Rsoluthwestern Uniod H. M. S. Richards and H. M. S. Richards Jr
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Adventist Review RecorSOlUTHWESTERN UNIOd H. M. S. Richards and H. M. S. Richards Jr., father and son share a happy moment in front of the recently installed satellite dish at Voice of Prophecy headquarters. Of the 726 stations which currently carry the Voice of Prophecy broadcast, over 100 belong to the Satellite Radio Network. 200 additional satellite markets are now available for the daily broadcast. See Focus on the Cover, p. 12B RECORD REVIEW, September 27, 1984 — 12A FOCUS ON THE COVER A Bold New Approach to Evangelism Now through the Voice of Prophecy you can reach more inspire our members to move this project forward," says Elder souls than ever before through satellite broadcasting and a Richards. "The 200 new satellite outlets will cost $636,000. bold new follow-up plan. Sending Signs to 50,000 new listeners adds more than During the past year, the Satellite Radio Network has $100,000. If our members could double last year's offering, we brought the Voice of Prophecy some of its most responsive will have funds sufficient to move ahead through the doors audiences. Recently, 200 new markets have opened up to God has opened before us." daily broadcast, bringing the opportunity of tremendously The time is now. Never before could your gift touch more enlarging the outreach of the Adventist voice — at the dramati- lives for less money than right now through the Voice of Pro- cally low cost for air time of less than a dollar a minute. phecy satellite and Signs outreach. For each of the many new listeners responding to the broadcast, the Voice of Prophecy will provide six months of the missionary magazine Signs of the Times. Names will be sent to local churches for immediate phone follow-up. "Signs provides a cost-effective way to nurture our listen- ers," reports H. M. S. Richards, Jr., director and speaker of the Voice of Prophecy. "Because of the large circulation for Signs, we can purchase these magazines for much less than it would cost to produce our own materials." Local members provide the heartbeat for the follow-up pro- gram. Using simple instructions sent from the Voice of Pro- phecy, volunteers phone these new listeners to ask whether Signs has arrived. After directing attention to the "Reflec- tions" section, they arrange to phone again next month. "Reflections" forms the base for a monthly five-minute tele- phone Bible study. Soon the interest may ripen into an appointment for home Bible studies, or an invitation to an evangelistic meeting, a Revelation Seminar, or other program. Elder W. R. May, secretary of the Southwestern Union and author of the popular Revelation Seminar studies, calls the Voice of Prophecy phone project "a terrific opening wedge to Longtime friends Kenneth Holland (left), editor of SIGNS OF THE local evangelism!" He continues: "I see tremendous possibili- TIMES, and H.M.S. Richards, Jr., director-speaker of the Voice of Pro- phecy radio broadcast, have become partners in the project to send the ties in developing new interests from the Voice of Prophecy Voice of Prophecy edition of SIGNS to all new listeners requesting help broadcast using Signs of the Times in telephone ministry. from the broadcast. The special edition of SIGNS features a monthly What a way to prepare for a Revelation Seminar!" back cover article by Elder Richards. Elder Richards considers lay involvement the key to this (Left) Ed Dirkson, a counsellor in the Voice of Prophecy Bible School, program: "I'm convinced that any truly effective outreach phones students to answer special questions and encourage them in must include lay people. Our goal in sending Signs to our new their decision for Jesus and His truth. Ed also alerts pastors to the listeners is to strengthen churches by involving members in developing interest of students for immediate local follow-up. (Right) Mary Vandulek, a Voice of Prophecy Bible School instructor, befriends telephone follow-up. Telemarketing works wonders for busi- students with personal notes and comments on each study guide she ness — why not for our churches, too?" processes. The relationship Mary and her fellow instructors develop Every week letters arrive at our broadcast headquarters with their students is a strong factor in the success of the Bible School. from grateful new believers like Peggy in Oklahoma, who writes: "Through the Voice of Prophecy radio program, my family and I have become members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church!" During the past decade, 20,538 persons like Peggy have joined the Adventist family through the Voice of Prophecy outreach. Now, with Signs follow-up to serve the new inter- ests generated by the broadcast, more than ever before can come to Jesus and His truth. This year on October 13, Voice of Prophecy Day challenges the churches to reach millions of new listeners through tripling our number of satellite stations. "We believe that God will 12B — REVIEW, September 27, 1984 The Goal-Oriented Church by C. E. BRADFORD As a way to get things started, nothing can take the place of under their control, but there were still seven Israelite tribes reasonable goal-setting. Plans and programs without goal who had not yet received their inheritance. So Joshua said to orientation have no power to excite. We are made to be chal- the Israelites: "How long will you wait before you begin to take lenged. Goals give the future some form and shape. You have possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, here the biblical idea of hope — always looking ahead. What has given you?" Joshua 18:1-3, NIV.* gets measured gets done. The survey was made. The land was divided. The territory Early Adventists had goals for everything: Thirteenth Sab- was assigned. The whole people were consulted and involved bath, Investment, Ingathering, Big Week, mission offerings, in the decision. The marching orders were given. The land territories to be entered, baptisms, churches to be planted, was cleared of enemies and obstacles. Yahweh went before meetings to be held. Wi. eyes on goals and spirits aglow, they them. Divine power combined with human effort made prom- were irresistibly drawn toward the "dream that had to be." ise and prophecy glorious reality. And they got things done! I make bold to say to the people of God in North America, We are at one of those times in salvation history when our "Get at it — do not delay." The day of march has come. task is coming into sharper focus. "There's a new day dawn- Assemble the people. Set goals. Be specific. Measure and ing." Our self-esteem is affirmed by heaven's blessing on our number. Activate every force. Two hundred sixty days, thirty- efforts when we dare to obey "the voice." Already in North eight Sabbaths until June 15, 1985. America, soul winning and goal setting are in. The tide is rising. *From The Holy Bible: New International Version. Copyright 01978 It is in this context that the plan for 1,000 Days of Reaping by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan was launched on September 15, 1982. The goal of one million Bible Publishers. baptisms was divided proportionately among the conferences and missions of the world field. Much of the world field is running on schedule or ahead of schedule in this soul winning thrust. North America has run behind schedule. With 260 days remaining of the 1,000 (from September 29, 1984 until June 15, 1985 — the time of the coming General Conference session in New Orleans) we must add through baptism and profession of faith, 68,175 new members to the fellowship to put us on target for the 1,000 Days of Reaping. The Southwestern Union is to be commended for being the nearest of the nine North American unions to the advancing goal at this point, three-fourths of the way into the 1,000 Days of Reaping. On June 30, 1984 — 65 percent of the 1,000 Days past — the goal for the Southwest was 8,599 baptisms. On that date the actual achievement of the conferences of the Southwest was 7,740 additions to membership — 58.5 percent of the entire goal of 13,230. I am told that the pastors, evangelists and lay soul winners of the Southwestern Union are striving for and edging toward baptims equaling ten percent of membership. If that goal is attained for 1984 and surpassed a little in the early months of 1985, the 1,000 Days objective will be reached! The time is ripe and right. So many things are in place. The Caring Church Strategy has taken hold. There is a broadly- based sensitivity, soul hunger, and even eagerness among church members. "The time has never been better for aggres- sive truth telling." — Leadership, Spring, 1984, p. 3. The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The country was brought C. E. Bradford is vice president of the General Conference for the North American Division. RECORD REVIEW, September 27, 1984 — 12C SPECIAL FEATURE Barnetts Complete 43 Years in Far East by MORTEN JUBERG EDITOR'S NOTE: Doyle and Paulene Barnett, Southwestern "Every minute of the time was taken up by the preachers," Adventist College alumni ('39 and '40 respectively) recently spent a she stated. "The audience hardly knew how to respond weekend at Keene, Texas, visiting her brother, Murel Moddrell. They because they were overwhelmed at the good job the young- retired recently after 43 years of mission service in China and the Far East, and are living in College Place, Washington.