“Go One Million,” a plan to recruit, train, and equip 1 million Seventh-day Adventist lay people for evangelism, was approved April 19 by the Adventist Church’s executive committee.

Michael Ryan, director of the Adventist Church’s Global Mission initiative, says the plan builds on the commitment to mission that already exists within the international Adventist community. “The Seventh-day Adventist Church has always been a church of mission,” Ryan told committee members. “‘To go’ has never been a question mark.  Adventists have accepted the gospel commission as a personal invitation to become involved.”

The goal of Go One Million is to prepare 1 million Adventist lay people around the world for evangelism by the time of the next Adventist World Session in June 2005. The project will be coordinated by the Personal Ministries department of the Adventist world church, but will also involve a number of partners, including lay organizations.

James Zackrison, director of the church’s Personal Ministries department, says Go One Million is “a very ‘do-able’ plan,” that draws on existing talent and enthusiasm for mission.

Under the plan, lay people will receive evangelistic materials that have been adapted to the distinctive social, religious, and political cultures in which they live.

While the broad principles and goals of the plan were approved at Spring Meeting by the executive committee of the Adventist Church, a coordinating committee will be established to further define and implement the program.