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SUBJECT: An Alarming Trend Discovered
AUTHOR: David Gates, his wife Becky, and two of their five children - Carlos and Kristopher, work in a medical aviation program in the jungles of Guyana, South America.
DATE: January 22, 1999
AN ALARMING TREND DISCOVERED - The Inside Story
Alarmed at the rapidly growing interest in volunteer mission service among Seventh-day Adventist youth, a reporter uncovered the following details:
At Southern Adventist University, Nursing students are taking courses in pioneer medical mission work, while the Collegiate Theological Society is focusing on finishing "The Mission" at any cost. At Andrews University last week, a packed hall came to hear speakers from the GC Dept. of Global Mission, AU Dept. of Mission, The Quiet Hour, Adventist Frontier Mission, and Adventist World Aviation. A large prayer circle formed after the service to pray for a 1.6 million dollar airplane desperately needed by AWA to physically and spiritually feed the hungry in South Sudan. Imagine a large group of people with no money, willing to simply work for God, trusting him to provide for the needs. What could be causing this radical shift towards spirituality among SDA youth?
One explanation surfaced. It is being excitedly rumored that Bridegroom is coming! The world clock has already begun striking midnight. The Bridegroom's friends are going everywhere, urgently telling everyone to get ready. They themselves, with no time to lose, are busy buying lamp oil, purchasing pearls of great price, and acquiring fields with buried treasure. It appears that they will stop at nothing until "The Mission" has been accomplished. Outside observers, however, are not concerned, stressing that things are just as they have always been. There is no need for alarm.
Even some organizations appear to be affected by this distressing trend. At its annual board meeting last week, Adventist World Aviation Board members trimmed the Mission Statement and included a community-based medical and development focus designed to maximize evangelistic opportunities. Following its Mission Statement definition, came a strategic vote to hold all future decisions subservient to carrying forward its Mission. New AWA pilot/mechanics with conviction affirmed their commitment to that Mission in spite of personal loss or risk.
Can you imagine what it would mean to the completion of God's work if individuals were to make that same decision -- even at the risk of personal loss? Time and assets would be passionately poured into completing the Mission. Energy and resources now poured into adding and protecting soon-to-be-destroyed possessions would be re-invested in eternal interests. What if churches and church institutions also became infected with that same passion? What are buildings worth anyway, if not invested in The Mission? -- especially since any assets lost in pursual of the Mission are soon be amply restored by the Lord of the Mission.
Every person will soon be confronted with a decision to some kind of total commitment. No one will escape. This reporter hopes that this exposé will alert you to the fact that persons everywhere are making decisions of total commitment to one cause or another. Have you made yours?
Reported by David Gates
You may send E-mail to David at:
gates@andrews.edu or
GAMAS@solutions2000.net