Earth’s Final Countdown, the two-week hybrid evangelistic series in Mindoro, climaxed with a high note as thousands of precious souls were brought to the pool for baptism by immersion on November 13, 2020. Pastor Ted Wilson, President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and Pastor Duane McKey, President of Adventist World Radio, preached the nightly topics leading thousands of people to give their life to Jesus and live transformed lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.
In his message, Pastor Ted Wilson left thoughts of wisdom and hope to all candidates of baptism especially those who were former rebels of government who decided to accept Jesus in baptism. He said, “All of us were rebels at one time, not embracing God as closely as we should. So our old life is put away. We become new creatures in Christ. Today by God’s grace you are no longer former rebels. You are now new creatures in Jesus Christ. You are part of God’s great family that is looking forward to Jesus’ soon coming!”
In Mabuhay, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro, 595 precious souls were baptized, while 506 new believers were added in Occidental Mindoro that day. Several former rebels of government or FR, as they are fondly referred to by that initial, were also baptized. After the baptism, the term FR has its meaning changed to Fully Reconciled as they are back to the fold of Jesus.
Pastor Duane McKey, expressed his warm welcome to individuals, families, and friends who accepted Christ in baptism as they concluded the program. “We welcome you into the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” Pastor McKey said. “With that welcome comes a responsibility to fulfill the Gospel Commission in which Jesus said, “Go, preach, and baptize in all the world.”
This two-week nightly series of Bible presentations were shown in multiple sites throughout the island of Mindoro via online streaming. Since the pandemic, the hybrid form of evangelism has become the new normal way of doing evangelism. This is in consonance with the AWR slogan: No Walls, No Borders, No Limits. “We are living at a time when digital evangelism has become mainstream, and we have to embrace this reality and take initiative to maximize its potential,” says Dr. Samuel Saw, President of Seventh-day Adventists in the Southern Asia-Pacific Division.
Pastor Mamerto M. Guingguing II, SSD Communications in collaboration with Pastor Nephtalie Fofue, SCLC Communications.