Christian media leaders from several continents gathered in Dover, New York, from Nov. 14–16, 2025, for the Global Christian Media Forum 2025, a three-day event hosted by the International Christian Media Fellowship (ICMF) that emphasized worship, peer learning, and strategic collaboration amid rapid changes in the global media landscape.
The Forum brought together 70 editors, executives, designers, technologists, communicators, and administrators representing a wide range of Christian media organizations. The gathering combined times of worship and prayer with structured discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities designed to strengthen both professional practice and spiritual encouragement.
A central feature of the Forum was space given to ICMF’s Affinity Groups, which allowed participants to engage in focused conversations with peers working in similar roles. Groups included Editorial, CEOs and Executive Leadership, Business Development, Design, IT and Digital Infrastructure, Administration and Finance, and Social Media, among others. These sessions provided opportunities to share challenges, best practices, and collaborative ideas specific to each discipline.
“For me, it is always a great encouragement to meet others who are serving in the same profession and facing many of the same challenges,” one participant said. “In such a rapidly changing media environment, I felt strengthened through our affinity group conversations—especially as we discussed how to use AI more effectively to produce high-quality work, while also recognizing the unique human role we bring that technology can never replace.”
The Forum also included meetings of ICMF Committees and Task Forces, advancing ongoing initiatives related to training, resource development, and global networking for the Fellowship.
One of the most anticipated sessions focused on Artificial Intelligence in the newsroom, addressing both opportunity and responsibility. It explored AI’s potential to enhance reporting, editing, translation, and workflow efficiency, while also highlighting ethical risks, editorial discernment, and the importance of maintaining trust, accuracy, and biblical values.
Throughout the Forum, participants emphasized the importance of fellowship and spiritual encouragement, noting that worship and prayer provided a grounding context for professional discussions. Many described the gathering as a rare opportunity to step back from daily production pressures and reflect on calling, mission, and faithfulness in Christian media work.
“For someone who has worked in design for a media organization for many years, the changes brought about by AI have been truly revolutionary,” one of the design professionals said. “Having the chance to talk with peers about how we can use these tools ethically—in ways that glorify God and genuinely serve our audiences—was deeply inspiring. In a world flooded with visual content, much of it negative or harmful, the responsibility of Christian visual communicators feels more important than ever.”
The annual forum hosted by ICMF is part of a broader effort to build stronger global connections among Christian media professionals aimed at equipping them for service in an increasingly complex and technology-driven environment.
ICMF General Secretary Timothy Goropevsek said the Forum achieved its purpose of creating space for meaningful connection and collaboration. “It was deeply encouraging to see the level of exchange, fellowship and fresh thinking that emerged during these conversations. Many of these ideas and insights would not have surfaced in isolation. Bringing people together across disciplines and regions allowed for dialogue that strengthened individuals and sparked new possibilities for collaboration.”
The Forum also incorporated the annual ICMF General Assembly, which included board elections and organizational deliberations. Several new board members were welcomed, joining the leadership team in serving the Fellowship in the coming term. The board also began discussions on potential dates and locations for the 2026 Global Christian Media Forum, with an announcement to ICMF members expected in the coming weeks.
