Elisabet Kirkland

PRAY. BLESS. EAT. LISTEN.

By Dustin Serns

The city where I live (Seattle, WA metro area) has been ranked the “least-religious large city” in the United States. Around 64% never attend religious services or go less than once per year. Around the country, many have noticed growing numbers of people who are religiously unaffiliated.

How can we reach people who have no interest in church or desire to know the Bible?

The apostle Peter advised, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…” (1 Peter 3:15). Being “prepared to give an answer” assumes people are asking you questions about your faith. Are they? If not, how can you live a more “questionable” life?

My friend Reylourd says, “Adventists love to be different, but if our differences don’t make a positive impact in the lives of others, then that just makes us weird.”

What made Jesus and the first-century church so “questionable” that people wanted to know their Kingdom message?

Their strategy was simple: pray, bless, eat, and listen.

Pray. Jesus daily interceded for those he wanted to become part of his Kingdom. Through prayer, the Holy Spirit opened doors for the church to have spiritual conversations and invite people to follow Jesus.

Who are 5–10 people you can pray for daily to commit to Jesus and journey with His church?

Bless. Jesus blessed people on a regular basis. The early church was known for their generosity to people both inside and outside the church.

How can you bless people in intentional ways on a weekly basis?

Eat. Jesus extended friendship to people He wanted to reach through eating with them. For the early church, the Lord’s Supper was more than a ritual wafer and thimble-sized glass of juice; it was a shared meal for the church, eaten in acknowledgement of the presence of God.

How can you eat with people from both inside and outside your church on a weekly basis?

Listen. Jesus listened to people. In the Gospels, Jesus asked questions one hundred times more often than he shared direct answers. The early church deeply cared for and empowered people to follow and share Jesus with passion.

How can you ask meaningful questions to people you would love to see know Jesus?

When you pray, bless, eat, and listen, people will ask questions. When they ask, share with passion what Jesus has done in your life and invite them on a journey to discover what He could do in their life too.

Pray. Bless. Eat. Listen.

What if every church member were living out these missional rhythms with people who are not part of their church on a weekly basis? Imagine the lives that could be changed!

How can we begin creating a culture that encourages missional living?

1. Live It Personally

Sharing fresh personal stories about how you are connecting with people in your community and seeing God work will make your conversations, sermons, and meetings more powerful and effective. Don’t be afraid to share stories of how God is growing you and interactions when you think you could have done better. Our example preaches louder than our sermons.

2. Start a New Small Group

Start a new mid-week small group for eight weeks. Personally invite receptive members who are interested in growing to live missionally. Use a resource like Surprise the World: The Five Habits of Highly Missional People by Michael Frost or B.L.E.S.S. 5 Everyday Ways to Love Your Neighbor and Change the World by Dave Ferguson and Jon Ferguson. Build accountability by having group members share each week who they blessed and ate with. Celebrate breakthroughs and talk about next steps for the following week to continue discipling people.

3. Invite Others to Join the Journey

Once you and a group of people are practicing living missionally, prepare a way for others to join the journey. Empower your group members to partner up and lead new small groups that replicate the journey they have just experienced with you. Preach a sermon series, have people share testimonies, and personally invite others to join the new small groups. Form a group chat where participants can share photos and stories of how they are living missionally and seeing God show up.

—Dustin Serns is Church Planting coordinator for the Washington Conference. from North American Division Ministerial Association Best Practices October 15, 2025, post. Photo shared on Wikimedia Commons and published under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

Jose Briones – Denver, Colorado … The Hispanic Ministries of the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) led a three‑month preaching school from October through December of last year designed to equip lay church members with practical tools for sharing the Gospel with clarity, confidence, and spiritual depth.

The program brought together participants from multiple congregations who committed to monthly learning, practice, and reflection. Sessions were hosted at several Hispanic Adventist churches across the Conference, including Palisade, Denver Pecos, Denver South, Denver Central, and Grand Junction, allowing members from different regions to participate more easily. Now, as January begins, the department is celebrating the growth, dedication, and renewed sense of calling that emerged from the experience.

The school featured a rotation of presenters, including Hugo Guillen, RMC Ministerial associate director and lead for Multicultural Ministries, and fellow RMC pastors Julio Diaz, Kenneth Martinez, Jose Briones, Leonardo Jimenez, and Eliezer Roque. Each pastor offered a unique perspective on the art and responsibility of preaching.

Sessions covered biblical interpretation, sermon structure, technology use, storytelling, contextual preaching, pastoral presence, and the spiritual preparation required to preach with authenticity. Participants were encouraged not only to study but to practice. They crafted short messages, received feedback, and learned how to communicate the hope of Scripture in ways that connect with real people.

Throughout the three months, the emphasis remained consistent: preaching is our mission. Presenters reminded students that God has entrusted every believer with gifts, experiences, and a voice meant to bless others.

Reflecting on the program’s impact, Santo Valdez, pastor of the Glenwood Springs Hispanic District, shared his gratitude for what it meant to the congregations outside the metro area. “It was a blessing to have this program available for the people in the mountain region,” he said, noting how valuable it was for members who often have fewer opportunities for in‑person training. He also remarked that now he has more preachers available for the district.

As the program concluded in December, leaders encouraged graduates to continue developing their skills and to look for opportunities within their local churches to put their training into practice. The hope is that this year, Hispanic congregations across the conference will benefit from a growing group of prepared, Spirit‑led lay preachers ready to share God’s Word with clarity, compassion, and conviction.

—Jose Briones is the RMC Stewardship Promotion and Content creator. Photos supplied.

Jose Briones – Denver, Colorado … The Stewardship Department of the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) recently spent two weekends visiting Westminster Hispanic and Gypsum Hispanic Seventh‑day Adventist churches, leading Stewardship Sabbath sessions centered on a simple but challenging theme: surrendering every part of life to God. Both congregations welcomed Jose Briones, pastor and RMC Stewardship Promotion and Content creator, with warm hospitality and well‑attended services that reflected a genuine desire to explore what faithful stewardship truly means.

One of the presentations focused on Bible passage Matthew 25 and the parable of the talents, inviting members to consider what it means to steward what God has already placed in their hands. Briones emphasized that faithful stewardship requires courage—choosing not to bury our gifts out of fear—like the servant who hid his one talent, but instead trusting God enough to use, grow, and invest the resources He has entrusted to us.

Across both churches, the message highlighted that stewardship is not merely about money or budgeting but about releasing control of finances, health, time, relationships, and spiritual priorities and allowing God to lead. Testimonies from local members added depth to the theme, showing how surrender has brought clarity, healing, and renewed purpose in their own lives.

In Gypsum, church member Merari Morales said the weekend offered a meaningful reset for the congregation. “All the attendees had the opportunity to learn about the principles of stewardship and renew their commitment to God. It’s a privilege to have more presentations and understanding about this topic,” she shared.

Workshops and afternoon sessions created space for practical conversations. Families asked about managing household finances with faith in mind, young adults explored aligning career choices with spiritual calling, and older members reflected on trusting God through health challenges and life transitions. The atmosphere remained open and communal, with participants sharing both struggles and victories.

As the Stewardship Sabbath sessions concluded, Briones encouraged both congregations to take time this year to prayerfully plan for every gift God has entrusted to them. He emphasized that intentional stewardship begins with reflection: identifying the resources already in our hands and seeking God’s direction for how to use them faithfully.

—Jose Briones is the RMC Stewardship Promotion and Content creator. Photos supplied.

Dorie Panganiban – Farmington, New Mexico … There has been a constant question asked of the staff at La Vida Mission* (LVM) in Farmington, New Mexico, either verbally or by phone, text, or messenger by the local native American community: “Are you giving out propane?”  Since 2020, during the height of the Covid pandemic when LVM first gifted their local neighbors with free propane to help them during the cold winter days, it seems like it has become a regular yearly treat and assistance that the community has looked forward to.

La Vida Mission had only planned for a free flea market and Christmas meal during this Christmas Fiesta, December 17, because of a lack of financial resources. The funds for this project were down $400 from last year, but the call for help was loud, clear, and hard to ignore. Therefore, a few months before the event, “with faith in the Fount of Every Blessing that never runs dry,” LVM decided to again do the propane give-away.

LVM staff decided they would do it differently this time to avoid people lining up in their trucks from 6:00 AM until the propane company came at 10:00 AM. Plus, many of them missed the free flea market, refreshments, meals, and warmer conditions in the LVM gym where the event is hosted.  And so, instead of doing propane refill on-site, participants were given propane vouchers that they could take to Tsaya Trading Post to get a free propane refill at their convenience.

“But how were we able to help with the propane needs of our people with negative figures in the fund to begin with?” questioned Dorie Panganiban, LMS Outreach director. “Well, the Fountain of God opened, and funds flowed through some instant generous sponsors who lovingly shared their resources to make this project a reality.”

“We wish to thank Ann Kelley, Serly Jenne, Lisa Babcock, Ron and Faith Connovich, Tim Allen, and the La Vida Mission Seventh-day Adventist Church for pooling their resources together to reach the five thousand dollars needed to serve our community with the propane they need. It was indeed a day of joy and fiesta and a celebration of the love of God that saved us and binds us together as a family.”

The Fiesta featured a free flea market of clothes, shoes, and other household items. Donated furniture and household appliances were given away as door prizes. The event also included games, prizes, and fun for all ages, all-day refreshments, and a fellowship lunch.

Midday during the fiesta, everybody paused for a beautiful Christmas devotional given by Steve Pester, Diné Adventist Radio (DAR) network director and manager, with the DAR theme song of “Go Tell it on the Mountain” sung by his wife Michelle and joined by LVM staff members.

“The day ended with everyone happy and full of praise and gratitude to our Almighty God and to the many people He used to bless the ministry of La Vida Mission. Praise the Lord!” reflected Panganiban.

* La Vida Mission is a supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church but is not affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

—Dorie Panganiban is the La Vida Mission Outreach director. Photos supplied.

By Evie Lange

Editor’s Note: The first-place winning student in the 2025 Mid-America Union Conference OUTLOOK magazine middle and high school writing contest was Campion Academy’s (CA) senior student Evie Lange. Evie was presented with the contest awards January 7 during Campion Academy’s first chapel session of 2026 by Jill Harlow, CA Communication teacher, accompanied by Lindsey Santana, CA chaplain, and Kaleb Leeper, CA principal.

Evie’s winning submission beautifully captures the heart of what makes Adventist schools so impactful. Through thoughtful storytelling, this piece reflects how Adventist education shapes character, nurtures a living relationship with Christ, and inspires students to carry their values into every part of life. We are honored to feature this outstanding work and to celebrate the voices of young writers who boldly share how God is working in and through their educational journeys.

Since second grade, I have attended school on the same campus, gone to Sabbath school at the same church, and taken all the Bible classes offered through my Adventist school. My mom is a K-2 teacher in the Rocky Mountain Conference, resulting in a life dominated by Adventist education. However, since I grew up in the church, it was hard to feel as if I truly owned my faith. I had teachers who would start classes off with a devotional and pray, but I never felt firm in my faith in God. This all changed my junior year of high school.

That summer, my life was turned upside down. My parents were getting a divorce and my faith in Jesus had hit the rocks. I was struggling mentally, socially, spiritually, and physically. In Adventist education, we are gifted with the opportunity to take challenging and even dual-credit classes, participate in sports teams, join music groups, and take on student leadership roles. These aspects of Adventist education are supposed to help students grow individually. But when I needed it most, it felt too overbearing. I had taken on too much responsibility, leading myself in a spiral of failure, doubt, and avoidance. I had grown farther and farther from God.

On Friday night during a leadership weekend at Campion Academy, I was struck with the feeling that I couldn’t come out of this alone. I knelt before God and prayed even though my heart wasn’t fully committed. He impressed upon me the memory of what my Bible teacher, Chaplain Lindsey Santana, had said about God: “When you don’t know what to do, open your Bible. God will tell you what you need to hear.”

I wanted to avoid what I needed to do in order to escape this rut. I tried my own way of thinking, thought out any other plan in my mind, but nothing came. The only thing that was firm, constant, and loyal was God and His promises. So, at rock bottom on a dark, starry night, I opened my Bible up at random to Psalm 71:5-6. For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you. That night, I went home crying and praising with joy. I had the reassurance that, even though this tsunami felt like it was destroying me, God would still be my lifeboat. Psalm 71 became my favorite chapter in the Bible, and for the rest of my junior year, I relied on it when I needed encouragement. At the end of the school year, I decided to apply as student chaplain for Campion, and I got the job.

All summer leading up to my senior year, I felt as if I wasn’t good enough to lead the school in the position of student chaplain. As I turned to Psalm 71:7-8, I realized that this is God’s plan and there is no fault in it: I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge. My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. My senior year has brought many different kinds of mountains and valleys. Each morning, I ask God to work through me in order for every person I encounter to see Jesus.

Chaplain Santana has helped me grow in my faith by encouraging me with Bible verses and through her Sabbath school messages. She cheers me on and lifts me up spiritually. Whenever I’m in need of a pick-me-up snack, hug or a prayer, she is there for me.

I thank God each day for blessing me with Chaplain Santana and for the opportunity to attend Adventist education. As I move from Campion to college, and other opportunities this life has to offer, I will remember the lessons this place has taught me: to have courage and know that God has a plan for everything. But more than anything, I will remember that my faith can’t be inherited; it has to be chosen. For years I knew of God, but I didn’t know God. My faith and relationship with Him became real when I stopped trying to live this life on my own and began to rely on Him completely. The same God who guided me at rock bottom continues to guide me each day, and wherever life takes me, I will ever praise Him.

—Evie Lange is first place winner of the 2025 OUTLOOK Student Writers Contest and a senior student at Campion Academy. Republished with permission by OUTLOOK magazine from the December 31, 2025, feature story. Photos supplied and by Liz Kirkland.

Diane Harris – Greeley, Colorado … The Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) small-school educators and leaders leaned into professional growth, collaboration, and courageous reflection for two days of professional development, January 5-6, at the Greeley Adventist Christian School in Greeley, Colorado, before students return for the spring semester.

“It is all for the benefit of student learning. When leaders grow, schools get stronger, and students are blessed. We are proud of the hard work happening across RMC education,” praised Diane Harris, RMC superintendent.

“These two days of professional development were unique because they were catered towards small schools and the challenges that we face, many of which we have in common,” remarked Jessica Baker, head teacher and principal of the Fort Collins Christian School in Fort Collins, Colorado. “We were able to gain practical strategies, short and long term, that we can begin planning for right away.”

“I was unsure how this session would add to my cup after the last professional development, but it was incredibly helpful in tangible ways,” reflected Bonnie Sholock, principal and head teacher at the Four Mile Adventist Christian School in Canon City, Colorado. “I thoroughly appreciated the way Paul [Negerete] pushed our ideas and problems to help clarify and ‘refine’ what we are doing in the classroom.”

She continued, “The overall impression I am leaving with is that RMC cares about their students so much that they take care of their educators well with support and ways for small schools to collaborate and learn to better themselves and their craft.”

Kari Lange, grades K-2 teacher and vice principal of the HMS Richards Adventist School in Loveland, Colorado, commented, “While head teachers came together, other teachers participated in Unlocking the Reading Code training.”

“I’m deeply grateful for how Trish Martin continues to deepen our understanding of the English language and teach it in bite-sized pieces we can confidently pass on to our students,” remarked Harris.

—Diane Harris is the RMC Education director and superintendent. Photos supplied.

AdventHealth – Castle Rock, Colorado … On December 6 and 7, AdventHealth Castle Rock opened its doors to the community through its annual Christmas Store, a beloved tradition that provides families in need with a meaningful and dignified holiday experience.

Now in its sixth year, the 2025 Christmas Store marked an important milestone as the first year the hospital fully operated the event.

The Christmas Store served 58 families and approximately 116 children, wrapping an extraordinary 558 gifts for children and every member of their household.

Nearly 130 volunteers from hospital team members and their families to hospital volunteers, local Adventist church members, students, and community partners, came together to make the event possible.

“This was the first year the hospital completely ran the Christmas Store,” Matthew Mundall, the Director of Mission Integration at AdventHealth Castle Rock said.

This year, $7,000 was raised to support the store, with some funds set aside for next year’s event. In addition, the hospital hosted its first-ever toy drive, collecting about 30 toys and gifts from team members and the community.

The Christmas Store is intentionally designed to be empowering for children and supportive for parents. Upon arrival, children were greeted by volunteers and registered before being paired with a personal shopper. Together, they selected gifts for everyone in their household and one special gift just for themselves.

After shopping, gifts were labeled and passed along to volunteers who wrapped them. While their presents were being prepared, children enjoyed an arts and crafts station, where they decorated wooden candy canes this year.

Parents, meanwhile, visited the pajama store, hosted by the FIT Team, where they could select pajamas for their families. What began in 2023 with 80 donated pajama sets has grown significantly, with nearly 300 sets available this year.

“One of the biggest things that stood out to me this year was the incredible response from our volunteers,” Mundall said. “Seeing more than 130 volunteers from our hospital and community come together warms my heart and brings so much hope. This is the true reason for the season.”

The impact on families was deeply moving. Mundall recalled one moment that stayed with him long after the event ended.

“The last family that came through had many children. By the time we loaded their vehicle, there were more than 100 toys,” Mundall said. “The father turned to me with tears in his eyes and said, ‘You don’t know how much this has helped my family. Without this, I don’t know what we would have done for Christmas.’”

Lisa Hinton, director of Business Development at AdventHealth Castle Rock, emphasized a similar sentiment for both children and the broader community as a result of the Christmas Store.

“Hosting a Christmas Store for children in need, where they can choose free gifts for their family members, gives children the empowering experience of being givers, not just recipients,” Hinton said. “It allows them to express love and gratitude to their parents and siblings in a meaningful way. This simple act creates moments of pride, confidence, and hope, reminding families they are seen, valued, and supported.”

The event also strengthens AdventHealth Castle Rock’s connection to the community through partnerships with Douglas County Schools, the FIT Team, local churches, and community donors.

“The Christmas Store shows our community that AdventHealth Castle Rock truly cares about them and their families,” Mundall said. “We believe wholeheartedly in our mission to Extend the Healing Ministry of Christ. Whole-person care isn’t always physical, sometimes it’s helping a family experience joy, dignity, and hope during a difficult season.”

—AdventHealth News. Republished with permission from the AdventHealth News & Stories website, December 19, 2025, article. Photo supplied.

Cassie Matchim Hernandez – Lincoln, Nebraska … Starting fall 2026, the It Is Written “Soul-winning and Leadership Training” (SALT) program will be held on the campus of Union Adventist University (Union) in Lincoln, Nebraska. This new SALT initiative will be in addition to the existing SALT program held at Southern Adventist University (Southern) in Collegedale, Tennessee. Alex Rodriguez joins the new program as director, with Felicia Sanders filling the role of outreach coordinator.

Founded in 2011, SALT—the It Is Written school of evangelism—is designed for individuals willing to dedicate one semester to intensive Bible worker training. Participants study and grow with other committed students as they attend practical, Bible-based classes and apply what they learn through hands-on outreach. Classes are taught by university professors as well as It Is Written speakers, and university credits are available and apply towards a religion minor.

“SALT is high-impact, faith-building evangelism training. For almost 15 years, SALT has been a successful partnership between It Is Written and Southern Adventist University,” said John Bradshaw, It Is Written president. “There are lots of people whose ministry is being transformed because of their experience at SALT, people in all different walks of life who are really serious about sharing their faith. And we are thrilled to be expanding that impact to Union. We believe that more lives and more places are going to be transformed because SALT is now going to be based in Lincoln, Nebraska, as well as Collegedale, Tennessee.”

SALT students have come from many conferences in the United States, and even other countries like New Zealand and Nepal. In addition to Southern students who attend SALT, people of all ages and backgrounds have completed SALT over the years with the intention of reaching their home conference for Christ.

For some time, it has been clear that the SALT program needed to grow, said Bradshaw, as evidenced by the largest class to date of 46 students this semester. So, he was enthusiastic when approached by Jeff Scoggins, Minnesota Conference president and Union board member, a couple of years ago with the idea of expanding the program to Union.

“The vision that Minnesota is working under is to become a premier producer of pastors, teachers, missionaries, and tent makers,” said Scoggins. In line with that vision, his wife Becky approached him with the idea of bringing SALT to Union to teach young people how to make ministry a way of life.

“I hope and pray that it won’t be just religion and theology majors that do this program,” Scoggins said. “I want to see nurses and business majors and international relief and history and education and everybody. I hope SALT will change that person’s life and make their entire career about ministry.” And thanks to donors, the Minnesota Conference, in partnership with It Is Written, is able to fund this endeavor at Union.

Union leadership looks forward to the impact SALT will have on campus and the Mid-America Union. “I am excited to support and grow a new kind of faith learner and practitioner at Union Adventist University,” said Dr. Yami Bazan, Union Adventist University president. “Long known as the College of the Golden Cords, Union has always focused on developing professionals committed to sharing the gospel of Jesus as a way of living out their faith. The SALT program aligns beautifully with our mission and our love for Jesus.”

Rodriguez comes to the SALT program with nearly two decades of experience in pastoral ministry and evangelism. He has always had a passion for evangelism and is already familiar with the SALT program, with two of his children being recent SALT graduates. A third plans to attend next year!

“I believe in SALT and its core mission. I’m a strong believer in mobilizing churches, in mobilizing laity. The work is going to be finished at the local level,” Rodriguez said. “I’m excited about what I have seen SALT at Southern produce. And I think it’s a fantastic opportunity to grow what God has tremendously blessed at Southern Adventist University and expand that into Mid-America.”

Not only do we have excellent leadership in Rodriguez, Bradshaw said, but also in Felicia Sanders, who will lead outreach efforts. A SALT graduate, then SALT mentor for three years, Sanders comes well-equipped to help get the new program off the ground. “Felicia is outstanding,” Bradshaw shared. “She’s enthusiastic about sharing her faith, she is dynamic, and to have her on board signals to me that God’s hand is on the SALT project.”

Rodriguez has just completed the SALT program at Southern, learning about the program from Southern SALT director Douglas Na’a. Na’a will continue to lead the program there, and the two plan to work together to keep the programs tightly knit. “The best way to envision this is one program offered on multiple campuses,” said Rodriguez. “There is room for personalization, but the core will remain the same.”

Those who are interested in learning more about SALT Union may contact Alex Rodriguez at [email protected]

About It Is Written

Led by John Bradshaw, It Is Written is an award-winning media evangelism ministry that has been sharing the everlasting gospel worldwide for nearly 70 years. The first religious television program to broadcast in color, It Is Written is also the tenth-longest-running television program in the United States (https://stacker.com/stories/2372/50-longest-running-tv-series). It Is Written impacts lives for Christ through television, social media, websites and mobile apps, global evangelistic ministry, and faith-sharing resources.

—Cassie Matchim Hernandez is the marketing and communications specialist for It Is Written. Photos supplied.