First-Ever International AFCOE Summit Unites Global Evangelism Leaders

For the first time in the 25-year history of the Amazing Facts Center of Evangelism (AFCOE), evangelism leaders from around the world gathered in one place to pray, learn, and strategize for reaching more souls. Leaders from Indonesia, India, Europe, Oceania, the United States, and the Philippines gathered in Thailand, April 4–10, 2026, for training workshops, revival meetings, brainstorming sessions, and even a bit of touring.

“It was a wonderful experience during the Summit,” said Praneeth, from Amazing Facts India. “The Lord richly blessed us through His word during devotions and in prayers. Listening to the testimonies and reports shared from around the world was also a blessing. The Holy Spirit worked in our hearts and inspired us to adopt ideas that could help us reach more people.”

“Everyone was inspired to return home with new vision and focus,” added Pastor Doug Batchelor, president of Amazing Facts International. “It was a motivating, morale-building experience for teams that sometimes feel isolated in their work.”

Strategizing for Better AFCOE Programs

The 32 AFCOE leaders and workers met on the Asia Pacific International University campus for intense training and planning sessions with Amazing Facts leadership. They enjoyed workshops on effective communication, marketing, evangelism techniques, teaching students, and many other practical areas. Johnny Wong, from the Oceania AFCOE program, taught how to lead small groups effectively.

“I learned an immense amount, particularly regarding outreach and organization,” said Dariel Syahril, coordinator for the Indonesia AFCOE program and media coordinator for Amazing Facts Indonesia. “Specifically, I gained valuable insights into how to plan our marketing strategies to reach a broader audience, how to generate more contacts for Bible studies, and how to run our training programs more efficiently.”

Each AFCOE team shared reports on the work in their area. These sharing times were especially useful to the teams, for they engaged in united prayer and problem-solving.

“One of the most impactful realizations was that many of the struggles we face are the same ones others face,” said Sophie, who, with her husband Ryan, works with the international teams. “Knowing we are not alone allowed us to openly share ideas, learn from one another, and find practical ways to improve and grow together. The summit reminded us that we are all working toward the same mission and that true growth happens when we support each other.”

AFCOE leaders gained renewed enthusiasm and vision for ministry. Syahril returned to Indonesia determined to expand the online training program to reach many more people across Southeast Asia. Kumar gained a vision for small group ministry and the power that it can have, even in India, where the concept seems very foreign to the local culture. Each attendee gained something of value that will expand their ministry.

Revival and Training for Local Church Members

While the summit focused on strengthening AFCOE teams, it also created opportunities for Amazing Facts to equip Thai church members and pastors for ministry.

The summit week began with an intensive AFCOE-to-Go program at the Bangkok Chinese Seventh-day Adventist Church. The fast-paced, truth-filled weekend of training included sessions with Pastor Doug; Jëan Ross, vice-president of evangelism; and Carlos Muñoz, AFCOE director. Over 300 local believers and church leaders attended the training sessions.

Amazing Facts leadership also hosted training sessions for Sabbath-keeping Thai church leaders and a series of revival meetings at the Asia-Pacific International University. About 1,000 local people joined the AFCOE teams on the final Sabbath for a day of worship, fellowship, and evangelism training. Many Thai pastors expressed their appreciation for the meetings, saying they had prayed to learn directly from Amazing Facts how to do evangelism better.

“This summit was an answered prayer and a confirmation of God’s leading for Thailand,” said Marxianne Quijano-Aviles, who is heading up the Thailand AFCOE Initiative with her husband Mathi. “The experience strengthened my faith and reminded me that God often works behind the scenes long before we see results.”

25 Years of Evangelism Training

AFCOE began at the Amazing Facts headquarters in California in 2000 under the leadership of Pastor Gary Gibbs. Since then, it has trained hundreds of dedicated evangelists and expanded around the globe. The international network of AFCOE programs currently includes Europe, Indonesia, Brazil, Oceania, Africa, and the Philippines. New programs are preparing to launch in Guatemala and Thailand in the near future. AFCOE graduates have gone on to serve around the world as evangelists, church leaders, Bible workers, and pastors.

Current offerings in the United States include a yearly three-month program in Granite Bay, California; weeklong AFCOE intensives also in Granite Bay; AFCOE-to-Go programs in local churches; and self-paced online courses on a variety of topics. International AFCOEs have similar programs and offerings.

To learn more about AFCOE and register to attend one of our many training programs, please visit afcoe.org.