A young basket is involved in producing Christian TV for Turkey, and I asked him to tell us more about the spiritual quest of young Muslim Turks. For security reasons, we cannot mention his name, but only that he works for one of the Danish European Mission's partners.
What is the purpose of producing Christian TV for young Turks?
Turkey has the youngest population in Europe, with 17 % between the ages of 18-24, and children and youth in total make up 41.1 % of Turkey's total population of 80 million. Over half of Turkey's population has a Facebook account and 39 million Turks log into Facebook daily, making Turkey the 4th most active country on Facebook after Brazil, Egypt and the US.
Young people in Turkey use social media to access news, talk to friends, follow celebrities, football teams, etc. Over the past few years, we have used Facebook and YouTube to extend the reach of our programs and today over 60,000 people follow us on Facebook.
We've realized that social media has great potential to reach Turkey's youth. In March 2016, a new fast 4.5G mobile network was rolled out in Turkey, bringing fast internet to everyone, so videos can now be accessed on smartphones and tablets in even the most remote parts of the country.
We want to take advantage of the possibilities of this technology, which is why we have started producing Christian videos for Turkey's youth in a shorter format than our traditional half-hour program that we have used so far, including on satellite TV.
The purpose of using social media is to see young people take the following steps:
- Become interested in the Christian faith and gain trust in Christians
- Find Jesus and accept him as their savior and Lord
- Become part of a local church
- Growing as Christians while sharing the gospel of Jesus with their friends and family.
So our primary goal is not only to get a lot of views of our videos on YouTube, but the steps viewers take afterwards.
What drives you in your work?
I think there are several things that drive me. Firstly, it's the calling that God put in me many years ago. I grew up without TV, so it's a bit ironic that today I'm working to produce Christian TV that can be received throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and parts of Asia. But one day I felt very clearly that God put it on my heart to buy a video camera. After I bought it, along with an editing program, I started making videos in my church and in the teen ministry I was involved in at the time. I had a longing to use the videos I was making to serve God. When I prayed, I sometimes saw that I was out in the world doing TV programs in different countries.
The other thing that drives me is my passion for creating and using the creative to communicate the gospel. When I first came to faith in God, worship was one of the ways I first experienced God's presence in my life. Therefore, I want to use music and video to communicate the gospel to people on a different level than just the intellectual.
What reactions do you encounter among young Turks?
The response varies widely, but never before in Turkey's history have so many been open to the Gospel as now. Even the government recognizes that many young people, even among conservative Muslims, are turning away from Islam. This gives us as Christians a unique opportunity to preach the Gospel in a way that is relevant to them and on the platforms they use today. Many Turks are critical of Christianity because they have been told that the Bible has been changed, that Jesus did not die on the cross, etc. So many of their questions and comments are about the same things.
What do viewers say they experience when they watch your broadcasts?
One testimony is from a young man who describes himself as transgender. He searched the word homosexual and came across a program we have on this topic. He wrote that he did not agree with us, but for the first time could believe in a loving God. He accepted Jesus and found a church where one of the people in the program lives and who has now trained him in the Christian faith. He still has questions about his sexuality, but is ready to let God's word transform his life.
How do you follow up with people who want to know more about the Christian faith?
We also have a follow-up team that receives phone calls, text messages emails etc. Often we go out and visit people, and otherwise we put them in touch with churches near where they live. In many cases, there are no churches nearby, but we try to gather others in the same area and help them start a home church," the employee concludes.
Thank you so much for supporting this important project where young, spiritually seeking Turks have the opportunity to hear the Gospel.
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