In the southeastern region, Ted Wilson urges members to embrace the world church initiative.
Seventh-day Adventist Church president Ted N. C. Wilson made a call to hundreds of church members in southeastern Mexico during a special worship gathering held in Cancún, Quintana Roo, on August 19, 2018.
“God has a mission for the church in the southeast territory, and that is to proclaim the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14. It is to lift up Christ in His righteousness, and to lift up the restoration of God’s people through the Word of God [and] through healthful living,” he said as he addressed more than 2,500 church leaders and members at the Poliforum Benito Juárez auditorium.
Left to right: Inter-American Division president Elie Henry, Adventist Church president Ted N. C. Wilson, and Southeast Mexican Union Mission president Isaías Espinoza are welcomed as they arrive in Cancún, Mexico, August 19, 2018. [Photo: Joel Caamal, Inter-American Division News]
Some 2,500 church members from across the Southeast Mexican Union Mission gathered at the Poliforum Benito Juárez for a church service with top church leaders. [Photo: Joel Caamal, Inter-American Division News]
Pathfinders welcome Adventist leaders as they arrive in Cancún’s airport. [Photo: Joel Caamal, Inter-American Division News]
Pointing to the story of Jesus and the woman at the well found in John 4, Wilson spoke about the animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans, and how Jesus broke down the walls of prejudice during his visit to the well.
Wilson then posed a question: “Where is God leading you? How is he helping you to touch the hearts of people?” And he added, “Are you willing to go into areas where you might feel uncomfortable? Not quite the same culture or background as you? Maybe not the same social group or educational level? Where is God leading you?”
Reading John 4:17, Wilson highlighted how Jesus wanted to unlock the door to reach the woman by asking a favor, and tried to awaken a desire in her for something better.
“He [Jesus] awakened a personal need, he called for a decision to acknowledge him as the Messiah, and stimulated the person to make the decision,” said Wilson. Those are the same principles that Adventists should follow when dealing with people, “loving them and caring for them, touching their lives in ways in which they will respond to Jesus,” he emphasized.
The story tells that Jesus asked for a drink and offered living water in return.
“This woman represents the practical work in the faith of Jesus,” said Wilson. “Every true disciple is born in Christ as a missionary.”
The Adventist leader appealed to the congregation, who were scheduled to hold constituency meetings Sunday evening and Monday, the importance of taking an active part in the mission of the church through what the world church has coined the Total Member Involvement initiative.
“God is calling for you to be part of this last-day proclamation, regardless of your background or education, regardless of what you’re doing right now,” Wilson said. “The Lord is calling you to join forces with the Holy Spirit to be part of Total Member Involvement, to ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to the right people who will listen to you, whom you can ask a favor of and enter into a beautiful interaction.”
Wilson then challenged both the congregation and online viewers to their calling to invite others to be ready for Jesus’ second coming. He pleaded for Adventists everywhere in the Southeast Mexico church territory to humble themselves before God, hold the Bible truths close to their hearts, and be clear about who they are in God, with whatever talents they have to serve in the mission of spreading the message of the gospel.
“The Lord wants to use you in Total Member Involvement so that the work will be done in this part of Mexico, [as you] commit your life to the Lord,” he said.
Wilson was accompanied by Inter-American Division administrators, who traveled together from Puebla, Mexico, after a pastoral visit there, and planned to oversee the constituency meetings of the Southeast Mexican Union this week.
The special gathering included devotional messages, drama performances, and musical numbers.
In the Southeast Mexican Union Mission, more than 100,500 Seventh-day Adventists worship in 1,182 churches and congregations.
