i 2 m f "t .£«; Letters Bangalore Annual Council status quo, run-of-the-mill, busi But when they went to our pastor As an avid reader of Ministry for ness-as-usual, bureaucratic- with a request to marry them, the more than two decades, oftentimes I don©t-rock-the-boat posture? It©s up pastor told him he needed to join itched to respond to articles that to us, really, isn©t it? Claude the church before he could marry stimulated my thinking, and now is Lombart, president, Egypt Field of them. Because the pastor used the the time. In my opinion, missiolo- SDAs, Cairo, Egypt. word "unbeliever," he felt insulted. gically the most significant state He went then to his church, and ment I ever saw published in my Thank you for your remarks on received the same insult, except this favorite journal is found in John Mizoram. In 1949 we went there as time it was directed at my daughter. Fowler©s editorial "Bangalore: the first missionaries. The capital Then they went to a Lutheran Affirming the Future" (February city was a one-street village. The pastor, to please my mother-in-law, 1994). The section "The Test of street was about 100 yards long, and and they were both insulted with the Stewardship" says it all by raising at times in the night one could see a word, "unbelievers." So I suggested some pertinent questions that, if tiger or a leopard stroll across the that they elope, and they did. We dismissed, will only be to our peril. street. But in all those little villages all went to the justice of the peace, Yes, why is the Seventh-day of Mizoram, there were people parents and grandparents, and it was Adventist Church in India still whom God loved. As we worked the most beautiful ceremony I have dependent on the mother/father with them, we took time to disciple ever attended. They are very happy church for economic sustenance them. Most of our people in other today, not because of the Seventh- after 100 years? Why do similar parts of India did not understand day Adventist Church, but because situations remain elsewhere, such as what we were doing. We got of love. in my own area? "spanked" by some leaders more I asked our pastor for biblical Research on the issue of self- than once for the way we were proof for the policy, and he could support of the Egypt Field shows doing our ministry, and for the slow not find it. Your article also fails to that one of the side effects of long- baptisms. But the work is the show any Bible text to support the term financial dependency of Lord©s, and He has brought it to tradition of the church. Abimael mission fields on the churches of fruition. Thank you for understand Acosta, Irving, Texas. the developed world is paralysis of ing why and how Mizoram became development within. Ongoing a conference. Helen and Willis G. I have three concerns regarding appropriations meant to be a boon Lowry, Coalmont, Tennessee. the proposed Church Manual turn out to be a bane for the recipi statement on marrying non- ents of such aid. Marrying non-Adventists Adventists. First, the effect this kind Fowler raises some appropriate I have always enjoyed your of statement would have on church questions: "Does self-support mean Ministry articles, though I do not members. When we add such a financing an infrastructure and an agree with everything. However, "strong" recommendation to our organization too burdensome for the this is the first time I am responding "strong" emphasis on Adventist constituency and too alien to be to an article. The issue of marrying education, the result is a formula, supported? Should not administra non-Adventists (February 1994) has intentional or not, for "good" tive and pastoral style and function bothered me for many years, and I Adventists, that unfortunately stay within the context of the have discussed this with many almost never results in a positive widow©s mite, if that mite is all the pastors. They agree with my stand, demonstration of "love and concern income that can be generated within but choose to remain with the with the purpose of encouraging." a field? . What should define our tradition of the church. Rather, we end up with an stewardship: structure or mission, There seems to be a misinterpre Adventist class system with the bureaucracy or nurture, elitism or tation of the Scriptures, and this has inevitable tensions and conflicts servanthood?" caused many believers to either that result between the "good" and I am also moved by the Annual remain single or choose not to be the "not-so-good." Council©s call on "stewardship, self- part of the church family. Some Second, such policies tend to reliance, and sacrifice." Total life Adventists, in spite of the tradition, undermine confidence in God©s stewardship is what it©s all about. marry non-Adventists anyway, and I ability to inspire appropriate The Lord of mission spoke to the have been in favor of them. choices by those who have commit leaders of our world church meeting My daughter was and is in love ted themselves to Him. Whenever in Bangalore. The question is this: with a Baptist believer. He wanted the church attempts to use undue Will we act, or will we keep the to marry her and join the church. (Continued on page 30) MINISTRY/JUNE/1994 First Glance Editorial clarification L Letters In the April issue of Ministry I shared four views of the church that appeared in another magazine, none of which 4 Koinonia is the key spoke for the church. In that editorial I did not state where I Martin Weber stood. My purpose was to demonstrate that as Adventism has grown so has its diversity, its way of seeing things. I did not 5 Let©s preach the distinctives state whether that was good or bad but rather sought reaction Robert S. Folkenberg from my readers without prejudice. 7 The sin of Saint Peter However, instead of letting others set the agenda on these Caleb Rosado issues, it is time that church leaders reclaim the high ground by affirming the truly historic truths of Adventism. I believe J.U Redemptive discipline that these core historic truths are: salvation by grace alone, Jay Gallimore sola scriptura, the Sabbath, the second coming of Jesus, the Sanctuary, the state of the dead, systematic stewardship, and J-4 Ministerial students visit Manila spiritual gifts, especially the Spirit of Prophecy. Archibald P. Tupas Ministry is totally committed to these historic truths and to AD Cell groups bring success in Hong Kong the primary reason we are here, to evangelize and disciple J. H. Zachary people for Jesus Christ. Anything that distracts us from this goal is illegitimate. May we like Paul say "For Christ©s love Metaphor in your message compels us" to preach the gospel (2 Cor. 5:14). Luis F. Acosta Making your school successful James A. Cress Previewing the remnant Wilma Zalabak 28 Biblio File 31 Shop Talk Cover illustration: Art Landerman Ministry is the international journal of the Sev EDITORIAL SECRETARY: Johannes Mager, Euro-Africa ADVERTISING SALES: Melynie Tooley enth-day Adventist Ministerial Association. Dorothea Tone P.O. Box 219, CH 3000 Berne 32, Switzerland SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Larry Burtnett ASSOCIATION SECRETARY: CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Heikki Silvet, Euro-Asia James A. Cress Carlos Aeschlimann Isakovskogo St. #4, Korpus 1, Ministry, (ISSN 0026-5314), the interna Galen Bosley Stroghino tional journal of the Seventh-day Adventist EDITOR: J. David Newman Sharon Cress 123181 Moscow, Russia Ministerial Association 1994, is pub James Zachary George Johnson, Far Eastern lished monthly by the General Conference ASSOCIATE EDITORS: 800 Thomson Road of Seventh-day Adventists and printed by lohn M. Fowler, Martin Weber CONSULTING EDITORS: Singapore 1129, Rep. of Singapore Ellen Bresee the Review and Herald Publishing Asso Jaime Castrejon, Inter-America ciation, 55 West Oak Ridge Drive, SPECIAL ASSISTANT EDITORS: Floyd Bresee P.O. Box 140760 Gerard Damsteegt Hagerstown, MD 21740, U.S.A. Subscrip Nancy Canwell Miami, FL 33114-0760 tions: US$22.00 for 12 issues worldwide, Miguel Angel Cerna Raoul Dederen William C. Scales, Jr., North America Robert Folkenberg air mail US$39.85. Single copy US$2.25. Eric C. Ward 12501 Old Columbia Pike Member Associated Church Press. Second- Roland R. Hegstad Silver Spring, MD 20904 Karen Holford class postage paid at Hagerstown, MD. This EDITOR EMERITUS: Alejandro Bullon, South America publication is available in microfilm from J. Robert Spangler Herbert Kiesler Alfred C. McClure Caixa Postal 12-2600 University Microfilms International. Call Leo Ranzolin 70279 Brasilia, DP, Brazil toll-free 1-800-521-3044. Or mail inquiry SEMINAR DIRECTOR: George W. Reid Gerhard Pfandl, South Pacific to: University Microfilms International, 300 Rex D. Edwards Angel Rodriguez 148 Fox Valley Road North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Ariel Roth Wahroonga, N.S.W. 2076, Australia PASTORAL ADVISORY: William H. Shea P. V. Jesudas, Southern Asia Editorial Office: 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Charles Ferguson Russell L. Staples SDA Complex, Post Box 2, HCF Silver Spring, MD 20904. Stamped, self- Dennis Fortin Sally Streib Hosur, Tamil Nadu, India 635110 addressed envelope should accompany un Desmond Francis Richard Tibbits A. David C. Currie, Trans-European solicited manuscripts. 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