Editorials

Editorial by Jorge Aguero

In a previous issue, we featured a group identified as chaplains. This raised questions about the role and function of members and chaplains, and I want to clarify.

In the Seventh-day Adventist Church, chaplains are ministers with conference-issued credentials who are granted ecclesiastical endorsement to serve in specialized ministries on school campuses, in corrections and healthcare facilities, the military, the workplace and community. Whether salaried or volunteer, before using the title chaplain, a person must complete required training and fieldwork.

Editorial by Andre Hastick

Each day you and I use thousands of words; we share sentences to express our thoughts and feelings. Our intended messages, however, can sometimes get lost in translation. It is estimated that in the Scots language, spoken in the winter wonderland of the northern United Kingdom, there are more than 400 words for “snow.” I live in Maryland, where we make a big deal about any winter precipitation. In fact, it seems like our only term for snow is “School’s closed!” If Scots-speaking people tried to teach me about their snowfall without me experiencing it personally, their lesson would probably get lost in translation.

Editorial by Emmanuel Asiedu

As Christians, we possess the head knowledge about God’s promises and plans for our lives. We understand that all things work together for good, as indicated in Romans 8:28. However, many times our belief in His care and protection doesn’t translate into our response to life’s difficulties.

Editorial by Bill Miller

The book of Acts recounts the church’s ability to function together, as well as the struggles and successes encountered when a church body attempts to fulfill the Great Commission. While their involvement took some prodding from the Holy Spirit, they became active agents for the mission of heaven. In Acts of the Apostles, Ellen White reminds us that “one common interest controlled them—the success of the mission entrusted to them” (p. 70).

Story by Angeline David/Originally published in the March 2018 Adventist Journey magazine.

Have you heard the phrase “the church is a hospital?” Generally, it means the church is a place of healing from physical, mental, spiritual, and social brokenness. But there is more to be gleaned from the analogy. Consider how success in a hospital largely depends on the interconnectedness of each staff member.