Participants:
Series Code: ASIC
Program Code: ASIC180004A
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00:01 Music...
00:14 Piano... 00:27 some more piano... 00:31 more piano... 00:35 You've written what You want from me in stone, 00:42 A reflection of Your character alone, 00:50 So I've tried to keep Your laws without regret, 00:56 But I'm easily distracted and forget, 01:03 So, write them on my heart, 01:07 Seal them in my mind, 01:11 The beauty of Your law and grace combined 01:18 Remind me just how loving Your commandments are 01:26 And write them on the tablets of my heart. 01:33 Piano... 01:37 more piano... 01:44 There's only one desire inside of me, 01:51 To be all that You created me to be 01:58 And I know the only way that I can grow 02:04 is for You to come inside and take control 02:11 So, write them on my heart, 02:14 Seal them in my mind, 02:18 The beauty of Your law and grace combined, 02:26 Remind me just how lovely Your commandments are 02:34 And write them on the tablets of my heart. 02:39 Your law reflects Your goodness, 02:43 The cross reveals your grace, 02:47 That's the motivation 02:52 behind Your perfect way, 02:56 So, write them on my heart, 03:00 Seal them in my mind 03:05 The beauty of your law and grace combined. 03:13 Remind me just how lovely Your commandments are 03:19 And write them on the tablets of my heart. 03:25 So, write them on my heart, 03:28 Seal them in my mind, 03:32 The beauty of Your law and grace combined, 03:40 Remind me just how lovely Your commandments are, 03:46 And write them on the tablets of my heart. 03:55 Remind just how lovely 03:59 Your commandments are 04:04 And write them on the tablets 04:09 of my heart. 04:16 Music... 04:24 more music. 04:29 Audience: Amen. 04:33 Good morning, 04:35 wasn't that a beautiful special music? 04:38 It absolutely touched my heart. 04:41 My name is Amy Ratsara 04:45 and I have the privilege of sharing with you 04:48 a little bit about what it is that God has done in my life. 04:51 Now, when I received the invitation from ASI 04:55 to come and speak at this Convention, 04:57 I asked them, "Okay, well, 04:58 what would you like me to talk about?" 05:01 In my role as a Lawyer, 05:02 the facts are usually given to me 05:05 about any presentation I have to make to a Jury, 05:07 I don't have to decide on the subject content, 05:09 I just have to figure out how to present it 05:11 in a convincing way, 05:13 well, they said, "We want you to share your testimony 05:16 and we want you to share it in the context 05:19 of the theme this year... Business Unusual. " 05:22 So, I thought to myself, "Well... 05:25 do you know how my testimony fits into the theme this year 05:29 and if so, could you let me know so that I know what to say?" 05:34 I thought about presenting about something else... 05:37 about talking something about something other than 05:41 the things that God has done in my life 05:43 but the more I resisted it, the more I was convinced that, 05:46 "No, this was what God wanted me to talk about, 05:49 I don't know why 05:50 some of the stories feel a little old 05:54 in terms of the distance and time that's gone by, 05:56 but the Spirit of God has blessed me 05:59 in thinking about these things and remembering these things 06:01 and so I just pray that this morning 06:03 it is a blessing for you. 06:05 Now the reason I hesitate 06:07 or why I was curious as to why my testimony 06:09 would be something you might want to hear is, 06:12 I grew up a Seventh-day Adventist, 06:15 I grew up in Berrien Springs, Michigan 06:17 at Andrews University 06:19 with Adventist parents who taught in Adventist schools, 06:22 I attended Adventist schools myself 06:24 and I never really wandered far from the faith, 06:27 now, I know that doesn't mean that I don't have a testimony, 06:31 each and every one of us do, 06:32 but I just wondered how would my testimony 06:36 be relevant or interesting 06:38 to a group of people who are coming to listen, 06:40 I don't have any radical conversion story 06:43 about being plucked from obscurity or something like that 06:46 and I haven't gone to an exotic mission field 06:49 to talk about the wonderful things that God has done 06:52 and worked in obviously miraculous ways, 06:55 my testimony just seems kind of... run of the mill 06:58 like everyone else, 07:00 but the fact of the matter is, I really shouldn't be here 07:03 and it's not just because of the fact 07:05 that I didn't know what to talk about this morning, 07:08 I shouldn't be here because... 07:10 at least the buzz in our church these days is 07:13 that my peers are not here, I am a Millennial 07:16 and the thought seems to be 07:18 that Millennials are not present in our church today 07:21 whether... either they're there but they're not active 07:24 or they're not there at all 07:26 and so as I reflected and thought about, 07:28 "Well, why am I here?" 07:30 "Why am I a Seventh-day Adventist?" 07:32 "Why has God been able to keep me 07:34 with that faith that I grew up with?" 07:37 and I realized... that's what He wants me 07:38 to share with you this morning. 07:40 So, before I do, why don't we pray together 07:42 and then we'll spend some time together 07:44 looking at God's Word 07:46 and also, just seeing how God has worked. 07:48 Let's pray. 07:49 "Dear Heavenly Father, 07:52 we thank you so much for bringing us together 07:54 here in Orlando, Florida 07:55 with this opportunity for us to spend time with one another, 07:58 Lord, I just pray that you would be with me now as I speak, 08:02 that you would share something from my life, Lord, 08:05 that you have done 08:06 that would bring encouragement and peace 08:07 to those who are listening 08:09 and Father, that would encourage us all to be faithful to you 08:12 in everything that we do, we thank you Lord, 08:15 we ask these things in Jesus' name, amen. " 08:17 Audience: Amen. 08:19 So, as many of you are probably aware, 08:22 social media is kind of changing 08:25 the way things that are going... everywhere. 08:27 There is a group of people called Social Media Influencers 08:31 and what they are are... many of them are Millennials, 08:34 they take their phones and they post pictures, 08:37 they post tweets, they post things on Facebook 08:39 and they get many, many followers. 08:42 As a result of getting all of these followers, 08:44 businesses are starting to leverage their social clout 08:47 in order to try to get their brands out 08:51 in front of other people 08:53 or get their business in front of other people. 08:55 These social media influencers have been so effective 08:58 at changing the way that marketing has been going 09:01 that they've spawned a new class 09:02 of want-to-be's and copy cats 09:04 who will go on to these different social media websites 09:07 they will pay for followers 09:09 to make it look like they have 80,000 people following them, 09:12 and then they'll e-mail a luxury hotel and say, 09:15 "I want to stay free for two weeks 09:17 and I'll do two posts about it 09:18 so all of my followers can see. " 09:20 These luxury hotels... 09:22 they're starting to get really frustrated 09:24 with these young people and what they're doing 09:27 but it does go to show 09:28 that those who are legitimately exercising this 09:31 are using their influence in a way 09:33 to change business as usual 09:35 and they're remodeling the way 09:37 that people are going forth with marketing. 09:39 I'm sure, many of you with your businesses 09:41 or with your ministries have even tried to figure out, 09:43 how can we use social media... 09:45 and are there young people who can promote what we're doing... 09:48 in what... in what we're doing. 09:49 But, this generation who has figured out 09:53 how to market so effectively on social media 09:57 can oftentimes seem absent 09:59 in the Seventh-day Adventist Church today. 10:01 Maybe it's because they're not here 10:04 or maybe it's just because they're not active. 10:07 Pause. 10:08 I praise God for blessing me 10:10 with the family that I grew up in. 10:12 As I indicated before, 10:13 I was born to parents who were Seventh-day Adventists, 10:16 I went to Ruth Murdoch Elementary School 10:19 and Andrews Academy in Berrien Springs, Michigan 10:21 well, in High School, I became a Sabbath School Teacher, 10:25 and I worked with Summer Day Camp Programs through our church 10:28 where I was able to teach children about the love of Jesus 10:31 as well as do summer activities with them, 10:34 but many of the friends who I grew up with 10:37 are no longer Seventh-day Adventists themselves, 10:39 they're not in the church 10:40 and some of them are even antagonistic against the church 10:43 and that's despite the fact 10:44 that we sat next to each other in Elementary School, 10:47 we sat side by side at Sabbath School, 10:50 we taught together at the Summer Flag Camp 10:52 and we did all of these things together, 10:55 we studied for baptism together 10:57 and yet they're not here. 10:58 Pause. 11:00 I don't claim to have perfect knowledge to know 11:03 what happened to my peer group 11:04 and why they're not in the church 11:06 or why they're not active in the church 11:07 but my reason for being here 11:10 is not to give some sort of scientific analysis 11:13 or explanation of the cause and effect of what's going on, 11:15 I'm here to talk about what it was 11:18 that God has done for me, 11:20 and how He led me along the way 11:22 and the joy that that has brought. 11:24 So, having grown up as a Seventh-day Adventist, 11:27 in a Seventh-day Adventist College town, 11:30 I assumed that when I finished academy, 11:33 of course, I would go 11:34 to a Seventh-day Adventist University. 11:36 I also thought I would go to Andrews University, 11:39 my Dad, by that point, was a Professor at the university, 11:41 my mother taught Andrews Academy, 11:43 why would I be going to school 11:45 anywhere else but the place where my parents were? 11:48 That's what a good Seventh-day Adventist would do. 11:51 But to my surprise, 11:53 in an answer to prayer that I was not expecting, 11:57 and a full tuition scholarship, 11:59 I ended up that fall at the University of Michigan 12:02 instead of Andrews University. 12:04 In making that decision to go... 12:07 in following God's leading there, 12:09 I became a statistic of the young people in our church, 12:12 the vast majority of whom... when I say, "vast majority" 12:15 I mean, at the 70 or 80th percentile 12:18 of the young people in our church, 12:20 I was at a secular Institution of Higher Learning 12:23 rather than one of our Institutions for Higher Learning 12:25 in order to continue my education 12:27 and it was that fall of my college year 12:33 that I encountered two things 12:34 that completely changed my life forever... 12:37 Campus Ministry and GYC. 12:40 I'll tell you in just a minute what drew me to each 12:43 but as I discuss each, I also want to share with you 12:47 a portion of Scripture that spoke to me in those moments 12:49 and how I think the Word of God acted to keep me 12:51 not just in the church but in the careful watch-care of God. 12:54 My last Sabbath at my home church, PMC, 12:58 before leaving... before leaving for school 13:00 was the first Sabbath of the school year. 13:02 All the Freshmen were on campus... 13:04 and these would have been my classmates... my dorm mates... 13:07 the people I would have been going to school with. 13:10 During the whole Service, my mind was wandering... 13:13 wondering if I had really made the right decision, 13:16 if God really was calling me to go to the University of Michigan 13:20 rather than staying in the place, 13:22 this place where I felt comfortable, 13:24 where I assumed He would want me to be. 13:27 The Pastor's message that day 13:29 was on being a missionary where you are 13:31 and he was encouraging the students 13:33 to encourage one another in the Lord, 13:35 even though they were on a Christian-University Campus. 13:39 He then directed us to turn our Bibles to Isaiah 49:6 13:42 and I'd ask that you'd do the same thing right now 13:45 and this is when my wandering mind finally perked up 13:48 and started to pay attention. 13:49 Isaiah 49:6 and in this verse it says: 13:55 he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be My servant 14:03 to raise up the tribes of Jacob, 14:05 to bring back the preserved of Israel; 14:08 I will make you as a light for the nations, 14:12 that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth. " 14:17 As he read that Scripture, 14:20 it was as though my heart stopped 14:22 and I could sense the Spirit of God telling me, 14:24 "This is why you are going to the University of Michigan, 14:28 you've been in 'Israel' for long enough, 14:31 it's time for you to be a light to all nations. " 14:34 This was a complete paradigm shift for me 14:37 even though I knew God was leading me 14:39 to the University of Michigan, 14:41 I didn't know why, 14:42 I thought for whatever reason, 14:43 He needed me to get my education there, 14:45 instead of somewhere else. 14:47 I could not have been more wrong, 14:49 because the education that they give there 14:52 we know is not true education, 14:53 but God was directing my path to that University 14:57 so that I could be a missionary. 15:00 Now, this perspective was so new for me 15:03 that I thought it was an original idea. 15:06 Surely no one has ever thought of the fact 15:08 that if they go to a secular university, 15:11 they should be a missionary. 15:12 To my surprise and joy, though, 15:15 when I found the Seventh-day Adventist group on Campus, 15:18 that is exactly what they were about 15:21 and I jumped right in. 15:22 I started attending the weekly Bible Studies, 15:25 they had both large-group Bible Studies 15:26 and small-group Bible Studies, 15:28 I soon learned how to give Bible Studies myself 15:32 and became a regular... 15:33 began regularly giving Bible Studies to people on campus. 15:38 I remember my sophomore year, it was the second semester, 15:42 I had maxed out the number credits that I was taking 15:45 so I was very busy 15:46 but I wanted to continue my ministry as well 15:49 so I think I was participating in two different small groups 15:51 and giving an individual Bible Study 15:53 only to find out that the President of our Student Group 15:56 was leaving... 15:57 and that now the responsibility of leading the group 16:00 was also going to fall to me, 16:01 I committed myself to God though and said, 16:04 "Lord, I don't want to suffer academically, 16:07 I don't want to suffer in ministry, 16:09 I believe you've called me to do all these things, 16:11 so, please help me 16:13 and that's exactly what He did. 16:14 He created time out of nowhere it seems 16:17 and he also gave me a mind quick for learning 16:20 that turned into one of my most successful semesters 16:23 academically... but also one of the most rewarding spiritually. 16:27 As I saw how God continued to work 16:29 in the lives of my friends on campus 16:32 and the way that we were able to influence 16:34 what was happening on our campus. 16:36 One of the things that a friend of mine and I really liked to do 16:42 in order to try to encourage in ministry, 16:44 was to take classes together 16:46 in order to find a student who was searching for the truth. 16:49 The first time we did this was our freshman year, 16:52 we took Physics together 16:53 and sure enough there was a young man in my Physics class 16:57 who invited me to study with him one night, 16:59 for us to learn, 17:01 now, I kind of sensed that 17:04 maybe he was secretly trying to ask for a date 17:07 and while we were open to creative types of ministry, 17:09 I did not believe that I should flirt to convert. 17:12 Audience: Laughter. 17:15 So, I called my friend, Erika, and I said, 17:17 "Erika, you need to study for Physics too... 17:20 let's go study with this man. " 17:22 So, we go... 17:24 he didn't seem too upset that I brought a third person along 17:26 for the study session 17:28 but as our conversation drifted away from Physics, 17:32 it started to drift towards spiritual things. 17:35 I don't remember exactly how 17:37 but we ended up talking about death 17:39 and that night we were able to give him a study 17:42 on the state of the dead 17:43 and share with him the truth that the Bible has for us 17:46 that we don't have to worry about what happens when we die 17:49 as long as we trust in Jesus. 17:50 We decided... this was so effective... 17:53 we decided to take another class together 17:56 and this one was called Second Temple Judaism... 17:58 so, focusing on what people would call 18:01 the "Inter-Testamental Period and into the New Testament. " 18:05 The professor in this class was clearly against the idea 18:08 that the Bible was the inspired Word of God 18:10 and that made us excited 18:12 to be able to show him that he was wrong. 18:14 But in the process, we found a girl 18:18 who had been coming to one of our Bible Studies, 18:20 she'd been making friends with other people 18:22 in our ministry group and growing close with them 18:25 and she took... and she was taking the class 18:27 and sat with us as well. 18:29 She had grown up in a Christian background 18:32 but she herself... on this secular university campus 18:35 was starting to ask the same questions 18:37 that the Professor was raising about the validity of the Bible 18:41 about whether or not it can be depended on 18:43 as the Word of God 18:45 but we continued to be friends with her, 18:47 we continued to study with her, 18:49 the others in the group continued to do the same. 18:51 A year after that class, she decided to keep the Sabbath 18:56 and a few months after that, 18:58 she made the decision to be baptized. 19:00 She has done mission work for the Seventh-day Adventist Church 19:04 all over the world 19:05 and continues to be an active Seventh-day Adventist today 19:08 more than a decade later. 19:10 Audience: Amen. 19:11 Also, we would take this opportunity to write our papers 19:16 and gear our presentations in a way 19:18 where we could talk about the truth of God in our classes. 19:22 In that class, for example, my friend, Erika, wrote a paper 19:25 showing that Daniel chapter 2 and Daniel chapter 7 19:27 actually are talking about the same kingdoms 19:30 when our Professor said that it was not... 19:32 and I wrote a paper talking about how Daniel chapter 9 19:35 really does point to when Jesus' first advent was 19:37 and not what the Professor was saying that it was. 19:40 We both received excellent marks in those papers 19:42 and had a captive audience 19:43 because our Professor had to read what we wrote. 19:45 Audience: Laughter. 19:47 Another example of this was a Spanish class. 19:50 I majored in History, I minored in Spanish 19:53 and it was one of my favorite Spanish classes 19:56 but I got assigned some poems I had to do a presentation on 20:01 for the class. 20:02 I am not a fan of Poetry in any language... 20:04 it just... it... it... it doesn't resonate with me... 20:07 my husband is a huge fan of poetry but it... 20:09 it just doesn't speak to me in the same way, 20:12 but this was like Classical Spanish 20:14 so the equivalent of King James English in Spanish, 20:17 in a poetry form 20:18 and Spanish is the weaker of my two languages, 20:21 I started to get very stressed about this assignment 20:25 and about having to share this with the rest of the class. 20:27 I wasn't understanding it... it wasn't clicking... 20:30 and anxiety was threatening to set in. 20:33 This wasn't the first time 20:35 something like that happened in college, 20:36 it would threaten me every once in a while every semester 20:40 to just get overwhelmed with everything that was going on, 20:43 trying to be an excellent student to God's glory 20:46 in addition to being active in ministry 20:48 but I developed the habit of turning to the Word of God 20:51 when that threat of anxiety would come in 20:53 and specifically, I would turn to Matthew chapter 6, 20:56 you can turn with me there, 20:57 Matthew chapter 6 21:02 and I would read verses 31 through34. 21:08 "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' 21:15 or 'What shall we drink?' 21:16 or 'What shall we wear?' 21:18 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, 21:21 and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 21:25 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, 21:29 and all these things will be added to you. 21:32 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, 21:35 for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. 21:38 Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. " 21:41 So, I would read this passage every time I felt overwhelmed 21:45 begging God to help me not to be anxious 21:48 to depend on Him 21:49 and to seek first His kingdom in everything that I was doing 21:52 in the University 21:53 and not to worry so much about what particular grade I may get. 21:57 Well, this poet whose poems I was struggling with 22:01 was a priest or a monk or something along those lines 22:05 and as I turned to this passage... 22:07 struggling with that material 22:09 asking the Lord to take the anxiety away from my heart 22:11 so I could get through this assignment, 22:13 I skimmed the surrounding verses and chapters to this verse. 22:18 The Sermon on the Mount... 22:19 and all of a sudden, something clicked. 22:22 This poet was making illusions 22:25 to the Sermon on the Mount in his poetry, 22:28 he was talking about the fact 22:29 that we should be laying up treasures in heaven 22:32 and he was also talking about finding the narrow way. 22:35 When I realized this, I was so excited... I went... 22:38 I printed out the relevant portions from the Bible, 22:41 made photocopies and... 22:44 and added that to the last part of my presentation for class. 22:48 When I got to class, 22:49 I had to make the presentation in Spanish, 22:51 and, in general, my Spanish is okay 22:54 but, you know, everyone was a language-learner in that class, 22:57 and as I made the presentation, 22:59 I was able to give my classmates a Bible Study 23:02 on why we shouldn't worry, 23:03 why we should be putting our treasures in heaven 23:06 and how we should be finding that narrow way 23:09 and when it got confusing or my Spanish got a little garbled, 23:12 the Professor would jump in and clarify... 23:15 explain what I was meaning to say. 23:17 so, really, I had a professor 23:18 who was helping me give a Bible Study to a class... 23:21 of colleagues there at the University of Michigan. 23:25 I know many people look back at their college years 23:28 with fun, nostalgia... for a variety of reasons, 23:32 maybe they had great camaraderie with their classmates... 23:35 with their dorm mates... 23:36 maybe that's where they met the love of their life... 23:39 the person who they married... 23:40 or maybe that's where they found the passion 23:42 for their professional pursuits 23:45 that they were going to continue on 23:47 for the rest of their adult life 23:48 and some of these are true for me too. 23:51 I made friendships that I hope to never ever lose 23:54 and I got a passion for both ministry 23:56 as well as the work that I do now 23:58 but what brings back the most joy upon me... 24:02 going back and thinking about these years in college 24:04 was knowing that I was in exactly the place 24:06 where God would have me 24:08 doing what He would have me to do in being faithful to Him. 24:12 Now, I don't want you to think 24:13 that this is necessarily an advertisement 24:15 saying all Seventh-day Adventists young people 24:17 should go to a secular university... it's not. 24:19 By and large our schools are the places where I believe 24:23 Seventh-day Adventist young people should be. 24:24 Audience: Amen. 24:26 But the Spirit of Prophecy does say 24:27 that the excess of work that will be done 24:29 and it must be done 24:30 by those who are taught and led of God 24:32 and so for some young people God is actually calling them 24:35 to go into these campuses... not to gain an education there 24:39 but to be a missionary and to be a light. 24:41 A finally Scripture that spoke to me 24:44 during this time at college 24:47 was Philippians chapter 2 verses 2 through 15 24:50 and I'll invite you to turn with me there as well. 24:53 Philippians chapter 2 verses 2 through 15. 24:55 Pause. 24:58 I'm sorry... not 2... verses 12 through 15. 25:01 so, Philippians chapter 2 verses 12 through 15 25:05 and it reads this, "Therefore, my beloved, 25:09 as you have always obeyed, 25:11 so now, not only as in my presence, 25:14 but much more in my absence, 25:16 work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 25:20 for it is God who works in you 25:23 both too will and to work for His good pleasure. 25:26 Do all things without grumbling and questioning 25:29 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God 25:34 without blemish 25:36 in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, 25:39 among whom you shine as lights in the world. " 25:43 The values of excellence and missionary... 25:47 and a missionary mindset 25:49 are what drew me into Campus Ministry while I was in college 25:52 and God used these values 25:54 in the community that developed around them 25:56 to keep me from wandering from the faith 25:58 that I had been raised in 25:59 and that I had made a commitment to... as my own. 26:03 Turning back to the fall of my freshman year, 26:06 the second thing that I was introduced to 26:09 that changed my life was GYC. 26:11 Several young adults involved with that campus ministry 26:14 were the founders of GYC. 26:17 Now, for those of you who may not know... 26:19 GYC has... is... are three letters 26:21 that have stood for many different things over the years 26:24 ranging from the General Youth Conference 26:26 to Generation of Youth for Christ 26:28 to what it's called now, Generation Youth Christ. 26:32 But regardless of the name, 26:34 the purpose of GYC has been a place 26:36 for Seventh-day Adventist young people to go... be together, 26:39 receive training and encouragement 26:41 in their personal relationship with Jesus 26:43 in teaching them how to be faithful local church members 26:48 in active personal evangelists 26:50 in efforts to finish the work in this generation. 26:52 But I didn't know that back then... 26:56 I didn't even know that the Founders of GYC 26:58 were the people I was going to church with. 27:00 Somehow, I had stumbled upon GYC's website that fall 27:04 and as I read the description, 27:06 their theme that year was, "Higher than the Highest" 27:09 and it... it spoke to that part of me 27:11 desired excellence for myself and for those around me 27:14 and as I read the description of what GYC... 27:16 and saw that was going to be there 27:18 in Anne Arbor, Michigan that fall, 27:20 I wanted to go. 27:22 I misunderstood, I think, what they were saying on there, 27:26 I think they put the cap of how many people 27:28 were going to be able to attend 27:30 and I thought that that meant 27:31 there was some sort of special selective process to go to GYC 27:34 and I just hoped so much that somehow 27:37 I could be chosen to go to this wonderful place called GYC 27:41 only to find out that, no, 27:43 all I had to do was go and register and I could participate 27:47 and my friends there at church encouraged me to do so, 27:49 that Convention was the perfect way to end that first semester 27:54 at a secular university. 27:55 It was like a spiritual-boot-camp experience 27:58 where we were up before dawn at morning devotionals 28:01 and up still way past the evening... 28:03 or wait late into the evening hours 28:06 listening to the different Speakers present. 28:08 The messages were convicting 28:11 and they showed me that the Seventh-day Adventist message 28:14 has an intellectual integrity to it... 28:16 that we have no reason to be ashamed about 28:18 even at one of the world's most elite universities, 28:21 that I can hold my head up high in confidence 28:23 that my faith is not just faith 28:26 but it makes intellectual sense as well. 28:29 But the thing that really impressed me there was 28:32 what I saw was young people 28:34 were the people who were running GYC. 28:37 I was awed to see that these young people... 28:40 individuals who back then seemed old... 28:43 they were only three or four years older than me... 28:44 so they were probably 22 or 23 at the time 28:47 but they were doing a mighty work for God. 28:50 I finally prayed at that GYC that if He wanted me to... 28:54 if God wanted to use me in such a way, 28:57 that I would be willing to do that. 28:59 But I didn't really think anything more of it. 29:02 Over the next few years, I started to volunteer with GYC 29:06 in... in small ways... 29:07 I would sit in a Seminar and press the "record" button 29:10 so that that recording could get uploaded to the website, 29:13 eventually I was invited to work on a committee 29:16 where we developed the printed resources for GYC. 29:19 But it still came as a complete shock and it was very humbling 29:23 when I received a call from GYC's Board of Directors 29:26 to go and serve on their Executive Committee. 29:28 First as the Secretary for the Organization 29:31 and later on as the General Vice President. 29:34 I ultimately agreed to take on that role 29:37 but did not know what leadership at that level was going... 29:42 what impact it was going to have on my life. 29:45 Having been intimately involved with GYC 29:48 for the better part of a decade, 29:50 I've tried to think about what makes GYC... GYC. 29:53 People often think that it's unique 29:56 and it's cutting edge ministry 29:58 that's supporting the Seventh-day Adventist Church 30:01 and GYC's main work is to host annual Conventions 30:04 here in North America 30:05 and those Conventions tend to draw on four values... 30:09 I'm sorry... those Conventions tend to draw 30:11 an international attendance. 30:12 But what does GYC do to continue to garner this reputation? 30:17 And I believe that four values have led GYC 30:19 to have the influence that it does today on the church. 30:23 First of all, as I indicated before, 30:26 the thing that drew me in the first place 30:28 is that it is youth-led. 30:29 Fundamental to GYC is the idea that the youth are capable 30:33 of serving other youth 30:35 of reaching their peers both inside and outside the Church. 30:38 This does not mean that GYC rejects the idea of mentorship 30:42 or guidance or leadership from older adults. 30:45 Quite the contrary... 30:48 in order to help young adults become more effective 30:50 in ministering to their peers, 30:52 such involvement is not just necessary 30:54 but also desired on the part of young people all over the world. 30:58 What GYC emphasizes though 31:00 is that the youth are to take an active role 31:03 to feel a deep sense of duty and responsibility 31:06 to their involvement in the Seventh-day Adventist Church 31:09 from their local church level 31:11 all the way up to the General Conference 31:13 and every level in between. 31:15 Young people started the Seventh-day Adventist Movement 31:18 and we have prophetic understanding 31:20 that the youth will play a pivotal role 31:22 at this time in earth's history. 31:23 Pause. 31:25 God does not want to see those who are in the prime of life 31:27 simply sitting... idly sitting by... 31:31 He wants young adults actively involved 31:32 recruiting their peers to the mission. 31:34 Audience: Amen. 31:35 The other thing that has drawn people, I believe, 31:37 is the sense of volunteerism... of sacrifice and commitment. 31:42 Sacrifice and commitment have characterized 31:45 the type of dedication to those involved with GYC 31:47 from the very beginning. 31:49 Every year the Convention Centers hosting GYC 31:52 are amazed at the Organization 31:54 holding an event of this magnitude 31:56 is run 100% by volunteers... 31:58 I should say, 100% with one part-time employee. 32:02 Volunteerism though is often coming at a great cost 32:05 and it emphasizes that our involvement with the movement 32:08 is not for monetary gain or even for building a resume 32:11 but for rewards which are intangible 32:14 yet real and profound. 32:16 The fact of the matter is that no one has to be at GYC. 32:19 There's no employment contract, 32:22 there's no paycheck to entice participation, 32:25 instead, members of the Executive Committee... 32:28 volunteers... all the way up to the President 32:31 pay out of their own pockets to participate in GYC 32:35 to attend it... to travel to it... 32:37 to purchase the meals and to do everything. 32:39 Attendees and volunteers throughout 32:42 make even more significant sacrifices 32:44 to further the cause each year 32:46 besides those that are necessary to attend the annual Convention 32:49 and all of this... because at GYC, 32:51 the question is not, "What can I get?" 32:54 but "What can I give?" 32:56 Audience: Amen. 32:57 GYC is also a grassroots movement. 33:00 The simple idea of youth leadership 33:03 exhibited through volunteerism and sacrifice and commitment, 33:06 is incredibly sticky... and it's demonstrated broad appeal 33:09 at the ground levels of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 33:12 GYC is more than an annual Conference, 33:15 it's a grassroots movement 33:18 with manifestations that have appeared all over the world 33:21 and beyond GYC doing anything 33:23 in order to try to see these things happening 33:25 all over the world. 33:28 GYC's own leadership... the Executive Committee 33:30 which I no longer sit on but my husband does 33:33 inspires that... and they're intensely grassroots. 33:36 All of them are either students, young professionals 33:39 or local church pastors 33:41 all taken from the grassroots level of our church. 33:44 As a result, GYC is able to tailor its programming 33:47 at the annual Convention and activities throughout the year 33:49 to the needs that they know are real in the church 33:52 because they are involved 33:54 with those parts of the church themselves 33:56 because that's where they're living. 33:57 Pause. 33:59 Finally, GYC values diversity. 34:00 The grassroots appeal of GYC has not been limited 34:04 to one-people group or even one country, 34:06 one of the marks that distinguishes GYC 34:09 is that it transcends racial and ethnic barriers 34:12 and is embraced by people 34:13 from many different walks of life in the church 34:15 and the diversity is not just limited to cultural. 34:18 There are people from vastly 34:20 different socio-economic backgrounds 34:22 who identify with GYC. 34:23 There are also people in this day and age 34:26 with a variety of political opinions 34:28 from the far right to the far left 34:30 that are espoused with those who are espouse 34:32 what's called the "spirit of GYC." 34:35 But what brings people together 34:36 from all these different walks of life 34:38 is a commitment to our Lord Jesus 34:41 and an acknowledgement that that commitment to Him 34:44 takes preeminence over every other identity in our lives. 34:48 The beauty of diversity that results 34:50 from this type of common commitment 34:52 to a higher cause is that it's not artificial 34:54 as many diversity programs in different workplaces 34:57 or academic institutions tend to be 35:00 rather it results naturally 35:03 and while coming in contact with others may challenge us... 35:06 sometimes to our cores, 35:07 it makes us stronger as individuals as well as a church. 35:12 So, being on the Leadership Team of an Organization 35:16 that holds such values was thrilling to be sure... 35:18 but as I reflect at my time at GYC 35:22 and how that experience God used to keep me in the church, 35:26 it was not necessarily any one of those values 35:29 that God was using, 35:30 rather, it was a principle on Scripture 35:33 that continues to astound me. 35:35 Turn with me... you should still... 35:37 you should be in Philippians, 35:38 let's go to Philippians chapter 3, verses 12 through 17. 35:41 Philippians chapter 3 verses 12 to 17. 35:45 Not that I have already obtained this, 35:49 or am already perfect, 35:51 but I press on to make it my own 35:55 because Christ Jesus has made me His own. 35:58 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. 36:01 But one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind 36:05 and straining forward to what lies ahead, 36:07 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call 36:11 in Christ Jesus. 36:13 Let those of us who are mature think this way, 36:16 and if in anything you think otherwise, 36:19 God will reveal that also to you. 36:21 Only let us hold true to what we have attained. 36:24 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those 36:29 who walk according to the example you have in us. " ESV 36:33 It's especially that last verse that just amazes me. 36:37 Paul is telling the church in Philippi to imitate him 36:42 and to watch those 36:43 who walk according to the example that He gave. 36:46 Now, we know that that's okay 36:48 because we know he's pressing toward the goal of the prize 36:51 of the upward call of God 36:53 but it continues to baffle me that Paul had such confidence 36:58 in his relationship with Jesus 36:59 and the influence it was having in his life 37:02 that he could call on other people to watch him 37:05 as a person to imitate because he was imitating Christ 37:09 and yet, it's exactly this 37:12 that ends up being one of the biggest pressures 37:14 for young people who are put in a leadership position 37:16 particularly at GYC 37:18 but I believe anywhere where young people are called 37:20 to be leaders 37:22 especially in this day and age where so much of young people's 37:25 lives are lived online 37:26 in pictures and in posts from Social Media 37:29 and all of a sudden, in their faithfulness to God 37:32 and in their desire to humbly serve, 37:34 they're thrust into a position where... 37:36 do you notice... even on their own, 37:38 they're made maybe even a mini celebrity. 37:40 This is not a position that is enviable... 37:43 it's not one that they desired 37:44 but yet in this position where there's this new pressure, 37:48 they're called upon to be the same type of person as Paul... 37:50 to be a person who is worthy to imitate 37:54 because they are following Christ in His upward call. 37:56 Now I will tell you, 37:58 this has been a challenge for many a young person 38:00 who's gone through the leadership at GYC 38:03 and so I know, many of you here know GYC, 38:06 I know many of you here love GYC, 38:08 I know many of you here send your children to GYC 38:11 and if all of these things are true for you 38:13 then I just want to take a moment and ask that you pray 38:16 for the young people who are leading GYC. 38:17 Audience: Amen. 38:19 They really are the Leadership, they need your help, 38:22 they need your prayers 38:23 that they too can be faithful to the upward call of Jesus 38:26 so that that pressure is not pressure at all... 38:29 but that they're truly living those lives 38:31 that are worthy of imitation 38:32 because they are imitating Christ. 38:34 I think this pressure too... 38:38 as did my contemporaries in GYC's Leadership, 38:40 but I realize that more than just the sermons we've heard 38:44 at the annual Convention 38:46 and even listening to sermons on preparation for the Convention 38:48 to choose Speakers, 38:50 more than the values of the... the spirit of GYC... 38:53 the way God used you as He did to keep me 38:56 was through the community that I'd built in my life. 38:58 By the time I was on GYC's Leadership, 39:01 I'd graduated from the University of Michigan 39:03 and moved to Charlottesville, Virginia 39:05 to earn my Law Degree at the University of Virginia, 39:07 I was now isolated from friends and family several States away 39:11 and while I would describe my college years 39:15 as a golden experience both in life and in ministry, 39:17 I felt like I was walking on clouds. 39:19 My graduate studies were 39:22 definitely not of the same character 39:24 and I am convinced that if I had been there 39:27 all alone... truly all alone... 39:28 without any accountability... without any community... 39:32 that I... that is the point 39:34 where I could have been lost in my Christian walk 39:36 but I praise the Lord that for whatever reason 39:39 He saw fit to use me... to call me to work with GYC... 39:43 and that in doing so, He gave me some authentic friendships 39:46 that called me to accountability... 39:49 that kept me faithful... 39:50 that helped me to remember 39:51 that I needed to keep my eyes on Jesus, 39:53 because other young people were watching me. 39:55 Every time that we would have a Leadership Retreat 39:59 or some event that we would have to go to, 40:01 we'd go kicking and screaming thinking, 40:03 "This is taking me away from what I'm supposed to do... " 40:05 only to then to leave that Retreat 40:07 realizing and remembering 40:09 that I needed to seek first God and His kingdom. 40:12 I realize I've said a lot in all of this, 40:16 but the reason why I have said all of this 40:20 and the reason why many of my friends as well as myself 40:24 are still in the Seventh-day Adventist Church... 40:25 it simply comes down to this, 40:27 it's because of the power of influence. 40:30 The influence of those a few years older than us 40:33 and that they had on our lives, 40:35 the influence that we had on each other, 40:38 the influence that resulted from the commitment to excellence, 40:42 a missionary mind-set... 40:44 a sense of ownership of our church, 40:46 sacrifice and commitment, 40:48 being involved at the grassroots level of our church 40:51 and embracing diversity 40:53 and because of the Community that God helped us build 40:57 and because of the influence that we have... 41:00 had on each other, I have seen the world change. 41:03 I've seen secular friends give their hearts to Jesus 41:06 and become Seventh-day Adventists 41:08 and I have seen wayward Seventh-day Adventist youth 41:11 come back into the church and become active. 41:13 I've seen local churches rejuvenated 41:16 by active participation of young adults 41:18 and I have seen Millennials taking ownership interest 41:21 in their church all over the world 41:24 and I've seen the church take notice of them too 41:27 and respond to their needs. 41:29 Once again, I don't know what I'm doing here... 41:33 I pray that something that I shared with you this morning 41:36 was helpful to somebody here 41:38 but I trust once again that God knows what He is doing 41:41 and that He did call me to share these experiences 41:44 for some reason. 41:46 I'm going to make three simple appeals right now, 41:48 listen very carefully to each of the three 41:50 and at the very end, 41:52 if any of them seem to apply to you, 41:54 I'll invite you to stand with me as I pray. 41:56 The first one is this, 41:58 you sense that though you've been an Adventist 42:01 for your whole life... 42:02 or for a long time... 42:04 that you've been tempted to wander away, 42:07 the words to that hymn speak too true to your heart... 42:10 "Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, 42:12 Prone to leave the God I love... " 42:14 but today you want to say, 42:16 "Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it, 42:18 Seal it for Thy courts above. " 42:20 You want to say, 42:21 "Lord, I know you can work in my life 42:24 and you can use me without me ever having to go anywhere 42:27 and I pray that you do that today. 42:30 Second, you know God is calling you 42:33 to a special and unique type of ministry, 42:35 calling you to be a light in the world, 42:37 even if it's not in traditional forms of ministry 42:40 or mission work. 42:41 Now, I said this at the beginning, 42:43 I'm a Millennial... 42:45 I do spend my own fair share of time on social media 42:47 and one of the things I love to do 42:49 is watch these short little videos 42:51 where they show people preparing food 42:53 and what I wonder is this, 42:56 where are the creative Seventh-day Adventists 42:59 making this type of video 43:01 that can also be a hook into our message 43:03 to bring people into the church? 43:05 I know there are Seventh-day Adventist young people out there 43:08 and Seventh-day Adventist older people out there 43:10 who have the creative ability who God can use to do this. 43:13 Maybe it's not specifically that 43:15 but you know God has been calling you 43:17 to some sort of unique or special ministry... 43:19 you didn't know when to start, 43:21 where to start... how to start... 43:23 but you know that you want to 43:24 and if that's the commitment that you make, 43:26 in a moment, I'm going to ask you to stand up as well 43:29 and finally, you sense that 43:32 maybe you've had a golden age of ministry 43:34 or your if your spiritual-walk experience 43:37 and life has happened 43:38 and maybe that's not what it is today anymore 43:40 but you know that you need a community 43:43 to help you to continue to live up to the highest standards 43:47 and ambitions for the Lord that you want to have lived 43:50 and you want to say to the Lord, 43:52 "Lord, I don't just want to be a part of that community, 43:55 I want to help make that type of community 43:57 in my home... in my local church... 43:59 in my field... in my sphere of influence. " 44:01 So, if any of those three things apply to you, 44:04 I ask that you stand with me and we'll close in prayer. 44:07 People standing... 44:10 Let's pray. 44:12 Pause. 44:14 "Dear Lord, we're so blessed by the way that You take care 44:18 of each and every one of us Father, 44:21 we know that even if we don't think that 44:24 it's sensational or flashy or an adventure story, 44:28 that You've given each and every one of us a testimony 44:31 and Father, I pray that You just bring that 44:34 to every-person-here's remembrance 44:35 as well as mine, Lord, 44:37 that You truly have worked in each of our lives. 44:39 Father, I pray for those who feel that... 44:42 do they really have anything to offer the church 44:44 if they've been here the whole time, 44:46 please Father, show them 44:48 that they can continue to be faithful to You 44:50 and that You can use them in a mighty way. 44:52 Lord, we live in changing times and changing places 44:56 but we know Your gospel is ever green and true, 44:59 we pray that You would help us, Lord, 45:01 to find the different ways to engage people 45:04 into this climate, Lord, 45:06 with the age-old truth that You've given us, 45:08 whether that's different creative forms of ministry 45:11 as well as being faithful to the things 45:12 that we know have worked in times past 45:14 and finally, Lord, I know there are people here today 45:17 who are hearing Thy voice who want to be faithful to You, 45:20 who want to continue to serve You, 45:22 who may even have wonderful stories 45:24 from their own past account about what You did 45:26 but they feel like they're struggling a little bit Lord, 45:29 that they're lonely and that they don't have community 45:32 Father, I pray that You would give them that community 45:34 that they need... 45:36 that You would also help them to be community builders. 45:38 Father, just continue to be with each of us, 45:41 we long to go home, Lord, we long to see You soon, 45:44 and so we pray, Father, 45:46 that You do everything in our lives, 45:49 that You help us to be faithful to You, Lord, 45:51 that we truly can be lights in this world, 45:53 that we would seek first Your kingdom 45:55 and that, as a result, 45:56 we would see Jesus coming very soon, 45:58 we thank You Father 46:00 and we ask all of these things in Jesus' name, amen. " 46:03 Music. 46:11 Piano... 46:18 more piano... 46:25 Nearer, still nearer, 46:31 close to Thy heart, 46:37 Draw me, my Savior... 46:45 so precious Thou art! 46:52 Shelter me safe 46:59 in that "haven of rest", 47:05 Shelter me safe 47:10 in that "haven of rest;" 47:19 Shelter me safe 47:24 in that 47:28 "haven of rest. " 47:37 Piano... 47:44 Nearer, still nearer, 47:50 nothing I bring, 47:55 Naught as an offering 48:01 to Jesus, my King; 48:07 Only my sinful, 48:14 now contrite heart, 48:19 Grant me the cleansing 48:25 Thy blood doth impart; 48:32 Grant me the cleansing 48:40 Thy blood doth impart. 48:48 Piano... 48:58 Nearer, still nearer, 49:03 while life shall last, 49:08 Till safe in glory 49:13 my anchor is cast; 49:18 Through endless ages 49:24 ever to be 49:30 Nearer, my Savior, 49:37 still nearer to Thee; 49:44 Nearer, my Savior, 49:52 still nearer 49:58 to Thee! 50:04 Nearer, my Savior, 50:13 Still nearer 50:21 to Thee! 50:27 Music... |
Revised 2019-01-03