Preach Christ! Columbia Pike, Silver Spring
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Ministry Ministry is the international journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association and has been published since 1928. Association Secretary International Advisors Salvation pilgrimage James A. Cress A. Abdulmajid, Eradio Alonso, The Adventist journey into justification by faith and Trinitarianism Editor Roberto Badenas, Alejandro Willmore D. Eva Bullon, Jaime Castrejon, Woodrow W. Whidden Eugene Hsu, Gabriel Maurer, Assistant Editor Leslie McMilian, Joel Julia W. Norcott Musvosvi, David Parks, Jose 8 Editorial Assistant Viana, Walton Whaley, John Sheila Draper Willmott, Eric Winter, R. A, Zeeman Small groups in evangelism Professional Growth and Small group ministries along with evangelism can create Inter-church Relations Pastoral Advisors Nikolaus Satelmajer Leslie Baumgartner, S. Peter more lasting results and more mature disciples Campbell, Michael Cerna, Contributing Editors Jeanne Hartwell, Mitchell John W. Fowler Sharon Cress Henson, Greg Nelson, Norma Rex D. Edwards Osborn, Leslie Pollard, Dan Joel Sarli Smith, Steve Willsey Kit Watts 10 Advertising Pastoral Assistant Editors Ministry Editorial Office When children are grieving John C. Cress Subscriptions and Circulation Ministry to children in grief Fredrick Russell Maylan Schurch Jeannette Calbi Norma Osborn Loren Seioold Resources Consulting Editors Catherine Payne Matthew Bediako, Ben Tape of the Month 14 Clausen, Raoul Dederen, Donald Driver Teofilo Ferreira, Ron Cover Design Growing churches is like growing trees Flowers, Robert Harry Knox Principles of church growth drawn from the natural world Folkenberg, John M. Fowler, Roland Hegstad, Cover Art Ricardo Norton Kathleen Kuntaraf, Robert Detail from "Christ of the Peach, George Reid, Angel Narrow Way," by Elfred Lee. Rodriguez, Penny Shell, Courtesy of the E. G. White William Shea, Russell Estate 16 Staples, Richard Tibbits, Waiting for the right moment Edward Zmke Wisely presenting the controversial aspects ofAdventism To Writers: We welcome unsolicited manuscripts. Editorial preference is to receive manuscripts on diskette Darryl Comstock with name, address, telephone number, fax, and Social Security number (if US citizen). Send all editorial correspondence to 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver 18 Spring, MD 20904-6600. Telephone: 301-680-6510; Fax: Proclaiming the message fearlessly 301-680-6502; E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] (editorial offices). Faithfully presenting the controversial aspects ofAdventism Writer©s Guidelines available on request. Jac Colon Subscriptions: For 12 issues: United States us$29.95; Canada and overseas us$30.95; airmail us$39.95; single copy us$3.00. To order, send name, address, and payment 22 to Jeannette Calbi, Ministry Subscriptions, 12501 Old Preach Christ! Columbia Pike, Silver Spring. MD 20904 U.S.A. Subscription queries and address changes: E-mail: If there was only one sermon to preach... [email protected].; fax 301-680-6502; phone 301- James C. Otore 680-6503. Ministry (ISSN 0026-5314), the international journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association 24 1998, is published monthly by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and printed by the Pacific Is your church senior-sensitive? Press Pub. Assn., 1350 N. Kings Road, Nampa, ID Age sensitiveness and responsive care of mature age groups in the church 83687-3193. Member Associated Church Press. Standard mail postage paid at Nampa, Idaho. Ministry is W. Charles Arn and Win Arn available on microfilm from University Microfilms International. Call 1-800-521-3044 or mail inquiry to: University Microfilms International, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106. IN EVERY ISSUE PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Vol. 71 Number 4 3 Letters 28 Pastor©s Pastor Bible credits: Texts credited to NiV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973,1978, 4 Editorial 31 Resources 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. 2 Ministry/April 1998 The pastor after a moral crisis If a small group of persons want and ever will have till the close of time" Commendation to Roger Nixon power and control and are persons of (Ellen White, The Acts of the Apostles, 196, (August 1997) for the courage to confront high income, they can collectively lever 197). C. B. Harris, Yuma, Arizona. head-on a complex and challenging issue. administrative silence or generate a How tragic indeed when a pastor flaunts mentality to just move the pastor. For Receiving the Word clearly established ethical norms, gives in example: Tithe flow from seven high George R. Knight and George W. Reid to Satan©s allurements, and in a fleeting incomes being halted (either temporarily have reviewed Samuel Koranteng-Pipim©s moment of madness, forgets his wife, while the money is left in their checking book Receiving the Word (December children, and his congregation for a few accounts; or worse, permanently while the 1997). Knight sounds like someone who scraps of forbidden pleasure. tithe is diverted elsewhere, or just just got caught with his hand in the Equally tragic is the uncaring and stopped) can cause a conference budget to cookie jar and now decides to lash out black-and-white, legalistic way such be impacted. An $85,000 to $100,000 against the one who caught him in the pastors are frequently dealt with by shortage could easily cancel a large city- act. Reid©s review, on the other hand, church administration. To be bold wide evangelist series or cause two pastors comes across in a far more objective, enough to proclaim that "there is life after to be dropped. kind, and Christian manner with a desire adultery" through an appropriate The recent Annual Council reports to understand both sides of the ministry of restoration is highly carry a fresh breeze of transparency. question. Harold Bohr, Amarillo, Texas. commendable. Monthly progress reports generated by It would certainly be minimizing local conference presidents and/or Anyone who has carefully read the God©s grace to assert that: "Once an ministerial secretaries along with progress book, and then the two reviews, must adulterer, always an adulterer," and let©s reports from the persecuted pastors to pause to realize that something tragic has get rid of the fallen pastor for good. If conference committee members might happened among our theologians and God could use fallen leaders until their start practical resolutions. Is it possible for Bible teachers. When it is concluded that dying day although their whole life was a that fresh breeze also to blow through the one view on a subject of such critical series of broken moral promises (e.g., ministerial associations at each level of importance to the church is "responsible" Samson), then why can©t the church do administration and Ministry magazine to and the other "irresponsible," the door to the same? Do we have the audacity to be generate some other practical solutions? dialogue has been effectively closed. What holier than God in this respect? Doesn©t Adventism should be transparent as can be done about the situation now? To Scripture condemn polygamy as much as sunlight and generate more cures than ignore it in the desperate hope that it will it does adultery? How come God allowed names for disease symptoms. J. Fred simply go away would be counter Solomon, with 1,000 women, to even Hughes, Lincoln City, Oregon. productive. Having witnessed a similar write a few books in the Bible? situation earlier in my ministry in C. Lobart, D.Min., via e -mail. The apostolic church had a question another denomination, I never thought that engendered much debate. We, also, such a thing could or would occur in the Pastor persecutors have problems, except the subject is Seventh-day Adventist Church. Rediger (August 1997) covered many different. They solved their problem by Raymond C. Holmes, Berrien Springs, aspects of Christian persecution of referring it to a General Assembly (the Michigan. pastors. Contributing factors to this first General Conference). "Its decision phenomenon are time and money. was to put an end to all controversy: for it The risk of Christmas While conference presidents or other was the voice of the highest authority on Fowler (December 1997) argues that administrative specialists may decline the the earth." The decision was "generally the meaning of Christmas is to be found distasteful task of dealing with this issue accepted by the Christian churches. Not in the "incarnational ministry" whereby a for the variety of reasons listed in all, however, were pleased with the Christian takes the risk of identifying Rediger©s article, they are so loaded down decision; there was a faction who with the suffering, and he cites the with time demands that this complicated disagreed with it. These men assumed to example of Mother Teresa who took this problem just doesn©t get fitted in. The engage in the work on their own challenge wholeheartedly by fully problem gets buried among others for responsibility.... From the first the identifying herself with the poor. which time doesn©t allow. church has had such obstacles to meet, Continued on p. 29 If you©re receivingUlmstry bimonthly and havent paid for a subscription, it©s not a mistake. Since 1928tKn\&cy has been published for Seventh-day Adventist ministers. We believe. Free Subscription however, that the time has come for clergy even/where to experience a resurgence of faith in the authority ot Scripture and in the great truths that reveal the gospel of our salvation by grace, through faith alone in Jesus Christ. We want to share our aspirations and faith in a way that will provide inspiration and help to you as clergy. We hope you will accept this journal as our outstretched hand to you. Look over our shoulder, take what you want and find helpful, and discard what you can©t use. Bimonthly gift subscriptions are available to all licensed and/or ordained clergy.