Stewardship of Time

This past Wednesday elder Clara Baptiste led the prayer meeting with reflection on Stewardship.  Away from common focus on money she challenged us to think of stewardship of time, along with relationships, creation, gifts and talents, health, and other aspects.

The question that was on the minds of many is the legacy we leave.  Especially older generation, who feel they are on the final leg of their journey.  The legacy differs from memories.  In the words of John C. Maxwell, we all leave behind three kinds of things:

(1)    Souvenirs, memories of events, milestones and activities they were engaged. Kids do remember good times with parents and grandparents, bike-rides, outings, nature trips, vacations.  We cherish these memories through pictures in old albums…these are records of existence, souvenirs.

(2)    Trophies, records of achievements, status that gives next generation some recognition, prestige. 

(3)    Legacy is more significant, as it does not just mark what happened in the past, but lives on, and continues to make an impact long after the person is gone.  Legacy works for the next generation.  A dictionary synonym for legacy is “inheritance.”

The Legacy, just as souvenirs, and trophies, are not created by an accident.  It takes intention, time, effort, investment, to leave behind something of value. Everyone leaves footsteps behind, for some it may be graffiti, garbage pile, debt, problems, disaster, ruin. Others create blessings!  What are you doing today for the legacy of tomorrow?

Legacy is a dream that changes not only your life but also the lives of all the people it touches.  What is your dream?  Have you imagined what your footprint will look like?

In leadership culture the highest legacy is defined as succession.  Success means successors.  Family legacy is when the name, honor, good reputation, wealth, influence is carried on through children and grandchildren.  For the church legacy is also expressed in growth and increased impact from generation to generation.  We enjoy when people leave bequeath for the church resulting in improvements.

Ephesians 5:15-16 cautions believers “see then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil (NKJV).  NIV puts it “making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”  A closer look at Greek original suggests the idea of exaggerating the good time, amplifying special moments, increasing useful time, so we would not feel guilty, bad, about our days.

I implore you to consider prayerfully your use of time, and legacy.

The Great Dividing Line in History

I shared reflections on this weekend during the mid-week prayer meeting, emphasizing the significance of the resurrection.  The history uses designation BC/AD (Before Christ & Anno Domini).  The secular writers use alternative BCE/ACE (before the Common Era & Current Era)  one author suggests that the BR/AR would be more significant demarcation, meaning Before & After the Resurrection!

Think about the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ!  It is not just a doctrine.  It is an ongoing life with Jesus.  Nowadays the meaning is commercialized and used for free hobby time with few reflecting on the significance of what happened during that transition from Good Friday to the Resurrection Sunday.  On Saturday Jesus rested in the grave.  Death had dominion over him.  But not for long.  The gates of hell broke and the door into paradise opened.  Matthew 27;52-53 records that even before the resurrection Sunday, on Friday as Jesus died, the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.  Jesus’ resurrection was certain even before His death!

The resurrection of Jesus is experienced by believers through baptism, for the same Spirit that brought Jesus up, quickens our lives in baptism (Romans 8:11). 

On this weekend as you mingle with family and friends I invite you to consider the last two paragraphs from Chapter 8 from the book Desire of Ages by Ellen G. White: “As we associate together, we may be a blessing to one another. If we are Christ's, our sweetest thoughts will be of Him. We shall love to talk of Him; and as we speak to one another of His love, our hearts will be softened by divine influences. Beholding the beauty of His character, we shall be "changed into the same image from glory to glory." 2 Corinthians 3:18.

  It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.

May this weekend be a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice of love, and the example of humility, freedom from sin, confidence in the future and joy in your life.  We serve a Risen Savior, who’s in the World today! Even as we await for the Glorious return of Jesus, may you encounter Jesus Himself as you serve others.  When you participate with Him in His story you don’t need to defend your belief in His story.

City Evangelism & Small Groups

I am in my tenth year of pastorate here in London, and one project that is very important, yet has not been fully developed is the Small Groups.

Number of small groups had sprung up, some have closed after few months.  This week Thursday we ended one youth small group as the schedules of participants demanded a different approach.  Those who are involved in weekly regular small groups of spiritual growth know by experience how beneficial and efficient such meetings are for personal spiritual growth.  We were created to be a part of community that is more involved, intimate, engaged than the church worship gathering on Sabbath.  If you are a part of regular house Bible Study, youth Book Club, Sabbath School class, a Choir group, weekly prayer meeting – you are in a small group!

Ideally Small group experience should be at least 90 minutes, and involve more than pursuing a task (learning to sing, practicing new songs, studying a book, serving community, feeding homeless, praying).  It has to include sharing time – sharing a meal together, sharing personal joys and blessings, sharing prayer requests, sharing life experiences.  Groups are not permanent, they go through cycles, take breaks, multiply by spinning off new groups, change directions and curriculums, and respond to life situations.  Groups is the method which Jesus left us as a legacy for the Gospel message to work.

This past week as leaders of Adventist church met for bi-annual meeting, the emphasis on reaching the cities was at the forefront, and the experience of successful city evangelism all highlight the work of small groups.   Lusaka, Zambia is the bright spot in large cities evangelism as it has the best population-to-member ratio of any large city worldwide—one Adventist per 19 people.  In a city of about 1.7 million people there are about 90,000 Adventists!  The success is linked with the work of small groups in the city.  The similar dynamics are working in the South American Region, where church endeavors to plant a new congregation in every neighbourhood of each large city.  From 7,000 neighbourhoods identified without church presence, 2,000 had been planted since 2010!

As I read these statistics, I am thinking of our city.  We are currently 15^th largest in Canada, or 6^th largest in Ontario.  With our population of about 370,000 and 42 neighbourhoods, we got work to do J.  Coming together in neighbourhoods with other Adventists to pray would be the first step toward small groups’ grass roots development.  Currently we have only 3 fully functional groups in 3 neighbourhoods.  Please consider what it would take for you to open your home and host a few fellow members who live nearby for prayer.

Kwibuka – remember, unite, renew

“Sometimes in April” – a film I was given by a friend to watch, to understand the tragedy that happened 20 years ago.

April 7 is named by the United Nations (UN) as the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwanda Genocide. This day commemorates the deaths of 800,000 people who were murdered in central Africa.

Every year around the world Rwandan communities commemorate it.  Why remember? Not to repeat it again!  It also takes time to heal, to embrace the pain, to recover, to be able to speak about things.  With time new details are emerging, giving closure, justice, understanding and reconciliation.  Adventist review has many posts this week sharing inspirational stories.

Twenty years ago in its May 12, 1994, edition, Adventist Review reported how United Nations troops helped evacuate more than 200 foreign students from 18 African and European countries from the Adventist University of Central Africa (AUCA). About 70 expatriate teachers and staff from all over the world who were employed there were also evacuated to Goma, just across the border from Rwanda, a few downhill miles away. Some staff members stayed behind, buried the bodies, kept the school farm going, and protected the property from further looting. One man by the name of Sosthène saved the lives of 104 people by hiding them on his property at the peril of his own life. One of them, Amon Rugelinyange, went on to become president of the Rwanda Union Mission.

Being a Christian was not indicative of how one would act.  There are many Christians in name only.   While some Christians in Rwanda turned into “savage beasts,” others chose to follow the selfless example of Christ, putting his life on the line for the sake of his neighbor.  One of the heroes is Carl Wilkens, who served as ADRA director in Kigali at that time, and did not leave but continued serving.  He was the only American who stayed until July there.

In a recent interview he says “our denomination failed horribly in the genocide.. . .We need to address the issue: why?... What resources did the church have, its chains of command?  How could we have taken advantage of these resources to prevent something like this from happening? Has the church learned from the genocide? We need to understand what happened, perhaps make a case study out of it and teach it, especially since we interpret the genocide as a ‘trailer’ of end-time events.”  WOW!  The troubles of today are just a preview of the future end-times tribulation that is yet to come upon the world.  Are we ready?  Are we using our influence, our relationships to make a difference, to offer salvation?

I am reflecting on this as Russian intervention and annexation of Crimea rom Ukraine continues.  Is our church capable of helping people?  As citizens of heaven how do we make a difference in countries we reside now?  Can we go beyond fear, indifference, self-protection, political correctness, non involvement and provide the Sanctuary for people in need?  Do we love enough to care?

As a culturally diverse congregation we have a potential for making a difference in London, offering a model for friendship and multicultural relations.  Are we doing it?  Are we mingling with people who are different?  This is the time to get ready for final manifestation of God’s Love in our lives.