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The International Paper for Seventh-day AdventistsN A D E D I T I O NApril 14, 2012DN AE DI TI ON8Nowis theTime12 Singingin theDarkISSN 255003/0961427 End-timeFaith

8is theApril 2012The International Paper for Seventh-day AdventistsNow Time12 Singingin theDark8W12April 201227 End-timeFaithC O V E R S T O R Y16The Powerof OneKimberly Luste Maran interviews GilbertCangy, director of the Youth MinistriesDepartment of the General Conference,about his dreams for Adventist youtharound the world.O R L D V I S T ANow Is the TimeBy Ted N. C. WilsonWitnessing opportunities and personal contactgo together.D E V O T I O N A LSinging in the DarkBy Gerald A. KlingbeilIf you’re tired of singing alone, listen for others,and join them.142022A D V E N T I S T L I F ESaying GraceBy Nathan BrownIt’s not just what we do before we eat.A D V E N T I S T S E R V I C EA Tale of Two CitiesBy Willie Tafadzwa ChinyamurindiTwo youth groups: separated by geography,but not by mission.F U N D A M E N T A LB E L I E F SPast, Present, and FutureBy Ferdinand O. RegaladoJesus told His disciples to rememberHis sacrifice until He returns.DEPARTMENTS3WORLD REPORT3 News Briefs6 News Feature10 One-Day Church11 WORLD HEALTHWhat About VitaminSupplements?24 SPIRIT OFPROPHECY“We Have a Right”26 B I B L E Q U E S T I O N SA N S W E R E DWhat’s Left?27 BIBLE STUDYEnd-time Faith28 IDEA EXCHANGEwww.adventistworld.orgAvailable in 13 languages onlineOn the cover: The General Conference YouthDepartment has a message for the church’syouth and young adults: “It only takes a spark.”PHOTO AND ILLUSTRATION BY BRETT MELITI2 Adventist World | April 2012

A Young EarthThe world is getting younger.It is an assertion that seems to defyalmost everything we know about chronologyand science, and from everydayobservation.The world’s population is gettingyounger.This seems more plausible, eventhough it still seems to counter our personalexperience of aging. We don’t feelor act younger as time passes. For thoseof us past age 50, our bodies testify in theother direction.But the facts—carefully assembled bythose who know—are unassailable. Themedian age of the world’s 7 billion soulshas been declining in recent decades, andnow ranges from a low of about 15 yearsof age in some countries of the 10/40 windowto a high of more than 40 years of agein several regions of Europe.* More of theworld’s people are young than at any othertime in recorded history.And what is true of the world’s populationis proving true of the population of theSeventh-day Adventist Church. Even amonga people who practice “believer baptism”—with children raised in the faith oftenbecoming members only after age 10 orlater—there are millions of church membersaround the globe under the age of 30.That fact is both sobering and inspiring. Itreminds us that the church’s “energy potential”is vast and still largely untapped—thatthere are hundreds of thousands of youthand young adults whose Spirit-given giftscan yet be recruited to the mission of tellingthe world. But it also means that we mustquickly develop a special sensitivity to theministries and methods that will best engagethem and their non-believing peers.Read this month’s cover feature, “ThePower of One,” with a prayer in your heartthat the Seventh-day Adventist Church’syouth ministries will become its mosteffective tool for sharing the goodnews of a Savior who changedthe world in just 33 years.IRLAWORLD REPORTReligious Liberty ConferencetoSpotlightGlobal FreedomRELIGIOUS LIBERTY ENCOUNTER: Reverend John G.W. Oliver, chairmanof the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative, left, and Imam SeyyedMohammad Ali Abtahi, an Iranian theologian, scholar, and pro-democracyactivist, converse during the 6th IRLA World Congress, held in2007 in Cape Town, South Africa. The imam is currently imprisoned inIran for alleged political crimes.■■A major international event in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic,in April will affirm once more that “religious liberty is part of theDNA of the Adventist Church,” according to General Conferencepresident Ted N. C. Wilson. The seventh World Congress forReligious Freedom, organized by the International ReligiousLiberty Association (IRLA), expects to bring together some 800 governmentofficials, community activists, church leaders, scholars, andlegal experts for a three-day series of meetings, beginning April 24.In a short video message Wilson said the event offers an unprecedentedopportunity “to mix with those who hold positions of influencein society—to explore how, together, we can speak for the millionsof people around the world today who face discrimination,Continued on next page*Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook April 2012 | Adventist World 3

WORLD REPORTimprisonment, or worse, simplybecause they’ve chosen the path offaithfulness.”A 2011 international study by thePew Forum on Religion and PublicLife suggested about a third of theworld’s population—more than 2.2billion men, women, and children—live in in places in which religious persecutionnot only exists, but is actuallyon the rise. This grim forecast for religiousminorities comes as no surpriseto John Graz, director of the PublicAffairs and Religious Liberty Departmentfor the world church and secretary-generalof the IRLA. “As we meettogether in Punta Cana to explorecurrent religious freedom issues, thisterrible reality of persecution will beever before us,” he said.“We serve a God of freedom whoappeals to us through love, not fear,”Wilson added. “Preserving and promotingreligious freedom for all people—no matter what their faith tradition—will always be a central Adventist value.”The seventh World Congress,the first such event to be held inthe Inter-America Division, hasattracted presenters from aroundthe world, including ambassador RobertSeiple, former U.S. ambassador atlarge for International Religious Freedom,and Neville Callam, BaptistWorld Alliance general secretary andleader of 100 million Baptists worldwide.Other attendees from the localregion include Dominican Republicpresident Leonel Fernández, primeminister Gerrit Schotte from Curaçao,prime minister Michiel Eman fromAruba, and Caridad Diego Bello,Cuba’s minister for religion.For more information about thecongress and for streaming video ofplenary sessions, go to www.irla.org.—reported by Bettina Krause, IRLA4 Adventist World | April 2012Paulsen Receives HonorFrom Norway’s King■■Jan Paulsen, the most recentformer president of the GeneralConference of Seventh-day Adventists,has been named a commander of theRoyal Norwegian Order of Merit.The announcement from the RoyalPalace states that “H. M. the King hasappointed Jan Paulsen commander ofthe Royal Norwegian Order of Meritfor meritorious work for the good ofhumanity.”“I am totally surprised and veryhonored by this recognition comingfrom His Majesty the King of Norwayand his councillors,” Paulsen, 77, said.“It warms my heart that the accoladecame with the recognition of ‘servicefor the good of humanity,’ for that iswhat the life of Christian service is allabout,” he added.The Royal Norwegian Order ofMerit was founded by King Olav V in1985 and is conferred on foreign andNorwegian nationals as a reward fortheir outstanding service in the interestof Norway. The actual date whenPaulsen will be presented with the insigniaof the order has yet to be decided.Ted N. C. Wilson, current GeneralConference president, congratulatedhis predecessor, saying, “This is a wonderfuldemonstration of how God canbring a life of Christian service to theforefront for the world to know of Hispower. We are grateful for this specialrecognition of Pastor Paulsen by theNorwegian government, and thankhim and Mrs. Paulsen for their manyyears of dedicated service to God’schurch and the good of humanity,which has been so nicely recognizedby the king of Norway.”Reidar J. Kvinge, president ofthe Seventh-day Adventist Church inMEGAN BRAUNER/GCNorway, said: “It is a great honor forthe Seventh-day Adventist Churchin Norway that the global service ofDr. Paulsen has been recognized inthis way.”Paulsen was president of the GeneralConference of Seventh-dayAdventists from January 1999 to June2010. He holds a Doctor of Theologydegree from the University of Tübingenin Germany.Jan Paulsen began his ministerialservice in 1953 in Norway, later servingas a teacher in Ghana and as teacherand college president in Nigeria, atwhat is now known as Babcock University.From 1976 to1980 he was the principal(or president) of church-runNewbold College in England, whichhouses the main theological faculty ofthe Seventh-day Adventist movementin the Trans-European region.NORWEGIAN HONOR:Jan Paulsen, president of the GeneralConference of Seventh-day Adventistsfrom 1999 to 2010, has beennamed a commander of the RoyalNorwegian Order of Merit, an orderestablished by King Olav V in 1985.

For 12 years he served as presidentof the Trans-European Division in St.Albans, England, before coming toSilver Spring, Maryland, as a generalvice president of the Seventh-dayAdventist Church.—reported by Tor Tjeransen, communicationdirector, Norwegian UnionConference“Revived by His Word”Initiative Launches■■Beginning April 17, Seventh-dayAdventists around the world areinvited to read one chapter of theBible every day up until the July 2015conclusion of the General Conferencesession. “Revived by His Word,” as theinitiative is called, is gaining supportfrom church members and leadersaround the world.“Around the world, and particularlyin Africa, I have seen the transformingpower of the Bible in the livesof people at every level,” said PardonMwansa, a general vice president ofthe world church who is involved withthe project. “By committing to thisprogram of daily, prayerful Scripturereading, I believe Seventh-dayAdventists will not only learn muchabout the God they serve, they willalso find a great blessing,” he added.According to organizers, “the goalof the entire project is to provide anopportunity for Jesus to speak to Hispeople through His Word so they willknow Him better, seek Him moredeeply, and share His love more fully.”“If there’s one habit that willchange the life and conversations ofAdventists around the globe, it’s thehabit of daily placing ourselves beforethe open Word of God and filling ourminds with the message of God’slove,” said Bill Knott, editor ofAdventist World and a member of thechurch’s Revival and ReformationCommittee. “I’m praying that thousands—hundredsof thousands—ofbelievers will take up this challengeand make the next three years a timeof special grace and power for thisremnant people.”More information on the project isavailable online at www.revivalandreformation.org, under a special banner.—Adventist World staffWilson Meets JamaicanLeaders, HaitianAdventists, During Tour■■Seventh-day Adventist Churchpresident Ted N. C. Wilson met withtop Jamaican national leaders duringa recent tour of the island nation topromote the church’s Revival andReformation initiative.Wilson, his wife, Nancy, and localAdventist Church officials paid acourtesy call to Jamaica’s prime minister,Portia Simpson Miller, and governor-general,Sir Patrick Allen. Thevisit coincided with the island nation’sfiftieth anniversary of independence.Miller commended the church’scontributions to education andnational development in the country.“The Seventh-day Adventist Churchplays such an important role and hasbeen doing a wonderful job inJamaica,” she said.There are some 270,000 Adventistsworshipping at more than 650 churchesin Jamaica. Church officials in the countryestimate that about one in every 11people there is an Adventist.Wilson told the prime minister,“We want to be seen as an integral partof society. We want Seventh-dayAdventists to be known as people whotruly and genuinely fulfill the ministryNIGEL COKEJAMAICAN WELCOME: Adventist worldchurch president Ted N. C. Wilson greetsJamaican prime minister Portia SimpsonMiller in Kingston on February 3. The twoleaders discussed the role of the AdventistChurch in the country and prayed together.of Jesus,” he said, citing education,health outreach, social programs, andspiritual guidance.While in the Caribbean, Wilsonalso toured Haiti. Two years after adevastating earthquake, Adventiststhere continue to rebuild churchesand schools with the help of MaranathaVolunteers International, theAdventist Development and ReliefAgency, and the offerings of churchmembers worldwide.—reported by Nigel Coke,Inter-American DivisionPolish President MeetsCountry’s Adventist ChurchLeaders■■Leaders of the Seventh-dayAdventist Church in Poland wereamong representatives of theEastern European nation’s religiouscommunities who met with Polishpresident Bronislaw Komorowski onJanuary 24, 2012.Addressing the religious leaders,including representatives of Christian,Jewish, and Muslim organizations,Komorowski said that Poland is “aContinued on next pageApril 2012 | Adventist World 5

WORLD REPORTvery diverse community of people interms of language and culture, as wellas religion. “He focused on the idea of the stateas a “good community [which] is ableto embrace, hold, appreciate, andbring out everything that is good indiversity.”Referring to the wide interreligiousformula of the meeting, Rakowski said,“For me the very nature of the meetingwas important. While hosting manysignificant dignitaries of the religiousworld, it was very neutral and—in thepositive meaning of the word—secular.There were no prayers or rituals thatcould have caused any discomfort toany of the invited guests.”The Adventist delegation gave Mr.Komorowski a gift edition of TheDesire of Ages, by Ellen G. White, and aseries of films on the heroes of theProtestant Reformation.The Seventh-day Adventist Churchhas been present in the Republic ofPoland for nearly 125 years and todayhas about 7,000 members.—reported by Andrzej Sicinski,tedNEWSPOLISH PRESIDENT: From left, PresidentBronislaw Komorowski of Poland greetsSeventh-day Adventist pastors PawelLazar, Marek Rakowski, and RyszardJankowski.tedNEWSandKNOTT: I’ve been told that the FundamentalBeliefs Review Committee isdeliberately building a process toengage not only theologians andscholars but also the wider church inconsidering any refinements to thechurch’s 28 fundamental beliefs. Whyis it important to reach out beyondthose who have expertise in handlingthe Word?It’s very important that the wholechurch gets involved, because thismovement doesn’t have doctrinesthat are engraved in stone. We haveour fundamental beliefs, which areexpressions of how the worldwidechurch understands the biblicalmessage. That’s why it’s very importantthat whenever we look intothem or consider a revision, everyonegets involved—lay members,pastors, theologians, administrators,everyone.KELLNER: So the layperson who studiesthe fundamental beliefs is beinginvited to make comments about theListening,Studying,SharingIn response to the action of the 2010 General Conference session, a FundamentalBeliefs Review Committee was established by the church to consider any adjustmentsthat may be deemed necessary in the church’s 28 fundamental beliefs. GeneralConference vice president Artur Stele chairs that committee, and recently satdown with Adventist World editor Bill Knott and news editor Mark Kellner to talkabout how the process will unfold.clarity or the accuracy of that wordingjust as much as those withadvanced degrees?Exactly. The Holy Spirit is leading thechurch, and every member is precious.The Lord can use and speak throughevery member.KNOTT: I understand the committee isasking for suggestions on revisedwording, but that you’re hoping forsubmissions that are very compact.First of all, the task is not to rewritethe fundamental beliefs. The task is tosee if the wording that we have usedfor a number of years requires achange. Language is dynamic, and inthe more than 30 years since the Statementof Fundamental Beliefs wasendorsed by the 1980 General Conferencesession, it’s possible that new languagecan better express what thechurch has historically believed onthese points. We’re engaged in an editorialrevision of the fundamentalbeliefs, not a rewriting of them. Second,we have a special assignment6 Adventist World | April 2012

FINE TUNING: General Conferencevice president Artur Stele chairsthe Fundamental Beliefs ReviewCommittee, which hopes to bringits report to the 2015 GeneralConference session.given to us by the last General Conferencesession to look into FundamentalBelief No. 6, which deals with ourbelief about Creation. We have beencharged with the task of integratingthe language of Fundamental BeliefNo. 6 and a document called “AnAffirmation of Creation,” which wasvoted by the church’s Annual Councilin 2004. We are inviting all Adventists—whoeverwants to make a contribution—towrite to us, but we don’twant to receive dissertations! [laughter]We’re encouraging those with newsuggested language to provide that inone or two sentences. First, theyshould identify the change they aresuggesting, and second, provide arationale for that change in one or twosentences. We’re asking for suggestionsin this brief format so that we cantruly read and digest the largest numberof recommendations possible.KELLNER: You noted the special taskthat has been given the committeeabout Fundamental Belief No. 6, onSANDRA BLACKMERCreation. How significant is thatbelief to the life of the Seventh-dayAdventist Church?Fundamental Belief No. 6 is crucial,because the whole system of beliefsthat we have as a Seventh-day AdventistChurch is so interlinked. If youtake one out, especially one as centralas our belief in special creation, thewhole building collapses. And No. 6 isone of the foundational beliefs thatreally undergird the entire structure ofour beliefs. If you don’t believe in Creation,then you definitely will notbelieve in the biblical account of recreation,the creation of new heavensand a new earth. If you don’t believein Creation as described in the Bible,the Sabbath—of which it is the weeklymemorial—quickly declines in significance.It’s vitally important that thelanguage we choose to express ourbelief in Creation clearly articulateswhat we mean to express about whatthe Bible teaches.KNOTT: The Fundamental BeliefsReview Committee has dedicated aspecific period of time for what it hascalled a “year of listening.” What doesthat mean?The 2005 General Conference sessionestablished a formal process by whichany possible revisions to one of thechurch’s fundamental beliefs are carefullyconsidered by all relevant groups.A preliminary draft is prepared,reviewed by the church’s ExecutiveCommittee, then distributed throughthe church’s media to every division, toevery union, to every seminary, to theologians,to church members. Time isgiven for them to react and respond.Then, before the General Conferencesession, all the suggestions are reviewed,and a final draft is approved and sent tothe GC session. That’s the normal way.This time we have suggested goingeven one step further. Before we startthe voted plan, we would like to giveone whole year for all our members,theologians, pastors, to send in theirrecommendations to the working groupthat prepares the preliminary draft thatstarts the process. We want the widestpossible input as we start the process—and that means we have to take significanttime to “listen to the church.” Thebeliefs we are describing are not justthose of one group within the church,or the belief of a Biblical Research Instituteof the General Conference. Theseare the beliefs of the whole Seventh-dayAdventist Church. That’s why it’simportant to move slowly, with theopportunity for everyone to be involved,and to use this as a spiritual opportunityto immerse ourselves again in whatthe Word teaches us. nWHAT DO YOU THINK?Individuals are invited to makesuggestions for integrating the currentFundamental Belief No. 6 (available at http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/fundamental/index.html) and “An Affirmation ofCreation” (http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/statements/main-stat54.html), or for revisingthe wording of other statements by:1. Identifying the change of wordingrecommended.2. Providing a brief rationale of 150-200words maximum.3. Sending suggestions by one of thesemethods:a. Mail: FBRC, Biblical ResearchInstitute, General Conference ofSeventh-day Adventists, 12501 OldColumbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland20904-6600, U.S.A.b. E-mail: FBRC@gc.adventist.orgApril 2012 | Adventist World 7

W O R L D V I S T AOn Sabbath, March 24, 2012, Ihad the wonderful privilegeof working side by side withour brothers and sisters in Brazil,hand-delivering copies of The GreatHope (a portion of The Great Controversy)to the warm and gracious peopleof São Paulo.Weeks of careful planning led upto this special event. Books wereordered, grids were plotted on mapsof the entire city, and training wasgiven. When distribution day arrived,everyone knew what to do and whereto go. The results were astounding. Inone day, by the grace of God, about 26million copies of The Great Hope weredistributed throughout South America—3million in São Paulo itself.But that’s just the beginning. Overthe next two years church members inthe South American Division havecommitted to distributing about 70million copies of this powerful bookacross the continent. They are alreadyseeing amazing results.In the city of Juiz de Fora one Sabbathafternoon a Baptist man receiveda copy of The Great Hope. By Sundayevening he had read the entire book,visited the nearest Seventh-dayAdventist church, and asked the pastorto be baptized! Imagine what wouldhave happened if no one had givenhim the book.A Unique BookThe distribution of The Great Hopeby the South American Division is aprime example of the many world divisionsthat are planning, or have alreadybegun, to distribute The Great Controversyin its classic or abridged versions.The devil did not want Ellen White towrite The Great Controversy, and in facttried to kill her as she was in the processof writing it. But she, throughGod’s power, persevered, and statedthat this book, above all other books, isthe one she wanted circulated the most.NowBy Ted N. C. WilsonIs theShare It With the WorldWhy is that? Because The GreatControversy graphically portrays theprogress of God’s work from thebeginning of the Christian church,down through our time and into thevery last days before Christ’s coming.Clearly the devil does not want peopleto be alerted to how he works and toknow the importance of the Word ofGod as our foundation for life. TheGreat Controversy powerfully portraysSatan’s diabolical efforts to drawattention away from the Word of Godand the precious message of salvationthat Christ offers to all of us.This book has been the source ofcountless conversion experiences, andthat’s one of the most important reasonswe need to share it. It is also oneof the main reasons the devil doesn’twant it to get out.Witch Doctor ConvertedEven witch doctors have acceptedJesus Christ as their Savior after readingThe Great Controversy. A few yearsTimeago a Seventh-day Adventist evangelistwent to a small hillside village innortheast India to present the messageof Christ to the people there. The localwitch doctor was furious and repeatedlypronounced death threats on theAdventist pastor, who was praying forthis man and visiting with him.However, after five months thewitch doctor became deathly ill. Theevangelist visited him and explainedthat there was a battle raging betweenChrist’s angels and evil angels in hispersonal life, and left a copy of TheGreat Controversy with the witch doctor.One week later the evangelistreturned and found that the man hadnot only read the book, but alreadychanged his lifestyle. He was smilingand invited the evangelist to share ameal. They prayed together, andwithin a month the man began throwingaway all of his witchcraft tools.The evangelist came regularly, studyingthe Bible with this dear man andhis family, and they were all baptized8 Adventist World | April 2012

The Great Controversyportrays Satan’s diabolical effortsto draw attention away from theprecious message of salvation thatChrist offers to all of us.into the Seventh-day AdventistChurch. When the villagers came forhealing, the former witch doctorshared with them the truths he hadlearned from reading The Great Controversy,and explained that he hadaccepted Jesus as his Savior.My firm conviction is that therewill be thousands and thousands ofhighly committed Christians whowill become members through theGreat Controversy Project and theircontact with Seventh-day Adventistbelievers.Strong Lay SupportDivisions around the world aresupporting this project, and many inan extremely dynamic way. Thechurch worldwide has committed todistributing approximately 175 millioncopies of various versions of TheGreat Controversy during 2012 and2013. This is the work of the HolySpirit! In addition, this project hascaught the attention and excitementof local church members, who arestrongly promoting the book.In Nigeria 12 dedicated lay membersdecided to print enough copies ofThe Great Controversy to reach 10 percentof the Nigerian population, makingtheir goal 16.7 million copies. Thisproject came as a wonderful surpriseto the West-Central Africa Division, asthey had set 12 million books for theirdivision goal.A businessman in Indonesia volunteeredto print a half million copiesof the classic version of The GreatControversy in the Indonesian language(a cost of US$1.5 million), andchallenged other businesspeople tosponsor more books. His challengewas immediately met by another laycouple who agreed to print an additional20,000 copies for distribution inthat country.In the United States the 40-memberchurch in Konnarock, Virginia, isimpacting their area in a big way.Although most of the members are onsmall, fixed incomes, they are faithfullysupporting the Great ControversyProject. Teaming up withtwo other Adventist churches inWytheville and Marion, they have sofar distributed nearly 48,000 copies ofthis life-changing book, and are hopingto eventually reach the entire stateof Virginia.When Catastrophe BecomesOpportunityIn Peru, one Adventist family hadthe special opportunity to share TheGreat Hope with millions of viewersduring a live interview on nationaltelevision. The Paredes family were onboard the ship Costa Concordia whenit ran aground on January 13, 2012.To save their lives, the familyjumped into the cold water, where theywaited almost 40 minutes to be rescued.The father said that his familywas able to stay calm in the midst ofthe crisis because of their hope in Jesusand His promises of eternal life. At theend of the interview Paredes used theopportunity to talk about The GreatHope and explained that the SeventhdayAdventist Church offers this bookas a gift to people who want to learnmore about God and His love for us.This book contains contactinformation for requesting the completeclassic edition of The GreatControversy, as well as Bible lessonsand other materials.An Opportunity for EveryoneLet me offer a special word ofencouragement to those who wouldlike to be part of this project, butaren’t sure how to go about it.First, get some copies of The GreatControversy and have them close toyou in the car or house. Keep one inyour briefcase or somewhere near.Second, earnestly pray, “Lord, You toldEllen White that this book was to becirculated more than any other book.April 2012 | Adventist World 9

W O R L D V I S T AI’m an extension of that, but I don’tknow whom I should give it to, orhow it should be given. In the next 24hours, open for me an opportunity tohelp someone to receive this book. Idon’t know who or how—a familymember? a neighbor? Just give me theopportunity and tell me to give it.”Then believe that the Lord is goingto open an opportunity. When yougive it, give it with the most graciouslove and concern for people you’veever had. The Lord will create theopportunity; this is His work. He’sresponsible for opening these doors,so let’s be awake enough to see thatthe door is open.Phenomenal ResultsAs people around the world inevery division go out to share thesebooks, we ask that you pray that theHoly Spirit will block any effort on thepart of the devil to keep people fromreading it. The Great Controversy portraysthe hand of God’s interventionto protect His church through the agesin such a remarkable way that readerscannot help being melted by God’sincredible proactive approach towardeach of us, and the ultimate triumphof righteousness and truth.The results from this project,through God’s direct blessing, aregoing to be phenomenal. And theyought to be. We are living in the criticalperiod just before the final eventsthat the book itself portrays, eventsthat are grounded in the prophecies ofDaniel and Revelation. How importantit is for us to get this message out,and to believe it ourselves. Jesus iscoming soon! nTed N. C. Wilsonis president of theGeneral Conference ofSeventh-day Adventists.AOne -Day ChurchSinde, ZambiaProfessor Wilson is nearly blind.His vision has slowly been darkeningfor years by a deteriorating conditionthat cannot be reversed.But Wilson’s mind is bright and hisheart happy, especially when a churchdeacon calls the Sinde congregationto worship by banging on the old shock absorber that hangs in the cashewtree beside their brand-new One-Day Church.Wilson is a teacher—and a rancher and farmer—who would tell you thathis “real job” is planting churches like the one in Sinde.“When they ask me to teach at one of the public schools,” Wilson says, “Iagree, and quickly begin telling my students that their lives can be full only ifthey accept Jesus as their personal Savior. Before long we have a new churchunder a tree near the city well.”The Sinde congregation has completed the walls, platform, and pews forthe One-Day Church and the One-Day Sabbath school center that were builtfor them two years ago by ASI and Maranatha Volunteers International.The professor hears the worship bell and sees heaven filling with hisstudents.The One-Day Church program is a collaborativeeffort between the Seventh-day Adventist Church,Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries (ASI),and Maranatha Volunteers International. Thesestories come to you each month from Maranathastoryteller Dick Duerksen.DICK DUERKSEN10 Adventist World | April 2012

WhatAboutVitaminW O R L D H E A L T HSupplements?By Allan R. Handysides and Peter N. LandlessPlease address the confusing information regarding vitamin and othernutritional supplements. I’m especially thinking of studies that claim vitaminE is a contributing factor to cardiac disease and death (several years back),and the more recent one that claims that vitamin E supplementation noticeablyincreases the risk of prostate cancer in men.This is indeed a confusing issueto many, because so many supplementsmake claims abouttheir health benefits. The supplementsindustry is huge and very profitable. It’sestimated that more than half of allAmericans take at least one supplementand spend approximately US$25 billionannually on them. Supplements ofvarious kinds are used worldwide.What is a supplement? It’s a substancetaken by mouth but is not a food;it may be in the form of a liquid, tablet,capsule, powder, or even injection. It’sintended to add that which the diet maynot be providing in sufficient quantity.Supplements may be readily purchasedand generally are not tested, controlled,and regulated as are standard medications,so many of the claims regardingthem haven’t been substantiated. Adietary supplement may contain a vitamin,mineral, hormone, amino acid, orplant or animal extract; in fact, it maycontain anything.There have been a number of clinicalstudies over the past few years to testbenefits and risks.Vitamin E has not fared well whenclaims of its protective benefits againstheart disease and stroke were tested. Infact, it was associated with an increasein the diseases it was purported to prevent.Additionally, in the recent Seleniumand Vitamin E Cancer PreventionTrial (SELECT), researchers foundthat vitamin E supplements may actuallyincrease the risk of developingprostate cancer by 17 percent.Equally surprising results were seenwhen beta-carotene supplements weretested on the hypothesis that theywould prevent the development of cancer.The study had to be stopped prematurelybecause the group taking theadditional beta-carotene was shown tohave an increased incidence of lungcancer. Beta-carotene is a substancefound in yellow vegetables and is safewhen taken in the diet because itoccurs naturally in yellow vegetables,but not when taken as a supplement.The recent Iowa Women’s HealthStudy (about 39,000 women studiedover 19 years), published in the journalArchives of Internal Medicine inlate 2011, raised more concern regardingroutine use of supplemental vitaminsand minerals (routine meaningin the absence of specific deficiencydue to disease states or dietary deficiencies).One portion of this studysuggests a link between multivitaminintake and increased death rates inolder women. Copper and iron supplementswere also associated withthis worrying trend.In stark contrast to the above studyis the startling fact that iron deficiencyis the commonest nutritional deficiencyin the world. Two billion peopleare anemic, many of them as aresult of iron deficiency. Those livingin developing countries would certainlybenefit from appropriate ironsupplementation.So who should receive vitamin andmineral supplementation?n Those suffering nutritional deficienciesfrom an inadequate diet.n Pregnant women—folic acidsupplementation has been proven todecrease neural tube deformities; alsoiron supplementation may be needed.n Those with dark skin and individualswith fewer than 15 minutes ofsun exposure per day may benefitfrom supplemental vitamin D.n Those with gastrointestinal diseases,which cause decreased absorptionof nutrients, e.g., celiac disease(gluten sensitivity).n Those undergoing cancer treatment(chemotherapy).The best way of obtaining essentialnutrients is by eating a healthful dietrich in fruits, nuts, vegetables, andlegumes, and if dairy is excluded (totalvegetarian or vegan diet), vitamin B 12should be supplemented. Commerciallyavailable supplements also may interactwith other medications and cause dangeroussituations, so before taking supplements,check with your physician. nAllan R. Handysides, a board-certified gynecologist,is director of the General Conference HealthMinistries Department.Peter N. Landless, a board-certified nuclearcardiologist, is an associate director of the GeneralConference Health Ministries Department.April 2012 | Adventist World 11

D E V O T I O N A LBy Gerald A. KlingbeilSingingtheDarkinJoin the choir.BILL KNOTTThe year was 1529. The placewas Spires, Germany. A smallband of Protestant princeswere on their way to participate inthe Diet of Spires, convened byEmperor Charles V. This was not asinging group. They looked perplexedand worried. Faced with immensepressures from both the emperor andthe papal party, they had two options:either uphold their commitment toScripture and the Reformation (andface terrible civil war and persecution)or succumb to the pressures ofthe majority and recant the principleof liberty of speech and conscience. 1It is said that Martin Luther composed“A Mighty Fortress Is OurGod” for this particular occasion—the moment when life, faith, and thefuture of the Reformation hung inthe balance.A mighty fortress is our God, abulwark never failing;Our helper He, amid the floodof mortal ills prevailing.For still our ancient foe doth seekto work us woe;His craft and power are great;and armed with cruel hate,On earth is not his equal.No Singing EventFifteen hundred years earlier asmall group of men and women huddledtogether fearfully. The shadow ofthe cross loomed on a hill. The earthitself seemed to be in mourning, anddarkness and tremors had unnervedthe inhabitants of Jerusalem. Jesus wasdead, their beloved Master would notwalk with them again to touch theundeserving and neglected and preachthe kingdom of God—or so theythought. Imagine the sense of disillusionment,fear, and agony the disciplesmust have felt. Sabbath sawtheir highest hopes and wildestdreams crushed, and they were afraidfor their own lives. No one felt likesinging. They hid in the upper roomand fearfully waited.The next morning two of the discipleswere on their way home. 2Their way to Emmaus stretched outbefore them for seven long miles.Their hearts were empty; their hopeshad been crushed. And yet at the endof their journey, after they recognizedthe risen Savior, they werebursting to shout (and sing) thegood news of an empty tomb. “Didnot our heart burn within us whileHe talked with us on the road, andwhile He opened the Scriptures tous?” they asked each other (Luke24:32), and notwithstanding anotherlong journey and the dangers ofnight travel, they rushed back toJerusalem to tell the others.Did we in our own strength confide,our striving would be losing,Were not the right man on ourside, the man of God’s own choosing.Dost ask who that may be?Christ Jesus, it is He,Lord Sabaoth His name, fromage to age the same,And He must win the battle.More SingingThroughout history God choosesstrange moments to do His singing.The second half of the seventh centuryB.C. is marked by major changesand challenges in the ancient NearEast. The Neo-Assyrian Empire is onthe decline and a new power, locatedin ancient Babylon in Mesopotamia,12 Adventist World | April 2012

midst of evil and judgment anddestruction a song is about to besung over God’s remnant people. Listencarefully to its words: “The Lordyour God is with you, the MightyWarrior who saves. He will take greatdelight in you; in his love he will nolonger rebuke you, but will rejoiceover you with singing” (Zeph. 3:17,NIV). 3 God is not a distant, farremovedgod—He wants to be closeto His people and is about to utter asong, a loud song, of joy over thosewho have relied upon His Word, whoEvery divine message ofimpending judgment alsocontains a call to return anda glimpse of divine restoration.From Mourning to SingingZephaniah, the pre-Resurrectiondisciples, the German Protestantprinces—they all should not havesung. Darkness was all around them;judgment was imminent; destructionwas sure—and yet, they joined thechoir and sang in harmony with theGod who Himself is ready to sing outfor joy over His creation.That word above all earthlypowers, no thanks to them,abideth;The Spirit and the gifts are oursthrough Him who with us sideth:Let goods and kindred go, thismortal life also;The body they may kill; God’struth abideth still,His kingdom is forever.His kingdom is forever, and ever—and ever. In the midst of our owndarkness, can you already hear themusic? nis beginning to assert its influenceand might. Judah, under King Josiah,has been given another opportunity,and a great reform is under way. Theking is supported by prophetic voices;one of them sits now tucked inbetween Habakkuk and Haggaiamong the 12 minor prophets. Zephaniahis a unique prophetic book. Itsauthor must have been a member ofthe royal family, as his genealogy(Zeph. 1:1) reaches back four generationsto King Hezekiah.When God speaks through Zephaniah,He addresses Judah and Jerusalem.When you find a moment spendsome time reading the entire book inone go (which will not take too long).Chapter one feels like a huge tsunamiis rolling toward Jerusalem. It’s judgmenttime and God’s people do notseem to get it. It’s end-time for Jerusalem,and idolatry, oppression, or plainapathy just seem to go on as they havegone on before. This is no time forjoyous songs of worship. This iscrunch time. “The great Day of theLord is near” (Zeph. 1:14), the prophetshouts, and it is bigger than just Judahand Jerusalem (Zeph. 1:14-2:3).Zephaniah, however, does notstop there. Every divine message ofimpending judgment also contains acall to return and a glimpse of divinerestoration (Zeph. 3:1-13). In thetrusted His leading and relished Hisgrace. This is not, however, a sentimentallove song celebrating thegood vibes of religious experience. Itis God’s melodious shout of victory—theonly reference in Scripturewhere we find God singing.And though this world, withdevils filled, should threaten toundo us,We will not fear, for God hathwilled His truth to triumphthrough us.The prince of darkness grim, wetremble not for him;His rage we can endure, for lo!his doom is sure,One little word shall fell him.1Read about the history of what came to be known as the“protest of Spires” (thus “Protestants”) in Ellen G. White, TheGreat Controversy (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub.Assn., 1950), pp. 197-210.2Read the story again in Luke 24:13-35 and capture thetransformation happening on this momentous first day of theweek.3Scripture quotations credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible,New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984,2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reservedworldwide. ESV has “exult over you with loud singing”; NASBtranslates “rejoice over you with shouts of joy.” Scripturequotations marked ESV are from The Holy Bible, EnglishStandard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, adivision of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. Allrights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NASB are fromthe New American Standard Bible, copyright © 1960, 1962,1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The LockmanFoundation. Used by permission.Gerald A. Klingbeil isan associate editor ofAdventist World andenjoys singing with hiswife Chantal and their three daughters,Hannah, Sarah, and Jemima.April 2012 | Adventist World 13

A D V E N T I S T L I F ESayingGraceGoing deep intothe meaning ofa tableside prayer.By Nathan BrownAfew years ago New York journalist A. J. Jacobschallenged himself to live literally as the Biblecommands for a year. His first task was to combthrough the Bible to find as many commands, rules, andinstructions as he could. From the Ten Commandmentsand the golden rule to each detail of the Old Testament’slaws of purity, Jacobs’ list totaled more than 700 specificinstructions. Then, with a group of theological and spiritualadvisers, he set about putting them into practice. Hisbook—The Year of Living Biblically 1 —chronicled hisexperiment.For a full year Jacobs poured himself into his project,and of course, it made an impact on his beliefs and attitudes.He felt he became a better person, more considerateof others, and “addicted to thanksgiving.”Indeed, it was the act of giving thanks that he listed asone of the greatest discoveries of his experiment. “TheBible says to thank the Lord after meals,” he explained. “Idid that. Perhaps too much. I got carried away. I gavethanks for everything—for the subway coming on time, forthe comfortableness of my couch, etc. It was strange butgreat. Never have I been so aware of the thousands of littlethings that go right in our lives.” 2Giving Thanks, Asking BlessingJacobs stumbled across one of the secrets to living life asa follower of God. The Bible tells us repeatedly that ourlives and all that sustains us are gifts from God—and thatour best response is gratitude. Most religious traditionsaround the world and throughout history practice someform of blessing and thanksgiving before or after meals orboth. Whatever its form, it is an acknowledgment that bothfood and life proceed from the divine power we believe in.However, biblical instructions about “saying grace”—offering a prayer of thanks and blessing before eating—are notas easy to find as we might assume. Perhaps the closest specificinstruction is found in Deuteronomy 8:10: “When you haveeaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the goodland he has given you” (NIV). (See also Deut. 6:11, 12.)But we also have the example of Jesus, who “thankedGod for the food” when feeding the 5,000 (Matt. 14:19,NCV). 3 He also “took some bread and thanked God for it”when sharing the last supper with His disciples (Matt.26:26, NCV). It also seems that there was something so distinctivein this action that it was at this point that the discipleswho traveled with Jesus on the road to Emmausfinally recognized Him (see Luke 24:30).14 Adventist World | April 2012

Giving thanks before eating also seems to have been ahabit of Paul’s, as this detail is included in the story of hisshipwreck (see Acts 27:35). In 1 Timothy 4:3, 4 hedescribes gratitude to God as the most important ingredientof any meal.So while we are not given specific guidance for sayinggrace or how it should be done, the act of saying grace, givingthanks, or asking a blessing before meals is consistentwith the Bible’s more general instructions, stories, and examples.But from both spiritual and practical perspectives, thispractice also seems worthwhile for a number of reasons.Remembering GodMany religious traditions have adopted some kind ofregular daily pattern of set times for prayer as one way ofprompting believers to turn and return their hearts andminds toward God. Saying grace is one simple way ofpracticing this in our lives. From the description we aregiven of Daniel’s daily prayers, it’s possible they were basedaround mealtimes in this way: “He prayed three times aday, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God”(Dan. 6:10, NLT). 4Whenever we stop our work or other busy activities toeat, we can take the opportunity to remind ourselves ofGod and His love for us. As we pause for a meal, the fooditself is a prompt: “To eat is to see, smell, touch, and tasteGod’s provisioning care.” 5 As we experience this physicalreality, we are reminded of the reality of God and our needto respond to Him.Seeking First the Kingdom of GodThere is something right about simply pausing before ameal to thank God. We may be hungry, the food may smellinviting, and we might be quite ready to eat, but still we pause.While our physical needs are important, in a small butreal way we choose to seek first God and His kingdom. Weact out—and thus remind ourselves of—Jesus’ teaching:“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will weeat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ . . . Your heavenlyFather already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdomof God above all else, and live righteously, and he willgive you everything you need” (Matt. 6:31-33, NLT). Whenwe have food in front of us, we can recognize that He hasalready fulfilled His promise, and in pausing, we reaffirmour priorities in His kingdom.Eating WellWhen we say grace, we acknowledge that when we eat,we do it, as we do everything else in our lives, in the presenceof God. What and how we eat will be affected by ourrecognition of God and His claims on our lives. When ourhealth and the lives of others around the world are influencedby choices we make at our tables, the acknowledgedpresence of God will help us make better decisions to livefor Him more fully and serve Him and others with ourphysical strength.Paul put it like this: “Whether you eat or drink or whateveryou do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31, NIV).Sharing With OthersWhen we acknowledge God in our eating, we are alsodrawn toward being mindful of those who are hungry inour world. The blessings we receive are to be shared, sometimesimmediately, sometimes by our consistent work tohelp those in need.We want others to be able to thank God for His goodnessand provision for them, and whatever resources wehave give us the privilege of being able to work with God inhelping make that happen: “God will generously provide allyou need. Then you will always have everything you needand plenty left over to share with others. . . . And when wetake your gifts to those who need them, they thank God”(2 Cor. 9:8-11, NLT).“Be Thankful in All Circumstances”The simple act of saying grace can be profound, connectingand reconnecting us with our Creator, challengingus to live better, pushing us toward our neighbors andhelping us practice a life of thanksgiving.When we think about it like this and “say grace” with agrateful and reverent heart, we are following Paul’s instructionsto receiving the blessings of life: “Always be joyful.Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, forthis is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus”(1 Thess. 5:16-18, NLT). n1A. J. Jacobs, The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally asPossible (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2007).2http://ajjacobs.com/books/yolb.asp?id=rules3Scriptures credited to NCV are quoted from The Holy Bible, New Century Version, copyright ©2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.4Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale HousePublishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.5Norman Wirzba, Food and Faith: A Theology of Eating (New York: Cambridge University Press,2011), p. 180.Nathan Brown is book editor at SignsPublishing Company in Melbourne, Australia.He is the author of five books, most recentlyI Hope.April 2012 | Adventist World 15

COVER STORYGilbert Cangy, with a gleam inhis eye and a smile lightinghis face, exudes energy. Beckoningme to sit in a chair in his office,he seems eager to share.There’s no doubt that Cangy isexcited about youth. The journey heembarked upon in his teens led himto the General Conference YouthMinistries Department office, where“we sit, talk, and dream together. Welook for ways to connect the youngperson to their church, to find waysof creating meaningful intergenerationalconnections between the youthand their local congregation.” So witha leadership style that is more aboutconsulting than directing, Cangy andhis colleagues (associate directorsJonathán Tejel and Hiskia Missah,and assistants Silvia Sicalo, MariaDunchie, and Erica Richards) at thechurch’s headquarters, his colleaguesin the 13 world divisions of thechurch, and young adults as part ofthe various large youth movementsin the church, are dreaming big.They’re looking for ways to shareGod with young people, to get themignited—and united—so they burnbrightly with salvation’s message.“We have determined that ourtheme for the next five years will be‘The Power of One.’ We have one purpose,we have one goal, we have onemission. [Youth Ministries] needs tohave a concerted approach that’s morethan a Pathfinder camporee or ayoung adult convention. Our purposeneeds to be part of all our efforts.”Working together in a collaborativemanner is key. “This isn’t just the desireof the youth department, as we see inthe prayer of Jesus in John 17. Whatwas the purpose? So ‘that the worldmay believe that You have sent me’[verse 21]. A sense of unity—thatdoesn’t mean uniformity—is probablyALL PHOTOS: GC YOUTH DEPARTMENTPowerTheofPRAYER POWER: Youthministry leaders fromaround the globe praywith the GC YouthMinistries team duringa 2011 advisory meeting.By KimberlyLuste MaranOne God. One Spark. One Fire.A SPIRITUAL MOMENT: Youth and young adults in South America attend acandlelit evening Communion service.16 Adventist World | April 2012

the most important evidence of thepower of the gospel. If we cannot worktogether, we’re saying that the cross ofJesus isn’t powerful enough for us towork on any challenges we face.”The hope is to change perceptionson youth ministry, and the approach—from the headquarters to the localchurch. First is a refocusing on thespiritual life. “Once we have that relationshipwith Jesus, the next step isdiscipleship. We want to move ouryoung people to become fully devotedto Jesus.” Discipleship, development ofcommunity, and mission are the threecomponents of the “re-visioned” ministry.A trifold brochure produced bythe department (in keeping with the“Tell the World” initiative) reads thisway: “Reach Up (Discipleship), ReachAcross (Church Community), ReachOut (Mission/Service).”“We need to develop lifestylerather than an event once or twice ayear,” emphasizes Cangy. “We need togive as many expressions of mission aspossible and engage the young people—andmore than engage, we needto give them ownership of the church.We can provide some models, but wealso just need to listen. Ask, ‘So, whatwould you do?’ They are the bestevangelists for our world today.”Adrift, but Not LostThe seeds for these ideas, and theapproach Cangy and his team areusing today were planted years ago. Inhis teens Cangy drifted away from thechurch. He found a job as a sailor—and what he thought was the perfectescape.“I was free! But it didn’t take toolong for me to realize that I reallywasn’t.” Cangy, becoming disillusionedwith life, with what he wasdoing, cried out to God, saying, “‘IfYou really exist, what can You do forme?’ God put it in my heart to comeback home and start fresh with Him.”Cangy soon became youth leader inhis local church.“The Lord led me to read thebook of Acts,” Cangy says, “and I wasjust amazed by the power of the HolySpirit that was the gift of God. [Theother young people and I] started toclaim that. We talked about revivaland reformation. We weren’t satisfiedwith what we saw around us andrefused to settle with mediocrity. Godblessed us in a very powerful waywith an experience with the Spiritwhile we were on a church camp[out]. . . . My best days in ministry goback to the time I was a local churchyouth leader. Already at that timeGod had planted the seed of ministryin my heart.”Saying Yes to GodAustralia, college, marriage, andchildren were next for Cangy. Afterministerial training, he pastored achurch in Victoria. Five years later, in1993, he was called to youth ministryin Sydney. “I remember the first weekI arrived in Sydney,” Cangy relates. “Itold the administrators, ‘This is farenough from the local church.’ But in1999 I got called to the division officeand even though I protested theyvoted me as youth ministries leaderfor the [South Pacific] Division. Icould not say no. God was doingsomething in my heart.”Cangy credits a meeting with twoyoung adults in helping create a willingnessin him to follow God’s call—no matter what. He was still reelingfrom the executive committee meetingthat morning when he kept anappointment to let the young adultspray for him. A young woman said:“God has shown us that you have animportant decision to make, andwe’ve been sent to pray for you.”Says Cangy, “I was stunned. Theseguys are not into church politics; theyhad no idea what was going on in thoseYM Department in BriefWe are a global movement of destiny, united in purpose andmission, yet diverse in culture, language, geography, economy,and heritage. It is through the power of Christ and His Spiritthat we can celebrate our unity in the midst of such diversity. Ina world of ethnic and national divide, this exquisite expressionof unity in Jesus is the most powerful expression of the realityof the gospel in the midst of God’s people.For more:gcyouthministries.orgOUR MISSION: To lead young people into a saving relationshipwith Jesus Christ and help them embrace His call to discipleship.OUR MOTTO: The love of Christ compels us.OUR AIM: The Advent message to all the world in my generation.OUR THEME: The Power of OneApril 2012 | Adventist World 17

meetings. The young woman openedthe Bible to Jeremiah 29:11 and, afterreading the verse, they laid hands onme, praying for all the fears that I had,one by one. By the time they finishedtheir prayers, it was like I was releasedinto that ministry. . . . By God’s gracemy family and I did 11 years as youthdirector at the division, and it was atremendous blessing for us.”While sitting as a delegate in abusiness meeting on the floor of the2010 General Conference session inAtlanta, Georgia, United States, someonetapped Cangy on the shoulder,asking him to meet with the chair ofthe nominating committee. “At thatmoment,” he recollects, “I knew whatit was. My life was about to change. Igot up and walked to my destiny.”Putting It All TogetherCangy has been in his currentposition, director of the General ConferenceYouth Ministry Department,since he was elected at the session—and has quickly moved to unite youthleaders around the globe. “Together, inconsultation, we started to formulate adirection for the youth of the world. . . .When we came together on March 28to April 2, 2011, all 13 [division leaders]recognized what [our team was]talking about. The most gratifyingthing was to hear them say, at the endof our advisory, ‘Gil, this is not yourplan; this is our plan.’”The framework is in place. It’sbased on what leaders perceived to bethe global needs of young people, andit charts a direction. But this is just thebeginning. “We have created a newmodel for youth ministry, a model thatwe see as being biblical, very Christcentered.We are also in the process ofrewriting the manual for youth ministryfor the world church. It’s a time ofchange, a fresh start—and it comes at atime the church is very concernedabout young people.”Cangy continues: “The wholeworld has changed dramatically—technologically, culturally, sociologically,generationally. We alone cannotkeep up with the pace of change.We’ve got to do some listening—weneed to listen to what our young peopleare saying to us. Our young peopleare trying to articulate their faith inthis kind of changing world. They areusing a different language, they’reusing a different method, to expressthe same gospel message. . . . We alsohave to consider that young adultstoday are leading corporations. Theyjuggle millions of dollars in the marketplace.Then when they come tochurch, their giftedness is not alwaysvalued, and they don’t feel that theyown the mission of the church.”Hope for SamuelsCangy—and his team—are filledwith hope. “I love the model of Samuel.It gives me hope,” Cangy says. “Samuelwent to sleep near the ark of God. Thislittle kid did not settle for what he wasseeing around him. He didn’t settle formediocrity. His mother had taught himthat God speaks. . . . [Samuel] refusedwhat he saw around him; and he wentFollow Their L eadBY ERICA RICHARDS, editorial assistant, General Conference Youth Ministries DepartmentDuring the week of October 7-12, 2011, more than 300Adventist leaders from around the world met at the GeneralConference world headquarters for Annual Council. Among theleaders present were several young adult delegates who wereelected by their respective divisions to serve the church byproviding their perspective on church issues.Adwoa Asamoah, representing West-Central Africa,commented: “This year’s Annual Council saw the direction of theHoly Spirit as promised by Jesus when He was leaving this earth.I pray that leaders and members alike will continue to allow Christto direct the paths for His church.”The young adult delegates also met with GC youth ministriesdirector Gilbert Cangy to talk about the mission of the churchas it relates to youth ministry. The delegates agreed to act as asounding board for future decisions within youth ministries.Stefan Guiliani, delegate for the Euro-Africa Division, added:“The 2011 Annual Council was a great experience. I gainedinsight into our worldwide church that I find encouraging andvaluable. It was good to see global initiatives that give a feelingof worldwide unity and cooperation and the spiritual focus of ourleadership. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve.”18 Adventist World | April 2012

GENERAL CONFERENCE Youth MinistriesDepartment associate youth director/Pathfinderdirector Jonatán Tejel Subirada grewup a PK (pastor’s kid), frequently moving untilhis family settled in Madrid, Spain, where hespent his adolescent years. He was baptizedby his father on December 26, 1981. In 1990he began studies in theology at Sagunto Adventist College. He attended therefor three years, and then moved to Collonges (France), where he completedhis theology degree in 1995. Tejel has more than 12 years of experience asa youth ministries director, speaks four languages (Spanish, Italian, English,and French), and was the creator/editor of Conexión, a youth ministriesmagazine for the Adventist Church in Spain.General Conference Youth Ministries Department associate director forsenior youth/young adults Hiskia Israil Missah (above), is a native of Indonesia.He served from 1995 to 2005 as youth director for the Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD), in addition to public affairs and religious liberty director.Known as a youth speaker/evangelist, he has a strong passion for youngpeople and has developed Voice of Youth materials, mobilized youth to docommunity services, and prepared and developed materials for youthleadership. Prior to joining SSD, Missahserved as president of the East Java Conference,and as youth director in the WestIndonesia Union Mission.Gilbert Cangy, director of the GeneralConference Youth Ministry Department,speaks to large crowds during his globaltravels, but also takes time to talk to theyounger set.to sleep thinking, If God is going tospeak, He’s going to speak here, so whenHe speaks, I want to be here to listen.And it’s as if that was all that God waswaiting for. God broke the silence, andthis little kid became the agent ofchange for his nation. There is hope,because God is still willing to speak.And out of nothing, out of mediocrity,out of the worst of circumstances, Godcan raise up Samuels.”As we wrap up our time together, Ican still feel Cangy’s energy, passion,and love for whom God has taskedhim with working: the youth andyoung adults of the Adventist Church.“While we are focusing on our overallapproach to the ministry, we cannotneglect events, which do serve a purpose.We want to reshape the worldyouth congress, which will be in Africain July 2013. We want this to be themodel of youth gatherings, so we’redreaming and putting it together.We’re excited!”Cangy adds: “We believe in ouryoung people. We just need to, by thegrace of God, ignite their interest andimagination. Not necessarily tell themwhat they need to do, because Godcan do that better than any of us. Allwe need to do is create the spark andlet them know that we believe in them,that we’re ready to trust them. Andthen the choice is theirs.” nRead about the strategicplanning and more at:http://gcyouthministries.org/Ministries/GlobalYouth/tabid/79/Default.aspx.Kimberly Luste Maranis an assistant editor forAdventist World.April 2012 | Adventist World 19

A D V E N T I S T S E R V I C EATaleTwoCitiesTwo very different cities have something in common.By Willie Tafadzwa ChinyamurindiWhat do the cities of Telfordin the west of England andMossel Bay in the WesternCape province of South Africa have incommon? Geographically, they areseparated by a vast ocean. Demographically,when entering Mossel Bayyou are greeted by shanty towns thatresidents call home. Conversely, theresidents of Telford enjoy the vast terrainof the English countryside. Thedifference in opulence between thetwo towns is stark. Despite these andmany other differences, there is acommonality that threads these citiestogether. It’s what I call the “AdventistYouth Presence.”A Fragrance of HopeThis presence is a fragrance ofhope that an army of workers who are“rightly trained” 1 leave behind in acommunity. Our youth can—anddo—leave a powerful aurora in theircommunities.Within a two-month time frame Iattended two major youth events. Onein the United Kingdom (viewed as abastion of secular teaching) and theother in South Africa, a country reelingfrom past hurts. Fresh in my fiberare the stories of members of thesetwo communities after experiencingthe Adventist youth presence.“Please Pray for Me . . .”Mattie, a 39-year-old woman inMossel Bay, opened her gates to threestrangers dressed in immaculate suitsand badges with a cross and threeangels. “We are here at a youth camp,”said one of the young people to Mattieas she approached her. She offeredMattie the book When God SaidRemember.“Please pray for me and the challengesI am going through at workand in my life,” responded Mattie toher three guests. While they prayedwith Mattie, other young people werevisiting homes in the same community,enrolling residents of Mossel Bayfor Bible study, offering prayer, andgiving out literature. In one afternoonmore than 500 doors were knockedon, and the presence of Adventistyouth was felt.“I Wish You Could ComeEvery Day!”On the another side of the worldin Telford, Adam Keogh led a delegationof young Adventists to a nursinghome. Armed with broad smiles andhymnals in their hands, they enteredthe posh-looking nursing home. MaureenGatharia, from Ireland, led ahymn. The residents were overjoyed.As the young people left the home,one of the residents shouted out, “Iwish you could come every day!”Other youth knocked on doors,enrolled people for Bible studies, andconducted street evangelism activities.Though these two groups of youngpeople are unlikely to meet, they areunited by the common cause of beingrelevant to the needs of their community.The challenges these communitiesface are different, but the solution iscommon—and young people are helpingto change lives and bring hope. Theyexude the Adventist youth presence.True Mission WorkCommunities around the worldare in need of help. Adventism providesa wholistic solution. TheAdventist youth presence is mosteffective in service to the communityand being able to meet thephysical, mental, social, and spiritualneeds of people.Busi Khumalo, director for youthand Adventist chaplaincy ministries inthe Southern Africa-Indian Ocean20 Adventist World | April 2012

Division, emphasizes the importantrole of young people and their involvementin community: “True missionwork is meeting people where they areand responding to their plight.” Thiswas the method used by Christ:“Christ’s method alone will give truesuccess in reaching the people. TheSavior mingled with men as one whodesired their good. He showed Hissympathy for them, ministered to theirneeds, and won their confidence. ThenHe bade them, ‘Follow Me.’” 2Joy in My HeartI left the British summer to cometo a South African winter—yet in bothlocations I was warmed by the synergyof this global movement.Gratitude for being part of theAdventist youth presence in thesecountries—and others—has helpedme define the meaning of home as aplace where a positive presence is felt.This presence cuts across the dividesand geographical barriers, a presenceactuated by the life and example ledby Jesus. Important in His ministrywas not the city He wentto but the lives touchedwhile there. This tale oftwo cities, and the Adventistyouth presence, bringsjoy to my heart. n1Ellen G. White, Education, p. 271.2Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing,p. 143.Willie TafadzwaChinyamurindi is inhis final year of hisPh.D. with the OpenUniversity in Milton Keynes in the UnitedKingdom. He writes from Port Elizabeth,South Africa, where he is collecting datafor his research.MissionCalebAs the official youth evangelism programof the South American Division, MissionCaleb is a unique youth project that focuseson discipleship by challenging young peopleto dedicate part of their summer break todo evangelism in places where there is noAdventist presence. Mission Caleb participants initiate communityservice projects to give visibility to the Seventh-day Adventist Church and are encouragedto make missionary commitments in their respective churches.In August 2011 a Caleb mission camp was set up on Ortellado Island, in the provinceof Formosa, Argentina, with the objective of establishing a church. There are about eightfamilies living on the island, which has a population of approximately 50. The MissionCaleb youth distributed books and Bibles and taught community members how to look upverses in Scripture. They also distributed clothes, school supplies, and toys.The youth enjoyed sharing lunch and dinner with the island families. They taughthymns and songs and organized recreational activities. They also put together threeevangelistic meetings.So far, 22,980 youth have joined the Mission Caleb movement and helped spread thegospel to 1,143 cities.Pathfinders on Easter IslandThanks to the hard work and faith ofmany Pathfinders, Master Guides, andtheir leaders, Easter Island now has anAdventist congregation. One of the largestislands in the southern part of Chile, itspopulation of 3,791 identifies itself asmostly Roman Catholic.In 2007 Master Guide CeciliaMaldonado moved to Easter Island andbegan working in the community. As shebuilt relationships with the young peopleon the island and their families, they were able to form a Pathfinder club, and the dream ofbuilding a Seventh-day Adventist church was born.Despite many obstacles, God worked miracles, and on May 21, 2010, the first EasterIsland Seventh-day Adventist church was completed after just two weeks of construction.On May 23 more than 100 young people, as well as 100 pastors and Pathfinderleaders, traveled from different parts of Chile to attend baptisms and the church’sinauguration—in a structure that normally accommodates about 50 people. Anotherchurch has already been planted with plans for more in the near future.April 2012 | Adventist World 21

F U N D A M E N T A L B E L I E F Spast,Present,What we celebrate each time we observeGrowing up in a humble province on one of theislands of the Philippines where grape juice was aluxury, I always looked forward to the annual celebrationof the Lord’s Supper in our church. Drinking thegrape juice from the tiny plastic cup increased my thirst formore of these services. In the same way, eating the tinyunleavened bread, which I had never tasted at home, furtherintensified my craving.Obviously, the Lord’s Supper was not instituted inorder to satisfy one’s craving for rare grape juice. Therewas more beyond those symbols. As I grew up and studiedthe Bible more seriously I learned that the significance ofthe Lord’s Supper pointed us to three dimensions: its significancein the past, its meaning for the present, and itsimportance for the future.The PastThere are two important events to remember about theLast Supper. The first one involves the Jewish Passover celebration.Jesus introduced the Lord’s Supper to His discipleson the evening of the Passover feast, indicating thatthe Lord’s Supper had replaced one of the important Jewishfestivals. Recasting the words of Moses, Jesus gave themnew meaning. Jesus changed the phrase from “the blood ofthe covenant” (Ex. 24:8) to “My [Jesus’] blood of the newcovenant” (Matt. 26:28; Luke 22:20), 1 which is shed formany for the forgiveness of sins. In effect, Jesus claimedthat He was the Passover lamb.The second event is the remembrance of the Lord’sSupper. Jesus told His disciples to commemorate this newevent in the upper room, by saying: “This is My bodywhich is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me”(Luke 22:19, NASB). 2 From the remembrance of Israel’sliberation from slavery in Egypt through the celebrationof the Passover, Jesus now commanded His disciples toremember the salvation brought by His own deaththrough the observance of the Lord’s Supper. This commandto remember is also given to Christ’s believerstoday. This memory of the past brings us to the reality ofthe present.The PresentTwo important concepts in the Lord’s Supper aremeaningful for the present. The Lord’s Supper emphasizesthe significance of communion with Him and our communionwith one another as believers. Paul states: “Thecup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communionof the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is itnot the communion of the body of Christ? For we beingmany are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakersof that one bread” (1 Cor. 10:16, 17, KJV). Althoughnot spoken during the Last Supper, these words of Jesushighlight an important theological concept of Communion:“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abidesin Me, and I in him” (John 6:56, NASB). So the real purposeof eating and drinking in the Lord’s Supper was notto satisfy one’s physical needs. The Communion service isto remind us of our much deeper need of Christ and ofone another. We are dependent on Christ for our spiritualneeds just as we are dependent on one another for oursocial needs.Have you ever wondered why the image of “eating” wasused for this important commemoration rite? In biblicaltimes “sharing a meal” was quite meaningful. Unlike thismodern era that promotes the practice of “fast food” and“eating alone,” eating in ancient times was generally communaland took a longer time. Making peace with one’senemy, establishing a covenant with someone, and showingforgiveness to a “sinner” were usually marked by a meal(Gen. 31:44-46; 26:28-31; Luke 15:23). The different implicationsof a meal in ancient times should also be manifestedtoday among Christ’s believers, whenever they participatein the Communion service. That’s what makes theLord’s Supper meaningful for the present.The FutureThe past and the present significance of the Lord’s Supperdirect our minds to the future. In Matthew’s GospelJesus concluded the last supper with His disciples withthese words: “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine fromnow on until that day when I drink it new with you in My22 Adventist World | April 2012

S P I R I T O F P R O P H E C Y“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a littlewhile, if need be, you have been grieved by varioustrials, that the genuineness of your faith, being muchmore precious than gold that perishes, though it istested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory atthe revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6, 7, NKJV).* “Mybrethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfectand complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4, NKJV).By faith he passes the temptation over to Christ, andleaves it there. Faith in the Savior’s strength makes himmore than a conqueror. It is the miracle-working power ofJesus that arms the Christian with strength to overcome asChrist overcame.Temptation is not sin unless it is cherished. Lookingunto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, will fill thesoul with peace and abiding trust. “When the enemy shallcome in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up astandard against him” (Isa. 59:19, KJV).“W eaHaveRightBy EllenG. White”Claiming God’s PromLooking to JesusThe temptations that assail the children of God are tobe regarded as the outworking of the wrath of Satanagainst Christ, who gave Himself as a sacrifice for oursins, and redeemed us by His blood. Satan is filled withwrath against Jesus. But he cannot hurt the Savior exceptby conquering those for whom Christ died. He knowsthat when through his devices souls are ruined, the Savioris wounded.The heavenly universe is watching with the deepestinterest the conflict between Christ in the person of Hissaints, and the great deceiver. Those who recognize andresist temptation are fighting the Lord’s battles. To suchare given the commendation “Blessed is the man thatendureth temptation” (James 1:12, KJV). Endurance oftemptation means the cultivation of patience. Thetempted, harassed soul cannot trust in his own strengthof purpose. Feeling his utter helplessness, he flees to thestronghold, saying, “My Savior, I cast my helpless soulupon Thee.” The fiercer the temptation, the more stronglyhe clings to the Mighty One.Those Who Are TemptedA few hours ago I listened to the complaint of a distressedsoul. Satan came to her in an unexpected way. Shethought that she had blasphemed the Savior because thetempter kept putting into her mind the thought thatChrist was only a man, no more than a good man. Shethought that Satan’s whisperings were the sentiments ofher own heart, and this horrified her. She thought thatshe was denying Christ, and her soul was in an agony ofdistress.I assured her that these suggestions of the enemy werenot her own thoughts, that Christ understood and acceptedher; that she must treat these suggestions as wholly fromSatan, and that her courage must rise with the strength ofthe temptation. She must say, “I am a child of God. I commitmyself, body and soul, to Jesus. I hate these vainthoughts.” I told her not to admit for a moment that theyoriginated with her; not to allow Satan to wound Christ byplunging her into unbelief and discouragement.To those who are tempted, I would say, Do not for amoment acknowledge Satan’s temptations as being in har-24 Adventist World | April 2012

isesmony with your own mind. Turn from them as you wouldfrom the adversary himself. Satan’s work is to discouragethe soul. Christ’s work is to inspire the heart with faith andhope. Satan seeks to unsettle our confidence. He tells usthat our hopes are built upon false premises, rather thanupon the sure, immutable word of Him who cannot lie.The oldest, most experienced Christians have beenassailed by Satan’s temptations, but through trust in Jesusthey have conquered. So may every soul who looks infaith to Christ.Looking unto Jesus,the Author and Finisher of ourfaith, will fill the soul with peaceand abiding trust.The Pledged WordA man cannot put his feet in the path of holiness withoutevil men and evil angels uniting against him. Evilangels will conspire with evil men to destroy the servantsof God. Those who are rebuked for their evil thoughts willhate the reprover of sin and will try to wrench him fromthe service of Christ. The conflict may be long and painful,but we have the pledged word of the Eternal that Satancannot conquer us unless we submit to his control.Christ was crucified as a deceiver, yet He was the lightand life of the world. He endured the contradiction of sinnersagainst Himself.“For God so loved the world, that he gave his onlybegotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should notperish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, KJV).Can we measure the love of God? Paul declares that it“passeth knowledge” (Eph. 3:19, KJV). Then shall we whohave been made partakers of the heavenly gift be carelessand indifferent, neglecting the great salvation wrought outfor us? Shall we allow ourselves to be separated fromChrist, and thus lose the eternal reward, the great gift ofeverlasting life? Shall we not accept the enmity whichChrist has placed between man and the serpent? Shall wenot eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of God,which means to live by every word that proceedeth out ofthe mouth of God? Or shall we become earthly, eating theserpent’s meat, which is selfishness, hypocrisy, evil-surmising,envy, and covetousness? We have a right to say, “In thestrength of Jesus Christ I will be a conqueror. I will not beovercome by Satan’s devices.”Why Christ CameChrist came to this world to reveal the Father’s love forfallen man. In the heavens above and in the earth beneath,in everything that is beautiful and lovely, in the lofty tree,the opening bud, the blossoming flower, we see an expressionof the love of God. There is no measurement by whichthe love of God can be computed.Standing before the cross of Calvary, we can gain someidea of the love of the heavenly Father. Behold Christ, theSon of the infinite God, dying on the cross for sinners. Heclothed His divinity with humanity, that human beingsmight become partakers of the divine nature. In Christ wehave a manifestation of the Father.There is a narrowness in human comprehension that isdishonoring to God. Let not him who claims Christ as hisSavior entertain the thought that God’s mercies are confinedto him and to the few in whom he is interested. Thelove and mercy of God are for everyone. Let us gather upthe divine tokens of His favor, and return praise andthanksgiving to Him for His goodness, which is bestowedupon us not to be hoarded but to be passed along to others.Sharing With AllWe are altogether too selfish, too exclusive. The rays oflight shining upon us we are to reflect to others. Godexpects everyone who enjoys His grace to diffuse this graceas freely as Christ bestows His mercies. As the sun shinesupon the just and the unjust, so the Sun of Righteousnessreflects light to the whole world. Why should those whohave been made partakers of the heavenly gift be so exclusive?Why men should try to keep their light to themselves,instead of letting it shine forth to the world, is a marvel tothe heavenly universe. n* Texts credited to NKJV are from the New King James Version.This material is adapted from the diary of Ellen White, writtenon December 10, 1889, and December 13, 1889. It is available inManuscript Releases, vol. 18, pp. 341-345. Seventh-day Adventistsbelieve that Ellen G. White (1827-1915) exercised the biblical giftof prophecy during more than 70 years of public ministry.April 2012 | Adventist World 25

B I B L E Q U E S T I O N S A N S W E R E DWhat ’ sIn many Bible versionsthe word “ remnant” is notfound in Revelation 12:17. Is itcorrect to insist that the passagerefers to a remnant?In order to answer your question I have todeal with Hebrew and Greek terminology.Please stay with me as I examine the evidence.Based on the meaning of that terminology and its use inRevelation, I maintain that the concept of the remnant isfound in Revelation 12:17.1. Theological Comment: The Scripture consistentlyteaches that God has always had a remnant people. As theenemy of God has attempted to destroy God’s servants, theLord has always preserved a group of faithful followersthrough whom He continues to fulfill His salvific designfor humanity. This remnant has played a significant role inthe cosmic conflict, and its very existence indicates thatGod is still directly involved in the conflict on behalf of Hisservants. At the time of the end the dragon and its allieshave one common goal: the extermination of what is left ofGod’s people (Rev. 13:15). At that critical hour in the conflict,God is again preserving for Himself a faithful remnantthat keep His commandments and have the testimony ofJesus (Rev. 12:17).2. Greek Terminology: In Revelation 12:17 the Greekadjective translated “remnant” is loipos. According to Greekdictionaries, it refers to what remains or is left after a particularaction has taken place and can be translated as “therest” (Rev. 9:20), “the remnant,” or “those who remain” (seeRev. 11:13). In some contexts it could also mean “others”(see Acts 2:37). Loipos belongs to a family of words directlyrelated to the idea of the remnant. The verb leipō means “toleave behind/over; to lack” (Titus 1:5; 3:13) and is found inseveral variant compounds. For instance: kataleipō = “toleave behind,” “to leave a remainder” (see Rom. 11:4);hupoleipō = “to leave a remainder” (see verse 3), and perileipomai= “to leave behind” (see 1 Thess. 4:15, 17). Theverb and the different verbal compounds could be used toexpress the idea of a remnant, to what remains or is left.Left?The Greek version of the Old Testament uses the verbleipō to translate the Hebrew verbs šā´ar (“to be leftremaining”) and pālat (“to escape”). The Greek verb andits variant compounds are sometimes used to refer to asurviving remnant (e.g., Isa. 10:19). This information indicatesthat the concept of a remnant is not foreign to theverbs. Concerning the noun loipos, used in Revelation12:17, the Greek version used it to translate the Hebrewterms yeter (“remnant”) and š ec ērit (“remnant”). Again, itexpresses the concept of a remnant. The evidence summarizedabove indicates that in the case of loipos we aredealing with a term that is closely associated with the ideaof a remnant—what remains or is left behind.3. Context: The use of remnant terminology in thebook of Revelation clearly supports and reaffirms the convictionthat the concept is present in Revelation 12:17. Theword “remnant” (loipos) is used eight times in Revelation.It is used to refer to the rest of the trumpets (Rev. 8:13), tothose who survive after a catastrophe (Rev. 9:20: the rest ofthe people not destroyed during the sixth trumpet; Rev.11:13: the inhabitants of the city who were not killed; thesurvivors), the rest of the worshippers of the beast whowere finally killed (Rev. 19:21), and the rest of the dead resurrectedafter the millennium (Rev. 20:5). The word is alsoused to designate God’s people. In the church of Sardisthere is a remnant, but the church is exhorted to wake upbecause that remnant is about to die (Rev. 3:2). In thechurch of Thyatira a faithful remnant has rejected theteachings of Jezebel (Rev. 2:24).This concern for a faithful remnant in Revelation,together with the use of the biblical terminology and theteaching that God has always preserved for Himself in thecosmic conflict a faithful remnant, supports the conclusionthat the term loipos in Revelation 12:17 is referring to God’sremnant at the time when the conflict is to come to an end. nAngel Manuel Rodríguez is formerdirector of the Biblical Research Instituteof the General Conference.26 Adventist World | April 2012

B I B L E S T U D YCHERYL EMPEYEnd-timeFaithBy Mark A. FinleyIf you ask the average Christian “What is faith?” you mayhear answers something like this: Faith is belief. Faith isknowing God will answer your prayers. Faith is asking Godfor whatever you want and knowing that He will give it toyou. These answers view faith as almost some kind of heavenlygood luck charm. There is a much more biblicalanswer. Faith is a gift, given by God to each believer. It isthe absolute confidence that God is worthy of our worshipand trust. Faith is having a relationship with God as afriend well known that leads us to do whatever He asksbecause we know He has our best interests in mind (seeJohn 15:13-15; Jer. 29:11).In today’s lesson we will discover how to have a strongend-time faith that can withstand the crisis at the close ofthis earth’s history.1 Read Luke 18:8. What concern did Jesusexpress about faith in the last days? Why do youthink faith will be in such short supply before thereturn of Jesus?2 How does the Bible describe genuine biblicalfaith? Compare Hebrews 11:1 with 2 Corinthians 5:7.Faith is the “substance of things hoped for.” It provides thefoundation for our entire Christian life. Day by day we lookbeyond what is happening around us to the One who isabove us. In spite of the circumstances that may trouble usor bring grief to our hearts, we have the rock-solid beliefthat Jesus, our best friend, is working out the purposes ofour lives for our best good.3 Read Luke 17:5, 6. What earnest plea did thedisciples make to Jesus? How did Jesus respond?At first Jesus’ response seems strange. When His disciplespleaded with Him to increase their faith, He simply stated:“If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to thismulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted inthe sea,’ and it would obey you” (verse 6). What Jesus wassaying is really quite simple: The mustard seed is the smallestof all seeds; Jesus was encouraging His disciples to usethe faith they had. He was simply saying, “You’re asking Meto increase your faith. I have already placed faith in yourhearts; exercise it. In other words, the more you express thefaith you have, the more your faith will grow.”4 According to Romans 10:17, faith comes as wesaturate our minds with God’s Word. God’s faithfulnessis revealed in His Word. The more we study theWord, the more our faith will grow. But is it possibleto read the Bible and get little profit from our reading?Why? Discover the answer in Hebrews 4:2.5 Read the following Bible passages and reflecton the role of faith in the plan of salvation. Are wesaved by faith, or grace? What role does faith play inour salvation? What role does grace play? ReadRomans 1:16, 17; 3:23-26; 5:1, 2; Ephesians 2:8-10.6 Compare Ephesians 6:16 with Genesis 15:1.What is the shield of faith? Why is faith like a shield?Faith shields us from the temptations of the enemy becauseit trusts wholly and completely in Jesus. Faith leads us totrust Him, and He is more than capable of being our shieldfrom all the wiles of Satan.7 How are God’s end-time people described inRevelation 14:12?What is the faith of Jesus? It is much more than faith inJesus; it is Jesus’ quality of faith filling our hearts and lives.It is Jesus’ own faith imparted to us through His grace. Dayby day as we thank Him for His gift of faith through Hisgrace, as we exercise the faith He places in our hearts, andas we fill our minds with His Word, Jesus’ faith in us willgrow. We will become like Him whom we most admire.This is last-day, end-time faith. nApril 2012 | Adventist World 27

IDEA EXCHANGELettersAdventistsand AlcoholThank you toPeter N. Landlessfor his sixreasons forrejecting theuse of alcohol in “Adventists andAlcohol” (December 2011). I wouldlike to add a seventh, and more ofa theological and biblical reason.In 1 Peter 2:9 we believers aredescribed as a royal priesthoodand, like John the Baptist, are calledto prepare the way for the secondcoming of Jesus. Those called tominister in God’s work were prohibitedto drink alcoholic beverages(Lev. 10:9, 10; Luke 1:15).Herbert PfeiferMurrhardt, GermanyThe Lord Is WonderfulReading Gerald Klingbeil’s interviewwith Angel Manuel Rodríguez, “TheLord Is Wonderful!” (December2011), reminded us of when we hadopportunities to hear the lectures ofAngel Manuel Rodríguez. One ofthe most anticipated class periodswas when we had time for questionsand answers. We reallyenjoyed those moments.Rodríguez was very humble instating, “If you don’t know theanswer, you just don’t know. Inheaven there will be plenty of timeto understand what we now don’tunderstand.” His prudence torespond and defend our Christiantheology is an example to us all.Oscar and Betty GonzalezVillavicencio, ColombiaOperation Global RainThe texts in the article “OperationGlobal Rain” (November 2011) arevery interesting. From my point ofview, not only is the personal, spiritualpreparation of every individualimportant, but so is the preparationin heaven itself. We can do whateverwe want—we can pray for theoutpouring Holy Spirit—but we cannotreceive it until the judgment inheaven is finished. Sure, we have tobe ready for the outpouring, butfirst the holy service of Jesus inheaven and His judgment has to befinished. All events depend onGod’s time, which He has determined.After judgment is finished,the Holy Spirit is poured out andthe last seven plagues follow. Thetime of pouring the Holy Spirit isnear, but not here yet!I look forward to the outpouringof the Holy Spirit, and I expect itwith my whole heart. I hope it willbe soon.Daniela PrikrylovaBrno, Czech RepublicWalking in Their ShoesI appreciated the article “Walkingin Their Shoes,” by Rick Kajiura(October 2011), about the extraordinaryministry that Allen and KelleyFowler are involved in at the NavajoIndigenous Reserve in Arizona(United States).As an administrator and indigenous-peoplespecialist in Brazil,I have worked for almost 40 yearswith several reserves and tribes,mostly at Xingu National Park,developing activities and environmentalprojects. I’ve also beencoordinator for the isolated indigenouspeople.PrayerWPRAISEPlease pray for me and the woman Ilove. We both attend an Adventistchurch, but she is affected by peerpressure, and she is avoiding mebecause I keep talking about how wemust live as Christians.Steve, South AfricaPlease pray for my son who had surgery;and pray I am able to meet mymonetary needs.Ramesh, IndiaPray for me. I will soon be taking anexamination for school. I also needmoney for my account.Frederick, DemocraticRepublic of the CongoPlease pray for our youngadult convention. We are havingproblems working out the details foraccommodations. I believe God hassolutions for each and every challenge,and I know we have to engage in prayerto receive His power and blessings.Nelson, Portugal28 Adventist World | April 2012

I was very excited to read aboutthe Fowlers’ work, and I understandvery well the purpose of this ministry.They are right: The best way towork with indigenous people and toreceive their trust is to respect, participate,and understand their difficultiesand way of life. We shouldalways do our best to make clear ourgood intentions. They will accept usinto their communities.Moacir Cordeiro De MeloLondrina, Paraná, BrazilPrayer Is VitalAdventist World opens my heart forGod to use me to do His work. MarkFinley’s Bible study “Prayer Is Vital”(July 2007) taught me to pour myheart out to God in prayer, have faithin Him, and pray that His will bedone in my life and in interceding forloved ones.I thank God that I am an Adventist,and pray He will use me and otherAdventists to draw His childrencloser to Him.Chinyere IrobinansoPort Harcourt, NigeriaLetters Policy: Please send to: letters@adventistworld.org.Letters must be clearly written, 100-word maximum. Include thename of the article and the date of publication with your letter.Also include your name, the town/city, state, and country fromwhich you are writing. Letters will be edited for space and clarity.Not all letters submitted will be published.LIANA:Depressed,suicidal, andan alcoholic,she foundGod’s peaceand now prayswith others.ONE-MINUTE TestimonyLiana Kim can’t remember being hugged when she was a littlegirl or hearing her mother say “I love you.” By the fifth grade Lianawas severely depressed and began to drink alcohol. She thoughtabout committing suicide.One day she cried out for help to something bigger than herself.“God? Buddha?” she prayed. “If you are real, whoever you are, pleasehelp me! I want to live a happy life, and I will work for you.”Liana began to read the Bible. As she discovered Jesus her depressiondisappeared. Now she and her husband work with a prayerroom, praying with other people. “Even when I didn’t know God, Heheard my cry and used my painful experiences to help others.”Watch Liana’s story and share it with friends at www.answered.tv.New prayer stories are posted weekly.—Sarah K. AsafteiWherein theWorldIs This?I am a literature evangelist. I haveto sell a certain amount of literatureto qualify for benefits and a bonus.Please pray that the Lord will showme how to be successful.Pattie, United StatesALICE MADANHIANSWER: In South Africathe Pathfinder Club of theFish Hoek Seventh-dayAdventist Church posesafter placing first in anevent at last year’s KimberlyPathfinder fair. Theymade a “victory bell” usingthe skills they learned inPathfinders.April 2012 | Adventist World 29

NOTICE BOARD“Behold, I come quickly…”Our mission is to uplift Jesus Christ, unitingSeventh-day Adventists everywhere in beliefs,mission, life, and hope.PublisherThe Adventist World, an international periodical ofthe Seventh-day Adventist Church. The General Conference,Northern Asia-Pacific Division of Seventh-day Adventists ® ,is the publisher.Executive Publisher and Editor in ChiefBill KnottAssociate PublisherClaude RichliInternational Publishing ManagerChun, Pyung DukAdventist WorldMastheadPublishing BoardTed N. C. Wilson, chair; Benjamin D. Schoun, vice chair;Bill Knott, secretary; Lisa Beardsley; Daniel R. Jackson;Robert Lemon; Geoffrey Mbwana; G. T. Ng; Daisy Orion;Juan Prestol; Michael Ryan; Ella Simmons; Mark Thomas;Karnik Doukmetzian, legal advisorAdventist World Coordinating CommitteeLee, Jairyong, chair; Akeri Suzuki; Kenneth Osborn;Guimo Sung; Chun, Pyung Duk; Han, Suk HeeEditors based in Silver Spring, MarylandLael Caesar, Gerald A. Klingbeil (associate editors),Sandra Blackmer, Stephen Chavez, Wilona Karimabadi,Mark A. Kellner, Kimberly Luste MaranEditors based in Seoul, KoreaChun, Pyung Duk; Chun, Jung Kwon; Park, Jae ManOnline EditorCarlos MedleyTechnical Coordinator and Reader ServicesMerle PoirierEditor-at-largeMark A. FinleySenior AdvisorE. Edward ZinkeFinancial ManagerRachel J. ChildEditorial AssistantMarvene Thorpe-BaptisteAssistant to the EditorGina WahlenManagement BoardJairyong Lee, chair; Bill Knott, secretary; P. D. Chun,Karnik Doukmetzian, Suk Hee Han, Kenneth Osborn,Juan Prestol, Claude Richli, Akeri Suzuki,Ex-officio: Robert Lemon, G. T. Ng, Ted N. C. WilsonArt Direction and DesignJeff Dever, Brett MelitiConsultantsTed N. C. Wilson, Robert E. Lemon, G. T. Ng,Guillermo E. Biaggi, Lowell C. Cooper, Daniel R. Jackson,Geoffrey Mbwana, Armando Miranda, Pardon K. Mwansa,Michael L. Ryan, Blasious M. Ruguri, Benjamin D. Schoun,Ella S. Simmons, Alberto C. Gulfan, Jr., Erton Köhler,Jairyong Lee, Israel Leito, John Rathinaraj, Paul S. Ratsara,Barry Oliver, Bruno Vertallier, Gilbert Wari, Bertil A. WiklanderTo Writers: We welcome unsolicited manuscripts. Addressall editorial correspondence to 12501 Old Columbia Pike,Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600, U.S.A. Editorial office faxnumber: (301) 680-6638E-mail: worldeditor@gc.adventist.orgWeb site: www.adventistworld.orgUnless otherwise indicated, all Bible references are takenfrom the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980,1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rightsreserved. Texts credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible,New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984,International Bible Society. Used by permission ofZondervan Bible Publishers.Adventist World is published monthly and printedsimultaneously in Korea, Brazil, Indonesia, Australia, Germany,Austria, and the United States.Vol. 8, No. 430 Adventist World | April 2012WEDDINGPannell—Hilton. John Pannell, son ofWilliam and Joyce Pannell, and MarleneHilton, daughter of Reg and Doris Hilton,were married 12.2.12 in the beautiful musicroom of John’s home in the OnkaparingaHills, SA. Their love for music brought themtogether and now God has sealed theirrelationship. We wish them God’s blessingas they share their music throughout theirPOSITIONS VACANTlives with others.OBITUARIESGlynn Slade, Allan CroftBurt, Betty Dianna, born 6.5.1923 in BrokenHill, NSW; died 29.10.11 in Coffs HarbourHealth Campus after an extended illnessand long hospital stay. She was the belovedwife of Lloyd (deceased) and a preciousmother to Jeffrey. Betty was gifted with anMonitoring and evaluation officer—ADRA Solomon Islands (Honiara, SolomonIslands). This role supports the Youth Engagement and Livelihood Project (YELP) inHoniara, Solomon Islands, and will include activity planning, monitoring, reporting,networking, evaluating project progress as well as mentoring nationals. The contract isinitially planned for one year with a possible one year extension. The position is based inHoniara. For further information on how to apply and to obtain a job description, pleasecontact Alison Young at ADRA Australia on (02) 9489 5488 or email . Applications including a letter addressing the essential criteria and latest CV, shouldbe forwarded to Human Resources, PO Box 129, Wahroonga NSW 2076, Australia or byemail to . Applications close April 22, 2012.Program officer—ADRA Australia (Wahroonga, NSW). The Adventist Developmentand Relief Agency (ADRA) is seeking a qualified professional to join the National Programteam. The successful applicant will need to work with a variety of stakeholders includingchurch conference and local committees of management. Duties will include managementof compliance of the ADRA national projects, assistance in the delivery of training,providing assistance in the development of policy manuals, and gathering and maintainingstatistics for the National Program Department. This position requires significantdomestic travel. Contact Alison Young, ADRA Australia, by phone (02) 9489 5488 or email for a job description and details of how to apply. Applicationsclose April 27, 2012.Centre director/certified supervisor—Hills Adventist College Early Learning Centre(Castle Hill, NSW) is currently seeking a highly motivated centre director to fill a threedayper week maternity leave position of up to 12 months. The position will commence atthe end of June 2012. The centre is part of Hills Adventist College’s junior school campusand is located at Castle Hill. It is licensed to take up to 59 children aged 3-5 each day.Applicants will need to be experienced and possess an approved degree in Early ChildhoodEducation. They will also need to have child protection training and a clear understandingof national regulations, quality standards and early years learning framework. Pleasedirect enquiries and submit resume to Dr Jean Carter .Applications close April 27, 2012.Dean, School of Science and Technology—Pacific Adventist University (PortMoresby, Papua New Guinea). The Seventh-day Adventist Church is seeking applicationsfrom highly experienced and qualified persons for the position of dean of the School ofScience and Technology at Pacific Adventist University (PAU), commencing July 2012.This exciting senior position requires a leader capable of inspiring staff and studentsalike, with a strong academic and science background and significant teaching andleadership experience. The dean will provide strategic direction and scientific leadership,while fostering ongoing excellence in teaching, research and other professional activitiesrelated to the school. The dean will also support and advise the deputy vice chancellor onmatters related to Science and Technology. Since a proportion of the dean’s load involvesteaching, it is therefore desirable that the person will hold an advanced qualification inthe area of environmental science, physics or a related field. For further information anda detailed job description, please contact the human resources department at PAU on(675) 328 0200 or email . To apply, please send your letterof application, CV and references to: Human Resources, Seventh-day Adventist Church(Pacific) Ltd, Locked Bag 2014, Wahroonga, NSW, 2076 Australia; or email , or fax to (02) 9489 0943. Include with your resume, three work-related referees,copy of educational qualifications and a character reference or contact information foryour local church pastor. The appointing body reserves the right to fill this position atits discretion. Applications close April 30, 2012.For more vacant positions, go to

NOTICE BOARDSOUTH PACIFICPACIFICamazing singing voice and the most sweetest ofpersonalities. Her faith in Christ never wavered.Her family and friends look forward to seeingher beaming face again when our Lord Jesusappears.Miroslav StilinovicClark, Patricia Blanche (nee Symmons), born11.7.1930 in Deloraine, Tas; died 27.12.11 inDeloraine. She married Frank Clark in 1953. Sheis survived by her husband; her son, Chris (bothof Deloraine); and her daughters, Jeanette Clark(Westbury) and Susan Clark (Darwin, NT). Patloved her family and garden. She loved her Lordand had confident hope in the resurrection. Patwas involved in much community service overmany years.Bruce GrosseColtheart, Beverley Linda (nee Nelson), born11.3.1934 in Auckland, NZ; died 21.12.11 inLaunceston, Tas. She was predeceased by herson, Alan. Bev is survived by Don, her husbandof 60 years (Launceston); and her daughters,Lynette and her husband, Mike (St Leonards),and Winsome (Melbourne, Vic). Bev was aloving wife and mother. She loved cooking andsharing, and was always thinking of others.She loved gardens and once had a nursery. Bevtrusted in the Lord for resurrection.Bruce GrosseFraser, Janet Mary (Jan), born 13.1.1940 inWagga Wagga, NSW; died 16.2.12 in Ipswich,Qld. She was baptised in 1956 in Wagga Wagga.On 3.10.1960, Jan married Ernest (Ern) Fraser atWagga Wagga. She is survived by her husband(Ipswich, Qld); her children and their spouses,Greg and Amanda Fraser (Cashmere), Joanneand Craig Gill (Sippy Downs), William and JanineFraser (Hawthorn), and Clinton and Elsie Fraser(Peak Crossing); her brothers and their families,Ian and Barbara Hailey and John and Jill Hailey;and 11 grandchildren. Jan was the soul of joy,happiness and love. In that love, Jan could anddid love the most unlovable of people. She hada great generosity of spirit and an ability toshare her joy of the adventure of life. Jan wasan elder of Ipswich church, and most loved forher sincere friendship and tireless hard work.She had a vision of the world and humanity thatwas utterly positive, hopeful and certain of goodthings to come.Sandor GazsikShepherd, Kay Ivy, born 24.11.1912; died 6.1.12in Coffs Harbour Hospital. She is survived by hertwo sons, Peter and Paul. While in her 100thyear Kay was baptised on 17.12.11, thanks toNell Hayden, who took Kay under her wing forthe last months of her life and cared for herin her own home where she introduced her tothe Lord. Kay beamed with joy as she came upfrom the waters of baptism. Her stay with ushas been short lived. Eternity is where we willcontinue our fellowship with her.Miroslav StilinovicADVERTISEMENTSAlbury and Wodonga churches are hostinga reunion celebrating over 75 years. Sunday,April 29, 2012, from 10:30am at Border ChristianCollege multipurpose building. Correspondenceand RSVP or 0414 548 058.Holy Land-Israel and Jordan. Visit Jerusalem,Bethlehem, Nazareth and other places whereJesus walked! Enjoy the beautiful red city—Petra, and spend two weeks in Septemberwith an experienced Middle Eastern guide.More info at website or call Pastor Posavac 0432593 299.Para Vista church 25th anniversary. Formermembers and pastors of the Para Vista (SA)church are invited to join with the church in its25th anniversary celebrations on Sabbath, June23, 2012. To obtain the full Sabbath program andnotify of your intention to be present, pleasecontact Dan Heidik (08) 8263 2562 or .For sale: brand new three-bedroom + study+ double garage home finished + extras in alakeside estate in the rapidly expanding southeastgrowth corridor of Melbourne. Close to bothHeritage College Adventist primary and secondaryschools. From $430,000. For more information,call Kelvin Gough on (03) 9702 2595.Reduced price quality satellite kits for Adventisttelevision and radio. Full instructions for easyDIY installation, photos, technical support. $235 +freight. Australia only (02) 6361 3636.Projectors, screens, wireless microphones,amplifiers, speakers etc. Lower prices for Adventistinstitutions. Australia only. Contact Trish,greenfieldsenterprises@bigpond.com or (02)6361 3636.Adventist Aviation Association of North NSWConference. The annual general meeting ofthe NNSW AAA is to be convened on April 14,2012, at 6.30pm in Cooranbong CommunityCentre—Rice Hall. The business and activitiesof the AAA will be reported and an election ofofficers and committee to serve for the ensuingyear will follow. The Avondale Brass Band willplay at 6.30pm. They will feature the AAA marchwritten especially for the association. All whoare interested in the wonderful outreach of AAAare invited to attend. Bring a plate and enjoy thefellowship.FinallyThose who stand for nothing fall foranything.—Alexander HamiltonNext Adventist World May 12Contactinformation foradvertising inAdventist WorldActing Editor:James StandishEmail: editor@record.net.auAssistant Editor:Jarrod StackelrothAssistant Editor:Kent KingstonSales & Marketing:Theodora AmuimuiaCopyeditor:Tracey BridcuttGraphic DesignerKym JacksonEmail @ RecordNoticeboard: ads@record.net.auwww.record.net.auMail: Adventist Media NetworkLocked bag 1115Wahroonga, NSW 2076, AustraliaPhone: (02) 9847 2222Fax: (02) 9847 2200ABN 59 093 117 689Note: Neither the editor, Adventist MediaNetwork, nor the Seventh-day AdventistChurch is responsible for the quality ofgoods or services advertised. Publicationdoes not indicate endorsement of aproduct or service. Advertisementsapproved by the editor will be inserted atthe following rates: first 30 words or less,$A60 +GST; each additional word, $A1.98+GST. For your advertisement to appear,payment must be enclosed. Classifiedadvertisements in RECORD are availableto Seventh-day Adventist members,churches and institutions only. Seemasthead (above) for contact details.April 2012 | Adventist World 31