Olumns - Southern Adventist University

Wayne Long
Listening to God’s Voice
Holding a handful of pills, Wayne Long was
ready to take his own life when a nearly
audible voice told him to “put it off.”
A married father battling depression, the
former Adventist had one peculiar habit that
would eventually bring hope back into his
life—he wouldn’t eat pork or even let his wife,
Mary, cook it.
Wanting to know exactly why he raised an
objection to eating this split-hoofed animal,
Mary urged her husband for the reason. He, in
turn, rummaged through their house in search
of a Bible. After locating one, Wayne dusted
off the cover and opened directly to the pas-
student
sage about clean and unclean meat. As more
questions arose, Wayne would open the Bible,
seemingly at random, and the leaves would fall
directly to the answer. It wasn’t long before
Wayne returned to church, and on their sixth
wedding anniversary, Wayne and Mary renewed
their vows and were baptized.
In 2003, Wayne felt called to be a pastor and
began making plans to come to Southern. However,
Mary was pregnant and attending classes
in southwest Georgia. At the time, a move to
Collegedale didn’t seem possible. While he was
at work one night, Wayne heard the same voice
that had stopped him from taking the pills say,
“You’ll be at Southern this year.” In July 2003,
Wayne and his family moved to Collegedale
with no job and no money.
“I felt that God was calling me to ministry
and to Southern specifically,” says Wayne, who
has an on-campus job and scholarships to help
pay for college. Now a senior theology major,
the once-introverted Wayne witnesses from
door to door, teaches Sabbath School, and gives
Bible studies. He also takes time to witness to
his fellow students about the battles he has
faced through a study group called Axiom,
which helps students tackle “taboo” subjects.
“I didn’t think ministry was something I was
good enough for,” says Wayne, “but God called
me to be a pastor, so there was really never any
other choice.”
is the only reason I’m here.”
Boarding the plane, Flynt sat next to a
couple she eventually learned was Adventist.
When she shared with them the reason
for her tears, they joined her in prayer. While
Flynt prayed with strangers in the plane, her
daughter, Heather, was doing the same
thing beside a hotel pool. Too distressed to
continue driving, Heather had stopped at a
hotel where she sat by the pool while
waiting for news. Striking up a conversation
with the gardener, she soon realized she was
talking to an Adventist from Orlando.
Upon learning of her brother’s situation,
the young man offered to pray for her.
ff
“We were so far apart,” Flynt says, “but
God connected us with our Adventist family.”
Austin recovered fully, and the experience
left Flynt with an appreciation for
the tight bond of the Adventist family and
the ability we have to connect with each
other even when distance separates us. Perhaps
it is no coincidence that she operates Southern
Adventist University Online (online.southern.
edu), which allows students to experience
Southern’s faith-based courses from anywhere.
“The Holy Spirit isn’t limited to face-to-face
interaction,” Flynt says. “Working for Southern
Online, I have the exciting opportunity to
reach students who may not be able to take a
course on our campus. I’ve been amazed to see
how faith and learning can be shared with our
students online.”
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