Second Thoughts: Behind the Telecast

“Preaching the gospel is always integral to what Jesus is doing. We are supposed to follow Him…obey Him, follow His example as a church.”

 

The work of God today may functionally look much different than it did during the time of Christ and the apostles, yet fundamentally the commission is the same, principally to preach the gospel of the Kingdom and the true name of Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ day, the message had to be delivered by foot, letters, and word of mouth. Instead of airplanes for travel, satellite communication, and high-speed internet, they had wooden ships, strong speaking voices, and parchment. Mr. Ciesielka began his assembly by emphasizing that since the commencement of the work during the time of Christ, God’s commission and the responsibility of the church continues on. As I reflect on it, it is easy to see that even with the passing of time and the changes in technology, the focus of the church remains consistent. If one considers Christ’s sermons, speeches, and parables to have been the “front line” of preaching the gospel in His day, then the Tomorrow’s World telecast would be on the “front line” of preaching the gospel in our day.

“Throughout the gospel accounts He [Christ] is preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God…that’s the pattern the Church has…that’s the focus.”

Mr. Ciesielka, head of the TV and Internet departments at LCG headquarters, gave us an overview of the part that the telecast plays in God’s work. He described the process of creating, and releasing the telecast, and the responsibilities of those involved with its production. The creation of each new telecast involves much more than simple recording and editing. Beyond preparing several versions and formats of the telecast for traditional TV stations with appropriate phone numbers and contact information for different regions of the country, the TV department’s responsibilities include preparing versions of each telecast in multiple languages (Spanish, Russian, Ukranian, German…etc), perfecting closed captioning in accordance with strict government regulation, providing updated audits of all inventory, managing copyright material and information, managing call centers, and the list goes on.

“The telecast is the most powerful thing we produce as far as reaching new people.”

In the assembly, and tour of the Tomorrow’s World building and studio, I was surprised to learn that with each new telecast, approximately thirty different versions must be produced. This is what makes it possible to be reached by so many people, as the telecast is presented not only on cable TV stations in the United States, but also on many different websites, Roku, foreign language stations, and other media platforms. It is exciting to think about the amazing potential that the telecast has for reaching people all around the world, and to observe how God continues to bless the work that the gospel of the Kingdom of God may truly reach all nations.