Our recipe club meets every first Monday of the month.

Every Sabbath [Saturday] afternoon we show videos of the Protestant Reformation and the History of Christ and the Christian Sabbath day of worship.

 Lay Participation
In 1908 Ellen White wrote as follows: "The work of God in this earth can never be finished until the men and women comprising our church-membership rally to the work and unite their efforts with those of ministers and church officers."* This concept, of all parts of the world church working together toward a common goal, is at the heart of Sow 1 Billion. "In our thinking about mission there cannot be an artificial divide between lay and institutional church outreach activities," says Paulsen. "There must be a total change in paradigm, with all quarters of the church focused on mission. We must finish the work together, as one family. And it is in this model that we must move forward with Sow 1 Billion."

Laypeople are the driving force of Sow 1 Billion. Laypeople have been involved in every stage of the initiative, including the initial planning. A group of laypeople have also provided funding for the printing of the leaflets. During the Adventist-Laymen's Services and Industries (ASI) convention in August, an offering of $1 million was raised for Sow 1 Billion. In most parts of the world lay members will have the primary responsibility for delivering the brochures, and will also lead out in the follow-up to responses, sending out Bible lessons and giving Bible studies.

"When Jesus said to go into all the world with a message of God's love, He wasn't just talking to evangelists, pastors, teachers, or administrators," says longtime ASI member and Sow 1 Billion supporter Garwin McNeilus. "He was talking to you and to me--everyone who is a follower of Christ."

The Challenge of Follow-up
Printing and distributing 1,000 million Bible study invitations is no small task. But perhaps the more difficult, and most important, part of Sow 1 Billion is what happens next--following up on the requests for Bible studies.

"We have some 145 Bible schools around the world in 130 countries," says Kurt Johnson, GC world Bible correspondence coordinator. "We've been talking to Bible school leaders from various countries about the need to print Bible lessons and train church members so they can work together and be ready for all the requests we receive for Bible lessons."

People are often nervous about giving their first Bible study, says Johnson. But once they see someone learn to love Jesus and make a decision to follow Him, "they have no words to describe the joy and excitement they feel."

In Asia, South America, Inter-America, and parts of Europe and Africa, Sow 1 Billion is already under way, with leaflets being distributed and Bible study requests beginning to flow in. In other areas of the world church, preparations for Sow 1 Billion are well advanced. "The biggest challenge for the church is to prepare the hearts of our people to have the will to follow this up," says Michael Ryan, a GC vice president. In the words of Mark Finley, "Sow 1 Billion is ambitious, but I don't think anything is too ambitious for God."

All Rights reserved