That was part of a unison prayer of commitment offered by ten religion graduates from Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania on Sabbath afternoon, July 27 in the Adventist Church in Riga, Latvuia. These students were the first Adventist pastors from the Baltics to graduate on Baltic soil.
The historic occasion was underscored with the presence of officials from the Latvian State Minister of Religion, Griggs University, and the Trans-European Division, and a special message from General Conference president Jan Paulsen.
Prior to 1997, the training of ministers for the Baltic Republics was informal and intermittent. Early evangelistic workers for Russia, of which the Baltic states were a part (a constituent republic in the former Soviet Union from 1940 to 1991 Latvia was an independent republic between 1918 and 1940) were trained at the Seventh-day Adventist training school in Hamburg, Germany from the decade following 1889. After 1899 students from Russia went to Friedensau Mission School.
After the Baltic revolution every effort was made to train young people for service. In 1921 informal training courses were offered in Kiev, and in 1925 a 3-year course of study taught by ordained ministers was structured in which Latvian and Estonian students were registered.
The Baltic Union Mission School was opened in Suschenhof, on the outskirts of Riga, Latvia in 1921. When this school was closed by the Latvian Government in 1937, the Estonian Conference opened a theological school in Tallinin. However, the next year, in 1938, the Latvian Conference School reopened in Riga, and remained functional until 1946.
Until the establishment of Zaoksky Theological Seminary in 1987, there were "no educational facilities to train Adventist ministers in the Soviet Union" so "each pastor associates a likely young man with him in his work," a method similar to the apostle Paul's method of training young men. "If the young man developed as a pastor, the church membership decided when he should be
ordained." (SDA Encyclopedia, 1976).
During the years of Russian occupation with the discontinuity created by two declarations of independence from the Soviet Union in one century, it was difficult to formalize the training of ministers. In 1994, three years after Latvia gained independence for the second time, it became a part of the Trans-European Division (TED). Orville Woolford, division education director, and Mike Pearson, Newbold College Religion Department chair, proposed a program of study by extension consisting of nine subjects to be taught over three years. The lectures would be all translated into Russian for the first two years and the students were permitted to submit their work either in English or their local language.
This initial phase finished in December of 1996 and in the winter of 1997 an agreement was reached between the division and Griggs University to validate the existing program and to
consolidate all former studies on college/university levels.
Located on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea with Estonia to the North and Lithuania to the south, Riga, Latvia, continued as the venue for the new academic venture. Griggs University, based at the General Conference, became the awarding institution and Newbold College in England provided teachers for the program. Gudmunder Olafsson served as program director.
The field-taught intensives were programed in four two-week sessions a year during summer months with the possibility of students accelerating their progress by correspondence courses available through Griggs University.
Students needed to reach a viable level of English to participate. Olafsson explained the reason for this decision: "Translation interfered with the effectiveness of instruction. Most resources are available in English, a lingua-franca of Adventism, and competency in English would open up the possibility for further studies in England and America."
"The emphasis is on "the acquisition of the knowledge of the subject and skills rather than necessarily a fluency in English."
The program thus enabled student-pastors to be actively involved in their churches most of the year. The obvious disadvantage has been the 8-10 years of time necessary to complete the degree.
A Diverse Class
The pastoral students came from diverse backgrounds. The median age of the ten graduates was 43, the eldest being 63 and the youngest 26. Among them are two grandfathers and the Baltic's first female pastor. All have one thing in common: they endured the rationed years of Soviet communism. As they stood while the national anthems of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, were played, memories of their deprivations and sufferings, could not diminish the excitement of the event.
Like the Apostle Paul they can say, "We know sorrow, yet our joy is inextinguishable" (2 Cor. 6:10, Phillips). This is solid accomplishment and represents many battles won.
Along with Newbold College and Griggs University, the Trans European Division and Baltic Union provided financial support and leadership. Private donors also played a major role.
The class motto, "Use it or Lose it" developed by the four graduation speakers, Peter Roennfeldt (Friday evening consecration service), Woolford, and Olafsson, (Sabbath morning worship), and Griggs University assistant vice president Rex Edwards (Sabbath afternoon graduation), confronted all with the three absolutes of Christian education: it's practical nature, its transient value if not applied, and the need for dependence on a divine resource to both sustain and empower future usefulness.
Future Progress
Another 30 ministers yet remain in various stages of completing their bachelor degrees. Recognizing the length of time necessary to finish the Trans European Division is now developing a plan which will enable students to complete a degree in five years.
Adventists Respond to European Flooding
With massive clean-up and rebuilding efforts beginning in the wake of some of the worst flooding in Europe's history, Seventh-day Adventists in southern Russia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany are asking for the prayers and support of the worldwide church. While no Adventists are believed to be among those killed, Adventist leaders report "immense damage among Adventist families, and to church facilities." In Prague, the Czech publishing house-Advent-Orion-had to be evacuated and closed. Volunteers worked to move books to the upper levels of the building until they were forced to leave. However, it is estimated more than half the stored books were destroyed by floodwaters, as well as some presses and computer equipment. Adventist church buildings in the German towns of Floha, Olbernau, and Schneeberg are said to have sustained severe flood damage. Many church members in Germany were among thousands evacuated as flood waters threatened their homes. In Germany, 87 residents of an Adventist home for the elderly in Friedensau were evacuated. The request for assistance was received at the church's Friedensau University during Sabbath morning worship services. University staff and volunteers helped with the evacuation to temporary housing at the university, where the elderly residents were expected to remain for up to six days.
Forty Pathfinders at a summer camp, near Linz, Austria, were surprised by rapidly-rising floodwaters, which destroyed the footbridge to their campsite and swept away four vehicles. The camp was moved to higher ground but, when the decision was made to evacuate, the Pathfinders had to hike through steep countryside to a road where they were taken by car to Linz. "We are grateful to God that the danger was recognized in time and nobody was hurt. If the flood had come in the night, the situation could have been much worse," said Pastor Christian Grassl, youth director for the Austrian Union. - Adventist News Network/Euro-Africa News Network
Go One Million Sparks Creative Witnessing
Go One Million is gaining momentum across the world church, with many creative faith-sharing ideas being developed. Go One Million is the church's plan to train and equip one million lay people for personal evangelism before the 2005 General Conference session. Some of the innovations include:
In Russia, the Go One Million kit includes an Adventist board game. In the course of playing the game, participants are introduced to Christian and health principles.
In Malaysia and the African-Indian Ocean Division, Adventists have developed Bible study series aimed at making Christianity understandable and relevant to Muslims in their respective contexts.
In Australia, "Taking Charge of Your Life"-a series addressing day-to-day concerns of secular people-has been developed.
In South America, the Go One Million focus is on small-group outreach.
In the Euro-Africa Division, Adventist young people are invited to dedicate a year to missionary work, and join a team traveling through Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, performing Christian music and drama in community centers such as schools, hospitals, and on main streets.
In the Northern Asia-Pacific Division, an evangelism DVD helps lay people share their faith.
Scam Uses Counterfeit Church Stationery
Church administrators and members should beware of an attempted international financial scam using counterfeit church stationery, according to Robert W. Nixon, General Counsel of the General Conference. The warning comes after a receipt by one division officer of an offer from a person claiming to be a pastor in a west African country asking for assistance in cashing several million dollars worth of gold he claims to have helped smuggle from a central African country. The "pastor" indicated his willingness to share the proceeds if he can liquidate the gold and use the cash for his "longtime ambition to establish missions all over the world. "The recipient was suspicious of both the offer and the letterhead [the logo was not current and the addresses were not those listed in the Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook], and referred it to the General Conference for evaluation," Nixon said. "In short, the letterhead was counterfeit and the solicitation a fraud." The General Conference advises recipients not to reply in any way to such communications but to report them to proper government law-enforcement agencies. Associate general counsel, Thomas E. Wetmore, also asked anyone reciving such solicitations to forward copies to him at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland, 20904-6600, United States.-Adventist News Network
Adventist Evangelist Survives Snake Bite
A young Adventist evangelist working in Southern Sudan has suffered no ill effects from a venomous snake bite. Joseph Logu was bitten on the foot by an eight-foot snake as he walked in an area five hours from professional medical help. Logu called the three local believers to him and they prayed he would be healed like the Apostle Paul.
"The people now regard this young man with special awe. They want to know about the God who can save a young man from the deadly venom of a snake," reports Pastor Beat Odermatt.
Brazilian Billboards Feature Youth Community Project
Since the beginning of July, nearly 30 billboards in Vitória, capital of the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, advertised a variety of social projects undertaken by more than 10,000 Adventist youth during a Pathfinder event held July 16 to 21.
The event, organized by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, involved Pathfinders in a joint work effort of community services, including cleaning ditches and gutters. The billboards also described the donation of food, cots, wheelchairs, coats for children, and 1,000 pints of blood. -Adventist News Network
Public University Appoints Chaplain for Adventist Students in Kenya
Kenyatta University has become the first public university in Kenya to hire a Seventh-day Adventist chaplain to minister to Adventist students on the campus. The university has also allocated land to be used for the construction of a church to serve the students, and the chaplain-Pastor Enoch Omosa-will be on the university's payroll.
The Kenyatta University Community Seventh-day Adventist Church has now officially started conducting Sabbath services. Pastor Peter Bwana, executive secretary of the Adventist Church in Kenya, has expressed appreciation to the vice-chancellor of the university, and its board of governors, for the allocation of land.
Currently there are 300 Adventist students at Kenyatta University. -Adventist News Network
News Notes
Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN) has completed taping it's first children's television series in Spanish. Entitled Amiguitos de Jesus (Jesus' Little Friends), these 13 programs will begin airing on 3ABN's television network in early September.
Dr Julian Melgosa has been appointed president of the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS), Philippines. Dr Melgosa, originally from Spain, has been a faculty member since 1998 and replaces David Birkenstock, president since 1996, who is retiring. AIIAS has 800 students from 30 countries and faculty from 17 countries, making it one of the church's most internationally diverse centers of higher learning.
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