Marturia.digital – Jakarta, In the midst of an unstoppable digital information deluge, the church’s role as a beacon of truth and hope is becoming ever more crucial. However, to effectively fulfill this role, the church needs skilled “church journalists” who are adept and swift in conveying narratives of goodness amidst the storm of disinformation. This is the pressing call echoed by the Indonesian Church Journalists Association (PWGI), which consistently strives to equip church journalists with relevant skills in this all-digital era.
As a testament to its commitment, PWGI will again hold a journalistic event on Saturday, July 26, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM WIB, at Bacheno Caffe, Cempaka Putih. This training is not just a gathering; it’s a vital investment in facing the challenges of contemporary journalism.
Why Is Digital Age Journalism Training So Important?
Rev. Jahenos Saragih, S.Th., M.Th., MM., Chairman of the PWGI Board of Trustees and one of the instructors for the training, emphasizes the urgency of digital age journalism training. According to him, there are several fundamental reasons why this equipping is vital:
- Enhancing Journalistic Capability: In the digital age, mastering cutting-edge technology and platforms is a must. This training will sharpen skills in producing high-quality content, including developing multimedia skills such as video, audio, and photography.
- Increasing Credibility and Professionalism: Accurate and credible information is the main currency of journalism. This training will equip church journalists to produce accountable content, while also shielding them from rampant hoaxes and disinformation, thereby increasing public trust.
- Boosting Efficiency and Productivity: Optimally utilizing technology can multiply efficiency and productivity in content creation. Furthermore, this training also covers content optimization for search engines, ensuring the church’s messages have broader visibility and reach.
- Improving Ability to Face Challenges: The digital era brings rapid changes in consumer behavior and technological advancements. This training is designed to equip church journalists to face these challenges, including developing effective content strategies to enhance the impact of their messages.
The Church Amidst the Digital Information Storm: A Reflection
Separately, Rev. Hosea Sudarna, one of the founding members of PWGI and a pastor at Gereja Kristen Jawa Jakarta Rawamangun, highlights the challenges facing the church amidst the digital information storm. The current information disruption presents crucial issues threatening the mental and spiritual health of congregants:
- Doomscrolling: Social media algorithms often prioritize negative news, flooding users with information that triggers anxiety, fear, and despair. Church members are not immune to doomscrolling, which can potentially weaken their faith and hope.
- Comparative Traps: Social media creates an illusion of a perfect and happy reality, trapping users in unhealthy social comparisons. Congregants can fall into comparative traps, feeling insecure, envious, and constantly inadequate compared to the standards displayed on social media.
- Technostress: Worries about the future of work in the era of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) create stress and uncertainty. Congregants may feel threatened by technological developments, worry about losing their jobs, and feel irrelevant amidst such rapid societal changes.
Ironically, these challenges emerge precisely amidst extraordinary technological and economic advancements, indicating that material progress does not automatically guarantee mental and spiritual well-being. The church, with its mandate to serve humanity holistically, is called to be an agent of solution amidst this storm of disinformation.
The Role of the Church and PWGI in Addressing Disruption Challenges
The church plays a central role in guiding its congregants to navigate information disruption and safeguard their mental and spiritual health. Key roles that need to be optimized include increasing digital media literacy, building solid communities, offering alternative faith-based narratives, fostering life balance and spirituality, and utilizing technology to spread goodness.
In this context, PWGI serves as a strategic partner to the church. With its vision to “Become a platform for Indonesian Christian journalists to enhance professionalism, solidarity, and actively participate in national development based on Christian values,” PWGI’s mission includes:
- Improving the quality of Christian journalists.
- Strengthening solidarity.
- Encouraging active participation in national development.
- Being a partner to the church in conveying truthful and constructive information.
- Fighting for press freedom and justice.
The relevance of PWGI’s role in the era of information disruption is increasingly strengthened for several reasons:
- Media Literacy Expertise: PWGI members possess expertise in journalism and communication that is vital for the church to enhance digital media literacy among congregants.
- Positive Content Production: PWGI can actively create positive, inspiring, and Christian-valued media content to balance the flow of negative information.
- Communication Bridge: Church journalists who are part of PWGI can serve as an effective communication bridge between the church and the wider community.
- Network Strengthening: PWGI facilitates the strengthening of networks and collaboration among Christian journalists, churches, and other Christian institutions.
- Media Policy Advocacy: PWGI can play a role in advocating for healthier and more responsible media policies.
Thus, digital age journalism training is no longer just an option; it’s a necessity. It’s a pressing call for every individual who feels called to serve the church and society amidst the complexities of the digital age, ensuring that messages of truth and hope continue to shine brightly amidst the darkness of disinformation. (Mas Dharma EL/Red.***)
