ANN Video transcript - March 23, 2012

This week on Adventist News Network … young Adventists lead a massive outreach project in Peru

… A long-distance runner in Kenya finds opportunities for witness

… and fifty years of music ministry for a Brazilian Adventist quartet.

These stories and more, coming up.

This is Adventist News Network, a service of the Seventh-day Adventist world church. Thanks for joining us this week.

We begin this week with a massive outreach project in Peru. More than twenty thousand Adventist students committed a week or more of their vacation to participate in service projects and evangelism in the city of Lima. Dressed in matching red polo shirts, young Mission Caleb volunteers planted thousands of trees, built housing for low-income residents, cleaned parks and donated blood to five area hospitals. They also shared copies of The Great Hope with friends and neighbors. The book is an adapted version of church co-founder Ellen White’s classic, The Great Controversy. In the evenings, young people helped lead thousands of evangelism meetings held in churches, auditoriums, parks and garages across Lima, a metropolitan area of more than eight million people.

Adventist world church President Ted Wilson wrapped up a recent tour of Africa with stops in Burundi, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Wilson visited numerous church building projects in the region, including the future site of an Adventist hospital in Burundi. National leaders are urging the church to hasten construction due to a great need for hospitals and clinics there. The country is recovering and rebuilding infrastructure after decades of political unrest. Later, in Ethiopia, Wilson donned a safety helmet to lay a name plaque for another proposed building. The fourteen-story multipurpose building in Addis Ababa is expected to house new headquarters for the church in Ethiopia. Adventists in Zimbabwe gathered to welcome Wilson at Harare International Airport. The world church leader said it was a privilege to visit the country and urged members there to let their hope in Christ’s soon return guide their daily lives.  
“May that be the theme of our beautiful weekend together here in the beautiful country of Zimbabwe.  May it fill your heart with, not only enthusiasm and hope for the future, may it help you in the present to live the kind of life that Jesus wants you to live, as a witness for Him, growing everyday to become more and more like Him through the Holy Spirit’s power.”

While in Africa, Wilson also met with marathon runners training in Eldoret, Kenya, near the church’s University of Africa, Baraton. Long-distance runners from around the world gather in the region for altitude training. Many of them are Olympic athletes. Kenya’s high elevation gives them an edge during competitions held closer to sea level. Adventist Church member Sammy Korir is one of the runners. Korir says his seventeen years of long-distance running have given him many opportunities to witness. Fellow competitors often ask why he doesn’t train or compete on Saturday, or the seventh-day Sabbath. When he explains that God provides other opportunities, Korir says they respect his faith and his commitment to serve God first. Korir is active in his local church and recently helped build a church school, which his children now attend.

“The young ones, to struggle a lot and do the practice and they have to serve the Lord first so that He can provide everything, if you turn to self first you cannot have anything but you have to serve God first.”

A Brazilian Adventist quartet is celebrating fifty years of music ministry. The Arautos do Rei men’s quartet celebrated the milestone with a reunion concert attended by more than ten thousand people. The group began in nineteen sixty-two as the Brazilian counterpart to the American singing group, The King’s Heralds. Over the last five decades, the group has changed members twenty-six times and recorded forty-five albums. The reunion concert aired on the Adventist Church’s official television network in Brazil, Novo Tempo, and via live webcast. The concert featured previous quartet members joining the current group to perform contemporary hits as well as many old favorites.

Adventist Community Services is coordinating relief efforts in the wake of the deadliest series of tornadoes the United States has seen in decades. The Disaster Relief arm of the agency for the Georgia-Cumberland region is stocking a warehouse of donated emergency supplies. In Tennessee, volunteer groups are removing fallen trees and other debris. Volunteers in Indiana have sorted six semitrailers of donated supplies. Adventist Community Service leaders in Ohio and Kentucky continue to assess needs. The tornadoes flattened homes, devastated infrastructure and claimed the lives of hundreds of residents in the southern U.S.

Adventists in Albania reached a digital milestone this year -- all the churches in the country now have their own blog, website or Facebook page. One of the church’s Facebook accounts has gained more than four thousand fans over several months. Albania’s pastor for web ministries Julian Kastrati says the push for online activity is important because one out of three Albanians is now on Facebook. Kastrati and fifty digital missionaries are working to establish friendships and provide quality online content. Church members say they’re already seeing the benefits. The Tirana Central Adventist Church recently gained two new members who found the congregation online. You can visit Life Connect dot info to learn more about digital ministry in Albania.

Operation Open Heart medical volunteers recently returned from Myanmar after training local medical staff to care for cardiac patients there. The project is a ministry of Sydney Adventist Hospital in Australia and has provided more than three thousand free heart surgeries to underserved patients. They’ve completed operations in thirteen countries. The latest trip focused more on skill training than surgeries, thanks to Myanmar’s emerging cardiac program. The team refitted the Yangon General Hospital Intensive Care Unit with better monitoring equipment and oversaw life support training courses at the city’s two hospitals. Myanmar trip Project Leader Chris Waite says the trip benefited from a team of dedicated volunteers.

When we continue after the break, the history behind Christian words like “amen” and “hallelujah.”

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There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer and the morning more fragrant than ever.

Of all life seasons childhood is the most beautiful.

Children are the living messages we send to time we will not see.

Blessed in deed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father.

A child can ask a thousand questions that the wisest man cannot answer.

When I approach a child, I have two thoughts, affection for what he is today and respect for what he can become.

There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child, there are seven million.

Children are one-third of our population and all of our future.

He called a little child to Him and placed the child among them and said, “truly, I tell you, unless you change and become like little children you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest of the kingdom of heaven and whoever welcomes one such child in my name, welcomes me.

Welcome back. Here’s Steve Chavez with a preview of this week’s edition of Adventist Review.
 
See if these names from the Old Testament sound familiar: Shammua, Shaphat, Igal, Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi, and Geuel.
Nothing? How about if I add Caleb and Joshua? That’s right: these are the 12 spies who went to spy out the Promised Land when the Children of Israel were on the very borders of Canaan.
This week’s cover story by Mark Ferrell, “Of Giants and Grasshoppers,” talks about the challenge—and adventure—of conquering by faith a territory inhabited by giants.
This week Drs. Allan Handysides and Peter Landless address an issue that most of us have to face three times a day: refined foods.
And while most of us have said, “amen,” “hallelujah,” “hosanna,” and “maranatha,” these ancient words have been part of Christianity’s vocabulary for thousands of years. Author Ray McAllister not only writes about where they came from, he also explains why they so often show up in our hymns, songs, and prayers.

This week’s Adventist Review also has two thoughtful editorials. In his, associate editor Gerald Klingbeil urges us to “seize the day!” Our online editor, Carlos Medley, reminds us of “The Piercing Question” God would ask all His followers.

And don’t forget to read Dale Finley Slongwhite’s story about looking “Through a Glass Darkly.” I’m sure you’ll be able to identify.

These and other features, plus the March issue of KidsView, are available in this week’s Adventist Review. Read it online at www.AdventistReview.org.  Happy reading!

Now let’s turn to Megan Brauner for this week’s Adventist social media highlights.

This week in social media, we’ve been talking about ways to boost your church’s presence on the web. We shared an Adventist Today story about a study from Andrews University that said 32 percent of pastors in North America said they don’t have a website.
Here’s what you had to say about that on Twitter:
@AngeloJGrasso asked how many of the churches in that 68 percent had attractive, up to date sites, while Rodlie estimated that less than 5 percent are decent looking.
@KReyne says many churches that do have social media involvement have no idea why they are doing it.
You also had suggestions for churches struggling with digital ministry.
@Conrad_L said churches should get a young person to set up their website and give them a chance to use their skills for ministry.
@BeALyght agreed that youth should be involved, saying many young adults are bored because they aren’t given any fun ministry responsibilities.
@iStoryWriter recommended social media teams of three for accountability, variety and frequency. She says teams are curators and sharers of good info.
@WalterMelo says churches should start by defining a target, creating a strategy and praying hard.
@SarasotaAdventist shared their online success story about multiple visitors that they receive at their church every month due to their web presence.
And we want to hear more of your online success stories. Join the conversation on Twitter with @adventistnews

Through trips, classes and field schools, the church’s Geoscience Research Institute is grooming Adventist teachers worldwide for teaching creation in the classroom. Justin Woods has more.

“It’s the world’s most famous geologic fault, the San Andres fault passes through California from the South of Los Angeles all the way to San Francisco.  There are a limited number of places where it is clearly visible on the surface.  The Geoscience research institute headquarters is located near a prime area to view the San Andres fault, so scientists from GRI along with students from Loma Linda University were happy to work with the North American Division Education department organizing a field trip for teachers to view the fault.  Over one hundred sixty teachers participated in the trip traveling from Ontario California up into the Cajon pass where the San Andres vault splits the San Bernardino mountains in two.  Here, teachers were able to collect interesting minerals, see how the fault has impacted the regions geology and appreciate the forces at work in our dynamic earth.  Scientists working for the Geo Science Research institute engage in diverse educational activities.  Classes are taught on Adventist campuses as widespread as the Adventist University of Africa and the Adventist International Institute for advanced studies in the Philippines.  In addition, GRI conducts field schools to insure that Adventist teachers are the best prepared in the world to teach our students about creation.  The next GRI field school will be held during 2014 in Calgary, Canada.  For more information sign up for the GRI news letter by emailing info at GRISDA dot org.”  

Still ahead on Adventist News Network, supporting the church’s worldwide publishing ministry.

But up next, one pastor makes the case for Facebook ministry.   

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I was reading the Great Hope and this phrase caught my attention, “The only safe course was to cherish the light which they had already received of God – Hold fast to His promises and continue to search the scriptures and patiently wait and watch to receive further light.”  This phrase gives me so much hope because I know that Jesus is coming soon.  I know it seems like it is taking a while but I just hold on to His promises and I cling fast to them.  In Ezekiel 12 the Lord says that He will not prolong His words any longer but He will do what He says.  I have so much faith and I just want to hold on to it and for it not to be shaken because I know the Lord will do what He says.

Welcome back. Facebook might not be the new pulpit, but as Kirsten Oster-Lundqvist explains, it is an emerging ministry for pastors.

“Why would I as a pastor spend time on Facebook?  Often the media portray a negative side of Facebook but as a pastor working in South England, I have found, when used intentionally Facebook can be an efficient emerging ministry especially to the younger generation.  Ministry is after all relational and social network sites provide unique opportunities for ministry where people are.  It is today’s digital market square.  I have observed how young adults and teens digital identity often reflects their faith and their spirituality as their religious views are freely shared they are creating scared spaces in the midst of life practicing a holistic faith identity in a very secular world.  Teens and young adults are initially not comfortable approaching the pastor but when part of the social network, the pastor is accessable and present in their lives in a real and authentic manner making everybody, even the pastor real.  In my experience Facebook doesn’t lend itsef to function as a preaching platform but rather a sharing of experiences, more like the church for you than the pulpit.  Facebook provides an opportunity to develop relationships where people are and is when used intentionally a technology for journeying with people just where they are … just like Jesus.”

Now let’s find out what you can look forward to in the April edition of KidsView. Here’s Wilona Karimabadi.

Hey everyone, so what can you look forward to on our April edition of KidsView?  Lots.  First off, did you know that ordinary playground equipment can also double as a state-of-the art gym?  That’s right.  We’ve got a great workout for kids to do at school with their teachers or at a park with their parents.  It is guaranteed to help turn out happy, healthy and strong little bodies.  In addition, we’ve also got a very thoughtful devotional written for kids by a kid on Spring and what the season tells us about God, as always we’ve got inspirational stories from Adventist Mission and Heritage and our very popular kids calendar for all this and more be sure to visit us at www.kidsviewmag.org and don’t forget to find us on Facebook.

The Adventist Church offers two publications to support its publishing ministry worldwide. Viviene Martinelli has more.

The Publishing Ministries Department produces 2 publications to promote the churchs’ mission around the world: The Literature Evangelist and the Publishing Digest.

The Literature Evangelist is a magazine intended especially for literature evangelists. Most of the articles are positive testimonies meant to encourage and inspire literature evangelists in the work they do. A Professional Growth section gives guidance and helpful tips about how literature evangelists can be successful in their ministry.

The magazine is published quarterly, and more than 13 thousand copies are delivered around the world in English alone. Additional copies are distributed in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Russian, Indonesian, and other languages.

For administrators and publishing leaders, we produce The Publishing Digest, a monthly newsletter that provides information about what’s happening in division publishing departments. It’s used as a means to keep leaders updated and give them ideas and strategies that can be implemented in their areas. 

The newsletter is sent via e-mail. To read both The Literature Evangelist and the Publishing Digest, readers can also access the Publishing Ministries Department Web site at publishing.gc.adventist.org.

When we come back, an ANN viewer reports on a recent prayer conference.

And later in the program, reaching rural Asia with the Adventist hope. 

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The Great Controversy project is an exciting opportunity for every Seventh-day Adventist believer to widely spread the good news of God’s plan of redemption.  If it is presented in love and in a caring manor people will receive it in a very fine way, the Holy Spirit can then touch their hearts as they read it and they will understand their place in history and the nearness of Jesus’ coming.

Welcome back. Here’s Sergio Gonzales with this week’s iShare report.

Welcome to iShare, where you bring us the news. This week, North America’s Associate Director for Youth Ministries Manny Cruz sent us a story from the Just Claim It prayer conference. In addition to worship and Bible study, the conference reached out to the community through service. Youth Director James Black tells us more:

This is very unique, ministry is not complete unless we impact our community, as you know, we have some of the finest young people anywhere, they are in church every Sabbath, they are part of a lot of things but sometimes I believe that the church is not as connected to the community as it needs to be so part of the vision for this was coming to Greensborough, North Carolina and letting this city know that we are not just coming here to worship and praise, we want to come here and impact your city.  Coming to a facility like this is going to impact so many lives, they cannot do  - you see the stuff packed up, they need many hands in order to make this happen so, part of it was just coming and taking these thousands of hands and just giving these folk a hand so they can really impact their community and we are glad for that.

My name is Candice Ziglar and I am from Pontiac Southside in Pontiac, Michigan.  It is nice to be able to contribute and do something, we are so blessed and we take all of these things for granted – just having cloths to wear to an interview so it feels good to be able to contribute.

Thank you, Manny for sending us that iShare report. If you have a story you’d like to submit, visit us at news.adventist.org/ishare.. 

In nineteen eighty-five, the church’s radio ministry expanded to Guam. Dowell Chow explains how a flagship studio there reaches remote areas of Asia.

Adventist World Radio started in 1971, on a rented facility in Sinas, Portugal.  Years after being there, we moved to Guam in 1985 to build our own station.  Since 1987 we commissioned that station under the name of KSDA shortwave Guam. Today, that station is our flagship transmitter site around the world.  We also rent facilities in South Africa, in Madagascar, Twain and some parts in Europe to reach other parts of the world but Guam is our main station and from Guam we reach many parts of the world especially Asia.  Guam is a huge campus with four major curtain antennas, when I say curtain antennas; I am talking about huge network of cables and all kinds of arrays to build this antenna.  It is not the typical vertical antenna or horizontal antenna, this is high frequency gear which allows us to reach deep into far away places into Asia.  This is what we have to serve the world in that part of the world and today Guam is our main broadcasting site and we will continue doing that to reach china, Korea and other parts of the world with the Advent message.    

Now let’s turn to David Trim for a look at Adventist history. This week, church co-founder Ellen White promotes race relations within the church.

This week in Adventist history was the week that Seventh-day Adventists began to confront their own prejudices.

On March 21, 1895, at 4 pm Ellen White addressed thirty top church administrators at the 29th General Conference Session in Battle Creek, Michigan. She urged them to establish a mission program for African Americans in the Southern region of the United States.  Her address, entitled “Our Duty to the Colored People”, was based on a profound application of the Trinitarian Christology that White had embraced from the 1888 GC Session; in it, she recounted a vision she had received on race relations five years earlier, in 1890 which she summed up in the theme “All Ye Are Brethren”; and she condemned the church for practicing racial discrimination and not doing more for mistreated blacks. She declared: “Sin rests upon us as a church …. It will always be a difficult matter to deal with the prejudices of the white people in the South. But the way this matter has been treated by some is an offense to God.” Nothing could be a more powerful rebuke to prejudice than her words: “Birth, station, nationality, or color cannot elevate or degrade men. The character makes the man.” And, we could add, the woman.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is still struggling to live up to this vision, which is also the vision of Galatians 3:28; but it has had good guidelines on the issue of discrimination since this week in 1895.

Thanks for watching Adventist News Network. Join us next week for more news from the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

We also want to thank you for supporting one of the Adventist Church’s newest websites, answered dot tv. Last week, we invited you to watch the website’s stories of lives transformed through prayer. Two thousand of you downloaded the stories over the weekend and shared them with your friends on Facebook and Twitter. You can keep checking the site for new videos each week.

And, as always, you can visit news dot Adventist dot org for daily news and videos.

On ANN Video, we want to bring you not only relevant church news and information, but also the good news found in the Bible. So we’ll be closing our episodes from now on with a passage from Scripture. Our good news for this week comes from First Corinthians chapter nine. It’s a passage our marathon runners from earlier in in the broadcast would probably find relevant. The passage reads, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So run with purpose in every step.” Until next week, God bless.

-- transcribed by Carol Little 

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