{"id":2068,"date":"2018-10-24T14:04:15","date_gmt":"2018-10-24T14:04:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/sitenews\/2018\/10\/24\/youth-explore-adventist-identity-at-newbold-symposium\/"},"modified":"2018-10-24T14:04:15","modified_gmt":"2018-10-24T14:04:15","slug":"youth-explore-adventist-identity-at-newbold-symposium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/youth-explore-adventist-identity-at-newbold-symposium\/","title":{"rendered":"Youth explore Adventist Identity at Newbold Symposium"},"content":{"rendered":"

24 October 2018 | Binfield, UK [K\u00e4rt Lazic\/ted<\/em>NEWS]<\/p>\n

In a remarkable feat of organisation and planning, a 19-year-old Newbold undergraduate student, together with his brother, visioned an event that would encourage youth to do far more than \u201cStay strong and stand firm!\u201d the message they often hear from the pulpit.<\/p>\n

\"Adventist<\/a>David Keszeg wanted youth to hear more than that message, but to have practical help in facing the tough questions of life and uncertainties — both within and outside the church.  Thus the first-ever Adventist Identity Symposium.  The aim, to help youth develop a sense of certainty about what<\/em> to stay strong in and where exactly<\/em> to stand. What is being an Adventist truly about? Who are we and what do we stand for?<\/p>\n

The remarkable result is that over the weekend of 12-14 October, about 750 people met in the newly refurbished sports hall at Newbold College of Higher Education<\/a>, with roughly an additional one thousand viewers following online, seeking answers to those crucial questions.<\/p>\n

The primary online interest came from some European countries who organised their own local Adventist Identity Symposiums, centred around the Newbold live stream.<\/p>\n

\"Adventist<\/a>The speakers \u2013 Ty Gibson, Tihomir Lazi\u0107, and Marcel Ghioalda, supported by Marianne Dyrud during the Sunday Q&A session \u2013 all tried to unpack different aspects of the core, and the challenges of being a part of this worldwide church. Starting Friday evening, Ty Gibson challenged the participants to be brutally honest about how we sometimes come across as \u201cGod\u2019s too peculiar people\u201d \u2013 speaking a different language not just literally, but also culturally and spiritually, from the people we are trying to reach.<\/p>\n

He also emphasised the importance of distinguishing between what aspects of our faith and practices belong to the category of \u201cthe timeless essentials\u201d, which to \u201calways-to-be-revised doctrines\u201d, and which to personal \u201copinions\u201d or \u201cspeculations\u201d. When an idea travels from one of these categories to the other, misunderstanding and disunity follow.<\/p>\n

Sabbath morning worship dealt with spiritual diagnostics, when both Ty Gibson and Tihomir Lazi\u0107 took a closer look at the particular tensions that are polarising the church today, and their historical roots.<\/p>\n

Watch the Sabbath morning sermon here<\/strong><\/p>\n