Stories & Commentaries
![stock photo of war spelled out on blocks](https://www.nadadventist.org/sites/default/files/2021-09/washington johnson sept 11 2021 web thumb crop war article iStock-1304608783.jpg)
The War to End All Wars
War is a tragedy — the loss of life, displacement of people, destruction of the environment, disease and other aftereffects make it more than a devasting event. As we commemorate the twentieth anniversary of 9/11 and reflect on the recent withdrawal of the U.S. military forces in Afghanistan, ending the nation’s longest war, one might wonder if this could possibly have been the war to end all wars.
![stock photo of New York City skyline with World Trade Center lights](https://www.nadadventist.org/sites/default/files/2021-09/NYC twin towers lights stock photo for sept 11 2021 bryant statement web thumb crop iStock-1297684244.jpg)
NAD President Commemorates 9/11, Calls Adventists in North America to Prayer of Remembrance
As we remember how life in the United States and around the world changed 20 years ago when 3,000 lost their lives in terrorist acts on September 11, 2001, I urge our members in the North American Division to pray for those who were impacted by these events and lost loved ones on that day.
![Tim Kosaka](https://www.nadadventist.org/sites/default/files/2021-09/SWAU Tim Kosaka (web thumb crop copy.png)
Bridging the Gap: The Impact of Young Leadership in the Church
Tim Kosaka, director of marketing and public relations at Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU), never saw himself living and working in Texas. His prayer, though, was that God would lead him to a place where his faith would be strengthened, with a church community in which he could serve.
![Missionary Elisa with Ebeye students](https://www.nadadventist.org/sites/default/files/2021-09/ebeye elisa with students web thumb crop Screen Shot 2021-09-01 at 4.50.43 PM copy.jpg)
GLOW Tract in Marshallese Brightens the Summer on Ebeye
The Marshall Islands got a little brighter this summer with the arrival of the first Marshallese GLOW tract. These pocket-sized pamphlets attract readers by offering information on relevant topics like health, relationships, and Biblical truths. The Marshallese tract marks the first one published in the local island language.
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The Church’s Needed Witness
The political and social events of the year 2020 have once again pushed unresolved issues around race relations in the United States to center stage in our national and international conversations. The video-recorded murder of George Floyd by a police officer on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, represented for millions a tipping point, one that elicited an outcry by leaders who highlighted historical inequity and called for social justice across a diverse range of political, commercial, academic, and ecclesiastical institutions.
![stock photo of teen on phone](https://www.nadadventist.org/sites/default/files/2021-08/teen on phone edit web thumb crop rich dubose article aug 2021 iStock-1246974266.jpg)
Ready to Minister to New Generations?
Growing up today as a teenager is challenging to say the least. On top of social pressure, which has always been around, we have social media, which didn’t exist when I was growing up. Some of the issues that confront youth today include anorexia, bullying, cyber addiction, depression, legalized marijuana, sexting, sex trafficking, fake news, vaping, drinking, and smoking, to name a few. What is a parent to do? What can the church do?
![Charis McRoy](https://www.nadadventist.org/sites/default/files/2021-08/charis mcroy web thumb crop fourth floor DSC07711.jpg)
Charis McRoy Has Something to Say!
At 17, Charis McRoy is Guide magazine’s youngest columnist by several decades. That doesn’t, however, mean she has any less to say than her more experienced counterparts. When Lori Futcher, Guide’s editor, and Laura Samano, managing editor, met McRoy at the 2019 Pathfinder Camporee, they knew they’d found someone special. They prayed with McRoy then and there about her potential future work with the magazine.
![Karnik Doukmetzian](https://www.nadadventist.org/sites/default/files/2021-08/Karnik Doukmetzian web thumb crop April 2021 NAD elections DSC08934.jpg)
Beware of the Wolves
Adventist World executive editor Bill Knott recently spoke with Karnik Doukmetzian, general counsel of the General Conference and the North American Division, about dubious charities with unverifiable projects that take advantage of church members.
![Clarksville Karen Company](https://www.nadadventist.org/sites/default/files/2021-06/2021-06 web thumb crop Church Organization-PC LaVonne Dye-%233.jpg)
Refugees Empowered as Adventist Leaders in Ministry on World Refugee Sabbath
The North American Division and the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church designate a special day each year during the month of June for Refugee Sabbath ("World Refugee Sabbath") to raise awareness of the needs of the unprecedented numbers of refugees who have fled their homes due to war and persecution. This year, on June 19, two significant events occurred on Refugee Sabbath, serving to empower refugees and their leaders in ministry.
![Marissa Channer](https://www.nadadventist.org/sites/default/files/2021-06/m channer health care connections Portrait July 2015 before %5B1%5D.jpg)
The Sun Still Rises
Marissa Channer doesn’t know the exact moment her disease started, but she remembers a significant turning point with her health. It was in February 2016, around the same time she started her role as a financial services accountant at AdventHealth University in Florida.