June 1999 PUBLISH… OR THEY PERISH Have Adventist publishing ministries served their purpose? LETTERS “I Love This” freedom of choice. We can either serve marriage than to speak of tithes and Tonight at church I offered my extra Him or serve Satan. We do have a offering. copy of the Adventist Review (April choice. I am not God’s loving slave, North American but His loving servant! —Carol Ann Marlow Division I OWA C ITY, IOWA Edition) to a —Joanie Wilson new Adventist A LBUQUERQUE, NEW M EXICO who is not yet a Growing Churches member. She In “Growing Churches” (April NAD almost grabbed it The Power of One Edition) Al McClure compares a 1990- and said, “Oh, I Alfred C. McClure’s “The Awesome 1996 “net loss of six churches” in the love this! I’m Power of One” (April NAD Edition) North American Division with the going to subscribe to this magazine!” was a very awesome concept. Each 1996-1998 period when “we planted This issue had Dwight Nelson on member working together to finish more than 250 churches.” Shouldn’t the cover (see Nelson’s “So How God’s work. God can use one to there just be a comparison of “net” Are You Doing?”), and she and her change the world. Count me in. gain or “net” loss? husband attended the entire NET ’98 series. It just did me good to see —Clay Williams —J. Stanley McCluskey someone so happy to receive my D URHAM, NORTH C AROLINA N ACHES, WASHINGTON extra copy. I think I will lend her my weekly Review until she gets her The North American Division reports a own copies. Could another “awesome power of net gain of 40 churches from the close of one” be added to the blessing of one 1996 (4,706 churches) to the close of —Eleanor Hill dollar, one Bible study, and one Jesus 1998 (4,746 churches).—Editors. S T. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA Christ? I propose: one week. To paraphrase Elder McClure: First-time subscribers to the weekly What would happen if each Writing for the Review Adventist Review are eligible for a Adventist husband “cleaves” to “the Occasionally the Review has run invi- reduced rate. Call 1-800-456-3991. wife of his youth” one more week? tations to write. Why, oh, why do you Just one week (and then another and never include poetry in these invita- another) of sticking close to his own tions? Why must those of us who write The Lordship of Jesus wife and none other, and of combin- poetry go outside our denomination to I enjoyed William G. Johnsson’s “The ing his wife’s ideas and desires with be published? I have had my spiritual Lordship of Jesus” deeply (April NAD his? What would happen if each poetry published in Billy Graham’s Edition). It was well written and quite Adventist wife let herself remain Decision magazine, in the Salvation informative. close to her own husband and offered Army magazine, and many in the The one part I could not agree with her concepts and preferences to be Catholic Family magazine, but none in was Johnsson’s statement “. now we incorporated into his? Can you imag- the Review. Why not? Many of us gladly take up His cross and follow as ine the eternal consequences? poetry writers have asked ourselves His loving slaves.” The term loving To put money and matrimony in this question. slaves seems to me to be quite contra- perspective, Malachi uses slightly more dictory. A slave has no freedom, yet space in English Bibles to speak of the —Patricia Andrews God gave humankind a free will and importance to God of males’ fidelity in W HITE R OCK, BRITISH C OLUMBIA 2 (714) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JUNE 1999 We sympathize. Typically, the Review has to me and turned my life around. I not run much poetry. Reader demand— started going to the First Seventh-day and space—have been limited. However, Adventist Church in Birmingham and we did solicit—and print—lots of poetry in in a few weeks was baptized. Mean- our special issue on our fundamental beliefs while, I had witnessed to those around (see “Fresh 27,” April 29), and we’ve me as best I could. But the Monday been printing more and more poetry on our after being baptized I was returning to COVER STORY Give & Take page. While we can’t pay the base with a retread pilot in the much, if anything, for unsolicited poetry, back cockpit who just didn’t seem to 8 Publish . or They Perish we do invite short submissions. Thanks for be instructor material. Entering down- BY C LIFFORD G OLDSTEIN communicating with us.—Editors. wind with the proper interval from the aircraft ahead, I glanced to the left just ARTICLES in time to avoid another aircraft that 14 A Father’s Prayer I am 19 and enjoy reading the maga- deliberately cut me out of the pattern. BY J ERIS E. BRAGAN zine. I have an idea for a section called The words that flowed from my mouth God at Work. It would be a place for were terrible. Contrition at having 16 Ronald McDonald Goes to readers to share exceptional testi- jeopardized my witness nearly over- Church monies from their church or their per- whelmed me, and if I could have BY N OELENE J OHNSSON sonal life. The testimonies would not kneeled in that cockpit that day, I necessarily need to be incredible mira- would have done so. But thank God, 20 Under Fire cles—just experiences showing how He forgives! BY S AMUELE R. BACCHIOCCHI God is at work in our everyday lives. I Jesus was attacked after His bap- 26 A Living, Breathing think there are many, many testimonies tism too, and so are we all. Without Monument that would bring encouragement to all the armor and protection of God, BY B RIAN S TRAYER of us if we could hear them. we’re lost. I really think the space taken by 37 The Red Suspenders Adventist Life could be used for —Gordon Oakley BY E RVIN K. THOMSEN better things. H UNTSVILLE, ALABAMA 38 What if We Had Known? BY N ELDA S TEVENS —Samuel Stapleton WASHINGTON, NEW H AMPSHIRE This was such a timely article for me 40 The Loveliness of Jesus and my daughter. We are going to join BY E LLEN G. WHITE Your God at Work idea is excellent! And the Adventist Church. We know that you’ll be glad to know that one of our new baptism is not a gateway to heaven, 44 Everyone Should Have a features functions much like you describe. but it symbolizes going from the old Father Like That In Cutting Edge Meditations (appearing in self to the new self by believing in BY R UTH H EIDE most of our Cutting Edge Editions—the Christ. I’m sure it will be a struggle, for third issue of each month), Adventists Satan hates righteousness from God. DEPARTMENTS briefly share spiritual stories, insights, even Please pray for us. 2 Letters struggles. Send submissions to “Cutting 7 Give & Take Edge Meditations,” Adventist Review, —Michael Warren 25 Opinion 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, G ADSDEN, ALABAMA MD 20904. As for Adventist Life, this 29 Sandra Doran: Dialogues OMPOSITE feature is also very popular, and we think 30 Cityscapes C “a time to laugh” (Eccl. 3:4) is appropri- Letters Policy ate in the Review. —Editors. The Review welcomes your letters. Short, 32 World News & Perspectives IGITAL specific letters are the most effective and have 45 Global Mission / D the best chance at being published. Letters will 47 Reflections RAPHICS Baptism—It’s Not Magic be edited for space and clarity only. Send cor- G I enjoyed Ella Rydezwski’s editorial on respondence to Letters to the Editor, EDITORIALS YNAMIC being baptized, then cursing (see Adventist Review, 12501 Old Columbia D “Baptism—It’s Not Magic,” Mar. 25). Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600; 5 Beware Hobbyhorses Let me relate my own experience. Internet: [email protected] 6 Experimenting With Religion I was an Air Force flight instructor CompuServe network: 74617,15. OVER PHOTO BY in Alabama in 1951 when God spoke C ADVENTIST REVIEW, JUNE 1999 (715) 3 “Behold, I come quickly . .” Our mission is to uplift Jesus Christ through stories of His matchless love, news of His present workings, help for knowing Him better, and hope in His soon return. Publisher General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Executive Publisher William G. Johnsson Associate Publisher Charlotte McClure Publishing Board: Phil Follett, vice-chair; Lowell Cooper; William G. Johnsson; Robert E. Lemon; A. C. McClure; Ardis D. Stenbakken, Donald R. Sahly; Ted N. C. Wilson; Robert Nixon, legal advisor Editor William G. Johnsson Associate Editors Roy Adams, Bill Knott Managing Editor Myrna Tetz News Editor Carlos Medley Assistant Editors Stephen Chavez, Andy Nash Editorial Assistant Ella Rydzewski Administrative Secretary Chitra Barnabas Editorial Secretary Jean Sequeira Art Director Bill Kirstein Designer Bill Tymeson Design Assistant/Production Stephanie Kaping Ad Sales Genia Blumenberg Subscriber Services Steve Hanson Consulting Editors: G. Ralph Thompson, Matthew Bediako, Phil Follett, Robert J. Kloosterhuis, A. C. McClure, Jan Paulsen, Leo Ranzolin, R. L. Rawson, Calvin B. Rock North American Edition Consulting Editors: Alfred C. McClure, Bjorne Christensen, Kermit Netteburg, Monte Sahlin Special Contributors: Harold Baptiste, George Crumley, Malcolm D. Gordon, Bruce Johnston, Ted Jones, Ralph Martin, Cyril Miller, Thomas J. Mostert, Jr., Orville D. Parchment, Charles Sandefur To Writers: We welcome unsolicited manuscripts. (Please query before submitting long articles.) Include address, telephone number, and Social Security number, where available.