October 31, 2024 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Some might wonder how a Sabbath school class can win souls for Jesus. After all, isn’t Sabbath school just a place where members meet to study that week’s lesson? Well, Sabbath school does provide an opportunity for people to discuss the Bible lesson, but it is so much more!
Inspiration tells us: “The Sabbath school should be one of the greatest instrumentalities, and the most effectual, in bringing souls to Christ” (Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 10).
Taking this instruction to heart, the South American Division decided to implement the Global Total Member Involvement strategy in each Sabbath School class across their territory. To help implement this plan, 327 leaders from all conferences and missions in South America gathered at the division headquarters for training.
With the theme, “Teachers Shepherding the Mission,” the focus was on Sabbath school teachers being an extension of the ministry of Jesus, caring for members, and emboldening them in mission. The plan was to apply the Global TMI strategy—that is, preparing, planting, cultivating, harvesting, and discipling— in the life of the Sabbath school class. The goal was to involve more than 100,000 Sabbath school classes across South America!
And already, results are being seen! A Sabbath school class in São Paulo, Brazil, decided to see what would happen if they approached Sabbath school as a way to win souls, and the results were tremendous! In April of 2023, nine new disciples were baptized as a result of the Lord’s blessing and the careful work of Sabbath school members.
But that isn’t the end of the story! The group continued to grow, and in March 2024, this missionary Sabbath school class became a new church! We praise the Lord for these tremendous results and ask for His continued blessings as more souls are won to Him.
What about your Sabbath school class? Would you like for your class to participate in this exciting Global Total Member Involvement movement? When we step out in faith, you never know how great God’s blessings will be!
We read this divine encouragement in Ecclesiastes 11:6—“In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good” (NKJV).
If you would like to learn more about the Global TMI plan and how you can use it in your Sabbath school class and church, I encourage you to visit the website, globaltmi.org [Insert: globaltmi.org], where you will find more information and many helpful resources.
May God bless as we reach out together to world in need. Global TMI—now is the time! Get involved!