NET Evangelism

NET evangelism is an evangelistic strategy using satellite and internet technology to deliver a single message across multiple regions of the world in real time, while also engaging local church members to personalize the experience for attendees from participating communities. Seventh-day Adventists first implemented NET evangelism in 1995, and the unique approach has since been used both globally and regionally for evangelistic meetings.

Background

Ever since the Millerite Movement of the 1830s, Adventists have utilized the most effective means available for evangelism. Tent meetings, traveling ministers, literature evangelists, conference evangelists, wooden tabernacles, radio, and television have each in their turn been new and effective methods of reaching people with the Adventist message. In the 1990s church leaders turned to global satellite communication which promised a far wider reach than radio or television.¹

In 1993 the North American Division (NAD) placed special emphasis on reclaiming inactive and former members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.² Subsequent evangelistic efforts in local areas garnered significant attendance and high rates of baptism, even in places considered difficult to evangelize, such as Victoria, British Columbia, and Honolulu, Hawaii.³ On Sabbath, November 20, 1993, 28,000 inactive and former members were welcomed back to Adventist churches across the division for special services. Successes such as these led the NAD to change “the climate for evangelism in North America” by planning a division-wide evangelistic program in which every Adventist congregation in the NAD could participate.⁴

During this same time, the NAD also organized the Adventist Communication Network (ACN) which in its first phase was intended to help churches select and acquire video and satellite equipment. Later phases produced programming for churches to downlink.⁵ By 1994, the NAD was eager to test the effectiveness of satellite broadcasting for evangelism. Citing a recent Billy Graham Crusade that had been telecasted via satellite to 1,400 locations and during which more people made “decisions for Christ” in locations where Graham was only seen on screen, NAD President Alfred C. McClure assured attendees at the General Conference’s spring meeting in March 1994, that the “most unusual evangelistic crusade here in the North American Division, where Global Mission is a part of every congregation and every community” would work.⁶

Despite McClure’s conviction, many believed that it was not going to be a success. Adventists had never before conducted evangelism on a large scale through satellite. It was feared that no one would go to church to watch television. Due to the skepticism, the project was pitched as a pilot project and limited to North America. However, the first event, NET 95, turned out to be more successful than anticipated, eliminating fears that people would be unwilling to go to church to watch the presentations.⁷

NET 1995

The term “NET” in NET 95 represented both the actual network of churches linked by satellite working together during the evangelist endeavor, and the metaphorical net of Jesus’ promise to make his disciples fishers of men. NET 95 took place between February 18 and March 25, 1995, uplinked from the Chattanooga Convention Center in Tennessee.⁸ This venue was chosen for its proximity to a large Adventist hub consisting of several Adventist churches and Southern Adventist University.⁹

The event was relayed by satellite to audiences in auditoriums and churches throughout North America. Some 775 churches registered to participate in the event which was given the title of “Discoveries in Prophecies” and focused on the book of Revelation.¹⁰ Mark Finley, then speaker/director of the It Is Written telecast, was the featured speaker, supported by Charles D. Brooks from the Breath of Life telecast who answered Bible questions during each presentation.¹¹ NET 95 also included a prayer conference, lay-training events, a national seminar on Jesus, and a health seminar called “Natural Foods Cooking.” These events were broadcasted through satellite during the year preceding the main event.¹²

Local churches purchased the handouts and Bibles for their series and paid to have traditional flyers sent to homes in their community.¹³ Some advertising for NET 95 was provided by the North American Division at no cost to local churches. Magazines such as Signs of the Times and newsletters produced by It Is Written and Voice of Prophecy telecasts also marketed the event.¹⁴

Local churches and downlink sites were required to cover the cost of the satellite signal reception equipment which they received from the Adventist Media Center. The package cost was $3,000 per site which included installation. In addition, many churches purchased video projectors to show the event to large numbers of people. If a church already owned compatible equipment, this cost was reduced.¹⁵ The satellite package developed by the NAD included a VCR which would automatically record ACN/NET events. In multiple church districts, one church might purchase the full equipment and pass the VHS tapes to sister churches to show the next evening.¹⁶ The videos were important as a backup in case the satellite downlink did not work.

A reported 66,000 people attended the first meeting of the event across 620 satellite linked sites throughout North America.¹⁷ At least 20,000 of the 66,000 described themselves as currently not members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It was estimated that around 30,000 people attended the last evening of the event.¹⁸ By October 1996, 5000 new members were baptized as a result of NET 95.¹⁹

During NET 95 and all other NET events, ACN operated a full technical support operation. Because uplink time was purchased on a variety of satellites, satellite dishes had to be rotated to the designated satellite. If something went wrong, the local site needed help urgently to find the correct satellite and channel. Hundreds of calls would be handled in the weeks before the meetings began as well as during the early days of the meetings, helping churches get their dishes linked to the right satellite. Sometimes on opening night the technician could hear the congregation singing in the background while they helped the satellite dish operator link to the satellite. The exclamation, “We got it!” was the reward for helping the church get tuned in.²⁰

One surprising aspect of the first NET program was the number of smaller churches that invested in the equipment and used it effectively to revive their church attendance and grow membership. They found that their satellite link was a way to bring quality evangelistic programs to their communities.²¹

NET 96

Due to the success of NET 95, plans for NET 96 began almost immediately.²² Once again, the program was led by the NAD, which brought personnel together from a wide number of Adventist media ministries and several independent organizations that supported the Seventh-day Adventist mission. The program was uplinked through the Adventist Communication Network. This time the event was extended to countries outside of the North American Division. Partnering with 3ABN (Three Angels Broadcasting Network—an independent supporting Adventist ministry organization), the program was translated into eight languages and uplinked to Croatia, Serbia, Russia, Hungary, Poland, Norway, Germany, and Romania. Video recordings were sent by FedEx to Czechoslovakia and Iceland where the program was translated locally. Other European countries that participated included Portugal, Spain, Austria, and Switzerland.²³ Churches in the Inter-American and South American divisions also participated with translation services provided for the Spanish, Portuguese, and French languages.²⁴ A watching member even found a way to upload the event from satellite to the internet.²⁵

The North American Division sponsored the NET 96 broadcast to 1,750²⁶ churches in the North American Division, as well as churches in the Inter-American and South American divisions.²⁷ Church members in the North American Division contributed more than $1.2 million to help fund the event. 3ABN broadcasted the event to Europe.²⁸

NET 96 was broadcasted from a 3,000-seat auditorium at Forest Lake Adventist Academy in Orlando, Florida. It ran from October 5 to November 9, 1996, and the title of the event was “Unsealing Daniel’s Mysteries.” ²⁹ Veteran evangelist Don Gray served as the general coordinator for the program.³⁰ Once again, Mark Finley, the director of It Is Written, was appointed the main speaker, assisted by Charles D. Brooks from the Breath of Life telecast who answered viewers’ questions about the Bible.³¹ Lonnie Melashenko, speaker/director of the Voice of Prophecy, hosted the program.³²

Churches in forty-six countries on three continents participated in NET 96. In addition to the 1,750 downlink sites across North America, an estimated 2,800 churches participated overseas. On October 6 it was announced that 75,000 people attended in 400 cities in Romania, 1,200 people attended in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, and 500 people attended in Warsaw, Poland.³³ Seventeen thousand people were baptized as a result of NET 1996.³⁴ This number included thirty-five people in Guam, 303 people in Germany,³⁵ and forty-five in Jamaica.³⁶

In 1998 the North American Division Office of Research and Statistics announced that 87% of people who were baptized as a result of NET 96 were still regularly attending the same church. Only seven percent of people who attended the event no longer attended church or had dropped their membership. Almost half of the adult converts were involved in volunteer responsibilities at their local church and half of the children and youth were enrolled in Adventist schools.³⁷

Between the “NET events” as they became known, churches were eager to make use of the satellite equipment investment, especially since they became known by the large dishes that dotted the landscape around Adventist churches and schools. Monte Sahlin, assistant to the president for the NAD and Kermit Netteburg, newly appointed NAD communication director in 1996, were charged with creating programming for churches to use for education, ministry development, and continued evangelism. They hired Paul Richardson, director of the Center for Creative Ministry to produce weekly programs, including the popular “First Wednesday” and other shows from Lincoln, Nebraska. Celeste Ryan Blyden, who served in the communication department as marketing coordinator, was tasked with promoting the Adventist Communication Network and its programs to increase church usage and engagement across NAD. This was a significant move toward preparing the way for what would become Hope Channel.³⁸

NET 98

Following the success of NET 95 and NET 96, and the additional programs, NET 98 was uplinked from the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University from October 9 to November 14, 1998. NET 98 deviated from the previous two events in several ways. The program format was reduced from ninety minutes to just sixty minutes in response to viewer feedback. Instead of headlining the event with a known televangelist, Pioneer Memorial Church Pastor Dwight K. Nelson was chosen for his appeal to the younger generation. The theme of the series, “The Next Millennium Seminar: Finding a Forever Friendship with God,” emphasized building relationships, a topic intended to resonate with Generation X. Each meeting was hosted by two seminary students, Shasta Burr and Bernie Anderson. The program was produced by the Adventist Media Center. At the time of its production, the NET 98 series was considered the largest evangelistic effort ever undertaken by a Christian church as well as the most expensive satellite event in Christian history.³⁹

The estimated cost for the North American Division to produce, publicize, and uplink NET 98 was $1,816,277.⁴⁰ These funds were raised in part by soliciting special gifts from church members. Advertisements were published in the Adventist Review and union conference magazines.⁴¹

In 1998, the Adventist Communication Network adopted a new digital satellite system, although churches that already owned the analog system used for NET 95 and NET 96 could continue to use it through at least 2002.⁴² In 2003, ACN became fully digital. Those with the original dishes only had to purchase the digital receiver. Other churches could purchase a much less expensive system with a smaller fixed dish.⁴³

For local churches there were three levels of participation from which to choose. Level one required satellite reception equipment and a large screen with a video projector. On this level the NET 98 broadcasts could be received directly from the Pioneer Memorial Church at Andrews University. Level two provided video tape recordings recorded by sister churches and sent the next day or two to a non-satellite church. These videos could be shown on a large screen. Level three, intended for small groups, also utilized the video tape option, but showed the delayed presentations with video players connected to televisions. The package price for each level included pre-campaign events such as advertisements, Discovery Bible School programs, and other materials such as Bibles. Conferences and unions in some locations subsidized the costs.⁴⁴

Dwight K. Nelson’s 31 presentations prepared for NET 98 were broadcasted via satellite to 4,600 downlink sites around the world in over 100 countries. Three thousand more locations received video tapes for delayed presentation. In addition, “cable channels in Bulgaria, Canada, Fiji, India, Italy, the Solomon Islands, the United States, and Venezuela also carried the seminar.” The estimated potential audience exceeded two million people.⁴⁵

In Papua New Guinea more than 110,000 people gathered at five outdoor stadiums to hear the sermons. In Romania more than 45,000 people watched the event from 600 different sites. More than 1,000 people attended the opening night at the Pioneer Memorial Church at Andrews University.⁴⁶ The event was heavily advertised in the entire Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana area. People even came in buses from South Bend, Indiana.⁴⁷ In Germany 19,000 people shared the event with thousands of visitors. In Italy 4000 members attended with over 1,000 visitors at 40 downlink sites. Australia had transmission and satellite difficulties, but despite of the challenges thousands still attended.⁴⁸

For the first time, the NET event was officially sent over the internet. The internet broadcast was delayed as there was some concern that people would not attend the local church if it was available in their homes. In fact, reports came in from several places, especially in Europe, of people who found the event on the internet and then looked up a local site to attend. Several people joined the church as a result of this distribution method.⁴⁹

In the Pioneer Memorial Church basement, translators situated in soundproof booths provided live translations of the meetings into Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and 32 other languages ranging from Afrikaans to Zulu. A team of 65 counselors answered more than 2,300 Bible questions and over 1,500 volunteers were onsite every evening of the event.⁵⁰ A technical support office for Adventist Global Communication Network was set up in the committee room on the lower level of the church and the Adventist Communication Network was set up in a room just off the fellowship hall. Eight phone systems were installed to be used as technical hotlines. For fourteen hours every day volunteers and Adventist Communication Network staff answered calls from churches across North America.⁵¹

As of January 1999, almost 8,000 baptisms and professions of faith were expected in the North American Division. Of these, 1,300 were children from church-member families. Between 8,500 and 9,000 non-members who attended the event within the North American Division desired to continue Bible studies, attend bible classes, or participate in small groups.⁵² In the South Pacific Division, nearly a year after NET 98, a survey found that “almost two people per church [had] been baptised [sic] as a direct result of the program.” On average each pastor surveyed was still studying with about five people who had become interested in baptism because of the meetings.⁵³

Continuing NET Evangelism

In 1997 the North American Division turned to urban evangelism as its next major initiative. Over the next several years, NET evangelism was implemented in large metropolitan areas of North America. The keynote event was NET New York (NY) 99, a series presented by Amazing Facts Speaker/Director Doug Batchelor and Alejandro Buillon of La Voz de la Esperanza.⁵⁴ While the message was directed to urban residents, the series was broadcasted live from Manhattan Center Studios in New York City beginning October 15, 1999, to venues around the world, although on a smaller scale than that of NET 98. Batchelor returned to the prophetic themes that Mark Finley had presented in NET 95 and NET 96.⁵⁵

By 2000, the idea of network broadcasted evangelism was firmly in place as an evangelistic tool. NET 2002, featuring Shawn Boonstra and Henry Feyerabend, at the time both speakers for It Is Written Canada, was uplinked from Dalhousie University Student Union Building in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.⁵⁶ NET 2004 featured Walter L. Pearson, Jr., from Breath of Life, broadcasting from the Miracle Temple Church in Baltimore, Maryland, from October 2 to 30, 2004. It was downlinked to 1,600 down link sites around the world. This was the first time a NET series featured an African-American as the main speaker and the meetings specifically appealed to Black and Hispanic demographics with the theme “Experience the Power.” Pearson’s presentations were translated into Spanish, Portuguese, and Swahili. One hundred forty-nine people were baptized in Baltimore alone. Overall, an estimated 5,000 people were baptized as a result of NET 2004.⁵⁷

By October 2003, an estimated one million new members had been added to Seventh-day Adventist church membership through the outreach of NET evangelism, made possible in part by the Adventist Communication Network and Adventist Television Network. On October 10, 2003, Hope Channel was inaugurated. It replaced the prior networks with a new twenty-four-hour broadcast directed to individuals in their homes.⁵⁸ Hope Channel continues to be delivered through satellite, cable, and internet technologies. As of 2023, it included 77 locally operated channels broadcasting in 80 languages around the world.⁵⁹ This enables the channel to still be used regionally for NET evangelism, such as the meetings produced by Hope Channel India in 2015.⁶⁰

Sources

Burrill, Russell. “NET 98 The Next Millenium Seminar.” Ministry, March 1998.

“Church ministries convention 97 Bound for Chattanooga.” Southern Tidings, January 1997.

Cooney, Betty and Glenn Hill. “NET 98: Looking Backstage.” Lake Union Herald, November 1998.

Delafield, Bernadine. “Net 2002: Revelation Speaks Peace.” ARH, July 4, 2002.

Elias, Dalbert. “Thrilling and Exciting.” British Union Messenger, November 6, 1998.

Elias, Dalbert. “NET 98 Satellite Evangelism is a GO.” British Union Messenger, October 10, 1997.

Finley, Mark. “Touched by the Spirit: A Special NET ’96 Report.” Supplement to Ministry, February 1997.

Frikart, Ulrich. “Surprise: Europeans Respond to NET ‘96.” ARH, February 6, 1997.

General Conference Committee. General Conference Archives. Accessed March 25, 2025.

“God at Work in NET Evangelism.” Lake Union Herald, June 1998.

Johnsson, William G. “The Most Ambitious Evangelistic Project Ever.” ARH, February 2, 1995.

Jones, R. Clifford. “Pearson, Walter Leonard, Jr.” Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. November 7, 2023. Accessed April 16, 2025. https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=EIID&highlight=pearson.

Juberg, Mort. “Union churches gear up for NET 96.” Columbia Union Visitor, April 1, 1996.

Juberg, Mort. “Orlando….and Beyond.” ARH, November 7, 1996.

McClure, Alfred C. and Dwight K. Nelson. “Projecting The Impact of NET 98.” Ministry, September 1998.

Montgomery, Vikki. “What’s Next?” ARH, December 1998.

Murray, C.A. “Jamaica Church Leads Out in NET96.” Atlantic Union Gleaner, April 1997.

NAD Office of Research and Statistics. “Results From a Survey Among a Sample of Converts from NET 96.” Southwestern Union Record, September 1998.

Nash, Andy and Dwight Nelson. “NET ‘98: Getting Relational.” ARH, April 2, 1998.

“Net 98.” ARH, April 2, 1998.

“NET 98: Reaching the Unreached Everywhere.” Southwestern Union Record, April 1998.

NET 98 at a Glance.” Southern Tidings, July 1998.

“NET 98: Two Baptized Per Church.” South Pacific Division Record, August 21, 1999.

“NET 96 Satellite Events.” Lake Union Herald, July 1996.

“NET Comparisons are In.” Lake Union Herald, March 1997.

Newman, David. “NET 95-It’s a Net, Not a Hook.” Ministry Magazine, December 1994.

North American Division Committee. General Conference Archives. Accessed March 25, 2025. https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Minutes/NAD.

Rathinaraj, John. “Trusting God to Lead the Way: Southern Asia Division Report.” General Conference Session Bulletin, July 10, 2015.

“Research Shows Baptisms from NET 98 will total 8,000.” Canadian Adventist Messenger, January 1999.

Melba Rulona, “Tidewater Area Hosts Prophecy Seminar-52 Baptized!” Potomac People (inserted in Columbia Union Visitor, December 15, 1993), December 1993

Ryan, Celeste. “ACN Adopts New Global Satellite System.” Lake Union Herald, June 1998.

Schneider, Don. “Faithful Stewards of God’s Blessings: Report of the North American Division.” General Conference Session Bulletin, July 3, 2005.

Sahlin, Monte. “Get ready for NET 96.” Canadian Adventist Messenger, January 1996.

Sahlin, Monte. “Get ready for NET 96.” Lake Union Herald, December 1995.

“Search Selected for NET 98.” The Record, December 19, 1998.

Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook. Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2023.

Stenger, Jack. “The Next Level.” ARH, December 31, 1998.

“Stories from NET 96.” Lake Union Herald, December 1996.

“Thousands Make Decisions for Baptism.” Lake Union Herald, May 1995.

“A Time for Reaping.” Atlantic Union Gleaner, September 1999.

Notes

1. David Newman, “NET 95- It’s a Net, Not a Hook,” Ministry Magazine, December 1994, 8-9.↩

2. Monte Sahlin, “Letters,” ARH, July 4, 2002, 3.↩

3. Alfred C. McClure, “North American Division Report, Spring Meeting,” General Conference Committee, March 30, 1994, 17-18, General Conference Archives, accessed March 25, 2025, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Minutes/GCC/GCC1994-03.pdf. Also see for example: Melba Rulona, “Tidewater Area Hosts Prophecy Seminar–52 Baptized!” Potomac People (inserted in Columbia Union Visitor, December 15, 1993), December 1993, 1-2.↩

4. Alfred C. McClure, “North American Division Report, Spring Meeting,” General Conference Committee, March 30, 1994, 17-18, General Conference Archives, accessed March 25, 2025, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Minutes/GCC/GCC1994-03.pdf.↩

5. North American Division Committee, October 15, 1992, 311-313, General Conference Archives, accessed March 25, 2025, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Minutes/NAD/NAD19921015-01.pdf.↩

6. Alfred C. McClure, “North American Division Report, Spring Meeting,” General Conference Committee, March 30, 1994, 17-18, General Conference Archives, accessed March 25, 2025, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Minutes/GCC/GCC1994-03.pdf.↩

7. “Thousands Make Decisions for Baptism,” Lake Union Herald, May 1995, 5; Monte Sahlin, “Get Ready for NET 96,” Canadian Adventist Messenger, January 1996, 4.↩

8. William G. Johnsson, “The Most Ambitious Evangelistic Project Ever,” ARH, February 2, 1995, 9-10.↩

9. “Church Ministries Convention 97 Bound for Chattanooga,” Southern Tidings, January 1997, 2.↩

10. William G. Johnsson, “The Most Ambitious Evangelistic Project Ever,” ARH, February 2, 1995, 9-10.↩

11. David Newman, “NET 95-It’s a Net, Not a Hook,” Ministry Magazine, December 1994, 8-9.↩

12. William G. Johnsson, “The Most Ambitious Evangelistic Project Ever,” ARH, February 2, 1995, 9-10.↩

13. Douglas Janssen, ACN Technical Director 1994-2011, email to the author, April 21, 2025.↩

14. William G. Johnsson, “The Most Ambitious Evangelistic Project Ever,” ARH, February 2, 1995, 9-10.↩

15. David Newman, “NET 95- It’s a Net, Not a Hook,” Ministry Magazine, December 1994, 8-9.↩

16. Douglas Janssen, ACN technical director 1994-2011, email to the author, April 21, 2025.↩

17. Douglas Janssen, ACN technical director 1994-2011, email to the author, April 21, 2025.↩

18. “Thousands Make Decisions for Baptism,” Lake Union Herald, May 1995, 5.↩

19. Mort Juberg, “Union Churches Gear Up for NET 96,” Columbia Union Visitor, April 1, 1996, 7.↩

20. Douglas Janssen, ACN technical director 1994-2011, email to the author, April 21, 2025.↩

21. Douglas Janssen, ACN technical director 1994-2011, email to the author, April 21, 2025.↩

22. North American Division Committee, April 13, 1995, 20, General Conference Archives, accessed March 26, 2025, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Minutes/NAD/NAD19950413-01.pdf.↩

23. Ulrich Frikart, “Surprise: Europeans Respond to NET 96,” ARH, February 6, 1997, 25.↩

24. Monte Sahlin, “Get Ready for NET 96,” Canadian Adventist Messenger, January 1996, 4; “Stories from NET 96,” Lake Union Herald, December 1996, 6.↩

25. Douglas Janssen, ACN technical director 1994-2011, email to the author, April 21, 2025.↩

26. While the NET 96 coordinator often stated that 2,000 churches participated, Douglas Janssen, who was responsible for registering sites, reported that no more than 1,750 churches were downlink sites. Douglas Janssen, ACN technical director 1994-2011, email to the author, April 21, 2025.↩

27. Monte Sahlin, “Get Ready for NET 96,” Lake Union Herald, December 1995, 6.↩

28. Ulrich Frikart, “Surprise: Europeans Respond to NET ‘96,” ARH, February 6, 1997, 25.↩

29. Monte Sahlin, “Get Ready for NET 96,” Lake Union Herald, December 1995, 6, “NET 96 Satellite Events,” Lake Union Herald, July 1996, 32.↩

30. Monte Sahlin, “Get Ready for NET 96,” Lake Union Herald, December 1995, 6.↩

31. Monte Sahlin, “Get Ready for NET 96,” Canadian Adventist Messenger, January 1996, 4.↩

32. Mark Finley, “Touched by the Spirit: A Special NET ’96 Report,” Supplement to Ministry, February 1997, .↩

33. Mort Juberg, “Orlando….and Beyond,” ARH, November 7, 1996, 16-18.↩

34. “NET Comparisons are In,” Lake Union Herald, March 1997, 19.↩

35. “God at Work in NET Evangelism,” Lake Union Herald, June 1998, 20.↩

36. C. A. Murray, “Jamaica church leads out in NET96,” Atlantic Union Gleaner, April 1997, 18.↩

37. “Results from a survey among a sample of converts from NET 96”, NAD Office of Research and Statistics, Southwestern Union Record, September 1998, 1.↩

38. Celeste Ryan Blyden email to the author, April 15, 2025.↩

39. Burrill, Russell “NET 98 The Next Millenium Seminar,” Ministry, March 1998, 18-19; Alfred C. McClure and Dwight K. Nelson, “Projecting the Impact of NET 98,” Ministry, September 1998, 8-9, 24; Jack Stenger, “The Next Level,” ARH, December 31, 1998, 8-12.↩

40. “Net 98,” ARH, April 2, 1998, 4.↩

41. See for example “Net 98,” ARH, April 2, 1998, 4, and “NET 98: Reaching the Unreached Everywhere,” Southwestern Union Record, April 1998, 28.↩

42. Celeste Ryan, “ACN Adopts New Global Satellite System,” Lake Union Herald, June 1998, 10.↩

43. Douglas Janssen, ACN technical director 1994-2011, email to the author, April 21, 2025.↩

44. Dalbert Elias, “NET 98 Satellite evangelism is a GO,” British Union Messenger, October 10, 1997, 2.↩

45. Jack Stenger, “The Next Level,” ARH, December 31, 1998, 8-12.↩

46. Jack Stenger, “The Next Level,” ARH, December 31, 1998, 8-12.↩

47. Douglas Janssen, ACN technical director 1994-2011, email to the author, April 21, 2025.↩

48. Elias Dalbert, “Thrilling and Exciting,” British Union Messenger, November 6, 1998, 1.↩

49. Douglas Janssen, ACN technical director 1994-2011, email to the author, April 21, 2025.↩

50. Jack Stenger, “The Next Level,” ARH, December 31, 1998, 8-12.↩

51. Betty Cooney and Glenn Hill, “NET 98: Looking Backstage,” Lake Union Herald, November 1998, 4-5.↩

52. “Research Shows Baptisms from NET 98 will total 8,000,” Canadian Adventist Messenger, January 1999, 22.↩

53. “NET 98: Two Baptized Per Church,” South Pacific Division Record, August 21, 1999, 11.↩

54. Vikki Montgomery, “What’s Next?” ARH, December 31, 1998, 12.↩

55. “A Time for Reaping,” Atlantic Union Gleaner, September 1999, 3-5. Interview reprinted from the Columbia Union Visitor; North American Division Committee, November 5, 1998, 215, General Conference Archives, accessed March 27, 2025, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Minutes/NAD/NAD19981105-01.pdf.↩

56. Bernadine Delafield, “Net 2002: Revelation Speaks Peace,” ARH, July 4, 2002, 24.↩

57. Don Schneider, “Faithful Stewards of God’s Blessings: Report of the North American Division,” General Conference Session Bulletin, July 3, 2005, 23; R. Clifford Jones, “Pearson, Walter Leonard, Jr.,” Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists, November 7, 2023, accessed April 16, 2025, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=EIID&highlight=pearson.↩

58. General Conference Committee, October 10, 2003, 107-108, General Conference Archives, accessed March 27, 2025, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Minutes/GCC/GCC2003-10AC.pdf.↩

59. “Hope Channel International, Inc.,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook (Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2023), 43.↩

60. John Rathinaraj, “Trusting God to Lead the Way: Southern Asia Division Report,” General Conference Session Bulletin, July 10, 2015, 21.↩