| 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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