FOCUS ON REAPING, a Voice of Prophecy total evangelism reaping thrust, is designed to provide an opportunity for local pastor-evangelists, and conference and union evangelists to capitalize on the name and image of the Voice of Prophecy that has been built up during forty years of broad cast and Bible school evangelism.
Focus on Reaping is not intended to take the place of other programs, nor is it to be a continuous program; but during the year, when it is used in a designated city, it be comes the channel and main thrust of the missionary program of the local church and of the public evangelistic program.
The first two phases of Focus on Reaping involve the laymen in preparing the soil for a Voice of Prophecy public evangelistic crusade. These two phases of the. Focus program combine two of the,, most successful methods of soul winning ever devised the Bible correspondence course and Gift Bible Evangelism. The utilization of these methods in a combined form has been proved to be highly effective, increasing the results obtained from each.
Phase three is concerned with a Voice of Prophecy crusade that is conducted by a local pastor-evangelist or a conference or union evangelist.
Phase four is concerned with follow-up. The program is carefully timed to bring a concentration of interests to the point of decision at the time the decision meeting is to be held.
Phase 1: Focus on Living
The main thrust of Phase 1 is to in crease the radio listening audience and to enroll every possible interest in Focus on Living, an eleven-lesson Bible correspondence course by H. M. S. Richards, which aims at conversion and practical Christian living. All of the lessons have four-color covers with contemporary art work, titles, and format. Currently, on a testing basis, they are being sent by continuous mailing, two each week, to all who enroll.
Timing: Phase 1 should begin four to six months before the opening night of the Voice of Prophecy evangelistic reaping crusade.
Methods: Mass distribution to every home in the community of the Focus on Living Bible correspondence course enrollment card with an imprint of the local stations carrying the Voice of Prophecy broad cast. Mail the Focus on Living enrollment card to surrounding rural areas and to every possible name in the local interest file. Advertise the radio broadcast and the Focus on Living Bible correspondence course through spots run as tags on the local Voice of Prophecy broadcast, the pastor's broadcast, and at other times on the local station.
Objectives: To awaken new interests, to discover old interests who have previously made no contact with the Voice of Prophecy, to build an interest list for the coming evangelistic crusade, and to screen these interests for the Gift Bible Plan, thus developing a high quality of interest resulting in a financial saving in Bibles distributed and encouraging laymen by making the gift- Bible contacts easier and more fruitful.
Materials available: Focus on Living enrollment cards (with local radio log imprinted), newspaper mats and reproproofs, radio spots, letters for special interest lists.
Phase 2: Focus on Your Bible
The main thrust of Phase 2 is intensive follow-up by laymen of all graduates from the Focus on Living correspondence course through Gift Bible Evangelism.
Timing: Phase 2 begins as soon as students begin to graduate from the Focus on Living correspondence course, which will be two to four months before the evangelistic crusade begins.
Methods: All who complete the Focus on Living Bible correspondence course are sent a coupon with the final lesson which entitles the graduate to receive a set of Bible study guides and (to those who complete all of the study guides) a gift Bible. Any set of gift-Bible study guides can be used. All who have completed one of the other Voice of Prophecy courses will also be invited to receive the study guides and a gift Bible.
Objectives: To involve laymen in personal contacts with the best interests developed through the Focus on Living correspondence course. Laymen acting as Voice of Prophecy representatives personally deliver the gift-Bible guides to the interested ones and go over them with the students the following week. Thus a concentration of interests is brought to the point of decision at the time of the evangelistic reaping campaign through involving the laymen in this carefully timed program of field preparation.
Phase 3: Focus on Decision
The main thrust of Phase 3 is a Voice of Prophecy reaping crusade held by the co operating pastor-evangelist, or conference or union evangelist.
Methods: Laymen are eager to invite and bring to the meetings their interests developed under Phases 1 and 2 of the program. Spot announcements on the Voice of Prophecy broadcast invite listeners to the crusade. Handbills with a letter of invitation from the Voice of Prophecy speaker are sent to all names gathered through the Focus on Living thrust.
Materials available: A Voice of Prophecy crusade advertising kit is available. This gives full details of advertising materials and services offered by the Voice of Prophecy.
Phase 4: Focus on Follow-up
The main thrust of Phase 4 is to follow up the evangelistic crusade through en rolling all remaining interests as well as newly baptized members in a Voice of Prophecy Bible course, either by correspondence or in a pastor's Bible class.
