PREPARE THE SANCTUARY!

Recent (November 18) shooting of a teenager - Amon Beckles - a mourner at a funeral for Jamal Hemmings, himself a victim of gunshot slaying a few days earlier, held at the Toronto West Seventh-day Adventist Church, wakes the community of faith to accept the responsibility to positively influence our youth and to prevent escalation of violence in our communities.
Pastor Andrew King of Toronto West Adventist Church, Toronto mayor David Miller, Elder Derrick Nichols, president of the Ontario Conference and several religious leaders, were present at the Church service last Sabbath to support grieving families.
How do you see a church? What is a church for you? Recently I heard a comment "I can't come to a church! It would be hypocritical, because I made mistakes." I am sure you've heard people call church goers "hypocrites." Seems like most people see the church as a showcase for saints, a safe place of refuge where people are holy. Consequently, if you are not holy and perfect - what are you doing in the church?
That is not Biblical view of the Sanctuary. Why did people come to the Temple in Israel? Yes, to pray, to worship, to give thanks! The main reason a person would come is to bring their sins and to leave them behind. Get this: SINNERS CAME TO THE SANCTUARY TO DUMP THEIR SINS THERE.
We, the Seventh-day Adventist made one significant contribution to the Christendom: the SANCTUARY DOCTRINE! Study it, know it, for it is our mission to the dying world - calling people to the Sanctuary!
A garbage dump, a trash can, a waste compactor, a recycle bin - any of these apply to the Sanctuary, to the Church? That is how Israelites knew the Sanctuary. That is exactly what God intended to provide humanity with - a place where we can leave behind all our baggage, all things that beset us, all things that are broken and wasted, so we may live free, so we may receive innocence, Christ's purity and justification.
One day all the collected rubbish will be placed on the scape goat, the devil, where it really belongs. Until then, until the Sanctuary final cleansing - come, bring it, and dump when there's still time!
The Church is a safe place! But not because you and I are there. Because God is there. It is a Holy Place, a Place set apart just for this purpose - to free us from our mess. And it is Holy not because we are holy, but because God is Holy, and makes us too.

THE BODY GOD HAS PREPARED...

When Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me." (Hebrews 10:5) And as you read the epistle you realize that the Body that God prepared for Christ was for the purpose of sacrifice.
It is interesting that same apostle Paul always emphasizes the fact that the Church is the Body of Christ. The Body that God has prepared for His Son. The Body that is left on Earth to do what Christ did while here on earth. And this Body we called Church is also called to be a sacrifice. We are called to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. (Romans 12:1) Such living is our "reasonable worship" (KJV), "spiritual act o worship" (NIV), or simply put - being sensible to what God has done for us. Is this too much to ask, to sacrifice your life for God?
Quite often we celebrate and emphasize diversity that exists in the Body: we are many different parts. Yet, the main emphasis in all this is the Unity of the Body. Just to think that we are the Body of Christ!
Whenever tragedy strikes people are asking "Where is God?" Philip Yancey suggests: "if the church would be where people are hurting, they wouldn't need to ask "Where is God?" they would see and know Him!"
The Church assembled, as a corporate Body of believers is Christ's Body on Earth. He is the Head of it. We do His Will in obedience.
Leaving this Earth Christ left his Legacy - the Church, as His Body. Spirit of Prophecy reminds us that "as members of the body of Christ all believers are animated by the same spirit and the same hope. Divisions in the church dishonor the religion of Christ before the world and give occasion to the enemies of truth to justify their course. Paul's instructions were not written alone for the church in his day. God designed that they should be sent down to us." (Ellen G. White, Testimonies to the Church, Vol.5, p.239)
Let us live pressing toward the goal, the high honor of being called the Body of Christ!
We are the Body that God has Prepared for our Lord. We are the Bride prepared for the Coming of Her Husband. We are the City whose architect is God. We are the Temple where God dwells. We are the Building of which Christ is Cornerstone. We are His Body!

CHRIST'S LEGACY: THE MESSAGE & THE METHOD

This week I have seen God move his people in many ways. Coming together at homes for prayer had been a wonderful experience. Many expressed a wish to carry on with house church / small group meetings. The inspiration and effectiveness is beyond challenge.
What you are experiencing is the nostalgia for the lost art of disciple-making. For almost a century already the Christian church had been loosing the Legacy of Our Lord Jesus. Let me explain! In the Signs of the Times, May 10, 1883 Ellen White wrote “The Son of God, leaving the royal courts of Heaven, takes not his position upon David's throne; but from the swaying seat of a fisherman's boat, speaks the words of eternal wisdom which are to be immortalized in the minds of his disciples and given to the world as the legacy of God."
Jesus left God’s Legacy to this world, and that Legacy is twofold: the Gospel Message and the Discipleship method. Gospel proclamation and discipling as a method for nurturing and spiritual growth are inseparable. Either one is ineffective without the other. That’s why attempts to preach without discipling fail to convert people. That’s why a 30 night evangelistic series needs a strong infrastructure of discipleship groups where people would be cared for.
- Achievement comes when you do great things for and by yourself.
- Success is when others are empowered to do achieve together with you.
- Significance comes when you develop others to do great things for you.
- Legacy comes when people will do great things without you.
Christ’s final promise to be with us until the end of the world is conditional on our living His Legacy. The Great Commission spelled in Matthew 28:19-20 to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” – is a condition that comes before Christ’s promise: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age." We can be sure of His presence only when we are living His Legacy of discipling others. Christ’s Legacy is our Mission.
Imagine a bird that has one wing clipped. Can it fly? Or will it simply go in circles? The church has two wings: Message & the Method, the Gospel & Discipleship, the Large Group celebration & Small Group nurturing.
Pray for God to restore His Legacy in our midst. Pray for God to raise up leaders for house churches. Pray for God to heal our broken wings that we may soar on His Spirit, seeing His Vision, empowered by His Legacy.
Currently the North Church is training a group of 8 leaders for future Small Groups, that should be ready by January to take responsibilities for nurturing believers. Similar training process at the South Church will begin in January. It’s time for the spiritually mature to invest in nurturing others.
So, let me remind you, if we truly are in the Message, we should not ever miss the method - DISCIPLESHIP.

TREES DON'T MOVE THE WIND !!!

Here we are, entering into a week of prayer. Have you been praying to be thrown off balance, out of your comfort zone and into the harvest? That challenge from Luke 10:2 is very much relevant for all of us today. This week we'll be praying for the Unity as we witness and live. That Unity is Spirit given and not of ourselves.
In conversation with Nicodemus Jesus said "the wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit," (John 3:8) speaking of unpredictability of the born-again believer. Christians are moved by Spirit - not by programs, not by human strategies, not by power of influencers, not by might of resources.
As we come and pray this week for the Revival - allow God to move you. It's comfortable to "hug trees" and stay immovable. It's risky to let go our comfortable perspectives. Yet, it's not trees that move the wind, but the Wind that makes us bend in His Direction. In Greek language word for Spirit & for Wind is one and the same – pneuma, making it interchangeable, empowering the metaphor.
The Nominating Committee has nearly completed its work, and will be contacting many of you with ministry placement assignments. Please allow the Wind to move you!
In the 80s the business world was all about making Mission & Vision Statements. The business world began to adapt Gospel's principles of influencing people. The Church institutions finally caught up to the trend and in the 90s churches began to rally toward creating Mission & Vision statements. Remember that? Some churches are still behind "catching up" to the trend. Altogether missing the point: we've got the Vision, we've got the Mission already!!!
We don't need people to reinvent the Gospel! The Great Commission of Jesus to the church in Matthew 28:19-20 has been spelled as our Mission 2000 years ago: "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." It's not about making ourselves attractive for some to COME. It's about us GOING!
The Vision for the Gospel Church was stated by Peter as "priesthood of all believers" (1st Peter 2:9) Simply put - the Mission will be accomplished when Every Believer becomes a Minister, according to the Gifts imparted by the Holy Spirit.
It's time for the Church to seize our purpose, accept what is given already - Mission & Vision - and allow the Spirit of God to move us.
Remember, the trees don't make wind! Beware - the inflexible trees get broken by the wind. The rootless trees get blow away by the wind. And the sound trees make sound!!!

It is Lord's Harvest !

Last Sunday some of our London members attended the district meeting with the Conference Personal Ministries Director Eustace Williams. The agenda of the meeting was to do SWOT analysis of each local church in the district and to plan for cooperation and accountability in ministry.
As different churches analyzed their Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats and then presented them an observation was made that churches move in different directions and are on different stages. It was noted that our London congregations are ahead of others in terms of planning to act for change.
Your elders did this exercise a months ago and reviewed with our NCD coach Nick Rhone on October 1st. This past Sunday church members added more to the list, and it became obvious that we need to do this at a larger setting – the General Business meeting. Simply because private opinions, as valuable as they are, do not truly represent public view.
While we keep our Vision clear – becoming a Church where every believer is a minister – we also need to connect it with our current reality to chart the appropriate course.
Meanwhile, do not loose the main perspective what this is all about: The Lord’s Harvest. Jesus spoke to His disciples in Luke 10:2 “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Two words in this statement have been always softened in translation.
Jesus told us not to simply ASK, or even PRAY, but to BEG as though our life depends on it. Both Matthew (9:38) and Luke uses very strong Greek word deomai, which is same as when the leper begged Jesus for healing (Luke 5:12), same as demoniac pleading with Christ (Luke 8:28), same as the father of a possessed boy imploring Jesus for healing (Luke 9:38). Bottom line here – plead, beseech, implore, beg the Lord of the Harvest as though your life depends on it – to be SENT OUT in the field. One would expect here a commonly used word apostelo. Instead Gospel writers used much stronger word ekballo, which means to throw out, to kick out, to cast out against one’s will. Same word describes Jesus casting out demons out of people (Matthew 8:16). Same action as what will be done to the lazy children of God’s kingdom – cast out into outer darkness (Matthew 8:12).
Considering these “corrections” are you ready to BEG our Lord of the Harvest to KICK us OUT of our comfort zone into the field of His harvest?
Are you ready to PLEAD with the Lord personally to THROW you OUT of your balanced life into the plentiful harvest field? By the way what do you mean “balanced” life? What are you balancing it with? Kingdom of God on one side & ……….what is “balancing” the Kingdom in your life?
Pray for the harvest, regardless of what it may cost you!

Adventist Faith in "Soon and Very Soon"

Time seems to be gaining speed every day, we are in a late fall and it fells like our summer chores are not done yet. 161 years ago this time of the year believers chose not to harvest their fields expecting Jesus to come.
Imagine counting days, looking around at things you got used to and expecting it all to be burned up. How exactly should one be living when expecting to face his or her life's record at the judgment bar of God in just a few more weeks? Am I really ready to meet Jesus? Have I done all in my power to help others—my friends, relatives, and even strangers—to be ready to meet Him too?
This month (October 2005) marks an important anniversary for Seventh-day Adventists. It holds the 161st anniversary of both the Day of Great Expectation—October 22, 1844—and the Day of Great Disappointment—October 23, 1844. This anniversary brings year after year a degree of embarrassment for some within our ranks whom, I suspect, would just as soon forget anything and everything connected with 1844.
Why did they preach the “soon” coming of Jesus? Well, because Jesus Himself said so—four times, for instance, in the very last book of the New Testament—and three times alone in its very last chapter!”
“Behold, I come quickly” (Rev. 3:11).
“Behold, I come quickly” (Rev. 22:7).
“Behold, I come quickly” (verse 12).
“Surely I come quickly” (verse 20).
And He said that almost 2000 years ago. How soon is soon? I don’t know. All I know that His patience allowed the delay, not wishing that anyone would perish. (2Peter 3:9) Since then, 2000 years ago Peter wrote to the Christians of his day, telling them not only to earnestly “look” for Christ’s second coming but also to attempt to “hasten” it along, by quickly finishing the work Christ had given them to do in spreading the gospel to everyone (2 Peter 3:12).
Eighteen hundred years later Ellen White underscored the same idea. Less than two years before her death in 1915 she wrote: “By giving the gospel to the world, it is in our power to hasten the coming of the day of God.” (Review and Herald, Nov. 13, 1913; cited in God’s Amazing Grace, 353.)
LeRoy Edwin Froom, in his monumental work, Movement of Destiny, helpfully points out that Ellen White echoes Peter a total of 45 times in the 61 years between 1850 and 1911. Each time she says essentially the same thing: If we Adventists had properly done our job, the Lord would have come before now.
Apostle Paul preaching in Athens teld the Greek philosophers of that city, “[God] hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained” (Acts 17:31).
Dr. Froom goes on to cite another 13 statements, made between 1863 and 1915—a parallel period of 52 years—in which Ellen White echoes Paul, indicating that there is a final “backstop” date, a “predetermined boundary line irrevocably ‘fixed,’” beyond which God will not indefinitely wait.
My dear brothers and sisters, we’ve got work to do! And we should pull together closer in support of each even more as we see the Day Approaching.

Forward Strategy

This past Sunday as we arrived at Oshawa for yet another constituency session we were expecting a lengthy argumentative meeting. Then the President Derrick Nichols opened the session presenting the Vision for the future of the Conference, and he got my attention, my support, my “YES! & AMEN!”
"Every Member a Minister!" – he began. WOW! We did not compare notes. We did not talk lately at all. Yet, I believe, that the Holy Spirit is moving today many pastors, administrators, leaders of our Movement to go to the next level of putting into practice God’s Vision of every believer being engaged in ministry according to a unique calling God gives each individual. I enjoy working for the Conference of churches that encourages and facilitates this Biblical principle.
Then comes the latest Messenger in the mail. The first page of editorial is again from our President, starting with a preamble: “Everything continues in a state of rest unless it is compelled to change by forces placed upon it.”
Just a day before – last Sabbath – I had worked 8 hours with Nicholas Rhone. First with elders of the South, then the North churches, and then just two of us – analyzing the strength, weaknesses, opportunities, threats of moving the churches forward. The change is never easy – yet it is necessary.
A few months ago at Andrews one of the presenters made a remark – “evolutionists wait for things to happen, creationists make things happen.” Which one are you? Do we sit, wait, and let things happen, or evolve, if you wish? Or should we get creative, tap into God’s Will and discover Him at work, with us being co-laborers? The later option motivates me.
In the process of implementing the recommendations of the NCD (Natural Church Development) program you have successfully accomplished the first step. The need for gift-oriented ministry placement was understood and supported. The Nominating Committee began its work making use of the database already, matching people’s gifts and interests for service with the ministries that are most needed for efficient work of the Church.
As we consider our immediate and overarching need of Spiritual Growth in our church we’ll use following strategy:
North Church

• Recruiting leaders for small groups and starting a training TURBO Group from October 15 to December 10
  
• Leaders ready to start house churches, small groups will be presented to the church December 10 and begin to recruit people for groups
  
• January 15th will be an official launch and 8 small groups will be started by the end of January. Pastor Alex will provide coaching and further training to all leaders
  
• By September 2006 groups will be ready to multiply and receive new believers as we prepare for a city wide evangelistic effort.
  

South Church

• Preaching for 3 months on various aspects of Loving Relationships
  
• Intentional extended hospitality – visiting with church families on days other that Sabbath, and for purposes other than church business. Each family is expected to invite a new guest at least once per month
  
• Restart our Cultural Diversity Program, and run it consistently.
  
• Provide a Biblical Conflict Resolution training, going beyond management and tolerance principles taught in the secular society.
  
• Recognizing and celebrating people’s milestones as a family.
  

Please support your leadership in working together to grow in Christ.