Elisabet Kirkland Page 40

08 Jan

COMMENTARY: MINISTRY MATTERS – YOU ARE NOT ALONE

In

By Juleun A. Johnson

I will never forget my yes to ministry. It was not dramatic or some Pauline experience of blindness and a voice. It was something that I always knew. E.E. Cleveland, a legendary Adventist Evangelist of the 20th Century said that were three ways a person was called to ministry. The three ways included association, birth, or direct confrontation. As a second-generation Adventist minister, I guess you could call it association and birth. My father never made me choose ministry, but I saw it and felt it in my home and interactions with others.

As a kid, I saw the ministry as something to be revered, respected, and it looked fun. My father honestly made it look easy. He was pretty serious about his work, but there was something he had that I see missing today. He had friends—best friends in the ministry. Too often, the loneliness of the work and the pressures to perform can drive any and all to a point of Elijah-like isolation.

I know what isolation feels like all too well. As a pastor’s kid, I grew up in major metropolitan areas of the United States. However, when I entered pastoral ministry, I was sent to extreme rural areas of the country. The pressures of ministry notwithstanding, I was newly married, and serving as the sole pastor of three congregations. I felt alone and wondered, did God forget about me.

I was reminded on several occasions after praying that God did not forget about me. One of my churches had a very faithful pianist. One Sabbath, I literally prayed to see someone I had not seen in a long time. The person who came arrived from 900 miles away and was a concert pianist. No matter your ministry assignment, every ministry placement has two reasons. First, God is calling you there to show you he can work through you. Secondly, God is giving you an opportunity to work on your own character. God wants you to grow.

Over my years of ministry, I have learned a few lessons about leading myself, leading others, and leading for results. My first task as a leader is to realize God has called me as a servant leader. My first parish is my family. As l lead myself, my call and responsibility is to find myself daily as an inspiration to those who I am called to first; my family. Hebrews 11:7 says, By faith, Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.

Once I accepted that my first and primary calling in leadership was to my family, it changed everything. I realized that I had to prioritize the needs of those in my own home. Recently, I had one of my best friends in life and ministry ask me a unique question. He asked, “How is your batting average?” Before I heard the entire question, I answered how well I was doing on my job in my ministry role. He let me speak and then quickly said, “I am not talking about work.” He went on to ask, “How is your batting average at home?” Stunned, I responded with the reality, I was not doing as good as I would have liked.

The reality is that self-leadership involves so much more than just talk. It is the day-to-day grind of doing, being, nurturing, and growing oneself. In my role as a chaplain and administrator, I grow more daily than I ever have before. I get to share, nurture, and give grace to others so that I can assist them in their growth as well. No day in ministry is the same, but I get the opportunity to see lives transformed and strategies developed. What a joy it is to serve.

From the perspective of leading others, it is not the same as it once was. The post-pandemic recovery is real. Recently, the US Surgeon General, the highest health official in the United States, said there is an epidemic of loneliness.1 In fact, 54% of Americans say they are lonely and have feelings of isolation.

We are leading people who are not only lonely, but angry, anxious, and, at times, on the brink of depression. So how do you lead people who feel alone when you feel alone? In many assignments that I have had in ministry, I have found that connecting with groups in the community and serving has provided me with opportunities to restore my joy and hope.

I believe the nexus of burnout and satisfaction lies in service.

I would suggest you do something for others, and get others involved in serving. The greatest days of my ministry have been when we as a church, group, or team have shut everything down, including the worship service and served. Even the cantankerous, pessimistic grinches in your church, office, or team soften up when it is time to serve.

The last element is leading for results. You can lead for results and show leadership as you pursue results. I have learned an important principle. People are more important than things. In my mind, people are significantly more important. Without people, we would have no churches, communities, or a world; people are important including you.

From a leadership perspective, what does not get measured does not get done. In my mind (and career), baptism and tithe gains are the foundational elements of ministry. There are so many things that you do as a minister that also need to be included as essential elements. Are you measuring the community contacts and the conversations with businesses you support? How many non-profits have you served, and how many visitors have been to your church this year/month? As you measure these items that are important to your local context, keep them before all your levels of leadership; from local to administrative.

Yes, my friend in ministry, you are doing so much more than any entity can imagine, but how you empower your team, your church, or entity depends on what you deem as valuable and what you measure.

I want you to know that beyond the shadow of a doubt, I still say yes to ministry. There are challenges ahead, but there have been many blessings that show a beam of light behind me to light my path. I know that there are blessings awaiting you this year. Please know that you are not alone; God has a plan for your life. God is waiting to continue to bless you, your family, and ministry. I will be praying God’s blessings on you and your family in this year, and for the journey ahead.

—Dr. Juleun Johnson serves as vice president for mission and ministry at AdventHealth. Republished by permission from North American Division Ministerial Association Stories & Commentaries post, January 8, 2024. Photo supplied.

 

  1. https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/03/new-surgeon-general-advisory-raises-alarm-about-devastating-impact-epidemic-loneliness-isolation-united-states.html (accessed January 7, 2024).
04 Jan

ROCKY MOUNTAIN CONFERENCE: CHALLENGES PROPEL US TO MOVE FORWARD

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Mic Thurber – Denver, Colorado … The Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) enters 2024 with much for which to be thankful, even in the face of some real challenges that face both our conference, the wider church, and society.

Here’s some of what we are grateful for in 2023:

  • Strong academy graduating classes totaling 52 new alumni from Campion and Mile High Academies.
  • Our dedicated educators are working hard to implement NAD-supported Standards Based Learning under the direction of our education leadership team.
  • Wonderful summer camp programs headed by our youth department leaders, which provided not only great camping experiences for 343 young people but also led to 40 baptisms.
  • Churches and pastors are investing in evangelism again now that COVID is behind us.
  • Fifty-six pastors leading 125 churches and companies, and 62 teachers leading 776 students in our 17 schools.
  • Filling most of the pastoral openings around the conference, which was complicated in recent years by large spikes in housing costs, especially in our Front Range.
  • An active conference departmental staff providing ministerial support, trust, and wills services free for our constituents, health and wellness programs, communication workshops and assistance, women’s retreats, prayer retreats, support for our Spanish language work, assistance for local clerks and treasurers, IT support for our conference office and schools, religious liberty support, and Human Resources support.
  • A training weekend for new church officers organized by Aurora First Church pastor Jose Alarcon, to which all Denver area churches were invited. Our departmental staff and numerous area pastors were asked to participate in the training.
  • Two hundred and two new church members joined our churches by mid-September 2023, and, as of this writing, our membership is 17,171, with more expected by the end of the year.

For these and other blessings, we are extremely grateful for the Lord’s kindness to us!

We Have Our Challenges, Too

Much discussed in recent times is the growing need for pastors and teachers as the number of ministerial and education students in our colleges has seriously dwindled. There are more openings in both ministry and education than we have available people to fill them. How will we respond?

On the horizon is another significant issue to be faced. With many church leaders and financial supporters growing older, will the younger generations be able to step in to provide the leadership and financial support the church will need to continue its work?

How can we best continue to support and build up our schools? How can we help more parents see the value of a Christian education?

How can we better covenant together to make our mission to the world around us our top priority in both our churches and schools?

Responding to the Challenges Takes Everyone

While we have many reasons for praise and thanksgiving, ours is a work that requires constant devotion until Jesus breaks through the clouds. There are things we can do together.

For example, what if each of us kept a watchful eye out for a young person or two in our church or school who shows early signs of a spiritual tenderness that God could one day tap to be a teacher or pastor? Why not take time to talk with them, and let them know they’d make a fine pastor or teacher one day?

If there are young adults and youth in your church, why not invite them to participate in church leadership?

What if each of us decided we want to make sure our churches matter to our communities? How might that impact how we spend our time, attention, and resources?

And finally, I’d like to ask that we all commit to making Jesus the center of all we are and do. We might disagree about one thing or another, but if we can rally together around Jesus, 2024 will bring greater blessings and growth for His kingdom. Let’s work together to make 2024 the best year yet for the Lord’s kingdom in Rocky Mountain Conference.

—Mic Thurber is president of the Rocky Mountain Conference.

04 Jan

10 DAYS OF PRAYER

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Jana Thurber – Denver, Colorado … In the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC), we have the privilege of joining our world-wide Adventist church family in spending a few days where we really take seriously the privilege of prayer through the 10 Days of Prayer initiative by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Ministerial Association, January 10-20.

Praying together binds us in ways we might never understand. But just imagine what power might be unleashed if all God’s people all over the world take seriously praying together for the advancement of God’s kingdom. What a powerful change this would make in our own hearts and lives to be ready for that kingdom to come!

If you haven’t invested much time in prayer with your church’s prayer leaders until now, this would be a great time to get a good sense of how powerful this could be in your life and the life of your church.

It is not hard to do 10 Days of Prayer, it just requires you set aside a few minutes each day. Every church might do it a little differently, so talk to your pastor or church prayer leader and find out what your church is doing. See how you can participate in this wonderful opportunity that we have.

Some churches are planning evening Zoom prayer calls together for an hour following a guide of praise, repentance, intercession, and thanksgiving. Other people are participating in morning prayer phone calls for a half hour or a full hour. Pastors might also include Sabbath sermons highlighting prayer and the Holy Spirit’s power which comes from life-changing communion with our Creator God.

Here are some resource links for more ideas on how to grow your own personal prayer ministry, a children’s prayer ministry, or a church’s prayer ministry.

https://www.ministerialassociation.org/prayer/grow-your-personal-prayer-life/

https://www.revivalandreformation.org/resources

https://www.revivalandreformation.org/prayer

https://www.revivalandreformation.org/uip

https://www.nadadventist.org/departments/prayer-ministries

https://www.ministerialassociation.org/prayer/

A woman on the East Coast connected with me and asked if her name could be added to my weekly prayer warriors list for intercessory prayer. She had an urgent health need. We earnestly lifted her needs to God in prayer.

When one prayer warrior recognized the heath issue, she quickly referred to a book that dealt with healing foods and protocols for the woman’s particular health issue. God unleashed his perfect creatively-timed power allowing one person to help another person with information that would produce healing—all because of a prayer request.

When we take hold of this mighty God of ours—this Creator of the Universe and Savior who is eager and willing to deliver all who come to Him—God’s answers come in small or large packages.

I would love to hear of your experience over the 10 days of prayer. Email me at [email protected] to share your story with me. I will only share anonymously, and, with your permission, the answered prayers you share.

It is very encouraging for us to hear how prayer mattered in someone’s life, and how it makes a difference when we come together and present our needs to God. I invite you to participate in the upcoming 10 Days of Prayer. I promise you will be blessed.

—Jana Thurber is the RMC women’s ministries and prayer ministries director as well as pastoral spouse support. Photo by Unsplash.

03 Jan

CODY COWBOYS RING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH ALL-NIGHT EVENT

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Samantha Nelson – Cody, Wyoming … Faith, friends, fun, games, pizza, and toasted marshmallows were a part of the all-night festivities the Cody Cowboys Pathfinder Club enjoyed on New Year’s Eve. 

Hosted and chaperoned by club director Hardy Tyson, his wife Lori, and assistant club director, the overnight celebration began at 6:00 p.m. with prayer by Pastor Steve Nelson and homemade pizza. The night continued with a multiplicity of games, prizes, and more.

This event—the first of its kind in Cody—was a great success, and the kids (and adults) enjoyed themselves immensely as they rang in the New Year together. There was a countdown to midnight and a celebration with sparkling apple cider that lasted until 2:00 a.m. when everyone retired to get some rest.

Kailyn Jones, who especially loved the games and staying up until 1:30 a.m., said, “Oh my, it was SO FUN!!!”

Cedar Jeffers, former Teen Leader in Training, commented, “It was so much fun to celebrate the New Year and play tons of fun games with friends!”

From the feedback received from the kids, it sounds as though the all-night New Year’s Eve party is going to be an annual event for all the youth. And, really, what better way to ring in the New Year than in our Father’s house with our church family and friends!

—Samantha Nelson reports from the Cody Seventh-day Adventist Church in Cody, Wyoming. Her husband, Steve, pastors Northwestern Wyoming churches.

02 Jan

CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS

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Karen Bowen – Farmington, New Mexico … The Women’s Ministries team at Piñon Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church in Farmington, New Mexico, led out in an inspiring inreach/outreach program for the women of the church and their invited guests in December 2023.

The “Christ in Christmas” evening had been a tradition at Piñon Hills Church prior to the Covid pandemic. This year the tradition was reborn!

The 10 tables in the fellowship hall were prepared for 100 ladies and were decorated by 10 Women’s Ministry volunteers. The table decorations included tropical, country, winter wonderland, and palatial themes. The personalized place settings utilized special china from grandmother’s day to modern wedding china. Luminarias lined the church driveway, and a winter wonderland scene surrounded the stage.

The young men of the Piñon Hills Church were the waiters, under the direction of Dr. Travis Watson, Maître d’ of the evening. Chef Jon Downard did a superior job of the preparation and supervision of a delicious meal.

The guest speaker was Janeen Peckham Little of the Northern California Conference. The music for the evening was provided by the Youth String Trio and soloist Dennis Berlin and brought Christmas joy to the almost completely full house of women.

Happy guests played games and showed delight as door prize winners were announced. Special honor was extended to the eldest “Mother in Israel,” Shirley Stewart.

The Women’s Ministry team, made up of Jody Roy, Julie Phillips, and Ellen Stromeyer, led the women of Piñon Hills Church in the preparation and execution of this special evening. The guests expressed appreciation and delight at being invited and made to feel special.

The “Christ in Christmas” evening provided a great setting for a gathering of God’s special daughters to contemplate Christ’s love in coming as a Babe in the Manger.

—Karen Bowen is an elder and deaconess at the Piñon Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church. Photos supplied.

02 Jan

DIVERSE CAMPION CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

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Eva Resz – Loveland, Colorado … Typically, when Americans think of Christmas Day, thoughts of opening an abundance of gifts by the fireplace and spending time with family come to mind. Gingerbread houses, candy canes, eggnog, sledding, and gift exchanges are all a part of many families’ Christmas traditions. This holiday, let’s take a look at some of the diverse traditions and foods that students at Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado, share with their families.

In Brazil, a common Christmas tradition is Amigo Secreto or “Secret Friend.” Secret Friend is similar to Secret Santa and the person participating gives gifts to their friend for a few weeks before Christmas with an anonymous name attached. On Christmas day they disclose who their Secret Friend was while giving their main gift.

Pedro Vieira reveals that he participates in the Secret Friend and it’s very popular in Brazil. Another slight difference is that, in Brazil, families typically celebrate and open gifts on December 24 at midnight and Christmas day is more of a day to sleep in and barbeque.

Luca Lu explains, “in China, they do not celebrate Christmas the same way it’s celebrated in America.” Usually, Luca spends time with his family and goes to see the Tree of Light. He would make chains with bright paper, but he had never participated in the religious aspect of Christmas until he came to Campion.

Amani Zeru says that his favorite Ethiopian dish to eat is Doro Wat, a spicy chicken stew. Amani typically eats this stew during the Christmas season with his family.

Mabel Cabandon’s family has a big party on Christmas day with traditional Indonesian cuisine: Rendang (spicy beef curry), Ikan Bakar (fish with chili), accompanied with a side of rice. A must-have for Mabel is Mi Goreng (fried noodles).

Richy Martel expressed that his favorite thing to do during Christmas is to eat Pozole, a flavorful chicken soup served with corn, cabbage, salsa, lime, and cilantro on top. Another favorite is Tacos de Rez (beef tacos) which originates from Mexico.

Lillian Resz shares that a tradition with her family and friends is a Boodle fight; where banana leaves are laid across the table and Filipino food such as Adobo (the National of the Philippines, typically a chicken stew), Pancit (noodle dish), fish, Lumpia (egg rolls), and rice with sweet and acidic dipping sauces are placed on top of the leaves. The food is then eaten with hands and people “fight” for as much food as they can get before it’s all gone.

Gabriel Balbin shared that his family makes several traditional Peruvian dishes during the holidays. His favorite dessert is something his mom makes every Christmas, Mazamorra Morada, a purple pudding made of fruit and corn seasoned with cinnamon spice. The Balbin family eat and participate in a worship service together to commemorate the holidays.

Every family has different traditions and foods they enjoy sharing during this amazing time of year. Although everyone’s Christmas experience is different, we can learn something new from each other’s diverse experiences and traditions.

—Eva Resz, Campion Student News Team. Photo supplied.

21 Dec

IF YOU ARE ALIVE, THERE IS HOPE FOR YOU

In

There is always light if only we are brave to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.
– Amanda Gorman

One of my father’s frequent comments was, “if you are alive, there is hope for you.” My memory of what it meant came to me while visiting Tirana, Albania.

I was taking an evening stroll through the central boulevard of the capital of Albania. Cars were hardly to be seen on the streets in those days. Naturally. Walking prevailed.

One could likely run into a prominent Albanian personality. He might be a popular actor, or a politician. And, if you care to stop, meet them, and listen, you are destined for a treat.

On a stroll you could meet and talk. Before then, someone was watching that they would not talk. They lived doomed in a classless society, where someone else decided your own fate.

But the change arrived in 1991.

Sitting in a small, overcrowded, and noisy café, I met Zef Bushati, an actor from the national theater, now an Albanian republican politician. He was running for a parliamentary election, and shared with me his concerns, desires, and vision. Speaking about his country’s future, he told me an Albanian legend. It soon became my own.

In the beginning, God created two people—a man and a woman. First, he created a man. He endowed him with traits and personality. When a woman was created, she equally received certain characteristics. God said to her, “I am going to give you something special. It is locked in this jar. Here it is, take it to the man.”

“What is inside?” she inquired.

“What I put inside is called curiosity. You must not open the jar. Carry it the way it is. If you look inside, it will disappear,” He answered.

She went on a journey to meet the man. But … she could not resist. Her perfectly shaped fingers soon popped the lid open. At this instant curiosity evaporated. She quickly closed the jar, thinking that no-one will notice any change, if there was one.

When she met the man, she handed the jar over to him. It was only hope that remained with her.

Looking around, often I feel like someone whose tomorrow may have been tampered with by someone else or gambled away by myself. Then I remember that, as long as I live, there is hope for me.

Believing Adventists know that their future is guaranteed by Jesus, the purveyor of our faith, guarded by hope and love.

In the words of Apostle Peter: Live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed his coming (2 Peter 3:11-12, NIV).

Rajmund Dabrowski is editor of Mountain Views. Email him at: [email protected]

21 Dec

ON DISCOVERING AN ORIENTATION OF OUR HEARTS

In

The years of our lives are about threescore and ten, which is about 70 years. 80, if you are strong enough to last … Psalm 90:10 (Authors Translation).

Psalm 90:10 goes on to explain that most of this life is going to be labor and trouble, and then, essentially, we die.

This is true of all of us, even Adventists. While we well may eke out a few more years due to our lifestyle choices, we still are not guaranteed too much time on this earth. It is but a blip in the wink that is eternity. And yet, we find so much meaning in living those 70-80 years. I have often wondered if being an Adventist, and believing as we do, adds more life to our years than just years to our lives.

I was recently in Jakarta, Indonesia, and was struck by the sheer mass of humanity that roamed its streets. Something close to 34 million people live in Jakarta, the second largest city in the world as of this writing. It was shocking in its size and scope. Thirty-four million people and not many Adventists are counted among its people. Does this mean that our message does not impact that world? Does it mean that these tenets from which we live either fall on deaf ears or are no longer relevant to a population such as Jakarta? Of course, most of the populace is Muslim, but do we have nothing to offer those from a different tradition?

These musings have led me to think further about whether or not these beliefs that we hold make an impact even around us. We believe them so fervently, and they mean so much to us, but statistically, those concentric circles that cascade out from us in the form of influence don’t always seem to make a significant impact. We rarely see a population hungry for what we have to offer through our faith tradition. Does that mean our tradition is bereft of meaning and value, or is something else happening?

Does our orthodoxy fall on deaf ears? Or does it not fall anywhere?

It is a question of orientation in some cases. How are we oriented in our faith lives, and what is it that we are offering a hurt, broken, and breaking world? Are they hungry for the doctrinal statements that make up our orthodox beliefs or something else? And if it is something else, what would that be? Would it be the orthopraxy that we have to offer? The idea that our beliefs lead to a behavior that is attractive and helpful to someone else. Our orthodoxy should be impacting our orthopraxy (right doing), but is there something else that those hurting in this world crave?

Perhaps they are looking for our orthopathy or our right hearts. We may need to begin there. So, we have to ask a particular question: Where is the orientation of your heart? In what direction does it point?

I was recently preaching on Revelation 4 and the glimpse of the throne room of God. If you remember the text, you remember that it is a pretty amazing scene, with the four living creatures, the 24 elders, and the seraphim/cherubim that had been mentioned before in both Ezekiel and Isaiah.

At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was
a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And the
one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and
ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled
the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four
other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four
elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of
gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of
lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. In front of
the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven
spirits of God. Also, in front of the throne there was what
looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures,
and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The
first living creature was like a lion, the second was like
an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like
a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six
wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under
its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,”
who was, and is, and is to come.
(Revelation 4:2-8)

As the text continues, we see that when the four living creatures who are the worship leaders in this text sing these praises to God, the 24 elders lay down their crowns and worship God. We see that the 24 elders knew their place, firmly planted under the rule of Jesus.

But what strikes me as most compelling in this text is the orientation of everyone in the room. They are all focused and oriented on the Throne of God. Their focus is on praising Jesus, and they commit themselves to this all day, every day. Do we have such an orientation and focus on our lives? If we did, would all that we believe be received differently by those around us?

The orientation of our hearts makes a difference in the trajectory of our lives.

I was picking up my son the other day from school, and I noticed he was hanging out in a large crowd. A test I do when I see a crowd is to try to notice how the crowd is oriented. I look at people’s feet and see which way they are oriented. This particular day, all toes seemed to point at my son, who was holding court! At that moment, he seemed to be the organizing principle for that set of kids in that group. Of course, as a dad, I was proud that he seemed so popular. But my question for him was simply this: “What were you talking about?”

While he was telling a joke, we can orient our lives, much like in the throne room, toward Jesus and then allow Him to be the most compelling person in any room.

So, to answer the question posed at the beginning of the article, does what we believe have any bearing on our lives, on our witness to others? The answer is a resounding yes but in the right order. First, we need our orthopathy and hearts to be in the right place. Then, our orthopraxy matters to people as they know we care for them, and they see that with our actions. Lastly, as they trust and respect who we are and how we live, they see the beneficence of believing those things we believe to be orthodox. When we flip this order, we create people who know the right things but often don’t feel like they belong, don’t practice what they have assented to be accurate, and cannot be trusted to have their hearts in the right orientation.

One last note on orientation. I have often said from the Crosswalk pulpit that evangelism is not a program or an event but the orientation of the congregation’s heart. And I continue to believe this to be true. Our churches, our faith, and the Kingdom of God grow through the tireless efforts of every person who calls themselves a Christian as they invite, share, and walk with others in their lives toward an understanding of Jesus. This has proven to be true as we have grown churches throughout the U.S. and beyond over the years. As a congregation engages in inviting those they care about to church, with people who have the orientation we have been speaking about, we see the Kingdom and the churches grow.

So, I would admonish you to continue to learn, grow, and believe. At the same time, check your orientation, know where your toes are pointed, and live in that trajectory.

Dr. Tim Gillespie is lead pastor of Crosswalk Church in Redlands, California. Email him at: [email protected]   

21 Dec

#SABBATHBURDEN

In

Sabbath is one of the best things we have to offer to the busy, stressed, and weary world around us. In our own lives, we know the value of a day each week that is different, that offers an invitation to rest, and time to catch our breath and focus on the things that are most important. Not only is it an attractive idea, but Sabbath is also experiential, so we can invite friends, neighbors, and others in our community to experiment with this practice in their own lives. Sabbath is a gift, but it must also be more than that.

Sabbath Gift

In our part of the world, the Adventist Church has been promoting sharing Sabbath. As well, online events, a book, tracts, and other resources, church members have been invited to create social media posts and content that share their experiences of the #SabbathGift. And the Sabbath Gift website has invited visitors to sign up for the Sabbath Challenge, to experiment with practicing Sabbath over four weeks and discover the advantages of Sabbath for themselves.1

The Sabbath Gift project was launched in response to market research that found that only four percent of Australians consider that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is relevant today. While it might not have yet connected with the bulk of the Australian population, more than 20,000 people have visited the website and the #SabbathGift posts have received more than 1.4 million views on social media.2  There is more work to be done, but Sabbath is a gift and a wellbeing practice that we can continue to share with our communities.

Wherever they are at in their circumstances or faith, Sabbath is a gift that can bless the lives of those around us. It is a different kind of time that gives permission to disconnect from the always-on world around us, with all its pressures, demands, and noise. Sabbath feels quieter. It can be an experiential introduction to God’s care and provision for all of us, a pause in our busyness that also nudges toward eternity.

Sabbath Command

As much as it is a gift, Sabbath is also a commandment. This is something we have perhaps over-emphasized at times in our Adventist history, but neither should we forget it. Not only is it a command, the fourth is the most detailed for the Ten Commandments and is particular about what it is, how it should be remembered or observed, who it is for, and why. It is clear that Sabbath ought to be regarded as a moral principle. It is not only a matter of wellbeing but a matter of right-doing. In a sense, the commandment protects the gift—for us and for others.

Today we often hear talk of human rights, with an individual able to claim and defend their rights against the encroachments of others. However, in the laws and traditions of the Hebrew scriptures and the Jewish people, the relationships between people, particularly between the powerful and the weaker members of society, were more often governed by the concept of obligations on the more powerful parties as to how they treat and care for those who are disadvantaged. This is something we can see in the fourth commandment in relation to Sabbath. While Sabbath is a gift to all, the commandment focused on those we might be responsible for: your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you (Exodus 20:10).3

The focus on the benefits of the Sabbath to these outsiders is repeated beyond the Commandments: You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but on the seventh day you must stop working. This gives your ox and your donkey a chance to rest. It also allows your slaves and the foreigners living among you to be refreshed (Exodus 23:12).

In this formulation, the Jewish master was to rest so that the slave, the animals, and the foreigner would also be allowed to rest. It was a day for their benefit, and Sigve Tonstad argues that this focus was unique among ancient cultures of the world—“no parallels have been found in other cultures.” The Sabbath commandment, he explains, “prioritizes from the bottom up and not from the top looking down, giving first consideration to the weakest and most vulnerable members of society. Those who need rest the most—the slave, the resident alien, and the beast of burden—are singled out for special mention. In the rest of the seventh day, the underprivileged, even mute animals, find an ally.” 4  Sabbath is a gift, but perhaps best understood and practiced as a gift for others, which is why it is commanded.

Sabbath Burden

But Sabbath is also a burden. While Isaiah 58 rightly described the gift of Sabbath as a day to speak of … with delight as the Lord’s holy day (Isaiah 58:13), it did so in the context of our call to identify with, stand in solidarity with, and work for the imprisoned, the oppressed, the hungry, and the homeless. Extending from the commandment’s duty on those we employ or care for, this understanding and practice of Sabbath included a burden for those who are forgotten, oppressed, and exploited in our society and our world.

This is one reason why our practice of Sabbath on the seventh day continues to be so significant, so counter-cultural, with a particular link to being Adventist. Theologians have often talked about the reality of the kingdom of God as being both already and not yet. Inaugurated and proclaimed by Jesus in His life, death, and resurrection, we insist that the kingdom of God is a present reality. But it is also incomplete and remains to be fulfilled. While our Adventist-ness speaks to both realities, we have tended to emphasize the incompleteness—the not-yet-ness—and to look forward to the Second Coming when God’s kingdom will be only and always already. To be Adventist is to urge that the world remains broken. Feeling the ongoing weight of not yet is the burden of Advent hope.

In contrast, many Christians explain their worship on Sundays as a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection and God’s victory over evil and death. They emphasize the already. At times, we might learn from their focus on the reality, power, and presence of the resurrection, but we ought not be too quick to surrender the burden of not yet, because that is a burden that continues to be felt so heavily by so many people in our world. As much as it is a gift, the Sabbath of the seventh day is a pause in the not yet.

A leading Australian journalist, academic, and Indigenous voice expressed this reality in relation to the ongoing disadvantage of his people in a way that caught my attention: “We come to God in our own way. We read the same scriptures, but they speak to us differently. I have been in White churches, and I have always felt slightly out of place. Not unwelcome, not at all, but as if I am a day out. These are the people of Easter Sunday, the triumphant resurrection, and my people are of the dark Saturday, the day after the crucifixion. On that day, God is dead to the world. This is the darkness of our suffering and, in that darkness, God is with us as he was with Jesus in the moment of abandonment.” 5

This might well be the seventh day at its most relevant. Both as Seventh-day and Adventist, we are “a day out.” We are not yet at resurrection and re-creation. We are a day away. We have hope, but we insist that we are not fully already. And, in that, we cannot help but identify with those who are burdened, those who suffer, those who feel the not yet so keenly, those who cannot yet join in the celebration of resurrection.

Gift and Burden

Sabbath is time for what matters most in what it means to be human, especially human in relationship with God. Sabbath is a gift, a practice of wellbeing and spirituality that we are privileged to know and to share with those around us. Sabbath is a command, a principle of how we relate to others and particularly to those we might care for or employ. Sabbath is a burden, a practice of solidarity with all who suffer and liberation for all who are oppressed as we insist on not yet, at the same time as we look for and work for already. And Sabbath is an affirmation that God is with us even in the not yet.

#SabbathBurden might be more difficult to get trending, but it is no less important than #SabbathGift. The gift of Sabbath is our invitation, but for those who suffer in our world, we are stubbornly “a day out” and the burden of Sabbath is our calling.

Nathan Brown is a writer and editor at Signs Publishing in Warburton, Victoria, Australia. Nathan recently launched Thinking Faith, a collection of his articles in Mountain Views over the past few years, as well as being co-editor of A House on Fire: How Adventist Faith Responds to Race and Racism. Email him at: [email protected]

 

1  https://sabbathgift.info

2  Adventist Record. (2023, August 28). Sabbath Gift reaches 1.4 million. https://record.adventistchurch.com/2023/08/28/sabbath-gift-reaches-1-4-million/

3  Bible quotations are from the New Living Translation.

4  Tonstad, Sigve (2009). The Lost Meaning of the Seventh Day. Andrews University Press. p. 126–127.

5  Grant, Stan (2023). The Queen is Dead. Fourth Estate. p. 277.

21 Dec

BETTER THAN OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE BETTER THAN US

In

For the three of you who have read any of my previous articles, you may have noticed that I’ve been hard on Adventism. To be fair, I am critical of all organized religious groups and if I were a Lutheran or Hindu or Wiccan, I’d be writing articles that were hard on whichever of those groups I was a part of.

It’s because I believe we can do better. It’s because I believe we haven’t been honest with ourselves about who we are as a people and what good we contribute to the world around us. Because, if we are not contributing in a helpful and positive way and are merely existing to sustain our own group, then there is no point to the group. Creating new ways to be isolated and exclusionary is not a great way to help and love our neighbors.

An important question might be, “Do our beliefs make us better people?” As opposed to another equally important follow up question:

“Do our beliefs only serve to make us believe we are better than other people?”

Growing up in Adventism, I remember being taught that we had the best theology, and we were the only ones who were right and that made us better than everyone else. I don’t pretend that my experience was everyone else’s experience. But I also don’t pretend that I was the only one who grew up believing that because of attending Adventist church and school.

There is a lot of evidence past and present that suggests our organizational goal is that second question. So, let’s focus on the first question.

Do our Adventist beliefs make us better people?

Let’s set aside the details of some of the dubious theology still taught from Adventist pulpits and simply focus on the human experience. What do we teach people that makes those people better?

Well, we do believe in the love of Jesus. You might not know it sometimes, but we do. We believe in grace and forgiveness. Not just coming from God but going from us to others. Those are all pretty good things and, when embraced by an individual, could certainly serve to make them a better person.

The only problem is—those beliefs aren’t exclusively Adventist. Literally, every Christian denomination believes those things. And, believe it or not, most Pagan religions have a variation of those beliefs that encourage them to be kind, forgiving, loving, and to care for their fellow people.

So, in the end, not only are those beliefs not unique to Adventism, but the end results of those beliefs aren’t, also, even unique to Christianity.

What else? Does the concept of the Trinity make one a better human? It really does not. And some of the fights I’ve seen take place surrounding that one belief suggests it just might make us worse. But perhaps that’s a false correlation on my part.

Oh, Adventism believes we have at least one prophet in our history. And no, that belief has not made us better people. The people who believe that the hardest tend to be the ones most likely to cause you spiritual harm in the name of that same prophet. They very much need you to believe it with the same fervor and in the same detail as they do. Those people might also be kind at times, but not because of that belief.

We believe in healthy living and good health care. And this is probably as close as we get to a belief that could make us better people, except, again, we are not the only or first people to believe in such things. And for those who have become healthier people by becoming Adventist, healthier is not the same as better in character and does not equate to treating others better. A lot of damage has been done in the name of health reform.

In fact, as I reflected on our beliefs, I couldn’t find one that actually makes us better people as a whole. Oh, sure. Some of you probably know a story of some person who was just an awful human, and then they met Jesus and became a genuinely amazing and loving human and takes care of their community with zest and zeal.

But that isn’t an Adventist thing. That’s a Jesus thing. The spirit of God transformed that person’s life. Adventism didn’t change them even if the change happened in an Adventist community. That community just happened to be one of the tools God used to make it happen.

It could have happened anywhere.

Some Adventist church communities are beautiful and amazing places, full of God’s spirit and love. And I fear just as many, if not more, are not. And, just as many, if not more, loving and amazing spirit filled communities exist outside of Adventism and do way more amazing things than ours generally do within their communities.

Some of you are going to point out that, “doesn’t being saved make you a better person?” My response would be, that may depend on what you believe that means? A pretty standard line in Adventist evangelism is that “… there are many loving and sincere people who are sincerely wrong.” Which is not only an idiotic statement masking as cleverness, but it also doesn’t seem to have a clear grasp of what it is God has been trying to do to humanity.

What it does suggest is that it doesn’t matter how much love you have for people and how much you do to care for your neighbor, the actual things Jesus suggests separates the saved from the lost (see Matt. 25:31-46) if you don’t agree on theological things exactly as the evangelist you will be damned. Especially when you consider those evangelists are rarely evangelizing atheists.

The problems in that last sentence could fill books.

So, Jesus and the Spirit of God can make us better people. Both things are not exclusive to Adventism, and no one is required to be “Christian” to benefit there.

Perhaps this isn’t something I can answer. Perhaps you need to wrestle with this. What is it about Adventism that has made you a better person? And be honest. Don’t attribute things to Adventism that aren’t exclusive to Adventism or aren’t about the beliefs.

So, has it? Has Adventism made you better? Or has simply being in a community of loving people rubbed off on you? Or has having a practice of seeking God regularly with the desire to be a better person changed you?

I have known way too many non-Adventists who have made it their life’s work to help others and live a life of love and forgiveness and compassion for me to believe Adventism alone has anything to do with these things. That’s my position.

But what is yours? You don’t have to agree with me. I’m wrong all the time. Do Adventist beliefs make you a better person? Or do Adventist beliefs just make you believe you are better than other people?

The answer to those questions might just be a little important.

Tony Hunter is a Seventh-day Adventist pastor and a hospice chaplain working for Gateway Hospice in Northern Colorado. Tony, his wife Nirma, and daughter Amryn live in Firestone, Colorado. Email him at: [email protected]  

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