The Need for Change

Royce Mitchell, Jr. Editor

Thanks are in order to the members of the space program who have provided us with pictures of distant star systems via the Hubble telescope. The pictured system is not named, only numbered! Each month a new image (from the Hubble telescope exposures) is exhibited online, with astronomer and astrophysicist commentary and information. You can see these images at http://heritage.stsci.edu.

It is incredible that within those dark areas, in between the visible stars, lie countless other galaxies and star systems, observable only with the aid of marvelous equipment like the Hubble telescope. There are so many that they are only numbered instead of named! Yet, our God is truly an awesome God who has a name for each of them!

With this issue of TSS you will notice a slight change in format. That is just to do our part in helping the Bible Sabbath Association emerge from its state of being the best kept secret in the Sabbatarian community! Thus we are letting everyone know about BSA's numerous books, tapes and other offerings, all of which local congregations might find helpful in promoting the Sabbath Day, as well as the rest of God's Law. These would also be useful as training aids for the congregations. But, we have not done a good job of letting you know about them.

We are reminded of the many independent Sabbath keeping congregations that exist throughout the world who might like to be a part of a larger work. Some are independent by design; some are independent by default. The vast majority of these would like to be a part of a larger work. Yet, many are distrustful of the large corporate churches and have no desire to become a part of any such entity. We understand this.

TSS has undergone a slight adjustment in order to assist our brethren in this area. Since the BSA is not in the business of establishing congregations, it is possible for us to help many Sabbath keeping assemblies in the effort to get this message out. As Dr. Davis relates in his letter this issue, we feel as if we can set aside minor differences to preach this wonderful word. We hope that our Sabbath keeping brethren from around the world can join with us in publishing this Gospel of hope which is reflected in God's Sabbath rest.

TSS won't become another corporate preaching magazine, but will concentrate on its original goals with the addition of integrating the assistance of the many brethren out there who are looking for a magazine to take to the world: a magazine that will promote God's Way, but not insist on a corporate solution, attendance nor mandatory donation scheme. We will live or die by the generous members who God provides for this work.

This is not to say that we don't value our brethren who are a part of those larger organizations. Nothing could be farther from the truth. We ask everyone to join hands with their many other brethren-- use TSS as a medium for working together to spread the glorious message of hope for all mankind, symbolized by the calling to God's Holy Rest, which leads to a much greater understanding.

All of us who work on TSS hope that you'll enjoy the change. We look forward to getting letters from you giving your impression of our effort.

We are continuing with courageous stories of people who are coming to the Sabbath truth. This issue is no different, as you will see in the testifying report from Gabon as well as in a noted non-Sabbatarian's witness of how he came to be converted to God's Sabbath rest.

Enjoy this issue! Let us know what you think! We welcome and really appreciate your feedback! It is the only way we can truly be the magazine that you- and the world- need us to be.

Your Editor

TSS

January - February 2000 The Sabbath Sentinel