ANN Bulletin
Adventist News Network
Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters
March 1, 2005

In This Issue:
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* Europe: Reaching Young People With the Gospel Using High-Tech Tools
* Germany: Online Experts Discuss Local Application for the Church on
the Internet
* World Church: Finley to Hold Ukraine Satellite Event, Will Chair
Internet Evangelism Panel
* World Church: St. Louis Session Anticipation Builds
* News Briefs
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Europe: Reaching Young People With the Gospel Using High-Tech Tools
Darmstadt, Germany .... [Taashi Rowe/ANN Staff]
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As with nearly everything else in today's society, options are also
available when it comes to learning more about God. Between October and
December of 2004 an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people in Germany and
Switzerland were able to choose how they wanted to learn more about
God. They did this by tuning in to the second Youth Satellite
Evangelistic event orchestrated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The eight-night event, better known as "Link2Life," (L2L) allowed young
people to physically attend the live event at the Marienhöhe Adventist
Church in Darmstadt, Germany, or watch from satellite downlink sites or
over the Internet.

With a theme of "Trust," the programs appealed to today's media-driven
culture with titles such as: "I'm @live!," "Be a Star!," "Backstage,"
"Delete," and "Sex Sells."

"We used entertainment lingo that youth would understand to explain a
spiritual topic," said Stephan Sigg, the youth director for the
German-Swiss region of the church who spoke all eight nights. For
example, he explained, "Be a star" paralleled the recent glut of
reality talent shows.

"You have to give a good performance in order to get noticed and to get
enough votes," he said. "This is even true in our daily life. But there
is no [audition] for heaven, no performance to deliver ... Jesus
accepts and loves you just the way you are."

Another topic, "Delete," spoke of God's anti-virus program. "As users
of the Internet we need virus protection, firewalls, updates and so on
in order to be secure and to prevent our computer from a system crash.
Jesus is God's anti-virus program that saves and protects us from the
consequences of sin," Sigg said.

"The program was very different from the normal church experience. The
music was better ... and the message was understandable for young
people," said Martin Mainka, a 14-year old student.

The setting mirrored an Internet café, with sofas, tables, a live band
on one side, and young people sitting on stage during the program. Each
evening there were three young people who moderated the program,
performed music, and conducted interviews with young people. There was
a segment which showed photos, homepages and comments sent in by other
young people. These were followed by quizzes. There were also short
episodes of a soap opera played every night that matched the topic of
the evening.

One youth pastor described the diverse group of people who came to
watch the program at his church as: "pierced, long-haired, old,
children, trendy ones, [bare bellies], whole families, and all of them
feel comfortable together, although they are a mixture of people and
some do not understand yet what it is all about, this Jesus."

Link2Life is a biennial evangelism event organized by the Adventist
Media Center in Germany, which produces the "Stimme der Hoffnung,"
broadcast. Its aim is to reach youth -- especially those who do not go
to any church -- live via satellite. The first Link2Life was in 2002
and was organized by local regions of the Adventist Church in Germany
and Switzerland. That program led to more than 70 baptisms. This year
nearly a third of the people that attended the event were not members
of the Adventist Church, said Sigg.

The main purpose of Link2Life is to accompany young people and their
friends to Christ -- to build bridges to the kingdom of God, said
Martin Knoll, who coordinated the program. Knoll, a youth pastor for 15
years and also the youth director for the church in North Germany,
received 1,000 feedbacks via e-mail -- proof that the program is on
track to reaching those who have not made a decision for Jesus, he
said.

"L2L has been an invitation to get connected or to link one's life with
the One who is the Life, (John 14:6)," Sigg explained. He said the
Adventist Church in Germany and Switzerland, have wanted for several
years to engage technology to reach youth. They were also hoping that
this outreach would involve and motivate the youth in their churches
for "friendship-evangelism."

Among the 175 youth groups in Germany and Switzerland that registered
and took part in Link2Life was Mainka's youth group. Mainka said he
brought two friends to the program, one of whom is not sure about the
existence of God. "He had a lot of questions." Mainka noted. "The
program gave him a lot to think about."

"For me it was a kind of confirmation that it is good to believe in
God," Mainka said of his Link2Life experience.

Twenty-year old university student Andreas Doliwa and his brother
helped with the technical aspects of the program after going to the
first one in 2002.

"I invited two dear friends of mine," Doliwa said. "In the beginning
they were so shy and I know they were planning to go right after the
event. In the end of that night, my friends were [some of] the last
people who were left."

Doliwa said members of his youth group enjoyed talking with guests
after the program in a no-pressure environment. Some may even call
Doliwa and his friends friendship evangelists. They have already
planned activities to invite people who attended the program.

"A lot of people are looking for a youth group like ours where they can
talk a little bit about their spiritual life," Doliwa said. "I hope
Link2Life was just a start of something very big."

--Gabi Ziegler contributed to this story.


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Germany: Online Experts Discuss Local Application for the Church on the
Internet
Altena, Germany .... [Ray Dabrowski/ANN Staff]
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Twelve year-old Vivian Erbenich was the youngest participant at the
10th annual staonline Forum that met at "Bergheim Mühlenrahmede," in
Altena, Germany, Feb. 25 to 26 to explore ways to use the Internet for
evangelism. Erbenich became the center of attention when a technical
issue required his expertise. Huddled around a computer and a video
projector, a group of seasoned technologists looked on as Erbenich
suggested a way to deal with the problem.

Under the theme, "Web the mission -- a local passion," Erbenich and
roughly 40 international Seventh-day Adventist participants introduced
mission projects on the Internet and explored ways to connect with
local communities and their needs.

"Understanding and fostering relationships on the Web, but based in the
life of a local community where the church is present, is our primary
interest now," said Stephan Brass, a pastor, veteran online church
expert, and now vice president of staonline.

The primary aspect of the meeting was "using the Internet to connect
with real people in order to share authentic hope and a worthwhile
lifestyle," Brass said, explaining that every forum is also a way to
"connect with new people that may be won to use the Internet for
mission, and naturally we appreciate old acquaintances and review the
progress of their work."

Matthias Dorn, a scientist and Internet visionary, said to achieve an
effective presence of the church online Adventist Web pages should
present "quality of life through adoration of God."

"We can design such presence online, a community that glorifies God,"
he said. Let viewers of our Web sites "experience things ... and that
is more effective than having a rational contact" with people.

A similar theme was sounded in a presentation by Martin Haase,
president of the organization. "Everyone on the Internet is in search
[of] a dialogue. But as Christians we desire more. Our mission is to
guide people from the virtual enclave into a living relationship with
God." He appealed to church Web designers to have a "set of clear aims
to make a connection to the local community." Haase emphasized a need
for the church's "availability to connect with actual people, and this
happens in the place where they are."

As with previous forums, this year's meeting brought representatives
from other countries where Internet experiments range from Christian
programming for Internet-based radio in the Czech Republic, to e-Bible,
an electronic version of the Bible with commentaries, as well as
materials dealing with history, theology and study guides, presented by
nadzieja.pl from Poland.

"We are receiving encouraging responses to our weekly Christian
sitcom-style program entitled, "Grandfather," Bedrich Jetelina
explained. "After each segment, the site lights up in a chat room with
questions, comments and a debate. Why so popular? Because we are
touching everyday issues for everyday persons, in a true-to-life
manner, and with humor. Even our own families recognize themselves in
the way they deal with issues."

"We began with one computer and two fanatics," said Joe Smoczynski,
president of this Internet ministry, which supports the Adventist
Church in Poland. "Five years later we have more products than we can
handle, 10 computers, but we have a vision for more."

Smoczynski and the nadzieja.pl Web master, Arek Pietka, presented their
latest initiative with a new Web site providing materials for a
specific audience. "We established a Web site, www.katolicy.pl, and are
providing devotional and study materials based on a liturgical year in
our country," says Smoczynski. "This new site is for devout Roman
Catholics who would like to know more about what Protestants have said
on the topics that are presented at the weekly Sunday service. Added
are the relevant published Adventist materials, such as from the book
by Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, to a particular homily."

He added, "Our new exciting project is a multilingual software for
Bible study that can be used internationally. It would include
cross-references not only to different Bible versions, but to study the
reference materials. This tool has many applications to help anyone ...
study the Bible, and also to study the Scriptures with others."

Based in Germany, staonline's success over the years is a result of an
intentional recognition of a church working together: laity, clergy and
leadership. The board of directors includes representatives of church
leadership, ministers and laypersons whose expertise has been noted
through the initiatives and programs assisting the church.

At the outset there was a plan to equip all ministers with e-mail
addresses and register the church's domain name in Germany. According
to current statistics, more than 50 percent of local congregations in
Germany have active Web sites, and that number is expected to grow this
year.

An overarching theme of bringing technology and the church message
together enabled staonline to be involved with such missionary projects
as happylife.de or the "U-turn for Losers" Web site. Reaching out to
young people is of primary importance to what we do, says one of the
organization's leaders. Staonline is also providing a follow-up online
backbone to evangelistic endeavors of the church, including satellite
television broadcasts.

The meeting also saw presentations of new online ideas and options
available to Adventist churches today, including animation and short
film productions.

"One gets inspired seeing the passion for the use of technology and
such a variety of Internet-based approaches which are done here in
Europe. These range from a direct presentation of the Gospel and its
application for everyday living, to creative presentations of the
church's resources and life of our faith community," said John Banks,
associate director of communication at the church's world headquarters
in the United States. During the forum Banks reported on preparations
for the upcoming meeting of the Global International Evangelism Network
in Bangkok, Thailand, in September this year.


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World Church: Finley to Hold Ukraine Satellite Event, Will Chair
Internet Evangelism Panel
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States .... [Mark A. Kellner/ANN]
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Evangelist Mark Finley, one of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's most
recognized television presenters, is ready for a month-long "It Is
Written" public campaign that will broadcast from Kiev, Ukraine,
globally via satellite.

The Kiev broadcast, dubbed "ACTS 2005," will be held in the Ukrainian
capital's International Center of Culture and Arts, and will help bring
down the curtain on one of the more audacious claims of former Soviet
premier Nikita Khrushchev.

Finley will speak from the same stage where, in 1960, Khrushchev gave
one of the most widely reported speeches of his political career. In
what was then called October Palace, Khrushchev declared that within 25
years, religion would be "stamped out" in the nation.

Instead of seeing religion eliminated, however, the former Soviet Union
opened its doors to people of faith not long after the supposed
deadline. Today thousands anticipate the start of the ACTS 2005 event.
More than 65,000 people across Russia and the former Soviet Union are
engaged in Bible studies in advance of the meetings, and between 1,500
and 2,000 people are expected to sit in the same auditorium Khrushchev
used, to hear the gospel proclamation.

Along with the local audience, more than 1,200 locations around the
Euro-Asia church region will receive the nightly meetings via satellite
or videotape. In Novosibirsk, a potential audience of 2 million will
have access to the meetings via the "Young Culture" cable system, whose
manager told an It Is Written staffer, "I want to show what true
Christians are like."

Finley added that the preparations in the region -- which included a
day of fasting and prayer on Feb. 19 -- have given him a "sense that
God is moving powerfully" in advance of the event.

"To the [Seventh-day Adventist] church in the region it is certainly
exciting and a major miracle," to have this event, he said.

During the same time as the ACTS 2005 meetings in Kiev, Doug Batchelor
of Amazing Facts, a media ministry that also hosts a College of
Evangelism, will hold the NET 2005 satellite evangelistic campaign in
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States, March 4 to 26. Each speaker
will tape a weekly update message for use at the other's event, Finley
said.

In addition, Finley, speaker emeritus of "It Is Written," an Adventist
television outreach, will chair the Global Internet Evangelism Network
(GIEN), a community of evangelists and technologists who are committed
to using the Internet to share the gospel. The group meets annually to
review and plan strategies for online outreach. Its next session is
scheduled for Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 1 to 4, 2005.

Looking beyond Kiev, Finley said the Global Internet Evangelism Network
is critical for future Adventist church outreaches.

"I believe the Internet has as much potential for evangelism in my view
as anything else the church is doing today," he told ANN in an
interview. In India, people will line up at carts toting computers to
gain Internet access, he said, and in other countries in the so-called
"10/40 Window," he added, "millions are logging on. The potential for
sharing Jesus, values and the quality of life Seventh-day Adventists
espouse is enormous." (The 10/40 Window is a term used to describe a
geographical rectangle that extends from West Africa, through the
Middle East, and into Asia. In this rectangle, more than 60 percent of
the world's population lives, mostly in poverty.)

Finley said he would work closely with John T. Banks, associate
communication director of the world church, who is the church's liaison
to the GIEN committee, on future plans.

The idea, he said, is for GIEN "not to be a 'status quo' group, but to
put ideas into practice for the benefit of the church."

He said he wants to "harvest the creative talents and abilities of
extremely capable lay people and put them into practice in the life of
the Adventist Church."

More information on the Kiev meetings can be found at
www.itiswritten.org; the Global Internet Evangelism Network's Web site
is http://gien.adventist.org.


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World Church: St. Louis Session Anticipation Builds
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States .... [Mark A. Kellner/ANN Staff]

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As of March 1 only 120 days remain before thousands gather at the
America's Center in St. Louis, Missouri, United States for the 58th
General Conference Session of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Anticipation is building for the quinquennial event, which runs June 29
to July 9, 2005, organizers say.

The St. Louis convocation marks the first time Adventists have held
their worldwide gathering in the United States in 15 years. Daily
attendance at the event is expected to average more than 10,000 people;
on the two weekends, more than 70,000 are expected to attend.

Some 2,000 voting delegates from all over the world will gather at the
America's Center to participate in meetings that will determine many of
the church's administrative actions for the next half decade, as well
as elect its president, treasurer, executive secretary and other
leaders.

"Everything is coming together," says Linda de León, certified meeting
planner (CMP), in charge of the event. Twice daily musical performances
and twice daily seminars from the church's Sabbath School and Personal
Ministries department are two of the extra features planned for the
event, along with daily leadership seminars and nightly mission
presentations from each of the world church's regions.

Session organizers emphasized the need for advance planning: the
official Web site for the event, www.gcsession.org, offers many helpful
details for those planning to attend.

Food is always a major interest for delegates and visitors to a GC
Session, and 2005 is no exception, says Sheri Clemmer, associate
meeting planner for the event.

While "the food is going to be great," she says, advance planning is
essential: Meal tickets must be purchased in advance. Only limited
tickets will be available on site, Clemmer adds, and the America's
Center complex does not allow private coolers or picnic baskets into
the facility. Lacto-ovo vegetarian food service will be available.
Vegetarian entrees will be prepared by Sunnydale Adventist Academy.
Meal tickets are U.S. $10.00 per meal and are available via the Session
Web site.

It's also important to note that the number of food outlets open in
downtown St. Louis after 4 p.m. is limited, she says.

Both de León and Clemmer emphasize that St. Louis offers a great deal
of attractions for delegate families and other visitors, including the
museum at the famed Gateway Arch, the Science Center in Forest Park,
and tours of St. Louis, a major United States city and the starting
point for explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who charted the
westward expansion of the young nation 200 years ago.

Tours of St. Louis will depart from the America's Center and tickets
may be purchased in the lobby. One hundred miles north of the city is
Hannibal, Missouri, made famous by the American writer, Mark Twain; the
town is a day trip from the city.

The full program for the 2005 Session can be found on the official Web
site.


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News Briefs
Silver Spring, Maryland, United States .... [Compiled by ANN Staff]
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Albania: Pastoral Training Centers on Evangelism, Bible Studies

Tirana, Albania ......[Leigh Rice/ANN] Six pastors and two Global
Mission pioneers in Tirana and Durres, Albania, put into practice what
they learned following a weeklong intensive training program on
developing structure in evangelistic presentations and Bible studies,
and on the Biblical role of the pastor in the church. The Feb. 21 to
25 program was led by Rex Edwards, vice president of Griggs University,
the Seventh-day Adventist Church's distance learning institution.

The program was part of an Evangelism Field School sponsored by the
Ministerial Department of the church's Trans-European region.
Attendance at the four evangelistic program venues in Tirana, which
included restaurants, cafes and church facilities, and one in Durres
totaled approximately 150. These programs are slated to continue in
Elbasan and Korca in late March.


Indonesia: ADRA Completes Assessments of Damaged, Destroyed Schools

Sumatra, Indonesia ... [Kirsten Øster-Lundqvist/ANN] ... The Adventist
Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) has completed assessments of
schools damaged and destroyed by the Dec. 26, 2004 earthquake and
tsunami in Indonesia's Aceh Barat region, on the Northwest coast of
Sumatra. Ninety percent of evaluated schools need either major repair
or total reconstruction. With a mandate from UNICEF, and memorandum of
understanding with the government, ADRA took a lead role in the
education sector, focusing on coordinating cleaning of the district's
schools. After the initial cleaning, ADRA conducted structural
assessments on more than 60 schools, encompassing over 250 buildings.
The findings showed that one to two buildings at a minimum of 25
schools need total reconstruction, and a further 20 schools require
major renovation.


Jamaica: Symposium Addresses Spectrum of Human Rights

Mandeville, Jamaica ... [ANN Staff] Suppressing religious freedom, a
fundamental human right, can lead to violence and societal damage, said
Jonathan Gallagher, United Nations liaison for the Seventh-day
Adventist Church. "One of the most frequent destabilizing factors in
society continues to be the abuse of religious rights," he noted.

Gallagher spoke at a symposium on "Human Rights and the Administration
of Justice," sponsored by the Jamaican Ministry of Justice and Northern
Caribbean University (NCU), held on the NCU Campus in Mandeville,
Jamaica, Feb. 22 to 23.

The two-day forum, themed "Justice, Truth and Accountability," brought
together experts, decision-makers, students, teachers and personnel
from national and international agencies -- government and
non-government -- who work, or have an interest, in the administration
of justice.

Maarit Kohonen, representative of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights, said governments devoted to protecting all human
rights should establish "human rights information systems at national
levels [that] create a culture of accountability and in turn will
engender the application of justice."
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ANN World News Bulletin is a review of news and information issued by
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