The apostle Paul went where people gathered: the synagogue and the marketplace. In 1849, James White did the same with a printing press, sending Present Truth into homes no preacher could reach. Today, the marketplace fits in a pocket, and the church needs to be on people's screens.
The Southwestern Union has built a space to help it get there.
"The studio is intended to help the conferences communicate both with their constituents and with audiences outside the church," said Gerson Pancorbo, the union's communication director.
The main set stands before a large LED wall that can display custom photos or video, placing a speaker in front of a desert sunrise, a city skyline, or a distant mission field without leaving the room. Nearby, a relaxed podcast area helps guests speak openly and naturally.
The studio got busy fast. In its first week, the Oklahoma and Southwest Region conferences, the Presidential and Pathfinder ministries, and the North American Division all used the space.
"It's a new opportunity," Pancorbo said, "to reach some people we were not reaching before."
Paul had the marketplace. The pioneers had the printing press. This generation has the screen. The message hasn't changed.