New Zealand Pacific Union Conference report RECORD 2 0 0 0 In this issue
Lessons from a I self-centred scientist
Adventist TV evangelist dies
Training for the `youth guy"
S
Signs of the imes takes a reality check edit o r i a l THE KILLING OF JESUS n the brief space of four chapters I and the Father . . . through humanity" (The Desire of in the book of John, we read of It's the Feast of Hanukkah and Ages, page 536). The Creator recre- Itwo attempts to kill Jesus and the Jesus walks through Solomon's ates life in Lazarus. beginning of the plot that would Colonnade in the temple (John 10). "Here is this Man performing take His life. The issue? His divinity. "How long will you keep us in many miraculous signs," says His suspense?" ask those gathered there. opposition. "If we let Him go on Before Abraham . . . "If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." like this, everyone will believe in "I am the light of the world," says "I did tell you, but you don't Him, and then the Romans will Jesus, beginning the first incident (in believe. The miracles I do in my come and take away both our place John 8). Father's name speak for me, but you and our nation." "Where are your witnesses to such don't believe because you aren't my "Better that one man die for the a claim?" is the response. "Your testi- sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I people than the whole nation per- mony isn't valid."• know them, and they follow me. I ish," says high priest Caiaphas. So "Even if I testify on my own give them eternal life, and they'll they plot to take Jesus' life, and He behalf my testimony is valid," says never perish; no-one can snatch dies—for the people. Jesus. "My other witness is the them out of my hand. Father, who sent me." "My Father, who has given them to Stone Him? "Where is your father?" me, is greater than all; no-one can In reality, the resurrection of "If you knew me you would know snatch them out of the Father's hand. Lazarus is not Jesus' ultimate miracle. my Father." I and the Father are one." The ultimate miracle is His resurrec- "Who are you?" Again, they picked up stones to tion. "When you have lifted up the Son kill Him. "The reason the Father loves me is of Man, then you will know I am "I have shown you many great that I lay down my life—only to take the one I claim to be and that I do miracles from the Father," says Jesus. it up again," He says. "No-one takes nothing on my own but speak just "For which of these do you stone it from me, but I lay it down of my 1 what the Father has taught me." me?" own accord. I have authority to lay it "Abraham is our father." "We aren't stoning you for any of down and authority to take it up "If you were Abraham's children, these, but for blasphemy, because again" (John 10:17, 18). then you would do what Abraham you, a mere man, claim to be God." At these words, some say He's did." They understand what He's saying. demon-possessed and raving mad. "At least we aren't illegitimate. Others say, "These are not the sayings The only Father we have is God The ultimate miracle of a man possessed by a demon. Can Himself." Deeply moved by those weeping a demon open the eyes of the blind?" "If God were your Father, you over the death of Lazarus, Jesus also Or raise people from the dead? Or would love me, for I come from weeps (John 11). raise Himself from the dead? God. Your father Abraham rejoiced "See how He loved him," say So what do we do? Do we try to at the thought of seeing my day; he some. stone Him for claiming saw it and was glad." "Could not He who opened the to be God? Or reason it "You are not yet 50 years old, and eyes of the blind man have kept this away? Or accept Him you have seen Abraham?" man from dying?" ask others. The for who He is? "Truthfully, before Abraham was healing of the blind man (on the born, I am!" Sabbath) was the issue in John 9. At this they picked up stones to But listen: "I am the resurrection Bruce Manners kill Him. He'd taken upon Himself a and the life. . . . Lazarus, come title of God, "I am" (see Exodus forth." * Quotations based on 3:14). "As He speaks, divinity flashes the 1VIV.
Next week Official Paper Mail: Signs Publishing Company, 3485 Warburton South Pacific Division Highway, Warburton, Victoria 3799, Australia Seventh-day Adventist Church Phone: (03) 5966 9111 ACN 000 003 930 Fax: (03) 5966 9019 Last words from lIiURCH Email letters: [email protected] Editor Bruce Manners Email news: recordOsignspublishing.com.au the Trans- Senior assistant editor Lee Dunstan Email advertising, manuscripts, obituaries and Assistant editor Brenton Stacey wedding notices: [email protected] Copy editor Graeme Brown Australian Union Editorial secretary Meryl McDonald-Gough Senior consulting editor Barry Oliver conference. Subscriptions South Pacific Division mailed within Vol 105 No 47 Australia and to New Zealand, $A43.80 $NZ73.00. Cover photo: Other price on application. Printed weekly.
December 2, 2000 f 1 a shpoint FIRST ACCREDITED OUTDOOR LEADERS Nathan Brown TOWNSVILLE
ight Pathfinder and cate in bushwalking, as grams have pioneered demonstrators and Sabbath youth leaders from well as Level 3 Pathfinder much of the training adopt- school leaders completed a Ethe Northern training and some Level 4 ed nationally. module on training small Australian Conference have subjects. Those completing the groups as well. become the first accredited The training is adminis- Level 3 certificate were "These people, and the outdoor recreation leaders tered by the National Paul Givney, Kelly 80 others involved in the in the South Pacific Adventist Outdoor Activity Kombamong, Pastor John ongoing NAOATAC train- • Division. Training in Training and Accreditation Wells and Judy Wells (all ing process, will be an Townsville, October 28-29, Council (NAOATAC). of Townsville), and Maria asset to the future of they completed a three- According to Wayne Burgess, Rick Chelman, Pathfinder and youth lead- year program. Miller, NAOATAC's national Kim Kelly and Denise Mau ership in the conference," Each of the eight has program coordinator, the (all of Mackay). says Pastor Wells, the completed a Level 3 certifi- conference's training pro- A number of cooking youth director.
New Zealand Pacific Union Launceston, Devonport, Worship service the highlight, says Joni Conference appointments Deloraine, Wynyard and Appointments from the Burnie as a follow-up to New Zealand Pacific Union the broadcasting of The Conference (NZPUC) ses- Search television adver- 1111 sion to the NZPUC: tisements and the screen- • Associate treasurer ing of the Jesus 2000 satel- Lynden Parmenter; lite evangelistic • Adventist Development program.—Colin Renfrew and Relief Agency director (part-time) Alan Fletcher; SAH staff join Operation • Education director Ken Open Heart in Vanuatu Weslake; • Ministerial Twelve Sydney Association secretary Adventist Hospital staff referred to the NZPUC helped perform 14 open- Executive Committee; and eight closed-heart • Departmental director procedures during a two- referred to the NZPUC week visit to the Vila Executive Committee; Central Hospital in cclaimed United States-based author, painter and • Trust services director Vanuatu recently. The 12 inger Joni Eareckson Tada (pictured) spoke at the Pastor David MacDonald; were part of a team of 34 Avondale College church during the Paralympic Games, on Youth director awaiting volunteers. The country's October 21. Seventy other Seventh-day Adventist churches 11/ confirmation;• • Associate president and prime minis- in Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific islands and Guam youth director (Auckland) ter visited the team to downlinked the worship service via satellite. Pastor Eddie Tupai; thank them for their sup- Ms Eareckson Tada, who described her visit to college • Associate youth director port.—Janine van den as the highlight of her Australian trip, encouraged church (Christchurch) Pastor Mike Tillaart members to embrace the Australian disability community Parker. with "open arms and with a heart that understands."— Fulton offers certificate Bruna Tawake Search and J2K impact Tassie in women's ministry Eighteen people in Fulton College (Tailevu, Tasmania made decisions Fiji) is now offering two for baptism after 53 new certificate courses— year). "With an increasing and planting, evangelism attended one of seven women's Christian ministry shortage of ministers in and service to maintain meetings by Pastor Geoff (12 subjects over two the Seventh-day Adventist the momentum of God's Youlden, November 11-13. years) and lay church Church, it is important work in the world," says The Adventist Media evan- leadership (10 subjects church members be head of theology Pastor gelist visited Hobart, and a practicum over one trained in church growth Gary Roberts.
December 2, 2000
n e w s f r o n t I NEW UNION CREATED IN NZ Adventist TV
Bruce Manners evangelist
Erhe two New Zealand con- Took.67,355 Members Is Marquises dies Wallis 6 Western ferences and the French French Polynesia Fi T Sam. Polynesia, Cook Island and Cook Is. Wahrti' IsiTuamotu Brenton Stacey .'Niue Is.de Sociltetb New New Caledonia Missions met in Caleb/on:N., 4 Tub., `k-?i9Ver session in Auckland, from • Pitcaim nastor George Vandeman, 84, November 10 to 12, to appoint r" founder of the It Is Written personnel and work on consti- NEW ZEALAND television program and presenter PACIFIC UNION tutional issues to create the CONFERENCE for more than 35 years, died of New Zealand Pacific Union 16,133 Members heart failure at his home in Conference (NZPUC). • Chatham is. Newbury Park, California, USA, This was a unique exercise on November 3. for the South Pacific Division, A.-land Is. The author and to have conferences and mis- Cam'pbell I. evangelist had a sions work together to create a strong presence in union. Translation was also Australia and New needed as delegates and Zealand through church leaders spoke in either Division president preaching. his television min- z French or English. On Sabbath afternoon conferences istry. Many church Pastor George "This session was historically sig- and missions gave their reports. In members were Vandeman in nificant because it grouped together the evening the delegates met involved through 1976. areas that had never been connected together in session. the program in the past," says North New For Sunday, the nominating com- through the delivery of books Zealand Conference president Pastor mittee and the constitutional com- and Bible correspondence cours- I Bill Townend. "It also will lead to mittee did its work while the rest of es to It Is Written viewers. managing the departmental needs of the delegates looked at strategies for Retired minister Pastor Ken New Zealand in quite a unique the new union. Mead (Launching Place, Vic) way." During the day the nominating coordinated Pastor Vandeman's The departmental leadership for committee report was voted (see visit to Sydney in 1967 where New Zealand will come from the November 25 RECORD and Flashpoint some 5000 people attended each NZPUC, not the conferences. The in this issue). And the new constitu- of the five meetings—more than departments will also oversee the tion was in place by 7.30 pm. 80 were baptised. The series also missions within the union. A lot of work was done in a short ran in Melbourne. The meetings, held in the period of time, says Pastor Pastor Mead attributes the suc- Papatoetoe church, began with a Townend. cess of the Sydney series to Friday evening communion service "I sensed that all parties felt it a Pastor Vandeman's training in for delegates. On the Sabbath, the profitable time," he adds, "and there home visitation. Pastor Vandeman worship service was held in the was a harmonious working relation- returned to Australia two other church with the South Pacific ship within the group." times to run seminar programs in several cities. a Established in 1956, It Is New president's strong youth background Written pioneered the use of tele- vision for evangelism. It is broad- he president of the New Zealand Pacific Union Conference, Pastor Allan cast in more than 150 countries. Walshe, comes from a broad background of youth min- Pastor Mead: "I visited George istry, beginning in 1976 when he was dean of men at in the United States earlier this Avondale College (two years after graduating). year and, even after all his years He was called to the Tasmanian Conference as president in of quality, professional presenta- 1999. Before that he had served in both the Trans-Australian tion, he remained a Christian gen- and Trans-Tasman Union Conferences, and in Victoria and tleman." Tasmania Conferences as youth director. Pastor Vandeman is survived by The presidents of the North and South New Zealand Pastor Allan his wife, Nellie, and four children, Conferences (Pastors Bill Townend and Garry Hodgkin) have Walshe. George Jr, Bob, Ron and Connie also served as conference youth directors. Vandeman Jeffery.—with ANN
4 December 2, 2000