• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

fl Publication of the Southwestern union Conference of Seventh dau lidvenlists February 1999 Welcome to you, our new members! Learn more about how the Seventh-day Adventist Church operates and how members share their faith. contents Advertising 27 Announcements 30 Editorial 3 Feature 4 Welcome to the familv Arkansas-Louisiana Conference News 22 Welcome to you, one of the many new members who have joined the Adventist church in the past few months. General News 25 ou have joined, perhaps without true and that He wants each follower to realizing it, a worldwide move- emulate Him by serving others in humil- Obituaries 31 ment which began as a small body ity, upright living, modesty and earnest- of people, beginning in the early ness. V 1830s and `40s, who left their Christ did not come when the early Oklahoma mainline Sunday-keeping churches to Adventists had predicted, due to a misin- Conference News 21 worship on the seventh day, Saturday, as terpretation of scripture, but now with God had directed in the Ten Command- world events becoming more confusing ments. Another drawing factor was their every day, with the threat of wars, unsta- President's Page 2 study and interpretation of Bible ble economies, ethnic cleansing, deceit, prophecies, which, they believed, pre- and a prolification of wickedness, we are dicted the soon return of Jesus to take convinced that the conditions spelled Southwestern Adventist His followers to heaven. out in Matthew 24 and in the prophecies University News 24 By the 1860s this group had orga- of Daniel and Revelation are about to be nized into the Seventh-day Adventist fulfilled. Church, with the name spelling out the This is a thrilling time to be a Southwest Region two main beliefs. They had also defined Seventh-day Adventist. We do not have Conference News 13 their mission—Christ's commission to to be confused by world events, for we preach the gospel in all the world. know they are telling us that, although Now, 150 years later, and as a direct no man knows the day or the hour of Texas result of this commission, the church Christ's coming, signs show it is near. So, Conference News 15 has a worldwide membership of well whether you're a new believer or one over 10 million and it's still growing who has been on the way a long time, rapidly, although only about 9 percent of let's us all work together until the day of Texico its membership is in the United States, our redemption, which is near. the rest being in 200 countries overseas. Welcome, new member, to a church Conference News 19 To meet the needs of its many mem- whose teachings explain the bers, the church has a well organized The editors regret the factual error in the signs of the January issue on page two concerning the program of ministries, many modeled times. We're vision on the rooftop in Joppa. It was Peter's after Christ's ministry on earth, to feed living in an vision--not Paul's. the hungry, heal the sick, comfort the exciting lonely and dispossessed, and inspire peo- time in ple to follow Him. This means that in earth's most countries you will find Adventist history. About the cover hospitals, church operated schools, and Amarillo Olsen Park church pastor Norman community service centers. Zimmerman and Lola As Adventists, we are serious about Parscal rejoice in the what we believe, and we take the Bible knowledge that she is as our guide. We believe God's word is accepted into the family of God as Lola rises from the waters of baptism. MAX A. TREVINO Vol. 98, No. 2. The Southwestern Union Record is a monthly publication of the Seventh-day Adventist churches of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Texas published at the headquarters office of the Southwestern Union Conference, Box 4000, 777 South Burleson Boulevard, Budeson, Texas 76097. Subscription price is 510. 2 The Family Commission As we are all aware, we We must not be afraid to give the Commander-in-Chief, the Lord, Jesus straight testimony of the Word of God. I Christ. are approaching a new believe that people, especially young peo- We share our faith with others, not ple, respond to a hard challenge, and cer- because this is what we want to do, or millennium, an event tainly there has never been a challenge because it's what we choose to do or that hasn't happened in a "harder" than that of the Lord Jesus because we like to do it, but because this Christ. He never lowers His standard for is what we are commissioned to do. Our thousand years and has entrance to the kingdom of God, and the Lord has commanded us to go, to preach, only happened one other only way is through Jesus Christ and His to make disciples—and that should com- shed blood. pel every Adventist to reach out to others time since Christ walked This brings us to a basic question: with the news of salvation. The Great What is our motive for sharing God's Commission occurs five times in our the hills of Galilee. word? Why did the apostle Paul go from Bibles; at the end of each of the four place to place, suffering as few men have Gospels: and at the beginning of the book he whole world is cognizant of a suffered? (2 Corinthians 11:25-30). His of Acts. new millennium and the uncertain life-changing encounter with Christ on The Church was supernaturally ties that it brings. Millions are con the Damascus road caused him to say, blessed of God at its birth, and I believe cerned about the Y2K computer "Christ's love compels us" (2 Corinthians with all my heart that in the dosing days T crisis that some experts are predict- 5:14, NIV). The greatest act of love that of its witness here on earth it will be ing. Others are concerned with the cur- we can ever perform for another person is blessed in an even mightier way! My rent financial disasters in Europe, Asia and to tell him about God's love for him. prayer is "Lord, do it again. Do what you South America that have worldwide Often we are asked what the relation- did when the apostles were called. Do repercussions and which many think will ship is between social action and winning what you did at Pentecost. Do what you only become more volatile and unpre- people for Christ. While soul-winning has did with the pioneers of the Seventh-day dictable. priority, social action and social concern Adventist movement in its beginning. Do These conditions should give us a augment the gospel. We must have a bur- whatever needs to be done in each of our sense of urgency greater than anything den that goes beyond "concern." We hearts. Lord, use us. Fill us with your the family of God has ever experienced. must take a strong stand for racial under- Spirit and enlarge our vision. We want to We find that millions of peopleare search- standing. We must do something about be the person that God wants us to be and ing for answers to the crushing problems world hunger, and we are, through, we are longing to be used of God for His and fears they face every day. There is an Adventist Development and Relief glory and His joy." openness to the Gospel in this generation Agency (ADRA). We must help when dis- May we each look to God that He which we have never seen before and may aster strikes, and we do, through might graciously, through His Holy Spirit, never see again. Almost every newspaper Adventist Community Services (ACS). We make us that person and every book highlights the anxiety of must work for freedom, and we do, and use us to an unpredictable future. through Liberty magazine and other reach the lost. Because we, as Bible believing means, and we should pray and work for Christians, have the answers to the world peace. The greatest social move- world's dilemmas, we should put forth ments in history have been the fruit of every effort to declare the good news of revival and sharing the Gospel. Jesus Christ so that people may under- A second motive for evangelism is the stand God's offer of salvation and respond approaching return of our Lord, the end in faith and discipleship. The results of the investigative judgment and the should include obedience to Christ, incor- fmal judgment to be brought upon the poration into His family and responsible world. But our primary motive, in my service to a dying world. view, is the command of our JAMES W. GILLEY, PRESIDENT ARKANSAS—LOUISIANA CONFERENCE February 1999 * The Record The Seventh-day fldventisl Church and ham it works From its earliest beginnings Conference, Oklahoma Conference, (New Mexico and Texas Panhandle) Southwest Region Conference, Texas make up the Southwestern Union the Seventh-day Adventist Conference, and Texico Conference Conference. Church accepted the man- Local Conference Officers date Jesus Christ gave as he Arkansas-Louisiana was taken up to heaven: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations...to observe all things whatsoever I have command- ed you..." Matthew 28:19-20. 0 make this possible, the church was organized in a way that has proved most effective as its mem- bership has grown from a small group in the New England states to T James W. Gilley Gary D.

Load more

  36

Copy Link