Hope Channel International Achieves Historic Server Transition

For the first time, Hope Channel International (HCI) is establishing a globally distributed, Adventist-owned server network, made possible by partnerships with Adventist divisions and Hope Channel leaders worldwide. This transition marks a major milestone in mission resiliency, providing Hope Channel with greater control over its Hope.Cloud technology.

The initiative, which involves placing servers at divisions, schools, hospitals, and other Adventist-owned facilities worldwide, has gained widespread support from division leaders.

Dean Tichborne, manager of IT for the South Pacific Division, and Ben Thomas, director of IT for SPD, quickly embraced the project, securing a key location in Australia to strengthen regional coverage. In the East-Central Africa Division, IT director Haggai Abuto offered space in the division office in Nairobi, Kenya, addressing connectivity challenges and ensuring reliable service across Africa.

Singapore Conference leaders, along with Ryann Micua, director of IT for the Southern Asia-Pacific Division, also stepped up, offering to create a new space in the conference office to host a server that will reach Southeast Asia, India, and beyond. Jose Romero, director of IT for the Inter-American Division, made his division headquarters in Miami, Florida, United States, a strategic hub, supporting Central America and the Caribbean with strong, high-speed access to HCI’s digital evangelism content.

Rodrigo Chimello, chief information officer of the Trans-European Division, and chief financial officer Nenad Jepuranović facilitated hosting at the division’s headquarters near London, England, providing essential regional access for viewers across Europe. Thembi Moyo of the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division offered pivotal support by hosting a server in Johannesburg, further strengthening access across Africa.

This collaboration extends to Hope Channel leaders, including those at Hope Media Europe in Germany, Novo Tempo in Brazil, Hope Channel Canada, Hope Channel Oceania, and Hope Channel Inter-America. Together, these partnerships create a resilient, church-owned network that delivers mission-focused content worldwide, HCI leaders said.

Richard Stephenson, associate treasurer for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, commented on the significance of the shift. “This historic transition marks a watershed moment as the Adventist Church, through Hope Channel International, successfully launches its first-ever worldwide private cloud network. This achievement represents not just technical innovation, but a powerful demonstration of synergy and cooperation in the church. The General Conference is excited to assist Hope Channel International in this visionary effort to bring technological stewardship fully in-house.”

The new church-owned content delivery network provides HCI with increased independence from commercial technology vendors and control over its resources, empowering it to fulfill its vision of reaching one billion people with the message of eternal hope by 2030.

HCI president Vyacheslav Demyan emphasized the importance of this collaboration, stating, “This project reflects the unity and dedication of the Adventist Church worldwide. Our partners’ contributions are helping us advance our mission to share hope, and we are sincerely grateful for that.”

The Hope.Cloud technology platform, integral to Hope Channel’s operations, enables the global network to share programs; provide captioning, translation, and voice dubbing services; store and edit video; and facilitate access to powerful research tools. By partnering with the church’s global divisions to establish this infrastructure within church institutions, HCI ensures that its content will continue to reach audiences worldwide, protected within a network designed to faithfully support the church’s mission.

“This project is a testament to how God has blessed our global mission,” Justin Woods, senior director of technology at HCI, said. “Through the combined efforts of Adventist divisions and Hope Channel teams, we’re building a worldwide technology platform that not only advances our reach but also preserves our mission’s integrity. It’s inspiring to see this vision become reality.”

From the selection of enterprise-grade hardware to the creation of automated deployment systems, every technical choice supports the mission to share eternal hope, HCI leaders said. “The unity demonstrated across divisions and Hope Channel teams underscores the importance of this mission-driven transition,” they explained. “Additional partnerships with Adventist facilities in Africa, Australia, and Singapore further ensure a strong network presence in every major region. This collaboration enables Hope Channel’s global network of 80-plus channels to deliver impactful, faith-based content worldwide, advancing the mission to reach hearts with the message of eternal hope.”

About Hope Channel International

Hope Channel International is a global Seventh-day Adventist media evangelism network that aims to connect every heart everywhere with eternal hope through media that inspires. Hope Channel produces and distributes content in more than 100 languages in more than 80 countries around the world, with each locally operated channel creating tailored messages to meet the spiritual needs of their communities.