The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will launch an Easter initiative focusing on the teachings of Jesus Christ on Saturday, March 28, 2015. The “Because He Lives” initiative is expected to reach millions through social media, month-long displays in select visitors’ centers, member and missionary tools and online paid promotion on hundreds of Internet sites.
The Church’s First Presidency will send an email to members, inviting them to participate in the initiative. The March issues of the Church’s publications, the Liahona, Ensign, and New Era magazines, also include an introduction to the media effort.
“As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ in these, the latter days, we have also been charged with testifying of the realities of the Savior’s Atonement and Resurrection. … Like those angelic messengers in the meridian of time, we also declare, ‘He is not here: for he is risen’ [Matthew 28:6]. He lives. And because He lives we, too, can know ‘peace in this world, and eternal life in the world to come’ (D&C 59:23),” said Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the March issue of the Ensign.
“We will be in almost every country in the world with this message, inviting all to learn more of Jesus Christ and to follow more of His example in their daily lives,” added Greg Droubay, director of media for the Church’s Missionary Department.
Droubay explained the inspiration for the initiative is “The Living Christ” document that was published by the Church in January 2000. “That unique document that is signed by living prophets, seers and revelators bearing witness as only they can of Jesus Christ has provided the inspiration, the foundation, the invitation that we’ve wanted to extend to the world,” he said.
“Because He Lives” content will be posted daily on Mormon.org social media pages (Facebook, Twitter and Google+) from Saturday, March 28, through Easter Sunday, April 5. Social media content will provide examples of the blessings available to us in our daily lives. Those who share online content are encouraged to use the hashtag #BecauseHeLives on their social media channels. Those inspiring messages will be available to share throughout the year.
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The Church has launched a website, HeLives.mormon.org, which features a “Because He Lives” video that focuses on finding, knowing and following the teachings of Jesus Christ and all that He made possible through His Atonement. A day-by-day recounting of the last week of the Savior’s life will be highlighted.
Both the website and the video that runs over two minutes in length are available in 21 languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Albanian, Armenian, Cebuano, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Polish, Russian, Swedish, Tagalog, Thai and Ukrainian.
Droubay said the newest language to be added to the list is Albanian. “The reasoning for this is Mormon.org has just become available in that language. So it’s an opportunity to reach a new group of people.”
On Easter Sunday, April 5, the Church’s “Because He Lives” initiative will be on the masthead of YouTube’s home page in nine countries, including the United States, reaching a potential audience of 250 million viewers. Other countries include Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Japan and Italy.
“This opportunity on YouTube provides an unparalleled experience for the Church to reach a global audience in a single day,” remarked Droubay. The masthead will feature a shortened version of the video and an invitation to visit the website.
“We’re very interested in increasing teaching opportunities for our full-time missionaries,” explained Droubay. Missionaries have pass-along cards to promote the initiative through the Easter season and throughout the year. Others may also purchase the cards online.
In addition, select Church visitors’ centers are offering guests “Because He Lives” displays to enjoy during the Easter season. “All of the Church’s visitors’ centers in the United States, the visitors’ center at the Mexico City Temple, and the visitors’ center at the Hyde Park Chapel in London will all feature displays promoting ‘Because He Lives,’” he said.
The “Because He Lives” worldwide initiative is sponsored by the Church’s Missionary Department in Salt Lake City. The Church launched its first Easter initiative in 2014 with a weeklong campaign titled “Because of Him.” It featured a YouTube video that received more than 5 million views in the first week it was posted.
In December, a month-long Christmas initiative, “He Is the Gift,” reached millions through social media efforts, displays in visitors’ centers, member and missionary tools, online paid promotion and outdoor advertising in New York City’s Times Square. The video received more than 33 million views. The Christmas initiative focused on Heavenly Father’s love as demonstrated in the sacred gift of Jesus Christ.
“So each of these initiatives and even moving towards Christmas and other holidays will continue to focus on Jesus Christ with these messages building on each other,” said Droubay.