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JUNES REVIS111-0 1 titr.:'vo THE Hum owilf 6rueiite A variety of evangelistic magazines are published, some especially suited to certain cultural or language groups. Consider the Magazine by Kenneth J. Holland Thirty-five years ago, a bank custodian named Jim inroads of television. Consider, for example, that a began noticing that a lawyer at the bank always dis- magazine, which can be read at leisure and at one's own carded a certain magazine without reading it. Jim began pace, doesn't put a time limit on creativity. to look forward to being able to retrieve the magazine A magazine gives you the freedom to tell your story from the trash as he emptied the wastebaskets week by the way it needs to be told—with one picture or a week. thousand words. Jim read each issue of the Signs of the Times as he You can startle without the fear of being too loud. rescued it from the trash, and he was so thrilled by its You can educate without having to speak at a high contents he went to a nearby five-and-dime store to buy speed. a Bible. Jim, his wife, and two daughters all became You can whisper without the fear of not being heard. members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church after at- Because the only limit is your taste, your insight, your tending evangelistic meetings where they heard the imagination. same message they read in the Signs. A magazine such as Signs, Message, El Centinela, or More recently, Jim was overjoyed when a sister to These Times can touch the whole of life with sophistica- whom he had been sending the Signs for many years tion and warmth. It can deal with modern man's real called to say she had just been baptized into the problems, with his everyday concerns, and provide so- Seventh-day Adventist Church. lutions from a biblical perspective. And all this from a bank's wastebasket. Because Christianity is relevant to all of life, a Christian Our evangelistic magazines—These times, Signs, magazine can delve into the realms of art, ethics, his- Message, and El Centinela—provide us with a remarka- tory, science, economics, psychology, sociology, ur- bly easy, but power-laden, opportunity to witness for banization, secularization, and so forth. Christ. On the other hand, the simplest article pointing out The day of the magazine is far from past in spite of the that Jesus cares may be enough to win a heart. Down TWO The Glenn Jambor family decided to become Seventh-day Adventists John Lammerding, pictured here with his family before his death, met after reading copies of These Times which Sue (right) picked up on Alberta, who became his wife, while distributing Signs of the Times in frequent visits to the Seventh-day Adventist-operated Hinsdale Sacramento, California. After Alberta was baptized, they were married Sanitarium and Hospital, Hinsdale, Illinois, for nutrition classes. Later and had a large family, as can be seen from this several-years-old family they were invited by the hospital's Bible instructor to attend evangelis- photograph. tic meetings where they were baptized. deep we all are pretty much the same—vulnerable, lonely, fearful. We need the comforting word, the as- surance that we have a gracious Saviour who loves us, helps us, exalts us, and frees us from guilt. Forgiveness—as God grants it—is the only basis for inner contentment and peace of mind! Consider the evangelistic magazine as a pulpit in every home, the friendly messenger with a distinctive mes- sage, a prophetic, warning message, a grand, wholistic lifestyle for hurting people. A magazine gives opportu- nity to proclaim our message as the good news it really is. It gives opportunity to "make appeals that will arouse the careless, and bring foolish, wandering minds back to God" (Testimonies, Vol. 7, pp. 150-158). Consider a magazine that brings responses like these: Signs of the Times in the "What a fantastic publication! I thank you. I pray for Veronica Small, (second left), placed copies of lobby of the hospital where she works as a psychiatric nurse. Greg your work and faith in Jesus, and again I thank you for Keenan (second right) took a copy home to show his wife, Ingrid. She bringing His ministry to me." shared his enthusiasm for its message and together they sent in the "I honestly feel that your magazine is the best reli- coupon for free Bible studies. A local pastor invited them to evangelis- tic meetings and they were baptized. gious publication available. The articles are relevant, timely, and informational. I belong to a non- denominational church (the Church of God), and I Consider the magazine—then consider your respon- would like to challenge anyone of any denomination to sibility to use it to win souls. As a Seventh-day Adventist read one issue of your magazine. The souls they save Christian you are involved. You cannot avoid it. You are may be their own." a participant in the redemptive mission of God through "I want to thank you and your staff for the excellent the church. You are involved in the world, its business, work you are doing with These Times. The magazine its culture, its hunger, its politics and governments, its played a part in my conversion to the church, and I will travail, its tears, its sin. You cannot be a spectator! Jesus ever be grateful for that." said, "I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the "Almost a year ago I was baptized into the Seventh- world . as thou has sent me into the world, even so day Adventist faith. My dear aunt and uncle are have I also sent them into the world" (John 17:15, 18). Seventh-day Adventists and signed me up for a gift sub- You, the layman, are sent into the world, as Jesus scription to your publication. Your article on who Christ was sent, as an agent of redemption, conforming Seventh-day Adventists are and what they believe is the to the command of our Lord, who said, "Go ye into all one that did it! What a glorious influence your magazine the world and preach the gospel" (Mark 16:15). He is. Praise God for These Times!" meant it not only geographically but also vocationally. Consider the magazine. Our evangelistic magazines Go ye to Africa, Korea, India, yes. But also—go ye into offer articles like "How to Deal With Affliction," "The the world of business, mechanics, art, music, agricul- Spiritual Aspects of Weight Control," "The Sabbath—a ture, education, law, government, and politics. Go ye Day to Remember," "The Four Secrets of Lending a into all the world and preach the gospel. Preach it by Helping Hand," "I Adopted a Leper Family," "Put Joy your life and by using our evangelistic journals. Into Your Life," "Crisis in Europe," "The Truth About Immortality of the Soul," "What Church Shall I Join?" Kenneth J. Holland is editor of These Times. SOUTHERN TIDINGS (USPS 507-000) Number 5 Volume 76 Published monthly. Second-class postage paid at Collegedale, Tennessee 37315. Subscription rate—three THREE dollars per year. POSTMASTER, send form 3579 to SOUTHERN TIDINGS, Box 849, Decatur, GA 30031. The youth choir from the Magazine Street church, Louisville, Kentucky, performed during Sabbath school. MIDDLE TENNESSEE-KENTUCKY YOUTH FEDERATION: "Starting All Over Again" by Delores Grant Photography by Lyman Reagon The theme was "Starting All rected by Brian Jones, and the championship and the temperance Over Again" and excitement filled dynamic preaching of Hillcrest's oratorical contest were held. the air. Although the theme had a new pastor, Joseph Jones. Magazine Street's junior team and tremendous spiritual message re- The Sabbath program was filled Riverside's senior team earned the lated to God's mercy and His for- with many good things. Russell privilege of representing their fed- giveness, there was also a subtle Benson, from Nashville's Riverside eration in the conference-wide fi- appropriate message signaling the church, shouldered the superin- nals held at the Youth Congress in beginning of a new and vibrant tendent's responsibility of the Sab- Memphis in April. The temperance spirit in this federation, held at the bath school program, which was finalists were Tracy Taylor, from Hillcrest church, Nashville, Ten- highlighted by musical numbers by Louisville, who will represent the nessee. youth choirs from the Magazine federation in Memphis; Eddie Unlike most federations in the Street church in Louisville, Ken- Hodge, from Hillcrest, and Michele conference, Middle Tennessee- tucky, the Hillcrest church in Chester, of the Riverside church. Kentucky prefers a two-day pro- Nashville, and a tremendous lesson Their very enlightening speeches gram that commences on Friday taught by George I. Pearson, South were on the dangers of obesity. night. The Nashville area church Central's Adventist Book Center The federation concluded with a members responded by opening manager. Morris Patterson, new Saturday evening concert which in- their homes to out-of-town guests pastor of the Nashville New Life volved all of the musical groups and and providing delicious dishes and congregation, delivered the mes- soloists participating in the desserts for the Sabbath noon sage during the eleven o'clock weekend program. Many felt the meal. hour. Middle Tennessee-Kentucky Youth Friday night's program featured After the noon meal, the Junior Federation was truly "Starting All Sonlight, a new choral group di- and Senior Bible Bowl Federation Over Again." FOUR OVARY coutat by Linda Dick . • t. rye Southern College a try, be spread over several sessions.

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