Seventh-day Adventist church life and ministry is changing at a rapid pace. One church leader recently stated that by the year 2020, nearly 90 percent of our members will have joined the Adventist Church since the year 2000. That presents some interesting challenges.

With a firm understanding of our heritage and mission, we as a church must experiment with new avenues for reaching our neighbors and communities for Christ. Unless we find ways to bridge the “language divide” that continues to expand between society and Adventist “culture,” we will lose our ability to connect with those we are called to “touch” and “win.”

Local church leaders and pastors are invited to a one-day Symposium for Creative Ministry in Ontario, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 27. Starting at 9 a.m., media clips and live presentations will demo some of the creative methods currently being used by select churches within the Pacific Union and beyond. Speakers include Dr. Robert E. Logan, Michael Coe, Dr. Craig Dossman Sr., Chris Johnson, Cristian Farias, Jan Kaatz, Sam McKee, Dr. Steven Popkow, Frederick Russell and Barbara Taylor. The session will end at 5 p.m.

The symposium will be held in the Ontario Convention Center at 2000 Convention Center Way (near Ontario International Airport). Registration is required and is being handled by PlusLine at 800-732-7587 or www.plusline.org/events.php.

The word “vervent” means “full of life” and “bursting with energy.” Only God’s Spirit can fill us with the life and energy needed to fulfill His end-time mission. Please join us in prayer that Aug. 27 will be more than a day for collective thinking and dialogue—that God’s Spirit will be poured out with renewed power and focus.