Ministry International Journal for Clergy April 1988 *

God©s fire in evangelism SALIM JAPAS/4______

Establishing the date 457 B.C, L. P. TOLHURST/6

From bitterness to reconciliation WILLARD SANTEE/10

Conduct an annual church planning session Lawrence G. Downing/12 Christ and the imprisoned spirits John C. Brunt/15 ______The mission of the minister©s wife Ruth M. Murdoch/19 ____ Chemical dependency among Adventists Kathy Lewis/26

Departments: Editorials: Letters/2 Pastor©s Pastor/22 ARI (Adventist Renewal Initiative) Editorials/23 Neal C. Wilson/23 Health and Religion/26 A Dollar Each Biblio File/29 Rex D. Edwards/25 ShopTalk/31 Letters

Voice of God? publish these statements. In defense, we their sense of mission and is ultimately "The Church: Voice of God?" by need to acknowledge their existence doomed. Unity is a spiritual quality George Rice (December 1987), is a and make sure we give a balanced pic achieved as people grow closer to timely and, in fact, overdue article on ture of what Ellen White said about the Christ, not an organizational quality ah issue hotly debated in many places in issue. Ross Winkle. achieved as people bow to hierarchial the church today. institutional authority. Susan Sickler, I believe there was one technical de The recent article in MINISTRY on Dayton, Ohio. tail in error in the article. It is not quite Ellen White©s relationship to the au correct to say that A. G. Daniells was thority of the General Conference is the Survey on women in ministry elected president of the General Con most frightening presentation I have Re the letters in the December issue ference in 1901, for the General Con ever come across in an Adventist publi regarding the survey on women in min ference had no president between 1901 cation. istry: Dr. Anderson criticizes the survey and 1903. During that period the chair Our theology clearly states that we for not following up on a 72 percent man of the General Conference Com are one-on-one with God, with Christ return on the onetime mailing, saying mittee was the chief executive of the as our only intermediary. In the final that it leaves a "very real possibility of church, and it was that position that A. judgment I will not be represented by nonresponse bias." It seems that he fails the General Conference legal staff, and G. Daniells occupied. Edwin E. Rey to recognize the obvious: the positive nolds. if I have not thought things out for my answer from better than 80 percent of self with God, but simply relied on the respondents means that even if all Dr. Rice says that "from 1901 on, El General Conference study commissions 28 percent of the nonrespondents len White spoke positively regarding to decide what 1 will believe, I may very viewed the question negatively (which the future of the Seventh-day Adventist well be in big trouble with my Maker. is highly unlikely), at least 57.6 out of Church" (p. 6). While true,© this state The General Conference of Seventh- every 10.0 respondents viewed it posi ment does not present a balanced pic day Adventists is neither as good nor as tively. That seems to be very significant ture. On several occasions after 1901 bad as many people would like us to and implies that the nonresponse bias Ellen White also spoke negatively in believe. It is not infallible, but neither that Dr. Anderson refers to is highly no uncertain terms on the future of is it Babylon. It is composed of leaders insignificant. David L. Reynolds, the Adventist Church. She stated: who share all of the strengths and weak Canby, Oregon. that the leaders were not.obeying nesses of the people they lead. For the the Testimonies, that the Holy Spirit most part they are hardworking, dedi Illegitimate parents could not come on the work (a refer cated people who spend long hours In the April 1987 MINISTRY, page ence to the situation at Nashville and in struggling with complex problems for 28, Professor Herbert Kiesler refers to the Southern field), and that she had which there are no easy right and wrong Ludwig R. Conradi as the "illegitimate" lost confidence (letter 263, 1902). answers. They receive a modest salary son of his parents. Now, I well know that the leading men were blind, and a lot of crank mail. They deserve that within the British-North American that the future looked hopeless, and our respect but not our adulation. culture innocent little children are (ar that she feared greatly and had little I am first and foremost a Christian, a rogantly?) described as illegitimate, a courage (letter 288, 1903). person who has a personal relationship description that places them below such that Jesus© words over Jerusalem as with Jesus Christ. Second, I subscribe to children as have married parents. This He left the Temple were appropriate for the belief system of Adventist theology is, allow me to suggest, a mistake. Ad the church since the last General Con as the best explanation of present truth ventist writers ought not to follow this ference session and that the church was that I have found so far in my life. A trend, however widespread it may be. under God©s frown (letter 43, 1903), part of this theology states that as long Little Ludwig©s parents were illegiti that she wondered why judgments as 1 live I have an obligation to con mate. He was not. Leif Kr. Tobiassen, from God had not fallen on the General tinue to study and search and seek Trondheim, Norway. Conference (manuscript 26, 1903). God©s guidance to grow in my relation that many were still blind since the ship to Him and to understand truth as Rotate the personnel 1901 GC session and had not repented, He reveals it to me. My third priority is We certainly share Freddie Russell©s that many wrongs were still uncorrec- to an organized church that serves as a concerns ("When It©s Time to Move ted, that men in high positions were means of fellowship with other believers On," December 1987) about adminis perverse, and that dishonesty, oppres and a way of reaching nonbelievers for trative longevity, and have discussed sion, and selfishness were too evident. Christ. The church is only a means to this particular issue at length at consti I do not want to destroy the church; an end, never an end in itself. Any per tution committee meetings. However, neither do I believe that it is Babylon. son or church that doesn©t keep that he missed the main point of the prob- But I know of some who do and they order of priority clearly in focus loses (Continned on page 28)

2 MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 First Glance MINISTRY is the international journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association. ASSOCIATION SECRETARY: Floyd Bresee EDITOR J. Robert Spangler EXECUTIVE EDITOR: J. David Newman In a sense, the date 457 B.C. is foundational to Adventism. It ASSISTANT EDITORS: David C. James marks the beginning of the prophetic period that reaches to 1844, Kenneth R. Wade the prophetic period that provided the impetus for the Millerite SEMINAR DIRECTOR: movement, out of which the Adventist Church grew. In a short, Rex D. Edwards CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: easy-to-read article L. P. Tolhurst reveals the bedrock on which Carlos Aeschlimann this foundation is laid. Ellen Bresee Raoul Dederen Ariel Roth In "Christ and the Imprisoned Spirits" John Brunt digs into Gary Swanson three problem passages. His concern is not merely to deal with the N. C. Wilson difficulties but to find in the passages the messages they convey con CONSULTING EDITORS: Galen Bosley cerning our spiritual life. Whether or not you agree with his conclu C. E. Bradford sions, you will find his article stimulating and informative. P. Gerard Damsteegt Roland R. Hegstad Frank Holbrook For years Willard Santee maintained an independent ministry Kenneth]. Mittleider known for its criticism of the church. The accepting, unconditional Marie Spangler Richard Tibbits love of a pastor, a retired church employee, and a former college Leo R. Van Dolson teacher brought about a change of heart, and now he pastors in the EDITORIAL SECRETARIES: Pennsylvania Conference. He tells his story in "From Bitterness to Ella Rydzewski Mary Louise McDowell Reconciliation." ART DIRECTOR- Kathy Lewis, who is not an Adventist but works with the Stephen Hall DESIGNER: chemically dependent in an Adventist setting, writes of the barriers G. W. Busch to recovery from addiction that exist within the church. Her article MARKETING: will challenge you to encourage your church members to be less Tom Kapusta ADVERTISING SALES: judgmental and more supportive. Orval Driskell Other articles in this issue contain practical pointers and inspira SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Larry Burtnett tion. All in all, there©s something for everyone here. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENTS: Africa-Indian Ocean, W. S. Whaley Eastern Africa, Harry A. Cartwright Euro-Africa, Johannes Mager Far East, James H. Zachary Inter-America, Salimjapas . (_Jo*» North America, William C. Scales, Jr. Trans-Europe, Mark Finley South America, Amasias Justiniano South Pacific, A. David C. Currie Southern Asia,Ronald N. Baird MINISTRY, (ISSN 0026-5314), the interna tional journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association 1988, is published monthly by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and printed by the Review and Herald Publishing Association, 55 West Oak Ridge Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21740, U.S.A. Subscriptions: US$19.95 for 12 issues inU.S., US$23.55 for 12 issueselse- where. Single copy: US$2.00. Member Asso ciated Church Press. Second-class postage paid at Hagerstown, Maryland. This publica tion is available in microfilm from University Microfilms International. Call toll-free 800- 521-3044. Or mail inquiry to: University Mi crofilms International, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Postmaster: Send address changes to MINIS TRY, 55 West Oak Ridge Drive, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740. Editorial Office: 6840 Eastern Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. 20Q12. Stamped, self-addressed envelope should accompany unsolicited manuscripts.

VOLUME 61 NUMBER 4

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 3 God©s fire in evangelism

am convinced that to power in the hand of God. His loyalty to Salim Japas dream dreams and the evangelistic task assigned to him was see visions in rela a decisive factor in assuring that the sav tion to our evangelis ing message would reach all of the world, tic task is an urgent including us. necessity of the Ad- Ours is an age that is relatively secure ventist ministry. In in its techniques and knowledge, but this crucial hour, divine wisdom im confused when it comes to goals and des Is our church on fire presses us with the truth that no one can tiny. Bombastic when it comes to power, accomplish an evangelistic task beyond but fearful when it comes to weakness. A or lukewarm? What his vision and dream. George Deakin society relatively rich materially, but said that "a vision without a task makes a spiritually bankrupt. We need, there is the secret to visionary; a task without vision, a scoun fore, the vision of God in order to ad rekindling the fire of drel with neither occupation nor benefit; but a vision with a task, a perfect vance beyond our own vision. Without God for evangelism? missionary." © vision there is no life. The best we can do The apostle Paul had his missionary with a man when the last of his mission vision renewed after the Holy Spirit pre ary dreams is dead is to bury him. vented his trip to Bithynia (Acts 16:7). It is possible that the personal tasks of His vision of the Macedonian man some ministers may be impeding the (verses 9, 10) was three-dimensional. It evangelistic task that we must accom was a vertical vision, for he realized that plish. There is no possibility of haggling the "Lord had called us" and that this call when it comes to the renewing of the was for a specific evangelistic task. It was vision and pushing the limits of the king an inner vision that showed him that dom toward more distant frontiers. No, the evangelistic tasks he was endeavor there are no options; the challenge of the ing to carry forward were too narrow. He evangelistic task demands that we decide needed to move into new territory, to between burying ourselves in conform- broaden his understanding of God©s call ism, negativism, and pessimism, or to spread the gospel. It was a horizontal dreaming dreams of grandeur. vision, for he saw Macedonia, and Eu Evangelism is more than a program, Saiim Japas, a highly rope beyond. He saw the empire, he saw more than a strategy, more than a meth successful evangelist, is the world, he saw clear down to our day. odology; it is a passion that crystallizes in ministerial secretary of the Inter-American The frontiers of the task of God went rescue: "Even the captives of the mighty Division of the General beyond the immediate call to "come over shall be taken away" (Isa. 49:25). This is Conference. into Macedonia, and help us." The gos a rescue that demands urgency because pel had to go to all the world. "the increasing wickedness is such that In response the apostle moved in the multitudes are rapidly approaching a direction of duty. Thanks to his unshak point in their personal experience be able conviction, his intense compassion, yond which it will be exceedingly diffi and his undivided consecration, the cult to reach them with a saving knowl apostle came to be an instrument of edge of the third angel©s message."

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 What do we lack? knowledge, but it comprises much more I have asked myself sometimes, What than this." 3 If my observation is correct, are we lacking to complete our task of we must recognize that the missing note Paul, the major proclaiming the message of the third an is evangelism. If the world is to be gel here and then going to our home up warned, moved, and attracted to the foot theologian of the there? We have money, time, an effec of the cross, every Adventist minister tive ecclesiastical structure, a brilliant and every member of the church must apostolic church, was program, a beautiful message centered in enlist voluntarily in the evangelistic the person of Christ. Perhaps what we proclamation. also the evangelist par lack is to be the man, the believer, filled excellence. with enthusiasm to advance the task (see Theology versus evangelism? Eze. 22:30). Fervent love for God and for The church suffers a great loss when His task is the secret of success in evan we try to separate theology from evange gelism. Any undertaking not founded on lization. This separation is a theological love is a dead enterprise. Successful min aberration. The two are never separated isters are those who have maintained the in the Scriptures. Paul, the major theo fire burning on the altar of enthusiasm logian of the apostolic church, was also lenge without options: the saving of souls and have advanced with faith, even the evangelist par excellence. We can must take priority. In some areas of the against all hope. not find in the biblical account even one world the ministers are on fire, the When D. L. Moody, the great evange example of someone who dedicated him church is burning, and the gospel is ad list, heard the English minister Mr. Var- self to theology independently or exclu vancing. But in other areas the church is ley say, "Moody, God expects to demon sively. All of the apostles were fervent lukewarm, because the ministers are not strate to the world what He can do with a witnesses of Christ, and their first and on fire. There is power, but it is limited; man that is totally consecrated to Him," most important task was not speculation only the power of God is infinite. As an he later declared, "By the grace of God, I or investigation, but proclamation. The ecclesiastical structure we can make will be that man." Does your heart re message they proclaimed, the evangelis plans and select strategies, but God has spond to this call too ? tic kerygma, was filled with revealed the sum total of power, and He can grant It seems to me that the Adventist theological content, but their chief ef it to the church. "Ye shall receive power, Church, at least in some regions, has lim forts were bent toward saving souls. ited the power of its Christian testimony If God in His infinite mercy poured out after that the Holy Ghost is come upon by its defective concepts. It has been too His Spirit in pentecostal fullness when you," Jesus said (Acts 1:8). pulpit-centered. The biblical principle of the church was born, He can do the same In a certain measure we are the archi the universal priesthood of the believers at the culmination of its history. But we tects of our own weakness, because we (1 Peter 2:9) has not been understood or have a daring enemy against whom we depend upon ourselves. We illuminate acted upon. Hence evangelism has come must struggle. His name is apathy. ourselves with the dying glow of our own to be regarded as the task of a few special It seems that the desire for recognition light. But if we are to receive the pente ists. and acceptance has driven the church costal power, we must submit ourselves The minister who is so involved in his into formalism. Where form and liturgy to God. "When we have entire, whole ministerial tasks that there is no time left become central to worship, the church hearted consecration to the service of for the salvation of souls is not fulfilling becomes lethargic. The ideals that best Christ, God will recognize the fact by an his task as a minister. The work of evan express the nature of the church sleep, outpouring of His Spirit without mea gelism is not separate from pastoring. and apathy robs us of the love for evange sure; but this will not be while the largest Every minister who has been called by lism. We have the wick, but it is not lit; portion of the church are not laborers God to minister in this church can use his we lack the spiritual force to lead the together with God." 5 or her gifts and capabilities to attract people of God toward the frontier, the My conviction impels me. We must souls to the foot of the cross. A minister place where the kingdom of God can be seek fervently the baptism of fire. If our who cannot do this is not truly able to be extended. In some of our churches the people were as eager to receive the bap a minister. It is important to remember language of Zion is no longer spoken with tism of fire as they are to receive the that the very center of the ministry is the clarity. We do not speak; we go to church baptism of water, we would open the way salvation of souls; if there is failure in this to sleep. The pillars of the church have to a fervent, dynamic church filled with point, no other success can be accept been converted into pillows. We sleep pentecostal charisma. Then our testi able. and the voice of God is not heard; the The preachers in some Adventist pul revival and the power are delayed. mony would be a voice and not an echo. pits today are .intellectual, up-to-date, But even now there is hope. God is A voice that proclaims the greatness of and theological. But I ask myself whether awake, and "when we bring our hearts God and the imminence of His return." their approach is adequate for the chal into unity with Christ, and our lives into ©Leonard Ravenhill, ed., Why Revival Tarries lenge of the hour. As someone has said: harmony with His work, the Spirit that (Minneapolis: Bethany Fellowship, 1959), p. 23. "Rather than deal with subjects of the fell on the disciples on the day of Pente 2Ellen G. White, Evangelism (Washington, moment, we should deal with themes of cost will fall on us." 4 D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1946), p. 25. eternity"; or as the Spirit of Prophecy has We need God©s fire to finish the task. 3IW., pp. 209, 210. indicated: "The preaching of the Word We have a mission we cannot and must 4IW.,pp. 697, 698. should appeal to the intellect and impart not renounce. Evangelization is a chal- 5Ibid, p. 699.

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 5 Establishing the date 457 B.C

eventh-day Advent- Another evidence that this is the L. P. Tolhurst ists believe that "the wrong decree is that it simply doesn©t commandment to re work with the Daniel 9 prophecy of the store and to build Je time of the arrival of the Messiah, the rusalem" (Dan. 9:25) anointed one. With the date of this de marks not only the cree as a starting point, the 483 years beginning of the 70- Daniel spoke of do not reach anywhere weeks prophecy of that passage, but also near Jesus© time, never mind identifying The date 457 B.C., the beginning of the 2300 days men the year of His baptism His anoint tioned in Daniel 8:14- We believe that ing which took place in A.D. 27. the base date for the this latter prophecy reaches down to Scripture gives no date at all for the prophecy that 1844, and thus points us out as the people second decree, that of Darius the Great. God raised up on time to proclaim the All we know is that it was given in the reaches to 1844, is last message of warning to the world. If early years of his reign, because, as a re we are correct, we ought to be able to sult of it, the Temple was completed and firmly established in justify our claim by producing evidence dedicated. And, like Cyrus©s, Darius©s that will support it. decree was concerned with the restora both Scripture and Three Persian decrees played roles in tion of the Temple, not of the city. Ob the restoration of God©s people from the viously, for establishing a starting point history captivity the Babylonians had insti for the prophecy this decree is not of tuted. Confirming our interpretation of much use either. these important prophecies of Daniel de If God intended either of these decrees pends on identifying and dating the de to mark the beginning of a time prophecy cree with which God intended the time as important as that of the 2300 days, calculations to begin. then certainly He would have seen that Cyrus issued the first decree in the first the details needed were recorded in the year of his Babylonian reign, which was Bible. 538/537 B.C. (see Ezra 1:1; 6:1; and 2 Chron. 36:22, 23). The Bible does not Artaxerxes© decree indicate when in the first year of his reign It is in connection with the third de this decree was given, so we do not know cree that of the seventh year of Arta L. P. Toifiurst is a whether the year involved was 538 or 53 7 xerxes, recorded in Ezra 7:8, 9 that we professor of theology at B.C. Nor does the Bible tell us when have the information necessary to locat Pacific Adventist Col lege, Borofco, N.C.D., Zerubbabel©s party left Babylon and ing in time this important prophecy. Re Papua New Guinea. when they arrived in Jerusalem, so we do garding this decree we are told that Ezra not know when this decree became effec left Babylon on the first day of month 1 of tive. The Bible©s vagueness about these the seventh year of the reign of Arta details argues against this being the all- xerxes, and that he and his group arrived important decree. Furthermore, Cyrus©s in Jerusalem on the first day of month 5 of decree says nothing about the restoration the same year. For no other decree is such of the city. It speaks only of the rebuild detail given. This itself should alert us. ing of the Temple. Surely God is saying something to us

6 MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 Figure 1 Accession Year

468 467 466 465 464 463 462 461

Xerxes© Artaxerxes© Artaxerxes© 17* 18* 19th 20th £ Accession 1st 2nd 3rd cl Year Year Year i t Double lines mark the division between years. Dean? when His Word is so explicit regarding When a king died and a new one took this way they have been able to compile a this decree and so vague regarding the the throne, the remaining portion of that list of the Babylonian and Persian kings other two. year was considered the accession year of together with precise details as to when Furthermore, this decree provided for the new king and was not counted as or each came to the throne and how long the restoration of local government on a called the first year of the new king©s each ruled. scale not mentioned in the other decrees reign. Only the first full calendar year of a To assign B.C. dates to the reigns of (note Ezra 7:21-28). It empowered the king©s reign was called his first year (see these kings, scholars had to take one judiciary to punish wrongdoers, even Figure 1). As can readily be seen, the more step; they had to find a way to link granting the authority to impose the accession year could be long or short, the reigns of the kings to our B.C. scale. death sentence. And as a result of this depending on when the new king came They established this link by means of decree Ezra began to build the city see to the throne. the tablets that record and date the the letter to Artaxerxes in Ezra 4. To establish the date of an event in eclipses that occurred in the days of those However, perhaps the strongest argu terms of our calendar, scholars first had kings. Most of these tablets describe in ment of all is that when we calculate the to determine the succession of the kings detail eclipses that had already occurred, Daniel 9 prophecy using the date of this and the length of their reigns. The lists of but at least one predicts an eclipse at that decree, 457 B.C., as marking its begin kings that ancient writers provided are time yet future; it was to occur in the ning, the prophecy reaches exactly to the one source of such information. Another seventh year of Cambyses. That they baptism of Jesus. In fact, Daniel 9:24 sug is the method that Richard A. Parker and were able even to predict eclipses reveals gests that the events that take place Waldo H. Dubberstein developed as they the high standard of astronomical sci within the 70 weeks set God©s seal of gathered the information published in ence these ancient people practiced. approval on the whole of the prophecy. their useful book Babylonian Chronology: As archeologists have found and trans They show that the prophecy was di 626 B.C.-AD. 75. Parker and Dubber- lated tablets describing eclipses, astrono vinely given, and thus absolutely de stein©s method grew out of the fact that mers have been able to calculate when in pendable. And no other date even begins thousands of tablets dated by their au terms of our calendar those eclipses took to satisfy the demands of this prophecy. thors to the reigns of ancient Near East place. Thus guesswork has been elimi Obviously, then, the decree God in ern kings have been found. These two nated and precise dates given to the tends us to use is that of Ezra 7 the one men suggested that by finding the three reigns of these ancient kings. In terms of issued in the seventh year of Artaxerxes. or four tablets bearing the latest dates chronology, the Babylonian and Persian God has given us details about when it from each king©s reign and the three or periods are among the very best docu was issued and when it went into effect. four tablets bearing the earliest dates of mented periods of history. (The table be And the precision with which it relates each successor©s, the transition points low lists some of the eclipses the tablets to Jesus© baptism marks it as authentic. It between each reign might be pretty well describe.) is just too accurate to be wrong! established. Using this method, scholars Having determined that it is Artaxer can calculate the month and sometimes The date for the seventh year of xes© decree that marks the beginning of almost the day of the month that a king Artaxerxes these prophetic periods, we must now died and his successor took his place. In With such a wealth of information re- establish that the year in which he issued his decree actually was 457 B.C. DateS &f Some Eclij>ses <>f tlie Baliytenizrai arid ;I?e;rsuin Periods Babylonian and Persian dating Ttte following list np,tes:some of the eelipsesofwhich\vehaye; records from the methods period,of history with which \#e,are concerned in this, study; : ; , .© ©. In the time of the Persians, all events and documents were dated in terms of the King Year o£ Reigri B.C. Date of Eclipse day number, month name or number, and year number of the current king©s Nabopolassar 5th April 22,621 B.C. reign. For example, as we have already Nebuchadnezzar 37th ©Ji4y;4,5<58B.C. ©.© -. noted, Ezra says that he left for Jerusalem Cambyses 7th :July 16, 523 B.C. on the first day of month 1 of Artaxerxes© Darius I . 20th November 19, 502 B.C. seventh year, arriving there on the first Darius I ©31st . April 25, 491 B,C. : day of month 5 of the same year.

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 Figure 2 The Spring-to-Spring and Fall-to-Fall Years

ring 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Fall-to-fall 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6

The seventh month of the spririg-to-spring year Likewise the first month of the spring-to-spring year is the first month of the fall-to-fall year, but is the seventh month of the fall©to-fall year, but in retains both the name (Tishri) and the number both calendars is called Nisan and is identified as (seven) by which the Jews identified it. month 1. garding the chronology of this period, we names, the months of the spring-to-spring declared: "We have not followed cun can with confidence ascertain the B.C. and fall-to-fall calendars retained the same ningly devised fables" (2 Peter 1:16). date of the seventh year of Artaxerxes© numbers. So while the spring-to-spring reign. calendar began with month 1 and ended 1 A fourth possibility has been suggested: some consider Artaxerxes© acquiesence to Nehemiah©s Xerxes, the predecessor of Artaxerxes, with month 12, the fall-to-fall calendar request to return to rebuild Jerusalem (444 B.C., was murdered sometime between Decem began with month 7 and ended with Neh. 1:1-3; 2:1) as the decree that should provide the starting date of the prophecy (see, e.g., Robert ber 17, 465 B.C., and January 3, 464 B.C. month 6 (see Figure 2). Anderson, The Coming Prince [Grand Rapids: Kre- The tablet bearing the latest known date With this information we can con gelPub., n.d.]). However, starting from the date of from his reign is dated to month 9 (which struct a time line for the early years of this incident throws the 70-weeks prophecy way off the date of Jesus© baptism. And whereas the Bible corresponds to December) of his twenty- Artaxerxes and thus arrive at the carefully quotes each of the three preceding de first year of reign. And the Elephantine all-important seventh year of his reign. crees, in this case it merely says that Artaxerxes papyri from Egypt contain the first known We calculate that year according to the granted permission and sent accompanying let ters it gives no indication that he issued a decree. date identified with Artaxerxes© reign Jewish fall-to-fall calendar the calen Such offhanded treatment of this "decree" is hardly the equivalent of our January 3, 464 B.C. dar Ezra was using when he referred to what one would expect if the Lord wanted to mark Since this date comes from records origi Artaxerxes© decree (see the box on the it as the starting point of Daniel©s important prophecy. nating in Egypt, most scholars agree that opposite page). 2 The rebuilding of the Temple Cyrus©s decree Xerxes died before the end of December, as Figure 3 shows that Artaxerxes© sev had initiated had petered put. The Jews began work on the Temple again and then wrote, asking Da- it is hardly likely that news of his death and enth year began in 458 B.C. and ex rius©s permission. In his second year, Darius replied, Artaxerxes© succession would travel from tended into 457 B.C., and that the dates granting that permission. The work continued, and Persia to Egypt in three days. Thus it ap Scripture records in connection with this in his sixth year, the Temple was dedicated (see pears certain that Xerxes© death must be decree those for Ezra©s departure for Je Haggai 2:10-18 and Ezra 6:15). dated in late December, 465 B.C. rusalem and for his arrival there fall Bibliography While the Jews followed a spring-to- well within 457 B.C. Horn, S. H., and L. H. Wood. The Chronology of spring calendar for their religious year, in It is interesting to note that William Ezra 7. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1953. time they came to use a second calendar Miller and his associates used a different Parker, Richard A., arid Waldo H. Dubberstein. as well much as many nations today method for calculating which of our years Babylonian Chronology: 626 B.C.-A.D. 75. 3rd printing. Providence, R.I.: Brown University have a fiscal year as well as a calendar corresponded to Artaxerxes© seventh Press, 1969. year. Just as the beginnings and endings year. Basing their work on Ptolemy©s The Seventh©day Adventist Bible Commentary. of our fiscal years differ by six months Canon, they came up with the same date Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1954. Vols. 3, 4. from those of our calendar years, the Jew we have arrived at above. This certainly Thiele, E. R. The Mysterious Numbers of the He ish fall-to-fall calendar differed by six is a gratifying reassurance as to the trust brews Kings. Exter, Devon, England: Paternoster months from the spring-to-spring calen worthiness of our position and should Press, 1965. Wiseman, D. J. Chronicles ofChaldaean Kings (626- dar. And much as the months of our fis help to fortify our faith in the message we 556 B.C.). London: Trustees of the British Mu cal and calendar years retain the same bear to the world. As the apostle Peter seum, 1961. Figure 3 Artaxerxes© Seventh Year

458 B.C. 457 B.C. 456 B.C.

7* 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6

Ezra reckoned Artaxerxes© seventh year on the fall-to-fall year. Ezra arrived in Jerusalem on the first day He left Babylon on the first day of month 1 of Artaxerxes© seventh of month 5 of Artaxerxes© seventh year. year. *Even when the Jews were using the fall-to-fall year, they retained the month numbering of the spring-to-spring year. The fall-to-fall year, then, began with month 7 and ended with month 6 (see box accompanying article).

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 Jewish use of the fall*to-fall year

The calendar by which the Babylo about the reforms that Josiah carried numerical order, his sadness before nians and Persians reckoned their out in Judah, and of the Passover cel the king would have preceded his years was a spring-to-spring calendar. ebration with which he capped those hearing of the news that precipitated That is, their year began in the spring reforms. Josiah sent his men through that sadness! But in the fall-to-fall and ended with the ending of winter. out his kingdom to call on the people calendar his dating of the events In reckoning their religious year, the to forsake the worship of idols and to poses no problem, because in that Jews also followed a spring-to-spring turn to the true God. Places of pagan calendar month 9 precedes month 1 calendar. But at times they used a fall- worship were destroyed, the groves (see figure 2). to-fall calendar when reckoning the were cut down, and the people were Two factors make this instance of reigns of their own and foreign kings. invited to assemble in Jerusalem for the use of the fall-to-fall calendar of Those who ignore or are not aware the Passover. It is not hard to see that particular import for the dating of of this fact may be off by as much as six Josiah©s men would need a fair Artaxerxes© decree. First, while the months in their dating of biblical amount of time to accomplish all this. previous two examples involved events, which can throw dates on our It would also take the people some dates based on the reigns of Hebrew B.C./A.D. scale into a completely time to travel to Jerusalem, especially kings, Nehemiah, like Ezra, was bas different year. Reckoning Ezra©s those who lived in the farther reaches ing his dating on the reign of a Per "seventh year of Artaxerxes" by the of the kingdom. Yet Scripture indi sian king. spring^to-spring calendar, for in cates that the reforms were carried out And second, Nehemiah was Ezra©s stance, places his dates for the carry and the people gathered between the contemporary in time and circum ing out of Artaxerxes© decree in 458 beginning of the eighteenth year of stances both were Jews who were B.C and the climax of the 2300 day Josiah©s reign and the time of the Pass raised in Persia and wrote within a prophecy in A.D. 1843 rather than over that took place in that year. few years of each other after their A.D. 1844. Since the Passover occured on the return to Palestine. We would ex Four lines of evidence three bib fourteenth date of the first month of pect two people with the same back lical and one extrabiblical show the year, if these events were reck ground who were writing at the same that the Jews did use the fall-to-fall oned on the basis of the spring-to- time and place to use the same dating calendar. spring year, they would all have had technique. to take place within 14 days at the 1. The building of Solomon©s most! However, if we allow that the 4. The Elephantine papyri Temple Jews were using a fall-to-fall year, S. H. Horn and L. H. Wood have Scripture tells us that Solomon be there would have been up to six and found extrabiblical evidence for Jew gan to build the Temple in the fourth one-half months for these reforms to ish use of the fall-to-fall calendar dur year of his reign, in the month Zif, the be carried out before the celebration ing the Persian period. Some of the second month of the Jewish year, and of the Passover a much more likely manuscripts written by Jewish sol that he finished the Temple in the schema. diers stationed at the fortress on the eleventh year of his reign, in the Elephantine Islands in the Nile in month of Bul, the eighth month of 3. Nehemiah before the king upper Egypt were dated by two calen the Jewish year (1 Kings 6:1, 37, 38). In beginning the account of his dars, the Egyptian calendar and the On a spring-to-spring calendar, these work in Jerusalem, Nehemiah says he Jewish fall-to-fall calendar. These dates would comprise seven and one- heard bad news about the condition manuscripts, from around the years half literal years, which the Jews of that city in the month of Chislev 422 B.C. to 419 B.C., offer another would have counted as eight years (Neh. 1:1-4), which is the ninth evidence of Jewish use of this calen with their inclusive reckoning. month of the Jewish year. He contin dar even when the king upon whose But based on a fall-to-fall calendar, ues by saying that as a result of this bad reign the dates were based was a for the same dates would yield six and news he was sad in the king©s presence eigner, in this case the Persian, Da one-half years, which, with inclusive in the month of Nisan (Neh. 2:1-8), rius II. (Kraeling Papyrus No. 6 is of reckoning, the Jews would have the first month of the Jewish year. special importance here.) Horn and counted as seven years the time More to the point of our concern Wood have provided the details of Scripture actually specifies for the here, he dates both his hearing of the this evidence in their book The Chro building of Solomon©s Temple (verse bad news and the occasion on which nology of Ezra 7. 38). Artaxerxes noticed his sadness to that So the probability that Ezra used king©s twentieth year. If he were fol the fall-to-fall calendar can be estab 2. Josiah©s reforms lowing the spring-to-spring calendar, lished from both biblical and extra- In 2 Kings 22:3-23:23 we read in which the months proceeded in biblical sources.

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 From bitterness to reconciliation

left the Seventh-day fellow ministers whom I felt were obvi Willard Santee Adventist pastorate ously not as faithful in their preaching as determined to re I. form the church. I Where does such self-righteousness started my own inde begin? Originally it began in the mind of pendent ministry with Lucifer, who communicated it to Adam the usual circulation and Eve, who in turn passed it down the of cassettes and pamphlets attacking generations to each one of us alive today. What prompted one what I considered abuses in the church. Why did I leave, you may wonder, and Roots of my prejudice pastor to leave his why have I now forsaken the path of self- Born in California and reared in the church and form an proclaimed reformer to return to the Ad Pacific Northwest, I grew up with the ventist pastoral ministry? belief that I had the best parents, be independent How could I, having been born into a longed to the greatest nation on earth, Christian home, a descendant of one of received the finest Christian education, ministry? Why did the founders of the Adventist Church was a true member of the remnant and an ordained minister, rebel against church, had undying faith in the Spirit of he ultimately decide the brethren with whom I had worked for Prophecy, and held no prejudices against a decade? other ethnic groups. to return to church A wise man stated, "All the ways of a At the beginning of my ministry, blind man are pure in his own eyes, but the to my bigotry, I cherished preconceived employment? Lord weighs the spirits the thoughts ideas concerning various people, races, and intents of the heart" (Prov. 16:2, and religions. It is surprising that I min Amplified). I often quoted "there is a way istered as well as I did. which seemeth right unto a man ..." Inner struggles found increasing ex (Prov. 14:12), but failed to apply it to pression in my preaching. I hammered myself. And what minister is unaware of home the church©s need for reform, chal Isaiah©s call for repentance: "Let the lenging God©s poor beaten sheep to climb wicked forsake his way, and the unrigh higher and higher so that they might find teous man his thoughts. . . . For my the inner peace and acceptance with thoughts are not your thoughts, neither God that I so desperately longed for. Willard Santee is cur are your ways my ways, saith the Lord" Fearing to admit these frustrations, I rently a pastor in the (Isa. 55:7, 8)? dared not reveal the existence of feelings Pennsylvania Conference, While applying these texts to my con of guilt and inadequacy that plagued me. gregation I failed to apply them to myself. To openly acknowledge such fears could Such is the nature of prejudice we fail cost me my job. I was a minister with an to see in ourselves what we so clearly see image to preserve. I was supposed to have in others. The warning "His watchmen all the answers. are blind: they are all ignorant, they are I believed the pastor to be God©s am all dumb dogs, they cannot bark. . . . bassador, an example in all things, hold They are shepherds that cannot under ing high the standard of integrity. A pas stand" (Isa. 56:10,11) was applied to my tor was supposed to love everyone

10 MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 regardless of race or class, those who sup changed, much remained the same. God port him as well as those who oppose allowed the same issues to come before him. He is to be honored and respected me. It was as if the Lord was testing me to As a tunnel of by all, and is to provide an example of a see if I had learned my lesson and ma life secure in God. tured. darkness entombed I believed in those ideals, yet realized how little I practiced them. The question A second resignation my family, I lived the haunted me: How could I portray to my Months rolled into years and miracles congregation something I was not? replaced defeats. Then as quickly as the horror that I was doors had opened, they closed. I solely to blame. Coping style preached my last sermon and taught my Although it was not recognized as such last Bible class. I was "burned out" at 35 at the time, I practiced what psycholo years of age and given only a few months lengths in matters of minor importance, gists call "transference." Inner fears and to live. I had a malignant melanoma. while they neglect the weightier matters guilt were transferred to church members While this second leave of absence of the law judgment and mercy and the and the corporate body. This brought a was for health reasons, all the old doubts love of God. Through the work of a few strange type of peace for I no longer and questions flooded back into my of this class of persons, the whole body of needed to deal with the dilemma the mind. I felt slighted by the lack of con Sabbathkeepers will be designated as big problems lay with the church. They were cern expressed by the conference. Again oted, Pharisaical, and fanatical. . . . guilty before God. Therefore they must the questioning came about my call to "God has a special work for the men of reform. They must change. As long as I ministry; the church and its teachings; experience to do. They are to guard the lashed out against the church, I did not even if God existed at all. I was indeed at cause of God. They are to see that the have to deal with myself. life©s crossroads. work of God is not committed to men How I wish I had understood the fol How would I relate to my depression, who feel it their privilege to move out on lowing warning: "Things will be con frustration, and guilt this time? Would I their own independent judgment, to stantly arising to cause disunion, to draw again transfer my feelings to others, or preach whatever they please, and to be away from the truth. This questioning, would I take them to Jesus and lay them responsible to no one for their instruc criticizing, denouncing, passing judg at the foot of the cross ? I had preached to tions or work. Let this spirit of ment on others, is not an evidence of the others the theory that people must leave self-sufficiency once rule in our midst, grace of Christ in the heart. It does not their burdens at Calvary, but how differ and there will be no harmony of action, produce unity. Such work has been car ent it was when it came to applying the no unity of spirit, no safety for the work, ried on in the past by persons claiming to message to my life. The cup seemed too and no healthful growth in the cause. ... have wonderful light, when they were full to drink I had not yet learned the Christ prayed that His followers might be deep in sin." 1 lesson of casting all my cares upon Jesus. one as He and the Father were one. That was me! It has taken much con Those who desire to see this prayer an flict and the passing of years to acknowl Independent ministry swered should seek to discourage the edge this fact. My heavenly Father has I had decided the church needed re slightest tendency to division, and try to revealed such things to me in many gen forming. I prepared a series of sermons in keep the spirit of unity and love among tle ways. printed form and on cassettes, and scat brethren." 2 tered them worldwide. All the problems The wrong spirit had spoken through Ministry fails encountered, all the questions unan me. I knew that "the Master©s message My ministry was but 5 years old when swered, all the doubts unresolved, were must be declared in the Master©s the curtain fell. Given the option of tak expressed in these messages. But they spirit." 3 And I am convinced that "the ing a leave of absence or being termi provided no answers, for I had none. Yet spirit we manifest toward our brethren nated, I chose the leave of absence. As a the messages were cloaked with the garb declares what is our spirit toward tunnel of darkness entombed my family, of religious piety. Once again I had re God." 4 I lived the horror that I was solely to sorted to the method of guilt transfer It has been hard to admit that my spirit blame. Separation from the pastoral ence. While using the Bible to justify my was on the side of the evil one, yet deep ministry only seemed to fuel the frustra actions, I had become so comfortable down I knew were harbored resentment, tion. I had believed ever since the age of with this technique that it took God sev bitterness, and hatred toward certain 18 that God had called me to the gospel eral years to convince me of my errors. persons in the church. ministry, but now I questioned this call. All the while the Saviour waited pa Bitterness, rejection, guilt, fear, lone tiently for me to open my closed, self- Reconciliation liness, and failure seemed to have made a righteous mind. For I was being used by I had been given six months to live, covenant to stay with me, contaminat another power: "It is the desire and plan but the Lord graciously spared my life. A ing my wife and children as well as my of Satan to bring in among us those who period of recovery gave time for reflec self. But I was determined to learn from will go to great extremes people of nar tion. At this time the Lord brought me in this experience, painful as it was. Two row minds, who are critical and sharp, contact with three people who demon years of misery and searching went by and very tenacious in holding their own strated the unconditional love of God as I before I felt ready to try again. conceptions of what the truth means. had never known it before. They dared to I was called to another conference They will be exacting, and will seek to reach out and embrace my ugliness with only to discover that while much had enforce rigorous duties, and go to great out fear of contamination or concern for

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 11 what others might think. They accepted me just as I was bitter and self- righteous. The first special person was a young Conduct an unordained pastor who never argued with me no matter how I challenged him. I used every trick I knew to get him to debate and defend the church, but he ignored all the side issues hurled at him. annual church Time and again he refused to take stands, which I interpreted as cowardice. Yet he never wavered from his mission to dem onstrate that he truly cared for me as a planning session person. I was unprepared to handle this type of love, for I had never before experienced it. There was no argument that could stand up against it. If I could have such love, I thought. I would never be the same again. Even while longing for it, outwardly I continued to fight it. r. Chairman, look Throughout my ministry I had shied Lawrence G. around here. Not away from a gospel of love, which I be Downing even half the board lieved to be shallow and without real members are present meaning. Perhaps there is a type of shal tonight, and I have low learned behavior mistaken for love, to say I don©t blame but I realized that what I was fighting was them. All we do is re- something that could not be taught, leg hash the same old stuff. Who cares what islated, or commanded. But thankfully it color somebody paints the halls? Aren©t can be experienced. Encountering such there more important things to do than love awakens love. If your board is argue about whether we should spend A semiretired conference employee suffering from the $50 on new locks for the Dorcas room? was the second person to demonstrate What©s our job, anyway? Perhaps it this unconditional love. He could have church board blahs, would be better if I resigned my office." been enjoying retirement, but he chose "Pastor, I©m willing to serve as an el© instead the ministry of reconciliation in an annual planning der, but I would rather not come to board which he found far more joy. This man meetings. As you know, 1 have so few considered me a brother from the first session can add new evenings free that I don©t see how I could time we met. My negative stance did not find time for another meeting. And Pas- seem to bother him. On the contrary, he life to your meetings. tor, to be honest, I can©t get too excited acknowledged many mistakes the church about spending an evening trying to find had made and shocked me by adding oth a substitute assistant pianist for the Sab ers I knew nothing about, yet he still bath school. I know it is important to spoke well of his brethren. keep the wheels turning, but I wonder if How could such a man of God with we could perhaps use board meeting time such high principles love me ? Was there more effectively." really room in God©s church for all of us? These statements, and others like Could I still belong? them, came from competent, dedicated, We visited many times. He was there caring people. They indicated to me that during critical periods to pray with me my board members were suffering from a and give assurance that our friendship common malady called church board was genuine. His love was uncondi Laurence G. Down blahs. tional. ing was pastor of the While not usually fatal, the malady©s Green Lake church A former college professor was the in Washington when symptoms, including low attendance at third special person who entered my life. he developed this meetings, long debates over trivial is We were drawn together because of our article. He now pas sues, and board member malaise, can mutual desire to find answers that tors the AnaTieim hamper the board©s effectiveness. Even worked. Together we made a spiritual church in California. the pastor is not immune to this disease. I journey, searching the pages of Scrip have suffered from it myself, and I do not ture. Some of my questions were also his. like what it does to me. One evening as we sat studying to- Qualified people who are willing to (Continued on page 17) accept a church office and serve on the

12 MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 board are a precious commodity. Care Schaller makes a powerful statement for The book made a positive impression on ful, reasonable, creative thinkers on a church planning and presents reasons those who read it. church board are invaluable, and I want why it is important for the board to lay a At the next meeting, the board ap to keep every one I can find. Even strong philosophical framework to serve pointed an ad hoc committee to study though 1 am not the board chairman, I as a foundation for all church programs. the proposal and bring back a recom feel a responsibility for how the church mendation. The ad hoc committee rec- board functions. When board meetings become a bore or we find ourselves spending inordinate amounts of time on Agenda for a Weekend Planning Retreat trivial pursuits, we are in trouble. And when the board is in trouble my ministry Friday 2:45-3:15 Examination of recom is in trouble. 7:30-9:30 p.m. Small group activity. mendations and selection of specific When I went seeking a cure for the Purpose: To sing, reflect, and pray, proposals to be considered by the blahs, one suggestion stood out above and to get acquainted. church board during the coming year. the rest: the annual church board plan Divide into groups of eight; relatives Prioritize the items into three, catego ning session. What follows is an elabora are not to be in the same group. The ries: urgent, needed, and helpful. . . , tion of the rationale for an annual plan groups stay together for the entire 3: 15-3:30 Break ©." . ; , ning session, a sample program, and a weekend.. The member of each group 3:30-4:45 Small group discussion. description of some of the problems that who most recently joined the church is , Purpose: To discuss pastoral ministry you might encounter in trying to imple that group©s facilitator for this session. in the, local church; >, ,,: ©© © ©..©,.. © ment the proposal in your church or dis Agenda: . ..,; . .©.© , The board chairperson stioyld irifrcH trict. 1. Present to the group a brief per

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 13 ommended the retreat, and the board After the session session to the multichurch district. I accepted the recommendation. It was We take the newsprint papers on spent six years of my ministry in a dis further voted that the pastor, along which we have recorded the suggestions trict, so I am not unfamiliar with the with those whom he might select, from the groups back to the office. There special needs of the multichurch pastor. should design the weekend program. the secretary copies each suggestion and Congregations within a district have sep mails a list to each board member. arate and distinct personalities, and the Preparation Now the important question: What fact that they share a common pastor is Preparing the program outline is the difference has the planning session no assurance that they share much else in key to a successful weekend, and the pas made? common. tor plays the major role in determining Our board meetings have become From my experience I believe that a the direction the program will go. more issue-oriented and we get out ear joint planning session is less than ideal. It It is important that we have in mind lier. We now have an accountability sys may in fact be more negative than posi what we would like the participants to tem. We can look back at what came out tive. While I had not developed and used accomplish and that we seek ways to ful of the planning session and see what we a program as detailed as the one above, fill these intentions by creating a pro have done to satisfy our hopes and the early roots for church planning rest in gram schedule that is logical, interesting, dreams, and what we still need to accom the experience I had in district churches. and workable. The challenge is to design plish. And each subsequent monthly After the first year or so in a district, it an agenda that provides the participants agenda has involved at least one item began to dawn on me that I could not use with a clear and reasonable outline that that originated from the planning ses the same programs and approaches in facilitates a natural flow from one process sion. From this process the following pro each of the three churches. Each church to another. It should provide opportu grams were initiated by the board and had its own needs, abilities, community, nity for intense study as well as time for became a part of the church program: and possibilities. They even had their social involvement and personal reflec own separate, be it undefined, goals. It tion. Since time is a factor, the assign 1. We initiated a secular campus min became my purpose to find a method for ments should be brief enough to be com istry and worked with the conference to defining the undefinable and to explore pleted, but detailed and broad enough to hire a campus chaplain. with the board members what they would be interesting. How this is put together 2. We hired a community service and like to accomplish in their congregation will depend on the pastor©s resources and interest coordinator. and community, and how they would innate ability, but there are methods one 3. A pulpit/parish committee was es like to do it. can use to make the process easier. tablished. On two occasions I conducted joint First, locate congregational members 4. A sermon series on developing and planning sessions. I was not particularly who have group leadership experience maintaining spiritual life was presented. pleased with how either one went. I and work with them. If you have no qual 5. We initiated a fellowship time at found that there is a subtle dynamic ified members, consult other clergy or nine o©clock Sabbath morning during present within a district that tends to community people. The important thing which people can share a hot drink and separate rather than unite the churches. is to find someone who understands conversation. The members of one congregation did group process. The pastor who depends not participate, a few members from the on his or her own skills alone is asking for Since that first planning session I have second church came, but most of the par trouble. modified my views. Renting a ticipants were from the congregation Our session planning group tries to or full-service retreat center is expensive. nearest where we met. ganize the planning session in such a way As a compromise we tried renting a room Attempting to divide the participants as to avoid problem-solving situations in a nearby Christian retreat facility. by church left a couple of small groups, and to ignore those items that have so This too proved to be expensive. As we and putting them all together meant that often occupied our board meeting agen discussed possible meeting sites, the groups were working on issues that were das. It has been our purpose to consider church facility seemed the most reason pertinent to only one portion of the proposals that explore fundamental is able. Therefore, for my last four years at group. My ©solution was to meet sepa sues affecting our church goals, purposes, Green Lake we met in our church. I also rately with each church. I would propose philosophy, hopes, and dreams. We found that we could accomplish our goals that it might be well to do the same with want to see the bigger picture, and from by 5:30 Sabbath afternoon, and the this program. Certainly the same week this perspective dream our dreams and agenda now reflects this. end agenda could be used in all the look at opportunities awaiting our atten In July of 1986 I moved to a new con churches within a district, but it is my tion. gregation. Four months later Ernie Fur- belief that each congregation should From the long lists of ideas produced at ness, my fellow pastor in the congrega meet on its own. the annual planning session (see accom tion, and I led our church board through Whether one meets with congrega-© panying box for a description of how the a weekend planning session. We met in tions separately o_r together, whether one lists are produced), some are realistic, the church and experienced a similar re uses a "canned" agenda or develops a cus others are less so. The best become the sponse to the one I had had with the tomized program, may not be important. center for building the monthly board Green Lake church. What I believe to be important is that we agenda. Each month presents another pastors encourage and facilitate the opportunity to consider, and to seek to District planning yearly church board planning session. I implement, a proposal that came from One problem many of my colleagues found it one viable option in the war the planning session. face is how to adapt the board planning against the church board blahs.

14 MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 Christ and the imprisoned spirits

astors, teachers, and daughters of men is not clear from the John C. Brunt commentators have text, although the two seem to be re always had a hard lated. After this the text speaks of the time with three diffi wickedness of humans and moves to the cult and related pas Flood story. sages: 1 Peter3:18-22; It would hardly be apparent that the Jude 5-7; and 2 Peter New Testament passages we are studying 2:4-9. Dealing with realms of darkness have anything to do with Genesis 6 were How shall we and Christ preaching to spirits in prison it not for the intertestamental literature, challenges the talents of any interpreter, especially 1 Enoch. 1 There Genesis 6 is understand the New but the difficulties are heightened for embellished and expanded with the fol Testament passages Seventh-day Adventists, who believe lowing basic elements: The sons of God, that the dead are unconscious and that who are now specifically identified as an that weave in hell is only future and temporary. gels, are said to have lusted after the We shall begin with a brief overview of beautiful daughters of men. OnMt. Her- themes from Jewish the Old Testament and intertestamental mon, these angels conspire to marry the background to these passages. Then we human women. These unions result in legends? And what will survey the basic elements in each of the birth of great giants, who consume the New Testament passages and see how man©s possessions and sin against ani can understanding these passages utilize the intertestamental mals, filling the earth with blood. motif of the fallen angels, or "watchers," The good angels take the case before these passages teach to convey a particular message. And fi God. They bind the evil angels, and us about how we nally, we will reflect on the significance of Enoch, whom God has hidden, an all this for pastors and teachers. nounces the evil angels© doom. They will should interpret have no peace and will be destroyed at Sons of God and daughters of men the final judgment. In the interim they other parts of the The first part of Genesis 6, immedi are imprisoned in the earth, where they ately before the Flood narrative, con are still able to do harm and influence the Bible? tains the bedrock motif underlying our course of events. passages. According to Genesis, sons of Judaism and early Christianity God, who are not identified, saw the adopted this basic scenario, with many JohnC. Brunt, Ph.D, beauty of the daughters of men and mar variations in detail, as the standard inter is the dean of the school ried them. Genesis does not explicitly pretation of Genesis 6. And in ethical of theology, Walla Walk College, Walla state the results of these unions. But material a kind of standard reference was Walla, Washington. since, in what immediately follows, Yah- formed by linking the negative example weh says that His Spirit will not abide in of these evil angels, or "watchers," with humans forever and that humans would other examples. The most common com be limited to 120 years of life, the strong bination was the watchers, the people implication is that the results were evil. who lived at the time of the Flood, and Then Genesis mentions the Sodom and Gomorrah. 3 Nephilim.* Their precise connection There are obvious similarities between with the union of the sons of God and the basic elements in this intertesta-

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 15 The watchers in the New ples. They are evidence that God can Testament rescue the godly and punish the wicked. We should never feel 1 Peter 3. Adventist interpretation of Again the context is a warning against this passage has varied, 7 but generally we false prophets and teachers whose here that if we cannot have ignored the intertestamental back sies threaten the readers. The passage ground in favor of a position that sees does not affirm the intertestamental leg answer every question Christ warning the antediluvians end; rather, it refers to it as an incidental through Noah. It is much more natural, example. we have failed. however, to see the preaching to spirits The extent to which the authors of in prison as a reference to the intertesta these General Epistles believed the vari mental motif. But it is also important to ous details of the watchers motif is impos mental legend and elements in the New recognize that this reference is inciden sible for us to determine, and speculation Testament passages we are studying:4 tal. The author does not argue for the is futile. But inspiration is not omni 1 Peter 3. This passage portrays Christ story, but assumes that his readers are science. Obviously these New Testa as preaching, in the spirit, to the spirits familiar with it. ment writers felt free to allude to this in prison who refused to obey in the days Peter mentions the motif for several motif that was a commonplace of their of Noah. This passage also says that reasons. Our passage begins by pointing day. In each case they took up the motif Christ, through His resurrection, has to Christ©s death for our sins. His exam in the course of conveying a message that gone into heaven to the right hand of ple shows that it is good for us to suffer for is quite different from that of any of the God, where angels, authorities, and doing right (verse 17). Peter©s reference intertestamental sources. Recognizing powers are subject to Him. to Christ "preaching" to the spirits in this background solves some of the diffi Jude 5-7. Here we find that certain an prison follows and shows that we can do cult problems of the passages. gels did not keep their own position, but right with courage because the evil pow left their appointed place, and as a result ers that might harass us have already Significance for the pastor have been kept by God in eternal bonds been condemned by Christ and are sub In the light of the background and in deep darkness until the final judgment. ject to Him (verses 19, 22). meaning of these difficult passages, how These evil angels, together with the He At this point, an understanding of the should we, as pastors and teachers, han brews who were unfaithful during the wil background actually helps in interpret dle them ? derness wanderings and the people of So ing the text. In the intertestamental ma First, we must be honest and not gloss dom and Gomorrah, serve as negative terial, the "announcement" to the im over the problems. Obviously, the com examples and warnings of judgment. prisoned angels (made by Enoch) is an munication context will determine the 2 Peter 2. This passage cites three exam announcement of doom and defeat. degree of detail that we can share. One ples to show that God can hold the wicked Christ©s "preaching" to the spirits should would not include in a sermon all the tech for punishment until the day of judgment: be understood against this background. nical details that he might present in a the evil angels, the people at the time of Peter is saying that Christ has fulfilled class. But nevertheless, we must always the Flood, and those of Sodom and Go that which people of his day commonly deal with the problems honestly. morrah. It says the angels sinned against thought Enoch had done. Christ, by His Second, we should make use of the God, who is now holding them in hell death and resurrection, effects the doom intertestamental background material to (Tartarus), in a place of great darkness, of the evil powers. aid in the interpretation of these pas until the day of judgment. Verse 4 is very That the "preaching" to the spirits in sages. Too often we are afraid to refer to similar to Jude 6 and is probably depen volves an announcement of judgment is this material because its use seems prob dent on it, although 2 Peter 2 contains also clear from the conclusion the pas lematic. The fact is that this background unique elements. sage draws (verse 22). The evil angels material aids our interpretation; we can It is hard to avoid the conclusion that have been defeated and are now subject not really understand the passages apart the intertestamental embellishment of to Christ. The point is that Christ has from it. So we must familiarize ourselves Genesis 6 stands behind these passages. accomplished all that the legends of with this background material and know Several elements the imprisonment of the day attributed to Enoch. Christ how to bring it to bear in an appropriate evil angels in deep darkness, keeping them "preached" (announced) the doom of all way in our interpretation. until the day of judgment, and the recog evil angels; in Christ we need have no Third, we must focus on the messages nition of their ultimate doom that are fear of them. the authors of these passages intended found in the intertestamental literature Jude 6. In this passage also, the refer them to bear. Each passage holds a posi but not iri Genesis 6 are assumed in these ence to the punishment of the watchers is tive message. The elements that we con New Testament passages. In fact, Jude incidental. It is part of a list of examples sider problematic are incidental to the and 2 Peter even use the watchers motif in (already traditional in Judaism) showing messages, not central to them. the context of the negative examples cited that God is willing to punish. Jude©s ref There is a great temptation to feel that above as becoming standard. erence to judgment falls within the con when we have solved the problems the But more important than the fact that text of-his stern warning against the false texts present we have interpreted the these passages assume the intertesta teachers who threaten his readers. texts. But this is not the case at all. To mental watchers embellishments is the 2 Peter 2. The same is true in 2 Peter. solve the problems that the texts raise for matter of how the New Testament uses The evil angels, punished, imprisoned, Adventist belief is only to remove cer this material. It is to this question that we and awaiting the final judgment, are but tain barriers to understanding them. The now turn. one element in a series of negative exam task of interpretation is always to under-

16 MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 stand a text©s positive message. of 1 Peter3:19:1. "By which" (KJV) refers back to "the Spirit" (verse 18, KJV) and means that by the And the fact is that people need to Holy Spirit Christ preached to the antediluvian hear the positive messages these passages humans through Noah. 2. Christ in His preexis- convey. We need to hear, as 1 Peter 3 tent state preached to the antediluvians. 3. "By which" (KJV) refers to verse 18 as a whole and teaches, that Christ has put all hostile means that by virtue of Christ©s future vicarious Ministry powers under His feet, and that we can death and resurrection He preached to the antedi Tape-of-the-Month luvians through Noah. therefore find hope and confidence in But all of this ignores the watcher©s motif and the Him. We also need to hear the message obvious analogy to the announcement of doom to of Jude and 2 Peter, that what we believe evil angels that it provides. It also ignores verse 22, where Christ©s "preaching" results in the end of the Whether you are and teach and who we follow are impor rule of the powers. These considerations point to tant to our spiritual life and growth. Christ©s "preaching" as an announcement of judg jogging, We can never feel that we have suc ment on the powers hostile to God. ceeded in interpreting these passages un til we have made their messages clear. This is the task of exegesis and of From bitterness to preaching. Finally, we must be willing to admit reconciliation that these passages contain problematic From page 12 elements. We should never feel that if we cannot answer every question we have gether it seemed that our minds were si failed. Both pastors and teachers must be multaneously impressed. A greater un willing to admit fallibility and the lack of derstanding of unconditional love so omniscience. Those to whom we minis flooded our minds that our eyes flowed ter will be patient with our human limi with unchecked tears. tations if they also sense our willingness Something happened that night that I to struggle with a text, our honesty, and will never forget. The Lord opened a cor our commitment to the message the text ner of my heart, and a spirit of forgiveness conveys. and peace came in. Bitterness vanished as a miracle of love took place. "Unless otherwise noted, the Revised Standard Version simply relaxing in the sun is used in this article. Since that time I have met others who have demonstrated that same uncondi 1 See especially 1 Enoch 6-19. tional love that love that will one day You can enjoy 2 For details regarding the persistence of this motif in Judaism and early Christianity and of its unite all of God©s people. the best of sermons and demise in each, see Richard J. Bauckham, in Word I did not intentionally try to divide my Biblical Commentary (Waco, Tex.: Word Books, church and create additional problems the most exciting Adventist 1983), vol. 50, p. 51. 3 See Bauckham, p. 46, for a chart outlining the for its leaders, yet that©s what my actions theological discussion use of this schema of negative examples in works resulted in. Even though I felt that I was on 1888. such as Sirach 16:7-10; the Cairo genizah text of only seeking answers to unresolved ques the Damascus document 2:17-3:12; 3 Maccabees 2:4-7; Testimony of Naphtali 3:4, 5; and Mishnah tions, I was wrong. I had forgotten that Coming soon: tractate Sanhedrin 10:3. Scripture says men©s hearts are "deceitful 4 Other New Testament passages may draw on Ministry to AIDS Patients: this motif in a less explicit way. For example, some above all things, and desperately have seen an allusion to Genesis 6 in 1 Corinthians wicked" (Jer. 17:9). A spiritual challenge. 11:10. There Paul lists "because of the angels" as My learning experience has not ended. one of the reasons why women should be veiled in church. But Paul©s reference is much too ambiguous Just over a year ago God led me back into to permit a definite interpretation. the pastoral ministry and to a bitterly di Join the MINISTRY Tape-of- 5 Although Adventists have avoided interpret vided church. Having walked in bitter ing the "in which" at the beginning of verse 19 as a the-Month reference to "in the spirit" of verse 18, it is the most ness, I knew how those people felt. I natural reading of the text. It need not mean, how prayed for the same unconditional love ever, that Christ preached as a disembodied spirit. Rather, the resurrected Christ, including His resur that was shown to me. Through God©s rection body, is seen as existing in the spirit. This is transforming grace I have seen mighty It©s a steal! theologically consistent with Paul©s use of the term miracles take place in this church com "spiritual body" in 1 Corinthians 15. For more de 24 ninety-minute tail on this question, see note 7 below. munity. Unity in love prevails and recon 6 For a monograph-length treatment of this pas ciliation is taking place, resulting in tapes for . A A sage that includes the history of its interpretation, church growth and increased attendance. see William Joseph Dalton, S.J., Christ©s Proclama $44.95 tion to the Spirits: A Study of 1 Peter 3:18-4:6, And what a joy it is to watch! Surely Analecta Biblica 23 (Rome: Pontifical Biblical Insti God has given to each one of us the min tute, 1965). Dalton holds that "made alive in the spirit" refers to Christ©s bodily resurrection, "in istry of reconciliation. which [spirit] he went" refers to His ascension, and Send check or money order to: the proclamation to the spirits in prison refers to 1 Selected Messages, book 2, p. 79. MINISTRY Tape-of-the-Month, Christ©s proclamation of victory over the hostile 2 E. G. White, in Review and Herald, May 29, powers. P.O. Box 3969, Hyatsville, MD 10787. The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 266. (vol. 7, p. 575) gives three possible interpretations 4 The Desire of Ages, p. 505.

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believe one of the others may include sympathy, feeling Ruth M. Murdoch major considerations sorry for them, but more important it in facing us today is the cludes empathy, feeling sorry with them. role of women in When one of our boys was just a little leadership. As I pon fellow, his little©terrier, which he loved dered the kind of dearly, was run over. As he thought of leadership it might Spotty, he sat on the back step silently be our privilege as ministers© wives to weeping, tears running down his cheeks. Ten secrets of give, my mind turned to this statement: A little neighbor girl came over and see "The greatest work that can be done in ing his tears asked, "What©s the matter?" Christ©s success in our world is to glorify God by living the My son answered, "Spotty got run over." character of Christ." 1 To me, this is our She looked at him a minute and then working with others. mission as women of the church. asked, "Dead?" He said, "Dead." Then And how do we live the character of she sat down beside him, put her arm Christ? Ellen G. White©s book Education around him, and began to cry copiously. identifies 10 characteristics of the way She had an understanding heart. She not the Master approached His task of only felt sorry for him, but she was sorry leadership. 2 We can best live His charac with him. ter by adopting His methods, by associat Not only did Christ come with the ing with others as He associated with accumulated love of eternity, but since those whom He was seeking to save. He created men and women, He has per 1. Christ came with the accumulated fect understanding of them. If we are to love of eternity. One day I asked my grand meet the world©s needs, we must, like daughter how much she loved me. She Solomon, pray, "Give . . . thy servant an thought a few minutes, then holding out understanding heart." her little arms, she said, "Grandma, my 3. Christ reasoned from cause to effect. arms aren©t big enough to show you." I We see people doing things that seem thought this was such a beautiful illustra very strange to us, and we ask, "How can tion there is no way that we can really they behave like that?" Our question comprehend the meaning of Christ©s comes because we do not understand the coming to this world with the accumu circumstances of their lives. But Christ Ruth M. Murdoch, lated love of eternity. If Christ©s love per reasoned from cause to effect. In order to professor emeritus of meates our efforts to bring our fellowmen understand what this means, come with educational psychology and counseling at An to Him, then our mission as ministers© me to the Temple court, where Christ drews University, stood wives will be successful, because love is and some of His disciples have gathered. by her the foundation of all growth physical, A group congregates around Him as He minister-husband mental, and spiritual. teaches. Suddenly a shuffling sound cap throughout their 46 years together before his 2. Christ had an understanding heart. tures their attention, and turning they death. Someone has said that he who seeks to see a group of men half dragging, half transform humanity must himself under pushing a woman toward Christ. When stand humanity. Christ alone had perfect these men reach Him, they say, "This understanding. Such understanding of woman was caught in the act of adultery.

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 19 Shall we stone her? The law of Moses says "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin Pharisees hypocrites. But His love drew she should be stoned." no more." those whom He reproved. He ever spoke These men have no concern for the Because He looked behind the effects the truth with love. He never needlessly woman and little for her sin. Their intent to the causes, Christ understood people. wounded a sensitive soul. Could that be is to trap Christ. If He says, "Yes, stone While He did not condone sin, He was said of us? "Of the rebuke that is love, of her," then they can go to the Roman willing to forgive the sinner. If we could the blow that wounds to heal, of the rulers and say, "Jesus has assumed au understand the lives of those whom we warning that speaks hope, they [those thority that is reserved for you." If He might condemn, we too would say, "I do who are dealing with the tempted and says, "Don©t stone her," they can claim not condemn thee." erring] have need to learn."3 4- Christ associated closely with those 6. Christ taught people individually. He before the rest of the Jewish people that whom He hoped to save. Scripture says He did not speak just to the masses and He rejects the law of Moses. "dwelt among us" (John 1:14), the origi even when He did, He watched the indi Jesus takes in the entire situation. He nal Greek word for dwelt raising the im vidual faces. When a face revealed doubt reads the story of the woman©s life rea agery of Christ pitching His tent among or lack of comprehension, He added fur soning from cause to effect. He knows the tents of the sons of men. He did not ther illustrations of the principle He was that the very individuals who dragged teach from some exalted position above teaching. her into His presence led her into this the common people He approached 7. As He taught, Christ used illustra sin. them in all their activities. Those whom tions with which the people were familiar. Acting as though He has not heard He chose to be His close followers ate and He did not speak in abstract terms. their question, Jesus leans down and lived and traveled with Him. "Consider the lily," He said as He walked writes in the dust, where the next breeze We cannot uplift or help those whom by the way. Seeing a wedding procession will erase what He has written. I©ve often we despise or consider as less privileged. going by, He spoke of 10 wedding guests. wondered just what He wrote. But you If we are to have an influence as leaders, Teaching in the country, he told of a know the story as He writes, one by one then we too must walk the path of those man sowing his field. the accusers shamefacedly leave. Then, whom we want to help. If we are to be leaders and teachers, we looking up, Jesus says to the woman, 5. Christ was a faithful reprover of sin. must use illustrations common to the "Hath no man condemned thee?" And Never was there another who so hated lives of our hearers. Not only will such for the first time the poor, frightened evil. His denunciation of sin was some illustrations communicate better, but as woman dares to lift her eyes and look into times strong. You will remember He said the incidents we spoke of recur in the His face. The understanding she reads to Peter once, "Get thee behind me, lives of our hearers, they will be re there is confirmed by His words, Satan." And He called the scribes and minded of the lesson we taught. 8. Christ saw infinite possibilities in ev ery individual whom He sought to save. I think often of those who come to us, BECOME PART OWNER OF A people we meet by the way. Sometimes TRAVEL AGENCY we©re tempted to say, "There is no hope for that individual. Look at his back YOU are personally and cordially invited ground. Look where she comes from." to become a unitholder/part owner in an exclusive But Christ saw in every individual the non-profit, religious, Full Service Travel Agency infinite possibilities that were hers or his if that person were transformed by divine Clergy Travel Agency, Inc. love. If we are to be Christ©s representa tives and reflect His character, we must regard no person as hopeless or of little value. We do not know what Christ in tends to do with the apparently useless Some Benefits Include: RSVP material. 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And always, his studies were difficult for him. But he

20 MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 never gave up. Eventually he dedicated confidence is especially important when and you can drive us out to the wrecking his life to medical missionary work and to one is working with young people. I yard to get the part we need for our hot the uplifting of humanity, and today learned a valuable lesson about trusting rod club." there is a hospital named for him. young people when one of our two sons, The friend said, "Your son looked at I©m sure that most folks would have who was working at the General Confer the keys for a moment and then replied, said, "It©s a waste of effort to put him back ence printing press, first learned to drive. ©I know he won©t check on my time, but into school at his age." But Christ saw I had been hesitant to give him a set of he trusted me and I can©t betray his infinite possibilities where to others there keys to the family car. Then one day he trust.© " appeared to be only useless material. came into the house swinging a set of 10. Finally, Christ lived what He 9. Because He looked upon people with keys on his finger. When I asked him taught. If this can be said of us, then we trust, Christ inspired hope. When Christ what keys they were he answered, "They will be effective leaders. But we can live and His disciples were passing through are the keys to the boss©s new car. He the faith that we profess only if Christ Gadara, two demoniacs ran out calling, trusts me! He has asked me to deliver "What have we to do with thee, Jesus, some printing jobs in downtown D.C." dwells in our hearts. We cannot, by our thou Son of David? Leave us get Not until several years later did I dis own talents or gifts, draw sinners to our away." But even in their curses Christ cover how important being trusted by the Saviour. heard the cry for help, and looking upon boss was to this 16-year-old. One of his Christ lived to bless others because them with trust, He inspired hope. They friends told me the story. The day that he that was His nature. The love that filled saw in His glance the assurance that and another of our son©s friends learned His heart caused Him to reach out to all there was a future for them. that the boss had given our son the keys around Him. If we, who are ministers© When we look upon people with hope to the new car, they got a bright idea. wives, are to be His representatives, if we we inspire trust, and when there is trust They took the bus to a shop where they are to fulfill our mission by reflecting His there is growth. This characteristic of the knew he was delivering a package of character, then we must live and work in Master, to reveal trust to the individual, printing. When he came out of the shop, the spirit of Christ. enables that individual to be of great use one of them said, "The boss won©t know 1 Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 439. in the Lord©s work. how long it takes you to make your deliv 2 See pp. 73-96. The principle of showing trust and eries. We©ll just get into the car with you 3 The Acts of the Apostks, p. 516. Save $2 on each new SPA Hymnal you buy.

For the first time in two years, the with your church name stamped in foil. publisher is putting the new Seventh- But whatever color you choose, order day Adventist Hymnal on sale. So if soon, because this offer expires April 15. you©re ready to replace the old hymnals in your church pews or if you need Now only $10.95.* more hymnals, this is the ideal time to Regular price $12.95.* order. Call your ABC to order. The new hymnal has met with phe nomenal popularity because church members like the new songs by Advent ist composers as well as favorites resur rected from the pioneer days of the Sale Ends church. They appreciate the large, clear type and the hymns arranged in a lower key so that more people can join the singing without straining at the high April 15. notes. You can order the new hymnal in blue, black, brown, or burgundy and *Cdn$14.80, Regularly Cdn$17.50.

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 21 Pastor©s Pastor

The scholar-evangelist Floyd Bresee

hatever was a huge cerned about the fact that there are a lot plicity. "I think that we overkill a lot of circus-type tent do of Seventh-day Adventists for whom times. I average about four to seven texts ing pitched there on evangelism has become virtually a bad a night. I preach without any kind of the lawn right in the word. And I don©t believe the church can notes, and I want it to be simple enough heart of the Colum be healthy if that©s what a fairly impor that I can remember it. I figure that then bia Union College tant segment of the church thinks. In maybe my listeners will be able to re complex? And why past meetings we©ve seen some who were member it as well." the big banner there on the corner con really quite negative at first about getting 3. Practical, life-related evangelism. fronting the Takoma Park traffic? Had involved ." Brunt explains, "We have focused on the college invited a circus on campus? John Brunt lives in an area that has practical needs as the hook, or the Was it some big education convention? one of the highest concentrations of Ad drawing card, to try to bridge the gap Orhomecoming?No, none of the above. ventists in North America. He shared his between the gospel and everyday con Sligo church and the college were hold burden, "You know, it is easy when you cerns loneliness, stress, parenting, ing a series of evangelistic meetings. are in an Adventist ghetto to not realize marriage. For example, our initial pre The evangelist was John Brunt, who how many people are hurting and in need sentation on the Sabbath is about holds a Ph. D. in New Testament studies and how many would benefit from things stress God©s answer to the problems of and is dean of the School of Theology at you take for granted. And some wide ex stress. Darold Bigger talks about stress Walla Walla College. This was the third hibits of that, I think, can turn people on management, and then I talk about how series Brunt and his associate, Donald to evangelism." God knew that we needed rest and re Bigger, have held in the past three years. freshment, and gave us the gift of the Bigger is pastor of the Walla Walla col What kind of evangelism? Sabbath to supply them." lege church. What kind of evangelism, was being College registration would begin the practiced by this scholar-evangelist? Who should do evangelism? day after Brunt returned home. Why was Quite straightforward actually. Not quite If John Brunt can, I can. And so can this scholar holding evangelistic meet all of the basic Adventist doctrines can you. His example speaks to pastors: ings clear across the country when it was be presented in a three-week series, but Evangelism is not passe, shallow, or be time to be getting ready for school ? those not given in meetings were covered neath our dignity. in the Bible class. Brunt emphasizes His example speaks to teachers: Evan Why evangelism? three dimensions of evangelism: gelism helps keep the scholar©s theology Dr. Brunt©s first answer, as we sat chat 1. Christ-centered evangelism. He practical. Our trainers of preachers ought ting in the trailer set up as an office be says, "I firmly believe that we need to to be doing evangelism. Only soul win hind the tent, was that New Testament preach the distinctive proofs of Advent- ners will produce soul winners. The scholarship demands evangelism. He in ism, but for me, the real excitement is North American Division could learn a sists, "Actually, I am surprised that so showing how those relate to Jesus great deal from other divisions where re many are surprised that teachers are do Christ." ligion teachers are kept closer to the min ing evangelism, because it seems to me 2. Bible-based evangelism. Brunt as istry by regularly working with pastors in that that©s just part of what all Christians serts, "I feel strongly that people need to evangelism. should be doing in one way or another. have the Bible in their hands and read His example speaks to administrators: And my field, of course, is New Testa the Bible themselves and see it there in How do you find time? Brunt says, "You ment, and you just can©t study the New Scripture. And for that reason we use a don©t find time; you make time. You de Testament without coming to a strong gift Bible. That way, since every one cide that you©re going to do it regardless sense of the need for evangelism." has the same Bible, I can give page num of whether you ©find© time or not." Brunt feels that intellectual Advent- bers. If John Brunt can make the time, so ism needs evangelism. "We are con This intellectual is a stickler for sim can you. And so can I.

22 MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 From the Editors

Adyentist Renewal Initiative Neal C. Wilson

s I visit and fellow that Christianity has made no demands employ more ministers ship with our people on its followers has come to be generally enlarge our medical work and church leaders true of the Christian church. circulate more literature throughout the A careful comparison of membership 0 increase lay involvement world, I discover lists with church attendance would likely 0 increase our financial base there is a longing on reveal an appalling discrepancy. We can These are excellent and worthy objec the part of many for count more than 5 million members on tives. But fulfilling them without meet revival and reformation. There seems to our books, but the question is Where are ing the deeper spiritual needs of each be a growing recognition of our spiritual they on Sabbath mornings? More impor member©s heart will not fulfill our real needs. This emphasis has often been the tant, how are they faring spiritually? objectives. subject of discussion and prayer, and was Although we have placed strong em At this point you may feel that this the great burden of Robert H. Pierson, phasis on evangelism, it is all too true appeal is largely negative or even a bit my predecessor as General Conference that "not one in a hundred among us is depressing. You will discover, however, president. I along with other leaders doing anything beyond engaging in com that I affirm that the grace of Christ can share this burden. mon, worldly enterprises. We are not transform a negative outlook into a posi Several Annual Councils of the Gen half awake to the worth of the souls for tive one, and that God©s promises are eral Conference Committee have ap whom Christ died" (Testimonies, vol. 8, bright with hope. p. 148). This statement may be viewed as In my own personal study of the Bible pealed to the churches and the ministry a homiletical device, but one wonders if and the Spirit of Prophecy, I have be to give priority to revival. And in 1979 the ratio isn©t realistic. come convinced that there are three ma the General Conference sponsored the In 1893 Ellen White wrote: "It is a jor elements that keep the spiritual flame righteousness by faith consultation that solemn statement that I make to the burning in the Christian©s heart. They led to the publication of the document church, that not one in twenty whose are Bible study, prayer, and witnessing. "The Dynamics of Salvation" in the Ad names are registered upon the church We have strongly emphasized the wit ventist Review in 1980 (republished in books are prepared to close their earthly nessing aspect. Presently we are engaged MINISTRY, February 1988). history, and would be as verily without in Harvest 90, and are moving toward a But revival is not something that can God and without hope in the world as the global strategy. In no way should we di be voted. It is not something that can be common sinner. ... I lay down my pen minish this emphasis. But what have we produced by a study commission. So in and lift up my soul in prayer, that the done in a tangible way to move our spite of the efforts of leadership, the Lord would breathe upon His backslid church in the direction of Bible study and church still seems to be drifting toward a den people, who are as dry bones, that prayer? Laodicean condition of lukewarmness they may live" (Christian Service, p. 41). The church, and each of us individu and apostasy. What is the ratio today? Some might be ally, need a renewal of Bible study, a Symptoms include an escalating di tempted to say that the readiness ratio is renewal of earnest prayer, and a renewal vorce rate, questionable practices and now worse than 1 in 20. of the fervor of witness for our Lord. It is standards, disunity, pockets of rebellion, What has brought us to this unenvi for this reason that I would urge that we and a general attitude of worldliness. able state? And what can we do about it now press for this renewal. That we all Too many of our people are doctrinally other than to criticize and utter lamenta participate in what we might call an Ad illiterate, and as a result, they have no tions? If we were to ask our leaders to ventist Renewal Initiative. firm convictions or commitment to this prioritize the church©s needs, their list Jesus asked, "When the Son of man prophetic movement. might read as follows: We need to cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Redemptive discipline, or for that enter new territories (Luke 18:8). Dedication and commit matter any type of church discipline, enroll all Adventist youth in our ment to our Lord and to His church are seems to be passe. Tolstoy©s comment schools built on faith, and "faith cometh by hear-

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 23 title "Modern Revivals," makes it clear Willful ignorance on this subject endan that extensive movements of the future gers the Christian life and character. It There are three major will include revivals based on emotional blinds the understanding and corrupts excitement and a mingling of the true the nobkst powers. It is this that brings elements that keep with the false that will mislead people. confusion into our lives. Our people the spiritual flame "Yet none need be deceived." "The light need to understand the oracles of God; of God©s Word" can protect us from being they need to have a systematic knowl burning in the misled. But "wherever men neglect the edge of the principles of revealed truth, testimony of the Bible, turning away which will fit them for what is coming Christian©s heart: from those plain, soul-testing truths upon the earth and prevent them from which require self-denial and renuncia being carried about by every wind of tion of the world, there we may be sure Bible study, prayer, doctrine." The above concepts mandate that God©s blessing is not bestowed." that a thorough study of the Scriptures is and witnessing* And "in the truths of His Word, God has given to men a revelation of Himself; and the major key for revival and reformation to all who accept them they are a shield and is a safeguard against apostasy. ing, and hearing by the word of God" against the deceptions of Satan. It is a Can there be a better time to lead our (Rom. 10:17). The reason for the pau neglect of these truths that has opened people into this experience than in city of end-time faith is lack of knowl the door to the evils which are now be 1988? The framework is already in place edge and understanding of God©s Word. coming so widespread in the religious for intense study of the fundamental doc The Holy Spirit operates within the world" (ibid., pp. 464, 465). trines that make us a church. The Sab realm of God©s revealed will His Word. Although this chapter deals with obe bath school lessons for the last two quar It is as a person studies the Bible or hears dience to the law of God as part of the ters of this year focus on our 27 the spoken word that the Holy Spirit has revival formula, Ellen White uses the fundamental beliefs. Seventh-day Advent- opportunity to enter the soul to bring term law in a broader sense than just the ists Believe . . ., the 325-page doctrinal conviction and conversion. Ten Commandments. On page 478 she book on which we have been working for One hundred years ago Ellen White points out that "it is by beholding that we two years, will be on the press by May 1. pointed out the importance of Bible become changed. And as those sacred The manuscript for this book has been study as a shield against Satan©s assaults: precepts in which God has opened to read and critiqued by more than 200 Ad- "Before the final visitation of God©s judg men the perfection and holiness of His ventist scholars and church leaders ments upon the earth, there will be character are neglected, and the minds of around the world. Each of the 27 chap among the people of the Lord such a re the people are attracted to human teach ters takes an in-depth look at one of our vival of primitive godliness as has not ings and theories, what marvel that there beliefs. And yet the book is written in been witnessed since apostolic times. has followed a decline of living piety in such a way that every member of the The Spirit and power of God will be the church. ... It is only as the law of church can understand and grasp the im poured out upon His children. At that God is restored to its rightful position portance of these great truths thatbind us time many will separate themselves from that there can be a revival of primitive together. those churches in which the love of this faith and godliness among His professed In addition, there is a renewed empha world has supplanted love for God and people. ©Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in sis on righteousness by faith this year as His Word. Many, both of ministers and the ways, and see, and ask for the old we think back to 1888 and the message people, will gladly accept those great paths, where is the good way, and walk that came from the General Conference truths which God has caused to be pro therein, and ye shall find rest for your session in Minneapolis. Tens of thou claimed at this time to prepare a people souls©(Jer. 6:16)." sands of extra copies of MINISTRY©S spe for the Lord©s second coming" (The Great This declaration contains several im cial righteousness by faith issue have Controversy, p. 464). portant concepts: been ordered for study in Adventist Notice carefully the following points 1. God©s character, His will, and His churches around the world. in this statement: holiness are unknown to many simply Could it be that Providence has or 1. This revival of primitive godliness because they are not beholding Him dained 1988 as a year of unprecedented occurs just before the end of time. through His Word. opportunity for revival and reformation 2. This revival exceeds all revivals 2. Human teachings and theories are in the Seventh-day Adventist Church? since apostolic times. being received by the people resulting in That the Sabbath school lessons, 3. This revival leads many to separate a decline of living piety in the church. Seventh-day Adventists Believe . . ., and from other churches and accept the 3. Our only hope of a "revival of prim the emphasis on righteousness by faith truths we proclaim. itive faith and godliness" is in a return to together will lead us to the kind of faith 4. This revival experience prepares a the Word, the law of God that reveals in God that will open the way for Him to people for the Lord©s second coming. the old paths, the good way. empower us to finish His work on this 5. It is implied that love for God and Another statement relative to our earth? His Word has not been supplanted by need to study the Scriptures is found in We want to see a great movement of love for the world among those who re Testimonies, volume 5, page 273: "The renewal, revival, and reformation in the ceive the outpouring of God©s Spirit and Christian is required to be diligent in Seventh-day Adventist Church a ris power and are part of the revival. searching the Scriptures, to read over ing tide of spirituality that will carry us all The same chapter, which carries the and over again the truths of God©s Word. to a closer walk with God. We want to

24 MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 see a new commitment to the great truths a fairly large sum of money to the United despairing sense of guilt, but for the joy of for these times. Way, another to help starving Ethiopi being forgiven. Will you join me, pastor? Will you ans, and a day©s pay for world develop One must be careful to maintain a gos pray with me, administrator? Educator, ment, he also will find that there are yet pel of forgiveness that is not cheap and physician, shepherdess, local elder- apparently limitless appeals for his help, easy neither an evasion of responsibil whatever position of leadership the Lord and that the world is hardly any better off ity nor a license to sin. But at the same has placed you in, God looks to you to for what he has contributed. time, the proclamation of Christ as the lead His people to a deeper experience The relief agencies© publicity cam "man for others" must be done in a wider with Him. paigns are directed, and rightly, at the sense than the mere making of moral de Let us all join together to lead God©s Christian conscience. So the Christian is mands. Rex D. Edwards. people to the experience of renewal we continually being told that he is his need. Neal C. Wilson. brother©s keeper and, by implication, that he is not doing the job very well. Inevitably, there results a huge gap be tween responsibility and achievement. Biblio File And the gap becomes filled with a grow From page 30 A dollar ing sense of guilt. He feels that both Jesus and Paul main This situation runs a very close parallel tain the high ideal of marriage but leave each to the worst kind of cheap and nasty open the possibility that there may be evangelism. It is possible to "convert" a certain situations that are unsuitable for man by harping on his sins and their con the well-being of the couple, and that in ever before has there sequences, creating an intensifying sense those circumstances the relationship been such an emphasis of guilt and so persuading him to resolve should be dissolved. "The question for upon an incarnational to turn away from all that. Unfortu the church today," says the author, "is approach to the nately, a man©s resolve to be good yields whether there is a real marriage if this world to those suffer few results. Conscious of the gap that growing together does not take place." ing from poverty, injus remains, the convert may become a hyp For me this teaching raises more ques tice, distress, and discrimination. ocrite, overscrupulous, careless, or de tions than it answers, because "real mar Christ, "the man for others," is pro spairing. In any event, the conversion is riage" can be defined so subjectively. claimed as the pattern for such involve not likely to last, and will have done Summarizing the biblical teaching on ment and identification. While it is al irreparable damage to the man©s integ remarriage, the author . suggests it is most impossible to formulate what is rity. scanty if we accept the biblical idea that meant by "God became man," one©s duty Where the evangelist has failed is that persons are more fulfilled in a family sit to love one©s neighbor is clear. One can he has not preached the forgiveness that uation. He states that "it seems legiti not, then, argue that we ought to aban is integral to Christianity. If there is a mate to conjecture that the remarriage of don the so-called social gospel and return gospel, it is a gospel of sins forgiven the divorced persons is not only permissible to the straightforward task of converting closing of the gap between conscience but perhaps desirable." sinners. But the magnitude of the world©s and achievement. It is this essential ele The cumulative effect of the book is a social problems poses a real danger to ment of forgiveness that is lacking in our softening (if not removing altogether) of believers. contemporary social gospel, and it is the what the author considers the too-rigid A Christian livirig in Africa or India lack of it that is the real danger. The teaching of many churches on divorce faces this reality in the most direct way. If resulting guilt threatens not the integrity and remarriage. He argues that the im he gave $1 to every beggar he met, he of individuals but the integrity of a whole portance and significance of marriage would soon have given away everything society. It may end by destroying the needs to be emphasized. Couples should he had without making any appreciable most hopeful feature of contemporary be assisted in making wise marriage difference to the poverty about him. This Christianity the vigorous desire to choices and keeping their marriages realization may not confront a Christian care. strong. When they fail, they should be living in one of the richer countries of The answer to this problem is not to be forgiven by the grace of God and allowed Europe, North America, or the South found in abandoning moral demands. another chance to make things right. Pacific so directly. But when he has given Doing so would be irrelevant to the real While some couples may need to sep issue and would not assuage the sense of arate because of exceedingly great diffi guilt that already exists. What will suf culties in their union, Efird©s re-exegesis Rex D. Edwards fice is to offer a gospel of forgiveness as of Scripture seems to dilute the marriage vigorous, credible, and effective as the bond and thereby pave the way for social morality that it undergirds. The greater levels of acceptable divorce and church must emphasize that though the remarriage among church members. Our Christian will never be able to satisfy the efforts must ever be to give greater em needs of humanity, it is his duty to do phasis to the gospel in marriage. That everything in his power to meet those emphasis will not result in weakening the needs. But the church must add that the covenant, but in providing the means to Christian©s failure is not an occasion for a fulfill it.

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 25 Health and Religion

Chemical dependency among Adventists Kathy Lewis

eventh-day Advent it is. These symptoms are true of all ad members? The usual manner of counsel ists who are involved dictions and are the same whether the ing is to listen, develop trust, offer feed in addiction or in a person is an Adventist or not. back, confront, and educate. This type process of recovery A great deal of controversy exists of therapy works for Adventists just as it share certain prob about where addiction comes from. Is it a does for anyone else. But when the re lems. Recovery refers disease ? Is it a moral issue ? Is it a matter of covering addict leaves therapy and re either to recovery willpower or self-control? We seem to turns to Adventist society, problems of from the actual addiction to a chemical think that if we can figure out what ad ten begin to recur. For many, remaining or to recovery from the negative aspects diction is, then we can find someone to abstinent becomes impossible because of coping with a chemically dependent blame. And if we can put,the blame on finding adequate support among Ad person. someone, then no one else has to take ventists is difficult. Returning to a cul One common denominator the ad any responsibility for it. ture whose members believe willpower dicted person and the family member can overcome anything including ad share is their sense of guilt, shame, and Denial diction, or sin, if you will exposes the despair. The addicted person feels shame An unspoken ideal within the Ad addict to an environment in which the that he has the addiction, guilt that he ventist community says that Adventists reaction to addiction is the exact oppo cannot control his addiction, and despair do not become addicted. This is a pri site of that experienced in treatment. over his addiction. Family members feel mary obstacle in treating the addicted The message offered in treatment is shame for the addicted person, guilt be Adventist. In the chemical dependency that you must admit the addiction with a cause they cannot "fix" the addiction field this is called denial. conversion to the idea that says, "I am (they often feel responsible for it), and It is time to recognize that addiction powerless over this condition. I need a despair because they believe they cannot does exist. Perhaps it is time for all of us power greater than myself to restore me." tell anyone about it. to recognize that we share a responsibil Because as human beings we all need The addict and the family members ity to educate ourselves as to the physi acceptance, approval, and love from share similar coping mechanisms to cal, psychological, and spiritual aspects those around us, we are likely to fail avoid reality. The addict uses chemicals of addiction. If we are truly sincere in our when our culture, our religion, or our to avoid reality. Family members use desire to come to a greater understanding loved ones shun us. The chemically de food, work, intellectual pursuits, and of of addiction, we are going to have to risk pendent person©s plea to Adventist soci ten prescription medications to avoid re stating how we feel about it. And most of ety is: You have not been able to accept ality. us feel angry about it. me in my struggle, and I need you. I need Each tries desperately to avoid facing A major belief system among Advent you to accept me as I am and leave the up to his true thoughts and feelings about ists seems to be that anger is sinful. The business of judging me to God. the addiction. Within this desperate at core of the belief says, "If I feel angry, I tempt to avoid reality the addict and the am sinful; I am not Christian; I am wrong The Adventist ideal family set up rules of avoidance. They and bad." In my endeavor to gain a clearer un are: Don©t talk, think, or feel about the To take it a step further, the majority derstanding of Adventism for my own addiction. No one knows what to do of Adventist addicts have established a enlightenment and to provide better care about it, and no one wants to call it what belief system that says, "I am sin." These to those I serve, I have read several books people truly believe that because they are about Adventism. In The Ministry of Kathy Lewis, who is not a Seventhly addicted or involved with an addict, and Healing the message repeated over arid Adventist, is the clinical supervisor at because they feel angry, they are sin it over again is "Judge not, lest ye be Clearview Alcohol and Drug Recovery Pro self. judged." Over and over Ellen White gram, Center of Health Promotion, Loma So what can be done to help the Ad urges us to accept and love the tempted. Linda University. ventist addicted person and his family "With a sense of our own infirmities, we

26 MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 shall have compassion for the infirmities openly how they feel about it, then and pendency and judgmentalism equally of others." l only then will they be able to embrace giving energy to Satan©s cause? It is apparent that Ellen White recog fully the standards of Christian living set If we are to move beyond the nature of nized that the victims of intemperance forth in the Church Manual and be of Satan, we will need to move beyond our have a physical disease. Speaking of the help to the addict and his family. small selves. We will need to move into intemperate, she wrote, "With these The Seventh-day Adventist Church an area of acceptance of our brothers and self-indulgence is not only a moral sin, believes that the church is the body of sisters regardless of their infirmities. Is but a physical disease." In the same Christ. If this is true, then each individ that not what Jesus taught us when He passage she further stated, "Men speak of ual within the church represents a seg said, "Love thy neighbor as thyself," and these erring ones as hopeless; but not so ment of the body, and each segment of "Judge not, lest ye be judged"? the body represents Christ. Since Christ Perhaps most Adventists believe that does God regard them. He understands represents love, mercy, and forgiveness, if the chemically dependent person all the circumstances that have made so should the church and its individual would move beyond the chemical to them what they are, and He looks upon members. God, in one fell swoop all would be them with pity. This is a class that de The love, mercy, and forgiveness that cured. To expect that the majority of mand help. Never give them occasion to the church©s individual members feel is chemically dependent people could say,©No man cares for my soul.© " 3 based on their external judgment of one move from a tangible source of comfort to It appears that many consider these another. Apparently, though, many what they perceive as an intangible statements to apply only to non- church members have moved from the source of comfort is unrealistic. Adventists. We must realize, however, position of exemplifying Christ©s posi Alcoholics Anonymous works as a that these statements need to include tion of "Love thy neighbor as thyself to spiritual path toward recovery primarily Adventists as well. judging their neighbors. because of its nonjudgmental posture. The most recent edition of the The Church Manual does not support AA is willing to accept the whole person Seventh-

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 27 seed of the still small voice that whispers, issue that I find very interesting. In the hate to think it would take salary levels "I am with you, even till the end of the former, Arnold Wallenkampf shows to stimulate church growth and evange world." It is upon this foundation that how the deadly wound of the beast is lism. If it does, then we who are in the many therapists build a relationship with being healed. In the latter, Tim Crosby ministry better reevaluate our the person they are counseling. explains how the Adventist Church calling. "The Saviour©s example is to be the can become an image to the beast. 2. We have pastored districts with standard of our service for the tempted One is informative; the other, provoca three to five churches and have and erring. The same interest and ten tive. pastored a large college church. From derness and long-suffering that He man To the beast, sola scriptura is not the our experience, I do not feel that those ifested toward us, we are to manifest to only guide for faith and practice. To who pastor large churches incur more ward others. ©As I have loved you,© He Luther, it was the only authority. On expenses than do those who pastor says, ©that ye also love one another© (John sola scriptura he took his daring and small churches. Often in smaller 13:34). If Christ dwells in us, we shall fearless stand. churches there are more long-distance reveal His unselfish love toward all with Ellen White, whose authority Crosby calls to the other churches in the dis whom we have to do. As we see men and champions, took the same stand. "The trict, and the distance between the women in need of sympathy and help, we Bible, and the Bible only, is the religion churches puts more miles on the pastor©s shall not ask, ©Are they worthy?© but of Protestants." She was opposed to car. We entertained just as much in our ©How can I benefit them?© "the authority of tradition." "Clearly," smaller churches as we did in our large "Rich and poor, high and low, free and says Crosby, "it was considering human church; people are the same bond, are God©s heritage. He who gave tradition authoritative that she His life to redeem man sees in every hu opposed, not the authority of extraca- everywhere, and Christian hospitality is man being a value that exceeds finite nonical inspired writings." 365 days of the year. And every pastor computation. By the mystery and glory of But isn©t it from human tradition, the needs equipment. the cross we are to discern His estimate of tradition of North American elders, 3. Our people who are faithful in the value of the soul. When we do this, that we are being asked to accept the paying tithe should not also be asked to we shall feel that human beings, however authority of an extracanonical writer? supplement their pastor©s monthly in degraded, have cost too much to be The tradition and the writer are only come. God©s ordained way of paying for treated with coldness or contempt. We human. the physical and material needs of min shall realize the importance of working For daily guidance, a believer in isters is heaven-sent. Calls and moves for our fellow men, that they may be ex God©s Son and in the power of His Holy are complicated enough; please, let©s alted to the throne of God."7 Spirit needs neither priest nor prophet. never muddy the waters by making If the body of the church intends to Direct divine-human encounter is possi money an incentive. June Loor, Car- practice all of the principles that it has set ble without a knowledge of or depen mel, Indiana. forth, a clear message needs to be given dence on the writings of Ellen White. to all segments of the body that the To say this is not to reject her writings More from Hispanics church recognizes the need for treatment altogether. It is to plead for action I was glad to see the article entitled, and refuses to enhance further the dis that we don©t by specious argument "How I Use Small Groups in Evange ease through denial of its existence and claim too much for them. V. H. lism," by Miguel A. Cerna (October judgment of the individuals suffering Percy, Scott©s Runn, Jamaica, West 1987). In the past, Hispanic Adventists from it. Indies. have been given little recognition for their contributions to this great work, 1 The Ministry of Healing, p. 166. Was it planning, providence, or coin 2 Ibid., p. 172. yet they are some of the most enthused 3 Ibid., pp. 171,172. cidence that Tim Crosby©s article "Why and energetic workers for God, both as 4 Seventh'day Adventist Church Manual, p. 141. I don©t Believe in Sola Scriptura immedi 5 Ibid. leaders and laypeople. This is being 6 Ibid., p. 20. ately followed "The Reprieve of Martin reflected in the rapid growth rate of 7 The Ministry of Healing, pp. 162, 163. Luther"? While the Roman Catholic Hispanic Adventism here in America. I Church is trying to get closer to Mar would like to see more articles of this tin Luther, Tim Crosby is trying to get nature authored by Hispanic writers further away. After reading the article, I had the feeling that those who agree expressing their views and methodolo Letters gies. Ramon Perez Greek, Montgom- From page 2 with such a view of inspiration and au thority would not be too uncomfortable .ery, Alabama. lem, namely, that administrative and de with opening up the back flyleaf of their We are anxious to publish more from partmental personnel need to be rotated Bibles and adding the writings of E. G. Hispanic and other ethnic authors and to pastoral positions periodically in order White. Bob Hunter, Stone Moun from authors from outside North Amer to maintain perspective. Donald Hop- tain, Georgia. ica—but to do so, we need to receive kins, Simi Valley, California. manuscripts from such authors. Please feel Nixes making money an incentive free to submit manuscripts for our consid The fall and rise of the beast In response to a letter published in eration; we would also be interested in "The Reprieve of Martin Luther" and the December 1987 issue on moonlight receiving names of potential authors and "Why I don©t Believe in Sola Scriptura" ing, I would like to comment on the the areas of their interest or expertise. — are two articles in your October 1987 writer©s three suggestions: 1. I would Editors.

28 MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 Biblio File

The Reign of God inquiry to basics, focusing on the the fact that our all-knowing God knows Richard Rice, Andrews University Press, "meaning" rather than sequence of end- how man will choose and has revealed Berrien Springs, Michigan, 1985, 400 time events. He hints that he will ex the future in biblical eschatology. pages, $23.95. Reviewed by Norman R. amine these unique sequence features Gulley, professor of systematic theology, later. So one looks to the heading "An The Advent Hope for Human Hope Religion Department, Southern College, Adventist Outline of Final Events" to lessness Collegedale, Tennessee. find such an examination. All that is Samuele Bacchiocchi, Biblical Perspectives, The Reign of God, by Richard Rice of found is that the differences between Berrien Springs, Michigan, 1986, 430 Loma Linda University, is an introduc those who accept and those who reject pages, $14.95. Reviewed by John W. tion to Christian theology from a God©s reign become sharper until proba Fowler, recently returned from serving as Seventh-day Adventist perspective. It tion closes (a mere half page compared ministerial secretary in West Africa. consists of 16 chapters, each with study to two pages on William Miller). There The heart warms to the message con helps and suggestions for further reading. is no hint of a preprobation sequence of veyed in the title of Dr. Bacchiocchi©s The prolegomena concerns the task of events. book The Advent Hope. The colorful, Christian theology. The second chapter The investigative judgment has no ap striking cover portraying the visible com begins the system with the doctrine of parent reference to the antichrist little ing of our Lord and the joy of the re revelation, and succeeding chapters horn in Rice©s presentation. The deemed will find a ready response in cover the doctrines of God, man, Christ, pre-Advent, millennial, and postmillen- minds and hearts. The author is to be the church, last-day events, and in con nial judgments do not appear to be commended for his efforts to write a book clusion, the Sabbath. brought together in their great contro that presents the great truths of the Ad Rice places soteriology within eccle- versy context. vent in new and fresh ways. siology to guard against individualism, so The rich Adventist contribution to While the book focuses on the second personal salvation is considered within Daniel and Revelation studies is missing coming of Christ and the wonder of this the corporate context. His eschatology in Rice©s eschatology, as is the unfolding truth, its unique contribution is found in also focuses on social rather than individ of Armageddon, the final outworking of what it says about the signs of the com ual rewards. He ends with the Sabbath the reign of God in human history. He ing, their meaning, and the method by because he believes it to be the "cap admits a "brief review of Adventist es which they are interpreted. stone" of SDA theology and Advent- chatology," which is much too sketchy. I Bacchiocchi©s view of the nature of ism©s most valuable contribution to the see it as the weakest part of his system prophetic signs becomes clear in chapter larger Christian world. A link is revealed when it could be the resounding climax 7. He writes, "The signs of the end given between the Sabbath and each major of his theme. by Christ in His Olivet discourse (which doctrine. Rice©s presupposition for his eschatol includes false christs, wars, earthquakes, Rice chooses "the reign of God," how ogy is apparently found in his doctrine of famines, worldwide gospel proclama ever, as his central theme that holds to God. He calls that chapter "a construc tion, and tribulation), are all signs which gether and shows the interrelatedness of tive proposal," in which he takes the cannot be precisely dated or fixed. Christ each of the doctrines. He traces this view that God does not know all the de did not say, for example, when an earth theme in a way that enables one to see tails of the future because He is in a dy quake completely destroys San Franci the wholeness in Adventist fundamental namic relationship with man. Hence sco, or when famine causes the death of beliefs, rather than seeing them as 27 many predictions are not ironclad fore hundreds of thousands in Ethiopia or unrelated entities. This is Rice©s greatest casts. Instead, they describe what God Cambodia, ©then you know that My re contribution. will do in the event that certain things turn is near.©. . . On the contrary, Christ It is my opinion that eschatology happen. So God "does not foresee their chose to give signs of a generic nature could serve as a logical capstone to this occurrence as inevitable; He intends to which could find a degree of fulfillment theme. Adventist eschatology provides cause them to happen, but He may in every age." This concept is repeated insight into God©s foreknowledge of change His plans according to human several times throughout the book. He events, and His continuing reign lead actions." This seems to be a qualified rejects the idea that there are unique ing up to triumph. It is also an area "process theological" perspective. signs that have a specific fulfillment and where Adventists can make a contribu Moltmann©s proleptic eschatology, that can be seen in the context of a chro tion that is in contrast to Dodd©s real expressed in Theology of Hope, pictures nology of events giving certainty of the ized eschatology, Bultman©s timeless (or God as one not bound by biblical predic nearness of the Advent. existential) eschatology, and Molt- tions because He is sovereign. Rice, on The author uses what he calls the "pro mann©s proleptic eschatology on one the other hand, seems to question God©s phetic perspective" as a context in which hand, and the dispensational-secret- absolute foreknowledge on the basis of we can understand the purpose of Ad rapture-Israel-centered final events fo man's freedom. I believe a better under vent signs. He places the focus on the cus on the other. But Rice limits his standing can be achieved by accepting "what" rather than the "when" of

MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 29 Christ©s return. The "what" are generic views and the hermeneutical principles Freedom of Simplicity signs that will bring assurance of the cer undergirding them. This study is a matter Richard ]. Foster, Harper and Row, San tainty and imminence of Christ©s com of urgency in view of the seeming differ Francisco, California, 1981, 200 pages, ing. They enable every generation to ex ences found in this book from traditional $13.95. Reviewed by Sandra Smith- perience imminence as a necessity for Adventist eschatology and in view of the Reynolds. faith. His premise is that faith can be probable wide circulation of this work. This book is a delightful and thought- sustained only if a person believes that provoking exploration of the Christian Christ is coming in his day. Therefore Marriage, Divorce, and ... grace and discipline of simplicity. Foster the signs must be fulfilled for each gener Robert C. Kistler, Review and Herald Pub leads us first through a careful study of ation. lishing Association, Washington, D.C., scriptural examples of simplicity and If the Advent signs are of a generic 1987, 156 pages, $10.95. Reviewed by then explores its practice throughout nature with no unique characteristics in ]erry Connell, pastor of the University Christian history. any generation, then it follows that they Seventh-day Adventist Church, Michigan The second half of the book provides must be fulfilled in each generation. This State University, East Lansing, Michigan. an in-depth study of the practice of sim the author calls "contemporizing the Ad Opening the book to page 57 and read plicity in the daily life of the Christian, vent signs." Acknowledging that in ev ing "if the ring is perceived as a symbol beginning with placing God as our divine ery age there have been Christians who that enhances the loving care and stabil center and working outward through our believed they were witnessing a unique ity that should exist in a marriage, it priorities within the family, work, com fulfillment of the Advent signs, he does would be uncaring and less than Chris munity, and the world. This book is a not feel this is an acceptable use of signs. tian to condemn those who find strength resource to be used again and again. It Making unique applications of generic for fidelity in its symbolic meaning" is also makes an excellent study guide for signs in any age results in ridicule by enough to arrest the attention of any group discussion. thinking people, sensationalism, a hope Seventh-day Adventist reader. Going less attitude toward the present social or from there to the table of contents and Marriage and Divorce der, a false sense of security, and finally finding titles such as "The Meaning and James M. Efird, Abingdon Press, Nash disappointment. Contemporizing ge Demeaning of Marriage," "With or ville, Tennessee, 1985, 96 pages, paper, neric signs then is to make general appli Without a Ring," "Mixed Marriages," $4.95. Reviewed by Ron Flowers, associate cations of them to the present age, show "Plural Marriages," and "Second Mar director, Department of Church Ministries, ing that God is at work in the world and riages," the reader realizes that the au General Conference of Seventhday Ad- that the conflict between good and evil is thor has put his pen on some theological ventists. moving toward a climax. and social sore spots within global Ad- This book grew out of the author©s feel While Bacchiocchi appears to believe ventism. ing that an inordinate amount of guilt is in the historical perspectives of Daniel, Kistler, a former pastor, is a sociologist levied upon divorcing Christians because his hermeneutic for interpreting proph at Andrews University. He wrestles with of rigid, legalistic understandings of ecy is in conflict with it. He writes that some perennial questions in our world "once married, always married" held by some weaken the Advent hope by con wide church. They are issues that inevi the church. He sets out to reexamine centrating on peripheral factors such as tably arise as the church impacts other what the Bible says about the perma dates, events, and hypothetical future cultures. nence of marriage and the possibility of political developments. In chapter 10 Marriage, Divorce, and ... is well divorce to determine whether or not the the author presents what he sees as "true" documented as a resource base for both interpretations of Scripture that give rise and "authentic" signs and in outline pastor and laity. It is written without to such positions reflect biblical teach form explains them in detail, using many technical jargon and easily understood. ing. of the prophecies of the Old and New Although Kistler would not suggest that In a comprehensive study of marriage Testaments to identify them. his work is definitive, it is an acutely in the Old and New Testaments, Efird His basic argument that the signs needed resource that combines biblical sees a shift between the Testaments with "point to the certainty of the approach theology, the counsels of Ellen White, a greater emphasis on monogamy and ing end" is predicated on the concept of modern social science, a broad cultural more attention given to the relationship signs intensification. This concept is the understanding, and compassion. per se in the New Testament. modus operand! by which signs bring The volume is a significant contribu An underlying thesis of the author hope and assurance to the believer. tion because it deals with multicultural (which is often alluded to but never re There is no chronology of events as issues. It will also help the casual reader ally developed) is that a real marriage taught by the Seventh-day Adventist to be sensitive to the church©s attempts in takes place when two people become one Church in the past to give assurance of the past to deal with such complex issues personality joined by God. Such unity is the nearness of the end. Bacchiocchi ap as mixed marriages and plural marriages, indivisible, and divorce is not possible. pears to say that the Scriptures do not and to see how our present positions have Efird implies that where such unity does identify, even generally, a period of evolved. not exist divorce is possible. He believes world history when the end will come. A At a time when individuals apply their that those instances in which the Scrip concept of end-times with specific signs, own understanding to the church©s ture permits the possibility of divorce are events, and dates identified by prophecy teachings on divorce, remarriage, and an acknowledgment that not every mar is missing. rings, this volume can contribute toward riage will result in the couple becoming Further study is needed to fully under reaching a theological and sociological one. stand Dr. Bacchiocchi©s eschatological consensus. (Continued on page 25)

30 MINISTRY/APRIL/1988 Shop Talk

Hospitalized missionary original intent of the stan today©s pastor also. To assist The Church at Study be members dard quarterly has been the pastor in this task, the gins Sabbath mornings at When you visit hospital maintained. Likewise, the church has established 11:30 a.m., Central Stan ized church members, bring White Estate assists by mak church schools, extensions dard Time, and The Church them several pieces of liter ing sure that Spirit of of the Sabbath school. at Worship follows at 12:30. ature to distribute while Prophecy quotations have These schools have the The programs, edited to 58 they are in the hospital. been accurately adapted. mandate to nurture the cul minutes and 30 seconds, Almost any type of denomi The Easy English quar ture; to, as Paul put it, contain no commercials, national pamphlet, book, or terly uses a large typeface to teach the traditions that local news, or offering ap magazine will do I©ve used accommodate those who are assure the life and vitality of peals. Jocelyn Fay, com sight-impaired, and modern our faith (2 Thess. 2:15). Steps to Christ, What I Like munication director, South About. . ., and doctrinal Bible translations that are In a study of the members eastern California pamphlets, all with success. suited to the language needs of the Lake Union Confer Conference. Distributing literature is of the deaf. ence, Elder Warren Minder good missionary work for The simplified vocabu found that the longer a per the hospitalized for two rea lary of the Easy English son had attended an Ad Are your youth joining sons: First, people are more quarterly extends its useful ventist school, the longer the military? receptive to the sick be ness beyond the hearing- that person was likely to Are your church youth cause they desire to make impaired. Many of those for remain with the church. To thinking about joining the them feel better. And sec whom English is a second support Christian education armed forces? Because of ond, sick people feel better language find this quarterly is to support the church. On the educational benefits, themselves knowing that more understandable than Christian Education Day, many Adventist youth are. they are still able to do the standard quarterly. And April 23, 1988, will you Three leaflets have been something significant de the less-educated among dedicate yourself and the prepared to help you help spite the many things they those whose primary lan family you serve to strength them find answers to their aren©t able to do while in guage is English may well ening and nurturing the questions: "What An Ad the hospital. Byron K. find this quarterly helpful culture? VictorS. Grif ventist Should Know About Hill, Campostella Heights also. fiths, associate director, the Military"; "What if Un Seventh-day Adventist You may obtain this quar General Conference De cle Sam Orders Me to Work Church, Virginia Beach, terly through Adventist partment of Education. on the Sabbath?"; and Virginia. Book Centers or by ordering "What to Expect if I Join." it through your local per Adventist services via These leaflets will help you Easy English quarterly sonal ministries director. satellite minister to the youth and Do some members of your Lyndelle Chiomenti, assis Persons unable to attend their families. You may ob church find the standard tant director, General Con Seventh-day Adventist tain them free through your Sabbath school lesson quar ference Department of worship services in person local conference Adventist terly difficult to understand? Church Ministries. now can "attend" via televi Chaplaincy Ministries/Na Perhaps the Easy English sion if they have a satel tional Service Organization quarterly is just what is Nurturing the culture lite dish. (ACM/NSO) director. needed to draw them into After His resurrection our Every Sabbath, members Those Adventist youth regular Bible study and par Lord was concerned to re of the Loma Linda Univer who do enlist in the military ticipation in Sabbath school store Peter, who had denied sity Church Media Ministry services need recognition classes. Him and then bitterly re videotape their church©s and a warm send-off by their The Easy English quar pented of his denial, to his study and worship services. local church families. Why terly is prepared with the leadership role (John 21:15- For the past four years these not present them with ser needs of the hearing-im 19). An important, we programs have been aired vicemen©s kits, available paired in mind. The Chris might even say critical, di on cable television in the from your local ACM/NSO tian Record Braille Founda rective in assuring Peter of Loma Linda area, primarily director for $3.50? Each kit tion©s Department of his restoration was Jesus© for shut-ins. includes a high-quality Bi Services for the Deaf "trans invitation to "feed my Recently the Three An ble, several devotional lates" the standard quarterly lambs." By entrusting to gels Broadcasting Network booklets, and leaflets writ into the easily signed En Peter those He was most began broadcasting these ten to help servicemen deal glish used in American Sign concerned for the young services on Satcom IR [Fl], with special problems of Language. The editors of and tender of the faith . transponder 17. The satel conscience they may en the General Conference. Jesus showed His faith in lite has an 8-watt transmit counter in the military. Department of Church Peter. ted output and gives a good- C. E. Bracebridge, director, Ministries check this trans The care of the young is quality signal that satellite Adventist Chaplaincy Min lation to ensure that the the first responsibility of dishes can pick up well. istries.

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