The International Paper for Seventh-day Adventists
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A eformation
Journey
North American Division | n a d
O c tob e r 2017 The International Paper for Seventh-day Adventists
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C O V E R
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“The Fountain of Every Good” 2 2 By Lazlo Gallusz
S T O R Y
F U N D A M E N T A L
Back to Basics
A eformation
Journey
By Gerald A. Klingbeil We remember the debt we owe to those who sparked the Reformation.
27 Assurance of Salvation
It’s called salvation by faith for a reason.
29 A Memorandum of Reformanda By Justin Kim
You can’t unring a bell.
W O R L D V I S T A Personal Conscience and the Reformation
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By Ted N. C. Wilson
It’s all about the Scriptures.
How the Reformation replaced despair with hope
Sabbath School Orphans 3 0 By Steve Case and Eddie Heinrich
By Jirˇí Moskala
B E L I E F S
N A D
F E AT U R E
Are we making the most of youth Sabbath School?
D I S C O V E R I N G
3 8 Elements of Successful Education S P I R I T
O F
T H E P R O P H E C Y
By Lisa M. Beardsley-Hardy
The world’s best practices are outlined in Ellen White’s counsel.
GLOW Celebrates 10 Years 4 0 By Caron Oswald A D V E N T I S T
L I F E
A simple tool makes it easy for giving light to our world.
DEVOTIONAL The Sanctuary: Above and Beyond
2 0 By Sylvia and Werner Renz
Part of the gospel is God setting everything right.
D E PA RT M E N T S 3 W O R L D
R E P O R T
17 W O R L D H E A L T H Brushing and Flossing
42 B I B L E
Q U E S T I O N S A N S W E R E D
Strangers and Pilgrims
43 B I B L E S T U D Y Incomparable Christ 44
I D E A
E X C H A N G E
www.adventistworld.org Available in 10 languages online The Adventist World® (ISSN 1557-5519), one of the Adventist Review® family of publications, is printed monthly by the Pacific Press® Publishing Association. Copyright © 2017. Send address changes to your local conference membership clerk. Contact information should be available through your local church. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Vol. 13, No. 10, October 2017.
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The Personal Reformation ur human fondness for anniversaries is matched by only one other thing: our habit of focusing on the external features of the event we are remembering. From shoeboxes and old archives, we resurrect photos of the bride and groom 40, 50, even 60 years ago, and remark with smiles how young they looked, and how the clothing styles have changed. Our graduation photos similarly remind us mostly of where the ceremony was held, the oddity of mortarboards perched on long-gone hairstyles, and, again, how young we looked. When we tell the stories of the past, we inevitably retrieve the least essential elements—the horse-drawn wagons in which they rode; the stovepipe hats that some men wore; the hammer that drove Luther’s nails into a chapel door. At the core of all these stories, though, was a substantial, even sacred, human moment—the commitment of a man and a woman to share a life of love and faithfulness; the covenant of a graduate to use the knowledge acquired in service to the world; the pledge of one individual to live the truth and freedom of the gospel against all odds, just because the Bible teaches it. Our rightful celebrations of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, highlighted throughout this edition of Adventist World, ought never miss the personal and life-changing truths of which Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, and Knox reminded us. It is the relationship between you and the Father—your trust in the salvation accomplished by Jesus; your reliance on His merits as your promise of eternal life—that make the Reformation worth celebrating. At the end of the story, the big, world-changing, and political parts of the story will fade away. There will only be a story about what you thought of Jesus, and how you trusted in Him to save you, to make you new, and to bring you home to live with Him.
WORLD REPORT By Marcos Paseggi, Adventist World
What Theistic Evolution Says About
God
Faith and Science Conference explores biblical creation. P I E T E R D A M S T E E G T / N O R T H A M E R I C A N D I V I S I O N
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Conference participants listen to presentations on the first full day of the Faith and Science Conference in St. George, Utah, United States.
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ore than 330 Seventh-day Adventist science teachers and ministerial leaders in the North American Division (NAD) were in St. George, Utah, United States, for a region-wide Faith and Science Conference, which kicked off July 6, 2017. The event carried the theme “Affirming Creation,” and was sponsored by the NAD Office of Education, the world church’s Faith and Science Council, and the Geoscience Research Institute (GRI). The conference explored the biblical, theological, and philosophical issues that shape Adventists’ understanding of origins, as well as the problems and answers that specific scientific disciplines present to a biblical understanding of earth history. One of the Adventist scientists participating in the conference was Leonard Brand, a professor of biology and paleontology at Loma Linda University. Brand, a seasoned scholar, has researched the processes of fossilization and the geological factors that influence the preservation of fossils. Despite his impressive professional record, which includes dozens of peer-reviewed articles and several books, he explained difficult concepts in a way that appeals to all listeners. It’s Either/Or
Brand shared why geological time is important for a biblical-based understanding of origins. “There are two ways,” Brand said. “Either we believe in the biblical story of a recent literal creation, or we accept evolutionary periods described in millions of years.” Continued on next page
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I S I T
Brand made clear that both proposals ultimately demand faith. Secular scientists, Brand explained, take many things for granted. “They say, ‘This is the way it is, and this is the way it must be,’ ” he said. The creationist advantage? “We can compare and contrast both assumptions, and make an informed decision,” he said. Many Christians say they affirm the Bible, but embrace theistic evolution, the belief that God used processes described by evolutionist theorists to fashion His creation. Combining the two, however, is not only a matter of biology and geology, since it also affects our understanding of God’s character, said Brand. To illustrate why accepting theistic evolution affects how we see God, Brand shared a parable.
W R I T T E N
WORLD REPORT
A Tale of Two Dog Owners
“There is a wolf in the neighborhood, and this wolf sets out to kill dogs,” Brand said. “But the first owner says, ‘I will raise a lot of puppies. Many will suffer and die, but the strongest will survive.’ “The second dog owner chooses a different path,” Brand continued. “He puts in a fence and teaches his dogs to stay inside the fence. When one jumps over the fence, he runs and fights the wolf to save his dog. He gets beaten badly, but saves the dog.” It is a parable of two stories about creation, Brand said. “In theistic evolution, suffering is part of God’s plan to create,” he said. “Death is part of God’s plan to create. Evil is the way it is, and there is no way around it: God is responsible for evil.” The key question is to determine whether we have enough elements to choose one system over the other, said Brand. n
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John Bradshaw, speaker/director for It Is Written, is surrounded by church and community leaders at the groundbreaking of its new ministry headquarters.
By Annalyse Hasty, It Is Written
It Is Written Breaks Ground for New Headquarters
Building will include office, studio, and mission museum.
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groundbreaking ceremony for the new It Is Written ministry headquarters was held on July 10, 2017. More than 300 attended the event that took place in Collegedale, Tennessee, United States. The ceremony featured It Is Written representatives; local government and business leaders; and Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders, including North American Division (NAD) president Dan Jackson, NAD vice president of media Gordon Pifher, Georgia-Cumberland Conference resident Ed Wright, and Collegedale mayor Katie Lamb. Guest speakers welcomed the ministry to Collegedale. Ben Wygal, assistant to the president of Southern Adventist University, said that It Is Written “brings a legacy of providing hope and life to millions of people around the world; and now that’s centered right here in Collegedale.”
During the event It Is Written speaker/director John Bradshaw shared the ministry’s history of innovative media ministry, and explained how the new ministry headquarters would enable more people to be reached with the gospel. Originally headquartered in California, the 61-year-old media ministry moved to Tennessee in 2014, and has been leasing office and warehouse space in Chattanooga. In 2016 It Is Written selected the nearly nine-acre property in Collegedale as its permanent location because of its proximity to Southern Adventist University, a strong partner of the ministry. The two-story building will be 40,905 square feet and include office, studio, and warehouse space. The new ministry headquarters will also house a fitness center, resource shop, and mission museum. n
With Brand Change
Asian Aid USA becomes Child Impact International
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Impact International. “This is part of a bold new growth strategy to meet the needs of thousands of needy and poor children and to give urgently needed support to Adventist mission schools,” wrote the organization CEO Jim Rennie in an official communication in which he announced the name change. The board, staffing, office location, and policies stay the same, said organization leaders. But it is expected the new name will bolster implementation of ongoing and future projects. “[We believe] Child Impact Inter-
i Man, a school-age boy in Myanmar, lost his father recently. With no income from his mother, both risked starving. But now Ti Man attends a Seventh-day Adventist mission school, where he also gets food every day, thanks to Asian Aid USA (AAUSA), a supporting ministry of the church that has educated tens of thousands of children in mission schools for more than 50 years. Asian Aid USA recently announced a brand change. The charity organization based in Ooltewah, Tennessee, United States, became Child
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Benefitting Children Goes Global
I M PA C T
Organization
C H I L D
By Marcos Paseggi, Adventist World
Child Impact International (formerly Asian Aid USA) is a donor-based supporting ministry that provides food and education to children in several countries of the world.
national will allow our organization to grow,” said John Truscott, chair of Child Impact International. “It will give momentum to help thousands of new needy children.” The organization sponsors more than 3,500 children in Adventist mission schools in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, according to the charity leaders. It also sponsors a school for those who are blind, a school for those who are deaf, and four orphanages, all run by the church. Other projects include serving slum schools, opposing child trafficking, and developing Adventist mission schools. n
By Inter-European Division News and Adventist World
ADRA Germany Director Named
A D R A
G E R M A N Y
Humanitarian Alliance Chair
Christian Molke, director of ADRA Germany, was recently named chair of Together for Africa, a consortium of nonprofits that seek to improve living conditions throughout Africa.
Christian Molke will lead relief organizations focused on Africa.
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DRA Germany, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, recently reported that Christian Molke, ADRA managing director, was elected as chair of Together for Africa, the registered volunteers’ alliance of relief organizations. Molke’s election as board chair took place at the general
meeting of the relief organization in June 2017. Together for Africa is an umbrella organization coordinating the efforts of more than 20 charities focused on assisting the African continent, including ADRA Germany. Its mission is to improve living conditions. Continued on next page
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WORLD REPORT Together for Africa
“Europe is perceived as prejudiced toward Africa, which is neither fair nor true,” said Molke after being informed of the results of the election. “Together for Africa has an important role for people in Germany.” Molke explained that this alliance is making its best efforts to change that perception. “We are looking forward [to share] a balanced view of this great continent,” he said. “Here the volunteer activity reaches the core mission of ADRA Germany, and it is clear to me that this task can be better achieved only [if we work] together with other organizations.”
Together for Africa works through 20 relief organizations, using campaigns, events, donations, and educational initiatives to draw attention to Africa’s current conditions and opportunities. All participating organizations, including ADRA Germany, Johanniter Accident Assistance, UNO Refugee Aid, and Islamic Relief Germany, are committed to improving living conditions in Africa. ADRA Germany, based in Weiterstadt, is focusing most of its efforts on the famine in East Africa, reported the agency, which is part of ADRA Inter-
By Tatiane Virmes, South American News Agency
New Adventist Film Produced in
Amazon Jungle
S O U T H
A M E R I C A N
N E W S
A G E N C Y
Movie will be used as a missionary tool.
Members of the production team meet to discuss the new outreach film set to be filmed in the Amazon jungles of north Brazil.
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n July 2017 the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South America launched production of a new medium-length film that is slated to be released in March, just before Easter Week 2018. The Libertos audiovisual production is using locations in the Amazon forest in northern Brazil. The new, half-length film will be part of the Adventist Church’s mission, promoting strategies around a time that people in many Christian countries remember Christ’s sacrifice and are particularly open to the gospel. “This new production will be different from . . . the film we premiered
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national, the global humanitarian organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Specifically, ADRA Germany has been focused on managing nutritional projects in South Sudan, Kenya, and Ethiopia, among other initiatives on the continent. ADRA International delivers relief and development assistance to individuals in more than 130 countries, regardless of their ethnicity, political affiliation, or religious association. The organization often partners with communities, organizations, and governments in development and relief initiatives. n
in 2017,” said film general director Jefferson Nali. “Its purpose, however, will be the same: to impact lives.” On July 16, participants in the production of the film attended their first general meeting, which allowed the members of the group to get acquainted and get briefed on the specifics of the filming process. “Professional actors cast to be part of the production were asked to read The Story of Redemption, and some chapters of The Desire of Ages,” said film writer Luciana Costa, referring to two of the dozens of books written by Adventist Church cofounder Ellen G. White. Those books present important aspects of God’s redemptive plan from a biblical perspective and elaborate on Jesus’ ministry on earth on behalf of humanity. The Portuguese version of The Rescue has been viewed more than 600,000 times on the official YouTube channel of the Adventist Church in South America. Nali spoke about the prospects for the new film: “Our team’s expectations are to improve on the results of the previous film,” he said. n
More Than
1,000 Receive
Free Medical Care
By Teresa Costello, Southern Asia-Pacific Division and Adventist News Network
Adventist churches in Cambodia get impressive response.
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dventists from the Battambang Seventh-day Adventist Church in northwest Cambodia offered free medical care to more than 1,000 people during five days in partnership with a medical team from Loma Linda University, in California, United States. Seven doctors, two nurses, and four medical students, along with local church members, set up a clinic in the Battambang church from May 29 to June 2, 2017. They were overwhelmed by the first day’s crowd. The response from the community was so great that they couldn’t accommodate everyone, and had to send people away. Organizers originally wanted to hold clinics in rural areas near Battambang. However, approval had not yet been received from the local government by the first day of operation. So people flocked to the main church clinic. For some it was the first time they had received professional medical care. The Adventists prayed that God would enable them to open the rural clinics. The next day they learned that the long-awaited approval had come through. They quickly opened rural clinics in small Adventist churches and at an Adventist English literacy school. Like the clinic at the church, the rural clinics had waiting lines when
the teams arrived. On the final day, so many people didn’t want to miss their last chance for medical care that the team saw almost double the number of patients. “It is only by God’s grace that many patients were able to be treated,” said M. C. Shin, a missionary in northwest Cambodia. “It rained heavily, and the entrance to the church flooded. . . . [But] with muddy feet and clothes, everyone worked hard to give their very best care to all patients . . . [and even] left later than their anticipated departure time to provide for the patients.” In addition to the onsite medical care, the Loma Linda team also provided funding for church leaders and members to offer follow-up care in the form of visits, blood pressure and diabetes screenings, and transportation to the nearest medical facility, if needed. Thousands of dollars’ worth of medicine provided by the team was distributed at the clinics with the permission of the local Department of Health. Shin and other Adventists dream of operating a clinic at the Battambang Urban Center of Influence, slated to open soon. They hope to offer a mobile clinic, but still need a volunteer doctor and/or medical nurse willing to serve in this predominantly Buddhist area.
Although construction of the center is ongoing, music and English language classes have been launched bringing positive community feedback. Church attendance has increased to the point that the small church building is inadequate. Leaders and members alike pray they can soon offer a reading center, operate an organic farm, have a health food industry, and even open a college. These dreams need volunteers willing to serve in both short-term and longterm capacities. While they wait for missionminded volunteers to join them, church members visit those who are sick and gather their contact information so that they can notify them when the clinic opens. They also refer them to available medical care in the area. “Our prayer and goal is not only to be able to provide spiritual healing, but also to give physical, tangible help to our communities . . . to share Jesus’ love,” said Shin. “We praise God for all the precious people we were able to touch. God did not send resources to help the poor and needy, but Jesus came Himself to touch and heal the sick,” he said. “As we . . . touched the sick and needy, we were drawn to Jesus and saw Jesus in the eyes of the sick and poor. . . . It was truly humbling to be a part of this work.” n
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V I S T A
Two Central Beliefs
Going against the prevalent teachings of the time, Luther’s two central beliefs from which he argued were: 1. Sola scriptura: the Bible alone is the sole rule of faith and practice. 2. Human beings are saved by faith, not by works. So strong was Martin Luther’s belief in the importance of Scripture—and the necessity of having it accessible to everyone—that in less than 11 weeks, while hidden away inside Wartburg Castle, he translated the New Testament into the common German language. The language for-
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F E R D I N A N D
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ot long ago I had the privilege of standing in front of the Wittenberg Castle in Germany, where 500 years ago this month Martin Luther began a mighty Reformation by nailing his earthshaking document to the door of this church. The original doors no longer stand, but the Reformation that started on October 31, 1517, is alive today, half a millennium later. When Luther posted his “Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences” (the “95 theses”), his intention was to start an academic debate, not a revolution. The document begins humbly: “Out of love for the truth and from desire to elucidate it, the Reverend Father Martin Luther, Master of Arts and Sacred Theology, and ordinary lecturer therein at Wittenberg, intends to defend the following statements and to dispute on them in that place. Therefore he asks that those who cannot be present and dispute with him orally shall do so in their absence by letter. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”1
W I L L E M
PA U W E L S
W O R L D
By Ted N. C. Wilson
Personal Conscience and the
Reformation
Bound by God’s Word
mulation he used paved the way for the commonly used version of today’s German language Bible. The power and strength of the Reformation brought people back to simple, yet profound, Bible truth. Taking the clear meaning of Scripture, Martin Luther was able to teach these Bible truths clearly and eloquently. Luther embraced sola scriptura, finding that Scripture itself is self-authenticating, is clear to rational readers, serves as its own interpreter, and is sufficient of itself to be the final authority of Christian doctrine.2 In the book The Great Controversy Ellen White comments that Martin Luther’s teachings “struck at the very foundation of papal supremacy. They contained the vital principle of the Reformation.”3 Sola Scriptura or Prima Scriptura?
Later, another doctrine, known as prima scriptura, entered some Protes-
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tant churches. This doctrine teaches that “while scripture is not the sole rule of faith in the church, it is the primary authority. It refers to the primacy of scripture, or that scripture is primary among traditions and ecclesiastical decisions, although those also carry some authority alongside scripture.”4 As good as prima scriptura may sound, it goes against the principles of the Reformation because it does not always place God’s Word as the final authority, above tradition or church teachings. Commenting on Luther’s stand on the Bible alone, Ellen White wrote, “Luther saw the danger of exalting human theories above the Word of God. He fearlessly attacked the speculative infidelity of the schoolmen and opposed the philosophy and theology which had so long held a controlling influence upon the people. He denounced such studies as not only worthless but pernicious, and sought
Martin Luther allowed Scripture to inform his conscience and his actions. So must we. to turn the minds of his hearers from the sophistries of philosophers and theologians to the eternal truths set forth by prophets and apostles.”5 Those who embrace sola scriptura and scriptural methods of Bible study are sometimes mischaracterized as naive, ill-informed, and closedminded by those who view the Bible as a human book and use critical methods of studying it. As explained in the official document “Methods of Bible Study,” voted by the members of the General Conference Executive Committee of Seventh-day Adventists: “As it is impossible for those who do not accept Christ’s divinity to understand the purpose of His incarnation, it is also impossible for those who see the Bible merely as a human book to understand its message, however careful and rigorous their methods. “Even Christian scholars who accept the divine-human nature of Scripture, but whose methodological approaches cause them to dwell largely on its human aspects, risk emptying the biblical message of its power by relegating it to the background while concentrating on the medium. They forget that medium and message are inseparable, and that the medium without the message is as an empty shell that cannot address the vital spiritual needs of humankind.” Committed Christians “will use only those methods that do full justice to the dual, inseparable nature of Scripture, enhance [their] ability to understand and apply its message, and strengthen faith.”6 Personal Conscience and Scripture
When Luther took his famous stand at the Diet of Worms, he based
his actions and informed his personal conscience by Scripture, not on tradition, culture, or personal opinion. “Unless therefore I am convinced by the testimony of Scripture or by the clearest reasoning,” stated Luther, “unless I am persuaded by means of the passages I have quoted, and unless they thus render my conscience bound by the Word of God, I cannot and I will not retract, for it is unsafe for a Christian to speak against his conscience.”7 As Luther was urged to acquiesce to the demands of church and state regardless of what the Bible said, he made it abundantly clear that Scripture ruled his conscience. “ ‘I consent,’ said he in reply, ‘with all my heart, that the emperor, the princes, and even the meanest Christian, should examine and judge my works; but on one condition, that they take the Word of God for their standard. Men have nothing to do but to obey it. Do not offer violence to my conscience, which is bound and chained up with the Holy Scriptures.’ ”8 Martin Luther allowed Scripture to inform his conscience and his actions. So must we. The essence of the Reformation is a personal relationship with God through His Word, and a living faith. Reformation to Continue
The Reformation did not begin and end with Martin Luther. “It is to be continued to the close of this world’s history,”9 wrote Ellen White. Throughout history God has preserved His truth through Scripture and, through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, has been revealing new truths through His Word. It is vital that we, when considering “new
truth,” adhere to the scriptural test given in Isaiah 8:20: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Scripture was central in the Reformation, and it needs to be central in our lives today. We need to be heralds of sola scriptura (Scripture alone), sola fide (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone), solus Christus (Christ alone), and soli Deo gloria (to the glory of God alone). Is the Reformation over? No! May we continue to carry it on, because at the very end of time our witness must continue to be based solely on the Word of God. Let us remain faithful to God and His Word, so that when the test comes, we, like Luther, will be able to take our stand, having our conscience “bound up” with the Holy Scriptures. n 1 “The
95 Theses,” at www.luther.de/en/95thesen.html. See “What the Bible and Lutherans Teach,” at wels.net/aboutwels/what-we-believe/. 3 Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Asn., 1911), p. 126. 4 See “Prima Scriptura, Sola Scriptura and Sola Ecclesia,” at www.orthodoxevangelical.com/2014/02/26/prima-scripturasola-scriptura-and-sola-ecclesia/. 5 E. G. White, p. 126. 6 “Methods of Bible Study,” approved and voted by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Executive Committee at the Annual Council in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 12, 1986. For entire document, see: www.adventist.org/en/information/ official-statements/documents/article/go/-/methods-of-biblestudy/ 7 J. H. Merle d’Aubigné, History of the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century, b. 7, ch. 8, cited in E. G. White, p. 160. 8 In d’Aubigné, b. 7, ch. 10, cited in E. G. White, p. 166. (Italics supplied.) 9 E. G. White, p. 148. 2
Ted N. C. Wilson is
president of the Seventhday Adventist Church. Additional articles and commentaries are available from the president’s office on Twitter: @pastortedwilson and on Facebook: @PastorTedWilson.
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NAD NEWS
Adventists Respond to
Hate, Violence
The family of Heather Heyer visit the site of the violence that claimed her life.
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PAT R I C K TA G A L O G / C O L U M B I A
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V I S I T O R
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PAT R I C K TA G A L O G / C O L U M B I A
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William Cox, Allegheny West Conference president (right); Bill Miller, Potomac Conference president; and Debra Anderson, Potomac Conference communication director, offer condolences to Susan Bro, Heather Heyer’s mother.
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ragedy struck the city of Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 12, 2017, when, after a day of protests and clashes, demonstrators opposing a White nationalist rally were hit by a car driven by an Ohio man whom authorities claim held radical views. Thirty-two-year-old Heather Heyer was killed; and according to news reports, 19 others were hurt in the crash, with injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening. Local Adventist churches worked together to help the healing process. The Bethany Seventh-day Adventist Church (Allegheny West Conference) and Charlottesville Seventh-day Adventist Church (Potomac Conference) banded together in prayer immediately after the tragedy. On August 19 nearly 400 members from four local Adventist churches, leaders from the two conferences, the Columbia Union Conference, and North American Division (NAD) participated in a special rally and call to prayer. The group prayed with Susan Bro, Heyer’s mother, during the event filled with prayer, singing, and worship. Nathaniel Drew, pastor of the Bethany church in Charlottesville and the Calvary church in Gordonsville, Virginia, was at the rally. Drew also attended the August 16 memorial service for Heyer. “I stood arm in arm with clergy from all denominations to form a human shield for the family as
D A B R O W S K I
Dylan, a camp staff member at Glacier View Ranch, is interviewed by various media after he survived being attacked by a bear.
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they came and went,” said Drew. “There were threats of violence, interference, disturbance, and protest, but by God’s grace nothing materialized. It was a great experience to be part of the beginning stages of the healing process for our city.” Daniel R. Jackson and G. Alexander Bryant, president and executive secretary of the NAD, issued a joint statement on August 14, 2017. The statement concluded: “As Christians and followers of Jesus we stand with Him against the White supremacist groups that spread racism and violence. We pray for the day when all of God’s children, of all races, treat each other with love and respect rather than bias and hate.” Visit ow.ly/Uv7630euPux to read the full statement. The church’s presidents in both conferences and the Columbia Union also offered a response on August 15, giving a special invitation for Adventists to join in prayer during the August 19 prayer rally. Just hours after violence spilled into the streets of Charlottesville, Daniel Xisto, pastor of the Charlottesville church, shared on Facebook that while he isn’t “OK,” he will be “all right.” Xisto wrote, “I’m going to be all right because Scripture foretells that the days of the hate groups who came into town this weekend are numbered. . . . I’m going to be all right because our church will continue to gather, sing, pray, read, and respond. . . . I’m going to be all right because one day soon we will live in freedom together, in the garden of the Lord.” —Kimberly Luste Maran, NAD, with reporting by Celeste Ryan Blyden, Columbia Union Visitor
Glacier View Ranch Staff Member Recovers From Bear Attack ■■ A bear attack took place about 4:00 a.m. on July 9, 2017, on center campus lakefront at Glacier View Ranch (GVR) in Boulder County, Colorado. The incident involved a staff member, Dylan, who preferred to be identified by first name only. The bear wandered into the main area of campus where several staff members were sleeping by the tepees. Unprovoked, it attacked one staff member, dragging him about 10 feet. The on-campus medical team responded immediately and stabilized Dylan while camp directors contacted emergency personnel. Dylan was transported by EMS to Boulder for medical treatment. Lefthand Fire Department, Boulder County Sheriff ’s Office, EMS, and the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife were immediately notified and responded. During the attack Dan Hansen, director of the GVR Christian Retreat Center and Summer Camp campus, said that other staff members present followed their training and diffused the situation before the bear could
cause further harm. Staff and directors at GVR took appropriate actions and cooperated with the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife to track and remove the bear from the area. “We expected to have such an outcome with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife rangers setting up traps,” Steve Hamilton, RMC youth director, said. “With the event so unexpected, we were naturally caught off guard. But our staff responded professionally and according to how they were trained.” It was the “quick reaction of the staff and [also] my reaction, what I did. I grabbed his ears and poked his eyes as fast as I could,” Dylan recalled the dramatic moment as he was being dragged for about 10 feet. Dylan was temporarily left with nine staples to the back of his head and four scratches to his forehead. He told RMC NewsNuggets that he credits his “guardian angel, and training I received from my grandpa [on] how to respond to a bear attack.” It took only Dylan a few hours in the hospital to recover from his injuries. He was soon back at camp. —Rajmund Dabrowski with Kiefer Dooley, Rocky Mountain Conference Continued on next page
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NAD NEWS La Sierra University Enactus Team Participates in National Competition
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U N I V E R S I T Y
■■ La Sierra University’s Enactus team finished second in the nation on May 23, 2017, during the Enactus USA National Exposition in Kansas City, Missouri, besting more than 450 teams around the country. The award was given in recognition of the team’s far-reaching entrepreneurial economic empowerment projects that impact underserved communities in India and in Riverside, California. John Brown University in Arkansas was named national champion, while Roberts Wesleyan College in New York and Mount Mercy University in Iowa came in third and fourth, respectively. La Sierra University also won a $3,000 Unilever Project Accelerator grant during the competition for starting a new project or improving an existing one.
The La Sierra University team entered the competition as national champions, a recognition they won last May during Enactus nationals. The La Sierra team also won second place during the 2015 Enactus national event. La Sierra Enactus, formerly Students in Free Enterprise, has won the national title an unprecedented seven times during its 26-year history. The team won the world cup in New York City in 2007 and in Amsterdam in 2002. La Sierra University president Randal Wisbey noted the team’s dedication to quality work and to making a difference in the world. “This team performed like professionals and delivered outstanding presentations that tell the story of the profound impact they and their teammates are making in the lives of thousands of people here in Riverside, and in India,” he said. “For these students to be recognized nationally is such a well-deserved honor for them. We are so proud of their mature conduct and the way they live out their
The La Sierra University Enactus team poses for an official photo during the Enactus USA National Exposition competition held May 21-23, 2017 at the Kansas City Convention Center.
faith in God and desire to help others.” The national competition proved an eye-opening experience for Ketsia Duval, a 19-year-old freshman global studies major from Florida, in part because she was surrounded by students who are accomplishing so much. “I’ve kind of fallen in love with Enactus,” said Duval. —Darla Tucker, La Sierra University
NAD President Asks Members to Pray for Guam-Micronesia Mission ■■ In a statement on August 12, 2017, Daniel R. Jackson, NAD president, asked the 1.2 million church members of the division to pray for church members and citizens of Guam. More than 400,000 people live in the GuamMicronesia Mission territory. Jackson also issued words of concern, saying, “Please know that the people of the Seventh-day Adventist Church love you. We know that God is present in trying times, just as He always has been and will continue to do so. We join you in praying for the governments of the United States and North Korea to find a peaceful solution to their differences.” Speaking on behalf of the NAD, Jackson said that the Scriptures offer solace: “In the words of Mark 13:7: ‘When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed’ [NIV]; and Matthew 28:20: ‘And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’ [NIV].” Jackson finished his statement by declaring that Adventists “put our faith and trust in God, knowing that He is our eternal shepherd, protector, and source of strength.” —NAD Office of Communication
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N A D U P D AT E By Kimberly Luste Maran, assistant director of communication, North American Division
NAD Hosts Faith and Science Conference Educators, scientists, and theologians gather to “affirm creation.”
M
ore than 330 educators, scientists, and theologians gathered July 6 through 14, 2017, for eight full days of lectures, field trips, networking, and inspiration in St. George, Utah. The 2017 Faith and Science Conference, themed “Affirming Creation,” was coordinated by the North American Division (NAD) Office of Education and the Geoscience Research Institute, and hosted by the Faith and Science Council of the General Conference. Three field trips, daily devotionals, more than 40 lectures and questionand-answer sessions conducted by scientists and theologians, and reading assignments from the book Faith, Reason, and Earth History1 engaged attendees and encouraged support for the biblical creation model. P I E T E R
Don’t Fear the Data
With two thirds of the attendees educators within the NAD, the message at the conference was declared from start to finish: faith does not need to fear data. Faith can, and should, contribute to understanding earth’s history within the context of God’s Word, while still being honest about unanswered questions.2 Science as seen through God’s Word is a progression toward truth and understanding. With this clear focus, theological and scientific successes and challenges were presented throughout the convention. “This event is more focused on NAD individuals and is heavily targeted at K-12,” explained Larry Blackmer, vice president of the Office of Education in the NAD. “The purpose
D A M S T E E G T
Suzanne Phillips, chair of the Earth and Biological Sciences Department at Loma Linda University, and Arthur Chadwick, research professor and director of the Dinosaur Research Project at Southwestern Adventist University, talk about how people have been “Fooled by Bad Arguments” at the 2017 Faith and Science Conference in St. George, Utah.
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Adventist World - nad | October 2017
is to give participants the intellectual tools needed to understand and explain the complexities and facts surrounding a creation worldview.” Blackmer said, “This conference is not designed as an open discussion of the pros and cons of evolution and creation. It is designed, as the title indicates, as an affirmation of creation.” Ed Zinke, theologian and member of the Faith and Science Council, concurred. “The intended purpose is to help us understand the relationship between science and the Bible, the authoritative role of the Bible; and to help us see how the two can come together when the Bible is the foundation for our understanding,” he said. “As we saw throughout the conference, there are many wonderful discoveries that have taken place that never would’ve taken place had the scientists not come with a biblical worldview.” That’s what was reinforced for attendees during the conference. “This is an awesome opportunity because today we’re dealing with the topic of evolution and creation that is huge in our schools and in society in general,” says Lee Stahl, principal and a teacher at Reading Adventist Junior Academy in Pennsylvania. “In society, and even in our own Adventist schools, sometimes science trumps Bible in thought. I think it’s important to be able to realize there’s science that supports the biblical concept—the biblical design and what the Bible is saying.” God of Faith and Science
Outside the classroom, Esther Collier, a Bible worker from the Edwardsburg Seventh-day Adventist Church in Michigan, learned how to adapt what she learned at the conference with the lessons she will prepare for the classroom and the community.
“I love having more tools just for apologetics and reaching out to people in the community and the people I’m giving Bible studies to,” she said. She added, “I’ve learned so much. One highlight for me was the lecture about how science has changed over the years. And how originally scientists thought that 80 percent of human DNA came from prehistoric origins
D A M S T E E G T P I E T E R
Attendees at the 2017 Faith and Science Conference take notes during a lecture about creation and the Bible.
that they considered ‘junk DNA,’ but have since discovered that there’s actually a function for that DNA.” “You can’t separate science and faith,” said Collier. “God is a God of faith; He’s also a God of science. As young people, we face such a challenge in public education; to have information to help us meet those arguments and have great confidence in the authority of the Word of God is really important.” The southwestern corner of Utah seemed the ideal place to affirm creation. “We’re in the middle of a lot of geology,” explained Zinke. “In the east[ern United States] most of it is covered by vegetation. Here [geology] is plainly visible. We have the Grand Canyon, which of course is one of the major geological places for study, and
then other areas as well that illustrate the kind of work we’re doing.” The lectures are critical, but the study of Scripture and field trips to Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon are what help to “seal the deal.” “It’s important that what we teach in education isn’t just content,” said Blackmer. “The whole reason we have assembled the Adventist school system is to infuse faith in every subject. It’s vitally important that we do that. We have no right to exist if we don’t infuse that faith.” To watch a video report of the conference, visit vimeo.com/225285487. n 1 Leonard
Brand and Arthur Chadwick, Faith, Reason, and Earth History: A Paradigm of Earth and Biological Origins by Intelligent Design, 3rd ed. 2 Description gleaned from the booklet Faith and Science: Affirming Creation.
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October 2017 | Adventist World - nad
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CHILD IMPACT INTERNATIONAL
Asian Aid USA Becomes Child Impact International FASTCHAT is a monthly ministry feature/interview for
A S I A N
A I D
I N S TA G R A M
Adventist World.
Jim Rennie
This month we had the opportunity to interview Jim Rennie, president of Asian Aid, one of the longer running supporting ministries in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Rennie has been CEO of Asian Aid for a little more than 10 years, and is now leading the organization’s transition to Child Impact International.
To learn more, visit www.asianaid.org.au.
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Asian Aid has a long, rich history. Tell us about the work of your ministry over the years. Asian Aid started in Australia just over 50 years ago. Its key activity has been sponsoring needy children in Adventist schools in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and now Myanmar. It also sponsors orphans and blind and deaf children in churchoperated special homes in India. We are told, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble” (James 1:27). At Asian Aid/Child Impact International, we take this as a mandate to act upon. I’ve been honored to serve over the years, and it has been a blessing to see tens of thousands of children given a Christian education. Asian Aid USA, which is a separate organization to Asian Aid Australia, was established more than 15 years ago and continues to grow. Asian Aid USA has continued its sponsorship program, and now has more than 3,500 sponsored children in Adventist Mission schools and homes. In recent years it has partnered with Scheer Adventist Hospital in Nepal with earthquake emergency work, and launched Operation Child Rescue, which is rescuing girls from the sex industry in India.
■ Helps
us avoid being confused with participating countries in Asia. ■ Sets us apart from Asian Aid Australia, a separate organization. ■ Helps us improve our communication with donors. ■ Allows us to expand outside Asia, and helps us be more effective internationally.
Is it a new organization with different personnel? No, we want to grow and do things better, but the board, staff, office location, and policies will stay the same.
As readers hear about your new name and passion, what are your biggest needs? How can people help? Right now we have more than 500 unsponsored children in India and Myanmar, very needy children. Supporters can sponsor a specific child or contribute to our Unsponsored Child Fund. Sponsors then have a specific child they can communicate with, and are able to send and receive letters on a frequent basis. Sponsoring a child is very rewarding; you are making a difference in the mission field every day.
Why is Asian Aid USA changing its name?
What does the future look like for Asian Aid?
We believe the new name, Child Impact International, will give us momentum to help thousands of additional needy children. We also believe the new name brings the following benefits: ■ Reflects more accurately the critical work the organization does in impacting the lives of children. ■ Gives momentum to our new growth strategy.
We are very excited that we are making this change. It will be a key cornerstone to our growth to help thousands of needy children, which gives further support to Adventist Mission schools. We feel called to a unique purpose as we give hope to children and provide urgent funds directly to Adventist Mission schools. But most important, we are introducing children to Jesus.
Adventist World - nad | October 2017
W O R L D
Brushing and Flossing
H E A L T H
Can good dental health protect more than our teeth?
Does dental health affect our overall health?
D
ental, or oral, health is an often-overlooked aspect of total health. Healthy teeth and gums do more than help us look good; they actually promote health, and when not cared for, they put the whole body at risk. Dental, or oral, pain, or difficulty eating, chewing, smiling, and communicating because of missing or sick teeth and gums, can seriously affect a person’s daily life and well-being. In recent years research strongly suggests that oral health and overall health are closely linked. Current evidence supports a link between gum disease and cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and osteoporosis. Common gum diseases involve an inflammatory process in the tissues surrounding the teeth in response to a buildup of bacteria, also known as dental plaque, on the teeth. As bacteria accumulate in tiny pockets around the teeth, they cause inflammation. The inflammation can range from mild to severe. Gingivitis in the mildest form affects about 75 percent of adults in the United States. It causes redness, swelling, and bleeding of the gums, especially when brushing your teeth. In the United States about 30 percent of adults have moderate disease, and 10 percent have advanced disease. Worldwide the severest forms affect about 15 percent of the population. Inflammation in the gums, or periodontitis, sets the stage for inflammatory reactions throughout the body
P H O T O S :
A AT I K TA S N E E M
/
and is thought to be the way in which oral conditions affect overall health. In the other direction, any systemic medical condition that triggers the body’s immune defense mechanisms, such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and white blood cell disorders, can promote periodontal disease. As with many areas of the body, bacteria live in the mouth. These bacteria are typically harmless and not troublesome. When there is inadequate or improper hygiene, however, bacterial colonies can reach concentration levels that may lead to oral infections such as tooth decay and periodontal disease. Some medications used to treat systemic health problems can reduce the flow of saliva and thus limit the body’s ability to wash away oral food particles, which can slow down the neutralization of bacteria and acid in the mouth—natural processes that protect the mouth from microbial overgrowth and even invasion. Examples of such medications include analgesics, antihistamines, nasal decongestants, diuretics, and antidepressants. Chronic, progressive bacterial infection of the gums also leads to bone destruction around the teeth, loss of attachment of the teeth, and eventually tooth loss. Unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as poor diet, nutrition, and oral hygiene, as well as the use of tobacco and alcohol, can increase the risk of periodontal disease. Other contributors can include pregnancy, steroid or oral contraceptive use, anti-epilepsy medications, cancer chemotherapeutic agents (although careful dental
F R E E I M A G E S . C O M
hygiene practices will enhance protection when the previously mentioned medications are needed and during pregnancy), poorly fitted bridges, crooked teeth, and loose fillings. Limited availability of or access to oral health services and not just poor living conditions can contribute to poor oral health. Tobacco in any form in combination with the use of alcohol is responsible for many cases of oral cancer and more than half the cases of adult gum disease. Areca nut chewing, along with alcohol and tobacco, pushes the cancer risk even higher. To protect and promote oral health and prevent unnecessary suffering, it is important to develop sound daily oral hygienic practices: twice daily teeth brushing with appropriate toothpaste and an effective toothbrush; daily dental flossing, especially before bed; avoidance of sugary snacks and drinks, tobacco, and acidic chemicals; and regular dental checkups and teeth cleanings. Investing in oral hygiene pays dividends in oral and systemic health. There is no good health without oral health! n
Peter N. Landless, a board-certified nuclear cardiologist, is director of Adventist Health Ministries at the General Conference.
Zeno L. Charles-Marcel, a board-certified
internist, is an associate director of Adventist Health Ministries at the General Conference.
October 2017 | Adventist World - nad
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Ellen White is often used to advance an agenda, rather than as a lesser light to lead us to the greater light.
NAD Letters When You See These Things
As a life-long Seventh-day Adventist, I resonated with Marcos Blanco’s article, “When You See These Things” (September 2017). But I have to observe that Jesus originally spoke these words to His disciples, leading them to believe they were living in the last days. Indeed, every generation since then has been living in the last days. It is not something unique to Seventh-day Adventists. Instead of focusing on the “when” of the Second Coming, we should be focusing in the “what.” Jesus said, “It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes” (Luke 12:37, NIV). Jason Schneider Kissimmee, Florida Moderation in Technology
I read the article “Moderation in Digital Technology” (September 2017), and I’m glad this issue is being addressed. There’s no doubt that digital technology is a huge advance. But as we know, every advance has its downside. We see this in distracted drivers (and walkers), people with their noses buried in their devices even at social occasions, and the many times conversations are interrupted by a buzz or a ringtone. I think it’s also important to ask whether digital technology is affecting our Sabbathkeeping. Where we used to spend hours with friends and family outside in nature, are we spending that time indoors, using social media
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—Mindy Lawler, Napa, California
and watching inspirational videos? I know how I deal with that question. I just hope our devices don’t prevent us from using our senses in God’s original technology—nature. J. B. Ortiz South Boston, Massachusetts Real Witnessing
I had to smile when I read the article “ ‘Real-Life’ Witnessing” (September 2017). I’m delighted that Fabiana Bertotti has more than 400,000 followers on her YouTube channel; and I’m glad she and her husband correspond and study the Bible with those who watch her channel. But I have to question her statement, “They listen to what I say because they like how I live.” All her viewers know about her is what she wants them to know. She may be witnessing, but real witnessing is having personal (not digital) contact with people. Isn’t that what Christ’s incarnation was all about? Samantha Richardson Upper Marlboro, Maryland God Cares
I enjoyed reading “God’s Care,” by Sandra Doran (August 2017). I remember when she was a columnist for Adventist Review. She always had a knack for taking ordinary, mundane experiences and drawing from them a spiritual lesson. It’s good to see her byline again. Robert Lipman Riverside, California
Adventist World - nad | October 2017
Two Ellen Whites
Thank you for the article “The Two Ellen Whites” (August 2017). How we relate to Ellen White often depends on how we encountered her in our formative years. I have friends who had to copy passages from Ellen White’s books as a form of punishment. I also know people who were led to believe that she was some kind of saint. Then there are those who quote her for almost every occasion, often instead of quoting Jesus or the words of Scripture. I hope this article is the beginning of a conversation about how to properly appreciate this gift. Shelley Ebert Nashville, Tennessee Regarding “The Two Ellen Whites”: Finally, somebody had the courage to admit that Ellen White is often used to advance an agenda, rather than as a lesser light to lead us to the greater light. Adventists pastors and teachers should be trained to guide our members in proper methods of interpreting Ellen White. The gift of prophecy is far too valuable to leave to those who have an ax to grind. Mindy Lawler Napa, California
NAD PERSPECTIVE
Oh, to Be Like
By Dan Weber
a Kitten!
I
was traveling for work when I received the text message from my wife. “Daddy Please??!!” appeared on my phone’s screen, along with a photo of my daughters wearing big grins. As I glanced at the photo, I smiled and realized that I couldn’t say no to their request. In the photo, both my teenage daughters held small kittens. The next few weeks brought the juggling of feline logistics as we worked out feeding schedules, litter box locations, and introductions of the new family members to our two Australian shepherd dogs. The smaller kitten, Aloe, decided that she would serve in the role of “morning alarm clock,” although she could never get her timing right. Her 2:00 a.m. wake-up calls quickly became tedious. But how can you get mad at a cute little creature that sits on your chest loudly purring and kneading you with her tiny paws? What’s struck me the most about our new occupants is the boundless energy that seems to burst from their furry little bodies. No matter the time of day, the patter of paws can be heard upon the wooden floors of our house, thundering like a herd of small horses. And when they aren’t scampering about, the kittens spend most of their play time with a small piece of string, throwing it up in the air and pouncing on it again and again. Nothing seems to dampen their unbounding energy and love for life.
attitudes and love for life. What was perceived as a problem with “noisy children” by the disciples was, in fact, seen by Jesus as a blessing and a requirement to enter into salvation. Fully Grown, Not Grown Up
Boundless Energy
Observing our feline family members has caused me to reflect on the spiritual similarities between kittens, their never-ending passion for life, and our Christian journey. Often, as many of us observe new Christians experience the joy and passion of newly changed lives, we are put off by their boundless energy to share what we’ve known for years. I wonder how many times I’ve unintentionally acted negatively when approached by a new member wanting to share with me the truths that have transformed their lives. Taking it a step further, I wonder about my own “Christian energy.” Have I allowed myself to become spiritually complacent? Have I lost the enthusiasm that was as boundless as the energy of my furry family members? Three of the Gospels share the story of young children who were brought forward for Jesus to bless. The disciples condemned those who came forward, but our Savior was quick in His rebuttal, saying “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14, KJV). Jesus further clarified His point with these words: “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein” (verse 15, KJV). Maybe He was talking about their
I continued to think about the kittens, and what would happen with them as they became full-grown cats. What was once a playful creature often grows into a cranky beast that wants to just sleep and get fed. Is this how my Christian life manifests itself? Just as a kitten “loses its mind” over a simple piece of string, a young Christian is overjoyed when discovering a new Bible text that gives another glimpse of God’s love for His children. Have I lost this passion in my own Christian experience? Have I grown up and forgotten the things that once provided spiritual excitement and growth? Tonight I will sit on the floor of my house and play with the kittens, watching them bound back and forth, their eyes aglow with passion for the little things that bring them joy. String. A ball of paper. A shiny button. Anything new that catches their attention. At the same time I will pray to rediscover the things that once used to excite me at the beginning of my Christian journey. I pray that my passion for Christ will be like the desire of the little ones who bounced upon His knee on a sunny day in Israel. n
Dan Weber is commu-
nication director of the North American Division.
October 2017 | Adventist World - nad
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The following interview-style conversation between the husband-wife team Sylvia and Werner Renz connects one of the key Reformation-era discoveries, “righteousness by faith alone,” to the sanctuary, God’s object lesson in righteousness and salvation. Sylvia: In Hebrews we read that Jesus “always lives to make intercession” for us (Heb. 7:25). Why is this necessary? I thought He had already done everything on the cross. Werner: The death of Jesus on the cross provided the legal basis for our salvation. At that time God reconciled Himself to us, although we were still His enemies (Rom. 5:10). But this is not yet the happy ending. I agree, we are constantly reminded of this when we watch the news. What exactly did Jesus accomplish or achieve when He died on the cross? When Jesus cried, “It is finished!” the answer came immediately from above, as the curtain in the Temple tore from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51). The veil pointed to Christ, and by His death we once again had free access to God the Father (Heb. 10:20). Jesus’ cry “My God, My God, why have You for-
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Adventist World | October 2017
The
By Sylvia and Werner Renz
Sanctuary:
Above Beyond and
saken Me?” (Matt. 27:46) made it clear that sin cuts us off from the source of life. God the Son was torn by our sin from God the Father. He tasted the second death for us. By this, He fulfilled His mission (Gal. 4:4). What was His mission? Through His life Jesus showed what God is really like. When He took our death, the punishment for sin, upon Himself, He paid the price and redeemed us. He Himself was sinless, so death could not hold Him. Jesus rose and defeated death. He has brought us eternal righteousness (Dan. 9:24). God now sees us as His beloved children. At the same time,
Jesus as our high priest enables us to live a righteous life as He did. How is this supposed to work? The Holy Spirit, as the representative of Jesus, creates an “online connection” between us and Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary. Through this He lets the perfect life of Jesus become a reality in our life, as long as we are willing to receive this gift. Thus, both through Jesus’ death and through His life, we are made acceptable to God. So Jesus paid the entrance ticket to heaven for every human being. But many prefer not to go there. To live with a loving God does not appear attractive to them. They do not know
I L L U S T R AT I O N :
G O O D N E W S I N T E R N AT I O N A L / C O L L E G E P R E S S P U B L I S H I N G
D E V O T I O N A L
The heavenly sanctuary is the sanitarium in which the plague of sin is treated. God; they do not trust Him. They would rather follow their own ideas. Lucifer, the most beautiful angel, turned against God because of selfishness and distrust of His Creator. This resulted in the fatal plague of “sin.” It is curable only because God has, because of His love, sacrificed His Son for us. His offer of reconciliation is available to all people. But not everyone accepts it. Love and trust cannot be enforced. Is this the reason Jesus is constantly interceding on our behalf and searching for us? Yes, He wants to help us (cf. Heb. 2:18). The heavenly sanctuary is the sanitarium in which the plague of sin is treated. People knew since the Fall that God had provided a pathway to salvation for them (Gen. 3:15). They were reminded of this every time they confessed their guilt and an innocent animal died in their stead. But why did Jesus have to die on the cross and not through stoning, the usual way of execution? Jesus reminded Nicodemus of a scene from the Old Testament: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14; cf. Num. 21:4-9). He also predicted: “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself. This He said, signifying by what death He would die” (John 12:32, 33), hanging on a cross connecting heaven and earth. Here the heavenly vertical crosses history’s horizontal. This “plus” sign is a symbol of our salvation. This is the basis of our justification by faith, and thus also the foundation for
our doctrine of sanctification. The most famous snake tracker in Australia was once asked: “When is a snake the most dangerous?” “When you don’t see it,” he replied. Christ has made visible and defeated the “snake on the pole.” The head of this serpent has been crushed in a tremendous spiritual battle. Satan is still alive, but has no spiritual power over us when we believe that Christ defeated the serpent on the cross. Christ’s death has confined, secured, and exposed the serpent on the cross. This defuses all evil in us. Evil has no power over us as long as we live and believe this: the serpent is hanging on the pole, so lift up your head and live! Jesus also defeats the evil in us and all the fear that emanates from it. This is lived justification by faith! Fantastic! But why did God not put an end to all of this shortly after the ascension of Jesus? God wants to save as many as possible. He wants to fill heaven with the redeemed, “as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore,” as He promised Abraham (Gen. 22:17). But He does not take all of them to heaven! Only those who let Him “heal” them and who trust Him. God knows everyone and looks into every mind and heart. What’s the purpose for opening books in heaven? All intelligent beings are able to see the files. One’s inner motives become clear only by one’s behavior. An objective scale is applied to all, that is, the Ten Commandments. God wants me to love Him above all else, and my neighbor as myself. Only those who want to live like that and
long for healing are ready for heaven. I get this. But then a public court hearing in the presence of the angels shows who will be saved by Jesus and who will not be saved. This must already be clarified before He returns. How does God deal with our questions when we miss people we loved? There are many decent people who may not be there. For these explanations, God takes a great deal of time. After the 1,000 years, the millennium, everyone will understand and appreciate why God had to judge the way He did. All thinking creatures will join in the final song: “Just and true are Your ways” (Rev. 15:3). Only when everything is completely clear, will final events take place. Satan and his followers will demonstrate one last time that they are not ready for peace and trust. They want to overthrow God and kill His children. But that will not happen. Satan and his followers must bear the consequences of their own decision. They will die from the plague of sin in the final fire. Afterward God dries all tears and comforts us. He creates a new heaven and a new earth. This is the ultimate joyful ending! n
Sylvia and Werner Renz live in retire-
ment near the European Media Center in Alsbach-Hähnlein, Germany. Sylvia served in the Hope Bible Study Institute, and Werner served as editor/speaker.
October 2017 | Adventist World
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F U N D A M E N T A L
B E L I E F S
NUMBER 00
“The
T
he sixteenth-century Reformation was the epicenter of profound changes. These changes were not caused by social or economic forces. The central issues were theological in nature. First-generation Protestant theologians had concluded that the church and scholastic theology had buried the gospel under layers of human tradition. At stake was the understanding of how one could be saved. This was a matter of life and death, since the church had advocated a system of salvation in which grace was relegated to the status of a commodity that could be earned. Back to Basics
The fresh understanding of the gospel in the sixteenth century brought changes of such an extent that Diarmaid MacCulloch, a wellknown scholar writing on the history of the Reformation, summarizes this paradigm shift as “All things made new.”1 Martin Luther’s foundational contribution to theology was the recognition that salvation is a free gift of divine mercy, and humans can do nothing to get it except to receive it through faith alone. This idea was revolutionary, since it stood in sharp contrast to the medieval understanding of salvation in which the concept of merit played a crucial role. Sin was considered to be a problem of being, which needed healing through a process of transformation. Consequently, it was believed
22
Fountain of
The paradigm shift we call the R that salvation was the result of becoming a “holy person by cooperating with grace by all means possible.”2 This system implied that humans must add their efforts to the work of God’s grace in order to achieve salvation, since eternal life came as a reward for cooperating with divine grace. Purgatory, a concept considered the theological foundation for a vast church business in the medieval period (including the payment for salvation by purchasing indulgences), became for the Reformers the symbol of all that was wrong with this view of salvation. The “theology of the cross” lay at the heart of Luther’s argument, highlighting the centrality of God’s mercy despite human sin, instead of demanding from people virtue as a prerequisite for grace. God’s Righteousness
The key expression in Luther’s thought is the “righteousness of God” (iustitia Dei). In Romans 1:18-3:20 Paul establishes the argument that all people are guilty, and so the main problem of humanity is facing God’s justice. In pre-Reformation theology the “righteousness of God” was equivalent to the punishment by the divine judge. Luther challenged this view as the result of his study of Psalms, Romans, and Galatians in the period between 1513 and 1517 while he lectured on these books at
Adventist World - nad | October 2017
Wittenberg University. Luther established biblically that the iustitia Dei is not to be understood in terms of God’s righteousness, by which God is Himself justified, but as the righteousness by which He justifies sinful human beings. Righteousness is a gift from God given for the benefit of humanity. It is a gift by which God declares believers righteous even though they are not in themselves righteous. This new definition of righteousness points to God as “the fountain of every good.”3 The cross reveals “an exuberantly happy God who glories in sharing His happiness. He is not stingy or utilitarian, but a God who glories in being gracious.”4 This is revealed in the climactic statement of Paul’s argument for justification by faith in Romans 4:25: “[Jesus our Lord] was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (NIV). After explaining the necessity of justification (Rom. 1-3) and the way it works (Rom. 4), the apostle Paul points out its consequences in Romans 5:111. In these texts he describes the blessedness of the people of God who received the new status in Jesus Christ. The foundational statement of the passage comes right at the beginning: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 1, NIV). In reconP H O T O :
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ciliation, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, God gave Himself to us: He gave us His friendship, which is the basis for hope and the reason for joy. According to the argument of Romans 5:1-11, the main characteristic of believers is joy in God: deep and satisfying happiness is found in worshipping God and seeking His glory in our lives. Christians have good reason to rejoice despite life’s circumstances, because God has acted on their behalf and rescued them from the bondage of sin for a new life in Jesus Christ. We can have assurance even in the face of our human weaknesses, because God justifies us on the basis of our faith in Christ’s work of salvation, even though we have nothing to contribute
The I
” Good
to this salvation. While faith will produce good deeds in a person’s life, salvation does not come as the result of faith plus works, as in the Roman Catholic view of salvation. It’s Really Personal
Justification by faith is a doctrine with a deep existential significance. Since this experience changes us to the core of our being and determines our eternal future, for sixteenth-century Protestant theologians the doctrine of justification was “the summary of Christian doctrine,” “the article on which the church stands or falls.” Much has changed over the past 500 years, when Europe was set on fire because of these important theological issues. Today, however, we need an even stronger focus on the Reformation principle of justification by faith.
This biblical teaching has the potential to give us a fresh experience of the work of God, the power of God, the wisdom of God, the strength of God, the salvation of God, and the glory of God so needed in today’s secular postmodern culture. Reformation matters, even after 500 years. n 1 Diarmaid
MacCulloch, All Things Made New: The Reformation and Its Legacy (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016). 2 Roger E. Olson, The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition and Reform (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1999), p. 373. 3 Alister McGrath, Iustita Dei: A History of the Christian Doctrine of Justification, 3rd ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005), p. 222. 4 Michael Reeves and Tim Chester, Why the Reformation Still Matters (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2016), pp. 209, 210.
Laszlo Gallusz, Ph.D., is
lecturer in New Testament studies at Belgrade Theological Seminary in Serbia.
Experience of Salvation
n infinite love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might be made the righteousness of God. Led by the Holy Spirit we sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and exercise faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord, Substitute and Example. This saving faith comes through the divine power of the Word and is the gift of God’s grace. Through Christ we are justified, adopted as God’s sons and daughters, and delivered from the lordship of sin. Through the Spirit we are born again and sanctified; the
Spirit renews our minds, writes God’s law of love in our hearts, and we are given the power to live a holy life. Abiding in Him we become partakers of the divine nature and have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment. (Gen. 3:15; Isa. 45:22; 53; Jer. 31:31-34; Eze. 33:11; 36:25-27; Hab. 2:4; Mark 9:23, 24; John 3:3-8, 16; 16:8; Rom. 3:21-26; 5:6-10; 8:1-4, 14-17; 10:17; 12:2; 2 Cor. 5:17-21; Gal. 1:4; 3:13, 14, 26; 4:4-7; Eph. 2:4-10; Col. 1:13, 14; Titus 3:3-7; Heb. 8:7-12; 1 Peter 1:23; 2:21, 22; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rev. 13:8.)
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C O V E R F E AT U R E
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n a hot July afternoon I climbed a steep path to Wartburg Castle, overlooking the town of Eisenach in Germany. People around me were engaged in conversations. I became very quiet as I imagined how another man, known to the castle’s inhabitants as Junker Jörg (Knight George), made his way up to the stronghold that would be his home for the next 10 months. We know this man as Martin Luther. Following the climactic ending of the Diet in Worms and the Bann and excommunication pronounced by Pope Leo X in the face of Luther’s refusal to recant his views on Scripture and salvation, the Reformer had been whisked away on the orders of Frederick the Wise and brought to a safe place. This was the place, I thought. Following years of studies and close contact with God’s Word in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin, Luther completed his German translation of the New Testament in 11 weeks. Eleven weeks of dedicated labor changed the face of Germany—and the world—forever. Scripture, which had been kept from people for centuries, blazed through the hearts of readers and listeners alike, who, for the first time, heard God speaking German. We can see the power of the Word as it spread through Europe, inspiring translations in other languages and a reformation movement that transformed the then-known world. I appreciated Ellen White’s description of Luther’s months in Wartburg: “From his rocky Patmos he [Luther] continued for nearly a whole year to proclaim the gospel and rebuke the sins and errors of the times.”* Our Reformation journey lasted only a couple days. We sat in the chapel of the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt where young Luther desperately tried to find a gracious God—yet realized, again and again, his own failures and shortcomings. He tried hard. We walked the streets of Erfurt’s old city, where Luther had studied law prior to his entrance to the monastery. We visited Luther’s home in Wittenberg, the place the Reformation first let down roots when Luther published his 95 theses, also known as the “Disputation on the Power of Indulgences,”
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The Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, Germany, was a refuge to German Reformer Martin Luther in 1521.
C O V E R F E AT U R E
where he argued vehemently against the sale of indulgences. Five hundred years after this pivotal moment in the history of Christianity in 1517, I sat in Wittenberg’s Stadtkirche (city church), where Luther often preached and looked at an image of the Reformation-Altar painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Younger, showing Jesus on the cross in the center of the image. Salvation by faith became the rallying cry of the Reformation. Jesus was on their banner. Paul’s “The just shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:17) helped Luther recognize his utter need of divine grace. Theologians summarize this as sola gratia (“by grace alone”), sola fide (“by faith alone”), and solo Christo (“by Christ alone”). Together with sola scriptura (“by Scripture alone”), they represent the foundation of the Reformation—and continue to do so for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As I saw the exhibits and walked the streets these early Reformers had walked I felt, once again, God’s gentle invitation to let Him do what I cannot do for myself: to rest in Him like a little child nestling in the Father’s arms; to hear the Spirit speaking through His every Word. Back to basics— soli Deo gloria. n * Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), p. 169.
Gerald A. Klingbeil
was born and raised in Germany. He serves as associate editor of Adventist World and lives with his family in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.
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Above: Inside the Stadtkirche (city church) in Wittenberg, the place where Luther often preached the Word in German.
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Assurance of
By Jirˇí Moskala
Salvation
Yes, there is such a thing.
A
Above: An idyllic picture of the inner court of the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt. Left: It was here that Luther began to realize that our only safety can be found in God’s grace.
Below: View of the restored Luther house, which served as the home for Martin Luther.
ssurance of salvation is plainly taught in Scripture. God declares that we can have full confidence and bold assurance when we are in Christ.1 Consider the following texts: “Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you’” (Isa. 35:4).2 “Dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28). “This is how love is made complete among us so we will have confidence on the day of judgment” (1 John 4:17). The apostle Paul underlines that when we are in Christ, we are His, and no one can stand against or separate the believers from the love of God: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1; see also verses 31-39; Eph. 2:4-7). The apostle John proclaims: “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:12, 13; see also John 1:12; 3:16, 17, 36; 5:24; 6:47; 10:28, 29; Rom. 5:1-5; Eph. 2:114; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:1; 3:1). Two Extremes
Some Christians have little or no assurance of salvation. They tend to experience internal struggles, doubts, frustrations, and fears. Others have too much assurance, sleeping on the pillow of self-assurance and selfdeception.3 What is the balance?
Socrates famously asserted, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”4 The apostle Paul encouraged healthy introspection: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Cor. 13:5; cf. 1 Cor. 11:28). Ellen White colorfully described the assurance of salvation for Christ’s followers: “If you give yourself to Him, and accept Him as your personal Savior, then, sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous. Christ’s character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned.”5 Yet she stressed that one should not live in false assurance, claiming to be saved but disobeying God’s explicit commandments. “God’s holy law is the only thing by which we can determine whether we are keeping His way or not. If we are disobedient, our characters are out of harmony with God’s moral rule of government, and it is stating a falsehood to say, ‘I am saved.’”6 She warned against cheap grace:7 “All those who say, ‘I am saved!’ . . . but do not obey God’s commandments, are resting their salvation on a false hope, a false foundation. No one who has an intelligent knowledge of the requirements of God can be saved in disobedience.”8 She also explained: “The gospel does not weaken the claims of the law; it exalts the law and makes it honorable. Under the New Testament, no less is required than was required under the Old Testament. Let no one take up with the delusion so pleasant October 2017 | Adventist World
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C O V E R F E AT U R E Left: A reconstruction of one of the cells used by monks in the sixteenth century Augustinian monastery where young Luther searched desperately for a gracious God.
to the natural heart, that God will accept of sincerity. . . . God requires of His child perfect obedience.”9 She further explained that in the matter of salvation we cannot rely on our feelings. We are saved because God said so, not because we feel good. She wrote: “There are many who conclude that they are saved simply because they have good impressions; but this is not enough. The entire affection must be renovated.”10 On the other hand, Ellen White also stated that Christ’s followers must have an assurance of salvation: “It is essential to have faith in Jesus, and to believe you are saved through Him.”11 She described the Gentiles’ joy when they responded to the preaching of the gospel by the early church: “The Spirit of God accompanied the words that were spoken, and hearts were touched. . . . And the speaker’s words of assurance that the ‘glad tidings’ of salvation were for Jew and Gentile alike brought hope and joy to those who had not been numbered among the children of Abraham according to the flesh.”12 A Healthy Tension
As followers of Christ, we have to live in this healthy tension: full confidence in Christ, and complete mistrust in ourselves. We need to persistently focus on Jesus (John 15:5; Phil. 4:13; Heb. 12:2), not on ourselves, bearing fruit that is the natural result of cultivating a close fellowship with Him. As Ellen White described it: “Connected with Jesus Christ, they will be wise unto salvation. They will be fruitbearing trees.”13 Unfortunately, many are not sure if they are saved in Christ. We must know how to live consciously in a
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Above: A money chest used to collect indulgences. Left: Example of a sixteenth-century letter of indulgence, guaranteeing the forgiveness of sins. Image of the only entrance to the 10-meter-deep (30-footdeep) dungeon of the southern tower of the Wartburg, where in 1548 the Anabaptist Fritz Erbe preferred death to renouncing his convictions. What happens when the persecuted become the persecutors?
steady reality of “already” but “not yet.” We have eternal life, but not yet; we are saved, but not yet; we are perfect in Christ, but not yet; we sit with Christ by the right side of the heavenly Father, but not yet. Thus we experience the true joy of salvation. We need to wait for the second coming of Christ, when we will see Him face to face. Then our present hope of redemption will become tangible reality. n
(New York: Oxford University Press, 1994), pp. 201, 202. 5 Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1956), p. 62. 6 Ellen G. White, Selected Messages (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1958, 1980), book 1, p. 315. 7 God’s grace is never cheap, since Christ gave Himself for it. But some treat grace cheaply. See Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (New York: Macmillan, 1959), pp. 43-49. 8 Ellen G. White, in Signs of the Times, Dec. 28, 1891. 9 E. G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 373, 374. 10 Ellen G. White, in Signs of the Times, Aug. 18, 1890. 11 E. G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 373. 12 Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), pp. 172, 173. 13 Ellen G. White, Daughters of God (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1998), p. 16. See also Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1898), pp. 674-680.
1 For
details, see my article “The Gospel According to God’s Judgment: Judgment as Salvation,” Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 22, no. 1 (2011): 28-49. 2 Bible texts in this article are from the New International Version. 3 Gregg A. Ten Elshof, I Told Me So: Self-Deception and the Christian Life (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2009). 4 Thomas C. Brickhouse and Nicholas D. Smith, Plato’s Socrates
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Jirˇí Moskala is dean of
the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University. P H O T O S :
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A globe in the central marketplace of Wittenberg, highlighting the global impact of the Reformation.
By Justin Kim
A Memorandum of
eformanda
N
otice the Latin phrases that pepper the writings of the Protestant Reformation. Just as Roman Catholicism deemed it to be the lingua sacra (“sacred language”) of liturgy, Protestants correspondingly immortalized the great timeless ideals of their movement in ecclesiastical Latin. These ideals were so potent that they ruptured Christianity into a myriad of Protestant denominations today. Modern Protestants may not understand Latin, but we are quite familiar with the unifying themes of sola scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, solo Christo, and soli Deo gloria. Within a half century after Luther’s initial posting of the 95 theses, these phrases represented the imperative ideals of Scripture, faith, grace, Christ, and the glory of God, respectively. No Protestant denomination deviates from these—at least they shouldn’t. Every ideal is dangerous, for it has the potential to change its world. For the Reformation age, the world of the church was altered. Sermons, lectionaries, theologies, and seminaries were reworked. Music, musicology, hymns, congregations, art, and architecture were transformed. Even families, marriage, sexuality, and children were affected. Not only the world of the church but the bigger world surrounding the church was altered, affecting work, labor, government, economics, and culture.
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Change was not for change’s sake, but epitomized in the Latin term ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda, or “the church reformed, always reforming.” The historical context in which the church resides is dynamically changing from age to age. The church was to continually adapt to an everchanging world, with ever-changing threats to the ideals of the Reformation. These adaptations are in themselves testaments to our faith and hope that reform will occur until the second coming of Christ. The actualization of these ideals will not occur until we see Him face to face. So until then, the changed church is to change constantly. This reforming church is to ask questions, counter, stand, and dissent against the status quo of the world. In an age in which rebellion is glorified, how much more should the church, the object of the Lord’s supreme regard, rebel against error clearly unmasked by Scripture? As modern heirs of the Reformation we have been called to witness against both religious and secular entities. Twenty-first-century reformation means questioning the extravagance of religious organizations at the expense of the impoverished. It means holding theologically accountable all those organizations that have rejected the biblical doctrines of the Sabbath,
justification by faith, creation ex nihilo (“creation out of nothing”), a genuine biblical anthropology, the heavenly sanctuary, etc. It means rejecting apathetic and synthetic spirituality and traditions of indifferent and unbiblical theologies. The reformation in the twenty-first century means calling out corruption and exploitation at all levels of governance and preaching of disinterested justice and mercy. It means disconnecting our dependence on humanistic management philosophies, simplistic moral reform, and organized behavior modification. It means the preaching of libertas (“liberty”), iustitia (“justice”), veritas (“truth”). It means the preservation of the value of the imago Dei in public discourse. Whether it is Hebrew, Greek, Latin, or any other language, we are called to continue upholding Reformation ideals today. It’s the moment we should be found semper fidelis (“always faithful”) to changeless truth within this changing church. n
Justin Kim serves as
assistant director of Sabbath School and Personal Ministries and editor of the young adult quarterly at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.
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Sabbath School
Orphans
Can you identify the leaders of your youth Sabbath S The following article is based on the report “The New Orphan: Youth Sabbath School,” prepared for the 180° Symposium. It highlights the findings of Steve Case and Eddie Heinrich, describes the status of youth Sabbath School in North America, and offers guidance for strengthening youth Sabbath School.—Editors.
T
he theme for the 2017 Andrews University 180° Symposium was “Sabbath School Matters.” With 52 sessions each year, nothing else compares to the frequency of youth Sabbath School as a ministry tool. Young people attend Sabbath School primarily to see their friends; and for many leaders, youth Sabbath
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School serves as the primary place where youth ministry happens in the local church. For many reasons, Sabbath School matters. It’s not easy to create and maintain a vibrant youth Sabbath School. It requires commitment, time, money, and follow-through. As a result, youth Sabbath School leaders often revert to lectures, rather than leading discussions or group activities. Leaders tend to burn out or get discouraged by poor attendance and criticism from concerned adults who judge from a distance. This makes it easy for leaders to quit and hard to recruit anyone to take their place. With little training for leaders, few resources, or moral support, youth Sabbath School for young
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people rarely registers as a “must” experience. For many Adventists in North America, Sabbath School seems to be off the radar or languishing. An estimated 25 percent of Adventists in North America attend adult Sabbath School on any given Sabbath,1 and that might be a generous estimate.2 In general, except for Sabbath School for children, it doesn’t seem to be a priority. Pastors’ Input
The North American Division (NAD) Youth Ministries Department sponsored a “Mission Lifeguard” initiative from 2014 to 2015. It focused on reaching youth and young
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Based on this data, a little more than half the churches that responded have a youth Sabbath School. Fewer than a quarter have an Adventist Youth (AY) or Sociedad de Jovenes or vespers gathering. A mere 16 percent reported having a teen Pathfinder Club, and only 6 percent had something for youth evangelism. While this is not true in all congregations, it provides an overview from all nine union conferences within North America. So slightly more than half of these churches have youth Sabbath School, clearly the most common program for youth ministry in the local church. But it gives no indication about the quality of youth Sabbath School. Only 28 percent have a roster of who attends. Less than one fourth of the churches have a Sabbath afternoon or Friday evening program specifically designed for youth, but they may consider that their “youth ministry.”
By Steve Case and Eddie Heinrich
Youth Directors’ Input
Union conference youth directors and the NAD Youth Ministries Department have expressed a deep concern and determination to resusci-
h School?
tate youth Sabbath School. This led to distributing a one-page survey about youth Sabbath School to conference and union youth directors at the Adventist Ministries Convention in Tucson, Arizona, in January 2017. Fifteen conference or union conference youth directors returned surveys. While youth Sabbath School may be the most common program for young people in local churches, it’s not typically included in conference or union conference youth directors’ time or budgets. Youth directors seem fully occupied with summer camp, Pathfinders, and some large-scale conference events that draw young people away from their local church, not toward it. When asked for the number of churches in their conference, 93 percent could give the number. When asked about the number of youth Sabbath Schools in their conference, only 33 percent could give a number, and that number represented fewer than half of the churches in their conference. No youth director had a roster of youth Sabbath School leaders. Conference youth directors appeared not to know their local church youth Sabbath School leaders.
I S T O C K
adults who no longer participated in Seventh-day Adventist churches.3 When searching for youth ministry programming offered at local churches, slightly more than half (52 percent) of the pastors polled reported nothing. This may have been because that wasn’t part of the interaction regarding reaching out to missing young people, or because there was no response from the pastor or congregation after four attempts (phone calls, e-mails, etc.) to make contact. Data obtained from the remaining 48 percent (963 of the 2,015 congregations contacted) revealed the most common programs for young people in those churches indicated on the following table:
Youth Ministry Programs at Local Churches in NAD 2014-2015
54 % 35 % 22 % 20 % 20 % 16 % 13 % 11% 9% 6%
Youth Sabbath School Nothing AY or MV or Vespers Youth Socials Other Teen Pathfinders Youth Service Activities Small Group Bible Study Annual Youth Day at Church Youth Evangelism October 2017 | Adventist World - nad
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While it’s encouraging to know that 40 percent of these youth directors provide annual training in youth ministry, it’s important to note that another 40 percent provide no training. One wonders how local church youth leaders find out about this training when most apparently lack a connection with their conference youth director. One also wonders if local church leaders expect anything from their conference youth director when it comes to youth ministry in their churches. None of the youth directors named Cornerstone Connections, the official General Conference Sabbath School curriculum, as a resource for youth Sabbath School. But 33 percent named “resources” as one of the top needs for youth Sabbath School. So there is little indication that youth Sabbath School is currently part of the ministry of conference or union conference youth directors.
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Missing: Conference Youth Sabbath School Directors
The North American Division contains nine union conferences and 59 conferences. In February 2017, 68 Web sites of each union conference and conference were checked to see if youth Sabbath School was a priority based on their Web sites and the personnel and departments listed. On the Web sites surveyed we found no indication of any person or department labeled “youth Sabbath School.” Perhaps the “Sabbath School” department or personnel included “youth” as part of its ministry. Or maybe a “youth director” or “youth department” included “youth Sabbath School” as part of its ministry and responsibility. Of the 68 Web sites, only 28 percent
Youth
Sabbath School doesn’t have to
be an orphan, the victim of pity and neglect.
(19 conferences or union conferences) listed a department called “Sabbath School,” with someone responsible for it. Of those listed, it was labeled “adult Sabbath School.” With 72 percent of the Web sites showing no Sabbath School department, and no person giving attention to it, either Sabbath School functions without conference or union conference leadership, or Sabbath School ranks lower than many other ministries and services. It seems that from a conference or union conference perspective, “Sabbath School” does not include young people. On the sites, youth directors and youth departments have much more representation than Sabbath School. Eighty-eight percent of the Web sites listed someone as “youth director,” but it wasn’t unusual to see additional responsibilities besides youth ministry. Larger
conferences sometimes have more than one youth director, or a second person listed as “young adult director.” Based on Web site content, it seems that youth directors give priority to summer camp and Pathfinders. Some have an occasional youth rally or short-term mission trip, social gathering, or recreational event. Only 7 percent even mention “youth Sabbath School” somewhere on their Web page. While about one out of every four youth directors has a separate Web site from their conference for their youth ministry services, those sites don’t service youth Sabbath School. Resources: People
The most important resource for a youth Sabbath School is the youth, and those who lead them. Volunteer youth leaders are believed to serve an
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average of 18 months.4 Occasionally a “lifer” serves as a youth leader for decades. More frequently, parents of youth serve as youth Sabbath School leaders. They probably served as their kids’ Sabbath School leaders ever since cradle roll, and simply continued from one age group to the next. By the time children reach adolescence, it’s time for them to test their own beliefs with other trusted mentors. Who will be that youth Sabbath School leader? How many will there be? What kind of training and support will they receive? Each church is currently on its own. Rarely do you hear such statements as “Our youth Sabbath School is really making a difference!” Since there doesn’t seem to be any person, place, or process to bring about change, most youth simply vote with their feet and don’t attend Sabbath School.5 Some attend the worship service but not Sabbath School. Resources: Materials
After people, the second most important resource is materials for youth Sabbath School programming.
Starting in 1983, Cornerstone Connections provided an all-in-one resource for youth leaders that included youth Sabbath School lessons and activities, outreach ideas, small group activities, social activities, AY, and leadership elements. Eventually it became just the youth Sabbath School lesson. Insight magazine continued with a quarterly publication called Insight Youth Resource that contained program ideas for a comprehensive youth ministry, while the youth Sabbath School lesson continued in Cornerstone Connections. But Insight Youth Resource has ceased publication. The only youth ministry resource currently published by the church is Cornerstone Connections, which is limited to the youth Sabbath School lesson. It is available by making a “standing order” with Pacific Press through the Adventist Book Center, and it takes four to six months to activate. It is also available as a free app. While many other resources, Adventist and non-Adventist, are available online and through Christian bookstores and publishers, few youth Sabbath School leaders are aware of
those resources, and how to choose them. This includes AdventSource, which carries a number of supplemental resources that could be used for youth Sabbath School. When the NAD surveyed local churches and asked those under the age of 30 about their awareness of specific resources the NAD produced for youth ministry, the report stated: “The majority of Adventists under 30 years of age are simply not aware of the resources and programs that the North American Division is currently providing to support youth I S T O C K ministry. The most widely known resource is Insight magazine, and only two in five of the young people have any awareness of it. Just one in four actually get a copy of the magazine even occasionally.”6 Insight magazine ceased publication in June 2017 because it wasn’t financially feasible to continue publishing a resource that may have been recognized by name but was not purchased or used. A Path Forward
If youth Sabbath School is where local church youth ministry takes place, then conference, union conference, and division youth directors should include it as a significant part of their ministry. And conference youth directors are the most important movers to adopt youth Sabbath School as a key part of their job description. In 1889 Ellen White wrote, “The Sabbath School, when rightly managed, possesses marvelous power, and is adapted to doing a great work, but it is not now what it may and should be. The influence growing out of Sabbath
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school work should improve and enlarge the church.”7 She also wrote, “The Sabbath School work is important, and all who are interested in the truth should endeavor to make it prosperous.”8 Youth Sabbath School doesn’t have to be an orphan, the victim of pity and neglect. Helping this orphan prosper within the church family requires vision, hope, investment, recruitment, training, planning, follow-through, and a clear dependence on God. Conference youth directors are key in making this adoption formal, so union conference and division youth directors must change as well. Young people themselves should be involved in this process by giving feedback and engaging in both creating and leading youth Sabbath School. Then we can say not only that “Sabbath School matters,” but that the people who are part of it matter as well. n
I S T O C K
Visit ow.ly/tqwj30eriSV to learn practical ways to start nurturing youth Sabbath School, and to read about Sabbath School suggestions and plans from the NAD Youth and Young Adult Ministries. 1 Laurentiu
Serban, “Factors Related to Declining Attendance at the Adult Sabbath School in the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventist Church,” Circle, circle.adventist.org/ browse/resource.phtml?leaf=26580. Accessed Mar. 8, 2017. Note: There are no published estimates for youth Sabbath School attendance. 2 Based on an e-mail received April 17, 2017, in which a conference administrator in the NAD reported church attendance records conference wide to be 40 percent of membership. This is with two thirds of the churches reporting in a conference of more than 100 churches and more than 100 pastors. While no Sabbath School attendance records are taken, the estimate is that only half of the church attendance is present by the end of Sabbath School, which would be 20 percent of church membership. 3 Pastors of local churches received personal phone calls asking if any young people were missing from their churches, if there was any plan to reach out to any who were missing, and an offer to receive free resources to help them reach out to young people who no longer attended. About 2,000 of the nearly
S
S
If youth abbath chool is the main venue for local church youth ministry, then conference, union conference, and division youth directors should include it as a significant part of their ministry. 5,500 Adventist churches in North America received phone calls in the two years of this initiative. Occasionally the pastor referred the caller to another church leader, or the pastor wasn’t available and a church leader spoke on behalf of the congregation. Each of the nine union conferences in North America were included. 4 This guesstimate is not based on empirical research, but is hearsay that youth ministry people continue to promulgate. For example, after.church/7-youth-ministrytraps-every-church-should-avoid/ identifies the generally accepted 18-month tenure, and gives Group magazine’s results of a study in which they claim 3.9 years as the average tenure of a youth leader. There is no such statistic for Seventh-day Adventists, a denomination that operates on a completely different paradigm of full-time and part-time church leadership and pay parity. 5 In many churches the children’s Sabbath School classes might be the best attended. Adult Sabbath School is often composed of seniors whose experience in Sabbath School would fit into a “small group” experience with both spiritual and social benefits. Rarely would it be considered evangelistic. 6 Peter Cincala, Roger Dudley, and Monte Sahlin, “Survey of Teens and Young Adults: Mega Study 1,” Institute of Church Ministries (2014), p. 8. This survey was sent to a random sample of 500 congregations in the NAD and received 1,215 responses—about two or three responses per church. This illustrates either the low level of responses to surveys or the low number of people under the age of 30 in Adventist churches in North America.
7 Ellen
G. White, Counsels on Sabbath School Work (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1938), p. 9. 8 Ibid.
Steve Case is president of Involve Youth,
which develops such resources as books, magazines, a Web site, games, DVDs, and CDs. He is also coordinator for the youth and young adult ministry concentration in the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program. Eddie Heinrich is director of youth ministry for the Northern California Conference.
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D I S C O V E R I N G
T H E
S P I R I T
O F
P R O P H E C Y
By Lisa M. Beardsley-Hardy
Elements of Successful
Education How the best in the world is reflected in Ellen White’s counsel
T
he Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) provides a global report card of knowledge and skills essential for adult participation in society. Between 4,500 to 10,000 students from 72 countries are tested near the end of their required education. Rankings are based on scores in reading, math, and science. Recently top marks have gone to geographically small countries, such as Singapore, and subnational cities in China, such as Shanghai, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taipei. Finland remains among the top-ranking countries in the world. In 2011, corroborating PISA scores, Finland produced more scientists and engineers than any other country in the world (7,000/million people), despite spending far less in research and development than the United States, Japan, Germany, China, South Korea, United Kingdom, France, and many other countries.1 Finland’s high PISA scores have stimulated research and visits from foreign educators. My own teaching career started in Finland, first in a primary school, then teaching in secondary and tertiary education. This has shaped my personal perspective on some of the reasons for its success. Experimental research is the usual way to identify best practices. The inspired writings of Ellen White are another. She has no shortage of counsel about education.
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What Sets Finnish Education Apart?
Free, equal education is available to every child in Finland. Between 11 and 12 percent of Finnish state and municipal budgets are spent on education. Children start school in the fall of the year they turn 7. This gives children more time to play, mature, use their imagination, and develop secure attachment with their parents before they go to school. Free hot lunches are part of the official curriculum, as are lessons in health and nutrition. Some schools offer climate-friendly, vegetarian, and organic lunches. Teachers are qualified, respected, and trusted professionals. Primary teachers (grades 1-6) teach all subjects and hold master’s degrees in education with an emphasis in instruction. Secondary teachers hold master’s degrees in their respective fields, and they complete additional studies in educational science. There are standardized educational objectives, and a National Matriculation Examinations Board, but teachers select methods of instruction depending on their assessment of student needs. Both school curriculum and teachers support balanced growth and development of students. School days are shorter in Finland than in most countries; and even though the Arctic Circle inscribes part of the country, students have recess outside every day, rain, shine, or snow. Special support is provided to students as needed. The curriculum includes artistic subjects. All students receive free health and dental care. P H O T O :
A N N E L I
S A L O
How Does This System Measure Up?
About universal access to education, Ellen White wrote: “All our youth should be permitted to have the blessings and privileges of an education at our schools, that they may be inspired to become laborers together with God. They all need an education, that they may be fitted for usefulness, qualified for places of responsibility in both private and public life.”2 On the need for student readiness, she wrote, “Do not send your little ones away to school too early. The mother should be careful how she trusts the molding of the infant mind to other hands. Parents ought to be the best teachers of their children until they have reached eight or ten years of age. Their schoolroom should be the open air, amid the flowers and birds, and their textbook the treasure of nature.”3 Finnish children who start school at 7 years of age are in harmony with her counsel not to send them to school too young. Ellen White’s counsel is even more specific with respect to personal and spiritual qualifications for teachers: “Our church schools need teachers who have high moral qualities; those who can be trusted; those who are sound in the faith.”4 She continued, “Only devout and consecrated men and women, who love children and can see in them souls to be saved for the Master, should be chosen as church school teachers.”5 Ellen White understood the power of role models and social learning theory. She urged, “Teachers are to do more for their students than to impart a knowledge of books. Their position as guide and instructor of the youth is most responsible, for to them is given the work of molding mind and character. Those who undertake this work should possess well-balanced, symmetrical characters. They should be refined in manner, neat in dress, careful in all their habits; and they should have that true Christian courtesy that wins confidence and respect. The teacher should be himself what he wishes his students to become.”6 Academic qualifications were to be balanced with teachers’ ability to foster wholistic development. “The principles and habits of the teacher should be considered of greater importance than even his literary qualifications. If the teacher is a sincere Christian, he will feel the necessity of having an equal interest in the physical, mental, moral, and spiritual education of his scholars. In order to exert the right influence, he should have perfect control over himself, and his own heart should be richly imbued with love for his pupils, which will be seen in his looks, words, and acts.”7
The formation of healthy behaviors and an intelligent understanding of how to care for health is essential. “Many students are deplorably ignorant of the fact that diet exerts a powerful influence upon the health.”8 Ellen White would give an approving nod to including free hot lunches in the curriculum, along with lessons on nutrition and health, and a shorter school day. In addition to outdoor exercise, Ellen White advised: “Students should not be permitted to take so many studies that they will have no time for physical training. The health cannot be preserved unless some portion of each day is given to muscular exertion in the open air. . . . Equalize the taxation of the mental and physical powers, and the mind of the student will be refreshed. If he is diseased, physical exercise will often help the system to recover its normal condition. When students leave college, they should have better health and a better understanding of the laws of life than when they entered it. The health should be as sacredly guarded as the character.”9 In every facet of education, students should leave school better than when they started. Point of Departure
On the basis of Ellen White’s writings, Finnish education would get an “A” grade with respect to preparing students for the “joy of service in this world.” However, Finnish education stops short of the redemptive purpose she envisioned of leading students to Christ and thereby preparing them for “the higher joy of wider service in the world to come.”10 n 1 World
of R&D 2011. Source: Battelle, R&D Magazine, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, CIA World Factbook, OECD. http://www.rdmag.com/articles/2011/12/2012-global-r-d-fundingforecast-r-d-spending-growth-continues-while-globalization-accelerates. 2 Ellen G. White, Child Guidance (Nashville: Southern Pub. Assn., 1954), p. 332. 3 Ellen G. White, Counsels for the Church (Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1991), p. 208. 4 Ibid., p. 207. 5 Ellen G. White, Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1913), p. 166. 6 Ellen G. White, Daughters of God (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1998), p. 87. 7 Ibid., pp. 86, 87. 8 Ellen G. White, Fundamentals of Christian Education (Nashville: Southern Pub. Assn., 1923), p. 147. 9 Ibid., pp. 146, 147. 10 Ellen G. White, Education (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1903), p. 13.
Lisa Beardsley-Hardy, Ph.D., M.P.H., is
director of the Education Department for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists world headquarters.
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A D V E N T I S T
L I F E
By Caron Oswald
Celebrates1O Years G L O W / F A C E B O O K
And stories abound!
G
iving Light to Our World (GLOW) started in 2007 with a simple idea: every believer sharing hope and a future in Jesus every day wherever they go. During the past 10 years 85 million pocket-size GLOW tracts have been printed in more than 60 languages, with 40 titles, for 45 countries. A rapidly growing “army”— young, old, and all ages in between—carry the easy-toshare tracts and trust God’s leading. It’s a lifestyle. GLOW is modeled after the pioneers of the Advent movement. In a vision in 1848, God gave Ellen White a message for her husband, James: “You must begin to print a little paper and send it out to the people. . . . From this small beginning it was shown to me to be like streams of light that went clear round the world.”1 This was referring to the paper Present Truth, later the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald (now Adventist Review, www.adventistreview.org); the principle, however, is the same for GLOW tracts. Somewhere in the world right now, someone is handing out GLOW tracts. What follows are a few brief stories of people’s experiences with GLOW.
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K A M I L
M E T Z
This group distributed GLOW tracts in Romania and Ukraine ahead of evangelistic meetings to be held in those regions. A woman in Fiji compares the information in a GLOW tract with her Bible. United States
When Pope Francis visited Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in September 2015, crowds at the Saturday concert were estimated to reach 500,000. For Mass on Sunday, more than 1 million people were expected. So GLOW leaders organized a 10-day mission trip to Philadelphia with the goal of distributing 1 million tracts. One afternoon a young adult volunteer was handing out GLOW tracts in a parking lot and gave three tracts to a man. “Where is the other man?” he asked. “What man?” the volunteer replied. Then the man explained. Two weeks before he had dreamed that a tall blond man had given him three GLOW tracts, the same tracts he had just received. Also, he had seen two other tracts, and he named the titles. The volunteer didn’t believe he had those tracts in his bag, but he looked anyway. And there they were—one of each! The man thanked the volun-
teer for the tracts and went on his way. The volunteer is still uncertain who the blond man in the dream was. Kenya
From Kenya, Moses e-mailed his experience: “I am not a Seventh-day Adventist practitioner, but I read your magazine, Adventist World, and I cut out the GLOW tracts.2 I gave a ‘Secrets of Mental Health’ tract to a patient on his deathbed. After reading it, the patient gave his life to Christ before he died. I want to get more of your magazines and GLOW tracts.” Netherlands
Danny, in the Netherlands, was getting a haircut. A few weeks earlier he and his hairdresser had talked about the Sabbath after she said she was a Christian. She then asked Danny a question: “I don’t understand why you go to church on Saturday and everyone else goes on Sunday.” Danny left her with a few Bible texts and a copy of The Great Controversy, by Ellen White. The next time Danny headed out for his haircut appointment, he had a plan. While sitting in the shop chair, he read the notes he had written in the margins of his Bible. Curious, his hairdresser asked what he was reading. He said he was reading Sabbath texts in the book of Acts. He showed her a few, and she read them out loud. A customer came over to see what was going on. The hairdresser enthusiastically summarized everything she had heard and read. By now the hairdresser was convinced that Saturday was the Sabbath and wanted to tell her husband about it. Danny showed her a few GLOW tracts, which she wanted to share with her customers. He left her a stack of tracts and hoped his hair would grow quickly so he would need another haircut soon. United States
In the United States, Liz was working at home when she heard a knock on the door. When she opened it, David, who was handing out GLOW tracts, was already walking toward the next house. Liz called out to let him know she was home. Back on her porch, David handed Liz a GLOW tract. “I have chills right now!” Liz said. “Not too long ago I had a dream. In the dream I saw two ministers of the gospel coming to my house sharing literature.” David was thrilled to hear about her dream, but he was the only person there. Just then Taylor, his ministry partner, arrived. He had run out of GLOW tracts and had come looking for David to get more. Now there were two ministers of the gospel at her door. Liz looked at David and Taylor. “I believe this is from
God. In my dream I saw two ministers at my door bringing me hope. I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘This is your last chance. I’m coming back soon!’ Please pray for me. I need Jesus in my life.” Philippines
In the Philippines a church member personally experienced a visual example of Giving Light to Our World. One afternoon he was walking through several neighborhoods handing out GLOW tracts. In his city it was customary for trash to be swept into small piles near the street and burned. Someone lit a pile of trash near where the church member was handing out tracts. Then a man walked by and noticed that one paper that had blown into the pile was not burning. Intrigued, he picked it up and tried to light it—but it wouldn’t catch fire. He called a few people over to see this strange happening. Speechless, the small crowd watched his failed attempts to burn the pamphlet. Across the street, the church member noticed the crowd and went to see what was happening. Stunned, he told them he was the person who was handing out the leaflets. He then invited all of them to an evangelistic meeting at his church that evening. Some came just for the one meeting; others continued to come until the evangelistic series ended. Several of the eyewitnesses of the tract that wouldn’t burn were baptized! “I love the stories,” says Nelson Ernst, GLOW director for the Pacific Union Conference in the United States. “Like when a kid dropped a tract from the second floor of a mall, and it fell into a woman’s open purse. Or when someone was stopped from committing suicide because a GLOW tract was shared at just the right time. But probably my favorite stories are about church members who are excited because they have actually done the outreach and experienced the satisfaction and fulfilment that come with selfless ministry.” To learn more about GLOW, go to sdaglow.org. To watch GLOW testimonies on video, go to vimeo.com/user13970741. n G. White, Life Sketches of Ellen G. White (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1915), p. 125. 2 GLOW tracts have been printed in a few previous issues of Adventist World. 1 Ellen
Caron Oswald, now retired, served as vice
president of Communication for the Central California Conference.
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B I B L E
Q U E S T I O N S
A N S W E R E D
Strangers & I rarely hear references to believers as pilgrims in this world. Was that not a good biblical image?
It’s always been a valuable biblical image to designate the people of God. The tendency now is to use the less-religious idea of a journey. I suppose this has something to do with secularism and political correctness. Consequently, we talk about “my journey in life,” which is a private matter. Let me explore some of the main components of the biblical image of God’s people as pilgrims. 1. People on the Move: It would appear that it is in the context of the Fall that images of pilgrims surface in the Bible. As a result of humanity’s rebellion, God “banished him from the Garden of Eden”; away from the tree of life (Gen. 3:23, NIV). It is even stated that the Lord “drove the man out” (verse 24, NIV). The verb garash (“to expel”) is the same verb used to refer to the divine activity of expelling the sinful Canaanites from their land (e.g., Ex. 33:2; Joshua 24:18; Ps. 78:55). After the Fall, humans lost their land and were heading to a hostile and almost unproductive land (Gen. 3:17-19). Two cherubim “[guarded] the way to the tree of life” (verse 24, NIV). From then on humans lived as pilgrims, or sojourners, on the land that was not originally theirs. The image specifically applies to the patriarchs (Gen. 15:13; 35:27; 47:9) and to the Israelites who left Egypt. The Lord described His people, even after they had been dwelling in the land of Canaan, as sojourners on the land He had provided for them (Lev. 25:23). David reaffirmed this reality (1 Chron. 29:15; Ps. 39:12). God intended to give them a better land, what Isaiah would call “new heavens and a new earth” (Isa. 65:17). 2. Pilgrims and Identity: It is difficult for foreigners to hide their identity. They differ from natives in the way they dress and speak, and in what they eat. When applied to believers, the image conveys the idea that God’s people are peculiar among the nations of the earth. They are pilgrims because Christ, at the cost of His sacrificial death, called them to become pilgrims; to be in the world but not belong the world; to be holy (Heb. 11:8; 1 Peter 1:17, 18;
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Pilgrims John 17:14-17). He was the pilgrim par excellence, and became the pilgrims’ “way” of life (John 14:6). Christians, as citizens of the heavenly city, are called to represent the values of their heavenly home through their deportment in every way possible. As aliens and sojourners, they are not to be controlled by the desires of a sinful nature (1 Peter 2:11), but to “keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles” (1 Peter 2:12, NASB).* In their pilgrimage in a land of sin and suffering they go through trials, but are encouraged to persevere (1 Peter 1:6, 7). 3. Pilgrims and Hope: The image of God’s people as pilgrims also has a last-day component. The pilgrimage is not a random journey; it is oriented toward a goal. Abram went out “looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Heb. 11:10, NIV). The pilgrims’ final destination is the place that orients all other places: the dwelling of God. Pilgrims anticipate when they will find themselves at the cosmic center of worship to bow down in adoration and gratitude to their Creator and Redeemer. This will take place at the Second Coming, when Christ will fulfill the promise made to His disciples to take them to His Father’s house (John 14:1-3). For now, pilgrims journey toward the heavenly city, the better country (Heb. 11:16), possessing that specific goal by faith in divine promises. Concerning previous pilgrims, it is said that “they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth” (verse 13, NIV). Pilgrims hold on to God’s promises in absolute trust. At the same time they tell others that they are pilgrims, and invite others to join them in their travel to where God dwells at the center of the cosmos. n * Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
Angel Manuel Rodríguez is retired after
serving as a pastor, professor, and theologian.
B I B L E
S T U D Y
By Mark A. Finley
Incomparable
Christ
J
esus is divine. He exists from eternity (John 8:58). He never had a beginning, and will never have an ending. He is from eternity (Micah 5:2). Christ’s eternal nature is intimately linked to His ability to redeem the human race. An angel could not redeem us. Angels are created beings. They do not have eternal life, so they could not give us eternal life. If Jesus was not eternal, He would not have the authority to give us something He does not have. Some people read certain Bible texts that Jesus is “the beginning of the creation of God,” “the firstborn of creation,” and “begotten of the Father,” and wrongly conclude that He was brought forth sometime in ages past and is not eternal. In this month’s lesson we will carefully examine these passages.
1 What title did John the revelator use to describe Jesus? Read Revelation 3:14. Some people wonder about the expression, “the Beginning of the creation of God.” Was Jesus the first being created? The Greek word for “beginning” in this passage is arche. It literally means the originator, the principal cause, the one who began God’s creation. Jesus is the beginning of God’s creation in the sense that He created all things (Eph. 3:8, 9).
2
In describing Jesus as Creator, what term did the apostle Paul use? Read Colossians 1:15, 16. In the Bible the “firstborn” was privileged to receive the inheritance as the representative of his Father. The firstborn held the title deed to his father’s wealth and property. The term firstborn did not always relate to the time of one’s birth, but to his privileged position. David was called firstborn when he was actually the youngest son of Jesse. He was preeminent over all the tribes of Israel. Jesus is called the “firstborn” from the dead (Rev. 1:5). Many were raised from the dead before Him, but He is preeminent over death because He conquered the grave.
3 How does Hebrews 1 reveal Jesus’ eternal nature? Read verses 1-3. Jesus is the “brightness” of the Father’s glory, the “express
image” of His person. These two expressions powerfully portray Christ’s eternal relationship with the Father.
4
Why does the Bible use the expression “only begotten” to describe Jesus Christ? Compare John 1:14, 3:16, and 1 John 5:1. “Only begotten” describes Jesus’ unique role as the divine Son of God born into this world. No one else in the universe is like Him. He is both Son of God and Son of man. “Begotten” is used to portray the new birth (1 John 5:1). When we are born again, we are “begotten” of God. This does not mean we existed before; it simply reveals the uniqueness of our new birth when we were reborn to new life.
5
When the angel revealed to Mary that she would give birth to the Christ child, what terms did he use to describe Jesus? Read Luke 1:31-35.
6 If Jesus and the Father both existed from eternity, why is Jesus called the “Son of God,” and why does He declare that the Father is greater? Compare the following passages: Luke 19:10, John 14:28, and Philippians 2:5-9. Jesus’ statements declaring “the Father is greater than I” were spoken in light of His incarnation. When Jesus became a man, He gave up His privileges and prerogatives as God’s equal. He “made Himself of no reputation,” or, as many translations put it, He “emptied” Himself. Jesus voluntarily surrendered His rights as God to redeem us. Only One equal with the Father could reveal the Father’s love to lost humanity, represent the Father to fallen humanity, and redeem us from the penalty and power of sin. Jesus is unique. No one else is like Him in the universe. He is the eternal Son of God, coexistent with the Father from eternity. For this reason He has the ability to save us. We can praise God for His marvelous love. n October 2017 | Adventist World - nad
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IDEA EXCHANGE
50 of
G E R M A N I S C H E S N AT I O N A L M U S E U M
YEARS
eformation
1517
1518
Martin Luther, a German monk, posts 95 theses (propositions) for reforming the Roman Catholic Church.
Swiss preacher Ulrich Zwingli adds his voice in calling for reform.
S E A L :
S T O C K U N L I M I T E D
England’s King Henry VIII used the Reformation as an excuse to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon, marry Anne Boleyn, and start the Church of England.
PrayerW
K I N G
PRAISE
I need prayer to pass all my classes this semester in school. Morris, via e-mail Please pray for me to be released from financial bondage. Monique, via e-mail
The Lord has put it upon my heart to start my own business to serve older adults who are in need. Please pray that I humble myself before the Lord and trust in His plan for my life. Dominique, via e-mail
My husband and I have been praying to have a baby. Arina, via e-mail
Please pray for Gail M., a breast cancer survivor, who now needs a biopsy for a suspicious mammogram. Gail, via e-mail
Please pray for me. I need a serious change in my life. Nothing seems to be on track. Tamary, via e-mail
Please pray for me. I am struggling in my walk with Christ and trying to renew my mind. Tiffany, via e-mail
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Adventist World - nad | October 2017
H E N R Y:
G O O G L E A R T P R O J E C T F R A M E : P I X A B AY
Please pray for deliverance for my daughter who is an alcoholic. Cheryl, via e-mail I pray for good health for my parents and me. I need help to choose the right path for my life throughout my teenage years. Thabisile, via e-mail Jesus, please forgive my many sins and heal me. Michael, via e-mail Thank you so much for the prayers. I passed the licensure exam for professional teachers. Alyssa, Philippines
P O S S I B LY B Y H A N S H O L B E I N
1541 1545
1560 1562 1568
John Calvin founds a Protestant church in Geneva, Switzerland.
John Knox founds the Protestant Church of Scotland.
The Roman Catholic Church launches the CounterReformation.
Martin Luther’s hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” is considered “The Battle Hymn of the Reformation.”
Catholics and Protestants clash violently in France.
Dutch Protestants lead a revolt against Catholic Spain.
Prolific
PLASTIC 822,000 E I F F E L T O W E R S
80 MILLION BLUE WHALES
25,000 E M P I R E S TAT E B U I L D I N G S
Prayers for a friend who is going through a rather big problem. He needs the hand of God in these difficult times. Eliezar, via -mail
1BILLION ELEPHANTS
S
:
S
T
O
C
K
Source: USA Today
U N
L
answered prayer) to prayer@adventistworld.org. Keep entries short and concise, 50-words or less. Items will be edited for space and clarity. Not all submissions will be printed. Please include your name and your country’s name. You may also fax requests to: 1-301-680-6638; or mail them to Adventist World, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600 U.S.A.
Since the 1950s, 8,255,381,134,000 kilograms (18.2 trillion pounds) of plastic have been produced. China, the United States, and Europe produce the most. A study published by the journal Science Advances says that only about 9 percent of plastic has been recycled. The best recyclers are China and Europe.
G
Prayer & Praise: Send prayer requests and praise (thanks for
N D I I L B U
Pray for my wife and me and our spiritual lives, that God will give us the power to overcome temptation and sin and to place our reliance on God. Tinei, via e-mail
IM
IT E
D
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IDEA EXCHANGE “Behold, I come quickly…”
K E V I N
E N G
565
Years Ago
O
n September 30, 1452, the first section of the Gutenberg Bible was finished in Mainz, Germany, by Johannes Gutenberg. Ancient books had primarily been written on scrolls, though an innovation in the second century A.D.—the codex, a sheaf of pages bound at one edge—gave us the familiar book form we recognize today. Early codices were produced by hand by monks in scriptoriums, working with pen and ink, copying manuscripts one page at a time. A book the size of the Bible, rich with color and illuminations, would take years. Gutenberg’s genius was to separate each element of the calligraphic blackletter script commonly used by scribes into its most basic components—lowercase and capital letters, punctuation, and connected ligatures standard in Medieval calligraphy—nearly 300 different shapes that were each cast in quantity and assembled to form words, lines, and full pages of text. He also invented a printing press. Gutenberg produced about 180 copies of the Bible: 145 that were printed on handmade paper imported from Italy and the remainder on more luxurious, expensive vellum. Only four dozen Gutenberg Bibles remain, and of these only 21 are complete. Gutenberg’s contemporaries called his printing press “the art of multiplying books.” It was a major catalyst for the Renaissance, the scientific revolution, and the Protestant Reformation. Source: The Writer’s Almanac
A New
Blue Zone
The population with the healthiest arteries in the world is found among the Tsimané people in the Bolivian Amazon. Its men are active six to seven hours a day; and its women are active four to six hours. Their diet consists of 72 percent nonprocessed, high-fiber carbohydrates (rice, nuts, fruit) and 14 percent protein. Nearly 90 percent of Tsimané aged 40 to 94 had no heart disease risk, compared to only 14 percent of people who live in industrialized settings.
Our mission is to uplift Jesus Christ, uniting Seventh-day Adventists everywhere in beliefs, mission, life, and hope.
Publisher The Adventist World, an international periodical of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The General Conference, Northern Asia-Pacific Division of Seventh-day Adventists®, is the publisher. Adventist Review Ministries Board Ted N. C. Wilson, chair; Guillermo Biaggi, vice chair, Bill Knott, secretary; Lisa Beardsley-Hardy, Williams Costa, Daniel R. Jackson, Peter Landless, Robert Lemon, Geoffrey Mbwana, G. T. Ng, Daisy Orion, Juan Prestol-Puesán, Ella Simmons, Artur Stele, Ray Wahlen, Karnik Doukmetzian, legal advisor Executive Editor/Director of Adventist Review Ministries Bill Knott Associate Director of Adventist Review Ministries International Publishing Manager Chun, Pyung Duk Adventist World Coordinating Committee Jairyong Lee, chair; Yukata Inada; German Lust; Chun, Pyung Duk; Han, Suk Hee; Lyu, Dong Jin Editors based in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA André Brink, Lael Caesar, Gerald A. Klingbeil (associate editors), Sandra Blackmer, Stephen Chavez, Costin Jordache, Wilona Karimabadi Editors based in Seoul, Korea Chun, Pyung Duk; Park, Jae Man; Kim, Hyo-Jun Operations Manager Merle Poirier Editors-at-Large Mark A. Finley, John M. Fowler Senior Advisor E. Edward Zinke Financial Manager Kimberly Brown Manuscript Evaluation Coordinator Marvene Thorpe-Baptiste Management Board Jairyong Lee, chair; Bill Knott, secretary; Chun, Pyung Duk; Karnik Doukmetzian; Han, Suk Hee; Yutaka Inada; German Lust; Ray Wahlen; Ex-officio: Juan Prestol-Puesán; G. T. Ng; Ted N. C. Wilson Art Direction and Design Jeff Dever, Kim Pollock Consultants Ted N. C. Wilson, Juan Prestol-Puesán, G. T. Ng, Guillermo E. Biaggi, Mario Brito, Abner De Los Santos, Dan Jackson, Raafat A. Kamal, Michael F. Kaminskiy, Erton C. Köhler, Ezras Lakra, Jairyong Lee, Israel Leito, Thomas L. Lemon, Solomon Maphosa, Geoffrey G. Mbwana, Blasious M. Ruguri, Saw Samuel, Ella Simmons, Artur A. Stele, Glenn Townend, Elie Weick-Dido To Writers: We welcome unsolicited manuscripts. Address all editorial correspondence to 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600, U.S.A. Editorial office fax number: (301) 680-6638 E-mail: worldeditor@gc.adventist.org Web site: www.adventistworld.org Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible references are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Texts credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. Adventist World is published monthly and printed simultaneously in Korea, Brazil, Indonesia, Australia, Germany, Austria, Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, and the United States.
Source: The Lancent/The Rotarian
Vol. 13, No. 10
46
Adventist World - nad | October 2017
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