he richest caveman,” Doug Batchelor, recently revisited his cavernous home in the mountains above Palm Springs, California, courtesy of National Geographic TV. 

After a lengthy interview on February 11 regarding the book of Revelation and end-time prophecy, held at the Sacramento Central Adventist Church in California where Batchelor serves as senior pastor, the film crew of National Geographic offered to fly him in a helicopter to his old cave in the desert mountains.

The crew was apparently very interested in his life story, portrayed in Bachelor’s book The Richest Caveman, which tells of Bachelor living as a hermit in a cave. More than a year passed while young Batchelor lived in the rocky recess before he found an old Bible, dusted it off, and began to study. From his mountain hideaway, God took him on a journey that eventually led him to his ministry at Amazing Facts.

After filming him negotiating a rocky ledge at sundown, the National Geographic team asked Batchelor if he would do still another interview at his church.

“After spending so much time with [the National Geographic crew], I could tell that they were intrigued by the answers provided to their questions regarding the book of Revelation,” says Batchelor. “They asked about death, hell, eternity, the second coming of Jesus, and much more.”

This material is to be used for an upcoming TV program called The Riddle of Revelation, scheduled for release this summer, in which several denominational leaders are asked to interpret passages of Revelation.                                                                                                                                  —Amazing Facts/AR

In response to the extensive destruction Hurricane Mitch brought to Honduras and its neighboring countries in 1998, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency of Honduras inaugurated a new warehouse and training facility in the capital city of Tegucigalpa on March 8. The building will provide storage for relief supplies and will also be a center for disaster response training for government and nongovernment organizations (NGOs), as well as civilians.

“This is the first initiative of its kind among the NGO community,” says Wallace L. Amundson, ADRA’s director for Inter-America, who attended the inauguration.

Although there was an immediate response of food, clothing, and water in the wake of the hurricane, rebuilding the communities’ homes, schools, and roadways took a long time, explains Anundson.

 “ADRA’s main focus was not only to design a building to house and stage supplies in the event of another disaster but to dedicate a center for disaster response,” says Amundson. “The center will also help Nicaragua and El Salvador.”

Walter Britton, director of ADRA/Honduras, was in charge of the project. “Hurricane Mitch and two others which hit the north and south part of the country last year taught us that the population is not prepared for these events,” says Britton.

He added that the center and warehouse were made possible because of donations by several organizations including Mid-Central American Union; ADRA/Inter-America; ADRA International and its partnering offices in Italy, Spain, Canada, Australia, Norway, and Denmark; and Hope for Humanity.

“Our plans are to offer monthly training to master guides, Pathfinders, church members, and the public in general who are interested in better preparing themselves to face disasters,” says Britton.                                                                                        —Inter-American Division News Coordinator/AR

 

The General Conference Office of Adventist Mission has just released a free quarterly DVD resource to churches in North America. A complimentary master will also be sent to each world division to duplicate and adapt as they choose.

The Adventist Mission DVD is produced by the Office of Adventist Mission at the world church headquarters to help strengthen local congregations and their focus on mission.

Video segments on each Adventist Mission DVD will come primarily in three lengths: (1) 10 minutes—appropriate for showing in Sabbath school, church, vespers, or prayer meeting; (2) 5 minutes—for programs where there is less time available; and (3) 1 to 2 minutes—for announcement time between Sabbath school and church service, or for a brief focus on mission during the worship service. These segments are not heavily promotional and are designed to help make members feel proud of what their church is doing throughout the world.

The Adventist Mission DVD stories are up-to-date accounts of Adventists committed to “Tell the World” about Jesus, including life-changing stories of people around the world, and reports on remaining mission challenges and church growth. Tell the World is an evangelistic initiative of the world church.

While the DVD will include some video stories from the division receiving a portion of the thirteenth Sabbath offering, several will feature general mission stories from other world fields.

“Many church members feel that when they give their mission offerings they give to a ‘black hole,’” says Gary Krause, director of Adventist Mission. “The new quarterly Adventist Mission DVD is well overdue. It will put a human face on the mission offerings, and show how they are bringing hope and changing lives around the world. We owe it to our church members to report back on what happens with their mission offerings.” 

The first DVD is in English, but Adventist Mission is working with respective divisions on translations. A short video clip can be viewed online at www.adventistmission.org.                 —Office Adventist Mission/AR  

 

The Quiet Hour has named T. Michael Porter as chief executive officer of the 68-year-old worldwide evangelism ministry headquartered in Redlands, California. Porter takes up his duties in April 2006, following his ministry as president of the Middle East Union Mission and director of ADRA/Middle East, both headquartered in Cyprus. Porter’s appointment will allow Bill Tucker, president of The Quiet Hour, to focus on his pastoral role of speaking at churches and camp meetings and conducting overseas evangelistic meetings.                                                                                                                             —The Quiet Hour/AR           

 

Larry Boggess has been elected president of the Mountain View Conference. He succeeds Kingsley Whitsett, who has served as present since 2002, and is now retiring. Boggess was previously executive secretary of the conference.                   —Columbia Union Conference Communication Department/AR