We are preparing for our fellowship’s 1st year anniversary celebration this coming Saturday. In this event, we’re inviting relatives and friends to join us. This article from Rick Warren is a good description on how to balance worship in a seeker-sensitive environment.
Last Sunday’s symposium on the covenants was an event where the Holy Spirit showed force. He was present all the way. If you are intested in knowing exactly how God blessed that forum, email me at arnold [at] sabbathinchrist [dot] com.
I have 2 outlines intended for that forum. One is the initial outline. The second one is the outline provided by a good friend of mine. It is an integration of my first outline and his. I eventually used the latter.
You can download the Study on the Covenants outline here.
Old and New Covenants in Contrast
A Study Guide on the Covenants
“If being too bad is your excuse for not accepting God, well, it’s not good enough”.
- a quotation I heard from DZFE while working on my outline for tomorrow’s symposium
Yesterday, we were “trapped” into a conversation with a network marketer friend of ours. If you are in the Philippines, you know what I mean — enthusiastic, easy-earning, money-driven network of people recruiting other people to network people. Confused? :-)
We ‘unwillingly’ visited their office where we met people who will vocally talk in front of you, telling us how they were able to buy a brand new car in 8 months, the huge paycheck every week, and all those good-too-be-true stories. In fairness to them, I believe it’s true. And their networking scheme is not really comparable to those ‘evil’ schemes, as other’s term it.
What I’m really amazed of is the people behind this business. When they talk with you, you can see their passion. The way they talk you into their membership, amazing! You’ll be convinced. In fact, my wife is thinking about joining. :-)
They offer money, and they are very enthusiastic about it. I just wonder, why are people not very enthuisastic in offering something that is free — like eternal life perhaps?
I finally accepted an invitation from an Adventist-apologist friend I met over The Bereans forum sometime early this year. At first I am hesitant to speak about the New Covenant Theology in a symposium sponsored by Adventist Layman’s Bible Institute in Sta. Mesa Manila. Reasons are simple: first of, the audience will be there not to learn and see if this theological construct — which directly opposes the Adventist theology on the covenants, moreso with the Sabbath — has some light in it. They are going to be there to learn how to rebut the arguments. Secondly, the people who’s going to be present are composed of high profile laymen and pastors within the Adventist circle. I’m a simple student of the Word. And lastly, being there to preach the gospel of Jesus is going to be out of the question, it simply isn’t the place.
I prayed about it. And I believe the Holy Spirit is convicting me to proceed on, not with the purposes I mentioned above but purely for educational purposes. I think most of the audience are not aware of the New Covenant peace expressed in Jesus. I believe that creating an awareness is the first step to those who will be present. Most might reject it, but some might present some questions in their minds. I leave the results to the Holy Spirit.
I thank Pastor Dale Ratzlaff, author of the book Sabbath In Christ, for his email I received today — in his encouragements and prayers.
Btw, the symposium is on Nov. 30, Sunday.