Exhilarating. Exhausting. Miraculous. Challenging. Thrilling. Just a few of the words used by the Oakhurst Global Evangelism team about their experience in the Philippines. The three-week October trip included four public evangelistic meetings with each guest evangelist preaching 19 sermons.

Oakhurst Pastor Jerry Finneman brought the idea to his church. "My hope was to take as many of my congregation as possible," he says. "I wanted them to get a taste of evangelism so they’d be able to do it here."

One church member who responded was Darlene O’Neil, who had no previous preaching experience. "In addition to giving sermons, we visited those who attended the meetings," O’Neil explains. One visit was to Angel. "His daughter said to me, ‘My father used to hit us all the time, but since he’s found Jesus, he doesn’t do it anymore.’" Angel was baptized as a result of the meetings.

Global Evangelism is sponsored by the Carolina Conference and directed by Robert Folkenberg, former president of the General Conference. This unique ministry provides opportunities for lay members and pastors to experience the thrill of a dramatic encounter with the Holy Spirit through public evangelism.

The results are staggering: More than a quarter of a million people have been baptized in the last two years. Even so, the primary goal is to ignite the passion for evangelism in the guest speakers and team members so the same results happen in their home communities. (For more information, visit www.global-evangelism.org.)

Speaker Kim Latham got time off work and a bonus to help with expenses. Perfect timings and divine interventions solved site equipment problems. Even a localized earthquake (4.5 on the Richter scale) during Shirley Finneman’s sermon made the needed impact for individual decisions. "Everyone knew that Jesus is real, He was there that night and He’s coming again," says Finneman, who became known as the earthquake lady.

The benefits back home are just beginning.

"Others have caught the vision and are reaching out to their neighbors and friends. Plans are underway to begin several home Bible studies," says Finneman. "The church is planning another Global Evangelism trip so others can get involved. And I am hoping that in the fall the women who went to the Philippines will conduct meetings here."

Finneman is also training future evangelists. On Nov. 8, seven girls from the primary, junior and earliteen divisions preached their first sermon on Daniel. The graphics were modified by one of the boys. Church school students are writing letters to Filipino children and raising funds for urgently needed school supplies.

The experience can be life-changing. GE participants regularly experience the thrill of having God bring thoughts and illustrations to mind, serve as part of God’s last-day work and are inspired by the dedication and sacrifice of local lay members and pastors. Returned, they bring fresh mission enthusiasm to the church back home. Adds Finneman, "It made me realize there is a world to win and that includes sharing next door."