Seventh-day Adventist® Church

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Conservation

CONSERVATION

Origin of the Conservation Unit

Over the years, the churches have been faced with the challenge of “closing the back door” thus preventing apostasy.  It would appear that through the activities of the Personal Ministries Department, membership increased.  Unfortunately, it would seem apparent that each time one new member came through the front door, another member left through the back door.

The Seventh-day Adventist church, being an organized institution, decided to implement measures to alleviate this situation.  From the General Conference level, recommendation was made for  all conferences to appoint a  Conservation Coordinator  and each church was asked to do the same.   The Conservation Coordinators were to identify and implement methods to prevent the apostasy of both old and new members.

Discipleship Manual

At Central Jamaica Conference, Pastor Levi Johnson, Secretary for the Conference, took on the challenge of Conservation Coordinator and together with a carefully selected team, within short order,  prepared a “Discipleship Manual” which outlines:

  • The roles and functions of the Discipleship Committee;
  • The methods of welcoming the new members;
  • The necessity of obtaining information on new believers;
  • The importance of building relationships with new members;
  • The importance of having new believers participating in witnessing activities;
  • The need to encourage new believers to study the Word daily and
  • The benefits to new believers when they have an active prayer life.

Discipleship

From the manual as well as other material shared with the churches by the Coordinator at Central Jamaica Conference, it was evident that members remain in the church if within the first six months they develop friendship thereby replacing the friends and relatives who have abandoned them because of their new-found faith.

Offering friendship and affection to the newly baptized member is as important a missionary work as giving Bible studies to those who do not yet know Christ. Our goal is not only to baptize people, but to save them.  With baptism alone we have not yet done all that is necessary; now we must integrate them into the church, make disciples of them, using Christ’s method, which is one of coexistence.

To prepare the new member for missionary work means to introduce him to the activity of a lifetime, for the Lord told us: “To save souls should be the life work of every  one who professes Christ.” (Christian Service, page 10).

A person who accepts Christ as their Saviour will stop participating in activities that are not in accordance with God’s plan.   Thus it is the church’s responsibility to ensure that the new believers are always  doing something useful which will make them feel that they are doing an important job.  In the book Christian Service, page 8, we read: “It is the plan of Heaven that those who have received light shall impart it to those in darkness.”

When a person is baptized he is born into the kingdom of God and is automatically transformed into a follower of Christ, into a disciple.  In the same book on page 9 we read the following: “Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary.”

When we are preparing an individual to surrender his life to Christ, we should also prepare him to become a missionary.  As he gets to understand the plan of salvation, he imparts it to those with whom he comes in contact daily. 

A person who is new in the faith should become involved in missionary work no later than the day of his baptism.  The ideal time would be before his baptism because this would involve him in working for the salvation of others.

A positive way to avoid feeling lonely, sad, and discouraged, is to be involved in activities which occupy your time and give satisfaction and joy.

MISSION

The mission of the Conservation Department here at Tent City is to SHARE THE JOY WHILE LIVING THE HOPE.  The joy will be shared with both members and prospective members, assisting as best as possible with their felt needs, as they develop and maintain a relationship with God.

Theme:  Sharing the Joy While Living the H.O.P.E.

H  - Helping

O - Others

P – Prepare

E  - Eternity

Sharing the Joy While Living the Hope

Objective:              

  • Constantly tell others about God’s goodness to us
  • Ensuring that our lifestyle reflects the hope that we have in Christ Jesus
  • While waiting for Christ return, treat earthly items as temporary and aim for the heavenly
  • Jesus had a very active social life; share the joy while participating in social  activities.

In Reach/Out Reach

Last year, the Conservation Unit continued the tradition we have at Tent City to have a New Believers’ Day.   For witnessing activities, each month the new believers joined with the Community Services Department in the distribution of packages and on Labour Day they arranged and prepared breakfast for the persons at St. Monica’s Home.   Our First Elder, Patrick St. Marie, joined them from 6:30 a.m. and assisted by participating in the peeling of bananas for the preparation of the breakfast.  

The new believers were inspired and blessed from the Prayer, Literature and Discipleship Conference arranged by Central Jamaica Conference and held at Camp Verley.   While at Camp Verley, the new believers visited the Sunbeam Boys Home in Spring Village and presented to the boys,  items collected from church members as contribution to the home.   Special mention must be made of the contribution made to this venture by the Golden Gates Adventurers.    For in reach, a vibrant vesper service was instituted and each week most of the new believers shared in fellowship lunch.

In keeping with the church's theme “Helping Others Prepare for Eternity” as well as the motto of the Conservation Unit at Central Jamaica Conference - “From Baptism to Discipleship” once a new member is received into the fellowship of the church, they are invited to a special lunch with the Pastor and First Elder.   During lunch plans are made with the new believers to engage them in witnessing activities which the Pastor and First Elder are also enthusiastic and willing to accompany them on.   To this end, since January 2010, the new believers  have participated in more than one witnessing activities and on more than one occasion, they have joined with the Community Services Department in the distribution of packages. They also conducted a Wednesday night prayer service,  a vesper service and a Sabbath School.   The in reach methods also include Friday night vesper services and fellowship lunch on Sabbaths.

A number of members have been instrumental in the nurturing programme at Tent City and from their guidance, patience, understanding and training, the new members have a sense of belonging in the church, their prayer life is developed and they have a deeper understanding of the Word of God.   On this note, special commendation must be made to the following persons: Pastor Roosewell Lobban, Elder Patrick St. Marie,  Elder Leslie Mair, Elder Nigel Gregg, Sis. Julian Morant, Sis. Tanya Dixon, Bro. and Sis. Leroy Colquhoun, Bro. and Sis. Jennifer Taylor and the Deaconate Body.  

The new believers need our prayers (yours and mine) as they travel the christian journey.  Let us all pray that whenever they encounter any hurdles or any speed bumps, they will reflect on their theme song - "My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness.   On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand."