When it comes to witness and outreach, "God can deal with our shortcomings, but not with our unwillingness," said Seventh-day Adventist world church president Pastor Jan Paulsen, during a Sow 1 Billion rally in Phoenix, Arizona.
When it comes to witness and outreach, “God can deal with our shortcomings, but not with our unwillingness,” said Seventh-day Adventist world church president Pastor Jan Paulsen, during a Sow 1 Billion rally in Phoenix, Arizona.
Paulsen’s comments come as Adventists in North America are beginning a massive effort to share 25 million of the 1 billion Sow 1 Billion leaflets—small Bible study invitations being delivered by both mail and by hand—that will be distributed around the world.
The event, held March 6, marked the launch of the Sow 1 Billion project in Arizona. Pastor Paulsen, vice president Mike Ryan, and others spoke at two rallies—one for Spanish-speaking church members in the morning, and another for English-speakers in the afternoon.
The goal of Sow 1 Billion—to reach 1,000 million people worldwide with an invitation to study God’s word—could seem overwhelming, Paulsen acknowledged. But he said the real challenge of Sow 1 Billion is whether each person is prepared to make a personal commitment to outreach in our daily lives. “Christ didn’t say ‘I want you to convert the whole world and then I will come back,’” said Paulsen. “He just said, ‘I want you to be my witnesses.’”
Duane McKey, president of the church in Arizona, pledged that Adventists in that state would distribute a total of 225,000 Sow 1 Billion invitations.
Marti Schneider, director of programs for Global Mission at the church’s world headquarters, and a speaker at the rallies, reported on the launch of Sow 1 Billion in North America earlier this year, and the results that are already beginning to flow in. The church in Quebec, Canada, was assigned 100,000 cards, but has requested 1 million in French and 200,000 in English. The church in Alaska, with a membership of just over 3,500, will distribute 214,000 cards. The church in Oklahoma, which has just started sharing cards, has been receiving 100 responses a day. Three churches in Montana have delivered 15,000 cards, and currently have 150 Bible studies as a result.
Don and Laura Noble, from lay ministry Maranatha Volunteers International, spoke about the 1000 Churches in 1000 Days program. They stressed the importance of not just bringing people into the church through Sow 1 Billion, but also providing basic facilities for them, such as places to worship, schools, and resources.
