What the SDA Church is Doing to Our Youth by Dr.'s Russell and Colin Standish – Part I

Isa 3:12 [As for] my people, children [are] their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause [thee] to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.

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Dear Reader,

Many parents and church officials are in wonderment as to why SDA youth are going out the back door as fast as they enter the front door. This series of chapters from the book Half a Century of Apostasy, by Dr.’s Russell and Colin Standish, should leave no doubt in the discerning mind as to what the church is doing to our youth.

 

Note: The authors are from Australia, so the spelling of some words are different.

 

Chapter 71

 

Solid Rock Cafe`

 

OMEGA

 

Creative, unique, musical/drama. FOR YOUTH BY YOUTH. Who’s invited? High School and College-age. Where? Three Angels’ Arcade and Solid Rock Cafe, Mount Dora [Seventh-day Adventist] Church (Fellowship Hall) on #441 just north of Capt’n Applebys. More info? Phone ‘H20’ 469-4884 or 788-9346. Free Admission Three Angels’ Arcade and Solid Rock Cafe` June 25-July 31, 7:30 pm: lights, camera, action (refreshments served).

 

Fri / 6-25 [25 June] Rock around the Clock, Dress 50’s if possible [note: this programme extended to the Sabbath hours]

 

Sat /6-26 [26 June] Saturday Night live

 

Sun / 6-27 [27 June] Love/Sex

 

Wed / 6-30 [30 June] Back to the Future IV

 

Fri / 7-2 [2 July] “Dial 1-900-GUY-GIRL” [900 numbers in the US are numbers often used by pornographic services]

 

Sat /7-3 [3 July] MYSTERY NIGHT

 

Sun / 7-4 [4 July] Independence Day Party FOOD-FUN-FIREWORKS

 

Wed /7-7 [7 July] BEAUTY & THE BEAST II

 

Fri / 7-9 [9 July] STAR WARS & YOU

 

Sat /7-10 [10 July] BACK TO THE FUTURE V

 

Sun / 7-11 [11 July] ‘We’ve got the Right One! Uh, Huh... Uh, Huh’

 

(From original brochure of the Mount Dora S.D.A. Church, Florida).

 

Cry, sigh and earnestly pray for our youth. In June and July sunset is between 8:30 and 9:00 pm in Florida. Note the programmes on Friday evenings.

 

TRUTH

 

Such disgraceful youth programmes testify to the extremity of apostasy proffered to our youth by local Churches and all other levels of our Church organisation.

 

The ungodly are those who do not love and obey the commandments of God, but go contrary to them. This is the class of counselors you are warned to shun, -- the class which Satan uses to lead youth astray. Their counsel, their suggestions, are of a character to make light of sin, to ridicule righteousness.... They are represented as standing in the way of sinners, always leading them out of the straight path of duty and obedience to God’s commandments into paths of disobedience. If it were not for those persons who do wrong and tempt others to do wrong, many sinners might have chosen the path of duty, the life of purity and godliness. (Sons and Daughters of God, p. 211).

 

God’s Church leaders at all levels possess a responsibility to uplift holy thoughts and standards so that the carnal heart is not encouraged to strengthen, but is yielded to the influence of God. Trivial discussions concerning boy-girl relations disgrace God.

 

Girls and boys get together and chat, and laugh, and joke, and drive Christ out of their hearts, and angels from their presence, by their foolish nonsense. Unprofitable conversation upon the acts of others, small talk about this young man or that girl, withers noble, devotional thoughts and feelings, and drives good and holy desires from the heart, leaving it cold and destitute of true love for God and His truth. (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 1, p. 391).

 

When before the young, and at all times, be grave, be solemn. (Ibid, p. 436).

 

The youth meetings at Mount Dora ignored this holy advice provided for ministers.

 

Our hearts are very deeply burdened by the mindless measures, so foreign to the counsels with which our God has blessed us, conceived in the minds of both lay and clerical leaders, designed to keep our youth “in the church.” While the youth should value the fellowship with other believers as God has commanded (Hebrews 10:25), nevertheless the sole purpose of God’s Church is to lead the lambs of the flock to prepare for their heavenly home, not annihilation with Satan. Our hearts cry out to God to cease this wanton carnage of our youth. Let no member stand by without protest and action to redress this Church-destroying movement promoted at every level of our Church including the General Conference.

 

End of Chapter 71

 

Note by Ron: I can just see in my mind’s eye the eye-rolling and scoffing of Ellen White’s statements above concerning the youth. But consider the fate of our youth at the end-time if they are involved with such foolishness and have no training in the more serious issues that will soon come upon them.

 

Waldensian children were trained to give their very lives right in front of their parents rather than yield to the errors of Rome. How would our youth of today fare in such a situation? Circumstances will soon tell the story. It is all a matter of proper training. God said:

 

Pro 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

 

Is it still possible to fulfill God’s instruction to train up a child in the way he should go? Did God give instruction that it is impossible to fulfill? Nay friend! There are examples extant today that prove that it is still possible. I think of the Quakers in Eastern Canada and parts of the U.S.A. I think of the Amish who have control over their youth for the most part. We have all been in homes where the children have full rule and sway. They ruin everything in sight. We have also been in homes where there is order and discipline and all is not in ruin. This is proof perfect that it is possible to control and discipline children.

 

There will always be “Cain’s” no matter what parents do, but we cannot use that as an excuse for ignoring God’s command to train our children in the way they should go. Unless, and until we are ready to do that, we should not bewail the outcome of our youth. Those parents to whom empire building (both parents working so as to accumulate material goods) on this earth is more important than the character building of their offspring, will only reap the eternal consequences of their own choice. Don’t hang your heads in wonderment as to why our youth are renegades. In most cases, they are merely products of their faulty training or the near absence of any training whatsoever. In all too many cases, the children and youth are training the parents! End note.

 

Chapter 72

 

Youth Destruction

 

OMEGA

 

Below is a sample of activities which constituted one quarter in the youth programmes of a single church – Parramatta Church in the Greater Sydney Conference. All items were quoted in THE PYE (the Youth Magazine of the Parramatta Church, Greater Sydney Conference), October-December, 1993.

 

August saw our first HOMEGROWN church service in the Hall. This turned out to be big. How big? Well, in the opening words of ... when he got up to give his testimony – ‘I didn’t think I was going to be speaking to so many people.’ We had heaps of music items ranging from classical ... to rap (see picture) and a drama on the subject of ‘nothing.’ (Ibid).

 

NOVEMBER 5 – Funny man and preacher David Kendall from the Bible Society. Get ready to experience fits of laughter and exhaustion as Dave shares the Christian message in his own unique humorous way. (Ibid).

 

DECEMBER 3 – TOTALLY BAND – A fiery finish for Ad Lib for this year. You’ll hear 6 or more top Christian bands/groups glorifying God through music. Keep your eyes and ears open for further details. This one’s going to be HOT! HOT! HOT! (Ibid).

 

Coming Soon! THEATRE SPORT VIDEO NITE – Guaranteed to be the funnest and funniest event this millennium. Watch for details coming up soon. (Ibid).

 

If you have no idea what we’re talking about, it’s beach and volleyball season again, and the first day is December 12th at Narrabeen Beach. So get your swimmers and sunscreen ready – summer here we come! (Ibid).

 

On the last weekend of July, a group of adventurers from Parramatta and Wollongong made their way to a retreat which was assured to bring them social, physical, mental, and most of all, spiritual satisfaction....

 

Saturday morning was difficult for those who suffered from insomnia and didn’t rest until the early hours of the morning....

 

...led a lively discussion about the two greatest success stories of our time. Coca-cola and Christ. David then shared a talk about things that hold us back in life. In the afternoon, workshops were organised.... There was ...a talented drama group....”

 

Saturday night merged into Sunday morning. With relatively little rest, many were still active enough to play some good ol’ competitive sport. Some played basketball, some played squash, some bounced on the trampoline, but the real sports people played TOUCH FOOTBALL! (Ibid.)

 

TRUTH

 

We must not cultivate such shameful conduct in our youth.

 

Many youth receive the impression that their early life is not designed for caretaking, but to be frittered away in idle sport, in jesting, in joking, and in foolish indulgences. While engaged in folly and indulgence of the senses, some think of nothing but the momentary gratification connected with it. (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 3, p. 222).

 

Those who profess to serve God, and yet make no advancement in knowledge and piety, are Christians only in name. The soul-temple is filled with desecrated shrines. Frivolous reading, trifling conversation, and worldly pleasure, occupy the mind so completely that there is no room left for the entrance of God’s Word. Worldliness, frivolity, and pride take the place which Christ should occupy in the soul.... (Messages to Young People, p. 66).

 

In Colin’s more than fifty-four years in the teaching of young people, 1952-2006, he has ever striven to uplift the holy standards of God. He had not read the Spirit of Prophecy counsels on education, however, until after completing his doctorate. He was then called to chair the Education Department at Avondale College in January, 1965, at the age of thirty-one. He soon discovered that one of the duties devolving upon him in this post was to teach the courses which other members of the Education Department declined to teach. One such class was Christian Education.

 

It was in God’s providence for this discipline impelled him to study the inspired books, Education, Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students and Fundamentals of Christian Education. Counsels on Education had not been published at that time. This study transformed, not only the principles of education he taught but drew him nearer to Christ as he understood the close alignment between godly education and salvation.

 

End chapter 72.

 

Note by Ron: The church has a huge responsibility in all this. The shepherd’s of the flock should be guiding the parents instead of being ring-leaders in the trampling down of standards that will lead our youth to the pit of hell, along with their misguided parents and leaders.

 

Isa 9:16  For the leaders of this people cause [them] to err; and [they that are] led of them [are] destroyed.