The formation and structuring of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has always been associated with public evangelism. The Ellen G. White Encyclopedia states, “Ellen White's view of evangelism was wholistic. Evangelism was not just reaching people; it also included fully discipling them into people ready for Jesus to come.”^[1]

Today, the challenges have become even greater for public evangelism. We talked about the topic with Pastor Rafael Rossi, evangelist at the South American Division of Seventh-day Adventists since November 2021. Born in São Paulo, Rossi holds a degree in theology from Centro Universitário Adventista de São Paulo (UNASP), a postgraduate degree in counseling, and Master in Pastoral Theology. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Ministry at Andrews University. He is also the new presenter of the programs Arena do Futuro and Descifrando el Futuro, broadcast on TV Novo Tempo and Nuevo Tiempo, respectively.

Rossi was an evangelist for the Associação Paulista do Vale and the União Central Brasileira, the administrative headquarters of the denomination for the entire state of São Paulo. In 2012, he was called to the South American Division, where he served as associate Ministerial secretary, director of both Communications and Public Affairs and Religious Liberty, and assistant to the president. He is married to Ellen de Souza Rossi, a teacher, and has two daughters, Giovana and Mariana.

New Challenges

What new challenges in terms of methods, materials, and approaches are there to public evangelism that the Seventh-day Adventist Church has traditionally carried out? 

We live in times of profound changes, especially because of the pandemic and the technological revolution to which we were exposed. Doing evangelism means constantly adapting to time and place. The essence of the message preached does not change, but the way we preach the gospel must be connected to the situation. There are fundamental principles to the mission: the quest to grow with quality (discipleship) and in quantity (all over the world). More than full churches, we dream of a full sky, so the way we preach will help people to have a deep experience with God.

Personal Involvement

You've been talking about the idea of ​​every Adventist being an evangelist. What exactly does this concept mean? 

This is the main goal of schools of evangelism. We want to help every Adventist to be an evangelist. And the approach is not limited to a specific type of gift. To be an evangelist is to be constantly on mission, using personal gifts and talents for service. An unshared belief weakens and, in some cases, is even forgotten. Paul, in Romans 10:9, says that those who open their mouths to confess Jesus as Lord will be saved. The most common application made of evangelism is preaching to save others, but Paul says that whoever preaches is saved. Keeping yourself evangelizing is the best way to stay in Christ. While I prepare others for heaven, I am preparing myself.

Preparing for Baptism

A critical assessment of public evangelism has questioned the unpreparedness of some baptized people. How has the Public Evangelism area of ​​the Adventist South American headquarters seen this type of questioning?

I have a great concern for the preparation of candidates for baptism. Therefore, I emphasize that evangelism is not an event, but a process. Every campaign has at least three steps: preparation, proclamation, and preservation. For preparation, one of the main materials being presented in schools of evangelism is the walkthrough titled 12 Weeks to Impact Your Church. It has a sequence of activities to be developed by the churches. Proclamation involves preaching strongly grounded in the Bible. For preservation, evangelism campaigns must be connected to personal ministry and small groups for the welcome and missionary involvement of new converts.

Digital Technology

And as for evangelism using digital technology, how [do you] strengthen the preaching of the gospel on social networks, virtual platforms, and systems like Metaverse?

The future of the church will be 100% digital and 100% in person. In other words, we are moving towards an integration between online and offline. The Adventist Church is historically known for its pioneering use of technology to preach the gospel. We understand the urgency of our preaching. Where it is possible to contact people and present the message of salvation, the church is present. I like to think that the internet is not a network of machines, but a network of people who use machines to connect. We need personhood and humanity in the use of digital [technology] to connect with people. We have enormous mission potential, and we cannot miss out on opportunities.

^[1] Fortin, Denis & Moon, Jerry (eds). The Ellen G. White Encyclopedia. Hagarstown, MD: Review & Herald, 2014, p. 814.

This article was originally published on the South American Division’s news site