| Author | Message | ||
| Cas |
Hearing you guys talk about Academy makes me wonder if my prayers were answered when I was not able to go to academy. I was raised in an unequally yoked family, meaning my Dad was not of the fold. I was baptized at 12 or 13 and prayed hard that my Dad would let me go to Academy. My Mom wanted me to go but my Dad would not relent. I always felt a little cheated because I had to go to public schools. Maybe it was for the best in spite of starting the party life very young. Even though I am feeling very isolated, dazed, and confused, I am thankful the Lord has brought me to where I am now spiritually. "Behold you scoffers, and marvel, and perish; For I am accomplishing a work in your days, A work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you." Acts 13:41 I read this the other night and thought it cool! | ||
| Lynn W |
Excuse me Colleen, but did you say honest??!! If there's one thing they are NOT.........!!!!!! I know you're not saying they are, just that they are perceived that way. I've heard from so many present-Adventists that SDA academies & colleges are just ongoing orgies that it's hard not to believe it. What parent in their right mind would send their own kids away while they are still children? I'd like to see how much sermon they would have left if they removed all EGW quotes. Most sermons I've heard were nothing but whole chapters read straight out of Ellen White. Guess that eliminates the pastor having to do any homework. | ||
| Lydell |
Reminds me of the time some of us SDA's had gotten together a group for "Bible study" once a week. The pastor had been invited to the first meeting with some hoping that he would always participate. The first question to discuss that night was "what book shall we study?" We assumed that the understanding would be that we meant book of the Bible. But the immediate reply, of course, was "oh yes, which one of sister whites books should we study?" Hello! We suggested that "wow, how about we study.....the Bible". duh The pastors almost instantaneous reply was, and this is a direct quote, "oh no, I couldn't do that, why it would be too much work!" Uh huh. Can you guess what his sermons were like? | ||
| Maryann |
Well guys, I made some headway as a guy came over and started me in kindergarden computer. I also got this fancy surge protector with a phone jack in it that is supposed to even out the phone and the power. Seems to be helping. Over the last 5 days I've totally lost atleast 7 post. I was so discouraged I could have cried. Got the printer hooked up and learned how to keyword search. Jude.....Would you please e-mail me at {GoGold@Quixnet.net. I have some off the forum questions for you. Could you also go into more detail of how to go from the word program to post on the forum? I just don't have the stomach to lose anymore post. Thank you so much Maryann | ||
| Jude the Obscure |
Recovering SDAs and fellow refugees, I love venting as much as the next person, but there comes a time when we must begin to take action if our lives vis a vis SDAism are going to have some meaning for other people -- redeemable SDAs still caught in the system as well as goodwilled but misinformed Christians of a more orthodox stripe (I don't want to use the term "Evangelicals," because I think it is so often misused that it has lost much of its Christlikeness due to the perpetrations of organizations such as the Moral Majority and Christian Coalition -- some say, and not without some justification, "Immoral Minority" and "Un-Christian Coalition"). What I'm getting at is this: Do we want to sit around and vent the ironies, hypocrisies, injustices, twisted theologies, etc., forever? Or do we want to DO something? That's my question. Can I have a poll of formeradventist.com readers and posters? What can we do to further GOD'S agenda? --Jude | ||
| Colleentinker |
JudeóGood question! I'm discovering that God puts me in places where I wouldn't have thought of being. We are asked to speak truth and teach Christ, wherever we are. Oswald Chambers talks about letting God show you your work. When you become a Christ-follower, he says, God shows you your work; you don't plan it yourself. That seems to be true. I also think that part of our obligation as "formers" is to speak the truth about Adventism in venues where it will make a difference. I do think it's important to be able to state the problems of Adventism to people who are still struggling with it (whether they're in the church or out. That is, it's important if the other people want to know.) I'm beginning to see my present "calling" as two-fold: be willing to speak the truth about Adventism, and be willing to speak the truth about Christ. I believe that God does place us where he wants us. When I resigned my position with Adventist Today, I had no idea God would want me back in the classroom. Sometimes I've wondered why he took me at this point in my life into a Christian classroom. I'm discovering, though, that these kids need to understand grace and Christ's love. I certainly have more to say about these subjects than I ever did in the past! In short, I don't know exactly what to do to further God's agenda. But I'm finding out that when God has something in mind for us, he makes it clear that he wants us to do it. Sometimes he brings people and opportunities into our lives, and we don't even realize at the moment that we are responding for God. Just this morning I had a mom buttonhole me in the school hallway to tell me how much my talking yesterday to her son (whose divorced father has recently died) meant to him. I know the boy came in to take a make-up test, and I know I chatted with him casually about how he's doing; I also know I was praying for him and praying that God would help me speak for Him while I talked. But to be honest, I have no idea what I said that could possibly have been as meaningful as she indicated. I can only say, God ministered to that boy through me. It was not me. I don't even remember what I said to him. I think that when we love Jesus and want to be available to him, we don't even always know when he's using us. By the way, Jude, God has used you on this forum. I praise God for you! | ||
| Susan |
Jude, thanks for reminding us that God's agenda is what counts. I think the big question though is, what does God want us to do? We need to prayerfully consider the following: where has He placed us, what gifts and abilities has He given us and are we willing to seek His will. For some of us the actions we need to take are simply showing Christ's love to our SDA friends and family. For some of us perhaps we will have opportunities to witness with co-workers or Mormons at our door. Maybe some of us will help to get FAF groups started in our areas. It's not so important what we're doing but who's behind our agenda. I've found this discussion forum to be very theraputic and I feel such a bond with those who post here. We are part of the body, brothers and sisters in Christ. It's such a blessing to communicate this way. But there has been a motivation stirring in me since I found this website. I have a strong desire to reach out to as many former SDA's and current SDA's as God choses to put in my path. In fact, I pray for Him to send them my way. So, to answer your wonderful question, "what can we do to further God's agenda?" I would like to suggest prayer. The answer to the question will be as different for each of us as, all of our circustances are so different from each others. Jude, I admire your strong desire to take action. I share that desire as well. But the love and encouragement I receive from the folks here, makes it more bearable to push on. As always, thanks for another thought provoking post! In Christ, Susan |
