Southern Union Evangelism Director Roger Hernandez on the Concept of Making the Seventh-day Adventist Denomination More Relevant to the “Real World”

Here are a few excerpts from the biography of Roger Hernandez, lifted from the Southern Union website: Roger Hernandez, Southern Union Ministerial & Evangelism Director, has served in ministry for over 20 years. Some of his passions have included church plants, small group, youth ministries, and evangelistic work. Pastor Hernandez is a motivational speaker, and has presented at the division, union, and conference levels.  He has also presented for camp meetings, leadership conventions and evangelistic crusades… Roger is fully bi-lingual, and the author of eight books.  His most recent book is titled Everyone Welcome.  He was born in Cuba. Pastor Hernandez recently combined his concern for the victims of domestic abuse with a second concern for the inward, as opposed to the outward focus of the Adventist denomination. The sermon that was a result of these twin topics was presented at Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church, Atlanta. As Evangelism Director at Southern Union, he is concerned with making newly-baptized members feel welcome in their new church homes, and he rebukes those cold and judgmental Adventists who seem determined to throw freshly-caught fish back into the river. Here are a few comments by Hernandez gleaned from his informative, edifying, and frequently humorous sermon: We cannot minister to a future generation with the things of the past! The problem is not racial tension. The problem is racism. Racial tension is merely symptomatic. The root of the problem is racism. We need to deal with a system that shoots first, and asks questions later. We argue about who has the keys to the kitchen, or has control of the church property, while 500 Christians are being killed. I have believed for a long time that, as a church, we have had a big mouth and a small hand. One of the best ways to be effective is to align your anger with that of God. God is angry with injustice; take that out of the Bible, and you have little left. The Sabbath is a doctrine of equality! During the week, some contribute more, and some contribute less, but on the Sabbath, we are all the same. And finally, one for the road: How many times do we come to church, and miss Jesus? Often church is like a coronation without a king.