Repurposing: Working smarter not harder

By Chris Conti | South America

The SIM Latinoamerica communication team has learned a few lessons about recycling content creatively to increase audience and impact.

With 94 editions of the VAMOS electronic magazine, the team has been creating blog entries that can be featured on social media. Some of the content becomes resources featured at Movilicemos.

For more than 10 years, the VAMOS magazine has been a resource in Latin America for those teaching about missions, but in recent years SIM Latinoamerica has offered more material and classes and given others permission to adapt.

Pastor Cesar Mamani, in Lima Peru, taught a workshop last week on “God’s heart for mission,” adjusting the material for his audience.

“A student in my workshop just called me crying, saying that he needs to repent. He is a missions professor at his church’s seminary and he now recognises that he has only been teaching theory and has not been teaching God’s heart and how we need to be involved in his mission!” Pastor Cesar said.

The Spanish comms team saw many new ways to use its existing WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram accounts, especially during the pandemic, but the lesson of repurposing content will remain.

The team hosted bi-weekly Instagram lives, interviewing people about mission or COVID-related topics. Then they offered the recording again on Facebook. Interesting quotes became photo designs.

WhatsApp groups share about SIM ministry opportunities, another group announces training events for potential candidates, and another offers daily tips to improve English skills.

Recorded workshops over Zoom appear on Facebook live, which allows for more viewers. Some of these workshops were viewed by more than 2,000 people. Others are now part of online courses. Currently, the team is working on a helpful guide for youth groups and churches to accompany these same recordings with added discussion idea.

“Thank you so much for this teaching. It comes at the perfect time for me and has widened my vision of sharing the gospel,” Ana said in the comments of one of the Facebook lives.

“Such practical lessons on important topics,” Carlos commented.

In December, the team re-formatted devotional content to create a Christmas present for readers: a 40-day devotional “Mobilized by His Word.” More than 2,000 people have downloaded the resource so far.

The team continues to look at ways to reuse, recycle, reformat and retarget the many resources God has allowed it to produce.

Are you interested in contributing to the work of the Spanish communications team? Give by visiting our donation portal and using project 99717.

Pray for:

• Students in the online courses to be equipped in missions.

• Technology and support for workshops and classes. Ask God to help things run smoothly.

• The SIM Latinoamerica communications team to continue their creative and educational assistance for many.