Fl Publication of the Southwestern Onion Conference of Seventh Day
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fl Publication of the Southwestern onion Conference of Seventh day Adventists contents Heaven's great I Advertising 29 will encompass every nation, kindred, tongue CO11111011 and people. Don't miss it! Announcements 28 magine what the early pioneers of the From 200 members in 1850 this Seventh-day Adventist church are going to Adventist group grew to 2000 in 1852. By say when they meet around God's throne 1863 there were 3,500 members and 30 min- Arkansas-Louisiana I with the millions from every kindred, isters, but problems were beginning to sur- Conference News 10 tongue and people who have come to wor- face. The founders who had been rigidly ship Him. What a surprise it will be for opposed to an organizational structure them to see how their group, so small to above the local church level, began to experi- Editorial 3 begin with, has grown to encompass the ence difficulties in keeping such a large whole world. group together without an official structure. It all began on "Black Wednesday," It was then that Ellen White, who had Feature 4 October 23, 1844, which was to have been grown up a Methodist and was familiar with the first day in heaven. This was the day its structure, pointed out how God was a 26 after William Miller's followers had waited god of order and that His church on earth General News with fellow believers in their home churches, should also be orderly. As a result, the lead- in private homes or waiting on Ascension ers called a general conference session in Medical 28 Rock on Miller's farm in Low Hampton, 1860 at which time the name Seventh-day NY., for Jesus to come. The deep disappoint- Adventist was adopted. This enabled the ment, confusion and discouragement that church body to function in an official capaci- Obituaries 31 resulted when He did not appear left believ- ty, to hold properties in its name and issue ers floundering. official credentials to its ministers. By 1862, Now, lacking purpose and mission, eight conferences had been organized. Oklahoma many of the 200,000 Millerites either It was not easy to sort through the dif- Conference News 12 returned to their original churches, joined fering opinions and interpretations believers fanatical groups or gave up religion all had, but with much prayer and God's guid- together. Each of the 25 branches of ance they kept studying until they were satis- Southwest Region Millerite Adventism which developed after fied they had settled on church policies Conference News 14 the disappointment had its own scriptural based on the Biblical view of lifestyle, non- interpretations which made for further con- combatancy, education and evangelism fusion as some groups became fanatical and based on the three angels' messages. SWAU 25 others charismatic. However, most groups The interpretation of the first angel's disappeared in time, due to a lack of pur- message became a distinct part of the evan- pose. gelism thrust—to reach the whole world. As a Southwestern Union Of those who maintained a hope in result, the first foreign missionary, J. N. Conference News 8 Christ's return was a group led by Joshua V. Andrews, sailed for Switzerland in May, Himes, a prominent Bible student from the 1874. This began the foreign mission saga. First Christian Church of Boston. Under his It is interesting to note that two Sunset Calendar 31 leadership, this group organized itself into a recent studies of the Seventh-day Adventist distinct Adventist body in April, 1845 to denomination have highlighted the fact that avoid the fanaticism that was sweeping the a strong organizational structure designed Texas Millerite Adventists during that summer. with mission outreach has kept the church Conference News 17 A scriptural teaching which first sur- vibrant and growing. From the beginning faced in Scotland in 1841, that of keeping Seventh-day Adventist leaders were guided, the seventh day holy, was now finding its partly by men of vision, and by God's lead- Texico way into the Millerite ranks. Then, when ership, to construct a world-wide organiza- Rachel Oakes Preston, a Seventh-day Baptist, tional structure which has produced Conference News 22 shared her belief in the seventh day as unprecedented Sabbath with an Adventist congregation in growth in many the Washington, N.H. church, a number of countries. About the cover: believers began to obey the fourth com- Current mandment. church mem- Saular Variations is a musical group com- When Joseph Bates, a former sea cap- bership in the posed of Asians, mostly Filipinos from the Keene church, whose mission is to share the tain, who had become a serious Bible stu- Seventh-day good news of salvation through music. Their dent, read a 12-page booklet on the Sabbath Church has sur- music features the angklung, an Asian bam- question by T M. Preble, he joined with passed the 10- boo instrument. Each angklung has precise Ellen and James White, Joshua Himes and million mark. notes and when the instruments are played others to hammer out the beliefs which together, they produce a harmonious melody today are the pillars of the Seventh-day with a uniquely Oriental sound. Adventist Church. MAX A. TREVINO Vol. 98, No. 9. The Southwestern Union Record is a monthly publication of the Seventh-day Adventist churches of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas published at the headquarters office of the Southwestern Union Conference, Box 4000, 717 South Burleson Boulevard, Budeson, Texas 76097. Subscription price is $10. The Gospel to all natiolls...ffiversilv in the family of God n increasingly interesting phenome- Spring district, Pecos, Lubbock, and two years ago and continues to attract non to be found in the Seventh-day Alexandria, La. However, only two interested persons. Adventist churches of the South- Filipino churches are organized as sepa- A challenge facing the South- western Union is the growth of rate congregations. The Koreans have western Union is reaching the 6 million diverse cultures and ethnic minorities, three organized churches, two in Dallas Hispanics within its territory. However, it including Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, and and one in Houston. A few Chinese, is encouraging to note that it is the Asians, although other smaller minority Japanese and others have joined other fastest growing ethnic minority in the groups are present as well. congregations. Union. Hispanic membership has grown Approximately 18,000 Black church In an effort to nurture their faith from 7,000 in 1989 to 15,000 members in members have their membership in the and reach their fellow Asians, the 120 congregations in Arkansas, Louisiana, Southwest Region Conference. These are Filipinos and Koreans organize outreach Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. mainly African-Americans with a smatter- ministry programs, annual convocations Although a number of cultures exist ing of Blacks from several Africa coun- and spiritual retreats. among the Hispanics, there are two fac- tries and the Caribbean. Black church Native Americans are another tors which unite them: the Spanish lan- members are noted for their involvement group who are becoming receptive to the guage and Seventh-day Adventist teach- in community-oriented programs. They gospel. The educational outreach at ings. find fulfillment mentoring students, pro- Holbrook Indian School in Arizona, the Their spiritual-mindedness and viding sports pro- s close family and grams to keep le friendship ties seem youth off the Cana to contribute to streets, working ddie E their ready accep- with senior citizens to: tance of Adventist ho and the homeless to P teachings. provide food and Although public shelter, and serving evangelism is the in prison ministries. mode used in most A new devel- cultures, among opment among our the Hispanics evan- Black believers is gelism is done the organization of mostly on a one-to- two African church- one basis. This has es, the All Nations given a healthy and Church in stable growth. Arlington, Tex., and Two lay evan- the First African gelism seminars Church of Houston. sponsored by the Four hundred Hispanics attended the lay evangelism seminar in May, 1999, to learn the art A 1990 census of personal and public evangelism. Of that group, 250 signed up to hold their own cam- Southwestern showed that 420,775 paigns in the future. Union Hispanic Asians live in the ministries, one held Southwest, with 319,459 of them in vacation Bible schools Mary Martinez last May and another just ended, have Texas. These Asian or Pacific Islanders, holds on Indian reservations, the recently prepared a large group of soul-winners to made up of Chinese, Filipinos, Japanese, held Native American youth congress at do evangelism in their neighborhoods. Asian Indians, Korean, Vietnamese, Wewoka Woods, and the evangelistic The diversity of these eth- Cambodians, Hmong, Laotians and efforts held in Santa Fe and Albuquerque nic groups has Thais, vary in culture, religion and family have touched the lives of several Natives. enriched the cul- values but do have some things in com- It is anticipated that the evangelistic cam- ture of the mon. Their common characteristics are paign to be held in Gallup, NM., in churches in the hospitality, strong loyalty and family ties, October will reach more Native Southwest and and high regard for religion, work and Americans with the gospel. A mixed cul- is an ever-pre- education. Although the Vietnamese and tural group is already meeting each sent witness to Chinese outnumber the other Asians in Sabbath in a hogan erected as a worship the power of the Southwest, the Filipinos have been place. the gospel to most receptive to Adventist teachings. A Brazilian church, with a member- reach all nations.