Accepted in Christ Ellen G. White
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t TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 Presenting the truth as it is in Jesus Joel Sarli 4 How to offer a pastoral prayer Elder's Digest C. M. Mellor Publisher ................................... Ministerial Association General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 8 Health reform: A balanced program Ministerial Association Secretary. James A. Cress Calvin H. Palmer Editor ................................................ .......... Joel Sarli Contributing Editors Sharon Cress Peter Prime 10 The elders'guardianship program WillmoreD.Eva Leslie Pollard Carl Johnston Nikolaus Satelmajer Carl Coffman Julia W. Norcott Ted Wilson Division Consultants 12 Across the table Africa-Indian Ocean ..... ,. Ewoo Andrews Laurence Eastern Africa ............... ............ Joel N. Musvosvi Walter R. Scragg Euro-Africa.................... .................Gabriel Maurer Euro-Asia ...................... ................. Ivan Manilich Inter-America ................ ..................... IvanOmana 14 Two men named Jesus North America............... ................ David Osborne Northern Asia-Pacific ... .................. Carlos Martin Warren C. Trenchard South America .............. ........... Alejandro Button South Pacific................. .................... Jonas Arrais Southern Asia ............... .................. Anthony Kent Southern Asia-Pacific .. .......................John Duroe 16 Learning from a loved one's illness Trans-European ............ ..............Peter Roennfeldt Bene Augusta Southern Africa Union . ........ Raymond A. Zeenian 17 Helping mothers to be good mothers Marketing Manager................................. Cathy Payne Subscription rates and address changes: Bene Augusta 1 s$9.95 for one year (four issues) and ' s$ 25.00 for Ihree years; "s$3.00'.single issue. Please send all subscriptions and address changes to 19 Leadership and Adventist objectives Elder's Digest, 12501 Old Columbia Pike. Silver Spring. MD 20904-6516. W. J. Hackett To Writers: Articles about the work of the local elder are welcome and may be submitted to Elder's Digest, 12501 Old Columbia Pike. Silver Spring. MD 20904- 20 Children in the church 6516. A stamped, self-addressed envelope should accompany unsolicited manuscripts. Selected by Margarida F. Sarli Elder's Digest is published quarterly by the Seventh- day Advenlist Ministerial Association© 2001. which retains full editorial control. It is printed by the 22 Accepted in Christ Pacific Press" Pub. Assn.. 1350 N. Kings Road. Nampa, ID 83687-3193. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Ellen G. White Editor's Note: The articles in this publication have been revised slightly or updated to conform to the 26 Slices of life intended audience and nature of Elder's Digest. Henry Feyerabend Number I lible credits: Texts credited to NUB are from The New English 28 Questions: Fanaticism, revival, and Hible. Copyright © l%l, 1970 by the Delegates of the Oxford " ' " ss and the Syndics of (he Cambridge University reformation . .........,,,.....jd by permission. Bible texts credited to Phillips an !n>m J. B. Phillips: The New Testament in Modern English, Revised Edition. Copyright ©1958, l%0. 1972 by J. B, Phillips. Used by permission of Macmillan Publishing Co. Bible texts 30 Greeters are VIPs in the church credited to RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Copyright © 1946, 1952,1971 by the Division of Christian Sildete Lopes Hducationof the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. Elder's Digest / January-March 2001 0 R I A L Presenting the Truth as It Is in Jesus Joel Sarli I he Lord blessed the work of a theologians are speaking of the gospel as opposed to Bible instructor with seventy doctrine. Often we hear statements like, "If we are T precious souls in the first bap preaching doctrines we are not preaching the gospel." tism of a series of evangelistic meetings. Ideas such as this have even been repeated in our pul One day in her enthusiasm for the Lord pits, in our publications, and in our schools, thus she expressed her amazement in observ bringing confusion to many faithful members, while ing the transformation taking place in discrediting the loyal work done by our evangelists and the life of so many people. "The more I teach the gospel Bible instructors. to people the more I marvel at the transforming power Insecurity plagues the person who is not sure of of our message," she exclaimed. the doctrines of the church; one who is not sure that She knew that she was indeed teaching the gospel; what his church teaches is true, or not sure of his own going from home to home helping people to under familiarity with it. The latter has produced fearful wit stand the doctrines of the Adventist church. Her nesses and the former a multitude of apostates. memory could not separate the many first-hand expe If it is true that some of our members and preach riences with the many lives ers have a misconception that had been transformed of certain doctrines, it is by the power of the Mes It is the responsibility of every elder to also true that, due to the sage. help the members to know the biblical lack of the correct and con Accompanying her sistent presentation of was a young intern who basis for what they believe, and to move doctrines, some of our had just graduated from preaching does not pro college with a degree in the from elementary teachings to a deeper vide the quality of spiritual ology. He became the understanding of the truth. nurture we intend. Never pastor of the new church. theless, doctrines are part As she continued to work, of the solid message of the he came to regard her approach with apprehension, Bible and must be given to our congregation through eventually deciding that it was a severe detriment to preaching the Word of God. This was Paul's convic her ministry. He decided to provide new insight to the tion when he said, "Therefore let us leave the faithful Bible instructor that she might understand elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity" some fresh theological concept that he had just learned (Heb. 6:1, RSV). from his college courses. It is the responsibility of every elder to help the "You're not teaching gospel but Adventist doc members to know the biblical basis for what they be trine," he began, "and you're using one of the worst lieve, and to move from elementary teachings to a Bible-study methods the 'proof-text'method." He deeper understanding of the truth. told her he would have more time to talk about this E. G. White counsels: "We do not go deep enough since he would be remaining there as the coordinator in our search. Every soul who believes present truth of the follow-up activities for this campaign. will be brought where he will be required to give a rea Today, we increasingly face this trend among our son of the hope that is in him. The people of God will congregations. Elders, pastors, administrators, and continued on page 7 Elder's Digest / January-March 2001 3 WORSHIP How to Offer a Pastoral Prayer C. M. Mellor come, let us worship and bow down: O let us before Him. Let this act testify that the whole soul, kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our body, and spirit are in subjection to the Spirit of O God" (Ps. 95:6, 7). Prayer is the high point of truth." Selected Messages, 2:314. How thankful we the church service. At this time the congregation is in should be that the Seventh-day Adventist Church has direct communion with the Eternal. The reading of not followed the example of popular Protestantism Scripture, the singing of hymns, and the preaching of where the worshipers no longer kneel but sit or stand the sermon must be secondary as these functions only during prayer! There is a blessing in kneeling before speak about God; but when we pray, we are in direct the eternal God. conversation with the Almighty. However, we must not become legalistic and rigid Prayer is a science and as such demands careful in this matter, for there may be times where the ideal is study and understanding. We are told, "There should not possible. At some convocations, such as camp be an intelligent knowledge of how to come to God in meeting pavilions and public auditoriums, kneeling is reverence and godly fear with devotional love. There is almost impossible. Thus, we must do the best we can a growing lack of reverence for our Maker, a growing under the circumstances, but the preferred posture of disregard of His greatness and His majesty." Selected prayer is to kneel. How impressive to see a congrega Messages, 2:315. tion reverently kneeling as they worship their Creator! It is distressing to admit that few of our ministers The Bible says several times, "He lifted up his have had any training either on the college level or in voice." Public prayer should be offered in a clear voice seminary in the discipline, dynamics and techniques of so all present can hear every word. No one can be edi effective prayer. Inspiration states, "Educate and train fied spiritually if the one addressing God cannot be the mind that you may in simplicity tell the Lord what understood. We are counseled, "Let those who pray you need.... The Lord desires us to improve in prayer and those who speak pronounce their words properly, and to offer our spiritual sacrifices with increased faith and speak in clear, distinct, even tones. Prayer, if prop and power." In Heavenly Places, p. 78. Are we grow erly offered, is a power for good. It is one of the means ing in an intelligence of prayer, or are we praying in used by the Lord to communicate to the people the the same way that we have been doing for the past five, precious treasures of truth. But prayer is not what it ten, or fifteen years? should be, because of the defective voices of those who There are several prayers offered in the course of a utter it.