Awoken by a 2 year old, I am now ruminating on Mrs. White’s instruction,
“Let your discourses be short.” (Evangelism, p. 177)
I find it funny how many of us Seventh-day Adventist preachers desire & call folk to submit to her counsel yet so many of those same preachers (myself included), cast aside this counsel with one excuse or another.
I know there are settings where the long sermon is expected, maybe at a camp meeting or a week of prayer. The general rule however of preaching in the church or in an evangelistic series according to Mrs. White, “less is more.”
As I’ve been watching Pastor Elizabeth Talbot’s DVD’s (Jesus 101 Biblical Institute) over the last week, I notice she presents true profundity in 28 minutes. This corresponds with the counsel of Ellen White as she references several times that roughly 30 minutes should be the primary length of our preaching. I’m praying for God to move me in this direction. Again, “less is more.”
I believe it is time for me to submit to this counsel. If I can’t say what the Spirit wants me to say in 30-35 minutes, if I can’t say what the Spirit wants me to say without wearing out the folk in the pews, maybe I shouldn’t be up there saying it at all. So Lord, do this work in me please!
So I am currently in New York City for NY13 the worldwide thrust of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to reach New York City. I have to admit I came here with some skepticism, not sure what I would be doing or why I am here. But I came, because I was asked and I felt it an honor to be requested to represent the North American Division in this initiative, so here I am.
And I have been taking mental notes some good some not so good…
A good I have observed is our evangelistic speaker for these meetings, Elder Ted Wilson.
What I am so impressed with, as are so many others, he is fully engaged in this initiative!
Something I keep hearing over and over again from people that have been serving the Adventist Church a lot longer than I have is, “Isn’t it great to see a General Conference President preaching and leading a full campaign!” People that have served in the General Conference offices for a number of years are expressing their appreciation of Elder Wilson not just casting the vision, but actually helping to carry out the vision of reaching New York. As one GC official said, “He could do what has been done, set the vision and say ‘now go do it.’ But he is actually out there with us.”
What I am seeing is that Elder Wilson isn’t content to sit on the sidelines, he is passionate about reaching New York City. He is not going to tell others to follow the counsel of Ellen White to minister to this the most diverse city in the world, without also doing it himself. He isn’t just someone that goes around and talks about what should be done and the ministries that should be done he is actually doing those ministries and doing very tangible things to make those ministries a success!
Unwilling to sit on the sidelines.
He, and his wife Nancy, are even attending the classes for the Field School daily. He said, “I have a lot to learn.” So he is at each class learning.
As I watch Elder Wilson, I think back to the last time we were at some meetings together. A very different environment. The Pacific Union Special Constituency Session on the bylaw changes regarding the ordination of women within that Union.
That day as I once again was observing our General Conference leader, I was disappointed that he was there. It wasn’t because I have a different point of view on the topic and disliked that he disagrees with me, (I’m actually one of those folk that thinks its okay to disagree and state it with conviction trusting that we can both still love Jesus) I was disappointed because I felt that it wasn’t a very presidential move of him to be there when the whole world knew that he would get voted down. It felt to me like a very unsound move politically.
But as I think about Elder Wilson’s presence here at this event I think I understand more and actually now respect his presence at the former event.
Here is what I am concluding: If Elder Ted Wilson is passionate about something, if he is convicted about something, he is not the type to just sit on the sidelines and let everyone else do the work.
He was/is convicted on his position regarding women’s ordination. He is convicted on his position regarding reaching New York City…
…In both instances he acted on his conviction.
Unwilling to sit on the sidelines.
I don’t believe it is fair of me to affirm one and renounce the other.
I admire, I appreciate, I trust a leader…
…who stands for his convictions no matter how politically painful it may be to take on Union that has clearly stated their views.
….who preaches a full evangelistic campaign just like the rest of us pastors do, no matter how exhausting it may be.
I admire, I appreciate, I trust Elder Ted Wilson…
…not because we share all points of view in common.
…because I know his convictions by his actions.
He is a man unwiling to sit on the sidelines.
And that is a leader I can follow!
Tonight as I was snuggling with my two year old son, Landon, & we were going through our usual routine, “Daddy snuggle me just 2 more minutes,” and ultimately me conceding at least once or twice, the thought suddenly popped into my head,
“How am I going to handle it when a girl someday breaks this kids heart?”
Random! I know!
But there it was, a dreadful thought! I began to remember when I got my heart broken. I was a Sophomore in college, I got a phone call, if there is such a thing as “Dear John” phone calls that was it…I was dumped. I didn’t see it coming & I was heart broken. It was close to 1 a.m., but one of the first things I did was call my parents. My mom answered, I could tell I woke-her-up. “Mom,” I sputtered, “Chad what’s wrong?” “Mom, (Name withheld for protection since this individual may never want to admit to dating me:)) just broke-up with me!” I said through sobs.
Landon is two, he won’t even date for 15 years, but I found myself saddened at just the thought of that potential call.
And maybe it’s because I’m a preacher, but everything turns into a Spiritual nugget; & this was no exception.
Because while I was pondering and sorrowing over my two year old son’s future heart break at the hands of some woman whom fails to see how awesome he is! 🙂
This text popped into my mind,
“He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” –Isaiah 53:3
And suddenly I understood it differently.
In the past I have seen this sorrow and this grief directly related to the emotional and physical torment Jesus personally went through on this earth; and maybe that is still what this text is primarily saying.
But tonight as a Dad worrying about his son’s hypothetical heartbreak and the ensuing phone call I will receive at 1 in the morning, I saw Jesus as sorrowful and grief stricken because He loves me so much that every hurt I have, He intimately felt and feels.
Before I had kids I never saw anything sorrowful or even painful about the life of a toddler. Now my heart hurts when I see my kids wounded physically and emotionally. I’m a man of sorrows & acquainted with the griefs of toddlers because I love them so much!
And one day if we are still on this planet, I will be sorrowful & grief stricken for pre-adolescent children, and then I will feel the sorrow & grief of teenagers, I will feel the sorrow & grief of getting dumped…not because I’ve been dumped…but because I have a son that has received that “Dear John” phone call.
Jesus loves me more than I love my kids, no wonder He is a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; when my heart breaks, His heart breaks.
My Mom got me through that phone call, but I later learned that when she hung-up her and my Dad shed a few tears of their own.
Why?
Because that is the essence of loving parents, our sorrow is their sorrow, our grief is their grief.
Our sorrow is His sorrow. Our grief is His grief.
On Sunday February 10th the Standard Bearer of Righteousness by Faith within the Adventist Church over the last 40 years fell asleep in Jesus.
Pastor Morris Venden as his son Lee says, “Had one string on his violin, Jesus,” and oh how beautifully he played that string.
My first encounter with Morris Venden was through his book, “Hard To Be Lost.”
I like many prodigals that return home was trying to work off past mistakes. Whenever someone preached the law or I read about God’s expectations for the Christian life. I left either depressed or angry and resentful that someone had confronted me in that way. Then one day amongst my parents books I discovered, “Hard To Be Lost.” I read it in just a couple sittings.
That book taught me a philosophy that I have tried to live by ever since, “It is harder to be lost than to be saved!”
As I moved out of that phase of my Christian walk and into a true understanding of Jesus and His love for me those sermons that once depressed me or made me angry, now understood in the light of Jesus’ love encouraged me! The law was no longer about Jesus’ love for me or even my salvation, but rather my joyful response to that glorious and marvelous love! Seeing things through the glasses of grace changes how we view everything, Elder Venden helped to teach me that.
Soon after I read that book, I began to read more of Elder Venden’s writings. “Never Without an Intercessor”, “To Know God”, & “Your Friend the Holy Spirit.” I was blessed by them all.
But then one day I discovered some old camp meeting tapes in a box, an entire series by Morris Venden. I remember listening to these tapes over and over again with tears streaming down my face as I would drive here and there. The man knew how to tell a story and tie it to the Gospel!
Just a couple years later at Union College I met a number of people that knew Elder Venden when he had served as the Pastor of the College View Seventh-day Adventist Church. It was through these people I learned about some of Elder Venden’s demons, his struggles, his awkwardness with people. It didn’t discourage me though, it actually endeared my heart to him even more.
He was a man that was far from perfect which is why He always had to lean on our Perfect Savior!
Two years later when I was now attending Southern Adventist University, Elder Venden was the speaker for our ministerial consecration weekend. During one of his messages on Sabbath afternoon, we were meeting in the Thatcher Hall chapel in the Women’s dormitory & the fire alarm went off. We all had to vacate for a few minutes outside into a courtyard. I saw Elder Venden standing there alone and I approached him. It was an awkward 30 seconds. He definitely was not a people person…I had heard this but to experience it first hand caught me off guard. And yet this man could stand in front of thousands and talk about Jesus in such a way that you thought he was talking directly to you or that Jesus had sent him with this message just for you.
Elder Venden is no more. But His message of Jesus lives on in all of us that heard it and were changed forever for the glory of our Savior!
Thank you Jesus for sending us for a season our brother in the faith Morris Venden!
Education, Politics, & Angus T. Jones helped to make November 2012 the most “visited” month in the history of this blog w/ more than 2300 people stopping by this site to have a look.
So here are the top 10 posts for the month of November, 2012.
- Adventist Education: It is “Something Better” this was the second most popular post in the history of this blog nearly catching In Defense of Ted. It also was one of two Adventist Education posts that made the top ten this month. Which I guess means my readers are passionate about Adventist Ed.
- Faster Pastor: Episode #4: God & American Politics is our second most popular post this month. This fourth episode in our web series “Faster Pastor” I believe was the best of the series thus far. In part because of the content & special guest, Dwight Nelson; but also because the three of us, Albert, David, & I are getting used to talking to one another over a computer screen. Stay tuned another Faster Pastor will be released early in December.
- Angus T. Jones’ Testimony Part 1 & 2 : What can we say? Angust went viral everywhere. I think we all need to pray with for his journey with Jesus right now as I’ve heard he won’t even be able to attend church this Sabbath due to the media presence.
- The Superiority of Adventist Education our second post on Adventist Education in our top ten list was actually something I wrote in May of 2011 but just decided to repost this month & like the first time around it found it’s way into the top ten list.
- Jesus Would Endorse…Doesn’t the Presidential election seem like forever ago? Yet it was this month & thus three posts on politics made it to the top 10 for the month.
- Entitled Lakers’ Fans, Entitled Worshipers I had the idea for this blog while driving back from Union Executive Committee meetings. I actually pulled out my phone and recorded the idea on the dictaphone app. It addresses a problem I think is very prevalent in our society.
- We Can’t Change for Our Kids another dangerous trend within the society of “Christian” parents.
- Faster Pastor: Episode #2: Unity in Diversity this episode of Faster Pastor has remained in the top ten for three straight months now. It addresses the delicate issue that has been floating around Adventism this year, Women’s Ordination.
- Donkeys, Elephants, & a Lesson Learned at Chick-Fil-A has been in the top ten for four straight months holding the #2, #1, #5, & now #9 spots respectively. I think that the political season is now over I’m assuming it will fade away.
- The Ordained Women Pastors of China is holding the number 10 spot by one viewing over another Faster Pastor episode. This is a great video that as I shared last month made me cry the first time I viewed it!
I hope if you missed any of these posts this past month that you will be blessed or at least enjoy the time spent catching up!