AW NAD English - April 2017

The International Paper for Seventh-day Adventists

Apr i l 2 01 7

If They Can’t the

Read Words...

7 Vegetarianism and Diabetes 22 Giver God 40 Arctic Adventism

North American Division | n a d

Apr il 2017 The International Paper for Seventh-day Adventists

Apr il 201 7

If They Can’t the

Read Words...

7 Vegetarianism and Diabetes 22 Giver God 40 Arctic Adventism

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W O R L D

C O V E R

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If They Can’t Read the Words . . .

I n some parts of the world up to 30 percent of the population can’t read anything, let alone the Bible.

By Bill Knott

V I S T A

A Biblical Basis for Church Governance and Authority

By Elias Brasil de Souza

It begins and ends with Christ.

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U N D A M E N T A L

B E L I E F S

Giver God

By Lael Caesar

Can we be as generous as God is? It depends on how we see God.

30 Unity: Then and Now, Part 2

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E A T U R E

By Mark A. Finley

Living as first century Christians in a twenty-firstcentury world

Strangers Into Friends 34 Turning

N A D

F E AT U R E

The United States, a nation of immigrants, is about to receive a new batch.

20 Beyond the Cross

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S T O R Y

E V O T I O N A L

40 Arctic Adventism

By Jarod Thomas

What Jesus does now is as important as what He did then.

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D V E N T I S T

L I F E

By Juliana Baioni

Building bridges among native Alaskans

D E PA RT M E N T S 3 W O R

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R E P O R T

3 News Briefs 10 NAD News 14 NAD Update 17 NAD Perspective 19 NAD Letters

7 W O R L D H E A L T H Vegetarianism and Diabetes

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P I R I T O F P R O P H E C Y

We Shall See Him As He Is 42 B

I B L E Q U E S T I O N S A N S W E R E D

The Lord Our God Is One

www.adventistworld.org Available in 10 languages online

43 B I B L E S T U D Y Why Does Doing Right Seem So Hard?

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I D E A

E X C H A N G E

ON THE COVER: A woman in El Salvador learns to read and write. She is part of an initiative co-sponsored by the Inter-American Division, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency, and Partners in Mission in the North American Division.

C O V E R

P H O T O

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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. 4, April 2017.

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Adventist World - nad | April 2017

One Minute of Your Time

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WORLD REPORT

Young Adventists Infuse

New Life

Into “Aging” Church in Japan

U N I O N

M I S S I O N

Setagaya congregation, rebranded, hopes to train 300 young leaders

J A PA N

f you read at an average speed, there will be 250 babies born on this planet while you read these words.

Those babies aren’t simply data points on a global population trend line: they are real, flesh-and-blood human beings. Their stories, like yours, will be filled with happiness and sorrow, threat, and possibility— and the opportunity to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

The good news is that climbing global literacy rates suggest that 218 of those babies may someday be able to read as you do today.

Through the efforts of families, schools, government initiatives, and faith-based organizations like Adventist World, they will have the chance to fully participate in their world because they can understand the symbols on a printed page, Web screen, or street sign.

The hard news is that in some world regions with the fastest-growing populations, no more than two-thirds of those children will ever acquire the ability to read either the words or the Word. Those born where literacy efforts are still tentative often struggle to reach their full potential because they are vulnerable to the manipulation of others who prey on their lack of knowledge.

The Second Advent movement now circles the globe, embracing a combined family of members and involved friends totaling more than 25 million persons. This movement has always assumed the priority of being able to read and write. The Protestant principle of sola scriptura—the Bible alone— as the principle for understanding God’s will for our lives preserves the right of an individual reader to discover truth in that sacred moment of engagement with the Bible.

Seventh-day Adventists support literacy efforts because they improve the quality of every new reader’s life. Literacy also gives that new reader the best opportunity to personally know the love of Jesus, which surpasses knowledge.

Keep reading—and keep praying for those babies born while you’ve been reading these words.

E. Douglas Venn, Global Mission Urban Centers director, with the young adults at Setagaya Youth Church in Tokyo.

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Seventh-day Adventist congregation in Tokyo, Japan, had dwindled to fewer than 10 active members, prompting fears it would be closed.

Instead, local leaders designated the church as the “Setagaya Youth Church,” and today membership is thriving as young adults find nourishment for their faith.

The now-regular weekly Sabbath attendance of 25 to 30 people, one-third young adults, jumps to as many as 70 for a monthly Bible seminar. Many of the young people stay at the church over the weekend in sleeping bags, eating meals together, and going to the nearby onsen, or public bath, at night. Saturday nights feature fellowship at the church for the young people.

Continued on next page

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WORLD REPORT

P H O T O S :

J A PA N

U N I O N

M I S S I O N

Enthusiastic young adults during fellowship time at Setagaya Youth Church in Tokyo.

A weekend Bible conference at the Setagaya Youth Church in Tokyo, Japan, draws many for study.

Jin Kaidi, a Chinese young adult, age 23, is one of those young adults.

He is studying chemistry at Tokyo Denki University, and began attending Adventist worship when Yasuki Aoki, Youth Ministries Department director for the Japan Union Conference, invited him. Two years ago, Kaidi was baptized and now attends the Setagaya church.

“I enjoy this church because people in my age group are here,” he said.

Risa Horita, also 23, came from a nonreligious family but found the Seventh-day Adventist Church while a student at Glendale Community College in California. She started attending the Setagaya Youth Church and participated in “Youth Rush Japan,” an evangelistic outreach, last year. She said she “enjoys passing out tracts to homeless people along with a bottle of water.”

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Church leaders, including Aoki and Daniel Fukuda, a youth literature evangelism leader who works for the Japan Union Conference, say the Setagaya Youth Church offers three programs—each once a month—with young adults in mind.

The “@Church” meetings are designed for people to invite their nonChristian friends. Subjects include creation versus evolution, what is the Bible, and what is Christianity. Every Thursday evening an English-Japanese language exchange gathers at the church.

Practical evangelism is taught in the “@World” meetings. The congregation does volunteer work in the Setagaya district. A group of community people gather at the Setagaya church every other Friday for meetings about how to better serve its community. A Christmas program drew 30 visitors from the neighborhood.

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The @World group plans to organize two to three weeks of literature evangelism every winter, spring, and summer for young people at various locations all over Japan.

Perhaps the most ambitious effort is “Gideon 300,” where Setagaya seeks to equip 300 young people to become disciples and leaders for the church and send them out across Japan in evangelistic efforts.

Kameyama Hartuo, who, after studying theology at an Adventist college in Thailand, started a selfsupporting media and discipleship training ministry, also attends the Setagaya Youth Church. He preaches and leads Bible study groups there, as needed.

“Beside producing media that is relevant to young people in Japan, which is my official ministry, I love going to restaurants and izakayas (Japanese bars) with non-Christian friends. Of course, I don’t drink there, but these friends feel free to ask me about my faith and lifestyle, and then I can break down biblical concepts of life as well as my conviction in Jesus.”

From a congregation on the brink of collapse, it appears that Setegaya Youth Church is now showing the way to revival in Japan.

— By Mark A. Kellner with reporting

by Daniel Fukuda in Tokyo

Major

Outreach Program Launched in Ukraine

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wave of meetings across Eastern Europe.

In all, more than 4,300 sites hosted evangelistic series in eight countries: Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine.

Seventh-day Adventist General Conference president Ted N. C. Wilson, speaking at an orientation meeting for evangelists in Ukraine, expressed hope that “what God is going to do in Eastern Europe over the next six weeks will inspire a spiritual revival across Europe.”

“Eyes are upon you,” Wilson told a group of lay members, ministers, and

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M c C H E S N E Y / A D V E N T I S T

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eventh-day Adventists from around the world descended on a Ukrainian college campus to finalize local plans for an enormous evangelistic endeavor that church leaders hope will spread across Europe.

On Friday evening, February 3, 2017, some 500 evangelistic meetings kicked off in Ukraine, and hundreds more across the former Soviet Union, as part of Total Member Involvement (TMI), a world church initiative that encourages every church member to share the gospel in their communities.

More than 2,000 meetings began a week later in Romania and elsewhere, followed by a third wave and a fourth

General Conference president Ted Wilson, second right, greets lay evangelists from Mexico on an Adventist college campus in Bucha, Ukraine, on February 2, 2017, as Euro-Asia Division president Michael Kaminskiy, right, watches.

church administrators gathered on the campus of the Ukrainian Adventist Center of Higher Education in Bucha, a town outside Ukraine’s capital, Kiev.

“People are watching what God will do here because God wants to do this everywhere.”

The evangelistic meetings were patterned after a combination of prayer, Bible study, community outreach, and preaching that resulted in a record 110,476 baptisms in Rwanda last year. But church leaders are not yet planning on a large number of baptisms at the conclusion of the Eastern European meetings. In Romania, for example, guests will first be invited to attend Bible studies. The first baptisms may take place in June. In the former Soviet Union, a vast territory with only about 113,000 members, church leaders hope the evangelistic meetings will reenergize local churches.

New Friends, New Contacts

“This is a good opportunity to encourage people to get involved and to preach,” said Michael Kaminskiy, president of the church’s Euro-Asia Division, whose territory covers much of the former Soviet Union.

Reinvigorated members are needed because some churches in Ukraine, for instance, have not had a single baptism in the past year, he said.

“The main goal of the evangelistic meetings,” Kaminskiy added, is not baptisms, but “to help the church make new friends and new contacts.”

To that end, the Euro-Asia Division organized meetings at 2,150 sites in February and March, and some as late as May, Kaminskiy said. Of those meetings, 1,000 were in Ukraine and another 700 in Moldova.

— by Andrew McChesney, Adventist Mission

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U N I V E R S I T Y

WORLD REPORT

L O M A

L I N D A

Left: William Johnsson, former editor of Adventist World and Adventist Review magazines, addresses those present at the center’s inauguration.

Above: Panelists included students and faculty, discussing how Christians and Muslims can understand each other better.

Loma Linda University’s

Center for Understanding World Religions Inaugurated

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eligious hostility often sits at the core of conflict and violence. Honest dialogue and mutual respect are part of the solution, and hence one reason Loma Linda University Health has created the William Johnsson Center for Understanding World Religions.

The new center, approved by the board of trustees in February 2016, held its inaugural event on Sabbath, January 28, 2017.

The name of the center recognizes former Adventist World and Adventist Review editor William Johnsson, and his contributions to promoting interreligious understanding in the Seventhday Adventist Church.

Johnsson served as assistant for interfaith relations for former General Conference president Jan Paulsen, following a prolific career in publishing and scholarship in the Adventist Church. Johnsson retired to Loma Linda in 2014, where he regularly teaches courses for the Loma Linda University (LLU) School of Religion and still writes books.

“Dr. Johnsson’s knowledge and passion for world religions have been

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that we can serve them appropriately.”

The William Johnsson Center for Understanding World Religions will hold meetings twice yearly, each focusing on a different religion.

The Center’s Founding

invaluable to our campus,” says Richard Hart, president of Loma Linda University Health.

Jon Paulien, dean of the School of Religion, who will serve as the center’s director, seconds Johnsson’s vast contributions. “The faculty of the School of Religion consider him one of the great Adventist figures of our era. His work with the Adventist Review and then interfaith relations has truly become legendary to us.”

Purpose of the Center

Dean Paulien notes that central to the definition of a university is the exchange and understanding of diverse ideas—such as different religious beliefs.

“Working or studying at Loma Linda University Health is a calling, not a job,” Paulien says. “If God calls non-Christians to Loma Linda, then that is a spiritual gift to us. They can benefit us by testifying to what God has done in their lives.

“Furthermore, the surest way to people’s hearts is through their faith,” he continues. “We need to understand the hearts of our students and employees of other belief systems so

Adventist World - nad | April 2017

The original suggestion for such a center came from Gabriela ProfetaPhillips, coordinator of Adventist Muslim Relations for the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.

Phillips and other General Conference representatives met with the School of Religion dean to develop a proposal to share at LLU Deans Council on December 2, 2015, coincidentally at the same time a young Muslim couple unleashed a terrorist attack on San Bernardino. In the wake of that tragic event, the Deans Council reacted to the idea favorably, with toplevel administrative commitment coming soon after.

Paulien remembers, “A month later we held a meeting with local Muslim leaders, engaging with them to communicate to the community that we at Loma Linda University Health want to be a center of healing, not just for our own campus, but more broadly. We expressed our desire to redouble our efforts to be a partner of peace in the wider community.”

—by Heather Reifsnyder, public relations editor/writer, Loma Linda University Health

By Peter N. Landless and Zeno L. Charles-Marcel

W O R L D

H E A L T H

Vegetarianism

Diabetes What’s the connection? and

Much is written about diabetes and its management. I have family members who have type 2 diabetes who have been told that eating protein and fats (including meat), with low carbohydrates (starches), is helpful in prevention. Should I follow this advice?

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ype 2 diabetes (T2D) is a very common disease and is increasing at alarming rates worldwide. We have written about this problem numerous times because of the relentless increase in numbers of the disease.

In 2015 it was estimated that 415 million people worldwide have T2D. Despite the many efforts at education and prevention, it’s estimated that— should the Lord tarry—by 2040 the number will approach 650 million!

This represents a huge burden of disease with many complications, including being the commonest cause of blindness and kidney failure in many parts of the world. This issue should not be taken lightly.

The cause of T2D is an interplay between genetic makeup and diet, and exercise (genes and environment, moderated by lifestyle and choices). A healthful diet, regular exercise, and maintaining normal body weight (body mass index) are very important in the prevention, control, and reversal of T2D. We will focus on the dietary component.

Robust data from the Adventist Health Studies1 indicates that nonvegetarians have a significantly higher risk of T2D than total vegetarians, ovo-lacto vegetarians, and even semi-vegetarians.

Mortality rates are higher in nonvegetarians than in vegetarians (all types).

Because the prevalence of vegetarians is relatively low in many countries (sadly, even in the Adventist Church), apart from the Adventist Health Studies there have not been large studies on vegetarians to compare outcomes. Some, even within the church, have questioned whether the Adventist Health Studies represent an “echo chamber” of the church speaking to itself.

In the reputable PLOS Medicine2 resource of June 14, 2016, a large data analysis of various diets in the prevention of T2D in approximately 200,000 people showed results that confirm and substantiate the already-solid findings of the Adventist Health Studies. The point is further emphasized that the quality and content of the vegetarian diet affects outcomes.

Investigators emphasized the importance of healthful and unhealthful plant-based diets, especially in the reduction of T2D. The exclusion or even reduction of flesh foods alone does not make the diet optimal.

In this large study, investigators created an overall plant-based diet index (PDI). Plant foods received positive scores; and animal foods, which included animal fats, dairy, eggs, fish/ seafood, poultry, red meat, and miscellaneous animal-based foods, received reverse scores. Additionally, there was a healthful plant-based diet index; foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and vegetable oils received positive scores.

Less-healthful plant foods (such as fruit juices, sweetened beverages, refined grains, potatoes, sweets/desserts) and animal foods received reverse or negative scores.

Using these tools, researchers analyzed 4,102,369 person-years of follow-up and documented 16,162 type 2 diabetes cases over this time. Other factors that influence the outcomes were considered, including the body weight (body mass index [BMI]). An elevated BMI was associated with increased T2D in those with unhealthful plant-based diets as well as those consuming animal products.

Researchers concluded that plantbased diets, especially when rich in high-quality plant foods, are associated with a significantly lower risk of developing T2D. They reference the Adventist Health Studies (quoting the church’s recommendation of a balanced vegetarian diet) contributing to the body of science that supports the shift to diets rich in healthful plant foods and reducing less healthful plant and animal foods.

Science again confirms that if we believe His prophets we will prosper.

Sadly, we become accustomed to the echoes we have heard over the years, to our detriment. n 1 2

https://publichealth.llu.edu/adventist-health-studies http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/

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.

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W O R L D

V I S T A

Occasionally I invite individuals to write for World Vista on important topics affecting the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This month Elias Brasil de Souza, director of the Biblical Research Institute, writes about church governance and authority. I am sure you’ll find this article to be a blessing.

—Ted N. C. Wilson.

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hurch governance and authority have become hot topics as the values of individual freedom and authenticity drive some contemporary ideological agendas.

As we reflect on this, we should let Scripture inform our understanding and perception of the church.

Organization and Structure in the Old Testament

In the covenant with Israel established at Sinai, detailed attention is given to the organization of the people around God’s presence in the sanctuary. A sizable portion of the Pentateuch deals with the building of the

A Biblical Basis for

Church Governance and Authority

By Elias Brasil de Souza

Built on a Solid Foundation

A close look at the Creation account shows how meticulously God brought the world into existence. By naming, organizing, and structuring the world He enabled it to function according to His purpose.

As the climax of His Creation work, God created humanity to care for Creation. Created in God’s image, the Edenic couple were to model God’s own leadership in their dealings with the created spheres placed under their responsibility. Looking at Creation, we see structure, organization, and leadership.

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sanctuary along with laws intended to nurture the relationship between God and His people. An institutional priesthood was put in place to administer the ritual services and instruct the people. Even the order and position of the tribes around the tabernacle were prescribed in detail.

While Aaron and his sons were established as the priesthood, the tribe of Levi was entrusted with specific functions related to the care, operation, and transportation of the tabernacle.

Such detailed instructions conveyed a strong sense of God’s holiness and the

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importance of organization for Israel’s journey to the Promised Land.

Such organization caught the attention of the surrounding nations.

As they beheld that former band of slaves camping, marching, and battling through the wilderness, they could not help recognizing the work of a powerful God. Admittedly, no one would advocate such an earthly priesthood or military mission for God’s people living this side of the cross. However, we must recognize the validity of the principle that lies behind the Old Testament account of God’s dealings with Israel. So in the New Testament God’s people also operate within a kind of structure or order.

Organization and Structure in the New Testament

Jesus entrusted 12 apostles with authority to lead His people in preaching the good news (Matt. 10:1-6). The number 12 suggests continuity with the Old Testament. On another occasion, Jesus commissioned 70 disciples to go in pairs to certain places (Luke 10:116). In choosing the 70 the Lord was establishing a plan for carrying on the gospel mission in an organized way.

Interestingly, Moses had a similar number of elders to rely on as he led God’s people to the Promised Land (Num. 11:16-17, 25; see also Ex. 24:1, 9-14).

Jesus’ selection of the 12 and the 70 indicates that organized leadership was necessary to conduct the mission.

Some people claim that Jesus never intended to form an institutional organization (i.e., the church). But a careful look at the Gospel narratives shows that Jesus organized a group of apostles and disciples to carry out missionary work.

After Christ ascended to heaven, with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and rapid growth of the church, the apostles were led toward further organization (see Acts 6).

When controversy arose between Jewish and Gentile Christians, a council was convened in Jerusalem (Acts 15).

A consensus was reached, a decision was made, the congregations accepted the decision, and the early church continued to focus on the mission of proclaiming Jesus to the world.

Thanks to that organized procedure of gathering, discussing, deciding, and abiding by the decision they had made, the apostolic church could move forward. As the church spread to different regions of the GrecoRoman world, a more formal kind of church governance was established, with some offices and functions more clearly delineated in order to foster doctrinal and mission-based unity.

A few aspects become clear as we examine the New Testament. Each congregation had an established leadership composed of elders who were assisted by deacons (Acts 14:23; 20:17; Phil. 1:1). The elders administered the Lord’s supper, exercised discipline, resolved disputes, and gave instruction in sound doctrine (Titus 1:9).

Church officers were elected by the members of the congregation (e.g., Acts 6:5, 6) and examined and confirmed by the elders (Acts 6:6; 13:1-3; 1 Tim. 4:14). So the apostolic church soon understood that to remain a cohesive and effective body of believers they needed some kind of governance. In choosing a system consisting of elders and deacons, they were guided by the Spirit to apply principles already contained in the Old Testament and exemplified by Jesus.

Church Authority: A Relic?

At this point, the question emerges whether church structure and governance is still something to be taken seriously. Some might argue that church authority is a relic of a medieval past that needs to be discarded.

The current Zeitgeist frowns upon notions of authority and power since

they may be regarded as driven by oppressive ideologies.

The Bible does not portray organization and systems of authority as bad in themselves. Although the Scriptures often show that systems of power and authority have been distorted by sin, it also demonstrates that when properly exercised power and authority can be a blessing.

Authority Derived from Jesus

Before ascending to heaven, Jesus said: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Matt.

28:18). It was on the basis of this authority that Jesus granted the church the authority to carry out the mission. Therefore, the authority of the church is derived from Jesus (Matt. 16:19; 18:18; John 20:21, 22) and is to be exercised in harmony with God’s Word.

Based on this conviction, the apostolic church established a system of church governance—including that of ordaining leaders as Christ had ordained His 12 disciples—in order to advance the mission entrusted to them by the risen Lord.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church, as a result of an in-depth study of biblical principles, approved at the 2014 Annual Council a “Consensus Statement on a Seventh-day Adventist Theology of Ordination.” * A system of church authority and governance is required in order to maintain doctrinal unity and to implement the mission of the church.

Thus, compliance with decisions made by the legitimate representatives of the church organization is not optional. Although the Holy Spirit may be invoked to justify divergent practices by some individual segments of the church, the Spirit works in and through the body of believers as a whole and the leadership established by them. That the decision made by the Jerusalem Council became nor-

mative for the church at large becomes clear from the statement that as the apostles “went through the cities, they delivered to them the decrees to keep, which were determined by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem” (Acts 16:4).

Ultimate Source of Authority and Power

When pondering these issues, we should always bear in mind that authority and power ultimately derive from and originate in God because He is the Creator and Savior. Therefore, human authority is always limited and relative and is to be exercised according to the model established by Christ.

Whether we exercise authority as church officers or members, we should always remember the overriding principle that the greatest is the one who serves (Luke 22:26, 27) and the most powerful is the one who takes the towel and washes the other’s feet (John 13:13-15).

No power or authority within the church can claim independent or unilateral legitimacy in view of this model of interdependence established by the Chief Shepherd. Church officers at all levels, in order to be “examples to the flock,” will be ready to carry forward the mission of the church and also to submit to the collective wisdom of the body on matters about which some may not fully agree in order to move forward together. Then, “when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (1 Peter 5:4). n * Available at https://www.adventistarchives.org/consensusstatement-on-a-seventh-day-adventist-theology-of-ordination.pdf.

Elias Brasil de Souza, Ph.D.,

is director of the Biblical Research Institute in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.

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NAD NEWS an excellent administrator.”

Agrey currently serves as dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs at Kettering College in Ohio. He previously served as president for the AsiaPacific International University in Thailand.

“Throughout its 110-year history Burman University has provided excellence in faith-based education,” said Agrey. “I look forward to working with the administrative team, along with the faculty and staff, to continue this legacy of helping students achieve their academic, spiritual, and other life goals.”

Agrey has served as an educator for more than 35 years. From 2003 to 2010 he served in different capacities at Burman University in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada. In 2005, Agrey earned his Ph.D. in education from the University of Alberta.

—Burman University

Burman University Board

Votes

New President

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G L E A N E R

■■ In January 2017 the Adventist Ministries Convention recognized excellence in various ministries through presenting dedicated leaders with an award. Two award winners, Betty Cooney and Steve Vistaunet, were honored for their work in communication for the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Cooney received the 2017 AMC Lifetime Achievement Ministry Award. Since 2000 Cooney has been serving as communication director, health-projects coordinator, and Southern California Conference representative for ASI. While in New York she served as communication director of the

Greater New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Cooney represented the Adventist Church on the Electronic Media Committee of the National Council of Churches and Religion in American Life, and was a member of the Religion Communicators Council. From 1997 to1998 she served as associate director and communication director for the NET ’98 Bible satellite series, broadcasting worldwide in 40 languages and, in 1999, as satellite coordinator for a similar series, broadcasting internationally from New York City.

Cooney has served in communication/public relations for the Seventhday Adventist Church for more than 30 years.

Steve Vistaunet, assistant to the president of the North Pacific Union

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Communicators Awarded at Ministries Convention

PA C I F I C

Loren Agrey

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n February 6, 2017, the Burman University board of trustees voted Loren Agrey to serve as the institution’s twenty-fifth president. Agrey will succeed Mark Haynal, current president, who will be returning to the United States.

“I am confident that Dr. Loren Agrey will be an effective leader for Burman University,” said Mark Johnson, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada (SDACC) and Burman University board chair.

“Loren is both a ‘people person’ and

Anthony White (left), Dan Weber, and Desiree Lockwood take a moment to congratulate Steve Vistaunet (center right) for receiving the 2017 Adventist Ministries Convention Lifetime Achievement Award in Communication.

■■ More than 7,700 members of the Columbia Union Conference recently attended Caravan of Training meetings at 24 sites across its territory.

Before the meetings, Rubén Ramos, Columbia Union vice president for Multilingual Ministries, and his team distributed 19,000 copies of Como Compartir A Jesús (How to Share Jesus) to churches across the union with the goal of helping readers understand why they need to get involved in mission.

During the meetings Ramos and evangelist Alejandro Bullón further encouraged members to get personally involved in evangelizing their communities. Bullón challenged attendees to use Christ’s method of befriending and caring for people.

“To bring a friend to Christ through love is not a spiritual gift,” said Ramos. “It is a spiritual need.”

Local conference Multilingual Ministries directors and union conference staff have set a goal to baptize 3,000 people and start 1,000 small Continued on next page

Conference and editor of the North Pacific Union Gleaner, received the 2017 AMC Excellence in Ministry Award Recipient for Communication.

Vistaunet and his team have successfully maintained and exceeded the communication standards for union conferences across the North American Division (NAD), including the transition from print to digital media that seamlessly integrates both traditional and new media formats. Dan Weber, director of the NAD Office of Communication, said, “The material they produce is concise, clean, and effective across all platforms. They have set a standard that all church communicators should strive to achieve.”

—NAD Office of Communication

Nursing Simulation Center Preps Students for Real Practice ■■ For nursing students like Zachary Krall, learning to make life-anddeath patient-care decisions can be a daunting challenge. But thanks to Union College’s newly expanded nursing simulation center, Krall can practice in an environment even closer to the real thing, with interconnected rooms, high-tech patient simulators, and volunteer patients who mimic the experience of a real hospital.

“I’m glad I can build confidence in my ability to work effectively in a variety of settings before working with actual patients in a hospital,” said Krall, a junior nursing major from Washington, about the simulation center at the Lincoln, Nebraska, college. The patient simulators look like people and mimic human bodily functions, allowing students to feel a pulse, assess pupil reaction, listen to lungs, respond to a patient’s voice, and see reactions to medication.

“Union’s simulation center experience is different from clinical training in hospitals,” Krall said. “During simulations we make patient-care decisions on our own and see the results of our choices.”

“Simulation offers the only opportunity for students to practice the full scope of nursing skills before they actually become a nurse,” said Tracy Hagele, coordinator of Union’s nursing simulation center.

“Our program is unique because we emulate a real hospital,” Hagele said. “The nursing students work together as a team to care for several patients in multiple rooms—just as they will in a hospital unit—but without a clinical instructor looking over their shoulder. Instead, we watch from the control room to provide constructive feedback during the debrief.”

—Emily Wood, Union College

P I L L C O

Zachary Krall transferred to Union College’s nursing program after he met its faculty and understood how the Nursing Simulation Center prepares students for real-life nursing practice.

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Adventists Attend Caravan of Training Meetings

Church members hold copies of the book Como Compartir a Jesus (How to Share Jesus) at a Caravan of Hope training session.

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Teen Serves New Orleans Tornado Survivors ■■ Aaron Atkison and his mom were baptized at the Clinton, Arkansas, Seventh-day Adventist Church on February 11, 2017. After the church service Bev Wynot, an Adventist Community Services (ACS) volunteer, was preparing to go help in New Orleans. Aaron asked where she was going.

W A L L A

Carl Cosaert

Wynot explained that she was going to help victims of the recent tornado. She also told him about her work with disaster response. Atkison said he wanted to go along.

For several days Atkison was in New Orleans, tirelessly working to distribute emergency supplies to those affected by the tornado. He has spent a lot of time filling orders for those who requested prepackaged clothing outfits and loading the clothing van.

Atkison also helped keep the distribution line supplied with other items.

“It’s the right thing to do,” said Atkison. “I always want to volunteer when given the opportunity.”

Joe Watts, ACS Disaster Response director for the Southwestern Union Conference, said, “Aaron was baptized one day and serving others the next day. That’s the way it should be.”

—Adventist Community Services

Cosaert Named President of Adventist Theological Society

S E R V I C E S C O M M U N I T Y A D V E N T I S T

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groups in 2017. They also hope 1,000 church elders will each host two weeks of evangelism efforts. Plans are under way to celebrate member involvement in 2017 at a December 8-10 celebration in Ocean City, Maryland.

The Caravan of Training follows on the heels of the 2015 Caravan of Hope evangelistic campaign, through which more than 600 people were baptized across the Columbia Union Conference.

—V. Michelle Bernard, Columbia Union Visitor

U N I V E R S I T Y

NAD NEWS

Aaron Atkison fills orders for tornado survivors in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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■■ Carl Cosaert, a Walla Walla University professor of biblical studies, was named president of the Adventist Theological Society (ATS) in November 2016, following a twoyear term as president-elect. He will serve two years as president.

“What interested me in helping

Adventist World - nad | April 2017

out with ATS is its global outreach to the world church,” said Cosaert. “I’ve traveled for ATS internationally and have seen the blessing this organization has been in helping to educate church leaders as they grow in their understanding of the biblical basis of our Adventist beliefs.”

ATS resources are available by request from church leaders and seminaries for theological assistance, training, Bible symposia, and camp meeting speakers. The ATS regularly touches Adventist leaders, pastors, theologians, and lay people with messages about the inspiration, power, and depth of God’s Word.

In his work with ATS Cosaert has traveled to Africa, Australia, and other international locations. On an ATS trip to Mexico he helped with the recording of a video series titled Faithful to the Scriptures, which was prepared as a gift from the ATS to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The series consists of 26 programs, each 30 minutes in length, that introduce viewers to the books of the Bible and what it means to be faithful to them. The series is available at ATSacademy.org.

In 2014 Cosaert completed a term as president of the Adventist Society for Religious Studies (ASRS). He is the first individual to serve as the president of both the ATS and the ASRS. —Kim Strobel, Walla Walla University

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Refugees Served by

Refuge and Revelation Center Immigrants connect with Adventists

SNAPSHOTS OF

Refugee Outreach Ministries Terri Saelee, North American Division (NAD) Adventist Refugee and Immigrant Ministries coordinator, describes Vinh Nguyen as “creative and visionary.” One ministry is the printing press he started in his garage that now prints an outreach magazine in Vietnamese that is widely distributed across North America.

Nguyen also translates and prints Sabbath School lesson quarterlies for several refugee and immigrant language groups. He frequently takes his church

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members on literature evangelism trips.

They reach out to international students— several have been converted—and Nguyen also built a mission center on the Vietnamese Seventh-day Adventist Church property in El Monte, California, that was used to train, coordinate, and house interpreters for the 2016 Pathway to Health LA megaclinic.

Desta Gelgelu, the NAD’s church planting consultant for the Oromo language group, was an Adventist educator and

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Ed Keyes, Arizona Conference president, listens to the personal stories of ESL students who are served at the R&R Center. found employment after brushing up their basic English skills.”

Festo, a Congolese elder, appreciated his ESL course. “I need to know a second language, English, to talk to my manager and neighbors,” he said.

“We not only teach our students English, we teach them our Christian songs and choruses, and they love it,”

college president in Ethiopia before coming to the United States. When he arrived in the U.S., Gelgelu had a burden to plant a church for his language group, many of whom had come here as refugees.

Gelgelu soon learned there was not much funding. He went back to school and became a university professor so he could afford to plant a church without financial help from the church. “His dedication, self-sacrifice, and determined perseverance toward this goal have been incredible,” says Saelee.

The congregation has now purchased a church and is raising funds for necessary renovations.

S TA .

golese populace coming from various ethnic tribes.”

Refugees come from a variety of religious backgrounds, such as Protestant, Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim, and Seventh-day Adventist. Some of them, many nonbelievers, are eager for Bible studies.

The main program at the R&R Center includes teaching English as a second language (ESL) courses and citizenship review classes.

Sai Tial Tin, a Chin student, needed to study English for her citizenship test. “Many of our students like Sai Tial Tin have become U.S. citizens,” Sta. Ana says. “Others have

G L E N N

I

t is estimated that 4,000 refugees made Arizona their home in 2016.

The Arizona Conference has taken a major role in providing services for these people in transition.

In 2014 the Refuge and Revelation Center (R&R) opened its doors in Phoenix under the direction of Glenn Sta. Ana, assistant to the president for Asian-Pacific Ministries. He explains, “Our mission at the R&R Center is to serve the refugee communities encompassing metro Phoenix and its suburbs. We serve the Burmese, Karen, Karenni, Chin, Kachin, and some other minor ethnic Myanmar refugees. We likewise serve the Con-

A N A

By Phil Draper, Arizona Conference Communication Department

says ESL instructor Lauran Merginio.

“Our curriculum includes vocabulary coming from such Bible stories as Creation, the story of Abraham, and the birth of Jesus, and memory verses such as Genesis 1:1, John 3:16, Psalm 23:1, and many others. We also teach them how to pray in English.”

Elvira, a Mexican migrant, adds, “I like the [vocabulary] games. They help me learn the best.”

Church members and friends of the program have donated hundreds of articles of clothing. Every Wednesday, bread and vegetables are provided courtesy of the Glendale church Community Services program.

“One of the highlights of our service is our visits to many of our refugees’ homes,” says Sta. Ana. “Visits have endeared us to them and them to

us. We spend time listening to their stories. They are eager to share their journeys from their respective homelands to refugee camps in Thailand, Malaysia, and Rwanda.”

Refugee families often prepare simple evening meals for their instructors to experience their ethnic food and hospitality. They express gratitude for living in the land of freedom where they can work, where their children can receive an education, and where they can benefit from advanced health care for their senior citizens.

On Friday evenings and Sabbaths, the R&R Center is transformed into a place of worship. A conference-recognized small group of Adventist Myanmar refugees attend, plus some nonmembers. A larger group of refugees attend the Phoenix Central church.

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Multilingual Ministry Tools? awr.org

Congolese refugees hold their worship services in the Glendale Adventist Academy gym.

The R&R team includes Lauran Merginio, ESL director; Arlene Merginio, volunteer ESL teacher; their children as part of the visitation team, and the Glenn Sta. Ana and Geoff Tio families as auxiliary supporters in all activities.

“The success and continuity of our refugee program is by the grace of God,” Sta. Ana concludes. “He inspires church members to help financially, as well as give precious hours volunteering, teaching, or driving. We’re impacting the lives of our refugees by directing them to Jesus for their hope and salvation.”

This article is adapted from one that appeared in the February 2017 Pacific Union Recorder.

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April 2017 | Adventist World - nad

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NAD PERSPECTIVE

By Daniel R. Jackson

A Call to

C

Care

losing the door to refugees has never been a part of “the American way.” Welcoming them with shame and suspicion is unacceptable. Inciting fear-based prejudice is irresponsible. Followers of Jesus Christ are mandated to welcome all who seek refuge.

Throughout the Bible God instructs humankind to welcome strangers and treat them as equals: with love, care, and respect. Furthermore, in Matthew 25 Jesus raised the bar and said we should treat strangers better than ourselves. We are to treat them as we would treat God. We Christians are called to act, not just in word, but in deed. We are to take care of the least of these, those who are hungry, thirsty, sick, poor, prisoners, and strangers/refugees. We are to care for them without condition.

Historically, the United States has welcomed to its shores strangers looking for a better life. Our religious community, like this country, is made rich by its diversity. In fact, according to a recent report by the Pew Research Center, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is the most racially and ethnically diverse religious group in the U.S. Seventh-day Adventists are responding and meeting the needs of refugees internationally through the Adventist Development and Relief Agency. In North America specifically, our church has an established ministry that assists refugees seeking a better life for their families. Our Refugee and Immigrant Ministries team is ready to assist refugees from any land.

I have seen the plight of those who are displaced firsthand. In 2008 my wife and I traveled to Nakuru, Kenya, to volunteer in a camp that housed some 16,000 of the nearly 600,000 people displaced internally by the deadly violence that followed disputed elections. We provided assistance to mothers and their newborn babies. We spoke to many who shared stories of fear and spoke of their desperate struggle to survive, people looking for a better life.

The U.S. was built by immigrants, and has always answered the call to take in those who seek refuge, security, and a better life. Emma Lazarus best described the principle of American hospitality in her poem “The New Colossus,” words forever memorialized on a plaque inside the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty, that symbol of liberty and welcome: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempesttossed, to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

I am praying that the United States will not close its “golden door” to refugees from Syria or any other nation.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America unequivocally condemns the terrorist actions of extremists that have claimed innocent lives in Paris, Beirut, Iraq, Mali, San Bernardino, Orlando, and other places

around the world. Resorting to violence in the name of God or Allah is wrong—period! We mourn with and pray for the families affected by these senseless crimes.

We also believe that any nation has the right to protect its citizens from harm, either internal or external. To protect citizens through careful vetting of those who wish to enter the nation is reasonable and responsible.

But to deny refuge to innocent women, children, and men who flee war, hunger, and disease because of fear and prejudice is wrong.

Families who seek refuge from war-torn countries in the Middle East are children of God created in His image. They are our brothers and sisters, and we must provide them refuge without discrimination.

This nation, to follow the principles upon which it was founded, needs to heed the call not just to welcome strangers but to love them, care for them, and protect them.

We must overcome the fear and hatred that seek to close the “golden door.” We must stop dividing ourselves on the basis of religious or ideological differences.

I am praying for this land and for its leaders. I am praying that the tendency to isolate ourselves will be overcome with a renewal of belief in one of the foundational principles upon which this great nation was established: to offer the possibility of a new life of hope and happiness to strangers in desperate need. n

Daniel R. Jackson is president of the Seventhday Adventist Church in North America.

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PUT YOUR OFFERING TO WORK Every dollar you designate for disaster and famine relief works hard here at home and around the world. Reach your brothers and sisters in crisis by offering all you can.

DISASTER AND FAMINE RELIEF OFFERING

Sabbath, May 13

TOGETHER WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP

Give your offering at church or online at:

CommunityServices.org ADRA.org

so. Can we not succeed emotionally as well as we have succeeded physically?

Ian Hartley Alberta, Canada Good Health

NAD Letters Opened Eyes

Many thanks and much appreciation for Adventist World that keeps us all in touch. I enjoyed the NAD feature by Dan Jackson entitled “Opened Eyes” (January 2017). His statement should ring loud and clear to everyone. “We are God’s family all around the world.

As broken, as enfeebled, and as defective as we are, we’re still his family. We are called upon to focus on Him, not on each other.” And yes, “when we allow ourselves to focus our eyes on God, to put our faith in Him, He will surprise us with joy!” I love my local church and my worldwide church.

Praise God for the work He is doing and will continue to do through His faithful servants and His end-time church in this world.

Connie Kiefiuk British Columbia, Canada

I appreciate the information on health. The Heart Health article in the January 2017 issue (p. 46) was colorful and attractive. The section on legumes and beans was misleading. The second sentence said that a normal diet should contain five to 10 grams of fiber per day. The context—when read carefully—is soluble fiber, one type of dietary fiber.

Most people are likely to read it as total fiber, as I did. It would have been more clear to state: a normal diet should contain five to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day.

Heather Reseck Port Townsend, Washington

Hope in a Broken World

I was surprised to read on page 46 of the January 2017 NAD Adventist World that “a normal diet should contain five to 10 grams of fiber a day.” I thought this was incorrect, so I checked this fact on several sites (including WebMD), and they pretty much agree that women 18-50 need 25-30 grams a day and men need about 35-38 grams a day, while those over 50 need slightly less. This is an important issue, since most American diets provide only about 15 grams of fiber a day.

C harlotte Ishkanian via e-mail

“Hope in a Broken World” (January 2017) struck a nerve for me. Adventists are well known for their physical health, and we do live longer in most situations.

Alarmingly, our child abuse and divorce statistics reflect the cultures in which we are embedded. We are no better off, sometimes worse off. Perhaps it is time to reflect on why this is

Although the number of grams of recommended daily fiber cited in Idea Exchange in the January 2017 issue is exactly as stated in the source, the author must have been referring to soluble fiber. The amount of daily total fiber generally recommended is much higher. The recommended total daily fiber intake is 25-30 grams for women,

and 35-38 grams for men. This may be increased or decreased depending upon specific situations.—Editors.

I am a teenager who stumbles in life and sometimes feels alone. But the articles in Adventist World are so inspiring and heartwarming, I look forward to every edition. The articles I love the most are the health ones, because the human body amazes me. God truly created us perfect in every way.

God bless the people who wrote the health pieces for the January 2017 edition.

Miriam Benavidez El Monte, California Fast Chat

As a grocery buyer for Vermont’s largest natural food store, the son of a former Adventist Book Center manager, and a voracious veggie-meat eater, I was interested in the Fast Chat interview (February 2017) with the CEO of Heritage Health Foods announcing its acquisition of the Worthington and Cedar Lake food lines. It may be news that those iconic Adventist food companies returned to an Adventist owner, but the piece made it sound as if the church is now running it, or at the very least, promoting it.

A much better story would have been a feature on Dr. Harry Miller, using the news of the sale as an introduction to this icon of modern health food. Why not a feature on Dr. Miller?

He founded a score of Adventist hospitals in pre-Communist China, served as the personal physician to Madame Chiang Kai-shek, invented modern soymilk, developed meat substitutes that Don Otis now sells, and founded the company that Otis recently purchased.

Gaylan Herr Westford, Vermont

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D E V O T I O N A L

I

was driving to a Wednesday night prayer meeting in a lakeeffect emboldened snowstorm when I noticed the figure of a man standing at the side of the road. As I drove past him, I was able to make out his liturgical vestments under a thick, black overcoat, his gloved hand clenching a white coffee cup.

Ash Wednesday Ritual

By Jarod Thomas

Beyond

The sandwich-board sign beside him explained his mission. It was Ash Wednesday, and this local minister was offering “ashes to go” for those who were in a rush but still wanted to squeeze in the post-indulgence Lenten ritual.

It took me off guard. Somehow, I hadn’t connected the myriad advertisements for cholesterol-rich, jellyfilled pastries to Fat Tuesday and the beginning of Lent. Maybe it was just my Adventism. With few exceptions, Easter celebrations are not usually major events for Adventists.

the

Cross Making the Most of Easter

Focus of Our Faith

No question: the Adventist faith centers on the death and resurrection of Christ. We value the atoning blood that was shed on Calvary’s cross as the only means by which we may be set free from the wages of sin and its power over us (Heb. 2:14, 15). We view the self-sacrificing love that was displayed on that cross as a universally resonant response to the dispute Satan originated so long ago concerning the nature of God’s character (Rom. 5:8).

In the resurrection and ascension, we find a Savior who conquers death and ascends to enter the heavenly sanctuary to serve as our high priest— humankind’s only mediator and intercessor—a right He purchased with His blood (verse 9; Gal. 1:4; 1 Tim. 2:6; Titus 2:14). And we anticipate the soon coming of this same Jesus in accordance with His promise to return

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in power and glory (John 14:1-3).

In the light of these solemn biblical emphases, we experience a certain level of discomfort with bunnies and Easter eggs that have more in common with pagan fertility rituals than the risen Lord. Beyond this, there is the everchanging astronomical date for the celebration, which corresponds to the new moon after the spring equinox, as well as the sunrise service, which is not a standard feature of Adventist worship practice. Indeed, some have applied Ezekiel’s unflattering com-

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ments on sunrise worship to the Christian Easter ritual (see Eze. 8:15, 16).

Perhaps the greatest issue with current Christian Easter holiday practice is that it separates the death and resurrection of Jesus from the historical and prophetic context in which it was originally given.

Focus of Scripture

After His resurrection, Jesus drew near to two of His discouraged followers as they made their way to Emmaus.

Though they walked that road in the P H O T O :

A A R O N

B U R D E N

Adventist faith centers on the death and resurrection of Christ. glow of late afternoon, the sun had not yet risen on their hopes. They lamented the reality of the Messiah’s death, and, mercifully, Jesus took the opportunity to enlighten them. The Scriptures tell us that “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27, ESV).1 In forging a theology of the recent events—i.e., the prophetic significance of the convocations of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits— Jesus defaulted back to Moses. God used Moses to establish the intricacies of the Old Testament sanctuary service. These services contained knowledge of the coming Sacrificial Lamb, the Sabbath rest when He would lie in the tomb, and His resurrection with power as the “firstfruits” of those who will come forth at His promised return (1 Cor. 15:20; Rev. 14:4).

This view of the Crucifixion and Resurrection presents that initial weekend of ceremonies as the commencement of seven convocations highlighting the redemptive work of Christ throughout the year. Found in Leviticus 23, these events begin with the provision of the lamb’s atoning blood and culminate with a celebratory people, cleansed and restored.

Contemporary celebration of Easter has divorced the death and resurrection of Christ from this prophetic time line that God gave through Moses. Instead of Passover as the beginning, Easter is the end. Many Christians begin their observance more than a month beforehand, indulging on Fat Tuesday, then beginning a fast on Ash Wednesday.

As Easter approaches, they observe

Palm Sunday and Good Friday. After the conspicuously absent Sabbath of Christ’s rest in the tomb, Easter Sunday is celebrated with vigor. With that, the Paschal Season comes to a close.

Sadly lacking is the significance of what Christ would do after His resurrection. In missing the weight of Moses in the interpretation of these events, many are still confused today.

Journalist Philip Yancey writes, “I have concluded . . . that the Ascension represents my greatest struggle of faith.” He posits the question: “Would it not have been better if the Ascension had never happened?”2 Certainly not for Jesus. And surely not for us, for whom Jesus has now entered into “a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands” (Heb. 9:11), in order to serve as the advocate for us, sinners He came to save. He Himself assures us that it is to our advantage that He should go away (John 16:7).

Rather than be troubled by His ascension, we may take courage that He is preparing a place for us and that He will return to take us home with Him. Understanding the Mosaic sanctuary unlocks the mystery of Christ’s heavenly ministry before His promised return. And it is this reality to which Jesus pointed to buoy the saddened hearts of the discouraged disciples that Sunday afternoon along the road.

Jesus breathed His last, the veil of the Temple was torn in two, and at that moment the sanctuary services became mere shadows in the light of the fulfillment that had come to pass.

What we may do is celebrate a week of evangelistic services that begin at the events of the triumphal entry, describe the Messiah’s work, trace the events of His betrayal, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection culminating with a Sunday sunset service to commemorate Jesus’ gracious ministry to discouraged disciples along the road and, later, in the upper room.

Tracing the footsteps of Jesus beyond the cross and on into the heavenly sanctuary will deepen our understanding of and appreciation for His earthly and now heavenly ministry; providing a fuller, richer gospel message, with its soon-coming climax, when Jesus returns a second time to take His people home to glory. Rather than ignore the holiday entirely, we should engage as Jesus engaged, seeking to bring clarity through the power of God’s Word and to begin as He began, by drawing upon the wisdom of Moses. n 1 Scripture

quotations marked ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

2 Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew (1995), p. 229.

Conclusion

I don’t advocate a return to practicing all the yearly Mosaic convocations. We have no established temple or working priesthood. And even if these were still in place, the reinstitution of sacrificial ritual would serve only as a denial of the perfect sacrifice that Christ made for humanity. When

Jarod Thomas has served the Adventist church as a Bible instructor, chaplain, and pastor.

He currently serves as Communications Manager for the General Conference Ministerial Association.

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F U N D A M E N T A L

B E L I E F S

Giver God

By Lael Caesar

His giving is the proof of His ownership

W

hich God do you believe in? And what is there in your words or conduct that suggests who He might be?

Lady Samaria didn’t know what she believed in, although she was willing to argue about it. Jesus ended the argument by telling her that while Jews knew what worship was about, she and her people had no idea (see John 4:22).

At the same time, Jesus is known to have said quite harsh things to the Jews: “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ” (Matt. 7:22, 23).

What if Jesus said that to you or me after all our hard work in evangelism, community service, and church administration? We know very well, after all the good things we have done, that we are not like other people: thieves, swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or taking peoples’ money and calling it taxes (see Luke 18:10-14)! Could Jesus still say, “I never knew you”?

The smart Athenians didn’t know Him either, as Paul discovered by studying their faith confession: “For as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23).

Paul could see that they didn’t know the true God. And his message to them holds enough good instruction that today’s worshippers might note. He would speak of the

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One they sensed deserved worship, though they did not know Him. Evidently, worshippers may render service to a God whom they truly do not know! Ostensibly faithful stewards may give their time and thought, their bodies and money, without a saving knowledge of the One to whom they give!

Paul to the Athenians

Paul’s words to the Athenians offer us at least four bits of instruction today, on the God who requires our stewardship, the God whom everybody ought to know. These four are inextricably bound up one into another.

To begin with, Paul treats the “one” he speaks of in the neuter gender. More than is appropriate may be made of this. Nevertheless, twice in this one verse, Paul speaks of a neuter “one,” suggesting that those who acknowledged this deity were in fact simply admiring a concept.

The Athenians are famous for the multitude of their philosophical ideas. This was one among many, showing them as good enough to include this divinity, though they had no name or character traits by which to identify him. It was still appropriate, they seemed to think, to include him with everything else. Current stewardship practice may imagine them bringing him little moneys, serving for him in Dorcas societies, and reading him eloquent prayers.

Being nice to God is good. So is the practice of accountability. Stewards must be ready to give account of their stewardship (Luke 16:2). Then when Jesus returns, we may be able to list for Him the things—good things— that we have done. Prophesying, exorcising, and other such wonderful works are surely not to the shame of anyone; nor is careful tithing or community service. How mystifying would it be, then, to show up for Jesus’ party with our lists of deeds of goodness and their corresponding ribbons and certificates, only to have Him say “Get out. I never knew you!”

Were that to happen, we would need to be prepared to respond: “But Jesus, I used to be the church treasurer, and a faithful tither; I directed choirs and served as deputy assistant vice junior something or other. I used to be nice to You!” Imagine your confusion at His demand: ‘Depart, you

The God “who made the world and everything in it” (Acts 17:24) doesn’t borrow anything from your famously rich uncle. worker of lawlessness.’ There is no way to exaggerate either the significance of that coming encounter or the compelling importance of knowing, now, that we know Him. Taking Up the Question

Do you know your God? Knowing Him is life eternal (John 17:3). Is He for you any more than a philosophical concept? The God Paul told Athens about didn’t need their licked envelopes or the paper stuck inside them any more than he needed matter to help him in Genesis 1: the God “who made the world and everything in it” (Acts 17:24) doesn’t borrow anything from your famously rich uncle.

Everything is already His. If all I do is bow as the offering plate goes by, He will have just as much as if I had emptied into it everything I had. None of us can make Him rich.

Everything we all get—life, breath, all things—originates with Him. Sometimes stuff gets to you distorted; sometimes as soon as it gets to me I ruin it. But He is still the source: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father” (James 1:17).

Paul’s first truth is that the God whom he presents on

Stewardship W

e are God’s stewards, entrusted by Him with time and opportunities, abilities and possessions, and the blessings of the earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him for their proper use. We acknowledge God’s ownership by faithful service to Him and our fellow human beings, and by returning tithe and giving offerings for the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His church.

Stewardship is a privilege given to us by God for nurture in love and the victory over selfishness and covetousness.

Stewards rejoice in the blessings that come to others as a result of their faithfulness. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai 1:3-11; Mal. 3:8-12; Matt. 23:23; Rom. 15:26, 27; 1 Cor. 9:9-14; 2 Cor. 8:1-15; 9:7.)

the Areopagus is no mere human idea. He is real, whether we conceive of Him or not. Matter, as we know it, and life, as we live it, adequately demonstrate His reality, and confirm a second truth, the truth of His creatorship. Denying “His eternal power and Godhead” while in continuous association with His created works is choosing to be without excuse (Rom. 1:20).

On the other hand, appreciating His authority as Creator simultaneously acknowledges a third fact: that He is owner; that we and all that life is, inclusive of the gifts and service we render Him, are all already His. He owns us by virtue of the fact that He is our Creator and Inventor.

When He, in the beginning, invented flora, fauna, and mineral, there was no location or authority that might have accepted His patents, for no potentially competing voice existed to claim our ownership or accuse Him of industrial poaching or copyright violation. “It is he that made us, and we are his” (Ps. 100:3, NRSV).* A Fourth Truth

Paul’s fourth truth highlights the way our Creator and Owner God celebrates His ownership—by giving: “He gives to all life, breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25).

We do not get by accident, or receive under coercion.

God does not give because human beings or angels hold a knife to his back, or brush His temples with the barrel of a weapon. He gives because it is His nature. Our stewardship, the privilege of faithful response, measurable perhaps, in tithe, yet unquantifiable in offerings of means and grateful service, is a channel through which the charms of His ways may extend the unbounded giving of our Giver God who never ceases to bless the world. n * Bible texts credited to NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission.

Lael Caesar, associate editor of Adventist World, loves giving because His Giver God says it’s better than receiving.

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C OV E R S T O RY

If They Can’t the

By Bill Knott

Read Words...

Why literacy matters for the “people of the Book”

W

e will call her Maria.

She wakes well before the dawn, hearing the rush of delivery trucks and autos in her neighborhood as thousands move to work and markets and schools. There is no need for an alarm clock on this morning. She has slept little, focused even in her dreams on the big day ahead of her.

Her fingers reach to the bedside stand where the crumpled scrap of paper has carefully been placed each of the last three nights. Turning on the small lamp, she peers again at the letters that just eight months ago were indecipherable: Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día Central de San Salvador, 1109 Av. España y Pasaje Lindo, Barrio San Miguelito, San Salvador. She scarcely needs the address now, for she memorized each number and letter days ago.

She washes and dresses quickly, taking a moment to inspect the lavender-colored dress she has been saving for this day. It is a gift from her married daughter, who somehow sensed that an event this important required a new outfit. Today she must look her best, for welling up in her is an irrepressible smile.

She looks intently at the figure in the mirror: 54 years old, slightly P H O T O S :

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graying, with dark brown eyes full of fire and energy, even at 5:30 in the morning. It hasn’t been an easy life: married at age 18; six children born before the age of 30; a lifetime of cooking and washing and raising first children and then grandchildren; widowed at the age of 49. But she survived, she reminds herself. She made it to this day she only dreamed might come.

She will walk, she decides, in a last-minute change of plans. She finds the city map in the kitchen drawer where she put it many months ago, a folded collection of mostly meaningless symbols that she hoped might someday become valuable to her. She will walk the four kilometers from her small apartment in Col Libertad (City of Freedom), through Comunidad Los Santos (Community of the Saints), past the University of El Salvador to the heart of the Barrio San Miguelito. Yes, there are buses. And yes, she now knows how to read the words on the front of the bus to understand where it is going. But she will walk, to take in all the sights and sounds and smells of her city as the light comes up in the east.

On this day she won’t be pushed into a crowded bus with dozens of city

residents unhappy with the day that lies in front of them. She will walk by herself today, her head a little higher and her back a little straighter.

This is how she will remember this special day, Maria tells herself. She will walk alone, stopping at every street corner to read the street signs, finding the place on the map in her hand, turning in the direction indicated.

And when, 45 minutes later, she finds the large Adventist church at 1109 Avenida España, she will stop to read each letter of the name of the place.

At the graduation service for the Adventist-sponsored literacy program on which she has spent eight hours a week for the past eight months, she sits discreetly near the back. This isn’t her church: she still lights votive candles every Tuesday and Thursday in the Catholic parish around the corner from her apartment. But she has made many Adventist friends in the past eight months—teenagers, middleaged women, even elderly men—who have sat with her through dozens of hours of alphabet drills and basic counting. Maria doesn’t really understand their faith, or all they mean when they talk with her about why they worship on Sábado, the seventh day of the week. But they are kind and

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C OV E R S T O RY

CONGRATULATIONS: Maitland DiPinto, NAD Partners in Mission coordinator, presents a hard-earned literacy program certificate before a packed church at San Salvador’s Central Seventh-day Adventist Church. Participants included representatives from every age group.

earnest, and, just like her, so eager to learn how to read and write. Some have even invited her to join them on Sábado for the music and the preaching, but she has waited to accept the invitation—waited until after today’s graduation ceremony.

She holds another scrap of paper in her hand—one telling her that she has been chosen to be one of the 50 in the crowd of 500 graduates to come to the front to receive a graduation diploma and a copy of the Bible. And when the booming voice of the announcer calls her name, she slips quickly to her feet, reminding herself that she shouldn’t hurry: she shouldn’t appear too eager.

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She walks slowly down the tiled aisle, and steps hesitantly toward the line of Adventist and civic leaders who have come to congratulate the graduates. Which one has the certificate?

She has imagined this moment a hundred times: someone, probably a smiling man, will hold out to her the document that will define the rest of her life. It tells the world what is now true of her—that she can read and write, that she has earned this building block of citizenship, that she now has the skills to fully share in understanding her government, her finances, her family, and her faith.

The third man in the line: he has the certificate. She tries to hide the

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elation welling up within her as she reaches for the symbol of her freedom.

There she has it—in her hands, in her life—the piece of paper which now has a meaning like no other.

Two handshakes later there is a shiny edition of the Bible in her hands as well—crisp pages lined with inkblack letters that her eye can take in, process, and remember. Somewhere in these pages, she suspects, there is more about this Sábado her Adventist friends are always talking of, more about why they don’t smoke or drink, and why they say they are waiting for Jesus to return. Now she will find these things out for herself, for now— at last—she can read.1

T

he Tuesday morning crowd for the graduation ceremony in San Salvador’s Central Seventh-day Adventist Church is rippling with anticipation. Participants, many unfamiliar with the place, walk slowly down the aisles, trailed by an entourage of family members. They sit together, voices low and intense, trying to take in the dimensions of the large sanctuary, the hundreds of fellow students from all over the city and the region, and the lineup of dignitaries who will speak to them. Eyes move left and right, darting at each new arrival, occasionally turning to peer at the large clock on the balcony front that shows the hour.

Five hundred graduates—enough to populate a small Adventist college somewhere in the world—are gathered here, though no more than half are members of the faith. Many are at least nominally Roman Catholic, in a nation where more than half the population still embraces the faith brought 500 years ago by the conquistadores. At least one graduate wears the wimple of a Catholic nun. Her delight in being here is obvious, as is her sense of shyness and uncertainty.

Many of the Protestants in the graduation crowd are Adventists. As the literacy program of the El Salvador Union Mission, now nearly 12 years old, has settled in, a growing percentage of Adventist church members have joined one of the nearly 200 literacy circles that P H O T O S :

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cover this small nation of 6.5 million people. Encouraged by the determined efforts of the Inter-American Division to link literacy skills with church membership, thousands of Adventists in El Salvador who previously couldn’t read or write have enrolled in the literacy circles and finished one, two or three eight-month courses. With nearly 200,000 members in almost 1,000 congregations across the small Central American nation, Adventists represent only three percent of the population, but have become identified as the most dynamic faith group in helping fellow citizens achieve the basic goal of literacy.

“The nearly 200 literacy circles which we sponsor and support with many volunteers have allowed us to build strong ties to our communities,” says Abel Pacheco, the president of the El Salvador Union Mission and one of the program’s most ardent advocates.

Pacheco was joined by the presidents of all five conferences in the country for a special briefing before the January 17 graduation event at the Central Seventh-day Adventist Church. “We are now well known in our communities and to regional and national governments as people who care for others. When we are recognized as a church that brings help and skills to those of all faiths, people are attracted to the distinctive message of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.”

Each literacy initiative operated by

the Seventh-day Adventist Church—in Central America, in Africa, in Southern Asia—is coordinated by a local ministry or entity to organize and sustain operations. In El Salvador, that entity is ADRA El Salvador, whose country director, Juan Pablo Ventura, notes that the literacy program also benefits the dozens of facilitators who coordinate the nearly 200 literacy circles across the country. “This initiative has provided meaning and personal involvement in a worthy cause for so many church members who were previously only asked to fill a specified position in a local congregation,” he says. “Now they are pouring their lives and energy into a cause that clearly has high value to their neighbors and puts them, in a very real sense, on the frontline of mission.”

Crucial funding and logistical support for the literacy program has also come from the North American Division (NAD), headquartered in Maryland, USA, and representing nearly 1.3 million North American Adventists. The NAD, as part of an initiative, now called “Partners in Mission,” helped launch the literacy in El Salvador and several other Central American countries in collaboration with the Inter-American Division (IAD) and the local fields. The presidents of the two divisions—Israel Leito of IAD and Daniel Jackson of NAD— are expected to sign a multi-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the General Conference’s Spring Meeting in early April to provide stability and ongoing financial support for the literacy effort. The NAD is also seeking to build similar partnerships with the other 12 world divisions of the church, tapping the generosity in its own territory to build collaborative programs that reach into almost all the nations of the world.

Maitland DiPinto, Partners in Mission coordinator, has been one of the primary architects of the agreement between the two divisions, and has personally made more than a dozen visits to El Salvador to inspect, evaluate, and promote the literacy effort.

DiPinto says he is pleased with the scale and scope of the NAD-IAD

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WELL DONE: Adventist World editor Bill Knott greets a happy graduate as Abel Pacheco, president of the El Salvador Union Mission, looks on.

partnership in El Salvador and yet still eager to connect the church’s literacy efforts with its ongoing evangelistic activities in local congregations and public campaigns.

“Ideally, Adventists in each region—in El Salvador, Guatemala, or any nation of the world—would first bring literacy training to the very communities in which they hope to actively witness and ultimately plant congregations,” he says. “I would welcome the day when we plan to establish literacy as the first building block of a multiyear effort to bring the good news to a community or to a country. It’s especially important to have literacy training in place after our evangelistic activites so that our new members who are illiterate can truly become people of the Word—becoming fully engaged in the life and misison of the Church.

“More than a century ago, as she described Christian responsibility to the world, Ellen G. White pointed us to the best way to develop our witness in any region, old or new: ‘Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, “Follow Me.” ’2 These efforts for literacy lay the foundation for men and women to read for themselves the story of Jesus, and to respond to His call on their lives.”

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Adventist World and Literacy

F

rom the first stirrings of the Second Advent movement in many nations of the world in the 1830s, those who came to be known as “Adventists” have assumed that literacy—the ability to both read and write—was a foundational skill everyone needed to understand “the faith of Jesus.” William Miller’s multiyear study of the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation launched a decadeslong intensive inquiry into the meaning of Bible prophecy, the rediscovery of the seventh-day Sabbath, the ministry of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary, and the healthy, balanced lifestyle to which Jesus calls His endtime people.

God’s messenger to this people, Ellen G. White, wrote moving descriptions of her earliest visions, and so gave hope and courage to the small group of disappointed Adventists who continued to search the Scriptures after October 1844. The magazine which she urged her husband, James, to publish, The Present Truth, first appeared as a densely packed eightpage tract in 1849. Today as the Adventist Review, it is the oldest religious publication in North America.

Thousands of editions of that magazine and others it inspired—Signs of the Times, Liberty, Ministry, and dozens of high-quality division and union conference journals around the globe—all are predicated on the belief that Adventists are a “people of the

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Book,” and specifically, that they know how to read that Book.

This Adventist World magazine, launched in 2005 and now reaching nearly half the 19 million Adventists in the world through millions of print copies and millions of Web site page views each year, is one of the largest expressions of that commitment to literacy by any global religious group.

And yet, nearly 800 million people of a world population of 7.0 billion— almost 12 percent of the global population—can’t read, a number roughly equivalent to the combined populations of South America and North America.

Hundreds of thousands of Adventists are in those numbers. While many developed nations have built educational systems to achieve nearly complete literacy, many of the nations of sub-Saharan Africa, southern Asia, and western Asia are challenged by poverty, malnutrition, infectious disease and political turmoil to such an extent that they can’t deliver on the promise of teaching all citizens to read and write. Literacy rates in these regions tells us that fully one third of the people can’t read these words, and those challenging numbers are believed by Adventist leaders to be true of church members as well.

For a movement as Bible-based and reading-focused as the Seventhday Adventist Church, these numbers represent a difficult and important challenge. In the catchphrase of a Bible distribution society from some P H O T O S :

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HANDS ON: Maitland DiPinto (upper left), prays with a small group Bible study consisting of those who learned to read through the literacy efforts of Partners in Mission.

years ago, “If they can’t read the words, they can’t read the Word.”

Adventist witness grows best and quickest where men and women have the life skills of reading and writing to study the Bible for themselves, to compare truth with truth, and to allow the Holy Spirit to lead them to the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ.

That’s why Adventist World magazine is partnering, beginning April 1, 2017, with the North American Division, ADRA, and all other church entities engaged in literacy initiatives to raise both awareness and funding to

Make a

support these programs.

This is not a one-time appeal, but an on-going, multi-year project that needs and deserves your support.

If you are reading these words, someone taught you to do so. And whether that someone was a parent, teacher, or friend, they provided you with a crucial skill that has equipped you for a life of informed decisionmaking, free choice, and the opportunity to dig deeply into the Word.

Take the opportunity—right now—to consider how you will pass on the gift of reading to someone else.

Donation!

Based on the El Salvador effort, and adapted for church-supported literacy sites around the world, you can share a copy of the Bible—in the language of each new reader—for a small amount per literacy graduate.

You can also support one or more enrolled students by donating the costs of materials and instructors to complete an eight-month course. n 1 Maria

is a pseudonym, and reflects in one character the experience of several persons attending the graduation ceremony.

2 Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1905), p. 143.

3 Currency equivalents are based on Bloomberg.com rates as of February 14, 2017.

Below are common currencies to help you to decide how much to give. Decide the number of Bibles and/or students you want to support and multiply that number by the currency rate for your country.

Currency 3

Bible (1)

Bibles (5)

Student (1)

Students (5)

You can help the El Salvador literacy program by contributing funds either to purchase Bibles for the participants who complete the program, or by funding an individual for the entire eight-month literacy program. Since world currencies are constantly changing, these figures are approximate.

USD (US)

US$6.50

US$32.50

US$40.00

US$200.00

CAD (Canada)

C$8.50

C$42.50

C$52.50

C$262.50

MXN (Mexico)

¥132.50

¥662.50

¥814.00

¥4070.00

BRL (Brazil)

BRL£20.50

BRL£102.50

BRL£125.00

BRL£625.00

KRW (Korea)

– W 7393.00

– W 36,965.00

– W 45,497.00

– W 227,485.00

WEB SITE/CREDIT CARD:

EUR (Europe)

€6.00*

€30.00

€38.00

€190.00

adventistliteracy.org

GBP (England)

£5.00

£25.00

£32.00

£160.00

ADVENTIST WORLD MAILING ADDRESS:

AUD (Australia)

AUD$8.50

AUD$42.50

AUD$52.50

AUD$262.50

Adventist World General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904 USA

INR (India)

Rs435.00

Rs2175.00

Rs2677.00

Rs13385.00

CFA20290.00 –1620.00 P

CFA24973.00 –1,993.00 P

CFA124865.00 –9965.00 P

XOF (Central Africa) CFA4058.00 –324.00 PHP (Philippines) P

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F E A T U R E

This is part 2 of a two-part series on church unity. Part 1 of “Unity: Then and Now” was printed in the March issue of Adventist World.—Editors.

By Mark A. Finley

I

t was at the ordination of the Twelve that the first step was taken in the organization of the church that after Christ’s departure was to carry on His work on the earth. Of this ordination the record says, ‘He goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto Him whom He would: and they came unto Him. And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach’” (Mark 3:13, 14 [KJV]).1 Following their ordination, the 12 disciples became the spiritual leaders of the early church. Their ordination was a crucial step in Christ’s plan for accomplishing Heaven’s mission to the world.

The church’s organizational structure continued to grow and develop more fully in the early decades of Christianity. In the book of Acts church organization is paramount to the unity of the church.

Without organization false teachers could easily have hijacked the church’s message and sidetracked its mission. The biblical message of truth based on the Word of God would have been distorted and the mission of Christ diluted.

Function and Nurture

Let’s briefly review church organization in the book of Acts and notice its function in nurturing the believer’s spiritual life, preserving the church’s message, and fostering its mission.

In Acts 1 a united group of 120 believers met in the upper room to pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (verses 14, 15). They were

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Unity

Then a n d Now

PART 2

A divine movement united in mission and message

united in their love for Christ and were committed to His teachings.

Their hearts beat with an overwhelming desire to share His love with everyone. The record states that they were in “one accord” in seeking God for the outpouring of His Spirit and power to reach the world (verse 14).

A potential problem arose at the end of the chapter. The position vacated by Judas’s betrayal and death needed to be filled. The early church considered two of their number as possibilities. This could have been problematic. The New Testament believers could easily have taken sides with hardened positions on the person they thought God wanted to fill the

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position. Instead, they mutually agreed to seek God’s wisdom on the matter (verse 24). They settled on a process of discerning God’s will and agreed to surrender their own convictions and accept the outcome. Even in its embryonic stage the church was learning lessons of submission for the sake of unity and mission.

In Acts 2, 3,000 people were baptized on the day of Pentecost. They united with the church and continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, and prayers (verses 41, 42).

Those baptized became part of an organized movement.

According to Acts 6, as the church grew it faced new challenges. Greek

widows were not receiving their fair proportion in the food distribution.

Once again there was open discussion and a mutually agreed-upon solution.

A representative group of deacons was chosen. These deacons ministered to needy Greek widows and maintained the unity of the church in a time of crises. They were chosen because they had “good reputations,” were “full of the Holy Spirit,” and were guided by divine “wisdom” (Acts 6:3).

At each step of its development the early church refined its organizational structure for the sake of nurturing the growing church, safeguarding its teachings, and fostering its mission.

A Church Representative

Acts 9 records the conversion of the apostle Paul. Immediately upon his Damascus road conversion, the Holy Spirit led him to Ananias, a representative of the church. The Spirit did not at this juncture lead him into the wilderness to spend time alone or send him out immediately on an evangelistic mission. Instead, the Spirit brought Paul into contact with a representative of God’s church. One reason for this was to illustrate the importance of church organization and authority.

In The Acts of the Apostles Ellen White explains: “Thus Jesus gave sanction to the authority of His organized church and placed Saul in connection with His appointed agencies on earth.”2 Ananias nurtured Paul in the faith, and instructed him further about God’s plan of church organization.

In Acts 15 the New Testament church faced a critical juncture in its development. A conflict arose over how Gentile believers who had

accepted Christ should relate to Jewish customs, especially circumcision. This was no small matter. Jewish believers had practiced circumcision for millennia; it was part of their identity and deeply embedded in their culture.

Consequently, Paul and Barnabas had “no small dissension and dispute” with these Jewish leaders (Acts 15:2).

They mutually agreed to refer the matter to the Jerusalem Council. The church at large accepted the council’s decision, which brought unity to the body of believers.

Unity and Surrender

Unity came as individuals surrendered to the authority of the larger body. The important point here is not the decision that was made, but the process by which it was made. A complex issue was brought from the local church to a larger administrative body. Both leaders and members agreed to accept the decision of the Jerusalem Council.

Writing with prophetic insight, Ellen White describes the authority vested in the Jerusalem Council in these poignant words: “Meanwhile all controversy was to cease until a final decision should be given in general council. This decision was then to be universally accepted by the different churches throughout the country.”3 A very difficult issue that troubled Christianity was settled by the willingness of both sides to accept the decision of the Jerusalem Council.

People had convictions on both sides of this question, but most were willing to accept the decision of a representative body of leaders for the sake of God’s mission.

This general meeting of believers with delegates from varying churches brought unity to the body of Christ.

Once again they focused on that which is most important to God: the saving of lost people.

Think of what could have happened if the rest of the book of Acts had been spent discussing the varying sides of a debate over circumcision for Gentile converts to Christianity. Imagine the tragic impact on the growth of the church an endless debate on this matter would have had. Wisely, the New Testament church accepted the decision of the larger body—the general council of the church—and passionately moved on with mission.

In Acts 20:17-32 the apostle Paul instructed the elders of the church on both the building up and the safeguarding of the flock of God. He counseled them that one of the functions of church organization, and an ordained ministry, was to protect the church from false teachers and keep it focused on mission.

Church Organization: An Essential Element of Unity

The New Testament church was unified in its commitment to Christ and His present truth, prophetic message, mission to the world, and divinely established church organization. We are on a very slippery slope if personal opinions or preferences are placed above the authority of Christ’s organized church.

Ellen White states it clearly: “Oh, how Satan would rejoice if he could succeed in his efforts to get in among this people and disorganize the work at a time when thorough organization is essential and will be the greatest power to keep out spurious uprisings and to refute claims not endorsed by the Word of God! We want to hold the lines evenly, that there shall be no breaking down of the system of

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F E A T U R E

organization and order that has been built up by wise, careful labor.”4 Church organization, and its subsequent policies based on biblical principles, play an indispensable role in unifying Christ’s church. Rather than being arbitrary decrees by authoritarian leaders, the church’s policies are mutual agreements based on trust.

They outline how the church functions. They are developed by a broad base of representative leadership.

The church’s policies are not infallible. They can change—and sometimes do—but they represent the best judgment of a representative group of leaders at a given time. They are agreements guided by the Holy Spirit to determine the best way forward for the church. They are not to be equated with salvation or timeless biblical truths, but they are one of the cohesive elements that hold the church together.

Policies: Mutual Agreements Based on Trust

The Bible is clear in its teaching of the tithing principle, but it does not delineate tithe percentages from the local church to the conference, union conference, and division. These decisions are made by committees. What would happen if each church or local conference decided for itself how much of its tithe to retain and how much to pass on? The church would suffer a financial disaster. Its ability to function as a world body would be severely curtailed.

Here is another example of a mutual agreement based on trust. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has 28 fundamental beliefs. Why not 25 or 30? Who determines that there be only 28? The Bible does not specify exactly 28. In fact, the twenty-eighth funda-

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mental belief was added to the church’s list of fundamentals only recently. What if each local field determined the fundamental beliefs it thought appropriate to its culture and territory. and left the others out? The issue here is not the biblical truth of the fundamental belief, but the determination of what a fundamental belief is and how many to include. This is a decision of responsible church leadership, mutually agreed upon by the General Conference in session.

When We Differ

The Scriptures are a revelation of God’s eternal, unchanging, authoritative truths. In the development of policy the principles of Scripture guide the church. The role of church leadership is to be faithful to this sacred trust. Honest people will see some issues differently. In these instances, the gospel invites us to treat one another with respect and dignity. But one thing is clear: the gospel also demands that we place a high priority on the unity of the church and respect the decisions of the corporate body.

The unity of the church is near to the heart of God, and the organization of the church is a central truth in the New Testament.

Without church organization we would have a congregational system of theological pluralism, weakened mission, and organizational chaos.

Ellen White echoes this critical thought: “God has ordained that the representatives of His church from all parts of the earth, when assembled in a General Conference, shall have authority.”5 The unity of the church is a clear, unequivocal biblical doctrine. To disregard or minimize the corporate decisions of representatives of the

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world church creates disunity and pains the heart of God. Unity and Commitment to Christ

The unity of the church is maintained when our commitment to Christ is foremost; when we are united in the truths of Scripture through the guidance of the Holy Spirit; when we place priority on mission and are moved by what moves the heart of God; and when the mutual agreements or policies of the church serve as the foundation for a system of church governance and authority. To neglect any one of these four aspects of unity is to invite disunity, a dismantling of biblical truth, and a distortion of mission. To downplay church organization or authority is to leave the church in disarray and fundamentally erode its mission.

May we be filled with the Spirit of Christ while proclaiming the message of Christ, fulfilling the mission of Christ, and upholding the church of Christ. Then, and only then, will the church arise to fulfill its destiny and reveal the glory of God to a waiting world and a watching universe. n 1 Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), p. 18.

2 Ibid., p. 122.

3 Ibid., p. 190.

4 Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1948), vol. 9, pp. 257, 258.

5 Ibid., p. 261.

Mark A. Finley retired in 2010 as a general vice president of the General Conference of Seventhday Adventists following nearly 40 years as a pastor, evangelist, and media ministry leader. He now serves as an assistant to the General Conference president.

S P I R I T

O F

P R O P H E C Y

We Shall

See Him As He Is

By Ellen G. White

T

he voice of God had been heard at the baptism of Jesus at the beginning of His ministry, and again at His transfiguration on the mount. Now at the close of His ministry it was heard for the third time, by a larger number of persons, and under peculiar circumstances. . . .

“This voice came not because of me,” said Jesus, “but for your sakes.” It was the crowning evidence of His Messiahship, the signal from the Father that Jesus had spoken the truth, and was the Son of God.

that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man? . . . But though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him.” They had once asked the Savior, “What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee?” John 6:30. Innumerable signs had been given; but they had closed their eyes and hardened their hearts. Now that the Father Himself had spoken, and they could ask for no further sign, they still refused to believe.

Restoring God’s Image

Afraid to Stand Up

“Now is the judgment of this world,” Christ continued; “now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.” This is the crisis of the world. If I become the propitiation for the sins of men, the world will be lighted up. Satan’s hold upon the souls of men will be broken. The defaced image of God will be restored in humanity, and a family of believing saints will finally inherit the heavenly home. This is the result of Christ’s death. The Savior is lost in contemplation of the scene of triumph called up before Him. He sees the cross, the cruel, ignominious cross, with all its attending horrors, blazing with glory.

But the work of human redemption is not all that is accomplished by the cross. The love of God is manifested to the universe. The prince of this world is cast out. The accusations which Satan has brought against God are refuted. The reproach which he has cast upon heaven is forever removed. Angels as well as men are drawn to the Redeemer. “I, if I be lifted up from the earth,” He said, “will draw all men unto me.”

Many people were round about Christ as He spoke these words, and one said, “We have heard out of the law

“Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue.”

They loved the praise of men rather than the approval of God. To save themselves from reproach and shame, they denied Christ, and rejected the offer of eternal life. And how many through all the centuries since have been doing the same thing! To them all the Savior’s warning words apply: “He that loveth his life shall lose it.” “He that rejecteth me,” said Jesus, “and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” John 12:48.

Alas for those who knew not the time of their visitation!

Slowly and regretfully Christ left forever the precincts of the temple. n

P H O T O : T I H O M I R

S O K O L O V

Seventh-day Adventists believe that Ellen G. White (1827-1915) exercised the biblical gift of prophecy during more than 70 years of public ministry. These excerpts were taken from the book The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1898), pages 625, 626.

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G I E B E L M E L I S S A B Y P R O V I D E D P H O T O

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or the past several years the North American Division (NAD) has supported an initiative known as Adventist Refugee and Immigrant Ministries (ARIM).

This ministry initiative, under the Multilingual Ministries umbrella, is coordinated by Terri Saelee. In this feature Saelee and several others share stories and experiences of lives changed through outreach to refugee and immigrant populations in North America.—Editors.

During a summer event for refugee families, a volunteer and refugee enjoy playing soccer.

From the Airport to Summer School

When refugees seeking asylum arrive in a country, they are coming because they are no longer able to live in their country. They seek some sort of normalcy and peace for themselves, especially for their families. If they could return to their home without being worried about their lives, they would—in an instant.

Many refugees are able to come with some earthly means. Others are not so fortunate, and come with only the clothes on their backs and hope in their hearts.

A group of us—older, younger, former refugees, former immigrants, some followers of Jesus, some followers of Muhammad, some quiet supporters, and some with much enthusiasm—decided to greet refugees at the airport, welcoming them with open arms; letting them know that we care, that God loves them, and that we hope this will be their place to live and experience peace.

We know when the plane will arrive, and we congregate with our welcome gifts of balloons, muffins, fruit, toys for children, banners saying “welcome,” smiles, and hugs. Up to 20 people at a time have welcomed refugees.

We’ve had an influx of Muslim refugees in the past few months.

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Turning

Strangers

Time to dial down the rhetoric Recently we were there to welcome a refugee and his family. He told us later that he had worried, wondering whether anyone would be at the airport to greet them. He didn’t know what he was going to do, since none of them spoke English, and they knew no one in our town. He said, “You will never know the flood of relief I had when I saw the group waiting for me at the airport, greeting me and hugging my family.”

A team from one of the Adventist churches in the area is assigned to each family, and they are introduced to some of our Muslim brothers and sisters. Before we bring them to meet the family, the team from the church has already been oriented by one of our team leaders. Adventists and Muslims work together as gatekeepers.

We are there to help them transi-

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tion to their new environment, but above all to help transition to God in this unrestricted setting. Each team is encouraged to have prayer with their families, and to lift them up in their own prayers.

During our visits to encourage the teams we noticed a few challenges with the children. Some have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and some speak little English, yet are expected to perform at school. Parents are frustrated; children are lonely and overwhelmed.

We thought: Why not have a summer school so that kids can continue learning English; so they don’t sit home watching TV, mostly Iraqi TV, all summer?

One team member worked hard, and we were able to get some funding to start a summer school. The sum-

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Danay Moo, who moved with his family to the United States from a refugee camp in Southeast Asia, gets ready to be baptized.

Gabriela Philips, coordinator for Adventist Muslims Relations in the North American Division, gives a wrapped gift to one of the children at a 2016 Christmas party.

Friends

Into

and see them as individuals. mer school was God-led; we thought it would never happen. But at the last moment—within a week—it came together, and we were blessed with someone able to lead our team of volunteers.

For eight weeks we had from 15 to 27 kids, ages 4-17, attend summer school. Most of the kids were so excited they woke their parents up in the morning to ask if it was time for school. Most of the children are quite limited in their ability to speak English, but we saw amazing progress and development. They also learned to share, respect others, clean up; and older students flourished in their leadership skills.

We still gather once a month to study, focusing on what God wants us to learn. We have picnics to celebrate special occasions, such as birthdays;

and we have times for just women to exchange joys and sorrows while baking cookies or bread and sipping tea.

We are a community, brothers and sisters wanting the best for our children, and wanting our children to want to know God. We are family. We are the family of God. —Anna Jensen is a pseudonym.

A Refugee Goes to Church School

As a young boy Danay Moo lived in a refugee camp in Southeast Asia rated by the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants as one of the worst places in the world for refugees. Victims of ethnic and religious cleansing, his family fled from their home country into the refugee camp when he was only 2 years old. He remembers carrying water in buckets

from a river about two miles away for cooking, drinking, washing dishes and clothes, and taking showers.

In 2010 Danay and his family had the privilege of being among only 1 percent of all refugees who have the opportunity to resettle to a third country. Danay was about 7 at the time. His family came to Clarkston, Georgia, a city identified by Time magazine as the most diverse square mile in the United States because of its large refugee population.

“My family and I didn’t really know any English, and at the apartment complex there wasn’t anybody else who spoke our language . . . and it was not very safe.” Danay says, describing what it was like when they first arrived. “There were gangs.”

Then someone told his family about a church school and a woman named Kelli Czaykowski, a wife and mother with a heart for helping refugee children attend Seventh-day Adventist schools. Czaykowski has 62 refugee children in Adventist schools.

Czaykowski was happy to look for—and able to find—a sponsor for Danay. Soon he was in Duluth Adventist Christian School, established 50 years ago.

When asked why he wanted to attend church school, Danay replied, “In public school we don’t learn about

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PARTNERS IN

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MISSION

% of the world’s population can’t read*

*UNESCO figures

an initiative of the

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Tony Trimm, originally from St.Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, helps pick up trash during a community service project with Nissa Berbawy, another volunteer.

Trimm, who taught at Southern Adventist University for 10 years, stayed in Chattanooga, Tennessee, after God presented him with an opportunity to continue his passion for “missionary work” by volunteering with AMFA.

God. I wanted to learn about God.” And learn he did. Two years ago he was the first in his family of nine to be baptized.

“Danay made an impression on me immediately!” his teacher, Kassandra Fernandez, told ARIM in a phone interview. “He is willing, helpful, and kind. He’s eager to learn and eager to help, and he’s just a good student all-round.”

Already this year Danay has received three awards: one for perfect attendance, one for being the most spiritual student in his class, and an award for being on the principal’s honor roll.

“I’m really happy,” says Danay, “because people here understand us and treat us like family.”

—Terri Saelee is coordinator of ARIM in North America.

Want to Play UNO?

As I walked downstairs toward the apartment entrance, I was nervous.

How will they react to me? I wondered.

Would it be an awkward encounter?

As the door opened, my three experienced team leaders gave the customary cultural greetings. I was relieved they were there as I visited with my first refugee family.

After the introductions I realized that this task might be more difficult

than I had anticipated. I was to befriend the refugee family of five and help them adjust, adapt, and feel comfortable with their new life in the U.S. But they spoke very little English, and I spoke absolutely no Arabic. How was I supposed to do this?

I didn’t say much for the hour we visited; my team members were more than happy to do the talking for all of us. The team members were with me the next few times I visited. After each visit the team would tell me how they thought the visit went, how they thought I interacted with the refugee family members, and would even point out some important cultural nuances. All of this coaching and encouragement made each subsequent visit easier.

At one particular visit I was having a hard time figuring out how to engage the children as the parents talked with the team. I gazed around the room and spotted a deck of UNO cards sitting on the shelf next to me.

As I grabbed the package and removed the cards from the box I said, “UNO?” to the eldest.

He replied in broken English, “I . . . don’t . . . know . . . how.”

“I’ll teach you,” I said to the boy and his sister. He didn’t look very enthused, but his sister eagerly joined.

Even the 4-year-old came nearby,

hand in mouth, head bowed, looking at me sternly, partially hidden behind her big brother—still wary.

As I slid from the couch to join them on the carpeted floor, a smile came across my face. I whispered a silent prayer thanking God for the steady guidance and encouragement of my leadership team, for the beautiful opportunity to interact with my new refugee friends—and for the deck of UNO cards.

We enjoyed ourselves. We ended up playing a simplified version of the game, but it was clear that “the ice was broken,” trust was taking root, and new friendships were starting.

Soon I noticed the adults observing what we were doing on the carpet.

When they joined us—the elder children eagerly explaining the rules of the game—I knew I was going to enjoy my friendship with this family, and my time serving refugees in this community.

In the months that followed, UNO became a staple between the family and me. It also became a way of teaching numbers, colors, and other strange English vocabulary, such as “skip” and “reverse.”

UNO expanded into our wider refugee community. We played UNO at most of our refugee gatherings, and in the homes of many of our families.

At Christmas, giving wrapped decks of UNO cards became a centerpiece of our refugee parties. UNO has now become part of our efforts to recruit volunteers. “Just have fun—sit and play UNO with them” is one of the things we tell new volunteers or those considering working with refugee families.

God has called us to love all our neighbors. Even if it means just sitting and playing UNO with them.

—Tony Trimm is a volunteer from Tennessee.

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N A D F E AT U R E

P H O T O

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Melissa Giebel hugs her “mom,” Jinan Alabid, the mother of close friend Marahm, who has struggled to travel back to her family during early 2017.

My Prayer

I stared at the curling iron in my hand. It was Sabbath, and only half of my hair was curled. My heart was heavy; my hands shook. I fought back tears, thinking about the fact that my friend, Marahm, and her baby, wouldn’t be able to come home.

I thought of her family: her beloved father, her mom (who was my “mom away from home”), her brothers who adore her, and their niece, Assinat. We had plans! Plans for the upcoming summer school for refugee kids. Preparations to make for her baby number two, due in spring. This morning’s news about the travel ban had rocked my world. My silent, anguished prayers ascended for

Marahm and Assinat.

We met a couple years back when I started taking Arabic lessons from Marahm’s mother. Around the same age, we hung out together and worked on projects for the leaders of our local Adventist-Muslim network. I watched Marahm grow from a timid young woman into a confident leader and mother. I held her daughter from her first week of life until the day they left to visit family in Iraq, a couple years later.

God had been an integral part of our friendship. We may have come from different worlds and faiths, but our love for God and our desire to follow Him bound us together. We had become more than friends; we had become sisters.

Fostering Good Relationships

With Muslims

In their home . . .

Do not praise something you see in their home; the host will feel obliged to give it to you.

Enter a home, recognize the privilege of being welcomed there, and accept their hospitality.

In some homes, remove your shoes. Especially if homes are carpeted, play it safe and take off shoes.

At your place . . .

Dogs are considered unclean. If you invite a refugee to your home, keep dogs out of sight.

When preparing meals, avoid using veggie links, bacon bits, or other pork substitutes. Your guests may not understand that it is “fake.”

As I stood there trembling, I cried out to God, begging for comfort, for peace, for understanding. I prayed that God would wrap His arms of love around my Iraqi family and the six other families in my community who I knew were also affected by the sudden changes that parted husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters; not just by oceans, but by travel restrictions that made returning “home” impossible.

I prayed, and I realized that my refugee community would have the support it needed. People would be there to pray with them and comfort them as we had been doing for years.

I ended my prayer with a new plea: “God, please send other Adventist believers around our great country to comfort their refugee neighbors. Help them put politics and fear aside and love as only followers of God can love.”

—Melissa Giebel is assistant local coordinator of Adventist Muslim Friendship Association in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

On beliefs . . .

It’s fine to ask questions of clarification regarding Islam or their sacred book, the Qur’an, but never disparage them.

While politics and religion are two favorite topics, never criticize Islam, the Qur’an, or the prophet Muhammad. Avoid political debates.

In general . . .

Never shake hands or have physical contact with people of the opposite sex.

Arabs belong to a patriarchal, hierarchal society.

Shoes: Never point the soles toward a person; it’s rude.

Do not invite them to church. If they seek spiritual support, a better option is taking them to a small group you belong to. Our church setting is odd for Muslims—music, no gender segregation, and the fact that we sit in chairs/pews (mosques have only carpets)— are just a few of the things they would find strange.

For more information on this topic, click on the resource tab at www.amfa4refugees.com.

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A D V E N T I S T

L I F E

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here are few places more remote than what lies beyond the Arctic Circle.

Vast, harsh, wide-open spaces make communication difficult and transportation nearly impossible.

Despite the challenges, there are people who call the northernmost regions of Alaska home.

Alaskan Native Americans are part of North America’s original people groups, which have 566 distinct tribal nations identified in the United States alone.1 Their environment has made them a tough, serious people, and their history has made them wary and distrustful. As a result of terrible mistreatment and broken promises by governments and others throughout the years, Native Americans rate the highest in suffering from poverty,

unemployment, domestic violence, sexual assault, alcoholism, drug addiction, and suicide.2 Alaskan Native Americans, with the added environmental factors that encourage depression, suffer from some of the highest rates among native peoples of the aforementioned list, especially suicide.

“Everyone here has had a family member commit suicide,” says Anthony Sherman, an Adventist Arctic Missionary Adventure volunteer and community health aid practitioner above the Arctic Circle, “but no one talks openly about it. Alaskan Native Americans are a very private people. It takes a long time to earn their trust.”

Anthony should know; he and his family have been serving in the village of Shungnak for nearly six years, and only recently succeeded in enrolling

two individuals in Bible studies. When the Shermans first arrived in Alaska, they were inspired to move to Shungnak, where Anthony was trained as a community health aid practitioner through a tribal health organization known as Indian Health Services.

Anthony, with some support from the local conference, sought to use his newly learned medical skills to make connections for Jesus—but progress has been slow.

Meeting the Challenges

The challenges can seem overwhelming. Most individuals speak English; however, the older, stylistic language of the King James Version of the Bible, the most readily available version in Alaska—combined with low literacy rates—makes it difficult

By Juliana Baioni

Ministry in Alaska

SHUNGNAK VILLAGE: Anthony Sherman and his family have been serving in the village of Shungnak for nearly six years.

More Workers Needed

WORKERS IN ALASKA: From left: AMA volunteer Anthony Sherman, lay pastor James Kincaid, and videographer Todd Gessele film the video series “My Alaska.” for the native peoples to understand Scripture for themselves. This has resulted in the Bible being held in great respect but viewed more as a relic or magical item. A few translations in other dialects are available, but not sufficient to meet the needs.

Not being able to understand Scripture means that getting to know and having an authentic relationship with Jesus is not common. Couple this with postmodern worldviews, and it makes it very difficult to share the gospel message.

Surprisingly, most Alaskan Native Americans consider themselves Christian. This is the result of a plan implemented by Alaska’s U.S. general agent for education in 1885 that divided the state geographically among various denominations for mission work.3 Therefore, when looking at Alaska today, one can find a region filled with Baptists, Catholics, Quakers, etc.

Seventh-day Adventists also had an impact in Alaska at one point, but today only 12 of more than 200 native villages have any sort of Adventist presence. Regional denominations have become so entrenched that local governance, social networks, and support systems are intertwined with them, making it extremely difficult for individuals to P H O T O S :

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accept the Adventist message, as it would often mean further isolation in an already-lonely world.

Collaboration

Even so, individuals like Anthony have made it their life mission to share Jesus as best they can. Anthony has found that he can work with other denominations in his area instead of working against them. This has resulted in his sharing important biblical truths with the Native Americans as well as the nonlocals living in Shungnak. He has even used his minimal skills in music to reach the people in a different way.

“Native people love music,” Anthony says. “Music provides simple, easy-to-understand spiritual truths that bring them comfort. They will sing for hours at a time when given the opportunity.” Weekly “singspirations” are some of the best-attended events in the area and build relationships with the entire community.

While no one has claimed Adventism yet, Anthony views community collaboration as major progress. “It’s hard to see exactly how the Spirit is working, but I believe things are happening. After many years, people are starting to warm up and trust me and what I have to say about Christ.”

C O N F E R E N C E

The local conference is seeking to revitalize mission efforts in the region above the Arctic Circle. Church plants in Selawik and Ambler are becoming a reality, with many others, it is hoped, on the way. It seems that the only way for these church plants to be successful, however, is to have more people like Anthony in the field.

“What is needed more than anything,” says Anthony, “is an individual who is committed. Committed to a trusting, obedient relationship with Jesus and committed to staying with and serving the native people of Alaska. Many individuals have come and gone, and the people have become hardened. Having an individual choose to stay and be with them could make all the difference in whether or not they will choose Christ.”

Medical professionals, teachers of all subjects, and many other workers are desperately needed throughout the Alaska Conference. Please pray that God will provide for His beloved Native Americans of Alaska. Should you feel the call to serve or to learn more about mission opportunities through the Arctic Mission Adventure ministry of the Alaska Conference, go to http://www.alaskaconference.org/ arctic-mission-adventure. n 1

http://www.ncai.org/about-tribes.

Sari Horwitz, “The Hard Lives—and High Suicide Rate—of Native American Children on Reservations,” March 9, 2014, accessed June 30, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/ world/national-security/the-hard-lives--and-high-suicide-rate-of-native-american-children/2014/03/09/6e0ad9b2-9f03-11e3b8d8-94577ff66b28_story.html.

3 U.S. National Library of Medicine, “Native Voices: Timeline,” accessed June 30, 2016, https://www.nlm.nih.gov/nativevoices/ timeline/366.html.

2

Juliana Baioni is a

marketing and fundraising assistant for Hope Channel, headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.

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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

The Lord Our God Is it true that the Hebrew word for God in Genesis 1:1 is plural?

Is One

Yes, it is. It is the Hebrew noun ’elohîm; the singular form is ’el and ’eloah. I suppose you are wondering whether this plural supports the doctrine of the Trinity in the Old Testament; this is how it has been interpreted in the history of Christian theology. But since the term is used in a variety of ways, including designating pagan gods, you have to take into consideration the context in which it is employed.

The context in Genesis is unique. This ’elohîm is the first character that confronts us as we open the Scriptures.

1. The Plural ’Elohîm: Concerning the use of the plural in Genesis 1:1, it is difficult to argue that it is being used in the sense of a plurality of gods (suggesting polytheism), because it is the subject of a third person singular verb (ba¯ra¯’, “he created”). In other words, we have the grammatical oddity of a plural subject with a singular verb: “In the beginning the Gods (he) created . . .” From the Christian perspective the plural “Gods” would not be theologically sound, because there is only one God. Scholars have proposed different explanations for this phenomenon, but there is hardly any consensus on the significance of the plural ’elohîm in Genesis 1:1.

In other words, we do not know why the Hebrew text in our passage reads the way it reads. It is not difficult to understand why Christians found here a reference to the Trinity. The text, as it is, speaks clearly about one God— “He Created”—not about many gods. The plural, ’elohîm, was taken to refer to the three persons of the Godhead. But the most we can say contextually is that the plural may be a veiled way of suggesting a plurality within the one/singular divine being.

2. Plural God and Plural Verb and Pronoun: The plot thickens when we realize that in the context we find both a grammatical oddity and correct grammar with respect to the plural and the verbs. This is the case in Genesis 1:26: “Then God [’elohîm] said [he said], ‘Let us make [na‘a´seh: verb, first person plural] mankind in our [nû: first person plural pronoun] image, in our [nû: first personal plural

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pronoun] likeness . . .” (NIV). We find the plural ’elohîm with the singular verb in the descriptive narrative, but in the divine speech we find the subject, the verb, and pronouns in the plural. Then in the completion report we read: “So God [’elohîm] created [ba¯ra¯’: verb, third person singular] mankind in his [ô: first person singular pronoun] own image, in the image of God [’elohîm] he created [ba¯ra¯’: verb, third person singular] them” (verse 27, NIV).

We are back to Genesis 1:1. Scholars have tried to explain the plural verb and the plural pronouns in verse 26, but hardly any consensus on the suggestions have been made.

The easiest solution would be to recognize that the text testifies that the main character of the Bible is one God whose inner being is a plurality. Since this plurality deliberates with itself, one could go a step further and suggest that there is a plurality of persons within the one God. 3. Plurality of Persons: The context itself advocates for a plurality of persons. We find not only the God who creates but also “the Spirit of God [rûakh ’elohîm]” directly involved in Creation. The biblical witness reminds its readers that there is only one Creator: God. The Spirit has to be divine. One more element is present in the Creation account, namely, the spoken word: “God said.” The Word mediates between God and creation itself (God→Word/Spirit→Creation). The psalmist makes this clear when writing: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, the starry host by the breath [rûakh] of his mouth” (Ps. 33:6, NIV): God, Word, Spirit, and Creation.

The most we can say is that in Genesis we find, within the intradivine being, the one God, a plurality of persons that through further divine revelation will be identified as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. n

Angel Manuel Rodríguez is retired after serving the church as a pastor, professor, and theologian.

B I B L E

S T U D Y

By Mark A. Finley

Why Does Doing Right Seem So

Hard?

H

ave you ever wondered why doing right sometimes seems so hard? Have you ever struggled knowing what you ought to do, but failing to do it? You want to be patient, but the words that come out of your mouth are unkind. You desire to be temperate, but your appetite seems out of control. You wish you could control your attitudes, but sometimes they are plainly unchristian.

Why does it seem so hard to do right? Are there biblical principles that will lead us into a new dimension in our spiritual lives? How can we sense new spiritual strength and become the vibrant Christians we want to be? Our study this month will focus on biblical principles that make a significant difference in our lives.

1

Why does the Christian life seem to be such a struggle at times? Read Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 7:21-23; and Ephesians 6:12.

There are two reasons that we struggle when we desire to do God’s will: First, we are in a battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil; a real devil wants to destroy us spiritually. Second, every human being born into this world struggles with a fallen human nature. Since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, every person is born with tendencies toward evil.

2 Read Romans 7:24, 25; 8:1-4. The apostle Paul asks, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” In other words: “Who will deliver me from this fallen sinful nature so prone to sin?” How is this question answered in Romans 8:1-4?

Only one solution to the sin problem exists, and that is Jesus. His amazing grace delivers us from both the guilt and grip of sin. He pardons our sins and gives us strength to overcome. Our salvation is in Him; and all victory over sin is in His strength, not our own.

3 What assurance did Jude give about living triumphant Christian lives? Discover the answer in Jude 20-23.

4

What two practical principles in James 4:7, 8 can apply to our daily lives to enable us to be overcomers?

To submit to God is to surrender anything that is not in harmony with His will. It is being willing to give up anything in our lives that the Holy Spirit points out that is contrary to the principles in His Word. When we choose to do God’s will, He provides the strength for us to carry out our choices. We decide, and He empowers.

The text also says, “Resist the devil.” In other words, surrender is not a once-for-all decision. Each day we continue to surrender the thing heaven has pointed out is wrong until it no longer attracts us and has completely lost its grip on us.

5

Why was Jesus victorious in Gethsemane?

What can we learn from His struggle about the surrender of the will in our battle with Satan? Read Matthew 26:36-44.

6 How did the apostle Paul encourage the believers in Ephesus that victory in the Christian life is possible? Read Ephesians 2:1-7.

According to the apostle Paul, we “once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air.” We once “conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath” (verses 2, 3).

But God loved us, redeemed us, saved us by His grace, made us alive, and raised us to sit in heavenly places.

Christ’s grace is sufficient. Christ’s power is sufficient.

Christ has triumphed over the principalities and powers of hell, and in Him our victory is assured. n April 2017 | Adventist World - nad

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IDEA EXCHANGE

H O P E

C H A N N E L

K E N YA

We often forget that the best argument in favor of Christianity is a loving and lovable Christian.

Letters Faithful to the Sabbath

While reading the article “Adventist Sworn In as Kenya’s Top Judge,” about Chief Justice Maraga (January 2017), I thought back to my late husband, Norman Douglass, and his experience in the South Australian government.

In the late 1930s work was almost impossible to get. Norman managed to obtain temporary work in a government department and was very meticulous. The head of the department was so grateful; he offered to put Norman in the first permanent role that became available. Norman was grateful, but was clear that he could not work on Sabbath.

Norman was singing in the mission choir at the Adelaide town hall and asked the mission pastor to speak with Sir Fred Drew, the department head, about his Sabbath concern. Sir Drew soon came to understand Norman’s stance and assured him that he’d get the first permanent position available in the Electoral Department (the only one that wasn’t open on Sabbath).

The position of office boy became vacant, and Norman took it, happy to have a permanent position. He was with the department for 40 years, eventually becoming electoral commissioner of New South Wales.

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—Chamberlain Buttersworth, London, England During elections, newspaper reporters often phoned us at 7:00 a.m. for the latest results, but knew not to call us between sunset Friday and sunset Saturday. All elections are held on Saturday in Australia, and newspaper articles were written saying the electoral commissioner had the most relaxing day, because he was at church!

At all government receptions fruit juice was provided for us in place of alcohol. When Norman retired, the front-page news was headed “Religion and Politics Shaped Life.”

Yvonne Douglass C ooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

are important, but only if they make us more like Jesus.

Chamberlain Buttersworth London, England Talking Faith, Protecting Freedom

It’s been a blessing going through the article, “Talking Faith, Protecting Freedom” (April 2016). I am with the Nigerian Navy, and this is an article for now, the times we are in.

Uche Chris Obiwuaku Warri, Delta, Nigeria Inspired

I enjoyed the December Adventist World, especially the updated wording of Psalm 23, “My Psalm 23.” It was so beautiful.

Dorothy Salhany via E-mail

Thank you for your inspiring magazine. I look forward to it every month.

As printed editions are not so regular (I live in the Trans-European Division), I usually use the Web site to find interesting news and spiritual content.

God bless you in your work.

Zvonko Virtic Slovenia

Church Planting

Health Messages

I enjoyed reading the article “Planting Grace and Patience” (November 2016), especially the snapshots about Adventists in different parts of the world who are active sharing their faith in their communities.

I noticed that each outreach was tailored to the needs of its local community. Clearly, different approaches are essential to reach different kinds of people.

We often forget that the best argument in favor of Christianity is a loving and lovable Christian. Doctrines

Thank you for the lessons about health provided on the last pages of Adventist World. I find them very helpful. Please keep them coming!

C.L.O. Zimbabwe

Great December Issue

Adventist World - nad | April 2017

Letters Policy: Please send to: letters@adventistworld.org.

Letters must be clearly written, 100-word maximum. Include the name of the article and the date of publication with your letter.

Also include your name, the town/city, state, and country from which you are writing. Letters will be edited for space and clarity. Not all letters submitted will be published.

5O

WORDS OR LESS

My Favorite...

Bible Character My favorite character is David. His life reflected God’s mercy to those who repent and want to receive divine forgiveness. “God be merciful to us and bless us” (Ps. 67:1).

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Get the

—Jehoshabeath, Veraguas, Panama

Out

On March 30, 1858, the first pencil to have an attached eraser was patented in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, by Hymen Lipman.

Pencils were first mass-produced in Nuremburg, Germany, in 1662. Most pencils are hexagonal to keep them from rolling off a desk or table. They’re most often yellow, because historically the best graphite came from China, and yellow is associated with Chinese royalty.

A single pencil can draw a line 56 kilometers (35 miles) long, or write about 45,000 words.

Job’s three friends are an example, if not necessarily a positive one. How easily we judge people without understanding what’s going on behind the scenes.

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—Hans Zeit, New Zealand

Ruth is my favorite. The lifestyle and commitment of a godly woman, Naomi, influenced another, Ruth, to dedicate her life to God. As a result, Ruth became an ancestor of Jesus. What a powerful witness and example to follow.

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—Yvonne, United Kingdom Next time, tell us about your favorite Bible promise. Send your submission, in 50 words or less, to letters@AdventistWorld.org. Put in the subject line: “50 Words.”

Source: The Writer’s Almanac

PrayerW

PRAISE

I claim your prayer for the care of my son and eight daughters.

Shadrach, Haiti Pray for me and my family to trust God until the end of times and hold on until He comes back.

Violet, Zimbabwe Please pray for God to grant me a new home. My parents are a barrier between me and God. Louise, French Polynesia

Please pray for our project “Mission in Upper Bavaria.” We need prayer support.

Dima, Germany

Pray for my friend that God will lead him to the path of truth.

Maurille, Guadeloupe

Please pray for my family. My stepmother is sick, and we need finances for my brother to go to university.

Deogratious, Kenya

The Place of Prayer: Send prayer requests and praise (thanks for 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.

Please pray for rain. We are going through a three-year drought.

Harriet, South Africa April 2017 | Adventist World - nad

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IDEA EXCHANGE “Behold, I come quickly…”

Our mission is to uplift Jesus Christ, uniting Seventh-day Adventists everywhere in beliefs, mission, life, and hope.

W H I T E

E S TAT E

81

E L L E N

G .

Years Ago

O

n March 3, 1936, Clarence Creager Crisler and a group of missionaries set out for Tibet.

Crisler (photo: back row, left), was born in Brooklyn, Iowa, United States, and was raised in a Seventh-day Adventist home.

He worked in the General Conference office in Battle Creek, Michigan, as private secretary for such leaders as O. A. Olsen, G. A. Irwin, and A. G. Daniells. In July 1901 he began working for Ellen White at her home office in Elmshaven, California and continued there until one year after her death in 1915.

In 1916, while accompanying A. G. Daniells, General Conference president, on a trip to Asia, Crisler was made general secretary of the Far Eastern Division. In 1930, when the China Division was organized, he became its secretary. He was editor of the Far Eastern Division Outlook and later of the China Division Reporter.

Crisler was asked to go with G. J. Appel and other missionaries to Tibet. He seemed apprehensive of the long and hazardous journey, but willingly accepted the assignment. At Titao, Kansu, a village 10 kilometers (six miles) south of Lanchow, China, Crisler died of pneumonia and was buried in Lanchow.

A WORLDWIDE

MOVEMENT

Seventh-day Adventists live and worship in 215 countries around the world. Here are some numbers that reflect the church’s vitality (as of December 2015):

Members 19,126,438 Churches 81,552 Companies 69,909 Ordained Ministers 19,020 Source: Adventist.org

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, 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 Editorial Assistant 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, Brett Meliti 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, and the United States.

Vol. 13, No. 4

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Adventist World - nad | April 2017

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