With 8,100 books, dozens of volunteers, and a partnership with Messiah’s Mansion, a Missouri church is reaping an evangelistic harvest—and they’re just getting started.
In the spring of 2025, the Nixa Seventh-day Adventist Church in Missouri launched an ambitious outreach campaign they now call “Great Controversy 2.0”—and the results have been nothing short of remarkable.
In collaboration with Streams of Light International and the traveling sanctuary exhibit Messiah’s Mansion, the church distributed over 8,100 copies of The Great Controversy and health magazines across their community. Each packet included a flyer inviting neighbors to attend Messiah’s Mansion and a bookmark linking to BibleCompass.online, their interactive online Bible study platform.
Of the 8,100 books distributed, 2,700 were purchased and contributed by nearby Oak Grove Heights SDA Church, which partnered in the effort.
As a result of the outreach and the exhibit, over 3,600 people visited Messiah’s Mansion, and the response went far beyond expectations:
“The Bible Compass marker inside the book generated about 1,700 online Bible studies,” said Pastor Jerry DuVall. “We also have 750 people who requested personal Bible studies. That tells us the community is hungry for truth. They’re secretly searching, and when we share boldly, God brings the increase.”
Inside the church, the project helped spark spiritual revival. Youth played an active role in literature distribution and hosted Saturday night worships to pray and prepare. Members greeted guests, drove golf carts, prepared meals, and led tours throughout the Messiah’s Mansion exhibit.
“Projects like this breathe life into a church,” Pastor Jerry shared. “You see stronger prayer, deeper study, and more unity. The church becomes more spiritually healthy—and that health spills over into members’ personal lives too.”
But this wave of mission wasn’t the beginning—it was the continuation of a years-long journey.
A Foundation of Faithful Outreach
Years earlier, the church had participated in what Pastor Jerry calls “Great Controversy 1.0,” working directly with Streams of Light International to distribute literature in their region.
“We handed out about 6,000–7,000 books during our first round. Even members who didn’t speak English fluently got involved. Then we did it again with another 3,500 books,” he said. “We saw a powerful change in our church’s attitude and our outreach.”
These early efforts laid the foundation for their bold 2.0 campaign, building confidence and a culture of evangelism among members. When Personal Ministries Leader Lourdes Ruiz proposed connecting literature distribution to the Messiah’s Mansion exhibit, the church was ready to go all in.
“I was still in California during the first outreach,” Lourdes said. “But when I arrived here and saw the love and energy this church had for outreach, I knew I had to be part of it. When we prayed about launching the second wave and partnering again with Streams of Light, it just took off. It was like God gave us the horse and said, ‘Hop on—just hold on tight.’”
Lourdes also led the church in selecting the mental health edition of SOLI’s health magazine to distribute alongside The Great Controversy.
“Mental health was the perfect icebreaker,” she explained. “People are still dealing with the aftereffects of COVID, and it opened up genuine conversations. For many of our members—especially from cultures where literature distribution isn’t allowed—it gave them courage. It helped our church as much as our community.”
Looking Ahead: Prophecy Series and Personal Follow-Up
Now, the church is organizing a strategic follow-up plan to nurture the hundreds of spiritual interests. With more than 2,000 survey contacts and over 750 personal Bible study requests, the next step is a community-wide prophecy series planned for late summer. Once again, they’re bringing Messiah’s Mansion back—this time with a full-scale Daniel 2 and 7 exhibit, complete with towering beasts and symbolic statues visible from the highway.
“We’re using that as a bridge to our evangelistic series,” said Pastor Jerry. “We want to guide every seeker we can. Messiah’s Mansion was a gentle introduction—we hope to use it to draw people deeper into Bible truth.”
It’s a powerful testament to what happens when a church steps out in faith, works in unity, and partners with others for mission.
And as Nixa SDA looks ahead, their hearts remain fixed on the mission.
“We’re just getting started,” Lourdes said. “This outreach has changed us—and we’re ready for whatever God has next.”