Throughout 2020, Adventist Record editor Jarrod Stackelroth and assistant editor Maryellen Fairfax had the privilege of hosting #RecordLive, a weekly interview about Adventist doctrine, practical faith and global issues affecting the Adventist Church. Live-streaming every Thursday at 4pm (AEDT/AEST) on Facebook, and later archived on YouTube, this year has been a treasure-trove of insight, wisdom and inspiration thanks to some very special guests from around the world. As you will see below, some really important issues this year such as racism, domestic violence how how the church could cope with COVID-19 all made the top 10.
Got a favourite that’s not in the list? Let people know in the comments which one you enjoyed most and why. Share or rewatch to spread the love!
These are our Top 10 most popular #RecordLive episodes for 2020:
1. Kevin Wilson
In September, we had the privilege of sitting down with Kevin Wilson, the “chai guy”, or Cross Culture Christian as he is known on Instagram and TikTok. With more than 160 thousand followers across both platforms, this Adventist pastor from the USA had some life-changing insights about faith and reaching secular communities. Our #RecordLive video with him accumulated nearly 12,000 minutes viewed on Facebook.
2. Matthew Lucio
On “Great Disappointment Day”, or October 22, we sat down with Pastor Matthew Lucio from the Adventist History Podcast to have a chat about Adventist identity, church history and learning from our past mistakes. This hilarious interview accumulated over 10,000 minutes viewed on Facebook, and for good reason!
3. Terry Kessaris and Darren Garlett
During the height of the Black Lives Matter movement in June, we interviewed academic and lecturer in Indigenous studies, Terry Kessaris, and Australian Union Conference ATSIM (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ministries) director Darren Garlett. Their conversation is eye-opening, insightful and incredibly valuable and brings a crucial perspective to the #BLM movement in Australia and around the world.
4. Dr Heather Thompson Day
With more than 300 thousand followers across her social media platforms, international speaker, professor and author Heather Thompson Day graciously joined us for a #RecordLive interview about how Adventists can communicate more effectively, share their faith, and experience God in a deeper and more profound way. Heather’s words really drill down to the core of Christianity and God’s beautiful character. This episode is not to be missed!
5. Glenn Townend
Following South Pacific Division (SPD) end-of-year meetings, we sat down with SPD president Pastor Glenn Townend to take a look at the year that’s been: what we’ve learned, how we’ve grown, how COVID-19 has impacted our Church; and look forward to what plans are in place for 2021.
6. John T Boston
This powerful interview with Pastor John T Boston was educational and transformed our perspective on how racial inequality influences and is influenced by our Church’s hierarchical structure, especially in the United States. For an analysis of systemic racism and what we can do to fight it, this is a must-watch.
7. Ray and Chantal Moaga
Power-house couple Pastor Ray and Chantal Moaga sat down with us to talk about cross-cultural marriage: the expectations, how to navigate it, and the beauty to be found in merging families and cultures. For some really practical and motivating marriage advice, regardless of culture, this is the #RecordLive episode for you!
8. Mamarapha College
In August, Mamarapha College principal David Garrard and staff-member Chelleiah joined us to talk about their school and the profound impact it has on Aboriginal communities across Australia, and whether it will survive COVID-19. This one-of-a-kind institution sure has some incredible testimonies to share!
9. Lydia Gah
Domestic violence survivor turned author, Lydia Gah, bravely shared her detailed experience of domestic abuse and how she escaped it with her children. Going on to write about it in her new book, her story is awe-inspiring and a testimony of faith during trials.
10. Dr Bal Kama
In our second of three BLM discussions—from an Australian, USA and now Pacific context—Dr Bal Kama joined us to discuss how implicit and explicit racism has affected polynesian and melanesian communities across the South Pacific, and specifically his own journey into academia in an Australian context.
