Pastors' Blog

The national press—perhaps looking for one last “lazy hazy” summer vacation headline—has seized on the “Greenland for Sale” story. Turns out American presidents have given serious thought to purchasing the “largest island in the world.” In 1946 President Truman quietly explored procuring that icy kingdom from Denmark and actually offered $100 million for it. Its strategic location between this country and the Soviet Union in the Cold War made it a tempting piece of real estate. 

Moreover, while the populace of this Danish outpost is only a little over 56,000 and the frigid landscape forbidding, the reality is “Greenland is part of the Arctic and it's estimated that 13% of the world's undiscovered oil reserves and 30% of its undiscovered gas lies under the Arctic. . . . There is also believed to be vast mineral resources underground in Greenland, with mining opportunities for coal, zinc, copper and iron ore—among others” (https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-49422832).

So when President Trump a few days ago floated the idea of purchasing Greenland from Denmark, turns out he not only had precedent, he was serious. But the subsequent brouhaha by Danish politicians and press apparently has pushed this story off the radar screen, at least for now.

Wouldn’t it be something if somehow the inhabitants of this planet could make a purchase offer for Heaven! While it’s true, the Owner of that real estate has breathed not even a hint his Kingdom is for sale, nevertheless, the novelty of such a massive procurement is strangely enticing.

It certainly was enticing, once upon a long-ago time when a rebel prince in the Kingdom instigated an open revolt against the Owner of Heaven. Skipping the ensuing details of the rebel’s maniacal fury and frenzy, here we all are—inhabitants of the rebel’s small world he now trashes with havoc and carnage as if there were no tomorrow.

And yet—believe it or not—it turns out the Owner of Heaven (aka the Creator of the universe) undertook the single greatest risk ever attempted by (1) being birthed into the fallen race, (2) going hand to hand in mortal conflict with the dark prince, and (3) eventually offering up his life and throne to purchase back his hostage children “which he bought with his own blood” (Acts 20:18). The magnitude of that sacrificial purchase will be the lore of song and story for eternity.
“Both the redeemed [purchased back] and the unfallen beings will find in the cross of Christ their science and their song. It will be seen that the glory shining in the face of Jesus is the glory of self-sacrificing love. In the light from Calvary it will be seen that the law of self-renouncing love is the law of life for earth and heaven” (Desire of Ages 19).

Is Heaven for sale? No. But you and I were. And the greatest headline of all is that we’ve been bought back forever—for sale no longer.

I read a piece the other day that was so good (IMHO) I’m sharing it with you. Kim Johnson wrote a short article for spectrummagazine.org challenging one of the most uncomfortable subjects for people in my community of faith. Let me quote a few lines and summarize his conclusions—in hopes you might be in agreement.

“The words 'evangelism'and ‘witnessing’ have become so terribly distorted that they need to be discarded. They engender so much anxiety, fear, and guilt that they are no longer useful. They too often conjure up images of sweaty hands knocking on strangers’ doors asking if they want Bibles studies. They are too often equated with impassioned evangelists preaching through the 28 Fundamental Beliefs. What should be an expansive topic has become terribly imbalanced, narrowed, and constricted.”

He is quick to point out, “I am certainly not saying we should no longer engage in outreach. Far from it!” It’s these two words that trip us. “You can come up with your own replacement terms for ‘evangelism’ and ‘witnessing.’ I kind of like ‘Christlike love.’ Whatever term you choose, it needs to convey a sense of joy, fulfillment, and adventure.”

He then plunges into describing a fresh paradigm for sharing your faith. Imagine a straight line (go to his article for a helpful graphic), from zero to 100. He calls it a “Spiritual Interest Line”—i.e., a progression to show how “the Holy Spirit moves people forward through our deeds of love and kindness.” So, zero represents no spiritual interest in that person’s mind. You try to engage that individual in a spiritual conversation, there is no response—they’re not there yet. But further up the line (say at 20) a Christian caring for them when they are sick begins to awaken perhaps a slight openness to spiritual realities. Further up the line (say at 40) you invite that individual to go with you to a ballgame and that act of friendliness perhaps opens the spiritual interest door even wider. Then at the 60 marker you offer to pray for them—nothing heroic, but they are receptive to your gesture, and the spiritual interest door opens wider. 

Here’s where it gets interesting. It is when the individual is at the 95 marker on that spiritual interest line that there is an openness in the mind/heart of that person for spiritual conversation and/or exploration. “From 0 to 94, spiritual interest may be growing within their heart, but they do not yet feel any conscious need for God. At 95, they sense an inner longing for something more in life and are looking for spiritual direction and guidance.” And the 100 marker on this interest line represents the individual accepting Christ as their personal Savior.

Now Kim Johnson zeroes in on a handful of lessons we can draw from this spiritual interest line. 

Lesson #1—“I cannot create spiritual interest any more than I can create life. Both are completely up to the Holy Spirit. The only thing I can do is discover what the Spirit is already doing in someone’s life.” How easy for us to mistakenly conclude it is our responsibility before God to engender interest in spiritual things in our neighbors, colleagues or friends. Nope, says Kim Johnson. That’s the Holy Spirit’s mission—who may be on a very different time line than we are.

Thus Lesson #2—“It is the Holy Spirit who moves people forward along that line. He does that through the love and kindness shown by His followers to those within their sphere of influence. Our deeds of love do not create interest, they are the raw material the Spirit uses, just like a potter uses the clay to create beautiful art.” This is starting to make sense!

Lesson #3—“I don’t have to be the entire process. The Spiritual Interest Line is like a chain with many links. When someone accepts Christ, it may seem to be the work of a moment, but, in fact, it is the result of a long 'chain of circumstances ‘ that brought them to that point.” Then he uses this helpful illustration: “You might visualize a pitcher being filled with water, drop by drop. There will eventually come one drop that causes the water inside to spill out the spout. Suppose we equate the moment it spills over to a person whose spiritual interest hits 95 and they become conscious of a need for God. That is usually the moment we highlight in our Union Papers. But let me ask you, which drop of water was the most important? Of course they were all important and should all be equally valued. Every link in the Spiritual Interest Line is just as important as any other. Even if no one in leadership notices, God does.” To which I say, Amen!

Lesson #4—“I should relate to people according to where they are on the Spiritual Interest Line. It is not helpful to relate to someone who is at 33 as if they are at 97. Likewise, it is just as inappropriate to relate to someone who is at 97 as if they are at 33.” But notice how he develops this lesson: “I have often heard people debate whether it is enough to simply live a godly life, or do we have to actually talk to people about God? The answer is not either/or. We simply have to do what is appropriate for where people are at the time. Prior to 95, people will usually have little interest in ‘Bible talk,’ so loving deeds are our most effective response. From 95 onward, a person is eager to learn from scripture and does not need to be manipulated or convinced.” Think about that!

Let’s face it—we aren’t all alike. So here’s one more of Kim’s lessons: “Different personalities and Spiritual Gifts can relate more easily to different parts of the Spiritual Interest Line. For instance, some introverts may feel more comfortable helping others by doing things behind the scenes whereas an extrovert might prefer more direct, personal, one-on-one engagement. A person with the Spiritual Gift of 'Helps' will be great at doing specific tasks for those at 1 to 94 whereas someone with the gift of ‘Teaching' or ‘Evangelism' may want to specialize in working with those at 95 to 100. God wants each of us to reach out through who He has made us to be. No guilt. No fear.” (See www.spectrummagazine.org/views/2019/lets-delete-words-evangelism-and-witnessing-our-vocabulary for the full article.)

Wow—this makes sense, doesn’t it? 

It certainly fits with our new “Bring a Friend to Church” strategy! (Be sure to read Pastor Rodlie’s piece in this eLetter all about the unique Pioneer event coming Sabbath, August 31, in our renovated sanctuary.) It isn’t about finding people 95 and up on the spiritual interest line. Rather “Bring a Friend to Church” is about inviting people you’ve become friendly with over the weeks and months past—people in the neighborhood, in the dormitory, in the work place—who may not be open to Jesus but who are open to you.

You can use an invitation as simple as this: “Hey, we’re pretty excited about the summer-long renovation of our Pioneer church. We’re celebrating the new season with a new series of presentations our pastor’s having—all about growing the most important relationships in our lives. It’s called, 'Roommates, Bad Dates and Soul Mates.’ Here’s a card that describes it. I’d love to have you come. In fact, I’d be glad to pick you up Saturday morning, August 31.” That’s it.

Make the invite. And let the Holy Spirit do the impressing. It really is that simple.

So read Pastor Rodlie’s piece, pray for the Spirit to open the way for you to invite three of your friends or neighbors, and a week or so before August 31, make the invite. After all, the Bible ends with an invitation: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!' And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!' Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17). Let’s join God in His friendly “Come” all over this community!

There has been a proliferation of shark attacks this year off the coast of North Carolina—which recorded only three attacks in 2018 and already has had three attacks this month alone. Some suggest global warming is pushing these predators of the sea beyond their familiar waters. Others say it’s the normal ebb and flow of human-meets-shark episodes.

But one story being told and retold is of 17-year-old Paige Winter, who with her family on June 2 was frolicking in the waters of Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. Here’s how one of her surgeons, Dr. Eric Toschlog, described it: "'On a picturesque afternoon at a pristine beach on the crystal coast of North Carolina, the life of a 17-year-old young woman was irrevocably changed. Paige Winter, standing with her siblings in waist-deep water, was attacked by a shark. The devastating injury to her left leg, which included the severing of the major artery and vein supplying the leg, would likely take her life. But in the ensuing minutes, Paige received the heroism of love and a simple tourniquet'" (www.abcnews.go.com/US/doctors-weigh-teen-surviving-shark-attack-miracle/story?id=63772511).

At a press conference along with Paige’s team of physicians, Dr. Toschlog recounted the split seconds that followed: "'Her father witnessed the attack, watching his daughter disappear beneath the surface in a swirl of bloody water. He dove into the water, found her, took her into his arms and lifted her out of the water. Still attached to her left leg was what he described as a "very big" shark. He proceeded to pummel the shark with his fists until it let go and then struggled to the beach with Paige in his arms, telling her that he loved her, bearing witness to the damage to her leg but unaware of the shark following close behind.'"

On the beach, a bystander witnessed the drama, rushed forward to assist Paige’s father and applied a tourniquet to the teen's left thigh. 9-1-1. Helicopter airlift to Vidant Medical Center. The trauma team was waiting. "'I have seen dozens of mangled extremities in my career, but this injury, suffered by a 17-year-old simply having a beach day with her family, was heartbreaking. It never gets easier. The decision to amputate is never easy, but tragically there was no decision to be made. She underwent massive blood product resuscitation and amputation of her left leg at mid-thigh,'" Toschlog recounted. "'Simultaneously, our plastic surgeons began work on her hands. In subsequent days, Paige underwent multiple additional surgeries on her hands and has done extraordinarily well. She will be discharged to rehabilitation within the next week.'"

One brave girl and a story for the ages. But of all that was spoken at the news conference, to me, the most profound was Dr. Toschlog’s observation: "'The real heroes in this story are a loving father and mother, a volunteer on a beach and a truly amazing young woman. Paige was saved by a simple piece of any trauma system, a tourniquet. But in reality, she was saved by something vastly more powerful. . . . Paige is alive as a result of one of the strongest forces that I have encountered in 20 years as a trauma surgeon, surpassing any medical technology. She was saved by love, the love of a father for his daughter'" (ibid).

"Saved by love—the love of a father for his daughter."

Paige’s story is our story, isn’t it? Ravaged by the predator of us all, nearly dead in the water, is there no one who can save us? "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). The self-sacrificing love of a Father for his children.

"The love of the Father, no less than of the Son, is the foundation of salvation for the lost race" (Great Controversy 416).

Which is why every day is Father’s Day—and every eternity will be one we owe to his love. Forever.

A couple of my story scouts spotted this piece out of St. Augustine, Florida—and I think it’s a perfect one for the big people (i.e., older than children). Two 17-year-olds—Tyler Smith and Heather Brown—were enjoying senior skip-day to the max a week ago. Students at Christ’s Church Academy and soaking up the sun, the two teens lazily floated just offshore at Vilano Beach.

Well, you know how it goes—two kids happily caught up in each other’s company with sea and sun surrounding them—who’s keeping track of where they’re drifting? Turns out strong undercurrents were pulling the two out to sea. By the time they realized their danger, they were too far from shore to be heard.

Try as they might, they couldn’t reverse course against the stiff current that hurried them further out. And so the teens held on to each other. And prayed. And prayed. And God bless them, somehow they managed to not panic and stay afloat, even as the swirling undertow dragged them farther and farther. By now they are two miles out to sea!

Did I mention they were praying? Who wouldn’t be?

That’s when Eric Wagner and his boat crew spotted the teens in the distance, bobbing atop the waves. As his vessel motored closer, crew members leaned over the side and strong arms pulled the swimmers to safety.

Oh, what a relief it is! Two young lives saved. Their prayers answered. By a boat called the Amen—no kidding—Amen.

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you; and you will glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15). Amen.

Wesley Duewel observes: “The most important measure of prayer is not its length but its depth; not its beautiful words but its intensity. It is not necessarily a matter of how many hours you pray, but how intensely you pray when you do pray. There is a dynamic of perseverance—prayer must often be continued at some length, but whether short or long, let your prayer be fervent.” (Mighty Prevailing Prayer 76) Amen.

And what catalyzes intense, fervent prayer? A sense of imminent danger, the recognition of desperate need. How do you suppose those teens prayed?

How does God respond to such intensity? “When a man [or woman] breathes an intensely earnest prayer to God (Jesus Christ is the only name given under heaven whereby we can be saved), there is in that intensity and earnestness a pledge from God that He is about to answer that prayer exceeding abundantly, above all that we can ask or think. . . . Unwearyingly persist in prayer. God does not say, Pray once, and I will answer you. His word is pray, be instant in prayer, believing you have the things you ask, and you shall receive them; I will answer you.” (Ellen White Prayer 72) Amen.

But whatever you do, don’t reserve prayer for trouble! If prayer is talking to God as a friend, then let your day flow with mini-conversations—in the midst of hectic life, in the middle of a dark night—pray. And let the benediction of God be your Amen! day and night.

Pray. And pray. And guess what—your Rescuer will be named Amen, too (Revelation 3:14)!