As we enter the final stretch of the Harvest 90 program, it is time to focus all our efforts, energy, finances, and other re sources on obtaining the victory. Now is the time to increase evangelistic activities to the maximum.
Elder Neal C. Wilson reminds us, "Let us remember that the final goal has not yet been reached. There remain only six quarters to sing the victory song. We need to accelerate our activities unitedly in order to culminate Harvest 90 successfully by the time of the next General Conference session."
Comparing Harvest 90 to a foot race, we praise the Lord that all divisions are running well. As we approach the finish line, we must put our all into the final push. In sporting events, the runners make a tremendous final effort as they near the end of the race. They concentrate all their energies, accelerate their pace to the maximum, and develop the greatest speed.
The Harvest 90 Advisory Committee, directed by Elder Kenneth Mittleider, met to outline suggested plans for a triumphant culmination of the Harvest 90 program. The committee recommended using the slogan "Harvest 90 Victory" for the culmination of the program as a demonstration of our faith that the victory will be won by the power of God and the participation of the entire church.
Strategy for 1989
The strategy is to augment the missionary activities and produce a gigantic global evangelism explosion to increase baptisms to the maximum.
It would be ideal for the divisions, unions, and local fields to reach their total Harvest 90 goal during 1989; thus the results obtained in 1990 would be a net gain. Up to the present time (September 1988), three unions and seven local fields have already gone over their Harvest 90 goal. All should be made aware of how close the culmination of Harvest 90 is in order to mobilize administrators, departmental leaders, pastors, and church members to participate in the exciting final phase. Also it would be well to use various methods to prepare hundreds of thousands of interested persons for making their decision to be baptized.
Worldwide evangelistic campaign
For the last year of Harvest 90, July 1989 to June 1990, the committee suggests doing something audacious: a worldwide evangelistic campaign. This could be a gigantic global program of total and permanent evangelistic activities involving participation by all the forces of the church.
The precedent for this worldwide campaign is the continent-wide and nationwide campaigns in which all the churches in a country or a large region unite in an evangelism program for a full year. National campaigns are planned for 1989 in Spain, Brazil, the Philippines, and Indonesia. For 1990 several divisions are outlining plans for continental campaigns.
During the last year of Harvest 90, all local fields and churches throughout the world will be conducting evangelistic and missionary activities. Some of these activities will be permanent, and others will only be held during certain times of the year.
Worldwide evangelistic campaign participants
1. General Conference, division, union, and local field personnel should be invited to set an example and serve as an inspiration to the workers and laity by participating in evangelistic activities.
2. Every pastor should participate actively in evangelism and training of church members for soul winning.
3. Each church department should make specific plans to collaborate in some kind of soul-winning activity.
4. Each institution should adapt its activities to an evangelistic approach.
5. The real secret of success will be a gigantic mobilization of millions of church members fully trained to win souls.
The local field and the worldwide evangelistic campaign
It would be good for leaders, pastors, and churches to engage in evangelism and make soul winning an absolute priority. It will be necessary to allocate sufficient funds for this special thrust. It is recommended that the following activities be implemented:
1. A metropolitan evangelistic campaign in the largest city of the local field. This would include an evangelistic campaign in each church and another conducted by the established congregations in a new territory.
2. Multiple Revelation seminars.
3. Recruitment and training of church members to participate in a variety of evangelistic and missionary activities.
4. Monthly baptisms in the churches.
The ideal is that each church and the majority of church members actively participate in the worldwide evangelistic campaign along with the pastors and elders who act as leaders and principal front-runners. We recommend that an evangelism program be implemented with two types of activities:
1. Permanent evangelistic activities (all year long)
a. Bible studies by pastors and lay persons.
b. Baptismal classes for adults, youth, and teenagers.
c. Internal evangelism--winning relatives and church members' children.
d. Family evangelism: each family in the church winning one family member and one friend or neighbor for Christ.
2. General evangelistic activities
a. Evangelistic campaign in the church by pastor or layperson.
b. Evangelistic campaign in a new territory.
c. Revelation seminars--conduct as many as possible.
d. Homes: 25 percent of church members' homes be centers of evangelism for the community.
e. Other appropriate methods.
Church member participation
In this global campaign the real secret of success will be the degree of church members' involvement. It is ideal that each member participate in some type of missionary activity. Our goal is:
1. One million members involved in direct soul-winning activities such as:
a. Conducting evangelistic campaigns.
b. Preparing candidates for baptism.
c. Conducting Revelation seminars.
d. Opening homes as centers for evangelism.
2. Four million members involved in missionary activities such as:
a. Sharing their personal testimony.
b. Bringing people to church activities.
c. Distributing handbills
d. Visiting from home to home
e. Participating on evangelistic campaign committees,
f. Doing other missionary activities.
It would be advantageous for each church throughout the world to train 20 percent of its members in direct soul-winning activities and 80 percent in general activities.
To the present, the most successful methods to win souls throughout the world are:
1. Public evangelism: all kinds of evangelistic campaigns conducted by evangelists, pastors, and lay preachers.
2. Bible studies: given to groups, families, or individuals by pastors and laypersons.
3. Baptismal class: permanently functioning throughout the year. It is good to organize separate classes for adults, youth, and teenagers.
4. Revelation seminars: held in churches, schools, hotels, etc.
5. Homes used for evangelistic activities such as Bible studies, seminars, and branch Sabbath schools.
6. Frequent baptisms: usually a baptism is the best occasion to obtain decisions for future baptisms.
Baptism festival
The general Harvest 90 strategy is to increase baptismal results yearly since there should be more members and pas tors each year.
To culminate Harvest 90, monthly baptisms should be held in each church. It would be good to make this ceremony evangelistic, and call for decisions and obtain the visitors' names so they can be visited as soon as possible.
The following dates are suggested for worldwide baptisms: (1) September 30, 1989; (2) December 23, 1989; and (3) March 30, 1990. Also a Harvest 90 Victory baptism could be conducted on May 26, 1990, just before the General Conference session. The last Harvest 90 baptism could be held on June 30, 1990.
Spiritual emphasis
It is important for the culmination of Harvest 90 to have a strong spiritual emphasis. Elder Neal C. Wilson recommends, "As we enter the last phase of Harvest 90,1 appeal to the world church and to each member to discover the joy of genuine spiritual renewal and revival based on reading the Bible, intercessory prayer, and personal and public witnessing." The Harvest 90 Advisory Committee advocates that a special week of prayer and revival be held at the beginning of the worldwide evangelistic campaign in July of 1989.
Challenge
Each division and union is urged to study these suggestions and make its own plans for Harvest 90 victory and the worldwide evangelistic campaign.
The Harvest 90 Advisory Committee challenges that the faith goal for the worldwide evangelistic campaign be 600,000 baptisms. It is harvest time. The work is to be finished in a blaze of glory and power that will astonish the world. God's ministers and people are to be come a flame of fire for Him.
Harvest 90 is in its final phase. Now is the time to accelerate our efforts to the maximum. Now is the time to give evangelism absolute priority. Now is the time to make great and daring plans. Now is the time to allocate more funds for evangelism. Now is the time to produce a gigantic mobilization of all the forces of the church. Now is the time to launch a total evangelistic offensive. Now is the time to produce a global evangelistic explosion. Now is the time to arise and gain the victory.
Elder Neal Wilson said, "I challenge the church to launch a massive evangelistic movement that will produce the most glorious results in the history of our church--all this through the miracle-working grace of our Lord and Saviour, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit."
We encourage every believer to join hands with us in making Harvest 90 a milestone toward completing the task. May our motto be "Everyone a conqueror in the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit."
