Adventist Education.” Academy in Apopka, Fla., Participants
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0D\ 6287+(51 $GYHQWLVW(GXFDWLRQ 9DQWDJH3RLQW 2IRUD7KRXVDQG 7RQJXHVWR6LQJ While singing with the Southernaires Quartet during my years at Southern, one of my favorite songs declared — O for a thousand tongues to sing, My great Redeemer’s praise, The glories of my God and King, The triumphs of His grace! Often we are full of praise and can hardly contain ourselves. We don’t hold back yet we can’t find enough words and melody to fully express our inner joy. Why do we sing? Why do we praise God? It’s the natural result of being a believer — one who knows that Jesus has saved to the uttermost. Yes, we feel like singing when God helps us find our car keys, or finds us a job when we’re about to go under. Certainly we want to praise God when He’s obvi- ously healed us from a terrible illness or protected us from a close call with a car accident. We praise God when events coincide with deliverance and we know that God has been right there with us. When God comes through we stand a little taller and sing a little louder — “Then Sings My Soul, My Savior God to Thee, How Great Thou Art, How Great Thou Art!” Yet for the believer — one who believes that God can be trusted in all circum- stances, who knows that Jesus through His death and resurrection has conquered the grave, and who has the assurance that a life in Christ is a life of restfulness — to this believer, the wellspring of praise is equally strong and overflowing by faith in the ultimate deliverance from all evil. We praise God in concert with the apostle Paul who emphatically testifies, “I am persuaded that neither death nor life ... can separate Gordon Retzer us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39. For Southern Union the believer, there is praise on our lips no matter the outcome. We know that our President redeemer lives. We know that God has conquered death through Jesus Christ. We know that we are hid in Christ, the Rock of ages. We know that nothing can sepa- rate us from the love of God. Nothing. You may have just experienced a dramatic deliverance, or you, or someone close to you, may have just experienced a terrible non-deliverance. What the believer by faith clings to is that with God, either way, deliverance or non-deliverance, whether life or death, God still loves and God still plans to come and deliver believers from evil, once and for all time. It means that we are not some-times praising, but all-the- time praising. Charles Wesley continues in the third verse of his great hymn, “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”: Jesus! The name that charms our fears, That bids our sorrows cease, ‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears, ‘Tis life, and health, and peace. In other words, the believer joyfully sings with Fanny Crosby who lived with non-deliverance from blindness: This is my story, This is my song, Praising my Savior, all the day long. 7 ,',1*60D\ 6287+(51 &RQWHQWV Volume 104, No. 5, May 2010 The Southern Tidings is the Official )($785(6 Publication of the Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists SOUTHERN UNION CONFERENCE 0HPRULDO'ULYH0DLO$GGUHVV P.O. Box 849, Decatur, Georgia 30031 Foresight, Insight, Action Telephone (404) 299-1832 www.southernunion.com Staff Editor R. STEVEN NORMAN III Editorial Assistant IRISENE DOUCE Circulation BOBBIE MILLBURN Advertising NATHAN ZINNER Production COLLEGE PRESS Layout BRIAN WIEHN Finding Purpose Contributing Editors Adventist Health System JULIE ZAIBACK Carolina RON QUICK CREATION Health LYNELL LAMOUNTAIN Florida MARTIN BUTLER Florida Hospital College Lewis Hendershot Georgia-Cumberland TAMARA WOLCOTT FISHER Preparing Teachers to Gulf States BECKY GRICE Hispanic MARIEL LOMBARDI Lead Students to Christ Kentucky-Tennessee MARVIN LOWMAN Oakwood University MICHELE SOLOMON South Atlantic JAMES LAMB South Central MICHAEL HARPE Southeastern ROBERT HENLEY Southern Adventist University LORI FUTCHER Conference/Institution Directory A Finished Race Lives CAROLINA (704) 596-3200 P.O. Box 560339, Charlotte, NC 28256-0339 On in 5K Run FLORIDA (407) 644-5000 P.O. Box 2626, Winter Park, FL 32790-2626 GEORGIA-CUMBERLAND (706) 629-7951 P.O. Box 12000, Calhoun, GA 30703-7001 GULF STATES (334) 272-7493 P.O. Box 240249, Montgomery, AL 36117. KENTUCKY-TENNESSEE (615) 859-1391 P.O. Box 1088, Goodlettsville, TN 37070-1088 $GYHQWLVW+HDOWK6\VWHP SOUTH ATLANTIC (404) 792-0535 P.O. Box 92447, M.B., Sta., Atlanta, GA 30314 &DUROLQD 6 SOUTH CENTRAL (615) 226-6500 )ORULGD P.O. Box 24936, Nashville, TN 37202 SOUTHEASTERN (352) 735-3142 *HRUJLD&XPEHUODQG P.O. Box 1016, Mt. Dora, FL 32756-0056 *XOI6WDWHV ADVENTIST HEALTH SYSTEM (407) 975-1400 : 111 North Orlando Ave., Winter Park, .HQWXFN\7HQQHVVHH FL 32789-3675 FLORIDA HOSPITAL COLLEGE OF 6RXWK$WODQWLF ( HEALTH SCIENCES (800) 500-7747 6RXWK&HQWUDO 671 Winyah Drive., Orlando, FL 32803 OAKWOOD UNIVERSITY (256) 726-7000 6RXWKHDVWHUQ 7000 Adventist Blvd., Huntsville, AL 35896 SOUTHERN ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY (800) SOUTHERN P.O. Box 370, Collegedale, TN 37315-0370 6FKRRO'LUHFWRU\ SOUTHERN TIDINGS Volume 104 Number 5, May 2010. 2ELWXDULHV Published monthly by the Southern Union. Free to all mem- &ODVVLÀHG$GYHUWLVLQJ bers. POSTMASTER: send changes of address to Southern Tidings, P.O. Box 849, Decatur, GA 30031 &DOHQGDU &DPS0HHWLQJ6XPPHU&DPS6FKHGXOH 0D\ 7,',1*6 &RYHU)HDWXUH )25(6,*+7 ,16,*+7 $&7,21 BY CONRAD GILL As I anticipate this milestone in which are not safe for young chil- began at Buck’s Bridge, New York, my life known as retirement, and dren and youth. in the home of John Byington, who as I review my personal 44-year Numerous challenges in public later became the first president of journey in Seventh-day Adven- education also cause us to look at the General Conference. The teacher tist ministry, 34 in the ministry of parallel challenges and changes that was his daughter, Martha Byington. Christian education, I want to take need to be addressed in our Ad- Seventh-day Adventist Christian edu- this opportunity to recognize God’s ventist schools specifically, and in cation was endorsed by the General leading, and chat with my South- private education in general, from Conference, and believed to be the ern Union extended family who early childhood and pre-K through best vehicle to use for the compre- have supported my ministry the last higher education. hensive education of our children 19-and-one-half years. In 1853, the first Adventist school and youth. Schools of the prophets, You and I have if you will: Seventh-day reviewed numerous Adventist schools or- startling headlines in dained of God as a way recent years. In addi- of preparing youth for tion to the calamities useful service here on which are occurring Earth, and for ultimate around the world, many entrance into the king- of these headlines have dom of Heaven. dealt with education In 1872, Ellen White — both positive and had a vision regarding negative. We know that Christian education. In education in America that vision, the func- faces many challenges tions and objectives of regarding quality, poor Seventh-day Adventist student achievement, schools were outlined and environments as follows: 7 ,',1*60D\ I. The Bible must be the founda- I’m sure we know that the Bible ued in the life to come; an educa- tion of every course. is true when it says, “But God hath tion that secures to the successful chosen the foolish things of the student his passport from the prepa- world to confound the wise; and ratory school of Earth to the higher God hath chosen the weak things grade, the school above.” of the world to confound the things It is ironic, but true in 2010, which are mighty; and base things that there are many members in our of the world, and things which are churches who are unknowingly so despised, hath God chosen, yea, caught up in their love of society, the things which are not, to bring to in postmodern views and values naught things that are . .” surrounding them, and in self- I Corinthians 1:27, 28. The old indulgence and personal gain, that folk used to sing a hymn with sim- they can’t see or truly understand ple yet profound words, “God’s way the purpose or value of Christian is the best way, God’s way is the education. They also don’t truly right way; I’ll trust in Him always, understand the value added ingredi- II. The building of character is He knoweth the best!” ent Seventh-day Adventist teachers the first and greatest work of As I reflect on what our provide. the Christian school. young people are facing in this era I, along with my Southern Union III. Regular classes in Bible should of history, I am compelled to look colleagues, have diligently worked be taught in all schools. back as I embrace our precious to develop The Adventist EDGE, IV. Industrial and agricultural heritage, and I ask you to join me in which focuses on the real mission training should be combined that embrace while obediently look- of Seventh-day Adventist Schools. with scholarship. ing ahead to a bright earthly and We are determined to be “Educators heavenly future. We must be very steady and consistent as we review and prayer- fully internalize God’s plan for saving our children and youth. Since Adventist Christian education is of God, can we even imagine trying to face today’s challenges without relying on V.