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FRONTLINEedition 3Q

10TELL THE WORLD


Global Mission frontline workers serve around the world each day telling their world about Christ Jesus. They, however, can’t reach everyone. The Lord depends on each one of His children to help tell His message. This special issue of Front Line Edition features the new Tell the World initiative to reach the world for Christ. As you read the following testimony of a young girl who became interested in Christianity as a result of her Adventist neighbors, please consider what you can do to witness in your community. –editor

I accepted Jesus into my life when I was 13, but my

personal encounter with Him began long before. A group of Adventists lived near my family as I grew up. At first they were just our neighbors, then friends, and at last they became an important part of our lives. These people were very kind. They never talked to us about Jesus, I mean, not in a direct way. But by their behavior they showed us that they weren’t ordinary people.

At a very young age I often heard my parents saying that these Adventists were

only missing one thing: to convert to Islam so that they could go to heaven. Accord-ing to my parents, these Adventists radiated incredible tenderness and affection.

As a little girl, these words touched me very deeply and often I wondered why these people wouldn’t have the right to go to heaven even though they deserved it much more than many other people I knew. Why were these people—who we weren’t related to—so kind and loving toward us, even treating us as their own family?

Then one day I discovered that my much older brother was reading the Bible. For several years I’d seen a book in his hands nearly every day. It was worn as he carried it everywhere he went. I was curious. What book would he need to read every day for school? I thought to myself.

I determined that I would have to get a peek at this book when he wasn’t watch-ing. One day while he was in class, I ventured into his room and picked up the book. It took me several weeks to read the whole thing because as soon as I heard the front

door of the house open, I would rush to put the Bible back and leave my brother’s room before he noticed me.

That is how I discovered the Bible. It was only after my encounter with Jesus and acceptance of Him in my life that I understood our Advent-ist friends’ behavior, their love and kindness toward every-one…. I understood that it was a commandment of the Lord to be put into practice: loving others as ourselves.

*Not her real name. “Mary” is from a

country we can’t name to protect her

safety.

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10

T E S T I M O N Y Witnessing Through Actions By “Mary*”

I accepted Jesus

into my life when

I was 13, but my

personal encounter

with Him began

long before.


3Q

Fast Facts on Thailand:Capital: BangkokMajor Languages: Thai and EnglishMajor Religions: Buddhist and MuslimPopulation: 66.1 million*Adventist membership: 12,551*

Adventist to population ratio: 1:5,270 **General Conference Office of Archives and Statistics, 146th

Annual Statistical Report

10

Couldn’t Say No to GoBy Rick Kajiura

Kelly McClurg was a social work/graphic design student at Southern Adventist

University, in Tennessee, when she “decided” to go to Thailand as a student missionary with Adventist Volunteer Services.

“I actually didn’t decide,” says Kelly, “God kind of decided that for me.”

Kelly had friends who were going to Thai-land and they kept asking her to go with them.

“I would see them every so often, and they would ask me ‘Kelly, do you want to come to Thailand with us next year?’ and ‘I think you should come,’” says Kelly.

But Thailand was a long way from school and home and Kelly wasn’t sure that’s where God wanted her to be.

“I guess I couldn’t really say ‘no’ because I hadn’t really prayed about it, and I didn’t know for sure that God didn’t want me to go,” says Kelly. “So as I started praying about it and God kept revealing to me in subtle ways and then not so subtle ways that this is where he wanted me to be. So, I said, ‘Okay’ I’ll go.’”

Kelly ended up in Bangkok at an Adventist outreach center in Thonburi. That’s where she met Yuwi. Yuwi’s parents ran a shoe store and were well known in the community. Yuwi used that influence to try and stop her friends from going to the outreach center.

Sometimes she would even come on Sab-baths to see who came to class. After they left she would talk to them and say, “You know

the center isn’t really a good place. Maybe you shouldn’t be going there.”

But the Holy Spirit and people like Kelly had an effect on Yuwi’s heart. For some reason she would keep coming. And she kept hearing the Bible, and learning more about God. She also felt the love radiating from the church mem-bers. As a result of what Yuwi learned Kelly and others started to see a huge change in her, in her life, and her heart.

Kelly returned to her home and school a few months ago. Yuwi has yet to be bapized, but her story is still being written. Please pray for Yuwi and people like her in Bangkok and around the world.

Rick Kajiura is the communication director for

Adventist Mission.


Over the past five years, Tell the World has

been a broad vision, a bold challenge undertaken by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The ultimate goal is to provide every person on earth with the chance to know Jesus Christ.

More than a program, and more than a slogan, Tell the World is our acceptance of Christ’s commission to spread the gospel to every corner of the world, to each living person.

Of course, the goals and challenges of Tell the World

are not new to us—they are part of the very fabric of our identity and heritage. They are fundamental to our mission.

From its very beginnings, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has been a missionary movement. We have com-mitted ourselves to not only

By Nancy Kyte

F E A T U R E3Q

10Telling the World:

A broad vision to reach up, reach out, and reach across


make our world a better place in the here and now, but also to prepare people for the world to come. This is our first priority—the very reason our church exists.

Now the Church is re-emphasizing the challenge, extending an invitation to each Seventh-day Adventist to be part of this task. Now more than ever, it is time for each of us to become per-sonally involved.

The strategic plan for the Seventh-day Adventist Church from 2010 to 2015 focuses on three important values: quality of life, unity, and growth.

QUALITY OF LIFE is a multi-fac-eted concept that goes to the heart of what it means to be an Adven-

tist believer. For an Adventist, quality of life means first and foremost being sure of belonging to the Lord, finding the rest and assurance of for-giveness, and finding content-ment on our life’s journey.

UNITY reflects the nature of the church as one family around the world, constantly communicating with one another, constantly sharing, and

in that process learning to defer to one another for the good of the One Body of Christ.

GROWTH is expressed through evangelism, public witness, and nurturing the personal spiritual growth of believers.

Within the strategic plan, one priority will continue to reach out to an area called the 10/40 Window. This

The mission of the Seventh-

day Adventist Church is

to make disciples of all

people, communicating

the everlasting gospel in

the context of the three angels’

messages of Revelation 14:6-12, leading them to accept

Jesus as personal Savior and unite with His remnant

Church, discipling them to serve Him as Lord, and

preparing them for His soon return.

6 G L O B A L M I S S I O N • w w w . g l o b a l - m i s s i o n . o r g • 8 0 0 - 6 4 8 - 5 8 2 4

term refers to a region in the eastern hemisphere located between 10 and 40 degrees north of the equator. This general area of the world is home to the largest popula-tions who also live in deep poverty and experience the

lowest quality of life. This is also

the hub of the world’s major non-Christian religions. A natural con-sequence is that this area

has the least access to Chris-

tian resources.Another impor-

tant area of emphasis will be reaching out to the big cities of the world. They include huge populations where millions of people are still waiting to hear about Jesus. Take a look at the list of the world’s largest cities,

and the ratio of Adventists to population.

These daunting tasks will need the prayers, witness, and support of every church member. Tell the World is not simply the responsibility of church administrators. It requires the prayerful consid-eration of each individual—leaders, pastors, and mem-bers. Tell the World should inspire each of us to reach up, reach out, and reach across. We can approach that con-cept by taking the following steps:

REACH UP to God through Bible study, prayer, and reading the Spirit of Prophecy, resulting in revival and faithfulness.

REACH OUT to others as a friendly church that puts Christ’s mission first, invites all peoples to fellowship, and

181:1Population to Adventist Ratio outside the 10/40 Window

1,736:1Population to Adventist Ratio inside the 10/40 Window

953:1Population to Adventist Ratio in World’s Largest Cities

423:1Population to Adventist Ratio Outside World’s Largest Cities

1 0/ 4 0 W I N D O W


makes a dif-ference daily in

the community.

REACH ACROSS the bar-riers that threaten to divide us as a family, endeavoring to disciple, nurture, and involve every individual in the life and mission of the church.

Church administrators and pastors can work together to facilitate effective networking among church infrastruc-ture, institutions, and lay organi-zations. They can help to integrate local, regional, and global priori-ties in mission.

Pastors and elders can enable members to understand and celebrate both the

local and global identity of the

Seventh-day Adventist Church. Or they can help the members of congre-

gations see themselves

as a vital part of their global

church community.Individual mem-

bers can demonstrate their commitment to mission by understanding, living, and communicating the gospel. They can participate in local church fellowship, worship, and service. They can be part

of all aspects of mission priorities.

Each one of us can do our part by prayerfully considering how we can be involved. We shouldn’t constrain ourselves by worrying about what we can or can’t do. By work-

ing together, we can experience a new

sense of purpose. Our churches can thrive and grow as others are drawn to the warmth and

acceptance they find there. In all that we

do, may we constantly reveal God’s grace to those who are looking for Him. Together, we can Tell the World.

Nancy Kyte is Adventist

Mission’s

marketing

director.

Each one of us

can do our part

by prayerfully

considering how we

can be involved.


DeMOcRATIc RepuBLIc OF The cONGO

Tribal marks are common in Africa. They are used to identify one as a member of the community. They may be a piercing in the ears or the nose, or they may be

a marking on the cheeks or chest. Global Mission pioneer, Balaka, though, has a differ-ent kind of indentifying mark on his forehead from the community where he serves in Mbuund, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Global Mission pioneers often face a treacherous road when they take the gospel into an unentered terri-tory. Some established faith groups consider the Adventist

Church a threat and try to stop pioneers from sharing their faith. Sometimes they are forced out of the commu-nity; sometimes their lives are put at risk. Such was the case for Balaka in Mbuund.

One day just after Balaka arrived, he was preaching

in the public square when a community member walked up to the front of the crowd and threw a rock at Balaka’s forehead in an attempt to kill him. Balaka fell to the ground unconscious but alive. It took him nearly a year to recover from the head trauma. Balaka now has a distinctive scar in the middle of his forehead.

Although his ministry was interrupted, Balaka remained committed to Global mis-

sion pioneering. Today he’s established a vibrant 200-member Adventist congrega-tion, including the converted community member who injured Balaka. The mark on his forehead is a reminder to the community of what he went through to share Christ with them.

eNGLANDThe London Asian Church

just had its first baptism since it began three years ago. Suraj and Usha Ramchurn, a young Hindu family from Mauritius, where baptized after nearly two years of Bible studies.

Usha started attend-ing this church soon after she arrived in London as a student. Her husband, Suraj, joined her a few months later and took an interest in Usha’s newfound church. He, however, had to work most Saturdays, so he didn’t get to attend often at first.

A year ago the church leader of the London Asian Church, Petras Bahadur, sug-gested that Suraj and Usha join a small Bible study group at the home of Annie Lewis, one of the church’s outreach team members. Suraj had been a leader in a Hindu evangelism team in Mauri-tius and was well versed in

WORLD NEWS3Q

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his scriptures. He had many questions for the small group and would keep probing until he got the detailed explana-tions he wanted. Suraj took a great interest in the Bible and made careful handwritten notes of everything he read. He then typed them up and made PowerPoint® presenta-tions of the new things that he learned.

Early this spring Petras gave a baptismal call in church and both Suraj and Usha indicated that they wanted to commit their lives to Christ.

Currently there are more young people engaged in Bible studies at the London Asian Church. Petras and the small group leaders pray that many more will be baptized in the near future. Please pray that God will continue to bring people to His Kingdom from the Asian community in East London.

SuDANMajok Wal serves as a

volunteer schoolteacher in Baliet, Sudan. He is also a Global Mission pioneer and the first Adventist to share the gospel in this Southern Sudan town. Last year Majok started holding Bible studies and small group meetings. Before long Baliet had a regu-

lar group that attended his weekly church service. After three months of hold-ing services Baliet asked the district pastor, Mark Igga, to visit and baptize the 30 people who were ready. Only 18 of them showed up. The other 12 people didn’t come because of threats and perse-cution from their community.

A week later the group was evicted from the school where they were worshiping. Those who were baptized were harassed by their friends and neighbors. Yet their faith remained strong and they stayed committed to their newfound faith.

Baliet talked to some of the community members who were responsible for the harassment and convinced them, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to stop their abuse. Today, these believers are free to worship with-out fear. The group wasn’t

allowed to go back and worship at the school. How-ever, thanks to the mission offerings, the local mission office was able to help the believers build a new place of worship.

The 12 members of the small group who dropped out came back to the church along with five new believ-ers who are all now ready for baptism.

Although the church is now growing in Baliet, tribal conflicts make life a constant challenge. This affects peace in the region and prevents smooth movement of people within the area.

In spite of these chal-lenges, God is blessing His work in Sudan and it is our hope that the work will continue to advance regard-less of the circumstances we may face. Let us remember that with God nothing is impossible.


Finding Common GroundLearning to Value People From Other Religious Groups

By Nancy Kyte

As the city bus pulls up and opens the door, you

clamor aboard with seven or eight other people. By now the turbaned driver is no longer a curiosity to you. He arrives each day like clockwork, politely nod-ding in greeting.

She works five shifts a week, rain or shine, in a tollbooth on a windy expressway. One day you look past her and notice a porcelain bowl of fruit tucked into a corner along with a couple of sticks of incense. Is there some kind of meaning to that?

On a Sabbath after-noon walk at the park, you notice another nicely dressed family. At first you wonder if they might be Adventists, but then you see that the father and sons are each wearing a yarmulke. Should you say Happy Sab-bath or Shabbat Shalom?

Such are the modern-day dilemmas of knowing what to do or say when meeting people from other cultures and world religions. Perhaps we are curious and would like to make some sort of friendly

overture. We’d like our chil-dren to feel confident about reaching out to others, but how can we teach them to do that when we are unsure ourselves? Perhaps we worry

too much about accidentally offending someone, finding it easier to stay within our own circles of friendship.

According to one study, in North America 35.6 percent of Buddhists, 22.7 percent of Hindus, and 67.8 percent of Muslims say they don’t know even one Christian personally. They live in our neighbor-hoods and eat at the tables next to us in restaurants—but

they don’t know us, and we don’t make them our friends.

That is an uncomfort-able truth, but now Adventist Mission has produced a new resource to help us. Ganoune

Diop, director of the Global Mission Study Centers, has recently produced Understanding World Religions, a set of four DVDs that opens the door to comprehending the beliefs, values, and practices of major religious traditions. By identifying areas of common under-standing—such as respect, honor, family relationships, justice, love, coopera-tion, and supporting one another—the series can help build bridges between faith groups.

The four-disc set is the first in a series and covers

Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Christianity, and Postmodernism. It retails for $39.99. To order, visit www.AdventistMission.org, or call 800-648-5824.

Nancy Kyte is Adventist

Mission’s

marketing

director.

SPECIAL FEATURE3Q

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Our Passion is Teeth and HeartsBy Claire Balacy

My husband and I have

always wanted to be missionaries. As soon as we got our professional licenses in dentistry, we sent applica-tions to the Gen-eral Conference. Eventually God called us to Zambia. When we arrived, we were surprised to learn that the clinic, Lusaka Adventist Dental Services (LADS), caters to middle and upper class patients. I always envisioned mission work among the poor and needy, so for some time I wondered how we could be missionaries to this class of society.

As months went by, I found the answer. The simple act of treating the patients well, even becoming their

friend, speaks so much about God’s love. Every time a patient tells us that they are pleased with the treat-ment, or that they

find our hands gentle, or that a child comes up to us for a hug after treatment, I find ful-fillment in the knowledge that they have seen and felt Jesus at the clinic. I’m so glad to be a part of God’s work!

In our spare time we do mission work in local com-munities and orphanages. One community we visited is so poor that some of the boys wear girls’ dresses because they have nothing else to wear. Last Christmas, we

brought them food and cloth-ing. We had games, arts, and story telling about the birth of Jesus and God’s love. Also, by God’s grace, LADS donated a dental chair to the Mwami Adventist Hospital. One of LADS’ goals is to help other Adventist health institutions in Zambia. The past year and a half has been a roller coaster ride of joys and challenges, but our commitment to work as a family remains strong. No one ever said being a mission-ary is easy, but the knowledge that God is using us as instru-ments to further His work keeps us going.

Claire Balacy and her husband, Iluminado, are dentists from the Philippines

at Lusaka Adventist Dental

Services in Zambia. Your support

of Adventist Mission helps make

their ministry possible.

MISSIONARY PROFILE3Q

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FRONT LINE EDITION is published quarterly by Global Mission, part of the Office of Adventist Mission, at the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters. Tax- deductible gifts for Global Mission projects can be sent to Global Mission 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, MD 20904800-648-5824 www.global-mission.org

GLObaL CENTER FOR aDvENTIsT-MusLIM RELaTIONsLester MerklinAndrews UniversityBerrien Springs, MI 49104-0220Phone: 240-338-6681Fax: 269-471-6252E-mail: [email protected]

HINDu sTuDy CENTER Victor SamSouthern Asia Division Post Box 2, HCF Hosur 635110 Tamil Nadu India Phone: 91 (4344) 26-2170 Fax: 91 (4344) [email protected]

WORLD JEWIsH FRIENDsHIp CENTERRichard Elofer P.O Box 592 94186 Jerusalem Israel Phone; 972 (2) 6251 547 Fax: 972 (2) 6251 391 www.jewishadventist.org [email protected]

buDDHIsT sTuDy CENTERScott Griswold P.O. Box 15, Nakhon Luang,

Ayutthaya Thailand 13260 [email protected]: 66 818 515 414www.BridgesForMinistry.org

CENTER FOR sECuLaR aND pOsT-MODERN sTuDIEs12501 Old Columbia PikeSilver Spring, MD 20904-6601Phone: 800-648-5824Fax: 301-680-6615www.secularandpostmodern.comcsps@adventistmission.org

©Copyright 2010 Seventh-day Adventist® Church. ADVENTIST® and SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST® are the registered trademarks of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists®.

MICHaEL L. RyaN –Chairperson, Adventist Mission

GaRy KRausE –Director

GaNOuNE DIOp –Study Centers Director

RICK KaJIuRa –Communication Director

NaNCy KyTE –Marketing Director

DELbERT pEaRMaN –Planning Director

KaRLa RIvERa –Donor Services Representative

LauRIE FaLvO –Communication Projects Manager

CHaRLOTTE IsHKaNIaN –Mission Editor

aNDREW KING –Video Producer/Editor

HaNs OLsON –Communication Projects Manager

sHyaMaLa RaM –Senior Office Assistant

NIMFa suMaGaysay –Donor Response Coordinator

sTELLa THOMas –Administrative Assistant

DaNIEL WEbER –Video Producer/Editor

FR

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General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904 Non profitus postage

paIDChattanooga, TN

Permit No. 1114

Remember when mission work was the most important

thing we did as a church?It still is.

Be part of it!

Every day nearly 1,000 Adventist

missionaries serve in more than 200 countries around

the world. Your support of the Fall Mission Appeal offering

on September 11 will help give them the resources they need to

tell the world about Christ’s love. For more information visit:

www.AdventistMission.org.

Thank you for being part of it!

Courtesy of General Conference Office of Archives and Statistics

FL3Q10

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