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.

Engaging the secular with True Story - the Bible

This weekend people around the world will watch in theaters the film based on the true story – the four chapters in Genesis – the story of Noah from the Bible.

When Darren Aronofsky was 13-years-old these chapters inspired him to write a poem about Noah for his English class. That poem won him a United Nations contest and put a seed in Darren. Now, a movie director, he finally made a movie he has always wanted to make - "Noah.”

You may hear a lot of criticism because the film has fictional lines and ideas in it, it is not like the Bible story in details.  But, consider the main idea – telling the world that the story of the flood was real!  Noah was a real person, chosen by god to save human race from first judgment.

Two years ago when we travelled to New York on family vacation we passed through Palmyra, the place where Mormonism was born.  They just hosted the “Book of Mormon” Broadway musical. Those who had seen it say that it is outrageous, irreverent and flat-out hysterical, it pokes fun at the Mormons for two solid hours!  And yet the Mormon church chose to spend their money on it.  Since its release the whole country is more interested in Mormonism!

 It is interesting how Hollywood is spending millions of dollars producing stories from the Bible.  In the coming years stories of Goliath, Moses, Mary will be coming in production.  What would happen if Christians instead of criticising, disconnecting, would use it as opportunities to tell the gospel? Would it not be like what Jesus did in his day, using the folklore with his own twist to communicate the good news of Loving God?

I find it interesting that Russell Crowe’s start-up acting role was in an advertising flick for the Avondale College, a Seventh-day Adventist college in New South Wales, Australia, advertising the Religious Studies program, training for pastors!

Could it be that God is doing the work of evangelism through agencies we could not in our wildest imaginations think of, just like in the days of prophet Daniel he used Nebuchadnezzar to reveal the future?

Engage the world around you, stop pushing away people who are searching for truth, just because they don’t have everything right…yet.

Global Youth Day – March 15

In September of 2012, the General Conference Youth Ministries Department consulted with the 13 Division youth directors, and received overwhelming support for experimenting with the concept of a “Global Youth Day.”  The Sabbath, March 16, 2013 was chosen.  London Youth assembled t church, and then went out to visit a nursing home in Watford.  They were to be the sermon of the day, doing acts of kindness.

Worldwide that day blessings exceeded expectations.  Almost four million people were reached through the social media campaign and we received more than 10,000 video uploads from all over the world that portrayed our youth in action. Three live studio uplinks from Australia, Germany, and the United States took GYD to the rest of the world.  This year there will be 20 live sites around the world for 24 hour coverage.

The main objective of this event is to recapture the reality of the Seventh-day Adventist Youth as a Global Movement; to lead our youth to rediscover the sense of belonging to a global army; to reposition mission at the heart of global youth ministry.  It is grounded in the concluding words of Jesus in the parable of the Good Samaritan, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:25-37).  The theme of the Global Youth Day is simply “BE THE SERMON”

Imagine 8 million Adventist youths mobilized on the streets of our villages, towns, and cities around the world to be the hands and feet of Jesus through acts of kindness.

As the young people from local churches, regions, or conferences/missions meet for a time of consecration before spending the best part of Sabbath reaching out in local communities, our London youth come together for the early service, 8:30 am, for the time of dedication and prayer before going out at 11 am to do Sabbath friendly acts of kindness.  To complete the day’s activities, our young people will congregate together with the university students at Western Campus with Andrew Waller speaking on the topic of “Last generation.”

The Global Youth Day repositions youth at the center of the Church’s life and mission. It has the potential of being the dawn of youth ministry’s finest hour.

Pray for the youth of this church, for the safety as they go out, for Divinely appointed opportunities for them to impact lives of people who are searching for Christ, and for their own lives to be changed by God’s grace.   Next year, March 14, 2015 we will assemble even more organized spiritual army of youth to impact London.

Lent – spring – commitment for growth

I am writing this blog on March 5, known as Ash Wednesday, the day when in many Christian traditions the Lent begins.  The word lent comes from Dutch lente, meaning spring.  There is nothing overtly religious in this word.  In time it came to be associated with the 40 days of fasting in preparation for the Good Friday, celebrating death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Yet, as you reflect on the meaning of spring I invite you to consider this teaching of Jesus: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).

Spring season, the lent, holds a mysterious paradox: that in the falling and dying there is healing, transformation, new life. First one must let go to receive the abundance.

After such a prolonged winter, everyone is awaiting the spring warmth.  My family can’t wait to get into the garden, to plant our organic kitchen garden.  Yet, I invite you to consider also what are you going to plant spiritually in your life?  What will you let go this season for God to fill you with His abundance?

This season is the season of fasting, giving up, covenanting, practicing spiritual disciplines, exercising yourself toward godliness (1^st Timothy 4:7-8).  You may not be ready for 40 days of fasting like Jesus did, but you could practice giving up one of your luxuries, learn self-sacrifice, and as you fast you will be reminded by your cravings of your commitment for personal growth.

Lent is the season of investing for harvest.  Will you invest into mentoring someone?  Will you befriend someone to introduce them to your Friend, Jesus?  Will you plant the seeds of Gospel in someone’s life this spring?

We as a church body also must consider what we do together corporately for the Kingdom growth this spring.  A group of 16 people from London attended the SEEDS church growth conference past Sabbath in Toronto.  It was almost symbolic – meeting on the first calendar day of spring J  the passion is high to plant a new church, to give a new beginning for yet another venue where the Three Angels message will be preached.  The first step in all beginnings is prayer, seeking God’s Will, God’s direction. 

May this season of lent, this spring will be your time of prayer for growth, prayer of surrendering burdens to receive blessings.  May this season be a time of investing, planting, starting new for God’s Kingdom.

Church Planting – inevitable!!!

As you are reading this, there will be a dozen of people from London in Toronto at the first ever Church Planting Conference in Ontario.  I am planning to spend two additional days, into Monday with other pastors and church leaders discussing the direction for church growth in our region.

From the first day of my ministry here I had been sharing with you the need for church planting, the need to have more churches in London.  I have communicated this through newsletters, sermons, blogs and in personal conversations.  9 years ago I hoped that there would be at least 5 Adventist churches in London by 2015.  So far we added only one – Spanish congregation, and the opinions among our members are widely divided.  Some would rather have a big mega-church, with variety of ministries to offer, and an impressive presence in the city.  Others would like to have many churches regardless of size, but located in different areas of the city, guaranteeing more personal involvement and multiplied presence. 

Reality is that more than 95% of churches today in America are small churches, with membership less than 80.  Not all small churches are doing well.  Yet, small churches have significant advantages – better fellowship, where you know each other, better pastoral care, where a minister can attend to people’s needs, better discipleship and accountability, more personal involvement in ministries, and church services, more spiritual harvest!  Large churches may offer greater performance quality programming, and for consumers it is OK to come and receive.  But with size comes increased challenges of pastoral care, discipleship, and opportunities for personal ministries.

When you consider our current location and facility, how can we grow here?  Our church membership exceeds 220, and when factored in those who worship with us and have their membership elsewhere, the church family is nearly 300 people.  We can sit only 200 in the sanctuary, and no more than 100 in the fellowship hall.  How can we accommodate growth?  How can we grow numerically in this location?

One option suggested was to go to two or three services.   Growing in numbers without investing in bricks and mortar.  For the past two months we had been trying this option.  We had promised to continue 4 months trial and will conduct evaluation by the end of March to decide the future direction.  However, our parking lot is not conducive to in and out traffic between services, as there is only 1 entrance. People are also sharing some concerns about other logistics of two services. Without moving, there remains only one alternative – planting a new congregation.

I remember sharing with you a few years back, that if London would be Grenada we would have 191 churches, if London would be Jamaica we would have 115 churches, Zimbabwe proportion of churches per population – London would have 54 churches!  Even by our Canadian average stats we should have 5 (five!) churches being 11^th metropolitan area in Canada!

Please prayerfully consider, that for the Kingdom of god to grow new wineskins are needed for the new wine (Matthew 9:17)