International Journal for Clergy January 1988

Abortion: the Adventist dilemma MICHAEL PEARSON/4 How culture conditions our view of Scripture JON DYBDAHL/7 Little tin gods? CLAYTON R. JEPSON/9

Editorials:

Reflections on Adventists Ministry in the second half and Abortion J. GRANT SWANK, JR./12______J. Robert Spongkr/17 Eating the Word Abortion Guidelines for Adventist CHESTER H. SCHURCH/14______Medical Institutions/18 Resolving the conflict between Who Says We©re a Cult? science and religion Kenneth R. Wode/20 LEONARD R. BRAND/22______Departments:______Preventing osteoporosis Letters/2 Pastor©s Pastor/16 GALEN C. BOSLEY/26 Editorials/17 Science and Religion/22 Health and Religion/26 Computer Comer/29 Biblio File/30 ShopTalk/32 Letters

Suffering from delusions the act, it becomes sin because we wal fess them publicly. You are right, Colin. In "Midnight Calls" (September low in the mush of our humanity, thus "Where sin abounded, grace did much 1987) perhaps David jarnes was more denying the sovereignty and supremacy more abound" (Rom. 5:20). Carlos correct than he knew when he wrote "I of the triune God! Shirley B. Dean, Turcios, Miami, Florida. didn©t meet her need." From his report Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. it appears that Mrs. Carter is suffering We appreciate you and MINISTRY so from frightening delusions and needs God will bless you for the interview much that it is difficult to say anything professional help. W. Noel Brown, you conducted with Colin Cook. And less than positive about the September Auckland, New Zealand. Colin and Sharon Cook will experience lead article, "Homosexual Recovery- more grace than previously received, Six Years Later." I do believe it was well "Utter disdain" because "God opposes the proud but meant and perhaps even timely and Just opened my complimentary copy gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6, helpful to some in the terrible moral of MINISTRY and noted someone©s NIV). WayneD. Lawton, Silver climate of today. "utter disdain." With tongue in cheek I Spring, Maryland. But I was ashamed to see the dirty say if I did not like your magazine laundry of a relatively few brought out since it is free I would just ask for a I was shocked to read your interview so vividly to the shame and disgust of refund! with Colin Cook in the September issue many. And I was well reminded of Since I am of another denomination, of MINISTRY. As the first public ac God©s counsel to the apostle Paul in I cannot say I agree with everything in knowledgment from the church of the Ephesians 5:12 (NKJV) that "it is the magazine, but that©s what makes reasons for the closing of the Quest In shameful even to speak of those things America. Your magazine at least makes stitute, it did little to address the bla which are done by them in secret." one think. For instance, I am a PK and tant abuse of counselees that occurred. Pauljensen, Reading, Pennsylvania. the lady says: "Never say no because Surely any counselor with credentials they©re preacher©s kids if you would say would have been called in by his profes I was deeply moved by Colin Cook©s yes if they weren©t" ("Ten Tips for Rais sional licensing association and had his forthrightness about his "becoming," ing PKs,"November 1987). Never is a license revoked for such behavior. Re but even more so by his ability to ex pretty big word, but she still batted well grettably, Colin has no such license and press the Christian concepts of repen over . 900 and no one on the Twins or thus is under the scrutiny of no agency tance, forgiveness, and growth in Cardinals did that well. Fred W. Gib- other than the church. Christ. E. Guy Longshore, Jr., Rock son, Kansas City, Missouri. In their zeal to perpetuate the theo Hill, South Carolina. ries Cook espouses, the church and "Homosexual recovery" MINISTRY have blindly accepted his Superficial logic I read the article "Homosexual Re statement of repentance. Neither has The superficiality of Ken Wade©s covery Six Years Later" ( September investigated the harm done to the coun logic regarding evolutionary theory and 1987) almost as though it had a second selees, nor, to my knowledge, even at the AIDS epidemic ("Cicadas, Cre title, to wit: "Sin Every Believer©s tempted to contact them in an effort to ation, and AIDS," September 1987) is Deep Experience of Sanctification!" offer healing. One might liken this to glaring. At the human level, natural Mr. Cook©s willingness to be openly situations of incest where, within the selection and survival of the fittest identified not so much as a recovering family, denial and abandonment of the presents a far different picture than it homosexual but as a sinner daily being victim prevail. Marge Doyle, Rancho does in primordial jungles. An ugly saved by grace positions him for ulti© Cucamonga, California. weakling with a lovely spiritual nature mate freedom! (See 1 Cor. 1:18; John may be much more suited to success in 8:36.) Too many of us act as though I have been deeply moved by the cour our society than is a handsome and there are only three heinous sins: homo age in grace Colin Cook displayed and burly jerk. Compassion is an evolution sexuality, adultery, and addiction to the sound principles for dealing with sin ary trait. There is no contradiction in drugs and/or alcohol. Yet the Scriptures and sinners he established. Seldom if believing in evolutionary theory and are careful to notify us of the myriad sin ever are we heterosexuals humble demonstrating compassion for the vic- traps into which we all fall! Whatever enough to denounce our sins and con (Continued on page 29)

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2 MINISTRY/] ANUARY/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 A year or so ago, pro-life demonstrators picketed in front of the ASSIST ANT EDITORS: David C. Jarnes Sligo Seventh-day Adventist Church, Takoma Park, Maryland, Kenneth R. Wade protesting abortions done in Washington Adventist Hospital. SEMINAR DIRECTOR: Their protest highlighted a conundrum the Adventist Church, Rex D. Edwards which operates some 487 hospitals, clinics, and dispensaries around CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Carlos Aeschlimann the world, faces: what to do regarding abortion. During a nine Ellen Bresee month period in 1970 and 1971, the church produced two sets of Raoul Dederen Ariel Roth recommended abortion guidelines; since then it has made no offi Gary Swanson cial statement on the matter. N. C. Wilson CONSULTING EDITORS: In his editorial in this issue, J. R. Spangler looks at some early Galen Bosley C. E. Bradford Adventist views on abortion and reveals the results of an informal P. Gerard Damsteegt survey MINISTRY has taken of the top administrative officers of Roland R. Hegstad Frank Holbrook North American Adventist hospitals. In an article, Michael Pear- Kenneth]. Mittleider Marie Spangler son suggests reasons underlying the church©s reluctance to take an Richard Tibbits unequivocal stand on the issue and points to the consequences, Leo R. Van Dolson both positive and negative. And because the two sets of recom EDITORIAL SECRETARIES: Ella Rydzewski mended guidelines developed in the 1970s have occasioned no Mary Louise McDowell small confusion in the church, MINISTRY is publishing both sets in ART DIRECTOR: full following the editorials. Byron Steele DESIGNER: Some ministers© wives have expressed disappointment that G. W. Busch we©re no longer publishing Shepherdess articles. We haven©t MARKETING: stopped. We©re still apportioning 10 percent of our article space to Tom Kapusta ADVERTISING SALES: the minister©s wife. As has been our custom each January, this Orval Driskell month©s Biblio File is dedicated to books the minister©s wife may SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: find of special interest. Larry Burtnett INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENTS: The confusion may have arisen because two years ago we Africa-Indian Ocean,____ Eastern Africa, Harry A. Cartwright stopped identifying the articles we include for wives of ministers. Euro-Africa, Johannes Mager We did so for two reasons: we didn©t want to discourage ministers Far East, James H. Zachary Inter-America, Salim Japas themselves from reading the articles as if they were intended only North America, William C. Scales, Jr. Trans-Europe, Mark Finley for the spouses and we didn©t want the wives to feel that the arti South America, Amasias Justiniano cles included for them were the only part of the magazine they South Pacific, A. David C. Currie should be interested in or benefit from. Southern Asia,Ronald N. Baird MINISTRY, (ISSN 0026-5314), the interna tional journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Has our approach worked? Do you like it or dislike it? Write to Ministerial Association 1987, is published monthly by the General Conference of us and let us know. Seventh-day Adventists and printed by the Review and Herald Publishing Association, 55 Finally, in this issue we begin a new feature the Pastor©s Pas West Oak Ridge Drive, Hagerstown, MD 21740, U.S.A. Subscriptions: US$19.95 for tor. Every month on that page Floyd Bresee, secretary of the Gen 12 issues in U.S., US$23.55 for 12 issues else where. Single copy: US$2.00. Member Asso eral Conference Ministerial Association, will speak to you on topics ciated Church Press. Second-class postage paid at Hagerstown, Maryland. This publica of interest to pastors. I©d describe the column further, but he does so tion is available in microfilm from University himself, so I©ll direct you there. Don©t miss it. 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, c.g Maryland 21740. Editorial Office: 6840 Eastern Avenue NW., Washington, D.C. 20012. Stamped, self-addressed envelope should accompany unsolicited manuscripts. VOLUME 61 NUMBER 1

MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 3 Abortion: die Adventist dilemma

n the early 1980s the tice the Scriptures and the writings of Michael Pearson refugee camp at Ellen White are silent, or at least less Sangkhla in south than unequivocal about abortion. Some ern Thailand re have argued cogently that there is an I ceived large numbers anti-abortion ethic implicit in Scripture. of Vietnamese who A recent MINISTRY article, containing a had crossed the Gulf careful interpretation of Exodus 21:22, of Thailand. Many of the refugee women 23, was a persuasive example of this Opinions about had been raped by marauding fishermen. viewpoint. 2 On arrival at Sangkhla, a significant Others believe that even though abor abortion vary widely number of the refugees were found to be tion is offensive to them personally, it is within the church. pregnant and suffering from venereal dis impossible to derive an imperative on the ease. For reasons of conscience the Cath matter from Scripture. They argue that Can a consensus be olic physicians in the camp refused to those passages commonly used to support perform abortions. Adventist doctors the anti-abortion stance (e.g., Jer. 1:4,5; reached? On what there were faced with requests to termi Ps. 139:13-16; Eccl. 11:5) do not directly nate such pregnancies, which, after care address the issue. Even the sixth com basis? ful deliberation, they agreed to do. 1 mandment has to be reconciled with the This is one example of Adventist prac scriptural claim that there is "a time to tice with regard to abortion in excep kill" (Eccl. 3:3). tional circumstances. The contrast be Ellen White©s writings are equally in tween Adventist and Catholic responses conclusive. It is not difficult to select in less extreme situations would not, quotations from her writings to support however, be so marked. Indeed many the view that abortion violates the pur Adventists would be sympathetic to the pose of God, and as such is a sinful act. peaceful pro-life campaigns waged by The following is but one example: "Life is Catholics. mysterious and sacred. It is the manifes The above case highlights the predic tation of God Himself, the source of all ament in which Adventists find them life. Precious are its opportunities, and selves over abortion. On the one hand, earnestly should they be improved. Once their theology inclines them toward a lost, they are gone forever. . . . Michael Pearson conservative, anti-abortion stance. On "God looks into the tiny seed that He received his Ph. D. the other, they operate an extensive net Himself has formed, and sees wrapped from Oxford University, and teaches work of hospitals around the world, to within it the beautiful flower, the shrub, at Newbold College, which many women have turned at a or the lofty, wide-spreading tree. So does Bracknell, Berkshire, time of personal crisis no less deep, in He see the possibilities in every human England. their opinion, than that of the Vietnam being." 3 ese women. It is safe to conjecture that Ellen The Adventists© dilemma is com- White found abortion a deeply repug- pounded by the fact that the major nant act. It is interesting, however, that sources to which they normally turn for she refrained from condemning it, even direction in matters of faith and prac though it was of widespread concern in

4 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 society in her day. While there are, no church should have adopted a relatively corded only three abortions among 5,000 doubt, perfectly adequate reasons that permissive policy for abortion practice in admissions to the Ob-gyn department, she omitted any reference to abortion in its hospitals. First, it could be argued that but another institution, farther west, had her work, the point here is simply that at the church administration felt a respon one abortion in every nine admissions to no time did Ellen White directly address sibility to give physicians the right to per the Ob-gyn facility. the issue in a way that could supply a form procedures they considered neces A similar piece of research carried out norm for Adventists. sary for meeting patients© needs. The in Adventist hospitals outside the Thus an editorial writer in the Advent- administrators left it up to individual United States offered an instructive ist Review was prompted to observe that physicians and hospital ethics commit comparison. 11 Most such hospitals were "our church leaders have noted that nei tees to apply the highest professional and situated in the Third World and followed ther the Bible nor Ellen White say any Christian standards in formulating poli strict policies. Some were located in thing definite about elective abortion. cies and making decisions. countries where abortion was illegal and They have felt that where Inspiration is But the fact that many of the physi merely complied with the law. Even silent, we should not legislate." cians employed in obstetric and gyneco those located in countries where the law Since church leadership has not taken logical facilities were not Adventists was more permissive performed abortions a clear stand against abortion, it is not complicated the issue, diluting the dis only when there were pressing medical surprising that church members hold tinctive ethos of denominational indications, particularly when the life of widely divergent views. The issue arouses hospitals. The same sort of process was the mother was threatened. Some hospi strong emotions whenever it is discussed, observed in Roman Catholic hospitals in tals refused to perform an abortion on the and a number of tensions have developed Belgium. Furthermore, Adventist hos ground that it was an immoral act. in Adventism concerning it. pitals have to function as facilities for the Explanations of the incongruity be wider community, and face the pressure tween Adventist attitudes in the western Institutional v. individual norms of a demand that derives from a secular United States and in the Third World In 1971 MINISTRY magazine published source. The prospect of a growing secu may be sought in several directions. It a set of guidelines recommended by the larization in Adventist hospitals is only may be that believers in the Third World General Conference officers to be fol heightened when the network of denom perceive behavioral and doctrinal mat lowed by Adventist medical institutions inational health-care facilities grows sig ters in more clear-cut terms. Or the atti on the matter of abortion. 6 That same nificantly, as it has done recently. tudes of physicians who are attracted to year a study committee amended and Rightly or wrongly, some Adventist mission service may tend toward the con considerably liberalized these guidelines hospitals are perceived to have a rela servative end of the spectrum. It would (see "Abortion guidelines for Adventist tively permissive attitude toward abor also be inevitable that practice would medical institutions" in this issue of tion. This contrasts sharply with the rec vary somewhat in accordance with the MINISTRY). The recommendations ommendations for personal behavior general social expectations in a given closely resemble the model code created that have been carried regularly by Ad culture. by the American Law Institute and the ventist periodicals over the past 15 years. provisions that were later enshrined in Following the publication of the General Development of public opinion law by the Supreme Court ruling of Conference guidelines, the Review and The publication of the General Con 1973. It was a relatively liberal provi Herald published an article that implic ference guidelines antedated the U.S. sion and very much in the spirit of the itly opposed them. Articles printed sub Supreme Court ruling by almost two age. It stated that therapeutic abortions sequently in the Review, MINISTRY, In years. But that ruling was only the culmi could be performed when the following sight, Spectrum, and denominational nation of a process of evolution in public indications were established: family magazines, have consistently de opinion that had begun a decade before "1. When continuation of the preg fended an anti-abortion stance. with the distressing realities brought nancy may threaten the life of the So we face a situation in which recom about by the thalidomide tragedy and woman or impair her health. mendations for personal behavior appear several severe epidemics of rubella. "2. When continuation of the preg to conflict with standards for institu Thus, though the denominational guide nancy is likely to result in the birth of a tional practice. It should not surprise us if lines undoubtedly reflected the spirit of child with physical deformities or mental members, discerning what they take to the age, they were, in part, borne of a retardation. be an ambivalence in standards, some genuine humanitarian concern to meet "3. When conception has occurred as times use abortion as a way out of per the needs of women whose pregnancies a result of rape or incest. sonal crisis. brought them deep distress. "4. When the case involves an unwed Since the Supreme Court ruling, more child under 15 years of age. Difference in Adventist practice than 20 million pregnancies have been "5. When for some reason the re This ambivalence in Adventist atti terminated in the United States, many quirements of functional human life de tudes is reflected in the way in which for rather flimsy reasons. At the same mand the sacrifice of the lesser potential practice varies with location. A survey of time there has been a general shift to the human value. practice in Adventist hospitals in the right in American public opinion. With "When indicated interruptions of United States showed considerable re its 1971 guidelines still in place, the Ad pregnancy are done, they should be per gional variation. 10 ventist Church now finds itself to the left formed as early as possible, preferably Some hospitals in the East and South of center in the spectrum of opinion on during the first trimester of pregnancy." apparently approve or provide no abor this issue. The church is uncomfortable It is not difficult to understand why the tion services whatever. One facility re with the resulting perception that it has

MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 5 struck a liberal pose. It may also be un in the United States, legality is often absolute value should be attached to it. comfortable with the fact that individual taken to confer moral Tightness on Adventist doctrine overlaps with the members may understand the permission behavior. 15 Adventists have generally abortion issue at several other points, granted in denominational policy to be been careful in performing their civic re and we as a church can only acknowledge moral legitimation of abortion. sponsibilities and in maintaining solidar our delinquency in failing to chart the ity with the surrounding society where area more adequately. Abortion and the Adventist ethos possible. It is conceivable therefore that Strong belief in an imminent Second There is some disagreement over the legalization of abortion has shaped Ad Advent might, for example, lead some to extent to which religious affiliation af ventist perceptions of its morality. ignore one common justification for fects readiness to terminate an unwanted On the other hand, certain attitudes abortion the spiralling world popula pregnancy. Some have argued that the inherent in Adventism are likely to have tion. Adventists might argue that no hu evidence demonstrates that, in an emer an influence against abortion. Advent manly contrived strategy could avert the gency, churchgoers seek abortion regard ism encourages its members to cultivate march to ecological disaster and thus less of their own religious convictions or great moral sensitivity, so many members that no embryos should be sacrificed to the official position of their church and undoubtedly regard abortion as a sinful this lost cause. that the main effect of religious affilia act. For them the dominant reaction The strong Adventist attachment to tion is not to stop abortion but to create after abortion is likely to be guilt rather the Decalogue might encourage some problems of conscience. 12 On the other than relief. The anticipation of post- members to avoid abortion for fear of hand, some observers find evidence to abortal guilt probably encourages some transgressing the sixth commandment. suggest that the more religiously active a to carry their pregnancy to term. The A common argument in favor of ter woman is, the more likely she is to op strong emphasis in Adventism on the mination is that in the evolutionary pro pose abortion as a personal option. maintenance of good physical health cess the body has developed a mecha Others contend that what may appear might also incline a woman to carry an nism for aborting abnormal fetuses. It is to be a religious dimension to the issue is unwanted pregnancy to term rather than then asserted that induced abortion is, in in fact a function of socioeconomic fac submit her body temple to an unnatural cases of abnormal development, only an tors. In other words, denominations tend procedure and its possible complications. extension of that process. Adventists are to attract their members from a particular more likely to believe that it is the pre part of the socioeconomic spectrum, Adventist theology rogative of a personal, interventionist with its own characteristic norms, expec Plausible though such explanations God to dispose of human life. tations, and strategies for solving prob may be, we prefer to believe that our Much remains to be done in grounding lems. Variations in attitudes to abortion decisions are rational and derive from a our ethics securely in our doctrine. and in actual resort to it will basically spiritually sensitive conscience. What It cannot be denied that the Adventist reflect social differences rather than reli elements in Adventist theology might approach to the question of abortion has gious principles. 13 If this is the case, what figure in the abortion decision? The doc been pragmatic. The absence of any sus socioeconomic influences at work within trine of conditional mortality is clearly tained debate within the denomination Adventism may affect the resort to relevant to the debate, though surpris has averted a debilitating internal dis abortion? ingly little has been said about it in Ad pute and prevented the church from be Adventists are, as a group, occupa- ventist publications. The Catholic view coming involved in a wider and highly tionally ambitious. Obtaining a good ed that a soul is infused into the embryo at politicized debate. It has had the further ucation has high priority among them. conception, and that it, as an inheritor of virtue of allowing church medical insti An unplanned pregnancy might seri original sin, must not be allowed to per tutions to respond in a flexible way to the ously disrupt the plans of a young Ad ish without baptism, clearly dictates a kind of need experienced at the Thai ref ventist couple who had high vocational certain course of action. In contrast, Ad ugee camp. The major disservice of such aspirations. Similarly, an Adventist cou ventists believe neither that there exists an approach has been that the church has ple in a higher age category who wished a separate entity called a soul, nor that failed to demand of its leaders and its to provide a denominational education baptism is essential to salvation. They scholars a careful investigation of ethical for their children might find that goal prefer to say that man "becomes a soul" concerns. The danger is that Adventist jeopardized by an unplanned pregnancy. rather than that he "possesses a soul." moral action may sometimes lack consis Moreover, there is considerable evi Soul is therefore understood to mean tency and may gradually become merely dence to show that those who use birth both "life" and "individuality." 16 This an ethic of self-interest. control techniques efficiently are more then allows them to say that "a new soul likely to resort to abortion in the event of comes into existence every time a child is 1 Roy Branson, "Massacre at Sea," Spectrum, contraceptive failure than those who do born." 17 which might seem to permit vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 22-24- not. 14 It is also clear that Adventists em some concession to the abortion option. 2 Richard Miiller, "Abortion: a Moral Issue?" MINISTRY, January 1985, pp. 18-20, 31. ploy contraceptive techniques carefully On the other hand, this view of hu 3 The Ministry of Healing, p. 397. Other state and efficiently. Purely according to the manity means that a soul cannot exist ments can be found in Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 516; manuscript 43, 1900; Counsels on Health, p. criterion of socioeconomic status, then, without a body. Possessing a body ma 41; Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 378; letter 16a, 1861. Adventist women seem to figure strongly terial entity is part of what it means to 4 See A Solemn Appeal to the Church, pp. 100, as candidates for abortion in the event of be a soul. Thus it could be argued that 101. This volume, published by James White, and to which Ellen White was the major contributor, an unwanted pregnancy. since a material entity with a unique ge contained a couple of pages of anti-abortion senti Bernard Haring, the eminent Catho netic inheritance is formed at concep ment by a non-Adventist. Furthermore, the lic moral theologian, has observed that tion, a soul exists from that point and (Continued on page 28)

6 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 How^culture conditions our view of Scripture

he Bible students I Some Americans do not accept any of Jon Dybdahl have had have dem the Bible as historical and deny it as sa onstrated to me that cred text, and some accept it all in a person©s religious minute detail as historical. And there are and cultural condi all kinds of shades and variations be tioning affects the tween these two extremes. But all ask the way he or she relates same type of question the historical to Scripture. What they have taught me one. While Westerners has broadened my approach to the Even academically trained Western Scriptures. Bible scholars ponder the same question. tend to ask historical Case studies from a trio of religious They differ only in asking it in more questions of cultures form the outline of this study. depth and with greater persistence. They How each culture relates to the Old Tes not only query about the story itself but Scripture, the tament story of Joseph is the subject of go on to investigate the history of the discussion. text that tells the story. And they ask Hmong people want Case 1 Western Students about the factors giving rise to both text First and most obvious are my Walla and story. to know of its Walla College students, most coming My Western students seek to apply the from a conservative Christian back story in terms of personal ethics. Mention power, and the ground. I find my students are primarily Joseph, and the first thing they think of is concerned about the history of Joseph. his encounter with Potiphar©s wife. To Chinese of its What they want to hear are historical them, the Joseph story teaches chastity pragmatism. facts about Joseph©s life. What were cus and other moral principles. toms like then? Who was the Pharaoh As a college Bible teacher, then, they when Joseph went down into Egypt? expect me to move, in a certain, almost Who were the Midianites, and where did prescribed way, beyond the simple tale they come from? When did all this take they have heard many times since child place? Braver ones may ask, "Did this hood. They expect me to give new and story really happen? Was Joseph a real more extensive facts regarding the his person?" torical background and to show ways to For them the knowledge of this history apply the story to personal morality. Jon Dybdahl,Ph.D., performs two major functions. It explains Case 2 The Hmong teaches religion at the story by fleshing out details and giv Originating in China, the Hmong are Walla Walla College, Walk Walla, Wash ing background, and it helps demon for the most part illiterate, animistic, ington. strate (or not demonstrate) the factuality spirit worshipers. Their homeland of the story. This factuality forms a basis stretches across mountainous areas in for their belief in the Bible as sacred text. southern China and into northern Viet My students are conservative Bible be nam, Laos, and Thailand. They have a lievers, but they are not alone in asking love-hate relationship with the spirits historical questions. AH types of Chris whom they serve. These spirits, bringers tians and non-Christians in North of both good and evil, must be dealt with America ask the same kind of questions. carefully. In the story of the Bible they

MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 7 immediately recognize a conflict be applied in an ethical sense as well. Per tween the old and the new the one sona] ethics, however, were not their pri great God of the Bible versus the many mary concern. They viewed the Joseph They didn©t care spirits. story as a saga of family ethics. Joseph was They cannot read or do library re a man loyal to family and clan in spite of about "proving" any search or truth evaluation on the basis of how they mistreated him. The Hmongs history. The conflict between the spirit saw even the story of Potiphar©s wife in scripture by history. way and the Bible way must be resolved that light. Family consultation on choice by other means. The most common of mate and loyalty to household were They needed to know method is a power encounter between undoubtedly in Joseph©s mind. God why it was valuable, the two. Can the God of the Bible really blesses those who are loyal to family! interpret dreams when spirit doctors In short, for the Hmong, Scripture is applicable, and can©t? Can God heal when spirit doctors tested by its power in life now. If true, it prove unable, and protect from spirit can be applied to present life experience authoritative. hexes and curses ? If the answer is yes, the and it can be proclaimed in word, song, Bible claims are true, and Joseph©s story and drama. The teacher is primarily a becomes authoritative. For these people, person of power. He knows the story and stories such as Joseph©s interpretation of can read and tell it. He is also able to do Pharaoh©s dream are very meaningful. battle with the demons and show Christ©s Scripture, however, is heard, not victory. read. How do you grow in understanding Case 3 The Chinese if you can©t read books about what you The Chinese of Singapore exist in two them. They wanted to see whether the are interested in? First, by listening care worlds at the same time a highly com Bible made sense as a system of truth. fully. These illiterates have phenomenal petitive modem society in which busi The second test concerned the Bible©s memories. (Never confuse illiteracy with ness and technology are the main fields of pragmatism. They wanted to know low intelligence.) They memorize, re endeavor, and a traditional society in whether what it taught benefited every peat, and cherish Scripture. which Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian day life. Traditionally, Chinese reli They also very rapidly turn Scripture ideals and practices govern life. While gions, and especially the Confucian tra into song and drama. One understands it the first society claims most of their time dition, have been concerned with this and leams new meanings as he or she and effort, a majority still venerate their world. They have not dealt primarily sings and acts it out. I can still recall ancestors, make occasional temple visits, with esoteric and dogmatic concerns, but those Friday night Bible dramas. They and are proud©of their "Chineseness." with ethics, government, society, and didn©t come out of the MV Kit. The The majority of the students in the family. The Bible message must relate to muggy air, hordes of bugs, and hard Bible classes I taught at Southeasr^Asia these latter issues, or it remains a re benches were all forgotten as actors Union College were non-Christian or re spected but dead book. were caught up in the story. They were cent converts. When I began teaching In relating to the Joseph story, the Joseph. Like him they were a despised there, my objective was to show them the Chinese student would be impressed minority in their land. They had suffered inspiration of the Bible. I talked about with Joseph as a man who was successful and been abused, but they now served history, geography, and archeology in all areas of life. He rose to a high post the same God as Joseph. God had shown things many North American Christians in government, was rich, had successful His reality in a power encounter, and traditionally use to show the truth of relationships with both his own people thus Joseph©s emancipation and final tri Scripture. and the Egyptians, and succeeded as a umph were theirs. They were acting it These efforts proved fruitless. Stu family man. He was a worthy ideal. They out just now. It was real. The light on dents were bored in a polite sort of way. I would ask, Does responding to the God their faces showed it. In the encounter asked one of them the reason. He told me of the Bible mean that similar things can with the gods and powers of Egypt, Jo that the Chinese consider valuable any happen in the lives of people today? If seph©s God won. So would they. religious book revered as sacred for long following the Bible does in fact produce The Joseph story could, of course, be ages. They accept the Analects of Con people like Joseph, it has merit. fucianism, the Tao Te Ching of Taoism, The third test is the teacher©s life. Like and various Buddhist writings as sacred. the Indian faiths, Chinese religions have They were happy to revere the Bible a long tradition of the guru. The one who along with the others. They didn©t see tells the story cannot be separated from How do you grow in the value or relevance of what I was the message, so the Chinese scrutinize teaching in class. They didn©t care about the teacher, as well as his message. If the understanding if you "proving" any scripture by history. What teacher does not model the message, they needed to know about the Bible was they reject both. can©t read books why it was valuable, applicable, and I can remember in particular a young authoritative. Singaporean who visited often in our about what you are Further dialogue revealed three major home. He was quiet, and the first few interested in? ways they tested the Bible. The first was times he came, I struggled valiantly to system coherence. To take one doctrine keep conversation going in good West- or idea and prove it didn©t convince em tradition. There were often long si-

8 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 lences. Sometimes frustration grew in me to the point that I wanted to jump up and scream. I eventually learned that he didn©t expect me to talk all the time. He didn©t even need me to sit down with Little tin him. I could go about my work and just let him be there. One day I got up the nerve to inquire, in as gentle and subtle a way as possible, the purpose of his visits. Smiling, he said, "We Chinese do not accept people eas gods? ily. We must see what they are truly like first. The only way I can do that is to come to your house and sit and observe for long periods of time." I never had the courage to ask whether his research was just for his own benefit or whether he represented a group of Clayton R. Jepson y life with the people! church has been a For the Chinese, then, the Bible is 24-hour-a-day mar authoritative if it is a coherent system, if riage. In spite of it is applicable to everyday life in many what the time- areas, and if the teacher embodies the management experts message. The teacher is primarily a keep saying, I©ve model personifying the message in a What about never had a vacation from being a pastor. practical way in life. Most of the time I have loved it; other These case studies demonstrate the ministering in the times I©ve hated it; a few times I have way people©s religious and cultural condi thrown up my hands in despair. I have tioning affects how they perceive and ap Adventist Church dreamed of retirement, when it wouldn©t proach Scripture. Our differing situa be so everlastingly there; but I always tions affect us in such basic ways that we excites and concerns awaken to realize that it will continue to often fail to realize our bent or to deal be until I slip into a terminal coma. with it in our approach to others. you? Basing his I©ve lived with it. I©ve slept with it. It North Americans in particular should seems that I©ve hardly eaten a meal when examine other views with humility. We thoughts on 1 Peter it didn©t interrupt. Would you believe tend to see our way of coming to Scrip 5:1-4, a veteran tells I©ve actually been making love to my wife ture, and in particular our historical when the phone j angled off the wall and I questions, as a superior approach. I ques how pastoring has was left with a guilty feeling that it might tion whether our approach has given us a have been an emergency? Of course you better understanding of the Bible as changed over the can believe it, because it©s happened to scripture than have those of the Hmong you! and Chinese. past 30 years, and I©ve asked myself, Why have I even The simple fact that to us the Bible is stuck with it this long, and why do I basically a read document blinds us in looks to the future. intend to stay with it? Answering these many ways. We are victims of what questions hasn©t been easy. It has some Hans-Ruedi Weber calls the "Gutenberg thing to do with my relationship with the captivity" of the Bible. 1 And our analyt One I©m working for. It also has some ical, left-brain approach to Scripture can thing to do with those for whom I©m lead us to other pitfalls. 2 working. It relates somehow to David©s In short, my encounter with other answer to his brother Eliab, "Is there not religions has taught me to doubt the Clayton R. Jepson pas a cause?" (1 Sam. 17:29). tors the Sequim But then, how do you explain God©s breadth and comprehensiveness of the Seventh-day Adventist methodology that both my culture and Church, Sequim, hand on your shoulder? There©s this com graduate education have steeped me in. Washington. He first pulsion to answer a call, to fill a need, to These doubts are the midwife facilitating presented the material give yourself to the great Advent cause. the birth of new ways to present the Eter comfmsing this article And there©s the divine imperative as a devotional at a nal Word. Washington Confer brought through the apostle: "Shepherd ence Ministers© Re~ the flock of God that is your charge" 1 See his book Experiments With Bible Study (1 Peter 5:2). The word is not really (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1982), pp. 2-42. 2 See Walter Wink, Transforming Bible Study "feed," as the King James Version has it, (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1980). nor is it "tend," as in the Revised Stan-

MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 9 dard Version. Strictly speaking, it is been the most tranquil period for this of local outreach are intense. In both "shepherd" a much broader concept shepherding. I find little similarity be large and small churches, motivating lay than either of the other two. The she tween the pastoral world of the 1940s and involvement, a matter of little concern pherd©s one business is the welfare of his that of the 1980s. Change has been the in the past, weighs he.avily upon us to flock. His heart holds something that the distinctive hallmark of these years, and day. Even though I still aim to touch my hired hand does not share. these dramatically changing times have people through daily personal visitation, My free translation of this contributed much to the stressfulness of I find myself having to struggle to find the second-person plural aorist imperative our ministry. time to do so. runs like this: "As long as you have a One of the changes that has come with In the face of all these developments, flock placed within your oversight, you these years is the call for relevance. Of the apostle©s imperative still stands: are under orders to shepherd them." No course, we all believe that we must be "Shepherd the flock of God." Don©t tice now, it is not the church— it is "the relevant, but the insistence on it has had spend your whole time managing! Don©t flock of God." Peter nowhere used the a rather tricky influence on our preach spend your whole time in outreach per se! word church. His pastoral heart is looking ing. The trend says that guilt-producing Look to your flock! They need it, and at individual people rather than orga sermons are out; building self-esteem your own spirit needs it. Keep the foun nized bodies. Evidently, when Jesus com among the congregation is in. Some dation of your ministry strong. missioned him to "shepherd my sheep" good has come of this I think and "feed my lambs," this apostle learned life-centered preaching has its place. But Peter pictures perfect pastor his lesson well. is the Word of God still our authority or Peter not only holds us to this, but he Peter seems both idealistic and realis have the insights of psychotherapy counsels us on the kind of shepherds we tic in his view of God©s flock. "But you tended to take its place? I©m afraid the should be. He says that our work with the are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a Word may have suffered some in our push people is to be done not by constraint, holy nation, God©s own people, that you for relevance. but willingly (see 1 Peter 5:2). The word may declare the wonderful deeds of him Another change that has come since translated "constraint" was commonly who called you out of darkness into his the 1950s is the growth in impact of the used of methods of handling slaves and marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9, RSV). parachurch organizations, such as the also of forcible conscription of men into Peter©s idealism sees each member as Voice of Prophecy, Faith for Today, military service. This shouldn©t be neces God©s priest, all of them building bridges Breath of Life, Adventist Development sary for one with the heart of a shepherd. for others to find the way to God; all of and Relief Agency, Concerned Commu Who in the flock needs this shepherd them telling others what Christ has done nications, Maranatha Flights, Amazing ing? The alcoholic? The pregnant single for them personally and what He will do Facts, Hour of Prophecy, The Quiet woman? The youth caught up in drugs? for them. And in this he is appropriating Hour, the Student Missionary move The man who has lost his job and might the ancient covenant given to Israel in ment, etc., etc., etc. Valuable as these have to give up his house? The nonat- Exodus 19:5, 6 and applying it to the all are, pastors increasingly have found tender? All of these, of course. Then add whole Christian flock. these parachurch organizations compet the sick, the bereaved, the youth who This still remains the ideal every ing for the loyalties, to say nothing of the needs to catch a vision, the distraught member a minister and priest for God! dollars, of their flocks. And this at the mother with an unbelieving spouse, the But Pastor, never for a moment think you very time when divisive issues have been young family, the single members, the can build your church program using that pressing in and local church budgets are aged ones, and yes, even the successful as your practical, working assumption. being strained to the utmost. ones. Israel never realized that ideal; and while Also among the changes of the period And doesn©t your flock include the we keep praying for it, we yet have to see is the pastor©s emerging role as a church whole community? Are you not God©s it happen in our churches. There are but executive. While on the one hand the messenger for your town? At this point few members who see themselves in that trend toward specialization has acceler we begin to see a blending of the pastoral role. ated the rate of pastoral dropouts, on the and evangelistic emphases. A pastoral So Peter©s realistic view is that the other the pastor©s managerial responsibil approach to your community contacts flock far from being a tower of strength ities have multiplied. can©t help enhancing your evangelistic to the unbelieving world is itself weak, In our larger churches we hear of the efforts too. easily misled, vulnerable and dependent, "senior" pastor, whose days of shepherd Though the pastor may feel inundated and in need of organized, sympathetic ing have virtually ended as administering with the multiplicity of his responsibili shepherding. Hence the imperative: and directing consumes his time. He is ties, it is this involvement with people "Shepherd the flock of God." caught up with his staff responsibilities, that Peter says should be done willingly, Please don©t misunderstand what I©m committees, seminars and outreach even eagerly. Fordyce Detamore spoke of saying, but your shepherding work must classes, and his preaching. And pastors how depressed he used to feel in the come even before your evangelistic min of smaller churches must not only do all morning when he pondered the multi istry! Not to eclipse it, nor to exclude it, this, but they must raise the finances and tudes without Christ. But all that would but to preserve the flock and to prepare lead out in the whole church program as lift when he got out and began to minis for evangelism. well. ter to people in their homes or at their Management by objective, too, has jobs, and joy would fill his soul. I too Changing world challenges dropped like a cloud over some of us who have found that to be true. pastoring hadn©t been trained in those lines. Pres There are many ways to be self-serving The post-World War II era has not sures to accommodate the swelling costs in the ministry, but the apostle says there

10 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 must be none of that! "Not for shameful on his apron or a nobleman his robe of gain, but eagerly." honor. I wonder how often personal ambition How do we tie on humility? Perhaps I am concerned about has tainted our response to the work or to we can learn from John Bunyan, who the calls we have received. Scripture told how he cured himself of pride: "I was the disappearing says, "A man©s gift makes room for him proud of my godliness," he said, "and and brings him before great men" (Prov. indeed I did all either to be seen or to be general©practice 18:16, RSV). Is that really enough for us well-spoken of by men." This he over or do we need a little extra string-pulling came by taking a long, hard look at him pastor. just to be sure? self and the cross of Christ. He discov And what of competition and empire ered thereby that he was the chief of building in our districts the spirit that sinners. Once he realized that, he found makes people their fellow pastors© rivals peace through a new birth of humility willing enough, compassionate enough, rather than teammates ? I know of a pas and love. * self-denying enough, or humble enough tor who was noted for carrying on a run to keep the Adventist movement from ning pitch inviting the members of Adventist ministry excites and squandering its hour on the stage of world neighboring churches in a multichurch concerns recognition and need. metropolitan area to transfer to his! And Yes, the pastorate has come a long way Without question, the pastor©s job is we have all seen examples of pastors who since the 1940s, and the pastor©s career chancy and a bit lonely. But this is one were unwilling to publicize another con has been subjected to many changes. To job that God has decided He can©t do gregation©s events in spite of the obvious day I find many things in the Adventist without. And I, for one, am not inclined fact that people do find out what is going ministry that both excite and concern to trade my calling for that of anyone on and will attend wherever they wish. me. else. I don©t understand it it seems in Sometimes we are reluctant to join in I am excited about the pastor©s free credible yet God needs me to be a shep areawide projects, lest our own not stand dom to pursue relevance; but I am con herd of His flock! out so sharply. I wonder if the apostle cerned that that pursuit may lead to a would style these as examples of "shame style of life and thought that loses the Someone put these lovely words in the ful gain"? vital element the apostle Paul called god mouth of the famous old maker of the Verse 3 touches on our style of leader liness. world©s finest violins: ship in the church: "Not as domineering I am excited by the enormous advan "When any master holds ©twixt hand over those in your charge but being ex tages the education and methodology and chin amples to the flock" (RSV). Evidently available today offer; but I am concerned A violin of mine, he will be glad shepherding requires a gentle touch. The that we not become overloaded with That Stradivari lived, made violins, methods of military commanders or scholars who are not shepherds, manag And made them of the best. . . . worldly employers or even of ancient ers who are not leaders, or communica For while God gives them skill, prophets do not fit well on a man or tors who do not have the unction of the I give them instruments to play upon, woman who is a shepherd. The one who Spirit of God. God using me to help Him. . . . has to "pull rank" on his members to I am excited by the pastoral challenge If my hand slacked, I should rob God, bring them into line has misunderstood for soul winning; but I am concerned that Leaving a blank behind, instead of vi his calling. it may take such a dominant role as to olins. The warning against domineering displace the building up of the lambs of He could not make Antonio Stradiva over those in our charge includes those of the flock, whatever their chronological ri©s violins us who think we have the mind of God, age, to maturity in Christ. Without Antonio. yet are so inflexible that we have room in I am excited by the possibilities af Are there some things God can©t do or the flock only for mindless followers or forded by pastoral specialization; but I am some people He can©t reach without you? those who happen to agree with our own concerned about the disappearing Is God©s hand still on your shoulder? Fel ideas. This point seems to be an impor general-practice pastor, and the increas low pastor, is the drive for pastoral excel tant one toj. B. Phillips. His translation ing number of those who are dropping lence still alive in your soul, and does it reads: "You should aim not at being ©little out from the pastorate in favor of tin gods© but as examples of Christian so-called higher responsibilities. drive you to be out much among the living in the eyes of the flock committed I am excited about our better under flock ? Has God laid on your heart that He to your charge." standing of biblical hermeneutics and es- needs you? The big fisherman seems to sum up his chatology; but I am concerned that we Then I, for one, will not fear for the answer to all these problems of leading may be losing our sense of the imminence Advent cause in the 1980s. Our moment the flock in verse 5: "Clothe yourselves, of what Peter called "a living hope, ... a in history will not be lost. Our Father©s all of you, with humility toward one an salvation ready to be revealed in the last kingdom soon will come and His will be other, for ©God opposes the proud, but time" (1 Peter 1:3-5). accomplished, as the flock of God are gives grace to the humble© " (RSV). And finally, yes, I am still excited by safely gathered into the eternal fold of Humility doesn©t come naturally to this frustrating, confusing, burdensome, the Divine Shepherd any of us. But Peter uses a word that impossible challenge to "shepherd the *Louis Matthews Sweet and Malcolm Stuart literally means "put it on." Take humil flock of God." But I am concerned Sweet, The Pastoral Ministry in Our Time (New ity and consciously tie it on as a slave ties that I, or perhaps many of us, may not be York: FlemingH. RevellCo., 1949), p. 23.

MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 11 Ministry in the second half

just mailed a birth through?" He is in his early 30s, married, J. Grant Swank, Jr. day card to a fellow with two preschool children. He is who was my associate pastoring his second church. in one pastorate. He When I arrived home from that visit, will turn 81 in a few the phone rang. A close pastor friend in days, but he still Florida was on the line. He told me that ministers full-time to he had just heard that a mutual minister a congregation in New York. His wife, 10 friend on the East Coast had submitted The second half of years younger, pastors alongside him. his ordination papers because of immo For the past several years this man has rality. His congregation was in shock. your ministry will be said he is going to retire. When it comes Yet right across the street from where I time, though, he postpones it for another live, there pastors a clergyman who will different from the year. "Why should I quit?" he says. "I©m retire soon, after many years of faithful first Times are healthy. I love the work. God is good to service to one congregation. The people me, and the congregation is growing." have loved him dearly; he has given his different And so are As I sent greetings to this friend, I all in service to their needs. When they received a note from a seminary class finally bid farewell and call a younger you. mate who lives in the Midwest. He has man to that pulpit, there will be many pastored here and there, mostly small tears. This man will know that he has congregations, for the 20 years since our lived the good life. He has fulfilled his graduation. calling and will retire with fond memo His letter was nostalgic as well as ries. Both pulpit and pew will be settled tragic. He had read that another member in the truth that a man of God has done of our seminary graduating class had just his best. been assigned to a church of more than a I am at a crossroads myself. I am not thousand members. "So where does that facing retirement, but the second half. leave us?" he asked. And then he went And I catch myself looking both ways on to write that he had just lost his job backward and forward. From both direc and that his wife had left him, saying that tions I hear voices some encouraging, she had never loved him. He was asking others warning. for my prayers. What can I do to be a better person for J. Grant Swank, Jr., is While thinking on these things, I the Lord? Four suggestions come to mind pastor of the Church of stopped in to see a pastor friend in north for making the transition to the second the Nazarene in Wal~ pok, Massachusetts. ern New England. On the front page of a half go smoothly. morning paper, we chanced to see the news that a well-known Protestant Recognize changes church leader had confessed to adultery, Face up to the changing times. In leaving his congregation of several thou many ways the ministry is not what it sand. used to be. Consider musical tastes, for My friend read the headlines with me. example. When I was a boy, our church Then he looked up, astonished, and said, was enthralled by the evangelist who "Is there any guarantee that I will make it brought along his pianist wife. Her fin-

12 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 gers would fly across the keys. She could promotions, craft hours, and teen ex seemed to be contrived to strike fear into play the most fantastic offertories. And travaganzas. And when it comes to the the younger men. But it didn©t work. she would join him in singing rousing preaching, much of it rests on nostalgia, When he attempted some maneuvering duets that made our spines tingle. recalling for the hearers the old days to keep his ground, some of those coming Today our religious entertainers come when the glory descended, conviction up through the ranks outdid him. in threes and fours, and bring their or came, and sinners fell to the dirt floor It just might be that if those in the chestration with them in a collection of with tears streaming down their cheeks. second half treat the younger ones with a black boxes that glower at us from the In gearing up for the second half, you winsome hand, the older ones may in platform. Microphone wires crisscross will need to face questions about the old turn receive Christian graces as time the stage, or even hang from the ceiling. and new in ministry. What is good about moves on. Among the young there is al the new music, and what is not so good? Some groups even bring along a choreo ways a longing to have someone older to grapher! How would God have us preach in a nu look up to, to revere, to learn from. Preaching styles have changed too. It clear age with its fear, sophistication, Those who are smart will take kindly to used to be that in the "Bible-believing calloused ears, numb innards, burned- churches" a preacher or evangelist con out lives? Are altar invitations still effec the younger set while moving on into the vinced his hearers of his earnestness with tive ? Are other means of reaching people second half. sweat on the brow, a high pitch to the just as effective? Will different ap voice, and a white handkerchief gripped proaches work at different times ? Simplify tightly in the hand. Third, learn to enjoy the simple things Today we have many messages deliv Make room in life more and more. As life moves on, ered with a counseling cadence. Some My second suggestion for the second it is good to count your blessings more even add props such as overheads, black half is: be prepared to move over and let frequently. Little things take on a special boards, diagram charts, and colored someone else have a crack at it. At this glow good food, some favorite items of slides. It is not uncommon for fill-in-the- stage in my life, I see members of the clothing, afire in winter, one©s spouse, a blanks outline sheets to be distributed to hierarchy retiring or near retirement. few particular books and records, a well- the congregation prior to the sermon. These were men who commanded. They worn vacation spot, and some trusted Talk-back sessions have been scheduled were in the driver©s seat. People held friends. in some places so that the hearers can them in awe. Annual reports were woven When we are young, we have an am dialogue with the speaker over refresh around them. District meetings were ca bitious agenda. We hear of the "step up" ments in a fellowship hall. tered to their whims. Denominational and determine to go for it. Even in the Growing up in an evangelically ori goals were hammered out on their anvils. pastoral ministry, we have our tempta ented church, I was accustomed to altar Speeches that came from their lips were tions. Or should I say especially in the invitations. Never did a service close published. pastoral ministry we have our baiting? without an invitation hymn. Maybe a But now they are fading. They are be But when spying out the second half, Christmas program could get by without coming shadows. They used to have the your dreams can take on a more refined it; but even then, more times than not, power; they don©t anymore. Their word perspective. Questions may linger: the invitation was appended in order to was law; now we hardly hear their word at Could I have it better in the second half? make certain that no unsaved soul left all. Can I now do the balancing act so as to the sanctuary without a chance to re So it is meant to be. That is the way have my cake and eat it too? Why must ceive Christ as Saviour. God intended it. He planned it all so that life pass by so quickly, with still so much Today the invitation is still present in human egos would not grow too large. unaccomplished? But deep inside, you most fundamentalist churches, but not "All is vanity." Only one Person is finally know that experience has already given necessarily at every service. Where it has to reign, and He has seen to it that all you the answers. disappeared, clergy may ask the hearers others sense their subordinate status. As you move into the second half, it is to take advantage of speaking with them Now when I flip through church jour time to take stock of your marriage and after the worship or make an appoint nals I see new photos and read names I family. Family is always important to a ment to talk about spiritual things. have never heard before. Impressive minister, and it becomes even more so in Camp meetings used to be special sum paragraphs follow the opening sen the second half. With the empty nest mer excursions for the church people. tences where the author attended period around the corner, husband and There they could get those heavy doses of school, what books he or she has had wife will have more opportunities to be evangelistic fervor, spiritual introspec published, pastorates served, and offices together. Will it be a good time, rich in tion, Bible studies for hours at a time, held. companionship, or will you just keep the tent meeting shoutings and hand- Yet given time, these too will begin to treadmill moving? clappings, and gospel sings. No one disappear, and still another set of cards An ever higher regard for the pastor©s cared about the clock. All the saints will come up. Another line of faces and wife should come to the fore in the sec prayed for the blessing to come down. degrees and places. ond half. She should be allowed her indi Altars were lined with seekers, especially If you want to enjoy the second half, viduality, allowed to exercise her cre at the final service. be gracious to the young ones. ativity and find fulfillment. She will be Today camp meetings are held here I recall one fellow who was determined applauded for her strengths and achieve and there. But in addition to the evange to hold on to his footing. He wore a ments. And the minister himself should listic emphasis, there may be sports scowl that was supposed to project his shield her from those who would seek to events, social pastimes, denominational authority. Even the way he walked rob her of her personal time.

MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 13 Slow down Fourth, in the second half you can an ticipate a slower but steadier pace. When I was young, I never scaled a staircase one step at a time. I always skipped a step, maybe two. I can remember my mother Eating the telling my father that there would come a day when all that would stop. It has. For years I was never home evenings. There were too many souls to be won, too many programs to see through, commit word tees to get under way, buses to run, lights to burn. I kept a checklist of things to do the next day beside my bed, and checked them off one by one. When the phone wasn©t ringing, I was dialing it. I read books while driving, and listened to tapes while falling asleep. Then came 18 trips to the hospital emer gency room to get heart tests. Pains shooting from my chest down the left arm f you were offered a signaled trouble. Chester H. Schurch tool that would equip When the doctor completed his test, you with a deeper un he would look at me and say, "Tension." derstanding of Scrip I would climb off the examining table ture, give you greater and head home, determined to slow expressiveness in ser down. But I didn©t. mon delivery, and Now I have slowed down. I realize now enlarge your capacity to be used by the that all that running around was sense Memorizing Holy Spirit, would you be interested? less. Of course, no one could have told I am glad to tell you that such a tool me that when I first began. Some tried. Scripture has many does exist, and that it is yours for the But I couldn©t hear them. benefits. Here©s how taking. The tool is Scripture memoriza It is true that in one sense life is short. tion, and it can add new and exciting But in another sense life is long. There to do it. possibilities to your ministry. really is enough time to do what God I was first challenged to memorize wants us to. So there really is no need to Scripture by an evangelist who had mem sacrifice one©s family and marriage in or orized the entire New Testament. When der to do the King©s work. I was 14 years old I attended meetings he If we follow the Lord, not running be held. His eyes seemed to focus directly on fore Him "whatever betide," there will me as he smilingly challenged the con be time for everything worthwhile. And gregation, "Go ahead! Look up these that includes hobbies, refreshments, verses in your own Bible! See if I mis reading hours, and walks by the brook. quote anything!" I gazed in awe at his After all, if David had been caught up in unopened Bible lying on the pulpit, and I the same sort of rat race we live in, we accepted his challenge. Scrambling to never would have had Psalm 23. look up the texts, I waited breathlessly, I think that the second half is the spe only to hear him quote each one from cial time for cultivating the luscious gar memory with amazing accuracy. Need dens of the soul. When younger, we are less to say, this made a profound impres fortunate to have a few dandelions sion on me. sprouting; but when getting older, we I have not committed the entire New should have some rare flowers bloom Chester H. Schurch Testament to memory in the 15 years ing even if we don©t make the denomi is pastor of the Bur since those meetings. But after memoriz lington and Fort nation©s statistical charts. Madison, Iowa, ing many chapters, I can testify to the To everything there is a season. Youth Seventh-day Advent- new dimensions memorization has added is so exciting with its outlandish promises ist churches. to my ministry. and dreams. But following the Lord re I know of at least six ways Scripture quires more than dreams and promises. memorization can enhance your minis Through the years the currents that try: move more deeply take effect, and our 1. Increased understanding of Scripture. ministry can grow stronger, even in the Repeating a text over and over while you midst of our changing world. memorize it gives you the opportunity to

14 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 The most practical way to memorize is wish to listen to Scripture cassettes as a simply to read a portion of Scripture sev review. Probably the most effective way The most practical eral times, one phrase at a time. Then to review is to find someone who will sit look away and try to repeat it from mem down with you and follow along in a Bi way to memorize is ory. It would be wise to begin with a ble while you repeat what you have mem chapter or set of verses that interest you. orized. This gives you the benefit of im simply to read a It is always easier to concentrate on mediately being alerted to any mistakes. something that holds your interest. It also gives you excellent practice for portion of Scripture I am often tempted to try to digest and reciting your memorized verses before an memorize too many verses at one time. audience. And it can benefit your lis several times, one Keep in mind that memorization is a slow tener as well. process at best. A most important element that you phrase at a time. Variety is an important key to help you should include in your process of memo keep working at memorization. By being creative in your approaches to memoriza rization is prayer. A simple prayer for wis tion, you won©t get as discouraged. If you dom and guidance each time you memo are the kind of person who likes to get rize allows the Holy Spirit the view its various facets and better under maximum use out of your time, try mem opportunity to fill the avenues of your stand it. orizing as you walk, jog, or do other ac mind with understanding and apprecia 2. Increased confidence in exposition. tivities. I memorized the entire Sermon tion of what you are learning. As a result of committing Scripture to on the Mount while hauling hay bales The tool of memorization is hanging memory you can enjoy a greater degree of one summer. A pocket-sized Bible, or a in your own workshop. Why not take it confidence as you wield the "Sword of typed 3x5 note card is just the right size down, dust it off, and use it? If you do, the Lord" in the pulpit, in Bible studies, to carry in your hand or in a jogging suit you will be entering a most challenging and in discussion of biblical topics. pocket. and rewarding phase of your ministry. 3. More natural expression in reading. An important part of the memoriza Your experience will best be described by Memorized passages allow you the oppor tion process is reviewing what you©ve al the words of Jeremiah 15:16, "Thy words tunity to use natural expression when ready memorized. You can repeat a mem were found, and I did eat them; and thy you read Scripture aloud. orized verse and then check your Bible to word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of 4- Increased freedom. Reciting texts see if you©ve said it correctly, or you may mine heart." from memory allows you the freedom to maintain eye contact with your audience while sharing the Word with them. It helps eliminate the feeling of being tied to your notes or Bible. The Quiet Hour has embarked on an ambitious project to make the Bible 5. Increased usefulness. Each passage come alive for the whole family. Not just stories of action, these feature-length committed to memory provides you Bible dramas will inspire a renewed faith in God. They are perfect for family greater opportunity to be a more effective worship, youth meetings, and the classroom. Phase one of the project tool in the hands of the Holy Spirit in His involves producing 144 Bible videos. The first of this series are now available: work to "bring all things to your remem brance" (John 14:26). Often, during a For Such a Time sermon presentation or a Bible study, a memorized passage will flash into your The moving account of mind and add just the right emphasis to Queen Esther as she risks her life to save God's the point you are making. 6. Increased satisfaction. Scripture people Mary©s memorization gives you the satisfaction of knowing that you are fortifying your Song mind with an arsenal of texts that will be The dramatic portrayal of a permanent part of your thought pro strength and courage; the cess. Memorized Scripture is a personal story of Mary, chosen to be the mother possession that can never be taken from of our Lord you.

I ——————————————————————————————————————————————— Mama TO ORDER: For Such a Time How to memorize Send check, or credit card number for $29.95 Marv's Song Address Many techniques for speeding up the per tape plus $3.00 Mary s Song———— process of memorization have been set shipping/handling for first City /State/ZIP tape and $1.00 each VMS G Beta CJ forth in books and magazines. Some of additional tape (California D Visa G MasterCard # these short cuts include drawing compli residents add 6% sales T . ft cated pictures and other gimmicks. 1 Signature Exp.Date have found these techniques to be of lit Send to: The Quiet Hour, 630 Brookside Ave., Redlands, CA 93373 tle help in memorizing Scripture. ORDER BY PHONE: 800-541-4488 California: 800-544-1038

MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 15 Pastor©s Pastor

From the pastor©s pastor Floyd Bresee

nee upon a time God and mathematics says that 5/5 is no tent with doing less than their best so called three minis greater than 2/2. In fact, God is just as long as they are doing better than most. ters to preach. To pleased with 1/1 as He is with 5/5. Surely God is no more pleased with lazy Preacher A He gave Two lessons about preaching: A©s than with ungrateful C©s, the ability to preach 1. Your best is good enough no matter five-talent sermons, how poor it is. Good news for the minister MINISTRY©S new column to Preacher B the who feels himself a failure because he©s MINISTRY has been kind enough to ask ability to preach two-talent sermons, and just a one-talent preacher: If God has me, as head of the ministerial association to Preacher C the ability to preach one- called you to preach, He has given you all that produces the magazine, to begin talent sermons. the ability you need to preach as well as writing a column for each issue. How can Each went to preaching. Preacher A He means for you to preach. To say oth I possibly make a worthwhile contribu preached five-talent sermons, and erwise is not to feel humble about your tion to your ministry ? I intend to vary the Preacher B preached two-talent self, but to feel doubtful about God. column within three areas: sermons. The tragedy of being a one-talent 1. Practical pastoral suggestions. I left Preacher C, however, said to himself, preacher is not that you preach my last pastorate in 1982. It gets very "I©m just no good at this preaching busi one-talent sermons. Rather, it is that presumptuous and even dangerous to ness. Preacher B is twice as good as I am, since your best is not as good as someone give pastoral pointers after you©ve been and I©m not even in the same league with else©s, you are tempted to give up and do away from that field of service too long. A. I can ©occupy the hour© with some less than your best. Remember, God is I©d like to share a few pointers out of my thing or other, but when it comes to ex very pleased with 1/1. own experience before they grow too pecting my preaching to make a signifi 2. Anything less than your best is not stale. cant difference or have much effect on good enough no matter how good it is. 2. Preaching tips and sermon ideas. anybody, I give up." What if A had preached four-talent ser Having taught preaching for 16 years and . Eventually God called the three before mons? They would still have been twice having received my degree from North His judgment bar to give account for the as good as B©s. Too many A preachers are western University and Garrett Theolog preaching gifts He had given them. preaching B sermons. Preaching is hard ical Seminary in the teaching of preach When the angel opened the book, here©s work, and they are tempted to feel con- ing, I yearn to share a few thoughts on how their records read: the subject. We receive many requests Preacher ABC for sermon ideas and sermon illustra Accomplishment 5 2 0 tions, and so I plan to include some of Ability 5 2 1 these from time to time. And what was God©s judgment? With 3. Spiritual encouragement. We all whom was He most pleased A or B? have many needs as ministers, but the Applying to homiletics the principles greatest need of every one of us is a closer Jesus set forth in the story recorded in God has given you all walk with Christ. The work of the Lord Matthew 25, we can say that God would becomes very tedious without the Lord of give the very same commendation to the ability you need to the work. In my present job as "pastor©s both even though A©s sermons were pastor" I©ve a great longing for each of us two and a half times as good! preach as well as He to come closer to Jesus. God measures success far differently This new column comes with the than we do. We tend to measure by com means for you to prayer that God will use it to help you paring our accomplishments with some preach. learn to measure success as God measures one else©s. God measures by comparing it and to experience that success to the our accomplishments with our abilities, fullest in your ministry.

16 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 From the Editors

Reflections on Adventists and abortion

n the United States, Early Adventist thinking Exhausted Vitality gives an indication of the debate over abor George B. Gainer, a religion teacher where early Adventist leadership stood tion is far from being at our Takoma Park, Maryland, high on this issue: ©Few are aware of the fearful dead. The impact of school, has produced a well-documented extent to which this. . . worse than dev this debate reaches paper surveying the history of the posi ilish practice is carried on in all classes of the highest circles of tion of our church on abortion. He gave society! Many a woman determines that government, touch me permission to excerpt from his docu she will not become a mother, and sub ing those under consideration for seats ment sections that reveal the thinking of jects herself to the vilest treatment, com on the Supreme Court. Six months ago some of our pioneer leaders on the mitting the basest crime to carry out her the president of the United States re subject. purpose. And many a man, who has "as ceived a pro-life petition with nearly 3 Noting that the practice of abortion many children as he can support," in million signatures. Pro-life and was widespread in nineteenth-century stead of restraining his passions, aids in pro-abortion forces have their marches America, 1 and that the first "right-to- the destruction of the babes he has and rallies, their speeches and debates. life" movement here, the Physicians© begotten. The articles and books on the subject Crusade Against Abortion, took place " ©The sin lies at the door of both par would fill a©small library. Yet the stagger between 1850 and 1890, 2 Gainer says, ents in equal measure.© 5 ing number of abortions performed every "The June 25, 1867, Advent Review and "Where did those composing the ©right arm© of the church, the medical year on both married and unwed women Sabbath Herald contained what appar ently was the first statement on abortion work, stand on the abortion question? In continues, and is seen by many as an to appear in Adventist literature. In an his book Man, the Masterpiece, published indication of the enormity of the article titled ©Fashionable Murder,© the in 1894, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg wrote: problem. author, John Todd, praised the work of The idea held by many that the destruc Naturally, the debate in the secular the Physicians© Crusade. He said that in tion of foetal life is not a crime until after and religious worlds has affected Advent - the sight of God abortion is ©willful mur "quickening" has occurred is a gross and ist thinking. We don©t live in a vacuum. der, © and called the practice ©a direct war mischievous error. No change occurs in We©ve been embarrassed by several dem against human society . . . against the the developing human being at this onstrations that focused on our hospitals. family order, against the health, the period. The so-called period of "quicken One demonstrator held up a placard that peace, the conscience, and the moral ing" is simply the period at which the especially brought the issue home to our well-being of the mother, and against a movements of the little one become suf seventh-day Sabbathkeeping church. It child which could otherwise have an im ficiently active and vigorous to attract read "Adventists Remember the sixth mortal existence.© 3 the attention of the mother. . . . From commandment, too." "Two years later, in an article titled ©A the very moment of conception, those During a nine-month period in the Few Words Concerning a Great Sin,© the processes have been in operation which early 1970s, our church produced two Review, calling abortion ©the murder of result in the production of a fully devel sets of guidelines on abortion for our hos unborn infants,© said it was ©one of the oped human being from a mere jelly pital system (see box following editori most shocking, and yet one of the most drop, a minute cell. As soon as this de als). These guidelines represent the prevalent sins of this generation,© and velopment begins, a new human being church©s closest approach to taking a po warned that ©God will not pass unnoticed has come into existence. . . . From this sition regarding this practice. But they the murder of such children.© 4 moment, it acquires the right to life, a do not relate to the individual member, "A Solemn Appeal, which James White right so sacred that in every land to vio and, since they were voted upon by the edited in 1870, contains the next refer late it is to incur the penalty of death. General Conference officers and not the ence to abortion to appear in the Ad How many murderers and murderesses General Conference Committee, they ventist press. That he excerpted the fol have gone unpunished!© " 6 have only the force of recommendations. lowing statement from Dr. E. P. Miller©s According to Robert Olson, secretary

MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 17 of the Ellen G. White Estate, although Health System look to the leadership in non-Adventist colleagues find it difficult Ellen G. White, the most influential the church to provide some guidance and to believe that we have rather firm posi pioneer of our church, never used the direction in matters that, in the eyes of tions regarding dancing, card playing, word abortion, she appears to have used many, have theological implications." adornment, etc., but have taken no po the term murder in connection with the And yet another hospital president sition on the abortion issue." death of fetuses. After noting that the wrote: "Actually, many of the Adventist We believe that .the appeals from some hoop dresses worn in the mid-nineteenth Health System hospitals are awaiting the of our hospital administrators and the century had originated in a brothel in development of a position on the part of concerns of many of our leaders and Paris, she stated, "Never was such iniq the church. However, we have not re members over the abortion issue are call uity practiced as since this hoop inven ceived anything yet." ing the church to give careful study to tion; never were there so many murders Our survey highlighted two major this issue from theological and ethical of infants." points that need attention. First, these viewpoints. From this study we could for While the exact meaning of her state hospital leaders are sincerely doing their mulate a viable Adventist position on ment is not clear, it appears that the best to cope with the pressures. Second, abortion, especially as it relates to poli phrase "so many murders of infants" may many of them want the church to take cies governing our hospital system. J. well refer to abortions. the lead in developing carefully thought R. Spangler. through guidelines that will help unify our health system in a critical area. Adventist Health System survey 1 Kristin Luker, Abortion and the Politics of Moth To see where things stand today, Min A statement made by the vice chair erhood (Berkeley, Calif.: University of California istry informally surveyed 52 of our man of the ethics committee at one of our Press, 1984), p. 18. 2 Luker, pp. 14, 147. North American Division hospitals as to hospitals emphasizes the need of priori 3 John Todd, "Fashionable Murder," Adventist their abortion policies. Thirty-nine re tizing our time and energy in dealing with Review and Safefeatfi Herald, June 25, 1867. sponded; and we feel their responses give fhe issues that face our church. He wrote: 4 "A Few Words Concerning a Great Sin," Ad ventist Review and Sabbath Herald, Nov. 30, 1869. a fairly accurate picture of the dilemma "It seems to me that the church should 5 James White, ed., A Solemn Appeal (Battle Adventists face. espouse some positions relative to the Creek, Mich.-. Steam Press, 1870), p. 100. value of human life that could be some 6 J. H. Kellogg, Man, the Masterpiece (Battle The responses indicate a varied ap Creek, Mich.: Modern Medicine Pub. Co., 1894), proach to the matter of performing abor what universal throughout our system. pp. 424, 425. tions. No Seventh-day Adventist hospi Many of our Seventh-day Adventist and 7 Ellen G. White letter 16a, 1861. tal admits doing elective abortions. One institution, with no official abortion pol icy, states they perform, on rare occa sions, "social" abortions, whatever that means. Twenty-eight hospitals do thera Abortion guidelines for peutic abortions. And six hospitals re ported doing very few or virtually no Adventist medical institutions abortions in recent years. As to official policies on abortion, about a dozen specifically mention the Although the Adventist Church has taken church does not favor and does not up 1971 guidelines. Another dozen have no official stand on the matter of abortion, it hold standards, nor that it does not estab their own policies, most of which favor has published guidelines that serve as recom lish regulations; but rather that these the more conservative 1970 guidelines mendations to its medical institutions. standards and regulations are established over the 1971 guidelines. A few of the These are valuable in that they reveal the in the various countries in which the institutions are in the process of develop church's thinking on the issue. Because church conducts hospitals. ing an abortion policy. there has been considerable confusion be The church is cognizant that attitudes Several administrators revealed a deep tween the 1970 and the 1971 guidelines, we and laws relating to permitted abortions concern over the fact that the church are publishing both in full. —Editors. are changing in the United States of really has no official policy. They America today. It opposes a laxity of reg pointed out that they are being pressured ulations and practice which might con 1970 Abortion Guidelines tribute primarily to the lowering of moral to declare publicly the Adventist stance. Agreed, To accept the following as sug One administrator wrote: "Some pro-life standards of society. It is the position of gestive guidelines for therapeutic abor activists, believing that abortion is a the church that regulations relating to tions which might need to be performed black and white issue, feel that the Ad the performing of abortions are the ventist Church is pro-choice because it in denominational hospitals in the proper business of responsible medical appears to have equivocated in its posi United States. staffs of hospitals, such regulations to be tion. They refused to concede that the The Seventh-day Adventist Church©s approved by the hospital©s controlling ethical considerations are quite complex position on specific programs in any board, and always to be in harmony with and they fail to realize that it is difficult to country must relate to its world involve the laws of the state. generalize and say that in every instance ments. Thus, the church has taken no The termination of pregnancy by ther abortion is the ©senseless murder of help position establishing general regulations apeutic abortion is a surgical procedure less human beings.© " governing the performing of abortions in and should be performed only by quali Another wrote: "One must keep in church-controlled medical institutions fied and licensed practitioners in accred mind that hospitals in the Adventist everywhere. This does not mean that the ited hospitals.

18 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 This procedure may be performed only 1971 Abortion Guidelines some other legal codes severely con with the informed written consent of the (The officers received from the ap demned it. One relevant scripture is Ex patient and her husband, or herself if she pointed representative committee of odus 21:22-25, which reads as follows is unmarried, or her nearest responsible theologians, physicians, nurses, teach (Jerusalem Bible): "If, when men come to relative if she is under the age of consent. ers, psychiatrists, laymen, etc., who met blows, they hurt a woman who is preg Under no circumstances should a patient at Loma Linda, California, January 25, nant and she suffers a miscarriage, be compelled to undergo, or a physician 1971, a report of opinion on intentional though she does not die of it, the man to perform, a therapeutic abortion if ei interruption of pregnancy. The report, responsible must pay the compensation ther has a religious or ethical objection to slightly amended by the officers, is the commanded of him by the woman©s mas it. following:) ter; he shall hand it over, after arbitra In the consideration of the indications Interruption of pregnancy tion. But should she die, you shall give for a therapeutic abortion the consulta (Recommendations to SDA medical life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, tive opinion of at least two licensed phy institutions.) hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for sicians other than the one who is to per burn, wound for wound, stroke for form the procedure must be obtained and Statement of principles stroke.© on file. This opinion must state that the The intentional interruption of preg It is to be noted that the fetus was not procedure is medically indicated, except nancy involves complicated, subtle, and considered a human life to the point in case of rape or incest. One con sometimes morally obscure issues. Be where "life for life" was to be demanded. sultant should be a qualified obstetrician- cause of this, no set of moral generaliza Thus a distinction is made between the gynecologist and one should be recog tions can substitute for individual con destruction of a fetus and the killing of a nized as having special competence in science. The following statement is person. the medical area in which the indica intended to provide a measure of guid Fourth, the Adventist position must tions for the procedure reside. ance by clarifying the questions and by be conditioned by the Bible©s exalted The hospital in which the procedure is emphasizing the general principles and sensitivity for life in general and for hu to be done should have a standing com values with which specific actions should man life in particular. This includes a mittee, selected by the staff according to be consistent. protective regard for what is "not yet" or a method approved by the board, that is An Adventist position must, first of "no longer" functionally human but empowered to deal with abortion prob all, be conditioned by the Bible©s teach "means" (symbolizes) human, as well as lems, to receive and to pass on the con ing on the nature of man. According to for those social institutions such as the sultative opinion relating to a proposed the Bible, man©s soul is a functional, family that serve to nurture and preserve procedure, and to review all cases, in rather than an objective, reality. Man "humanness." Any act that immediately cluding physicians who have requested does not have a soul; man is a soul. The or potentially threatens such real or sym and have carried out such procedures. soul is not infused in a "thing" at a spe bolic values or institutions must never be The board of trustees of a Seventh-day cific moment in life such as at the time of carried out lightly. Even when for some Adventist-sponsored institution should conception. It is rather a human capacity reason the requirements of functional insist that the performing of therapeutic to function rationally and morally, human life demand the sacrifice of the abortions be well controlled, that the achieved fully through growth and devel lesser real or symbolic human values, this practice and clientele of the institution opment and an increasing investment of must never be done for trivial or self- not be placed in jeopardy by the abuse of human life; at the time of fetal viability serving reasons or carried out in such a the privilege, and that in all cases the (the ability to live after birth approxi manner as to diminish respect for them staff act in accordance with the laws of mately 20 weeks) and thereafter, that de lest reverence for the prior human values the state, acceptable social standards of velopment and investment are such that to which they point be also sacrificed. the community, and the moral principles only another human life could balance Fifth, the Adventist position must be taught by the sponsoring church. the scale. conditioned by the prophetic function of It is believed that therapeutic abor Second, the Adventist position does the church and its members, that is to tions may be performed for the following not measure a human being©s right to live say, by their vocation to "stand for" established indications: primarily in terms of happiness, utility, something in the world. The church has 1. When continuation of the preg functional viability, or the desires of the something to say to the world regarding nancy may threaten the life of the mother, the family, or the society, but the value of human existence and of the woman or seriously impair her health. rather in terms of a human being©s social institutions designed to preserve 2. When continuation of the preg uniqueness as a child of the Creator. Hu it. Its members and institutions should at nancy is likely to result in the birth of a manity is first a God-given endowment, all times govern their actions so as to child with grave physical deformities or then an achievement. maximize resistance to the dehumanizing mental retardation. Third, the Adventist position recog and demoralizing pressures that so often 3. When conception has occurred as nizes that no Bible passage expressly con characterize our contemporary society. a result of rape or incest. demns abortion or speaks of man as fully It is in this spirit that the following When indicated therapeutic abortions human before birth. The Mosaic law is guidelines have been developed: are done, they should be performed dur relatively thorough and explicit in deal ing the first trimester of pregnancy. ing with all areas of sexual ethics, but it Guidelines General Conference Officers, May 13, fails to mention abortion though abor The intentional interruption of preg 1970. tion was common in ancient times and nancy is a surgical procedure and should

MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 19 be performed only by qualified and li censed practitioners in accredited hospitals. Who says we©re a cult? Under no circumstances should a pa tient be compelled to undergo, or a phy here is a lot of excite of those who dare to be different has not sician, nurse, or attendant personnel be ment in Christian disappeared. forced to participate in, an interruption circles today about The question is Just how different does of pregnancy if he or she has a religious or cults and New Age one have to be in order to be branded a ethical objection to it. thinking. Evangeli cultist? In England during the 1950s, To preserve regard for the sanctity of T cals in particular evangelicals in-general and Billy Graham life and yet have concern for people, seem concerned in particular were labeled cultists. One of abortion shall not be done without seri about the rise of cults, and books and the most interesting books I came upon ous consideration of the indications. articles about these groups are multiply in my research on cults is titled Old Time Consultation shall be obtained as re ing like May mosquitos in Minnesota. Religion Is a Cult. The author, who pas quired by hospital rules. Browsing the shelves of several Chris tors the Positive Attitude Celebration The hospital in which the procedure is (church?) in California maintains that tian bookstores recently, I was struck, to be done should have a standing com all religious bodies that demand that not only by the number of new books mittee, selected by the staff according to their members believe anything except a method approved by the board, that is on cults, but by the drastic evolution of that God loves them unconditionally are empowered to deal with interruption of subject matter for such books. From do cults! pregnancy problems, to receive and pass ing battle with Jehovah©s Witnesses, So how does one really identify a cult? on consultative opinions relating to a Mormons, Christian Scientists, and Definitions abound all carefully tai proposed procedure. This committee Seventh-day Adventists, evangelical lored by their authors to exclude should review all cases, including cult fighters have turned their attention themselves. the records of physicians who have re to Eastern gurus and New Age thinkers. To a careful Bible student, truth quested and have carried out such It©s hard to find even a brief mention of shines out from error like a full moon in a procedures. Adventism in the new books. clear night sky. Labeling a group a cult The board of trustees of a Seventh-day Are we Adventists, who used to figure seems to me to be a defensive ploy that Adventist-sponsored institution should prominently in all books about cults, has been used throughout history by the insist that interruptions of pregnancy be suddenly being allowed to sneak in the majority against minorities. Were not well controlled by the highest medical, back door of Christian brotherhood Christians called a cult in Rome? Did not ethical, and professional requirements of while all the watchmen on the walls fix the Pharisees regard Christ©s apostles as a the hospital council and/or the medical their eyes eastward? Or is it only because cult? community; that the operation and cli Walter Martin consigned us to an appen Whenever we allow others to close our entele of the institution not be placed in dix in The Kingdom of the Cults that we©re minds by affixing labels to groups we jeopardy by the abuse of privilege; and not coming up on authors© "people to be know nothing about, the search for truth that in all cases the staff act in accor feared" lists anymore? cannot succeed. One need not exhaus dance with the principles taught by the Perhaps the real reason for the change tively examine every group before ac sponsoring church. cepting or rejecting its teachings. If a in the contents of books on cults is to be It is believed that interruptions of group is teaching error, it doesn©t take found in what every aspiring author dis pregnancy may be performed for the fol long to discover that fact if we compare lowing established indications: covers sooner or later. For the most part their message with Scripture. But if we 1. When continuation of the preg it©s not editors and theologians who de allow the cult label to keep us from even a nancy may threaten the life of the cide what books will be published by cursory look at a group, then we must woman or impair her health. Christian publishing houses it©s the give up looking for a group that teaches 2. When continuation of the preg marketing department. There just hap truth, because every group is called a cult nancy is likely to result in the birth of a pens to be a lot of interest in, and fear of, by someone. child with physical deformities or mental Eastern religions these days, so books on The real way to fight error is to pro retardation. the topic are sure sellers. claim truth, not just to label error as a 3. When conception has occurred as Which brings up the real reason why cult teaching. Kenneth R. Wade a result of rape or incest. the subject of cults is always popular: 4. When the case involves an unwed fear. In Boston in 1660, Mary Dyer was child under 15 years of age. sentenced to death by hanging for her 5. When for some reason the require "enthusiastick preaching." Her preach Kenneth ments of functional human life demand ing style and unwillingness to submit to R. Wade the sacrifice of the lesser potential hu the orthodoxy of the city fathers made man value. them fearful enough of her influence that When indicated interruptions of they felt compelled to end her life. We pregnancy are done, they should (especially the more excitable preachers be performed as early as possible, prefer among us) can be thankful that religious ably during the first trimester of toleration in America has moved beyond pregnancy. that point. But fascination with and fear

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Resolving die conflict between science and religion Leonard R. Brand

In a previous article ("Can Science and tions. Usually we do not have enough covery of a previously unknown phe Religion Work Together?" November data to be completely certain that we nomenon turbidity currents. 2 Turbid 1987), the author pointed out that scientific have the correct explanation, or theory, ity currents are rapid, underwater theories are useful tools, but they are not but the data enable us to eliminate some mudflows that can deposit a layer of sand necessarily true. The origins of a theory do of the incorrect theories. or mud over a large area. These layers, not determine either its truthfulness or For example, at one time nutritionists called turbidites, are often graded. whether it is scientific. While science can knew that certain types of food were ben Turbidity currents provided an even never prove or disprove God's involvement eficial and that some others were defi more satisfactory explanation for the in influencing earth history, it can demon' nitely harmful, but but they did not know graded beds in the Ventura Basin. 3 Each strate that it is not unreasonable to believe in much about specific nutritional require bed was now understood to have been the Bible. This article concludes this se ments. The relatively few limits provided deposited in minutes rather than years, ries. —Editors. by the known facts allowed a broad range and in comparatively deep water. Figure of theories about diet. The research that 3 illustrates how theory changes as new has given us more knowledge about phys data accumulates, as previously un iology and nutrition about vitamins, known processes are discovered. cholesterol, parasites, and other dietary uch fields of science factors has shown that some of the old Relating science and the Bible as physiology have theories were wrong. Many such changes have occurred in few disputes with re Thus we see that the more inadequate the history of science, and many more ligion. They either our data are, the more room there is for will undoubtedly yet occur as new dis complement the Bi uncertainty as to what is correct theory. coveries are made. Science is always a S ble or deal with sub As more data accumulate, we learn progress report on the road to truth, not ject matter that is which theories are wrong, and our range final, absolute truth. In contrast to that, not discussed in the Bible. But in fields of uncertainty is reduced (see figure 1). the Bible claims to have originated with like paleontology, geology, and evolu The accumulating data also enable us to the God who has seen it all who under tionary biology, we see severe conflicts develop theories that we had not thought stands all of earth history and all natural between the claims of science and the of before. These new theories may be law. How shall we relate the revelations teachings of the Bible. These conflicts stepping stones to even better theories, of science and those of the Bible? To do lead us to ask what roles science and reli or they may themselves stand the test of so, we must decide how much confidence gion each play in our search for truth. time and prove to be correct. to place in the Bible and to what extent Must we either accept science and reject Let us look at another example, this science can "correct" the Bible. the Bible or vice versa, or is there a time from the field of geology. Prior to The more important of the many pos better way? 1950, sedimentary rocks composed of sible approaches to the relationship be The scientific process is a good way of coarse-grained, graded beds (figure 2) tween science and Bible-oriented reli discovering truth, both in areas that the were believed to have been deposited gion are: Bible doesn©t discuss and in those that it slowly, in shallow water. For instance, 1. Science only does. Following the scientific method, the Pliocene rocks in the Ventura Basin, 2. Science and biblical faith separate we postulate explanations for the things nearVentura, California, consist of hun 3. Science and Bible (dualist) we observe in nature and collect research dreds of graded beds. In accord with the 4. Bible superior data to test the validity of those explana- then-current theory, scientists believed 5. Bible only 4 that these layers were deposited in shal Those who accept the first model con Leomrd R. Brand is professor of biology at Loma Linda University, Riverside, California. low water, and that it took several years sider science the only reliable source of This article is adapted from one that appeared in to deposit each layer. 1 Then in 1950 a information. This model maintains that Origins, Vol. 12, No. 2, (1985). paper was published reporting the dis the Bible may contain inspirational reli-

22 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 who accepts this view teinterprets or dis claims anything in the Bible that current scientific interpretations contradict. Those who follow model 2 take the Bible more seriously than those who use model 1, but they keep science and bib lical faith in two separate compartments and make no attempt to relate one to the other. Dualists (model 3) consider both the Bible and science authoritative and, in the search for truth, take both sources seriously. They believe that conflict be tween these two sources arises only be FIGURE 2. A block diagram showing a cross-section through three graded sedimentary beds. In cause of human limitations to the scien each bed, the larger particles are at the bottom, and the smaller particles at the top. tific process and/or in understanding the ence ? When faced with such a contradic features of this ideal model will be its Bible. tion, Christians cannot keep the two definition of the approach to be taken in Advocates of model 4 take both sci sources isolated without putting their resolving conflicts that arise between sci ence and the Bible seriously, but recog minds in neutral. They will then, even ence and religion between our inter nize in the Bible a higher level of author though they may not realize it, move pretation of revelation and our interpre ity than they concede to science. from model 2 to one of the other models. tation of scientific data. The rest of this And finally, those who follow model 5 Model 2 fails at the very point where it article proposes such an approach. accept only the Bible as being reliable. They tend to reject all of science as a tool is supposed to help direct our search for of the devil, designed by him to destroy truth. It avoids the issue, or pretends that A working relationship faith. it doesn©t exist, and so I conclude that My approach is founded on a convic Of the five models described above, this model is not worthy of further tion, supported by many lines of evi numbers 1 and 5 represent the easiest discussion. dence, that the prophets do indeed speak ways to make a decision. They are essen Models 3 and 4 resemble each other, for a loving and all-knowing God whose tially all-or-nothing approaches, and do except that model 4 places more confi messages we can trust. When the accu not require much thought. I do not be dence in the Bible and man©s ability to mulating data from scientific research lieve that either comes to grips with the correctly understand the Bible than in suggest new ideas or hypotheses, we can problem realistically. man©s ability to interpret scientific data build an effective working relationship Model 2, keeping science and religious correctly. This difference is likely to be between science and revelation by fol faith separate, is a popular model. It may more pronounced in areas of philosophi lowing these two steps: even work well for a scientist whose field cal conflict, such as theories of origins. 1. If the new idea involves a subject does not require him to think much I propose that the most fruitful ap about which we think the Bible may about the history of life on earth. But proach to the study of origins and of earth speak, we should examine all relevant what does the advocate of this model do history is to be found somewhere in the Bible texts, comparing scripture with when he encounters a Bible statement vicinity of models 3 and 4. Furthermore, scripture and using the Bible as its own that contradicts the conclusions of sci- I believe that one of the most crucial interpreter. In addition, we must use all the latest information that can help us to understand the meaning of the text. Ex actly what does the Bible say and what does it not say about our new idea? Is the idea compatible with the Bible or not? Do the relevant biblical statements say what we thought they said, or have we been reading between the lines ? 2. We then must draw one of the fol lowing conclusions, or some appropriate variation of one of these:

a. Revelation does not speak to this issue at all, and does not help us in our research. 1800 1900 1985 FIGURE 1. A diagrammatic representation of the relationship between theories and data. In b. Revelation does address this topic, this diagram and in Figures 3 through 5, the height of the stippled area at any given date but does not say anything against the new represents the amount of data available at that time. Horizontal lines represent the lifespan of various theories. A theory's lifespan ends by collision with accumulating evidence that contra* idea; there is no biblical reason not to diets the theory, or by radical alteration (a scientific revolution, represented by a vertical line) accept it as a possibility. If we come to into a new theory which is not contradicted by the available evidence. this conclusion, we must then proceed

MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 23 TURBIDITES The church, assuming that the Genesis creation account supported this very static concept of nature, again incorpo rated contemporary scientific thought into its dogma. Charles Darwin and his contemporaries saw evidence that ani SLOW, SHALLOW WATER DEPOSITION mals and plants do change, and so an other conflict between science and the church started. Because of the complex ity of this issue, I will discuss the conflict in two parts: (a) the theory that organ 1900 1950 1985 isms do change, resulting in variations FIGURE 3. A diagrammatic representation of die change from die shallow water theory of within created groups, and (b) the theory graded bed deposition to die turbidite dieory. This change occurred through a scientific revolution stimulated by the accumulation of new data. that the major groups of animals origi nated by evolution and not by creation. with further scientific research to test the challenge to the Scriptures and to the a. Microevolution and speciation. idea rigorously. This research may give us church itself. When the theory of evolution was pro increased confidence in the idea, or it Copernicus introduced a new the posed, it was generally believed that the may lead to even better hypotheses that ory the theory of heliocentricity. Ac entire concept of evolutionary change we must also compare with the cording to his radical new idea, the earth was incompatible with the biblical ac Scriptures. and the other planets rotate around the count of creation. But if Darwin and his sun. If, instead of persecuting the advo contemporaries had studied the Bible c. Revelation clearly contradicts the cates of the new theory, the church had carefully, they would surely have con new idea. This conclusion tells us to go carefully investigated what the Scrip cluded that it in no way denies the possi back and do some more research because tures said, it could have avoided a serious bility of changes occurring within the there is something wrong with our inter mistake. The church would have found created groups of plants and animals 6 pretation of the data. that the Bible does not address itself to nor the production of new types of organ If we follow this process, we maintain the issue of whether the earth rotates isms to at least the species and generic the Bible as the standard for religious around the sun or vice versa. One can level. In fact, a creationist must believe doctrines, and yet allow science and the only claim that the Bible supports the that some changes have occurred, or else Bible to shed light on each other. In theory of geocentricity by resorting to believe that God designed and made some instances, science will suggest ideas arguments akin to saying that twentieth- even the destructive things that we see in that may help us to recognize that we century scientists must believe in that nature. have been reading some preconceived theory because they speak of the sun©s However, Darwin apparently did not idea into the Bible that really is not rising and setting. reexamine the scriptural teachings. He there. In other cases the Bible may help Careful Bible study would have shown concluded that since his evidence inval us to recognize incorrect scientific theo that Copernicus©s theory was not unbi- idated what he believed to be the biblical ries, so that we can turn our efforts to blical. Instead of being made to oppose creation account, we must explain the ward developing more accurate interpre each other, both science and Scripture origin of all living things by some mech tations of the data. could have been used to explore this anism other than creation. This brings us issue. to the second part of the theory of Copernicus, Darwin, and the 2. The theory of evolution. Prior to the evolution. church nineteenth century, it was generally be b. Evolution of the major groups of Examples from the history of science lieved that animal and plant species do organisms. Darwin©s theory proposes that and from current conflicts illustrate the not change, that every species has re even the major groups of living things application of this approach: mained the same since it was created a have arisen by evolution, and thus all life 1. The Copernican revolution in astron concept known as "fixity of species." is the result of evolution, not creation. If omy. Long before the Middle Ages scien tists had developed the theory that the RADIOMETRIC DATING THEORY earth is the center of the universe and all other heavenly bodies rotate around our earth a theory we refer to as the theory of geocentricity. This concept was not merely a bit of fuzzy superstition; it was a carefully developed theory with sophisti cated mathematical models describing the movements of stars and planets, sup ported by volumes of observational data. As the Christian church devel oped, it so incorporated the theory of 1985 geocentricity into its dogma that a chal FIGURE 4. Hypothetical history of radiometric dating dieory if there are no major changes to lenge to this theory was considered a occur in the future of this dieory.

24 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 we compare the Word of God with cur rent scientific theories and make deci sions regarding eternal truth. I believe that there are fundamental scientific principles yet to be discovered that will explain the data that seem to contradict Scripture. The history of sci RADIOMETR1C DATING THEORY ence does not support the notion that a well-developed theory must be true if at a given time there is little or no convincing ; RESEARCH DATA evidence against it. Before the discovery of turbidites there seemed to be good ev idence that the then-current theory was 1985 correct. Even as some problems with that FIGURE 5. Hypothetical history of radiometric dating theory if future data accumulation will theory began to appear, scientists did not necessitate a major change in the theory. have the information necessary to envi Charles Darwin had been comparing his with both the scientific and the revealed sion a better explanation until turbidites Bible with his theory, he would have data. were discovered. A Christian who is con found that although the Bible doesn©t say vinced that there is sufficient evidence anything against microevolution, it does Harmonizing impossible data that God©s revelations to us through His clearly state that the major groups of both How do we deal with data such as that prophets are trustworthy will believe that plants and animals (including fruit trees, derived from radiometric dating, data in the field of radiometric dating there fish, reptiles, birds, mammals, and man) that seem impossible to harmonize with must be one or more discoveries yet to be were created by the end of creation week. the biblical view of earth history? In do made as significant as or more significant This is definitely not compatible with ing so, we have to consider the following than the discovery of turbidites. part of the theory of evolution. two propositions: The decision in favor of the current 1. There are no significant new prin If the approach I have described above scientific interpretation of radiometric ciples to be discovered in this field; the dating and the decision against that in had been followed, it could have led to data are mostly being interpreted terpretation are both made on the basis of the development of a theory that in correctly. faith. Those with more faith in current cluded creation of the major groups of 2. There are new principles to be dis scientific theories than in revelation will living things, with limited evolutionary covered that will lead to significant rein- likely conclude that radiometric dates changes occurring within the created terpretations of data. as currently interpreted are accurate. groups after creation. Such a theory Do we have data that will allow us to However, those whose faith in the pro would be consistent with Scripture and test between propositions 1 and 2; to de phetic writings is stronger than their with the scientific data, and could have termine whether radiometric dating the faith in current scientific theories will been an excellent example of the Bible ory is more like theories of graded bed be convinced that radiometric dates of and science shedding light on each deposition after the discovery of turbi- fossiliferous deposits are not correct. Sci other. dites, or before their disco very? If science entific progress can result from our search 3. Geology. The church has been in could determine which proposition is for harmony between science and revela conflict with geologists for more than a true, we would have the key to answering tion if we take the next step and use the century, but we will look at this issue a lot of difficult questions. But science scientific method to develop and test from the perspective of the 1980s. Sci cannot make such a determination. To new theories to explain radiometric phe ence has proposed a theory that claims do so would require that we go into the nomena and other data. that the geologic deposits and the fossils past and observe what really happened, they contain have accumulated over or go into the future and see what data 1 J. E. Eaton, "The Bypassing and Discontinuous hundreds of millions of years. When we will be available then, or talk to someone Deposition of Sedimentary Materials," American come to the inspired writings, we find who has done one of these. The prophets Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin 13 that, while the prophets had little to say claim to have some of that type of infor (1929): 713-761. 2 M. L. Natland and P. H. Kuenen, "Sedimen about astronomy or microevolution, mation, but science definitely does not. tary History of the Ventura Basin, California, and they did make statements indicating that Since we cannot prove which is cor the Action of Turbidity Currents," Society of Eco life on earth (and thus also the rocks con rect, should we assume that 1 is correct if nomic Paleontologists and Mineralogists Special Publi cation 2 (1951): 76-107. taining fossils) has only existed for a few there is no definite evidence for 2 ? Sci 3 P. H. Kuenen and C. I. Migliorini, "Turbidity thousand years. We also find that during ence would normally take that approach, Currents as a Cause of Graded Bedding," Journal of Geology 58 (1950): 91-127. that time there was a worldwide flood of but we must remember that that is only a 4 Loosely adapted from W. W. Watts, "Christ major geological significance. 7 practical working approach, not a and Science," Journal of the American Scientific From this I conclude that Scripture method for determining truth. A scien Affiliation 28 (1976): 9-11. 5 T. S. Kuhn, The Copernican Revolution (Cam indicates that current geological theory tist must push ahead with the most suc bridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1957). is not correct; the data are not being in cessful theory available at the time, trust 6 H. G. Coffin, Creation: Accident or Design? terpreted properly. Our task, then, is to ing that the data will eventually tell us if (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1969). go back to the research lab and develop a the theory is wrong. That approach may 7 L. R. Brand, "Faith and the Flood," Ministry, better theory, one that is in harmony not be satisfactory for us as Christians as February 1980, pp. 26, 27.

MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 25 Health and Religion

Preventing osteoporosis Galen C* Bosley

ature©s best just got fractures 40 percent, whereas the num women who suffer a fracture, the bone better, "says the Cit ber of people in this age group increased will heal again. Women who have osteo rus Hill orange juice by only 30 pe©rcent. porosis experience only a 30 percent rate commercial. An While the United States has one of the of healing. Among elderly persons who other company an highest rates of this disease, 7 as the pop suffer a hip fracture, only 25 percent of nounces that their ulation of people over age 65 increases, those who were able to walk prior to the product is "made by all developed nations will see a corre fracture are ever able to walk again. 9 a nutritional expert: nature." sponding increase in the burden the dis And, most tragically, those requiring What do the products these slogans ease brings. open surgery suffer a 20 percent mortality advertise have in common with soda rate within the first year. pop, antacids, milk, cereals, and a new Bone mineralization and whipped dessert topping? Calcium! All demineralization Factors leading to the disease these products have added calcium to Most people seldom think about their The table that accompanies this arti capitalize on the rising concern over the bones, and if they do, they don©t think of cle lists the factors known to cause bone effects of osteoporosis. them as biologically active organs. Actu mineral loss. In the left column are those In the past few years the concern about ally bones are constantly remodeling factors about which we can do little. The osteoporosis has exceeded that regarding their structure. right column lists the factors that we can heart disease, the leading cause of death This remodeling is carried on by two control. in the United States.© In only six years kinds of cells osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Osteoporosis afflicts women at a rate calcium supplement sales have surged The dynamics between these bone cells double that of men: one in every three from $18 million to more than $240 mil is important. Osteoclasts dissolve old women suffer from it as compared with lion, and they are still growing. 2 bone minerals, and osteoblasts lay down one in every six men. 10 The fact that Osteoporosis is a disease of the bone- new bone minerals. If osteoclasts remove men generally have 30 percent greater s.It involves bone calcium loss, and is the more calcium than osteoblasts replace, bone mass than do women may underlie major cause of bone fractures in one third bone strength will gradually decline. their relative freedom from the disease. of U.S. women of middle and retirement Over time the bone weakens to the point A similar factor may explain why Blacks age. A Michigan study revealed that 18 where even simple daily activities will have less osteoporosis than do Whites: percent of women 45 to 49 years of age cause it to fracture. Blacks have 10 percent greater bone show signs of this disease, and in the 70 The bones most affected by osteopor mass. 11 to 74 age group, the rate rises to 84 osis are the femoral neck (hip), the As we have already noted, age is an percent. wrists, and the vertebrae. 8 Vertebral other factor in osteoporosis. Peak bone Osteoporosis is the twelfth-leading fractures slowly collapse the spine, re mass is reached around age 35. Following cause of death in the United States, 4 and sulting in a bent-over appearance and a this peak both men and women begin to is estimated to cost $6 billion annually. 5 hump. This degeneration of the verte lose bone mass; women experiencing loss In both the United States and Great Brit brae can become severe enough to cause earlier than men. The average bone loss ain incidence of this disease is increasing the ribs to rest on the pelvic bones. is about 1 percent per year, although it both in numbers and rate. 6 Between One symptom of osteoporosis is pain can be higher for women. Ninety- 1970 and 1980 the incidence of hip frac in the ribs or back following coughing or seven percent of hip fractures occur in tures increased 35 percent and vertebral straining. Such pain may signal fractured those more than 65 years old; 13 267,000 vertebrae and nerve compression, but of these serious injuries occur annually, this is not always the case. Many people resulting in 17,191 deaths. 14 Galen C. Bosley, D. H. Sc., is science research associate of the Health and Temperance Depart are unaware they have osteoporosis until ment of the General Conference of Seventh-day a serious fracture occurs. Preventing osteoporosis Adventists, which has supplied this article. In 85 percent of non-osteoporotic The interval between the onset of

26 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 bone depletion and an osteoporotic frac fractures and compression of vertebrae ture depends on two factors the than do the rest of the population. Alco strength of the bone, which is related to hol is toxic to bone cells. When given to Subjects who the original extent of mineral deposits, rats, it rapidly decreases the blood cal and the rate of mineral loss once it has cium level and prevents its rise, even consume meat in begun. The stronger the bones, the when parathyroid hormone (which in longer it will take to weaken them to the creases blood calcium) is administered. quantities, point of fracture. And by reducing the Mayo Clinic researchers studying the rate of demineralization, a person can risk factors of osteoporosis in men found characteristic of the live longer without fractures. that the social use of alcohol does not average American Herein lies hope! Like many other appear to have an effect until after the chronic diseases of the twentieth cen age of 60. But from age 60 to 69, the risk diet, have less bone tury, osteoporosis can be prevented by of bone fracture is nearly double for a lifestyle changes. While we cannot con nonsmoking drinker. When alcohol use mass than do trol such factors as our race, sex, or age, is coupled with smoking, the risk triples. we can, by lifestyle changes, slow the rate In men 70 years or older, a nonsmoking vegetarians* of demineralization. Among the control drinker©s risk rises to 6.5 times that of the lable factors: nondrinker, and when smoking is added, 1. Cigarette smoking. Mayo Clinic in the risk increases to more than 20 times vestigations have found that smokers that of the abstainer. their 70©s had bone mass equal to that of more than double their risk of developing Autopsies performed on young alco nonvegetarian men 11 to 20 years osteoporosis. This finding has been con holic men show thinner bones than younger. 24 Since protein consumption firmed by other studies. Slender women nonalcoholics of similar age have. Re by Americans is nearly double the rec who smoke are affected most. searchers conclude that smoking and al ommended dietary allowance set by the 2. Sedentary lifestyle. That lack of ex cohol consumption increases bone cal National Academy of Science Food and ercise leads to the thinning of the bones cium loss above that which age incurs. Nutrition Board, most people could cut is also well known. Early in the U.S. 4- Excess phosphorus. Scientists have their meat consumption by about half space program and in Skylab studies, found that phosphorus inhibits the and still be within recommended levels. medical scientists recognized that body©s absorption of dietary calcium. A University of Wisconsin researchers weightlessness increased calcium excre diet containing twice as much calcium as found that, at the level protein is con tion in the urine and brought on bone- phosphorus is ideal for bone health. But sumed in the typical American diet, a mineral loss. 16 As a result of this observa the average American diet, which con daily intake of 800 milligrams of calcium tion, astronauts in space are now given tains large amounts of meat and carbon was insufficient. In fact, calcium intakes time to do exercises that increase stress ated soft drinks, inhibits calcium absorp nearly double, 1,400 milligrams, were on the bones, thus decreasing or halting tion since these foods contain 15 to 45 insufficient or only marginally successful bone-mineral loss. times more phosphorus than calcium. 21 in balancing daily calcium absorption Therapeutic bed rest in which the pa 5. Excess protein. Meats are also high with daily losses. tient is not allowed to get up and about in protein, which has been shown to in U.S. recommended dietary calcium decreases the physical stress needed to crease calcium elimination through the levels have been set at 800 milligrams per stimulate bone formation. Measure kidneys. Bones are one source of replen day. At a recent NIH consensus meeting ments taken in studies of short-term bed ishment for the calcium excreted. 2 on osteoporosis, however, it was recom rest indicate a bone mineral loss of 1.2 Researchers have found that subjects mended that women past 40 years of age percent per week. 17 who consume meat in quantities charac should take 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams Exercise helps in a number of ways. teristic of the average American diet daily. 26 But, although some evidence in First, it increases the flow of blood to the have less bone mass than do dicates a partial slowing of postmeno- bone, thereby increasing mineral avail vegetarians. In fact, vegetarian men in pausal osteoporosis by dietary compensa- ability. Second, exercise changes the hormonal balance favoring bone growth. Third, bone stress strengthens and main tains bones. Exercise also generates small Factors in the development of osteoporosis electrical currents within the bone that stimulate bone growth. 18 Noncontrollable factors Controllable factors Studies of exercise in female nursing Family predisposition Sedentary lifestyle home patients have shown that bone Early menopause or ovariectomy Excessive exercise (for women) mass can be increased. Over a three-year Total hysterectomy Calcium-deficient diet period, patients on an exercise program Small stature Excessive protein consumption increased bone mass 4-2 percent, Racial predisposition Alcohol consumption whereas patients who didn©t exercise (White, Oriental) Cigarette smoking Advancing age Caffeine intake through that time experienced a 2 per Cortisone therapy Soft drink consumption cent loss of bone minerals. 1 Having never given birth Excessive sugar consumption 3. Alcohol consumption. Alcoholics Use of aluminum antacids have a greater incidence of hip and rib

MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 27 tion, the most recent studies look grim. 27 drinks, and sugar; and our sedentary- 23 A. G. Marsh, T. V. Sanchez, F. L. Chaffee, G. H. Mayor, O. Michelsen, "Bone Mineral Mass Presently it is viewed as an irreversible lifestyles. in Adult Lacto-Ovovegetarian and Omnivorous condition, though high daily calcium Dr. Myron Winick, director of the In Males," The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition supplements of 1,500 milligrams daily stitute of Nutrition at Columbia Univer 37, No. 3 (1983): 453-456; A. G. Marsh, T. V. Sanchez, O. Michelsen, ]. Keiser, G. Mayor, "Cor appear to slow its advance. sity, says, "A well-balanced, vegetarian tical Bone Density of Adult Lacto-Ovovegetarian Estrogen replacement is considered diet that allows milk and milk products is and Omnivorous Women," Journal of the American Dietetics Association 76, No. 2 (1980): 148-151. more effective than calcium supplemen probably the best diet for the prevention 24 F. R. Ellis, S. Holesh, J. W. Ellis, "Incidence tation, but it also may increase a woman©s of osteoporosis. The closer we all come to of Osteoporosis in Vegetarians and Omnivores," The American Journal o/Clinical Nutrition 25, No. 6 risk of endometrial cancer. To help eating such a diet, the better." (1972): 555-558. counter this risk, estrogen is given for 25 By instituting good nutritional prac 25 L. H. Alien, "Protein-induced Calciuria: A days per month, and a progesterone is tices and eliminating the lifestyle habits Long-Term Study," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 32, No. 4 (1979): 741-749. added the last 10 days of the cycle. that prepare the way for osteoporosis 26 Parfitt. Those individuals who decide to take a even as early as adolescence we can 27 "Calcium: Oversold," Harvard Medical School Health Letter 12, No. 6 (1987): 1, 2; "No Calcium calcium supplement should be aware that prevent the onset of this disease. Fix, "Scientific American 256, No. 4 (1987): 72; B. such supplements come in various forms Riis, K. Thomsen, C. Christiansen, "Does Cal with varying amounts of usable calcium 1 C. I. Waslien, "New and Old Calcium cium Supplementation Prevent Postmenopausal Sources," Cereal Foods World 31, No. 5 (1986): Bone Loss? A Double-blind, Controlled Clinical available. Some of these supplements in 426. Study," The New England Journal of Medicine 316, 2 G. Breu, "The Calcium Controversy: An Ex No. 4 (1987): 173-177. clude calcium gluconate (9 percent 28 "The Role of Calcium in Health," Dairy calcium), calcium lactate (13 percent), pert Warns That Supplements Are Not the Cure- Council Digest 55, No. 1 (1984): 1-8; L. H. Alien, all for Dowager©s Hump," People Weekly 27, No. dolomite (22 percent), bone meal (31 "Calcium and Osteoporosis," Nutrition Today 21, 15 (1987): 69-71. No. 3 (1986): 6-10. percent), calcium chloride (36 percent), 3 J. L. Kelsey, "Prevalence and Incidence in 29 "Role of Calcium." tricalcium phosphate (38 percent), and Osteoporosis," Osteoporosis (Bethesda, Md.: Na 30 R. Passmore, B. M. Nicol, M. N. Rao, G. H. tional Institutes of Health, 1984), pp. 25-28. Beaton, E. M. Demayer, Handbook of Human Nu calcium carbonate (40 percent). 28 Tri 4 M. Winick, "Osteoporosis," Nutrition and tritional Requirements (World Health Organization, calcium phosphate, bone meal, and do Health 6, No. 1, 6 (1984): 1-6; "Exercising for Bone 1974) pp. 49-52. lomite are not good supplements. Trical Health," Calcium Currents 2 (1986): 1, 4. 31 Gordon, "Prevention"; A. R. P. Walker and 5 S. R. Cummings, J. L. Kelsey, M.C. Nevitt, B. F. Walker, "Recommended Dietary Allowances cium phosphate is thought to be poorly K. J. O©Dowd, in Epidemiologzcal Reviews 7 (1985): and Third World Populations," The American Jour absorbed, and the other two substances 178-208. nal of Clinical Nutrition 34, No. 10 (1981): 6 A. S. and], Dixon, "Osteoporosis An Un 2319-2321. may contain heavy metals such as heeded Epidemic," The Practitioner 230, No. 144 32 Winick. mercury, lead, and arsenic, and other (1986): 363-371; Cummings. toxic substances as well. 29 7 Kelsey. 8 Cummings. Although it has been stressed that 9 H. R. Fish and R. F. Dons, "Primary Osteo postmenopausal women need 1,500 mil porosis," American Family Practitioner 31, No. 1 (1985): 216-223. ligrams of calcium, it is still fair to say 10 G. S. Gordon, "Prevention of Bone Loss and Abortion that this is not the key. The problem Fractures in Women," Maturitas 6, No. 3 (1984): From page 6 with this approach is that Americans, 225-242. Europeans, and the people of other in 11 A. M. Parfitt, "Definition of Osteoporosis: Whites© protege, John H. Kellogg was very much Age-related Loss of Bone and Its Relationship to alive to the issue and wrote vehemently against the Increased Fracture Risk," Osteoporosis (Bethesda, dustrial nations eat luxurious diets and practice. are ailing from excesses in calories, pro Md.: National Institutes of Health, 1984), pp. 15-19. 5EugeneF. Durand, "AboutAbortion,"Advent- tein, refined carbohydrates, and fats, re 12 Ibid. ist Review, Sept. 1, 1983, pp. 13, 14. sulting in hypertriglyceridemia, hyper- 13 G. S. Gordon and H. K. Genant, "The Aging 6 MINISTRY, March 1971, p. 11. Skeleton," Clinical Geriatric Medicine 1, No. 1 7 Survey of abortion practice in Adventist hos cholesterolemia, hyperinsulinemia, (1985): 95-118. pitals in the United States completed for "Seventh- hyperglucemia, and hypertension. The 14 B. L. RiggsandL. J. Melton III, "Involutional day Adventist Responses to Some Contemporary solution to the problem of osteoporosis, Osteoporosis," New England Journal of Medicine Ethical Issues" (Ph.D. thesis by Michael Pearson 314, No. 26 (1986): 1676-1684; Gordon, submitted to the University of Oxford, 1986). created by excesses in diet, is not to be "Prevention." 8 Karel Dobbelaere, "Professionalization and found in adding an excess of calcium. 15 Riggs. Secularization in the Belgian Catholic Pillar," Jap The human body can survive on con A. E. Nicogossian and]. F. Parker, Jr., Space anese Journal of Religious Studies 6, Nos. 1, 2 Physiology and Medicine (National Aeronautics and (March-June 1979): 39-64. siderably less calcium than what has been Space Administration, 1982); A. C. Santora II, 9 W. G. Dick, "A Look at Abortion," Review proposed. Many nations, and the World "Role of Nutrition and Exercise in Osteoporosis," and Herald, May 13, 1971, p. 11. The American Journal of Medicine 82, Supp. IB 10 Pearson, pp. 120-122. Health Organization as well, recognize (1987): 73-79. ulbid.,p. 123. 400 to 500 milligrams of calcium per day 17 Santora. 12 Malcolm Potts, Peter Diggory, and John Peel, as sufficient for good bone health,3 18 E. L. Smith and D. M. Raab, "Osteoporosis Abortion (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, and Physical Activity," Acta Medica Scandinavica: 1977), p. 119. while some people in less affluent coun Supplementum 711 (1986): 149-156; Winick. 13 D. Callahan, Abortion: Law, Choice, and Mo tries survive on as little as 50 milligrams R. D. Lindsay and W. Dempster, "Osteopor rality (New York: Macmillan, 1970), p. 298; N. B. per day and still maintain good bone osis: Current Concepts," Bulletin of the New York Ryder and C. F. Westoff, Reproduction in the United Academy of Medicine 61, No. 4 (1985): 307-322. States: 1965 (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton Univer health.31 We must recognize that it is not 20 E. Seeman, L. J. Melton III, W. M. O©Fallon, sity Press, 1971), p. 279. poor calcium nutrition that is costing B. L. Riggs, "Risk Factors for Spinal Osteoporosis 14 Potts, Diggory, and Peel, pp. 454-504- in Men," American Journal of Medicine 75, No. 6 15 B. Haring, "A Theological Evaluation," by J. such a heavy toll in lives and suffering. (1983): 977-983. T. Noonan, ed., Morality of Abortion: Legal and Rather, it is our socially acceptable drug 21 Winick. Historical Perspectives (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard addictions such as coffee, tea, alcohol, 22 R. M. Walker and H. M. Linkswiler, "Cal University Press, 1970), pp. 142, 143. cium Retention in the Adult Human Male as Af 16 Seventh-day Adventists Answer Questions on and caffeine-containing soft drinks; our fected by Protein Intake," Journal of Nutrition 102, Doctrine, pp. 511-519. poor diet choices in excess meats, soft No. 10 (1972): 1297-1302; Winick. 17 Ibid., p. 512.

28 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 Computer Corner Letters From page 2

tims of AIDS. James F. Lawrence, San Francisco, California. Picking good The Jewish Jesus I feel compelled to share two notes with you regarding the review of The software Jewish Reclamation of Jesus (September 1987): l.Wayne Willey states that "there is a growing acceptance of Jesus Ken Wade as a good Jew and a prophet." Though most rabbis do look upon Jesus as a good Jew and as a great teacher, I know of ow do you pick a good you are learning, you know just where to none in the major branches of Judaism computer program? look. who refer to Jesus as a prophet. 2."The The first program I 3. Help: All good programs have Reformed branch" never refers to itself ever tried to learn to readily accessible on-screen help, typi that way but always as the Reform use on my personal cally accessed by a function key. branch. computer almost per Context-sensitive help, which tells of Keep up the good work you©re doing. suaded me that com specific things you might want to do at The more we understand each other, puters were too complicated for me. For the point you are in the program, is one the more hope there is that there will be a future. Rabbi N. William Schwartz, tunately, the next program I tried proved good option. Equally good is a help menu Pensacola, Florida. much more user-friendly;©otherwise, my that allows you to choose, by the touch of a key, what function you want help with. computer might have ended up stored in 4. Screen speed: By this I mean how Extend the application a dark closet. fast the screen redraws itself as you move I read with interest the Shop Talk Since then I©ve had opportunity to through a document you are working on. item from William Wolfe concerning look at dozens of programs, and have de When you go to the bottom of the screen contacting bereaved families on the veloped somewhat of a connoisseur©s and push the down arrow, does the entire anniversary of their loved one©s death taste. I hope the tastes I©ve acquired screen slowly redraw itself, starting at the (July 1987). I have been doing this for through the years can help you pick and top and working down? Or does the ma about two years now and find that the choose among programs and find ones terial on the screen move like an inch- family really appreciates it. that will help rather than hinder your worm up the screen, redrawing one line I©d like to encourage pastors to go one ministry. So here, and in my next col at a time ? If the answer to either question step further. I keep track of anniversa umn, I©ll list characteristics that I think is yes, you©ll soon tire of watching the ries of baptisms, weddings, and births every program written for the average redraw. The entire screen should redraw that have taken place in my district user should have. at once, instantaneously, so that you are since I have been here. I send a note to 1. Menu: Good multifunction pro not even aware of the process. the person involved and find that peo grams (such as a data base program that 5. Quick commands: Frequently used ple really appreciate the pastor remem will sort, print labels, and do many other commands should not require more than bering their special event. Chad Mc- functions) typically run from an opening one or two keystrokes. WordPerfect is an Comas, Corvallis, Oregon. menu that allows you to choose the func example of a good program that does tion you want to perform by pressing one poorly here. To save a document requires "Religion and Communism" key. One-function programs such as three strokes in response to questions "Religion and Communism" (March word processors do not need a menu, but that appear on the screen. To exit the 1987) makes a sincere attempt, overall, rather should allow you to go directly program requires five. Personally I don©t to come to terms with the conflicting into editing a manuscript. enjoy playing 20 questions when I want a needs of sensitive reporting, honesty, 2. 'Manual: If the manual is hard to program to do a simple task that ought to and forthrightness. The way the author use, contains confusing terminology, is require only one keystroke. deals with the question of whether not adequately cross-referenced, or has 6. Protection: The program ought to Christians suffer in Communist coun an inadequate index, you©ll spend hours protect you from yourself and from ma tries, however, borders on naivete. trying to solve simple problems. The chine failure as thoroughly as possible. It We should be thankful for some en manuals I like best are divided into a ought to automatically save your mate couraging features of glasnost, but we teaching section and a reference section. rial to disk periodically, or at least ask you cannot overlook that many Christians One I used recently raises usability to whether you want to save it. Otherwise are still in Soviet jails, that children are unexcelled heights by thorough you can lose a day©s work to a minor compelled to attend school on the Sab cross-referencing. Each step in the learn power fluctuation. bath, and that there is no representative ing section is referenced to a page in the I©ll continue next time with more of Adventist church building in the Soviet reference section so if you have problems my prejudices about what makes a good capital. W. Rieger, Cooranbong, or want to know more about the function program. New South Wales, Australia.

MINISTRY/) ANUARY/l 988 29 Biblio File

Teenagers: Parental Guidance other relationships and roles find their Grand Rapids, 1986, 286 pages, $12.95, Suggested rightful places. hardcover. Reviewed by Barbara Mitt- Rich Wilkerson, Harvest House Publishers, The author traces the contribution of leider, travel coordinator, General Confer Eugene, Oregon, 1983, 171 pages, $5.95, women to the church from Christ©s time ence of Seventh-day Adventists. paper. Reviewed by Angela Hunt, a school- to the present. She admits that true dis Joni, a young woman in a wheelchair teacher and pastor's wife. cipleship will always mean following a who learned to create beautiful paintings Rich Wilkerson is president of Main narrow road: "few there be that find it." by working with a paintbrush in her stream, a ministry for youth workers. In As He revealed to Mary and Martha, teeth, has inspired millions by her coura this volume he offers practical advice to Christ is more interested in a woman©s geous life. Although she can hardly parents who need guidance and support obedience to God than in her role. move, her faith has moved mountains. during their children©s turbulent teen Malcolm challenges women to ask Now, in a long-awaited third book, Joni years. He gives rules ("Double dates whetherfear, low self-image, or sociolog tells of three major choices she has made should be started in the tenth grade") ical conditioning is keeping them from in the past eight years that have dramat that some parents may find too simplis becoming anointed channels of God©s ically changed her life. These choices tic, but his advice on dating, drugs, com love. And she calls women to a love rela concerned whether to have a film made munication, and spiritual leadership is tionship with Christ in which they will of her life, what her ministry should be, firmly grounded on spiritual principles. become prophetic voices, catalysts for and her marriage to Ken Tada, a teacher With a special chapter on the confus His changes, and healing agents in a suf and athletic coach. ing junior high years, as well as up-to- fering world. The film necessitated her having to date insights on the increasingly bawdy relive the painful days of her traumatic sexual revolution, Wilkerson©s book will Women Under Stress accident, and the book reveals how her be especially helpful to parents who are Randy and Nanci Akom, Multnomah faith was tried and strengthened by the new Christians, temporarily frustrated, Press, Portland, Oregon, 1986, 247 pages, reliving. or desperate. Parents who have healthy $7.95, paper. Reviewed by Miriam Wood, Joni left a sheltered life on a farm in relationships with their teenage children who has written numerous books and been a Maryland to begin her ministry in Cali will gain no new insights, but those fac columnist for 25 years. fornia. Faced with proving she could "do ing rough times will find encouraging re This Christian husband and wife writ it," she, in her ministry, Joni and Her minders of the guiding spiritual princi ing team approach the popular subject of Friends, has reached out to others as she ples that often become hidden from view stress from the viewpoint of women. The has continued to grow emotionally and in a storm. approach is standard they discuss rea spiritually. From hardly being able to sons for stress, what it is, how to cope drink a glass of water alone, she went on Women at the Crossroads with it, the dilemma of trying to be a to learn to drive her own van and gain Kari Torjeson Malcolm, Inter-Varsity wonder-wife and supermom, etc. At the independence. Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 1982, 220 end of each chapter, however, thought Then after resigning herself to a life of pages, $6.95, paper. Reviewed by Carmen discussion questions make this book singleness, Joni met Ken and fell in love. Seibold. valuable by encouraging the reader to ap This is a warm, honest narrative that Women today see two paths before ply the information to her own situation. can inspire the least motivated of us to let them one marked tradition and the Probably the most original and helpful the Lord use our capabilities in whatever other feminism. Malcolm observes that chapter is the one entitled "How God way He feels best. Each of us has some both of these choices serve up certain Uses Stress for Your Good and His thing to contribute by living our lives to roles that give women their identity. Glory." Here the authors use several very the fullest. If you sometimes wonder But, she insists, for Christian women clever illustrations, and mastery of this what you can accomplish for others, you there is a third path: a woman must find chapter would be especially beneficial to will be inspired by Joni. her identity in her relationship with Jesus ministerial wives. One statement from Christ. the chapter struck me so forcibly that I Every Woman's Privilege Malcolm©s years in the mission field have memorized it: "Stress tugs at the Joy P. Gage, Multnomah Press, Portland, immersed her in cultures where the la corners of our lives, stretching us always a Oregon, 1987, 126 pages, $6.95, paper. ity regardless of gender took turns little more, enabling us to broaden our Reviewed by Ella M. Rydzewski, editorial preaching and exercising spiritual gifts. impact for Christ." secretary at MINISTRY. When she returned to America she Women Under Stress will make a This book is about women taking re found an evangelical backlash against worthwhile addition to the library of any sponsibility for their own spiritual women©s liberation that attempted to ministerial wife, both in a personal way growth. Such growth need not depend limit women to house and family. Mal and in assisting women members. on one man (husband) or a group of men, colm asserts that discipleship and the and we need to question any theory that gospel commission are a Christian wo Choices, Changes modifies the individual©s responsibility man©s first priority. Only then will all Joni Eareckson Tada, Zondervan Books, toward God.

30 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 Gage points out the frustrations of be house is a mess. These people are our without power or delight. ing female in the 1980s and the confu friends let©s have this time together With his flair for catch categories, the sion of the churches on what role women anyway." "When I put away my pride, author pinpoints the prevailing condi should play in ministry. In the debate, lovely things occurred," Karen says. tions, personal encounters, and spiritual one group sacrifices the relationship of "And others discovered they could be battles that deplete, spiritual passion. marriage as it encourages women to pur hospitable to us. I have developed many This passion is found in intimacy with sue their rights of personhood, while an cherished friends." God, and MacDonald feels that it must other group sacrifices personhood to pre Hospitality must begin at home, ac be restored in a simple way. He describes serve the institution of marriage, and cording to Mains, for when openness has the safe places, still moments, and spe equates passivity with submission. The been developed toward our immediate cial friends that can create room for God author emphasizes that individual spiri families, we can more easily impart it to to speak to us. tual accountability begins with a re others. MacDonald challenges those wearied sponse to the cross of Christ. There is a chapter on shortcuts for busy by too many choices and obligations to How does a woman function in a mal pastors© homes, and other material and once again be empowered to join the task functioning society? How does she serve stories you will want to share with your of kingdom building. He is candid about in a church where she is underchal- members. This book could spark a revo the vulnerabilities of spiritual leaders, lenged, her talents largely unused, and lution in your church. and his insights will prove valuable to all her potential ignored? Joy Gage holds a in the ministry. kind of "bloom where you are planted" How to Speak to Youth... and Keep philosophy in which she challenges a Them Awake at the Same Time Winning Over Sinning woman to grow spiritually in whatever Ken Davis, Group Books, Loveland, Col Patricia Maxwell, Pacific Press, Boise, situation she finds herself, to prepare for orado, 1986, 180 pages, $8.95, paper. Idaho, 1987, 95 pages, $6.95, paper. Re opportunities that may arise in ministry, Reviewed by Angela Hunt. viewed by Lillian Knowles, homemaker, and to take advantage of what is avail Ken Davis is a talented motivational Adelphi, Maryland. able. She sees fighting the system as a and inspirational speaker, and he shares Like the apostle Paul, author Patricia time-consuming process and suggests his techniques of vibrant public speaking Maxwell uses the Olympic Games to il that a woman needs to "look for creative, with those who aspire to address the lustrate God©s principles for winning in personal solutions to system-imposed church©s most critical audience young the battle with temptation and sin. In problems." Spiritual inner strength is people. teresting vignettes from the lives of par seen as more valuable than self- Davis covers such topics as body lan ticipants in the 1984 Olympics give the sufficiency. guage, microphone usage, topic selec book a freshness that ties in with life in Gage writes with such wisdom, taking tion, content organization, humor, dic the eighties. a realistic look at what women can ex tion, and how to establish instant Author Maxwell raises relevant pect in the church today, that I found rapport. questions and offers practical and satisfy myself underlining much of the book. Ministers and teachers will find both ing answers. Questions such as "How do She points out that regardless of the bar fresh and familiar material in this vol you become a winner if you©ve always riers of gender restriction, there is no bar ume, and any speaker can improve been short on self-discipline and rier in exercising love "this is the great greatly by using some of Davis© tech self-control? Suppose you©re the type est ministry priority women can have." niques. If you©re a teacher or preacher, who can©t stick to a diet more than two you will especially want to pick up a copy days or keep an exercise program going Open Heart—Open Home of this book. more than a weekend? Or practice for Karen Burton Mains, David C. Cook Pub giveness, love, joy, peace, or any other lishing Company, Elgin, Illinois, 1976, Restoring Your Spiritual Passion Christian virtue for any time at all? Yet 224 pages, $5.95, hardcover, 1980, Gordon MacDonald, Thomas Nelson Pub you want to be a winner. You dream $5.95, paper. Reviewed by Blossom lishers, Nashvilk, 1986, 223 pages, about it, but you can©t seem to put sub Engen, who works in the Church Ministries $12.95, hardcover. Reviewed by Carmen stance into your vision." Department of the General Conference of Seibold, pastor's wife in Polo Alto, Califor Twenty years of experience as a Seventh-day Adventists. nia, and student at Fuller Theological pastor©s wife, together with an obvious Those who follow the suggestions that Seminary. gift for communicating, qualify Patricia Karen Burton Mains makes in this re The problem: spiritual weariness. It©s Maxwell to write a book that will be a freshing book will discover the joy hospi not bitterness or burnout, but a loss of the blessing to pastors© wives, both for their tality can bring to a pastor©s home, as well passion that Christ called the abundant own spiritual nurture and for sharing as to the whole church. life. Gordon MacDonald says that men with others. Mains says that the difference between and women in positions of Christian re hospitality and entertainment is that sponsibility are currently in more danger hospitality puts people before things it of this loss than ever before in the history Bible credits.-Bible texts credited to Jerusalem are from The Jerusalem 3ibk, copyright 1966 by Darton, Longman &. does not try to impress, but serves; it of the church. The proliferation of infor Todd, Ltd., and Doubleday & Company, Inc. Used by permis liberates. mation, experiences, and choices both sion of the publisher. Texts credited to Phillips are from J. B. Phillips: The New Testament in Modern English, Revised Edi David and Karen Mains decided they in and outside the religious world can tion. J. B. Phillips 1958, 1960, 1972. Used by permission of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc. Texts credited to NKJV are could rarely entertain, but they could be stimulate us to the point of spiritual dull from The New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, hospitable. The attitude they adopted ness. Serving the Lord can easily become 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers. Texts credited to RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copy was "It doesn©t matter whether or not the a going-through-the-motions ritual righted 1946,1952 1971,1973.

MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988 31 Shop Talk

Social Security: last program. They may not be chance able to get in enough quar April 15, 1988, is the ters of active service to final deadline for ministers qualify before retiring. in the United States who Those wanting further previously opted out of information should contact Ministry Social Security coverage to their employing organiza Professional Growth Seminars apply for its benefits. tion, or write to the Inter When Social Security nal Revenue Service and became available to minis request Form 2031. January'March 1988 ters, they participated only when they elected cover Alaska Feb. 18, Orlando age. Since 1968, ministers Jan. 13, Anchorage For more information have had to be part of the For more information call Chet Dameron program unless they filed an call Steve McPherson (305) 897-1553 irrevocable exemption with (907) 346-1004 the Internal Revenue Ser vice on the grounds that Florida California they were either conscien Jan. 26, Hialeah March 8, Los Angeles tiously opposed to participa For more information For more information tion in a public insurance Christian History call Ernest Ray call Lloyd Wyman program or were opposed on Ministers interested in (305) 693-6100 (818) 240-6250 the basis of religious princi history may want to sub ples. But many who opted scribe to a relatively new out of coverage did so for publication, Christian His Topics include: economic reasons; they can tory magazine. now correct that decision by Published quarterly, most Short-term Marriage filing IRS Form 2031 in issues give in-depth treat Counseling triplicate and beginning to ment to a particular person Grief Recovery pay the appropriate tax. No ality, group, or movement. Preaching in the questions will be asked as to Past issues have dealt with Contemporary World the basis for the previous John Wesley, John Calvin, Health Crisis AIDS decision and no back pay Jonathan Edwards, C. S. ments are required. Lewis, the Baptists, and Each all-day seminar is designed for pastors and church workers. The 1987 Annual Coun Pietism. Back issues and MINISTRY©S commitment to biblical authority, professional compe cil took an action urging bulk orders are available. tence, and spiritual enrichment will prepare you for more effective ministry in today©s world. conference and institutional Subscriptions cost $16 Clergy of all faiths testify that MINISTRY seminars are an exciting administrators to advise all per year, (US$18 for those opportunity for personal growth. Adventist ministers not living outside the United previously covered by Social States). Mail your subscrip Security to consider care tion order to: Christian His Participants Receive Continuing Education Credit fully this final opportunity tory, P.O. Box 3000, Dept. to get into the program. C.,Denville,N.J. 07834. The denominational health care assistance plan for re $10 for your ideas At Last... tirees is based on the as We©ll pay you $10 for There Is Help sumption that they are eligi each publishable Shop Talk There Is Hope ble for Medicare coverage. item that you submit that is Without this coverage, a not selling a product or ser Alcohol and Drug Use Hotline serious illness could devas vice. We©re looking for 1-800-253-3000* tate the financial reserves of practical ideas for making a retiree in a very short ministry easier and/or more time. effective. Send your ideas to Ministers in their mid- Ministry, Attn. Shop Talk 50s or older should contact editor, 6840 Eastern Ave., their local Social Security NW., Washington, D.C. office before joining the 20012.

32 MINISTRY/JANUARY/1988