LIFT UP CHRIST TELL THE WORLD

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LIFT UP CHRIST-TELL THE WORLDThe FiveSID
Initiatives
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THE VISION

• Lift Up Christ-Tell the World is more than a
  program. It is more than a catchy promotional
  slogan. It is a vision of how the gospel of Jesus
  will be shared by the Seventh-day Adventist
  Church from 2005-2010 in the Southern
  Africa-Indian Ocean Division. It is a vision that
  reminds the church of its identity as a called
  out community, and of its end-time mission to
  proclaim the gospel to every nation, and
  kindred, and tongue, and people (Revelation
  146, KJV).
• The vision is clear Lift Up Christ-Tell the
  World is our call to invite every person in the
  division to respond to the good news about Jesus
  and His soon coming.

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THE VALUES

• This powerful vision leads us to an individual
  and corporate commitment to live the authentic
  Christian life according to its key biblical
  values.
• Lift Up Christ-Tell the World inspires the church
  to know Jesus personally, to share Him
  enthusiastically, and to proclaim His name
  unanimously. Can we even begin to comprehend
  what God will do with us if we catch this vision
  and live out these values?
• Imagine a global community living out the life of
  Christ in selfless service a praying people
  empowered by His Spirit, nurtured through His
  Word and united in His mission, willing to
  fulfill their destiny as Gods ambassadors to a
  waiting world.

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THE INITIATIVES

• Lift Up Christ-Tell the World, our vision of
  evangelizing this division, is built firmly upon
  Five Initiatives five dynamic ways to make the
  vision and its values become a reality.
• These Five Initiatives, the product of earnest
  prayer, intense Bible study and serious
  discussion, were officially launched at the SID
  Division Council held during November 2005 in
  Pretoria, South Africa.
• They are intended to help us work together to
  accomplish our mission giving our division a
  definite direction and purpose assisting us
  towards the achievement of measurable goals and
  translating good ideas into effective action.
• They will involve every level of church
  leadership, every institution, every service,
  every initiative, and every church member.

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THE PLANNING

• Our God is a Being of order and strategic and
  systematic planning. Notice the following text as
  an illustration of this
• "Have you not heard that I determined it long
  ago? I planned from days of old what now I bring
  to pass, that you should turn fortified cities
  into heaps of ruins. 2 Kings 1925.
• There is a difference between purely secular
  strategic planning and that of the Christian, or
  the Church. When a child of God does his or her
  strategic planning, it is never complete until it
  has been committed to God for Him to approve,
  adapt or lay aside. According to Solomon we are
  to
• Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans
  will be established. Proverbs 163, RSV.

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THE PLANNING

• Ellen White is even more explicit in her
  admonition regarding the need to consecrate our
  plans to God
• Consecrate yourself to God in the morning make
  this your very first work. Let your prayer be,
  Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my
  plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service.
  Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in
  Thee. This is a daily matter. Each morning
  consecrate yourself to God for that day.
  Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried
  out or given up as His providence shall
  indicate. Steps to Christ, page 70.

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THE PLANNING

• Solomons observations are again apt in this
  regard
• Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it
  is the purpose of the LORD that will be
  established. Proverbs 1921.
• All our plans and strategies need to serve one
  objective onlythat the purpose of the LORD may
  be established.
• Here are some of the other elements that need to
  be considered when we engage in strategic
  planning on behalf of the Church
• Planning should be a corporate activity
  something we do together
• Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the
  multitude of counselors they are established..
  Proverbs 1422 (NKJV).

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THE PLANNING

• Proper planning should lead to positive results
  for Gods work
• Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity,
  but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty. Proverbs
  213 (NLT).
• If the members of the churches would but put to
  work the powers of mind that they have, in
  well-directed efforts, in well-matured plans,
  they might do a hundredfold more for Christ than
  they are now doing. If they went forth with
  earnest prayer, with meekness and lowliness of
  heart, seeking personally to impart to others the
  knowledge of salvation, the message might reach
  the inhabitants of the earth. Review and Herald,
  11 April 198.

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THE PLANNING

• Finally, when we consider the above quotation
  from the writings of Ellen White it becomes clear
  that success in our planning is dependant upon
  the following simple formula
• 1. Our plans need to be well-matured, meaning
  that they should be carefully thought through and
  well-constructed.
• 2. Our plans need to be well-directed, meaning
  that they should be managed with care and
  efficiency by capable administrators.
• 3. Our plans will require hard work to
  implement them and make them succeed.
• 4. Our plans will not enjoy the success they
  should unless accompanied by earnest prayer

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THE VEHICLE - SMALL GROUPS

• Small Groups will be the vehicle to sustain the
  SIDs Five Initiatives as set out in the rest of
  this document. They are fundamental to all
  aspects of the life and growth of the Church
  spirituality growth unity the socialization of
  members the development of lasting friendships
  etc. In fact, the success of the entire SID
  revival program rests on the successful
  formation, equipping and sustainability of Small
  Groups in each church.

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THE VEHICLE - SMALL GROUPS

• To this end, we urge every congregation in the
  division to actively promote such Small Group
  ministries to nurture and grow the church.
  Practically speaking, we would like to see every
  congregation organized into Small Groups of 6 to
  10 members, finding great fulfillment as they
  meet weekly at a convenient venue, preferably a
  house of one of the members.

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A call to equip our members and employees with
the knowledge and skills to Lift Up Christ and
Tell the World about Him
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MOTIVATION

• Our motivation for this initiative is taken from
  2 Timothy 22 where Paul establishes a clear and
  workable method for the expansion of Christs
  work on earth
• And the things that you have heard from me among
  many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who
  will be able to teach others also.
• He is hereby urging the establishment of a
  training and equipping ministry whereby our
  members and employees can be helped to acquire
  the knowledge, and develop the skills, which are
  necessary for them to become effective partners
  in ministry and evangelism. The content or
  syllabus for this training will be determined
  largely by the requirements of the other four
  initiatives.

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MOTIVATION

• Ellen White was also inspired to see that Pauls
  Method would benefit Gods work and she wrote
• In laboring where there are already some in the
  faith, the minister should at first seek not so
  much to convert unbelievers, as to train the
  church members for acceptable co-operation. Let
  him labor for them individually, endeavoring to
  arouse them to seek for a deeper experience
  themselves, and to work for others. When they are
  prepared to sustain the minister by their prayers
  and labors, greater success will attend his
  efforts.Gospel Workers, p. 196 (1915).

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MOTIVATION

• Pauls Method is an initiative in which we
  mandate our leadersat all levelsto devote a
  significant portion of their time to the training
  of members and employees, thereby assisting them
  to become skillful and committed
  soul-winnerstrue partners in ministry and
  evangelism!

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MOTIVATION

• Every church should be a training school for
  Christian workers. Its members should be taught
  how to give Bible readings, how to conduct and
  teach Sabbath school classes, how best to help
  the poor and to care for the sick, how to work
  for the unconverted. There should be schools of
  health, cooking schools, and classes in various
  lines of Christian help work. There should not
  only be teaching, but actual work under
  experienced instructors. Ministry of Healing,
  pp. 148 149.

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MOTIVATION

• There are clear indications in the writings of
  Ellen White that Pauls Method will accelerate
  the close of our work here on earth
• With such an army of workers as our youth,
  rightly trained, might furnish, how soon the
  message of a crucified, risen, and soon-coming
  Saviour might be carried to the whole world!
  Education, p. 271.
• Yes Friends, Pauls Method is biblical and
  effective, and it is foundational to the other
  four initiatives discussed in this booklet. We,
  therefore, challenge you to implement it without
  delay.

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ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

• These are additional references that provide
  support for Pauls Method and may be useful for
  both personal study and promotion
• 1 Tim. 411, Titus 21,3,9
• Gospel Workers, p. 196 Ministry of Healing, pp.
  148-149 and Education, p. 271

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GOAL

• Some of the very specific Pauls Ministry goals
  during this quinquennium include the following
• All union department directors trained by 2007.
• All employees trained by 2007.
• The training of members as follows
• 25 in 2006
• 50 in 2007
• 75 in 2008
• 95 in 2009

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ACTION PLANS

• Ensure that there are committees to oversee the
  plans and the activities of this initiative,
  Pauls Method, at every level of the church in
  the SID and to ensure that there is regular and
  proper evaluation.
• Designate a responsible person to coordinate this
  initiative at every level ensure regular reports
  on participation, special projects, etc promote
  the method and organize the distribution of any
  training material associated with it.

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ACTION PLANS

• Task the Personal Ministries and Youth Directors
  of the SID with the preparation of a Training
  Resources Database or catalogue that will
  showcase all the various materials available for
  those engaged in Pauls Method activities. Where
  possible the expertise of other specialists
  should be used, for example, those from our
  colleges and universities.
• Encourage all unions, conferences, fields and
  institutions to prioritize the training of
  members and to budget specific funds for this
  purpose.

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ACTION PLANS

• Ensure that the training meets the needs of all
  groups within the church structure employees and
  laypersons, and the trainers among these groups.
  The unique training needs of Youth, Women and any
  other special groups, including minorities, are
  not to be neglected, and a special effort must be
  made to provide them with relevant
  soul-winning/evangelism skills.
• Request the departments of the SID to consider
  developing a Pauls Method Pre- and
  Post-baptismal Courses that become a requirement
  for all those who join the church. These courses
  should contain pertinent information on Bible
  doctrines, practical Christian living, and how to
  witness to family and friends in order to
  effectively evangelize the wide range of
  non-member contacts that new Adventists usually
  have.

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ACTION PLANS

• Request that unions, conferences and fields
  explore the possibility of establishing
  Evangelism Training Schools where members can
  receive intensive practical training in the
  various forms of soul-winning from hand-picked
  experts. Certification should be given for such
  training whether it is conducted at a training
  centre or in the field. A special course can be
  run for the Training of Trainers who will be
  prepared to train members in remote areas, or for
  those who are not able to attend the training
  schools. The Ministerial Association could be of
  great help in setting up these schools.

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ACTION PLANS

• Promote the initiative as widely as possible
  using such vehicles as Hope Channel, the Echo,
  union and conference newsletters, etc.
• Challenge each SID minister to run a carefully
  planned training program for those members under
  his care.
• Hold an annual division-wide Pauls Method
  Convention during which members and ministers can
  share the results of this initiative and
  encourage others to participate. The same idea
  could be implemented on a union or
  conference/field basis.
• Require regular reporting from the unions on
  their progress with this initiative during the
  SID Mid-year and Year-end committees.

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ACTION PLANS

• The development of training programs which will
  assist members in reaching special groups such as
  those living with HIV/AIDs the business and
  professional community Muslims and other
  non-Christian faith communities children etc.

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• A call to the entire division family to become
  involved in evangelism, public and personal, each
  according to his or her Spiritual Gift

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MOTIVATION

• Did you know that, The great work of the gospel
  is not to close with less manifestation of the
  power of God than marked its opening. The
  prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring
  of the former rain at the opening of the gospel
  are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at
  its close. GC. p. 612.
• Our motivation for this initiative is drawn from
  the book of Zechariah 822-23 which reads as
  follows And many peoples and powerful nations
  will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord Almighty.
  In those days ten men from all languages and
  nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem
  of his robe and say Let us go with you because
  we have heard that God is with you.

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MOTIVATION

• Imagine a time when groups of truth hungry men
  and women will seek us out and say Let us go
  with you, because we have heard that the Lord is
  with you. This can happen now, if we seize this
  opportunity to lay the burden of soul winning on
  each member of the church in the SID and not on
  just a select few who are gifted. Every member
  within the SID should be an evangelist according
  to his or her Spiritual gifts during this
  quinquenium! We will have a repeat of what
  happened in the early chapters of the book of
  Acts.

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MOTIVATION

• Those who accepted his message were baptized and
  about three thousand were added to their number
  that dayEveryday they continued in the Temple
  courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate
  together with a glad and sincere heartsAnd the
  Lord added to their number daily those who were
  being saved. Acts 2 41, 46-47

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MOTIVATION

• These words from the pen of inspiration endorse
  Gods expectations for this division family
• God expects personal service from every one to
  whom He has entrusted a knowledge of the truth
  for this time. Not all can go as missionaries to
  foreign lands, but all can be home missionaries
  in their families and neighborhoods.
  Testimonies, Vol. 9, p. 30.
• It is a fatal mistake to suppose that the work
  of soulsaving depends alone upon the Ministry.
  The humble, consecrated believer upon whom the
  master of the vineyard places a burden for souls,
  is to be given encouragement by the men upon whom
  the Lord has laid larger responsibilities.
  Christian Service, p. 68

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MOTIVATION

• God wants us to be missionariesjust where we
  are! He wants us to become passionate about
  soul-winning! He wants each of us to lead at
  least one soul per year to Him during this
  quinquennium!
• For this we need the whole-hearted commitment of
  every member to the task of soul-winning. We also
  need our members to work together in small
  companies or groups, for that way we will stay
  motivated and involved
• The formation of small companies as a basis of
  Christian effort has been presented to me by One
  who cannot err. Testimonies, Vol. 7, pp. 21-22.
• The Zechariah Project can and will materialize
  into a vast harvest of new converts if we pray,
  plan, train and work for it to happen.

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QUINQUENNIAL GOALS

• This is what we want to see at the end of 5
  years
• That each member of the church will have won one
  soul each year during the quinquenium.
• That small groups of 6-10 members each will
  exist, have been trained, and be functional at
  each local church.
• That the church will be enjoying Spiritual
  revival (evidenced by Bible studies, fasting and
  prayer, reading of the Spirit Of Prophecy,
  faithfulness in returning tithes and the giving
  of offerings, etc).
• That all church members in the SID are trained
  and totally involved in Upreach, Outreach and
  Inreach Programs.

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QUINQUENNIAL FOCUS

• The quinquenial focus is on training and
  equipping the church member for soul winning.

34
ACTION PLANS

• Create a Zechariah Project sub-committee to
  oversee the development and implementation of the
  plans and activities of the project at each level
  of church organization, including the local
  church.
• Appoint the Personal Ministries leader at each
  church as the Zechariah Project coordinator. This
  person will be responsible for, among other
  things, coordinating quarterly Zechariah Project
  assessment meetings and submitting reports to the
  next higher organization.

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ACTION PLANS

• All departments, at all levels of the church
  organization, are to weave the Zechariah Project
  into their programs, and at Division and Union
  levels suitable promotional materials are to be
  developed.
• All levels of church organization are to conduct
  assessment meetings every quarter and submit the
  results to the next higher organization.

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ACTION PLANS

• All workers at each levels of church
  organization, and all members, are to evangelize
  in keeping with the yearly programs as outlined
  and voted by the 2005 SID Council and shown
  below
• Year of small groups2006
• Year of Personal Evangelism2007
• Year of Mega Evangelism2008
• Year of Family Evangelism2009
• Year of Reaping and Celebration2010

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SMALL GROUPS

• Small groups, consisting of between 6-10 members,
  are to be organized at each local church and
  company. These groups should be trained to,
  among other things, do the following

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SMALL GROUPS

• How to do meaningful intercessory prayer.
• How to discover and use their spiritual gifts.
• How to give effective Bible studies.
• How to call for decisions.
• How to use VOP lessons in soul winning.
• How to use video and audio tapes in soul winning.
• How to use personal testimonies in soul winning.

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OTHER IMPORTANTCHURCH ACTIVITIES

• All churches and companies to conduct annual
  Former Adventist and Non-attending Member
  Reclamation Programs. The last Sabbaths of March
  and September every year, throughout this
  quinquennium, are to be set aside for this
  purpose.
• Baptisms are to be part of every camp meeting
  program.
• Every Union in the SID is to engage in carefully
  planned work for its minorities, and this work is
  to be done in accordance with the SIDs annual
  program as outlined above.

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OTHER IMPORTANTCHURCH ACTIVITIES

• At all levels of the division family an official
  effort must be put forward to involve our members
  in reaching out to those suffering with HIV/AIDS.
  To achieve this, the present TOT program must be
  properly resourced and extended to every
  congregation.
• Newly baptized members are to be involved in the
  ongoing Upreach, Outreach and Inreach programs of
  the church such as the Fishers of Men project.
• Encourage the development of new approaches and
  programs to facilitate Upreach, Inreach and
  Outreach.

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OTHER IMPORTANTCHURCH ACTIVITIES

• In all evangelistic endeavors the creative use of
  modern technology is to be encouraged.
• All churches are encouraged to help members to
  discover and use their spiritual gifts.
• The SID and its unions, conferences and fields,
  are to ensure that VOP lessons and other items of
  free literature are available in the necessary
  languages.
• The financial requirements of the Zechariah
  Project are to be factored into the budgets of
  all levels of church organization, from the SID
  down to each local church.

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• A challenge to all our institutions to become
  self-supporting through vibrant stewardship
  programs, regular auditing, strong internal
  control and good governance

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MOTIVATION

• The following verses describe the awesome results
  of one of the most successful periods of temple
  and worship reform in the history of Judah
• Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the
  heaps and Azariah the chief priest, from the
  family of Zadok, answered, Since the people
  began to bring their contributions to the temple
  of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and plenty
  to spare, because the LORD has blessed his
  people, and this great amount is left over.
  Hezekiah gave orders to prepare storerooms in
  the temple of the LORD, and this was done. Then
  they faithfully brought in the contributions,
  tithes and dedicated gifts.... 2 Chronicles
  319-12.

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MOTIVATION

• This period of Old Testament history was
  characterized by a spirit of loyal stewardship
  among Gods people and the practice of good
  governance by the Priests and Levites. This
  resulted in a surplus in the temple treasurya
  powerful testimony to the fact that when Gods
  people follow His plan faithfully, nothing is
  impossible.

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MOTIVATION

• Notice this endorsement for Operation Hezekiah
  from the writings of Ellen White
• This matter of giving is not left to impulse.
  God has given us definite instruction in regard
  to it. He has specified tithes and offerings as
  the measure of our obligation. And He desires us
  to give regularly and systematically. Counsel on
  Sabbath School Work, p 129.

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MOTIVATION

• Soon our money, property and other material
  possessions will melt with fervent heat and we
  will no longer have control over them. Operation
  Hezekiah is our opportunity to use these things
  to Gods glory and the saving of souls while we
  still have the chance.
• The spirit of liberality is the spirit of
  heaven. This spirit finds its highest
  manifestation in Christ's sacrifice on the cross
  The cross of Calvary should appeal to the
  benevolence of every follower of the Saviour. The
  principle there illustrated is to give, give.
  The Acts of the Apostles p. 339.

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ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

• These are additional references that provide
  biblical support for Hezekiah Operation and may
  be useful for both personal study and promotion
• 2 Chronicles 31
• Genesis 28 20-21
• Leviticus 2730
• Malachi 37-1

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GOALS

• The specific Operation Hezekiah goals are as
  follows
• To treble the 2005 tithe income in 2006 by the
  thorough teaching of stewardship principles in
  500 selected churches. The following list
  indicates how the roll out is to proceed each
  year during the quinquennium

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GOALS
50
GOALS

• That all union should have an unqualified audit
  opinion on the 2006 financial year.
• That 50 of all conferences and fields should
  have unqualified audit reports on the 2007
  financial year.
• That all conferences and fields should have
  unqualified audit reports on the 2008 financial
  year.
• That all unions, conference and fields are to
  attain self-reliance by 2010

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GOALS

• That arrangements are to be made for GCAS to
  audit all unions, conferences and fields
  annually.
• That entities at all levels of the organization
  produce monthly financial statements to be shared
  with their governing committees/boards and their
  next higher organization.
• To ensure that treasury staff at all levels of
  the organization are adequately trained and that
  they approach their work professionally.

52
GOALS

• To ensure that all executive committee and board
  members at all levels of the organization are
  able to interpret financial statements.
• That all conference and fields should have a
  checklist for trust fund remittances.
• That all organizations be encouraged to operate
  on a debt-free basis and within their budgets.
  Those in debt are to develop a plan for the
  settlement of the debt.

53
GOALS

• That all organizations be encouraged to manage
  their funds responsibly whether they are
  debt-free or not.
• To develop local effective marketing strategies
  for tithe returned in kind.

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ACTION PLANS

• These Action Plans place strong emphasis upon the
  following three essentials a) Making every
  effort to bring the Lords resources into the
  churchs treasury through strong stewardship
  programs b) Taking special care to protect the
  Lords resources through vigorous internal
  control systems and regular auditing c) Ensuring
  that the Lords resources are well-managed
  through good governance at every level of church
  administration

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ACTION PLANS

• Emphasize the teaching of stewardship from a
  holistic biblical perspective so that members can
  learn to be stewards not only in the returning of
  tithe and the giving of offerings, but in all
  areas of spiritual life. Our members must be made
  to understand that stewardship is a process not
  an event.
• Promote the holding of Christian Personal Finance
  Management seminars in the local churches, so
  that members may be taught the biblical
  principles of personal money management.

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ACTION PLANS

• Promote the formation and efficient functioning
  of the Local Church Stewardship Committee, which
  is to facilitate the teaching of stewardship
  principles to members the making and
  implementing of local church budgets the
  presentation of periodic financial reports to the
  local church and the promotion of the Annual
  Stewardship Week of Emphasis. This committee
  could be renamed the Hezekiah Operation Committee.

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ACTION PLANS

• Ensure that both the Stewardship Department and
  Treasury are mandated to oversee Hezekiah
  Operation at each level of the division
  organization (division, union, conference/mission
  and congregation).
• Encourage the use of Spirit of Prophecy books
  such as Systematic Benevolence, Counsels on
  Stewardship, and Go Forward in the program of the
  Stewardship Department.
• Recommend that Internal Control Seminars be
  conducted annually in all organizations and
  institutions, and that treasury employees who are
  unwilling to implement reasonable internal
  control measures be subject to the appropriate
  disciplinary measures.

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ACTION PLANS

• Recommend that organizations and institutions
  regularly review their staff complement and
  streamline their workforce where there are
  instances of over-employment.
• Require the sharing of financial reports that
  show the giving patterns and trends of churches
  with respect to tithe and offering as follows
• The local Church Treasurers to report to their
  churches/district councils at least monthly.
• The local Conference/Field/Mission Treasurers to
  report to their churches at least quarterly.
• The Division and its Unions to do the same at all
  appropriate meetings.

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ACTION PLANS

• Promote the importance and dignity of hard work
  as taught by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 36-16 to
  all church members, and to encourage groups of
  church members to be creative in providing jobs
  for young people such as school leavers. When
  church members have jobs, and work hard, they
  will have the financial ability to support the
  church.
• Teach District/Church pastors internal control
  principles so that they can provide counsel to
  local churches in the management of their local
  funds.

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ACTION PLANS

• Require local Conferences/Fields/Missions to
  employ auditors to audit each local church and
  its companies at least once every year.
• Urge the conferences/fields/churches to maintain
  accurate and regularly audited membership lists
  so that all Operation Hezekiah reports will be
  accurate.
• Do everything possible within the scope of
  Operation Hezekiah to move all the
  sub-organizations of the division to a
  self-reliant status during this quinquennium.

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ACTION PLANS

• Educate and encourage the church to elect those
  who are faithful in stewardship to leadership
  positions, irrespective of the level within the
  organization.
• Share any Operation Hezekiah programs that may be
  working well, for example, the stewardship
  program initiated and implemented recently in the
  Zimbabwe Union Conference.

62
ACTION PLANS

• Recognize and apply the principle, at all levels
  of the church structure, that one of the best
  ways in which to protect the Lords resources is
  to implement regular and effective maintenance
  programs for all equipment, vehicles and
  buildings. Poorly maintained church facilities
  and equipment are usually an indication of
  inadequate management techniques.

63

• A dynamic infrastructural development initiative
  aimed at building churches, schools, etc,
  throughout the SID

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MOTIVATION

• The Lords rebuke to His people during the days
  of Haggai provides us with the biblical
  motivation for this initiative
• This is what the Lord Almighty says These
  people say, The time has not yet come for the
  Lords house to be built. Go up into the
  mountain and bring down timber and build the
  house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be
  honored, says the Lord. Haggai 12 8.

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MOTIVATION

• Our division membership is growing rapidly and we
  urgently need to build the physical
  infrastructure to house our new congregations. In
  addition to this, we may need to form new
  conferences and fields to administer these new
  congregations and that will require additional
  office facilities and staff houses. In order to
  train enough employees to care for these new
  congregations and staff these new organizations
  we will need to expand facilities at our
  universities, colleges and schools.

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MOTIVATION

• The following comment by Ellen White illustrates
  just how important it is to plan for
  infrastructural development when we evangelize.
• When an interest is aroused in any town or city,
  that interest should be followed up. The place
  should be thoroughly worked, until a humble house
  of worship stands as a sign, a memorial of God's
  Sabbath, a light amid the moral darkness. These
  memorials are to stand in many places as
  witnesses to the truth.--Testimonies, Vol. 6, p.
  100. (1900)

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MOTIVATION

• The same writer makes it clear that new
  congregations need to be as self-reliant in this
  matter as possible
• When a church is raised up, the members are to
  arise and build. Let the newly converted ones,
  under the direction of a minister who is guided
  by the advice of his fellow ministers, work with
  their own hands, saying, We need a church and we
  must have a church and we will each do our best
  in helping in the building. Evangelism, p. 379.

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MOTIVATION

• There are times, however, when the rapid growth
  of our church necessitates the transfer of
  resources from areas of surplus to places of
  urgent need. This has been the basis of the
  development of our global mission program, and
  has helped us become the most widely represented
  Protestant denomination in the world.
• The Haggai Venture is a golden opportunity for
  all of us to assist in the development of new
  church infrastructure within our division.
• It is our sincere desire that our entire SID
  family will accept the challenge of this
  initiative and that we will catch the spirit of
  the Israelites described below

69
MOTIVATION

• The plan of Moses in the wilderness to raise
  means was highly successful. There was no
  compulsion necessary. Moses made no grand feast.
  He did not invite the people to scenes of gaiety,
  dancing, and general amusement. Neither did he
  institute lotteries or anything of this profane
  order to obtain means to erect the tabernacle of
  God in the wilderness. God commanded Moses to
  invite the children of Israel to bring the
  offerings. Moses was to accept gifts of every man
  that gave willingly from his heart. These
  freewill offerings came in so great abundance
  that Moses proclaimed it was enough. They must
  cease their presents for they had given
  abundantly, more than they could use. Counsel on
  Stewardship, p. 203.

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GOALS

• The following are specific goals that are
  envisaged under the Haggai Venture
• 1. The division head office shall provide guiding
  statistics which will indicate the projected
  number of new churches required to meet the
  anticipated membership growth in each union
  during this quinqennium.
• 2. The unions will consult with their conferences
  and fields to determine where these new churches
  should be built for maximum local benefit and
  growthprioritized according to such aspects as
  unentered areas, potential growth points,
  prominence, etc.

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GOALS

• 3. The unions and their conferences and fields
  are to establish Church Development Funds at all
  levels, including congregational, and vigorously
  promote contributions to these funds.
• 4. The unions should make a limited number of
  selected church and school or health institution
  building projects available to the SID for
  promotion via the Partners in Mission network.
• 5. In addition to a five-year plan, each union
  and its entities must have an annual Haggai
  Venture development plan. These plans must be
  specific in terms of location, time table,
  property ownership, etc, and should be reported
  on at each SID Year-end meeting. When drafting
  these plans unions should also be sensitive to
  the need to establish and strengthen the minority
  work in their territory.

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GOALS

• 6. Every effort should be made by the division to
  coordinate the collection of a selection of
  cost-efficient building methods and plans which
  can be made available for the Haggai Venture
  projects.
• 7. At every Mid-year/Year-end meeting time should
  be given to reporting and evaluating the Haggai
  Venture projects.
• 8. It is essential that reports be given with the
  assistance of slide/video material to verify the
  progress on the various projects, and so that
  donors can be given tangible feedback on the
  application of their funds.

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ACTION PLANS

• Establish Haggai Venture Committees to oversee
  the plans and the activities of the initiative at
  each level of the SIDs organizational structure.
  Care must be given to ensure that the ratio of
  membership on these committees be as follows 25
  workers/75 laypersons.
• Assign responsibility for the Haggai Venture to
  the Church Development Director, including
  promotion of the initiative collection of
  quarterly reports on it etc.

74
ACTION PLANS

• Create an evaluation system to get suitable and
  regular reports from the various projects each
  quarter.
• Enlist the services of Partners in Mission to
  promote the projects to the widest possible
  target group.
• Work with Partners in Mission in developing
  inexpensive but durable structures such as
  churches, clinics and classrooms which can be
  erected quickly.

75
ACTION PLANS

• Challenge established congregations to adopt
  newly-established companies with a view to
  helping them build churches as soon as possible.
• Encourage those members with the appropriate
  construction skills to offer their services,
  equipment, etc, to assist in Haggai Venture
  projects. These same skills can also be put to
  excellent use in the maintenance of already
  established facilities, especially at our
  schools, colleges and hospitals.

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ACTION PLANS

• Urge that the unions, conferences and fields
  supervise all Haggai Venture projects to ensure
  that quality standards are maintained at all
  times.
• Encourage all unions, conferences and fields to
  budget specifically for Development Funds which
  can be used for these projects.
• Encourage lay members, especially business
  persons, to become involved in the funding of
  church building and other capital development
  projects such as schools, offices, etc., that
  will speed up the achievement of our mission.

77
ACTION PLANS

• Recommend that SID be urged to include funds for
  capital projects in its budget, these can then be
  made available to the unions for specific
  development programmes in their fields and
  conferences.

78
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