DIVERSE YET DEDICATED | Carlos J. Craig

DIVERSE YET DEDICATED By Carlos J. Craig

You and I live and move in a world of deep diversity. If we study the definition for diversity, we can find words like variety, mixture and assortment. Here in the great state of Texas, our diversity becomes more notable each day. In our churches, one glance around the room will readily reveal differences of gender, age, ethnic background, appearance and personality. These differences may make us uncomfortable, so let’s be clear: bigotry in any shape or fashion is ungodly and debilitates God’s work. Whatever doesn’t unite the people of God tears them apart! We all come from the same begin ning: creation. The Bible says that when God had finished creating mankind with all its potential for variety, He declared it “very good!” Genesis 1:31. Ephesians 4:3 focuses on “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” The word endeavoring implies effort. Com mitment. Dedication. Adaptability. The church today is in the throes of rapid change according to Christian researcher George Barna. He points out that in the year 2000, 65 to 70 percent of Americans attributed their spiritual experience to the local church. But by 2025 that number will likely be drastically reduced to as little as 30 percent. He thus prognosticates that by then there will be an even greater diversity of church and religious experi ences throughout America. Barna implies that this change is not a withdrawal from Chris tianity but a shift in how people assimilate it. If that is the case, perhaps the variety in our Seventh-day Adventist Church in Texas makes us better positioned than we thought to reach the society around us. Our diversity could be one of our greatest tools! How vital it is that we foster and develop our unique spiritual gifts! As we face these changes, we have a choice of whether

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to become spiritual morticians trying to maintain appearances or spiritual mentors using our God-given gifts to transform the society around us. It may be time for a spiritual revolution. I like the lyrics of a song by the Newsboys titled “God’s Not Dead.” It says:

Let love explode and bring the dead to life A love so bold

To bring a revolution somehow Now I’m lost in Your freedom

In this world I’ll overcome My God’s not dead

He’s surely alive He’s living on the inside

Roaring like a lion 1

So here we stand, diverse yet dedicated! Ephesians 4:16 reminds us, “the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies [that’s us], according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edi fying of itself in love.” Dedicated work has a way of maturing the participant. As we contribute, we stop tearing down and become accustomed to building up. May God’s Spirit be with us as we push forward toward the mark! _________________

Carlos J. Craig is the president of the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in Alvarado, Texas.

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23 DIVERSE YET DEDICATED | Carlos J. Craig

THE FUTURE IS NOW | Edyn-Mae Stevenson

PRAYER WORKS | Donna E. Starr

ROAD TO DISCIPLESHIP | Ismael Castillo

FINDING HIS PLACE | Darren D. Joseph

NURTURING NATURE | Hector Perez

ON FIRE FOR CHRIST | Marlon Wallace

ORDAINED TO SERVE | Submitted by Families

FILLING THE VOID | Becky St. Clair

CONFERENCE NEWS

YOU MATTER | Kenn L. Dixon

Cover Info: Diversity. It simply means a variety of something. It could be age, ethnicity, gender, physical abilities, political opinions, race, religious beliefs, socio-economic status or viewpoints, just to name a few. Here in the Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, we are embracing our diversity and including everyone as part of the family of God. Photo credit: iStockphoto: FlamingoImages, Jennifer Watson, ValuaVitaly, kitthanes, CoffeeAndMilk, FORGEM