One million copies of the special Rapture issue of Signs of the Times distributed

Nampa, Idaho (May 16, 2001) - Responding to the "Left Behind" books and movie, Signs of the Times and Pacific Press® recently created a special issue dealing with one of the series’ main themes --The Rapture: A Second Look. Since its release earlier this year, more than one million copies have been distributed. Churches have used this important witnessing tool in a variety of ways. Some have mailed it to whole zip codes in their neighborhoods. Others have distributed it door-to-door. Some members distributed it outside movie theaters showing the Left Behind movie.

The response to this special issue has been tremendous. Inserted in each magazine are two response cards, one offering the new Focus on Prophecy Bible Lessons from the Discover Bible Schools, and the other offering information about the God Cares books by Dr. Mervyn Maxwell on the subjects of Daniel and Revelation.

Kurt Johnson, Director of the Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Schools, reports that the Voice of Prophecy has been deluged with requests for the Focus on Prophecy Lessons as a result. More than a thousand requests per month have been coming to the Voice of Prophecy.

Felix Castro, Director of the Literature Evangelism program at Pacific Press®, reports similar results for the requests for information about God Cares. "This is the best response we've received from any mailing or advertising," he says. These cards are being followed up by Literature Evangelists around the country.

Recently, the Texarkana, Arkansas, SDA Church recently mailed The Rapture special issue to their community. As the result of this mailing, Paul Cordray, Literature Evangelism Director for the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference, immediately received 75 cards requesting information on the God Cares set. Louis Jones, an LE in the Arkansas-Louisiana Conference, began visiting these people. The first day, he called on four families and was able to place God Cares, The Triumph of God's Love (Great Controversy), Bible Readings and The Desire of Ages in each home. With that beginning, he is eager to visit the other 71 homes.

The Rapture: A Second Look can be purchased from your Adventist Book Center--1-800-765-6955 or online: adventistbookcenter.com. Special volume prices are available.