Young Digital Pioneers Inspire at GAiN Europe 2024

Young creatives took center stage at the 2024 Global Adventist Internet Network (GAiN) Europe conference, captivating more than 280 Seventh-day Adventist church leaders with their fresh approaches to sharing the gospel online.

During the Sunday afternoon program in Budva, Montenegro, these digital pioneers showcased how they are using social media and other innovative methods to spread hope in the digital world.

Through the Young Creatives Competition, the Adventist Church’s Inter-European Division (EUD) and Trans-European Division (TED) sponsored eight inspiring young influencers to attend GAiN Europe and share their journeys with church leaders from more than 42 countries.

Recognizing that media conferences can be cost-prohibitive for younger influencers and media enthusiasts, EUD and TED established a special fund to support their participation. Applicants were invited to submit two-minute videos detailing their creative strategies for sharing the gospel on social media. The most inspiring submissions were selected, granting these young creatives an all-expenses-paid opportunity to attend GAiN Europe, bring their innovative insights to a wider audience, and network with other professionals.

Among the young creatives were the following.

Liubov Zamorska, a 25-year-old Ukrainian now living in Poland, captivated the audience with her augmented-reality books, designed to let young readers use their phones to see vivid animations of Bible elements such as Daniel’s statue or the inside of Noah’s ark. “Augmented reality provides a more engaging and immersive experience,” Zamorska, a graphic designer and illustrator, explained. “As soon as [users] point their phone camera at a page, they witness something amazing. Augmented reality brings Bible stories to life right before their eyes!”

Zamorska, who recently opened a TikTok account, is using the platform to share the gospel, and one of her videos already has 25,000 views. “How many years would it take me to reach this many people personally?” Zamorska reflected, encouraging attendees to use social media to reach the hearts of millions.

Ryan Daly, a 24-year-old from England and an award-winning filmmaker, shared how he is using his social media and editing skills to create reels for his local Croydon, London church both for TikTok and Instagram. Thanks to his work, the creations now have more than 62,000 followers on the Croydon church TikTok account, and the most viewed video has more than three million views on Instagram.

Nemanja Jurišić and Miljan Dukič, from Serbia and Montenegro respectively, introduced their new YouTube channel NT Podcast. The channel, created in 2023, already has close to 7,000 followers. In NT Podcast, Jurišić, a 27-year-old student of microcomputer electronics, and Dukič, a 24-year-old biotechnology student, explore the connections between science and religion. They interview Bible scholars and scientists to explore topics such as archaeology, creationism, health, and more. The duo, who held their own creation seminar, translated into Serbian the book Creation? Really? A Conversation on Origins by Leonard Brand to help people better understand the Bible and to bring “biblical values and God closer to people.”

Timi Bahun, a 21-year-old from Slovenia, currently studying business and management, shared how he decided to start using his personal accounts on TikTok and Instagram to share the gospel rather than for his “personal gain.” Bahun says that the content he creates is based on “Bible verses that have helped me or uplifted me … because I believe they will also resonate with other young people on social media.” Bahun has received positive feedback from people watching his videos, with some saying his videos were “an answer to prayer.”

Elisa Ghiuzan, who recently finished her theology studies at Villa Aurora University in Italy, decided to use her TikTok account  to share the gospel. When she felt called to do this, she started reading books like The Gospel According to TikTok to learn the best way to speak to younger people. “I cannot expect people to understand me if I use a language they don’t speak,” she shared, explaining how she developed an authentic way to communicate online.

Viktoriia Levina, a young creative from Ukraine, received recognition in absentia for her children’s book project, as she was unable to attend the GAiN Europe event.

Erik Hook, an animator and video game producer from Spain, shared his project. Hook is the founder of 3:16, an animation and video game production company aimed at supporting Christian initiatives. He is currently working on 3D animation films for children and shared stunning trailers from his latest productions, a Pathfinder-based story called “Universal Club” and his nativity story, “Crown of Life,” which inspired the audience.

Empowering Innovation

“The Young Creatives initiative represents a significant step towards a crucial goal: involving church members in the digital mission,” Paulo Macedo, EUD communication director, said. “These digital natives demonstrated the creativity and breadth of their mission in action,” he concluded.

“You know what I love about this group of digital missionaries?” TED communication director David Neal said. “Three things: firstly, they have a heart for the gospel. Secondly, they use their imagination to connect with people. And thirdly, they get it big time — that we only connect with people when we speak their language!”

As these young digital missionaries demonstrated on stage, the gospel message can reach hearts in transformative ways when creativity and courage are welcomed, and when there are deliberate and mindful efforts to foster inclusivity.

The original version of this story was posted on the Trans-European Division news site.