JESUS IS COMING! 15-096 | 06-15 | © 2015 ADRA Intl
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ADVENTISTREVIEW.ORG GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSION BULLETIN 1 JULY 3, 2015 3 WELCOME TO SAN ANTONIO 8 THE SPIRIT OF ’63 12 SESSION AGENDA 27 GUIDE TO SAN ANTONIO 32 HISTORY’S GLORIOUS CLIMAX 38 PRESIDENT’S REPORT 49 OFFICIAL DELEGATES ARISE! SHINE! JESUS IS COMING! Visit ADRA at Booth C1353. Drop by our exhibit to PRAY to CHAT and to learn how you can SERVE Booth C1353 2015 ADRA Intl. © ADRA.org | 1.800.424.ADRA (2372) #servetheone 15-096 | 06-15 | 15-096 | 06-15 t is a delight to welcome you to the 60th session of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, in San IAntonio, Texas, United States. Much planning and prep- aration has gone into this session, and we are thankful to A Warm the many people who have made this important gathering a reality. Our theme, “Arise! Shine! Jesus Is Coming!” points to our hope and calling as Seventh-day Adventists. What a wonderful message to share with a world desperately in need Welcome of a Savior. Although our countries, cul- tures, and languages may differ, we are all part of the same family of Christ, with one mission. During this session, not only do we to All have the joy of worshipping together as a worldwide family, renewing past friendships, and build- ing new ones; we have the opportunity to focus clearly on accomplishing God’s mission for His church of proclaim- ing the three angels’ messages. This special work must involve everyone—women, men, children, youth. All are needed to reach the world for Christ through the Holy Spirit’s power. As you have been doing during the “100 Days of Prayer,” continue to pray earnestly for the outpouring of the latter rain of the Holy Spirit at this session. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide each word spoken and that Christian respect is extended to each other as we conduct the busi- ness of the church. I pray that every decision made during this session will further God’s plans and strengthen His church for the prophetic mission He has entrusted to us. As we see disaster, chaos, and uneasiness all around, the signs tell us we are indeed living in the very last days. It is my desire that each of us feel anew the assurance of God’s grace, the urgency of our task, and the power of His promises: “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: ‘For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry’ ” (Heb. 10:35-37).* Arise! Shine! Jesus Is Coming! *From the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Ted N. C. Wilson President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists GC SESSION BULLETIN: JULY 3, 2015 | ADVENTIST REVIEW 3 Welcome to the Southwestern Union t is my pleasure to welcome delegates and attendees of Ithe 60th session of the Gen- eral Conference of Seventh-day Adventists to San Antonio, Texas.Texas. SSana Antonio holds a special place in my heart. InIn 1960 my parents and I were baptized into the AdventistAdventist Church as a result of tent meetings by evan- gelist JoJoee Crews. Many UUnited States Army veterans will remember San AntAntonioo and the Laurel Heights Seventh-day AAdventistdventis Church, which became a home base for manymany seservicemenr stationed at Fort Sam Houston over thethe years.years TheThe S oSouthwestern Union Conference is honored to host this session. As we gather, let’s rediscover what unitesunites uuss as a church by focusing on the theme of this session:session: “Arise! Shine! Jesus is coming!” This is the hope ththata unites us: Jesus’ soon return! In ananticipationt of this session, the Southwestern UnionUnion anda its conferences have accepted the chal- lengelenge tot share the hope of Jesus’ coming with the peoplepeople of San Antonio. God’s infinite love has been shiningshinin through our members as they have addressedaddres needs and built relationships with local communitiescomm through medical outreach, evange- listiclistic campaigns, educational seminars, youth ral- lies,lies, food security programs, and many other activities.activ I llooko forward to hearing the many wonderful, inspirationalinsp reports of how God’s love is shining throughthro members in other parts of the world. InI addition to the planned program, please taketak some time to enjoy the cultural sights and sossoundsu of this historic city. I recommend visit- inginng the Alamo and River Walk. Take a boat cruisecru on the San Antonio River to learn even morem of the fascinating history of this beautiful city.cii AsA yyououo enjoy this city and its history, remember to prayppraay forfor itsi people, that they will come to know the LordLLordd throughthro the loving presence of the Adventist Church. Let’s also pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on this General Conference session. May God be glorified! Larry R. Moore President, Southwestern Union Conference 4 ADVENTIST REVIEW | GC SESSION BULLETIN: JULY 3, 2015 or over 40 years, Breath of Life has been help- ing individuals discover the wonderful truths Fof God’s Word and His matchless love for humanity resulting in over 20,000 persons being baptized, along with 14 churches being planted and organized! Brooks and Walter Pearson, Jr., and now Dr. Carlton P. Byrd, Breath of Life seeks to present the everlast- ing gospel of Jesus Christ to all people groups from a contemporary, urban perspective. To join us in sharing this wonderful message of Jesus Christ, we need your continued prayers and contact us in one of three ways: Telephone: 805.955.7676 Mail: P.O. Box 5960, Huntsville, AL 35814 International Television Broadcast Schedule 2:30 pm; Monday at 8:00 am; Fridays at 6:00 pm; Saturdays at 9:00 am and 12:00 noon 3ABN - Saturdays at 2:00 am, 6:00 am, and 8:00 pm *All times are Eastern Standard Time. For national and regional television broadcast Dr. Carlton P. Byrd 60th GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSION 2015 Speaker/Director JULY 2-11, 2015 | San Antonio, TX Visit Breath of Life at Booth #A149 IN THIS SECTION: » THE SPIRIT OF ‘63 » YOUR GUIDE TO THE GC SESSION AGENDA » NO FREE CAMEL RIDES AT GC SESSION DISCOVER The dining tent at the 38th General Conference session held in 1913 on the grounds of Washington Missionary College (now Washington Adventist University) in Takoma Park, Maryland. ELLEN G. WHITE ESTATE eventh-day Adventists have long looked to our pioneers for inspira- tion. As we prepare for the 60th Gen- Seral Conference session in San Antonio, there are lessons to learn and points of inspiration to take from the first, founding session 152 years ago, when Seventh-day Adventist leaders met in Battle Creek, Michigan, in May 1863. The Spirit of That expression, “Seventh-day Adventist leaders met,” sounds so simple. But just 32 months earlier it could not have been said. For it was only as recently as October 1, 1860, at an earlier meeting in Battle Creek, that believers had agreed “that we call our- selves Seventh-day Adventists.”1 Before then, the term Seventh-day Adventist had been used as often by enemies, as a term of abuse, as by the few members of the yet- ’63 unorganized movement that had emerged after the Great Disappointment of 1844. At that 1860 meeting it took four days of debate to reach a consensus that if God’s remnant people formally organized their local churches and adopted a common name for themselves, they would not be retreating into Babylon. But those few steps were as far as Adventists would go. The prospect of any organization above the local congregation was unacceptable. CONFERENCES AND GENERAL CONFERENCE Yet, remarkably, within two and a half years Seventh-day Adventists in Michigan, ELLEN G. WHITE ESTATE ELLEN G. Iowa, Vermont, Wisconsin, Illinois, Min- nesota, and New York had organized seven separate associations of churches into The First General Conference Session what they called conferences (two in Iowa, one covering Illinois and Wisconsin, and BY DAVID TRIM the others each covering one state; the two in Iowa later merged into one). But what was recognized by many Seventh-day Adventists was that, in effect, this meant there were six Seventh-day Adventist denominations—not one. So in March 1863 James White, the unofficial (but undisputed) leader of Seventh-day Advent- ists, published, in the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, the journal that bound the widely scattered believers together (usu- ally known then simply as the Review and Herald and today as the Adventist Review), a call for a “General Conference.” The term general conference had been 8 ADVENTIST REVIEW | GC SESSION BULLETIN: JULY 3, 2015 used by the Millerites in the early 1840s; that 20 leaders of the embryonic Seventh- they were pragmatic. Where they saw tal- indeed, Joseph Bates had been chair of day Adventist movement gathered in ent, they would use it to spread the third one such conference. In the 1850s the Battle Creek. angel’s message. seventh-day Sabbathkeeping Adventists There were 18 delegates from five of the Having elected a chair and secretary, used the term for meetings that were six existing state conferences: Michigan, delegates and onlookers then joined in open to all adherents of the Sabbatarians’ New York, Illinois and Wisconsin, Min- singing hymn number 233, “Long Upon distinctive doctrines—that is, a confer- nesota, and Iowa. The Vermont Confer- the Mountains,” by Annie R.