FIVE glorious days of nothing but inspirational, evangelistic instruction and warm, friendly visits with fellow ministers were enjoyed by nearly 100 pastors, evangelists, and conference administrators attending the "Philippian Fellowship" held in New Orleans by the Southwestern Union, January 4-8, 1971.
The uniquely different Philippian Fellow ship under the direction of Elden K. Walter, Ministerial secretary of the Southwestern Union, featured many creative innovations such as the "double-header" evening service. Elder Walter stated, "If we can enthusiastically sit through and enjoy a double-header baseball game, then we as pastors and evangelists can certainly do the same for an evangelistic council."
It was a thrilling and unforgettable experience to sit through double sessions featuring such men as E. E. Cleveland of the General Conference Ministerial Association; Dr. Bob Pierce of the Chicago Temple; Fordyce W. Detamore of the Voice of Prophecy; and Harmon Brownlow, coordinator of evangelism for the Southeastern California Conference.
Everyone who led out in a discourse, demonstration, or discussion was a successful practicing pastor-evangelist in the area of his presentation. How refreshing to see and hear so many new things, not just theories, but creative and proven programs that are really working in spite of the extreme difficulties faced by those engaged in Seventh-day Adventist evangelism today.
Among the many special features were two non-Adventist speakers who have demonstrated by their leadership that they are two of the outstanding soul-winning pastors among evangelical Protestants today. Dr. Bob Pierce, the dynamic, evangelistic, fundamentalist pastor of the Chicago Temple, presented two challenging lectures on preaching. His famous 568-foot-tall church has continued to attract and win thou sands, while other congregations in the down town loop of Chicago have dried up or moved to the suburbs.
Archie Parrish, minister of lay evangelism from the unusual Coral Ridge Presbyterian church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, outlined the philosophy and organizational techniques that have caused their famous congregation to grow from 17 to 2,000 in ten years. The question Will the Coral Ridge approach work for Seventh-day Adventists was answered by Warren Heintz, secretary of Southeastern California Conference, who showed how the North Park San Diego Seventh-day Adventist church baptized between 100 and 150 individuals in only one year by using an organizational approach similar to the Coral Ridge program.
It was like old times to hear Fordyce Betamore and E. E. Cleveland, two of our denomination's most distinguished, beloved, and successful evangelists, give their messages the same traditional ring that stirred and challenged many in the audience to make a decision to become full-time evangelists some ten, fifteen, or twenty years ago.
Among the Ministerial secretaries, pastors, and evangelists who served as guest lecturers on the program were Eric Ward, pastor-evangelist of Southern California, Joel Tompkins, Ministerial secretary of New Jersey Conference, and Harmon Brownlow, evangelist-coordinator of the Southeastern California Conference.
The Spirit of the Lord moved markedly upon the entire group of dedicated ministers as fresh drafts of divine inspiration fanned the fires of evangelism.
The program was climaxed by a beautiful candlelight communion service in the "upper room" as the entire group assembled for a passover-type supper followed by the ordinances and a warm spiritual testimonial service.
Delegates representing all five conferences of the Southwestern Union along with a large number of guests from fields across the nation declared the Philippian Fellowship to be one of the most inspirational and personally helpful ministerial councils they have ever attended.
