Amazing Facts Celebrates 60 Years Of Miracles

For the past 60 years, Amazing Facts has been proclaiming the three angels’ messages through every available means. It’s that sustained commitment to evangelism that drew more than 1,000 people locally, along with thousands of online viewers, during the weekend of September 26–27, 2025.

From near and far, friends of the ministry gathered at the W.O.R.D. Center in Granite Bay, California, to celebrate the many miracles God has wrought over the past six decades. Pastor Doug Batchelor, president, also preached a three-part series on our purpose as Christians, the power of the Spirit, and the peace that comes from knowing and sharing God. He also recounted numerous thrilling stories of God’s providence over his 30 years of ministry with Amazing Facts.

Many longtime friends of Amazing Facts attended the weekend, making it feel like a foretaste of heaven. One special guest was Larry Crews, son of Amazing Facts’ first speaker, Joe Crews.

Attending with his wife, Sharon, Larry shares, “It was very moving to be reminded of how God has led Amazing Facts over the last 60 years. From Dad’s small, local conference radio program, recorded with borrowed equipment, to the international, multifaceted ministry led by Doug Batchelor at the impressive Granite Bay facilities, it is truly evident that God is spreading His Word in preparation for the last days of Earth’s history. We were brought to tears as we were reminded of all God has done, and we know that He will surely lead and bless in the future!”

Adding to their family’s rich history with Amazing Facts, Larry and Sharon’s son, Aron, serves as the young adult pastor at the Granite Bay Hilltop Church.

Stories of the Early Years

The miracle stories began Friday night as some of Amazing Facts’ earliest workers and evangelists shared stories about the ministry’s early days. They recalled the joys of working with Elder Crews, how he took time to mentor them, and the wisdom he shared from his over 40 years of evangelistic work.

“He wanted to get young people involved in the ministry,” said Gary Gibbs, former Amazing Facts evangelist and now president of the Pennsylvania Conference. Gibbs became a Sabbath-keeper as a teenager and started working with Crews in his early 20s. “He really loved people, and he was a lot of fun to be with—but he was serious about Jesus.”

Lowell Hargreaves, currently an evangelist at Amazing Facts and the director of AFCOE Africa, remembered God’s intervention at a prophecy series he preached in Ukraine shortly after the fall of communism. Four hundred people were baptized. A few years later, political troubles cut short a series in Albania, but he and his family’s escape to Hungary had put them in touch with a family who has since supported the establishment of Amazing Facts Centers of Evangelism (AFCOE) programs in Africa and the Philippines.

Training for Evangelists and Bible Workers

The stories continued on Sabbath morning as past and present staff talked about the establishment of the Amazing Facts Center of Evangelism (AFCOE). Erik Flickinger attended the first AFCOE class in 2000. “We learned so much!” he recalled. “We had to memorize 25 Bible passages every week. … It was an

absolutely amazing program; it completely changed my life.” Flickinger went on to serve as an Amazing Facts evangelist and assistant director of AFCOE. He is now the associate speaker for It Is Written.

AFCOE has trained evangelists who have gone around the world preaching the good news. AFCOE programs have also been established online, as well as in Europe, Brazil, Africa, the Philippines, Indonesia, and India.

“It was incredible to see all of the people who are in church work at many different levels that have a connection to Amazing Facts,” said Marshall McKenzie, former Amazing Facts publishing director, who is now the associate director for Pastoral Care at Adventist Connect.

Miracles Multiplied

Throughout the weekend, Amazing Facts’ former and current employees told story after story of God’s goodness and grace in evangelistic series around the world. They recalled miracles of transformation as the everlasting gospel was preached in Cameroon, Ukraine, India, China, Papua New Guinea, and a hundred other places around the globe.

Pastor Doug and Amazing Facts officers also reminisced about planting the Granite Bay Hilltop Church and God’s incredible provision to build the W.O.R.D. Center to serve as a multimedia church and recording center. “I often wondered if we were building this place on our own idea or God’s, but my prayer was, ‘Lord, let us dedicate the W.O.R.D. Center debt-free if this is of you.’ And we did! We never once had to draw on our line of credit,” Pastor Doug recalled.

Directors of Amazing Facts’ many departments shared thrilling reports of how God has grown the various aspects of the ministry. Publishing reported having given away $8 million in free materials over the past ten years. The Bible school recently enrolled its one millionth student. Prison ministries are reaching tens of thousands of prisoners through the Pando app each year. Media reported that the Amazing Facts programs now air worldwide on 458 radio stations, as well as on AFTV, satellite, local and national stations, and streaming TV channels.

On the Brink of Eternity

The weekend concluded with a premiere screening of the new Amazing Facts documentary, Armageddon and the Final Events of Bible Prophecy. It was a powerful reminder that we stand on the brink of prophetic time and that now, more than ever, God is calling each one of us to work for the salvation of souls.

“Amazing Facts has grown exponentially over the past 60 years,” said Gibbs. “Jesus said that this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come. God’s church is working all over the world, and we are seeing a movement of the Holy Spirit like we’ve never seen before. I believe that we are in the last days, and this is the time to really be sold out for God. God sends us to different places to do different things, but we all have a mission field in our neighborhoods. God will use us if we would just pray, ‘God, use me.’”

The anniversary weekend’s many inspiring presentations may be viewed in multiple languages at www.afsummit.org.