SOP Seminar
for School Teachers in Japan

A series of Spirit of Prophecy (SOP) seminar was conducted during the All School Teachers'Convention (Retreat) at Saniku Gakuin College, Adventist College, in Chiba prefecture, Japan, from July 27-30, 2003. Around 220 teachers from kindergarten to high school gathered at the beautiful campus in order to learn and have fellowship at the beginning of summer vacation after the first quarter of the school year.

Teofilo Ferreira (left) & Tadaomi Shinmyo (right)

The SOP seminar was part of the programs during the convention. Teofilo V. Ferreira, Associate Director of the Ellen G. White Estate of the General Conference, and his wife, Odette R. Ferreira who is Associate Education Director of the North American Division, joined the retreat, though Jim Nix, Director of the estate, was unable to come because of his medical treatment. Ferreira gave six presentations each morning and evening during the convention for around 110 teachers from kindergartens to elementary schools. The topics were: "The Life of Ellen G. White," "The Bible, Ellen G. White and Hermeneutics," "Ellen G. White and the Use of Her Sources," "Ellen G. White and the Seventh-day Adventist Doctrines," "The Issue of Prophetic Authority," and "Ellen G. White's Eschatology. "All translations from the English lectures into Japanese were done by Tadaomi Shinmyo, former SOP Coordinator of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division and current Secretary of the Japan Union Conference (JUC).

Ferreira's presentations through PowerPoint program were greatly appreciated by the teachers including pastors and even college teachers. Emphasizing the importance to read the context of the specific Bible texts and Ellen G. White's writings, he clearly showed them how to find principles and rules both from the Bible and her writings. It was really an eye opening experience for many teachers though some of them have taught for more than 30 years. Taku Ishizuka, a male elementary school teacher, commented, "I have learned and heard about Ellen G. White for many years since my student age. Sometimes I feel bored in such seminars because of the same teachings and stories in spite of different lecturers. However, it is different this time. It is an excellent seminar."

There are now five kindergarten schools with 462 children; 10 elementary schools with 846 pupils; three junior high schools with 249 students; one high school with 242 students, and one college with 219 students sponsored by the Adventist Church in Japan as of May 1, 2003.

_________________
Tadaomi Shinmyo, Secretary of the Japan Union Conference