Andreas Dura

Andreas DuraAndreas Dura (1954-2021) was the main minister of our worldwide church after the ministry of Fred Wright. His work was analogous to what Martin Luther or John Wesley were to their respective churches: a leader who gave guidance and messages to the church as a whole.

Around 1989, when Fred Wright, the founder of our church, started getting too weak to continue his public ministry, Andreas gradually took over that responsibility and was officially ordained to the task in August 1994.

I had the opportunity to visit our church center in Germany a few times, and spend altogether over 2 years there, working on various projects. During the last visit I had the privilege to attend a Missionary Seminar (an experimental series of classes to educate missionaries), in which Andreas led out in two of the classes: the study of the two books: The Desire of Ages (on the life of Christ), and The Great Controversy (history and prophecy). I have listed some of the PowerPoint Presentations from these studies in the Media section of this website.

Andreas did not have the leisure to sit down and write books, so much of what he taught came via camp-meetings, seminars, and sabbath sermons. Some of these have been transcribed, and I am in the process of reformatting these, and will upload them here when available.



Leaving Our Own World

Leaving Our Own WorldTHE theme of our International Camp Meeting in 2003 was “Leaving Our Own World”. You can download a PDF transcript of those studies by clicking the image to the right. The slideshow can be viewed here: Leaving Our Own World.

There was also a song written to go with this theme, which you can view here: I’ll Leave My Own World Behind.

The studies started with a consideration of the ten virgins from the parable of Matthew 25:1-13. Five of these virgins were not ready to meet their Lord, even though they associated with those who were looking for that event, and professed to be preparing for it. What was it that prevented them from being ready? What did they do with their time when they should have been getting ready?

In the parable, the readiness is manifested by having “oil in their vessels”. Oil represents the Holy Spirit, and the vessel is the human soul. How is one filled with this oil? By “asking, seeking, and knocking” (Matthew 7:7,8). This filling of the oil represents the character work within the human, bringing him into likeness with Christ, and oneness with Him in His Father’s work to bless the world. It means centering in His work, and making that the first aim.

But the foolish virgins fail to do this, and the reason is that they have distracted themselves with “their own world.” They are actually centered in their own pursuits, ideas, and pleasures, but try to carry these on within the household of God. They try to marry God’s work with their own, so as to have the benefit of both.

But while they are able to keep up a good appearance in normal times, when the crisis comes, and God’s work requires a sudden sacrifice, they are found without the necessary character strength and faith that can handle this kind of pressure. The fig-leaves of their own righteousness are torn away, and they do not have the fitness to endure the test and carry on the work.

The rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-23) is an excellent example of this type of problem. He wanted to follow Christ, but Jesus discerned that he was building on his own earthly treasures and attainments. Jesus told him to “sell all” but this was too great a sacrifice. He could not let go of “his own world.” He had another god before the true God, and this robbed him of the joy and freedom he could have had in following the Saviour. His real potential was never realized. 254p

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From Bondage to Liberality

From Bondage to LiberalityLIBERALITY is the freedom of spirit that comes into the life and actions when the grace of God is given free reign. This was the impulse of generosity and giving all to God that marked the beginning of the early church.

There are two counterfeits to gospel liberality: liberalism (a false freedom that excuses or ignores sin), and legalism (a false obedience that is made up of narrow-minded and selfish rules).

The contrast between these three principles is explored in these studies from the 2006 International Seminar. 319p

Contents

  1. Our Condition
  2. Defining the Bondage
  3. Mary’s Gift
  4. Judas and Simon
  5. Cain and Abel
  6. An Unstudied Act
  7. The Spirit of Service
  8. The Quality of the Work
  9. Bible Examples of Liberality
  10. From Saul to Paul
  11. Liberality vs Judaizing Teachers
  12. Liberality in the Early Church
  13. Tithing in the New Testament
  14. Encouragement to Liberality
  15. Resting in God
  16. Who is the Source?
  17. Communion Service
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Practical Missionary Work in the Last Days

Practical Missionary WorkTHESE nine studies are from the 2009 International Seminar, which was held in South Africa.

The missionary work by which the gospel will go to all the world in the final warning (of Revelation 14 and 18) is to be practical in nature: combining healing and teaching, just as the Saviour did when He was personally on the earth.

The work must be selfless, thorough, pure, tireless, and full of sympathy, patience, and love. These thoughts are explored in the studies. 124p

Contents

  1. The Loud Cry
  2. Practical Work Gives Power
  3. Personal Responsibility
  4. The Still, Small Voice
  5. Hygiene
  6. Presenting Something Better
  7. Basic Principles in Public Work
  8. Striving for Excellence
  9. Proclaiming the Lord’s Death
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Building an Institution

Building an InstitutionThese five studies are from the 2010 International Seminar in Germany.

Daniel and Ezra are considered as examples of people who took an active interest in the work of God.

The principles of Christ’s work when the Saviour ministered during his earthly sojourn are covered. These same principles are to be the foundation of the work done by the church in these last days.

We must “follow the Lamb, wherever he goes.” (Revelation 14:4). 90p

Contents

  1. Daniel and Ezra
  2. Jesus is the Pattern
  3. The Way of Jesus
  4. Out of the Common Order
  5. Following Jesus
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Joshua and Caleb

Joshua and CalebHERE are some timely lessons of faith needed for the finishing work of Christ in this world. These studies are from the 2011 German Camp Meeting.

Joshua and Caleb were the two faithful men among the twelve originally sent to spy out the land of Canaan. Because the other ten spies brought back a discouraging report, the people lost faith and had to wander forty more years in the wilderness, until they all passed away and left the heritage to their children.

But Joshua and Caleb, because of their faith, were promised entry into the land. They are, therefore, shining examples of those people of faith who will triumph in these last days, and “hasten the coming” of Christ by their cooperation with Him.

The heavenly promised land will be entered because of the victories gained by future “Joshua’s” and “Caleb’s”. To be like them, we must learn from them. That is the purpose of these studies. 54p

Contents

  1. Joshua: Trust in God’s Power
  2. Faith and the Casting of Lots
  3. Caleb: Faith in the Word
  4. Other Examples of Faith
  5. Keeping the Mind on Christ
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Winning the Edomites

Winning the EdomitesTHESE six studies are from the 2013 International Seminar in Germany.

When the Israelites were coming into the Promised Land, they had a chance to go through the land of Edom, the descendants of Jacob’s brother, Esau. The miraculous supply of water stopped, because a new door of opportunity had opened: to trade with the Edomites, and thus give these ancient relatives a chance to see God’s glory.

They failed to see the opportunity God had presented to them to selflessly serve their neighbor and give the revelation of God’s character that He wanted them to give. And consequently, because of the delay caused by their murmuring at the drying up of the water supply, the Edomites refused the entrance, and they had to go around that land.

These lessons are applied to us today. Do we see the opportunity God is giving us to serve our neighbor with true unselfish love? In the last chapter, Jesus is upheld as the supreme example, One who never thought about His own advantage, but always on the needs of others, and how to help them. 70p

Contents

  1. A Part of the Whole Body
  2. A Change of Supply
  3. Who Are the Edomites?
  4. Trading with Heaven’s Goods
  5. A Fitness for the Work
  6. Understanding the Needs of Another
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The Gospel of Healing

The Gospel of Healing

THESE five studies are from the 2015 International Seminar in Germany.

These studies explore the way in which Jesus combined teaching and healing in his ministry, as an example for us. The Sabbath is also considered, as a day on which Jesus did many of his recorded healings, and why it was so, and why it must be so again. 53p

Isaiah 58:13,14
13 If you turn away your foot from the sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shall honour him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words:
14 Then shall you delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father: for the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.

Contents

  1. The Gospel of Healing
  2. Freedom in Health Work
  3. Teaching and Healing
  4. The Sabbath and Healing
  5. Self-Examination and Healing
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Arabian Spring, Fukushima, and What Comes next?

Arabian Spring, Fukushima, and What Comes Next?THIS booklet gives a brief synopsis of current world events and the forces behind them as revealed in Bible prophecy.

The self-confidence, and dependence of man on his technology and science, has led to the rise of Atheism. But growing and unsolvable world problems will set the stage for the rise of another power. This power will be religious in character, but will be driven by a false understanding of God’s character.

Those who understand God’s character rightly, will know what these unfolding events mean. 25p

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Is God’s Church Organized?

Is God's Church Organized?

ORGANIZATION: is it a humanly-devised curse to spirituality, or is it a divinely-ordained vehicle for unifying the body of Christ?

This book is composed of nine articles that were originally published between April 1996 and May 1998. They cover the topic of church organization in a concise, yet comprehensive way. All the tough questions are asked, and answered from the Bible and history.

What are the phases that a reformation movement goes through in organizing? Is formal organization an Old Testament institution? Is each church or believer an independent atom? What role do church centers play? What is the difference between a center and “centralism”? What about a church name? 140p

Contents

  1. Historical Development of a Reformation Movement
  2. God Gathers His People
  3. The Nature of God’s Church
  4. The Organization of God’s People in the Old Testament
  5. The Organization of God’s People in the New Testament
  6. God Gives His People a Name
  7. The Question of a Center – Part 1
  8. The Question of a Center – Part 2
  9. A Church Chronicle
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The School of Life

The School of Life

WHENEVER humans get themselves into trouble, God can use the very consequences of these actions, to work the purification of our characters. This depends on us handing the problems over to him, and accepting the circumstances (in His hand) as a means through which He will build the right character in us.

The great danger is that we will interpret these circumstances as something against us, and begin to be filled with self-pity, and then try to find ways of escaping the bitter trials. So this booklet attempts to deal with this problem, and show us how to maintain a right attitude to the trials and troubles of life.

Jesus, Joseph, John the Baptist, and Ellen White are held out as examples of people who reacted in a way that God could bless. 44p

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Classrooms
  3. Accepting the School of Life
  4. John the Baptist
  5. The School of Life Rejected
  6. Joseph
  7. Jesus in the School of Life
  8. Deliverance from Self-Pity
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Revival and Reformation: How They Work Together

Revival and Reformation: How They Work Together

REVIVAL is a start, or beginning, of new life. Reformation is the steady growth of the new life. But smaller revivals are needed during the work of reformation.

This booklet is a short study on these two works, concentrating especially on how they work hand-in-hand. It looks at the three phases of spiritual growth: the normal day-to-day experience, the time of the end (just prior to Christ’s return), and the heavenly experience. 31p

Contents

  1. Definitions
  2. Creation is Revival
  3. What is Reformation?
  4. Is There a Work of Reformation after Creation?
  5. Is There Also a Work of Reformation after Resurrection?
  6. Is there a Work of Reformation after Rebirth?
  7. A Singular and Perfect Revival
  8. Not a Perfect Human Nature
  9. Two Parallel Tasks
  10. Revival and Reformation Belong Together
  11. Redemption
  12. The Goal of Reformation
  13. A Closer Look at Spiritual Reformation
  14. The Experience of the Disciples
  15. What Needs to be Done First?
  16. The Experience of John the Baptist

There is a larger book with the same title, written by Fred Wright, which explains the difference between the Revival and the Reformation in greater detail. It’s available here: Revival and Reformation.

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Gospel Order: An Introduction

Gospel Order: An Introduction

GOD organizes His church by His living word, as presented through His chosen messengers. This is the way He organized heaven, through Christ, and this is the way He organizes His people on earth.

Because Satan challenged that order in heaven, and continues his rebellion on earth, it is incumbent on God’s children to be very familiar with God’s way, so that we can avoid the snares of the enemy, and shut the door to self-sent messengers who confuse and scatter the flock with their false light. 315p

Note: The chapters that comprise this book were written about 10 years after the initial presentation of the theme in 1989. They were published as monthly articles in the Messenger and News Review magazine from 2001 to 2003, but were never put in book format until now. They are a more mature presentation of the original studies, but the series was not completed; therefore I have titled it, “An Introduction.” In the near future, the original 1989 studies should be ready as well, which will be more complete thematically, but less well-developed because they were spoken studies, and not written.

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. The Importance of Gospel Order
  3. What is Gospel Order?
  4. The Foundation of the Church
  5. The Role of the Son
  6. The Revelation of the Treasure
  7. The Treasure in an Earthen Vessel
  8. The Battle in Heaven
  9. Satan and His Angels are Cast to the Earth
  10. As It Is in Heaven
  11. The Rebellion on Earth
  12. The Patriarchal Order
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Healthy Self-Distrust

Healthy Self-Distrust

“THE first thing to be learned by all who would become workers together with God is the lesson of self-distrust.” So wrote Ellen White in the book, The Desire of Ages, p. 250.

This book, whose studies were first presented in 2004, is a deep study into that theme. It defines what a healthy self-distrust is, covers the dangers of self-confidence, and the human attempt to protect itself through hiding of sin. It covers episodes from the lives of David, Moses, Job, and Isaiah to illustrate how these men learned self-distrust, through revelations of God’s power and sufficiency.

The study also delves into the sin of David, and the purpose of God’s corrections, and the place for proper confession. In this line, it covers some important lessons from our own church history.

The principles of self-distrust are applied to the system of Tithes and Offerings, the institution of the Sabbath, the Judgment, the process of Marriage, and the Health Message.

This is one of the more extensive books on this website, containing over 100 slides, 60+ historic images, and 3 songs. 519p

Contents

  1. Self-Distrust and Self-Confidence
  2. How Do We Get Self-Distrust?
  3. The System of Tithes and Offerings
  4. The Sabbath and the Family
  5. Public Confessions, Part 1
  6. Public Confessions, Part 2
  7. David’s Confession
  8. David: His Sin with Bathsheba
  9. David: Judgments and True Repentance
  10. David Deals with the Consequences
  11. Our Misunderstanding in God’s Sabbath Rest
  12. Moses: Building Self-Confidence in Egypt
  13. Moses: Taking the Work into His Own Hands
  14. Moses: Making God His Counselor
  15. Moses: Uncomplaining Silence and his Last Sin
  16. Job and the Art of Counseling
  17. Further Considerations of Job
  18. A Vision of Christ – Part 1
  19. A Vision of Christ – Part 2
  20. There is no Fear in Love
  21. The Judgment in the Plan of Salvation
  22. The Judgment in the Plan of Salvation, Part 2
  23. The Lord’s Supper: A Review
  24. Marriage Study
  25. History of the Health Message
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The Work of the Angels

The Work of the Angels

ANGELS are not “babies with wings,” they are incredibly powerful messengers and servants of the Most High God.

The studies in this book came from the 1991 South Australian camp-meeting. They were designed to open our eyes to the important work done by our (usually invisible) partners, the angels, so that we would be inspired by their level of service, and would be able to more intelligently cooperate with them.

One interesting truth that was made clear in this theme, is that there are two types of angel messengers in heaven: the created angels, and the redeemed ones. The twenty four elders and the four living creatures identify themselves as redeemed from the earth. These redeemed ones occupy the highest places in heaven, and are intricately involved in the events that take place on the earth, as revealed especially in the book of Revelation.

Includes 61 historic Bible images. 495p

Contents

  1. Knowing Our Allies
  2. What the Angels Do For Us
  3. The Angel Gabriel
  4. The Life of Moses
  5. The Work of Gabriel
  6. The Destroying Angel
  7. The Angel of the Lord
  8. Good and Evil Angels
  9. Angels in the New Testament
  10. The Mount of Transfiguration
  11. Angels and Gethsemane
  12. Angels and the Cross
  13. Angels and the Resurrection
  14. Angels and the Early Church
  15. Angels in Revelation 1 to 3
  16. Angels in Revelation 4 and 5
  17. Angels and the Seals
  18. Angels in Revelation 7 to 22
  19. Communion Service
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