Lord, thank You for walking us through the 2019 camping season. “I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works.”—Psalm 9:1, KJV. Thank You for holding us safe in Your arms as we traversed the outdoors in Your divine “lesson book.” Thank You for healing and … Read more
The Almighty God, the Everlasting Father, has chosen to reveal Himself through general (history, human behavior, conscience, nature) and special (Old and New Testaments; prophets, and Jesus Christ) means of revelation (Seventh-day Adventists Believe). It is heartening to affirm that God has a multitude of ways by which His children may experience His majesty, might, … Read more
The Oxford English Dictionary is meticulous about defining the word “camp” from the perspectives of noun and verb. According to Oxford, camp, as a noun, is a “temporary overnight lodging out of doors, typically in tents.” As a verb, to camp is to “live for a time in a camp, tent, or camper, as when … Read more
There is a danger in operating a vehicle with unchanged oil and filter. The oil filter is a paper/fabric cylindrical apparatus that prevents small foreign particles from circulating in the oil. This is of significance to any vehicle, because it increases the oil’s life span. When changing a vehicle’s oil, a simultaneous filter change is … Read more
A vehicle’s oil is essential to both lubricate the engine and absorb the heat produced while in motion. It collaborates with many parts to perform the varied drive requirements. Over the passage of time, this oil wears, and becomes ineffective in performing these functions. At the lube instant-oil-change stop, the driver is presented with a … Read more
Fuel. Every car has the capacity to store and utilize fuel as needed for efficient function. Correspondingly, God’s youth leaders are called to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to walk and talk with Him, so that they can ever flow out to others. They embrace the fact that it is “not by might, nor … Read more
Youth Ministry Vehicle, Part 1 Standard, manual, or stick-shift cars (as they are commonly referred to) have been almost reduced to an antique status across the U.S. as their automatic counterparts have risen in demand and popularity. Perhaps, the average millennial, Gen-Zer has never seen or driven a manual car! If asked for a quick … Read more
The Atlantic Union Conference Executive Committee, at its May 9, 2018, regular meeting, elected David McKenzie to serve as the union’s new Youth Ministries department director. His responsibilities include emphasis on youth and young adult ministries, including public campus ministries. He comes to the Atlantic Union from the Northeastern Conference, where he has been serving … Read more
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”—John 16:33 Disasters Around the World Over the past several months, we have witnessed many disasters around the world. Millions of people have been impacted … Read more
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.—Hebrews 13:16, ESV In a world full of pain and disasters, we cannot stand still. We are privileged to be the answer to someone else’s prayer. God is calling us to share what we have for His … Read more
The imagery of the eagle is one of my favorite Bible illustrations because of the characteristics that portray such a graceful soar, strength, keen eyesight, and the ability to empower its offspring with great care in the art of flying. In Exodus 19:4 and Deuteronomy 32:11 the eagle is used figuratively to depict God’s protection … Read more
Whoever has stopped dreaming has started to die. No matter how old or young you are, never stop dreaming. Les Brown, motivational speaker and author, puts it this way, “You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.” Dreams keep you energized, hopeful, and give you a reason to move … Read more
I love young adults; they are spiritual, intelligent, and caring people. They love the church wholeheartedly and they are looking to serve the church earnestly. However, many are leaving the pews while others are disengaged. What can we do to alleviate this problem? I’ve learned three key components to young adult retention through my interactions … Read more
Throughout my ministry, I have seen many youth, young adults, and adults struggling with various battles in their lives. One of the most difficult battles is to be unforgiving. A young girl came up to me and said, “Pastor Peralta, I cannot forgive my mother; she hates me and she abandoned me.” A youth from … Read more
I do not support the popular notion that “the old people should abdicate and hand over the church to the young people.” I think that is tantamount to saying that wisdom and experience should surrender to the inexperience and the not too wise. There is no wisdom in such postulations. However, I equally disagree with … Read more
I sat almost in the nosebleed section of the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, the morning of July 4. There for the 60th General Conference Session, I listened to the newly-elected treasurer of the General Conference, Juan Prestol-Puesán, make a very passionate appeal to the more than 50,000 attendees and delegates there for that first … Read more
Hints of spring are all around us and our thoughts turn to sunshine and warmer days. Summer is just around the corner, and if you are a parent, guardian, or grandparent, you are probably wondering how your child will spend their vacation once school is out. Camps are a viable cost-effective solution that many turn … Read more
In previous articles we saw how Jesus provided some key insights through the Parable of the Prodigal Son on why young adults leave the church. Let’s explore Luke 15:25-30 and draw some practical solutions on how to reclaim them: • Pray for them. I imagine the father praying for his son, at morning and evening … Read more
In our last article of this series, “Retaining Young Adults,” we asked hard questions. (See Gleaner, June 2014, p. 18.) Some of us arrived at the conclusion that perhaps our young adults are falling away because the “boardwalk,” meaning the church, is broken. We touched on the parable of the Prodigal Son that provides guidance … Read more
If you heard that more than two million people, mostly young adults, with all types of needs, live in your proximity, what would you do? If it was further brought to your attention that they are going through some of the most crucial moments of their lives, and getting ready to make lifelong decisions, how … Read more
Imagine you are a lifeguard at a populated beach, encircled by a beautiful boardwalk that ventures deep into the water with a great spot for people to congregate and look at the ocean. Suddenly, you notice that someone in the water is in trouble. You dive in with your rescue equipment and bring him to … Read more
Perhaps you know one, two, or, unfortunately, countless numbers of young adults who formerly sat on the pews in your church. Perhaps you were his Pathfinder leader and invested lots of time with him as he was growing up. Maybe you were her Sabbath School teacher and counseled her several times. Or, perhaps, you were … Read more
What I am about to ask is radical and hard, perhaps one of the more difficult things you will do in your life. For the last year and a half, this column has been dedicated to Compassion, a movement of children, youth, young adults, and adults who have become the heart, eyes, hands, and feet … Read more
It has been a year since Superstorm Sandy hit the New York City coastline packed with high waves and strong winds that resulted in displacement, destruction, and death. Disasters are followed by a surge in giving, volunteering, and charity. Everyone wants to help as long as the pictures remain on our television screens. It happened … Read more
A recent study by the Barna Group revealed that eight of the top 10 post-Christian cities in the United States are in the Atlantic Union territory: Albany, New York (1), Burlington, Vermont (2), Portland, Maine (3), Providence, Rhode Island (4), Hartford, Connecticut (5), Boston, Massachusetts (7), Buffalo, New York (8), and New York, New York … Read more
We envisioned a version of the Compassion Movement. We hoped it would become a lifestyle for many. We prayed it would catch a life of its own and that it would create a positive effect around our union. And, yes, we prayed it would go beyond. We wished it would go viral and just spread … Read more
Hundreds of youth, young adults, and adults participated in several compassion initiatives during the joint camp meeting of the Greater New York and Northeastern conferences on June 29 at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. The projects included a shoe drive with Soles4Souls and a Rose with a Promise, along with a visit to … Read more
As we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge with thousands of youth, young adults, adults, and children, accompanied by officers from the New York Police Department, local television reporters, photographers, and many church leaders, I could not stop thanking God for what we were experiencing, and feeling totally grateful to Him for allowing the New York … Read more
“My mother ruined our lives. She divorced my dad, and that changed my life and the lives of my brothers forever.” These were the words of a Christian young man, who was letting me know that he hardly ever calls his mother because he has a tremendous amount of resentment toward her. He wishes his … Read more
We were sitting on the Lido Deck of the cruise ship ms Nieuw Amsterdam with a group of young adults participating in “Cruise with a Mission” when a man in his 80s, by the name of Monroe, approached our table and started talking with me. He said he was an atheist and added that people … Read more
It is clear that Jesus was not born on December 25. That does not mean Adventists cannot practice compassion during the Christmas season. Compassion must be a lifestyle that permeates every waking hour, every day of the year, including the holiday season. Compassion was a priority of Jesus daily, even during the holidays: “But when … Read more
