| Author |
Message |
Wooliee
Registered user
Username: Wooliee
Post Number: 1
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 24, 2005 - 7:21 am: |     |
Hello,
I am new here, but I wanted to contribute. Awhile ago I had a church member tell me, "We have to catch the fish before we can clean them." He meant this as indoctrinating them into the Adventist beliefs and lifestyle. I just thought it was so odd that he would say that. Why not let the Holy Spirit work on them instead of making it your own personal mission? Lead by example! I have always been uncomfortable at the way Adventists are so eager to "change" new members into being more Adventist like than Christ like. I guess they think the two go hand-in-hand. |
Riverfonz
Registered user
Username: Riverfonz
Post Number: 451
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 24, 2005 - 7:50 am: | |
Wooliee,
Welcome to FAF! I had not heard that term before. How true. Those SDAs who do equate being in Christ to being in Adventism are clearly teaching a false gospel.
Stan |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 2173
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 24, 2005 - 10:22 am: | |
Woolie, welcome to FAF! We're glad you're here.
Interesting that someone actually admitted the deception of "baiting and switching" Adventist evangelism practices. It's unfortunatley widely prevalent, and really wrong. It's just not OK to deceive people in the hope of getting them to agree with or embrace something later.
Colleen
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Windmotion
Registered user
Username: Windmotion
Post Number: 156
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, June 24, 2005 - 2:21 pm: | |
I just remembered something I read in the Lake Union Herald Online when I would get it in Michigan.
New Believerís Guide to Adventist English
by Ann Fisher
Adventist ReviewóThe official Adventist Church magazine that brings inspiration and news to the worldwide Adventist family. It began in 1849 and was called the Second Advent Review and Sabbath Herald. Many people still call it the Review and Herald. You can order a subscription through your local Adventist Book Center (ABC).
Adventist-Laymen's Services and Industries (ASI) óAn association for Adventist laypersons who own and operate their own businesses and/or ministries. There are local chapters in each union, and once a year ASI members hold a national convention.
AU and LLU óThe letters stand for Andrews University and Loma Linda Universityóthe two largest Adventist universities in North America. Both universities offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in many disciplines. Andrews University (Berrien Springs, Michigan) houses the Adventist Theological Seminary. Loma Linda University (Loma Linda, California) specializes in the fields of science and medicine and houses the Adventist schools of medicine and dentistry.
Other colleges and universities in the Adventist school system in North America include: Atlantic Union College (AUC) in South Lancaster, Massachusetts; Columbia Union College(CUC) in Takoma Park, Maryland; Canadian University College (CUC) in College Heights, Alberta, Canada; Oakwood College (OC or Oakwood) in Huntsville, Alabama; Pacific Union College (PUC) in Angwin, California; Southwestern Adventist University (SAU) in Keene, Texas; Southern Adventist University (SAU) in Collegedale, Tennessee; Walla Walla College (WWC or Walla Walla) in Walla Walla, Washington; and Union College (UC) in Lincoln, Nebraska. All are supported by local- and union-level offerings and tuition.
Board of Higher EducationóA board composed of representatives of all the colleges and universities in the North American Division (NAD) Adventist school system. This board governs programs, monitors course offerings, and provides guidance to the system as a whole. Its headquarters are in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Breath of Lifeóis an Adventist television ministry that targets the Black population in North America.
church officeróA church member who is elected by the church to hold a position of leadership in the local church congregation. That person is referred to as holding a church office. The larger the congregation, the more church offices there are to be filled by volunteers.
church ministriesóThis is the group that coordinates many of the functions in the local church, such as witnessing, Bible study, nurturing members, and youth and childrenís activities. There are church ministries leaders at all levels of the church organization.
colporteuróA person who sells Adventist books for adults and children door-to-door. They are also called literature evangelists (LEs). Many people have become Adventists because of contacts made by these faithful literature evangelists.
communionóA ceremony fashioned after the Last Supper in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 11:1ñ33). This is usually coupled with the "ordinance of humility" or the foot-washing service. Most Adventist churches celebrate communion near the 13th week of each quarteróabout every three months.
conferenceóEach church is a part of a local conference made up of churches in a particular state or geographical area. The conferences support local churches by providing them with pastors and support for the various church ministries, including education.
constituency meetingóConference leadership positions are elected offices. Conferences hold constituency meetings at specified times (according to their individual constitutions) to elect conference officers and do church business. Delegates from the church membership are chosen to attend and cast their votes at these meetings.
Dorcas Society óNamed after the biblical Dorcas who made clothing for the poor, this societyótraditionally composed of womenówas organized to collect clothing, food, and money to be distributed to community families in need. From the early beginnings of the local church Dorcas Society, this Adventist ministry has expanded its humanitarian services to include food pantries, medical clinics, drug and alcohol abuse and prevention assistance, tutoring and mentoring programs, disaster relief assistance, and many other programs. Its official name is now Adventist Community Services (ACS).
DoxologyóThis is a hymn found on page 695 in the Adventist Hymnal. It is traditionally sung at the beginning of a church service right after the invocation (opening prayer) or after the offering is collected.
GCóThe usual abbreviation for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, the highest organizational level of the Adventist Church. Offices are located at 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland. This organization directs the work of the world church.
glutenóMade from washed wheat flour, this high-protein substance is often a basic in vegetarian diets. Like gluten, TVP or textured vegetable protein is made from soybeans and is the base for many vegetarian products. Maybe youíve heard of Baco-bits? Theyíre made from soybeans.
Home Study InternationalóThe worldwide school that maintains high scholastic standards and utilizes the services of qualified professionals in the teaching of all levels of correspondence education courses. This correspondence school began in 1909 and has served as a complement to Adventist education ever since. A yearly bulletin is published with a listing of courses with a unique Adventist emphasis for people of all agesókindergarten through college.
IngatheringóOriginally called Harvest Ingathering, it is a time (usually between Thanksgiving and Christmas) dedicated to visiting friends and community members in order to witness and to ask their support for the various service projects sponsored by the Adventist Church in the local community and around the world. Monetary goals are suggested for individual members and churches. A man by the name of Jasper Wayne began this project early in Adventist history. The contemporary name is Ingathering: Hope for Humanity.
InvestmentóEntering into partnership with God to raise funds for missions. A special offering (separate from tithe and regular offerings) that many church members give to the Sabbath school for world missions. Usually, some sort of project has been engaged in to provide this investment for the Lord. For example, you could dedicate a part of your garden to the Lord, or you could invest some money in a business project and dedicate the proceeds to your special "Investment" fund.
laypersonóThis is what you are. Anyone not employed by the church organization is considered a layperson. The word comes from the early church concept of members laying aside their regular work and taking up service for God. You will hear this term a lot in the church. For example, someone might say, "The work of God will be finished by the faithful work of laypeople."
Loma Linda and Worthington Foods óMany Adventists are vegetarians, and this has spawned health-food industries. Loma Linda Foods, originally owned by the Adventist Church, and Worthington Foods, originally privately owned by Adventist laypeople, have pioneered in offering meat analogs to the general public. Soy-based foods that supplement oneís diet, such as Wham (ham taste-a-like) and Linketts (hot dog-like links) are traditional foods in the "health-food" industry. Recently, both Loma Linda and Worthington Foods were bought out by the Kellogg Company in Battle Creek, Michigan. You can purchase these vegetarian products through your local ABC or local supermarket under the Worthington, Loma Linda, Natural Touch, and Morningstar Farms labels.
Loma Linda labelsóTraditionally, Loma Linda and Worthington Foods gave one penny for missions for every can label you took to Sabbath school. Collecting Loma Linda labels was and still is an Investment project. Both Loma Linda and Worthington Foods companies are now owned by Kellogg Company in Battle Creek, Michigan. Kellogg Company gives 5¢ to Adventist world missions for every universal product code (UPC) you cut from the following brands of products: Worthington, La Loma, Natural Touch, and Morningstar Farms. The Cedar Lake Foods company gives 2¢ for each label you turn into your church Investment leader. To see what one Lake Union church is doing for Investment, go to: www.pmcinvestment.freeservers.com.
MESSAGE magazineóAn Adventist evangelistic outreach magazine with a Black ethnic emphasis. The magazine is biblical, inspirational, and specializes in presenting contemporary issues within the context of Adventist beliefs.
missionary bandóis a traditional term used for mission outreach activities usually taking place on Sabbath afternoons. These included "sunshine bands" that visited shut-ins, "singing bands" that sang in hospitals and nursing homes, "jail bands" that visited prisons, and "literature bands" that passed out literature. The term is seldom heard in contemporary Adventism, although members continue to participate in these same missionary activities.
Mission Spotlight óA media report of mission activities in the world field. Usually shown quarterly to church members during Sabbath school services.
missionary periodóTraditionally in Adventism the period of time between the Sabbath school and worship periods. These 10 minutes are given to the church personal ministries (or lay activities) leaderóthe person responsible for organizing and training members for ministry. During this time, the personal ministries leader may share personal or corporate testimonies, show a video about effective witnessing, etc.
Missionary Volunteer Society (MV) óThis used to be the name of the churchís youth organization and is still used in many places overseas. It has been replaced with the more modern term Adventist Youth (AY).
Morning WatchóA program of daily personal devotions consisting of the reading and/or memorizing of a Bible text along with personal prayer. The observance of the Morning Watch dates from the early development of the MV department in 1907. A Morning Watch calendar was published with a text for each day of the year. The first Morning Watch devotional book containing a page of inspirational thought for each text was prepared in 1945. Now we have yearly devotional books published for all agesóadults, youth, and children.
North American Division (NAD)óThe organization especially responsible for mission and church work throughout the United States, Canada, and Bermuda. The NAD is made up of nine union conferences.
National Service Organization (NSO)óAn organization that cares for the Adventists in military service through communication, retreats, and support of conscientious convictions regarding military service.
Pathfinders/AdventurersóA boy/girl scout-like troop of youth organized by the church to engage pre-teens in outreach, witnessing, leadership, nature activities, crafts, and camping exercises. Regular course work is available in their meetings, and honors (badges) can be earned through study and participation. Pathfinder clubs come together for camporees, where they camp out in tents and enjoy special programming and fellowship.
regional conferencesóRegional conferences are self-governing conferences with Black leadership at every level. Organized in the 1940s, regional conferences facilitated the development of Black church leaders and greatly expanded outreach initiatives among the Black population in the United States.
responsive Scripture readingsóA facet of worship where the congregation and the worship leaders read Scripture together. The hymnal has selections for worship in the back of the book. This section is often used as a means of responsive reading for worship.
school subsidyóAdventist education is provided for by two funding methods: tuition charges and subsidy. Each local church uses part of their church budget to support the local church school and academy (high school). Members are encouraged to give money beyond their tithe to care for this substantial subsidy.
SDAóThis is a common abbreviation for the name Seventh-day Adventist traditionally used by church members. Non-SDA, then, obviously means someone who is not a Seventh-day Adventist. The church leadership in North America has requested that we not use the abbreviation "SDA." It has no meaning outside of Adventism, and its use often results in confusing Adventists with other churches, such as the Mormons (LDS).The preferred abbreviation for Seventh-day Adventist is Adventist.
self-supporting institutionóThese are ministries organized and run by Adventist laypeople in contrast to ministries financially supported by church tithes and offerings. The modern term replacing "self-supporting" is "supporting ministry."
Spirit of ProphecyóThis phrase refers to the books written by Ellen G. White that are available at the local Adventist Book Center (ABC). Early in the Adventist Church they were bound in red leather and thus are still referred to as the "red books." They are also sometimes referred to as "the pen of inspiration."
special offeringsóThe church asks for regular offerings that are in addition to the local church budget and tithe. These offerings vary each week. Usually the church will announce the special focus on giving for the Sabbath. These offerings and the dates they will be taken are listed in the Lake Union Herald announcement section under Lake Union.
Thirteenth Sabbath offeringóThe last Sabbath of each quarter (one-fourth or three months of the year) has been designated as the Thirteenth Sabbath. Sabbath schools take a special mission offering on that Sabbath. A certain portion of this offering has been designated to benefit special projects in a selected world division. This portion was, for many years, called the overflow offering, but is now known as the special projects offering. Each division receives its turn to receive the funds according to a schedule voted by the General Conference (GC). Millions of dollars have been set aside through the Thirteenth Sabbath special projects offering to fund special missionary projects throughout the world. You will find a list of the Thirteenth Sabbath offering projects for each quarter on the back of your Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, formerly known as the Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly (or quarterly).
union conferenceóUnions are the next level of church organization above the conferences. Unions are made up of several conferences. There are nine unions in the North American Division (NAD). We belong to the Lake Union Conference which is made up of the Illinois, Indiana, Lake Region, Michigan, and Wisconsin conferences.
vespersóA special program designed to recognize either the beginning or ending of Sabbath. A vespers program is usually scheduled close to sundown and may include personal testimonies, Bible readings, meditations, hymn singing, etc. Sundown worship is another term used for vespers.
Voice of Prophecy (VOP)óAn Adventist daily and weekly network radio broadcast heard throughout North America with branch or affiliated programs in many countries around the world. The VOP also operates a Bible correspondence school.
workersóThis term is used to designate the group of people who are official Adventist Church employees. You may have heard the terms "workersí meeting" or "workersí retreat." These terms refer to special conferences or training sessions that a certain category of church "workers" (such as pastors) are required to attend."
http://www.lakeunionherald.org/96/3/18023.html
They take themselves so seriously!
Verbaciously,
Hannah
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Jeremy
Registered user
Username: Jeremy
Post Number: 782
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 24, 2005 - 5:55 pm: | |
Wow, I was surprised by what they said about "SDA":
quote:SDAóThis is a common abbreviation for the name Seventh-day Adventist traditionally used by church members. Non-SDA, then, obviously means someone who is not a Seventh-day Adventist. The church leadership in North America has requested that we not use the abbreviation "SDA." It has no meaning outside of Adventism, and its use often results in confusing Adventists with other churches, such as the Mormons (LDS).The preferred abbreviation for Seventh-day Adventist is Adventist.
Well, I'm always going to use "SDA" then... 
Jeremy |
Brian2
Registered user
Username: Brian2
Post Number: 1
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Friday, June 24, 2005 - 9:01 pm: | |
This is my first post. I have been lurking for a while. I would like to respond to the archived post by Richard (seekr777)on this thread.
I don't really read SDA bashing into most of this thread. I do believe that most of the christians on this site love their fellow brothers and sisters. However I believe the truth must be presented as truth. No sugar coating. I believe paul and others spoke truth to the Jews of their day.
I believe that threads like this are mostly used for deprograming of the SDA brainwashing that we were raised with.
About two months ago our FAF group in Lincoln, Nebraska had a meeting with a senior pastor of the Local Berean Church. It was just this pastor and about 18 "formers" He couldn't understand half of the language that we used. It really was kinda funny to sit back and listen to sub culture.
I will bet that you switch sub culture lingo depending on who you are around. When I am around my parents I seem to use the word Sabbath to refure to Saturday. When I am in the general public I call Saturday, Saturday. How about you? Why will I get introuble using the word saturday? Is there guilt associated with the language?
Brian
p.s Richard you are in my prayers with all of the family stuff going on. |
Jeremy
Registered user
Username: Jeremy
Post Number: 784
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Friday, June 24, 2005 - 9:35 pm: | |
And has anyone noticed that SDAs like to use "Sabbath" totally instead of "Saturday"? What I mean is, the Jewish sabbath was from sunset Friday to sunset Saturday, but the SDAs use "Sabbath" to mean "Saturday," and will even say "Sabbath night" to mean "Saturday night." And what is "Sabbath evening" supposed to mean?
It gets pretty confusing.
Welcome to the forum, Brian.
Jeremy |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 2176
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2005 - 12:41 am: | |
Brian, welcome to the forum! Glad to have you here.
Great points about the sub culture vocabulary!
Colleen |
Flyinglady
Registered user
Username: Flyinglady
Post Number: 1650
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2005 - 11:05 am: | |
Welcome to FAF Brian. So glad you have come out of the lurking mode to join use. When you are comfortable here, tell us about your adventure out of adventism.
I like what you said about the sub culture vocabulary. It must have been funny.
Diana |
Patriar
Registered user
Username: Patriar
Post Number: 66
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, June 25, 2005 - 5:12 pm: | |
Hi Brian! I'm so glad you're not just "lurking" anymore. It looks like we're moving to Lincoln in a year, so we are looking forward to joining the Lincoln FAF!
I used to feel GUILTY calling Sabbath Saturday. How ludicrous is that?!
Patria |
Dennis
Registered user
Username: Dennis
Post Number: 421
Registered: 4-2000
| | Posted on Sunday, June 26, 2005 - 12:55 pm: | |
Hey Brian,
A hearty FAF welcome from a fellow Lincolnite!
Dennis Fischer |
Melissa
Registered user
Username: Melissa
Post Number: 940
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Monday, June 27, 2005 - 9:55 am: | |
Welcome, Brian. I'm a little south of you, in the Kansas City area.
I know the SDA in my life "always" called Saturday Saturday. Imagine my shock the first time I heard him call it sabbath when in conversation with an SDA. But I would suspect that goes on in most "specialty" groups...for example, have you ever talked to an electrician? It only becomes a problem when one group of electricians decides to rewrite "code" and keep it hidden from other "electricians". |
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