In March, Elder Bruce Wilkinson visited North River Community, a Seventh-day Adventist church in Chattanooga, TN to present a recent Native Ministries’ project called “Project: Win a Friend”. This project is a weekend-long series of presentations focusing on equipping willing Laypeople for outreach ministry and increase Adventist awareness in the community.

            Elder Wilkinson started the weekend-long process by researching local municipal government offices and making appointments with City of Chattanooga Civic leaders. He introduced Pastor Mike Pettengill, pastor of the North River Community Church, to several ideas such as Native Ministries’ community survey and the “Think Tank” project. They also traded business cards with the city officials (the mayor, city manager, police and fire departments, superintendent of schools, the local newspaper, etc).

            Friday night was a spiritual pep-rally, concentrating on commitment and encouragement for evangelistic ministry. Sabbath morning church service helped prepare seminar participants for outreach training. Elder Wilkinson focused on the four-project program with a Sabbath afternoon seminar with help from Ms. Delfina Rose, President of Southern Unions Native American club. The seminar helps train laymen in successful community outreach. Church board members committed to implementing the four seminar information presented as a long-term district project.

            Door-to-door survey training was successful in producing names of people in the community who are interested in attending North River Community Church events in the future. As a result of the program, Pastor Pettengill would like to hold a one-week long Native Ministries evangelistic effort later this year, using Southern Adventist University students to practice techniques from the weekend seminar. Native Ministries is planning a follow-up evangelistic effort at North River Community Church.

 

Elder Bruce Wilkinson presenting

 

Click on link below to learn more about Project: Win a Friend

Project: Win a Friend