In this video, Pastor Ted Wilson and his wife, Nancy, share what the Bible teaches about the church, specifically what it is, how it began, and what its purpose is today. In Genesis, God created Adam. But "it is not good for man to be alone," so he created Eve to be his companion. And together, they worshipped God as their Creator. "From the earliest times, God-fearing families in the lineage of Adam, Seth, Noah, Shem, and Abraham were the guardians of His truth. These households, in which the father functioned as the priest, could be considered the church in miniature. To Abraham, God gave the rich promises through which this household of God gradually became a nation. Israel's mission was simply an extension of that given to Abraham: To be a blessing to all nations, showing God's love for the world" (Seventh-day Adventists Believe: An Exposition of the Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, p. 167). Through Israel, God desired to create the largest church on earth where representatives of all nations would gather to worship, learn of Him, and preach to their own people the message of salvation. Unfortunately, Israel fell into idolatry, nationalism, and pride, hence, failing in its mission. Then, Jesus came into the world and died on the cross, signifying the end of Israel's mission but inaugurating the Christian church and its mission to proclaim salvation through His redeeming blood. Everyone was invited to accept this gift of salvation and become a part of His church. Meanwhile, the Bible uses metaphors to describe the church. In Ephesians 2:16, the cross reconciles all believers "to God in one body." In 1 Corinthians 12:13, believers are "baptized into one body." In Colossians 1:18, Christ is the "head of the body," and in Ephesians 5:23, the "head of the church." These statements emphasize the unity of the church and the relationship among its members. In addition, 1 Corinthians 3:9 refers to the church as "God's building." Also, Ephesians 2:20, 21 explain that it has been "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief Cornerstone, in Whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord." Still, the church is described as a bride with Jesus as the bridegroom. "I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy" (Hosea 2:19). "'Return, O backsliding children,' says the Lord; 'for I am married to you'" (Jeremiah 3:14). Also, Jesus "loved the church and gave Himself for her" (Ephesians 5:25). Finally, the church is a family that unites heaven and earth. "For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…" (Ephesians 3:14). In connection to this, the twelfth fundamental belief of the Seventh-day Adventists states: "The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old Testament times, we are called out from the world; and we join together for worship, for fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, for service to humanity, and for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. The church derives its authority from Christ, Who is the incarnate Word revealed in the Scriptures. The church is God's family; adopted by Him as children, its members live on the basis of the new covenant. The church is the body of Christ, a community of faith of which Christ Himself is the Head. The church is the bride for whom Christ died that He might sanctify and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He will present her to Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages, the purchase of His blood, not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish." To learn more about this fundamental belief, visit www.adventist.org/the-church/. Also read Ellen G. White's The Acts of the Apostles at www.egwwritings.org, particularly the first chapter entitled "God's Purpose for His Church." In closing, God has given us the wonderful privilege of being part of His church. He invites us to unite with Him in proclaiming the gospel into all the world. Let us also invite others to be part of this church and thank Him for this gift. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IYnQ8y198s

This week we take another deep dive into the Bible– this time, into the book of Deuteronomy. Why did this handing down of the law matter so much during its time, throughout the Bible and still today? This week Sam and Jennifer talk to Morgan Kochenhower about the beauty and importance of the book of Deuteronomy. ___
To follow our official social media accounts, just follow the links below:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAdventistChurch
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adventistchurch
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adventistchurch
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AdventistOrgChurch
Site: https://www.adventist.org Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27PMV2kEYHU

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency has a warehouse for receiving and distributing aid to the Ukrainian people. According to the United Nations, millions of people, mainly women, and children, have already fled Ukraine because of the conflict that began February 24th. Millions of people in eastern Ukraine are currently dependent on humanitarian aid. The current escalation has led to a mass migration towards the neighboring countries of Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, and Moldova. Producer and Documentary Filmmaker for Hope Channel International to produce a mini-series focusing on stories of people leaving Ukraine. This series is now a part of the global Hope Channel and ADRA Campaign called “HOPE FOR UKRAINE”. In Kyiv, volunteers of the Hope for Ukraine project organized a shelter in one of the capital’s Seventh-day Adventist churches. The shelter is located in two underground rooms of the church. Some fifty people take refuge in this church every day. Volunteers also visit the most vulnerable peopl—the elderly the lonely and migrants and help them with specific health needs. For more latest news and current events within the Adventist community, go to adventist.news Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08z6dqc-oRU

In this episode, Pastor Ted Wilson tackles the eleventh fundamental belief of the Seventh-day Adventists—growing in Christ. Growth takes time. For instance, planting a garden requires a lot of work and care before the plants get mature. Similarly, raising a child takes years of nurturing before he becomes a full-grown adult. Even friendship takes time and commitment for the relationship to grow. Growing in Christ is a wonderful privilege to have once we accept God’s gift of salvation through Jesus. It begins with His death on the cross that redeemed us from sin. In Colossians 1:13 and 14, God "has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins." In connection, Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit." However, to “walk in the Spirit” requires death to self. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). The closer we get to Christ, the more we love Him, and the more we become like Him. "When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds are renounced; love, humility, and peace take the place of anger, envy, and strife. Joy takes the place of sadness, and the countenance reflects the light of heaven. No one sees the hand that lifts the burden or beholds the light descend from the courts above. The blessing comes when by faith the soul surrenders itself to God. Then that power which no human eye can see creates a new being in the image of God" (The Desire of Ages, p. 173). This concept of growing in Christ is echoed in our eleventh fundamental belief. It states, "By His death on the cross, Jesus triumphed over the forces of evil. He Who subjugated the demonic spirits during His earthly ministry has broken their power and made certain their ultimate doom. Jesus’ victory gives us victory over the evil forces that still seek to control us, as we walk with Him in peace, joy, and assurance of His love. Now the Holy Spirit dwells within us and empowers us. Continually committed to Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, we are set free from the burden of our past deeds. No longer do we live in the darkness, fear of evil powers, ignorance, and meaninglessness of our former way of life.” To read more about this fundamental belief, you may visit www.adventist.org/growing-in-christ/. In closing, Pastor Wilson shares these four essential, practical building blocks for growing in Christ: Prayer Through prayer, we connect with God. Colossians 4:2 reminds us to "continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving." Reading the Bible The Bible is our faithful guide. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Applying what we’ve learned We must not only read the Bible but also do what it says. As stated in James 1:22, "But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." Meeting with other believers God wants us to encourage and strengthen our fellow believers for we are one family and one body of Christ. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He Who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:23-25). As you grow in Christ, remember that He loves and cares for you. He died to redeem you from sin and give you eternal life. He dwells within you through the Holy Spirit, speaking to you in prayer and guiding you through His Word. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJNZ__dWTrY

Habits can be hard to make. We know we want to live healthier, happier lives but sometimes we’re not sure where to start and we’re disappointed when we fail. How do we create healthy habits? How do we prioritize what is important to us and what boundaries we need to create? This week, Sam and Jennifer talk to Dr. Dee Knight about how to create and stick to our healthy habits. ___
To follow our official social media accounts, just follow the links below:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheAdventistChurch
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adventistchurch
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adventistchurch
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AdventistOrgChurch
Site: https://www.adventist.org Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JPKwmOjmW8