Greater New York Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Department of Adventist Youth Ministries
Open Letter from Pastor Jose Cortes Jr. to Youth & Young Adults in Greater New York
12/31/09
Dear Youth & Young Adult in Greater New York Conference:
Each day, when I wake up I thank God for life, for family, for health; I also thank God for you, for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and for the awesome privilege, which I don’t take for granted, of providing ministry, leadership, and vision, in one of the most beautiful, challenging, needy, and promising territories in the world, the Greater New York area. I am writing this year’s letter, as I have done at the beginning of every year, since we came to Greater New York in 2003.
Today, I am joined by Joanne, Jose III, and Joel Benjamin, to wish you an extraordinary 2010. As you begin 2010, I would like to remind you to do your part, always do your best with prayer. In our family worship each morning, we always sing a children’s song “God Has a Plan for My Life.” Each morning we also pray for God to keep us right in the center of His will for our lives. Keep in mind that if you do the ordinary, God will add the Extra. Doing your part plus the blessing of God, as you stay in the center of His will, will help you lead an extraordinary life in 2010. If 2009 was a good year, 2010 can be a great year.
If 2009 was not what you hoped it would be, shake the dust of defeat, hurt, sadness, and failure. Begin 2010 with a brand new life, made possible by the grace of Jesus, the Hope He provides, and the power of the Designer and Creator of the Universe, who never fails. He says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11/NLT). Just today, Joanne pointed me to this beautiful quote, “As the will of man co-operates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent. Whatever is to be done at His command may be accomplished in His strength.” (Christ Object Lessons, p.333).
Our theme for 2010 is “FACE to FACE with JESUS” (FACE2FACE with JESUS). We chose this theme together with the Adventist Youth Leadership Team of our Conference during our year end’s visioning and planning retreat; lots of prayer, thought, brainstorming, and discussion were put into this selection. Through this theme we will highlight the Second Coming of Jesus, the special moment when we will see Jesus face to face, for the first time. The Second Coming of Jesus brings Hope, Happiness, and Health to our lives, and to all who embrace it. During 2010 and beyond, I would like to invite each youth and young adult in Greater New York Conference to become an Agent of Hope, Happiness, and Health.
FACE2FACE with JESUS
Through this theme, we will raise the awareness of the Second Coming of Christ, among our youth and young adults, their family members, our churches, and our communities. We will also portray the time of the end as the Bible does, a time of hope, opportunity, hard work in partnership with God, and the great achievement of reaching the entire world with the Hope of the Gospel. It will be a difficult time, and Jesus assured us that we would never be alone without help from God (John 14:16). The real end of the world will be here with the return of Christ, which is available for those who accept Him and await His coming with love (II Timothy 4:8).
Why FACE2FACE? Why the Second Coming of Christ? For years, the time of the end has been a subject of apprehension and fear which many dread. I have been an Adventist for almost 38 years and a pastor for the last 18; through my years in the church I have seen a good number who are highly scared and uneasy with the end time. I have also heard people, who claim to follow the Bible, set dates for the Second Coming, though Jesus clearly said that no one knows the day or the hour, not even the angels (Matthew 24:36). I have seen others instigate Adventists to move away to other countries or to the countryside, though the work where the millions of people live has not yet been done. The reason, fear of persecution. I have seen those who moved away in fear, return from abroad and the countryside ashamed and upset with the “preachers” who convinced them to go away and also took their money. I have seen people scared to death, trying to interpret Y2K, the beginning of a new millennium (2000) with a possible computer failure, the death of a pope, the recent financial meltdown, and lately, the end of the Mayan Calendar in 2012. I’ve seen and heard young people say they would like God to wait a bit longer, so they can have a little fun here on earth before the Second Coming, as if the heaven and the new earth which God has planned for us are the most boring places. Through this time fear, trepidation, and speculation have paralyzed many and somehow we have failed to carry out the last actual sign which needs to be fulfilled before the Second Coming of Christ, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14).
The Second Coming of Jesus is the end. It is presently and has been for years the most exhilarating and hopeful event, since the first coming of Christ, (his birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension). The time of the end and the Second Coming of Christ, when understood according to what Jesus said and what is written in the Bible, should be a time which brings hope, happiness, health, and a missionary spirit like there never was. When talking about the time of the end and His Second Coming, Jesus said: “But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." (Luke 21:28). We’ve chosen this theme because this is not the time to be hiding, speculating each time that something happens in Rome, or trembling with fear. This is the time for an unafraid generation filled with hope, love, health, happiness and power to be making disciples and sharing an urgent message with the capital of the world and its surroundings.
HOPE
We have all the reasons in the world to be hopeful during this time of the end, as we wait to be FACE2FACE with Jesus. The Bible says that during the time of the end young people and adults, men and women will work together for God (Joel 2:28-31); during the time of anguish Jesus will rise up and His people will be delivered (Daniel 21:1). The Bible also says that when Jesus comes those who died believing in Him will resurrect (I Thessalonians 4:16) and there will not be any more pain, crying, mourning, abuse, or death (Revelation 21:4), and it also adds that God has prepared for us so many great things, so good, that we cannot even imagine (I Corinthians 2:9). When we grasp what’s coming our way (deliverance, salvation, resurrection, time with Jesus, abolition of pain, abuse, crying, and death, and the best God and the universe have to offer) we should be jumping of joy, singing with gladness, praying with power, and telling everyone about it. The ones who need to be fearful and afraid are the ones who do not have the hope of the Second Coming, the ones who are not anticipating the FACE2FACE with Jesus. We have been placed here by God, for a very specific purpose, to be the Agents of Hope for our city, its suburbs, and all its inhabitants.
Through 2010 the Adventist Youth Ministries Department of the Greater New York Conference is calling for youth and young adults to become Agents of Hope. How can we be the Agents of Hope?: (1) Try to share hope with everyone you are in touch with this year, (2) Pray with everyone who allows you to pray with him/her this year, (3) Plan a special reclaiming project with reunion days for youth & young adults who have left your church and are not longer living with the hope, (4) Have your Youth Society, Small Group, Pathfinder or Adventurer Club go out into the community and pray for the businesses in the community, (5) Organize a special service to pray for the sick in the church and its community, (6) Hold a special prayer service for the unemployed who have lost hope in your church and its community, (7) Make sure you are part of a small group that studies the Bible and shares hope with people who need it weekly, (8) Read through the Bible and create a Journal of Bible verses that give you hope, share one verse every day of 2010 with anyone you are able to share it with, (9) Use the Social Networks (Facebook, My Space, Twitter, and Text Messaging) to share hope, (10) Work with the adults in your church and your pastor, please include adults, in every plan you and your team devise to work for God in your church and community, (11) Think of New Methods, which have not been used before, even if they are different, organize well with your team, and begin to use them to reach people with the Hope. If someone criticizes you, love them, pray for them, and kindly remind them that Jesus did things that were different and new, so did Paul, and of course our pioneers in the Adventist Church.
HAPPINESS
As youth and young adults who are waiting for the FACE2FACE with Jesus, we have lots to be grateful and happy for. People with hope actually have reasons to smile, sing, and laugh. I am not trying to say that Christians never get sad or depressed at times, but once we understand our hope, we have many reasons to be happy. Happiness is contagious; there is no better advertising for Jesus and our Hope, than a happy, joyful, smiling youth or young adult. There is no worst advertising for Jesus and our hope than a bitter, harsh, somber youth or young adult. The Bible says: “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4).
I would like to challenge you to never again go to church or walk around with a long face, with a spirit of criticism or a judgmental attitude. Even, when you are feeling down and sad, you can come to church and walk around with hope. We are the people of hope, let’s go to church and walk around, reflecting grace, love, compassion, happiness, passion for God, and the anticipation of the FACE2FACE with Jesus moment.
HEALTH
Many are not interested in having a hope for the future because their lives need something, they really need something today. They are sick, lacking health, and cannot look beyond tomorrow. Jesus, during His ministry on this earth, mingled with the people, ministered to their needs, and then asked them to follow Him. We too can learn and should learn from Jesus. We are calling our youth and young adults in Greater New York to be healthy till He comes and to become Agents of Health in our metropolis. As a church we have a great Health Message, when rightly practiced and shared, it can be very impacting and relevant to the millions looking for health, the fountain of youth, and longevity in New York. Just about everybody wants to be healthy, look good and live long and we have the key.
In 2010 we will instruct and encourage the youth and young adults of our Conference to observe the Eight Habits of Highly Healthy People, better known as the Eight Natural Remedies: (1) Nutrition, (2) Exercise, (3) Water, (4) Sunlight, (5) Temperance (Abstinence of Evil & Moderation of Good), (6) Fresh Air, (7) Rest, and (8) Trust in God. We are also challenging our Adventist Youth Societies, Collegiate Groups, Small Groups, Pathfinder & Adventurer Clubs to hold two series of Health Evangelism/Outreach for the church’s community: (1) A Week Emphasizing the 8 Natural Remedies for Healthy Leaving, (2) A Second Week on How to Stop Smoking in 5-7 Days.
It is very important that we are thoughtful as we share these health principles, we cannot get confused or mislead others. Putting people down, while sharing health principles, telling them that we live healthy in order to be saved or achieve perfection would turn them off and make our relevant message ineffectual, besides, it is not Biblical. The Bible is very clear; we can only be saved by grace, through faith, plus nothing, period (Ephesians 2:8). We take good care of our bodies to have a better and more abundant life because it is God’s will that we prosper and live healthy (3 John 2) till He comes; till the FACE2FACE with Jesus moment.
In order to make these Health Initiatives more accessible we are partnering with the Health Ministries Department of the Greater New York Conference. Pastor Ruben Merino and Doctor Herbert Goulding II and their team, will work together with us as we become Agents of Health.
Please, feel free to share this letter with your Youth Leadership Council and your AY Society during one of the first meetings of the year.
On behalf of my family, and our entire leadership team of Coordinators, Instructors, and Secretaries, I would like to express, once more, our gratitude for your hard work and support during 2009. Thank you for being the Bridge this past year and beyond. Now let us together engage in telling New York that one day, hopefully soon, we’ll be FACE2FACE with Jesus.
Love you a lot!!!
Jose
Pastor Jose H. Cortes Jr., M. Div.,
Director
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