Singing...
00:00:14.98\00:00:20.05
More singing,
00:00:20.08\00:00:26.62
More singing...
00:00:26.65\00:00:36.30
Some more singing...
00:00:36.33\00:00:42.07
Beautiful singing...
00:00:42.10\00:00:47.78
More beautiful singing...
00:00:47.81\00:00:53.72
Wonderful singing...
00:00:53.75\00:00:59.12
Song continuing...
00:00:59.22\00:01:05.49
More singing,
00:01:05.53\00:01:11.07
Some more singing...
00:01:11.10\00:01:19.51
Children are part
of God's family too...
00:01:19.54\00:01:22.51
Audience: "Amen. "
00:01:22.54\00:01:24.05
An African proverb states,
00:01:24.08\00:01:25.65
"When an elder dies,
a library is burnt... "
00:01:25.68\00:01:28.68
this saying
implies... and rightly so
00:01:28.72\00:01:31.15
that elders are the
repository of great wisdom
00:01:31.19\00:01:34.59
and knowledge
and of our heritage.
00:01:34.62\00:01:37.46
When they die, in too many cases
00:01:37.53\00:01:40.30
that knowledge is lost.
00:01:40.33\00:01:41.86
We want to change that
00:01:41.90\00:01:43.33
and so all the information
about the role of the Sabbath
00:01:43.37\00:01:46.37
and Christianity in
the world and in Africa,
00:01:46.43\00:01:49.37
we want to be able to
pass on to our children now
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in fact, we have
Biblical evidence for this,
00:01:52.87\00:01:56.18
turn with me to
Deuteronomy chapter 6
00:01:56.21\00:01:58.88
verses 7 to 9,
00:01:58.91\00:02:00.55
I might not be reading from your
version but look at that text,
00:02:00.58\00:02:04.32
I'm going to read part of it
00:02:04.35\00:02:06.22
and the Lord is saying here,
00:02:06.25\00:02:08.06
"These commandments
that I give you today,
00:02:08.09\00:02:10.96
are to be upon your heart:
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impress them on your children,
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talk about them
when you sit at home,
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and when you
walk along the road,
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and when you lie
down, and when you get up.
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Tie them as
symbols on your hands,
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and bind them on your forehead.
00:02:28.21\00:02:30.85
Write them on the
doorframe of your houses,
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and on your gates. "
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Now, that was that
time and that Society,
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if we were saying
it today, we might say,
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"Talk to your
children when you sit at home,
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when you
text-message them on the road,
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when you call them
up on your cell phone,
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when you e-mail them,
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when you sit
down to eat with them,
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when you take them
out to the restaurant,
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when you wake them up,
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put them as
symbols on your computer,
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put them as illustrations
on your refrigerator,
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write them in their
Facebook or whatever book it is
00:03:05.05\00:03:08.42
and put it on YouTube,
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and all the other
communication areas,
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in fact, we need to pass
on our heritage to our kids. "
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Audience: "Amen. "
00:03:17.96\00:03:19.29
Why do we need to do this?
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Because in many
cases and especially...
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you're talking about
Christianity and the Sabbath
00:03:22.73\00:03:25.13
there is too
much misunderstanding
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about the role of Africa.
00:03:27.80\00:03:29.67
As one writer has said,
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"In an area where caricatures
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and stereotypes
circulate freely,
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it is necessary to erect
a massive wall of evidence
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so to obstruct the proliferation
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of the more
resistant strains of prejudice
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that thrive in the popular mind.
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It is important to
teach it to our children. "
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Therefore, with all the
evidence that is available,
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what you heard last night...
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what you heard
a few minutes ago,
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it is imperative that
we change our thinking
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and our way of teaching.
00:04:03.34\00:04:04.71
We need new tools and structures
00:04:04.74\00:04:07.71
and also get a new attitude
00:04:07.74\00:04:09.68
toward the dynamic and pure
nature of world Christianity.
00:04:09.71\00:04:13.92
In other words, we need to
pass on a better picture...
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a better idea of the
past to our children.
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Why the Sabbath or why
Christianity in Africa?
00:04:20.56\00:04:23.73
Because in many cases,
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Africa seems to be
the forgotten continent
00:04:25.83\00:04:28.06
in regards to Christianity
and Sabbath keeping.
00:04:28.10\00:04:30.40
Africa is a continent
that... as we heard last night,
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especially in
cases like Ethiopia,
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have a long
tradition of Sabbath keeping
00:04:36.87\00:04:39.91
and a lot of these
traditions have been lost to us.
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So it's essential that as
we tell the Christian story,
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as we tell the Sabbath story,
as we tell the Biblical stories,
00:04:46.08\00:04:50.19
we incorporate into that
telling how Africa featured.
00:04:50.22\00:04:54.19
We need to revise
the way, therefore,
00:04:54.22\00:04:56.36
we talk about Sabbath keeping,
00:04:56.39\00:04:58.23
Christianity and the
Sabbath to our children.
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For instance, when you
tell the Christmas story,
00:05:01.13\00:05:03.90
do your kids realize that
part of it occurred in Africa?
00:05:03.93\00:05:07.74
Think about that...
00:05:07.77\00:05:09.40
do you every associate...
00:05:09.47\00:05:11.31
do your children associate
Sabbath keeping with Africa?
00:05:11.34\00:05:15.08
Let's turn to Matthew
2:13, what does it say there?
00:05:15.11\00:05:18.38
You can read it in any version
but basically it's saying that
00:05:18.41\00:05:23.72
when God appeared
to Joseph in a dream,
00:05:23.75\00:05:27.52
you know they were
being threatened by the King
00:05:27.56\00:05:30.99
and he told Joseph to
get his wife and child
00:05:31.06\00:05:34.46
and run to Africa.
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Read it in your Bible and
see if that's what it said.
00:05:35.86\00:05:38.43
What do your children hear
when you tell them this story?
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Sometimes we just
read it and gloss over it
00:05:41.34\00:05:43.71
and we don't get them to see
00:05:43.74\00:05:45.54
the geographical
area of the world
00:05:45.57\00:05:47.64
in which we're
telling the story.
00:05:47.68\00:05:49.64
Think about the Easter story
00:05:49.68\00:05:52.05
or the story of the crucifixion.
00:05:52.08\00:05:53.55
Simon of Cyrene, you know
him? You know who he really was?
00:05:53.58\00:05:59.85
Where was he from?
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He was part of the
family of God where was he from?
00:06:01.79\00:06:05.19
"Where is Cyrene?"
00:06:05.26\00:06:06.59
"Well, that's
the Biblical Land. "
00:06:06.63\00:06:08.00
"But, where is
this Biblical land?"
00:06:08.06\00:06:09.63
Cyrene was a part
of the Roman province
00:06:09.66\00:06:12.03
of what we call
current-day Libya.
00:06:12.07\00:06:14.37
Acts 2, I'm going to
make you go to the Bible,
00:06:14.40\00:06:17.71
Acts 2... but I
want you to be aware
00:06:17.74\00:06:19.97
that you need to
tell your kids the story.
00:06:20.01\00:06:22.31
Acts 2 talks about
the Day of Pentecost,
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the Day of
Pentecost and in that chapter
00:06:25.68\00:06:28.58
there are a number of
places that are mentioned
00:06:28.62\00:06:31.59
where all the
saints were gathered,
00:06:31.62\00:06:33.86
now, I don't know where
all of you come from today
00:06:33.89\00:06:35.79
but I know you come
from... from various places
00:06:35.82\00:06:38.06
and so the writer of Acts
00:06:38.09\00:06:41.20
was describing to
where the audience was from
00:06:41.23\00:06:43.37
and if you look at
that you'll be sure to find
00:06:43.40\00:06:47.64
places that you
didn't think about.
00:06:47.70\00:06:49.64
Early Christianity had
taken firm roots in Africa.
00:06:49.67\00:06:54.98
There were lots of Christian
churches in that community.
00:06:55.01\00:06:58.61
When we study about the martyrs,
00:06:58.65\00:07:01.18
the people who
died for their faith,
00:07:01.22\00:07:03.08
Carthage... a place in Africa...
00:07:03.12\00:07:05.45
Alexandria... and in Alexandria
we had early Christian martyrs
00:07:05.49\00:07:10.99
and some of them were women,
00:07:11.03\00:07:12.43
one of these women was Perpetua,
00:07:12.46\00:07:14.80
she was a noble woman
who died for her faith
00:07:14.83\00:07:18.17
along with her maid
or her slave, Felicity.
00:07:18.20\00:07:21.50
If we do Church History...
00:07:21.54\00:07:24.24
some of the early
Christian scholars...
00:07:24.27\00:07:26.44
most of us know
about St. Augustine,
00:07:26.47\00:07:28.54
St. Augustine was really the
"Bishop of Hippo," as we say,
00:07:28.58\00:07:32.55
"Where was
that?" "In the world. "
00:07:32.58\00:07:36.25
"Which part of the world?"
00:07:36.28\00:07:37.72
"On the continent of Africa,
00:07:37.75\00:07:39.15
in what we call,
current-day Algeria. "
00:07:39.19\00:07:41.12
So, it's just nice to
share these with your children
00:07:41.16\00:07:43.79
so use it...
Elder Bradford's book,
00:07:43.83\00:07:45.99
groundbreaking book,
00:07:46.03\00:07:47.36
"Sabbath Roots:
The African Connection"
00:07:47.40\00:07:50.00
you see, Elder
Bradford is one of these elders,
00:07:50.03\00:07:52.20
that has lots of
wisdom and knowledge
00:07:52.23\00:07:54.04
and we wanted to get it
00:07:54.07\00:07:55.74
and so, I created a book
00:07:55.77\00:07:57.37
that I thought would be a useful
teaching tool for children
00:07:57.41\00:08:00.84
to help them
understand the role of Africa
00:08:00.88\00:08:04.15
in preserving Sabbath keeping.
00:08:04.18\00:08:06.05
So, I began this book
by looking at Sabbath,
00:08:06.08\00:08:10.29
going back to the Sabbath,
00:08:10.32\00:08:11.89
the Sabbath was not
just for us, here in America,
00:08:11.95\00:08:15.19
God created
Sabbath for the world
00:08:15.22\00:08:17.36
so I take them back to
the whole creation story,
00:08:17.39\00:08:20.36
the Sabbath is as
old as the earth itself,
00:08:20.40\00:08:23.00
it came at the
end of creation week
00:08:23.03\00:08:25.27
so what I want the
kids to do is to see
00:08:25.30\00:08:27.47
how God created
something on each day
00:08:27.50\00:08:29.54
and on the
Sabbath, He created also...
00:08:29.57\00:08:31.54
but it was the... on the
seventh day He created also,
00:08:31.57\00:08:33.94
but it was the Sabbath.
00:08:33.98\00:08:35.31
So let them experience the
delights of the creation week
00:08:35.34\00:08:39.28
and show how God
blessed the Seventh day
00:08:39.31\00:08:41.52
and made it
holy... made it special.
00:08:41.55\00:08:43.69
He set it apart as a
day of rest for everyone
00:08:43.72\00:08:46.96
not just physical rest but
rest from our regular work.
00:08:46.99\00:08:50.89
He made this day
special so what...
00:08:50.93\00:08:53.70
the idea is to
work with our children
00:08:53.73\00:08:56.43
to make them see that
Sabbath is special and memorable
00:08:56.46\00:09:00.54
so just as you plan for your
work and you plan for vacation
00:09:00.57\00:09:04.31
and you even plan to
come to church and so on...
00:09:04.34\00:09:06.84
you need to
plan for the Sabbath,
00:09:06.88\00:09:08.84
you need to plan activities,
00:09:08.91\00:09:10.38
you need to plan things that
would make the Sabbath a delight
00:09:10.41\00:09:13.31
so if the Sabbath is so
special and so wonderful
00:09:13.35\00:09:16.48
how can we make it
enjoyable for our children
00:09:16.52\00:09:19.62
and one of the
things I ask the kids to do,
00:09:19.65\00:09:22.42
"What are some of the things
that you can do on the Sabbath
00:09:22.46\00:09:25.63
that can help you
celebrate God's creation?"
00:09:25.69\00:09:28.50
Remind them that the
Sabbath is a time for sharing,
00:09:28.53\00:09:31.97
a time for joy, a time for love,
00:09:32.00\00:09:34.90
a time for reflecting
on God's love to others.
00:09:34.94\00:09:38.07
Additionally, let
them review in the Bible
00:09:38.11\00:09:41.31
to show them how the
Sabbath was observed,
00:09:41.34\00:09:44.48
how the Sabbath was kept,
00:09:44.51\00:09:46.01
let's look at a few examples
so... to get an understanding
00:09:46.05\00:09:49.58
that the Sabbath is
not just a fly-by-night,
00:09:49.62\00:09:51.99
it's something that
is embedded in our world.
00:09:52.02\00:09:54.36
Let's think about the story
00:09:54.39\00:09:56.12
of the Israelites
going through the wilderness,
00:09:56.16\00:09:58.49
Exodus 16... and in Exodus 16...
00:09:58.53\00:10:01.53
when the Israelites were in the
wilderness, they needed food,
00:10:01.56\00:10:04.50
how do you get food?
00:10:04.53\00:10:06.53
God has a great idea,
00:10:06.57\00:10:08.00
and we have the story of
00:10:08.04\00:10:10.41
manna falling,
00:10:10.44\00:10:11.77
now I don't want to
get into a discussion
00:10:11.81\00:10:13.14
of what manna really was
00:10:13.17\00:10:14.51
but the idea is,
"What's the principle
00:10:14.54\00:10:16.01
that you want these
children to recognize?"
00:10:16.04\00:10:19.21
Manna fell every day,
00:10:19.28\00:10:21.58
what happened on
the sixth day, Friday?
00:10:21.62\00:10:24.45
You had a double portion,
so the kids are learning,
00:10:24.49\00:10:28.66
"Hey, wait, we
need to prepare. "
00:10:28.72\00:10:30.06
So they have a
double portion on Friday
00:10:30.09\00:10:32.53
so they didn't have
any falling on Sabbath,
00:10:32.56\00:10:34.96
it meant... and
if you read the story
00:10:35.00\00:10:36.77
you'll see that some people
didn't believe, like some of us
00:10:36.83\00:10:38.90
and so they went
out Sabbath morning
00:10:38.93\00:10:40.84
to get the manna
and they was none
00:10:40.90\00:10:42.77
and there were some people who,
on the first day of the week,
00:10:42.80\00:10:45.24
said, "Man, it was so
nice getting double on Friday,
00:10:45.27\00:10:47.81
I don't need to go on Tuesday,
let me do double on Monday... "
00:10:47.84\00:10:51.61
and something happened...
so let the kids see this
00:10:51.65\00:10:53.62
and let them understand,
00:10:53.65\00:10:54.98
let them reflect
back the story to you.
00:10:55.02\00:10:57.42
Also, go through the Bible...
in the New Testament also,
00:10:57.49\00:11:01.16
let the children tell
the story in their own words,
00:11:01.19\00:11:04.96
just like... what
Jesus did on the Sabbath,
00:11:04.99\00:11:06.86
highlight the stories of
how Jesus kept the Sabbath,
00:11:06.90\00:11:10.07
Jesus and His followers kept
the Sabbath while He was here
00:11:10.10\00:11:13.70
show them that His followers...
00:11:13.74\00:11:16.10
after He left,
continued to keep the Sabbath
00:11:16.14\00:11:18.44
and this is where you
might need to do some research
00:11:18.47\00:11:21.04
to see that Sabbath
became an important part
00:11:21.08\00:11:24.28
of the... in the
African Continent
00:11:24.31\00:11:26.38
when Christianity spread there,
00:11:26.41\00:11:28.38
and it is not
unusual to think of Africa
00:11:28.42\00:11:31.79
as part of the Christian story,
00:11:31.82\00:11:33.42
when Jesus came
as a baby, remember?
00:11:33.46\00:11:35.46
It was into Africa that
He was hidden for a while
00:11:35.49\00:11:38.53
so as you engage the children
in going through the Bible
00:11:38.56\00:11:42.56
and seeing how it's
connected, urge them to see
00:11:42.60\00:11:45.57
that some of these
stories were really in a place,
00:11:45.60\00:11:48.50
in a continent called Africa,
00:11:48.57\00:11:50.31
better yet, let them
locate this map... this place...
00:11:50.34\00:11:55.01
on the map of the world,
00:11:55.04\00:11:56.38
also, something
that we need to do
00:11:56.41\00:11:58.88
is get pictures that
are relevant for them
00:11:58.91\00:12:01.72
this is... some of the
pictures you can get...
00:12:01.78\00:12:04.55
pictures of angels...
00:12:04.59\00:12:06.35
they might not look like the
particular angels that you see
00:12:06.39\00:12:09.62
but angels from
that part of the world
00:12:09.66\00:12:12.29
took on the
features of those people,
00:12:12.33\00:12:14.96
John Mark... it is alleged,
00:12:15.00\00:12:17.23
brought
Christianity to Alexandria,
00:12:17.27\00:12:18.97
and so the people
who worshipped there
00:12:19.00\00:12:21.27
were named after the
language spoken there
00:12:21.30\00:12:23.34
so you're talking
about the Coptic religion
00:12:23.37\00:12:25.37
and the Coptic Christianity
00:12:25.41\00:12:26.81
and many people, as I
said in this... before...
00:12:26.84\00:12:29.88
died for their faith
including some women,
00:12:29.91\00:12:33.11
so let them see North
Africa, where is North Africa?
00:12:33.15\00:12:37.12
What are some of the
countries in North Africa?
00:12:37.15\00:12:41.72
I mentioned a few
already, Libya, Egypt, Algeria,
00:12:41.76\00:12:46.29
locate these areas,
00:12:46.36\00:12:47.86
that is an activity that I think
00:12:47.90\00:12:49.86
the kids will have
a great time doing,
00:12:49.90\00:12:52.57
also, when we
talk about Ethiopia,
00:12:52.60\00:12:55.20
look at the features...
look at the priests in Ethiopia,
00:12:55.24\00:12:59.74
and again, listen to the Bible
story that we find in Acts 8,
00:12:59.77\00:13:04.25
all of us know the story
about Philip and the Eunuch,
00:13:04.28\00:13:06.78
Ethiopian Eunuch,
00:13:06.82\00:13:08.62
read the story again
for yourself and read it,
00:13:08.65\00:13:11.42
let the kids do
something with this story,
00:13:11.45\00:13:14.39
maybe they can act
out being the Eunuch,
00:13:14.42\00:13:17.29
"How was it when Philip talked
to you about Christianity?"
00:13:17.33\00:13:20.50
And that is a good
time to reflect with them
00:13:20.53\00:13:24.27
how the story didn't end there,
00:13:24.30\00:13:26.50
as Dr. Tolbert
told us last night,
00:13:26.53\00:13:28.64
Ethiopia has a long
tradition of Sabbath keeping,
00:13:28.70\00:13:31.84
they fought as a
nation to preserve the Sabbath
00:13:31.87\00:13:34.98
so let them see this
00:13:35.01\00:13:36.85
and wherever
possible, use visual aids.
00:13:36.88\00:13:39.35
Why this issue of the Sabbath?
00:13:39.38\00:13:40.98
because we have to think bigger,
00:13:41.02\00:13:43.15
when I grew
up... a long time ago,
00:13:43.18\00:13:45.29
and we did church history
00:13:45.32\00:13:47.19
one of the people we
talked about was the Waldenses,
00:13:47.22\00:13:50.43
but I want you to remember
00:13:50.46\00:13:51.86
that in Great
Controversy, Page 63,
00:13:51.89\00:13:54.23
it is written, "In lands
beyond the jurisdiction...
00:13:54.26\00:13:57.40
Christians believed in the
perpetuity of the law of God
00:13:57.47\00:14:00.84
and observed the Sabbath
of the fourth commandment.
00:14:00.87\00:14:04.04
Churches held
this faith and practice
00:14:04.07\00:14:06.61
that existed in Central Africa
00:14:06.68\00:14:09.24
and among the
Armenians of Asia. "
00:14:09.28\00:14:11.25
We were very good about
talking about the others,
00:14:11.28\00:14:14.48
now we need to talk
about those in Africa.
00:14:14.52\00:14:17.32
The Waldenses
were not the only ones
00:14:17.35\00:14:19.85
keeping and
preserving the Sabbath,
00:14:19.89\00:14:22.29
apart from the Ethiopians,
00:14:22.32\00:14:23.93
if you look at
the country of Ghana,
00:14:23.96\00:14:25.69
and it wasn't
only that they kept...
00:14:25.73\00:14:27.70
it was embedded
in their culture...
00:14:27.73\00:14:30.23
even today you can
see traces of this.
00:14:30.27\00:14:33.34
And so, as we
conclude in looking at this,
00:14:33.37\00:14:36.40
there are many
other things we can do
00:14:36.44\00:14:38.11
in teaching our kids.
00:14:38.14\00:14:39.57
One of the
things then that I did
00:14:39.61\00:14:42.28
was link the
story of Sabbath keeping
00:14:42.31\00:14:44.85
with Africa and
the United States
00:14:44.88\00:14:47.32
and what I did
there was tell the story
00:14:47.35\00:14:51.09
of a guy called
William Saunders Crowdy.
00:14:51.12\00:14:54.82
Now, most of you
might know of him,
00:14:54.86\00:14:56.73
some of you might not,
now he was born in 1847,
00:14:56.76\00:15:00.23
a slave in Maryland,
00:15:00.26\00:15:01.86
yet he was able to found a
church... he's a great guy,
00:15:01.90\00:15:06.27
"The Church of God and Saints"
in Lawrence, Kansas in 1896
00:15:06.30\00:15:10.57
and before he died, he
was a dynamic preacher,
00:15:10.61\00:15:15.41
in fact, he was so
powerful a preacher
00:15:15.44\00:15:17.85
that some people call
him, "The Black Elijah"
00:15:17.88\00:15:20.98
and he kept the
Sabbath, he and his group,
00:15:21.02\00:15:24.05
he saw the Sabbath as a
cause for wholeness, happiness,
00:15:24.09\00:15:28.46
well-being, progress,
health and healthy self-image.
00:15:28.49\00:15:32.79
He spoke to large crowds
both black and white in his area
00:15:32.83\00:15:37.53
and whenever you're
successful sometimes,
00:15:37.57\00:15:40.47
people get upset,
00:15:40.50\00:15:41.90
and so the people in the town,
00:15:41.94\00:15:43.27
especially some of the pastors,
00:15:43.30\00:15:44.64
thought he should be stopped
00:15:44.67\00:15:46.24
and so they got him
arrested for preaching
00:15:46.27\00:15:48.51
and two ministers
went to the Mayor and said,
00:15:48.54\00:15:50.65
"We want this man out of town
00:15:50.68\00:15:52.55
for he's preaching that
Saturday is the Sabbath"
00:15:52.61\00:15:55.32
so the Mayor...
wise man that he was,
00:15:55.35\00:15:57.59
decided he would go
and see for himself,
00:15:57.62\00:15:59.82
when the Mayor went, however,
00:15:59.85\00:16:01.92
the mayor was so
impressed, the Mayor said,
00:16:01.96\00:16:03.89
"You know what, this town
needs more men like him.. "
00:16:03.93\00:16:06.53
and they allowed him
to continue to preach.
00:16:06.56\00:16:08.20
Audience: "Amen. "
00:16:08.23\00:16:09.56
In Crowdy's church...
Sabbath School was a time
00:16:09.60\00:16:11.87
for members to learn more about
the Bible and black history,
00:16:11.90\00:16:15.30
he also taught the
gospel of self-help
00:16:15.34\00:16:17.84
and he taught people
00:16:17.87\00:16:19.21
that they should work
in connection with God
00:16:19.24\00:16:21.94
and each other.
00:16:21.98\00:16:23.31
He established
churches in the United States
00:16:23.35\00:16:26.31
also in Jamaica and
in parts of South Africa.
00:16:26.35\00:16:29.52
So, you can link
the kids to this story
00:16:29.55\00:16:32.35
and tell them that we
too need to keep the story.
00:16:32.39\00:16:34.99
What is our responsibility?
00:16:35.02\00:16:37.16
We need to be
teachers of "change. "
00:16:37.19\00:16:39.29
We need to change the
way our children think,
00:16:39.33\00:16:42.20
we need to be more
enlightened members,
00:16:42.23\00:16:44.23
we need to develop
more of a better identity
00:16:44.27\00:16:47.00
as we redress
this global imbalance
00:16:47.04\00:16:49.44
of how we talk
about Christianity.
00:16:49.47\00:16:51.77
It's implicit, if
we're good disciples
00:16:51.81\00:16:54.04
for the sake of
justice, compassion, humanity
00:16:54.08\00:16:57.41
and understanding how
we can witness for God
00:16:57.45\00:17:00.75
but before we
teach the children,
00:17:00.78\00:17:02.95
we have to get the
resources ourselves.
00:17:02.98\00:17:04.95
Where are we going to find
them? I've given you a few...
00:17:05.02\00:17:07.89
about all the Speakers here,
00:17:07.92\00:17:09.52
the website:
africanchristianity. org
00:17:09.56\00:17:12.76
and the Bradford's book
and there are many more...
00:17:12.79\00:17:15.53
but we need to
teach it to the children,
00:17:15.56\00:17:18.23
we need to teach
it to the children
00:17:18.27\00:17:20.17
because God expects it,
00:17:20.20\00:17:21.90
we need to teach
it to the children
00:17:21.97\00:17:23.47
because it's the
right thing to do.
00:17:23.51\00:17:24.94
So I created this
teaching tool, it's called:
00:17:24.97\00:17:28.44
Sabbath Keepers:
The African Connection.
00:17:28.48\00:17:32.11
It is really an activity book
00:17:32.15\00:17:33.95
and I mentioned
some of the things...
00:17:33.98\00:17:35.35
there are many more
that the children can do
00:17:35.38\00:17:37.45
as they go through the book.
00:17:37.49\00:17:38.82
I end the book by
asking the children
00:17:38.85\00:17:41.09
to find about
Sabbath keepers in their area
00:17:41.12\00:17:43.83
so that they can question
you... the elders of the church,
00:17:43.86\00:17:47.36
so they can really see
the footprint of Adventism
00:17:47.40\00:17:50.43
in their local area.
00:17:50.47\00:17:52.03
Teach it to the children,
teach it to the community,
00:17:52.07\00:17:55.17
teach them well and
let them lead the way
00:17:55.20\00:17:59.31
and so, I want
to end with a text,
00:17:59.37\00:18:02.21
"Surely, my
Sabbaths you shall keep:
00:18:02.24\00:18:04.95
for it is a sign
between me and you
00:18:05.01\00:18:07.68
throughout your generations;
00:18:07.72\00:18:09.48
that you may know,
00:18:09.52\00:18:10.99
I am the Lord
who sanctifies you. "
00:18:11.02\00:18:13.76
Teach it to the children.
00:18:13.79\00:18:16.39
Audience: "Amen. "
00:18:16.42\00:18:21.40
Audience clapping.
00:18:21.43\00:18:26.33
And now, I would
call on my colleague,
00:18:26.37\00:18:29.24
he is Dr. Doug Morgan,
he's also a Professor of History
00:18:29.27\00:18:32.87
in the History and
Political Studies Department
00:18:32.94\00:18:36.54
at Columbia Union College.
00:18:36.58\00:18:37.98
He's written the book,
00:18:38.01\00:18:39.35
"Adventism and
American Republic"
00:18:39.38\00:18:41.35
and he's also the
author of the Study Guide
00:18:41.38\00:18:43.75
for Elder Bradford's book
00:18:43.79\00:18:45.12
and so I want you to welcome him
00:18:45.15\00:18:47.19
as he talks to us now
00:18:47.22\00:18:48.62
about why we should
teach it to the church
00:18:48.66\00:18:50.33
and tell it to the world.
00:18:50.36\00:18:51.69
Audience clapping...
00:18:51.73\00:18:59.20
Thank you Dr. Francis and
good morning Sabbath School.
00:18:59.23\00:19:04.57
Audience: "Good morning. "
00:19:04.61\00:19:05.94
It's wonderful
to be here with you
00:19:05.97\00:19:07.94
and to spend a few moments
00:19:08.01\00:19:10.18
talking about why we should
not only teach the children
00:19:10.25\00:19:14.32
but to teach the church
00:19:14.35\00:19:15.88
about the history of 2,000
years of Christianity in Africa
00:19:15.92\00:19:20.22
so that we can then, in turn,
00:19:20.26\00:19:22.99
tell the world about the story
that we have for the nations
00:19:23.02\00:19:27.86
and to tell it in a more
compelling and winsome way
00:19:27.90\00:19:32.20
than we ever have before.
00:19:32.23\00:19:33.57
Now, when we think
about what is distinct
00:19:33.60\00:19:38.11
in the message that we as
Seventh-day Adventists have
00:19:38.14\00:19:42.31
to tell the world,
00:19:42.34\00:19:43.68
the great controversy
comes quickly to mind.
00:19:43.71\00:19:48.18
Cosmic conflict
between Christ and His angels
00:19:48.22\00:19:52.65
and Satan and his fallen hosts.
00:19:52.69\00:19:54.82
This lies behind the
terrorism, the warfare,
00:19:54.86\00:19:59.53
disasters... all
manner of evil...
00:19:59.56\00:20:02.00
that we see in the world today
00:20:02.03\00:20:05.20
not just out in the world
00:20:05.23\00:20:08.34
but in our own
experience from day to day
00:20:08.37\00:20:10.91
as we seek to live for Jesus
00:20:10.94\00:20:12.47
in our homes and
schools and places of work.
00:20:12.54\00:20:14.81
We are aware that
this conflict is going on
00:20:14.84\00:20:17.05
but what I'd like to encourage
you to think about with me now
00:20:17.11\00:20:22.48
is that this great controversy
00:20:22.52\00:20:25.22
is not just about
something that is happening
00:20:25.25\00:20:28.66
right now in the present
00:20:28.69\00:20:30.16
but it involves the
conflict of the ages,
00:20:30.23\00:20:35.00
it's also called that...
the conflict of the ages,
00:20:35.03\00:20:38.77
it's a long story that stretches
through the thousands of years
00:20:38.80\00:20:43.47
from creation and the fall
00:20:43.51\00:20:46.84
down to the present
and then to the future...
00:20:46.88\00:20:49.84
to its great and glorious
culmination... yet to come.
00:20:49.88\00:20:53.21
And within those
thousands of years,
00:20:53.25\00:20:57.35
there are 2,000 years of
the history of Christianity
00:20:57.39\00:21:01.29
from the time of the
apostles down to our own time
00:21:01.32\00:21:05.33
and you know, Ellen
White wrote a 700-page book
00:21:05.36\00:21:09.33
entitled: "The
Great Controversy"
00:21:09.36\00:21:12.77
about those
2,000 years of history.
00:21:12.80\00:21:16.20
Pause...
00:21:16.24\00:21:18.84
I wonder why...
why did she do that?
00:21:18.87\00:21:21.21
It took a lot of time and effort
and resources on her part,
00:21:21.24\00:21:26.85
people were helping
her organize the material
00:21:26.88\00:21:30.82
why bother with all that
00:21:30.89\00:21:34.76
stuff about dead
folk in the ancient past?
00:21:34.79\00:21:37.56
I mean, shouldn't all
of our energy and concern
00:21:37.59\00:21:41.33
be focused on the
needs of the present?
00:21:41.36\00:21:45.00
Well, the Lord's
messenger tells us
00:21:45.03\00:21:48.64
why bother... in the
introduction to the book.
00:21:48.67\00:21:52.07
Now, I believe the
Ushers have given you a handout
00:21:52.11\00:21:55.54
which says: "Teach the Church,
Tell the Word" on the top
00:21:55.61\00:21:59.28
and you might
want to refer to that
00:21:59.31\00:22:00.88
because we'll be looking
at some passages together
00:22:00.92\00:22:05.05
and the first one there
00:22:05.09\00:22:07.59
is from the introduction to
the book: The Great Controversy.
00:22:07.62\00:22:11.09
Pause...
00:22:11.13\00:22:14.06
It tells us why it's important.
00:22:14.10\00:22:17.47
Viewed as part
of the controversy
00:22:17.53\00:22:20.84
between the forces
of light and darkness,
00:22:20.87\00:22:23.24
all these records of the past
00:22:23.27\00:22:25.77
are seen to have
a new significance
00:22:25.81\00:22:28.48
and through them, a
light is cast on the future
00:22:28.51\00:22:34.82
illumining the pathway of those
00:22:34.85\00:22:37.55
who, like the
Reformers of past ages
00:22:37.59\00:22:39.52
will be called,
even at the peril
00:22:39.55\00:22:41.42
of all earthly good to
witness for the Word of God
00:22:41.46\00:22:45.56
and the
testimony of Jesus Christ.
00:22:45.59\00:22:47.06
Now, let's look at
this carefully together,
00:22:47.10\00:22:52.03
what do the
records of the past do
00:22:52.07\00:22:55.77
when viewed as part
of the great controversy?
00:22:55.80\00:22:58.44
Audience: "Cast light. "
00:22:58.47\00:23:00.71
Thank you... they
cast a light on the future,
00:23:00.74\00:23:04.31
they illumine
the pathway forward
00:23:04.35\00:23:06.18
so that we know which way to go.
00:23:06.21\00:23:07.98
Pause...
00:23:08.02\00:23:11.12
Now you may not think
of yourself as a Reformer,
00:23:11.15\00:23:15.09
as mentioned in the passage,
00:23:15.12\00:23:17.69
but is anybody
out there interested
00:23:17.73\00:23:21.23
on being on Jesus' side
in the great controversy?
00:23:21.26\00:23:23.67
Audience: "Amen... we are... "
00:23:23.70\00:23:25.07
Well then, how about some light
00:23:25.10\00:23:26.43
to illumine your
pathway as we go forward?
00:23:26.47\00:23:31.74
The accounts of history
00:23:31.77\00:23:33.11
when viewed as part
of the great controversy
00:23:33.14\00:23:35.24
can do that for you
00:23:35.28\00:23:36.61
and the author says
that among those accounts,
00:23:36.64\00:23:40.78
the history of the churches
of Ethiopia and Abyssinia
00:23:40.82\00:23:46.12
is especially significant...
00:23:46.15\00:23:48.52
especially significant.
00:23:48.56\00:23:50.49
That's on page 577 of the
book, "The Great Controversy"
00:23:50.53\00:23:54.73
and so, the first reason
that I would like to suggest
00:23:54.76\00:23:58.97
as I try to
summarize and to a large extent
00:23:59.00\00:24:04.11
bring together points
that have been made last night
00:24:04.14\00:24:09.98
and this morning,
00:24:10.01\00:24:11.35
why is it important?
00:24:11.38\00:24:12.71
Well, the first reason is simply
00:24:12.75\00:24:15.12
that we must teach the church
00:24:15.15\00:24:17.75
about the 2000-year
history of Christianity
00:24:17.79\00:24:20.52
because it is an
especially significant part
00:24:20.56\00:24:23.22
of the great controversy.
00:24:23.26\00:24:24.76
That's our story...
that's our defining story
00:24:24.79\00:24:29.00
that shapes us as a people.
00:24:29.03\00:24:30.67
See, we can
fully know who we are
00:24:30.70\00:24:33.54
and what we are to do.
00:24:33.57\00:24:36.27
Only when we're
connected with that long story,
00:24:36.30\00:24:41.01
we can really only
most effectively fulfill
00:24:41.04\00:24:45.68
our role in bringing the
story to its great conclusion
00:24:45.71\00:24:49.95
by being deeply connected
with what has gone before.
00:24:49.98\00:24:54.19
Pause...
00:24:54.22\00:24:57.79
Mount Calvary Church
00:24:57.86\00:25:01.56
has its own
history, its own story...
00:25:01.60\00:25:04.67
goes back a 100
years or more, am I right?
00:25:04.70\00:25:07.54
Because I was very glad to
get from Elder Niles a copy
00:25:07.57\00:25:12.14
of your beautiful centennial
00:25:12.17\00:25:16.75
and
groundbreaking souvenir journal
00:25:16.78\00:25:22.95
and I was reading a little bit
about the history of this church
00:25:22.98\00:25:27.12
founded by John T. Mance
00:25:27.16\00:25:30.63
and then other great
leaders of God come along,
00:25:30.66\00:25:34.96
Matthew C. Strong...
00:25:35.00\00:25:36.33
G.E. Peters
baptizes 245 in the 1920s,
00:25:36.36\00:25:40.80
then... W.S. Lee... I was
privileged to know W.S. Lee
00:25:40.84\00:25:46.88
and Warren Banfield
as well, and those are...
00:25:46.91\00:25:49.31
there are many
more... more recent,
00:25:49.34\00:25:52.45
now, just imagine
with me for a moment
00:25:52.48\00:25:55.52
it's kind of a wild example
00:25:55.58\00:25:57.39
but just imagine
with me for a moment
00:25:57.42\00:26:00.32
that somebody were to be looking
at this history of Mount Calvary
00:26:00.36\00:26:06.26
and... "how are we
going to write it?"
00:26:06.29\00:26:07.70
"Oh... G.E. Peters... is
from Antigua, West Indies,
00:26:07.73\00:26:13.94
we don't really need
to put that in, do we?
00:26:13.97\00:26:18.97
So, he may have baptized 245
00:26:19.01\00:26:23.18
but let's leave that out,
this man from Antigua... "
00:26:23.21\00:26:27.82
Or, maybe they want to
leave out the part about
00:26:27.88\00:26:33.25
Matthew C. Strong
and Warren S. Banfield
00:26:33.29\00:26:35.66
being leaders of the NAACP...
00:26:35.69\00:26:38.23
and in the struggle
for racial equality...
00:26:38.26\00:26:41.06
"yeah, that
might offend somebody,
00:26:41.10\00:26:42.60
let's leave that out. "
00:26:42.63\00:26:43.97
I'd like to suggest to
you that if that were done,
00:26:44.00\00:26:49.40
you would be
robbed of some light
00:26:49.44\00:26:51.97
that would help you...
guide your way forward,
00:26:52.01\00:26:54.61
if this process of manipulating
your history were to go too far,
00:26:54.64\00:27:00.12
some slick talker could
come in here and tell you...
00:27:00.15\00:27:02.48
and make you forget that you're
even Seventh-day Adventists.
00:27:02.52\00:27:04.59
So, now, to connect
that with the larger story,
00:27:04.62\00:27:11.09
the big story of
the great controversy,
00:27:11.13\00:27:13.43
I want to tell you that
many of us, as historians,
00:27:13.46\00:27:18.53
and I include myself
as a repenting sinner,
00:27:18.57\00:27:22.44
have not really
paid much attention,
00:27:22.47\00:27:29.34
to the history of
Christianity in Africa,
00:27:29.38\00:27:31.58
I'd have to be
either just ignorant
00:27:31.61\00:27:33.75
or don't really seem to think
that that's all that important
00:27:33.78\00:27:39.55
but the history... the churches
of Ethiopia and Abyssinia
00:27:39.59\00:27:45.29
is especially significant,
00:27:45.36\00:27:47.96
we have to come
to grips with that,
00:27:48.03\00:27:50.07
and furthermore, it's not
just Ellen White who says so,
00:27:50.10\00:27:53.60
increasingly,
contemporary scholarship
00:27:53.64\00:27:57.97
is awakening to what the
Adventist prophet thought
00:27:58.01\00:28:01.91
that it was
important enough to include,
00:28:01.94\00:28:03.45
more than a century ago,
00:28:03.48\00:28:04.85
last night Dr.
Melbourne referred to...
00:28:04.88\00:28:07.75
to the work of Thomas
Oden, this man is one of...
00:28:07.78\00:28:10.25
perhaps the leading scholar
00:28:10.29\00:28:12.55
of the theologians of the
early centuries of the church
00:28:12.59\00:28:15.32
and I would just want to
tell you the title of the book
00:28:15.36\00:28:18.09
that he put out
last year, the title is,
00:28:18.13\00:28:21.76
"How Africa shaped
the Christian Mind:
00:28:21.83\00:28:25.40
Rediscovering the African
Seedbed of Western Christianity"
00:28:25.43\00:28:32.37
pause...
00:28:32.41\00:28:34.74
my own Major professor at
the University of Chicago,
00:28:34.78\00:28:37.78
Martin E.
Marty... about 50 years...
00:28:37.81\00:28:40.38
toward the beginning
of his illustrious career,
00:28:40.42\00:28:42.92
he wrote a book called,
00:28:42.95\00:28:44.29
"A Short
History of Christianity"
00:28:44.32\00:28:45.65
and the purpose of this book
00:28:45.69\00:28:47.02
was to bring
together in one volume
00:28:47.06\00:28:48.89
a nice
overview... overall picture
00:28:48.92\00:28:51.16
of something that
could take many, many volumes
00:28:51.19\00:28:53.19
but he's going to bring
it all together into one
00:28:53.23\00:28:55.20
and it's a wonderful book,
it's a marvelous achievement
00:28:55.23\00:28:58.43
but do you know, it
doesn't even mention Ethiopia
00:28:58.47\00:29:00.84
has hardly anything
to say about Africa,
00:29:00.87\00:29:04.14
but now, we've
come up 50 years later
00:29:04.17\00:29:07.38
just last year, Dr.
Marty puts out another book
00:29:07.41\00:29:11.55
same purpose, that
is, to put into one volume
00:29:11.58\00:29:15.68
the overall
history of Christianity,
00:29:15.72\00:29:17.55
same purpose,
significantly different title,
00:29:17.59\00:29:21.62
"The Christian
World: A Global History"
00:29:21.66\00:29:24.66
and this time he
discusses Ethiopia
00:29:24.69\00:29:27.66
in three different sections,
00:29:27.70\00:29:29.03
and two entire
chapters out of nine
00:29:29.06\00:29:31.63
are devoted to the history
of Christianity in Africa
00:29:31.67\00:29:35.34
so there is a growing
awakening in scholarship
00:29:35.37\00:29:40.88
about the significance but now,
00:29:40.91\00:29:42.58
the thing that makes
the history of Christianity
00:29:42.61\00:29:46.01
in these ancient
African Churches so significant
00:29:46.05\00:29:48.82
from the perspective
of the great controversy
00:29:48.85\00:29:51.59
is, of course, the determination
00:29:51.65\00:29:53.36
that Dr. Tolbert
told us about last evening
00:29:53.39\00:29:57.83
of the Ethiopians to
sustain through the centuries
00:29:57.86\00:30:01.13
this faith that
they drew from the Bible,
00:30:01.16\00:30:05.33
translated into
their own language
00:30:05.37\00:30:07.10
that kept them true to
the Seventh-day Sabbath.
00:30:07.14\00:30:11.87
pause...
00:30:11.91\00:30:16.58
more pause...
00:30:16.61\00:30:18.71
some more pause...
00:30:18.75\00:30:20.48
There is, to my knowledge,
really no better established
00:30:20.52\00:30:26.39
or documented evidence for
sustained Sabbath observance
00:30:26.42\00:30:32.59
through those many centuries
from the time of the apostles
00:30:32.63\00:30:38.77
or even if we want
to take it from the time
00:30:38.80\00:30:40.47
that the Ethiopian Emperor
Ezana accepted Christianity
00:30:40.54\00:30:46.27
in the 4th
century... all the way up...
00:30:46.31\00:30:48.74
1000 years plus where
the seventh-day Sabbath
00:30:48.78\00:30:54.95
and the observance of this great
memorial to the Creator God
00:30:54.98\00:31:01.59
has been preserved.
00:31:01.62\00:31:03.09
There really is no stronger
historical center for that
00:31:03.12\00:31:10.47
for those many centuries
00:31:10.50\00:31:13.37
and that leads us
to the second reason
00:31:13.40\00:31:14.87
why we must teach the church
about African Christianity.
00:31:14.90\00:31:19.17
It is then especially prominent
00:31:19.21\00:31:20.74
both in sustaining
fidelity to the Biblical Sabbath
00:31:20.78\00:31:23.91
through the centuries and
in its modern-day revival...
00:31:23.95\00:31:27.08
its modern-day revival.
00:31:27.12\00:31:28.68
In the early 1900s,
about a hundred years ago,
00:31:28.72\00:31:30.95
independent or African-initiated
Christian movements
00:31:30.99\00:31:34.59
began to catch fire in Africa
00:31:34.62\00:31:36.19
with gifted men and women of
prophetic spirit leading the way
00:31:36.22\00:31:40.00
these movements threw
off the cultural baggage
00:31:40.03\00:31:44.33
that often
burdened and distorted
00:31:44.37\00:31:45.73
the Christianity
that had been presented by
00:31:45.77\00:31:48.40
the missionaries of
the various denominations
00:31:48.44\00:31:50.41
from Europe and the USA
00:31:50.44\00:31:53.64
and they began connecting
00:31:53.68\00:31:56.81
the gospel more directly
with African life and culture.
00:31:56.85\00:32:00.68
The missionaries...
many of them did enormous
00:32:00.72\00:32:03.95
noble, self-sacrificing
work in planning out programs...
00:32:03.99\00:32:07.42
for the gospel in Africa
00:32:07.46\00:32:08.79
but it really wasn't until
these independent movements
00:32:08.82\00:32:11.89
sparked a new effort
to connect the gospel
00:32:11.93\00:32:17.60
with African life and culture
00:32:17.63\00:32:18.97
but Christianity began to
take off and grow dramatically
00:32:19.00\00:32:23.71
from ten
million in the year 1900
00:32:23.74\00:32:26.54
to 360 million Christians
in Africa in the year 2000.
00:32:26.57\00:32:31.01
Now, these independent movements
00:32:31.05\00:32:33.21
are described by
Professor Lawmansani
00:32:33.28\00:32:35.55
as the signature tune
of African Christianity...
00:32:35.58\00:32:39.75
the signature tune
of African Christianity
00:32:39.79\00:32:43.63
and they look
back to Ethiopia...
00:32:43.66\00:32:47.30
Sabbath-keeping Ethiopia
for their inspiration...
00:32:47.33\00:32:51.73
for an example of a Christianity
that's true to the Bible...
00:32:51.77\00:32:59.97
example of freedom and
dignity and genuine Christianity
00:33:00.01\00:33:04.61
and at the same time,
these independent movements
00:33:04.65\00:33:07.12
looked anew to the
Bible, God's Holy Word
00:33:07.15\00:33:10.09
Let's look at what
Professor Andrew F. Walls...
00:33:10.12\00:33:12.65
of the University of
Edinburgh has to say about this,
00:33:12.69\00:33:15.09
this is also on your handout,
00:33:15.12\00:33:17.56
"The Word... "
that is the Bible...
00:33:17.59\00:33:20.00
"has been central to the
African Christian experience,
00:33:20.03\00:33:23.47
the independence... "
00:33:23.50\00:33:25.53
that is... "these
independent movements
00:33:25.57\00:33:27.74
of the 20th Century
have been marked above all
00:33:27.77\00:33:30.77
by a radical Biblicism...
00:33:30.81\00:33:33.04
daring Christians, in effect,
00:33:33.07\00:33:35.84
to live by what the Bible says
00:33:35.88\00:33:38.55
and in this
process, many of them...
00:33:38.61\00:33:42.88
many of these
movements adopted observance
00:33:42.95\00:33:45.69
of the Biblical
seventh-day Sabbath"
00:33:45.75\00:33:48.12
this was part of their
quest for a more Biblical faith
00:33:48.16\00:33:52.63
than that which had
been represented to them
00:33:52.66\00:33:54.90
by the missionaries.
00:33:54.93\00:33:56.30
The largest...
among the largest of these
00:33:56.33\00:33:59.03
was the church of the
Nazarites in South Africa
00:33:59.07\00:34:01.90
led by Isaiah Shembe,
00:34:01.94\00:34:04.11
we might also
mention about the story
00:34:04.14\00:34:06.51
in Central Africa
led by Johan Moroke
00:34:06.54\00:34:08.88
Dr. Francis talked
about William Saunders Crowdy
00:34:08.91\00:34:11.98
in a movement that was based
right here in the United States
00:34:12.01\00:34:15.82
but then became international.
00:34:15.85\00:34:17.89
And along with
uplifting the correct day...
00:34:17.92\00:34:23.46
the day that God
sanctified as the holy Sabbath,
00:34:23.49\00:34:25.99
the seventh day...
00:34:26.03\00:34:27.40
these Biblical...
00:34:27.43\00:34:28.76
sorry, these African
Leaders of the 20th Century
00:34:28.80\00:34:33.40
drawing on the Biblical evidence
00:34:33.44\00:34:37.34
also uplifted a
fuller understanding
00:34:37.37\00:34:41.24
of the meaning of the Sabbath.
00:34:41.28\00:34:43.48
You know, don't you,
00:34:43.51\00:34:46.41
that in addition to honoring God
as the Creator of all humanity,
00:34:46.45\00:34:50.42
the Sabbath is a sign of a God
00:34:50.45\00:34:51.89
who frees enslaved
and oppressed peoples,
00:34:51.92\00:34:54.92
the Bible says in
Deuteronomy 5:15...
00:34:54.99\00:34:57.93
that God's people
are to keep the Sabbath
00:34:57.96\00:35:00.86
in remembrance of the Lord God
00:35:00.90\00:35:02.66
who delivered them from slavery
00:35:02.73\00:35:04.63
by a mighty and outstretched arm
00:35:04.67\00:35:06.50
and so these leaders of the
African independent movements
00:35:06.53\00:35:11.71
faced with a very dark
and difficult problem...
00:35:11.74\00:35:14.11
the powers that be...
suppressing their people...
00:35:14.14\00:35:16.51
treating them
as less than human,
00:35:16.54\00:35:18.25
they claim the Biblical Sabbath
00:35:18.31\00:35:20.08
as a kind of non-violent
00:35:20.12\00:35:21.55
yet forthright
declaration of independence.
00:35:21.58\00:35:24.85
So, we much teach the church
00:35:24.92\00:35:27.86
about 2,000 years of
Christianity in Africa,
00:35:27.92\00:35:30.99
first, summarizing because
00:35:31.03\00:35:32.69
that history is
especially significant
00:35:32.73\00:35:34.70
in the great controversy
00:35:34.73\00:35:36.33
and second, because
that special significance
00:35:36.36\00:35:39.33
lies in the fact
that African Christianity
00:35:39.37\00:35:42.30
has been specially prominent
00:35:42.34\00:35:43.67
in sustaining fidelity
to the Biblical Sabbath
00:35:43.71\00:35:46.14
through these long centuries
and all that it stands for
00:35:46.17\00:35:49.48
and in its modern-day revival
00:35:49.51\00:35:51.61
in these independent movements.
00:35:51.65\00:35:53.75
Now, the third reason is
00:35:53.78\00:35:56.08
that Africa with
Asia and Latin America
00:35:56.12\00:35:58.85
in the global south
00:35:58.89\00:36:00.22
now stands at the
center of world Christianity.
00:36:00.26\00:36:04.26
There's been a great shift in
Christianity's center of gravity
00:36:04.29\00:36:08.96
than building for...
00:36:09.00\00:36:11.23
about a century now... but
only in the past decade or so
00:36:11.30\00:36:14.54
have scholars and commentators
00:36:14.57\00:36:16.74
really begun to notice
this and bring it out...
00:36:16.81\00:36:21.54
perhaps the
best-known book on this is:
00:36:21.58\00:36:24.61
"The Next Christendom" by
a man named Philip Jenkins
00:36:24.65\00:36:27.68
and he brings
out the decrease...
00:36:27.75\00:36:32.95
this is also in your handout,
I'll just mentioned it briefly,
00:36:32.99\00:36:38.36
the proportion of Christians
from Europe and North America
00:36:38.39\00:36:43.73
in the year 1800...
00:36:43.77\00:36:45.63
87 percent of
Christians in the world
00:36:45.70\00:36:47.40
were from Europe
and North America
00:36:47.44\00:36:48.77
but by 1900...
that's down to 76 percent
00:36:48.80\00:36:52.41
and by the year 2000...
it's down to 40 percent.
00:36:52.44\00:36:55.54
At the same
time, in the year 2000,
00:36:55.58\00:36:58.68
we have nearly one
in five... 18 percent...
00:36:58.71\00:37:01.28
nearly one in five Christians
in the world are in Africa
00:37:01.32\00:37:04.35
and that's not counting
those of African descent
00:37:04.39\00:37:07.52
who are scattered in the
diaspora throughout the world
00:37:07.56\00:37:11.76
and it's projected
that by the year 2025
00:37:11.79\00:37:15.93
one in four or 25
percent of Christians
00:37:15.96\00:37:19.37
throughout the
world will be African.
00:37:19.40\00:37:22.60
So, Andrew F. Walls...
also on your handout there
00:37:22.64\00:37:27.21
this means that we have to
regard African Christianity
00:37:27.24\00:37:31.31
as potentially the
representative Christianity
00:37:31.35\00:37:35.85
of the 21st Century,
00:37:35.88\00:37:37.22
the things by
which people recognize
00:37:37.25\00:37:39.79
what Christianity is...
will... for good or ill...
00:37:39.82\00:37:43.09
increasingly be
determined in Africa.
00:37:43.12\00:37:45.76
The characteristic doctrines,
the liturgy, the ethical codes,
00:37:45.79\00:37:50.33
the social
applications of the faith,
00:37:50.37\00:37:52.20
will increasingly be
those prominent in Africa.
00:37:52.23\00:37:56.57
Now, let's put this
together with the fact that
00:37:56.60\00:38:00.48
these vital African
movements are looking...
00:38:00.51\00:38:03.68
many of them to
Sabbath-keeping Ethiopia
00:38:03.71\00:38:06.82
as they set forth a
vital Christianity for today
00:38:06.85\00:38:12.99
so, if we take the
importance of Africa,
00:38:13.02\00:38:16.19
both historically
and in more recent times,
00:38:16.22\00:38:19.36
restoring the Sabbath...
historically preserving...
00:38:19.39\00:38:22.46
more recent times...
restoring the Sabbath truth
00:38:22.53\00:38:25.30
that western Christendom
had done so much to deny
00:38:25.33\00:38:28.50
and we put that
together with the great shift
00:38:28.54\00:38:31.57
in world Christianity
00:38:31.61\00:38:33.71
to Africa and the global
south that is taking place today
00:38:33.74\00:38:38.71
we see momentous conversions.
00:38:38.75\00:38:41.78
African Christianity with
its remarkably rich heritage
00:38:41.82\00:38:44.89
in observing God's Law
00:38:44.92\00:38:46.25
is now on center
stage of the world.
00:38:46.29\00:38:48.99
Oh, what an
opportunity this is for us
00:38:49.02\00:38:51.76
as we are called to
our roles in the conclusion
00:38:51.79\00:38:55.26
of the great controversy
00:38:55.30\00:38:56.77
to teach the church so
that we can tell the world
00:38:56.80\00:39:00.40
about this great good
news... the gospel message
00:39:00.44\00:39:03.97
of an everlasting gospel
that is going to every nation,
00:39:04.01\00:39:12.48
kindred, tongue and people
00:39:12.51\00:39:14.22
bringing together a
world-wide fellowship.
00:39:14.28\00:39:16.52