[The following letter was written to the General Conference office; then forwarded to the Ministerial Association the concern expressed is one that we felt should be shared with the ministry of the church. Although not written with the thought of publication, it is presented with the prayer that it will lead us, the spiritual leaders of the church, to examine more closely the reality of our personal, relationship with Jesus Christ—EDITORS]
Since I'm 23 I suppose I'm right in the middle of the turbulent generation. I haven't left the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and I know I'm speaking tor more "faithful" young SDA's than just myself when I say we have a need' a big, wide, deep need that is not being met. We are hungry for some thing we are not being fed.
Please take me seriously, because I know what I'm talking about. Young people are leaving the church. Other youth won't even consider coming to the church because they see nothing here to fill their needs. At camp meeting Elder Pierson said, "The greatest need of the world today is Christ." The greatest need of our people, my greatest need, and that of my Seventh-day Adventist friends is Christ. We need Him; we want to know Him but we don't.
How can we go out to share our faith in Him when we have no faith? And how can we evangelize the world and spread the glory of Christ when we have nothing to say we don't know the Man?
We don't need more sermons on how we should be telling others about Him. We need someone to tell us about God. Someone who knows Him as Moses knew Him. Someone who is a friend of God's, who has talked with Him as Abraham, Elijah, David, Peter, John, and Paul did, and yes, as Mrs. White did.
We need the living water poured into our parched souls. We know the seventh day is the real Sabbath. We know we should tithe. We know meat, cigarettes, liquor, and drugs are not good for us. We know a lot of things, but we do not know Christ or God.
If we had a living connection with Christ (either as a church, or as individuals), the world would recognize its own lack it would be too obvious to miss. Then the sincere in the world would come to ask about Him and we would have something to tell them.
Christ's message His life was a revelation of the character of God. By reading the Bible and other inspired works we get a clearer glimpse of God and we begin to know Him, but we long to hear our leaders telling of their personal, intimate knowledge of Him, imparting to us firsthand knowledge of the God they serve.
Every day young Seventh-day Adventists, tired of searching, reject the church not to try another church because they know if we don't have it, no one does. They leave disillusioned, bitter, hungry, without hope. They don't know God, they were never introduced to Him. And unless God performs a little miracle they will never know Him, because the people who were to reveal Him to them failed their responsibility.
From your teaching we know it is definitely important to read, study, and pray. Through these avenues we learn to know God. But, oh, the difference between theory and actuality! What an inspiration it is when we meet someone who knows God from a living, dynamic, growing personal relation ship with Him who can tell us about Him, what He is like, who He is!
God could use only Bible study and prayer to acquaint us with Himself, but He saw the need of using human beings also; first a nation, then a church.
Mrs. White says God is not now working to bring many souls into the church. Could it be He isn't working because He wants us to get acquainted with Him first? Could it be He isn't working because our own youth are starving for a knowledge of Him, looking for a living example of Him, and the work of evangelism should start here with them with us with me?
I'm not writing for the radicals, the offshoots, or the dropouts. My friends and I are the "faithful" youth. We're the ones who come to church week after week. We give the mission story and special music. We go Ingathering and lead out in Pathfinders. Many of us are extolled by our ministers as the generation which will finish the great work.
And yet, we've been searching since academy, through college, and on into married life, and we still hunger and thirst. We study, pray, attend church, and try to live up to the standards of the church but we are hungry!
We're tired of being told to go out and preach the gospel and reveal the glory of Christ; then, upon accepting this challenge find we have nothing to say.
What is God's relationship to me today in 1970? What is His relationship to you? Do you know Him well? Do you know who He is? What is He really like to you?
Please preach and teach us about the character of God. Show us, tell us, point Him out to us. We are spiritual babes, we need help. Show us from your personal experience. We're waiting longing. If we could be led as Christ led the disciples, as Paul led Timothy, if we could only catch a glimpse of Christ, don't worry, the vision would be taken up so quickly by our generation it would make your head swim.
How can we ever expect Christ to come to save us when the majority of young people (or at least the kids I've known and now know) wouldn't recognize Him if He did come?
I know this is a long letter, but the situation is getting desperate. Our souls are dying. We need more than anything else to know God. We need Christ. Can you will you show Him to us? Sincerely your daughter in Christ,
-Just One of the Many