Our Place in God’s Work amidst refugee crisis

I trust you had visited www.nadchurchstudy.org and had made a contribution of your thought on changes needed in the Adventist church structure for the future,  as I invited you to do so in the past blogs J

The issue that is heating up in North America along side racial tension is our treatment of refugees.  Montreal will be receiving 6300 people from Syria in the next 12 months, Windsor will receive 1000 before the end of this year, London is scheduled to receive at least 400.  Churches and organizations had been fundraising to sponsor families into their communities.  How can we help?  Should we get involved?

A few years back when I taught the Mission 316 class, I shared a perspective that God had called his people to be missionaries and causes mission with or without our will.  When God’s people get too comfortable and reject strangers, God permits strangers to invade, or moves His people into exile among the strangers, so His Plan of Salvation would reach all nations.  His promise to bless all nations is irrevocable!  When Christian Empire refused to send missionaries to Barbarians, Goths, Vikings, God permitted their invasions into Christian empire, and in the process Christianity grew.  Consider current “invasion” of “strangers” into so-called “Christian” nations God’s allowance for our Christianity to be tested, to be manifested, to be exercised!

The Adventist Societyfor Religious Studies had issued a statement this week, outlining the theologyof how we must see the current situation:

In light of the present refugee crisis engulfing the globe, we as a body of religion scholars who are committed to the full gospel of Jesus Christ who said, “I was a stranger and you took me in” (Matt. 25:38); and who take seriously the Word of God in Deut. 23:9 that we must not oppress the strangers “because we were strangers in the land of Egypt” (cf. Lev. 19:34), the Adventist Society of Religious Studies asserts the following:

As sojourners and pilgrims ourselves, we recognize that we are all expatriates who have been called to manifest the principles of God’s eternal kingdom in all of our decisions.

As people with patriotic sympathies, we understand the power of the type of fear that saps human compassion, but we believe that we ought to always practice the perfect love that casts out all fear.

As creatures of national cultures, we acknowledge that we are comfortable with the familiar; however, our commitment to Christ compels us to reject xenophobia, outright racism and competitive religious extremism.

As members of the human family, we accept all men and women as our siblings, regardless of their religious confession or country of origin.

As followers of Christ, we will be the Good Samaritan to the victims of war; we will willingly clothe the naked, feed the hungry, care for the sick, visit the imprisoned and receive the refugee. We invite others to do the same.

 Consider what we can do as a community of faith.  Consider what you can do as an individual to be the hands, feet, Face of Jesus to the people in need.  Read Matthew 25:31-46 and consider where you stand!

Impacting Strategy for North American Evangeliving

Last week I had written to you about 11 strategic goals from our Division President, Dan Jackson, 10 of which are applicable to our local situation in London, Ontario.

In brief: (1) total members involvement in ministry; (2) planting new churches; (3) unity in cultural diversity; (4) engaging youth and young adults; (5) latest technology; (6) reaching new immigrants; (7) prayer centers; (8) women leaders; (9) health education; (10) church school.

The leadership of our church is also recognizing the need to improve our organizational structure for mission and relevance to our communities.  Our current structure of Conferences and Unions was designed in 1903, more than a century ago, and it added efficiency for growth. 

Three top priorities are selected by church leaders:

(1) developing brand strategy for Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America in order to form a clearer positive sense of our identity, empowering members to mingle with the secular community including opening our churches more hours to be available to local communities;

(2) strengthening our educational system,

(3) a reorganization of the current structure for furthering the mission of the church specifying ways that administration and ministries of the Church can streamline operations and eliminate duplications where unnecessary at every level, and also finding at least three scenarios for the redistribution of financial support from members for furthering the mission of the Church.

There are committees that are researching these topics and YOU can contribute to this important discussion by sharing your thoughts!

Visit www.nadchurchstudy.org

On this website you can contribute your opinion, you could share ideas and make suggestions on how to improve the church in these areas.  You could read what other people had recommended.  Your voice matters!  Members of various committees are reading all submissions.  Who knows, it maybe your idea that would play an important role in progress of Three Angels Message and the work of our church.  What happens in our division may impact the whole world.

As you visit www.nadchurchstudy.org you can “Share Your Thoughts” by filling the form on line.  Get involved in your church governance, and take an active participation in shaping the future of our work.

Strategic Evangeliving

The North American Division Year End Meetings began last Thursday with a sweeping vision for the Church in North America presented by president Dan Jackson.  He casted the dream for the next 5 years.  I invite you to reflect  on these strategic goals as they are relevant to our church:

1)     Every member is actively involved in growing the Kingdom of God. Where all members live out their lives in Christ with the knowledge that they have been called by God to serve as MINISTERS.

2)     Plant 1000 new congregations!

3)     Unity in Diversity as we celebrate different expressions of our faith in our communities.

4)     Youth and Young Adults are actively engaged in the Mission of the Church and feel wanted and valued.”                

5)     Fully utilizing the available technologies to the maximum extent possible.

6)     Actively seeking out the new communities that are arriving in London. Multicultural outreach.

7)     Every church is a House of Prayer.

8)     Successful and thriving female pastors.

9)     Members are actively involved in blessing their communities with Health Ministries – where partnerships are developed to do large and small events to bless those less fortunate.

10)  K-8 school is thriving as a result of the collaboration of pastors and teachers who see each other as colleagues in ministry.

I am skipping No.11 as we do not have Adventist hospital system in Canada, not in London.  Maybe we could consider how to collaborate with the existent health care establishments to improve health, healing and lifestyle for our community.

Otherwise, we are already doing this and need to become more intentional about improving in these areas.  The Vision for our church as inscribed in every weekly bulletin emphasizes the Priesthood of All believers.  We are a church encouraging every believer to minister/serve others!  We had planted a church and more worship locations need to be initiated in neighbouring cities!

We are culturally diverse and are open to embrace new people groups!  We need to take more initiative in discovering, connecting, helping and building relationships with new immigrants

Our greatest need today are points 4 & 7 – to meaningfully engage our youth, and to have more prayer in every meeting, and more people at our mid-week Prayer gatherings!

We are broadcasting on YouTube, maintain informative website, and we need to use social media more as communities today connect online, more funding is also needed for equipment updates.

Health ministry, Church School, and women in leadership are also our priorities.  Please pray about these strategic goals and help our church to grow.

Countercultural Evangeliving

This whole week kids in public schools experienced saturation with Halloween culture in classrooms.  Even in Catholic schools teachers would greet kids with “Halloweek.” Today, on October 31^st millions of people, young and old dress up to participate in a festival that is demonic.  Young children are drawn in with sweets and trick-o-treating; older folks have more concealed parties. 

This tradition is cultural, and perpetuated by the anglo-saxon culture as it originated from Celtic Druids Samhain feast.  Irish and Scottish immigrants introduced it to the North America, and since 1844 it has become a national festival.  Yet as English and American culture dominates global trends, it is spreading over the globe, and as church tolerates, or even accepts it, the dangers of spiritism go unnoticed.  Back in the 9^th century pope Gregory IV moved the “All Saints Day from May 13 to November 1 to accommodate this popular trend.

Even within our church, the Seventh-day Adventist movement, with our commitment to be faithful to the Bible, there are some families who either out of ignorance, or conforming to the external pressure of the culture, permit their children to participate in the “fun” activities, or even decorate their abodes for the occasion.  Leviticus 20:6 makes it very clear that practices derived from the occult have no place among God’s people.  God says that those who flirt (stronger words is used in KJV J) with spiritism, those who dabble in the occult,  will be cut off from God’s people, are rejected by God, and God will set His face against such.

We live in the world that denies existence of personal evil, demons, devil, and think that this is just a “fun game.”  Yet it is contrary to the Bible, where existence of personal satan and demons is revealed for us to be aware of.  Numerous warnings were given not to participate in occult.  In the Law Halloween is classified as “abomination!” (Deuteronomy 18:10-12)  in the words of Ellen White ““There are many who shrink with horror from the thought of consulting spirit mediums, but who are attracted by more pleasing forms of Spiritism.” (Evangelism, p. 606)  Beware!

The Christian mission has been always “to overcome, to conquer” the culture of this world, the prince of this world, and in this way we are to be different, peculiar.  It is precisely on this day, October 31, that Martin Luther nailed his 95 thesis of protest to the Church doors in Wittenberg, Germany, protesting worldly corruption of the church.  We must remember our protestant heritage.  God is reforming his church in every generation, calling his faithful people to come out of the culture, to step out of “Babylon” of spiritual confusion, not to conform, but to be transformed.  Set your mind on the Word of God.  Read the book of Romans with the family tonight, and reflect on the teachings that stirred Luther to preach righteousness by faith 5000 years ago.

Every festival has a purpose – to communicate certain values.  Biblical festivals communicated the Plan of Salvation, Sabbath communicates our faith in Creator and our worship to the One Who Created.  This is the First Angel’s message – to worship God on His terms.  The Second Angel calls out to step out of the worldly cultural ways.  And the Third Angel calls not to participate, and warns that any participation will be punished, rejected by God. (Revelation 14:6-12).  The Three Angels Message has been our Mission and the purpose for our existence as a movement.  Train your children to know God’s purpose, and not to be deceived by this world.