NN June 2020

By José Cortes, Jr. . .“But Pastor, is it okay to protest?”

“Did Jesus ever do it? Didn’t He just preach the Gospel and didn’t waste His time doing that?”

“Doesn’t Ellen White say that we cannot involve ourselves in this type of thing?”

“Don’t you think we should stop wasting our precious time in distractions such as these and preach the Three Angels Message?”

“This is all politics.”

These are some questions and comments we have heard during the last few weeks. Actually, some of these, we have heard for years now. They come from colleagues, family members, brothers, and sisters in our churches, and others. Interesting, that as Adventists, with protestant roots, we have to ask the question, if it is OK to protest.

So let’s start with Jesus; after all, He is the one we should always begin with. He is the One Ellen White would have started with. After that, we will deal with the early church and its pioneers, and we will end with our church today.

How did Jesus respond to discrimination and racism?

During the time of Jesus, there was discrimination and racism. Discrimination came in many different forms: it was religious, social, economic, gender, and racial. The poor, prostitutes, publicans, women, lepers, and gentiles were all discriminated against. The Samaritans, perhaps, is an excellent example of racism due to their mixed heritage. They were despised and discriminated by the Jews.

Jesus did not remain quiet before any of these forms of discrimination and racism. He spoke up! Each time He issued a public command or an admonition to care for the poor and the least of these, ate with prostitutes and publicans, touched and healed a leper or someone who was unclean, He was protesting the discrimination and injustice of His time.

Among the many instances, there is one that rises to the surface. When Jesus went from Judea to Galilee and decided to go through Sychar, which means “city of drunkards”, and is located in Samaria (John 4:1-42). This route was hardly ever traveled by the Jews. They avoided Samaria, yet Jesus invested plenty of time talking to a Samaritan woman, of not such a good reputation. By doing this, Jesus was clearly saying: “Samaritan Lives Matter!” In another instance, when He set the Good Samaritan as the example above the Jewish priest and Levite, He was cutting to the chase of the racism of His time and clearly affirming: “Samaritan Lives Matter!” (Luke 10:25-37)

The cleansing of the temple was another instant of protest, this one was harsh, a powerful condemnation to the Jewish religion and its establishment. Some have recently tried to make it look like a mild occasion, but according to Scripture, there was righteous indignation. There were people thrown out, tables and chairs were “overturned”, which means that they were flipped and ended upside down. Interesting to note that after this incident, the very people who had limited access to the temple, the lame, the blind, and the children came to Him, and He spent time with them and healed them (Matthew 21:12-17).

If it is true that Jesus commanded us, His followers, to love our enemies, turn the other cheek, walk the extra mile, and give our coat, it is also a reality that with His example He made it clear that loving people and standing against injustice, abuse, and discrimination are not mutually exclusive, they go hand in hand. A clear reminder that we cannot call ourselves loving Christians while we sit silently and allow people, whom we claim to love and whom we wish to save, to suffer unjustly at the hands of others! Jesus never felt that His teachings were more important than the people. His teachings were meant to bless. The Gospel that Jesus preached was not limited to sermons; neither should ours.

Jesus said, “Give to Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar” yet He took an active role as many marched and exalted Him during His triumphal entry to Jerusalem in fulfillment of prophecy (Matthew 21:1-11). Although He did not intend to take an earthly throne or to overthrow the Romans, the crowd surely thought He would, perhaps, some of His disciples agreed with the crowd. Today, many would have said, “Look at Jesus being political.” Although He was not pursuing an earthly throne by participating in that triumphal entry, or could we say march, in my opinion, He definitely established that His Kingdom of grace, love, and compassion was far better than the abusive and ruthless Roman Empire. The Romans hated it so much that they crucified Him a few days later.

How did Adventist pioneers respond to discrimination and racism?

Our Adventist church was formed and founded during a time of discrimination and racial injustice in the United States. And yes, our pioneers responded. Following, there are a few examples:

John Byington: First General Conference President, was an abolitionist. He frequently both chaired and participated in abolitionist conventions, signing petitions demanding that the US Congress abolish slavery, which he called “an outrage” and “a sin.” New historical evidence indicates that Byington and his brother Anson actively assisted fugitive slaves escaping to Canada along the famous “Underground Railroad”, which ran near his home in Bucks Bridge, New York, United States. (https://www.adventistreview.org/decoding-the-adra-genome)

Joseph Bates: the former sea captain, who accepted the Sabbath, and became known by many as the “Apostle of the Sabbath” as he contributed in his writings connecting the Sabbath with the heavenly sanctuary, and also our first temperance advocate and Adventist vegetarian, helped to found the abolitionist society in his home town. (http://www.oakwood.edu/additional_sites/goldmine/hdoc/blacksda/champ/index.html)

Ellen White: The co-founder of the Adventist church, who blessed and guided the church through her inspired voice and writings, also became very engaged during the time of slavery. “While many fine Christians defended slavery or insisted that it was an economic or political issue, certainly not a moral one, Mrs. White called slavery “‘a sin of the darkest dye.’” (Testimonies vol 1. p. 359)

She called for the disobedience of a Federal statue when she said: “the law of our land requiring us to deliver a slave to his master, we are not to obey.” (Testimonies, vol. 1. p. 202)

In her passion and discernment, she went to the point of asking that the fellowship of those who sympathized with slavery be removed from the church: “You have never looked upon slavery in the right light, and your views of this matter have thrown you on the side of the Rebellion, which was stirred up by Satan and his host. Your views of slavery cannot harmonize with the sacred, important truths for this time. You must yield your views or the truth. Both cannot be cherished in the same heart, for they are at war with each other. . . . Unless you undo what you have done, it will be the duty of God’s people to publicly withdraw their sympathy and fellowship from you, in order to save the impression which must go out in regard to us as a people. We must let it be known that we have no such ones in our fellowship, that we will not walk with them in church capacity.” (Testimonies vol. 1. p. 359-360)

She also opposed the days of fast and prayer, proclaimed by church leaders who were indifferent to the causes of abolition: “Great men professing to have human hearts have seen the slaves almost naked and starving and have abused them and sent them back to their cruel masters hopeless bondage…. They have deprived them of their liberty and free air which heaven has never denied them, and then left them to suffer for food and clothing. In view of all this, a national fast is proclaimed! Oh, what an insult to Jehovah!” (Testimonies, vol. 1. p. 257)

Early Adventists: a significant group of Christians who were against slavery left their churches because they didn’t oppose slavery. A number of those who left their churches became Seventh-day Adventists. (http://www.oakwood.edu/additional_sites/goldmine/hdoc/blacksda/champ/index.html)

How is the Adventist Church responding to discrimination and injustice?

Our global church and our North American Church have made several pronouncements against discrimination and racism. Take a look:

Fundamental Belief #14: makes it clear that the body of Christ is made up of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. (https://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental-beliefs/church/unity-in-the-body-of-christ/)

Official Statement on Racism: voted during the General Conference session of 1985, in New Orleans, that the Seventh-day Adventist Church deplores all forms of racism. An excerpt of the statement reads:

“Racial discrimination is an offense against our fellow human beings, who were created in God’s image. In Christ “there is neither Jew nor Greek” (Gal. 3:28). Therefore, racism is really a heresy and in essence a form of idolatry, for it limits the fatherhood of God by denying the brotherhood of all mankind and by exalting the superiority of one’s own race.” (https://www.adventist.org/articles/racism/)

North American Division Response to Recent Deaths and Racial Turmoils in the United States in the aftermath of the death of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd: declares that “As Christians we condemn such actions of hate and violence and call for justice to be served for the victims and their families.” The statement goes further as it requests that as Adventist, we do not stay silent before discrimination and racism:

“We urge all our church members to prayerfully consider how they interact with everyone in their communities. We ask you to speak out against injustice and hatred, just as Jesus did when He was on this earth.” (https://www.nadadventist.org/news/nad-issues-response-recent-deaths-and-racial-turmoil-us)

So, should we protest discrimination and racism?

If Jesus did it, if our pioneers, founders, and the inspired writer did it, if our church is officially encouraging us to do it, perhaps we should!

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.

This article was originally published on the nadministerial website.

By Rajmund Dabrowski … Time flies and detailed memory fades.* It was on June 21, 2004 when a procedure at the Holy Cross Hospital put a stop to a developing life challenge with prostate cancer. This exact date was scribbled on a receipt copy that I put into a valuables envelope before being wheeled out and delivered into the hands of two physicians who administered the implantation of small radio-active seeds around the prostate, known as brachytherapy.

Until recently, I didn’t consider writing about my experience. It was my experience, and a private one at that. Who would want to read about it? A little nudge from a friend going through a very serious trauma in her life, pushed me to share my story.

Dianna is a friend from our university days in 1970-71. She made me do it! So, I brought out a my file from 2003-4 with dates and facts on the serious life challenge I once traversed. She continues to receive my digital hugs and love.

What follows is a story of a human who does not give up on life, a story of being surrounded by people who care, who love, and who know what to do.

Th early Monday morning of June 21, 2004 became quite memorable for years. Today, I recall a few details of that morning nor of the procedure and how I was primed for it by two amazing doctors, Jonathan White, urologist, and Frank Sullivan, oncologist. The experience made me aware then of a valuable lesson that continues to this day, concerning the fragility of life, and the choices expressed in the famed Shakesperanean phrase, To be, or not to be…

The whole ordeal with my cancer situation was laced with moments of bewilderment, awe, and joy. Most of the joy was expressed in my own thoughts and in conversations I had with God and my loved-ones. There were exchanges of what to do, how to arrange the immediacy of days to come, and basically making a change in my lifestyle, creating a slower pace of life.

It all started with chest pain in mid-December 2003. I ended up on a hospital bed at the Washington Adventist Hospital (WAH). Having a few days to undergo tests and rest, the conclusion was that unless I slowed down in my daily pursuits, I might end up with consequential grief and tears on the faces of family and friends.

The specific trigger moment that precipitated a hick-up on an EKG read-out became a reminder from a few decades back that I had practiced how to do it my way, testing my authenticity and vulnerability, being at ease with my own life decisions, exercising courage, pushing the borders in life, rejecting conformity, and daring to be who I am. Not easy to do it, believe me. It is stressful to face being told what to do and live a life according to someone else.

In short, there was a meeting at work, someone in a high position pointed a finger at me, shook it, and said: “Ray, you shall do THAT!” I knew that I would not do what I was forcefully being fed, satisfying a decision someone else was making for me. I could not do it, knowing that participation in a non-professional corporate charade was against my better judgment. Stress boiled up to its pinnacle in my body. It allowed me, for a brief enduring moment, to be polite and mum, until the meeting ended. I picked up my toys from the office and went home.

The next morning, my chest communicated a message: Ray, get yourself checked out. A couple of hours later, I drove myself to the hospital.

The heart-event was woven with the wise and patient words of Dr. Radhey S. Murarka, a consultant cardiologist at WAH. He simply said, “You can go home now. My advice? Slow down or stress will kill you. Your heart is fine now, but I recommend a review of your lifestyle. It’s not worth fighting someone’s battles. May your own imagination pave the alley of your life’s journey. And rest a little.”

He probably said more, but that’s all I remember today. Returning home, I was wondering, what does he know about me, my work, my lifestyle, apart from what I shared with him, but with rather skimpy details?

A few weeks later, in mid-January 2004, I found myself having a general health check-up at Loma Linda University’s Center for Health Promotion. Tests revealed a satisfactory wellness score. Two or three days later, the phone rang one afternoon. It was the consulting physician from LLU, Dr. David Z. Hall. He reported on the PSA score, and suggested that we double check the result locally. “What I see suggests that you have prostate cancer,” I recall him saying. He recommended that I see a urologist locally and have another PSA test done.

What? Such was the first thought which raced though my head.

He was right. The LLU lab test revealed a 9.4 PSA reading. The LabCorp in Maryland showed a 7.3. A visit with Dr. White, subsequent biopsies (showing a very significant spread of cancer), a half a dozen tests (x-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, etc) confirmed the seriousness of my situation, and called for a review of options on where to go.

In front of me I had the following options: do nothing (this is not what crossed my mind), surgery, chemotherapy, proton treatment at LLU, radiation (to start with at Maryland Regional Cancer Center), or the brachytherapy.

My visit with Dr. White and Dr. Sullivan three months before, primed me for what was to happen on June 21. The five-week radiation treatment at Maryland Regional Cancer Center, before the Holy Cross Hospital surgery left me somewhat fatigued and closer to an understanding of what the Millennials refer to as whatever.

Frankly, my initial thoughts did not register the news of having cancer as being at the edge of a cliff. I tried to fog the potential consequences of the situation with thoughts of … and this too shall pass. But rather quickly, together with Grazyna and Michal, as well as David Brillhart, my close friend, I began a rather serious review of what it was that needed to happen, what needed to be reformed, what changes were important to be ignited. It became obvious that there was no time to waste.

Soon after receiving the phone call from LLU, a memorable moment, one that etched itself in my memory was a visit with my boss at the General Conference. I shared with him my predicament. His answer was in a question he asked: What are you planning to do about this dangerous situation? How can I help?

My answer was reflective of the way I often approach problem solving. I will take care of it, I recall saying. He replied: Good. Take as much time as you need. Your office work will still be here. Your colleagues will fill in.

We prayed. My family and friends prayed. The greatest treasure in this experience was to be surrounded by loving, caring people. Grazyna became a relentless pusher of quality nutrition (always organic!), drinking lots of water, and engaging in regular exercise. She laughs, as she reminds me about slowing down and considering to unwinding my clock and speed!

Sharing my situation with a few friends helped. At first I was invited to consider what they did, what worked for them. Mitch Tyner, a former colleague shared with me literature on prostate. Reinder Bruinsma, also a colleague from the Netherlands wrote that “if caught in time, it appears that a very large percentage of those who have cancer fully recover.” Both Mitch and Reinder poured lots of hope into me. I will be forever grateful. Cancer survivors are a close-knit fraternity, I discovered. Later, I did the same – gave support to those who were going through such traumatic, serious health issues. Living in a post-treatment phase has its challenges, but they don’t compare with the news of having a cancer situation.

The assurance of one’s faith and a life of hope made me aware that my life is more than my temporary pursuits. The cancer experience made me more aware of the people around me, especially those who are in situations which beckon me to be responsive. And moreover, such an experience creates friendships you will never forget.

But these days, when we are witnessing a see-saw situation with COVID-19 pandemic, when direct relationships are put on hold, we can’t wait to embrace each other again and refer to ourselves as … pandemic survivors.

My take away from the whole experience is this–living in and with the embrace of God is intertwined with gratitude for living one day at a time, and to the fullest. There is nothing more satisfying than being a purveyor of hope.

June 21 will always be an anniversary of becoming a cancer survivor. Today, it’s sixteen years on.

To life and love!

—Rajmund Dabrowski is RMC communication director (pictured in Strasbourg, France)

*This memoir was initially written in 2017. Today, the story becomes an evergreen for my geography of time, worth recalling and repeating. Being a cancer survivor is both humbling and a story of victory, as well as a lesson to celebrate one’s God-given health.

By Michelle Velbis – Colorado Springs, Colorado . . . School secretary, cook, event planner, pathfinder leader, sabbath school leader, and janitor – a small army of volunteers? No, all of these positions and more were held by one person, Connie Coates.

Coates, who has been in Colorado Springs since 2001, will be moving to New Mexico to be closer to family.

“Connie has served Springs Adventist Academy (SAA) with distinction and honor. She labored tirelessly to improve the school and interacted with each student with love and care,” Pastor Mike Maldonado of the Colorado Springs Seventh-day Adventist Central church stated.  “She will be greatly missed and impossible to replace.”

Adventist education is extremely important to Coates, as all three of her children attended SAA. Consequently, she felt led to devote much of her time and talents to the school.

“I was very blessed by God to volunteer and work at SAA. It brought much joy and fulfillment in my life and the satisfaction of knowing I could make a difference in the lives of staff, students, and their families,” said Coates. “I will never forget the experience and will continue to build on the things I learned during my time at SAA.”

“After working with Connie this year, I can say that she is one of the most generous and loving people I know,” SAA principal stated. “Her dedication to the students, parents, and staff of SAA has been inspiring to witness. She will be greatly missed in so many ways.”

–Michelle Velbis is principal at Springs Adventist Academy; photo supplied

Denver, Colorado . . . Guidelines for safe reopening of schools for 2020–2021 school year were released June 17 by a special ad hoc committee established by the Rocky Mountain Conference.

Working closely with the CDC, Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico health departments, and Centura Health, these guidelines were designed to keep every student, teacher, and parent safe as in-person instruction resumes.

The guidelines that are in place as of June 18 at all RMC schools are:

1. Promote healthy hygiene practices. – All RMC teachers will need to teach, reinforce, and model proper hand-washing, know how to cover coughs and sneezes, and reinforce avoiding contact with one’s eyes, nose, and mouth.
2. All staff will be required to use masks. – This is the recommendation of the CDC and CDE. It is highly recommended that students use masks.  Masks may be removed when in the classroom.
3. Social distancing in the classroom and throughout the day. – Students should remain in the same space in groups as small as possible (For the multi-teacher schools, consider ways to keep teachers with one group of students as much as possible).
4. Maximize space between seating and desks. – There should be six feet between desks and markings on the floor, so students recognize the assigned space.
5. Classes should be held outside as much as possible.
6. Lunch breaks in classroom. – Meals should be served in the classroom or outdoors. Cafeterias should be avoided whenever possible.
7. Recesses should be staggered to limit large groups or if a staggered recess is not possible, designate areas of the gym or field for each class.
8. Health checks and temperatures required. All students and staff will be required to have their temperature checked prior to being allowed to enter the building in the morning. All students and staff will be asked several COVID-19 health questions prior to the school day.
9. Extracurricular activities and after-school sports. – These programs are currently suspended. This may change as the school year starts. Colorado High School Activities Association is currently looking at all options.
10. Sanitization of the school. – The school must be deep cleaned and sanitized every day after school. The conference is in the process of acquiring certain products to sanitize our schools each day.

“I can see where some parents, students, as well as faculty are concerned about the restrictions, but the alternative is not good,” Don Reeder, Campion Academy principal stated.  “We want to have in-person education happening here so we can build community, family, and spiritual life that we treasure at Campion Academy. Having a few restrictions is necessary, but still allows us to meet together which is precious to us.”

“I think they (the guidelines) will change before school starts,” Traci Pike, Mountain Road Christian Academy head teacher stated. “What I am hoping is that we will be able to have school as normal.  I think a small one room-school is probably going to be to our benefit. I think that is something that was always looked as a negative, but has suddenly turned positive.”

“I think it will be impossible to social distance with elementary students,” Pike added.

Depending on the location, your school may have additional guidelines. Please contact your local health authorities and the RMC education department with any questions you might have.

Any confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the schools, or community outbreaks, may require the schools to implement additional requirements, even including switching to remote learning applications without any advance notice.

Many RMC schools are considering operating on modified schedules.  RMC schools will be starting on different dates. The first schools will be opening on August 9. Some RMC schools are currently exploring a 4-day school week.

Schools wishing to receive any modifications from the RMC guidelines must submit a variance request to the local county health department. The RMC education staff are available to assist in that process.

The guidelines will continue to be adjusted as we move closer to the actual opening date and as more guidance becomes available from the authorities.

Concerning the guidelines affecting enrollment, Reeder added “We are budgeting, and planning for lower enrollment, but we are not conceding the point that we might have more students as our constituency evaluates the importance of Christian education in [light of] the events of these last days. I can see a scenario where our enrollment increases because parents and students want the Christian environment and the spiritual programming.”

“Last year, we ended the school with 14 students. Right now, it is looking like I will have 18  to 20 students. Parents want their children in school,” Pike concluded.

“Our very clear and deep desire and our intention is for every school to be prepared and ready to accept students on the first day of this next school year. That is our hope and our prayer. As much as I wish it were the case; however, that is not a promise. There are just too many variables to try to see with any certainty what our world will look like in the next two months,” said Lonnie Hetterle, RMC education superintendent.  “The only thing I can promise you is that there will be school in the Rocky Mountain Conference beginning in August.”

“Rest assured, however, that every possible avenue is being thoroughly explored and we are carefully investigating all possible scenarios to provide the best and safest education for the wonderful children and young people God has given to us. If there ever was a time for deep prayer and strengthening our personal walk with Jesus, I do believe this is that time and that place,” Hetterle concluded.

It is vital that the schools work closely with their county health departments as they plan to resume their program in August, RMC educators advised.

–RMCNews

By Sandy Hodgson . . . Whenever someone in our family has an “I can’t do this” approach to something, whether a physical or mental task or even just playing a game, my daughter’s response to our lamentations is usually, “Not with that attitude!”

One of my favorite books to read with my students is Hatchet by Gary Paulsen about a young boy stranded in the wilderness who must fend for himself. He quickly learns that the first rule of survival is not feeling sorry for yourself. But I love a good pity party! I also know it gets me nowhere. It’s my “not with that attitude” moment and I, embarrassingly, can have a few too many.

Did young Joseph have an “I can’t do this” attitude as he was sold by his brothers and again when he landed in prison? Or did he know that in order to survive, he couldn’t feel sorry for himself?  How about David as he faced the giant? Or Queen Esther as she questions her ability to save her people? Job was certainly dealt a bad hand and deserving of playing the pity party card. A man of great wealth, health, and happiness, Job receives in the course of one day, not one but four messages that his children, livestock, and wealth are gone. While Job doesn’t adopt a Pollyanna approach to his loss and suffering, he does continue his quest for wisdom. He asks a lot of Why? Why? Why? questions and is still able to praise God from whom all blessings flow.

I’m reminded of the tale of the king that had a boulder placed on the road to see if anyone would remove it. Merchants and courtiers came by and walked around it, blaming the king for not keeping the roads clear. A peasant comes along and puts down his load and pushes and strains until he succeeds in getting the boulder to the side of the road. It was then that he notices a bag of coins in the road and a note from the king gifting the coins to whoever moved the stone away. The peasant learned that every obstacle is an opportunity to improve his condition.

The obstacles we face today appear overwhelming. We feel imprisoned like Joseph or facing giants we’re sure we can’t defeat. There is no way we can stand up alone to the injustices of our neighbor. Well, at least not with that attitude.

But what if we remembered that “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (1 Timothy 1:7) Let’s ask important questions, search for wisdom, remove obstacles to improve conditions for humanity, and always praise God from whom all blessings flow.

—Sandy Hodgson is a teaching principal at Vista Ridge Academy.

Littleton, Colorado … Friday on Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the US, a group of our leaders and associates at Centura-Littleton Adventist Hospital gathered to reflect on the meaning of the day amid these difficult times.

They kneeled for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in memory of George Floyd and the many others whose lives have been impacted for too long by racial injustice.

“We don’t want this just to be a thing that we did once and doesn’t go any further,” said Lead Chaplain Dany Hernandez. “The hope is that this gathering will lead to life-changing conversations and dialogue. This is about humanity, love, respect, and unity.”

“Some people might not be very comfortable with what we are doing today because everybody attaches it to something else,” Dany said. “This is not about law enforcement, this is not about politics, this is about a group of people that for too long have experienced racism in a way that a lot of us will never be able to relate to.”

Centura has stated that our healing ministry, rooted in a commitment to the sanctity of life, is on a mission to positively change the world, and this includes advocating against racial inequity and injustice.

Added Dany: “We’re going to stand up for racial equality and against racism and stand up for every marginalized community.”

He also thanked the administrators and physicians who supported Friday’s event.

–Courtesy of Littleton E-Update Newsletter.

By Joel Reyes — I keep hearing people, including journalists, refer to the riots that are literally consuming our country as the “George Floyd” riots. There are many things wrong with this term and its implications. We would almost have to assume that things were well in our country until looters poured out into the streets after the murder of George Floyd.

To credit the murder of George Floyd as the cause of the 2020 riots is like assuming that Gavrilo Princip started World War I. History books tell us that on June 28, 1914, Princip assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife Sophia, as they drove through the streets of Sarajevo, Bosnia. Princip was a member of a Serbian secret nationalist society known as the Black Hand, who sought to stop Austro-Hungarian influence in the Balkan region. Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia for the murder and one month later, declared war on Serbia starting what we know today as World War I. Some still claim that if Princip had not assassinated Ferdinand, perhaps Austria-Hungary would not have invaded Serbia and we would not have had World War I.

What is happening across our country today, is only a glimpse of a greater problem, a problem we as a country have been sweeping under the bed for centuries: tribalism. Our society is sick and has been sick for a very long time. What we are experiencing now did not start with a video showing graphic images of the murder of George Floyd. The illness is much older, and we have been carrying it for centuries. The disease is not terminal, but for so long we have refused to seek treatment or even acknowledge that we carry it.

I was born in Central America and I am one of those refugees who left my home country in my youth when that country boiled in civil war. Like many other Latin American countries, El Salvador had been ruled by military dictatorships for centuries. By law, citizens were made to vote. No, it was not a right to vote; it was a crime not to vote. Citizens went to the polls and voted against the dictators, but they knew quite well that their vote had no voice. They knew who their next president would be, and it would not be the one they were voting for. It would be the general in military regalia and shiny boots. People did the only thing they could: protest.

But the generals did not like that. It made them look bad, especially when foreign visitors were around. Many of these dictatorships were sponsored and advised by the CIA, and they could not afford to look weak, or they would lose the lucrative US funding they received. If the municipal police could not handle the situation and the protesters did not go home, the generals would send the tanks, and the streets would be cleared quickly. People tried to voice their discontent every way they could, but to no avail. On one occasion, a general by the name Maximiliano Hernandez Martinez, removed Indians from lands they had owned as an ancestral inheritance since before colonial times. The Indians had held and used their properties following ancestral customs of communal ownership, never registering them, as the Martinez government mandated. Martinez saw the Indians as lazy, ungovernable, and ignorant, and used “Land Reform” as an excuse to take their land away and “redistribute” it to large coffee planters. His actions provoked political unrest and massive demonstrations by the peasant population. The general declared martial law and sent the army into the streets. In the space of six days, tens of thousands of peasants were killed, imprisoned, or disappeared. The year was 1932.

There comes a time in the life experience of people when frustration overrides reason. We saw it during the 2016 election, which spawned “Never Hillary” and “Never Trump” movements. These were people who could not find much good in the candidate they were endorsing, yet they were willing to tolerate causes they really opposed to see the other candidate defeated. This happens when people are driven to the point of hopelessness. They have tried, they have waited, they have endured for generations, and seen no results. They grow so hopeless, they no longer care. This is also a time when people stop talking, and tribalism takes over. Tribalism is exclusive and self-serving. It blurs commonalities and magnifies difference. It fertilizes distrust, suspicion and hate, and vilifies compassion, tolerance and cooperation. It instills a culture of “survivalism,” making it easier to throw rocks at those outside the tribe. People see no point in stepping over the aisle, going instead into their own corner for protection from perceived adversaries. And the only thing they want from there on is to see “them” defeated, or even killed. There is no need to talk. There is no need to cooperate. There is no need to care about “them.”

Eventually, people in El Salvador stopped demonstrating peacefully, and began taking up arms. Such a move did not help them much, as the army had better weapons, and lots of money to spend. This frustrated people even further. It was then that the voices came, the agitators, the opportunists, the pied pipers and people listened. They heard words they had never heard before – insurrection of the masses, revolution, political oppression, proletariat, Marxism, and many others. People did not know what all those things meant, but they did not care. They embraced the promise of seeing the generals defeated, dead. “Nothing can be worse than what we have,” they would say. Had these people been given a chance for peace, they would have taken it. Had they been given a fair chance to dialogue, they would have taken it. Had their electoral choices been respected, they would not have listened to the other voices. But it was too late. Many like to measure the civil war in El Salvador as a twelve-year conflict that started in 1979 after the deposition of General Carlos Romero. Many would even argue that this was not more than a struggle against communism, as if everything had been fine and well until 1979. Just a month before the peasant revolt of 1932, US Major, A.R. Harris, had written a letter to the US War Department stating the following. “I imagine the situation in El Salvador today is very much like France was before its revolution, like Russia was before its revolution. The situation is ripe for communism, and the communists seem to have found that out.” (Report of military attaché A.R Harris, to the War Department, December 22, 1931)

I believe that most civil conflicts could be prevented if it wasn’t for pride and selfishness. We want to be right. We always want to win, and spit on the loser’s face. We see it as a virtue. We are strong, and nobody messes with us.

When we, as a society, choose to go into our own corner and close our ears to anything that comes from the other side, we have started building the foundation for civil war. War happens when people stop talking, and there are no winners in a civil war. The riots of 2020 are showing us how easily things can get out of hand and how we all lose when people stop caring. The cocktail has been brewing for a long time, ready to explode, ready for a little spark. The murder of George Floyd provided that spark. No, the problem is not our politicians, or even the police. The problem lies deeper within each one of us. Until we realize the value of others and are willing to break away from our tribe and walk over the aisle and make the sincere effort to understand and respect the position and opinion of those we disagree with, things will only get worse. The pressure inside the keg will only continue to grow. Politicians are only a reflection of who we are. We elect them, and we elect them according to our values. They fight worse than cats and dogs, but isn’t that what we want them to do? In the process, they inspire us with anger, frustration, and hate. We don’t want them to compromise. There is no room for moderate voices. We call that weakness. We don’t want them to listen to the opinions of the other tribe. We praise them when they are mean and vicious toward the people we hate. We want them to be like us. Don’t blame them. They are us.

No, the death of George Floyd was no more the cause of the riots than was the murder of Archduke Ferdinand the cause of World War I, or the coup of General Romero the cause of the Salvadorian Civil War. It was the fruit of years of frustration, hopelessness, and eventually self-exile into tribalism. As Christians, we need to pause and measure our words and actions by the words of Jesus, not the behavior of political leaders. It’s not about being right. Self-righteousness leaves no room for dialogue. What we need the most today is Christians who can muster all the courage needed to look weak. We cannot continue measuring others by our own reality. We need to be willing to recognize and empathize with the struggles of others and be willing to listen and validate their reality. We need to stop telling people to “grow up and forget about it.” Let’s step out of our tribal strongholds and see those we don’t like as human beings, as fellow sojourners in this land, as citizens worthy of our respect. We also need to be humble and admit that we have gotten this whole thing wrong. There will be no solutions if we continue to do things the way we have been doing them. The solution is up to us.

–Joel Reyes is principal of Intermountain Adventist Academy in Grand Junction, Colorado; (pictured are Archduke Franz Ferdinand and wife in Sarajevo June 28, 1914) Photo by Creative Commons.

By Jon Roberts — Brighton, Colorado . . . Within minutes of its outset, the Brighton Fire Rescue District responded to a fire at the Brighton church which engulfed its social annex shortly after 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 21.

Firefighters were on the scene within six minutes of the initial call.   When they arrived, the exterior of the annex side of the church was engulfed in flames and fire had spread to the attic. The initial responding crew placed a call for assistance from three additional units within Brighton Fire Rescue District, and two units from South Adams County Fire Department.

After a forced entry through a door in the back of the building, firefighters were able to gain access to the attic space. They extinguished the flames before the fire had a chance to spread to other areas of the building.

Immediately after putting out the fire, fire crews gave clearance for church personnel to enter the church and they began to clean up and assess the damages.

“This is quite extensive. The annex at this point is not useable,” said Rodney Kelly, head elder. “The food bank has been totally affected. We are not able to hold food bank this week as we were planning to,” he finished.

“This affects our community that were hoping to having appropriate resources coming into the holiday week, Kelly explained.  “This is a big concern [that], we are not able to provide what we had planned for our community.”

Working throughout the night, Kelly contacted an electrician in an attempt to save the refrigerators and freezers in the food bank. Electricians were able to run new circuits overnight to restore power to those vital components of the food bank. The rest of the building remains without power.

Fire investigators are conducting a full investigation, with initial findings revealing that the fire appeared “to have started as an outside fire in bushes and trees. It extended into the soffit and attic space. Crews were able to stop the fire in the attic and limit any further damage,” according to a Facebook update posted on Sunday evening by the Brighton Fire Rescue District.

Insurance has been notified and the conference is working closely to ensure that paperwork is submitted to Adventist Risk Management. The extent of the damage to the exterior and attic is yet to be determined.  No injuries occurred, and the building was empty at the time of the fire.

The church welcomes assistance as it plans to reopen a community food pantry and refurbish its facility, says Kelly. “We could use any help anyone wants to provide,” he adds “if you are able to assist, please contact the Brighton church via email at [email protected].”

“I’m glad nobody was hurt. There are material damages, [but] material things can be repaired and replaced,” Kelly concluded.

–Jon Roberts with additional reporting by Rajmund Dabrowski.  Photos by Rajmund Dabrowski and Brighton Fire Rescue District Facebook.

Columbia, Maryland . . .On June 21, 2020, the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s North American Division issued the following statement after a full-page advertisement was published by a fringe organization on the same day in the Nashville Tennessean, a Gannett-owned newspaper.

“The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America is deeply disturbed by the two hurtful ads recently published in the Nashville Tennessean.

“The claims made against the Muslim community have caused pain and strife. We soundly reject these hateful and dishonest words. Further, we need to be clear: there is no connection between the Seventh-day Adventist Church and this group and their teachings, which serve to hurt and cause disharmony.

“One of the Adventist Church’s Fundamental Beliefs states, ‘In Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and differences between high and low, rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to serve and be served without partiality or reservation’ (Fundamental Belief 14, Unity in the Body of Christ).

“The Seventh-day Adventist Church requests that the Nashville Tennessean repudiate the advertising and publicly state there is no connection between the Adventist Church and this group.”

Not only does the ad briefly mention the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the group used quotes from Ellen G. White, one of the Adventist Church’s founding members, out of context. “The Ellen G. White Estate rejects any interpretation of Ellen White’s writings that suggests she predicts a specific target of impending disaster, the timing of any such event, or a connection to the Muslim, or any other, faith group,” said Jim Nix, director of the Ellen G. White Estate, an entity of the Seventh-day Adventist Church world headquarters.

–This article was originally published on the NAD Website.

By Mike Maldonado — Colorado Springs, Colorado … It has been said that a church should reflect the demographic of the community it is in. If a community is mainly Caucasian, then it is no fault of the church if its members are mostly Caucasian. But if a church is in a racially diverse community and the demographic is mainly Caucasian then there is work to be done. That is the situation we (my wife and I) found ourselves in eleven years ago when we first arrived in Colorado Springs to pastor Central church. Colorado Springs is a diverse community due to the large military presence, numerous universities and colleges, a booming economy, and a red-hot housing market.

Yet for the most part, Central church was mostly Caucasian with little diversity. I do not believe Central’s “whiteness” (for lack of a better word) was due to prejudice or overt racism, but rather from a lack of diversity-oriented leadership in the past. The bottom line is the leader of an organization or church creates the culture and values of the organization. When my wife and I arrived in Colorado Springs, we were welcomed with open arms, mainly because they had been without a pastor for almost a year! I do not think they realized the implications of having a pastor born in Mexico and a pastor’s wife born in Nicaragua who is also one-quarter Chinese!

One of the core values my wife and I have is that racial diversity is a beautiful thing. It does not matter what area you are talking about, having a mix of cultures and ethnicities always makes life more fun and beautiful. We got these values from having lived overseas for a period of time, traveling extensively around the world, and my wife’s two dozen medical mission trips to places such as Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Venezuela, Columbia, Greece, Iraq and many more.

When we arrived at Central, the standard practice when a person of a different racial background showed up, was to let them know (out of courtesy, of course) that there was a Black church, Korean church, Hispanic church that they might like trying out. We even had directions to the other churches printed out for such an eventuality. I immediately stopped this practice. We made sure that the greeters did not send people of color to other churches but let them know they were welcome at Central. Up front, I verbalized again and again that all people were welcome at Central regardless of race or ethnicity. But it was not just about race, we also let people know that anyone, no matter what their background or history, was welcome. Our vision for the first nine years was simply to create a safe place for all people to come and grow spiritually together. It took time, but word eventually got out that Central had changed!

Two other big steps in transitioning from an all-white church to one more reflective of the community was International Sabbath and Brenda’s mission reports. Once a year we host an International Sabbath where we have a guest speaker from another country, where the service is done in various foreign languages and we encourage members to come dressed in their national dress. It is now our most popular service, mainly because of the international lunch after the service! In addition, every time Brenda went on a mission trip, she always came back with an inspiring mission report/sermon. She has awakened the congregation to the beautiful diversity in the world and brought it back to Central church.

We were also very intentional about bringing diversity into our leadership team. Eleven years later, it is remarkable to experience the diversity at Central. The senior pastor is Mexican, the head elder is Caucasian, the associate pastor is Samoan, the secretary is from British Virgin Islands, our Bible worker is Jamaican, and our school board chair is African-American. In response to George Floyd’s death, I preached a three-part series on “Jesus and Human Rights”.

On Sabbath, June 27, the church will sponsor an evening of discussion and prayer on growing up black in America. There are still a few pockets of resistance in the church, but with love, education, strong leadership and the softening of the Holy Spirit, walls of prejudice and fear are coming down and the banner of Christ is being raised high above the nations.

—Mike Maldonado is senior pastor of Colorado Springs Central Church. Photo by Rajmund Dabrowski