In Panama, Online Evangelistic Campaign Draws Dozens of New Believers into the Church
Pastor Félix Díaz of the Sabanitas Adventist Church in Colon, Panama, baptizes Yahaira de Ibarra, during a baptismal ceremony on July 30, 2020, near the end of online evangelistic campaign which drew hundreds of viewers on social media platforms across the Atlantic Panama Conference. Ibarra was among 81 persons to be baptized as a result of evangelistic efforts in the region recently. [Photo: Atlantic Panama Conference]
Dozens of new believers joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Colon, Panama, after a recent online evangelist campaign that was also carried on the church’s Nuevo Amenecer radio station. The campaign drew over 700 hundred of viewers every night on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. To date, 81 have been baptized throughout churches in Colon, thanks to a committed group of church members who took to the task of inviting friends and family members to take part in Bible studies and tune in for the online event.
Pastor Christian Espejo, president of the church in the Atlantic Panama Conference, said that one of the objectives of the campaign was to show that the church produces relevant content through available media. With churches closed since March, social media has been one of the effective principal tools readily available to spread the gospel, he said.
Church Elder Marcos Díaz, reads the votes to five persons before they are baptized at the Sabanitas Adventist Church in Colon, Panama, on July 30, 2020. [Photo: Atlantic Panama Conference]
Themed “Restored for a New Life” the seven-day online evangelistic campaign included keynote speaker Pastor Dante Godeau of the Freeport Hispanic Adventist Church of New York in the United States. Dante preached on being restored through Jesus, the cross, prayer, worship, the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, and bible promises, every evening for one hour, from July 26 to Aug. 1, 2020.
Pastor Dante Godeau of New York, United States, keynote speaker during the online campaign speaks during one live transmission session on the church’s Radio Nuevo Amanecer station Jul. 26-Aug. 1, 2020, . [Screenshot: Atlantic Panama Conference]
According to Gutiérrez, who pastors six churches in his district in Colon, the first challenge was to encourage the membership to believe that online evangelism can bring about significant results. “It was important for them to commit to actively participating and understand their role as digital missionaries,” he said.
Some 150 church members took to contacting persons and praying for those who would receive the transmission link, as well as encourage viewers to use the hashtag special guest, and send a registration form to each one. At the end of each evening, the digital missionaries were to engage with those who connected and provide bible studies for those who were interested.
As a result of their efforts, 197 persons registered for Bible studies and requested additional resources during the seven-day evangelistic event, leaders reported. The dozens who were baptized across several local churches in Colon had completed their bible studies from previous weeks ahead of the online evangelistic campaign, according to church leaders.
Eyra Romero was among those who were baptized. She was so interested in the evangelism campaign that she invited four of her neighbors to watch it. “I have learned so much through the study of the Bible and that’s why I want others to have that opportunity,” she said.
A billboard advertising the online evangelism campaign was placed in one of the busiest roads in Colon, Panama. [Photo: Atlantic Panama Conference]
In addition, online evangelistic campaigns have been held throughout churches across two other church conferences and one mission in Panama during the past four months. These campaigns resulted in 46 new believers joining the church through baptism, union leaders reported.
Pastor Espejo said that plans are underway in the next few months for an online evangelistic campaign focused on young people.
The Atlantic Panama Conference oversees 32 congregations and 21 groups and a membership of 3,000, in the Colon Province and the Chilibre district in Panama.
Part of the production and host team that took part in the online evangelism campaign from July 26 to Aug. 1, from the Atlantic Panama Conference in Colon, Panama. [Photo: Atlantic Panama Conference]