Something special happened September 13-16, in Berkeley, California, at the University of California. On a campus that has historically been on the cutting edge of social and political change, more than 200 students, church administrators, and student ministry leaders attended Berkeley 2000 (B2K). It was the first Seventh-day Adventist conference to specifically focus on secular campus evangelism and ministry.

HERE’S THE POINT: Dwight Nelson, senior pastor of the Pioneer Memorial church in Berrien Springs, Michigan, motivates the young adult Sabbath morning crowd during the worship hour sermon.

"One of our goals here was to create a network of fellowship on secular campuses around the world," says William Sutton, Berkeley doctoral student and event organizer.

"It has started the process that will provide continual reaffirmation, cross-pollination, and accountability between secular campus ministry groups," says Dwight Nelson, conference presenter and senior pastor of Pioneer Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church in Berrien Springs, Michigan.  

According to Humberto Rasi, director of education for the Seventh-day Adventist Church worldwide, it couldn't have come at a better time. "I think that this meeting has come at the right moment to galvanize the movements that have begun on 50 to 60 campuses in North America," he says. "It brings these ministries together in perfect timing." 

The support of the church was seen at the conference. According to Celeste Ryan, media relations manager for the North American Division (NAD), "the organizers of B2K have done something that no other youth gatherings have been able to do: attract such a large number of church leadership. The importance of young adult members to the Adventist Church is beginning to be validated." 

IN SUPPLICATION: José Rojas lifts eyes heavenward as he gives words of inspiration to Berkeley 2000 attendees.

Dan Matthews (consultant for Faith for Today), Hyveth Williams (senior pastor of the Campus Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church in Loma Linda, California), and Ron Pickell (one of the grassroots leaders in secular campus ministry) were just a few of those who came to show their support. "I am here to let young adults know that they are supported by the Adventist Church, which I represent," said Ron Whitehead, executive director of the Center for Youth Evangelism and associate youth director at the North American Division. There were also representatives on hand from Loma Linda University, Pacific Press, the Adventist Review, La Sierra University, Maranatha Volunteers International, Pacific Union College, Faith for Today, AMiCUS, SDAnet, Weimar College, and the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. 

The backgrounds of the delegates attending B2K were as varied as the Berkeley campus itself. Attendees came from all over the United States as well as Germany, Bangladesh, Ghana, England, and Kenya. College and university students from secular and Adventist campuses, graduate students, youth leaders, communication professionals, and world church leaders were all in attendance. Approximately 21 colleges were represented. "I wanted personal growth and information on how to start an Adventist club on our campus," said José Bosque, a biological science major at California State University at Stanislaus.

"I learned better how to relate and witness to people both on secular campuses and in the real world," said Phill Dupper, a deputy sheriff from San Bernardino, California.

A MATTER OF TRUST: A participant in one of the interpersonal relationships seminars shares her feelings on issues of trust.

Sekai Nyambo, from Leicester, England, and a graduate student at the University of Central England in Birmingham, was also encouraged by the many groups on public campuses that have active groups or are starting ministries. "I have felt very alone; we have about 20 people in our group, but I realized at B2K that we are not alone.  . . . I have been encouraged by what's been suggested, and it's changed my way of thinking, and my approach."

Attendees had the opportunity to learn through seminars, lectures, and dialoguing with one another. Four seminar sessions offered information on interpersonal relationships, campus community evangelism, media evangelism, campus ministry organization, and other topics. Two general sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening, provided total group fellowship. Sabbath activities included a convocation by Dwight Nelson and special music by the La Sierra University Vocal Octet. Sabbath afternoon brought a symposium entitled "God and the Cosmos," moderated by William Johnsson, editor of the Adventist Review.

Sutton, who turned down a year's full scholarship to Oxford University to plan and hold B2K at the university, relates that many of his teammates sacrificed much for the event. "They missed work, missed class, missed meals_they worked all night, drove all night, typed e-mails all night_and they paid hundreds of dollars out of their pockets. They pleaded for help from Toronto to Los Angeles."

Sutton says that the organizers and supporters did all this because they saw the vision that God gave them_and relied on God for the faith and strength to do His will. Those involved in organzing and operating B2K logged 27,000 miles of travel, had 62 meetings and 33 presentations, and sent hundreds of e-mails and letters. And despite a less-than-ideal number of conference-goers, B2K succeeded, according to those who attended.

A PRAYER-FILLED MOMENT: After a rousing service in which he challenged the young adults present, North American Division youth and young adult director José Rojas dedicates the B2K coordinating ministry.

While providing networking opportunities and training, B2K increased in scope when on opening night José Rojas, NAD youth and young adult director, challenged attendees to construct a document focusing on what the church could do to facilitate secular campus ministries. This challenge produced the Berkeley Resolution, along with a steering committee to guide the development of this movement. This document recommends that the church:

• give serious attention and support, along with being financially committed, to the ministry and evangelism on non-Adventist college and university campuses;
  
• assign to the North American Chaplaincy Ministries the responsibility of working with the steering committee to coordinate public campus ministry, mentor leaders, develop resources, and monitor and track public campus ministries throughout the division;
  
• designate one year during this quinquennium (preferably 2002) to focus the NAD on the opportunities and challenges facing students on non-Adventist campuses;
  
• convene annual conferences and other events to train public campus student leaders on biblical principles of leadership and evangelism;
  
• locate and engage in this ministry Adventist faculty and staff currently serving in non-Adventist higher education;
  
• urge the seminary at Andrews University, and other Adventist institutions that are training ministers, to strengthen and expand curricula on how to minister to students on non-Adventist campuses and involve them in witness and evangelism;
  
• encourage each conference in the NAD to respond to the urgency and need of appointing at least one person to coordinate the ministry on non-Adventist college and university campuses.

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Christ Drake is a student at Walla Walla College in Collegeplace, Washington. Kimberly Luste Maran also contributed to this report.