ASI Abroad
07/15/2012
60,000 view creation film in Europe
More than 60,000 people, at least 80 percent of them nonAdventists, have crowded theaters and lecture halls to see ASI Germany member Henry Stober’s documentary film, The Creation. No one in secular Europe expected such a response. Showings were organized in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, and Luxembourg by Stober and the German branch of Amazing Discoveries, also a member of ASI Germany.
Last spring, the film tour also went to the Netherlands. Adventist church leaders have tried everything to reach the Netherlands’ 17 million people and were convinced that the days of public evangelism were over. It was assumed that the number of people who believed in creation was too small to warrant public presentations about the First Angel’s Message. But a small group from a 6,000-member Dutch church persisted and organized four showings of Stober’s film in mid-sized towns. The response was overwhelming. Approximately 4,640 people came to see the film, and 95 percent of them were non-Adventists. In the town of Emmen, the film had to be shown twice to accommodate the interested crowds, and still 150 people had to be sent home for lack of space.
Henry Stober’s creation film tour demonstrates what ASI is all about—proclaiming the Three Angels’ Messages in close cooperation with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Of the 60,000 people who viewed the film, 7,000 filled out and returned feedback cards, which were turned over to local churches for follow-up. Of special interest is the fact that the number-one item of interest marked on the feedback cards was prophecy. In May 2012, the General Conference arranged with Stober to make his creation film available to the rest of the world.
Gerhard Padderatz President, ASI Germany
ASI Austria elects officers
ASI Austria recently met to elect new officers and make plans for future projects. Frank Schleipfenbaur, CEO of Optimo, was named as the new president. Evangelist and communication trainer Karl Lenart was elected vice president. Milan Sikora, CEO of a software company, was elected treasurer, and Robert Ponta, owner of a web design company, was elected secretary.
The group chose Isaiah 40:3 as their guiding motto: “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness; Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.” From this verse, the team extracted three specific aims:
1. To become more active in supporting ministries.
2. To further ASI Europe’s promotion of a local ASI youth branch.
3. To create an ASI academy to train business people how to share the gospel in their marketplaces and to give them Bible-based education in sales and leadership skills.
Karl Lenart Vice President, ASI Austria
ASI Trinidad
holds “ASI Day”
Members of ASI Trinidad gathered on Sabbath, June 16, 2012, for a special “ASI Day” celebration at the Pioneer Seventh-day Adventist Church in Couva,
Trinidad. Elder Selwyn Hewit was the main speaker for the event. Calvin Adams, vice president for ASI Trinidad, shared pictures from the gathering.