Adventists watch Follow the Bible launching at Church’s TV

Twelve thousand Adventists came together on Sabbath, October 11, at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila, Philippines but more than a hundred fold more of believers saw what transpired that day as Hope Channel reached homes in the Philippines and anywhere in the world.

“It’s about midnight here in California but we will not go to sleep until the program is finished,” said Teofilo Alcorin, a retired financial officer of the Adventist Church in Western Mindanao and has migrated to the United States. “We praise God for Hope Channel because we are connected with our brethren in the Philippines,” he added.

“We were so glad seeing our church leaders extol the Bible as the greatest source of inspiration at a time when financial crisis seem to dim our existence, ” said Joan Dumanon-Brabant from Reunion Island, South Africa as she and her family watched the proceedings at Hope Channel via the Internet.

Timed with the Seventh-day Adventist world church’s annual council meetings in the Philippines, October 11 was special Sabbath for the Adventists as church leaders from around the world and church members in the Philippines came together for worship. In the afternoon of the Sabbath, the Follow the Bible initiative of the church was launched. It was here in the Philippines that the two-year trek of the Bible started and will stay in this country until November 17 when it goes to Jakarta, Indonesia on November 18. The complete trail within the southern Asia-Pacific region is shown here:

1. October 11, 2008 (Sabbath): Launching at the Araneta Coliseum, Manila, Philippines

2. October 18, 2008 (Sabbath) : AIIAS Church, Silang, Cavite, Philippines

3. October 25, 2008 (Sabbath morning): Bacolod Adventist Center, Bacolod City, in the morning and at Central Philippine Adventist College, Alegria, Murcia, Negros Occidental(Sabbath afternoon).

4. November 1, 2008 (Sabbath): East Visayan Academy Gymnasium, Cebu City, for Metro Cebu churches

5. November 8, 2008 (Sabbath): Adventist University of the Philippines, Puting Kahoy, Silang, Cavite for northern Philippine churches

6. November 18, 2008 (Wednesday): Jakarta, Indonesia for the West Indonesia Union Mission, in time for the church in West Indonesia Year-end Meetings

7. November 22, 2008 (Sabbath): Colombo, Sri Lanka for the Sri Lanka Mission, timed with the year-end meetings

8. November 26, 2008 (Wednesday): Cagayan de Oro City for the southern Philippines, timed with the year-end meetings

9. November 29, 2008 (Sabbath): Dhaka, Bangladesh for church in Bangladesh during the year-end meeting

10. December 3, 2008 (Wednesday): Yangon, Myanmar for MYUM in time for the year-end meeting

11. December 6, 2008 (Sabbath): Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia during the Sabbath afternoon of the Bi-Division ASI Convention

12. December 10, 2008 (Wednesday): Agaña Heights, Guam, USA for the churches in Guam Micronesia

13. December 13, 2008 (Sabbath): Singapore for the church in south-east Asia.

The Bible will continue its trek when the President of the Adventist Church in India will move it from Singapore to his region in southern Asia with its headquarters located in Tamil Nadu, India. [AND Staff | Photos courtesy of Rajmund Dabrowski]

Religion is pure and faultless, Adventist World President says

The world is ravaged by war. Thousands are laid destitute— mostly women and children. The numerous victims of these wars look for someone to lean on. How do we respond to this situation? The religion that Seventh-day Adventists profess becomes pure and faultless when it addresses and allows itself to respond to this world’s needs.

Thus said Dr. Jan Paulsen, president of the Adventist world church, to the graduating class at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS), during its baccalaureate service on October 4.

Dr Paulsen said further, “The truth that we keep dear must find its meaning in the life we live.” His baccalaureate message made impact on this international batch of graduates as they take home their academic degrees obtained from a university that understands cultural differences and yet sensitive to the varying degree of needs of every nationality.

“Religion is not primarily a collection of ideas but the quality of life we live and how this is translated into the lives of others,” Paulsen emphasized.

Pastor Paulsen was guest speaker at the baccalaureate service of the 91st graduating class at AIIAS. He was accompanied by church leaders from the world field that were here in the Philippines to participate in the business session of the world Adventist Church, October 10-15. [AND staff | Photo by Sonny Tambunan - Indonesia]

Church updates youth leaders, hold convention

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has specialized leadership training for its members.  Under the Pathfinder Club program,  church members, more particularly the youth, were trained to become Master Guides (MG).

Part of the requirements to get a MG status is to go through basic staff training.

Conducted on the campus of Bangladesh Adventist Seminary and College (BASC), on September 9-11, the basic training was participated in by 40 youth directors, pathfinder directors, school principals and MGs themselves who wanted to update their skills in the trade.

An eastern style of welcoming guests was performed at the start of the event.  Pastor Jobbie D. Yabut, youth director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the southern Asia Pacific region (SSD), was afforded this special treatment along with all participants.

In his worship message, Pastor Yabut challenged the master guides to organize pathfinder and adventurer clubs. “This is the best way to keep the chain of qualified leaders continue.”

The highlight of the event included physical fitness through the morning drills and marches led by MG Wiley G. Falia, formerly youth director for the Bangladesh Church (BAUM).

The training sessions touched on several topics as required by the course.

Immediately after the basic staff training the country-wide Master Guide convention was held.  Held for the second time in Bangladesh, this September 11-14 gathering had 120 Master Guides committing themselves to organize Pathfinder and Adventurer Clubs in their places of work.

“Our experiences here are exhilarating. Because of the ‘life-time’ event that renewed our dedication to become guides of good deeds,” the MGS were heard saying.

The convention delegates were teachers, office secretaries, retired workers, lay members and students.

“Your coming to BASC has inspired us greatly,” welcomed Dr. Myun Ju Lee, BASC president. “And we hope you too will be inspired as you stay with us during this convention.”

Presenters besides Pastor Yabut were Charles V Raksham, a nurse who graduated from the Adventist University of the Philippines; MGs Rontgen P. Bala, education director; Ashish K. Bol, stewardship director, all of BAUM; MG Sukanto B. Bayen, youth director for Kellogg Mookerjee Memorial School; and MG Timothy Roy, principal, Seventh-day Adventist Maranatha Seminary.

Preceding the video presentation on Friday evening was an interview of the four field youth directors conducted by MG Milton Das, BAUM youth director.

The video presentation gave the delegates a good glimpse of the Pathfinders and Adventurers activities around the world. The theme song, “Carry your candle, run to the darkness, Go light your world” enjoined everyone to kindle their flames to lighten the dark corners that others may see Jesus in their lives.

Preaching on Sabbath, MG Yabut emphasized that every Pathfinder can be a light unto others as he challenged them to “go and light your world!”

On Saturday afternoon, 12 Master Guide candidates were invested.  They and the other participants were challenged by Robert N Sircar, youth director for the Dhaka Church to be true to their calling as they Sabbath ushered into the start of another week. Pastor Das thanked the participants and the BASC administration for the success of this convention. [Milton Das/AND | Photos courtesy of SSD and BAUM Youth Department]

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