24 Apr 2026, 09:18Dr Kirk Thomas, South England Conference PresidentWatford, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom
The Power of Encountering Jesus
Pastoral Letter, 24 April 2026
Dear Church Family,
Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. We all have stories of how Jesus has changed our lives. It may be a specific time of prayer or reading through the Bible. It may be an experience you had that led you to know Him better. Ellen White wrote many times about the importance of personal experiences of Jesus. She believed that relational experiences with Jesus could powerfully affect our minds and hearts and change our lives. This series of devotionals examines these experiences and how they can change our lives.
Her Vision Talks with Jesus emphasises to youth and adults that there is no greater joy or greater love than the experience of meeting Jesus personally. Based on the visions of Ellen White, the author describes how Jesus is calling all people to come to know Him as a friend and Saviour. Each account of meeting Jesus is more than just an understanding of His teaching and works; it is an experience of His loving presence. He gives hope where there is none, joy where there is grief, and strength where there is weakness. A young woman in serious emotional pain from loneliness was helped by Jesus through her sincere prayer for help and guidance. She realised, for the first time, that Jesus was not just a Saviour but a loving friend.
Jesus, the Master Teacher, always connected with people individually. His conversations demonstrated that more than just teaching information, He desired to build relationships. Whether speaking to a woman at a well, to a blind man by a road, or to a tax collector sitting in a tree, He shared His compassion and attention with each. Usually, He began by listening to the person’s story or meeting their need. Only later would He offer special spiritual teaching. Ellen White reminds us that Jesus didn’t just come to save individuals from a distance; He reached out to them with the purpose of relating to them. We can pray that He will help us to do the same in our own ministry to others.
It is often a transformation that takes place when people realise that they have been seen and valued. This is exactly what Jesus did with the woman caught in adultery, no condemnation but forgiveness and a renewed pathway. He had helped her to see her worth and the potential to change her life. In contrast to condemnation, Jesus’ method of relation towards each person is powerful to bring them to a new reality about themselves. This is seen in his unusual decision not to condemn the woman caught in adultery but to release her and send her on her way (John 8:1-11). “Jesus respects the individual,” wrote Ellen White, “and He seeks to save each soul, to bring each to repentance and to restore him to God. It is by such teachings and acts that we learn how precious is the soul, and how wholly God’s method of work is a method of relation.”
In her writings, Ellen White also noted that all experiences of Jesus are very personal. People can experience Jesus in prayer, reading, worship, nature, or even in the love of friends and family. These unique experiences lead to conviction-based faith rather than tradition-based faith. So many of our readers have found and are finding purpose in life as they experience Jesus daily and as they make decisions based on their experiences with Him. They, too, are discovering that there is so much more to life.
She spoke of how these changes can reach the world around us, as people see the change in us and as we share with friends and family who have observed the positive changes that have occurred in our lives because of our encountering Jesus! This is how Jesus' love is shared within our communities, and she also said that Jesus only calls the healthy, and these healthy folks spread life through the world around us. That "pebble" thrown into the pond of life affects so many.
Jesus had great empathy because He experienced all of life’s situations. Because He faced everything that humanity faces, He is relatable to every person. As Ellen White said, Jesus “partook of our infirmities,” “bore our sorrows,” and “knew our joys and our sorrows.” Recognising the depth of His love for us because He understands every hardship we experience gives us comfort. Knowing He went through pain and sorrow when He lost His earthly family and was left alone gives hope and brings healing to those who have lost loved ones. It is personal encounters with Jesus that bring the most radical changes in our lives.
Personal encounters with Jesus can change lives. In her writings, Ellen White emphasises the importance of encounters with Jesus. Not only did Jesus offer words of hope to those who crowded around Him, but He also invested time with individuals, truly grasping their experiences, needs, and struggles before He demonstrated perfect love for them. The testimonies of many individuals reveal the universal truth of meeting Jesus in a personal way, which often leads to a life-changing experience that catalyses hope, acceptance, and transformation. Each of us has a story and a calling to ministry (2 Peter 2:9) p. Let’s pray to God about His purpose in each situation. If we take each one as an opportunity to “do good” as Jesus did, so much can be accomplished. Often, we connect through shared experiences. There are also some small but powerful gestures we can make. Show genuine interest. Listen to people as an act of service. Love them. You may be the one that God uses to bring restoration and hope that day. After baptism, we sometimes lose contact with non-Adventist friends. Don’t forget those connections. Prayerfully take opportunities to have Christ-appointed encounters with those you know and those you come across for the first time as God places them on your path. A question that comes from our benevolent interest in someone may pave the way for something special. Each day holds new opportunities and possibilities. You never know whom you might meet, but meet them with love, a listening ear and silent petitions to the God of personal interviews. You never know how He might lead and what may happen next. Let’s share our story as we are inspired by Mission!
Dear Church Family,
Greetings in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. We all have stories of how Jesus has changed our lives. It may be a specific time of prayer or reading through the Bible. It may be an experience you had that led you to know Him better. Ellen White wrote many times about the importance of personal experiences of Jesus. She believed that relational experiences with Jesus could powerfully affect our minds and hearts and change our lives. This series of devotionals examines these experiences and how they can change our lives.
Her Vision Talks with Jesus emphasises to youth and adults that there is no greater joy or greater love than the experience of meeting Jesus personally. Based on the visions of Ellen White, the author describes how Jesus is calling all people to come to know Him as a friend and Saviour. Each account of meeting Jesus is more than just an understanding of His teaching and works; it is an experience of His loving presence. He gives hope where there is none, joy where there is grief, and strength where there is weakness. A young woman in serious emotional pain from loneliness was helped by Jesus through her sincere prayer for help and guidance. She realised, for the first time, that Jesus was not just a Saviour but a loving friend.
Jesus, the Master Teacher, always connected with people individually. His conversations demonstrated that more than just teaching information, He desired to build relationships. Whether speaking to a woman at a well, to a blind man by a road, or to a tax collector sitting in a tree, He shared His compassion and attention with each. Usually, He began by listening to the person’s story or meeting their need. Only later would He offer special spiritual teaching. Ellen White reminds us that Jesus didn’t just come to save individuals from a distance; He reached out to them with the purpose of relating to them. We can pray that He will help us to do the same in our own ministry to others.
It is often a transformation that takes place when people realise that they have been seen and valued. This is exactly what Jesus did with the woman caught in adultery, no condemnation but forgiveness and a renewed pathway. He had helped her to see her worth and the potential to change her life. In contrast to condemnation, Jesus’ method of relation towards each person is powerful to bring them to a new reality about themselves. This is seen in his unusual decision not to condemn the woman caught in adultery but to release her and send her on her way (John 8:1-11). “Jesus respects the individual,” wrote Ellen White, “and He seeks to save each soul, to bring each to repentance and to restore him to God. It is by such teachings and acts that we learn how precious is the soul, and how wholly God’s method of work is a method of relation.”
In her writings, Ellen White also noted that all experiences of Jesus are very personal. People can experience Jesus in prayer, reading, worship, nature, or even in the love of friends and family. These unique experiences lead to conviction-based faith rather than tradition-based faith. So many of our readers have found and are finding purpose in life as they experience Jesus daily and as they make decisions based on their experiences with Him. They, too, are discovering that there is so much more to life.
She spoke of how these changes can reach the world around us, as people see the change in us and as we share with friends and family who have observed the positive changes that have occurred in our lives because of our encountering Jesus! This is how Jesus' love is shared within our communities, and she also said that Jesus only calls the healthy, and these healthy folks spread life through the world around us. That "pebble" thrown into the pond of life affects so many.
Jesus had great empathy because He experienced all of life’s situations. Because He faced everything that humanity faces, He is relatable to every person. As Ellen White said, Jesus “partook of our infirmities,” “bore our sorrows,” and “knew our joys and our sorrows.” Recognising the depth of His love for us because He understands every hardship we experience gives us comfort. Knowing He went through pain and sorrow when He lost His earthly family and was left alone gives hope and brings healing to those who have lost loved ones. It is personal encounters with Jesus that bring the most radical changes in our lives.
Personal encounters with Jesus can change lives. In her writings, Ellen White emphasises the importance of encounters with Jesus. Not only did Jesus offer words of hope to those who crowded around Him, but He also invested time with individuals, truly grasping their experiences, needs, and struggles before He demonstrated perfect love for them. The testimonies of many individuals reveal the universal truth of meeting Jesus in a personal way, which often leads to a life-changing experience that catalyses hope, acceptance, and transformation. Each of us has a story and a calling to ministry (2 Peter 2:9) p. Let’s pray to God about His purpose in each situation. If we take each one as an opportunity to “do good” as Jesus did, so much can be accomplished. Often, we connect through shared experiences. There are also some small but powerful gestures we can make. Show genuine interest. Listen to people as an act of service. Love them. You may be the one that God uses to bring restoration and hope that day. After baptism, we sometimes lose contact with non-Adventist friends. Don’t forget those connections. Prayerfully take opportunities to have Christ-appointed encounters with those you know and those you come across for the first time as God places them on your path. A question that comes from our benevolent interest in someone may pave the way for something special. Each day holds new opportunities and possibilities. You never know whom you might meet, but meet them with love, a listening ear and silent petitions to the God of personal interviews. You never know how He might lead and what may happen next. Let’s share our story as we are inspired by Mission!
