How could WELS high school teachers integrate this conference into their curriculum? My purpose with this presentation is to encourage instructors to consider that question. I'll also share some of the benefits I've seen during visits with my college students.

For Religion or English classes, the event is an ideal fit, but those are only the most obvious options. Young people studying desktop publishing or digital communication would discover thought-provoking models. For language learners, the sessions put abstract ideas about cross-cultural sensitivity into practice.

I've used the conference with two groups: Film and Mass Media and first-year composition. My follow-up discussions each had unique emphases, but the initial assignment was identical. First, we spent a class period visiting the conference. We did this near the conference opening to maximize the window for digital dialogue with the presenters. Students could focus on a few topics of personal interest or survey a broad range of sessions. Afterward, they participated in two of the asynchronous conversations that conclude each exhibit. Most on-line communication is quite informal, so I provided a structured response model. Despite the digital setting, students could practice critical soft skills. Curiosity, courtesy, and attentive and inquisitive listening remain essential in this conversation space. I gave them this template and completed example:

Here are examples that I prepared based on a previous conference.

Please choose two of the presentations displayed on the 2017 GOWM conference.
Please follow this format. Post your finished responses on the website.

[Selected Presentation]

“The Lost Coins - A Proposal for Creating a Christian Podcast” by Ted Petersen (Palm Bay, Florida, USA)

Dr. Petersen,

[Offer specific praise or thanks for the aspect of the presentation you found most interesting or memorable.]

I appreciated your suggestions for a Christian podcast. I especially liked the proposed title. Your reminder “that every story about a Christian life is truly about a lost coin that has been found" was a beautiful way of stating that truth. For Christian artists, demonstrating God's grace on display in believers' lives would be an awesome pursuit. Crafting compelling stories from the daily reality of God's love to sinners sounds like a rewarding challenge.

[Ask a question that reflects the part of their work you’d like to know more about.]

After reading your article, I had one question. Have your experiences left you with any personal theories about why audio storytelling is thriving? You mention that the “medium… should have died once nearly every household had a television in the living room.” Why do you think this format is so attractive to contemporary ears? Your informed opinions could help others write in ways that "pressed those buttons" while communicating Gospel truth.

[Conclude with thanks.]

Thank you for your contribution to the conference.

[Selected Presentation]

“(Re)Creating Church History to Teach the Faith” by Jeff Hendrix (Oregon, Wisconsin, USA)

Rev. Hendrix,

[Offer specific praise or thanks for the aspect of the presentation you found most interesting or memorable.]

This backstage pass to your project with the Evangelical Lutheran Synod was great. I was not familiar with the Lime Creek episode. It seems like a fascinating focus for a film celebrating "the unchanging theological heritage of the Synod." The preliminary conversations you shared about finding the appropriate focus were revealing. Your description of the production also helped me consider what that undertaking involved. Your explanation is a valuable model for people considering a similar effort.

[Ask a question that reflects the part of their work you’d like to know more about.]

I had a few questions about items shared in your piece. You mentioned that Rev. Harstad's original vision for the piece was lengthy. Did early plans highlight several different historical episodes, or did they provide a more complete account of the Lime Creek events? If those drafts included juxtaposing this incident with others, what were some of the candidates under consideration?

You said that you were primarily involved during pre-production. I couldn't tell from your account whether you were present for the actual shooting at Lime Creek. If so, I was curious about what you learned from watching that process unfold. I imagine there are questions and concerns that a team only sees once they are translating plans into actual footage on-site.

[Conclude with thanks.]

Thank you for your contribution to the conference.

I begin by briefly evaluating the resulting student postings. We wait for class debriefing until the conference closes so that we can also discuss the resulting dialogues. In my experience, presenters have been attentive and thorough in their responses. This investment of their time and energy validates students' participation in the project.

The advantages of this sacrifice of class time are too many to itemize. The blessings provided include the following:

1. The conference offers the next generation of church leaders invaluable information. What fresh opportunities exist for sharing and hearing God's Word? Recently, my home pastor suggested that our congregation host an "Evangelism Shark Tank." Members would "pitch" the congregation's Evangelism Board their best outreach ideas. The top two proposals would earn funding from the board's budget to implement their plans. True, the conference lacks lavish cash prizes. It is, however, a similar chance to tap into an incredible collection of creative possibilities. The conversations fostered during these sessions would otherwise be impossible. Attendees dramatically enlarge their personal library of outreach options. An educator in Chile shares how YouTube integrated Christ into his digital persona. An evangelist from Germany suggests postcards to start faith-focused conversations. A pastor in Korea explains how his global devotion group transformed their morning commute into time for shared spiritual growth. Do some students come from a setting where evangelism doesn't play a prominent role? These models of enthusiastic outreach might otherwise be absent from their experience.

2. The conference provides an authentic interdisciplinary learning opportunity. To engage with a presenter's ideas and advice in a public forum demands critical thinking. Participants in these discussions must weigh complex ideas about theology, culture, and evangelism. They also negotiate communication etiquette in the impersonal digital realm. In addition, their actual names appear beside their contributions, published in the forever of the internet. This inspires an attention to detail that my proofreading guides have, so far, failed to spark.

3. The conference provokes students to broaden their view of evangelism. Their visits help them see that God-pleasing outreach begins with cultural sensitivity. For example, Truth in Love Ministry emphasizes empathy in their efforts to share Christ with Mormons. They show how an informed witness can honor a group's most immediate concerns. On a more technical topic, knowledge of internet tendencies in Latin America shapes the work of an Ecuadorian missionary. He uses that background to more effectively integrate digital tools. The resulting dialogue also offers students the opportunity to put such courtesy into personal practice. A nineteen-year-old from St. Charles, Michigan, sits in a Minnesota classroom. Suddenly, he's communicating with an Ethiopian professor of Film Directing and Cinematography. My student has a sharp and healthy sense of his own ignorance about this accomplished individual's culture and daily life. To share input about this man's ministry plans demands consideration and humility.

4. The conference helps students appreciate the large-scale evangelism efforts that our God makes possible through a body of cooperating Christians. When the former Commission on Evangelism director provides the backstory on the most recent outreach film produced by the WELS, students are surprised to hear anecdotes from the set in Morocco that include unexpected snowstorms and unpredictable performer accents. This conversation helps them consider anew how far their mission offerings truly travel. When a community of artists shares ambitious plans to illuminate every single passage of the Bible, the sheer scope of the collaborative project is exhilarating to consider. Finally, students puzzle over the complex reports submitted by an executive from Time of Grace Ministry. The peek into his work and world demonstrate the demanding logistics of producing, presenting, and tracking engagement with the organization’s Gospel content.

5. Finally, the experience provides a vivid reminder: Americans often take our religious freedoms for granted. Students consider church leaders in Pakistan who cannot safely receive Bible instruction. Instead, pastors in Wisconsin must deliver that training digitally. Frequent electricity blackouts compound the challenges of distance and language. This visit inspires appeals to God for the welfare of these dedicated Christians and thanks for the security we enjoy.

My students' efforts to communicate about these crucial topics are sometimes clumsy. Or ignorant. Or unclear. Just like mine. But as they compliment a Christian podcaster or learn more about a pilot’s mission work in Latin America, the benefits are clear. Their conception of evangelism and their potential role in that critical mission expands. Our class discussions about the process often foreground questions of supreme importance. Our focus is ministry, church leadership, and the most effective ways to communicate the timeless love of Jesus to our dying world.

Could one class at each of our Lutheran high schools visit the Gospel Outreach with Media conference next year? Hundreds of young Christians might receive a fresh invitation to engage with evangelism. They might take important next steps toward seeing themselves as essential participants in shaping our future church. I would welcome any opportunity to work with administrators or instructors to design projects in response to this appeal.