More Adventist Heritage Stories

October 22 is a memorable date for Adventists – the Great Disappointment day, when 170 years back in 1844 over 250,000 Christians hoped that William Miller was right, and Jesus would come to this earth, to end the pain and suffering forever.  Yet, here we are, 170 years later, still hearing of wars, pestilence, disasters, violence with no end in sight.

This past Wednesday Canadian capital was reeling in chaos, pain, shock, confusion, as violence erupted at the core of our government by a misguided gunman whose misconception of God’s will took lives.  As I teach World Religions class I always bring up the fact that the name “Allah” used by Muslims is the same as used by early Jewish and Syriac Christians, who spoke Aramaic and used Peshita as their Bible.  It is a generic word, same as English term “God” which may mean different things to different cultures.  Hence, what really matters is how we understand Who God Is, not just by what name we call Him. 

There is a significant difference between a god who “collapsed” on himself, is self-centered, is disconnected from life, creation and ongoing experiences, and is a transcendent principle, and God who is involved with and in His Creation at all times, going through each experience with his creatures.  There is a huge difference between god who uses his creation and makes creation do things for him, and the God who does everything for creation, who serves creation, who invests in and even sacrifices Himself, limits Himself for the sake of His Creation.

Our early pioneers emerged from an assortment of religious experiences and denominations, often with different perspectives on Who God is and what is His Will.  Church historians like to point out the fact that most of our pioneers differed with understanding of God.  Through decades of searching the Bible and being guided by the Spirit of Prophecy our church had formulated statements on how we understand God.  The very first doctrine had been set entitled “The Scripture – Holy Word of God” with emphasis that God is interested in us knowing and understanding Him. God invites us to reason together as He reveals Himself through people He chooses, at all times in different places, in different ways.  The Bible is a collection of people’s experience of God Revelation.  God reveals Himself!

The very next statement of our faith asserts that we believe in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three in one, of one nature but different functions and wills always working inseparably, as Ellen G. White put it “three living persons of the heavenly trio, three great powers --the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”  Creation and Redemption are inseparable and cannot be understood without proper understanding of God as Trinity, eternal Love and eternal Savior.   And our “theology” determines the rest of our “….logies”, guides how we live, how we relate to one another.

On Wednesday night elder Clara Baptiste led the prayer meeting with focus on the primacy of the Word of God.  Read Psalm 119, the ode to God’s Law and Word, and reflect how important it is for our faith identity.

More Adventist Heritage Stories

This past week the Annual Council of the General Conference had met and discussed many urgent matters.  One addenda item was a revision of the statements of beliefs, the 28 fundamentals received aslight “makeover” in wording (more details will be in the November monthly newsletter).  The transparency and openness of or church enable everyone to read via internet the updates, to see the documents as they were amended.  Some were concerned about changes made.  All are welcome to consider the recommendation which will be brought to the General Conference in session at San Antonio in July 2015.  Until then these changes are up for discussion.

This reminded me of a story from 1888.  By the late 1870s and 1880s Ellen White had become convinced that the low spiritual condition of her contemporary Adventists was a result of the failure of their theology!  She was concerned that inadequate understanding of God and His will was resulting in people’s wrong lifestyle of legalism.  The legalistic heritage of the Christian Connexion, from which her husband James came out into Adventism, which suggested that the right to the tree of life is earned by keeping the commandments, had to be corrected.  When Adventist ministers of the day were approached with the message that it is through the righteousness of Christ that we are saved by Grace alone, most objected.  The two young Biblical scholars Jones & Waggoner were teaching justification by faith, but older generation of leaders and pastors were not hearing it.

Ellen White announced that her intention of taking the new message to the grassroots, to the laity “if the ministers will not receive the light, I want to give the people a chance” (letter to Willie White, September 12, 1881).  Her concern was that those who had bound themselves to their “legal religion” would “see the better things proided for them – Christ and His Righteousness.” (Review & Herald, 1889, 66:465-66).  She wrote that people, masses, would read and see the light of truth for themselves, often by-passing the “chain of command” and not communicating first to pastors, and then to people.  I am encouraged to know that our pioneers took seriously words of Apostle John that all have the same anointing from Christ, and there is no need to depend on others for understanding (1^st John 2:27).

I invite you to study the changes proposed to the 28 fundamentals to learn how definitions of our faith have improved in language to communicate clearer Biblical Message to the world.

Adventist Heritage Stories continue

In 1872 Ellen White wrote a small paper “Proper Education” advocating a balance between intellectual effort and manual labor, yet she never got a chance to develop such an ideal in America.  When Battle Creek college was organized not on a sufficient acreage for agricultural work and training she was in tears.  It was not until her founding the Avondale School in Australia, hacking the campus out of the wilderness in Cooranbong, New South Wales, that she experienced the very best school.

When she returned to the United States in 1900 she learned that Adventist school were so poorly managed that the combined debt was about $350,000.  She donated the profits from the sale of Christ’s Object Lessons to diminish the debt, and call for changing the management principles of the school system.

She also found a misuse of her earlier writings regarding the education.  In 1872 she wrote that “small children should be left as free as lambs to run out-of-doors” and that “parents should be the only teachers of their children until they have reached eight or ten years of age.”  As a result of these statements parents were not enrolling their children in church schools and keeping them home until they were ten.

In the Adventist Community surrounding St.Helena sanitarium in Napa Valley, California, the Board of the newly established elementary school was also divided on the matter of the minimum age for school entry.  In 1904 they visited with Ellen White and her home to discuss the subject.  She simply explained that conditions in schools have changed since 1872.  Whereas before the children were tied to their desks and instruction required long time sitting in-doors, the new kindergarten movement had teachers plan a curriculum with plenty of activities.  She simply told that the problem of immobilizing children at their desks had been resolved, and in such circumstances even five-year-old youngsters were educable.  Back in 1888 Ellen White already suggested to an Adventist community in Oakland, California to start a kindergarten.

There is a caution to us too, a “wooden literalism” may pass by the principles and the context of why things were said.  The principle of education that was brought forth by pioneers was parental and community responsibility for spiritual education of young children, as well as health aspect of physical activity to be involved in proper education.  At times when secular education was focused on rote memorization and arresting mobility, the messenger of the Lord was instructed the importance of kinesthetic and visual learning in addition to audible instruction alone, and free-thinking instead of memorization

How are your children educated?  Do you heed the Counsel? 

Adventist Heritage Stories

October has been traditionally Adventist heritage Month.  Ever since the Great Disappointment of 1844, when on October 22 Millerite followers expected Jesus to come, Adventists look back at that date seeking a renewed hope, and knowing that there was god’s hand even in their disappointment (Revelation 10).

I picked up a new book published by a secular Oxford press.  A compilation of articles about Ellen G. White titled “Ellen Harmon White. American prophet.”  As I read through historical research there a lot of interesting details about our heritage.  I will share some that these may serve as an encouragement for us today.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in 1841 “an institution is the lengthened shadow of one man,” suggesting that people of significance leave a legacy behind, by establishing an institution that will outlast them, and survive in time.  Consider the LEGACY left by Ellen. G. White.  One cannot deny the Divine inspiration through her as a person influencing what is the Seventh-day Adventist world wide movement.  But things were not easy.

A book by George Knight “lest we forget” published as 2009 daily devotional shared 365 unfamiliar stories.  I will share some unfamiliar facts here too.

When in July 1849 James White located a printer who was willing to publish his paper Present Truth on credit, with postage due to recipients, and expecting that people will send money after receiving the paper (how crazy is that?! Imagine London Free Press sending you the paper, and hoping you will send them money for it J!!!).  By September of that year the publication was fully paid.  It was done by faith because Ellen told her husband of the vision that she saw.  But other leaders did not support it.  Joseph Bates, the elder statesman, objected to any publishing, as he feared it would create an institution from the movement.  For 13 month, from December 1849 to January 1851, Bates refused to support the paper, and discouraged James White so much, that James vowed to give up publishing “forever”!  James suffered physical exhaustion trying to build things up while his senior leader was tearing things down.  Just think – 13 month!  Imagine the leading pastor objecting to the first elder for 13 month J  In all this Ellen did not give up, because of visions she had.  And finally her strong words got through to Bates, just as James quit, Bates began to write and became a wholehearted supporter of the Advent Review, becoming a major fundraiser specialist for the press.

Just because leaders disagree it does not mean that god is not in the project.  Some may just need more time to hear from the Holy Spirit.  The conviction and determination of those called, of those who received a mission from God will be the driving force behind God-led projects.

Being on the same “wavelength”

This week during the teen’s Bible study group a deep question was raised: “Why does God speaks in symbols?”  Have you thought about it?  Why all the mystery, riddles?  Why can’t the Bible just be like Webster’s dictionary of definitions?

My initial response was to skirt the discussion and just say that people chose the meaning they like, even when spoken plainly to.  Some people read “between the lines” what is not there, and invent a meaning to a simple straightforward message that was never meant to be there J, so the problem is not with symbols, but people being too obtuse to get it.

Yet, there was a deeper insight offered by the Spirit of Prophecy.  We were reading the chapter 12 from the Desire of Ages, about the Temptation, and it submits a much bigger perspective – the Great Controversy perspective.  When one considers world at war, one must take into account the enemy.  When it comes to communication it is always guarded from the enemy, so it cannot be intercepted or used by the enemy.  Military uses all kinds of encryption and code language so only initiated, only those entrusted with secrets would know the meaning.  All is done to protect the plans and strategy. 

When Jesus was on among men he communicated in parables and when His disciples wondered why, he told them that it was to keep secrets from being discerned by outsiders (Matthew 13:10-13).  God communicated the plan of salvation to humanity, His strategy, step by step through the sacrificial system, the pattern of the sanctuary, the Temple Calendar, and through prophecies.  The same Spirit of God that communicated messages through symbols also assisted people to understand their meaning.  Those in relationship with God got the “code”!  Those whose hearts were tuned to God’s heart were able to understand God!  Yet, there is also the enemy, satan, who studies God’s messages, with one disadvantage – “his selfish soul could not understand” God’s love! (DA,115)  That’s deep!  God reveals and gives both clues and the Holy Spirit to guide for understanding.  Yet, if a person’s nature is conformed to selfish attitude (read it ‘satanic’) of this world – they just can’t get it!

In light of Biblical promises (Amos 3:7; Deuteronomy 29:29) God is interested for people to know what he is up to, for people to understand.  For our own good God has protected His communication to paly satan and give us a fighting chance, an advantage.  It all comes down to our attitude – how is our spirit tuned in?  Are we on the worldly, selfish, “get-get” wavelength?  Or are we on selfless, serving, “give-give” tune of the Spirit?

Our understanding of what is happening around us, what is written in the Bible, what God is telling us through people depends on our spiritual tuning.  What is your first passion, self or God and others? 

When we as a church are seeking God’s Will, examining our reality, making plans for strategic moves into the future, we need to be on the same “wavelength” – tuned by the Holy Spirit, to be on the right path (Psalm 139: 23-24)

Best Gamble – Go Forward! ...on planting a new church...

One of the sermons I preached some 9 years ago was based on story in 2^nd Kings chapter 7, about four lepers who reasoned that if they sit and do nothing – they shall die, if they go back – same thing, death.  The only chance was in the unknown, in going forward. 

I find as I grow older it is more challenging to move, to go from comfort zone.  People who move do so in search for something better.  The dissatisfaction with the present moves people forward in search for improvements.  Looking for a better job, for a better house, for a better climate – these are reasons to move.  For all who enjoys their comfort zone I invite you to consider another set of metaphors – water pond that has no moving water turns into a bog, into a swamp overtime; things unused get coated in spider webs; the road untraveled will overgrow with grass.  As long as we are on this side of Christ return, we are on the journey and moving is a necessity, being a pilgrim is our mission, going, moving forward, expanding God’s Kingdom.

For the past decade we talked about the need to have more churches in London that two.  Five years ago we were prompted by a necessity to go forward and plant a Spanish Congregation. They were meeting in this same Sanctuary in the afternoons, complicating our local ministries,  so sending the group off to a new location downtown was a step forward for both, the new company and the local ministries.  Now we are at a brink of going forward again.  The two services during the first 4 months only added complication to our programming and proved that our facilities were insufficient for increased traffic.  We had benefited numerically in financial giving during those four months, and had seen an increased attendance.  Returning to one service the numbers had gone down.  The sending off of a cohort to start a new place of worship in West London will bring the increase for both congregations.

Some are pointing out to urgent needs in the local church – new HVAC system is needed after the flooding, the fellowship hall needs renovations.  We have not resolved all internal problems.  Preparing for the send off in October I am asking you all to pray and consecrate yourselves and families of those who will go forward.  Church planting is a spiritual warfare, the enemy is not happy when a new territory is gained by Adventist message.  Over the past couple of months number of concerns in and about existing church has increased, and the temptation is to put things on hold and focus inward. 

This week in my personal devotionals I read through the book Evangelism (p.371) and this one paragraph stood out:  “Do not waste time with chronic church grumblers.--The ministers of Christ should take their position, and not be hindered in their work by these agents of Satan. There will be enough of these to question, and quibble, and criticize, to keep the ministers of God constantly busy, if they will allow themselves to be detained from the great work of giving the last saving message of warning to the world. If the church has no strength to stand against the unsanctified, rebellious feelings of church grumblers, it is better to let church and grumblers go overboard together than lose the opportunity of saving hundreds who would make better churches, and have the elements existing within themselves of strength and union and power.”  Strong words!  The main point for me – focus outward, go forward!

Checking if we are Church with a Mission

Last week’s Sabbath School lesson got me thinking more about our Mission.  Some churches spend time inventing a mission, when we all should just accept the Great Commission of Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20) as the Mission.  It is restated and paraphrased by all Gospel writers in different words (Mark 16:15-16; John 20:21-22; Luke 24:46-49 & Acts 1:8), but the essence is the same: go into all the world, to all people groups, introduce them to Jesus, baptize them as a sign of discipleship, and then continue teaching them to live right.  This going happens when we receive the Holy Spirit.  Only being empowered by the Spirit we will go for real.  And when the Spirit is at work within us, the fruit is evident – love, loving people as Christ loves us.

If a church is missional, you can tell over time as it changes, because mission changes not only recipients but contributors too.  Missional church consists of disciples who disciple.  One pastor made a summary of10 indicators that church is missional and is making disciples, (based on Biblical standards J):

1.       Those who have been in the church the longest complain the least. Do everything without complaining or arguing. Philippians 2:14

2.       The leaders of the church are giving up “their” seats, park further from the building, do whatever is necessary to help the Body.

The greatest among you must be a servant. Matthew 23:11

3.       The church celebrates most when those far from faith come to faith. In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! Luke 15:7

4.       Members care that others needs are met more than their own. 

Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:4

5.       The church is willing to make sacrifices to attract the lost.

 And so my judgement is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Acts 15:19

6.       There is joy even during suffering. Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. James 1:2

7.       The teaching is a balance of truth and grace. Jesus came full of grace and truth. John 1:17

8.       The financial needs of the church are funded, with people willingly sacrificing. No one begs for money. Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

9.       There are no petty disputes and grudges among the people of the church. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

10.    The church takes care of each other well. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. Acts 4:34

As we enter in the church planting process, I said to the core group that expectation for the new plant team will be set high.  I invite you all reflect on these Biblical standards, and examine yourself.  Are you missional?  Are you a disciple? Not only the new church plant, but the “mother” church has to live by it.