10,000 less Adventists in Australia
By Peter Roennfeldt, pastor, church planter and New Church Life editor

The 2006 Australian census figures provide challenging reading for Christians. Although the population in Australia is growing by over 260,000 per year, the number connecting with Christian churches is in decline. Denominations with stable membership numbers are in fact in rapid decline in relation to population growth. But official church records don’t always provide the best comparison. For example, as many as 10,000 people on the official membership lists of the Adventist church in Australia do not now identify themselves as members – and church attendance is significantly less. While some denominations have not yet embraced church planting as critical to reaching new people (and even denominational survival) – many evangelical leaders now see the urgency of cultivating planting movements. While cautious, most are also encouraging emerging and missional initiatives. For many this is in fact a return to their heritage. Glenn Townend, leader of the Adventist church in Western Australia , sees it this way for Adventism began as a planting movement. At a recent Church Planting Summit in Western Australia a possible vision was floated – 2,000 small missional groups and 200 churches by the year 2020. Such visions are needed and give identity. In Rekindling a Lost Passion Russell Burrill demonstrates that if Adventists were today planting at the 1870s rate, 1,822 new churches would be planted each year in North America alone!

(For more details on 10,000 less Adventists in Australia and the urgency of church planting, visit the New Church Life website at www.newchurchlife.com

'I Have Not Been Accepted By My Family'
By Patrick Falby, Newsweek International

NEWSWEEK's Patrick Falby spoke with Devon, a 30-year-old homosexual who was granted asylum in the United States three years ago, about growing up gay in Jamaica. Devon, who lives in New York and attends a Seventh-day Adventist church, didn't want his last name used for fear of being thrown out of the congregation.. Read the full story.

Cordiality marks Adventist-Presbyterian Conversation
By Jerry Van Marter, Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE — Representatives of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the Seventh-day Adventist Church met Aug. 22-24 to better understand each other's faith, remove stereotypes, and explore areas of possible cooperation. Participants discussed four papers prepared for the gathering on the two traditions' understandings of sola scriptura (biblical authority), law and gospel, and the writings of Adventist theologian Ellen G. White and John Calvin in relation to the two topics. Read the full story.

Arlington Seventh-day Adventist Church Reviewed by Texas Reporter
By William Martin in the Texas Monthly magazine

Earlier this year, reporter William Martin of the Texas Monthly, a magazine read by more than 2,500,000 people each month, visited a worship service at the Arlington, Texas Seventh-day Adventist Church. He recorded many positive observations, including some interesting quotes from a phone call with "rising star" pastor Mike Tucker. In reference to Tucker's theological views, Martin writes:

Though he holds to traditional Adventist doctrines, he admitted, "We see them in a different light. We are more grace-oriented." He added that overemphasis on biblical prophecy and strict behavioral standards had caused Adventists to lose their original focus. "We have missed the gospel," he said. "Some [Adventists] are able to tell you exactly what will happen in the last days but not how to live on Monday morning. We need to do both." Read the whole article.

Who Is Marianne Thieme?

By Julius Nam, editor of Progressive Adventism

Marianne Thieme (pronounced "tea-EM") is a Dutch politician, animal activist and publicist. She is the chairwoman and political leader of the first animal rights party in history that is represented in a national parliament. She was voted Political Talent of the Year 2006 by the Dutchparliamentary press, Most Spicy Politician by women's magazine Viva and Most Influential Woman for Farmer's Incomes by the leading Dutch magazine on agriculture. Marianne has published a book on animal rights ('The Animal's Century') and dozens of articles in Dutch national & regional newspapers on factory farming, hunting, animal testing, bird flu, ritual slaughtering, fur, fisheries and vegetarianism. She also happens to be a Seventh-day Adventist. Read the whole article.

Southern Adventist students step out of classroom to film movie in Ireland
By Angie Herrington, Staff Writer, Chatanooga Times Free Press (8 Sep.2007)

" On shelves at movie rental chains across the country is the new DVD release "Secret of the Cave," a film created by Southern Adventist University with the help of students and faculty.

The family-focused adventure film was shot in Ireland and is the first feature-length film produced by the university...

"Mark Thomas, one of the film's producers and the university's school of visual art and design manager of productions, said the university wanted to tackle the project to give film students hands-on training.

'It's a really awesome idea the way the university had this vision to do a project that would actually give their students experience so when they graduate, they're more marketable,' he said.

Southern chose to pursue "The Secret of the Cave" as its film project in spring 2004, officials said. The film is based on a 1920s children's book of the same name." Read the whole story and view a clip from the movie.

Kevin Novotny as Roy inspects a gravestone as part of his detective work. From Secret of the Cave.

Do Something About Torture
By Monte Sahlin in the Adventist Peace Fellowship blog

Consider showing " Ghosts of Abu Ghraib," documentary video, on your campus or at your local church the week of October 21-28. The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT wants to help communities of faith move beyond an emotional response to the film's intensity (emotions that may include not only grief and anger, but also a sense of helplessness) to a positive and constructive commitment to faithful action.
Read More Here

Motion Picture “Marbles with Thoreau” Set for Pre-Production
~ by Marcel Schwantes, Staff Writer

The latest independent film project to be generating attention is Marbles with Thoreau - a short film currently scheduled for production in May of 2008. It is the brainchild of Melody George (director/writer) and Thomas Wentworth (producer). Both are recent graduates of Southern Adventist University in Chattanooga, TN.

The film captures the spirit and vision of American author, essayist, poet, and philosopher Henry David Thoreau and draws most of its storyline from his classic book Walden. Thoreau’s vision depicted in "Marbles" is a cinematic reminder that happiness truly comes from appreciating what God has given, and embracing a simplicity that leads to a hope greater than anything this world can give us.

Adventist filmmakers living and working in Hollywood are a rare breed. Chasing funding and making ends meet on tight living budgets are a day-today struggle. George understands and has already faced many of those obstacles. Yet her passion for exercising her God-given gift, and her own faith journey continue to drive her ambition further. She shares on her website,

“Thoreau said, ‘Live the life you have imagined.’ Making a film of this kind is pretty much exactly what I've wanted to do since I was a junior in high school. It is my prayer that the making of 'Marbles' be a real-life example of the potential for this statement to be true in someone's life.”

The most recent development as of this news issue is a casting decision for the role of Thoreau as well as the kids - the characters of Ace and Eva Calloway. Having met with George recently over lunch, she let me know that funding this picture is still a work in progress. Almost half of the $25,000 budget has been raised, mostly coming from small private donations. Currently, George and company are looking for corporate or individual sponsors to coming on board in executive-producer roles and completing the budget. They hope to finish fundraising efforts by January so they can move into preproduction and begin shooting in May, 2008.

For more information contact Handwritten Pictures at marblescasting@gmail.com

Or visit the Marbles with Thoreau website: www.marbleswiththoreau.com

Baptists Turn from Public Schools
Yonat Shimron, Staff Writer, The News & Observer

Convinced that God has been erased from public schools, Southern Baptists are now working to open their own schools, where Jesus is writ large and Bible study is part of the daily curriculum. Read More Here

The Christian Message in Lebanon
Journalist Rami Khouri on how the church can foster peace in a troubled region.

Interview by Charles Strohmer in Christianity Today

Khouri makes some interesting observations on the role of the church--and all religious leaders--in resolving political conflicts: Sometimes, it's not just about getting the ear of politicians. Sometimes, the church needs to shame politicians. Go over their heads. The vast majority of people in the Middle East want the same thing. But the politicians are the problem in many ways. So it would be good if various religious leaderships together explored a way to make the moral values of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism more pertinent to the resolution of political conflict. Political leaders need to affirm the relevance of moral and faith values and somehow get them to underpin the political process and negotiations. One way to do that is to get these religious leaders together to explicitly talk about political issues. Read the whole article [Photo is of the Makmal Mountains in Lebanon]

American Idols
By Michael Tennant on LewRockwell.com

"How I wish that Christians who are outraged over the removal of a monument of the Ten Commandments from a courthouse would instead concern themselves with their own fealty to the commandments! If they did, these same conservative Christians would realize that they do indeed worship another god – one that they put on an equal footing with, if not above, the God of the Bible. That god, of course, is the United States government; and the idol of many of these Christians is George W. Bush." Read the whole article.

Afghanistan, Soccer Balls, and Flag Burning
Posted by Ish in The Seminal

The BBC reports that World Cup soccer balls distributed by the US military in Afghanistan have angered some Afghan Muslims. Why? Because the soccer balls include, among many world flags, that of Saudi Arabia, whose flag contains the shahadah, or Islamic declaration of faith: “There is no God but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” Many Muslims view the text on the flag as sacred, and would object to its being kicked around and touching the ground. Read the whole article.

Eco-confessions: Catholic Priest offers a chance to admit your green sins
Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent of The Times

Forgotten to recycle any newspapers or tin cans recently? Feeling guilty because you neglected to carbon offset your flight to somewhere, anywhere, outside England this summer? The Roman Catholic Church is at hand with a new line in “green confessions” to help eco-sinners to find forgiveness. Read the whole article

Southern Baptists Use Motorcycle Ministry to Attract Converts
Reported in FOXNews.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Sometimes it's hard to get bikers and NASCAR fans to dress up and attend church on Sunday morning. So Southern Baptists are taking the Gospel to them, giving away free motorcycles at biker rallies and motor speedways as they try to attract new converts with a revved-up new style of evangelism. Read the Article.

REDBOOK TOUR CONTINUES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

The Southern California tour of the original theatrical play “Redbooks: Our Search for Ellen White” continues throughout September and October 2007. The Adventist Today Foundation is proud to be one of the 2007 Red Books Southern California tour co-hosts along with eight other churches and organizations. Redbooks will be in Glendale on September 16-18, 2007, and Riverside at La Sierra University on October 5–6, 2007. For information concerning Red Book performances, please call 1-800-236-3641 or email atoday@atoday.com.

United Christian Artists Association Host 3rd Annual Music and Worship Conference

In association with the NAD Church RESOURCE Center, the 3rd Annual United Christian Artists (UCAA) Music Conference, “Sounds of the Faithful,” will be held September 27-29, 2007 at the Miracle Temple Adventist Worship Center and Ministry Complex, 100 South Rock Glen Road, Baltimore, MD.

The Vervent Worship Conference will host over 25 workshops for ministers of music, choirs, artists, praise teams, worship coordinators, musicians, technical and creative staff, pastors and elders, liturgical dance and drama teams. Read more here to register for this event.