Faith Groups and churches in the United States have joined together to launch Faith Counts (www.Faithcounts.net) an ecumenical organization designed to promote the value of faith in society. The main centerpiece of Faith Counts is a social medial campaign that emphasizes positive and significant stories of how faith has changed the lives of individuals and society.
Faith Counts, a nonprofit, nondenominational organization, is comprised of many religious communities who represent over 100 million Americans. “We are drawn to the Faith Counts campaign,” said Jasjit Singh, executive director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), “because it reflects our belief in the tremendous societal value of all faiths, and are excited about Faith Counts’ ability to reach, engage, and unite interfaith communities.” All faith communities are welcome and encouraged to join.
The ecumenical organization includes the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, The Seventh-day Adventist Church, Hillel International (a Jewish group), the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Franciscan University of Steubenville and 1st Amendment Partnership.
Speaking on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop William Lori said, “Religious faith is an integral part of our society and needs to be lifted up and celebrated. Faith prompts acts of kindness every day, in every community of our nation. It also connects us to God and to each other as members of the human family. We are so pleased to be a part of Faith Counts, which can make a real difference in the lives of so many.”
Elder Daniel R. Jackson, President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America said, “Millions of Americans of every religion are motivated by their faith to go and serve the most vulnerable among us. Their gracious acts can be seen in soup kitchens, hospitals, schools, homeless shelters and many other humanitarian causes. Faith Counts will serve as a gentle reminder about these and other positive and meaningful attributes of faith in society.”
Kerry Troup, spokeswoman for Faith Counts, adds, “We’re finding that, in spite of a growing sense that faith is not something to talk about, and a culture that marginalizes faith, people are actually hungry for our message about faith. Our hope is that people who see our work, regardless of what religion they are, will have a better appreciation for the value of faith, feel inspired to share these stories and ultimately feel good about expressing how faith makes them who they are.”
Faith Counts is a heart-warming and gentle effort to bring normally non-ecumenical churches and faith groups together in connection with the Catholic Church and other churches and religions in an ecumenical way. By proclaiming how faith affects lives, these religious groups find common ground, the foundation of all ecumenical relationships. Expressions of a generalized faith without a distinctive definition lead to a reliance on Rome for clarity and meaning.
“All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him.” Revelation 13:8
Source References
Comments
Sheryl freeborn lewis.
Thursday January 8th, 2015 at 11:15 PMevery day we get a little closer to our Lords return. Some people in our church thinks this is wonderful I tend to think when you touch fire you get burned.
We need to make sure our relationship like never before is connected to Jesus and what His Word and the Insight given through EGW warns us about.
Damian
Friday January 9th, 2015 at 12:01 PMThis is very alarming to say the least. I’m disappointed that the SDA Church has joined forces in this organization. The trend for many years now i’ve observed is that the Church tries to be friends with the world and goes to extreme lengths at times to show that they are with the world on worldly matters like helping the poor etc. This is good but also it seems there’s no buffer between that avenue and the world and I can easily see it as a gateway to get us under the single banner of all the other false churches.
We should help the poor and help in society wherever we can but to join in an organization where we are not the head is setting us up for trouble.
God bless!
Van
Friday January 9th, 2015 at 07:44 PMI wonder if the Seventh-day Adventist Church joined on a GC or NAD level.
A.D.
Friday January 9th, 2015 at 10:49 PMI did expect this, but the fillings are still bad.
When somebody trying to sale you in slavery without even letting you know, somebody, to whom you would trust the most, that’s terrible.
Commenter
Saturday January 10th, 2015 at 05:45 AMWho is Dr. Daniel R. Jackson? Does he represent the world church? Does Elder Ted Wilson knows about this and if yes, what does he says about it? I’d appreciate the answers. Thanks.
Jeannie Howard
Wednesday January 21st, 2015 at 09:02 AMDaniel R. Jackson is the president of the NAD.
pearl
Wednesday September 2nd, 2015 at 10:49 AMThere is nothing Ted Wilson can do about this because he also is compromising ,you should check out David Mould at Laymen for Religious Libert Ministries. He will show you what is going on at the head. DON’T HOLE YOUR BREATH.
Jennifer Rose,
Saturday January 10th, 2015 at 08:40 AMIf this does not show that we r in the end times then we are not paying close enough attention. Sure it sounds wonderful but to depend on the RCC to define our beliefs as SDA is to put us in their power Please wake up and realize what is happening. We need to dwell in the arm of God more then ever now that our church group has been “sold down the river” to the devil himself
will
Saturday January 10th, 2015 at 05:26 PMAn ecumenical movement of any kind is no more than an attempt of the Catholic hierarchy to bring all the other daughters of the Mother church back into harmony with her. There will be no common ground unless it coincides with already established Catholic dogma
Bob Harders
Sunday January 11th, 2015 at 11:11 PMWe are living in the last days just before our Lords return why is it that some of us are fast asleep and cannot see what is about to happen ,then why as a church are we following so close to Rome that sometimes you would not be able to tell the difference .We have the writings of Ellen White to help guide us and with the Word of God that should be the first place we should be looking to for guidance in the times in which we are living.If we follow Jesus,s example then why do we need to follow other people when we have the best person in the world to look to. We have already been shown what to do so please wake up before times run out.
ev.sode
Monday January 12th, 2015 at 05:25 AMsometimes i wonder how naive if not paralysed we are as a pple in these great reformatory movt,how electricuted even paralysed are we,i would like pastor that you give us such timely observation that we may prepare for this emergency landing,i again wonder when many oF us will recognise that we have been duped when its forever too late with our own leaders,i tremble herein mombasa,kenya,looking at the condition of the church,i WONDER WITH GREAT ADMIRATION INDEED.GOD HELP US,I SMELL SMOKE,ALL THE GASOLINE TANK ARE ALL OPEN,WEAR YOUR MASK SOLJIERS.
pearl
Wednesday September 2nd, 2015 at 10:52 AMI COULD NOT HAVE SAID IT ANY BETTER.
Norma
Wednesday January 14th, 2015 at 09:07 PMThis is proof positive that we need to know God for ourselves. Truly a remnant will be saved. Is it that Protestants including SDA are stretching across the gulf and clasping hands with the Roman Catholic church? “Faith Counts” is a subtle way to get the SDA church agreeing and working with Rome. This is the beginning of disaster and there should be public out cry from the members of the church against uniting with Rome. As intentional as this move is for good, there is no unity between light and darkness.
BrotherTorben
Saturday January 17th, 2015 at 03:57 AMFaith counts, but can two walk together who walk in different directions? Faith can never be separated from truth, because spirit cannot be separated from brain. These days spiritualism calls for unity, but beware because spiritualism is only a shadow gospel their is no content. 2 thess 2;13 tells what counts , it is a faith build upon the sanctified spirit , and this happens through truth. The word becoming flesh is what a santified spirit means
Gershon Koffi Dzokoto-Vasco
Friday January 23rd, 2015 at 06:54 AMAll faithful Seventh-Day Adventist should not be surprise, for this kind of union is bound to occur before Christ returns the second time. If the leadership of the SDA church says we should mention or preach about the mark of the beast/ 666, What do we expect?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, God save us.
Rick Brennan
Wednesday January 28th, 2015 at 12:23 PMBro Gershon I cannot agree more with your statement but to add, Rev 14:8, And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. All nations, also includes all churches including our beloved SDA. However, there is a great hope in Jesus. Our church my appear to fall but Jesus said in Matthew 16 “The gates of hell shall not prevail against it There will be a remnant within the remnant who will prevail by the power of our Lord and Savior. A holy people set apart for His glory. There are tribulations we must go through but hold on to the end. I will end this with Nahum 1:7 The LORD [is] good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
pearl
Wednesday September 2nd, 2015 at 11:14 AMBut the problem is the churches are NOT preaching on the mark of the beast, at least my church isn’nt
Debra Comer
Thursday February 5th, 2015 at 01:59 PMThis entire article is disturbing. The Adventist denomination joining hands with the Papacy is more then alarming. That Revelation 13:8 was used as a biblical reason for doing so is terrifying. That scripture is directly related to being a part of the Beast! I never thought the SDA church would grasp the hand of Babylon and become one of her children. It is sad and sadly far to many SDA’S will think this union is a wonderful thing.
admin
Thursday February 5th, 2015 at 10:11 PMAll ecumenical engagements begin with collaboration on social issues to break down barrier. Historically many churches have been drawn in little by little. -Pr. Mayer
Aidah Kayongo
Wednesday March 25th, 2015 at 12:51 AMFor God’s sake this is the end of the world we should open our eyes en look up
Vania Noel
Saturday May 9th, 2015 at 09:59 AMZechariah 6 King James Version (KJV)
6 And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass.
2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;
3 And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.
4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord?
5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.
7 And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.
8 Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
Notice the fourth chariot have two groups. The SDA’s who join those movements are the grisled horses that is going astray. When God purified the church, you will know them. Just pray for many of us can be in the bay group.
Robert
Tuesday May 12th, 2015 at 03:53 AMThis is a terrible and disgusting thing and unutterable sad. How can they dare? Are they not afraid of the wrath of god? Join hands with an organization that god himself has declared to be fallen? We should proclaim the 3AM and not be parttakers of their sins. Just have a look at their website.. they are promoting yoga, quoting J.K. Rowling. I can not believe my eyes to see SDA listed next to USCCB on a who-we-are page. Awful. That hurts.
Jerome
Tuesday May 12th, 2015 at 10:03 AMMy dear brethren, why get all worked up about this? . The SDA church is God’s remnant Church that’s built on the ROCK and the gates of Hell can never prevail against her. We should never be quick to cast judgement about the church and its leaders. Where is it written that its a sin to join with non SDA’s for humanitarian purposes? Are we to be exclusivists and bigots because we have the truth? Are we shaky or grounded? I know that If a thousand elders, pastors or divisional leaders are backsliders or undercover operatives of Rome, they will not stop the triumphant march of the SDA church. The gates of Hell just can not prevail against her. The most important thing right now is for us to be praying, fasting and living holy lives and sharing in love the 3 Angel Messages. I have met some christians who speak about end time stuff, pointing out who among the leadership are likely jesuits or drifting from our historic prophetic positions; yet these same people are often most unChristlike at church. I have come to the conclusion that the greatest thing now is for us to be totally surrendered to Jesus as we see the prophecies fulfilling and the end approaching
admin
Tuesday May 12th, 2015 at 03:57 PMOur mission at KTF is to link events to prophecy and track prophetic developments regardless of who is involved. Some of those happen inside the SDA church. Even though the church is the apple of God’s eye, and the object of His supreme regard, the issues in the great controversy require that Satan be permitted to wreak havoc inside the church as well as in the world. The ecumenical movement is actually condemned in scripture (see Ps 94:20 for example). It is not merely other churches that are involved. The problem is that the ecumenical movement is sponsored, supported, and led by the RC Church. It should also be noted that the Kings of the earth and the merchants of the earth are in illicit relationships with the Papacy described as “fornication,” which the bible condemns, therefore it is no surprise that the various churches also engage with Rome in various ways, which would also violate the same principles. See Revelation 17:2 “the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” The kings of the earth are engaged in “fornication” and those over which they rule are made drunk by her wine.
The ecumenical movement is about that drunkenness. The focus is on building relationships with Rome. Historically, Rome starts her ecumenical engagement with other churches through social issues on which they can all participate. Eventually they drop their objections to Rome’s teachings and practices, thus muting their voices to her abuses (financial and sexual scandals, doctrinal blasphemy, the Mass, etc). Engaging in this way would mute the message of Revelation 14 & 18, which must be given by God’s true people. This is the way Rome has always worked since Vatican II. It also means that the Adventist Church is one of the prime targets. Perhaps it is hard for some to see, but the wagons are being circled. At the moment, pope Francis is doing everything he can to bring all other churches and religions close to the Catholic Church in an ecumenical alliance against a secular and sacrilegious society, and extreme religious groups like certain muslims (for the time being). Even the Waldenses are engaged with him now. There are some who are very shaky indeed and who don’t understand these things very well.
By the way, the focus should not be on the organization, but on the truth. Organizations are always going to fail to be faithful. There is no way for a church organization, even if it is the true church, to pass through the time of trouble (with all the persecution and economic sanctions, etc). Think about it historically. Under persecution, organizations collapse. The people have to continue under an organic organization supervised by a Higher Power, namely the Holy Spirit.
We should never be unchristlike in dealing with others but always speak the truth in love. And lastly, at KTF we are careful not to overstate, but instead document with credible sources. We invite you to read or listen to more of our material to catch up with what’s going on prophetically. Pr. Mayer
russell
Saturday September 5th, 2015 at 05:53 AMYou are doing a great work at KTF my prayers and soon financial support are with you. Keep the FAITH of JESUS.