Small Church, Big Reach
“The potential is unlimited,” says Gin Lian Thang, youth pastor of the Zomi Seventh-day Adventist Tulsa Church. Through social media ministry, Thang and his small church are sharing Christ-centered media with an international audience far beyond their local congregation.
Thang joined the Tulsa Zomi church in June 2024, transitioning from a career as an accountant. But even before entering full-time ministry, he envisioned a future in which the Adventist church would be at the forefront of social media evangelism. So, he volunteered his free time to create and share Gospel-centered posts.
Using the church’s weekly livestreams posted to YouTube, Thang began creating impactful less-than-a-minute-long clips, known as “shorts,” and sharing them on Facebook. As engagement grew, so did church’s enthusiasm for the potential of online ministry. “People began to come to our church because they stumbled upon our ministry,” says Thang. “When you see that, you see the value.”
Recognizing an opportunity to involve young people, Thang focused on building a dedicated media ministry team, primarily composed of youth and young adults. The team now films, photographs, edits and creates content for the church’s social media platforms. “People see the vision of their kids working for God,” says Thang. “They are very proud and happy.”
Today, the Zomi church, with a membership of just over 130 members, has nearly 10,000 followers and reaches an estimated 75,000 people across Malaysia, India, Myanmar and the United States. The Zomi people, an ethnic minority from Myanmar, are predominantly Christian, despite Myanmar being a largely Buddhist country. However, Seventh-day Adventism remains a small presence within their culture. Tulsa is home to the largest Zomi community, around 9,000 people, in the United States, yet only about 300 attend an Adventist church. “That is a very small percentage in the community,” says Thang.
Committed to expanding its reach, the church continues to produce new content, including short-form videos, sermons and podcasts, primarily shared on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook—where its following is strongest. Thang’s goal is to post as frequently as possible and encourages other churches to do the same.
“It’s so exciting to see a pastor embracing the power of technology for reaching people for Christ,” says Ashley Alipoon, communication assistant for the Oklahoma Conference. “I believe that Christ’s message of love is going to reach the ends of the earth because of the work people like Thang are doing.”
“If someone searches for a spiritual message online, they are not likely to see Adventist content right away,” Thang says. “We need to put out more content so that people will be able to stumble upon the Seventh-day Adventist message, even if they are not searching for it. Our message needs to be the first thing people find.”
Thang sees digital evangelism as a natural extension of Christ’s commission. “The Bible says to go where the people are,” he says. “People are online, and even just one encouraging video could be the thing that changes someone’s life.”
