web viewup to this point in the creation of the earth, god had simply used the spoken word to...

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP

Equipping members for Global Mission and Outreach

General Conference Sabbath School and Personal Ministries

Community Services & Urban Ministry Certification ProgramModule Syllabus & Teaching Notes

CS 01a Theological & Historical Concepts of Holistic Ministry

2 contact hours

CS 01b Ethical Concepts of Holistic Ministry

2 contact hours

Developed by Gaspar F. Colón, Ph.D., M.P.H, andZdravko (Zack) Plantak, Ph.D.

©2011 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists®

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Table of Contents

PageForward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Module Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Student Requirements for the Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Textbooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Outline and Notes for the Module

Theological Foundations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Historical Perspectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Social Ethics: From Relief to Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

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Forward

How this module fits in the International Institute of Christian Discipleship (IICD) Community Services & Urban Ministry Curriculum:This is the first module in a series of nine modules in the Community Services & Urban Curriculum of the International Institute of Christian Discipleship (IICD). This module has three objectives; first, to help participants understand the theological foundations of holistic (community-based) ministry; second, to give historical perspectives that show some of the key elements that contributed to the growth of Christianity during the first three centuries; and three, the ethical foundations of community service ministries. It is not intended to provide details of how to set-up and implement these various ministries. This detailed information is provided in companion modules in this IICD curriculum.

How to use the module materials:Leader’s Guide: The material presented in this Guide is intended to serve as talking points for your presentation and is structured around the

accompanying PowerPoint slides. You may find that you are not sufficiently familiar with the theological, historical, or

ethical/sociological models presented as ways of conceptualizing the values that are represented in this module. If this is the case, background reading sources are presented in the bibliography and you are encouraged to use them or other sources to supplement your knowledge.

PowerPoint slides: These slides provide an outline of the material to be supplemented by your verbal presentation. The intent is to provide basic

information in an outline format and to stimulate discussion between you and the participants and among the participants.

Materials you will need for your presentation:* This Leader’s Guide.* The PowerPoint presentation.

Module Objectives

At the conclusion of this module, participants will be able to: Understand the biblical foundations for holistic ministry; Articulate God’s plan to bring restoration of His image (physical, mental,

and spiritual/social) to humanity; Discover the biblical mandate for community service ministry and the

support that is found in the writings of Ellen White.3

Know facts about the growth of the early Christian Church that will inspire in them the value community-based ministry.

Explain the ethical mandate that we have for getting involved in community transformation through community service.

Challenge any system of ministry that ignores social justice as exemplified in the ministry of Jesus and the plan of salvation as taught in the Bible.

Student Requirements for the Module

Participants in this module do best when they have a basic knowledge of the Bible and the writings of Ellen White. During this module participants will be called on to interact with the instructor and actively engage in small group dialogue. Students will be required to read chapter 70 in The Desire of Ages and at least one of the textbooks listed below as well as two of the additional resource articles included with the module materials. In this module use any modern translation of the Bible. Attendance of all classes is expected.

Textbooks

Nelson, Dwight K. Pursuing the Passion of Jesus: How “Loving the Least” Helps You Fulfill God’s Purpose for Your Life. Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2005.

Samaan, Philip G. Christ’s Way of Reaching People: The Fine Art of Relational Witnessing. Hagerstown, MD: Review & Herald Publishing Association, 1990.

White, Ellen G. The Desire of Ages. Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2002. (Chapter 70, “The Least of These”)

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Outline and Notes for the Module

Slide Time Action Commentary

1. Title 2 min SAY CS 101 a & b is the foundation module for the Community Service Curriculum for IICD (International Institute for Christian Discipleship). In this module we will discover the biblical mandate for community service ministry and the support that is found in the writings of Ellen White. In addition to the biblical mandate, we will review briefly some little-known facts about the growth of the Christian Church during the first three centuries of the Christian Era. Then we will take an in-depth look at the ethical mandate that we have for getting involved in community transformation through community service. This module is in two parts: (a) “Theological & Historical Concepts of Holistic Ministry” and (b) “Ethical Concepts of Holistic Ministry.”

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2. Theological Foundations

1 min SAY The first segment of this module deals with the most foundational issues relating to the restoration of the image of God in the Great Controversy between Christ and Satan. Christ’s method and example of holistic ministry forms the foundation for this restoration to take place.

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3. The Biblical Theme of Restoration

1 min SAY

READ

The most sweeping theme of the Bible is the theme of the Great Controversy between Christ and Satan. It begins with a perfect creation and the defection of Lucifer and one third of the angels. It continues with another perfect creation and the fall of Adam and Eve. With the loss of the image of God and the epidemic of sin comes the revelation of a plan that the Godhead had from before the creation of the world. The purpose of this plan is to restore humanity to the image of God. In this segment we will look at how we got to where we are in this Great Controversy and what God’s plan is for the restoration of His people to His image and His mission.

Restoration has two dimensions: Restoration of the image of

God Restoration of dominion

(management/stewardship)

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4. Humans Created in God’s Image

5 min READ

NOTE

ASK

SAY

Genesis 1:26-28

Ask the following questions one at a time and let the students answer each in turn. Do not rush to the answer. Allow time for silence and reflection.

What does this passage mean when it says that man was created in the image of God? Does this mean that we look like God? Does it mean that we were created with a mental capacity to reason and understand? Does it mean that God created us to have the capacity for spiritual discernment?

The answer is that God created man in His image physically, mentally, and spiritually/socially.(“Spiritually” also implies a social relationship. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit always have had a close social relationship, which God wanted to extend to Adam and Eve and all humankind. This spiritual/ social relationship between God and humanity and then from one human to another fosters social well-being and wholeness).

In fact we have some very definite statements in the writings of Ellen White that help us better understand 8


5. What Kind of Image is it? Physical Mental Spiritual [Social]

1 min SAY

READ

In the book Education, Ellen White gives us a glimpse of what God’s intention was in creating Adam and Eve in His image.

"When Adam came from the Creator's hand, he bore, in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature, a likeness to his Maker. 'God created man in His own image,' and it was His purpose that the longer man lived, the more fully he should reveal this image – the more fully reflect the glory of the Creator. All his faculties were capable of development; their capacity and vigour were continually to increase." – Education, page 15:1.

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6. Reflectors of the Creator’s Glory

1 min SAY

READ

In addition to that statement, we have some additional dimensions brought to light in the book Education, page 20.

"Created to be 'the image and glory of God,' Adam and Eve had received endowments not unworthy of their high destiny. Graceful and symmetrical in form, regular and beautiful in feature, their countenances glowing with the tint of health and the light of joy and hope, they bore in outward resemblance the likeness of their Maker. Nor was this likeness manifest in the physical nature only. Every faculty of mind and soul reflected the Creator's glory. Endowed with high mental and spiritual gifts, Adam and Eve were made but ‘a little lower than the angels,' that they might not only discern the wonders of the visible universe, but comprehend moral responsibilities and obligations." – Education, page 20:2.

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7. A Living Soul (Being) 1 min SAY

READ

SAY

SAY

The Bible teaches that human beings are integral creatures.

According to the creation story in Genesis 2:7 ”And the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (RSV).

Note that God created Adam as a combination of “dust of the ground” and “breath of Life.” This is consistent with the Hebrew concept of the wholeness of man.

Up to this point in the creation of the earth, God had simply used the spoken Word to create. Here we see God involving Himself physically in the formation of man. God invested a special degree of personalized workmanship; setting Adam apart from the rest of His creation.

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8. A Living Soul Placed Under Law

4 min SAY

READ

ASK

Not only did God invest Himself physically in the creation of Adam and Eve, but He established an environment that protected the integrity of His creation through distinct principles and rules that would allow His creation to multiply and prosper. Ellen White puts it this way:

"In the creation of man was manifest the agency of a personal God. When God had made man in His image, the human form was perfect in all its arrangements, but it was without life. Then a personal, self-existing God breathed into that form the breath of life, and man became a living, breathing, intelligent being. All parts of the human organism were put in action. The heart, the arteries, the veins, the tongue, the hands, the feet, the senses, the perceptions of the mind – all began their work, and all were placed under law. Man became a living soul. Through Jesus Christ, a personal God created man, and endowed him with intelligence and power." – Testimonies, vol. 8, page 264:1

As you read the Genesis creation story, what kinds of laws do you think God placed in the garden to protect His 12


9. Created Perfect 1 min SAY

READ

SAY

When Adam and Eve were created, God looked back at all that He had done and rejoiced.

In Genesis 1:31 we read: “And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good.”

Adam and Eve started out as part of a perfect creation.

10. All was perfect 1 min READ "God looked with satisfaction upon the work of His hands. All was perfect, worthy of its divine Author, and He rested, not as one weary, but as well pleased with the fruits of His wisdom and goodness and the manifestations of His glory.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, page 47:2

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11. Twenty Times the Vital Force

4 min SAY

READ

ASK

Most of us have very little concept of what “very good” means in reference to God’s creation of Adam and Eve. Notice this statement.

"If Adam, at his creation, had not been endowed with twenty times as much vital force as men now have, the race, with their present habits of living in violation of natural law, would have become extinct.“ – Testimonies, vol. 3, pages 138, 139.

As you look at this statement, what do you think it means? What does this say about how marvelous “very good” really is?

12. Vital Force-Mitochondria

5 min SAY

NOTE

SAY

We don’t really know exactly what Ellen White meant when she referred to this “vital force.” Some scientists would suggest that part of the answer could be found in the energy-producing organelle in the cell structure of living creatures called the mitochondrion.

Get a basic biology book if you need to review this concept, or get a nurse or doctor to explain this to your audience.

Mitochondria create energy

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ASK

for the body by turning adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) into adenosine di-phosphate (ADP) plus energy. The mitochondrion then takes the ADP and restructures it back to ATP and starts the process over and over again and again.

In modern exercise physiology and measurement of athletic endurance and performance this is a very important concept. Regular exercise will increase the proportion of mitochondria in the body. Alcohol, tobacco, lack of exercise, etc., will decrease what is called mitochondrial volume in the cells of the body.

Why is this important?

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13. Mitochondrial Volume

2 min SAY

REF.

The world’s greatest Olympic Athletes have between 8-10% more mitochondrial volume than the average person.*

Adam and Eve had 20 times the vital force. If that has anything to do with the mitochondria of the cells of the body, then Adam and Eve would have had 2,000% more mitochondrial volume than the average person today.

That is truly amazing. You see, when God creates something and says it is “very good,” it really is much more than we can understand on the surface.

*(Ann. Rev. Physiol. 1983. 4J:169-89)

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14. More Than Twice as Tall

1 min SAY

READ

SAY

Adam and Eve were not only surprisingly energetic at their creation, but we also learn that:

"As Adam came forth from the hand of his Creator, he was of noble height and of beautiful symmetry. He was more than twice as tall as men now living upon the earth, and as well proportioned." – Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, page 34:top.

So, when we consider how far beyond our imagination “very good” is, we are struck with awe.

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15. Dominion = Stewardship/Management

1 min SAY

READ

A close reading of Genesis 1:26, 28 reveals that Adam and Eve were created for a purpose. They were to have constant fellowship with God and they were to have dominion over all the earth.

In fact in Psalm 8:6-8 repeats this concept. It reads:

“You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.”

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16. Management = Accountable to God

1 min SAY

READ

We would be tempted to think that now Adam and Eve should think of themselves as owners of the world, commissioned to do as they pleased; but that is not the case. God, the Creator, simply makes Adam and Eve His stewards who simply work on behalf of the Creator and give account to Him for everything.

"While they remained true to God, Adam and his companion were to bear rule over the earth. Unlimited control was given them over every living thing." – Patriarchs and Prophets, page 50:2.

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17. Obedience: The Condition of Life

2 min SAY

READ

READ

This unlimited control was given in the context of their stewardship to God. They controlled things around them as servants of God. God had made it clear that there were some things that were beyond their control. Among those was the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God described the penalty.

Genesis 2:16, 17. "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die [dying thou shalt die, margin].”

"God made man upright; He gave him noble traits of character, with no bias toward evil. He endowed him with high intellectual powers, and presented before him the strongest possible inducements to be true to his allegiance. Obedience, perfect and perpetual, was the condition of eternal happiness. On this condition he was to have access to the tree of life." – Patriarchs and Prophets, page 49:2.

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18. Life Lost Through Disobedience

5 min NOTE Compare Genesis 3:6 with Romans 5:19a and Romans 3:23. Adam & Eve both ate of

the tree. By the disobedience of one

man the many were made sinners.

The wages of sin is death.

Ask the class to comment.

19. The Result of Sin 5 min SAY

NOTE

When we look at God’s description of the consequences of sin, we need to realize that God is not arbitrarily condemning Adam and Eve to these punishments. God is simply educating them of what they will go through as a consequence of their sin.

Comment on each as follows:Genesis 3:16-19. Painful toil in childbearing

—means that Eve would have pain that goes beyond what we normally think of. She would face the full pain as she holds the body of Abel after the first murder (Gen. 4:8)

"In painful toil shalt thou eat."—It seems that all nature rebelled against Adam and Eve to the same degree that Adam and Eve rebelled against their stewardship to God.

"Thorns also and thistles."

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DISCUSS

READ

"In the sweat of thy face." "Unto dust shalt thou

return."

Disobedience brought unhappiness, hardships, difficulties, and finally, death. See Romans 5:12.

"Through sin the divine likeness was marred, and well-nigh obliterated. Man's physical powers were weakened, his mental capacity was lessened, his spiritual vision dimmed. He had become subject to death." – Education, 15:2.

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20. God’s Plan for Man’s Restoration

4 min SAY

READ

This dismal situation called for God to put into action the plan that He had established before the foundation of the world: To share His Son to become one of us, take upon Himself the penalty of sin, and to rise from the grave that we might be partakers of His eternal life.

"To restore in man the image of his Maker, to bring him back to the perfection in which he was created, to promote the development of body, mind, and soul, that the divine purpose in his creation might be realized – this was to be the work of redemption. This is the object of education, the great object of life.” – Education, pages 15, 16.

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21. What is Social Justice?

1 min READ Social justice is God’s original intention for human society: a world where basic needs are met, people flourish, and peace (shalom) reigns.

Social justice and poverty are mentioned in Scripture over 2,100 times. (Richard Stearns, The Hole in Our Gospel)

22. Christ’s Mission 4 min NOTE

READ

READ

Have members of the class discuss what these two statements mean in the light of what we have said so far:"It was His mission to bring to men complete restoration, He came to give them health and peace and perfection of character." MH page 17:1.

"The Saviour made each work of healing an occasion for implanting divine principles in the mind and soul. This was the purpose of His work." – Ibid., page 20:1.

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23. Restoring the Image is …

5 min SAY

ASK

SAY

ASK

SAY

SAY

Restoring the image is: Restoration of physical

resources Restoration of mental

resources Restoration of

spiritual/social resourcesHow does your church cooperate with God to restore the image of God physically, mentally, and spiritually/socially? Restoration of dominion

under GodHow do we provide service to people in need that teaches people to envision their future and strive to go beyond their current circumstances?We must be intentional in involving survivors of physical and social disasters in taking responsibility for planning and good stewardship.We cannot afford to let our service make people slaves of our generosity.

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24. Christ’s Method Alone

5 min READ

DISCUSS

Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with

men As one who desired their

good. He showed His sympathy

for them, Ministered to their needs,

and Won their confidence. Then He bade them,

"Follow Me." Ministry of Healing, p. 143

How much of each of these aspects of Christ’s ministry is present in your church’s ministry?

25. Jesus and Social Justice

4 min READ

ASK

Luke 4:14-22

This is Jesus’ mission statement sermon. What is He saying about the nature of His mission?

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26. Jesus and Social Justice

1 min DISCUSS

ASK

Luke 4:14-30 Jesus quotes Isaiah 61 (Messianic Job Description):The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has: Anointed Me to preach

good news to the poor. Sent Me to proclaim

freedom for the prisoners. Recovery of sight to the

blind. Release the oppressed. Proclaim the year of the

Lord’s favor.

What is the year of the Lord’s favor?

27. The year of the Lord’s favor…

1 min REVIEW “The year of the Lord’s favor” is the Jubilee (Lev. 25:10, 28; 27:17; Num. 36:4; Eze. 46:17).

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28. The Year of Jubilee is one of three types of Sabbaths:

3 min EXPLAIN

1.Weekly Sabbaths(Exod 20; Lev 23; Deut 5; Isa 58)Sabbath attitude: care for poor; set oppressed free (Jesus deliberately healed on Sabbath)

2. Sabbaths of years(Exod 23:9-12; Lev 25; Deut 15) canceling debts; concern for poor; slaves freed

3. After seven Sabbaths of years: The Year of Jubilee (Lev 25) Property that was sold is

restored to the original owner.

Debts forgiven. Prisoners & slaves were

set free.

•Jubilee was an equalizer of society—to give everyone an opportunity to begin anew. It was a “safeguard against extremes of either wealth or want” (MH 185).

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29 & 30. Jubilee Embodies the Function of Go’el

1 min EXPLAIN

Go’el –Typically translated as “redeemer,” “revenger,” “kinsman,” and “avenger.” (Like Boaz in story of Ruth)

Role of the go’el included: Rescuing the oppressed

and destitute relative (Ruth 2-4)

Avenging the blood (death) of the murdered relative by fulfilling the lex talionis (Exod 21:23, 24).

Repurchasing the lost real estate and restoring it to the original owner (Lev 25:25)

Buying back the destitute relative who had been forced to sell himself into slavery (vs 48).

Becoming a levir (Deut 25:5f)

Adapted from Richard W. Coffen, Snapshots of God, R & H, 2009, p. 152)

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31. Sabbath–A Way-of-Living Reflector

1 min READ

REF.

“. . . the [7th-Day] Sabbath reflects a way of living in the world the other six days, one that actively considers the welfare of the rest of humanity and all of creation.”

*Rebecca Brillhart, Adventist Review, 1/10/08.

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32 & 33. Isaiah 61 Is Clearly About the Messiah

1 min READ

SAY

SAY

Psalm 146:7-9: “The Lord upholds the cause of the oppressed, comes to their defense, he gives food to the hungry, he sets the prisoner free, he lifts those who are bowed down, he watches over the alien, he sustains the fatherless and widows.”

God describes himself again and again in Scriptures as God of the poor, Friend of the weak, Father of the fatherless, Defender of widows, Judge of the oppressed, Protector of aliens.

If this is the kind of God we worship, this is the kind of people we should be. We have to imitate God in God’s divine care for the poor and the powerless.

34. Isaiah 61Also the Role of God’s People Whom the Messiah Restores

1 min SAY

READ

The messianic figure of Isaiah 61 (Jesus) produces a people whose faith and justification will lead them to transform the world around them.

“They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations” (vs. 4)

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35 & 36. Luke 4:18-19 (& Isa 61)

5 min NOTE

ASK

Read through this chart and notice how tasks that make up Jesus’ job description translate into spiritual and physical outcomes.

How do these reveal themselves in the ministry of my church?

37. God’s Call for an Attitude of Compassion

1 min SAY The Jubilee ministry described in Isaiah 61 is a standard that God expects of His people. This is why in Isaiah 58 God rebukes and teaches His people what attitude He really expects from His followers.

It is the Christian’s job description – Parallel passage to Isaiah 61

The main theme is: It’s not all about me!

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38. God’s Call for an Attitude of Compassion

6 min NOTE

REVIEW

NOTE

Go through the chapter and explain each section.

Isaiah 58 – portrays the Sabbath Attitude.

God’s people are condemned for making God’s work about themselves (vss. 1-5).

God’s definition of a true fast (vss. 6-11).

The community-building prophecy (vs. 12).

The same selfless attitude is what motivates God’s people to celebrate the lordship of God in their lives through the Sabbath (vss.13-14).

*We should not only focus on the poor and needy. There is another group that is often neglected—the rich and famous. Any fish we catch for the Lord, we can rejoice in (like the fish with the money in its mouth).

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39. Group Discussion: 5 min ASK

ASK

NOTE

1. How does Isaiah 61 and 58 affect how you live your life at home, in your community, at work, at church?

2. How would you define the mission of Christ? What is your role in that mission?

The next slides help answer question #2.

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40. Christ’s Method Alone

1 min READ

SAY

“Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6).

“Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him” (Acts 10:38).

Messiah’s actual ministry on earth is our biblical foundation and model. We can more effectively partner with Christ in the restoration He wants to bring people when we use His method.

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41 & 42. Christ’s Method of Reaching People

2 min READ

SAY

NOTE

Read the quote from Ministry of Healing p. 143

Dr. Caleb Rosado has created a formula from this passage that helps us to see what results can be expected from living this counsel.

Click through each part of the formula noting what Socializing, Sympathizing, Serving, and Saving do:

Socializing (Mingling) opens networks

Sympathizing and Serving creates attachments (emotional & spiritual)

Socializing, sympathizing, and Serving win confidence

Confidence opens the way to an invitation to salvation and discipleship in Jesus.

43. The Dichotomous Model

3 min SAY The model that has prevailed in Adventism and in other conservative Christian

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SAY

SAY

SAY

SAY

Denominations is represented by this linear graph. This graph places the continuum of evangelism on an inversely proportional graph.

This graph does not work well because it divides the gospel into two distinct segments of the continuum. Socializing, sympathizing,

and servings are on the “left” and we call it the social gospel.

Salvation is on the “right” and we call that the evangelical gospel.

We find here a kind of dualism through which we tend to be willing to provide funding for the evangelical gospel, but the social gospel is relegated to a nicety (the social gospel) that is not valued as much and is usually not funded with as much enthusiasm as the evangelical gospel

Notice that in the graph, the closer you get to Serving, the farther away you get from Saving. That doesn’t make sense when you look closely at the ministry of Jesus.

This kind of a graph is useless in representing holistic ministry because it creates a competition between the method and the result of ministry37


44. The Holistic Model 3 min SAY

SAY

ASK

In order to correct this trend in dividing the ministry, we need to go back to thinking like the Hebrew people did. They had a holistic concept of life.

We need to make sure that all of the components of the ministry are reflected in a single model (the ministry of Jesus). We should therefore look at a cyclical pattern, which remains consistently tied to its center (Christ’s Method Alone).

Which of these models makes more sense when we are seeking to follow Christ’s method? What would you do differently in your planning and funding for ministry if you were to adopt the holistic model?

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45 & 46. The Holistic “One Gospel” Model (Continued)

3 min SAY

READ

SAY

READ

SAY

In the very next paragraph in MH 143, we read:

“There is need of coming close to the people by personal effort. If less time were given to sermonizing, and more time were spent in personal ministry, greater results would be seen. The poor are to be relieved, the sick cared for, the sorrowing and the bereaved comforted, the ignorant instructed, the inexperienced counseled. We are to weep with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice. Accompanied by the power of persuasion, the power of prayer, the power of the love of God, this work will not, cannot, be without fruit.” (MH 143:4)

If, for some reason, you wonder if this expanded view of evangelism will somehow slow our statistical growth and be less cost effective in your efforts toward baptisms, this promise may be what you need today.

“If we would humble ourselves before God, and be kind and courteous and tenderhearted and pitiful, there would be one hundred conversions to the truth where now there is only one.” (9T 189)

When it may not seem to have fruit—think about God’s strategic plan—the plan of 39


47. According to Jesus–Who Is Our Neighbor/Community?

3 min NOTE

READ

SAY

Review the story of the Good Samaritan

See Luke 10:29-37 – Good Samaritan Story

The priest and Levite:‘If I stop help this man, what will happen to me?’

The Good Samaritan:‘If I do not stop to help this man, whatwill happen to him?’

It’s not all about me!

48. MATTHEW 24-25 HOW SHALL WE WAIT?

1 min ASK What are some of the ways that we wait for the second coming of Christ?

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49. How Shall We Wait? 8 min NOTE Separate your class into 5 groups if possible and ask them each to read one of the passages below and answer the question: “What does Jesus say about how we should wait for the Second Coming of Christ?”

1.Matt. 24:36-442.Matt. 24:45-513.Matt. 25:1-134.Matt. 25:14-305.Matt. 25:31-46

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50. How Shall We Wait?Discussion:

4 min NOTE

SAY

After each group reports on their passage, show the thoughts on the slide that corresponds to it.

Matt. 24:36-44 We all have to wait. Not

knowing the day or the hour, we must always be ready.

Matt. 24:45-51 We don’t beat each other

up, backbite.

Matt. 25:1-13 Stay alert.

Prepare ahead.

Are each responsible for our own spiritual condition (increasing our capacity).

Not lacking the Holy Spirit.

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51. How Shall We Wait?Discussion

4 min SAY

READ

SAY

Matt. 25:14-30 Multiply the resources

that God has placed in our hands.

Invest our talents in God’s cause.

Exercise faith, go out on a limb for Him.

Matt. 25:31-46 Care for “The Least of

These.” Are personally involved

(Is 58:7). This is an end-time test.

SOMETHING ELSE ABOUT WHILE WE WAITRomans 5:5 – “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who he has given us. We are in the now, the not yet. While we wait for the “now is” there will be trials and disappointments, but while we wait we are immersed in God’s love.” (Rom 5:5)

Therefore we have something wonderful to share with others, even the “least of these.”

52. Are We Sheep or Goats

1 min SAY The question then for each of us; “Are we sheep or goats?”

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53. Titus 2:11-14 3 min SAY

READ

NOTE

The issue of how we should wait is again brought up in Paul’s letter to Titus. There we read:

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to . . . live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.” (Also see James 2:14-26)

OPTIONAL MATERIAL:Community development expert, Monte Sahlin, shares the following biblical studies for further study:Theology of compassion/ empowerment that shows God’s regard for social justice: Deuteronomy 10:17-19; 24:17-

19 – widow, orphans, aliens Deuteronomy 15 – Sabbatical/

Jubilee system: God condemns His people for not implementing the Sabbatical/ Jubilee system

Amos focuses on social justice. John 10:10 – Christ is

concerned about the quality of human life—their life NOW, not just eternal life.

Matthew 28:19, 20 refers back to Luke 4 (Go make disciples [imperative verb – the going means doing the healing ministry of Jesus]…baptize, teach [helping verbs of “make disciples”])

Luke 6:20-22 – Kingdom values Luke 10-29-27 – Who is my

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/120 min

neighbor? Luke 18:18-25 – Rich Young

Ruler Luke 19:1-10 – Zacchaeus Revelation 21 – the story

“ends” (no more crying, suffering, no more social injustice…)=outcomes=mission-driven. The New Jerusalem-What kind of community does God want?

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54. Title Slide:Historical Perspectives

1 min SAY

SAY

Now we shift gears. We have made a foundational case for Community Service and Community transformation based on the creation, fall, and redemption strategy of the Great Controversy. We have also taken a closer look at the ministry of Jesus and the example that He gives us of day-to-day ministry. We finally looked at how Jesus expects us, as His followers, to wait for His Second Coming.

Our next study takes a brief historical look at some factors that led the early Christian Church in its rise to prominence in the Roman Empire and beyond.

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55. Urban Conditions in the 1st to 3rd Centuries

2 min SAY

REF.

When we look at history, we are often tempted to interpret and judge the stories that we read through our own culture and experience. Many of the cities in Asia Minor where Christianity flourished were less than desirable places to live. In many of these cities:

The population density ranged from 78.2 to 130 persons per acre (similar to Calcutta today).

They had extremely narrow streets (Rome required that streets be at least 9.5 feet wide).

Inhabitants suffered through frequent fires, building collapses and natural disasters.

Sewers were little more than a ditch running along the middle of the street.

There was a great deal of social chaos and crime.

(Rodney Stark, Cities of God: The Real Story of How Christianity Became an Urban Movement and Conquered Rome. New York: HarperCollins, 2006, p. 30)

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56. Christianity in Major Cities 1st to 3rd Centuries

1 min SAY Rodney Stark asserts that; given the terrible conditions in the cities it is important to realize that the power of Christianity:

“lay not its promise of other-worldly compensation for suffering in this life…”

It was not about being in such circumstances that you wanted to escape to a better heavenly land. Rather:

“The truly revolutionary aspect of Christianity lay in moral imperatives such as ‘Love ones neighbor as oneself,’ ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,’ ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive,’ and ‘When you did it to the least of my brethren, you did it unto me.’ ”

57. Factors Leading to 3 min SAY Dr. Stark, a

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Growth of Christianity 1st to 3rd Centuries

sociologist/historian provides some eye-opening insights into some factors that helped lead to explosive growth during the first three centuries. He notes that:

Within 20 years after the crucifixion, Christianity went from a faith based in rural Galilee to an urban movement in cities like Antioch, Corinth, and Athens. (These larger urban centers [by first century standards] provided a larger population base where it was easier to exist without bringing undue attention before a firm foundation could be established for the Christian movement).

Port Cities were Christianized sooner than inland cities. (This helped early Christians in these port cities to share the message to a myriad of visitors and merchants who would be able to take the message with them. It also allowed for better communication between Christians in one port city and another).

The closer the city was to Jerusalem, the sooner it had a Christian congregation. (The Christian movement

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spread from Jerusalem to areas nearby and those new congregations supported congregations further out from there, etc. etc.—like a ripple effect. [Acts 1:8]).

58. Factors Leading to Growth of Christianity 1st to 3rd Centuries (continued)

3 min SAY Hellenic (Greek) cities had Christian congregations sooner than Roman cities. (Greek culture had a longer and richer philosophical base in which debate and exchange of ideas tended to make the residents more hospitable to new ideas).

Larger cities had Christian congregations sooner than smaller cities. (Larger cities were more likely to have commercial centers where Jewish merchants would settle. Synagogues and the homes of merchant families housed much of the missionary efforts of early Christians. Larger cities also provided more anonymity than the smaller villages).

Cities where the worship of the goddesses Cybele and Isis welcomed Christianity sooner than others. (Cities where a particular deity was worshipped to the exclusion of others provided a better environment for

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monotheism to take hold among the local citizens).

Rich people were just as likely to embrace Christianity as poor people. (In the writings of Luke in the book of Acts and in Paul’s epistles we find names of very influential people who had embraced Christianity. These provided physical and monetary support for the growing church and for service to the poorer classes).

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59. Factors Leading to Growth of Christianity 1st to 3rd Centuries (continued)

3 min SAY Paganism was incapable of generating the moral imperatives that Christianity espoused because:

Many of its gods and goddesses were of dubious character. (Adherents and their children did not have good behavioral models among the gods to motivate them to desire moral behavior).

Paganism offered nothing that could motivate humans beyond self-interested acts of propitiation.

Temples were essentially eating clubs hosted by wealthy patrons eager for display of social status as well as the appeasing of the gods. (Stark, 31)

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60. How Did Christianity Take Over an Empire in Less Than 300 Years?

4 min

SAY

Read Slide

Social status among the leading members of pagan temples depended on sponsorship of rituals and celebrations in the temple. Membership was expensive and there was little that would be done for the poor in the pagan community because of the demands for status that temple worshippers felt. Therefore, caring Christian service was attracting many of the poorer pagan citizens away from the temple.

Rodney Stark in his book, Cities of God – goes over the documents in the Roman empire in the 2nd and 3rd century and sees little vignettes of how Christians are perceived and how Christianity grew from a sect of Judaism (The Way) to a powerful group.

The growth of Christianity in the Mediterranean area—Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, etc. was not so much that people were spiritually awakened, but because Christians loved and served their neighbors. Advice to pagan priest: In other words, If you’re ever going to get control back from Christians, you will have to do more to love and serve people than the Christians do.

Christianity’s growth

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stemmed from the help and compassion from Christians.

That’s the way we build a relationship with our community that will last a long time.

61. 11th to 17th Century 1 min SAY

REF.

Cities grew around cathedrals . . .

During the establishment of the major cities in Europe the cathedral became the center around which communities would be built. They provided safety, salvation, social service, and social support.

(See Harvie M. Conn & Manuel Ortiz, Urban Ministry: The Kingdom, the City, and the People of God, [Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001], p. 39)

62. Question 6 min

/140 min

ASK If Christianity had such initial success in the first three centuries, why is it that we do not see this same influence today? In fact we see a diminishing of the transformational value of the church today.

63. Title – CS 01b

64. Social Ethics: From Relief to Policy

1 min SAY This third segment of this module deals with ethics and how biblical and social ethics make it imperative that we, as Christians, help those around us to move beyond survival to wholeness.

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65. Tagore - On Service 1 min SAY The Bible dares us to dream and imagine in the same way the eastern poet Rabindranath Tagore put it: “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.”

66. West & Hillel 1 min SAY

REF.

Theologian and philosopher Cornel West suggested “a rich life [is fundamentally a life of serving others], trying to leave the world a little better than you found it.”

This resounds with the words of Rabbi Hillel 2000 years ago: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I?”

As quoted in Paul Rogat Loeb, Soul of a Citizen: Living with Convictions in a Cynical Time, (New York: St. Martins’ Griffins, 1998), pp. 13-14.

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67 & 68. Two central themes. . .

2 min SAY Two central themes run through the Bible concerning justice. The first is God's all-

encompassing love, concern, and mercy for all human beings.

The second is our responsibility to love God’s earth and to care for God’s people.

God placed Adam and Eve in the garden and instructed them to care for it. In the story of Cain and Abel, God sent the clear message that we are, indeed, our brother’s and sister’s keeper. In the tradition of the Exodus from Egypt, we learn of God’s compassionate response to misery, oppression, and slavery. God’s law not only calls for individual piety but also communal responsibility for the well-being of all.

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69. Poverty is Like a Bleeding Wound

1 min SAY

READ

REF.

David Shipler compares poverty with a bleeding wound. He says:

“It weakens the defenses. It lowers resistance. It attracts the predators. The loan sharks operate not only from bars and street corners, but also legally from behind bulletproof glass. Their beckoning signs are posted at some 10,000 locations across the country: “Payday Loans”, “Quick Cash”, “Easy Money”. You see them in check-cashing joints and storefront offices in poor and working-class neighborhoods. They have organized themselves into at least a dozen national chains, and they charge fees equivalent to more than 500 percent annualized interest.”

David Shipler, The Working Poor: Invisible in America, (2004, 2005), p. 18.

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70. Human Dignity 2 min SAY

READ

Notice how the Bible emphasizes the dignity of human beings:

Proverbs 14:31 - “He who [whoever] oppresses the poor shows contempt for their maker, but whoever is kind to the needy, honors God.”

Proverbs 22:2 - “Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.”

Job 34:19 – “[the rich and the poor] are all the work of his hands.

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71. Human Dignity 2 min SAY

READ

REF.

Ellen Davis comments on human dignity as follows:

“Through the poor, the Creator of heaven and earth becomes vulnerable to our contempt! Likewise, in them God waits to be honored. The Gospel parable of ‘the sheep and the goats’ (Matt 25:31-46) develops this insight: ‘Just as you did it [or did not do it] to one of the least of these, you did it [or did not do it] to me’. Thus we learn that righteousness is not a matter of conformity to some objective code of behavior. Rather, it is finally a matter of how we treat God, who is directly on the receiving end of our action, both good and evil.”

Ellen F. Davis, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. (Louisville, KT: Westminster, 2000), p. 95.

72. Human Dignity 1 min SAY The bottom line regarding human dignity is that the poor are human beings created by God in His own image and therefore we must respect and serve them.

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73. Human Rights 1 min SAY

READ

SAY

Note how the author of Proverbs puts it:

Proverbs 29:7 “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.”

In other words, the poor are human beings with human rights; therefore we must seek justice for the poor – especially the equal opportunity.

74. What Justice? 1 min SAY “In 1843 General Charles Napier conquered Sind and installed the order of British colonial rule. … When British came, one of the colonial impositions they instituted was the prohibition of SATI – of widows being cremated alive on their husband’s funeral pyres. They were shrewd enough to tolerate a number of native peculiarities, but not the burning of widows.”

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75. Sati Custom 1 min SAY

READ

REF.

The Brahmans of Sind, however, defended SATI as an age-old custom. General Napier’s response was as simple as it was arrogant:

“My nation also has a custom. When men burn women alive, we hang them. Let us all act according to national custom!”

Found in Miroslav Volf, Exclusion & Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996),p. 193., but originally found in Peter Berger, A Far Glory. The Quest for Faith in an Age of Credulity. (New York: Free Press, 1992), p. 71.

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76. Justice is About Human Rights

1 min SAY Those less advantaged then us are still human beings with human rights.

Because, JUSTICE is about HUMAN RIGHTS.

It is not just sympathy that the poor need (or only prayer and a pat on the back), it is justice as well.

77. Justice 1 min SAY “The sword of justice can be a terrible thing,” and therefore, the Bible constantly reminds us that it must be “tempered by humanity and mercy.”

“Justice and righteousness are first and foremost characteristics of God’s reign.” And when “God’s will is done – when justice and righteousness are enacted – the result is shalom.” (The New Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 4, p. 963.)

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78. Dangers of Justice 2 min SAY Justice or righteousness could easily become self-righteousness.

Pharisees – the prime example.

Biblical justice is always about the other person and not about myself.

Therefore, pursuit of human rights is always about the rights of others, advocacy not for my own self or my group, but for the other!

79. Micah 6:8 5 min SAY

READ

ASK

Probably the most direct command that we have in Scripture is that which is found in Micah 6: 8. It reads:

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

How is this passage in Micah 6:8 specifically reflected in the ministry of community service in and around my church?

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80 & 81. Advocating for Justice

1 min SAY

READ

God requires both charity and justice, and justice can often be achieved only through the mechanism of government. The view that nations, as well as individuals, will be judged by the way they treat the weakest and most vulnerable among them is deeply embedded in the witness of prophets such as Isaiah, who said:

“How terrible it will be for those who make unfair laws, and those who write laws that make life hard for people. They are not fair to the poor, and they rob my people of their rights. They allow people to steal from widows and to take from orphans what really belongs to them.” (Isaiah 10:1-2)

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82. Advocacy 5 min SAY

ASK

The Bible also has something to say about advocacy. Proverbs 29:7 can be read with a variety of emphases that bring out the fuller meaning of the verse:

Prov 29:7 “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.”•Prov 29:7 “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.”•Prov 29:7 “The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.”

What do each of these three different emphases say to you about the multiple dimensions of justice?

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83. Advocacy 5 min DISCUSS

Look at these statements and reflect on what this might mean in your own church.

Are people who come to worship at our Seventh-day Adventist churches throughout the world in need of making an extraordinary discovery that, despite the fact that they think they are righteous, they might be wicked in terms of Proverbs 29? – And all because they do not care about the poor.

Many of our people may need to revise their understanding of the categories of righteousness and wickedness, and re-evaluate where they belong.

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84. Advocacy – “Speak Up”

1 min SAY

READ

SAY

The Bible also counsels us to be vocal when it comes to advocacy.

Proverbs 31:8. “Speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves. Speak up, and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and of the needy.”

The poor are powerless and voiceless

Therefore, we must speak up for the voiceless and defend the powerless!

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85. Duty to Advocate 1 min SAY The worst plight of the poor is not so much inability to survive, but they lack the ability themselves to change their situation.

Consequently, it is the duty of those who are neither poor nor powerless to speak up for those who are.

This is what God does - if his people do not defend the poor, he will do it himself.

Prov. 22:23a. – “the LORD will take up their case.”

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86 & 87. Imitating God 2 min READ

SAY

BE MERCIFUL/PERFECT AS YOUR FATHER IS MERCIFUL/PERFECT

Psalm 146. “The Lord upholds the cause of the oppressed, comes to their defense, he gives food to the hungry, he sets the prisoner free, he lifts those who are bowed down, he watches over the alien, he sustains the fatherless and widows.”

God describes himself again and again in Scriptures as God of the poor, Friend of the weak, Father of the fatherless, Defender of widows, Judge of the oppressed, Protector of aliens.

If this is the kind of God we worship, this is the kind of people we should be. We have to imitate God in God’s divine care for the poor and the powerless.

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88. Job—The Just 1 min SAY

READ

Job is the biblical character who was like this. He was truly righteous/just/ upholding human dignity and human rights:

Job 29:12-17: “I rescued the poor when they cried for help; I rescued the orphan who had none to assist him; I put on righteousness as my clothing and justice was my robe and my turban. I was a father to the needy and I took up the case of a stranger.”

89, 90, & 91. Advocacy Issue

2 min SAY Dietrich Bonhoeffer quoted again and again Proverbs 31 and verse 8:

From the Nazi prison he wrote: “Some [Christians] seek refuge from the rough-and-tumble of public life in the sanctuary of their own private virtue. Such men, however, are compelled to seal their lips and shut their eyes to the injustices around them.”[1]

“Open your mouth for the dumb and speak out for those who cannot speak up for themselves”. Adventists should have done it in Germany, and Yugoslavia, and Rwanda, and most recently in the United States and many other places

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ASK

around the world. Maybe the second world war, Rwandan genocide and ethnic cleansing campaigns in the Balkans and Iraq war would never have taken place, if Christians, should I add Seventh-day Adventist Christians included, spoke up. We were all guilty, at times, of silence when we should have been an active voice, advocates for justice and peace and human rights.

[1] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison, pp. 18-19.

To what extent do we get so disconnected from the issues of the world around us that we don’t even perceive the evils that are affecting our own neighborhood?

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92. The Hardest Cases 1 min SAY

REF.

As Michael Ignatieff in his highly acclaimed book The Needs of Strangers, points out in commenting on Shakespeare’s King Lear, “the test of human respect is in life’s hardest cases: not in one’s neighbour, friend or relation, but the babbling stranger, the foul and inconsistent inhabitant of the back wards of the state hospitals, the Mongol child [the insane, the retarded, the deaf and dumb, the crippled and deranged].”

Michael Ignatieff, The Needs of Strangers, (New York: Picador USA, 2001), p. 44.

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93. Blasphemy Against God

1 min SAY

READ

SAY

REF.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it this way:

"The hungry need bread, and the homeless need a roof; the oppressed need justice and the lonely need fellowship; the undisciplined need order and the slave needs freedom.”

Because Jesus had entered into our world of sorrows, and because he had taken up the cause of those in need, making their cause to be his own, he could continue, “to allow the hungry to remain hungry would be blasphemy against God and one's neighbor, for what is nearest to God is precisely the need of one's neighbor."

(Bonhoeffer, Ethics, p. 137)

94. Ellen White’s Advice 1 min READ

REF.

"Christ's chief work was in ministering to the poor, the needy, and the ignorant. . . Christ's life is an example to all His followers."

Ellen G. White, Welfare Ministry, p. 59.

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95. Who is Jesus Christ for Us Today?

1 min SAY Bonhoeffer's great insight: "What is nearest to God is precisely the need of one's neighbor." On this profound basis he saw that it made no sense to choose between evangelism and social action.

He saw that evangelism without social action was empty, and that social action without evangelism was blind. Both were key to the church's mission, since both were ways of bearing witness in the world to God's love for the world in Jesus Christ.

96. Sabbath 1 min SAY Again we come back to the idea that Sabbaths are about justice and equalization of society under the Lordship of Christ. (Luke 4 & Isaiah 61)

Jesus is in all three seeking to bring about liberation from oppression.

•Weekly Sabbaths (Deut 5)•Sabbaths of Years (Deut 15)•The Year of Jubilee (Lev 25)

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97. Sabbatical Jubilee 1 min SAY The Annual Sabbaths and the Jubilee Sabbaths have several things in common:

Environmental Rights – the land to be left unplowed and able to recover from use and sometimes abuse

Economic Rights – the poor to be given back their dignity and forgiven their debts

Political Rights – slaves to be released and given their God-given freedom

98. Seventh-day Keepers 1 min SAY As Sabbath keepers we need to remind ourselves that we must be:

People who are reminded weekly about our duties towards those whose human rights are denied

People who are invited to weekly reflect and implement in our worship and our life of Sabbath observation to be mindful of others

People who are weekly invited to proclaim and lobby for those who are less fortunate.

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99. Seventh-day Keepers: Let Justice Roll Down

1 min SAY

READ

We would do well to remember that as Sabbath keepers we will be rebuked if we abandon the connection between Sabbath peace (Shalom), justice, and righteousness.

Amos 5:21-24. - “I hate, I despise your feast days [Sabbaths], and I do not savor your sacred assemblies. Take away from me the noise of your songs, for I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. But let justice run down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

100. Sabbath People: Repairers and Restorers

1 min SAY

READ

Again we turn to Isaiah 58 to regain the perspective that Sabbath religion is not about us. It is about worshipping God through service that transforms the world around us.

Isaiah 58:12-13 - “You shall be called the Repairers of the Walls and the Restorers of the Ancient Ruins. If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord.”

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101. Adventist Eschatology: Two Cities in Revelation

5 min NOTE Guide the class in a comparison of the contrasting characteristics of the two cities of the book of Revelation. Comment on the contrast and move to the next slide for some more contrast.

102. Two Cities in Revelation

10 min

NOTE

DISCUSS

Continue with the comparison of the contrasting characteristics of the two cities of revelation.

How does this affect the ministry of your church as it projects itself and identifies with those who belong to the Holy City?

103. Adventist Eschatology: Second Coming

1 min SAY

READ

NOTE

As we anticipate the Second Coming let us remember that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, but we are judged by how that faith works in our ethics of service.

Matthew 25:31ff - “When the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the holy angels with Him, He will sit on the throne of His glory and say to those on His right hand: ‘Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you …

(Move to next slide….)

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104. Adventist Eschatology

1 min READ “… for I was hungry and you gave the food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you came to visit me, I was in prison and you came to me.

“Then the righteous will respond: ‘When did we do all this?’

“When you did this to the least of my brothers, you did it to me!”

105. Conclusion: Two Sinking Ship Metaphors

1 min SAY Dr. Sakai Kubo tells the following stories to illustrate the attitude of the two types of churches that anticipate the End-Time.

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106. Sinking Ship I 1 min READ Some Christians today “view the present world as a sinking ship and so they see no value in setting the course, polishing the brass or mending the sails. Rather than working on the ship, they spend their time on lifeboats, warning from a distance the passengers on the ship of its impending doom. They regard any attempt to improve social conditions as futile and unnecessary, since Christ at His Coming will destroy the present sinful world-order.” (Kubo, Sakae. God Meets Man: A Theology of the Sabbath and Second Advent. Nashville, TN: Southern Publishing Association, 1978.)

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107. Sinking Ship II 1 min READ “The decent person is one who, though he knows that he is on a floundering ship doomed to a watery burial, refuses simply to think of saving himself by secretly escaping alone on a lifeboat. He ministers to the needy and for the welfare of all concerned, even though he may well realize that no hope remains for any of them. The Christian cannot do any less, and paradoxically the eschatological motive with its implication that there exists a righteous loving God in control of all things intensifies his desire to act in the way of his Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself not only for His friends but for His enemies.” (Ibid.)

108. Relief to Advocacy 1 min SAY

NOTE

And so we end with a motto taken from the Tikkun Olam:

Repair the World to Healing Wholeness.

Tikkun olam : עולם תיקון ) is a phrase that means "repairing the world." The concept of tikkun olam originated in the early rabbinic period and has a strong implication for social justice.

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109. Q & A 35 min

/240

NOTE Use remaining time for questions, answers, comments.

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Bibliography

Ayerst, David, and A. S. T. Fisher. Records of Christianity. Vol. I. Oxford: Blackwell, 1971.

Berger, Peter. A Far Glory. The Quest for Faith in an Age of Credulity. New York: Free Press, 1992.

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Ethics. Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. 1975.

Bonhoeffer Dietrich. Letters and Papers from Prison. Touchstone; Updated edition July 1, 1997.

Coffen, Richard W. Snapshots of God. Hagerstown, MD: Review & Herald Publishing Association, 2009.

Conn, Harvie M. & Ortiz, Manuel. Urban Ministry: The Kingdom, the City & the People of God. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2010

Davis, Ellen F. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs. Louisville, KT: Westminster, 2000.

Ignatieff, Michael. The Needs of Strangers. New York: Picador USA, 2001.

Kubo, Sakae. God Meets Man: A Theology of the Sabbath and Second Advent. Nashville, TN: Southern Publishing Association, 1978.

Loeb, Paul Rogat. Soul of a Citizen: Living with Convictions in a Cynical Time. New York: St. Martins’ Griffins, 1998.

Maier, Rudi. Working With the Poor: Selected Passages from Ellen G. White on Social Responsibility. Berrien Springs, MI: Department of World Mission, 2007.

Plantak, Zdravko. The Silent Church: Human Rights and Adventist Social Ethics. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1998.

Stark, Rodney, Cities of God: The Real Story of How Christianity Became an Urban Movement and Conquered Rome. New York: HarperCollins, 2006.

Stark, Rodney. The Rise of Christianity A Sociologist Reconsiders History. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1996.

Shipler David. The Working Poor: Invisible in America, New York, NY: Vintage Books, 2004, 2005).

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Volf, Miroslav. Exclusion & Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996.

White, Ellen G. Christian Service. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1971, 2002.

White, Ellen G. Education. Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1903 (1942).

White, Ellen G. Evangelism. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1946, 2002.

White, Ellen G. Ministry of Healing. Glendale, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1905

White, Ellen G. Patriarchs and Prophets. Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1958.

White, Ellen G. Spiritual Gifts. Vol. 3, Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1945.

White, Ellen G. Testimonies for the Church. Vol. 3, Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1948.

White, Ellen G. Testimonies for the Church. Vol. 8, Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1948.

White, Ellen G. The Desire of Ages. Nampa, ID: Pacific Press Publishing Association, 2002

White, Ellen G. Welfare Ministry. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1952.

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