The Seventh-day Adventist church recently launched a new social messaging tool known as the Hope VA (Virtual Assistant). Hope is a virtual assistant which gives free Bible studies and health lessons in a conversational format through the social media platform WhatsApp.
Over 2,000 pastors of the church were in attendance, to witness the launch.
The church’s South Pacific Division Discipleship Director said Pr. Danny Philip expressed that this will boost sharing the gospel.
“Hope can reach into the population like never before!” the Pastor emphasized.
From Adventist Technology, Pastor Matt Atcheson expressed that the virtual assistant will not in any way put down or replace the work pastors do but rather complement it. shared,
“We are called to be fishers of men, and Hope is a new type of fishing net!” he stated.
The app was launched as a strategy to reach more people, especially in areas where there are no pastors assigned.
The launching took place following a Ministerial Symposium, currently taking place at the Kabiufa Adventist Secondary School in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, of which has brought together more than 2 000 missionaries ordained pastors, ministers and volunteers of the Seventh Day Adventist church in the country this week.
Pastors were shown how simple it is to start a conversation with Hope and how simple it is to share her with others.
This serves as means forward in the lead up to the Adventist church’s nation-wide evangelism initiative known as the PNGforChrist set to take place in April 2024.
Hope’s primary objective is to teach people, and then connect them to the local church who can then continue to nurture contacts into fellowship with like-minded believers.
This was elaborated by Pr. Russ Willcocks from Adventist Technology.
Hope VA is a collaborative project that brings together many parts of the church for mission. Built on technology developed at Novo Tempo Brazil In time it is hoped that Hope VA will also be rolled out across other parts of the South Pacific.
