Reviewing Adventist World

February 2010
Vol. 6, No. 2
www.adventistworld.org

Adventist World is free online. For that reason, I only review or comment on articles and editorials that I believe to be of special interest.

REVIEWS
Reporter Sandra Blackmer provides an extensive update about the General Conference’s program, CONNECTING WITH JESUS. “It’s part of the GC’s overall quinquennial evangelistic plan, ‘Tell the World’. The project’s objective is to print and distribute 2 million sets of 10 Spirit of Prophecy books in major world languages at a price affordable to Adventists—particularly new members—in every division. Study guides and a Bible reading plan are included with each set of books” for $10.

The 10 Ellen G. White books included in the Connecting With Jesus initiative are:
The Acts of the Apostles, Christian Service, Counsels for the Church, Counsels on Stewardship, The Desire of Ages, The Great Controversy, The Ministry of Healing, Patriarchs and Prophets, Prophets and Kings, and Steps to Christ

This program also provides ”downloadable audio versions, in contemporary language (1) and narrated by professional book readers, of the first three books of the Conflict of the Ages Series. Plans are in place to complete the last two books of the series, along with Education, The Ministry of Healing, and Steps to Christ.” connectingwithjesusaudio.com

“In North America we have about a 17 percent reader population for the Spirit of Prophecy books, and most of those readers are over the age of 65,” Kibble, an NAD vice president, explains. James Nix, White Estate Director, told Adventist World, “If new members are not oriented as to why we’re Seventh-day Adventists and what motivates us as a church, if they don’t understand the great controversy theme, if they don’t see the emphasis that God has given us through the writings of Ellen White—then we’re going to have a lot of people who don’t totally understand why they’re Seventh-day Adventists and who may not be fully prepared to stand true to God in the last days.” (2)

In ADVENTIST AND MUSLIMS: FIVE CONVICTIONS, William G. Johnsson presents convincing evidence that “Seventh-day Adventists are uniquely positioned to bring the gospel to Muslims.”

Norman R. Gulley makes the case for the Trinity in 1+1+1=ONE. However, when he argues that the books of the Old Testament confirm the Trinitarian position, he weakens his argument.

Andrew King reports that Adventists are RESPONDING TO NEEDS, medical and educational, in Burundi and Rwanda.

Jan Paulsen is in favor of SHAREING OUR MESSAGE ON YouTube. www.youtube.com/adventistsaboutlife

There are amazing BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING according to Allan R. Handysides and Peter N. Landless.

In BODY PARTSAND HEART RELIGION, Angel Manuel Rodriguez does a nice job of describing what Old Testament writers meant when they used body parts to describe human emotions. “The psalmist has nothing to hide, so he says to the Lord, “Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart [kidneys] and my mind [lēb, ‘heart’]” (26:2). By examining the kidneys God can identify the wicked and bring to an end their violence (Ps. 7:9). The combination of kidneys and heart in the phrase indicates that God examines the totality of the person.”

STEADY HOPE IN HIS BLOOD by Rosse Mesa Diaz, concludes his piece with the following quote from Corinthians: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9-11).

It’s noteworthy that the sins mentioned here are the failings of human beings. Only homosexuals are singled out for being what they are. Paul, you aren’t admitting to be a “reviler” are you? Did you really intend to make “an abusive, unqualified verbal attack” on members of this group? Did you, Rosse Mesa Diaz? I didn’t think so.


(1) White Estate assistant director Darryl Thompson is responsible for preparing and editing the books.

(2) I guess sola scriptura isn’t getting the job done.