Jun 29, 18:59 EDT

But on Thursday, as 60,000 members of the group descended on Canada's largest city for a 10-day conference, it was clear that thoroughly modern methods like satellite uplinks showcasing tele-evangelists, CD-ROMS and elaborate Web sites have become an important tool for attracting new members to the burgeoning faith.

''About 10 years ago there was a real concerted effort to get on things like satellite uplinks, to be more visible,'' said Charlotte McClure, who works on worldwide public relations for the church.

''I think technology has been a big thing for us. We're very computer literate . . . Ministers and administrators have become technologically savvy.''

The result is a well-oiled promotion machine, complete with an Adventist news network, publishing houses, radio, newsletters and TV feeds which are broadcast around the world.

At the conference, which is hosting members from more about 200 countries, a fleet of public relations officials are on hand to distribute glossy press kits filled with church initiatives.

Many of the costly technological measures are made possible through the church's tithe system, which requires members to donate 10 per cent of their salary to the church.

''We don't kick people out of the church for not paying,'' explained Ryan Teller, a spokesman for the group from Lincoln, Neb. ''(But) that is something that people accept when they're baptized, that it's God's plan to give 10 per cent of their income . . . It's all His money in the first place.''

Last year, those donations netted the church about a billion dollars, which is then used to support and promote the ministry around the world.

''We want to get God's word out and public relations is part of that,'' said Teller.

The push appears to be working, as it is estimated that the church's membership of 11 million will have more than tripled in 20 years. In a typical year, about 500,000 new members worldwide join the church. Last year, the number of new memberships reached a staggering one million people.

Those numbers might seem surprising in light of the teetotalling lifestyle members adhere to.

But Chandra Nunes, a 21-year-old student from Toronto who has been a member of the religion her whole life, says she doesn't feel restrained by the rules.

''My friends know what I stand for,'' she says. ''So they won't say to me, `Let's go out and drink.' ''

Squeaky clean sentiments like those will be the order of the day throughout the conference, which is held every five years.

Volunteer youth brigades will descend on the streets, replacing graffiti with messages condemning drug use and singing the praises of family values. There will also be Christian cafes, street preaching and puppetry.

The name of the church, which was organized in 1863, represents two key aspects of the faith: the second coming of Christ and the seventh-day Sabbath, Saturday.

The conference is thought to be one of the largest to be held in Canada and will pump an estimated $50 million into the local economy.