Adventist World Radio has announced that it will use its vast international radio network to participate in Sow 1 Billion—a Seventh-day Adventist world church plan to distribute 1,000 million Bible study invitations around the globe. AWR, which currently broadcasts in more than 50 languages, will produce an “audio version” of the Sow 1 Billion brochure, and will offer listeners a way to receive Bible studies.

Benjamin Schoun, president of AWR, says the goals of Sow 1 Billion dovetail with the mission of AWR. “We want to be a part of this extraordinary worldwide church effort to connect people with God’s word,” he says. AWR also plans to send printed Sow 1 Billion brochures to listeners who write into AWR during the course of the initiative.

Sow 1 Billion, a project voted by international church leaders in late 2002, aims to involve Adventist church members around the world in distributing special Bible study invitations. The small brochure is intended to prompt readers to ask questions such as: How can I face the future with confidence? How can I live a life filled with hope? Each brochure will offer a variety of ways for people to request Bible studies.

AWR’s audio versions of the Sow 1 Billion brochure will also be made available to other Adventist radio stations not directly affiliated with AWR. Schoun points out that local churches could also participate by purchasing air time to play the Sow 1 Billion radio spots on local radio stations.

“Adventist World Radio’s participation brings a new, exciting dimension to the Sow 1 Billion initiative,” says Harold Baptiste, vice president of the world church, and chair of the Sow 1 Billion Taskforce. “AWR can send these special Bible study invitations into areas where there are few people ‘on the ground,’ or where handing out literature is difficult.” Even in areas where Sow 1 Billion brochures will be distributed by hand or by mail, AWR’s audio spots will reinforce these efforts, providing another important avenue for sharing the Sow 1 Billion invitation, says Baptiste.

The worldwide launch of Sow 1 Billion will be in September this year, although the starting date for distribution will vary slightly between world church regions. Organizers say the scale of Sow 1 Billion is unique: a mere 1 percent response would result in 10 million requests for Bible studies. Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries, an organization of lay supporting ministries, is playing a key part in funding and implementing Sow 1 Billion.