World Church: "People Are What Matters," Paulsen Declares; New Center for Global Evangelism Announced
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"Our assignment is to move out, to reach out. People are what matters," declared Pastor Jan Paulsen, world president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in an opening address for the 91st annual council of church leaders on Oct. 10. |
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"People are what matters," declared Pastor Jan Paulsen, world president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in a keynote address opening the 91st annual council of church leaders on Oct. 10.
Pastor Armando Miranda, a general vice president and Pastor Matthew Bediako, secretary of the world church, offer motions at the start of the annual council of church leaders.
"Our assignment is to move out, to reach out. People are what matters," declared Pastor Jan Paulsen, president of the Seventh-day Adventist world church in an opening address for the 91st annual council of church leaders Oct. 10.
"God had at no time the intention that faith-hostile forces of a secular world, with its values, would be allowed to so encircle men and women that the rays of hope and the sound of the promises could not reach them," Dr. Paulsen said. "God is in the business of finding, reaching out for, loving, and saving people--lost people--who would have no future without God's help."
The world president's remarks came at the start of a concentrated agenda that will have 411 delegates and invited guests examine key issues facing a church where over 13 million people worldwide are baptized members, and a total of 20 million attend weekly worship. Discussions concerning higher education, church administration and key objectives will occupy many moments, but in his opening statement, Paulsen emphasized the core mission of the church, which is the mission of heralding Christ's soon return.
"Yes, we have a variety of business items to care for when we meet in council, but our primary business is to tell others--all others, including those difficult-to-reach peoples of the 10/40 window and in the highly secular post-modernistic world--it is our first business to tell them all about Jesus and his return; and what it means to live at this late and uncertain hour in history," he said.
Toward that goal, Paulsen announced that a proposal to set up a "Center of Global Evangelism" would be brought before the session. The center, to be located at the world church headquarters, will be led by a newly appointed director of world evangelism, he said.
"We see the establishment of this additional service at the General Conference as an attempt on our part to be creative and offer a broad range of ideas for witness and evangelism aiming both at ministry and laity," he told delegates. "It will seek and develop effective ways by which particularly the younger half of our world membership can define their use of time and resources in favor of witness and evangelism."
Paulsen noted that half of the 20 million who worship in the church are young people, and that they, along with all members, must "accept their ownership rights and responsibilities" as part of the church.
"We are surrounded--everywhere that I go--we are surrounded by a considerable force of youth in our churches," he added, having said earlier, "It is becoming increasingly clear to me and my colleagues that laity holds the key to the finishing of the work."
In addressing other matters, Paulsen noted recent and continuing discussions on the subject of science and faith, items that will be brought before church leadership next year. However, he emphasized that he knows of "nothing" that would move the church away from its traditional view of creation.
"But we will, in a congenial environment of shared faith and shared commitment to the Lord, and with mutual respect, talk about this matter and examine whether and how what we believe is impacted by views and 'findings' so-called," he said.
Yet while discussing difficult issues, Paulsen emphasized the need for the church to remember that while we may have our differences, we remain--always--a family united in Jesus Christ.
"It is good for us to learn to talk also about difficult things. It would be good, however, for all of us to remember that when we have corrected those who differed from us, we did not forget to call them 'brothers' and 'sisters', for that is what they are. Loved by Christ, and bonded in a love which keeps us together as a family. It is precisely that 'love of Christ', for us and in us, which will bring the best out of all of us," he added.
Expanding his view to a devotional thought for the Sabbath evening, Paulsen said that while the church, as a whole, must be "clear in our statements and teaching about the values we stand for and advocate," there must also be an emphasis on reaching out to a lost, hurting and dying world.
"I am as much concerned about how we relate to people who may not be part of our personally selected circle of friends," he added. "They may just be strangers, or they may be new to my group."
Paulsen said it was important--vital--to reach out to those in need, whatever their views, choices or affiliations. Quoting Ellen G. White, a founding pioneer of the church, he noted, "Our neighbors are not merely our neighbors and special friends, are not simply those who belong to our church or who think as we do. Our neighbors are the whole human family."
He said the Adventist Church would be "a more true and complete witness in the hands of the Holy Spirit, when our teachings and our standards of living, and our public evangelism, are complemented by the atmosphere and spirit of compassion and friendliness coming both from our church community and from me as an individual."
Concluding, he declared, "People who carried pain, anxiety and sorrow were drawn to Christ. Are they [drawn] to me and my church?"
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