Tough Times Require Personal Engagement, Adventist Church President Says

The current tough and challenging times we are living in demand that we answer personally God’s call to share His last-day message, said Ted N. C. Wilson, Seventh-day Adventist Church president. Wilson’s remarks were part of his keynote sermon during the Adventist Virtual Global Campmeeting on May 22, 2021. 

The May 19-23 around-the-clock event, the first of its kind for the Adventist Church, has prompted thousands of church members to log in to worship, learn, and connect. Wilson’s pre-recorded message included three different salutations to the members of the three major regions of the world — Asia-Pacific, Euro-Africa, and the Americas — which connected to the event at various times.

The Uniqueness of this Moment

Wilson reminded Adventist members that “it is a privilege for us to worship God together as one heartbeat” during the Adventist Global Virtual Camp Meeting. “Although the COVID-19 pandemic has isolated so many during this unusual time, God brings us together electronically and, most importantly, through the power of the Holy Spirit binding us together,” Wilson said.

Church members following the Saturday (Sabbath) program were reminded of God’s call “to be part of God’s worldwide work” even during these difficult days. “God calls all of us during this time of intense stress,” Wilson said. “People have lost their jobs; people are fighting COVID-19 or some other illness, people have become discouraged with all the restrictions placed on them. Frustrations have developed in families and with others, people have become depressed, [and] many people have lost hope.”

These difficult times are nevertheless an opportunity to praise God, Wilson emphasized. “To know that God will lead us step-by-step, as he has been doing, is cause for praise to our Lord and coming King,” he said. “We are God’s remnant people under His care.”

A Message and a Mission

As His remnant people, Wilson said, we have a message and a mission. “God is calling for you to be part of an amazing outreach in proclaiming the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14,” he emphasized, referencing three special messages that, according to the Bible, God sends the world through His human messengers just before His second coming.

It is a call to be a vital part of God’s last day proclamation, Wilson said. And the Lord wants to use everyone, “a man or a woman, a boy or a girl, a teenager, to be an example,” he added, “someone who is completely committed to Jesus Christ and wholly allows the Holy Spirit to work in [his or her] life in a powerful and wonderful way.”

Isaiah’s Answer … and Ours

As part of his sermon, Wilson discussed God’s call to Isaiah and the latter affirmative answer recorded in the Bible in Isaiah 6. Wilson said that just like what happened to the Old Testament prophet, difficult times are moments to step up and stand for God. In the light of “so many challenges that we’re facing; uncertainty and an unknown future humanly speaking, God is calling you to share with others the wonderful, good news that Christ has a way of escape for all of us and that soon He is coming to take us home to be with Him,” Wilson said.

Based on “I Will Go,” an initiative of the worldwide Adventist Church to get every church member involved in reaching the world, Wilson said God is inviting each one of us to collaborate with Him. “God wants you to be involved,” Wilson emphasized. “He could have asked the angels to do the work…but He decided that we needed that participation in His whole plan of salvation. What a blessing it is to be part of it!”

He added that through the Holy Spirit’s promptings, every one of us is invited to follow Isaiah’s lead by telling God, “Lord, yes, use me. I will go. I will do whatever I can with the talents You have given me.” 

To watch Wilson’s entire message, visit Pr Ted Wilson – Sabbath Sermon: “I WILL GO” [Global Campmeeting]