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.

Revived … what’s next ?

What a week!  My spirit has been lifted by pastor Fred Nichols peaking to us since last Sabbath.  There has been moving of the Holy Spirit in our midst as people are renewing their commitments to be devoted disciples of Christ, allowing Jesus to transform us as individuals from within.

I thought of a quote that a writer for God’s church penned “Before the final visitation of God's judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times.” (Great Controversy, 464)   Simple messages, yet profound in practical applications, made me think about the true godliness, which is simple, primitive, basic, accessible for all!

And I prayerfully asked what does it mean to us?  In my study this week I encountered few more definitions of what the “revival of primitive godliness” looks like - “the law of God is restored to its rightful position.”  Our daily lives are guided by the Law of God.  Our public and private acts, every word and deed, reveal godliness and virtues of the character of Christ.  I long for such a church fellowship, where loving care, gentle spirit, disinterested benevolence, allow trust to grow.

This week had also been a week of political changes in our country.  By the social media reactions I learned that our church family has diverse opinions and preferences.  Yet, we must consider that God is in charge of the Big Picture.  Daniel 2:28,21-22  there is a God in heaven who solves mysteries…He changes the times and the seasons, He removes kings and also raises them up, he provides both intelligence, wisdom  and discernment. He opens up and reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and the light spills out of him!

As we move into the future there should be no fear of uncertainty.  This week’s Sabbath School lesson prompted us to consider that there are only two ways in life (Jeremiah 17:5,7)– Trust God, or trust men, receive either blessing or curse.  God guides history.  He’s got the plan that none of us sees yet.  And we are invited not to worry about tomorrow, but to live today to the fullest, doing God’s Will, loving one another in Christ.

Pastor Nichols reiterated a few times “you are ALL God has got in London…stop waiting for something, expecting someone to come and do things you ought to be doing….You are God’s “Plan A” and there is no “plan B.”  A witness of one delivered person is evangelistic enough to deal with whatever demons there may be in any place.  Our victory is assured by the Blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of our Testimony (Revelation 12:11).  Some of you shared how disappointed you are after witnessing and inviting people, and they did not come, or that some church folks who could have come did not show up either.  I simply say “Trust God!”  God know who came and why.  God know what plans he’s got for us.  God alone knows the environment He wanted and the impact it will have on our church.  Live, Love and Trust God.

Evangelism responsibility – both Global and Local

Tonight we begin a week of Revival with pastor Fred Nichols preaching the Word of God.  This whole month the focus of our mid-week prayer is on the Adventist Heritage.  The Church School kids will have a special day of reflections on October 22, remembering pioneers of our movement.  As I reflect on the recent annual meetings of the Adventist church leaders I cannot help but think about the great work done so far by our church in proclaiming the Three Angels message since 1844, and also about the enormous task that is ahead.  The chart below represents change/growth in Adventist presence in the world. 

“N” stands for “Global North” and represents United States, Canada & Europe. 

“S” – the “Global South” – the rest of the world, including Russia & North Asia.

Whereas in 1960 46% of Adventist church lived among 25% of population of European descent, the work over the past five decades entered every area of the world, and the world membership is very similar to the world population.

The church is truly global, and the mission is not so much “out-there” as it is here, in our backyard!  In fact the proportion of those who carry the Three Angels Message is lower in North America than in Africa, Asia, South America, Caribbean or Central America.  If we compare Canada and USA, our Canadian Adventist presence, compared to the population, is 3 times smaller than that in USA.  Canada is matching by secularity Sweden, Denmark and other European countries.  We got work to do here, at home, in London, in Ontario!  The great news is that our local churches are representative of the global trends, as the membership consists of many immigrants coming from the “Global South.”  One of our pioneers wrote “The prosperity of the home work depends largely, under God, upon the reflex influence of the evangelical work done in countries afar off.” (Ellen White, Testimonies, Vol. 6, p.27).  As we continue investing in mission afar, it blesses us at home!  Our focus has to be both – mission at home, and mission abroad.

As we invite friends and neighbours to be inspired and challenged this week with the Gospel Commission and the Message of Hope in the Soon Coming of Jesus, let’s keep in mind our global responsibility to ALL people groups, already present among us.

Thanksgiving - thanking God for Hope

This weekend people in Canada will be taking time around table with turkey and friends.  Often holidays become just another excuse for a party, and I wonder how much we do care about the meaning and purpose of the event.

In the Biblical times, when the nation of Israel lived by the Temple Calendar, a Divinely instituted timeline which instructed the people of God’s Plan of Salvation, there was also a Thanksgiving holiday.  Some consider it the most important, the central among three pilgrimage feasts.  There were three spring feasts before and three fall feasts after.  This feast was placed right in the middle of religious year.  Whereas the spring feasts pointed to Jesus first coming, to Messiah’ Death, Burial and Resurrection, and the fall feasts are still prophetically pointing to the Second Coming of Christ, the Judgment, removal of evil and the re-Creation, this one – the Jubilee, the 50^th day of counting – Shavuoth, or as we say – the Day of Pentecost was a Day of Thanksgiving.  It is also called the Feast of First Fruits (Hag Ha-Bikkurim).  Historically on that day Israel arrived t Mt,Sinai and it was the day when the Law was given.  Since then the nation of Israel celebrates the Giving of the Torah and the Thanksgiving for the first fruits together.  It is interesting that the Thanksgiving was celebrated at the beginning of the harvest, for all the future blessings, long before the fall harvest would collect it all before winter.

Why am I bringing this all up?  Since the shooting at Umpqua Community College near Roseburg, Oregon, many are asking this question “if you were Christian, what would you have said?”  An article in the Washington Postquoted an Adventist pastor Lonnie Wibberding who said to his congregation last Sabbath: “We now know that this was an attack on all of us here.”  I heard comments from fellow Canadians how thankful we must be for living in Canada, where there are no guns like in USA.  Some are politicising this already, focusing on ethnic profile of the shooter, mental health issues, gun control, etc.  Yet, as believers we must be aware that it is an attack on all of us, faithful followers of Jesus, and it is not a lone attack, but one in a series of multiple diverse attacks.  On the night October 6 the 10 Commandments monument was removed from Oklahoma Supreme Court grounds.  On July 26 the satanic temple in Detroit installed a massive statue of baphomet, turning the cross upside down. The best selling muslim author Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar), who popularized creationism to the secular audience, is advocating for rebuilding the temple in Israel as a multi-faiths centre, meeting with Jewish Rabbis and Christian leaders. These are just a few glimpses on peculiar things happening rapidly in recent weeks. Or maybe we should not consider these as odd and surprising, because we are called to be peculiar people and we know better that in the Great Controversy between good and evil final events will be rapid ones, and we must be watchful, sober, eyes wide open, knowing the times in which we live, and appealing to people around us to come out of the confusion which is in the world, inviting people in our influence to meet Jesus, to discover the Savior for themselves.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, consider the meaning of this festival – giving thanks for God’s provisions, being mindful that God has a plan, that god is working His Will all around us.  Thanking God for the Good News and the Blessed Hope we have in soon Coming Christ, and inviting all around us to worship and give thanks to God, the Creator and the Redeemer.

Evange-living – loving, liking, and longing together

I like the word Dr.Errol Lawrence coined over a decade ago – Evangeliving!  You could add – Evangeloving, Evangeliking, Evangelonging J  I keep repeating this term “evangel” – good messenger, a bearer of good news, one who gives an excellent report!

Watching some reports from the United Nations this week, where the 70^th session of the General Assembly is taking place, it was interesting to note the vast differences between interests of different nations.  When Mugabe said “we are not gays” the assembly rolled with laughter. When Obama tried to defend his concept of a world order based on seven decades or USA global leadership, emphasizing that he will never hesitate to use the military force, he was challenged by Chinese, Iranian, and Russian presidents, and other leaders.  It was Putin’s first appearance in 10 years at the UN council. Russia currently serves as the president of the UN Security Council.  He spoke candidly that the experimentation with changes through revolutions had brought more hurt, war, pain than solutions.  Countries of North Africa and Middle East are in fiery turmoil and Europe that was involved in destabilizing systems there is stressed with the influx of migrants and refugees.  No one can win by manipulating, or forcing others, because in the process it is hard to know who is manipulating whom.  He pleaded against double-standards, and for common values to be practiced, and draw attention to what started UN – Yalta Conference after the end of the World War 2, appealing to the necessity of cooperation for the good and benefit of all.  The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called all leaders to "compassion, prevention and, above all, action.”   As world leaders are discussing 2030 Agenda and are focusing on the environment, poverty, hunger, urbanization, youth – they all talk about stability, peace and safety.

 I do not want to get political in this blog, but must draw attention to the Bible students, that the Second Coming of Christ will happen when there is stability, peace and apparent security.  1^st Thessalonians 5:3 “About the time everybody’s walking around complacently, congratulating each other—“We’ve sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!”—suddenly everything will fall apart.” (The Message) 

As the world is saying more “action” is needed to pursue its plans for global order, we must consider our actions to further the Kingdom of God.  Are we sitting as excited spectators ready to point finger on actions of the world, marvelling what is happening, or are we active workers of God’s Kingdom, inviting people to know God through Jesus Christ?  Have you been active witnessing for God’s Kingdom and God’s Love to use revealed in Jesus?  Are you sharing the Love of the Holy Spirit with those who may take a stand as your enemies?  Do you give people likeable picture of God’s Kingdom, so they would want to come and experience the fellowship of the Body of Christ, the Church?  This is what the true longing for Jesus to come will do daily – evange-living, evange-loving, evange-telling, evange-longing!