HOME / PROCLAMATION! MAGAZINE / 2009 / MARCH/APRIL / FORMER ADVENTIST FELLOWSHIP WEEKEND 2009

The fourth annual Former Adventist Fellowship Weekend, Submitting to the Word, both inspired and nourished those who attended and participated. The conference opened on a stormy Friday evening, February 13, with a meeting to which the public was invited. Sharon Strum assisted by her husband Scott, Jamie Rabenstein, Sarah Schumacher, and Roy Tinker led worship, followed by Brian Cain of Yucaipa, California, sharing his story of coming to faith in Jesus at last year's Former Adventist Fellowship weekend. Shirley Burton from Winnipeg, Manitoba, delivered a report of the ways she has reached out to evangelical pastors in her city to inform them about the reality of Adventism and its public evangelistic crusades.

Paul Carden, executive director of the Centers for Apologetics Research, was the keynote speaker for the evening. Paul originally worked with the late Walter Martin at the Christian Research Institute and co-hosted the radio show, The Bible Answer Man, with Martin for six years. Carden was direct and honest, confessing his long reluctance to investigate Adventism but explaining his growing conviction that he needed to understand what it was beneath the public veneer. He outlined the subtle web of Adventist evangelism and the ways it preys on new Christians, both in North America and in foreign countries.

Carden compared Adventist evangelistic organizations with the mythical many-headed hydra and concluded, "Because of Walter Martin's generous judgment on behalf of Adventism, we find far too many people not taking it seriously as a heretical system of doctrine, a threat to Christian faith and witness, and a people to be evangelized… But we are called to discern and maintain the boundaries of our fellowship, and the Christian church has lost tremendous ground by partnering with the Adventist church in far too many venues."

The evening ended with a Q & A session addressed by a panel comprised of Paul Carden, Dale Ratzlaff, Greg Taylor, and Colleen Tinker moderated by Jonathan Bilima.

Saturday began with breakfast at 7:00 AM followed by Gary Inrig, senior pastor of Trinity Church, teaching from 2 Corinthians 11 for the morning devotional. He emphasized our need to be on guard against putting up with "fools" and "false brothers" who infiltrate the body of Christ and teach false doctrines. After lunch, Carolyn Ratzlaff shared her faith story, and Dale Ratzlaff gave the next general session entitled, "Living the Eternal Kind of Life".

During most of the rest of the day, attendees could choose from a variety of classes and breakout sessions. The classes in the Christianity.EDU track included a session given by Trinity's worship pastor Bill Born on "How Biblical Worship Confronts Fear, Doubt, and Depression" in which he emphasized the Psalms and worship songs as means of internalizing and expressing the truth not only of our own feelings but also of God's faithfulness to restore and redeem. Elizabeth Inrig, Trinity's pastor for women's ministries and an adjunct professor at Talbot Seminary, taught a class entitled "In the Image of God: Implications for Death and Eternity" in which she showed that what the Bible tells us about Jesus' experience of death and resurrection is the pattern of our certain future, and we can know that we, like Jesus was, will be with God when we die and will come back to life with glorified bodies. Jon Rittenhouse, an adjunct professor at Biola University and a 30-year Campus Crusade for Christ campus mentor, taught in the afternoon. "Does God Always Keep His Promises?" was the title of his talk, and as usual he challenged his class with truths about God's faithfulness and sovereignty.

Breakout sessions included Dale Ratzlaff teaching on "The Time of Trouble", Greg and Paula Taylor discussion "Transitioning Out of Adventism", Martin Cary sharing his amateur astronomer's research on "Opening Orion", Jonathan Bilima and Pauline Deeb addressing "Life After Adventism", and Richard and Colleen Tinker presenting "The Spirit of Adventism: overcoming the grief, doubt, and loss of leaving Adventism".

Greg Taylor spoke on "Christ Our Substitute" and led the group in communion and a time of sharing on Saturday night, and Paula Taylor gave her faith story.

Sunday morning Dale Ratzlaff gave his final talk, "Deliverance from bondage—our victory in Christ", at 8:00 AM, and afterward weekend attendees attended Trinity's church service and heard Gary Inrig preach from James 2:14-26, the "faith without works is dead" passage that is iconic for many Adventists. It looked completely different from a new covenant perspective. Former Adventist Esther Shu and her husband Stanford hosted a farewell dinner in their home following church, and many of the conference attendees found it hard to say good-bye after the richness and warmth of the weekend.

A group of five women from Trinity Church—Thais Kanold, LynnRae Dupree, Rebekah Morgan, Sarah Beth Mollner, and Jennifer Simmons—who have no connection with Adventism—took charge of preparing and serving food for the weekend. Their presence, commitment, and the delicious meals surprised and impressed many who attended; the idea of members of the body of Christ sacrificing a weekend and reaching out to help as an act of love and service with no personal ulterior motive was startling to many.

Trinity's pastor of community Steve Springsted and his secretary Ann Mixon also deserve warm thanks for their facilitation of the weekend.

Participants during the weekend included a spectrum of people who have been out of Adventism and involved in the body of Christ for years to people who are still Adventists. One attendee said, "FAF Weekend is appropriate for the curious SDA as well as for the former SDA. I hope and pray that the FAF Weekend will happen again next year and that many more people will be able to attend."

Audio and video files of the weekend's presentations are available at FormerAdventist.com. †

This banner welcomed the participants as they arrived at Trinity Church.

Paul Carden delivers the opening talk of the 2009 FAF Weekend on Friday, February 13, at 7:00 PM.

After the farewell luncheon on Sunday, February 15, special prayer was offered for Richard and Colleen Tinker and Dale and Carolyn Ratzlaff.

Gary Inrig, senior pastor at Trinity Church, taught from 2 Corinthians 11.

Sharon Strum and her praise band leads worship at the evening communion service.

Martin Carey led a breakout session entitled, "Opening Orion".

Greg and Paula Taylor led a breakout session on transitioning out of Adventism.

Bill Born, worship pastor at Trinity Church, discussing how biblical worship counteracts fear, doubt, and depression.

Jon Rittenhouse led a Christianity.EDU session on God's faithfulness to keep His promises.

Dale Ratzlaff lead a breakout session on the Time of Trouble.

Rebekah Morgan, LynnRae Dupree, and Sarah Beth Mollner from Trinity Church were part of the hospitality team for the weekend.

Carolyn Ratzlaff gave her faith story on Saturday after lunch.

Pauline Deeb and Jonathan Bilima led a session entitled, "Life After Adventism".

MARCH/APRIL 2009
VOLUME 10, ISSUE 2

A R T I C L E S

4th Annual Former Adventist Fellowship Weekend