FIRST MINISTRY Ministry is the international journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association and has been published since 1928.

Association Secretary James A. Cress Editor Wiilmore D. Eva 1 +1 =1: The impossible possibility Managing Editor Julia W. Norcott Editorial Assistant Sheila Draper An outstanding article exposing to mind and heart Professional Growth and Inter-church Relations the ultimate basis for successful interpersonal Nikolaus Satelmajer Contributing Editors: Sharon Cress, Peter Prime, Joel relationships Sarli, Kit Watts John M. Fowler International Editors: Inter-American Division Felix Cortes South American Division Zinaldo A. Santos Consulting Editors: Ben Clausen, Raoul Dederen, Teofilo Ferreira, Ron Flowers, John M, Fowler, Michael Hasel, Roiand Genesis 1 and the building of the Hegstad, Kathleen Kuntaraf, Ekkehardt Mueller, Jan Israelite sanctuary Pauisen, Robert Peach, Angel Manuel Rodriguez, Penny Shell, William Shea, Russell Staples, Richard Tibbits, Ted The fascinating relationship between the Israelite Wilson, Edward Zinke sanctuary and the creation Pastoral Assistant Editors: John C. Cress, Fredrick Russell, Mayian Schurch, Loren Seibold Angel Manuel Rodriguez International Advisors: Alefandro Buiton, John Duroe, Andrews Laurence Ewoo, Paulraj Isaiah, Anthony Kent, jairyong Lee, Ivan Manilich, Gabriel Maurer, Ivan Omana, David Osborne, Peter Roennfeidt, Raymond Zeeman

Avoiding the pitfalls of prayer Pastoral Advisors: Leslie Baumgartner, S. Peter Campbell, Miguel A. Cerna, jeanne Hartwell, Mitcheli Personal and pastoral questions about prayer Henson, Greg Nelson, Norma Osborn, Leslie Pollard, Richard W. O©Ffill Dan Smith, Steve Willsey Advertising Editorial Office Subscriptions and Circulation Jeannette Calbi Cover Art Jonathan Eva and Peter Hamlin What does the Lord require? Resources Cathy Payne The unprecedented demand on Adventist missions in today©s world Subscriptions: 12 issues: United States US$29.95; Canada and overseas US$31.75; airmail US$41.75; Corden R. Doss single copy US$3.00. To order, send name, address, and payment to Jeannette Calbi, Ministry Subscriptions, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904 U.S.A. Subscription queries and address changes: Ten years and counting Email: [email protected] Fax: 301-680-6502 Journal of a journey of tensions within pastoral Phone: 301-680-6503 To Writers: We welcome unsolicited manuscripts. ministry Editorial preference is to receive manuscripts on diskette with name, address, telephone and fax John Crys numbers, and Social Security number (if U.S. citizen or possessing a U.S. Social Security number). Send editorial correspondence to 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600. Phone: 301-680-6510; fax: 301-680-6502; Email: [email protected] or Pulpit and politics [email protected] (editorial offices). An unusual story of pastoral call Writer©s Guidelines available on request. David Pendleton Ministry (ISSN 0026-5314), the international journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association 2001, is published monthly by the Genera! Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and printed by Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1350 N. Kings Road, Nampa, ID 83687-3193. Member Associated Church Breaching the barriers Press. Standard mail postage paid at Nampa, Idaho. in attendance PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Overcoming barriers to congregational growth Vol. 75 Number 2 Bible credits: Texts credited to NKJV are from The New King David Ripley James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers. Bible texts credited to NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible texts credited to RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible Copyright 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

MINISTRY February 2002 E T T R S

April issue "Having begun in the Spirit, are you stration of the holiness, effectiveness n your April 2001 issue, there was a let now being made perfect [i.e., com and justice of God©s government, and I ter to the editor emphasizing that God plete, finished] by the flesh" (Gal. 3:3)? thus His character namely, the com has already been vindicated by Christ©s He declares of his own experience that munity of God©s children who effectively "finished work" on Calvary, and needs Christ©s work in him is not yet finished live for God in this world through faith no further vindication by His people. In (Phil. 3:12-14). In Ephesians 3:10, he and by the Holy Spirit, and who thus, in fact, it was said that to even teach such declares that the primary purpose of his the face of false accusations against a thing "turns the plan of redemption preaching the gospel was "to the intent God, give evidence before the universe on its head." You responded with a that the manifold wisdom of God might that God©s government is just and effec "Well said." be made known by the church to the tive in the actual lives of the people I heartily agree that we need to principalities and powers in heavenly among whom it operates. emphasize more the efficacy of Christ©s places." The clear implication is that the We think that a careful re-reading of sacrifice. The inestimable gift given on powers in heavenly places, at least at the whole biblical testimony definitely Calvary is the foundation of our Hope the writing of this epistle many years justifies this important differentiation of as Christians. It is unquestionably the after Calvary, did not then understand role in the vindication of God. only sacrifice that will ever be needed the manifold wisdom of God. In Further, while in parts of her work, for the salvation of the human race. 1 Corinthians 4:9, Paul further clarifies Mrs. White may seem to say otherwise, However, as a church that (correctly) this point by telling us that the onlook- we believe that when all her writing is claims the Bible as our only creed, I ing universe is watching us. ... combined, she stands by the same cru believe that we must avoid the tempta Mark Howard, pastor, Fredericktown, Ohio. cial distinction between the roles of the tion to be "men-pleasers" by denying perfect Christ and His imperfect people the abundance of Scripture to prove it. Editorial Note: We must state that, in vindicating or warranting the love, His one request to His Father was for us for reasons of limited space, we have justice and holiness of God and His gov to be with Him where He is (John not included all of this well-crafted let ernment. After all, how could imperfect, 17:24; 14:3), and He promised to come ter. However, allow us to again finite people actually or ultimately by back for us (John 14:1 -3). If all was "fin frustratingly say to this letter, "Well themselves vindicate or justify a perfect, ished" at Calvary, why hasn©t He come said." We say this because this issue is infinite God? On the other hand, how yet? Are there more important things not simply a question of either/or, but could the evidence of God©s work pres on His mind? Can it be said of our mer of both/and, as long as we observe the ent in the lives of His children be left out ciful Savior that He, like the ancient god following important distinction: of the verification or validation of God©s Baal, may be too busy, or on a long A distinction, though not a separa ways when there are questions about journey, or perhaps sleeping (1 Kings tion, needs to be drawn between what Him circulating in the universe? 18:27)? This is an inevitable conclusion or who alone is able to and therefore One other thought should be to what some are calling the "finished" ultimately does effectively "vindicate" expressed. It seems we Christians do atonement. the character of God namely, the Lord have a way of down-playing the full and Paul makes it clear that there is a Jesus Christ Himself, through His living, infinitely potent effect of the life and work yet to be accomplished. In that dying, rising again, and ascending to death of Jesus, as exposed in the Bible. great declaration of righteousness by the right hand of God; and what or When this is done, we easily become faith to the Galatians, he declares, who makes only an important demon continued on page 28

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February 2002 MINISTRY EDITORIAL

Downsizing interpersonal offenses

here is a strong element of mys privileged peoples of our world, as they tery in love. And in hate. Hate WILL EVA judge those who, in their eyes, lack T may be easier to explain, espe giftedness or proper development. The cially when we feel it toward someone inadequate behaviors that are fancied who has threatened, humiliated, or vio to grow out of the "lack" in their racial, lated us. But it is more difficult to cultural, or national counterparts, is understand why we simply dislike exaggerated into violations large someone; why we have that dark desire enough to justify devaluing, rejecting, to demean, ignore, hurt, or suppress and demeaning them, even if they are them when we could treat them with fellow Christians. equity and respect. The superiority of the "privileged" is Why do we become angry with peo that we harbor against others, the emo perceived to be much greater than it is ple when their trespass does not deserve tions that lodge with the greatest in reality, and the offenses of those the intensity of the wrath we feel? stubbornness in our souls, are those we "lacking" far more egregious than they We may do this when, for example, virtually pretend into existence. These are in fact. someone cuts in front of us as we©re are the ones we artificially magnify So, where do we go? driving down a busy road or standing in beyond their actual proportions. In this issue of Ministry John Fowler a supermarket line. Our anger balloons They are the offenses that we have has exposed a vitally important into proportions far beyond the dimen embroidered into a large patchwork approach to this hugely relevant issue sions of their misdemeanor. It is all too quilt that at suitable moments we deftly (see the cover article, "1 +1 = 1: The easy for me to reduce someone whom I gather around ourselves in an aggrieved impossible possibility"). John©s article is hardly know to the status of an inferior flourish of offendedness. We do this a truly Christian, magnificently biblical on the basis of one infraction. I may (largely out of habit) to demonstrate our reflection on these things. It is so much label them as "an angry person" simply displeasure against someone or some more than the run-of-the-mill political because I have witnessed one display of group. It is this quilt that is most difficult reactionism all too common on all sides irritation on their part. to drop, largely because we have so these days, even in the church. This arti Perhaps our most mystifying feelings laboriously fabricated it and because cle transcends these approaches and of dislike are for classes, nations, races, there is so much fantasized fear behind touches both our heads and our hearts. and tribes of people other than our that fabrication. The challenge, especially for today©s own. In many cases there is little reason Over time we may subtly amass pastor, is to actually use the divine prin for these feelings and they may be these overstated offenses until we feel ciples exposed in this article. It is to socially and culturally ingrained by we have an airtight case against the translate them, by the Holy Spirit, into years of inherited antipathy, based on persons or groups we have come to dis daily acts of worship, repentance, and very little that©s substantive when it like. Again, it is the exaggeration itself ongoing renewal as we face the shad comes to our own personal experience that makes our dislikes difficult to erad ows of anger, hatred, and prejudice that with these people. icate. A person can come to grips with we find within our own souls. The full The truth is that the "suffering" most something real, but not so easily with extent of the challenge is to truly love difficult if not impossible to forgive is something imagined. and actually do something tangible in that which we have exaggerated or This tendency to embellish is partic- ourselves and our congregations to turn imagined. The most obstinate negatives ularly common among the more the tide where we are. n

MINISTRY February 2002 For the Christian approach to inter-human relations is based not on what humans can achieve but what God has created, made pos sible, and mandated.

Human relationships: What Cod has ordained The Bible begins with what God has ordained for human relatedness: "So God cre ated humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he cre ated them" (Gen. 1:27). How could Christians 1 +1 =1: claiming a common origin in the creative activity of God assert the superiority of one over the other and destroy the possibility of a The impossible common fellowship and togetherness? How can Adventists who keep the Sabbath as a memorial of God©s creative act practice possibility activities that deny the commonness of humanity? The Genesis Creation passage does not deny differences between people; indeed it affirms such differences such as the obvious ne plus one equals one? one between male and female. Since the Fall John M. Fowler Impossible? Not so when it has marred the image of God and imposed its comes to human relationships own alienation not only between God and infused with the gospel of Jesus humans, but between humans. Sin has nega Christ. tively accentuated such differences as color, ORevelation 7 pictures thousands in one; a gender, caste, nationality, creed, or tribe. But scene of ultimate togetherness: "There was a the challenge of accepting God as Creator is great multitude that no one could count, from to reject these differences and affirm the com every nation, from all tribes and peoples and monality of humanity. languages, standing before the throne and Paul spoke of this original commonness in before the Lamb, robed in white" (Rev. 7:9).© his sermon in Athens: "From one ancestor he "Who are these?" wonders one of the 24 made all nations to inhabit the whole earth" elders. The answer does not identify the peo (Acts 17:26). We cannot escape the signifi ple according to nationality, race, color, cance of this statement made to a Gentile gender, status, tribe, caste, or any of the fron audience. It affirms that the Creator-God of tiers we are so accustomed to on this earth. the Christian is no local deity of a cult, but The answer is simple, but profound: "©These the Sovereign of the universe. He has are they who .. . have washed their robes and ordained that we share a common blood and made them white in the blood of the Lamb©" a common origin. (Rev. 7:14). Washed in the blood of the Lamb is the Human relationships: What God has anchor of Christian unity. Any person who made possible harms this fellowship by bringing any other The entrance of sin marred God©s ideal of factor to define Christian togetherness cannot oneness for humanity. God©s question to be a Christian. Someone else might define Cain, "Where is your brother?" was indeed a human relations in terms of superiority or projection that henceforth wherever sin inferiority, exclusivism, or inclusivism, but a reigns, so will division: between God and John M. Fowler, Ed.D., is an Christian has no such option. Someone else humans, and between people and people. associate education might exploit another human being or crush But God did not leave humanity without director of the an entire group by using the tactics of racism, an effective remedy for such dividedness. For General Conference, gender, nationalism, tribalism, economics, "when the fullness of time had come, God and a consulting caste, religion, or color, but a Christian must sent his Son . . . born under the law, in order editor of Ministry. not. . . cannot. to redeem those who were under the law, so

February 2002 MINISTRY that we might receive adoption as ministry He was breaking down walls of caste and prejudice and showed children" (Gal. 4:4, 5). that divided people. that "no circumstance of birth or The "we" of "we might receive Kinship barrier was knocked down nationality, no condition of life, can adoption" cuts across all barriers and when Jesus defined His brother, sister, turn away His love from the children frontiers. The Son has come to make and mother as "©whoever does the of men."2 us all children of God, giving us the will of my Father©" (Matt. 12:50). Racial barriers had no place in common privilege to approach God Jesus looked beyond flesh and blood, Christ©s ministry. William Barclay points out that the wall between Jews and Gentiles was so formidable that T THE FOOT OF THE CROSS . . . THE ENTIRE "©the daughter of an Israelite may not assist a Gentile woman in childbirth since she would be assisting to bring A HUMANITY STANDS AS ONE IN SIN AND ONE to birth a child for idolatry.©"3 And yet in Phoenicia Jesus healed a Gentile woman©s daughter at the verge of death (Matt. 15:21-28). Jesus© ministry to Phoenicia had as "Abba, Father." The Holy Spirit has and placed both of them at the altar the "wider purpose" of warning every preserved for us in the Gospels and of divine priority. generation of Christians to be aware in the rest of the New Testament Political barriers were removed by that "the spirit which built up the par instance after instance that stresses Jesus. Among the Twelve were Simon tition wall between Jew and Gentile is the fact that division within the the Zealot who belonged to a party still active.... Caste is hateful to God. human family is alien to Christian that considered it an honor to kill a He ignores everything of this charac ethos. We observe this in the geneal Roman and a privilege to murder a ter. In His sight the souls of all men ogy of Jesus, in how Jesus related to Jewish collaborator. Yet Jesus expected are of equal value. . . . Without dis people, and in some of the founda- Simon to accept Matthew the tax col tinction of age, or rank, or nationality, tional principles of His kingdom. lector, a Roman collaborator. or religious privilege, all are invited to The genealogy of Jesus. The Jews Occupational barriers came tum come unto Him and live."4 were fond of preserving their pedi bling down when Jesus chose simple National barriers were removed grees and set great value on purity of fishermen as His disciples and later when Jesus responded to the need of lineage. A priest was expected to pro called a Pharisee of the Pharisees to be the Roman centurion (Matt. 8:5-13). duce a pure pedigree back to Aaron; His apostle to the Gentile world! Jesus showed a willingness not only his wife to at least five generations. To Class barriers were dealt with to heal the servant, but also to step such a pedigree-conscious people, when Jesus sought out Zacchaeus, into the centurion©s home some Matthew gives the genealogy of Jesus received the anointing from an alien thing no "good" Jew would have that proclaims the Savior to be not a ated Mary, talked to Nicodemus, and done. Or witness the compassion He parochial messiah, but a universal mingled with publicans and sinners. showed to the Greeks 0ohn 12:20- redeemer whose mission is to restore Jesus broke down the wall between 30). To Jesus entering a Gentile home the original design of the Creator. sinner and saint, the evil and the or touching a Gentile was anything Matthew mentions four names in the righteous. He didn©t do this by per but a source of defilement. Need was ancestry of Jesus: Bathsheba, a Hittite; suading the saint to participate in the His command; compassion was His Ruth, a Moabite; Tamar and Rahab, lifestyle of the sinner, or by asking attitude, and total healing His objec Canaanites all women, all Gentiles, that righteousness be minimized or tive. Nothing else mattered. and all sinners. Bethlehem©s crib by ignoring the seriousness of evil. Jesus and His kingdom. Not only in affirms that biblical anthropology Instead he did it by obeying the dic the way He related with people, but prefers no male or female, no Jew or tates of love, that per chance the also in the establishment of His king Gentile, but only God©s children. dying may find life, the sick may dis dom, Jesus revealed His new order of Jesus and people. The ministry of cover healing, the sinner may human relations based on the worth Jesus brought Him in touch with the respond to the Savior. of the individual as seen through entire spectrum of society. The rich Caste and prejudice were knocked God©s eyes. This comes through, young ruler or the leper down the out around the wall of Samaria. The among other things, in His prescrip street, Nicodemus or the Syrophoeni- Samaritan woman had three things tion of the new commandment, His cian woman, the Pharisee, or the against her: she was a woman, she was establishment of the Lord©s Supper, Greeks; it did not make any difference a sinner, and she was a Samaritan. But His cross, and His great commission. to the Master. In fact, throughout His Jesus broke down each of these walls The new commandment. When

MINISTRY February 2002 Jesus speaks of His new command blood of Jesus. The concept of God©s ment of love (John 13:34), the family, including His prodigal chil newness does not refer to love, but dren who need our love and our the object of love. People always reaching out, can be seen at the SERVE! loved, but they loved the lovable, Lord©s Table. To sit at that Table and at their own. But Jesus introduced a new the same time discriminate against factor: "Just as I have loved you, you another human being is a desecration should also love one another." That is of the heart and soul of the gospel, or to say, just as indiscriminate, as uni of what it means to be family God©s « . versal, as sacrificial, and as complete family. It is diametrically opposed to eaters hip ^ as Jesus© love is, so should our love be. the nature of God and the transcen The new love erects no barrier; it is dent yet practical quality of His love. inclusive. On that quality of love The Cross. The Cross, as God©s "©hang all the law and the prophets©" instrument of redemption and recon (Matt. 22:37-40). ciliation, brings back what was lost in The command to love our neigh Eden: the restoration of the image of bor leaves no room for modification. God with, among other things, the We do not select whom we love; we reality of human togetherness and are called upon to love all. As chil unity. At the foot of the cross, the dren of one Father, we are expected to ground is level: The entire humanity love each other. In the parable of the stands as one in sin and one in the good Samaritan, "Christ has shown possibility of redemption. that our neighbor does not mean Through the Cross, God "was rec merely one of the church or faith to onciling the world to himself" (2 Cor. which we belong. It has no reference 5:19). "The Cross is God©s best picture PASTORS to race, color, or class distinction. Our of himself; ... It is the place where neighbor is every person who needs God comes to grips with the forces UDENTiS our help. Our neighbor is every soul that violate his love; it becomes the who is wounded and bruised by the place where he draws men [humanity] adversary. Our neighbor is everyone into harmony with the love and the who is the property of God."5 purposes that flow from it.... The rec True neighborly love penetrates onciliation of man to man, through well beyond the color of the skin and the reconciliation of man to God, confronts the humanness of the per releases the healing power of God into son; it refuses to take shelter under this anxious, broken, and bitter world. caste but contributes to the enrich Only redeemed men [and women] ment of the soul; it rescues the can reconcile."6 dignity of a person from the preju The Cross challenges us to a new dices of dehumanization; it delivers perspective in life: "From now on, human destiny from the philosophic therefore, we regard no one from a holocaust of thing-ism. In effect true human point of view" (2 Cor. 5:16). love sees in each face the image of The Cross initiated a new value sys God potential, latent, or real. tem. The post-Fall factors of looking The ordinance of the Lord©s Supper. at a person from a human point of "Because there is one bread," Paul view race, gender, color, language, wrote to Corinthians, "we who are caste, tribe, culture, money, position, many are one body, for we all partake or status have been done away with of the one bread" (1 Cor. 10:17). The at Calvary. The Christian enters into a bread and the wine are the symbols of new world of values that flow out of the broken body and spilled blood of the Cross. Jesus that brought about reconcilia This new creation of Christ tion vertical and horizontal. A demands that every member of the reconciled relationship and a united community of faith live by only one fellowship are the most visible basic rule of interpersonal reality: demonstration of the power of the love, as expressed in the living Christ.

February 2002 MINISTRY onciling ministry of Christ, this mys tery of a new humanity without any Learning to Pray dividing walls is every Christian©s privilege and challenge. The mystery Carolyn Shealey Self and William L. Self demands of us three things. First, it should make us aware of This book is an examination of the Lord©s Prayer. the oneness of the Christian fellow More than a liturgical device, this significant ship. Paul argues in Ephesians 2 and 3 prayer was given by Jesus as a framework for our that out of two, the Jew and the personal communion with our Father. The authors Gentile, Christ has made one. The build a system of prayer around the sections of gospel equation is 1 + 1 = 1. That is the Lord©s Prayer found in Matthew 6. untenable in mathematics or logic, but in this the mystery of the gospel transcends mathematics and logic. Resource Center * General Conference Ministerial Association 12501 Old Columbia Pike * Silver Spring, MD 20904 This gospel is a mystery and realis 3.95 + )8%s&-h Phone: 888.771.0738 + Fax: 301.680.6502 tically expects the impossible. This Web: www.ministenalassociation.com mystery empowers the creation of the new humanity that must accept the As Schaeffer so eloquently states, ship. The church has been given the indivisibility of the human person. "Love and the unity it attests is charge to maintain unity and dignity "There is no longer Jew or Greek . . . the mark Christ gave Christians to in that muticultural mosaic called there is no longer male and female; wear before the world. Only with this the body of Christ (see also 1 Cor. for all of you ate one in Christ Jesus" mark may the world know that 12:12, 20). (Gal. 3:28). Christians are indeed Christians and In Ephesians, Paul muses in won Second, the mystery should make that Jesus was sent by the Father."7 der upon the nature of the church, us aware that while differences may The Great Commission. Both the "consisting of Jews and Gentiles, exist among people, these differences Great Commission (Mark 16:15, 16; Asiatics and Europeans, slaves and must not be allowed to diminish the Acts 1:8) and the message of freemen all symbols of a disrupted worth and dignity of any individual. Revelation 14:6-12 envision the cre world that was to be restored to unity Bigotry is anti-Christian and hence is ation of a world family. Evangelism is in Christ."8 This minister notes the an unacceptable conduct in one who Christ©s antidote for prejudice within destruction of "the dividing wall of claims to live by the gospel. the church. Where there is a strong hostility" (Eph. 2:14, RSV) by the Finally, the power of the mystery evangelistic program and an eagerness Man of the Cross. should so permeate our own inner to bring people to Jesus Christ, there That historic truth overwhelms selves that all our relationships will will be a universal feeling for men and him with such an indescribable sense be governed by its dynamic. Paul©s women of every kind. True evangelists of joy that he considers it as nothing words must become the anchor of see the whole world as their parish, less than the work of the entire our privilege and the challenge of our and do not recognize frontiers and Godhead. Indeed in the extraordi ministry: "Of this gospel I was made a restrictions that divide communities. nary conclusion of Ephesians 2, Paul minister" (Eph. 3:7, RSV) and when it Peter must go to Cornelius, Paul must calls to witness the names of God the comes to proclaiming and living this go to Antioch, Philip must rush to Father, God the Son, and God the gospel, one of one kind plus one of Samaria, Philemon must take back Holy Spirit as architects of the mar- another always simply equals one. HI Onesimus. The blood of Christ is the velous unity that must characterize ink with which the covenant of broth the Christian church, made up of 1 Except as otherwise stated, all Scripture passages are erhood is written, and the evangelist people of every hue. from the New Revised Standard Version. extends that covenant to take the For his part, Paul calls that unity a 2 Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Nampa, Idaho: world for Jesus. "mystery," and uses this word seven Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1940), 194. 3 Mishnah tractate Abodah Zarah 2.1 quoted in times (Eph. 1:9; 3:3, 4, 9) to underline William Barclay, Ethics in a Permissive Society Human relationships: What the divine nature of it. The mystery, (London: Collins, 1971), 189. God has mandated says Paul, is that "the Gentiles have 4 White, The Desire of Ages, 403. 5 Ibid., 503. Nowhere is the mandate of God become fellow heirs, members of the 6 The Interpreter©s Bible (Nashville: Abington Press, for the unity of His people, without same body, and sharers in the prom 1980) on Galatians 4:5. respect to any factor of prejudice or ise in Christ Jesus through the 7 Francis Schaeffer, The Mark of the Christian (London: InterVarsity Press, 1970), 35. pride, so forcefully argued as where gospel" (Eph. 3:6). Conceived in the 8 The SDA Bible Commentary (Hagerstown, Md.: Paul writes to the Ephesian fellow mind of God, completed by the rec Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1980), 6:995.

8 MINISTRY February 2002 sanctuary, waited for six days and on the sev enth day the Lord spoke to him from the theophanic cloud. The sequence of six days and a seventh day is the same we find in Genesis. It is uncertain whether the seventh day in this case was a Sabbath, but the refer ence to six and seven days suggests a connection between the two narratives. In both cases the seventh day provided the time Genesis 1 and during which there is a special meeting between God and humans. 2. Seven divine speeches. God gave Moses the building of instructions concerning the building of the sanctuary through seven speeches introduced by the phrase "The Lord said to Moses" (25:1; the Israelite 30:11, 17, 22, 34; 31:1, 12). The seventh speech brings the instructions for the building of the sanctuary to a close with a call to keep the Sabbath (31:13,17). "From the context the sanctuary inference would appear to be that just as God rested after creating the world so must Israel after constructing the sanctuary."2 In the uring the last 25 years the Creation narrative in Genesis, God spoke dur Angel Manual Rodriguez scholarly world has been inter ing seven days and rested on the seventh day. ested in the study of the rituals It seems that it is that pattern that is being fol performed in connection with lowed in the building of the tabernacle. the Israelite tabernacle. Ling 3. Seven and the construction of the taberna Duistic and theological studies have con cle. 3 While the instructions to build the tributed to a better understanding of the book sanctuary ended with a discussion on the of Leviticus and the sacrificial system of the Sabbath, the narrative of the actual construc Old Testament. tion begins with a reference to the Sabbath Interestingly, some scholars have used commandment (35:1-3). The building of a Genesis 1-3 to gain insights into the theology sacred sanctuary does not justify violating the of the Israelite sanctuary. They have been able sanctity of the Sabbath. Sacred time is more to identify a number of interesting connec important for the Lord than the building of tions between the narrative describing the sacred space. Yet, both are important (Lev. building of the Israelite sanctuary (Exod. 19:30; 26:2). 25-31) and the Creation account in Genesis Seven is also important in Exodus 40:17- 1-2:3.©This article will summarize the result 33. The phrase "as the Lord commanded of those studies from an Adventist perspec [Moses]" is used seven times in 40:17-33 to tive. In our next article (appearing in April), describe the actual building of the sanctuary. we will examine the results of similar studies It is in obedience to God and following His made on Genesis 2:4-3:24. specific instructions that the sanctuary is pro When it comes to Genesis 1, most of the gressively built. The emphasis on seven parallels between the Genesis Creation suggests a movement from nothing to a com account and the building of the Israelite sanc pleted creation or construction. tuary are based on the use of the number 4. Linguistic parallels. There are some termi "seven" in the story of the building of the tab nological parallels between Genesis 1-2:3 and ernacle, but there are also some linguistic the building of the sanctuary.4 (a) God saw Angel Manuel parallels that will require our attention. everything He had made and behold it was Rodriguez, Th.D., is director of the Biblical very good (Gen. 1:31); Moses saw all the work Research Institute, Parallels and behold, they had done it (Exod. 39:43). General Conference, 1. Six days plus a seventh day. According to (b) Genesis states that the heavens and the and a consulting Exodus 24:15-17, Moses climbed Mount Sinai earth were finished (Gen. 2:1, 2); after the editor for Ministry. to receive instruction for the building of the building of the sanctuary it is stated that "all

February 2002 MINISTRY the work on the tabernacle, the Tent God and humans and the same was cle and the result was harmony, aes of Meeting was finished" (Exod. again available at the sanctuary. At the thetic balance, elegance, beauty. The 39:32; 40:33). (c) God finished His end of Creation week the Sabbath was intricate craftsmanship of those used creative work and blessed the seventh instituted; at the end of the building by the Spirit "mirrors God©s own day (Gen. 2:3); Moses finished the of the sanctuary the sanctity of the work. The precious metals with tabernacle and blessed the people Sabbath was reaffirmed and the taber which they work take up the very (39:43). nacle was inaugurated. In both cases products of God©s beautiful creation During Creation week God "sepa something holy came into existence. and give new shape to that beauty rated" light "from" darkness, water One was a sanctuary in time, the within the creation."8 from water, day from night (Gen. 1:4, other a sanctuary in space. The realm 4. New creation in a world of sin: The sanctuary creation was located in a world of disruption and uncleanness. N THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE GOD God©s original creation was "very good." The sanctuary itself was also I WAS REESTABLISHING THE ORIGINAL HARMONY very good, but it was built in the midst of a world characterized by DESCRIBED IN GENESIS 1-2 BY EXCLUDING THE chaos and rebellion. In this creation the Lord was separating vying ele ELEMENTS OF DISRUPTION AND UNCLEANNESS:. .. ments from one other. In the tabernacle the act of separa tion was motivated by a different 6, 7, 14, 18). After Genesis 1 the of existence of the creature was filled concern than in the case of Genesis 1. phrase "between ... to separate" is now in a special way with the sancti Disruption/disorder, absent in Genesis used again in the setting of the taber fying presence of the Creator. 1-2, and harmony and order, present nacle. A veil was to separate the Holy 2. New orderly creation. Creation there, were assigned to different Place from the Most Holy (Exod. and the sanctuary came into exis spheres. There were now two main 26:33) and the priests were to separate tence through the divine word. God realms of existence: the holy and the or distinguish from or between the gave the commands and as a result of common, the clean and the unclean. holy and the common, the clean and the divine speaking the tabernacle God©s people were placed in the realm the unclean (Lev. 10:10). The empha was built. The seven speeches find of the holy. sis is on the fact "that the creator-God their counterpart in the seven times In the construction of the taberna is a God of order."5 that the completion formula "as the cle God was reestablishing the 5. Presence of the Spirit of God. The Lord commanded [Moses]" is used original harmony described in "Spirit of God" is mentioned in both during the building of the tabernacle. Genesis 1-2 by excluding the ele the Creation narrative and in the God©s act of creation seems to ments of disruption and uncleanness construction of the tabernacle.6 In serve as a model for the building of from His presence and from the life of Genesis 41:38 Pharaoh uses the the tabernacle. Both, Creation and His people. That order was established phrase the "spirit of G/god(s)," but he sanctuary, "are the products of the and maintained "through the careful most probably had in mind his own divine command. Just as the creation observation of categorical divisions, gods. Therefore, the next biblical ref through the word of God meant that through the recognition and mainte erence to the Spirit of God, after the creation was completed precisely nance of boundaries."9 God was now Genesis 1:1, is found in Exodus 31:3. according to the will of God, so also dwelling among His people and this God enabled certain individuals to the completion of the tabernacle "constitutes the beginnings of God©s build the sanctuary by filling them according to a heavenly ©pattern© bringing creation back to what it was with His Spirit (31:3; 35:31). (25:9, 40) meant that it corresponded originally intended to be."10 exactly to the divine will."7 The order reestablished in the Significance of the parallels There was progression and order in Israelite sanctuary was to reach cos 1. New encounter with God. The Creation and in the building of the mic dimensions. It would appear that sequence of six days leading to a sev sanctuary. One element followed the the theology of Genesis 1, found in enth day points to the fact that God other, their specific functions were the passages dealing with the con and humans can again enjoy perma established and consequently some struction of the sanctuary, points "to a nent fellowship. God descended to thing new came into existence. perception and understanding of that the space where humans were located. 3. New creation and the Spirit: He institution as a symbol [the sanctuary] The six days of Creation culminated who was present in Genesis 1 was also that is connected with, though not in permanent fellowship between active in the building of the taberna necessarily grounded in, cosmo-

10 MINISTRY February 2002 gony."11 The fact that the construction into it through an act of re-creation. 7 Fretheim, 271. 8 Ibid., 269. of the sanctuary was finished at the One could say that the tabernacle was 9 Gorman, 45. When dealing with cultic materials he dis beginning of a new year (Exod. a symbol of cosmic order16 in that the cusses "three distinct orders of creation the 40:17), "underscores the idea that a harmony and order present there cosmological, the societal, and the cultic. All three orders were given shape, brought into being, and established by new era in the life of the people has should reach the whole world. the speech of God. . . . The conceptual element that begun and the cosmogonic associa The cosmic symbolism of the tab holds these three orders together is that of order through tion of the Tabernacle is thereby ernacle means that universal order is separation. Just as the cosmological order is achieved by acts of separation the establishing of boundaries strengthened."12 restored only when God©s presence in between different categories of created things so also We could suggest that "the taber His heavenly dwelling is felt and the societal and cultic orders achieve order through cat nacle is a realization of God©s created experienced in the world of humans. egorical distinctions" (44). There are also conceptual categories space, time, and status. According to him, order in history." 13 But this blessing It is through the divine descent to the "each of these conceptual categories is given concrete should not be limited to Israel alone human sphere that order is created expression through a foundational image of separa because "this microcosm of creation is and instituted in a world of chaos tion space in the separation of the hoiy of holies from other areas; time in the separation of the Sabbath from the beginning of a macrocosmic effort (Exod. 19:18; 40:34, 35). all other days; statue in the separation of the priests from on God©s part. In and through his peo Within that theological frame of all other persons" (45). ple, God©s presence is on the move to reference, the sacrificial system served 10 Ibid. 11 Sarna, Exploring, 214. a new creation for all.... God©s pres the purpose of initiating, preserving, 12 Nahum M. Sarna, The /PS Torah Commentary: Exodus ence in the tabernacle is a statement and restoring the state of order and (New York: Jewish Publication Society, 1991), 156. Some about God©s intended presence in the harmony recreated by God in the tab have seen a connection between that date and the fact that on that same date, after Noah©s flood, a new world entire world. The glory manifested ernacle.17 This adds significance to the emerged from the floodwaters (Blenkinssop, 283). It has there is to stream out into the larger ritual of the Day of Atonement (Lev. also been suggested that "floodwaters and wilderness world."14 16), which can now be understood as are the two most prominent symbols for chaos in the Oid Testament. Both ©sanctuaries© [the ark and the tab a ritual that "symbolically restores ernacle] are portable, one on sea, one on land, they are Conclusion both the individual and the world to used to carry the people through the waters/sands of The sanctuary is a reconstructed the founded order of creation."18 chaos. Both are viewed as a means by which the people of God can move in a secure and ordered way through portion of God©s original creation in During the activities of that day a world of disorder on their way to a new creation. . .. the state of purity and harmony with the evil cosmic powers are defeated by One is thereby invited to see the building of the taber which He endowed it at the begin God, and in an act of sovereignty He nacle in [Exodus] chapters 35-40 in terms of re-creation. God©s beginning again with world/Israel on the far side ning. The harmony and purity that returns to them uncleanness and sin. of apostasy" (Fretheim, 268, 269). characterizes this unique place is gra The separation of the holy and the 13 Ibid. ciously extended by God to His own unclean reaches cosmic dimensions 14 Ibid. Italics his. Cf. Sarna, 214. 15 Jon D. Levenson comments that the Israelite temple "is people. Yet, His final goal is for the and points to a future permanent and simply the earthly manifestation of the heavenly Temple whole world to be possessed by the universal experience.19 HI . . . The Temple in Zion is the antitype to the cosmic glory of the One who in the earthly archetype." Sinai and Zion: An Entry into the Jewish Bible tabernacle was dwelling in the midst (New York: Winston Press, 1985), 140. Note: A second article by Dr. 16 S. Balentine, 163. Jon D. Levenson, Sinai and Zion, has of the impurities of His people. some interesting and important comments on the idea We should not overlook the fact Rodriguez on this theme will appear in that the temple "is the epitome of the world, a concen the April 2002 issue of Ministry. trated form of its essence, a miniature of the cosmos" that the tabernacle was built accord (138). By this he means that, "In the Temple, God ing to a heavenly model shown to 1 See J. Blenkinsopp, "The Structure of P," Catholic relates simultaneously to the entire cosmos, for the Moses, a tabntt (Exod. 25:8, 9). The Biblical Quarterly 28 (1976):275-292; J. Kearney, Temple (or mountain or city) is a microcosm of which "Creation and Liturgy: The P Redaction of Ex. 25-40," the worid itself is the macrocosm. Or, to put it differ implication is that the fragment of Zeitschrift fur die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 89 ently, the center (or navel or axis or fulcrum) is not a the original creation is modeled after (1977):375-387; N. Sarna, Exploring Exodus (New York: point in space at all, but the point in relation to which a heavenly reality. The space of God©s Schoken Books, 1986), 213-215; R H. German, The all space attains individualization and meaning. The Ideology of Ritual (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1990), 47; center sustains the world, as the umbilical cord sustains presence in a world of disorder Terence E. Fretheim, Exodus: interpretation (Louisville, the embryo, or as the seed sustains the seedling, except reflects the space of God©s presence in Ky.: John Knox Press, 1991), 268-272; and Samuel E. that the world does not outgrow its center as the baby a heavenly world of harmony and Balentine, The Tomb©s Vision of Worship (Minneapolis, outgrows the need for an umbilical cord or as a plant Minn.: Fortress Press, 1999), 136-141. comes to shed its seed" (139, 140). There seems to be order.15 God©s place of residence in the 2 Blenkinsopp, 281. some value in his view that the temple and the cosmos heavenly realm extends itself to the 3 Balentine, 138. are connected in some significant way and yet they can world of humans and creates a holy 4 This summarizes what is found in Blenkinsopp, 280. Cf. be distinguished from each other. Sarna, Exploring, 213, 214. 17 Gorman, 52-55. space where God locates Himself. 5 Benedikt Otzen, in Theological Dictionary of the Old 18 Balentine, 75. This is necessary because God©s Testament, vol. 2, G. Johannes Botterweck, Helmer 19 Gorman writes, "By sending the goat to Azazel, Israel original creation (Gen. 1-2) is no Ringgren, eds. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975), 2. See was sending its sin, the cause of cosmic, social, and cul Frank H. German, Jr., Ideology of Ritual: Space, Time and tic disorder, into the realm of chaos. In this way, the longer available to humans. But the Status in the Priestly Theology (Sheffield: JSOT Press, nation once again saw the triumph of order over chaos, heavenly world still exists and the 1990), 40-45. and, thereby, the reestablishment of order in the world world of humans can be incorporated 6 Blenkinsopp, 282. via the cult" (99).

February ZOO? MINISTRY 11 Prayer not a substitute for the Word As we lead our people to a deeper prayer life, it is important that we call them to faith fulness to the Word of God. While prayer may be thought of as the umbilical cord connect ing us with the Almighty, we must not forget that the nourishment that flows to our hearts through this cord is the Word of God. Prayer is very subjective and may actually crowd out the Word of God in the life of the minister. It is not uncommon to hear some one say that God "told" them thus and so. On occasion I have even heard a person say, "I don©t care what the Bible says, I know what God told me." The point is obvious prayer must not be allowed to become a substitute Avoiding the for the objective truth of Scripture. The two must work together.

pitfalls of prayer His will or ours? Through the years I had the habit of closing my prayers by saying, "If it be Your will." As I Richard W. OTfill n recent years prayer appears to have look back I can now see that what I probably become a "growth industry" within the meant was that if my prayer didn©t turn out body of Christ. The increasing emphasis the way I expected, then I would not be to on prayer may be due to the fact that blame. More recently I have come to under nothing succeeds like success, and in stand that the first purpose of prayer is to Ithis case that means God seems to be answer bring our lives into a condition to accept the ing just about everyone©s prayer for just about will of God as revealed in His Word. If this is everything. true, then to pray "Not my will, but Thine be Though we rejoice when prayer is done" is the highest expression of prayer answered, Jesus Himself cautioned His disci rather than an escape hatch (Matt. 6:10). ples that there can be deceptions in answered Is it possible for us to place ourselves, and prayer. In Matthew 7:21, 22 He described a even our congregations at risk when we turn future day in which many would use to pray without a readiness to understand and answered prayer as an affirmation of their submit to the will of God? There are those ministry. They will say that they had cast out who feel we have nothing to fear in this devils and done other spectacular miracles in respect if we can somehow find a text some His name, yet He will answer in effect that where in which God at some time did a par what they have achieved really had nothing ticular thing for someone, which happens to to do with Him (verse 23). be along the lines of what we are requesting. These verses are a serious call for ministers I believe we must not presumptiously ask not to evaluate their ministry as one would God to do for us today what He did for some evaluate a for-profit business. At the end of a one at some time in the past. This approach day the for-profit business rises and falls on to prayer can make us susceptible to the rep what is called the bottom line. However, in rimand of the Holy Spirit for praying for things having to do with the kingdom of selfish reasons (James 4:3). heaven this type of measurement can not Sometimes in prayer groups a petitioner Richard W. O©Ffill is only be inaccurate but misleading and per may make a particular request and the leader health ministries ilous. It is dangerous to measure the will ask if there are others to affirm the peti director for the Florida Conference, blessings of God with a material yardstick. If tion. This is done based on the text in Winter Park, Florida. material, or in our case professional success Matthew 18:19 that where two or three agree, is a sure sign of the blessing of God, then it will be done. It is not difficult to get two or almost anything can be read into this or that three in the group to agree to a particular "success." request. What is more difficult for us to agree

12 MINISTRY February 2002 upon, however, is that we will obey a dently being abused and misused by must resist the temptation to com clear "Thus saith the Lord." the religious leaders. Jesus instructed mercialize and exploit prayer. I once talked with a young woman His listeners not to pray as the We must not see prayer as a substi who was dating a person not of her Pharisees prayed (Matt. 6:5). The tute for the Bible or the study of the faith. She asked me to pray that God©s point was, they were using prayer to Bible as a substitute for personal will would be done in their relation impress and even to manipulate each prayer. Sometimes in a sermon I use ship. Since the Word clearly states that other. Jesus said that the best place to the concept of the computer to illus believers should not be joined togeth pray is in secret; and that if a person trate the importance of prayer. I tell er with unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14), I has a meaningful personal prayer the congregation that, when we read explained to her that God had already experience, it will be evident by the Scripture, the Word is put into, as it revealed His will to her in this respect way they live and, for us who stand in were, the RAM (read-only memory) of and that she might do better to pray the pulpit week by week, by the way the mind. To lay the Word down for faith and strength to obey. we preach (verse 6). without praying that the Holy Spirit

Systematizing prayer RAYER. . . OFTEN SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING WE In this highly organized age there is a growing tendency to systematize P DO TO OR FOR EACH OTHER PERHAPS EVEN TO prayer. Answers to prayer are seen as being conditioned on using the cor MANIPULATE AND INTIMIDATE. rect technique. Someone once asked me who we should pray to, the We ministers should consider will implement it in our lives will Father, the Son, or the Holy Ghost. I carefully what we pray for and how result in the Word being lost (hitting asked her in turn why she wanted to we pray in front of the congregation. the Delete key). To take up the Word know, and she replied that, inasmuch Often, before we preach the prayer in prayer enables the Holy Spirit to as she didn©t seem to be getting any is, "... and now, Lord, may every "Save as" a changed life. answers to her prayers, she feared she word that I speak be Your Word." might be praying to the wrong One! Praying this way in the hearing of Secret prayer, a breath of life Today there is a trend to emphasize the people may be somewhat intim Many wonderful books on prayer the physical place of prayer, the time idating. Although there is no doubt have been written in recent years. As of prayer, and the positions of prayer that as preachers we want our ser we search for a deeper connection as important to successful prayer. In mons to be a proclamation of the with God through prayer and His effect, the Samaritan woman asked Word, when we pray this way it may Word, we get to know the true pur Jesus "Where should we pray, my sound as though we are telling the pose of prayer. As starters, I would place or Yours?" (John 4:20). Jesus congregation that they had better recommend the classic little books by came right to the point. He told her listen to what we have to say because E. M. Bounds on prayer and the book that prayer is not about place (or tech it is verily the word of God. by Andrew Murray, With Christ in the nique), rather it is about spirit and As we preach, it is important that School of Prayer. truth (John 4:21-24). people feel free to evaluate what we As ministers of the gospel, we must This lesson should not be lost on present in the light of whether it is be men and women of prayer, not any leader of prayer in the twenty- indeed in conformity to the Scriptures just of public prayer but much more first century. Increasingly, prayer is (Isa. 8:20). Therefore, it may be more of private prayer. A minister who in being reduced to something done "by appropriate for us to pray this prayer the morning spends an hour alone the numbers." Instead of prayer being silently in the pastor©s study before we with God praying not to "get" but directed from our hearts toward God, go into the pulpit. In short, the prayer rather to "be" in harmony with the it often seems to be something we do with the congregation before the ser written Word will be a person whose to or for each other perhaps even to mon is better as a "we" prayer than as ministry will leave the hearers saying, manipulate and intimidate. A person an "I" prayer. "Did not our hearts burn within us who owns a Christian radio station when we heard our pastor preach?" told me recently that in seminars she Praying to be, not to get Anyone can form a sermon from the has attended it is suggested that fre During my study for my book "dust of the earth," but it is the secret quently mentioning prayer to the Transforming Prayer, I realized that the prayer life of the preacher that will radio audiences increases donations! highest purpose of prayer is not to breathe into it the breath of life so "get" but to "be." At a time in which that through the power of the Holy Praying to manipulate success is seen in terms of what hap Spirit its hearers become new and liv In Christ©s time, prayer was evi pens to be selling at the moment, we ing souls in Christ, n

February 2002 MINISTRY 13 reach of a Christian church from which they could receive a person-to-person gospel con tact. The remaining third, two billion strong, were non-Christians beyond the reach of a local Christian community. Most of this last third reside in countries that are resistant to Christianity. These people can be reached only by cross-cultural missionaries. In the last hundred years Seventh-day Adventists have baptized large numbers of Christians of other denominations and non- What does the Christians of tribal origin. But we have not been very successful with peoples of other major world religions such as Hinduism, Lord require? Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism. Our work is minimal, registering an almost The demand on Adventist mission zero impact when it comes to the largest non- Christian world religion Islam. Muslims in today©s complex world make up almost 20 percent of the world©s population 1.2 billion people. They are fel low monotheists who worship the God of Abraham. They value peace and advocate a hat does the Lord require lifestyle very similar to our own. Yet, they Gorden R. Doss of the Adventist Church have suffered terribly at the hands of nominal today? Ever since the fall Christians during the Crusades and over suc of Adam and Eve, God has ceeding centuries. Instead of seeing Christians been working out His as offering them a closer walk with God, Wredemptive mission for this world. When the many Muslims see us as undermining their Seventh-day Adventist Church was born, its morality, worship, and spirituality. founders sensed a particular Divine calling for What does the Lord require of the Seventh- their infant church. In gradual stages they day Adventist Church today? The following extended their missiological vision until it are some helpful suggestions. encompassed the entire globe. Just a century ago church structures were Put aside business as usual redesigned to permit us to more effectively The world changed irreversibly on accomplish the mission God has given us. September 11, 2001. How could a few suicidal During the last 100 years, Adventist world hijackers affect the whole world so dramati mission has enjoyed phenomenal success. cally? One thing is obvious: just a handful of Today, the Adventist Church has about 12 people have the capability of changing the million members worldwide. We praise God course of human history for good or ill. We for our success in world evangelism. Yet, are not merely reactive pawns or minuscule recent events on the world scene may be grains of sand on the seashore. We are moral God©s wake-up call to shake us out of any pre agents whose decisions are real-life, real-time mature or presumptuous self-congratulation. decisions. We are caught up in the predica Although our membership and global exten ment of sin. Human actions since the Fall sion in 2002 are huge compared with 1901, have continued to affect the universe in out- the remaining task can only humble us if we and-out tangible ways. understand its true scale. Good decisions and actions are ultimately Garden R. Doss, D.Min., is associate more powerful than bad ones because good is professor of world Looking the facts in the face ultimately stronger than evil, although it mission at the Consider the following facts.1 In mid-2000 often does not appear to be so. Christians Adventist Theological the world©s population stood at about six bil have real power to effect real change in the Seminary, Andrews lion. Christians of all denominations world because there is no force on earth more University, in Berrien accounted for a third of the total. Another powerful than the gospel. By grace and with Springs, Michigan. third were non-Christians who live within the Spirit©s power, we can participate in God©s

14 MINISTRY February 2002 mission to earth in a way that makes same is true of 2002. Our agenda, our an eternal difference in the lives of turf, our territory, our position, our human beings. What the Church piece of the budget must be laid on does ultimately has significance now the altar of sacrifice, opening the way and will have eternal significance. for a new and more powerful, Spirit- Our times call for us to set aside filled initiative. business-as-usual. In 1901 Ellen White led the General Conference session to Seek a new and unified shelve its planned agenda. Both she mission vision and her colleagues understood that One consequence of our growth the Church had reached a juncture over the last century has been mission that demanded a new vision, a new institutionalization. When institu- dynamic. The Adventist Church tionalization occurs, we tend to think changed in 1901 and has never been and act largely in relationship to poli the same since. The successes of the cies, budgets, and politics. Under last century have depended, in signif pressure to keep the bureaucracy run icant measure, on the Spirit-inspired ning smoothly, we may lose sight of restructuring that happened in 1901. our duty to cast an ever broadening Although no human structure is flaw vision for the Church©s mission. Major Adventist less and mission success is always the decisions may be made solely with ref fruit of divine power, God chooses to erence to practical considerations, Professionals" work through human organizations. without the guidance of a unified With ample justification, we can vision, strategy, or theology. Network assert that Adventist world mission Most of us have certain segments after 1901 would have been less suc of the Church©s mission in reasonably cessful if our pioneers had retained good focus but we sometimes suffer the pre-1901 structure. from a concentrated form of tunnel Put on the We are again at a momentous vision. Different individuals, offices, juncture both similar and dissimilar departments, and geographical areas to that of 1901. In 2002 we have a may see parts of the task clearly while much larger, more complex church. lacking a shared, comprehensive Our size and complexity give us more vision. Some of us focus exclusively and institutional inertia and resistance to on peoples and areas near us while change than our pioneers faced in others think they have to cross the are for faculty 1901. We have many more human frontiers to do mission. Some world and and material resources to mobilize divisions have a vision for the whole and direct. We are a century closer to globe and others feel limited to their the Parousia. own territory. The last century has included two Developing a new vision for mis world wars, the Great Depression, the sion will not happen overnight. Holocaust, the nuclear era, and much Pastors, administrators, teachers, and more. The witness of history against lay leaders will have to lead the way. evil and for truth is far stronger today Adventist missiology needs to be a than it was in 1901. part of ministerial education and The similarity between their then Bible courses in every Adventist Know someone who and our now is that in both Adventists school. Regular sessions need to be are confronted with a task for which planned for vision development and should be on this we lack an adequate shared theology, shared communication of that vision. vision, strategy, and structure for Supporting ministries and para- important list? world mission. church organizations need to TELL The circumstances of 1901 participate in the process. demanded that Adventists set aside business-as-usual and make room for Design a unified global a period of creative, Spirit-led reeval- mission strategy uation and retooling for mission. The Is Adventist mission in 2002 like

February 2002 MINISTRY 15 Israel during the time of the Judges, that regular churches cannot be ect mission trips be integrated into a when "every man did what was right planted in many of these areas? global strategy? in his own eyes" Qudges 21:25, RSV)? How will the various world divi What is the appropriate role for tel No doubt, Adventists are engaged in a sions participate? How will we assess evision, radio, and Internet min multifaceted array of excellent min effectiveness and success in resistant istries? How can visiting evangelistic istries, but are they pulling together in areas? In the absence of a well- teams and satellite evangelism make the same direction, in fulfillment of a defined, shared global strategy we the best contribution? What role well-defined and shared strategy? lack answers to most of these ques should ADRA and other humanitarian What is the de facto Adventist global tions. A number of organizations are ministries play? How should para- strategy? Is it reporting an increasing at work in the 10/40 but the existing church and supporting ministries be number of baptisms? If so, is this degree of planning and procedure will integrated into the design? What are strategy adequate for mobilizing and not support the kind of work that the best measures of success in world directing the work of a complex needs to be done. mission? A global strategy will answer church like ours? Besides these questions, what of these and other vital questions. For several years we have been the rest of the world outside the publicizing the "10/40 Window" and 10/40? There is the secular West to be Make appropriate structural raising funds for mission to its peo evangelized. There are the megacities adjustments ples. The 10/40 has become the focus and the poor countries. Every nation Our present structure has excellent of our global task. But who will in fact has "hidden peoples" to be reached. features that should be treasured and carry out our mission to the 10/40? How can the former "receivers" of celebrated. I know for I have worked Where will they come from? Who missions become "senders"? How as a missionary for 31 years. But our will pay them? How will they be shall wealthier members and organi structure is not doing the best possi trained? How will their service be zations assist their less wealthy ble job, in spite of its many good administered? What will they do brothers and sisters around the features. We lack the structure we when they get there, given the fact world? How can short-term and proj need for recruiting, training, and sup-

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ASK FOR YOUR FREE INFORMATION PACK / www.churchchair.com 7007 New Calhoun Hwy. NE Rome. Georgia 30161 porting young adults from around PUT TEXT HERE, the world as cross-cultural missionar NEW! 600DSALT" Holy ami fin ies among unevangelized peoples. f INSPIRATIONAL jesas, Jfisus. Holy and asmie e. Jesas. foot name is like honey on m? lips Perhaps this is an appropriate Youi Spirit like walat to my soul f BACKGROUNDS Yenr wor* is 3 larap unto my feet Jesus. 1 IOVE yaw. ! love you. moment for a reminder that struc . E C T 1 O N Jests, Jesus. Rissn ant) exalted one. .teas. tures are servants not masters. In my seminary teaching, I work with many young ministers from 125 HIGH QUALITY JPEG IMAGES IN A SEARCH many cultures who are ready to study ABLE PC/MAC LIBRARY & PRINTED CATALOG languages, to make the necessary sac rifices, and to be lifelong missionaries. Turn PowerPoint plain text When they ask how they can obey for sermons and songs into God©s call I have to tell them that the spectacular slides that add official General Conference mission impact and meaning to ary service probably has no place for them until they are ordained, mature, every sermon and service! experienced, and have a doctorate. I Introductory Price can only refer those who persist even ONLY $4^00 after hearing this dismal forecast to Buy this CD and other collections at www.goodsalt.com Adventist supporting ministries. FREE SHIPPING! or call 1 800805-8001 My grandparents went to Trinidad in their mid-thirties, my parents to Africa in their late-twenties, and my wife and I also to Africa at age twenty- all Church organizations from the of such busy global activism, the five. However, there is almost no local church to the General Con deeper questions of mission theology pathway for our children, now in ference. were too seldom asked. During the last their early-twenties and eager to fol In the present structure, missionar ten years [mid-1980s to mid-1990s] low the family tradition. Sending ies are sent by the General Conference this has begun to change, and people mature people with doctoral degrees without the involvement of the local of all theological stripes in mission as missionaries is a valid sharing of congregation, conference, or union. today are reexamining theological workers between various parts of the Some divisions play a role in the presuppositions that underlie the mis body of Christ. But the energy, adapt process, but only a limited role. sion enterprise."2 ability, and language-learning poten General Conference missionaries sent We need to reach a renewed and tial of young adults is absolutely from North America are virtually deeper consensus on our official the essential for mission to the resistant invisible to the churches and organi ology of mission. We need to evaluate parts of the earth. zations that support them through what we are doing now to see The structure of Adventist mis the offering plate. whether our de facto and official the sions has simply not kept pace with ologies match. We need to chart a changing world conditions so as to Reach for a new theological new course for Adventist world mis achieve our corporate goals and facil consensus sion that fully expresses our official itate individual spiritual giftedness. An intentional theological journey theology of mission. Some Adventists have given up on toward a consensual Adventist theol As we seek to obey God©s will for the official mission program entirely, ogy of mission needs to undergird Adventist mission in 2002 and looking to parachurch organizations and encircle the steps suggested beyond we can be assured that our or to supporting ministries as the only above. journey will be challenging. But the hope for channeling their money and "For the past 30 years mission the bearers of the good news are always abilities into service. The willingness ology has taken a backseat to mission encircled, comforted, and strength of Adventists to serve as missionaries practice. . . . Regardless of the theo ened by the joy of the Lord and their and to support missions materially logical tradition, [in the decades after ultimate victory is assured, m has outpaced the ability of the official the Second World War] missiology structure to channel and administer concerned itself with a host of activist 1 David B. Barrett, George M. Kurian, and Todd M. its human and material resources. issues and agendas like ... sociopolit Johnson, World Christian Encyclopedia, 2nd ed. (New A central feature of an adjusted ical action, liberation, evangelism, York: Oxford University Press, 2001). 2 Charles Van Engen, Mission on the Way: Issues in Adventist missionary program needs church growth, relief and develop Mission Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, to be involvement and ownership by ment, ... Unfortunately, in the midst 1996), 17.

february 2002 MINISTRY 17

study with others. Practicing the discipline of scriptural immersion is vital to speaking with confidence to an unsettled and wounded world. God©s Word still changes lives today. Part of the heritage of my training is the perspective of a world church. The Church universal is an extremely strong theological and cultural force in me. Contributing to something bigger than myself and bigger than my local congregation provides a wider sense of fulfillment and purpose. This strong Ten years fiber within the fabric of my subculture runs deep in me and in every aspect of our Church©s approach to ministry. and counting Opposite this perspective, however, are the deep needs of my local church. People are Journal from a journey wounded. Life is difficult. The choices are many. The practical aspects of high need and of tensions few resources at the local level are balanced against the heart of the poverty and the the ology of the universal Church the world at large. Here is where the tension lies for me. ecent articles in Ministry have While my training has been highly theo John Grys focused upon North American logical and biblical, the demands of divorcing graduates from 1987 ministerial couples, abused children, and emotionally pools and the resiliency of these scarred wanderers bring me to my knees. The individuals as they have entered people knocking at our local church door are Rministry (see the August and October 2000 extremely hurt, frustrated, and pained. For issues). In reviewing my just-completed first many, life has killed their dreams. They have decade in pastoral ministry, I notice five come to our local church as a last resort. There points of tension in my journey. Although is a desperate thirst for something real and all of these may not be present in every pas tangible, and I feel called upon to help pro tor, as I share them here I hope they will vide that where I am. spark a constructive reflective process in Pursuing the incarnational model of min every fellow sojourner in pastoral ministry istry of being culturally relevant and theolog and cause us all to realize that we are not ically pure, is a tension lived out every day in alone. the lives of men and women seeking for Although one might wish or expect these answers and community. Balancing global points of tension to fade over time, they and local demands of a world desecrated by refuse to do so. In many and various ways sin is no small task. Bringing people face-to- they continuously raise their mythic heads. face with Jesus in every language, tribe, and They are the silent voices that lurk behind the culture is an undertaking of massive propor weekly message and the daily grind of pastor- tions. ing. It is in this disquieting territory that we are called to lead and live, be and do, sing and Family versus church weep. Recognizing these tension points helps Gone are the days of single-income fami me to stay centered on my Lord and to know lies. The demands of living in a more that I am safe in His hands. high-density society have put a stress on the John Grys is Here are my five dominant tension points. homes of ministers and their spouses. My administrative pastor wife has consciously decided to put her pas of the Hamilton Community Church in Global versus local toral career on hold to raise our children. This Chattanooga, In my training for ministry I received a is an incredible ministry. She also is a stipend Tennessee. devoted love for Scripture. One of the greatest music director for a church but this takes her joys of ministry is the opportunity to study away on Sundays. God©s Word and then share the fruit of that I find my heart torn by two intense desires.

February 2002 MINISTRY 19 I want to be at home with my family in the ocean of life and ministry. My speaking engagements, seminars pre and at the same time I want to follow spirit echoes the words of Paul, "I do sented, or programs initiated. my compelling passion for the local not run like a man running aimlessly" I love what J. Robert Clinton says, church. The intensity of this tension (1 Cor. 9.26) In my fantasy moments, "Doing flows from being." I am first point cannot be understated. I envision my life as a mower of and foremost a child of God saved by My wiring leads me to easily drift lawns, able to see the lines I©ve made and bathed in grace! away from home toward my other in the lawn of ministry, how much love. Compelling voices continually I©ve done and how much more there Self-management versus team beckon me, whispering about agen is yet to be done. While this drive for management das, phone calls, messages, and other visible results has its place, it can This tension point revealed itself to items left unchecked on my "To Do" erode the joy of ministry and shrink me recently as I read an article, from which I quote: "The first and para mount responsibility of anyone who OMPAR1SON IS A CANCER IN MINISTRY. purports to manage is to manage self: one©s own integrity, character, ethics, IT EATS AWAY AT THE FOUNDATION knowledge, wisdom, temperament, c words, and acts. It is a complex, unending, incredibly difficult, oft- OF MINISTRY: THE SELFHOOD OR PERSON OF shunned task. We spend little time and rarely excel at self-management precisely because it is so much more difficult than prescribing and control ling the behavior of others. However, list. There is always another person the soul. The problem comes when without management of self, no one who needs a visit, another wounded my desire to do is dominated by my is fit for authority no matter how soul in need of a friend, another desire to measure, especially if my much they acquire, for the more objective to achieve. The work is standard of measurement is the per authority they acquire the more dan never "done." But then there are my formance of someone else. gerous they become. It is manage wife and my children. We inhabit a society of measure ment of self that should occupy 50 To be fully present in both home ments. Consciously or unconsciously, percent of our time and the best of our and office is where this tension point I minister in a place dominated by pay ability. And when we do that, the eth gets lived out moment-by-moment. scales and outcomes. Consequently, ical, moral, and spiritual elements of How often, with the best intentions, my congregation measures. They management are inescapable."1 have I gone home to my wife and measure the value of this church It is easy to forget that ministry is boys continuing to brood about all through the person of its pastor. played out on the field between what that hasn©t been done at the church. A more benign but harmful scale is God is doing in my life and what He It©s easy to be at home in the body and the one of comparison. In weaker is doing in His church. It is as though at the office in the spirit. Truly my moments, I find myself measuring my there is a piece of holy space between family suffers. Sometimes I find my ministry by the ministry down the these two poles and God inhabits it, energy so expended at the office that I street, across the state, through the bidding me come and walk and work have nothing to give when I get region, or up the coast. Comparison is there. home. a cancer in ministry. It eats away at Peter Drucker makes this insightful the foundation of ministry: the self claim: "In a few hundred years, when Being versus doing hood or person of the pastor. the history of our time will be written This tension point is more subtle I can easily begin to think ministry from a long-term perspective, it is than the others. I find myself becom is my life and measure my life by my likely that the most important event ing so busy doing that I don©t stop to ministry. My value as a child of God historians will see is not technology, take inventory of my being, and at can end up being based upon my not the Internet, not e-commerce. It times I can spend so much time work "success" as a pastor. It is easy to com is an unprecedented change in the ing on my being that I don©t stop to pare where I am now to where others human condition. For the first time, take an inventory of my doing. are and thus miss entirely the whole literally, substantial and rapidly grow Probably the place this most often point of ministry. Value is never built ing numbers of people have choices. shows up is in my desire to see merely upon baptismal figures, For the first time, they will have to results to measure ministry in some church attendance, or financial bal manage themselves. And society is fashion. I want to know I am a ripple ances. Value never originates in totally unprepared for it."2

20 MINISTRY February 2002 1

I realize that my church will only and it©s still present today in the nailed Him? Evangelism without nur grow as I grow. I cannot lead people church. ture leads to hellish living. Nurture to become something I am not. This A pastor friend of mine uses a dif without evangelism is an oxymoron. is a tough responsibility for us as pas ferent analogy: the Peter/Paul syn The paradox of ministry is that I tors to swallow: stick a thermometer drome. Peter felt the strong calling to need both ends of each continuum. I in the mouth of the pastor and you minister to his own (the Jewish peo need both the global and the local, get the temperature of the church. ple). He knew this crowd. They spoke home and office, being and doing, An organization cannot change if his language, understood his values, self-leadership and team leadership, the leaders of the organization are not and shared his life experiences. Paul, evangelism and nurture. The chal changing. Organizational change is on the other hand, felt strongly the lenge is for me to truly embrace both always preceded by personal change. calling to minister to those not con just as God does. Healthy growth in the church requires vinced (the Gentiles). "It has always As I reflect on Christ and His jour healthy growth in my life. The capa been my ambition," he says, "to ney of ministry, I take courage. He felt bility of the whole is influenced by preach the gospel where Christ was fully both poles trying to pull Him my own capabilities. How I manage not known, so I would not be build from one side to the other. Knowing and lead my own life has a direct bear ing on someone else©s foundation" the journey that I travel, I marvel that ing on how the church is led. (Rom. 15.20). He would call me to follow such a Often I wrestle with leadership The early church wrestled with path, to drink from His cup. I am insecurities. I so often feel like Joshua. this tension. Churches I©ve pastored amazed that He would invite me to There are a thousand Moseses out wrestle with this tension. The signifi join Him on His journey. there and how am I to follow his act? cance of both cannot be minimized. And yet, why should I be amazed? Joshua had to deal with himself Evangelism without nurture leads to He Himself "pastors" today from the before he could face Jericho. The lifelessness and vice versa. Notice crucible of His struggles and wants a internal walls of Joshua©s doubts had Christ©s words to the raw evangelists traveling companion. It is this jour to be removed before Israel could of His day, "You travel over land and ney we are called to take with Him. IBI conquer the external walls of Jericho. sea to win a single convert [talk about This tension of being with people fervor and commitment!], and when and being with God will not go away. he becomes one, you make him twice 1 Dee Hock, "The Art of Chaordic Leadership," Leader to Leader, Winter 2000. There is a time to stand before God as much a son of hell as you are" 2 "Managing Knowledge Means Managing Oneself," and a time to stand before the people. (Matt. 23:15). Ever wonder why they Leader to Leader, Spring 2000. The quest to find the right mix never ends. Ministry is about both.

Evangelism versus nurture The Great Commission is about going into all the world (evangelism) *

February 2002 MINISTRY 21 J T H E PASTOR C A L L L

Pulpit and politics A journey of service ine is perhaps one of the most Graduate School and the University of circuitous routes ever taken to Southern California administration pro M ministry! When asked whether gram, but in the end I found myself I had planned or thought it through in applying to the Theological Seminary at advance, I have customarily replied that DAVID PENDLETON Andrews University. "I could not have envisioned myself doing the sort of ministry I do today. It Graduate school was God leading all the way and simply My acceptance letter outlined my a step of faith for me." This is my story. financial package, but when I arrived in Berrien Springs, Michigan, it became Early interest in public service evident that all was not in order. I grew up in the Adventist church in Disappointed and full of questions Hawaii. I graduated from Hawaiian Augustine and Kant; from the Federalist about whether I had misheard God©s Mission Academy. Mrs. Lynne Waihee, Papers to collections of U.S. Supreme calling, I called one of my administrator my advisor, was an Adventist English Court cases; from Cotton Mather to friends to vent my frustrations. Niels-Erik teacher married to then Lieutenant Carl Henry; from Ellen G. White to Andreasen was then Dean of the School Governor of Hawaii John Waihee, an George Knight. In 1989, I completed a of Religion at what was then the La Andrews University alumnus and a ris Bachelor of Arts degree in history and Sierra Campus of Loma Linda University. ing star in the Hawaii Democratic Party. political science with theology as my That telephone conversation led me to Fortuitously, I interned with the minor. an M.A. in religion at La Sierra. Lieutenant Governor©s Office the sum ^ I studied Old Testament from mer before attending college. The The world of work Andreasen, systematic theology from experience reminded and convinced me By commencement day I had Fritz Guy and Richard Rice, Church his that government could be a force for already volunteered for several political tory from Paul Landa, ethics from good. I wondered whether I might be campaigns, including that of the 1988 Gerald Winslow, philosophy of religion able to be a modern Daniel or Joseph. I U.S. Presidential candidate, George from Dalton Baldwin, Christian psychol found the work intriguing, yet when I Bush. Though in all this I had only been ogy from Bailey Gillespie, and sociology enrolled at La Sierra University that fall, I a lowly "gopher," I was thrilled at hav of religion from Charles Teel. It was a found myself majoring in biology. ing been part of a victorious effort. I had fabulous experience. Because my parents were nurses work also served as student body president at While studying I served as a church ing in the Adventist health system, La Sierra and had relished representing elder at a local Adventist church and medicine seemed the logical choice. the students on various university com found myself on the preaching circuit. At La Sierra University, however, a mittees. By then I was married. number of experiences nudged me in a I had also, and perhaps most impor All was going well until I started different direction. One was attending a tantly, served the Camarillo Adventist thinking about the pervasive threat to Sabbath School class taught by profes Church as its youth pastor. There, under our young people posed by drugs, sors Rennie Schoepflin and Richard the mentorship of Associate Pastor Al domestic violence, and gangs. As a pas Rice. I was intrigued by the inter-rela Frederico, I acquired a love for ministry. tor I could work with a congregation. tionship between our ultimate beliefs It was more than the hikes, water ski But what of all the others who were and our social responsibilities. Another trips, campfire singing, or Bible studies. outside my congregation? There were was that of feeling queasy while observ What I found so thrilling was talking so many others who needed help. ing the dissection of a frog. God was about Jesus, pointing others to Him who Because of concerns and convictions clearly calling me to something other made all the difference in my own life, like this, after a few years I found myself than medicine! and leading others to make the decision completing a Doctor of Jurisprudence Over the next few years I enjoyed a of a lifetime. At Camarillo I experienced degree from the University of Southern rich intellectual life. I carried books the joys of full-time ministry. California Law School and passing bar wherever I went and had a voracious I flirted with pursuing a public policy exams in California and Hawaii. During appetite for ideas from Adam Smith to degree of sorts, and explored Claremont the time I prepared for those exams I

22 MINISTRY February 2002 was briefly an educator, first at San office. Would I return to full-time min Gabriel Academy and then at La Sierra istry? Note to potential writers University. I had grown to consider the I then returned to Hawaii with my Legislature my mission field. I had This article represents the kind of wife and two children. For the next few become the unofficial chaplain there, story Ministry is inviting its readers years, I worked as a trial lawyer with a holding Bible studies and organizing to contribute. These accounts will Honolulu law firm. I was making more prayer groups among some of the make up a new Ministry feature money than I ever had before. state©s political movers and shakers. entitled "The Pastor©s Call." This I was both a promoter of personal feature will take the place of "The Elective office faith and an advocate for public separa But public service was calling me. tion of church and state in terms of Pastor©s Day" column, which is Impressed by the need for genuine "ser government policies and funding. God presently intermittently published vant leadership" in public life, I launched was using me. And besides, my family in the magazine. a campaign for the State House of had grown by another child and my Representatives. My goal was to be wife was busy serving on the State We are looking for crisp, well- "part of conversation." I was going to Board of Education and as vice chair of written, and particularly give my unresponsive legislator oppo the Hawaii Republican Party. meaningful articles which tell the nent a "run for his money." All went However, the offer was one I could story of pastors© calls into ministry. according to schedule until election not refuse. I immediately assumed lead- We are especially interested in day. ership of the Hawaii Conference When the television reporters religious liberty and communications manuscripts that expose in story announced that I had won, I asked out departments, and within a year became form, the underlying dynamics loud, "What have I gotten myself into?" pastor of the Waiola Worship Center. and divine implications of the call But my wife, ever aware of the Christian I still serve as a legislator. But when to ministry. The intent of this perspective, asked: "No, what hath I©m not at the state capital, I©m writing feature is to inspire readers and Cod wrought?" for our Union Conference magazine, confirm our sense of divine calling. And truly it was the work of God. In addressing Sabbath employment prob terms of the usual standards of political lems, and pastoring my parishioners. Please keep manuscripts to 1,000 campaigning, I had been outspent and For me there was no Damascus road words or less. Writers whose outmaneuvered. But I had won anyway. experience. No thunder, lightning, or Now I began a new chapter serving in whirlwind, just the quiet yet profound submissions are accepted for our state©s legislature, while continuing whispering and nudging of God. My publication will be paid U.S. to practice law. I found the work satisfy role models are still Joseph and Daniel. $100.00. Please follow the ing. Yet the winds of change again I thank God every day for the privi instructions for submission of began to blow. lege of being a servant to the servants articles outlined under the In 1999, halfway through my second of God. m heading, "To Writers," found on term in office, the Hawaii Conference executive committee selected a new David A. Pendleton is an attorney, Adventist the masthead page of each issue conference president, a veteran pastor minister, and elected member of the Hawaii of Ministry. and union conference administrator House of Representatives. who had (years before) himself run for the U.S. Congress. We had worked together to introduce a religious liberty bill in the Hawaii Legislature. He now Communion with God had an ambitious agenda to put This short book is filled with powerful quotes from Ellen White together: a team with a passion for on prayer. Its 53 sections include a Bible quote, question, evangelism, a commitment to empow pertinent excerpts from the pen of Ellen White on many aspects ering the local congregation, and a of prayer, and a brief prayer summary. A powerfully uplifting sense of urgency reminiscent of our and encouraging book on developing a deeper relationship with church©s founders. Christ through prayer. Great for morning devotions. Also available in French and Spanish Return to full-time ministry Months later I got the call. Elder Resource Center -f General Conference Ministerial Association IS$5.95 +18% s&h Arnold Trujiiio asked whether I would 12501 Old Columbia Pike + Silver Spring, MD 20904 Phone: 888.771.0738 -f Fax: 301.680.6502 + Web: wivw.ministerialassociation.com come on board with the conference

February 2002 MINISTRY 23 ministry.

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CRESS should read. share their favorite vegetarian IBi (ovo-lacto) recipes from Pf+18% shipping & handling) around the globe. rI(+18% shipping & handling) The Sanctuary 1844 and the Pioneers Events of recent decades have pushed the subject of Send check, money order, or credit card number the doctrine of the sanctuary with expiration date to: and the investigative judgment into the forefront General Conference Ministerial Association Resource Center of interest and discussion 12501 Old Columbia Pike Silver Spring, Maryland 20904-6600 as never before. This is a P: 888-771-0738 F: 301-680-6502 must read book that will www.ministerialassociation.com give you a better understanding of the Sanctuary, 1844, and the Pioneers. ALSO AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL ABC fe r(+18% shipping & handling) is a story of life, expectancy, and growth. The Day of Pentecost, with the blessing of the Holy Spirit, created almost instantaneously a large congregation (Acts 2:42, 47). Large congrega tions were formed everywhere as the gospel spread (see Acts 4:4; 8:6; 9:35, 42; 11:21, 26; 13:44, 49; 14:21, 23; 16:5; 17:4, 6, 12; 19:20). We should expect no less today. "©Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations©" is God©s command (Matt. 28:18-20, NKJV). We believe that there will be a global spreading of the gospel before Christ returns Breaching the (Matt. 24:14). We should expect this even in areas such as North America, Europe, and Australia. Such an expectation demands that barriers in Adventists understand how to move through barriers to growth. Thousands of small Adventist churches need to be moved through attendance attendance barriers as we move to accept the final influx of people for the kingdom. Ellen White called for a plan of action to bring members of large church communities re you tired of adding names to into active service. The call is to have every David Ripley church books, while attendance member a minister working to bring the remains flat? When I began min gospel to those around the church.1 She calls istry as a young intern, I was sent for reform and more effective organization. to a large city to assist a success Large churches are called upon to assist Aful evangelist in a series of meetings. That smaller churches. They are to train and send church had a book membership of over 300, the trainees out into new areas. and its Sabbath attendance was around 175. My job was member visitation. We worked Structuring to meet the demands of our hearts out and were rewarded with 56 large churches baptisms. We were happy for the results. Imagine a large auto factory trying to oper About a year later I learned the attendance ate under the same organizational structure as at the church was still around 175. What had the local hardware store. The store could be a happened? Many reasons were given for the sole proprietorship, but the large factory will failure to hold these people; however, the never be successful as a sole proprietorship, or simple answer was that the church was up even a partnership. It must organize and oper against what some church growth specialists ate as a corporation with a high degree of call an "attendance barrier." structure. Likewise, if a church has, or desires Some believe we should abandon the effort to have, 1,000 people in attendance in its to grow churches because "it simply cannot be worship service, it cannot organize or operate done." The push is on to plant churches, and as a small group, or even as a small church. A it should continue because it promises to church will tend to be what it is envisioned, boost the Church in North America. However, structured, and organized to be. If there are 12 we must not abandon efforts to grow existing in your church and you wish to have 100, you churches. It can be done! All those empty seats must structure and operate like a church with represent places where people can come week an attendance of 100. If you have 150 in David Ripley, D.Min., ly and meet with God and His family. We attendance and you wish for 400, you must is ministerial director must learn how to move our churches structure and operate like a church of 400 in of the British Columbia Conference, Sumas, through attendance barriers. attendance. Washington. There are different barriers that may make Growth in existing churches is it difficult for a congregation to grow without biblical changes in structure and operation. While The parables of Christ show that the gospel these numbers are somewhat arbitrary, I

February 2002 MINISTRY 25 believe there are growth barriers at begin to grow as soon as we build a communicated allows them to be 12, 75, 200, 400, and a 1,000. new church facility or parking lot." willing to do what is necessary to My experience and concern for The churches I surveyed below the transform and grow. Without a clear the lack of growth of attendance in barrier had a great deal of extra capac vision a church is destined to plateau existing Adventist churches led to ity, yet they hadn©t breached the or decline. the topic of my dissertation. I chose barrier. Crowding is not a guarantee Leadership is key to a successful the 200 barrier because the literature that growth will be arrested or push-through and a sustained atten described it as the most stubborn bar reversed. Growth can come first and dance above an attendance barrier. If rier number. Ten churches below this the problems dealt with along the the surveys I did showed me any thing, it was that the future of the church depends on leadership. UST THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE MUST BE Leadership must discover, stimulate, and communicate the vision on a DIFFERENT TO REACH THE NEXT ATTENDANCE continual basis. Church staffing. The staffing of a J church is critical to growth and main EOAI SHOULD BE EMBOWERING, tenance above an attendance barrier. The literature I surveyed spoke of one attendance barrier were surveyed and way as growth occurs. The churches pastoral staff member for every 100 to compared to ten that had moved above the barrier dealt creatively with 150 in attendance. My survey showed beyond the barrier. These findings the problems. They would park on this to be true (at least in North were applied to the Northwest the lawn, have two services, or use America). If we wish our churches to Houston Seventh-day Adventist portable classrooms for more Sabbath grow, we must staff them properly. If Church. The results were that it grew School space. We should move ahead we feel we can©t afford such staffing, from an attendance of 180 to 300 in and deal with the issues as they arise. we can be creative in how we find about four years. I would like to share Location and demographics. While these full-time equivalents. Beyond what I have found about moving urban and suburban locations are the pastor, we can use Bible workers, churches through barriers in atten beneficial for growth, small cities and retired pastors, and lay ministry dance. While each size of church will towns are also ripe places, even where teams to name a few suggestions. have its unique answers there are ele larger churches already exist. These My survey showed that longer ments that are common to all. churches are not there because of stays by leadership in a pastoral posi their location or because the congre tion is important. Growing a church Structure for growth in gations are younger on average. These through an attendance barrier is a attendance churches are able to sustain larger long-term project. Pastors must stay First, we must realize that different attendance in a multitude of loca long enough to provide continuity to sizes of churches demand different tions because they have transformed make this happen. types of organization. Once we identi into a different kind of organization. Ministry training. Professional pas fy where we are, we can begin to Vision and goals. Pastors and staff, tors should spend more time and structure and organize for the next along with church leadership, must emphasis on training lay leaders for level. Just the knowledge that we must truly understand the concepts in ministry. This would bring them less be different to reach the next atten visioning for the future. Vision and role frustration, as lay leaders take on dance goal should be empowering. goals must not be confused with one greater ministry responsibility. Change should be easier in a congre another. A vision is a view of a desired The survey indicated that larger gation if we understand that it is future; goals are measurable steps churches tended to offer a wider necessary to make alterations in our along the way to attaining the vision. range of training events. Some were present structure to reach our desire The vision and goal concepts must evangelistic and others were more for effective evangelism and growth. then be communicated continually nurturing in nature. These churches Physical facilities and growth. While to the church family. The pastor©s tended to be more creative and less church growth literature speaks of understanding of the vision is critical traditional in the training events. crowded facilities as a hindrance to for a church to be able to move Small groups. Most church growth maintaining attendance above the through barriers and maintain atten literature is almost unanimous when barrier, my survey revealed that dance. Both the leadership and the it comes to the importance of small churches maintained attendance congregation must see it as God©s will groups in the church. Our local sur beyond the barrier in spite of crowded that they grow. A clear vision, discov vey showed that only 17 percent of conditions. We must not say, "We can ered by the church, and constantly those attending the Adventist

26 MINISTRY February 2002 churches we covered were involved time in prayer to complete His mis encounter in their everyday lives. A in formal organized small groups. sion. Our survey indicated that the church that wishes to grow must Relationships are completely neces pastors in churches that had broken rethink its liturgy. It must ask the sary to moving and maintaining through a barrier spent significant question "What will ©worship© mean attendance above the barrier. time in prayer each week. A church to the particular people we wish to Our definition of a group must wishing to move through an atten have with us in church this week?" widen beyond the formal, organized dance barrier needs to intensify its Whatever the answer is, it must be small groups. A pastor should foster a prayer life. After all, it is God©s dream, done with excellence. wide range of opportunities for peo vision, and mission we wish to follow. Evangelism. God ordained evangel ple to be engaged in. All these should Worship. Our survey indicated that ism. The survey of churches showed have a strong relational component a more contemporary mode of wor that just an emphasis on major evan undergirding their reason for exist ship is part of growing a larger gelistic events was not enough to ing. Win Am defines a small group church. Increasingly we find our bring about growth into a larger, as, "a face-to-face fellowship of per selves needing to discover ways to growing church. The larger churches sons (normally 10-30) who meet at make secular people, or nominal tend to have a wider definition of least monthly."2 Small groups are Christians, into devoted Christians evangelism. Evangelism today must absolutely necessary. The forms and and Seventh-day Adventists. What be innovative. reasons for their existence are almost was formerly comfortable to people We need to be willing to think out limitless. with a strong church background is side of the box. A more relational Prayer. Scripture, church growth often no longer valid today. Many of approach is more effective. Whether literature, and church leaders in gen the people we desire to fellowship the new people in attendance at wor eral are unanimous in affirming that and worship with us have no context ship are denominational transfers any plan to grow the church of God with which to compare today©s from elsewhere, reclaimed members, involves communion with God in church, except perhaps the profes or new people from the community, prayer. Jesus spent large amounts of sional and other venues they the reason they have come and

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February 2002 MINISTRY stayed is almost always because they Our Sabbath School©s theme for the of the church members of my two have been able to build new relation quarter was "Jesus Keeps Us Singing," churches in Scotland. ships in the church. and when I conducted Sabbath School Claude Lombart, Scotland. on May 26, I used "Don©t Hang It Up!" The future as a subtheme. I presented the whole read with interest the articles on God has commissioned Seventh- article, interspersed with song, com I divorce and remarriage (August day Adventists to carry a last-day ment, Scripture reading, and even a 2001). When I observe the never-end message to the people of the world. poem I wrote for the occasion. ing dissection of texts and syntax to The thousands of empty seats across It was as if God was preparing me make a point, it suggests to me that we the continent should be used to bring not to hang up my harp. On the sec do not have it right yet. Truth can be people to worship a saving God. ond day of June, my husband, retired stated simply, so the more complex Much of this can be done without the pastor Joseph Hunte of the South something becomes, the more suspi need to build new buildings, parking Caribbean Conference, was admitted cious I become. I believe the simple lots, or classrooms. to the hospital. Some days later, Dr. truth is that marriage is based on com We must learn how to move our Black©s article came to mind and I was mitment, and as long as both persons small churches through the different tremendously encouraged. I have in the marriage remain committed to attendance barriers until they are reread the sermon several times and each other, problems and difficulties strong centers for the gospel. These been greatly blessed. I thank him for will get worked through as each centers can then be a source of trained the wonderful message and you for matures and grows. But when either people and resources to move out to publishing it. party abandons their commitment, the yet other places where we can plant —Auldith Hunte, Trinidad, West Indies. marriage dies. new churches and bring the message The reason we continually miss the of the gospel in its end-time setting June issue mark on this topic is because we are for the benefit of a struggling world. ©m not sure if "ironic" would be the attempting to legislate relationships. The dream of every pastor, evan I correct word, but what a contrast in When will we learn that there is no law gelist, and our Almighty God is for us your June issue! I read some of the let or policy written that can dictate love? to bring to Christ and to baptism ters to the editors regarding the 27 Love is a choice which continues to large groups of people and have them fundamental beliefs, then I read Rudi exist only when based on commitment stay a part of the church family. We Maier©s article on his friend the Buddhist and trust (we would say "faith" in reli can organize and structure our monk. Wow! Thanks for his story. gious terms). As a church we do not churches so they can hold more and Robert Holbrook, Silver Spring, Maryland. believe in once-saved, always-saved, so more people to the glory of God. m why would we want to believe in once- Commendations to the Ministry edi married, always-married? Rejection of 1 Ellen G. White, "Every Christian©s Work/© Adventist torial staff for the excellent and timely Christ and the rejection of one©s mar Review and Sabbath Herald, February 28, 1893, 3. June issue on "Evangelism: Reaching riage partner is based on the same 2 Win Am, The Church Growth Ratio Book (Monrovia, Calif.: Church Growth, 1990), 25. the Contemporary Soul." It is exciting principle when one abandons his or to hear about the various ways that her commitment to the other, the rela people can still be reached and won for tionship is over. Christ in this day and age of ethical rel Because it takes two to be married Letters ativism, hedonism, and plain cynicism. (you cannot have a marriage by your Since the topic of evangelism is a by self), when one person is no longer continued from page 3 product of the worldwide nature of committed to the other, and refuses to Seventh-day Adventism, could the edi do anything to rebuild that commit disproportionately preoccupied with tors perhaps not produce another issue ment, then divorce is the legitimate how "the saints" must do the work featuring evangelism, with articles by way of acknowledging the death of the that our Lord has already done, and is church leaders and pastors from other marriage relationship. Any inappropri now applying and consummating divisions that were not included? And ate behaviors which may or may not through His heavenly ministry in the how about making it gender inclusive? follow, are only the symptoms and not lives of His people. We in the Trans-European Division the cause. Even God recognized this are proud of Peter Roennfeldt for his when, with deep regret, He divorced his Don©t hang it up! utter dedication and vision in reaching bride Israel because of her continual was so impressed by Dr. Barry Black©s out to the unchurched and secular rejection of Him (Jer. 3:6-8). Yes, God is I article, "Don©t Hang It Up!" (in the mindset ("Reaching the Unchurched"). divorced! m February 2001 issue), that I said, "My I thoroughly enjoyed reading his schol —Dick Tibbits, vice president, Florida church must hear this!" arly article and will give a copy to each Hospital, Oriando, Florida.

28 MINISTRY February 2002 PASTOR©s PASTOR L

Minister Maxine

ot all ministry is on the public leg." And beware the unfortunate soul platform. In the spirit of honor who would describe Maxine as disabled. N ing those to whom honor is She allows no condescending pity. due, I salute a sizeable group of individ When launching a project, Maxine is uals who serve Cod©s cause unheralded JAMES A. CRESS seldom daunted before accomplishing and, typically, away from public notice. her objective. For example, frustrated My friend, Maxine Leonhardt, is an that Hallmark published a "Maxine" example of such workers who are often series of greeting cards featuring a crab called "support staff" for lack of better by old crone who was always portrayed terminology. Even their "credentialed with a cigarette, she telephoned the missionary" status fails to adequately artist and demanded that his fictional express the sustaining structure they "Maxine" stop smoking. "After all," she provide the denomination as secre uncompensated overtime to managing, told him, "tobacco is dangerous, a poor taries, administrative assistants, purchasing, and accounting for various example, and your own mother would accountants, desktop specialists, and major projects. be ashamed of you for using my name technicians. Sharon and I first became friends to portray smoking." Amazingly, the Maxine, who recently retired at sev with Maxine about the time she was artist concurred and his popular line of enty-something and nearly five decades losing her beloved Pug, Danny Boy, as cards has continued years of record of church employment, will insist that we discovered a mutual love for dogs. sales sans the cigarettes! she should not be singled out for recog- Her perpetually gruff exterior belies a Maxine never wanted to retire. She nition. In fact, warm heart and true, loyal friendship to resisted even discussion of the issue. she will be quite anyone human or animal fortunate Whenever someone had the temerity to peeved that I enough to enter her circle. question her plans for sustentation, she actually Maxine is old enough to be my par would inform them that it is illegal even obtained a pho ent, but young enough in spirit to to inquire. One of her favorite expres tograph of her. maintain real friendship with twenty- sions was about Mid-America Union©s Despite nearly somethings! Sharon and I have Secretary, George Timpson, who was a two decades of observed her counsel and encourage few months older. "I©ll retire right after Maxine Leonhardt dose friendsnip/ young married couples despite the real George does!" Then, when Pastor we have never persuaded her to pose ity that she remains single. For years she Timpson unexpectedly died, she for even a snapshot. drove a very old car that she had care changed her story to, "I©ll leave the Maxine has always shunned the spot fully maintained and saw no sense in same way George left!" light, preferring a level of anonymity for purchasing a new one. "I©ve gotten When retirement finally arrived, she her ministry as a career accountant for along quite well without a man or a threatened anyone who would dare the church. Fair enough! Consider this a new car and I have more interesting plan a party to celebrate her departure, big thank you to every church worker things to do than invest in either one." but ended up delighted when cowork- who has labored quietly behind the Maxine and I also share an interest in ers "surprised" her with acknowledg scenes. offbeat collections. Her raccoons, rang ment of her lifelong contributions. In a clear example of the church©s ing from the kitschy to collectors items If you reviewed Maxine©s career, you historic gender disenfranchisement, if of real quality, are as numerous and leg might conclude her "behind the Maxine had been male, undoubtedly endary as my Noah©s Arks. scenes" work was unimportant because she would have been elected as a con One of the longest-term survivors of it may have been little known. Untrue! ference or union treasurer and subse melanoma, Maxine philosophically In Cod©s cause there are no unimpor quently ordained. Nevertheless, we decided after losing a leg to the after tant workers and Maxine is a great have observed her carefully support her effects of her successful cancer treat example of ordinary individuals faithful supervisors and even coach some boss ment to look on the positive side. "I©m ly accomplishing extraordinary things es into an effective management role. making a list," she declared, "of the for the kingdom. Thanks Max for your She has devoted myriad hours of people I want to kick with my wooden ministry! m

February 2002 MINISTRY 29 RESOURCES

suffering and grief, becoming and moving them on the ladder of spiritual being a righteous person, the value of growth, the book is an unusually help discipline, the meaning of spiritual ful guide. poverty, handling the perils of tempta 0 How People Crow, by Henry tion, and many more. Cod in the Manger, by John Cloud and John Townsend (Grand Extremely readable, filled with illus MacArthur (Nashville, Tenn: W Rapids: Zondervan, 2001; 368 pages, trations from real life, the book is an Publishing Croup, 2001; 179 pages, hardcover, $19.99). excellent source material for pastors softcover, $12.99). Is Christianity workable? Are its and spiritual care givers. John MacArthur writes without apol claims just that? Why do Christians fail ogy or indecision. His passion to be bib to make any impact on the moral and Parents© Guide to Spiritual lical and evangelical runs through his spiritual arenas in Mentor/fig of Teens, edited by )oe books, and his current work is no the world? Why do White and Jim Weidmann (Wheaton: exception. The mystery, the miracle, they feel helpless Tyndale House, 2001; 588 pages, hard and the majesty of when it comes to cover, $19.99). Bethlehem©s crib their own spiritual The turbulence of teen age brings its runs through Cod in growth? What is own challenges both to the teens and to the Manger, provid necessary to expe those who have to live with them: par ing both the pastor rience increased ents, teachers, pastors. A time of such a and the layperson strength and depth challenge is not a time to throw up the with firm theological in our spiritual walk, worship, marriage, hands, and give up the struggle. In fact, and biblical ground family life, work and friendships? it is the time the best time to turn to affirm and pro In How People Crow, Christian coun the challenge into an opportunity for claim the virgin birth, the nature of the selors Cloud and Townsend address spiritual growth and commitment. The Incarnation, the divine-human miracle these and other vital issues that perplex how is the big question that we all face. that occurred in Bethlehem, and the serious Christians and provide biblical Spiritual Mentoring of Teens provides supreme reason for it. answers. They chart a step-by-step some pertinent answers. It is a guide for The book is not all theology. There is route that enables Christians to know parents and others who deal with teens, much historical and faith-affirming and apply biblical principles for their a guide to catch the vision of ministry to drama. The author©s treatment of the personal growth. These authors are teens, to build strong parent-child rela two genealogies of Jesus given by nationally recognized speakers and psy tionships, to disciple by intent, and to Matthew and Luke provides much chologists and particularly noted for grasp biblical prom valuable insight to a preacher. Even the their best-selling series, Boundaries. ises and assurances mundane becomes profound. The present work is a result of the for our children. MacArthur dares not trivialize or sen authors© lifelong journey of faith. Based Pastors will find timentalize the persons or events on personal and professional experi great insights in this around the crib. He deals with each one ence and the personal study of Cod©s book to help them as the Bible does, and brings a sense of Word, the book begins with an exami develop the best wonder and awe to the Christmas sto nation of the problems of growth. kinds of relation ries. Those who accepted Baby Jesus Unlike most psychological analyses in ships with teens in and those who rejected Him seem to the market place of ideas, the authors their congregation. The book can also leap out across the centuries, suggest zero in on the real issue: our problems be a useful guide in conducting parent ing to us that our time is no different. begin with sin, and our solution rests ing seminars and group studies in The excellent but simple study with Jesus. With this kind of a theocen- churches and to help parishioners deal guides for the 11 chapters in the book tric approach, the authors guide the creatively with teenagers. From under can make it a good tool for group stud reader to face issues such as the role of standing teens to motivating them to ies or for personal enrichment. IB

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