2025 Media Communicators Network
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In today's world, journalism, movies, television, and social media dominate the way we, as an increasingly global community, understand and relate to the world and each other. If Christians wish to continue making a meaningful impact upon the world, gifted communicators who want to relate biblical Christian faith to contemporary culture through these media platforms will be greatly needed.
This Network seeks to encourage and equip such existing or emerging leaders who can speak with authenticity, relevance, and integrity from within these influential cultural arenas. It will also focus on biblical foundations and models, worldview analysis of media and popular culture, and critical reflections on creative communication in contemporary media contexts.
The ELF Media Communicators Network draws upon the strategies and the resources developed within the global Lausanne Media Engagement Network, and will seek to build friendships and facilitate networking and partnership among evangelical media communicators in Europe and beyond.
Prior preparation will be set for all applicants.
What Network Participants Are Saying
- "I joined the Media Network to find practical ways to improve and communicate with people more efficiently. This is my second time at ELF and this is also why I so much appreciate the opportunity---the view on things here is global. You get to connect with people whom you would otherwise never meet, and you get to share experiences and learn together."
- Robert Dados, Startup Owner of Miastro Church, Poland - "I have been attending ELF for over a decade and it has been one of the greatest resources in my ministry. ELF’s impact is irreplaceable. Thanks to ELF I have met people who have helped me shape my understanding of cultural impact and taught me how to engage with secular post-Christian culture."
- Jan Mahrik, Pastor and Church Planter, Slovakia - "I lead a news and opinion website for Europe called 'Evangelical Focus,' through which we report the news from a Christian perspective. Being at the Forum has been key for this work. It has led to many connections with leaders from across Europe, including good thinkers and fellow media communicators. All the media and communication training and gospel encouragement I have received has made a big difference."
- Joel Forster, Journalist, Spain
Applicants should be current or potential leaders who are gifted communicators in the media (in such creative fields as journalism, movies, television, or social media), media commentators, media critics, media teachers, or media scholars. Whatever the role, the common missional vision should be the wish to relate biblical Christian faith to contemporary media in a way that is authentic, appropriate, and relevant.
Network Leadership
Network Speakers
Sofie Braut works as a commentator on current affairs, theology, and culture in the Norwegian Christian news outlet Dagen. She has previously worked as a project leader for the nationwide apologetic project "Grill a Christian" in the Norwegian Laget (IFES Norway). Sofie holds a Master's degree… Read more
Kay Carter is the Joint Chief Executive of Christianity Explored Ministries, where she is primarily responsible for producing video-based courses which introduce people to Jesus through the pages of Scripture. She previously worked at Tyndale House, a biblical research institute, heading up… Read more
Dr. Brian S. Chan, professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, is passionate about Biblical beauty that leads to a love for God. Before joining the DTS family, he served for 18 years as a pastor in Los Angeles and taught integration courses for 17 years as a professor at Biola University on a… Read more
Lars Dahle is a theologian, educator, preacher, and apologist. Having a long previous experience in various academic leadership roles, he now works as Professor in Systematic Theology (with a speciality in Christian Apologetics) at NLA University… Read more
Bjørn Hinderaker is an Assistant Professor at the accredited NLA University College, Kristiansand, Norway (https://www.nla.no/en/), where he teaches Christian Apologetics, Worldviews, and Ethical Theory. He has previously served as missionary to Kenya and as… Read more
Keith Ogorek, president of the Author Learning Center, brings a unique perspective to communications, having worked simultaneously in ministry and the marketplace for virtually his whole career. Using his experience as a marketing and communications professional for banks, as an ad agency… Read more
Peter Saunders was born in New Zealand and originally trained as a General Surgeon, before serving with the Africa Inland Mission in Kenya and completing two years mission training at All Nations Christian College in the UK. Since 1992 he has worked in full-time Christian ministry first with… Read more
Peder Tellefsdal was an advisor at the top level of Norwegian politics and chief of staff in the city government in Oslo in his first career. Today, he is a senior partner at the PR agency Innoventi. As a young man, Peder Tellefsdal lost his faith and abandoned Christianity. After spending more… Read more
Network Programme
Sunday, 18 May
The Gospel is the greatest story ever told. Yet, today, it seems most people in the West do not care. Church leaders and organisations struggle to get new members and connect with modern audiences. Where once the church was a cornerstone of local communities, today, many people perceive it as intolerant, unimportant, or out of touch. Peder Tellefsdal brings 20 years as a professional communicator to help rediscover the greatest story ever told to connect with modern audiences.
The aim of this learning community session is to share together on the use of media and communication to reach modern audiences with the biblical Gospel. This session includes plenary and group discussions of the case study from the previous session, in an open dialogue with the presenter. Participants will have an opportunity to contribute from their own experience and to apply lessons to their own contexts.
Monday, 19 May
Discover and discuss principles for understanding the culture of a community and interacting with it for effective Gospel engagement. Learn from the strategies of a pastor, artist, and workshop speaker to actors, directors, and writers in the entertainment center of the world – Hollywood.
In today’s global cyber-village, stories on issues at the interface of Christianity and culture generate a huge amount of media interest and publicity. This creates great opportunities to impart a Christian worldview perspective for those who are willing to take the necessary risks and seize the opportunities to speak out. Responding effectively to these opportunities requires courage, planning, monitoring, wisdom, and grace. Training can help, but the best way of learning is to get involved and learn on the job. Based on extensive experience in the UK campaigning and speaking on issues at the interface of Christianity and medicine, this seminar will examine how to get involved with attention to messaging, media training, consultancy, delivery, and use of social media.
Tuesday, 20 May
Technology has radically changed the world for authors and filmmakers and created new opportunities for Christians to use books, shows, and movies to capture the imagination of people and open doors for conversations about the most important issues of life. In this session, Keith Ogorek will draw from his years of working in publishing and connecting independent authors to Hollywood to show how there has never been a better time to tell meaningful stories through publishing and video. He will walk through the five essential elements of every great story and discuss the new ways content creators are connecting with audiences.
With so many channels of communication open to us, it can be hard to know which to use and how best to use them. This session will look at crafting your message for maximum impact and choosing the right medium to reach the people who matter to you.
Wednesday, 21 May
In today’s climate of public communication, Christians may easily feel that just carrying convictions in itself feels like being “intolerant” or “pushy”. This seminar will focus on the joy of conviction and the honesty Christians may model in speaking from a deep sense of conviction in the public square. If we communicate evangelical convictions joyfully and thoughtfully, we serve our society in ways that we sometimes forget. Here, we will make an effort to remind each other.
In the final session of the Network, participants will reflect on the insights and outcomes of the week, identify takeaways, and spend time together in prayer.