MAKING SENSE OF THE WORLD - Adventist Review
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ADVENTISTREVIEW.ORG
NOVEMBER 2016: HEALING THE HATE + FAITH IN A
WORLD OF UNFAITH + GOD’S ON OUR SIDE
+ LET’S CELEBRATE NUTRITION + SABBATH AND
THE BOTTOM LINE + EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED
MAKING
SENSE OF
THE WORLD
TELL THE REST OF THE STORY
S
hare the faith of Desmond Doss—the Adventist medic
whose bravery inspired the movie Hacksaw Ridge. New
resources from It Is Written build on Doss’ story to
introduce the beliefs and values that motivated him.
Visit itiswritten.com/doss to learn more.
Or call 888-664-5573.
1-844-WRITTEN / itiswritten.com
Photo of the Black Sea by Diaconu Daniel from Romania
Each month we’ll feature a reader-submitted photo or painting. Submission
guidelines and info can be found at www.adventistreview.org
11/16 VOLUME 193
NUMBER 11
FEATURES
DISC O V E R
19 SEEEING THE WORLD THROUGH
19 LOVE-COLORED GLASSES | TY GIBSON
How our Fundamental Beliefs address society’s needs
C O NNEC T
43 THE DATE DEBATE | ANNA BARTLETT
It’s more important to be the right person
43 than to find the right person.
ENG AG E
55 HEALING THE HATE | CHARLES MILLS
Racism is an issue that must not be ignored.
55
NOVEMBER 2016 | ADVENTIST REVIEW 1
“What I needed was a way to make sense of the
diametrically opposed forces of selfishness and love
so obviously waging war within human beings. What
I needed was a way to comprehend what’s going on in
this world of ours so drenched in blood and tears.”
22
ARTICLES
DISCOVER CONNECT ENGAGE
28 GOD’S ON OUR SIDE 48 CHARMED BY FAITH 62 EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED
JOHN BRADSHAW ELLEN G. WHITE ERIK C. CARTER
The recent presidential Yes, people are watching. And Even with a road map, we
election in the United States yes, they should see a have to expect detours.
points to one inescapable difference in Christians..
66 WATCH!
fact.
50 SABBATH AND THE MARK A. KELLNER
32 FAITH IN A WORLD BOTTOM LINE Knowing the future is not the
OF UNFAITH JARED THURMON same as being prepared.
KLEBER D. GONÇALVES A mandatory day off is good
How can we truly connect for business.
with the people around us?
52 JESUS, SAVE ME
36 LET’S CELEBRATE NUTRITION LINDSEY GENDKE
FRED HARDINGE She went from being
Remember: food is fuel. depressed to being a disciple.
38 GRIEF AND GRATITUDE
LAEL CAESAR
Life contains both pleasure
and pain.
50
NEWS|OPINION
EDITORIAL
» Miraculous Stories
Emerge from London 5 BILL KNOTT
D E PA R TM E N T S
» 10-year-old Leads Eight
Children to Baptism 6 LETTERS
30 HOUSE CALL
» Journey Interrupted Documents 68 VOICES
Same-sex Attraction 71 CLOSER LOOK
» Former Agnostic Hears Angels Sing COLUMNS
27 CLIFF’S EDGE
» Adventists Set Up Shop CLIFFORD GOLDSTEIN
Near Orthodox Church 54 CURE FOR THE COMMON LIFE
HYVETH WILLIAMS
61 THE LIFE OF FAITH
ANDY NASH
72 IN OTHER WORDS
SANDRA BLACKMER
2 ADVENTIST REVIEW | NOVEMBER 2016 ADVENTISTREVIEW.ORG
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Healthy living is more than physical – it’s mind, body AND • Mike Tucker, Host
Relationship Expert and Personal
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cutting edge information for creating health in all areas of life Strategic Intervention Coach &
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Connect with Faith
EDITORIAL
BILL KNOTT
“Young in faith” is always
an “at-risk” category.
Dear Adrian:
port them in turbulent times.
again—soon!
“I’m writing you by e-mail in hopes of reconnecting That’s why the Adventist
five times, and tried texting you
I’ve left voicemail messages four or Review for nearly 20 years has
I stoppe d by your house last Thursd ay eve-
half a dozen times too. been offering its readers a prac-
a loaf of Kathy’s whole wheat bread, but only heard Ranger
ning with tical way to build support into
you got the
barking in the backroom when I rang the bell. Hope
the lives of those who most
bread on the front porch before the squirrels did!
something need it—the newly baptized,
I keep getting the sense that something must be wrong—
happe ned that has discou raged you. It’s nearly four and those trying to discover the
must have
six weeks since we
months since we saw you at church, and at least faith of Jesus for themselves.
ience store. Gaps like that
bumped into each other at the conven “Young in faith” is always an
a bit just now.
aren’t usually good for faith. Maybe yours is struggling “at-risk” category, and the read-
that Fatima has always been unsure about your new rela-
I know ers of this magazine have con-
really loyal, but
tionship with Jesus. She loves you deeply, and she’s tributed more than $1 million
backgr ound and the concer ns of
I can feel the pull of her own faith since 1998 to put a free sub-
looking at the photos of your baptism on my
her family. I was just scription of this faith-saving
ay: there was worry in her eyes as she stood beside
iPhone yesterd journal in young hands.
more evenings
you and Pastor Rick. I wish she could have joined you
semina r in May. I remember You can help again this year.
during the “Revelation Speaks Peace”
to me that Kathy and I could talk and pray Give one new believer or one
how important it was
new world of Bible truth we were discove ring when Millennial a full year of all the
about the whole
we got baptized six years ago. hope, courage, and Bible truth
Serena’s Pri-
I’ve been collecting the Bible puzzles each week in that the Adventist Review offers
h School . I’ve got quite a stack of them now,
mary class at Sabbat for just $10. Reach out to five for
just imagin e the big grin on her face as she dives into
and I can only $50. Bless ten with your gift
her—a nd has a lot
solving all of them. Tell her “Uncle Ernie” misses of $100—or more. We partner
of puzzles for her. with generous conferences
hard it is to
Adrian, I pray for you each day—because I know how across the continent to supply
believe r. Learnin g how to keep God’s Sabbat h; discovering
be a new the balance.
to a whole new
how to build daily Bible study time; getting used
aren’t easy things to navigate, Simply go online at www.
identity as an Adventist—those
adventistreview.org/subscrip-
especially alone.
or call
Take a moment and let me know how you’re doing,
tions to make your credit card
anytime.” contribution to our New Believ-
ers campaign, or better yet, call
1-800-447-7377 to make your
gift by phone. When you see our
E
ach year, 40,000 new believ- made life-changing decisions. letter in your mailbox this
ers join the Seventh-day Tens of thousands of young month, send a check to “Adven-
Adventist Church in North adult Adventists also disap- tist Review—New Believers” in
America. And each year, nearly pear each year, many of them the enclosed business reply
half of them disappear within not formally cutting ties to envelope.
12 months, pulled away from their childhood faith, but sim- Keep reaching out to Adrian.
a new faith in Jesus by families, ply going quiet when they
jobs, and the doubts that don’t find meaning any longer,
always come to those who have or the relationships that sup-
NOVEMBER 2016 | ADVENTIST REVIEW 5
INBOX If Goldstein or some other writer could write a
small leaflet that could be directed toward a
non-churched person and general audience, a
great service would be performed.
WILLIAM ZELANEK, GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA
INFORMATION WELCOMED
Clifford Goldstein’s article “Marx,
Darwin, Nietzsche, and 1844” (July
2016) is very informative. If
Goldstein or some other writer
could write a small leaflet that
could be directed toward a
non-churched person and
general audience, a great service
would be performed.
William Zelanek
Greensboro, North Carolina
THANKFUL FOR THE LIFE OF
C. D. BROOKS
C. D. Brooks’s dramatic image in
the August Adventist Review and
the comprehensive life story of
1 PERCENT this global godly preacher remind
After reading the article “The 1 Percent Club,” by Julian Archer me of a Mount Vernon Academy
(August 2016), I was reminded of a recent survey listing the 10 camp meeting I shall never forget.
wealthiest pastors in America. These pastors would do well to get In 1980 Brooks led out in the
together and follow the ways of Jesus and eradicate poverty in any Communion service. I was invited
one of our major cities. I wonder if David, Solomon, Job, and the to pray for the bread and had all
many others in Old Testament days ever surpassed this kind of Friday afternoon to recall Jesus’
wealth. Praise God we can give according to our own blessings. sacrifice long ago.
Robert Rouillard Later, on the lawn of the girls’
Lakewood, Washington dorm, Brooks reached out to me
in appreciation and encourage-
ment. I thank God for C. D. Brooks
SABBATH IS A HAPPY DAY family also uses the hymn “Day Is and his service.
The July 2016 Adventist Review Dying in the West” to welcome Keith R. Mundt
message: Sabbath is a happy day the Sabbath. Honoring the Riverside, California
as well as a holy day! All the Sabbath is a privileged time with
articles expressed Sabbath our God, who created the SWEET MEMORIES OF JUDY
blessings, from the news Sabbath. I am 84 years old. Seeing Judy
coverage of marathon runners in Natalie Dodd Olson in the article “Never Too
South Africa to “I Skipped Centerville, Ohio Old” (June 2016) brought back a
Sabbath Classes in Russia.” Our flood of memories.
6 ADVENTIST REVIEW | NOVEMBER 2016 ADVENTISTREVIEW.ORG
I owe much to her beautiful Christian character
as I recall her life with our family.
BEVERLY NEUMAN
Judy was living and going to
school in a Lutheran boarding IN A FEW WORDS . . .
school when my parents hired
15-YEAR-OLD RUGBY PLAYER WHO HONORED SABBATH IS BAPTIZED
her to babysit us while they went
to a PTA meeting in Fergus Falls, What a testimony! I am so proud of this young man who was not
Minnesota. A friendship ashamed to take his stand for the Lord. As I work with our Pathfind-
developed, and when my dad ers here in Canada, I will be sharing this testimony with them. They
built his greenhouse, Judy moved need to know that nothing is too hard for the Lord to do for them.
with us to help do flower design We saw what He did for Joseph, Daniel, his friends, and other Bible
work. She and my mom (who was characters. He could, and is still doing the same, for His children
Baptist) studied the Bible and today once they invite Him into their lives.
were eventually baptized at the Praise God!
Catecha Francis, via Web
Anoka camp meeting in 1944.
I remember her praying with JUDGE IN KENYA REFUSES TO WORK ON SABBATH
me beside my bed and teaching
me how to talk to God. I owe I now have more reasons to trust God, even when situations look
much to her beautiful Christian impossible. When David Maraga first declared his stand, I was
character as I recall her life with personally encouraged never to be ashamed of my faith, no matter
our family. Thank you for the situation. God will forever be faithful to those who are obedient.
Maraga has been appointed as a new chief justice, and my prayer is
featuring her and her dedication.
that God sees him as he remains true to duty as a needle to the
Beverly Neuman
pole. Indeed, there are still many who can be neither sold nor
Paradise, California
bought.
Nelly Manyala, via Web
YOUR TURN FORTY DOLLARS AND A PRAYER
We welcome your letters, noting,
as always, that inclusion of a
letter in this section does not Absolutely inspiring! Thank, thank you, thank you to Tony Williams,
imply that the ideas expressed Byron Greenberg, David Reile, and Sandra Blackmer for this story
are endorsed by either the editors with its numerous levels of support for Adventist Christian educa-
of the Adventist Review or the tion. While so many have loudly noted the “failings” of Adventist
General Conference. Short, spe-
cific, timely letters have the best
Christian education, this story reminds us that God is at work in His
chance at being published (please schools! Bless the Lord!
include your complete address J. Phillip Williams, via Web
and phone number—even with
e-mail messages). Letters will be
edited for space and clarity only.
Send correspondence to Letters to
the Editor, Adventist Review, 12501
Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring,
MD 20904-6600; Internet: letters@
adventistreview.org.
NOVEMBER 2016 | ADVENTIST REVIEW 7
NEWS
LATEST NEWS AT ADVENTISTREVIEW.ORG
» CHURCH GOVERNANCE AND UNITY DISCUSSED AT ANNUAL COUNCIL
» MAJOR MOTION PICTURE SPOTLIGHTS DESMOND DOSS
» TEN PERCENT OF PORTUGAL’S ADVENTISTS SERVE IN ADRA
» HARRY ANDERSON LAUDED AT ART EXHIBIT
People attending an
evangelistic meeting
during the “The
Right Time, The Right
Message” series in
London. BUC
MIRACULOUS STORIES EMERGE FROM LONDON
3ABN AND ADVENTIST CHURCH HOLD MAJOR EVANGELISTIC MEETINGS
BY ANDREW MCCHESNEY
S he was preparing to be a high
priestess for Satan.
She hated Seventh-day Adventist
casting Network (3ABN) in partner-
ship with the local Adventist Church.
“To her amazement, she saw Pas-
ers said. A total of 87 people were
baptized during the meetings, and
several hundred others are taking
evangelist John Lomacang. tor Lomacang preaching on the Bible studies in preparation for
Every time Lomacang appeared power of prayer,” said Emmanuel baptism.
on television in her home in South Osei, acting president of the church’s Britain and the rest of Europe
Africa, she asked her daughter to South England Conference, whose are among the most challenging
switch off the television or change territory includes London. “Only places in the world to share the Ad-
the channel. God could’ve led her, because this ventist message. Overall church at-
This fall she felt an urge to go to wasn’t planned.” tendance is low, and the largely
the Croydon Seventh-day Adventist The woman, who was once deep secular society shows little interest
Church in London, her new home. in the occult, is among dozens of in spiritual matters. The Adventist
She didn’t realize that the church people whose lives have been af- Church’s Trans-European Division,
was one of 11 London sites holding fected through the September 3-17 comprised of 22 European coun-
a two-week evangelistic series or- evangelistic series, titled “The Right tries, including Britain, has only
ganized by the Three Angels Broad- Time, the Right Message,” organiz- 85,000 members, the smallest mem-
NOVEMBER 2016 | ADVENTIST REVIEW 9NEWS SABBATH LAWSUIT
A U.S. cement maker will agreed to compensate
pay $42,500 to a truck driver Michael Cole
Seventh-day Adventist and to take steps to
worker whom it fired for prevent future religious
declining to work on the discrimination with its
Sabbath, the U.S. settlement in a lawsuit
government said. filed by the government’s
Greenville Ready Mixed Equal Employment
Concrete, a company Opportunity Commission.
based in North Carolina,
bership of any of the church’s 13 him more than seeing people sur- in error all his life, teaching that
divisions. render to Jesus, including a young tithing was not for New Testament
The evangelistic series, 3ABN’s woman, came to his church on the believers,” Quinn said.
first major international event in night he preached about the bib-
about a decade, might have yielded lical seventh-day Sabbath. She ac- A MARRIAGE SAVED
significantly more baptisms if it cepted the message and was bap- A remarkable story about a saved
had been held in some other coun- tized. “What’s interesting is that m a r r i a g e e m e rg e d f ro m t h e
try, said Danny Shelton, president she is the daughter of the pastor Walthamstow church.
and CEO of 3ABN. of a Sunday church,” Lomacang said. A carpenter named Ricardo was
But he and other 3ABN leaders in the middle of a painful divorce
said they believed that God had from his wife when he decided to
led them to London for a reason. seek baptism, speaker John Dinzey
“God is not done with London yet,” said. First, however, he wanted to
said Lomacang, 3ABN’s director of make sure he was right with God,
world evangelism, who led the main so he decided to apologize to his
evangelistic meeting at the Croy- wife for the way he had behaved
don church. “Seeds have been and to seek her forgiveness. “He
planted, and the wave of evange- tried to reach her by phone, but
lism must not cease.” he was blocked from calling her,”
The meetings were live-streamed Richard Daly, left, pastor at Dinzey said. “He then sent her a
online and with a two-day delay the Croydon church, thank- message on Facebook: ‘Please call
on 3ABN television. ing John and Angie Loma- me. I would like to talk with you.’ ”
cang on the final Sabbath. His estranged wife thought he
LIVES CHANGED 3ABN wanted to pressure her to hurry
The occultist from South Africa up with the divorce paperwork.
sensed a deliverance and her bur- “She was baptized without her par- When she called him, she blurted
den lifted as she listened to Lo- ents knowing of her decision.” out: “Don’t worry. I’m already get-
macang speak at the evangelistic Across town at the Stoke New- ting the paperwork ready,” accord-
meeting, church leaders said. She ington church, a Pentecostal pas- ing to an account shared by Dinzey.
returned to the meetings night af- tor made his first visit to an Ad- Ricardo said, “No, no, please
ter night. Then she and her hus- ventist church on the night that w a i t .” T h e n h e a s k e d f o r
band responded to a call to sur- Shelley Quinn, 3ABN program de- forgiveness.
render their lives to Christ. velopment manager, spoke on the “I’m giving my life to the Lord,”
“The Croydon church will work topic of tithing. he told her. “I’m getting baptized.
with them for the future that God “He attended under protest be- I want your forgiveness. I also want
has in store for them,” Lomacang cause he had forbidden his church to know if you want to get back
told Adventist Review. “She told members from entering any Ad- together.”
me, ‘I now know that it was not you ventist church,” Quinn said. His wife began to weep. “I’ve been
I did not like. It was your message After the meeting he announced praying for this,” she said.
about Jesus. I am glad that we met he had learned something new and The couple reconciled.
and that the Lord used you to lead was firmly convinced by Scripture “After his baptism he and his
me to Christ.’ ” that God’s system of tithing was wife were going to take a second
Lomacang said nothing thrills still in force. “He said he had been honeymoon,” Dinzey said.
10 ADVENTIST REVIEW | NOVEMBER 2016 ADVENTISTREVIEW.ORGWayne Blakely, one of the subjects of
Journey Interrupted, says he believes the
new film “speaks to God’s remnant people.”
COURTESY OF JOURNEY INTERRUPTED
JOURNEY INTERRUPTED
He said that viewers might be
confronted with a way of thinking
DOCUMENTS SAME-SEX they didn’t consider before. “It’s a
film that can change that point of
ATTRACTION view [about sin] to how God wants
THE FILM’S PARTICIPANTS POINT TO GOD’S POWER. to deal with us, as seen in His Word,
as seen in the Bible. Not in terms
BY MARK A. KELLNER
of what culture says, or what some
A new film is reaching out to
Seventh-day Adventists and
others struggling with same-sex
later became the film’s producers.
Though initially reluctant to do the
film, Woods, who is not an Adven-
well-meaning Christians say.”
The editing task fell to Jonathan
LaPointe, of Berrien Springs, Mich-
attraction: there is a way through tist, after praying about the proj- igan, who is the assistant media
the struggle, and it involves a total ect, said that “it was just one of director for Pioneer Memorial
reliance on God’s power. those things where I kind of felt church at Andrews University.
Journey Interrupted is a 60-min- like being pushed toward it. . . . It “I think the biggest challenge
ute documentary chronicling the was a ‘Jonah’ thing; if I didn’t do with the film was trying to figure
lives of five Adventists dealing with this, I wouldn’t feel OK.” out what the core message really
the issue of same-sex attraction. Woods said the film presents was,” LaPointe said. “There is only
Of these, four have found an an- “something that is not talked about so much you can ask your audi-
swer to their struggle, while one in churches,” which is how faithful ence to take away. [We needed to
has not done so yet. Christians deal with the question find] the theme that runs through
“We wanted to let people know of same-sex attraction. all five of these stories, then to
that people are very aware of their “Whenever I mention it, they’re parse out what contributes to that
struggles with same-sex attraction very fascinated,” he said. “It’s not core theme and what is not rele-
and don’t know what to do, and a topic they talk about, and when vant in this context.”
even when they know what to do, they do, it’s in a negative context Blakely said the film is already
they’re held by their ‘feelings’ and without any answers. It’ll help a drawing interest worldwide.
do what comes naturally to them,” lot of people who are struggling “Our schedules are beginning to
said Wayne Blakely, cofounder of and don’t know what to do.” fill up with premieres, even out of
“Coming Out” Ministries, who is The original 25 hours of recorded the country,” he said. “More people
featured in the film. “We know be- interviews and other filming ended are contacting us now about find-
cause we’ve been there, and we up as one hour and 40 minutes of ing out how they can have a screen-
know it’s a struggle to sacrifice what footage, which was believed to be ing where they are located.”
you feel for a relationship that is too long for many audiences. Blakely Asked what his hope was for the
in agreement with Jesus Christ.” then found Troy Homenchuk of Niles, project, Blakely said that Journey
Filmed in the United States, Bra- Michigan, at a 2015 GYC event in Interrupted is a film that “stands
zil, and Europe, Journey Interrupted Louisville, Kentucky, who expressed alone, with respect to the Christian
began as 25 hours of recorded tes- an interest in helping. faith. It’s not a denominational is-
timonies from the participants. “This is much more than a film sue; it’s a faith concern. So the film
Filmmaker Danny Woods from John- about people who were once certainly reaches far beyond the
stown, Ohio, was introduced to sinning in a particular way,” Ho- borders of Adventism. It speaks to
Blakely by Brian and Anne Savin- menchuk said. “It’s more about the God’s remnant people, wherever
sky, ministry board members, who gospel and your identity in Christ.” they might be found.”
NOVEMBER 2016 | ADVENTIST REVIEW 11NEWS FRENCH TV OPENS
The Adventist Church has Esperance TV Interamer-
launched its first global ique, as well as two other
television channel with channels, Hope Channel
French-language Inter-America in English
programming, the and Esperanza TV
Inter-American Division Interamérica in Spanish.
reported. Hope Channel The French channel is
International executives available online and on
joined division leaders to Roku, while the other two
launch the channel, are also on satellite.
is also pastor at the Bridgeton
Spanish church, which Vazquez
attends with his family, and he
helps the boy’s friends prepare
for baptism.
When Vazquez started teaching,
only one child from his block went
to church regularly. Now many of
the children attend Sabbath ser-
vices at the Bridgeton Spanish
church, and their parents are more
open to Bible studies for them-
selves, Visitor reported. Eight chil-
Children studying the Bible during Jaffet dren have been baptized because
Vazquez’s class in Vineland, New Jersey. VISITOR of Vazquez’s ministry.
The boy encourages the children
to study the Bible for themselves,
using his allowance money to buy
prizes for those who excel. His
mother prepares snacks for the
10-YEAR-OLD LEADS EIGHT children to eat at the end of their
study.
CHILDREN TO BAPTISM
BOY GIVES BIBLE STUDIES IN NEW JERSEY.
BY CRISTINA MACENA
A fourth-grade boy in the U.S.
state of New Jersey has led
eight children to baptism through
about God together and also get
to play.”
When Vazquez first decided that
a Bible study group in his home. he wanted to share his love for
Jaffet Vazquez, 10, uses informa- Jesus with the neighborhood
tion learned in classes at the local children, his mother prayerfully
Seventh-day Adventist elementary visited every mother on the street
school to lead the weekly group to extend an invitation to the Bible
of 13 children, ages 5 to 10, in his studies. Many mothers said their
Fourth grader Jaffet Vazquez
home in Vineland, a city of 61,000 children could attend. leading a Bible study. VISITOR
people. Vazquez shares with his friends
“I am really happy to learn more what he has learned about God’s
about Jesus and teach my friends,” love and gift of salvation during “The children say they are ex-
Vazquez told the Columbia Union classes from teachers Violeta Mo- cited to learn new worship songs
Visitor magazine. “They come over lina and Raul Rivero at the Vine and learn how to pray,” Visitor
to my house, and we learn more Haven Adventist School. Rivero said.
12 ADVENTIST REVIEW | NOVEMBER 2016 ADVENTISTREVIEW.ORGTHIRTEENTH SABBATH OFFERING
A small clinic constructed New Guinea, South Pacific
through a Thirteenth Adventist Record reported.
Sabbath Offering has A Thirteenth Sabbath
resulted in two baptisms, Offering in 2013 identified
requests for 23 more Arufi village as a place
baptisms, and the that could benefit from a
establishment of an medical outpost, and a
Adventist congregation in fly-and-build team from
a remote area of Papua Australia built it in 2014.
NEWSBRIEFS
A CAMP MEETING ENDED in tragedy in Zambia when a building collapsed
1 amid strong winds, killing a woman and a 3-year-old boy, local church leaders
said. More than 500 church members were attending the Sabbath afternoon
program at the 2016 annual camp meeting near the provincial town of Chinsali
at the time of the incident on September 3, 2016.
AN ADVENTIST HAS CREDITED GOD and the Adventist Church for her
2 appointment as the deputy governor of the British Virgin Islands, the In-
ter-American Division said. Rosalie Adams became the first Adventist to hold
such a high government post on the British Virgin Islands with her appointment
by Queen Elizabeth II through Britain’s foreign minister, Boris Johnson. Among
other things, Adams will function as acting governor when the governor is away.
BIRTHDAY CAKE, BALLOONS, AND LAUGHTER punctuated fiftieth-an-
3 niversary celebrations for Asian Aid, an Adventist supporting ministry that
sponsors the education of children and young adults in Sri Lanka, Myanmar,
India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, South Pacific Adventist Record reported. Asian
Aid, with offices in Australia and the United States, has sponsored more than
6,000 children.
THE ADVENTIST CHURCH IN MEXICO plans to gather more than 500 deaf
4 people from across Mexico next June for a first national conference as it steps
up efforts to reach the hearing impaired, the Inter-American Division said. The
church in north Mexico has begun producing video Faith of Jesus Bible lessons
in sign language for church members to share. Leaders hope to complete the 20
Bible lessons by the conference.
GANOUNE DIOP, public affairs and religious liberty director for the
5 Adventist world church, addressed the challenges of human rights and peace
at an interfaith conference held on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit in
China, his office said. Diop was invited to address some 40 scholars and
religious leaders at the G20 Interfaith Summit in Beijing as global political
leaders gathered in Hangzhou, China, in September.
AN ADVENTIST PUBLIC GARDEN—spotlighted at night, with seating in
6 tranquil surroundings and a three-tier fountain—is now a national British
memorial to Adventist soldiers during World War I and all those who stand for
peace in wartime, the Trans-European Division said. The Watford Peace Garden,
located between the Stanborough Park church and the British Union Conference
headquarters, opened on the International Day of Peace on September 21, 2016.
SOUTHERN ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY has opened an exhibit at its Lynn H.
7 Wood Archaeological Museum that Benjamin Foster, curator of the Yale Babylo-
nian Collection at Yale University, declared “the finest exhibition on ancient seals
in terms of presentation, approachability, and scholarly input that I have ever
seen.” The exhibit uses digital technology and careful design to present a key
communication tool of ancient societies to a twenty-first-century audience.
NOVEMBER 2016 | ADVENTIST REVIEW 13NEWS FEATURE
Salesperson Klea Radovic
working at the Knjigolovka
bookstore in central Belgrade,
Serbia. VICTOR HULBERT/TED
ADVENTISTS S eventh-day Adventist books
filled the shelves of ordinary
and just down the road from one
of the largest Orthodox cathedrals
SET UP SHOP bookstores in Serbia’s capital for in the world, the Church of Saint
NEAR
about six years, so church leaders Sava.
became concerned when the stores The Knjigolovka bookstore is al-
ORTHODOX began to reject the books last year. ready a growing center of influence
CHURCH
No store owners would explain in a society wary of Protestantism,
why they had changed their minds. said Djordjija Trajkovski, president
KNJIGOLOVKA IS A Church leaders suspected the be- of the Adventist Church’s South-
GROWING CENTER OF hind-the-scenes involvement of East European Union, whose ter-
INFLUENCE IN SERBIA. the influential Serbian Orthodox ritory includes Serbia, Bosnia and
BY ANDREW MCCHESNEY Church. Herzegovina, Macedonia, and
The solution? Open a bookstore. Montenegro.
But Knjigolovka in central Bel- “When parents enter our book-
grade is not just any bookstore. shop to buy supplies for their chil-
Nestled among school supplies dren, they become interested in
such as backpacks, pencils, and our books,” Trajkovski said as he
notebooks are Serbian-language drove two visiting Adventist jour-
editions of such books as The Great nalists to the bookstore. “They of-
Controversy, by Adventist Church ten declare that they have never
cofounder Ellen G. White, and The seen these kinds of books in any
Lost Art of Thinking, by Adventist other bookstore in town.”
physician Neil Nedley. The store, He was echoed by Klea Radovic,
which opened in late February, is a pastor’s wife, who works as a
located near an elementary school salesperson at the bookstore. She
14 ADVENTIST REVIEW | NOVEMBER 2016 ADVENTISTREVIEW.ORGsaid many customers rush in and Ellen White more than a century Knjigolovka—whose name is a
out for school supplies, but some ago, said Dragan Pejovski, director wordplay on the Serbian words for
linger to look at the books. When of the Adventist-owned Euro Dream “book” and “pencil” and can also
they do, they often exclaim with Publishing House outside Belgrade. be read as “Hunting for Books”—is
astonishment when they realize He came up with the idea for the not the only Adventist bookstore
that the books aim to improve phys- b o o k s t o re a n d s e r ve s a s i t s to have found success in the
ical, psychological, and spiritual manager. church’s Trans-European Division,
health, Radovic said. He said the store was already which encompasses Serbia and 21
breaking even, and he was looking other countries. In Denmark’s cap-
A BIG SALE to buy the place once its two-year ital, Copenhagen, the Helping Hand
But some customers just want lease ends. The store’s first-year store is flourishing with a mix of
to be left alone. Radovic spoke of rent of US$8,750 was nearly cov- books, secondhand goods, and a
a man who took a book off the shelf, ered by a private donation from a café, said Victor Hulbert, commu-
read through part of it, put it back, church member in Australia, while nication director for the division.
and took another one. the publishing house covered the “It is building bridges and mak-
“I was thinking that he’s just go- rest from its profits. ing friendships,” said Hulbert, who
ing to leave and not buy anything, “We have good and positive feed- visited Belgrade with an Adventist
but he bought eight of our books,” back from the people who are buy- Review journalist. “It is also attract-
she said. “But he wasn’t interested ing books there,” Pejovski said. ing a range of people. Refugees
in conversation. He was just, ‘I’m come in because there is good-qual-
just looking’ and very quiet. But FIVE BOOKS SOLD A DAY ity secondhand clothing, and Danes
then he took all eight.” The store sells an average of five stop by for a drink and a book.”
She said The Lost Art of Think- books a day, while the most books Helping Hand is so successful
that a second store was recently
opened in northern Denmark, and
plans are being laid to open a third
in the town of Daugård, where the
Adventist-owned Vejlefjordskolen
junior college is located.
Church leaders have no plans
to add secondhand clothes to the
Knjigolovka bookstore in Belgrade,
although two secondhand clothing
stores were recently opened in Bos-
nia, and they are thriving, Trajkovski
said.
He said Knjigolovka will, how-
ever, stock a growing number of
Djordjija Trajkovski, left, and Dragan Pejovski, right, visiting the
titles from Euro Dream, which pro-
EuroDream publishing house outside Belgrade. VICTOR HULBERT/TED
duces 25 to 30 titles a year and has
released about 150 titles since it
ing is the store’s best-selling book, sold in a day was 10. opened in 2010. A room on the sec-
while The Great Controversy is also Pejovski compared the store’s ond floor of the store is to be con-
a hot item and always on sale. sales to that of local literature evan- verted into a hall for book signings
Shelves under the store’s checkout gelists, mentioning that one cou- and new book presentations.
counter were lined with copies of ple called him recently to joyfully Healthy food products may also
The Great Controversy on a recent announce that they had sold 15 be added to the store shelves.
visit. books over the past month. Knjigolovka is meeting a need
The book is especially popular Pejovski is already drawing up not only in the community but also
because of its cover, which de- plans to open a second bookstore in the church, Trajkovski said. “We
scribes how modern-day events in Novi Sad, Serbia’s second-larg- have a good variety of books, but
such as the United States’ role as est city, situated about 55 miles (90 we are not very good at advertis-
a superpower were foreseen by kilometers) north of Belgrade. ing them.”
NOVEMBER 2016 | ADVENTIST REVIEW 15NEWS FEATURE
Mārtińš Subatovičs conducting at 120th-anniversary celebrations
of the Adventist Church in Latvia. VICTOR HULBERT/TED
FORMER
AGNOSTIC
T he first time he set foot in a
Seventh-day Adventist church,
the 17-year-old Latvian boy prayed
woman eager to serve others.
Subatovičs, the only Adventist
in his family, said he saw his first
HEARS to somehow serve God.
The second time, he found him-
miracle when he was accepted into
Latvia’s top choir- conducting
ANGELS SING self playing the piano for the Sab- school, the Riga Dome Choir School.
bath worship service. Teachers tested candidates with a
MĀRTIŃŠ SUBATOVIČS A decade later Mārtińš Sub- new piece of music. This was Sub-
SHARES HIS DAMASCUS atovičs is pastor of the same church atovičs’ weakness. Although he had
ROAD EXPERIENCE. in Latvia’s capital, Riga. He also finished at the top of his eighth-
serves as music director for the grade class, he was not able to per-
BY ANDREW MCCHESNEY Adventist Church in Latvia, a role form a new piece at first sight. So
that was on full display in late Sep- when the Riga Dome teacher gave
tember when he sang and con- him the piece, he was surprised to
ducted a 100-member choir during find that he was familiar with it.
celebrations to mark 120 years of He performed it well.
Adventism in the Baltic country. Then the school abruptly can-
“I think God answers those prayers celed a second exam, on music
very quickly,” Subatovičs said about theory, because the testing room
his first prayer in the Riga church. needed repairs. Subatovičs said
“Other prayers may require a wait he would have failed that exam.
for a reply. But when you pray to “This school was at a professional
serve, God answers quickly.” level that was much higher than I
Subatovičs, 28, is among a group was able to perform at, and God
of young people at the forefront did a miracle that allowed me to
of the Adventist movement in this pass the entrance exams,” he said
Mārtińš Subatovičs, who small country of 2 million people in an interview in the Riga First Sev-
pastors three churches, and only 4,000 Adventists. One of enth-day Adventist Church, where
says he sees his choir as Subatovičs’ close friends is Valdis he serves as associate pastor.
a fourth church.
Zelčs, the 27-year-old co-owner of
VICTOR HULBERT/TED
a flourishing health food store just DAMASCUS ROAD MOMENT
up the street from the Riga church. The first year was tough for Sub-
ADRA’s country director for Latvia atovičs. He lived in a dormitory and
is Madara Daukste, a 26-year-old struggled with his studies.
16 ADVENTIST REVIEW | NOVEMBER 2016 ADVENTISTREVIEW.ORGThe second year brought a friend, with joy. He knocked on the doors founded a church youth choir, a
a girl named Daina, who had been of his classmates, asking what he position he holds to this day. The
baptized into the Adventist Church could do for them. choir performs about 10 concerts
a few months earlier. Subatovičs “I couldn’t keep it in myself,” he a year, usually at venues other than
plied her with questions about her said. “I did not witness to them, or churches. Subatovičs, who now pas-
faith during the next two years. He talk about Jesus or the Bible. I just tors a total of three churches in
said he learned everything about said, ‘I want to do something for Riga, considers the choir to be his
Adventist doctrine—from the Sab- you. Do you have anything I can fourth church.
bath to the state of the dead—with- do for you now?’ ” “We have members who are not
out once opening the Bible. Then His classmates were surprised Adventist,” he said. “They are friends
Daina left to study medicine. to see him take out their garbage of Adventist choir members.
Subatovičs thought about God and perform other tasks. Soon they Through music they come to Christ.”
once in a while, but remained con- began to ask him why he was so The choir is open to nearly any-
vinced that he would never believe happy. He told them about his be- one, even those without a singing
unless God appeared to him. That lief in God. voice. Subatovičs recalled that when
all changed at the age of 17 when Subatovičs wanted to do more, he first formed the choir, two of
he experienced what he describes and he wanted to be baptized. So three members “were singing their
as a mini version of Paul’s journey he headed to the Riga First Sev- own melody.” He winced as he con-
to Damascus. Acts 9 says the Lord enth-day Adventist Church, which ducted the choir.
appeared to Paul during that trip. is the largest Adventist church Lat- “The sound that we made was
Subatovičs was thinking about via, with seating for about 450 peo- not a heavenly sound,” he said.
God during a walk near a Riga park ple. He had never taken a Bible “But we wanted to serve God.”
when he suddenly realized that study in his life, but he believed God made up for the choir’s de-
God exists. “I stopped, and at that every word that the Bible said based ficiencies at its first concert, he
moment God gave me this gift of on what Daina had taught him. said. When it came time to sing,
faith,” Subatovičs said. “For some He shyly slipped into the church he lifted his hands to conduct, the
people it’s a lifelong journey. For on a Sabbath morning and prayed accompaniment music started play-
me it was just at that moment. I silently from his seat: “I want to ing, and “the most heavenly sound”
received faith.” serve. I didn’t come just to sit. I rose from the choir, he said.
Subatovičs struggled to put into came to serve.” “I realized that this was not a
words what took place. “I always God answered his prayer the next sound that we could perform,” he
thought I would never believe un- Sabbath, he said. said. “I was confused. I was sur-
less I saw God. But now I know that “Something strange happened,” prised. I had to conduct, but I won-
God can reveal Himself in many he said. “In the past 10 years it has dered where this sound had come
different ways,” he said. never happened again.” The church from. This was not our choir.”
“I realized at that moment that had no one to play the piano. Subatovičs believes angels joined
I was 100 percent sure about God, Music is very important in Lat- the choir that day. He pointed to
just as sure as I am that I can see via, which is known as “the land a passage by Adventist Church co-
my hands and you,” he said, look- that sings.” Many musicians were founder Ellen G. White, where she
ing at a journalist. always in attendance in the First wrote, “When human beings sing
The experience confused Sub- church. But the pianist was miss- with the spirit and the understand-
atovičs. He didn’t understand what ing that Sabbath. The worship ing, heavenly musicians take up
was happening. But he immedi- leader asked whether anyone in the strain and join in the song of
ately texted Daina on his cell phone, the congregation could play. No thanksgiving.”*
thanking her for teaching him to one stirred. Subatovičs said he believes that
believe in God. Daina couldn’t be- “I didn’t think I would be very angels have sung at nearly every
lieve it, Subatovičs said. After two good at playing new Adventist songs subsequent concert.
years of answering his questions, at first sight,” Subatovičs said. “But The people who heard his choir
she had given up hope. somehow I lifted my hand.” sing in a Riga music hall during the
He played well. 120th-anniversary celebrations of
A NEW LIFE the Adventist Church in Latvia would
Subatovičs said ever ything A FOURTH CHURCH no doubt agree.
changed for him that day. He wanted By the time he had completed * Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church
nothing more than to serve God. Bible studies and was baptized the (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub.
He returned to the dormitory filled next year, Subatovičs had already Assn., 1948), vol. 9, pp. 143, 144.
NOVEMBER 2016 | ADVENTIST REVIEW 175IF*OTQJSJOH4UPSZPGUIF4FWFOUIEBZ"EWFOUJTU$IVSDI
ALSO IN THIS SECTION:
» THE SEARCH
» GOD’S ON OUR SIDE
» WHAT DID YOU SAY?
» FAITH IN A WORLD OF UNFAITH
» LET’S CELEBRATE NUTRITION
» GRIEF AND GRATITUDE DISCOVER
“The fact that evil and pain exist is evidence,
not of God’s sovereign will being exerted
upon the world, but of freewill gone bad in
a world capable of noble moral splendor.”
Ty Gibson, Seeing the World Through Love-colored Glasses, p. 20DISCOVER
SEEING THE
WORLD THROUGH
LOVE-COLORED
GLASSES
How can Adventism
help us navigate an
ever-changing world?
TY GIBSON
W
hen I was a kid, there were only two things I knew
with absolute certainty: pain and love.
Suffering defined my existence. Horrors
haunted our little home: the horrors of rage and
drug abuse and, worst of all, the horror of violence
regularly inflicted upon my mother. But then, inthe midst of it all, there was a contrary mystery. ‘God’ believable, but I don’t. Just look at this world.
There was love. I don’t love everybody like you say God does, but
I loved my mom, and I knew she loved me. I if I saw little kids starving to death, I’d feed them.
loved my younger brothers and my little sister. I’m not all-powerful like you say God is, but if I
Growing up, I struggled mightily over the contrast saw a man beating his wife, I’d stop the monster.
between suffering and love. So don’t tell me about God, because 2 + 2 = 4, not
56, and this God idea does not match up with
MOM GOES WEIRD reality.”
Fast-forward a few years, and my mother came “Yeah, this world is pretty messed up,” he said,
home one day announcing that she had become “and I don’t understand why God lets it go on for
a “born-again Seventh-day Adventist Christian,” another day.” In that moment I felt a little bit of
whatever that was. She declared with a smile, “All respect for the guy. At least he could see the world
of you are henceforth vegetarians, and you will I saw and feel the feelings I felt. He promised to
never watch TV again.” What had happened to stop bothering me if I would simply read the first
Mom? Was she going to be OK? Would we be OK? chapter of a book my mom had acquired from one
Or would we all die for want of cartoons and what of the church people. Wow, what a deal.
she was now calling “flesh foods”? Well, we soon
learned what had happened to her. A strange per- NEW EQUATION
son called an “evangelist” had rolled into our city Later that evening I reluctantly opened the book
and filled her “gullible” head with a bunch of weird and read the first sentence: “God is love” (1 John
new ideas. 4:8). I rolled my eyes and sighed, “Here we go.” But
God had never been mentioned in our home by the time I had finished the chapter, a simple
before, but mom had heard of the Bible as “the deduction with massive explanatory power had
Word of God.” All he had to do was quote Bible formed in my mind: Love—>Freedom—>Risk.
verses, frequently saying with an air of authority, Love requires freedom in order to exist, but
“The Bible says,” with the strongly implied “There- freedom carries the risk that things might go
fore, you ought.” Mom accepted what the Bible against love. I sat there in a flooded state of “wow.”
man told her, got baptized, and immediately Suddenly things began to make sense. The emo-
deployed the evangelist to me. But much to his tional weight I’d been feeling my entire life began
frustration when he quoted the Bible to me, I just to float above my heart. Within the space of an
stared straight through him with a look of “So hour a whole new way of viewing reality was dawn-
what?” ing upon my mind: “God is love.”
No disrespect was intended. To my mind, the Those were the first theological words I ever read.
Bible was just more “literature,” like Shakespeare Adventism gave me those words and the expansive
and Dickens. The evangelist, who was known to perception of reality to which they grant access.
baptize anyone who gave him a hearing, told the What I needed was a way to make sense of the
church members, “If I’ve ever met a lost soul diametrically opposed forces of selfishness and love
beyond hope, it’s that Ty Gibson kid.” He had given so obviously waging war within human beings.
up. What I needed was a way to comprehend what’s
going on in this world of ours so drenched in blood
EMPATHY WINS and tears. What I needed, in other words, was a
PHOTO ON PREVIOUS PAGE © DENYS NEVOZHAI
Mom never did. Soon a youth pastor showed up worldview. And that’s precisely what Adventism
at our house to “befriend” me. He kept trying to gave me.
act “cool.” It was awkward. But he was different
than the other guy. He didn’t come at me with WORLDVIEWS
authoritative religious declarations. Still, I found Everybody has a worldview—a lens through
the idea of “God” ridiculous. To end his efforts to which they try to make sense of life. But while
“win” my soul I decided to unload my unbelief on there are 7.3 billion people on the planet, and
him. hundreds of religions and philosophies, there are
“Listen, dude, you apparently find the idea of only five basic belief systems.
22 ADVENTIST REVIEW | NOVEMBER 2016 ADVENTISTREVIEW.ORGNaturalism—the atheist worldview—says that
there is no such thing as evil as a moral category.
All there is is natural process. Suffering is part of
that process and is necessary for the evolution of
the strong and the elimination of the weak. Human
beings are evolving animals governed by natural
forces and therefore possess no actual free will.
All notions of right and wrong, love and hate,
mercy and justice, and accountability to a higher
power are cultural constructs with no intrinsic
basis in reality itself.
Pantheism—the all-is-god worldview—says that
there is no personal God that exists distinct from
the material world. Rather, nature itself constitutes
a collective consciousness of divine proportions.
Evil is a balancing force in nature, and suffering is
part of the eternal cycle of life. Pantheism is basi-
cally a spiritualized version of naturalism.
Deterministic theism—the control worldview—
says that God’s main characteristic is power and
His primary objective is control. God predeter-
mines all events, both good and bad, including
each person’s eternal destiny, whether that be
heaven or hell. Human beings are the subjects
What I needed
upon which God’s sovereign will acts, and do not
possess free will. Evil and suffering are ordained
by God for His inscrutable purposes. was a way to
comprehend
Appeasement theism—the merit worldview—
says that God’s main characteristic is wrath. If we
try hard enough, our deeds of obedience can earn
what’s going
His favor and avert His anger. Suffering is orches-
trated by God for the satisfaction of His will.
Benevolent theism—the love-and-liberty worl-
dview—says that God’s defining characteristic is
love and His main objective is that we would be
voluntary reciprocators of His love. Evil and suf-
fering proceed from the misuse of free will for on in this
world of ours
anti-love purposes, and the plan of salvation is the
means by which God eradicates evil from the world
while preserving free will.
WORLDVIEW MATTERS
OK, but why does a person’s worldview matter?
Quite frankly, because what a person believes about
so drenched
the basic content and configuration of reality will
be the primary factor that shapes their character,
behavior patterns, and relational dynamics. Worl- in blood and
dviews are not irrelevant. Rather, each worldview
constitutes a psychological template that drives
quality of life. In the words of Ellen White: “The tears.whole spiritual life is molded by our conceptions
of God; and if we cherish erroneous views of His
character, our souls will sustain injury.”*
As a theological system, Adventism falls into
the benevolent theism category. I suggest, in fact,
that Adventism has the unrealized capacity to
articulate for the world the most compelling,
coherent, and consistent rendering of benevolent
theism conceivable.
But allow me to qualify. This article is intended
to cast a vision of the potential that lies within
Adventism’s theological portfolio. It is not an
The Sabbath examination of how we have failed to steward
that potential. There will be those who will
respond by saying something like “What! That’s
is a weekly not the Adventism I know.” To you I would say
that the first step toward changing any situation
is to articulate positively what it can be and to
commemoration begin acting as if what we want to be true were
true.
So what might that theological vision look like?
of God’s GOD
Well, for starters, if we begin with the premise
benevolent that “God is love,” we are face to face with the most
beautiful core belief imaginable. To say that “God
is love” is to say that God is essentially other-
character, centered and self-giving. The idea is, quite frankly,
breathtaking. From this foundation the doctrine
of the Trinity is logically deduced. What we mean
reminding us here is that God as God is love apart from the exis-
tence of any created beings; that God is love within
the parameters of the divine reality itself, before
each seventh and beyond the existence of any contingent beings;
that God has never existed in an ontological state
or isolation, in which no other-centeredness was
day that we
flowing. Hence, the Trinity is a doctrine that
informs us that God as God has always been more
than one and yet one. Knowing God in this light is
are creatures
both rationally compelling and emotionally
satisfying.
who rest in His
CREATION
Because God is love, God was impelled from
within His own other-centered nature to create
unearned love.
others with whom to share the bliss of love-actuated
existence. We believe then that creation is God’s
love actualized in material form. In order for love
to exist within creation, free will was necessarily
built into the system. By definition, love is voluntary.
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