Taking Christian Volunteerism to the HighTech Level

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TBN's Acquisition Of 'Holy Land Experience' Theme Park Seeks To Change More Lives

June 9, 2007 ORLANDO -- Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), the world's largest religious broadcaster and America's most-watched faith channel, hopes to change more lives through its addition of the "Holy Land Experience" theme park in Orlando, Fl., to the TBN family. Through the acquisition, TBN will bring an integration of the powerful living recreation of ancient Jerusalem with a cutting edge facility that will be used for television production, dramas, musical concerts, special events and movies.

"This marriage will bring an unprecedented synergy to both ministries and the production that is done there will be seen by a worldwide audience. TBN's involvement made sense, because both ministries are about changing and effecting people's lives. We've been doing that for 34 years," said Paul Crouch, Jr., TBN Vice President of Administration. "We believe this opportunity was heaven sent because it bought TBN an Orlando-based facility to fulfill it's local programming obligations for WGTL CH-52 and it will provide "The Holy Land Experience" with much needed promotion to bring more people to the theme park and Orlando as a whole."

The Holy Land Experience could well be considered Orlando's most inspiring destination as visitors experience a full day of discovery that takes them 2,000 years back in time to the world of the Bible. It brings to life ancient Israel as a unique, thriving world filled with fascinating exhibits and venues. Visitors learn about the Wilderness Tabernacle and the Great Temple; discover the amazing history of the Bible; explore the city of Jerusalem in miniature; see re-enactments of Jesus' ministry, His life, death, and resurrection; and feel the power and passion of our original musical productions.

WGTL TV, Channel 52, has a reach of over four million viewers in the Orlando and Cocoa Beach metropolitan areas with TBN's wide range of innovative faith-based programming. In October of 2006, TBN celebrated the inaugural broadcast of WGTL Ch-52 in Orlando with a dedicatory service attended by TBN founders Paul and Jan Crouch, Pastor Benny Hinn, Singer and Preacher Judy Jacobs hosted by Pastor George Cope and Calvary Assembly in Winter Park, Fl.

The combination of the production facilities and the Holy Land Experience offers Orlando visitors a powerful and unique faith based experience that can be promoted worldwide through the TBN network. The promotional capability can drive visitors to the complex.

"Some of the staff was asking what is going to be the immediate effect here at the park and my answer was 'I'm planning on you having more people coming through the turnstiles this summer,'" said Crouch. "Universal Studios does the same thing. We want the 'Holy Land Experience' to be a faith-based version of that."

About TBN
TBN is the world's largest religious network and America's most watched faith network. Each day TBN offers 24 hours of commercial-free inspirational programming that appeals to people in a wide variety of denominations. Beginning in 1973 as a single UHF station in southern California, TBN now reaches every major continent via 65 satellites and more than 12,500 television and cable affiliates worldwide. In the United States, TBN is available to 92 percent of the total households. Its website receives more than 27 million visitors monthly. For more information on TBN, visit www.tbn.org

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WDC MEDIA NEWS
Christian News and Media Agency

Taking Christian Volunteerism to the HighTech Level

2006-10-23 -- WDC Media News --

(AgapePress) - A spokesman for an organization that has launched a new website to provide Christian volunteers says it will tap into the largest pool of volunteers available in the country.

TechMission executive director Andrew Sears says its new site -- ChristianVolunteering.org -- can be the missing link in bringing together people with specialized skills and interests, with opportunities for them to serve. Until now, he says many of those with special skills -- from professionals like lawyers and accountants, to web designers and computer programmers -- have been looking for a way to volunteer.

"One of the main ways they can do that is through virtual volunteering opportunities, where people can volunteer on the Internet remotely and provide services like web design or legal support or grant writing," Sears explains.

According to TechMission spokesman, many faith-based organizations, looking for those who can donate unique professional skills, do not want to place opportunities with secular matching services. Sears says ChristianVolunteering.org tries to provide an answer.

"The Christian volunteer market, or the overall faith-based volunteer market in the U.S., brings over $50 billion worth of time to communities and churches," he explains, "and we would love to see that market grow. And I think the Internet has great potential to do that."

Sears says the U.S. Department of Labor numbered faith-based volunteers at nearly 35 percent of total recorded volunteers in 2005. He also cites a study by a national non-profit on the monetary value of faith-based volunteers' donated time in the same year, from which he derives a potential value of more than $5 billion toward local communities -- if "virtual volunteering" were to bring in just a ten percent increase in number from the faith community.

He contends that by using the clearinghouse approach that Internet websites afford -- including allowing hundreds of free postings for organizations, and facilitating searches for specialty skills or interests on the site -- the potential for expanding the number of Christian volunteers is greatly increased.

Ed Thomas, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.

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