SAU Accreditation: Master of Global Community Development

In March we shared that Southern Adventist University had launched a new graduate program – Master of Global Community Development. This program has now received accreditation and is accepting applications. SAU reports:

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions, has recently given Southern its blessing to begin enrolling students for a new interdisciplinary studies graduate program. The Master’s of Science in Global Community Development curriculum emphasizes research, entrepreneurship, empowerment, and Christian witnessing as key components in creating sustainable change.

[COMPLETE ARTICLE]

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Week’s Links

SDA VOICES

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White: Redeemed for Service

What “talents” has God given you? How are you using them to serve God and humanity? Here are excerpts from the chapter “Talents” in Christ’s Object Lessons.

Christ’s followers have been redeemed for service. Our Lord teaches that the true object of life is ministry. Christ Himself was a worker, and to all His followers He gives the law of service–service to God and to their fellow men. Here Christ has presented to the world a higher conception of life than they had ever known. By living to minister for others, man is brought into connection with Christ. The law of service becomes the connecting link which binds us to God and to our fellow men. (p. 326)

To His servants Christ commits “His goods”–something to be put to use for Him. He gives “to every man his work.” Each has his place in the eternal plan of heaven. (p. 326)

Not more surely is the place prepared for us in the heavenly mansions than is the special place designated on earth where we are to work for God. (p. 327)

None need lament that they have not received larger gifts; for He who has apportioned to every man is equally honored by the improvement of each trust, whether it be great or small. (p. 328)

The talents, however few, are to be put to use. The question that most concerns us is not, How much have I received? but, What am I doing with that which I have? The development of all our powers is the first duty we owe to God and to our fellow men. No one who is not growing daily in capability and usefulness is fulfilling the purpose of life (pp. 329-330)

True education is the preparation of the physical, mental and moral powers for the performance of every duty; it is the training of body, mind, and soul for divine service. (p. 330)

Reflection Questions

  1. What talents do I recognize God has given me? How am I developing and using these?
  2. When have I experienced connection with God and others while serving?
  3. How can I “develop my powers” today?
  4. In what ways have I seen God leading me in “true education” lately?
  5. Who needs my encouragement to develop their talents and to use them for serving others?
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Refugee Awareness Sabbath (June 15, 2013)

“North American Division Adventist Refugee and Immigrant Ministries invites churches across North America to promote Refugee Awareness in connection with the annual June 20 World Refugee Day established by the United Nations, and to give generously to special NAD offerings for Multi-lingual Ministries June 8, 2013 and NAD Evangelism June 29, 2013. For more information, resources, and ideas see www.RefugeeMinistries.org or contact Terri Saelee at (608) 443-6575 or Terri.Saelee@nad.adventist.org.”

The above quote is from an announcement on the back cover of the June 2013 edition (PDF) of the Lake Union Herald. Relevant articles include:

  • A Divine Strategy: Reading People Beyond Our Reach (Terri Saelee, 12-14)
  • God Loves Refugees (Terri Saelee, 15-17)
  • Reach the World from Here (Aye Aye, 18)
  • Expanding the Kingdom: Planting New Churches from around the World (Terri Saelee, 19-20)

Last year for Refugee Awareness Sabbath, my wife and I were invited to speak for Saturday evening vespers at her parent’s congregation, sharing our experiences with refugees and other recent immigrants. After sunset we watched the film God Grew Tired of Us in one of the Sabbath School classrooms. Leading up to that Sabbath, the congregation had been collecting a number of items to support refugee youth.

How will you congregation observe Refugee Awareness Sabbath? Tell us your story.

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AToday Viewpoints Interview Series — Laila Mickelwait (Part 2)

The latest conversation in the Adventist Today Viewpoints Interview Series is now online — Laila Mickelwait, Part 2 (11 June 2013). Here is an excerpt:

Jeff: You and your husband are involved with New Reality International. Tell me about this nonprofit.

Laila: We founded New Reality International back in 2007. Before that time I was deciding what I wanted to do with my life and I was really focused on being what the world would call “successful.” I was living in Southern California and I wanted to be an entertainment contract lawyer in Hollywood, make a lot of money and live in Malibu. I had a powerful encounter with Jesus at that time, during my college years, and became a new person. God really started leading me in a completely different direction, and as I sought Him and really began to devour His word in scripture everything changed. I started to read the words He spoke and to take them literally. I felt like He was speaking powerfully to me that He wasn’t saying these things for people to contemplate as some abstract spiritual principles but He actually meant what He said when He told us to care for the homeless, the poor, to give water to the thirsty, to fight for the oppressed and to release the captives.

He wasn’t just saying that for people to have a nice spiritual idea to ponder, but he really actually meant it. So I took that and asked God, “What do you want me to do?” He led me to found New Reality International. We began doing medical and dental outreach, because as most Adventist young people do, I had a lot of friends in the healthcare professions. We gathered a group of friends with the same heart, and we started going out and doing outreach projects around the world to the poorest of the poor, looking for the most vulnerable, those suffering from extreme poverty without any help.

[COMPLETE INTERVIEW]

Learn more at the NRI website and Facebook.

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Personal and Social–Micro and Macro

I perceive within the Adventist community, a tendency to focus on personal issues (micro) while paying much less attention to social issues (macro). That is, we tend to focus on the individual rather than on the wider social ramifications or context. This is my perception of a general pattern. I readily admit that my assertion is quite open for debate, but here I share three examples that I believe illustrate this pattern. All three relate to “consumption” in some way.

I don’t believe “either/or” thinking is the wisest mentality for considering these three topics, even though I’m using a “versus” approach. I believe “both/and” is more helpful with these three dichotomies; however, I speak of these dualities to demonstrate how I believe we tend to favor one aspect over the other. One day, may we hold both.

(1) Vegetarianism–personal health versus environmental stewardship.

In 2010 I wrote a series of “social justice” articles for Spectrum Magazine (list). I invited Andrew Gerard to write about vegetarianism. Instead of analyzing heart disease, cholesterol or longevity, we agreed that he should explore broader ethical issues of vegetarianism. This he did well, I felt. But the resulting comments quickly went down roads not mapped out in his post. Most respondents, it seemed, wanted to either make the issue about personal salvation or personal health, and then either honor it as such or throw it out on the same grounds. Very few expressed agreement or concern for the wider environmental issues at play. Commenters focused on the micro, while Andrew had worked to shed light on the macro level.

(2) Diet–personal health versus needs of all.

This is quite similar to the first example, but this turns from environmental concerns to the related topic of world hunger or food security. These are surely related issues, but two cookbooks demonstrate the difference in focus that I have in mind. These are two cookbooks that we own and appreciate. They are in our stack of most-used books. First, we use Give Them Something Better: America’s Longest Living Culture Shares their Family Secrets (Frain & Howard). Like most Adventist cookbooks, including one my grandmother wrote, this focuses on health. In contrast, we also use More-with-Less: Recipes and suggestions by Mennonites on how to eat better and consume less of the world’s limited food resources (Longacre). Notice the difference–eating for personal health (SDA cookbook) or eating in ways that enable others to have what they need (Mennonite cookbook). “Live simply so others can simply live.”

To be sure, we have these macro teachings in our “red books,” but these aspects don’t get as much air-play in our subculture. Note Ellen White’s words in The Desire of Ages that connect personal habits and tastes with their impact on the wider needs of humanity:

If men today were simple in their habits, living in harmony with nature’s laws, as did Adam and Eve in the beginning, there would be an abundant supply for the needs of the human family. There would be fewer imaginary wants, and more opportunities to work in God’s ways. But selfishness and the indulgence of unnatural taste have brought sin and misery into the world, from excess on the one hand, and from want on the other. (“Give Ye Them to Eat“, p. 367; emphasis added)

Both foci are good. As I said, I hope we can embrace both a concern for the micro and the macro, the personal and the societal. We can eat well for personal health and the environment, while also eating and living simply so others can have their needs met as well. Interestingly, vegetarianism has implications for all of these dimensions.

(3) Baptismal Vow–drug trafficking versus human trafficking.

This weekend we had the pleasure of attending a baptism for two sisters. I understand that different Adventists often struggle with different aspects of the long-form vows (and I’ve never seen the shorter list used), but for me #10 is what gets under my skin:

10. Do you believe that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that you are to honor God by caring for your body, avoiding the use of that which is harmful, abstaining from all unclean foods, from the use, manufacture, or sale of alcoholic beverages, the use, manufacture, or sale of tobacco in any of its forms for human consumption, and from the misuse of, or trafficking in, narcotics or other drugs?

As I’ve written on this blog previously, I do greatly value the biblical teaching that the human body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (link). But I do have a critique here: Besides the wording that sounds like a UN treaty, why are these the only specific “sins” listed in all 13 statements? Truly, temperance has been an important aspect of our faith movement, but are these sins so grievous compared to others that they alone must be delineated in legal detail–”the use, manufacture, or sale of…”? And if trafficking in narcotics is expressly forbidden, why not trafficking in persons? That is the area that I work in, and honestly, it is much more troubling to me than what is listed in this vow.

I see this baptismal criteria as focusing on the individual’s body and the specific substances that go into said body. It is true that this vow could be seen in larger terms since drugs do have larger societal implications (think of the war on drugs), but I rarely if ever hear of these broader themes referenced in the church. I see this as another instance where we focus on the micro (e.g., cigarettes and our “stop smoking” campaigns) and ignore bigger issues (e.g., human trafficking and “stop sex slavery” campaigns).

Now I understand there are larger discussions about SDA baptismal vows, but for the sake of this post which is looking at my perception of our inclination to focus on micro issues at the expense of larger societal concerns, I think Jesus has wisdom for us: “You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former” (Matt. 23:23). After all, he said those words in this very context–micro (tithe on mint) and macro (justice).

Concluding Questions

What do you think? What examples can you share that argue for or against my perception? If my view is correct, how can we work to gain more of a balance in Adventist culture and values? How can we add societal concerns without losing sight of personal dimensions?

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June: Torture Awareness Month

The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) shares:

June is Torture Awareness Month – a time to recommit as people of faith to end torture in our backyards and around the world.  This year, our theme is “Healing a Culture of Torture,” encompassing the need to reflect, pray, and act in light of the deep physical and spiritual harm caused by torture.  The International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was named by the United Nations in June 26, 1997 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the date that the Convention Against Torture came into force.  Torture Awareness Month honors that day and extends the campaign throughout the month of June. (source)

NRCAT has a number of resources to be used during the month.

How might you and your congregation get involved?

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