Perspectives

Story by Tim Allston

According to “American Congregations at the Beginning of the 21st Century,” a Duke University 2006-2007 National Congregations Study, the percent of regular adult participants younger than age 35 in the average congregation dropped from 25 to to 20 percent.

In his July 2008 Ministry magazine article, “Reaching Out: Making a Difference With Young Adults," A. Allan Martin, the teaching pastor of a young adult ministry at the Arlington church in Texas, cites Paul Richardson of the Center for Creative Ministry, with headquarters in College Place, Wash. Richardson reported that the median age for the Seventh-day Adventist community in North America, "including the un-baptized children in church families, is 58 … Among native-born white and black members, the median age is even higher."

The frightening implications of this figure are seen when that median age, 58, is compared to the median ages of the United States and Canada, respectively, which are 36 and 37!

This summer Charleston, S.C., has been in the news because of the racially motivated massacre of nine African-Americans attending a Bible study and prayer service at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. A young, white man entered the house of worship and, after an hour, pulled out a gun and began his murderous rampage.  

Editorial by Rick Remmers, Chesapeake Conference president   

Words seem to fail in describing and condemning the horror of such racist and violent actions. While news outlets have covered many aspects of this disturbing story, there is a perspective from the Bible that needs to be considered.

The first angel’s message reads, “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the Earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” (Rev. 14:6).