BY JONATHAN GALLAGHER

hen the North American Division (NAD) Executive Committee opened its first business session on November 4, evangelism topped the agenda.

Russell Burrill, director of the NAD Evangelism Institute in Berrien Springs, Michigan, tackled six myths often used in churches during discussions on evangelism. Challenging the myth that public evangelism is a relic of ages past that no longer works in the postmodern age, Burrill asserted that after examining church statistics makes it clear that nothing else works as well as public programs. The myth of the expense of evangelism (running at up to $2,000 per person baptized) was also countered by Burrill, who pointed out that the increased tithe as the result of evangelism more than covered such costs.

"Myth number three is that people today are no longer interested in prophecy, so we should abandon the prophetic approach and try something different," Burrill said. "The Adventist Church is a prophetic movement, part of our uniqueness, and to abandon this would compromise our identity. Prophecy still attracts, and there is no better time than now."

The myth that public evangelism only reaches churched people was comprehensively examined in several studies that identified Adventists as one of only two denominations who are actively reaching the unchurched, according to Burrill. As for the myth that handbills with the beasts of Daniel "turn people off," Burrill asserted that such advertising reached the unchurched more than handbills that Adventists preferred.

The final myth countered was that people brought in by public evangelism left the church after one year. According to studies in Pennsylvania, 86 percent of those joining the Adventist Church through public evangelism were retained after one year, while in Oregon the retention percentage for those baptized as a result of a visiting evangelist was 72 percent. This compared with 25 percent retained by other evangelical denominations, Burrill said.

Following on the theme, It is Written speaker/director Mark Finley (above) introduced the concept of "The Year of Evangelism 2004," an initiative already proposed by the General Conference and accepted by the NAD delegates, emphasizing not only public outreach but also the nurture and instruction of new believers.

Afterwards, NAD president Schneider presented the "Sow One Billion" initiative that is designed to publish and distribute one billion tracts around the world in one year. The project was voted by the General Conference Executive Committee at its October session. Schneider asked for and received support from the committee, saying, "Surely we could do 100 million in one year" in North America.

In a final demonstration of evangelistic initiative, Net 2003 coordinator Benny Moore presented details of next year's satellite evangelism program be hosted by Voice of Prophecy director/speaker Lonnie Melashenko in Columbia, South Carolina in April. The emphasis, said Moore, will be to focus on Bible study groups in churches and developing participants in the Discover Bible School.

Describing his goal of witnessing to his neighbors, Schneider summed up his personal and administrative perspective: "I just want to help others see Jesus."

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By Jonathan Gallagher, United Nations liaison director for the General Conference.