AW English - October 2010.pdf

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N SOME LONG AGO CAMPING TRIP TO THE PINE FORESTS OF EAST 4EXAS

MY FATHER TAUGHT ME THE MECHANICS OF BUILDING A lRE 2AISED IN THE WOODS AND MEADOWS OF .EW %NGLAND HE HAS A DEEP RESPECT FOR THE LAND AND SHARED WITH ME HIS DELIGHT IN THE CRISP MORNING AIR THAT ALWAYS WELCOMES A WELL BUILT lRE ) WATCHED IN FASCINATION AS HE GATHERED TWIGS AND DRY GRASS FOR THE BLAZE THAT WAS SOON TO BE 4HERE WAS THOUGHT AND EXPERIENCE BEHIND EACH MOVEMENT THE TENTING OF THE COMBUSTIBLES THE GATHERING OF THE LARGER FUEL THE ATTENTIVE NESS TO WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION ) KNEW BEFORE THE AGE OF THAT BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE lRE REQUIRES PLANNING

PREPARATION AND OBSERVATION ) THINK OF THOSE LONG AGO LESSONS OFTEN THESE DAYS

PARTICULARLY AS ) BOW IN PRAYER FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE REVIVAL lRES NOW SPRINGING UP AMONG 'OD S PEOPLE ) AM CAREFUL NOT TO PRAY FOR JUST ANY KIND OF BURNING ) DO NOT ASK THE ,ORD FOR LIGHTNING STRIKES TO SET THE LAND ABLAZE #HARRED STUMPS AND BURNED OVER DISTRICTS TESTIFY TO THE WASTEFULNESS OF UNPLANNED AND UNATTENDED BLAZES .O INSTEAD ) PLEAD FOR SUSTAINABLE lRES THAT WARM AND BRIGHTEN GATHERING PLACES FROM WHICH A WATCHING WORLD DRAWS COMFORT LIGHT

AND ENCOURAGEMENT

%VEN AS A CHILD ) GRASPED THE IMPORTANCE OF CONSOLIDATING THE COMBUSTIBLES THAT KEEP THE lRE FUELED 3TRAY TWIGS AND BITS OF STRAW MAY mAME WITH MOMENTARY BRILLIANCE BUT SOON ARE SPENT A BLACKENED WITNESS TO WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 0USHEDˆOR BETTER YET PRESSEDˆTOGETHER ONE lERY BRANCH IGNITES ANOTHER AND THEN ANOTHER EACH ADDING TO A BLAZE SO MANY TIMES THE SIZE IT MIGHT HAVE INDIVIDUALLY PRODUCED 4HE PRINCIPLE HOLDS TRUE WHEN REVIVAL lRES SPRING UP IN WHAT %LTON 4RUEBLOOD ONCE CALLED hTHE INCENDIARY FELLOWSHIPvˆTHIS BODY OF BELIEVERS 'OD HAS CALLED INTO (IS REMNANT CHURCH !PART FROM EACH OTHER WE MAY mARE WITH BRIGHT BUT TEMPORARY LIGHT "UT PRESSED TOGETHERˆCON SCIOUSLY COLLECTED FOR THE 3PIRIT S lERY PURPOSESˆTHE PERSONAL REVIVAL THAT 'OD IS NOW BRINGING TO HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS WILL SOON BECOME THAT GREAT AND GENERAL REVIVAL FOR WHICH WE VE ALL BEEN PRAYING h0RESS TOGETHER PRESS TOGETHER PRESS TOGETHER v %LLEN 7HITE REMINDED US MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO h$O NOT LET 3ATAN CAST HIS HELLISH SHADOW BETWEEN BRETHREN 0RESS TOGETHER IN UNITY THERE IS STRENGTH v 3O STEP CLOSER TO THE lRE MY FRIENDS $ECIDE TO BE PART OF THE NEW 0ENTECOST 'OD IS NOW LIGHTING AMONG (IS PEOPLE 4HE HEART YOU lND ON lRE WILL SURELY BE YOUR OWN

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!DVENTISTS 0ARTICIPATE IN 'ERMANY S &RIENDSHIP #HAIN N !N AUTOBAHN WAS SHUT DOWN NOT BECAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT NOT FOR A FEW HOURS AND NOT JUST FOR A FEW KILOMETERS 4HIS WAS SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER AND DElNITELY MUCH NICER 4HE MAIN FREEWAY INTO THE 'ERMAN 2UHR REGION

THE !

WAS CLOSED OVER A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY KILOMETERS MILES FOR A WHOLE DAY ON *ULY 0EOPLE IN THE 2UHR REGION WERE INVITED TO TABLES FORMING THE LONGEST TABLE IN THE WORLD SET UP ON THE CLOSED FREEWAY 4HIS EVENT CALLED 3TILL ,EBEN ! 3TILL ,IFE !

WAS

SPONSORED BY STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES TO PROMOTE COMMERCE AND TOURISM /RGANIZERS EXPECTED ABOUT MILLION PEOPLE FOR THE EVENT !T LEAST MILLION CAME 0EOPLE STOOD SAT OR WALKED ON THE CLOSED FREEWAY FOR SIX HOURS !DVENTIST CONGREGATIONS IN THE AREA ALSO TOOK THEIR PLACE AT THE TABLE 4HE CHURCHES WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THEIR MULTICULTURAL NATURE ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THEY ARE MADE UP OF MORE THAN DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS THUS DEMONSTRATING THAT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT CULTURES AND BACKGROUNDS CAN LIVE TOGETHER PEACE FULLY UNITED BY THEIR SHARED FAITH &ROM THIS CAME THE IDEA TO MAKE

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THE LONGEST FRIENDSHIP CHAIN IN THE 2UHR REGION 5NDER THE SLOGAN h&RIENDSHIP ,INKS v CHURCH MEMBERS WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTIVITY /LD AND YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN PARTICIPATED AND IN ANTICIPA TION OF THE EVENT TIED TOGETHER

FRIENDSHIP WRIST BANDS 4HE TEENAGERS AND 0ATHlNDERS IN THE AREA TIED AN ADDITIONAL BANDS /N *ULY AT IN THE MORNING THE CHURCH OPENED A STAND ON THE CLOSED FREEWAY 6ISITORS WERE INVITED TO JOIN THE CHAIN 4HE RESPONSE FROM THE PUBLIC WAS OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE !S A THANK YOU EACH PARTICIPANT WAS GIVEN A PAMPHLET ABOUT !DVENTISTS AND A PRO FESSIONALLY KNOTTED FRIENDSHIP BAND 0EOPLE WERE ALSO INVITED TO SIGN THE hENDITNOWv PETITION AGAINST VIOLENCE TOWARD GIRLS AND WOMEN "Y P M ALL THE AVAILABLE FRIENDSHIP BANDS HAD BEEN TIED THEN CAME THE BIG MOMENT 4HE CAREFULLY ROLLED CHAIN WAS MEASURED AND FOUND TO BE METERS LONG APPROXIMATELY

FEET ˆA NEW RECORD FOR A FRIEND SHIP CHAIN IN THE 2UHR REGION 4HE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS IN THE 2UHR AREA WORSHIP IN LOCAL CONGREGATIONS 6ISIT WWW ADVENTISTENIMRUHRGEBIET DE FOR MORE INFORMATION ˆ2EPORTED BY -ANUEL "ENDIG WITH #HANTAL * +LINGBEIL !DVENTIST (EADQUARTERS .EIGHBORS TO 'ET "OOK -AILING 4HE 'REAT #ONTROVERSY GOING TO

AREA HOMES IN OUTREACH N !N ESTIMATED HOMES ARE LOCATED IN THE AREA IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING THE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE '# OF 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS HEADQUARTERS BUILDING IN 3ILVER 3PRING

-ARYLAND "UT HOW MANY OF THESE NEIGHBORS KNOW WHAT !DVENTISTS BELIEVE ! NEW BOOK DISTRIBUTION PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO GIVE RESIDENTS IN THE

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'2%!4 #/.42/6%239 "//+3 0ASTOR 4ED . # 7ILSON 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE OF 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS PRESIDENT SECOND FROM LEFT IS AMONG WORLD CHURCH OFlCIALS POSING WITH COPIES OF 4HE 'REAT #ONTROVERSY #OPIES OF THE BOOK WILL BE MAILED TO HOMES NEAR THE WORLD HEADQUARTERS IN 3ILVER 3PRING -ARYLAND &ROM LEFT 0UBLISHING -INISTRIES DIRECTOR (OWARD &AIGAO 7ILSON GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT !RMANDO -IRANDA ASSOCIATE PUBLISHING DIRECTOR 7ILMAR (IRLE AND -ARK " 4HOMAS PRESIDENT OF THE 2EVIEW AND (ERALD 0UBLISHING !SSOCIATION

POSTAL ZONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT BIBLICAL PROPHECY CHURCH LEADERS ANNOUNCED RECENTLY $URING *ULY

WORSHIP AT '# HEADQUARTERS EMPLOYEES DONATED MORE THAN 53 ˆAPPROXIMATELY PERCENT MORE THAN WAS NEEDEDˆTO FUND THE PRINTING AND MAILING OF 4HE 'REAT #ONTROVERSY CHURCH COFOUNDER %LLEN ' 7HITE S CAPSTONE VOLUME IN HER #ONmICT OF THE !GES BOOK SERIES -ONEY RAISED ABOVE THE BASIC COSTS WILL GO TOWARD SENDING COPIES OF THE BOOK TO ADJACENT GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS 4HE 'REAT #ONTROVERSY PRESENTS A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF 'OD S ACTIVITY IN SAVING HUMAN BEINGS AND PARTICULARLY FOCUSES ON THE HISTORY OF THE #HRISTIAN CHURCH FROM THE lRST CENTURY ! $ FORWARD "IBLE PROPHE CIES THAT POINT TO END TIME EVENTS ARE HIGHLIGHTED THROUGHOUT &IRST PUB LISHED IN AND REVISED IN THE

BOOK HAS BEEN CIRCULATED WORLDWIDE IN MANY EDITIONS AND TRANSLATIONS 4HE PROJECT IS PART OF A NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO DISTRIBUTE COPIES OF THE BOOK TO AN ESTIMATED MILLION HOMES IN .ORTH !MERICA SAID -ARK " 4HOMAS

PRESIDENT OF THE 2EVIEW AND (ERALD 0UBLISHING !SSOCIATION WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PRINTING PACKAGING

AND SHIPPING THE BOOKS h4HIS PROJECT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TELL OUR NEIGHBORS WHAT ;CURRENT= EVENTS ARE ALL ABOUT v SAID 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE PRESIDENT 4ED . # 7ILSON %ACH PAPERBACK COPY OF 4HE 'REAT #ONTROVERSY COSTS TO PRINT PACK AGE AND SHIP 4HOMAS SAID #HURCH MEMBERS HAVE PERSONALLY HANDED OUT SOME PERCENT OF COPIES DISTRIBUTED IN THE PROJECT SO FAR 4HE PROJECT IS A hPRIVILEGEv FOR CHURCH HEADQUARTERS AND AN OPPOR TUNITY TO IMPACT THE SURROUNDING

!FRICAN ,EADERS 2ECEIVE $OCTORATES &ROM !NDREWS 5NIVERSITY N 3UMMER OF MARKED THE GRADUATION OF THE lRST $OCTOR OF -INISTRY STUDENTS TO RECEIVE DEGREES FROM THE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST 4HEOLOGICAL 3EMINARY AT !NDREWS 5NIVERSITY IN "ERRIEN 3PRINGS

-ICHIGAN YET COMPLETING ALL THEIR STUDIES WHILE STILL IN !FRICA .OT ONLY WAS THIS A HISTORICAL lRST FOR !NDREWS 5NIVERSITY IT IS ALSO A lRST FOR THE !DVENTIST #HURCH ON THE !FRICAN CONTINENT )T STARTED IN THE SUMMER OF

WHEN THE !NDREWS 5NIVERSITY $EPART

MENT OF 7ORLD -ISSION PARTNERED WITH THE 7EST #ENTRAL !FRICA $IVISION OF 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS TO LAUNCH A $OCTOR OF -INISTRY COHORT IN 'LOBAL -ISSION ,EADERSHIP )N THIS COHORT

WHICH IS A GROUP THAT STARTS AND lN ISHES THE PROGRAM AFTER FOUR SUMMER SESSIONS TOGETHER WERE STUDENTS FROM THAT DIVISION WHO MET FOR THEIR lRST SESSION AT "ABCOCK 5NIVERSITY IN .IGERIA 4HE STUDENTS IN THIS PROGRAM REPRESENTED CHURCH LEADERS FROM 7EST #ENTRAL !FRICA WHO DID NOT HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES AND TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD TO STUDY )NSTEAD THE SEMINARY FOUND A WAY TO MEET THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION NEEDS WHILE ENABLING THESE CHURCH LEADERS AND MINISTERS TO CONTINUE THEIR MINISTRIES IN !FRICA &ROM THE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST 4HEOLOGICAL 3EMINARY S $EPARTMENT OF 7ORLD -ISSION "RUCE "AUER CHAIR AND PROFESSOR OF WORLD MISSION ALONG WITH 2UDI -AIER PROFESSOR OF MISSION 'OR DEN $OSS ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF WORLD MISSION AND *ON $YBDAHL ADJUNCT

! . $ 2 % 7 3 5 . ) 6 % 2 3 ) 4 9 0 ( / 4 /

COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF LEAVING WITNESS SOLELY UP TO AREA CHURCHES SAID !RMANDO -IRANDA A WORLD CHURCH GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT %ACH COPY OF 4HE 'REAT #ON TROVERSY COMES WITH AN INVITATION CARD FOR "IBLE CORRESPONDENCE AN UNOBTRUSIVE WAY TO ENCOURAGE "IBLE STUDY -IRANDA SAID )N CLOSING COMMENTS BEFORE A DEDICATORY PRAYER FOR THE PROJECT

7ILSON POINTED TO THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF THE DISTRIBUTION PROJECT h4HOSE WHO ARE TRULY SEEKING TRUTH WILL BE ATTRACTED TO THIS BOOK v HE SAID !DDITIONALLY 7ILSON SAID HE HOPES THE PROJECT WILL SERVE AS ENCOURAGE MENT FOR CHURCH ADMINISTRATIVE OFlCES AND INDIVIDUAL CHURCHES WORLDWIDE TO PARTICIPATE IN SIMILAR DISTRIBUTIONS h4HE 0UBLISHING -INISTRIES $EPART MENT HAS A PLAN TO ENGAGE THE WHOLE CHURCH AND ALL DEPARTMENTS IN LAUNCH ING A HUGE DISTRIBUTION OF MILLIONS OF COPIES OF 4HE 'REAT #ONTROVERSY AROUND THE WORLD IN v 7ILSON WROTE IN A FOLLOW UP E MAIL h/UR PEOPLE ARE EXCITED TO DISTRIBUTE THE BOOK %LLEN 7HITE SAID SHE WISHED WERE DISTRIBUTED ABOVE ALL ;HER= OTHER BOOKS v ˆ2EPORTED BY !DVENTIST .EWS .ETWORK 3TAFF

PROFESSOR OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION AND MISSION USHERED THE STUDENTS THROUGH THIS FOUR YEAR PROCESS "AUER AND -AIER WERE WITH THE GROUP AT "ABCOCK 5NIVER SITY FOR THREE OF THE FOUR SUMMERS h4HE GOAL OF THE FACULTY v SAYS -AIER hIS TO PROVIDE A RIGOROUS ACADEMIC PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH SKILLS NOT ONLY TO ANALYZE THEIR OWN CONTEXT OF MISSION BUT ALSO TO APPLY RELEVANT TOOLS APPROPRIATELY TO VARIOUS MISSION CONDITIONS v !LONG THE WAY THIS COHORT MADE HISTORY AGAIN /N *UNE

"OUBAKAR 3ANOU BECAME THE lRST !FRICAN STUDENT TO DEFEND HIS DOCTORAL DISSERTATION FOR !NDREWS 5NIVERSITY IN !FRICA /N 4UESDAY -ARCH

A HANDFUL OF SEMINARY PROFESSORS SIGNED DISSERTATION APPROVAL PAGES FOR OF THE GRADUATES OF THE 'LOBAL -ISSION ,EADERSHIP #ONCENTRATION OF THE $OCTOR OF -INISTRY PROGRAM 4HE APPROVAL PAGE FOR THE THIRTY FOURTH STUDENT WAS SIGNED A FEW WEEKS LATER #ONTINUED NEXT PAGE

$%'2%%3 5.$%2 !&2)#!. 3+)%3 .IGERIA S "ABCOCK 5NIVERSITY WAS THE SETTING FOR A *UNE GRADUATION FOR !NDREWS 5NIVERSITY DOCTORAL GRADUATES !NDREWS PROFESSORS "RUCE "AUER AND 2UDI -AIER ARE SHOWN WITH THE DEGREE RECIPIENTS

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7/2,$ 2%0/24 #ONTINUED FROM PAGE 4HE RESEARCH AND DISSERTATIONS OFFER A GLIMPSE OF THE KIND OF WORK THESE GRADUATES HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR AND ARE NOW SET TO LAUNCH IN THEIR OWN MINISTRIES %ZEKIEL ! !DELEYE

PRESIDENT OF THE 3OUTH 7EST .IGERIA #ONFERENCE WROTE (OW TO +EEP !DVENTIST 9OUNG !DULTS IN THE #HURCH IN THE 3OUTH 7EST .IGERIA #ONFERENCE ! 0ILOT 0ROJECT 4HE IMPACT OF THIS COHORT S WORK REACHES FAR AND WIDE !LLAH 2IDY +ON£ ONE OF THE STUDENTS IN THE COHORT WHOSE DISSERTATION FOCUSED ON ! #ONTEXTUAL !PPROACH TO 0RESENT THE 'OSPEL TO -USLIMS IN THE 2EPUBLIC OF #HAD SAYS h9OU MADE OUR DREAM TO BECOME A REALITYx 'OD IS DOING ;A= TREMENDOUS JOB THROUGH ME HERE IN !FRICA AS ) APPLIED WHAT ) HAVE ACQUIRED IN THE CLASS v 4HIS !FRICAN BASED COHORT IS JUST ONE WAY !NDREWS 5NIVERSITY IS SERVING THE WORLD CHURCH !CCORDING TO -AIER !NDREWS IS ON THE FOREFRONT HELPING MANY !DVENTIST COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES STRENGTHEN THEIR ACADEMIC STANDING BY PROVIDING THEM GRADUATE EDUCATION 4HOSE AFlLIATIONS HAVE OFFERED MASTER S DEGREES TO HUNDREDS OF !FRICAN STUDENTS IN !FRICA 4ODAY THESE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONSˆ"AB COCK 5NIVERSITY 3OLUSI 5NIVERSITY

(ELDERBERG #OLLEGE AND .EWBOLD #OLLEGE TO MENTION A FEWˆHAVE RECEIVED THEIR OWN ACADEMIC RECOGNI TION IN COUNTRY BECAUSE !NDREWS HELPED THEM CREATE A MIND SET OF WHAT GRADUATE EDUCATION IS ALL ABOUT "AUER ALSO SAYS PLANS ARE IN PLACE WITH THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED !DVENTIST 5NIVERSITY OF !FRICA !5!

LOCATED IN +ENYA

TO OFFER A NEW !NDREWS 5NIVERSITY $OCTOR OF -INISTRY DEGREE ON THEIR CAMPUS 4HE GOAL OF THIS NEW COHORT IS TO COTEACH WITH !FRICAN PROFESSORS

EMPOWERING THEM TO OFFER THEIR OWN $ -IN PROGRAM IN THE FUTURE ˆ +ERI 3UAREZ !NDREWS 5NIVERSITY

!DVENTIST 7ORLD \ /CTOBER

!T %DINBURGH #ONFERENCE

-ISSIONS "Y 'ORDEN $OSS PROFESSOR OF MISSION !NDREWS 5NIVERSITY

4

HE h%DINBURGH 7ITNESSING TO #HRIST 4ODAYv MISSION CONFERENCE IN 3COTLAND CELEBRATED A LANDMARK IN THE HISTORY OF MODERN #HRISTIAN MISSIONS !ND AS THEY WERE YEARS EARLIER AT THE lRST %DINBURGH CONFERENCE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS WERE INVOLVED IN MANY ASPECTS OF THE PROCEEDINGS &ROM *UNE TO ABOUT DELEGATES REPRESENTING THE FULL SPECTRUM OF #HRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS MET TO REMEMBER THE HISTORIC %DINBURGH -ISSIONARY #ONFERENCE OF AND TO REmECT ON MISSION DURING THE TWENTIETH AND TWENTY lRST CENTURIES %DINBURGH HAD MANY OUTCOMES THE LARGE BODY OF STUDY MATERIALS PRODUCED BY THAT EVENT FACILITATED ONGOING SCHOLARLY STUDY ABOUT #HRISTIAN MISSION 3OME NEW MISSION JOURNALS WERE STARTED AND SEMINARIES INCREASED THEIR MISSION COURSES 4HE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT TRACES ITS ROOTS TO THE CONFERENCE EVEN THOUGH THE FOCUS IN WAS NOT THEOLOGICAL DIALOGUE 3ADLY THE TWO WORLD WARS THE 'REAT $EPRESSION #OMMUNISM ECUMENISM SECULARISM AND THE RESURGENCE OF NON #HRISTIAN WORLD RELIGIONS HAVE ALL UNDERCUT THE GREAT PROGRESS ANTICIPATED IN 4HE STATE OF THE WORLD AND THE CHURCH CHANGED A LOT BETWEEN AND )N THE CHURCH WAS MOSTLY %UROPEAN AND !MERICAN

WHILE BY #HRISTIANITY WAS TRULY A GLOBAL RELIGION !T THE CONFERENCE THE DELEGATES WERE PREDOMINANTLY 0ROTESTANT %URO PEANS AND !MERICANS WITH ONLY A FEW OTHERS INCLUDED )N THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE ATTEMPTED TO INCLUDE AMONG THE DELEGATES REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE FULL RANGE OF DENOMINATIONS AND ETHNICITIES 4HE PROGRAM INCLUDED WORSHIP SMALL GROUP FELLOWSHIP AND PRAYER

PLENARY SESSIONS AND STUDY SESSIONS ON NINE DIFFERENT THEMES *OHN "ELL

OF THE HISTORIC )ONA #OMMUNITY LED THE DIVERSE GROUP IN SINGING SCORES OF SONGS IN MANY LANGUAGES FROM DIFFERENT LANDS $ANA 2OBERT MISSION HISTORIAN AT "OSTON 5NIVERSITY PRESENTED THE PLENARY h-ISSION IN ,ONG 0ERSPECTIVE v /NE STATEMENT THAT REVERBERATES FROM HER PAPER WAS h)N WE MOURNED THE FACT THAT ONLY ONE THIRD OF THE WORLD WAS #HRIS TIAN 4ODAY WE REJOICE THAT ONE THIRD OF THE WORLD IS STILL #HRISTIAN v !S THE MAIN SESSIONS DREW TO A CLOSE THE DELEGATES DISCUSSED THEN APPROVED A h#OMMON #ALL v 4HE DISCUSSION HAD POINTS OF SPECIAL INTEREST FOR !DVENTISTS &IRST ONE DELEGATE REQUESTED A STATEMENT AGAINST hSHEEP STEALING v OR hPROSELYTISM v 4HE GROUP RESPONDED WITH

!DVENTISTS -AKE

LARGE .IGERIAN CHOIR THE )NDIAN PANTOMIME CHOIR AND A SER MON BY THE ARCHBISHOP OF 9ORK A 5GANDAN DEMONSTRATED HOW MUCH GLOBAL #HRISTIANITY HAS CHANGED SINCE 4HE HISTORIC !SSEMBLY (ALL VENUE PROMPTED DEEP REmECTION ABOUT #HRISTIAN MISSIONˆPAST PRESENT AND FUTURE 4HE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST #HURCH WAS REPRESENTED AT BOTH %DINBURGH CONFERENCES )N , 2 #ONRADI 'EN ERAL #ONFERENCE VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE %UROPEAN $IVISION

WAS JOINED BY 7 * &ITSGERALD "RITISH 5NION #ONFERENCE PRESIDENT AND 7 ! 3PICER 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE SECRETARY AND &OREIGN -ISSION "OARD MEMBER 4HEY REPRESENTED AN !DVENTIST MEMBERSHIP OF ABOUT

4HE DELEGATION INCLUDED 'ANOUNE $IOP 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE 'LOBAL -ISSION 3TUDY #ENTERS DIRECTOR #HERYL ()34/2)# -)33)/. $OSS 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE )NSTITUTE OF 7ORLD -ISSION #/.&%2%.#% 'ANOUNE DIRECTOR AND *OHN -C6AY 7ALLA 7ALLA 5NIVERSITY PRESIDENT $IOP DIRECTOR OF THE $IOP FUNCTIONED ON THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE BEFORE

!DVENTIST #HURCH S DURING AND AFTER THE CONFERENCE !T THE lNAL MEETING IN THE 'LOBAL -ISSION 3TUDY !SSEMBLY (ALL HE WAS MASTER OF CEREMONIES 4HE !DVENTIST #ENTERS PRESENTS AT DELEGATION REPRESENTED ABOUT MILLION !DVENTISTS AND THE %DINBURGH 7ORLD THEIR INCLUSION WAS A RECOGNITION OF !DVENTIST MISSION WORK -ISSIONARY #ONFERENCE 4HE CONFERENCE LIKE THE ONE IN WAS ECUMENI IN *UNE CAL IN THE SENSE OF BEING MULTIDENOMINATIONAL BUT NOT IN THE SENSE OF SEEKING hUNITYv THROUGH THEOLOGICAL COMPRO MISE 4HE MAIN FOCUS WAS THE CONVERSION OF NON #HRISTIANS "ECAUSE !DVENTISTS LIKE MANY OTHERS AT THE CONFERENCE

ARE NOT PART OF THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT PARTICIPATION IN ECUMENICAL EVENTS PUTS US ON GUARD -C6AY SPOKE OF HIS PARTICIPATION AS A hBRACING UNCOMFORTABLE AT TIMES BUT STRETCHING AND BROADENING EXPERIENCE v (E FOUND SPECIAL SATISFACTION IN A FEATURE ABOUT !NDREWS -EMORIAL (OSPITAL IN *AMAICA TITLED h! 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST 7ITNESS v $OSS BELIEVES !DVENTIST PARTICIPATION COULD hBREAK DOWN PREJU DICE AND CREATE OPENNESS TO !DVENTISM THAT CAN ONLY BENElT THE MISSION OF OUR CHURCH v 4HE DELEGATES COULD OBSERVE AND LEARN MUCH ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF DOING MISSION IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OR LACK THEREOF OF 5.)4%$ ). 3/.' $ELEGATES TO THE CONFERENCE DIFFERENT METHODS AND APPROACHES JOINED VOICES IN SONG DURING THE CONFERENCE S ,ATER $ANA 2OBERT REmECTED ON %DINBURGH 3HE WORSHIP SERVICES SAID SHE WAS AMAZED BY THE CONVERGENCE OF THINKING ABOUT ' ! 2 9 $ / ! + THE NATURE OF MISSION 4HE PAST CENTURY HAS SEEN MUCH CONmICT OVER THE RELATIONSHIP OF EVANGELISM AND SOCIAL ACTION MEDICAL CARE DISASTER RELIEF EDUCATION ETC IN A RESOUNDING SILENCE AND THE REQUEST WAS NOT APPROVED MISSION WITH PEOPLE TAKING EXTREME OPPOSING POSITIONS )NSTEAD SPEAKERS SPOKE REPEATEDLY FOR ACTIVE EVANGELIZATION !DVENTISTS HAVE MOSTLY AVOIDED THE DEBATE BECAUSE OF OUR 3ECOND THE GROUP APPROVED THE ADDITION OF A STATEMENT CONVICTION THAT MISSION FOLLOWING #HRIST S MODEL ADDRESSES ABOUT #HRIST S SOON RETURN HUMAN NEEDS AND THEN CALLS FOR CONVERSION !DVENTISTS CAN 4HE lNAL MEETING TOOK PLACE IN THE #HURCH OF 3COTLAND lND SATISFACTION THAT THEIR WHOLISTIC VIEW OF MISSION IS NOW !SSEMBLY (ALL WHERE THE CONFERENCE HAD MET 4HE THE VIEW OF MANY OTHER #HRISTIANS

)MPACT

/CTOBER \ !DVENTIST 7ORLD

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4HE FOLLOWING PRESENTATION IS ABRIDGED FROM ONE GIVEN BY 4ED . # 7ILSON ON *ULY AT A "IBLE #ONFERENCE OF !DVENTIST SCHOLARS AND ADMINISTRATORS IN )ZMIR 4URKEY ˆ%DITORS

!

FTER HIS CONVERSION ON THE WAY TO $AMASCUS 0AUL KNEW NOTHING EXCEPT #HRIST CRUCIlED RISEN INTERCEDING IN THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY FOR EACH OF US AND COMING AGAIN )T ANIMATED EVERYTHING HE DID (E COULD NOT STOP POINTING PEOPLE TO *ESUS AND (IS RIGHTEOUSNESS (IS JUSTIlCATION (IS SANCTIFYING POWER AND ULTIMATELY (IS GLORIFYING POWER 0AUL S THEME WAS TO PREACH #HRIST CRUCIlED RISEN AND COMING AGAIN !ND WHEREVER WE GO WE ARE TO PROCLAIM THAT SAME PRECIOUS !DVENT MESSAGEˆTHE MESSAGE OF HOPE "IBLE SCHOLARS PASTORS TEACHERS

ADMINISTRATORSˆALL ARE NURTURERS OF THE !DVENT HOPE 4HERE S NOTHING THAT SO UNIlES THIS CHURCH WORLDWIDE AS THE POWER OF THE (OLY 3PIRIT WORKING THROUGH THE CONSECRATED

!DVENTIST 7ORLD \ /CTOBER

0AULS OF TODAY PREACHING SALVATION AND HOPE IN *ESUS #HRIST 9ES OUR STRUCTURE lNANCES POLICIES 3ABBATH SCHOOL LESSONS INSTITUTIONS MISSION PROGRAMˆALL OF THEM HELPˆBUT THAT WHICH UNIlES US IN THE MOST POWERFUL WAY IS THE (OLY 3PIRIT KEEPING THE CHURCH TOGETHER AS WE SHARE PREACH

AND WITNESS THE POWER OF THE 7ORD OF 'OD 4HE GREAT TRUTHS THAT WE HOLD DEAR AS 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTSˆTHESE ARE WHAT UNIFY US IN *ESUS #HRIST 9ES WE NEED TO SHARE THESE TRUTHS IN CAREFUL WAYS SENSITIVE TO AND RESPECTING THE VARIOUS CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD IN APPROPRIATE WAYS "UT REMEMBER BROTHERS AND SISTERS THERE IS ONLY ONE NAME GIVEN AMONG MEN WHEREBY WE MIGHT BE SAVED AND THAT IS THE NAME OF *ESUS #HRIST 7E DO WELL TO TAKE 0AUL AS OUR EXAMPLE 0AUL LEFT THE SHORES OF !SIA -INOR FROM 4ROAS AND JOURNEYED TOWARDS 'REECE (E ENDED UP IN !THENS ABOUT KILOMETERS WEST FROM THESE BEAUTIFUL WATERS ACROSS THE !EGEAN 3EA !S WE LOOK AT !CTS

WE LEARN THAT 0AUL PREACHED THE WORD OF #HRIST IN 4HESSALONICA

BUT BECAUSE OF UNREST HE HAD TO GO TO "EREA 7HEN HE ARRIVED IN "EREA

SOME OF THOSE TROUBLESOME 4HES SALONIANS FOLLOWED HIM AND BECAUSE OF ADDITIONAL DIFlCULTY THE hBRETHRENv ARRANGED TO HAVE HIM GO TO !THENS $RIVEN FROM SEVERAL LOCALES FOR PREACHING *ESUS #HRIST AND (IM CRUCI lED 0AUL FOUND HIMSELF IN !THENS ALONE %LLEN 7HITE TELLS US IN !CTS OF THE !POSTLES THAT HE WAS hOPPRESSED BY THE FEELING OF SOLITUDE v P "UT WHILE WAITING FOR 3ILAS AND 4IMOTHY TO COME JOIN HIM IN !THENS

WE DISCOVER IN !CTS THAT 0AUL HAD HIS HEART STIRRED BY THE IDOLATRY HE SAW 4HE !THENIANS WERE ABSORBED IN IDOLATRY 4RUTHFULLY VERY LITTLE HAS CHANGED IN TODAY S CULTURE 7HEREVER WE TURN WE SEE IDOLATRY IN FULL SWING THOUGH PERHAPS NOT IN THE MORE BLATANT AND OBVIOUS FORMS IN WHICH 0AUL OBSERVED IT 7HEN HE SAW THE PROFOUND ERRORS MULTIPLYING IN !THENS HE COULDN T HELP HIMSELF HE WANTED TO SHARE WITH THEM THE BEAUTI FUL MESSAGE OF THE ONE TRUE 'ODˆOF *ESUS #HRIST CRUCIlED RISEN INTERCED ING AND COMING BACK AGAIN 7E LEARN

IN !CTS THAT HE TALKED TO THE *EWS IN THE SYNAGOGUE THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THE CHALLENGE THEY FELT OF LIVING IN A POLYTHEISTIC CULTURE 4HE LEADING PHILOSOPHERS AND THINKERS OF THAT CITY SOON HEARD ABOUT HIS PRESENCE AND ALSO ABOUT HIS PRESENTATION OF WHAT THEY DEEMED STRANGE DOCTRINES 4HEY THOUGHT OF MAKING FUN OF HIM BUT HIS PRESENCE HIS MANNER OF DELIVERY AND HIS LOGICAL THINKING HELD THEM BACK 9OU IN THIS ROOM ARE FOLLOWING 0AUL S FOOTSTEPS BOTH LITERALLY ON THIS TRIP AND IN YOUR PROFESSIONS 4HE INTELLECTUAL CAPACITIES AND SKILLS REPRESENTED IN THIS ROOM TODAY ARE ASTOUNDING ) THANK 'OD FOR WHAT (E HAS DONE FOR GIVING THIS SMALL GROUP

THE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST #HURCH SO MANY lNE SOLID ACADEMICALLY TRAINED SCHOLARS WHO GIVE CREDIT NOT ONLY TO THEIR PROFESSION BUT TO 'OD )N !CTS OF !POSTLES WE READ OF 0AUL h4HEY

THE PHILOSOPHERS AND ALL OTHERS WHO CAME IN CONTACT WITH HIM SOON SAW THAT HE HAD A STORE OF KNOWLEDGE EVEN GREATER THAN THEIR OWN (IS INTELLECTUAL POWER COMMANDED THE RESPECT OF THE LEARNED WHILE HIS EARNEST LOGICAL

REASONING AND THE POWER OF HIS ORATORY HELD THE ATTENTION OF ALL IN THE AUDIENCE v 0AUL WAS TAKEN TO -ARS (ILL THE SEAT OF POLYTHEISM AND PAGANISM

WHICH WOULD TODAY BE THE EQUIVALENTS OF PLURALISM AND RELATIVISM !ND IN THE QUIETNESS OF THAT -ARS (ILL ENVIRONMENT 0AUL SHARED THE MESSAGE OF THE !DVENT HOPE 4HE !DVENT HOPE WAS SHARED WITH ARTISTS POETS PHILOSO PHERS SCHOLARS THE EDUCATEDˆ!THENS ACADEMIC ELITE !S RECORDED IN !CTS

0AUL POINTED OUT THE GREAT MISSING TRUTH A lRM BELIEF IN THE ONE TRUE UNKNOWN 'OD WHOM 0AUL KNEWˆ*ESUS #HRIST -ARS (ILL IS REPRESENTED TODAY BY ALL THE FALSE THEORIES AND THE TWISTED TRUTHS THAT 3ATAN HAS FABRICATED IN OPPOSITION TO THE ENNOBLING TRUTHS OF THE UNKNOWN 'OD THE RULER OF THE 5NIVERSE -ARS (ILL IS A METAPHOR IN MY OPINION FOR THE EFFORTS OF 3ATAN TO BRING CONFU SION INTO SOCIETY IN GENERAL INTO EVERY CULTURE AND INTO THE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST #HURCH IN PARTICULAR 4HE CONFRONTATION IS TRULY UNAVOIDABLE 7E ARE ALL IN !THENS

ON -ARS (ILL AND ALL OF US ARE IN THE MIDST OF A GREAT BATTLE A GREAT CONTROVERSY BETWEEN #HRIST AND 3ATAN .OTHING MUCH HAS CHANGED SINCE THE BEGINNING OF SIN 4HE -ARS (ILL MENTALITY HAS INVADED SOCIETY IN GENERAL AND TO SOME DEGREE OUR CHURCH ITSELF 7E HAVE ALL IN SOME SENSE BEEN AFFECTED BY IT IN LIFESTYLE

MUSIC OUTREACH APPROACHES VIEWS OF THE FUTURE UNDERSTANDING OF THE 'REAT #ONTROVERSY THEME INTERPRETATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE "IBLE AND THE 3PIRIT OF 0ROPHECY )T HAS AFFECTED THE PURITY AND THE SIMPLICITY OF 'OD S CHURCH AND THE GENUINENESS OF PERSONAL RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE !S WAS 0AUL THE APOSTLE THE THEO LOGIAN THE EVANGELIST WE ARE CALLED TO SPEAK FOR TRUTH WITH CLARITY AND SIMPLICITY 7E ARE CALLED TO OPPOSE THE -ARS (ILL MENTALITY BY POINTING TO THE 3OLID 2OCK THE 3OLID !NCHOR *ESUS #HRIST OUR ,ORD 9OU AS LEADERS THEO LOGIANS "IBLE TEACHERS AND SCHOLARS

ARE CALLED TO NURTURE THE GREAT !DVENT HOPE IN THIS HEAVEN INITIATED !DVENT MOVEMENTˆTHIS REMNANT PEOPLE THIS REMNANT CHURCH OF PEOPLE WHO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF 'OD AND HAVE THE TESTIMONY OF *ESUS 4HAT S JUST WHAT 0AUL DID ON -ARS (ILL IN HIS ELOQUENT AND MASTERFUL DEFENSE OF THE ONLY TRUE 'OD (E PREACHED WHAT WE CAN FAIRLY CALL THE h!DVENTIST MESSAGE v 6ERSES OF !CTS RECORD THAT 0AUL TOLD THEM ABOUT THE UNKNOWN 'OD WHO MADE THE WORLD 0AUL UNDERSTOOD AND ENDORSED THE "IBLICAL ACCOUNT OF CREATION AND THAT HE WAS EXPLAINING A

4ED . # 7ILSON IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE OF 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS HEADQUAR TERED IN 3ILVER 3PRING -ARYLAND 5 3 !

/CTOBER \ !DVENTIST 7ORLD

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CREATION OF RECENT ORIGIN THAT OCCURRED IN SIX LITERAL CONSECUTIVE HOUR DAYS h4HE ,ORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

WHO DWELLS IN THE HEAVENLY SANCTUARY

DIDN T NEED SANCTUARIES MADE OR IDOLS MADE v 0AUL SAID hTO VISUALLY SUBSTITUTE ;FOR= HIM IN WORSHIP v 0AUL EXPLAINED THAT THIS 'OD CREATED ALL MEN EQUAL SMASHING ELITISM AND THAT 'OD ALLOWS THE RISE AND FALL OF PEOPLE GROUPS IN THE OUTWORKING OF (IS WILL !CTS SHOWS US 0AUL APPEAL

TENSION BETWEEN A REAFlRMATION OF IT AND A CALL TO REPENTANCE AND REFORMA TION v !S NURTURERS OF THE !DVENT HOPE YOU ARE APPOINTED TO CALL 'OD S PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE TO REVIVAL AND TO REFORMATION 7E ARE CONTINUALLY AND PERSONALLY IN NEED OF THESE SAME EXPERIENCES 7E NEED A STRONG INmUENCE OF SIMPLICITY REGARDING HEAVEN GUIDED THEOLOGY

TEACHING METHODS AND CHURCH GROWTH PRACTICES 4HERE CAN BE NO DENYING

HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO THEM TO BE GIVEN TO THE WORLD v 7E AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A CHURCH

NEED TO RETURN TO AN EXPERIENCE OF HUMBLE PRIMITIVE GODLINESS AND THIS IS ONLY POSSIBLE THROUGH SUBMISSION TO #HRIST AND BY REALIZING THAT IT IS (E WHO PROVIDES THE POWER FOR THIS GREAT !DVENT MOVEMENT 4HERE IS TO BE NO PLURALISM AND LOSS OF MISSION FOCUS IN 'OD S RANKS 7E WILL BE UNITED IN THEOLOGY AND MISSION AS WE ARE

0AUL S THEME WAS TO PREACH #HRIST CRUCIlED RISEN AND COMING AGAIN ING TO THE GREAT THINKERS GATHERED ON -ARS (ILL BY TELLING THEM THAT THIS GREAT 'OD 7HOM HE KNEW HAS MADE IT COMPLETELY POSSIBLE TO SEEK (IMˆTO FEEL AFTER (IM AND TO lND (IM BECAUSE (E IS NEVER FAR FROM US 0ERHAPS 0AUL QUOTED *ESUS h!ND LO ) AM WITH YOU ALWAYS EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGEv -ATT 0ERHAPS HE ANTICIPATED WHAT *ESUS WOULD SAY TO THE ,AODICEAN #HURCH h"EHOLD ) STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK v )N VERSE

0AUL UNDERSCORES THE CRUCIAL TASK

THE PREACHING OF *ESUS #HRIST CRUCIlED

RISEN INTERCEDING AND SOON TO RETURN h&OR IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING v 7HILE STANDING IN OPPOSITION TO THEIR BELIEF SYSTEMS 0AUL ILLUSTRATES HIS CONTEXTUALIZATION TO THEIR SOCIETY

BY QUOTING ONE OF THEIR POETS 4HAT CONTEXTUALIZATION DOESN T PREVENT HIM FROM DOING WHAT HE CAME TO DO (OWEVER HE SPEAKS AGAINST POLYTHE ISM AND PAGANISMˆTHE PLURALISM OF THAT TIMEˆAND CALLS FOR REPENTANCE !S THEOLOGIANS "IBLE SCHOLARS

PASTORS AND LEADERS YOU ARE CALLED TO PROCLAIM THE NEED FOR REPENTANCE AND REFORMATION !S !NGEL ;2ODRIGUEZ= POINTED OUT IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS TO THIS CONFERENCE h7ITH RESPECT TO THE #HRISTIAN WORLD THE REMNANT EXISTS IN

!DVENTIST 7ORLD \ /CTOBER

IT WE HAVE GROWN ,AODICEAN 7E VE BECOME SMUG IN OUR SOPHISTICATION AND IN OUR EVALUATION OF OURSELVES 7E VE BECOME FASCINATED WITH OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE THINK THINGS SHOULD HAPPEN 7HETHER WE LIKE THE THOUGHT OR NOT WE ARE ,AODICEA 7E ARE THE EMBODIMENT OF THE CHURCH IDENTIlED IN 2EVELATION 4HROUGH 'OD S GRACE #HRIST S RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THE POWER OF THE (OLY 3PIRIT WE NEED TO HUMBLE OURSELVES IN SUBMISSION TO 'OD ) M NOT ONLY SPEAKING TO YOU ) M SPEAKING TO MYSELF AS WELL 7E NEED A CLARITY OF PURPOSE AND MISSION A FULLER UNDER STANDING OF WHO WE ARE AS 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTSˆTHE END TIME !DVENT MOVEMENT 'OD S REMNANT PEOPLE ,ISTEN TO %LLEN 7HITE S BEAUTIFUL STATEMENT h3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY 'OD AS A PECULIAR PEOPLE SEPARATE FROM THE WORLD "Y THE GREAT CLEAVER OF TRUTH (E HAS CUT THEM OUT FROM THE QUARRY OF THE WORLD AND BROUGHT THEM INTO CONNEC TION WITH (IMSELF (E HAS MADE THEM (IS REPRESENTATIVES AND HAS CALLED THEM TO BE AMBASSADORS FOR (IM IN THE LAST WORK OF SALVATION 4HE GREATEST WEALTH OF TRUTH EVER ENTRUSTED TO MORTALS THE MOST SOLEMN AND FEARFUL WARNINGS EVER SENT BY 'OD TO MAN

PERSONALLY AND CORPORATELY CONNECTED TO *ESUS #HRIST 4HE GREAT SIN OF )SRAEL WAS TO BE SO OFTEN DISCONNECTED FROM 'OD ALLOWING THE GODS AROUND THEM TO ABSORB THEIR ATTENTION 4HE SAME SIN IS OUR TEMPTATION TODAY AS ,AODICEANSˆTO ALLOW OTHER THINGS TO DIVERT OUR ATTENTION FROM #HRIST AND (IS MISSION FOR US AS A PEOPLE (EAR %LLEN 7HITE AGAIN h)N A SPECIAL SENSE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS HAVE BEEN SET IN THE WORLD AS WATCH MEN AND LIGHT BEARERS 4O THEM HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED THE LAST WARNING FOR A PERISHING WORLD /N THEM IS SHINING WONDERFUL LIGHT FROM THE WORD OF 'OD v $O YOU FEEL LIGHT SHINING ON YOU AT THIS VERY MOMENT %LLEN 7HITE CONTINUED h4HEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN A WORK OF THE MOST SOLEMN IMPORTˆTHE PROCLAMATION OF THE lRST SECOND AND THIRD ANGELS MESSAGES 4HERE IS NO OTHER WORK OF SO GREAT IMPORTANCE 4HEY ARE TO ALLOW NOTHING ELSE TO ABSORB THEIR ATTENTION v )T IS #HRIST ALONE 7HO GIVES MEANING TO THIS MESSAGE THAT WE ARE TO PRESENTˆTHE MESSAGE THAT IS ENTRUSTED INTO YOUR HANDS

%LLEN ' 7HITE !CTS OF THE !POSTLES P )BID P %LLEN ' 7HITE 4ESTIMONIES FOR THE #HURCH 6OL P

%LLEN ' 7HITE 4ESTIMONIES FOR THE #HURCH 6OL P

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3YMPTOMS OF A

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"Y !LLAN 2 (ANDYSIDES AND 0ETER . ,ANDLESS 3O MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO BE HAVING STROKES AND ) WORRY BECAUSE MY WIFE HAS HAD SEVERAL TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACKSˆWHICH THEY SAY MAY PREDICT A STROKE 7HAT SHOULD WE DO

PLAY AN ENORMOUS ROLE !VOIDANCE OF TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL LOWERS THE RISK OF STROKE 7HILE MEDICATION MAY LOWER ONE S RISK OF STROKE BY PERCENT AN UNHEALTHFUL LIFESTYLE RAISES THE RISK TWOFOLD 4HOSE EATING lVE SERVINGS OF STROKE IS WHERE AN INTERRUPTION FRUITS AND VEGETABLES DAILY EXERCISING OF THE BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE REGULARLY AVOIDING TOBACCO AND BRAIN RESULTS IN DAMAGE THAT LIMITING ALCOHOL HAD LESS THAN HALF THE CAN BE PERMANENT EVEN LETHAL NUMBER OF STROKES THAN THE CONTROL -OST STROKES OCCUR IN PEOPLE WITH GROUP HYPERTENSION AND A FAMILY HISTORY )T S IMPORTANT TO HAVE REGULAR OF STROKE /THER TYPES OF STROKE MAY MEDICAL CHECKUPS /NE OF OUR FAMILY INVOLVE A THROMBOSIS OR EMBOLISM MEMBERS HAD ATRIAL lBRILLATION BEFORE A CLOT MIGRATING TO THE BRAIN !

THE DAYS WHEN ANTICOAGULATION WAS HEMORRHAGIC STROKE OCCURS WHEN A RECOMMENDED AND SHE SUFFERED A BLOOD VESSEL BURSTS AND BLEEDING INTO STROKE WITH A CONSEQUENT YEARS THE BRAIN CAUSES DAMAGE ! PERSON OF PARALYSIS 0REVENTION IS KEY BUT WITH SYMPTOMS SUGGESTING A STROKE GOOD MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE CAN DETECT SHOULD RECEIVE IMMEDIATE MEDICAL MEDICAL PROBLEMS THAT NEED MANAGE ATTENTION AS THE DIAGNOSIS MAY PERMIT MENT -ANY STROKES CAN BE PREVENTED EMERGENCY MEASURES THAT CAN REDUCE

BY ASTUTE RECOGNITION OF THE DANGER THE SEVERITY OF THE STROKE SIGNALS 0REVENTION WHERE POSSIBLE WOULD BE MUCH BETTER &OR !DVENTISTS AMONG WHOSE RANKS ) HAVE HIGH TRIGLYCERIDE LEVELS AND MY DOCTOR IS CONCERNED 7HAT LIFESTYLE ARE FOUND MANY WHO DISDAIN MEDICA TIONS WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT CAREFUL MEASURES SHOULD ) ADOPT STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THE USE OF IRST WE WOULD REEMPHASIZE THE ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICATIONS REDUCES IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING YOUR THE RISK OF STROKE BY PERCENT 4HE DOCTOR S ADVICE 3HE OR HE USE OF ANGIOTENSIN CONVERTING ENZYME KNOWS YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL WE RE !#% INHIBITORS APPEARS TO HAVE AN TALKING TO LIFESTYLE IN GENERAL HERE IN ADDED AND INDEPENDENT BENElT 7E THESE COLUMNS STRESS THIS POINT NOT BECAUSE IT S THE %LEVATED TRIGLYCERIDES MAY ACTUALLY PRIMARY RECOMMENDATION WE WISH TO REmECT AN INHERITED CONDITION AND CAN MAKE BUT BECAUSE IT CAN BE A MAJOR BE MODIlED BY SPECIlC MEDICATIONS STICKING POINT FOR SOME AND NOT USING PHYSICIAN PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS CAN "UT IN 7ESTERN SOCIETY TODAY THE PREVALENCE OF HIGH TRIGLYCERIDES CAN HAVE DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES INVOLVE A THIRD OF THE POPULATION /BVIOUSLY THE BENElTS OF EXERCISE (IGH TRIGLYCERIDES MAY PLAY A ROLE AND A DIET LOW IN FAT AND SODIUM

!

&

IN SEVERAL CONDITIONS INCLUDING HEART DISEASE THE METABOLIC SYNDROME AND PANCREATITIS 4RIGLYCERIDES ARE A FORM OF FAT

AND HIGH LEVELS ARE SEEN IN THE OBESE

THE INACTIVE SMOKERS HEAVY ALCOHOL CONSUMERS AND PERSONS CONSUMING A HIGH CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE 4HE EPIDEMIC CONSUMPTION OF GIANT SIZE SODA DRINKS IN SOME WORLD REGIONS SUCH AS THE 5NITED 3TATES IS LIKELY A SIGNIlCANT FACTOR AS THIS IS A SERIOUS FACTOR IN OBESITY 4RIGLYCERIDE LEVELS SHOULD BE LESS THAN MG D, TO BE NORMAL "ORDERLINE HIGH LEVELS RUN BETWEEN AND HIGH AND VERY HIGH ABOVE MG D, 7EIGHT CONTROL EXERCISE AND A HEART HEALTHY DIET VEGETARIAN WILL PROVE HELPFUL !LCOHOL IS HARMFUL TO TRIGLYCERIDE LEVELS 4HE DANGER OF TRIGLYCERIDE ELEVATION IS AN INCREASED RISK OF HEART ATTACK AND ACCELERATION OF ARTERIOSCLEROTIC CHANGE IN BLOOD VESSELS )T S IMPORTANT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS AND KEEP TRIGLYCERIDES WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE

!LLAN 2 (ANDYSIDES - "

#H " &2#0# &2#3# &!#/'

IS DIRECTOR OF THE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE (EALTH -INISTRIES $EPARTMENT 0ETER . ,ANDLESS - " " #H

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IS )#0! EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF THE (EALTH -INISTRIES $EPARTMENT /CTOBER \ !DVENTIST 7ORLD

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(UNGERING FOR THE

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"Y 3YLVIA 2ENZ

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LOVE READING %VER SINCE ) UNDERSTOOD THAT THE LITTLE BLACK MARKS ON THE WHITE PAPER TOLD COLORFUL STORIES

) VE BEEN KEEN ON EVERYTHING PRINTED ) READ ADVERTS

LABELS ON FOOD PRODUCTS CEREAL BOXES MAGAZINES AND BOOKSˆEVEN INSTRUCTION MANUALS &OR MY SEVENTH BIRTHDAY ) WAS GIVEN MY lRST "IBLE ) LOVED THAT LITTLE BOOK .OW ) WAS NO LONGER DEPENDENT ON A GROWN UP TO lND OUT WHETHER OR NOT $ANIEL SURVIVED THE LION S DEN OR HOW $AVID GOT THE BETTER OF 'OLIATH .OW ) COULD READ THESE STORIES FOR MYSELF 2UTH AND %STHER *OSEPH AND $AVID WERE THE STARS OF MY CHILDHOOD 4HEY hBELONGEDv TO THE FAMILY SO MUCH SO THAT IF -OSES WERE TO WALK THROUGH THE KITCHEN DOOR ) WOULDN T HAVE BATTED AN EYELID RATHER ) WOULD HAVE CALMLY SET AN EXTRA PLATE AT THE TABLE FOR HIM

-ORE 4HAN A 3TORY #OLLECTION

,ATER ) CAME TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE "IBLE WAS MORE THAN SIMPLY AN EXCITING STORY COLLECTION )T GAVE ADVICE AND ENCOURAGEMENT AND PUT ITS lNGER ON THE PROBLEM )T SHOWED ME WHICH WAY TO GO WHEN ) SAW NO WAY OUT 4IM AND ABOVE ALL IT WAS HERE THAT ) MET *ESUS #HRIST INTRODUCING ME TO MY HEAVENLY &ATHER *OHN

'OD COMMUNICATES (IS PLANS (IS WILL AND THE WAY (E WORKS THROUGH THE "IBLE 0IOUS FEELINGS CARRY ABOUT AS MUCH WEIGHT AS A MELTING ICE SHEET 7ONDERFUL EXPERIENCES IN MY FAITH LIFE WILL EVENTUALLY FADE AND BECOME AS BRITTLE AS THE ROSE IN LAST YEAR S BIRTHDAY BOUQUET "UT THE 7ORD OF 'OD REMAINS 4HE "IBLE BRIDGES THE BEGINNINGS OF HUMAN HISTORY

3YLVIA 2ENZ WORKS FOR THE 'ERMAN 6OICE OF 0ROPHECY IN !LSBACH (ÛHNLEIN 'ERMANY 3HE IS AN ACCOMPLISHED AUTHOR AND HAS PUBLISHED NUMEROUS BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS

!DVENTIST 7ORLD \ /CTOBER

7ONDERFUL EXPERIENCES IN MY RIGHT TO US POSTMODERNS 'EN -ATT 2EV )T SHOWS US 'OD S PLAN OF SALVATION INTER WOVEN WITH OUR OWN LIVES 4HE "IBLE LETS US IN ON 'OD S THOUGHTS (IS STYLE AND (IS WISHES 0ETER &OREIGN CULTURES COME CLOSER TO US AS WE READ OF PEOPLE IN FAR OFF TIMES WHO LOVED SUFFERED EXPERIENCED JOY OR CHEATED TOOK REVENGE OR FORGAVE INJUSTICE &ROM THEIR VICTORIES AND MISTAKES WE LEARN HOW IT IS DONE AND WHAT WE COULD DO BETTER 7E CAN TEST THEIR GOALS AND VALUES AND PERHAPS INCORPORATE THEM INTO OUR LIVES 4HROUGH DAILY CONTACT WITH 3CRIPTURE WE WILL BE TRANSFORMED 0S

2EALITY #HECK

)N THE MIRROR OF BIBLICAL REALITY WE SEE MANY IDEAS FOR WHAT THEY AREˆCRUMBLING LIES (EB (ERE ARE SOME h%VERYONE MUST LOVE ME v h) MUST MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY v h) AM WORTH NOTHING v h) AM ALWAYS RIGHT v h) AM BETTER THAN YOU v -ANY LEAD A MISERABLE LIFE CAGED IN BY RULES AND CONVENTIONS MADE BY OTHERS (OWEVER WHEN WE DISCOVER IN THE "IBLE WHAT 'OD REALLY WANTS THE IRON CHAINS THAT HOLD OUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE FALL 7E ARE FREE 7E ARE SAVED h4HE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE v SAID *ESUS *OHN .)6 ˆAND (E MEANT IT ) RECENTLY GOT TO KNOW A SINGLE MINDED BUSINESSMAN WHO REALIZED THROUGH "IBLE STUDY THAT HIS WORTH WAS NOT DEPENDENT ON HIS ACHIEVEMENTS ,ISTEN TO WHAT HE WROTE h3INCE ) REALIZED THIS ) FEEL SO MUCH MORE AT PEACE ) DON T HAVE TO PROVE ANYMORE TO ANYONE HOW GOOD ) AM ) CAN ALSO HANDLE FAILURE 4HERE ISN T ANY GUARANTEE THAT EVERYTHING SHOULD WORK OUT PERFECTLY FOR ME 4HE "IBLE GREATS ALSO HAD

THEIR SHARE OF MISFORTUNES !ND DID THEY IMMEDIATELY GIVE UP $ID THEY DOUBT 'OD S LOVE ) LEARN SO MUCH THROUGH THE "IBLE ) DON T WANT TO FORFEIT MY TIME WITH MY "IBLE FOR ANYTHING 3INCE ) BEGAN SPENDING TIME WITH MY "IBLE ) HAVE NEW COURAGE ) USED TO OFTEN CONTEMPLATE SUICIDE "UT NOW ) BELIEVE THAT ) HAVE BEEN GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE 4HE "IBLE HAS BECOME SO PRECIOUS TO ME THAT ) AM PREPARED TO GIVE ANYTHING FOR IT v ) AM AMAZED WHEN ) HEAR HIS STORY $O ) SHARE THE SAME EXPERIENCE /F COURSE ) VALUE THE "IBLE AFTER ALL ) VE GROWN UP WITH IT AND ALL THE PRECIOUS PROMISES IT CONTAINS "UT WOULD ) REALLY BE PREPARED TO RISK MY LIFE FOR IT LIKE THE ANCIENT 7ALDENSES !ND IS THE TIME ) SPEND DAILY WITH MY

SPEAKS TO ME IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS THAT ) MAY BE ABLE TO REPEAT FROM MEMORY WITH BEAUTIFUL INTONATION $O MY OWN STUBBORN PLANS CREATE A BACKGROUND NOISE THAT KEEPS ME FROM REALLY LISTENING TO 'OD S 7ORD 0ERHAPS IT S THE GUILTY MEMORY OF A HARSH INTERCHANGE THAT ) HAD WITH SOMEONE YESTERDAY THAT IS STOPPING ME FROM CONCENTRATING /F COURSE

THERE IS THE STILL SMALL VOICE OF THE (OLY 3PIRIT THAT WANTS TO SPEAK TO ME FROM THE OPEN BOOK AND MAY BE INTERFERING WITH MY OWN SELlSH READING AGENDAS 4HEN THERE IS ALSO THE PAINFUL MEMORY OF AN INJUSTICE THAT ) HAVE SUFFERED THAT CAN WELL UP AND INTERFERE /R PERHAPS IT IS MY FEARS 7HAT ABOUT MY CHILDREN S FUTURE 7ILL OUR CHURCH BE ABLE TO COPE WITH ITS INTERNAL TENSIONS (OW WILL WE MANAGE lNANCIALLY ON OUR

LIFE WILL EVENTUALLY FADE "UT THE WORD OF 'OD REMAINS "IBLE REALLY THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY DAY /R DO ) OFTEN HAVE TO lGHT THE h) KNOW THIS ALL ALREADYv SYNDROME )T IS REALLY A STRANGE CONTRADICTION ! PART OF ME IS AS EXCITED ABOUT "IBLE READING AS SOMEONE DISCOVERING A TREA SURE CAVE !NOTHER PART OF ME WANTS TO TURN ON THE COMPUTER lRST THING IN THE MORNING AND CATCH UP ON MY E MAILS /FTEN IT IS ALREADY MID MORNING BEFORE ) REALIZE THAT ) HAVEN T MADE TIME FOR SOME UNINTERRUPTED TIME WITH MY "IBLE ) KNOW THAT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO HAVING TIME WITH 'OD THAN A HALF AWAKE PRAYER lRST THING IN THE MORNING AND A QUICKLY MUMBLED PRAYER OVER LUNCH ) AM ASHAMED TO ADMIT IT BUT SOMETIMES ) HAVE TO FORCE MYSELF TO READ MY "IBLE 4HE "IBLE AND )ˆ!ND 9OU

!M ) OVERFED (AVE ) ABSORBED TOO MANY THEORIES AND LEFT THE PRACTICE FAR BEHIND 0ERHAPS A SINGLE VERSE THAT

PENSION 4HESE ARE ALL WALLS THAT CAN BLOCK OUT THE 7ORD ) READ BUT DON T COMPREHEND A THING ) PRAY AND MY PRAYER RISES NO HIGHER THAN THE CEILING OR SO IT SEEMS 9ET OUR HEAVENLY &ATHER SEES ALL AND UNDERSTANDS US (E WANTS TO HELP US REMOVE THESE BLOCKADES (E WANTS TO GIVE US DAILY FRESH GIFTS IN (IS 7ORD /NLY WHEN WE HUNGRILY TAKE THIS DAILY BREAD WILL THIS VOID BE lLLEDˆWHEN WE EAT IT WITH A THANKFUL HEART WHEN WE hCHEWv IT WELL 'OD S 7ORD LOSES ITS APPEAL ONLY WHEN WE HANDLE IT AS A THEORY RATHER THAN ALLOWING IT TO TRANSFORM US FROM THE INSIDE OUT WHEN MY MEMORY SLOTS ARE FULL OR WHEN (IS 7ORD GETS STUCK IN MY MIND AND DOESN T MAKE IT TO MY HEART AND INTO MY HAND 0ERHAPS THE TRUEST PATH TO lNDING THE JOY IN 3CRIPTURE IS TO PRAY h,ORD GIVE ME A THIRST FOR THE "IBLE AND LET 9OUR 7ORD TAKE ROOT IN ME (ELP ME PUT INTO PRACTICE WHAT ) KNOW LET ME BECOME MORE LIKE 9OU v

4HE (OLY 3CRIPTURES /LD AND .EW 4ESTAMENTS ARE THE WRITTEN 7ORD OF 'OD

GIVEN BY DIVINE INSPIRATION THROUGH HOLY MEN OF 'OD WHO SPOKE AND WROTE AS THEY WERE MOVED BY THE (OLY 3PIRIT )N THIS 7ORD 'OD HAS COMMITTED TO MAN THE KNOWLEDGE NECESSARY FOR SALVATION 4HE (OLY 3CRIPTURES ARE THE INFALLIBLE REVELATION OF (IS WILL 4HEY ARE THE STANDARD OF CHARACTER THE TEST OF EXPERIENCE THE AUTHORITATIVE REVEALER OF DOCTRINES AND THE TRUSTWORTHY RECORD OF 'OD S ACTS IN HISTORY 0ETER 4IM 0S 0ROV )SA *OHN 4HESS (EB

(OLY 3CRIPTURES

/CTOBER \ !DVENTIST 7ORLD

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HE "IBLE GIVES US A PARTICULAR KIND OF WORLDVIEWˆA REMARKABLE META NARRATIVE THAT PULLS BACK THE CURTAIN BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH (ERE WE ARE GIVEN THE REASON FOR THE SINFUL MESS THAT THIS WORLD IS IN &URTHER

WE ARE GIVEN THE ONLY SOLUTION IN ALL THE UNIVERSE WHEREBY PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND THE CHAOTIC WORLD OF DISEASE VIOLENCE

DISASTER AND DEATH IN WHICH WE LIVE 7E CALL THIS BIBLICAL DRAMA THE GREAT CONTROVERSY BETWEEN 'OD AND 3ATAN %LLEN ' 7HITE HAS GIVEN ONE OF THE CLEAREST EXPOSITIONS OF THIS BIBLICAL THEME 4HROUGHOUT HER MINISTRY OF YEARS IN SPOKEN AND WRITTEN WORDS

SHE HAS OUTLINED IN SIMPLE TERMS HOW SIN DEVELOPED HOW THE MINDS AND BODIES OF MEN AND WOMEN HAVE BEEN AFFECTED AND HOW 'OD HAS ENTERED THE PICTURE TO PROVIDE RELIEF AND HOPE FOR A FUTURE WITHOUT SIN AND SUFFERING 4HE +EY )SSUE

%LLEN 7HITE HIGHLIGHTS HOW THE CONTROVERSY ERUPTED WHEN ,UCIFER

'OD S CHIEF ANGEL BECAME DISSATIS lED WITH WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE ARBITRARY WAY 'OD WAS RUNNING THE UNIVERSE (IS PERSONAL DISSATISFACTION LED TO OTHER ANGELS SHARING HIS BASELESS CHALLENGES TO 'OD S AUTHORITY !ND AS 2EVELATION TELLS US WAR BROKE OUT IN HEAVEN AND THE REBELS WERE CAST OUT ENDING UP ON THIS PLANET 4HIS REBELLION EVENTUALLY BECAME A UNIVERSE WIDE CONCERN BECAUSE 'OD

THE #REATOR WAS CHARGED WITH BEING UNFAIR SEVERE AND UNFORGIVING h4HE ENEMY OF GOOD BLINDED THE MINDS OF MEN SO THAT THEY LOOKED UPON 'OD WITH FEAR THEY THOUGHT OF (IM AS SEVERE AND UNFORGIVING 3ATAN LED MEN TO CONCEIVE OF 'OD AS A BEING WHOSE CHIEF ATTRIBUTE IS STERN JUSTICE ˆONE WHO IS A SEVERE JUDGE A HARSH EXACTING CREDITORx )T WAS TO REMOVE THIS DARK SHADOW

BY REVEALING TO THE WORLD THE INlNITE LOVE OF 'OD THAT *ESUS CAME TO LIVE AMONG MEN v "EYOND THE ANGELS IN HEAVEN AND

!DVENTIST 7ORLD \ /CTOBER

HUMAN BEINGS ON EARTH 'OD KNEW THAT 3ATAN S CHARGES HAD TO BE ANSWERED AND (IS GOVERNMENT VINDICATED h'OD THE /NE INlNITE AND ALL WISE

SEES THE END FROM THE BEGINNING AND IN DEALING WITH EVIL (IS PLANS WERE FAR REACHING AND COMPREHENSIVE )T WAS (IS PURPOSE NOT MERELY TO PUT DOWN THE REBELLION BUT TO DEMONSTRATE TO ALL THE UNIVERSE THE NATURE OF THE REBELLION 'OD S PLAN WAS UNFOLDING SHOWING BOTH (IS JUSTICE AND (IS MERCY AND

AND THE RACE FOR WHOM #HRIST WAS GIVING (IS LIFE MIGHT SEE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF 'OD S PURPOSES 4HOSE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE ENEMY MUST BE ALLOWED TO REVEAL THE PRINCIPLES OF HIS GOVERNMENT v 4HE 'REAT 2ESCUE

3O THE BIG QUESTIONS ARE (OW DOES 'OD PLAN TO REVERSE THE DAMAGE THAT REBELLION HAS DONE TO THIS EARTH AND ITS INHABITANTS (OW WOULD (E CONVINCE HUMANITY THAT (E HAS BEEN COMPLETELY

4HE

GREATEST

STORY 2ARELY 4OLD

"Y (ERBERT % $OUGLASS

(OW 'OD PLANS TO CLEAN UP THIS WORLD S MESS

FULLY VINDICATING (IS WISDOM AND RIGH TEOUSNESS IN (IS DEALINGS WITH EVIL v (OW COULD A FAIR LOVING AND GRACIOUS 'OD hUNFOLDv A PLAN SO THAT THE UNIVERSE WOULD BE FOREVER SETTLED REGARDING (IS CHARACTER (E DID SO BY LETTING 3ATAN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FULLY hUNFOLDv HIS WAY OF RUNNING THE UNIVERSE h)N THE GREAT CONTROVERSY BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL 3ATAN MUST BE GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP HIS TRUE CHARACTER THAT THE HEAVENLY UNIVERSE

FAIR IN HANDLING 3ATAN S REBELLION ,ISTEN TO THIS h"Y (IS LIFE ON EARTH (E HONORED THE LAW OF 'OD "Y (IS DEATH (E ESTABLISHED IT (E GAVE (IS LIFE AS A SACRIlCE NOT TO DESTROY 'OD S LAW NOT TO CREATE A LOWER STANDARD

BUT THAT JUSTICE MIGHT BE MAINTAINED

THAT THE LAW MIGHT BE SHOWN TO BE IMMUTABLEx 3ATAN HAD CLAIMED THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR MAN TO OBEY 'OD S COMMANDMENTS AND IN OUR OWN STRENGTH IT IS TRUE THAT WE CANNOT

h4O HAVE FAITH MEANS TO lND AND ACCEPT THE GOSPEL TREASURE WITH ALL THE OBLIGATIONS WHICH IT IMPOSES v

VERY RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW IS FULlLLED IN THE BELIEVER IN #HRIST v 4HE SANCTUARY SERVICE IN BOTH THE /LD AND .EW 4ESTAMENTS TEACHES THE 'OD S &INAL 7ORD FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSES IN 'OD S PLAN TO 'OD WILL ULTIMATELY DO AWAY WITH RESCUE MEN AND WOMEN FROM SIN h4HE ALL SIN ON EARTH INCLUDING REMOVING SIN INTERCESSION OF #HRIST IN MAN S BEHALF FROM THE HEARTS OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN IN THE SANCTUARY ABOVE IS AS ESSENTIAL TO (IM "ECOMING RIGHTEOUS BY FAITH IS THE THE PLAN OF SALVATION AS WAS (IS DEATH PROCESS AND GOAL OF ALL WHO ARE LOYAL TO UPON THE CROSS "Y (IS DEATH (E BEGAN 'OD h4HE LAW REQUIRES RIGHTEOUSNESS ˆ THAT WORK WHICH AFTER (IS RESURRECTION A RIGHTEOUS LIFE A PERFECT CHARACTER AND (E ASCENDED TO COMPLETE IN HEAVEN v /UR DAILY LIVES ARE DETERMINING OUR DESTINY h4HE TRAITS OF CHARACTER YOU CHER ISH IN LIFE WILL NOT BE CHANGED BY DEATH OR BY THE RESURRECTION 9OU WILL COME UP FROM THE GRAVE WITH THE SAME DISPOSITION YOU MANIFESTED IN YOUR HOME AND IN SOCIETYx /UR DAILY LIVES ARE DETERMINING OUR DESTINY $EFECTS OF CHARACTER MUST BE REPENTED OF AND OVERCOME THROUGH THE GRACE OF #HRIST AND A SYMMETRICAL CHARACTER MUST BE FORMED WHILE IN THIS PROBATIONARY STATE THAT WE MAY BE lTTED FOR THE MANSIONS ABOVE v 3ATAN WOULD LIKE TO KEEP OUR WORLD AND THAT INCLUDES EACH OF US IN A STATE OF SIN AND SADNESS FOREVER "UT SOON 'OD WILL COMPLETELY ERADICATE ALL SUFFERING 7HEN *ESUS COMES THE GREAT CONTROVERSY BETWEEN #HRIST AND 3ATAN WILL BE FOREVER DECIDED 3ATAN WILL BE ANNIHILATED )T IS THE PRIVILEGE OF EVERY #HRISTIAN TO CAST OUR VOTE TODAY ON 'OD S WINNING SIDE 3 ! 2 ! ( # !4 % 3

OBEY THEM "UT #HRIST CAME IN THE FORM OF HUMANITY AND BY (IS PERFECT OBEDIENCE (E PROVED THAT HUMANITY AND DIVINITY COMBINED CAN OBEY EVERY ONE OF 'OD S PRECEPTS v *ESUS LIVED AND DIED NOT ONLY TO DEMONSTRATE 'OD S FAIRNESS (E ALSO PROVIDED A WAY FOR MEN AND WOMEN TO BE FORGIVEN AND RESTORED DEFEATING 3ATAN IN THEIR OWN LIVES THROUGH THE DRAMA WE CALL ATONEMENTˆRESTORATION FROM THE RANKS OF 3ATAN TO THE FAMILY OF 'OD

3TEPS TO #HRIST PP

0ATRIARCHS AND 0ROPHETS P 4HE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST "IBLE #OMMENTARY %LLEN ' 7HITE #OMMENTS VOL P

#HRIST S /BJECT ,ESSONS P

4HE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST "IBLE #OMMENTARY %LLEN ' 7HITE #OMMENTS VOL P

#HRIST S /BJECT ,ESSONS P

4HE $ESIRE OF !GES P

4HE 'REAT #ONTROVERSY P

,AST $AY %VENTS P

h4HE ATONEMENT OF #HRIST IS NOT A MERE SKILLFUL WAY TO HAVE OUR SINS PARDONED IT IS A DIVINE REMEDY FOR THE CURE OF TRANS GRESSION AND THE RESTORATION OF SPIRITUAL HEALTH )T IS THE (EAVEN ORDAINED MEANS

BY WHICH THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF #HRIST MAY BE NOT ONLY UPON US BUT IN OUR HEARTS AND CHARACTERS v 4HE KEY WORD ON WHICH EACH PER SON S SALVATION DEPENDS IS hFAITHvˆOUR RESPONSE TO GRACE &AITH IS MORE THAN INTELLECTUAL BELIEF OR ASSENT TO TRUTH

THIS MAN HAS NOT TO GIVE (E CANNOT MEET THE CLAIMS OF 'OD S HOLY LAW "UT #HRIST COMING TO THE EARTH AS MAN

LIVED A HOLY LIFE AND DEVELOPED A PERFECT CHARACTER 4HESE (E OFFERS AS A FREE GIFT TO ALL WHO WILL RECEIVE THEM (IS LIFE STANDS FOR THE LIFE OF MENx -ORE THAN THIS #HRIST IMBUES MEN WITH THE ATTRIBUTES OF 'OD (E BUILDS UP THE HUMAN CHARACTER AFTER THE SIMILITUDE OF THE DIVINE CHARACTER A GOODLY FABRIC OF SPIRITUAL STRENGTH AND BEAUTY 4HUS THE

(ERBERT % $OUGLASS 4H $

IS A RETIRED PASTOR AND PROFESSOR WHO HAS SERVED THE !DVENTIST #HURCH IN A NUMBER OF ROLES OVER THE PAST YEARS /CTOBER \ !DVENTIST 7ORLD

# /6 % 2 3 4 / 29

MISSION

3TEPHEN #HAVEZ IS MANAGING EDITOR OF !DVENTIST 7ORLD

!DVENTIST 7ORLD \ /CTOBER

ATTERS 'LOBAL -ISSIONˆ YEARS AFTER ITS BIRTH

0 ( / 4 / 3 " 9 ' , / " ! , - ) 3 3 ) / .

h4HE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST #HURCH STANDS POISED FOR GREAT NESSˆNOT FOR OUR GLORY BUT THE ,ORD S v WROTE FORMER 'ENERAL #ONFER ENCE PRESIDENT .EAL # 7ILSON IN HIS INTRODUCTION TO THE 'LOBAL -ISSION INITIATIVE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE DELEGATES TO THE lFTY lFTH 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE SESSION IN )NDIANAPOLIS

)NDIANA IN h(E IS CALLING US TO SOMETHING BIGGER AND MORE DIFlCULT AND MORE EXCITING THAN ANYTHING WE HAVE EVER DREAMED OR ATTEMPTED v HE CONTINUED h!S OUR WORLD HAS BECOME A GLOBAL VILLAGE (E IS CALLING US TO A GLOBAL MISSION v

4HE DOCUMENT CONTAINED IN THAT lRST 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE "ULLETIN OF THE SESSION WAS A TACIT ADMISSION THAT THE CHURCH S EFFORTS TO TAKE THE GOSPEL TO hEVERY NATION TRIBE LANGUAGE AND PEOPLEv 2EV .)6 HAD TO THAT POINT BEEN SOMEWHAT INSIGNIlCANT WHEN COMPARED TO THE GIGANTIC PORTION OF THE WORLD S POPULATION THAT HAD YET TO BE REACHED WITH THE GOSPEL OF *ESUS #HRIST 7ILSON POINTED OUT THAT AT THE TIME ETHNIC OR LANGUAGE GROUPS IN THE WORLD REPRESENTING MORE THAN BILLION PEOPLE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CONNECTION WITH !DVENTISTS AND THEIR UNIQUE MESSAGE 4HE GOAL OF 'LOBAL -ISSION

ACCORDING TO 7ILSON WAS hTO ESTABLISH AN !DVENTIST PRESENCE IN EACH OF THE

UNTOUCHED GROUPS OF MILLION PEOPLE BEFORE ! $

" "Y "Y 33TEPHEN 3T TEPHEEN # HAVEZ #HAVEZ

h4HAT MEANS PLANTING AT LEAST ONE NEW CHURCH EVERY OTHER DAY IN THESE UNREACHED AREAS DURING THE NEXT YEARS v HE WROTE 3OME 0ERSPECTIVE

'ARY +RAUSE IS DIRECTOR OF THE /FlCE OF !DVENTIST -ISSION AT THE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE .OW THAT YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE THE 'LOBAL -ISSION INITIATIVE WAS ADOPTED IN )NDIANAPOLIS HE CITES THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MISSION OUTREACH PRE AND POST 'LOBAL -ISSION h(ISTORICALLY THE #HRISTIAN CHURCH

INCLUDING %VANGELICALS HAS TENDED TO PUT RESOURCESˆlNANCIAL PEOPLE

WHATEVERˆTO WORK WHERE THE CHURCH IS THE STRONGEST v HE SAYS h;'LOBAL -ISSION= WAS NOW A RETHINKING OF THAT SAYING @!CTUALLY WE NEED TO SHIFT RESOURCES FOCUS AND ATTENTION TO PEOPLE GROUPS AND GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS OF THE WORLD WHERE WE RE NOT STRONG v 4HIS WAS A SOMEWHAT RISKY DEPAR TURE FOR THOSE IN THE !DVENTIST #HURCH WHO PUT A PREMIUM ON MEASUREMENTS OF GROWTH THAT INCLUDED NUMBERS OF BAPTISMS )T WAS A DECLARATION THAT INSTEAD OF WORKING IN AREAS WHERE ONE COULD REASONABLY EXPECT THOUSANDS OF BAPTISMS THE CHURCH WAS GOING TO PUT ITS RESOURCES INTO AREAS WHERE THE EVANGELISTIC WORK WOULD BE MORE DIF lCULT h)T HAD THE POTENTIAL OF SAYING TO THE WORLD CHURCH @,ET S SLOW GROWTH DOWN v SAYS +RAUSE !ND WHILE THE NEW INITIATIVE WAS SEEN AS A HUGE CHALLENGE IT ALSO HELD THE PROMISE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH IN THE LONG TERM "UT THE NEED TO ALTER THE CHURCH S MISSION FOCUS AND REDIRECT IT TO PARTS OF THE WORLD WHERE #HRISTIAN ITY WAS RARELY OR BARELY KNOWN WAS INESCAPABLE #HARLES 4AYLOR NOW RETIRED IN /OLTEWAH 4ENNESSEE WAS TAPPED BY .EAL 7ILSON IN TO DEVELOP WHAT AT THE TIME WAS CALLED A h'LOBAL 3TRATEGYv FOR TAKING THE GOSPEL TO THE ENTIRE WORLD 4AYLOR STARTED WORKING ON A

STRATEGY THAT BEGAN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP AND lNANCIAL SELF SUPPORT SO THAT THE CHURCH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WOULD NO LONGER BE SO DEPENDENT ON LEADERS AND lNANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE CHURCH IN OTHER MORE DEVELOPED COUNTRIES )N THE PROCESS 4AYLOR AND OTHERS BEGAN LOOKING AT MISSION MODELS DEVELOPED BY OTHER #HRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS AND DENOMINATIONS 4HE RESULT WAS AN EMPHASIS AWAY FROM JUST NUMBERS OF BAPTISMS TO REACHING hUNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS v DElNED AS hA PEOPLE GROUP AMONG WHOM THERE IS NO INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY OF BELIEV ING #HRISTIANS WITH ADEQUATE NUMBERS AND RESOURCES TO EVANGELIZE THIS PEOPLE GROUP WITHOUT OUTSIDE ;CROSS CULTURAL= ASSISTANCE v 4AYLOR REMEMBERS THE IMPACT OF PREPARING A PRINTOUT MORE THAN PAGES LONG LINES TO A PAGE

EACH LINE A GEOGRAPHICAL AREA OF THE WORLD WITH A POPULATION OF A MILLION OR MOREˆ OF THEM WITHOUT A SINGLE !DVENTIST 7HEN 4AYLOR AND '# VICE PRESIDENT 2OBERT +LOOSTERHUIS STRETCHED THE PRINTOUT ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE CHAPEL THE

MESSAGE WAS CLEAR 7HILE THERE WERE PARTS OF THE WORLD WHERE !DVENTIST MISSION OUTREACH WAS STRONG AND GROWING STRONGER OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD WERE BEING REACHED BARELY AT ALL 'RASSROOTS 0LANNING

!FTER THE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE SESSION -IKE 2YAN WHO IS NOW A GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE WAS BROUGHT IN TO HEAD UP THE NEW 'LOBAL -ISSION INITIATIVE "ASED ON WORK HE HAD BEEN DOING IN )NDONE SIA 2YAN BEGAN DEVELOPING A MISSION MODEL THAT WAS BASED ON SOMETHING HE CALLED A 'LOBAL -ISSION PIONEER ! 'LOBAL -ISSION PIONEER IS A LAYPERSON CHOSEN BY THE CHURCH

GIVEN A SMALL STIPEND AND ASKED TO MOVE INTO A COMMUNITY AND TEACH THE GOSPEL WHILE MODELING THE VALUES OF #HRISTIANITY h4HIS WAS A NEW WAY OF THINKING v SAYS +RAUSE h4HE TRADITIONAL MODEL OF COURSE HAD BEEN FOR US TO SEND MISSIONARIES FROM WHERE THE CHURCH IS ESTABLISHED 7HILE TRADITIONAL MISSIONARIES WERE AND STILL ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED PIONEERS SERVE A UNIQUE AND SPECIAL ROLE IN STARTING NEW CONGREGATIONS IN NEW

&UNDING A

'LOBAL -ISSION )NITIAL FUNDING FOR 'LOBAL -ISSION CAME FROM THE SALE OF ,OMA ,INDA &OODS IN AND 4HE PROCEEDS OF THAT SALE WENT TO ESTABLISH AN ENDOWMENT FUND THAT SUPPORTS 'LOBAL -ISSION OPERATIONAL COSTS 4HE !NNUAL 3ACRIlCE /FFERING THAT COMES DURING THE ANNUAL 7EEK OF 0RAYER GOES TO 'LOBAL -ISSION PROJECTS AND 'LOBAL -ISSION IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY INDIVIDUAL DONORS 4HE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE SESSION IN 3T ,OUIS ESTABLISHED THE /FlCE OF !DVENTIST -ISSION TO BOTH OVERSEE 'LOBAL -ISSION AND ALSO RAISE AWARENESS OF !DVENTIST MISSION IN GENERAL 3INCE THE MID S !DVENTISTS HAVE INCREASINGLY DONATED TO SPECIlC LOCAL PROJECTS SO THAT MISSION OFFERINGS HAVE EXPERIENCED A STEADY DECLINE IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGES OF DONATIONS RECEIVED 4HE 3ABBATH 3CHOOL /FFERING SUPPORTS NEW AND ESTABLISHED MISSION PROGRAMSˆ HOSPITALS CLINICS SCHOOLS ETC ˆWHILE DONATIONS TO 'LOBAL -ISSION FUND OUTREACH TO AREAS AND PEOPLE GROUPS WHERE THERE IS NO !DVENTIST PRESENCE &OR !DVENTIST MISSION RESOURCES AND REPORTS VISIT WWW !DVENTIST-ISSION ORG

/CTOBER \ !DVENTIST 7ORLD

# /6 % 2 3 4 / 29

"REAKING )T $OWN &ROM TO THE /FlCE OF 'LOBAL -ISSION RECEIVED APPLICATIONS FOR PROJECTS INVOLVING 'LOBAL -ISSION PIONEERS IN COUNTRIES 4HE TOTAL COST OF THOSE PROJECTS WAS MORE THAN

FOR WHICH 'LOBAL -ISSION PROVIDED ROUGHLY A THIRD OF THE FUNDING THE REST CAME FROM LOCAL DIVISIONS CONFERENCES AND MISSIONS

AREAS AMONG NEW PEOPLE GROUPS "UT WHEREVER PIONEERS WORK THEY LOOK LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE LIVE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE SERVE IN AN INCARNATIONAL MIN ISTRY AND MAKE FRIENDS WITH PEOPLE

BUILD BRIDGES v +RAUSE SAYS THAT IN THE lRST YEARS OF 'LOBAL -ISSION PIONEERS WERE BROUGHT IN FOR AN AVERAGE PERIOD OF MONTHS "UT IT SOON BECAME APPARENT THAT FOR THIS TYPE OF MINISTRY ONE YEAR WAS NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE A LASTING DIFFERENCE h)T S ONE THING TO PLANT A CHURCH v HE SAYS h)T S ANOTHER THING TO MAKE SURE THEY RE GROUNDED AND DISCIPLED v .OW THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF TIME A PIONEER COMMITS TO A COM MUNITY IS AT LEAST THREE TO lVE YEARS 'LOBAL -ISSION PROJECTS ARE MEANT TO TAKE THE ADVENTIST MESSAGE TO WHERE THE NEED IS MOST APPARENT 4HE CHURCH IN A LOCAL AREA MIGHT BECOME AWARE OF AN AREA WHERE THERE ARE NO !DVENTISTS ! REQUEST FOR FUNDING GOES FROM THE LOCAL CONFERENCE OR MISSION TO THE LOCAL UNION CONFERENCE OR UNION MISSION IS THEN FORWARDED TO THAT PARTICULAR DIVISION AND EVENTUALLY ENDS UP AT THE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE 'LOBAL -ISSION /FlCE h7E HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION COM MITTEE THAT LOOKS AT EVERY PROJECT v SAYS +RAUSE h7E ASK THE QUESTIONS @)S THIS A NEW AREA )S IT A PLAN TO START A NEW CONGREGATION )F IT DOESN T MEET BOTH REQUIREMENTS WE HAVE TO SEND IT BACK v "UT PROJECTS THAT ARE APPROVED RETURN TO THE LOCAL AREA WITH FUNDING FROM EACH OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL LEVELS OF THE CHURCH SO THERE IS BUY IN FROM EACH LEVEL h7E DON T GET TOO MANY

!DVENTIST 7ORLD \ /CTOBER

COMPLAINTS FROM THE lELD ABOUT PROJECTS v SAYS +RAUSE h4HEY RE THE ONES WHO CAME UP WITH THEM 4HERE S OWNERSHIP IN THE SENSE THAT EVERYONE S CONTRIBUTING TO IT lNANCIALLY v

h7E D NOW BE AT ABOUT

;UNREACHED GROUPS= IF WE HAD NOT COME ALONG AND INTENTIONALLY SAID @7E WANT THIS ANALYSIS DONE AND WE WANT TO ESTABLISH THESE CHURCHES v "UT THIS BEGS THE QUESTION 7HAT #HALLENGES !HEAD CONSTITUTES AN h!DVENTIST PRESENCEv .OW THAT YEARS HAVE PASSED 4EN !DVENTISTS IN A POPULATION OF SINCE THE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE SES MILLION OR MORE TECHNICALLY MEANS SION IN )NDIANAPOLIS HOW SHOULD !DVENTISTS HAVE A PRESENCE THERE "UT 'LOBAL -ISSION BE EVALUATED h7HEN BECAUSE THAT PRESENCE WOULD PROBABLY 'LOBAL -ISSION BEGAN THE CHURCH BE UNKNOWN TO OF THOSE WHO WAS A CHURCH OF MILLION MEMBERS v LIVE IN THAT AREA ANOTHER MEASURE OF OBSERVES +RAUSE h.OW WE HAVE PROGRESS CONTINUES TO BE RAW NUMBERS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN AND 2YAN QUOTES SOME IMPRESSIVE MILLION 'LOBAL -ISSION HASN T BEEN STATISTICS )N THERE WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THAT ;GROWTH= BUT IF APPROXIMATELY !DVENTISTS YOU WERE TO LOOK AT THE CHURCH PLANT IN )NDIA .OW YEARS LATER THAT ING THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE DURING THAT NUMBER STANDS AT NEARLY MILLION PERIOD OF TIME SOME WOULD SUGGEST )N

!DVENTISTS COULD BE THAT THE MAJORITY HAVE COME THROUGH IDENTIlED IN #HINA NOW

'LOBAL -ISSION INITIATIVES v PEOPLE IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AS 3EVENTH "UT WHILE THE CHURCH HAS GROWN SO DAY !DVENTIST )N SOME COUNTRIES THE ALSO HAS THE WORLD POPULATIONˆFROM NUMBER OF !DVENTIST CONGREGATIONS NEARLY BILLION IN TO BILLION COULD BE NUMBERED ON THE lNGERS OF TODAY !ND WHILE THE GOAL WAS TO ESTAB ONE HAND TODAY SAYS 2YAN hWE HAVE LISH AN !DVENTIST PRESENCE IN ALL

DOZENS OF CHURCHES THROUGHOUT THOSE ETHNIC AND LANGUAGE GROUPS OF A MILLION AREASˆVERY TOUGH DIFlCULT AREAS v OR MORE BY THE YEAR THE CHURCH )N FACT ACCORDING TO 2YAN THE HAS SUCCEEDED IN REDUCING THAT NUMBER CHURCH HAS GROWN IN MEMBERSHIP TO ONLY ABOUT !ND IN TWO PARTS PERCENT IN THE WINDOW OVER THE OF THE WORLD THE NUMBER OF UNREACHED PAST YEARS COMPARED TO A GROWTH GROUPS OF A MILLION OR MORE HAS ACTUALLY RATE IN THE REST OF THE WORLD OF ABOUT INCREASED IN THE PAST YEARS PERCENT 2YAN EXPLAINS h7E BEGAN TO #LEARLY THE CHALLENGES AHEAD ARE WORK ON THE ;UNREACHED PEOPLE DAUNTING 4HE /FlCE OF !DVENTIST GROUPS= BUT IMMEDIATELY THE POPULA -ISSION HAS IDENTIlED THREE MAJOR TION BEGAN TO GROW v 4WO BILLION MORE CHALLENGES TO THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL PEOPLE ON THE PLANET EQUATES TO ROUGHLY 4HE lRST OF COURSE IS THE

MORE GROUPS WHO HAVE NOT YET WINDOWˆTHAT PART OF THE WORLD THAT HEARD ABOUT *ESUS AND (IS GOSPEL CONTAINS THE LARGEST POPULATION OF

NON #HRISTIANS 4HE AREA EXTENDS FROM DEGREES TO DEGREES NORTH OF THE EQUATOR AND FROM .ORTH !FRICA TO #HINA 4HE AREA IS HOME TO PERCENT OF THE WORLD S POPULATION THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHICH IS NOT #HRISTIAN 4HE SECOND MAJOR CHALLENGE TO 'LOBAL -ISSION IS THE HUGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN URBAN AREAS OF THE WORLD ITS BIG CITIES -ORE THAN PER CENT OF THE WORLD S POPULATION LIVES IN CITIES SUCH AS -UMBAI 3HANGHAI 4OKYO

-EXICO #ITY 3รกO 0AULO ETC !ND WHILE #HRISTIANITY MAY BE KNOWN IN SOME OF THOSE CITIES IN MANY THE !DVENTIST PRESENCE IS ALL BUT INSIGNIlCANT &INALLY THE THIRD MAJOR CHALLENGE TO 'LOBAL -ISSION IS THE GROWING SECULAR AND POSTMODERN POPULATIONS

ESPECIALLY IN !USTRALIA WESTERN %UROPE AND .ORTH !MERICA IN ADDITION TO MANY OF THE MAJOR CITIES

IN !SIA AND 3OUTH !FRICA )N THESE PARTS OF THE WORLD INTEREST IN RELIGION OF ANY KIND IS ACTUALLY DECREASING 7HERE IN THE PAST PEOPLE COULD BE ENGAGED ON SOME LEVEL BY A DISCUSSION OF SPIRITUAL THINGS BASED ON THE "IBLE

MORE AND MORE OF THE POPULATION IS BIBLICALLY ILLITERATE AND THE "IBLE IS SEEN AS IRRELEVANT 4O ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES 'LOBAL -ISSION 2ELIGIOUS 3TUDY #ENTERS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED IN SEVERAL PARTS OF THE WORLD TO DEVELOP MATERIALS AND METHODS FOR REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE WHOSE BACKGROUND IS NOT !DVENTIST

NOT #HRISTIAN MAYBE NOT EVEN RELIGIOUS SEE SIDEBAR h7E HAVE TO BE CANDID v SAYS +RAUSE h4HERE ARE MORE PEOPLE ON 0LANET %ARTH TODAY THAT ARE UNREACHED

BY THE !DVENTIST #HURCH THAN THERE WERE WHEN 'LOBAL -ISSION BEGAN

h"UT WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT 'OD HAS INVITED US TO BE PART OF (IS PLAN 7E ARE NOT (IS PLAN WE ARE PART OF (IS PLAN /UR TASK IS TO BE FAITHFUL TO TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE (IS LOVE TO SHARE THE !DVENTIST MESSAGE IN AS MANY CREATIVE WAYS AS WE CAN TO PRAY FOR THE (OLY 3PIRIT AND TO PRAY FOR NEW AVENUES TO OPEN UP v !ND 2YAN HIGHLIGHTS ANOTHER CRITERION WITH WHICH TO MEASURE THE CHURCH S MISSION OUTREACH h7HAT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON AS OUR MAJOR CON TRIBUTION IS THAT WE PASS THE TORCH OF MISSION TO THE NEXT GENERATION 4WENTY YEARS LATER SOME OF US ARE GOING OFF THE SCENE !RE THERE PEOPLE FROM TO WHATEVER WHO ARE BURNING WITH A PAS SION TO TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THE WORLD v 7ELL ARE THERE

'LOBAL -ISSION INSERT 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE "ULLETIN !DVENTIST 2EVIEW *ULY

5NDERSTANDING /UR

.EIGHBORS 0ART OF THE 'LOBAL -ISSION INITIATIVE HAS BEEN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 'LOBAL -ISSION 2ELIGIOUS 3TUDY #ENTERS

SET UP TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND MATERIALS FOR PEOPLE WHO INTERACT WITH BELIEVERS OR NONBELIEVERS AS THE CASE MAY BE OF THE GREAT FAITH TRADITIONS OF THE WORLD )SLAM "UDDHISM (INDUISM *UDAISM AND 3ECULARISM 0OSTMODERNISM !DHERENTS TO THESE RELIGIONS TYPICALLY LIVE IN THE WINDOW WHERE #HRISTIANS ARE OFTEN A MINORITY OF THE POPULATION "UT BECAUSE OF IMMIGRATION ADHERENTS TO THESE WORLD RELIGIONS ARE INCREASINGLY FOUND IN THE SO CALLED #HRISTIAN COUNTRIES OF WESTERN %UROPE AND .ORTH !MERICA h4HE WINDOW IS COMING INTO THE 7ESTERN WORLD v SAYS 'ANOUNE $IOP DIRECTOR OF THE 'LOBAL -ISSION 3TUDY #ENTERS FOR THE /FlCE OF !DVENTIST -ISSION h/UR NEIGHBORS ARE OFTEN "UDDHISTS (INDUS *EWS 3ECULAR 0OSTMODERN 0EOPLE FROM DISTANT LANDS HAVE NOW COME TO BE OUR NEIGHBORS v 2ESEARCH INDICATES THAT IN .ORTH !MERICA PERCENT OF "UDDHISTS PERCENT OF (INDUS AND PERCENT OF -USLIMS SAY THEY KNOW ANY #HRISTIANS IN %UROPE THOSE NUMBERS ARE PERCENT OF "UDDHISTS

PERCENT OF (INDUS AND PERCENT OF -USLIMS 4HE CONCLUSION -ANY #HRISTIANS ARE OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE NON #HRISTIANS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES 3OURCE 4ODD - *OHNSON AND #HARLES , 4IESZEN h0ERSONAL #ONTACT 4HE SINE QUA NON OF 4WENTY lRST #ENTURY #HRISTIAN -ISSION v %VANGELICAL -ISSIONS 1UARTERLY /CTOBER P /BVIOUSLY FOREIGN MISSIONARIES AREN T THE ONLY ONES WITH A MISSION &OR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OR CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE lVE 'LOBAL -ISSION 2ELIGIOUS 3TUDY #ENTERS VISIT WWW !DVENTIST-ISSION ORG AND CLICK ON h'LOBAL -ISSIONv ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PAGE

/CTOBER \ !DVENTIST 7ORLD

3 0 % # ) ! , & % !4 5 2 %

5NDERSTANDING THE 7ORD "Y 2OY !DAMS

h4HEN ) LOOKED AND HEARD THE VOICE OF MANY ANGELS NUMBERING THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS AND TEN THOUSAND TIMES TEN THOUSANDx )N A LOUD VOICE THEY SANG @7ORTHY IS THE ,AMB WHO WAS SLAIN TO RECEIVE POWER AND WEALTH AND WISDOM AND STRENGTH AND HONOR AND GLORY AND PRAISE v 2EV

.)6

)

VE DIVIDED THE ARTICLE INTO THREE PARTS &IRST 7HAT WE VE GOT SECOND (OW TO DECIPHER IT AND THIRD 4HE POINT AT THE HEART OF IT

&IRST 7HAT WE VE GOT

) BEGIN WITH A STRANGE PERSONAL STORY OUT OF MY BOYHOODˆTHOSE TEEN AGE YEARS WHEN GIRLS FEATURE UPPERMOST IN THE HEADS OF YOUNG BOYS )N MY CASE THOSE WERE ALSO THE DAYS WHEN WE YOUNG MEN HAD SOMETHING BORDERING ON DREAD FOR THOSE MYSTERIOUS CREA TURES WE CALLED THE OPPOSITE SEX !ND SO WITH A DANCE PARTY COMING UP SOME OF US BOYS WANTED TO KNOW AHEAD OF TIME WHETHER THAT CERTAIN YOUNG WOMAN WE D BEEN DROOLING OVER WOULD ACCEPT OUR OFFER FOR A DANCE

AFTER WE D CROSSED THE ENTIRE HALL TO ASK HER HAND 7E KNEW IT WOULD BE MOST EMBARRASSING TO GO BACK EMPTY HANDED ALL EYES ON US 3O WE WANTED TO KNOW THE OUTCOME IN ADVANCE

4HIS ARTICLE IS AN ABRIDGMENT OF THE AUTHOR S SERMON PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL 0ROFESSIONAL 'ROWTH 3EMINAR IN 0ASADENA #ALIFORNIA

!PRIL

SPONSORED BY THE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE -INISTERIAL $EPARTMENT ˆ%DITORS

!DVENTIST 7ORLD \ /CTOBER

!ND DISCOVERING THE 0ERSON

4O lND OUT WE D TAKE THE MAIN HOUSE KEYˆONE OF THOSE LONG

LARGE HEADED KEYS OF YESTERYEAR 7E D PLACE IT IN A "IBLE AT A PARTICULAR CHAPTER THAT ) WILL NOT IDENTIFY STRAP THE "IBLE TIGHT AROUND IT THEN TWO OF US THE TIPS OF OUR lNGERS AT THE NECK OF THE KEY HEAD WOULD HOLD THE SUSPENDED "IBLE IN THE MIDDLE 4HE CONTRAPTION IN PLACE WE D REPEAT

AT ITS CENTER TOGETHER A CERTAIN FORMULA THAT ) WILL NOT MENTION THEN IN TURN WE D EACH PUT OUR QUESTION h7ILL $IANA ;OR *ANE OR WHOEVER= DANCE WITH ME THIS &RIDAY NIGHT IF ) SHOULD ASK HER v )F THE ANSWER WAS NO THE "IBLE REMAINED STATIONARY BETWEEN OUR lNGERS BUT IF THE ANSWER WAS YES THE "IBLE WOULD TURN OF ITS OWN ACCORD AND DROP TO THE mOOR UNLESS WE GRABBED IT lRST ) TELL THIS QUAINT STORY NOT TO SUGGEST THAT THIS PHENOMENON COULD NOT PERHAPS BE REPLICATED USING OTHER BOOKS AND OTHER FORMULAS BUT ONLY TO SHOW HOW AS A NON !DVENTIST YOUNG TEENAGER ) BECAME IMPRESSED

FOR THE lRST TIME THAT THE "IBLE IS NOT AN ORDINARY DOCUMENT )T WAS A LESSON EXCLUSIVELY FOR ME "UT LEAVING ASIDE THE PRANKISH NESS OF THIS BOYHOOD EXPERIENCE A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION STILL REMAINS 7AS MY CONCLUSION NEVERTHELESS

CORRECT 7HAT HAVE WE GOT HERE 7HAT IS THIS DOCUMENT WE CALL THE "IBLE )N A WORLD LITERALLY CHOKING WITH BOOKS AND PUB LICATIONS OF EVERY SPECIES AND VARIETY WHAT MAKES THIS ONE SPECIALˆDIFFERENT !S ) REmECTED ON THESE QUESTIONS MY MIND WANDERED BACK SOME

YEARS ACROSS THE CENTURIES 7ITH HOSTILE FOREIGN FORCES LURKING ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF *ERUSALEM WAITING FOR AN OPPORTUNE MOMENT TO STRIKE A CERTAIN YOUNG MAN COMES FORWARD CLAIMING TO HAVE SPECIAL SUPERNATURAL INTEL LIGENCE AS TO HOW THE NATION SHOULD RESPOND TO THE CRISIS 3URRENDER TO THE "ABYLONIANS HE SAYS 'IVE YOURSELVES UP )T S YOUR ONLY VIABLE OPTION SEE *ER &OR THE POWERS IN *ERUSALEM

THAT WAS TREASON !ND *EREMIAH WAS THROWN hINTO A VAULTED CELL IN A DUNGEONv *ER .)6 "UT ONE DAY A ROYAL MESSENGER APPEARED WITH A SUMMONS FROM THE KING %NTERING THE ROYAL PALACE

*EREMIAH FACED A TREMBLING MONARCH WITH A BAD CASE OF SIEGE FATIGUE $ROP PING HIS VOICE AND BENDING FORWARD

A FRIGHTENED :EDEKIAH WHISPERED THE CRITICAL QUESTION WE lND IN *EREMIAH h)S THERE A WORD FROM THE ,ORD v .!3"

)T S AN EXTRAORDINARY QUESTION !ND THE UTTERLY OUTRAGEOUS CLAIM OF THE #HRISTIAN CHURCH IS THAT THIS DOCUMENT CALLED THE "IBLE IS INDEED A WORD FROM THE ,ORD !T THE BEGINNING OF 2OMANS 0AUL RAISED THE QUESTION AS TO WHETHER *EWS HAD ANY ADVANTAGE IN THE WORLD THEN WENT ON TO GIVE THE SHOCKING ANSWER h-UCH IN EVERY WAY &IRST OF ALL THEY HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE VERY WORDS OF 'ODv 2OM .)6 !S #HRISTIANS WE BELIEVE WE HAVE WHAT THEY HAD PLUS THE .EW 4ESTA MENT IN A COMPLETE "IBLE !ND WHAT WE DISCOVERˆNOT UNLIKE MY BOYHOOD EXPERIENCEˆIS THAT THIS BOOK IS NOT AN ORDINARY DOCUMENT BUT IS hLIVING AND ACTIVEv (EB .)6 PROBING THE DEEP SECRET RECESSES OF OUR SOULS 4HERE IS SOMETHING UNCANNY ABOUT THE WAY IT TEARS US ASUNDERx THEN

THANK 'OD PUTS US BACK TOGETHER AGAIN 4HAT S WHAT WE VE GOT HERE THE 7ORD OF THE LIVING 'OD

3ECOND (OW TO DECIPHER IT

4HE 3CRIPTURES ARE NOT LIKE THE $EL PHIC /RACLES OF ANCIENT 'REECE WHOSE FORKED TONGUE MESSAGES COULD ALWAYS BE TWISTED TO MEAN WHATEVER SUITED THE INTERPRETER S FANCY /N THE CONTRARY

WE NEED TO APPROACH THE "IBLE WITH A hSCIENTIlCv MIND SET IF YOU PLEASE 4HIS MEANS AMONG OTHER THINGS

HAVING A FEEL FOR ITS ORIGINAL LANGUAGES !ND AS WE APPROACH THE TEXT WE NEED TO KEEP INQUIRING A 7HAT DID THIS PARTICULAR SCRIPTURE MEAN FOR THOSE WHO lRST RECEIVED IT B (OW HAVE BELIEVERS ACROSS THE CENTURIES UNDERSTOOD IT !ND C 7HAT DOES IT MEAN FOR US TODAY 4HERE S A HIGH RISK OF SERIOUSLY MISUNDERSTANDING 3CRIPTURE WHEN WE READ IT AS THOUGH IT WERE WRITTEN DIRECTLY TO US IN THE TWENTY lRST CENTURY 4HIS CALLS FOR HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE REMEMBERING THAT THE "IBLE WAS WRITTEN OVER THE COURSE OF SOME YEARS AND UNDER A WIDE VARIETY OF POLITICAL SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CIRCUMSTANCES &URTHERMORE GIVEN THE COMPLEX ITY OF THE SUBJECT A MULTITUDE OF DISCIPLINES MUST BE BROUGHT TO BEAR ON THE TEXT 7E NEED THE LINGUIST THE HISTORIAN THE ARCHAEOLOGIST THE BIBLICAL THEOLOGIAN THE SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGIAN ETC 4HEN WE NEED TO CON SIDER THE DIFFERENT GENRES OF WRITING IN THE ONE DOCUMENT WE CALL THE "IBLE POETRY HISTORY PROPHECY APOCALYPTIC

STORY PARABLE ETC %ACH OF THESE FORMS REQUIRES A DIFFERENT ORIENTATION A DIF FERENT APPROACH A DIFFERENT SET OF TOOLS 4HAT S WHAT ) MEAN BY A hSCIENTIlCv APPROACH TO 3CRIPTURE "UT HERE S AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT CAVEAT .OTWITHSTANDING ALL OF THE

2OY !DAMS IS AN ASSOCIATE EDITOR OF !DVENTIST 7ORLD /CTOBER \ !DVENTIST 7ORLD

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ABOVE WE IMPUGN THE CHARACTER OF 'OD IF WE LEAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO SPEND YEARS IF NOT DECADES IN COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY BEFORE THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THE GIST OF THE BIBLICAL MES SAGE 4HAT WOULD BE LIKE SAYING THAT A NEWBORN INFANT NEEDS TO BE TAUGHT HOW TO BREATHE AND SUCK .O BREATHING AND SUCKING ARE TOO CRITICAL TO HAVE THEM DEPEND ON FORMAL TRAINING 3O HOWEVER RISKY IT MIGHT BE TO SAY IT WE HAVE TO AFlRM THAT THIS MYSTERI

4HIRD 4HE POINT AT THE HEART OF IT

6ANDERBILT 5NIVERSITY STUDENT +ATH ERINE 0RECHT RESPONDING TO SKEPTICAL SCHOLARS WHO DESCRIBE THE "IBLE AS hFULL OF ERRORS CONTRADICTIONS AND A MURKY HISTORICAL RECORD v SAYS NONE OF THAT SHAKES HER FAITH h4HAT S BECAUSE 0RECHT EMBRACES A BIG PICTURE VIEW OF BIBLICAL TRUTH v SAID A RECENT 7ASHINGTON 0OST ARTICLE &OR 0RECHT hIT MEANS THE "IBLE SPEAKS TRUTH ON ULTIMATE THINGS SUCH AS #REATION AND SALVATION vo 4OUCH£ 0ROPERLY UNDERSTANDING THE "IBLE MEANS SEEING THE BIG PICTURE 4HE #REATION STORY IS WHAT IT ISˆA FACTUAL

HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN OF

IT ALL IS *ESUS (E IS THE POINT !S 2EVELATION THE PASSAGE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS ARTICLE OPENS *OHN SEES A SCROLL IN THE HAND OF 'OD AND WEEPS BITTERLY TO DISCOVER THAT NO ONE IN THE UNIVERSE IS WORTHY hTO BREAK THE SEALS AND OPENv IT .)6 ˆ UNTIL *ESUS STEPS FORWARD APPEARING AS hA ,AMB

LOOKING AS IF IT HAD BEEN SLAIN v AND DEPICTED AS hSTANDING IN THE CENTER OF THE THRONE xv VERSE .)6 ! DIFlCULT SCENE TO PICTURE BUT ) THINK IT MEANS TO PORTRAY *ESUS AT THE HEART AND CENTER OF UNIVERSAL POWER

WITH EVERYTHING REVOLVING AROUND (IM !S (E OPENS THE AWFUL DOCU MENT IN THE HAND OF 'OD THE ENTIRE

4HERE IS SOMETHING UNCANNY 4 HERE IIS SOMETHING U UNCANNY ABOUT THE WAY TTHE " "IBLE TTEARS U US ABOUT THE WAY THE "IBLE TEARS US ASUNDER x THEN THANK 'OD

ASUNDER x TTHEN THANK ' 'OD

PUTS US BACK TOGETHER AGAIN PUTS U US BBACK TTOGETHER AAGAIN OUS BOOK IS DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE CAN SPEND SEVERAL LIFETIMES PROBING ITS ENORMOUS DEPTH AND STILL NOT REACH BOTTOM YET ORDINARY UNEDUCATED PEOPLE CAN HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO ITS MOST VITAL MESSAGEˆTHE ESSENTIAL MES SAGE THEY NEED FOR ETERNAL LIFE 4HIS IS PART OF WHAT *ESUS MEANT WHEN (E SAID IN -ATTHEW THAT 'OD HAD HIDDEN CERTAIN THINGS hFROM THE WISE AND LEARNED AND REVEALED THEM TO LITTLE CHILDRENv .)6 -OREOVER IN OUR CYNICAL POSTMOD ERN TIMES THE MESSAGE OF THE "IBLE BECOMES CREDIBLE NOT WHEN WE RE ABLE TO ARTICULATE AND EXPOUND IT WITH mAWLESS ACCURACY BUT WHEN IT BECOMES INCARNATE IN OUR SOULS WHEN OUR LIVES REmECT THE 7ORD WHO BECAME mESH AND DWELT AMONG US SEE *OHN

!DVENTIST 7ORLD \ /CTOBER

THE HUMAN FAMILY AN INDISPENSIBLE PLANK IN WHAT BIBLICAL THEOLOGIANS CALL (EILSGESCHICHTE hSALVATION HISTORYv BUT IN THE WAKE OF THE &ALL #REATION ALSO POINTS US TO 'OD S RE CREATION IN *ESUS #HRIST 4HE %XODUS IS WHAT IT ISˆA FACTUAL ACCOUNT OF THE RESCUE OF )SRAEL FROM %GYPTIAN SLAVERY BUT UNDERSTANDING THE BIGGER PICTURE MEANS LOOKING BEYOND THE MULTITUDE OF DETAILS IN THE STORY AND SEEING THE EVENT AS A DEPICTION OF THE RELEASE OF THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE FROM SPIRITUAL BONDAGE THROUGH OUR #OSMIC ,IBERA TOR *ESUS #HRIST !S WE EXPLAIN THE 7ORD WE SHOULD KEEP IMAGINING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WONDERING AS THEY LISTEN TO US 7HAT S THE POINT !ND WE SHOULD KEEP MAKING THE CASE THAT THE POINT AT THE HEART OF

UNIVERSEˆMORE THAN MILLION ANGELS JOINED BY hEVERY CREATURE x ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH AND ON THE SEA AND ALL THAT IS IN THEMvˆBREAKS LOOSE IN WORSHIP h4O HIM WHO SITS ON THE THRONE AND TO THE ,AMB BE PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY AND POWER FOR EVER AND EVER v 2EV .)6 5NDERSTANDING THE 7ORD MEANS KNOWING THAT THE GHASTLY AGE OLD DRAMA OF THIS PLANET ENDS IN A TRIUMPH OF GRACE WITH ALL CREATION SINGING AROUND THE THRONE OF 'OD *ESUS #HRIST AT THE SHINING CENTER

3CRIPTURE QUOTATIONS MARKED .!3" ARE FROM THE .EW

!MERICAN 3TANDARD "IBLE COPYRIGHT Ú

BY 4HE ,OCKMAN &OUNDA TION 5SED BY PERMISSION

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' *EFFREY -AC$ONALD h0UTTING IN A 'OOD 7ORD FOR THE "IBLE v 7ASHINGTON 0OST !PR WWW WASHINGTONPOST COM WP DYN CONTENT ARTICLE !2 HTML

"9 2%054!4)/. +NOWN AS THE hMOST HONEST MAN IN TOWN v $AVID (EWITT WAS THE lRST CONVERT OF !DVENTIST PIONEER *OSEPH "ATES IN "ATTLE #REEK (EWITT lRST PROPOSED THE NAME h3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTv DURING A MEETING HELD ON /CTOBER IN THE SIMPLE CHURCH STRUCTURE THAT SERVED THE BELIEVERS

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"Y *AMES 2 .IX

4HE NAMING OF 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISM

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AMES IDENTIFY PERSONS AND ORGANIZATIONS )T WAS YEARS AGO ON /CTOBER

THAT THE !DVENTIST PIONEERS CHOSE THE NAME h3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTv FOR OUR CHURCH 3OME THOUGHT WE SHOULD CALL OURSELVES h#HURCH OF 'OD v /THERS THOUGHT THAT TOO PRESUMPTUOUS NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT OTHER CHURCHES WERE ALREADY USING THE NAME THUS POSSIBLY CAUSING CONFU SION #ONSEQUENTLY AFTER CONSIDERABLE DISCUSSION THE NAME h3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTv WAS CHOSEN !CTUALLY THE PROCESS OF CHOOSING OUR DENOMINATION S NAME WASN T QUITE THAT SIMPLE )T WAS ONLY AFTER A GREAT DEAL OF DISCUSSION THAT OUR PIONEERS lNALLY VOTED TO LEGALLY INCORPORATE THE PUBLISHING HOUSE OUR CHURCH S ONLY INSTITUTION AT THAT TIME /BVIOUSLY TO COMPLETE THE INCORPORATION PROCESS A NAME NEEDED TO BE CHOSEN FOR THE PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION THEY JUST VOTED TO CREATE %VEN AS THE DECISION TO ORGANIZE THE mEDGLING CHURCH S PUBLISHING HOUSE HAD NOT COME EASILY NEITHER WAS THE DECISION TO CHOOSE A NAME MADE QUICKLY &OR SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO THE CONFERENCE HELD IN "ATTLE #REEK -ICHIGAN 3EPTEMBER n/CTOBER

WHERE THESE MATTERS WERE DISCUSSED AND DECIDED SEVERAL ARTICLES AS WELL AS LETTERS FROM READERS WERE PRINTED IN THE CHURCH PAPERˆTHEN CALLED 4HE !DVENT 2EVIEW AND 3ABBATH (ERALD $ISCUSSIONS BETWEEN CHURCH MEMBERS AND TRAVELING MINISTERS ALSO OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE CONFERENCEˆBOTH REGARDING WHETHER TO INCORPORATE THE PUBLISHING HOUSE AS WELL AS REGARDING CHOOSING A NAME *AMES 7HITE INITIATED THE DISCUSSIONS !T THE TIME BOTH THE PUBLISHING HOUSE AND THE BY FOOT BY M MEETINGHOUSE IN "ATTLE #REEK IN WHICH THE CONFERENCE WAS BEING HELD WERE OWNED BY INDIVIDUALSˆNOT THE CHURCH

MEMBERS *AMES 7HITE OWNED THE PUBLISHING HOUSE IT WAS LEGALLY IN HIS NAME AND THE MEETINGHOUSE WAS BUILT ON PROPERTY OWNED BY 3TEPHEN "ELDEN *AMES BROTHER IN LAW 3HOULD EITHER MAN DIE OR DECIDE TO DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH HIS PROPERTY THE CHURCH MEMBERS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE ESTIMATED NET WORTH OF THE PUBLISHING HOUSE

OR THE NEARLY INVESTED IN CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR THE MEETINGHOUSE WHEN BUILT THREE YEARS EARLIER WOULD LOSE THEIR INVESTMENTS &OR HIS PART %LDER 7HITE URGED THAT A METHOD BE FOUND FOR THE CHURCH TO TAKE TITLE LEGALLY TO THE PUBLISHING HOUSE AS WELL AS TO CHURCH BUILDINGS BUILT BY LOCAL CONGREGATIONS (E WAS NOT AT ALL INTERESTED IN SEEING THE CURRENT ARRANGEMENT CONTINUED "Y THIS TIME CHURCH MEMBERSHIP WAS APPROXIMATELY

AND CONTINUING TO GROW 3OMETHING OBVIOUSLY NEEDED TO BE DONE .AME /RGANIZATIONˆ!ND "ABYLON

!LTHOUGH THE DECISION TO INCORPORATE WOULD SEEM TO US TO BE AN EASY ONE BECAUSE OF THEIR BACKGROUND IT WAS A DIF lCULT DECISION FOR MANY OF OUR PIONEERS TO MAKE "ECAUSE OF THEIR -ILLERITE !DVENTIST EXPERIENCE INCLUDING THEIR STRONG BELIEF THAT THE CHURCHES THAT REJECTED BIBLICAL TRUTH AS DISCOVERED AND BELIEVED BY THEM WERE PART OF "ABYLON DESCRIBED IN 2EVELATION TAKING ANY ACTIONˆHOWEVER

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*AMES 2 .IX IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE %LLEN ' 7HITE %STATE AT THE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE OF 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS IN 3ILVER 3PRING

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()34/2)# 2%#/2$ *OSEPH " &RISBIE NOTED THE NAME OF THE CHURCH IN HIS DIARY ENTRY FOR /CTOBER (E WAS ONE OF THE DELEGATES OF THE SESSION WHICH WAS CHAIRED BY *OSEPH "ATES 0 ( / 4 / 3 # / 5 2 4 % 3 9 / & % , , % . ' 7 ( ) 4 % % 3 4!4 % # % . 4 % 2 & / 2 ! $ 6 % . 4 ) 3 4 2 % 3 % ! 2 # ( ! . $ 2 % 7 3 5 . ) 6 % 2 3 ) 4 9

SEEMINGLY SMALL OR INSIGNIlCANTˆTHAT MIGHT IN ANY WAY APPEAR TO BE MOVING TOWARD THE FORMATION OF A FORMAL CHURCH CAUSED THEM REAL CONCERN 5NDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DID OUR PIONEERS WANT TO BECOME PART OF "ABYLON !FTER ALL

HAVING BEEN CALLED TO COME OUT OF "ABYLON THEY CERTAINLY DID NOT WANT TO VOTE ANYTHING THAT MIGHT CAUSE THEM TO RETURN TO IT .OT HAVING EXPERIENCED WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH AS -ILLERITES INCLUDING THE YEARS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE -ILLERITE MOVEMENT WE lND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND FULLY THE VERY DEEP AND SINCERELY HELD CONVIC TIONS OF OUR PIONEERS REGARDING ORGANIZATION (OWEVER AFTER MORE THAN A FULL DAY OF DISCUSSION

NOT TO MENTION ALL THE DISCUSSIONS THAT HAD PRECEDED THE CONFERENCE THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE lNALLY DECIDED THAT LEGALLY INCORPORATING DID NOT OF ITSELF CONSTITUTE "ABYLONˆAT LEAST THEY ALL VOTED TO PROCEED TOWARD ORGANIZING 4HAT DECISION HAVING BEEN MADE THEY NEXT TURNED TO THE DISCUSSION OF A NAME !GAIN hMAKING A NAMEv CAUSED THEOLOGICAL CONCERNS FOR SOME PRESENT THAT WEEKEND !S WITH THE ORGANIZATION ISSUE THE APPARENT REASON FOR THEIR CONCERN IS FOUND IN THE BOOK OF 2EVELATION 4HE ELEVENTH VERSE OF CHAPTER WARNS AGAINST WORSHIPPERS OF THE BEAST AND ANYONE WHO RECEIVES THE MARK OF HIS NAME #ONSEQUENTLY CHOOSING A SPECIlC NAME FOR EITHER THE PUBLISHING HOUSE OR OUR CHURCHES IN GENERAL ALSO CAUSED REAL CONCERN FOR MANY #HOICES

!DMITTEDLY FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT THE SITUATION WAS ALREADY CAUSING CONFUSION 4HE lRST 3ABBATHKEEPING !DVENTIST CONGREGATION TO INCORPORATE WAS IN 0ARKVILLE

-ICHIGAN ABOUT MILES SOUTHWEST OF "ATTLE #REEK 4HEY DID SO ON -AY "ECAUSE hNO NAME HAS YET BEEN DECIDED UPON BY THE REMNANT AS A BODY v THEY CHOSE TO

!DVENTIST 7ORLD \ /CTOBER

CALL THEMSELVES THE h0ARKVILLE #HURCH OF #HRIST S SECOND ADVENT v ,ATER THAT SUMMER THE CONGREGATION IN &AIRlELD

)OWA CHOSE TO ORGANIZE UNDER THE NAME h4HE CHURCH OF THE LIVING 'OD v )T WAS REPORTED THAT AT LEAST THREE OTHER CONGREGATIONS IN )OWA WERE AWAITING WORD FROM THE CONFER ENCE BEFORE ALSO PROCEEDING !CTUALLY A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT NAMES HAD BEEN USED AT VARIOUS TIMES AND BY VARIOUS ONES

TO IDENTIFY THE SMALL BUT GROWING CHURCH 0ROBABLY THE MOST WIDELY USED WAS h#HURCH OF 'OD v /THERS INCLUDED h4HE ,ITTLE 2EMNANT 3CATTERED !BROADv SOMETIMES SHORTENED TO h4HE ,ITTLE 2EMNANTv OR JUST h4HE 2EMNANTv

h4HE ,ITTLE &LOCK v AND THE h#HURCH OF *ESUS #HRIST v * . ,OUGHBOROUGH RECALLED THAT SOMETIMES THE NAMES h4HE ,ORD S 0EOPLEv AND h#HRISTIANSv WERE ALSO USED 2EGARDING THIS CONFUSION *AMES 7HITE MENTIONED THAT WHEN ASKED BY FRIENDS TO WHICH CHURCH HE BELONGED HE WAS EMBARRASSED AT NOT BEING ABLE TO TELL THEM (E OBSERVED THAT THE MOVEMENT HAD GROWN BEYOND THE EARLY DAYS WHEN NO SPECIlC NAME WAS NECESSARY !S HE PUT IT h)T SEEMS TO ME THAT THE CHILD IS NOW SO GROWN THAT IT IS EXCEEDINGLY AWKWARD TO HAVE NO NAME FOR IT v )NTERESTINGLY %LLEN 7HITE WAS RIGHT THEN AT HOME HAVING GIVEN BIRTH TO HER FOURTH SON ON 3EPTEMBER %LDER 7HITE WAS ACUTELY AWARE OF THE NEED TO NAME CHILDREN SINCE HE AND %LLEN HAD NOT YET NAMED THEIR NEWBORN !FTER lNALLY AGREEING TO INCORPORATE THE PUBLISHING HOUSE THERE SEEMED TO BE GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT BY DOING SO SOME NAME WOULD HAVE TO BE CHOSEN 4O THOSE FEW WHO STILL ARGUED THAT NO SPECIlC NAME SHOULD BE ADOPTED *AMES 7HITE POINTED OUT THAT OTHERS WERE ALREADY APPLYING A VARIETY OF NAMES TO US 4HUS

BY DEFAULT WE WERE ALLOWING OTHERS TO DECIDE WHAT 3ABBATHKEEPERS SHOULD BE CALLED 4O THOSE WHO ARGUED THAT h#HRISTIANSv OR h#HURCH OF 'ODv WERE THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE NAMES SINCE THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES

USED IN THE .EW 4ESTAMENT OTHERS RESPONDED THAT BOTH NAMES WERE TOO GENERIC NOT TO MENTION THAT h#HURCH OF 'ODv SEEMED TOO PRESUMPTUOUS *AMES 7HITE WAS NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAME TO THE CONFERENCE FAVORING THE NAME h#HURCH OF 'OD v (OWEVER AS THE DISCUSSIONS CONTINUED

HE CAME TO SEE THE WISDOM OF CHOOSING A DIFFERENT NAME ! "REAKTHROUGH

!S THE DISCUSSION PROGRESSED *AMES 7HITE COMMENTED THAT THE NAME SHOULD BE ONE THAT WOULD BE THE LEAST OBJECTIONABLE TO THE WORLD AT LARGE 4HE NAME h3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTSv WAS THEN hPROPOSED AS A SIMPLE NAME AND ONE EXPRESSIVE OF OUR FAITH AND POSITION v 4HE lRST KNOWN USE IN PRINT OF THE NAME hSEVENTH DAY !DVENTISTv IS FOUND IN A LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF 4HE !DVENT 2EVIEW AND 3ABBATH (ERALD WRITTEN BY 3 4 #RANSON OF 4OMPKINS -ICHIGAN (IS LETTER DATED -ARCH

APPEARS IN THE !PRIL

ISSUE OF THE PAPER )T WAS $AVID (EWITT THE lRST 3ABBATHKEEPER IN "ATTLE #REEK WHO EVENTUALLY MOVED

h2ESOLVED 4HAT WE TAKE THE NAME OF 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS v 4HE MOTION WAS hFREELY DISCUSSED v BUT WAS THEN WITH DRAWN IN FAVOR OF THE FOLLOWING REVISED MOTION h2ESOLVED 4HAT WE CALL OURSELVES 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS v !FTER A LENGTHY DISCUSSION THE RESOLUTION WAS ADOPTED

WITH ONLY ONE VOTE IN OPPOSITION !PPARENTLY THE CHANGE IN LANGUAGE BETWEEN TAKING THE NAME AND CALLING OURSELVES 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS SUFlCIENTLY SATISlED THOSE WHO HAD STILL HAD RESERVATIONS ABOUT THE EXPRESSION TAKING A NAME BASED UPON 2EVELATION TO ALLOW THEM TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE NEW NAME !LL THAT REMAINED THEN TO BE DONE WAS TO VOTE TO RECOMMEND hTHE NAME WE HAVE CHOSEN TO THE CHURCHES GENERALLY v 4HAT RESOLUTION ALSO PASSED WITH ONLY ONE DISSENTING VOTE

*OHN "YINGTON WHO WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE CONFER ENCE BECAUSE OF ILLNESS SHARED HIS REACTION WITH THE READERS OF THE 2EVIEW h!S TO A NAME ) HAVE SOMETIMES THOUGHT THE PLAIN SCRIPTURAL TERM @#HURCH OF 'OD WAS ALL THAT IS NECESSARY "UT IN REmECTING MORE ON THIS SUBJECT ) SEE THAT 'OD HAS GIVEN TO (IS PEOPLE AND TO INDIVIDUALS NAMES SUIT ABLE TO THE TIME AND CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THEY WERE PLACEDx ) WOULD SAY TO MY BRETHREN SCATTERED ABROAD ) CANNOT SEE A REASONABLE OR SCRIPTURAL OBJECTION TO THE NAME 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS AS IT IS SIGNIlCANT OF THE POSITION THE CHURCH OF 'OD MUST OCCUPY IN THE TIME OF THE END v ,ESS THAN THREE YEARS LATER %LDER "YINGTON WOULD BE ELECTED THE lRST PRESIDENT OF THE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE OF 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS ! FEW WEEKS LATER *AMES 7HITE REPORTED THAT A NEW CHURCH IN 2ICHMOND )OWA INCORPORATED USING THE NEW NAME 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS /THERS FOLLOWED INCLUDING THE CHURCH IN 0ARKVILLE -ICHIGAN THAT IN LEGALLY CHANGED ITS NAME TO hSOCIETY OF THE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS OF 0ARKVILLE -ICHIGAN v &ROM THOSE SMALL BEGINNINGS THE NAME 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST IS FOUND IN MORE THAN COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD STILL DECLARING THE FACT THAT WE ARE SEVENTH DAY 3ABBATHKEEPERS WHO EARNESTLY LOOK FORWARD TO #HRIST S SECOND COMING

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DEVELOP THEIR CASES THROUGH INFERENCES DRAWN FROM PARTICU LAR PASSAGES 4HE DEBATE REVOLVES AROUND ARGUMENTS ABOUT WHO CAN COME UP WITH THE BEST ARGUMENTS /FTEN IN SUCH WILL NOT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY BUT ) WILL COM DEBATES THEOLOGICAL PRIDE INEVITABLY CREEPS IN NO ONE WANTS MENT ON THE REASONS WHY THE CHURCH IS DIVIDED ON THIS TO GIVE UP 3OME CHAMPION THEMSELVES AS DEFENDERS OF THE ISSUE ,ET ME MAKE TWO PRELIMINARY COMMENTS &IRST

3CRIPTURES AGAINST OTHER THEOLOGIANS WHO THEY BELIEVE ARE THE CHURCH HAS NOT TAKEN AN OFlCIAL POSITION ON THE BIBLICAL NOT AS LOYAL TO THE 3CRIPTURES !ND THE DEBATE GOES ON SUPPORT OR LACK OF IT FOR THE ORDINATION OF WOMEN TO THE %XTREME 2IGHT !DVENTISTS 4HIS GROUP IS HEAVILY INmU MINISTRY )T HAS SIMPLY VOTED AGAINST LEAVING THE DECISION ENCED BY CONSERVATIVE THEOLOGIANS WHO OPPOSE THE ORDINA UP TO EACH WORLD DIVISION OF THE CHURCH 4HE lNAL DECISION TION OF WOMEN TO PASTORAL MINISTRY AND CONSIDER SUCH IS TO BE OWNED BY THE WORLD ORDINATION TO BE AN AGENDA CHURCH 3ECOND THIS ISSUE IS OF LIBERAL THEOLOGIANS 4HEY NOT TO BE RAISED TO THE LEVEL IGNORE THE CONSERVATIVE OF A FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF !S THEOLOGIANS WHO SUPPORT IT FAR AS ) KNOW ORDINATION TO 4HEY ARE INmUENTIAL AMONG THE MINISTRY WAS NOT A TEST CHURCH MEMBERS WHO OF #HRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP IN SUSTAIN THEIR INDEPENDENT THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH 7ITH MINISTRIES WHICH ARE THAT IN MIND LET S DEAL WITH SOMETIMES CHARACTERIZED BY THE REASONS FOR THE PRESENT A STRONG NEGATIVE ATTITUDE IMPASSE TOWARD THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ,IBERAL 4HEOLOGIANS !

CHURCH 4HEY TEND TO VIEW STRONG IMPETUS FOR THE ORDI THE ORDINATION OF WOMEN AS NATION OF WOMEN TO PASTORAL "Y !NGEL -ANUEL 2ODR¤GUEZ A POTENTIAL ACT OF APOSTASY MINISTRY CAME FROM MORE #ULTURAL )DEAS )N LIBERAL !DVENTIST THEOLOGIANS MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE )N THEIR DISCUSSIONS THE BIBLI WORLD THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN CAL TEXT PLAYED SOME ROLE BUT SOCIETY IS QUITE LIMITED AND THEY ARGUED FROM A SOCIOLOGICAL AND MORAL POINT OF THE IDEA OF EQUALITY DOES NOT SEEM TO PREDOMINATE )N SUCH VIEW 4HEY WERE INmUENCED BY THE FEMINIST MOVEMENT

CULTURAL SETTINGS IT IS NOT DIFlCULT FOR CHURCH MEMBERS AND WITH ITS EMPHASIS ON GENDER EQUALITY AND THE LIBERATION LEADERS TO QUESTION AND OPPOSE THE ORDINATION OF WOMEN OF WOMEN FROM A MALE CONTROLLED SOCIETY )N THEIR EYES TO PASTORAL MINISTRY 3UCH INDIVIDUALS WOULD NATURALLY ALIGN EQUALITY RAISED THE ISSUE OF THE ORDINATION OF WOMEN TO THE THEMSELVES WITH THEOLOGIANS CLAIMING TO lND NO BIBLICAL LEVEL OF A MORAL MANDATE 3UCH A STRONG RHETORIC COMING SUPPORT FOR THE PRACTICE FROM A GROUP THAT HAD QUESTIONED SOME OF THE DISTINCTIVE 3O WHAT S NEXT 7E SHOULD WORK AND PRAY FOR HEALING DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH BROUGHT AN ALMOST IMMEDIATE 4HE DEBATE AMONG THEOLOGIANS INDICATES THAT IN THIS REACTION AGAINST THE ORDINATION OF WOMEN PARTICULAR CASE THE "IBLE IS NOT AS CLEAR AS SOME MAY THINK -AINSTREAM 4HEOLOGIANS 4HESE THEOLOGIANS ARE FULLY "OTH GROUPS SHOULD KEEP THIS IN MIND 4HEOLOGIANS IN PAR COMMITTED TO THE MESSAGE AND MISSION OF THE CHURCH TICULAR HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM BY BEING DOGMATIC 3URPRISINGLY THEY WERE DIVIDED ON THE TOPIC AND STILL ARE IN THEIR VIEWS AND UNWILLING TO LISTEN TO EACH OTHER (ERE THE MAIN DISCUSSION IS ABOUT BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION 0ERHAPS THE TIME HAS COME FOR ALL OF US TO SIT TOGETHER

4HEOLOGIANS WHO DO NOT lND SCRIPTURAL SUPPORT FOR THE LOOK AT THE ISSUE IN A SPIRIT OF SERVICE TO THE CHURCH AS THE ORDINATION OF WOMEN HAVE BEEN QUITE VOCAL 4HEY DEMAND BODY OF #HRIST AND PRAY FOR HEALING IN AN EFFORT TO SEE WHERE A hTHUS SAYS THE ,ORDv IN ORDER TO ORDAIN WOMEN AND NO THE 3PIRIT IS LEADING 4HIS WILL REQUIRE HUMILITY AND WILLING ONE HAS FOUND IT NESS TO WORK TOGETHER IN BUILDING UP THE CHURCH 4HEOLOGIANS WHO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ENOUGH INFORMA TION IN THE "IBLE TO SUPPORT THE ORDINATION OF WOMEN HAVE ALSO BEEN VOCAL 4HEY DEMAND FROM THEIR OPPONENTS A hTHUS SAYS THE ,ORDv FORBIDDING THE ORDINATION OF WOMEN !NGEL -ANUEL 2ODRÓGUEZ IS DIRECTOR OF THE "IBLICAL 2ESEARCH )NSTITUTE OF THE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE TO THE MINISTRY AND NO ONE HAS FOUND IT "OTH GROUPS

ORDINATION OF WOMEN TO PASTORAL MINISTRY OR NOT

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!DVENTIST 7ORLD \ /CTOBER

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4HE LIFE OF !BRAHAM 'EN n PROVIDES AN EXAMPLE OF PRESERVING FAITH 4HROUGHOUT HIS LIFE HE CLUNG TO 'OD S PROMISES EVEN WHEN HE COULDN T FORESEE THE OUTCOME OF FOLLOWING 'OD S COMMANDS !BRAHAM IS PART OF A LINE OF FAITHFUL MEN AND WOMEN WHO THROUGH THE CENTURIES OBEYED 'OD S INSTRUCTIONS WHEN THE ROAD AHEAD LOOKED DARK AND THE FUTURE UNCERTAIN 4HESE STALWARTS OF FAITH LEARNED TO TRUST 'OD THROUGH THE MOST CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES OF THEIR LIVES )N THIS LESSON WE WILL DISCOVER HOW !BRAHAM S FAITH LED HIM TO TRIUMPH OVER SOME OF LIFE S GREATEST OBSTACLES

7HAT UNUSUAL COMMAND DID 'OD GIVE TO !BRAM 2EAD THE TEXT BELOW AND WRITE YOUR ANSWER ON THE LINES PROVIDED h.OW THE ,ORD HAD SAID TO !BRAM @'ET OUT OF YOUR COUNTRY FROM YOUR FAMILY AND FROM YOUR FATHER S HOUSE TO A LAND THAT ) WILL SHOW YOU v 'EN 'OD INSTRUCTED !BRAM TO LEAVE HIS

HIS FATHER S

AND TRAVEL TO A PLACE HE D NEVER BEEN BEFORE

HIS

7HAT A CHALLENGE !BRAM FACED 'OD ASKED HIM TO LEAVE THE FAMILIAR SECURE SURROUNDINGS OF HIS HOME TO VENTURE OUT INTO UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY TO ACCOMPLISH A MISSION HE NEVER IMAGINED POSSIBLE

7HAT PROMISE ACCOMPANIED 'OD S COMMAND h) WILL MAKE YOU A GREAT NATION ) WILL BLESS YOU AND MAKE YOUR NAME GREAT AND YOU SHALL BE A BLESSING ) WILL BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS YOU AND ) WILL CURSE HIM WHO CURSES YOU AND IN YOU ALL THE FAMILIES OF THE EARTH SHALL BE BLESSEDv 'EN

'OD PROMISED !BRAHAM THAT (E WOULD MAKE !BRAHAM S DESCENDANTS INTO A GREAT

'OD S COMMANDS ARE ACCOMPANIED BY 'OD S PROMISES 7HEN WE OBEY (IS COMMANDS WE EXPERIENCE THE BLESSING OF (IS PROMISES

(OW DID !BRAHAM RESPOND TO 'OD S COMMAND h"Y FAITH !BRAHAM OBEYED WHEN HE WAS CALLED TO GO OUT TO THE PLACE WHICH HE WOULD RECEIVE AS AN INHERITANCE !ND HE WENT OUT NOT KNOWING WHERE HE WAS GOINGv (EB "Y FAITH !BRAHAM

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NOT KNOWING WHERE HE WAS GOING

!BRAHAM S FAITH LED HIM TO OBEY 'OD S COMMANDS 4HE APOSTLE *AMES DESCRIBED WELL THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH AND OBEDIENCE WHEN HE WROTE h4HUS ALSO FAITH BY ITSELF IF IT DOES NOT HAVE WORKS IS DEADv *AMES !BRAHAM S FAITH WAS SO GOOD IT WORKED ,IVING FAITHˆGENUINE AUTHENTIC FAITHˆALWAYS LEADS US TO DO EXACTLY WHAT 'OD SAYS /CTOBER \ !DVENTIST 7ORLD

7HEN !BRAM WAS YEARS OLD WHO DID 'OD DECLARE (IMSELF TO BE 7HAT PROMISE DID 'OD MAKE TO !BRAM h7HEN !BRAM WAS NINETY NINE YEARS OLD THE ,ORD APPEARED TO !BRAM AND SAID TO HIM @) AM !LMIGHTY 'OD WALK BEFORE -E AND BE BLAMELESS v 'EN h) WILL MAKE YOU EXCEEDINGLY FRUITFUL AND ) WILL MAKE NATIONS OF YOU AND KINGS SHALL COME FROM YOUv 'EN 'OD DECLARED (IMSELF TO BE

'OD PROMISED TO MAKE !BRAM EXCEEDINGLY

'OD WOULD HAVE TO BE ALMIGHTY TO MAKE !BRAHAM WHEN HE WAS ALMOST YEARS OLD THE FATHER OF MANY NATIONS )T WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR 3ARAH TO CONCEIVE AT HER OLD AGE "UT FOR THOSE WHO TRUST (IM 'OD IS THE 'OD OF THE IMPOSSIBLE

7HY WAS !BRAHAM ABLE TO BELIEVE THESE SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE PROMISES OF 'OD h(E DID NOT WAVER AT THE PROMISE OF 'OD THROUGH UNBELIEF BUT WAS STRENGTHENED IN FAITH GIVING GLORY TO 'OD AND BEING FULLY CONVINCED THAT WHAT (E HAD PROMISED (E WAS ALSO ABLE TO PERFORMv 2OM

!BRAHAM DID NOT

THROUGH

!BRAHAM WAS FULLY

THAT 'OD WAS ABLE TO FULlLL (IS PROMISES

&AITH IS THE ABILITY TO GO FORWARD CONVINCED OF 'OD S ABILITY TO DO WHAT (E PROMISED

7HAT WAS THE SUPREME TEST OF !BRAHAM S FAITH h"Y FAITH !BRAHAM WHEN HE WAS TESTED OFFERED UP )SAAC AND HE WHO HAD RECEIVED THE PROMISES OFFERED UP HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SONv (EB !BRAHAM S GREATEST TEST WAS TO OFFER UP HIS SON

'OD OFTEN TOUCHES THE THINGS CLOSEST TO OUR HEARTS (IS TESTS INVOLVE THE THINGS THAT MATTER MOST TO US 'OD S STRATEGY IS TO LEAD US TO TRUST (IM IN EVERY AREA OF OUR LIVES

(OW DID !BRAHAM RESPOND TO )SAAC S QUESTION REGARDING THE SACRIlCIAL LAMB h!ND !BRAHAM SAID @-Y SON 'OD WILL PROVIDE FOR (IMSELF THE LAMB FOR A BURNT OFFERING v 'EN !BRAHAM HAD ABSOLUTE CONlDENCE THAT

&AITH LOOKS BEYOND PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES AND CLINGS TO 'OD S PROMISES !BRAHAM BELIEVED 'OD AND 'OD HONORED !BRAHAM S FAITH 7HEN WE COME TO 'OD RECOGNIZING OUR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS OUR SINFULNESS OUR LOST CONDITION AND CLING TO (IS PROMISES BELIEVING BY FAITH THAT (E WILL PROVIDE (IS PERFECT 3ON AS OUR 3AVIOR WE TOO RECEIVE DELIVERANCE FROM THE DEATH PENALTY OF SIN 4ODAY WE CAN REACH OUT TO THE /NE WHO PROVIDED THE hPERFECT ,AMBv IN OUR PLACE AND KNOW FOR SURE THAT WE TOO SERVE A 'OD WHO KEEPS (IS PROMISES

.EXT MONTH S "IBLE STUDY WILL EXAMINE h4HE 0RICE OF #OMPROMISE v !DVENTIST 7ORLD \ /CTOBER

,%44%23 2EADING AND 7RITING

4HANK YOU FOR THE EDITORIAL h4HOSE ON THE 3HORE v BY "ILL +NOTT *ULY )T IS HEARTWARMING )T S AN EXCEP TIONALLY SPLENDID ISSUE 'EOFF 'ARNE !UCKLAND .EW :EALAND %VEN THE ,EAST )S -UCH

) AM VERY PLEASED TO RECEIVE THE !DVENTIST 7ORLD MAGAZINE IN 3PANISH +IMBERLY ,USTE -ARAN S ARTICLE h#ONVICTED BY A 3CRAP OF 0APERv *UNE WAS VERY INFORMATIVE BECAUSE IT SHOWED ME THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MAGAZINE IN THE WORLD ) THANK THE ,ORD FOR INSPIRING LEADERS TO UNDER TAKE THIS PROJECT )T WAS ALSO VERY TIMELY TO READ h)N 'OD S )MAGE v BY 2ICHARD 3PILLMAN IT CAME AT A TIME WHEN ) WAS PREPARING A SERMON ON &UNDAMENTAL "ELIEF .O

THE .ATURE OF -AN $ARIO (IRAM 2OSTAN , IBERTADOR 3AN -ARTIN

!RGENTINA

+NOWING -Y 7ORK IN THE 7ORLD

4HE ARTICLE BY +ARI 0AULSEN ENTITLED h7HAT (APPENS TO THE 7ANDERERS v *ANUARY REALLY TOUCHED ME ) SENT IT TO MY FELLOW !DVENTIST YOUTH TO HELP TO REALIZE OUR COMMISSION ON EARTH )SAIAH -AKORI 6IA E MAIL )T S 2EALLY A 'OOD 4HING

) WRITE TO REQ UEST !DVENTIST 7ORLD MAGA ZINE PUBLISHED

BY YOUR LOVING ORGANIZATION ) CAME ACROSS THE -AY EDITION OF THE MAGAZINE AND HAVING GONE THROUGH THE ARTICLES THEREIN ) WAS RICHLY BLESSED ALTHOUGH ) AM NOT A 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST ) PRAY THAT THE ,ORD WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN AND SUPPORT YOUR MIN ISTRY 4HANKS A LOT FOR YOUR LABOR OF LOVE AS REGARDS THE EXPANSION OF THE KINGDOM OF 'OD /WOADE %MMAN /LUTUNDE $UGBE )BADAN .IGERIA

) AM GRATEFUL FOR !DVENTIST 7ORLD AND HAVE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS ;IN ) GREATLY APPRECIATE THE ARTICLE BY 2OY THE "IBLE 3TUDY= ) CONGRATULATE YOUR !DAMS ENTITLED h3PIRITUAL 0ERILSv -AY OFlCE VERY MUCH FOR THE DEVOTION TO 4HIS FORM OF SUBTLE SPIRITUALISM SENDING THESE TO REACH EVERYONE IN THE SEEMS TO SURROUND US IN OUR DAILY LIFE WORLD "E BLESSED ABUNDANTLY IN #HRISTIAN BOOKS MUSIC TELEVISION %LIZABETH + /MBASO PROGRAMS EVEN WELL INTENTIONED +ENYENYA +ISII +ENYA E MAILS 4HIS IS AN ISSUE BEYOND OUR IDENTITY AS !DVENTISTS IT IS AS !DAMS ) COMMEND THE GOOD WORK DONE BY THE RIGHTLY STATES ABOUT THE hINTEGRITY OF PUBLISHERS OF THIS MAGAZINE )T HAS BEEN OUR FAITH v A REAL BLESSING TO ME AND MY FRIENDS

.ATALIA (ERRA #RUZ BOTH !DVENTISTS AND NON !DVENTISTS "ELFAST .ORTHERN )RELAND ) PARAPHRASED INFORMATION WRITTEN #LEVERLY $ISGUISED

BY 7ILLIAM ' *OHNSSON ABOUT FORGING RELATIONS BETWEEN -USLIMS AND #HRIS TIANS ) USED THE NOTE IN OUR LEADING NEWSPAPERS AND IT WAS A BLESSING TO MANY +EEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND DIS SEMINATE THE PUBLICATIONS EVEN MORE &RANCIS /NTOMWA .AIROBI +ENYA 3ATISlED 2EADERS

'REETINGS IN #HRIST *ESUS )T S A GREAT SATISFACTION BEING A READER OF !DVENTIST 7ORLD WHICH IS CERTAINLY BLESSED BY 'OD S HAND %ACH MONTH SINCE ) SEE MY DEAR BROTHERS IN #HRIST CHURCH PROGRAMS AND THE OUTSIDE WORLD IN MANY DIFFERENT SITUATIONS 7HAT IS AMAZING IS THAT THE DISTANCES SEEM TO DISAPPEAR THROUGH THE FAITH THAT UNITES US THROUGH THIS LINK 4HE ARTICLES ARE EXCELLENT SPIRITUAL FOOD ) GET IT EVERY MONTH AND READ ALL OF IT WITHOUT MISSING A SINGLE ARTICLE ) DO NOT KNOW WHOSE IDEA IT WAS TO CREATE !DVENTIST 7ORLD BUT ) KNOW IT WAS DIRECTED BY 'OD 4HIS MAGAZINE IS A POWERFUL WAY TO CONNECT THE PEOPLE OF 'OD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD UNTIL THE GLORIOUS DAY WHEN WE CAN LIVE TOGETHER FOREVER WITH THE ,ORD 0RAY WITHOUT CEASING FOR THE RETURN OF THE ,ORD *ESUS 7E LOVE OUR CHURCH AND ALL THAT IS PRODUCED BY IT -AY 'OD CONTINUE TO BLESS 2ODRIGO .OGUEIRA 8APURI !CRE "RAZIL

,ETTERS 0OLICY 0LEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO THE EDITOR TO LETTERS ADVENTISTWORLD ORG ,ETTERS MUST BE CLEARLY WRITTEN AND TO THE POINT WORD MAXIMUM "E SURE TO INCLUDE THE NAME OF THE ARTICLE THE DATE OF PUBLICATION AND PAGE NUMBER WITH YOUR LETTER !LSO INCLUDE YOUR NAME THE TOWN CITY STATE AND COUNTRY FROM WHICH YOU ARE WRITING ,ETTERS WILL BE EDITED FOR SPACE AND CLARITY .OT ALL LETTERS SUBMITTED WILL BE PUBLISHED

/CTOBER \ !DVENTIST 7ORLD

%8#(!.'% /& )$%!3

USTAQ -

USTAQ HAD UNKEMPT HAIR AND SMELLY FEET AND A TORN AND PERPETUALLY DIRTY SCHOOLBAG HOLDING EQUALLY DIRTY NOTEBOOKS AND TEXTBOOKS 4HERE WERE FREQUENT SNIG GERING REMARKS MADE ABOUT HIM BY OTHER STUDENTS h$OES HE EVER BATHE v h5GH ) WISH HE WERE IN SOME OTHER CLASS v h7HY DOES THE SCHOOL ALLOW HIM TO BE HERE v )N )NDIA WE WEAR SCHOOL UNIFORMS UP TO GRADE AND WHEN ) WAS IN GRADE -USTAQ WORE THE lLTHIEST UNIFORM ) HAD EVER SEEN (E SAT ALONE ON THE lRST BENCH ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CLASSROOM AND MOSTLY LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW IN BETWEEN CLASSES WHEN THE REST OF US WOULD CHAT AND LAUGH WITH ONE ANOTHER .O ONE TALKED WITH HIM NO ONE BOTHERED (E LOOKED A RATHER FORLORN lGURE ALONE ON HIS BENCH .OT ONLY WAS HE SMELLY AND DIRTY BUT IT DIDN T MATTER THE SUBJECTˆMATH HISTORY GEOGRAPHY OR LANGUAGEˆ-US TAQ NEEDED DOUBLE THE ASSISTANCE FROM OUR TEACHERS 7E WONDERED IF HE WOULD MAKE IT THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL -USTAQ WAS THE SADDEST IN %NGLISH CLASSˆ) BELIEVE HE HATED POETRY IN PARTICULAR !ND READING ALOUD (E WAS TERRIlED WHEN HE HAD TO BECAUSE EVERY TIME HE MISPRO NOUNCED SOMETHING OUR CLASS BROKE INTO MUFmED GIGGLES AND CONTINUED UNTIL OUR TEACHER STERNLY SHUSHED US AND THREATENED DETENTION /NE AFTERNOON ) SAW HIM ROOTED TO HIS BENCH PREPARING FOR A TEST ) APPROACHED HIM AND ASKED IF HE WOULD LIKE HELP !S LINE BY LINE ) REVEALED THE POEM S MEANING SUDDENLY

MY EYES WERE DRAWN TO A TORN PAGE STUCK WITH SOME AWFULLY THICK GOOEY STUFF h7HAT IS THIS v ) EXCLAIMED (E HUNG HIS HEAD IN SHAME AND IN A BARELY AUDIBLE VOICE CONFESSED h)T IS COOKED RICE ) CAN T AFFORD TO BUY GLUE -Y MOTHER AND ) ARE VERY POOR v HE WENT ON hAND THESE ARE OLD DISCARDED TEXTBOOKS A RETIRED TEACHER GAVE ME v 3TUNNED EVERYTHING lNALLY DAWNED ON ME ) TOLD MY FRIENDS ABOUT HIS PLIGHTˆHE HAD ONLY ONE UNIFORM WHICH HE HAND WASHED HIS UNEDUCATED POOR MOTHER EARNED SO LITTLE THEY COULD BARELY BUY FOOD /NE MORNING WHEN -USTAQ WALKED TO HIS DESK HE FOUND A LARGE NEW GLUE STICK A PENCIL BOX A PAIR OF SOCKS

NEW BLANK NOTEBOOKS AND A NEATLY FOLDED IRONED UNIFORM 4OO OVERCOME HE GAVE ME THE LOOK OF SOMEONE BETRAYED

AND mED THE CLASS 7E FOUND HIM SOBBING UNDER A STAIRCASE h4HANK YOU v HE CHOKED 7HEN WE RETURNED TWO OTHER CLASSMATES WERE SHARING HIS USUALLY VACANT LONG BENCH AND HE SMILED THROUGH HIS TEARS !FTER THAT EVERY NOW AND THEN CLASSMATES SURPRISED HIM WITH THINGS HE NEEDED INCLUDING A NEW RED SCHOOLBAG -USTAQ HAD CHANGED FOR THE BETTERˆHE SMILED FREQUENTLY

LOST HIS STAMMER AND NO LONGER STARED OUT THE WINDOW "UT HE HAD CHANGED US EVEN MORE (E HAD MADE US REALIZE OUR OWN BLESSINGS AND HOW WE TOOK THEM FOR GRANTED AND THE NEED FOR US TO SHOW COMPASSION INSTEAD OF JUDGMENTˆNOT TO BE SMUGLY WRAPPED UP IN OURSELVES OUR ACTIVITIES OUR PLANS 7E HAD DISCOVERED HE WAS POOR MATERIALLY "UT WE DISCOVERED WE WERE POORERˆIN SPIRIT )T WAS A LESSON WE BADLY NEEDED TO LEARN ˆ3UDHA +HRISTMUKTI 'UJARAT )NDIA

4 ( % 0 , ! # % / & 0 2 !9 % 2 ) AM A STUDENT IN +AGUMO 4EACHERS 4RAINING #OLLEGE IN .YERI 0LEASE PRAY FOR OUR 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST GROUP TO BE STRONG IN FAITH 4HANK YOU !SKENAS +ENYA 4HE 0LACE OF 0RAYER SEND TO PRAYER ADVENTISTWORLD ORG 3END US YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS AND PRAISE THANKS FOR ANSWERED PRAYER +EEP YOUR ENTRIES SHORT AND CONCISE WORDS MAXIMUM )TEMS SENT TO THIS CATEGORY WILL BE EDITED FOR SPACE AND CLARITY %VEN THOUGH WE WILL PRAY FOR EACH ENTRY DURING OUR WEEKLY STAFF MEETINGS NOT ALL SUBMISSIONS WILL BE PRINTED 0LEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND YOUR COUNTRY S NAME WITH YOUR ENTRY 9OU MAY ALSO FAX REQUESTS TO OR MAIL THEM TO !DVENTIST 7ORLD

/LD #OLUMBIA 0IKE 3ILVER 3PRING -$ 5 3 !

!DVENTIST 7ORLD \ /CTOBER

0LEASE PRAY FOR ME AND MY TWO DAUGH TERS !LL THREE OF US ARE IN BAD HEALTH -ARY 5NITED 3TATES ) HAVE BEEN WORKING IN 4HAILAND FOR ALMOST lVE YEARS NOW -Y CONTRACT IS ENDING ) PRAY FOR ANOTHER JOB AS MY HEART IS WILLING TO BE OF SERVICE TO 'OD IN THE CHURCH AND ) WANT TO HELP MY FAMILY )NCLUDE ME IN YOUR PRAYERS *ENNELYN 4HAILAND

4HANK YOU TO YOUR PRAYER GROUP -Y BROTHER IS ENJOYING THE BEST HEALTH HE S HAD FOR YEARS 0LEASE PRAY FOR MY MUM AND THAT ) WILL OBEY *ESUS IN EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE SO ) CAN FULlLL (IS PLAN FOR MEˆFRIENDSHIP EVANGELISM #LAIRE 5NITED +INGDOM

h"EHOLD ) COME QUICKLYxv

!7 2 5 0 $ !4 %

/UR MISSION IS TO UPLIFT *ESUS #HRIST UNITING 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS EVERYWHERE IN BELIEFS

MISSION LIFE AND HOPE

!72 3PEAKS IN 4ONGUESˆ TO "E %XACT AND #OUNTING

9

OU WILL PROB ABLY AGREE THAT IF YOUR NEIGHBOR DOESN T KNOW #HRIST

THEY SHOULD "UT WHAT IF YOU ARE LITERALLY UNABLE TO SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE )F %NGLISH IS YOUR ONLY LANGUAGE FOR EXAMPLE HOW CAN YOU COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR 6IETNAMESE %THIOPIAN

OR 4URKISH NEIGHBOR ABOUT THE PEACE AND HOPE YOU HAVE THROUGH *ESUS #HRIST )T IS THIS CHALLENGE THAT PROMPTED !DVENTIST 7ORLD 2ADIO !72 TO LAUNCH A MASSIVE )NTERNET PODCASTING OUTREACH THAT MAKES GOSPEL PROGRAM MING AVAILABLE TO LISTENERS AROUND THE WORLD IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGES REGARD LESS OF WHERE THEY LIVE *UST IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES .OW ALMOST BILLION )NTERNET USERS ACROSS THE PLANET CAN ACCESS THE !DVENTIST MESSAGE OF HOPE IN #HRIST IN MORE THAN MISSION CRITICAL LANGUAGES )N ITS lRST DAYS OF GOING hLIVE v THE 5NITED 3TATES HAS BECOME THE LARGEST CONSUMER OF ALMOST EVERY ONE OF THE LANGUAGES NOW AVAILABLE ON THE )NTERNET "UT THERE IS MORE 4O HELP CHURCH MEMBERS UTILIZE THE PODCASTS TO REACH THEIR NEIGHBORS

!72 IS DEVELOPING DOWNLOADABLE hNEIGHBOR INVITATIONSv IN EVERY BROADCAST LANGUAGE WHICH CAN BE PRINTED AND SHARED WITH FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS #HECK IT OUT NOW BY GOING TO AWR ORG INVITE h7HEN PEOPLE ARE LIVING FAR FROM THEIR HOMELANDS THEY ARE ESPECIALLY ANXIOUS TO HEAR MESSAGES IN THEIR MOTHER TONGUES v SAYS "ENJAMIN 3CHOUN

!72 BOARD CHAIR h4HIS IS AMAZING TECHNOLOGY v SAYS $OWELL #HOW !72 PRESIDENT h!72 IS COMMITTED TO HELPING YOU SHARE THE GOOD NEWS OF SALVATION WITH PEOPLE RIGHT IN YOUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD !ND NOW IT IS EASIER THAN EVER BEFORE h"ECAUSE OF FAITHFUL MINISTRY PARTNERS LIKE YOU !72 HAS GROWN IN WAYS THAT THE ORGANIZATION S LEADERS COULD HARDLY HAVE IMAGINED WHEN THEY AIRED THE lRST BROADCAST IN 4ODAY WE ARE TRULY SPEAKING IN TONGUES BY BLANKETING ALMOST PERCENT OF THE WORLD S POPULATION 7E ARE ON THE AIR THOUSANDS OF HOURS EACH AND EVERY DAY USING !- &- SHORTWAVE )NTERNET

AND PODCASTS v 4HE (OLY 3PIRIT IS BEING POURED OUT AROUND THE WORLD AND NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT 0LEASE PRAY FOR US TODAY

0UBLISHER 4HE !DVENTIST 7ORLD AN INTERNATIONAL PERIODICAL OF THE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST #HURCH 4HE 'ENERAL #ONFERENCE

.ORTHERN !SIA 0ACIlC $IVISION OF 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTISTS§

IS THE PUBLISHER %XECUTIVE 0UBLISHER "ILL +NOTT !SSOCIATE 0UBLISHER #LAUDE 2ICHLI )NTERNATIONAL 0UBLISHING -ANAGER #HUN 0YUNG $UK 0UBLISHING "OARD 4ED . # 7ILSON CHAIR "ENJAMIN $ 3#HOUN VICE CHAIR "ILL +NOTT SECRETARY $ANIEL 2 *ACKSON !RMANDO -IRANDA 0ARDON + -WANSA *UAN 0RESTOL #HARLES # 3ANDEFUR (EATHER $AWN 3MALL -ARK 4HOMAS 2OBERT % +YTE LEGAL ADVISOR !DVENTIST 7ORLD #OORDINATING #OMMITTEE ,EE *AIRYONG CHAIR !KERI 3UZUKI +ENNETH /SBORN 'UIMO 3UNG #HUN 0YUNG $UK 'LENN -ITCHELL %DITOR IN #HIEF "ILL +NOTT %DITORS BASED IN 3ILVER 3PRING -ARYLAND 2OY !DAMS 'ERALD ! +LINGBEIL ASSOCIATE EDITORS

3ANDRA "LACKMER 3TEPHEN #HAVEZ -ARK ! +ELLNER

+IMBERLY ,USTE -ARAN %DITORS BASED IN 3EOUL +OREA #HUN *UNG +WON #HOE *EONG +WAN /NLINE %DITOR #ARLOS -EDLEY 4ECHNICAL #OORDINATOR -ERLE 0OIRIER %XECUTIVE !SSISTANT TO THE %DITOR 2ACHEL * #HILD %DITORIAL !SSISTANTS -ARVENE 4HORPE "APTISTE !LFREDO 'ARCIA -ARENKO 2EADER 3ERVICES -ERLE 0OIRIER !RT $IRECTION AND $ESIGN *EFF $EVER &ATIMA !MEEN #ONSULTANTS 4ED . # 7ILSON 2OBERT % ,EMON ' 4 .G

'UILLERMO % "IAGGI ,OWELL # #OOPER $ANIEL 2 *ACKSON

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"ARRY /LIVER "RUNO 6ERTALLIER 'ILBERT 7ARI "ERTIL ! 7IKLANDER 4O 7RITERS 7E WELCOME UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS !DDRESS ALL EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE TO /LD #OLUMBIA 0IKE

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BY 4HOMAS .ELSON )NC 5SED BY PERMISSION !LL RIGHTS RESERVED 4EXTS CREDITED TO .)6 ARE FROM THE (OLY "IBLE

.EW )NTERNATIONAL 6ERSION #OPYRIGHT Ú

)NTERNATIONAL "IBLE 3OCIETY 5SED BY PERMISSION OF :ONDERVAN "IBLE 0UBLISHERS !DVENTIST 7ORLD IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY AND PRINTED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN +OREA "RAZIL )NDONESIA !USTRALIA 'ERMANY

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1 5 / 4% / & 4( % - / . 4(

h#OME TO ME ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND BURDENED

AND ) WILL GIVE YOU REST v ˆ*ESUS RECORDED IN -ATTHEW .)6 INSCRIP TION IN #ROATIAN LANGUAGE ON THE WALL BEHIND THE PULPIT OF THE 3EVENTH DAY !DVENTIST CHURCH IN 0ULA #ROATIA

CIRCA SUBMITTED BY 'UILLERMO AND #RISTINA (ERBERT

6ALENCIA 3PAIN 3 5 " - ) 4 4 % $ " 9 * % 3 % , . !6! + ! ,/ - ! . !

,/ ) 3 2 ( / ! $ % 3

!$ 6% .4 ) 3 4 , ) & % ! FRIEND WHO WAS HAVING SPECIAL MUSIC FOR THE WORSHIP SERVICE AT CHURCH ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS GOING TO ATTEMPT TO PLAY h7ITHOUT (IM v !FTER CHURCH HE SAID h) DIDN T DO TOO WELL ON THAT SONG v 7ITH HUMOR MY HUSBAND REPLIED h4HAT IS BECAUSE YOU TRIED TO PLAY WITHOUT (IM v ˆ*EAN 4INLIN 7HITElSH -ONTANA

5NITED 3TATES

4HIS PAST *ULY MY HUSBAND AND ) WERE SPENDING OUR LAST VACATION MORNING AT THE BEACH

WATCHING THE SUN COME UP 7E WERE DISCUSSING THE DIF lCULTIES WE VE EXPERIENCED IN OUR LIVES DURING THE PAST YEAR AND HOW LIFE HAS BECOME SO FAST PACED SO OUT OF CONTROL 7E WONDERED HOW WE WERE GOING TO MANAGE IT ALL !S WE WERE TALKING WE NO TICED A PLANE LEAVING A LINE IN THE BEAUTIFUL SKY ! SHORT WHILE LATER A SECOND AIRPLANE CROSSED THE LINE MAKING A CROSS IN THE SKY 4HIS CROSS SHAPE APPEARED JUST AT THE TIME WHEN WE WERE FEELING DISCOURAGED AND OVER WHELMED ) BELIEVE THIS WAS NOT

A COINCIDENCE BUT A SIGN AND REMINDER THAT 'OD WILL NEVER LEAVE US AND WE ARE NEVER ALONE ˆ,OIS 2HOADES 4AKOMA 0ARK

-ARYLAND 5NITED 3TATES

!. 3 7% 2 )N &IJI AT THE NEW &ULTON #OLLEGE SITE THESE MEN ARE HOLDING A WHALE S TOOTH A TRADITIONAL GIFT GIVEN TO THE CHIEF OF THE 6ILLAGE OF 3ABETO FOR THE LAND HE DONATED TO THE !DVENTIST #HURCH