International (MNN) — Technology could be the tool to provide pastors priceless tools in inaccessible or remote areas of the world. This tool, common in most of the world, could revolutionize pastoral training, discipleship and more.
You can imagine how difficult it is to train pastors, or give them the tools they need to do their work when you can get to them either physically or through the internet.
Mission Aviation Fellowship has been testing a tool that will allow Christians to have exactly what they need. MAF's Director of Learning Technologies Richard Morris says it's called Estante. "Estante is an app that runs on the Android Operating system. It's an app that provides a means to gather and disseminate resources and training and is delivered without the use of the internet."
This is a key component of Estante. Morris says it's especially important for Christians.
Estante began a limited release late last year for testing. "We're trying it out with our field units around the world and with some select partners. We anticipate at the end of March to launch what we're calling a public release: a ministry can come and get a hold of this application and build libraries for the own community."
Morris says another great feature of this application is that pastors can share the app and any of its contents with other Android OS users.
According to Morris, Android is the most popular platform of smart-phone users in countries outside North America and Europe. And smart-phone usage is great around the world. "There are over 1.3 billion smart phones in existence today. We're looking at a situation in the very near future [in which] there will be five-billion people carrying around a computer in their pocket."
Christians with smart phones can choose either text, audio, or video resources in their own language, depending on their needs. Morris says each ministry can create their own, or use those that have already been created.
MAF is asking you to pray that the trials go smoothly.
If you'd like additional information about Estante or would like to support this project financially or prayerfully, click here.
