The Global Mission IT team, a group of technology experts stationed around the globe, is making it easier than ever for Nazarenes to connect with others in ministry and access resources that were previously out of reach.

The Florida District is using the Global Mission video conference system to help leaders connect no matter where they are.

“The system allows us to meet literally face-to-face with the pastors and leaders of the district without spending additional ministry dollars and without them having to travel multiple hours, wasting their valuable time on the road,” said Mary Egidio, office administrator for the Florida District. We’ve met with MAC (Mission Area Coordinators) or advisory board leaders who were out of the country at the time, who were riding in the car on vacation, who were home recovering from surgery, or who were sitting on their back porch. We would have missed the valuable input and insights from these individuals had they not been able to attend under normal circumstances.”

The software is also freeing up ministry dollars.

“Our MACs meet twice a month,” Egidio said. “These pastors are from all over the district — one is seven and a half hours away, the other nearly 10 hours away. For one of these pastors to come to a recent District Advisory Board meeting that was held at Kidz Camp, the cost to the district was over $450. For one meeting, for one person!”

In addition to assisting leaders with regularly scheduled meetings, video conferencing can even bring together people who have never met.

“One of our smaller, older congregations is now in a pastoral transition,” Egidio said. “We plan to use the system to help them interview potential pastoral candidates, without the expense of them having to fly a minister to Florida for an interview. This broadens the range of their choices. We’re excited that an older congregation is willing to use such technology and confident that the quality of the experience will be valuable to them in at least starting the selection process.”

In addition to helping people meet, video conferencing also helps educate ministers and leaders.

James feels called to serve in ministry and has been attempting to complete the Course of Study material for several years, but couldn’t find a format that worked for him. The closest Nazarene pastor who could mentor him is more than two hours away, and James can't relocate because of his job.

Through technology, James is able to take classes and meet with other students and pastors in the Course of Study program at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, which utilizes the Global Mission video conferencing system.

One day, as class was wrapping up and students were preparing to disconnect, James opened his microphone and asked to make a comment. As he wiped away some tears and cleared his throat, he thanked the class for the opportunity to talk about the doctrine of holiness over the past five weeks. Because of his remote location, he rarely has a chance to talk about holiness and he treasured the moments that this course brought him.

James is just one example of the hundreds of students who are preparing for ministry through video conference-based classes around the world. 

“Our mission as a church is to make Christlike disciples in the nations,” said Brad Firestone, Global Mission IT coordinator. “We believe that God is calling people from all over the world to minister in their communities, sharing God's love and forgiveness with those around them. That means we need to do everything we can to help prepare these leaders to serve, no matter where in the world they are located.”

Global Mission and the International Board of Education are committed to providing video conferencing and other forms of online education that allow for teaching and training regardless of location, nationality, and changing political situations. 

In order to meet the growing demands for this type of connection, technology-oriented Work & Witness teams are sent to schools and offices around the world. These teams work to make sure these tools are as accessible and effective as possible. For more information about joining a team, send an email to IWant2Help@globalnaz.org.