22 May 2025, 12:12Pr Wil MasihEdinburgh, City of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
Digital Discipleship & Evangelism: Spreading the Gospel in the Digital Age
Edinburgh Seventh-day Adventist Church, in partnership with the Scottish Mission’s Personal Ministries Department, hosted a practical training session on digital evangelism led by Elder Michael Garkov, introducing members to the AWR360° Cell Phone Evangelism initiative as a means of sharing faith through smartphones.
On Saturday 17th May, 2025, Edinburgh Seventh-day Adventist Church in collaboration with the Personal Ministries Department of the Scottish Mission, became a hub of inspiration and innovation, hosting a dynamic training session focused on digital evangelism. Leading the initiative was Elder Michael Garkov from Watford, a dedicated digital ministry advocate who has been collaborating with Adventist World Radio (AWR), the mission arm of the General Conference, to expand the church’s reach through modern technology. His visit marked a significant step forward in equipping members of the church to become digital missionaries.
At the heart of Elder Garkov’s presentation was the AWR360° Cell Phone Evangelism initiative, a cutting-edge outreach strategy developed in partnership with the British Union Conference’s Reflecting Hope initiative. This programme aims to utilise mobile devices as tools for spiritual connection and outreach, offering users the opportunity to request prayer, engage in conversations about faith, and access evangelistic content through a newly developed app.
In a world increasingly dominated by digital communication, traditional evangelism often struggles to connect with modern audiences. Recognising this shift, the AWR360° Cell Phone evangelism initiative leverages the accessibility of smartphones to share the gospel in a way that resonates with today’s lifestyle. Whether someone is going through personal hardship, searching for meaning, or simply curious about spiritual matters, the new app will offer a discreet and convenient way to explore faith.
Elder Garkov emphasised the potential for every church member to become a digital missionary. With basic training and guidance, individuals can use their phones not just as personal devices, but as instruments of hope and spiritual encouragement. Through the app, members can engage in faith-based conversations, share biblical resources, and offer prayer, often at moments when people are most receptive to support and comfort.
To illustrate the power of one-on-one evangelism, Elder Garkov reflected on the biblical story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. This simple yet profound encounter began as a casual conversation and led to the woman becoming a powerful witness in her community. The story underscores how a single conversation can lead to a transformation, mirroring the very essence of digital evangelism, meeting people where they are and leading them to Christ.
Quoting Ellen G White, Elder Garkov reminded attendees that evangelism is not solely the responsibility of ordained ministers. “It is a fatal mistake to suppose that the work of saving souls depends alone on the ordained minister. All who receive the life of Christ are ordained to work for the salvation of their fellow men” (Desire of Ages, p. 822). This call to action was a rallying cry for Edinburgh Church members to see themselves as front-line workers in God’s mission field, armed with digital tools and a heart for service.
The session concluded with an impassioned appeal for volunteers to join the AWR360° Cell Phone Evangelism movement, specifically targeting outreach in and around Scotland’s capital. Elder Garkov invited Edinburgh SDA Church to be one of the pioneering congregations in the UK to embrace this innovative method of outreach, potentially impacting countless lives through spiritual conversations facilitated by technology.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, so too must the methods used to share the everlasting gospel. “Digital evangelism is not the future of ministry; it is the present,” said Pr Wil Masih, Personal Ministries Sponsor for the Scottish Mission. “The mission field is now as close as your mobile phone.” The Edinburgh training marked a transformative moment, one where faith met technology, and the call to evangelism was extended into the palm of every believer’s hand.
More information about the AWR360° Cell Phone Evangelism initiative is expected to be released soon, offering further opportunities for individuals and churches to get involved.
Edinburgh Seventh-day Adventist Church, in partnership with the Scottish Mission’s Personal Ministries Department, hosted a practical training session on digital evangelism led by Elder Michael Garkov, introducing members to the AWR360° Cell Phone Evangelism initiative as a means of sharing faith through smartphones.
On Saturday 17th May, 2025, Edinburgh Seventh-day Adventist Church in collaboration with the Personal Ministries Department of the Scottish Mission, became a hub of inspiration and innovation, hosting a dynamic training session focused on digital evangelism. Leading the initiative was Elder Michael Garkov from Watford, a dedicated digital ministry advocate who has been collaborating with Adventist World Radio (AWR), the mission arm of the General Conference, to expand the church’s reach through modern technology. His visit marked a significant step forward in equipping members of the church to become digital missionaries.
At the heart of Elder Garkov’s presentation was the AWR360° Cell Phone Evangelism initiative, a cutting-edge outreach strategy developed in partnership with the British Union Conference’s Reflecting Hope initiative. This programme aims to utilise mobile devices as tools for spiritual connection and outreach, offering users the opportunity to request prayer, engage in conversations about faith, and access evangelistic content through a newly developed app.
In a world increasingly dominated by digital communication, traditional evangelism often struggles to connect with modern audiences. Recognising this shift, the AWR360° Cell Phone evangelism initiative leverages the accessibility of smartphones to share the gospel in a way that resonates with today’s lifestyle. Whether someone is going through personal hardship, searching for meaning, or simply curious about spiritual matters, the new app will offer a discreet and convenient way to explore faith.
Elder Garkov emphasised the potential for every church member to become a digital missionary. With basic training and guidance, individuals can use their phones not just as personal devices, but as instruments of hope and spiritual encouragement. Through the app, members can engage in faith-based conversations, share biblical resources, and offer prayer, often at moments when people are most receptive to support and comfort.
To illustrate the power of one-on-one evangelism, Elder Garkov reflected on the biblical story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. This simple yet profound encounter began as a casual conversation and led to the woman becoming a powerful witness in her community. The story underscores how a single conversation can lead to a transformation, mirroring the very essence of digital evangelism, meeting people where they are and leading them to Christ.
Quoting Ellen G White, Elder Garkov reminded attendees that evangelism is not solely the responsibility of ordained ministers. “It is a fatal mistake to suppose that the work of saving souls depends alone on the ordained minister. All who receive the life of Christ are ordained to work for the salvation of their fellow men” (Desire of Ages, p. 822). This call to action was a rallying cry for Edinburgh Church members to see themselves as front-line workers in God’s mission field, armed with digital tools and a heart for service.
The session concluded with an impassioned appeal for volunteers to join the AWR360° Cell Phone Evangelism movement, specifically targeting outreach in and around Scotland’s capital. Elder Garkov invited Edinburgh SDA Church to be one of the pioneering congregations in the UK to embrace this innovative method of outreach, potentially impacting countless lives through spiritual conversations facilitated by technology.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, so too must the methods used to share the everlasting gospel. “Digital evangelism is not the future of ministry; it is the present,” said Pr Wil Masih, Personal Ministries Sponsor for the Scottish Mission. “The mission field is now as close as your mobile phone.” The Edinburgh training marked a transformative moment, one where faith met technology, and the call to evangelism was extended into the palm of every believer’s hand.
More information about the AWR360° Cell Phone Evangelism initiative is expected to be released soon, offering further opportunities for individuals and churches to get involved.
