Hijacked and Murdered Sailor was on Christian Mission

Four Americans on Yacht Murdered by Pirates -

Friend: Hijacked California Sailor Sought to Mix Faith, Adventure

Published February 21, 2011 Associated Press


LOS ANGELES -- A friend and former professor of a California man whose yacht was hijacked by Somali pirates said Sunday that Scott Adam wanted to combine his love of adventure with his faith by spreading bibles around the world.

Professor Robert K. Johnston of Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena told The Associated Press that Adam -- who last year earned a master of theology degree from the school -- had sent friends emails detailing his international sailing trip. But Adam went silent Feb. 12 to avoid revealing the location of his yacht, the Quest, to pirates.

"He was sailing around the world and serving God, two of his passions," Johnston
said.

Organizers of the Blue Water Rally yacht race said passengers of the sailboat owned by Adam and his wife, Jean, carried them and two other Americans, Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle, both of Seattle. It was hijacked Friday off the coast of Oman. It is now in the waters between Yemen and northern Somalia, two pirates and a Somali government official told The Associated Press.

Johnston said that despite an adventurous spirit, the Adams were meticulous planners who knew the dangers they faced. The couple had sailed with a large flotilla to stay safe from pirates near Thailand earlier in the trip.

"They knew and we knew they still had to go by the Somalia coast," he said.
"We're asking people to pray for them."

Adam, now in his mid-60s, had been an associate producer in Hollywood when he turned in a spiritual direction and enrolled in the seminary a decade ago, Johnston said.

"He decided he could take his pension, and he wanted to serve God and
humankind," he said.

Johnston and Adam worked together to start a film and theology institute. Adam also taught a class on church and media at the school.

Since 2004, the Adams lived on their yacht in Marina Del Rey for about half the year and the rest of the year they sailed around the world, often distributing Bibles in remote parts of the Fiji Islands, Alaska, New Zealand, Central America and French Polynesia, Johnston said.

God's Work in Even the Most Disorganized of Lives: Part Two

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Continued from Part I

The next day, Wednesday, when I was somewhere in Utah, I called Roland. He told me the surgery appointment had been changed to next Wednesday. Rats! After all the trouble to make the bus!

But I had made the bus. And for that, I think there was a reason. Could it have been just for the joy of Thursday, sitting on my couch with 11-year-old Melissa brushing my hair and 8-year-old Sarah putting lotion on my feet?

No, there has to be a deeper reason than that.

One interesting event is that after Roland picked me up early at the bus station Thursday morning, we all went out to breakfast. After breakfast, we got back into the car, tired and ready to go back to bed. But the car wouldn't start. It didn't seem to be getting any gas, and then the battery began to die. While Roland was trying and trying to get it started, I tried to think of other things. And I prayed. While praying, I notice a man go into the restaurant. He was carrying a book. Roland tried the car again. The battery sounds near dead now.

What do we do about the car? We can't call someone from home to come help us in town. It's not even 7am yet! I went back into the restaurant, looked in the yellow pages and tried the pay phone. But none of the "service" stations I called actually come out and do service any more. That's what they told me anyway. So what do we do? I called another station. No one answered.

"Lord, why is this happening? You know Roland and I are both at the ends of our ropes already. Why add another thing? We're going to fall apart! Please help us get home."

In everything give praise. "Okay. I'm trying to sing that song, Rejoice, rejoice." Can't remember all the words though. "Rejoice, in the Lord...Rejoice, in the Lord..."

I stand in the restaurant and see a group of men at a back table. The man with the book is with them.

"Waitress, are they having a Bible study back there?"

"Yes."

Praise God! I walk back. Slowly and quietly though. I don't want to be a disruptive. At least, anymore than I have to be. Four feet from them, I stop and wait. One looks up; "can we help you?" (Why do I always feel like crying at times like this?) (Don’t worry, I didn't. I just felt like it.)

I tell them our car trouble, and immediately two get up and come. They aren't able to get our car jump started though. There's something wrong with the fuel pump or filter, maybe. Maybe we need to call the dealer.

Okay. Then I ask, "Are you already through with devotions?"

"No, we've just begun. Would you like to join us?"

Yes. Roland and I say we would like to. So we go back in with them, and have a really great study. Roland participated in the discussion and prayed with them and it was great. (I also, actually, got a couple nagging questions answered. 2 Cor. 5:17, in the koine Greek, actually says BECOMING. NOT a sudden transformation. This was offered by one of the men without my even asking.)

The devotions over, a third man says he's going to look at the car. He even goes to his own car and gets coveralls. Another man brings a box of tools.

While they are working, I have further discussion with a fourth man in the lobby of the restaurant. He's a retired pastor. He tells me that just before I came in, they had finished reading the verses about gladly helping brothers that are in trouble. They had all thought it was pretty funny when I came in and asked for help directly after that.

Oh my. Oh My Lord Jesus, thank you.

A few minutes later, our car was running. It still needed a new part, but it would get us home. Seems like we just weren't supposed to leave that restaurant that day without getting our morning devotions done.

It might still take awhile to figure out just why I came home early. I can think of lots of reasons, but don't know the Lord's reason yet. For that matter, it's going to take awhile to figure out what the whole Mexico trip was about. I'm suspecting that, as usual, there's a whole lot more to it then meets the eye. Praise God.

END
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God's Work in Even the Most Disorganized of Lives: Part One

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I had walked across the bridge to El Paso on Tuesday morning just to call home and see how Roland's appointment went on Monday. I had to cross the border at 7am because Perla was crossing at that time and I caught a ride with her to the border. But I got out prior to the bridge and walked over on my own so as not to slow her down. (She had a special crossing pass).

It wasn't that hard to pass the guards. There was a line, but once I got to the guard, all I needed was my driver's license. No birth certificate. Well... a birth certificate might have helped me a little. He asked where I was born, and, my mind on a million other things, first I said Minnesota. Then I changed it to Rhode Island. Then I finally remembered and settled on Long Island. Yes, that was it. Long Island.

Hmmm. Any security conscience person should have pulled me aside right there. But no. As long as I was sure it was Long Island, it was okay and I could go through.

I walked a few blocks into El Paso until I found a nice park to sit and wait at. I didn't want to call Roland too early and wake him up. But it was a very nice morning and I bought a paper and caught up on US news. But when I began calling, I couldn't get ahold of Roland. My card wouldn't connect with the our home area as long as I was on a pay phone. (Don’t ask me why, that's just what I was told by the company)

I eventually walked to a bank and used one of their phones.

He told me that he was going to have a catheter put in to a main artery. His arms weren't good enough anymore for receiving the chemotherapy. From my past medical experience, I remembered that this type of catheter had to be kept sterile at all times because of its direct connection to the heart. In nursing homes, we used to clean these things every shift. So I was concerned. Who would be home to take care of it for him?

He said it was going in on Thursday at noon. We debated whether I should come home. It took a little while to talk about it. I couldn't decide, although I really wanted to go. I didn't like the idea of Roland going home with the catheter and not having anyone there to care for it.

But the time, we had finished talking, it was all ready 11:30 am. We decided I should call greyhound and find out details. Greyhound said that the bus that would get me home on time if I left El Paso at 1:30 pm that day. Only two hours away.

To catch that bus seemed impossible. I would have to walk back to the bridge, (which is about two blocks long?) cross it, get back to the children's home I was helping at and gather my belongings, get back to the bridge and walk across it again, stopping in a line for US customs and how ever long that would take, and then find the El Paso bus station. There's no way I could do that in just two hours. Less then two hours now, the more we debated.

After I got off the phone, I wondered what to do next. I tried to find a way to call the children's home, but the bank clerk told me she didn't know how to call Mexico. I called my Bible college and spoke to the Dean, then I tried calling my pastor to get money for my ticket, but his line was busy. I don't know how much time I was wasting.

So I called Roland back. He told me to try for the 1:30 bus, and if I didn't make it, catch the 9pm. He would call Pastor about the ticket. Okay. Nothing to do then but try.

So without even looking at the clock, I left. I didn't want to know the time. I walked quickly, but was surprised to see just how far I had come into El Paso that morning. When you are meandering with no goal in mind, you can actually travel pretty far. I finally came to the bridge and crossed it. No Mexican border guard spoke to me. I didn't even see any. But I did see a taxi on the other side. I only had about $17 dollars on me, but decided I had better take the taxi if I was going to make it on time.

Standing on the sidewalk, I asked the driver how much it would be to get to Juventud con Vision, and back, roound trip. He spoke in Spanish to a woman sitting in the front seat next to him. She puffed on her cigarette and then answered him in Spanish. Turning to me, he told me in broken English $15 for the round trip.

Okay. I have that. I got in.

He pulled out and went the opposite way.

"No, No!” I said 'Municipalo Libre' street. Or something like that."

"Si, Si." He said. Look, I may not know the names of these roads, but I know which direction they are in! Oh, what should I do? Get out? But I've never seen this neighborhood. I don't know where I was!

I sat tight hoping I would recognize something soon. Soon I did, and I told him to take a left. I was able to give him directions from there. Safely at the children's home, the cab waited while I ran in to get my things. The staff was very kind. They didn't ask many questions and were very helpful to getting me back on the road quickly. They even gave me some more money for the trip. That was a very helpful relief. Mrs. Stalwick also advised me to take only what I really needed. She would see to the rest. Okay. My computer and the souvenirs for the kids. Oh yes, and a hair brush.

So back into the taxi, he again turned a direction opposite to what I expected. Wait! Where are you going! The bridge is that way!

"Si, Si." He turned onto a road I'd never seen before and continued on his way. To my relief, I eventually saw the bridge. He stopped at a curb and I handed him my $15. "No,” he says. “ $20.” His girlfriend indicated it was a long ride.

No, I think to myself. I could have given him more from the money the Stalwicks had given me, but it was a single large bill and I didn't want him to know how much I had. Besides, a deal is a deal and he made it a long route on his own. I gave him the $17 and told him that was it. He grumbled and I got out of the car.

I hurried across the long bridge. The line at US customs seemed slow and long. But I never looked at the clock. I didn't want to know the time. It would only give me heartache to know.

Once past the guards, (no birth questions this time) I asked for directions to the bus station. Pastor Stalwick had thought it would be about three blocks. He was right about the direction it was in, but it was maybe 6 or 7 blocks away. My feet were really hurting by the time I made into the station, at 1:15 pm. I don't think I had walked this far in one day in years.

1:15 pm! Can you believe it?

But now I have to find out if I even have a ticket, and there was a line there, as well. A disheveled man standing in front of me kept swearing to himself. Sometimes he turned and stared straight at me. Long stares. I kept my eyes in the other direction and just prayed.
I couldn't keep my eyes from darting at the clock now. Twenty after. Then twenty-five after. Twenty-six after. I kept trying to tell myself that if I make the bus, I make the bus. Either way it goes, it's in the Lord's hands. I shouldn't worry about it because whatever happens, it's up to God. (I had to keep telling myself these things)

Finally, at twenty-seven after, a clerk nods at me to come up.

"Is there a ticket here for me?"

The man clicks the keyboard a couple times and looks it at the monitor. He asks the man next to him some questions. It appears that my clerk is new on the job. He needs help looking for the ticket.

"How do you spell your last name?" he asks me. I don't even want to look at the clock again. I pull out my driver's license to make things easier for him.

The next thing I know, he's printing the ticket out. I grab it from him and run...to which direction. I don't know. The direction that looked good. But my tired feet, not used to walking, balked at running and the next thing I knew they were tangled on each other and I was flat on my face with my computer sliding away in one direction and the souvenirs in another.

"Are you okay, Honey?"

"Si, Si. Which way is the bus to Montana?"

Well, there is no bus to Montana. I need another minute to figure out I'm going to Phoenix, and THEN up to Montana. But all that said...I made it just in time.

More to Come...Part II
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In the late 1700’s, a young English shoemaker, read "The Last Voyage of Captain Cook" and was fascinated. That book sparked his interest, and he found himself suddenly curious about people all over the world. He began to read any book he could lay his hands on. He placed a world map on the wall next to his cobbler bench and wrote every bit of information he could find about people and places beyond England. Also being a Pastor and a teacher, he became enthusiastic as well as concerned. What will happen to these people if no one ever reaches them and they never hear about Jesus Christ? Although the Danish-Halle and Moravian missionaries were already at work at that time, the prevailing view of the church was that the Great Commission -- Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:18-20 to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them…” -- was no longer a mandate for Christians.

At a ministerial meeting where he asked if they could discuss the implications of the Great Commission, he was told by an elder, "Young man, sit down. When God pleases to convert the heathen, he will do it without your aid or mine."

Although his elders attempted to discourage him, he wrote an 87 page book in 1792 arguing that God’s mandate to early Christians was not only still relevant, but it was a major obligation of the Christian walk. Some say that William Carey’s "Enquiry into the Obligations of Christians" was not only the "first and greatest missionary treatise in the English language," but that it deserves a place alongside Martin Luther’s Ninety Five Thesis. In May of 1792 he preached his famous sermon based on Isaiah 54, in which he coined the now famous couplet, "Expect Great things from God; Attempt Great things for God." Today Carey is recognized as the "father of Protestant missions."

What in the world -- or in God’s Word -- was motivating this young man?

What:

The Great Commandment is that we Love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our mind." This Great Command is played out in the Great Commission. It is not an option, but a vital role in our expression of love for our God.

The Bible begins with the first eleven chapters in Genesis introducing the Universe, then the Earth, then Adam, the father of the human race, and finally Abraham, the father of the chosen race. In the first three chapters, God moves quickly from creation of all things by one God, with all humans in his likeness, to our rebellion and his judgment. The next eight chapters succinctly describe the destructive results of our fall. Gen. 12:1-3 comes then, at a time when society is deteriorating.

This is the earliest point in the Bible where God states His missionary purpose and vision. The Lord, speaking to Abraham, said,

"Leave your country, your people, and your father’s people and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse: and all people’s on earth will be blessed through you."

God’s whole purpose is summarized here, in perhaps the most unifying verses in the Bible.

Instead of revealing His will in the form of a command, God revealed his purpose – to bless the world - in the form of a promise that was both personal and global. The emphasis was more on what God would do and the outcome he desired rather than what Abraham needed to accomplish.

Further, the promise reveals God’s intentions at each stage of fulfillment. New Testament writer’s understood the Old Testament to have fulfillment in the past, present and future. Our God of history partially fulfilled the promise in the past during Abraham’s time with the birthing of Israel. As our God of Covenant, the promise was wholly fulfilled in the present through the gift of Jesus Christ. Finally, as God of Mission, it will be perfectly fulfilled in the future with the end of the age: the coming kingdom.

Don’t be too disturbed by God’s promise to also make Abraham’s name great. This is in contrast to man’s attempts to make his own name great. The fact is that significance doesn’t come from creating our own security and prestige, but from being a blessing to others. It’s more than our duty, it is our purpose.

Scripture following Genesis 12:1-3 continues emphasizing the promise and its implications, making it all clearer. God did not use an obligating contract to force His people to serve him as missionaries. Instead, He desires that we will serve through loving obedience. This is why Abraham’s faith was so important. Abraham freely obeyed in faith, leaving his father’s family, his people, and going out into the world. Following Chapter 12, the promise, including the blessing to other nations, is repeated in Gen. 18:18. Then in Genesis 22 Abraham again shows his faith by obediently offering up his son to the Lord. Immediately after this act of obedience, in verses 16-18, God declares that because of this obedience, he will bless Abraham and make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and adds, "and through your offspring all nations on earth will be Blessed because you have obeyed me."

The promise is repeated again to Jacob in 26:4 and 28:14.

Throughout the rest of the Bible, this significant verse and its meaning is intertwined with the message that God has a purpose and promise for all people, everywhere. In the New Testament, the Great Commission uses the Greek phrase, "Panta te ethne." This is usually translated as "all nations", but the phrase is better translated as "all the peoples", and would not have been understood by the first listeners as referring to geographical countries. Furthermore, the word "ethnos" in singular form is never used to refer to Gentiles in general. It always refers to a people group and more specifically, ethnicities defined by language or culture. The Bible is not just a collection of unrelated stories for the enriching our own personal lives; It’s a very clear message of God’s ultimate intent. Examples:

Ex 19:4-6, "Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." (What does it mean to be priests but to minister to others?)

Psalm 67, "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him."

Matthew 28: 18-20, -- The Great Commission -- "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Mark 16:15, "Go out into all the world and preach the good news".

Luke 24:46-47, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sin will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

Acts 1:8, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Missionary scholars equate this to ministering in your home community, in a close or similar community, or in a completely different culture.

The mandate isn’t limited to these verses. The mission mandate is seen throughout the entire Bible. God’s concern and gift of salvation for all people is evidenced in the books of Jonah, Ruth, Isaiah, and many others. Solomon’s temple was even built with a court for the Gentiles to worship in.

Where?

What also should be noted is that the first eleven chapters, which the promise immediately follows, are not related to a single people group. God’s initial promise to Abraham is preceded in Chapter 10 by a listing of the 70 nations on the earth. Those initial nations weren’t distinguished by geographical boundaries, but by clans and ancestors. What was being identified wasn’t nation states, but people groups, even “family” groups. The Hebrew word interpreted as "Nation" can also mean "gentile ","people", or “families.”

Interestingly, in April 2001, the Atlantic Monthly carried an article called “The Genetic Archaeology of Race” which reported scientific confirmation that a small group of people are the ancestors of every person alive today. Genetic researchers have shown that all human beings are incredibly similar genetically and there is no special gene to determine race. The differences we see in people are merely the differences one finds in families; meaning, the simple differences in hair color, bone structure and skin tone. Mr. Craig Venter of Celera Genomics stated, "Race has no genetic or scientific basis." In other words, there is no such thing.

“All the families of the Earth" is a reference that flies higher than racial pride and narrow nationalism. God is the Creator of "all the families on Earth."

In these earliest chapters of the Bible, it is shown that God’s rewards are available to all who believe and obey. However, they also reflect how we humans are most interested in obtaining recognition and pleasure for ourselves. This is the setting that leads up to Genesis 12:1-3. God rescues human beings by choosing from them one man and his family to bring the good news.

Why?

Abraham and his seed weren’t blessed because they were better than everyone else. Abraham wasn’t chosen because he was perfect. Remember, he had some character issues --- including struggles with deceit and fear. But God chose this one man and his family so that all the families on earth would be blessed. Why? Abraham was chosen because of his heart-felt faith. Deep held Faith is what is needed in this harsh world if one is going to be a Blessing to others, and the promise came for the purpose of Abraham and his seed being a Blessing to the rest of the world.

God so loves the world - His ultimate purpose is to eliminate all evil and have full relationship with men. And this is the key - worship of God eradicates evil. God desires worship to come to Him from every nation because it is in this way that evil will be expunged from every people group. Psalm 67 reveals that God’s one singular purpose is to be glorified in worship.

Who?

The promise is that through Abraham’s seed all the nations be blessed. Who are Abraham’s seed? Who are the people’s that are intended to bless all other peoples?

Romans 9:8 states, "In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring."

That straightforward statement from the New Testament seems to contradict long held beliefs from the Old Testament. However, the Old Testament itself relates that not all of Abraham’s birth children or descendant’s were included as part of the promise. Neither Abraham’s first-born son, Ishmael, nor Rebekah’s first-born, Esau, although they were both physical descendents of Abraham, inherited the promise. Through out the Old Testament, we see that many descendants of Israel ended up out of God’s favor, and instead earned His wrath. Many times throughout history only a remnant of Israel remained.

The Apostle Paul goes on to write that many Israelites have not received righteousness because they pursued it by works, not by faith. He states that many Gentiles, on the other hand, have received righteousness because of their faith. This faith shown by God’s chosen is the same faith shown by Abraham when he went to sacrifice his son.

Paul points out in Romans 9:25-26 that Hosea prophesied, "I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people; and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my love one." And, "It will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, ‘you are not my people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.” Paul states that the children of Abraham are those elected by God, through God’s sovereign freedom to do so.

Galatians 3:6-9 also states, "Consider Abraham: He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’ So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith."

How?

How is Abraham’s seed to bless the Nations? By spreading the Good News of God’s promise and discipling people of faith.

Jonah is an example of how NOT to do it. One of God’s people, but lazy and self-centered, he had no heart for the Gentiles. He was angry when God showed Nineveh mercy and used crafty methods to try to evade God’s wishes. Johan thought only of himself, the exact opposite of what God calls us to do. The seventh scene in Jonah, chapter 4:1-4, shows us that the greatest hurdle to overcome in Jonah’s missionary task wasn’t the sailors, big fish or even Nineveh, but his own attitudes. Jonah’s sin was that although one of God’s people, he didn’t have the heart for it and wasn’t obedient to God’s call and direction. Jonah is an example to all of us who want the benefit of Christianity -- but none of the responsibility.

On the other hand, Paul was motivated by the hope that God would be glorified among the nations. In Romans 15:8, Paul writes, "For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God…" (and on)

Finally, our ability to carry out the mandate: Jesus said in the Great Commission, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me... … And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." If this is a factor in our lives, does any other factor matter?


Conclusion:

First AND MOST IMPORTANT – Glory will be given to God.
Second, there will be a blessing of salvation for all people. "All people’s on earth will be blessed through you."

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship." Rom. 12:1

God’s purpose for his glory in global worship, according to one great professor, is to redeem a people from every people and to rule a kingdom over all kingdoms. We need to see ourselves for who we are: His servants, working together as one people in Christ for His purposes and glory. We need to be “Global Christians with a Global View because we have a Global God.” Making disciples is part of the mandated walk of each and every Christian. If we agree that this is mandatory for our lives, what action steps do we take? God has given each of us specific gifts to help us fulfill the specific role He has for us in His kingdom. One mission teacher asked, “Has God told anyone in this room NOT to do discipling or mission work? If He has not told you NOT to, then the mandate stands for you to disciple."

So is He is calling you to serve as a support person, or to contribute to the Churches Great Commission Fund, or to pray for the workers on the field? If He is calling you out as a worker, is He calling you to work right here in your hometown Jerusalem, or in a close and similar "Samaria" community, or is it in a completely different land at the ends of the Earth?

Let us all pray that God will give us all a missionary mind-set, showing us the gifts we have been given for that purpose and just how and where he wants us to use those gifts.