from the ground up - adventist review · 2018-11-19 · 12 indomitable spirit she was a young black...

February 12, 1998

World Edition

From the Ground UpHow three South African womenmade the impossible happen

The Spirit of Aloha

Indomitable: The Story of Anna Knight

From the Ground UpHow three South African womenmade the impossible happen

The Spirit of Aloha

Indomitable: The Story of Anna Knight

Why Brenda Wood Is DifferentI enjoyed Vincent Coppola’s “Why

Brenda Wood IsDifferent” in theDecember NADEdition. Wood is tobe commended forthe high standardsthat she maintains ina high-profile job.

She is an excellent role model. But I would also point out that her

employment in a secular position is nodifferent than that of thousands ofAdventists who told their employersup front that they wouldn’t work onthe Sabbath and who brought integ-rity, honesty, and hard work to theirjobs. I have long felt that many of ourchurch leaders and members do notreally understand and appreciate thesignificant Christian witness and influ-ence that these Adventists have whileemployed in the secular workplace.

These people are to be commendedfor having the courage to take their wit-ness into the heart of the world andmingle with “sinners,” just as Christ did.

— O m a r L . B r o w n

C Y P R E S S , T E X A S

We agree. Look for a special issue devotedto such people in late April.—Editors.

What About Mary?I was very interested in Anthony Kent’s“What About Mary?” (Dec. 11). I haveoften thought about this subject.

Modern-day research is coming upwith some astonishing discoveriesregarding the influence that prenatal

and early years’ influences have onthe development of mental processesin children. Of course, we have longhad Ellen White’s counsel regardingthe emotional and spiritual effects amother has upon her offspring.

Although I certainly do not thinkthat we should pray to Mary or regardher as being anywhere near her Son, Ihave often wondered if perhaps ourCatholic friends didn’t have somethingin their thinking that we may havemissed. Not many of us could havebeen entrusted with the training ofthe Messiah!

— B e t t y K e n n e d y S k e e l s

C A N Y O N V I L L E , O R E G O N

Submissive Obedience?In his December 11 news commentary,“When Religion Kills,” JonathanGallagher writes: “But to believe, evenfor a moment, in a God who uses forceand demands submissive obedience isto accept the demonic counterfeit ofthe divine.”

This is a half truth. We do notbelieve in a God who uses force, butwe do believe that He demands sub-missive obedience from His faithfulpeople. While it cannot be done apartfrom empowerment by divine grace, itis not possible to keep His command-ments apart from submissive obedience.

— C . R a y m o n d H o l m e s , D . M i n .

V I A E - M A I L

Breakaway Conference ReturnsWilliam Johnsson’s “Breakaway

Conference Returns After 48 Years”(Dec. 11) was most gratifying. Most ofus know someone in what are com-monly called “splinter groups,” and weare praying, hoping, and longing to seea kind, considerate dialogue by ourchurch leaders with these disenchantedgroups similar to that conducted byPastor Alex Hendriks with CheppyYusuf and members of his group.

Christ said His people will beknown by their love and unity. It isevident that the situation in Indonesiawas handled properly, with good suc-cess. Let’s try harder for more successesof this kind.

— J . S t a n l e y M c C l u s k e y

N A C H E S , WA S H I N G T O N

Keeping the X in Christmas?I couldn’t disagree more withStephen Chavez’s “Let’s Keep the Xin Xmas” (Dec. 11). To the averageperson today, “X” is much betterknown as a symbol of “crossing out”than as a “transliteration” of someGreek letter that supposedly repre-sents Christ. Let’s be real—howmany people today, other than min-isters, are familiar with Greek?

And if, as Chavez seems to imply, the“X” is so appropriate to be used for ourdear Saviour’s name, should we not startreplacing the name of Christ with “X”all year long? In sermons? In the Review?I can see it now: “Put your faith in X,my brothers, and X will bless you!”

Merry Christmas!

— D a l e B r a t l u n d

R I V E R S I D E , C A L I F O R N I A

LETTERS

2 (226) A D V E N T I S T R E V I E W , F E B R U A R Y 1 2 , 1 9 9 8

How We WaitI enjoyed Joyce Rigsby’s “Waiting—Loss or Gain?” (Dec. 11). Waiting issomething most of us do not do verypatiently. Another aspect is How are wewaiting for Christ’s coming? Are wemaking good use of our time? Are wefulfilling Christ’s commission of sharingHis love with all around us? Or are wesitting in our easy chair, looking for-ward comfortably to our deliverancefrom this old world? As the saying goes,some people are “so heavenly mindedthat they’re no earthly good.”

— E d i t h E . Wo o d r u f f

V I A E - M A I L

Note: Please include city and state/country with all correspondence.

Charged With MurderWhile I am very happy that EdwardLara’s story (“Charged With Murder,”Dec. 11) ended well, I am very disap-pointed in author Luis E. Leonor’sjournalism.

Leonor states: “In all that time he[Lara] was not informed of his rights,nor was he advised to secure a lawyer.”This procedure is also known asMirandizing, or reading a suspect hisMiranda rights. Two elements mustoccur concurrently before the police arerequired to give a Miranda warning to asuspect. The situation must be custodialin nature (the subject must be in cus-tody, i.e., under arrest), and there mustbe questions asked of the subject. Ifeither is missing, Miranda is notrequired. Since it sounds as though Larawent to the police station voluntarily, itwas a noncustodial situation. Further,there was no mention of questioningafter Lara was placed under arrest.

After reading the list of Lara’s sup-port team—which included religiousleaders, lawyers, the media, an immi-grant special interest group, educa-tional institution, and politicians—Imust believe that if any of Lara’s rightswere violated, one of these would havefiled a suit on his behalf.

What most upsets me was Lara saying

that he had no complaints against theauthorities—“God says to forgive yourenemies.” When did the police becomethe enemy? For some reason people seemto think that cops and Christians aremutually exclusive. I must confess thatwhen I was called by our Lord, it wascause for much prayer, as well as confu-sion and anxiety. However, Paul did notexclude police officers in 1 Corinthians7:20-22, nor, to the best of my knowl-edge, did the jailer from Philippi make acareer change after his conversion.

I forgive both Leonor and the Reviewfor writing and publishing what Ibelieve is a misleading and biased arti-cle. In this case, however, it is not ene-mies but brothers that I forgive.

— D e p u t y P a t r i c k C . T h y n e

M I N E R A L C O U N T Y S H E R I F F ’ S O F F I C E

H AW T H O R N E , N E VA D A

The Nature of ChristI have never seen the subject of thenature of Christ digested in so clear amanner as Calvin Rock did in hisDecember 11 Faith Alive! column. Iknow that we should study such issuesand learn from ferreting out the truthsof the Bible, but such condensation asRock has made clears up a lot of mis-conceptions that I have heard over theyears. It would be nice if such briefstatements could be used in explainingall of our doctrines.

— T h u r m a n C . P e t t y, J r.

B U R L E S O N , T E X A S

We read our Bible and understand theSpirit of Prophecy quite differently thandoes Dr. Rock. Jesus could never claimto understand our feelings if He neverexperienced them as we do. We need aSaviour who is “nigh at hand,” not afaroff. The gospel is good news; it is notgood news to tell people that Jesus wasnot like us. Hebrews 2:14-18 clearlytells us that His humanity was like us.

— P a u l a n d M a r i l y n C h i n b u r g

D I G H T O N , K A N S A S

COVER STORY

8 From the Ground UpSure, there were obstacles, butthese three women believed in what they were doing. And so,evidently, did God.B Y A R D I S D I C K S T E N B A K K E N

ARTICLES

12 Indomitable SpiritShe was a young Black womanwhen her age, her gender, and her complexion were considereddisadvantages.B Y R O Y B R A N S O N

16 Unfinished BusinessExpect the unexpected—and otherlessons learned while doing evangelism in Russia.B Y S T E P H E N C H A V E Z

24 The Spirit of AlohaIt’s a gift made more valuablewhen we give it away.B Y D A V I D A . P E N D L E T O N

26 FamilyWho decides who is included andwho isn’t?B Y G E R A L D W I N S L O W

DEPARTMENTS

2 Letters

7 Give & Take

11 Bible Questions Answered

14 Children’s Corner

15 Faith Alive!

20 World News & Perspectives

29 Adventism 101

30 Reflections

EDITORIALS

5 I Don’t Understand

6 I’ll Get By

A D V E N T I S T R E V I E W , F E B R U A R Y 1 2 , 1 9 9 8 (227) 3

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“Behold, I come quickly . . .”

Our mission is to uplift Jesus Christ through stories ofHis matchless love, news of His present workings, helpfor knowing Him better, and hope in His soon return.

The Adventist Review (ISSN 0161-1119), published since1849, is the general paper of the Seventh-day AdventistChurch. It is published by the General Conference ofSeventh-day Adventists and is printed 40 times a year eachThursday except the first Thursday of each month by theReview and Herald® Publishing Association. Periodicalspostage paid at Hagerstown, MD 21740. Copyright © 1998,General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

Publishing Board: Robert S. Folkenberg, chair; Phil Follett, vice-chair; Lowell Cooper; William G. Johnsson; A. C. McClure;Dorothy Watts; Ted N. C. Wilson; Martin Ytreberg; RobertNixon, legal advisor

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Scriptures credited to ICB are quoted from the International Children’sBible, New Century Version, copyright © 1983, 1986, 1988 by WordPublishing, Dallas, Texas 75039. Used by permission. Texts creditedto NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permissionof Zondervan Bible Publishers. Bible texts credited to Phillips arefrom J. B. Phillips: The New Testament in Modern English, RevisedEdition. © J. B. Phillips 1958, 1960, 1972. Used by permission ofMacmillan Publishing Co., Inc. Bible texts credited to NRSV arefrom the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright ©1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Councilof the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. Bibletexts credited to RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of theBible, copyright © 1946, 1952, 1971, by the Division of ChristianEducation of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in theU.S.A. Used by permission.

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.Vol. 175, No. 7

MYRNA TETZ

There are two things (at least) I don’t under-stand.

The first one is this: How my Creator, mySaviour, can love me and promise me salvationwhen:

I am selfish,Sometimes angry,Sarcastic,Cynical,Unlovely,

AndI misuse the Sabbath, Love things,Am selfish with my time,And my money, too,And some days I ignore Him except for a

couple quick prayers.Given that kind of record, how can He continue to

assure me that He loves me?But wait, there’s a second thing I don’t understand. I

don’t understand how a man could love me for more than35 years when:

✦ I leave my shoes in the doorway (remember, we justmoved from Canada, and there we all take our shoes offwhen we enter a room).

✦ I do not always close the cupboard doors in the roomwhere I am working, which he finds distressing.

✦ I have, on occasion, left the keys in the lock on theoutside of the door, to be found there in the morning (hethinks this is not appropriate, especially in Maryland).

Given all those problems, why does he continue to love me?At our wedding we promised to love, honor, and cherish

each other until death do us part. Since then, he hasn’tawakened each morning to say “I’ll love you more and youcan be assured that our marriage contract is good for anotherday if you make my favorite food, vacuum the house, andkeep my clothes clean and pressed.”

Fortunately my behavior is not the criteria for determiningwhether or not we are truly married. However, I respond tohis likes and dislikes (now remember, there is a limit) becauseI love him as a person, a friend, an advisor (he likes that), aprotector, and a lover. Therefore, I’m seriously trying to getthe victory over the placing of my shoes and the closing ofthe cupboard doors (especially when he is around), and I now

pay a lot more attention to the keys. Yes, there are things Idon’t do and there are things I do do because love is the moti-vating power. But this is not how we know whether or not weare married. It’s simply an expression of affection. That’s all.

At my baptism in Syracuse, New York—age13—I accepted Christ as my Saviour. I don’tnow, and didn’t then, pray, “Lord, I am tryinghard to obey You. Please love me. Please saveme.” I obey His commandments because Ilove Him as a person, a friend, a counselor, aprotector, a lover. And because I love Him, Ido attempt to shut out the rest of my world onthe Sabbath, I don’t out-and-out lie, I don’tenvy (well, not very much, anyway).

Paul says, “The very spring of our actionsis the love of Christ” (2 Cor. 5:14, Phillips).Therefore, my love affair with Him grows as

He gives me grace to change my behavior to be more likeHis, and because I sense His presence as He speaks to methrough His Word. Yes, I am striving for perfection, but untiltranslation, and afterward, of course, I can count on Hisrock-solid love.

But what I do and don’t do has nothing to do withwhether or not He has accepted me as His daughter. I amHis because He has invited me and I have accepted His sal-vation invitation of unconditional love (by the way, there isno other kind). I do things and I don’t do things out of lovemotivated by His absolute and unreserved kind of love.

It is true, though, that marriage commitments can be bro-ken and Christ may have to say, “How often I have longedto keep you under My wings, but you were not willing.Please know My love for you remains eternal regardless ofyour choices.”

The mystery of love, both human anddivine, remains. I still don’t understand howGod can love me, given all my faults andwhat would appear to the heavenly hosts afeeble attempt at reform. And I don’t under-stand how my husband can love me withall my shortcomings. However, I haveseen a glimpse of God’s love, and it’sbetter understood by comparing itto human love. Which is, Ibelieve, the way He intended it.

I Don’t UnderstandE D I T O R I A L


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STEPHEN CHAVEZ

Wear it out. Use it up. Throw it away. That’sbeen my philosophy about material thingsever since I can remember.

I grew up in ahome that was

comfortable but not extravagant.Birthday and Christmas gifts were prac-tical (read: clothes) as well as enter-taining (read: toys). In between, wemade do with what we had. We neverbought a new something just becausewe got tired of the old one. To this dayI try to make things last as long as Ican. (We regularly drive a car that myparents bought new 35 years ago.)

But today there’s a deliberate attempt to turn us all intouncontrollable consumers. In North America just about everymonth has a “major” holiday, promoted by merchants anddesigned to inspire purchases of the latest fashions, the newestgadgets, and the “techiest” techno-gear. It’s not just during theChristmas season that advertisers would like us to feel likeslime if we don’t spend money on our spouse, our children, ourthird cousin twice removed, our boss, or our secretary.

Now, I’m all for showing appreciation to those who signifi-cantly influence our lives. But if I buy my wife a watch forValentine’s Day, she’s not going to need another one by thetime Mother’s Day rolls around. And if I buy her a dress for herbirthday, she won’t need another one when our weddinganniversary arrives less than two weeks later.

I haven’t turned into a Scrooge; it’s just that I recentlyreturned from Russia. For nearly two and a half weeks I lived,ate, and slept like a Russian. And what impressed me morethan anything is how much we have—those of us who live inindustrialized countries—compared to our fellow believers whomake do with less (much, much less).

For example: I packed four pairs of pants, four dress shirts,four neckties, and one blazer for what was supposed to be athree-week trip. I assumed that would suffice for someone mak-ing public presentations every evening. My Russian counter-parts had essentially two sets of clothes: one for meetings, andone for the rest of the time.

I spent two nights in the apartment of one of our Adventistpastors. He has a wife and four children, but only one bed (a sin-gle). Most of us slept comfortably on pads on the floor (two adults

shared the single bed). I have more furniture on one floor of mysplit-level suburban home than my Russian friends have in theirentire three-bedroom apartment. While many Adventists drive

large cars, take expensive vacations,and wear designer clothes (that have ashelf life of about six months), Ad-ventists in many countries barely get by,let alone have much to support out-reach activities.

I could go into more detail, but guiltis a poor motivator. More useful isknowing that by resisting relentlessappeals for impulse buying, those of uswho are more blessed financially canmake a significant difference in the

progress of the kingdom in poorer countries of the world. TheGeneral Conference Office of Global Mission, and supportingministries such as the Quiet Hour, provide select lay memberswith small stipends so they can take the gospel to cities, towns,and villages where no Adventists live. Networks are already setup to get much-needed financial resources to where they can dothe most good.

I happened to be in Russia during my birthday. Somehowthe members of our evangelistic team found out about it (ourtranslator jokingly said it was revealed to her in a dream—Ithink she got a peek at my passport), and they surprised mewith a birthday dinner. Afterward the Russians asked me howAmericans celebrate birthdays.

I replied that my family usually celebrates by going out toeat. I could tell from the look in their eyes that having a meal ata restaurant is a luxury that most Russians (at least the ones Imet) experience rarely, if at all. Yet I couldn’t help reflectinghow often—even for no particular reason—wecan drop $15, $25, or $40 eating out.

I’m not writing to urge wardrobes of sec-ondhand chic, or moratoriums on eatingout. But it occurs to me that most of uscan get by with less; and that moneysaved by lifestyles of simplicity and econ-omy can take the gospel to those whoneed to hear it that much faster.

Jesus changed the world with practi-cally nothing. Imagine what He coulddo with all we have.

I’ll Get ByE D I T O R I A L

Our fellow believers make do

with less, much less.


&

NORTH MEETS SOUTHBUT WHERE’S THEBLACK DOTTED LINE?Standing just a tadbelow the equator is Dr.Alvin Rocero, medicaldirector and surgeon atIshaka AdventistHospital, Bushenyi,Uganda, from March1996 until June 1997.Dr. Rocero and his wife,Leila, crossed over theequator whenever theytraveled to Kampala.

ADVENTIST LIFE

Once while missionaries in Africa, my daugh-ter and her daughter, Anita, went to the postoffice together. While her mom was writingpostcards, Anita roamed around.

When Anita’s mom finished, she turnedto Anita and noticed that her mouth wastotally full of chewing gum.

“Where did you get that, Anita?” askedAnita’s mom.

“Under the tables and benches,” Anita replied.“But I prayed that God would bless them.”—Miriam Savage, Oceanside, California

JOTS & TITTLESIn this feature Adventists share church-related advice. PRISON LIBRARY: Place a box with a sign reading “For Prison Ministry, DepositHere,” in the foyer of your church. Fill the box with Bibles and other readingmaterial to donate to a prison library. —Fritz Bartlemann, Worcester, Massachusetts

INTERNATIONAL SABBATH: Plan a Sabbath when members of your church(or area churches) dress and bring food according to their native background.Enjoy the diversity during the worship service and potluck. —Fred Kent, Lancaster, California, church

GREAT CHILDREN’S GIFTS: We are in what will someday be recognized as thegolden age of children’s religious literature. But too many Adventist children aregrowing up untouched by this bounty. Adventist Book Centers are full of greatchildren’s gifts—from board books for toddlers to Christian mystery puzzles andstories for older children.—Noelene Johnsson, director, NAD Department of Children’s Ministries


WE NEED YOU

Send Give & Take submissions to . . . Give & Take, Adventist Review, 12501 Old Columbia Pike,

Silver Spring, MD 20904; Fax: 301-680-6638; E-mail: [email protected]. Please

include phone number. Submissions will not be returned.

SEVEN-DAYTOUR!

ALL EXPENSES PAID: No baggageneeded. You will be picked up andgiven clothing and perfect health inthe twinkling of an eye. No one willtire or need sleep on the journey.DEPARTURE: The date and time isunspecified. Watch for signs. Be readyat all times.AIRCRAFT: A large cloudy chariotwill be provided, with wheels andwings that sing “Holy, holy, holy.”Additionally, tens of thousands ofangels will sing as you soar past thesun, moon, stars, and planets. TheDirector will answer questions regarding points of interest. FINAL STOP: The New Jerusalem,where the Director will throw openthe gates, each made of a single pearl,and lead you onto a sea of glass, whereyou will be given a harp, a crown, anda new name.MUSIC: Like you’ve never heardbefore.FEAST: Like you’ve never eaten before.CONDITIONS AND ELIGIBILITY:John 3:16.RESERVATIONS: Luke 21:36.—by Sandra Lubens

FF rr ee ee !!

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How three women made the impossible happen

C O V E R S T O R Y


BY ARDIS STENBAKKEN

CAN THREE WOMEN IN ONE OF

the poorest areas of South Africa

build, dedicate, and fill a church?

They can, and with the help of

many individuals, they did.

Three years ago Heather Tredoux, South African Voice of

Prophecy director, visited the Northern province of South

Africa (formerly Transvaal), where the 1.5 million

Shangaan-Tsonga people live; they are some of the poorest

and most neglected of the Shangaan tribes.

Tredoux was there to visit Voice of Prophecy interestsand to meet with the one who was translating Voice ofProphecy lessons into Tsonga, the language of the area.With her were the pastor from that area, E. N. Mugivhela,and Faan Ebersöhn, a layperson who has had an energeticinterest in helping the Shangaans. Of all the Shangaan-Tsonga people, only 68 were Adventists, with one tinygroup, in an area of about 10,000 people, consisting entirely

of three women—two sisters, Selina Mabila and LilianMaswanganyi, and their friend Emely Mabasa, who usuallydid the preaching.

But these three women had a dream. They wanted tobuild a church. When Tredoux visited, they showed her thepiece of land they had obtained from Chief Mudavhula.He’d given them the choice of three sites; they had chosen a

TIME TO POSE: The three visionary women who gave birth to thedream are flanked by Martha Mawela, women’s ministries coordina-tor for the Trans-Orange Conference and wife of the conferencepresident (left); Faan Ebersöhn; Heather Tredoux; Pastor E. N.Mugivhela; and Ivy Petersen.

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hillside on which one hardy msasa treegrew—they wanted to let their lightshine over the entire area.

In faith they cleared the ground andput up a fence, feeling that if they didwhat they could, God would do the rest.When asked how three women, withoutfunds, could build a church, they said,“We can build our houses; we can builda church.”

What would they build it with? Theabundant stones from the land andthatch, “if need be,” they said. Then“we will invite all the neighbors, and wewill also teach the children about God.”

One of the sisters, Selina, had learnedabout the Seventh-day AdventistChurch in 1946 at Bethel College in theTranskei, and became an Adventist yearslater near Johannesburg. In 1983 circum-stances took her back to her home villageof Mudavhula. She had become accus-tomed to the warm and active church lifeof a large congregation and felt deprivedin this rural community with no churchand almost no other church members.She remained faithful, however.

Not only was the area spirituallydry; it was also physically dry. WhenTredoux noted that Selina’s maizelooked better than the neighbors’ inspite of the chronic drought, Selinaanswered simply, “It is because I paytithe on it.”

Rather than speaking of their ownneeds, however, the three women told

Tredoux of their concern for theMozambican refugees living near them.Winter was approaching, and therefugees were cold and hungry; thewomen shared their maize and gardenvegetables, but had little to spare.Tredoux said she would see what shecould do to help.

Back in Cape Town, Tredouxcontacted the churches andwithin a month was able to

gather a ton of clothing and nearlyR1,000 (about US$205) for food. Shesent the money to the Ebersöhns topurchase the food—they had a truckand a trailer to transport it from theirhometown, the point nearest therefugee camp,where onecould buyfood.Meanwhile,she herselfreturned the1,250 miles(2,011 kilo-meters) tothe Northernprovince withthe clothing,sending wordto PastorMugivhela togather therefugees at

the Mudavhula church site for theclothing distribution.

The refugees were thrilled, and asTredoux’s convoy neared the camp theycould hear the refugees ululating a wel-come. Some of them put on the cloth-ing right away. The pastor had had abeautiful thought and had brought twoflowering trees to plant at the churchsite, and the three women had dugholes for the planting. Water for thetrees had been carried on willing headsfrom several miles away, and there wasa little tree-planting ceremony. So nowthere were three trees on the site, rep-resenting, one might say, the threewomen who had chosen the spot for achurch.

THE MOMENT: V. S. Wakaba was on hand to unveil the officialplaque at the church opening.

READY FOR USE: On high ground the little white church on the hill-side sends a silent message to the surrounding valley and beyond.

STANDING ROOM: On the day of its opening the church was filled, wall towall, window to window.


But who would bring the stonesfor the building? Tredoux presentedthe need to the Mozambicans. Shealso told them that the heaps ofstones mentioned in the Bible stoodfor God’s promises and that Christwas the chief cornerstone. “Almostbefore I had finished speaking,” saysTredoux, “the refugees scattered inall directions. Children vied witheach other to see who could carrythe heaviest stone, and somemothers, with babies on theirbacks, carried two stones balancedprecariously on the tops of theirheads. Men brought stones too.”

That done, the people sat down,ready for more stories. And Tredouxtook the opportunity of telling themthe story of three crosses planted ona hill 2,000 years ago and of the Sonof God, who hung on the middleone. “It was a wonderful, chaotic,exhausting, and thrilling day,” saidTredoux.

While there, Tredoux took timeto visit some of the mud-brickrefugee homes. They had no build-ing materials whatever—no wood,no plastic, no metal of any kind.Tredoux also discovered that theyhad to cover themselves during thecold nights as they lay on scraps ofdiscarded carpet, with only thinpieces of cloth for covering.

It was a discovery that made herwant to do more to help these threedauntless women with their dreamchurch. So she made contact with IvyPetersen, women’s ministries directorfor the Southern Africa Union, whojoined her in sharing the story withRose Otis, then director of women’sministries for the General Conference.They all quickly agreed that a way hadto be found to help these three specialwomen build a church to witness inthat area, and with Otis’s help theyapplied for a Global Mission grant.The request was approved, and theyfinally received US$10,000. The threewomen continued their outreach,using Voice of Prophecy lessons andconducting their little branch Sabbathschool and church. And while the pas-tor taught health and gardening to the

refugees, Petersen and Tredoux keptpushing to get the church built.

Since there is no water inMudavhula itself at that time ofyear, Brother Matoni, the

builder, had to go about four miles (sixkilometers) to get water for the opera-tion. But by July 26, 1997 (winter inSouth Africa), a beautiful little white

church had risen on the dry, brown,stony hill. Matoni, incidentally, do-nated and built the toilets at his ownexpense. By the time the hillsideturned a brilliant green with the returnof the South African spring, the littlechurch had become an integral part ofthe community. At its dedication,however, the ceiling was not yet up,and the church had only a cementblock floor. But there was a solidCommunion table, a pulpit top, asmall baptistry, and 100 plastic chairsready to be filled.

And fill them they did. People fromthe area crowded the seats, thevestry—every available inch of floorand platform, even the windows. ChiefMudavhula also was there—in a

wheelchair—to cut the ribbon. “I hadinvited the Adventists to come to ourarea many years ago,” he said, “and Ihad despaired that they would evercome. I am so glad that God hasspared my life that I could see thischurch.”

V. S. Wakaba, president of theSouthern Africa Union, unveiled theplaque. “Erected and donated by the

Department of Women’s Ministriesof the SAU and GC,” it read.“Dedicated to the glory of God . . .1997-07-26.”

Two days after the celebration,Pastor Mugivhela began a two-weekHope for the Nation evangelisticseries in the church. In the after-noons he worked through the Voiceof Prophecy studies with the peo-ple, and in the evenings he pre-sented the gospel. The church con-tinued to be packed inside and outfor every meeting.

After one week the pastor wasgreatly surprised when 28 personscame to him and requested baptism.He had not yet even made anappeal for baptism! These newmembers joined five others who hadbeen baptized earlier, among whomwere Selina’s husband, who had lefthis church to join his wife shortlybefore, and a released prisoner whohad accepted the Adventist messagethrough the Voice of Prophecywhile still in prison.

The three women had a dream.The Voice of Prophecy nurturedit. Various individuals supported

and protected it. Women’s ministriesand Global Mission gave it the finalpush. But it’s fair to say that it wasthe three woman who did it—theybuilt the church. And today, from itshillside perch, it sends its light acrossthe surrounding area. ■

Ardis Stenbakken is directorof women’s ministries at theGeneral Conference ofSeventh-day Adventists inSilver Spring, Maryland.

Children vied witheach other to seewho could carry

the heaviest stone,and some mothers,with babies on theirbacks, carried two

stones balancedprecariously on top

of their heads.

ANGEL MANUEL RODRÍGUEZ

As a church we hold that sinners who die “thesecond death” will stay dead forever. Shouldnot Christ, who experienced this death as oursubstitute, also staydead forever?

It’s impossible for us to understandfully what the second death entails,because the only one who wentthrough it and came back was Jesus.Therefore, we must carefully approachthis subject, beginning by examiningthe passages in which the phrase “sec-ond death” is used and then exploringJesus’ experience.

The “second death” in the Bible: Thephrase “second death” is found four times in the book ofRevelation, and nowhere else (Rev. 2:11; 20:6, 14; 21:8). Butthese few verses reveal several important things.

First, it is God’s instrument in the eradication of sin, sinners,Satan, and death from the universe (Rev. 20:10, 14; 21:8). Thesecond death is fundamentally different from natural death. Sinand death entered into the world together, and they will beextinguished from it together. The second death is the finalpenalty for sin, the total and eternal elimination of evil powersand sin in God’s creation.

Second, the second death is a process that brings sinful life toan end (Rev. 20:10, 14). Sinners will be completely aware of thefact that they are going through that which will separate themfrom God forever. This process culminates in the inevitable andinescapable cessation of the life of unrepentant sinners. It stopsits work only when nothing is left of sinners and sin.

Third, the second death is characterized by pain. It harms orhurts those who experience it (Rev. 2:11). This same verb isused in the New Testament to describe physical (Luke 10:19)and spiritual (Col. 3:25) harm. In Revelation it is a synonym fortorment (cf. Rev. 9:4, 5; 20:10). Those who are under the fullcontrol of evil are tormented by it (cf. Matt. 8:29). Therefore,one could suggest that the second death is experienced as bothphysical and spiritual anguish or agony—indescribable pain.

Finally, the second death is legally right. This death hasno power or authority over the righteous (Rev. 20:6). But itdoes have a claim against the wicked. It isn’t an expressionof divine arbitrariness, but an expression of a legal penaltyor retribution (cf. Col. 3:25). It serves to reveal the justice

of God’s judgments (cf. Rev. 19:1-3).Jesus and the second death: Jesus experiencing the second death

would include everything we stated above and much more.First, He underwent excruciating

physical and emotional pain. As Jesusapproached the cross He “began to besorrowful and troubled.” He said toHis disciples, “My soul is very sorrow-ful, even to death” (Matt. 26:37, 38,RSV). That terminology expresses agrief, sadness, and anxiety so intensethat it threatened His existence. InGethsemane the pain was almostunbearable, and Christ’s body reflectedHis spiritual agony as His perspiration

appeared as drops of blood that fell to the ground. He wouldhave died were it not for an angel sent from heaven whostrengthened Him (Luke 22:43, 44; cf. Heb. 5:7-9).

Second, Jesus experienced the second death because it was the rightpenalty for the sins of the world. He bore the sins of the human raceas its substitute (Mark 10:45). Here we reach the limits of thismystery. Christ experienced the second death by assumingresponsibility for our sin and receiving its penalty (2 Cor. 5:21).

Third, Jesus experienced the anguish of His separation from theFather in the most real form (Matt. 27:46). He confronted thepain of God’s abandonment. The anguish of His soul had a spir-itual component in that He was the rejected one. This isunquestionably the second death.

Of course, Christ came back to life. He was resurrected becausethere was no sin in Him and the tomb could not retain Him.

For believers, Jesus’ resurrection is an expression of God’slove. For the wicked, going into eternal oblivion may well be anexpression of that same love. The second death marks theextermination of sin and death from the universe.

Because Jesus paid the penalty for our sin, our destiny iscommunion with God and the Lamb throughout eternity,achieved for all who believe in Him through His death andresurrection.

Angel Manuel Rodríguez is an associate director of theBiblical Research Institute at the General Conference.

Surviving the Second Death

B I B L E Q U E S T I O N S A N S W E R E D

Jesus confrontedthe pain of God’s

abandonment.


B
INDOMITAH E R I T A G E
BY ROY BRANSON

THE WHITE MOONSHINERS

in Mississippi sent a threatening

message to the young Adventist

Black nurse, an educator who had

just started a one-room school and

had been visiting Sunday churches. They warned that if she

didn’t stop teaching people to quit drinking, they’d put her

out of business.

Anna Knight sent back word: “When you get ready toshoot, I’ll be ready.” 1

It was 1898, and Adventist work in Mississippi was justbeginning. In Vicksburg the Morning Star paddlewheelersteamboat, captained by Edson White and following instruc-tions from his mother, Ellen, had become the center of a com-prehensive ministry to freed slaves and sharecroppers. Classes,lectures, and worship services were held each week on boardthe Morning Star.2 There was even a printing press on the shipon which Edson printed 75,000 copies of his book The ComingKing, which was sold to support the new work in the South.

Not content with only religious instruction, Edson Whiteeven taught crop diversification from the decks of theMorning Star. He urged Black farmers who worked on bigcotton plantations to achieve greater economic self-suffi-ciency by raising chickens and caring for bees, as well asimproving soil quality by growing peanuts, strawberries,tomatoes, and cabbage.


A


The ministry centered on theMorning Star spread throughoutMississippi, and indeed, throughoutthe South. One of those it reached wasAnna Knight,3 daughter of a slave,who had somehow taught herself toread and had come across pamphletsproduced by Adventists. Painstakinglyshe began corresponding with the peo-ple who had sent her the pamphlets.

Eventually these Adventists invitedher to join them and be baptized,which she was.4 They then arrangedfor Anna to attend school in BattleCreek, Michigan. There she graduated,first from the Industrial School, andfinally in 1898 from the AmericanMedical Missionary College as a nurse.

When Dr. John Harvey Kellogg,president of the college, discoveredthat Anna was responding to the callto be a missionary by saying that shewanted to go back to Mississippi, hegave her what he gave other graduates:transportation costs for her return toMississippi, a nurse’s uniform, and allthe copies she needed of his book onphysiology.

Anna went back home to Mississippiand started a school for all who wouldcome in a log cabin on her uncle’s farm.Within a few months she moved theschool into a new building, whose con-struction she herself supervised. She

taught 24 students in eight grades, inaddition to traveling to Sunday schoolsin her region. Drawing on her Bibleclasses at Battle Creek and the philoso-phy of full-gospel ministry, she taughtthe adults penmanship, reading, arith-metic, and cooking.

She stressed especially the need ofhealth and temperance among them.Of this experience she later wrote:“When I put up my physiology chartand showed the people what liquordrinking would do to their heart, liver,kidneys, and other organs, they gotscared and stopped buying the moon-shine whisky.” 5

Hence, the kind of warning she gotfrom the White moonshiners.

After that threatening message,Anna got herself a very fast horse andbegan to carry a revolver and a shot-gun. An excellent markswoman andhorsewoman, she one time even man-aged to ride her horse through a gaunt-let of moonshiners, sliding down belowthe neck of the horse while they shotat her. Undaunted, she propped up hershotgun in the corner of the school-house and continued teaching peopleabout the evils of drinking.

“I took my books and guns each dayand carried them to work,” she wrote.“When my enemies saw that I was notafraid, they ceased to make us trouble.” 6

Dr. Kellogg arranged for her to attendthe famous 1901 General Conferencesession in Battle Creek, which reorga-nized the Seventh-day Adventistdenomination into its modern structure.Anna was a delegate—a voting dele-gate—reporting on the work she hadbeen doing in Mississippi.

A challenge given for foreign mis-sion service at that General Con-ference session, however, caused hermuch wrestling. She dearly loved whatshe was doing in Mississippi and hadrisked her life for it, but she believedshe should make a commitment to goto the mission field. Without evenreturning home to Mississippi, shearranged for her relatives to carry onthe work in her classroom and traveleddirectly to New York City to board asteamer for India.

Anna Knight became the first Blackwoman of any denomination to be sentas a missionary to India, involving her-self there in what Adventists always dowherever they go: everything. “Iworked in many lines,” she wrote.7 Sheextracted teeth, lanced boils andabscesses, kept the account for the mis-sion, taught Bible and English classes,and sold literature.

But this daughter of the Mississippisoil also believed in the principles ofcrop rotation, and started teaching thepeople that they ought to plow up theland.

She was told that her methods“might be all right in America,” but itwas “no good in India.” 8

So she got bullocks, hitched them toa good American plow, and plantedrows of turnips, cauliflower, tomatoes,beets, and other vegetables, teachingvillagers just how to cultivate them.

“There was a harvest of vegetablessuch as had never been seen atKarmatar before,” she reported.9 Fromthese beginnings she oversaw thedevelopment in Karmatar of a med-ical institution, a training school, aprinting press, and a church—vir-tually re-creating Battle Creek.

At the time of her furlough in theU.S., Anna heard that the whiskeyinterests in Mississippi had shut downher school. She chose not to return to

BLE SPIRITAnna Knight was a woman to

be reckoned with.

What will happen ifyou hold a ball atarm’s length anddrop it? It will falldown. Every time.

It will never float off into the sky. Itwill never zoom around, bouncing offwalls. When you let go, it falls.

There is a scientific law thatexplains this fact: gravity. The earth isso big that gravity pulls everythingdown to it. That’s why you don’t floatoff into space. That’s why balls falldown. Let’s say there are two kinds oflaws. Gravity belongs to one group. Allthe laws in this group help explain theway things are. There are laws of energyand motion and electricity and light.

Scientists use these laws to help under-stand the world and how things work.

There is another kind of law.Remember that ball that falls whenyou drop it? Well, you are not sup-posed to drop that ball on your sister’shead. You are not supposed to throw itat someone’s face. You are not sup-posed to use a ball to hurt someone onpurpose. The laws in this group helpexplain the way things ought to be. Theyare family rules, playground rules, fair-ness rules. These laws help us getalong with each other.

In the Bible there are both kindsof laws. Think about the eighth com-mandment: “You must not steal”(Exodus 20:15, ICB). That is the way

The WayThings AreROSY TETZ


things ought to be. Think how wonderful this world would be ifeveryone obeyed that commandment.You wouldn’t have to worry aboutanybody stealing your stuff. Youcould trust people—you wouldn’thave to worry that they’d trick youor charge you too much. Everyonewould be honest. Everyone would befair. Everyone would work hard anddo their best.

The laws about the way thingsought to be are wonderful laws.They help us learn the differencebetween right and wrong. Theyshow us the way Jesus wants us tolive. They show us how much weneed Jesus’ help.

There are also laws in the Bible thatshow the way things are. John 3:16 is anexample of this kind of law: “For Godloved the world so much that he gavehis only Son. God gave his Son so thatwhoever believes in him may not belost, but have eternal life” (ICB).

God loves us. That is the waythings are. He sent Jesus to save us.That is the way things are.

India, but went back to that other mis-sion field—Mississippi—and reopenedthe school, this time in the middle ofher hometown.

In 1909, leaving her beloved schoolin the hands of her sister, Anna movedto Atlanta, Georgia, and startedSunday lectures on health, along withoperating a night school at the YWCAthat taught first-aid classes and homenursing. Her relationship with theYWCA, begun in India, so impressedthe organization by her combination ofthe gospel and health education thatthey seriously considered using it as amodel for a national program.

In later years Anna was asked to leadout on the conference and union levelsof the Adventist Church. In 1932 shewas elected associate secretary of severaldepartments in the Southern Union.She also persisted in reaching out tochange society. At her death in 1972,Anna Knight, 98, was serving as presi-

dent of the National Colored Teachers’Association.

Anna Knight was an Adventisthero of social reform at a time whenrelatively few others were so involved.For Adventists are truly Adventistwhen they throw themselves into chal-lenging oppressive institutions, liberat-ing people from disease and disability,and concretely demonstrating whatthat future luminous city of Revelationwill really be like, in which all tearswill be wiped away and death will beno more.

At their finest, and Anna Knight wascertainly one of these, Adventists aretransformers of the world—heralds ofthe Holy City. ■

1 Anna Knight, Mississippi Girl: AnAutobiography (Nashville: Southern PublishingAssociation, 1952), p. 84.

2 Among those attending classes on theMorning Star were family members of BlackAdventists who would go on to make sizablecontributions to the Seventh-day Adventist

Church. Their descendants include F. L. Bland,second Black vice president of the GeneralConference; Charles Bradford, first Black presi-dent of the North American Division; andCalvin Rock, current General Conference vicepresident.

3 This article is abridged from an upcomingbook by the author on health and medicine inthe Seventh-day Adventist tradition.

4 Louis B. Reynolds, We Have Tomorrow: TheStory of American Seventh-day Adventists With anAfrican Heritage (Washington, D.C.: Review andHerald Pub. Assn., 1984), p. 113.

5 Knight, pp. 83, 84.6 Ibid., p. 87.7 Ibid., p. 94.8 Ibid., p. 95.9 Ibid., p. 97.

Roy Branson is the directorof the Washington Institute,located on Capitol Hill inWashington, D.C.

CALVIN B. ROCK

Acouple I know recently married after askingGod for certain signs in the weather. Theystated that the rain that came on the daythey chose for Godto respond was a

direct answer to their prayers, anda sign that they should wed. Couldthis be possible?

Yes, it’s possible. However, I amamong those who believe that ask-ing God to send rain, snow, or hail,etc., as a sign for one’s personal deci-sion-making is not the surest orsafest way of discerning His will.

Why? Because by asking foratmospheric or climatic conditionsor changes we are petitioning heaven to tailor natural con-ditions of an entire geographic region for our personalgood—in spite of the fact that those conditions mayadversely affect thousands or millions of others around us.Such a request may, in reality, be asking God to choosebetween moving in our behalf and working His orderly willfor many others, including those who may be praying just asearnestly for the opposite sign or weather condition.

Rather than risk being misled because God saw fit not toanswer in so grand or cosmic a manner; or worse, that Satan,“the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2), heard andinterfered with nature specifically to deceive, I suggest theformula recommended by Ellen White: “There are three waysin which the Lord reveals His will to us, to guide us. . . .

“God reveals His will to us in His Word, the Holy Scriptures.“His voice is also revealed in His providential workings. . . .“Another way in which God’s voice is heard is through

the appeals of His Holy Spirit, making impressions upon theheart” (Messages to Young People, p. 156).

This formula doesn’t rule out the possibility of signs inanswer to prayer, but it does eliminate what are presumptu-ous or even selfish demands upon God’s will and power.

Why do Seventh-day Adventists preach thatMoses’ law is done away with, but hold thatcertain parts of it, like not eating unclean meat,

are still necessary? If we believe that some parts are stillbinding, are we not inconsistent?

Adventists do not believe that certain ceremonial laws arestill binding. We believe that with the crucifixion of Christ,the true Lamb of God, in A.D. 31 and the stoning of

Stephen a few years later, thelabyrinth of ceremonial laws and actsthat pointed to Christ’s coming anddistinguished ancient Israel were ful-filled and abolished (Col. 2:14-17).

On the other hand, the abolitionof the ceremonial law did not invalidate all of the principles itexpressed. For example, we respectthe practical instruction regardinghealthy living included in the cere-monial law—not because it iscovenantally sacred but because it

provides commonsense, life-preserving counsel. We regardthese laws as supportive of the New Testament injunctionsto healthy living found in 3 John 2, 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17,and 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20.

Two of Satan’s most effective measures in minimizing theinfluence of God’s eternal law are: (a) leading some to fuseor, perhaps better stated, confuse the Ten Commandmentsthat God wrote (Deut. 10:1-4) with the laws written byMoses (Deut. 31:24-26) and (b) convincing others that theabolition of the ceremonial law nullified all the practicalsuggestions it contained.

To disavow helpful elements that were enjoined in theceremonial law because that law itself and the institution itsupported have been annulled is tantamount to signing thecontract for a new and better house, but rejecting or failingto incorporate whatever lessons or wisdom gained under former purchases.

Adventists do not believe that the ceremonial law is stillbinding. But we do believe in remembering the lessons ofthe past, and that “all scripture is given by inspiration ofGod, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc-tion, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16).

Calvin B. Rock is a general vice president of theGeneral Conference. He holds doctoral degrees inministry and Christian ethics.

Knowing God’s WillF A I T H A L I V E !

Some requests forsigns are selfishdemands uponGod’s power.


BY STEPHEN CHAVEZ

OK, WE LEAVE TOMORROW,” SAID THEtranslator.

“What?”“Tonight is our last meeting,” she explained.

“Tomorrow we go to Izhevsk.”The drama that played out over 90 minutes in a police

station in the city of Chaykovskiy caught us completely bysurprise. Our evangelistic team was being asked to leave theplace where, just eight days before, we had come to have aseries of “reaping meetings” for the purpose of establishing aSeventh-day Adventist congregation in this city of 80,000.

The meetings had reached their halfway point. Theaudience was enthusiastic. Health lectures and gospelslide presentations had broken down prejudice, and wehad covered such topics as the Bible, theSecond Coming, what happens when aperson dies, and the Ten Commandments.We were just getting ready to exploresome of Adventism’s distinctive beliefs:the Sabbath, the Judgment, andRevelation’s description of God’s truechurch. Each evening, after the lecture,people would line up to talk to us. Theyasked questions about the Bible, told usheartbreaking stories about their families,related how they had tried to nurture theirfaith during decades of Communism.Everything seemed to be going well.

Just the night before our trip to thepolice station, previous to presenting mylecture, I had found a secluded spot inthe building where we held our meet-ings—a deserted stairwell where I couldcollect my thoughts and ask the HolySpirit to use us. Indeed, with “only” theresponsibility of presenting lectures eachevening, and without the pressures of job

and family, I had prayed that prayer a lot over the pastweek. And there with my eyes closed, alone in the stair-well, I felt surrounded by a divine presence. I opened myeyes, half expecting to see some kind of supernaturalmanifestation. I don’t know when I had felt God’s pres-ence so profoundly.

My heart was full as I stood on the stage of the audito-rium with our translator and preached God’s Word. I feltthe presence of the Holy Spirit as surely as I could see thefaces of the people in the audience.

And now, less than 24 hours later, we were being askedto leave the city.

F or several years the Quiet Hourradio ministry has been workingwith the Office of Global Mission

at the General Conference and at severalworld divisions to establish congregationsin major cities where there is noAdventist presence. Last summer thefolks at the Quiet Hour called and askedif I would be willing to conduct a series ofmeetings in Russia.

I don’t volunteer for things, but ifasked, and if I think I can accomplishsomething without embarrassing myself,I’m willing. Soon the wheels were turning,and late last summer I began getting myvisa for my trip to Russia. Joining me onthis adventure was Lianne Nelson, a regis-tered nurse from Columbia, Maryland. Wewere told that we were going to holdmeetings in the city of Kumertau in theBashkir region.

The Russian Duma was at that verytime debating a measure, supported bythe Orthodox Church, that would limit

UNF I N I S HE DB U S I N E S S


Lianne Nelson

E D I T O R ’ S R E P O R T

The only constant in Russian evangelism is thatGod is in control.

(Unfinished Business)

certain proselytizing activities by somechurches in Russia. President BorisYeltsin vetoed one such measure, but afew weeks before we left, Yeltsin signedanother one into law.

We were told that the new measurewould not affect us, but just a coupleweeks before our departure we wereinformed that the Quiet Hour coordi-nator in Russia could not secure per-mission for us to hold meetings inKumertau, so we would instead go tothe city of Chaykovskiy in the Permregion, nearly 1,000 miles east ofMoscow. It didn’t matter to me wherewe went. I couldn’t understandRussian any better in Chaykovskiythan I could in Kumertau.

Lianne Nelson had been a studentmissionary in Siberia several yearsbefore, and she knew a little about theRussian language and culture. Her out-going, flexible manner made her anideal traveling companion.

In Moscow we joined up withOksana Samoylova, 23, a secretary inthe Office of Global Mission for theEuro-Asia Division. Oksana was ourtranslator, having become anAdventist just the year before.

O ksana is, in many ways, typicalof the Adventists we met inRussia. She is young, pleasant,

and dedicated to serving God in acountry in which religious activity hasbeen repressed for decades. Christianshad to practice their religious convic-tions privately. Since Communism wasthe state-sanctioned philosophy, manyof today’s Christians come from“mixed” backgrounds.

In Oksana’s case her mother is anOrthodox Christian, but Oksana’sgrandfather is a prominent member ofthe Communist Party in the city whereOksana grew up. She never went tochurch during her formative years; itseemed to her that only old,uneducated people at-tended services duringthe years ofCommunism. Butwhen she reached 12or 13 years of ageOksana begansearching for somekind of inner secur-ity. She imagined her-self getting married(she even knew thename of her hus-band, how manychildren they’dhave, and theirnames). “I knew no God,” sheexplains.“Planning myfuture gave me security.”

Following her grandfather’s exam-ple, Oksana became politically activeat her school. Leaving home toattend the university, she studiedEnglish, pursuing her ultimate goal:to become a foreign journalist. Butaway from her family, and facingquestions about her own mortality,she became depressed. From hermother she knew about God, but atthe university she had doubts: “Iwanted to know God, but how couldI find Him? And if I found Him,would it last?” she wondered.

In despair, Oksana turned to her

aunt, also a Christian. Her aunt gaveher a copy of the New Testament, andin an attempt to give her assurance,she urged Oksana to be baptized, “justto be on the safe side.”

Oksana was baptized in the RussianOrthodox Church at the age of 18, butpeace of mind still eluded her. Sheattended different Orthodox churches,but still she had questions. When sheapproached the priests for answers,they seemed preoccupied, offeringvague responses. She attended churchless and less frequently.

The summer she graduated fromthe university, Bill Tucker, from theQuiet Hour, came to Oksana’s city

with an evangelistic team.Oksana’s mother attended

every meeting, and invitedOksana to attend also—ifonly to listen to someonespeaking English. “I wastired of searching,” shesays. But she attendedfive nights of the series,

and began to receive lit-erature about the

Bible. “A light wasstill burning insideof me,” she remem-bers, and she beganattending the localAdventist church.

When the pastorasked if she wasready to be baptized,she at first said no.

But in October 1996 Oksana couldresist the Holy Spirit no longer. Herbaptism immediately produced innerpeace and stability. “I found answers toall my questions—the Sabbath, andeverything. The Bible became consis-tent—both the Old and NewTestaments. I lost my despair and con-fusion.”

A few months later Valery Ivanov,the translator for the Quiet Hour meet-ings and the Global Mission coordina-tor for the Euro-Asia Division, askedOksana to move to Moscow as his sec-retary. And that’s how she became apart of our mission to Chaykovskiy.


Oksana Samoylova

Nikolai Kondratov


Nikolai Kondratov is the QuietHour coordinator for the UralConference. Enthusiastic and

friendly, Nikolai is the model of can-dooptimism. Conversations in Russianbetween Nikolai and his associates arepunctuated with “Americanisms” thattell you that he knows what to donext: “Let’s go!” and “No problem!”being the ones used most often.

Nikolai’s story reflects the fact thatwith the outstanding growth of theAdventist Church in Russia during thepast decade, Russian Adventists arealmost always first-generation believers.Nikolai is another product of a “mixed”marriage: his father was a Communist,his mother a Christian. When Nikolaiwas 6 years old, his mother was impris-oned for her Christian beliefs. Whenshe died as a result of that imprison-ment, Nikolai’s father sought comfortin alcohol and became an alcoholic.Barely into his teens, Nikolai foundhimself living on his own, making hisway as best he could.

Drugs, alcohol, and gangs werepart of his life during his teen years.But when Nikolai saw the lives ofsome of his young friends beingdestroyed, he began looking foralternatives to this destructivelifestyle. Acquaintances put him intouch with some Christians, andeventually that pathwayled him to become anAdventist pastor.

Since becoming theQuiet Hour coordina-tor nearly two years

ago, Nikolai has been instrumental intaking the Adventist message to morethan seven cities in which there wereno Adventists before. “I’m an evange-list by nature,” he says. The campaignshe coordinates typically run for three,seven, 15, or 30 days.

Assisting Nikolai in his work aretwo young Adventists who share hiscommitment to public evangelism:Andrei Prokopiev, 23; and Albert(Alec) Shayakhmitov, 25. Bothbecame Adventists after their searchfor spiritual significance took them ona variety of detours.

Andrei was baptized by Nikolaiabout six years ago. He says of his daysbefore he accepted Christ, “I was an‘orthodox’ drug addict.” Although irre-ligious himself, Andrei collected reli-gious icons. One day he met a litera-ture evangelist who invited him tochurch. “My parents didn’t believe inGod, so I went to argue with him,” herecalls. But under the influence of theHoly Spirit, Andrei instead was capti-vated by the gospel.

Trained as a practical nurse, heteamed up with Nikolai to presentclasses on how to quit smoking. At ourmeetings in Chaykovskiy, he conducteda Five-Day Plan to Stop Smoking aftereach meeting during the first week. “I’mthe happiest man,” he beamed. “Each ofthe 15 nonsmokers thanked me for

helping them to quit smoking, andasked me how to live in the future.”Alec comes from a Muslim back-ground. His search for God led himto examine different philosophiesand religions for a period oftwo years—includingmagic, Eastern reli-

gions, and

satanism. “Ididn’t understand

what I was lookingfor,” he says. “Butwhen I saw asatanist become a

Christian, I became interested in find-ing out who Christ is.”

When Americans came to Alec’scity to hold evangelistic meetings, heattended with his friends (one of whomwas an atheist). During the course ofthe meetings Alec, who is a gifted musi-cian and songwriter, asked the evange-list if he could sing a song during one ofthe meetings. Given permission, Alecperformed a Christian song in public forthe first time. One of the members ofthe evangelistic team told Alec: “You’llbe profitable for God’s kingdom.” Alechas written several songs since then,and he travels with Nikolai and Andrei,providing the music foreach series ofmeetings theyattend.

Other mem-bers of theteam inChaykovskiyincluded aGlobal Missionpioneer, VladimirRoganov, 23,and hiswife,Helen.Theywere inthe cityforaboutthreemonthsbeforewearrived, handing out literature anddeveloping Bible studies. Other youngAdventists in their teens, 20s, and 30s(most of whom had been baptized byNikolai) rounded out our evangelisticteam. They included teachers, students,a taxi driver, a bootmaker, and a con-struction worker. They dedicate a fewweeks of their time in exchange forfood, lodging, and transportationexpenses. The strength of the work inChaykovskiy—as in all of Russia—istied to the dedication of the Adventiststhere. Financial support is minimal.

Albert (Alec) Shayakhmitov

Andrei Prokopiev


Most of the funds for evangelism neces-sarily comes from North America,Australia, or Western Europe. Themembers are unbelievably frugal.

After our fifth meeting we wereinvited to make a presentationto the clients who were staying

at the sanitarium in Chaykovskiywhere several of us lived. In a smallauditorium, with fewer than 20 peoplein attendance, Nikolai asked me a fewgeneral questions about the AdventistChurch. Then after Alec sang a fewsongs, Nikolai spoke briefly about thebenefits of being a Christian.

Throughout the presentationthose in the audience sat quietly lis-tening. At the conclusion Nikolaiasked if anyone had any questions.Several people spoke—not just toraise questions, but to voice objec-tions.

Since the fall of Communism, theRussian people have not been living“happily ever after.” Capitalism—aspracticed in most parts of the formerSoviet Union—has been a dismal fail-ure, leaving the average Russians muchworse off financially than they wereunder Communism.

Christianity has also been targetedby some who remember the “good olddays”—particularly atheists andCommunists. So when Nikolai openedthe floor for questions, the dialoguethat ensued was heated and prolonged.

I don’t know if it was coincidenceor not, but the very next day a policeofficer showed up at the Palace ofCulture (just prior to our eveningmeeting), asking why we Americanshad not registered our visas inChaykovskiy, and ordering us to appearin his office the next morning.

The next day Nikolai, Oksana,Lianne, Andrei, and I piled intoNikolai’s 22-year-old Russian sedan andmade the short trip to the police sta-tion. We explained our situation (howwe had been told at the last minutethat our meetings would be held in adifferent city), and paid a small fine forbeing delinquent (about US$4).

That night (the night I felt God’spresence in the stairwell) we held ourmeeting without incident. The nextmorning Nikolai, Alec, and Andreiwent to a local high school to talk tothe students about quitting smoking(which is very popular in Russia—especially among young people).

When Nikolai returned he founda message that we were to return tothe police station that afternoon.We were interviewed by the sameofficer we spoke to the day before.Later a woman came into the roomand asked us some questions. Andstill later another woman (a memberof the security police) joined theconversation.

It turned out that more than thediscrepancies in our visas, their con-cerns ostensibly revolved around thefact that for a couple nights Andreiand Lianne took blood samples by wayof pinpricks to test cholesterol andblood sugar levels. This was done with-out the approval of the local healthauthorities, and this proved to be thecrucial issue. On that basis we wereasked to leave the city.

When we went to that evening’smeeting at the Palace of Culture, thedoors to the auditorium were locked.Nikolai had to find the building super-visor and persuade him to let us in. Asthe meeting began Nikolai announcedthat the evening’s meeting would bethe last, pending negotiations with theauthorities.

Our final day in Chaykovskiy wasa Sabbath. Nearly 20 of usassembled in a small auditorium

in the sanitarium for a Sabbath schooland worship service. Four of those pres-ent were nonmembers who had beenattending the meetings. One of them,an older woman, had wept tears of joywhen we first arrived. “I’ve been wait-ing 20 years for someone to come tothis city and teach the truth of theBible,” she said. She wanted to be thefirst to be baptized. Now that we werepreparing to leave, she sobbed as if herheart was breaking.

Nikolai, Andrei, Alec, Oksana, Lianne,and I left Chaykovskiy that night.But the evangelistic team—minus me, Lianne, andOksana—continued hold-ing meetings there start-ing the following Mondayevening, withNikolaidoing thepreach-ing. Bythe endof theseries adozenpeoplewerebap-

tized, including the woman who criedupon our arrival. About 25 more arestudying the Bible with Vladimir andHelen, the Global Mission Pioneers.

I came home feeling slightly unful-filled. I’m not the type of person to leavewithout “going the distance.” I can’tbegin to explain why events turned outthe way they did—especially after theyseemed to be going so well. Perhaps, assome have observed, our stay was cutshort to keep the new believers frombecoming too emotionally attached toforeign members of the evangelisticteam, as sometimes happens.

“If we weren’t doing some good,”remarked Nikolai, “the devil wouldn’thave tried so hard to shut thingsdown.” ■

Stephen Chavez is an assis-tant editor of the AdventistReview.

Vladimir and Helen Roganov

Karachi AdventistHospital (KAH) marked50 years of continuousmedical service inPakistan with the cele-

bration of its golden anniversary andgroundbreaking ceremony for the newpatient wing. The historic event wasreported by Pakistan NationalTelevision and the city newspapers.

To kick off the celebration,KAH administrator, DonSchatzschneider, spoke briefly onthe hospital’s history, noting thatthe Adventist medical work inPakistan began as a medical campin 1947, the year that Pakistan sep-arated from India and became indepen-dent. In a sense, KAH shares its golden anniversary with the country.

In 1947 the city of Karachi was popu-lated with only a few thousand people,and the Adventist clinic was on the edgeof the city. The community asked thechurch to build a hospital, which wascompleted in 1951 with the help of com-munity donations.

The hospital opened with 72 beds andwas Pakistan’s first private hospital. Tenyears later KAH started a School ofNursing, which has graduated 555 nurseswho have served all over the world.

In 1963 KAH sponsored the first open-heart surgery in Pakistan when the LomaLinda University medical team repairedthe hearts of 45 patients. One smallfemale patient even returned to specializein anesthesiology at KAH years later.

Today the city of Karachi has 10 mil-lion people, yet KAH is still well knownaffectionately as the “Seven Day” hospi-tal. Though the present facility has dou-bled to 149 beds, it is still not enough tokeep up with patient demands. An aver-

age of eight patients are turned awayevery day, which underscores the needfor the new patient wing.

It’s common for people to say, “All mychildren were born in this hospital.” Oftenthree generations of one family have comefor medical services over the past 50 years.

The ceremony opened with thePakistan national anthem sung by stu-dent nurses dressed in colorful provin-cial costumes. During the ceremony thehonored guests broke ground for thenew patient wing, which will add 54beds with semiprivate, private, and VIP

rooms on the first two floors.Honored guests included: Bert

W. Schortinghuis, consul general ofthe Netherlands in Karachi; JimHuzzey, Trans-European Divisionfield secretary; Garth Anthony,Pakistan Union president and chairof the KAH board; and FrankTeeuwen, director of ADRA/Netherlands. Teeuwen was responsi-ble for getting funds for the newpatient wing and needed medicalequipment. The equipment was sup-plied with Dutch donations, whichwere channeled through ADRA.

The ceremony closed with avegetarian banquet for 1,000 guests,

including businesspersons and hospitalemployees. A special cake wrapped ingolden trimmings was baked for the guestsby Joe Sales, who was born in the mater-nity wing of the medical camp in 1949.

On one of Teeuwen’s trips fromPakistan, a Pakistani flight attendantasked him where he had traveled. Hetold her that he had visited a hospital.She said, “I was born at KarachiAdventist Hospital.”

He replied, “Perhaps that is why youare so beautiful; you received lots ofgood care.”

W O R L D N E W S & P E R S P E C T I V E S

Karachi Adventist HospitalCelebrates Fiftieth Anniversary


B Y G A I L S C H AT Z S C H N E I D E R , P U B L I C R E L AT I O N S O F F I C E R , K A R A C H I A D V E N T I S T H O S P I TA L

VIPS: Special guests for the ceremony included (left toright) Garth Anthony, Pakistan Union president; JimHuzzey, Trans-European Division field secretary; and FrankTeeuwen, director of ADRA/Netherlands.

A Potter’s Vision Becomes RealityB Y R O Y R I C H A R D S O N , D I R E C T O R O F A D R A / T H A I L A N D

The Niyom-mai village innortheastern Thailand (knownas Isaan) looks no different

than hundreds of other villagesthroughout the country.

But in this village 10 industrious,

hardworking women heard about theAdventist Development and ReliefAgency’s small enterprise developmentloan program funded by ADRA/Australia. They investigated the possi-bility of obtaining a loan to assist in


Adventist Delegation SurveysChristianity in China

A 10-member delegation of Seventh-day Adventistleaders recently concluded a tour of mainland China

to assess the church’s work in that country. The team from the Northern Asia-Pacific Division

(NAPD), based in Seoul, Korea, toured Eastern andNortheastern China, including Beijing, Shenyang,Haicheng in the Liaoning Province, Xi’an in theShaanxi Province, Nanjing, and Shanghai.

“The major purpose of this visit was for Adventist lead-ers to meet with government officials and church leaders ofChina, to learn more about Christianity in China, and toassess the needs of our work there while acquainting themwith the people and culture of the country,” says TadaomiShinmyo, division communication director.

The team visited six Adventist churches that are per-mitted to hold services on Sabbath, while other Protestantgroups of the Three-Self Movement meet on Sundays.The Three-Self Movement is the government-sponsoredorganization to which all Christians are assigned.

“Since the restoration of religious freedom in China atthe end of the cultural revolution, the church has expe-rienced phenomenal growth,” says Shinmyo. “Todaythere are an estimated 10 million Protestant Christians

in China, in comparison to 700,000 members in the1950s. There are 12,000 churches open for public wor-ship, with an additional 25,000 meeting points all overChina. Adventists number more than 230,000 membersmeeting in 600 churches.”

The training of young pastors is a major need inChina, reports P. D. Chun, NAPD president. ProtestantChristians in China have set up 17 theological seminar-ies, including the East China Theological Seminary,which was visited by the team. Nine Adventist studentsattend this seminary, which has a total of 100 students.

“It was a very profitable trip for our church leaders sothat they can lay plans to provide help for Christianchurches in China,” concludes Chun. “China presents anenormous challenge to the Adventist Church world-wide.—Adventist News Network.

Korean Church Grows Despite Economic Crisis

Though Korea’s economy is severely impacting thenation, the Adventist Church still anticipates growth,according to church officials.

“To date we have reports of 6,500 baptisms, bringingthe Adventist membership in Korea to 145,000, or one in310 of the total population, worshiping in 670 churches,”said B. S. Um, Korean Union secretary.

N E W S B R E A K


their business endeavors, which hashelped them become more financiallyindependent.

My attention was drawn to thesewomen because of what they do. Theyare all potters! Each of them has theirown small home pottery business, special-izing in charcoal-burning cooking stoves.

Their houses are easily identified bya huge mound of dark colored dirt inthe yard, a mechanical mixer that canbe connected to a small rice plow trac-tor, and a haystack of rice straw.Drying out on the concrete floor undereach house are rows of dark-brownmolded clay stoves.

Each woman makes more than 30stoves a day, on top of their familyresponsibilities and farm chores. Theyusually make the ovens in their sparetime, early in the morning, in the mid-dle of the day when it is too hot towork in the fields, or fitting in the tasksaround their home responsibilities.

While visiting them, one woman,Rabeab Jusipitak, demonstrated hertechnique and formed a stove for mein six minutes. She used a mold for theinner shape and packed soft clay onthe outside to an even thickness androunded and smoothed it with a paddleand her hands.

Satisfied with the outside shape, sheturned it over and placed it on theconcrete and removed the mold. Asthe clay dried, she finished shaping thetop. The stoves would then sit and air-dry for a few days before being “fired.”The firing is done in batches of 60, andunlike normal oven firing, straw isplaced over the stoves and set on fireuntil the clay is cooked. Each stovelasts for about one year.

Rabeab told me that selling herstoves is simple. A merchant comesregularly and buys all of the stoves shemakes and sells them to people all overIsaan. She said she is happy to be the

manufacturer, and leaves the worries ofmarketing to the merchant. Rabeabalso said each woman could make aprofit of about $1 for each stove, andwere happy about this.

So why did the women need a loanfrom ADRA? They had to mix thedirt, clay, and additives by hand. Thatwas time-consuming and hard work, sothey wanted to buy their own mixingmachines. Each potter requested a loanof 6,000 baht (about US$180), whichwas eventually approved by the projectloan committee.

“This project helps us stay at homewith our families, instead of having tofind work elsewhere,” Rabeab said. “Inthe dry season, with no water to growcrops, there is little to do on the farm,so we are able to provide for our fami-lies through the stoves that we sell.Being able to buy the mixers makesour work easier, and we are grateful toADRA for giving us the loans.”

K. D. Kim, union treasurer, reports that tithe incomefor 1997 increased by 18 percent over 1996. These dra-matic advances occurred despite the Korean won’s severeloss of value against foreign currencies. This has meant sig-nificant price increases on imported goods as well as layoffsand pay cuts by both private and state employers.

The economic situation, however, is hitting thechurch’s employment program. No salary increases areplanned for 1998, and no increases in office personnel.Pastoral staff will be increased only slightly in spite of thesignificant membership growth. Foreign nationals whoreceive their wages in local currency will be particularlyhard hit, since salaries have dropped by almost half inrelation to major world currencies.

However, Adventist leaders remain positive and havea “good and courageous spirit” for the future. This atti-tude is clearly demonstrated by S. W. Han, union presi-dent, who declared his strong wish to establish a medicalschool at the Adventist-owned Korean SahmyookUniversity.—Adventist News Network.

La Red Evangelism Update

Initial results from the La Red Hispanic satellite evan-gelistic series show numerous baptisms, says ManuelVasquez, a vice president of the North American

Division. The series, conducted by Alejandro Bullon inBrazil, was uplinked to every Spanish-speaking countryin the world.

At presstime five conferences in North Americareport a total of 1,300 baptisms. The Review will run afeature story on this meeting in an upcoming issue.

ADRA-Cambodia Opens New Hospital Ward

Some 500 government officials, students, communitymembers, and hospital staff celebrated the opening of theAdventist Development and Relief Agency’s new ward atSantuk Hospital in Kompong Thom Province,Cambodia, on December 10.

The ward will be the center of health-care activitiesfor the surrounding population of 58,000. Funded withmajor grants from the New Zealand government andthe Japanese embassy, the facility provides space for 20hospital beds, says Beth Schaefer, ADRA news andinformation officer.

Indian Leader Affirms Adventist Church

Ron Watts, Southern Asia Division president, recently dialogued with the finance minister, NanjilManoharan, of the Tamil Nadu provincial government.


N E W S B R E A K


Speaking on TV recently, the Netherlands’ deputydirector-general for the environment, Kees Zoetman,revealed that he believed in elves and gnomes. A few

days later a Dutch newspaper asked about the reactions hehad received. “Overwhelmingly positive,” Zoetman said.“People were surprised and a little amazed. But I’ve been try-ing to tell people it’s not just aboutgnomes—it’s about nature spirits; it’sabout the world of the unseen.”

Zoetman went on to explain how wecan feel many unseen beings around us. “I can feel theirwarmth in my heart. You can connect with them and feeltheir energy. Basically, you can communicate.”

If he’s worried about something at work, Zoetman turns tothe elves and gnomes and other “nature spirits” for answers.“Gnomes are a few decimeters tall,” he said. “Elves are verysmall, a few centimeters.” Understanding these nature spirits,says Zoetman, helps him respect and appreciate nature.

Kees Zoetman is yet another example of people who needsomething supernatural—something more than just thematerial world. Even in hardened secular climates such asthe Netherlands, belief breaks out—even belief in elves andgnomes. Secular society may throw cold water on our des-perate need for God, but it doesn’t extinguish it.

Is Zoetman smoking too much of theNetherlands’ famed legal marijuana?Maybe. Is he crazy? Perhaps. No morecrazy, however, than those who con-

tribute to the estimated $1 billion per year earned by late-night-TV psychic hot lines in North America. No morecrazy than the millions who religiously consult their horo-scopes each day, or pray to angels, or search for true spiritu-ality only within themselves.

Despite rumors to the contrary, people are still hungry for spiritual meaning. Elves, gnomes, and horoscopes willstarve them. Only the Bread of Life will satisfy them.

A Major Mis-gnomerB Y G A R Y K R A U S E , G L O B A L M I S S I O N C O M M U N I C AT I O N D I R E C T O R

NEWS COMMENTARY

Test Your GlobalMission IQ

1. Peter Roennfeldt, GlobalMission coordinator of the Trans-

European Division, describes it as “a brilliant, nonthreat-ening approach.” A member of the Leamington SpaMission (church) is a recognized authority in classicaldrama. And stage productions can reach unchurched peo-ple through expressions of their national culture. Thechurch invites the community to attend such productionsand uses intermissions to build friendships with the atten-dees. In what Western European country is RoyalLeamington Spa?

A. Luxembourg C. DenmarkB. Belgium D. England

2. After several decades the government of an Asiancountry again recognized the Seventh-day AdventistChurch in July 1997. A small group had been meeting,but authorities questioned their right to share their faith.It took weeks of negotiation between officials and a semi-

nary student. This student, Munk-Jargal (sponsored byGlobal Mission at the Theological Seminary at AndrewsUniversity), writes: “Because the Bible is still not avail-able fully in [our] language, there is a great need for . . .Global Mission pioneers to go and reach the local peopleone by one.” This country, “deep frozen almost thewhole year around,” lies south of Siberia. Its capital isUlan Bator. What country is it?

A. Afghanistan C. MongoliaB. Kazakhstan D. Tibet

Answers:

1. D. England, where more than half of the indigenousBritish are nonpracticing Christians or are non-Christians.

2. C. Mongolia. In a population of 2.5 million,Christians number only 0.2 percent. Most are Shamanists(who believe in an unseen world of demons, gods, andancestral spirits) and atheists. Atheism is considered a reli-gious belief system.

—Compiled by Don Yost, General Conference Global Mission Office.


In the 45-minutedialogue, Wattsapprised Manoharanof the current workof the AdventistChurch in southIndia, which origi-nated in 1904, andalso talked aboutfuture plans for thechurch.

Manoharanpraised the churchfor the significant

contribution the church is making to the welfare ofIndia’s citizens, says John Wycliffe, General Conferenceworker, who arranged the meeting.

News Notes

✔ Pacific Adventist University, in Papua NewGuinea, recently witnessed its largest-ever graduatingclass—63 students. It was the fourteenth graduationfor the institution (previously known as PacificAdventist College), but the first as a university,reports the South Pacific Division Record.

✔ Employees of Portland Adventist MedicalCenter in Oregon recently raised $209,000 duringtheir annual employee campaign. With the theme“Heroes of Giving,” volunteers recruited fellowemployees to promote the campaign within their

department, says John Korb, hospitaldevelopment director.

Proceeds of the campaign will be usedfor various hospital programs and theUnited Way.✔ Kathleen Beagles, a vice princi-pal and former English teacher atHighland View Academy inHagerstown, Maryland, was recentlyappointed editor of PowerPoints, the

junior-teen Sabbath school quarterly. Beaglesreplaces Andrea Kristensen.

What’s Upcoming?

Feb. 14-21 Christian Home and Marriage WeekFeb. 21 Youth Temperance DayFeb. 21 Listen, Vibrant Life, and Winner

magazine promotionMar. 7 Women’s Day of PrayerMar. 14 Tract Evangelism

N E W S B R E A K


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NEW FRIENDSHIP: Ron Watts (right)and Nanjil Manoharan. Kathleen

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The Spirit ofAlohaReally knowing others, really knowing God

L I F E S T Y L E

BY DAVID A. PENDLETON

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God islove” (1 John 4:8, NIV).

IWORKED BRIEFLY AS A YOUTHpastor. More specifically, I was a sum-mer intern at a southern Californiachurch before earning an M.A. intheology. Today I still work with

young people, but I pay the bills by prac-ticing law and serving in our state leg-

islature. Consequently, instead of tak-ing young people on camping trips

and picnics, I am appearingbefore judges and voting on leg-islative bills.

The life I lead today seemsfar removed from the life I usedto lead. Yet today I still usethose important lessons Ilearned so long ago.

I remember the senior pastorbeing dismayed that after a weekI still did not know the names ofall of my youth. I knew doctrineand theology, I knew about churchfinance and governance, but I couldnot quite tell Jim and Jon apart or

point out who Sally or Jane was.



There were so many young people, andI was just beginning to know them.How could I be expected to havelearned all of their names?

His response minced no words: “Ifyou love them, and you care aboutthem and are truly interested in them,how can you not know their names?”

A name is not just a useful tool foridentifying someone. It is inti-mately connected with one’strue self, one’s being.

I remember spending sometime with my daughter oneSunday afternoon. She enjoysplaying with her Barbie dollsand all of the accessories thatcome with those dolls. Shewanted me to play too, and soI, being a macho father, askedto play with the male doll.We had a great time. We pre-tended that they were boatingand driving and running andclimbing. We pretended thatthey were “boyfriend and girl-friend” engaged in polite con-versation (this is in stark con-trast with the global wars myson reenacts with his GI Joefigures).

A few more minutes passed,then my daughter abruptlystopped and asked, “Daddy, doyou love playing dolls with me?”

“Yes, I do,” I answered. To which she responded,

“But you don’t even know thename of your doll, do you?”And she looked at me asthough I were trying to pull afast one on her, as though I was sayingsomething I really did not mean. “Howcan you say you love playing dolls withme if you don’t even know that yourdoll’s name is Ken?”

My 3-year-old daughter had deducedthat I did not know that Ken was Ken.My own little daughter apparentlyunderstood the importance of a name.

As a legislator, I meet a great manypeople. I meet new people each dayand so, on occasion, I will recognize aface but will be unable to recall thename. This is not only embarrassingfor me; it is disappointing for the per-

son who previously met me and nowwants to continue the conversation.

It is as though he or she is notimportant enough to be remembered.But a name is important. Knowing aname is a prerequisite to a relation-ship.

God’s Word reminds us that God islove, and that if you do not love, you

must then not know God. The OldTestament prophets called us to love.Jesus taught us to love. And in morerecent times Ellen White spoke oftenof love being at the heart of Chris-tianity. In fact, her most enduring five-volume work (sometimes called theConflict of the Ages Series)* beginsand ends with these three words: “Godis love.”

Perhaps you know doctrine andtheology, but unless you love, you gen-uinely do not know God. It might besaid that you know about God, but itcannot be said that you truly know God.

Perhaps you can go through themotions, you can manipulate Ken andhave Ken interact with Barbie, but youwill only be fooling yourself. You willonly be playacting. And eventually,even a little child will see that some-thing is not quite right.

In the state of Hawaii we have theprivilege of knowing the beautiful

word “aloha.” This word is agreeting. But it is much morethan that. As Hawaii’s lawsproclaim: “It was the workingphilosophy of native Hawaiiansand was presented as a gift tothe people of Hawaii. ‘Aloha’ ismore than a word of greetingor farewell or a salutation.‘Aloha’ means mutual regardand affection and extendswarmth in caring with noobligation in return. ‘Aloha’ isthe essence of relationships inwhich each person is importantto every other person for col-lective existence” (HawaiiRevised Statutes, section 5-7.5).

One who truly loves willmanifest the spirit of aloha,and only one who manifeststhe spirit of aloha can trulyclaim to know God. Today, letus demonstrate our knowledgeof God not through learneddisputations or displays ofsophisticated theology, butthrough love—a love that passeth understanding (goesbeyond comprehension). Let usdetermine to love in word andin deed. In this way others will

know that we know God. For God’sname will then be not only on our lipsbut in our actions. ■

* Patriarchs and Prophets, Prophets and Kings,The Desire of Ages, The Acts of the Apostles, andThe Great Controversy.

Rep. David A. Pendletonattends Manoa ValleySeventh-day AdventistChurch with his family. Hepractices law in Hawaii,where he also serves in the state’s Houseof Representatives.P

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A simple concept, but one with enormous power to link us in a common, powerful bond

D E V O T I O N A L


BY GERALD WINSLOW

The following article is a condensation of a devo-tional first presented at a General Conference morningworship. We have preserved some of the elements oforal delivery.—Editors.

But to all who received him, who believed in [Jesus’]name, he gave power to become children of God, whowere born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or ofthe will of man, but of God” (John 1:12, 13).*

THE BADGE THAT PERMITS ME INTO THEGeneral Conference building says I’m num-ber 458. When I saw that, I wanted to tellyou that I am also a husband. I have twodaughters and a pet Sheltie named

Sydney. But the other thing I wanted to tell you thismorning is that I’m your brother, that since we’re allchildren of God we must be siblings. God has givenus power to become just that.

In Matthew 12 Jesus says: “ ‘Who is my mother,and who are my brothers?’ And pointing to his disci-ples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers!For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven ismy brother and sister and mother’ ” (verses 48-50).

The language of the New Testament is the lan-guage of family. It says that God has created a fam-ily of grace. It calls us to a powerful metaphor. Thatmetaphor, however, is not just a decoration of lan-guage. Rather, it’s meant to signal how we shouldplan to be.


I’m fascinated by figurative speech,and any one of you who speaks twolanguages knows how curious languagecan be. I have many German rela-tives. Imagine them hearing a sen-tence like this: “In the presence ofdogs, most cats are chicken.” Allthose of you who have English as asecond language may be equally puz-zled by it. Because if you looked up allthose words in the dictionary, the sen-tence wouldn’t make sense, would it?And yet, if you were familiar with theidioms of English, you’d make somesense of it, wouldn’t you?

Metaphors are powerfully memo-rable, some of them much more inter-esting and telltale than the one that Ijust used. We say, for example, that thepatient in room 213 is a vegetable. Iremember the first time I heard thatexpression. I was just a kid, and it wasa horrible thought. What sort of veg-etable? Broccoli? Cauliflower? Whatwould you do with such a person?Metaphors are powerful in ways thatwe very often don’t even recognize,because they signal how we intend tobe in the world. All words are powerfultools, and these figures of speech areespecially so. Even when we don’tunderstand them.

An illustration of that came tomind recently when I was in Salzburg,Austria—we lived there years ago,when my now-28-year-old was just 5.When she first went down to the parkto play, there was a misunderstandingbecause she talked funny—she spokeEnglish. The other children didn’t.They couldn’t get along together. Aftera couple weeks and some tears on herpart, I noticed her on the merry-go-round. And she was saying to the otherchildren “Schneller, bitte!” (“Faster,please!”)

That afternoon while walkinghand-in-hand with her down by theSalzach River, I said to her, “I seeyou’ve learned some German?”

“Oh, no,” she said. “I haven’t.”“But I heard you say ‘Schneller,

bitte!’ to the children on the merry-go-round. What does that mean?”

She looked at me as only a 5-year-old could do and said, “I don’t know,

Daddy. But it makes the merry-go-round go faster.”

Most of us use words all of the timethat affect things—and people. Theymake the merry-go-round of life goround and we may not even know howthey work, nor understand theirabstract meaning. I want to suggestthat the language of family—that weare brothers and sisters with eachother and children of God—is potentlanguage, whether or not we under-stand all of its implications. It signalshow we plan to be with each other.

I think my favorite text in Scripturein that regard is one in Romans 8: “Sothen, brothers and sisters, we aredebtors, not to the flesh, to live accord-ing to the flesh. . . . For all who are ledby the Spirit of God are children ofGod. For you did not receive a spirit ofslavery to fall back into fear, but youhave received a spirit of adoption.When we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ ” (verses12-15). “Brothers and sisters”—that’swhat we are. And we’re called to say ofeach other that we are family.

Iwas reminded how important thatwas when I crossed the border intoEast Germany, then a Communist

dictatorship. I was going over to visit myrelatives and some of my brothers and sisters living there. And we were tocross at a little place called Marienborn.Marienborn—born of Maria, just a littlevestigial effect of a formerly religiouspast. There at the border we were sub-jected to all those intimidations thatpeople became used to. The officialstook our papers away. They made metake my glasses off while they looked atmy picture and at me. They slid big mir-rors under the car to make sure weweren’t smuggling anything.

I remembered, just as I got to the bor-der, that I’d brought a tape of Winniethe Pooh, and that tapes were forbidden.And I didn’t know where exactly it wasin the trunk and I didn’t think I couldfind it. And I hoped they didn’t, becauseI had images of myself spending 20 yearsin a German prison for Winnie, and itwouldn’t have been worth it.

Well, finally we came to the laststation—all this took about an hour

and a half—and all the papers weresigned off. There was just one last(young) guard left to clear. He lookedover our documents and saw where wewere headed: Friedensau—the littleAdventist school and village.“Friedensau!” he said. He looked at meand looked at the paper again, and hesaid, “Dort sagt man ‘Bruder’”—“Therethey say ‘brother.’ ”

I didn’t know what to say. I didn’tknow if it was a test, some sort of trick.So I was a little coy. I said, in the bestGerman I could muster: “Do they? Ididn’t know that. I’ve never been therebefore.” All of which was true. “Yes,” hesaid, “they say ‘brother.’ They say ‘sister.’ They say it in the street, in thepost office, in the store.” Then he got abig smile on his face and he said, “I findit very beautiful. Have a nice trip.”

I told that story later in Friedensau,and we all wondered together how heknew that. Did he know a student fromthere? Had he passed through there atone time in his life? Maybe he was thestudent? I don’t know. But he was right.In that beautiful German expression—which isn’t quite as beautiful inEnglish—“Geschwister,” we can saybrothers and sisters all in one word.“Siblings” is not quite as pleasant. Thepoint of it is, we were created family.

Marienborn–Jesus was born ofMary to cross over a very largeboundary and in doing so

made every border crossing possible.The border crossings that take us out ofracism, out of nationalism, out of reli-gious bigotry, even out of that last andmost sophisticated bigotry—humanism.For all of them are similar, in that theycare mostly about people who are likethem. Jesus has called us across all thoseboundaries to realize that with God atthe center of our lives, we are preparedto relate to every realm of being in waysappropriate to that God—who is at thecenter of all and who owns and caresfor all. Yes, we’re called to be childrenof God and brothers and sisters.

I know that it is not the way theworld works. A few months ago I visitedDachau. There I stood again, as I havein the past, in the gas chambers. I sawP

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the ovens. I realized that medical experi-mentation was done there. People werefrozen to death and dissected. They wereasphyxiated. All in the name of medicalscience and in the name of the ThirdReich. That’s the way the world worksmuch of the time. Some people wereruled out. They didn’t count.

That’s how the world works, isn’tit? And that’s how it works in ourhearts, too, unless a miracle of Godoccurs. It really requires a miracle ofGod to cross borders and experiencefamily. Nothing else will do. Wereceived that Spirit, and by thatSpirit we are created family—we aresons and daughters. We can say“Abba, Father.” It is the spirit, Paulsays, of adoption.

It’s the Spirit I saw at the SpokaneAirport some years ago while waitingto change planes—Spokane is one ofthose airline hubs out in the U.S.Northwest. It was late at night, foggy,and the planes weren’t moving. Ifound myself in a little cafeteria roomreading some students’ papers. Andas I was sitting there a young couplecame into the room, carrying a bigblack bag. It was a round room withsmooth walls, and I was sitting immedi-ately across from them. Perhaps youhave noticed this about round roomswith smooth walls: they are like stereo.Whatever people say across the room,you hear it as if you had earphones on.So I couldn’t help tuning in to theirconversation.

It was an interesting conversation,and I thought they looked a little over-dressed for a Wednesday night. He said,

“Did you bring the bottle?” Later shesaid, “I wonder if he’ll have hair.” And Irealized that what I was about to seewas the birth of a baby. Not a biologicalbirth, but the social birth of a baby intoa family. It was a young couple about toadopt a baby. The more they talked, themore obvious it became. And sure

enough, after the fog lifted, a matronlylooking woman with a little bundlecame in and introduced this young cou-ple to their son. As the new momopened the blanket, it was as if it werethe most precious and delicate package.As if it would break. She looked intohis face for the first time and said, “Oh,he’s just beautiful!”

Now, I have to tell you this aboutme. I’ve always thought that littlebabies were a bit funny looking. In allof history I can think of only two

exceptions. All other babies have lit-tle bumps on their noses and littlewrinkles in the wrong places, and soon. That’s what I’ve always thought.But that night the spirit of adoptionwas present. On their way out of theroom I was still sitting there—sincemy flight hadn’t yet been called. The

mother was walking past me, and inan outburst of motherly pride shesaid, “Have you seen our newbaby?” I stood up and looked intothat little face. I didn’t see thebaby as I usually see babies.Instead, I saw him through thatmother’s eyes, and through thatnew dad’s eyes, and with the kindof eyes through which God seesyou and me today. And I said,“He’s just beautiful!”

Lord, I thank You for creating familyhere. We know it’s not easy. Evenwithin our own family sometimes thereare distrust and rumor. But we praythat You will overcome such boundariesagain by the miracle of Jesus Christ.And by the spirit of adoption thatmakes us Your children and makes usbrothers and sisters today. We pray inJesus’ name, amen. ■

* All Scripture references in this article arefrom the New Revised Standard Version.

Gerald Winslow is dean ofthe Faculty of Religion atLoma Linda University,Loma Linda, California.

He looked at meand looked at the

paper again, and hesaid, “Dort

sagt man ‘Bruder’”—“There they say ‘brother.’”


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Until I became a member, I didn’t realize that Advent-ists are so deeply involved in the labor movement. Ioften hear people talking about the “union.” How

much influence do unions have in the church?In Adventist terminology the word “union” refers to a

level in the church’s organizational structure.The Seventh-day Adventist Church has a representative

form of governance. The local congregation is the basic ele-ment in communicating the message of Christ’s second advent.

Local churches are joined together in a “conference.” Manytimes this corresponds to state or provincial boundaries, andthe local conference deals directly with all the congregationswithin its territory. Conference officers and executive commit-tee members appoint pastors and support elementary and sec-ondary schools. The conference also pays the salaries of pastorsand teachers from the tithe returned from the churches.

Several local conferences in a geographical area form anorganization called a “union conference.” This is what peo-ple refer to when they mention “the union.” This adminis-trative level serves as a liaison between the local conferenceand the world church, or “General Conference.” It also sup-ports the Adventist college or university within its territory.

The General Conference is the organization thatembraces the church’s work throughout the entire world. Itoversees the budget that fosters the international growth ofthe church. The General Conference is divided into “divi-sions,” which are used to administer large, global territories(North America, South America, eastern Africa, etc.). TheGeneral Conference helps to maintain the unity and doctri-nal integrity of Adventist churches throughout the world.

So to get back to your question, a “union,” in the context ofthe Seventh-day Adventist Church, is an association of confer-ences (which is an association of congregations) that representslocal concerns to the church’s global representatives.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is uniquely struc-tured, built on the belief that God uses gifted people onevery level—local, regional, national, and international—totake a dynamic, life-changing message to the entire world.

By Walter D. Blehm, director of constituent relations forAdventist Health. He has been both a conference and union con-ference president.

Can you tell me what the letters DORCAS standfor? I know our church has such a group (I seeit mentioned in the bulletin), but I don’t know

what it means, or whether it’s something I’d be inter-ested in joining.

Dorcas is shorthand for the Dorcas Society, the oldestCommunity Services organization in the Seventh-dayAdventist Church. The Dorcas Society was named afterTabitha, or Dorcas, who served the less fortunate in the NewTestament city of Joppa (Acts 9:36). Death interrupted herlife of compassionate service to others, but she came back tolife through the prayers of the apostle Peter. Ellen Whitewrote: “God saw fit to bring her back from the land of theenemy, that her skill and energy might still be a blessing toothers” (Welfare Ministry, p. 67).

So powerful was Dorcas’ example that the Seventh-dayAdventist Church formed Dorcas societies in local churches tominister to the poor and hurting. According to its charter, aDorcas Society must have at least three active members, meetonce a month, care for at least one family or individual per year,and make at least one shipment or donation to the AdventistDevelopment and Relief Agency (ADRA) each year.

In places where the Dorcas Society involves both menand women, there is a parallel group named AdventistMen. The resulting coed group is called a GoodSamaritan Society. Qualifications to join are simply a lovefor people, a genuine desire to minister to the needs ofthe poor and hurting, and a willingness to work coopera-tively with fellow servants.

Sometimes the statement is heard: “They renamed theDorcas Society, and now it’s called Community Services.”This is a myth. The Dorcas Society continues to exist, underits original name and plan of operation. AdventistCommunity Services is a new organization with a largermandate; it’s an “umbrella” organization that includes theDorcas Society and all other Seventh-day Adventist effortsto serve local community needs. The leader of this organiza-tion at the local church is the Community Services leader.

By John Gavin, executive director of the Adventist Developmentand Relief Agency (ADRA), North America.

Avenues of ServiceA D V E N T I S M 1 0 1


This column is intended to answer questions asked by new Adventists and by those unfamiliar with some Adventist terminology. Sendyour questions to: Adventism 101, Adventist Review, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904.

BY FYLVIA FOWLER KLINE

“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desiresof your heart” (Ps. 37:4, NIV).

Chippy was the campus mongrel—everyone fedhim, but he had no home.Then came a missionarycouple who adopted India,its ways, its food, its peo-

ple. They adopted Chippy, too.We became friends: the missionaries,

Chippy, Jez, and I. Jez, my son, was atoddler then. He loved Chippy, andChippy loved him. Chippy let him dothings that Mitsy (our Pomeranian)never allowed. Chippy even endureddental examinations to prove his undy-ing love.

Over the next six months or so,Chippy and Jez took walks together,played together, and even visited theoffice together. Then came the time forus to leave India. It was time to say bye-bye to grandparents, friends, the neigh-bor’s pigeons, stray cats, and Chippy. Iknew Chippy would be the hardest.

One Sabbath afternoon, reminding Jez that this would bethe last time he would see Chippy, we went up the hill tohave our farewell dinner with Chippy’s family. As soon aswe stepped into their home Jez began his usual hunt.“Thippy, Thippy,” he called, looking in all their favoritehiding places. But no Chippy anywhere. Chippy had oftendisappeared, only to return several days later, looking happyand well fed. And of course, being a dog, he had no idea hislittle friend was leaving on the next plane to America.

Our plans to have a pleasant dinner were ruined withJez’s wails of “I want Thippy now.” Nothing could stop him.Not hugs, not explanations, not reason, not even bribes. Hecried and cried and cried. But I had more important thingson my mind: packing, saying goodbye to my family, friends,and home of 25 years. A hysterical child and a hunt for avagabond dog were certainly not what I needed.

Just as I was ready to apologize to Chippy’s family andtake mine home, Jez stopped crying and said, with a hugesmile, “Mama, Jezan will pray. Jesus will bring Thippy.”

Oh, no, I thought to myself. Knowing Chippy’s escapades,his return that afternoon, let alone that week, was far fromprobable. Besides, Jez was too young to understand: Everyprayer is answered, but sometimes you don’t get what you ask for,

because God knows what’s best for you. Andso I tried getting him to compromise—“Jesus knows where Chippy is, so whydon’t you thank Jesus for making Chippyyour friend?”

“No,” he replied firmly. “Jesus will bringChippy now.”

We watched the innocent child live outhis faith. Jez stretched out on his tummy,folded his hands, closed his eyes real tight,lifted his head up high, and called out,“Dear Jesus, can You hear Jez? Please,please bring Thippy.”

With a confident smile he pushedhimself off the floor. And even beforehe could get back on his chubby legs,Chippy came bounding into the room!

We adults were surprised! Should wehave been? I had not grasped the magni-tude of my Father’s love, concern, andinterest in me. He does not just put food

on my table and a roof over my head; He thinks of the lit-tle things that bring happiness.

A hot bath in the middle of the week, roses for no occa-sion, a telephone call from an old friend, escaping the flu thekids brought home. At such little incidents I respond: “Acoincidence!” or “What a lovely surprise!” Instead, I shouldgive God praise, for it’s God granting my heart’s desire.

As grown-ups, we had our doubts about Chippy’s returnthat Sabbath afternoon, but Jez did not. Jesus’ prompt replywas exactly what he expected. In response, he huggedChippy, dragged him to the floor, folded his paws in his littlehands, shut his eyes real tight, lifted his head, and yelledout, “Thank You, Jesus!” ■

Fylvia Fowler Kline is assistant director of theStewardship Department at the General Conferenceof Seventh-day Adventists in Silver Spring,Maryland.

Your Heart’s DesireR E F L E C T I O N S


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from the ground up - adventist review · 2018-11-19 · 12 indomitable spirit she was a young black...

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