Adventist Leaders in Inter-America Focus on More Effective Evangelism Initiatives
September 17, 2021 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News
More than 600 Seventh-day Adventist union, conference and mission administrators as well as evangelism leaders and local pastors across the Inter-American Division (IAD) met during an online special training session to discuss better ways of reaching people of other faiths. The five-hour evangelism growth training, held Sep. 16, was aimed at strengthening and optimizing territory-wide efforts as the I Will Go mission initiative continues. The trainings sessions have been held once each quarter this year.
“Evangelism is the soul of the church and we must continue to preach, reflect the fullness of God and serve the community,” said Pastor Elie Henry, president of the church in Inter-America. Pastor Henry challenged the delegation of regional leaders to continue their efforts in getting church members involved in sharing the gospel where they are.
Pastor Elie Henry, president of the church in Inter-America, quotes one of Adventist Co-Founder Ellen G. White during his virtual keynote presentation to hundreds of union, conference, mission administrators, leaders and local pastors throughout the territory on Sep. 16, 2021. The meeting was part of an ongoing evangelism training sessions held every quarter to be more effective in evangelizing and collaborating in reaching the people with the gospel in every community in Inter-America.[Photo: IAD Screenshot]
It’s about using Christ’s method to reach others by mingling with people, showing sympathy, ministering to their needs and witnessing about the love of Jesus, he said.
“We must manifest a faithful presence, demonstrate love, grace, mercy and justice, and actively engage in the neighborhood and the community as a church,” added Pastor Henry. “When there is crisis, we can’t expect the community to change if they don’t have a way to improve.” It’s about connecting, visiting, engaging and looking for ways to work for the good of our neighborhoods before even introducing the gospel, he emphasized. Community centers, or centers of influence, must keep multiplying across the territory, Pastor Henry challenged.
Reaching others from different faiths means contextualizing and sharpening evangelism strategies and providing the meaning, methods and materials necessary to be effective in keeping the mission of the church vibrant and moving forward always, said Pastor Balvin Braham, vice president for the church in Inter-American in charge of evangelism.
Pastor Balvin Braham, vice president of the church in Inter-America in charge of evangelism, speaks during the five-hour training session. [Photo: IAD Screenshot]
Collaborating in regional groups
Just recently, all 24 unions, or major church regions, in the IAD were teamed up in five regional groups to coordinate evangelism initiatives and mission approaches in the months ahead. The five regions overseen by a IAD leader includes the five unions in Mexico as one group, Central America and Dominican Republic; Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba and Puerto Rico; French Antilles and Haiti; and the Unions in the Caribbean and Jamaica. Groups met separately during the online training session to go over strategies, community initiatives, regional evangelism campaigns and activities ahead.
The goal is for all unions to work together, reach people from all ages and social economic classes and teach them about the gospel and disciple them and keep them active in the mission of the church, added Braham. “It’s a total package to get people to know the Word of God, to believe the Word and live the Word,” he said. It’s all about moving together in a transformational way with the clear truths of the bible and assisting people to satisfy their personal needs and building relationships.
Part of the more than 600 church leaders who connected during the online evangelism training session on Sep. 16, 2021. [Photo: IAD Screenshot]
During a panel discussion session, leaders discussed ways of reaching people of other faiths such as learning and understanding their beliefs, culture, context and perspective, finding similarities when comparing to Adventist beliefs and biblical principles while not focusing on the differences, building relationships before witnessing to them.
“We as Seventh-day Adventists have this pressing desire to win people for Christ right away, but we have to see what the needs of the people are,” said Joel Fernández, evangelism coordinator for the church in the Dominican Republic as he took part on the panel. “Jesus didn’t ask what people’s creed was. It’s not about evangelizing, but caring, finding out their pressing needs and making an impact, a difference.”
The next quarter evangelism training session is scheduled for December 8, 2021.
To find presentations and resources used during the online evangelism training session, visit sorttpadd.com