NORTH AMERICAN DIVISION EDITION - Adventist Reviewtar to make the three angels’ messages relevant. I’m 19, and I have grown up in the Adventist Church, but as I read Andy Nash’s

July 1999

N O R T H A M E R I C A N D I V I S I O N E D I T I O NN O R T H A M E R I C A N D I V I S I O N E D I T I O NN O R T H A M E R I C A N D I V I S I O N E D I T I O NN O R T H A M E R I C A N D I V I S I O N E D I T I O N

Fresh 27Thank you for breaking the routinewith a special issue on the 27 Funda-

mental Beliefs.The portion of

the special issuedevoted to ourbelief of stewardshipunderscored for methe apparent ten-dency for Adventists

to apply this concept fairly narrowly.We nearly always apply the concept ofstewardship to the management offinancial and monetary resources (andoccasionally the environment). WhileI do agree that we should be conscien-tious in our use and management ofmoney, I would like to suggest thatgood stewardship goes far beyond this.We are responsible to God for theproper use not only of money but alsoof our time, opportunities, abilities,and possessions. It is easy to forget thatnot only our money but everythingthat we “have” on this earth is essen-tially on loan to us. Understood morebroadly, principles of good stewardshipshould fundamentally affect everyaspect of the church’s ministry and ofour personal lives.

— J e f f e r y W r i g h t

L A U R E L , M A R Y L A N D

The special issue was indeed “special.”What a delightful blending of artistryas seen in childhood vision, the lilt ofpoetic rhythm, the distilled wisdomencapsulated in modern proverbs, theintimate glimpses into anecdotes ofAdventist life, and the well-chosen,

crisp, prophetic gems. Truth becamevery much “present truth.”

I sensed that I was experiencingthe type of presentations that musthave delighted the common people inA.D. 30 who “heard gladly” thelessons of Jesus.

— L e s t e r B e n n e t t

L A G R A N G E , C A L I F O R N I A

I am a pastor who is away from homemost of the Sabbath. Normally I donot turn on the computer on this day.

When my wife and I arrived hometoday, Fresh 27 was in the mailbox. Ijust had to forward a line of apprecia-tion. This issue is a hit! Surely a keeper.A fresh source of sermon references. Itwill also be replayed piece by piece inour church bulletins.

Thank you, Adventist Review editorsand 200 contributors.

— B i l l S k i d m o r e

V I A E - M A I L

I have been delighted with the Review.But this time I question having Mrs. E. G. White’s picture and quotationsfrom her. For Adventists it may pass,but non-Adventists may think we arefollowing one woman, as one manaccused me recently. She herself toldthe ministers to study the Word, studythe Spirit of Prophecy, then preach itfrom the Word. Quotations from theBible would have been better.

— R u b y W i l l i a m s

A B B O T S F O R D , B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A

Her Song Was SilencedI was delighted to find Karen Ritchey’spicture and story on the cover of theReview (Myrna Tetz, May NADEdition). During an extended and

often overwhelmingillness her record-ings of hopereached past mypain and despair tobring me comfortand peace. Thankyou, Karen, for not

allowing your song to be silenced; andthank you, Review, for telling her story.

— J a n e l l e S c o t t

A L D E R G R O V E , B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A

Those who do not have access to theInternet and cannot view Karen’s website(www.members.cnx.net/kritchey) can getinformation by calling Karen at (250)491-0292.

Kinder, Gentler ChurchThere was a statement in Sharon

Weaver Pittman’s article (May NADEdition) that disturbed me: “Well-inten-tioned but untrained church membersdo their best to help those who are hurt-ing, but they often feel frustrated andhave a limited impact.” I must object tothe statement on a couple grounds.

First, the use of “well-intentioned”usually means people who mean well,but don’t have any business doing any-thing because they are such idiotsthey’ll only mess things up. Doesn’t thisencourage Laodicean viewpoints whenwe tell members that love doesn’t matter in helping people, only whether

LETTERS

2 (858) A D V E N T I S T R E V I E W , J U L Y 1 9 9 9

you’ve been trained or not?Second, in my personal life, it is the

trained counselors that have had thelimited impact, not the “well-inten-tioned” church members. The times Ihave turned to professionals such aspastors or teachers, I picked thembecause I felt they had spiritual dis-cernment or wisdom gained from yearsof living, not because they weretrained. And even then, their guidancehas formed only a portion of the guid-ance I have sought and received.Much of the guidance I have receivedthrough times of turmoil has been from“well-intentioned” friends who lovedme. These people had lived throughmany of the same things and were will-ing to share God’s grace. Thank Godthey hadn’t read the article’s statementand decided they didn’t have an oblig-ation to be there for me.

— M e l o d y D . S n o w

V I A E - M A I L

Dear Pastor . . .Royson James’s article (May NADEdition) made reference to the numberof youth who will have slipped throughthe “back doors.” He called this “bleed-ing.” It’s not just the hemorrhaging ofyouth that impacts the body. The lossesare getting close to 55 percent.

In response to the article, I reply:No, the seminary didn’t equip the stu-dents of my day to deal with this flood.It was never mentioned. Yes, these aremore than James’s “telltale signs of ero-sion.” Yes, it’s difficult to identify whatexactly keeps the stayers, while it iseasy to quantify the accessions. Butother denominations’ researchers aredoing it. No, there is no corporatemove to “penetrate the programs ofthe local church” other than a fewemergency tourniquets occasionally.

May I suggest: 1. Refocus on thepriesthood of all believers. It was amajor plank in the Reformation plat-form. It wasn’t that it was attemptedand failed . . . rather it was never fullyattempted. 2. The small group planwas given us by “One who cannot err”

(Testimonies, vol. 7, pp. 21, 22) forboth nurturing believers and fornumerical growth. Could He reallywant us to corporately espouse such aquiet plan, lacking fanfare?

— J . F r e d H u g h e s

L I N C O L N C I T Y, O R E G O N

Forever FriendsI was really happy to see Ludi Leito’sarticle about NET ’98 on the Internet(May NAD Edition). However, I was alittle shocked to see no mention ofTAGnet in the article at all. Maybe youwere not aware, but all the servers, thehard drive space, the software, and theband width for the Web serving and thelive and archived video streaming wereprovided to the NET ’98 team free ofcharge by TAGnet. TAGnet still hoststhe www.net98.org site as well. Wespent about $10,000 and hundreds ofhours of labor to make NET ’98 on theWeb a success. Three cheers for every-one who helped to put NET ’98 on theInternet, including TAGnet!

— S e a n C a r n e y

P R E S I D E N T, TA G N E T

V I A E - M A I L

The Other Spring MeetingI don’t need a drum and an electric gui-tar to make the three angels’ messagesrelevant. I’m 19, and I have grown upin the Adventist Church, but as I readAndy Nash’s “The Other SpringMeeting,” tears came to my eyes. Ourmessage will be made real and relevantby radically obeying God’s will—not bymixing up a cocktail of Ellen White,the three angels’ messages, drums, andblue jeans. I want to be a part of amovement of faith that will be victori-ous over sin and finish this work. LetSeventh-day Adventism be a faith thatwill be victorious over sin and finishthis work, a faith that works by loveand not a feeling.

— S a m u e l S t a p l e t o n

V I A E - M A I L

COVER STORY

8 Why I StayTen reasons not to give up on thechurch.B Y R E I N D E R B R U I N S M A

ARTICLES

14 Reluctantly Maybe, butGracefully for SureConsidering the alternative, growing old isn’t that bad.B Y A R L E N E T A Y L O R

22 Death of a SaleswomanIf you’ve ever felt called to besomeone else.B Y J E N N I F E R G I L L F O R D H A M

28 The Book of RemembranceA simple faith and a simple act.B Y G L O R I A B E N T Z I N G E R

DEPARTMENTS

2 Letters

7 Give & Take

13 Sandra Doran: Dialogues

17 Tuesday’s Child

18 World News & Perspectives

27 CItyscapes

30 Global Mission

31 Reflections

EDITORIALS

5 A Puzzling Passage

6 RFJ2C?

NEXT WEEK

Land of OpportunitiesUnprecedented church growth is becoming commonplace in one of Asia’smost densely populated nations.

A D V E N T I S T R E V I E W , J U L Y 1 9 9 9 (859) 3

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“Behold, I come quickly . . .”

Our mission is to uplift Jesus Christ through stories ofHis matchless love, news of His present workings, helpfor knowing Him better, and hope in His soon return.

Publisher General Conference of Seventh-day AdventistsExecutive Publisher William G. JohnssonAssociate Publisher Charlotte McClure

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Scriptures credited to ICB are quoted from the International Children’sBible, New Century Version, copyright © 1983, 1986, 1988 by WordPublishing, Dallas, Texas 75039. Used by permission. Texts creditedto NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permissionof Zondervan Bible Publishers. Bible texts credited to RSV are fromthe Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952,1971, by the Division of Christian Education of the NationalCouncil of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission.

The Adventist Review (ISSN 0161-1119), published since1849, is the general paper of the Seventh-day AdventistChurch. It is published by the General Conference ofSeventh-day Adventists and is printed 40 times a year eachThursday except the first Thursday of each month by theReview and Herald® Publishing Association. Standardpostage paid at Hagerstown, MD 21740. Copyright © 1999,General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.Vol. 176, No. 26

ROY ADAMS

“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and cre-ate evil: I the Lord do all these things” (Isa. 45:7, KJV).*

Apastor friend of mine drew my attention tothe above passage during a recent visit to theGeneral Conference. “It’s a troubling text forseveral in my congregation,” he said. “Howabout writing an editorial on it sometime?”

As you’ve probably already guessed, the issue here centerson the character of God. How can agood God “create evil”?

A Closer LookPerhaps the first questions to ask

are Why does the passage give us trou-ble? Why are we uncomfortable withit? And the simple answer is that, onits face, it seems to portray the charac-ter of Deity in terms that fall short of our expectations.

But whence came those lofty expectations that wehave—those high moral and ethical standards against whichwe measure the character of Deity? After all, did we noteach come into the world as helpless babes, our mind a tabu-la rasa, completely blank in regard to morals or ethics?Every moral concept we possess, every ethical sensibilitythat dwells within our breast, was acquired—imbibed fromthose who went before.

But did they invent the standards—those who went beforeus? No, they didn’t. You may spend a lifetime probing everyhuman civilization, but at the end of the day the quest willalways lead inexorably to a divine Source—to God. It is Godwho, through His Spirit, makes us sensitive to right and wrong,to good and evil. And because the Bible is the preeminentinspired medium through which we come to know that, a redflag immediately goes up whenever we happen upon a text thatseems to contradict the overriding sentiment of the whole.

When that happens, the first order of business should beto reexamine our own interpretation.

Watch the ContextThe Hebrew term for “evil” in our passage is ra‘ , and

occurs at least 17 times throughout the book of Isaiah. Itmeans “evil,” “wickedness,” “harm,” “injury,” “calamity.” Asin the case with English terms that carry multiple meanings,

we must allow context to determine the particular nuance aword requires in each place. The English word “sentence,”for example, may mean one thing in a book of English gram-mar, and quite another in a set of court documents.Moreover, beneath the denotation (or raw definition) of aword lies its connotation (its more subtle drift).

So how does the Bible student know when to make thecritical shift? The answer is context. In Isaiah 13:11 the Lordsays: “I will punish the world for its evil [ra‘ ]”; in 32:7, “The

scoundrel’s methods are wicked [ra‘ ]”;and in 56:2, “Blessed is the man who . . . keeps his hand from doing anyevil [ra‘ ].” Such clues about God’s atti-tude to evil call upon the translator totreat a passage such as Isaiah 45:7with special finesse, to allow for amore subtle semantic drift.

That’s exactly what the translatorsof the New International Version did when they came to theclause, rendering it: “I bring prosperity and create disaster.”

In so translating, the NIV (like many other modern ver-sions) gives full weight to the passage’s immediate context,whose theme is the restoration of Israel following the Captivity.In the narrative (beginning back in chapter 44) God singlesout Cyrus, king of Persia (more than a century before his birth),as His special agent; and the words of our opening text areensconced in a message to him. The gist of that message wasthat no one—especially not Cyrus—should doubt God’somnipotence (see Isa. 45:1-6). And verses 6 and 7 then encap-sulate God’s crowning affirmation: “I am the Lord, and there isno other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peaceand create calamity” (NKJV).

And the calamity in question had alreadybeen spelled out in the text: God subduesnations, strips kings of their armor, levelsmountains, breaks down gates of bronze, andcuts through bars of iron (see verses 1, 2).

But evil in the sense of corruption orwickedness is foreign to God’s nature.For it is He who calls believers to thehighest level of spiritual attainment.

* Unless otherwise indicated, allScripture passages in this editorial are fromthe New International Version.

A Puzzling PassageE D I T O R I A L

We need to reexamine our own

interpretation.


JAMES W. GILLEY

The question I hear more than any other thesedays is “Are you Y2K-ready?”

I’m sure that you’ve heard all the alarmiststalking about eventsconnected with the

midnight hour, A.D. 2000—planescrashing, water and utility systemsmalfunctioning, and all kinds ofother terrible things.

However, I’m asking a greaterquestion. Are you RFJ2C? Are youready for Jesus to come?

I don’t wish to appear flippantabout the computer problem ofA.D. 2000, but the question ofwhether or not we are ready for Jesus to come is the largerquestion. If we are RFJ2C, then we are prepared to handleany other life situation.

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I giveunto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Letnot your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John14:27). I well remember a woman back in the sixties whohad become a specialist in “the time of trouble.” Sheknew all about prophecies and attended every meeting onthe subject she could. She began to warn her friends thatthe banks were going to fail and that food supplies wouldrun low. Her constant worry was “Can I get through thetime of trouble?”

I saw her not long ago. She was still worried. Thirtyyears of wasted worry and energy, I thought to myself; timebetter spent having a relationship with Jesus than worryingabout the future.

Oh, the time of trouble is coming; and just because it’sbeen delayed doesn’t mean that it isn’t real. But to focus onthese events is the wrong preparation for facing them.

Jesus said, “Be not therefore anxious for the morrow. . . . Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof ” (Matt.6:34, RV).

Again and again in Scripture the Lord tells us to fearnot. Fear is the opposite of faith. Fear brings with it doubt,the opposite of trust. And doubt brings inner turmoil, theopposite of peace. The peace Jesus gives us, if we havefaith in Him, will save us through all the tumults of life.

Yes, Jesus would have us move forward in a state of

peace, no matter what world conditions are. If the worldsuffers financial collapse, if Social Security and privateretirement programs fail, we can still have peace when

we trust Him completely.We mustn’t look to the things

of this earth, the economy, oursavings or income, as the sourcesof our security. God is ourstrength; our security is in Himalone. In Him we must put ourtrust, and as we do, we will findpeace even in turmoil.

I recently read these words: “Ifyou have given yourself to God, todo His work, you have no need to

be anxious for tomorrow. He whose servant you are knowsthe end from the beginning. The events of tomorrow,which are hidden from your view, are open to the eyes ofHim who is omnipotent.

“When we take into our hands the management ofthings with which we have to do, and depend upon ourown wisdom for success, we are taking a burden whichGod has not given us, and are trying to bear it withoutHis aid. We are taking upon ourselves the responsibilitythat belongs to God, and thus are really putting our-selves in His place. We may well have anxiety and antic-ipate danger and loss, for it is certain to befall us. Butwhen we really believe that God loves us and means todo us good we shall cease to worry about the future. Weshall trust God as a child trusts a loving parent. Thenour troubles and torments will disappear, for our will isswallowed up in the will of God” (Thoughts From theMount of Blessing, pp. 100, 101).

So let’s face the future—the new mil-lennium—with renewed faith in ourLord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Thatfaith will help us meet the challenges ofthese difficult and complicated times.

Are you RFJ2C?Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

James W. Gilley is president of theArkansas-Louisiana Conference.

RFJ2C?G U E S T E D I T O R I A L

Jesus would have us move

forward in a stateof peace.


HERALD’S TRUMPET

Hey, kids! Herald the Reviewangel is back, and Herald’strumpet is once again hiddensomewhere in this magazine.

In our last contest (May 27AnchorPoints Edition), we had 24 entries. Ourthree winners were: Ryan Aqui from College Place,Washington; Cole Bodner from Kasson, Minnesota; and Jessi Webb from KennyLakes, Alaska. Ryan, Cole, and Jessi received Danger on Seventh Street, a PacificPress book by Jerry D. Thomas. Where was the trumpet? On page 29.

If you can find the trumpet this time, send your postcard to Herald’s Trumpetat the Give & Take address on this page. The prize is an Adventist Review cap!Look for the three winners’ names in the August 12 World Edition. Have funsearching—and keep trumpeting Jesus’ love!

GIVETAKE

&

ADVENTIST LIFE

When I worked at Pacific Pressin Mountain View, California, weeditors, artists, and secretaries at thesouth end of the building held afive-minute worship service eachmorning in the editorial library.Each of us would take his or herturn reading the Morning Watchselection for the day, then pray.

One morning it was a certainartist’s turn to read, but he wasnowhere in sight. Just as the 7:30bell quit ringing, he came sprinting down the long corridor to the library. Huffingand puffing, he plunged into an overstuffed chair. Someone had already openedthe book, so he took a couple deep breaths and started to read: “ ‘As the hart pan-teth after the water brooks’ ”—he stopped to inhale and exhale again—“ ‘so pan-teth my soul after thee.’ ” Again he stopped reading, gasping for oxygen.

The library erupted with laughter—for that day we had enjoyed not just a read-ing of Scripture but a 3-D dramatization of it, with feeling. I think the psalmistwould have been pleased.—Richard H. Utt, Loma Linda, California

ADVENTIST QUOTES

“I really didn’t haveany alternative. Yousee, my grandma waspraying for me.”—a young man at his rebaptism service, Tolstoy,South Dakota


HELP! HELP!

We’re running low in someGive & Take categories. We canespecially use brief submissions to:

Adventist Quotes (profound orspontaneous)

Adventist Life (anecdotes—especially from the world of adults)

Dream Center (church-relateddreams)

Jots & Tittles (church-relatedtips)

Readers’ Exchange (requestsfor correspondence on a specifictopic)

And we can always use church-related photos and captions, shortpoems, and other fast-paced items.Send submissions (which won’t bereturned) to Give & Take,Adventist Review, 12501 OldColumbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD20904; fax: 301-680-6638; e-mail:[email protected].

“Mom, just imagine how long a pastor’s prayer is when they get inbed at night.”—8-year-old Christopher Wetmore, Silver Spring,Maryland

“Well, Sarah, that’s acceptable in theconstitution of the remission of sins.”—4-year-old Stephanie Draget, Galesburg,Illinois, to her 6-year-old sister, who had just saidthat she hopes Mommy and Daddy never kiss onthe lips—gross!

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Why I StayTen things to think about before you give up on the church.

BY REINDER BRUINSMA

TO BE HONEST, AT TIMES I AM FRUS-trated with my church. Sometimes I feel it issomewhat out of tune with the times and theworld I live in. Sometimes I get upset by itsbureaucratic procedures and what I perceive as

frequent failures to deal decisively with important issues. Iwish my church could settle the issue of women’s ordination(yes, I’m one of those people) and deal with a few other hotpotatoes. And I often wonder why the church allows its fun-damentalist fringe to set so much of its agenda. And yes, Ineed a double or triple portion of grace to interact withsome people in the church.

But in spite of these and other things, I’m happy with mychurch; it’s been part of my life from my earliest childhood.The church has given structure to my life. Most (probablytoo much) of my social life is in the church. The church hasbeen a good employer. I have had interesting and challeng-ing assignments on several continents and have, in theprocess, traveled the world. I have not become rich, but thechurch has provided me with a reasonable remuneration andhas, usually, been quite fair to me.

I realize, however, that these factors alone cannot bedecisive when I ask myself the question Do I want to stay inthe Seventh-day Adventist Church? Many leave the churchor are not sure whether they want to stay.

But what about me? I’ve asked myself that question fromtime to time, and I have arrived at 10 reasons that I want to

stay with the church.

It all begins with thisbasic realization: I am areligious being. Of course,I am affected by the ram-

C O V E R S T O R Y


pant secularism in today’s society. I hear the voices that saythat God is dead, or at best an absentee landlord, or animpersonal spiritual dimension of the reality around us. But Ihave made a choice: I want to be a Christian.

I believe in a God who is the originator of everything;the Creator to whom I am accountable. I believe He hasmet my most fundamental needs by entering this world inHis Son, Jesus Christ. I admire many facets of other worldreligions, but I strongly believe that the religion of JesusChrist is unique. “There is no other name under heavengiven to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12, NIV).

Looking atthe hundredsof differentdenomina-tions, I con-clude thatmany profess

what I would call “a diluted Christianity.” In many churchesthe Bible is no longer viewed as the authoritative word ofGod. I would find it impossible to belong to a church thattreats the Bible as a storybook that may contain edifying sto-ries but does not necessarily reflect any historical reality. Ibelieve in the God of the Bible, who is both infinite andnear.

I cannot be content with a belief in some impersonalspiritual force. I’m eager to call upon a God who is both myCreator and my Father. I find little attraction in believing ina Christ who may have been a good man, but was not thedivine Mediator who came to deal in a final way with mysin. I want to be a Christian of what we today would call the“evangelical” variety.

1. I wantto be a

Christian.

2. I want to be anevangelical

Christian.


I don’t believe that the AdventistChurch provides the only gateway intoheaven. Nor do I believe that mychurch has the truth in an absolutesense. Only God knows the full truth.We will always be searching for better,but human—and thus imperfect—waysof expressing divine truth. But Ibelieve that in this respect theSeventh-day Adventist Church is defi-nitely ahead of other Christian com-munities. Together with many others,Adventists embrace the basic funda-mentals of the Christian faith.

But in addition, we’ve been led to amuch fuller understanding of a numberof specific truths that are so importantthat they must be shared with as manyas possible: the perpetuity of God’s law,including the seventh-day Sabbath;the great controversy worldview andall this entails; the belief in the sooncoming of Christ; and the integrationof theology and lifestyle are some ofthe important aspects of biblical truththat I cherish.

One of the sad things in manydenominations is that they seem to

have lost their sense of mission. ManyChristian churches are no longerexpanding but are simply fighting forsurvival. Some seem to have lost theirway entirely and appear to have con-ceded the fact that they probably are ageneration or less away from extinc-tion. By comparison, the AdventistChurch is a dynamic movement. Everyday more than 2,000 new membersswell its ranks.

As I write, the church has 10.3 mil-lion members. Why does our churchgrow so rapidly? Because it has retained asense of mission—it’s going somewhere.

I know I shouldn’t let myself be car-ried away by an uncritical euphoria.The growth of the church is veryuneven. In some Western countries,particularly among Caucasians, thechurch hardly grows, if at all. And the

3. I wantto follow

Truth.

4. I wantto be

involved.

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church faces tremendous challenges inthe world of Islam, as well as in thegreat urban centers all over the globe.Nonetheless, Adventism is on themove, and it’s great to be part of it.

I know the dangers of an “institu-tionalized” church. We must never for-get that the church is, first and fore-most, people and local congregations,evangelism and spiritual nurture.

But the church is more. It hasresponsibilities vis-à-vis its own mem-bers and toward the world. It must

work for the poor and needy. It hasmuch to offer in areas of health careand health education, and educationin general.

I am acutely aware of the challengesthe church faces in many of its insti-tutions—challenges in the areas offinances, human resources, and philos-ophy. But having visited hundreds ofAdventist schools, hospitals, andADRA projects in more than 60countries, those concerns are eclipsedby a sense of pride and gratitude. It istruly great to belong to a church thathas integrated the activities of “heart”

and “hand” on such a global scale.

If religion is to bemeaningful, it mustbe relevant. TheAdventist Churchmust face the ongo-ing challenge toensure that its mes-

sage is “present truth”—that it speaksto the real needs of people who enterthe twenty-first century. Long beforethe word “wholistic” became part oftoday’s vocabulary, Adventists devel-oped their doctrine of the fundamentalunity of body, “soul,” and mind.

That care for the body has a reli-gious dimension is part of the genius ofAdventism. It is, unfortunately, truethat the Adventist lifestyle principleshave often been reduced to a list ofdo’s and don’ts. The church must con-tinue to reiterate the underlying prin-ciples and challenge its members toapply these, freely and responsibly, in

their own situation.This wholisticapproach to religionnot only appeals tome, but in particu-lar to many whobelong to a youngergeneration.

The Young and the Restless

By Katie Torkelsen

Where spiritual life is concerned, I agree with those whosay that a relationship with Christ is most important.However, a relationship with thechurch is also vital to one’sspiritual journey. My own spiritu-ality is an intricate intertwiningof Christ and the church. Thechurch plays an important partin my life, and I’m proud to be aSeventh-day Adventist.

Over a recent vacation I hada number of encounters withfriends, and we had great funreminiscing. As we talked, thetopic of religion tended to popup. Comments ranged from“People at church are so fake,”and “Everyone is so judgmen-tal,” to “That just isn’t impor-tant to me right now,” and “I’vegot too many other things toworry about to think about allthose rules too.”

At times it seemed as if I

were the only person my age with an appreciation for thechurch and what it represents. I began to wonder whatmakes some of us embrace the Seventh-day AdventistChurch and others shun it. My generation appears to per-sonify the expression “the young and the restless,” search-ing for something just out of reach.

I decided to get some facts from some of my class-mates, to try to understandboth sides of the issue. Somehave a God-given joy that Iadmire and sometimes envy.Some have had a less than sat-isfactory experience in churchand with those who claim to beChristians. I posed a few ques-tions to a class of 25 students,and their responses reallyspoke to me. I asked aboutboth positive and negative expe-riences with the church, as wellas what they would do to makeAdventism appeal to moreyoung people.

The negative experiencesgave a voice to some interestingsentiments. Five of the studentsfelt that church services are tooboring and formal. Oliver, asenior in bioengineering,

ON TOP OF IT: Youthful vitality and high ideals charac-terize many Adventist young adults. Students attend-ing last spring’s ConneXions99 convention at theGeneral Conference strike dynamic poses on top ofthe sign that identifies the world church headquartersin Silver Spring, Maryland. The students, from LaSierra University in Riverside, California, are (from left)Ben Guerro, Felipe Vielman, Lilian Han, Carrie Lewis,April Aitken, Jenny Kang, and Julene Duerksen.

6. My churchconnects

theology withlifestyle.

5. I’m proud to belong to a church

that wants toserve the world.


I, for one, am grateful for the cleartrend of focusing ever more clearly onChrist.

Related to this is the shift from anemphasis on works as a means to salva-tion to a focus on grace as the founda-tion of our redemption. A study ofAdventist history reveals that this shiftdid not happen overnight, and it didnot come about without tension. Andanyone who has analysed present-dayAdventism knows that even now thereare pockets in the church where legal-ism and righteousness by works con-tinue to exact their spiritual toll.

But, thank God, as Adventism hasmatured, it has become increasinglyChrist-centered. And if there’s anyplace where Ellen White has played atruly prophetic role, it is here.

Not allchange ispositive, buta totalabsence ofchange is thevery worstthat can hap-pen. The world of the twenty-first cen-tury differs dramatically from life inthe nineteenth or the mid-twentiethcentury. Fortunately, the church haschanged as time has gone by. Seventh-day Adventists are not like the Amish,who have stopped the clock and refuseto look at the calendar.

We have changed in what webelieve, as our doctrinal positions crys-

tallized. We have changed in the waywe are organized, as the smallAmerican Advent movement of ourpioneers became a world church. Wehave changed in the way we “do”

church. We have changed inthe way we communicate ourmessage.

More change is needed.But the fact that the churchhas been able to change in thepast makes me hopeful that itcan continue to do so in thefuture.

Assome-onewith adegreeinchurchhistory,I have always been interested in

expressed frustration with the lack of “consideringchange as a possibility.” Several had a problem with theway some church members tend to have a holier-than-thou attitude. Those who seem to think that obeying allthe little rules is the way to God also failed to make it onanyone’s list of “highly appreciated people.” A statementthat caught me slightly off guard came from a juniorhumanities major who observed that “there doesn’tseem to be a real concern with being Christian anymore.”That’s a scary thought.

On the positive side, praises focused on relationshipswith individual churches—especially with pastors. A “friend-ly, caring” pastor who “shows true concern” is highly valued.The junior mentioned in the previous paragraph alsoexplained, “My pastor is one of the most loving people Iknow.” Another individual appreciated how “the church fami-ly accepted me into the church and allowed me to love Godin my own way.” Some mentioned that they appreciated thefamily-like atmosphere in their church and the lifelong sup-port they’ve experienced.

My final question: “What would you say to church leadersabout what needs to be done to make Adventism appeal toyoung people?”

The two big requests were for honesty and for leadersto lead by example. As Jamie, a junior music major,requested: “Live your lives so we want to follow. Show usGod, not rules.” Chad thought a balance between the oldand new would improve the situation. Kelly, a sophomorein education, suggested that we “forget all the politics and

remember that we are here to serve and worship God.”So how does this information affect you? What do

these views mean for Adventism? I believe these opinionsneed to be noted and acted on. I’m not advocating amajor renovation of our church system to accommodatethe desires of one generation. However, there needs to bea team effor t in churches everywhere to include every-one—the old, the young, professionals, students—in cre-ating a church that ministers to the needs that alreadyexist. We need to be open and honest with each other,willing to listen and willing to imagine the possibilities.Most of all, we need to fix our focus on Jesus Christ andstrive to follow in His footsteps.

I began this piece with feelings of frustration. I felt alonein my dedication to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. But Idiscovered that many of my peers have a vision of howthings should be. They still believe in our church.

I like the way Steve put it: “Adventism is cool becauseit appeals to the truth. If we can continue our search fortruth, and in our personal spirituality I think love would bemore prevalent and Jesus would be honored. Besides, ifwe have the best, would we want anything else? There’ssafety in the truth.”

My generation may be young, and we may be restless,but we still seek the truth.

Katie Torkelsen is a junior communication major at WallaWalla College in College Place, Washington.

7. The Adventist Church is

increasinglyChrist

centered. 8. I thank Godfor a church

that canchange.

9. I belong toa church with

an inspiringpast.



the past. However, despite what somesay, the past cannot be re-enacted.And too often the past is idealized bypeople who have only a vague knowl-edge of the actual facts. We canalways learn from history, and we canhardly expect to understand the pre-sent if we have no inkling of the past.

Seventh-day Adventism has a fasci-nating history. It contains pages ofhuman weakness and even error, butthe underlying thread is one of visionand dynamism. All of the players weresinners, but many were true heroes offaith and inspiring leaders, often atenormous personal sacrifice.

How true are the well-knownwords of Ellen G. White: “We havenothing to fear for the future, exceptas we shall forget the way the Lordhas led us, and His teaching in ourpast history” (Life Sketches, p. 196).

Seventh-day Adventism is not onlyconcerned with the past and the pre-sent. It looks toward the future. I con-fess that I’m not very interested in aprecise timetable of last-day events. ButI am interested in our eternal future.

The Adventist understanding ofhistory and the great truth of the sec-ond coming of Christ provide a frame-work that gives meaning and hope.Therefore I love to sing that hymnthat was first composed for the 1962

General Conference session: “We havethis hope that burns within our hearts,hope in the coming of the Lord.”

These are, briefly, 10 reasons that Iwant to stay in the Seventh-dayAdventist Church. The church is farfrom perfect. But after surveying myoptions, I must conclude that I haveno viable alternative: However

imperfect it may be, this is the commu-nity where I belong. ■

Reinder Bruinsma is secre-tary of the Trans-EuropeanDivision of the Seventh-dayAdventist Church. He livesin St. Albans, England.

10. The churchhas a message

for thefuture.


SANDRA DORAN

Isuspect that one of the elders in my local church isabusing his family. I don’t have any proof of this,but I have an uneasy feeling every time I am aroundthis man and his children.Where should I go with this?

You have brought up a very com-plicated issue. On the one hand, ifyou rush in and make unwarrantedaccusations, you stand the chance ofbringing pain and humiliation to apotentially blameless party. On theother hand, if your suspicions aregrounded in reality and you do notact, innocent children will continueto suffer.

The description of the childrenthat you paint in your letter is con-sistent with the profile of abused persons. Their inability toassert themselves, their refusal to meet their father’s eyes,their fear when he is in the room tend to make one begin toquestion the nature of the relationship. In one study, chil-dren were asked to hold their right arms straight out, hori-zontal to their bodies. The questioner then left the room.When he returned several minutes later a few of the chil-dren were still holding their arms out straight, although theywere obviously uncomfortable. These were the children whodid not dare make a decision on their own, who feared theconsequences should they “disobey”; who, in fact, camefrom abusive backgrounds.

While we as Christians believe that children ought to betaught obedience, there is an unhealthy line that can becrossed if a parent believes that all family members mustthink and act alike at all costs. A spouse or child who daresnot voice an opinion, ask a question, suggest a preference,lives in fear of noncompliance. Such an atmosphere pro-vides the context for emotional, physical, or verbal abuse.

While many of the surface signs that you have observedsuggest the possibility that an unhealthy situation is occur-ring in the home of this man, I would advise you to movecautiously. The most important thing to do right now is toget to know this family as intimately as possible. Ask themto dinner. Invite the children to your home. Begin to openthe circle of your family to include theirs.

Generally, when abuse is occurring, families begin to

isolate themselves from others. Tight, restrictive lines aredrawn around the perimeter of the home. Access both inand out of the small circle is highly restricted, as the abus-

ing party fears losing control. As achurch body it is important that webegin to recognize “marginalized”families. While a particular familymember may have a high profilewithin the church, such as elder,Sabbath school teacher, or evenPathfinder leader, the family as aunit may be “closed off” to others.This is the time to reach out, listencarefully, begin to draw out individ-ual family members.

I am well acquainted with a num-ber of individuals, now middle-aged,

who grew up in “good Seventh-day Adventist homes,” withfathers who were well respected by the congregation, yetwhose spirit of vindictiveness and abuse at home perma-nently scarred their offspring. The question that hauntsthese grown children, decades later, is “Why didn’t anybodydo anything? Didn’t anyone in the congregation suspectanything at all?”

Again, you cannot afford to rush in and make ungroundedaccusations. But neither can you afford to let the matter rest.I am convinced that if you make this family a matter ofdaily prayer, and continue to find ways to become closer andcloser to the members, you will begin to approach deeperlevels of understanding of the types of behavior occurringbehind closed doors. If you begin to note things that causeyou further concern, then it is time to bring the matter tothe pastor and develop a plan for addressing the problem.

Thank you for writing this letter. You have taken the firststep. You have refused to turn the other way in the face ofsomething that makes you uneasy. Would that more churchmembers would open their eyes.

Sandra Doran holds a doctoral degree in educationand is an author and educator who lives inMassachusetts with her husband and two sons.

An Abusive Situation?S A N D R A D O R A N : D I A L O G U E S

You cannot affordto rush in and

make groundlessaccusations.

Winning theRace

BY THOMAS L. BROOKS

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but onlyone gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get acrown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a manrunning aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, Ibeat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preachedto others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” (1 Cor.9:24-27, NIV).

TAKE A MOMENT AND IMAGINE THATyou have set yourself a goal to run the 500meters at the next Summer Olympics. Wakingup, you start your training by having a heartybreakfast. Then, stretching out on your favorite

recliner, you turn on the VCR and watch people run (hop-ing to get a few pointers). A few minutes go by, and you fig-ure you have done enough for the day. You push yourself upout of your chair and wander into the kitchen for a quicksnack (to build up your energy, of course). You then headback to your favorite recliner, kick back, and flip the chan-nels on the TV to your favorite program. You say to yourselfthat tomorrow is soon enough to actually start running.

A year goes by with the same routine. Finally you are atthe track, ready to run in the Olympic trials. You step up tothe starting line. The starter fires the gun, and in a rush youjump up and charge down the track . . . for a step or two.You stop for a moment to get your breath back. You scream,“I’m going to win! I’m going to win!” You leap down thetrack . . . and trip. Frustrated, you get up and wander off.

L I F E S T Y L E


Mumbling “Next time, next time,” you head over to therefreshment stand for a quick energy boost.

Sound ridiculous? I hope so. Yet I wonder how closely itparallels our Christian life. We grab our Bible, study books,yellow highlighter, and pen to do some studying in prepara-tion for bringing the good news to others. Pausing for amoment, we turn on the VCR to watch someone give anevangelistic sermon (just to get a few pointers). A short timelater we push ourselves up from our favorite recliner andhead to the kitchen for a quick snack (to build up our ener-gy, of course). Distracted, we tell ourselves that tomorrowwill be soon enough to “get down to some serious studying.”

Somewhere down the line we have an opportunity towitness. We charge out of the blocks, find a person who lis-tens to us as we quote a few favorite Bible verses. Our listenerasks a question. Fumbling with the Bible, we quickly flip theflimsy pages, stumbling for just the right answer. The personchuckles and walks away. Frustrated, we mumble “Nexttime, next time,” as we sit down and turn on anotherfavorite TV episode.

Paul tells us in the verses above to “run in such a way asto get the prize.” He is not speaking of some halfheartedeffort just to run in the race, but of an agonizing, intense,purposeful struggle to win the race. Before we can run,though, we must know in which race we are going to run. Inother words, what is our goal? Simply put, our goal is pleas-ing God. No matter where we go, no matter what we do, wehave one goal . . . pleasing God.

What will our prize be? There is only one prize. Thatprize is eternal life . . . the crown that will last forever. To win


this prize we must work tirelessly.Listed here are three ways to accom-plish this. First, we pray constantly. Allwe have to do is ask and God will give

us the guidance and help we need(Matt. 7:7, 8).

Next, we study tirelessly. How can welearn anything God has said to us if we

have not studied His Word (Dan. 10:12;1 Cor. 2:13; John 7:16, 17)?

Finally, we worship tirelessly.Worship allows us to keep our eyes onour goal of pleasing God (Heb. 12:28).

Paul makes the point that we can-not just tell others to do these things,we must do them ourselves. We mustget out there and run the race, not justwatch the race through a pair of $50binoculars while shouting words ofencouragement and advice to thosewho are running.

Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:7, 8that he won the race. Are you going towin the race? Are you ready to gocharging down the track with yourarms pumping, your legs beating theground, and your lungs screaming forair? Do not put off your training anylonger. Do it now.

On your mark . . .Get set . . .Go! ■

Thomas. L. Brooks is a freelance writerwho lives in Sykesville, Maryland.

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Does your family take family vacations? My family tries totake one every summer. Sometimes we go with anotherfamily. It’s more fun for the kids because they have

someone to play with and it's easier on the grown-upsbecause they can share the work.

People aren’t the only creatures who take vacations.Canada geese take a long family vacation every year, andgoose families often vacation together. They take their tripin the fall, and some of them usually travel right over ourhouse. For several weeks every fall the sky is filled with thesight of their trademark V formations and the sounds of theirhonking as they head south for the winter. Sometimes theV’s are small, with only five or six geese traveling together.But usually the V’s are larger. Thelarger V’s are made of two or morefamilies traveling together.

Canada geese make the longtrip south together so they canshare the load. All that flying ishard work, but geese know it’s eas-ier if they do it together. Thegoose who flies at the front of theV formation has to work the hard-est because it has to break the air.But the geese farther back in theV get uplift off the wings of thebirds in front of them. It’s an eas-ier ride back there. So the geesetake turns with the hard part.When the bird in the lead posi-tion gets tired it falls back intothe formation, and another goosemoves up to take its place. Byworking together like this, geesecan go much farther without stop-ping than they could if they flewalone.

And all that honking? Thegeese at the back of the V honkto encourage the ones up front tokeep up their speed. It’s as if

they’re saying, “Keep it up! You’re doing a good job! Andwe’re here to help you out when you need it!”

There’s another way Canada geese help each other on thelong trip south. If a bird gets sick or hurt, two other geesewill fly with it to the ground to help and protect it. Theywill not leave until the goose is either well enough to flyagain, or until it dies.

The Bible tells those of us in God’s family to help eachother, too. “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way youwill fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2, NIV). Take turnswith the hard part. Work together so that you can go far-ther. Encourage each other. Help and protect each other.And not just when you’re on vacation.

RENÉ EVANS

Geese Vacations

Family Time☛ With your family’s help, make a list of 10 ways that

your church family works together or helps each other.

☛ Ask the adults in your family to tell you of a time thatanother member of God’s family helped them in a special way.How did that make them feel?

☛ Read a Bible story about a member of God’s familywho didn’t want anyone to know it: Luke 22:54-62. How do youthink Peter felt about his actions? How do you think Jesusfelt? Have you ever been afraid to admit you were a member ofGod’s family? Why?

☛ Think about someone in your church family who mightneed help or encouragement in a special way. What can yourfamily do to help that person?

✃


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The planting of a Seventh-day Adventist Messianicsynagogue in theBroward/Dade Countyarea of south Florida has

been accomplished during the first yearof a three-year initiative for Jewishevangelism in the Florida Conference.About 400 persons recently gatheredat the South Broward church inHollywood, Florida, for a “spiritualgroundbreaking and dedication.”

The South Broward church waschosen to begin reaching Florida’sJewish community. Three fourths ofFlorida’s 1 million-plus Jews live inDade, Broward, and Palm Beach coun-ties. The church name has alreadychanged to reflect its mission. This

happened whileSouth Browardpastor MichaelCurzon andPastor MordecaiDuShey, bothJewish, weredriving toOrlando oneafternoon.

The HolySpirit impressedeach man topray severaltimes duringthe trip.Suddenly bothbegan to speakabout the name

change of SouthBroward—onecompleting thewords of the other.There it was—Temple of theAdvent Hope, aSeventh-dayAdventistCongregation.That very name isa mission state-ment of the com-ing of the Lord.

DuShey is theFlorida Con-ference Jewishevangelism coor-dinator who isworking with thepastors and mem-bers in southFlorida, St.Petersburg, and

Orlando. “What we’re doing here inFlorida concerning the JewishOutreach transcends Florida,” saysDuShey. “It extends to every confer-ence, every union conference, andevery nation throughout theAdventist denomination. As mynamesake of old, Mordecai, looked toEsther to save the Jews of old, I lookto the Seventh-day AdventistChurch to become a latter-day Estherin a saving interaction with ourSaviour to reach the Jews of today.”

Dedication WeekendOn Friday evening, October 2,

1998, members and guests gathered todedicate their building and themselvesto the new mission. People hurriedinto the small sanctuary claiming theirseats. The ushering in of the Sabbathfilled the sanctuary with songs of praiseand worship. All the seats were filled;many had to sit in the overflow room

W O R L D N E W S & P E R S P E C T I V E S

Spiritual Groundbreaking and Dedicationof Temple of the Advent Hope


B Y C A R L D I V E R T, S Y D E L L H E R M A N S O N , M O R D E C A I D U S H E Y, C I N D Y K U R T Z H A L S , C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

P E R S O N N E L F O R T H E F L O R I D A C O N F E R E N C E

MESSIAH HASCOME: FredLiebovitz, 87,previouslyheld back hiscommitmentto theMessiah. Hehad wrestledwith the dif-ferencesbetween theChristianMessiah andthe Jewish

Messiah. Did he have to become a Christian before he could acceptthe Hebrew Messiah? Would he have to stop being Jewish? Afterstudying with Pastor Mordecai DuShey, he realized that he is simplya Jew who found his Hebrew Messiah, no different from Saul (Paul),Kefa (Peter), or Mattiyahu (Matthew).

“I am surprised that the church still lets you keep your Hebrewname, Mordecai,” remarked Liebovitz. He felt the church was veryJewish (because of the Sabbath and the sanctuary) and wanted tomake that commitment and worship on the Sabbath, as anAdventist. Pictured second from right is member Robert Lee, whohas faithfully brought Liebovitz to church each week.

NEW DEDICATION: Elders and members pray to claim the property for theservice of the Lord.

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or stand in the back. Four Jewish men led out in praise

and worship of the Creator Yeshua—Jesus’ Hebrew name. Some wore theirkippa, a small skullcap worn by men asa mark of reverence and a reminderthat each one is an ambassador ofAdonai (Lord).

One of the four men was RabbiLenny Libman (right). Months before,the Lord used a newspaper article tobring Libman to the Temple of theAdvent Hope. He then attended TheNeXt Millennium Seminar (NET ’98)and was baptized by pastors Curzonand DuShey. The news of this baptismand the outreach of the Temple of theAdvent Hope was carried around theglobe as NeXt Millennium speakerDwight Nelson read the faxed messageto the audience.

A policeman for seven years,Libman believed so strongly in theHebrew Messiah of his forebears that

he had already become a Messianicrabbi. He had been studying andlearning about the sanctuary and wasled to the Temple of the AdventHope because of Adventists’ belief inthe Sabbath and the sanctuary message.

“God has opened a door. Unbe-knownst to me, the Seventh-dayAdventist Church has a mission to

reach the Jewish people withthe gospel message. It is a‘God-incidence’ that I amhere,” says Libman. “I findthat the message is veryJewish and very scriptural,right out of the HebrewScriptures, and it is this thatled me to become a part ofthis work and part of thischurch.”

DuShey opened theSabbath in the Jewish tradi-tion and shared the vision ofthe Temple of the AdventHope. Then CliffordGoldstein, a Jew and formereditor of Liberty magazine,shared his dramatic andunique conversion story. Achild of the sixties and seven-ties, he unashamedly heckledChristians in public. After Goldsteincrisscrossed Europe, lived in an Israeli

kibbutz, his life changed after heobserved the lives of two dedicatedChristians. He accepted Yeshua as hisSaviour and today uses his talents as awriter and editor for the church.

The DedicationA large white tent stretched over

the property adjacent to the currentbuilding marked where the new

temple will be built. The Temple ofthe Advent Hope will house an 800-to 1,000-seat sanctuary with state-of-the-art media capabilities, churchoffices, the Jewish Outreach office,classrooms, fellowship hall, kitchen,music rooms, elders’ room, and nurs-ery. Future projects include theShalom Learning Center, ShalomHealth Center, and the ClintonHicks Memorial Fitness Center. Thelate Clinton Hicks was head elderand a spiritual leader who was sup-portive of the Jewish work.

The dedication day was a high day,full of awe, emotion, love, and bap-tisms. Rabbi Lenny Libman, his wife,and family were surrounded by thechurch elders and conference leader-ship and prayed over for protectionand direction. Dedicatory prayersascended for the temple and the Jewishministry. And there were baptisms—two Jewish men, Fred Liebovitz andBen-Hayil Yellen; a newly marriedcouple, Dwight and Dee Nelson; andCurzon’s daughter, Miriam. OtherJewish believers committed themselvesto study the Word.

Curzon and DuShey are delightedto see the ministry move forwarddynamically, and they watch eagerly tosee what the Lord will do next.

A WORD OFTESTIMONY: “Ifyou reject theMessiah, you’rerejecting yourJewishness,”said Ben-HayilYellen, center.Yellen has 35Jewish Adventistfriends inCalifornia whomeet and sharetheir heritage.Yellen flew toFlorida to displaypublicly his com-mitment to the

Messiah by dying in Him and rising to new life. The Temple of the Advent Hope board votedto be a sister congregation to this group. Pictured left, Mordecai DuShey, and right,Michael Curzon.

Rabbi Lenny Libman (right)

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Arizona Legislature Passes Religious Freedom Restoration Act

On May 19 Arizona governor Jane Hull signed theReligious Freedom Restoration Act into law, mark-

ing another success for the diverse religious coalition thatsupports this legislation. Arizona becomes the mostrecent of several states to pass such a law in its latest legislative session.

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act is designed toprotect citizens from government interference in the freeexercise of religion. It seeks to provide protection for thereligious rights of citizens as defined in the FirstAmendment to the United States Constitution. This leg-islation was sent to the state level after being struckdown by Congress in 1997.

In working for passage of the bill in Arizona,Adventists joined with several other religious faiths,including Jewish, Catholic, and Mormon groups. Manyreligious organizations have laid aside ideological differ-ences to join together in promoting the principle of reli-gious freedom for all Americans, as it is expressed in theReligious Freedom Restoration Act.

Clarence Hodges, North American Division directorof the Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department,

says, “Our interest is in the protection of religious free-dom for all persons. The limited protection that this billprovides will help prevent zoning laws that limit religiousactivities and will restrict government agencies reluctantto grant Sabbath accommodations, among other things.Passage of the Arizona Religious Freedom RestorationAct shows that support for this legislation is building.”—Adventist News Network.

North American Student Dies at Newbold College

The students and faculty at Newbold College inBracknell, Berkshire, England, are stunned by the tragicdeath of a North American student. On June 5 TammyAllen, a business student, was involved in an accident onthe campus that resulted in a fatal fall.

Allen, 22, apparently fell awkwardly while climbingup the side of the women’s residence. College staff and anambulance were immediately called.

Suffering from severe head injuries, Allen was takenby ambulance to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Readingand then to Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, where sheunderwent surgery. After surgery she was put on a life-support machine. Allen died on Sunday, June 6. Her par-ents, Charles and Kaye Allen, were at her bedside.

“The Newbold community is in shock at this unexpected

N E W S B R E A K


News of the day in England is hardly complimentary toa nation once identified as Christian. The latestmoneymaking scheme of one British “entrepreneur”

is the “Alibi Agency.”“An Alibi Agency?” asked the interviewer on national TV.The agency’s founder explained the principles—or lack

of them . . .“Say you’re having an affair. You want

to avoid getting caught. So you want analibi that puts you somewhere else thanwhere you actually are. That’s where the Alibi Agency comesin. We can provide you with receipts and tickets and all kindsof documentation that proves you were in Spain, say, whenyou were actually in London. As easy as that, for a small fee.”

With fees starting at approximately $30, maybe the AlibiAgency will attract business. Quizzed on the ethics of suchan operation, the businessman said he was just making anhonest buck by providing such a service.

But it’s a sad reflection on the way we are. People ready tocheat and lie, and to betray the most intimate of personalrelationships; a society that sees nothing wrong with adulteryas long as you don’t get caught and have a good alibi, whetherbought or not; an age that sees morals as a temporary conve-nience—useful at times, but not particularly necessary.

A society of a time that approaches that predicted:“There will be terrible times in the lastdays. People will be lovers of them-selves, . . . boastful, proud, abusive, . . .

without love, . . . slanderous, without self-control, . . . notlovers of the good, treacherous, . . . conceited, lovers ofpleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:1-4, NIV).

Rather, it should be that “we have renounced secret andshameful ways; we do not use deception,” following the coun-sel, “Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy,envy, and slander of every kind” (2 Cor. 4:2; 1 Peter 2:1, NIV).

Who needs alibis?

NEWS COMMENTARY

The Sad Day of the Alibi AgencyB Y J O N AT H A N G A L L A G H E R , G E N E R A L C O N F E R E N C E N E W S D I R E C T O R

Dear friends at AWR: “I’ve foundmyself drawn to AWR broadcastsbecause I feel you give messages of loveand hope and provide stories that areuplifting, interesting, and expressed in a kind and con-cerned way.”—Ian, Australia.

“You have a friendly voice. My family and I often listen toyour programs. They have taught us many things and arerich and meaningful. Moreover, your speakers use verygood Chinese.”—Wai Eun,* China.

“I am a new convert. I am not very well acquainted with God’s teachings. But as I have listened to God’sWord on your station I have been greatly blessed.”—Liu Chan,* China.

* These names are pseudonyms.

For more information about Adventist World Radio,write to: 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring,Maryland 20904-6600; or call toll-free: 1-800-337-4297; e-mail: [email protected]; website: www.awr.org.

Too Hot for ChildrenWhile you may find a hot bath relaxing, young chil-

dren should be bathed in warm water, not hot. Scalds arethe leading cause of accidental death in the home forchildren under age 4. Infant skin is thinner and morefragile than an adult’s, so it can burn at temperatures thatmay feel comfortable to adults. Proper safety precautionsinclude setting your water heater’s thermostat to no morethan 125˚F and testing infants’ bathwater by moving yourforearm through it. The recommended bathwater temper-ature for babies is about 100˚F.—University of TexasSouthwestern Medical Center.

The Eyes Need ItIf you have diabetes, have an eye examination every

year. About half of the 16 million Americans with the dis-ease develop diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to earlyblindness. Early treatment can usually prevent seriousvision loss.—Johns Hopkins Health Letter.

“For Your Good Health” is compiled by Larry Becker, editor of Vibrant Life,the church’s health outreach journal. To subscribe, call 1-800-765-6955.


Adventist World Radio For Your Good Health

death of one of its students,” says Andrea Luxton, principalof Newbold College. “Counseling services have been madeavailable to Tammy’s friends, roommates, and any other stu-dents and staff affected by this tragedy.”

Global Mission Video Wins Golden Reel Award

A new video promoting the challenge of GlobalMission recently won a major international award forvideo editing. For the Heart of the Need, claimed theGolden Reel, the top editing prize in the InternationalTelevision Association’s global competition. It also wonfirst place in ITVA’s sales and marketing and editing cate-gories in the Maryland regional competition.

The video was commissioned by the GeneralConference’s Office of Global Mission. Producer GaryKrause and director/photographer/editor David Brillhartdid filming last September in several areas of what GlobalMission calls the 10/40 window. “Our goal,” Krause said,“is to show the need for creative approaches to sharingthe gospel in a very specific region between 10˚ north and40˚ south of the equator.” This is the region of the worldmost densely packed with non-Christian populations.

For the Heart of the Need will be seen in churchesaround the world as the 2000 General Conference ses-sion in Toronto approaches. The GC session offering is

earmarked for work in the 10/40 window. The offeringwill be used to establish the gospel in areas where thereare few Seventh-day Adventists.

Adventist Communication Network Telecasts

The programs below are planned by theAdventist Communication Network for

August 1999. Call 1-800-ACN-1119 for complete pro-gram listings, time, and channel information. All timesshown are Eastern time.

Aug. 4 First Wednesday news and features,7:30-8:30 p.m., Telstar 5, channel 24.

Aug. 6 Next Step church service, 7:30-8:30p.m., Telstar 5, channel 14.

Aug. 21 Voice of Prophecy Family Reunionconcert, 8-10 p.m. Telstar 5, channel 14.

What’s Upcoming

July 1 Monthly Focus—Adventist LifestyleJuly 10 Home Study International Emphasis Aug. 14 Andrews University/Loma Linda

University/Oakwood College offering

N E W S B R E A K


ACN

Death of a Saleswoman

God doesn’t force square pegs into round holes.

BY JENNIFER GILL FORDHAM

The following is one of some 17 additional articles (beyond the topthree winners) accepted in our 1998 AnchorPoints Essay Contest foryounger writers. We run it here under Theology.—Editors.

IAM NO SALESWOMAN. I HATE SELLING

things. When I was a child, my most dreaded part of

the year was when my church school—or children’s

choir, or any other Christian nonprofit organiza-

tion—began its annual fund-raising drive. Whether

it was popcorn or first-aid kits, chocolate candy or fruit, I hated

the idea of calling friends, neighbors, and sometimes even

strangers to coerce them into supporting my meager project.

A Sudden Sinking FeelingEven as an adult, I quiver when someone asks me to

host a Tupperware party or an Amway party or anythingthat involves selling. And it’s not just that I hate sellingthings; I’m also no good at it. I don’t know if my customerscan read all over my face that I don’t like what I’m doing. Idon’t know if I’m convincing enough to make my productreally seem necessary. I don’t know what it is that keeps mefrom being a successful salesperson. But I do know that I

T H E O L O G Y


am no saleswoman!So imagine my utter dismay when I was sitting in my col-

lege prayer meeting one Wednesday night. I was young andeager, I loved the Lord with all of my heart, and I couldn’twait to be used by Him in a mighty way.

But this particular prayer meeting featured the literatureevangelists. Boy, were they on fire! They all seemed to haveglowing faces as if they had just been on the mountaintopwith God Himself.

Oh, how I wanted what they had! Oh, how I wantedGod to use me to build up the church, too! But suddenly myspirits were crushed when I heard the words I dreaded: “Ifyou love the Lord, if you want to experience what we have,if you want to be used by God in a mighty way, then sign upto spend the summer selling books and magazines.”

I thought to myself, Spend the summer selling magazines?Surely you jest. I remember walking out of that prayer meet-ing disheartened. I felt terrible. They were implying that thiswas the only method to serve God, and I didn’t sign up. Ihad actually turned God down. How could I do somethinglike that to God? I was sure God was disappointed in me.All that He had done for me—and I couldn’t sell magazines!

Then I Saw the LightThen one day I read a passage of Scripture that literally

changed my life. I found these verses in 1 Corinthians 12,starting with verse 4: “There are different kinds of gifts, butthe same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but thesame Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the sameGod works all of them in all men. . . . To one there is given

through the Spirit the message of wis-dom, to another the message of knowl-edge by means of the same Spirit, toanother faith by the same Spirit, toanother gifts of healing by that oneSpirit, to another miraculous powers, toanother prophecy, to another distin-guishing between spirits, to anotherspeaking in different kinds of tongues. . . . All these are the work of one andthe same Spirit, and he gives them toeach one, just as he determines” (NIV).

I felt that God was saying to me,“Jenny, I’ve given you a special gift. Ididn’t give you the gift of being a liter-ature evangelist. I gave you anothergift, and I expect you to use it to edifyMy body.”

Shortly after that experience, I tooka couple spiritual gift inventories andrealized that my gifts were faith andcreative communications. I was soamazed that God had given me giftsthat I actually loved! I loved having

faith in God and motivating others todo the same. I loved encouraging peo-ple to remember that everything wouldwork together for their good.

I also loved my creative communi-cations gift. This involved tellingabout God’s love in a creative way. Icould use this gift by being AdventistYouth Society leader, writing and act-ing in plays, memorizing and recitingpoetry, leading out in prayer groups,preaching sermons, writing articles,and by any other creative way ofspreading the gospel.

God had given me gifts that I actuallyliked using! I had thought that in orderto serve the Lord, you had to beunhappy. I’d thought you had to dothings you dreaded—things that wouldput a frown on your face, a drag onyour feet. But I’ve noticed that peoplewho are working for the Lord throughtheir spiritual gifts are the happiestpeople in the world.

Do you know that person with thegift of hospitality, who seems to neverget tired of cooking big meals andhaving guests over every week? Doyou know that person who seems tohave been born a Sabbath schoolteacher? Or what about that personwho is the first one serving in thesoup kitchen every Sunday morning?These people are happily ministeringthrough their spiritual gifts.

That is why those literature evange-lists were on fire that Wednesdaynight. They too were ministeringthrough their spiritual gifts. And theyknew the joy that came from servingthe Lord in the way the Lord designedfor them.

When We Force OthersBut there is a problem. The prob-

lem comes when people who are hap-pily ministering through their spiritualgifts try to force others to serve God inP

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the same manner as they do. Itseems as though some people whosense a calling to minister throughtheir spiritual gifts believe, strange-ly, that their gift is the end-all toministry. And some of these peopleput guilt trips on those not usinggifts that are identical to their own.These people are simply not apply-ing the Word of God. First Cor-inthians 12:29-31 asks, “Are all apos-tles? Are all prophets? Are all teach-ers? Do all work miracles? Do all havegifts of healing? Do all speak intongues? Do all interpret? But eagerlydesire the greater gifts” (NIV).

It would be totally ridiculous for abody to have all feet and no hands,but this is what we are trying to createwhen we force people to work throughcookie-cutter spiritual gifts that arenot their own.

Although this approach is unbiblical,we must admit that those who fall intothis trap often have good intentions.What they see today in our churchesare a lot of pew warmers calling them-selves members of the body of Christbut doing nothing to edify the body.This is not what God intended either.God says in 1 Corinthians 12:7 that “toeach one the manifestation of the Spiritis given for the common good” (NIV).God has given each one of us a spiritualgift, and He never intended for us to sitdown and let that person who is doingeverything continue to do everything.We are each to use our spiritual gifts.

It’s a Serious IssueThe devil tries by any means neces-

sary to keep us from using our spiritualgifts. He knows how effective the bodyof Christ can be when every part isworking together. He knows that hiskingdom will not succeed if Christ’sbody is working properly. And heknows that if he can get you to sitback and do nothing for the body,you’ll soon cease to feel a part of thebody. And when you don’t feel a part,you will not see any reason to be apart. First Peter 4:10 says, “Each oneshould use whatever gift he hasreceived to serve others” (NIV).

A youth minister once said that

this generation of young people isdoing nothing. They just hop from onechurch to another without any realcommitment.

I don’t know why this is happening,but perhaps the young people of todayfeel the way I felt that prayer meetingnight. Maybe they too need to betaught that God has given them a spe-cial gift, one that they probably alreadyenjoy. Perhaps they feel that their giftsare inadequate, and they need to beencouraged and built up (see 1 Thess.5:11). Or maybe this has more to dowith the body itself. Perhaps the churchneeds to realize that there is room inour body for another foot, anotherarm—even if they are a little inexperi-enced. Perhaps the body needs to real-ize that circumstances and situationshave changed, and that God has givenspecial gifts to address these changes(computer programmers, videographers,

and Christian musicians). We shouldnot require our young people to con-form to patterns that are not repre-sentative of this day and age.

Whatever the reason for this lack ofcommitment, the Bible does give us aprescription. The Bible admonishes usin Ephesians 4:11-16 to use our spiri-tual gifts so that the body of Christmay be built up. It also clearly states

that the result of using spiritual gifts willbe that we “will no longer be infants,tossed back and forth by waves, andblown here and there by every wind ofteaching and by the cunning and crafti-ness of men in their deceitful scheming”(verse 14, NIV). Using our spiritual giftsputs us on the direct path of reaching“unity in the faith and in the knowledgeof the Son of God” and becoming“mature, attaining to the full measure ofthe fullness of Christ” (verse 13, NIV).

I still know without a shadow of adoubt that I am no saleswoman, andI’ve quit trying to be one. And know-ing this has changed my ministry fromdrudgery to joy. ■

Jennifer Gill Fordham is apublic school teacher in theBenton Harbor (Michigan)school district.

I had thought thatin order to serve

the Lord, you hadto be unhappy.


ROYSON JAMES

Ispent the first two weeks of May helping to renovate abuilding that is the new home of the Toronto WestSeventh-day Adventist Church. Mixing mortar, layingbricks, taping drywall, paint-ing, laying carpet is far

removed from what I do on a dailybasis. It’s touch and go when I drivea nail, but I can hold the two-by-four for Brother Senior, the carpen-ter. I can’t lay the brick, but I canmix the mortar.

The members wanted changes tothe sanctuary of the new church—aparents’ room, larger capacity, areconfigured rostrum, more light in the sanctuary, and aneven longer wish list. Several pledged their financial andphysical support. The renovation was a go. In two weeks wewould do the work and leave the wish list for later. Thetime spent with fellow unskilled laborers and constructiontrades people whose work I’ve grown to love and respect re-taught me some old lessons and a few new ones.

Not everybody who has an opinion knows what he orshe is talking about.

The parents’ room is “too big,” “too small.” “How couldyou choose that color carpet?” “I wouldn’t be caught dead ina room that shade of purple.” “We need a balcony.” “Put inceramic tiles. Kill the carpet.” “Why don’t you guys removethose steel beams; they’ll block people’s view?”

Things are often more complex than they appear.Conversely, there is a pattern to seeming chaos.

From its outward, stuccoed appearance, the low-hangingceiling seems like any other at a church. There are air-con-ditioning vents and recessed spotlights that most peoplewalk past without even noticing.

But to rip aside the facade is to expose an underside thatis something else. Wires, duct work, and cables course theirway overhead like the roots of a huge tree. The intricateconnections and a confusing array of wires belie the orderand symmetry one sees when the ceiling is finished. Poorwork, patched and hidden away from view, is eventuallyuncovered.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover,” I recall my father saying.“Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at theheart,” I remember from Samuel’s mission to find a king.

But for all the chaos I saw, Brother Linton, who headedup the renovation, saw clear patterns. With him as guide, Iwas soon pointing out satellite cables, microphone cables,

heating ducts, telephone wires, andelectrical cables to others.

Many skills are needed to reno-vate buildings. Ditto for repairingpeople.

The architect and engineer pro-vide the plans, while carpenters,sheet metal workers, masons, andelectricians carry out the work. Anunskilled laborer like me wouldn’tdream of moving an electrical

panel or putting up a crucial brick wall. The sheet metalworker moves the duct work around, but stays away fromthe electrical panel.

When it comes to building a kingdom that is designed forbroken people in need of renovation and repair, we some-times forget to apply the same principles. Preachers are notnecessarily good planners or organizers. If a layperson has thatskill, he or she should be given that task. Why should that bea problem? The work of reaching people and introducingthem to the kingdom of heaven is a multifaceted one. It takesa multitude of spiritual gifts to construct the kingdom of God.

The work is done by the energetic few.There are people who are willing but not able; they buoy

the spirits but can’t do the work. Others are able but notwilling, discouraging those who are doing the work. Andthen there are the energetic few who are both willing andable. These are a blessing from the Lord.

As I watched scores of members turn out day and nightto sweep, vacuum, carry bricks, cook, pack away, and do theskilled work with a sense of purpose and commitment, itbecame clear that men and women, dedicated to do God’swork, are an unstoppable force. It matters not whether thetool is a pen or a hammer. God calls all of us to be workersfor his kingdom.

Royson James is a columnist for the Toronto Star.

Wanted: Laborers–Skilled and Unskilled

C I T Y S C A P E S

I can’t lay thebrick, but I canmix the mortar.

The Book of RemembranceThe Holy Spirit uses a little girl’s faith and a pastor’s heart

to capture a wayward grandma.

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BY GLORIA BENTZINGER

IFIRST MET GRANDMA

Mabel when I was a little

girl. She sat me on her lap,

and we took a liking to each

other instantly. I didn’t

know then about all the “horrible”

things she had done.

Grandma Mabel gave birth to herchildren on the tiny island in Floridawhere I grew up. Every night she readOur Little Friend to her four boys beforetucking them into bed in the big two-story house that her husband had builtoverlooking the water.

But life turned sour for Mabelwhen her youngest son, my father,was 2 years old. She turned her backon her family and the church. Shechanged her name, lived with manymen, and moved to New York City,hoping for a more exciting life.

When I was young, my father con-tacted Grandma Mabel and told herthat he had purchased a home for heron our small island so that she couldonce again be part of the family. That’swhen I met Grandma Mabel for thefirst time.

One Sabbath morning several yearslater the pastor of our churchannounced he was placing a book onthe altar in which we could write ourprayer requests. After the service Iapproached the altar. I fingered thebeautiful red book with gold lettering.How my heart longed for GrandmaMabel to come to church with us! Iknelt down in front of the altar andwith childish handwriting wrote thewords “Grandma Mabel.”

Evangelist Fordyce Detamore cameto town a few months later. To thisworld-renowned speaker, holdingmeetings in a little Florida town wasconsidered only a “small crusade.” ButDetamore’s strength was working withbacksliders. Our family had no reasonto believe that anything would getGrandma to come out to church, butwhen we were asked for names thatthe evangelistic team could visit, Iturned in my grandma’s name.

O. H. Bentzinger, Detamore’s asso-ciate, visited Grandma. In his gentleand compassionate way he listened toMabel and kindly invited her back toJesus. God answered a little girl’sprayer; Grandma Mabel started attend-ing the evangelistic meetings.

During one of Pastor Detamore’saltar calls, Grandma whispered to myfather, “I must do it . . . now!” Herwalk down the aisle brought tears of

joy to her eyes, as well as to the eyesof a little girl and her family whonever gave up on Grandma.

Many years have passed sincethat happy day. GrandmaMabel died unexpectedly just

a little while after I was married morethan 20 years ago. She never got tohold my children on her lap or tellthem about how God’s love broughther back to His family. But I’ve madesure they know about a little red prayerbook placed on the altar in our smallwhite church. There, along with allthe other names, is a childish scrawl,with the words “Grandma Mabel.” ■

Gloria Bentzinger is an asso-ciate director of the It IsWritten EvangelisticAssociation. She lives in KeyLargo, Florida.

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Below is a letter from Tim Mattox, who oversees the work ofGlobal Mission pioneers in Cambodia. He shares some of theblessings and challenges the pioneers encounter as they work toshare the gospel in that country.Dear Prayer Warriors:

Last Sabbath I visited Global Mission pioneers Sokar andHoerb. They have a group of 12 adults and quite a numberof children. Praise God for these humble people seeking a

knowledge of the living God. Sadly, one of the 12 adults died

last night after being run over by atruck. This morning Sokar came toask if I could help with the funeral.The young man who had died wasonly 19 years old. He had beenattending a church of a differentdenomination until just three weeksago, when he began studying withSokar. Recently he had spent agood share of time thinking aboutGod. Then yesterday afternoon hehad borrowed a motorbike and

pulled out into the road straight in front of a 12-wheelertruck. He died in the hospital a few hours later. Before hedied he asked his family to give him a Christian funeral andto have a cross erected. Praise God that his family consentedto this. (The greatest fear that Khmers have about becomingChristian is the unknown of what will happen at theirfuneral. They believe that if the funeral is not done right,the next life won’t be good.)

The whole program was given to us to organize. This wasa funeral conducted in the traditional Khmer way withouthaving the spirit and Buddha worship. Before the body wastaken from the house, I presented a short talk on salvation.The hastily prepared coffin was then carried to a field at theback of the house, where the cremation was to take place.There I presented an even shorter talk on the state of thedead and the resurrection. During the cremation a long songservice was held (the Christian equivalent to having theBuddhist monks chant).

More than 100 people were present. Christian friendsfrom several Sundaykeeping churches also attended.

STATISTICS ONCAMBODIA

Population:11,164,000Seventh-dayAdventist Churchmembers: 2,011Congregations: 68 Global Missionpioneers: 28

Pioneers Bring Hope

G L O B A L M I S S I O N : R E A C H I N G T H E U N R E A C H E D W I T H H O P E

Tim Mattox

HAPPY FOR SHADE: Global Mission pioneers in Cambodia meetunder primitive covering until the group becomes large enough tobuild a temporary shelter out of natural materials, or until funds areraised to erect a permanent church structure. Photo by Pen Narith.

SouthChinaSea

Phnom Penh

Saigon

CAMBODIA

VIETNAM

LAOS

THAILAND

While it is sad that this young man died, we praise Godthat through Jesus’ death and resurrection he will also beresurrected. We also praise God for the opportunity toshare the gospel message with so many people who hadnot heard it before. Please pray that God will help thefamily and friends of this young man to see that they havenothing to fear when they trust Jesus, and that they willaccept Him into their hearts.Love, Tim


BY TINA FRIST SMITH

Put your future in the Lord’s hands.” “Let go andlet God.” “Give Jesus the wheel.” One wouldthink these catchy phrases that have becomestandard vocabulary for me could easily be putinto practice—especially in light of all the

amazing things God has done for me.He mysteriously opened doors lastmonth that He had firmly closed;repaired relationships that seemedirreconcilable a year ago; reminded meof divine intervention altering thecourse of my young life and paving theway for a future filled with possibilities.It’s all there. Irrefutable proof. Godconsistently demonstrates His love, Hispower, and His willingness to lead.Remembering how He wraps me in Hislove and makes me a part of His masterplan feels as natural as taking a breath.

Yet I catch myself plunging ahead onmy own when facing a challenge or a crisis. Whether ahousehold appliance is on the blink or my career is in limbo,trust goes on sabbatical, and I independently rush to find thesolution—with my methods and in my timing. It’s a lonelyroad, even for a control freak, and when I turn around Iremember that a Higher Power could have shown me a bet-ter way. This ongoing struggle led me to conclude that it’seasy to see God working when I look back on my life butnearly impossible for me to trust Him when I look ahead.

Imagine my surprise when His still small voice foundenough of a pause in my futuristic frenzy to enlighten me.My defeated deduction about my faith was actually His lat-est revelation. Days spent planning and organizing andnights of wrestling with the unknown were focused in thewrong direction. Looking forward is not what He asks me todo. He gently reminds me to look up.

A friend telephoned me today to share good news. Forthe first time in years of struggling with addiction, this fel-low believer has taken a critical step in ending a destruc-tive habit. I am ashamed to say that before the phone rang,I had determined that my heavenly Father’s will for myfuture was to sever ties with my friend. Enough is enough, Ihad said to myself. People are responsible for their own choices.I can’t help, and I’m tired of disappointment and rejection.

Surely God wants me to make new friends who will value myfriendship and enrich my life . . .

What clarity retrospect brings! My sensible, well-thought-out plan of action wasn’t God’s ideal for me at all.By focusing my attention where I assumed God wanted my

relationships to be in the comingmonths, I missed an opportunity to getdown on my knees and pour out myheart to the One who truly knows whatis best for me. In planning ahead, I for-got to seek first the kingdom of God.

I wonder if Ellen White discovered thesame principle by trial and error or if shesimply let God’s wisdom flow through herwhen she penned these thoughts: “If wetake counsel with our doubts and fears, ortry to solve everything that we cannot seeclearly, before we have faith, perplexitieswill only increase and deepen. But if wecome to God, feeling helpless and depen-

dent, as we really are, and in humble, trusting faith makeknown our wants to Him whose knowledge is infinite, whosees everything in creation, and who governs everything byHis will and word, He can and will attend to our cry, and willlet light shine into our hearts.”*

I believe the Almighty does expect us to be responsiblestewards with our time and resources. He never asks us toexcuse or support behaviors in others or in ourselves thatdon’t reflect His purpose. But I’d offer that it troubles Himto see us wasting precious minutes predicting the future orhow we think He will work in it. He plainly asks that weturn our eyes, and our forward-thinking minds, up to Him.There we find the understanding, the answers, the desires ofour hearts. It’s all a matter of direction.

“I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is inheaven” (Ps. 123:1, NIV). ■

* Steps to Christ, pp. 96, 97.

Tina Frist Smith works in corporate communica-tions for candymaker Brach & Brock Confections,Chattanooga, Tennessee.

It’s All a Matter of Direction

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Documents

NORTH AMERICAN DIVISION EDITION - Adventist Reviewtar to make the three angels’ messages relevant. I’m 19, and I have grown up in the Adventist Church, but as I read Andy Nash’s