Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyle Gilbert.
Hi Kyle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I served on church staff for over twenty years before coming to MEDIA Alliance International. Much of that time I served as a Communications Pastor in churches, helping both with the website, video, and social media for the church as well as serving as a pastor on staff.
Since I was a kid, I was always the creative type – drawing, building with Lego, and enjoying creative projects on my computer. It wasn’t until I was a young newlywed who was hired on church staff in south Forth Worth that I discovered that I could use my creative gifts to serve in the church. It started off with doing some graphic design work, but it expanded into building a new website for the church as well.
Though my positions within the church would change over time and I would eventually relocated to Knoxville, TN and then back to DFW with my growing family, one things that remained consistent is that I was drawn to the creative side of work and leading other creatives in graphic design, video production, and social media.
A little over five years ago I transitioned off church staff and started working with a small local ministry called MEDIA Alliance International, once again helping lead communications.
While my creative gifts would continue to be a help, I discovered that the international work of MEDIA Alliance would be a significant change. I found a whole new world outside of my normal work, and my perspective of the world has grown.
At MEDIA Alliance International, we equip international leaders who use media to bring hope around the world. That means that in addition to my normal workload, I also have the privilege to get to know ministry leaders from around the world who are using broadcast tools like radio, television, and social media to share the message of Jesus in places where His name is often not welcome.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The work of Christian ministry outside the US can sometimes be quite challenging. In some countries and regions, Christians are seen as second-class citizens. In other areas, Christian ministries face unfair threats against the seizure of their licenses. In other locations, Christians have been beaten and killed for not renouncing their faith. There have been murders and kidnappings. Property has been seized.
I have seen photos and videos that are too brutal to recount here. And despite the financial, social, and physical risks, people have continued on in their work to spread hope and joy in the name of Jesus Christ.
To get to stand alongside these ministry leaders through messages and traveling to provide media training and leadership forums is a great joy. To provide a respite for those who do so much good is a great honor.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about MEDIA Alliance International?
MEDIA Alliance International is a registered nonprofit. We’re a small team operating out of an office in central Arlington to provide training, encouragement, and prayer to Christian ministry leaders around the world who are using broadcast media tools to tell others about Jesus.
We provide regional leadership forums, international media training workshops, and international leadership gatherings to help encourage and equip those who are doing good work across fifty countries.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Our ministry provides a free weekly leadership devotional called the Monday MEMO that’s available on our website, YouTube, Spotify, and delivered via email each week. Dr. Ron Harris, the president of MEDIA Alliance has written these for years, and we now offer this in video format as well.
It’s been a joy for me to recently begin contributing to these weekly devotionals as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://mediaalliance.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/media.alliance.international/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media.alliance.international
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@media.alliance
