Participants:
Series Code: GMS
Program Code: GMS000060A
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00:01 Seventh-day Adventist schools
00:02 preparing children for the future. 00:04 Pastor Ted Wilson, president of the General Conference 00:07 of Seventh-day Adventists and Charlotte Ishkanian, 00:10 veteran editor of the Adventist Churches 00:13 mission quarterly magazines all that 00:15 and much more coming up next on Global Mission Snapshots. 00:31 Just before He went up to heaven 00:33 Jesus gave us a command. 00:36 He gave us a mission. 00:39 Jesus said "Go, go unto all the world, 00:44 telling them of His love." 00:46 This is our mission. This is our Global Mission. 00:56 Hello, I'm Gary Krause 00:57 and welcome to Global Mission Snapshots, 00:59 a program where we look at what's happening 01:01 with Adventist mission all around the globe. 01:04 Today we'll be talking with Pastor Ted Wilson, 01:07 president of the General Conference 01:08 of Seventh-day Adventist 01:10 about something many people first learned 01:13 about as a young child, mission offerings. 01:16 Mission offerings aren't just for children 01:18 and they're not a thing of the past either. 01:20 They still play a vital role in mission 01:23 and they're important for adults and children alike. 01:27 We'll also be talking with Charlotte Ishkanian 01:29 who has probably visited more 13th Sabbath Offering projects 01:34 than any other person. 01:35 Projects in places such as Southern Asia 01:38 which we will visit right now. 01:40 Since, 1912 Seventh-day Adventist Church members 01:43 have supported a special mission offering 01:45 called the 13th Sabbath Offering. 01:47 Although, its only part of the offerings 01:49 that support mission work worldwide. 01:51 Your support of this offering 01:53 has helped touch countless lives through schools, clinics, 01:57 churches, literature and other mission projects. 02:09 On this Sabbath in Kollegal, India, 02:11 shoes laying the doorway 02:12 of the Seventh-day Adventist church. 02:14 Members joyfully gathered together 02:16 for the Sabbath school lesson and sermon. 02:19 They listen intently as the pastor preaches 02:21 the messages on his heart. 02:23 This congregation ranges from all ages 02:26 but everyone feels welcomed here. 02:29 Along sides the church sits 02:30 the Seventh-day Adventist school. 02:32 Many of the children from the congregation 02:34 attend school here. 02:36 They love to learn about Jesus. 02:40 Today this group is learning their lesson outside. 02:43 The sun may be hot or the rain may pour down 02:46 but these children do whatever it takes 02:48 to get a quality education. 02:51 The other classrooms are full. 02:52 So for now they meet under a metal covering. 03:00 Many of the students at this school 03:02 are not from Adventist homes. 03:04 The parents of this community like sending their children 03:07 to Adventist schools because they know their children 03:09 will get a good education. 03:16 The students learn stories from the Bible. 03:18 In a country where Christianity makes up 03:20 less than three percent of the population 03:23 these stories are brand new to most children. 03:26 Imagine, hearing these exciting stories for the first time. 03:30 It opens a door to hope in a better life. 03:33 This quarter a portion of your 13th Sabbath Offering 03:36 will help build new classrooms 03:38 at the Seventh-day Adventist school in Kollegal. 03:41 Each year more students enroll 03:43 and the needs of the school are growing. 03:45 Please pray for the students at Kollegal. 03:48 Pray that they have sufficient space to learn and grow. 03:53 It's my pleasure to introduce 03:54 our guest Pastor Ted Wilson, 03:56 who is the president of the General Conference 03:58 of Seventh-day Adventist. 04:00 Pastor Wilson, thank you for joining us. 04:02 It's great to be here. 04:03 As Adventist we are called to give 10% of our income 04:09 to God's work and we are also invited 04:11 to give our offerings to mission various causes 04:14 and we have the weekly mission offerings that are collected. 04:18 Why is this process important? 04:20 Well, first of all let's start with the individual. 04:23 Now with you or with me. 04:25 We are both members 04:26 of the Seventh-day Adventist church 04:28 that means we can participate in a spiritual exercise. 04:33 So regardless of the actual income 04:36 that is derived from what is given 04:39 or returned to the church. 04:41 It is an, an exercise of loyalty 04:46 and a direct personal connection between you and your God. 04:51 And the Lord has simply asked us 04:53 and its one of the fairest areas of requirements 04:59 that you could ever dream of. 05:00 The Lord just says return to Me 10% as a faith factor. 05:06 I've blessed you, I've given you what you need, 05:09 just return to Me one-tenth, 05:11 10% as a sign of your complete loyalty to Me 05:16 and also of your trust in Me. 05:19 And it's absolutely amazing in our, 05:22 in our experience my wife's and my experience at home 05:26 I believe that returning nine-tenths 05:30 and of course it more than that 05:31 because we will talk about offerings in a moment. 05:34 But even returning nine-tenths 05:37 provides you and this doesn't seem possible 05:39 but it provides you with more than the ten-tenths 05:43 that you've started with 05:44 because God just adds His blessings. 05:46 He keeps you healthy 05:48 or He provides you with an opportunity 05:50 that you never thought of or whatever. 05:53 So it's that spiritual connection. 05:55 That's first of all, so vitally important. 05:58 Now in returning 10% and then as the Bible says 06:01 to give freewill offerings 06:03 according to how you've been blessed in your relationship 06:06 with the Lord you might want to give 5%, 06:09 you might want to give 10%, personally my wife 06:13 and I are returning 10% in offerings 06:17 or in donations for charitable activity. 06:21 So that's 20%. 06:23 But in reality that eight-tenths that is left 06:28 I find to be ample for what I actually need. 06:33 And of course, there is a difference between 06:34 what we need and what we want. 06:36 But God has promised in the Book of Malachi 06:40 open the windows of heaven and pour out these blessings. 06:43 In reality, we could go on talking 06:46 about stewardship in general 06:48 but in reality how it relates to mission. 06:52 The tithe is provided for the sustaining 06:56 of the gospel proclamation for ministers of the gospel, 07:00 for the activity of the church and then mission offerings 07:04 are provided for a augmenting of that entire work 07:10 for the mission expansion of the church. 07:14 A lot of people are giving lot of donations 07:17 to various organizations that are good organizations 07:20 and mission oriented organizations 07:23 and that's good in many respects. 07:26 But we would implore our church members 07:29 to remember that when they see mission offering 07:32 or world budget that they are then able 07:35 to give to the expansion 07:37 of the mission program of the church, 07:40 mission outreach, various initiatives 07:44 that are very creative in nature 07:47 and reaching into unentered areas. 07:49 So when you're giving even though you may not know 07:52 every detail about it you can be a very assured 07:57 that God's money because it becomes God's money 08:01 after you return it, return it back to Him. 08:04 Really God owns everything. That's right. 08:05 But He is just entrusting some of it to us. 08:08 But then you return some of that 08:09 and really it is used for wonderful mission outreach. 08:15 And I think it's exciting. 08:16 In fact, recently I have increased personally, 08:20 I haven't broadcast this much but now I guess I've. Good. 08:23 I've increased the amount that I'm giving 08:26 for the world budget because I want 08:29 to help the expansion of God's work. 08:32 And the Seventh-day Adventist Church 08:34 is not shrinking by God's grace 08:36 and through His blessing it is expanding 08:39 because this is His movement, His church 08:42 and it's so exciting to be part of it. 08:44 So that's why returning your tithe 08:46 because we don't give our tithe we return it its God's anyway 08:50 and then giving freewill offerings especially, 08:53 you know, notably to world mission 08:56 will really increase the expansion of God's work 08:59 in especially unentered areas 09:01 as well as more developed areas of the church. 09:05 I think it's just an enormous privilege 09:08 to be part of trusting God with the funds 09:12 that He gives us in helping expand 09:15 His great advent movement here on this earth. 09:19 He doesn't need the money but He needs our loyalty 09:22 and He needs our commitment and when we do that 09:25 we are spiritually participating with Him 09:28 in the outreach of this great final message. 09:32 And those of us who have been blessed 09:33 the luminaries of the world where we perhaps have 09:35 our high income some of their brothers and sisters 09:38 its helps support a worldwide work. 09:40 Its does absolutely. 09:42 And however we are seeing a very interesting phenomenas. 09:45 We are seeing that people around the world 09:49 because now let's just take North America 09:53 it represents only about 6% of the church membership 09:58 around the world and historically it is provided 10:01 great support, financial support 10:04 and personal support and continues 10:06 to do so for which we are very grateful. 10:09 But we're finding that with God's great blessing 10:12 in many places around the world 10:14 the mission offerings are increasing 10:20 beyond anyone's imagination. 10:23 And I believe it's the blessing of God 10:25 and the understanding that, that you can participate locally 10:30 and also on a worldwide basis. 10:32 Now there is one thing I just want 10:33 to share before we end. 10:36 When you give to mission activity 10:40 outside of your own immediate area there is what 10:45 the Spirit of Prophecy terms more or less a reflex action. 10:50 What happens is when you think of people 10:52 beyond your circle outside of your own immediate area 10:56 and you give the local church doesn't suffer 11:01 because your active giving energizes you 11:07 to give even more locally. 11:09 And so in almost every situation where people are presented 11:12 with an opportunity to help someone 11:14 far beyond where they are 11:17 the local income increases as well. 11:20 And that's just a reflex action that is a blessing from God. 11:24 Thank you so much Pastor Wilson, for sharing with us. 11:27 Viewers at home if you would like 11:28 to contribute to the mission work 11:30 of the Seventh-day Adventist church 11:33 in North America on your tithe envelopes 11:35 you can just fill out for world budget 11:37 or wherever you are you can go online 11:39 to AdventistMission.org and right there 11:42 you can give your mission offerings 11:44 the one deserved technology. 11:46 May God richly bless each one of you. |
Revised 2014-12-17