August 5, 2014

Editorial

Whether you are stuck in traffic in downtown Montreal or driving to work in the suburbs of New York City, San Francisco, or Chicago, the scene is the same. Everywhere you look you see busy people. They rush to work, or from work, or to finish the endless list of things they have to do. They are talking, texting, driving, and checking their agenda all at the same time.

Does this sound familiar? Our world has certainly become a beehive of activity, which affects even those who live outside the city. Unfortunately, most of the people we meet in a day spend most of their time on things that are actually secondary.

Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries (ASI) is a network of vibrant lay ministries, businesspeople, and professionals who are committed to putting first things first. Our motto is ”Sharing Christ in the Marketplace.” So in every minute of their busy day ASI members are looking for ways to lift Christ up to those around them. Their passion for ministry runs so deep that it affects every aspect of their lives: how they run their businesses and how they plan their futures.

The culmination of the energy that this organization exudes can be felt in a powerful way at our annual ASI International Convention held each August, held this year in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The convention has been compared to a mini-General Conference session or a power-packed camp meeting. This year’s convention theme, “Lift Him Up,” is based on John 12:32.

Weeks before the convention, young people do Bible work and hold evangelistic series. They work with local churches so that follow-up can be done in a systematic, organized way. The young people themselves are involved in every aspect of the evangelism effort, including preaching and giving Bible studies.

During the ASI International Convention, heartwarming testimonies are shared about how lives were touched by young people during the Youth for Jesus program. Other convention highlights include motivating, inspiring messages presented by well-known speakers as well as laypeople who have a passion for sharing Christ. The ASI Members in Action gives members the opportunity to share how they have been able to lift Christ up in their marketplace. The exhibit hall bustles with activity of ministries and businesspeople united in one goal: putting Christ first and foremost in all they do.

So the hustle and excitement of ASI may look familiar, but the joy radiating on people’s faces and the invigorating atmosphere of the ASI International Convention makes it a one-of-a-kind experience! Once you experience ASI, you’ll never be the same.

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