October 15, 1998

Cutting Edge

Coloring Outside the Lines Adventist young adults— ministering in new mediums

Plus: eXcite98 LETTERS

A New Courage us praising God in our own way, with and be counted in defense of his view My plaudits for Chris Blake’s “A New our own talents that God gave us. It (“moderate,” of course), he decried Courage” (Aug. 20 Cutting Edge has become a spectator sport—dry for- those willing to stand up and be Edition). It takes courage for an author malism. Help! counted with other views. I’m sure he to write this article and more courage doesn’t want to bully these folks out of for the Adventist Review to print it. In —Ron Nielsen, M.D. our churches. my 40 years of teaching and adminis- BREWSTER, WASHINGTON It seems to me that Blake carried tration within the Adventist Church, I an old chip on his shoulder instead have faced with regularity the kind of of forgiveness toward those he felt pressures referred to. I learned early While this article had some truth, I had wronged him. Anyone can feel that it is imperative to take a position found it disappointing. bullied and write articles against the and not be swayed by those who like Unwittingly, no doubt, spiritual bul- perceived bully. But I believe there is to snipe. Thank you, Chris, for the lying was disparaged by spiritual name- a better way. (See The Ministry of well-written article. calling. Blake seemed to be imposing Healing, p. 487.) his taste on others, while condemning —Virgil Bartlett others who imposed their taste on him. —Phil Mills, M.D. PROFESSOR EMERITUS While calling for those to stand up WICHITA, KANSAS ANDREWS UNIVERSITY Coming Soon: Cutting Adventists and Lutherans in My question is How can I resist spiri- Edge Meditations Prayer tual bullies without getting drawn into I really appreciate Ella Rydzewski’s an argument and being distracted from If you’ve ever wanted to share a editorial “Adventists and Lutherans my main mission, which is to praise spiritual thought but haven’t had the in Prayer” (Aug. 20). The fear of God? time to write a full-length devotional, some Adventists that the church is A good recent example is a tract we have just the thing for you. in danger of joining the ecumenical being circulated that condemns con- Beginning in January, Cutting movement does nothing but damage temporary Christian music. As it turns Edge Meditations will feature brief the cause. After all, in 1878 Ellen out, in our church of 150 only two lit- but deeply spiritual stories, insights, White spoke on a Sunday in a tle old ladies play the piano and organ. epiphanies, unanswered questions, Methodist church on the subject of The church board is discussing even drawings and photos, from temperance. As Adventists we need whether it would be appropriate to hire Adventists of all ages. (We continue to learn a few things about public a non-Adventist musician to play the to seek young voices.) You might say relations. organ. In contrast, we have six who it’s the spiritual equivalent of our play the trumpet, about 10 guitarists, a Adventist Life feature. —Alex Mayers harmonica player, a violinist, a clar- Send 30- to 300-word submis- BERRIEN SPRINGS, MICHIGAN inetist, a percussionist who plays in the sions, your phone number, and a local orchestra, and a professional key- photo of yourself (we can crop out boarder/sound mixer. other people, if necessary) to Cutting While we should not look at Seventh- I grant you that the professional Edge Meditations, Adventist Review, day Adventism as the only doctrinal plays the organ wonderfully, and we 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver authority, can we accept that churches really enjoy it, but it no longer repre- Spring, MD 20904. embracing the “Lord’s Day” also are sents the music of the people. It isn’t following Scripture? If we can, how

2 (1370) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 weak our convictions must be regard- The Heart of It All ing the commandments. I have appreciated and enjoyed articles If we can’t embrace their doctrines, by Andy Nash ever since he joined the how can we embrace them as “prayer Review. His August 20 editorial, “OK, partners,” etc., any more than a Let’s Review,” touched me deeply. I Buddhist, unitarian, or person not guess reading “the old story” in every- COVER STORY holding to the whole Scripture? day current verbiage hit home. I can’t Doesn’t 2 Thessalonians 2:15 instruct wait to hear Jesus say to me, “You have 14 Coloring Outside the Lines Adventist young adults in North us to stand firm to the traditions we no idea how much I’ve missed you.” America are no longer “ready to were taught—these traditions being rumble.” They’re rumbling. handed down from God? Can we team —Dorothy S. Luber BY ANDY NASH up with those who worship in vain, VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA “teaching as doctrines the precepts of ARTICLES men” (Mark 7:7)? I believe we can and should Not Appropriate 8 The Center Cannot Hold befriend those of other faiths. We can I enjoy the weekly Review very much, What comes after postmodernism? pray with them and for them, and set but David B. Smith’s “The House That And how does the church respond? BY STEVEN THOMPSON examples for them, but can we “part- Michael Built” (Aug. 20) seemed to be ner up” with them, believing our more a sports feature about Michael 12 Taking the Offense prayers are being reinforced or magni- Jordan than anything else. I failed to see Doing the right thing when life fied when they have nicely set aside the analogy between the two “Michaels” isn’t fair. the commandments of God? How can the writer was trying to make. I’m not a BY CANDACE GRAVES DEVORE we lead by following? sports fan, so unlike many people, I’m not too savvy on such things. 24 Your Baby and the Power of Human Touch —Don Icenogle, PASTOR The healing power of a hug, a SPOKANE, WASHINGTON —Clareen Colclesser caress, a snuggle. ELKHART, INDIANA BY GERALD COLVIN

It is refreshing to see strong statements 26 I’d Believed. I’d Asked. So endorsing cordial relationships with Yancey’s Insights Why Did Nothing Happen? How do we know that God is there other-than-Adventist churches, even I’d like to add a footnote to Ken Wade’s if we don’t get what we want? to jointly sponsoring a “prayer week- review of Philip Yancey’s What’s So BY DON KEELE, JR. end.” Could Rydzewski’s suggestion Amazing About Grace? Be sure to read that there might be a “remnant move- carefully pages 229-236, 240-251, and DEPARTMENTS ment” in other churches be theologi- 259-260, wherein Yancey shares a 2 Letters cally correct? If so, how should we go remarkable insight into the drive by the about rethinking “our” concept of Christian Right to legislate morality 7 Give & Take being “the” remnant? and the danger this poses. Homo- 20 World News & Perspectives sexuality and abortion are the current 29 Leaving the Comfort Zone —Jim Kaatz targets, but it doesn’t take much imagi- SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA nation to know that keeping Sunday 30 Reflections will be a future target. In pages 238 and 31 Children’s Corner 247-251 Yancey reveals a perfect under- I would consider Ella Rydzewski’s standing of church-state relations. You EDITORIALS editorial a well-balanced position would almost think he has been reading 5 Do You Hear What I Hear? if Seventh-day Adventists had a The Great Controversy. clear understanding of their identity 6 Breakfast, Anyone? and mission. However, many Ad- —Dan Guild ventists come away from such NEWBURY PARK, CALIFORNIA NEXT WEEK meetings convinced that doctrinal differences are more a matter of Giving Caesar His Due religious culture than Bible truth. O N THE COVER: ARTIST AARON Beyond taxes. SOEPROALO AND OTHER YOUNG —Michael Brazington ADULTS AT EXCITE98. PHOTOS BY JIM LINCOLN, NEBRASKA CHRISTIANSON.

ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1371) 3 “Behold, I come quickly . . .”

Our mission is to uplift Jesus Christ through stories of His matchless love, news of His present workings, help for knowing Him better, and hope in His soon return. The Adventist Review (ISSN 0161-1119), published since 1849, is the general paper of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is published by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and is printed 40 times a year each Thursday except the first Thursday of each month by the Review and Herald® Publishing Association. Periodicals postage paid at Hagerstown, MD 21740. Copyright © 1998, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Publishing Board: Robert S. Folkenberg, chair; Phil Follett, vice- chair; Lowell Cooper; William G. Johnsson; A. C. McClure; Dorothy Watts; Ted N. C. Wilson; Martin Ytreberg; Robert Nixon, legal advisor

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4 (1372) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 EDITORIAL Do You Hear STEPHEN CHAVEZ What I Hear?

sk a group of Adventists how they happened businesspeople who sell their businesses so they can devote to join the church, and they’ll gladly tell you themselves to spreading the gospel full-time? Not to mention the what, for them, was the biggest obstacle to many, many others who stretch themselves economically and becoming one of spiritually for the sake of more faith- God’s last-day, com- fully reflecting God’s love in their com- Amandment-keeping people. munities, however humble or obscure. It may be that they had to get the “Fanatical” is a These are the people who go victory over tobacco, juggle their beyond mere obedience to com- work schedules (or their jobs) to word we should mandments and standards and savor keep from working on Sabbath, the daily adventure of a relationship cultivate a taste for soy-protein meat with the living Christ. They spend analogs, scrounge around for extra use advisedly. time in His presence. They’re awed income to be able to send their kids by His majesty, overwhelmed by His to an Adventist school, lay aside mercy and grace, inspired by His their jewelry, or willingly return a tenth of their income to love, and transformed by His Spirit. They claim the promise: God’s church for the support of its ministry to the world. “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will (And there are surely others.) hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in Indeed, Seventh-day Adventists may have the highest stan- it’” (Isa. 30:21, NIV). dards for lifestyle and Christian behavior of any Christian Some people are frightened by that kind of intimacy; afraid denomination in the world. And that’s a good thing. to be infected with the power of the Spirit. Their daily But it could be a problem: after one has successfully met devotional life consists of reading a 500-word essay and a 15- those obstacles and overcome them (mostly), he or she might second prayer. In His presence they spend more time talking mistakenly assume that the rest of the journey to the Promised than listening. Their portfolios get larger; their clothes more Land is all downhill, that it requires no more growth or spiritual fashionable; they have money for doodads, baubles, and knick- development, that all one has to do is “stay the course,” and he knacks; but the difference between them and the world or she will be ready to meet the Lord when He returns again. becomes less pronounced. But in fact the Christian life is a life of forward action. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut where “good enough” is good While we can (and should) praise God for how He’s led us enough; where we consider ourselves successful if we can main- in the past, there’s no substitute for a daily relationship with tain the status quo (never mind helping to push back the Him that motivates us to greater love, deeper sacrifice, and frontiers of God’s kingdom). more willing service to Him and to our fellow citizens on Yet look again at the heroes who inhabit our favorite Bible Planet Earth. stories—Abraham, Moses, Ruth, Rahab, Isaiah, Esther, Daniel, Who hasn’t seen individuals join the church who are so “on Mary, Saul of Tarsus. Their usefulness for fire” for the Lord that you wonder whether the baptismal tank God’s kingdom increased exponentially was seasoned with Tabasco sauce? Their enthusiasm is conta- when they decided to take a faith walk with gious. But often, instead of catching fire on the strength of the living God—following His lead, trust- their excitement, we “established” members stand back and say, ing His providence. “They’ll cool off. Mustn’t be too fanatical about these things.” Being a Bible-quoting, Sabbath- But “fanatical” is a word we should use advisedly. If we allow keeping, vegetable-eating, tithe-paying Him, God will lead us in extraordinary ways. What else can Seventh-day Adventist at the end of explain Christians who, on their own, raise tens of thousands of the twentieth century is a good thing. dollars to work in foreign countries, learning the language, forgo- But I often wonder if God wants more ing the comforts of home and family, motivated by a desire to from us—from me. take the gospel to those who know it not? How about successful So I keep listening.

ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1373) 5 EDITORIAL Breakfast, Anyone? SARAH COLEMAN

o tell you the truth, I don’t enjoy pancakes. “It’s worked well to get me in touch with students,” says They’re spongy. They’re greasy. And they make Nelson. “We use it as a chance for them to talk about their me thirsty. But when I saw the sign advertising a experience at Walla Walla College.” During the meal free pancake breakfast during my freshman year Nelson asks two main questions: What should we do different- at Walla Walla College, I knew ly that would increase the quality of your TI had to go. Free food, after all, is a rarity for experience? and What experiences here have hungry college students. been the most meaningful to you? Pancake morning finally dawned. I shuf- Students often share valuable ideas fled across campus in my rubber-bottomed for change on campus. WWC’s new slippers and slouched into line at the last security phones are a direct result of stu- possible second. dent concerns discussed during breakfast

“Syrup or fruit?” A familiar voice inter- with the president. ISC D rupted my thoughts, and I glanced up into But student input doesn’t stop at the the friendly face of W. G. Nelson, our breakfast table. Students are voting mem- HOTO © P college president. bers of most on-campus committees, from HOTO

“Uh, yeah. Fruit, thanks.” chapel committee to faculty senate, no P He loaded my pancake high. Maybe the fruit would mask less. “Walla Walla College has a tradition of student repre- its flavor. As I eyed my breakfast, however, a sliver of my sentation,” Nelson observes. And although input doesn’t mind settled on one wild thought: My college president just always mean control, WWC’s student body has a notable served me breakfast! Suddenly my pancake took on a whole chance to shape college policies and procedures. new meaning. What about initiative-taking in the real world? After grad- You see, I have a healthy respect for authority. So uation students begin their own lives—lives that may or may healthy, in fact, that I start perspiring in its presence. not include the church. While twentysomething membership This attitude explains the sudden fear I felt when, mid- plummets and church leaders wring their hands, the impatient cheer during a Walla Walla Wolves hockey game, I turned young followers know the solution: “Let us (help you) lead!” around to see a long row of WWC faculty grinning behind “Students who serve in an area where they really make an me. Was it legal to yell in the presence of such power? I duti- impact are the ones who come back and are active members fully squelched my screams. [of the church],” says Nelson in a description of WWC’s suc- In today’s world young voices often fall silent in the pres- cessful student missionary program. “We need to be looking for ence of older ones. Although youth in the church find plenty ways to give people those kinds of real ministry opportunities.” to complain about, in private they seldom initiate discus- Student missionaries and Task Force workers have the sions with their elders. Consequently, neither group fully opportunity to get their feet wet in “real ministry”—and understands the other’s viewpoint or concerns. they, along with other potential leaders, are But there’s hope! Walla Walla College’s example makes a eager to get wetter. statement to both sides of the generation gap. Shared lead- Input—real input—in the shaping of ership can minimize frustration and disillusionment with the church will keep this generation any organization. involved and our denomination alive. Breakfast with the president, a forgotten tradition Without it, youth will inevitably find from the 1970s, was reignited four years ago through the other causes to support. inspiration of student Lenden Webb. The tradition has kept Nelson in tune with student issues and concerns. Sarah Coleman is a junior at Walla Walla Approximately once a month, between five and 15 stu- College. This editorial was written while she dents join the president for a private breakfast in a side served a summer internship for the room of WWC’s cafeteria. Adventist Review.

6(1374) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 eXcerpts Memorable lines from eXcite98 general sessions (see page 16)

“We’re all exactly the same: we all respond to love, and we’re all afraid of rejection.” —Khose Mthombeni, 23, Riverside, California, nursing student

“I thought, One of those is going to happen, but I hope not the other one.” GIVE& —Erin Miller, 29, Asheville, North Carolina, pastor, on being told in college that she’d make a good pas- tor if she were older and if she were a man HRISTIANSON C IM

“I’m down to lites! I’m down to lites!” J —Alex Bryan, 28, Atlanta pastor, quoting an excited

18-year-old smoker rushing up to Bryan after church HOTO BY P Khose Mthombeni “Are you in, or are you out?” —Shasta Emery Burr, 21, eXcite coplanner

TAKE “eXcite98—big deal, a lot of excitement. Without confession and repentance, it’s just a lot of excitement.” ADVENTIST LIFE —Byard Parks, 29, Colorado Springs pastor

“God has not changed. He’s the same God, but He’s dealing with our generation differently.” —Jonathan Henderson, 22, Pacific Union College theology major

“We love you, and we need you. We must be willing to forgive each other.” —José Rojas, North American Division youth director REWS C “Our problem is that we’ve been too scared to go for broke. You aren’t. You don’t ERRY T own property, and you don’t own a motor home.” —Dwight K. Nelson, Andrews University pastor and baby boomer, on the financial condition and transient nature of Gen Xers LLUSTRATION BY I “For the first time in history, a Gen Xer is going to speak to the whole world Our son Steven has been a student simultaneously.” at Southern Adventist University for —Dwight K. Nelson, announcing that Shasta Burr, 21, would be cohosting NET ’98. the past two years and makes his (Two weeks later Bernie Anderson, 27, was invited to be the other cohost.) home-away-from-home at the men’s dormitory named Talge Hall. One day “Those who don’t get over it will not be saved.” last year he received a telephone call —Robert Folkenberg, world church president, on racism among Adventists from a telemarketer wishing to make a deal. At the end of her speech she “We need to have a variety of worship services. . . . In India they basically don’t said, “Now, I just need to verify your allow any instrument except drums.” address. Is that Box 589, Taj Mahal?” —Robert Folkenberg —Judy Miller, Seale, Alabama

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ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1375) 7 CURRENT ISSUES

The Center Cannot Hold Postmodernism’s impact on the way we think

BY STEVEN THOMPSON

EALITY ISN’T WHAT IT USED TO BE. of dress and entertainment. Adults, middle-aged and older, I saw the signs of change for some time before are baffled by the blurring of the clear lines that used to I could read them. The drift in the clothing separate things that they grew up knowing should be sepa- world was most readily apparent. Printed T- rated, including genders. In an earlier era clothing, hair- shirts bore what looked like familiar labels, but styles, and spheres of influence seemed differentiated between Rthe words seemed empty of meaning. At first I thought the men and women, but far less so today. Baby boomer parents problem was with me: such clear, bold words must mean find themselves wondering how their teenagers can even something. But I could not find it. Reluctantly I realized there recognize a member of the opposite sex at first glance! was no meaning, at least not at the level of my search. Even such primary distinctions as life and death, and dis- Lyrics to contemporary rock anthems, for 40 years the tinguishing between them, no longer achieve unanimity, voice of protest and rebellion in Western culture, now seem even on the level of definitions. Heated debates rage over to defy any attempt to categorize them as anti-war, anti- when a fetus gets a life and when an aged or terminally ill industrial, or even anti-parent. Words are frequently used as person loses it. Life and death are no longer defined by unexplained symbols. Sense does not necessarily flow in a authoritative persons using educated common sense, but by linear direction. consensus bodies such as courts and legislatures. In some The phenomenon of rock music videos and what some cases even these primary human concepts have been deemed observers call an “MTV culture” underscores the apparent matters of opinion rather than matters of fact. abandonment of what a previous generation might have Even more sobering to baby boomers is the new reality termed “meaningful communication.” To uninitiated viewers about truth, which is no longer seen as “out there” to be these four- or five-minute clips appear to be all smoke, flash- acquired by research and study or handed down by God. ing lights, and vertigo-inducing changes of perspective. Both Truth in this era is widely viewed as constructed by the com- performer and camera are in constant motion. In the course munity and selected by the individual cafeteria style. If I of a single song the performer appears in half a dozen outfits don’t like the truth offered by my community, I find another and against the backdrop of as many different locations community whose truth suits me. around the planet. Images of rusting industrial sites or decay- “Right” and “wrong” are not what they used to be. Instead ing urban slums are preferred to natural surroundings. of God “laying down the law” for all people at all times (and Reality and illusion, sense and nonsense, beauty and that reality being reflected in the legal systems that have been ugliness, have merged, and we’re left wondering if they ever built on the Judeo-Christian heritage), right and wrong are had a separate existence. now determined by communities. It is as if labels were printed The new reality has spread beyond the ephemeral realms out by each community, similar to the approving checkmarks

8(1376) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 IGITAL COMPOSITE / D ISC D HOTO © P HOTOS P

that the Heart Foundation places on it wright and rong?) is echoed a thou- not fall into the trap of asking what some margarine containers or the stern sand times in popular magazine articles the word means, because according to warnings printed on cigarette packs. that urge readers to “do what is right postmodern philosophy, meaning is These labels are then affixed to the for them”—in choosing a hair color, in not searched for as if it existed “out activities and values that the commun- child-rearing, and even in the most there.” Meaning is rather to be con- ity chooses, still leaving the individual intimate human relationships. structed from the otherwise-chaotic the last word in the matter. random bits of life. Postmodern people No longer does one ask “What is hat has happened to reality? (“postmoderns”) do not look for any right?” Today the primary question is Twentieth-century reality overall meaning or plan to which indi- “What is right for me in this situation?” Wmappers answer in a word— vidual lives must adjust; they simply This new view of right and wrong (or is it has become postmodern.1 We must tell their stories and insist that we do

ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1377) 9 the same, because every person’s story writers. These in turn pass on their hat is the future of the is just as important, or unimportant, as questioning of the big stories to the postmodern view? How every other person’s story. consumers of their creative activities— Wlong will it survive, and In postmodern perspective, when millions of people just like us. how deeply will our society fall under enough of us share our individual sto- Higher education too has listened to its influence? ries, those stories somehow blend and largely accepted the postmodern Like other cultural theories that together to form the “big story,” a vision, especially in the fields of educa- win the allegiance of creative and edu- nebulous reality spun from words and tion, the humanities, and the social cated leaders in society, postmodern perceptions. And that is all there is. sciences. Graduates in these fields are ideas are likely to enjoy increasing There are no big stories “out there” in encouraged to share in the task of liber- influence for some time yet. Critics the universe that provide support and ating society from the big stories. abound, however, who point to two background to our little ones. It is like History for postmoderns is no longer major faults in the postmodern per- saying to an Adventist, “There is no understood as the stories of the great spective. While postmoderns brand all great controversy, but only a lot of per- men and women who lived to produce big stories, including the biblical story sonal little controversies, which, when systems under which sensible people of redemption, as oppressive and combined, merge to become the great destructive, and cite sad episodes sup- controversy.” porting this view, challengers point Leading postmodernist thinker out that they overlook evidence for Jean-Francois Lyotard, who died on the liberating, life-affirming impact of April 21 of this year, certainly disliked biblical faith on the lives of millions the big stories. He summed up the atti- of people. Not only has the biblical tude of postmoderns toward the big worldview provided a lifting of the stories in two points: first, they are individual’s horizons of meaning, but unbelievable, and second, we should biblical faith, from its beginning, has wage war on them.2 challenged widespread social evils, Why do postmoderns actively reject such as poverty, slavery, and child the big stories and encourage others to exposure. It has inspired many of the do the same? First, they believe that developments that have made modern the big stories claim more than can wanted to live, but the stories of ordi- health care and the relief of illness really be known: there is a knowledge nary persons whose tales are just as and suffering what they are in Western gap that is too big for faith to leap. valuable, especially if they include an society, and has laid the foundation Their second objection is that the big escape from the tyranny of living under for universal education. stories always lead to human cruelty. domination of a big story. Students of Can we have the big stories without Oppression and violence, they say, psychology and sociology are now the oppression? Postmoderns answer invariably accompany all attempts to encouraged to assist their future clients, no, but have they overlooked some apply the big stories to communities. not by helping them live up to big- evidence? What about Corrie ten “Look at the wasting of humanity story-inspired ideals, but by liberating Boom’s family, or Oskar Schindler, or done in the name of Communism and them from all such external expecta- the thousands of lesser-known men Nazism,” postmoderns say. “Even tions so they can instead develop into and women who rejected the all-per- Christians have used the big stories for “true persons.” vading Nazi big story and put their oppressive purposes, especially when Only in the scientific community own lives at risk to shelter members of church and state cooperated to manage today is there significant skepticism of a condemned race? This is evidence society.” Some even find evidence for postmodern claims. Scientists cannot that followers of big stories can exer- oppression in the Bible itself by those do their work apart from the accep- cise judgment and resist the oppressing who are the very champions of the tance of the scientific version of the tendencies that can accompany the Bible story. They point out, for exam- big stories—the grand theories describ- living out of a big story. ple, how the apostle Paul uses the big ing how the universe functions. Where does the tendency to story of Creation and the Fall in per- Nonetheless, there is increasing evi- oppression belong? Is it located in the suading Timothy to silence women in dence that in such fields as physics and big story or in the human heart? Most his churches.3 astronomy, many scientists have been of us would say that in order to Is society at large listening to the listening, however reluctantly, to post- answer this question, we need to postmodern challenge to the big stories? modern ideas. Some have begun to observe a community that has been The answer is a disturbing yes. Avid lis- develop their own version of freedom liberated from any big story and teners have been recruited from among from former scientific big stories, under watch for the tendency to oppress leaders of popular culture, including the rubric of a new paradigm called others disappear. No evidence has yet designers, filmmakers, musicians, and “chaos theory.” been found that doing away with the

10 (1378) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 big story removes the human tendency tion; the two must go together. Either on to violence and oppression that is Has disembodied its own becomes distorted, losing part of rooted deeply in fallen human nature. its truthfulness and usefulness. The second major weakness of the doctrine displaced As Jesus reminded us centuries ago: postmodern rejection of the big story is “These ought ye to have done, and its shaky assumption that people can not to leave the other undone.” 4 ■ live without one. No convincing evi- personal dence has been presented that civilized 1 The best evangelical Christian discussion of the postmodern situation is found in J. Richard people function without a big story. testimony? Middleton and Brian J. Walsh, Truth Is Stranger The existence, from the earliest period Than It Used to Be (Downers Grove, Ill.: of written human records, of compet- InterVarsity Press, 1995). Some useful essays are I suspect so. available in David S. Dockery, ed., The Challenge of ing accounts of the creation of this Postmodernism (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1995). world and its inhabitants indicates that 2 Lyotard’s words appear in English as such stories are of fundamental impor- Praising my Savior all the day “incredulity to metanarratives” (from his essay “The Postmodern Condition,” in Kenneth tance. When people reject one big long.” (Italics supplied.) Baynes, ed., After Philosophy [Cambridge, Mass.: story, they replace it with another, MIT Press, 1987], p. 74 and “Let us wage a war rather than simply learning to do with- Has disembodied doctrine displaced on totality” (from his essay “What Is Postmodernism?” in Thomas Dockery, A out. From a simple anthropological personal testimony in the lives of many Postmodernist Reader [New York: Columbia viewpoint, it seems that we need a big Adventist congregations and individuals? University Press, 1993], p. 46). story to help us make sense of life, and I suspect so. Without assenting to the 3 1 Tim. 2:12-14. 4 Matt. 23:23. when deprived of the true one, we will postmodern agenda, we can still accept make up a substitute. the postmodern reminder of the impor- tance of the individual’s story. Personal Steven Thompson is a professor of theology ow should the Adventist Chris- stories are the other side of the coin of at Avondale College, Cooranbong, New tian respond to the postmodern the big story of Creation and redemp- South Wales, Australia. Hrejection of the big story? Most popular movements derive some energy from the fact that they make a valid point, even though they contain fatal flaws. It is certainly true that individuals can become lost and feel insignificant when their society focuses exclusively on the big story and neglects the individual’s story. More than almost any other Christian denomination, Seventh-day Adventists have emphasized the bibli- cal big story. We refer to ourselves as “people of the Book,” and our very name incorporates the entire sweep of this earth’s history from Creation to Christ’s return. Much of our motiva- tion for mission has been generated by our quiet confidence in the truthful- ness and usefulness of our big story. Has this led to an overemphasis on the wider story at the expense of our individual stories? Has our determina- tion to tell the “old, old story” of unseen things above distracted us from also telling our personal story of clearly seen things below? We could learn a lesson from Fanny J. Crosby, who taught us to sing: “This is my story, This is my song,

ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1379) 11 STORY

Taking the

In theOffense war of words, the right weapons make all the difference.

BY CANDACE GRAVES DEVORE

E CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WHEN HE although tentative friendship. Jeff shared with me that, like first entered the classroom. His awkward gait his brother, he too suffered from a type of adrenoleuko- and blotchy skin could not detract from the dystrophy and had only a few years to live. Jeff had dedi- handsome face. And when Jeff smiled at me, I cated his life to sharing Christ’s love with others. His special was immediately drawn to him as one with and unshakable relationship with his Lord was unmistakable. Hwhom I hoped to become better acquainted. Mount Up Ready, Aim . . . Not long afterward Jeff took me home to spend the week- My sophomore year of college I decided to go to a new end with him and his family. I was thrilled at the prospect of school and meet new people. I chose a school where I knew meeting relatives I knew nothing about, and even more virtually no one. It began as a lonely year, and seeking out thrilled at the idea of spending an entire weekend with this new friendships became a necessary hobby. As I entered each precious person. classroom I would look around and find someone who looked I watched as Jeff struggled to drive his pickup—his feet as lonely as I was and try to strike up an acquaintance. That moving haltingly between the gas pedal and the brake as he was easy enough: there were plenty who looked like they struggled with uncooperative legs. He insisted that his daily could use a friend. routine go on as usual, although the effort required to do Jeff seemed an easy target, suffering from a disease that even the smallest tasks was phenomenal. affected his walk and the color of his hair and skin. But it During the trip Jeff and I passed the time making small soon became evident that he wasn’t lonely; he was a loner. talk and sharing more about our families. We were driving Oh, he was friendly enough—in fact, he was always giving down the highway when a beige Volkswagen bug drove past an encouraging word to those around him—but he didn’t us on Jeff’s side of the road. There were three college-age seem to need companionship, as I did. girls in the car, and the young woman in the passenger seat In a conversation with my parents Jeff’s name came up, as covered her face with one hand and made an obscene ges- well as my desire to get to know him. My mother surprised ture with the other. We couldn’t believe it. We couldn’t me when she told me I had a distant cousin who fit his remember seeing the car before, and we certainly hadn’t description. After exchanging all the important details with done anything to deserve this display. her, I went to class eager to tell Jeff that we were family. He Were they making fun of Jeff’s appearance, as some of was unbelieving until I named his parents and told him I the kids at college had done? The very thought infuriated knew about his older brother, who had died years earlier. me, and my anger spilled out: “How could they? Oh, it Finally he began to open up, and we forged a successful makes me so mad!”

12 (1380) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 Jeff looked at me calmly and then thanks,” said their sign. “It was great forgiveness and love (Gen. 45:1-15); got a mischievous grin on his face. talking with you.” Then they waved Moses, who understood that the people “Quick, get a piece of paper out of my and smiled at us as they drove down he led through the wilderness were notebook.” the off ramp. uncommitted and deceitful, pleaded “What for?” I asked. with God on their behalf and even “I want you to write something on To the Victor Go the Spoils offered to give his own salvation in it for the girls to read.” When faced with situations that are place of those who followed him so Now, that was more like it. Finally taxing and people who are difficult to reluctantly (Ex. 32:32); Stephen, while Jeff was going being stoned to to stand up for death, asked himself. After God to forgive all, he had to his accusers be angry, if for (Acts 7:60); and nothing else Paul, the one than for the who held the hand fate had murderers’ gar- dealt him. ments while the “Write ‘Jesus stones flew, later Loves You’ on wrote volumes the paper.” of encourage- “You’ve got ment to the to be kidding.” fledgling “Just do it, Christians in please? You’ll Asia Minor. see,” he Jeff’s words promised. did the same. I did what I’m thankful Jeff asked as he that I was able to sped to catch up spend time with with the VW. Jeff. He taught He drove even me an important with them and lesson, a lesson held the paper about words— up to his win- healing words— dow until I prompted by a assured him that love for Christ, the girls had words “like seen and read apples of gold in the message. settings of silver” After he passed them he slowed down deal with, I think about Jeff. And I (Prov. 25:11, NIV). and just sat there smiling that smile. I sat marvel at what a faithful servant he Jeff’s voice has been silenced by there amazed, trying to take it all in. was. Not once did he put himself first. death, but I look forward to seeing A few minutes later the car passed And I have to ask myself: What is him again—soon. I want to stand next us, and Jeff and I read the message the my goal in my relationships with oth- to him on the sea of glass as he throws three young women held up to their ers? Is it to restore them to Christ? If his crown at Jesus’ feet, and experi- window: “Yeah, but does He love you?” Christ is my example, then every word ence the excitement of sharing more Jeff’s smile grew wider, and he asked I speak should bring healing and hope. words with Jeff—words of praise for a me to write more. “Absolutely! And He Christ’s words brought life—His very victorious God. loves you, too,” was his confident reply. presence banished death. Yet I often I can imagine Jeff’s smile now. ■ The game continued as we drove find that my words cut and destroy down the highway. For 30 minutes his rather than heal and restore. Candace Graves DeVore PRINGER red pickup and the beige VW would Throughout the Scriptures there are lives in Dayton, Tennessee, D. S pass each other and slow down as the examples of persons who spoke as where she supports her OEL J messages were passed back and forth. Christ would speak: Joseph, who had husband’s youth ministry The girls had the last say, as we the right and the authority to condemn and helps raise their two HOTO BY

P came to their exit first. “’Bye, and and destroy his brothers, spoke words of children, Michelle and Elisa.

ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1381) 13 ColoringCOVER STORY Outside Compelled, even encouraged, to employ their gifts outside traditional airspace, Adventist young adults are creating parallel ministries. Is this a good thing?

BY ANDY NASH

Last October, in an article titled “Ready to Rumble,” I sur- It was a major theme of the morning session—a 90- veyed the state of Adventist young adults in North America. I minute town hall Folkenberg graciously agreed to attend told how while young adults who came in a fairly traditional (and to which North American Division president Al package had found acceptance—even official responsibility—in McClure should have also been invited). the organized church, thousands of nontraditional young adults, When one young adult shared her frustration with static feeling unwanted, continue to drift away or bob aimlessly on the church services, Folkenberg nodded sympathetically. “Stick edges. This is the promised sequel to that article. with it—set up a different one,” he replied, adding wryly that for some Adventists it’s “easier to give up belief in the T HAS BECOME ICONIC—A POLITE BUT Second Coming, the sanctuary, and the state of the dead intense exchange repeated throughout the nineties. than to change the order of the church service.” In this case, world church president Robert S. When another asked about involving more young adults Folkenberg stood before 1,000-plus young adults at the General Conference level, Folkenberg said he sup- August 7. “It’s time,” he said, “for the young people in ported the concept, but added, “The problem is that that has Ithe first world to take ownership of this church.” only token influence on the place that matters most [the The opening statement brought instant and loud local congregation]. You can’t vote the mind-set out of exis- applause—even a few whistles—from the eXcite98 crowd tence at the congregational level. What you can do is orga- gathered in Riverside, California (see p. 16). nize yourself into an initiative.” But as he’s done in the years following his “If we give [the When another spoke of young adults eager to participate youth] a piece of the pie, they will stay for dinner” speech at in broadcast ministries styled differently than It Is Written the 1990 General Conference session in Indianapolis, and 3ABN, Folkenberg counseled them to prayerfully start Folkenberg steered his listeners away from the idea that the their own. Ireal pie amounted to posts within the church structure. “When I talk about taking ownership of the church,” he Starting Their Own said, “I’m not talking about that which seems to fill our And that’s exactly what many young adults are doing. vision, that which is relatively irrelevant—structure, poli- Generally speaking, while gifted young Adventists in cies, budgets, and the oft-maligned bureaucracy. The answer other areas (such as south Mexico, where young members to hastening the Lord’s coming and finishing the work on dominate administrative posts) are being handed the reins earth does not lie in some mystical, magical formula voted within the system, those in North America, either by choice by some existential all-knowing, all-wise committee. It lies or out of frustration, are creating their own ministries. in the vision and the energy of our young adults.” Sometimes these ministries are loosely affiliated with the Referring to young adults in regions outside of North church; other times they’re separate. Put them together, and America, where the church is growing rapidly, Folkenberg a parallel church is slowly forming. said, “They’re not worried about who’s sitting on the church Consider, for example: board or conference committees. They’re too busy raising up The Great Controversy musical. The latest in a series of new churches.” artsy endeavors by young adults, The Great Controversy (a

14 (1382) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 the Lines

musical by Bryan Musson, Sheron Petrie, and Gregory Johnson) found 50 young adults sharing, in a fresh visual way, the longstanding Adventist doc- trine with more than 1,500 people at GOOD AND EVIL: Adventist young adults from the Foothill Theater Troupe and the choir the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Another Peace combined to perform The Great Controversy. Above, Jesus (played by Angeles August 16, 22, and 23. Paying Donnie Shelton) appeals to Lucifer (played by Barron Peeler) to reconsider his rebellion. $21 to $36 a ticket, most of those Photo by Barron Photography. attending the performance didn’t real- received a “mixture of support and Christian Entertainment Center, was ize that this was a religious production, nonsupport” from Adventists. Some primary sponsor. says publicist Deedra Brown. “They were concerned about Satan being por- Musson suggests that an “unspoken were able to see the controversy trayed in theater. Admitting he didn’t tension” between lay workers and the between Jesus and Satan,” she says. actively seek financial backing from the official church is especially prominent “People around me were crying as Mary church, Musson says, “We know how among artists. “I think any honest sang to Jesus hanging on the cross.” things are, so we just went to the pri- artist feels it,” he says. “The church But over the months Controversy vate sector.” Adventist layperson doesn’t offer many avenues for the tal- was being developed, says Musson, it Charles Hartie, president of the ents given us.” A Department of Arts, says Musson, would help. Meanwhile, as administrative assis- Do Your Own Thing? tant for the North American Division An excerpt from an Adventist young adult online discussion Church Resources Consortium, Brown says her employers gave her “total sup- Allan Martin: What are all of you finding in your own ministries? Is real young port” in her role with Controversy. adult ministry having to happen outside of Adventism? Brown’s contacts with the Southern Sherlyn Pang: Being outside of the church gives us credibility with our genera- California Conference African- tion, specifically borderline Adventists. American Adventist Youth Gary Manzella: One of the things that I have heard from young adults in my Department even resulted in the divi- work with them and the rest of the church is that they are tired sion’s PlusLine selling tickets. of sitting in the pews. Church is basically run by the older white Still, Brown wishes the church heads, and they are mostly overlooked in the process. I’ve run would “actively seek out” new ideas into problems integrating young adults into an existing system and talent rather than waiting to be of organization, especially where the old folk just don’t want to approached. “I wish that the two could give up access to their church. get together—I hate the separation,” Willard James: I am finding them hungry for spiritual life! she says. “Nontraditional ministry is Allan Martin: Any words of advice for church leaders/ministers trying to the way we’re going to catch those reach young adults? outside the church. Projects like The Sherlyn Pang: Empower young adults and encourage them to make Great Controversy are orphan children. Christianity their own. This is an orphan child, and someone Willard James: Yes. needs to pick it up. We have these Dave Jeffrey: Create a safe environment in which people can be real with- upshoots coming up in unconventional out condemnation. ways, and they have to scramble for their own funding.”

ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1383) 15 eXcite98: A Time to Heal Sabbath afternoon. Artists ranging from Planners announce conneXions99, April 15-17 Jason Henry (mild) to Patty Cabrera (hot) to BY ANDY NASH Big Face Grace (spicy) offered varying We are frightened of stained-glass walls onramps to the same But through beauty that cuts when it falls Saviour. We’ve seen You Revival. By Saturday And we want to see so much more . . . night’s tripleheader— —Rusty Perez, 29 and blind, performing the eXcite98 theme Dwight Nelson, song, “Be a Light” Jonathan Henderson, and José Rojas—an Q&A WITH THE PREZ: On Friday Lingering onstage at the atmosphere of desper- morning world church president close of eXcite98, a confer- ation had given way to Robert S. Folkenberg participated in ence by and for Adventist hope. “So many peo- a town hall session. Seattle attorney young adults, coplanner ple want to work for Adam Rose moderated. Shasta Burr was the church now,” said Tyner after the conference. “We never approached by a non- expected this kind of response.” Adventist student from the Burr says that eXcite98 taught her a lot about trusting University of California at God. “It was very humbling to hear people tell us that we Berkeley. After thanking should aim smaller or postpone it for another summer or wait Burr and Jennifer Tyner for until we could find a huge donor,” she says. “God showed me the conference, the stu- through eXcite98 that He will never call us to something we dent, who had learned of can’t do. Without permission or a single penny, we decided to DREAMIN’: Tyner and Burr facili- Seventh-day Adventists just go in faith, and He blessed it. He really did.” tate a discussion. two months before, said, “I felt the Holy Spirit moving at this event, and I’ve decided conneXions99 Coming to D.C. that I’m going to study Adventist beliefs. If this is what In the same spirit of spontaneity—they still don’t have Adventism can be, I want to be part of it.” any money—Burr and Tyner have announced plans for Here’s what Berkeley guy—and others—were part of conneXions99, a “next level” conference designed especially August 6 to 9 at La Sierra University: for Adventist young adult leaders, to be held April 15-17 at Community. From the clank of skateboards against the world church headquarters, just north of Washington, church pews to starched shirts and striped ties, eXcite98 D.C. Early plans for conneXions99 include: welcomed—embraced—young adults of all backgrounds, all ■ Messages and music from Adventist young adults. appearances. More than 1,000 young adults (at least half ■ Focused young adult discussion/strategy groups. from outside California) registered for the conference; sever- ■ The formation of a young adult ministry network. al hundred more rolled in for Sabbath only. ■ A wide choice of breakout sessions Friday morning Learning. Woven between nine with various General Conference general sessions were a choice of and North American Division 40-plus workshops, ranging from departmental leaders. “Drama Ministry” to “Reaching Out ■ An opportunity to interview for on a Secular Campus” to “Being jobs/internships at the world head- Married and Staying Married, Kids quarters. and All.” Prayer groups, Bible stud- ■ An all-day Sabbath worship ies, and community outreach also celebration at a site to be named. peppered the weekend. Then next July, say Burr and Worship. Though participation in Tyner, eXcite99 (a rally compara- praise singing was minimal (many ble to eXcite98) will be held in people didn’t seem to know the Chicago.

songs), three simultaneous con- For more information on these HRISTIANSON certs—helpfully labeled “mild,” events, stay tuned to the Adventist C IM

PACKED HOUSE: On Sabbath, La Sierra University J “hot,” and “spicy”—kept almost church pastor Dan Smith turned over the service to Review and the eXcite website: everyone somewhere on campus eXcite 98—and his pulpit to 21-year-old Shasta Burr. http://www.excite98.net. HOTOS BY P

16 (1384) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 Scanner church. Others have chosen to minister church away from those who have magazine. well outside Adventist airspace. given decades of faithful service to it.” While this I agree. Rather than change an existing new quarterly Why It’s Good ministry—a worship service, a radio- is sponsored I believe that this trend toward paral- broadcast, a publication—that’s highly by the Young lel ministries has some positive aspects. meaningful to a significant number of Adult 1. Excitement. Nothing matches people, young adults (or any change Program at the thrill of starting a new ministry group) should instead begin their min- Glendale City from scratch. Unfettered by the “way istry in a venue that the “existing (California) it’s always been done” mentality, the group” can comfortably avoid. Seventh-day ministry’s creators are free to follow Adventist the Lord wherever He leads. And the Why It’s Bad FILLING A VOID: Originally Scanner was Church, it’s quintessential lack of funding can At the same time, however, the intended to be a local primarily cre- actually improve the ministry’s effec- trend toward parallel ministries has publication, says manag- ated and read tiveness; young adults become even some strongly negative aspects, includ- ing editor Reni by graduate more dependent on the Lord. Just ask ing but not limited to: Dupertuis. The 20-page students and James and Ellen White. 1. Diminished denominational giv- publication, which tar- young profes- Further, as Folkenberg points out, a ing. It’s no secret that the North gets “marginally con- sionals who fresh initiative—such as eXcite98— American Division is concerned about nected” Adventist young aren’t reading launched outside the traditional struc- the giving patterns of the next genera- adults, now reaches official church ture will turn all kinds of heads, often tion. “[We are] a church,” reads a more than 350 homes magazines, effecting more change than anything recent division report, “that runs the across the country. says Reni attempted within the structure. risk of losing the confidence and finan- Dupertuis, managing editor and associ- 2. Targeting. In some cases it makes ate pastor at Glendale. “We didn’t sense to start a ministry targeting, in a think there was anything out there that laser beam fashion, a particular group. these young adults would be interested For example, here in the Washington, in,” says Dupertuis. “Scanner is their D.C., area, several of us Adventist opportunity for a voice.” young adults noticed that proportion- Articles ranging from “Pushing the ately few of our peers were attending Envelope: A New Generation the area’s 74—yes, 74—Adventist Approaches Tithing” to “Adventists churches. So in January we started a and Social Responsibility” to “A monthly contemporary service/social Faith Naughty by Nature” bring an called Friday Hope that we hoped edge and honesty that most church would function as an onramp back to publications won’t attempt. church. (Since some of us worked at Still, some of Scanner’s features— the world church headquarters, we were such as its glowing review of Good Will able to hold the event rent-free in the Hunting, a movie plagued by abuses of main auditorium.) God’s name—leave one wondering just As attendance at Friday Hope grew HOMELESS: In an attempt to intercept the how edgy the publication strives to be. to 225-plus, we saw more and more next generation of youth headed out of the Other ministries. And there are young adults showing up at local church, Yami and Daniel Bazan sold their more: from collegian/young adult wor- churches the next morning. Our public- possessions and will spend the next two years speaking to Adventist academy stu- ship services held outside church walls; ity director, Lori Futcher, also invited— dents across North America. to Face It!, a movable young adult con- by mail, then a follow-up phone call— ference functioning much like a camp the 74 area churches to submit a para- cial support of its younger and more meeting revival; to Boise’s KTSY, a Top graph describing their church and its urban members. Until the Seventh-day 10 Christian radio station eager to ministries, which we would print and Adventist Church can come to terms spawn like-minded stations, young distribute along with directions at with the attitudes of these members, it Adventists are carving out nontradi- Friday Hope. To our disappointment, faces a continuing decline in available tional ministries. Some, such as film- just seven churches responded. financial resources.” 1 maker Derrick Louw, who’s currently 3. Sensitivity. Arguing that “it’s a Ironically, telling young adults to donating his time and talents to the cre- terrible thing to force anyone to go start their own ministries might actual- ation of Adventist commercials against their conscience,” Adventist ly encourage the project giving and (they’re going to be excellent), are author and seminary professor Jon congregationalism that church leaders eager to contribute to the organized Paulien says it’s unfair to “wrench a fear. Correctly or incorrectly, the mes-

ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1385) 17 Young Adults and the Adventist program ARM used to have. “It was great because we brought young people in and rotated them throughout the World Headquarters organization,” she says. Plans being laid for increased involvement Parish supports the building-wide internship program some are attempting to create at the General Conference and sug- BY ANDY NASH gests that young adults could choose one of two tracks: (1) working with just one department (i.e., Legal, Com- Slightly more than 24 percent of employees in the General munications, Adventist Review) for several weeks, or (2) work- Conference and North American Division are 35 and under, ing with a different department each week. says Ruth Parish, director of Human Resource Services for “We’d be very interested in having a summer intern,” the General Conference. And several of the building’s 50-plus says Tom Neslund, associate director in the Health and departments consistently offer summer internships (an excel- Temperance Department. “The challenge will be to find a lent way for young adults to get noticed). budget for the program.” Formerly with Adventist Risk Management, Parish says If you’re a young adult interested in interning or working at that she has “fond memories” of the active internship the world headquarters, e-mail your name, contact informa- tion, and area of interest to [email protected] or fax to 301-680-6638.

HOPE FOR ALL AGES: The General Conference Communication Department has one of the best age blends at the Adventist world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland. “The blend is intentional,” says Ray Dabrowski, director. “Young minds bring the fresh ideas and realism that we need. Departments that don’t have this are disadvantaged.” Pictured here are (seated from left to right) Wendy Schull, part-time news assistant; Lynn Caldwell, public relations director; (standing) Ralph Blodgett, Adventists Online Forum sysop; Lori Futcher, public relations ASH

N assistant; Alberto Valenzuela, associate director; Lynn Friday,

NDY administrative secretary; Ray Dabrowski, director; Nancy A Newball-Rivera, graphic designer/visitors’center coordinator; and Jonathan Gallagher, news director. (Inset: Dixil Rodriguez, HOTO BY

P assistant to the news director.)

sage many young adults are hearing is José Rojas, and “a host of others.” keep more of them in?” I asked, recog- “Don’t count on jobs or committee A blanket admonition to “start your nizing that evil and a very real apathy seats in the organized church, but keep own” ministries is to strain the chains would always claim a portion. sending your money there.” As one that link the generations. Further, to In one form or another, they all said Tennessee young adult put it, “It feels discourage young adults from existing the same thing: “Being trusted with like taxation without representation.” jobs and seats on the basis that these jobs and responsibility.” 2. Fragmenting. Truth be told, jobs and seats are “relatively irrelevant” True, many young adults will and many young adults would prefer to not only begs the question “Then why should create their own jobs and minister from within the church do we have them?” but underestimates responsibility. But someone also has to they’ve lived in and loved. They an intergeneration dynamic that might fill existing jobs and responsibility in a don’t want to operate on a separate actually attain relevance. rapidly changing world—a world that track. They crave opportunities to 3. Duplication. We have enough fresh college graduates often know bet- work with adults who will support parallel ministries the way it is. ter than we do. In the early 1970s a and nurture them, who will take 29-year-old conference president them under their wing. Of the young The Tide Is Turning named Robert S. Folkenberg and his adult leaders I know personally, I Last summer I attended a West youthful peers breathed life and growth can’t think of any who haven’t bene- Coast camp meeting in which 5,000- into Inter-America. The same can fited from a mentoring relationship plus people packed the adult auditorium happen in North America today. with an older Adventist. For Gary while a couple dozen dotted the young The good news is, the tide seems Krause, it was Jim Coffin. For Alex adult building. In a Friday night discus- to be turning. While just 22 percent Bryan, it was Gordon Bietz. For Allan sion the faithful few told me how an of 25- to 27-year-olds currently hold Martin, it was Lewis Hendershot. For “easy 90 percent” of their peers were no some type of church office or volun- Celeste Ryan, it was Monte Sahlin, longer attending church. “What would teer role—a significant decrease from

18 (1386) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 First World Phenom resigned to the fact that the church organization just Why I Have Hope for the North American Division wasn’t ready to match the walk with the talk. Yet out of these frustrating times, God was doing His BY A. ALLAN MARTIN thing. Departments such as NAD Youth and Young Adult Ministries were listening intently to what my generation was This decade I’ve heard church leadership suggest that saying. People like Ted Wick, José Rojas, and Ron only in developing countries are we seeing a spiritual move- Whitehead have been listening all along. And beyond just ment of young adults in the Adventist Church. But as I sur- listening, they have given themselves to helping the sys- veyed the La Sierra University church sanctuary, which was temic church understand our message and to cultivating packed all day of eXcite98 Sabbath, as I enjoyed the con- personally ways to empower young people in ministry. cluding preaching service that went until 10:00 p.m., as we For nearly a decade since Robert Folkenberg’s “piece of heard reports of young adults preaching in pulpits across the pie” speech, God used Ted, José, and Ron to be our the division, and as I joined hundreds of young adults filling advocates within the system. Maneuvering through the the aisles and forming prayer groups to close eXcite98, I political labyrinths, advocating on our behalf, and making would have to disagree. as much headway as possible, these guys have been laying The Holy Spirit is no respecter of worlds. it on the line. Oftentimes their efforts are unheralded, but eXcite98 is only the most recent fruit of a young adult they have heard us and have walked the walk. They believe spiritual movement emerging over the past several years in we are a generation of promise and have banked their pro- the North American Division. I remember the enthusiasm fessional careers on it. with which my peers came to the president’s kitchen cabinet So now as I watch Shasta Emery Burr and Jennifer Tyner meetings, commissioned by Elder Folkenberg, in the early call our generation to action, as I see hundreds upon hun- nineties. They came with ideas and passion, making person- dreds of young adults pack a “sweaty” sanctuary to hear al investments toward growing the church. And although Jesus’ words preached through Jon Henderson, as I see the many of these young adults came away from the kitchen fire in Celeste Ryan’s eyes saying “Our time is now,” I am cabinet with a “pat-on-the-head” feeling, it was a rite of pas- overwhelmed with not only excitement but heartfelt gratitude. sage for young people and the church, signaling that young To the Ted Wicks, José Rojases, and Ron Whiteheads out adults were not content to be given a slice of “pie.” We there I say thank you. You heard us. You let us climb up on wanted to do some baking of our own. your shoulders and build a spiritual movement for our genera- Throughout the middle nineties I, along with other young tion and ultimately for our church. While some in the church adults, was asked to serve on a variety of committees try- continue to disown us and dismiss us as first world spiritual ing to do things the representative way. Youth Evangelism casualties, you see us as the “promised generation.” Taskforce, Marketing and Materials Committee, NET ’98 Now get ready for a first world phenomenon. While some Young Adult Task Group, and Church Resource Con- in the church continue to try unsuccessfully to define us as sortium’s Young Adult Definition Group were among the Generation X, watch as our generation now defines the many focus and input groups I gave time and effort to. church and defines our world . . . for Christ. Although I have high respect for the process of committee work, I have seen many of my peers come away frustrated A. Allan Martin, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist with the results. Although church leaders said that they and cofounder of dre•am VISION ministries, a wanted our input, it seemed that they wanted our endorse- parachurch agency dedicated to empowering ment or agreement more than anything else. I have had and nurturing young people in Christian lifestyle my own frustrations, but nothing hurt as much as seeing and leadership. Visit dre•am VISION website at some of the brightest and best of my generation become http://www.tagnet.org/dvm. past generations2—I join young adult appealing to older generations, I specialist Allan Martin (see page 19) appeal to my own: 1 NAD Office of Information and Research, Report 10, Giving Practices and Attitudes, May in a renewed optimism. Among other Don’t give up. Things are chang- 1995. things, I have high hopes for ing—not quickly enough, but they’re 2 These figures were reported by Monte conneXions99, scheduled for April changing. Help bring these many Sahlin in the summer 1998 edition of Adventist View. Roger Dudley is preparing a book that will 15-17, when hundreds of young ministries—these many ministers— analyze the data in depth. adults from across North America together. Help this movement move will stream into their world church again. Andy Nash is an Adventist headquarters to worship and dialogue Finally, don’t let this cycle repeat Review assistant editor. with department leaders. Maybe a few itself. Mentor the next generation, the bridges can be built. millennials, now. Take them under And so this year, rather than your wing—then watch them fly. ■

ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1387) 19 WORLD NEWS & PERSPECTIVES PUC Chaplaincy Program Benefits All Involved

BY PAT HORNING BENTON, FREELANCE WRITER AND EDITOR, BUENA VISTA, COLORADO

ast Friday afternoon I was Soon both Napa Valley hospitals— The final component involves con- visiting with an elderly one Seventh-day Adventist, one tinuing education. Every other week patient at Adventist Catholic—joined with PUC in this students participate in a conference with Health/St. Helena Hospital adventure in ministry. Eighteen months Religion Department faculty and chap- [SHH],” recalls David Park, later student chaplains, hospital chap- lain supervisors. During the first hour Lsenior theology major at Pacific Union lains, and PUC faculty agree that the McVay and Myron Widmer, director of College (PUC). “As he was sharing his program is a win-win situation. the ministerial studies program at PUC, private thoughts, he began to cry. I felt During the 1997-1998 school year complete their work with the students. a little awkward at first, because it was three theology majors completed their For the final hour students review with the first time I’d been with a male practicum at SHH. “One bonus for us hospital chaplains specific difficult situa- patient who was crying.” was that two of them are bilingual, fill- tions they have encountered. Park, participating in a special stu- ing a special need we have for Spanish- Marlene Arguelles, also involved dent chaplaincy practicum offered by with local English and Spanish church- PUC and SHH, reflects on the experi- es, prison ministries, and home visita- ence. “No one had visited that patient tion of the elderly, quickly realized that for three days. I think he started to chaplaincy is “seed sowing.” Unlike unload on me because he hadn’t had other ministries in which she works anyone to talk to. To him that visit with the same people week after week, was vitally important.” she seldom sees hospital patients more After his conversation with Park, than once and does not know what nurses reported that he climbed out of happens to those she visits with. bed and for the first time started walking down the hall—an important step Bilingual Benefits toward healing. For Park it was a land- Arguelles worked as a student chap- mark experience, because he realized just EARLY EXPERIENCE: Marlene Arguelles, lain at SHH throughout the 1997-1998 how important a chaplain’s visit can be. talking with a patient, is a student at the school year and did visitation in three Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. areas: The medical/surgical floor, the Began With “Macedonian Call” speaking chaplains,” says Judy Crabb, transitional-care unit (for longer-term This chaplaincy program—perhaps spiritual services team leader at SHH patients), and the mental health unit. the first of its kind for undergraduates and the hospital’s program coordinator. She especially enjoyed visiting patients at an Adventist college—began with in the mental health unit, sometimes what John McVay, associate professor Three-Part Program spending an hour or more with a single of biblical studies and chair of the Although the practicum is flexible patient or group of patients. Religion Department at PUC, and students can elect to earn from Arguelles has discovered that some describes as a “Macedonian call” from one to three academic credits (depend- patients feel more comfortable with a Queen of the Valley Hospital (QVH) ing on the individual course contract female chaplain; more frequently she in Napa, California. each student signs), the basic program was appreciated because she is equally “In the fall of 1996 I got a tele- consists of three parts. The initial stage fluent in Spanish and English. “It’s phone call from Rev. Denise Tittle, is training—10 hours of lectures and hard for Hispanic people to believe newly appointed chaplain at QVH, group interaction offered on two con- there’s a woman chaplain,” she says. who was recruiting community volun- secutive Sundays. Next the students PUC is physically isolated atop teers to do chaplaincy work. She won- begin clinical work, at first under the Howell Mountain, and McVay is quick dered if PUC theology and religion supervision of a hospital chaplain, to point out the advantages of getting majors would like to get involved.” then solo, for at least eight weeks. students off “this hilltop.” Chaplaincy

20 (1388) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 WORLD NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

staff of both hospitals participate in clergy come into the hospital room the two-Sunday training. “Our stu- with their own agenda, and rather than dents train under chaplains of several first hearing what the patient needs, denominations, side by side with vol- they ‘preach.’ But these theology stu- unteers, lay members from various dents are learning good listening and churches,” he says. visitation skills.” McVay emphasizes that students are Arguelles says it succinctly: “My carefully screened. “We evaluate the purpose in chaplaincy is to meet student’s level of maturity. We want patients’ spiritual needs where they students who are confident about their are. This is what Jesus would do.” own belief structure and ready to step Sometimes it’s easier to feel comfort- into another setting, realizing they can LEARNING TO LISTEN: Chaplain Judy Crabb able after the experience. Park indicates make special contributions there.” believes listening for heartfelt needs is a valu- some initial hesitancy about hospital Watching the students grow and able pastoral skill student chaplains learn. ministry. “I thought the smell and all develop is deeply satisfying for their would be repulsive. The greatest sur- chaplain supervisors and teachers. “In to chaplaincy is invaluable for future prise has been that I’m able to handle the hospital setting they confront pastors. “They learn to meet new people working with people in pain. The issues most theology majors meet of all faiths, to listen, and to really hear patients I visit have needles and tubes much later in their ministry,” McVay their needs. They go ‘cold turkey’ into a sticking out of them—things you don’t says. “It makes them stronger, more room with a sick stranger in bed. It’s not really want to see. But,” he concludes, sensitive people.” unusual for a patient to say, ‘I don’t want “I’ve learned that I can easily be around to talk to a chaplain; I don’t want to see the hospital. I actually enjoy it. It has Invaluable Experience you.’ They learn to handle that.” shown me what it means to ‘be there’ Crabb too believes this introduction Crabb says reflectively, “Sometimes for people.”

NEWSBREAK

Public Officials Promote Concerns U.S. Dream Academy, based in Columbia, Maryland. at Adventist World Headquarters Founded by Wintley Phipps, an associate director of the General Conference Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department, the Dream Academy will aim to equip the chil- n recent weeks several public officials have visited the dren of prisoners and at-risk youth with the life skills neces- IAdventist Church’s world headquarters to raise awareness sary to fulfill their potential. for various initiatives. Still in the planning stage, the academy will provide On September 14 the Singing Senators, four United youth with an online, faith-based tutorial and remedial cur- States senators who sing riculum, and Christian Southern gospel music, mentors. With the gave a concert to a packed help of several educa- house at the General tional foundations, Conference to promote the the virtual school will proposed U.S. Dream operate across North Academy headed by America in churches, Adventist pastor Wintley hospitals, and commu- Phipps. nity centers. Republican senators The senators’ visit John Ashcroft, Missouri; was the second of pub- Larry Craig, Idaho; James BIPARTISAN: The Singing Senators (left, with Wintley Phipps) and Maryland lic officials in recent Jeffords, Vermont; and governor Parris Glendening (right) recently visited the General Conference. weeks. On August 12 EDLEY

M Senate majority leader Maryland governor Trent Lott, Mississippi, have sung at the Kennedy Center in Parris N. Glendening met with General Conference officials ARLOS C Washington, D.C., on NBC’s Today show, and for the at the world headquarters and commended the church for its Republican National Convention. The group donates its health and education programs. HOTO BY

P performance time to numerous charitable causes, such as the “I am passionate about education,” said Glendening,

ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1389) 21 WORLD NEWS & PERSPECTIVES Hurricane Pope John Paul II

BY ALEX BRYAN, PASTOR, ATLANTA, GEORGIA

n Adventist circles much attention has been raised about begin rebuilding broken relationships? Should I pray more? recent comments by Pope John Paul II regarding I hope the answer to all of these questions is an Iincreased attention to Sunday observance (and the sup- emphatic no. If I need a “Sunday letter” from the pope as posed threat to Saturday observance). I’ve read many my motivation to be a fully devoted follower of Christ, Adventist e-mail messages on the subject, received mailings I’m in serious trouble. If a hurricane’s coming, the impor- from Adventist Church administrators, and listened to many tant thing is the longstanding foundation of my house— Adventist members discuss it. not a last-minute paint job. In sum, the pope’s encyclical—while Although we have an important end- clearly relevant to our Adventist mes- NEWS COMMENTARY time message to share with others, we sage—seems to have raised great alarm must be careful not to allow current among Adventists themselves. I’ve been trying to figure events to drive our personal spirituality. Giving inordinate out why. attention to the latest headline serves will only get Should it change my behavior in some way? Should I really Adventists wound up about predicting and projecting end- “get with it now” and start making friends and sharing my time scenarios and dates—a very “disappointing practice,” faith with unchurched people? Should I start studying my as our history so painfully records. What matters most is Bible? Should I start asking for forgiveness more often? Should my relationship, my life, and my spiritual direction today. I change my diet? Should I start spending my money different- If a storm’s coming, let it come. In the meantime there’s a ly? Should I give increased priority to my church? Should I lot of kingdom building to do.

NEWSBREAK

mentioning that he was the first in his family ever to go to warehouse units,” reports Sean Robinson, director of college. “I believe this is our future. I commend Adventists ADRA/Albania. “The police arrived several times, but each for the education programs they operate in our community.” time the men escaped, and returned after the police left.” In his speech Glendening also addressed issues of tobacco In January 1998 a six-hour Special Forces police opera- control, slot-machine gambling, domestic violence, gun control, tion, with support from the national and local governments, and health protection—especially for children. Responding for succeeded in transferring 15 squatter families from the com- the church, General Conference president Robert S. Folkenberg pound to other accommodations. This became necessary said that many of the governor’s concerns resonated with those when all other efforts failed to move the settlers from of the church, and he affirmed the need to aid children. ADRA’s land. Folkenberg also called upon leaders of faith communities to speak out on the need for high principles in society. Adventist Colleges and Universities “Those who preach and lead congregations need to take Rank High in Best Colleges Report responsibility for upholding moral values,” he said. “Government cannot take care of moral failures, but the Seventh-day Adventist educational institutions ranked church’s proclamation is transformational. Otherwise it’s a high in the latest U.S. News and World Report America’s Best cop-out on the part of religious leaders.” Colleges guidebook. The publication ranks colleges and uni- versities throughout the United States. Looters Damage ADRA Compound in Albania Pacific Union College in California ranked sixth in the top tier of liberal arts colleges in the Western region, and During a riot on September 14, masked gunmen looted Walla Walla College in Washington ranked in the top tier the Adventist Development and Relief Agency warehouse of universities in the same region. Atlantic Union College in Tirana, Albania, for the second time this year. Although in Massachusetts and Southern Adventist University in the compound is back in the hands of ADRA personnel, it Tennessee were ranked in the second tier of liberal arts col- appears there is significant damage. leges for the Northern and Southern regions, respectively. “The armed men entered the center and held a gun to Other Adventist institutions also ranked high in their the guard’s head, then broke down the doors to all of the regions and specialties. Andrews University in Michigan was

22 (1390) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 WORLD NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

Did You Know? For Your Good Health

Commitment to Gambling Addicts Commended High Level of Danger Press reports that the Australian Medical Association Planning to climb a ladder? Make sure the ladder is on (AMA) is to raise awareness and the referral needs of level ground and someone holds the ladder while you’re on problem gamblers were recently commended by the it. Boston-area physicians questioned people who were Adventist Church. treated for injuries suffered from falling from a ladder. According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald on Almost half said they fell because the ladder was posi- August 19, the AMA is planning seminars to teach its tioned on uneven or slippery ground, wasn’t resting se- 3,000 members how to spot and treat those suffering from curely against the building, or was too upright.—Health symptoms associated with gambling problems. Symptoms News/Massachusetts Medical Society. can include hypertension, headaches, ulcers, alcohol and drug dependence, irritability, and anxiety and depression, Sunwise Eyes according to the AMA. Sunglasses protect your eyes against ultraviolet light dam- “Since the opening of large casinos in Australia age. While uniform regulations don’t exist, most sunglasses there has been a significant increase in the number of have a label stating their protective ability. Look for glasses addiction cases,” says Ray Coombe, South Pacific that block 99 to 100 percent of both UV-A and UV-B light. Division communication director. “The AMA is to be Snug wraparound styles offer the most protection. Color and commended for taking steps to address this problem in darkness of lenses have nothing to do with ability to block a professional way. While this addiction needs to be UV light. UV protection comes from a chemical coating on treated from a medical and psychological perspective, the lens surface. Even clear lenses can provide ultraviolet we as Christians believe that it can be conquered only protection.—American Academy of Ophthalmology. with help from a higher power, and that spiritual —For Your Good Health is compiled by Larry Becker, editor of Vibrant Life, counseling can be a valuable assistance.” the church’s health outreach journal. To subscribe, call 1-800-765-6955.

NEWSBREAK recognized as having one of the highest diversity ratings and keep them in the family. But that will mean we need to raise one of the most international student bodies, and also for more than $100,000.” having one of the smallest class sizes. Readers wishing to help should make out a check to the “Such external endorsement of the success of Adventist Adventist Review, mark it “$25 Club,” and mail to: Adventist education is always welcome,” said Humberto Rasi, General Review, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904- Conference education director. “As a church, we are com- 6600. All gifts are tax-deductible for United States income mitted to excellence, and it’s gratifying to see this ideal tax purposes; gifts of $100 and above will merit a receipt from being recognized in practice by the high rankings our col- the General Conference Treasury. leges have achieved. Our educational institutions seek to perform well academically; however, our primary goal is to News Notes provide quality education in a Christian setting.”—Adventist News Network. ✔ Alfredo Garcia-Marenko, Inter- American Division youth and family life Review Readers Doing It Again director, was recently elected associate youth director for the General One personal check at a time. Adventist Review readers Conference. Garcia replaces Richard are building a storehouse of free one-year subscriptions for Barron, who became pastor of the Alfredo Garcia- the thousands of NET ’98 attendees expected to join the Georgetown Seventh-day Adventist Marenko Seventh-day Adventist Church. Church in Bermuda. The checks come in response to editor William G. Johnsson’s September North American Division Edition What’s Upcoming announcement that each $25 donation would send a subscrip- tion to a new member’s home (see “Let’s Do It—The $25 Oct. 17 Spirit of Prophecy Day Club”). Some readers are contributing as much as $1,000. Oct. 31 Children’s Sabbath “This is a faith venture,” says Johnsson. “We’d like every Nov. 7-14 Week of Prayer new member to receive the weekly magazine. It will help Nov. 21 Ingathering Begins

ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1391) 23 LIFESTYLE

Your Baby and the Power of Human Touch Infants need cuddling and soothing. Christ set the example.

BY GERALD COLVIN

ANY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS NOW others for emotional and physical support. Babies may even believe there is a physical basis linking fall asleep touching their parents, and they are often carried stressed-out babies to personality disorders about while in constant tactile connection with a parent or in adulthood. What does this mean for you some family member. Such consistent support keeps the corti- as a parent of an infant today? It means that sol levels down and appears to help the cortical structures in Mmaking your baby endure disappointments without comfort the brain develop better. Illnesses such as PTSD and phobias, increases his or her susceptibility to posttraumatic stress on the rise in industrialized countries such as the United disorder (PTSD) and personality problems. States, barely exist in more primitive societies.2 The idea that babies need physical contact certainly is Researchers, including Dr. Michael Commons of the nothing new. That is why we no longer swaddle them in Harvard Medical School, plan more tests, such as PET scans, tight blankets and leave them to cry for hours. However, which can show blood flow in the brain and indicate what researchers are starting to find evidence of actual physical structures in the brain are most active. But in the meantime, changes in the brain caused by stress in infancy. they urge parents to think carefully about how they treat Sleeping in total isolation may be very stressful for an their infants. Babies should be soothed and cuddled and infant. We can see this because such separation often leads kissed. These findings may even be suggesting that children to prolonged crying. The stress hormone cortisol is much in day care should be able to draw reassurance and comfort higher in crying babies, and this constant stimulation by cor- in touching each other during naptime. tisol in infancy can cause physical changes in the brain.1 Chronic bombardment by the stress hormone can make The Touch-Therapy Remedy babies more prone to the effects of stress; to all illnesses, A more passive form of touch therapy utilizes the over- including mental illness; and to problematic recovery. These the-shoulder baby holder. Evaluators argue that it provides changes are real and lasting. Maybe this is the reason parents contact pressure, motion, pleasure, warmth, security, and in most other cultures have infants sleep with them. sound similar to the womb that the newborn’s nervous sys- In the Western Hemisphere, however, we have prided tem requires—everything important for combating stress in ourselves that we are rearing our children to be self-sufficient the infant. Vestibular (or auditory) input has a direct effect and to face danger alone. Yet growing up as they have, the on the system for arousal in the nervous system. As a con- children of the West too often do not have the emotional sequence of this most important connection between resources to seek comfort and consoling, and their experi- motion and the reticular system, the movements of the ence becomes unbearable. caregiver’s body can help the baby maintain that nice, Other cultures teach infants to stay close by and to look to quiet, alert state for learning and allow the baby to drift

24 (1392) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 into sleep when necessary. In Summary A baby who is carried So what’s in a touch? about (or worn) for pro- How are we to interpret longed periods during the the restorative and insulat- day tends to be in either ing powers of massage and the quiet alert state or in body contact for the a light or deep sleep, but human infant? Perhaps seldom in a state of distress. power manifested in human In other quarters there touch has as much to do is a move afoot to help with the receptor mecha- parents learn interactive nisms (sensitivity, need, communication through etc.) within the receiver as loving touch. Most of in any magic intrinsic to these programs stress that the hands-that-touch; nev- loving touch is vital not ertheless, such “touching” only for well babies and power was definitely pres- babies with special needs, ent in the Son of God. but for the caregivers too. Remember? Jesus had IBRARY L Proponents of infant mas- just descended from the

MAGE sage claim that the bene- mountain from a night of I fits include (a) longer and prayer in order to be more DOBE sounder sleep (for all con- accessible to the multi- © A cerned); (b) enhancement tudes. With the undulating HOTO

P of neurological develop- plain stretching peacefully ment; (c) promotion of toward the horizon, His “healthy touching”; and (d) relief of weight than the isolated babies, even disciples, almost as palace guards, discomfort from teething, gas colic, though the caloric intake was identical sought to hold back the pressing mul- and emotional stress.3 in the two groups. On the Brazelton titude out of Judea and Jerusalem, and In short, massaging your baby may scale the treated infants exhibited from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, be seen as a tactile translation of love, more mature orientation and motor all there to hear Jesus and to be healed security, and physical comfort—a veri- habituation. Finally, the treated of their diseases. “And the whole multi- table touch of life from you to your babies were released six days earlier, tude sought to touch him: for there went baby. And though each set of newly yielding a hospital cost savings per virtue out of him, and healed them all” “converted” parents will use the same infant of $3,000. (Luke 6:19). ■ strokes as have thousands of parents Hormones that assist in food absorp- before them, each new parent will mas- tion were shown to be secreted at an 1 Reuters News Service, “Infant Worries Could Be Carried for Years: Where Does Baby sage his or her baby as no one else can. increased rate in the massaged infants. Stress Go?” Health and Living Headlines, Feb. 17, The levels of gastrin and insulin were 1998. Available: http://www.abcnews.com/sec- Additional Research Support both higher in the massaged group, tions/living/DailyNews/baby 2 Ibid. An age-old myth is that premature explaining the weight gain. Massage, 3 Susan Garrett, “Massage: Another Way to babies are too fragile to be touched by given with light pressure, apparently Nurture Infants and Children,” Puget Sound their caregivers or parents. More than stimulates the vagal nerve activity in Parent, in cooperation with the Tacoma General Hospital (1997). Available: a few obstetricians can remember peer- the brain, thus lowering stress hor- http://www.disney.com/Features/family_1997_10/p ing through plexiglass bassinets at tiny mones and placing the infant in a gen- ugt107massage.html. babies while warning their parents not eral state of comfort. And in a time 4 F. Scafidi, T. Field, S. Schanberg, C. Bauer, N. Vega-Lahr, R. Garcia, J. Poirer, G. Nystrom, to touch them. But like old bathwater, when cost seems to be of greater impor- and C. Kuhn, “Effects of Tactile/Kinesthetic such unfounded beliefs are being tance to many managed-care companies Stimulation on the Clinical Course and thrown right out the window. than quality of care, such providers Sleep/Wake Behavior of Preterm Neonates,” Infant Behavior and Development 9 (1986): 91-105. A study by the Touch Research should find special interest in the fact Institute at the University of Miami that massage can dramatically lower Medical School demonstrates a clear hospitalization costs. Gerald Colvin is a graduate advantage to regular massage With the mounting evidence of the professor at the Graduate therapy.4 In this study 40 premature benefits of massage therapy for infants, Studies Division/ infants were given three 15-minute professionals everywhere are finding it Counseling Department at massages daily for 10 days. The mas- harder than ever to continue ignoring the University of Tennessee saged infants gained 47 percent more its advantages. at Chattanooga.

ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1393) 25 DEVOTIONAL

I’d Believed. So Why I’dDid Nothing Asked. Happen? My concept of God as a vending machine had exploded in my face.

BY DON KEELE, JR.

F YOU LET DAD

die, God, I’ll quit

the ministry,” I mut-

tered to myself as I Isped down Interstate 205 toward my

parents’ house in Portland,

Oregon.

To this point my life had

been one of pleasant memo-

ries, successful youth ministry,

and happy times with my fam-

ily. To be sure, we had our

moments, but now, suddenly, I

was faced with one of the BEFORE THE PAIN: The author (top right), his dad (top middle), and his family.

26 (1394) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 most difficult situations of my life. somehow I was still like the disciples name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise We had watched as a rather large in the garden. Somewhere along the up and be healed.” And so now I sped lump under dad’s right arm had line I had fallen asleep. down Interstate 205, wrestling with turned into an ugly, oozing, bleeding, Now doubt plagued me. Would my myself and with God. The struggle ulcerous tumor that was approximately sleeping preclude my miracle? Never raged. Inwardly I said, If I go and do this seven to nine inches across. The diag- mind that I had averaged only three to thing, and nothing happens, I’ll be really nosis: melanoma, the worst form of four hours of sleep per night for the embarrassed. How would that look for a skin cancer. The prognosis: three pastor? But if I don’t, that could be the to six months. very thing that saves him. We prayed. We wept. We I thought of Naaman’s servant encouraged others to pray with us. I left saying, “If he had asked you to do a Thousands from all across the big thing, wouldn’t you have done United States—even across the it?” I wrestled. I prayed. And then world—prayed that Dad would be the room the thought came, If you let Dad die, healed. I felt sure that healing God, I’ll quit the ministry. The tur- would happen. If it had to do with moil continued to rage for most of the amount of prayers or the sin- bewildered the trip down. As I turned into cerity of prayer, then Dad should Dad’s neighborhood, a peace over- have been healed. If it had to do and took me, and I was resolute that with faith and seeking the Lord, God wanted me to go in and pray then Dad should have been healed. and ask Him to raise Dad up. I was But he wasn’t. He died. embarrassed. confident that God would do that. I entered the room. No one was I Tried Everything with Dad at the time, so I told him A few Sundays before Dad died, Angry that I felt impressed that we should he could not stand up without two pray for his healing once again, only or three people helping him out of this time I felt that God was calling bed. I had spent the greater portion with God on us to demonstrate our faith in of the night praying. I really wanted Him by action. Dad said, “I think God to work a miracle. I had read you are right. I appreciate that about the stories in the Gospels of all the for asking you . . . always being a man of faith.” people whom Jesus healed. I had I prayed. Hard. And then I said, read the stories in Acts 5:15, 16 in “In the name of Jesus Christ, I say to which Peter was walking through me to you, get up and be healed.” Without crowds and people were clamoring hesitation, holding on to my hand, to put their sick in his shadow as he do that. dad swung his feet off the bed and passed, and they were healed. I had began to stand feebly. About halfway read stories (Acts 19:11, 12) of Paul up he gathered strength from some- walking through crowds of people where and straightened all the way who were passing their handkerchiefs previous three weeks as I sat by the up. We both stood there holding on to and aprons over to him so that he bedside of my dying father. Never each other for a magical moment, won- might touch them and send them mind that I was driving 40 minutes dering if indeed the healing was hap- back. And the passage declares that all one way to go home at least once dur- pening, and then he said, “Help me lie of them were healed. ing each 24-hour period to see my fam- back down. God may heal me in Then there were the proclamations ily, usually for only an hour or two. stages.” I helped him back into bed, of Jesus. “If you believe, you will This particular night I had decided and then he said, “Thanks for your receive whatever you ask for in prayer” that I would keep a prayer vigil and faith. Thanks for your love that would (Matt. 21:22, NIV). “Ask and it will pray all night. Yet I found myself wak- prompt you to pray for me. And don’t be given to you; seek and you will find; ing up on the floor of my study at 4:00 worry. God will heal me. Now or then.” knock and the door will be opened to a.m., loathing the weakness of my I left the room bewildered and you” (Matt. 7:7, NIV). “The Father humanity. “Lord, I believe!” I cried. embarrassed. Angry with God for will give you whatever you ask in my “Help my unbelief!” asking me to do that. Angry with name” (John 15:16, NIV). myself for possibly misreading His I had believed. I had asked. I didn’t Bewildered and Embarrassed cues. Angry because it felt as if doubt that God could do it. I had About 6:00 I felt an impression to the devil was just taunting me. prayed hard and long that night. Yet go to my dad and say to him, “In the Throwing my faith in my face as

ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1395) 27 totally preposterous. Was it a lack of response. So Love stretched out His faith? Was I acting on what I believed God wants arms and died. To show us He loved God wanted me to do? Why would us. To show us that though the devil God have me do something that He has made death a fearful thing, we wasn’t going to answer? to be loved need not fear it. To show us that He I don’t think Dad ever men- understands even the worst of what tioned it again, and I wondered if freely, happens to us, and yet has promised he was embarrassed by it. He didn’t us a better day. And because of that seem to be. The thing that got me no strings promise, I still have something to was that his trust was immediate. share in the ministry. Because of He was willing to try whatever that love, I’ll stay in the ministry means were available because he attached. until that day when all will be made loved us and he loved life so much. right. That day when we will see And he truly believed that God was why things didn’t work out here. going to heal him. So I don’t think he strings attached. And He risks being That day when we’ll experience joy was embarrassed, even though I was. misunderstood and spurned rather than instead of tears. That day when Dad performing to my tune. The love He will come to life again. ■ How I See It Now wants me to share with Him is not a After much thought, here is what I love based on manipulation or insecu- think the point must be. (Or at least rity. It is a love based on a deep abid- some thoughts that can be drawn from ing trust. And the question comes Don Keele, Jr., is the youth the whole experience.) back: Do I trust Him no matter what? pastor of the Meadow Glade First, I think that God may have If I trust Him only when things are Seventh-day Adventist been testing me to see if I would trust going my way, then I have a condi- Church in Battle Ground, Him no matter what. I had thought tional love. If I trust Him only when Washington. that if Dad died, I would leave the He responds to my magic words, then I ministry. What use would it be to have reduced Him to a vending serve a God who didn’t answer machine God—put in the right prayers? Why minister to the goodness amount, say the magic words, and out of a God who wasn’t so good? I think will pop your desired outcome. That’s God’s point was Hey, no matter what not a relationship. It’s manipulation. happens, I will still be in control, and you When I say to God “Do this and I don’t have to worry. I will take care of will love You” or “Don’t do this and I Subscriber Services your dad. And I will take care of you. So will not love You,” I am basing my do you believe Me or not? relationship on my own immature ❏ Please send me one year, 40 issues, of the Adventist Review for US$38.97. Second, I would have regretted desire to manipulate Him to get what I ❏ Please renew my subscription. never trying it if I had kept silent and want. God has never worked that way. ❏ Please update my address. Enter new address at top of form. Copy previous address at bottom dad had died. I could truly say that I Not even when it would have saved of form or enclose old mailing label. had tried everything and could rest Jesus’ life. Herod wanted Jesus to per- ❏ Please send a gift subscription to the address knowing that God had another plan. If form a miracle in exchange for Jesus’ at the bottom of this form. I had never experienced that, I might freedom. Jesus didn’t comply, because My Name ______never have forgiven myself, and so I He wanted our love to spring from a Current Address ______think God gave me the urge to go genuine response to His own, not from City ______ahead and try what I’d read in the a selfish gain. State, Zip ______Bible. I think God wanted me to see Phone ______that the power does not lie in our A Deeper Trust magic words or performances, but in And so I am finding a deeper rela- Please enter previous address or gift address here. Him alone. I had figured that if those tionship with God, even though Dad (“magic”) words worked in the Bible, died. Even though healing didn’t occur Name ______they just might work now. And what if the way I wanted. Why? Because I Address ______they were the words to save my dad? can’t blame God for all of the misery. City ______But such was not the case. We chose it. We sinned, not God. But State, Zip ______God is not moved by our magic He commended His love toward us in Please enclose payment for orders. Mail to: Subscriber words. He is moved by our heart. He this, that “while we were yet sinners, Services, P.O. Box 1119, Hagerstown, MD 21741. isn’t interested in our notions. What Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Credit card orders: 1-800-765-6955. 663-01-0 He wants is to be loved freely. With no Love wants only a genuine

28 (1396) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE “Do You Want to CHRIS BLAKE Be Honest?”

student of mine was struggling with incredi- how long it would take them, working at a comparable rate ble pain; she had been sexually abused as a for 12 hours each day, seven days a week, to reach 1 billion. child, yet she still had to face the relative (A constant rate of three marks per second, or 129,600 who had abused her. Though her life was marks per day, would require 7,716 days—about 21 years.) unraveling and she recog- “So why is she still doing it?” I asked. Anized she needed help, she shunned coun- Dad shook his head sadly. “She told me seling. Or rather she made appointments it’s because she wants an A in this class.” with a counselor and never kept them. He held up a fistful of papers covered with Watching her slide lower and lower, I felt marks. “I’ve showed her the math, and powerless, because she would not honestly proved that she can never make it, but she REWS

C confront her problem and help herself. keeps tapping her days away.” One day as she was leaving class, I Confronted with the truth, many people ERRY T called her to the front and handed her a react fearfully and illogically. One defini- note with the simple message “John 5:6.” tion of a fanatic is someone who, once the The scene portrayed in this verse error of their ways has been clearly demon- involves Jesus and a man who had been strated, redoubles their efforts in the same LLUSTRATION BY I ill for 38 years. “When Jesus saw him and knew that he had direction. The bold successes of Alcoholics Anonymous and been lying there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want spinoff 12-step groups are predicated on honesty—with the to be healed?’” 1 participants themselves, with other people, and with “a The next class I sensed that she was different. After class higher power.” What changes the groups? Total honesty. she approached my desk and said with a glowing peace, The truth is elevating; the truth is humbling. The truth “You’ll never know how much that note meant to me.” is stratospheric; the truth is earthbound. Anything less than The key to healing for all of us is courageous honesty, an truth results in wrecked lives. attribute easier eulogized than lived out. We swim in an Unless our sincere quest is toward total honesty, we will ocean of lies. We roll onto shore, and a million grains give wander in forests of deceptions, shunning valuable help and way. Politicians, construction workers, bank clerks, and stay- endlessly tapping on meaningless papers. If twisting the at-home parents shamelessly pervert the truth.2 Television truth, even for a good cause, appears to be an acceptable comedies follow their stock formula: sticky predicament . . . option, our spiritual compass will be continually spinning. lie . . . big laugh. We don’t have to open our mouths to lie; a God laments, “They bend their tongue like a bow; falsehood mere arched eyebrow, a pause, a slight nod, can communi- and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed cate volumes of bad information. “The cruelest lies,” Robert from evil to evil, and they do not know me. . . . Heaping Louis Stevenson reflects, “are often told in silence.” oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit, they Truth is often painful to look in the face. I witnessed this refuse to know me, says the Lord.” 3 in my father’s U.S. history high school classroom when I vis- Jesus, heal us. Make us a people of unyielding integrity. ited one day and noticed a sophomore tapping her pencil on Help me, no matter what I face, to be honest. sheet after sheet of paper for the entire period. After class I asked Dad what she was doing. He told me that he had been 1 From the Revised Standard Version. 2 Some have been lying here for more than 38 years. attempting to impress upon students the immensity of the 3 Jer. 9:3-6, RSV. number 1 billion, because people tend to talk about billions of dollars in a fairly offhanded way. So he promised that Chris Blake teaches students at Union College in anyone who made a billion marks during the semester would Lincoln, Nebraska. Honest. receive an automatic A. He had asked the class to make marks as fast as they could for one minute, then count the total and calculate

ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 (1397) 29 REFLECTIONS God’s Team BY TOM KOHLS

y 16-year-old son is a four-seasons athlete. short for the pros, there is an alternative to the competitive, That means he will play anytime, anywhere, selective, or coercive approach to athletics and Christianity. any chance he gets, no matter what the It’s called “gifts-based ministry.” * weather. I am his number one fan and an The problem is not our lack of talent or skill, for Christ occasional partici- explained that “unto one he gave five Mpant in team sports. So when someone talents, to another two, and to an- presented the concept of the pastor as other one; to every man according to “coach” and the members as “players his several ability” (Matt. 25:15). on a team” to illustrate the teaching of Every person has at least one talent. “the priesthood of all believers” and The problem is the job descrip- “every member a minister,” I could tion. The lists of spiritual gifts such understand the metaphor. as those found in 1 Corinthians 12 The coaches (pastors) get their and Romans 12 may seem to exclude ISC scouts and recruiters (nominating com- a diversity of gifts (1 Cor. 12:4). D

mittee) together to find suitable play- These lists were not, however, HOTO

ers for their team. With a list of posi- meant to be exhaustive. Unlimited © P tions—such as pitcher, first base, out- or infinite describes the number of HOTO field (elder, deacon, Sabbath school gifts that can be given by the un- P teachers)—the committee looks for individual star players to limited and infinite Holy Spirit. fill the roster for the coming year. They cannot offer $1 mil- We treat Christianity as if it were a baseball team with lion contracts, signing bonuses, or other incentives to get a nine positions for nine players when the true model is more likely candidate under contract. The recruiters may have to like the Guinness Book of Records: not only are there great use more subtle psychological techniques, such as appealing to athletes in team sports, but there are also record holders in pride, guilt, or sympathy (“No one else will do it”), to get the jumping rope, feats of endurance, and even some things you players to join the team and commit to a year of service. never ever thought of. Likewise, in Hebrews 11 there is a As a youth I remember the agony of standing in the grass list of men and women who got their names in God’s book on the edge of the ball field, waiting for the coach or sand- of records by doing different—even strange—things by faith. lot captain to choose a team. The biggest kids and best hit- Since we have a gift or gifts, and the possibilities for ters were chosen first, while the rest of us waited in sus- using our gifts are unlimited, then why don’t we get into the pense. In one sense I dreaded the thought of being chosen. game? Some of us have been sitting on the bench for too What if they put me in a position, such as shortstop, where I long. It’s time to create opportunities for every gift to be would probably make an error? Worse yet, I could be chosen exercised and for every member to have a position on God’s last, or not make the cut at all. team. Let’s do what we are called and equipped to do, and When called by the nominating committee, I’ve had get our names in God’s book of records. ■ similar feelings. Either I was asked to serve in a position I didn’t think I could fill, or I felt as if I was “last pick” (they * For a more detailed treatment of gifts-based ministry, see Revolution: in the Church, by Russell Burrill, currently the director of must really have been desperate if they were asking me). At the North American Division Evangelism Institute, connected with other times I felt as if I wanted to play but was kept out of Andrews University. the game because I didn’t have a degree or the specialized skill to work for the Lord. Many of my years as a church Tom Kohls is a freelance writer living in Brunswick, member have been spent on the bench or in the bleachers. Maine. The good news is that the church is not a sports team; it is God’s team. Whether we have felt left out, or were the last pick (not quite good enough to be a starter) or a little

30 (1398) ADVENTIST REVIEW, OCTOBER 15, 1998 The Bible says, “Since we have been justified through faith, we have Justified peace with God” (Romans 5:1, NIV). When we are justified, we are at peace with God. Our lives are full. The ROSY TETZ future is lined up. It all comes out even. Like the lines of a paragraph with justified margins. ook at the words on this they needed. Peace meant being full, page. Now look at the left satisfied, happy. side of this column. All of the words line up except the first line of each para- Lgraph (it is indented so you can tell that it is a new paragraph). When lines of words are set evenly like this, we say they are “flush left.” Now look at this paragraph. Does it look a little different from the others? The words in this paragraph line up on the right side as well. The lines in this paragraph are flush left and flush right. When the words are spaced so that the lines come out even at both edges, we say that the margins are justified. With a computer it is easy to jus- tify your margins. All I have to do on my computer is highlight the text, then click on a certain square at the top of the screen. Instantly the words jump around and put in new spaces so that the lines are equal in length. With justified margins, when you look up and down the page, the words line up with the edges of the paper. When you look across the page from left to right, the words are spaced to make the lines come out even. The word “justify” is in the Bible, too. People become justified when they choose to follow Jesus and become a child of God. Satan says, “These people are sinners.” Jesus says, “I paid for their sins.” God says it comes out even. You aren’t justified by being good. You aren’t justified by obeying all the rules. You aren’t justified because of who you are. You are justified because of who God is. God loves you. He wants to be with you. In Bible times, when people talked about peace, they didn’t just mean a time of no war. Peace also meant a time when people had everything

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