"When the NET '95 planning committee met we scarcely had the faith to ask God for a response as great as the one He has given us. The thousands who have found Christ and been drawn to this Movement, our members whose hearts have been revived, the change in attitude toward evangelism in many of our churches, and the uncounted seeds that have been sown for later reaping are just a few of the tangible gifts for which we praise Him." —Alfred C. McClure, President Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America
NET '95 was a marvelous blend of talents. Lonnie Melashenko, Voice of Prophecy speaker and host of the Adventist Communication Network, is pictured with Mark and Teenie Finley and team. His voice was heard each evening as he gave the welcome and introduction. Teenie Finley was in charge of the record committee, ushers, and a host of other details. She gave untiringly of her time and talents.
"It is very exciting and moving to see that God has taken our combined efforts and done something so big!" exclaimed Warren Judd, (left) producer for NET '95 . When the cameras rolled, it took only 6/1 of a second to send the message 48,000 miles to 800 locations throughout North America.
Drawing on a wealth of evangelistic experience, C.D. Brooks, speaker of the Breath of Life telecast, had a captive audience as he used his gifted approach in leading the question and answer period during the crusade.
Countless hours with phones and faxes were spent by Marjorie Gray, head of the information center, and Doug Jansen. Don Gray, (top, rear) coordinator for NET '95 said, "I saw how we were pulled together as a united group working toward one great goal. I have never witnessed such unity in the church during my entire ministry! There is only one explanation, it was the pronounced work of God!"
"You don't know me because I haven't been turning in my name, but I want to be baptized!" Pastor Derrick Nichols (pictured) of the West Toronto Church in Canada received five such phone calls during NET '95. When he visited them, they had a clear understanding of the truth from Finley's preaching. "NET '95 revived me," Nichols reflected. "There were 500 attending each evening. We've had many baptisms, and there was a tremendous renewal among our members."
Mickey, (left) who lives on the East Coast, phoned her sister, Brenda, (right) who lives on the West Coast. "I'm going to some meetings listening to a man named Mark Finley. Have you ever heard of him?" There was an explosion of excitement over the long distance lines as they discovered that each had been attending the meetings and both were being baptized! Mickey has been unable to have a baby. For nine years she had been told she could never become pregnant, and had just come back from the doctor again confirming the bad news. After attending the meetings, accepting Christ and the invitation to follow Him, she went to the doctor again and was told she WAS expecting! After her baptism she went in for an ultrasound and discovered SHE'S EXPECTING TWINS!
A contagious evangelistic spirit fills the Altamonte Springs Church in Florida. The congregation is opening with another evangelistic crusade three months after closing NET '95! This family represents many that were baptized by Pastor Ron Bentzinger as a result of NET '95.
The truth about Jesus must be so great that people will do anything to come! When NET '95 began, this guest from the community came on his motorcycle. Later, members noticed that he was riding his bicycle. Don Howell lived five miles away and was riding his bike because his motor cycle had broken down and he had no car. Later, he came with roller skates on! He rode the bus as far as it would take him, then skated the one and a half miles to the church so that he could take in the meeting!
Richard and Vicki Jones' marriage had fizzled to the point they were leading separate lives, yet living on the same property. Richard lived in a cabin on their land, while Vicki lived in the house, and they each drove separate vehicles. They started attending NET '95 coincidentally on different nights, so neither knew the other was going. Then one night they appeared in the lobby of the little church almost at the same time and the greeter introduced them to one another. "Yeah, I know her," Richard muttered, "she's my wife!" The Holy Spirit used NET '95 to renew their marriage and they were happily baptized together.
David Jones, Jr., son of the It Is Written telecast producer David Jones, Sr. was baptized by Pastor Rob Randall at the Finleys home church in Southern California.
Tucked away in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washing ton is this little church with a satellite dish almost bigger than the church! Lay pastor, Christopher Donovan (who lives in the trailer parked by the church) reports that four interests came every night, along with three members. Pastor Hal Gates already baptized several during his monthly visits to the Friday Harbor church and more are scheduled.
"I had my name taken off the church books over 20 years ago," recalls Martha Quirk, switchboard operator of Jellico Community Hospital in Tennessee. "I heard every one of Mark Finley's messages. The ones I couldn't attend my Dad taped for me." Her dad, Jack King, was an assistant administrator of the Adventist hospital 20 years ago. Now he, along with the hospital staff and the loving little church family are glowing with pride. Martha's come home! "I knew it was time-l couldn't wait any longer," Martha cried in a recent interview. At her baptism Pastor John Jehle lovingly told her, "God never stopped loving you all these years."
Roses in a Pamper! Harold and Marlene Schmidt are proud grandparents that kept their baptismal roses fresh Sabbath afternoon until returning home by moistening a Pamper from their daughter's diaper bag! The handbill for NET '95 showed up the day they had spent all morning praying that God would lead them to a church. The church in Vernon, British Columbia had baptisms eight Sabbaths in a row! Five of these people had no previous contact with Adventists and were praying to find a church family when the brochure arrived.
Ed Compton is a traveling salesman who watched Mark Finley in eight different locations! He phoned one church and asked, "Are you having a meeting tonight?" He arrived to find people sitting in a circle on the stage doing a family planning seminar. "I want to hear Mark Finley!" he exclaimed. They pointed to the balcony. There was a man sitting with head phones on recording that night's message to be shown the following night. Ed raced up the stairs, wanting to hear that night's message on recognizing cults. Since there was only one set of headphones, the deacon handed them to Ed and said, "When you're all done just make sure you turn off the power and lock the church door." Ed and his wife Erlena would talk long distance every night after she got home from the Chattanooga crusade. He would pack his Bible with him every week as he headed out for his trips. They were submersed together in baptism the last night of Finley's crusade in Chattanooga. "We feel so happy to have this relationship with Jesus Christ," they shared. "And I'm totally amazed by the attitude of people from church to church," Ed continued. "They were all so friendly!" The Comptons were among the 275 baptized in the Chattanooga area.
Sylvester Case, pastor of the Aurora Adventist Church east of Denver, Colorado has created a corps of nurturing couples in his congregation that keep contact with the people who have been baptized. Comments from new members include "I can't believe how welcomed I feel in the Adventist church," "I don't detect any phoniness," "I love the sense of belonging and how special I'm made to feel." He reports strong church support during NET '95 and many baptisms. "This message hasn't lost any of its power," Case stated. "Public evangelism proves it every time. Evangelists make people proud of our heritage and beliefs!"
