Hope Channel Celebrates 20 Years of Increasing Mission Reach

Adventist TV network is ready to embrace the digital revolution, president-elect says.

October 10, 2023 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review

“We praise God for His guidance of Hope Channel for the last 20 years,” Hope Channel vice president for finance Gideon Mutero said. “From its humble beginnings in 2003, Hope Channel has experienced tremendous growth in its mission of offering God’s good news for a better life today and for eternity.”

On October 8, Mutero introduced the Adventist television network report to members of the General Conference Executive Committee attending the 2023 Annual Council at the Seventh-day Adventist Church headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.

Twenty Years Transforming Lives

Mutero explained that the evangelistic media ministry of Hope Channel has led to the transformation of many lives through events that broadcast live evangelistic series from one location to multiple downlink sites, and, he said, hundreds of thousands of people have been baptized. “Life-changing programs on faith, family, lifestyle, and health have brought hope to millions of people around the world,” he added.

The Hope Channel network currently has 82 channels broadcasting across all continents of the world in more than 100 languages, Mutero reported. “We are reaching the world with a message of hope through multiple media distribution avenues such as satellites, terrestrial television, digital platforms, and social media,” he said. “We thank the world church for your tremendous support to the evangelistic media ministry of Hope Channel.”

Mutero also had words of appreciation for the leadership of Brad Thorp, the founder of Hope Channel International, and his wife, Kandus Thorp, who served as vice president. He also thanked Derek Morris, the second president, who is retiring on October 31 after seven and a half years at the helm of the organization.

New Tools and Resources

After Mutero, Vyacheslav Demyan, president-elect of Hope Channel International, reminded EXCOM members of the mission, new tools and resources, and vision of the organization.

“Hope Channel International is dedicated to equip and empower the global network of 80 plus channels for evangelism through media,” Demyan said. He shared that in 2022, Hope Channel provided its global network with 450 hours of Christ-centered programming focusing on the three angels’ messages. He also shared that 21 of Hope Channel network’s channels are using the online learning platform Hope.Study, “an online tool that helps viewers to study the Bible, strengthen their faith, and finally make a decision for Jesus.”

Hope.Study is part of a larger innovative platform called Hope.Cloud. “We want to empower the evangelism efforts of the global church,” Demyan explained.

Among other tools available to network channels is Jetstream, where users can find additional footage resources for their mission projects; and Mission Passport, to track and measure the effectiveness of specific mission projects. “Hope.Cloud is an ongoing initiative that will continue to add more features in the years to come to empower our global network for media evangelism,” Demyan said. He reminded EXCOM members that no matter where we are in the world, we can find someone searching for hope.

“We’ve continued to grow our global network as we’ve seen eleven new international channels across eight divisions,” Morris said. “This will help us to reach even more people in their native language and culture.”

Morris reported that five new languages were added to the Heroes app, as leaders try to increase youth involvement and invite young people to study the Word of God. He also said that, in the ongoing quest to find more creative ways to share the gospel, Hope Channel launched Hope Studios, “a new department that will focus on cinematic storytelling to reach new audiences and introduce them to Jesus,” he said.

The organization also supported the building of a new studio in Hapur, India. It is now broadcasting to 700 million Hindi-speaking people in that region of the world. “God is really using Hope Channel to further His mission around the world,” Morris said.

Demyan took some moments to thank those who came before him, and other church organizations that are partnering to collaborate in new and old initiatives. “Thank you for the spirit of harmony, mutual support, and respect,” he said. “We are stronger when we are together.”

A Renewed Vision

“As we stand on the threshold of a new chapter in our mission, I want to share a vision that I believe will guide Hope Channel International to even greater success and growth,” Demyan told EXCOM members.

It is built on three key pillars, he said, namely, “understanding our message, understanding our audience, and recognizing our limitations.”

First, the Hope Channel brand symbolizes hope in God and the gospel’s transformative power. “We will amplify the strength and expand our impact by focusing on the unique prophetic message of hope God has entrusted the Adventist Church with,” Demyan emphasized. “Seeking the most effective methods and concepts in the fast-changing media world, we will stay faithful in the conviction that only the sovereign God determines the message, not the audience.”

Demyan also explained that Hope Channel’s target audience will be the unreached with the three angels’ messages, both for those who are seeking something more meaningful and profound in their lives and for those who haven’t yet felt that need. “These are people from every nation, tribe, and tongue,” he said.

Finally, Demyan emphasized that in a world where media is evolving seemingly overnight, “Hope Channel is ready to embrace the digital revolution,” he said. “We recognized we are no longer limited to television broadcast alone. Hope Channel is on the path of becoming a leading force in digital evangelism in the Adventist Church.”

He added that Hope Channel will use every form of media available “to become a comprehensive, innovative media ministry, meeting people where they are in this digital age.”

At the same time, Demyan made a point that “while we try to be on the cutting edge of innovation, mission, and media, we also recognize our limitations,” he said. “We recognize that our strength is not in our technological advancement but in our dependence on the Holy Spirit.” In that regard, he said, “we humbly seek to forge closer synergy with our church institutions and departments. In the spirit of unity and prayer, we want to dedicate ourselves to God’s mission to reach those who have yet to hear the three angels’ messages, knowing that the best is yet to come.”