From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

7dh1763952342639.jpg

fsE1763952331941.jpg

CC71763952320315.jpg

qVm1763952302958.jpg

Related topics Week 6 - His First Invitation: “Come and See” Jesus’ first invitation, “Come and see,” reveals how His ministry began through relationship, hospitality, trust and personal encounter.
John 1:19–51 Jesus looked around and saw them following. “What do you want?” he asked them. They replied, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come and see,” he said (John 1:38, 39). Jesus’ baptism and temptations introduced His public life. Having been immersed in the Jordan and endured desert trials, He emerged with clarity about who He was and how His kingdom movement would unfold—shaped by humility, obedience and solidarity. The next step was strikingly simple. Jesus invited people to be with Him. Matthew, Mark and Luke move quickly from Jesus’ temptations to John the Baptist’s imprisonment and Jesus’ return to Galilee, but John slows the story. Writing decades later, with the whole sweep of Jesus’ life in view, John deliberately opens a window into those first 18 months of ministry in Judea. His purpose is that readers see that “Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God” and believe (John 20:31). In this often-overlooked phase, Jesus lays the relational foundations of His movement. It is no accident that Jesus looked for His first disciples among John the Baptist’s followers. They were already awake to God, longing for renewal, and shaped by repentance and hope. When John saw Jesus walking by, he pointed away from himself and said, “Look! There is the Lamb of God!” Authentic spiritual leadership always knows when to step aside—and two of his disciples followed Jesus, curious and unsure, yet willing to move. Jesus turned and asked a disarming question: “What do you want?” Their reply was tentative: “Rabbi, where are you staying?” And Jesus answered with His first recorded invitation: “Come and see.” It was not a lecture, a demand, nor a slogan. It was an invitation to the curious—into relationship, to experience. And they went and spent the rest of the day with Him. In that culture, this meant time—shared food, long conversations, listening, watching, asking questions. Those first disciples did not sign up to a program; they began spending time with Jesus. Something profound happened in those unrecorded hours. Lives were shaped through presence. When Andrew left, he immediately found his brother Simon Peter, saying, “We have found the Messiah (which means ‘Christ’).” He did not argue to persuade; he simply shared his experience. What John the Baptist had hinted at—the Lamb of God, the Spirit-anointed Son—had become personal. Andrew’s confidence suggests Jesus likely opened the Scriptures, connecting Moses and the prophets to Himself. The invitation to “Come and see” became conviction: “We have found . . .” This pattern is instructive. Jesus did not begin by asking for commitment; He offered hospitality. He trusted that truth, when embodied and experienced, will speak for itself. It is relational and organic: one friend invites another—curiosity leads to encounter and encounter leads to confession. John’s Gospel helps us see why this matters. Matthew presents Jesus as King, Mark as powerful Son of God, Luke as Saviour for all people. But John goes even deeper. He pulls back the curtain and tells us that this Jesus is the eternal Word through whom all things were made, the One in whom life itself resides—and that this eternal Word “became human and made his home among us” (see John 1:1–18) The God who created the universe now says to two ordinary men, “Come and see where I’m staying.” This first invitation sets the tone for everything that follows. Later, Jesus will say, “Follow me,” calling people into deeper relationship. He will invite them to fish for others, to love enemies, and to receive the Spirit for empowered witness. But it all begins here—with presence, openness and shared life. Even on the cross, Jesus continues this pattern, welcoming a dying criminal into hope, and strengthening those who watch and believe. In our systems, success demands measurable outcomes and quick results, but Jesus built His movement on the foundations of time, trust and invitation. “ Come and see” remains one of the most powerful ways to be introduced to Him—not as a concept, but as a living person encountered in shared life, conversation, Scripture and prayer. Excerpted and adapted from After 2000 Years: Reading the First Reports of the Life of Jesus by Dr Peter Roennfeldt. More Devotionals

Jesus’ first invitation, “Come and see,” reveals how His ministry began through relationship, hospitality, trust and personal encounter.

Week 6 - His First Invitation: “Come and See”

Related topics Week 5 -  His Baptism and Temptations Jesus began His public ministry not with power or applause, but with baptism, wilderness, and temptation. At the Jordan, His identity as God’s beloved Son was affirmed; in the desert, that identity was tested. Through both experiences, Jesus revealed the foundation of His movement: solidarity instead of status, obedience instead of shortcuts, and Spirit-led trust instead of control.
PHASE TWO: FOUNDATIONS for His faith movement For a faith movement that has grown to be the most influential of all time, the way Jesus stepped onto the public stage—to begin the second phase—still feels improbable. He was about 30. With no headlines or manifesto, He walked to the Jordan River to be baptised in its muddy waters by the desert preacher John the Baptist. Then, instead of gathering supporters, He disappeared into the wilderness east of Jerusalem for six weeks. Many times, I have led groups down through the Wadi Qelt, a jagged ravine slicing through the Judean desert between Jerusalem and Jericho. Drivers leave us on a cliff edge, to take a zigzag path down into silence and heat. Across the gorge, the Monastery of Saint George of Choziba clings to the cliff. In the 5th and 6th centuries, more than 70 such monasteries and hermit caves dotted this wilderness—a kind of desert city. For Jesus it was harsh and risky. Summer temperatures climb past 40°C (104°F). Winter nights can drop near 5°C (41°F). It was a refuge for wild animals, fugitives and fringe religious groups. Less than 20 kilometres south lay Qumran, home of the Essenes—the community associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls. Jesus went into this desert alone. Then, after a 40-day fast, weakened and exposed, He faced a barrage of tests aimed at His identity, allegiance and purpose. The public launch of His history-shaping movement began not with triumph but with hunger and degradation. And what followed over the next year and a half—before Jesus relocated north to Galilee after John’s arrest—formed the foundation of everything that came later. All four Gospel writers mark this transition from private life to public ministry, but the apostle John lingers on this early Judean period, as if to say: Stop. Pay attention. This is where the pattern is set. Judea, Samaria, Galilee Week 5 - His Baptism and Temptations Matthew 3:1–4:12; Mark 1:9–13; Luke 3:1–3, 21–23; 4:1–13; John 1:15–35 After his baptism . . . he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (Matthew 3:16–4:1). When Jesus stepped into public view, He was not welcomed with popular applause but introduced by two unsettling experiences—baptism and temptation. These were foundational to what both Jesus and His relative John called God’s kingdom—something radically different! Jesus arrived at the Jordan River, where John was calling Israel to repentance. John’s life and message were stark: desert solitude, simple food and uncompromising words—fitting Israel’s expectations of the return of the prophet Elijah (see Malachi 4:5, 6; Matthew 11:14). Crowds desperate for spiritual cleansing were confessing their sins and stepping into the muddy river as a sign of turning back to God. When Jesus joined them, John was shocked! Why would One conceived by the creative miracle of the divine Spirit and without sin submit to a baptism meant for the guilty? He tried to talk Jesus out of it. Jesus’ response was quiet but profound: “It is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:14, 15, NIV). For the first time, Matthew records Jesus speaking of righteousness , a word that would shape Jesus’ entire teaching. It was not about rule-keeping or moral superiority, but faithfulness to God’s saving purpose. By entering the waters, Jesus was identifying fully with those He had come to save—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the desperate, broken and repentant. This is what righteousness is like, immersed in the mud and reeds of the Jordan, choosing solidarity over status. As He paused on the riverbank to pray, the Spirit descended as a fluttering dove upon Him, and a voice from the heavens declared, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” The silence of 30 years was broken, and Jesus heard His identity proclaimed aloud. He was God’s Son. This was later described as His anointing (see Acts 10:37, 38). He was Jesus Christ, meaning Jesus the anointed— the Messiah. His ministry and movement building would flow from this identity—empowered to bring good news, healing and freedom. The Spirit then led Him into the wilderness. The same Spirit who affirmed Him drove Him into isolation, hunger, testing—and temptation. It jars. It seems wrong! But for 40 days Jesus faced the devil’s assaults, each temptation offering a shortcut to power without obedience. Turn stones to bread—and meet legitimate needs in illegitimate ways. Jump from the temple—to force God’s hand and secure public acclaim. Bow down—and gain the kingdoms of the world without the cross. Each temptation was designed to undermine and cast doubt on His identity. “ If you are the Son of God . . .” the tempter mocked. Jesus responded not with spectacle or strength, but with Scripture, trusting His Father’s word. He refused to grasp, manipulate or dominate. The wilderness revealed the kind of king He would be. His kingdom is not built on appetite, presumption or control, but on trustful obedience. He was Spirit-anointed and Spirit-led. Then, after the testing, angels attended Him and He returned to the Jordan where John the Baptist declared, “Look! the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John pointed to future sacrifice and promise. He declared that Jesus is “the one who will baptise with the Holy Spirit.” He is “the Chosen One of God,” “the Son of God.” The foundations of this movement were strangely counter-intuitive, but what began in unsettling humiliation in muddy water and a harsh desert environment was divine purpose. Jesus’ baptism and temptations uncovered the nature of the triune God—Father, Son and Spirit—fully present in our world, living in our neighborhood. With Spirit-anointing and Spirit-leading, these experiences of status reversal, even degradation, revealed Jesus’ real identity—and were foundational to His radically different movement. Excerpted and adapted from After 2000 Years: Reading the First Reports of the Life of Jesus by Dr Peter Roennfeldt. More Devotionals

Jesus began His public ministry not with power or applause, but with baptism, wilderness, and temptation. At the Jordan, His identity as God’s beloved Son was affirmed; in the desert, that identity was tested. Through both experiences, Jesus revealed the foundation of His movement: solidarity instead of status, obedience instead of shortcuts, and Spirit-led trust instead of control.

Week 5 -  His Baptism and Temptations

Related topics No Stones at SonRise
Illustrative image At Southern Adventist University’s SonRise Resurrection Pageant, Gabriela Phillips shares the story of Jesus with two Muslim refugee friends from Iraq.
The candlelit room and a deep voice transport us to the Passion Week’s final scenes. Beside me sit my friends, Mohammad and Khadija, refugees from Iraq, whom I’ve invited to the SonRise Resurrection Pageant at Southern Adventist University. A student portraying Mary Magdalene steps from the shadows. She explains how the Jesus she knew wasn’t a detached preacher of truth. He saved her life by writing in the dust and commanding that “those who are free from sin cast the first stone.” As we leave the church and walk to the next station of the pageant, Khadija clasps my hand and says, “We all need to live by the words of Isa, alyahi salam” (Jesus, peace be upon Him). And for the next few minutes, she imagines a world ruled by Jesus, a world where no one throws stones and sins are forgiven. Both Khadija and I feel drawn to Him as we reflect. A little later, as the Gethsemane scene unfolds, Mohammad wonders aloud who Jesus is praying to. Underneath his question lie many layers of theological debris, resulting from centuries of Christian-Muslim misunderstandings. I’ve told Mohammad before that I believe Jesus is God. “So, is God praying to Himself?” he asks. I could launch into a detailed explanation of the Trinity, but I don’t want to interrupt the Holy Spirit’s influence. “Jesus is praying to his beloved Father,” I answer simply. Over the years, I’ve learned that truth that is not presented in the context of a relationship seldom moves the heart. So, I add, “Just before coming to the garden, Jesus prayed for all who would one day follow Him. He was thinking of us all.” Next, we approach the court of Pilate. Mohammad hears voices calling for Jesus to be crucified and is confused. “Why would anyone wish to crucify Jesus, who is the purest of prophets?” he asks. He reflects on current events in the Middle East and the need to return to Jesus’ example. I’m curious to hear more of his thoughts, but our group is moving toward the crosses, and our conversation lags. Muslims view the crucifixion differently. In their story, God demonstrates His power by rescuing Jesus and taking Him to heaven before He dies. This interpretation upholds justice— Jesus’ innocence is vindicated and someone who is truly guilty is crucified in His place. For Christians, the cross represents God’s love through His willingness to die for humanity. As we stand at the scene of the three crosses, I explain to Mohammad what makes Jesus’ death different from that of the thieves beside Him: “In Jannah (paradise), God gave Adam and Eve everything they needed to live an abundant life because He loved them. He told them that their lives would continue forever if they didn’t sin, but that the consequence of sin was death. They chose sin, and ever since, we have all been subject to sin and death. Everyone except Jesus, who was sinless, which the Qur’an affirms. The only way death could touch Jesus was if He gave up His life. I believe He died on the cross, as prophesied in the Torah, and that He did so voluntarily to show His love. He was the Adam that didn’t sin. Death came into the world by the first Adam; deliverance from it came from the second one.” Mohammad listens quietly, while I pray for God to reveal Himself to us afresh. Finally, we move to the last scene of the pageant, where music about our risen Lord moves me to tears. “Brother,” I say, “this is the heart of my faith: because Jesus carried the sins of each sinner, we can be purified with the purity of Jesus, but death could not hold Him in the grave. On the third day, He was raised back to the right hand of God, where He rules with love. Soon, He will return as a just judge and will break open all the graves, for he is the resurrection and the path to eternal life.” Mohammad is also moved; this version of Jesus is full of hope. His response surprises me: “We Muslims need to return to Jesus, not the Jesus of Islamic scholars and traditions, but the real Jesus. We keep telling Christians with our mouths that we also love Jesus, that he is one of our prophets, while collecting stones with our hands. We need to listen again to Jesus, for he is peace for us too.” I left the scene sensing that Jesus not only had ministered to our needs, but He had also won our confidence, and now it was time to follow Him. More from Mission 360° Magazine Get to know the region Resources Topics

At Southern Adventist University’s SonRise Resurrection Pageant, Gabriela Phillips shares the story of Jesus with two Muslim refugee friends from Iraq.

No Stones at SonRise

Related topics Week 1 – A Baby While they were there (in Bethlehem), the time came for her baby to be born. Luke 2:6. He came to us as a baby. The Gospels begin here. Not with power, miracles, or crowds, but with vulnerability—with the breath of a newborn in the arms of his young mum.
PHASE ONE: PREPARATION for a life that would multiply Long before Jesus became a public figure—before crowds formed and His words were recorded—He lived a life that appeared unremarkable by most measures. For around 30 years, Jesus remained largely unseen. There were no sermons, miracles or followers. He grew up in a small village, lived within a family, learned a trade and took His place in a local community. His days were shaped by work, relationships, prayer and Scripture. These were slow years, marked more by faithfulness than drama. Yet these decades were not a pause before the real work began. They were the necessary preparation. The first four reports in this book examine these unseen years—not to idealise them, but to take them seriously. What does it mean that such a world-changing faith movement began in quiet preparation? Only later, when John the Baptist publicly identified Him at the Jordan River, did Jesus step into view. Then, His public teaching and activities lasted only a few intense years. At the end, He left His followers with a simple but expansive commission: “Go and make disciples [followers or apprentices] of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). The movement He began grew through ordinary people sharing who they had found with others. Behind it all stands a striking claim, later summarised by the apostle Paul: that Jesus was fully divine but that he “made himself nothing,” entering human life without privilege or advantage (see Philippians 2:5–8, NIV)—learning, waiting and accepting limitations. Week 1 – A baby Luke 1:1-2:38; John 1:1-18; Matthew 1:1-25, cf. Luke 3:23-38 While they were there (in Bethlehem), the time came for her baby to be born. Luke 2:6. He came to us as a baby. The Gospels begin here. Not with power, miracles, or crowds, but with vulnerability—with the breath of a newborn in the arms of his young mum. The beginning of this movement, surprisingly, is a womb, not a throne room. Matthew names his flawed family—including abusers and murderers; with four women— Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Uriah’s wife—whose lives were marked by scandal, tragedy and deep sorrow. Jesus was the Son of David, and quite literally the Son of outsiders, immigrants, the overlooked and exploited. Luke brings us closer to the family drama surrounding his arrival. Mary’s pregnancy shocked her village. Joseph wrestled with hurt, doubt and anger before stepping into extraordinary obedience and courage. Both were asked to accept something that would cost them dearly—and both said yes. Luke also records Mary’s Magnificat and Zechariah’s prophecy—announcing both revolution and mercy: with social injustice overturned, the proud scattered, and the humble valued. Long before his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was reshaping the world— the script being rewritten by an unmarried village girl and her aging cousin’s husband. And there is the birth story itself. We often imagine chaotic scenes: frantic travel, rejection at every door, a desperate couple in a lonely stable. But Luke simply says, “While they were there (in Bethlehem), the time came for her baby to be born”—suggesting something calmer. In a simple village home, with women who knew what to do—and the manger a practical crib available in the family living space, not a sign of neglect—Jesus entered the world into warmth, care, and community. The first to hear the news were not the rulers, scholars, or priests in nearby Jerusalem, but shepherds—poor, rough men whose testimonies held little weight. To them, the sky split open with song: “Today… a Saviour has been born to you” (Luke 2:11 NIV)— not only for the powerful, self-righteous, or self-serving; but for those who smell of sheep, the overlooked. His first worshippers were from the margins. They ran, saw, believed, and then told everyone they met—the first evangelists. His earthly life and kingdom began there at the edges with their unpolished joy; the holy One held in their rough hands. John reminds us that this baby was “the Word” who had always been—present before creation, eternally with God, eternally God—who chose to become one of us. Fragile. Dependent. Learning obedience and trust as we do. Jesus was not a mythical character, but a real infant with all the limitations of human life. He entered the world as we do—fragile, dependent, needing care. He willingly accepted the slow pace of human development—experiencing hunger, cold, tears, learning to walk and talk. He surrendered or veiled his divinity—not losing it but not drawing upon it. He lived within ordinary human limitations, as one of us. He launched his movement from this place of vulnerability. He did not ask of followers what he was unwilling to embrace himself. The way of his kingdom still begins here: emerging from unlikely places, with surrender, humility, and presence. Not in perfection or strategy, but in quiet availability—perhaps in a renewed sense of gentleness, a slower pace, a greater respect for small beginnings, a readiness to look for God at the margins, and a desire to honour the ordinary people he chooses! Might his invitations still come disguised as interruptions, misunderstandings, or pain— calling for courage? How did his becoming a baby—one of us, who understands us—shape his preparation for the most significant faith movement of all time? Excerpted and adapted from After 2000 Years: Reading the First Reports of the Life of Jesus by Dr Peter Roennfeldt. More Devotionals

While they were there (in Bethlehem), the time came for her baby to be born. Luke 2:6. He came to us as a baby. The Gospels begin here. Not with power, miracles, or crowds, but with vulnerability—with the breath of a newborn in the arms of his young mum.

Week 1 – A Baby

Related topics A Dream Job Jenny liked the idea. After graduating from the university, she visited the Adventist Volunteer Service website. She saw an opening in Chile and sent her resume.
Jenny never planned to move to Chile from the United States. When she graduated from Andrews University, she volunteered to teach English there for a year. She thought she would return to the United States at the end of the year. But five years later, she found herself teaching Bible classes at Chile Adventist University. Here is what happened. Jenny had wanted to become a missionary ever since she was a young girl. While completing undergraduate theology studies at Andrews University in Michigan, she spoke about her desire with one of her teachers. The teacher had helped another student go to Chile for a year with Adventist Volunteer Service and suggested that Jenny consider a similar path. Jenny liked the idea. After graduating from the university, she visited the Adventist Volunteer Service website. She saw an opening in Chile and sent her resume. Before long, she was accepted and went to Chile to spend a year teaching English at a center of influence. The year passed in a flurry of English classes, Bible studies, and friendships. Jenny was invited to stay a second year, and she agreed. By the end of the second year, she could speak fluent Spanish, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Central Chile Mission was looking for a bilingual assistant. She was offered the position as a volunteer. Jenny agreed, and, for the next three years, managed church membership records, trained church secretaries, and served as the local leader for Adventist Volunteer Service—the very organization for which she was volunteering. Along the way, she also got married to a Chilean. Then, Chile Adventist University called, asking if she would be willing to teach Bible classes. Jenny was excited to return to her roots after majoring in theology at Andrews University. When she became a legal resident of Chile, she transitioned to a Bible teacher at the university. For the first time in five years, she wasn’t part of Adventist Volunteer Service but a full-time university employee. Today, Jenny is one of five Bible teachers at the university. She and the other teachers teach general Bible classes that are required of all students but theology students, who have their own classes. Many of Jenny’s students learn about God and the Bible for the first time in her classes. About three-fourths of the university’s 3,000 students come from non-Adventist families. Jenny, who is 28 years old, couldn’t be happier. Being a missionary with Adventist Volunteer Service opened the door to a career she had never dreamed possible. “I meant to come to Chile for one year, and now it has been more than six years,” she said. “I feel like it was here that God wanted me.”  If you’re interested in volunteering, visit AdventistVolunteers.org to explore service opportunities. More from Mission 360° Magazine Get to know the region Resources Topics From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

Jenny liked the idea. After graduating from the university, she visited the Adventist Volunteer Service website. She saw an opening in Chile and sent her resume. 

A Dream Job

Related topics A Dream Job Jenny liked the idea. After graduating from the university, she visited VividFaith.org, an Adventist Church website where people can apply for positions with Adventist Volunteer Service. She saw an opening in Chile and sent her resume.
To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, December 20.  Jenny never planned to move to Chile from the United States. When she graduated from Andrews University, she volunteered to teach English for a year in Chile. She thought that she would return to the United States at the end of the year. But five years later, she found herself teaching Bible classes at Chile Adventist University. Here is what happened. Ever since she was a young girl, Jenny had wanted to become a missionary. While completing undergraduate theology studies at Andrews University in Michigan, she spoke about her desire with one of her teachers. The teacher had helped another student go to Chile for a year with Adventist Volunteer Service and suggested that Jenny consider a similar path. Jenny liked the idea. After graduating from the university, she visited VividFaith.org, an Adventist Church website where people can apply for positions with Adventist Volunteer Service. She saw an opening in Chile and sent her resume. Before long, she was accepted and flying to Chile to spend a year teaching English at a center of influence. Jenny couldn’t have been happier! The year passed in a flurry of English classes, Bible studies, and friendships. Jenny was invited to stay a second year, and she agreed. By the end of the second year, she could speak fluent Spanish, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Central Chile Mission was looking for a bilingual assistant. She was offered the position as a volunteer. Jenny agreed and for the next three years managed church membership records, trained church secretaries, and served as the local leader for Adventist Volunteer Service — the very organization for which she was volunteering. Along the way, she also got married to a Chilean. Jenny couldn’t have been happier! Then Chile Adventist University called, asking if she would be willing to teach Bible classes. Jenny was excited to return to her roots after majoring in theology at Andrews University. When she became a legal resident of Chile, she made the transition to Bible teacher at the university. For the first time in five years, she was not part of Adventist Volunteer Service but a full-time university employee. Today, Jenny is one of five Bible teachers at the university. She and the other teachers teach general Bible classes that are required of all but theology students at the university. Theology students have their own classes. Many of Jenny’s students learn about God and the Bible for the first time in her classes. About three-fourths of the university’s 3,000 students come from non-Adventist families. Jenny, who is 28 years old, couldn’t be happier. Being a missionary with Adventist Volunteer Service opened the door to a career that she had never dreamed possible. “I meant to come to Chile for one year and now it has been more than six years,” she said. “I feel like it was here that God wanted me.” This quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering, also known as the Quarterly Mission Project Offering, will go toward two projects at Chile Adventist University in Chillán, Chile. One project is to open an Adventist Volunteer Service center that will send 30 missionaries into the world every year. The center will have five classrooms for training students to be missionaries and an auditorium with 250 seats. In the second university project, dormitories will be expanded to allow 50 more students to study on the campus. Currently, the university has about 3,000 students, the vast majority of whom are not Adventist and live off campus. The new dorm rooms will be open to all but are especially needed by Adventist theology and education students who come to the university from far-off places and are studying to work in Adventist churches and schools. Thank you for your generous offering  Story Tips Show South America and Chillán, Chile, on the map. Watch a short YouTube video of Jenny at: bit.ly/Jenny-SAD. Download photos for this story from Facebook: bit.ly/fb-mq . Fast Facts Cape Horn is the southern tip of South America. Before the Panama Canal was built, ships sailed all the way around South America to get from Europe and Atlantic ports to the Pacific. It was a very dangerous route because Cape Horn is known for strong winds and dangerous waves. Children in rural areas of Chile have to wake up very early in the morning to walk to school or meet the bus. Some have to travel two hours each way to get to school. On the long coastline of Chile you can see penguins, pelicans, and sea lions, and in the water you can see whales as they swim to and from feeding and breeding grounds. Chile’s copper mines are located in its desert region.  Get to know the region Related publications More Stories Topics From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

Jenny liked the idea. After graduating from the university, she visited VividFaith.org, an Adventist Church website where people can apply for positions with Adventist Volunteer Service. She saw an opening in Chile and sent her resume.

Related topics Squid or Dog Meat? Then something unusual happened. He began to feel uncomfortable worshiping on Sunday. He felt so uncomfortable that when he was asked to preach at his church, he made excuses about needing to go somewhere else.
To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, June 7. By Andrew McChesney Jhon had a busy preaching schedule in Indonesia. A pastor of a Sunday-keeping church in Papua, he had just finished a series of meetings on one island and needed to return home for another series of meetings. He was supposed to fly, but the plane was fully booked. So, he bought a boat ticket for the three-day voyage. It was a decision that would change his life. Jhon bought the cheapest ticket on the economy deck, a long hall where scores of passengers slept side-by-side on the floor. While awake, passengers passed the time by chatting. Jhon chatted with a woman seated nearby. As a kind gesture, Jhon offered her part of one of his meals. She shook her head as he held out a plastic container of steamed squid seasoned with a sprinkle of oil. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t eat that kind of food.” Jhon thought that she didn’t like squid, so he pulled out another container. This one had dog meat that he had bought from a street vendor just before boarding the boat. But the woman refused it, too. “I don’t eat that kind of food,” she said. Jhon was surprised. “Why don’t you eat these kinds of food?” he asked. “It’s because I’m an Adventist,” she said. The only thing that Jhon knew about Seventh-day Adventists was that he had taught an Adventist student at a mission school where he had worked before becoming a pastor. But he respected the woman’s desire to be faithful to her beliefs. So, he put away the food, and the two talked about other things. He learned that her name was Ingrid. Now, when Jhon had boarded the ship, he hadn’t told anyone that he was a pastor. But Papua is a predominantly Christian island, and Indonesians who live there have a sailing tradition. At some point on a voyage, the ship captain always asks, “Is there a pastor on board? We want to ask you to pray for us and to have a worship service.” On the last day of Jhon’s voyage, the ship captain raised the question. Jhon made known his position and led the passengers in prayer and worship. Ingrid was surprised to learn that he was a pastor, and she didn’t seem certain that she wanted to keep talking to him. But when the ship docked, Jhon insisted that they exchange phone numbers. When he asked to see her again, she invited him to the Adventist church. Every Sabbath for the next month, Jhon attended worship services with her. Then something unusual happened. He began to feel uncomfortable worshiping on Sunday. He felt so uncomfortable that when he was asked to preach at his church, he made excuses about needing to go somewhere else. When he told his church that he intended to become an Adventist, he was offered a higher position with a higher salary. But he wasn’t tempted. In his personal study of the Bible, he had grown convinced that the seventh-day Sabbath was God’s true day of worship. He also had accepted the biblical prohibition on unclean meat like squid and dogs. Three years after the boat trip, Jhon and Ingrid got married. Today, Jhon is wrapping up his studies as a theology student at Klabat University on Sulawesi island. He is glad that Ingrid rejected his food. Through her witness, he ended up learning about the seventh-day Sabbath. He is looking forward to returning home to Papua and teaching others about the Lord of the Sabbath. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help spread the gospel on Jhon’s home island of Papua. The funds will go toward the construction of classrooms, an administrative building, a library, and an auditorium for Papua Adventist Theology College in Nabire, Papua. Incidentally, Klabat University, where Jhon is studying, on Sulawesi island, received part of a 1981 Thirteenth Sabbath Offering. Thank you for planning a generous Thirteenth Sabbath Offering on June 28 to continue to support the proclamation of the gospel in Indonesia.  Story Tips Show Papua, Indonesia, on the map. Watch a short YouTube video with Jhon at: bit.ly/Jhon-SSD . Download photos for this story from Facebook: bit.ly/fb-mq . Share Mission Posts and Fast Facts from the Southern Asia-Pacific Division: bit.ly/ssd-2025 . Know that this mission story illustrates Spiritual Growth Objective No. 5 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s “I Will Go” strategic plan, “To disciple individuals and families into Spirit-filled lives.” For more information, go to the website: IWillGo.org . Fast Facts Indonesia is made up of more than 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guinea, making it the world’s largest archipelago. Indonesia was ruled by the Netherlands until 1945. Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world. Indonesia is a presidential republic with an elected legislature.  Get to know the region Related publications More Stories Topics From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

Then something unusual happened. He began to feel uncomfortable worshiping on Sunday. He felt so uncomfortable that when he was asked to preach at his church, he made excuses about needing to go somewhere else.

Squid or Dog Meat?

Related topics The Only Living God Reading the Bible, he learned that the God of Israel had pleaded with His people thousands of years ago not to bow down to images of stone and wood. Surachet’s religion bowed down to images of stone and wood.
To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, April 12. By Andrew McChesney Editor’s note: Today’s mission story is about a man in Thailand whose life was touched by two Thirteenth Sabbath Offerings that were collected 27 years apart. Curachet arrived at a Seventh-day Adventist high school in Thailand with a promise. He told himself, “I’ll stay in the dorm, but I’ll never change my religion.” Surachet had been raised in a non-Christian world religion. The majority of Thailand’s population belonged to the same religion. He chose the school because it had a dormitory for students who were far from home. He lived more than 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) away in northern Thailand. At the Adventist school, Surachet was fascinated by world civilization class. In Bible class, he was astonished to hear a prophecy about the rise and fall of major world civilizations in the book of Daniel. He wondered, “How do I harmonize the information about world civilizations that I’m hearing in these two classes?” Around the same time, he noticed headlines in newspapers about the 1967 Six-Day War, which had recently ended with Israel defeating neighboring Arab countries. He wondered how Israel, a small country established in 1948, could defeat larger and much older neighbors. He wondered about the origin of the Jewish people. “Is this the same Israel as in the Bible that we are studying in Bible class?” he thought. He searched for more information and found a book about the Jewish people written by a Thai philosopher. The author, who like Surachet wasn’t a Christian, recorded Israel’s history over several thousand years. Surachet thought about his own family’s religion and wondered, “Is the God of Israel the true God?” Reading the Bible, he learned that the God of Israel had pleaded with His people thousands of years ago not to bow down to images of stone and wood. Surachet’s religion bowed down to images of stone and wood. He learned that the Bible taught that the God of Israel was the only living God not formed by human hands. Jeremiah 10:10 says, “But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King” (NKJV). Surachet signed up for Bible lessons from the Voice of Prophecy. At the time, the Voice of Prophecy had a flourishing presence in Thailand after receiving a building in Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, with the help of a Thirteenth Sabbath Offering several years earlier in 1961. Surachet finished the Bible studies in just a week and decided to give his heart to the true and living God. His father was furious when Surachet asked for permission to be baptized. “If you want to be a Christian, go to the Christians,” he said. “You don’t have to come back home.” Surachet said he would come back if his life didn’t improve under the living God. Surachet has no regrets. He went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theology and a doctorate in missiology. He has worked as a pastor, communication director for the Adventist Church in Thailand, and regional director for Adventist World Radio. His desire is to teach others about the living God. Today, he is teaching at Asia-Pacific International University, whose campus in Thailand was built with the help of a Thirteenth Sabbath Offering in 1988. He tells his students that Christianity entered Thailand more than 200 years ago and the Adventist Church arrived when a literature evangelist began to sell books in 1906. But despite a more than 100-year presence, the church’s membership is no more than 16,000 people, or only 0.02 percent of Thailand’s population of 71 million. “This is one of the most difficult countries in the world,” Surachet said. “In some places, Satan is doing his work through resistance and opposition. But here, Christianity is welcome but cultural belief in satanic agencies is strong. We are not fighting against flesh and blood. We are fighting with evil spirits. We are fighting with Satan himself. We need more workers in Thailand.” ⎭ Thank you for your faithful Thirteenth Sabbath Offerings that have had a major impact on the lives of people like Surachet Insom. Asia-Pacific International University, where Surachet teaches, has provided a Christian education to thousands of students since a 1988 Thirteenth Sabbath Offering helped build its campus. Every year, students from non-Christian homes are baptized at the university. The Voice of Prophecy building, which opened in Bangkok with the help of a 1961 Thirteenth Sabbath Offering, has since been demolished. But other church buildings have taken its place, and its influence continues to reverberate through the lives of Surachet and others. Thank you for planning a generous Thirteenth Sabbath Offering on June 28 that, with God’s help, will also have a long-lasting impact.  Story Tips Show Thailand on the map. Pronounce Surachet as: SOO-RA-chet. Watch a short YouTube video with Surachet at: bit.ly/Surachet . Download photos for this story from Facebook: bit.ly/fb-mq . Share Mission Posts and Fast Facts from the Southern Asia-Pacific Division: bit.ly/ssd-2025 . Know that this mission story illustrates the following objectives of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s “I Will Go” strategic plan: Mission Objective No. 2, “To strengthen and diversify Adventist outreach in large cities, across the 10/40 Window, among unreached and under-reached people groups, and to non-Christian religions,” and Spiritual Growth Objective No. 7, “To help youth and young adults place God first and exemplify a biblical worldview.” For more information, go to the website: IWillGo.org . Mission Post A permanent mission opened in Thailand in 1919, with E. L. Longway and Forrest A. Pratt settling with their families at Bangkok. By 1921, five converts had been baptized. By 1926, church membership had reached 88. Work in the interior of Thailand was begun in 1924 by young Thai men. In 1925, two mission schools were opened, in Bangkok and Ban Pong.  Get to know the region Related publications More Stories Topics From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

Reading the Bible, he learned that the God of Israel had pleaded with His people thousands of years ago not to bow down to images of stone and wood. Surachet’s religion bowed down to images of stone and wood.

The Only Living God

Related topics From Unlucky to Loved Chhaina felt torn. He knew that Adventists loved Jesus. He hated Jesus. But he loved the guitar, and he really wanted to learn how to play.
To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, April 5. By Andrew McChesney Chhaina grew up hating the name of Jesus Christ. Chhaina belonged to a major world religion in Cambodia, and he and his family hated Christianity. But then Chhaina’s family began to hate him. It all started when Chhaina’s grandfather died suddenly. Chhaina loved his grandfather and had spent a lot of time with him. But in their religion, if you spend a lot of time with someone, and something bad happens, you are considered responsible. Chhaina’s family wondered if the boy was unlucky. Then Chhaina’s uncle died suddenly. Chhaina had spent a lot of time with his uncle. Now his family really began to wonder if he was unlucky. Then Chhaina’s parents went bankrupt. They sold everything that they owned but, still deep in debt, moved across the border to Thailand to work at a television factory. Chhaina was told to stay behind. “Your life has not brought peace but only destruction,” one family member said. “You should never have been born,” said another. Chhaina was 18. He felt very alone. Then a friend invited him to guitar lessons at a Seventh-day Adventist church. Chhaina felt torn. He knew that Adventists loved Jesus. He hated Jesus. But he loved the guitar, and he really wanted to learn how to play. He went to the Adventist church. After that, he didn’t miss a guitar lesson at the church. He immediately liked the pastor and his wife. They spoke about a Jesus who was very different from the Jesus whom he had heard about from his parents. They said Jesus didn’t only love people who loved Him; Jesus also loved people who hated Him. His love was so big that He died so that even people who hated Him could live eternally. Chhaina began to go to church every Sabbath. A love for Jesus grew in his heart, and he was baptized. He prayed to be reunited with his parents. He wanted them to accept him without worrying that he was unlucky. “I want my family back,” he prayed every day. “I promise to serve You for the rest of my life and not serve any other god.” But Jesus seemed so silent. Chhaina didn’t have a full understanding of the role of faith in the Christian life. His family’s traditional religion put a major emphasis on works. So, as he prayed, he decided to prove through his works that he was worthy of a response. He volunteered for One Year in Mission, a church initiative in which he spent a year in mission service. Then he helped a French missionary distribute Bibles in Cambodia. He hoped that his church work would convince Jesus to answer his prayers. But Jesus seemed so silent. At times, Chhaina felt upset, and he prayed, “I’m doing so much for You. Why aren’t You doing anything for me?” After five years, Chhaina’s parents returned to Cambodia. They had no choice. The authorities in Thailand didn’t renew their work visas. With no land or home, they accepted an invitation from Chhaina to stay with him in his rented home. It no longer mattered if he was unlucky. They had nowhere else to go. On Sabbath, Chhaina invited his parents to church. “You don’t have any money, but we will find food for all of us there,” he said. The church members warmly welcomed his parents, and his parents enjoyed the fellowship meal. The next Sabbath, they returned for more food and fellowship, and their hearts began to soften. The Jesus whom they heard about at church was very different from the Jesus whom they had hated for so many years. A year passed, and Chhaina’s parents were baptized. It was the biggest miracle that Chhaina could have imagined. Jesus not only answered his prayer to bring his parents back to Cambodia, but He also won their hearts. Jesus had done much more than he had asked. With astonishment, he realized that Jesus had answered his prayers not because of anything that he had done but because of who Jesus is. Today, Chhaina no longer feels unlucky. He feels loved. He has not forgotten his promise to serve Jesus for the rest of his life. Today, he is studying theology at Asia-Pacific International University in Thailand in preparation for a life of mission service. Chhaina is among thousands of students who have studied at Asia-Pacific International University because of a Thirteenth Sabbath Offering. Part of that 1988 offering helped build the campus of what was then called Thailand Mission College. The Thirteenth Sabbath Offering continues to bless Chhaina and many others 36 years later. Thank you for being faithful with your mission giving.  Story Tips Show on the map the locations of Cambodia and Thailand. Then show the Thai town of Muak Lek, where Asia-Pacific International University is located. Pronounce Chhaina the same as the country of China. Watch a short YouTube video with Chhaina at: bit.ly/Chhaina-SSD . Download photos for this story from Facebook: bit.ly/fb-mq . Share Mission Posts and Fast Facts from the Southern Asia-Pacific Division: bit.ly/ssd-2025 . Know that this mission story illustrates the following objectives of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s “I Will Go” strategic plan: Mission Objective No. 2, “To strengthen and diversify Adventist outreach in large cities, across the 10/40 Window, among unreached and under-reached people groups, and to non-Christian religions”; Spiritual Growth Objective No. 5, “To disciple individuals and families into Spirit-filled lives”; Spiritual Growth Objective No. 6, “To increase accession, retention, reclamation, and participation of children, youth, and young adults”; and Spiritual Growth Objective No. 7, “To help youth and young adults place God first and exemplify a biblical worldview.” For more information, go to the website: IWillGo.org . Mission Post Seventh-day Adventist teachings were introduced into Thailand in 1906 and 1907. The early work in Thailand was conducted mostly among the Chinese.  Get to know the region Related publications More Stories Topics From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

Chhaina felt torn. He knew that Adventists loved Jesus. He hated Jesus. But he loved the guitar, and he really wanted to learn how to play.

From Unlucky to Loved

Related topics Mission Is a Miracle The pastor told him that foreigners were prohibited from entering, but the two proceeded in faith. When they approached security, the officer requested their documents.
We’ve been very intentional during the past few months to put Mission Refocus in action at the General Conference. This movement calls us to invest our finances and personnel in reaching the most challenging places in the world. As we’ve done this, God has opened doors in marvelous ways. We’re raising an army of new missionaries and volunteers to go to unreached places! I invite you to explore Acts 19 with me because I believe it has much to say about God’s ideal for our approach to mission today. Here, we find Paul, the great missionary of the primitive Christian church, arriving in Ephesus. The people were entrenched in self-righteousness and pagan superstition, so you can imagine how hard it would be to share the gospel there. But the challenge didn’t intimidate Paul. Verse 8 tells us that Paul began his ministry at the synagogue, where he spoke boldly. I like to think that boldness is the identifier of those who walk with God, doing His work and being used by His Spirit. They aren’t limited in their thinking or afraid to face challenges; they keep moving forward in the Lord’s name, believing His promises. God calls us to be bold. In verse 10, we see how deep the apostle’s commitment was. After a very challenging time preaching at the synagogue, Paul moved, with a group of Christians, to the School of Tyrannus. There, he spent two years preaching to Gentiles so everyone who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus. It wasn’t easy. He faced continual opposition and persecution. But he didn’t give up, and God opened doors for Paul. Miracles happened in his listeners’ hearts. This same God will open seemingly impossible doors for us today. Verse 11 reveals the secret to Paul’s success. The Bible says, “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul.” The author of Acts clarifies that the hands were Paul’s, but the power was God’s. Paul just made his hands available to the Lord. Here, we have one of my strongest beliefs about mission: we can strategize, invest, and mobilize, but mission is a miracle. What could we do on our own to reach the 10/40 Window, where 66 percent of the world’s population live and only 12 percent of our membership? Or the Urban Window, where we have 43 cities with more than a million inhabitants and no Seventh-day Adventist presence? Or the Post-Christian Window, where hearts seem impervious to the entreaties of God’s Spirit? We have an impossible mission on our hands. But by using our hands, God can perform extraordinary miracles. In 2020, my son volunteered in a country closed to the gospel. An Adventist pastor invited my son to join him in visiting some students at a public university. The pastor told him that foreigners were prohibited from entering, but the two proceeded in faith. When they approached security, the officer requested their documents. My son greeted him in the local language, and when the officer heard the greeting, he looked at my son and said, “Welcome back, I know you. You can enter without any problem.” He didn’t even look at my son’s passport. His experience demonstrates that God can open the most closed places. The same God who released His people from Egypt and broke down the walls of Jericho is alive and ready for miracles today. He invites us to place our hands in His hands, and He will perform extraordinary miracles for us. Would you like to renew your commitment to the Lord, offering your hands to be used by Him to reach the 10/40 Window, the Urban Window, and Post-Christian Window? I truly believe that through prayer, God will use you as His agent to help fulfill His mission. Mission is not about our work for God but about God’s work through us. Mission belongs to Him; we are just agents. And because mission is a miracle, we can move forward with a sense of urgency, trusting in the Owner of the mission. More from Mission 360° Magazine Get to know the region Resources Topics From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

The pastor told him that foreigners were prohibited from entering, but the two proceeded in faith. When they approached security, the officer requested their documents. 

Mission Is a Miracle

email

FIRSTNAME