Seventh-day Adventists were among representatives from more than 100 Christian denominations who met in Edinburgh, Scotland last month to envision the future of world mission.
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The event marks 100 years since the first Edinburgh World Missionary Conference, considered a watershed in the collaborative shaping of mission.
While several Adventists attended the 1910 conference as delegates, church leaders participated for the first time this year, a testament to the denomination's reputation for outreach, said Ganoune Diop, director of the Adventist Church's Global Mission Study Centers.
"World Christianity can no longer address mission without factoring in the impact of Adventist mission worldwide," said Diop, who co-chaired the Foundations of Mission session, one of nine session themes during the conference.
Other topics included Christian mission among other faiths, mission and postmodernists, Christian communities in contemporary contexts and authentic discipleship.
Delegates -- among them Adventists Cheryl Doss, director of the church's Institute of World Mission; and John McVay, New Testament scholar and Walla Walla University president -- represented 77 national entities, 65 countries of origin and 62 languages.
During the June 2 to 6 conference, delegates shaped mission and Christian witness in the 21st century, and also reviewed landmarks in mission since the 1910 conference. Among milestones profiled was the Adventist Church's medical ministry at Andrews Memorial Hospital during the 1940s in Jamaica, where today about one in 11 citizens is Adventist.
Diop said delegates learned to view mission as the "heartbeat of God," a "humbling and refreshing" experience.
Working with other faiths to propel mission at events such as the Edinburgh World Missionary Conference does not mean the church is compromising its distinct beliefs, doctrinal integrity or mission outreach, Diop said.
"Adventists are in fact encouraged to collaborate with any agency that promotes Christ," said Diop, referencing a statement in the church's Working Policy.*
"As Adventists, we are not part of the ecumenical movement. It is clear that we cannot be restricted in our doctrines and values, but the theme of this conference was witnessing, with Christ as a mobilizing force. That's certainly an area of commonality we can rally around," Diop said.
*"We recognize those agencies that lift of Christ before men as a part of the divine plan for evangelization of the world, and we hold in high esteem Christian men and women in other communions who are engaged in winning souls to Christ." [Working Policy, no. 75]
The apostacy which is rife in the Adventist Church today is a result of the church's collaboration with the so-called "those agencies that lift of Christ before men as a part of the divine plan..." Divine plan? Is it a divine plan for SDA Church to work with "those agencies that lift of Christ" who deliberately trample on God's immutable law? It is a hypocritical statement for the church to claim it is not compromising "its distinct beliefs" while it is equally yoked with unbelevers which the Bible warns of.The church claims"we are not part of the ecuminical movement" while it still attends and participates in their meetings under the pretence of being an observer;not a member of World Council of Churches but an observer.Who is fooling who? Why can't we heed the simple biblicical advice that we should stand and be seperate and that light has no connection with darkness? How can we spread the third's angel message to the world when we wine and dine with them?
The church is in this sordid state today because jesuits have succeeded in penetrating the church.They occupy influential positions in the church.They are wolves in sheep's clothing.They are not good shepherds like Jesus but hirelings who end up scattering the sheep(John 10:11-17).They have actually succeeded in scattering the flock.Today, we have various types and stripes of adventists.Like political ideologists,we now have conservatives and liberals among others.I earnestly long for the faith of our fathers;that old time religion that was good for Paul and Silas.I pray and hope that God will use our new president,Ted Wilson,to give it to those of us who want it.Those who worship God must worship Him in spirit and truth.May God save His church from apostacy.
Orlando,China | July 30, 2010 11:17 PM | Reply
good work keep it up
ogechi benson | August 9, 2010 5:15 AM | Reply
I agree with Orlando,China.....
Since 1957, with a few exceptions (1960, 1961, and 1975), the conference of secretaries of Christian world communions has met annually. It usually gathers the general secretaries of these bodies for fellowship and comparing notes together. In some years, they have also been able to discuss various mutual concerns including bilateral dialogues, the relationships between Bible societies and the CWCs, religious liberty and human rights, and the CWCs' commitment to the future of the ecumenical movement.
The annual meetings usually gather representatives of the following: The Anglican Communion, Baptist World Alliance, Disciples Ecumenical Consultative Council, The Ecumenical Patriarchate (Eastern Orthodox), General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, International Old Catholic Bishops' Conference, Lutheran World Federation, Mennonite World Conference, Moravian Church Worldwide Unity Board, The Moscow Patriarchate (Eastern Orthodox), Pentecostals, The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (Catholic Church), Reformed Ecumenical Council, The Salvation Army, Friends World Committee for Consultation, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, World Convention of Churches of Christ, World Evangelical Fellowship, and the World Methodist Council. The World Council of Churches is usually represented at the meetings.
But let your words be simply, Yes or No: and whatever is more than these is of the Evil One
Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.
Monica | August 9, 2010 10:39 AM | Reply
I LOVEEEE
Monica | August 9, 2010 10:52 AM | Reply
The apostacy which is rife in the Adventist Church today is a result of the church's collaboration with the so-called "those agencies that lift of Christ before men as a part of the divine plan..." Divine plan? Is it a divine plan for SDA Church to work with "those agencies that lift of Christ" who deliberately trample on God's immutable law? It is a hypocritical statement for the church to claim it is not compromising "its distinct beliefs" while it is equally yoked with unbelevers which the Bible warns of.The church claims"we are not part of the ecuminical movement" while it still attends and participates in their meetings under the pretence of being an observer;not a member of World Council of Churches but an observer.Who is fooling who? Why can't we heed the simple biblicical advice that we should stand and be seperate and that light has no connection with darkness? How can we spread the third's angel message to the world when we wine and dine with them?
Monica | August 9, 2010 10:55 AM | Reply