Seventh-day Adventist Church world headquarters
June 10, 2008
In This Issue:
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London Adventist youth march against violence
City street demonstration in wake of 16 teenage slayings in London this year
June 10 London, England
Adventist's art a tribute to character of living golf legend Palmer
Chase used 22,719 words creating portrait; now museum centerpiece
June 4 Far Hills, New Jersey, United States
Church Chat: New church official still sends out SWAT teams
Twenty years ago, Vincent discovered witnessing method for members that worked better than bribery
June 5 Orlando, Florida, United States
Bible students discover mobile study of Scripture
Alternative to paper-, computer-based Bible studies; especially welcomed in Africa
June 10 Simi Valley, California, United States
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London Adventist youth march against violence
June 10, 2008
London, England ... [ Victor Hulbert/ANN Staff ]
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Mark Prince, whose teenage son was stabbed to death in 2006, spoke of forgiveness while addressing some 5,000 young people marching June 7 against a recent spate of violence in London. [photos: Victor Hulbert/ANN]
Advocating a message of positive living, the marchers passed the Houses of Parliament and the prime minister's residence on Downing Street, drawing applause from locals and the commendation of city officials.
London Deputy Mayor Ray Lewis told the crowd that the city needed the rally's united message against violence. Sixteen teenagers have been killed by guns and knives in the city since January 1.
Mark Prince stepped up to the microphone during a rally in Kennington Park last Saturday to address some 5,000 youth who had just marched throughout London with a message of positive living to combat street violence.
"We are the answer for this knife crime -- you, right here, the young people," he said referring to his 15-year-old son who was stabbed to death in 2006. Since then, Prince said he has needed to love and to forgive.
"If it means I have to forgive the guy who killed my son, then that's exactly what I'm going to do because I need some mercy myself, I need some forgiveness myself," he said.
Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders say Saturday's event was sparked by violence that has led to 16 teenagers in London killed by guns and knives since January 1. The rally and march weren't planned just to combat violence but to offer a positive alternative.
"Our message was clear: Live intentional lives," said Colin Stewart, Youth Ministries director for the church in South England.
Thousands carried banners with the theme "Living Intentionally Verses Existing" throughout the streets of London, which were closed off to traffic for the march. Adventist youth and supporters were accompanied by drill brigades and drum corps along the route that passed the Houses of Parliament and Prime Minister Gordon Brown's residence on Downing Street. As demonstrators marched across the River Thames, people in Lambeth came out of their flats and shops applauding and waving.
London Deputy Mayor Ray Lewis told the crowd at the rally that it was the type of initiative London needs. Other noted speakers included opposition leader David Cameron and cabinet minister Tessa Jowell.
"We recognize that those involved in this kind of violence do not watch the news, but this event helps to raise the issue and get through the barriers," Colin told the London Broadcasting Company.
Since the event, church youth leaders have received calls from mothers looking for support and a way to move forward after losing loved ones. "This tells me there are lots of hurting people waiting for the church to take the lead," Colin said.
"It was awesome," said Katya Garipova, 18, from Berkshire. "It was just amazing to see how people around wanted to know what was going on."
Andrew Leonce, a young adult from Luton came because friends were involved. "I was impressed with their joy and positive message," he said.
The day finished with a Gala Fundraising Concert at the nearby Emmanuel Centre, Westminster, raising #6000 (about US$12,000) toward establishing a LIVE Centre and community projects.
Adventist's art a tribute to character of living golf legend Palmer
June 4, 2008
Far Hills, New Jersey, United States ... [ Ansel Oliver/ANN ]
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Arnold Palmer, right, greets James Chase yesterday before the christening of the expanded United States Golf Association museum, now named in the golf icon's honor. [photo: USGA/John Mummert]
Chase's 30- by 40-inch portrait of Palmer is now the centerpiece of the Palmer Room of the USGA's Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History. The portrait, a 14-year work of admiration for Palmer's character, is made entirely of quotes from and about him. A touch-screen allows visitors to explore the portrait. [photo: USGA/John Mummert]
A close-up of quotes that comprise a section of Arnold Palmer's hair. [photo: Ansel Oliver/ANN]
Golf icon Arnold Palmer entered the revamped United States Golf Association museum yesterday and stood in front of a unique portrait of himself, with the picture's creator standing by. Both he and Seventh-day Adventist artist James David Chase came close to tears during their emotional reunion.
In 2003, Chase first had the chance to show Palmer a copy of his work, which took 14 years to complete. What looks like a line drawing is actually a 30- by 40-inch portrait made entirely of quotes from or about Palmer.
"'That is the most amazing thing I have seen in my entire life,'" Chase remembered Palmer saying of the 22,719-word portrait.
"I memorized those words at that time," Chase said yesterday, just before Palmer came to see the original piece. It's actually Palmer's copy, Chase clarified, which is now on permanent loan to the USGA's Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History in Far Hills, New Jersey.
Palmer, whose 92 golf victories during his career include four U.S. Masters, two British Opens and the 1954 U.S. Amateur Championship, again expressed his gratitude prior to yesterday's christening of the expanded museum, now named in his honor.
"You've gotta be proud of this, to have your work rewarded," Palmer said to Chase of the portrait, now the centerpiece of the Palmer Room. "Thanks Jim."
The portrait's title, "Gratitude," expresses appreciation for a life of good character, said Chase, 61, who holds a doctorate in theology from Adventist Church-owned Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan and is a professor of communication at Adventist-owned Pacific Union College in Northern California's Napa Valley.
Chase began the portrait in June of 1989, working 2 to 6 hours at a time in his home studio. He would wake up at 4 a.m. to walk around the college's track, burning off excess energy and getting his pulse to an ideal rate in order to write the one-tenth of an inch tall letters in between heartbeats.
Quotes by Palmer make up the portrait subject's lips. His ear is comprised of things Palmer heard. His gray hairs are things that gave him gray hair. "Basically having to do with errant shots," Chase said.
"Everybody's so excited about this," USGA museum director Rand Jerris told Palmer during his personal tour of the new facility. Jerris even brought up on the touch-screen display a close-up section of the portrait's shoulder to show his favorite quote: "'Arnold, pull up your pants and tuck your shirt in,' --Dorris Palmer (mother)."
Jerris, who holds a doctorate in art and archaeology from Princeton University, told Adventist News Network the value of the portrait would be "impossible" to determine.
"From what we can tell, there has been nothing in the history of art or sports that is quite like this," Jerris said. "It's a real tribute to Arnold's immense popularity, as well as a tribute to his character and humanity."
Chase was first rewarded for his artistry as a kid when he won a bike for a coloring contest sponsored by Cheerios breakfast cereal, he told Golf Digest magazine. This month's issue describes his admiration for Palmer, who became a leading sports figure on television in the 1950s and 60s.
Chase's idea of doing a portrait of Palmer came to him in the middle of the night, he said. For months he studied several pictures of Palmer, examining facial muscles and shading -- eventually settling on a look from the 1970s -- and spent hundreds of hours in university libraries researching quotes.
"Here's one of my favorites," Chase told the crowded room yesterday: "'Thank God I had Winnie, Pap and the folks at home to keep me humble.' --after winning the 1960 Masters."
"That's the kind of person he is," Chase said, seemingly in his element of working a crowd with eloquent speech and deferring praise from autograph seekers. On campus he espouses integrity, kindness and is known for his encouragement to nervous first-time public speakers in his speech classes.
"Marries Winnie Walzer," read the first words Chase wrote on the portrait. They refer to Palmer's wife of 45 years, who died in 1999.
"He is a devoted family man, and he loved his wife so dearly," Chase said. With similar devotion to his own wife, Chase dedicated the portrait to his wife Barbara.
The last word on the portrait, "adios," has a triple entendre, Chase said. "Adios" is the name of one of Palmer's more than 200 golf courses -- the portrait's signature is comprised of those "signature" courses. Chase said "adios" is also Spanish for saying "goodbye" or "tally-ho" to the portrait. Also in Spanish, the words "a" and "Dios" mean "to God."
"This is a 'thank You' to God for everything and that we can celebrate the life of a man such as Arnold Palmer," he said.
Church Chat: New church official still sends out SWAT teams
June 5, 2008
Orlando, Florida, United States ... [ Ansel Oliver/ANN ]
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Patrick Vincent's SWAT, or Soul Winning Action Teams, will do almost anything to get people to church for the first time. The Adventist pastor with a passion for evangelism then caters Sabbath services to those first-time churchgoers, many of whom end up joining his Florida congregation. [photo: Mark August/ANN]
Pastor Patrick Vincent was once so desperate for his parishioners to evangelize their unchurched friends that he resorted to paying them.
The episode is one he now remembers with some embarrassment, but his passion for evangelism led him to keep seeking new ideas. Twenty years ago, he finally discovered a successful method, one that in eight years has helped the Mount Calvary Adventist Church in Tampa, Florida grow its membership beyond building capacity: SWAT teams.
An acronym for Soul Winning Action Teams, the concept is an encompassing system of church member teams doing -- within reason -- anything they can to get people to church for the first time. While the church service is nourishing to existing members, most of its elements are designed for first-time attendees (from the carefully selected and trained greeter at the door to the sermon's closing words).
Some leaders, both at the Adventist Church's world headquarters and the administrative office for the Southern United States, have used the SWAT method, calling it a "natural way of accomplishing church growth." While they agree that not every church needs Sabbath afternoon training for evangelism teams, leaders say a healthy church has a plan for witnessing in place.
Vincent, 60, who holds a doctorate in preaching and worship from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, is known to sometimes get so excited while preaching that he takes off his shoes. He says it increases blood flow, helping him to think better.
Several weeks ago he was elected executive secretary for Florida's Southeastern Conference, the administrative headquarters for the region's historically black churches. He granted a series of interviews with Adventist News Network on the need for SWAT teams and who they have in their crosshairs. (For even more details, catch his seminar)
Some excerpts:
Adventist News Network: Why do you send out SWAT teams?
Vincent: The primary focus of the gospel is that sinners be brought to Christ. The Bible gives instruction to go to the field. There is not one instruction for the lost to come to the church.
ANN: Many churches rely on a pastor to conduct evangelism. Why do you have these teams partnering with you?
Vincent: The basic reason people come in the front door and go out the back door is the masses of the membership have very little or nothing to do with people coming into the church. But if people are active in bringing people to the church, it represents their time, their blood, their sweat, their tears, their fasting, their sacrifice. As soon as they're missed, they're going to go look for them. But if you sit in church and someone joins and you have no investment in that person, if they're missing, you're not really motivated to do it.
ANN: Who are you trying to get your SWAT teams bringing to church?
Vincent: Our focus is non-Adventists from other churches. We don't seek to build our church from people who are already Adventists. Our goal is not transfer growth. Our real focus is on conversion growth -- people who are just doctrinally converted. Secondly, we focus on original conversion -- people who have never accepted Jesus as their savior. We find that's the largest number of people who are out there.
ANN: What percentage of your church members are on a SWAT team?
Vincent: It's about 10 percent who are actively engaged.
ANN: Why do you have your SWAT team members contribute $5 for each week's training?
Vincent: Well because of the fact that the Bible says wherever a man's treasure is that's where his heart is. If they put their treasure there it's easier to get their hearts involved.
ANN: Each Sabbath there are at least a dozen people in church for the first time that your SWAT teams have worked hard to bring. What does it feel like to have that kind of responsibility in the pulpit?
Vincent: Well it is a Herculean responsibility because every Sabbath you get up to preach you get up with the consciousness that there are people here who are poised and ready to make decisions for Christ ... I tell my members, "Just get them to church, the rest is God's and my responsibility each Sabbath.
ANN: Why do you always require a public appeal, even from your guest preachers? What's significant about having converts come forward at the end of the service?
Vincent: Everybody that Jesus invited he invited publicly. I believe that the church at its birth was the church at its best. When Peter got up on the day of Pentecost he made a public appeal. All through the New Testament Jesus made public appeals. Even if you look at the sermonic presentations of Paul and the other apostles they always finished off with making an appeal. So when people come forward, we announce their name and I call somebody out of the congregation and publicly assign the member to the new convert right there. We have a list of things for the spiritual guardian to give oversight. ... I give a copy of that information to the person being assigned as well as to the new convert. We look forward to adding someone to the church every Sabbath we come together. It creates a feeling of excitement and expectancy in terms of the Lord adding to your church.
ANN: You've said you get about 60 invitations each year to teach the SWAT seminar around the country. Why do you only accept 12?
Vincent: I've got just a limited period of time. It's difficult for me to grow my church and someone else's at the same time.
ANN: Any tips for other pastors doing evangelism?
Vincent: They have to see their church as an evangelistic center. Every Sabbath that they come to do their pulpit work, they need to use the church not as merely the base of evangelism but as the place for evangelism.
Bible students discover mobile study of Scripture
June 10, 2008
Simi Valley, California, United States ... [ ANN Staff ]
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The Voice of Prophecy's Discover Bible Guides are now accessible by cell phone Web browsers. Upcoming versions are slated to feature graphics and interactive grading. [photo: courtesy VOP]
Discovery Bible Guide students can now use their cell phones to learn more about God during downtime at the bus stop or on the subway.
The Discover Bible Guides -- produced since 1942 by Voice of Prophecy, a supporting media ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church -- are now formatted for access by mobile Web browsers, a first for the church, says Kurt Johnson, the ministry's Bible School director.
The lessons are expected to find their niche not only with time-strapped commuters, but also in regions where computer access is limited but cell phones with Internet capabilities are widely used, such as Africa, Johnson says.
By capitalizing on new media, the lessons will help keep the church from becoming "obsolete in [its] approaches," Johnson says, adding that he hopes they resonate with the "text-messaging generation."
Banking on convenience, the cell phone Bible studies may connect with people who wouldn't sit down and fill out a traditional paper Bible study or even a computer-based lesson, he adds.
The Bible study guides available on cell phones are currently self-grading and text only for easier reading and quicker download times, but future development will include interactive grading between student and instructor and graphics, Johnson says.
To access the first lesson, enter biblestudies.com/cell into your cell phone browser and follow the prompts.
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ANN World News Bulletin is a review of news and information issued by the Communication department from the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters and released as part of the service of Adventist News Network. It is made available primarily to religious news editors. Our news includes dispatches from the church's international offices and the world headquarters.
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ANN Staff:
Rajmund Dabrowski, director; Ansel Oliver, assistant director; Taashi Rowe, editorial coordinator; Elizabeth Lechleitner, editorial assistant. Portuguese translation by Azenilto Brito, Spanish translation by Marcos Paseggi, Italian translation by Vincenzo Annunziata and Lina Ferrara and French translations by Stephanie Elofer.
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