Seventh-day Adventist leaders in the Southern Asia-Pacific region report that some 8,000 people have been baptized since the beginning of 2002, as part of the region’s emphasis on “Go One Million”—an international initiative encouraging lay evangelism.

These baptisms are the result of a series of lay-run evangelistic events held during April at a number of local Adventist churches in Southern Philippines, says Leonardo Asoy, personal ministries director for this area. He says these events represent only 40 percent of the number of churches that have planned evangelistic series. The remaining 60 percent will conduct their programs over the coming months.

Adventist leaders in the Southern Asia-Pacific region are also preparing to conduct another round of “Go One Million” leadership training seminars. These seminars will be held throughout the region during July and August.

“This time, we will train local church leaders on how to nurture new church members as thousands are added to our church rolls each year,” says Pastor Violeto Bocala, president of the Adventist church in the Southern-Asia Pacific region.

Go One Million, a plan to recruit, train, and equip 1 million Seventh-day Adventist lay people for evangelism, was approved April 2001 by the Adventist Church’s top executive committee.

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