Evangelism Summit Opens Opportunities

On Monday, July 27, 2020 pastors from throughout the Texas and Southwest Region Conferences of the Seventh-day Adventist Church participated in an online Evangelism Summit hosted by the Texas and Southwest Regional Conferences, the Southwestern Union and Adventist World Radio. The fast-moving 60 minutes outlined opportunities for the next 18 months with special focus on this fall, including small groups, online reaping opportunities and potential baptism dates. Check with your pastor for more information.

Here are some of the highlights from the meeting.

1. Digital Missionaries. All of our members, especially young people, can be digital missionaries using social media for God. Encourage sign ups at https://connect.adventist.org/adventistdigital.  
2. Four Things to Remember. Baptism Dates. Group Leaders. Reaping Opportunities. Harvest Cycles.
   1. Baptism Dates. If a church hasn’t had a baptism in the past three months they are encouraged to see if they can have one August 29, then every month or two after that. Plan for baptisms even if you don’t know where they are coming from. Jesus said the harvest is great so we must approach ministry with that God-given expectation and go in search of those who are searching.
   2. Group Leaders. These are the new heroes in our churches. Each church needs to identify them and empower them. They will help minister to the church family and win new souls. We expect LOTS of interests from reaping meetings this fall (see below) and need to have as many group leaders as possible ready to follow up immediately and invite interests into existing online groups. Through a special cooperative arrangement we hope to provide a zoom account to every group leader that can be used for ministry through September of 2021. Pastors are the ones to sign up their group leaders.
   3. Reaping Opportunities. We encourage all our groups to be involved with at least one reaping opportunity this fall.
      1. Cami Oetman, Unlocking Bible Prophecies, October 4-17, 2020 (in 10 languages!).
      2. Max Harvest Options
      3. Spanish
         1. August 22 to 29 Virtual Reaping Crusade. Professor Ismael Castillo. Every day 7:30pm
         2. September 18-20 Virtual Reaping Weekend. Every day 7:30pm
         3. October 16-24 Virtual Caravan for Youth’s Small Groups. NAD Roger Hernandez
         4. October 16-18 Virtual Reaping Weekend. Every day 7:30pm
         5. November 22-29 Virtual Reaping Crusade. Every day 7:30pm
   4. Harvest Cycles. Looking longer range here are some general plans.
      1. Fall 2020. Groups and reaping event as indicated above.
      2. Spring 2021. Groups and Lay preaching online or in person using new ASI materials. Reaping – April 10-24, 2021.
      3. Fall 2021. Groups and in person preaching everywhere with special assistance for 100 meetings in DFW area and 100 more in Houston area. Reaping – September 24 – October 9, 2021.

These are challenging and exciting times. And the world needs to know more than ever that Jesus loves them and He’s coming soon. The Adventist message – the Three Angels’ Message of Revelation 14:6-12 – will go to every nation, tribe, language and people group before Jesus comes. And everyone who has heard and embraced it is invited to pass it on! Soon Jesus will return!