Josh Williams is a special assignment missionary with the South America Region, one of six administrative areas of the world in the Church of the Nazarene. Josh is the internet technology (IT) director for the region. He is also a member of the administrative team for the denomination’s Global Mission VOIP (Voice-over Internet Protocol) and video conference system. Williams and his wife, Amber, live in Star, Idaho, and are able to conduct their work remotely through e-mail and video conferencing.
Williams offers advice on why a church should consider hosting a missionary live through video conferencing and how it can be done.
Engage: Why might a church consider bringing a missionary live into a service or Sunday school class via Skype or other video conferencing technology? In other words, how does the congregation benefit from this more personal and live contact with a mission worker who is still in the place of assignment?
Williams: Before we went to the mission field, I was a children's pastor. I know for me, it was hard to keep missions at the forefront of my thoughts and plans. Local concerns and issues made me forget, in a way, that anything else was happening in the world.
It seems like most people are like me. We are so focused on what is happening right here and right now that we forget that God's family extends all over this planet, and that God is doing amazing things in every corner of the world.
Meeting face to face with someone who is ministering in another country reminds us that God is at work. Hearing the stories of changed lives from people in the field encourages us and reminds us of God's love for all the world.
So, inviting missionaries to speak, either physically or virtually, can be a great encouragement to the family of Christ. It can motivate churches to allow God to work through them to reach the people of their communities.
Engage: How does a missionary benefit from being part of a live video conference with a church?
Williams: As a missionary who has participated in video conferences, I know it is a great encouragement for missionaries to know that people at home are praying for us and caring for us.
I have also helped Work & Witness teams on the field have video conferences with their church back home. They were able to give a report and encourage the congregation.
Engage: What would a missionary’s appearance through video conference bring to a mission rally or mission-focused event?
Williams: A missionary who is on the field is able to give up-to-the minute updates of some of the things God is doing. If scheduled properly, it is possible to hear from a missionary on each region during one missions service. That could be very encouraging to the group.
Another benefit is cost. Often it is expensive for both the church and the missionary to get to an event. This allows both the district and the missionary to cut down travel costs.
For example, we recently had a missions communications conference in Bolivia. One of our missionaries was invited to speak at the event, but could not make the trip. The missionary was able to preach, teach and encourage folks through video conference. It was a beautiful time of worship and training.
Engage: How can a local church maximize the video conference? What is the best format for this?
Williams: I personally prefer the question and answer time. It helps me connect with the folks in the congregation. And part of it has to do with my call to ministry. When I was about 12 years old, a missionary came to our little church in rural Washington state. After the service, I had a million questions for him. He stayed an extra hour after the service just talking with me. He answered my questions and told me stories of how God was working. That conversation changed the direction of my life. So, I feel very strongly that time spent chatting and answering questions is time well spent.
Engage: As a missionary, what do you hope to accomplish with the local church while doing a video conference?
Williams: I have several goals when talking to a congregation:
• Talk about the amazing things God is doing in this world;
• Remind folks that we are God's kids, brothers and sisters in Christ;
• Encourage people to use their God-given gifts for the kingdom, whatever those gifts might be.
God is calling us to go. Some us are called to go to other countries, but all of us are called to go outside the doors of the church and love our neighbors as we love our selves.
Engage: Can only large churches do something like this?
Williams: Any size group can do video conferences. For groups of a few, a computer with a Web cam and a microphone are sufficient. For groups of 10-30 or so, it is possible to hook up the computer to a television so that everyone can see and hear the missionary. For larger groups, a computer projector and a sound system are necessary.
Engage: What equipment must a missionary have to do this?
Williams: The missionary needs a computer, Skype, a camera and a microphone. It is probably best if the missionary uses headphones during the conversation to eliminate any echo.
Engage: What are some of the technical considerations to hosting a missionary via video conference?
Williams: Virtual conversations take a little technical work to make them effective. The missionary only needs a computer with a Web camera and a microphone. The church, on the other hand, needs to be able to hook a computer up to their sound and video system. It is not difficult, but it takes a little technical expertise.
One consideration to remember when deciding on the style of interaction is the quality of the Internet connection in the church and on the field. If the Internet connection is slow and there is a big delay between the questions and the answers, it can make the interactions difficult. In those cases, it might be good to have the missionary speak for longer periods of time. That limits the long, uncomfortable pauses.
Another option, in case of a slow Internet connection, would be for the congregation to write questions or comments to the missionary the week before the chat. Then, the missionary can read the question and answer it live.
It is always encouraging to have the congregation pray for the missionary. But it can also be very powerful to have the missionary pray for the congregation. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ and it is good for us to support each other.
Engage: Any cautions that people should consider before doing this?
Williams: Be sure to test the connection before the service starts. It would be best to have a video conference with the missionary some time during the week before the service. That way, if there is some technical glitch, there is time to get it fixed or find another way to communicate.
Another caution would be security. Talking over video conference is like talking over the phone. Usually it is private, but it is technically possible for other people to listen in. Be sure to check with the missionary to see if they are in a creative access area. If so, then it would be better not to do the video conference. Video conferences, like any type of communication can be intercepted and traced.
Engage: Any scenarios in which it would not be effective?
Williams: The Internet connection on both ends needs to be fast. It should be DSL or faster. Otherwise, the conversation will be frustrating for both the missionary and the church.
Engage: Would this be a good thing to do with children or other certain age groups?
Williams: Video conferencing is great for folks of any age. My favorite kind of interaction with kids is when they send me questions and I am able to answer them over video conference. This is encouraging for them and fun for me.