As we looked at the 40 interested friends, we could hardly believe our eyes. This was already the fifth week of a “Learn to Read the Bible Effectively Seminar” (originally developed by the North Industry, OH Ecclesia) and still 40 people were coming out. Sixty-two the first week, 60 the second, 40 the third, fourth and fifth — we thought back over the years of lecture efforts and campaigns when 10 visitors was a major triumph.
And each visitor was thumbing through an excellent 130-page workbook that had come ready-prepared as part of the seminar package — a remarkable improvement over the double sheet handouts which often accompanied our lectures.
The overheads — most of the 135 used during the six weeks came with the workbook — were excellent and, because of today’s technology, accented with color highlights. It was only a few years ago when such materials took laborious hours to produce.
Not only did the package include a workbook for the students and overheads to illustrate points, there was also a presenter’s reference manual which, for all practical purposes, gave nine hour’s worth of script to follow. Nine hours of material — at 45 minutes a lecture, that’s equivalent to 12 lectures! Do you know how long it would take to prepare 12 lectures? And create the overheads and prepare the workbook? We received the whole package on one computer disk from:
Seminar Materials
Bro. Paul Brokaw, Brantford, ONT
(519)7594374
E-mail brokawp@hookup.net
The disk also contained a four-page mailer. All we had to do was make the necessary changes for dates, time and location and we had a mail piece ready for the printer. While making the necessary changes, we had a flashback to the extensive effort we put into ads and leaflets for other projects. And in those cases, the final quality was often not as good as this attractive mailer.
In 1993, we used newspaper advertising for a seminar, but this time we used direct mail. For a 20% increase in cost we experienced a 400% increase in registrations.
A video giveaway
Since this was the fifth of six weeks, we provided some encouragement to finish the full seminar by announcing any attending the final night would be given a video regarding, “The Return of Christ — Soon!” We were surprised when, after the seminar, two of the visitors requested to borrow our sample copy. Their interest confirmed what others told us -videos are popular and people will watch them.
The video we are giving away is # 3 in a four-video series available from:
WCF Resource Center
P.O. Box 982
Bloomington, IL 61702
(309)828-8273
These videos run 30 minutes each, contain much footage shot on location in Palestine, have been professionally edited to a very high standard and are beautifully packaged with informative jackets. Their $10 cost is a bargain.
There is a price tag
In our experience, the total cost of advertising, room rental, workbooks, supplies, etc. runs from $2,700 to $4,300 per seminar. The unexpectedly high response to our current series required a larger, more expensive facility and 50 additional workbooks ($15 each when supplementary charts are included). We purchased 80 workbooks and have used 78 so far as several visitors have taken extras for friends. Especially for a smaller group, this cost could be prohibitive.
Recognizing the potential barrier, a very generous arrangement has been made whereby matching funds (more if needed) are available from:
Simi Rills Preaching Fund
Attn: Bro. Ken Sommerville
6701 Santa Susanna Pass Rd.,
Simi,. CA 93063
Such an offer should greatly facilitate use of the preaching tools available to us. Preaching has been made easier.
Handling follow-up
When it comes to follow-up, many of us have been ashamed at our hardhearted effort. Even when we put forth the effort, we are often disappointed at our performance. After our ’93 seminar, we spent 15 months with a follow-up class on Luke. Perhaps it contributed to the conversion of one person, but it was far too long for the series needed to follow up the seminar.
Now, however, out of Brampton, ONT comes a splendid offer — a four-week study of Genesis, an eight-week seminar on the life of Christ and, just being developed, an eight-week study of Acts. Complete workbooks have been produced and are available on computer disks; videos have also been made of all seminars. The Genesis seminar was originated through the Toronto (Cosbum), ONT Ecclesia and was used and refined by Brampton. For further information contact:
Follow.up Seminars
Brampton, ONT Canada
(905)792-6848
Eventually, of course, personal instruction classes will be needed, but the Brampton offer bridges the gap between the initial seminar and personal classes.
Television programs
In last month’s magazine, information was supplied regarding television programs available from Christadelphian Outreach. If we are advertising the seminars in a community, local TV programs make an excellent supplement (they are a useful stand-alone vehicle as well). But typically the problems with TV have been cost and programs that are outdated within a few years. The cost is addressed by the Simi Hills preaching fund and by the availability of free time on local cable channels. Christadelphian Outreach has addressed the out dating problem by taping up to 52 new programs per year. Thirty-minute tapes formatted for commercial TV equipment are available from:
Christadelphian Outreach
Jeff Wallace
349 Page St.
Stoughton, MA. 02072
(617)344..3742
It is by “the foolishness of preaching” that God has determined to save them who believe. Through His grace, we have the privilege and opportunity to be the preachers. In many ways, recent developments have made that job easier. Let us take advantage of these opportunities, along with everything else that we can do, for “how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One