SDA
Fellowship with the Works of Darkness
And Have No Fellowship With The Untruthful Works Of
Darkness, But Rather Expose Them. Ephesians 5:11
by James King
"I have been shown that the spirit of the
world is fast leavening the church. You are following the same path as did ancient Israel. There is the same falling away
from your holy calling as God's peculiar people. You are having
fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. Your concord with unbelievers
have provoked he Lord's displeasure. You know not the things that belong to
your peace, and they are fast being hid from your eyes. [The very words applied
to fallen Israel on page 17 of The Great Controversy] Your neglect to follow
the light will place you in a more unfavorable
position than the Jews upon whom Christ pronounced a woe." Testimonies,
Vol. 5, pp. 75-76.
"Like ancient Israel, the church has
dishonored her God by departing from the light, neglecting her duties, and
abusing her high and exalted privilege of being peculiar and holy in character.
Her members have violated their covenant to live for God and him only. They
have joined with the selfish and world-loving. Pride, the love of pleasure, and
sin have been cherished, and CHRIST HAS DEPARTED. His Spirit has been quenched
in the church. Satan works side by side with professed Christians yet they are
so destitute of spiritual discernment that they do not detect him." E.G.
White, Testimonies, Vol. 2, pp. 441-442.
All E.G. White quotes were added by rwb.
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Interesting News article from the British
Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church; Excerpt from: BUC News Edition
#688 (11 June 2010) Email Newsletter of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland (RED highlight and underlining for
emphasis mine -- James) --------------- ADVENTISTS PARTICIPATE IN EDINBURGH WORLD
MISSIONARY CONFERENCE [Laurie Falvo,
Office of Adventist Mission/BUC News/ANN] Seventh-day Adventists contributed to a historic
mission conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, 2 – 6 June. The event marked 100
years since the last Edinburgh World Missionary Conference, when more than
1,200 Christians representing numerous faiths and countries gathered to
discuss the future of mission. One hundred years later, the 1910 conference
is still recognized as a significant event in modern mission. Seventh-day Adventist missiologist,
Ganoune Diop, co-chaired
the "Foundations for Mission" session. Also among
the 250 delegates attending the conference were Cheryl Doss, director of the Church's Institute
of World Mission in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and John McVay, New
Testament scholar and President of Walla Walla
University in Washington. Andrew Anderson, chair of the 2010
conference, said Adventists had been invited to participate because "it
has been recognized that Adventist missionaries have been making a very
significant contribution to missionary work worldwide." "Adventists can bring to the event
their reflections on how their own movement has been influenced by the
success of its missionary outreach worldwide – the diversity of nationality,
race, and language," Anderson said. "The Adventist vision for
the future shape of mission will be particularly valued at Edinburgh
2010." The Adventist Church "holds in high
esteem other Christians who are also engaged in sharing God's love with the
world," said Gary Krause, director of the Office of Adventist Mission.
"It's a privilege to contribute our distinctive approach to the agenda
of this historic mission event, and help place a higher emphasis on the
commission He has given us." The aim of the conference was to explore the
best ways to share the gospel in the twenty-first century. Nine
study themes including post-modernity, relating to other faiths, unity,
spirituality, discipleship, and mission and power were on the agenda. Diop, a theologian who focuses on the integration of
theology and mission, said, "I'm grateful to be part of a venue that
explores ways to present Christ to our contemporaries." In a common
call published at the end of the conference delegates agreed that, "hearing
the call of Jesus to make disciples of all people – poor, wealthy,
marginalised, ignored, powerful, living with disability, young, and old – we
are called as communities of faith to mission from everywhere to everywhere.
In joy we hear the call to receive from one another in our witness by word
and action, in streets, fields, offices, homes, and schools, offering
reconciliation, showing love, demonstrating grace and speaking out truth." One frustrating part of the conference for Edinburgh
residents was that it was a 'closed event' only for experts in the field –
unlike its predecessor 100 years previously. Local
Adventist pastor, Jimmy Botha, along with other clergy in Scotland's capital
city, made enquiries about attending the conference. He says, "I felt it
was an opportunity missed by all denominations, not so much for what we
didn't do, but for which this organisation didn't allow us to do through
their secrecy." The contrast has been made with the plans for the 59th
World Session of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to be held in Atlanta,
Georgia starting 23 June. There, while the business sessions are in full
swing, Community Impact and Outreach programmes will also be running across
the city with the aim that the programme benefits not just delegates and the
World Church, but makes a real difference to the host city. For more information on the Edinburgh
conference visit www.edinburgh2010.org. For
information on the GC World Session in Atlanta visit: http://www.gcsession.org. ------------------------------ BUC News is a
weekly news bulletin produced by the British Union Conference of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church, and edited by the Communication Department.
Victor Hulbert, director; Mary Kapon, secretary.
Items for inclusion should be sent to bucnews@adventist.org.uk
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website at www.adventist.org.uk. |