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| I'm Christian and My Denomination Is..... |
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 Seventh-day Adventist. You may notice that the Comox Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church is listed as not having a category for denomination, or however they word it here on My Church. As the moderator I tried to find an alternate description 'tag', but there was no tag for "Protestant' or even "Other". I still plan to take this up with the application's administrators.
This happens for us quite a lot, doesn't it? In North America we can't really say that we are "persecuted" because other Christians don't always accept us as their brothers and sisters in Christ but it can hurt a little in the way that being discounted or rejected always hurts. Sometimes there is a reactionary urge just to say, "Well, okay, if that's the way you want it, I just won't have anything to do with you either." You know-- "shake the dust from your sandals" and carry on to the next conversational group at the secular gathering or interdenominational event that you have chosen to attend. Unfortunately, there is a little too much of that sandal-shaking going on in our Fellowship, and I think that is why we aren't very well known in our community. Rejecting someone because they reject you is not what Jesus meant in Matthew 10. It is written that before He tells his followers to move on, he gives these instructions: 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons: freely ye received, freely give. I don't know about you, but I haven't been too active lately raising the dead or kicking out demons. The more evangelistically-gifted among our fellowship could see their gifts as offering life to the spiritually dead through the way they present the Gospel message. I do believe that those Christians I know who work among the souls with addictions are able to tell about some 'kicking out demons' and I know, first-hand, the blessings to be gained from "touching the untouchables". Those who practice the healing arts can attest to that commandment being a way to reach the lost. There is work for all of us here! If we want to be known for acting on our Christian name (i.e., denomination), then we need to do the work, or as we are always saying, "have a presence for Christ in our community". I would say, respecting my other brothers and sisters in other folds, that we have another or additional or alternative presence for Christ in the community. And someday, perhaps, when you tell someone that you are Seventh-day Adventist, they will exclaim, "Oh yes, I am very familiar with what you believe, my sister/brother in Christ!"
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| To add a comment to "I'm Christian and My Denomination Is....." |
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| February 17, 2008 |
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Hi cynthia,do not worry about that too much,lets continue to
focus on glory,and finishing the work of the Lord in winning
souls for the kingdom[i do understand what you are saying]
but let us keep praying.God is able.
God bless | |
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| June 19, 2008 |
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| Hello, I don't have any problem with 7th day adventists although when I was going through a time of difficulty I went to a friend that was a member of the Adventist church on Oak Street in Passaic New Jersey. He told me he would speak to the Pastor but I really needed help so I decided to go there. My friend wasn't there so I sat down inside to wait until the service was over. Two ushers came to me and I asked them if they could take me to the Pastor. they said they would but they took me to the front doors and grabbed me by my shoulders and my amkles and flung me out to the street. They told me not to bother coming back. I limped away badly injured and wondered what kind of people would do that to someone. A year later I met with my friend again and he took me to the same church. I had on a shirt and a tie and many of the same people were there. No one recognized that I was the same person that had been thrown out. This made me feel worse because acceptance should never be about outward appearance. Eventually God took me to the place He wanted me to be, and I've never been the same. I'm ok with what happened. Just imagine if instead of looking at my outward appearance someone would have payed more attention to the desire of my heart. |
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| June 19, 2008 |
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| Oh wow-- this really hurts my heart to read... I am repulsed by this horrible act of inhumanity and ask for your forgiveness.... I hunch that you have already forgiven by your statement that "I'm okay with what happened". Bless you for that-- I would have difficulty returning there if I even saw or hearc about anyone treated like that in my congregation... I was a social worker in my career days and am perceived as a 'liberal flake', probably, by most of the people in my faith community, but so be it. But just to let you know, I have seen more acts of kindness and Christian love than acts of violence in my time as an Adventist and in my current Church the poor, addicted, and homeless are ministered to in a way that really meets my personal needs to be part of a loving Christian community. I am so sorry that those violent fools at the New Jersey Church didn't pay attention to this huge opportunity to minister to the desire of your heart, and I am happy to hear that you have found the place where God wants you to be. Many lessons in what you write, my dear, and I shall take this with me to our next Church Board meeting to share as we prepare for an evangelistic series next Fall. Thank you and God bless you! ~Cynthia |
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