A Mercer University theology student has started a nonprofit to help churches leverage technology to reach and engage with more people. Miguel Hernández Urbaneja, who is pursuing a Master of Divinity at McAfee School of Theology, launched The Re-Church Project in 2025.
“Since I was a teenager, I would say I always have had this idea to support the church,” he said.
A native of Venezuela, Urbaneja grew up Catholic, and until he became a teen, he thought he might become a priest. Instead, he earned a bachelor’s in journalism and master’s in political science. He became a journalist and hosted a radio program in Venezuela before moving to Peru in 2017.
He moved to the U.S. in 2020 after receiving a Fulbright scholarship to pursue a Master of Arts in communication with a concentration in digital media strategies at Georgia State University in Atlanta. He now lives in Duluth.
“When I came to the U.S., I noticed that the churches in the U.S. are very organized. But at the same time, I noticed that not every church has a website, or maybe they have a website and the website is not updated,” he said. “When I noticed this, I thought about creating something to support these churches because there are churches that have a beautiful legacy. They have been doing great things, and sometimes they are not getting new people.”
Leaning on his background in journalism and digital media, Urbaneja offers services to churches in digital marketing, social media strategy, leadership development and training, event planning, outreach, graphic design, photography, and translation through The Re-Church Project.
The nonprofit currently supports five churches of various denominations with social media strategy, outreach and English language programs. Leaders at the churches that host an English language program have reported that those who participate often want to be involved in the church, Urbaneja said.
“It’s a win-win,” he said. “The church opens their doors for the English as a second language program. New people are coming, and at the same time, these people start to realize all the opportunities, and they want to be part of the church.”
The Re-Church Project is nondenominational.
“We are happy to work for and with churches that embrace the love of Christ for all creation and want to foster a more diverse and multicultural community,” Urbaneja said.
He was looking for a church in Duluth when he became friends with a pastor of one of the churches he visited. She talked to him about the Master of Divinity program at Mercer, and he decided it was something he wanted to do.
He enrolled in the School of Theology in 2024. He is a recipient of the Vestal Scholarship from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Lancaster Theological Education Scholarship from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia.
Urbaneja is a strong community leader in the McAfee community, said Dr. David Garber Jr., associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew.
A curious and energetic student, Urbaneja “is someone who is open to a lot of new ideas and exploration,” Dr. Garber said. “He was extremely insightful in class conversations.”
Urbaneja said he hopes to continue his studies in the field, perhaps pursuing a Ph.D. or Doctor of Ministry.
“McAfee has helped me to understand the importance of being in ministry,” he said. “When you have a leadership position in the church, you have a huge responsibility, not just because you are responsible to promote or to share the Christian values but because there are people who go to the church because they really need to have hope. They are looking for a safe space, they are looking for words of comfort.
“When you are working for the church in a leadership position, or even if you are just a member, I think it is important to be aware that you are answering your call but at the same time you are a minister for the people who are looking for God.”
