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01 Jun

EVANGELISM FOR SHY PEOPLE

In

Many of us came of age in a generation taught that the requirements for faithful discipleship with Jesus were daily Bible study, prayer, and witnessing. The first two could be done in private, the last required a foray into the public square.

Personal witnessing was the natural outflow of filling the well of one’s spirit with regular prayer and Bible study. It was also a necessary part of mission outreach. When Adventists gathered in a city for a youth conference, a noted speaker would come to inspire the youth, workshops would be held on techniques of witnessing, and the armies of youth, rightly trained, would take to the streets to apply what they had learned. They would sweep through the malls and parks, often in matching T-shirts, to hand out literature to startled shoppers and pedestrians.

It was urgent to get the information into the hands of the public. The belief in the power of the message to persuade was implicit. Our job was simply to spread the literature “like the leaves of autumn” and trust that the Holy Spirit would take it from there. But we were also taught that if we had the opportunity to witness to someone and didn’t take it, the responsibility for their soul would be on us in the Judgment. The sight of people stuffing the literature into the nearest trash bin was not cause for an adjustment of techniques. It simply meant that they had hardened their hearts against the entreaties of the Spirit.

As a summer youth pastor in California in the ‘70s, I received training in evangelistic outreach methods. These were usually modeled after Bill Bright’s Campus Crusade for Christ tactics. Conference youth ministry leaders were constantly refining their methods and creating handouts, brochures, pins, and other materials that could be used in witnessing efforts. I tried my best, gamely going where I had not gone before. But my heart was not in it.

I wasn’t sure why I was so reluctant to witness. After all, I was a religion and journalism double major. I had been involved in religious activities in high school and my year at Newbold College in England working in the Gate, a Christian music and conversation center, had enlivened and confirmed my love for Christ.

My my junior year in college, I knew that being a pastor was not my calling. I hoped to parlay my fascination with religion and its meaning into an academic career, and that my love of writing could somehow be of use in drawing people to Jesus.

In the classroom I found my vocation, my calling. In teaching religion, communications, ethics, and philosophy courses, I was able to speak freely of the spiritual life and, when asked, “give answer to the hope that was within me.” With my students, I got involved with feeding the homeless in Washington, DC, working alongside local activists. Our campus organization also supported students working for Big Brother/Big Sister programs and we often spoke at local churches and academies in the Columbia Union Conference. I found this a solace for my soul because it was personal, direct, and authentic.

I taught a college course on “Persuasion and Propaganda” for many years. It helped me understand why I am crosswise with most public evangelism methods. First, I recognized how powerful crowds can be in swaying individuals to give up their will. The methods that many evangelists use is on the spectrum from persuasion to propaganda, with some tools differing only in degree from coercion. A skilled evangelist can produce ends, no matter the means used.

Second, I was not convinced that television was an effective means of evangelism. I agreed with Marshall McLuhan’s dictum that “The medium is the message.” That is, if television is primarily an entertainment medium, then no matter what goes into it, entertainment will come out of it. The medium itself changes the message. Granting that television can draw millions of people world-wide to the same event and unite them momentarily in sympathy or excitement, it does not allow for the natural intimacy when people honestly share face to face about the Spirit’s movement in their hearts.

I am moved by dramas I see on television. When the writing is superb, the actors fully invested in their characters, the direction, cinematography, lighting, and music are inspired, the experience can bring tears of appreciation to my eyes. Likewise, the concerts I’ve attended in which the musicians are not only consummate artists, but they create a communion for thousands of people—those moments are spiritual ones for me. But I am a spectator, deeply involved, but still a person watching, listening, appreciating—at a distance.

I have realized that Jesus calls us to use the talents we have in the ways that are true to who we are. Like many teachers, I am an introvert. I could walk into a classroom with joy, engage every student as I was able, sparkle, be effervescent, draw them into rich discussions, and then gratefully return to my office where I could study, research, and write. Teaching provided opportunities to be a listener in a natural movement of empathy. When appropriate, I prayed with students and, when asked, gave advice—although the longer I was a teacher, the more reluctant I was to tell students what they should do. That too, was witnessing.

I began this essay recalling how prayer, Bible study, and witnessing were set before us young butterflies while yet in our cocoons. I still believe in and practice the first two, realizing that “practice” is the operative word for my stumbling efforts. But my understanding of evangelism and witnessing has necessarily evolved over the years.

In the past two years, and more, of the pandemic, my social ties were loosened in person and strengthened online. I have only been to church once in more than 120 Sabbaths, and that was for the memorial service of a beloved church member who died of COVID. I write poetry and post it online. I Zoom with a friend in England once a week. I keep up a sporadic correspondence with friends around the world. My family and my online Sabbath School class are my confidants. All this witnesses to the lifelines God throws to me daily.

I leave the science and art of persuasion to others. I reach out to read, understand, and experience the ways and means that people up and down the centuries have used to come into the presence of the holy. When I walk every morning before dawn, I witness the beautiful complexity of life in the forest. I breathe in, I breathe out. What I take in gives me a reason to give back to people as I can. What I learn teaches me what I can pass along.

We witness to and we witness for. We are witnesses to the ways God’s presence shimmers in and out of our lives. We are witnesses to God’s absence also. We are witnesses for Jesus when the Spirit calls us, giving us the words to say that will bring healing and hope to others and to ourselves.

Barry Casey has published in Adventist Society for the Arts, Brevity, Faculty Focus, Lighthouse Weekly, Mountain Views, Patheos, Spectrum Magazine, The Dewdrop, and The Purpled Nail. His collection of essays, Wandering, Not Lost: Essays on Faith, Doubt, and Mystery, was published by Wipf and Stock in November 2019. He writes from Burtonsville, Maryland. Email him at [email protected]

01 Jun

REFRAMING THE FOCUS

In

The Seventh-day Adventist Church prides itself as the custodian of a specific message found in Revelation 14:6-13. The global scope of the proclamation embedded in the Three Angels’ Messages aims to prepare the world for Christ’s Second Coming. The introductory phrase, ‘Then I saw another angel flying in mid-air,’ expresses motivational haste for a dynamic activity encapsulated in the movement’s evangelistic thrust. The Church’s life and exponential growth are entrenched in the message’s spiritual DNA, drawing attention to the proclamation of the eternal gospel, and calling on people of all nations to worship God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth (Revelation 14:6:7).

While the character of the message’s evangelistic proclamation has been adjusted to a more profound and relevant response to human needs in the changing world, the eternal gospel’s spiritually relational quality eludes its life-transforming influence. The traditional, cognitively grounded, and program-oriented sharing of religious information devoid of the spiritual heart-to-heart dissemination of God’s love contributes to the formation of heartless religiosity.

Such an environment opens the floodgates to dogmatism, theological arguments, authoritarian control, a focus on oiling the organizational machinery’s status quo, and congregational attrition. Bosch argues, “If the Church is to impart to the world a message of hope and love–of faith, justice, and peace–something of this should become visible, audible, and tangible in the Church itself.”[1] The eternal gospel’s message has an all-inclusive application – not only to the world at large, but also to the Church. It calls on the Church to depart from the exclusive, judgmental mentality of triumphalism and step into the world of human brokenness, as Jesus did, to proclaim the message of hope and healing, justice, and mercy, not only in words, but also in the service of authentic witness.

The lack of contextualized adaptation of the eternal gospel to life in a progressively changing world confronts the Church with a dilemma. De Waal argues, “We are now living in one of the fastest periods of change in history, and the local Adventist church is in danger of becoming irrelevant, even outdated. The local church is at the crossroads and needs to biblically reinvent itself to stay relevant.”[2] He expands his argument by stressing the change’s impact globally: “While the Church is growing rapidly in the Global South, it is stagnant or experiencing malaise in most parts of the Global North. Many churches are in maintenance mode. Even though transfer and biological growth are steady, kingdom growth is minimal or by only addition. In its mission work, our Church often seems to be servicing institutions more than engaging in frontline work.”[3]

It’s painful and heartbreaking to pose honest, reflectively evaluating questions out in the open because it places individuals at risk of open criticism, silent exclusion, and even loss of employment. However, the contemporary emergence of authoritarian control and the dangerous pangs of fundamentalism in the ranks of the Adventist community, a community defined by Johnsson as “people of dream,”[4] encourages many thinkers to ask genuine questions concerning the state of the Church. De Waal extends the question to the spirit of evangelism: “Will the local Adventist church continue in its same structural mode, resourcing a paradigm of audience-centered and program-oriented ministry?”[5] In the depths of such heartfelt reflections, it’s necessary to refocus on the meaning of Jesus’ way, heart-to-heart proclamation, and sharing the good news of God’s kingdom of grace. In his challenging book Exiles: Living Missionally in the Post-Christian Culture, Michael Frost muses, “All Christian missional and [I add organizational and evangelistic] activities must emerge from our relationship with Jesus…. It is the Spirit of Christ within each of us that gives rise to a missional lifestyle.”[6] How did Jesus announce and proclaim the presence of God’s kingdom of grace?

Adjusting the Lenses

Space does not permit a detailed analysis of Christ’s Messianic entry into the domain of human life, but a brief, thoughtful reflection highlights the waves of inspirational motivation that enrich the meaning of the ‘eternal gospel’ and its application to God’s last invitation, calling people to step into the safe haven of God’s kingdom of grace. Frost defines such moments as “God’s songs.” Such songs dispel notions of fear, judgment, and condemnation, for they “give birth to a new world and a new way of being his followers.”[7] This succinct rumination suggests that God’s songs enhance the vision of healing, inspiration for life, and an unconditional acceptance.

Jesus announced the pathway of His redemptive ministry as “the good news for the poor. It aimed to proclaim freedom for prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, and release of oppression” (Luke 4:18,19). His proclamation’s evangelistic thrust was short and sweet: “Today, the Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (4:21). John’s gospel summarized its theological significance in another profound statement: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).

Christ’s proclamation of the good news was not a top-down imposition of information shared from a distance. Moffett argues that in the kingdom’s context, the evangelistic proclamation was never so narrow that it became isolated from the immediate pressing needs of the imprisoned, the blind, and the oppressed.[8] It may be added that the presence of God’s kingdom of grace extended its healing influence beyond the realm of physical needs, grounding its healing power in the spiritual domain of human experience. Christ’s physical healings provided just a microscopic taste of the future glory, in which death and suffering would reign no more (Revelation 21:1-4). However, His journey to the cross displayed His attitude toward marginalized, spiritually wounded, and homeless people.

The selected narratives in the first three chapters of John’s gospel are significantly intentional. He is the only gospel writer who refers to Christ’s miracle at the wedding in Cana (2:1-11). While the other gospel writers described Christ’s cleansing of the temple during the Passover Feast just before His death, John includes the story at the beginning of Christ’s Messianic mission (2:12-23). The story of Nicodemus appears only in the gospel of John. The listed narratives outline the scope of Christ’s relational attitude that guided the human heart to the place of spiritual healing–the cross.

First, life in Jesus’ presence generated a spontaneous willingness to witness (1:35- 51). Jesus knew that His disciples did not understand His Mission’s real purpose.[9] Nevertheless, He was not hesitant to change Peter’s name, for he knew his potential and uniqueness. Jesus was not afraid to provide encouragement, motivation, and unconditional acceptance, rather than criticism. He knew and understood Nathaniel’s struggles with doubts, yet he encouraged him with a greater vision (1:51). The entire story opens our minds to the welcoming environment of acceptance that ignites human value.

Second, the wedding miracle at Cana reminded the disciples to focus on the unfolding presence of God’s grace, for the best was yet to come (2:10). As Leon Morris suggests, “He [Jesus] changed the waters of Christ-lessness into the wine of the richness and the fullness of eternal life.”[10] Christ’s miracle of changing water into wine unfolded the pathway of creative inspiration for life, reminding the disciples that the best comes last. Even though the disciples did not understand the spiritual significance of the miracle, they “put their faith in him” (2:11).

Finally, Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus confronts all with the challenge of decisions – the challenge to be born from above to receive the healing and life-transforming power of God’s grace (3:10-17).

This brief reflection suggests that the outlined character of unconditional acceptance, inspiration for life, and the life-transforming and healing power of the cross represents the spiritual depth of the “eternal gospel” to be shared with the people of all the nations (Revelation 14:6-7). Furthermore, the attitude role-modeled by Christ’s witness safeguards God’s message from any form of fiery and critical condemnation of the world (John 3:16-17). Instead, it challenges the community of faith to mold the footsteps of God’s mercy on the pathway of human life, focusing on the victorious liberation accomplished by Jesus, the Lamb of God (John 1:35; 3:16; Revelation 5:6-13). So reciting Frost, “Why can’t our corporate singing summon up a world where the poor are fed, and the marginalized are welcomed to the table of the Lord? Why can’t we sing about the world that Jesus dreamed of on the side of the mountain? Why does our singing so often seem so trivial?”[11]

Jesus is not just another story among many stories; HE IS THE STORY–He is the home of hope, peace, and inspiration in the messed-up world.

John Skrzypaszek, DMin, a retired director of the Ellen White/Seventh-day Adventist Research Centre, is an adjunct senior lecturer at Avondale University College, Coranboong, NSW, Australia. Polish by birth, John takes a keen interest in heritage, spirituality, and identity studies. He is married to Brenda and has two sons Raphael and Luke. Email him at: [email protected]

 

[1] David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1995), 414.

[2] Kayle de Waal, “A question of mission,” Adventist Record. (August 1, 2017), 1

[3] Ibid.

[4] William Johnsson, The Fragmenting of Adventism (Boise, ID: Pacific Press, 1995), 105.

[5] De Waal, 1.

[6] Michael Frost, Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2006), 29.

[7] Frost, 23.

[8] Samuel Moffett, “Evangelism: The Leading Partner” in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, Eds. Ralph D. Winter and Steven C. Hawthorne (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 1992), D-208.

[9] Luke 18: 31-34; Mark 9:32; John 12:16; Luke 22:18-21.

[10] Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 1971), 176.

[11] Frost, 23

 

01 Jun

“A PLACE THEY MADE UP IN THE BIBLE?”

In

Writing a book can be an all-consuming endeavor requiring an intensity of focus and an amount of energy that seems absurd for the amount of energy needed to simply sit still for long enough. Even more so when the book is based on an intense personal experience.

But that was the task I had set for myself: two weeks traveling with a tour group through Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian Territories, exploring many of the key places and stories of the Bible, writing in my hotel room late into the night and early in the morning, as well as on the bus in between. Then writing for most of a day during a long wait in the back of a Starbucks in the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, on much of the long flight home and then more writing, re-writing, and revising across the following week.

Wanting to share as much of the experience as I could with those who might never be privileged to take such a trip, I was trying to get it down while the reactions were fresh, the details sharp, and the reflections at their most intense, even if it resulted in being as jumbled as the experience itself. As well as telling the stories of travel in exotic and interesting places, I was wanting to share some of the insights into reading Bible stories that can be gained from visiting the places where they happened and to reflect on how such experiences might change how we understand those stories. And at the end of that intense three weeks, I had completed the manuscript that would become Of Falafels and Following Jesus: Stories from a Journey Through the Holy Land,* with additional reflections to be added from two friends with whom I shared the journey.

It was close to the end of this time that I shut the computer for a break and headed to my usual Thursday-evening “old man’s” basketball game. I play in an over-30s league—and have done so for quite a few years with many of the same teammates. Because of the life stage of people in this league, some of us will miss games from time to time because of work and other commitments and some of the team will regularly bring their kids to help keep score and to cheer us on, even if with only occasional enthusiasm.

As I have missed games from time to time because of my travel for work, that Thursday evening, one of my teammates asked about where I had been the previous week, perhaps chiding me about what could be more important than our basketball team. I thought back to where I had been the previous Thursday and told him that, at that time the previous week, I had been walking the stone-paved streets of the Old City in Jerusalem. That’s quite a thing to be able to drop casually into conversation. And, with increased interest, he started asking about my trip and what I had been doing there.

But our conversation took an unexpected turn—for both him and me—when his elementary school-aged daughter tapped him on the arm to get his attention and, speaking more to her father than to me, half-asked, “But I thought Jerusalem was a place they made up in the Bible.”

We paused for a moment, before the father began gently teasing his daughter about what she was learning at school. And I pulled out my phone and began showing them photos of a few of the places I had a visited with a brief travel narrative, interrupted by the previous basketball game coming to an end and our team needing to begin our warm-up shoot-around.

But the brief exchange left me thinking. Consumed as I was with crafting profound reflections on the stories of Jesus and my intense experiences and focus on these stories over the previous three weeks, for that girl—and perhaps for her family as well—the most relevant thing I had to share was a few photos of real places that might move her a step closer to beginning to think about the possible reality of some of the stories of the Bible or even the potential credibility of the Bible itself.

We might lament the growing biblical illiteracy in our societies. This is real and no less a relevant concern even within some of our church communities. But we should also embrace this challenge and note the opportunity that comes with it.

The challenge is that we need to meet people at a much lower level in their knowledge, experience and understanding of what our faith is about. My teammate’s daughter is a long way from a Bible study, much less a detailed explication of each of the 28 Fundamental Beliefs, the finer details of an obscure prophecy, or an argument about the day on which she “should” be going to church. Let’s not assume that our concerns are the things other people most need to hear. My literary reflections on the contested nature of holy places and the politicization of the temple, from the time of David and Solomon to its rebuilding by Herod the Great, would not answer this girl’s query about whether Jerusalem is a more believable place than a fairy-tale kingdom.

If we really want to share our faith, rather than merely saying what we think we ought to say, we need to begin by listening, asking careful questions, and then listening some more. This is modeled in some of the key “witnessing” stories in the New Testament—for example, the woman at the well in Samaria (see John 4), the disciples on the road to Emmaus (see Luke 24:13–27), and Phillip and the Ethiopian on the road to Gaza (see Acts 8:26–38). Each of these conversations happened amid the activities of life and the conversations began where the people were, not with the conversation we might think most important or pressing.

When we do this, the opportunity we have is that of a fresh hearing for the stories, teachings and promises of Jesus. When the opportunities arise, I can share Bible stories with people like my teammate’s daughter without them knowing how the stories end, without their cultural baggage, without assuming that we know what they mean. And with our own stories and experiences of faith, we can invite them to share in exploring these stories together, which in turn, will help us see and appreciate them with new eyes. And, in its own way, that is as valuable as a trip to the Holy Land.

Nathan Brown is a writer and editor at Signs Publishing near Melbourne, Australia. His Christmas devotional book Advent: Hearing the Good News in the Story of Jesus’ Birth is great for seasonal reading and gifting. Email him at: [email protected]

*A little product placement never hurts. The book is available from an Adventist bookshop near you: https://adventistbookcenter.com/of-falafels-and-following-jesus.html

01 Jun

(POST)-MODERN EVANGELISM

In

A few years ago, I was hanging out with an older friend, and we were talking about the trustworthiness of the Bible. A Yale- and MIT-trained Jew, we focused only on the Hebrew Bible, since that is his context, but he was fairly skeptical of my confidence in its authority. Despite being Jewish, or arguably because of a certain rendition of Judaism, he leans more toward a pantheistic understanding of God, maintaining that divinity inhabits everyone and everything.

Growing a little impatient and somewhat frustrated that I wasn’t making much headway in my attempts to convince him of the Bible’s reliability, I decided to bust out an evangelistic “secret weapon” that Adventists have used since our inception in the nineteenth century: Daniel 2. I described the statue Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream—the head of gold, the chest of silver, the thighs of bronze, the legs of iron—and how they unequivocally align with the four historical kingdoms, starting with Babylon, that dominated the world from the time of Daniel. I pointed to the feet of iron mixed with clay, and how that represented divided Europe, and the rock cut out of the mountain without human hands, representing God’s kingdom, that would shatter all earthly kingdoms and nations and ultimately set up God’s eternal kingdom. It was all directly out of Adventist Evangelism 101, used thousands of times by confident and zealous evangelists.

And it was all thoroughly unconvincing.

After listening to my passionate explanation, my friend looked at me, and without a hint of sarcasm or guile, simply said, “It sounds like you’re really stretching that interpretation.”

His response was quite jarring to me. I didn’t expect him to jump into the baptistry the minute I finished my exposition, but I at least thought it would give him pause. Instead, he displayed utter ambivalence.

To make it clear, I know that’s not the end of the story. Despite what many “mission spotlight” type stories leave us impressed with, sudden come-to-Jesus’ conversions, at random coffee shops, rarely occur. Conversion is more like a slowly developing journey, with smaller accumulated insights, rather than a sudden burst of revelation that dramatically alters a person’s trajectory in an instant. Who knows as to whether my exposition of Daniel 2 might serve as just a tiny dot that one day, when combined with other small dots, turns into a beautiful painting of a Jesus-centered life.

I also remain fairly persuaded that Daniel 2 pretty accurately reflects, in broad strokes, the scope of human history from the time of Daniel to our day. I don’t say this with absolute certainty, but despite my friend’s apprehension, I still find the outline of Daniel 2 pretty impressive.

The point is, however, that I found myself using a nineteenth-century argument, and a nineteenth-century evangelistic approach, with a twenty-first-century person. This is not at all to deny that such an approach can work with many, many people in the twenty-first century. It’s simply to point out that, as one of my friends—who himself is an evangelist—once told me: “Adventist evangelism is very creative . . . for the 1950s or 1850s.”

The truth is, Adventist evangelism has, it seems to me, suffered from arrested development. Where once our denomination was a creative and risk-taking movement, willing to try new and innovative approaches in order share the gospel, we have now become conservative and stale. This is not necessarily unique to Adventism, since the natural—and, to some degree, appropriate—development of organizations is to institutionalize and conserve, providing a somewhat-appropriate conservatism that promotes stability. But the trick is to take all the positives of institutionalization and combine them with fresh approaches.

In pointing to the need for creative and innovative approaches to evangelism, I’m not even talking about anything all that crazy or revolutionary. I’m not talking about dancing bears or fog machines or strobe lights at contemporary worship services. I’m not talking about having the fanciest or most up-to-date websites, or killer social media platforms. Those things may be all well and good, and part of the answer, but, to me, it’s even more fundamental—and perhaps even more creative and scary—than that.

What I’m talking about is this: the most creative and innovate evangelistic thing we can do is to draw close to people, enter into life with them, and listen to their stories. That is truly revolutionary—though I would propose it actually works at all times and in all places. It is, in many ways, trans-cultural and effective in any historical era.

Too many of our evangelistic approaches are drawn up in laboratories or after reading books. Even methods that are deemed “innovative” are often implemented as the result of learning them from a sort of cookie-cutter, one-size-fits all evangelism template. We have, in the words of Ellen White, taught our people to become thinkers of “other men’s thoughts,” instead of teaching them to listen to the Spirit for themselves, and to listen to the stories of those they’re trying to reach with the gospel, and then sharing the gospel with them in creative and relevant ways.

This idea really hit home for me a few years ago when I spent three or four days at the General Conference headquarters, visiting a couple friends who worked there. As I just floated around the halls, occasionally popping in on various meetings, a thought suddenly occurred to me: these people, dedicated servants of God, are trying to create content that will reach people in Bangkok as well as Bangor, Laos as well as Los Angeles. How does that work?

I don’t write this to be critical of anyone at the General Conference—or anywhere else. The same could be said for content that comes out of our Divisions, Unions, and Conferences. We are extremely reliant on one-size-fits all programming that, by its very nature, cannot connect in completely relevant ways to your neighbor in Denver or Boulder the same way it does to mine in Bangor or someone else’s in Tokyo.

The truth is, as they say about politics, evangelism is local. It must be local. Only then can it be innovative and creative, in the truest sense of the word. It’s only as we enter into life with real people, who have unique stories, that we can fully understand how the gospel speaks and applies to them in unique, innovative, and beautiful ways. While the content of the gospel doesn’t change, utilizing a canned evangelistic approach, and prescribing canned evangelistic arguments, is like prescribing surgery by simply consulting with WebMD.

In other words, instead of thinking about and planning creative programs, we should think about coming alongside people—our neighbors, co-workers, and friends—and asking the Spirit to show us how to share the gospel, in both word and deed, in ways that uniquely apply to each individual.

Of course, all this challenges traditional Adventism. In my experience, Adventists typically prefer to keep people—especially non-Adventists—at arm’s length and to do our evangelism from afar. We would often rather send out a tract or post a YouTube video than to draw close to people and share life with them. We’re afraid of keeping bad company that might influence us away from the truth.

There are many reasons for this attitude and posture, but I’d propose that chief among them is our failure to fully grasp the gospel, both intellectually and emotionally. At its core, the gospel teaches us that the God of Scripture is a God of incarnation—of one who steps into our mess, meeting us where we are and embodying His truth amidst all our mess and sin. As John declared, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us”—or, as The Message renders it, “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14).

Simply put, when we understand the radical condescension of God in the Person of Jesus—when we understand and appreciate the depths to which Christ went in order to reach and save us—we will embody such a posture in our own approach to evangelism, seeking to meet people where they are and fully communicating the gospel not only in word but also in deed.

And that is the most creative and innovative thing we can do to share the gospel.

Shawn Brace is a pastor in Bangor, Maine, whose life, ministry, and writing focus on incarnational expressions of faith. The author of four books and a columnist for Adventist Review, he is also a DPhil student at the University of Oxford, focusing on nineteenth-century American Christianity. You can follow him on Instagram and Twitter @shawnbrace, and sign up for his weekly newsletter at shawnbrace.substack.com

01 Jun

EVANGELISM – WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE?

In

I grew up in a home that ate, drank, and breathed “evangelism.” It was important to us because evangelism introduced the Gospel to my family which completely changed the trajectory of our lives for the better. It was from this experience of the Gospel finding us through evangelism that our burden for evangelism was born.

My father and mother worked in evangelism for more than 50 years and have participated in close to 230 evangelistic events. I also now have the privilege of working in evangelism. Because of this, I have heard a lot of ideas, thoughts, opinions and criticisms on evangelism over the years. I, myself, have wrestled with some of the realities of change and cultural shifts and whether the way we are doing evangelism is the most effective way. I’ve often felt like someone without a tribe when it comes to evangelism. Because on one hand, I am passionate about it. I believe in it. But I do see the need for modification, innovation, etc. and I could be viewed as being anti-evangelism.

However, on the other extreme, there are those who love throwing the baby out with the bathwater. They want to downplay/discredit all public evangelism and group anyone who preaches prophecy or Revelation as being old-fashioned and non-relevant. I do find it interesting that many of the greatest critics of evangelism have engaged in very little of it. Look, there are evangelists that have done an incredible disservice to “evangelism”. I have heard too many “Christless” prophecy seminars (which is a bit odd seeing that Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy, and that Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ). So, in the rest of the article, I would like to explore what evangelism is, what works, what needs to change, and where we go from here.

First, what is evangelism? This word has been used so much, especially in Adventism, that it’s become a bit of a non-word. Everybody has different ideas. It conjures up different images for everyone. So, I do believe it’s important to at least establish what I view as evangelism as it sets the context for the rest of this article. We do not have time to create an exhaustive definition but will do our best to give something we can work from.

We get the word evangelism from the Greek word for gospel, “evangelion”. So first and foremost, evangelism is about sharing the Gospel (good news). Which is another one of those phrases that can mean very different things for different people. For some, Gospel means telling people they better get their life together so that when Jesus returns, they’re ready. However, the Gospel and Scripture are not telling us that Jesus is coming, but that Jesus has come. The kingdom of God has arrived in the person of Jesus Christ. Now there is certainly a second coming component to the Gospel, a very important component. But Jesus’ second coming means nothing were it not for His first coming.

Matthew 4:23 – He went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.

Mark 16:15 (ESV) – And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation…”

εὐαγγελίζω ‘to tell the good news’, ‘for I am not ashamed of the gospel’ Romans 1:16. In several languages, the expression ‘the Gospel’ or ‘the good news’ must be rendered by a phrase, for example, ‘news that makes one happy’ or ‘information that causes one joy’ or ‘words that bring smiles’ or ‘a message that causes the heart to be sweet.’[1]

So, without spending all our time here, let’s embrace evangelism as the intentional act/process of proclaiming, publicly and personally, the arrival of the Kingdom of God, Christ Jesus, His plan of salvation, transformation, and His second coming and restoration in such a way that gives people hope, assurance, an accurate portrayal of God’s love.

This brings us to our second point. This type of evangelism works. John 12:32 (NLT) “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” When Jesus is lifted up, that’s when everyone starts to show up. The principle of public evangelism– lifting up the healing and hope found in Christ–changes lives. People are thirsting for a liberating Gospel. Something radically different than the “strings-attached” world that we live in.

Evangelism works when it is relevant to everyday life. It speaks to the hopes, fears, and dreams of seekers. Connecting the Gospel to relevant subjects that are in the news, and on the minds of people, is where transformation happens. It must meet real needs. It does not matter how informative your 2300 Days prophecy sermon is if it does not meet the needs of people. When our evangelism does not confront, confirm, and give hope to people in their daily walk, it never becomes personal.

Does your evangelism give hope to married couples, singles, young people, seniors? Start speaking the everlasting Gospel to the job losses and the divorces, to the frustrations, doubts and depressions of people, and see the eyes of your congregation begin to light up. Share a gospel that never changes to the people and predicaments that are constantly changing. Evangelism that works is not about information; it’s about transformation. If it is going to be powerful, it must be personal and practical. When I do evangelism, whether it be personal or public, I imagine I am trying to reach 200 Richies (me).  I know if it reaches my heart, chances are it’s going to reach the hearts of others. People want to know that, although at times their situations seem hopeless, there is a power greater than themselves that thrives in hopeless cases, empty tombs and rugged crosses. He called disciples who had problems with ego, cussed like sailors, and had terrible tempers. If God could transform them, He can transform me. Good evangelism is not about information; it is about transformation, which comes through the Incarnation–the Gospel must become flesh and blood in our evangelism. It is touching people where they are yet challenging them to give a greater piece of their heart to Jesus, “the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

So, what needs to change? Any evangelism that puts all the emphasis on me, instead of on God, falls short, because we all fall short. We need greater gospel clarity. The Bible is not a set of rules about how people can find God.

The Bible is a story of how God found us. The Gospel is NOT about how we can work our way up to heaven, but how heaven worked its way down to us. I hear too many Christ-less evangelistic messages. It’s all about what we must do in order to be saved, instead about what Jesus did in order to save us.

The greatest evangelism ever done was from Calvary and the central claim was not “do, do, do,” but “done, done, done!” If the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ is not the beginning, and indeed, everything in between, of your evangelism, do everybody a favor and stop it. The Gospel is NOT “you are saved by grace through faith plus plus, plus.” It is, “you’ve been saved by grace through faith, PERIOD. Is this the Good News in your evangelism? Is it, “follow all the right rules or follow the right Person? I don’t know how people can make good news sound like bad news, but I’ve met some Seventh-day Adventists who can. We have such a beautiful, holistic, message. The question is, “Is it coming through your evangelism?”

Another very important thing that must change with our evangelism is making serving the community and building relationship an integral part of it. There was a time when most Americans identified as Christian, when just “having the truth” was enough. But people need more than that today. They need to see the truth in you. Theodore Roosevelt was one of the people who said, “People don’t care how much we know until they know how much we care.” Just hearing the truth wasn’t enough for Thomas. He needed to experience it. Studies show that people aren’t coming to the church for information—they’ve got all the information they could ever want at their fingertips.

According to Barna Research, “People are coming to the church for two things: experience and connection”. Like Thomas, people need to touch, see, feel Jesus in us before they’ll ever come to our church, or an evangelistic event. Who knows, maybe we had to stop going to church (during COVID) so that we could finally start becoming the church.

John 20:25 – Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe. What’s amazing about this is although Thomas’s request seems unrealistic, Jesus still gives it to him. Because that’s what Thomas needed. When we start giving people what they need, some of our greatest skeptics, like Thomas, can become some of our greatest advocates. What’s interesting about Thomas–doubting Thomas–is that he makes the biggest profession of faith out of everyone in John 20:28 after he touched Jesus: “My Lord and my God!”

Where do we go from here? It’s not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. There are some evangelists that place too much emphasis on the beasts of Revelation and not enough on the Lamb. There have been a lot of evangelistic meetings that I left feeling like I would never ever measure up. That evangelism needs to stop. People should leave our presence, and our preaching, feeling better than when they showed up. There are organizations and individuals out there that seem to preach and promote an evangelism that is missing the most vital component–Jesus.

However, just because some evangelism does not work does not mean we should abandon evangelism altogether. In Twelve Step recovery, people often say. “The program works when you work it.” The same goes for evangelism. Evangelism works when we work it the right way. The right way is keeping Christ at the center, meeting needs, speaking to the hopes and dreams of people, and building community. We cannot get ready for heaven while watching our community go to hell. Love must be the center of everything we do.

The apostle Paul, formally Saul, is proof that you can follow the right rules and still be lost, but you can never follow the right Person without being led into New Life. Let’s make the Gospel great again. I’m not suggesting that we disregard or not deliver our doctrines. On the contrary, we need to, but let’s make it beautiful and only share it through the lens of the Gospel.

Our evangelism should paint a picture of beauty that creates hope and yearning, not a picture of destruction that creates fear and loathing. The Gospel isn’t bad news; it is good news. Let’s keep it that way.

Richie Halversen is director of church growth & revitalization, Southern Union of Seventh-day Adventists. Email him at: [email protected]

[1] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 412). New York: United Bible Societies.

01 Jun

SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH THE ENTIRE WORLD: Will the job ever be finished?

In

In some parts of the world, traditional forms of Adventist evangelism still “work”. A nation-wide evangelistic campaign was held in 2016 in the Central-African country of Rwanda. Within a few months, about 110 000 newly baptized members joined the church. However, in other parts of the globe—notably in the Western world—similar evangelistic methods have lost their effectiveness. In recent times, despite generous budgets and extensive advertising, few people come to a public evangelistic series, and keep attending after the first meeting. Other forms of traditional evangelism, likewise, fail to produce significant results.

Challenges

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has always believed that Christ’s commission to proclaim the gospel “to all nations” must be taken with utter seriousness, and that “the end” will not come until this task has been accomplished (Matthew 24:14). Until quite recently, it seemed that the Adventist mission was a real “success story”. In 1970, there was one Adventist in this world for about 3,000 people. In 2020, just fifty years later, the ratio of Adventists to non-Adventists had improved to 1:308.  However, lately the growth of the world-wide Adventist Church is stagnating. The dream of further exponential growth that would result in reaching the 50 million-member-mark within another decade or so, now seems unrealistic. One of the sad reasons is a dramatically poor retention rate. The church’s statistical office tells us that we lose over 40 percent of our new members relatively soon after their entry into the church!

The growth of our denomination reflects a pattern that many other denominations are also experiencing. There is a general trend that Christianity is moving “south”, that is: away from the more developed countries to the developing world. The western world is becoming more and more secular, and no longer interested in institutionalized Christianity. Many denominations in Europe see a steady decrease in their membership, and an even more dramatic decline in church attendance. In part, this trend is camouflaged by the arrival of Christian immigrants—refugees, students, and millions who are looking for a more prosperous future for themselves and their loved ones. In several countries, the Adventist Church would have no future, were it not for a reinforcement by brothers and sisters from “the south.”

Any Adventist who follows the official church media regularly meets the expression “10-40 window”. It is a missiological term which refers to the segment of our globe between roughly 10 degrees and 40 degrees north of the Equator. Most people in this part of the world are Muslims or belong to one of the other major non-Christian world-religions. The Adventist world leadership considers this “10-40 window” to be one of the greatest mission challenges. However, despite all recent evangelistic initiatives, the church-growth results remain rather paltry.

Another enormous challenge is presented by the large cities of our world. The percentage of the world’s population that lives in an urbanized environment keeps growing and has risen to about 68 percent. But Christian missionary work—that of Adventists included—in the ever-growing urban centers, remains to a large extent, a matter of “plowing” and “sowing” on the rocks.

Will the job ever be completed?

Around the year 1900 about thirty percent of the people in the world identified themselves as Christians. A century later the population of the world had vastly increased, but the percentage of Christians remained virtually the same. Two decades into the twenty-first century, mission experts report that the percentage of Christians in the world has slightly increased—from around 30 to just over 32 percent. But, as the world population keeps growing, this means that the number of non-Christian people in the world, in actual fact, keeps going up. Each minute 266 persons are born, which makes for a total of 400.,000 extra people per day—all of whom must be reached with the gospel.

Looking at these and other key mission statistics, one wonders whether the job of preaching the gospel to “the whole world” will ever be completed. And, if it is true that Christ will not come until the mission mandate has been fully implemented, one wonders whether He will ever be able to return . . .

Together, but with a special responsibility

I have no answers to many of the questions concerning the completion of the gospel commission, and how this relates to the Second Coming of Christ. However, let me share a few thoughts that may help those who, like me, struggle with these issues.

Let’s remind ourselves that the gospel mandate has not only been given solely to the Adventist denomination. All Christians share in the task of “proclaiming” the message of Christ and of telling others of what He has done for us. It has never been the official position of the Adventist Church that Adventists are the only agents in the preaching of the gospel. As early as 1926, a very significant statement was included in the GC Working Policy book. It can still be found in the ever-growing “black book.” Policy number O 100 reads: “We recognize those agencies that lift up Christ before men as a part of the divine plan for the evangelization of the world, and we hold in high esteem Christian men and women in other communions who are engaged in winning souls to Christ.”

This does not mean that the Adventist Church is simply one voice among a plethora of other Christian voices. While we recognize that we hold many of our beliefs in common with other Christians, we believe we enrich the Christian testimony by our emphasis on several “special truths”. The Adventist focus is found specifically in the messages of the three angels of Revelation 14. The first message underscores the importance of our worship of God as the Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of all that is. The second message contains a stern warning about a progressive disregard, all around us, for biblical principles and ethical norms, while the third message concludes that all men and women in this world must ultimately make a choice: Who will they serve? How will they live? Will they decide to follow God’s instructions with all their heart?

Is it all about doctrine?

For many Seventh-day Adventists, proclaiming the gospel message equals giving doctrinal instruction. And, certainly, doctrines are not unimportant! They help us to provide structure to our faith and to our witness, just as grammar gives structure to our communication through language. The famous American theologian Richard Niebuhr (1894-1962) underlined, in a frequently-quoted statement, that the gospel proclamation has often lacked the substance that it should have: ‘A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgement, through the ministry of a Christ without a cross.’[1] As Adventist Christians, we must, however, not just focus on the doctrinal correctness of what we bring to the Christian table, but more than ever, on its relevance. Postmodern people want to know—more than the modern generation before them—what the Christian message can do for them. What can the words of Christ mean during the week for our daily life of work and recreation? How do “fundamental beliefs” translate into a life of meaning and true happiness? How do doctrinal truths nurture the relationship with the One who is Life and Truth? When Jesus spoke about the Truth, He told his disciples that the Truth would make them free (John 8:31). The Truth must do something for us. In other words, it must be relevant and relate to all aspects of who, and what, we are. This realization adds a vital dimension to an already gargantuan task.

God’s project

So, will this assignment of bringing the message of Christ to “all the world” ever be accomplished? The answer is: Yes, it will. Somehow, and at God’s time. We must allow God to surprise us. In the meantime, it is our responsibility to do all we can to share our faith with others in ways that are relevant to them. It means that we must translate our message in ways that remain true to the essence of God’s Word, but can be understood and will be appreciated by the secular, postmodern men and women of today.

While we do this, let us ever remember that we are not dealing with something we can refer to as our project. It is God’s project. The words of George E. Ladd, who was a prominent teacher at Fuller Theological Seminary (1911-1982), seem particularly apt for the present generation of Adventists in the western world: “Christ has not yet returned; therefore, the task is not yet done. When it is done, Christ will come . . . So long as Christ does not return, our work is undone. Let us get busy and complete our mission.” [2]

Reinder Bruinsma, PhD, has served the Seventh-day Adventist Church in publishing, education, and church administration on three continents. He writes from the Netherlands where he lives with his wife Aafie. Among his latest books is I Have a Future: Christ’s Resurrection and Mine. Email him at: [email protected]  

[1]  Richard Niebuhr, The Kingdom of God in America, (Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 1988 ed.), p. 193.

[2]  George E. Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom: Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1959), p. 137.

 

01 Jun

LIFTING UP JESUS

In

Good news! Jesus wants to grow the church. His strategy is simple: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32 [ESV])

The fulfillment of this happened 2000 years ago when Jesus was lifted up on Calvary, followed by His resurrection when He was lifted up from Earth to Heaven. Many were drawn to Jesus as a result. The Book of Acts records the phenomenal church growth that took place and is the fruit of Jesus being lifted up.

I believe John 12:32 will also be fulfilled when we lift Him up. We often think of this being done through preaching and teaching; however, it is not the only way.

When we treat others with the same compassion that Jesus displayed in His life, we can exemplify lifting up Jesus. When people are loved, they are given a taste of Jesus’ love. It is like a magnet that pulls a paper clip. This display of compassion draws and attracts them to the Jesus, they see living in us.

Thirty-five years ago, a group of Adventists established a church on the east side of Richmond, Virginia. They had a great pastor who made it a point to lift up Jesus in his preaching and teaching. The members also had compassion for their neighbors.

Among those attending the new church was a young man who had lost his way in life. The one thing he knew was that when his life on Earth was done, he wasn’t going to Heaven.

While attending church one Sabbath morning, this man was introduced to Jesus. For the first time in his life, he realized his life’s value was struggling with low self-worth. The thought that Jesus loved Him so much that He would have left Heaven just for him, was really good news. The more he heard, the more he wanted.

The preaching of the gospel was not the only good news. The people of the church modeled the life of Jesus. They were compassionate and it could be seen in how they treated him. They made it a point to:

  • Greet him with a smile.
  • Take an interest in getting acquainted.
  • Invite him to serve.

As a result, this man gave his life to Jesus Christ. Amen!

He was so excited with what he found that he eventually decided to go into full-time ministry so he could spend the rest of his life lifting up Jesus. Amazingly today, he is lifting up Jesus as the Rocky Mountain Conference ministerial director (yours truly).

As I think of church growth strategy, I can’t but think of the same strategy that helped me become a Seventh-day Adventist Christian.

When we focus on Jesus in our preaching and teaching and combine it with compassion for the community, people are impacted for eternity.

Is there someone in your sphere of influence who needs to hear and see the Good News. God is already working in their heart, and they are on the verge of giving their life to Jesus.

Will you join me in praying that Jesus will be lifted up in EVERYthing we do? For “Many are on the verge of the kingdom, waiting only to be gathered in.”  (Ellen G. White, Acts of the Apostles, p. 109).

Mick Mallory is RMC ministerial director. Email him at: [email protected]

18 Mar

RMC Online: Streaming Church Services

In

Denver, Colorado … In the midst of the Coronavirus Crisis, I believe God is calling His people to worship Him. Yes, it is scary because we don’t know the future. But our precious friend, Jesus, promised to be with us every step of the way (Matt 28:20).

“There is nothing too difficult for Him to handle” (Jer. 32:17). As the wonderful hymn goes: “because He lives, I can face tomorrow.”  Let us therefore choose worship over worry.

While churches are shut down all over the Rocky Mountain Conference as of this Sabbath, we are providing our members and worshipers with some options for worship on Sabbath morning. While this is definitely not the same as being there in person, it still allows you to worship and receive as well as give a blessing during this unprecedented time in our country.

If your church is not listed, please check the Website of your church for details about congregational life. The following list includes Adventist Giving information.

BOULDER

Livestreaming: https://www.youtube.com/BoulderAdventistChurch

Giving: https://adventistgiving.org/#/org/ANGMCG/envelope/start

We will not be streaming on Facebook, but will have small daily devotionals on our Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/BoulderAdventistChurch/

BRIGHTON

Website for live streaming and online giving: http://www.brightonsda.org

Direct link to live streaming: https://livestream.com/brightonsda

Facebook page: Brighton SDA Church

BRIGHTON HISPANIC, AURORA HISPANIC AND BOULDER HISPANIC

Livestreaming on Facebook address: Frank Wilson

CORTEZ

Youtube channel live stream and online sermons: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcOHhHtGMRcLr-pBvF3-_kw

Facebook – Cortez Seventh-day Adventist Church

cortezco.adventistchurch.org

GILLETTE – WYOMING

Facebook: For the Northeastern Wyoming District Sabbath School and church service on the Gillette Wyoming Seventh-day Adventist Church

GOLDEN

LiveStream:  https://www.youtube.com/goldensdachurch 

Worship 11am, Sabbath School 1pm, & Study on the Seven Seals of Revelation 3pm

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goldensdachurch

Giving: https://adventistgiving.org/#/org/ANGMHV/envelope/start

GRAND JUNCTION

Streaming to both Facebook and YouTube, as well as archiving it there:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6LOTALqb6bVQCqhSAMFwwA

https://www.facebook.com/sdagj/

Online giving at: https://adventistgiving.org/#/org/ANGMI1/envelope/start

All is listed on our page at sdagj.org

PUEBLO

Facebook page: Pueblo 1st SDA Church (only to watch)

YouTube: PSDA Streems (only to watch)

ZOOM: 323-072-3216 (watch and participate)

Services on Sabbath – Sabbath School: 10:00 a.m. Sermon: 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday Bible study 7:00 pm (only ZOOM – available throughout the year)

For more on the Church and COVID-19:

Message from the World Church President, Ted NC Wilson
https://news.adventist.org/en/all-news/news/go/2020-03-17/president-of-the-seventh-day-adventist-world-church-ted-nc-wilson-gives-message-regarding-coronav/

Covid-19: Resources for Church & Ministries Going Digital
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1101578508634&ca=c1b0b851-78c6-42fb-bbf8-981987d11214

–Mickey Mallory; photo by Rajmund Dabrowski

18 Mar

Mid-America Union offers encouragement and resources for COVID-19

In

The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is now impacting all states in our territory. Therefore, the Mid-America Union Conference, in consultation with the leaders of our six conferences, is recommending immediate steps to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

While the MAUC office in Lincoln, Nebraska, is currently open, we are complying with the CDC guidelines limiting the size of public gatherings to 10 people until March 31. We have implemented a modified work schedule, which may change at any time if new recommendations are issued.

“Despite the uncertainties of this virus, we are greatly comforted when we remember that God is still in charge,” said MAUC president Gary Thurber. “And because He carries us in the palm of His hand we have nothing to fear. ‘I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears’” (Ps. 34:4).

BEING PREPARED

To date, seven states in Mid-America territory have declared a State of Emergency. Since the intensity of the outbreak may differ according to geographic region, response plans for churches, schools and other organizations may need individual adjustments.

Many entities are currently implementing remote operations. Throughout this situation, members are encouraged to continue supporting the ministries of their church by mailing tithes and offerings, or through AdventistGiving online. The Adventist Giving App is safe and simple to use and works well with both Android and Apple platforms, if your church is signed up.

“Mailing tithes and offerings is always appropriate,” said MAUC treasurer Troy Peoples. “If you don’t have a tithe envelope, please be sure to indicate on a separate piece of paper where funds should go.”

MAUC secretary Gil Webb stated that members should stay informed by monitoring information from reliable news sources, including local health authority announcements. “We encourage all to be in prayer for this situation, to use common sense and follow the recommendations of their local health authorities,” he said.

MAKING DECISIONS

Based on the current information, organizations can build criteria for deciding how to move forward:

  1. The CDC states that their recommendation is not intended to supersede the advice of local public health officials.
    1. Have you reviewed the recommendations of your local city and state health officials? What guidance have they given?
    2. If they give a mandate, you should follow their orders.
  2. Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing.  When feasible, organizers should modify events to be virtual.
    1. Are you able to ascertain the level of concern from your constituents and the level of adherence to meet or not meet physically?
    2. Have you identified your vulnerable populations? Can you make contact with them to advise them not to attend your meeting?
    3. Are you able to arrange your meeting so that hand hygiene and social distancing can be done effectively?
    4. Is this a meeting that can be conducted virtually?
    5. What considerations need to be made for second and third level impacts of your decisions?
  1. What virtual options do you have available to conduct operations?
    1. Should a policy for working remotely be established?
    2. Do you have the technology in place to conduct essential operations remotely?
    3. How long can/should you sustain remote operations?

ACTIONS OF OTHER CHURCH ENTITIES

Central States Conference

Dakota Conference

Iowa-Missouri Conference

Kansas-Nebraska Conference

Minnesota Conference

Rocky Mountain Conference

North American Division 

NAD administration, in consultation with leaders of the nine unions, has voted that all staff should cease all travels immediately, staff should work remotely, and has canceled or postponed all events and meetings until June 24, including the CALLED Pastors’ Family Convention [rescheduled for June 2022].

General Conference

As of March 15, the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters is asking employees to work remotely until March 30. Although the Pathways to Health event has been cancelled, General Conference session plans are still in place. Check for updates

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

World Health Organization 

CDC checklist for community and faith-based leaders

AdventHealth  

Adventist Risk Management

Example of  comprehensive plan for conferences 

Example of comprehensive plan for churches

—Brenda Dickerson; iStock photo; text reprinted from https://outlookmag.org/mid-america-union-offers-encouragement-and-resources-for-covid-19/

17 Mar

RMC Stewardship: How to give during COVID-19

In

Denver, Colorado … As we go through a period of suspended church services, it is important for us to continue to remember the faithfulness of the Lord by returning our tithes and offerings. God is always faithful to His word and it is through giving that we express our love to Him and continue to move His work forward. Hebrews 10:23 NLT says: “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.”

Since we will not be meeting together as churches for a while, below are instructions as to how we can give electronically.

HOW DOES A CHURCH SIGN UP FOR ADVENTISTGIVING?

  • Signing up with AdventistGiving is a fairly simple process.  The attached form just needs to be completed by the church treasurer and the pastor, and then it should be forwarded to [email protected].  She will sign it and forward it to the NAD to complete your registration.

HOW DO I GIVE THROUGH ADVENTISTGIVING?

  • Giving through AdventistGiving is also easy.  Many churches have elected to put a link on their websites that will direct people to their AdventistGiving site, but donors can also donate directly through the adventistgiving.org website or through the AdventistGiving app that you can download from the App Store or Google Play.

ADVENTISTGIVING INSTRUCTIONS

  • Go to adventistgiving.org and start typing typing the name of the church that you wish to donate to in the center box.
  • As you type, a list of churches that match that name will appear.   The (Enrolled)at the end of the name tells you whether that church has signed up for AdventistGiving or not.
  • Select the name of the church you wish to donate to.  You will be taken directly to the online Tithe & Offering envelope for that church.
  • After filling out the envelope, hit continue.  You will then be asked to choose whether you wish to log in, register for an account, or continue as a guest.  If you choose “Guest”, you do have the option of giving anonymously, if you do not wish to receive a tax receipt.
  • You may then pay with a credit or debit card, or with an electronic check.  We do want to mention that the fees are significantly lower for the conference with electronic checks as opposed to credit or debit cards.

—RMC Treasury

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