George E. Vandeman died Friday, November 3, at his home in Newbury Park, California. The renowned Seventh-day Adventist evangelist and author was 84. Vandeman is perhaps best known as the founder of the internationally broadcast television program It Is Written. Established in 1956 in California, It Is Written was a pioneering force in the Adventist Church’s use of communication technology for evangelism. Today, the award-winning show is broadcast in more than 150 countries around the world. Vandeman was the presenter of It Is Written for more than 35 years; since 1992 the half-hour weekly telecast has been fronted by evangelist Mark Finley.
“George Vandeman was a visionary who often was far ahead of his time,” says Finley. “He had the unique ability to see possibilities where others saw only problems. George had the ability to communicate to people at all levels, but he especially ministered to people who were highly educated, affluent, and in the upper echelons of society. He seemed to understand their heartaches, their longings, and their basic human needs.
“To me he was more than a colleague but a close friend, with timely spiritual advice and practical counsel on how to guide It Is Written into the 21st century,” he adds. “We at It Is Written will mourn his loss but we praise God for his creative, visionary leadership and the spiritual mold in which he cast the It Is Written ministry.”
Vandeman died “peacefully in his sleep” in the early morning, says his daughter Connie Vandeman Jeffery. He died of heart failure. Vandeman’s family has expressed its appreciation for the prayers and support of their Adventist Church family, both locally and around the world. Vandeman is survived by his wife, Nellie, and four children, George, Jr., Bob, Ron, and Connie Vandeman Jeffery.