Record for 1997

i April 19, 1997 REC R I I The Spirit of Kokoda's Angels-10 II Youth Challenged by Visiting Pastor A bout 100 students of Sydney Adventist College (SAC) indicated a desire to follow their Saviour, and 87 attended the organisation of baptismal classes during a Week of Spiritual Emphasis from March 10 to 14. The week was conducted by a speaker, Pastor Willie Oliver, from the United States. ) Pastor Oliver has ministered in 17 countries. A son of a Jamaican Adventist minister who worked in My Girlfriend: various Central American countries, Pastor Oliver was one of a select group chosen as Outstanding Young People of the United States in 1983. He has since followed a pastoral and academic career. An Avondale He spoke to the students each morning for half an hour, with each meeting supported by quality Experience—8 music items from students and staff at the college. His messages were made more dramatic by his ability to recall the names of almost every person he meets. "We've seen a most gratifying result to the Week of Spiritual Emphasis," reports the publicity and Signs promotions coordinator for SAC, Dr Dennis Steley. "Willie Oliver's program for the students will certainly be one of the highlights of 1997." Shareholders Pastor Oliver is pictured with Rebecca Stoyke, a Year 11 student who plans to join the baptismal Report-6 classes beginning at the college. Making Church Matter in that, as a nation, we possess an "undis- this seems like good news. Is it the key to eiigion ciplined spirituality." the hearts of our generation? oesn't That sounds like a legacy of the larrikin And the Heavens' Gate tragedy? rate highly as a attitude toward society and politics that Described variously as religious nuts and newsworthy sub- got so many of our ancestors a free ticket computer nerds in the media, it's difficult ject, but this to Sydney 200 years ago. to accept that mostly they were well-edu- Easter (as I In what he calls a "privatisation of cated, middle-aged, middle-class people. write) it did. First belief," Uniting Church minister and com- Apparently brainwashed by their came the suicide mentator David Millikan says Australians charismatic leader, who, with a dash of deaths of 39 members of the Heaven's have become cynical about Christian age-old gnosticism, persuaded them Gate cult and, second—something unusu- denominations. (Perhaps that's why the they'd be better off if they departed this al these days—people went to church. third largest group, in regard to religion in doomed world. So they packed their bags People don't usually go to church in the 1991 Census, ticked "no religion.") and abandoned this life of unfulfilled Australia anymore; not even members of He doesn't see Australians as irreli- dreams and hopes for the promise of a the various denominations. Melbourne's gious because, apparently, Aussies relationship with some balded comic- Sun-Herald (March 30) devoted a double- haven't given God away— just what they book-like alien. page spread to Easter and churchgoers' perceive to be out-of-touch churches that "We have no hesitation to leave this beliefs and attitudes. The feature dealt fail to reflect Him. Belief Australian-style place," said cult leader Marshall with why (or why not) people go to is an "informal, personal relationship with Applewhite in his closing address video- church. God," he says. It's a slap in the face, but taped before his departure for what he It quotes an Anglican and Uniting he went on to say that, in general, hoped was Hale-Bopp heaven. church survey conducted in Sydney. This Australians wouldn't "recognise them- Applewhite first began to preach his survey revealed that about three-quarters selves inside many churches." message in 1976. According to his sister, of their members don't attend church. The In their failed effort to confront this, he he took up with cults after a near-death- Anglican grouping was uniquely charac- suggests that churches have gone one of experience in the '70s. The spacecraft terised as having only "nominal adher- two ways. First, some have "retreated into (hidden behind the Hale-Bopp comet) idea ents." And the report highlights some of conservatism," that is, pulled up their he derived from the '50s American evan- the ambivalence and contradictory beliefs drawbridge, protecting themselves from gelist Miriam Keach. People believed him. held by those surveyed. For example, a the 20th century. Alternatively, they've How do these two pieces of Easter person might believe in heaven but not in gone charismatic, "which is a sort of rock news fit together? hell. and roll for the middle class." That Christ lived, died and rose again is It seems that Australians don't see a The continuing decline in church atten- something more people believe than we connection between belief and religious dance (now at about 28 per cent of nomi- might think. And those believers share a practice, specifically, going to church. It nated believers) suggests that neither of willingness to accept the story, but aren't almost sounds contradictory, but the these approaches has worked to attract nearly so willing to associate with the report claimed that, despite what we people back to church so they can hear the people who tell the story. might think, Australians in general are in good news of their salvation. The Heaven's Gate tragedy tells us that fact, a religious lot. Because they don't go Evangelism has been difficult in recent there are people out there searching; they to church we're inclined to assume they years. But, given Millikan's insight, it are ready to listen to and accept anything aren't. may not be as difficult as we've assumed. that will give them hope. It's imperative Sun-Herald reporter Terry Smyth, the You see, in addition to these negatives, for their salvation that we persuade them feature's writer, says the Australian Millikan has also observed "an openness of the truth of the Bible before Satan con- approach to religion is "unique." Unique to spirituality" in the population. To me, vinces them of a lie. Lee Dunstan Manuscripts Should be sent to The Editor. Official Paper Record, Signs Publishing Company, Seventh-day Adventist Church Warburton, Victoria 3799. Manuscripts or Next Week: South Pacific Division computer disks will only be returned if accom- panied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Editor Bruce Manners Phone: (03) 5966 9111. Fax: (03) 5966 9019. Assistant Editor Lee Dunstan E-mail: CompuServe 74617,726; Internet The rise in the worship of Editorial Assistant Brenton Stacey [email protected]. Copy Editor Graeme Brown Subscriptions South Pacific Division, Editorial Secretary Lexie Deed $A39.00 $NZ44.85. All other regions, Mary, and Marian apparitions. Senior Consulting Editor Laurie Evans $A77.00 $NZ88.55. Air mail rates on applica- tion. Order from Signs Publishing Company, Warburton, Victoria 3799, Australia. Printed Cover Photo: D Steley weekly by Signs Publishing Company. A.C.N. 000 003 930 Vol 102 No 15 2 PAGE 3 Overflowing Love by Jane Sutton books—to read once he retired. ted it was selfish of her to complain he peace of another Sabbath faded Ironically, now that the time had about her marigolds and petunias. The Tas our baby grew sicker with every come, his eyesight was failing him due roses grew tall and beautiful and would feeding. Early Sunday morning, he was to glaucoma and cataracts. One day he give lasting pleasure. no better. Because we already had a took me aside. "Learn from my mis- Nina was special. child who was allergic to milk, I asked takes," he confided. "Do what you want my husband to go to a nearby farm and to do now." So it was that I, not wanting to leave buy some goat's milk. Despite his problems, Arthur liked a my sick baby, asked my reluctant hus- "Money, please," he responded. chuckle. I liked that. His eyes would band to borrow the two dollars for some I searched the house, but found none. twinkle. I wish I had delved deeper into goat's milk. We'd paid our tithe and offerings; his thoughts. Just two dollars; I would repay it there was food in the cupboards—I'd Nina was the youngest and the most Monday. used our "emergency money" to do that. active of the sisters. Every day Nina Vera answered his knock and heard Now there was literally no money in the request. She disappeared inside the house. then came back to the door with $50. Unbelievable! "You might need some medicine But no problem. Our dearest as well." friends—neighbours—would help, I He went and fetched the milk, but was sure. They were retired sheep on his return was confronted by Jim, farmers who'd come to live in town his eyes rimmed red, who called out to be closer to shopping and medical over the fence, "Here. Take this, you facilities. might need a specialist," as he There were three sisters, two who pressed another $250 into my had husbands, and one who was sin- amazed husband's hand. gle. "They must really love our baby," Molly, the oldest sister, was tiny he commented, as he prepared the and frail. She had Alzheimer's dis- milk. ease, so the screen door was kept Five minutes had hardly passed locked. when there was an impatient knock- Molly loved the roses in the gar- ing at the door. Nina entered. In her den. Sometimes her plaintive calls to outstretched hand she held another me to open the door tore at my heart.

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