Follow the Bible
Follow The Bible
"Follow the Bible" is on its two-year journey around the world. It began the trip in Manila in 2008 and will finish in Atlanta at the General Conference Session in 2010.
"Follow the Bible" is an initiative sponsored by the General Conference to stimulate a deeper interest in reading the Bible. It features a multi-language Bible traveling to countries around the world and large international gatherings.
The major objective of the General Conference administration is to inspire millions of Seventh-day Adventists to further Bible study. Recent surveys indicate that less than 50 percent of the church membership is regularly studying the Bible. "Follow the Bible" has the possibility of re-igniting the desire to study God's word. It has the possibility of lifting the average church member to new heights of spirituality through God's word.
"The Seventh-day Adventist Church must rediscover the value of reading this book. Too many of our own people do not spend time on a regular basis with this Word and we suffer for it. This is a commitment that we will make the Word of God more central in our lives.," says Pastor Jan Paulsen, President of the Seventh-day Adventist World Church.
What if all 16 million Seventh-day Adventists were faithfully studying God's Word each day?
What if they were discovering Jesus personally in His Word? What if they had a new vital experience with our Lord? God would pour out His Spirit in abundance and we would see an explosion of witnessing and evangelism like the church has never seen.
Heather-Dawn Small (right), GCWM
director and Raquel Arrais, GCWM
associate director hold the Bible
that has been translated in 66 different
languages. The Bible will travel around
the world as part of an initiative to
promote Bible study. For more information,
visit www.followthebiblesda.com
How Can I Become Involved?
- Start with you. Put the Bible first in your life. We can not give what we do not posses. Make it a commitment.
- Have a plan, a systematic approach to your study. Do it individually or invite a friend to read the Bible together.
- Make it a priority by scheduling it into your daily agenda. Allow God to interrupt you to be with Him during the day.
- Have a journal or a notebook close to you to write insights from your study.
- Meditate on a text. During the day memorize key verses and ask God to teach you in His way.
- Conclude with prayer.
May God's blessings be upon you as you follow the Bible and living out the command: "Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed." Joshua 1:8 (NLT)
Focus on the News
FOCUS ON THE NEWS
General Conference Women's Ministries Launches
New Web Site
In the Women's' Ministries Department we have many reasons to celebrate: God is good and He has blessed us with many accomplishments over this last year. One of our projects at the beginning of the 2008 was to redesign our web site in order to have something up-dated and fresh with new tools to helpyou, our public, get the information they need.
Today we are happy to announce the launching of our new web site. The new design is set to aid in the integration of news, advertisement, inspiration for you, and information between us.
We invite you to visit our new address http://women.adventist.org and have a walk through the pages. We know that you will be blessed by clicking the "Touch of Joy" page as you receive inspiration for your new day, or going to our newsletters and be touched by the work women are doing all over the world to tell people about Jesus.
We hope that the new GCWM web site brings not only information and
connection, but also a reason to "Touch a Heart and Tell the World."
Revival Seminars for Women's and Children's Ministries
Khartoum, Sudan, Middle East Union, Trans-European Division
Early in October, the Women's and Children's Ministries leaders from eight Seventh-day Adventist churches in Khartoum gathered for a series of revival seminars to train them in effective leadership; methods in how to strengthen their self-esteem, and ultimately, how to utilize their talents for effective evangelism across all age groups.
Touring the vast northern and southern regions of Sudan during her visit, Aranka Bajic, Women's and Children's Ministries Director in the Middle East, led out in a variety of seminars in which she explained how to apply the principles of church programs such as the Gracelink (Sabbath School material for children). "Gracelink helps us using different styles when giving Bible studies to children," says Sarah Napagi, Women's and Children's Ministries leader for the northern regions of Sudan.
"There was also good interaction during the Women's Ministries programs as everyone, even men, got involved in asking questions at the large Kalakala Church," says Napagi. "The largest women's group in Khartoum, which is visiting and witnessing, are the women at Kalakala Church.
Claudia, a middle-aged, visually impaired woman, has a strong spirit and influences many lives," says Napagi. "She has brought a number of women into the church where she lives in Jebel Aulia."
Sarah Napagi continues, "We have been enriched a lot and we promise that, by God's grace, we shall implement what Bajic has imparted to us. We want to find our vision, God's plans for us, and our special talents to be able to glorify His name."
-News/TED News Staff/TED News
New Year's Greetings 2009
INSPIRATION FOR YOU
New Year's Greetings 2009
We have come to the time of beginning again. The New Year stands before us as a great white canvas. We will be professional painters so long as the Master Artist is with us to guide our hands. Our God has helped others before us make life beautiful. He can do as much or more for us in 2009.
Press On
Heather-Dawn Small
My dear sisters, it is with a heart overflowing with thanks and praise to God that I wish for each of you a joyful and blessed 2009. The joys and sorrows of 2008 are behind us and like Paul we can say, "Forgetting those things that are behind...we press forward..." (Philippians 3:13). The New Year lies ahead, untried and unknown, but we serve a God who knows the beginning from the end and we can safely and joyfully step into this New Year knowing that He goes before us and with us. So, my sisters, press on, always looking to Jesus who has given each of us a "high calling" in Him.
Rejoice
Raquel Arrais
As Seventh-day Adventist women, we have every reason to rejoice. God is in heaven, Christ is interceding, and we are God's daughters. In this brand new year, we can put our trust in Him, the omnipotent One who never leaves us.
As you begin the New Year, no matter how busy you are, set a time to thank God for His loving care, His power, and for all the things He has done for you.
May the words of Paul guide our hearts as we face 2009 with hope and confidence that God is with us: "and let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also, you were called in one body; and be thankful" (Colossians 3:15).
Happy New Year to all of you and many blessings along the way as we work, pray, and praise together during 2009.
Listen Patiently
Melanie Strahle
God loves us dearly and He wants to know us intimately. My challenge to you this year is to communicate more with God. Not only should we be talking to Him, but we need to take time to listen too. God is our true friend and we must treat our relationship with Him like we do with any other friend. In prayer, ask God to reveal His will for you and then listen patiently for His response. God speaks to us in creative ways. Sometimes we are so busy in life, and we demand an answer from God right away, but it is important to take time to pray and then be silent and listen. He is there waiting to guide us and impress our hearts. Proverbs 1:33: "But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm." This year, take more time to listen to God and you may be surprised by what you hear.
Be Thankful
Judith Mwansa
The famous song says, "Count your blessings; name them one by one." If each one of us took time to reflect over the way God has led us since the beginning of this year, all of us would have a long list of things for which we are grateful. For example, God has given us life; I personally can think of many blessings including the following in addition to being alive: Our son completed college, the entire family is in good health, I have had one more year of working with the great team of Women Ministries, etc. The Bible tells us this: "In everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thess. 5:18). As we come to the end of this year and as we enter a New Year, take time to give thanks to the Lord. With the Psalmist, continue to sing the song, "Give thanks to the Lord, His love endures forever" (Ps. 107:1). Best wishes for the New Year!
Touch a Heart, Tell the World: We Have This Hope
Touch a Heart, Tell the World
"We Have This Hope"
A word widely written, read, and talked about these days is the word "crisis." One can hardly turn on the radio, the TV, or pick up the newspaper without being showered by the idea of impending chaos. But for God's children, who believe in the present truth and trust in His loving care, this is an opportunity to witness and to share with others the hope we have.
We Believe the Time is Here,
When the Nations Far and Near
Shall Awake, and Shout and Sing
Hallelujah Christ is King
Last week I had the privilege to lead in devotion a group of women from many different denominations, most from varied Christian backgrounds. As I asked God to show me what to say I was impressed to share about the "Hope that burns within our hearts: Hope in the coming of the Lord."
Then God showed me a loved Christian hymn written by Horatio Spafford in 1873 during the worst crisis of his life: "It Is Well With My Soul. The words of this beautiful hymn did not focus on the crisis of the loss of his four daughters, his son, and his assets, but it focused on God's salvation and the hope of His soon return. I shared that story as part of the message of hope in His coming and we sang it together. After the devotion was over, every woman present praised God and shared with me how touched they were by the message of hope amidst the impending crisis.
We Have This Hope not to be selfishly locked within our hearts, but to be freely shared and spread like a burning fire that will consume all fear and despair. May we have the courage to take each opportunity and be His loving voice announcing the hope of His coming.
by Katia Reinert who is currently working in the Health Ministries
department at Washington Adventist Hospital in Takoma Park, Maryland
Prayer Corner
- "Follow the Bible"
- Wisdom and courage for all WM leaders
- Hope to those in need
- International Day of Prayer
Calendar
- February 1: Division Statistical Reports due to GCWM Office
- March 7: International Women's Day of Prayer
- March 8: International Women's Day
