Mountain Views Page 2

21 Oct

CAN INSPIRED PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES?

In

THE CLOSETS Having come into Adventism from the outside world, there are some distinct advantages. That is to say, in the area of assumptions. I do not have multiple generations to point back to. As a matter of reality, no one in my extended family had ever heard of Adventism. Therefore, I was not weaned upon Ellen White. And so, the glasses that I use have a different set of assumptions than those whose inner child is dominated by their parents’ version of Ellen White.

Now, don’t get me wrong. When I came into the church, I devoured her writings. I finished the entire Conflict series within three months before I was even baptized. Her views were broad and profound. I was like a soul lost in the desert of this world’s confusion. She helped me comprehend the breadth of the whole plan of redemption from Eden lost to Eden restored.

I was so blown away by the message of Jesus’ soon coming, I started giving my own Bible studies on Daniel and Revelation before I’d even finished my own baptism. Within my first few years as an Adventist, I listened to our entire church tape library of sermons (which consisted of around a thousand tapes). This helped expose me to all the great preachers and teachers like Brooks, Richard, Maxwell, Venden, and Halverson. I was so zealous, I even read many of the pioneers’ own writings! I became a devout Seventh-day Adventist, giving 150% commitment to the Lord.

But unfortunately, I was also exposed to all the skeletons in the church’s closet and the critical spirit that often goes along with it. The deeper I dove, the less I was becoming like Jesus, and the more I was becoming like Saul–“If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more.” Phil 3:4 (CSB). And nowadays with the Internet, any Adventist can find the motherlode of denominational laundry. 1850, 1870’s, 1888, 1905, 1919, 1957, 1980, etc. And these issues inevitably cluster around Ellen White.

It all reminds me of my Finnish grandmother’s survivalist stew called, Mojakka (pronounced moy-yuk-ah with emphasis on the “yuk” part when you’re a kid). Her recipe was basically, throw giant chunks of everything in the pot and cook it to death. And sadly, the Seventh-day Adventist church’s closets are packed to bursting with nepotism, semantics, polemics, revisionism, and apologetic gymnastics, all an effort to avoid the complex questions raised about her theology. And the greatest sin of all these histories that no one is talking about? The trail of wounded souls who have often left God altogether because of the “yuk”.

So, if you really want to save your children, and save the church, then it’s well beyond time for some transparency, to open the closet and let whatever comes out tumble into the full light of accountability. Because if we don’t, the church won’t survive the raw truth (or even the fabrications) of the Internet. So, hang on to your hats, because this is going to get bumpy.

OMNISCIENCE Among those most revered in the Judeo-Christian faith were the prophets. And rightly so, as a prophet is defined by Webster as: “one who utters revelations”, and “the final authoritative revealer of God’s will.” They are the ones who communicate with God directly. So, in a sense, to disagree with a prophet is like disagreeing with God. But there are many over the centuries that have “profited” as prophets.

Which is why there are many specific signs of a true prophet found in Scripture. Such as the one I want to discuss today in Deuteronomy 18:21-22. It basically says, “if their predictions do not come to pass, that prophet is not from God”. And so, to ask the question, “Can inspired people make mistakes?” may seem like a bit of a misnomer.

Yet, there is a curious exchange between the disciples of the prophet John and Jesus in Matthew 11. In vs 2-4, “John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So, he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, ‘Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?’” In response, Jesus healed loads of people and then said, “John is more than a prophet, he is a messenger sent to announce the My coming”. And then in vs 11 He says, “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist!”

So according to Jesus, he is the greatest prophet that ever lived. the “messenger” meant to prepare the people for the advent of the Savior! So, what did John do as this “chosen one”? He sent his disciples to question if Jesus was even the Messiah?! Wait, what? Why? I would argue that it was because his theology was influenced by his environment. The Jews had mistakenly mixed the prophecies of the glory of the second Advent and completely missed the humility and suffering of the first. Think about it! What this implies is that the greatest prophet that ever lived, the messenger of the Lord, had bad theology! John had mistaken theology because his thinking was confused by the theological beliefs of his culture.

So, did Jesus reject the Baptist as a prophet because he had errors in his theology? No, rather Jesus doubled down on his gift! Don’t miss the most important point: Jesus still commended John and considered him inspired even with bad theology! Why? Because being inspired, and being omniscient, are not the same thing. Omniscience, infallibility, and inerrancy are defined as, “Universal complete knowledge. The capacity to know EVERYTHING.” And that gift belongs solely to God alone! We, as human beings, are erring, Spirit-led yes, but erring children, up to our necks in something we only barely comprehend.

And that is exactly why I love God so much! Because in the latter half of Matthew 11:11 it says, “…Even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!” Wow! What a statement. In the eyes God, a repentant addict, struggling parent, or a check-out clerk, are greater than a prophet in God’s kingdom! How beautiful is our God! We can see this same principle in Hebrews 11:28-39, “All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet NONE of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.”

Our weak trembling steps of faith, stretching out feeble hands to our Savior, have the exact same hope as the heroes of old! I mean really, David, the man after God’s own heart, was a murderous adulterer. Sampson wasted his life with relationships, and Jonah ran away from God, yet they all still fulfilled their destinies. Or consider the prophet and high priest Eli. He was a terrible parent, enabling his children right in the church! Yet, all these broken, erring, hopeless cases were the very people God loved and called His own! And all this proves one thing. People do not lose their gifts simply because they make mistakes.

GROWING UP So, let’s make this simple. Think back to when you were 15. Would you seek out your 15-year-old self for life advice? I was a moron at that age. The meaning of life was friends, cars, and adventure (In retrospect, perhaps I haven’t learned a lot since then). And yet, that was the age Ellen was when she received her calling. Think seriously about it. Would Mrs. White in her 80’s has the exact same perspectives she had when she was 15? Of course not! She changed and matured just as we all do. And that includes her theology.

Just like the rest of us, when Ellen was young, her ideas were molded by her parents. And her parents belonged to a strict sect called the Methodist holiness movement, based in perfectionism. Because of this, she began her faith life with a fearful melancholic view of God, one that was synonymous with the legalism of the Puritan era. Just like John the Baptist, Ellen shared the theological views of the culture around her. But she grew out of those rigid views over time. And this maturation is obvious in her writings as well.

You can see it in her publications before and after 1888. She transitioned from Early writings to Desire of Ages, from Testimonies to Christ’s Object Lessons. That sickly, socially-rejected girl became a powerful woman who firmly trusted in Jesus as her hope for salvation. And I’m positive there are many of us who can share the exact same testimony of how God led us into clearer and still clearer views of His love.

To put some boots to this point, W.W. Prescott, among his many achievements in the denomination, the man who assisted with the development of the Desire of Ages in Australia, was the compiler of the book Education, as well as being the one in charge of revisions to the Great Controversy under the direct authority of W.C. White. He had this to say about the writings of Mrs. White: “It is firmly settled that phrases and historical statements in these books have to be corrected just the same as in other books.” (W.W. Prescott, G. Valentine, RHPA, p. 263).

THE FUTURE Her books were never written with the intention of being interpreted word upon word, replacing the study of the Scriptures. Her books were written as principle upon principle, to edify and guide. She never intended her teachings to be taken as theologically infallible. So “yes”, inspired people can make mistakes and still be inspired. Ellen White was just a normal human being with a deep abiding love for God, one who longed for Jesus to return like the rest of us. Someone who had an intimate connection with the Spirit of God and was still learning as she grew.

In the end, the Three Angel’s Message she so deeply believed in is, at its core, the Everlasting Gospel. And so, in hoping against hope, dreaming of the future of Adventism, it is my longing to see an honest church. One willing to be deeply blessed by Ellen White. But no longer willing to replace Jesus and His word with the idols of men. Because our job as “messengers” was never to blow the trumpet about the denomination or Ellen White. Our job is to announce the coming of the Lord!

Shayne Mason Vincent until the end of September 2022 was pastor of the Casper district in Wyoming. Email him at [email protected]

 

21 Oct

REDEFINING ADVENTISM

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The very title, “Redefining Adventism,” is provocative to some, and a “hair-on-fire” threat to others. So, let me define how I see redefining. First it is not degrading, dumping, or abandoning salvific pillars of the faith we hold and teach. It is an attempt to make present truth… well… present, and attractively applicable to contemporary people inside and outside the church.

The very name of the denomination lays out two major components of belief: Sabbath as the seventh day of the week and looking for the return of Jesus in His second advent/coming.

As Adventists, we speak and write often and passionately about “present truth.” At the same time, we tend to look back to the idealized historical “golden days” and pioneers of the church. There is a danger that we can be so focused on the methods and wrappings of the past that we make the core beliefs of the church look quaint, like the straw-brimmed hats and horse drawn buggies of the Pennsylvania Dutch. “Back to the Future” was a stellar title for a movie, but not much of a cogent mantra for a current and future movement. After all, a movement moves. It is not a static monument to the past.

The church has essentially held to core beliefs, and at the same time has been able to make a bridge between the past and the present. Things have changed. The Old Testament sacrificial rituals ceased. The Jerusalem Temple was destroyed. Past practices gave way to present realities and a focus on both the current situations and solutions, with an eye to future changes. Look at the conversion of Cornelius in Acts 10, and the council of Jerusalem in Acts 15. These were seismic shifts in how things were done. These shifts made truth truly present.

We need not, in fact should not, abandon pillar beliefs that are salvation related, but there is value in how we (wrap) present them to others. As an example: when I was a kid, it was fun and acceptable to wrap gifts in the colorful Sunday funny papers. The gift was encased in colorful panels of recognized cultural icons. Sometimes the gift might be wrapped in a recycled brown paper bag (we were “green” and did not know it). Today, if you gave a gift to your fiancé, or a dignitary, using those wrappings, it might evoke a seriously different response. The gift might be the same, but the presentation/wrapping could seriously detract from the gift itself.

What might a redefining of Sabbath look like?

Past truth style: “The Bible says the seventh-day is the Sabbath, and I can proof text it, so you must keep the seventh day as Sabbath!” This can look like my need to set you straight; it is information based.

Present truth style: “God is so loving and kind He designed a special down time every week so we would not burn out. It is a time when we can connect with family, and with Him in worship. He called it ‘Sabbath,’ and it happens every Saturday!” (An appeal to current needs. Relationship based, not just information based). Or “Birthdays are great celebrations! God wants to celebrate the birth of our world – not just once a year – but once a week. The seventh-day Sabbath is a celebration of His goodness and loving power. Come join me as we celebrate His creative work for, in, and through us!”

Same truth. Different presentations.

What might “redefining” the Advent look like?

Past truth style: “EARTH’S FINAL WARNING!”** There is terror and trouble ahead! You better be prepared for the wrathful return of the Almighty. If you are not ready – it is as Jonathan Edwards said – ‘God holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider…over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked…. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it.’”

Admittedly, that’s compellingly graphic, but not very appealing unless you are a masochist. It’s like Barron Von Trapp, in The Sound of Music, lining up his children for a chilling inspection to spot any defects that causes them to stand ram-rod fearful (but not lovingly) in his presence.

Present truth style: “Jesus said He would return to earth, and when He does, it will be magnificent! It is like when dad went away/deployed, and we all longed for his return. We waited and looked forward to that so we could be together again after a long absence. We looked eagerly for that time, and to a happy reunion where we could be together again, and we could invite our neighbors to rejoice with us!”

Same truth. Different presentation.

I spent a combat tour in Vietnam and did not see our children for a full year. Suppose Ardis had prepared them for my return by saying, “Dad is coming back, so you better have your hair combed – every single one in place – and be sure your shoes are polished, and that your room is without a speck of dust for his inspection. If there are any flaws, he will give you a whipping that will make you sorely sorry!” Would they eagerly anticipate my return, or dread it, and hope that my return would be delayed?

 Rephrasing Redefining

Maybe redefining would best be called reframing. Rather than focus on the negatives, focus on the positive aspects of Sabbath and the second coming, as well as other doctrines. Fear can motivate people, but fear wears off quickly. Fear is a poor long-term motivator. Positive anticipation is much more productive and long lasting.

In the Gospel of Luke 15, there are three stories of being lost. The sheep is lost: one out of a hundred. The coin is lost: one out of ten. The son is lost: one out of two. When each is found, there is positive joy and open celebration. The focus of each story is on the “found” portion, not a long lament on the “lost” negative portion.

Look at Daniel 7:22. It talks about the judgment (the very word frightens most people) and says, “…the Ancient of Days came and pronounced judgment in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came when they possessed the kingdom.” Like the stories of the lost in Luke, the focus is on the positive reality of judgment. Oh, to be sure, there are beasts and scary things Daniel writes about, but they all lead up to a superbly positive climax for those who love and receive God. That is the Good News we are to proclaim. That is the focus we are called to share.

The whole sweep of the Great Controversy theme through history leads to one conclusion: God wins! And those who have a positive relationship with Him are winners too!

Keeping Sabbath won’t save me. Knowing all the dates, details, prophetic interpretations, and speculations about the time of Jesus’ return won’t save me. Fear, demands, and proof-texts won’t save me. The only thing that will save any of us is an abiding, positive, ongoing relationship with Jesus. Maybe we could focus more on the Son than the signs, on the relationship than the rules.

Perhaps redefining Adventism is more about reframing how we share. How we see and wrap our message. That might really be the essence of present truth: the kind of truth that reflects the incredibly good news of the Gospel–good news as an invitation, rather than band news as a threat. The kind of present truth that motivates us positively Monday morning, and every day.

Dick Stenbakken, Ed.D., retired Army Chaplain (Col.), served as director of Adventist Chaplaincy Services at the General Conference and North American Division. With his wife Ardis, he lives in Loveland, Colorado. Email him at [email protected]

**The title of a currently advertised Adventist evangelistic promotion piece.

21 Oct

DISAPPOINTMENT REVISITED

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When asked to imagine the Adventist Church in 2022, my mind mysteriously jumped to 1976.

In 1976, when I was 7, the United States celebrated the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence. I remember a great celebration, where almost everything was red, white and blue for almost the whole year (including Colorado’s license plates).

As one raised Seventh-day Adventist and who attended Seventh-day Adventist parochial schools, I remember hearing the history of the church’s formation. So, it struck me forcefully that October 22, 2022, marks the 178th anniversary of the Great Disappointment.[1]

I did a bit more math as well. In 2022, we are celebrating William Miller’s 240th birthday.[2] We are celebrating Joseph Bates’ 230th birthday.[3] We are celebrating James White’s 201st birthday.[4] And we are celebrating Ellen G. White’s 195th birthday.[5]

In other words, our pioneers (and William Miller) all have attained (or are approaching) their own bicentennials, and the bicentennial of the Great Disappointment itself creeps inexorably towards us. We have been living in the “in-between time” after the Great Disappointment and before the Second Coming for approaching two centuries.

Our pioneers are now much like the heroes listed in Hebrews: “Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not, without us, be made perfect.”  (Hebrews 11:39-40, NRSV).

This isn’t the first time the church has dealt with this tension.

The early church also experienced it at the time the Gospels originated. In that moment, when most scholars agree that most of the Epistles had already been written, the early church reached a point where it knew that it needed to preserve the story of Jesus. The church saw that those who were eyewitnesses to His ministry, death and resurrection were dying. And He had not yet returned

That moment is why we have the Gospels. They were written to preserve the story of Jesus in the “in-between time.” Today, then, what do I value about Adventism’s similar “in-between time?” This article lists three of the things I value about our Adventist church as we move forward. These are things I continue to value, even if I myself don’t live to see the Second Coming.

Joy in the Sabbath – Treasuring our day of rest and gladness.

I admit that when I was younger, sometimes my attitude toward the Sabbath was a bit like those Israelites described in Amos 8, who couldn’t wait for the Sabbath to end, so that they could get back to their own business.

Then I went to graduate school at a state university. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t in an Adventist parochial school bubble. What a difference.

There, I learned the absolute freedom that the Sabbath brings to us. As I set aside the books on Friday night and spent the rest of the next 24 hours in worship, contemplation of nature, and fellowship with friends and family, I could feel my body and mind regaining a balance. More importantly, I could sense my connection with God being refreshed. Through this, I found myself being able to say that the Sabbath truly is a delight (Isaiah 58:13).

As we go forward in the “in-between time,” I find myself being able to sing with my whole heart (in words from an old hymn):

A day of sweet reflection
Thou art, a day of love,
A day to raise affection
From earth to things above.
New graces ever gaining
From this our day of rest . . .

Living the Christian Life as Holistic – not just a once-a-week Thing

In the words of George Herbert’s hymn:

Sev’n whole days, not one in sev’n,
I will praise Thee;
in my heart, though not in heav’n,
I can raise Thee . . .

Many Christian denominations agree that we should live the Christian life wholistically.

Yet as I see it, the Adventist Church’s role as a pioneer on what we often call the “health message” has been a particularly important and meaningful application of living the Christian life wholistically. It is true that the rest of the world (including science) has discovered the scientific reality behind much of what the Adventist church has been preaching since the late 19th century on many health issues, such as vegetarianism and the importance of fruits and vegetables to a balanced diet. Yet the Adventist Church continues to preach that this scientific reality is also a matter of living one’s spirituality wholistically.

This emphasis on living a unified wholistic Christian life not only in worship but throughout the week–and most importantly as an aspect of the “health message”–is a part of Adventism I treasure each day as I continue to live in the “in-between time.”

Humility as a Treasure

The Great Disappointment itself was a truly a deep lesson to the Millerites, which helped shaped how the Adventist church developed as a new denomination within the Christian community. The fact that Ellen White was a woman was also an unexpected development of the Spirit. In these two foundational elements of the Adventist tradition, I see God teaching his church humility. Yet this humility at the founding of Adventism is another renewal of lessons long a part of Christianity.

The first and most surprising moment is the very essence of Christianity itself: the crucified and resurrected Redeemer himself. In the words of Paul: “For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles . . .”  1 Corinthians 1:22-23 (NRSV).

The second moment comes from the story of Peter and Cornelius in Joppa: “While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, ‘Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’” Acts 10: 44-47 (NRSV).

The early church learned humility and surprise by the fact that the Messiah suffered, died, and was resurrected, and because Gentiles received the Holy Spirit like Jews.  The Adventist movement learned humility and surprise (among other things) through surviving the Great Disappointment and finding the Holy Spirit poured out on a rather frail young woman.

I don’t think any Adventist can deny being surprised by how long the “in-between time” has lasted. Yet the surprises that God gave both the early church and the early Adventist movement lead me to value these lessons of humility and surprise as we continue forward in the “in-between time.” And I trust that God has more similar wonderful surprises in store for his church.

Shawn P. Nowlan is an attorney currently working for the federal government in Denver. He is a member of the Boulder Adventist Church. Email him at: [email protected]

[1]Conceding that the General Conference itself wasn’t established until 1863, it still remains true that the movement is about 200 years old, all things considered.
[2] Miller was born February 15, 1782.
[3] Bates was born July 8, 1792.
[4] James White was born August 4, 1821.
[5]Ellen White was born November 26, 1827.

21 Oct

Living For the Other World

In

“Live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed his coming.” 2 Peter 3:11-12 NIV

I am yet to meet an Adventist Christian who doesn’t have an agenda for present-day Christianity. Often, we are ready to offer advice, and plenty of it–the church shouldn’t do this; the leadership should do that.

“When will they start listening to someone like me?” we frequently hear. We even utter it, too. And we have so much to say.

My recent journey into my personal views on what’s important for my own church led me to the observation that the celibacy of thoughts doesn’t go very far. One needs a partnership with deeds! It is precisely this that I learned by looking into the life of the early Christian church.

It’s amazing what a bit of “dusting off” of one’s spiritual journey can bring out. I discovered that without a vision for the future, my present life offers, at best, illusions of happiness. To illustrate, here are two wise comments.

C S Lewis wrote that “if you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this one.”

An ancient history academic from the Cracow’s Jagiellonian University, Aleksander Krawczuk, compliments Lewis and says that “in early Christianity, it was different. They were aloof, meek, humble, persecuted, disinclined, suspicious and suspected. After all, they lived in the constant expectation of the return of Christ. The present world, they thought, will cease to exist at any moment. It is utterly ridiculous to even speculate about their views on government or politics. They weren’t interested. They didn’t care. They believed that the world is about to be dead. Important for them was to prepare oneself for Christ’s coming.”

Whew! Have we Christians ever strayed sideways from the days when hope was printed on our forehead and the reason to be on this earth was to tell someone to be ready. After all, it’s the Lord who is coming back.

Maybe, rather than worrying about how the church is behaving, and how policies are applied, we ought to be living like the early church. Individually. With no apprehension. Right now. Ourselves!

Rajmund Dabrowski is RMC communication director and editor of Mountain Views. Email him at [email protected]

01 Jun

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO US?

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What you do in the present—by painting, preaching, singing, sewing, praying, teaching, building hospitals, digging wells, campaigning for justice, writing poems, caring for the needy, loving your neighbor as yourself—will last into God’s future. These activities are not simply ways of making the present life a little less beastly, a little more bearable, until the day when we leave it behind altogether. They are part of what we may call building for God’s kingdom.

— NT Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church

We were having lunch near the Washington National Cathedral. There were three or four of us–two high-level clergy of another Christian denomination, and two Seventh-day Adventist Christians. As we concluded a conversation on ways to cooperate in international aid and development and how we could work jointly in combating poverty, it was time to plan a timeline for our efforts.

Deciding on who would research what, one of the bishops asked, “So, shall we meet and report our findings in three months?”

“Did you actually mean three weeks?” I asked.

Turning to his colleague, the bishop commented, “Look, let’s remember that we are meeting with Seventh-day Adventists. They are a missionary church. We can learn from them. That’s why they continue to grow, and we are standing still. They have no time to lose.”

It is always better to be told by others than to brag about our own success. Their reaction reminded me of a comment by a Vanderbilt University professor, Paul K. Conkin in his book American Originals: Homemade Varieties of Christianity: “It is worth noting that no other American-based denomination have ever attempted to transform itself so fully into a worldwide fellowship.” (p. 144).

Reflecting on my Adventist journey for several decades, I must not overlook the essence of our church witness. It was usually called “evangelism,” but mostly “witnessing” to … other Christians.

It was perhaps 60+ years ago when this experience happened that stands out in my memory. My father held a series of evangelistic meetings about a premier Adventist topic: “The Last Day Events.” A woman came to our door (the meetings were held in a church, and we lived on the second floor of the same church building) and as it appeared, she had responded to an invitation to have a Bible study.

My father ushered her into our living-room, and I eavesdropped from a bedroom next door. I will never forget how the conversation went between our guest and my father.

“What brought you to our meetings? Were you invited by someone?” he asked.

“I heard about your church. I was searching for a church that would teach what I also believe. You Adventists resent Catholics. I do, too,” she answered.

That’s what she said. Her comment was rough, but genuine. Obviously, she spoke about a perception many people have developed about our church, a reputation assigned to a Protestant faith community in a Catholic country. Whether she was right or not, my own perception developed along similar lines. For many, an evangelist’s concentration mostly on teachings and practices of Catholicism would contribute to it all.

I grew up in such an evangelistic atmosphere. Over the decades, I also learned what Ellen G. White wrote: “There are many who need our sympathy and advice, but not that advice which implies superiority in the giver and inferiority in the receiver.” (Testimonies, vol 3, p. 534) When you say that you have the truth, they hear that you are better than they are.

She also said, “There are many among the Catholics who live up to the light they have far better than many who claim to believe present truth, and God will just as surely test and prove them as He has tested and proved us.” (Evangelism, p. 144)

And since my youth, I have learned even more. Our Christian call is to share Him who sends us into the world with the Gospel of Good News. Just as the Twelve, whom He sent into the world, we are to preach and teach the world about Jesus. Jesus alone. And the church will grow. Until He returns.

 Rajmund Dabrowski is the editor of Mountain Views and RMC communication director. Email him at [email protected]

 

01 Jun

LIFE AFTER BAPTISM

In

Desertification

The desert of the Sahara is spread out like an eternity. The vast expanse of nothingness is large enough to fit the entire U.S. inside of its 3.6 million square miles. According to Smithsonian Magazine, new research is revealing that the wasteland was once lush and green. Evidence includes satellite imaging revealing hidden rivers, deltas, and settlements underneath the endless sands. Archeologist David Wright hypothesizes that, “Through overgrazing, the grasses were reducing the amount of atmospheric moisture and vegetation.” Leading to soil failure and desertification.

This same evidence is likely what destroyed the once fertile lands of ancient Mesopotamia. Overgrazing along the ancient Tigris River led to soil degradation, making Babylon unfarmable. The Persian Gulf then filled in with nutrients that should have been going to the fields, leaving the once-prosperous waterfront city of Sumar, land locked and lifeless; not unlike what we are doing to the Mississippi today.

Learning from these hypotheses, China’s Chongqing Jiaotong University has been experimenting with reclaiming their northern deserts and valleys through redirecting grazing lands and soil reclamation… and it is working. Valleys that were dying are now green again. Deserts that were encroaching upon cities have now been pushed back by miles with self-sustaining reclaimed soil.

Systems Theory

The term I use to define all these various issues is called Systems Theory. It’s a social work term describing the importance of resolving problems holistically, rather than just at the point of the issue itself. Webster defines “system”, as an interdependent group of items forming a unified whole. Cake is a good example. It is a collection of ingredients that, should you leave certain elements out, it would cause the cake to either collapse or to taste terrible. Each individual part is just as important as the other.

A car is an example of a mechanically-based system. A computer is an electronic system. A building is a structural system. A plane is a redundancy of systems. A society is also a system that includes individuals, families, communities, cities, and the state. And so then, religion is also system of many parts making up a whole.

And as a system, Adventism has a sort of butterfly-effect taking place in the arena of evangelism. As David Trim’s research on Adventist attrition rates has shown, “Our net loss rate is 39.25%, which means 4/10 of church members have slipped away over the past half century.” If we are collectively losing nearly half of all our members, then there is a systemic problem, not just a local church issue.

Let’s be honest, 40% is an immoral number. Based upon attrition, our churches could be twice the size they are. And while there are a multitude of contributing factors, there is one issue I would like to address: Our existing members are people too! Simply said, if we are evangelizing the prodigal, we should also be sharing the good news with the elder! As Sky Jethani said in his book, With, “We have missed the whole point of the prodigal story: What mattered most to the father was neither the younger son’s disobedience nor the older son’s obedience but having his sons with him.”

Discipleship

Each individual part is just as important as the other. The system cannot work without every single one of us. Therefore, God needs every hand on deck. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So, it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.”

We are all part of the Spirit. We are all individual ingredients needed in the cake. Authentic evangelism, the kind without attrition, needs a hope centered in Jesus, and friendships based in genuine love. We need to put a tourniquet of love on the bleeding body by feeding the sheep that are already here.

Because mentoring is how people grow into mature Christians. It’s how they learn to avoid the ditches of extremism. It’s how they learn to use the Bible for themselves. Modeling shows them how to love better. How to break the chains of their family dysfunctions. How to follow through with commitments. How to be stable. Discipling shows them through example, how to live in the Spirit, how to know God for themselves.

That’s how the dying wastelands can become green again. How the encroaching deserts can be pushed back. Because the entire body will be authentically sharing joy with others. As it says in Acts 2:46-47, “Day by day continuing with one mind … breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Shayne Mason Vincent is lead pastor, Casper Wyoming District. Email him at [email protected]

 

01 Jun

GOD’S METHOD OF EVANGELISM

In

Although He was not on any conference payroll and never held an official church office, unequivocally, Jesus was the greatest evangelist that ever lived. How He so effectively reached those who were outside the main focus of the church in His day is something the church of our day needs to fully grasp if we are ever going to finish the gospel commission.

One of the most important theological issues we seldom focus on may be the key to reaching a broader people group than we could ever imagine. Let me start by asking you one important question: Have you ever reached a point in your life when you seriously doubted God? “Why God?” is a question that often seems to have no answer. I personally believe the reason many people don’t identify with organized religion and are skeptical when they receive a colorful flyer inviting them to a prophecy series, is because they don’t have a right concept of who God really is and, therefore, don’t trust us with answers regarding their eternal future.

Let’s be honest, in today’s world, many people don’t look favorably toward the church in general. Theology aside, they question our integrity— many popular church leaders have given them adequate reasons to do so—moral failures and self-exalting leaders taking advantage of the vulnerable and abusing their sacred trust readily come to mind.

So, how did Jesus break through the hypocrisy that filled the church in His day and reach the disenfranchised masses? Well, for one convert at least, it happened unexpectedly. She was not prepared to attend church that day. In fact, she had other plans, plans that did not resemble anything close to what a member in good standing may be seen doing. In fact, at the moment she first met Jesus, her life was being turned upside down. Devious men had manipulated her in order to trap Jesus. And, according to the apostle John’s account, she was in immediate danger.

Looking around, I’m certain she must see angry eyes and hear ugly, hurtful words spoken about her. “You’re an adulteress, you deserve to die,”1 they boldly declare! As this nightmare unfolds, she must have been wondering, hoping, praying that someone would intervene, someone would care enough to stop this madness! As we ponder this situation let’s ask ourselves one question: What does a person in her situation need most? If they received that beautiful flyer we sent advertising our evangelistic series, how are they going to respond?

The short answer is clear, yet not so simple. When someone’s world is falling apart, when God appears to be absent, when everyone around them has forsaken or turned against them, they need to know the church—yes, our church, the one excited about sharing evangelism—is really going to be there when urgently needed most. Do we exist to share prophetic truth? Or, more importantly, do we exist to show the true love and character of God—a God they may not really understand or accept?

So, what did Jesus do when He was introduced to this precious, sin-stained woman? He defended her. “Whichever one of you has committed no sin may throw the first stone at her.”2 Unlike the church she is accustomed to seeing, the first thing she learns about Jesus is that He is just and fair and can be trusted. How do we portray this in our ministry? If we are going to effectively share the Three Angels Messages of Revelation 14, then we need to exemplify their true meaning. The same Jesus who is standing right now in defense of His people in the Heavenly Judgment, as depicted in Revelation’s prophetic message, is the same God who defends this woman. Like millions of hurting, lost souls—those who also stand accused—caught red-handed in shameful, sin- compromising lives, our God has commissioned us to proclaim the message of His eternal love—a love so great that even “…while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!3 As people see and understand that we exemplify this kind of ministry and integrity in our lives, they will learn to trust us with other eternally important doctrinal truths.

The power of our prophetic message is found at the heart of Jesus’ ministry. For the woman who is condemned to die, He utters those life- changing words, “Where are your accusers? Is there anyone left to condemn you? I don’t condemn you either. By my grace you are forgiven and forever set free!”4 There are countless numbers of hurting and lost souls who need to hear these life-changing words. To effectively share prophecy’s final warning to this world, our evangelism outreach needs to focus on God’s love and the transforming power of His grace. Thankfully, Jesus has shown us how to incorporate this into our daily lives and ministry, and this woman exemplifies what others so urgently need at this final hour of Earth’s history. Understanding who the beast powers of the Book of Revelation are only important once we personally know who the Savior of the entire Book is.

The bottom line, as we focus on connecting people with Jesus, is that God sets His children free to live the life Jesus died to give. Once they have experienced that freedom, they will eagerly ask for more. The heart’s door will open wide to learn other the prophetic truths—truths that are unfolding right before our very eyes.

Steve Nelson is a pastor of the Worland, Wyoming district. He has a passion to help hurting people find hope and healing through the transforming power of Jesus Christ. He can be reached at [email protected]  

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1 John 8:4-5 (Authors’ paraphrase).
2 John 8:7 (GNT).
3 Romans 5:8 (GNT).
4 John 8:10-11 (Authors’ paraphrase)

01 Jun

TUBERCULOSIS MODEL OF EVANGELISM

In

I recently started a new job.

It’s exactly like the old job, but with a new company. Same territory. Same facilities. Better paycheck.

“Better” being very relative.

Because this new job, like the old job, is in hospice, I had to get a TB (tuberculosis) test. It’s not a test to see what I know about tuberculosis, which to be clear, is very little, but a test to see if I have it. I could have been exposed, be carrying it, and then spread it to every person in every facility I walk into whether they are on hospice or not.

That would be very, very bad. I mean, sure, my job is to help make people comfortable as they die. However, my job is not to MAKE people die. We in Hospice genuinely want our patients to somehow recover and go on to lead full extended lives. Which is why we take precautions like COVID tests and TB tests, just to name a couple.

I do not have TB. Thank you for asking.

Fortunately, if I did, TB is very curable. It’s a long process involving 6-9 months of antibiotics, but it is easily done. Without those antibiotics, TB is very deadly. With them, it’s very curable. For example, the death rate for TB in the USA is about 0.09 deaths per 100,000. That’s pretty good. Not the best in the world, which is Iceland with 0.00 deaths per 100,000, but still super great.

By comparison, Somalia has 109.27 deaths per 100,000 and Central Africa leads with the highest death rate at 148.01 deaths per 100,000. And this all raises an interesting question.

If TB is so easily curable, then why are there countries with 1,645 times the TB death rate of the USA?

There are lots of competing opinions and views all supported by varying facts. However, what most of them have in common is money. It’s not that the antibiotics are so expensive to make. It’s that there is a lot of profit to be had, and the poor countries either don’t have the money, or they aren’t prioritizing the money for the purpose of TB. That is an overly simplistic answer, and I recognize that. But the statistics are super clear. If you are a citizen of the USA or pretty much any first-world country, it is very unlikely you would die from TB, let alone even contract it.

But if you live in an impoverished country, your odds of contraction and death are exponentially higher.

Lives could be “easily” saved, but priority and distribution is heavily biased toward those in the correct group. Apparently, all one needs to do to all but ensure they never die from this illness is to change their national affiliation and live in the right place.

Does it disturb anyone that this is a thing?

A similar question… does it disturb anyone that I just described modern evangelism within the Adventist context?

Evangelism is about the good news. In fact, the Greek word that we get the word “evangelism” from literally means “good news” or “to proclaim good news” and a few other variations of the same thing.

The good news was that the Kingdom of God was at hand. It was the good news of Jesus. The good news that God sent Jesus to bring transformation to this world. Jesus was born, lived, and died to make this future possible. He ensured eternity for people who have never met Him. He ensured eternity for people who have never even heard of Him.

Jesus didn’t care what group you were in or what you believed. He cared that you existed and lived his life trying to show a better way. And He did all this while being very much at odds with every religious group he came in contact with.

This all forces us to ask another question. Why then, is all of our evangelism focused on making people part of our group instead of bringing people hope and healing and love in the spirit of Christ?

Why are we using the Tuberculosis model of evangelism?

I mentioned this in a previous article, but I will restate it. If you attend any mainstream Adventist evangelism seminar, it might last between 2-6 weeks, depending on who does it and which version they are using. But no matter how long it is, out of those 2-6 weeks, there are only 1-2 nights that focus on the life/death of Jesus. And even those 1-2 nights do so within the context of the rest of the series. A series that is designed to do exactly one thing.

Make more Adventists.

The primary goal of Adventist evangelism is to make more Adventists. It spends the entire time attempting to prove to the audience why Adventists are the true church of God. Everything is tied into prophecy-based remnant theology, interpreted differently and in a sketchy manner by every different evangelist. And in the end, it does lead to baptism, but only when those willing accept that it must end with them being Adventist.

In short, to be baptized at the end of an Adventist evangelistic seminar, one must first decide to become an Adventist. They can’t accept Jesus without first accepting Adventism.

They can’t get the antibiotic unless they change countries.

This is with the understanding that the overwhelming majority of “converts” were already Christian. They just changed clubs.

What we do isn’t evangelism. It’s more closely related to nationalism. It’s us vs. them. It’s about growing the club. It’s about sustaining the organization. It’s not about saving lives. One doesn’t need a prophecy seminar to do that.

Feed people. Heal people. Give them lifesaving medicine. Give them shelter. Give them clothing. Show them the love of God. The good news isn’t about changing minds. It’s about healing hearts. It’s about showing people that they matter to us and that they matter to God and that it doesn’t matter who they are or where they live or what groups they are a part of.

Let’s stop trying to do God’s job. We just aren’t very good at it.

Our job is to love. God’s job is to transform.

Maybe it’s time we stop getting in the way of what God is trying to do.

Maybe we need to experience the good news for ourselves.

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

01 Jun

FISHING EVANGELISTICALLY

In

The Greek words εὐαγγελίζω and εὐαγγελίζομαι sound very much like our English word “evangelism”. Even without knowing Greek, the sound of the word leaves no room for misunderstanding. The deeper challenge is to define the what and how of evangelism in 2022 and beyond.

The word itself means to “bring good news,” and connotes sharing/announcing/proclaiming the concept that Jesus is the Messiah who lived, died, was resurrected, and is returning for His people. Note these things: It is GOOD news, not scary, sketchy stuff and it is about Jesus.

When Jesus initially called the disciples, He said to them, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” See: Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17.

Fishers of men…it sounds pretty simple. But there is more to it than meets the eye. Ask anyone who is an avid fly fisherman. They will regale you with details, stories, and data that will make your head swim. To the dedicated fly fisherman, it is more than a sport; it is an art form that has many facets.

There are two fascinating fishing stories in the New Testament that can help us understand the rather simplistic sounding idea of being a fisher of men.

The first story is in Luke 5:1-11. The setting is in the early call of the disciples as reflected by Matthew and Mark in their Gospels. Luke gives us more setting and story.

As Luke tells it, Jesus was preaching, then asked Peter to use his boat as a floating pulpit. After finishing preaching, Jesus asked Peter to go out into deeper water and cast his net to catch fish. Peter’s answer was pure Galilean fisherman: “Master, we have worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything….” The clear, but unspoken, implication is: “Look, I know what I am doing. I am a life-long fisherman. I know how to do this, I have always done it the same way, for years. I know what works and what doesn’t.” You can almost see Peter’s eyes rolling back at a suggested change in his tried-and-true fishing methodology.

In my imagination, I can hear the voice in Peter’s head mumbling, “No way will this work! Every fisherman knows when the sun comes up, the fish go deeper than the nets will reach. We have worked hard doing it the way we always have. We gave it our seriously focused best effort. This won’t work, but… (sigh) whatever.”

The results of trying something new were massive. There were so many fish, the nets were breaking. The results were so positive, they were astonishing. Peter fell to his knees, grabbed Jesus, and fearfully cried out, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” Note some interesting details here: Peter is hanging onto Jesus while telling Jesus to leave him! Peter is filled with fear because he has encountered success that was clearly not his doing. Jesus responds by telling Peter: 1. not to fear; and 2. that from now on he will “catch men.”

The second story, found in John 21:1-14, talks about Peter and six others going fishing in the Sea of Tiberius/Galilee post resurrection. They fished all night and caught nothing. Then a voice on the shore asks if they have had any luck. The answer is a brush, “No!!” The sharp, disappointed reply must have echoed off the water like the crack of a whip (no one likes to admit defeat, especially a fisherman).

The voice then makes an audacious suggestion: “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”

“Right side! You obviously know nothing about fishing,” would be Peter’s unspoken thought. “We have never done it that way.” There was an obvious reason to not fish from the right side of the boat. That’s where the rudder and rudder equipment were. Common sense would tell you that you would have a tangled mess of rope, nets, and rudder if you even tried. Besides, it’s now morning, and when the sun comes up, the fish go down. Everyone knows that!

I imagine it was with a shrug of semi-indifference combined with a dose of disbelief that they pitched the nets on the dreaded “other side of the boat.”

Then it happened. The nets went taut. “See, the nets are caught and tangled. I knew it wouldn’t work,” probably went through Peter’s mind. But the nets were not still; they were strained with literally a boatload of fish! BIG fish! One hundred and fifty-three of them! Suddenly, there was the recognition that the voice from the shore was Jesus!

“That’s the way we have always done it” netted zero. Trying something audaciously different netted 153 fish. The score is zero to 153. Maybe there is a lesson here.

There are some striking commonalities with these two stories about fishing and fishermen. In both stories, the fishermen were doing what they had always done, the same way they had always done it. They had worked hard all night. There was no lack of sincere, serious, ardent, dedicated, deliberate work. But the results were zero. Zip. Nada.

In both cases, the fishermen were following the “We have always done it that way” mantra. It had worked in the past, so the tendency was to stay with the traditional practice of history and habit. When there was a request to “Throw the net on the other side of the boat” and courageously try something audaciously different, they were shockingly successful. In the second story, they not only caught fish, but they also caught BIG ones, and plenty of them. So many they had to count them to believe it really happened.

Admittedly, I wasn’t in either boat, but my reflections on the stories teach me something about evangelistic fishing for men.

Deeply sincere effort doesn’t guarantee success.

Like the stock market, past performance is not necessarily a predictor of future performance.

It takes more courage to do something new than to repeat what worked in the past.

One definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect a different outcome. Jesus even said if what you try doesn’t work, dust off your feet, and move on. (Matthew 10:14.)

Creativity is the hallmark of Divinity. The first and last pictures of God in the Bible show Him changing the norm and being creative.

Listening to the Divine voice when He prompts us to try something different brings success.

There are some temptations in evangelism that can lead to few or to zero “fish.”

One fatal flaw is for us to focus on our favorite fallback fly (bait, spinner, technique, or topic). Success asks us to focus on the “fish,” not on what we assume will work because it appeals to us. Focusing on what I want or what I am comfortable with, can prove to be an error. Success means focusing on, and learning, what appeals to the “fish,” not what appeals to me.

Doing the same thing and not learning from what was or was not successful disallows important learning opportunities (serious post evaluation can help us here).

“These sermons worked in the 1860s (or 1960 or 2000) so they will work today!” Buggy whips were hot items in the 1860s too. Not so much today. Perhaps we need relevance, not relics.

“We already know what you need to know. You just don’t know. We will tell you what you need to know.”

“We have the truth, and we can proof-text it. Then you will join us!”

Perhaps the largest hole in our evangelistic fishing net is the assumption that people already have a basic grasp of the Bible and the plan of salvation, so all we have to do is focus on our unique doctrines.

I recently had a conversation with an acquaintance where I mentioned the name Pontius Pilate. My friend looked at me quizzically. “Pontius Pilate? Who is he?” was the response. This man is sincere, and a very new Christian, but he obviously has lots more to learn. Trying to teach him esoteric details of Bible interpretation would be like trying to teach quantum physics to someone who has never been exposed to basic math.

For a fisherman to be successful, they need to understand the fish. Fishing techniques vary widely, and differ with various species, seasons, locations, and conditions. I believe the same is true with evangelistic fishing for people. Understanding the changing tastes will inform me about changing my fly (technique). Case in point: Several years ago, I hired a fishing guide to coach me on fly fishing techniques. I had “learned” to fly fish on my own. It was an eye-opener to say the least. He selected a fly to start with because, “That is what is emerging this week.” Okay, I used that fly quite successfully up to about 3 in the afternoon when I could literally see fish come up to the fly, look at it, then turn away. Then he said, “OK, time to change the fly because that bug is done being in the air in the afternoon, so we will change to this (very different one), because that’s what the fish will be interested in until about 6 tonight.” He was aware of what interested the fish. He was not providing a fly based on what he liked. Big difference in positive results.

So, here are some “Throw the net on the other side of the boat” quotes to consider:

“If we would humble ourselves before God, and be kind and courteous and tenderhearted and pitiful, there would be one hundred conversions to the truth where now there is only one.” (Testimonies for the Church vol 9, p. 189). Or, “The strongest argument in favor of the gospel is a loving and lovable Christian.” (Ministry of Healing, p. 470).

Evangelism, like the fly fisherman’s kit, needs to have multiple options to increase the potentials for success. When I hike into the back country to fly fish, you better believe I take more than one pattern of one fly. Otherwise, all the planning, effort, expense, and time, could be an exercise in futility no matter how sincere I might be.

Perhaps our greatest need is to find ways to reach the largest and fastest-growing demographic in our communities: those who list None as their religious affiliation. Our tendency is to fish for those in the most rapidly diminishing demographic: middle-age and above church attenders, where we can share distinctive doctrines and build on what (we assume) they already know biblically.

Jesus told the parable of the net, and fishing (Matthew 13:47-52). He closed the parable by saying, “…every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” The wise leader respects, values, and uses tried-and-true “old” treasures/methods, and also uses that which is “new,” creative, and fresh. There is no doing new things to be novel, nor is there clinging to the old simply because “we have always done it that way.” Jesus taught us to have an intricately positive balance.

Someone said the seven last words of the church are, “We have always done it that way.” And the cousin of that phrase, “We have never done it that way.” Maybe it would be well for us to cast the net “on the other side of the boat” with prayerful, careful, planned creativity as we ask, “What if….  Why not try….?” We just might go from zero “fish” to one hundred and fifty-three “fish.”

To quote Peter’s words (John 21:3): “I’m going out to fish.” In response, the other disciples said, “We’ll go with you.”

Will you join the “fishing trip” too? We are all invited to participate, not just watch.

Dick Stenbakken, Ed.D., retired Army Chaplain (Col.), served as director of Adventist Chaplaincy Services at the General Conference and North American Division. With his wife Ardis, he lives in Loveland, Colorado. Email him at [email protected]

01 Jun

OBNOXIOUS EVANGELISM

In

“Where hustle’s the name of the game…” 1

I don’t remember his name, but he represented a well-known Adventist evangelistic ministry, and had some amazing facts to share with our church in Wyoming.

He was also surprisingly candid. When I questioned the purpose of his frequent use of altar calls, he told me, “I use altar calls to show the congregation that I am in control. It forces them to decide. It builds my confidence, and it gives them confidence in my ministry.” His breathtaking honesty was both refreshing and disturbing. It wasn’t clear to me that he appreciated all that he had revealed.

In another small town where we lived for several years, Adventism had a rather mixed reputation. There were fewer than ten members in the church, and most of them were known as kind, generous, and hard-working farmers, and ranchers. One member, however, had taken on the self-appointed burden of community evangelist and watchman. Almost every Sabbath afternoon, he could be found going door-to-door, handing out literature, to ensure that the blood of his neighbors would not be required at his hand (Ezekiel 33:8).

His approach was rather unconventional. He would move toward each door with caution to avoid detection, and once it was opened, he would insert his foot to make sure it couldn’t be closed. If the literature was refused, he would attempt to toss it through the door frame before he left. One more “wicked” family had been warned! He may also have been the inspiration for Neighborhood Watch, for as soon as he was spotted in a neighborhood, the phone lines would come alive with warnings of a different kind.

The world of evangelism has had its fair share of obnoxious folks. In 1926, Sinclair Lewis’s satirical novel, Elmer Gantry, chronicled the exploits of one fictional evangelist, based on real-life examples. It was so critical of American evangelism that it was banned in several cities and denounced from pulpits across the country. It became a best-seller. In the mid-twentieth century, Marjoe Gortner and his family ran a well-documented evangelistic con game. Marjoe began preaching on the sawdust circuit at the age of four, and he estimated that his family had taken in more than three million dollars by the time he was sixteen. Watching some of today’s televangelists, especially those espousing the prosperity gospel, one sees similarities to Elmer Gantry and Marjoe Gortner. Creflo Dollar, a well-known televangelist, asked his followers to each donate $300 so he could raise $65 million to buy a Gulfstream G650 twin-engine jet airplane, not necessarily for his benefit, but so that they would receive a blessing by giving. He got his jet.

This “in-your-face” quality is not rare among evangelists. To make a “sale,” some feel they must apply pressure and exhibit a high degree of confidence in themselves and their product. The faster they talk, the louder their conversation, and apparently, the more outrageous their claims, the more likely it is that they will be successful.

One son and nephew of Adventist evangelists referenced this characteristic when he said that he and his brother also tried to become an evangelistic team. They gave it up, however, when they realized that, to be successful, they would have to become the kind of persons most people don’t want to be around. Oswald Chambers described this characteristic as pseudo-evangelism, and said it requires “that you must be on the watch all the time and lose no opportunity of speaking to people…. It does not produce a disciple of Jesus, but too often, it produces the kind of person who smells of gunpowder and people are afraid of meeting….”

I have found in conversations with classmates and others of my generation that many of us have a rather negative view of evangelism. We feel we were manipulated in our youth by professional evangelists playing on our emotions. I cannot remember how many times, usually after a rousing sermon on the Judgment or Last-day Events, with the heat turned up, the lights turned low, and the piano playing softly in the background, a silky-voiced week of prayer speaker, or itinerant evangelist, challenged us with, “While every head is bowed, and every eye is closed, is there just one more who would like to give their heart to Jesus?  Thank you, Jesus! Just one more?”

Every eye was not closed, and over the coming weeks, we would closely watch our colleagues who had yielded, to see how sincere the conversion had been. Such manipulative methods are a type of spiritual and psychological force, based on fear and emotionalism, and “while force may secure outward submission, the result with many…is a more determined rebellion of the heart.” 2 This we frequently observed.

But didn’t Christ call on all His followers to be evangelists? Yes, yes, He did. He was very clear on that point, and I know that many of our professional evangelists have the best of intentions in their actions and methods. They have a sincere desire to save the lost, and many of them approach their work in a very Christlike manner.

So, what did Christ ask of us, and what were His methods that we might imitate?

Here, in my modern paraphrase, is what He asked His disciples to do: “Before the end comes, this good news will be preached in all the world, so go everywhere and teach everyone to obey the command I’ve given you: love one another.” (Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19, 20; John 13:34)

Some Adventist evangelists seem to have adopted the methods of commercial salesmen and other evangelical denominations because [those methods] seem to be so successful. But Christ’s method of approaching people with the truth was much less elaborate and aggressive than many we see today. He did not apologetically chase after the aggrieved rich young ruler, but sadly, because He “loved him,” watched him walk away from salvation. After a special request, He secretively met late at night with Nicodemus, who was too embarrassed to be seen with God in public and was too proud to make his decision for Christ until after His crucifixion. He did not try to evangelize the two thieves on the cross, but waited for one to show interest. He then responded with loving acceptance.

He seemed to have more respect for the freedom of choice of His creatures, and more trust in the working of the Holy Spirit, than we apparently have today.

The closest example of an altar call that I can find in His ministry was His call to, “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, GNT). There was no fearful or emotional appeal. No heated room with low-lit lights. No soft piano or choir in the background, and no pressure to make an immediate decision.

By definition, evangelism must be good news, and by Christ’s command, it must result in love for one another. Fear is not good news. Love cannot be forced, controlled by another, or manipulated. Neither can the Holy Spirit.

Mark Johnson is a retired public health physician and the chairman of the Boulder Vision Board. Email him at [email protected]

References:

1 Weiss, Larry, Rhinestone Cowboy.

2 White, Ellen G., Child Guidance, p. 210.

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