Participants:
Series Code: GMS
Program Code: GMS001105B
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00:04 Welcome back to Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love.
00:08 Next stop we travel to Manaus in Brazil where Nancy Kyte is 00:12 talking with Dr. Richard Elofer. 00:14 I'm Nancy Kyte from Adventist Mission, and I'm here in Manaus, 00:18 Brazil, and I wanted to introduce you to 00:20 Dr. Richard Elofer, who is here from the 00:23 World Adventist Friendship Center. 00:26 Richard, my friend, Dr. Elofer, could you please explain 00:30 the work that you do? 00:31 Yes, the name of our center is World Jewish Adventist 00:35 Friendship Center. Yes. 00:37 That means we want to build good relationships, 00:40 and also friendship between the Jews and Adventists 00:44 in order to make reconciliation between, I would say, 00:49 the Jewish people and the Seventh-day Adventist people, 00:51 and also between the Jews and Jesus. 00:54 Now is this a new thought, or is this something that has been 00:58 going on for awhile? 00:59 Oh, it has been going on for awhile, because, in fact, from 01:03 the time of Ellen White, this ministry was already running. 01:07 And everyone remembers the name of Elder Gilbert, 01:12 who was one of the pioneers in our work for 01:15 the Jewish people. 01:17 And everyone remembers how Ellen White has supported 01:20 this work and this man. 01:22 Yes, I remember hearing about that. Yeah. 01:24 Now I know that there is something very 01:26 interesting about you. 01:28 You've had a unique life. 01:29 You are a Seventh-day Adventist now, but you are also a Jew. 01:34 Yes. Can you please explain that? 01:36 Yes, because I was born in a Jewish family. 01:39 My father, my mother, and my young sisters are Jews. 01:43 And I was raised in an orthodox Jewish family. 01:47 And when I was young I discovered that 01:51 Jesus was the Messiah. 01:53 And when I make some search about Christian congregation who 01:59 can wake up me, I found the Seventh-day Adventists, 02:02 because they are very close to the Bible, 02:05 and they follow, really, the Bible. 02:07 And that was what I was looking for. 02:10 And then I joined myself to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 02:14 and I am happy now. 02:16 I have been pastor for this congregation, for this church, 02:20 for about forty years now. 02:22 Wow, congratulations! 02:24 Yeah, thank you very much. Thank you. 02:25 And then I am happy to work with, in this church for, 02:32 especially for this ministry to reach the Jews 02:35 all over the world. 02:37 Well, that's very exciting. 02:38 I think a lot of people maybe have not heard about your work. 02:42 I'm wondering now, since you have both an Adventist, 02:45 and a Jewish experience, can you share, perhaps, what brings 02:49 you the greatest happiness, or the deepest meaning on Sabbath? 02:53 You know, when I was a Jew going to the Synagogue, 02:57 one thing I didn't like very much, it was repetition. 03:01 They repeat every Sabbath the same prayers, the same things, 03:05 etc., and that was really, troubled me, I would say. 03:10 And now I am enjoying to join my Seventh-day Adventist friends 03:17 on Sabbath morning, and to share the Word of God. 03:20 The Sabbath School is very enriching for me, because we can 03:24 share about the Word of God. 03:26 And, of course, the worship time is a very special time when 03:29 we can worship God. 03:31 And, of course, because of my Jewish heritage, Friday evening 03:37 is a very special moment in my family, 03:41 and for the Jewish Adventist I am. 03:44 And that would be starting at sunset, correct? 03:47 Yeah, of course sunset, and that is a special moment. 03:51 Yes, it is true. Well, I think that that's a very unique, 03:55 and very beautiful background that you have. 03:58 And I'm wondering if you have something special to say 04:04 to people who are interested in becoming friends with Jews. 04:07 Maybe they don't know any. 04:09 Would you have any advise of how to be friends with them? 04:13 Yes, you know we have accused the Jews for 2,000 years that 04:18 they have killed Jesus. 04:20 And it is not any time to do that right now. 04:24 Ellen White said in the book, Acts Of The Apostles, 04:28 that we have to bring to them a message of mercy and hope. 04:33 Then if we want to be friends with Jews, and to bring them 04:39 to Jesus, stop accusing them of anything. 04:42 But just bring to them a message of mercy and hope, 04:48 and then we will see Jews coming to Jesus because they need 04:54 this message of mercy and hope. 04:57 And then when we are friends with them, 05:00 don't hurry to present Jesus. 05:03 You know Ellen White also said that when Paul was presenting 05:08 Jesus to the Jews, he didn't say at the first time they have 05:14 to believe in Jesus of Nazareth, but he pointed their eyes 05:19 to the law of God, to the Old Testament, 05:22 to the promise of God, to the Sanctuary, 05:26 and then after that he can bring to them Jesus, 05:31 because Jesus is a fulfillment of everything 05:35 in the Old Testament. 05:36 Yeah, well, those are beautiful thoughts, and I think we should 05:40 all be brave, or maybe brave is not the word, 05:43 but I think we should all expand our horizons and become friends 05:48 with people in other world religions, and other cultures, 05:51 because we'll all be enriched, and we can 05:52 learn from each other. 05:54 Yes, that is very true. 05:55 If anybody in our audience has any questions, 05:57 can they contact you at a website? 06:00 Yes, we have a website which is wajfc.adventistmission.org. 06:14 And then they can reach us there. 06:17 We have a very good website. 06:19 If you don't remember everything, just look for 06:21 the website of Adventist Mission and you will see our website 06:26 with the Global Mission Centers. 06:28 Well thank you very much, Pastor Elofer. 06:31 And we thank our audience for being with us. 06:33 We hope you'll visit the website, and you can see the web 06:37 address on the screen. 06:38 So we hope that you have a great day, 06:40 and greetings from Dr. Elofer and Adventist Mission. 06:44 Next up: a music video, and the song is, Everlasting. 06:48 And while this music video plays, why not take 06:50 the opportunity to think about, and pray about everlasting life, 06:55 about everlasting love, and about the need to share that 06:59 with other people. 07:27 God, maker of heaven and earth, maker of the universe. 07:44 You are everlasting. 07:54 God, keeper of time and of spheres, 08:03 keeper of the human race, You are everlasting. 08:21 You took upon yourself to die for what You made. 08:46 Wonderful Savior, almighty Creator, merciful healer. 09:04 You are everlasting, perfect in splendor, 09:18 yet humble in nature, Your kingdom forever, 09:30 You are everlasting. 09:38 God, healer of all human hurts, healer I'm telling you earth. 09:55 You are everlasting. 10:06 You took upon Yourself to die for what You've made. 10:31 Wonderful Savior, almighty Creator, merciful healer. 10:49 You are everlasting, perfect in splendor, 11:03 yet humble in nature. 11:09 Your kingdom forever, You are everlasting. 11:35 Well, I hope that you have enjoyed today's 360 degree 11:38 view of Mission around the world. 11:40 But more than just enjoying the stories, I hope that you've 11:43 been inspired, and you've been challenged by what is happening 11:47 around the world today from remote areas, 11:51 such as islands in the Pacific, through the densely populated 11:54 urban areas, such as here in Philadelphia, men and women, 11:58 boys and girls, are sharing the light of God's love. 12:01 And I want to thank you for the part that you're playing 12:05 through your prayerful support of mission, for your personal 12:08 involvement, and for your financial support. 12:11 And I want to assure you that it does make a difference. 12:14 Before I go, I'd like to offer you this magazine. 12:18 It's called Mission 360, and it's full of inspiring, 12:21 challenging stories like you see right here on this program. 12:24 You'll see the information on your screen, and we'd like to 12:28 send this to you to keep you in touch with mission. 12:32 Well, for Adventist Mission, I'm Gary Krause, and I hope you 12:34 can join me next time, right here on 12:37 Global Mission Snapshots. |
Revised 2016-06-20