Jan Paulsen, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church worldwide, said that "when God speaks to us, He tells us that He is bigger than any of the reasons we have to offer as excuses for non-involvement."
Speaking to college students and church members at Caribbean Union College in Trinidad on Sunday, January 28, Jan Paulsen, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church worldwide, said that “when God speaks to us, He tells us that He is bigger than any of the reasons we have to offer as excuses for non-involvement.”
Addressing issues of responsibility as Christians in the service of communities in which the church exists, Paulsen said, “God is particularly good at taking that which is bruised, broken—soiled and rejected vessels—and making it whole, forgiven, and useful again.”
Paulsen explained that such is “the heart of the gospel, forgiven, restored, made new, made useful to God.” He appealed to “let yourself be fully involved—don’t exclude yourself. Let yourself be drawn into the life and mission of the church.”
The convocation brought together more than 1,000 participants of a special church convocation in a college with 800 students, celebrating some 75 years of educational service.
During his first visit to Guyana, Trinidad, and Tobago as world church president, Paulsen was told of the involvement of the church in fulfilling its mission in the Caribbean. The church is present in a variety of activities including education, health care, and community services, and addresses acute social problems such as HIV/AIDS, domestic violence and crime prevention.
On Friday, January 26, Paulsen, accompanied by Israel Leito, president of the Inter-American region, and local church leaders, was received by Hon. Basdeo Panday, prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, and paid a courtesy call on His Excellency Arthur N.R. Robinson, president of the country. Before returning to Trinidad and Tobago, Paulsen made a short visit to Guyana where he was received by the country’s Head of State, His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, and attended a civic reception at the City Hall in Georgetown.
At the City Hall reception Paulsen said that although the church is primarily a spiritual, confessing community, “we are not only creatures of a spiritual environment. We also have an interest in all the issues, all the elements that deal with quality of life.”
“We are interested in everything that shapes the way we live. We not only owe it to ourselves but also in making a brighter future for our children,” he said.
During the State meetings in Guyana and Trinidad/Tobago, the church leaders addressed issues which are of current interest to Seventh-day Adventists, including access to education, humanitarian and health service, and the role that the church plays as a partner in the communities it serves. The state officials expressed their appreciation for the work of the church in their countries and spoke of the value of the church’s moral teachings for the society at large.
On Saturday [Sabbath], January 27, more than 5,000 Seventh-day Adventists attended the all-day convocation at the Sophia Exhibition Center outside of Georgetown.
