| Beginning in 1996, the Seventh-day
Adventist Church embarked on a worldwide program of emphasis on the "Message
and Mission" of the church. The idea is to focus each year, through the year
2000, on a particular theme or topic that is vital to the life of the world
church. As the title of the program indicates, the themes chosen revolve
around the message of the church and how that message relates to its mission.
One of the message-and-mission annual emphases is on Christian community,
the reason for the existence of the remnant church and its role in today's
world.
The two fundamental beliefs 11 and 12 are the focus of the lessons presented
in this Bible Study Guide. (See Seventh-day Adventists Believe...
, pp. 134-169.)
This quarter we will seek answers to the following questions:
1. How is God's church not only a mere congregation but a loving fellowship
with a purpose to reach the world?
2. What does it mean to be a new person in Christ?
3. How can we build a united church whose members maintain a solid spiritual
life?
4. How can the church cultivate Christian love?
5. What should our attitude be toward people who are not yet members of God's
family?
6. How can God's diverse family maintain unity as a worldwide church?
7. How is it possible for Christians to live in the world without being of
the world?
8. How is it possible for the church to be a group of holy people?
9. What does it mean for the church to be salt and light? How do we become
such agents?
10. How does a Christian home benefit both society and the church?
11. How can each church and each member reach a higher level of spirituality
and avoid being absorbed by the worldly current of life?
12. What is the final crisis? How does it involve God's church? And how can
we come through it victoriously?
13. How does the church prepare for Christ's second coming? What will we
as individuals do? How will the Second Coming motivate our decisions and
the way we live, both as a church and as individuals?
While we stay in the world, we will continue to endure temptations and Satan's
destructive intents
(Rev.
12:12). But we do not need to fear
(Ps.
46:1, 2). "Nothing else in this world is so dear to God as His church.
Nothing is guarded by Him with such jealous care."—Testimonies for
the Church, vol. 6, p. 42.
Contents: (no
frames)
Meet the Principal Contributor
to This Quarter's Lessons
 Enrique
Chaij was born and reared in a Seventh-day Adventist home in the city of
Buenos Aires, Argentina. While growing up, he had the opportunity to become
acquainted with the secular mind and nonreligious people. In later years,
this experience would become the inspiration for influencing his choice of
higher studies and his ministry, which is oriented to evangelizing the secular
world.
As a preacher, Elder Chaij founded and directed, for 33 years, the radio
program Una Luz en el Camino ("A Light on the Way"), which, after
many years, was instrumental in leading thousands to Jesus Christ and into
the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He also pioneered and directed the TV program
Encuentro con la Vida ("Encounter With Life"), which is being broadcast
via a thousand cable channels today.
Enrique Chaij served as a departmental secretary in the Austral Union. He
was also an editor for a publishing house in South America. As a writer,
he created scripts for a radio and TV program with an audience of 9,000.
He also authored 16 books, 3 Bible courses by correspondence, and many other
editorial works.
He participated in many evangelistic campaigns and taught courses on radio
and TV production, human relations, and family counseling. He has a B.A.
degree in theology, a M.A. in Communication-Broadcasting, and a Ph.D. in
Communication. His doctoral dissertation was on a mass-communication methodology,
targeted to reach the secular society.
Dr. Chaij is now retired, but he is very busy writing new books. He and his
wife, Nelda, have two children, with whom they enjoy an active and happy
Christian family.
Giardina Sabbath School
Study Helps
Jerry Giardina of Houston, Texas, prepares a series of helps to accompany
the Sabbath School lesson. He includes all related scripture and most EGW
quotations. These are provided in three wordprocessing versions
Wordperfect;
Microsoft Word;
RFT for our MAC friends; and
HTML (Web Pages).
Last updated on August 21, 1999
Editorial Office: 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904.
Principal Contributor: Enrique Chaij.
Editor: Philip G. Samaan.
Associate Editor: Lyndelle Brower Chiomenti.
Editorial Assistant: Soraya Homayouni Parish.
Art and Design: Lars Justinen.
Pacific Press Coordinator: Paul A> Hey.
Copyright © 1999 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist.
All Rights Reserved.
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