Connections Archive

The second-highest ranking officer of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's South Pacific Division returned to Avondale College this past Wednesday (August 15) to publicly answer student questions.
Dr Barry Oliver, the church's general secretary, served as the guest at the "Youth speaks" forum for a second consecutive year.

Moderator and Student Associated Ministries leader Lili Radziszewski asked questions about the church's stand on the grace of God, a fundamental principle in the salvation of humankind. Barry told the students, using the words of the apostle, Paul, it is by grace we are saved through faith and not by works, so that no one should boast (Ephesians 2:8). He said, "Grace is the principle by which we are saved and our response is obedience toward God and His word. . . . Grace and obedience are intrinsically inseparable."

Homosexuality formed the basis of another question. Barry spoke of the Bible's condemnation of homosexuality but of sinners being objects of God's love. He described maintaining the biblical teaching about homosexuality with the teaching about loving your neighbour as "challenging." "We need to be sensitive to people as though they are our own family members," he said.

Barry also spoke about the identity of the church in a changing and diverse society, saying the lives of individual Christians make up the identity of the church on a daily basis.

"Youth speaks" is an adaptation of the worldwide church's "Let's talk," a series of conversations between president Dr Jan Paulsen and young adults broadcast on the church's satellite television station, Hope Channel.