March 2025 Carolina's 10,000 P5

Embracing Carolina with the Compassionate Call of Christ

The 10,000 President’s Prayer Partners is a fast-growing group of Carolina Conference constituents who take matters such as these to their knees. We invite you to join us and make this monthly list a matter of prayer. Together we seek the Lord for His answers and provisions to every need we bring before Him.

Pray the Gifts of the Holy Spirit – The Greatest of These – The Gift of JOY

Pentecost 2025 is the launching of a bold plan of the North American Division to experience 3,000 proclamation events across the expanse of this great division of God’s remnant church. It is a plan that will only be successful through prayer and the intervention of the Holy Spirit. In Carolina, we have added a prayer-plea tagline to the Lord – “Let it Rain!”

Beginning with our July (2024) issue of P5 and continuing through 2025 we invite our President’s Prayer Partners to continue coming together in

an earnest and heartfelt appeal for the power and presence of the Holy Spirit as we near the soon return of our Savior.

Galatians 5:22-23 provides us with a listing of the fruit of the Holy Spirit as: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control.

Over the next nine months, I would like us to pray specifically for the outpouring and the infilling of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives as we seek to manifest each of these “fruits” or evidences of the Spirit of God working through our lives to reach the hearts of every life we touch for Christ.

The second fruit of the Spirit in Galatians is that of JOY.

People often mix happiness and joy. I love the way author Meg Bucher defines the difference between the two. “Happiness is a reaction to something great. Joy is the product of someone great.” To understand the gift of joy in our lives, I’d like us to consider at least two themes based on Scripture. Obviously, there are many more!

First, God’s joy over me is the starting point for my joy. In one of my favorite passages of Scripture, the prophet Zephaniah writes that the Lord rejoices over us:

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 ESV

Now I’m giving you a sneak peek into my closing message for our 2025 Camp Meeting entitled, “When God Sings!” Can you imagine the God who created life, oceans, stars, and solar systems rejoicing over you with such gladness that He is singing loudly when we are finally and safely home with Him forever and ever?!

Second, the fact that all of history is moving towards redemption should give us the joy of God’s assurance:

“And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.’ “ Revelation 21:2-3 ESV

In the twenty-first chapter of Revelation, we peek into the future on a grand scale. All of history is heading towards that final redemptive moment when everything is made new. We certainly aren’t there yet. Suffering still breaks into our lives. Verses 4 and 5 reassure us that only on that beautiful day when pain and suffering cease, when our tears will flow down our cheeks just in times of joy, when evil and its consequences are destroyed, it is in this that I live with the hope and confidence that paradise lost will become paradise regained.

John Piper, author and founder of a ministry entitled Desiring God, defined it this way: “Christian joy is a good feeling in the soul, produced by the Holy Spirit, as He causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the Word and in the world.”

Join me in praying that the joy of the Lord will be your strength as we radiate that joy in our smiles and our actions so that every life we touch will see Jesus in us. In that treasured book, the Desire of Ages, Ellen White reminds us that, “The faces of men and women who walk and work with God, express the peace of heaven. They are surrounded with the atmosphere of heaven. For these souls the kingdom of God has begun. They have Christ’s joy, the joy of being a blessing to humanity. They have the honor of being accepted for the Master’s use; they are trusted to do His work in His name.” (DA, page 312)

T he sacred responsibility of Seventh-day Adventist educators is not only to inspire our students to love the wisdom of academics but also to love and live for God.

As a lifelong educator, pastor, and now a church administrator, I see in every Adventist teacher the opportunity and privilege to create a real and lasting impact in the hearts and lives of students. I believe an Adventist teacher must always reflect the image of Christ in his or her classroom, and a deep and intimate relationship with God is essential for this. That’s why the first question I ask every teacher we interview is: “Tell me what Jesus means to you and how you nurture your relationship with Him every day?”

In addition to a close relationship with God, there are several qualities an Adventist teacher must possess. These qualities allow teachers to connect with their students and provide their students with a model of Christ-like character. In the coming issues of P5, we will consider a different quality that God desires in those who’ve committed their lives to the ministry of Seventh-day Adventist education.

Join me as we continue to uplift these treasured teachers in their service for Christ and His children in the schools of the Carolinas.

With each issue of our President’s Prayer Partners (P5), we continue to focus specifically on one of our goals and share some of the developments that are helping us in our journey toward accomplishing that goal.

Last month, we returned to our first goal of developing measurable goals for discipleship. During March, we continue highlighting developments in our ministry, emphasizing intentionally engaging, empowering, and enabling our young adults in the church’s mission.

I am so grateful for the dedicated initiatives placed under the gifted leadership of Pastor Cris Cazarine, our Associate Youth Director and Director of Young Adult & Campus ministries. Below is a sampling of her report of developments that are taking place toward the goal that we have set before us during this quinquennial term:

Exciting Things Ahead for Young Adult Ministries in 2025!

After a brief pause, we are back and gearing up for an incredible year in Young Adult Ministries! While the past few weeks have been quieter, the road ahead is filled with exciting opportunities to connect, grow, and lead. Here’s a look at what’s coming up in 2025:

Camp Meeting | May 25-31 | Lake Junaluska, NCOne of the year’s biggest gatherings is just around the corner—Camp Meeting 2025 at Lake Junaluska, NC! This is a time for spiritual renewal, community, and powerful worship. We are thrilled to announce that our Young Adult speaker will be Pastor Dustin Serns! Pastor Serns is passionate about equipping young adults to live purposefully and make a lasting impact for Christ. Our Young Adult track will feature inspiring messages, interactive discussions, and opportunities to build meaningful connections. Stay tuned for more details—you won’t want to miss this!
ACFI Conference | July 29 - August 2 | Seattle, WAThe Adventist Christian Fellowship Institute (ACFI) is back; this year, it’s happening in Seattle, WA! This event is designed for college students and young professionals looking to strengthen their faith, grow in leadership, and be empowered to impact their campuses and communities. Whether you’re a student leader, a mentor, or just passionate about campus ministry, ACFI is an event you won’t want to miss!

3. Young Adult Life Tour | October 24-25 | Raleigh SDA Church, NCWe’re hitting the road for the Young Adult Life Tour this fall! We are beyond excited to announce that our featured speakers will be Ben Lundquist and Allan Martin—two leading voices in Young Adult Ministry!*

Ben Lundquist is a leadership coach, speaker, and podcast host dedicated to helping young adults step into their God-given purpose.*
Dr. Allan Martin is a leading researcher and speaker specializing in engaging young adults in the church, discipleship, and intergenerational ministry.

The Young Adult Life Tour will be held at Raleigh SDA Church, NC, bringing engaging speakers, worship, and relevant conversations directly to young adults and leaders in our conference. If you’re looking for a space to grow spiritually, connect with others, and be encouraged in your walk with Christ, this event is for you! More details to come soon.

Introducing the Young Adult Advisory TeamWe are also thrilled to announce the formation of the Young Adult Advisory Team! This group comprises young adults from different regions across our conference who are passionate about helping shape the future of young adult ministry. Their voices will play a crucial role in ensuring that our events, resources, and initiatives genuinely meet the needs of young adults today.With their leadership, we look forward to new ideas, fresh perspectives, and even greater opportunities for young adults to be involved in the church’s life. Stay tuned to hear more about this team and how you can connect with them!

As we enter this new season, we invite you to pray, participate, and share these opportunities with the young adults in your churches. God is moving in powerful ways, and we can’t wait to see what He has in store! Let’s grow together in 2025!

For updates, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @cyya.connect and visit www.cyya.org!

Above all else, pray for these events and initiatives to ensure Christ’s blessing and guidance in the lives of each of our young adults who make up such a vital treasure to God’s family, especially here in the Carolinas.

01 Protection from Satan Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8	02 Protection from Our Sinful Heart But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. James 1:14-15	03 Deep Spiritual Encouragement For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. Romans 1:11-12
04 Wisdom If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. James 1:5	05 Doctrinal Faithfulness By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. 2 Timothy 1:14	06 A Healthy Body But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:27	07 A Strong Marriage & Family He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church. 1 Timothy 3:2-6

We are on our third cycle of remembering these departmental leaders and their ministries. Our purpose is not intended to report all that these departments have been or are accomplishing, but rather to simply uplift all our leadership team and their faithful service in the respective ministries that they oversee in our prayers.

We continue in this New Year and new issue by focusing on the Outreach Ministries of the Carolina Conference. They include the following departmental branches:

• ASI

• Carolina Evangelism

• Church Planting

• Community Services

• Disaster Response

• Health Ministries

• Missions

• Publishing

• Prison Ministries

• Adult Sabbath School

This month, I invite you to pray for Carolina Church Planting Ministry as the next departmental branch of the outreach ministries of the Carolina Conference.

This department has been led by our amazing director, Elder Ricardo Palacios, and the wonderful secretary of this department, Lorraine Gonzalez.

As much as we are saddened to bid farewell to Pastor Palacios as he leaves our family in Carolina, we wish both him and Alicia God’s richest blessings as he has answered God’s calling to serve in the mission field of MENA (Middle East and Northern Africa) for the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

We are so blessed to welcome our new director of church planting, Elder Victor Jaeger, who’s been pastoring the Columbia First Seventh-day Adventist Church. He comes to our conference ministerial council with a wealth of experience as a former director of Hispanic ministries and church planting in the Indiana Conference.

In consultation with the office of the Executive Secretary, the Church Planting Department:

Plans and directs the birth of new church plants (congregation starts).
Facilitates groups and companies in making the move to company and church status, respectively.
Evaluates church health using a diagnostic tool called Natural Church Development thereby helping to bring about vibrant, growing churches.
Assists in putting systems in place to help new church plants to succeed

The motto of the Church Planting Department is Enabling churches to birth healthy new congregations for greater effectiveness in reaching the gospel harvest.

During this time of transition let’s uplift this valuable ministry and its leadership in our earnest prayers. The outreach ministry of church planting has guided God’s remnant church in expanding the footprint of Adventism with the beautiful mission of embracing the Carolinas with the compassionate call of Christ through the messages of the three angels of Revelation 14.

As a President’s Prayer Partner, we invite you once again to be truly a people of the Word. As Seventh-day Adventists, we adhere to 28 Fundamental Beliefs that are based solely on the Bible. We began our third cycle of focusing on these vital beliefs, which are centered in Christ as both our Savior and Lord, in December of 2021.

Let’s continue to thoughtfully place His Word in our hearts every day this month. I personally carry a set of these passages in my car and recite them aloud as I drive from one place to another. My aim is to say one verse prayerfully at least five times a day for a week, thus internalizing the promise of God’s Word: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

I encourage you to repeat these passages until they become a part of your very being. Of course, you’re always free to do more. Please consider, in a prayerful manner, how you can saturate your soul with His Word and make it a part of your heart every day.

Isaiah 7:14 (NKJV) “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign; Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
Isaish 9:6-7(NKJV) “For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (NKJV) “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”
Philippians 2:5-11 (NKJV) “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the mane which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven, and of those on earth and of those under the earth and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”

Be part of God’s praying church across North America by uplifting these leaders of our church who guide God’s work in these territories of God’s vineyard: