Sow 1 Billion Invitations
launched September 1, 2003

As a historical moment, "September 1st 2003" comes to the Adventist world wide churches. All of the Union Conferences and Missions in the Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) territory are concentrating rays of evangelistic power into focus on the Sow 1 Billion Initiative.

Since the Sow 1 Billion (S1B) Project was voted by the World Church leaders in October, 2002, NSD and each Union Conference and Mission level S1B Task Forces were organized and have been propelling it towards evangelism in our territory.

The S1B is a plan to distribute 1 billion special brochures to invite new souls to study the Bible from September 1, 2002 to August 31, 2004. With an average of around four people per household worldwide, there is a potential for these 1 billion brochures to reach some 2/3 of the world's population. Church leaders expect that a mere 0.5 percent response rate will result in 5 million requests for Bible studies.

With expectation of unprecedented and extraordinary results, all church members in the NSD territory along with world wide Adventists will be involved in passing out brochures to friends, neighbors, and people they meet during their everyday life.

Dr. John McGhee, NSD S1B Coordinator said, "Our Division has developed a very clear strategy for Sow 1 Billion. We have prepared our plans for "Turning on the Light" in nearly 60 million homes in our territory beginning September 1, 2003."

"These plans include the funding, production, prayer support, distribution, and follow-up of more than 56 million pamphlets featuring the message "Don't Be Afraid (Don't Worry)." Six units: Hong Kong/Macao, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Taiwan and Unorganized Territories, have appointed S1B Task Forces which have designed unique, creative pamphlets, and made plans for follow-up by strengthening their territories' Central Bible Schools and organizing at least 10 % of the churches into Bible Schools.

15,000 "Go One Million" participants will become the central corps of the Bible Teachers in 400 local Bible Schools which are planned to be in full operation by December 31, 2003," added Dr. McGhee.

His emphasis on this S1B initiative to make it successful is as follows:

1. The key to all these plans is prayerful DISTRIBUTION of pamphlets to family, friends, neighbors, and citizens by EVERY active Sabbath School member in the NSD.

2. We can do it by sharing an average of 2 pamphlets per day for one year. Or we can share 60 pamphlets per month on a Sabbath afternoon for 12 months. Or we can share 750 pamphlets in one week, once this year. You can expect to give out about 70 in an hour.

3. You will be very proud of the product we have to share. I am. However, there is ONE BIG REQUEST I want to make. Please pray before you give the pamphlet to anyone, asking God to prepare the heart of the receiver and to show you who to share with.

4. PRAYER is the most important ingredient for our NSD team to turn on the lights in Northern Asia through "Sow 1 Billion."

In this column we would like to share special comments on the S1B project from the unit Sow 1 Billion coordinators or leaders.

From Japan Union Conference (JUC) Coordinator, Tadashi Yamaji

"We will distribute 5 million copies of the S1B brochures from September 1, 2002 to August 31, 2004. Regarding

photo1: S1B Brochure for Hong Kong- Macao Conference Territory

successful distribution ways, there is no magical method for this project. We just pray and ask the Holy Spirit to touch the heart of the people in the church and also out on the streets.

The three most important points that I want to emphasize on for the successful S1B project are as follows:

1. This is a Genuine Prayer Project. We are led into this project as a result of a spirit filled prayer. We cannot accomplish the project of this scale without an earnest prayer.

2. This is a Creative Distribution Project. The number of pamphlets we are going to distribute is the number which no one has ever done before. We must be really creative as we distribute them.

3. This is a Personal Bible Study Project. We are expecting to receive at least 10-20 times the number of regular year's enrollment to the VOP Bible correspondent school. Local churches should also expect to have a great number of people seeking Bible Study as a result of the pamphlet distribution.

VOP Japan is beginning two new doctrinal courses: introductory course and basic course. These two courses are available also as materials to be used at the Local Church based Bible Schools. JUC will provide the materials to the local churches for free.

We are distributing five million copies of pamphlets within one year period. We expect to receive at least 25,000 applications for Bible Study, and as a result over 200 baptisms from this project."

From Korean Union Conference (KUC) Coordinator, Lee, Hark-bong

"We will distribute a total of 32 million copies from September 1, 2003 to August 31, 2003. We have planned to divide it into five sessions for one year. Six million copies will be printed to distribute for each session and the design of brochures for each session will be different.

Our strategic method to accomplish this project is a four- dimension plan as follows:

1. Daily: Every church member passes out brochures to people on the streets and vehicles with some conversation.

2. Weekly: We have weekly training programs for Go 1 Million participants. The participants will pass out the brochures every week.

3. Monthly: The first Sabbath of every month is Evangelism Day. Church members will altogether join the project on Sabbath afternnon.

4. Quarterly: Every quarter local churches will unite with one another to reach the unreached with the brochures.

It is important to put the plans into practice. Following Ellen G. White's counsels, no matter how recipients respond and even though some people put the brochure into the trash can, we should do our best to help them receive the truth through the brochures. The key point in inviting people for Bible study is the distribution of the brochures.

"Go 1 Million," "Sow 1 Billion," and "Bible Schools" are combined as a Triangle Structure Approach. Go 1 Million participants will bring new souls, who are contacted through S1B, directly to Bible studies.

Especially, from November 7 to 15, 203 we will have a Satellite evangelistic meeting to be presented by Doug Batchelor. We expect that the Sow 1 Billion project will gather a great harvest for this year 2003."

From Taiwan Mission President, Bob Folkenberg, Jr.

"We will distribute 8 million copies of the brochures. We had already started it on July 19, 2003 and will complete it before December 31, 2004. Our distribution plan is a four- part plan as follows:

1.Each member will pray for this initiative each day at noon. 2. Each member will personally hand out 2000 brochures. 3. Each church will go out and strategically distribute pamphlets once a month. 4. Each District will travel to the larger cities to assist in distribution once a quarter.

This is first and foremost a project with dual purpose: internally it is meant to provide personal revival - externally - to reach people with the Gospel of Christ.

Regarding the harmony with Bible study school programs, we already have over 20 Bible Schools who will process the requests for Bible Studies themselves. We have also developed an online database for all names and interests which is managed by our Voice of Prophecy center.

The greatest result of this project will be the direct involvement of membership in sharing their faith. We hope that in the course of this project we will also be able to enroll several thousand more people in our Bible Studies."

The S1B initiatives in Hong Kong/Macao and Unorganized Territories are ready to distribute brochures, 1.5 million and 4 million, respectively, from September 1, 2003 for one year. Mongolia has completed the pamphlets and will distribute one million copies over a two-year period of time beginning September 1, 2003. They also have prepared three sets of Bible Lessons and are almost finished with their internet home page.

The S1B brochures will be invitations for Bible Studies to share with the unreached the truth of Jesus Christ. There are more than six internet websites for Bible Studies in the NSD territory. Each S1B unit's web address will be shown on their pamphlets to help people to get information and even study through the internet. The websites are as follows:

Chinese Union Mission: www.vohc.com

HongKong/Macau: www.whyfear.info

Taiwan: www.whyfear.org

Japan: www.vopjapan.net  Korea: www.vop.or.kr

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Song, Sung Sub, Assistant to Editor