Digital Age Offers New Outreach Opportunities

Pastor Richard Mau, director of Lutheran Media Ministry (LMM), recently attended the triennial assembly of Lutheran Communications in Asia (LUCIA), which is a fellowship of Lutheran communication agencies in Asia/0ceania.

Members from Thailand, Malaysia, The Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and Australia discussed emerging challenges presented by the latest digital forms of communication. A representative from Media Connection, the office of Lutheran Hour Ministries in Hong Kong, reported receiving 60 000 calls per month via its children's hotline. It has a supporting website called 'Touch the Bugs' which is successfully reaching thousands of children with gospel messages.

Delegates were challenged to investigate possibilities for communicating via SMS text messaging and of using Flash technology to enhance websites. Also on the agenda were trends in marketing programs and the importance of understanding the needs of youth, so that they can be reached with suitable programs. A new coordinating committee was elected, with Pastor Richard Mau as chairperson.