As you're well aware,
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we're living in
unprecedented times.
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Join us now for
Today special program.
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, and welcome to 3ABN Live.
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Amen.
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I'm Shelley Quinn. I'm JD Quinn.
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I know you are
and I love you, honey.
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And I love you too, girl.
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And let me just,
without just even blinking,
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I want to introduce our
guest because I love him.
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He's a brother in Christ,
but he is an exciting person.
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He knows the Word.
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He knows the Spirit of Prophecy.
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And tonight he is
here to talk to us
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about Sabbath School ALIVE!
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And that's
capital A capital L-I-V-E
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with an exclamation point.
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We're going to talk tonight
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about how to revive
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this unique ministry
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and it is a special ministry.
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So without further ado,
Pastor Kameron DeVasher.
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We're so glad you're here.
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Thank you so much.
I'm so happy to be here.
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That was the best introduction
I've seen in a long time.
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Capital A, capital L,
and you spelled it out.
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And that's exactly
we want to talk about
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because Sabbath School
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is one of those
as you mentioned,
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unique, powerful ministries
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that in so many cases right now
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is kinda sitting dormant
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or just kind of
dusty on a shelf.
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And I believe the
Lord has a burden,
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at least he's put
a burden on my heart,
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and I think it's a growing
one in our world today that
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we need the dynamic
small group fellowship
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and study of God's Word
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that's gonna breathe
life into our churches.
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So I'm excited to be here.
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You know, I have a
friend from a Latino country
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and she says that
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Sabbath School
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is the main event at our church.
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And they invite
all of their friends
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to Sabbath school.
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Then say, "Hey,
wanna stay for worship?"
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But it is unique.
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And we'll be talking about that,
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but Kameron, let me go ahead
and finish your introduction.
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Please, go ahead.
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You are now the director
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of the Mission
Conference Sabbath School
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and Personal Ministries?
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Yes.
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Let me clear that,
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the Michigan Conference
of Seven-day Adventist,
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I'm the director
of the Sabbath School
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and Personal
Ministries department.
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The Sabbath School
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and Personal
Ministries department
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sounds like it's two different
departments put together,
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but it is a single department,
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Sabbath School and
Personal Ministries.
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And if I can
anticipate your next question,
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why in the world are
those shoved together?
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Well, the reality is that
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both Sabbath School
and Personal Ministries
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have counterparts
in the local church.
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So there should
be a Sabbath School
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in the local church
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and there's be personal
ministries in the local church.
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And both of those are,
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they are sourced.
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They are, you know,
staffed by lay people.
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Like so there's oftentimes
pastors will encourage people
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involve with
personal ministries,
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but personal ministries
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are supposed to be by
the laypeople themselves
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and Sabbath school,
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nine times out of ten is run
by the laypeople of the church.
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And so these are lay
driven, volunteer organizations
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that have a massive
influence in the local church.
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So I like to talk about
how the ministerial department
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and they worked
right down the hall
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and I loved those brothers.
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Okay.
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They work with the
ministers primarily,
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and we work with
the ministries, right?
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And the laypeople.
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So there's going to be
in our Michigan Conference
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there's 184 or so
churches and companies.
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And every one of those
has a Sabbath School program,
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has laypeople,
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has a personal
ministry outreach.
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And our job in that department
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is to encourage,
to train, to equip,
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to give the resources
and inspiration necessary
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so that every member,
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you know what I'm talking?
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I'm on a roll here, but
I tell you what I think,
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I think the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
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has too many members
and not enough missionaries.
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There you go. You
know what I'm saying?
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So I think we
got a lot of watchers
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when the Lord is
looking for workers
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and our job is to
help every one of those
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be engaged as a
soul winner for Jesus.
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Amen.
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And you can tell
this is going to be
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a lively conversation tonight.
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And Pastor
Kameron is bringing to us
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some wonderful information
that you don't want to miss.
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Perhaps you used to be
active in Sabbath school,
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and COVID kind of dissolve
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is what I wanna say.
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It just kind of
slowly dissolved.
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If your church is
really getting going again,
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will you want to listen
to the ideas, the concepts,
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the methodologies
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that can bring it back alive
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through the small
group Sabbath schools
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that meet every Sabbath.
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And the thing about it is,
is that most of them are old.
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They've just kind
of lost their way,
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some place along the way.
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And so we're looking
for that to be energized
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so that we can get back
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and have the
favorite time again.
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Amen.
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A time of togetherness,
a time of fellowship,
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a time to be in the Word.
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Yes, sir.
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Yes. Amen.
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That's what makes it precious.
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So we're gonna have
a good time tonight.
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Yeah. All right.
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So before we begin, we
know how you love music.
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We love music.
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Honey, you want to tell us
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who is playing the
piano for us tonight.
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Yes, Kendol Bacchus,
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and we're gonna be
listening to "Divine Redeemer."
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Amen.
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Wow. Thank you very much.
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One of these days,
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when I'm in heaven,
I'm gonna play like that.
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Amen.
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This is a live program.
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And if you have questions
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and I think you
will, as we go along,
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because this is something that,
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like I said, we're
trying to revive, rejuvenate,
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reenergize church members.
00:11:15.64\00:11:18.57
You even may be a
pastor who's saying help,
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but you can either
email those questions
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to live@3abn.tv
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or you can text
us your questions
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at (618) 228-3975.
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Right? Perfect.
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Good. I'm glad
I remembered that.
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And it is on the screen,
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but we will be
taking your questions
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in the second hour.
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And we hope to,
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we wanna make this
interactive with you.
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So please text the questions,
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we'll put
Kameron on the hot seat.
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Do it and in this format,
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kinda like it
feels almost adversarial.
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Like I'm sitting at the
desk of the inquisition here
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and you're gonna
try, but this is fun.
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I know we're being
safe and everything,
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but I like the
interpersonal dynamics.
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Amen. This is fun.
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So first of all, let's
talk about your family.
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So Emily, Henry
and Edward and Molly
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are all here with you?
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Yes, they are all here together.
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Whenever possible,
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we like to mix
business with pleasure.
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And I like to take
the family with me.
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So even though it
takes, you know...
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I saw your tank
out parked in front.
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Yes, It's not a tank,
but it's a sprinter van
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and I'm proud of that thing.
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I'll tell you, we
took that cargo van
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and we kinda gutted it
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and turned it into a
little family adventure wagon,
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you know, and we
take it everywhere with us
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when we have an opportunity
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to go either for
family vacation things,
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or even for work
things like this,
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we get to be down here.
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It's a blessing to be here.
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So let's take the family along.
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And so, it's a joy
to be able to do that.
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And our kids are of the age
that it's just fits with us.
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And Emily doesn't
have a full-time job
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outside the home.
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So we've kind of built
our life around the idea
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that we're going to
do ministry for the Lord.
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And when we can, we
go on the road together.
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Our little Instagram
handles, we van when we can.
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So that's what we do.
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We have a good time with that.
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And so we're down here
at 3ABN right now. Yeah.
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I'm glad you added that
qualifier outside the home.
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Emily doesn't
have a full-time job
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outside the home,
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but she's got a
full-time job in.
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We just have to
ask about Edward.
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We know your son.
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We had people around the
world praying for Edward,
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he had cancer.
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Tell us how is Edward?
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Yes, Edward.
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Well, let me
just cut to the end.
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Edward is just fine now.
00:13:26.33\00:13:27.67
So praise the Lord for that.
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For those of you
don't remember exactly
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what was going on, Edward,
when he was 16 months old,
00:13:30.44\00:13:33.17
had a neuroblastoma, a
cancer cell, a cancer nodule,
00:13:33.21\00:13:37.31
or whatever growth in him,
00:13:37.35\00:13:39.61
but it was up on
his brachial plexus.
00:13:39.65\00:13:41.18
And that's the nerve
bundle up in the shoulders area.
00:13:41.22\00:13:43.99
And with this type of cancer,
00:13:44.05\00:13:45.39
if they catch it and
they're able to operate on it,
00:13:45.42\00:13:47.46
it's very good outcomes.
00:13:47.52\00:13:48.86
Okay.
00:13:48.89\00:13:50.23
And so they were able to do
00:13:50.26\00:13:51.59
the cancer treatment surgically,
00:13:51.63\00:13:53.50
but the problem was that
his body's autoimmune response
00:13:53.56\00:13:57.20
started attacking, even the way,
00:13:57.23\00:13:59.70
the only way we
even knew he had cancer
00:13:59.73\00:14:01.40
is because his autoimmune system
00:14:01.44\00:14:02.94
was starting to
affect the system
00:14:02.97\00:14:04.54
that cancer was attached
to, which is his nervous system.
00:14:04.57\00:14:07.31
And so it was making
his muscles and his eyes
00:14:07.38\00:14:09.04
do some very strange things.
00:14:09.08\00:14:11.15
And so that's what tipped us off
00:14:11.18\00:14:12.78
that he had a problem.
00:14:12.81\00:14:14.15
They diagnosed it,
00:14:14.22\00:14:15.55
they surgically
removed it, praise the Lord.
00:14:15.58\00:14:16.99
So he's cancer-free
and he has been for years,
00:14:17.02\00:14:19.02
but the course is
00:14:19.05\00:14:20.56
how do you get
the autoimmune system
00:14:20.59\00:14:22.02
to stop attacking
the nervous system
00:14:22.06\00:14:23.73
thinking
there's a problem there.
00:14:23.76\00:14:25.13
So we had treated
through the oncology department
00:14:25.16\00:14:27.30
and a lot of just
great course of treatment.
00:14:27.30\00:14:29.76
And we're just praising the Lord
00:14:29.80\00:14:31.13
and the prayers that people gave
00:14:31.17\00:14:33.20
and perhaps are
even still giving.
00:14:33.23\00:14:34.57
I know we get
updates every now and then,
00:14:34.60\00:14:35.94
and we've been
terribly neglectful
00:14:35.97\00:14:39.24
of being
appropriately appreciative
00:14:39.27\00:14:41.41
and sharing updates and reports.
00:14:41.44\00:14:42.78
But I want to let the world know
00:14:42.81\00:14:44.15
he is doing
great by God's grace.
00:14:44.21\00:14:46.35
And we're so thankful.
00:14:46.38\00:14:48.08
We're so blessed to
have a praying church family.
00:14:48.12\00:14:52.69
And it's just, it's
been a godsend truly.
00:14:52.72\00:14:54.96
Well, I know grandma
Nancy, what do they call Nancy?
00:14:54.99\00:14:57.76
Okay.
00:14:57.79\00:14:59.13
On my wife's family
side, it's poppy and nanny.
00:14:59.16\00:15:02.46
Poppy and nanny.
00:15:02.50\00:15:03.87
And on my parents' side,
it's granny and granddaddy.
00:15:03.90\00:15:06.63
Yes.
00:15:06.67\00:15:08.00
They're all very, very relieved
and praising the Lord as well.
00:15:08.04\00:15:11.27
Amen and amen.
00:15:11.31\00:15:12.64
And I just want to
tell you, you know, Kameron,
00:15:12.67\00:15:16.68
I've heard from people
who you used to pastor...
00:15:16.75\00:15:19.28
How long did you pastor?
00:15:19.31\00:15:21.05
Well, I guess I was
in local church ministry
00:15:21.08\00:15:24.22
for about 18, 19 years.
00:15:24.29\00:15:26.25
You know, I've heard from people
00:15:26.29\00:15:27.99
what a fabulous
preacher pastor you were.
00:15:28.02\00:15:31.89
And you've probably seen Kameron
00:15:31.93\00:15:33.90
at past camp meetings
00:15:33.93\00:15:35.76
and he is going to be
here for our camp meeting
00:15:35.80\00:15:40.60
this June 8th through the 12th,
00:15:40.64\00:15:45.67
mark your calendars,
00:15:45.71\00:15:47.08
June 8th through 12,
00:15:47.14\00:15:48.68
the overarching
theme is who is Jesus
00:15:48.71\00:15:53.38
and we're doing
12 specific topics.
00:15:53.42\00:15:57.05
And then Danny has a
sermon, wonderful music,
00:15:57.09\00:16:00.09
but Kameron is
preaching on Sabbath
00:16:00.12\00:16:03.79
and yours will be
airing at 2 o'clock,
00:16:03.86\00:16:07.96
no 3 o'clock on our High Priest.
00:16:08.00\00:16:10.90
I can't wait to hear that.
00:16:10.97\00:16:12.73
Well, I know
this isn't about this,
00:16:12.77\00:16:14.14
but I'm going to tell you that
00:16:14.17\00:16:15.50
the high priestly
ministry of Jesus is crucial
00:16:15.54\00:16:17.11
and it's this
distinctive message of Christ
00:16:17.14\00:16:19.51
in the most holy place
of the heavenly sanctuary
00:16:19.54\00:16:21.54
doing that judgment
work before He returns.
00:16:21.58\00:16:23.88
And oftentimes we don't
want to talk about judgment
00:16:23.95\00:16:25.88
and says, ugh,
but let me tell you
00:16:25.91\00:16:28.88
if there's one place in
the world, I want to be,
00:16:28.92\00:16:30.89
it's where Jesus is
at the present moment.
00:16:30.92\00:16:33.56
So Jesus is alive
00:16:33.59\00:16:34.92
and He's working
on our behalf today
00:16:34.96\00:16:36.29
and soon we're
going to see Him again.
00:16:36.32\00:16:37.66
So that's
exciting. Amen and amen.
00:16:37.69\00:16:39.03
We're just so glad
that you're joining us.
00:16:39.06\00:16:40.96
I look forward to that. Okay.
00:16:41.00\00:16:42.70
So tell us, how did
you make the transition
00:16:42.73\00:16:45.53
from pastor to
being the Sabbath school,
00:16:45.57\00:16:49.37
or director of Sabbath
School and Personal Ministries?
00:16:49.40\00:16:51.61
Well, let me give you a
brief background here. Okay.
00:16:51.64\00:16:53.74
This department
00:16:53.78\00:16:55.31
of Sabbath School
and Personal Ministries
00:16:55.34\00:16:56.71
is a single department
00:16:56.75\00:16:58.08
is a relatively new iteration
00:16:58.11\00:17:01.32
or new concept here
00:17:01.35\00:17:02.75
at least in the
Michigan Conference.
00:17:02.78\00:17:04.12
We had Sabbath School
00:17:04.15\00:17:05.72
as an element of
someone's departmental work,
00:17:05.75\00:17:09.12
but it was typically someone's
00:17:09.16\00:17:11.49
like fourth responsibility
under other things, right?
00:17:11.53\00:17:14.73
But they, there was alignment.
00:17:14.73\00:17:16.46
The General Conference has
00:17:16.50\00:17:17.83
the General
Conference Sabbath School
00:17:17.87\00:17:19.20
and Personal
Ministries department.
00:17:19.23\00:17:20.57
And so we decided to
come in harmony with that.
00:17:20.64\00:17:23.71
And so instead of having
what used to be the Evangelism
00:17:23.74\00:17:26.24
and Personal
Ministries department,
00:17:26.27\00:17:27.81
public evangelism was shifted
00:17:27.84\00:17:29.18
over to the
ministerial department
00:17:29.21\00:17:30.95
and Sabbath School was rescued
00:17:30.98\00:17:33.05
kind of from the
lower on the burner,
00:17:33.08\00:17:34.45
up to a side-by-side
00:17:34.48\00:17:36.22
with a Personal
Ministries department.
00:17:36.25\00:17:37.72
For the reason I
articulated earlier
00:17:37.75\00:17:39.62
in the Sabbath School
and Personal Ministries
00:17:39.65\00:17:41.79
are two elements
of the local church
00:17:41.82\00:17:43.56
that are exclusively
00:17:43.63\00:17:44.96
at least almost
exclusively lay run.
00:17:44.99\00:17:47.93
So we wanna engage
lay members of the church
00:17:47.96\00:17:51.17
who are otherwise employed
00:17:51.20\00:17:53.07
in full-time
other activities, right?
00:17:53.10\00:17:55.37
But they have a
passion for the Lord
00:17:55.40\00:17:56.97
and they wanna see the Lord come
00:17:57.01\00:17:58.47
and they want to
do soul winning work
00:17:58.51\00:18:00.24
to be engaged
00:18:00.31\00:18:01.64
and the Sabbath
School is uniquely suited
00:18:01.68\00:18:04.08
to be an engine
for lay ministry.
00:18:04.11\00:18:07.45
I'm so excited about that.
00:18:07.48\00:18:08.82
So how I came to be, for
me to be in that position,
00:18:08.85\00:18:12.72
I don't know.
00:18:12.75\00:18:14.09
But brethren,
00:18:14.12\00:18:15.46
one day I was in a
meeting in the conference office
00:18:15.49\00:18:16.99
and during lunch, they
tapped me on the shoulder
00:18:17.06\00:18:18.56
and they said,
come on down this way.
00:18:18.59\00:18:20.43
So either it was
something really good
00:18:20.46\00:18:22.16
or something really
bad is about to happen
00:18:22.20\00:18:23.57
and Lord blessed
00:18:23.60\00:18:25.33
and honestly with my interests
00:18:25.37\00:18:29.07
and the direction
00:18:29.10\00:18:31.47
I enjoy going in ministry,
00:18:31.51\00:18:32.84
this lines up very nicely
00:18:32.87\00:18:34.21
with the things I
clearly get excited about.
00:18:34.28\00:18:37.28
That's wonderful.
00:18:37.35\00:18:38.68
So how does that work?
00:18:38.71\00:18:40.05
I mean, do they
contact the conference
00:18:40.08\00:18:41.45
or do you contact them?
00:18:41.48\00:18:44.89
The personal ministries
director of the church and...
00:18:44.92\00:18:47.56
That's a great question,
00:18:47.59\00:18:48.92
there is ideally
00:18:48.96\00:18:50.33
there'd be an
on the spot network
00:18:50.36\00:18:51.83
of personal ministries
leaders in every church,
00:18:51.86\00:18:53.90
and we can send an
email blast to them,
00:18:53.93\00:18:55.40
or they can come to
personal ministries retreat,
00:18:55.43\00:18:57.33
so they can look at
our resources online
00:18:57.37\00:18:58.93
and that, so we have
that, ideally we'd have a good,
00:18:58.97\00:19:01.60
and we're building it up
00:19:01.64\00:19:02.97
to be better than
what it is currently is,
00:19:03.00\00:19:04.41
but a good communication
network back and forth
00:19:04.44\00:19:07.31
between the Sabbath School
00:19:07.34\00:19:08.68
and Personal
Ministries department
00:19:08.71\00:19:10.08
and the local counterparts
00:19:10.11\00:19:11.45
of the Sabbath School group.
00:19:11.48\00:19:12.81
Sabbath School superintendents,
00:19:12.85\00:19:14.18
Sabbath School
teachers and leaders
00:19:14.22\00:19:15.55
and the Personal
Ministries leaders.
00:19:15.58\00:19:17.02
Those who are out
there trying to recruit
00:19:17.05\00:19:18.55
and train their local members
00:19:18.59\00:19:19.92
and give Bible studies
and those kinds of things.
00:19:19.95\00:19:21.69
So the conference office
00:19:21.72\00:19:24.36
doesn't exist
to do the ministry.
00:19:24.39\00:19:26.39
It exists to support
00:19:26.43\00:19:28.03
the ministry of
the local church.
00:19:28.06\00:19:29.63
So our job is to give
help provide resources
00:19:29.66\00:19:33.23
and training opportunities
and creative insights
00:19:33.27\00:19:35.97
so that like, they don't
just bypass the local church
00:19:36.00\00:19:39.07
and say, oh, just
go to the conference.
00:19:39.11\00:19:40.48
No, no, no.
00:19:40.51\00:19:41.84
The goal of the conference
00:19:41.88\00:19:43.21
is to help the local
churches do their work well.
00:19:43.24\00:19:45.48
So we are a support
structure to the local churches
00:19:45.51\00:19:47.92
where the real
rubber meets the road
00:19:47.95\00:19:49.28
of church growth and evangelism.
00:19:49.32\00:19:50.69
Okay.
00:19:50.72\00:19:52.05
So we have a lot of
people who are watching,
00:19:52.09\00:19:56.83
who are not
Seventh-day Adventists,
00:19:56.86\00:19:59.36
and they're probably
saying, what is Sabbath School?
00:19:59.39\00:20:03.13
Can you kind of just encapsulate
00:20:03.16\00:20:07.04
why Sabbath School is important?
00:20:07.10\00:20:09.54
What are the personal mean?
00:20:09.57\00:20:11.97
I mean, and it is Sabbath School
00:20:12.01\00:20:13.84
is a personal ministry
00:20:13.88\00:20:15.21
to me that really
goes well together,
00:20:15.24\00:20:17.95
but can you explain
what Sabbath School is?
00:20:17.98\00:20:22.08
Thank you.
00:20:22.12\00:20:23.45
Well, if they're
coming from a non-Adventist,
00:20:23.49\00:20:25.99
but otherwise
Christian perspective,
00:20:26.02\00:20:28.46
you'd probably
think of Sunday school.
00:20:28.49\00:20:30.23
Okay.
00:20:30.29\00:20:31.63
And a lot of people think
00:20:31.66\00:20:32.99
maybe Sunday school
is like a kid thing,
00:20:33.03\00:20:34.36
but there, this is
for all ages, right?
00:20:34.36\00:20:36.23
And the distinctive,
00:20:36.26\00:20:37.60
at least in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:20:37.63\00:20:38.97
what I'm aware of,
00:20:39.00\00:20:40.47
there are unique
features to the Sabbath School
00:20:40.50\00:20:42.57
that are not found
in the worship service.
00:20:42.60\00:20:44.04
Okay.
00:20:44.07\00:20:45.41
So the worship service typically
00:20:45.44\00:20:46.81
has a
presentation of the gospel,
00:20:46.84\00:20:48.18
a sermon of some sort
00:20:48.21\00:20:49.54
or a testimony sharing time,
00:20:49.58\00:20:50.91
or some sort of
central feature like that.
00:20:50.95\00:20:53.08
And they'll have
more special musics
00:20:53.11\00:20:54.52
and they'll have
more special features
00:20:54.55\00:20:55.88
and they'll have
more offerings taken,
00:20:55.92\00:20:57.52
where in the Sabbath School
00:20:57.55\00:20:58.89
there are essentially
only three components
00:20:58.92\00:21:01.09
to the Sabbath School.
00:21:01.12\00:21:02.46
There is the...
00:21:02.49\00:21:03.83
Well, honestly, there's
to the programming part,
00:21:03.86\00:21:05.99
there's really only about two,
00:21:06.03\00:21:07.40
there's the mission program
00:21:07.40\00:21:09.00
and there's the
Bible study component.
00:21:09.03\00:21:10.83
Okay.
00:21:10.87\00:21:12.20
And so the goal
of Sabbath School
00:21:12.23\00:21:13.60
is to be that
uniquely powerful opportunity
00:21:13.64\00:21:18.87
for members of the church
and non-members the church
00:21:18.91\00:21:22.01
to come into the house of God
00:21:22.04\00:21:23.81
and have a small
group fellowship dynamic
00:21:23.85\00:21:26.55
to have a mission focus
00:21:26.58\00:21:28.45
and have a foundation
of Bible study and prayer.
00:21:28.48\00:21:31.25
That through that,
00:21:31.29\00:21:33.82
you know, again, three things,
00:21:33.86\00:21:35.56
you know, for instance,
00:21:35.59\00:21:36.93
studying your
Sabbath School lesson
00:21:36.99\00:21:38.33
ahead of time
00:21:38.36\00:21:39.69
and contributing to a
lively dynamic conversation
00:21:39.73\00:21:42.30
and study of it in
the Sabbath School program
00:21:42.33\00:21:45.00
is very different
than listening to a sermon.
00:21:45.03\00:21:47.20
People might say, you know,
00:21:47.27\00:21:48.60
I don't need the
Sabbath School study.
00:21:48.64\00:21:49.97
I'm gonna listen to a sermon.
00:21:50.01\00:21:51.34
Let me tell you something,
00:21:51.37\00:21:52.71
hearing a message
that you didn't prepare,
00:21:52.74\00:21:54.08
that you didn't
study a head for.
00:21:54.11\00:21:55.44
Only that person is delivering
and you're not feeding back.
00:21:55.48\00:21:57.68
And there's
nothing wrong with it.
00:21:57.71\00:21:59.51
I preach a lot of sermon.
00:21:59.55\00:22:00.95
You just mentioned
I'm preaching a sermon,
00:22:00.98\00:22:02.32
but there is
something particularly special
00:22:02.35\00:22:04.45
about being in the room
00:22:04.49\00:22:06.42
with fellow
seekers, fellow believers,
00:22:06.45\00:22:08.86
fellow students
of the Word of God.
00:22:08.89\00:22:10.63
And as iron sharpens iron,
00:22:10.66\00:22:12.19
you're digging
deep into the Word
00:22:12.23\00:22:13.73
and you're getting insights
00:22:13.80\00:22:15.10
and you're being
guided by this common program,
00:22:15.13\00:22:17.17
common curriculum of
the Sabbath School guide,
00:22:17.23\00:22:19.57
but the true study,
00:22:19.60\00:22:21.74
the study lesson itself
is the scripture, right?
00:22:21.77\00:22:24.44
And as we dig into that deeper,
00:22:24.47\00:22:26.64
the truth of God's
Word become clearer.
00:22:26.68\00:22:29.84
And not just
theoretically clear,
00:22:29.88\00:22:31.61
not just academically clear,
00:22:31.65\00:22:33.68
but practically closer,
00:22:33.72\00:22:36.15
you know, it starts
to cut into the life.
00:22:36.18\00:22:38.32
And so this oftentimes
local Sabbath School teachers
00:22:38.35\00:22:43.89
many times have more
direct Bible instruction time,
00:22:43.93\00:22:48.66
in a more
intimate, personal setting
00:22:48.70\00:22:51.33
than even the pastor
does from the pulpit.
00:22:51.37\00:22:53.57
Now there's an
importance to the pulpit.
00:22:53.60\00:22:55.64
I'm not
denigrating preaching at all,
00:22:55.67\00:22:57.77
but I'm saying there's a
counterbalance of teaching
00:22:57.81\00:23:00.98
in the Sabbath School
00:23:01.01\00:23:02.34
that would be a benefit
and a blessing to everyone
00:23:02.38\00:23:05.98
if they could have both.
00:23:06.01\00:23:07.35
Amen. In 25 words or less...
00:23:07.42\00:23:09.62
Good luck.
00:23:09.65\00:23:11.52
Where does this
lesson come from?
00:23:11.55\00:23:13.29
Yeah, I was just getting
ready to ask this question.
00:23:13.36\00:23:15.12
Where does this
lesson... The quarterly.
00:23:15.16\00:23:16.73
Okay, let's start
with the quarterly.
00:23:16.76\00:23:18.96
I might have lost your 25 words.
00:23:18.99\00:23:20.33
But the quarterly actually
technically is not called
00:23:20.40\00:23:25.70
the quarterly anymore.
00:23:25.73\00:23:27.10
It hasn't been for a
couple of decades now,
00:23:27.14\00:23:28.94
but we keep referring to it
00:23:28.97\00:23:30.31
as the quarterly
colloquially or pedestrially,
00:23:30.37\00:23:33.07
because that's just
what we always call it
00:23:33.11\00:23:34.81
'cause it's
published once a quarter.
00:23:34.84\00:23:37.01
So there's a 13 week study guide
00:23:37.05\00:23:40.68
and it's called the
Adult Bible Study Guide.
00:23:40.72\00:23:43.12
That's the technical
name of that resource
00:23:43.15\00:23:45.22
that we refer to
as the quarterly,
00:23:45.25\00:23:46.86
it's the Adult Bible Study Guide
00:23:46.92\00:23:48.96
and right there in the name,
00:23:48.99\00:23:50.33
it tells you
what its purpose is.
00:23:50.39\00:23:52.33
It's not to be studying it.
00:23:52.36\00:23:54.10
It's to be a guide
to studying the Bible.
00:23:54.13\00:23:56.70
Okay.
00:23:56.73\00:23:58.07
And so the purpose of
that quarterly as we call it,
00:23:58.10\00:24:00.54
that Bible study
guide is to give a,
00:24:00.57\00:24:04.54
basically an
outline of a study process
00:24:04.57\00:24:07.08
that every local
church can share in common
00:24:07.11\00:24:10.05
around the world.
00:24:10.08\00:24:11.61
By the way, you know,
00:24:11.65\00:24:12.98
you think about
all the different,
00:24:13.01\00:24:14.35
we talk about
cultures and this and that.
00:24:14.38\00:24:15.75
You know, I don't know
exactly what I am culturally,
00:24:15.78\00:24:18.55
but I tell you what,
I'm a Seventh-day Adventist.
00:24:18.59\00:24:19.92
Amen.
00:24:19.95\00:24:21.29
And when I go to
anywhere in the world...
00:24:21.32\00:24:22.66
And I always add
another word to that,
00:24:22.69\00:24:24.03
I am a Seventh-day
Adventist Christian.
00:24:24.06\00:24:26.26
Amen. Absolutely.
00:24:26.29\00:24:27.60
Let me say, of course,
that should be a given,
00:24:27.66\00:24:29.90
that's what you mean,
and we have to say it,
00:24:29.93\00:24:32.23
but my point is that there is a,
00:24:32.27\00:24:35.00
there is a common
bond of belief in Christ
00:24:35.04\00:24:39.17
and the distinctive
messages of His Word
00:24:39.21\00:24:42.08
as are taught by
00:24:42.11\00:24:43.45
the Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:24:43.51\00:24:44.85
that is developed
00:24:44.88\00:24:48.35
and deepened
00:24:48.38\00:24:51.29
through steady study
00:24:51.32\00:24:54.26
that is found in
the Sabbath School.
00:24:54.29\00:24:55.62
Okay.
00:24:55.66\00:24:56.99
So the Sabbath School lessons
will go over certain topics
00:24:57.03\00:25:00.23
like Daniel, or
like books of the Bible,
00:25:00.26\00:25:01.80
like Daniel or
Revelation or Isaiah, Hosea
00:25:01.83\00:25:04.20
or something like
that, or the Gospels.
00:25:04.27\00:25:05.60
Okay.
00:25:05.63\00:25:06.97
But sometimes they'll go
over a topic like education
00:25:07.00\00:25:08.97
or witnessing.
00:25:09.00\00:25:10.34
Everlasting gospel. Exactly.
00:25:10.41\00:25:12.44
Right now we're
talking about the covenant.
00:25:12.47\00:25:13.88
Yeah. That's my favorite.
00:25:13.91\00:25:15.34
Oh, and we're going
through the Old Testament,
00:25:15.38\00:25:16.75
starting in
Genesis with creation,
00:25:16.78\00:25:18.21
we're going
through Abraham and Moses.
00:25:18.25\00:25:19.91
And we, you know, we'd make
a Sabbath School preparation
00:25:19.95\00:25:21.98
and we can talk
about that later,
00:25:22.02\00:25:23.39
but a little resource,
00:25:23.42\00:25:24.75
and it's fun to study
ahead and look and say,
00:25:24.79\00:25:26.86
oh, this is where
we're going to go.
00:25:26.89\00:25:28.39
And to know that you can
walk into any church anywhere
00:25:28.42\00:25:31.83
and pick up that Bible,
00:25:31.86\00:25:33.19
and you're going to
be literally singing
00:25:33.23\00:25:34.83
from the same
page to the hymnal.
00:25:34.86\00:25:36.20
You know what I'm
saying? Literally studying it.
00:25:36.23\00:25:38.37
There's such a,
00:25:38.40\00:25:40.10
when you look at
the early church.
00:25:40.14\00:25:41.90
What was the bonding
agent of the early church?
00:25:41.94\00:25:44.17
It wasn't just the
dynamic preaching of Peter
00:25:44.21\00:25:46.47
and yes, the moving of
the Holy Spirit, for sure.
00:25:46.51\00:25:48.71
But it was that
study of the Word of God
00:25:48.74\00:25:51.65
that continued steadfastly
in the apostle's doctrine,
00:25:51.68\00:25:55.05
you know, and that is
for all the wonderful things
00:25:55.08\00:25:59.79
about the
Seventh-day Adventist movement.
00:25:59.82\00:26:01.22
And I like to call it a movement
00:26:01.26\00:26:02.59
because it's not just a
static, another concrete.
00:26:02.62\00:26:04.59
The Lord has raised up
this prophetic movement
00:26:04.63\00:26:06.66
for such a time as this,
00:26:06.73\00:26:09.00
and as much as we
often teach against
00:26:09.03\00:26:11.97
and rightly so against
once saved, always saved,
00:26:12.00\00:26:15.50
'cause we have to have a
daily experience with Christ.
00:26:15.54\00:26:17.34
We gotta renew
that relation, right?
00:26:17.41\00:26:19.81
But we sometimes fall into
00:26:19.84\00:26:22.81
once learned, always learned.
00:26:22.84\00:26:26.41
You know, so the idea is
like, oh, I heard that in '86.
00:26:26.45\00:26:28.95
I got it. I'm good.
00:26:28.98\00:26:30.62
And anytime someone would say,
00:26:30.69\00:26:32.29
why do I have to come to
an evangelistic meetings?
00:26:32.32\00:26:33.96
I've already
heard it all before.
00:26:33.99\00:26:35.32
It's like, oh, praise the Lord,
00:26:35.36\00:26:36.73
so you can cover Daniel 9
tonight for our presentation.
00:26:36.76\00:26:38.79
They're like, ah, okay.
00:26:38.83\00:26:41.03
So we all
comfortably know it enough,
00:26:41.06\00:26:43.16
to say we agree,
00:26:43.20\00:26:44.53
but we couldn't study
our way out of a paper bag
00:26:44.57\00:26:46.50
if our life
depended on it, right?
00:26:46.53\00:26:48.14
You know, to me and
JD will attest to this.
00:26:48.17\00:26:52.77
I guess one of
my favorite things
00:26:52.81\00:26:54.78
in the whole wide world
00:26:54.81\00:26:56.14
is just to get
lost in Bible study.
00:26:56.18\00:26:57.95
And when I know that
00:26:57.98\00:26:59.61
I'm going to be
teaching on a topic,
00:26:59.65\00:27:01.55
I don't care how
often I've taught on it
00:27:01.58\00:27:04.35
or preached on it before,
00:27:04.39\00:27:06.22
I start it from scratch.
00:27:06.25\00:27:08.22
And the reason I do,
00:27:08.26\00:27:11.06
God's Word is inexhaustible.
00:27:11.09\00:27:15.83
And sometimes
00:27:15.86\00:27:17.70
we study and we learn something
00:27:17.73\00:27:21.97
and we get,
00:27:22.00\00:27:23.34
you know, this is what
happened at the reformation.
00:27:23.41\00:27:25.91
They studied
00:27:25.94\00:27:27.28
and they got a hold of the truth
00:27:27.31\00:27:29.38
and they parked on it
00:27:29.41\00:27:31.21
and they didn't,
00:27:31.25\00:27:32.58
a lot of
churches didn't go forward
00:27:32.61\00:27:35.42
beyond what they
originally learned.
00:27:35.45\00:27:38.29
So sometimes I'll
be studying something
00:27:38.32\00:27:40.39
that I think I know inside now.
00:27:40.46\00:27:42.76
And as you're going through
and I'm looking up scripture,
00:27:42.79\00:27:45.66
and then all of a sudden,
it's like a neon flashing light
00:27:45.69\00:27:49.10
that God is showing me.
00:27:49.13\00:27:51.27
I don't wanna say a nuance,
00:27:51.30\00:27:53.30
but like, if you
think of a diamond,
00:27:53.34\00:27:55.80
a multifaceted diamond,
00:27:55.84\00:27:58.27
that's what Bible study is
like is you've got some things,
00:27:58.31\00:28:02.38
but then he comes in
00:28:02.41\00:28:04.11
and he carves
out another message
00:28:04.18\00:28:05.98
and you're going,
00:28:06.01\00:28:07.35
wow, I've missed
this all these years.
00:28:07.38\00:28:10.22
So that is something that I love
00:28:10.25\00:28:14.22
about being a member
00:28:14.29\00:28:17.09
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
00:28:17.16\00:28:18.73
wherever we go,
00:28:18.76\00:28:20.33
we've got brothers and
sisters around the world.
00:28:20.36\00:28:23.67
And as so many people
will call 3ABN or write 3ABN.
00:28:23.70\00:28:29.37
And they say how wonderful
00:28:29.40\00:28:33.01
that all of your pastors
00:28:33.04\00:28:34.84
are teaching on the same page.
00:28:34.88\00:28:38.15
In other words, I mean,
there are different sermons,
00:28:38.18\00:28:40.35
but nobody's contradicting.
00:28:40.42\00:28:42.62
And you know why?
00:28:42.65\00:28:43.99
Because of the deep,
00:28:44.02\00:28:45.52
I mean, this church is a
deep Bible studying church.
00:28:45.55\00:28:50.13
And we have not only
the Adult Bible Study Guide,
00:28:50.16\00:28:55.16
but we also
have it for children.
00:28:55.20\00:28:56.93
Absolutely.
00:28:56.97\00:28:58.30
The Sabbath School department
and the General Conference
00:28:58.33\00:28:59.67
produces resources
for all the world around
00:28:59.70\00:29:02.00
for different children's
levels all the way from infants
00:29:02.04\00:29:04.91
all the way up until
their time ready for adulthood.
00:29:04.94\00:29:07.11
So and that's one of
the things that we want to,
00:29:07.14\00:29:10.08
as parents, as church leaders,
00:29:10.11\00:29:12.55
we wanna make
sure that young people,
00:29:12.58\00:29:14.15
all people are
always students of the Word.
00:29:14.18\00:29:17.75
You never graduate
from the school of Christ
00:29:17.79\00:29:19.69
and you're never
too young to enroll.
00:29:19.72\00:29:21.12
You know what I'm saying?
00:29:21.16\00:29:22.49
So you wanna start off
and just stay in that Word
00:29:22.52\00:29:24.73
and continue to grow in grace,
00:29:24.76\00:29:26.09
because we're gonna, I
mean, inspiration has told us,
00:29:26.13\00:29:28.03
we're gonna continue to learn
even into eternity like these,
00:29:28.06\00:29:31.57
you mentioned
inexhaustible and in the song,
00:29:31.60\00:29:34.67
the science in our song
00:29:34.70\00:29:36.04
will be this plan
of redemption, right?
00:29:36.07\00:29:37.41
We're gonna have
fuller understandings
00:29:37.44\00:29:39.61
and deeper insights
into the whole thing.
00:29:39.64\00:29:41.94
And so like, no matter
how much you get into it here,
00:29:41.98\00:29:44.98
there's still an eternity to go.
00:29:45.01\00:29:47.62
I'm gonna say something
and I'll get in trouble again
00:29:47.65\00:29:49.68
'cause I did this
once before, what is it?
00:29:49.72\00:29:51.52
Proverbs 6 something.
00:29:51.55\00:29:53.19
I don't know if it's 6:18,
00:29:53.22\00:29:54.66
but it says that
00:29:54.69\00:29:56.02
the path of the just will
shine brighter and brighter
00:29:56.06\00:29:59.66
until the coming day,
00:29:59.69\00:30:01.66
which means, hey, we
don't have all the steps
00:30:01.70\00:30:07.10
we need to know.
00:30:07.14\00:30:08.47
We need to keep studying.
00:30:08.50\00:30:09.84
So why do you think
00:30:09.87\00:30:12.51
the Sabbath School
program unfortunately,
00:30:12.54\00:30:15.21
I think a lot of it
is because of COVID.
00:30:15.24\00:30:17.85
But what do you think is
the reason for the decline
00:30:17.88\00:30:22.18
in the Sabbath School program?
00:30:22.22\00:30:23.55
Let me defend
COVID for a minute.
00:30:23.59\00:30:25.39
You know, I think
COVID gets blamed for that.
00:30:25.42\00:30:26.92
It was great
before COVID come on.
00:30:26.96\00:30:29.62
Sabbath School
in a lot of places,
00:30:29.66\00:30:31.36
at least across,
00:30:31.39\00:30:32.73
you know, our neck of the
woods here in the Western world,
00:30:32.76\00:30:34.56
North America,
Europe, wherever, you know,
00:30:34.56\00:30:36.33
'cause there
are, as you mentioned,
00:30:36.36\00:30:37.70
there are places where
Sabbath School is huge.
00:30:37.73\00:30:42.10
It is the big rock in the jar.
00:30:42.14\00:30:43.64
It is the thing
that comes first.
00:30:43.67\00:30:45.04
And you'll have people
like I have a friend of mine
00:30:45.07\00:30:47.11
who works at the
General Conference
00:30:47.14\00:30:48.48
and he takes to do
Sabbath School training
00:30:48.51\00:30:49.84
around the world.
00:30:49.88\00:30:51.21
He went to a place in Africa
00:30:51.25\00:30:52.58
and he got there at 9:30
when it was supposed to happen.
00:30:52.61\00:30:54.18
And people had been there.
00:30:54.25\00:30:55.58
The place was packed out
00:30:55.62\00:30:56.95
and they had walked
for hours to get there.
00:30:56.99\00:30:59.65
You know, but you
don't really see that
00:30:59.69\00:31:02.62
now, to be clear,
00:31:02.66\00:31:04.03
even in the
North American context,
00:31:04.06\00:31:05.93
Sabbath School used to
be not terribly long ago,
00:31:05.96\00:31:09.90
less than a hundred years ago,
00:31:09.93\00:31:11.27
Sabbath School was more attended
00:31:11.30\00:31:13.74
than the worship service.
00:31:13.80\00:31:15.20
Okay. But
something has happened.
00:31:15.24\00:31:16.57
I can't exactly explain
all that's the deal of it.
00:31:16.60\00:31:19.11
But I do have a
sneaking suspicion
00:31:19.14\00:31:22.04
and pardon me here we go.
00:31:22.08\00:31:26.88
You said you were about
to get yourself in trouble.
00:31:26.92\00:31:28.38
So let me jump on.
00:31:28.42\00:31:29.75
Okay, you come on in.
00:31:29.78\00:31:31.12
Now, when you go out and do
canvassing work door to door,
00:31:31.15\00:31:33.56
you invite people
in your neighborhood
00:31:33.62\00:31:34.96
to take Bible studies.
00:31:34.99\00:31:36.32
Hey, we just want to help you.
00:31:36.36\00:31:37.69
Here's some Bible study guides
00:31:37.73\00:31:39.06
to get you back
in the Word of God.
00:31:39.09\00:31:40.43
Okay.
00:31:40.46\00:31:41.76
If you go to a
committed Christian,
00:31:41.80\00:31:43.13
but of another denomination,
00:31:43.16\00:31:44.50
some evangelical
stripe or whatever,
00:31:44.53\00:31:45.87
they'll say, oh, thanks.
00:31:45.90\00:31:47.24
But no, thanks.
00:31:47.27\00:31:48.60
I've already got my study group,
00:31:48.64\00:31:49.97
my Wednesday
night prayer meeting.
00:31:50.01\00:31:51.34
I'm good. Okay.
00:31:51.37\00:31:52.71
Then you go into, if
you've got a hardcore,
00:31:52.74\00:31:54.08
like atheist or
military, they'll let you know,
00:31:54.11\00:31:55.44
I don't want
00:31:55.48\00:31:56.81
what you're
selling, get out of here.
00:31:56.85\00:31:58.18
You know, they're
very forthright too.
00:31:58.21\00:31:59.55
And this is not a disparagement
00:31:59.58\00:32:01.45
when you, almost
every single time
00:32:01.48\00:32:03.49
you knock on
someone's door, who's Catholic,
00:32:03.52\00:32:05.89
they'll say, no,
thanks I'm Catholic.
00:32:05.92\00:32:08.99
Now, why is that important?
00:32:09.02\00:32:10.36
Well, because in that thinking,
00:32:10.43\00:32:12.66
going into the
Bible yourself personally,
00:32:12.69\00:32:15.40
and having a direct
connection with Jesus Christ
00:32:15.43\00:32:17.33
is not the way as
their understanding
00:32:17.37\00:32:19.80
you get saved, you get saved
00:32:19.83\00:32:21.17
through the machine
of the church, right?
00:32:21.20\00:32:22.60
So the structure
and the services,
00:32:22.64\00:32:23.97
the ceremonies
00:32:24.01\00:32:25.34
that the intercession of
the earthly priest, right?
00:32:25.37\00:32:27.48
And so for their mindset
and that's no disparagement,
00:32:27.54\00:32:30.98
that's exactly
what they've been taught
00:32:31.01\00:32:32.35
and they're
good, but the issue is
00:32:32.38\00:32:35.52
that's the expectation
00:32:35.55\00:32:37.75
is that I get
salvation through the church.
00:32:37.79\00:32:40.22
Bible study is nice
for you, but not for me.
00:32:40.26\00:32:43.26
Now, why do I say that?
00:32:43.29\00:32:44.89
Because we have an
entire midweek service
00:32:44.93\00:32:48.80
called prayer meeting
00:32:48.83\00:32:50.50
that very few people
attend in most churches.
00:32:50.53\00:32:52.83
We have Sabbath morning,
00:32:52.87\00:32:54.37
Sabbath School
00:32:54.40\00:32:56.00
that a fraction of what attends
the regular service, right?
00:32:56.04\00:32:58.47
And what I see happening
in the worship service is now
00:32:58.51\00:33:03.35
we're trying to
make the worship service,
00:33:03.38\00:33:05.28
the one-stop shop
for everything church.
00:33:05.31\00:33:08.45
So you'll see
extended prayer times
00:33:08.48\00:33:10.29
and gardens of
prayer and taking requests.
00:33:10.32\00:33:12.12
And when we had a whole
meeting called prayer meeting,
00:33:12.15\00:33:14.26
just nobody went to it.
00:33:14.29\00:33:15.62
So we put it in
the worship service.
00:33:15.66\00:33:16.99
And every, like, for instance,
00:33:17.03\00:33:18.36
if you were to look at
local church right now,
00:33:18.39\00:33:19.73
we had a really
important announcement to make,
00:33:19.76\00:33:21.56
would you make it
at 9:30 in the morning?
00:33:21.60\00:33:23.63
First thing at Sabbath School.
00:33:23.67\00:33:25.17
No wouldn't, and you
know why you wouldn't need it.
00:33:25.20\00:33:27.34
Go ahead and tell me
why wouldn't you not do it?
00:33:27.40\00:33:28.77
'Cause most church isn't there.
00:33:28.80\00:33:30.61
Because you know
they won't be there.
00:33:30.67\00:33:32.01
Yeah. That's exactly right.
00:33:32.04\00:33:33.38
So we put it in
the worship service
00:33:33.44\00:33:34.78
and if we have a baptism
00:33:34.81\00:33:36.14
or special
testimony or baby daddy,
00:33:36.18\00:33:37.51
let's put it in
a worship service.
00:33:37.55\00:33:38.88
We have special lessons,
put it at worship service,
00:33:38.91\00:33:40.25
expert, put in
the worship service.
00:33:40.28\00:33:41.62
And then we get mad at
the preacher for going long.
00:33:41.65\00:33:44.92
You know I'm saying the truth.
00:33:44.95\00:33:46.29
Well, what happens is
we have basically imbibe
00:33:46.32\00:33:49.26
what I call a
species of Catholicism,
00:33:49.29\00:33:51.33
where my responsibility
as a committed Christian,
00:33:51.36\00:33:56.80
isn't to be in prayer meeting,
to be in the Sabbath School
00:33:56.83\00:33:59.70
and to be in the outreach
and being in evangelism,
00:33:59.73\00:34:01.40
my job is to go to church.
00:34:01.44\00:34:03.81
And as long as I
can even be late,
00:34:03.84\00:34:07.18
as long as I'm
dressed up and I get there
00:34:07.21\00:34:09.58
while the sermon is preaching,
00:34:09.61\00:34:12.21
then I got church.
00:34:12.25\00:34:13.72
And what happens is
00:34:13.75\00:34:16.15
essentially the
sermon on the ear
00:34:16.18\00:34:20.39
has become the
wafer on the tongue.
00:34:20.46\00:34:22.42
Hmm.
00:34:22.46\00:34:23.83
I got my
sacraments and I'm good.
00:34:23.86\00:34:28.20
When the reality is,
00:34:28.23\00:34:29.56
that's not how
00:34:29.60\00:34:30.93
the New
Testament church was built.
00:34:30.97\00:34:32.30
Now we see predominant preaching
00:34:32.33\00:34:33.70
of Peter and Paul and John
00:34:33.74\00:34:35.07
a powerful stuff, right?
00:34:35.10\00:34:36.44
But you look at
that early church revival
00:34:36.47\00:34:38.11
they'll have a clear message.
00:34:38.14\00:34:39.47
And then the
preacher would move on
00:34:39.51\00:34:40.84
and they would study together.
00:34:40.88\00:34:42.21
They would fellowship together.
00:34:42.24\00:34:43.61
They would do
evangelistic labor together.
00:34:43.65\00:34:45.41
They would go win souls.
00:34:45.45\00:34:46.78
They would leave
the church, right?
00:34:46.82\00:34:49.08
So it was truly a lay driven.
00:34:49.12\00:34:52.69
Now there's a place for pastors,
00:34:52.72\00:34:54.06
teachers, evangelists.
00:34:54.12\00:34:55.46
Let me be
clear. I'm one of them.
00:34:55.49\00:34:56.83
I like that.
00:34:56.86\00:34:58.19
But the movement of the
church isn't going to take place
00:34:58.23\00:35:01.63
while we're just watching
00:35:01.66\00:35:03.37
the paid clergy do their
job in front of us, right?
00:35:03.40\00:35:06.63
The Lord is calling for
every individual member.
00:35:06.67\00:35:08.80
And so how Sabbath
School I think has petered off
00:35:08.84\00:35:12.81
is that we've
come to view church,
00:35:12.84\00:35:15.54
the worship service corporate,
00:35:15.58\00:35:17.28
the 11 o'clock
service, the divine hour,
00:35:17.35\00:35:19.15
whatever you want to call it
00:35:19.18\00:35:20.52
as the one obligatory
portion of my duty to the Lord.
00:35:20.55\00:35:25.29
And the reality is,
00:35:25.32\00:35:26.65
He's looking for a
whole life devotion
00:35:26.69\00:35:28.29
that includes
prayer and Bible study
00:35:28.32\00:35:30.26
and fellowship and witness,
00:35:30.33\00:35:32.49
not just listening to a sermon.
00:35:32.53\00:35:34.20
So that's so...
00:35:34.30\00:35:36.93
And real Sabbath School.
00:35:36.97\00:35:39.33
Okay. Okay.
00:35:39.37\00:35:40.70
So what's involved?
00:35:40.74\00:35:42.07
Now a good. I think a good...
00:35:42.10\00:35:44.21
Let's just say as if...Yes.
00:35:44.27\00:35:46.34
'Cause there's
plenty of Sabbath Schools
00:35:46.37\00:35:47.71
I wouldn't necessarily say
00:35:47.74\00:35:49.08
are necessarily
firing on all pistons,
00:35:49.11\00:35:50.45
but I'm happy with anybody's
there at all take you that.
00:35:50.51\00:35:53.78
But you wanna have,
00:35:53.82\00:35:56.12
of course the
biggest piece of the pie,
00:35:56.15\00:35:57.79
as we've already mentioned
is gonna be the Bible study
00:35:57.82\00:36:00.92
and prayer elements, right?
00:36:00.99\00:36:02.32
We wanna devote
ourselves to the Lord in prayer
00:36:02.36\00:36:03.69
and we wanna open up that Word
00:36:03.76\00:36:05.33
and using the Bible study guide
00:36:05.36\00:36:07.03
is a great springboard to
good dynamic study, right?
00:36:07.03\00:36:09.30
But have good
teaching, good instruction,
00:36:09.33\00:36:11.80
good dynamic with the class.
00:36:11.83\00:36:13.64
And we can come back
to that in just a minute
00:36:13.67\00:36:15.20
about what makes a
really good teaching.
00:36:15.24\00:36:16.57
'Cause a lot of times teaching
is even seen as offensive now,
00:36:16.60\00:36:19.17
I don't want
anybody teaching me.
00:36:19.21\00:36:20.88
I just wanna have a good
round table conversation.
00:36:20.91\00:36:23.75
Anyway, and there's a
place for interactivity,
00:36:23.78\00:36:26.18
but there's also a
good place for teaching,
00:36:26.21\00:36:27.92
someone who knows
what they're doing
00:36:27.95\00:36:29.28
and teaches the
Word of God, right?
00:36:29.32\00:36:31.45
Amen.
00:36:31.49\00:36:32.82
But that is the sizable chunk.
00:36:32.85\00:36:34.56
And that's where you can
learn the beliefs of the church,
00:36:34.59\00:36:37.73
learn the teachings of the Bible
00:36:37.76\00:36:40.00
and apply them in your life,
00:36:40.03\00:36:42.00
in that Bible study dynamic.
00:36:42.03\00:36:44.53
Okay.
00:36:44.57\00:36:45.90
But the other
thing that people forget
00:36:45.93\00:36:47.50
is that there's
a mission component
00:36:47.54\00:36:49.27
to Sabbath School.
00:36:49.30\00:36:50.67
Now this is, I don't
know how Sunday schools do it.
00:36:50.71\00:36:52.64
I'm not a specialist
in other denominations,
00:36:52.67\00:36:54.38
but I know that
00:36:54.41\00:36:55.74
in the
Seventh-day Adventist faith
00:36:55.78\00:36:57.11
that the Sabbath School is
the engine for mission work
00:36:57.15\00:37:01.18
around the world.
00:37:01.22\00:37:03.02
Repeat that
00:37:03.05\00:37:04.39
because I don't think a
lot of people know that.
00:37:04.42\00:37:06.49
The Sabbath School
00:37:06.52\00:37:07.86
is the engine of
mission work around the world.
00:37:07.89\00:37:11.59
Let me explain it this way.
00:37:11.63\00:37:15.46
The one offering
that is collected
00:37:15.50\00:37:17.17
in the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:37:17.20\00:37:18.53
that goes 100% to mission work
00:37:18.57\00:37:22.37
is the one collected
during the Sabbath School.
00:37:22.40\00:37:24.51
And that's world mission.
00:37:24.54\00:37:25.87
World mission, right?
00:37:25.91\00:37:27.28
And to be clear,
00:37:27.31\00:37:28.64
the Seventh-day
Adventist Church,
00:37:28.68\00:37:30.01
you got to
understand structurally
00:37:30.05\00:37:31.38
is not a local
congregational structure.
00:37:31.41\00:37:32.75
Okay.
00:37:32.78\00:37:34.12
Now there are local
congregations that meet,
00:37:34.15\00:37:36.08
but for instance,
your local congregation,
00:37:36.12\00:37:38.55
doesn't take up a collection
and pay the pastor directly.
00:37:38.59\00:37:41.22
And if you have a big church,
you gonna have big paid pastor,
00:37:41.26\00:37:43.19
small churches are poor.
00:37:43.22\00:37:44.56
No, no, no.
00:37:44.59\00:37:45.93
It's, it's an equalized system
00:37:45.96\00:37:47.30
because it's a
conference, a sisterhood
00:37:47.30\00:37:48.63
as it's technically
known of churches, right?
00:37:48.66\00:37:51.03
And those conferences in
other parts of the world,
00:37:51.07\00:37:53.80
especially where
there's frontline missionary
00:37:53.84\00:37:55.20
need the more
resourceful parts of the world
00:37:55.24\00:37:57.27
to fund their work.
00:37:57.31\00:37:58.64
And so when we give to
the mission of the church,
00:37:58.67\00:38:01.74
when we get a mission work,
00:38:01.78\00:38:03.14
we're giving to frontline
work in difficult places
00:38:03.18\00:38:07.08
where there's projects going on,
00:38:07.15\00:38:08.55
where there's entering
wedge ministries happening,
00:38:08.58\00:38:11.49
where there's, and in
some parts of the world,
00:38:11.52\00:38:13.42
it even has to be, you know,
kinda Waldensian if you will,
00:38:13.49\00:38:16.96
kind of like cloaking.
00:38:16.99\00:38:18.43
It's
fascinating what's going on.
00:38:18.46\00:38:20.46
But the mission offering
taken up at the Sabbath School
00:38:20.53\00:38:23.77
is the one offering
00:38:23.80\00:38:25.27
in all of the
collections that go on
00:38:25.30\00:38:26.84
that goes,
funds funnels directly
00:38:26.87\00:38:29.17
into that mission work.
00:38:29.20\00:38:31.21
And so I would
highly encourage the people
00:38:31.24\00:38:33.58
to revive the mission program.
00:38:33.61\00:38:35.74
And you know, what inspires
people to give to mission?
00:38:35.78\00:38:38.28
Is hearing
stories about missions.
00:38:38.31\00:38:40.45
We want to hear testimonies,
00:38:40.52\00:38:41.85
wanna see the life-changing
miraculous interactions,
00:38:41.88\00:38:44.22
the divine appointments, right?
00:38:44.29\00:38:45.89
And so, I like to describe
00:38:45.92\00:38:48.06
the mission component of
the church of the worships.
00:38:48.09\00:38:50.66
I'm sorry, the worship
that the Sabbath School program
00:38:50.73\00:38:53.60
like a funnel.
00:38:53.63\00:38:54.93
Okay.
00:38:54.96\00:38:56.30
First of all, you have
the global perspective, right?
00:38:56.33\00:39:00.17
There's the world mission
focused basically saying,
00:39:00.20\00:39:03.10
here's what
they're doing over there.
00:39:03.14\00:39:06.17
Okay. What they're doing.
00:39:06.21\00:39:08.18
And we hear, I praise
the Lord for the resources,
00:39:08.21\00:39:10.81
put together by
the General Conference
00:39:10.88\00:39:12.21
and other ministries
00:39:12.25\00:39:13.58
that have frontline
missionary testimonies,
00:39:13.62\00:39:14.95
every single week available,
00:39:14.98\00:39:16.32
you can push
play and download them
00:39:16.35\00:39:18.25
and have a DVD
or whatever you get,
00:39:18.29\00:39:19.85
but they'll take you
beautiful high definition,
00:39:19.89\00:39:22.06
pictures of stuff
that's going on in jungles
00:39:22.09\00:39:23.79
and islands of the
sea and desert somewhere.
00:39:23.86\00:39:26.16
And it's miracle stories.
00:39:26.19\00:39:28.40
And I remember as a little
kid, I remember listening,
00:39:28.43\00:39:30.47
this is a mission spotlight,
00:39:30.50\00:39:32.20
you know, and it's just, oh,
00:39:32.23\00:39:34.34
and you'd hear the stories
about these interesting people
00:39:34.37\00:39:37.01
doing these
amazing miraculous things
00:39:37.04\00:39:38.97
and how the truck
never ran out of fuel.
00:39:39.01\00:39:40.88
And the angel stopped the gate,
00:39:40.91\00:39:42.58
you know, all the things
and you hear these stories.
00:39:42.61\00:39:45.28
I mean, think about
Timothy in the New Testament.
00:39:45.31\00:39:49.75
What inspired him
00:39:49.78\00:39:51.12
to give his
life to mission work?
00:39:51.15\00:39:53.15
It wasn't just his own
study, but he witnessed,
00:39:53.19\00:39:56.59
you can study this by
the way out in the Acts,
00:39:56.62\00:39:58.46
in the book
Acts of the Apostles.
00:39:58.49\00:39:59.86
The first time
his name is mentioned
00:39:59.89\00:40:01.20
in scripture is Act 16,
00:40:01.23\00:40:03.93
but actually the first
time he met Paul was in Acts 14.
00:40:03.97\00:40:07.30
When Paul was dragged out,
00:40:07.34\00:40:08.74
was stoned so badly
00:40:08.77\00:40:11.34
that his murderers thought
00:40:11.37\00:40:12.87
they had finished the job
00:40:12.91\00:40:15.34
and they take him
out of the city gate.
00:40:15.38\00:40:17.78
And the believers gather around
00:40:17.81\00:40:20.08
essentially to
have a memorial service
00:40:20.12\00:40:22.08
and buried the poor man.
00:40:22.12\00:40:24.29
And in that moment, he wakes up,
00:40:24.32\00:40:28.19
you know, dust themselves off
00:40:28.22\00:40:29.59
and has dirt
and blood and stuff.
00:40:29.62\00:40:32.06
And Spirit of Prophecy
tells us Timothy was there.
00:40:32.09\00:40:35.56
What's that
gonna do to a young man
00:40:35.60\00:40:37.73
who sees this
man giving his life?
00:40:37.77\00:40:39.47
And then what does Paul do?
00:40:39.50\00:40:40.90
He wants to get back
and go back in the city.
00:40:40.94\00:40:43.04
And he says, whatever that
is, I want some of that, right?
00:40:43.07\00:40:46.84
We need to hear
those mission testimonies.
00:40:46.91\00:40:49.04
We need to hear those
reports from the worldview.
00:40:49.08\00:40:51.11
Okay.
00:40:51.15\00:40:52.48
So the first
element of the funnel
00:40:52.51\00:40:54.05
is the global perspective,
00:40:54.08\00:40:55.58
world mission, what
they're doing over there.
00:40:55.62\00:40:58.82
But if we in the mission program
00:40:58.85\00:41:02.66
right there
00:41:02.69\00:41:04.03
and take up a nice
offering, which we should,
00:41:04.06\00:41:06.70
another problem could sink in.
00:41:06.73\00:41:08.40
And that is the assumption
00:41:08.43\00:41:10.23
that all mission is foreign.
00:41:10.27\00:41:14.40
We're about the
foreign mission work,
00:41:14.44\00:41:16.00
the global, the world.
00:41:16.04\00:41:17.41
And there's
always big inspiring,
00:41:17.47\00:41:20.08
but very remote terms.
00:41:20.14\00:41:23.14
So we get the
impression sometimes
00:41:23.18\00:41:24.81
that mission work is
something that we pay for
00:41:24.85\00:41:27.75
and something that we pray for
00:41:27.78\00:41:30.09
and that's it.
00:41:30.15\00:41:31.49
But there's more friends.
00:41:31.52\00:41:33.05
Okay. Go ahead.
Ask your question.
00:41:33.09\00:41:34.42
But I worked on this.
00:41:34.46\00:41:35.79
Go ahead. Okay, go ahead.
00:41:35.82\00:41:37.19
You finish the funnel first,
then I'll bring up the other.
00:41:37.23\00:41:38.96
All right, will do that.
00:41:38.99\00:41:40.36
So global, but then you
have to ask the question.
00:41:40.40\00:41:41.70
If that's what they're doing,
00:41:41.73\00:41:43.16
well, then what are we doing?
00:41:43.20\00:41:45.60
And you start to see that
00:41:45.63\00:41:46.97
there's a local
mission context too,
00:41:47.00\00:41:49.24
whether it's the local
church, your local congregation
00:41:49.27\00:41:51.27
or your local conference,
00:41:51.31\00:41:52.64
but there are some
outreach initiatives,
00:41:52.67\00:41:54.78
some, you know,
softening of the heart,
00:41:54.81\00:41:57.28
kind of personal outreach things
00:41:57.31\00:41:59.11
or literature, distribution,
or media ministries
00:41:59.15\00:42:01.75
or Bible study offer
things that are going on.
00:42:01.78\00:42:04.42
There are
evangelistic campaigns,
00:42:04.45\00:42:06.55
there are door-to-door
witnessing opportunities.
00:42:06.59\00:42:08.69
There's a lot that is going on
or at least should be going on
00:42:08.72\00:42:11.63
in our own local
mission field, right?
00:42:11.66\00:42:13.63
And so we wanna hear reports
00:42:13.70\00:42:15.00
of what's going on
in our local church.
00:42:15.03\00:42:16.93
I wanna hear
what other departments
00:42:16.97\00:42:18.30
of my own local
church are doing,
00:42:18.33\00:42:19.67
or at least other departments
in my conference are doing.
00:42:19.70\00:42:22.20
What are some
initiatives in our area
00:42:22.24\00:42:23.87
that I cannot just
watch, but I can participate in?
00:42:23.91\00:42:25.91
Right?
00:42:25.94\00:42:27.28
So you wanna go from the
global mission perspective
00:42:27.34\00:42:30.51
to the local
mission perspective.
00:42:30.55\00:42:33.18
And you would think,
Oh good now that's better,
00:42:33.21\00:42:35.82
but there's still one more step.
00:42:35.85\00:42:37.82
Okay.
00:42:37.85\00:42:39.19
Not only do we
have a global mission,
00:42:39.22\00:42:41.09
not only do we
have a local mission,
00:42:41.12\00:42:42.96
but each and every
member of the church
00:42:42.99\00:42:45.49
should have a personal mission.
00:42:45.53\00:42:49.03
So what we wanna do is
00:42:49.06\00:42:50.40
end the mission
program with an appeal.
00:42:50.43\00:42:54.34
Who's ready to
raise their hand, say,
00:42:54.37\00:42:55.70
here am I send me.
00:42:55.74\00:42:57.27
That's good.
00:42:57.34\00:42:58.67
Ever been on a committee?
00:42:58.71\00:43:00.11
Well, I'm not gonna ask you,
00:43:00.14\00:43:01.48
you know, you've
been on committees, right?
00:43:01.51\00:43:02.84
And anytime we do something.
00:43:02.88\00:43:05.01
Nobody does. That's right.
00:43:05.05\00:43:07.05
We're all a big charge.
00:43:07.12\00:43:08.45
We can have
inspiration all this good logo,
00:43:08.48\00:43:10.29
and we're gonna
do this really thing.
00:43:10.32\00:43:11.72
But unless somebody says,
00:43:11.75\00:43:13.09
I'm gonna make the phone call
00:43:13.12\00:43:14.72
or I'm gonna unlock the
door, or I'm gonna do the thing,
00:43:14.76\00:43:16.93
it doesn't happen.
00:43:16.96\00:43:19.03
Man, I can tell you,
00:43:19.06\00:43:20.40
there's a lot of
here we are send us,
00:43:20.43\00:43:22.76
but we need a lot
more, here I am send me.
00:43:22.80\00:43:24.60
Amen.
00:43:24.63\00:43:25.97
And so what we
should be doing is
00:43:26.00\00:43:28.34
giving very practical training
on how you can do mission work
00:43:28.37\00:43:33.07
even apart from
your local congregation
00:43:33.11\00:43:34.91
or local conference,
00:43:34.94\00:43:36.48
what can I be
doing in my neighborhood?
00:43:36.51\00:43:38.28
What can I be
doing for my friends,
00:43:38.31\00:43:39.65
my family members, my coworkers,
00:43:39.68\00:43:41.28
my associates in other fields,
00:43:41.32\00:43:42.85
my acquaintances down the street
00:43:42.88\00:43:44.25
that I don't really know.
00:43:44.29\00:43:45.62
How can I turn
those opportunities,
00:43:45.65\00:43:48.52
you know, those,
00:43:48.56\00:43:49.89
what we might think
is just interactions,
00:43:49.92\00:43:51.73
haphazardly into
divine appointments?
00:43:51.76\00:43:53.56
How can I stop myself
with the right literature,
00:43:53.60\00:43:55.96
have the right thing to
say, give the right invitation?
00:43:56.00\00:43:58.23
How can I start
to be a missionary,
00:43:58.27\00:44:01.57
right where I am?
00:44:01.60\00:44:02.94
And I think it was Mark
Finley by the way, who said,
00:44:02.97\00:44:05.11
and pretty sure
it was Mark Finley.
00:44:05.14\00:44:06.68
So I'm gonna say it was him,
00:44:06.71\00:44:08.94
but he said, God never calls you
00:44:08.98\00:44:10.35
to be a
missionary where you aren't
00:44:10.38\00:44:12.41
until you're a
missionary where you are.
00:44:12.45\00:44:14.25
Oh, that's good. You
know what I'm saying?
00:44:14.32\00:44:15.85
And so we need a reformation
of that missionary mindset
00:44:15.88\00:44:20.66
that starts with the individual
00:44:20.69\00:44:22.36
then goes to the congregational
or the conference level,
00:44:22.39\00:44:25.39
you know, corporately
00:44:25.43\00:44:26.90
and then goes
globally to all the world.
00:44:26.93\00:44:28.30
Amen.
00:44:28.33\00:44:29.66
Let me interrupt just a second,
00:44:29.70\00:44:31.03
because I wanna
remind our people at home.
00:44:31.07\00:44:33.30
This is a live program
00:44:33.34\00:44:35.70
and you can sent,
00:44:35.74\00:44:37.07
we're gonna get
into some resources
00:44:37.11\00:44:39.07
and some true
methods, ways to revive,
00:44:39.11\00:44:43.65
you know, oh, we need a revival
00:44:43.71\00:44:47.68
in our personal lives,
00:44:47.72\00:44:50.59
in our Sabbath schools.
00:44:50.65\00:44:52.32
And this will bring a
revival in the church.
00:44:52.35\00:44:54.79
You can text your questions
00:44:54.82\00:44:57.69
to (618) 228-3975.
00:44:57.73\00:45:03.70
Or you can email us at 3abn@...
00:45:03.77\00:45:08.84
No, live.
00:45:08.87\00:45:10.21
Live@...
00:45:10.24\00:45:11.57
Let's start that over.
00:45:11.61\00:45:12.94
Email us live@3abn.tv.
00:45:12.97\00:45:17.88
And we look
forward in the second hour
00:45:17.91\00:45:20.42
to getting to those questions.
00:45:20.45\00:45:21.78
But I just wanted to
hit one point that you said.
00:45:21.82\00:45:24.49
Okay. Let's have it.
00:45:24.52\00:45:25.85
When you said it's not,
00:45:25.89\00:45:27.76
we think of missions
as being around the world,
00:45:27.79\00:45:31.33
truthfully the church in Brazil,
00:45:31.36\00:45:34.36
the church in Africa,
00:45:34.36\00:45:35.70
and I'm talking about
00:45:35.73\00:45:37.07
the Seventh-day
Adventist congregations,
00:45:37.13\00:45:41.24
they're exploding.
00:45:41.27\00:45:43.61
And a lot of it has to
do with small group meetings
00:45:43.67\00:45:47.68
with the attention
00:45:47.71\00:45:49.04
to what we're talking about now.
00:45:49.08\00:45:51.75
In the United
States, the membership,
00:45:51.78\00:45:55.08
what is our membership now?
00:45:55.12\00:45:56.45
Twenty something.
00:45:56.48\00:45:58.02
The whole world?
In the whole world.
00:45:58.05\00:46:00.12
I think we are over
21 and 21 to 22 million.
00:46:00.19\00:46:03.66
But what percentage of Adventist
00:46:03.69\00:46:05.86
live in the United States?
00:46:05.89\00:46:07.23
The percentage of
the Adventist Church
00:46:07.23\00:46:08.90
in the North American
division is roughly about 6%...
00:46:08.93\00:46:11.83
of the world.
00:46:11.87\00:46:13.20
So 90, put it in this way,
00:46:13.23\00:46:14.57
94% of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:46:14.60\00:46:16.50
is not here.
00:46:16.54\00:46:18.11
Yes.
00:46:18.14\00:46:19.47
And I have heard
of other churches
00:46:19.51\00:46:22.91
and other denominations
00:46:22.94\00:46:25.05
who are sending
their missionaries to us
00:46:25.08\00:46:30.29
because they
think the United States
00:46:30.32\00:46:33.39
and some of the
other developed worlds
00:46:33.46\00:46:35.99
are Sodom and Gomorrah.
00:46:36.02\00:46:37.66
If other churches
can recognize that,
00:46:37.69\00:46:40.80
why can't we recognize
that we're God's people
00:46:40.83\00:46:44.53
and we need to wake up?
00:46:44.57\00:46:45.90
Yes.
00:46:45.93\00:46:47.30
And I would
wholeheartedly agree that
00:46:47.34\00:46:48.67
we have to recognize
that we are in a mission field
00:46:48.70\00:46:51.07
and that we have been put here
by God's grace as missionaries.
00:46:51.11\00:46:55.28
And so, again, that
goes back to the whole,
00:46:55.31\00:46:57.98
I want to disabuse
people of this notion
00:46:58.01\00:46:59.91
that missionary work
is always over there.
00:47:00.05\00:47:02.58
There's missionary work
00:47:02.62\00:47:03.95
just as much, you have
to go across the ocean,
00:47:04.02\00:47:05.75
you have to go
across the street.
00:47:05.79\00:47:07.12
You know, and
these are platitudes,
00:47:07.19\00:47:08.72
we say from time to time,
but the statistics bear it out.
00:47:08.76\00:47:12.03
If there is one of
the neediest places
00:47:12.06\00:47:14.46
for a revival of true
godly, Bible believing,
00:47:14.50\00:47:18.03
you know, membership,
00:47:18.07\00:47:19.40
it's right here
in our own backyard.
00:47:19.43\00:47:21.24
And so I would
earnestly appeal to people
00:47:21.27\00:47:23.41
to get involved in
their local church outreaches,
00:47:23.44\00:47:26.27
their own personal witness.
00:47:26.31\00:47:27.71
And the Sabbath School again
00:47:27.74\00:47:29.08
is a great springboard for that.
00:47:29.11\00:47:31.48
I mean, think about this.
00:47:31.51\00:47:33.55
And, Shelley, you mentioned
this, the small group dynamic.
00:47:33.62\00:47:35.92
Okay.
00:47:35.95\00:47:37.29
If, what if every local
Sabbath School group said,
00:47:37.32\00:47:40.46
we're not only going to have
a foreign mission initiative
00:47:40.49\00:47:42.62
where we're going to raise money
00:47:42.66\00:47:44.03
for some good cause or project.
00:47:44.06\00:47:45.69
Praise the Lord.
00:47:45.73\00:47:47.10
That's great, but we're
also going to do something here
00:47:47.13\00:47:49.40
and it might be just a
temporal needs type of ministry
00:47:49.43\00:47:52.93
where we're going to
start winning friends for Christ
00:47:52.97\00:47:54.97
by doing, you know,
intentional, good deeds.
00:47:55.00\00:47:57.27
Praise the Lord.
00:47:57.31\00:47:58.64
Or we might try to distribute
a whole bunch of literature,
00:47:58.67\00:48:00.91
or we might tell people
about ministries in the media,
00:48:00.94\00:48:02.88
like 3ABN or other, you
know, resources like, great.
00:48:02.91\00:48:06.25
And, or we're going to
distribute glow tracts,
00:48:06.28\00:48:09.08
or we're going to
invite some people to church,
00:48:09.12\00:48:10.72
or we're going to hold
and set a meetings ourselves
00:48:10.75\00:48:13.49
or whatever it is.
00:48:13.52\00:48:14.89
And they started doing
things in that local context,
00:48:14.92\00:48:17.26
the Sabbath School
would then be a catalyst
00:48:17.29\00:48:20.43
for individuals to get
involved in local mission work.
00:48:20.46\00:48:24.43
Because oftentimes even
when you have a local church
00:48:24.47\00:48:26.84
and it does a
big outreach event,
00:48:26.87\00:48:28.57
it may be into a
public evangelist campaign.
00:48:28.60\00:48:32.31
There's really not often
much that members can do.
00:48:32.34\00:48:36.48
I mean, they should be,
00:48:36.51\00:48:37.85
you know, row hosts and greeters
00:48:37.88\00:48:39.21
and hosting the desk
00:48:39.25\00:48:40.62
and there's things
to get involved with.
00:48:40.65\00:48:42.32
But I can't tell you,
00:48:42.35\00:48:45.39
I work closely
with the evangelism work
00:48:45.42\00:48:47.49
in the Michigan Conference too.
00:48:47.56\00:48:48.89
And you'll hear phrases like,
00:48:48.92\00:48:51.23
when's the next time
00:48:51.26\00:48:52.59
we're gonna do
evangelism, right?
00:48:52.63\00:48:54.56
As though it's a thing
you put on the calendar,
00:48:54.60\00:48:56.73
it's a four week event
that happens in the fall
00:48:56.77\00:48:58.77
every other year or something.
00:48:58.80\00:49:00.57
When the reality is evangelism
00:49:00.60\00:49:02.47
soul-winning is
supposed to be an ongoing,
00:49:02.50\00:49:04.77
active dynamic
process all the time.
00:49:04.81\00:49:08.04
And so we have to
disabuse our minds of the idea
00:49:08.08\00:49:10.68
that mission work is foreign.
00:49:10.71\00:49:12.35
The idea that evangelism
is you know, occasional,
00:49:12.38\00:49:17.05
and the reality is
00:49:17.12\00:49:18.52
I should be about
my father's business
00:49:18.55\00:49:20.79
every single day every time
He gives me the opportunity.
00:49:20.82\00:49:23.36
And if I don't
have opportunities,
00:49:23.39\00:49:24.73
I'm going to make
some opportunity, right?
00:49:24.76\00:49:26.09
Amen.
00:49:26.13\00:49:27.46
Let me ask you a
very simple question.
00:49:27.50\00:49:28.83
I think that's very complex
00:49:28.86\00:49:31.23
is let's just talk quickly
00:49:31.27\00:49:35.40
about divine appointments.
00:49:35.44\00:49:38.77
Your neighbor or
whoever you are my friends.
00:49:38.81\00:49:42.91
If we take a step forward
to go out and make those calls,
00:49:42.94\00:49:47.72
how does God react to that
00:49:47.75\00:49:50.19
and create that
divine appointment?
00:49:50.22\00:49:52.29
A lot of people I
think are just afraid.
00:49:52.32\00:49:54.19
They feel like
they're not being equipped.
00:49:54.26\00:49:56.36
The paradigm here is
00:49:56.39\00:49:58.36
if they'd go to Sabbath
School and get involved,
00:49:58.39\00:50:01.53
that probably the
answers would come to them,
00:50:01.56\00:50:03.93
but you know, we're fat and lazy
00:50:03.97\00:50:05.87
and we have need of nothing.
00:50:05.90\00:50:07.44
So consequently,
we're going to stay home.
00:50:07.50\00:50:09.34
Yes. Okay?
00:50:09.37\00:50:10.71
And thinking that someone
else will take care of that,
00:50:10.77\00:50:14.44
or I don't have
enough information,
00:50:14.48\00:50:17.55
but, boy, I do believe
in divine appointments,
00:50:17.61\00:50:20.92
but what happens
00:50:20.95\00:50:23.15
should John Doe step
out of his comfort zone,
00:50:23.18\00:50:27.26
go across the town,
hand out glow tracts,
00:50:27.32\00:50:29.99
go knocking on doors, right?
00:50:30.03\00:50:31.63
What can he expect?
00:50:31.66\00:50:34.30
Well... I mean...
00:50:34.30\00:50:35.76
I know the answer you
probably wanna hear is that,
00:50:35.80\00:50:37.93
man, if you would
just step out in faith,
00:50:37.97\00:50:39.30
it's all going to work together.
00:50:39.33\00:50:40.67
It's probably not.
00:50:40.70\00:50:42.04
Good. Okay.
00:50:42.07\00:50:43.44
But that doesn't
mean you don't do it.
00:50:43.47\00:50:45.37
And let me just, you invoked,
00:50:45.41\00:50:47.54
you know, we're fat and
lazy, that kind of stuff.
00:50:47.58\00:50:49.28
So let me just
go down that track
00:50:49.31\00:50:50.68
not on exactly those terms.
00:50:50.71\00:50:52.05
But what if, let's take
it to the physical realm,
00:50:52.08\00:50:56.42
if I was in a
terrible car accident
00:50:56.45\00:50:58.59
and my leg was
just really mangled
00:50:58.62\00:51:00.26
and had to be repaired,
put back together, right?
00:51:00.29\00:51:02.79
And, and it was out
of use for a long time.
00:51:02.82\00:51:06.36
It was pinned up in some
apparatus and everything.
00:51:06.39\00:51:08.23
And the day comes,
when I finally get that,
00:51:08.26\00:51:10.73
you know, all
that gear taken off
00:51:10.77\00:51:12.80
and the cast is gone
00:51:12.83\00:51:16.10
and I hop up on that leg
00:51:16.14\00:51:17.47
and I start to run,
what's gonna happen?
00:51:17.51\00:51:19.44
It's gonna be,
00:51:19.47\00:51:20.84
what if
somebody came in and said
00:51:20.88\00:51:22.21
with the physical
therapist, come in and say,
00:51:22.24\00:51:23.95
"Oh, look at your
miserable little leg."
00:51:24.01\00:51:25.71
It's clear that
you have not been given
00:51:25.75\00:51:27.22
the gift of mobility.
00:51:27.28\00:51:29.32
No, but people will look
00:51:29.35\00:51:30.85
at their spiritual life and say,
00:51:30.89\00:51:32.22
here's the
thing I've never done.
00:51:32.25\00:51:33.76
Or I've so rarely done
it that I'm no good at it.
00:51:33.82\00:51:36.16
And then when
they give it a shot,
00:51:36.19\00:51:37.53
they find out they're no good.
00:51:37.59\00:51:38.93
And they say, "Oh,
see, it's not my gift."
00:51:38.96\00:51:40.66
Friends it's not about being,
00:51:40.70\00:51:42.76
nowhere in the Bible
00:51:42.80\00:51:44.13
is witnessing
called a spiritual gift.
00:51:44.20\00:51:46.40
Amen.
00:51:46.43\00:51:47.77
You know, it's not that
you look at, there's prophecy.
00:51:47.80\00:51:49.37
Now that's a gift.
00:51:49.40\00:51:50.74
You know,
tongues, that's a gift.
00:51:50.77\00:51:52.11
Healing, that's a gift.
00:51:52.14\00:51:53.51
But talking to your neighbor,
00:51:53.54\00:51:54.88
everybody's got a
mouth and supposed to use it.
00:51:54.91\00:51:56.68
So this idea that,
00:51:56.71\00:51:58.05
"Oh, I'm just not
good at it. Or I'm not."
00:51:58.08\00:51:59.41
And by the way,
00:51:59.45\00:52:00.85
tell me when you're
going to be informed enough.
00:52:00.88\00:52:03.02
People like, well, if I
only had more information,
00:52:03.05\00:52:04.52
let me tell you something.
00:52:04.55\00:52:05.89
You cannot imagine the level of,
00:52:05.92\00:52:10.03
it's hard for a
Seventh-day Adventist,
00:52:10.06\00:52:11.63
even if you've
just been tangentially,
00:52:11.66\00:52:13.53
just kind of occasionally,
00:52:13.60\00:52:15.76
the level of
Bible that you know,
00:52:15.80\00:52:20.04
compared to the rampant,
00:52:20.10\00:52:22.24
not illiteracy and the
fact that they can't read,
00:52:22.27\00:52:24.27
but functional literacy
00:52:24.31\00:52:25.64
and the fact that they
won't read the scripture.
00:52:25.67\00:52:27.01
There's just ignorance,
right? About the Bible.
00:52:27.04\00:52:29.01
But I think
Seventh-day Adventist sometimes,
00:52:29.04\00:52:30.61
I don't wanna
reach out to my neighbor
00:52:30.65\00:52:31.98
'cause they might
ask the question so hard
00:52:32.01\00:52:33.88
that I won't have the,
00:52:33.92\00:52:35.25
and look, if they do ask
a question you don't know.
00:52:35.28\00:52:38.99
I know someone does that.
00:52:39.02\00:52:40.52
All you have to do
is like, I don't know,
00:52:40.56\00:52:44.19
but let's find out.
00:52:44.23\00:52:45.56
Yeah, that's a great question.
00:52:45.59\00:52:47.10
I never thought about
that, but that's a great one.
00:52:47.13\00:52:49.20
Well, let me, let's get
started on these studies
00:52:49.23\00:52:50.90
and we're gonna
find it out together,
00:52:50.93\00:52:52.27
but don't be
intimidated by that.
00:52:52.30\00:52:53.64
Of course, you
don't know everything
00:52:53.67\00:52:55.00
and you're not
gonna be good at something
00:52:55.04\00:52:56.37
you haven't practiced, right?
00:52:56.40\00:52:57.74
Sister White talks about how...
00:52:57.77\00:52:59.91
She has this one
statement she said,
00:52:59.94\00:53:01.58
"That if the ministers
would get out of the way
00:53:01.61\00:53:03.48
the church
members would be obliged
00:53:03.55\00:53:04.98
to carry the burden."
00:53:05.01\00:53:06.35
And she says,
00:53:06.38\00:53:07.72
"And their capabilities
will increase by use.
00:53:07.75\00:53:11.12
So you're
probably not gonna be good
00:53:11.15\00:53:12.69
at reaching out
to your neighbor yet.
00:53:12.72\00:53:14.06
You're probably going to
fumble all over your words
00:53:14.09\00:53:15.49
and mess it all up.
00:53:15.52\00:53:16.86
It's okay.
00:53:16.93\00:53:18.26
Do it again, get
better at it, right?
00:53:18.29\00:53:19.76
But through that process,
00:53:19.79\00:53:21.46
your sincere
desire to serve the Lord
00:53:21.50\00:53:24.47
and your practiced approach.
00:53:24.50\00:53:27.54
And you're gonna learn
about some more resources,
00:53:27.60\00:53:29.20
and you're gonna
get some training
00:53:29.24\00:53:30.57
and say, I wanna be
better at this, right?
00:53:30.61\00:53:31.94
The Lord is gonna
build you into a missionary
00:53:31.97\00:53:34.94
who can do fantastic work.
00:53:34.98\00:53:36.81
And for those times
when you're not that good,
00:53:36.85\00:53:39.21
don't forget we
have the Holy Spirit.
00:53:39.25\00:53:41.15
We've got angels
who go before us.
00:53:41.18\00:53:43.02
We've got the mercy of the
Lord who wants to win that soul
00:53:43.05\00:53:45.35
more than we
wanna win that soul.
00:53:45.39\00:53:47.06
So all of heaven is engaged
in this missionary activity.
00:53:47.12\00:53:49.89
You're just the agent
00:53:49.92\00:53:51.26
who's supposed to go
do the frontline worker.
00:53:51.29\00:53:53.46
So the Lord is behind you.
00:53:53.50\00:53:54.83
The angels behind you,
the Holy Spirit's behind you.
00:53:54.83\00:53:56.16
You got the Bible to stand
on and you may not be good,
00:53:56.20\00:53:58.63
but give it a shot.
00:53:58.67\00:54:00.07
And the Lord's gonna bless.
00:54:00.14\00:54:01.47
You know, what
you just said is...
00:54:01.50\00:54:02.84
Yeah, but here's
a couple of things.
00:54:02.87\00:54:04.91
What you just said is so true
00:54:04.94\00:54:07.18
that when we go often,
00:54:07.21\00:54:10.95
it is people want to be heard.
00:54:10.98\00:54:13.62
They want to just some
have someone talk to them.
00:54:13.65\00:54:16.52
This is why
00:54:16.55\00:54:17.89
you can invite somebody to
Sabbath School or to church,
00:54:17.92\00:54:21.26
or the reason I think
00:54:21.29\00:54:23.16
evangelistic series
are not more successful
00:54:23.19\00:54:27.93
as far as attendance is,
00:54:27.96\00:54:30.73
for the most part,
people rely on flyers.
00:54:30.77\00:54:34.10
A, a flyer doesn't get
anybody to the meetings.
00:54:34.14\00:54:37.94
If your church is
having an evangelistic session,
00:54:37.97\00:54:41.64
you need to be more than
00:54:41.68\00:54:43.01
just somebody
that's a row counter
00:54:43.04\00:54:44.41
or whatever.
00:54:44.45\00:54:45.78
What you need to do is
reach out and personally
00:54:45.81\00:54:50.25
invite somebody
00:54:50.29\00:54:51.92
and tell them you're
gonna come pick them up.
00:54:51.95\00:54:55.06
Because I mean that's...
00:54:55.09\00:54:57.19
I'll tell you what, because
people do come in from flyers,
00:54:57.23\00:54:59.46
of course, but
what would be great
00:54:59.49\00:55:00.93
is if we didn't have to,
00:55:00.96\00:55:02.26
it almost seems
like a binary either,
00:55:02.30\00:55:03.63
either we're
gonna invite our friends
00:55:03.67\00:55:05.00
or we're just gonna do
billboards and handouts
00:55:05.03\00:55:06.37
and say, but friends,
why don't we do everything?
00:55:06.40\00:55:08.54
Why don't we put
those flyers to use?
00:55:08.57\00:55:10.24
And back them up with
a personal invitation,
00:55:10.31\00:55:12.04
put a little literature,
00:55:12.07\00:55:13.41
meet your people
at that water cooler.
00:55:13.48\00:55:15.04
But you're
absolutely right that personal
00:55:15.08\00:55:17.81
and tiny little 30
seconds speech on this.
00:55:17.85\00:55:21.15
In the same way I said,
00:55:21.18\00:55:22.52
we're shoving everything
into the worship service now.
00:55:22.55\00:55:24.29
And it's killing
Sabbath School and outreach
00:55:24.32\00:55:25.85
and prayer meeting,
all those other things.
00:55:25.89\00:55:27.36
We do the same thing
with the evangelistic meeting.
00:55:27.39\00:55:29.66
We expect every phase
of the evangelistic process
00:55:29.69\00:55:32.26
to be done in a
three week window.
00:55:32.29\00:55:34.40
So we want to
prepare the soil of the heart
00:55:34.46\00:55:36.53
and we want to, you know,
00:55:36.56\00:55:38.23
offer the, you know,
sow the seed of truth,
00:55:38.27\00:55:40.40
and we wanna
cultivate it through Bible study
00:55:40.44\00:55:42.04
and we wanna call for decisions
00:55:42.07\00:55:43.41
and see them be
baptized members of the church,
00:55:43.47\00:55:45.31
starting from zero to
baptize in three weeks time.
00:55:45.34\00:55:48.94
And then they'll say, well,
see evangelism doesn't work.
00:55:48.98\00:55:51.85
Come on,
evangelism is doing fine.
00:55:51.88\00:55:54.28
It's the
evangelists who aren't working.
00:55:54.32\00:55:56.28
And I don't mean
the public evangelists.
00:55:56.32\00:55:57.69
I mean the personal, the
local congregations. Yes.
00:55:57.72\00:55:59.55
The pastors too, the
elders, the minister,
00:55:59.59\00:56:01.49
the lay leaders,
even the volunteer.
00:56:01.52\00:56:04.36
You might even hold a
position in the church,
00:56:04.39\00:56:06.59
but are you out doing
00:56:06.63\00:56:08.23
what the Lord has given
you the opportunity to do?
00:56:08.26\00:56:10.50
And you can't just sit on
the sidelines and cast stones
00:56:10.57\00:56:12.83
at a thing that
you're not contributing to.
00:56:12.87\00:56:14.34
So come on, let's get it.
00:56:14.37\00:56:15.70
Let's get some skin in the game.
00:56:15.74\00:56:17.11
Armchair quarterbacks,
two quick questions
00:56:17.14\00:56:18.64
'cause we've only got
00:56:18.67\00:56:20.01
a couple of minutes left, but...
00:56:20.08\00:56:21.41
Are you serious?
00:56:21.44\00:56:22.78
Well, in this hour,
00:56:22.81\00:56:24.15
we're gonna be
back for a second hour.
00:56:24.18\00:56:25.51
We hope your questions are,
00:56:25.55\00:56:26.88
texts those
questions in (618) 228-3975,
00:56:26.92\00:56:31.02
or email us at live@3abn.tv.
00:56:31.05\00:56:35.22
But I have to tell you this.
00:56:35.26\00:56:36.66
There was someone
00:56:36.73\00:56:38.26
who was on the president
of the White House cabinet,
00:56:38.29\00:56:42.20
this cabinet member.
00:56:42.23\00:56:43.83
I had the
opportunity to meet him
00:56:43.87\00:56:45.40
right after he retired,
00:56:45.43\00:56:47.20
big time in another church.
00:56:47.24\00:56:48.70
You know what he said to me?
00:56:48.74\00:56:50.47
I mean, he's not a
Seventh-day Adventist,
00:56:50.51\00:56:52.41
but he watched
3ABN all the time.
00:56:52.44\00:56:54.71
And he said, "I
like your teaching."
00:56:54.74\00:56:56.71
He said,
00:56:56.75\00:56:58.08
"One thing I've learned
about Seventh-day Adventist."
00:56:58.11\00:56:59.91
He said, I don't wanna get,
and he's high up in his church.
00:57:00.05\00:57:04.02
He said,
00:57:04.05\00:57:05.39
"I never wanna get into a Bible
00:57:05.42\00:57:08.29
question and answer with him
00:57:08.32\00:57:09.86
because he said,
00:57:09.89\00:57:11.23
most churches
don't know their Bibles
00:57:11.26\00:57:13.36
like Seventh-day Adventists do."
00:57:13.43\00:57:15.23
And that's the
advantage of Sabbath School
00:57:15.26\00:57:19.23
is going through
that Adult Bible Study.
00:57:19.27\00:57:22.94
Now I'll tell you what?
00:57:22.97\00:57:24.31
You can see he's
lightened a flame already.
00:57:24.34\00:57:27.84
Join us for the second hour.
00:57:27.88\00:57:29.54
And we're gonna see resources
00:57:29.58\00:57:31.78
and some things that you can do
00:57:31.81\00:57:33.82
to make your
Sabbath school ALIVE!
00:57:33.85\00:57:37.19
Amen.
00:57:37.22\00:57:40.06
See you in a sec.
00:57:40.09\00:57:41.56