful to my career. The Communication Department does a million different things, such as PR, media relations, writing, tours, etc. It wasn't until I actually started working on writing and editing that I discovered how much I liked it.

What brought you to GC communication and what you're doing right now?
The summer internship. If I hadn't done that, the department would've been like "who are you?" I came during GC session 2000 and did whatever they needed me to do. I was kind of hoping secretly that it would turn into a job, but it wasn't that I was purposely seeking to work at the General Conference; it just happened.

When you compare your job with ones "in the real world," what do you see as the difference?
Talking specifically about communication, journalism in particular, I often think there is no way I could make it in the real world. It's so cutthroat, mean, and rude in the newsroom. I did work in the CNN newsroom a bit, and it was OK—I think they protected me because I was a "little intern."

It's a little more relaxed at the GC. Not that there aren't times when you have to get your job done and everybody's in the "leave me alone, I have to work today" mode. But it's just different. Working for the Post or something, you would have to develop incredibly tough skin. Even though there is still nonsense that happens here, it is different. People are nicer overall.

What do you see as some of the pros and cons of working for the church?
I feel that young people can be discriminated against. I work with a lot of young people. And I know anywhere you go if you're young, you're not automatically brought to the top in your position—you're going to start low and work your way up. When you work here at the world headquarters, you don't get the sense that young people are the church. (I've heard that 70 percent of the Adventist Church worldwide is under 35 years of age.) We do our job, but we sometimes don't feel that we're taken seriously. I think people are almost afraid of more "modern" ideas.

I've heard that a few years ago there were not as many young people in the GC, so it's improved. That's one thing I love about working in my department. If they're not young physically, my coworkers' minds are thinking creatively, modern. Our director is very innovative. Always thinking outside the box. I love that. That's one of the things we're allowed—acturally required—to do. On some of the projects we've done and on PR stuff we have been able to design some things and "go crazy." It doesn't have to look "Adventist." We can create things that anybody might pick up, and it carries a message from the church.

Would you rather work outside the church?
It depends on the job itself. Not that I don't want to work for the church, but sometimes I do feel like, What is my purpose? What am I doing for the church? But it's very important to have communication in the world church, and that is the work of ANN. A lot of people wouldn't know what is going on in our church if we didn't have the GC Communication Department. And a lot of people that aren't Adventist see our stuff. We make it available for the secular media to pick up.

This job has taught me a lot about writing, editing, communication, and about the world church. As for the future, I have no idea what I'll be doing. I do love journalism. I could see myself working for a magazine someday.

What advice would you offer other young people who want to work at the GC?
I think overall it is a good place to work. I feel that I'm really fortunate to work in the area I'm in.

How has this job impacted you?
It's taught me about writing and journalism. It's made me think about what I actually believe as an Adventist. I've learned a lot about how the church works. And I've had people tell me that they really enjoyed something I wrote.

If I had started at the bottom working for CNN, I would've been making $9 an hour; it's better here. . . . I can't complain too much because our department is great. And we're here for a reason besides getting paid. It's a church organization. We're working for a purpose.

What's So Great About Church Work?
Julio Munoz's occupational journey

An assistant director for ADRA International's marketing and development bureau, Julio Munoz has worked at the GC for almost 10 years. Though plans to work for the church were not part of his original career goal, that is where he ended up. Julio tells how his dreams of working in a TV studio changed after finding a fulfilling occupation in the church.

Where did you go to school, and what was your major?
I went to La Sierra University and had a double major—history/political science and communication. I finished my history degree first, and I'd always wanted to go into communication. I really like video production, filmmaking, and that sort of thing, and so I finished and thought, What am I going to do with a history degree? I did my internship at a local TV station out in Los Angeles and really liked it. So I said, "I'll just stick around two more years and get a communication degree." I got an internship with Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) right out of school.

When you were going through college, did you have an idea you wanted to work for the church?
Not really. Initially I was a history/premed major. When I changed to communication, I was imagining I'd get an internship and work in a TV station in Los Angeles. That was my original goal.

Later I was getting around to thinking, What am I going to do? I'm graduating soon. It was spring, and I got a call from ADRA saying they would like me to do a video production internship for a year. At that point all I was thinking about was how I'd get to travel a lot, do video production, and get paid. I thought, Fantastic, I'll take this, and then I'll figure out where to go. I don't think I had it in my mind to work long-term for the church at that point.

What brought you from there to where you are right now?
Part of it, honestly, is that one year goes by, then another, and another. When I was working for ADRA, I was always still thinking, I'll do this for a while, and then I'll go off and do something else.

The church is a great place to start out. When I was working at ADRA,
I was pretty much the only one working in video production. I got to edit, write, shoot, and produce a little bit. I got to do a little bit of everything.

After working for ADRA, I went and did freelance work on my own for about a year and a half. Then I came back to work here at the General Conference, working with the Video Production and Training Center before coming back to ADRA. It was the second time around that made me think, I want to be here because I want to work for the church and try to make a difference.

Tell me more about what you do at ADRA.
I'm an assistant director for the marketing and development bureau of ADRA International, which means I help share information with our constituents around the globe on ADRA's latest developments. I am senior producer and scriptwriter for ADRA's World, a TV program that has been on a one-year hiatus. The program informs people about ADRA and the world, putting ADRA's work into a global context. ADRA's World, with its documentary style, will continue to broadcast on SafeTV and Loma Linda Broadcasting Network (LLBN). We hope to buy airtime on mainstream cable networks in North America. I'm also working on ADRA's World Radio, which is exciting because you can reach more people on radio. We are developing this program for commercial AM/FM stations.

How would you compare working for the GC with a job in the "real world"?
One big difference is that it's a lot like family here. You have a common bond. There is more flexibility because there is more familiarity. If you have a problem or need support, there is support. In the little time I worked outside of the church, I didn't have that. On the flip side, it seems that sometimes young people have more of a voice outside of the church.

What are the advantages of having young people work for the church?
There are a lot of young people coming into the church who are trained in their area of expertise. They're professionals. I think that before, there were a lot of pastors who had taken some accounting classes and became accountants or treasurers. Now you see a lot of young people who are communication majors, producers, print journalists, and many that even have experience working outside of the church as accountants, auditors, etc. That's a definite advantage.

What are the disadvantages?
There is an ideological gap, a transition—because a lot of us come in as trained professionals who perhaps have new ideas and methods. I was fortunate to work mostly with the world church's communication department, which thinks progressively and really gives young people an opportunity, but I've also worked with others where status quo is king, leaving many young people feeling as outsiders. It doesn't change as fast as you want it to.

So there's that ideological tension that exists between generations. In a way, I guess it's good, because it makes you constantly recommit to your own personal mission: Why am I working for the church?

What is your advice for young people who may be looking to work for the church?
The church absolutely needs people to come here. But we also need young professionals outside the church system. You can be a good witness for the church by your actions anywhere you go.

I have a lot of friends who work outside and who work inside the church. I've seen both be equally successful in their areas and accomplish great things both as Christians and as professionals. You don't need to work for the church to make a difference in this world. So either way, you really have to follow your heart and ask God to guide you.

What is your favorite part of the job?
My favorite part of the job is that, for a living, we get to develop programs and tell stories about people and how ADRA is helping them, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, political affiliation, or religion. We try to emulate—Jesus He fed the hungry, healed the sick, and loved His neighbor. I love that I work for an organization that does that on a daily basis around the world, helping people with no strings attached.

Working for the church has been a positive experience. It's an eye-opening experience to represent a world church and be involved in it. I've realized that the church is a lot more than our church here in North America.

I hope that young people are not discouraged from coming here. It can be very exciting. If more young adults continue to work for the church, we can make a difference. Young people have something very important to offer.

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Melinda Jamieson is an English major at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee. She wrote this while a 2004 summer intern for the Adventist Review.