Recently the Voice of Prophecy embarked on the boldest and most fruitful venture in the history of Adventist evangelism with its South American crusade series. Now the North American media ministry is poised to do it again in the Philippines. Evangelists from the island nation and North America hope to baptize 50,000 people in 1996 with Target: 50,000.
This massive project is a coordinated series of up to 150 evangelistic crusades throughout the Philippines in commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Voice of Prophecy in that country. Lonnie Melashenko, VOP director-speaker, is enthusiastic: "It's mind-boggling to contemplate this largest-ever Adventist evangelistic campaign. But we know that with the Lord's blessing, what seems impossible will become the miraculous."
Project director Jim Zachary, on loan to the VOP from the General Conference Ministerial Association, hopes that 50 to 150 churches across the United States and Canada will adopt sister churches in the Philippines and raise the funds for sending their own pastor and some lay members to assist with a crusade at the sister church.
Vitally involved in planning and sponsoring Target: 50,000 is the Partnership in Evangelism (PEP) in the Philippines, an organization comprised mainly of Filipino-American Adventists led by Benjamin B. Banaag, M.D. For many years PEP has organized and sponsored evangelistic crusades in the Philippines. Joining them in serious financial commitment to the 1996 Philippines crusades are the VisionBuilders, a North American group of mostly lay Adventists committed to praying for and financially supporting the various outreaches of the VOP.
Successful model crusade
A prototype of the upcoming crusades was conducted this year in Iloilo City by James A. Cress, director of the General Conference Ministerial Association. Results were most encouraging. More than 1,000 attended the nightly meetings, with 828 baptized during the crusade and in follow-up. Helping Jim Cress were local pastors and 20 third-year theology students, along with Sharon Cress, wife of the speaker and the coordinator of Shepherdess International at the General Conference. Also assisting were two couples from the United States: Carl and Ella Johnston, on behalf of the Ministerial Supply Center and Seminars Unlimited, and Walt and LaBrenda Groff, a pastoral couple from Rocklin, California. Their congregation not only released them to serve in the Philippines crusade, but financially sponsored their travel and participation.
How many churches will do likewise in 1996? The VOP solicits your prayers on behalf of this bold adventure in fulfilling the gospel commission. For information about volunteering for Target: 50,000 or adopting a sister church, write: Philippines Campaign, Voice of Prophecy, Box 2525, Newbury Park, California 91319.
