IMPACT: APMedia Rewind

“I believe media is a powerful tool in sharing Christ,” says Revo Avarientos, a contributing writer for Asia Pacific Media (APMedia), a ministry that has been reaching lives for Jesus for 25 years, continually developing and growing with each passing year. Beginning in 1988, in the home of Assemblies of God missionaries Bill and Kim Snider, with only one staff member, the ministry, originally known as Asia Project 2000, now operates, with 14 staff members, from the Ortigas Center in Metro Manila, Philippines. Though based in the Philippines, APMedia covers several countries in the Asia Pacific region, training Christians in China, Indonesia, Nepal, Myanmar and the Pacific Islands to effectively use media to spread the Message of hope found in Jesus to people who need Him. At first, APMedia concentrated on training urban radio broadcasters, with the first training seminar for radio broadcasters held in 1989 at Immanuel Bible College, Cebu City. They conducted additional training seminars at Bethel Bible College, Valenzuela City. APMedia began producing radio programs aired in Metro Manila, such as “Hope for You,” “Hope for the Family,” and “Moments for Mothers.” APMedia radio training gradually extended to the provinces, employing different dialects, such as Waray, Ilonggo and Ifugao. APMedia didn’t stop with radio, but began breaking into other media formats in the early ‘90s. Expanding on its mission to train others to develop and use media tools, in 1991 APMedia launched the Institute of Media Ministries, a four-week intensive training program in partnership with the Asia Pacific Theological Seminary in Baugio City, Philippines. The popular summer program continued for several years. APMedia also began producing materials in other media formats, including video, audio and print, for church planting, evangelism and discipleship. Some of the most current projects include the magazines, “MOMS” and “MIP: Men in Progress” (both targeting Filipino readers); video series “Family Talk” and “U-Kids”; and feature films “Tolbo" released in Mongolia and “The Last Letter” released in Cambodia.  APMedia was also the main producers for “Rebound”, “AMA-Anak" (“Father-Son”),  “Ang Sugo" (“The Sent One”) and “Bijay” (“Victory”). Now fully in the digital information age, several websites under the APMedia (apmedia.org) umbrella, speaking in the various voices and languages represented in the Asia Pacific region, are there to answer the call to keep up with the pace of cyber traffic, technology and media transmission. The ministry also has a presence on social media, showing up on Facebook and Twitter. “The next years are going to be so exciting,” says Bill. We are in production with a new series for kids—‘Usapang Kids (U-Kids).’ People will love this one. And we are committed to more widely distributing the materials we have already made. The best is yet to come.” For the full article go to p. 4 of the  March/April issue of Mission magazine.