From the Desk of Don Schneider
President, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists
Chair, Voice of Prophecy Board of Trustees
June 18, 2008
Re: Change in Leadership at the Voice of Prophecy
On Monday, June 16, Pastor Lonnie Melashenko officially notified the North
American Division of Seventh-day Adventists that he would be leaving the Voice of
Prophecy as speaker/director on July 31. I am truly grateful for the 17 years of service that
Pastor Melashenko provided and pray that the Lord will continue to use him in his new role
as Vice President of Spiritual Services and Missions for the Kettering Health Network in
Ohio.
Many people are aware of the dynamic ways the Holy Spirit has used Lonnie to “lift
up the trumpet and loud let it ring.” During the transition I am committed to making sure
that the ministry of God through the Voice of Prophecy will not be diminished. Pastor
Melashenko will continue to be heard by thousands of people on the broadcasts; He has
offered to represent the Voice of Prophecy at various speaking appointments already
scheduled and for the evangelistic outreach in Hong Kong this fall. Lonnie has been an asset
to the Voice of Prophecy, but like any successful outreach, the Voice of Prophecy is based
on the guidance of the Holy Spirit to proclaim an everlasting gospel. We will need that
continued guidance as we make decisions about how to proceed.
As we look to the future, I believe this is a time to consider how to make the “voice”
of prophecy an even more vibrant call to follow the Word of God. In the last few years
more has changed in the arena of electronic and broadcast media than we have seen for
decades. The intrusive and powerful influence of the Internet continues to open new
possibilities for outreach while at the same time flooding the world with images and
information that can be far more insidious and evil than anything that radio or television
ever broadcast. It seems that people’s souls are now under attack more than they ever have
been before.
The Voice of Prophecy’s Bible School graduates thousands of people every year in
North America and many more thousands in dozens of languages around the world. The
coordinated network of churches around North America who respond to those enrolled in
the Bible School is astounding. The new lessons for young people, Native Americans, and
those in Chinese are enough to bring tears to the eyes of anyone who takes seriously the call
to go everywhere to reach someone with the love of Jesus. The light these efforts produce
must not dim, it must grow brighter! I hope that you will agree.
Please know that I will keep you informed of developments. I appreciate so much
those who given their energies and financial contributions to bring Jesus into the lives of so
many through the Voice of Prophecy. With the guiding vision of H.M.S. Richards, Sr. still
clearly in sight, I take the responsibility for continuing what he started very seriously and ask
that you pray that the Lord will guide us as we move “forward in faith.”

Wow!