An international group of pastors, evangelists, and administrators meeting at the Seventh-day Adventist Church world headquarters, is challenging the church to think about evangelism in new and creative ways. The Council on Evangelism and Witness, meeting September 17 and 18, is discussing topics ranging from urban evangelism, to sharing Christianity within different cultural frameworks, to the growing challenge of secularism.

The group, established by the world church’s executive committee in October 1999 as a “creative forum on evangelism,” has a broad mandate to review the effectiveness of current methods of evangelism and encourage experimentation and assessment of new approaches.

The most important goal of the group is to find new ways of presenting the Adventist Church’s message of hope in ways that will be relevant in many different contexts, said Ted N.C. Wilson, a vice president of the Adventist Church, who co-chairs the Council with vice president Armando Miranda-Conchos.

“It’s going to take different applications for different areas, but it’s the same message,” said Wilson.

Miranda-Conchos reminded Council members of the challenge in many areas of the world where there is a minimal Christian presence. “The 10/40 Window is very important,” he said, referring to an imaginary rectangle on the world map that takes in northern Africa, the Middle East, and much of Asia. “Sixty percent of the world’s population lives there but there is only a tiny percentage of Adventists.”

Jose Rojas, director of the Volunteer Ministries Network for the Adventist Church in North America, spoke to the group on “Partnering with Youth in Evangelism,” saying that “the power of our young people continues to be underestimated.” Leaders should not seek to “control” the vast numbers of young people in the Adventist Church, suggested Rojas. But rather their energy should be “focused and released in specific directions.”

“The number one reason why most young people don’t volunteer,” added Rojas, “is because they aren’t asked. Young people want to be asked.”

James Zackrison, personal ministries director for the world church, led a discussion group on reaching secular people. The secular societies of the west have to be addressed with an attitude of respect, he said.

The biggest evangelism challenge in the Northern Asia-Pacific region is reaching out to the 1.3 billion people of China, according to P D Chun, president of the Adventist Church in that area. “Traditional evangelism is not possible in China,” he said.

The Council on Evangelism and Witness continued its discussions today, September 18.  Although it usually comprises of some 60 members, continuing travel difficulties in the United States reduced the number to 34 who participated in the two-day meeting.