Last year the ASI
leadership invited me to come
00:01:01.41\00:01:05.21
and conduct a seminar
for the leaders of ASI,
00:01:05.24\00:01:09.73
for the president,
the vice presidents
00:01:09.76\00:01:11.43
and the varying ASI officers
00:01:11.46\00:01:14.47
and to
specifically look at vision.
00:01:14.50\00:01:18.02
Where has ASI come
from? What's its origin?
00:01:18.05\00:01:21.92
What are its roots?
What's its core purpose?
00:01:21.95\00:01:26.09
What was the
vision in the hearts
00:01:26.12\00:01:28.19
and minds of its early
founders and what direction
00:01:28.22\00:01:33.44
does that vision have for
the ASI organization today?
00:01:33.47\00:01:38.16
And so we spent
five or six hours
00:01:38.19\00:01:40.18
studying
together, praying together,
00:01:40.21\00:01:42.37
looking at the
biblical foundation of ASI,
00:01:42.40\00:01:45.39
looking at its
historical precedent
00:01:45.42\00:01:47.40
within the Adventist church.
00:01:47.43\00:01:49.83
We looked at the early
ASI leaders and their spirit.
00:01:49.86\00:01:55.49
After those presentations,
00:01:55.52\00:01:57.29
Debbie Young our
president said to me,
00:01:57.32\00:01:58.96
well, Mark, can you
take those principles
00:01:58.99\00:02:01.98
and distil them into about
a 50 or 60 minute presentation
00:02:02.01\00:02:06.51
for our ASI constituency?
00:02:06.54\00:02:09.14
And so my task this morning
00:02:09.17\00:02:11.36
is to take a five
or six hour seminar
00:02:11.39\00:02:14.11
and boil it down to
its distilled essence
00:02:14.14\00:02:18.03
and look at its
core and walk together
00:02:18.06\00:02:22.17
through the history background
00:02:22.20\00:02:23.71
of some of the
early ASI leaders.
00:02:23.74\00:02:26.28
It certainly
will not be exhaustive
00:02:26.31\00:02:29.09
and I picked out
just a few principles
00:02:29.12\00:02:31.33
for us to look at.
00:02:31.36\00:02:32.99
And so we'll really look
at three things this morning.
00:02:33.02\00:02:36.09
We'll look at the
biblical framework of ASI
00:02:36.12\00:02:39.57
and see its biblical roots.
00:02:39.60\00:02:42.48
Then we will look at
some of its early principles,
00:02:42.51\00:02:46.15
how it was established.
00:02:46.18\00:02:48.41
But most of all, we'll
attempt to take those principles
00:02:48.44\00:02:52.05
and apply them to businessmen
and women in the 21st century,
00:02:52.08\00:02:57.57
to apply them to
self supporting units
00:02:57.60\00:03:00.49
like Wildwood and Eden Valley.
00:03:00.52\00:03:04.12
ASI has dramatically
changed over the years.
00:03:04.15\00:03:06.58
Initially it was
birthed as an organization
00:03:06.61\00:03:10.75
of self-supporting institutions.
00:03:10.78\00:03:14.33
It was only later
that business groups
00:03:14.36\00:03:16.64
were added to that and
it's an interesting mix
00:03:16.67\00:03:19.67
of
entrepreneurial business people,
00:03:19.70\00:03:23.22
many of whom have done
well in their businesses
00:03:23.25\00:03:26.31
and sometimes struggling,
00:03:26.34\00:03:28.10
fledgling
self-supporting institutions
00:03:28.13\00:03:31.95
that have made a
contribution in God's work.
00:03:31.98\00:03:35.90
So we're gonna look
at that but most of all
00:03:35.93\00:03:37.89
we'll take these principles
and we'll say to ourselves
00:03:37.92\00:03:40.44
as we go through the
message this morning,
00:03:40.47\00:03:42.50
how do these
principles apply to my life?
00:03:42.53\00:03:45.08
How do they relate
to me as a Christian?
00:03:45.11\00:03:47.63
Because whether I am
in self-supporting work,
00:03:47.66\00:03:50.90
whether I'm an ASI member,
00:03:50.93\00:03:53.08
whether I'm a
church administrator
00:03:53.11\00:03:55.39
or pastor or a layperson,
00:03:55.42\00:03:58.29
I'm first and
foremost a servant of Christ.
00:03:58.32\00:04:02.46
And whatever my occupation
is, most of us here today are
00:04:02.49\00:04:08.18
Seventh-day
Adventist Christians.
00:04:08.21\00:04:10.57
So whatever there is
that makes us different,
00:04:10.60\00:04:15.87
there is much more
that makes us the same.
00:04:15.90\00:04:18.92
And our togetherness is
much more than our differences.
00:04:18.95\00:04:23.95
So let's pray together
00:04:23.98\00:04:25.41
and then we'll open
God's word and study together.
00:04:25.44\00:04:27.24
I hope you brought your Bible
00:04:27.27\00:04:28.90
because we're gonna
do some study today.
00:04:28.93\00:04:30.39
Father, as we look at
the core, the essence,
00:04:31.57\00:04:35.09
the heart of the
ASI organization,
00:04:35.12\00:04:38.56
as we look at
its biblical roots,
00:04:38.59\00:04:40.81
as we study the divine
counsel as given to this church,
00:04:40.84\00:04:44.81
I pray Thee today
that you would keep
00:04:44.84\00:04:47.62
the vision alive
in this organization.
00:04:47.65\00:04:51.35
I pray that the
vision of its pioneers
00:04:51.38\00:04:54.25
would inspire us and motivate us
00:04:54.28\00:04:57.15
not only as a corporate entity,
00:04:57.18\00:05:00.31
not only as
institutions and businesses
00:05:00.34\00:05:06.87
but may the ASI pioneer
spirit burn in our hearts.
00:05:06.90\00:05:12.33
May we recapture
00:05:12.36\00:05:13.62
the spirit of the
biblical giants of the past.
00:05:13.65\00:05:18.46
May we recapture
the spirit of the early
00:05:18.49\00:05:20.99
Adventist pioneers of the past
00:05:21.02\00:05:22.88
and the founders
of the ASI movement.
00:05:22.91\00:05:26.30
May that spirit
motivate our vision,
00:05:26.33\00:05:28.56
inspire our hearts and lead us
00:05:28.59\00:05:30.81
to unfinished work
in this generation.
00:05:30.84\00:05:33.49
We pray Thee in
Christ's name, amen.
00:05:33.52\00:05:37.64
As the shadows
lengthened and the sun set
00:05:37.67\00:05:42.71
over the beautiful Alps
00:05:42.74\00:05:45.45
in the area of Torre
Pellice in Northern Italy,
00:05:45.48\00:05:50.54
the Piedmont valleys,
the home of the Waldensians,
00:05:50.57\00:05:54.23
a group of Seventh-day
Adventist young people
00:05:54.26\00:05:57.46
gathered around the campfire.
00:05:57.49\00:05:59.91
They sang hymns, they
shared their testimony
00:05:59.94\00:06:04.43
but most of all,
these stalwart Adventist
00:06:04.46\00:06:06.99
young people with
their Adventist pastor
00:06:07.02\00:06:09.84
and youth leader
studied the Word of God.
00:06:09.87\00:06:13.74
And as they did,
the night wore on.
00:06:13.77\00:06:17.07
They were deeply
involved in their Bible study,
00:06:17.10\00:06:20.12
they were reliving the
history of the Waldenses.
00:06:20.15\00:06:24.49
They were reliving those scenes
of those stalwarts of faith
00:06:24.52\00:06:28.97
who had stood for Christ
against the church state union
00:06:29.00\00:06:33.24
and the medieval church.
00:06:33.27\00:06:35.80
They relived the
experiences of these Waldenses
00:06:35.83\00:06:39.61
as they huddled
in caves together
00:06:39.64\00:06:41.78
there in the Piedmont valleys.
00:06:41.81\00:06:44.46
And in the
darkness of those caves
00:06:44.49\00:06:46.27
sang the great
hymns of the church,
00:06:46.30\00:06:49.06
"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."
00:06:49.09\00:06:52.22
And these young people
began to sing, and as they did,
00:06:52.25\00:06:55.93
a Waldensian elder
stepped out of the darkness.
00:06:55.96\00:06:59.99
There are still
Waldensian churches
00:07:00.02\00:07:01.78
there in the
area of Torre Pellice
00:07:01.81\00:07:05.02
and the Waldensian
elder had been listening
00:07:05.05\00:07:06.83
to these
consecrated godly young people.
00:07:06.86\00:07:09.86
He had been interested--
00:07:09.89\00:07:10.92
He had been
listening to their sermons.
00:07:10.95\00:07:13.22
He had been
inspired by their testimonies
00:07:13.25\00:07:16.19
and he had been--
00:07:16.22\00:07:17.27
He was impressed by
their Bible studies.
00:07:17.30\00:07:19.88
As he stepped
out of the shadows,
00:07:19.91\00:07:23.54
he stood there
silently for a moment.
00:07:23.57\00:07:26.81
His eyes moistened with tears
00:07:26.84\00:07:29.93
and then he asked the
pastor for permission to speak.
00:07:29.96\00:07:34.28
He explained that he had lived
00:07:34.31\00:07:35.71
in these valleys for many years.
00:07:35.74\00:07:37.48
That his
grandfather had lived there,
00:07:37.51\00:07:40.33
that his great-great-grandfather
00:07:40.36\00:07:42.25
had lived there.
00:07:42.28\00:07:43.81
He talked about
his Waldensian heritage
00:07:43.84\00:07:47.32
and then he said this,
00:07:47.35\00:07:49.73
"Today our
churches are mostly empty.
00:07:49.76\00:07:55.70
Today we've lost most of
our Waldensian young people.
00:07:55.73\00:08:00.89
They have moved
from these valleys,
00:08:00.92\00:08:03.67
they have gone down
to the cities of Europe.
00:08:03.70\00:08:07.47
Most of them have
become worldly like
00:08:07.50\00:08:11.88
many other secular Europeans."
00:08:11.91\00:08:15.80
And then he made
this insightful comment.
00:08:15.83\00:08:19.22
He said, "We've lost
our sense of mission,
00:08:19.25\00:08:22.33
we've lost our
sense of purpose."
00:08:22.36\00:08:25.18
And then looking in the
eyes of that youth pastor
00:08:25.21\00:08:29.07
and looking in the
eyes of those young people,
00:08:29.10\00:08:31.04
he said to this,
he said this to them.
00:08:31.07\00:08:33.77
"Keep your vision
alive. Keep your vision alive."
00:08:33.80\00:08:41.19
But that leads us to a question.
00:08:41.22\00:08:43.78
How does any
organization do that?
00:08:43.81\00:08:47.47
How are you sure
and how can you ensure
00:08:47.50\00:08:50.54
that ASI will not lose
the vision of its founders?
00:08:50.57\00:08:55.57
How can you be
sure that the presence
00:08:55.60\00:08:59.03
of the spirit of the
founders of an organization
00:08:59.06\00:09:03.50
remains within that organization
00:09:03.53\00:09:05.69
decade after decade and
generation after generation?
00:09:05.72\00:09:09.80
How can the vision that
birthed an organization,
00:09:09.83\00:09:13.46
grow and expand so
that the organization
00:09:13.49\00:09:16.35
becomes everything
that God wants it to be?
00:09:16.38\00:09:20.08
How can we be sure
00:09:20.11\00:09:23.16
that the church
does not get sidetracked?
00:09:23.19\00:09:26.18
How can we be sure
00:09:26.21\00:09:27.25
that ASI does
not get sidetracked?
00:09:27.28\00:09:29.50
How can you be sure
that the organization
00:09:29.53\00:09:31.14
you represent does
not get sidetracked?
00:09:31.17\00:09:34.97
Organizations
succeed only as they do
00:09:35.00\00:09:40.53
that which has God
as destined them to do.
00:09:40.56\00:09:44.47
They are successful only
00:09:44.50\00:09:46.81
as they maintain a sharp
focus and one of the dangers
00:09:46.84\00:09:51.52
for the Seventh-day
Adventist church today
00:09:51.55\00:09:54.03
and one of the dangers for ASI,
00:09:54.06\00:09:56.34
and one of the
dangers for the organization
00:09:56.37\00:09:58.46
that you represent is
that the longer time goes on,
00:09:58.49\00:10:03.84
the higher the possibility
00:10:03.87\00:10:06.09
that the vision
will become dull.
00:10:06.12\00:10:08.45
The higher the possibility
that the focus of the lens
00:10:08.48\00:10:12.22
of the
organization will become blurry.
00:10:12.25\00:10:15.33
As generations pass,
Seventh-day Adventists
00:10:15.36\00:10:20.18
have never been in
it for the marathon,
00:10:20.21\00:10:22.77
we've always been
in it for the sprint.
00:10:22.80\00:10:25.18
We've not been in
it for the long term.
00:10:25.21\00:10:27.60
We have believed in
the fabric of our being,
00:10:27.63\00:10:30.46
in the citadel of our soul,
00:10:30.49\00:10:32.83
in the essence of the core
of our being of who we are.
00:10:32.86\00:10:36.20
Adventists have believed
00:10:36.23\00:10:37.41
that Jesus
Christ is going to come.
00:10:37.44\00:10:40.32
We are Adventists.
00:10:40.35\00:10:42.00
We believe that Jesus is
coming and He is coming soon.
00:10:42.03\00:10:46.24
But the more time passes,
00:10:46.27\00:10:49.01
the more
possibility there exists
00:10:49.04\00:10:51.90
that we can pontificate
about the coming of Jesus
00:10:51.93\00:10:54.74
with our lips but our lifestyles
00:10:54.77\00:10:57.46
do not reflect
that sharpened focus
00:10:57.49\00:11:01.06
of the coming of
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:11:01.09\00:11:04.34
Therefore how
can an organization
00:11:04.37\00:11:07.33
remain sharp and clear
00:11:07.36\00:11:11.20
with a
laser-like razor edge focus?
00:11:11.23\00:11:15.66
I suggest to you that
ASI will only remain faithful
00:11:15.69\00:11:20.74
to its heritage and its calling.
00:11:20.77\00:11:23.28
And you and I will
only remain faithful
00:11:23.31\00:11:24.89
to our heritage and our calling
00:11:24.92\00:11:26.96
if indeed we understand
the biblical framework
00:11:26.99\00:11:32.48
in which ASI exists.
00:11:32.51\00:11:35.17
So we begin
appropriately this morning
00:11:35.20\00:11:39.30
by examining the
biblical framework of ASI.
00:11:39.33\00:11:43.44
ASI gets its
mandate from scripture.
00:11:43.47\00:11:46.48
I invite you to take your Bible
00:11:46.51\00:11:47.81
and turn to Acts
the 18th chapter.
00:11:47.84\00:11:50.87
Acts Chapter 18.
00:11:50.90\00:11:54.40
ASI in an essence,
00:11:54.43\00:11:56.14
if you summarize ASI
in an essence, it is this,
00:11:56.17\00:12:00.45
one sentence
that will define ASI
00:12:00.48\00:12:04.77
and the spirit of ASI.
00:12:04.80\00:12:08.02
ASI is an
organization of institutions
00:12:08.05\00:12:12.76
and laypeople
that support themselves
00:12:12.79\00:12:16.59
financially so that
they can participate
00:12:16.62\00:12:20.48
in the mission of the church.
00:12:20.51\00:12:23.14
That's what ASI is.
00:12:23.17\00:12:24.96
It is not a
separate organization
00:12:24.99\00:12:27.12
from the church.
00:12:27.15\00:12:29.05
It is rather an
organization of institutions
00:12:29.08\00:12:33.13
and laypeople who have
such deep commitment to Christ
00:12:33.16\00:12:37.87
that they are able to find out
00:12:37.90\00:12:39.93
how they can support
themselves to do mission.
00:12:39.96\00:12:43.47
That precedent is found
in Acts the 18th chapter
00:12:43.50\00:12:48.23
and we find it
rooted in scripture.
00:12:48.26\00:12:51.67
The first
self-supporting missionary
00:12:51.70\00:12:54.84
was Apostle Paul
and he lit gospel
00:12:54.87\00:12:58.05
fires throughout Asia Minor,
00:12:58.08\00:13:00.77
in Ephesus, in Colossae,
in Corinth and in Rome.
00:13:00.80\00:13:06.92
Acts the 18th chapter.
00:13:06.95\00:13:08.83
"And after these things
Paul departed from Athens
00:13:08.86\00:13:11.40
and went to Corinth.
00:13:11.43\00:13:13.21
And he found a Jew"
verse 2 "named Aquila,
00:13:13.24\00:13:16.51
born in Pontus, who had
recently come from Italy
00:13:16.54\00:13:19.17
with his wife Priscilla
because Claudius had commanded
00:13:19.20\00:13:22.62
all the Jews to depart
from Rome and he came to them.
00:13:22.65\00:13:26.53
So, because he
was of the same trade,
00:13:26.56\00:13:28.95
he stayed with them and worked."
00:13:28.98\00:13:31.25
Notice the Apostle Paul
00:13:31.28\00:13:33.48
was a tentmaker who
worked with his hands.
00:13:33.51\00:13:36.87
He was an ASI member.
00:13:36.90\00:13:39.89
He was a
self-supporting missionary.
00:13:39.92\00:13:43.29
He worked to make tents so
he could financially support
00:13:43.32\00:13:47.82
his missionary ministry
00:13:47.85\00:13:49.77
for the
proclamation of the gospel.
00:13:49.80\00:13:52.24
And notice what
the scripture says.
00:13:52.27\00:13:54.39
"So, because he
was of the same trade,"
00:13:54.42\00:13:56.17
verse 3 "he stayed with them
and worked for by occupation
00:13:56.20\00:14:00.14
they were tentmakers.
00:14:00.17\00:14:01.56
And he reasoned in the
synagogue every Sabbath,
00:14:01.59\00:14:04.14
persuaded Jews and Greeks."
00:14:04.17\00:14:06.13
You let your eyes
drop down to verse 8.
00:14:06.16\00:14:11.06
"Then Crispus, the
ruler of the synagogue,
00:14:11.09\00:14:13.26
believed on the Lord
with all the household.
00:14:13.29\00:14:15.48
And many of the Corinthians,
00:14:15.51\00:14:16.98
hearing, believed
and were baptized."
00:14:17.01\00:14:19.28
So the first
self-supporting worker
00:14:19.31\00:14:22.27
had a laser sharp focus.
00:14:22.30\00:14:24.80
He had a clear vision.
00:14:24.83\00:14:26.77
God had called him
00:14:26.80\00:14:28.44
not to make money predominantly.
00:14:28.47\00:14:31.41
God, in fact, called him
00:14:31.44\00:14:33.11
to use his
resources for mission.
00:14:33.14\00:14:35.62
God had called him to use
his resources for evangelism.
00:14:35.65\00:14:39.39
He was not going to wait
for the church to support him.
00:14:39.42\00:14:42.96
He had a passion, mission
and he worked with his hands
00:14:42.99\00:14:47.35
to sponsor his mission.
00:14:47.38\00:14:49.59
The function of ASI is
to bring together laypeople
00:14:49.62\00:14:53.60
who are willing
to support themselves
00:14:53.63\00:14:56.03
because they believe
that God has called them
00:14:56.06\00:14:59.05
to soul winning.
00:14:59.08\00:15:00.25
They believe that God
has called them to mission.
00:15:00.28\00:15:02.81
They believe that God has
called them to evangelism.
00:15:02.84\00:15:06.22
In the medieval church,
when church and state united
00:15:06.25\00:15:10.81
and when unbiblical
practices came into the church,
00:15:10.84\00:15:15.39
the medieval church
developed a theology
00:15:15.42\00:15:18.85
of the laity that
had three principles.
00:15:18.88\00:15:22.27
And here is the theology
00:15:22.30\00:15:23.45
of the laity of
the medieval church.
00:15:23.48\00:15:25.84
First, the clergy
are spiritually strong
00:15:25.87\00:15:30.05
and the laity
are spiritually weak.
00:15:30.08\00:15:33.83
That's why the medieval church
did not believe that the Bible
00:15:33.86\00:15:39.46
should be read by
laity because they believed
00:15:39.49\00:15:42.44
that the clergy
was spiritually strong,
00:15:42.47\00:15:45.96
the laity was spiritually weak.
00:15:45.99\00:15:47.21
Second, the
medieval church believed
00:15:47.24\00:15:50.55
that the clergy
had a spiritual calling
00:15:50.58\00:15:54.07
and the laity had
a secular calling.
00:15:54.10\00:15:56.33
So there was a dichotomy.
00:15:56.36\00:15:58.55
Laity by essence
are spiritually weak
00:15:58.58\00:16:02.48
and laity in the
medieval church philosophy
00:16:02.51\00:16:05.63
have a secular calling.
00:16:05.66\00:16:08.18
Then they said, the
clergy will get special rewards.
00:16:08.21\00:16:12.95
Medieval church.
00:16:12.98\00:16:14.65
The laity will
get ordinary rewards.
00:16:14.68\00:16:17.77
No special
rewards for the laity.
00:16:17.80\00:16:20.70
But then the New Testament
doctrine of the priesthood
00:16:20.73\00:16:23.90
of all believers was
shared in the reformation period
00:16:23.93\00:16:28.98
and there was an
explosion of understanding.
00:16:29.01\00:16:31.98
Take your Bible please
and read 1 Peter Chapter 2.
00:16:32.01\00:16:36.80
1 Peter Chapter 2.
00:16:36.83\00:16:38.62
Here are the roots of
all lay movements for God.
00:16:38.65\00:16:45.85
They are rooted in
scripture, 1 Peter Chapter 2.
00:16:45.88\00:16:52.56
And the apostle cries out
00:16:52.59\00:16:55.92
against this
unbiblical dichotomy
00:16:55.95\00:17:00.22
of laity in clergy.
00:17:00.25\00:17:03.04
In the New
Testament every believer
00:17:03.07\00:17:05.82
is a priest of God to dispense
00:17:05.85\00:17:08.94
the grace of
Christ to men and women.
00:17:08.97\00:17:11.74
In the New Testament
00:17:11.77\00:17:13.07
every believer
is endowed by Jesus
00:17:13.10\00:17:15.25
with gifts to share Jesus' love
00:17:15.28\00:17:17.60
with a waiting world
and a watching universe.
00:17:17.63\00:17:20.01
The dichotomy between clergy
00:17:20.04\00:17:21.49
and laity is a
medieval fabrication
00:17:21.52\00:17:24.10
of the antichrist system.
00:17:24.13\00:17:26.09
1 Peter Chapter 2 and
we look there at verse 9.
00:17:26.12\00:17:32.93
Peter says, "But you
are a chosen generation,
00:17:32.96\00:17:37.05
a royal
priesthood, a holy nation,
00:17:37.08\00:17:39.47
His own special people,
00:17:39.50\00:17:40.81
that you may
proclaim the praises of Him
00:17:40.84\00:17:43.10
who called you out of darkness
into this marvelous light."
00:17:43.13\00:17:46.35
Peter says there is no
such thing in God's work
00:17:46.38\00:17:50.36
or plan as a
hierarchical group of priests
00:17:50.39\00:17:53.90
to whom there has been
given a spiritual calling
00:17:53.93\00:17:56.66
to communicate the gospel.
00:17:56.69\00:17:58.38
Peter says, to you
and me in the church,
00:17:58.41\00:18:01.45
you are a royal priesthood.
00:18:01.48\00:18:04.54
Peter says to you and me,
00:18:04.57\00:18:06.76
you have the opportunity
of opening God's word
00:18:06.79\00:18:10.60
and sharing God's love.
00:18:10.63\00:18:13.45
Now, Ellen White
writing with divine insight
00:18:13.48\00:18:16.32
in the Gift of Prophecy
00:18:16.35\00:18:17.91
confirms this
biblical theology of the laity.
00:18:17.94\00:18:23.31
Review and
Herald, February 21, 1893,
00:18:23.34\00:18:27.27
"The work of the
gospel is not to depend solely
00:18:27.30\00:18:31.29
upon the minister."
00:18:31.32\00:18:32.57
Can somebody say amen?
00:18:32.60\00:18:34.38
"The work of the gospel
00:18:34.41\00:18:35.64
is not to depend
solely upon the minister.
00:18:35.67\00:18:37.99
Every soul should take action,
00:18:38.02\00:18:41.29
an active part in
advancing the cause of God."
00:18:41.32\00:18:44.00
Every soul, every
person who comes to Christ.
00:18:44.03\00:18:47.26
Now notice Medical Ministry 322,
00:18:47.29\00:18:51.58
"Work with your hands."
00:18:51.61\00:18:53.55
Now this is Ellen
White's counsel to laity,
00:18:53.58\00:18:56.98
to self-supporting workers.
00:18:57.01\00:18:58.46
She says, Medical
Ministry page 322,
00:18:58.49\00:19:02.15
"Work with your hands
00:19:02.18\00:19:03.96
that you may be self-supporting,
00:19:03.99\00:19:06.09
and as you have opportunity,
proclaim the message."
00:19:06.12\00:19:08.95
So here is the mandate of
ASI. Here is the heart of ASI.
00:19:08.98\00:19:14.06
An organization of men and women
00:19:14.09\00:19:16.26
who work with their
hands to support themselves
00:19:16.29\00:19:19.47
so that through God's
grace and by God's grace
00:19:19.50\00:19:21.72
and in God's grace they can
share the gospel with others.
00:19:21.75\00:19:25.39
A number of years
ago, Ellen White spoke
00:19:25.42\00:19:29.38
to a group of
self-supporting workers.
00:19:29.41\00:19:32.56
We could call them
00:19:32.59\00:19:33.64
ASI members and
that ASI convention,
00:19:33.67\00:19:38.53
I wondered what
would the prophet of God,
00:19:38.56\00:19:42.71
if she were here this
morning addressing this topic,
00:19:42.74\00:19:47.23
the spirit of ASI and
how to keep that alive,
00:19:47.26\00:19:50.55
what would she say?
00:19:50.58\00:19:52.38
Well, one of the ways
we know what she would say
00:19:52.41\00:19:54.96
is if we came back,
00:19:54.99\00:19:57.01
if we go back and
read what she said.
00:19:57.04\00:19:59.54
Because she would say
today, what she said then.
00:19:59.57\00:20:01.41
And here's what she said
to a group of ASI workers.
00:20:01.44\00:20:04.50
"There is a place for
everybody in the work,"
00:20:04.53\00:20:07.61
and I'm quoting.
00:20:07.64\00:20:08.90
There is a place for who
in the work for how many?
00:20:08.93\00:20:11.37
There is a place for
what? A place for everybody.
00:20:11.40\00:20:14.81
And everybody is everybody.
00:20:14.84\00:20:17.13
Everybody is not nobody
because nobody is not everybody
00:20:17.16\00:20:19.53
and if nobody were everybody,
00:20:19.56\00:20:21.33
everybody
wouldn't be nobody, right?
00:20:21.36\00:20:22.94
Sure.
00:20:22.97\00:20:24.86
There is a place
for who in the work?
00:20:24.89\00:20:27.04
Everybody. Are you somebody?
00:20:27.07\00:20:29.05
Somebody is part
of everybody, right?
00:20:29.08\00:20:31.42
Nobody is not part of everybody
00:20:31.45\00:20:32.52
but somebody is
part of everybody.
00:20:32.55\00:20:34.57
Are you somebody?
00:20:34.60\00:20:36.11
Yeah, you are more
somebody than you think you are.
00:20:36.14\00:20:37.74
You are priest of God.
00:20:37.77\00:20:39.10
You are an ambassador of Christ.
00:20:39.13\00:20:41.64
"There is a place for
everybody in the work.
00:20:41.67\00:20:44.54
We each have a
work to do for God,
00:20:44.57\00:20:47.19
whatever our occupation."
00:20:47.22\00:20:49.16
Well, what's your occupation?
00:20:49.19\00:20:51.17
You have a work to do for God.
00:20:51.20\00:20:53.33
Now if you go back to the origin
00:20:53.36\00:20:54.95
of the Adventist church,
00:20:54.98\00:20:57.23
the origin of
the Adventist church
00:20:57.26\00:20:58.96
largely is a lay movement
and the Adventist church
00:20:58.99\00:21:03.40
was largely
raised up by laypeople.
00:21:03.43\00:21:05.77
James White was not an
ordained clergy member.
00:21:05.80\00:21:08.55
Initially, he was
a what, everybody?
00:21:08.58\00:21:10.73
School teacher.
00:21:10.76\00:21:12.28
William Miller was not an
ordained preacher initially,
00:21:12.31\00:21:16.15
he was a military
officer and a farmer.
00:21:16.18\00:21:18.87
Joseph Bates was not an
ordained minister initially,
00:21:18.90\00:21:21.85
he was a sea captain.
00:21:21.88\00:21:24.10
But each of these
men, each of these men
00:21:24.13\00:21:28.36
were moved upon
by God for mission.
00:21:28.39\00:21:31.58
I pray today that God
00:21:31.61\00:21:34.07
will keep this
spirit of ASI alive.
00:21:34.10\00:21:37.06
I pray today that men and
women with large capacity,
00:21:37.09\00:21:42.61
businesspeople in this church
00:21:42.64\00:21:44.42
and I pray today that every
self-supporting institution
00:21:44.45\00:21:47.63
would have a laser
sharp focus on mission.
00:21:47.66\00:21:51.35
We exist for one reason
00:21:51.38\00:21:53.65
and that is to get the job done.
00:21:53.68\00:21:56.00
We exist for one reason,
00:21:56.03\00:21:57.70
to proclaim the
message of Jesus Christ
00:21:57.73\00:21:59.89
to the ends of the earth.
00:21:59.92\00:22:01.15
May it burn in our soul.
00:22:01.18\00:22:03.07
May it radiate in
every fiber of our being.
00:22:03.10\00:22:07.24
Now as I study the spirit
00:22:07.27\00:22:10.60
of these Adventist
self-supporting ASI pioneers,
00:22:10.63\00:22:17.00
there are six principles
00:22:17.03\00:22:19.88
that I want to walk you
through this morning briefly.
00:22:19.91\00:22:22.97
We will simply introduce them.
00:22:23.00\00:22:25.34
And I want you to
raise this question
00:22:25.37\00:22:27.42
as we go through them.
00:22:27.45\00:22:29.67
Do these principles
characterize my life?
00:22:29.70\00:22:33.59
You know, it's
very easy to talk about
00:22:33.62\00:22:36.12
what some other
organization ought to be doing.
00:22:36.15\00:22:39.82
It's very easy to talk
about what others ought to do.
00:22:39.85\00:22:45.01
But the question really is,
00:22:45.04\00:22:48.27
do these
principles actuate my life?
00:22:48.30\00:22:52.92
Deep within my
heart are the principles
00:22:52.95\00:22:56.22
that birthed the advent moment,
00:22:56.25\00:22:58.93
the principles to
which the early ASI founders
00:22:58.96\00:23:04.41
and pioneers gave
unswerving allegiance.
00:23:04.44\00:23:07.80
Do they fill my soul? Do
they radiate from my life?
00:23:07.83\00:23:14.02
I could choose a
number of those principles,
00:23:14.05\00:23:16.86
I've chosen six.
00:23:16.89\00:23:18.89
And I want to
look at them with you.
00:23:18.92\00:23:20.45
Six principles of
the early ASI leaders.
00:23:20.48\00:23:23.75
Six aspects that
characterized their lives.
00:23:23.78\00:23:28.87
Six principles
that motivated them
00:23:28.90\00:23:32.07
as they started institutions.
00:23:32.10\00:23:34.41
Six principles that guided them
as they reached out in witness.
00:23:34.44\00:23:38.59
Six principles that moved them
00:23:38.62\00:23:41.36
to step across
geographical boundaries
00:23:41.39\00:23:44.10
and go to primitive
places in mission service.
00:23:44.13\00:23:47.55
I use as examples men like
00:23:47.58\00:23:50.74
E. A. Sutherland and Percy Magan
00:23:50.77\00:23:53.74
who founded the
laymen's movement
00:23:53.77\00:23:56.45
which later
spawned and became ASI.
00:23:56.48\00:23:59.53
I use as examples
early Adventist missionaries
00:23:59.56\00:24:02.02
and those in the supporting work
00:24:02.05\00:24:04.93
and those in the church work
00:24:04.96\00:24:06.83
and those in
self-supporting work
00:24:06.86\00:24:08.05
to illustrate these principles.
00:24:08.08\00:24:09.98
First principle, when
you study the history of ASI,
00:24:10.01\00:24:15.86
when you study
the history of these
00:24:15.89\00:24:17.50
self-supporting workers
00:24:17.53\00:24:18.72
for God and these
business people for God,
00:24:18.75\00:24:21.72
you'll observe
one characteristic
00:24:21.75\00:24:24.21
that they all had
and here's what it was.
00:24:24.24\00:24:26.64
They had a simple
reliance upon God.
00:24:26.67\00:24:31.10
In short, they believed
00:24:31.13\00:24:33.75
that God was well
able to handle His work.
00:24:33.78\00:24:38.29
They did not believe
00:24:38.32\00:24:39.65
the work would be
free from difficulties.
00:24:39.68\00:24:41.80
They did not believe the work
would be free from obstacles.
00:24:41.83\00:24:44.87
They did not
believe that the work
00:24:44.90\00:24:46.53
would be free
from financial needs.
00:24:46.56\00:24:48.77
But they believed
00:24:48.80\00:24:50.09
that there was no difficulty
too great for God to unravel.
00:24:50.12\00:24:53.59
There was no problem
too great for God to solve,
00:24:53.62\00:24:56.42
that there was no perplexity
00:24:56.45\00:24:58.22
too great for God
to reveal an answer to.
00:24:58.25\00:25:02.07
One of the characteristics
of these early pioneers
00:25:02.10\00:25:06.33
of both the Adventist church
and the ASI movement was this.
00:25:06.36\00:25:10.14
They trusted
God and they learned
00:25:10.17\00:25:13.73
how to place trust in
the fabric of their own life.
00:25:13.76\00:25:17.91
They claimed
passages like these.
00:25:17.94\00:25:19.55
Take your Bible please
and turn to Philippians 4:19.
00:25:19.58\00:25:24.91
These passages
were the hallmarks
00:25:24.94\00:25:27.82
of these early ASI leaders.
00:25:27.85\00:25:30.13
They learned to trust God.
00:25:30.16\00:25:31.86
They saw every
problem and every difficulty
00:25:31.89\00:25:34.35
as an opportunity to trust.
00:25:34.38\00:25:36.47
They saw every challenge
00:25:36.50\00:25:37.72
as an
opportunity for deeper faith.
00:25:37.75\00:25:40.03
Philippians Chapter 4 and
we look there at verse 19.
00:25:40.06\00:25:46.00
"And my God shall
supply all your need
00:25:46.03\00:25:49.99
according to His riches
in glory by Christ Jesus."
00:25:50.02\00:25:53.56
My God shall do what, everybody?
00:25:53.59\00:25:55.79
Shall do what?
00:25:55.82\00:25:57.25
Supply all your need according
to His riches in glory.
00:25:57.28\00:26:03.39
I have a set of
traveler's checks
00:26:03.42\00:26:05.69
in my back pocket that's
signed by the bank of heaven.
00:26:05.72\00:26:09.66
It is in my
back pocket of faith.
00:26:09.69\00:26:13.31
My God shall supply
00:26:13.34\00:26:14.55
all your need according
to His riches in glory.
00:26:14.58\00:26:17.74
The cattle on
10,000 hills are His.
00:26:17.77\00:26:20.95
The silver and the gold is His.
00:26:20.98\00:26:23.13
You may be struggling
00:26:23.16\00:26:25.17
in some small self-supporting
institution for finances.
00:26:25.20\00:26:29.63
You may be struggling
in some ministry today
00:26:29.66\00:26:32.85
but if the work is of God,
00:26:32.88\00:26:34.89
He is well able
to care for that.
00:26:34.92\00:26:38.36
That's precisely what these
early advent pioneers believed.
00:26:38.39\00:26:45.02
This is the
confidence that we have in Him.
00:26:45.05\00:26:47.73
If we ask anything
according to His will,
00:26:47.76\00:26:50.69
He hears us.
00:26:50.72\00:26:52.52
Let me give you
an example of this.
00:26:52.55\00:26:54.25
The year was 1901.
00:26:54.28\00:26:58.09
In 1901 Percy Magan,
00:26:58.12\00:27:02.32
E. A. Sutherland
had just initiated
00:27:02.35\00:27:06.73
a move of old
Battle Creek College
00:27:06.76\00:27:10.27
up to Berrien Springs, Michigan.
00:27:10.30\00:27:13.86
These men of God
wanted to see the school there
00:27:13.89\00:27:18.47
which we now call
Andrews University
00:27:18.50\00:27:21.72
and its related schools.
00:27:21.75\00:27:23.27
They wanted to see a
school that trained missionaries
00:27:23.30\00:27:25.92
to go to the ends of the earth.
00:27:25.95\00:27:28.93
And that school has
fulfilled that destiny.
00:27:28.96\00:27:30.95
It has sent out
missionaries around the world.
00:27:30.98\00:27:32.80
But in 1901 it was struggling
financially significantly.
00:27:32.83\00:27:38.32
And Percy Magan
and Sutherland knew
00:27:38.35\00:27:41.60
that out west there
may be a dollar or two.
00:27:41.63\00:27:46.14
And so they decided
00:27:46.17\00:27:48.17
that they would
go out to California
00:27:48.20\00:27:49.73
to do little
soliciting of funds.
00:27:49.76\00:27:52.71
Is there anybody here today
00:27:52.74\00:27:55.43
that's ever gone
anyplace including California
00:27:55.46\00:27:57.91
to solicit a fund or two?
00:27:57.94\00:28:00.52
Now one thing I know about
00:28:00.55\00:28:01.74
self-supporting
workers and ASI members.
00:28:01.77\00:28:05.69
They are not shy when it
comes to asking for money.
00:28:05.72\00:28:09.79
All you need to do is
walk through the booths
00:28:09.82\00:28:11.82
and talk to them
for a few minutes
00:28:11.85\00:28:14.02
and they will
tell you their needs.
00:28:14.05\00:28:16.50
So Percy Magan and Sutherland
00:28:16.53\00:28:19.49
were gonna go out to California.
00:28:19.52\00:28:22.51
They were gonna
solicit a little money there.
00:28:22.54\00:28:24.38
There was only one problem.
00:28:24.41\00:28:26.24
They only had enough
money for one train ticket.
00:28:26.27\00:28:30.23
But there was a
worse problem then that.
00:28:30.26\00:28:33.59
They got a little more money
00:28:33.62\00:28:34.85
so they could
buy two train tickets
00:28:34.88\00:28:36.19
but it only would
get them to Chicago.
00:28:36.22\00:28:39.04
Had no money to
go out to California.
00:28:39.07\00:28:42.40
So, well, Percy
Magan and Ed Sutherland
00:28:42.43\00:28:46.53
get the train
ticket, they go to Chicago.
00:28:46.56\00:28:49.11
When they get there,
00:28:49.14\00:28:52.09
Percy Magan
looks at Ed Sutherland,
00:28:52.12\00:28:53.74
he says, "Ed, you watch
the bags and the luggage.
00:28:53.77\00:28:58.50
Let me go solicit to see
00:28:58.53\00:29:01.12
if I can get at least one
train ticket to California."
00:29:01.15\00:29:06.39
So with Ed
Sutherland is sitting there
00:29:06.42\00:29:07.95
and Percy looks at him, he said,
00:29:07.98\00:29:09.01
"Now, Ed, you be praying
while you watch the luggage."
00:29:09.04\00:29:13.44
Now here is the president
00:29:13.47\00:29:15.80
and the dean of one of
our colleges in Chicago
00:29:15.83\00:29:19.79
sitting on the luggage praying
00:29:19.82\00:29:23.04
that God will get them enough
money to go off to California
00:29:23.07\00:29:25.78
to solicit more money so
the school can stay afloat.
00:29:25.81\00:29:29.22
But they believed
that the dream was God's.
00:29:29.25\00:29:32.04
They believed
the vision was God's.
00:29:32.07\00:29:34.08
They believed in a
simple reliance upon God.
00:29:34.11\00:29:40.17
So Percy went out to solicit.
00:29:40.20\00:29:43.47
He saw the chief--
00:29:43.50\00:29:48.47
the chief of the railway
sitting in the railway office
00:29:48.50\00:29:51.67
with his heads in
his hands, crying.
00:29:51.70\00:29:54.84
So in goes Percy
and he says to him,
00:29:54.87\00:29:57.76
"Brother, is there a problem?"
00:29:57.79\00:29:59.56
The man began
to explain problems
00:29:59.59\00:30:00.78
with his family and his home.
00:30:00.81\00:30:03.23
Old Ed is still
sitting on the bags, praying.
00:30:03.26\00:30:05.82
Half hour goes by,
he says, where is Percy?
00:30:05.85\00:30:08.10
An hour goes by, he
says, where is Percy?
00:30:08.13\00:30:09.94
An hour and a half goes
by, he says, where is Percy?
00:30:09.97\00:30:12.29
Two hours go by,
00:30:12.32\00:30:13.89
well, Percy is giving a Bible
study in there to that fellow.
00:30:13.92\00:30:17.13
At the end of the
Bible study, the man says,
00:30:17.16\00:30:18.86
what did you come
into the office for?
00:30:18.89\00:30:19.99
He said, because I
don't have enough money
00:30:20.02\00:30:21.45
to go to California.
00:30:21.48\00:30:22.68
No problem,
brother, here's a ticket.
00:30:22.71\00:30:25.58
Gave him the ticket free.
00:30:25.61\00:30:29.12
Simple reliance upon God.
00:30:29.15\00:30:34.08
Simple reliance upon God.
00:30:34.11\00:30:36.21
The year is 1943, the
place is Madison College.
00:30:36.24\00:30:39.81
The weather is terrible.
00:30:39.84\00:30:41.31
Heat wave comes
through the south
00:30:41.34\00:30:44.00
as bad as the heat wave
00:30:44.03\00:30:45.38
we've had now but
much, much, much worse.
00:30:45.41\00:30:49.69
Madison from 1920 to
1950 was in its golden years.
00:30:49.72\00:30:54.08
For those of
you who are younger,
00:30:54.11\00:30:55.28
you don't
understand the significance.
00:30:55.31\00:30:57.13
Readers Digest, 1938
00:30:57.16\00:31:00.18
wrote a magnificent
article about Madison.
00:31:00.21\00:31:02.99
New York Times
articles on Madison.
00:31:03.02\00:31:04.87
It was a premier
educational institution.
00:31:04.90\00:31:07.30
Head of the
department of agriculture
00:31:07.33\00:31:08.67
came down there to see it.
00:31:08.70\00:31:10.54
I mean, they would
grow thousands and thousands
00:31:10.57\00:31:12.84
of quarts of vegetables
and beautiful flowers and its--
00:31:12.87\00:31:18.07
it was spreading
self-supporting workers
00:31:18.10\00:31:20.28
around the world
but here now 1943,
00:31:20.31\00:31:24.50
there is a tremendous,
tremendous heat wave.
00:31:24.53\00:31:29.60
And as the
result of the drought,
00:31:29.63\00:31:31.20
fruit trees are drying up.
00:31:31.23\00:31:33.22
The crops are dying off.
00:31:33.25\00:31:37.19
Ed Sutherland gathers
in the chapel the students
00:31:37.22\00:31:42.27
and the faculty, and
he said, I do not believe
00:31:42.30\00:31:45.71
that it's God's will
that these fruit trees dry up.
00:31:45.74\00:31:49.41
I do not believe it's God's will
00:31:49.44\00:31:51.17
that we would destroy
what we've worked so hard for.
00:31:51.20\00:31:53.73
We cleared these
fields with our own hands.
00:31:53.76\00:31:56.71
So one characteristic
about self-supporting workers,
00:31:56.74\00:31:58.53
they knew how to work.
00:31:58.56\00:32:00.26
We cleaned these
fields with our own hands.
00:32:00.29\00:32:02.78
And he said, I believe.
00:32:02.81\00:32:03.96
I was praying last night
and the Word impressed me
00:32:03.99\00:32:06.11
to gather the
students and the faculty.
00:32:06.14\00:32:08.03
We're gonna pray
that it will rain.
00:32:08.06\00:32:09.59
Some of the faculty objected.
00:32:09.62\00:32:11.14
They said, no,
if it does not rain,
00:32:11.17\00:32:13.05
we'll be the laughing stock.
00:32:13.08\00:32:16.68
Sutherland said,
that's God's problem,
00:32:16.71\00:32:17.87
that's not our problem.
00:32:17.90\00:32:18.96
That's God's problem.
So they began to pray.
00:32:18.99\00:32:22.21
They got faculty
and students together
00:32:22.24\00:32:24.66
and they prayed and they prayed.
00:32:24.69\00:32:26.65
They got up off
their knees, walked out
00:32:26.68\00:32:29.03
and the clouds came
in the sky and it rained.
00:32:29.06\00:32:31.53
But the
interesting thing is it rained
00:32:31.56\00:32:33.46
no place else in
the Nashville area
00:32:33.49\00:32:35.78
except on the Madison farm.
00:32:35.81\00:32:38.96
And they--
00:32:38.99\00:32:40.05
Nashville didn't get
rain for two more weeks.
00:32:40.08\00:32:43.02
You want to read the
thrilling story of that.
00:32:43.05\00:32:46.42
Go back to some of
the early leadership,
00:32:46.45\00:32:50.10
God's beautiful farm
and you read what God did.
00:32:50.13\00:32:55.16
Early self-supporting
workers depended on God.
00:32:55.19\00:33:00.74
Notice a comment by Ellen White.
00:33:00.77\00:33:04.91
Ministry of Healing, 487.
00:33:04.94\00:33:08.04
This one quote may be the reason
00:33:08.07\00:33:11.72
God sent you to ASI this year.
00:33:11.75\00:33:15.21
You don't have to find
too many million dollar bills
00:33:15.24\00:33:17.61
blowing down the street
to become a millionaire.
00:33:17.64\00:33:19.98
Somebody is gonna
need this right now.
00:33:20.01\00:33:22.88
Somebody is gonna need this.
00:33:22.91\00:33:25.13
And if you don't need it
now, use it as a band-aid,
00:33:25.16\00:33:27.86
put it in your medicine cabinet
00:33:27.89\00:33:29.00
because you are gonna
need it in the future.
00:33:29.03\00:33:31.99
"We are prone." We are what?
00:33:32.02\00:33:34.81
"Prone to look to our fellow man
00:33:34.84\00:33:37.65
for sympathy and uplifting,
instead of looking to Jesus."
00:33:37.68\00:33:41.16
What are we prone to
do? What do we prone to do?
00:33:41.19\00:33:45.22
Look to who?
00:33:45.25\00:33:46.61
Our fellow man for sympathy
and uplifting instead of Jesus.
00:33:46.64\00:33:50.15
"In His mercy and
faithfulness, God often permits
00:33:50.18\00:33:54.41
those that we place
confidence in to fail us,
00:33:54.44\00:33:58.16
in order that we may learn
the folly of trusting in man
00:33:58.19\00:34:01.82
and making flesh our arm.
00:34:01.85\00:34:03.69
Let us trust fully,
humbly, unselfishly in God."
00:34:03.72\00:34:08.80
What are we prone to
do? What are we prone to do?
00:34:08.83\00:34:13.15
We are prone to look to
man to solve our problems.
00:34:13.18\00:34:17.48
That's our tendency.
00:34:17.51\00:34:19.46
And if we do that too
much, what will God do?
00:34:19.49\00:34:22.89
What will God do?
00:34:22.92\00:34:24.82
He will allow people to do what?
00:34:24.85\00:34:27.50
Fail us. Why?
00:34:27.53\00:34:29.86
Because He wants us
to learn to trust in Him.
00:34:29.89\00:34:33.25
So has somebody
failed you recently?
00:34:33.28\00:34:35.78
Has some leader
in ASI failed you?
00:34:35.81\00:34:38.81
Has some lay leader in
your institution failed you?
00:34:38.84\00:34:42.23
Has somebody in
your church failed you?
00:34:42.26\00:34:44.53
Has a leader in a
particular ministry failed you?
00:34:44.56\00:34:47.71
If somebody fails you,
00:34:47.74\00:34:49.75
rather than
criticizing the person
00:34:49.78\00:34:51.70
that fails you,
get on your knees
00:34:51.73\00:34:53.51
and say, Jesus, thank you.
00:34:53.54\00:34:55.35
You want to teach me the
folly of trusting in man.
00:34:55.38\00:34:58.37
You want to teach me how
to depend totally upon You.
00:34:58.40\00:35:01.74
Simple reliance upon God.
00:35:01.77\00:35:04.38
I want to do
that, what about you?
00:35:04.41\00:35:07.01
I want to give God permission.
00:35:07.04\00:35:08.77
Lord, if there are
people that fail me,
00:35:08.80\00:35:10.76
Lord, people that I trust,
people I have confidence in,
00:35:10.79\00:35:13.78
Lord, I give you permission
to allow them to fail me,
00:35:13.81\00:35:16.83
because Lord,
in the final crisis
00:35:16.86\00:35:18.98
and the final analysis,
I want to trust in You.
00:35:19.01\00:35:22.01
Oh, Jesus, give
me a sweet spirit
00:35:22.04\00:35:23.80
toward my brothers and sisters.
00:35:23.83\00:35:25.32
Jesus, even if they fail
me, help me like Moses pray
00:35:25.35\00:35:28.61
that you blot
me out of the book.
00:35:28.64\00:35:31.37
Lord, give me a
pure spirit in my heart.
00:35:31.40\00:35:36.51
And, Lord, help
me be supportive.
00:35:36.54\00:35:39.16
But, Lord, if people fail
me, that's okay with me, Lord.
00:35:39.19\00:35:42.78
Because there must be something
00:35:42.81\00:35:43.92
in this man's
heart that I must learn.
00:35:43.95\00:35:46.24
I must learn deeper faith.
I must learn deeper trust.
00:35:46.27\00:35:50.04
One thing I see rooted
in early ASI leadership
00:35:50.07\00:35:55.91
and I see rooted in
early Adventist pioneers
00:35:55.94\00:35:59.71
is unswerving
reliability on God.
00:35:59.74\00:36:05.12
Now there is a second thing,
there is a second principle.
00:36:05.15\00:36:09.92
There is unswerving allegiance
to know the will of God
00:36:09.95\00:36:13.39
as revealed in the Bible
00:36:13.42\00:36:15.62
and the counsels of
the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:36:15.65\00:36:18.00
When you look at the
early advent pioneers
00:36:18.03\00:36:19.87
and early ASI leaders,
00:36:19.90\00:36:22.40
they were committed to
doing God's will in the Bible
00:36:22.43\00:36:26.03
and they were
committed to the counsels
00:36:26.06\00:36:31.29
of the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:36:31.32\00:36:32.54
They believed 2
Chronicles 20:20,
00:36:32.57\00:36:37.83
this was a hallmark.
00:36:37.86\00:36:39.70
This is part of the ASI spirit.
00:36:39.73\00:36:43.60
It is unswerving
allegiance to the will of God
00:36:43.63\00:36:47.87
in the revealed
counsels of God's will.
00:36:47.90\00:36:52.58
2 Chronicles 20:20 here it
is. Last part of the verse.
00:36:52.61\00:36:57.10
"Believe in the Lord your
God and you shall be" what?
00:36:57.13\00:37:00.47
"Established.
00:37:00.50\00:37:01.66
Believe His prophets
and you shall prosper."
00:37:01.69\00:37:05.33
There were times
when the counsels
00:37:05.36\00:37:07.63
of the Spirit of Prophecy
00:37:07.66\00:37:10.22
went against the
personal feelings and ideas
00:37:10.25\00:37:14.40
and ways of doing things
of these early ASI leaders.
00:37:14.43\00:37:18.60
Now a good example of this
00:37:18.63\00:37:21.37
is the choice of the
location for Madison College.
00:37:21.40\00:37:24.87
It's a fascinating story.
00:37:24.90\00:37:27.32
Percy Magan and E. A. Sutherland
00:37:27.35\00:37:31.22
left Berrien Springs
00:37:31.25\00:37:34.25
and they came down to
form a new school in the south.
00:37:34.28\00:37:40.20
They were encouraged
by Ellen White to do that
00:37:40.23\00:37:42.49
and they were
looking for the property.
00:37:42.52\00:37:44.97
And as they were traveling
toward Nashville up the river,
00:37:45.00\00:37:48.72
they came to a farm
called the Ferguson Farm.
00:37:48.75\00:37:52.78
Percy Magan and Sutherland
00:37:52.81\00:37:55.37
went out and looked at the farm.
00:37:55.40\00:37:57.12
And as they
walked over the property
00:37:57.15\00:37:58.73
looking at that farm,
00:37:58.76\00:38:00.21
they kept saying
no, not this place.
00:38:00.24\00:38:02.45
No, not this
place, never this place.
00:38:02.48\00:38:05.08
First, it's too big,
700 acres, much too big.
00:38:05.11\00:38:08.74
Second, the soil is depleted
because it was a hog farm,
00:38:08.77\00:38:13.85
that's pigs and goats and
they just ruined the land.
00:38:13.88\00:38:18.20
So the land is ruined,
00:38:18.23\00:38:19.74
worst soil,
Magan says, I ever saw.
00:38:19.77\00:38:22.05
We can never use this farm.
00:38:22.08\00:38:24.10
And Sutherland chimes
in, he says, it is too rocky,
00:38:24.13\00:38:26.63
it's too rocky,
it's too rocky, let's go.
00:38:26.66\00:38:29.24
So they move on.
00:38:29.27\00:38:31.98
Some time later Ellen White
00:38:32.01\00:38:33.19
went to look at
property with them
00:38:33.22\00:38:35.44
and she said to Magan.
00:38:35.47\00:38:38.99
Magan, what do you think
about that Ferguson Farm?
00:38:39.02\00:38:41.86
Here was his response.
00:38:41.89\00:38:43.24
Sister White, I try not
to think about it at all.
00:38:43.27\00:38:48.33
It's the worst piece
of property I ever saw.
00:38:48.36\00:38:50.62
No possibility at all.
00:38:50.65\00:38:53.22
She said, but the
other night in a vision,
00:38:53.25\00:38:59.62
the Lord impressed me that
that should be the property.
00:38:59.65\00:39:04.74
It was almost as if
Magan and Sutherland said
00:39:04.77\00:39:06.65
we'll go get, go find out again,
00:39:06.68\00:39:08.01
I think you heard wrong.
00:39:08.04\00:39:10.48
Because their response was oh--
00:39:10.51\00:39:13.26
Four words,
"Oh, Lord, not here."
00:39:13.29\00:39:18.91
Oh, Lord, not here.
00:39:18.94\00:39:21.50
But because they believed,
contrary to their thinking
00:39:21.53\00:39:26.71
and contrary to their
personal desires and will,
00:39:26.74\00:39:30.27
the counsel of the
Spirit of Prophecy.
00:39:30.30\00:39:33.44
They accepted
what Ellen White said
00:39:33.47\00:39:36.30
and knelt by a pile of rocks
00:39:36.33\00:39:40.14
and consecrated
that property to Jesus.
00:39:40.17\00:39:44.15
And then they went to
work cleaning the rocks out,
00:39:44.18\00:39:48.23
purchasing the property.
00:39:48.26\00:39:51.75
And to the
amazement of scores of people,
00:39:51.78\00:39:56.78
it was soon yielding
3,000 gallons of peaches,
00:39:56.81\00:40:01.45
1,000 gallons of string
beans, 2,200 gallons of grapes
00:40:01.48\00:40:06.05
and it became an
agricultural school
00:40:06.08\00:40:09.26
that was the envy of America.
00:40:09.29\00:40:11.84
The Spirit of Prophecy
spoke and they listened.
00:40:11.87\00:40:16.77
May I ask you a question?
00:40:16.80\00:40:19.94
In your personal life, you
see, wouldn't it be easy to say,
00:40:19.97\00:40:25.00
oh, this is what
our school should do
00:40:25.03\00:40:27.14
in harmony with
the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:40:27.17\00:40:28.47
Today, it's too bad
they are not doing them.
00:40:28.50\00:40:31.12
Oh, that's an
easy question to ask.
00:40:31.15\00:40:32.62
Our hospitals, they
should be doing this and this.
00:40:32.65\00:40:34.58
Oh, that's an
easy question to ask.
00:40:34.61\00:40:36.06
But here's my question to you.
00:40:36.09\00:40:38.64
In your personal life,
00:40:38.67\00:40:42.78
have you made an
unswerving commitment
00:40:42.81\00:40:46.02
to follow God's will
as revealed in the Bible
00:40:46.05\00:40:49.03
and follow His counsel
00:40:49.06\00:40:51.51
in the area of
the Gift of Prophecy?
00:40:51.54\00:40:53.86
Have you
personally made that decision
00:40:53.89\00:40:57.27
in the area of health
reform, in the area of diet?
00:40:57.30\00:41:01.12
Have you
personally made that decision
00:41:01.15\00:41:04.02
in the area of what you watch
or don't watch over the media?
00:41:04.05\00:41:08.71
Deep within your heart,
have you made that decision?
00:41:08.74\00:41:13.62
We have here today people
from supporting institutions,
00:41:13.65\00:41:17.10
people from ASI organizations,
we have conference, leadership,
00:41:17.13\00:41:23.49
let me ask you a
question, we have laypeople.
00:41:23.52\00:41:26.48
Wherever you are responsible
00:41:26.51\00:41:29.20
and your sphere of
influence whatever it is,
00:41:29.23\00:41:33.35
have you made a
bedrock principle
00:41:33.38\00:41:36.67
that to the best of your
knowledge and your ability,
00:41:36.70\00:41:39.96
you will leave
the area that you lead
00:41:39.99\00:41:42.95
in harmony with the
principles of scripture
00:41:42.98\00:41:45.73
and the divinely revealed
00:41:45.76\00:41:47.92
will of God in
the Gift of Prophecy?
00:41:47.95\00:41:50.44
How can ASI keep
its mission clear?
00:41:50.47\00:41:54.16
How can the Adventist
church keep its mission clear?
00:41:54.19\00:41:56.27
First, by simple
reliance upon God.
00:41:56.30\00:41:59.01
Second, by unswerving
allegiance to the Bible
00:41:59.04\00:42:02.45
and the divinely
inspired counsels
00:42:02.48\00:42:04.36
that God has
given to this church.
00:42:04.39\00:42:06.49
Thirdly, you'll notice in ASI
00:42:06.52\00:42:09.62
that ASI took up very
carefully the ministry of Jesus.
00:42:09.65\00:42:15.75
Matthew 16:24, third principle.
00:42:15.78\00:42:20.03
ASI was birthed in sacrifice.
00:42:20.06\00:42:23.45
Third principle, ASI
was born in sacrifice.
00:42:23.48\00:42:29.30
Without sacrifice,
according to the prophet of God
00:42:29.33\00:42:33.05
and the teachings of Jesus,
00:42:33.08\00:42:34.34
the work of God on
earth will not be finished.
00:42:34.37\00:42:38.15
Matthew Chapter 16, we
look there at verse 24.
00:42:38.18\00:42:42.60
The scripture says,
00:42:42.63\00:42:43.94
"Jesus speaks to
His disciples then."
00:42:43.97\00:42:46.45
He called them from
their fishermen's nets.
00:42:46.48\00:42:49.10
He called them to a
self-supporting ministry,
00:42:49.13\00:42:52.18
a ministry that no organization
was gonna support them,
00:42:52.21\00:42:55.05
they had to discover alone
how to be supported initially.
00:42:55.08\00:42:59.86
Matthew 16:24, "Then
Jesus said to His disciples,
00:42:59.89\00:43:03.33
'If anyone desires to come
after Me, let him deny himself,
00:43:03.36\00:43:06.25
and take up his
cross, and follow Me.'"
00:43:06.28\00:43:09.33
Are you personally
willing to make sacrifices
00:43:09.36\00:43:12.89
so the work of
God will go forward?
00:43:12.92\00:43:15.48
When Magan and
Sutherland found the property,
00:43:15.51\00:43:17.67
the Ferguson property
for the Madison School,
00:43:17.70\00:43:20.42
that 700 acres,
00:43:20.45\00:43:23.80
Magan had-- Sutherland
had inherited a little money
00:43:23.83\00:43:27.37
and he took all
of his inheritance,
00:43:27.40\00:43:29.37
$12,714 and he put
it down on that school.
00:43:29.40\00:43:34.70
Are you
willing, are you willing,
00:43:34.73\00:43:39.49
not to give out
of your abundance
00:43:39.52\00:43:44.31
but are you willing to
make a sacrificial gift
00:43:44.34\00:43:49.08
for a cause that
God puts in your heart
00:43:49.11\00:43:51.19
to finish His work on earth?
00:43:51.22\00:43:53.09
And when I talk about sacrifice,
00:43:53.12\00:43:54.43
I don't only mean money.
00:43:54.46\00:43:56.32
Money is
sometimes, for many people,
00:43:56.35\00:43:57.96
the easiest thing to give.
00:43:57.99\00:43:59.87
What about your time?
What about your energy?
00:43:59.90\00:44:04.01
Somebody said,
anybody wrapped up
00:44:04.04\00:44:05.15
in themselves
is a small package.
00:44:05.18\00:44:07.46
One of the things I noticed
about these early ASI leaders
00:44:07.49\00:44:11.35
is they put
their lives on the line
00:44:11.38\00:44:14.37
for a cause they believed in.
00:44:14.40\00:44:16.85
If the cause
was worth dying for,
00:44:16.88\00:44:19.76
it certainly was
worth living for.
00:44:19.79\00:44:23.42
You know, from 1902 to
1924, Magan and Sutherland
00:44:23.45\00:44:27.01
and their staff made $13 a week.
00:44:27.04\00:44:29.60
You say, well,
that was back then.
00:44:29.63\00:44:31.08
Oh, yeah, you try to go back
then and live on $13 a week.
00:44:31.11\00:44:35.92
When the school
didn't have textbooks,
00:44:35.95\00:44:38.18
they decided to take $600
00:44:38.21\00:44:40.12
that they had saved
and buy the textbooks.
00:44:40.15\00:44:44.48
The work of God on
earth will never be finished
00:44:44.51\00:44:47.35
unless men and
women make sacrifices.
00:44:47.38\00:44:50.89
Not long ago, my colleague
00:44:50.92\00:44:52.07
Vice President
General Conference, Mike Ryan
00:44:52.10\00:44:54.26
was meeting with some of
our Global Mission pioneers.
00:44:54.29\00:44:56.75
Incidentally, we have
thousands and thousands
00:44:56.78\00:44:59.73
of Global Mission
pioneers around the world,
00:44:59.76\00:45:02.22
right now, thousands of them.
00:45:02.25\00:45:03.73
These Global Mission
pioneers are local people
00:45:03.76\00:45:06.29
working in local soil
that are sharing the gospel.
00:45:06.32\00:45:08.94
And Mike was meeting
00:45:08.97\00:45:10.04
with one of the
Global Mission pioneers.
00:45:10.07\00:45:11.25
He was way out
in the hinterlands
00:45:11.28\00:45:13.03
and he put his arm
around that mission pioneer
00:45:13.06\00:45:14.62
and he said to him,
what might I do for you?
00:45:14.65\00:45:17.13
Is there any way
that we can help you?
00:45:17.16\00:45:19.22
And the mission
pioneer looked at him
00:45:19.25\00:45:20.62
and he said, yes, there is.
00:45:20.65\00:45:22.81
And then the mission
pioneer looked down at his feet
00:45:22.84\00:45:25.21
and there were two
mission pioneers standing there
00:45:25.24\00:45:26.85
and one had bare
feet and one had shoes on.
00:45:26.88\00:45:28.79
And the mission pioneer said,
00:45:28.82\00:45:30.11
we have only one
pair of shoes between us.
00:45:30.14\00:45:32.77
Just one.
00:45:32.80\00:45:34.25
And we use that pair of shoes
00:45:34.28\00:45:37.84
whoever walks to
the farthest village.
00:45:37.87\00:45:39.57
He said, we have a group
that we study the Bible with
00:45:39.60\00:45:42.42
and do evangelist meetings
00:45:42.45\00:45:43.62
with in a village
about 12 miles away.
00:45:43.65\00:45:45.92
We have another one in a village
00:45:45.95\00:45:47.33
about three miles away.
00:45:47.36\00:45:48.80
And he said to him,
look, whoever needs the shoes
00:45:48.83\00:45:52.86
worst is the one
who walks the farthest.
00:45:52.89\00:45:55.03
So if it's my turn to go
to the village 13 miles away,
00:45:55.06\00:45:58.07
I have the shoes for today.
00:45:58.10\00:46:00.78
If it's his turn
to go to that village,
00:46:00.81\00:46:02.73
he has the shoes for today.
00:46:02.76\00:46:03.82
The one who only
has to walk three miles
00:46:03.85\00:46:05.98
doesn't get the shoes
but the road is kind of rocky
00:46:06.01\00:46:09.66
and at times our feet are bloody
00:46:09.69\00:46:11.12
by the time we
get to the village.
00:46:11.15\00:46:12.87
Pastor Mike, do you
think you could help us
00:46:12.90\00:46:16.09
get one more pair of shoes?
00:46:16.12\00:46:18.56
I do not fully
understand that sacrifice.
00:46:22.66\00:46:28.08
Do you? Do you?
00:46:28.11\00:46:32.51
Do you know what it
means to give your life,
00:46:32.54\00:46:35.39
your soul, your all?
00:46:35.42\00:46:38.10
Before we get out of this earth,
00:46:41.14\00:46:44.31
before we leave here,
00:46:44.34\00:46:46.96
God is going to
have a group of people
00:46:46.99\00:46:50.95
that want to go home
00:46:50.98\00:46:53.21
more than they
want to stay here.
00:46:53.24\00:46:54.59
They have smelled the
glories of the Promised Land
00:46:57.61\00:47:04.11
and they want to go.
00:47:04.14\00:47:06.35
What will keep the
vision of ASI sharp,
00:47:06.38\00:47:10.09
a group of people that
are totally dependent on God
00:47:10.12\00:47:13.35
with simple reliance and trust?
00:47:13.38\00:47:15.91
A group of people that
are motivated by the Spirit
00:47:15.94\00:47:19.15
to follow the
counsel of the Bible
00:47:19.18\00:47:20.23
and the Spirit of Prophecy?
00:47:20.26\00:47:21.85
A group of people that for them
00:47:21.88\00:47:26.91
they make sacrifice, commitment.
00:47:26.94\00:47:29.88
Fourthly, ASI always
was a group of ministries,
00:47:29.91\00:47:37.48
organizations, institutions
that shared resources.
00:47:37.51\00:47:42.81
Part of the vision of ASI
is the sharing of resources
00:47:42.84\00:47:47.07
so that unusual institutions
that have been blessed
00:47:47.10\00:47:49.94
will share them
with other institutions
00:47:49.97\00:47:51.38
that are
struggling and need help.
00:47:51.41\00:47:54.57
The spirit of ASI is those
who have been unusually blessed
00:47:54.60\00:47:58.13
in their businesses will share.
00:47:58.16\00:48:00.82
I will say to you
today that I am concerned
00:48:00.85\00:48:03.67
what I see in
some quarters of ASI
00:48:03.70\00:48:06.93
and in the Seventh-day
Adventist church in general.
00:48:06.96\00:48:09.62
The competition
between organizations
00:48:09.65\00:48:12.17
and ministries is not
in harmony with God's will.
00:48:12.20\00:48:17.09
God is leading us
00:48:17.12\00:48:19.81
not to compare
ourselves with other ministries,
00:48:19.84\00:48:23.31
because when you compare
yourself with another ministry,
00:48:23.34\00:48:25.78
another organization,
one of two things happens.
00:48:25.81\00:48:28.29
Either you are
doing better than they are
00:48:28.32\00:48:29.77
and you become proud
and you lose your soul
00:48:29.80\00:48:31.55
because you are proud
or you are doing worse
00:48:31.58\00:48:33.96
than they are and
you become depressed.
00:48:33.99\00:48:35.98
And God wants you neither
to be proud nor depressed.
00:48:36.01\00:48:38.77
I love what the Bible
says. 2 Corinthians 10:12.
00:48:38.80\00:48:43.05
What is the essence of ASI?
00:48:43.08\00:48:45.16
The essence of ASI is shared
resources to get the job done.
00:48:45.19\00:48:51.66
2 Corinthians 10:12,
00:48:51.69\00:48:54.90
"For we dare
not class ourselves"
00:48:54.93\00:48:58.30
we dare not class
ourselves or compare ourselves
00:48:58.33\00:49:01.96
"with those who
commend themselves.
00:49:01.99\00:49:04.42
But they, measuring
themselves by themselves,
00:49:04.45\00:49:07.36
and comparing
themselves among themselves,
00:49:07.39\00:49:09.44
are not wise."
00:49:09.47\00:49:11.38
It is not wise to
compare your ministry
00:49:11.41\00:49:14.21
with somebody else's.
00:49:14.24\00:49:15.59
It is not wise to think
that you can hoard resources.
00:49:15.62\00:49:19.92
ASI was a ministry
birthed to share resources.
00:49:19.95\00:49:23.75
We see that in
Magan and Sutherland.
00:49:23.78\00:49:26.37
Magan and Sutherland
worked together for 15 years.
00:49:26.40\00:49:30.95
The church was going to
start a new medical school
00:49:30.98\00:49:33.60
on the west coast,
Loma Linda, California.
00:49:33.63\00:49:37.08
Magan had gone to
the medical school,
00:49:37.11\00:49:39.78
taken a medical
course in Nashville,
00:49:39.81\00:49:41.73
became now a medical doctor.
00:49:41.76\00:49:43.53
He was called to
go out to California.
00:49:43.56\00:49:46.65
Sutherland was devastated.
00:49:50.39\00:49:52.00
Here's my colleague, we
worked together 15 years.
00:49:52.03\00:49:54.95
He went to him,
Percy, you can't go.
00:49:54.98\00:49:57.42
Percy, I need you.
00:49:57.45\00:49:58.54
Percy, what's
gonna happen to Madison?
00:49:58.57\00:50:00.14
They prayed,
they worked together.
00:50:00.17\00:50:02.14
They discovered that it
was God's will for Magan to go.
00:50:02.17\00:50:08.49
So Magan left.
00:50:08.52\00:50:10.31
Magan goes out there
starting a school called
00:50:10.34\00:50:12.91
the College of
Medical Evangelists.
00:50:12.94\00:50:14.45
As he is out there, he
is in financial trouble.
00:50:14.48\00:50:17.37
They had a nursing program
down in Glendale, California
00:50:17.40\00:50:22.10
and the nursing
program was in real trouble.
00:50:22.13\00:50:25.17
So he contacts Sutherland.
00:50:25.20\00:50:31.05
He says, Sutherland,
I'm in trouble financially.
00:50:31.08\00:50:33.52
What did Sutherland
say? I told you not to go.
00:50:33.55\00:50:35.63
Sutherland says, okay,
00:50:35.66\00:50:36.71
I'm gonna send my
four best fundraisers
00:50:36.74\00:50:39.18
headed by Mary Haskell
to raise money for you.
00:50:39.21\00:50:42.58
So a board
meeting is taking place
00:50:42.61\00:50:45.29
out there at Loma Linda
00:50:45.32\00:50:47.21
and the board
votes to close down
00:50:47.24\00:50:49.95
the nursing program in Glendale.
00:50:49.98\00:50:51.51
And these four women walk
in and they look at Sutherland,
00:50:51.54\00:50:57.21
rather Magan and
Magan's teeth drop.
00:50:57.24\00:50:59.35
You know, his eyes get big
and he said, what's happening?
00:50:59.38\00:51:01.92
And they said, oh,
E.A. Sutherland sent us
00:51:01.95\00:51:06.83
and we have $60,000 for you
to keep that ministry alive.
00:51:06.86\00:51:11.51
And the ministry of medical
missionary work continued
00:51:11.54\00:51:15.80
because Magan
had such a commit--
00:51:15.83\00:51:18.74
rather Sutherland
had such a commitment
00:51:18.77\00:51:21.65
to shared resources.
00:51:21.68\00:51:23.30
But do you know what God
did? You know what God did?
00:51:23.33\00:51:25.53
Did you ever hear Funk
and Wagnalls encyclopedia?
00:51:25.56\00:51:27.85
You ever hear that?
00:51:27.88\00:51:31.21
Mary--
00:51:31.24\00:51:34.21
Lydia Funk Scott of Funk
and Wagnalls encyclopedia
00:51:34.24\00:51:39.31
shortly after
that came to Madison,
00:51:39.34\00:51:42.62
was in the
hospital there, was blessed
00:51:42.65\00:51:45.39
and she gave them
a million dollars.
00:51:45.42\00:51:47.84
I will tell you something.
00:51:47.87\00:51:49.82
When you share your
resources as an institution
00:51:49.85\00:51:54.88
that's been blessed by
others and as you share together
00:51:54.91\00:51:58.53
as we are done with
the spirit of competition,
00:51:58.56\00:52:01.36
conference work and
self-supporting work
00:52:01.39\00:52:03.49
working together,
00:52:03.52\00:52:04.65
institutions within
self-supporting work
00:52:04.68\00:52:06.56
working together,
ministries working together.
00:52:06.59\00:52:09.12
We are on the same
team and God calls us
00:52:09.15\00:52:13.95
to unite with the
mission of Jesus Christ
00:52:13.98\00:52:18.64
in the spirit of love and
humility so we can go home.
00:52:18.67\00:52:23.56
Fifth principle. Here
it is, fifth principle.
00:52:23.59\00:52:28.84
ASI was birthed in loyalty
to the church organization.
00:52:28.87\00:52:36.12
It was birthed not
as a counter church,
00:52:36.15\00:52:42.17
not as a critic to the
church but it was birthed
00:52:42.20\00:52:48.07
as a laymen's movement
within the Adventist church.
00:52:48.10\00:52:54.35
It was birthed in
loyalty to mission
00:52:54.38\00:52:59.85
because it is still written,
Acts of the Apostles, 107,
00:52:59.88\00:53:04.61
"Enfeebled and
defective as it may be,
00:53:04.64\00:53:08.44
the church is the one
object of Jesus' regard."
00:53:08.47\00:53:12.76
Enfeebled as directed
and defective as it may be,
00:53:12.79\00:53:15.66
the church is the one
object of Jesus' regard.
00:53:15.69\00:53:18.73
In scripture, the
church is the bride of Christ.
00:53:18.76\00:53:22.77
Is your wife perfect?
00:53:22.80\00:53:24.48
Oh, you don't have
to raise your hand,
00:53:24.51\00:53:25.69
she may be with you.
00:53:25.72\00:53:27.93
I'll ask you, sir, what
if somebody wrote a document
00:53:27.96\00:53:31.15
about all the
faults of your wife
00:53:31.18\00:53:32.84
and it was a hundred pages?
00:53:32.87\00:53:33.96
Would you read it?
00:53:33.99\00:53:36.38
You would burn it up.
00:53:36.41\00:53:38.35
How do you feel as a man
00:53:38.38\00:53:40.06
when you hear
somebody criticizing your wife?
00:53:40.09\00:53:42.56
But in the Bible,
the church is what?
00:53:42.59\00:53:45.31
The bride of Jesus Christ.
00:53:45.34\00:53:48.06
Are there weeds
in the church? Sure.
00:53:48.09\00:53:50.37
But will the weed and tares
grow together till the harvest?
00:53:50.40\00:53:52.67
Will they?
00:53:52.70\00:53:53.78
And it's not your
job or mine to go around
00:53:53.81\00:53:55.45
and thinking who the weeds
are and pull them out, right?
00:53:55.48\00:53:59.34
The church is God's own as
I told a group not long ago.
00:53:59.37\00:54:05.71
Do you think that Noah
house-trained those animals
00:54:05.74\00:54:09.03
before they went into that ark?
00:54:09.06\00:54:13.65
You think any elephant
ever let a load in that ark?
00:54:13.68\00:54:18.83
Do you think that sometimes
the ark stunk a little bit?
00:54:18.86\00:54:23.92
I would much rather be in an ark
00:54:23.95\00:54:26.47
that at times may
stink a little bit
00:54:26.50\00:54:29.73
than be in the waves
00:54:29.76\00:54:30.79
and be sucked up before
the ark comes to safety.
00:54:30.82\00:54:34.67
"He that has ears, let him hear
00:54:34.70\00:54:35.73
what the Spirit
says to the churches."
00:54:35.76\00:54:38.05
Sure, there are some
faults in the Adventist church
00:54:38.08\00:54:41.49
but you can go and wallow around
00:54:41.52\00:54:44.32
among the manure if you want.
00:54:44.35\00:54:46.74
But as for me and my house,
00:54:46.77\00:54:48.48
I believe God is
taking this ark through.
00:54:48.51\00:54:51.47
ASI has been called
by God in the ark...
00:54:58.48\00:55:04.96
to a divine destiny.
00:55:09.57\00:55:11.72
To a divine destiny.
00:55:11.75\00:55:14.63
The reason we are the remnant
00:55:14.66\00:55:15.98
is because the remnant remain.
00:55:16.01\00:55:18.24
And we're not
interested in any offshoots
00:55:18.27\00:55:19.76
because offshoots shoot
off and they don't remain.
00:55:19.79\00:55:21.94
The answer to every offshoot
00:55:26.18\00:55:27.73
that ever was or ever will
be is this, it's the shaking.
00:55:27.76\00:55:33.06
In every movement in the
past, God has called out.
00:55:33.09\00:55:36.97
At end time He
is gonna shake out.
00:55:37.00\00:55:40.76
When the majority of
Israel drifted away from God,
00:55:40.79\00:55:44.26
God called out New
Testament Christianity.
00:55:44.29\00:55:46.81
When New Testament Christianity
drifted away from God,
00:55:46.84\00:55:49.14
God called out the reformers.
00:55:49.17\00:55:50.99
When the
reformers only went so far,
00:55:51.02\00:55:52.43
God called out
the advent moment.
00:55:52.46\00:55:54.21
Ecclesia, Ec is
out clesia is called.
00:55:54.24\00:55:58.45
There was always a
called out movement.
00:55:58.48\00:56:00.03
But in the--
00:56:00.06\00:56:01.13
If you keep having
a called out movement
00:56:01.16\00:56:03.23
for the movement
that becomes apostate,
00:56:03.26\00:56:05.62
you never stop
having a called out movement
00:56:05.65\00:56:07.41
because the called out
movement that you called out,
00:56:07.44\00:56:09.37
if time goes on,
becomes apostate.
00:56:09.40\00:56:10.94
Are you with me?
00:56:10.97\00:56:12.89
So in the final
generation, in the last days,
00:56:12.92\00:56:14.90
it is not a called
out movement anymore,
00:56:14.93\00:56:17.59
it is a shaken
out worldly movement.
00:56:17.62\00:56:19.98
So in the last days,
00:56:20.01\00:56:21.77
God will allow
circumstances that will come,
00:56:21.80\00:56:24.59
that the worldly
class among us will leave
00:56:24.62\00:56:27.16
and God will have a
church that is pure.
00:56:27.19\00:56:30.22
A church that
rises and His end time
00:56:30.25\00:56:33.25
people committed to
Him will preach His gospel
00:56:33.28\00:56:36.27
to the ends of the earth
00:56:36.30\00:56:37.50
and tens of thousands will
be saved and Jesus will come.
00:56:37.53\00:56:40.33
Last principle
in ASI, here it is.
00:56:40.36\00:56:43.63
We end with what we began with.
00:56:43.66\00:56:48.03
Jesus spirited ASI
00:56:48.06\00:56:53.41
as a single
minded focus on mission.
00:56:53.44\00:56:58.20
ASI supporting
schools are for mission.
00:56:58.23\00:57:00.48
ASI sanitariums are for mission.
00:57:00.51\00:57:02.41
ASI health food
factories are for mission.
00:57:02.44\00:57:04.34
ASI restaurants are for mission.
00:57:04.37\00:57:06.09
ASI publishing
houses are for mission.
00:57:06.12\00:57:09.36
Mission, soul winning,
00:57:09.39\00:57:11.38
evangelism is the
heart, the essence.
00:57:11.41\00:57:14.90
Charles Spurgeon was in England
00:57:14.93\00:57:19.72
one of the mighty
preachers of generations ago.
00:57:19.75\00:57:23.28
And as Spurgeon was there,
00:57:23.31\00:57:24.66
a group of
businesspeople in America
00:57:24.69\00:57:26.68
knowing his charismatic ability
00:57:26.71\00:57:28.23
to hold an
audience said to Spurgeon.
00:57:28.26\00:57:31.02
Spurgeon, come to
America, we'll give you $50,000,
00:57:31.05\00:57:37.24
you make 50 speeches.
00:57:37.27\00:57:38.63
We'll give you
$50,000 to come to America.
00:57:38.66\00:57:41.34
In addition to that, Spurgeon,
we'll pay your wife's expenses,
00:57:41.37\00:57:45.15
we'll pay a
secretary's expenses for you.
00:57:45.18\00:57:48.60
And, Spurgeon,
in addition to that,
00:57:48.63\00:57:51.43
we'll put you up
in lavish hotels.
00:57:51.46\00:57:53.46
Spurgeon, we believe
00:57:53.49\00:57:54.90
that if you took your
techniques of preaching,
00:57:54.93\00:57:56.68
applied them to businesspeople,
00:57:56.71\00:57:58.21
you can motivate
these businesspeople
00:57:58.24\00:57:59.70
to make scores of money.
00:57:59.73\00:58:01.10
This business group in
America said come, Spurgeon.
00:58:01.13\00:58:03.59
Spurgeon wrote back
and here were his words.
00:58:03.62\00:58:07.19
"I regret to inform you
00:58:07.22\00:58:11.04
that I cannot
accept your invitation
00:58:11.07\00:58:13.77
because the price that
you've offered me $50,000
00:58:13.80\00:58:18.28
is not high enough."
00:58:18.31\00:58:20.40
They were amazed
and then he said, P.S.
00:58:20.43\00:58:23.88
I can stay in
London and win souls.
00:58:23.91\00:58:28.07
I can stay in London
and win 50 souls for Christ.
00:58:28.10\00:58:33.94
That's the passion of my life.
00:58:33.97\00:58:38.06
What is the
passion of your life today?
00:58:38.09\00:58:43.35
Are you sold out for God?
00:58:43.38\00:58:49.48
Have you said to Jesus,
00:58:49.51\00:58:50.86
Jesus, the passion of my
life is to lead some man,
00:58:50.89\00:58:57.82
some boy, some girl
to Christ in the kingdom.
00:58:57.85\00:59:03.75
As we bow our heads to pray...
00:59:03.78\00:59:05.11
I want to ask you this question.
00:59:08.81\00:59:10.64
Do you live a life of
totally reliance upon God?
00:59:10.67\00:59:15.33
Are you committed
to seeking God's will?
00:59:15.36\00:59:17.89
Are you willing to
sacrifice for Jesus?
00:59:17.92\00:59:20.65
Do you rejoice at
the success of others?
00:59:20.68\00:59:23.19
In your heart is
there one tinge of criticism
00:59:23.22\00:59:25.68
or you're loyal to the church?
00:59:25.71\00:59:27.97
And do you have a single
minded focus upon mission?
00:59:28.00\00:59:30.40
Oh, Jesus, may it be true for us
00:59:30.43\00:59:33.86
that the passion of our souls
00:59:33.89\00:59:37.74
and the vision of our
life is a finished work
00:59:37.77\00:59:40.77
in this
generations, oh, Jesus, oh God.
00:59:40.80\00:59:43.05