New Jersey Conference

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Editorial by Stephen Lee

“I Will Go: Making Disciples” is the overarching theme that we pray will motivate every member in the New Jersey Conference. One may ask, “How am I to accomplish or even attempt such a feat?” or “What’s in it for me?”

In order to find the answers, we need to explore what Jesus meant when He gave us this command. How did He accomplish it? He not only taught through His words, but through His life of servitude. What was in it for Him? That is more difficult to answer, if not impossible to understand with our finite estimation. He allowed the ungrateful human race to ultimately reject Him by piercing His hands and feet and nailing them to the cross.

In Philippians 3:14, the apostle Paul writes, “Forgetting those things which are behind” (NKJV), a concept that can be applied to us spiritually and also by looking at the occurrences of the past year.

Story by Cinthia Portonova

The New Jersey Conference welcomes Carl Rodriguez to serve as the new youth director. With many years of Youth Ministries experience under his belt, Rodriguez has worked as a teacher, pastor, camporee director and conference youth and young adult director. He most recently served as the Youth and Young Adult Ministries director for the Chesapeake Conference.

Rodriguez is currently a candidate for a Doctorate in Ministry in Urban Ministries from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary (Mich.), and already holds a Master of Divinity from the same institution. He also has a Master of Business Administration from Frostburg State University (Md.).

Pathfinders, New Jersey Conference, Editorial, Catherine Osorio

Editorial by Catherine Osorio

When the pandemic hit, I witnessed a decrease in youth attending church and a lack of leaders available to minister to those who remained. This afforded me the opportunity to step up and make a difference. God used Daniel and his friends to stand for their beliefs and be a powerful witness; Esther became queen and saved her people; David defeated the giant when everyone doubted him. So, why couldn’t He use me—an anxious 17-year-old—to be a Pathfinder director?