After weeks of promotion and anticipation, the award for GCEN's Christian Media of the Year was tallied in NEWD Magazine's favor.

Announced at the first annual GCEN Expo & Awards on Saturday, March 17, the event was held at the CUNY Brooklyn College Student Center in New York from noon to 8 p.m.

"This award validates the work that NEWD has done since our inception," said NEWD's managing editor/station manager Tiffani Knowles. "NEWD strives for perfection and reaching out to the world through a spiritual and cultural lens."

Gracing the stage in a Pauline Asmah design, Knowles acknowledged her parents and church family and thanked all of NEWD's staff and fans, several of whom were cheering ecstatically in the audience. Baring all to expose truth, NEWD humbly accepted the recognition.

The GCEN Expo & Awards, founded by Gbenga Omotayo, was planned since last November and was filled to capacity within a month.

"The vision to connect Christians and ministries has been in existence for the past five years while the expo idea has been on the drawing table since 2009," said Omotayo, pleased with the responses of the relevant businesses and ministries to which he extended invitations.

Exhibitors like ABS Travel, Flushing Bank and Grace Manor were able to network from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, highlighting their missions and goals. The event was worthwhile as many exhibitors received interests from various businesses, impressed by them all.

"The response has been amazing," said Alicia Lovell-La Foucade of Step Toward Awareness, a project-based organization. "People love the concept of our company and what we stand for.Our fresh unique fundraising projects have been a major success and we can also customize our projects -- our clients love that."

Step Toward Awareness was established a year ago out of the passion for "being the change."

"We wanted to financially support and recognize companies, churches, groups, organizations, and really anyone making a positive difference within their community, creating an avenue for sustainable financial, spiritual and personal growth along the way and as such make the community more aware of the positive things going on within their area," said La Foucade, who is doing just that through organizations such as Linx and Young Leaders Program among others.

In addition to learning about each other, exhibitors gained insight about the principles of expanding their ministries through several seminars held throughout the day.

"Expanding your reach is not optional, it's mandatory," said Janice Johnson, the speaker of Discover the Secret to Creating a Thriving Ministry without Compromising Your Message seminar. "Failure to do so is denying others the opportunity to experience Him through you."

Johnson also reminded her audience that they were not the center of attention within their ministries. She emphasized that expansion is all about God.

Some Christians, she said, often get caught up as their ministry grows, taking the spotlight away from God and placing it on themselves. The purpose of the ministry becomes clouded and as a result loses the chance to impact the lives of those who don't know Christ.

"It takes real passion and commitment to be hosting events of this nature because it may not necessarily translate to money or immediate returns," said Omotayo, defending the purpose producing events that acknowledge Christian ministries as GCEN did. "For you to be able to deliver real value and still glorify GOD, you cannot compromise on some standards just to have a large crowd, commercialize or make more money."

Still, some of the biggest sponsors for the event helped offset some of the event costs. At the event, attendees won exciting raffle items courtesy of these sponsors.

Deborah Akojenu, the wife of Christian Artist of the Year winner Kayode, won a brand new HP laptop.

Johnson, who traveled from Georgia to speaker at a seminar, won two Arik Airlines roundtrip tickets to Lagos, Nigeria.

Earlier in the program, Johnson joined three other panelists to discuss the pros and cons of social media and marketing. All agreed that knowing one's target range is key to effective marketing.

For instance, Facebook may not be the most prominent medium to use if one's target demographic are most active on Twitter. Additionally, if a business shares similar characteristics, values and likes on social media, it makes them credible to whom they are promoting.

The awards program was the last business of the day. The winners of the 2012 GCEN Christian Ministry Awards were as follows:

· CHANGING LIVES - Kitra Williams

· CHRISTIAN MEDIA ORGANIZATION - NEWD Magazine

· GOSPEL ARTISTE AWARD - Kayode Akojenu & Friends

· YOUNG CHRISTIAN ENTEPRENEUR - David Famuyide

· CHURCH CHOIR OF THE YEAR - The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

· OUTSTANDING YOUTH GROUP - CAC Youth Ministry

· MINISTRY OF THE YEAR - Youth Redeemers

· INSPIRATIONAL GOSPEL COMEDIAN - Michael Goodhope

· AWARD FOR BREAKING GROUNDS - Pastor Toyin Laoye

· AWARD FOR CHANGING LIVES - Pastor Festus Adeyeye

· AWARD FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE - Evangelist Joseph Famuyide

· AWARD FOR KINGDOM SERVICE - Pastor Abraham Daramola

· LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - Rev. Abraham Oyedeji (L)

· PASTORING WITHOUT WALLS - Pastor Shola Adeoye

The event concluded after eight hours.

"Overall, it was a good success and we are very happy with the result," said Omotayo, hinting that GCEN may host another expo before the end of the year due to its popularity.

Along with that, they will host their annual stand-up comedy show, Night of Gospel Laughs, which is scheduled for June 30.

Omotayo and the GCEN team will continue to produce events that will connect Christians and impact their ministries. He hopes to strengthen their three annual signature events, making them more visible.

The first GCEN Expo & Awards was sponsored by TNI Radio, ACTV (African Christian Television), The Chosen Generation Show, Light of the World Newspapers, Arik Airlines, Diasporan Stars, SaidehBrown.com, Night of Gospel, Statuesque Events, LifeZone TV and NEWD Magazine.

Photo Credit: Larry Stokes