The Seventh-day Adventist Church’s “Mission to the Cities” initiative held a major outreach series in Philippines this month, with the Church’s president, Ted N. C. Wilson, serving as the speaker.
Wilson hosted a “Revelation of Hope” evangelism series in Manila at the Philippine International Convention Center from May 4 to 17. The program also included a health expo before the program each evening.
The series was a comprehensive urban evangelism project titled, “Hope Metro Manila 2014: iCare.” The project included 76 sites in Manila, and is part of the denomination’s Southern Asia-Pacific Division’s urban evangelism focus.
There were more than 3,100 baptisms in the metropolitan region in connection with the series.
The series included a special Saturday service at the Cuneta Astrodome in nearby Pasay City on May 17. Approximately 13,000 people attended the service to hear Wilson’s Sabbath sermon, which focused on the interconnectedness of God’s love and law.
“The reason we obey is not because we’re trying to earn favor, not because we are earning our way to heaven by being obedient,” Wilson said, “we are obedient through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us because of our response to the great love of what God has done for you and for me.”
Wilson also told the audience he was happy to have celebrated his birthday the previous Saturday by being part of a baptismal ceremony.
“This is one of the greatest birthday presents I could ever receive, to be at a baptism here in the Philippines,” Wilson said of his 64th birthday.
Other major urban outreach projects have been held, and more are still being planned. For more information, visit missiontothecities.org.