HOME / PROCLAMATION! MAGAZINE / 2012 / FALL / MINISTRY NEWS SUMMER CONFERENCE
F A L L • 2 0 1 2
VOLUME 13, ISSUE 3
D E P A R T M E N T S
MINISTRY News
The first Michigan Former Adventist Fellowship (FAF) conference is a memory, but the warmth and excitement we experienced at The Chapel remain bright. The meetings convened on Friday, July 27, and concluded on Sunday after lunch at Papa Vino’s restaurant in St. Joseph, Michigan. Attendees hailed from Alberta, Georgia, Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Nebraska, Texas, Washington, and California, and the fellowship was memorable.
Coordinator Carolyn Macomber welcomed us, and senior pastor Phil Bubar opened the weekend with a talk entitled “It’s How You View the Blood”, concluding with a lively exchange of stories and experiences from the audience which continued past the benediction into the evening.
Saturday’s topics began with assistant pastor Corey Kugle’s presentation entitled “Scripture Is Inerrant/Canon Is Closed”. Colleen Tinker presented “Sabbath Matters” next, and Ben McPhaull closed the morning with “How To Study the Bible”. We ate boxed lunches from Subway before reconvening for the afternoon when Colleen Tinker presented two topics: “The Great Controversy Matters” and “Spirit Matters”.
A supper of lasagna, garlic bread, and salad as well as snacks throughout the day were provided by Chapel members who were part of a hospitality ministry at the church. The evening ended with communion led by Phil Bubar and testimonies from those attending.
After attending church at The Chapel on Sunday, those of us who were still in town met in a private room for a delicious lunch of Italian food. The time there was punctuated by an unforgettable gift. One of the attendees, a 21-year-old voice major who had just received Jesus last February and was leaving Adventism in spite of the extreme opposition of her family, sang two songs a cappella for us—songs which she had sung frequently within Adventism but which were completely new to her now: “It Is Well With My Soul” and “Blessed Assurance”. There were no dry eyes in that room while she sang and fought back her own tears as she celebrated her new joy in Jesus that transcended the pain of her losses.
Sunday night convened the first of two nights of meetings directed toward the local Christian community: “Adventism and Christianity Compared”. Carolyn Macomber opened the evening with a talk defining Christianity and the ways Adventism does not fit the definition. She defined Christianity as needing the biblical gospel as defined in 2 Corinthians 15:1-4: Jesus died according to Scripture; He was buried, and He was raised to life on the third day according to Scripture. Moreover, Christianity must have the correct Jesus as defined in John 1:1-4. Adventism has another gospel and a different Jesus.
In the middle of her presentation she played a clip of Dwight Nelson, senior pastor of Pioneer Memorial Church at Andrews University, declaring that Allah is creator-God and the Koran has all the seeds of truth. Following the clip she stood beside the podium and said with great intensity: “Allah never had a son named Jesus.” The audience was completely silent, incredibly impacted.
Ben McPhaull then presented a talk on Ellen White and showed how we know she is a false prophet, and the evening closed with a Q & A period. The second night Colleen Tinker presented talks on the Great Controversy worldview and on the common arguments for the Sabbath, showing from Scripture how the typical Adventist arguments are invalid. Another Q & A session ended this meeting as well.
On Monday night, when the crowd was about 50 instead of the 100 of the previous evening, the spiritual tension was palpable. One member of The Chapel told us after the meeting, “I could feel the spiritual tension in the room; I know what you are up against. That is the reason there were so few people here tonight.” In spite of the intensity of the exhausting dynamics, it was nonetheless affirming to have a Christian brother confirm what we had been experiencing and to understand the spiritual reality behind Adventism.
In spite of the spiritual dynamics, however, one Adventist man placed his faith in Jesus and was born again after the Sunday evening meeting. With his face full of joy, he brought his still-Adventist wife on Monday.
LAM board member Cheryl Granger and her husband Woody travelled with us to this FAF weekend, and they were supportive and helpful in the details of the entire weekend. While we were there, the four of us visited the Battle Creek Heritage Village and also went with Carolyn Macomber and the McPhaulls to the campus of Andrews University where we saw the Garden of Grace which represents the presence of God within the Ten Commandments. We also looked at the enigmatic sculpture of the falling cross near the garden, the sculpture called “Regeneration” outside the biology building representing the four medieval elements water, earth, fire, and wind with DNA emerging from them, and we spent some time in the heritage library where there are pictures and prophetic beasts dating from the early years of Adventism.
The weekend was intense but rewarding, and Carolyn has said that, God willing, she plans to make this Michigan FAF an annual event! †
Carolyn Macomber was the organizer of the conference. She spoke on the historical background of Seventh-day Adventism on Sunday during the public meetings, “Christianity and Adventism Compared”.
The Q & A panel on Sunday evening included Richard Tinker, moderator, and Colleen Tinker, Carolyn Macomber, Ben McPhaull, and Phil Bubar.
Copyright 2012 Life Assurance Ministries, Inc., Casa Grande, Arizona, USA. All rights reserved. Revised October 2, 2012. Contact email: proclamation@gmail.com
…one Adventist man placed his faith in Jesus and was born again after the Sunday evening meeting. With his face full of joy, he brought his still-Adventist wife on Monday.
John Scheuneman, from The Chapel, led worship during the FAF Conference.
Rolaant and Mildred McKenzie came from central Michigan. Rolaant, a librarian and researcher, was influential in helping Richard Tinker begin to see the problems with Ellen White during the mid-90’s when they were both members of the email list SDANet during the early days of the internet.
Aaron and Kelsie Petersen and their sons attended the conference on their way home to Alberta, Canada, after a family vacation.
Delina McPhaull from Texas, Dana Kendall from Washington, and Esther Aust from Michigan, enjoyed a real-time reunion after several years of staying in touch online.
Ben McPhaull, Delina’s husband, taught “How To Study the Bible” and also presented a talk on Ellen White.
The Chapel’s senior pastor Phil Bubar was a featured speaker during the conference.
Woody and Cheryl Granger travelled with Richard and Colleen Tinker to help facilitate the conference.
Colleen and Richard Tinker helped facilitate the conference. Colleen also gave talks on the great controversy and the Sabbath.
Photos by Delina McPhaull