From The Director’s Desk
In this Issue I bring to your attention a question many of us have or will wrestle with, “Should we accept gifts from non-SDA’s?”
GIFTS FROM FRIENDS OF THE CHURCH
More specifically, those who are not members yet.
In 1923 Ellen White recorded:
“I have repeatedly been shown that we might receive far more favors than we do in many ways if we would approach men in wisdom, acquaint them with our work, and give them an opportunity of doing those things which it is our privilege to induce them to do for the advancement of the work of God.”—“Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers” pp. 202, 203.
When Ellen White uses the word REPEATEDLY, it gets my attention. This must be a topic that God wants His church to understand in the last days of earth’s history.
“The Lord God of Israel has placed His goods in the hands of unbelievers, but they are to be used in favor of doing the works that must be done for a fallen world. The agents through whom these gifts come, may open up avenues through which the truth may go. They may have no sympathy with the work, and no faith in Christ, and no practice in His words; but their gifts are not to be refused on that account.…” White, E.G. (1940). “Counsels on Stewardship” pp. 183-184.
Scripture Examples
Examples from scripture may be found in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem and the wall around the city. God spoke of what he would do through the prophet Isaiah 150 years before Cyrus conquered Babylon and many years before he was born.
“I say to Cyrus, You are the one who will rule for me; you will do what I want you to do: you will order that Jerusalem be rebuilt and that the foundations of the Temple be laid.” Isaiah 44:28 GNB
“They finished building as the God of Israel had ordered and as Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes (the kings of Persia) had ordered.
Then the emperor Artaxerxes gave Nehemiah the command to rebuild the wall around the city of Jerusalem. Ezra 6:14
Nehemiah 2:8 GNB. The emperor gave me all I asked for, because God was with me.
“Nehemiah did not depend upon uncertainty. The means that he lacked he solicited from those who were able to bestow. And the Lord is still willing to move upon the hearts of those in possession of His goods, on behalf of the cause of truth. Those who labor for Him are to avail themselves of the help that He prompts men to give. These gifts may open ways by which the light of truth shall go to many benighted lands. The donors may have no faith in Christ, no acquaintance with His word; but their gifts are not on this account to be refused.”—White, E.G. “Prophets and Kings” p. 634.
This second temple in Jerusalem that was built by the command and financial support of three heathen and gentile kings and was honored by the physical presence of Jesus many years later. In this temple, the Creator God of the Universe walked, taught, and healed.
“God’s work is now to advance rapidly, and if His people will respond to His call, He will make the possessors of property willing to donate of their means, and thus make it possible for His work to be accomplished in the earth. … …faith in the word of God will place His people in the possession of property which will enable them to work the large cities that are waiting for the message of truth.”—White, E.G. “Testimonies for the Church” [1] 9:pp. 272, 273.
Current Gifts from outside the church
In April 2016, at the Eric B. Hare Academy, the official name of Southeast Adventist Seminary (SEAS), located in Myanmar (formerly Burma), the faculty witnessed God working on the hearts of men of influence. One school had been lost in the past to the government, which took it and made the Seventh-day Adventists leave. Through generous [2] gifts from around the world, a new location was purchased, and a new school was subsequently built.
The week before this story, the government had taken land from an Anglican church to build a pagoda. So, when the general’s entourage rolled into Eric B Hare Academy (SEAS), the faculty was terrified of what they imagined was in store for them. The general asked to speak with the principal of the school. When introduced, the general asked for a tour of the campus. Dhayhtoo Sein, principal of Eric B. Hare Academy, was seeking God for wisdom, just like Nehemiah. At the end of the tour, the general asked what some of the needs of the school were. Again, Dhayhtoo prayed for wisdom from God and told the general about some of the urgent needs of the school. The general went to his vehicle and came back with a gift of $1,000 to help with some of the needs of Eric B Hare Academy. The school used these funds to bore a well that would provide ample clean water to the campus. God is still moving on the hearts of important persons, even in our day.
Word of Caution
“We should become acquainted with men in high places, and by exercising the wisdom of the serpent, and the harmlessness of the dove, we might obtain advantage from them, for God would move upon their minds to do many things in behalf of His people. If proper persons would set before those who have means and influence, the needs of the work of God in a proper light, these men might do much to advance the cause of God in our world. We have put away from us privileges and advantages that we might have had the benefit of, because we chose to stand independent of the world. But we need not sacrifice one principle of truth while taking advantage of every opportunity to advance the cause of God.”—White, E.G. “Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers”, pp 197, 198.
The gifts that God has moved on the hearts of humanity to give to support His mission on earth will not require compromise to receive.
How can we be prepared?
We need to pray that God will bring us into contact with the people of influence with whom the Holy Spirit is working in their hearts. As gift planners for God and His church, we need to be in tune with what the needs and past accomplishments of our organizations are. Take a moment to write down five things your organization has done in the last 12 months that have benefited the community. Then, write down a list of five needs, if filled, that would enhance the community benefit. Keep these lists up-to-date continually. Then be prepared for God to use you to build a relationship with these people of influence in your community.
Emphasis was supplied.