Participants: Pastor Ted Wilson
Series Code: SF
Program Code: SF000025
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02:26 Yes, Jesus is coming again!
02:30 Amen! 02:32 That was a thrilling experience to see Pastor Conda's testimony. 02:38 What a privilege it is to be part of the Advent movement. 02:43 I want to acknowledge the presence of our past 02:51 General Conference president, Elder Paulsen. 02:55 We had him say a few words last night. 02:59 Thank you, Elder Paulsen, for being with us. 03:01 It's a wonderful privilege to be a family in God's presence. 03:07 And that marvelous quartet song, and that marvelous quartet, 03:12 I call them the singing secretaries, 03:15 all division secretaries, singing in those beautiful 03:19 languages. 03:21 And as they were singing, I saw faces light up because you 03:24 recognized the message. 03:27 What a privilege it is to be part of a movement 03:32 that is looking forward to Jesus' soon coming. 03:37 Amen. 03:38 Jesus was being honored on His triumphal entry to the city. 03:43 He and the large crowd of people were outside that ancient 03:48 capital of Israel. 03:50 And as they came to the crest of the hill overlooking the city, 03:55 Jesus stopped. 03:56 There was Jerusalem in all it's glory reflecting the declining 04:04 sun of the evening. 04:06 The pure white marble of the temple walls, the gold capped 04:10 pillars created a dazzling sight. 04:13 As Jesus looked down on the city, Luke 19:41, 42 record His 04:21 reaction and response. 04:43 Jesus wept for the cities. 04:47 He wept for the people of the cities. 04:51 He knew what was to happen in a matter of days. 04:55 He knew the rejection of His mission and the terrible results 04:59 that would ensue. 05:00 He didn't become angry or resentful; he wept. 05:04 He wept for the people of the city. 05:09 He wept with unutterable sadness because of the lack of 05:14 responsiveness to His love. 05:16 He wept for what was to become of them because of their 05:21 rejection of Him as the Messiah and the truth of His word. 05:28 How many of us are weeping with Jesus today? 05:33 Weeping for the cities and the people of this world? 05:37 How many of us are looking upon the cities of this world, 05:41 the globe, with unutterable love as Jesus did? 05:47 If ever there was a time to weep with Jesus for the cities, 05:52 the suburbs, and the people of this world, it is now. 05:56 For centuries most societies had been agrarian, or rural. 06:02 Most people lived in the countryside, 06:04 and sought a livelihood from the soil. 06:07 As of about three years ago there are now more people 06:12 living in the cities than in the rural areas of the world. 06:16 One estimate indicates that by the year 2050 approximately 06:23 seventy percent of the world's population will live 06:27 in the world's large cities. 06:31 A projected ten billion people living in the cities. 06:36 Are you weeping for the cities yet? 06:38 What are you willing to do for the people of the cities? 06:44 This burden was heavy on the heart of Christ. 06:48 It's a heavy burden on my heart. 06:52 I want to lay it on your heart today. 06:57 Matthew 9:35-38, as Ella read it today, records Christ's ministry 07:04 for the cities and the villages. 07:42 My fellow leaders of the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist 07:47 Church, God is calling us to go into the cities of the world 07:53 where the laborers are few and the harvest is plenteous. 07:57 God is calling us to have compassion on the multitudes; 08:01 people for whom He wept, died, rose, and intercedes in the 08:09 Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary for them 08:12 at this very moment; 08:13 people for whom He is earnestly looking forward to in returning 08:19 to take them to heaven. 08:21 Are you willing to weep and work for the people of the large 08:27 cities of this world? 08:29 He calls for us to proclaim His love, His righteousness, 08:33 His Three Angels' Messages, His warning to a dying world, 08:37 and the powerful announcement of, yes, His soon Second Coming. 08:42 He's waiting for us to take up the role as the uniquely called 08:48 people of God, His remnant church, fulfilling the 08:51 characteristics of Revelation 12:17, 08:55 those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony 08:58 of Jesus Christ. 09:00 For over a hundred years He, God, has been asking His people 09:06 to work the cities according to His methods. 09:10 The Spirit of Prophecy is replete with instruction about 09:15 the work to be done for the cities of the world. 09:19 It is a sustainable, careful, and comprehensive work, 09:25 a work that unites every aspect of church work in its approach 09:31 to reaching the multitudes of the large cities, 09:34 and will receive God's blessing when done according to His will 09:42 with a humble heart. 09:43 101 years ago, in 1910, God spoke through Ellen White to 09:51 reinvigorate the work in the cities, and speaks to us today 09:55 in the book, Medical Ministry, page 304. 09:59 If you haven't picked up that book lately, 10:01 I invite you to do so. 10:02 It's one of my favorite Spirit of Prophecy books. 10:05 There is, and I quote, 10:11 If it was true 101 years ago, I'll tell you, 10:15 it is truer today. 10:17 When the cities, well... 10:58 This is God's message for us today in response to revival 11:04 and reformation. 11:05 We are to be reconverted and to focus on the important issues 11:10 that God has for His remnant church to address. 11:14 We are to become completely engaged in our overall 11:19 quinquennial theme and mission to tell the world. 11:25 We're to be prepared personally, and corporately, 11:28 by the Holy Spirit in our devotion and humble submission 11:33 to the will of God. 11:34 The world around us, as I think is very evident, is crumbling 11:40 and disintegrating: politically, economically, socially, 11:45 ecumenically, and in the natural world. 11:49 I believe Jesus truly is coming again. 11:55 Let's not get caught up in the Devil's trap questioning 11:58 the fact that Christ's coming is soon and thereby participate 12:03 in the age-old complaint recorded by Peter in 12:08 II Peter 3:3-9. 12:10 What is soon? 12:12 Let's not get caught up in that. 12:54 The fact is that Jesus is coming soon. 12:58 He Himself said three times in Revelation 22, the last chapter 13:05 of our precious Holy Word. 13:11 Martin Luther, the great reformer of the Protestant 13:15 Reformation, proclaimed profound thoughts that are found 13:18 in The Great Controversy, page 303. 13:31 We are living at the end of time. 13:34 The signs around us are ominous, and God is calling each of us 13:39 to be revived and reformed through His Spirit, 13:42 so we can increase our work in the cities 13:45 according to His plan. 13:48 When that is done we are promised that we will see 13:53 a mighty movement such as we have not yet witnessed. 13:58 Let's pray that the Latter Rain will fall in abundance 14:04 as we carry out the work for the cities. 14:07 God's people are to accomplish this great task through revival, 14:13 reformation, and a quiet submission to the word of God, 14:19 and counsel from the Spirit of Prophecy, 14:23 intense prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, 14:26 and a willingness to obey God's commands. 14:31 Now let's move forward in using Christ's method, 14:36 as indicated in the book, Ministry of Healing, page 143, 14:41 a familiar passage to all of you. 15:01 Let's follow Jesus in our personal spiritual growth, 15:06 and in all that we do for Him. 15:09 Revival and reformation is so important, and is why everything 15:15 we do this quinquennium is dependent upon it 15:19 until the Lord returns. 15:22 It is the foundation of our activity. 15:25 We need the Lord's power, not our own. 15:36 The Holy Spirit's power is vital, absolutely vital 15:41 for direct outreach to the most challenging bastions 15:45 of the Devil's power: the cities. 15:48 The result of personal and corporate revival 15:52 and reformation through the power of the Holy Spirit 15:56 is outreach and evangelism. 16:00 Recently I read a proposed article by someone who was 16:04 grateful for the call of revival and reformation, 16:08 but this person wondered about outreach. 16:12 Apparently we had not successfully communicated 16:16 that evangelism was part of the title of revival and 16:20 reformation document that we voted last year at the Annual 16:25 Council of 2010. 16:27 Revival and reformation has effected everything we are doing 16:32 including our overall evangelistic theme of 16:36 "Tell the World", also The Great Controversy project. 16:40 The projects and work of our various dynamic departments, 16:44 our administrative activities, and our institutional 16:48 activities. 16:49 There should be no doubt that as a product of revival 16:54 and reformation we are calling for the greatest evangelistic 16:59 explosion and outreach for the urban and suburban areas 17:04 and centers of the world: comprehensive urban evangelism 17:09 mission to the cities. 17:12 In addition to reaching rural areas, which we're quite good at 17:17 through God's power, much valiant work has also been done 17:21 to reach the cities with the Three Angels' Messages. 17:24 We've focused on hope for the big cities, on the 1040 window 17:30 and more. 17:31 The dedicated regional conferences in the 17:35 North American Division, their presidents', conference staffs, 17:39 evangelists, pastors, and members have made unusual 17:44 efforts to reach the urban centers in their territories, 17:48 and God has blessed. 17:50 Seventh-day Adventist Church entities around the world 17:54 have given attention to the challenges of the large cities. 17:58 However, the work in the cities is not easy, 18:04 and many times we have given uneven, sporadic, inconsistent 18:10 attention to the enormous task entrusted to our church 18:14 to work the cities as God would have them worked. 18:18 That's why, as we approach Christ's soon coming, 18:22 we are to follow God's leading in launching an all-out 18:27 evangelistic approach on the large urban and suburban centers 18:32 of the world with every type of outreach possible, 18:36 as outlined in the Holy Word and the Spirit of Prophecy. 18:40 This is a comprehensive call for mission to the cities. 18:46 The Spirit of Prophecy, God's practical counsel for His 18:51 remnant church, indicates a wide variety of outreach 18:55 activities under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 18:58 These approaches and programs will involve the use of centers 19:03 of influence, local churches, church members, teams of young 19:08 people involved in a variety of outreach initiatives, 19:12 literature evangelism, small group outreach, 19:15 medical missionary work, health lectures, 19:18 door-to-door missionary work, community services, and 19:22 social work that follow Christ's methods, 19:25 cooperating with Adventist Community Services and ADRA, 19:29 integrated media evangelism, counseling centers, 19:34 reading rooms, Adventist Book Centers, 19:36 Bible studies by members, young people, and Bible Workers, 19:40 child evangelism, personal evangelism and witnessing, 19:44 public evangelism, and many more methods yet to be initiated 19:49 by the Holy Spirit. 19:50 We need pastors and lay people working together, 19:54 pastors and health professionals to work together, 19:57 as indicated in the Spirit of Prophecy 20:00 in a blended ministry. 20:02 We need denominational organizations, and supporting 20:06 ministries working together in soul winning for the great 20:10 cities of this world. 20:12 We need thousands of church members distributing Christian 20:16 literature like The Great Controversy, 20:19 and the project to distribute that marvelous book to neighbors 20:23 and friends during 2012 and 2013 that will alert millions 20:29 of people to the times in which we live. 20:32 It is the book Ellen White indicated she wished circulated 20:38 more than any other book she had written. 20:41 It appears at this point, brothers and sisters, 20:44 that over 150 million copies of the classic abridged revised, 20:53 or children's versions, will be distributed worldwide. 20:57 And we praise the Lord for that. 20:59 Amen! 21:00 All of us are to be reading The Great Controversy this year 21:04 in anticipation of sharing it next year. 21:07 Nancy and I are reading it and are thrilled. 21:11 I read from it this morning. 21:14 We need everyone dedicated to a comprehensive, sustained 21:19 evangelistic outreach that will replicate the urban evangelistic 21:24 work being done in the city of San Francisco in the latter part 21:29 of the 19th Century, and the early part of the 20th Century, 21:33 which Ellen White called, interestingly, 21:36 a beehive of activity. 21:39 In the Review and Herald of July 5, 1906 she wrote: 23:09 We need a strategic plan, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, 23:15 for every city, in every country, in every division 23:21 around the world that will produce this beehive. 23:25 The General Conference has organized a Comprehensive Urban 23:29 Evangelism Committee with dedicated leaders who are 23:33 helping to make the committee come alive. 23:37 Now tomorrow, during the Annual Council proceedings 23:40 in the council of evangelism and witness, which will continue 23:45 from last night, and wasn't last night thrilling? 23:47 to hear those young people, to hear our church leaders, 23:52 sharing with us what God has been doing. 23:55 But tomorrow you will hear much more about the beginning plans 23:59 of mission to the cities. 24:02 Everyone can contribute to the development of this work 24:07 in progress: the plans for mission to the cities, 24:12 our departments, our institutions. 24:15 We are calling for everyone to participate, young and old, 24:20 those who live in the cities, those who live in rural areas, 24:24 pastors and church members, church organizations, 24:28 and church institutions. 24:29 Every member involved in every possible way for a comprehensive 24:36 urban evangelistic approach mission to the cities. 24:41 By God's grace, we need to revive, as our strategic 24:46 planning vice president Mike Ryan likes to say, 24:49 a culture of involvement. 24:52 Let's dedicate our lives, our energies, our talents, 24:58 our resources, and our time to finishing God's work through His 25:04 power so we can go home. 25:06 Christian Service, page 83 indicates: 25:37 I want us to pray for a true knowledge of that work, 25:43 and ask for the guidance in initiating the greatest approach 25:49 to reaching the cities of the world with the 25:51 Three Angels' Messages of Revelation 14. 25:53 Our mission to the cities must be based on Biblical principles 25:58 and Spirit of Prophecy counsel. 26:01 This approach includes the profound and heavenly inspired 26:06 plan outlined by Ellen White, which shows an in-out approach 26:14 to the cities. 26:15 Let me explain. 26:17 Inside the city centers we are to have centers of influence 26:21 which can include churches, health clinics and centers, 26:25 reading rooms, vegetarian restaurants, community centers, 26:29 etcetera. 26:30 Outside of the cities we are to have, what Ellen White terms 26:33 outpost centers which include training centers, 26:37 for evangelistic workers, lifestyle health centers, 26:41 and places for urban evangelistic workers to live, 26:46 or at least to visit, to be refreshed in a country setting 26:50 close to God's second book of nature. 26:53 Amen! 26:55 Are we willing to take the determined steps to put into 26:59 practice God's plans for the urban centers of the world 27:03 so that a mighty movement will result, 27:06 or will we turn and run like Jonah? 27:13 Do you sometimes feel like that hesitant prophet who found 27:19 himself in the belly of the whale after resisting God's call 27:24 to preach to that city? 27:27 Now this was a real story, a real Jonah, a real fish, 27:33 and a real appeal by God to go to Nineveh. 27:37 Don't discount this story and others in the Bible as just 27:43 symbolic or allegorical. 27:45 The miracles of the Bible are true 27:49 and demonstrate God's authority. 27:52 Believe in the authenticity of the word of God, 27:55 and the Spirit of Prophecy. 27:58 God's word speaks clearly to us and shows He is in control, 28:04 and that we are to follow His instructions and live life 28:08 to the fullest. 28:10 Let us participate in Revived by the Word, 28:13 as outlined last night. 28:16 Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, page 113, 28:20 indicates the following: 28:42 God's Word is foundational for all that we accept, believe, 28:48 and stand for as truth, and for revival and reformation. 28:53 Unfortunately, Jonah didn't fully accept God's word 28:58 because of fear. 29:00 However, he quickly learned to cry to the Lord out of the belly 29:07 of Seoul as recorded in Jonah 2:2, 29:11 and God heard his voice. 29:13 God will do the same for us when we cry to Him for help 29:20 with mission to the cities; our mission to the Nineveh's 29:25 of our day. 29:27 We, along with Jonah can say, as recorded in Jonah 2:6,7: 29:49 Brothers and Sisters, when we get afraid, when we get hesitant 29:53 about our mission to the cities, let us remember the Lord 30:01 and plead with Him in prayer to open the way before us. 30:04 God will point us in the direction of the urban centers 30:09 of the world as He did when Jonah 2:10 records that... 30:24 The Lord then charged Jonah the second time to go to 30:27 the city and proclaim the message of salvation 30:31 indicated in Jonah 3:2, 3. 30:47 The results of Jonah's preaching, blessed by the 30:51 Holy Spirit, were extensive and heart changing. 30:56 The city repented! 30:59 Of course, the preacher Jonah still had not learned his lesson 31:04 of compassion for the people of the city, 31:07 and felt hurt that God did not destroy the city 31:11 as He had predicted. 31:12 Jonah even became despondent over a plant that withered 31:18 and died; showing more pity on the plant than the people 31:23 of the city. 31:25 I want to challenge us today. 31:27 Where is our pity? on the city or on ourselves? 31:34 God spoke directly to Jonah, and speaks to us today 31:39 in Jonah 4:11. 31:40 And it tells us: 31:53 Today God is calling the Seventh-day Adventist Church 31:56 to bring spiritual discernment to the millions of people 32:01 in the cities of the world as represented by that 32:04 great city Nineveh. 32:05 Now what message and understanding of scripture 32:10 will we bring to the cities of the world? 32:13 What power will drive mission to the cities? 32:17 The power is not in human beings, in committees, 32:21 in policies, in presidents, in officers, or departments. 32:26 The power of truth presented is in the word of God, 32:33 in the Spirit of Prophecy, in earnest prayer, 32:37 and in the power of the Holy Spirit. 32:39 Amen! 32:41 The truth presented to the cities will portray Christ 32:45 and His eternal, saving love in the plan of salvation. 32:49 It will show that an all knowing God, the Father, God the Son, 32:53 and God the Holy Spirit, have existed from eternity 32:58 and into all eternity. 33:00 It will lift up Christ's righteousness, 33:02 His Three Angel's Messages of Revelation 14, 33:06 and His soon Second Coming. 33:07 It will point people to the true worship of God 33:10 and the keeping of His Commandments, 33:12 including the precious fourth Commandment, 33:15 as an eternal sign of loyalty: the seventh-day Sabbath, 33:20 the capstone of His creative power on this earth 33:23 in six literal days. 33:25 Recently the small sixty member, rural Andrews North Carolina 33:32 Seventh-day Adventist Church decided to organize a Sabbath 33:36 celebration; sixty members! 33:39 They invited community people and Seventh-day Adventists. 33:42 About 1,400 people showed up, including some community guests. 33:50 The sacred and rest of the Sabbath is vitally important 33:55 to the people of the cities. 33:58 Our advent message will point to the mortality of our lives, 34:02 and warn people about mystical beliefs and spiritualism. 34:06 It will bring new life through an emphasis on healthful 34:09 principles and health reform. 34:11 It will share the magnificent sanctuary message 34:14 pointing to the Lamb of Calvary, and our High Priest 34:18 who is interceding for us during this Investigative Judgment 34:23 in the Most Holy Place in the heavenly sanctuary. 34:26 It will portray the unique calling of the Seventh-day 34:30 Adventist Church as God's humble, remnant people, 34:34 who proclaim with love a prophetic warning message 34:39 as we unselfishly serve others. 34:42 It will shield us from ecumenism 34:45 and give us the power to proclaim the distinctive, 34:48 historicist, prophetic messages of Daniel and Revelation. 34:53 Our Biblical message to the cities will unite us as a 34:57 worldwide people and guard us from isolating ourselves from 35:03 society and from each other. 35:05 Our message to the cities of the world is that another city 35:10 is coming; the New Jerusalem, a city of safety, hope, 35:15 and refuge with God as it's center. 35:18 The real answer to all the woes, and afflictions, 35:23 and difficulties of today's earthly cities is the soon 35:28 Second Coming of Jesus Christ. 35:30 Amen! 35:31 God is calling us to work the cities without delay. 35:34 Now I'm going to try something for a few minutes, 35:37 and I hope you will bear with me. 35:39 I want you to look at direct counsel from the Spirit of 35:43 Prophecy on this great cry for comprehensive urban evangelism 35:48 and the use of medical missionary work in our approach 35:52 to the cities. 35:53 Follow along with me. 35:54 From Evangelism, page 25: 39:15 I just want to pause and tell you that next Annual Council 39:19 we will be focusing heavily on what is medical missionary work, 39:23 and how can every member be involved? 39:26 Another quotation: 39:47 Don't get confused. 39:50 We're not talking about fanatical activity and behavior. 39:54 We're talking about God given instruction to show people 39:58 around the world that we are His Creation, 40:02 that we believe in the physical, mental, social, and spiritual 40:06 composite as human beings. 40:23 Now as we unfold and develop plans together for working 40:28 the cities through the Holy Spirit's leading, keep in mind 40:32 that there are many cities that Ellen White talked about, 40:37 but there is one in particular with symbolic importance. 40:44 I don't mean to show any disrespect to any city 40:48 around the world, but Ellen White singled out one city: 40:52 New York City. 40:54 It represents the world since it has so many nationalities 40:58 and languages. 41:00 It is like a mini United Nations. 41:04 It is a great center of finance, banking, trade, art, 41:07 transportation, fashion, advertising, and media. 41:10 Evangelism, page 384 tells us: 41:35 I want to tell you that much work has been done in New York, 41:40 but we have yet to see that city become a symbol of the work 41:47 the Lord desires to see done in the world. 41:50 When I was a college student, I appealed to several 41:53 conferences to sponsor me to the seminary, 41:56 including the Greater New York Conference. 41:59 My father told me if I really wanted a challenge I should go 42:05 to Greater New York. 42:06 By God's grace it worked out, and it changed my life forever. 42:12 I had the wonderful and challenging opportunity 42:16 to pastor and to serve in evangelism in the metropolitan 42:22 New York area for about seven years. 42:24 A few months ago I visited in California 42:29 with Elder Lloyd Riley, now about 95 years old, 42:35 who was the conference president who called me into that work 42:40 in the Greater New York Conference. 42:41 He and his wife were a strong encouragement to me and my work, 42:46 and in that challenging city of New York. 42:49 Thank God for our retirees and our pioneers. 42:54 Now some people love New York, and others hate it. 43:01 Graffiti that I saw in New York captures the challenge of 43:05 living and working in the large cities of the world. 43:09 It said, "Concrete Jungle; a hard life". 43:15 There are many good and bad things about New York 43:18 like any big city. 43:20 But the people are there; people who need Christ, and the hope 43:26 of this Advent message. 43:27 Since that time I have always had a strong burden 43:32 for the cities, and for New York City in particular. 43:36 Selected Messages, or Selected Passages I should say, 43:41 from Evangelism, page 385-389 indicate: 44:57 Now today I want every administrator here 45:04 and around the world to feel a heavy burden for the cities. 45:10 God will bless our evangelism, and our plans for the cities, 45:16 as we allow the Holy Spirit to lead in those plans, 45:19 and follow Biblical and Spirit of Prophecy counsel. 45:24 It is the reason for revival and reformation, 45:31 for intense prayer, for humility before the Lord. 45:37 Let us never ignore God's pleading with us about the work 45:41 for the cities. 45:43 According to the biography of Ellen White by her grandson, 45:47 Arthur White. 45:48 Some of us were privileged to know Arthur White. 45:52 As recorded in Volume 6 of that series, Ellen White placed the 45:56 burden of New York and the cities before church leaders on 45:59 June 11, 1909. 46:02 It was just after a General Conference Session. 46:05 She earnestly appealed for unprecedented activity to 46:09 evangelize the cities. 46:10 Later she wrote, (and this is interesting), 46:13 I hope it's not applicable to us. 46:22 Now in September 1909, Testimonies for the Church, 46:26 Vol. 9 contained a section entitled, The Work In the 46:30 Cities. And we're going to be reading that next week 46:33 in Annual Council. 46:34 It'll take us about thirty minutes to read it. 46:36 She said, Behold the cities and their need of the gospel. 46:40 Ellen White's strong burden would not go away. 46:45 She sent messages to Elder A. G. Daniels, the General Conference 46:50 president, asking for more action. 46:53 The General Conference allocated some funds to city evangelism, 46:57 and to New York City. 46:59 However, Elder Daniels wrote about the difficulty getting 47:04 qualified workers for the cities, and didn't engage in 47:08 the work with a full focus. 47:10 Ellen White was frustrated with the lack of enthusiasm 47:15 and indicated that something had to be done. 47:19 She complained that the leaders were not caring for the unworked 47:23 cities as they should be. 47:24 Shortly after laying some modest plans for the cities, 47:29 Elder Daniels was in California and went to Elmshaven, 47:34 Ellen White's home, to report to her about a reasonable effort 47:38 for the cities that would encourage her. 47:42 However, she refused to see him. 47:46 The messenger of the Lord refused to see the president 47:51 of the General Conference, sending word to him that when 47:56 the president of the General Conference was ready to carry 47:59 out the work that needed to be done, 48:01 then she would talk to him. 48:03 Ha, ha, ha! 48:05 Amen! 48:06 Elder Daniels realized the church had not measured up 48:09 to what God wanted to see done in the cities. 48:11 He then wrote a humble and contrite letter to Ellen White. 48:15 He finally received a message back from her indicating that, 48:21 quoting: 48:30 Amen! 48:31 Ha, ha, ha. 48:33 The message Ellen White had given on June 15, 1910 declared, 48:37 (here it is, and this is tough stuff.) 48:45 Obviously, God had charged that message. 48:54 One of our wonderful pioneer leaders. 49:19 All of you are placed in a certain position, 49:23 whether you are elected or not. 49:26 Are you fulfilling that charge? 49:30 Continuing to quote: 49:51 Are you aroused today? 49:53 Am I understanding? 50:01 Elder Daniels thought he was doing something for the work 50:04 in the cities, but it was not what God wanted. 50:07 He was shaken with those messages from the Lord. 50:11 The General Conference finally established a special committee 50:16 of 17 people to work on plans for the cities. 50:21 They released Elder Daniels for one year from his normal 50:27 responsibilities as General Conference president, 50:31 so that as General Conference president, he would give 50:35 leadership for the cities. 50:37 He went to New York City for evangelism, 50:42 and finally fulfilled what God had intended for him to do 50:46 in evangelistic work for the cities, 50:49 and it helped to launch a new day in Seventh-day Adventist 50:55 city evangelism. 50:56 Now standing here today as president 51:03 of the General Conference, I do not want to be accused 51:10 by the Lord of dishonoring Him by ignoring the cities. 51:14 Amen! 51:16 I humble myself before Him and ask that I might be completely 51:22 converted to God's plans for the people of the cities. 51:26 Today, along with me, I want you to share that great burden 51:35 of Jesus for the people of the cities. 51:39 I've had in my office ever since I worked in New York City, 51:44 the powerful picture of Christ of the City. 51:49 Now it's a little bit distant, and the glare of the lights 51:53 might not be helpful for you to see it, but that picture on the 51:58 highest easel, it's an old picture now, that picture has 52:02 hung in my offices in Abyssal, Silver Spring, Moscow, 52:07 Hagerstown, in Silver Spring again, 52:09 and now in my current office. 52:12 I also have the same picture, a smaller one down here, 52:15 facing me every day as I sit at my home desk. 52:22 Let our hearts cry out to God on behalf of the millions 52:28 in the cities of the world, in your division, in your union, 52:32 in your conference, in your mission, or in your field. 52:36 Our plan is before the end of Annual Council that we will 52:41 try to provide you with one of these pictures so that you may 52:45 see the great needs of the cities. 52:49 As leaders, never ignore our great task, using every means 52:57 possible for our mission to the cities. 53:00 Tomorrow morning during the Council on Evangelism 53:04 and Witness, we will present the unprecedented mission 53:08 to the cities. 53:09 Of course, our church has been doing a lot of good things, 53:13 and is currently doing many good things in the cities 53:17 of the world. 53:18 But in the year 2013 we will launch a very specific 53:25 comprehensive, sustained evangelistic approach 53:30 for the world beginning in New York City. 53:33 We are calling for the leading of the Holy Spirit 53:37 for a comprehensive approach that will continue 53:40 until Jesus comes. 53:42 Amen! 53:44 Not a hit and run approach to evangelism, 53:46 but a long-term, sustained, Spirit-filled approach. 53:51 We want to start with New York City since Ellen White indicated 53:57 that it should be a symbol as to how the rest of the world 54:00 should be worked. 54:02 Since large cities are made up of many smaller communities 54:06 and neighborhoods, as you well know, we expect to have 54:09 approximately 150 to 200 evangelistic meetings 54:15 in the metropolitan New York area from June 7-29, 2013. 54:22 Many preparatory outreach activities by church members 54:27 will take place in a comprehensive manner that will 54:30 lead up to June 2013 evangelistic meetings. 54:35 Make no mistake about it, brothers and sisters, 54:37 we are not talking about just public evangelism, 54:40 we are talking about a comprehensive, sustained program 54:44 that will continue and culminate many times 54:48 in public evangelism. 54:49 We're working closely with the North American Division, 54:53 with the Atlantic Union, with the Columbia Union, 54:56 the Greater New York Conference, the North Eastern Conference, 54:59 the New Jersey Conference, and the Alleghany East Conference, 55:02 in the detailed planning for the evangelistic meetings 55:06 in New York. 55:08 At this point in time I want to invite presidents' 55:16 and their spouses, if they are here, of those four conferences 55:20 in New York to come and join me right now. 55:22 I want us to pray for those conference presidents' and for 55:30 the two union presidents': Pastor and Mrs. Earl Knight, 55:35 of the Greater New York Conference, 55:37 Pastor and Mrs. Trevor Baker of the North Eastern Conference, 55:41 Pastor and Mrs. Hosea Cortez of the New Jersey Conference, 55:45 Pastor & Mrs. Charles Cheatam of the Allegheny East Conference, 55:49 Pastor and Mrs. Don King of the Atlantic Union. 55:53 And unfortunately, Pastor and Mrs. Dave Wigley aren't with us 55:57 from the Columbia Union today, but we will be praying for them. 56:02 I'm going to ask Pastor and Mrs. Dan Jackson, Elder Jackson 56:08 if you would pray for these leaders, and their territories 56:13 in the task ahead for New York City. 56:16 These brothers and sisters, these leaders represent you 56:22 and your cities in the cities and territories of the world. 56:27 After we have that precious prayer, I'm going to appeal 56:33 to you as leaders, and those that represent the great 56:39 territories of the world. 56:41 Elder Jackson, if you would pray for these precious leaders, 56:47 and I'm going to ask you to just remain after this prayer so that 56:52 during the appeal you will be here on the platform 56:55 as representatives of all this group who represent the cities 57:01 of the world. 57:03 I'd like you to also remember in prayer a special request 57:09 for a special friend of many of us, Elder Phillip Follett, 57:16 who was a general vice president of the General Conference, 57:20 and also a president of the Atlantic Union. 57:23 And at this very moment he is in a 57:27 very serious health condition. 57:30 And I would ask for a prayer for Elder Follett as well. 57:35 Please bow your heads as Elder Jackson prays. 57:48 Heavenly Father, You who does not change with shifting shadows 57:55 but who is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. 58:01 We come to honor You first of all today because You are the 58:08 King of Kings, the One who loves us with an everlasting love, 58:14 the One who came in the person of Jesus to say that You 58:21 so loved the world that You would give Your own Son so that 58:27 whoever might believe in You would have eternal life. 58:33 And Heavenly Father, there are millions and millions of people 58:38 in our world today who do not believe, who do not understand. 58:45 And You have called each of us in this room, as we represent 58:51 17 million people around the world who have been called 58:57 and who have accepted Your invitation. 59:00 And You have challenged us, You have laid a mantle of 59:06 discipleship upon us asking that we would be Your servants 59:12 to penetrate into every corner of our world. 59:17 We point out especially today the city of New York. 59:24 Yes, Lord! 59:25 The multitudes in that city who are as sheep without a shepherd, 59:33 Yes, Lord. 59:35 who do not know spiritually their right hand 59:38 from their left. 59:39 Right! 59:40 We know that in that city there are many other evangelistic 59:47 campaigns going on that are sponsored by the evil one. 59:52 Yes. 59:54 We come to You today and we appeal for the power, 01:00:03 the presence, the authority of Your Holy Spirit. 01:00:09 Yes, Lord. 01:00:10 We call upon You to anoint the leadership that impacts 01:00:17 that great city. 01:00:19 Yes. 01:00:20 We pray for each of the conferences, 01:00:24 we pray for the two unions, we pray for each of these 01:00:30 leaders and their responsibilities. 01:00:32 Amen. 01:00:34 I praise You because I know that each of these men and their 01:00:38 wives are committed to You. 01:00:40 Yes, Lord. 01:00:41 They have dedicated their lives to service. 01:00:43 And now we ask that You would continue to uphold, and bless, 01:00:50 and energize them. 01:00:51 Yes, Lord. 01:00:53 As we work together at the General Conference, 01:00:55 the North American Division, with the unions, 01:00:59 the conferences, the local congregations, and the members 01:01:03 who reside in New York City... 01:01:06 Yes. 01:01:07 ...we ask that You would create a path that is so plain, 01:01:11 and so clear that we will follow You as the sunflower turns 01:01:18 to the sun. 01:01:19 Yes, Lord. 01:01:20 And Heavenly Father, we recognize that there is no human 01:01:23 being, there is no plan, or process, or policy, or mandate 01:01:29 that can supplement for our own revival, our own connection 01:01:34 with You. 01:01:36 Yes. 01:01:37 So we pray, Heavenly Father, that You would first ensure 01:01:39 that our lives are right with You, 01:01:41 Yes, Lord. 01:01:43 and then You would flow Your Spirit in a mighty way 01:01:46 into that city. 01:01:47 Yes, Lord. 01:01:49 And Heavenly Father, we do pray for the leadership around 01:01:52 the world, and for every city in our world. 01:01:54 Yes, Lord. 01:01:56 For what is true in New York is also true in San Paulo, 01:02:00 and in Kigali, in many cities around the world. 01:02:06 Amen. 01:02:07 And we just pray that Your Spirit will continue to flow 01:02:10 and bless in places like Sidney, and Toronto, 01:02:14 Yes. 01:02:15 and other places. 01:02:16 And Heavenly Father, we just turn to You because in our own 01:02:20 human limitation we do not know what to do with this vast enemy 01:02:26 that has come against us. 01:02:27 Yes. 01:02:29 But our eyes are upon You. 01:02:30 Yes, Lord. 01:02:32 And now Heavenly Father, we think of one who has stood 01:02:35 tall for You through many years. 01:02:37 Yes. 01:02:39 We think of the gentle presence, the gentle guidance, 01:02:43 and the leadership of Elder Phil Follett. 01:02:45 Yes. 01:02:47 Right now he is on a bed wrestling for his own life. 01:02:50 Yes, Lord. 01:02:52 What we pray more than anything is that Your Spirit will rest 01:02:56 with him, that that same Spirit will be felt as one who stands 01:03:01 beside to give the very assurance of heaven. 01:03:05 Yes. 01:03:06 That he will understand that You love him. 01:03:08 Yes. 01:03:09 Be with him Lord. 01:03:11 Be with his family. 01:03:12 Yes. 01:03:14 Be with those who love and cherish him. 01:03:15 Yes. 01:03:17 And Heavenly Father, our world president today has counseled 01:03:21 us, has challenged us. 01:03:23 We pray that You will bless him, and that You will 01:03:26 bless these plans... 01:03:27 Please. 01:03:29 ...for comprehensive urban evangelism... 01:03:31 Please. 01:03:33 ...throughout our world. 01:03:34 Please. 01:03:36 We leave ourselves in Your care today, thanking You that You 01:03:37 have invited us to crawl right up into the palm of Your hand. 01:03:42 Yes, Lord. 01:03:43 And You've told us that when we do that, 01:03:45 no one can take us out. 01:03:46 Yes, Lord. 01:03:48 We thank You for these things. 01:03:49 We praise and honor Your name. 01:03:51 In Jesus' precious name, Amen. 01:03:54 Amen! 01:04:01 Let us pledge ourselves to pray for these leaders, 01:04:07 for their pastors, for their church workers, 01:04:11 and for their church members. 01:04:12 By God's grace I pledge myself and Nancy to hold one of those 01:04:21 200 evangelistic meetings in New York City in June 2013. 01:04:26 Amen. 01:04:27 We've worked with the 13 division presidents to send 01:04:30 expert evangelists from their divisions, 01:04:33 people who know the languages of New York. 01:04:36 You want to know something interesting? 01:04:37 You'll see it in a document tomorrow. 01:04:39 800 languages are spoken in New York City. 01:04:42 We've worked with those 13 division presidents to send 01:04:46 evangelists from their divisions to New York City to hold 01:04:49 evangelistic meetings with us in 2013. 01:04:52 Many of my fellow General Conference officers 01:04:55 and colleagues will be holding some of those 01:04:57 evangelistic meetings. 01:04:59 Many from the Atlantic and Columbia Unions, including local 01:05:02 pastors in the New York area, will be actively involved, 01:05:07 and undoubtedly many lay people are going to be holding 01:05:11 evangelistic meetings. 01:05:12 Pastor Mark Finley will lead an evangelistic field 01:05:16 School of Evangelism during those meetings for all of us. 01:05:20 By God's grace there will be a marvelous harvest of souls 01:05:25 in metropolitan New York, and a continued, 01:05:29 sustained evangelistic work in the New York area. 01:05:34 This is only the beginning. 01:05:38 Evangelists from the various divisions, who will have been 01:05:41 with us in New York, will return to their home divisions to hold 01:05:45 evangelistic series and field schools of evangelism, 01:05:50 for union and conference workers in a division designated 01:05:54 selected major city in that division. 01:05:57 Unions, after that, will then select the city to hold a major 01:06:02 evangelistic series and field school. 01:06:04 Then every conference or local field will select and hold 01:06:08 an evangelistic series and field school in a major city. 01:06:13 Our humble goal, by God's grace, will be to reach approximately 01:06:19 650 major cities of the world before the next 01:06:24 General Conference Session in 2015, all based upon the power 01:06:30 of the Holy Spirit through revival and reformation. 01:06:34 Amen. 01:06:35 The 777 prayer initiative should focus our attention 01:06:39 on the incredible mission to the cities. 01:06:43 Please pray like never before for God's work, and the great 01:06:50 mission to the cities of the world. 01:06:53 We are powerless except as we rely on our chief urban 01:07:00 evangelist, who as He looked over Jerusalem wept. 01:07:07 How many of you, as God's leaders in this wonderful 01:07:14 Advent movement assembled at this 2011 Annual Council 01:07:20 are willing to accept the challenge of a sustained 01:07:25 comprehensive urban evangelistic outreach mission to the cities? 01:07:32 Prayerfully decide in your mind as you listen to the appeal 01:07:39 of the people of the cities as Karla Bucklew will share 01:07:46 with us this special song entitled Lonely Voices. 01:08:07 Lonely voices crying in the cities, 01:08:19 Lonely voices sounding like a child, 01:08:30 Lonely voices come from busy people, 01:08:40 too disturbed to stop a little while. 01:08:51 Lonely voices fill my dreams, 01:09:03 Lonely voices haunt my memory. |
Revised 2014-12-17