Summer 2021

Summer | 2021

A quarterly journal of Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

EMPATHY > ORTHODOXY

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THE POWER OF DIGITAL MINISTRY

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SCHOLARSHIP WRITING CONTEST

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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

DISCOVER THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH GOD CREATED YOU “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 There were two children skating on a frozen pond. It was a cloudy and cold afternoon, but the children were playing without concern. Suddenly, the ice broke, and one of the children fell into the water. Seeing that his friend was drowning under the ice, the other boy took a stone and began to hit the ice with all his might until he managed to break it and thus save his friend.

When the firefighters and EMTs arrived and saw what happened, they wondered, “How did he do it? The ice is very thick, it is impossible that he could have broken it with that stone and his small hands.” At that moment, someone that had come to help said, “I know how he did it. There was no one around to tell him it couldn’t be done.”

Journalist Lincoln Steffens wrote, “Everything in the world remains to be done or done over. The greatest picture is not yet painted, the greatest play isn’t written, the greatest poem is unsung.” There is much left to do, and much good to be done. Until the Lord Jesus Christ returns to take us home, we are called to make a positive impact on this world.

This charge is true of all of us, especially our youth and young adults to whom the world will be entrusted soon and who may already be leading in their churches today.

In Romans 8:28, we are promised that God will work good things in our lives according to his purpose for us. Regardless of what life throws at you as you embark on a journey that will take you to discover the purpose for which God created you, you will learn that with God, you are always safe and, with God, dreams are possible. God will always be with you.

God will be with you. His Holy Spirit will guide you and protect you. If you surrender your will to God’s will, you are going to be able to see what God sees and understand what God wants. You will be able to discern what is good and bad, what is just and unjust, what is principled and relative, and you will never veer off His path because your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

This edition of Florida Focus is all about the young leaders of Christ’s church. They will not only be the leaders of tomorrow, but are leading today and accomplishing amazing things in Jesus’ name. You will read about the digital church reaching much further than you might think, how empathy and communication can work in the hearts of those who need Jesus, and many other beautiful stories.

I pray you will be blessed by the testimonies found in these pages and that you will consider how God can lead you to do incredible things according to His purpose.

May God bless you always,

Allan Machado, D.Min Florida Conference President

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Table of CONTENTS 4

EMPATHY > ORTHODOXY

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GROWING YOUNG ADVENTISTS

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GENERATION Z INFOGRAPHIC

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THE POWER OF DIGITAL MINISTRY

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FLORIDA FOCUS is published quarterly by Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® and mailed free of charge to constituent members with nonprofit standard postage paid in Orlando, Florida.

ODD THOUGHTS FOR GOD

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SCHOLARSHIP WRITING CONTEST

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DON’T HIDE ARTS UNDER A BUSHEL

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MIXED MESSAGES

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LITTLE READERS

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GROWING THROUGH CHANGE

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ABC BOOKS ABC DELIVERY SCHEDULE

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WHICH ATTACHMENT STYLE MAKES A GOOD ROMANTIC PARTNER?

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JOVEN ¡VAMOS A SOÑAR!

Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® 351 S. State Road 434, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714-3824 (407) 644-5000 • www.floridaconference.com • floridafocus@floridaconference.com President: Allan Machado floridaconference Executive Secretary: Tim Goff floridaconf Treasurer: Elisa Rahming florida.conference Editor: Giovana Shellhammer Editorial Staff: Raquel Levy / Public Relations Department

Empathy > Orthodoxy

by Justin Khoe

When I was younger and more naive, I used to think the world just needed to hear the perfect argument. Whether that was a “Saturday is the true Sabbath” type of argument or “how can you know Jesus rose from the dead” argument, I felt the ideal way to bring someone onto my side was to have the perfect lineup of facts and figures to blow past any and all objections. I inherited this from Adventism. I remember learning about old Adventist ministers who would show up in a new town, set up a tent, and put out newspaper ads that read, “One million dollars to anyone who can give one Bible text that Sabbath changed from Saturday to Sunday.”

But the world we live in is different from the one way back when. It isn’t enough to simply talk fast and wear a sharp suit to convince people anymore. In fact, people seem to hardly care about who is right and who is wrong — and they certainly don’t seem to care about who has the best Biblical hermeneutic.

With the advent of the internet, opinions are a dime a dozen. For every person staking their claim to truth, you can find hundreds that can “prove” exactly the opposite. People parrot “all truth is relative” or “that’s your truth, this is my truth,” and what they’re really saying is they’re skeptical of any person or entity claiming to know the truth about anything!

Think about how this influences the way people perceive church folk. I know that there have been multiple times where I have entered spaces as someone who was ready to settle all debates and deliver the Truth on a silver platter. I’ve often thought of myself as a liberator on a divine mission because I was given all the right answers, not realizing that this comes across as arrogant and close-minded. Bigoted even.

In my crusade for Truth, I revealed my ignorance. I thought that simply presenting the facts changed people’s hearts. Don’t get me wrong, facts are important, especially biblical facts, but facts hardly change hearts.

You know what changes hearts? Empathy. Empathy, more than orthodoxy, will accomplish more to change a person’s heart ten times out of ten. “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” Romans 2:4 Somewhat paradoxically, I’ve found that there’s a certain type of “power” to the person who listens more than they talk. We are so used to a world where everyone has an opinion, and everyone’s an expert, and everyone is right. So to find people who are willing to be humble, listen, and put the other person’s story and perspective in a greater place of prominence than their story and perspective— it’s radical. It’s so counter-cultural that people are compelled to stop and listen. They’re compelled to ask questions and speak about things differently than if I had made a ton of assertions about how the way the world works and functions.

It’s no surprise to see this often modeled in the life of Jesus.

According to “Jesus is the Question” by Martin B Copenhaver, Jesus asks 307 questions in the gospel. He is asked 183 questions, of which he only answers three. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so quick to dismiss my grandmother’s advice, that we have two ears and one mouth, so you should listen twice as much as you’re speaking.

This is hard for me. I love to be known as someone with answers because it makes me feel intelligent. I like the feeling when the room goes quiet and someone asks me, “What do you think?” Yet

this hardly seems like something that matters to Jesus. Perhaps one reason is that people are so seldomly willing to make radical life changes in the way they view the world simply because you said something. For most people, empathy is the currency to get them to pay attention. Through listening to and sharing stories, we win the trust needed to build a lasting relationship.

Being able to withhold a holier-than-thou position and engage with someone’s whole experience does something different to your relationship with that person. If someone has the opportunity to share the story of their drug addiction, the failures of their marriage, or struggles and challenges that they’re going through, we should be able to truly hear them—to empathize with them.

If this sounds counter-cultural, think about how challenged the church was when they saw it in action! Jesus did this with the woman caught in adultery, who clearly was caught in the wrong.

And notice how the man she was caught with is not mentioned, either. Yet Jesus does something radical, He withholds judgment and starts to write in the sands. Jesus’ first words to the religious leaders were, “Let anyone who is without sin throw the first stone at her.” His first words to the woman, “Neither do I condemn you.”

Jesus’ first move is to reassure her that she is safe in His presence. She’s not condemned, nor is she judged in His eyes.

This is the “goodness that leads to repentance.” It’s a reckless love that can scare us.

There are only certain types of people to whom I feel comfortable distributing this type of reckless love. If they look like me, sound like me, sin like me, then sure! I can wrap my mind around what it looks like to care for someone like that! But when it’s my gay friends? My divorced friends? My friends who have had abortions? What would happen if they all received this kind of reckless love? How would it change our communities, schools, and churches if “these sinners” knew they were not judged or condemned by Jesus? What kind of precedent would that set?

And you know what? That’s a question I’m willing to sit on. What would happen if we just loved people as He did?

Growing Young Adventists

by Juan M. Rodriguez Director, Youth and Young Adult Ministries

The statistic concerning young people leaving Seventh-day Adventist churches was a staggering 65% in North America before the pandemic.

No one knows yet how the effects of COVID-19 will impact the retention of youth and young adults. Some churches in the Florida Conference did an amazing job staying engaged with their youth during the pandemic, and those churches are seeing the fruits of their labor as young people are coming back and becoming even more engaged in those communities. However, many of our churches are struggling as we open and attempt to reconnect with young and old.

This adds to an existing problem that churches have been facing.

The trajectory of our churches in North America is increasingly getting older, and several leaders are concerned as churches close because they are literally dying. The struggle with young people leaving the church is not a new problem, but people always banked on them returning once they had their own families.

Unfortunately, they are not coming back like before.

The good news is that churches have discovered a solution to help change the trajectory from growing old to growing young. What’s even more exciting is that this change involves all generations for a beautiful intergenerational movement dubbed Growing Young Adventists (GYA).

GYA is based on a study done by the Fuller Youth Institute that sought to find churches that were loving the next generation well and growing young. About 250 churches were included in the study, and they discovered six essential characteristics of churches that young people love to attend and do life with.

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to see GYA in action at local church

Those six core commitments are the following: 1. Unlock keychain leadership — mentor the next generation to become leaders 2. Empathize with today’s young people 3. Take Jesus’ message seriously 4. Fuel a warm community 5. Prioritize young people, and families, everywhere 6. Be the best neighbor Every single time churches practice these six essentials, young people return, older leaders get excited about their mentoring role, and the intergenerational model of working together becomes fun. I have seen churches in the Florida Conference start this journey with great success, and the exciting part is that some of our churches are already doing some of this organically using a different language for the process.

Years before the pandemic, the older members of one church fueled a warm community and prioritized young people by intentionally inviting young people and young families to their homes for lunch, spent time listening to them, building relationships, and doing life together. Today that same church has over 400 young adults. The strength of GYA is relationships and being rooted in Christ Jesus through the process of growing young.

If you or your church want to join the GYA movement, please contact Juan Rodriguez in Youth & Young Adult Ministries of Florida Conference and visit www.growingyoungadventists.com.

Email: juan.rodriguez@floridaconference.com Cell: 904-329-5030

GENERATION Z Gen Z, iGen, or centennials, refers to the generation that was born between 1997-2012 Young consumers spend an average of 4 hours a day on social media SCREEN TIME – estimated hours per day spent on smartphone Teens (13-17): 5.15 hours Young Adults (18-21): 6.7 hours Gen Z Men: 5.22 hours Gen Z Women: 6.35 hours

60

%

72%

of teens agree tech offers increased access to information

70%

of teens say they’d rather spend time with family than spend time online

76%

of young adults ages 13-21 say their generation spends too much time on screens.

64%

state it offers them connection to friends and family

66%

they would rather stay inside and be online rather than going outside

68%

say devices keep them from having real conversations

50%

say they use social media to stay informed

of American teens age 13-17 use

75%

54%

of American teens use

state they waste a lot of time on devices

41%

say they feel better about themselves when people interact with their social media profile

Barna Group; n=1,503 U.S. teens and young adults ages 13–21, June 15–July 17, 2020 Barna Group; Technology Promises Connection, but Gen Z Sees a Paradox, November 18, 2020

77%

of 15–25 year-olds in the U.S. use it

was the number one platform downloaded on devices and used in 2020

77%

of 26-35 year-olds from the U.S. use it

50%

of teenagers say they can't live without it

Over

has over 800 million monthly users

60% of the users are between ages 16-24

The most followed person with

115

over million followers is a 17-year-old young lady

THE POWER OF DIGITAL MINISTRY

by Steven Sigamani and Valerie Hernandez-Sigamani

In conversation with a church member after preaching at one of our services, we started a conversation about reopening the church after the pandemic. This church member had an interesting perspective on the pandemic. He said, “The pandemic has forced the church to get online; perhaps this is an opportunity for us to spread the gospel further.”

It’s probably true. In the book of Acts, we see the persecution of the church forcing them to go out into the world to make disciples. Are we just as reluctant today to go out into the world? Have we created Adventist enclaves where we feel safe to be “ourselves” without having to explain the reason why we do what we do? Perhaps!

We can look at this pandemic as a painful reality for the church, that it forced our members to sit in their homes and do nothing, or we can see it as an opportunity. In fact, it might even be a calling to our church to become more outwardfacing again. We have been forced to put our services online for the public to see, never truly knowing who is watching. Is this person an Adventist? Or a young adult who knows nothing 8

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about the Bible? Is this person in the United States or watching from a phone in Armenia?

Online church services could remain just as they are, catering to people who regularly attend our churches, or they could shift to become more evangelistic in nature. This shift could give us the opportunity to use social media as a tool to reach people all over the world, and challenging us to do ministry differently. But the question we have to ask ourselves is, why are people going online? And how can we fulfill that need so they see our church as a resource to grow in their faith?

Luckily, we have research to help us understand this a bit more. Recent Barna Group research shows that the top three experiences Gen Z gets through social media are feeling connected to the world, feeling connected to others, and staying informed.[1] We can use this as a basic framework to lead us on how to approach digital ministry. It’s not just a place where we dump our sermons; we have to be more intentional about creating our online space. So let’s dive deeper into these three experiences that we see Gen Z seeking online.

Connected to the World Young people crave connection. It may not seem like it when you try speaking to them, but young people don’t always know how to make connections. They are still learning, growing, and they may feel embarrassed to start a conversation. The easiest way to get connected is often through an online platform where you can find connection without becoming vulnerable to rejection.

Connecting to the world can look like talking about relevant topics in your churches. Oftentimes, the church feels like an isolated entity in its own reality. Social media is a great way to share and produce high-quality content about relevant topics and issues in the world from a faith perspective. Some ways to effectively connect to the world extend beyond just social media, sometimes it is in your churches’ ideation and planning.

Plan to discuss and dialogue about conversations that young people want to have. One of the best and simplest ways is to invite young people into these ideation spaces to produce relevant content that lets people know their church is helping them connect with the world.

giving them ideas on what to do with family and friends to bond together and create a way to foster intentional connection.

So, how can your church give its youth ideas on how to go beyond online interaction and spend time doing the things they really want to do?

Staying Informed We live in an age of information, and our young people are the ones accessing most of it. More and more people are taking online workshops, watching YouTube videos to learn how to cook a recipe, and watching TikTok videos that inform them on current events. Young people are looking for easy and quick ways to access information. It’s also known that when young people find something they believe to be valuable, they send it to their friends. Thus, digital information is very valuable information for our churches.

A key element to this is sharing and producing content with the help of young people. In asking their input and what is on their minds, we can craft relevant and authentic content. When producing and providing information, we have to be willing to You can ask your church, how can we become an avenue to step outside of our comfort zone. Far too often, we do the bare connect young people to the world? How can we use our digital minimum in the digital space and think that it’s enough. In our efforts to effectively educate, we need to produce quality more platform to create a space for that? so than quantity. Our content, graphics, design, and audio must show that we take this work seriously. There are 3.5 Connected to Others billion people on social media, and the more intentional and As noted before, young people crave connection. Social media high-quality we are, the more effectively we can communicate. was never intended to become a place for commerce but a means of connecting people who are far away from one Brainstorm some ways your church can use social media to another. Hence the word “social.” Yet, when young people get educate the community of young people around you. Not just online, they actually feel more disconnected from their family those in the church, but those you desire to reach with the and friends. In another Barna Group study, Gen Z shared that gospel message. We can teach young people the best way they would rather talk to their friends in person, go outside on to study the Bible, help a friend when they are going through a beautiful day, spend time with family, and go on a walk or depression, or even answer some of their most pressing questions about life. run than be online.[2] Online communities are a real thing. So many young people have felt seen, and their interests and passions have been affirmed in online communities. As a church, you can provide a space for developing and creating communities, such as an online book club or a game night. Find something simple you can do together because the church is a great place to find community.

You can have your church’s social media provide tips that help propel them to build an intentional connection with those around them, whether family or friends. You can create videos or blogs that help young people learn social skills and help them reframe the way they think about those relationships in the light of eternity. It can even be something as simple as

Think about the abundance of resources at your fingertips.

There are so many people with a plethora of knowledge.

Harness it to create powerful digital media to share with the world.

Go out into the world, because this is the hour to harness a powerful digital world, for good.

[1] “ChurchPulse Weekly Conversations: Jennie Allen on Gen Z, Tech & Formative Suffering.” Barna Group, February 17, 2021. https://www.barna. com/research/cpw-jennie-allen/.

[2] “Technology Promises Connection, but Gen Z Sees a Paradox.” Barna Group. Accessed May 20, 2021. https://www.barna.com/research/teens-devices-connection/.

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Odd Thoughts for God

FLEC 7th grade students publish a devotional book

by Olivia Gold and Josh Stafford

“We should write a book.”

The comment had come from the corner of the classroom, where Christian G. leaned back precariously in his chair.

I thought it over for a second. “You can write a book if you want to.”

“Wait, what?” Christian’s chair feet thudded to the floor.

“If you want to write a book, you can.”

Heads popped up behind sneeze-guards like prairie dogs, and questions started flying from every direction.

“Can we actually write one?”

“Like, a real book?”

“Would people read it?”

“Could we write a devotional book?”

“Do you think people would buy it?”

“Will you help us?”

I had planned what I anticipated to be a riveting nonfiction writing unit about hoaxes throughout history, but we immediately tossed those plans out the window and dove headfirst into writing object lessons about God. Each of the seventh-grade homerooms wanted to get involved, and the students formed teams to design the book, create a title, write the back cover, proofread for errors, and more. Thinking back on her role as a graphic-design team leader, Litsa R. shared, “It was fun to have my own team and choose what we wanted to do. I’ve never actually designed a book cover before, so it was fun to come up with ideas.”

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Besides sorting out the logistics of publishing a book, the students honed important writing skills through their devotional project. They learned about different types of writing hooks and experimented with fun-fact and middleof-the-action introductions. They learned about transition sentences and how to switch from writing about a random object to writing about the Bible. They learned about callbacks and calls to action, and they wrote about their hope for others to know and love God. According to Amal B., “I felt like I had more responsibility writing this book because it would be shown to everybody—not just to my teacher.” Carter S. added, “It made me a better writer to know that somebody else would read what I wrote and it could change their life or how they look at God.” When our unit was finished, the students self-published their book using Amazon’s printing services, and they were able to hold a physical copy of the book in their hands. Phillip M. said, “I was excited to see my name in our book,” and Darina Z. agreed, adding, “I think the most satisfying part about writing a book is seeing the product and actually reading my own book. That’s really cool.” More than anything, FLEC seventh-grade students hope that this book will be a blessing to others. Reflecting on her experience, Olivia A. shared, “It was really fun to write the book because I like helping other people, and when you’re writing a devotional, you’re helping other people grow closer to God.”

Students, we want to hear from you!

Enter the Florida Focus Scholarship Writing Contest for a chance to win a

$1,500 scholarship to a Florida Conference academy or $3,000 to an Adventist university and the chance to be published in Florida Focus.

Prompt & Instructions We want you to tell your story; entries should be non-fiction and can be written in first-person, but it’s not a requirement. You can write about: · A challenge or situation you’ve overcome. · Your spiritual journey and important lessons you’ve learned. · Your vision for the future of the church and your role in that future. · Another spiritual topic you’re passionate about.

Word Count: 600-800 words.

Submit to floridafocus@floridaconference.com as a Word document or copied in the body of the email.

Along with your article, please include: • Name • Age • School and Grade • Parent/Guardian Name and Contact Information

Deadline: September 6, 2021.

Winners will be notified by October 1, 2021, and may be published in the Florida Focus!

Eligibility & Details: High school and college students currently attending or planning

to attend an Adventist academy or university. High school students attending a non-Adventist academy are eligible and would receive a voucher for a future Adventist university. Grant will be paid directly to school on behalf of the student, and will expire if not used within three years.

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Don’t Hide Arts

Under A Bushel Article and illustration by Xavier Moss

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“Art is humanity’s most essential, most universal language.

It is not a frill, but a necessary part of communication.”

- Ernest Boyer.

I agree, yet I find modern Christianity treating art as unnecessary. Peter told the early church, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” 1 Peter 4:10 NIV. Centuries later, it’s not difficult to find church members doing just that, but there is a noticeable scarcity of visual arts in ministerial capacities. How, then, can we claim to be faithful stewards when we implicitly label God-given gifts as trivial?

We must re-examine humankind’s creation. Genesis says we are made in the image of God, and, “Being in the image of the Creator, we are called upon to have creativity,” according to author Francis A Schaeffer. What’s more, Adventist lyricist Wilfredo Montalvo says that “when collectively shared… our diverse gifts begin to compose a beautiful collage of the character of God.” If we serve an infinitely creative God, then it is our responsibility to share His love in all mediums.

To contextualize visual arts’ current state in Christianity, we must return to 1517. That year, the Reformation split the Western Church into Protestant and Roman Catholic.

Protestants withdrew in their usage of visual arts, strictly guided its production, or forbade it entirely. Artist and author Makoto Fujimura says that, since then, “Imagination and art have been seen as suspect, as human arts have been associated with the ‘spirit of the world’ rather than with the Holy Spirit.” If we are serious about fulfilling the Great Commission, these misconceptions cannot continually dictate our actions. Instead, we must destigmatize the arts within the church, reassess their diversity, and empower them. “Art opens doors and hearts that are often closed to preachers and evangelists,” says well-known Adventist illustrator and painter Elfred Lee. Instead of letting those doors and hearts remain closed, we must trust in God to provide discernment, and intentionally use the arts to open them. Much of our church is trapped in the graven-image complex, the idea that the visual arts will inevitably lead to worship of the creation, not The Creator.

The perpetuation of this fear stymies visual arts ministries, but hope is found in the work of Adventist artists like the Justinen Creative Group, Harry Anderson, Betty Lukens, Alan Collins, and others. Their art proves we are rediscovering the power of visual art through Quarterly Lessons, The Bible Story volumes, Through the Bible felts, and Collins’ sculptures.

These works reflect and direct individuals to God uniquely.

Unfortunately, many remain fixated on thinking that “a work of art has value only if we reduce it to a tract,” says Schaeffer.

Revisiting Genesis 1 reveals God to be more than utilitarian.

He did not need to create us, but He did. He fashioned us in love, making something beautiful. In reflecting God’s nature, Christian artists are led by the Holy Spirit to make art beautiful, not just practical. With this mindset, we can unleash and continually develop ways to express Christ’s love.

This is not a call to reclaim visual arts. We haven’t lost them; we’ve lost our way in stewarding them. We must not relegate the arts to the margins. Instead, we must intentionally use the arts in service to share God everywhere. Missionary Eric Tirado considers the “greater audience of Christian ministry to be those outside of the church.” Ultimately, it all comes back to the Great Commission. It’s not about creating art that caters to our denomination but that serves the Great Commission. That is why I’m launching a visual arts ministry at Spring Meadows SDA Church that Christian visual artist Jordan Murphy says will seek to “point to the reality of Christ.”

I love to use my gifts to communicate the amazing love of my Savior and will continue to do so all my life. It is my fervent desire, though, to have the Adventist Church not view visual arts as a threat or passive ministry in the church, but as an active and ever-expanding means to express God’s love. Alan Collins says, “Never return your talent to God unused.” Let us not continue hiding the light of arts under the bushel of tradition, but rather, let them shine so all may be blessed.

Dorothy Minchin-Comm, “Alan Collins: Dialogue With an Adventist Sculptor,” Dialogue 5:2 (1993): 18-19 “Ernest L. Boyer.” AZQuotes.com. Wind and Fly LTD, 2021. 07 June 2021. https://www.azquotes.com/quote/761268 Fujimura, Makoto. “The Divine Nature of Creativity.” Art and Faith: A Theology of Making, Yale UP, 2021, p. 21.

Lee, Elfred. “Elfred Lee: Dialogue with an Adventist Artist in Mexico.”

Interview conducted by Humberto M. Rasi. College and University Dialogue, edited by John Wesley Taylor, Committee on Adventist Ministry to College and University Students, 2006, circle.adventist. org/files/CD2008/CD2/dialogue/articles/07_1_rasi_e.htm.

Accessed 7 June 2021.

Montalvo, Wilfredo A. Interview. 4 June 2021.

Murphy, Jordan. Interview. 1 June 2021.

1 Peter 4:10. New International Version, HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Bible Gateway, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Peter%20 4%3A10&version=NIV. Accessed 7 June 2021.

Schaeffer, Francis A. “Some Perspectives on Art.” Art and the Bible, 1973, InterVarsity Press, 2009, p. 35. IVP Classics.

Tirado, Eric. Interview. 1 June 2021.

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Mixed Messages

Today’s Challenge of Intergenerational Communication

by Andrew-Craig Nugent

Crisis and Intergenerational Communication

each other, and giving enough time and space for information to be made public for the puzzle to come together.”

Christina and her husband saw signs that something was wrong at the mall where her daughter and friends were hanging out. Not able to get to the site and desperate for information, the family immediately turned to their phones to find out what was taking place. Christina and her husband jumped on Facebook, the girls jumped on Instagram, and their family in other states turned to Google for information.

Christina’s words help illustrate the challenge and need for intergenerational communication today. We need more opportunities for generations to come together, talk to each other, and give the time and space required to get the full picture.

Unfortunately, we are more likely to take the few “puzzle pieces” we have and go into our preferred tribe to guess what the image is supposed to be.

While the girls were in danger, it was not long before they were safe and reunited with family. Still, the memories lingered for Christina— particularly as she began to recall the family’s efforts to get information about the event. She put it this way, “It was as if we all had pieces to a puzzle, some more than others, but none of us had the entire picture. It took coming together, talking to 14

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The Challenge Examples of this futile effort can also be seen in the church.

When a church committee, filled with Boomers, seeks to minister to Millennials without ever consulting them, we are playing with only part of the puzzle. When young adults think they know

what is best for the church, while never learning from previous generations’ church governance and policy, we are playing with only part of the puzzle. When the church uses analog means to reach digital natives, we are playing with only part of the puzzle.

3. Send an email, or two, to the entire congregation.

In the church, integration, not segregation, needs to be our mode of operation. Yet, the challenge is great. Evidence of the gap between generations regarding communication can be found in recent surveys and demographics. The church today can potentially see and serve five generations at one time. Pew Research shows that over 90% of young adults ages 18-29 are active on social media, compared to only 35% of Americans 65 years or older, making it increasingly difficult for organic intergenerational communication to occur. Encouragingly, the Institute for Church Ministry, while interviewing young people of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, found that the second-highest reason for connecting to the church was their relationship with church members.

5. Include information on social media platforms.

Solutions for Effective Intergenerational Communication So, what are churches doing to allow for successful intergenerational connections to happen? Some habits include: 1. A two-way street of adaptation in the church. This is evidenced by not only the older generations making room for the younger, but also the younger making room for the older.

2. Not focused on appealing to everyone. Instead, these churches seek to engage everyone in the church’s mission and vision.

3. Intentional creation of time and space for intergenerational communication. This is beyond the Sabbath service welcome time but outside of formal gathering. Allowing for informal interaction across generations is noted as a component of increased intergenerational communication.

4. Openly addressing fears. Each generation has preconceived ideas about the other. More interaction between generations may ease some of these tensions. One study showed that millennials and boomers have more communication methods in common than they realize.

Another practical tip for effective intergenerational communication comes from the book “Faith Formation” 4.0 by Julie Anne Lytle, where she looks at the different generations typically represented in a church and how they tend to communicate. She suggests that if we are not offering communication in at least seven unique formats, we are missing someone in our audience. To ensure that you are not missing anyone in your communication, it is suggested to: 1. Announce the service from the pulpit.

2. Place an announcement with the date, time, and description in the bulletin.

4. Place all pertinent information on the website in more than one location.

6. Send a text message to members who have indicated text as a preferred method of communication.

7. Offer a personal invitation to members — visit the youth group, drop by a Sabbath School class, phone call, etc.

This may feel like a lot, but remember the effort the good shepherd expended, leaving the 99 to reclaim the one sheep that was lost. What if we expended that effort and time on the sheep while they are still in the fold?

The Elijah Message One final encouraging piece of advice regarding intergenerational communication comes from the Bible. As Seventh-day Adventists, we are a people of the Book, a people with a specific calling. We have been called to be that Elijah message to a world awaiting the soon coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and yet we overlook the message of intergenerational communication embedded in that same charge. Malachi 4: 5-6 says, “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”

Did you catch that? The Elijah message says there will be a loss of connection between generations before the coming of Christ; otherwise, God would not have to restore our hearts. It also shares that this restoration of intergenerational connection must happen to avoid the curse. While there is no hope shared in these verses, in verse 2 of the same chapter, Malachi provides the hope that the repentant will be given everlasting healing. This also means that God is with us as we prioritize intergenerational communication.

My hope is that we will see God’s healing evident in our homes, in our churches, in our schools, in our conference. May it be that intergenerational communication is prioritized across our field in such a way that generations will be loved well. Then, because of God’s blessing on us, we, “with all the saints,” will be able to “comprehend” the full picture of Christ’s love (Ephesians 3:17-19). https://refocusministry.org/2020/09/03/it-was-in-the-bulletin/ https://faithfullgeneration.com/231-2/ https://www.defininggrace.com/worship/the-challenge-of-the-inter-generationalchurch-is-only-growing/ NASB Bible https://www.adventistresearch.org/blog/2018/04/connecting-church-young-people https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2013/11/05/the-state-of-digital-dividesvideo-slides/ https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/workplace-generational-communication-gaps/

FLORIDA FOCUS | SUMMER 2021

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How to Create a

Vision Board Pray. Ask the Lord to show you His plan for your life. God thinks you’re amazing, and He will walk with you every day as you dream.

Write it Out . Write down everything you think would be cool to do, dream as big as you can. Talk to someone you can trust and share your dreams with them. Pick your three favorite goals, and remember, you can come back to your dream ideas anytime!

Then, Cut it Out . Cut out pictures of your hopes and dreams, your favorite Bible verses, and anything that encourages you.

Put it All Together. Paste your favorite visuals on a poster board and put your vision board somewhere you can see it and continually pray over God’s plan for your life.

3 Stars and a Wish Come up with a “Wish,” something you want the Lord to help you achieve.

My Wish

Come up with 3 “Stars,” things you do well!

I am good at:

1 Corinthia

I Can Work for God! Write down all the ways God can put you to work to accomplish His plans for your life.

At Home:

At School:

At Church:

With My Friends

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FLORIDA FOCUS | SUMMER 2021

ns 10 Whateve r you do :31 , do it all for the glor y of God

A MOMENT IN TIME

TIME CAPSULE All About Me

Fill out this page then tear it out and save it in a safe place. Come back and read it ten years later, and you can see how much you’ve grown!

My name is ______________________________________________ I am _______________________ years old, and today’s date is _________________________ The best thing that happened to me this year is ____________________________________

All About This Year World population _________________

Price of gas __________________________

Price of a movie ticket _____________

Top story in the news _________________________

My Favorites Food ________________________

Movie ________________________

Book ________________________

Song ________________________

Color ________________________

Activity ________________________

My teachers are ___________________________ My favorite subject is _______________________ A person I admire is _________________________

My Dreams I want to be ________________________________ when I grow up Place I want to visit someday ______________________________________ This year, I want to _______________________________________________ In ten years, I will _________________________________________________

Fun things to include in your time capsule: Photos or drawings Receipts or ticket stubs Letters to your future self from you or your family Hand or paw prints Newspaper or magazine clippings

Glue a photo of you here, or draw a picture of what you look like!

You can put your time capsule in: A shoe box Clean cereal or oatmeal box Big envelope Clean jar Old pencil box FLORIDA FOCUS | SUMMER 2021

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Don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young.

Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use. Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching. Don’t be diverted.

Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation.

1 Timothy 4:11-16 (MSG)

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FLORIDA FOCUS | SUMMER 2021

Growing Through Change

by Alexander E. Schlussler

In Ecclesiastes 3:1, there is a passage that most have heard at one time or another. “For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.” The fact is we will face good times and bad, easy times and hard. Yet, in some way, these circumstances all precede or follow changes in our life. Learning to navigate change in our world will, in many cases, determine our success or failure. It typically happens when we least expect it, which means it is difficult at best to prepare for it. Accepting change as a regular part of one’s existence is not an easy thing for most people. However, becoming adaptable and open to finding new opportunities which can arise during change will open doors we never knew existed.

No matter our age, how well a person navigates change is directly related to one’s adaptability. Being adaptable is also described as a personality trait that helps define how a person will respond to change. Adaptability as a Christian means not feeling hopeless and helpless in the face of change. We know that ultimately God is always in control.

The Apostle Paul faced continual changes throughout his life.

He declared that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

When we think about navigating change, it would seem there is a destination implied, and we are moving through something. Many people will say, “I just need to get through this chapter of my life, and then I pray everything will be ok.” What do we mean when we pray that everything will be ok? Most often, everything will return to as it was, back to normal, or the same as before the event occurred. However, is that what we should expect or want? John Maxwell said, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” There is no denying that we all will face change innumerable times in our lives, but what happens on the other side is the question.

Have we learned? Have we become better people? Have we moved closer to God, to the people we love? How have we changed because of what we have faced?

Change can certainly be difficult as it forces us to grow, like wind pounding a tree makes it sink its roots deeper. The deeper the roots, the stronger the tree. Remember that Paul said, “in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” What part of “all things” don’t we understand? Paul is saying, no matter what the circumstances are, God is working. Even when it makes no sense to us, God is working on us. Is it easier to navigate change as we get older? The answer is not a simple yes or no. When a person is young, they may lack the maturity and life experience needed to make proper decisions when significant change is required.

However, the advantage youth brings to facing change is the ability to be adaptable as they move through a world that is shifting daily. Because they are less set in their ways, they tend to find it easier to accept change as a normal part of life. The older we get, the more set in our ways we become, making change more complicated, more uncomfortable. Yet with age comes the tenacity and grit to press on through the storms we face.

Think back over the last year; it was all about change, all about adaptability. There are aspects of our lives that will never be the same, but we have found out that we can face changes we could never have imagined. We are more robust, our churches are still standing, and God’s work is moving forward.

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” - James 1:12 FLORIDA FOCUS | SUMMER 2021

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Featured Titles by Your Florida Conference Administration God, My Strength

by Elisa Rahming One verse and inspirational commentary for every day of the month Do you need a dose of strength from God? Inspiration for your day?

This is the place; this is the book. God promises strength for each new day, and within the pages, the hope is that you will find His strength.

Transformation: Biblical Spiritual Metamorphosis

by Allan Machado It does not matter where you find yourself in your walk with Christ, today you can begin to rekindle your love for him once again. Today you can draw closer to him and begin a true metamorphosis in your life. Today you can feel what the psalmist David felt when he wrote, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” Psalm 42.

Winning and Keeping God’s Mission for His Church

by Conrad Duncan A leader’s guide and a 12-lesson discipleship strategy for retaining members in your church. While God is the ultimate soul winner and member keeper, He does expect and instruct us to “know the state of his flock and look after his herd” Provers 27:23.

FLORIDA ABC LOCATIONS: 20

FLORIDA FOCUS | SUMMER 2021

A BETTER CHOICE

351 S SR 434 Altamonte Springs, FL 32714 407-644-4255

CAMP KULAQUA GENERAL STORE 23400 NW 212th Ave High Springs, FL 32643 386-454-7956

www.floridaconference.com/ministries/abc

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- To order, call: (407) 644-4255 or email floridaABC@floridaconference.com - Our delivery van will deliver your order to a church near you on sundays.

- Get everything you need without having to pay shipping or drive far.

FLORIDA FOCUS | SUMMER 2021

21

Which attachment style makes a good romantic partner?

According to a Pew Research Center study, 61% of U.S adults under 35 are single[1]. The statistics are similar in our churches; roughly half of our church members are single. Many of these individuals have decided to be single by choice, but for others, the hope to find a romantic partner is their daily prayer.

their family of origin. Now, they evade emotional connections to not have the same experience they had with their primary caregivers.

If you are dating someone with an avoidant attachment, you will sense that this person craves independence and is afraid of commitment.

Those seeking romantic partners often wonder how to determine early on if a person will make a good partner. They ask themselves, should I be cutting some slack to someone who has been inconsiderate towards me? Or are these negative actions an indication of the type of romantic partner he or she will turn out to be tomorrow? These crucial questions will help you discover if the person you are starting to date will make you happy or miserable.

Anxious-avoidant, or fearful-avoidant, attachment style presents in 5% of the population. These individuals could be seen as mysterious or melancholic. They avoid conflict, speaking too much, and connecting with others. When you are dating them, you might question if they truly care about love, and you might see them as someone who neglects you or your relationship, someone who is selfish or egocentric.

Your friends might say, “It is just the beginning; what are you so worried about? Give it time; you are not perfect”. However, following this advice can be very detrimental. Dr. Amir Levine has found that the way your dating partner behaves early on in the relationship can be a panoramic picture of your future romantic partner[2].

You may be asking yourself which attachment style makes a good romantic partner. Attachment research shows that you can enjoy a successful relationship with any attachment type if you are a secure person. You could meet a secure person and work together to develop a stable relationship. If you find a dating partner that is avoidant or anxious, you can bring stability by being sensitive to your partner’s attachment style and help him/her become more secure through your influence.

This prognosis is possible thanks to the research John Bowlby conducted regarding attachment styles. He argued that adult attachment styles were primarily the result of the type of attachment a person develops with their primary caregivers. If your primary caregivers connected emotionally with you and were available and responsive, you could have a secure attachment style. If they were not connected emotionally and were inconsistently responsive, you could have an anxious attachment. If they were distant, rigid, and unresponsive, you could have an avoidant attachment style[3].

If you have a secure attachment style, you are part of the roughly 50% of people that have a sense of security in their lives. These individuals have a positive view of themselves and others. They can also find other securely attached people as partners. However, it is also probable that they could partner up with avoidant and anxious people, but become a mirror for their partner to develop a more secure attachment.

Those with anxious attachment styles make up an estimated 20% of the population. These individuals have a negative view of themselves and a positive view of others. They tend to crave emotional intimacy, approval, and dependency. When you are dating an anxious person, you will sense that this person is needy, codependent, a love addict, or hopeless romantic partner.

Individuals with avoidant attachment styles make up an estimated 25% of the population. These individuals tend to avoid intimacy or connection because they fear rejection, as they were rejected in 22

FLORIDA FOCUS | SUMMER 2021

An anxious-anxious match can also work, although this type of paring can sometimes result in a couple dependent on each other.

An avoidant-avoidant match can work, but this couple faces a problem when difficult moments arrive. They may simply drop the relationship rather than working on it.

The match you should try to avoid is anxious-avoidant. Each person will need different degrees of intimacy; the anxious will seek intimacy while the avoidant will pull away. This creates a vicious cycle of pursuer/withdrawer that will further stress the relationship.

Your next step Discover your attachment style. If you do not know what your attachment style is, you will not know the attachment style of the person you want to date. Take the quiz at quiz.attachmentproject.com Develop a secure attachment style. Be the partner you want your partner to be.

Ask God. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

[1] http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/11/the-share-of-americans-living-without-apartner-has-increased-especially-among-young-adults/ [2] Levine, A., & Heller, R. (2011). Attached: The new science of adult attachment and how it can help you find- and keep-love.

[3] Bowlby, J. (1988). A secure base: Clinical applications of attachment theory. London: Routledge.

Joven

¡Vamos a soñar!

Por Jonathan Pastor Pastor Asociado en la Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día Miami Central

De niño, ¿qué soñabas ser de grande? ¿Un astronauta, piloto de avión, médico, o una Tortuga Ninja, como yo? (Yo era Michelangelo). Sé que puede causar risa, pero estoy siendo sincero ahora. Y también deseo que seas sincero contigo mismo, para que te des cuenta de que muchas cosas no son para nada iguales, ni parecidas a cuando eras niño. No eres tan veloz ni tan fuerte como hace un tiempo atrás—quizás una prominente barriga te estorbe. Posiblemente algunas o muchas canas y arrugas coronen tu frente. Son consecuencias inevitables del tiempo, que no se detiene y no lo hará.

Quiero, sin embargo, que dejes a un lado tus canas y tus carencias o abundancias, para que te enfoques en la siguiente aseveració.

Las personas no se vuelven viejas cuando pasan los años. Las personas envejecen en el momento en que dejan de soñar, pues justo cuando dejamos de soñar comenzamos a envejecer. Y es por esa

razón que siempre insisto en que nunca dejemos de soñar. Esa bendita capacidad es la clave para lograr lo imposible.

Cada vez que tengo oportunidad, en mis charlas hablo de lo importante que es volver a soñar. Soñar renueva tus fuerzas y te hace ver más joven por dentro, que es lo más importante. Muchos tendrán excusas, pero sé que tú no eres uno de ellos. Para personas como nosotros no existen excusas debido a la edad o los recursos disponibles. Quienes se enfocan en lograr sus sueños están dispuestos a aplastar cualquier gigante que se les atraviese, porque saben que de hacerlo dependen sus vidas.

Te diré lo siguiente con mucha propiedad y de la manera más solemne posible.

Querido, querida, Él tiene grandes cosas para tu vida. Él puede usar aun los peores y más dolorosos acontecimientos en tu vida para impulsarte y que cumplas tus

sueños; por eso nunca dejes de creer, nunca dejes de soñar.

Soñemos con Dios. Es tiempo de recargar tus baterías y comenzar lo que hemos pospuesto. Es momento de retomar esos sueños que están guardados, acumulando polvo en un cuarto lleno de dolor. Es hora de dejar de engañarnos con que todo está bien, cuando sabes que existe algo pendiente, inconcluso, no resuelto. De tu sueño solo te separa el miedo que debes abandonar. Debes comenzar a luchar por alcanzarlo de manera contundente hoy mismo. Sí, hoy. Hoy es un gran día para hacerlo realidad. ¡Vamos a soñar! ¡Haz algo nuevo!

Ya está sucediendo, ¿te das cuenta?

Acabas de decidir y Dios te dice: “Estoy abriendo un camino en el desierto, y ríos en lugares desolados” Isaías 43:19. ¡Dios lo está haciendo por amor a ti!

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