Global Media Outreach for fiscal year 2018 and beyond

If you were given a sticky note and asked to write just one word that would revolutionize global evangelism, what would it be?

When our founder Walt Wilson was an executive at Apple, they put experienced computer scientists together in a room and asked each to write a word on a sticky note describing what the Macintosh should be like. What they came up with revolutionized personal computing.

In our short history, GMO has been at the center of a revolution in evangelism. As Walt likes to say, GMO was God’s idea, not his. I don’t think anyone would have answered “mobile” to my opening question in 2004. But revolutionary ideas like the smartphone have taken hold during our ministry’s existence, massively accelerating our capacity to spread the Good News. There are now nearly 13 billion devices connected to a network, (and only 7.5 billion people on earth!) We could never have foreseen the advent of what has been called “the most disruptive technology in history.” But it has played a big part in our effectiveness. The original hope at Global Media Outreach’s founding was to reach a billion people with the gospel by 2020. By God’s amazing providence and through your prayers and partnership, we saw that happen in 2014—and are well on our way to 2 billion by 2020!

Throughout the Bible, we see God’s creativity in communicating with us. The drama acted out by Abraham on Mount Moriah. The “performance art” of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. The parables of Jesus. Our minds’ Designer uses the captivating power of irony.

There’s irony in our story, that the revolutionary means for communicating the gospel is being created for us by Apple, Facebook, Cisco and other companies in Silicon Valley—hardly organizations known for being committed to making disciples of Christ.

GMO, not GM

“GM changes the taillights and they tell you it's a whole new car. It’s not…The fundamental technology of the automobile hasn't changed.”— Walt Wilson

We don’t have to design the game-changing products. We don’t have to cross large bodies of water, or endure the same difficult conditions and persecution our predecessors did to bring the gospel to eager hearers. But we do have to be creative and flexible. Who knows? Soon we may be using a new category of product not yet conceived to share the Good News. Whatever happens, the Skinner family will always need you, our cherished prayer warriors and investors who make our work possible.

“repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations”

Mike with Veri and Marcelo, new GMO staff from Brazil, in the USA for our FY 2018 launch.

Much of what I’ve shared above was inspired by Walt’s talk at our “Fiscal Year 2018 Kickoff” during which we welcomed some new staff members (some are shown at right) from all over the world. (Others can’t be depicted for security reasons.) Just as today’s mobile technology was a more involved idea than we would have thought to hope for in 2004, the “workers for the harvest” in 21st Century ministry like ours need some different qualifications than in the past. Spiritually entrepreneurial men and women like Marcelo and Veri Kallaur have the background, skills and connections to communicate with Portuguese seekers all over the world in ways we could not. One revolutionary idea in evangelism is the same one today as it was in the first century: incarnation. As much as we talk about technology, it’s really people who reach people! Please pray for laborers like Marcelo and Veri, given to us by God to proclaim repentance to the nations with incarnational clarity!

Love, in Christ,