March 8, 2006 Phoenix, Arizona, United States …. [Michele Stotz/Gerry Chudleigh/ANN Staff]
Just as its weekly U.S.-based television broadcast turns 50 years old, It Is Written, a Seventh-day Adventist media outreach born of an evangelist’s vision, is returning to public outreach with a month-long satellite series on the book of Revelation.
In 1950, Adventist pastor George Vandeman had a desire to put the “full message” of the Seventh-day Adventist Church on television. After six years of effort and cultivation, It Is Written was born and has since become a classic of television programming which still reaches out today — most recently including video podcasts alongside satellite and broadcast television.
Under Vandeman’s direction, It Is Written entered many new evangelism arenas. His live “Revelation Seminars” attracted tens of thousands of eager visitors, and the telecast entered millions of homes in numerous countries.
In 1991, Vandeman retired and Mark Finley accepted the position as the ministry’s new speaker/director. He also shared Vandeman’s vision for Adventist outreach, and in 1995 made history with a satellite evangelistic series called NET ’95. It was the single largest evangelistic meeting in the history of the Adventist Church. In 2005, Finley became a general vice president of the Seventh-day Adventist world church, responsible for its Center for Global Evangelism.
“Fifty years later, this dynamic ministry continues to be a premier Adventist evangelistic outreach,” says Finley. “For half a century, thousands of Adventists have claimed It Is Written as ‘their’ television program, participating as viewers and supporters.”
By 2000, the It Is Written telecast’s reach had expanded greatly. Although hundreds of other Christian broadcasts had flooded the airwaves, It Is Written maintained its rank as one of the top 10 religious programs in North America, and received more than 30 awards for excellence in programming. Today, the weekly broadcast is produced in a total of nine languages, and can be seen in nearly every country of the world.
From March 10 to April 8, Pastor Shawn Boonstra, the current speaker/director, will explore Christ’s love as illustrated through the book of Revelation. “Revelation Speaks Peace — Unlocking the Signs” will be broadcast live from Phoenix via the ACN/Esperanza satellite to churches across North America as the official “NET” series of 2006.
It Is Written has designed Revelation Speaks Peace —
Unlocking the Signs in a way that encourages its viewers and other members of the community to visit their local Adventist church. It is Boonstra’s desire that, through this series, people will learn more about the plan of salvation and Jesus’ love for them, as illustrated through the book of Revelation.
“I think that a NET series is the perfect way to commemorate It Is Written’s 50th anniversary,” said Don Schneider, president of the Adventist Church in North America. “This ministry was founded upon the principles of evangelism, and there is no better way to celebrate this historic event than by leading others to Christ!”
Related Sites
Revelations Speaks Peace the satellite television series at www.unlockthesigns.com
Copyright (c) 2006 by Adventist News Network.
