Let's face it; if the Master's family is divided, maybe this is how He wants it to be. If not, then it is His responsibility to put an end to it. After all, when He tired of the goings-on at Babel, He stepped in and put a stop to it; He did not hang around waiting for them to see the error of their ways. He abhors division, so it is obvious He does not believe His family is divided.

It is true that members of His family do not understand what it means to be in a family, even though abundant information exists from which to draw the correct perspective. I applaud Atuanya Cheatham's concern and the thoughtfulness behind the suggestions she proposed. Unfortunately, one cannot stop a sinking ship only by bailing out the water. The hole through which the water is pouring must be plugged, as well.

Even though the Adventist movement was brought into being to lead the Christian community, we have adopted the same flawed theology regarding the family of God that it has. We teach that if you fall out of favor with the family you are no longer a member of the family. We still believe that one only becomes a member of the family of God "when you are converted." We forgot the lesson of the prodigal son, who remained a son of his father all the while he was in the pig sty. He thought he was no longer a son, but the father did not share that view.

That perspective seems to work with those we call the unsaved. It's easy to say that whores, thieves, murderers, and the rest are not part of God's family. They surely can't belong to the same family as we upstanding specimens of the Master's goodness (Wink! Wink!). The Master still sees them as a part of "His people," but we don't.

Once we get into the habit of thinking that those who do not think or behave the way we are less desirable, it is difficult to prevent this mentality from infecting our thoughts, even when we claim that we belong to one family. This is why when one member falls into disgrace we run away.

The problem is not racism. The problem is a total misunderstanding of what it means to be family. Until we understand that the drug addict is as much kin as is the popular preacher, we have no hope of being united.

Darius A. Lecointe
Leesburg, Virginia


HELP US TO HELP
Staring at the cover of the Adventist Review (May 12, 2005), I realized I was looking at the face of a very sick child. The article by James Appel, "Where God Led Me," provided more information about his medical work at a remote clinic in Bere, Tchad. Dr. Appel explained bow he attempts to serve the impoverished and often seriously ill people in the area.

Mentally reaching for my checkbook, I completed reading the article, expecting to receive details on how I could respond with financial assistance. No suggestions on the best way to send help were contained in the article. Could the Adventist Review tell its readers how they may donate to the clinic?

I sensed my responsibility to help. I felt that the corporate church, the union, and division leaders--even the General Conference, should lead us in offering funds to finance basic needs at the clinic. I'm sure Dr. Appel and his patients would be glad just to have mattresses or pallets on which to place the sick.

Please inform your readers as to the types of assistance being offered to the Bere clinic.

Barbara Bestpitch
Beavercreek, Ohio

The services provided by Dr. Appel and others are made possible by the faithful support of Sabbath school mission offerings. To know more about this and other worldwide needs, visit: www.adventistmission.org.--Editors


PROTESTANTS, AND PROUD OF IT
The May North American Edition was excellent. A quote from the editorial, "The Papacy in Transition," said it all: "Seventh-day Adventists have a positive message for the world. We believe the Lord raised us up to proclaim the 'everlasting gospel' to every people group, tribe, and language--to tell all nations that the hour of God's judgment has come and to worship Him, Creator and Lord of all' (Rev. 14:6, 7). We are not primarily against anyone or anything--we are for Jesus Christ and the salvation He freely offers."

May this be the goal of every Seventh-day Adventist.

Art Miles
Apison, Tennessee

Thank you for the editorial, "The Papacy in Transition." I had been wondering if our leaders were recognizing the significance of the many issues now coming at us from all directions, especially those that imply that our Lord's Second Coming is near.

Your article faced one of these many issues fairly and squarely. More Protestants should be heard. But at least Adventists are now in the forefront of protesting, not lagging behind.

Perhaps the time has come when our churches should not only be heard, but should also be straightforward about our uniqueness. "The Papacy in Transition" came through.

Dorothy J. Dales
Mount Vernon, Ohio

God bless your bold stand in the editorial about the Papacy. It was courageous, yet gentle; bold, yet humble; directed, yet discreet. We must wake up and understand what we are facing. The Papacy is still the Papacy. And, as it so aptly stated, we are still Protestants. May our people read with eyesalve that they may see.

I see a strange stupor coming over our people. The watchmen must blow the trumpet. We must pray that God will give power to our words.

Dane J. Griffin
Lansing, Michigan


CLAIMING THE CULTURE
Cultural Adventists indeed (Apr. 28, 2005)! I echo the question: How could anyone wish or think to be "Adventist" and disregard what makes it so? Growing up Adventist seems to be a genuine hazard to one's spiritual health; born saved as it were.

I too, entered the church as an adult (34 years old). After attending regularly for more than six years with my Adventist wife, my resistance to the solid evidence for truth in the message gradually melted away. Since my baptism in 1965, I have found no reason to abandon any of the convictions that led to that decision. I vote with Goldstein. Here I stand. Mere culture, good as it is, doesn't cut it.

Richard H. Burns
Cleveland, Tennessee

Thank you, Clifford Goldstein, for succinctly painting the picture of the downward spiral my church is going through due to the majority of cultural Adventists voting in large blocks to "make our church more relevant." They thus water down the essentials of what I have learned and believe from the Bible. Unfortunately, what's needed are born again, Bible-believing, Seventh-day Adventists. The cultural Adventist may have one of the three elements, but he or she does not put the whole package together.

Placing all the elements together makes Seventh-day Adventists truly committed to what we stand for, and they are the ones who make up the remnant of God's Church on earth. They will be able to stand at the end of time.

Pastor Don Ritterskamp
Memphis, Tennessee


YOUNG ADULTS AND THE CHURCH
The article, "Something Has to Change" (Apr. 21, 2005), causes me deep concern. The young writer states the church "failed to give me anything other than a code of behavior." He wrote: "The focus on standards rather than Jesus had proven destructive to my spiritual life." And maintains, "Some estimate that there are more ex-Adventists in North America than current ones."

Last Sabbath in my church a lay member had the message for the worship hour. His Bible base was Revelation 3:14-20, the message of Jesus to the Laodicean church. One of his observations shocked me: "We (his family) moved our membership here 13 years ago. At that time the membership of this church was 145. After 13 years the membership is the same." A few have been baptized, some died, others moved elsewhere. The bottom line is that that there has been no growth.

It was a good message coming from a concerned Adventist. I understand that it is Jesus, still standing outside the church and knocking, who is the everlasting gospel, the power and wisdom of God, our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption. As the apostle Paul wrote: "In Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Col. 2:9).

The message of the True Witness is a message of love and hope. Why don't we hear it preached in its beauty and simplicity? We are inclined to think that we have the truth. Do we? Yes, we have more truth than many of our neighbors. But we do not have the whole truth until we have Jesus inside the church. He is the truth.

Ellen G. White, the prophet to our church, wrote, "I saw that the testimony of the true Witness has not been half heeded. The solemn testimony upon which the destiny of the church hangs has been lightly esteemed, if not entirely disregarded. This testimony must work deep repentance; all who truly receive it will obey it and be purified" (Early Writings, p. 270).

Let us all pray for the Holy Spirit to lead us into all the truth.

Jeremia Florea
Spring Lake, Michigan

It's a fabulous idea for the youth to take ownership. But do you have any idea what the real world is like?

I am a youth leader in a local church, and every attempt to move ahead with the youth seems to be met with, "We'll have to keep our eyes on them." Even worse, they say they don't want to change things and upset the older members!

My kids are tired of being used as money collectors. That's the only job our young men are ever given. They want to be part of a committee, part of planning things, not just always doing things as the "Youth Department."

I'd like to see some suggestions on that!

Leah Buthorne

Two articles in the April 21, 2005 Adventist Review are right on. "Something Has to Change," by Cesar Gonzalez, and "A Hospital for Sinners" by Lynda Jackson (Cutting Edge Meditations).

The apostle John wrote: "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John 3:16). I guess this means that first we need to surrender our lives to Jesus. As a result we will ask ourselves, "How can I be a help to those around me."

If our young people can be given this picture, so many wouldn't leave the church and get into lifestyles that leave nothing but scars and regrets. Standards are certainly important, but all this would fall into place when we look at Jesus. "By beholding we become changed." I find regular church attendance and Bible study, plus Christian friends, are the greatest helps.

Let us pray for each other and help our young people find their place in the church.

Mary L. Keller


REFLECTIONS ON A PRODIGAL'S RETURN
My heart was stirred by Dennis Sellers' honest sharing and testimony of his leaving and returning to the Adventist family ("Return of the Prodigal Pastor," Apr. 2005). My heart ached for him when I read what he went through on his way back home; and how he could have been spared so much pain had he just been shown some compassion along the way.

I only wish there had been someone who had personally shown him what God's love is really like, how God cares about him personally, instead of condemning him without even knowing what he had gone through.

Thank you, Dennis Sellers, for the courage to share your experience with us. You have shown us just how much we still need God's love in our hearts, and how much we need to reach out to those who are struggling and hurting. How even just a small bit of genuine love shown can go a long way in restoring others to God. This story renewed my desire to open my heart to receive God's healing love again.

Jeff Mayer