“The cross is a revelation to our dull senses of the pain that, from its very inception, sin has brought to the heart of God” (Education, p. 263).

For several months we have been going through the 28 foundational beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in our Monday training meetings. We are seeking to deepen our understanding and find ways to present these doctrines in ways that are relevant to our local cultures.

We have gotten stuck on the “doctrine” of Jesus Christ, however. Each week we learn more about the life and death of Jesus and His sacrifice for us, and it just doesn’t seem like we are ready to move on to other topics. We have delved deeper and deeper into what happened on the cross and the amazing love displayed there, and we are profoundly touched by what we are seeing.

One day, Hyacinthe was reading the paragraph containing the above quote from Education to the group. In the middle of the sentence, he was so touched by the words that he choked up and had to start over. I thought I saw tears in his eyes. Later, he told us that this subject is changing his life and ministry.

Truly, the message of the cross is potent in West Africa and all around the world.

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