The Church Media Summit/Masterclass held last Saturday at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC-Atomic), successfully brought together over 1,300 church media professionals and enthusiasts from across the country for a full day of capacity building. The event featured approximately 800 in-person attendees, while about 500 joined online from across the world, making it one of the largest gatherings for church media in Ghana.
With the rapid advancement of digital tools and platforms, the summit offered a unique opportunity to equip church media team members with the knowledge and skills to enhance their media ministries. Within a day, participants immersed themselves in a panel discussion and a series of hands-on workshops that explored the latest trends and strategies in church media.
The summit, organized by Encoremedia in partnership with PIWC-Atomic Media Ministry, covered a wide range of topics aimed at enhancing the skills and knowledge of participants. Experts from various fields provided hands-on training in building a formidable church media team, photography, videography, directing, lighting, sound, graphic design, and camera handling.
Apostle Tony Mensah, Resident Minister of PIWC Atomic, in his welcome address, expressed his excitement about the summit’s potential to impact church media ministries across the country. Kofi Owiredu, Head of Media at PIWC-Atomic, also in his goodwill message, emphasized the importance of media in spreading the gospel in today’s digital age.
The keynote address was delivered by Pastor Dr. Klutse, Director of the PENT Media Centre, focused on “Skills & Tools for Digital Media Ministry”, and outlined key strategies for building a church’s social media presence, engaging with online audiences, and using digital platforms effectively to propagate the gospel. He likened the refusal to do so to a missionary in a foreign country refusing to learn their language.
In his speech, the convener, Azasoo Andrew, highlighted the three key purposes of the summit: learning, collaboration, and growth. He emphasized the importance of equipping church media teams with the skills and tools necessary to leverage digital media effectively. He also encouraged participants to build connections and partnerships with media professionals from different churches to strengthen their collective impact. The goal, he stressed, was to empower media teams to transform their ministries while staying true to the gospel message.
The panel discussion addressed the challenges faced by church media teams, and participants given the opportunity to ask questions and share their experiences.
The workshop component of the Summit saw various breakout sessions for specialized training. The trainings focused on video production, photography, lighting, and sound, EasyWorship, ProPresenter, Resolume, and graphic design.
A standout session at the summit explored how churches can use storytelling to connect with their congregation on a deeper level. From sermon illustrations to video testimonials, participants were encouraged to think creatively about how they can convey their message in ways that resonate emotionally. Attendees left with new ideas on how to create meaningful, impactful stories that reflect their church’s mission and vision.
Participants left the summit not just with technical knowledge, but with a renewed sense of purpose.
Elder Kwasi Appiagyei-Asiamah, Patron of the PIWC-Atomic Media Ministry entreated participants go return to their various media teams to make impact.
Many attendees shared after the summit how it had reignited their passion for using media to spread the gospel and bring hope to their communities. They expressed their appreciation for the well-organized event and expressed keen interest in future editions of the Summit/Masterclass
The Church Media Summit/Masterclass 2024 has set a high standard for future gatherings, with plans already underway for follow-up online sessions to further equip participants with advanced media tools and strategies.
