Evangelism is part of the culture of an Adventist church plant in Maple Valley. In fact, their very first ministry activity when they started on March 1, 2014, was to hold a Bible prophecy seminar series.
Church planter Namaia Faletogo planned the church’s second five-week evangelistic series in October 2014, called “Operation Blueprint.” At the conclusion of the series and in partnership with Highline Church, the church plant hosted a baptism ceremony for seven individuals on Nov. 22, 2014.
In this series, God had two surprises planned for Faletogo. In the first surprise, Faletogo’s 8-year-old daughter, Lala, faithfully listened to her father’s presentations. She surprised both of her parents when she responded one night to an appeal to accept Jesus into her life.
“On the ride back home, we talked with Lala about her decision to make sure she understood her commitment,” says Candace Faletogo, Lala’s mother. “It gave me great joy and satisfaction to watch my child be baptized and give her heart to God.”
The second surprise came during the baptism ceremony. Brandon Maae intently watched as his new friends were baptized. As he sat on the steps near the baptistery, he placed his head in his hands and began sobbing quietly.
In this intensely personal moment, he gave his heart to Jesus. He requested to be baptized that very night.
“We did not have another baptismal gown to give him, so he put on the wet gown of another newly baptized in Christ and walked down into the water of life, where he left his sins and came up with a new life as a sheep to the Shepherd,” says Jeannette ILiwa'alani, Maple Valley Church member.
In all, Maple Valley is celebrating 12 baptisms in their first eight months as a congregation. Three people from their Unlocking Prophecy series in the spring were baptized at Washington Adventist Camp Meeting, and another young lady was baptized after attending Sunset Lake Camp.
“The whole church is excited about evangelism,” says Nemaia Faletogo. “Everyone is involved in soul-winning because we see evangelism as a way of life.”
The church family keeps growing at the Adventist church plant in Maple Valley.
