TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol— The Adventist Church in Central Visayas held a Bohol-wide PARL and Media Engagement Forum on October 3 at the Tagbilaran City SDA Church on Burgos Street.
The event gathered district pastors, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL) leaders, and media personnel from across Bohol as part of the “All Things New” program.
The “All Things New” program, which also represents the public face of the global OneVoice27 initiative, is a worldwide movement by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It unites believers in a shared mission to pray, serve, and share the message of Jesus Christ.
The forum, streamed live on Hope Channel-Cebu and ADMA Bohol Facebook pages, aimed to strengthen unity and cooperation within PARL and media ministries, using these platforms to share God’s message and win souls for Christ.
During the Sabbath School program, Pastor Godofredo “Jonbye” Romanillos Jr., communication and Sabbath School/Personal Ministries director of the East Central Philippine Union Conference, described “Gideon 300” as 300 figurative digital evangelists committed to sharing the gospel through their social media accounts.
He explained that these digital volunteers are called Gideon 300 because, like the story of Gideon in a biblical account, God chose only 300 soldiers to fight effectively.
Like the 300 soldiers, though small in number compared to the vast multitudes they face, they rely not on human strength or conventional means, but on divine strategy, unity, and courage to pierce spiritual darkness through their created content, aiming to bring the truth seekers to the church.
He challenged those who committed their Bibles and their phones during the OneVoice27: Mission for All global launch, saying, “I don’t know specifically who you are, but remember that you committed to His work. Start sharing the message on your social media as soon as possible. Just a post per day means much already.”
Highlighting the legal safeguards and institutional advocacy vital to the church’s mission, Atty. Christian H. Abenir, human resources, legal, and Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL) director for the ECPUC, discussed PARL’s crucial role.
“Adventists often limit their view of “Religious Liberty” to reacting only when a direct crisis arises in the workplace or a hospital,” Abenir said, emphasizing that we frequently neglect Public Affairs.
He said that, under the SSD working policy, Public Affairs requires actively building strong, positive relationships with local government units (barangays, municipalities), schools, and civic agencies.
“When communities and lawmakers repeatedly see the church stepping up to help during calamities or participating in community initiatives (such as Brigada Eskwela), they develop a lasting, favorable impression of Adventists. This proactive goodwill helps safeguard religious freedoms at the grassroots level before any major crisis strikes,” Abenir added.
Pastor Elexiz Mercado, Adventist World Radio Center for Digital Evangelism director for the global Adventist Church, delivered the sermon during the Hour of Worship. He delved into three essential points for unstoppable digital evangelism.
Drawing on 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20, he named three points to remain unstoppable against all odds. “First is that there must be genuine care. Have you heard of the saying that goes, “People don’t care how much you know until they know hw much you care.”
Next is commitment, or the willingness to try ‘again and again,’ refusing to give up after several failed attempts. “Whether through traditional writing, modern chat, text messaging, radio, television, or literature, there are always ways,” Mercado said.
The third point is to value bringing people into the church, and that the true earthly crown and ultimate reward is bringing souls into the Kingdom of God.”
The forum continued in the afternoon with additional topics and discussions. Highlights included the PARL Bohol Chapter’s preparation for the forthcoming CVC-wide PARL and Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries (ASI) Convention at Adventist Academy Cebu. The final date and the venue are still to be announced.
Pastor Edgar Bojos, communication director of the Central Visayan Conference, expressed gratitude for the event’s success and all participants’ dedication.
“With a grateful heart, I praise God for the successful Bohol-Wide PARL & Media Engagement Forum which gathered 157 delegates representing all 10 districts of Bohol,” he stated. “I am truly thankful to everyone who shared their time, support, and love for this ministry. To God be all the glory!”
By Lyn Lucero | East Central Philippine Union Conference Communications