BY JONATHAN GALLAGHER, United Nations liaison director for the General Conference

he world church leaders made a statement on the first full day (October 12) of business at Annual Council 2003-evangelism is the number one priority. With high-powered presentations from the teams involved with Go One Million, Sow One Billion, and 2004 Year of World Evangelism, the clear strategy is to focus on the main work of the church: to share the truth of God with the whole world.

The training program of Go One Million that seeks to empower lay members is forging ahead, according to James Zackrison and Jonathan Kuntaraf, of the General Conference Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department. The Sow One Billion program is already in progress, sharing leaflets to invite recipients to study the Bible, report GC vice president Harold Baptiste and Sow One Billion coordinator Bettina Krause. Planning for the 2004 Year of World Evangelism is well advanced, say Ted Wilson and Peter Prime.

"Sow One Billion was always meant to be a simple and uncomplicated initiative," commented Jan Paulsen, GC president. "All can be involved, and through the Holy Spirit we can touch the hearts of billions."

GC vice-president Ted Wilson added that "'2004 Year of World Evangelism-Reaping God's Harvest' is one of greatest initiatives to galvanize our members for evangelism, to share our unique message."

Perhaps the most memorable slogan was that of Peter Prime of the Ministerial department: "Total inclusion for the final conclusion."

In the enthusiastic discussion that followed, many comments supported the scope of such programs while looking for local implementation.

"These are great ideas, and provide room for every country to make culturally sensitive programs," commented Artur Stele, Euro-Asia Division President. "In our division we are already seeing positive outcomes from these initiatives that do not tell everyone to think one way, but to use different ideas."

Pat Gustin from the Institute of World Mission at Andrews University expressed appreciation for the exciting concepts and the use of technology, but reminded delegates that "functional illiteracy in 10/40 window means that many of these methods will not work there." She also pleaded for culturally sensitive materials, adding that "translation is not contextualization."

Other ideas included more attention to the training of women evangelists, the issue of communicating programs to members to the local level, and the need to emphasize content more than image.

After brief reports from the world divisions, the discussion turned to the issue of nurturing church members. Introduced by GC vice-president Gerry Karst, a series of speakers explained their concept of nurture-an essential component of retaining existing members.

GC Ministerial Association secretary Jim Cress explained ACTS 100: "A for Acknowledgement-the need for repentance and revival, C for Communion with God, T for Training and Witnessing, S for Service to the Community."

GC youth director Baraka Muganda spoke on the mission emphasis of youth, introducing representatives both from Pathfinders and from overseas mission trips.

North-Asia Pacific Division President Jairyong Lee identified the purpose of nurture as "to grow, to grow from a small shoot to a great tree. I am excited about the three evangelistic programs we heard about this morning, but the question is how many will stay in the church after their baptism?"

"Nurture begins before baptism," he explained. "For example, the retention rate in China is very high because of the nurturing given, especially through Bible courses. Nurture must take place both before and after baptism."

Walter Wright, Lake Union Conference president, envisioned nurture as "feeding or being fed," commenting that "the laity needs opportunities to join with clergy. We need to turn this vast army loose. In 2002 we trained 400 lay persons, with 2000 baptisms as a result. People came to life, and they will never be the same. A 'well-fed' army will finish the work."

Geoffrey Mbwana, East-Central Africa Division president, agreed-nurture is to "feed the flock with Jesus, the bread of life. In our division as we speak flocks of lay people are going door-to-door conducting bible studies. The church is experiencing rapid growth, which brings challenges in nurturing. Nurture means that once the baby is born you need close wrapping around to ensure the baby is kept warm. So we conduct training seminars to make sure pastors know how to nurture. The campmeeting program also provides great nurture, a whole week of feeding on the Word."

Pat Gustin, director of the Institute of World Mission, said that she was excited to have Annual Council devote a whole section to nurture, "for if we don't provide nurture then we have failed in our mission." Speaking of her own experience, she concluded that she was nurtured by through the influence of the Bible, books, and periodicals. As a missionary in Thailand she found few nurturing materials to help new Adventists from a Buddhist background.

In the general discussion on the floor, comments included the proposal to build churches before evangelistic programs; the problem of the low percentage of participation in witnessing; the reason many leave is due to the lack of nurturing; the use of music ministry; the early involvement of young people in nurture; and the need to emphasize not numbers, but making disciples for Jesus.