Editorials

Invitation by Dan Hodgett on Flickr

Editorial by Rick Remmers

Wayne Gretzky, the famous and retired Canadian hockey player, is credited with the quote, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.” A corollary to this would be, “People can’t accept an invitation that’s never given.”

All the paths to church membership include some form of Bible study. People need to meet the Jesus we find in the Scriptures and learn the things He taught. It doesn’t need to be complicated or difficult. In fact, Jesus Himself presented important and profound lessons in simple, easy-to-remember stories and illustrations.

Photo by odysseus-Studio on Flickr

Editorial by Paulo Macena

From the seashore, Jesus called out to Peter and Andrew: “‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him” (Matt. 4:19, 20, NKJV).

Spencerville Adventist Academy students study during Religion Class. Photo by Kelly Coe

Editorial by Donovan Ross

I remember the day I walked into my first classroom as a teacher. Within a few hours, I thought I had been afflicted with temporary insanity. By the end of the day, I decided that as soon as “something better” came my way, I would be off to pursue a more lucrative and less stressful career. 

Photo by Aaron Alexander on Flickr

Editorial by José H. Cortés

The New Jersey Conference Executive Committee and ministerial body has declared 2017 as a special year of compassion. We have adopted the theme, “Live Compassion.” We are inviting and encouraging every conference entity—every church, school, officer, department leader and church member—to embrace this great movement that Jesus Himself began. “When He saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9:36, KJV). Being compassionate is very different than talking about it, and I assure to you that you’ll be the happiest person in church if you live compassion out.

Photo by Steve Snodgrass on Flickr

Editorial by Rick Remmers

Hope is an interesting word. We hope for a lot of different things. We hope it won’t rain on the day we’ve planned a picnic. We hope there are no traffic jams on our commute to work. We hope to be able to find our favorite socks. We hope our teacher doesn’t give us a pop quiz.

Then there are the more substantive concerns. We hope there is more money in our account than days in the month. We hope our nation enacts laws promoting justice and equality. We hope our employer’s business does well so our job is secure. We hope organizations we are part of will promote fairness and opportunity.