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Hundreds Baptized as San Diego Series Concludes

t Is Written's eight-week "Revelation of Hope" San Diego series concluded in mid-March, with hundreds professing their new-found faith through baptism. The baptism ceremony, which took place at Balboa Park in San Diego and lasted an entire afternoon, added over 360 to area Adventist churches.

During the course of the event, more than 1,800 non-Adventists attended the meetings, which were conducted by Mark Finley, speaker/director of It Is Written, and Ron Halvorsen, director of church growth/evangelism for the Southern Union Conference. In addition to the 360 baptized in Balboa Park, 100 more have made plans for baptism over the next few months.

The It is Written team tried a new method of evangelism because of the length of this series. The two veteran speakers, Finley and Halvorsen, shared the preaching time. Each night one would preach and the other would answer questions following the sermon.

Although the speakers come from very different backgrounds--Halvorsen grew up as a gang member in New York, and Finley became acquainted with the Adventist faith at a young age - - the combination of their personalities yielded, as Halvorsen says, "a bonding effect on the whole audience." He noted that, although it's often hard for evangelistic meetings to maintain audience attendance equal to that of the opening weekend, this format contributed to a consistent turnout throughout the entire series.

Both speakers were thrilled with the outcome of the meetings. "The Revelation of Hope proved that evangelism can still work in America!" Halvorsen said.

Mark Finley added, "There were four key factors that led to the success of these meetings: earnest prayer, active lay involvement, Biblical preaching and strong organization. These elements combined to make this meeting the most successful single series I've ever conducted in North America."

Preparation for the series began over a year ago in January 2001, under the direction of Ernestine Finley. The event helped to unite thirteen churches of different ethnicities in the San Diego area, as pastors and church members volunteered throughout the duration of the series.

Tom Mostert, president of the Pacific Union Conference, was enthusiastic about the San Diego series. "The Revelation of Hope series reminds us once again how many people are searching for meaning and answers in their lives," he said. "With a combination of the telecast, pre-meeting events, trained lay members, pastors and the It Is Written team, the results of this series exceeded all expectations."

The purpose of Revelation of Hope was to provide comfort to those worried about what the future holds through an in-depth study of the book of Revelation.

Although the public meetings have ended, the intensive focus on San Diego will continue for many months. As part of the Revelation of Hope planning, the people who attended the meetings will be nurtured as they become an active part of area Adventist congregations.

Gang Attacks English Teachers in Moscow
Two Seventh-day Adventist English language teachers in Moscow were beaten by members of a street gang March 31. The two teachers were South African Andre Strydom, 23, and American Luke Hamilton, 20, from Southern Adventist University in Tennessee. Strydom and Hamilton were accosted while waiting at the Nagatinskaya Street tram station near the Adventist-run English Language Center in Moscow.

Local Adventist officials report that gang members asked the teachers for cigarettes and money, and when rebuffed, attacked the two men. School authorities called police and Hamilton was taken to the hospital, but later released. Police said that they will send additional officers to patrol the street where the attack took place.

These gang members, known as "skinheads," are especially dangerous in April, the anniversary of Adolf Hitler's birthday, explain Adventist leaders in Moscow. Officials at the English Language Center have made arrangements to provide safe transportation during the evening for school teachers. There are six teachers at the school, including three non-Russians; one is from the United States, and two from South Africa.                                                --Adventist News Network

Adventist Television Network
Begins Weekly Broadcasts
Adventist Television Network (ATN) began its regular weekly broadcast the first weekend in April with two programs. The inaugural broadcast included a sermon by Walter Pearson of Breath of Life Ministry, followed by Sabbath School U, developed by the General Conference Sabbath School department. Each program was provided in eight different languages by simultaneous translation from remote locations.

Walter Pearson's sermon launched a series which will feature the best of Adventist preaching week by week. The program is provided for and coordinated by Walter Pearson and the Florida Conference.

Sabbath School U is a bracing new 28-minute TV program. "We have patterned this program in a format a bit like Politically Incorrect without the confrontational atmosphere," says executive producer Gary B. Swanson. Swanson says each segment will include a moderator and four participants--all young adults--responding interactively to questions specifically connected to the subject of the coming week's adult Sabbath School lesson.

"Our goal for this program is to enrich Sabbath School by featuring its original four principles: fellowship, outreach, Bible study, and missions," Swanson adds.

ATN plans to add an Adventist news program in June to be produced by Adventist News Network. Broadcast schedules and reception information is available at www.adventist.tv.

News Notes

Fred Schmidt, a member of the British Columbia Conference, turned 104 on February 26. "I don't worry, says Schmidt. "That's foolishness. I just take it as it comes. I didn't want to be 104; it just came. If the Lord wants me to keep living, I'll keep living." He credits temperance in work, lifestyle, and diet and thanks God for continued good health.

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