Reviewing Adventist World

November 2007

Before I write another word, I want to celebrate three wonderful editorials that make me proud to subscribe to “Adventist World”. They are “Beyond Stereotypes” by Jan Paulsen, “Children of Abraham” by William Johnsson, and “Behave Yourself” by Ray Roennfeldt. These guys are fellow Followers of Christ, and are truly my Adventist brothers. Now for the “Rest of the Story”

GENERAL COMMENTS: This is an above average issue. The “World Reports” and “Window” were informative and interesting. I was particularly impressed by our Church’s proactive entry into the information age via the Internet. Readers can really find out for themselves what the World Church is doing by simply artfully assembling a few keystrokes.

The continued use of fear as a motivational ploy is unfortunate, as is Velda Nelson’s “Devotional” LEST WE BE FOUND SLEEPING. In addition, labeling us as members of an “end-time” church, make it easy for nonAdventists to dismiss us as foolish at best and possibly dangerous. The scary quote from The Great Controversy at the end of this article made me want to skip the Ellen White’s THE JOY SET BEFORE US later in the issue. I’m glad I didn’t. The words are timeless and inspiring.

HANDYSIDES and LANDLESS’s words were of particular interest to me in that my mother suffered from undiagnosed Pernicious Anemia. It destroyed a brilliant mind and made impossible our intellectual and emotional companionship. These two MD’s are a wonderful gift to your subscribers.

Schneider’s FORGET WORLD PEACE—USE YOUR TURN SIGNAL was one of his best efforts. However, when he uses the phrase, “Have you led your neighbor to Jesus?” to identify an “issue that really grabs him”, my visceral reaction was instantaneous and negative. Don, how about changing that issue statement to, “Has your neighbor seen Jesus in you”?

OUT OF THE COMMON ORDER by Thomas Riederer had three concluding quotations. My favorites were quotes from “Special “Testimonies to Ministers, series A, No, 6, pp. 59, 60; and “Ellen White, Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, July 9, 1895”. “ Order, yes; but let us not be among those ‘who will always want to control the work of God’ because this ‘leaves so many forces of the church unused’ and ‘closes up the way so that the Holy Spirit cannot use men.’”

Since I have spent some time in Fiji and Jonathan Gallagher has spoken at Grace Connection, MAKING HIS CALLING AND ELECTION SURE was a must read. While I, as an SDA, am impressed by Semesa Karavaki’s decision not to work at his job as Supervisor of Elections on the Sabbath, I am reminded that lots of non-SDAs provide “Sabbath services” that make possible our comfortable and safe lives. As a boy attending Lynwood California Camp Meeting, I was shocked when ministers collected the garbage on Sabbath. One of them explained that someone had to do that necessary work.

My Christmas present to my son is a generous contribution to ADRA.

GOOD NEWS FOR NATIVE AMERICANS describes a mission work that, until I read this article, I knew very little about. Impressive! www.nativeministries.com NAD NEWS was informational and heartwarming.

THE LOMA LINDA REPORT was as remarkable as usual, and in addition to news about the newly refurbished cardiothoracic surgery wing, I also discovered that Stephen Dunbar, a Professor of Biology, is saving the sea turtles in Bay Islands, Honduras. Way cool!

Shawn Boonstra’s new DAILY DEVOTIONAL thought for November 19 at www.itiswritten.com/betterway is Mark 9:41. Highly recommend!

The stories of the children chronicled in GATEWAY TO THE FUTURE: ADVENTISTS IN INDIA ARE USING EDUCATION TO BUILD THE CHURCH reminded me how our Church should be built—from the children up. Wonderful stories.

Angel Manuel Rodriguez was in top form this edition. CHRISTIANITY’S GREAT MYSTERY is a welcome change from his theological hairsplitting.

Only evangelist MARK A. FINLEY would ask the world audience, “What does God want to accomplish in us ‘through the blood of the everlasting covenant’?”

WORLD EXCHANGE should be given more space. “The Place of Prayer” is heartbreaking. There should be a way for those of us reading those prayers to let those precious souls know that we are praying for and with them. Is there a way for us to help answer those prayers?