the One project’s February 2020 “Disruption” in Boulder, Colorado

Spectrum Website
#1

Despite the decision a couple of years ago by the leaders of the One project to suspend their popular gospel weekend retreats in various cities around the world, they “tested the waters” by trying a new format February 16–17, 2020 (a Sunday and holiday Monday), in the Boulder SDA Church in Colorado. By any gauge, it proved to be a major success — so much so that at the end of the event, the leaders announced the next One Project will take place in Sydney, Australia, this coming October.

Chapter One of the One project (2010-2018) began with a prophetic voice and shifted to a pastoral movement. Chapter Two (beginning with the Boulder conference) returns with a prophetic voice. The theme of the Boulder meetings was “The Great Disruption: Jesus’ Unprecedented Confrontation with Politics, Theology, and Belonging.” The exploration of these three timely topics was evenly spread across the two days.

Sunday morning was devoted to “Politics” when Japhet De Oliveira, Tim Gillespie, and Alex Bryan led out. “Theology” was covered on Sunday afternoon by Paddy McCoy, Tacyana Nixon, and Andreas Beccai. “Belonging” was addressed Monday morning by Iki Taimi, Lisa Clark Diller, and Sam Leonor. “Voices of Hope” interviews took place Monday afternoon, first with a series of young professionals (Ashok Willmott, Emily Ellis, Katie Wagner, Tommy Tamaleaa, Niq Ruud, and Angel Castillo) who felt called to ministry, followed by a panel of the nine main speakers over the two days. They responded to questions posed digitally by participants.

Each day’s segment began with a call to worship led by praise teams from either Forest Lake Church in Florida or Kettering Church in Ohio.

The church was packed with over 300 enthusiastic participants who had come from all over the United States. There was standing room only. Some were One project veterans but it seemed that at least half were new and younger.

As expected, each of the sermons were masterfully executed by the presenters who had done their theological and historical homework, sometimes with appropriate humor. A new feature was a huge electronic screen that covered the front wall of the church used effectively with PowerPoint slides, Scripture quotations, and appropriate illustrations that kept audience attention. These screens were used very effectively during the praise worship portions of the meetings, encouraging active audience participation. Many times I was brought to tears by both the touching messages and the accompanying visuals.

Each participant was given a forty chapter devotional book, “Living God’s Love,” published by Adventist Health and introduced by Alex Bryan. Anyone interested in getting all nine of the Boulder messages plus the music, pictures, stories, etc., can pre-order a digital resource for $150 that will be available March 31, 2020, at 9 a.m. (ET), for a one-year streaming period and can be watched on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast. Check out the One project website or order from the One project at 1312 17th Street, Suite 753, Denver, CO 80202.

Lawrence T. Geraty is President Emeritus of La Sierra University.

Image credit: the One project Facebook page

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This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at http://spectrummagazine.org/node/10221
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#2

Thanks Dr. Geraty for the succinct and objective report. I am glad the meetings were successful and blessed.

Now let’s see what the GC’s reaction will be :roll_eyes: , since we know that the prior One Project was suspended mostly as result of “unknown forces” threatening the leaders of this movement. Paranoia is treatable, but those people at the GC do not appear interested in any treatment… :wink:

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#3

So your not exaggerating right? There were credible reports of these leaders being threatened. The Crusades kinda come to mind. What is wrong with these Christians that they feel empowered by God to be this way?

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#4

Nope, not exaggeration here on this one. When you are an OP leader and you are visited by two people from the GC and they start asking you a certain kind of (stupid) questions… well, this obviously comes accompanied with a threat, don’t ya think?

To be honest, knowing the SDA system for so many decades, I was always wondering, How come the GC allowed them to function for so long? Now they are back. Let’s see how it will work for them this time… :roll_eyes: Unless they have the Russians working for them, then may be they will be fine… :wink: :laughing:

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#5

Well hiring the Russians only works if you got the JD in your back pocket. I believe you and your right about the veiled reference to bad things happening if you don’t play ball. I got one of those direct/indirect threats from the Ed. VP for the GC if I didn’t vote a certain way on the GC committee I was on. The GC has a love/hate relationship with dear old uncle Batch. It’s one of those symbiotic relationships like Rhinos and Birds. What really bothers me is so many members think their leaders are placed there by God himself so the ends justify the means.

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#6

The Adventist culture developed this sick mentality that the Church (Denomination) basically possesses you from the moment you become a member. They can dictate what you must believe, what you should wear, what you can drink, and how you should think. In many foreign countries this is extremely exacerbated. I know of a pastor who was kind of investigating if young (married) couples were covering themselves with the sheets and had no lights on when making love. I am not kidding you! And he was probably in his late 20s/early 30s at that time. I remember a guy telling me that he told the pastor something like, “Oh pastor, I won’t tell you how we make love, you would be extremely scandalized…” :rofl: True story.

Throughout the time (ages…) that I have been a SDA, I just decided that the Church has no jurisdiction on me. Or on anyone else.

The church is a place (building) where Christians who have similar beliefs congregate periodically to worship God. They participate freely and voluntarily in the activities of the church if they so desire. Any pressure from the above is legitimate IF it’s from the “Heavenly above,” not the “human above.” Fair?

Those people in Boulder, CO should be ready for a BOLDER landing on their heads, coming from the GC soon! How did they dare to re-start the One Project? :open_mouth: :roll_eyes: Stay tuned…

The symbiotic relationship trhe GC believes in is rather between Crocks and Fish… (Oh, I almost misspelled “crocks”… :wink: )

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#7

You are exactly correct. As I read your post it reminded me of the song written and performed by Bob Seger, Running Against the Wind. The lyrics, if your not familiar, is about the struggle he has had all his life with fitting in with the powers that attempt to control his choices and life direction. One line goes " I am older now but still running against the wind.

For me that sort of sums up my relationship with the SDA church. And from your post it sounds like you and I agree that we value our own personal spiritual growth much more than we value the what, when, where, and for how long robotic spiritual growth this church wants from membership. Many of the issues like WO is DOA with those in control for several reasons but one of those reasons is the fear that they would have to give up some control of the what when and where of over half of all its members. It’s far to simplistic to boil it down to just discrimination or male superiority authored by God.

No matter the topic or theological position leadership must ask itself what effect will this decision have on our control of the Lemmings so they all continue to jump. Oh they would never admit that they see members as Lemmings. New members need to get their Lemming card prior to being dipped. Once the Lemming card is assured them we can talk about those sacred 28. That’s why Des was such a big challenge to their game plan.

People like yourself and I would like to think that I and most of the good folks who post here fall into this category who embrace the individual personal relationship with our creator God. And those areas where we differ with leadership we are comfortable and guilt free. With absolutely no data to back me up, for most it’s easier to be a Lemming.
PS. I thought you did miss spell crock

#8

I think Des was a big challenge to EGW/SOP. If the IJ goes, so does EGW (because her vision validated this teaching). Then, the SDA dominoes that uphold the church doctrines and their claims, begins a domino effect till it all falls down. The claim of being the remnant, because they have the Spirit of Prophecy (aka Ellen White). The visions regarding Sabbath, food and drink rules, Sunday Law being the Mark of the Beast, and on and on. She is the foundation, the lynchpin of the denomination. Take away Ellen and her prophetic role/visions, it crumbles.

So, IMO, they were trying to protect EGW’s role more than anything else. It is imperative.

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#9

Good points Carol! I have posted this before but when TW preached at PUC the first Saturday post SA for 45 minutes, it could have been longer except my wife and I left, he held out his hands and said SOP, then the other hand he said scripture. Then he brought them together as one. To be fair, he never said equal but you would need to be in the third grade not to get it.

You are right that things fall apart if you neglect to accept his premise. This is not really news because from its inception this church has made this close to a test of fellowship. Just see how far you get if you reject this premise

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#10

So I’m genuinely curious here not meaning to be disrespectful or antagonistic but I got curious reading this.

Are you or the leaders of the One Project claiming to be prophets? Or claiming to exhibit the gift of prophecy? Or is this a figure of speech? Or what?

#11

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