12,276 People Baptized in Bolivia After a Record 2,240 Evangelistic Meetings
Throughout the first part of 2007, churches all across the Bolivian Union worked in concert to produce something spectacular for God: The Hope Is Jesus. All across the nation, laypeople linked arms with the clergy to bring the gospel of Christ to their neighborhoods. As a result, more than 2,240 evangelistic meetings were held across the country.
The effort came to a peak in April, when It Is Written participated in a weeklong series of reaping meetings. For eight nights, I had the privilege of preaching to thousands of people who had gathered in hundreds of auditoriums to watch The Hope Is Jesus as it was broadcast live from the auditorium at the Adventist University of Cochabamba. For eight nights, we explained the essentials of the Christian faith and called people to make decisions for Christ.
Over the years, It Is Written has discovered time and again that evangelism still works in North America. In addition to television, online, satellite, and resource outreach efforts, the ministry believes strongly in the impact a full-message evangelistic campaign can have on a city.
Incredible results have recently emerged from It Is Written meetings in places like San Diego, Denver and Phoenix, and in the next two years, the ministry is dreaming big and tackling two of the largest cities in North America.
Fifteen years ago, a 10-year-old girl named Simfora Ostriceonu gave a Bible and a set of lessons to her atheist history teacher, Sebastian Tirtirau. As a result of that kind gesture, Tirtirau accepted Jesus, became a Christian and went on to establish a ministry that is reaching the remote tribes of the world with the gospel.
Had it not been for Ostriceonu's courage during a time when a person could be thrown into prison for sharing the Bible, the events of January 2007 may never have taken place. Instead, thanks to her simple act of faith, more than 200 people gathered in Vama, Romania, on Jan. 21 to dedicate a "Remote Tribe Training Center" that will be used to proclaim hope in Jesus to the far corners of the world.
