ENDTIME ISSUES NEWSLETTER No. 209

"MY PILGRIMAGE FROM SECULAR TO SACRED MUSIC"

Cristina Piccardi, Soprano, M. Mus.

Edited by Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D.,

Retired Professor of Theology and Church History,

Andrews University

EDITORIAL COMMENTS

Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D.

My editorial comments will briefly mention the following topics:

1) An Introduction to Cristina Piccardi’s Testimony

2) The Responses to the Last Newsletter

3) Update on Popuar Beliefs: Are They Biblical?

4) Spanish translation of Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical?

5) Australian Distributor of my books

6) A Possible Interview with Larry King

7) Complete Package of 14 Albums with a total of 41

DVD disks, with all the live lectures of myself,

Prof. Jon Paulien and Prof. Graeme Bradford,

for only $150.00, instead of $1650.00. See details

at the end of the newsletter.

7) An Incredible Offer on New HITACHI 3000 Lumens

for only $1000.00. Only a few projectors available.

See details at the end of the newsletter.

AN INTRODUCTION TO CRISTINA PICCARDI’S TESTIMONY

Ten months ago Cristina Piccardi joined my itinerant ministry, enhancing my seminars and touching the hearts of thousands with her powerful and passionate soprano singing. Adventists who have been inspired and captivated by her singing, often ask me: “How did Cristina become such an outstanding soprano, able to reach and sustain the highest notes with so much ease and grace?”

The answer is to be found in the providential way the Lord made it possible for her to be trained by some of the best voice professors in Brazil, America, and Italy. Before giving her Sacred Concert on Sabbath afternoon, Cristina usually shares the story of her pilgrimage of faith from secular to sacred music. Surprisingly, often her testimony touches the hearts of people as much as her singing.

Since many readers of this newsletter may never have the opportunity to hear live Cristina’s testimony, I encouraged her to write it out. She gladly did, investing many hours writing in English the story of God’s leading in her life.

My contribution to this newsletter was mostly editorial. I restructured a few sentences that sounded more Portuguese than English. Keep in mind that English is still a foreign language to me, though I have used it for the past 35 years. I still engage professional editors to clean my manuscripts.

The Highlights of Cristina’s Testimony

What stands out in Cristina’s testimony is the providential way the Lord led her from an obscure village in South Brazil to some of the best music schools in America. Her voice was trained by outstanding voice teachers in America and Italy. Since her parents could not pay for her education, the Lord provided her with several scholarships that covered the cost of her graduate studies and travelling to Italy to be coached by some of the best singers of our time.

What impresses me about Cristina’s testimony, is the decision she made at the pinnacle of her voice training, to give up a promising career as opera singer in order to devote her gift of singing to praise the Lord for His saving grace.

You will read that this was the most difficult and costly decision of her life. She was confronted with problems on two fronts. First, she faced the rejection and ridicule of her professors who loved her and invested so much of their time and talents in training her. They envisioned that she would become one of their shining stars on the opera stage. When she told them that the Lord called her to give up her opera career and to devote herself in stead to sing sacred music, they thought that she out of her mind, victim of religious sectarian brain-washing.

Even more difficult to accept was the challenge coming from the second front, namely, the Adventist Church. To her surprise Cristina discovered that no Adventist University offered a doctoral program in Sacred Music. Their Music Departments offer degrees in opera singing.

The Challenge of Making a Living by Singing Sacred Music

More painful was the discovery that it is very difficult to make a living in the Adventist Church by singing sacred music. Cristina was invited to sing during the Divine Service in numerous churches close to Andrews University, including Pioneer Memorial Church. But the only compensation she received was a hearty “Thank You.” The problem is that thank you notes do not pay the bills.

When I officially met Cristina on October 6, 2007, at the end of the Communion Service at Pioneer Memorial Church where she had sung three times, I soon discovered that she and her husband were in dire financial distress. In fact, she was wondering if she made a mistake in giving up a promising opera career.

It is evident that the Lord was testing her faith. When I invited her to join my itinerant ministry, she immediately felt that my invitation was an answer to her prayers. The rest is history. During the past 10 months we have travelled almost 100,000 miles, ministering in churches in America and overseas. Everywhere the response has been overwhelming. Cristina powerful and passionate singing touches the hearts of people, preparing them for the proclamation of the Word.

Cristina Will Gladly Present a Sacred Concert at your Church

During the past few months Cristina has been invited to sing at campmeeting, evangelistic crusades, and special church events. If your church is planning for a special event, feel free to invite Cristina. She will make your program a memorable experience.

The cancer-recovery program is causing me to reduce considerably my travels. I will no longer hold seminars every weekend, but only once or twice each month. This means that Cristina can now sing one or two weekend every month for churches, campmeeting, evangelistic meetings, weddings, homecoming events, etc.

You can enjoy a preview of Cristina’s outstanding singing by clicking at this link:  http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/cristina/ She sings the first stanza of THE HOLY CITY. If you prefer, we will be glad to mail to you FREE OF CHARGE her latest DVD Album By His Grace with 16 sacred songs recorded in Loma Linda. To order a free album for your church board to preview, simply call us at (269) 471-2915. We will take down by phone your name and address, and mail you immediately the DVD album.

To book Cristina for a special event, it is very simple: Just call her at (269) 470-1476. You can also contact her by email: <[email protected]> If you have difficulty to reach Cristina by phone (she is busy giving voice lessons), call me at (269) 471-2915. Since I have the calendar listing our weekend engagements, I can tell you immediately the few weekends that are still open.

Special Package Offer of Cristina’s Recordings.

Since this newsletter is devoted to Cristina’s pilgrimage of faith from secular to sacred music, we want to offer her complete package of four albums, for only $50.00, instead of the regular price of $330.00. The package included the following four albums:

1) THE CD ALBUM REJOICE IN THE LORD which consists of 11 sacred songs recorded at the Howard Performing Center with Marcelo Caceres, Professor of piano at Andrews University.

2) THE DVD ALBUM SING UNTO THE LORD which consists of 10 sacred songs recorded live at the Andrews University Pioneer Memorial SDA Church.

3) THE DVD ALBUM BY HIS GRACE which consists of 16 sacred songs recorded live in Loma Linda with four high-definition cameras.

4) THE DVD ALBUM OF THE SABBATH WITH WORDS AND SONGS which consists of three DVD disks with 6 hours of live recordings done at Loma Linda. Cristina sings before and after each of my three lectures delivered on Friday evening, Sabbath Morning, and Sabbath Afternoon. She also gives a sacred concert on Sabbath afternoon before my final lecture. This album is ideal for small churches financially unable to invite us.

          The special offer on the above package of 4 albums is only $50.00, mailing expenses included even for overseas, instead of the regular price of $350.00.

How to Order Cristina’s Package of Four Albums

You can order the package of the four albums containing Cristina’s Sacred Concerts and the SABBATH SEMINAR in WORDS AND SONGS in four different ways:

(1) ONLINE: By clicking here: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/cart/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=122

(2) PHONE: By calling us at (269) 471-2915 to give us your credit card number and postal address.

(3) EMAIL: By emailing your order to <[email protected]>. Be sure to provide your postal address, credit card number, and expiration date.

(4) REGULAR MAIL: By mailing a check for $50.00 to BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES, 4990 Appian Way, Berrien Springs, Michigan 49103, USA. We guarantee to process your order immediately.

Thank you for supporting our ministry with your prayers and purchase of our recordings and publications.

RESPONSES TO THE LAST NEWSLETTER

The last newsletter No. 208 on “Is President Bush Converting to Catholicism?” generated an unusual volume of positive responses. Many appreciated my analisys of the new method of papal engagement with political powers, which consists in achieving political effectiveness through the charisma of moral persuasion, rather than through the normal instruments of political power.

We noted that President Bush has surrounded himself with Catholic intellectuals, advisers, speech writers, theologians, and politicians, who have influenced his domestic policies. It is evident that the Pope exercised his influence in the American political process through his Catholic thought-leaders.

The shift from a political to a pastoral model of the papacy has been gradual. After all the Vatican maintains diplomatic relationship with 172 countries and uses diplomatic channels to negotiate agreements favorable to the Catholic Church. But both John Paul II and Benedict XVI have deliberately adopted a dual strategy. On the one hand, they use the diplomatic corp to achieve whatever they can, but on the other hand they appeals directly to the people and political leaders arousing them to adopt Catholic beliefs and practices.

Good examples are the recent conversion to Catholicism of former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, the conversion of President Bush’s brother, Jeb, former governor of Florida, and the possible conversion of President Bush himself to Catholicism.

I pointed out in my last newsletter that the future power of the papacy will lie in the charism of moral persuasion used by the pope to achieve political effectiveness. The political alliances that have plagued the papacy in the past, will no longer exist. The pope will engage with world powers with his own instruments of moral persuasion.

Adventist Reappraisal of the Prophetic Role of the Papacy

The evolution of the power of the papacy calls for a reappraisal of the Adventist understanding of the endtime prophetic role of the papacy. Our Adventist pioneers lived at a time when the Papacy was still a powerful political and religious power. Consequently the “wounding” of the beast of Revelation 13 was interpreted as a political event that took place in 1798 when Pope Pius VI was taken prisoner by the French General Berthier and the “healing of the wound,” the 1929 Concordat that delimits and protects the Vatican State.

Looking back into the history of the papacy during the past century, it seem more logical to view the “wounding” of the papacy as a process that began with the imprisonment of Pius VI in 1798 and continued until the taking over of all the Papal States by Italian nationalists in 1870. The loss of the Papal States impacted the papacy far more than the temporary humiliation of Pius VI.

Similarly, the healing of the wound could be seen as a process that began in 1929 with the juridical delimitation of the Vatican State, but it has continued until our time with a revival of the power of the papacy. Such a revival, however, has taken place, not through political alliances as perceived by our pioneers, but through the pope’s charisma of moral persuasion capable of being translated into political effectiveness.

In the light of recent developments, it would seem that the future power of the papacy will depend, not so much on the political backing of the USA government (as perceived by our pioneers), but on the capacity of the Pope to influence the political process and the thinking of the American people and other nations.

Will the Catholic Church Influence the Next Presidential Election?

The next presidential election will reveal how the Catholic Church opposition to abortion and gay marriages will affect the outcomes of Senator Barak Obama’s election. Some political analysts believe that John Kerry lost the election because of his pro-abortion position. U. S. NEWS reports: “Catholics face cross-pressures from their church to oppose abortion and gay marriage, pushing them closer to the GOP. In 2004, a handful of Catholic bishops denounced Democratic nominee John Kerry’s pro-abortion-rights position; one said he’d deny Kerry, a Catholic, the Eucharist. Kerry lost white Catholics—who make up the vast majority of the Catholic community—to Bush by 56 to 43 percent” (June 24-2007).

A Catholic Case Against Barack

Whether the same outcome will characterize the next presidential election, remains to be seen. There is no question that Barack Obama will face considerable opposition from Catholic and Evangelicals who still take their faith seriously and oppose abortion.

In his article entitled “A Catholic Case Against Barack,” Patrick Buchanan writes: “Barack is the most pro-abortion member of the Senate, with his straight A+ report card from the National Abortion Rights Action League and Planned Parenthood. He supports the late-term procedure known as partial-birth abortion, where the baby’s skull is stabbed with scissors in the birth canal and the brains are sucked out to end its life swiftly and ease passage of the corpse into the pan.

“Partial-birth abortion, said the late Sen. Pat Moynihan, ‘comes as close to infanticide as anything I have seen in our judiciary.’ Yet, when Congress was voting to ban this terrible form of death for a mature fetus, Michelle Obama was signing fundraising letters pledging that, if elected, Barack would be ‘tireless’ in keeping legal this ‘legitimate medical procedure.’

And Barack did not let the militants down. When the Supreme Court upheld the congressional ban on this barbaric procedure, Barack denounced the court for denying ‘equal rights for women.’” (Human Events.com).

Barack clear stand for abortion, as expressed also in the interview with Rick Warren, poses this question for Christians committed to protect the sanctity of life from its conception: Can a Christian in good conscience vote for a presidential candidate who stands for the killing even of mature fetus?

I am reminded of Dietrich Bonhoeffer who paid the ultimate price of the sacrifice of his life for denouncing the Fuhrer for his ruthless plan to exterminate the Jews. He was a lonely voice. Most Lutheran ministers cave in to the Nazi propaganda. Are Chrsitian doing the same when it comes to the killing of even mature fetuses?

By promoting successfully the Catholic stand for the sanctity of life, Benedict XVI is predisposing people around the world to more readily accept those teachings that have divided Protestantism from Roman Catholicism. The gulf of separation between Catholicism and Protestantism is truly being bridged, but the bridge is being built at Protestant expenses.

UPDATE AND SPECIAL OFFER ON POPULAR BELIEFS: ARE THEY BIBLICAL?

When Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical? came off the press on April 25, 2008, I never anticipated that the book would be so popular and influential. The first printing of 10,000 copies was sold out in less than a month. The third printing will be out next week. This means that the book has been reprinted three times in three months. This has never happened with any of my previously published 17 books,

A major reason for the overwhelming demand for Popular Beliefs, is the urgent need felt by many Adventists for a compelling witnessing book they can give with confidence to people inquiring about our faith. Many Adventists have emailed me messages of appreciation, saying that they have waited for years for a book like Popular Beliefs that shows why the most popular Catholic and Protestant popular beliefs are unbiblical, while the less-popular Adventist beliefs are biblically correct.

This past week I received messages from former-Adventists, telling me that Popular Beliefs has caused them to reconsider some of the reasons for leaving our Church. One wrote to me saying that he had accepted the view that the Sabbath is part of the Old Covenant given to the Jews. But after reading the chapter 6 “Sunday Sacredness,” he came to realize that the New Testament clearly teaches the continuity of the Sabbath.

To ensure that your pastors and local church leaders to become acquainted with this timely book, we are offering until August 30, 2008, two copies of Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical? for the price of one. This means that for $30.00 you can order two copies, one for yourself and to give to your pastor.

After reading Popular Beliefs many pastors have ordered the book by the case of 30 copies for only $6.60 per copy. Many churches have ordered 100 copies at the special offer of $5.00 per copy, to give to non-SDA attending the Mark Findley’s Satellite program Discoveries 2008 or other evangelistic meeting in the Fall.

Thank you for introducing your pastor and local church officers to this timely book. The details for ordering the book are given at the end of the newsletter or by clicking at this link: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/cart/catalog/index.php?cPath=26_35

SPANISH TRANSLATION OF POPULAR BELIEFS: ARE THEY BIBLICAL?

During the past few weeks several subscribers to our newsletter, have been urging me to translate and publish in Spanish Biblical Beliefs: Are They Biblical? In fact, one subscriber has already sent me the money to pay for the translation, editing, art-work, and lay-out of the book.

The translation has already began and will be completed by the beginning of October. The translator is Claudia Blanco, the official translator of the Asociacion Casa Editora Sudamericana. According to our schedule the Spanish edition LAS CREENCIAS POPULARES, ¿SON BÍBLICAS? will be printed and ready for distribution by October 31, 2008. You can see the cover of the Spanish book and read a description by clicking at this link: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/popspan.htm

To facilitate a massive distribution of Las Creencias Populares, ¿Son Bíblicas? we are offering the book at a special pre-publication price. For details click at this link http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/popspan.htm or call us at (269) 471-2915.

AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR OF MY BOOKS

For a long time I have been praying that the Lord would help me to find Adventists with marketing skills interested to distribute my books in major English-speaking countries.

The release of the new book Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical? has inspired some Adventists to become distributors of my 20 volumes in their countries.

At this time I am pleased to announce to our Australian believers that you can now order both my ENGLISH and SPANISH books at a considerable saving through an Australian distributor. He will also distribute our recordings. This is the name and address of the distributor:

Ivan Jakovac

Albury Storage

107 North Street Albury NSW 2640

Phone 02 6021 8088

Mobile 0406 854 500

email: <[email protected]>

web site: <http://www.alburystorage.com/>

If you live in Australia, feel free to contact Ivan Jacovac by phone or email. You will save time and money. For example, the cost of airmailing to Australia Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical? is $40.00, that is, $30.00 for the book and $10.00 for the airmail. You can order the same book from Ivan Jakovac for about half of the price. The reason is that the books will be sent to Jacovac by sea-freight, which costs a fraction of the airmail.

The first shipment should reach Jacovac in about a month. So please allow some time for your order to be processed. In the future your orders be processed immediately.

For a description and picture of each book, click at this link:

http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/cart/catalog/index.php?cPath=26

A POSSIBLE INTERVIEW WITH LARRY KING

At the sugestion of several readers of this newsletter, I have contacted Larry King, proposing an interview on two issue of public concern. At this point I do not have a confirmation, only a response indicating that the proposal is under consideration.

This is the email message I sent to Larry King:

Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D.,

Retired Professor of Theology and Church History,

Andrews University

4990 Appian Way

Berrien Springs, MI 49103

Dear Mr. Larry King:

For several years I have watched your interviews when time allowed. I find your interviews probative and informative.

Some of the 40,000 subscribers to my Newsletter that addresses current issues from a biblical perspective, have encouraged me to contact you. They feel that you may have an interest to interview me on some aspects of my research that challenges prevailing Christian beliefs and practices.

Let me mention briefly first who I am and then what aspects of my research could be of interest to your viewers.

A BRIEF BIO OF SAMUELE BACCHIOCCHI, PH. D.

I was born and brought up in Rome, Italy. I received my college education in England, two graduate degrees in the USA, and my Doctoratus  in Historia Ecclesiasticas  at the Pontifical Greorian University in Rome.

At the Gregoriana I received a gold medal donated by Pope Paul VI for earning the academic distinction of summa cum laude in my school work and dissertation entitled From Sabbath to Sunday: A Historical investigation into the Rise of Sunday Observance in Early Christianity.

Simply stated, my dissertation shows that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday primarily due social and political factors, especially the need to separate from the Jews at the time when Emperor Hadrian in AD 135 outlawed Sabbathkeeping as a way to liquidate the Jewish religion.

This is what the cover of the dissertation which was published by the Pontifical Gregorian University Press, with the official Catholic imprimatur.

This is the picture of one of the three diplomas I received.

This is the picture of the gold medal donated by Pope Paul VI for attaining the academic distinction of summa cum laude.

During the past 30 years I have authored 18 volumes that have been favorably reviewed by scholars of different persuasion. See sample of comments at the end.

TWO TOPICS OF POSSIBLE INTEREST FOR YOUR INTERVIEW;

Among the many subjects I have examined in my 18 books, you may find that two of them could be of special interest to your viewers, especially because they challenge prevailing Christian beliefs.

1) ORIGIN OF SUNDAY:

Contrary to prevailing beliefs, my five years of research conducted in Vatican libraries shows that Saturday was changed to Sunday as the day of rest and worship, not merely to memorialize the Christ’s Resurrection, but primarily to show separation and differentiations from the Jews at a time when the Sabbath was outlawed by the Hadrianic imperial legislation (about AD 135). As you can imagine, Mr. King, the findings of my research will surprise the vast majority of Christians who firmly believe that Sunday was established to memorialize Christ’s Resurrection.

From Sabbath to Sunday has been favorably reviewed even by Catholic scholars. For example John T. Pawlikowski, OSM, Ph. D., Chairman, DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES of the CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL UNION, CHICAGO, wrote: “It may be that one of the most powerful forms of anti-Judaism in the church today is the very structure of its liturgy. Hence From Sabbath to Sunday must be welcomed as a new, sound research attempt to open up discussion in this vital area. It is a field that needs our attention. And one could not find a better starting point for such an exploration that Dr. Bacchiocchi’s latest volume. I recommend it highly.”

2) THE UNBIBLICAL NATURE OF THE MOST POPULAR CHRISTIAN BELIEFS.

A second topic for an interview is the unbiblical nature of the most popular Christian beliefs. In my latest book Popular Beliefs: Are the Biblical?  I am showing that ten popular Christian Beliefs such as immortality of the soul, life after death, Hell as eternal torment, Purgatory, Mariology, and Infant Baptism, derive not from the Bible, but from philosophies foreign to Scripture. In other words, some of the most popular Christian beliefs are unbiblical after all.

The findings of this research will surprise many Christians who view their major beliefs are biblically correct. Your interview, Mr. King, could stimulate a healthy discussion.

This is the picture of the cover of the book Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical?

If you are interested, Mr. King, I will gladly mail you review copies of both From Sabbath To Sunday and Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical?   Just let me know.

Feel free to call me at any time for any question you may have. My office number is (269) 471-2915 and my cellular (269) 208-1942.

Thank you for taking time to look into the possibility of interviewing me on the topics suggested above.

Sincerely

Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D.,

Retired Professor of Theology and Church History,

Andrews University

4990 Appian Way

Berrien Springs, MI 49103

Phone (269) 471-2915 Fax (269) 978-6898

E-mail [email protected]

WWW HOMEPAGE: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com

Let us pray that Larry King may consider favorably the proposal. This would offer our Adventist Church a unique opportunity to witness to million of viewers.

“MY PILGRIMAGE FROM SECULAR TO SACRED MUSIC”

By Cristina Piccardi, Soprano, M. Music

Edited by Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D.,

Retired Professor of Theology and Church History,

Andrews University

Readers of this newsletter have learned that for almost a year now I have been singing for Dr. Bacchiocchi’s seminars. I can say with all my heart that it was God Who placed him in my life. To express my gratitude for His providential leading, I wish to share in this newsletter my spiritual journey as a small contribution to the legacy of Bacchiocchi’s writings to the Adventist Church.

My pilgrimage from secular to sacred music is the story of God’s providential leading in my life, which started way back when I was still a child in a small town of Brazil.

My hope and prayer is that my story will touch the hearts of many Adventist believers, reassuring them God is also leading in their lives, even when the future looks uncertain or even bleak.

THE BEGINNING

My story begins in Guaiba, a small town in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, where I was born in 1981. As a child at the age of 7 or 8, I remember singing and inventing songs that my parents would urge me to sing in front of people. I guess they thought it was cute for me to sing funny songs. Singing has been my passion from my early life.

My parents did not belong to any church, though they both have always believed in God in their own ways. They enjoyed classical music and I grew up listening to the music of great composers. At the age of 10, my parents arranged for me and my sister to study piano with a private teacher near our home. I remember my mother pleading with her to teach both of us at the cost of one. It was at that time that I knew in my heart I wanted to be a musician. I studied piano for 3 years until we had to move to a farther neighborhood.

At the age of fourteen I decided to accept an invitation from the band teacher of my elementary school to join the town choir. That was it! I immediately sensed that singing was to be my life’s calling. Soon afterwards I was invited to sing in the opera choir of the capital city of my state (one hour from my house). A that time I started my first voice lessons with the vocal coach of the choir who always encouraged me to pursue vocal training.

At the age of fifteen, the Lord introduced me to the Adventist message through a family friend who studied the Bible with me and my father. This was a totally new experienced for us. We were very receptive to the teachings of the Bible but soon our friend left for another state where occasionally our family went during vacation times. However, my dad and myself kept searching for truth and became involved into new age movement and other kinds of occult religions.

When I was sixteen, the Lord operated a big miracle in my life, even though I did not know it was from Him. At the time I wanted to enter the university to study music, but my knowledge of music was too limited to pass the extensive entrance exam. Aware of my limitation, I decided to make music my minor and history my major.

The Lord knew I was not meant to be a historian, because my passion was singing. I failed the entrance exams for the school of history but surprisingly I passed the music the entrance exams, which included theory, music reading and singing. I could not believe it! Now I sensed that the door was open for me to study vocal performance and become an opera singer.

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

At the age of 18 I won the “Young Artists Competition for the Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra” by singing for the first time with a Symphonic Orchestra, an aria from the opera Don Giovanni by Mozart and an aria from the oratorio Messiah by Handel. That experience convinces me that the Lord had a different plan for my life—a plan that became a cause of deep conflict of my heart: Should I devote my life to sing sacred or secular music!

My college voice teacher in Brazil was a Seventh Day Adventist, though I did not become aware of it until the second year of my studies with him. His name is Dr. Mazias de Oliveira, who has always been involved with productions of operas and sacred music. With him I have been able to participate in many productions including the one on the life of Elijah, which opened my mind to many biblical truths.

During my four years of college I was invited to sing many times in different concerts and recitals, many of them with chamber and symphonic orchestras. The majority of my singing with orchestras at that time was sacred music, like the Masses and Motets by Mozart, and the Laudates and Cantatas by Vivaldi and Handel. I must confess that I really enjoyed singing these sacred masterpieces more than anything else.

THE BEGINNING OF MY CONVERSION

Though I was very happy, enthusiastic and excited about what I was doing, one night in 2002, after an opera night recital in Dr. Oliveira’s vocal class, I went to sleep without realizing what would happen during the night. Suddenly in my sleep in my heart I felt a conviction that I was not doing God’s will. I felt lost, scared and desperate. It seemed that the training I was pursuing was not God’s will for my life. What should I do? I understood than that God wanted me to sing the music that could save souls.

In the year of 2003, my Brazilian Adventist voice teacher moved to the USA. He invited me to come to the USA to audition at different universities in order to get a scholarship for a master’s degree in vocal performance. While visiting his home I was invited for the first time to attend a Seventh Day Adventist Church and to experience true worship in God’s sanctuary. My heart began to change.

PROVIDENTIAL ADMISSION AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY

My audition proved to be successful. I was accepted at one of the best American school of music at Indiana University. The University gave me 60% scholarship even though I auditioned after the deadline for scholarship had already expired. Praise the Lord! The admission opened the door for me to come to America! But I still had a major hurdle to overcome, namely, the passing of the English proficiency entrance exam. This was a major problem because at that time I hardly knew English and there was no way I could pass the English proficiency exam. My dear voice teacher reassured me that if I put forth my best efforts, God would perform a miracle.

The possibility of failing the English proficiency test, created much unrest in my heart. I was particularly concerned about disappointing my parents, because they had borrowed a lot of money to send me overseas for the audition. I told God: “I know you would not have brought me so far, only to fail. Please help me to pass the English language test.”

The English language test lasted four hours. During those hours several times I felt like leaving the room because the test was too difficult for me. But I kept remembering my teacher’s words: “You must give God the chance to perform a miracle.” And He did. I did the entire test by guessing. The next day I went with my voice teacher to get the result. I needed to get a 75% score to be admitted and that was exactly what I received. God had performed a miracle.

But this is not the end of the story. Over the years I have learned that God does things in mysterious ways that defies our understanding. While still at Indiana University we found out there was an audition taking place for a summer course in Italy. Dr. Oliveira new their program because his daughter had attended it with great benefit. He warned me that it was very hard to get any scholarship to go to study in Italy, but it was worth trying. I tried and was accepted with half scholarship. God is amazing!

When I went to Italy, I met my former voice teacher, Ms. Claudia Pinza. She was very excited about the quality of my voice and told me she could get me full scholarship to study with her for a Master in Music at Duquesne University in Pennsylvania. After the summer program in Italy I went back home to prepare myself to come to study at Duquesne University.

MY BAPTISM ON NOVEMBER 1, 2003

When I came back from America, for the first time I received Bible studies about the importance of baptism and of keeping the fourth commandment of God. When these Bible truths became clear in my mind, I decided in my heart that I wanted to be baptized. My father wanted to join me in baptism, but was reluctant because of the pressure of our family which did not understand our conversion. He decided that he would get baptized with me, only if I could prove to our family that is was my personal decision. He was not forcing me to be baptized. I reassured my family members that it was indeed my personal decision. We both were baptized on the same day: November 1, 2003.

After my baptism I sensed a stronger need to serve God. In good conscience I could no longer train to become an opera singer. I told God that if He wanted me to stay in Brazil, he should make it impossible for me get a visa to come to study in the USA. God had different plans for my life. I received my visa sooner than anticipated and came to USA on January 9th of 2004 to study at Duquesne University.

MY PRAYER OF DESPERATION

In America I learned so much about life. I learned to depend on God and to pray to Him earnestly. During the first month in this country I could not find a Seventh Day Adventist church. My English was poor. I had to live with strangers and the money my parents gave me was only enough to cover 2 months of rent and food.

I remember praying the “Prayer of Desperation.” I cried out to God to help me to consecrate my total life to Him and to remain faithful in the midst of ungodliness and difficult circumstances. It was tough, but today I can see clearly God’s merciful and caring arms carried me through that difficult time.

In the month of February finally somebody answered the voice message I had left on the phone of the Pittsburgh SDA Church. Somebody picked me up and took me to church the very next Sabbath. My first visit in an Adventist American church was like being in heaven.

THE LORD HAD A HUSBAND WAITING FOR ME

I asked people during Sabbath School if they had any Bible study group that I could attend during the week. Right away an African student from Rwanda told me there was a Bible study group meeting in one of the dorms of his college on Friday nights. There is where the Lord had my husband waiting for me.

Jean Claude Heymans Kalimunda was the roommate of the young man who told me about the Bible studies. During the months of Bible studies I came to appreciate Jean Claude as a real man of God. I had never met a young man who talked about God with so much love, passion and knowledge. At that time I was not in love with him, but when I prayed to God to send me a husband who would love Him supremely and would walk with me in the path of service, the Lord God opened my eyes to see that Jean Claude was the perfect match for my heart’s desire.

THE COST OF LEAVING THE OPERA TRAINING

During the summer of my first year of graduate school, I came to Andrews University to find out if their Music Department offered a master’s degree in sacred vocal music. To my disappointment, I discovered that such a program did not exist at Andrews nor in any other Adventist university. So I thought the wisest thing for me to do was to finish my master’s degree in opera at Duquesne University. My intent was to use the voice skills learned at Duquesne to sing in the future only sacred music.

That Summer I was invited again to attend the summer program for opera singers in Italy. This time my voice teacher got a sponsor for me who paid for the entire trip and expenses. You can understand the shock of my teachers when I informed them of my decision no longer to pursue an opera career but to dedicate instead my gift of singing to praise God through sacred music.

My teachers could not understand my decision. They thought I had been brain-washed and that I was out of my mind. After all, they invested much time and talent to train my voice for a successful opera career. They viewed my decision as an act of ungratefulness towards them. I can understand their sore disappointment, but I did not have another choice. The Lord placed the conviction upon my heart to leave the opera world, and I felt bound to follow His leading. That was one of the most difficult decisions of my life. I felt rejected, mocked and misunderstood by all, yet by God’s grace I did not waver in my decision. Thank God I was able to stand firm.

THE TEMPTATION TO RECONSIDER MY DECISION

When I came back to Duquesne University to continue my voice training singing opera, I must confess that I was very tempted to reconsider my decision. Once you are surrounded by opera singers and are always involved with opera performance, it is very difficult not to get affected by the opera atmosphere. For a time I cave in to the pressure by believing I could very well sing both secular and sacred music.

In the year of 2005 I competed at the Puldin International Competition for Opera Singers in Bulgaria. God was very good to me in spite of my many short-comings. He knew that I needed to win the competition in order to pay my debts accumulated during the two years of my studies at Duquesne University. I won the first prize and the monetary award made it possible for me to pay all my debts. God’s mercy is beyond our human imagination.

In December 2005 I graduated from at Duquesne University and got married to Jean Claude Kalimunda—a man of God who always supported my decisions, understood my struggles and respected me as an individual and as an artist.

A DISAPPOINTING EXPERIENCE

During the first 6 months of our married lives, I was disappointed to realize I could not find one university where I could teach sacred music or pursue a doctoral program in sacred music. I found myself without a job and without the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree. To meet our financial obligations, I worked at any job I could find. I was babysitting for a while until I was offered a job supervising children after school at the Extended Education Program of our Elementary School by Andrews University.

DEVELOPING A BALANCE VIEW OF MUSIC

During this trying time, I started questioning my wisdom in giving up a promising career as an opera singer. Looking back I can see that God was leading me into a fuller understanding of the role that music was to play in my life. I came to realize that God wants us to be balanced. He does not approve the extremes of liberalism where everything is right or of fanaticism, where people use irrational argument to prove their convictions.

I came to realize that not all operas promote evil as I initially thought when I became I Christian. Opera is the ultimate expression of singing and acting which involves a musical composition where common facts of daily life are explored and developed. The message sometimes is good because it leaves the audience with edifying thoughts.

This newly developed conviction enabled me to teach opera and help my students to make wise decisions when choosing the ones to sing. More important still I decided that I was going to introduce my students to the singing of sacred music as a option for their singing careers. I taught voice in the music department at Andrews University during the fall of 2006 and the Lord blessed me with wonderful students that enjoyed singing sacred music.

NEW TENSIONS IN MY LIFE

Something strange was happening in my heart. I started feeling divided again. The desire to sing opera was growing in my heart. I came to understand that when I took my stand to leave the opera world, my decision was based on my mental conviction that singing opera was not God’s will for my life, but in my heart I still loved singing opera. The truth is that I was trying to serve the Lord with my mind, though in my heart I was not happy with my decision to sing only sacred music. I was feeling limited and deprived of something that had been my passion for many years. So, I decided I was going to sing both opera and sacred music AGAIN!

Few months later, God enabled me to produce my first sacred CD Album, entitled Rejoice in the Lord! Accompanied at the piano by Andrews University Prof. Marcelo Caceres. I started presenting sacred concerts in any church that would invite us. But my financial situation became very difficult, because the limited sales of our CD album hardly met our financial obligations. Part of the problem is that I often sang in churches during the Sabbath hours when no sale of CD albums took place. Moreover, I never asked for a compensation. The result was that most often I received from churches only a hearty “Thank you.” The problem is that expressions of appreciations do not pay the bills. After many unsuccessful attempts, I prayed God that He would show me a better way because I didn’t know what path He wanted me to take.

A NEW DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY

The difficult financial situation in which I found myself, caused me to wonder: If serving God through my ministry of music causes me suffering instead of rejoicing, then God must not be pleased with it. While struggling with these thoughts in my heart, I prayed intensively for the Lord to open a door of opportunity for me to minister to His church through the gift of singing.

The answer to my prayer came on a Sabbath morning, October 6, 2007, when Doctor Bachiocchi approached me at the end of the Communion Service at Pioneer Memorial Church of Andrews University, where I sang three times three times. Without preambles Dr. Bacchiocchi told me: “For many years I have been praying that the Lord would bring into my itinerant ministry an outstanding singer like you to enhance my weekend seminars on the Sabbath, Second Advent, and Life-Style. Would you be willing to join my ministry and to enhance my presentations of our Adventist Message with your powerful and passionate singing?”

I replied: “Your invitation is an answer to my prayers! For months I have been praying that the Lord would open a door of opportunity for me to share my ministry of music with a speaker like you.” What a privilege has been for me to team up with Dr. Bachiocchi and to join him in presenting our Advent Message with words and songs across the USA and overseas. During the past 10 months we have travelled almost 100,000 lives, ministering to God’s people at large rallies as well as in small congregations. Being part of this itinerant ministry has confirmed in my heart that I made the right decision in responding to God’s call to sing the praises of His name.

During the past few months I have received numerous invitations to sing at camp meetings, church inauguration, special church events, and evangelistic crusades. Few weeks ago I was invited to sing in the leading role of Mary in a Sacred Opera on the Life of Christ that will debut on May 2009 at Carnegie Hall—the most prestigious theater in America. Truly I can say that the Lord has honored my commitment to dedicate my gift of singing to His glory.

Through my pilgrimage of faith from secular to sacred music I have learned that God wants me to serve Him with my total being. I learned that taking a stand to sing sacred music can be very costly. For me it meant giving up a promising career as an opera singer. But ultimately the Lord has honored my commitment by opening new doors of opportunities to minister to His people.

Through my spiritual journey I discovered that the message of some operas is not necessarily evil, since they interpret true life situations. But ultimately the question is: Why should I spend my life singing about the failings and tragedies of human lives, without giving people the only solution to all the miseries of this world? By singing about the saving grace of God, I can help people understand how Christ can offer them eternal life, happiness and peace.

Honestly, I must confess that my struggle is not over. I still pray to God for Him to change my passion for opera singing into a passion to save souls through sacred music. I want to teach people how to worship God in the beauty of holiness with the beautiful gift of music that He gave to all of us.

MY CONCERN ABOUT MUSIC IN THE ADVENTIST CHURCH

Travelling across the USA and overseas with Dr. Bacchiocchi, I have been made forcefully aware of the influence of secular, beat music in some Adventist churches. I have sang in some churches where the rock band and the praise team worked up the congregation almost into a frenzy, with people shouting and swinging.

When I hear this loud sensual music designed to stimulate people physically, I feel very uncomfortable in a sanctuary where God is supposed to be worshipped in the beauty of holiness. There is an urgent need for Adventist musicians, both lay and professional, to train our congregations to sing with passion old and new hymns. It is important to remember that music sets the tone to the whole worship service.

My goal is not to dictate what style of music should prevail in Adventist Churches. Ultimately, the issue is not whether the music is traditional or contemporary, but whether it elevates people spiritually or stimulates them physically.

Choruses sang during the Praise Service, are often very repetitious and do not allow the congregation to reflect on the deeper message of a song, simply because simple choruses have no deep meaning. They focus on one idea that is repeated countless times until it bypasses the understanding and becomes just automatic and meaningless. We need to bring back those hymns that express the fullness of our faith and beliefs. We need to compose new songs that fittingly express the beauty of our Adventist message. These can inspire us to keep singing throughout the week the joy and hope experienced during the Sabbath day.

My prayer is that the Lord will lead our Adventist Church into a restoration of sacred worship music. May He rekindle in our hearts the flame to sing songs that elevate us to the throne of God with enthusiasm and reverence, so that people who come into our Adventist church service can feel refreshed and spiritually strengthened.

Conclusion

My pilgrimage from sacred to sacred music has been a difficult journey. Truly the Lord has led me in a providential way from a small town in South Brazil to prestigious American Universities to receive the best possible voice training.

At the peak of my vocal training I heard the voice of God calling me to leave the opera world and to dedicate my gift of singing to praise His name. This proved to be a costly decision. I had to face the ridicule and rejection of my teachers who loved me and had invested much of their time and talent in training my voice.

The problems I faced soon afterwards in finding a job and making a living by singing sacred music, tempted me to reconsider my decision. But, by God’s grace, I stood firm in my decision. The Lord has honored my decision by opening unexpected doors of opportunities to minister through singing to our congregations across America and overseas.

May my testimony inspire any believer facing similar challenges in their pilgrimage of faith, to be true to God’s calling, even when the future looks bleak, because ultimately the Lord will honor our commitment.

ANNOUNCEMENTS OF SERVICES AND PRODUCTS

UPCOMING SEMINARS FOR AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER

As a service to our subscribers, I am listing the seminars scheduled for the month of August and September 2008. We wish to extend a warm welcome to those of you who live close to the location of our seminars. Our new seminars with Words and Songs will touch your heart and expand your mind.

AUGUST 8-9: VALLEY FELLOWSHIP SDA CHURCH

Location: 275 East Grove Street, Rialto, California 92376-5177

For directions and information call Pastor Robert Edwards at (951) 640-8567

SEPTEMBER 5-6: LONDON: WEMBLEY NORTH SDA CHURCH

Location: 217 East Lane North, Wembley, Middlesex HAO 3NG

For directions and information call Pastor Michael Anim at o1923 661 212

SEPTEMBER 10: LONDON: STANBOROUGH PARK SDA CHURCH

Location: 609 St. Albans Road, Garston, Watford, Hertz WD25 9JL.

For directions and information call Pastor Ian Sleeman at 01923 606130

SEPTEMBER 12-13: LONDON: CORNERSTONE/FULHAM SDA CHURCHES

Location: 259 Little Road, Fulham, London SW6 7LL

For directions and information call Pastor Clive De Silva at 0208 384 1710

SEPTEMBER 24: ORLANDO: FOREST LAKE SDA CHURCH

Location: 515 Harley Lester Lane, Apopka, Florida 32703

For direction and information call the church office at (407) 869-0680

SEPTEMBER 26-27 : DAYTONA BEACH SDA CHURCH

Location: 401 North Williamson Boulevard, Dayton Beach, FL 32114

For information and diretions call Pastor Bill Barrett at (386) 255-5144.

POPULAR BELIEFS: ARE THEY BIBLICAL?

An Update on the Amazing Impact of this Best-selling Book!

When Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical? came off the press on April 25, 2008, I never anticipated that the book would be so popular and influential. The first printing of 10,000 copies was sold out in less than a month and the second printing is sold out. We keep a few hundred copies to process small order while waiting for the third printing to process large orders, especially from overseas.

I believe that a major reason for the overwhelming demand for Popular Beliefs, is the urgent need felt by many Adventists for a compelling witnessing book they can give with confidence to people inquiring about our faith. Many Adventists have emailed me messages saying that they have waited for years for a book like Popular Beliefs that shows why the most popular Catholic and Protestant popular beliefs are unbiblical, while the less-popular Adventist beliefs are biblically correct.

The Influence of Popular Beliefs: Are the Biblical?

Though Popular Beliefs came out less than three months ago, I have received already a significant number of positive responses from church leaders, editors, and scholars of different denominations. An Evangelical Pastor called me on the Fourth of July to inform me that my book The Sabbath Under Crossfire helped his congregation to accept the Sabbath. Now he was eager to order a case of Popular Beliefs because he feels that the book will help his congregation to accept other vital Bible truths.

An editor of an Evangelical magazine ordered a case of 30 copies of Popular Beliefs: Are They Biblical? After reading it, he sent in for another 30 copies and encouraged their book store manager to place an order for 100 copies which we have already sent.

Few days ago I received a message from a learned Anglican minister, with a Doctorate in Philosophy and Theology, living in Lucerne, Switzerland. He wrote: “I was given a copy of Popular Beliefs from an Adventist friend. I am reading the book with great interest. Your thoroughness reminds me of St. Thomas of Aquinas [a foremost Catholic Theologian].

I hope to meet you some days. If you travel to Switzerland, please let me know. It would be a pleasure for me to meet you.

In Christ

.........................................

Popular Beliefs Expresses my Gratitude to God for His Healing

When I read these encouraging messages, I can only say: Thank you God for extending me life and giving me wisdom and grace to research and write Popular Beliefs. When I was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer on February 2007, one of my deep regrets was the inability to complete this important project during the remaining few months I was expected to live. I promised to the Lord that if He would extend my life, I would put forth my best efforts to complete Popular Beliefs, to express my gratitude to Him for His providential healing.

The Lord has answered my prayer by prolonging my life. Grateful to God for a new lease on life, I fulfilled my promise by devoting every spare moment of this past year to complete Popular Beliefs, designed to call many truth-seekers to “come out of her my people” (Rev 18:4)

When Popular Beliefs came off the press on April 25, I was overwhelmed by a deep sense of gratitude to God for restoring my health and for enabling me to complete this important research project. I felt that an appropriate way to express my gratitude to God, was to plan for a dedication service for the book. In a special way the service was a re-dedication of my life to His service. About 30 fellow believers, including three medical doctors and a few teachers, attended the dedication service at our home.

My Legacy to our Adventist Church

In many ways Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? represents for me my legacy to our Seventh-day Adventist Church. This may be my last and hopefully my most important contribution to the mission of our Adventist church. All my previous 17 books are making a contribution by helping truth-seekers to understand and accept fundamental Bible teachings held by our church. But the impact of Popular Beliefs is already proving to be greater than any of my previous books, because it examines, not one, but 10 popular beliefs, which are biblically wrong.

A Most Effective Witnessing Publication

Popular Beliefs is a much needed witnessing book that you can give with confidence to friends who want to know why their popular beliefs are unbiblical and the Adventist beliefs are biblical correct. Each of the 10 popular beliefs is traced historically and examined biblically. The ultimate goal is to lead people to appreciate the validity and value of our Adventist beliefs.

My Sincere Hope

I have written this book with the earnest desire to help Christians of all persuasions to re-examine their popular beliefs in the light of the normative authority of the Bible. At a time when most Christians still hold to popular beliefs that derive from human traditions rather than from biblical revelation, it is imperative to recover those biblical truths that God has revealed for our eternal salvation.

It is my fervent hope that this book, fruit of many months of dedicated research, will help Christians of all persuasions to “come out” of the Babylonian confusion of popular but unbiblical beliefs, and accept God’s glorious plan for our present life and our future destiny.

NEW SPECIAL OFFER ON

POPULAR BELIEFS: ARE THEY BIBLICAL?

To facilitate a massive circulation of Popular Beliefs, I have decided to continue to offer the book at the following substantially discounted prices:

2 copies of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? for the price of one, namely $30.00 for two copies. Mailing expenses are included for the USA. Add $10.00 for AIRMAIL postage to any overseas destination.

10 copies of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $10.00 per copy, postage paid, instead of the regular price of $30.00 ($100.00 for 10 copies). Mailing expenses are included for the USA. Add $50.00 for AIRMAIL postage to any overseas destination.

30 copies (one case) of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $6.65 per copy ($200.00 for 30 copies). Mailing expenses are included for the USA. Add $100.00 for AIRMAIL postage to any overseas destination.

100 copies of Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? at $5.00 per copy, postage paid. ($500.00 for 100 copies). Mailing expenses are included for the USA. Add $300.00 for AIRMAIL postage to any overseas destination.

NOTE: We can ship by sea-freight up to 1000 copies of Popular Beliefs (up to a cubit meter) to any foreign destinations for only $500.00. This reduces the cost of mailing to only ¢50 per book. Fee free to contact me for further details.

HOW TO ORDER POPULAR BELIEFS: ARE THEY BIBLICAL?

You can order Popular Beliefs: Are they Biblical? in four different ways:

(1) ONLINE: By clicking here: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/cart/catalog/index.php?cPath=26_35

(2) PHONE: By calling us at (269) 471-2915 to give us your credit card number and postal address.

(3) EMAIL: By emailing your order to <[email protected]>. Be sure to provide your postal address, credit card number, and expiration date.

(4) REGULAR MAIL: By mailing a check to BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES, 4990 Appian Way, Berrien Springs, Michigan 49103, USA. We guarantee to process your order as soon as we receive it.

FIRST TIME INCREDIBLE OFFER!!!

THE COMPLETE PACKAGE OF 14 DVD/CD ALBUMS FOR ONLY $150.00, INSTEAD OF THE REGULAR ONLINE PRICE OF $1650.00.

This offer may sound too good to be true. At this time we are offering together as a package all the 14 DVD/CD albums which contains 41 live, video lectures for only $150.00, instead of $1650.00.

This package contains 41 professionally recorded live, video lectures with all the lectures of Prof. Bacchiocchi, Prof. Jon Paulien, Prof. Roy Gane, Prof. Graeme Bradford, and Soprano Cristina Piccardi.

Until now these recordings were sold separately, costing considerably more. But to make it possible for many to benefit from all these timely messages, we offer them together as a package for only $150.00, instead of the regular price of $1400.00.

You can view the picture of all the 14 ALBUMS and read a detailed description of them, just by clicking at this link:http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/albumoffer.htm

The Package Includes the Following 14 Albums:

1) PROF. BACCHIOCCHI AND CRISTINA PICCARDI’S DVD Album with Sabbath Seminar with Words and Songs recorded at the Loma Linda SDA church. The album contains three DVD disks with 6 hours of lectures and sacred songs.

2) PROF. BACCHIOCCHI’S newly recorded DVD ALBUM called ABUNDANT LIFE SEMINAR. The album contains 2 video powerpoint lectures: The Christian and Alcoholic Beverages and How to Build a Happy and Lasting Marriage. These two lectures summarize the highlights of Bacchiocchi’s two books Wine in the Bible and The Marriage Covenant. Two separate files with 225 powerpoint slides are included.

3) PROF. BACCHIOCCHI’S DVD ALBUM containing 10 video powerpoint lectures on the SABBATH/ADVENT SEMINAR. Some of the lectures show the documents Prof. Bacchiocchi found in Vatican libraries on the role of the papacy in changing the Sabbath to Sunday. This album contains the popular powerpoint SABBATH/ADVENT seminars Prof. Bacchiocchi presents in many countries.

3) PROF. BACCHIOCCHI’S DVD ALBUM on CRACKING THE DA VINCI CODE. The album contains a two hours video lecture, professionally taped with a virtual studio as a background. A separate file with 200 powerpoint slides is included. The two video lectures reveal the prophetic significance of Dan Brown’s neo-pagan false worship promoted through his book and film. The two hours video lectures will help you appreciate the role that The Da Vinci Code plays in the prophetic endtime battle between true and false worship.

4) PROF. BACCHIOCCHI’S DVD ALBUM on THE MARK AND NUMBER OF THE BEAST. The album contains two hours professionally recorded video lecture and a separate powerpoint file with the 200 slides used for the lecture. The project was commissioned by Prof. Jon Paulien and Prof. Ranko Stefanovich, who are the foremost authorities on the book of Revelation. With the help of 200 beautiful slides the video lecture shows the origin and historical use of 666. You will see stunning pictures of papal tiaras, including disputed one with the pope’s tittle Vicarius Filii Dei.

5) PROF. BACCHIOCCHI’S CD ALBUM with all his BOOKS AND POWERPOINT LECTURES. The album consists of two disks. The first disk has all his 20 books and over 200 articles. The second disk has the 2000 slides and script of 25 of Prof. Bacchiocchi’s popular PowerPoint presentations.

6) PROF. BACCHIOCCHI’S DVD ALBUM on THE PASSION OF CHRIST. The album contains the 2 hours live interview conducted by 3ABN on Prof. Bacchiocchi’s book The Passion of Christ in Scripture and History. The live video interview show that that this movie is a strict Catholic film that in a subtle and deceptive way promotes fundamental Catholic heresies.

7) PROF. BACCHIOCCHI’S MP3 AUDIO ALBUM which contains 2 disks with 22 AUDIO LECTURES on on Marriage, Music, Temperance, Dress, Sabbath, Second Advent, State of the Dead, and others. You can enjoy these lectures while driving, working, or relaxing. Ideal for listening in your car while driving.

8) PROF. JON PAULIEN’S newly released DVD ALBUM video seminar on Simply Revelation. The four live video lectures focus on the essential messages of Revelation and their relevance for today. This mini Revelation Seminar will offer you and your congregation fresh insights into the Book of Revelation. Currently, Prof. Paulien is preparaing a new Revelation Seminar at the requst of the General Conference

9) PROF. JON PAULIEN’S CD ALBUM with a dozen of his books, and all his articles. You will find in this collection a priceless resource to enrich your understanding and experience of biblical truths. Prof. Paulien examines fundamental biblical beliefs in a profound and yet popular way. He is a recognized expert on the book of Revelation. Several of his books will help you to unlock the secrets of Revelation.

10) PROF. GRAEME BRADFORD’S DVD ALBUM with a two hours video lecture on Ellen White. He shares the highlights of his book More than a Prophet. The album contains also Prof. Bradford’s the publications and articles. A searchable data base enables you to access Prof. Graeme Bradford’s published and unpublished writings, including his the latest book More than a Prophet.

11) CRISTINA PICCARDI’S CD ALBUM REJOICE IN THE LORD. The album consists of 11 sacred songs recorded with Marcelo Caceres, Professor of piano at Andrews University. The CD Album includes Gospel songs like How Great Thou Art, He Shall Feed His Flock, Softly and Tenderly, The Holy City, etc. You can play this audio recording in your car CD player, or on any CD or DVD players you have in your home.

12) CRISTINA PICCARDI’S DVD ALBUM SING UNTO THE LORD. This DVD Album contains 12 sacred familiar songs that were recorded during a live sacred concert presented at Andrews University Pioneer Memorial Church. This is a video recording that you can enjoy in your living room and play in your church.

13) CRISTINA PICCARDI’S DVD ALBUM BY HIS GRACE. This DVD album consists of 16 sacred songs recorded in Loma Linda with four high-definition cameras. The songs cover the major themes of God’s creative and redemptive love. Her marvellous singing will touch your heart and inspire you to devote your life more fully to the Savior.

14) PROF. ROY GANE’S NEW DVD ALTAR CALL: SACRIFICE, SANCTUARY, AND SALVATION. The DVD contains four live video lectures on the relevance of the message of the sanctuary for today.You will learn how to get in touch with Jesus in the Heavenly Sanctuary where He is working to bring to completion His redemptive mission. Prof. Gane is righly recognized an Adventist authority on the sanctuary which he currently teaches at Andrews University Theological Seminary.

FOUR DIFFERENT WAYS TO ORDER THE 14 ALBUMS PACAGE

You can order the complete package of 14 DVD/CD Albums, which contain 41 live video lectures and powerful soprano singing, for only $150.00, instead of the regular online price of $1650.00, in four different ways:

(1) ONLINE: By clicking here: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/albumoffer.htm

(2) PHONE: By calling us at (269) 471-2915 to give us your credit card number and postal address.

(3) EMAIL: By emailing your order to <[email protected]>. Be sure to provide your postal address, credit card number, and expiration date. For security reasons, you can email your credit card number in two separate messages. In the first message you email me the first 8 digits and in the second message the last 8 digits, plus the expiration date. Be sure to include your postal address.

(4) REGULAR MAIL: By mailing a check for $150.00 to BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVES, 4990 Appian Way, Berrien Springs, Michigan 4990, USA. We guarantee to process your order immediately.

HOW TO CONTACT THE CENTER FOR CANCER CARE

IN GOSHEN, INDIANA THAT TREATED MY CANCER

Two days following my 69th birthday, I learned that I had advanced-stage colon cancer requiring immediate surgery. Later I was told that the cancer had spread to the liver, infesting 90% of the organ and making its prognosis bleak. Several oncologists that I consulted, confirmed that I had Stage 4 terminal liver cancer, with only a few months to live. All what they could do was to prolong my life with chemotherapy for a few months or a year at best. No Cancer Center, including Loma Linda Cancer Center, had a clinical trial program for liver cancer. The impression I received is that nothing could be done to heal my cancer: I was doomed to die in a few months, at most a year.

Driven by my faith in God and optimistic attitude, I sought another opinion at the Center for Cancer Care in Goshen, Indiana, which is located only one hour away from Andrews University, where I live. Following a two-hour consultation with Dr. Seza Gulec (see the picture at my website by clicking http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/goshen), a pioneer in the field of nuclear oncology, I learned that my cancer was terminal but treatable with a combined strategy of chemotherapy and microsphere embolization - a treatment unavailable at most cancer centers. Within one month, the innovative treatment reduced the presence of liver cancer by almost 80% and decreased total tumor volume from 2435cc to 680cc. Within two months, two more treatments reduced my cancer by 95%.

Today I feel like a new man with a new lease on life. I feel like an old car with a decent looking body and a brand new motor. I have more energy than I have had earlier in my life. I can only thank God for His providential leading to the right place and for using the latest research to restore my health.

Click here to see the pictures of the various stages of my cancer: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/goshen

The Goshen Center for Cancer Care is one of the few treatment facilities in the world to offer this breakthrough technology primarily due to the commitment of Dr. Gulec. A world-renowned physician, Dr. Gulec has dedicated years to research and develop the combination therapy, which greatly increases survival rates in those with advanced types of cancer. He has also authored landmark publications in lymphatic mapping, sentinel node biopsy, radioguided surgery and radionuclide therapy. Dr. Gulec currently leads the endocrine surgery, hepatic oncology, molecular imaging and positron emission tomography programs at the Goshen Center for Cancer Care. To learn more about Dr. Seza Gulec click: http://www.cancermidwest.com/main.asp?id=217

Truly I can say that I believe that the Lord providentially placed me in contact with Dr. Gulec, who has done for me what appeared to be impossible. The Lord has used Dr. Gulec to give me a new lease on life. He is so proud of my recovery that he uses me as a show case at international nuclear oncological conferences. Now I feel like a new man energized to serve the Lord in a greater way in the sunset years of my life. Somehow I feel that I have more energy now than I had at 25 years of age.

You can contact the CENTER FOR CANCER CARE in Goshen, Indiana in the following ways:

1) PHONE: (888) 491-4673

2) EMAIL: [email protected]

3) WEBSITES: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/goshen or http://www.cancermidwest.com/

INCREDIBLE NEW OFFERS ON HITACHI PROJECTORS

HITACHI has released the new CP-X401 3000 lumens projector, which has an impressive high resolution, low fan noise, and a wealth of connectivity options. The most impressive feature of this projector is the incredible price of only $1000.00 to help especially our churches and schools in developing countries. I HAVE RECIVED ONLY A LIMITED SUPPLY AT THIS PRICE. The price includes a carrying case, a remote, DVD and VIDEO cables, and a three years replacement warranty.

To receive detail information about this projector as well as on other models offered to us by HITACHI at a substantially discounted price, feel free to call us at (269) 471-2915.

THE SMALLEST & MOST POWERFUL REMOTE PRESENTER

If you are looking for an outstanding REMOTE for your PowerPoint presentations, you will be pleased to know HONEYWELL has come out with the smallest and most powerful remote in the market.

The size of the transmitter is smaller than a credit card. You can stick it inside the palm of your hand and nobody can see it. I tested the remote in an open environment, and the radio signal can go up to 400 feet of distance. IT IS INCREDIBLE! The transmitter has three button: forward, backward, and laser.

You can order online the new POWERPOINT PRESENTER simply by clicking here: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/cart/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=27&products_id=67

If you have a problem ordering online, simply call us at (269) 471-2915. We will take your order by phone. You can also email us your order at <[email protected]>, giving us your address, credit card number, and expiration date.

DOES YOUR CHURCH OR SCHOOL NEED A SCREEN?

If your church/school is looking for a screen, the DA-LITE SCREEN COMPANY, the largest manufacture of screens in the world, has agreed to offer their line of screens to our Adventist churches and schools at about 30% discount.

The procedure is very simple. Visit the DA-LITE SCREEN COMPANY website at http://www.da-lite.com. You will see hundreds of models of screens with their respective prices. Once you find the screen that best suits your church, give us the model number by phone (269) 471-2915 or email your request <[email protected]> We will forward your order immediately to DA-LITE that will ship the screen directly to your address. You will receive the screen at about 30% discount.

BED & BREAKFAST FACILITIES IN LONDON, ENGLAND

If your travel plans call for a stop in London, you will be pleased to learn about a most gracious Adventist couple that offer the best accommodation and breakfast I have ever enjoyed. It has become my home away from home when in London. See details at: http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/Promotions/BED&BREAKFAST.htm Their new home phone numbers are: 020 8429-3140 or 020 8819-5708