Pass Your Torch

Many years ago, I was a part of the seminary chorus at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary on the campus of Andrews University. It was an incredible privilege and responsibility to represent the world Church and to share the gospel through music. On one occasion, we were invited to sing for the North American Division (NAD) year-end meetings in Minneapolis. It was a closing event, and the challenge was made to the leadership during that meeting to finish the work, move forward and pass the torch to the next generation.

Charles Bradford, then NAD president, was leading out in that meeting; he and his team had special brass torches to commemorate the event, and they were to be an incentive to advance the work in North America. When we finished singing, he made his final appeal and asked for the torches to be distributed. He turned to us and acknowledged our call to ministry, challenging us to pick up the torch of ministry for life. With that, he made sure each member of the chorus received a brass torch.

I still have that torch, believe it or not. Each time I look at it, I remember Bradford and the charge and challenge that he gave us that evening long ago. I feel now much like I assume he did then; we must continue to pass the torch. We must leave a legacy that will be a beacon to shine a light for the future.

Several years ago, singer and musician Steve Green made popular an incredible song written by Jon Mohr, “Find Us Faithful.” Consider a couple of excerpts from the lyrics: “Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful, may the fire of our devotion light their way, may the footprints that we leave lead them to believe…” Consider the words, “Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us run the race not only for the prize, but as those who’ve gone before us, let us leave to those behind us, the heritage of faithfulness passed on through Godly lives.”

Frankly, the goal of every believer is to leave a powerful legacy of walking with Jesus. The world and the church are in greater need now than ever before of your great example. Would you join me, as Bradford did long ago, and leave a great legacy and pass your torch?

By Richard C. Dye, Sr., President