March 7, 2008 – Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic…[Libna Stevens/IAD Staff]
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The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Dominican Republic began projecting 10-second electronic billboard ads throughout four of the busiest intersections of Santo Domingo, the capital city. The ads are designed to remind onlookers about God’s law and its power to free them.
The electronic ads began projecting Mar. 5 and will be played 50 times per day for the next 30 days, says Silvestre Gonzalez, communication director for the church in the Dominican Republic.
“It’s a new form of evangelizing here in Santo Domingo with super modern screens,” says Gonzalez. “We want to spread a positive message to the pedestrians, drivers and passengers who travel the streets of our city every day.”
The ad consists of three short slides: an image of Jesus pointing to the words “The law of Freedom”, an image of the 10 commandment tablets, and “The Seventh-day Adventist Church” with its logo, according to Gonzalez.
“We wanted to point people to the benefits of following God’s Law in keeping with the celebration of the independence of the nation which began last month and will continue on during the days ahead. We also want to make the Adventist Church more visible to onlookers,” he adds.
Although the church has made itself well known in Santo Domingo, a city with over 2 million people, through its many community ministries, radio and television, the ads were designed to bring the church and its message to the attention of commuters.
“It [the ad] is positive because it reminds human beings that there is a Law of God that puts society and the family in order,” says Juana Diaz, a local commuter.
Church leaders are also planning to include ads which promote the family and education during the coming months.
There are more than 242,000 Seventh-day Adventists in the Dominican Republic worshiping in 614 churches and congregations. In Santo Domingo alone there are 103,000 members worshiping in 282 churches.
