Last weekend leaders of our world-wide church came together for an annual planning meeting at the General Conference. Pastor Jan Paulsen, General Conference president, underscored “our untiring, relentless commitment to engage in mission.”
I would like to highlight some statistics: by 2010, it’s anticipated that 17 million people will be baptized members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. That’s more than 14 times the 1.2 million Adventists on church rolls in 1960. More than 64,000 Adventist congregations will meet weekly by 2010, a roughly three-fold increase from 1980’s 21,555 congregations. And by 2010, it’s projected that one person out of every 405 on Earth will be a Seventh-day Adventist, up from 1 in 1,268 just 30 years earlier.
However these numbers do not correspond to two categories of world population: first in the 10/40 window, a geographical rectangle extending from West Africa, through the Middle East and into Asia, where more than 60 percent of the world's population live, and where most have not yet been reached with the Gospel message, the ratio more than quadruples to 1 in 1,736.
Secondly, in the world’s 22 largest cities, it’s more than double: there’s only one Seventh-day Adventist for every 953 people. Our city, London, is not in the top 20 world largest, just 10th in Canada, but somehow, our local statistics show similar challenges.
Challenging Adventists worldwide our leaders summed up the vision in this phrase:
“Reach Up, Out & Across”
Reaching up in worship to God, increasing Bible study, prayer and reading of the Spirit of Prophecy writings, as well as returning a faithful tithe, and support local and mission offerings, being involved in the witness of the church.
Reaching Out by getting involved in the mission of community projects, inviting and increasing the number of non-Seventh-day Adventists attending church each week.
Reaching Across by improving retention of members, nurturing members, increase the involvement of young people, and bridging all cultural gaps.
Summarizing the goals, Mark Finley, a noted Adventist evangelist and general vice president of the world church, noted asked the audience: “What pictures will be written in 2015? Managers manage what is; leaders dream of what could be. Managers are concerned with the problems of the present; leaders are concerned with the opportunities and possibilities of the future. The future never just happens; it’s created in the minds of men and women who believe that God has given them a vision for the last generation.”
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
ON GIVING THANKS…
…I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High…(Psalm 9:1-2)
“The absence of praise and thanksgiving pleases the enemy of God,” penned one of our pioneers, Ellen White. She was reflecting on another Psalm (50:23) where God says “Whoever offers praise and thanksgiving, glorifies Me!” So, how ready are you to give thanks? Will it be only this once?
This weekend in many homes will be a busy one - the smells drifting from the kitchen, the guests, the planning, maybe even gifts. It is an excellent opportunity to take time and thank people who made significant impacts in our lives.
I invite you to think about the word “gratitude” It is a combination of two words: “Grace” and “attitude.” When our attitude is transformed by Grace then we can give true thanksgiving. So, the pen of inspiration continues “Have we not every reason for changing our attitude toward God? Is it not our duty to show the world that we appreciate the love of Christ? As we produce the fruit of thanksgiving, we bear living evidence that by connection with Christ we are placed on vantage ground… He has done for His chosen people that which should inspire every heart with praise and thanksgiving; and it grieves Him that so little praise is offered. He desires to have a stronger expression of praise from His people, showing that they know they have reason for manifesting joy and gladness.” (Review & Herald, November 20, 1900)
The Hebrew word “towdah,” often translated “praise,” is better represented by word “thanksgiving.” Usually when believers are gathered together, singing is the first item to begin worship. Attending a pastors’ prayer meeting this week with pastor Rudy Alvir, I commented to him how differently he group begins the worship time – simply by offering thanks to God, taking turns telling out-loud what we are thankful for. I invite you this weekend, as you get at your tables, praise God by telling what you are thankful for. And, there is another dimension to that Hebrew word, for which we would have to invent a new word in English – “thanksdoing.” After you thank god for what He has done, consider what you can do to make this “giving of Grace grow.”
“The absence of praise and thanksgiving pleases the enemy of God,” penned one of our pioneers, Ellen White. She was reflecting on another Psalm (50:23) where God says “Whoever offers praise and thanksgiving, glorifies Me!” So, how ready are you to give thanks? Will it be only this once?
This weekend in many homes will be a busy one - the smells drifting from the kitchen, the guests, the planning, maybe even gifts. It is an excellent opportunity to take time and thank people who made significant impacts in our lives.
I invite you to think about the word “gratitude” It is a combination of two words: “Grace” and “attitude.” When our attitude is transformed by Grace then we can give true thanksgiving. So, the pen of inspiration continues “Have we not every reason for changing our attitude toward God? Is it not our duty to show the world that we appreciate the love of Christ? As we produce the fruit of thanksgiving, we bear living evidence that by connection with Christ we are placed on vantage ground… He has done for His chosen people that which should inspire every heart with praise and thanksgiving; and it grieves Him that so little praise is offered. He desires to have a stronger expression of praise from His people, showing that they know they have reason for manifesting joy and gladness.” (Review & Herald, November 20, 1900)
The Hebrew word “towdah,” often translated “praise,” is better represented by word “thanksgiving.” Usually when believers are gathered together, singing is the first item to begin worship. Attending a pastors’ prayer meeting this week with pastor Rudy Alvir, I commented to him how differently he group begins the worship time – simply by offering thanks to God, taking turns telling out-loud what we are thankful for. I invite you this weekend, as you get at your tables, praise God by telling what you are thankful for. And, there is another dimension to that Hebrew word, for which we would have to invent a new word in English – “thanksdoing.” After you thank god for what He has done, consider what you can do to make this “giving of Grace grow.”
Saturday, October 3, 2009
REIMAGINING THE LORD’S SUPPER
The most visible and profound way in which the community gives evidence to its fellowship is the common meal, sitting together at the table. Even as we do “Guess Who’s coming to dinner” so is the Lord’s Supper reveals who is really a member of this family. People who are of Christ cannot be separate. We are bought by one blood, we are adopted into one family, and we sit together at the Table, celebrating this unity.
The Lord’s Supper embodies the major features of the Christian life. the broken bread points us to the humanity of Jesus. The bread, being the most basic and lowly of all foods, points to the humility and availability of our Lord, accessible to both, poor and rich.
Both, crushed wheat and pressed grape, represent death. And also a resurrection, as a seed watered dies to grow and produce more. At early Christian suppers there was one loaf. Paul writes: “Because there is one leaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf!” (1st Corinthians 10:17)
Shared memories are part of what make up a people. By sharing a set of memories, people groups gain a sense of identity and belonging. A shared meal is a venue for sharing memories, and establishing new ones. You remember who you dined together with.
Just like next week’s Thanksgiving will be marked by new memories of families coming together, friends visiting and dining together, so is this Lord’s Supper – is a memory to share. But it gives much more – it cements our lives together.
It is also a Covenant meal, a binding agreement between participating parties. In the Old Testament times every covenant was sealed by a meal shared together. At this table, the Lord’s Supper, small portions they may be, just appetizers for the future Wedding Supper of the Lamb in heaven, we are sealing our covenant with each other to love one another.
If the baptism is an initiation into Christian faith, the Lord’s Supper is a reaffirmation of our initial commitment to Christ, and a reaffirmation of our new identity in the family of God.
Welcome to the Family Table today!
The Lord’s Supper embodies the major features of the Christian life. the broken bread points us to the humanity of Jesus. The bread, being the most basic and lowly of all foods, points to the humility and availability of our Lord, accessible to both, poor and rich.
Both, crushed wheat and pressed grape, represent death. And also a resurrection, as a seed watered dies to grow and produce more. At early Christian suppers there was one loaf. Paul writes: “Because there is one leaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf!” (1st Corinthians 10:17)
Shared memories are part of what make up a people. By sharing a set of memories, people groups gain a sense of identity and belonging. A shared meal is a venue for sharing memories, and establishing new ones. You remember who you dined together with.
Just like next week’s Thanksgiving will be marked by new memories of families coming together, friends visiting and dining together, so is this Lord’s Supper – is a memory to share. But it gives much more – it cements our lives together.
It is also a Covenant meal, a binding agreement between participating parties. In the Old Testament times every covenant was sealed by a meal shared together. At this table, the Lord’s Supper, small portions they may be, just appetizers for the future Wedding Supper of the Lamb in heaven, we are sealing our covenant with each other to love one another.
If the baptism is an initiation into Christian faith, the Lord’s Supper is a reaffirmation of our initial commitment to Christ, and a reaffirmation of our new identity in the family of God.
Welcome to the Family Table today!
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