Attendees can journey through multiple conversations across the Summit.
Grand Millennium Auckland · July 8-11, 2026
Venue
Coromandel Room (Grand Ballroom Level 1)
Building a Culture of Storytelling
What does it take to build a culture of storytelling? Drawing on 25+ years of communication ministry in the Inter-American Division, this seminar shares practical lessons for identifying mission-focused stories, developing storytellers, strengthening collaboration, and inspiring churches and institutions to share how God is working in their communities.
Libna Stevens
Libna Stevens is Assistant Communication Director for the Inter-American Division and News Director for Hope Channel Inter-America. For over 25 years, she has shared stories of faith, mission, and community impact, helping foster a culture of storytelling across the church.
Creativity in Writing News: Why It Is Important and How to Do It
This seminar explores how to write news that is both engaging and credible. Participants will learn practical storytelling techniques and examine the key difference between news reporting and news commentary.
Marcos Passegi
Marcos Passegi is editor of Adventist Review and an award-winning journalist with extensive experience in news reporting, editing, and storytelling. Through his writing and leadership, he helps communicate stories of faith, mission, and global church impact in Christian journalism.
Building Bridges Through Storytelling
This presentation explores how communicators can move beyond event reporting to create meaningful, human-centered narratives. Participants will learn principles of effective news writing, audience-focused communication, and narrative techniques that inform, inspire, and highlight mission impact.
Edward Rodriguez
Edward Rodriguez is Assistant Communication Director for the Southern Asia-Pacific Division. Through news writing and strategic communication, he helps share stories of faith, mission, and transformation across one of the world’s most diverse regions, connecting local communities to the church’s global mission.
The New Rules of Digital Storytelling
In an age of AI, changing search habits, and declining trust in institutions, storytelling is being reshaped. This session explores three key shifts—from scarcity to abundance, authority to distributed trust, and audience to participant—and introduces six principles for creating stories that are human, discoverable, credible, and engaging. For churches and mission organisations, the aim is not just greater reach, but building trust, relationships, and pathways to discipleship.
Tim McTernan
Tim McTernan is the Innovation & Marketing Leader for the South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. With more than 30 years of experience in marketing and business, he helps churches and leaders use research, storytelling, and strategy to connect with audiences, strengthen discipleship, and deliver measurable mission impact in a rapidly changing world.
OneVoice27: Getting the stories from the fields
An interactive conversation about how we can best gather and tell stories from the OneVoice27 movement. We need the whole world speaking in One Voice and as communicators, we can do our missional part.
Jarrod Stackelroth
Jarrod Stackelroth is Assistant Director of the Communication Department at the General Conference. Formerly editor of Adventist Record and Signs of the Times, he is a writer, editor, and communication strategist passionate about sharing the Adventist mission worldwide.
Venue
Aucklander (ground floor)
The New Challenges of Text in Artificial Intelligence Searches
In three parts, we will explore: how the way we find content on the internet has changed, the opportunities we have today as a church in preaching the gospel, and the need for our content to have authority and relevance.
Felipe Lemos
Felipe Lemos is Director of the Communications Advisory at the South American Division and a crisis management specialist. He holds a master's in Communication and teaches at the UNASP. He has over 30 years of experience in institutional communication, reputation management, and countering disinformation.
Minsoo's Journey: Consistent AI in Video Production
Keeping the same character consistent across every scene? This session presents a hands-on case study of "Minsoo's Journey," a OV27 evangelistic video produced by the Korean Union Conference through a six-stage AI workflow — from scenario writing to character sheets, keyframes, video generation, narration, and editing.
Sangyong Lee
Sangyong Lee is the Director of Digital Mission Strategy at the Korean Union Conference. An ordained pastor, he leads digital evangelism, the Bible Correspondence School (Voice of Prophecy Korea), AI-assisted video production, and youth digital missionary training.
Building Bridges: From Digital Interest to Real Belonging
Only a good strategy turns possibilities into results. From theory and practice, how we can do more than generate interests online: how to use AI and automation to convert digital consumers into interests for local churches. To what extent can AI hinder or help the humanization of the church's mission?
William Timm
William Timm brings a decade of experience in digital evangelism, creating tools like Esperança and training members and pastors. He worked in the South American Division’s Communication Department and is Digital Evangelism Coordinator at Hope Channel (Novo Tempo).
Building trust in the age of AI
Artificial intelligence is reshaping how audiences define authenticity and trust. How can Christian communicators build credibility without losing their voice? This session explores why trust has become the new currency of communication and reflects on how we can embrace AI without compromising authenticity, critical thinking, or meaningful human connection.
Juliana Muniz
Juliana Muniz is a journalist with over a decade in cross-cultural church communication. As Adventist Record News Editor, she leads multimedia coverage of the South Pacific’s diversity and explores technologies that strengthen human communication.
AI: ethics and dangers for communicators
With the widespread adoption of AI chatbots, generative AI and other AI tools in creative work, we'd be wise to pause to ask the question: "what ethical concerns does AI provide?" And, perhaps most terrifying of all, "What is AI doing to us, and where is this all leading?”
Jesse J. Herford
Jesse J. Herford is a pastor and associate editor for Signs of the Times South Pacific. He enjoys cooking, board games and spending time with his wife Carina and daughter Bridget.
Venue
Tasman II (Grand Ballroom level)
From Media Content to Discipleship
A hands-on gathering for media makers, streamers, and social storytellers driving digital ministry on the front lines. Sessions tackle everything from OBS configurations and encoding settings to short-form content strategy and platform algorithms — all through a ministry lens. Come ready to compare setups, swap workflows, and leave with a technical toolkit that takes your content to the next level.
Emanuel Ban
Emanuel Ban is Director of Hope Media Group for the Franco-Belgian Union and Maison de l’Espérance in Paris. He develops digital evangelism strategies that connect media, audience engagement, Bible studies, and local churches to turn digital reach into discipleship.
From Vision to Team Culture
Lineage began as a conference project, faced seasons of uncertainty, and eventually grew into something much larger. This session shares the journey, successes, challenges, and lessons learned in building a mission-driven media project. It also offers practical insights into outdoor video production from years of filming without studios, teleprompters, or traditional production setups.
Adam Ramdin
Adam Ramdin is the director of Lineage, a media ministry known for its authentic storytelling and outdoor productions. He has helped lead the project’s growth from a small conference initiative into an influential platform, creating content that engages with biblical truth.
Tellable vs Sellable: Media Ministry in the Attention Economy
Every day, millions of videos and posts compete for attention. The challenge is no longer distribution, but standing out. This presentation explores how to create content that earns attention beyond church audiences, reaches mainstream platforms, and generates real evangelistic impact.
Kevin Christenson
Kevin Christenson serves as the Senior Director of Global Distribution for Hope Channel International and head of Hope Studios. Combining mission focus with experience working for companies like Netflix, NBCUniversal, and other Tier 1 studios, Kevin navigates the business side of creativity to guide Hope's faith-forward stories to mainstream platforms.
After Content: The User Journey of Evangelism
AI can help teams create content faster than ever, but the real challenge is building trust. This session explores how Christian communication can move beyond content production to foster authentic connections, community, and lasting spiritual transformation in an AI-driven world.
Lizbeth Elejalde
Lizbeth Elejalde is Director of Programming for Hope Channel Inter-America, leading content strategy and media projects. A producer, educator, and communication scholar, she integrates faith, media, and technology to create content that supports mission and human connection.
Media Workflows in the Age of AI
Ministry needs better media infrastructure. While AI offers powerful tools, adding more apps often creates more complexity. Drawing on the experience behind Jetstream Studio, Justin Woods explores how simplifying workflows can remove friction, helping media teams focus less on technology and more on mission.
Justin Woods
Justin Woods is Senior Director of Technology for Hope Channel International, bringing simple solutions to complex problems, sometimes using technology.
Venue
Tasman I Room (Grand Ballroom level) Starting at 4:30 PM:
Creating a Team Culture
Strong teams are built intentionally, not by chance. This session explores practical strategies for creating a healthy team culture based on trust, collaboration, respect, and shared mission. Participants will learn how to foster meaningful teamwork, navigate challenges, and empower every team member to thrive, innovate, and contribute effectively to God’s mission.
Rohann Wellington
Dr. Rohann Wellington is Assistant to the President of the North American Division, providing leadership in media, strategic communication, and ministry. A pastor, military chaplain, and award-winning broadcaster, he is passionate about helping leaders leverage media, communication, and emerging technologies to advance mission.
Mind the Gap: Your Best People Don't Fit
We're drawn to seek the overlooked. Yet so often we overlook them. And that is exactly where the best of everything hides: the team that shouldn't work, the person everyone wrote off, the sharpest idea in the quietest voice, the right call when the rules run out. This session explores four counterintuitive strategies for discovering hidden talent, uncovering overlooked insights, and finding value others often miss.
Daniel Bruneau
Daniel Bruneau, PhD, is a behavioral scientist and innovation leader with 15+ years in the gaps most organizations try to smooth over: clashing teams, overlooked talent, messy systems, and uncertain futures. He has built and led large teams and organizations at Delta Air Lines and AT&T, founded and advised ventures, and now leads innovation and experience design at AR.
Leadership
In a rapidly changing media and ministry environment, leadership goes beyond managing people and processes. This presentation explores practical principles for developing high-performing teams, cultivating talent, navigating change, and aligning people around a shared mission. Participants will discover how healthy leadership cultures foster innovation, strengthen organizations, and create lasting mission impact.
Sam Neves
Sam Neves serves as Vice President for Advancement and Communication at Hope Channel International, where he leads global brand strategy, marketing, donor engagement, and media relations to expand the Adventist Church's media network. Sam holds a PhD in Digital Communication from the University of Westminster, and spent nearly a decade directing global branding and digital communication for the Adventist Church.
Venue
Tui 2 (Level 10) 3:00 pm
3:00 pm
Discover how Global Bible School has the potential to revolutionize interest generation and follow up.
3:30 pm
Use this unified inbox for interest follow up, which includes integration with Global Bible School.
4:30 pm
Meet the new leadership and discover their mission strategy and vision for AWR and its affiliates.
5:00 pm
Learn about the AWR radio network and plans for increased support and communication.
5:30 pm
Learn about AWR’s broadcast and branding guidelines for affiliate stations.
Social Media
Venue
Millenium BallRoom
The Story of Creation: Strategies for a Successful Digital Campaign
In three parts, we will explore: how the way we find content on the internet has changed, the opportunities we have today as a church in preaching the gospel, and the need for our content to have authority and relevance.
Emeraude Victorin
Emeraude Victorin is Director of Marketing for the Faith & Science Council. An Andrews University Communication graduate, she uses creativity and digital media to share the gospel, helping people discover the Creator through compelling stories that connect science, faith, and Scripture.
The Invisible Work
A strong digital presence isn’t built by what people see. It begins with what they don’t. This session explores the invisible elements that build authentic, strategic, and lasting digital presence.
Keila Trejo
Keila Trejo is part of the Communication team at the Inter-American Division and Hope Channel Inter-America, where she develops digital communication strategies that strengthen the Church’s mission. With a background in Psychology and a decade of experience, she is passionate about helping organizations build purpose-driven digital brands that create meaningful impact.
36,000 Leads Aren't Enough: Teaching Meta to Find the Real Ones
Across Spain, Meta Ads generated 36,000+ requests for books, Bible courses, and studies. This session shows how Sembi turned those leads into a mission system by connecting campaigns with local churches, tutors, and prayer teams. Learn key lessons, honest results, and how conversion feedback can help Meta identify and reach people most likely to become disciples.
Rubén Fernández
Rubén Fernández is a computer Engineer and the founder of Sembi Communications. He specializes in SEO, paid media, and AI automation. For nearly a decade, he has helped businesses and Adventist institutions advance their digital transformation.
Humanising the Church Through Social Media
What if one Instagram post could be the first step in someone's journey to Jesus? Discover how Adventist South Pacific uses social media, storytelling, and authentic content to spark curiosity, break down barriers, and create pathways to faith, Bible studies, and transformed lives.
Talia Valderrama
Talia Valderrama is a graphic designer at Adventist Media in Australia. With a background in design and visual communication, she specializes in creating engaging digital and print content that supports media, marketing, and mission initiatives.
The Video Creator's Corner - Strategy, Story, and the Screen
A framework for creating content that reaches beyond church walls. Starting from a theology of creativity rooted in Scripture, it covers practical workflows for sustainable production, a missional understanding of platform algorithms, short-form video strategy, and an overview of broadcast and recording setups.
Fernando Marroquin
Fernando Marroquin is a Digital strategist and Christian content creator, he works with Novo Tempo, Hope Channel International, and the GC’s Digital Strategy for Mission initiative. His work combines media, digital strategy, and evangelism to expand the reach of the Christian message.