January 21, 1999

Cutting Edge

TheThe WholeWhole UniverseUniverse DancingDancing Nathan Brown, winner of the AnchorPoints essay contest, sent the winning entry on Creation LETTERS

Remembering the Sixties vigilance. Adams’ appeal for that vigi- the same amnesty as offered those Roy Adams’ remembrance of the six- lance now is right on. I share his “brave” souls who fled to Canada? ties is good in its dream that “the present generation of balance (“I Adventists would be . . . totally and —John W. Neumann Remember the unashamedly committed to the mes- AUBURN, WASHINGTON Sixties,” Nov. 19 sage and mission of Jesus Christ.” Cutting Edge Edition). It was a —Steven P. Vitrano We knew then, know even better time of protest AUBURN, CALIFORNIA now, that Communism is a terrible against social and political/economic system, so defend- political ills but also a time when per- ing South Vietnam was a noble cause, sonal morality, in many respects, went Yes, I remember the sixties. My friends as noble as the defense of South out the window, from which there liked pizza, the music of the Beach Korea. But unlike Korea, Vietnam seems no sign of recovery. Boys and Elvis Presley, and that girl on resulted in America’s first defeat in My problem is with his view of the Dobie Gillis. They knew how to work war. Why? Because leaders lacked the forties. While Christians in Germany and sweat and serve God and country. will to win. Why? Because a genera- did forsake their principles in allowing To read that draft-card burning was tion of cowardly, unpatriotic, spoiled, the Nazis to come to power, perhaps one of the shining moments of the six- irresponsible Spock brats didn’t want one had to live through those years to ties really bugs me. My heroes were to risk their lives and were allowed to appreciate fully the resistance provided not Dr. Benjamin Spock, Jane Fonda, defy their parents and all authority. by people in Europe and America, and and draft dodgers fleeing to Canada. Why anyone would have given 20 the horror felt because of the torture years of his or her life for the privilege and death of the people who did resist. —Tom Emde of living in the sixties mess is beyond Although there was some hesitation APOPKA, FLORIDA me. Except for the civil-rights move- on the part of the United States to ment, the sixties should be regretted, declare war (for understandable rea- not celebrated. sons), the challenge of the Nazi war Adams criticizes the church for not machine was eventually met with total standing up to Hitler and his godless- —Hector Hammerly commitment. To say “God forbid that ness while holding up those who COQUITLAM, BRITISH COLUMBIA, we today should repeat the shameful refused to fight against Communism in CANADA silence, the scandalous cowardice, of Vietnam. I went to Vietnam with two the forties” is to overlook the hun- purposes in mind—looking after the dreds and thousands of lives sacrificed medical welfare of my assigned unit Gen Xers are criticized for not taking during that decade to cleanse the and doing my part to fight against a up some cause like the generation of world of the monstrous evil. form of government that was (and is) the sixties. Many Gen Xers come from What paved the way for the sixties causing hardship for my church. broken homes where their “Do your was the failure to take advantage of Granted, the time was turbulent, own thing” parents did their own the victory of the forties and allow the but please quit slapping Vietnam vets thing, and now they are left to pick up freedom gained to motivate us to higher in the face. It’s one thing to go through the pieces, so there isn’t much time standards of social and political life. a war and quite another to have to left to fight for the right to rebel. Being rich and increased with goods fight against constant criticism for hav- There isn’t anything left to rebel has the power to corrupt and destroy ing answered your country’s call, even against; our entire social structure has from within unless there is constant 30 years after the war. Why not offer us been dismantled in a greed-driven

2 (66) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 frenzy perpetuated by the “do your own Thanks for giving the young adults of thing” generation. our church an active voice. Anna The only thing left to do is to try to Wood’s six-point summary, “Holding follow our grandparents’ example and On to Your Faith in a Splitting stay together, to try to make a better Church,” was excellent. We would all life for our children. Then, possibly, in do well to follow it. COVER STORY a few generations they will be able to rebuild the moral structure of our —Althea Roderick 8 The Whole Universe Dancing country. What has taken place cannot PLEASANT HILL, CALIFORNIA The everyday benefits of living in a be undone in just one generation; it cosmos created by a lovingly will take many years of self-sacrifice to extravagant God. turn around, if ever. Reclaiming the Sabbath BY NATHAN BROWN Regarding Sarah E. Coleman’s —Brent Snyder “Reclaiming the Sabbath” (Nov. 19). ARTICLES LOMA LINDA, CALIFORNIA How much I have learned about the individuality of each walk to perfec- 14 He’s My Brother tion. Over the years our home saw a For anyone who’s ever prayed for a prodigal. Health Versus Faith? steady stream of students on leave from BY CHERYL L. GILBERTSON Ella Rydzewski is right on with her academy and college as our children analysis of what’s been happening in passed through the educational system. 22 Betting Their Lives Adventism regarding the oft-maligned I learned to appreciate fresh, growing Getting something for nothing: term health reform (“Health Versus relationships, to enjoy the searching myth or reality? Faith,” Nov. 19). It is a curious phe- that I saw, and to perhaps help guide BY JOHATHAN GALLAGHER nomenon that as secular culture has that searching in a small way. 26 Love Your Ex? become more concerned about diet and What I read in this article is exactly The unique challenges of life after health, many Adventists have become the same theme I have heard from divorce less so. I believe that Rydzewski’s diag- many lips and hearts in our home—and BY ANNE L. CHANDLER nosis identifies at least a major reason continue to hear from my friends in for such a departure. We need to hear their early 20s. It does not necessarily DEPARTMENTS more such candid acknowledgments mean that their relationship with Jesus 2 Letters regarding some of our faulty percep- is disintegrating or that we must fear for tions of what constitutes our citizen- their spirituality. It does mean that our 7 Give & Take ship in the kingdom. relationships are not static—that theirs 12 Cutting Edge Meditations are evolving from ours, just as ours 17 The X-Change —Jim Kaatz, PRESIDENT evolved from our parents. 18 World News & Perspectives SAN DIEGO ADVENTIST FORUM Some activities that the “younger generation” participate in during 28 Children’s Corner

Sabbath hours I quite frankly tell them IGITAL COMPOSITE

29 Leaving the Comfort Zone / D Inside a Splitting Church would not bring me closer to my Lord; ISC How I agree with the sentiments in other activities would find me bent 30 Book Mark D

Anna Wood’s “Inside a Splitting over, gasping for breath. But if the 31 Reflections HOTO

Church” (Nov. 19). The devil is very result of these activities is a closer rela- © P active in every aspect of life. The tionship to God for the participant, EDITORIALS church is not a safe haven, unfortu- then how can we fault them? We need nately. Having been in two church to look to Jesus, not declare our young 5 Fresh Voices—The First Wave wars, I know the devastation can be friends in danger of being eternally lost ACKGROUND PHOTO severe. No war is the same. The par- because they find their closeness to 6 Clearing Our Arteries / B ticipants are different, the outcomes Jesus in a different manner than we do. are different, but the master planner NEXT WEEK is the same—the devil. Nevertheless, —Jeanie H. Reed God is in charge and can use these ALBANY, OREGON Adventist Congregationalism situations powerfully. Wake-up call or death knell? By George Knight —Tabitha Abel-Cooper OVER PHOTO PROVIDED BY AUTHOR

VIA E-MAIL C

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (67) 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 © 1999, 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 (68) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 EDITORIAL Fresh Voices— ROY ADAMS The First Wave

hat if no one responds? all-time high, it was not easy handling the flood of manuscripts The thought did cross my mind a time or that rolled in in response to the call. Former Adventist Review two after we made the call last January in editorial secretary Beverly Koester labored many hours cata- our “Fresh Voices” contest.1 But only a time loging, numbering, filing, duplicating, sending off acknowledg- or two. Somehow I had the confidence ments, and blocking out author names to ensure anonymity dur- Wthere’d be a response. ing the evaluation process. And there was. A trickle at first— Suspecting we’d be overwhelmed if perhaps one or two a week. Then one a we attempted to do the job ourselves, day. Then two, then three. Until the We want to present we secured the assistance of competent number had swelled to some 120. From judges outside our staff. For the first the Philippines, Panama, the United younger writers, round in this process—perhaps the States, Germany, Ghana, Peru, Russia, most difficult—we turned to Dr. David Canada, Kenya, Nigeria, Benin, and new perspectives. Newman, formerly editor of Ministry Australia. They wrote about the and now a pastor in the Potomac Creation, the Sabbath, Christian Conference. His job, a labor of love, behavior, church unity, the Trinity, spiritual gifts—altogether was to sift through more than 130 manuscripts 4 and, on the basis about 23 of our 27 fundamentals. of a set of given criteria, pick out the best. Those selected in this way (27 altogether) were then sent out How the Idea Started to three other judges for final evaluation. All three (Denise Dick It was the latter part of 1991. The editorial staff had dis- Herr, of Canadian University College [English], Gregory Allen, cussed the concept and were all agreed. Now we found our- of Oakwood College [Theology]; and Pastor Alex Bryan, of the selves staring at a blank flip board, wondering what to call the New Community Adventist Church in Atlanta) bent over back- vision we’d seen. Finally, after two brainstorming hours, a name ward to accommodate us in the midst of their own hectic sched- emerged: “AnchorPoints.” ules. In the end they brought to the top of the pile the six essays What were we after? “The great task of every community,” from which the final winners were chosen by the editors. said Elder Charles Bradford as I drove with him a few weeks ago Over the next few months we’ll be evaluating many of the down in Orlando, Florida, “is to nurture its own ‘culture.’” other entries and expect that some will be accepted for publica- Without articulating it quite that way back in 1991, that’s what tion. We express our thanks to all participants. we were about. In a world buffeted by every imaginable form of sophistry, is anything stable? In a society chronically infected by Our Dream relativism, is there certainty? In a culture awash in conflicting We’re delighted with the response from the younger mem- ideas, philosophies, opinions, questions, theories, and ideologies, bers of the family. We’re thrilled to the core that we can offer does our belief make sense? And does it make a difference? our readers fresh voices of Adventist faith. Our AnchorPoints. It was meant to focus on those things we con- dream is that the idea catches fire, and that the sider solid, unshifting. We sought writers for the new feature, response we’ve seen already is only the first and scores of them responded, taking us through our 27 funda- wave of a swelling tide. mental beliefs at least twice.2 The reception was positive—so much so that the Review and Herald moved to capture the first 1 See Adventist Review, Jan. 8, 1998, p. 5. articles of the series in a book.3 2 The first article in the series (“Jesus: Center of All Our Hopes,” by William Johnsson) was dated Twice the series lapsed. But each time the people missed it, March 5, 1992. and we brought it back. This time we do it with a twist—pre- 3 AnchorPoints: Adventists Tell Why They senting younger writers, new perspectives, fresh voices. And in Hold Fast to Our Fundamental Beliefs (Hagerstown, Md.: Review and Herald, 1993). this issue’s cover piece we have the first installment. 4 Some participants submitted more than With the volume of work in our editorial office already at an one essay.

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (69) 5 EDITORIAL Clearing Our Arteries ANDY NASH

was never much of a science student. way through the embarrassing excretory system, I lectured my I admired Louis Pasteur and George Washington fellow sixth graders on the important journey our blood takes. Carver, but my own ingenuity with dairy products and “So as you can see,” I concluded, “without the circulatory peanuts stopped with a homemade par- system, nothing else can really work right.” fait in our shake maker (some people From there my science career began to Icall it a blender). The periodic chart left me nosedive, ultimately hitting rock bottom on a feeling out of my element. “Science fair” was certain required bird-watching expedition the biggest oxymoron I could possibly think 6:00 one Sunday morning in academy: “See

of. You get the idea. that speck up there, students? Identify it.” REWS C Of all my years of science, just one went Yet to this day I can still draw useful lessons ERRY well. Sixth-grade science was taught by a from my science classes. Take, for example, the T dude named Mr. Kath, who sported whiskers circulatory system—that marvelous flow of blood and blue jeans, which seemed to disturb the throughout our bodies. In one sense, the heart is other teachers. Of the many projects assigned everything. In another, it isn’t. If the blood stayed LLUSTRATION BY that year, I actually found success in two. in the heart, the rest of the body would dry up. I The first project was self-propelled boats. Mr. Kath told us Over the years—and especially recently—I’ve heard a lot to construct something that would, by its own strength, travel of people insist that all we need is Jesus. And in one sense, the length of an eight-foot water tank. The year before, some- that’s true. Jesus is the heart, the center, the sustainer. Apart one’s older brother had done it using a piece of plastic, a bal- from Jesus, nothing else matters. Jesus is everything. loon, and a straw, and once the word spread, Woolworth’s was Yet in another sense, Jesus isn’t everything. Our Saviour experiencing a run on plastic, balloons, and straws. didn’t spend His ministry preaching “Me, Me, Me, Me, Me.” My dad, however, encouraged me to be more creative. He drew people to Himself, then taught them His truths. So “How about a chemical reaction?” he said. when I hear people blanket-mock our 27 fundamental beliefs, “What’s that?” I asked. I don’t follow their reasoning. One of those beliefs (No. 4) is Ten minutes later, armed with two empty film canisters, a Jesus. And the others simply stem from Him. flat piece of foam, and some baking soda, my dad and I Now, I’m the first to agree that our doctrinal code has some strutted up to the bathroom. There we popped holes in the problems: the preamble is all but ignored; the list as a whole canisters (jet engines), attached them below the foam (main lacks prioritizing and organizing; “Christian Behavior” (No. deck), poured in water and baking soda (fuel), set our boat 21) is mortifyingly weighted toward purity and away from love. in the tub (Lake Superior), and watched it spout and sputter These things need attention, Toronto delegates. 20 nautical inches. Not quite enough power. Still, a larger problem is the seeming downplaying of Back at the cabinet for more baking soda, I noticed a box every scripture short of John 3:16. Let’s not swing too far. of Alka-Seltzer tablets. “Hey, Dad,” I said. “Will this work?” Where would our nighttime thoughts be without “Yes,” he said, chuckling. “I imagine it will. Good the knowledge that life is no accident thinking, pal.” (“Creation,” No. 6), that suffering isn’t from The next Tuesday my classmates stood in awe as my God (“The Great Controversy,” No. 8), that twin-engine Alka-Seltzer boat jetted the length of the tank, unsaved relatives won’t burn forever (“Death then halfway back again. “Unbelievable,” said Mr. Kath. I and Resurrection,” No. 25)? These are the tried to take it in stride. arteries and the arterioles, and people The second project was the circulatory system. (Mr. Kath need them to bridge the experiential assigned us each a bodily system.) For some freak reason I was (the heart) with the practical (the able to remember that blood traveled from the heart to the capillaries). arteries to the arterioles to the capillaries to the venules to the Unclog our cynical systems, Lord. veins to the heart again. And after Michelle Hill blushed her Let Your blood flow freely.

6(70) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 ADVENTIST LIFE Several years ago, at the conclusion of an evangelistic series, I baptized Bob and Betty Alarcon. After the series, the next big event was camp meeting. I urged Bob and Betty to attend camp REWS meeting at Campion Academy in C

Loveland, Colorado, and with all the ERRY T excitement and first love of new con- verts, they loaded their van and headed to camp meeting after work on Friday,

arriving late at night. Since it was warm, LLUSTRATION BY GIVE& I they parked the van on the lawn and rolled out their sleeping bags, not knowing that they had parked beside the rail- road tracks and the old girls’ dorm, which was being demolished. At about 2:00 a.m. a freight train rumbled through, its horn blowing and its headlight sweeping the campus. All the noise awoke Bob, and in the brilliant light of the train he saw the silhouette of the half-demolished building and felt the ground shaking. Shouting out for joy, he thought for sure that the end-time events he had been studying were actually happening and that Jesus was coming. Buildings were falling, the earth was shaking, and the sun was shining at night. Bob is now an Adventist pastor, and we still laugh about that experience and TAKE long for the day when it really happens. —John R. Martin, Greeley, Colorado

LET’S PRAY When my son, Gary, was in the cradle roll/kindergarten division, one of their favorite songs was “I have the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” It so happened that one of the other children’s name was Joy. Have a prayer need? One day after we had come home from church, Gary said, “Mom, why do we Have a few free minutes? always sing about Joy and no one else?” —Marge Chernipeski, Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada Each Wednesday morning at 8:00 the Adventist Review A REASON TO SMILE staff meets to pray for WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT: More and people—children, parents, more Andrews University stu- friends, coworkers. Send dents and local church members your prayer requests and, if are participating in Benton Harbor possible, pray with us on Street Ministry. Wednesday mornings. Let’s Benton Harbor, Michigan, is a share in each other’s lives. low-income, high- crime area lo- cated 25 minutes WE NEED YOU from Andrews. The Adventist vol- Send Give & Take submissions to . . . unteers reach out Give & Take, Adventist Review, 12501 Old through Sabbath Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904; afternoon chil- Fax: 301-680-6638; E-mail: dren’s ministry, [email protected]. Please health ministry, include phone number. Submissions will not ROCK street ministry, and nursing home visitation, as well as midweek tutoring. Here Arnol be returned. Jimenez plays with a few of his young friends. Visit the Benton Harbor Street Ministry web- site at www. Andrews.edu/~bhm.

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (71) 7 COVER STORY The Whole Un

BY NATHAN BROWN Last January we launched an essay contest on the funda- mental doctrines of the Adventist Church, open to writers 35 years or younger (see editorial, p. 5). It was a call for “fresh voices,” and we are pleased to present below the winning essay. In the coming months we will feature the runners-up, as well as several other entries in the contest. Look for them under the category we call AnchorPoints.—Editors

HE ENGLISH science fiction writer

Douglas Adams tells of one of his

characters being confronted by the

most astounding music on board an

alien spacecraft. According to TAdams’ story, the music is produced by a supercom- puter able to convert the pulse and energy of all life on earth into a purely musical form. The music, somehow both amazingly complex and confoundingly simple, A reflection was, above all, incredibly joyous and beautiful. on the Creation Later the character described the music: “Such music . . . I’m not religious, but if I were I would say it was a glimpse into the mind of God. Perhaps it was and I ought to be religious. I have to keep reminding myself that they didn’t create the music, they only created the instrument that could read the score. And the score was life itself.” 1

8(72) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 iverse Dancing IGITAL COMPOSITE / D ISC D HOTO © P HOTOS P

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (73) 9 “In the Beginning, God Created However, God did not stop there in than one consistent note, which would . . .”2 His creation. In the world around us probably suffice for filling the formless C. S. Lewis once described the uni- we are able to experience an awesome void for most practical purposes, God verse as a grand dance, with our small variety of colors, shapes, smells, tex- created a symphony of intertwining planet the only fragment of the vast tures, and tastes. It is obvious that God variety, beauty, and joy. We have to swirling mass that is out of step. It is this wanted to create not merely a world keep reminding ourselves that we did huge, spinning outpour- not create this music— ing of life, beauty, and God did that. We did joy that God created. not even create the sens- The awesome scale of es by which we perceive this creative power is this beauty—God did the most obvious that. God created a demonstration of the world filled with joy for greatness of God. Lewis Creation us to enjoy. God created suggests that “God car- joy itself. ried in His hand a little God is Creator of all things, and has object like a nut, and revealed in Scripture the authentic account “And God Saw That It that was ‘all that is of His creative activity. In six days the Lord Was Good.” 6 made.’” 3 made “the heaven and the earth” and all The challenge we The magnitude of living things upon the earth, and rested on have in trying to dis- this creative work is the seventh day of that first week. Thus He cover the world as God dwarfed by the appar- established the Sabbath as a perpetual created it and the world ent ease with which memorial of His completed creative work. that God pronounced God brought “all that The first man and woman were made in the good is that we have was made” into being. image of God as the crowning work of only a damaged product “By the word of the Creation, given dominion over the world, to observe. To attempt Lord were the heavens and charged with responsibility to care for to discover what the made, their starry host it. When the world was finished it was “very world was like as it was by the breath of his good,” declaring the glory of God. (Gen. 1; created by looking at the mouth.” 4 For God, cre- 2; Ex. 20:8-11; Ps. 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104; world around us is simi- ating the largest solar Heb. 11:3.)—Fundamental Belief No. 6. lar to trying to deter- system to the most mine what a motorcar “bizarre” and beautiful looks like when the only creatures to the small- example available is an est grain of sand was as auto that was involved simple as breathing. in a serious road crash. However, merely to The world is twisted create this multiplicity and broken, and in some of beings and things was not enough. that worked but also a world that was respects looks nothing like the newly The still greater complexity lay in inherently beautiful and could be created original it once was. However, ordering the incredibly intricate web of enjoyed. Thus He gave us, as a part of we’re able to find some hints—both as interactions between all the compo- His creation, the ability to perceive to what the world once was and indeed nents of the created world. The sun the beauty around us. what the creation made new in eter- and moon are so ordered as to affect “And but for our body one whole nity will be. “All the beauty and joy the water masses on earth and to be realm of God’s glory—all that we we meet on earth represent ‘only the the life source for the microscopic receive through our senses—would go scent of a flower we have not found, creatures living in the oceans, their unpraised. For the beast can’t appreci- the echo of a tune we have not heard, distances being calibrated for optimum ate it and the angels are, I suppose, news from a country we have never effect and efficiency. Innumerable pure intelligences. They understand visited.’” 7 interactions across the world can be colour and taste better than our great- To appreciate the true joy of cre- similarly examined to discover the per- est scientists; but have they retinas or ation—a joy and pride that God fection of the balance of life, brought palates? I fancy the ‘beauties of nature’ Himself felt, the challenge is for us to into being by an omniscient Creator. are a secret God has shared with us somehow recapture the magic moment Amid all these delicate balances we alone.” 5 of Creation. Considering this chal- might consider the standard of the The music of life is beautiful because lenge in his book Disappointment With purely functional to be reasonable. it was created to be beautiful. Rather God, Philip Yancey tells the story of a

10 (74) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 famous English naturalist who fell and their position as the real living faithless living. But then we realize asleep while sheltering from a storm. victims of what are too easily dismissed that the God whom we were watching When the naturalist awoke, he found as mere numbers, their pure joy was is watching us, and that we too are that he was being watched by a small irrepressible. The overall game contin- wholly in His hands, and that we are fox, so young that it had not yet ued for a long time, but each round no less called and claimed by Him learned to be afraid of humans. The within the game was surprisingly short- than were the Bible characters.” 11 tiny animal picked up a bone, and lived before yet another wave of laugh- The relationship that God had instinctively the naturalist grabbed the ter would bubble up from inside of one originally with Adam and Eve is the other end of the bone, leading to a or both of these little girls. Their joy same as He wants to have with us. playful wrestle between the old man overcame their childish earnestness And the reason for the Son of God and the young fox. coming to this earth to die for our The naturalist suggested that sins was that this relationship can this game was “the gravest, most be restored. It is in that kind of meaningful act I shall ever accom- relationship that we will find our plish. It was, in reality, a child’s greatest joy. universe, a tiny and laughing uni- “At the heart of And it is possible to have some- verse.” 8 “Despite the awesome thing of that joy in our present emptiness,” Yancey concludes, lives: “Life in Christ . . . is a life of “despite the pain that haunts it, the universe is a joy; above all else, such joy is to something lingers, like the scent characterize the Christian commu- of old perfume. . . . At the heart of smile, a pulse of nity.” 12 However, this relationship the universe is a smile, a pulse of with God and our ultimate joy will joy passed down from the moment joy passed down be realized fully only when the of creation.” 9 world is completely re-created. If we look closely—or indeed, if Then the original joy, created by we look broadly—we can see this from the moment God in the beginning, will be ours pulse of joy still echoing around us. once more. ■ I was recently privileged to observe of creation.” two Aboriginal girls just playing 1 Douglas Adams, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency (London: Heinemann, between themselves. Compared to 1987), p. 240. other Australians, “by virtually 2 Gen. 1:1. every test on the range of usually 3 C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves (London: Fount, 1960), p. 116. accepted social indicators such as rates not to laugh, and brought one more 4 Ps. 33:6, NIV. of unemployment, rates of custody, echo of that universal pulse of joy, cre- 5 C. S. Lewis, Prayer: Letters to Malcolm rates of infant mortality, life expec- ated by God in the beginning. (London: Fount, 1964), p. 15. 6 Gen. 1:10, 12, 18, 21, and 25. tancy, household income, and other 7 C. S. Lewis, in Philip Yancey, indicators, Aboriginal . . . individuals In the Beginning God Created . . . Joy Disappointment With God (Grand Rapids: and communities are now, and have We’re able to see some of the joy Zondervan Pub. House, 1988), p. 298. 8 Loren Eiseley, in Yancey, p. 54. been in the past, at a serious disadvan- created by God in the world around us. 9 Ibid. tage.” 10 In addition to these social dis- But it’s as we attempt to see things 10 Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, advantages with which their lives are how they were originally that we can Going Forward: Social Justice for the First Australians: A Submission to the Commonwealth and, unfortunately, probably will con- get the best glimpse of the original joy. Government (Canberra: Australian Government tinue to be plagued, these children are We are told that Adam and Eve Pub. Service, 1995), p 26. very small for their age and are resi- enjoyed direct communion with God. 11 J. I. Packer, Truth and Power: The Place of Scripture in the Christian Life (Wheaton, Ill.: dents of an isolated community that In this they must have found their Harold Shaw Publishers, 1996), pp. 141, 142. offers little real prospect of any dra- greatest ecstasy as God shared the joy 12 Gordon D. Fee, Paul, the Spirit and the matic improvement in their lives and of the whole creation with them. It’s People of God (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1996), p. 117. the lives of their families. in this looking back that we are able to However, the play I witnessed discover the relationship that God between these two girls that day was wants to have with us. infectiously joyous. Their main game J. I. Packer puts it this way: was simply to stand with their faces “In Bible study we start as flies on Nathan Brown, a freelance journalist, is only a few centimeters apart, with the the wall, watching God deal with currently pursuing studies toward a degree object being not to laugh. In spite of people of the past, overhearing His in literature. When he wrote this piece, he all their external disadvantages, the words to them and theirs to Him, not- was also serving as a volunteer pastor in sad statistics collected about their race, ing the outcome of their faithful or Tennant Creek in the Australian Outback.

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (75) 11 cutting

edgemeditations th sABBA In this new feature, Adventists share what’s on their heart. God’s Signature We welcome your brief but deeply spiritual stories, insights, strug- The Lord loves to talk to me just after I’ve gone to bed. I gles, even drawings and photos. Send to Cutting Edge guess it’s because I stop talking long enough to listen. Meditations, Adventist Review, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, One night He showed me something I had to jump out of Silver Spring, MD 20904. As with Give & Take, we don’t pay bed and write down! We know that God put His signature for or return submissions to this feature.—Editors. on Creation when He created the Sabbath. But He also showed me that He did sign His name. Within the word Sabbath we find His name: Abba, In My Father’s House Father, God. At our church in Whittier, California, we have music —Myrna D. Sage, Newport, Washington groups that stay after church and practice. Many members stay and listen to the music and, as the afternoon wears on, lie down in the pews and sleep. Rooting Them On Lie down and sleep! Can you believe that? Lie down in The crowds, the cheers, the excitement. The atmosphere God’s house and sleep? Wow! was so electrifying, the energy could practically be felt Well, one day I decided to try it. It was about 2:00 p.m., through the television. and I was tired. So with my shoes hanging over the pew, I I’m not a sports couch potato, so it was a rare moment for slept while the music played. I slept for one hour, and it was me to be lying on my couch Tuesday, September 8, 1998, at the most beautiful sleep I have ever had. 9:18 p.m.—just in time to see St. Louis Cardinals slugger Imagine a God who invites you over to His home and lets Mark McGwire make history with his sixty-second home run you sleep—like any guest—on the sofa or in one of the beds. in a season. I am tired of having God portrayed as someone who zaps and As he circled the bases—grasping hands, waving to the ISC punishes His people for every sin they commit. If you don’t ecstatic fans—I could feel the excitement. I didn’t even D

watch out, kablama! You can’t love a God like that! know the man, but for a brief moment I entered into his joy HOTO

The God I worship lovingly invites me into His home. and was rooting him on. I was so thrilled that he had © P After all, I’m His child. achieved his goal and reached his dream. HOTOS —Ricardo Melendez, Lynwood, California And then a thought came to me. How I wish we could P

12 (76) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 have this same enthusiasm in the body of Christ. When was A Memorable Show the last time we cheered a person accepting Christ as their I have questioned whether or not skating was my calling Saviour? In the parable of the lost coin, Luke says that from the Lord. There have been times I’ve thought He was “there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over politely telling me to leave the sport. Other times I’ve felt one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10, NIV). When a person that this is what He wants me to do. comes to Christ, the angels have a party! And what do we People, including my friends, have wondered about my do when a person accepts Christ and is baptized right before chances of being an Olympic figure skater. They’ve been our eyes? We say amen, but not so loud that we might make especially concerned about the Sabbath; almost all competi- a spectacle of ourselves. tions take place on Saturdays. But I believed that God would I’ve had this dream of watching a baptism in which a make a way for me. “God,” I said, “I need help. I cannot do person comes up from the water and the congregation this on my own.” breaks into rounds of clapping and not-so-muffled amens. As I prepared for a recent competition in New Jersey, I The energy in the room would be electrifying! And along wrote the referees and asked if there was any way I could with the angels, we would celebrate as another sinner skate on another day. A week later they granted my request. rounds third and heads for home. I achieved third place in that event and was most over- —Bonita Shields, Takoma Park, Maryland whelmed that I actually got to compete. My coach said, “You got to skate? I cannot believe that they actually changed it for you. That is a first and a last.” Prison Clover Every time I think about it I laugh. I laugh because I I have a purple cross that a friend gave me. Usually I just know that my coach has no understanding of the power of put the cross in the window of each cell I am in. One night my God. He had never seen anything like this before, and I was moved to a new cell. This was a disciplinary move, but with the help of my Deliverer, a new light came into some- one that I felt was extremely unjustified. I placed my cross one’s life. It might have been the first time, but it definitely in the window and went to bed feeling angry at the system, won’t be the last. the individuals involved, and the world in general. —Jason Fedusenko, 16, Newark, Delaware I awoke in the morning feeling no better. I sat down at my table and was preparing to eat breakfast. I looked at the window and my cross. I noticed that outside my window My Windows of Heaven there was a small patch of purple clover. Nowhere else in When I was converted to the Seventh-day Adventist the two-acre field was there purple clover, only white clover. Church, much emphasis was given to Malachi 3:10: “Bring I thought, Thank You, Lord! I guess things aren’t so bad ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat after all. in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord —Mike Rose, Shelton, Washington of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Pharisees at McDonald’s? I thought that if I was faithful in my tithes and liberal in My 6-year-old son, Alex, and I were eating a late break- my offerings that He would pour out an abundance of money. fast at McDonald’s. While eating his pancakes, Alex must But it did not work out that way. My income has always been have realized that it was close to lunchtime. He asked, below the national average. I was slow to realize that “bless- “What if they had a rule where they took away your pan- ing” does not always mean money. cakes if it was french fry time, even if you weren’t done with Now I see that money is not always a blessing. It can be a your pancakes? That would be a Pharisee rule, wouldn’t it?” curse, as in the case of the rich young man in Matthew 19. If I laughed and agreed. God had prospered me, I might have become so self-suffi- I’ve often thought of that breakfast conversation. Like cient that I would have been hopelessly lost. As it is, I am 88 the hypothetical Pharisee rule at McDonald’s, are there years old, in good health, and still holding a job. All three of Pharisee rules in our lives that keep us from feasting with my children are firm Christians and active in the church. the Lord and enjoying blessings from His table? This is a greater blessing than any amount of money could We’re guaranteed that His blessings are better than ever be. breakfast at McDonald’s, and no one, Alex, can take that —James H. Wright, Jr., Spirit Lake, Idaho away from you. —Nancy Larsen, Bemidji, Minnesota

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (77) 13 STORY He’s My A lot of people have given up on him. But God hasn’t—and neither have I.

BY CHERYL L. GILBERTSON

HAVEN’T HEARD FROM MY BROTHER, TIM, past week in prayer and tears. A year and a half earlier she had since I got married. At the time he had bought fire- worked with the prison officials in Texas to ensure that Tim works in Tennessee on his way to our wedding in could be released from prison into her custody in another state, Ohio, and set them off in the church parking lot at the to give him a home, a family, hope. After being in prison for Iend of our reception. Most people had gone home by two years, Tim had believed the warden when he said they’d then, but I had stayed, not wanting to leave the family who never let him leave Texas. And after being released from prison had traveled so far to be there. I wanted to be where I could just before Christmas, Tim disappeared for three months. touch them a while longer. “How did he sound?” The fireworks were big, beautiful bursts of color and “Oh, you know,” she paused. “This time he sounds differ- sound, one after another, some overlapping. My sister’s sons ent. He thinks they’ll add more time.” The original sentence helped light the fuses, standing and watching the colorful had been three years. He’d been released on probation and explosions in awe and excitement. Seeing the joy on my face rearrested three times. as each light exploded in the sky, they giggled and laughed “Call me when you hear,” I responded. I’ve spoken to my as they rushed in to light another. They called from the sister many times since that day, but we’ve never spoken darkened distance at the end of the parking lot, “See, Aunt about Tim. I don’t ask; she doesn’t say. We both know that Cheryl!” “Aunt Cheryl, look!” when there’s news, we’ll talk. But in the meantime there are Then kisses, hugs, and goodbyes as they all loaded up into so many memories. the van. Headlights turned to taillights and then to black. My husband and I stood outside in the church parking lot, Memories Good and Bad still dressed in our wedding attire, now ready to leave. I remember a little boy dressed in a white shirt and baby- blue bibbed shorts standing with one hand on the back of Bitter Harvest the church pew, his other hand in the air, bouncing and One month later I received a phone call from my sister: shouting “Amen!” at the end of a church prayer, joy spread “Tim’s been arrested again.” No preamble; we’re masters at all over his face. getting right to the point. That’s what comes of having little I vividly recall that same little boy kneeling on a Friday time together. We’ve learned to edit well—not to waste night. After Mom had read us our Bible story, he sponta- words, emotions, time. neously prayed his first prayer: that Jesus would bring Daddy “When?” I asked. home safe, when we all knew that Daddy had gone out “He called me last week. He’s going to call me again when drinking with his buddies after work that afternoon. he gets transferred to Texas.” I knew my sister had spent the I remember the young boy who came home crying because

14 (78) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 Brother ISC D HOTO © P HOTO P

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (79) 15 he didn’t have anyone to invite to the stopped altogether. I awaken in the words can heal a fractured soul? How father/son banquet. It was the same boy night missing him. can I pour my Saviour’s love into the who took a taxi home by himself from I remember the man who came to deepest recesses of a heart so far away? the bus station the day my father sent visit during the week of my wedding. him home unannounced. Tim had He bought a Welsh corgi pup for our Can’t Let Go wanted to spend the summer living niece. She called her Lady Levi, in I remember Tim’s kind eyes and his with our father, but Daddy didn’t want memory of her uncle Tim’s dog, a radiant, encompassing smile when he Tim spending the summer with him. Welsh corgi named Levi, who, barking hugged me tightly as I stood in the I think of the boy who spent after- with excitement to see her, one day church parking lot; and the bright noons unsupervised in friends’ homes dashed across the street to greet her, laughter as he drove away, waving, after school so he wouldn’t have to be only to be struck by a school bus. into the night. alone at home. I remember him com- I remember a man that week who I awake in the night and my heart ing home in the early evening with red insisted on taking his mother out for hurts, my eyes are wet. I hear the com- eyes, slow speech, and a resigned spirit. dinner at the most expensive restau- forting words of friends, soothing There were arguments late at night voices in the darkness. “Don’t give after Mother had gone to work. up.” “Keep praying.” “God under- A few years later this young man lay Did I stands.” “God hears your prayers.” “It in a hospital bed with gravel ground takes time.” I know they’re right, and into the skin on the left side of his I’m reassured by their kind words. body from a motorcycle accident early say enough? And I know that for me it’s impossi- one Sunday morning. After an evening ble to give up—to stop praying, to stop of drinking and doing drugs, he had too much? hoping and longing for the one I’d love been driving without a helmet and had so dearly to return to the Master. It’s the turned a corner and skidded across a rant in town. Tim had already taken readiest plea of my prayers, the strongest paved road into a neighbor’s yard. After her to a beauty salon to get her hair cry of my heart, the deepest desire of my being sentenced to five weeks of rehab, cut, permed, and styled, a manicure, soul. The softest whisper envelops me as this anguished young man cried out and a makeover. He spent the after- I lie in my bed at night: “I will never hurtful words during our family coun- noon in the waiting area, surrounded leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). seling sessions. by the smell of beauty tonics. It’s the promise God gave me eight years I recall a hopeful young man showing I remember the conversations that ago when I returned to Him my own off his new truck to his sisters during contained bare challenges “not to talk wanderings. Christmas vacation. During the summer religion” to him, while he himself he took us for rides on his motorcycle, expounded on his own beliefs. We’d wish I could say that this story has a showing us off to his friends. talk about the Bible, but he’d steer happy ending. But in fact, Tim’s story I’ll never forget the phone call from clear of the idea of absolute truth, and Iis still being written. Only God knows my father the first time Tim was in jail. his soul would erupt when we talked his spiritual condition, and whether Tim There were angry words between us, our about “Christians.” He hasn’t any realizes it or not, God is doing all He can mother, and our stepmother, and understanding of the love and freedom to bring Tim back to Him. I only hope earnest words whispered to each other of the former, but remembers well the that the people who come into Tim’s life of the things my father had found in pain from the latter. Each discussion will be as loving and forgiving as God is. Tim’s room. left me with the keenest sense that he After all, he’s my brother, but he’s also There were many calls in the inter- wanted me to convince him that the one of God’s children. vening years from county jails and pris- conclusions he’d reached during his I think often of my little brother so ons. Letters, postcards, and money lifetime were wrong. Yet it wasn’t the far away, and I wonder how he is. In sent. Conversations about books we’ve painful memories that wrenched him, these eight years, and in all the years read, TV shows we’ve seen, updates on but the abandonment. He’d stretch a previous, I have seen God’s hand lead- childhood friends. Laughter lined the teasing smile over his words, as if to say ing me, holding me, lifting me up. edge of each word, but there was also a he doesn’t want my sympathy or pity. And in the darkness I know that He is desperate reaching out in each syllable. Unsure about what to say, I remained promising to do the same for my Tears came when the receiver rested silent on the issues he raised. I simply brother Tim, wherever he is. ■ safely in the cradle; then they left. returned his smile. I didn’t step up to the challenge inherent in his tone, in his Cheryl Gilbertson lives in Mixed Reviews words. Yet after each dialogue I won- Centerville, Ohio, where she It’s been eight years since Tim was dered if I’d wasted another opportunity works for a computer soft- first arrested. The phone calls at first to share how very much Jesus loves him. ware company. diminished in frequency, and now have Did I say enough? too much? What

16 (80) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 THE X-CHANGE Jesus Christ, MVP A. ALLAN and DEIRDRE MARTIN

s a professional who works with athletes, Curious, Dee asked me whom I had been talking with. I I’d like to know why sporting events on hedged a bit, then told her I had called the church to see Sabbath are considered a “sin”? If my job how the youth group was doing. I could see the pain in her requires working eyes, and I knew she had every right some Friday nights to to feel hurt. Although she did forgive Acare for athletes, how is this any me, it took a while to heal the hurt I different from nursing or doctoring had caused her. on Sabbath? To some the incident may sound Allan’s reply (with Dee’s per- rather insignificant. But on a weekend mission): I find your question quite when Dee and I were to have some intriguing, and I know that even for exclusive time to ourselves—a once- myself it’s hard to understand the in-a-lifetime experience—my phone Sabbath if I choose to look at it call demonstrated to her that my REWS

C from the “What’s forbidden?” angle. mind was hundreds of miles away. I’ve found it more beneficial for my And in some unintentional yet ERRY T understanding of the Sabbath to poignant ways my actions revealed look at it from a “What’s the rela- that she was less than the most impor- tionship?” angle. tant person in my life. The time we Let me share a story with you had set aside for just us I had made LLUSTRATION BY I that really opened my eyes to the seem secondary and unimportant. Sabbath from a relational point of view. That experience sensitized me to the sacredness of the When Dee and I got engaged, I was attending graduate Sabbath, a weekly honeymoon with God. The Sabbath school at Fuller Theological Seminary and was serving as was made for us, a time set aside to be holy and exclusive. the youth and young adult pastor for a large Adventist I can either cherish and honor that time or show with my church in Los Angeles. Dedicated to my young people, I had actions that my mind is a million miles away. My obser- great support from the church for this thriving ministry. vance of Sabbath is a reflection of my relationship with During my Christmas/New Year’s break from school, I trav- the Bridegroom. eled to the East Coast to be wed in Dee’s hometown. It was From the “What’s forbidden?” angle, you and I could pose a beautiful wedding, and afterward we flew to San Francisco all kinds of case-in-point examples that could show that car- for a brief honeymoon. From there we were to return to Los ing for athletes is similar if not identical to caring for patients; Angeles for my ministry and schooling. but they would still miss the point. I hope that looking at We were having a great time in San Francisco, enjoying Sabbath from the “What’s the relationship?” angle will make the romance of the city and relishing the time we had it obvious that Jesus Christ is the MVP in your life. exclusively to ourselves as wife and husband. After all, it was our honeymoon, a special getaway we had planned and Send your questions about young adult life, Christian lifestyle, and set aside just for ourselves. Generation X culture to: The X-CHANGE, Adventist Review, Coincidentally, my youth group had planned a Christmas 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600, or program that would take place while I was away. I had care- via e-mail to [email protected]. fully planned it out with the youth group, and my youth leaders had it all under control. But being an overly consci- Allan and Deirdre Martin are cofounders of entious youth pastor, I made a call from my honeymoon dre•am VISION ministries, dedicated to suite to see how things were going. I chatted with the young empowering young people in Christian people and youth leaders briefly, all of them assuring me lifestyle and leadership. things were going just fine. Satisfied, I hung up the phone.

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (81) 17 WORLD NEWS & PERSPECTIVES Primary Care at Kettering Medical Center

BY JAMES LONDIS, DIRECTOR OF ETHICS AND VALUES INTEGRATION AND PASTORAL SERVICE AT KETTERING MEDICAL CENTER

atients who open the doors at preventative approaches necessary for Kettering Medical Center’s the future. Such a vision has defined new Sycamore Primary Care Seventh-day Adventist health care Center do not sign in to see from its inception. Now that more of the doctor. They are issued a the dollars spent on health care Pbeeper and then invited to view videos reward prevention and wellness, the about their health-care needs or use Adventist vision of what needs to computers that link them to informa- happen for the community is becom- tion on the Internet that speaks to their ing the national vision as well. concerns. They have access to desks for Dr. Richard Schuster, internal their laptop computers so they can work medicine specialist and director of while they wait to see their physician. the Sycamore Primary Care Center, INNOVATIVE INSTITUTION: Kettering Medical They find a play area for sick children wants patients to learn about their Center’s new primary-care center provides revolu- separated from the play area for healthy health needs in ways that are helpful tionary services. children. They will not find any waiting and not dependent on large blocks of health-care dollars are flowing more areas; only activity areas in enticing, physicians’ time. rapidly to the outpatient setting as comfortable places that make the “We looked very carefully at what opposed to the hospital setting. Future Sycamore Primary Care Center feel things people are most troubled with in physicians can operate more efficiently in more like a bookstore than an office. going to see their doctor. We found that the office setting. many people are unhappy with a loss of “We wanted to create a learning control, and people hate to wait,” environment for patients and for Schuster said. Thus the Sycamore health-care professionals,” said Frank J. Primary Care Center gives people more Perez, chief executive officer and presi- control by providing opportunities to dent of Kettering Medical Center, “and learn more about their health instead of we’ve provided the technology needed simply waiting for their physician. for a high level of learning to take For example, the Sycamore Primary place. We believe that this is going to Care website (www.ketthealth/ be used as a national model.” sycamore_primary_care/) contains a page Through a joint project, city of that assesses overall health and provides Miamisburg computers located in the question-and-answer sessions. Links are Miamisburg Youth Center and the DOCTOR’S ORDERS: Richard Schuster, also available to other medical sources, Miamisburg Senior Centers are linked to M.D., wants the center to provide helpful, educational health care for patients. such as the Mayo Clinic library. the Sycamore Primary Care website. “We The facility is also a joint learning want people to be able to access us not The new 25,000-square-foot state-of- center for student health professionals only by walking in the front door but the-art medical facility opened June 1, through Kettering Medical Center, also from home computers or from our 1998, on the Sycamore Hospital cam- Wright State University School of area centers,” Schuster said. “We want to pus of Kettering Medical Center in Medicine (WSUSOM), and the Ohio reach people of all ages who will, as a Kettering, Ohio. Planned by teams of Northern University School of Pharmacy. side benefit, develop computer skills. people representing all kinds of care- It is a major teaching site for the WSU- “Sycamore Primary Care is the givers and users, Kettering’s center is an SOM Pediatrics and Medicine depart- beginning of our extension into the example of how medicine and health ments via the establishment of faculty community, meeting people where they care are shifting their focus from the and resident teaching practices. This is an live, and helping them to improve the curative approaches of the past to the important educational effort, because quality of life.”

18 (82) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 WORLD NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

“It is the Lord’s design that the poorest International Health Food people in every place shall be supplied Association Continues in Ministry with inexpensive, healthful foods. In many places industries for the manufac- ture of these foods are to be established” BY EUGENE GROSSER, INTERNATIONAL HEALTH FOOD ASSOCIATION DIRECTOR (Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 125).

t a conference in Durban, For more than 100 years the New Commitment South Africa, the Inter- Adventist Church has been engaged in In response to this counsel, IHFA Anational Health Food the manufacture and distribution of has committed itself, with the support Association (IHFA) invited 46 repre- healthful foods in support of its of member companies, to the establish- sentatives from church food industries emphasis on health of body, mind, and ment of a food-processing-based to join with church administrators to spirit. From modest beginnings in local humanitarian project in Tanzania, East discuss matters of mutual interest. communities this ministry has devel- Africa. Malnutrition and poverty pre- The conference gave attendees an oped into a highly competitive, suc- sent major social problems in this opportunity to review progress in cessful (more than $285 million country. Jose Luis Gomez, an experi- introducing a system of evaluation and turnover in 1992), 25-country industry enced food industry administrator from accreditation similar to that which is that produces approximately 160,000 Spain, will move to Arusha with his used for church educational and med- tons of product per year. family to develop this project. IHFA ical institutions. IHFA members gave Through the years the health food believes that working to satisfy people’s their enthusiastic support to this pro- industry has retained its focus on min- physical needs, a prominent feature of gram, which will accomplish the initial istry and on the counsels given through Jesus’ earthly ministry, will prove to be evaluation of all companies by the end Ellen White. One of her themes in par- equally effective today in reaching the of this quinquennium. ticular has shaped IHFA’s recent work: poor with the good news of salvation.

NEWSBREAK

Adventists Unharmed government ones. The oil refinery in Basra (the main After Air Attacks in Iraq city in southern Iraq) was destroyed. “Iraq used to sell oil from that refinery to cover many of its expenses. No one can predict how Iraq will fare fter air attacks on Iraq that began on December 16, after the bombardment is over. We are waiting for the Aleaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church report end of the strikes to see what the Adventist Develop- that members are unharmed and the church buildings ment and Relief Agency (ADRA) can do if it is permit- and offices in Baghdad are intact. ted by the Iraqi government to work in Iraq.” Basim Aziz, president of the Adventist Church in Iraq, —Adventist News Network. who is currently in Jordan, reports that he has been in regular contact with Adventists after the bombings. Thousands Join Adventist Church “Friday night was the worst of the three nights of as a Result of NET ’98 bombing,” says Aziz. “Missiles rained on Baghdad and other places in Iraq. Nine big targets in Baghdad alone An anticipated 30,000-40,000 will join the Seventh- were destroyed completely, among them a cotton fac- day Adventist Church as a result of the NeXt tory. Our church members started the Sabbath meeting Millennium outreach programs of NET ’98, according to in the church as usual, and all the members were latest church estimates. present for the services.” While reports are still coming in, and Bible studies are Local church leaders in Iraq report that water and continuing in many parts of the world, the best estimate electricity supplies have not been hit. However, the mili- is around the 30,000-40,000 figure, according to Brad tary action is expected to have a devastating effect on an Thorp, director of Adventist Global Communication already-damaged country. Network (AGCN). “Eight years of embargo have hurt the country’s “Nearly 8,000 baptisms and professions of faith will economy,” says one Iraqi church leader. “The bom- come from NET ’98 in North America, according to a bardment taking place will devastate the country com- survey of participating pastors completed during the last pletely. Four hospitals were hit, two private and two week of the satellite-linked evangelism initiative of the

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (83) 19 WORLD NEWS & PERSPECTIVES Editing God?

BY ALEX BRYAN, PASTOR, ATLANTA, GEORGIA

ecently a new version of an old story was released “In the Bible, Moses is rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter, but in theaters around the world. In The Prince of the filmmakers decided a close relationship between REgypt, DreamWorks SKG produced an animated Pharaoh’s son Rameses and an adopted brother Moses would rendition of the life of Moses. “We have 88 minutes to tell be more compelling than their interacting as uncle and 70 years in the life of Moses,” says Jeffrey Katzenberg, who nephew.” led the project. “We can never be a literal retelling of the Editing God? A startling concept! The trouble is Bible Bible. We’ve edited God, but we have not rewritten him” readers have to do it. Enjoying an Old Testament story (Time, Dec. 14). almost always prompts creative imagina- Editing God? A startling concept. But NEWS COMMENTARY tion. (Some of the best preacher are not without significant research. wildly creative in Bible storytelling). Katzenberg consulted dozens of Christian and Jewish reli- Systematic approaches to theology—such as our 27 funda- gious experts during production. (Many liberal and conserva- mentals—require an editor who decides what portions of tive scholars have given their thumbs-up to the film.) The Scripture belong in what topical categories. producers also spent time studying Genesis and Exodus and The key is editorial reverence. To consult wise Christians even flew to Egypt to get a better picture of the local culture. (as Katzenberg did). To study history (as Katzenberg did). To Cleric critics remain, of course. One rabbi argued that ask God for a spirit of understanding and humility. Spiritual “God has a great line” that was left out, and a fundamental- integrity and a vivid imagination can work together in ist minister didn’t like the drawings. Time also reports that: telling the greatest collection of stories in the world.

NEWSBREAK

Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America,” But since the amounts are less than $100,000, the university reports Kermit Netteburg, communication director for administration is now proclaiming the “debt-free” status. the region. The accomplishment was reported at the December 7 “The survey also revealed that attendance on the meeting of the University Senate. “Since we have come opening night (October 9) was more than 161,000, about from so far, it was felt that we could report the good news 36,000 of whom were not church members. The average to our board,” said Ed Wines, vice president for financial nightly attendance throughout the five-week series has administration. been about 80,000 people. About 25,000 of the average In 1984 Wines said the administration established nightly attendance were nonmembers.” plans for paying down the debt, which had stood as high The NeXt Millennium seminars with evangelist as $14 million in the mid-1980s. Debt mostly stemmed Dwight Nelson ran from October 9 to November 14. The from loans taken out to pay for capital improvements and live seminar program was uplinked from its host site at loans related to operating losses from university industries Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and like Apple Valley Market and the defunct College Wood then downlinked to 4,600 locations in many countries Products. During the worst of times, the university was worldwide. Other sites continue to run the series using paying upwards of $1 million a year in interest costs alone. taped programs.—Adventist News Network. At the behest of the board, the university began systematically paying off the debts. Assistance and par- Debt-free Status in Sight at Andrews University tial credit for the successful effort should go to the General Conference, Wines said, since church entities After more than 20 years of servicing significant debt, contributed significant amounts toward paying down Andrews University will achieve a “debt-free” status dur- the university’s debt. ing the 1998-1999 fiscal year. “We couldn’t have done it without their help,” Wines As recent as fiscal year 1994, university debt was more said. It’s planned that the “debt-free” status the univer- than $10 million. After the 1998 fiscal year, there will still sity has achieved won’t be short-lived, Wines said, since be a small amount of debt remaining on the Medical the administration has committed itself to not borrowing Building on U.S. 31 and on some equipment on campus. for capital projects. Current capital projects are being

20 (84) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 WORLD NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

News and World Perspectives For Your Good Health

Christian Radio, Television Programs Increase Accentuate the Positive More of America’s television and radio stations are carry- People have long been told about the power of positive ing Christian programs, National Religious Broadcasters thinking to improve health and well-being. Now research sug- reports. There are 51 more television stations featuring reli- gests it may be even more important to avoid negative think- gious programs this year. In 1997 there were 191. Now there ing. An Ohio State University study has found that avoiding are 242, according to data from the new 1999 Directory of pessimism may have more of an influence on well-being than Religious Media published by the NRB. embracing optimism in reducing anxiety and stress and Twenty-eight more radio stations are broadcasting religious improving health.—Health and Fitness News Service. programs, increasing from 1,588 in 1997 to 1,616 in 1998. “The increase in the interest in Christian broadcasting attests to the If You Can’t Say Something Nice . . . hunger of the American people for something better,” said NRB A common psychological phenomenon plays a role in president E. Brandt Gustavson. “We’re delighted that these sta- how people form impressions of others. Specifically, tions are meeting spiritual needs.” researchers have found that when someone attributes posi- The state with the largest growth in TV stations broadcasting tive or negative traits to another person, the listener will Christian programs is Texas, which now has 23. “In spite of often attribute those same traits to the speaker. For exam- reports to the contrary, Christian television is alive and grow- ple, politicians who allege corruption by their opponents ing,” said NRB chairman David Clark, president of FamilyNet may themselves be perceived as dishonest, critics who Television. “I see this interest in Christian programming praise artists may themselves be perceived as talented, and expanding as low-power stations are able to increase power and gossips who describe others’ infidelities may themselves be with the exciting prospect of digital cable carriage.” viewed as immoral.—American Psychological Association.

—“For Your Good Health” is compiled by Larry Becker, editor of Vibrant Life, the church’s health outreach journal. To subscribe, call 1-800-765-6955.

NEWSBREAK funded almost exclusively through fund-raising efforts. ✔ David Osborne, who pastors the Adventist church in Carmichael, Islamic Pathfinder Society Initiated in Cyprus California, was recently elected secretary of the North American Division The Adventist Church in the Middle East recently Ministerial Association. approved a new Pathfinder society in Jordan. The society The post has been vacant for more is aimed at Muslim children attending Adventist schools, than a year after William Scales retired. reports Raffy Manassian, communication director for the David Osborne While serving as ministerial secretary, East Mediterranean Field. Osborne will maintain his current pas- Operating on a one-year trial basis, the new society toral duties. Associate secretary Eradio will teach moral and ethical values without direct refer- Alonso will continue to work full-time ences to religion. “If the program proves successful, the in the division office. system would be used in Adventist schools throughout ✔ Mary Maxson, an administrative the Middle East,” Manassian says. “It will also mean that assistant for Adventist World Radio Pathfinder outreach could be used in other institutions.” based at the General Conference, was recently appointed director of News Notes Mary Maxson women’s ministries for the North American Division. ✔ The new Adventist Radio station in Quito, Ecuador, which was inaugurated on December 2, means What’s Upcoming that six South American countries now have access to programs from the Voice of Hope. The station began Jan. 23 Health Ministries Day actual broadcast early in January with totally Christian Jan. 30 Religious Liberty Day programing, says spokesperson Patricio Gonzalez. Other Feb. 6 Bible Evangelism emphasis countries with similar stations include Argentina, Feb. 13-20 Christian Home and Marriage Week Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Venezuela. Feb. 20 Youth Temperance Day

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (85) 21 C URRENT ISSUES

Betting Their Lives To increasing thousands, money is literally worth dying for.

BY JONATHAN GALLAGHER

N THE COLD OF AN ILLINOIS WINTER, A In May 1994 Catherine Avina, 49, a former deputy state housewife drops her children at school as she has many attorney in Minnesota, lay down to sleep and never woke times before. She then returns home and kills herself. up, leaving behind two empty bottles of antidepressants and Why? In a word, gambling. As her losses had mounted, a suicide note. she had tried to “win them back,” using all the money Why? Because Catherine played blackjack in a casino and Ishe had. By January 1995 she had gambled away their home, lost. She died leaving an accumulated debt of $7,000 and and in despair she took her own life. $600 in bounced checks. She was still making payments for Another tragic statistic in an increasing tide of life-or- gambling addiction therapy she had received a year earlier. death betting, with everyone the loser except the gambling Gambling: money to die for? As with other addictions, trade. why not a government advisory—“Warning: Gambling Can Seriously Damage Your Health”? The Cost in Lives In a 1995 survey of 184 gamblers, all members of In 1994 Americans gambled away a half trillion dollars in Gamblers Anonymous, researchers found “very high levels of their attempts to get rich quick. The cost in battered, bro- . . . suicidal behavior,” with 79 percent of the gamblers say- ken, destroyed lives is impossible to calculate. ing they wanted to die, 66 percent admitting they had But on the individual level it’s obvious. Press reports tell thought about suicide, 45 percent having made a plan to kill the tragic stories: themselves, and 16 percent having attempted suicide. On the night of April 13, 1991, John Lee, a 19-year-old col- The link between gambling and suicide is demonstrated lege student in St. Paul, Minnesota, returned to his apartment, conclusively by a recent study revealing that suicide rates in kicked down the door, took a shotgun, and shot himself. Las Vegas, Reno, and Atlantic City are four times higher Why? John had won big in gambling and then lost even than comparable cities where gambling is illegal. The study, bigger. His last words to his cousin who drove him home: “I published in the December 1997 issue of Suicide and Life- just wish I was dead. I’ve lost $30,000.” threatening Behavior, the official journal of the American In August 1994 Linda Raasch, 46, a state clerical worker, Association of Suicidology, also reveals that the Atlantic walked to her garage, started her car, rolled down the windows, City suicide rates climbed after gambling was legalized there.

ISC and just sat there and died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Researcher David Phillips, professor of sociology at the D Why? Because Linda liked to play video poker machines, University of California at San Diego, compared suicide sta-

HOTO and the coins just kept adding up. On her dining table she left tistics across the nation and discovered much higher suicide © P a foreclosure notice and several demands for unpaid bills. Her rates in cities with casinos compared to those without.

HOTO electricity was about to be turned off for nonpayment. A Harvard study reported by the New York Times showed P

22 (86) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 a major increase in compulsive gam- prone to substance abuse. They also of lost work time, crime (compulsive bling, with a 60 percent increase are more likely to suffer depression and gamblers often resort to embezzlement between 1994 and 1997, and estimated have eating disorders. and fraud to fund their habit), and that seven out of 100 North The disruption of families and society family disintegration, and you wonder Americans had gambling problems. as a result of gambling tragedies is why gambling is ever seen as a way of In Australia doctors are so alarmed immense. An estimated 12 people—usu- funding even the “best” of causes. at the impact gambling is having on ally family members, friends, and Yet many states and countries seem patients and their families that the employees—are adversely affected when not to see gambling as any kind of Australian Medical Association someone becomes addicted to gambling. problem, and many use it to fund a launched a series of seminars in wide variety of programs. State and September 1998 to train every doctor Economic Costs national lotteries for “good causes” in treating compulsive gamblers. The cost to society in purely eco- such as support of the arts and educa- One in five compulsive gamblers nomic terms is, quite simply, astronom- tion are increasingly common. Scratch attempts suicide. One in four is involved ical. According to statistics from the cards are played by the billions, often in a car accident on their way to gam- National Council on Problem for huge amounts of money. Many do ble, and half admit to speeding regularly. Gambling, compulsive gamblers cost not make the connection between Half of all compulsive gamblers admit to the state economy almost $514 million gambling problems and the “innocent” substance-abuse problems. annually in New Jersey alone. lottery ticket. Insurance-related fraud by gamblers But consider. Though purchasing a Damaged Families seeking to fund their habit is estimated single lottery ticket may not make you a But the destructiveness of gambling at $1.3 billion nationally, a cost passed compulsive gambler, the principle is the is not limited to those who gamble. on to all who use insurance. (The same. The habit can be induced in the Consider the families. Broken American Insurance Institute estimates same way as “social drinking” turns into promises, repeated lies, associated vio- that 40 percent of all white-collar alcoholism, or as “soft” drugs lead to lence and abuse. The National crime is committed by or for compul- hard-line addictions. Some researchers Council on Problem Gambling says sive gamblers.) The average debt of have identified problem gambling as the that those married to compulsive gam- gamblers beginning treatment pro- fastest-growing addiction. blers are three times more likely to grams is around $72,000 each. How commit suicide than the general popu- many are problem gamblers? The esti- Gambling and the Christian lation and also have a high incidence mates range from 1 to 4 percent of the So what is the Christian’s response? of stress-related illnesses. More than population—that’s plenty of problems To turn a blind eye and say that it one third say they have physically and billions of dollars of debt. The doesn’t really matter? Or even to admit abused their children. argument that gambling brings money that once in a while it’s OK to bet on The children, meanwhile, attempt into local economies simply does not a horse, put money in a slot machine, suicide twice as frequently as their add up. or buy a lottery ticket? peers, struggle more at school, and are Add to all that the unknown costs After all, the Bible never says “Thou shalt not gam- ble,” does it? But it does say “Love thy neighbour as thy- self.” ULSHIZER

H That’s the problem at the heart of gambling. ANIEL

/D The objective is to try

HOTO to win through others’ losing. One analyst AP P called gambling “theft by mutual consent.” The concept of Christian responsibility and care for the welfare of others is not part of gambling. Rather, gam- bling focuses on self, wishing to be the one who wins at the expense

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (87) 23 AWCETT F LENN /G HOTO AP P of all the others who lose. satisfy your needs at the expense of the points to a greater percentage of The Bible clearly teaches that the hungry and oppressed.” income spent by the poor on gambling assets we possess are to be used for good. The Bible says, “In everything, do to than by any other sector of society. In Money is not there to be gambled, for others what you would have them do to other words, those who can least afford the “thrill of the roll of the dice” or for you” (Matt. 7:12, NIV). Gambling says, it gamble most. self-advancement without honest labor. “Do others down.” Gambling’s “get rich quick” mentality As a result, “the Lord enters into Thrill-seeking concentrates on selfish motives and the judgment against the elders and leaders In describing the future, Ellen gratification of personal desires. This is of his people: ‘It is you who have White reveals the kind of empty not the selflessness that Christ taught, ruined my vineyard; the plunder from “thrill-seeking” that has become a placing the needs of others before your the poor is in your houses. What do keynote of today’s society. “There is own. In contrast, gambling places your you mean by crushing my people and coming rapidly and surely an almost selfishness above the necessities of oth- grinding the faces of the poor?’ universal guilt upon the inhabitants of ers. Where does the massive win on the declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty” the cities because of the steady increase lottery come from? From money that (Isa. 3:14, 15, NIV). of determined wickedness. We are liv- should have been spent on food, cloth- For gambling’s big winners (in real- ing in the midst of an ‘epidemic of ing, and rent—especially by those who ity, the gambling operators are the real crime’ at which thoughtful, God-fear- could truly not afford to lose any of their “winners”), “the plunder from the poor ing men everywhere stand aghast. The low income. Instead of trying to meet is in your houses.” All the evidence corruption that prevails is beyond the the needs of those less power of the human fortunate, the gambling pen to describe. Every industry actually takes day brings fresh revela- away from them the lit- tions of political strife, tle that they have. bribery, and fraud; every The Bible says, day brings its heartsick- “Love does no harm to ening record of violence its neighbor” (Rom. and lawlessness, of 13:10, NIV). indifference to human Gambling says, “Take suffering; of brutal, from your neighbor fiendish destruction of ENDON

whatever you can.” L human life. Every day C

The Bible says, M testifies to the increase “Spend yourselves on of insanity, murder, and ENNOX behalf of the hungry /L suicide.

and satisfy the needs of HOTO “The cities of today the oppressed” (Isa. are fast becoming like AP P 58:10, NIV). Sodom and Gomorrah. Gambling says, “Spend Holidays are numerous; on yourselves, and the whirl of excitement

24 (88) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 Losing the Battle? approved by voters in California, consolidating a trend that first began in Connecticut and New York and is now sweep- Pro-gambling forces notch wins in ing through tribal reservations in the Midwest and West. Missouri voters opted to allow expansion of riverboat gam- recent election. bling on both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, despite the vocal opposition of the state’s United Methodists. BY BILL KNOTT, ADVENTIST REVIEW ASSOCIATE EDITOR Only two U.S. states had legal gambling 20 years ago; today 48 states have approved it, frequently quelling public Last November’s U.S. elections sharpened the public outcry with pledges to use gaming income to support impor- debate about gambling and further illustrated how difficult it tant public policy concerns such as education. Thirty-eight will be for anti-gambling forces to make headway on this states and the District of Columbia currently run lotteries; important social issue. 23 states allow casinos. Pro-lottery candidates unseated anti-gambling gover- “Ten years from now, the issue of gaming won’t be an nors in Alabama and South Carolina, confounding pun- issue,” predicts J. Terrence Lanni, chair of the MGM Grand dits who have long noted the region’s conservative and a member of the Federal Gambling Commission. “I trend. Georgia’s pro-lottery governor retired with an 80 think it’s mainstream now.” 2 percent approval rating; his would-be successors, both For information about efforts to oppose Democrat and Republican, “almost fell over each legalized gambling, contact the other” 1 to pledge the continuation of the popular lot- National Coalition Against Legalized tery, whose proceeds now provide scholarships for tens Gambling at 1-800-664-2680. of thousands of Georgia college students. Illinois voters elected a gubernatorial candidate who favors 1 Time, Nov. 9, 1998, p. 58. continuation of the state’s controversial riverboat gambling 2 Frontline Interview, WGBH CHIAPPA law, by which floating casinos are allowed on inland rivers and Frontline (see http://www.pbs.org/ S

waterways. Only in Maryland did a publicly anti-gambling wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/ LIFF

gamble/procon/). /C candidate, Parris Glendening, win re-election as governor. Expansion of Native American gaming on tribal lands was HOTO AP P and pleasure attracts thousands from imagines there can be no harm in this; Just tell that to the families of John the sober duties of life. The exciting for similar games have been resorted to Lee and Linda Raasch and Catherine sports—theatergoing, horse racing, in order to obtain means for the benefit Avina and all the others who saw their gambling, liquor drinking and revel- of the church. Then why should he not only escape from the trap of gambling ing—stimulate every passion to activ- help himself in this way? He has a little as suicide. Tell that to all the others ity” (Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 89). means, which he ventures to invest, who live in a continuing nightmare of Gambling fits nicely into this apoca- thinking it may bring in quite a sum. compulsion and debt. Tell that to the lyptic scene. Like other activities men- “Whether he gains or loses, he is in children whose lives are stunted and tioned, it appeals to the “instant thrill” the downward road to ruin. But it was blighted by gambling. of the senses, the excitement of the the example of the church that led Warning—gambling kills. Now and possible (but exceedingly unlikely) win. him into the false path” (ibid.). eternally. Ellen White also rejects the forms of The Adventist Church has consis- “You have planted much, but have gambling sanctioned by some churches tently opposed gambling, primarily harvested little. You eat, but never as “a method invented by carnal minds because of the damage it causes to have enough. You drink, but never to secure means without sacrificing” individuals and society. Other reasons have your fill. You put on clothes, but (Review and Herald, Nov. 21, 1878). are important, but the tragic impact, are not warm. You earn wages, only to She goes on to portray the effects of the “downward road to ruin,” is surely put them in a purse with holes in it” such church-sanctioned gambling: “A the most important. Lives eaten up by (Haggai 1:6, NIV). ■ youth is surrounded by temptations. He this obsession, this addiction; lives enters the bowling alley, the gaming wasted; marriages broken; families saloon, to see the sport. He sees the destroyed. Jonathan Gallagher is direc- money taken by the one who wins. The promoters from the gambling tor for news and information This looks enticing. It seems an easier industry can say what they want. in the Communication way of obtaining money than by “People should have a choice . . .” Department of the General earnest work, which requires persever- “Gambling is just a form of entertain- Conference of Seventh-day ing energy and strict economy. He ment . . .” “Everyone can be a winner!” Adventists in Silver Spring, Maryland.

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (89) 25 LIFESTYLE

Why a little bag of peanuts meant so much. Love Y

26 (90) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 YourEx?

BY ANNE L. CHANDLER

FTER EXPERIENCING A saw some dried Turkish apricots. My son loved dried apri- cots, so I placed them in the shopping cart as a little treat to very painful divorce, I considered present to him on Thursday. As I was about to move on, a sack of shelled raw peanuts caught my eye. My ex-husband my options. There was no guaran- loved raw peanuts, and out of old habit I reached to buy a treat for him as well. I stopped. tee I would ever fall in love again. “Why should you buy him anything?” a little voice whis- pered in my mind. “Everything he promised you at the altar Consequently, I just might be mak- he gave to another woman.” Another voice responded, “Yes, but he called and offered Aing my own living from here on out. So, being a teacher and fig- this opportunity to visit your son. That was kind. He didn’t have to do that.” Back and forth my mind struggled, until uring I might as well make the best living possible for myself, I finally I snatched the peanuts and headed for the checkout. I was tired of agonizing over it. This was a nice thing to do, so headed for Andrews University to work on a terminal degree. I would just do it and be done with it. Thursday arrived, and I made the trip to the car dealer in After a year at Andrews, my son Ty returned to the South Ohio without too much difficulty. Since I was the first to to spend the summer with his father. I remained at Andrews arrive, I had a little time to look around. There was a bulletin for summer classes. Imagine my surprise when the phone rang board in the main entrance with lots of papers posted. One I one day and I answered to hear the voice of my ex. remember distinctly. It was a credit card receipt drawn on a “Hello, Anne? Ty and I are coming your way in a few bank in Hollywood, California. Burt Reynolds had bought a days. There is a place in Ohio that restores and sells old sports car and charged it—all $45,000. Interesting.

REWS Corvettes. I figure it would be about a three-hour drive for They arrived, and after hugs (for son) and polite greetings C you. We’ll be arriving there next Thursday about 10:00 a.m. (for ex) we began the serious business of scrutinizing each ERRY

T to look around, and if you’d like, you can meet us there and road-eating, gas-guzzling machine in turn. They were beauti- visit a few hours. I know you miss Ty, and I thought you’d ful, I had to admit, but in my opinion there were big draw- like the opportunity to see him.” backs to ownership. They were expensive, they drank gas, the I thanked him and told him I would take him up on the insurance was out of sight, and they held only two people and LLUSTRATION BY I offer. The next day while shopping at Apple Valley Market I very little luggage. I was just too practical to enjoy ownership

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (91) 27 of such a machine. It was just as well I peanuts to his dad. “Look, Dad, Mom couldn’t afford it. For the good brought you something too!” I kept hear- Lunchtime arrived, and we had seen ing it again and again. A realization was only the main showroom and one of my child, growing inside me. It was very important warehouse of sports cars. There was still to my child for me to be kind to his father. another warehouse to go. We walked This day, with my child’s beaming face across the street and ate at a Subway, kindness and haunting words ringing in my ears, I then went back again to hover over found a new incentive for being kind to each restored mechanical marvel. The was best. someone who had hurt me. Not just hood had to be opened on some models because it was the right thing to do. Not and the engines inspected. I had no and the peanuts for his father. I just because the Bible said so. But for the idea what I was looking at, but I can expected he would give the peanuts to good of my child, for his mental health say they were done in flat black and his dad while on the road back home, and happiness. Kindness was best. shiny silver, rather aesthetically appeal- but to my surprise he did something This tiny gift of peanuts had netted ing in a way. What is torque? Anyway, else. He rushed back to his dad, face me a valuable insight. As the fable about it was all beyond me, but I did enjoy beaming, and said, “Look, Dad, Mom the mouse who pulled a thorn from the being with my son. brought you something too!” After a lion’s paw teaches, no act of kindness, no The day ended all too soon, and it rather awkward moment between my matter how small, is ever wasted. ■ was time to leave. My son surprised me ex and me, we said our goodbyes and with a parting gift—a video he had went our separate ways. Anne L. Chandler is director made of himself visiting my parents On the way back to Andrews I had of teacher education and pro- and helping around their farm. I, in time to reflect on the happenings of the gram coordinator at Martin turn, called him over to my car and day. I was haunted by the beaming face Methodist College in Pulaski, presented him with the dried apricots of my son as he presented the humble Tennessee.

However, you can at least make sure that you are not a bossy person. Try to Keep Your be fair. Remember that you can’t have your way all the time. Ask Jesus to help you keep your balance. Balance We all need Jesus to bring balance into our lives. We need Jesus to bring us together. The Bible tells us that “in him all things hold together” ROSY TETZ (Colossians 1:17, NIV). Jesus can help us work together. Jesus can help you find your balance. e were out on the You never know what the other guy Is there balance in your home? Are playground the is going to choose. He never knows some people doing more than their other day, and a what you are going to choose. There is share of the work? Could you help couple kids wanted no sure thing. Dynamite is not one of make your bed, set the table, or take to play rock, paper, the choices. Dynamite destroys the out the garbage? Wscissors. It was fun. After a few rounds, balance of power. Is there balance in your classroom? one of the kids made a strange symbol Some people don’t like this idea of When you work on a group project, do with his hand—it looked like the rock balance, of sharing power. They want you do your fair share? When you symbol, but his thumb was sticking up. to win every time. They want to tell make a mistake, do you take your share I said, “What’s that?” And he said, everyone else what to do. They are of the responsibility? “It’s dynamite!” Then he bopped all bossy. The secret of balance is thinking our hands and ran off laughing. That You might know someone who is about others. “Do all these things; but was the end of that game. So silly! bossy. What can you do? You can tell most important, love each other. Love Rock, paper, scissors is a fun game them you don’t like to be bossed is what holds you all together in per- because it is totally balanced. Rock around. You can try to stay out of their fect unity” (Colossians 3:14, ICB). crushes scissors. Scissors cut paper. way. Unfortunately, when people bring With dynamite, no one wins. With Paper covers rock. None of them has dynamite into the game, you can’t love, everyone wins. all the power. always stop them.

28 (92) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 LEAVING THE COMFORT ZONE Let’s Talk About . . . CHRIS BLAKE

n Memoirs of a Lunatic, the great Russian author and father”? Would you not brim with tears each time you thought Christian convert Leo Tolstoy (who was also a spiritual of him? Could you shrug it off if someone spoke poorly of him, mentor of Mahatma Gandhi) recounts how tepid routine or would you speak up indignantly in his defense? Could you negates our wonder in encountering forget about him—ever? the passionate love of God. Perhaps we’ve been inoculated with just I“I well remember the second time mad- enough Jesus to become immune. In one of ness seized me. It was when Auntie was his remarkable tales from Lake Wobegon, telling us about Christ. She told her story Garrison Keillor describes an older relative and got up to leave the room. But we held who cried whenever he prayed publicly as her back. he got to the part about Jesus dying for us. “‘Tell us more about Jesus Christ!’ we said. “Everyone else seemed to have gotten over

REWS “‘I must go,’ she replied. it,” Keillor deadpans. C “‘No, tell us more, please,’ Mitinka I remember when I first encountered ERRY

T insisted, and she repeated all that she had Yeshua, the rabbi from Nazaret, small-town said before. She told us how they crucified carpenter, fearless denunciator of oppres- Him, how they beat and martyred Him, sion, healer of loathsome disease, friend of and how He went on praying and did not sinners. I couldn’t get enough of Him. Any LLUSTRATION BY I blame them. possible opening to bring Him into the “‘Auntie, why did they torture Him?’ conversation, I snatched it. About a year after my baptism, “‘They were wicked.’ when I was attending something called vespers, my friend “‘But wasn’t He God?’ Warren picked up his guitar and started singing a tune I’d never “‘Be still—it is 9:00; don’t you hear the clock striking? heard: “Let’s talk about Jesus, the King of kings is He . . .” I “‘Why did they beat Him? He had forgiven them. Then nearly wept for joy. That song was living bread to my hungry why did they hit Him? Did it hurt Him? Auntie, did it hurt?’ soul; it sopped up all the thickening soup of my life. “‘Be quiet, I say; I am going to the dining room to have About that time I came across the chapter “The Test of tea now.’ Discipleship” in Ellen White’s book Steps to Christ, detailing “‘But perhaps it never happened; perhaps He was not beaten the only way we can know if we are Christ’s, in which she by them.’ exclaims, “Who has the heart? With whom are our thoughts? “‘I am going!’ Of whom do we love to converse? Who has our warmest affec- “‘No, Auntie, don’t go . . .’ And again my madness took tions and our best energies? If we are Christ’s, our thoughts are possession of me; I sobbed and sobbed, and began knocking my with Him, and our sweetest thoughts are of Him” (p. 58). head against the wall.” These days I find it increasingly difficult to talk about Jesus. The picture of little Leo slamming his head against the wall There are so many “good” topics to take His place, even on has stuck with me. At times I have felt a similar urge when I’ve Sabbath. So many comfortable discussions. But so you know, if been exposed to responses and broadcasts of amazing graceless- you ever get to talking about Jesus when I’m around, you’ll have a ness. Like a small ringbearer at a wedding, we appear fidgety willing audience, a rapt listener, an eager conversational partner. and bored by all the hoopla: “Yes, I’ve heard about Jesus and all Just don’t flit past the subject. That tends to give me a that [yawn], so . . . what?” As we rush to our teatimes and tee headache, if you know what I mean. times, is God’s sacrifice that easy to leave behind? If it were your earthly father who had been betrayed by a Chris Blake talks about Jesus in every class he teaches traitor, beaten and bone-whipped senseless, tortured, tried and at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. found innocent, then spiked to a stake and left to die, and if he did it all to take your place so that you could live, do you think you would be saying glibly, “Yes, I’ve heard all that about my

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (93) 29 You could drive a pickup through his Each section of the book moves pro- pantleg.” My son too! gressively into more intimate territory. We used to rebel and wear long The last section deals with our hearts, hair—today they shave their heads. Is our innermost thoughts and attitudes. He the issue really the clothes or the hair? writes about the inner conflicts we have Mosley believes we need to define world- between our intellectual religion and liness by inner terms, not outer behav- what we practice and believe in our guts. ¥MARK¥ iors. Thus the book takes a fresh look at This is where righteousness by faith can our standards and defines the real issues. be overcome by gut-level guilt. We have It looks at our “monopoly” on truth and lived with this guilt so long, we ultimately how we need to get a good sense of bal- act as though we believe in it as a higher ance. Do non-Adventists have anything truth. The result is legalistic thought and Burned Out on Being to offer us? If you think no, think again. behavior. He points out that legalists can The third quarter of the book is be liberal or conservative—struggling Good: What to Do if devoted to “The Church: Us Versus with adultery or a favorite food. Your Religion Is Them.” The author encourages more His final word encourages us to put honesty in our communication with away our Martha behaviors, our worry- Wearing You Out others in the church; to be who we are, ing, our resentments and struggles, and not who we wish we were. This could just admire and appreciate the beauty Steven Mosley, make our fellowship more like an AA of our God. By looking at Him, we can Pacific Press meeting—a group of struggling people put the other stuff into perspective and Publishing with a common goal, encouraging one become more like Him. Association, Boise, another, even nudging one another Mosley has given us a worthwhile Idaho, 1998, 160 along our chosen paths. God doesn’t read that is guaranteed to give us a pages, US$8.99; ask us to be what we aren’t—why do we chuckle or two along the way. Can$12.99, paper- feel so obligated to pretend in church? back. Reviewed by Sally Dillon, a free- lance writer living in Timberville, Virginia.

t first glance I thought this book looked like one of those permissive why-are-we-worrying- about-all-these-stan- Adards books. As I took a closer look, I realized that the book is not an attack on church culture, but a call to look beyond our outward behavior to inner balance. By looking at underlying issues and bringing our hearts into a right relationship with Jesus, the outer stuff comes into balance. Sometimes it’s easier to focus on external behav- iors than to admit what we really think and believe at gut level. Steven Mosley entertains us while addressing some of the most painful personal spiritual issues that Adventists struggle with today. I felt as though he had written some of his chapters in my living room—about me and my family! For example: “Today, my son—on the way out the door with his skateboard— wears these incredibly baggy things.

30 (94) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 REFLECTIONS A Disciple’s Diary BY SAM MC KEE Discovered

f archaeologists ever uncover one of the disciples’ plaints against her “lazy” sister. diaries, I believe his rendition of the classic scene of Jesus lovingly sets her straight, reminding her how well Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42) would read some- He made do with feeding that pack of hungry listeners with thing like this: some bread and a couple overgrown I’ve been following Jesus for a minnows. Then He deals with the larger Iyear now. We’ve eaten with all kinds of problem: Martha is missing out on life. people in the strangest combinations: tax She’s eating the peels without tasting collectors and zealots, Pharisees and the fruit. She’s seeing the storm and drunkards, prostitutes and priests, and all missing the rainbow. She’s glancing at the normal God-fearing folks who are God and gazing at her problems. She’s drawn irresistibly to my Master. trying to please Jesus with quantity and But this place is different, peaceful. quality, never knowing He only desires OPELAND C This is a home Jesus loves. I’m sitting on her heart. He gently reminds Martha of the smooth floor of Martha’s immaculate a crucial truth: while she’s desperately HARLES

C dwelling. Not a speck of dust, not a hint of trying to polish her filthy rags (Isa. foul odor. Not with Martha around. She 64:6), Mary is at His feet asking Jesus for cooks the finest lamb in Galilee. She a change of clothes and a change of always gets the job done: church potlucks, heart. Certainly Jesus appreciates the LLUSTRATION BY I community service, youth programs. She’s fact that Martha has opened her home always doing something for God. Martha seems to be like the to Him. But Mary opened her heart. noonday sun—always burning intensely in the heat and rush I know I was meant to hear that conversation. Jesus of the day, trying to reach every part of the earth at once. might as well have been talking to me. When Jesus sent me But her sister, Mary, has a spirit that is more like the sun- out as part of the power 70 (Luke 10), I did it “Martha- rise—a glowing center of passion sending forth gentle beams style.” Sure, I opened my ministry to God—I asked Him to of adoration, touching selected portions of the earth with all come in and bless it and the people involved. I didn’t sit on the intimacy of a lover. While Martha zooms past me, Mary the dusty earth with those eyes that cry, “Let me know You comes over to ask how I’m feeling. I admire her so. more, Jesus, so that I can love You more!” Mary leaves me to greet Jesus. She flies into His arms and In the years that I’ve known Him, I’ve seen Jesus embraces Him like a little girl running to hug her big brother. approached by Roman soldiers, members of the Sanhedrin, Whenever she sees Him, the rest of the world fades away into millionaires, and scholars. They all seem to want something insignificance—they’re alone in the center of the universe, from Him: the Pharisees want blasphemy, the seekers want two friends from two different worlds. You can see it in her truth, the dying want life, and the sinners want grace. But all eyes—the hope, the promise, the dreams. And yet a year ago Mary wants is Him. Not for what He can do, but for who He Mary was as good as dead. All she saw was darkness until He is. She doesn’t question; she doesn’t accuse. She simply looks, came and gave her the sunrise. listens, and adores. And I’m left here on the floor, marveling Ever since then Mary’s been sitting at His feet. She’s at Mary and gazing at God in the reflection of her eyes. ■ apparently doing nothing, but it seems to mean everything to Jesus. Sure, Jesus smiles when He tastes Martha’s delicious entrées, but His soul is moved when that simple woman sits at His feet, listening to His words and loving Him. Mean- Sam McKee is editor of Giraffe News, an Advent- while, Martha’s eyes are firmly fixed on the tasks at hand. ist magazine for youth and young adult leaders pub- Will there be enough food for Jesus and all those ordinary lished by the Center for Youth Evangelism guys who follow Him? And why isn’t Mary helping—or at (Internet: [email protected]). least worrying? Martha turns to Jesus and voices her com-

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JANUARY 21, 1999 (95) 31