Sharing Hope and Healing
by Light Bearers
Report from the Northern Conference, South Africa
By Pastor Corrie Venter
Sharing Hope and Healing is…
Love Matters Most, Part 1
by Ty Gibson
When Martyrdom Doesn't Matter
Shortly after I became a follower of Jesus, somebody in a group Bible study said something that was kind of like theological shock therapy for…
Insulin Resistance, Part 7
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Diabetes for Dummies
I spend time with a woman every other month who uses words such as "dummy," "stupid," and "idiot" when describing herself. As she acknowledges what…
But Now
by David Asscherick
Presently, for my local church, I’m in the midst of a preaching series on the book of Romans, called All Roads Lead to Romans. And the next sermon is on one of my three favorite passages in Romans: chapter…
Expectations
by Ty Gibson
Have you ever expected one thing and gotten another?
Once while traveling to Germany, I expected a small, gutless, compact rental car, because that’s what I reserved.…
Insulin Resistance, Part 6
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Shortly after finishing her master’s degree at Johns Hopkins University, Ana Montes was hired at the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). What the DIA didn’t know was that she already had been hired by the Cuban…
Boost for São Tomé and Príncipe
by Meiring Pretorius
São Tomé and Princípe is a small country located on the seacoast of West Central Africa, just under the equator. With a population of approximately only 200,000, São Tomé and Príncipe is a peaceful country. It has few…
Centered, Safe and Free
by James Rafferty
“The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17).
…
Insulin Resistance, Part 5
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Growth doesn't occur without resistance of some kind. Sometimes the strongest resistance we face when pursuing change is from ourselves. How do you feel when you think of going back to school, joining the gym, losing weight,…
Celebration and Stolen Salvation
by Meiring Pretorius
This year, 2019, the Seventh-day Adventist Church marks one hundred years of its existence in Rwanda. A celebration was held on August 31. It was a high Sabbath. About 50,000 Adventists packed into the Mahoro stadium in…
Covenant Cutting
by Ty Gibson
Get three animals, cut each of them in two, straight down the middle, and lay the pieces across from one another to form a pathway between the three sets of severed pieces.
…
Insulin Resistance, Part 4
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
These articles on insulin resistance are an attempt to provide reasons for resisting the typical approach to managing diabetes. I find that when the focus is primarily on blood sugar readings, we tend to forget the larger…
A Publishing House Report from Kenya
by Meiring Pretorius
In a Different Army
I met him near Kisumu City in Western Kenya. His name is Dyvan Fred Khakame. He served as a counselor and "pastor" in the Salvation Army, led the…
God Identity
by James Rafferty
From an early age Jesus knew who He was. He was only 12 when Joseph and Mary questioned His whereabouts and He simply said, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke…
Insulin Resistance, Part 3
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Removing the reason for resistance is the most effective remedy for the need to resist that I can think of. If you remove injustice, overcome hate, restore harmonious existence, you eliminate the need for war and resistance…
Pubs Close, Doors Open
by Meiring Pretorius
In May 2018, Pastor Mark Finley and his team conducted a series of evangelistic meetings in Mwanza, Tanzania, with satellite sites in all districts of South Nyanza Conference. A few satellite sites were also established in…
Weekend Warriors: ARISE Intensive Report
by Anneliese Wahlman
We typically think change has to take a long time, but you can actually accomplish quite a lot in just a few days.
Like traveling to the moon if you’re Neil…
How Can I Share Jesus and Not Make It Weird?
by Anneliese Wahlman
A while ago, some friends and I who were raised going to church were discussing an important question: How can you share Jesus with secular people and not make it—for lack of a better word—weird?
…
The Accuser and the Advocate
by Ty Gibson
There's a lot going on inside your head.
What shall I have for lunch?
Is my anniversary coming…
Bible Lessons Behind Bars
by Meiring Pretorius
Kateregga Kyembe served seven years in Luzira Upper Prison for a crime he did not commit and was released on March 19, 2018. He was found innocent and suffered unnecessarily because of Uganda's poor legal system. A survey…
Resistance, Part 2
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
As a freshman college student, Martin Luther King Jr., became “fascinated by the idea of refusing to cooperate with an evil system” and fighting against it while holding to his Christian value of love.1 Jesus…
The Revelation of Relational Integrity
by James Rafferty
What is Relational Integrity?
Relational = “concerning the way in which two or more people or things are connected”
…
Resistance, Part 1
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Resistance comes in many varieties and forms. Nancy Wake was a New Zealand born Australian who married a wealthy Frenchman and settled in Marseille in 1939, a year before Germany invaded France. Upon their invasion, she and…
The Best Job in the World
by David Asscherick
I’ve heard quite a few people say it: “I have the best job in the world.” I always like it when I hear that, because it makes me feel really happy for the person that says it. And I’m one of those people. I say it.…
The Sabbath Safari
by Meiring Pretorius
We were entering a Tanzanian open market where a young Muslim woman was selling her produce. While waiting for customers, her attention was absorbed in a piece of literature from Light Bearers. The pastors and elders with me…
Whatever Helps You Sleep at Night
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Don’t mess with my sleep. That’s just a fair warning. In truth though, when you hear about the increased airplane accidents associated with exhausted pilots or medical errors from sleep-deprived physicians, a warning…
Strange, Secret Longings
by Ty Gibson
“What may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by…
You Are Invited… Back to the Beginning!
by Ty Gibson
In ancient times, the people of God considered it vital to their spiritual well-being to spend time in one another’s presence before the Lord. They saw themselves as many individuals that together composed one corporate…
Freedom from Bondage
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free" (Galatians 5:1). I love that! He set you at liberty for the sake of freedom, no strings attached. It is God’s design that all of His creation thrive in the context of…
It’s Alleluia Time
by James Rafferty
Nations had leagued together to war against Jerusalem. Fearful, King Jehoshaphat sought the Lord. Through a messenger God assured him of unconventional victory. How? Through praise. They “stood up to praise the Lord God of…
Light in India
by Meiring Pretorius
When I walked into one of India’s many temples, it felt like I was entering the realm of darkness. Creepy to say the least. In one corner, six men (Hindu priests I presumed) were chanting and praying loudly to a…
Comfortable in Your Own Skin
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
What does it mean to be comfortable in your own skin?
What does that look like? I recently asked these questions to my youth Sabbath school class. We briefly remembered…
The Remnant of What?
by James Rafferty
The last book of the Bible speaks of a group of people who will follow God to the very end. He identifies them as the “remnant” that “keep the commandments of God” (Revelation 12:17).
…
B Sure, Part 2
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
During a time of upheaval in our nation, Lou Gherig, America’s baseball iron horse, received a diagnosis that completely changed his life. In the face of his own uncertain future Lou Gherig stood before over 60,000 people…
Abundant Life in South Africa
by James Rafferty
One of my favorite Bible verses of all time is John 10:10:
“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and…
Better Than Norway
by David Asscherick
I don’t know about you, but I love a good road trip. There’s something really satisfying about covering large distances while listening to a great audiobook or inspiring music. I’ve always thought the point of a truly…
Revolutionize Your Picture of God
by Ty Gibson
We live in a world in desperate need of a revolution.
In cosmology, the word revolution refers to “the rotation of a celestial body on its axis.” From that…
God, the Minor Prophets and You
by Light Bearers
Sandra Haynes, who attended this year’s Convocation, applied her poetry skills to encapsulate some of the keys points the speakers made from the writings of the minor prophets. For the poetry lovers out there, you will be richly blessed by this…
B Sure, Part 1
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
The early 1930s was a time of great uncertainty. Prior to President Roosevelt, our nation was uncertain of its leadership. Investment uncertainty existed after economic collapse. Among the working class there was uncertain…
Politics and Prayer
by James Rafferty
According to Scripture, what are our responsibilities to our governments? The answer is found in the Bible. Joseph and Mary set an example of complying with government census and taxes (Luke 2:1-5). Jesus affirmed their…
Fundamentals
by James Rafferty
There's a controversy astir in the evangelical world nowadays about one of the fundamental beliefs of my own denomination, the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It’s not the Sabbath or the investigative judgment. It’s not…
Protein Trivia
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Did you know that without the special protein albumin, your body would swell up with water like a balloon? Without the protein rhodopsin our eyes wouldn’t be able to see light. Without hemoglobin in our red blood cells,…
Releasing Resolutions
by Anneliese Wahlman
It’s the New Year. Time to make plans to lose weight, learn a new language, become a new you.
Just look on Instagram and you’ll find people who can teach you how to…
How to Get a Life
by Anneliese Wahlman
In case you didn’t catch the story, recently, a group of guys from a YouTube channel called Yes Theory, a channel created by four friends who spend their time doing crazy feats and documenting their experiences, challenged actor Will Smith to…
Testimonies from Zambia
by Meiring Pretorius
Sweeter Than Honey
A young man with an impressive name, Ernest Mukwekwe, was not satisfied with how the truths of the Bible were being taught in his church. Ernest was earnest to know the Lord. Someone handed him a Bible lesson from Light…
The Purifier, Part 5: Deep Detox
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Medical residents regularly exposed to chronic stress were found to have elevated white blood cell counts. White blood cells are a crucial part of the body’s defense against invasion, sickness, and disease. They search out and destroy invading…
Rooted and Grounded in Love
by James Rafferty
Paul prays, “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17). Rooted and grounded are agricultural and building terms that describe Paul's desire for us to…
When You Need to Know God’s Will but You’re Scared of Making the Wrong Choice
by Anneliese Wahlman
For my eighteenth birthday, my mom gave me a card that read, “I used to live each day as though it were my last. But people got tired of hearing me scream, ‘I’M GONNA DIE!!! I’M GONNA DIE!!!’ Hope your birthday’s a scream.” Funnily…
East-Central Africa Division report
by James Rafferty
Each year Light Bearers Ministry sends containers of literature to developing countries all over the world. Each container holds about 2 million tracts and often includes Bibles and other inspired books like The Great Controversy and The…
The Purifier, Part 4
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
I was 19, ignorant, and trusting. A woman who lived near the college I was attending convinced me that I needed to go on a "seawater cleanse." It lasted about 10 days. I don’t remember the particulars of the program, except that I fasted for many…
To Be His
by David Asscherick
“David, I’m so judgmental. I’m just so judgmental of others. I need Jesus. I love Jesus. He can change my heart, because I’m very judgmental of those who are not like me.”
And there were tears that ran down the cheeks into a beautiful…
My Battle Standard
by Karl Lindsay
If you were to walk into my office, one of the first things you would see as you enter is the large flag that hangs on my wall. My flag travels with me when I move to a new place or achieve something significant. I have a photo somewhere of me…
Enmity in the Air
by Ty Gibson
One time when I was in the fifth grade a fight broke out during recess. All the kids were gathered around yelling as two boys were punching and kicking one another. What I remember most is feeling nervous and sick to my stomach. That’s what the…
The Purifier, Part 3
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
In 1984, Michael Jordan received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and an Olympic gold medal. It was a good year. He wore a pair of pinkish Converse tennis shoes at some point that year, supposedly even in the Los Angeles Olympic games. Decades…
Prone to Forget
by Fred Bischoff
Peter’s last recorded words (2 Peter 3) highlight the importance of memory and the danger of ignorance.
A person can’t remember something he is ignorant of. But when a culture is “willingly… ignorant” (3:5), its new generations…
What A.A. Taught Me About Church
by Anneliese Wahlman
Note: some names and minor details in this post have been changed to protect privacy.
Lots of people complain about millennials: we’re shallow, entitled, lazy, we don’t know how to do anything useful. We’re pretty much the equivalent…
Three More Keys to a Great Marriage
by Ty Gibson
Just yesterday a friend in his 30s said, “I went to a wedding last week and was blown away to find out that nearly all of my friends from college are already married and divorced.”
Divorce has become so common, we basically expect it to…
The Purifier, Part 2
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Air and water purifiers operate off the concept that invisible contaminants are lurking in the atmosphere around us, in our aquifers and watersheds. Transforming and removing these contaminants is how we purify indoor air and drinking water. Last…
Majoring in the Minors
by James Rafferty
They are called the Minor Prophets because of their size, not their spiritual depth. Hidden in these little books of the Old Testament are found sublime pictures of God’s unrelenting love. That’s why this year we plumbed their depths to mine…
3,500 Light Years Away
by Light Bearers
On June 15 of this year, Cambridge University scientist Stephen Hawking (1942-2018) was buried between Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. A physicist and cosmologist of the highest rank, Hawking is believed to be the greatest scientist of his…
The Purifier, Part 1
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
The dictionary definition to purify is: 1. to make pure; free from anything that debases, pollutes, adulterates, or contaminates. 2. to free from foreign, extraneous, or objectionable elements. Detoxification is a modern word that represents this…
Every Piece a Bullet
by Meiring Pretorius
Rwanda is still busy healing from its deep and sensitive scar. The horror of the satanic killings that began on the morning of April 7, 1994 is still fresh in the minds of the survivors. More than one million victims, the survivors’ family and…
Honest Gabe
by Anneliese Wahlman
The best policy
I’m not a parent, but from watching my sister Catie and her kids, it seems to me that it is a truth universally acknowledged that a mother trying to maintain a semblance of control is in want of a child who will keep…
Three Keys to a Great Marriage
by Ty Gibson
Someone has said, “Marriage is like flies on a windowsill. Those on the outside want in, and those on the inside want out.”
Well, I've got better news. It's possible to be on the inside of marriage and want to be there. I've been on the…
AGE-less
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
As I turn 50 this month, I have to admit, the concept of being ageless is rather appealing. I would love to know how to age less. One way of minimizing the impact of aging is by decreasing AGEs. Rather than referring to the lapse of time, AGEs are…
ARISE and the Youth Revival of Our Church
by David Asscherick
There is a genuine revival taking place among the youth and young adults of my local church. Read that first sentence again, please. And again.
This is not a hyperbole or exaggeration; it’s the wonderful, God-glorifying truth. Let me tell you…
News Flash: Burkina Faso
by Meiring Pretorius
“At least 35 people have died and 90 more were injured after a series of attacks in Burkina Faso, believed to have been conducted by Islamic extremists. Seven soldiers were killed in the country’s capital Ouagadougou after gunmen open fired on…
Sour Wine
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
In the year following her CHIP attendance, Angie lost over 100 pounds. Recently, Angie shared her story with the current CHIP class. Gasps were heard around the room as she told of her weight loss journey. She was flooded with questions like,…
Climbing and Hiding
by David Asscherick
Lately, I’ve been taking my teenage sons, Landon and Jabel, to the climbing gym. I was introduced to rock climbing by two close friends, a young couple named Tim and Tanya, when I was a teenager. On my first day, I had to be essentially rescued by…
A Feast In July
by Ty Gibson
Light Bearers Convocation is right around the corner, July 3-7. If you’ve never attended, you’re missing out. "Convocation" is a big, old word. We don’t necessarily like big words, but we do like old words with big meaning. This word basically…
The CHIP Highway
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Carl had the typical cardio metabolic syndrome profile: diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol and triglycerides. He approached me after a week into the Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP) that I was leading at the…
Rescued in Christ—Part 2
by James Rafferty
Has Jesus given eternal life to every person? What we can say with biblical clarity is that the life and death of Jesus purchased temporal life for everyone. This is Paul's argument to the Athenians in…
A Channel of Light
by James Rafferty
As I moved through our publishing house today, checking the inventory, I felt a sense of urgency to get literature out the door. Things are changing. The world is changing. The ability to send gospel-filled containers around the world is…
Detoxing the Lifestyle
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
A 24-year-old male teacher began to have deviant thoughts of doing harm to his students. He sought professional help and complained of depression, insomnia, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and anxiety along with the thoughts of inflicting harm. The…
The Foolishness of the Cross
by Fred Bischoff
Jesus’ words, “The flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63), explain the mess the world is in. Except for the human Jesus, we each are born “of the will of the flesh” (John 1:13). This is human nature left to its sinful condition. It gives to us…
Land of Fire and Warm Hearts
by Ty Gibson
One of the best experiences I’ve ever had as an evangelist was in Malawi. I preached from a wooden platform constructed of an odd mixture of wood, sheet metal, bricks, and colorful cloth. Speakers were hung in trees. There were a few chairs, but…
Rescued in Christ
by James Rafferty
“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).
Paul tells us that when the…
From Here, We Can Go Anywhere
by Anneliese Wahlman
We all have a moral compass that guides us. It keeps us from punching the people who upset us and lets us know we need to apologize for telling our sister she’s fat. But we also experience a sort of silly guilt for things that aren’t really…
When the Wedding Is Over
by Anneliese Wahlman
To some of us, they were Aunty Carol and Uncle Dave. She was small like a bird and sweet as honey. He was tall, practical, and kept a hundred stories tucked away in his pockets to share with the students assigned to him during the work period. They…
Invisible Possibilities
by Meiring Pretorius
The Eastern and Western Tanzania Conferences organized a series of public evangelistic meetings for June 2017. With 300 Seventh-day Adventist churches in the city of Dar es Salaam and every church hosting three separate sites, the effort was huge…
Energy
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Found within all human cells (with the exception of red blood cells) is the ability to produce energy—energy that enables action, maintenance, movement—and life in general. Microscopic structures called mitochondria are the key players in these…
Unbelievably Diabolical
by Ty Gibson
It's no secret that Christianity is dying in Western countries. There are a number of factors contributing to this trend, but maybe the biggest is the fact that mainstream Christianity is asking the world to believe two doctrines that together…
Anchored Trajectory
by Fred Bischoff
The status quo is not sustainable, and forgetfulness is deadly. We must move, and we must remember.
These words could describe the mission of Adventist Pioneer Library (APL). Let’s do a quick update on what’s transpiring.
One’s…
It’s the Oats
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Holidays are over. The time to excuse our excess is behind us. Now, with a few extra pounds and a sense of guilt, we are on to making enthusiastic compensatory resolutions. It's reported that the majority of resolutions pertain to weight and health.…
When Jesus Makes Everything New
by Elise Harboldt
Cracker crumbs stuck to his tie and broccoli to his teeth as Dr. Taylor told me his story.
“She grew up in Texas, so she’d never seen snow.” He grinned. “The first time she saw it, she started twirling and dancing and laughing like a…
Looking Back to the Future
by Ty Gibson
“Let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another” (Galatians 6:4, NKJV).
There’s a reason why so many treadmills end up at the thrift store.
New Year's Resolutions are a popular…
Doors Open in India
by Ty Gibson
It was November of 2001—November 5 to be exact. Sixteen years ago!
That was the last time and the only other time that Light Bearers managed to get a container of gospel literature into India. Now God has again prevailed, this time through a…
Trumping Fear
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Grasping in the dark for my phone, my terrified mind sought to force my trembling fingers to dial 911. It took hours to calm my nerves even after the police arrived. Fear is not a foreign emotion. I have often felt fear in the form of butterflies…
Infinite Empathy
by Ty Gibson
Emotions are a mysterious phenomenon. Think about it. A person’s smile has the power to make you feel something pleasant inside. A person’s tears can throw you into tears with them even before you know why they’re crying. The mere fact that…
Silly Me, I Thought I Was Good
by Anneliese Wahlman
Besides things like rolling my brother down a hill in a cardboard barrel and convincing my sister to ride our pet goat like a horse, a lot of my childhood memories are framed around stories. Some of my earliest memories are of my dad reading to me…
The Secret of Success
by James Rafferty
I was a baby Christian, just a few weeks old, when asked why I still listened to rock 'n' roll music. My response was quick and defensive. I've given my heart to Jesus, I go to church instead of bars, so it really doesn't matter what music I listen…
Skinny Fat: The Dangerous Oxymoron
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Pretty ugly, deafeningly quiet, make haste slowly, and vegetarian meatballs are great examples of oxymorons that make you smile when you think about what the words by themselves mean in contrast to what is conveyed by the phrase. There is one…
God’s Own Grapes
by David Asscherick
Every ARISE class is a miracle. And not just a miracle, but miracles upon miracles. Like a cluster of delicious grapes, each one is amazing in itself and the cluster magnifies the miracle all the more. The 2017 class was no exception!
One of…
Why Is Adventism So Weird?
by Marcos Torres
Adventism is Protestant.
And yet there is something about us that makes us weird.
Hardly anything Adventism believes is uniquely Adventist. So it’s not our "doctrines" that make us weird. Even the ones that we have developed and call our own are…
A Day in the Life of Light Bearers
by Ty Gibson
It's 6 AM and already 17 new emails have appeared in my inbox. No, wait, four more just arrived, so make that 21. By 9 o'clock there will be 40 or more. Here’s one from Stephanie, who coordinates literature shipments from Light Bearers. She is…
Salt in Circulation
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
From dead seas to living ones, embedded in white veins in the depths of the earth to its surface, salt is one of the world’s most precious commodities. At one time, salt was traded ounce for ounce with gold. Salt coins were used as money. Salt was…
Surprise Victory
by Fred Bischoff
Do you like winning? And do you like surprises?
Have you heard that the only way you can win in life’s ultimate contest is through the unselfish giving of genuine love? The meek and lowly win, and the braggarts and proud lose! Surprise!
The…
The Continuing Reformation
by Ty Gibson
“The Protestant Reformation was the 16th-century religious, political, intellectual and cultural upheaval that splintered Catholic Europe.”
That’s how the History Channel website defines the Protestant Reformation—as an historical event…
An Effort of Nature
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Throughout much of the 20th century, atherosclerosis was thought of as a disease of the inside space of arteries, the lumen. Most of us considered this hardening and thickening of the arteries to be the result of excess lipids in the…
The Great Big Power of Teeny Tiny Things
by Anneliese Wahlman
In 2005, a fresh-out-of-prison graffiti artist was asked to paint some murals in the office of a small startup in Palo Alto, California. As payment, the artist was offered thousands of dollars in cash or company stock. Eight and half minutes of…
A Brutal Wakeup Call
by Ty Gibson
It’s 2017.
Not 1526.1
Not 1863.2
Not 1968.3
It’s 2017, people, and we have just witnessed a grotesque manifestation of racism coming out of the shadows to flex its emaciated muscles in the mirror of…
Convocation Report
by Anneliese Wahlman
There are certain times in life when it’s important to be committed, to not stop halfway. Like when you’re getting married or shaving your beard. Then there are other times when it’s important to have the freedom to change your mind, like when…
Why We Do What We Do
by James Rafferty
When it comes to spiritual things, do you know why we do what we do?
The reason is this:
“The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another so that you do…
95 Theses for the Continuing Reformation
by Ty Gibson
Martin Luther and John Calvin changed the world by the power of their good theology in spite of their bad theology. The Dark Ages from which they were emerging were very dark, indeed, and some of that darkness clung to the great Protestant Reformers…
Interconnected
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Suffering from pain, debility, loss of quality of life, destruction and/or malfunction of bodily processes and tissue characterizes disease. Medical science has devoted itself to the study of disease and in so doing has specialized in categorizing…
Go Ye
by James Rafferty
ARISE Australia is five years old and each year has been a wonderful experience. The dedicated staff of the North New South Wales (NNSW) Conference and the workers directing the program make the impact of this 15-week Bible school…
There Is No Greater Power Than the Power of Testimony
by Ernest Chazya
At Riverside Farm Institute we feel that God has been working in many amazing ways, so we just must share some of them with you!
Our Education Department now runs two classes of students each year. Towards the end of each program, before the…
Sweet Sleep
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Time is central to planet Earth. Every facet of this globe is regulated to some degree or other with time. Creation was based on time segments. Separate and unique accomplishments were designed in each sequential day. Heavenly bodies were assigned…
Super Knowledge
by Ty Gibson
We are creatures of “knowledge.” Our entire existence is shaped by what we know and how we know. According to the Bible, there is a regular, run-of-the-mill knowledge, and then there is a kind of knowledge that operates at a deeper, wider,…
My Prodigal Paradigm Shift
by Ethan Bird
My parents thought I was going to Ecuador to be a student missionary. I was really going so I could run away from God as I knew Him. I was drawn to the Latin surf scene, the gorgeous women, and the freedom to pursue my new pornography…
I Wish I Could Tell Her "Happy Mother’s Day”
by Ty Gibson
My mom was a force of nature. As poet Barbara Kingsolver once said, “Sometimes the strength of motherhood is greater than natural laws.” That was my mom. Fiercely independent, she left home at 15 and got a job as a waitress. The popular, cool…
Running Back and Forth
by Ty Gibson
Hello friends of Light Bearers!
There are so many exciting things going on here at the ministry, I can hardly keep up. But I'd rather be busy than bored. I'm sure you feel the same. I recently read in Ezekiel the mind-blowing fact that we’re…
To Strengthen Man’s Heart
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Reportedly there are 195,000 species of plants which produce edible parts that could be consumed by humans. How many of those 195,000 species do we consume? Approximately 17 plant species provide 90 percent of our food supply. Grains constitute the…
Draft Away, Part 2
by David Asscherick
I recently did the Rainbow Ride, a local 102.5-mile (165 km) race. It was my first large group ride, and it was awesome! The ride starts with a steep and winding climb, followed by a fast descent, and about 30 miles (50 km) of relatively flat…
5 Types of Adventist Extremists and How to Avoid Being One
by Nelson Fernandez
I've been an Adventist all my life. While others adopted into it, I was born in it and molded by its culture (cue Batman-Bane meme reference). Because of this, I've seen all kinds of people literally come and go in our church.
One of the hardest…
The Power of Vulnerability
by Jenny Gruzensky
That Thing We All Struggle With
In her song If We’re Honest, singer-songwriter Francesca Battistelli clearly articulates one of the biggest struggles of our culture:
Truth is harder than a…
God, Weed, and Greg: An ARISE Story
by Anneliese Wahlman
It’s the middle of August, 2015. Greg Fisher steps onto a Greyhound bus, takes a big whiff of recycled oxygen, and quickly scopes out his seating options. The plastic armrests feel like they’ve been painted with popsicle juice and the air is…
When Jesus Put Shame to Shame
by Ty Gibson
If you know me at all, then you know that I am decidedly anti-coercion. And yet, if I could make every person on the planet listen to this audio message by my friend, Elise Harboldt, I would. Well, maybe I'm exaggerating for effect, but I'm hoping…
Fear Not
by Fred Bischoff
Fear is a tricky thing. In the biblical worldview it originated—of all places—in a garden named pleasure. It is the child of insecurity, the product of removing one's heart focus from the all-powerful, benevolent, pleasure-giving Creator…
The Migrating Motor Complex
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
The term migration, in the animal kingdom, refers to a phenomenon that portrays rhythmic cadence, routine, and structure. Whether of butterfly, bird, or fish, the intent of migration is typically to ansure healthy survival in response to…
Literature Reports from the World Field
by Meiring Pretorius
The Seventh-day Adventist Church membership in Zambia has doubled in the past 10 years, growing from 500,000 members to more than a million. With a population of 15 million people, Zambia has the highest Adventist Church growth rate in Africa, and…
Daughters of Eve
by Ty Gibson
Today is International Women’s Day.
As for me, I’m a “ladies man,” but not in the way you are familiar with the term.
My happiest childhood memories are of one summer with my grandmother, Eleanor, fishing, trapping critters, hiking up…
A Banker Sees an Opportunity
by Meiring Pretorius
“Many whom God has qualified to do excellent work accomplish very little, because they attempt little. Thousands pass through life as if they had no definite object for which to live, no standard to reach. Such will obtain a reward proportionate…
Spinach
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Spinach is an extremely nutrient-packed vegetable. Its tender leaves and mild flavor have made it a versatile food. Interestingly, the cooler the temperatures and the more stress the spinach experiences while growing, the denser the vitamins and…
Going Counterculture
by James Rafferty
My 19-year-old daughter recently shared for our family worship some insights from a book she is reading for her university Bible class. When she finished, my mind went to the following scripture:
"As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had…
The Lost Art of Evangelism
by Anneliese Wahlman
What I Take from the Compost Bucket
I’m one of those people who can eat whatever is on my plate even if it looks like it was scraped from the bottom of the compost bucket, and I’ll still enjoy it—as long as it tastes good. I figure…
How I Can Love the Gospel and the Investigative Judgment at the Same Time
by Marcos Torres
I have two theological confessions to make. The first is that I am madly in love with the gospel. Seriously, I am. As an Adventist, a father and a pastor, the gospel is my everything. Jesus-only is my motto, my passion and my standard. After…
A Reality Check for Valentine’s Day
by Anneliese Wahlman
His eyes were blue, like an October sky. His hair was the color of sand off the beach, the kind you put in a bottle and take home for memories. I won’t mention his name, but it rhymes with schmichael. When he and I talked, I literally felt…
Changed and Inspired by Literature
by Meiring Pretorius
As I drove into the country of Lesotho, I typed into my GPS the address of the Lesotho Conference headquarters and followed the directions into the central part of Maseru, the capital city of Lesotho. With the GPS it should not be too difficult…
The Improbabilities of Probiotics
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
If we readily saw the microscopic organisms swimming in lake water the way Antonie van Leeuwenhoek did, we would probably never venture in again. If we could see what lives on our teeth as Leeuwenhoek observed, we might not be able to stomach a kiss…
What the War’s About
by Ty Gibson
“War broke out in heaven…” (Revelation 12:7).
Satan launched his revolt against God not with bullets and bombs but with subtly spun lies. The Greek word for “war” in the above text is…
Giving the Trumpet a Certain Sound
by Fred Bischoff
For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? - 1 Corinthians 4:8
Light Bearers and the Adventist Pioneer Library are passionate about an accurate recounting of…
Authority
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
“Who of you respect authority?” questioned the professor to those of us sitting in her classroom. I immediately raised my hand. Awkwardly, I realized that mine was the only hand raised. I was surprised but unshaken in my response. I respect…
Draft Away, Part 1
by David Asscherick
Have you ever heard of drafting? Sure you have, but perhaps not the kind of drafting I’m thinking of. Drafting can refer to:
Refining several preliminary versions of a piece of writing.
Governmental enlistment of young men…
Rethinking Resolutions
by Elise Harboldt
Do you have a New Years resolution? I have a track record of failed resolutions. In 2013, I vowed to learn Spanish. In 2014, I promised to stop interrupting people. 2017 has arrived, and I’m embarrassed to say that no hablo español,…
Reclaiming Mindfulness
by Elise Harboldt
Hey, you. Yeah, the person staring at the screen.
I’d like to invite you to think about your feet.
They’ve done a lot for you, so take a few minutes to acknowledge your ten-toed reality. How far have your feet travelled today? Have you ever…
God in the Hood
by Anneliese Wahlman
Have you ever had one of those Christmases where your entire pajama-clad family is gathered together, the tree is wrapped in lights that shine à la star of Bethlehem, and mugs are filled with hot chocolate and freckled with…
Protestants—An Endangered Species
by James Rafferty
On October 31, 1517, a young Catholic monk named Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. This single bold act set off a religious reformation that shook Europe and the world. Luther was later excommunicated by…
Lessons From the Book of Job: Elihu—Friend or Foe?
by James Rafferty
Elihu exemplifies one of the major reasons why we might not listen to what someone has to say about God. Young and obscure, Elihu presents a testimony that carries little weight among many intellectual greats. This may be one reason why God has…
What God Has Wrought!
by James Rafferty
This year flew by, but not without heaven making a notable impact on our world through your generous support of Light Bearers Ministry. “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy!” (Psalm 126:3). Here are a few joyful…
Turmeric—One Who Is Victorious Over Disease
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Did you know that an estimated 80% of the world’s inhabitants rely on traditional therapies that have been used for thousands of years? Anciently, turmeric was used in places like China and India to aid digestion, improve liver function, treat…
Job’s Marriage
by James Rafferty
Job’s wife usually gets a bad rap. As we read through the story of suffering, we’re tempted to view her as an evil character, undermining the faith of her husband. Augustine even named her “the devil’s accomplice.”
I wonder if this is a…
God in His Underwear
by Anneliese Wahlman
When I tell people how many siblings I have, their eyes usually grow to unflattering proportions and they say something like, “Wow. That’s a lot of kids.”
You don’t say.
None of us is adopted and no, we’re not catholic. My mom…
Unity: His strength in Our Weakness
by Rachelle Drury
I am the weakest link.
Yep, I’ve long since known that I’m the first man down, or woman to be precise. I’ve felt rejection so often that I’m more surprised when…
How Far into Africa?
by Meiring Pretorius
Have you ever wondered how the gospel message will reach every person on the globe? Well, this is God’s promise in His Word according to Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the…
The Plantrician
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
You will not find this word in Webster’s dictionary, in a telephone book, or a listing of careers. The word plantrician was created to identify health care practitioners, such as physicians or clinicians, who are empowered with knowledge…
Sink or Swim
by James Rafferty
The first crisis I can remember experiencing came when I was four years old and fell backward into a swimming pool. I couldn't swim and my mom was in another country… it seemed. I was going down for sure, but after a heroic effort and what seemed…
Surprised by Gentleness
by Anneliese Wahlman
I find it quite paradoxical how, on a given day, I can clean my kitchen so well you’d think I was Cinderella, but then the next day it looks like the shared apartment of a couple phlegmatic bachelors. Something tells me this shouldn’t happen,…
Share the Wealth: A Mission Update from Madagascar
by Anneliese Wahlman
The United Nations Development Programme’s most recent data ranked Madagascar 154 out of 188 countries on the Human Development Index.1 That’s basically a sterile way of saying that, as a country, Madagascar doesn’t seem to have…
Butyrate and the Bowel, Part 3
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Crosstalk is a term that can pertain to telecommunications, when distinguishable signals leak from one connection to another. In electronics, crosstalk is a phenomenon by which a signal on one circuit or channel of a transmission system creates an…
Love Because… (Part 2)
by Fred Bischoff
God loves because He is love. Unselfish love describes the essence of His character and the relational joy of His existence. He asks us to love because He has designed us to enter into this joy.
Even after sin’s removal of love…
With the Flip of a Switch
by Anneliese Wahlman
As a kid, I suffered from the quintessential childhood fear: I was scared of the dark. I could be in a room that I knew like the back of my hand, and if the lights turned off, my fear turned on. It didn’t help that my older brother would come into…
Literature Evangelism in Tanzania
by Meiring Pretorius
Magomeni Seventh-day Adventist Church believes that the most rapid and cost-effective way of placing the gospel in the hands of humanity’s hungering masses is through spreading truth-filled literature and publications.
It is because of this…
Butyrate and the Bowel, Part 2
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Last month we began understanding one of the ways the community of microbes residing within impacts the health of its host organ, the colon, as well as other facets of human health. This community is composed of many members in various…
Love Because… (Part 1)
by Fred Bischoff
Why does God love us? Simply put, because that is what and who He is (1 John 4:8, 16), just as what you are directs your actions. What He does in loving us can be measured by its "breadth, and length, and depth, and height" (Ephesians…
Great Expectations
by Elise Harboldt
“This quote is exploding my mind.”
That’s the text I received this morning from my friend Janessa, whose birthday just happens to be today. Jesus sent Janessa a beautiful birthday sunrise and a quote so epic it’s exploding my mind…
The Parable of the True (Un)Believer
by Ty Gibson
The kingdom of heaven is like unto two men, one who believed in God and one who did not.
The first man engaged in prejudice and hatred and various other forms of ugliness contrary to love, all the while saying to the world, “I believe in God!…
It Takes Time
by David Asscherick
Discipleship is a bit of a buzzword right now, and that’s a good thing. As the church, and as followers of Jesus, we should be talking about discipleship. More than this, we should be doing discipleship.
But right there is the…
Butyrate and the Bowel, Part 1
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Modern man has a problem with his colon, the large intestine, one’s bowels, the gut, the last processing plant in the digestive tract. Yep, whether it's diverticulosis, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel…
Redemption from Deception
by James Rafferty
Revelation 12, the centerpiece of the book, uncovers a central issue for Planet Earth—redemption from deception.
Deception began in heaven, not earth, with the dragon who hoodwinked the third part of the angels from heaven with his tail or…
A Wall Against Sexual Assault
by Anneliese Wahlman
If righteous indignation were a tub of gasoline, then the recent Stanford sexual assault case has been the match. There’s nothing more infuriating than seeing someone suffer unfairly and justice go unserved, and this particular story has caused…
Overloaded
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Skeletal muscle has this amazing ability to adapt to being overloaded. When weight bearing loads are repeatedly placed upon them, muscle responds by increasing in size and strength. Exercise is the most powerful stimuli for inducing reorganization…
Something to Say at Princeton University
by Ty Gibson
Ministry needs to happen everywhere—even among the educated elite. Evangelists recognize that the highly educated are the most difficult class to reach with the gospel, generally speaking. Recently, feeling the weight of this fact, I delivered six…
Prostate Cancer—Caught in the Headlights
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
It’s nighttime. You are driving a country road when a deer leaps onto the pavement in front of you, stops in the middle of the road, seemingly looks straight at you and freezes. If the deer kept his eyes focused on the direction he was originally…
Go and Speed No More
by David Asscherick
Let me tell you about one of my least favorite Australian realities: speed cameras. Ugh, just saying those two words makes me feel ill. You see, in the US, where I’m from, you receive a speeding ticket by being pulled over by an actual officer and…
The Theological Identity of the Remnant
by Ty Gibson
When the “remnant” is brought to view in Revelation, our attention is directed to God’s intent that the movement be defined by a specific theological construct:
“And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the…
The Solidarity Project
by Esther Hardy
The Solidarity Project took place on the University of Oregon’s campus from April 18th - 22nd, 2016. From the beginning of the ARISE internship, we intentionally set the goal to plan an event that would minister to the U of O…
Remember Your Mom
by James Rafferty
My wife was often asked what she did while mothering our two children.
“I am a mother,” was her natural response.
“Yes,” was the reply, “but what do you do for work; what are you”? (As if being a mother were not a full-time…
In Contact with Others
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
We are a society that admires independence. The methodology of our educational system is established on this premise Parenting is conducted in such a way as to develop independence in our children. We even construct our theology around ‘me,…
How Long?
by Fred Bischoff
"How long?" is the ultimate time query in the great controversy between good and evil—how long will it last?
From eternity past to eternity future the principle of selfless, self-giving love has been the law of life for the universe. It flows…
Abraham—A Friend of God
by James Rafferty
Dear Abraham,
Kill your only son.
God.
Let's face it—that's a tough Bible story to swallow. At face value, it assaults the very idea that God is love. Or does it?
New Testament scripture offers insight into this Old Testament…
What If the Good News Is Better Than You Think?
by Ty Gibson
After explaining that Christ is “the Word” and “the Light” to every person in the world (John 1:1-9), John makes an enormous, encompassing, extravagant claim:
“Of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace” (John…
Metabolic Syndrome
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Nearly 35% of adults in America and 50% of those 60 years of age or older are estimated to have metabolic syndrome, also called syndrome X and insulin resistance syndrome. These are staggering statistics. Potentially 3 of 10 adults in America are…
Twelve
by David Asscherick
On February 8, ARISE Australia’s fourth three-month session began enthusiastically here in Kingscliff, Australia with students from all around the world. Norway, Germany, Finland, the United States, Canada, and South Africa, in addition to…
Too Dark for Me
by Elise Harboldt
“Do you cut yourself?” I ask. “No,” she whispers. “I burn myself.” She pulls up her sleeves to show me dark red lines all the way up her arms. “I use a curling iron.”
“I took the whole bottle of…
Precious Seed
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
One of my favorite flowers possesses delicate blue petals that drop off before evening, only to open a new bouquet every morning. The flower is delicate, yet tenacious, resilient, and beautiful. Science has found that of even greater significance in…
An Unsettled State of Unbelief
by Fred Bischoff
Do you remember the parable Jesus told about prolonged injustice, and the need "always to pray, and not to faint?" Have you thought much of Jesus' seemingly rhetorical question at the end?
"Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find…
Light Bearers’ Materials Lead to Booming Bible Schools in Malawi
by Meiring Pretorius
My recent trip to Malawi was very fruitful. The Voice of Prophecy Bible School Director, Pastor Moffat Botolo, went out of his way to make my visit meaningful. His department of the Malawi Union Conference is very active in using Light Bearers’…
What Oil Should I Use?
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Do you remember what goals and aspirations you had for yourself when you were a senior in high school? Do you remember how challenging it was to answer the question on everyone’s lips, “So, what are you going to do with your life?”…
Just Do It
by James Rafferty
Coined in an advertising agency meeting for Nike, the "Just Do It" campaign launched in 1988. It was highly successful, as one of the top two taglines of the 20th century, being both "universal and intensely personal." Nike presented this…
The Ellen White You Thought You Knew
by Jeffrey Rosario
“Ellen White said…”
Those are three apparently innocent words that have been used and abused with much zest and confidence. They have been known to strike dread and incite rebellion in the hearts of some. But why? Is it in reaction to Ellen…
Detox
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
It is estimated that the average American woman is exposed to some 200 chemicals before she even leaves her home in the morning. While men do not use the lotions and potions that women do, they are still exposed to potentially thousands of other…
Three Reasons to be a Relational Risk Taker
by Ty Gibson
There are definitely moments in which you ought to be careful, calculated, and cautious. And there are moments in which you ought to cast caution to the wind and be a big-time risk taker.
Yeah, be cautious as a driver. Relax—please. Being late…
The Latter Rain in Practical Terms
by Ty Gibson
The Bible is filled with agricultural symbolism as a means of depicting God’s grand and glorious purpose for humanity (Matthew 13). God is in the business of growing things—a new crop of humans, to be exact (1 Corinthians 3:6-8).
Human…
May Your Soul Feel Its Worth
by Elise Harboldt
I sink down in my pew, cringing to the core. “It’s coming,” I think. "There’s no way she’s gonna make it.”
“Oh night divine. Oh night when Christ was born."
My palms are sweating. My face is turning red. "Why am I embarrassed?…
The Apocalypse of Human Sexuality
by Ty Gibson
Sex is in the news.
Big time!
Bruce Jenner’s transgender process has prompted nearly everyone on the planet to ponder the nature of human sexuality. To the delight of some and to the horror of others, Caitlyn, formerly Bruce, was named…
The Joy in Anna
by David Sherwood
Expecting our second child, Luke, Jeannie and I ignorantly prayed that God would manipulate our circumstances to give us an easier child than our first. Life with a healthy, rambunctious two-year-old seemed so challenging to us, and we…
Fight
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Breaking news from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization (WHO), reports that processed meats are carcinogenic to humans. Processed meats such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, salami, corned beef, beef…
Light for a Dark Area
by Barry Mosier
Oh, how sweet it was when the barge finally arrived bearing the precious Bible lessons from Light Bearers Ministry! It had been a long journey! Several months before, the container packed with Bible studies in French, Lingala and Swahili had left…
We’re all Special Needs
by David Asscherick
In 2014, Michael and Lisa Gungor, who together form the band Gungor, had a child with Down Syndrome. They named her Lucette, meaning “light."
Also in 2014 a woman tweeted…
The Little We Know
by Ty Gibson
A rational appeal to the atheist:
Intending no disrespect at all to the scientific achievements of mankind, I want to call our attention to the fact that the human data bank of knowledge is minuscule compared to all there is to know.…
Captives Set Free in Kenya
by Meiring Pretorius
Prison Ministry
What message does one give to a prison full of inmates who committed capital offences? Most are sentenced 20 years or more. Others are on death row. As we approached the high-walled Naivasha maximum security prison, my eye…
Insulin Insufficiency in the Brain
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
In Toronto, Canada, 1922, Leonard, a 14-year-old young man, weighing a mere 65 pounds, lay dying of type 1 diabetes in a hospital ward. At that time hospitals had dedicated wards where 50 children could be congregated, suffering the trauma and…
Entering the Glorious Land
by James Rafferty
"He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown…"(Daniel 11:41).
James White believed this power, spoken of in the final verses of Daniel 11, to be the papacy supported by the United States.…
Obedience vs Legalism
by Ty Gibson
A man once came to me and said, “My marriage is falling apart. My wife says she doesn’t have feelings for me anymore, and my feelings for her are pretty much dead too. I guess it’s over, huh?”
He was startled by my immediate…
A Power to Withstand
by Fred Bischoff
Did you know that Jesus speaks the truth (John 8:40), and the devil speaks the lie (John 8:44)? That difference may seem elementary to anyone who knows something of what we call “the great controversy.” But the lie must be very subtle at times,…
Enlargement vs. Shrinkage
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Before the age of GPS or iPhone Maps, London taxi drivers relied on their memories. They developed what was coined “the knowledge.” Developed over centuries, the winding, crooked streets of London resemble a maze more than neat perpendicular…
Global Impact
by Ty Gibson
In 1985, a few of us new converts—James Rafferty, Sue Gibson, and myself—received what we knew to be specific direction from the God of the universe. We were young and on fire for the Lord (now we're older but still on fire for the Lord). James…
So What About the Pope?
by Ty Gibson
Pope Francis definitely has our attention.
Bible prophecy said that would be the case (Revelation 13:3).
But why?
What is the significance of his influence and why does he have such massive influence in the first place?
Even avowed…
Freedom of Conscience Threatened
by Nathan Egbert
Written by Nathan Egbert 9/5/15 in response to current news events.
In the arena of social contention, two topics reign supreme: religion and politics. While subject matters do change over time, fodder for controversy is never lacking.…
The Golden Tracts
by Wendy Harris
The calls started coming in as fast as I could keep up.
“I heard about your Bible study guides, I’m a district pastor in Mindoro, I have 13 churches with small groups in each. May I have four boxes? I’ll be there tomorrow.”
“I’m…
Diverticulosis
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Dr. Denis Burkitt, a well-known Irish missionary surgeon made an interesting observation of America. His comment was this: “America is a constipated nation…. If you pass small stools, you have to have large hospitals.”1…
Join the Witness
by Fred Bischoff
During that secret interview at Jesus' place of retirement on the Mount of Olives, when the city was hushed in slumber, it wasn't the flickering lamp or torchlight, or the pale light of the moon, that shown into the heart of Nicodemus, that "master…
Nate
by David Asscherick
Here’s a miracle story. Fifteen years ago, I was preaching an evangelistic series in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The series was a joint venture with Adventist-Laymen’s Services & Industries…
Splenda
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Splenda is the most popular sugar substitute on the market. It is easily identifiable in the large yellow box or little yellow packets filled with sweet white crystals. The key ingredient in Splenda is sucralose, a non-nutritive artificial…
This Is the Life
by Charis Huenergardt
I’ve made a habit of listening when children speak. Charis is a little friend of mine who happens to be an aspiring writer. She’s nine years old and she’s a thinker. When she shared her first writing project with me, she wondered if anyone…
A New Hermeneutic?
by Steven Grabiner
In just two days, the gathered delegates for the Seventh-day Adventist church will be making a decision regarding ordaining women to the pastoral ministry. I doubt that…
Light Bearers Literature Supports Ted Wilson’s Meetings
by Meiring Pretorius
"Hope for the Cities," a mission to reach the cities of the world for Christ, launched by the General Conference of the Seventh-day…
Vanishing Perplexities
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
In the hospital it is not uncommon to see doctor’s orders for C. diff testing in patient charts. C. diff is an abbreviation for Clostridium difficile. If C. diff + is charted it means the patient has Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). C.…
Women’s Ordination: Is the Church Free To Act?
by Ty Gibson
The God of the Bible is a delegator, not a micromanager. He entrusts His children with decision-making power. God is not a control freak, but rather a freedom lover.
Adam and Eve were given “dominion” over the world God had made for them…
Una Mirada Más Profunda a la Ordenación de la Mujer
by Ty Gibson
english | español | русский | …
Gender: From Creation Through Ordination
by Fred Bischoff
Background
In September of 2012, I was asked to serve on the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) "Theology of Ordination Study Committee." This group met four times during 2013 and 2014, and considered voluminous amounts of…
Women’s Ordination: Shall Angels or Demons Guide Us?
by Ty Gibson
Adventism is heating up as we approach the GC Session in Texas, during which a vote will be taken on women’s ordination. In all my years as a member of this church I…
Bouncing Students
by David Asscherick
A pastor. A physical therapist. A builder. An investment banker.
Since its inception, ARISE has attracted diverse groups of people, and this year’s class was no different.…
Obstinate Prayer
by James Rafferty
The word obstinate has a bad rap. The dictionary definition is:
Refusing to give up or let go; persevering obstinately
Refusing to give up or let go. Persevering. Insistently repetitive or…
Adaptability
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change,” said Albert Einstein. Others of comparable IQ have defined intelligence similarly, as the ability to adapt to change. I find this an interesting way of looking at something we try so hard…
Conservative or Liberal?
by Ty Gibson
“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:21).
Apparently, God sees in us an inclination to veer off course to the…
The Nicodemus Society
by David Kim
I was heart-converted in November 2008 after 36 years growing up “in the church.” With this heart-conversion came a deep longing to share Christ, yet I felt powerless and tongue-tied when it came to speaking up among my peers in the corporate…
Resurrection Remix
by Ty Gibson
The resurrection of Jesus was not an arbitrary act of God. Rather, it was the definitive conquest of other-centered love over the death-dealing principle of self-centeredness inherent in all sin.
According to Paul, “the law of the Spirit of…
The Love Factor
by James Rafferty
When I first came to Christ I knew very little about the Bible. I said a simple sinner’s prayer, experienced God’s boundless forgiveness and fell madly in love with Jesus. When I was confronted with the Bible evidence for the seventh-day…
Moldy Mary
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Mary Hunt worked for the Department of Agriculture’s Northern Regional Research Laboratory (NRRL) in Peoria, Illinois in the early 1940s. She had been assigned the task of grocery shopping for the lab with a shopping list that probably surprised…
Who Am I?
by Fred Bischoff
It's a loaded question, one that probes my very existence. Jesus faced it (John 8:24-25, 28). When I face it, I usually answer with the name from my earthly family. But we each have an identity from a larger family that draws its identity from the…
Stressed-out Kinds
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
It takes all kinds, or so the saying goes. While the it in this statement has the potential of referring to options too numerous to count, according to Katharine Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers, the all kinds is limited to…
Setting Prisoners Free
by James Rafferty
In 2014 God blessed Light Bearers Ministry in a number of ways, one of which was the ability to send out an extra container of literature above our budgeted 11. Each container is filled with millions of tracts that make a huge impact in the world…
Evange-Baggage
by Elise Harboldt
“I hate evangelism!” my friend Edward said as he wrinkled his nose in disgust.
“No you don’t,” I said. “You just don’t know what it is yet.”
To be honest, I used to think I hated evangelism. To be extra honest, I have a…
Anti-Nutrients
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
If you are like me, you like to get the most bang for your buck, the best results from your effort, the greatest number of items on the to-do list accomplished for the time invested. When it comes to supplying the body with nutrition, we often hear…
Hand in Hand
by Fred Bischoff
"And they walked hand in hand off into the sunset…." There's something about an ending like that which intrigues the imaginative soul. All's well that ends well. Together… into the future…
Could God's ending in the great…
The Philosophy of Fear
by James Rafferty
My granny was very protective of spiders. Whenever she found one in our house she would gently pick it up, give it a kiss, and toss it out the nearest open window. As a little boy I was afraid of creepy, crawly spiders along with other things like…
The Power of the Printed Page
by Ty Gibson
Plain and simple: words of truth on paper are extremely powerful. Allow me to break this down for us. First, are need to understand that the words of God are a creative, life-giving force:
“The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they…
When You Don’t Have All the Facts
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Baby Sara was born into the Glick family in the summer of 1999. Having seven older brothers, she was the cherished little girl the family had hoped for. Samuel and Elizabeth Glick were Amish dairy farmers in rural Pennsylvania. Four months later…
Telos Love
by James Rafferty
From year to year certain Bible verses speak to me, becoming favorites. This year it’s John 13:1: “Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved…
The Deeper Meaning of Christmas
by Ty Gibson
When we speak of the birth of Christ, we are speaking of the most sublime and astounding event in all of eternal history. God literally became a human being. “Without controversy,” Paul exclaims with wonder, “great is the mystery of godliness:…
My Experience as an ARISE Student
by Nicole Stalligs
Being home has made me realize what a privilege attending ARISE was for my life. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was undoubtedly there! I did not know much about the instructors, but before I came I prayed that they would speak the truth of the…
First Law
by Fred Bischoff
It was crucifixion week. Matthew and Mark recorded the story (Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34). A Pharisee (lawyer and scribe) asked Jesus a profound question that could be referred to as the first law. "Which is the greatest commandment in the law?…
Foie Gras
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Foie gras is French for fatty liver. Though considered a delicacy of French cuisine, its production dates back to ancient Egypt. The Egyptians discovered that migratory geese overfed themselves in preparation for their long flights, which produced…
The Old Covenant Brood
by Ty Gibson
The current tensions and polemics within the Seventh-day Adventist Church are not occurring in a vacuum. We have history behind us that has created the trajectory within which we are now living. To a significant degree the spirit and content of our…
Sometimes I Forget
by James Rafferty
Sometimes I forget the words of Christ in Matthew 25:40. I judge, I disdain, and I criticize my brethren in my heart (and with my actions). When I do this to the least of these my brethren I do it unto Him.
During such times of stark spiritual…
All in your Head? Impossible! Part 1
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
When symptoms of disease and sickness are said to be all in one’s head, there is an implication made that questions the legitimacy of physical ailment. When we hear this description we understand that something is thought of as reality, but is…
Truth, Love, and Lance
by David Asscherick
“What Lance couldn’t handle was the truth.” So said Betsy Andreu at the close of Alex Holmes’s difficult-to-watch documentary on the rise and fall of Lance Armstrong, Stop at Nothing: The Lance Armstrong Story.
Lance is not…
My Thoughts on the Present Conversation Regarding the Ordination of Women
by David Asscherick
I am admittedly surprised to hear over and over again that the current conversation and study the Seventh-day Adventist Church is having regarding the theology of ordination, generally, and of the ordination of women to pastoral ministry,…
Mission Critical
by Fred Bischoff
It struck me like never before. It was the first two talks at Light Bearers Convocation. The first by Ty, was titled, "One Subject Will Prevail," adapted from this quote…
The Bowels, Part 2
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Linguistically, the term bowel has been used to express the inner workings, the depths of man emotionally as well as physically. It is where input is broken down, digested, absorbed, sorted, reacted to, and transformed into us.
Interestingly…
Cosmic Atonement
by Ty Gibson
God is up to something bigger than our eternal salvation. Certainly, from our individual standpoint it is hard to imagine anything bigger. To be saved from sin and given the assurance of eternal life is a truly marvelous thing. But notice the…
Faith to Faith
by James Rafferty
This year marked the 30th Annual Light Bearers Convocation. Our theme was “Faith to Faith,” based on Romans 1:16-17:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to…
The Bowels, Part 1
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Physiologically, the bowel is synonymous with the gut, the gastrointestinal tract, including stomach and the intestines. In this context, the association made between the bowel and the brain in the following statements is quite intriguing. “The…
Five Pennies
by Light Bearers
It only takes five pennies for Light Bearers to print, ship and distribute one piece of gospel-filled literature. By the grace of God and with your help, we can put millions of gospel literature into circulation. …
Worlds Apart (Not Anymore)
by Ty Gibson
Sutherlin, Oregon and Papua New Guinea are worlds apart. Separated by 6,518 miles and the vast Pacific Ocean. Sutherlin is in the Northern Hemisphere and Papua New Guinea is in the Southern. But the two places and their people are separated by more…
It’s In The Blood
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
At the age of 45, the lifetime risk of heart disease is 60.3 percent for men and 55.6 percent for women. In other words, three out of five men without heart disease at age 45 will develop the condition at some point in their lives. Being a woman,…
Leaving the Best Behind
by David Asscherick
Recently we had our car broken into. Between the damage to the car and the stolen goods, it set us back several thousand dollars. Not the nicest “Welcome to Australia” moment one could imagine. I can still recall the almost nauseating feeling in…
A Response to the 2520 Movement
by James Rafferty
If you have heard of the 2520 or the movement behind it, then this short 15 point study is for you. It is based on personal interaction with the leaders of the 2520 movement, as well as months of study into what they are teaching as compared with…
Bestseller | The Clifford Goldstein Story
by Light Bearers
Clifford Goldstein didn’t believe in much, but one thing he did believe in was Truth. He just didn't know what it was or where to find it. As the fiery writer traveled Europe and Israel in search of his novel's soul, his quest for the meaning of…
I Can See with New Eyes
by Elaine Thompson
There I was two years ago, praying, “God I want to know truth. Can you please reveal Yourself to me? I don’t want to learn culture or traditions. I just want to know YOU.” So starting with the Bible, I set out to challenge the beliefs, culture…
The Weapons of Our Warfare
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
It would be overly simplistic to say that one food or food component is capable of causing, preventing, or curing cancer. However, it would be completely ignorant to intimate that food and food components are not factors in the development of many…
Faith Sight
by Fred Bischoff
When you read words that are effective in describing something, you can picture it in your imagination. “See ye the word of the LORD” (Jeremiah 2:31). This “seeing” is not simply letters on a page. God is asking us to see the story—His…
Bestseller | Official Trailer
by Light Bearers
As a secular American Jew, Clifford Goldstein was driven by one consuming obsession: to write a bestselling novel. God was nowhere on his radar. And yet, Cliff was on God’s radar. Here is the trailer for the video, Bestseller, to be…
Redeeming Shame
by Jennifer Jill Schwirzer
By far the most traumatic event of my adolescence was Sue Cook’s house fire. I recall the suburban home ringed with a crowd of people, spewing fire and black smoke out of its windows. I stood there watching solemnly with Sue, who whispered,…
The End of Protestantism?
by Alan J. Reinach
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, under intense public pressure, vetoed Senate Bill 1062, a religious freedom bill that had been “egregiously misrepresented,” according to a coalition of law professors who wrote in defense of the bill. The bill…
God Groans
by James Rafferty
“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26).
The word “groaning” in this…
A Place at the Table—the Poverty-Obesity Paradox
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
When I think of hunger, I picture an emaciated man with defined ribs, and perhaps a slightly protruding, enlarged abdomen, signaling malnutrition. Associating the enlarged abdomen of an overweight person with hunger has never seriously entered my…
Twelve
by David Asscherick
Yeehaw! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Amen!
Yes, I know I’m geographically Down Under, but, wow, am I flying high right now! It’s the Monday after the final weekend of the ARISE Australia…
Protestant America
by James Rafferty
Where is the United States in the End-Time Scenario?
“When I look at Bible prophecy, one thing that is of great interest to me, and of great concern, is the absence of the United States. It is interesting to note that a number of nations are…
How to Be Free from Guilt
by Ty Gibson
The Bible knows what’s going on inside of you. It understands the complexity of the human being and penetrates into the deep mental, emotional and moral issues we all deal with. Notice, for example, this insightful passage from King…
The Semmelweis Reflex
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Ignaz Semmelweis was a Hungarian physician who lived in the mid-1800s before the germ theory was born. Years after his death he was referred to as the “savior of mothers.” His new-fangled notion of washing hands between touching cadavers and…
Nothing to Fear for the Future
by Fred Bischoff
Historical Tidbit
Did you know that Light Bearers in its early years had a collection of pioneer writings that were reproduced and shared? Any idea what it was called?—"Pioneer Library."
Somehow, around the same decade of the…
Liberty of Conscience: The Core Principle of Protestantism
by James Rafferty
The Origin of Protestantism
“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me…
Hidden, Part 2
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
The heart has always been thought to be responsible for pumping some eight thousand liters of blood per day at rest and much more during activity. This has been compared to the lifting of approximately 100 pounds one mile high! Blood is five times…
Water for Life International in Guatemala
by James Rafferty
In February of 2012, I traveled to Guatemala to conduct a series of evangelistic meetings in connection with a shipment of over 1.3 million pieces of literature. When I arrived, the container that had…
Revelation 13: An Annotated Reading
by Ty Gibson
The book of Revelation is highly symbolic. Its prophecies are written in a kind of code language that must be interpreted to make sense. A casual reading will blur the eyes and befuddle the mind. One must take the time to define each symbol by…
The Romanism Within
by Ty Gibson
The new Pope, Mr. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, has caused quite a stir recently. So much so, in fact, that an ardent Protestant friend said to me the other day, “Wow, this new pope seems like a really good guy and he’s saying some good things. Maybe…
A Nameless Mass?
by Ty Gibson
Six million people.
It’s a big number. When I hear it, I don’t see faces.
But God does.
To me, it’s a number that represents a nameless mass.
But not for God.
He sees faces, behind which are personal histories and heartaches,…
Hidden, Part 1
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
It was March 1, 1945, during his fourth term, that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt [FDR] delivered a speech to inform Congress and the American people via national radio of the decisions made at the recent Yalta Conference with British Prime…
Happy Digging
by David Asscherick
Paul the Apostle said some strange things, things hard to understand. Even Peter agreed (2 Peter 3:15). And if some of his writings were admittedly puzzling back then, how much more so would that be the case today, nearly two millennia later?
I…
Harnessing the Brain: Nutritional Neuroscience, Part 2
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
The dental student examined her inflamed, bleeding gums and loose teeth. From all appearances it looked as though her teeth would have to be pulled. A supervising dentist with an experienced eye asked the woman what she ate. Her diet consisted…
The Identity-Shaping Power of Fatherhood
by Ty Gibson
“The Father Himself loves you” (John 16:27).
Fatherhood is an identity-shaping vocation. Whether he does so consciously or not, a dad tells his child who and what to become. The child is significantly defined by the father’s manner of…
China Light: Leprosy Ministry
by Light Bearers
As a student of the ARISE program, I was blessed with a rich experience of meaningful Bible studies, priceless interactions with classmates, staff, and community, and most importantly, a clearer understanding of the beauty…
The Richard Sherman In All of Us
by Shawn Brace
First, let’s make something clear: Richard Sherman is not a thug (ie., “a cruel or vicious ruffian, robber, or murderer”).
By now, even if you’re a nominal sports fan,…
Seven Habits Worth Cultivating
by Ty Gibson
Every time you perform an action it contributes to shaping your fundamental identity. When life is done, you are the sum total of your repeated actions. Here are seven actions worth repeating over and over again this year until they become habits…
Present Stage: A New Year Prayer
by Ty Gibson
Lord God Almighty, ineffably holy,
Great in weakness, immeasurably lowly,
From the corner of my eye, I see Your glory,
Through prophets of old who breathed Your story.
But sweep me into the narrative now,
Resisting no longer, Your will to…
Harnessing the Brain: Nutritional Neuroscience, Part 1
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
One of the most exciting fields in nutrition is nutritional neuroscience. It is the study of how components of the diet impact the central nervous system, specifically cognitive function and mental health. The idea that food impacts brain function…
Just Like Acts
by David Asscherick
A really cool thing happened recently, and I can’t wait to tell you about it. Here goes…
It started at the Light Bearers Convocation earlier this year. The theme was Jesus Only, and was a…
Desperate Prayer
by James Rafferty
We are living in desperate times—desperate, meaning a feeling showing, or involving a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with, like national debt, life-destroying typhoons, earthquakes, tsunami’s, war,…
Four Incredible Lyrics from Advent Songs
by Ty Gibson
I’m one of those weirdos who could listen to Christmas music year-round. But I don’t, because I love the special sense of awareness of the incarnation that dawns upon my heart every year in December as advent songs begin to play. Some of these…
Luanda Para Cristo
by James Rafferty
The Numbers
4 containers; 8 million pieces of literature; 23,127+ baptisms.
In 2012 Light Bearers received a request from the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID). They were planning a city-wide evangelistic outreach in Luanda,…
True Cinnamon
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Cinnamon is one of those flavors and smells that can’t be substituted, especially around the holidays. I have cooked with coriander and cardamom and they can be quite good—but they are not cinnamon. I find it very interesting though (because I…
Stop Tinkering!
by Ty Gibson
Is there somebody in your family or in your church who is doing something you think they ought not to be doing?
Of course there is!
Are there people around you with defects of character that you can’t help but notice?
Yep!
Do you find…
Regarding: David Asscherick’s Relocation to Australia
by Light Bearers
In 2013, Light Bearers launched ARISE Australia in partnership with the North New South Wales Conference (NNSW) and the Kingscliff Seventh-day…
Amazing Things Happen
by Ty Gibson
The mission field is an exciting place to be. Special and unique experiences occur as human agents make themselves available as ambassadors for Christ. The truth of the gospel maneuvers its way into out-of-the-way places and reaches hearts in…
2-Bites
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
There is evidence that, as far back as 5000 BC, the Egyptians were making tooth powder of ashes of ox hooves, myrrh, burnt eggshells, and pumice. The chewing sticks of 3500 BC Babylonia could be the origin of our modern toothbrush. Toothpicks were…
Psychic Civil War
by Ty Gibson
No doubt you’ve heard someone say, “I am my own worst enemy.” Maybe you’ve said it yourself.
We intuitively understand that there is some sense in which the I stands against the me. Part of me wants to be something other…
In Control
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Duncan Ryan was only 42 and weighed 508 pounds. At five feet eleven inches, he was considered morbidly obese. At that weight it doesn’t matter how tall one is, more fat than anything else is being carried around. Duncan is not alone. One out of…
Adventist Pioneer Library Merges with Light Bearers
by Fred Bischoff
Stories… How important is our past? Moses put it this way for those in his day, "Take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen,… but teach them…" (Deuteronomy 4:9).…
An Opportunity of a Lifetime
by David Asscherick
It’s hard to believe, really. It happened to me, and I’m still trying to grasp it, to take it in. What happened?
Well, I just preached to representatives from more than 110 countries during two globally-significant, Seventh-day Adventist…
Stored Energy, Part 2: Fat
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Have you ever noticed the invisible sentimental tags we have attached to certain foods? These tags do not read with typical scientific style: “high in vitamin C,” “beneficial to the heart,” “180 calories,” etc. We do not merely receive a…
How Jesus Was Like Us
by James Rafferty
Recently we published a small book on the humanity of Jesus Christ entitled, How Jesus Was Like Us. This book was written to both identify how Jesus Christ in His humanity is…
God’s Secret
by Ty Gibson
Apparently God has a secret to tell us. And it’s the best secret imaginable. If we lean in close to Him through Bible study and prayer, we’ll hear Him whispering the confidential mystery into our hearts. Be still and listen:
“The secret of…
Stored Energy, Part 1: Glycogen
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
When building our home, I told the carpenter that I wanted a large walk-in pantry. He showed it to me sometime later and I commented that it seemed small. He assured me that I did not understand how things look before they are sheet rocked and that…
Jesus Only: Convocation Report
by James Rafferty
The 2013 Light Bearers Convocation is over, but the ripple effects are just beginning. The event was a huge blessing thanks in part to the hard work of various staff and volunteers behind the scenes and primarily to God for the outpouring of His…
Introducing Table Talk
by Ty Gibson
Four guys at a table.
A list of provocative and sublime topics.
All they’re told in advance is, “Bring your Bible and your brain.”
No rules.
No script.
Just straight from the heart, conversation about the things that matter…
What Is the Meaning of Life?
by David Asscherick
A consequential question, to be sure. But, first, another: what is meaning?
What does meaning mean?
Who’s to say what the answer is to either of these queries? Or, for that matter, to any query of consequence? Who decides what meaning…
God Bless Africa!
by Light Bearers
Mungu ibariki Afrika!
[God Bless Africa!]
Here at Kibidula Farm in Tanzania, we were very happy to receive a container of Bible studies from Light Bearers in October of last year. Since then, we have been working hard to distribute them…
For Strength
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Who would have watched food television programs 50 years ago? Would Americans have gravitated to Iron Chef America, watching Bobby Flay and Cat Cora hurriedly trounce around kitchens in an effort to out-impress gustatory judging? Would we have…
CROSStraining 2013
by David Asscherick
Short of making the sun stand still, it is no easy thing to make room for four months of instruction in just nine days. Nevertheless, we here at Light Bearers are trying anyway!
ARISE has, for the last decade, been a four-month endeavor. We have…
Listen for the Beauty
by David Asscherick
Just the other day, while on my morning run, I had a rather sublime revelation. I get these “running revelations” quite a bit actually. Maybe it’s the increased blood flow, or the quiet time, or the aloneness of it all, I really don’t know.…
The Hal
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
As a young college student I became quite attracted to the concept of health. Something clicked internally and I was into it. In class, I learned that the vast majority of what an individual might encounter in the hospital was lifestyle related. My…
I Saw Jesus—ARISE Australia Class Tribute
by Sandra Entermenn
I saw Jesus Wednesday morning, the week before last. He was sitting quietly at the same breakfast table with a few others, little Riley, and myself. When Riley indicated that he wanted more avocado (of which there was a limited supply), He,…
Jesus Only.
by Light Bearers
From July 2-6 several hundred people will arrive on the Light Bearers campus for our 2013 Convocation to study through the book of Acts, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, story by story. And this will be the theme of our study: Jesus…
The Snowball Effect
by Andy Hausted
It was a crisp winter day, and snow blanketed the quaint landscape surrounding me. Bright rays of light sparkled off the fresh snow that had fallen the previous night. Tall evergreens could be seen just about wherever one looked, and the rich smell…
Just Like the Cross
by David Asscherick
I get admittedly nervous when I hear these words: “Pastor Asscherick, you changed my life.” You see, I’m not in the life-changing business; I’m just a messenger, a mail carrier. The biblical term is evangelist, one who carries a…
Overcooked and Rawed Out
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
In politics, are you Republican or Democrat? In terms of religion, are you liberal or conservative? When it comes to your personality, are you sanguine or melancholy? In diet, are you vegan or vegetarian? Are you for or against…, in or out,…
Why a New Pope is Good News
by James Rafferty
In 1929, the Italian Parliament ratified the Lateran Treaty settling the Roman Question and setting the stage for what some have since described as the healing of the deadly wound. Somewhere between that time and today, an idea developed that…
Not Letter, But Spirit
by Ty Gibson
As I took my seat on the plane, an energetic little boy came up the aisle with his dad. In my mind I thought, “I sure hope he’s not gonna be in the seat behind me.” As a frequent flyer, I know short legs tend to kick seatbacks.
As he walked…
Enzymes in the Raw
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
I despise sloths. The continuous ritardando of their existence is not to my liking. They sleep for 20 hours a day. When they are awake they barely move. They are so slow and sluggish that algae will actually grow on their fur! Can you imagine if…
A Double Work
by James Rafferty
Traveling all over the world from place to place to share the gospel as part of the Light Bearers Ministry team is especially rewarding when hearts are healed and lives transformed by the power of God. Many of you are reading these words because you…
Setting the Captives Free
by Ty Gibson
A powerful ministry to prison inmates is under way in Kenya.
A group called the King’s Messengers, sponsored by the East- Central Africa Division, recently paid a series of visits to a prison in Nairobi housing 3,500 men. Rather than merely…
Creatures of Habit
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
Benjamin Franklin said, “Your net worth to the world is usually determined by what remains after your bad habits are subtracted from your good ones.” The implication is that habits control much of what life is made up of. We’ve heard the…
2013 Publishing Projects
by Light Bearers
This year we plan to print, package, ship and distribute over 22.5 million pieces of paper gold—the gospel of Christ in printed form. That's twelve 20 foot containers packed with truth-filled literature that will make their way to Kenya, Zambia,…
God’s Masterpiece
by Ty Gibson
The human mind is creativity in motion. Each moment of each day we see things, take in a plethora of sensory data, intersect with people, and experience life—and all the while, with every encounter, we are incrementally changing, becoming…
Swimming Blind
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
For Michael Phelps, the morning was like many others. Though a race-day, he fell into a routine that had become automatic. He ate the same breakfast he always ate, did the same stretching routine he always did. He swam his typical sequence of…
The Valley of the Shadow
by Doug Mielke
The sign read:
DO NOT attempt to hike from the rim to the river and back in one day, especially May to September.
But that was for normal people. The Hermit Trail spanned only nine miles from the canyon's rim down to the…
Ten
by David Asscherick
Family
My youngest son, Jabel, just turned ten. In the absence of a miraculous intervention, I will never again have the joy and privilege of parenting a less-than-double-digit aged child. Life moves on. Time does its thing. “The past…
Top 12 Posts from 2012
by Light Bearers
In case you missed them, here are the top 12 Light Bearers blog posts from 2012:
#12 – What Is Arise Trying to Accomplish?
"We’re laboring—in mind, body, soul, and…
Looking Back Over 2012
by Light Bearers
As 2012 ends, we here at Light Bearers are rejoicing at how God has led. Here’s a recap of the year:
ARISE Internship Program
In January we launched the ARISE…
Alone Together
by Doug Mielke
Danny Fitzgerald was the king of our neighborhood. It wasn't because he was an admirable person, nor was it because he was a great athlete, or one of the more popular guys at our school. He was the neighborhood king because we feared him. Danny…
Finding Jesus in Christmas
by James Rafferty
A group of people was sitting in the waiting area of a popular restaurant. They were hungry, eager for a table, and silently stealing glances at each other. Then in came yet another family with a small child. As the man went to register his name,…
When Evil Strikes
by Ty Gibson
On Friday as I walked into my wife’s office to say hi, smiling and eager to interrupt her work with a flirtatious moment or two, she swiveled around toward me in her chair and said, “Have you heard about what happened in Connecticut?”
There…
This Is Ministry: Victor and Lindsay’s Story
by Light Bearers
There’s a white door. There’s a ‘5’ on it. Two Cornerstone students, Victor Carreiro and Lindsay White, stand beside the apartment door and knock. There’s a post beside Victor that he leans upon, his hand plays with a chip in the wood.…
Territory: Light Bearers 2012 Yearend Report
by Light Bearers
Here's the Light Bearers 2012 Yearend Report. We are proud of this report, not in a carnal way, but because of the work and ministry it represents. The report is filled with frontline reports and theological insights that are sure to inspire you as…
Leaves of Hope, Healing, and Home
by David Asscherick
Emily Bronte, in her poem Fall, Leaves, Fall, writes:
Every leaf speaks bliss to meFluttering from the autumn tree.
Here in Oregon, as I write this, autumn has come and (nearly) gone. Leaves are aground wherever one…
This Is Ministry: Andy and Karla’s Story
by Light Bearers
No one is answering. Andy Hausted and Karla Martinez stand before a door refusing to open up. As Andy looks around, he notices two people in the backyard sitting on couches in a sort of outside porch area. The current ARISE…
How Thanksgiving Can Change the World
by Justin Kim
At the core of the Old Testament is what theologians call the biblical covenant. In other words, it’s a relationship, fellowship time, or… chill-time, or hanging out. It’s in the foundation of every sanctuary offering, every patriarch’s…
Dirty Teddy and Me
by Dustin Hall
I ascended the dark stairway at my childhood home to retrieve a toy I knew was in the upstairs closet for one of my children. As the creak of the steps sounded beneath my weight, memories from my childhood came rushing back. I reached the summit of…
Dear Light Bearers Guys…
by Light Bearers
As many of you know, we have a group of ARISE graduates that are part of a yearlong internship program. They are actively engaged in frontline ministry. They are serving in local churches, giving Bible…
Initial Conditions: When Small Isn’t
by Victor Carreiro
[ABOVE: Photo of a fractal riverbed. Fractals are naturally occurring, self-similar patterns that are very complex and incalculably detailed. While they may appear to be random and chaotic at their initial formation, they exhibit an array of…
And In My World…
by Ty Gibson
Wow, I was so blessed by David's “world” that I’d like to expand the vision to the church.
In my world, the church would be a place in which Jesus is the one Truth that gives meaning and heart and…
In My World…
by David Asscherick
In my world, there would be no sexual slave trade, because there would be no customers.
In my world, there would be no promising politicians, because people would be too informed and intelligent to believe them.
In my world, there would be no…
Teetering On The Edge
by Ty Gibson
Here’s some raw data that ought to blow your mind, make you want to cry, and arouse your suspicions all at once:
“According to the UN Environment Program, the earth is in the midst of a mass extinction of life. Scientists estimate that…
The Hidden Things, That I Don’t Know
by Paulo Torres
I distinctively remember my General Relativity classes.
Every one of them was a joyful experience, and yet I often came home frustrated because I hadn't understood a particular equation, mathematical reasoning or structure that day. Even so, the…
Look Mom! I’m a Televangelist!
by David Asscherick
Quick: what do Jim Bakker, Ted Haggard, and Jimmy Swaggart all have in common?
Answer: they’ve all made my life harder.
At various times, and in various ways, they all succeeded in sullying my profession, my faith, and, worst of all, my…
What is ARISE Trying to Accomplish?
by David Asscherick
Someone told me that someone had a friend who was told by someone else that, “ARISE Bible workers don’t get results.” Sure, a rumor is a rumor, but the alleged statement does actually raise an important question, one that I’ve been asking…
Now Available: 4th Quarter Sabbath School Commentaries by David Asscherick & Ty Gibson
by Light Bearers
The final Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly for 2012 was a great one indeed: Growing in Christ. What could be more important than that? Nothing! The Quarterly Lesson took a look at several distinctive doctrines of Scripture against the…
The Hour Has Come
by David Asscherick
It was, without doubt, one of the highlights of my life: more than a thousand young people standing arm in arm, committing themselves to God and to making a difference in Europe. Even now as I write, my heart thrills within me as I remember that…
Paper Missionaries
by Light Bearers
We just loaded one of three containers going to the East Central African Division (ECD): one for the Division office, one for the Tanzania Union Mission in Arusha, Tanzania, and the third for the West Congo Union Mission in Kinshasa in the…
Fight or Flight?
by dee-casper
The “Fight or Flight” response is defined as the response of the body to a perceived threat. When faced with danger, the body releases hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones give us a burst of energy and strength by increasing…
What to Do with Anger
by James Rafferty
I watched two cars almost collide as one turned into the other’s lane without seeing the car occupying it. The violated driver went ballistic—honking, yelling, and using inappropriate hand signals.
Driving has to be one of the great…
Roundup
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
You would think that a company who: came up with saccharin to produce diet Coca Cola; contributed to research on uranium which led to the atomic bomb; has been a leading manufacturer of plastics, PCBs and DDTs; sold Agent…
Light Bearers 28th Annual Convocation
by David Asscherick
Everyone loves a good idea.
Especially when it’s their own.
Now I don’t want to break my arm patting myself on the back, but in this case the good idea was, well, mine.
“What if we dedicated the entire convocation to a single book of the…
I Can’t…
by Chad Stuart
"I can't."
Those are the words my dad spoke two-and-a-half years ago. It was his response to a question I had put to him: "Dad will you do a Bible study with one of our contacts?"
"I can't."
Let me tell you a little bit about my dad. Almost…
Why You Matter So Much
by Ty Gibson
Today in a little Australian town called Byron Bay I noticed a sign that says, “I saw the universe change today.” Whoever wrote those words was paying attention.
According to “chaos theory,” the single movement of a butterfly’s wing may…
Food Synergy
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
It was a strange turn of events that left researchers wondering. Proponents of the therapeutic value of food were sure that this study would be an arrow in their quiver. But it wasn’t. Instead the Alpha-Tocopherol,…
A Light in Zambia
by Light Bearers
In our new documentary, A Light in Zambia, you'll hear firsthand accounts of changed lives and trace the spiritual journeys of five special Zambians who have been powerfully impacted by the gospel.
…
And Justice For All?
by gabriel-reed
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…
Boston
by David Asscherick
My family and I recently had the privilege of spending some time touring around Boston following a speaking appointment. Not being a city person, I had but mild anticipation. The primary goals were to expose my boys to some American history, and to…
Evangemom: A Tribute to Mothers
by Angelo Grasso
It was a spring morning like any other for my wife, Kathy and then two-year old son Eliah: playtime at the local park. Our son was enjoying himself in the sandbox, when another little boy showed up with his mom. As the boys got busy playing, the…
Digging in with Digma: A Teacher’s Testimony
by David Sherwood
Have you seen the new Digma videos? If you haven’t, go watch them immediately at digma.com, then share them with your social network. I’m serious. Stop reading this blog because someone on…
A Crippled Arm, Doubts and Something Better
by Bryant Rodriguez
His right arm struck his right thigh whenever he made a good point. As Matt Parra preached on Acts 17, biblical balance, and the logical fallacies of traditional definitions of balance, one thought streamed through my mind:
I’m supposed to be…
New Zealand: My Glory and Joy!
by David Asscherick
It is no secret to those who know me that I regard New Zealand as “the best country on earth.” I’ve been there four years in a row, and have no plans or desire to stop my annual visits. My most recent visit, which I’ve just returned from,…
Reaching the world… On a Schwinn
by dee-casper
If you had told me eight years ago, when I graduated from high school, that I would be hanging out with people from all over the world and be afforded the opportunity to share the gospel with them, I would have laughed at you. I was unconverted;…
Food Not Bombs
by Light Bearers
After completing the four month Cornerstone Program this past December, eight of us graduates were asked to be a part of the new …
How Not To Be Weird
by Ty Gibson
Placing an order in a café recently, the server said, “You don’t eat meat? That’s weird.” I responded, with a smile of course, “Yeah, it’s way less weird to catch a beautiful creature, look into its frightened eyes, cut its throat as it…
The ARISE Internship Program
by Light Bearers
For almost a decade now we’ve had the privilege of training over 800 people through our ARISE training programs. It’s been a powerful and beautiful experience! But we’ve always dreamed of having…
Young Adults Launch Bible Boot Camp
by Sandra Entermenn
As a direct result of attending the ARISE Bible Boot Camp at Kingscliff Church, six young adults from Ipswich Church recently took up the challenge to…
5 Ways to Be a Successful Student on a Public College Campus
by Israel Ramos
If you are a Seventh-day Adventist student studying on a non-Adventist university campus, you have a unique opportunity. Far more than merely graduating with an expensive piece of paper in your hands, you can be used by God to impact a group of…
2012 Songs of Ascent Tour
by Light Bearers
Over the years we have become associated with a number of talented musicians and songwriters. We’ve often daydreamed about a music tour that would be biblically grounded, of the highest musical quality, and evangelistically savvy. Those dreams…
Light Bearers Mission Video
by Light Bearers
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 Use Or Be Used?
by David Asscherick
Sometimes we hear people say things like, “I need more of the Holy Spirit in my life” or “I want the fullness of the Spirit.” There is nothing direly wrong with this language, and yet it may evince a subtle danger in our…
God Was Good in Guatemala
by James Rafferty
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…
Remember to Breathe
by stein-vegard-halvorsen
God exists, and He loves you. How long will it take before we open our eyes and dare to answer His tender voice? In this world where we are living there is so much stress and pressure all around us every single day. The time seems to disappear…
Natural Disasters–An Act of God?
by James Rafferty
Someone sent me a recent article by John Piper, Reformed Baptist preacher and best selling author, titled, Fierce Tornados and the Fingers of…
Benzu & Irene
by Light Bearers
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…
Healing Leaves
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
James Cook was one of the greatest sea navigators in history. In the late 1700s, he sailed from England around South Africa, to Tahiti, Australia and beyond. His eyes saw what very few had in his time. He and his men were…
Why it Matters
by Cindy Tutsch
Several of my young adult friends have messaged me recently with comments like, "I consider myself a Creationist because I believe that God created the earth. Why does it matter if He created it in seven literal contiguous 24-hour periods, or over…
The Parable of Luke, Part 2
by David Sherwood
Rushing out of the revolving door, we made our way home to Tennessee after staying two days in our hotel to be sure Luke was well enough to travel. The next five months was a game of wait and see; waiting to see if he would meet his normal…
Three Simple Steps For Overcoming Any Sin
by Ty Gibson
"We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).
Whoever you are, whatever your struggles and temptations may be, sweet victory is yours for the taking.
Right now!
All you need do is appreciate, appropriate and act upon what…
The Parable of Luke, Part 1
by David Sherwood
The great Hellen Keller is noted as having said, "When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us." A little over two years ago my wife and I had…
Light Bearers + ARISE: A Conversation About the Merger
by Light Bearers
Listen to Ty Gibson, James Rafferty and David Asscherick discuss the details and events leading up to the merger between Light Bearers and ARISE.
…
Four Surefire Ways to Maintain High Energy
by Ty Gibson
"Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever" (1 Corinthians 9:25, NIV).
In their excellent book, The Power of Full…
The Pleasure of Finding Things Out
by Paulo Torres
As a child I remember looking once at the clear night sky and feeling the deep awe it inspires. It wasn’t just a sense that the Universe is big that gripped me, though it certainly is. It was the whole experience of being in the dark with my…
The Straight Truth
by Risë Rafferty, RDN
An antagonist is typically someone who is against us. Defined as an opposing, limiting, nullifying force, the antagonist does not carry a positive connotation. In the world of physiology though, a healthy balance of life…
A Class of Their Own
by David Asscherick
The ninth four-month ARISE 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…
Leaving But Staying; Changing But Staying the Same
by Matt Parra
Matt, David, and Sherise surfing just South of Brisbaine, Australia
Moving can be dramatic. Yet change is a normal part of the human experience. Accordingly, the…
Here We Are!
by David Asscherick
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…
Here They Are!
by James Rafferty
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…
Fifteen Lessons From Fifteen Years, Part 3
by David Asscherick
A lot has happened since Part Two was written and posted, not the least of which is that ARISE has moved to Jasper, Oregon to …
My ARISE Experience
by Amanda Pérez
My experience at ARISE can be simply described: God-planned. It is such a jaw-dropping feeling to look back at my life and see how God planned every step of the way. He even turns our mistakes into stepping stones instead of stumbling blocks. That…
Asscherick Sermon Featured in Adventist Review
by David Asscherick
What a privilege it was to conduct the Week of Spiritual Emphasis at the General Conference World Headquarters earlier this year! Blessings continue to flow from that…
Fifteen Lessons From Fifteen Years, Part 2
by David Asscherick
The original plan was one post with all fifteen points. Plan B was fifteen points in two blog posts. Now we’re on Plan C: fifteen points in, you guessed it, three posts. Life has a way of suddenly rearranging our otherwise perfect and precise…
The Handbook
by Samuel Riemersma
One of the great things about working in ministry is the privilege of meeting so many people from different backgrounds, cultures, and walks of life. Over time, weekly Bible studies grow into close friendships which is probably the most rewarding…
Fifteen Lessons From Fifteen Years, Part 1
by David Asscherick
Pastor Torres, complete with wetsuit, baptizing me in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Best day of my life.
It was June 6, 1996.
Five days ago was June 6,…
ARISE, for me, is…
by kevin-mcgill
ARISE, for me, is the continuing of a journey. My journey became a reality two years ago with a challenge from a friend who said, "If we believe this stuff, we should do it." At that point I wasn't even sure if I "believed this…
How I Became the Fresh Prince of Sonora
by lee-g
I knew I was in for something special.
As Randy and Shandra Ban picked me up from the airport, I asked them what ARISE was all about - was it a school for missionaries? They told me it was a school that connected people with Jesus. I nodded my…
The Broken Nose
by Matt Parra
Matt: “Hey Sherise, paddle out. Paddle. Paddle out!”
Sherise: Puzzled, frightened, and confused. Doing her best impersonation of a deer in the headlights.
Unidentified Surfer:…
My Search for Truth and God’s Search for Me
by Kevin Dice
Grace.
What a fantastic and wonderful word! The free, unmerited favor of God.
When my carnal heart first came to the realization of what was offered to me through Christ, I was a heathen. No, worse than a heathen; I was a Christian who knew…
Modern-Day Explorers
by Light Bearers
It is amazing to look at history and see how it often repeats itself.
Amber and I live in beautiful New Zealand. We have been fascinated by the history of this region - particularly its discovery by the Europeans.
New Zealand was first…
ARISE is… Both
by David Asscherick
ARISE is thoroughly Gospel-centered.
ARISE is authentically Adventist.
Let’s be unmistakably clear: there exists no tension whatsoever between these affirmations. Both can be affirmed concurrently, absolutely, enthusiastically and…
New Zealand Re-Revisited
by David Asscherick
Every time I go to New Zealand something good happens. There are at least two reasons for this, and neither is because of me. Those reasons? God is good and New Zealand is the best place on earth.
God’s goodness is a certainty, as the Gospel…
A French Counter-Revolution
by Matt Parra
The image is a depiction of Catherine de Medici, Queen of France, who approved the extermination of the Protestants, coming out to see the carnage of St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre…
Twice the Light: ARISE & Light Bearers Join Forces!
by Light Bearers
Yesterday, May 12th, something amazing happened. Something providential and miraculous. Two ministries became one. This did not happen overnight, as you might imagine. We do, after all, live in a Newtonian world, and when two things come together…
Goodness, Suffering and God
by Nathan Renner
Recently, a friend of mine struck up a conversation with a local philosophy professor while exercising at the gym. Before long, the conversation turned to the most important subject of our time (and of all time): the character of God.…
ARISE Down Under
by Light Bearers
When ARISE confirmed that we would be doing a two-week Bible Boot Camp in Australia, we knew that the Lord would have great things in store. However, God has done above and beyond anything we could have ever expected. We had no idea how many people…
God and Mark
by David Asscherick
Recently, I met Mark. Mark was scared. Mark had spent the last week cutting people’s limbs off.
I’m not kidding.
February 22nd saw Christchurch, New Zealand rocked by a deadly earthquake. At present nearly 200 have lost their lives.…
Frontline Report: February 22 Christchurch Earthquake
by David Asscherick
David Asscherick shares his eyewitness account of the 6.3 quake.
A deadly earthquake (6.3 magnitude) struck Christchurch, New Zealand yesterday at 12:51 p.m. Reports are that the Central Business…
Prepare. Prepare. Prepare.
by David Asscherick
Twenty-six point two miles. 138,435 feet. 1,661,220 inches.
There are many permutations, but the distance remains the same: long. For reasons not perfectly clear to me, running a marathon seemed like a good idea. That was six months…
Pastor Asscherick at Oakwood University
by Light Bearers
Pastor David Asscherick had the privilege of preaching a week of revival sermons at the campus of Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama. The meetings were held from April 13 to 17. Assistant Chaplain Marquis Johns enthusiastically remarked, "The…
Australia Youth Conference 2010
by Light Bearers
AYC (Australian Youth Conference) 2010 was the third installment of a youth conference that began because of a desire among the Adventist youth of Australia to fulfill the gospel commission. Matt Parra was invited as a plenary and workshop presenter…