Early in my visit I asked Pastor Bocaneanu the reason for Adventists' vitality in his field. He suggested four factors: among the first converts to the church were many professional people and leaders of society; Ellen White's books were translated early and circulate widely; Adventists from the beginning engaged in programs of social uplift; and, unlike other former satellites of the Soviet empire, Romania has remained a largely religious society.

From what I have seen, two other elements should be included: the strong sense of mission that pervades life and witness; and the strong leadership of the work. These two elements interact with the four he mentioned to make the church in Romania uniquely Adventist.

Interesting article, västergötland. Did you post the quote the Review article just to share?

Surely I wouldn't have hidden agendas?

I know of no part of the world where church leadership so intentionally reaches out to leaders of government and other churches and educates members on the need to involve themselves with society as a vital part of their witness.

"The church must not just operate within its environment, but must shape its environment," public affairs and religious liberty director Viorel Dima told me, emphasizing "shape." "Public figures should know the Seventh-day Adventist Church, think well of us, and be open to us. We should influence public opinion regarding the church."

Pastor Dima told of the challenge Adventists faced in his country: while the public's view of members individually was highly positive, the view of the church at the official level was negative, because church officials didn't interact with leaders of government and the other churches.

During the past few years the picture has changed dramatically. Dima organizes 20-50 symposia each year that bring leaders from government and academia together to discuss topics of current concern in society, with religious liberty as an ongoing emphasis. Adventists also attend and contribute to the discussions. Through this means the church has become widely known and respected at the highest levels of society.

In addition, Dima is organizing councils of influential Adventists in each of the 40 administrative regions of the country. These councils are to focus on social values for their region, such as the Red Cross or health or education projects. Primarily aiming to make the church more friendly, they will not involve themselves in public evangelism--that will come later!

http://www.adventistreview.org/2005-1506/story1.html

Richard,

How is it a marketing ploy to conclude that "Public figures should know the Seventh-day Adventist Church, think well of us, and be open to us. We should influence public opinion regarding the church" and "Adventists also attend and contribute to the discussions. Through this means the church has become widely known and respected at the highest levels of society." What about participating in society is "marketing"?

Also, what about "When I was working for a large software company, marketing would come in to a meeting and everyone would groan as we knew we were going to be facing a hour of 'friendly, happy, great, etc..' jargon on what was coming out and how they would present it." is the problem? Are we too friendly in church? Are we too happy in church? Are we too great in church? Well, perhaps we can be too great but I fail to see how church could be too friendly or too happy. We are after all not Catholic trying to appeace God through grumpy penance.

Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, "Follow Me."--The Ministry of Healing, p. 143.

Devise methods to reach the people where they are.--Let every worker in the Master's vineyard, study, plan, devise methods, to reach the people where they are. We must do something out of the common course of things. We must arrest the attention. We must be deadly in earnest. We are on the very verge of times of trouble and perplexities that are scarcely dreamed of.--Ev 122, 123.

A "beehive" church will have a multi-faceted program for reaching the community.--During the past few years the "beehive" in San Francisco has been indeed a busy one. Many lines of Christian effort have been carried forward by our brethren and sisters there. These included visiting the sick and destitute, finding homes for orphans and work for the unemployed, nursing the sick, and teaching the truth from house to house, distributing literature, and conducting classes on healthful living and the care of the sick. A school for the children has been conducted in the basement of the Laguna Street meetinghouse. For a time a workingmen's home and medical mission was maintained. On Market Street, near the city hall, there were treatment rooms, operated as a branch of the St. Helena Sanitarium. In the same locality was a health-food store. Nearer the center of the city, not far from the Call building, was conducted a vegetarian cafe, which was open six days in the week and entirely closed on the Sabbath. Along the water front, ship mission work was carried on. At various times our ministers conducted meetings in large halls in the city. Thus the warning message was given by many.--RH July 5, 1906.

Seek until you have the joy of finding.--The lesson of persevering faith and labor Christ Himself has taught us. In the parable of the lost sheep He
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has presented to our imagination no picture of a sorrowful shepherd returning without the sheep. The shepherd's search ceases not until the lost is brought back to the fold. The woman whose coin is lost searches till she finds it. These parables do not speak of failure but of success and joy in the recovery of the lost. Here is the divine guarantee that not one lost soul is overlooked, not one is left unsuccored. With all our efforts in seeking for the lost, Christ will cooperate.--AUCR July 1, 1900

Richard,

How is it a marketing ploy to conclude that "Public figures should know the Seventh-day Adventist Church, think well of us, and be open to us. We should influence public opinion regarding the church" and "Adventists also attend and contribute to the discussions. Through this means the church has become widely known and respected at the highest levels of society." What about participating in society is "marketing"?

Also, what about "When I was working for a large software company, marketing would come in to a meeting and everyone would groan as we knew we were going to be facing a hour of 'friendly, happy, great, etc..' jargon on what was coming out and how they would present it." is the problem? Are we too friendly in church? Are we too happy in church? Are we too great in church? Well, perhaps we can be too great but I fail to see how church could be too friendly or too happy. We are after all not Catholic trying to appeace God through grumpy penance.

Christ's Object Lessons (1900), page 298,
Chapter Title: The Lord's Vineyard

The church is very precious in God's sight. He values it, not for its external advantages, but for the sincere piety which distinguishes it from the world. He estimates it according to the growth of the members in the knowledge of Christ, according to their progress in spiritual experience.

Christ hungers to receive from His vineyard the fruit of holiness and unselfishness. He looks for the principles of love and goodness. Not all the beauty of art can bear comparison with the beauty of temper and character to be revealed in those who are Christ's representatives. It is the atmosphere of grace which surrounds the soul of the believer, the Holy Spirit working upon mind and heart, that makes him a savor of life unto life, and enables God to bless his work.

A congregation may be the poorest in the land. It may be without the attraction of any outward show; but if the members possess the principles of the character of Christ, they will have His joy in their souls. Angels will unite with them in their worship. The praise and thanksgiving from grateful hearts will ascend to God as a sweet oblation.

The Lord desires us to make mention of His goodness and tell of His power. He is honored by the expression of praise and thanksgiving. He says, "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me." Psalm 50:23. The people of Israel, as they
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journeyed through the wilderness, praised God in sacred song. The commandments and promises of the Lord were set to music, and all along the journey these were sung by the pilgrim travelers. And in Canaan as they met at their sacred feasts God's wonderful works were to be recounted, and grateful thanksgiving was to be offered to His name. God desired that the whole life of His people should be a life of praise. Thus His way was to be made "known upon earth," His "saving health among all nations." Psalm 67:2.

Crater,

Allow me to refine my question a bit. What about denominational participating in society is objectionable marketing? Your point about representing ourselves and God by simply being part of something makes the point that there is no communication or interaction whatsoever that is not marketing something. You could not even build a pillar in the desert and resolve to stay on top of it for 12 years as a hermit and not do marketing. This brings home the point even further that marketing cannot be regarded as an evil or necessary evil, it is an non-negotiable fact of life. Our only options are to deal with it or stick our heads in sand.

Let me try to explain Craters post for you to help making a relevant answer to my question above.

When you go out of your house to meet with someone to share the gospel with, if you are dressed in a tie and suit, you market yourself as a buisness kind of person.
But if you dress in casual shirt and hawaii-shorts then you might rather be marketing yourself as a surfer dude.
Or if you dress in baggy pants and a hood, you'd be marketing yourself as a skater.
Even if you went out naked, you would still be marketing something about yourself.
Therefore, how can you do anything at all without a sertain level of self-marketing?