I remember back in elementary school having to stand up in class (while still groggy and half asleep) to recite these words:

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

I never really gave much thought to these words but these days, “justice for all” is taking on a great meaning for me. When I think about justice, my mind usually goes straight to the Jesus’ mission found in Isaiah 61: “To heal the brokenhearted, and set the captives free…” Ever since I was a child, I’ve resonated with the principle of justice in the context of defending the broken, the needy, the poor and the abused.

I wanted to do something about the injustice.

I wanted to contribute.

I wanted to change things!

I wanted to be like Superman who stood for truth and justice.

I sensed God offering us a chance to trust Him more than we had. I wanted to attempt something that could …
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After completing the four month Cornerstone Program this past December, eight of us graduates were asked to be a part of the new ARISE Internship Program . Each of us were assigned to a project in the Eugene and Springfield area. I, along with three others, was assigned to the University of Oregon to make connections with people interested in studying the Bible and learning more about the gospel. This could potentially lead to planting a church on campus someday.

After learning of our assignment, we set out to explore the university and become familiar with the campus. After receiving some information about starting student groups and wandering around with the team for a little bit, I strayed over to a radical environmentalist meeting called “The Survival Center.” I curiously looked around at the array of literature and pamphlets that were organized on bookshelves and surveyed the room strewn with banners, provocative protest signs and various themes displayed to awaken the attention to serious problems in the world. I could tell without even meeting the group that these people were all …
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A large part of Light Bearers’ history is publishing literature to send around the world. This video provides a small glimpse of how this work has impacted us and the lives of those abroad.

To learn more about the publishing work, visit our publishing page .

It was my last night of cafeteria food. The next morning I would be leaving ICAP (ECAP) and saying “adios” to the hundreds of young people who had listened to me preach for the last 18 nights. A table of students motioned me over. I recognized two of the girls who had just given the special music. They shared their unsolicited testimonies about the impact of the meetings and when the tears began to fall I realized what God had wrought.

At first I wasn’t sold out for Guatemala. Some friends wanted me to go more than I did, but it seemed like a great opportunity for my wife and daughter to be with me in the mission field. They would be working with the dental team and handing out clothes and goodies in the villages. Kierra even ended up pulling a tooth.

In addition, this outreach gave Light Bearers an opportunity to send a container of newly translated Spanish literature to Guatemala through Water for Life . As it turns out, Guatemala is hungry for literature and before leaving we laid plans …
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The world is filled with human beings, nearly seven billion of them. But we are not a nameless mass of humanity. We are, rather, a community of totally distinct individuals who are each one intimately by God. Each one has a name, a history, and a unique collection of sorrows and joys, traumas and triumphs. I want to introduce to you a man named Benzu and a women named Irene. While they did not know one another, I met each of them in Zambia on the same day. This is the simple story of how their lives were impacted by the literature of Light Bearers. Enjoy!

Video courtesy of Daniel A. Webber .

In order that the work may go forward in all its branches, God calls for youthful vigor, zeal and courage. He has chosen the youth to aid in the advancement of His cause. To plan with clear mind and execute with courageous hand demands fresh, uncrippled energies. . . that through the exercise of their powers, through keen thought and vigorous action, they may bring glory to Him and salvation to their fellow-men – Gospel Workers, p. 67.

I’ve had an unshakable burden for Europe for over a decade now. I’ve just never been able to accept the sad and ironic reality that the birthplace of the Protestant Reformation is now so tragically spiritually dormant. The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Europe is not exempt from the desperate need for revival. The church in France, I would say, is high on the “needy” list.

Thankfully, God is privy to this need. Though few in number, there is a new wave of on fire Adventist young people there, and they are beginning to make some noise. A group of nine young adults …
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The ninth four-month Cornerstone class has come and gone. It’s hard to believe we’ve been at this for nearly a decade! Every class is special, I’ll be the first to insist on that. What made 2011’s class so special? I think it was a combination of several things, but two in particular come to mind. Let me share them with you.

First of all, the 2011 class is the first class we’ve ever conducted at our very own facility! Over the years, we’ve rented furnished corporate housing or summer camp facilities from other denominations, but not this year. This year we were in the new ARISE campus located in Jasper, Oregon. The facility, a former boarding academy, is absolutely perfect for our needs and the needs of our students. To be sure, we were saddened to hear of the academy’s closure; there can be no rejoicing when a Seventh-day Adventist institution closes its doors. The academy board, however, was persuaded that the time was right. We did not encourage their decision, but we did support it once it was made.

You …
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Even though it’s happened, I still can hardly believe it.

We merged. We moved. We’re here.

After months of conversing, praying, thinking, and planning, it happened. And, again, I still can hardly believe it. But here’s the good news, no great news: it’s going so much better than I thought it would. Being a perennial optimist, my hopes were high—sky high—and somehow my expectations have been exceeded. It’s comforting to know that I’m not alone in either my optimism or evaluation. The whole team is singing the same song.

Undeniably, this is a God thing.

You don’t just merge two long-standing ministries—complete with established ways of doing things, strong personalities, successful histories, and future plans—without incident. It just doesn’t happen; it can’t happen.

Until it does.

So here we are. The transition has been more than seamless, it’s been downright fun, exhilarating even. Already many of the “pros” we talked about prior to merging are materializing: joint projects, synergistic brainstorming, spirited fellowship, and directional planning. The future is looking bright, and the present is already pure joy. Hardly a day …
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July 1, 2011 was a day of new beginnings for Light Bearers and ARISE. It was the end of two separate ministries and the beginning of one. And from that day to this, we have experienced unrelenting unity, fellowship, and synergy.

One of the things I most appreciate about the ARISE team is their youthful enthusiasm for God’s work and how it permeates every aspect of their lives. While holding tenaciously to the core truths, they are not inhibited by old traditions. The free and easy style of these young energetic workers allows them to reach the many youth who struggle with out-dated formalism.

New challenges are sure to surface when a team of experienced but youthful talent combine with “older” workers—Ty and I are almost 50 and are preparing to get carded when inquiring about senior discounts!—yet the transition has been surprisingly free of difficulty. A spirit of unity and purpose pervades as we move forward to chisel out new goals and directions for the now-combined ministry.

Yes, great challenges lie ahead as Satan is sure to do all …
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I thought I was excited about Jesus. I thought I was in love with the Gospel. I thought I was passionate about the Word. But then I preached my first sermon to a room packed with 400 young people from all over Nepal, India and even Tibet.

It was the Nepali Youth for Christ Convention. This was truly an historical event—the very first nationwide gathering of Adventist youth in the history of the region.

Some of these young people traveled two days by foot to hear the preaching of the Word. Some sat on the floors of crammed, stinky buses which rattled through pitted, rutted gravel roads for two days to attend these meetings.

A visit to the accommodations was in order. Attendees slept on cement floors with a thin mat and a blanket. Let’s just say it was a bit different than the Marriott and Hilton that most of us are used to at our various conventions. But that’s how they roll in Nepal. They were hungry. Not for food, but for God. They came for …
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