Pastors learn technology to make job more effective

Faith

By EHEYUC SESERU
The ministry arm of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) has trained 19 pastors from different denominations on how to preach with the use of a PowerPoint presentation.
Church leaders and pastors of Lutheran, Seventh-day Adventist, Lutheran Renewal and Anglican churches did a two-week course run by Christian Radio Missionary Fellowship (CRMF) at Olive Ministries, at Markham Compound, in Butibam. They graduated on Friday.
CRMF has been based in Goroka for 62 years.
It was the first time that the ministry conducted an awareness programme in Lae on the use of technology.
Participants paid K150 and they came from as far as Wau and Markham, in Morobe, and Kimbe, in West New Britain.
The course was run by Cainne Ruruk and Lina Tomagau.
Olive Ministry senior pastor Joshua Raruamp said its focus was to train pastors to presentsermons with the aid of PowerPoint and using a computer softeware to keep basic financial records and spreadsheet to maintain data. They also learnt how to use a computer to type letters and reports.
“They were taught about bookkeeping, and drawing programmes using tables,” he said.
“CRMF is looking forward to helping churches in the province by equipping them with computer skills to enhance their work.
“It is affordable to church workers and is within their reach. They didn’t spend a lot of time and money to go out and look for training. The training does not require participants to possess any qualification to attend.”
Raruamp said most pastors at the course did not know how to use computers when they started. He said with the training, church administrators can now do their work effectively to support the people.
“Churches have ministries like education, health and community programmes that require them to furnish reports,” Raruamp said.
“Most of the time, their reports are informal, but now these can be written formally using computer skills they attained.”