Television evangelism is yet in its infancy, but already it has proved itself a successful soul winner. Many people, watching television, receive their first impressions of our truth.
When a convert from a series of meetings writes, "I first became interested in the Seventh-day Adventist message through viewing Faith for Today," it is evident that television evangelism does successfully sow seed.
With three-week reaping meetings becoming increasingly popular, it is obvious that a weekly television program such as Faith for Today, with its Bible school follow-up, is invaluable to the pastor and evangelist. A three-week series does not create Seventh-day Adventists overnight. Rather, it capitalizes on interest which has been developed over a period of time.
Consequently, the pastor or evangelist who conducts such a series must be constantly on the alert for folks who have been studying the Seventh-day Adventist message. Bible school interests, then, become prime sources for visiting, having an almost unlimited potential for decisions.
Naturally, Faith for Today is interested in cooperating in every way with the pastor and evangelist who is conducting a series of reaping meetings. After the telecast has been presented in an area for six months or a year (in some areas this will have been considerably longer), a three-week series of reaping meetings can be planned. The series can be built around Faith for Today viewer interests and also Bible school enrollments.
To cooperate in conducting the meetings, Faith for Today will send out special invitation letters to television and Bible school interests over the signature of Pastor W. A. Fagal. Interested ones will be cordially invited to attend the meetings. In this way the telecast is tied in with the meetings at the outset. Faith for Today is prepared to cover not only the immediate vicinity of the meetings but also a twentyfive-mile radius in the area with invitation letters, and handbills also, if you choose.
The following information should be included with the request at least three weeks prior to the opening date: (1) Opening date and hour of meeting; (2) name and street address of auditorium; (3) name of speaker; (4) title of opening address; (5) neighboring towns to be included in invitation; (6) nights that meetings will be held and length of series; (7) any additional information that should be included; (8) name and address to which the names should be sent; (9) name of conference.
A small charge of ten cents a letter is made for first-class postage and handling. Then as soon as the invitations are mailed, a listing of names and addresses that have been sent invitations and handbills will be forwarded to the speaker. He can then get in touch with these folks during the meetings.
Requests for these services for Faith for Today reaping meetings should be sent to Public Relations Department, Faith for Today, 200 Stonehinge Lane, Carle Place, Long Island, New York 11514.
In certain areas it may be possible to arrange for one of several Faith for Today reaping evangelists to conduct the series. Even in areas where Faith for Today is not being televised, reaping meetings can be conducted. This is because of the wide outreach of the Bible course.
In conducting reaping meetings, the following steps can be followed:
Over a period of six months or one year there should be four mass enrollment days, when the entire city is blanketed with Bible course enrollment leaflets.
Just as soon as some meetings are definitely planned and the time they are to begin has been determined, visitation teams can be organized. These will assist the pastor in following up Faith for Today TV interests and also Bible school students. This consistent visitation program will develop interest.
The pastor or evangelist will then make up an over-all listing in which prospects will be included and categorized. For example, one may be marked a casual interest, another a developing interest, and still another a person who believes the Sabbath and is attending church.
Two months before the meetings begin, a mass Faith for Today television survey should be conducted. This will invite folks throughout the community through the use of logs to view Faith for Today. Bible school enrollment cards should be distributed again. The TV survey will not only emphasize the importance of the program, but will help highlight the harvesting meetings soon to follow.
To give the meetings maximum impact, Faith for Today has a number of films that have wide general interest and appeal which can be shown during the series. These are available at a slight charge, which covers handling and mailing. They serve to develop further a strong tie-in between meetings and telecast.
These films are available in black and white and occasionally color. Catalog listings are available.
There is always the possibility that Pastor Fagal and the Faith for Today quartet will be in the vicinity for such a series while the meetings are in progress. If so, opportunity would be welcomed to help with one of the meetings or perhaps take the first meeting in the series.
Where the pastor and quartet are not available, it is suggested that for the first