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An  Urgent  Prophetic  Calling  

Video  recording—GC  Communication  Studio  

Ted  N.  C.  Wilson,  president  of  the  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  world  church  

My  brothers  and  sisters  in  Christ,  as  president  of  the  General  Conference  of  

Seventh-­‐day  Adventists,  it  gives  me  great  confidence  to  know  that  this  church  is  in  

God’s  hands.  He  is  its  Founder,  Leader,  Captain,  General,  and  its  true  Head.  He  has  

continually  guided  this  movement  in  the  past,  is  daily  sustaining  it  in  the  present,  

and  will  powerfully  lead  it  into  the  future.  Our  Creator,  Redeemer,  and  coming  King  

is  the  church’s  only  hope  for  today,  tomorrow,  and  forever.  He  has  providentially  

raised  this  church  up  for  a  unique  mission,  and  it  will  not  fail  in  rising  to  the  destiny  

for  which  Christ  created  it.  

  Seventh-­‐day  Adventists  are  a  prophetic  movement  with  an  urgent  prophetic  

calling.  We’re  not  just  merely  another  denomination  on  the  landscape  of  religious  

movements.  We  are  a  divine  end-­‐time  movement  with  an  end-­‐time  purpose,  an  end-­‐

time  message,  and  an  end-­‐time  mission  for  the  entire  world.  The  church  is  God’s  

church.    

  This  does  not  mean  that  the  church  does  not  have  its  challenges.  It  does.  And  

I  will  frankly  discuss  some  of  these  with  you  today,  but  in  the  midst  of  these  

challenges  the  Holy  Spirit  is  working  powerfully,  and  the  ultimate  triumph  of  the  

church  is  certain.  

The  Church  is  the  Body  of  Christ  

  In  Matthew  16:18,  Jesus  said,  “I  will  build  My  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  

shall  not  prevail  against  it.”  This  church  is  not  some  human,  man-­‐made,  bureaucratic  

organization  as  some  would  have  us  believe.  According  to  the  Savior’s  own  words,  

He  has  built  His  church  and  the  gates  of  hell  will  not  prevail  against  it.  

  In  I  Corinthians  12,  the  church  is  the  body  of  Christ.  In  Ephesians  5,  the  

church  is  the  bride  of  Christ.  In  I  Peter  2,  the  church  is  the  household  of  Christ.  In  I  

Peter  2:9,  the  apostle  proclaims  that  the  people  of  God  are  “a  chosen  generation,  a  

royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation,  His  own  special  people.”  

  God’s  prophetic  messenger  to  the  remnant,  Ellen  White,  put  it  this  way:  “The  

church  is  God’s  fortress,  His  city  of  refuge,  which  He  holds  in  a  revolted  world.  Any  

betrayal  of  the  church  is  treachery  to  Him  who  has  bought  mankind  through  the  

blood  of  His  only-­‐begotten  Son….He  has  sent  forth  His  angels  to  minister  to  His  

church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  have  not  been  able  to  prevail  against  His  people”  (Acts  

of  the  Apostles,  p.  11).    

  Christ  holds  His  church  in  His  hands.  It  is  His  fortress,  His  city  of  refuge  on  a  

planet  in  rebellion.  It  is  a  light  in  the  darkness,  a  beacon  in  the  night,  and  a  shining  

light  on  the  dimly  lit  pathway  ahead.  Ellen  White  continues  in  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  

with  these  reassuring  words:  “Through  centuries  of  persecution,  conflict,  and  

darkness,  God  has  sustained  His  church.  Not  one  cloud  has  fallen  upon  it  that  He  has  

not  prepared  for;  not  one  opposing  force  has  risen  to  counterwork  His  work,  that  He  

has  not  foreseen.  All  has  taken  place  as  He  predicted.  He  has  not  left  His  church  

forsaken,  but  has  traced  in  prophetic  declarations  what  would  occur,  and  that  which  

His  Spirit  inspired  the  prophets  to  foretell  has  been  brought  about.  All  His  purposes  
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will  be  fulfilled.  His  law  is  linked  with  His  throne,  and  no  power  of  evil  can  destroy  it.  

Truth  is  inspired  and  guarded  by  God;  and  it  will  triumph  over  all  opposition”  (p.  

11).  

Triumphing  Over  the  Powers  of  Hell  

  Christ  and  His  church  will  triumph  at  last.  Jesus  has  never  lost  a  battle  with  

Satan  yet.  On  the  cross  He  triumphed  over  the  principalities  and  powers  of  hell.  You  

and  I  are  on  the  winning  side,  as  that  old  hymn,  “Onward  Christian  Soldiers,”  written  

in  1864  by  Sabine  Baring-­‐Gould,  so  powerfully  puts  it:    

“Crowns  and  thrones  have  perished,    

Kingdoms  rise  and  wane,    

But  the  church  of  Jesus    

Constant  will  remain.    

Gates  of  hell  can  never    

‘Gainst  that  church  prevail;    

We  have  Christ’s  own  promise,    

That  can  never  fail.”    

  All  the  demons  of  hell  cannot,  will  not,  defeat  God’s  purposes  for  His  church.  

Christ’s  church  will  triumph  at  last.  His  truth  will  shine  brighter  and  grow  stronger  

until  Revelation’s  prediction  in  the  18th  chapter  that  “the  earth  will  be  filled  with  

the  glory  of  God”  will  be  gloriously  fulfilled.  

The  Moment  to  Decide  

  The  American  poet,  James  Russell  Lowell,  stated  an  eternal  truth  when  he  

penned  these  words  in  1844,  the  exact  date  for  the  birth  of  the  Advent  movement.  
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They  are  as  true  today  as  when  he  penned  them  decades  ago,  entitled,  “The  Present  

Crisis.”  It  goes  as  follows:      

“Once  to  every  man  and  nation  

 comes  the  moment  to  decide  

In  the  strife  of  Truth  with  Falsehood  

For  the  good  or  evil  side….  

Truth  forever  on  the  scaffold,  

Wrong  forever  on  the  throne.—  

Yet  that  scaffold  sways  the  future,  

And,  behind  the  dim  unknown,  

Standeth  God  within  the  shadow,  

Keeping  watch  above  His  own.”  

Amazing  Growth  

  In  these  climactic  hours  of  earth’s  history,  we  see  evidence  around  the  world  

that  God’s  truth  is  triumphing  over  the  powers  of  evil.  We  see  clear  indications  that  

Christ  is  leading  His  church  on  from  victory  to  victory.  Let  me  share  with  you  some  

amazing  facts.  In  1863,  the  year  the  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  Church  was  organized,  

there  was  one  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  for  every  356,000  people  in  the  world.  Today  

there  is  one  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  for  just  under  every  400  people  in  the  world.  It  

took  this  church  107  years  to  reach  its  first  million  members.  Today  we  baptize  one  

million  people  every  year.  We  have  nearly  25  million  people  attending  our  70,000-­‐
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plus  churches  all  over  the  world,  in  over  200  countries.  God  is  at  work!  The  Holy  

Spirit  is  moving  in  some  remarkable  ways.  

  You  see,  revival  is  our  greatest  and  most  urgent  need.  The  last  few  years  

we’ve  been  emphasizing  revival,  reformation,  and  mission.  By  revival  we  mean  a  

daily  spiritual  awakening  in  the  hearts  and  minds  of  each  one  of  us.  By  reformation  

we  mean  a  deepening  spiritual  commitment  to  do  God’s  will,  and  the  daily  alignment  

of  our  lives  in  everything  we  do,  to  please  Jesus.  Reformation  occurs  when  we  

surrender  our  will  to  His  will  each  and  every  day.  He  then  gives  us  an  understanding  

of  what  His  mission  is  for  us  as  individuals  and  as  a  church.  Then,  we  commit  

ourselves  to  pleasing  Him  in  every  aspect  of  our  lives  in  fulfilling  that  mission.  

Our  Greatest  Need  

  Does  the  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  Church  need  a  revival  and  reformation?  Is  all  

this  emphasis  on  revival  and  reformation  simply  another  denominational  program?  

God’s  messenger  to  the  remnant,  Ellen  White,  leaves  no  doubt  in  our  minds  when  

she  declares,  “A  revival  of  true  godliness  among  us  is  the  greatest  and  most  urgent  

of  all  our  needs.  To  seek  this  should  be  our  first  work.  There  must  be  earnest  effort  

to  obtain  the  blessing  of  the  Lord,  not  because  God  is  not  willing  to  bestow  His  

blessing  upon  us,  but  because  we  are  unprepared  to  receive  it.  Our  heavenly  Father  

is  more  willing  to  give  His  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that  ask  Him,  than  are  earthly  parents  

to  give  good  gifts  to  their  children.  But  it  is  our  work,  by  confession,  humiliation,  

repentance,  and  earnest  prayer,  to  fulfill  the  conditions  upon  which  God  has  

promised  to  grant  us  His  blessing.  A  revival  need  be  expected  only  in  answer  to  

prayer”  (Selected  Messages,  book  I,  p.  121).  What  a  magnificent  quotation!  Revival  is  
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not  only  needed  in  the  church  today;  It  is  our  greatest  and  most  urgent  need  in  

every  aspect,  and  we  are  told  to  seek  this  first.  

A  Heart  Longing  

  May  I  open  my  heart  to  you  today?  Without  divine,  supernatural  power,  

God’s  work  will  not  be  finished  in  our  lives,  and  it  certainly  will  not  be  finished  in  

this  world.  We  are  simply  no  match  for  the  forces  of  evil.  As  the  president  of  the  

General  Conference,  I  long  for  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  my  own  life.  And  I  

long  more  than  anything  else  for  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  all  of  His  

fullness  for  the  finishing  of  God’s  work  on  this  earth,  so  that  Jesus  can  come—the  

great  hope.  The  greatest  need  of  the  church  today  is  not  more  programs;  it’s  not  

more  finances,  not  more  institutions,  not  more  media  ministries  or  publishing  

houses,  as  important  as  all  these  things  are.  Our  greatest  need,  our  most  urgent  

need,  our  most  pressing  need,  is  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Zechariah  the  

prophet  states,  “’Not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  My  Spirit,’  says  the  Lord  of  

hosts.”  

  Will  you  join  me,  and  other  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  leaders  and  members  

from  around  the  world  in  humbling  our  hearts  before  God  in  earnest  prayer,  seeking  

for  the  mighty  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit?  Will  you  join  us  in  crying  out  to  God  for  

heaven’s  fullness?  Will  you  seek  God  with  us  in  your  division,  union,  conference,  

mission,  local  field  offices,  and  in  your  churches  around  the  world?  Will  you  petition  

God  in  prayer  bands,  with  your  families,  in  your  homes,  and  with  other  church  

members  in  your  local  church,  so  that  every  church  can  become  a  house  of  prayer?  

God  is  calling  us  to  a  deeper  commitment  in  these  critical  hours  of  earth’s  history.  
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This  is  no  time  to  just  be  playing  at  church.  This  is  a  time  for  an  all-­‐out,  total,  

complete  dedication  to  Christ  and  His  message.    

Uniting  in  Prayer  

  Revival  takes  place  when  we  spend  time  with  God  in  prayer  and  in  Bible  

study.  This  is  precisely  the  reason  the  church  has  launched  the  7-­‐7-­‐7  Prayer  

Initiative,  encouraging  Seventh-­‐day  Adventists  worldwide  to  unite  in  prayer  seven  

days  a  week  at  7  in  the  morning  and  7  in  the  evening.  Hundreds  of  thousands  of  

Seventh-­‐day  Adventists  are  participating  in  this  prayer  experience  and  are  being  

renewed.    

  One  of  our  General  Conference  leaders  was  recently  traveling  in  the  country  

of  Indonesia.  He  was  being  brought  to  an  appointment  by  one  of  the  local  conference  

denominational  drivers.  It  was  7  p.m.  in  the  evening,  and  the  alarm  on  the  driver’s  

watch  went  off.  The  driver  calmly  said,  “We’ll  have  to  pull  off  the  road  now.  It’s  7  

p.m.,  and  we  must  join  Adventists  all  over  the  world  who  are  now  praying  for  the  

outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit.”    

  Lay  people  around  the  world  are  uniting  with  church  leaders  to  seek  God  in  

prayer  and  study  His  word.  Hundreds  of  thousands  more  are  participating  in  

Revived  by  His  Word,  a  daily  Bible  study  program  to  lead  the  church  through  the  

entire  Bible  by  the  General  Conference  Session  in  San  Antonio  in  2015.  Church  

leaders  in  Brazil  reported  that  so  many  people  were  tweeting  on  the  Internet  about  

their  Bible  study  experience  through  Revived  by  His  Word,  chapter  by  chapter,  daily  

devotionals,  that  the  number  of  tweets  ranked  third  in  the  entire  nation  of  Brazil!  

This  included  tweets  for  any  subject  including  the  most  popular  television  
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programs,  movies,  sports  events,  and  secular  musical  performances.  God  is  at  work  

in  the  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  Church!    

  Revival  is  taking  place  in  many  places.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  being  poured  out  on  

groups  of  young  people  who  are  seeking  God  in  prayer,  studying  His  Word,  and  

witnessing  to  the  glory  of  His  name.  I  am  so  encouraged  when  I  see  young  people  

totally  committed  to  the  cause  of  Christ.    

Results  of  Revival  and  Reformation  

  Revival  and  reformation  leads  us  to  witnessing,  and  reformation  always  

leads  to  witnessing  and  evangelism.  There  can  be  no  genuine  revival  without  a  

renewed  passion  for  soul  winning.  When  God  does  something  in  us,  He  will  do  

something  through  us.  When  God  does  something  for  us,  it  is  because  God  wants  to  

do  something  with  us.  You  see,  like  Peter,  we  too  declare,  “For  we  cannot  but  speak  

the  things  which  we  have  seen  and  heard,”  as  is  related  in  Acts  4:20.  With  the  

apostle  Paul  we  proclaim  in  Romans  1:16,  “For  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  

Christ:  for  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation.”  And  with  the  apostle  John  we  cry  

out,  “That  which  we  have  seen  and  heard  we  declare  to  you”  (I  John  1:3).  

  You  know,  all  great  revival  and  reformation  movements  in  history  have  been  

accompanied  by  great  periods  of  evangelism  and  outreach.  This  was  true  not  only  in  

the  New  Testament  time,  but  also  in  the  sixteenth  century  Reformation  with  Martin  

Luther  and  the  other  reformers,  such  as  John  Wesley  and  George  Whitefield  who  led  

revivals  in  England.  This  was  true  also  with  the  great  Advent  Awakening  in  North  

America  and  subsequently  in  the  early  history  of  the  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  Church.    

Powerless  Witnessing  
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  Without  revival  and  reformation,  our  witnessing  activities  will  be  powerless.  

Evangelism  without  revival  produces  meager  results.  Hearts  are  touched  and  lives  

are  changed  by  the  Holy  Spirit’s  power  alone—not  our  power.  Conversion  is  the  

work  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  messenger  to  the  remnant  makes  it  plain:  “The  Lord  has  

said  that  His  work  is  to  be  done,  ‘not  by  might  nor  by  power;  but  by  My  Spirit.’  The  

work  of  God  is  to  be  carried  on  to  completion  by  the  cooperation  of  divine  and  

human  agencies.    

  Those  who  are  self-­‐sufficient  may  be  apparently  active  in  the  work  of  God,  

but  if  they  are  prayerless,  their  activity  is  of  no  avail.  Could  they  look  into  the  censer  

of  the  angel  that  stands  at  the  golden  altar  before  the  rainbow-­‐circled  throne,  they  

would  see  that  the  merit  of  Jesus  must  be  mingled  with  our  prayers  and  efforts,  or  

they  are  as  worthless  as  was  the  offering  of  Cain.  If  we  could  see  all  the  activity  of  

human  instrumentality,  as  it  appears  before  God,  we  would  see  that  only  the  work  

accomplished  by  much  prayer,  which  is  sanctified  by  the  merit  of  Christ,  will  stand  

the  test  of  the  judgment”  (Review  and  Herald,  July  4,  1893).  

  When  revival  and  reformation  do  not  find  expression  in  witnessing,  they  

soon  degenerate  into  mere  sentimental  talk  and  eventually  die  out  altogether.  This  

is  why  there  is  a  renewed  emphasis  on  evangelism  in  the  church  today.  Every  

member  is  a  wonderful  missionary,  a  witness  for  the  Most  High,  and  has  been  called  

by  God  to  share  their  faith.    

Reaching  the  Cities  

  The  church  has  launched  Mission  to  the  Cities  as  a  major  emphasis  in  

reaching  the  millions  of  people  in  about  650  of  the  world’s  largest  cities.  This  last  
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year  I  had  the  privilege  of  conducting  a  major  evangelistic  series  in  New  York  City.  

The  Revelation  of  Hope  series  that  I  conducted  was  one  of  about  400  evangelistic  

meetings  held  in  the  greater  New  York  area  as  part  of  a  comprehensive  evangelistic  

approach  to  reach  New  York  City  for  Christ.  Pastors,  evangelists,  and  administrators  

from  around  the  world  converged  on  New  York  City,  and  along  with  local  

administrators,  preached  the  Word  of  God.  Pastors  and  lay  people  made  a  significant  

impact  for  Jesus  Christ,  through  His  power.  This  comprehensive  approach  included  

equipping  hundreds  of  lay  people  to  witness  in  harmony  with  their  God-­‐given  gifts:  

Health  outreach,  youth  ministries,  Bible  services,  Bible  study  outreach,  literature  

distribution,  lay  evangelism,  friendship  evangelism,  and  public  evangelistic  

meetings.  As  a  result  of  these  massive  efforts,  over  4,000  people  have  been  baptized  

already.    

  Cities  around  the  world  are  in  the  midst  of  a  similar  event  in  their  particular  

locality  and  are  having  similar  results.  God  is  on  the  move  in  cities  like  London,  

Tokyo,  Manila,  Moscow,  New  York,  Nairobi,  Johannesburg,  Indianapolis,  Kinshasa,  

Lagos,  Luanda,  Sydney,  Paris,  Mumbai,  Cairo,  Sao  Paulo,  Mexico  City,  and  many,  

many  more.  Tens  of  thousands  are  being  baptized,  and  this  is  just  the  beginning.  At  

our  recent  annual  council  here  at  our  world  headquarters,  delegates  voted  a  

document  on  world  evangelism  to  establish  or  strengthen  an  Adventist  presence  in  

over  500  cities  with  a  population  of  1  million  or  more  with  little  or  no  Seventh-­‐day  

Adventist  presence.  Most  of  these  cities  are  in  the  10/40  window.  Many  of  them  do  

not  allow  any  form  of  overt  witnessing  or  public  evangelistic  meetings.  The  

challenge  to  reach  the  people  in  these  cities  is  immense.  But  our  God  is  bigger  than  
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the  challenge  and  loves  the  people  in  these  cities  more  than  we  can  imagine!  Our  

hearts  are  breaking  over  the  millions  in  these  cities  who  do  not  know  Christ  and  His  

truth  for  earth’s  last  hour.  We  are  planning  to  establish  hundreds  of  centers  of  

influence  including  reading  rooms,  health  centers,  vegetarian  cafeterias,  community  

centers,  and  multiple  types  of  other  outreach  opportunities  in  the  hardest  to  reach  

places.  

  Combined  with  Mission  to  the  Cities,  we  will  launch  a  comprehensive  health  

ministry,  modeled  after  the  ministry  of  Christ.  We  are  encouraging  every  church  to  

reach  out  in  ministries  of  love  to  meet  the  needs  of  their  communities  in  Jesus’  

name.  Our  Week  of  Prayer  readings  for  2014  will  feature  articles  on  “Christ’s  

Method  Alone.”  The  missionary  book  for  the  year  2015  will  focus  on  wholistic  

health;  and  also  in  2015,  every  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  church  and  institution  will  be  

encouraged  to  offer  the  gift  of  health  to  their  community  in  a  special  Health  Week.    

Wonderful  Results  

  God  is  doing  so  much  in  this  church  that  at  times  it  just  overwhelms  me.  

There  is  too  much  to  mention  in  the  short  time  that  we  have  together.  One  of  the  

projects  that  indicate  God’s  mighty  moving  is  the  Great  Controversy  Project.  We  set  

a  goal  of  distributing  50  million  copies,  and  a  faith  goal  of  100  million.  But  through  

His  power,  through  God’s  intervention,  we  have  distributed—you  have  

distributed—over  140  million  copies  of  The  Great  Controversy  in  various  versions.  

Praise  God  for  this  incredible  expansion  of  God’s  work  through  The  Great  

Controversy,  which  Ellen  White  indicated  was  the  book  she  wished  circulated  more  
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than  any  other  book  that  she  had  written.  These  books  are  being  read  by  multiple  

millions  and  making  such  a  difference!  There  is  so  much  to  be  encouraged  about.  

Facing  Enormous  Challenges  

  But  as  a  church,  we  are  facing  some  enormous  challenges.  Here  are  four  that  

definitely  concern  me,  and  I’m  certainly  not  suggesting  that  these  spiritual  maladies  

and  challenges  affect  every  church  member.  But  they  are  serious  enough  to  warrant  

concern.    I’m  reminded  of  the  apostle  Paul’s  admonition  to  the  elders  of  the  

Ephesian  church  when  he  proclaimed,  “I  kept  back  nothing  that  was  helpful  to  you.”  

And  then  he  added,  “For  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare  to  you  the  whole  counsel  of  

God”  (Acts  20).  As  pastor  of  the  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  believers  worldwide,  my  love  

for  the  church  and  faithfulness  to  His  Word  compels  me  to  share  some  of  my  

concerns.    

  Here  are  four  great  concerns  for  the  church  today,  and  we  could  add  

additional  ones,  but  let’s  examine  and  carefully  look  at  these  four:    

  1.  A  loss  of  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  identity  among  some  of  our  pastors  and  

church  members.  

  2.  The  growing  tide  of  worldliness  in  many  of  our  churches.  

  3.  The  danger  of  disunity.  

  4.    A  spiritual  complacency  and  apathy  that  leads  to  a  lack  of  involvement  in  

the  mission  of  the  church.  

  These  items  concern  me.  Let  me  address  them,  one  at  a  time,  and  explain  

what  I  mean.  

Our  Identity  
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  First,  it  is  very  important  to  realize  that  the  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  Church  is  

much  more  than  just  another  denomination.  According  to  Revelation  10,  it  was  born  

of  God  out  of  the  disappointment  of  1844,  just  as  the  New  Testament  church  was  

born  out  of  the  disappointment  of  the  cross  in  A.D.  31.  In  both  instances,  the  

followers  of  Christ  misunderstood  prophecy  and  were  bitterly  disappointed  about  

those  disappointing  situations.  But  out  of  those  disappointments,  God  providentially  

raised  up  a  divine  movement  of  destiny  to  impact  the  world.  According  to  

Revelation  12:17,  God’s  last-­‐day  people  would  be  characterized  by,  first  of  all,  

keeping  God’s  commandments;  and  secondly,  having  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  which  

the  angel  identifies  in  Revelation  19:10  as  the  gift  of  prophecy.    

  According  to  Revelation  14:6-­‐12,  God’s  end-­‐time  church  would:  a)  proclaim  

the  message  of  the  everlasting  gospel  in  the  context  of  the  three  angels  and  the  

second  coming  of  Christ;  and  b)  would  be  calling  “every  nation,  kindred,  tongue,  and  

people”  to  worship  their  Creator  by  keeping  His  Sabbath.  There  is  no  other  religious  

movement  in  the  world  that  fits  this  pattern.  There  is  no  other  church  or  

denomination  that  meets  the  criteria  of  Revelation  10,  Revelation  12,  and  Revelation  

14.    

Neutralizing  God’s  Word  

  Now,  here  is  precisely  my  concern.  Too  many  of  our  pastors  and  members  

either  have  failed  to  recognize,  or  have  forgotten,  the  divine  prophetic  calling  God  

has  given  us  as  a  church.  There’s  a  growing  tendency  to  minimize  our  differences  

with  other  denominations.  In  some  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  churches,  the  messages  

from  the  pulpit  are  little  different  than  the  typical  Protestant  church.  Much  of  this  
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comes  from  the  neutralization  of  the  Bible  as  God’s  Word.  It  is  so  important  that  we  

base  our  beliefs  on  the  Word  of  God,  using  the  historical,  biblical  method  of  studying  

the  scriptures,  and  approaching  prophetic  understanding  from  the  historicist  

perspective.  God’s  Word  must  be  foundational  to  our  belief,  faith,  and  practical  

living.  The  Holy  Spirit  will  lead  us  into  all  truth  if  we  will  study,  pray,  and  listen  to  

God’s  voice.  This  will  help  us  strongly  establish  our  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  identity.    

  The  lack  of  Adventist  identity  has  even  led  some  to  doubt  the  literal  seven-­‐

day  Creation  week,  denying  a  worldwide  flood,  and  reducing  the  Sabbath  to  merely  

a  rest  from  stress,  rather  than  a  last-­‐day  sign  of  connection  with  the  Creator  and  

Redeemer  Himself.  There  are  some  who  would  like  to  reinterpret  the  prophecies  of  

Daniel  and  Revelation  to  fit  a  more  contemporary  mold.  They  see  the  historic  

interpretation  of  prophecy  as  a  relic  of  19th  century  thinking.  

The  Whole  Gospel  

  I’m  reminded  of  Ellen  White’s  clear  statement,  “The  whole  of  the  gospel  is  

embraced  in  the  third  angel’s  message,  and  in  all  our  work  the  truth  is  to  be  

presented  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  .  .  .  Let  nothing  lessen  the  force  of  the  truth  for  this  time.  

The  third  angel’s  message  must  do  its  work  of  separating  from  the  churches  a  

people  who  will  take  their  stand  on  the  platform  of  eternal  truth.  Our  message  is  a  

life  and  death  message,  and  we  must  let  it  appear  as  it  is—the  great  power  of  God.  

We  are  to  present  it  in  all  its  telling  force.  Then  the  Lord  will  make  it  effectual”  

(Manuscript  Releases,  vol.  1,  p.  58).  

  You  see,  we  have  a  life-­‐and-­‐death  message  to  present  to  the  world.  Seventh-­‐

day  Adventists  have  been  raised  up,  like  Noah,  to  prepare  the  world  for  its  final  
   15  

hours.  We’ve  been  raised  up  like  John  the  Baptist  to  prepare  the  world  for  the  

coming  of  our  Lord.  We  must  never  forget  who  we  are  and  why  we  are  here.  We  

cannot,  must  not,  will  not  degenerate  into  one  of  hundreds  of  religious  movements  

with  little  end-­‐time  focus  and  no  clear  reason  for  existence.  I  am  absolutely  

confident  that,  guided  by  Jesus  Christ  and  faithful  to  our  prophetic  heritage,  this  

Advent  movement  will  triumph  at  last.  

  I  appeal  to  you  with  all  of  my  heart:  Be  faithful  to  the  call  that  God  has  given  

you  as  a  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist.  Embrace  this  message  in  its  fullness  and,  filled  with  

the  Holy  Spirit,  go  out  to  share  it  with  the  world.  

Influence  of  the  World  

  This  leads  me  to  my  second  overwhelming  concern:  The  growing  influence  of  

worldliness  in  our  churches  is  alarming.  Jesus  stated  it  well  when  He  prayed,  “I  do  

not  pray  that  You  should  take  them  out  of  the  world,  but  that  You  should  keep  them  

from  the  evil”  (John  17:17).  The  apostle  John  added,  “Do  not  love  the  world  or  the  

things  in  the  world.  If  anyone  loves  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not  in  him;  

for  all  that  is  in  the  world—the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  

life—is  not  of  the  Father,  but  of  the  world.  And  the  world  is  passing  away,  and  the  

lust  of  it,  but  he  who  does  the  will  of  God  abides  forever.”  What  beautiful  verses  

from  1  John  2:15-­‐17.  

  The  church  has  always  faced  the  danger  of  losing  its  perspective  and  

compromising  in  loyalty  to  Christ  through  a  growing  tendency  to  allow  the  world  to  

shape  its  thinking.  The  closer  we  get  to  the  end  of  time,  the  more  the  devil  will  

redouble  his  efforts  in  this  area.  I’m  concerned  about  the  almost  overwhelming  tide  
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of  worldliness  that  is  sweeping  into  some  of  our  churches.  Standards  that  were  once  

cherished  by  Seventh-­‐day  Adventists  in  the  areas  of  diet  and  dress,  recreation  and  

amusement,  and  Sabbath-­‐keeping,  are  fast  becoming  things  of  the  past.  When  

members  are  adorned  like  the  world,  dress  like  the  world,  love  the  world’s  

entertainment,  listen  to  this  world’s  music,  and  are  captivated  by  its  Hollywood  

productions,  genuine  spirituality  erodes,  and  the  devil  makes  inroads  into  the  soul.  

When  the  Adventist  health  message,  which  so  many  honest-­‐hearted  people  in  the  

world  are  embracing,  is  made  of  none  effect,  or  considered  to  be  legalism  or  

fanaticism,  rather  than  a  glorious  gift  from  a  loving  Creator,  something  is  tragically  

wrong.  

Salvation  through  Jesus  Christ  

  Let  me  just  add  that  in  reality  we  do  not  get  to  heaven  by  what  we  eat,  or  by  

how  we  perhaps  show  ourselves  to  be  religious.  We  have  salvation  through  the  

power  and  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  But  once  Christ  comes  into  our  lives  and  works  

in  us  in  a  powerful  way,  giving  us  justification,  the  same  power  brings  sanctification,  

which  helps  us  to  then  have  the  mind  of  Christ.  Philippians  2:5:  “Let  this  mind  be  in  

you  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus.”  You  see,  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ,  as  II  

Corinthians  5:20  says.  We  are  the  light  of  the  world,  the  salt  of  the  earth,  as  

Matthew,  chapter  5,  tells  us.  Jesus  says,  “Let  your  light  so  shine  among  men  that  they  

may  see  your  good  works  and  glorify  your  Father  in  heaven.”    

  Millions  all  over  the  world  are  looking  for  something  different  from  what  

they  have.  Deep  within,  they  are  tired  of  the  aching  to  satisfy  their  heart’s  desires  

through  the  things  of  this  world.  They  long  for  genuine,  authentic  Christianity.  We  
   17  

will  never  reach  them  by  compromising  our  standards,  heavenly  standards,  to  come  

down  to  their  level.  We  must  lift  up  the  standard.  This  is  no  time  to  flirt  with  the  

devil’s  dress,  diet,  amusement,  and  worldly  influences.  This  is  the  time  to  hold  the  

standard  high  for  the  world  to  see.  Christ  living  in  our  lives,  and  dwelling  in  our  

hearts,  makes  a  dramatic  difference  in  how  we  live.  

Pulling  the  Curtain  Aside  

  And  this  leads  me  to  another  concern:  The  danger  of  disunity.  In  John  17,  

Jesus  prayed  for  the  unity  of  His  church.  One  of  the  devil’s  intentional  strategies  is  to  

attack  this  unity.  He  knows  that  if  the  church  is  not  unified,  it  will  not  effectively  

accomplish  its  mission.  With  prophetic  insight,  Ellen  White  gave  us  this  divinely  

inspired  counsel  as  follows:    “Unity  is  the  strength  of  the  church.  Satan  knows  this,  

and  he  employs  his  whole  force  to  bring  in  dissension.  He  desires  to  see  a  lack  of  

harmony  among  the  members  of  the  church  of  God.  Greater  attention  should  be  

given  to  the  subject  of  unity”  (Selected  Messages,  book  2,  p.  159).  This  beautiful  

quotation  is  extremely  insightful  regarding  the  devil’s  tactics.  It  pulls  the  curtain  

aside  and  reveals  his  strategies.  The  evil  one  uses  all  of  his  forces  to  bring  in  

dissention  and  conflict  to  neutralize  the  soul-­‐winning  efforts  of  God’s  people.    

  This  is  a  time  for  administrators,  pastors,  and  members  to  unite  in  Christ  

under  the  banner  of  His  truth,  to  preach  His  message  to  the  world.  God  has  given  to  

the  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  Church  a  divinely  inspired  church  organization,  and  

mutual  agreements  called  Church  Policies,  which  under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy  

Spirit  are  part  of  what  helps  to  hold  us  together  as  a  worldwide  family.  To  discard  or  

ignore  these  mutual  agreements  violates  a  sacred  trust  and  creates  unnecessary  
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discord.  I  pray  that  every  one  of  us  will  lay  aside  our  personal  opinions  for  the  good  

of  the  body  of  Christ,  and  that  we  will,  together,  march  forward  to  the  kingdom  of  

God.  

Spiritual  Paralysis  

  And  here  is  the  last  of  my  major  concerns:  The  increased  spiritual  apathy  and  

complacency  prevalent  in  many  leaders  and  church  members’  lives,  and  I  have  to  

include  my  own.  There  seems  to  be  a  spiritual  paralysis  in  many  Adventist  

members’  lives.  We  have  to  examine  our  lives  to  make  sure  that  God  is  working  in  us  

in  a  vital  way—and  I  speak  to  myself,  as  well.  Recent  surveys  indicate  that  the  

overwhelming  majority  of  church  members  believe  the  doctrinal  essentials  of  the  

Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  Church.  They  really  do  not  greatly  question  the  28  

Fundamental  Beliefs,  but  there  is  a  growing  complacency  about  sharing  their  faith.  

There  is  apathy  about  witnessing.  They  believe,  but  are  simply  not  very  involved  in  

the  mission  of  the  church.  They’re  part  of  the  culture  of  the  uninvolved,  rather  than  

the  culture  of  the  involved.  There  is  no  fire  in  their  bones!  There  is  little  passion  for  

sharing  their  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  There’s  no  urgency  in  their  souls.  

Growing  Spiritually  

  My  brothers  and  sisters,  without  active  involvement  in  the  service  of  Christ,  

we  will  not  grow  spiritually.  The  prophet  of  God  could  not  make  it  clearer  than  this  

when  saying,  “The  very  life  of  the  church  depends  upon  her  faithfulness  in  fulfilling  

the  Lord’s  commission.  To  neglect  this  work  is  surely  to  invite  spiritual  feebleness  

and  decay.  Where  there  is  no  active  labor  for  others,  love  wanes,  and  faith  grows  

dim.”  What  a  powerful  quotation  from  The  Desire  of  Ages,  page  825.     Involvement  
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is  the  answer  to  apathy.  As  the  prophet  of  God  says,  “Where  there  is  no  active  labor  

for  others,  love  wanes,  and  faith  grows  dim.”    

  Now,  if  you  want  to  be  spiritually  alive,  get  involved!  If  you  want  a  vibrant  

prayer  life,  get  involved!  If  you  want  to  appreciate  the  Word  of  God  more,  get  

involved!  If  you  want  to  have  a  deeper  love  for  others,  get  involved!  If  you  want  to  

see  souls  won  to  Jesus,  get  involved!  If  you  want  to  see  Jesus  come  soon,  get  

involved!  John  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  leaders  and  

members  around  the  world  who  are  actively  involved  in  the  mission  of  the  church.  

God  wants  to  use  you  and  me  to  proclaim  his  end-­‐time  prophetic  truth  to  every  

corner  of  the  globe,  and  especially  the  enormous  metropolitan  centers  of  the  world,  

through  Mission  to  the  Cities,  utilizing  every  form  of  comprehensive  urban  

evangelism,  including  comprehensive  health  ministry  and  many  other  methods.    

Evidence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  

  The  task  is  great,  but  God  is  in  control  and  leading  His  people.  Does  the  

church  have  challenges?  It  certainly  does;  but  I  see  evidence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  

powerfully  moving  among  His  people.  I  see  evidence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  doing  some  

special,  exciting  activity  right  now,  in  His  church.  I  see  the  evidence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  

preparing  a  people  for  the  coming  of  Jesus  and  our  Lord’s  soon  return.  

  Brothers  and  sisters,  I  appeal  to  you,  as  I  appeal  to  my  own  heart,  to  make  a  

full,  complete,  total  consecration  to  Christ.  I  appeal  to  you  to  embrace  the  prophetic  

calling  that  Jesus  has  given  to  this  church,  His  remnant  church,  the  Seventh-­‐day  

Adventist  Church,  a  church  that  is  on  the  march  in  the  Advent  movement.  I  appeal  to  

you  to  lift  the  standard  high  in  your  own  life.  I  appeal  to  you  to  become  actively  
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involved  in  witnessing  for  your  Lord,  as  we  anticipate  Christ’s  soon  second  coming.  

Will  you  make  this  commitment  right  now,  as  we  pray  together?  

  Our  Father  in  heaven,  we  come  to  You  at  this  very  moment,  recognizing  that  

history  is  meeting  at  this  time  in  such  a  dynamic  way  to  show  us  that  prophetic  

utterances  in  Daniel  and  Revelation  and  the  book  of  Matthew  and  elsewhere  in  the  

Bible  are  bringing  us  to  a  time  of  decisiveness  just  before  Jesus’  coming.  And  so,  

Lord,  help  us  to  be  completely  connected  with  You.  Help  us  to  lean  upon  You  every  

day.  Help  us  in  our  study  of  Your  Word,  in  the  study  of  the  Spirit  of  Prophecy,  in  our  

prayer  life.  And,  Lord,  just  use  all  of  these  wonderful  connections  with  You  to  then  

help  us  to  share  this  faith,  to  become  involved  in  many  activities  in  our  local  church  

and  around  the  world,  to  bring  the  Three  Angels  Messages  and  the  fourth  angel’s  

message  of  Revelation  18  to  the  forefront,  and  to  the  minds  and  the  hearts  of  people  

all  over  the  world.  Lord,  I  pray  Your  blessing  on  every  church  member,  young  and  

old,  in  the  Seventh-­‐day  Adventist  Church.  Be  with  those  who  are  attending  our  

churches  who  may  not  yet  be  members.  Be  with  those  who  are  interested  in  the  

truth  of  the  Bible.  And  help  us,  Lord,  to  reach  out  to  everyone  through  Mission  to  the  

Cities  and  mission  to  the  rural  areas,  using  every  method  possible.  Lord,  send  the  

Holy  Spirit  upon  us.  Send  the  latter  rain,  so  that  truly  we  will  be  part  of  that  last  

great  Advent  movement  that  proclaims  this  message  to  bring  glory  to  God  

throughout  the  earth.  Thank  You  for  hearing  us,  and  for  the  promise  of  Your  soon  

coming,  in  Jesus’  name  we  ask  it.  Amen.