At least six individuals made immediate professions of faith after responding to a full-page newspaper ad placed by Southern Baptists in USA Today Sept. 27. Nearly 200 callers responded to the Evangelism Response Center number listed in the ad through Sept. 30.
“By delivering a simple message, ‘There is HOPE,’ we said to the nation that Jesus Christ is the only answer to our hopelessness; a truth that often finds open hearts when people are confronted with times of devastation and despair,” said Morris Chapman, president of the SBC Executive Committee. “Also, we let people know that Southern Baptists really care about the needs of others.”
The advertisement was sponsored jointly by the Executive Committee, the North American Mission Board and LifeWay Christian Resource as a response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
The words “There is Hope” expressed the ad’s primary theme. Under the heading “Thirteen days ago, …” was a quote from the message Billy Graham delivered during the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance Service at the National Cathedral in Washington.
“Yes, there is hope,” he said. “There is hope for the present because I believe the stage has already been set for a new spirit in our nation. There is also hope for the future because of God’s promises. As a Christian, I have hope not just for this life, but for heaven and the life to come.”
The heading “2000 years ago,…” was followed by Christ’s statement from John 14:1: “Do not let your hearts be troubled, trust in God. Trust also in me.”
Readers were invited to “Discover how you can have lasting hope in uncertain times” by calling a number routed to hundreds of Evangelism Response Center volunteers around the country.
(BP)
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