By Eric Nelson

A Denver metro area series of evangelistic meetings called Revelation Speaks Peace is planned for spring of 2018 with Voice of Prophecy (VOP) speaker and director Shawn Boonstra.

On September 19, seventeen pastors within the Denver area met with the VOP team to begin preparations for this mega event. It is a challenge to determine how to maximize the impact and benefit of the series. In order for this to be successful, advance planning is a must.

The purpose and goal of the outreach is to present Christ and His message. This event is not about a specific ministry such as VOP. Men and women will make eternal decisions that will radically transform their lives. It is all about introducing them to Jesus and His desire for their lives.

Churches and pastors that typically work independently in their own neighborhoods will be cooperating in a greater way. We envision that as we engage together, conference personnel, pastors, and laity will also experience personal spiritual growth. It is not enough to create plans and organize, spend funds and make preparation. It is not enough to find an attractive venue to invite people to. It is not enough to just say, “We will pray about this and for it.” Success will not happen unless the Lord directs, empowers and blesses this effort.

While specific plans are still being made as to the exact dates and location, here is a broad outline of what is being planned. Churches should make plans in the year and months preceding the crusade to hold community events such as health expositions, cooking schools and other community interest events. They may also organize a Discover Bible School within the church. Bible lessons and training materials will be provided for this outreach.

Direct participation will be needed by all of us to lead out in Bible study schools. Other activities will include a prayer ministry. Responding to specific needs during the meetings, additional activities will include child care, special music, translation, greeter services, registration staff, and traffic assistants.

On May 20, 2017, at 3pm, a rally will be held for all RMC church members to come together for a musical con- cert followed by a presentation by Shawn Boonstra. A prayer ministry will be launched at this meeting. We anticipate this being a time to unite as we prepare for the upcoming event. Early in 2018, VOP will hold an archeology seminar designed to gather and cultivate those interests that local churches have developed in preparation for the Denver outreach.

When these plans were shared at a recent RMC Executive Committee, members from outside the Denver area asked this insightful question: “How can we be involved or benefit from these meetings?” While we will not be able to have a VOP speaker at each region of the conference, we can work together to train and prepare for each evangelistic outreach elsewhere within our conference. Other churches can use similar methods in preparation for their hometown meetings as well. We can learn from the provided training and share that with other areas of our conference. We can explore other ways to share messages presented by Shawn Boonstra as it becomes possible to do so. Most of all, we can pray for each other, whether the evangelistic outreach is in Denver or Casper, Farmington, Palisade, or Pueblo. By lifting each other up as we make ourselves available as a tool to reach people for Christ, we strengthen our resolve to work in unity.

As a part of the preparation within the Denver community, Mark Finley, assistant to the President of the General Conference and former speaker for It Is Written, plans to conduct a health outreach seminar (September 15-23, 2017). Presentations will engage participants in learning how to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, make positive life choices, develop a personal health strategy, prepare tasty plant based dishes, and increase energy and reduce fatigue.

Eric Nelson is RMC vice president of administration.