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Noteworthy :: 2018 – Week 52
With Tears, Megachurch Pastor Defends $200K Lamborghini Gift to Wife
The new pastor of a South Carolina megachurch gave his wife a $200,000 Lamborghini SUV for their eighth anniversary five days ago, and he’s been getting heat on social media for it ever since.
U.K. Students to Learn that Boys Have Periods, Too
Students in one United Kingdom city now will be taught that boys have periods, too, as part of new curriculum recommendations approved by the city council.
Muslim Democrat Mocks Mike Pence’s Christian Faith
A Minnesota Muslim Democrat Congresswoman took to social media Tuesday to mock Vice President Mike Pence’s Christian faith.
Chance the Rapper Is Kicking Smoking After Embracing Bible Reading
Exceprt from the article:
“I’m going away to learn the Word of God which I am admittedly very unfamiliar with. I’ve been brought up by my family to know Christ but I haven’t taken it upon myself to really just take a couple days and read my bible. we all quote scripture and tell each other what God likes and doesn’t like but how much time do we spend as followers of Jesus to really just read and KNOW his Word. I’m definitely guilty of not devoting time to it … So don’t bother me, ill be back soon enough, with five or more books from bible read. Oh yeah and cigarette free.”
First Step Act recognizes that prisoners, too, are made in God’s image
The current rules and treatment of prisoners in the federal justice system are an affront to the dignity of men and women made in the image of God.
Harry Anderson Painting at the Center of Film Controversy
A new petition is calling for the pulling of a Deadpool movie poster that depicts the antihero as Jesus Christ.
Miss Universe Has Its First Trans Contestant — While Miss USA Stirs Criticism
A transgender Miss Universe contestant puts the contradictions of progressive feminism into sharp relief.
La Sierra University film student’s PBS, NAD projects aim for positive impact
Michelle Noland, a senior La Sierra University Film and Television Production major, recently launched into the world of professional storytelling where she is using her talents to impact others’ lives. PBS affiliate KQED inked a distribution deal with Noland in August for inclusion of her award-winning short film “She Isn’t Here” in the nationwide series, “Film School Shorts.” The film, which is expected to be released in April 2019, explores the anxiety disorder agoraphobia.
Ellen G. White and Intermittent Fasting
Our plain food, eaten twice a day, is enjoyed with a keen relish. We have no meat, cake, or any rich food upon our table. We use no lard, but in its place, milk, cream, and some butter. We have our food prepared with but little salt, and have dispensed with spices of all kinds. We breakfast at seven, and take our dinner at one…I have within eight months lost twenty-five pound of flesh. I am better without it. I have more strength than I have realized for years. – Ellen G. White, Spiritual Gifts, 1864, Vol. 4, p. 154.
The World’s First Christian Airline Is Coming, and It Won’t Charge Missionaries for Luggage Fees
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Suspensions Are Down In U.S. Schools But Large Racial Gaps Remain
Still, they documented some heartening changes between 2012 and 2016.
- The proportion of all students suspended from school at least once during the year fell from 5.6 percent to 4.7 percent.
- Among high school students, the percentage suspended fell even more, from 9.6 to 7.6 percent.
- Suspension rates fell around the country, in each of the biggest-population states. Only one state, Mississippi, saw a persistent increase year by year.
- Hispanic students experienced the largest decrease –a 30 percent drop in suspensions.
- Suspension rates fell faster for those most often suspended — Black students and students with a disability.
But, on the flip side:
- Black high school students are still twice as likely (12.8 percent) to be suspended as white (6.1 percent) or Hispanic (6.3 percent) high school students.
- And students with a disability are also twice as likely (12.8 percent) to be suspended as those without a disability (6.9 percent).
Uproar as Adventist University in Uganda Bans Miniskirts, Pants, Lipstick and Nail Polish
A recent tightening of the dress code at an Adventist University in Uganda has caused an uproar on social media. Bugema University has banned women from wearing pants, sleeveless tops, miniskirts, lipstick, earrings and nail polish next semester. “No student should come back with the above mentioned next semester.
Sorrel: The Ruby-Red Caribbean Christmas Drink Flavored With Black History
This festive punch, made from hibiscus, is the taste of the holidays throughout the islands. It is also a close cousin to African-American “red drink,” described as “liquid soul.”
Beware of ‘Selfie Wrist,’ Which Is Apparently an Actual Thing
A 2018 study discovered that over the past six years, around 259 deaths had been associated with taking a selfie!
North American Division Responds to False Claim | North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists
Full Statement here
Noteworthy :: 2018 – Week 50
Adventist 12-year-old Earns Top-five Spot in Top Chef Junior Contest.
Atlanta resident Londyn Green, now 12 years old, is in the top five in the contest for Top Chef Junior. As a Seventh-day Adventist, she does not eat shellfish or pork. If she cooks those types of dishes, she has others taste it. Her dad Byron Green, a recruiter, went to culinary school. He encouraged her love of cooking. She has already interned at Buckhead Life restaurants, especially Amelie’s French bakery. “I have the ability to make fusion dishes,” she said. “They’re very intricate and amazing!” She could win $50,000 if she makes it to the end. Click for – Full Article
Two Adventists Charged in Separate Sexual Assaults with Minor Girls.
Derek Michael Boyce, 37, of Woolwich faces 26 counts in all, and court records say he admitted having sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl who was in his math class at Pine Tree Academy. Click for – Full Article
Daniel Houston Shafer, a 76-year-old Virginia pastor, has been jailed pending prosecution on a Harrison County charge alleging he molested a girl. Shafer is accused of inappropriate touching of a girl under 12 earlier this year in Harrison County. Click for – Full Article
Microsoft’s Brad Smith says other tech companies need to get behind a facial recognition law, too
Michael Posner, a business ethics professor at New York University, says in recent years there’s been “a souring and a loss of trust writ large,” in the American public’s attitudes toward Big Tech. “This represents an effort to address that gap in trust and begin to demonstrate what technology companies need to do to be responsible public citizens.”
Here are a few key things Microsoft wants to see in a facial recognition law:
- Law enforcement surveillance of people in public spaces should be limited, and usedonly if a court order has been obtained. Exceptions should be considered for emergencies that could result in death.
- People should review the results of facial recognition in high-stakes scenarios, such as when it could harm a person or restrict their movements.
- Companies using facial recognition should still have to comply with anti–discrimination laws.
- Companies should be required to be transparent about the limitations and capabilities of facial recognition technology.
The Trump administration is giving schools more flexibility in the meals they serve. Critics say the rollback on school lunch rules is bad for kids’ health.
NF is back in his lane of talking about deep-seated pain in his single “If You Want Love” off the album Perception.
The music video is currently one of the highest-trending on YouTube.
‘Revival!’ brings mostly black cast to movie depiction of Gospel of John
For creator Harry Lennix, the new movie “Revival!” — a retelling of the Gospel of John with a mostly black cast — is a film whose time has come.
Neither John nor the other gospel writers describe Jesus’ skin color, but Lennix, in an interview just after the film’s world premiere Tuesday (Dec. 4) at the Museum of the Bible, said depicting him as a man of color is something black people often “don’t have the daring to delve into, and that’s a shame.”
General Conference Creates Adventist “Brand Promise”
“We can help you understand the Bible to find freedom, healing and hope in Jesus.” The Adventist Promise sets a clear expectation of what the worldwide public can expect from all Adventist entities and members.
The Adventist Promise aims to deliver a clear message about what the movement stands for, and seeks to leave a lasting impression on people in the 21st century.
The Upper Columbia Conference Executive Committee voted an official position on the World Church Affirmation Sabbath
“We do not have time for false alarms that divide our members” said Elder Minner Labrador, Jr., Upper Columbia Conference president. “The true emergency we face as a church is our low growth rate. We have a vital work to do both in sharing the gospel and in seeking to bring back our missing members.”
A document outlining the conference position on the WCAS and its activities was shared with pastors and church leaders across the conference. It is available here.
Adventist Response to Child Detention & Family Separation
Here are some quotes from the most recent statements released by the Seventh-day Adventist Church regarding the “zero tolerance” policy that has was approved by the Executive Branch of the United States and implemented by the Department of Justice.
Our role as believers and as citizens is to hold our nation’s leadership accountable to a high moral and ethical standard in the interpretation of our laws… The same biblical passage that has been abused to justify this policy declares that “love does no harm to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law… A policy that seeks to accomplish a social and political goal by tearing apart families and harming children is a stain on our national character that will be difficult to erase. Thus, we are compelled to rise up and seek to relieve the suffering of these immigrant children who are languishing in detention centers, torn from their mothers’ arms. – taken from the article entitled: “Stop Child Detentions” – A Statement from Pastor Ricardo Graham President, Pacific Union Conference.
The Church regards the nurture and protection of children as a sacred trust. – General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Executive Committee on June 23, 2010, in Atlanta, Georgia
We accept our responsibility to… listen and care for those suffering from abuse and family violence, to highlight the injustices, and to speak out in defense of victims. – General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Administrative Committee (ADCOM) and was released by the Office of the President, Robert S. Folkenberg, at the General Conference session in Utrecht, the Netherlands, June 29-July 8, 1995.
“Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein” (Luke 18:16-17, KJV)… We affirm the right of our government to protect its borders and enforce the law; but it is a moral obligation of this country to protect all who cross our borders. Romans 13:10 guides us with these words: “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” – “Suffer the Little Children …” An Appeal From the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America.
“For the Lord your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed. He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice. He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing. So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 10:17–19 … “Divide the land within these boundaries among the tribes of Israel. Distribute the land as an allotment for yourselves and for the foreigners who have joined you and are raising their families among you. They will be like native-born Israelites to you and will receive an allotment among the tribes. These foreigners are to be given land within the territory of the tribe with whom they now live. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” Ezekiel 47:21–23 … God calls His people to take an active part in not only welcoming in the foreigner or stranger that is within our gates, but also to make provision for them—treating them as if they are members of our own families… “When the laws of men conflict with the word and law of God, we are to obey the latter, whatever the consequences may be.” Testimonies for the Church, Chapter 37 (201.2). – Statement on Child Detention & Family Separation, Michael T. Nixon, vice president for Diversity & Inclusion.
If you’d like to read more about those who are working to support and aid these immigrant families, you can find out more here.
Conservative While Revolutionary
Excerpts taken from George R. Knight’s articles, “The Social Function of Adventist Education” *
Genesis 18: 19 – “For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him.” – From <https://biblia.com/books/nasb95/Ge18.19>
Abraham was chosen because God saw that he would be faithful in teaching his household.
Matthew 28: 19-20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” – From <https://biblia.com/books/nasb95/Mt28.19>
Jesus’s parting words were “teach all nations”
The future of any society will be shaped by its current youth. And the direction they will take that society will to a large extent be determined by their education. Thus, the control of educational institutions and the content to be taught in those institutions has been a perennial social issue.
To shape educational policy is to guard the path that leads from the present to the future . . . . – George S. Counts
God’s ideal for Seventh-day Adventist education reflects both a conservative social function and a revolutionary one. It is to be conservative in the sense that it seeks to transmit the unchanging truths of the Bible across time, but it is to be revolutionary as a change agent of a righteous God in a sinful world.
In harmony with the Bible, Adventist education will develop Christians who can relate well to others in this world. But even more important, Adventist schools will educate students for citizenship in the kingdom of heaven.
*This article originally appeared as a chapter in George R. Knight’s most recent publication Educating for Eternity: A Seventh-day Adventist Philosophy of Education (Berrien Springs, Mich.: Andrews University Press, 2016). Reprinted by permission of the publisher. See also the review of the book in the Book Review section. – From <https://dialogue.adventist.org/2325/the-social-function-of-adventist-education>
Noteworthy: 2018 – Week 6
Teens and Social Media
We would never let a young child simply turn on a stovetop and begin playing with it, nor would we hand a 14-year-old the keys to a truck and expect them to have the knowledge, skill and good judgment to handle it. Likewise, we should not hand kids a smart phone or other connected device without first proactively shaping how they think about and interact with this new technology.
Five steps on what a parent can do to provide the knowledge, skill and good judgment to handle social media:
- To start, talk with them about the biblical principle of stewardship. (Psalm 24:1)
- Then, to keep the conversation going, develop a working knowledge and understanding of social media.
- Use that knowledge to monitor and limit their activities online.
- Teach safety skills online.
- And finally, teach them personal responsibility and godly fidelity in whatever they do. (Colossians 3:23-24)
click for – Full Article
What factors keep members coming back to their congregations week after week.
Results from seven Divisions (three African Divisions, South Asia-Pacific, South Pacific, South American, and Inter-American Divisions) show that the church doctrines were the top factor that influenced members’ decision as to where to attend, these doctrines are the top factor (54%) that influenced regular attendance.
In the North American Division, the three top factors that attracted members to attend their congregations were:
- The presentation of church doctrines (41%)
- Friends (40%)
- Worship style (35%).
Once again, it is important to note that the main reason that respondents come to (and keep coming back) to Adventist churches is because of strong doctrines; the things that make us distinctly “Adventist,” make us different than other churches – and in this case, that’s a good thing! Our fundamental beliefs are all ultimately different ways of helping people to see Jesus Christ. They need to be integrated into sermons and Sabbath school lessons, but more is needed. Church members should be taught how to apply these beliefs to their lifestyle and personal relationship with Jesus. Full Article.
Modesty
In our time, it’s more urgent than ever to rebut those who deny that truth is knowable. The intellectual left has long been under the sway of postmodernism, which denies that objective truth exists. Oprah Winfrey reflected this thinking (intellectual trends never remain cabined on campuses; they trickle down) when she spoke of “your truth” at the Golden Globes. In other words, you have your truth and I have mine, which means truth doesn’t exist. The populist right is feverishly denouncing all uncongenial facts as “fake news.”
Truth is not subjective. Water will freeze at 32 degrees Fahrenheit whether we believe it or not. – Full Article.
Seventh-day Adventist develops and releases a “meditation app for LGBTQ Christians, their friends, family and allies.” Full Article.