Seth J. Pierce’s “What Would Jesus Tweet?” (May 2015) provides excellent information about the types of social media available. The “Age of Technology” surely has opportunities. I will share this information with my colleagues.
A. O. Shaw, Silver Spring, Maryland
I’m writing in response to Seth J. Pierce’s article “What Would Jesus Tweet?” (May 2015). Were I compelled to guess, it’d be: “Get a life. Get back into life. That’s not what I meant by ‘Follow Me.’ Man cannot live by 140 characters alone.”
Twitter and Facebook have eviscerated “follow” and “friend” of the depth of meaning they need. They’ve both contributed to the increasing “atomization” of our society. Following Jesus calls for us to be less atomistic and more organic with our neighbors.
Steve Cavender
Keene, Texas
Nice try, but Jesus wouldn’t have tweeted. Yes, His disciples would, but Jesus wouldn’t; He was a little busy. Twitter is the screaming, needy child of social media, and selfies are about the self, no matter how you spin it.
Yes, it would be great to post a photo of yourself hanging out with your BFF, Jesus, but it’s all about drawing attention to yourself. Do you need that kind of proof to show your relationship with Him? (Not that it does.) I’m as guilty as anyone else when it comes to obsessing over social media, but let’s not throw Christ into the same category.
Michelle Fontaine
Alpharetta, Georgia
I read the article on social media in the May 2015
Review and thought you should know that most, if not all, of the apps you list on page 28 are available for the iPhone as well as for Android. I have a couple of them on my iPhone. I also have a Bible app that gives me access to more than 40 different translations. Keep up the good work; just don’t forget us Apple fans!
John Price
Aurora, Colorado
Regarding James D. Standish’s article “Why You Really Left the Church” (May 2015): I disagree that social media is the reason for leaving the Adventist Church. After being raised and educated in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, I chose to leave. And it wasn’t because of social media influencing my decision to leave.
I left because I never understood exactly what the church taught. I was never sat down and had church doctrine fully explained to me.
Even if those doctrines were explained to me now, step by step, I doubt I would return. Most people my age, GenXers, leave after careful discernment and prayer.
Anonymous
Wenatchee, Washington
James D. Standish’s article on “Why You Really Left the Church” makes more sense than any excuse. When someone tells me they don’t go to church because someone said something they didn’t like I say, “Oh, you quit driving because someone cut you off on the highway?” or “You don’t ever go back to Walmart because a clerk overcharged you for an item?”
We go and do what we want to do, regardless of the problems faced. We go to church to worship the Lord we adore, and when we go with that spirit, we are not wearing our feelings on our shirt sleeve.
Ramona Trubey
Arcadia, Indiana
I read Clifford Goldstein’s “The Truth” (May 2015), and for the first time in 35 years Goldstein has made it possible for me to finally recount my conversion story and say, as he did, “I had a supernatural experience in which I met Jesus, who gave me a few new premises on which to rethink my life. I didn’t study myself into the arms of Jesus; instead, Jesus revealed Himself to me. Then I studied myself into a firm intellectual foundation for the belief. In one sense, we (Saul/Paul, Cliff and now Robert) didn’t find the truth; the truth found us.”
Robert Rouillard
Lakewood, Washington
I appreciate Merle Poirier’s article “Are You a Plain Thinker?” (April 2015). She is absolutely correct that compromise with the world is becoming so common that some people don’t recognize it.
Let us remember, we are in this world but not of this world. The message of God’s redeeming grace will be more effective when Christian Seventh-day Adventists are
real and live a higher standard in every aspect of life. A mountaintop experience with God awaits us.
Natalie Dodd
Centerville, Ohio
I enjoy the
Review in its new, monthly format. I especially liked Paul B. Petersen, Jan A. Sigvartsen, and Leanne M. Sigvartsen’s article “Adventism Through Millennials’ Eyes” (April 2015).
I was shocked by the statistics, especially the ones about Millennials’ lack of knowledge concerning our 28 Fundamental Beliefs. Given the statistics (and analysis presented in the article), I ask: Could the lack of prebaptismal instruction given by our pastors be one reason our youth drop out of the church?
As a retired Adventist minister, I am ashamed for my lack of preparation of my youthful baptismal candidates. Most of the time I did OK with adults or with youth new to the church. But if the youth were raised in Adventist homes, I assumed they knew most of the doctrines already.
This happened in my own home. Maybe that’s one reason my daughter is not in the church today. I’m ashamed of my arrogant, careless thinking!
Ertis L. Johnson
Elk City, Oklahoma
Halvard B. Thomsen’s article “Gospel Order” (Mar. 19, 2015) is a thought-provoking message. I had to smile when I noted the artwork and read of the advantages to organizing “stuff.” Thompson cares for people, not things.
Yes, people and churches can be organized too. Thomsen, who declares that “order and good news go together,” answers best: “A popular question a few years ago was ‘What would Jesus do?’ It’s an excellent concept for dealing with people. And when it comes to organizing people, He has given us a terrific example!”
I must comment on the “new,” once-a-month
Review. The only reason I could put it down was to be polite to my 91-year-old husband so he could read it too! We have been readers since our marriage started 68 years ago. We have sponsored it to family and friends through the years.
May God bless our youth, the “goal” of our
Review. May they love this message, live a serving life for Christ, stay true to the end, and, finally through eternity, revel in the home God has prepared for us.
Velma Beavon
Dayton, Montana
