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By Jon Roberts – Denver, Colorado . . . “Everyone has a story” was the message heard among a group of 20 Seventh-day Adventist church members, leaders, and pastors who joined a city-wide protest at the State Capitol in Denver, Friday, June 5. They came from Aspen Park, Boulder, Castle Rock, Fort Lupton, LifeSource, Littleton, and Newday.

Some joined a racially diverse group which had gathered, while others joined to stand in solidarity with friends and individuals who has been disenfranchised and mistreated for years.

A member of the Boulder church, Becky De Oliveira came with her two young adult sons, Joshua and Jonah. She said, “I enjoyed attending the march for social justice with a group of Adventists from Greater Denver. Many of them I’d never met.”

“The protest was peaceful and filled with hope. I truly do hope for lasting change and healing for our country,” she added.

Joining marches and standing up for equal rights was part of the mission of the early Adventist church.

“We [Adventists] were on the cusp of the abolitionist movement, women’s suffrage, and we had involvement in a living wage before a minimum wage was in existence,” Nathaniel Gamble, pastor of Fort Lupton and Aspen Park churches commented. “It’s important to stand up for our brothers and sisters.”

Homemade signs included artwork or just words written with a sharpie pen, each with its own message: “With liberty and justice for some??” “All lives matter only when black lives matter.”

“Not about looting a target; not about being one either.” “We’re not trying to start a race war; we’re trying to end one.”

Nearly half of the Adventist group were young adults. For some, this was the second march they attended that week.

“I was proud to join voices with the RMC Youth who stepped up and spoke out as a force for good within our broken system.” Kiefer Dooley, youth leader from Rocky Mountain Conference commented.

“It’s been a tumultuous season in America. In the wake of the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd at the hands of police officers, our country settled into a deeper level of unrest than that spurred by the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. It became clear to us that the systemic racism that dwells in many of the structures and organizations in our country can go on no longer.”

Interactions between Adventist participants and community members were seen throughout the grounds of the capital. Others from the group stood on the sidewalk holding signs.

Horns honked in solidarity, while community members were handing water bottles and popsicles to the children in the crowd. Several local restaurants provided food, including vegan and gluten-free options, to make sure everyone in the community could enjoy themselves.

The gathering had a street fair feeling with something for everyone. If you wanted to protest, you could.  If you wanted to stand silently as an onlooker, you could.  If you wanted to listen to each other’s story, you could. It was obvious that the participants came for a reason: racial justice for all.

This was not like a protest you normally see on television; this was a chance to come together as one community to take a stand against an issue that has divided America for far too long.

“The difference I see here is that so many Caucasians are participating. Usually the marches are African-Americans stating ‘look how bad we’ve been treated,’” Robert Davis, member of Newday said. “This one is not about grievances; instead, the message is, ‘We are tired of the racial divisions. Every life doesn’t matter till black lives matter.’”

The message was loud and clear. Hope lives. Love wins in the end.

“While it was a moving experience to join our voices with others seeking reform and justice, it’s clear that our involvement cannot stop with a protest or a march. We must unite together in daily actions that bring justice to the downtrodden and freedom to the oppressed,” Jessyka Dooley, RMC assistant youth director, commented. “We are called to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. We are called to leave the 99 to bring rescue to the 1.”

“The march was such a clear demonstration of the tenacity of hope — we believe that wrongs can be set right, that change can come, and that humanity can grow in its understanding and interaction,” Jenniffer Ogden, pastor of the Boulder church said. “The march showed me once again that humans believe in hope and are looking for ways, they can actively participate in making change happen for the betterment of all.”

—Jon Roberts, is communication/media assistant for the Rocky Mountain Conference; photos Rajmund Dabrowski, Jenniffer Ogden, and Jon Roberts.

Columbia, Maryland . . . “To my African American brothers and sisters, I want you to know that I am deeply sorry. I am saddened that you have experienced prejudice and bigotry — even in the church — and that there have been times when you were not allowed eat in the same cafeteria or go to the same washroom as whites.” stated Daniel R. Jackson, President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America.

To watch the full statement please click here

This video originally appeared on the NAD website.

By Don Reeder – Loveland, Colorado . . . “We understand that many of our students have been faced with acts of racism during their lives.” stated Don Reeder, principal Campion Academy.

Campion’s full statement below:

“In response to recent events, I want to assert that Campion Academy stands firmly against racist acts and racist speech. Our campus enjoys a culturally and ethnically diverse population. We consider that diversity as one of our strengths. We encourage the celebration of that diversity in providing ways for our students to share their culture and embrace their differences. It is with an especially heavy heart that we watch these current events, knowing it greatly impacts our students and alumni of color.

We understand that many of our students have been faced with acts of racism during their lives. We are committed to continue making Campion Academy a safe, respectful atmosphere for our students, regardless of ethnic background. Racism divides and is used by the forces of evil to keep the knowledge of God from reaching the world. It hurts His children, impacting their growth and success. We will not tolerate racism.

Campion seeks to follow the charge given by Jesus to go into all the world and lift up Jesus as stated in John 12:32, as well as the assertions in Galatians 3:28 and many other verses that we are ALL one in Christ. We celebrate being a part of the most ethnically-diverse Christian faith in the United States and will continue to teach our students to uphold those values for our brothers and sisters of all ethnicities.

In support of this commitment, Campion Academy will work with our African American students and alumni to hold ourselves accountable, and to ensure that our campus remains supportive in the ways they need. Please join us in doing all that we can to root out racism.”

–photo supplied

By Jon Roberts – Littleton, Colorado . . . “Standing up, listening up, and looking up” were the focus of an open dialogue on grace and race held by two Littleton Church pastors on Facebook Live, June 3.

“Standing up for injustice—listening up to the experiences minority groups have endured,” said Chris Morris, associate pastor, and “looking up, a reference to researching and reading. We want to provide practical ways for you to be able to act.”

“We have an opportunity,” said Andy Nash, lead pastor. “It is one thing to love, to be good people, to be friends. But there is a time to speak.”

Nash said the purpose of the dialog was to “to encourage and model honest conversation that leads to hope and healing. Our focus is to call people to draw on the love in their hearts and stand up for others, as Christ did.” The dialogue was viewed by nearly 1,000 people.

Morris shared there were times when he experienced racism as a little boy in school and during a field trip in college. He said it is important to “just listen to people, without interrupting them, to let them open their hearts.”

What’s next for the Adventist Church in America? “We have to keep our foot on the gas pedal,” Morris said. “We can’t let this go unanswered. We (pastoral leaders) must do a better job preaching about social justice and the gospel. The minor prophets were all about social justice. Dignity is all about the gospel. If we don’t start speaking up, I fear we won’t have a voice in our communities much longer.”

“This spring,” added Nash, “we have been studying the story of Esther. She had a choice to make about whether or not to stand up for others. We’re living in a similar circumstance. And something feels different this time—I’m hopeful this can be a turning point in the way we love each other and stand up for each other.”

The open dialogue happened during America’s eighth night of protest for equal rights and justice following the brutal murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 31.

To view the entire conversation please click here.

—Jon Roberts is communication/media assistant for RMC; photo supplied by Littleton Facebook Page

By Lee Lee Dart — When I was 5 years old, I would help my grandfather on his farm in Texas to pick strawberries. He would tell me to only pick the ripe ones. I was a child who was a pleaser and wanted to get things just right, so I would ask him after I picked each one “Is this one ripe?” This desire to pick right has carried me all the way through adulthood. As a life-long Adventist and now a pastor, I long to please my heavenly Father in all I do and say. I have been blessed by my Adventist tribe in so many ways and thank God for the beautiful picture I have come to know of Christ through our beliefs.

But I have also struggled with the overemphasis we have had in our denomination on being deceived. This unfortunately led to focusing on which ones are the spiritual “bad strawberries”.  And it took my eyes off the beautiful ripe ones. It brought more fear of deception in my relationship with Christ resulting in my asking over and over “Is this a deception, God?”

This is why I have treasured the writings of John, the disciple. I believe he must have related to this fear as well. Over and over in the Book of 1 John are these words, “This is how we know.” This phrase is music to my ears. John is teaching us HOW to know what is right and what isn’t. He gives us the foundation of discernment and it boils down to knowing Jesus. If you have Jesus, the Son, you have life and light and will never walk in darkness. If you believe in Jesus and are filled with His Spirit, you will not be deceived. In fact, you will do right, live as Jesus lived, and obey His word. If you remain in Christ, you will keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome; they are a delight. You will not approach the throne of God in fear, but in confidence. Your mutual relationship of love, founded and grounded in His love for you, will result in deeply loving mankind and the desire to lift up humanity.

My lifelong desire to pick right has changed to my lifelong desire to know Him. And my focus on knowing Him has been a spiritual game-changer for me. I can walk with Christ and follow the Lamb wherever He goes, in freedom, confidence and security. The beautiful God I have come to appreciate through our doctrines is now the beautiful God I have come to know personally.

—Lee Lee Dart is lead pastor of The Adventure Adventist Church in Greeley, Colorado

By Ted N.C. Wilson – Silver Spring, Maryland . . . In this time of pain and unrest across the United States, our hearts continue to go out in sympathy to all who have suffered, and especially to the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, whose lives ended tragically.

As Seventh-day Adventists, we stand together worldwide in condemning racism, bigotry, hatred, prejudice, and violence in all of its myriad forms. We know that God is a God of justice, who sees and knows all, and we look to Him to fulfill His Word when He says, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” (Romans 12:19).

On behalf of the Seventh-day Adventist worldwide family, I have sent letters of condolence to the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, expressing our sorrow for the tragic loss of their loved ones and stating unequivocally that as Seventh-day Adventists we stand strongly on the biblical principles that go against hatred, rage, racism, bigotry, evil surmising, prejudice, and more, and offered the families support, hope, and encouragement through God’s Church. In addition, we are sending each family a small, tangible indication of sympathy and practical encouragement in the form of an edible fruit arrangement, facilitated through Oakwood University’s connection with Edible Arrangements.

I encourage you, too, as a Seventh-day Adventist, to reach out to these and other individuals within your local community, bringing, in a practical way, the peace, comfort, hope and courage that only Christ can provide as we follow His example in ministry outlined in Luke 4:18.  As Christians, we seek to practice, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit—“love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22,23). While the world is filled with wickedness and sorrow, let us take encouragement from God’s Word in helping us to find a better way. Jesus Christ is central, as He is the only One who can truly change a person’s heart in this sin-filled world.

God calls us to shine as lights in this dark, sin-sick world, pointing all to Jesus Christ, our Savior, and ministering in a tangible way to those who are in need physically, socially, emotionally, mentally, and most importantly, spiritually. “A large number of precious souls are groping in darkness, yet longing and weeping and praying for light.”[1]

Let us ask God to guide us as we reach out with healing hearts and hands, ministering to those who are needing hope and healing now.

And as we look to the future, let us never forget that one day very soon, Jesus Christ will come again and take all those who love Him to a much better place, where “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

—Ted N.C. Wilson, President General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists; Photo by Unsplash

[1] Ellen G. White, Counsels to Writers and Editors, p. 65.

This article was originally published on Adventist News Network June 1, 2020.

By Jose Cortes, Jr – Columbia, Maryland . . . “I can’t breathe…”

“Mama, mama…”

“I need water… I can’t breathe”

These were the words that kept me, my wife and our two teenage sons, glued to the screen, as we watched George Floyd’s life slowly slip away, as a white police officer knelt on his neck. Yes we were watching the last moments of a man’s life, on the pavement, handcuffed, begging for air, water, mama, with the knee of a cruel man on his neck. Tears, sadness, and hurt filled my heart as my stomach tightened with anger. The human being in me, knew this had to be wrong. The United States citizen in me, knew this was definitely illegal. The Christian in me knew this was sinful, a commandment was definitely being broken. And the Pastor in me, knew for sure this was morally reprehensible.

As I watched in horror, I knew that something had to be done, I had to do something, but what can a Pastor and a disciple of Jesus do in the face of injustice, discrimination, and crime?

Here are a few things we can do to start with:

Pray

Pray for George’s family and the families of others who have recently been killed unjustly. Pray for communities who have been victims of prejudice and continue to suffer from racism and discrimination today, not only in Minneapolis but right in your city. Pray for the perpetrators of injustice and crimes regardless of their despicable actions. Jesus died for them too.

Connect

Call, text, FaceTime an African American family, a colleague, a friend, ask the question “How are you?” Listen, and offer your genuine condolences.

Although we should all be heart-broken and enraged by this act of violence and the ones that have preceded it, we know that our African American brothers and sisters are bearing the most abundant share of the pain. It is African American moms and dads who worry as their sons go out for a jog or a drive, knowing that something could go wrong anytime. They have the right to feel that way because of past and current history, a history that other communities have not experienced or endured. Their worries, concerns, and fears are real. This is once again the time to support our African-American colleagues and communities. They should not have to bear the pain and defend themselves at the same time.

Speak

Use your platform to speak up against what is wrong, denounce racism, discrimination, and demand change. This is something all disciples of Jesus can do, but Pastors are leaders, not only within the walls of the church but beyond in the community. As disciples of Jesus we are the moral compass in our communities and the spiritual voice in our nation, and we should not give up our God-given mandate. We are not here to echo what others, who are not in tune with God are saying, we are here to lead and serve like the prophets of old.

Don’t buy the mythical and failed argument which continues to empower racists, abusers, and perpetrators, which proposes that advocating for people’s right to live is political. It is not political, it is human, it is right, and Jesus would have addressed it. As His followers we ought to! As disciples of Jesus and ministers of the gospel it is our duty to uphold the sanctity of life, and to speak up for the right to live, not only of the unborn but also for the born.

If the death of George Floyd bothered you, if you feel that it was morally reprehensible, please don’t stay quiet, say something. If you believe that Eric Garner, Ahmaud Arbery, and so many others were taken from us too soon due to racism, speak up. Use the gifts and the influence that God has given you to bless your community. Staying quiet in the face of human pain, discrimination, and abuse is not a characteristic of the followers of Jesus. Queen Esther didn’t, neither did the Apostle Paul, nor Jesus. It is time to make it clear that as disciples of Jesus we do not stand for discrimination, injustice, and murder.

The Bible is clear:

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”  (Proverbs 31:8,9)

——Pastor Jose Cortes Jr., is an Associate Director of the Ministerial Association and leads Evangelism, Church Planting, and Adventist/Global Mission for the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. Photo supplied

This article was originally published on the NAD Ministerial Website.

By Ron Price — Farmington, New Mexico . . . Like you, I hate what is going on in our country right now. And while I do not pretend to have all the answers, I’m confident that what you are about to hear, in the video I created, plays a major role in racism, and many other relationship difficulties.

I created a video to share my reflections and suggestions on what to do.  To watch please click here.

–Ron Price is a member of the RMC executive committee from Farmington, New Mexico. Email him at: [email protected]

Lincoln, Nebraska . . . Response to the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis by Gary Thurber, president, Mid-America Union Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

Click here to watch the video

–This video was originally published on Outlook Magazine Facebook page

By Doug Inglish — Some tragedies are entirely predictable. Sometimes leadership is complacent about real problems. Isaiah records such a situation in the story of Hezekiah, specifically in Chapter 39.

Remember, Hezekiah is one of the good guys, but sometimes good guys don’t have the right attitude or do the right thing. When told of the coming destruction of Judah at the hands of Babylon, his response was that this was good news, because it would not happen until after his time. In a way, his attitude was a precursor to that of Luis XVI who bankrupted the nation with his self-indulgence and shrugged it off by saying (roughly translated,) “After me comes the flood.”

Are you tempted to think that living far away from Minneapolis means you can relax and be thankful it doesn’t concern you? I hope not, because turning a blind eye to racism that is far removed from you is as callous as a king who doesn’t care about what happens after his reign.

For seven years, I lived in the Minneapolis. I consumed the local news, and I can tell you that although I am shocked at what happened to George Floyd, it did not come out of the clear blue. Overly aggressive policing has been endemic there, and this aggression has been overwhelmingly directed toward a minority of the city’s people. Roughly 18 percent of the area population is black, but roughly 75 percent, of traffic stops for equipment violations that led to vehicle searches were conducted on cars occupied by black citizens (“Traffic Stops as Criminal Investigations,” Mary F. Moriarity, MinnPost, 06/06/2019).

That’s not happenstance. It’s evidence of racism. Those who participated in the murder of George Floyd, those who watched and did nothing, those who protected the jobs of those officers and many like them in previous incidents, and those who promise reform to win votes but do nothing in office to change anything, should be held accountable.

But don’t count on it. As Christians, we should demand justice, while understanding that until Jesus returns it will be a frustrating pursuit. We can write articles, join in legitimate protests, and practice true godliness toward all people, but we continue to live where all forms of injustice, including racism, will go on. Only Jesus can make me a more just person, and only His return will bring universal justice.

If you are like me, it’s hard to know how to respond to all of this insanity. I am compelled to express the outrage I feel, but just talking about it seems futile, for reasons I just laid out. But if I let my rage boil over, then I can be guilty of other sins just as heinous as racism. What can anyone do?

We start by recognizing that vengeance belongs to the Lord (Romans 12:19), so violence does not advance our values. From there, we can pray that not only will the guilty be brought to justice, but that reforms will be initiated that bring actual improvements. Finally, we can join peaceful protests, help clean up damage, and support those whose lives have been disrupted or destroyed by the rioting. If you check the websites of various conferences you will find opportunities for positive expression and practical help.

I’m glad that my church is speaking out, and that it provides opportunities to act in concrete ways to support victimized neighborhoods. I hope you can participate in a meaningful way. And like you, I pray for healing.

Jesus said: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…” (Matthew 5:6, NIV). I believe that applies tous who are crying out for justice and change. But in that same passage, He also said “Blessed are the peacemakers…” (v. 9). So, it is possible to long for justice, speak out and take action, while still being an agent of peace. But it can only happen if Jesus is in your heart.

Hezekiah may have been one of the good guys of the Bible, but he was wrong to shrug off the coming destruction of Jerusalem as something that was not his problem. If I sit back in my relatively safe, small community and decide that racism in the Minneapolis Police Department and riots in Denver are not my problem, I am no different than Hezekiah. So, I say to all of us in relatively safety, “Don’t just sit there; be a force for positive change.”

—Doug Inglishis RMC director planned giving and trust services