Communications
Using Media to Reach The Lost
With a background in media I can honestly tell you about the effects it can have in a positive way for what we do in ministry. Years ago the way folks invited others to church and reached out to witness for Jesus was by going door to door and letting folks know about their church services but most of all about the love of Christ.
Although many still do that once in a while God has given us a great opportunity through media to not just reach the lost by TV, radio and print, but also to minister to many others including our shut in members who cannot make it to church.
At our church, Pleasant Grove Original FWB in Pikeville, NC, aka “The Grove” we have a radio ministry, which also soon will include a low power radio station on our church campus, a television broadcast and a media ministry in which we send DVD’s to our shut in members and even others across the nation who are still members of our church but cannot attend. “Well Pastor Barry, why not try and stream your services to save DVD costs?” That would be a good thought and maybe in our future. However the majority of our Senior Saints who are shut in do not have access to the internet or even a computer. In their day it was all done by word of mouth or telephone as I sort of alluded to earlier by going door to door.
These ministries have proven to be a true blessing to others especially our DVD ministry. We mail DVD’s to the states of Washington and Virginia just to name a few and have even sent some to our service men and women who have moved to Arizona, Illinois and Montana in times past. In this we feel like we are being a part of what Jesus said when He said in Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Thus this hints at least to let us know that Christian media was ordained by God to go unto all the nations!!! Our radio broadcast for instance on the Go Mix Christian Radio Network covers 24 counties and is online. By it being online that means anyone in the world who has a computer and internet access could hear our broadcast and other ministries who are proclaiming Jesus as well to a lost and dying world.
These are just some of my thoughts in how God is using Christian media. May God bless us all as we work until He returns and use these areas of media, including social media He has given us, to win the lost for Him.
How are you using media to reach the lost at your church?
BARRY STALLINGS
Senior Pastor
“The Grove”: Pleasant Grove Original Free Baptist Church | Pikeville, NC
barrystallings.com
In 1988 Barry accepted Jesus Christ into his heart and life and a year later in September 1989 answered God’s call to preach the gospel. Also, within this period he wrote his first of many songs which led him to sing gospel music. In 1989 he became a southern gospel music radio announcer that led him into Christian television in 1992. On July 6th the same year he became the host of a southern gospel music video program, “Together Again with Barry Stallings”, which airs to this day on WHFL-TV43 in Goldsboro, NC.
Since December 2003 Barry has been serving as Senior Pastor of Pleasant Grove Original Free Will Baptist Church otherwise nicknamed “The Grove” of Pikeville, NC, and hosts a TV and radio ministry entitled “Pleasant News From the Grove” each week which are outreaches of Pleasant Grove Church. He has been married to his wife Olivia since March of 1992 and they have two very talented daughters Karen, 22 and Katie, 20.
