The Blog of Gordon Pifher

Last week over 1,000 were in attendance at what will be known as the BC Conference’s largest evangelistic event for this year.  Well over 18 churches have combined their resources to bring this plan to reality. At this point, close to 500 attendees are not members of the sponsoring Adventist churches.  The Conference has employed 100 evangelists to assure this outreach will be professional and successful. The plan is to present a clear picture of God to everyone in attendance in presentations that be given over a period of 190 days.  We already have indications that more decisions for Christ and life-changing commitments will come from this evangelistic program than any other BC program planned for the next year.

Event Location  By now, you may have recognized that I am talking about our Christian school program.   Here are some facts that will help you in your prayer support:

• Opening day enrollment – 1,087 (this number always increases)

• Teachers employed for this school year – 95 (includes principals and vice  principals but not part-time teachers or teachers aides)

• Number of schools - 18.  This is one more than last year.

• Number of churches supporting a school - 51 (50% of the churches and companies)

• Conference budget for this event – A little over 1 million dollars

What can you do to support this evangelistic program?  • If you have school-age children – consider the benefits and ask the Lord for direction.

• If your church does not have a school, contact the Conference Education Department to talk about the potential           in your community.

• If your church has a school, volunteer to get to know the children’s names and hug a teacher.

• Pray daily for our teachers. Their primary goal is to share the Good News and model Christianity at it’s best.

The Seventh-day World organization is one of the amazing success stories of the Christian Church. We now operate the largest church school program of any Protestant denomination in the world. Our phenomenal growth and worldwide distribution has been greatly dependent on educating our children and training our leaders. Ask the Lord to impress you as to what you can do to support this major evangelistic event in your Conference.

God’s Promise  “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”   Proverbs 22:6 

Most nights, just before I put to sleep the joys and cares of each day, I open my computer and enter a new adventure of communication. I’m on facebook. I type in my name and password and enter a world of friends, and every friend has a face. These are friends I have chosen. These are people I have something in common with. Facebook lets me see the friends my friends have and even lets me see if we have mutual friends. A snapshot of life from those I care about is on one page. I look at their pictures and see that Esther is eating too much sugar, and Cara’s dog is taking over the house. I write a comment and know that tomorrow night they will likely respond. I see tears and smiles, and their pictures of celebration and beauty.

Just last night:

• John is excited about his new phone
• Allan is encountering God
• Rebekah is moving
• Cara has company coming
• Andrew is planting an exotic garden
• Janet is wishing Mom a happy birthday
• Paul is saying “Yipee” about his holidays
• Gail is feeling energetic
• David’s wife is having a baby girl
• Esther is enjoying the sun on her balcony
• Wendell just climbed Rooster Mountain
• Cindy is at Carolina Camp Meeting
• Joy is thankful that God has answered her prayer

Use facebook to…

• Keep up with friends and family
• Share photos and videos
• Reconnect with old classmates

I look on the corner of my computer screen and notice five of my friends are online at that very moment “Hi Bryan, how did your day go?” We talk for a few minutes and sign off. Sometimes several friends are all talking together. Type and click “send” and two seconds later my friend is talking to me from anywhere in the world.

There is a Biblical promise that someday we will be able to see Him “face-to-face”. Our culture has expressions that verify the importance of this “face watching”. “It’s good to finally talk face-to-face”. “Nice to put a face with the name”. “I’m anxious when we can meet face-to-face”, we say. Facebook is just a little taste of what will make Heaven special. 1,000’s of friends with 1,000’s of stories and 1,000’s of prayers. With Facebook, I look at a friend’s picture and it shows me images of the friends we have in common. In Heaven, we will all have one Friend in common, and we will see Him “face-to-face”.

Old Song . . . New Message

Face to face with Christ, my Savior,
Face to face—what will it be,
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ Who died for me?
Refrain

Face to face shall I behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by!
Only faintly now I see Him,
With the darkened veil between,
But a blessed day is coming,
When His glory shall be seen.

• Gordon Pifher

Streams of Hope The BC Conference New Capital Campaign Growing Conferences will find ways to expand and grow God’s kingdom. Many of our members are praying for meaningful projects to assure our expanding BC Mission Field is being reaching with the Good News. At the August Constituency meeting it was voted to proceed with a capital campaign for the British Columbia Conference.

New Development Director Selected We have been advertising for a part-time position, since the fundraising expenses will be taken from the dollars raised. We want to be excellent stewards of God’s gifts.  We will be following General Conference policy guidelines to assure accountability. I am delighted that your Board of Directors has voted to hire Dr. Reo Ganson for this position.  Reo Ganson will still continue his ½ time position as director of Camp Hope.  There are some excellent overlaps between the two positions.

Dr Ganson will bring to this role an excellent knowledge of the BC Conference Experience in fund Raising for Conference and University, excellent people and organizational skills, a love for God, and a passion for the growth of the Church

Successful Capital Campaigns Have Clearly Defined Steps In January the Board of Directors will provide a list of possible projects. It could include Camp Hope, church planting, new church buildings, education, church member training, etc. Eventually this list will be narrowed to 3 or 4.  General donations will be divided by percentage.  Donors can also specific a specific project from the list.

Feasibility Study A neutral expert will be asked to meet with church leaders from around the Conference to determine the three or four projects that members perceive are the most important. March - Your Board of Directors will approve: * The official name * The capital campaign projects * The “number of millions” dollar figure and the time frame of the capital campaign selection    of the Campaign Lay Leadership Committee of 12 that will facilitate the program.

Communication Package Development of a communication package to keep every member in BC informed (posters, emails, letters, and bulletin information).  If the Lord provides some donors to provide incentive gifts we could launch this program at the 2008 Camp Meeting. It is felt that a few larger gifts will help set the tone for the success of this approach.

We Already Have Our First Donation A few weeks ago we received our first donation to the capital campaign. I am amazed and inspired by the faithful members in this Conference…. Thank-you!

What Can You Do Next? The Lord might impress some of you to provide the initial gifts to prime the donation pump.  Contact Reo Ganson, Gordon Pifher, Michael Wixwat or Mark Johnson. Pray that God will direct every step of this church growth adventure.  With God leading, we will see miracles!