Chesapeake Conference | Seventh-day Adventist Church

Wishing for What We Already Have

Editorial by Andre Hastick

Thanksgiving and Christmas are the two most festive holidays on the calendar. In these last two months of the year, extended family members reunite, decadent holiday meals are prepared and enjoyed, and the battle wages on for the appropriate time to begin playing Christmas music!

But during this bustling holiday season, non-stop advertising tells us to believe that our life experience lacks something. Deep discounts are offered to consumers on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the 12 days of Christmas. Each promotional sale is designed to get us to believe one basic message: that our lives lack something right now, and to experience life more fully, we should buy now! While it’s always nice to save money, what is more important is that we are saved from an ongoing feeling that something is lacking in life.

Family Matters

Editorial by Jerry Lutz

“‘See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction’” (Mal. 4:5–6, NIV).

In This World, But Not of It

Editorial by Rob Gettys

This world is not our home. Most of us understand this biblical principle found in Hebrews 13:14 that encourages us to keep our sights set on the kingdom of heaven. The question we face is, “How do we properly maintain a balance between this principle and the message in Luke 19:13 that tells us to ‘occupy’ or ‘do business’ until He comes?”

These two biblical principles seem to contradict each other. However, as we look closer, I believe we will realize that it comes down to how we choose to live the lives that God has so generously given to us.

John Rengifo Appointed Ministerial Director at Chesapeake Conference

Story by Evan Knott

John Rengifo, lead pastor of the Ellicott City (Md.) church, has accepted an invitation to serve as the next ministerial director of the Chesapeake Conference. The announcement comes after the Chesapeake Conference Executive Committee unanimously affirmed the recommendation from conference administration.

Spoiler Alert!

Editorial by Jerry Lutz

I have a friend who has a strange habit of reading the last chapter of books first. He says it’s because he wants to know if the book will be worth the investment of his time and energy to read the whole thing. He also deliberately reads book reviews that contain spoilers for the same reason. “Why would I spend all that time reading a book that has a disappointing ending?” he reasons. “And besides, if I know it ends well, I then will read it from cover to cover to discover why it ends well.” I guess there are some people who just don’t like surprises. Apparently, my friend is one of them. To each his own.