Jeff Gowler, CEO of Global Media Outreach, on Reaching 2 Billion People with the Gospel by Leveraging Technology (Ep. 31)

The Finish Line Podcast

Jeff Gowler is the president and CEO of Global Media Outreach, which seeks to give every person on Earth multiple opportunities to know Christ by leveraging technology and the internet. Jeff started off in the business world working his way up to Executive Vice President of Operations for one of the top 5 home building companies in the country before setting off to start his own home building company. After God abruptly got his attention, he pivoted to full time ministry, eventually becoming the CEO of GMO.

The idea for Global Media Outreach began in 2004 when it’s founder, Walt Wilson, a project manager for Apple under Steve Jobs, was sitting in a meeting at MIT about how to best monetize the internet. As he listened to the discussion, he realized that the internet could be one of the most powerful tools to date in reaching the rest of the world for Christ. Since 2004, GMO has had over 250 million indicated decisions for Christ and has reached over 2.2 billion people with the message of the gospel using digital technology including social media and over 110 different websites.

With numbers that large, it is easy to think that these gospel presentations or indications for Christ are simply clicks on a website and nothing more. However, Global Media Outreach has an intensive network of over 3500 online volunteer missionaries who follow up every online interaction with personal conversations and discipleship. As a testament to GMO’s commitment to follow-up and discipleship, in 2020 there were over 750,000 people who had been in a relationship with an online missionary for over 1 year.

Jeff has an incredible perspective on the great commission and the work it will take to complete. You won’t want to miss this episode.

QUOTES TO REMEMBER

• “There’s a heavy burden that comes when you are responsible for God’s money.”
• “We want to make sure that every person on Earth has multiple opportunities to know Jesus.”
• “The goal is not just to have a disciple, but a reproducing disciple.”
• “We had to make sure the message wasn’t just translated into the right languages, but also culturalized.”

LINKS FROM THE SHOW

• Global Media Outreach
• GMO's Live Map (Witness to All)
• Every Home for Christ
• Faith Comes by Hearing (see our interview with VP Morgan Jackson)
• YouVersion Bible App
• ExploreGod.com
• Finishing the Task (see our interview with FTT Global Church Planting Strategist Dan Hitzhusen)
• The Finish Line Community Facebook Group
• The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group

BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW

Psalm 46:10 | Be Still 10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

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