MY GOD AND I
What a growth experience, "My God and I" provided me (undated special issue). From William Johnsson's first words, "This year, let's make God first, and last, and best in everything," to Stephen Chavez' last words, "for every day, routine communication with God my special place is on my feet, running with God . . . listening for His voice," and all the wonderful, practical articles in between.

I would've liked to see Johnsson's and Chavez' points expanded. My experience is that when I am not 100 percent connected with God, that's when the Holy Spirit points out thoughts or actions that are not what Christ would have me to think or do. As long as I don't ignore the words published in the Review (May 9, 1899): "Keep the conscience tender, that you may hear the faintest whisper of the voice that spoke as never man spoke," I maintain that connection.

Ross Sawyer
Norfork, Arkansas


What a wonderful special issue of the Review! Each writer shared a different but marvelous way to worship God. It is so wonderful that each of us can worship God in many different ways and each can bring us a blessing from God. Carlos Medley summed it up well: "Through it all, I've learned that God's desire to speak with His children is so intense that He will use a thousand different channels. If we simply take the time to listen, how enriched our lives would be."

Keep the specials coming.

Art Miles
Apison, Tennessee

ETERNAL INVESTMENT
Thanks to Marta Stone for the excellent article on the value of an Adventist college education, "An Investment for Eternity" (Jan. 15, 2004).

Three years ago I moved from the University of Texas Pan American, where I served as Instructional Services Librarian, to Walla Walla College's School of Nursing in Portland, Oregon. Knowing I was coming to an Adventist college, I assumed that most of the students would be members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. I was surprised to discover that 80 percent of the students in the nursing school were not Adventists. Some of the students had never heard of the Seventh-day Adventist church before, and most had never been on the main campus.

Since there were several nursing schools in the area (most bigger than ours) I wondered why we were attracting these students. The students gave me three reasons for selecting Walla Walla College's School of Nursing:

1. Teachers who really care and are willing to do everything possible to help students succeed without lowering standards.

2. An objective-based program. There are specific, clear objectives, and the teaching and testing is focused on those objectives. Students know what is expected, and this lends a sense of security.

3. Students who work well together. The nursing program promotes a spirit of teamwork and cooperation among students, rather than a spirit of competition.

These observations made me extremely proud to be associated with Walla Walla College.

Recently one of our graduates of several months ago returned for the about the sixth time. She now is a successful nurse. Asked why she kept coming back, she replied, "This is like a second home to me. I know that I am loved here." What more could we offer students on behalf of Jesus than a quality education in a loving, supportive environment? It seems at times that non-Adventist students sometimes value more what we offer than do Adventists. Have we grown too used to the good things that we have in our own house?

Bruce McClay, M.A., M.L.S
Walla Walla College School of Nursing Library

HOW DO WE GIVE?
Carlos Medley's editorial, "How Do Adventists Give?" (Jan. 15, 2004), left me a bit bewildered. After asking a number of rather interesting questions in his opening paragraph, I was disappointed to not find an answer to his most intriguing question: How do Adventist giving patterns compare with those of other Protestant denominations?

I read the editorial three times and never found an answer. Did I miss something, or is there a Part Two coming? This information might be of interest to other readers as well.

Dale Bratlund
Riverside, California


I'm not sure Carlos Medley took a position, but rather reported Juan R. Prestol's comments. I am bothered by the insinuation that baby boomers and other "younger members" are hurting the church by their giving patterns.

I am a baby boomer, and I definitely give differently from the previous generation. Having just finished our taxes, we are surprised by how many charitable organizations we list (21). Last year our charitable contributions to eight different Adventist organizations that are channeled directly to ministries amounted to 14 percent of our income. We did not give anything directly to the world church for missions (we, of course, paid our tithe directly to the church). You answered the question in the editorial: "There's been a rapid growth in direct giving, in which contributions are channeled directly to ministries for specific projects with measurable objectives."

God blesses us with success, and we have a duty to return a portion. With that duty comes an obligation to see that this money is appropriately spent. Most of the organizations we support send 100 percent of the money directly to the project. We have been members of ASI for several years, and when the offering is taken on Sabbath at the national meeting, and that sum is millions of dollars, that is the result of God's direct blessing of this ministry. I have a hard time imagining, when I send money to Maranatha International to build a church in India, and a trained worker is assigned to that church for five years to nurture its growth, that I am somehow undermining the mission of the Adventist Church.

Randall L. Bivens
Netarts, Oregon

HISTORY'S END?
What joy our hearts received as we read the well-written article regarding religious liberty ("The End of History," Jan. 2004). We recognized the message to which we were introduced 30 years ago.

However, sadly, it is not the case in our local church, and we wonder if the church has de-emphasized religious liberty issues. The sermons we hear most often are that the United States is a Christian nation. And on Religious Liberty Day, the Pathfinders had the service and the only mention of Liberty magazine was during the offering call. The mention stated that any loose offering and money not designated for other avenues would be used to support religious liberty. We would like to see "freedom bonds" placed in bulletins again; to have members of our congregation to be educated to face issues of religious discrimination and know that there is help from the church.

We pray for a Religious Liberty Day and separation of church and state emphasis in our local congregation. Thank you for restoring our faith in our beloved church.

Names Withheld

BLESSED BY THE REVIEW
The Adventist Review is special; how could I do without it? The piece by Damien Johnson, "A New Song" (Dec. 18, 2003), was in a class by itself. By God's grace I want to be with the redeemed who will sing that song.

"My Father's Gift" (Jan. 2004) was a timely way to begin the new year. I enjoy reading the Bible. I am reading both Testaments, as was mentioned. I want to grow spiritually so I can be ready to meet Jesus; and reading His Word is a necessity.

Evelyn Broomfield
Montego Bay, Jamaica


Thanks to all 19 of you who visited me at 5:30 this morning via your electronic Christmas photograph. I studied each smiling face. I smiled in return and offered up a prayer for all of you for wisdom, discernment, and love as you minister to the family of God. You are blessed to serve Jesus with such an awesome task.

Betty Kossick

WORSHIP WARS
I just received an e-mail copy of the editorial, "We Gather, Together," by Bill Knott (Oct. 9, 2003), and I felt compelled to write a brief response.

I applaud the overall idea that as a church we should worship together. Without a doubt, the apostle Paul would write at least three new epistles regarding unity in the body of Christ if he saw the present age segregation in our churches. As a father, I want my children to be beside me and see me worshiping each Sabbath. As a son, I want my mother to rejoice when she sees me worshiping each Sabbath. We must embrace the idea that we are one family, not a collection of shirttail relatives.

However, from my own observations at churches across North America, and from my own painful, personal experiences, I believe the responsibility for our divided-ness rests most firmly on the shoulders of those adults Mr. Knott described as "above 30." It is usually this group that refuses to share the worship service with anyone else. Life-long elders monopolize the platform, instead of nurturing apprentices and then stepping back into a supporting role. One or two musicians entrench themselves behind the organ and ridicule and decry anything composed after the early 1900s. Those with silver hair forget how it felt to be a young parent with a fussy 2-year-old in the sanctuary and turn disapproving glares into church board motions. The order of service and time of beginning (and ending) it are treated as an eleventh commandment. Many have allowed a love for familiarity, sentimentality, and tradition to supplant their love for people.

Instead of merely worshiping together, we must return to the place where we are worshiping together. The reason so many groups are departing from the typical service is because they earnestly seeking worship.

As a church we have failed to demonstrate the powerful, life-changing acts of worship that people desperately need to see. We have paid our tithe on "mint and cummin and ignored the weightier matters of the law." We have assumed that worshiping "in truth" was enough and, out of fear, repressed "the spirit"; and, in the process, lost both.

As a purple heart veteran of the worship wars, I call on all sides to put down the machine-guns of tradition and the Spirit of Prophecy grenades and come out from their bunkers. Pointing fingers and casting blame is a sign of a need for repentance. When humility, brokenness, and joy are at the center of the service, everyone is blessed.

I share these thoughts because I served for 10 years as a young local elder. When God captured my heart, my love and joy poured out in words and songs that the "adults" disapproved of. Many times I was tempted to just go away and abandon the Adventist Church, but I had fully embraced the truth of the Word and would not deny it.

After all the struggles and criticism I had to make a choice; either to acquiesce and deny the Spirit in my life, or to follow the Spirit and Word of God as I saw fit. Today I am a Seventh-day Adventist pastor.

Pastor Scott Begley