FIRST INEIW Ministry is the international journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association and has been published since 1928.
How do we get them to listen? Association Secretary James A. Cress Editor Willmore D. Eva What preachers may do to inspire better attention Assistant Editor Julia W. Norcott among their hearers Editorial Assistant Sheila Draper Stephen Grunlan Professional Growth and Inter-church Relations Nikolaus Satelmajer Contributing Editors Sharon Cress, Peter Prime, Joel Growing a healthy church, part 1 Sarli, Kit Watts Eight tried factors that will transform a church Consulting Editors into a growing congregation Ben Clausen, Raoul Dederen, Teofilo Ferreira, Ron Flowers, John M. Fowler, Michael Hasei, Roland John Grys and Greg Schaller Hegstad, Kathleen Kuntaraf, Ekkehardt Mueller, Jan Paulsen, Robert Peach, George Reid, Angel Rodriguez, Penny Shell, William Shea, Russell Staples, Richard The church and volunteerism Tibbits, Ted Wilson, Edward Zinke Pastoral Assistant Editors John C. Cress, Fredrick Motivating, organizing, and properly utilizing Russell, Maylan Schurch, Loren Seibold volunteers in the church International Advisors Alejandro Bullon, John Duroe, Anthony Kent, Carlos Martin, Gabriel Maurer, Joel Paul Cone and Lawrence Downing Musvosvi, Ivan Omana, David Osborn, Paul Ratsara, Editorial Peter Roennfeidt, Raymond Zeeman 4 Pastoral Advisors Leslie Baumgartner, S. Peter Preaching as an instrument of Campbell, Miguel A. Cerna, Jeanne Hartwell, Mitchell transformation Henson, Greg Nelson, Norma Osborn, Leslie Pollard, Dan Smith, Steve Willsey Capitalizing on the interaction of the spoken Pastor©s Pastor Advertising Editorial Office 29 word and the congregation to make preaching Subscriptions and Circulation Jeannette Calbi effective Resources Cathy Payne Stephen P. McCutchan Cover Illustration Kevin Chadwick Resources Cover Design Harry Knox 30 Feedback and evaluation Subscriptions: 12 issues: United States US$29.95; Using congregational feedback to improve Canada and overseas US$31.75; airmail US$41.75; single copy US$3.00. To order, send name, address, preaching and payment to Jeannette Calbi, Ministry Subscriptions, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904 Derek Morris interviews Lee Strobel U.S.A. Subscription queries and address changes: Pitfalls of ministry E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 301-680-6502 Three enemies of authentic ministry: Telephone: 301-680-6503 Overprofessionalization, petrification, and To Writers: We welcome unsolicited manuscripts. Editorial preference is to receive manuscripts on pessimism diskette with name, address, telephone and fax num bers, and Social Security number (if U.S. citizen). Send Bert B. Beach editorial correspondence to 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600. Phone: 301-680-6510; fax: 301-680-6502; Conviction and truth in Adventist e-mail: [email protected] or education [email protected] (editorial offices). The need for maintaining faithfulness to Writer©s Guidelines available on request. Ministry (ISSN 0026-5314), the international journal conviction and responsiveness to burgeoning truth of the Seventh-day Adventist Ministerial Association 2001, is published monthly by the General Conference Charles Scriven of Seventh-day Adventists and printed by Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1350 N. Kings Road, Nampa, ID 83687- 3193. Member Associated Church Press. Standard mail Reflections on a pastoral visit postage paid at Nampa, Idaho.
Dynamics that create effective pastoral visitation PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Chor-Kiat Sim Vol. 74 Number 1
Bible credits: Texts credited to NIV are from the Holy Report: Turning scars into stars Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by The amazing story of a congregation that placed permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Texts credit ed to NKJV are from The New King James Version. human need above corporate respectability Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc., Robert Wong Publishers. Bible texts credited to TEV are from the Good News Bible Old Testament: Copyright 1976 by the American Bible Society; New Testament: Copyright 1 966, 1971, 1976 by the American Bible Society.
MINISTRY January 2001 September 2000 issue seems quite contrary to the concept of it is forced to make in any given case, ill Eva©s editorial "Toronto©s divine grace and mercy, let alone our the goal of these judgments is disci- WBurning Issue" raises further common understanding of justice and pling. questions on the thorny issue of divorce fairness. This thought should be carefully and remarriage in the Seventh-day Though Toronto may have made read by all who must deal with these Adventist Church questions that some progress on the issue, the dele issues: "Give the erring one no occasion Adventists tend to shy away from as a gates did not go far enough. It appears for discouragement. Suffer not a community. that culture and differing worldviews Pharisaical hardness to come in and Our church upholds the stand that had to be reckoned with in Toronto. Be hurt your brother. Let no bitter sneer God ordained the permanency of a that as it may, if we have a hard time rise in mind or heart. Let no tinge of one-man-one-woman marriage rela with fellow Christian believers remarry scorn be manifest in the voice. If you tionship for life, and rightly so. We also ing because their marriage broke down, speak a word of your own, if you take know that, with the best of intentions, what would we have done with an attitude of indifference, or show sus the worthiest of marriages can be Abraham, Jacob, David (an adulterer picion or distrust, it may prove the ruin destroyed. and a murderer), Solomon, Samson, of a soul. He needs a brother with the If there can be no dissolution of the etc., who all had multiple wives? And heart of the Elder Brother©s heart of marriage tie "except for unfaithfulness how about Joseph and Esther who mar sympathy to touch his heart of human to the marriage vow," then what is the ried pagan spouses? Would any of these ity. ..." (Thoughts From the Mount of position of the Church towards those hold church membership under our Blessing, 275). who divorce on grounds such as so present policies, let alone church lead I believe the committee was seeking called "irreconcilable differences," also ership positions? to accomplish this. I do, however, have known as a no-fault divorce? Ought not Claude Lombart, Dunfermline, Fife, a problem with an issue failing to be the spouse who initiated the divorce be Scotland approved by the legitimate forum for its counseled seriously when he or she files recognition because of some unspeci the divorce papers? If the person ""The issue addressed by Will Eva has fied reason and then, in the absence of ignores the counsel anyway, should not I been begging for attention for gen the objectors, and without their objec that person be disciplined by the erations. It is an issue too big, too deep tions being addressed, the former church, especially if he or she persists in and, yes, too spiritual for human wis action is rescinded and passed. This disregarding the permanence of the dom to grapple with. As with any puts the action under a cloud and robs marriage institution by refusing to make disciplinary issue, there are two factors it of the clear-cut approval it deserves, any effort to reconcile with his or her to deal with: the sin and the sinner. thereby weakening its effectiveness. spouse? Humanity in its limited wisdom tends to The editorial lauded the role of the If the church washes its hands, looks focus on the sin either in a harsh, judg local church membership as the body the other way, and does nothing to mental manner or to excuse and justify responsible for handling the disciplining help dissuade the petitioning spouse what has been done. God calls sin just of its members. This is as it should be, from finalizing the divorce, then surely that while He focuses on the sinner.... but today©s modern society presents the dumped spouse should be free to He lived and died for the sinner, includ many factors that prevent or at least remarry. Jo consign such a spouse, who ing both those called to discipline and makes this process more difficult. The was more than willing to have his or her those needing discipline. . . . The mobility of today©s society, and especial marriage rehabilitated, to a life sentence Church must keep this in mind and ly our church gives each congregation a of forced celibacy, without parole, always remember that in the judgments continued on page 27
Free Subscription If you©re receiving Ministry bimonthly and haven©t paid for a subscription, it©s not a mistake. Since 1928 Ministry has been published for Seventh-day Adventist ministers. We believe, however, that the time has come for clergy everywhere to experience a resurgence of faith in the authority of Scripture and in the great truths that reveal the gospel of our salvation by grace, through faith alone in ]esus Christ. We want to share our aspirations and faith in a way that will provide inspiration and help to you as clergy. We hope you will accept this journal as our outstretched hand to you. Look over our shoulder, take what you want and find helpful, and discard what you can©t use. Bimonthly gift subscriptions are available to all licensed and/or ordained clergy. Requests should be on church letterhead and addressed to the editorial office.
January 200 1 MINISTRY EDITORIAL
New designs
ew plans for Ministry are on the important to say again that we are production line and beyond. always looking for good articles on out N The first and most obvious reach and evangelism suggesting both innovation is a new look for the maga WILL EVA innovative ways of evangelizing and zine, inaugurated in this issue. ways of improving the tried and true. While we have attempted to retain a For the next year or two we would also dignified and somewhat traditional like to emphasize the personal spiritual look, we have also tried to create some life of the pastor and the pastor©s rela thing fresh and contemporary. We see tionship or interaction with his or her our new cover design and logo to be members. Another issue that needs distinctive and inviting without being fresh material is the pastoral calling. It faddish. We are grateful to Bryan Gray could be inspiring and encouraging to of Boise, Idaho, for his fine design have well-written accounts of the jour work on the cover, the logo, and the we are going to challenge both our neys of some of us into ministry, which interior redesign. writers and ourselves to produce short clarify and confirm for all of us the A major motive in this design has er articles. Although we will not always nature of the call to ministry. been to make Ministry more "reader reach our ideal, we would like each Let me also briefly describe our defi friendly." We genuinely identify with issue to contain a preponderance of nite plan to radically expand our Ministry the demanding life of the average pas 1,500 to 2,000 word articles, accompa Web site. Most significantly, this year we tor and realize that often enough nied by one or two in each issue that are aiming at making available on the significant portions of Ministry are not are longer. Ministry Web site every article or signifi read because a given article looks too We are still committed to Ministry cant piece of writing done in Ministry long, too "busy" or just plain too much. writers being drawn from the rank and since its inception in 1928. This will be This design makes an effort to give the file of our readers. Along with this we helpful to everyone as they do research, main body of the presented material a are increasingly dedicating ourselves to including sermon preparation. We hope more open, less dense feel. The font, intentionally raising the quality of the the site will also be interactive; a place leading, and overall layout, we believe, content of Ministry. For this reason we for submitting letters to the editor, and creates a less threatening appearance will be commissioning more articles. perhaps connecting to a chat room in that makes the physical act of reading a That is, we will seek out particular writ which we can "meet" for scheduled more pleasant experience. ers, asking them to write in the areas of chats over subjects of pastoral interest We are retaining the First Glance fea their expertise. This is challenging, worldwide. Among other things such a ture on the masthead page. Every especially when it remains important to "room" would simply give us opportu month, time and effort is spent suc include writers from all over the world. nity to pool our thought, experience, cinctly summarizing each article. This We are determined above all to and ideas. The continuing education gives a pastor the opportunity to glance improve the relevance and caliber of possibilities for such a site are almost through the contents of a given issue, the magazine, always being true to our limitless. article synopses included, and see mission: Enriching the overall effective We are heading into genuinely which features he or she is likely to pass ness and general professional context exciting times and we find ourselves up, briefly peruse, carefully read, or file from which ministers communicate the deeply committed to making Ministry away. gospel, while being faithful to the and all that associates with it, a broad One of the major issues discussed as essentials of the three angels messages er and wider resource of bona fide we contemplated a redesign was the of Revelation 14. value for each and all of us, to the glory length of articles. All things considered, Consistent with these things it is of God. 851
MINISTRY January 2001 ten. The more immediate the reason, the greater their attention. Unfortunately, as pas tors we often assume that people will want to listen because we are preaching God©s Word. The reality is that most people come to church with little or no motivation to listen. How do we give our people reasons to listen? By sharing with them the benefits that will come from what we are going to tell them. For example, if we preach on Ephesians 5:21-33, we might say, "Do you know this passage contains four action principles that How do we can change your marriage?" This gives our lis teners an immediate reason to listen. get them Tell them what to listen for In the example above, not only are listeners given a reason to listen, but also something to to listen? listen for: the four action principles. People will listen more carefully if we let them know what they should be listening for. Research shows that when people are told what to listen n an introductory psychology class at a for, listening increases 40 percent. That is why Stephen Grunlan major university, the teacher random I have sermon notes in the bulletin for my ly rang a bell during the lecture. At the congregation. The outline includes fill-in-the- sound, the students were to write blank statements and numbered lists for down what they were thinking about recording principles, views, insights, and so Iat the moment they heard the bell. Twenty on. The outline helps my listeners to know for percent of the students were having erotic what to keep their ears open. thoughts, 20 percent were thinking about family or work problems, and 12 percent Illustrate each point with a story were thinking about the lecture. The rest Jesus used a lot of stories. People remem were thinking about a hodge podge of differ bered His stories and then the point of the ent things. As pastors, dare we believe our story. When I first came as pastor to one of parishioners are much different? my previous churches, I illustrated one of my All of which leads to a simple question: sermons with a story about a battleship and a How can we help our people listen? lighthouse. For the ten years I was at that For years I have taught part-time at local church people would remind me about the universities and colleges, both Christian and story. When people came into the church secular. Currently, I teach a sociology course office to order a sermon tape, often they each term at a local community college. As would not ask for the tape by title or topic, part of my contract, I am required to attend a but by a story in the message. certain number of hours of in-service training. When I illustrate a sermon with a story, I At one recent in-service training seminar, a can see an increase in attention. One of the communications professor shared several reasons stories are so effective is that they are strategies on "How to Get Students to Listen." visual as well as verbal. Our listeners begin to As I listened to his lecture, which he sprinkled see a picture in their minds, which is why we with research findings and examples to illu need descriptive words and action phrases in Stephen Grunlan, minate his points, I realized everything he our stories to help our listeners paint the pic D.Min., is pastor of said applied to us ministers and the task of ture in their minds. the Balboa helping our parishioners listen as we speak. Community Church in Use words that have meaning for your San Diego, Here are his main points. California. listeners Give listeners a reason to listen In my in-service training session, the com We need to give our listeners a reason to lis munications professor warned us about the use
January 2001 MINISTRY of technical jargon as we communicat we are talking at people, when we use University of Wisconsin, I lectured in ed with students. As pastors, we are we, we are talking with people (by the large "pit" classes with hundreds of steeped in theological language, those way, notice the use of we and us in this students. When the students were three-syllable words. However, most of article). talking, I tried to talk over them. our listeners, even the educated ones, Nonverbal immediacy behaviors However, the louder I spoke, the use mostly one and two-syllable words include good eye contact. I have been louder they got. Then I tried lowering of everyday speech. To communicate in congregations where the pastor my voice. Something incredible took with them we need to speak their lan looked over the heads of the people. place: they quieted down and started guage. The fact is that if most of us We have all been in audiences where to listen. We should use those imme held a gun to the heads of our parish the speaker©s eyes were glued to his or diacy behaviors that will make our ioners and asked them to define her notes. Good eye contact helps us listeners feel closer to us. propitiation or we would pull the trig connect with our listeners. While it ger, we would become mass may not be necessary to memorize Teach them to take notes murderers! It is not the word that is our sermons, we should be so familiar Our speaker at the in-service train important, but the meaning of the with them that we need only glance ing session pointed out the obvious: word that must be conveyed. at our notes occasionally. Most of the many students do not know how to We also need to use local expres time we should be establishing eye take notes. That is true not only for sions and colloquialisms familiar to contact. students but for parishioners. We our listeners. I am a sports fan and need to help them learn how to take have used a number of sports illustra notes. By the way, people who take tions in my sermons. A few years ago, E NEED TO notes pay better attention and retain a female parishioner rightly pointed more of what they hear. In our con out that at least half my congregation WGIVE OUR gregation at least 70 percent of the were women and most of them did people take notes during the sermon. not relate to the sports stories. Now I LISTENERS A As I have already shared, in our bul use fewer sports illustrations, and letin we provide a sermon outline when I do use one it usually refers to REASON TO LISTEN. with a space for notes. We have points a widely known event such as the numbered and fill-in-the-blank Olympic Games or the Super Bowl. spaces. I help my listeners with their Also, a stiff, formal posture holds note taking. Anything we can do to Use immediacy behaviors people off while a relaxed posture increase note taking will help our peo "Hey, you just violated your last invites them to come closer. Another ple listen better. When people write point. What is an immediacy behav behavior that invites closeness is something down, they see it as well as ior?" Immediacy may be defined as a coming out from behind the pulpit. hear it. We retain more of what we see feeling of closeness between individu The pulpit is a barrier between us and and hear than what we just hear. als. It is a sense of approachability, our listeners. In fact, I do not even use availability, and warmth. Immediacy a pulpit. I have a small lectern, just People listen better in a more behaviors are actions that communi large enough to hold my Bible and compact setting cate closeness, warmth, and intimacy. notes. I also use a cordless, lapel Research clearly shows that people Immediacy behaviors can be broken microphone. That way, I am free to listen better, retain more, and are down into two categories, verbal and move out from behind the lectern more easily persuaded when they are nonverbal. and move around the platform. At in a more compact setting. When we Verbal immediacy behaviors in the end of a sermon, when I want to began offering two services, I knew clude informal speech, humor, using get even more personal with my lis we would not fill the sanctuary in people©s names, and using personal teners, I will sometimes come down either service, so I roped off the side illustrations. In using personal illustra from the platform and even walk sections of the pews. That moved tions, we allow people to identify with partway up an aisle. people into the center section in a us, to see the real us. Another verbal Tone of voice is also influential. more compact arrangement. If we intimacy behavior is to use the first Pastors tend to raise their voices have a sanctuary that is larger than person plural rather than the third when they want to emphasize a our congregation, we need to rope off person plural in preaching. For exam point. However, raising our voices the sides and back, moving people ple, rather than saying, "You need to tends to push people away. A more forward and to the center. take time to be with God each day" we effective approach is to lower our Having pastored for years, I under might say, "We need to take time to be voices. That has the effect of drawing stand that people have their favorite with God each day." When we use you, people in. When I taught at the continued on page 16
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j||^ff^ Rresentet Subject How to Minister to Grieving Families How to Organize and Develop Small Groups , ' t • . Ron & Karen Flowers How to Prepare Couples for Marriage James Zackrison How to Motivate and Nurture Volunteers like a;:i>( Ben Maxson How to Maintain and Nurture Spirituality James A. Cress..^mm How to Combat Sexual Temptation Mark Finley KlS How to Get Decisions and Make Appeals Jerry Lutz How to Conduct a Bible Study this Alan Nelson How to Minister to Victims of Abuse . Archie Hart How to Cope with Stress in the Ministry Robert Peach How to Maintain Balance Between Church and Family Floyd Bresee How to Prepare a Sermon Fredrick Russell How to Experience Healthy Church Conflict Erwin R. Gane How to Interpret Scripture Loren Dickinson How to Effectively Communicate and 4 Overcome Stage Fright ••• John C. Cress How to Prepare for and Conduct a I Communion Service Darold Bigger How to Get Along with Your Administrative Boss Kathleen Kuntaraf How to be Healthy, Happy and Holy Jim Pedersen How to Conduct a Pastoral Visit Steve Mosley How to Create Sermons that Captivate Peter Roennfeldt How to Plant a New Church Gary Swanson How to Effectively Teach Graeme Bradford How to Make Sermons Contemporary and Relevant Geoff Youlden How to Make an Evangelist Visit Dave Gemmell How to Reach Contemporary People Samuel Thomas How to be a Visionary Leader Daniel Smith How to Plan a Balanced Sermonic Year tics that cause church growth. After research ing a thousand churches on six continents, he zeroed in on eight characteristics that emerged as significant to both spiritual and numerical growth: 1 (1) empowering leader ship; (2) gift-oriented ministry; (3) passionate spirituality; (4) functional structures; (5) inspiring worship services; (6) holistic small groups; (7) need-oriented evangelism; and (8) loving relationships. (See sidebar.) Schwartz's research further revealed that all eight characteristics are interconnected and Growing a each one is essential for church health and growth. The key is the harmonious interplay of all eight elements.2 Schwartz observed that healthy church when all eight characteristics reached a cer tain measurable strength, not one church could be found that was not growing! Surprisingly, Natural Church Development (part 1) is not a model to imitate. Nor is it a program. That is what struck a chord with me. NCD is a set of natural, God-given principles that can ur small group abruptly stop be tailored to a local church setting so God John Grys and Greg Schaller ped the Bible study when Mary can grow the church. The apostle Paul said "My mother's voice keeps reminds us, "I planted the seed, Apollos playing in my conscience. I can watered it, but God made it grow" (1 Cor. 3:6, hear her now questioning my NIV). everyO move. I am finding it hard to believe God can really accept me." The group gath Four phases ered around Mary. Our prayer for her focused How does Natural Church Development on applying God's freeing grace in Mary's work in a church? There are four basic phases: conscience. 1. Pre-survey. This is an information sharing How did our church body get to this phase. In our setting, we started by passing moment? How did Mary find a group of sup out a little booklet, The ABCs of Natural portive friends? It is part of a movement that Church Development. 3 Church leaders and has seen the number of small groups in our board members read this short booklet. This church grow from one to ten in less than a pre-survey step engages leadership's under year. standing and commitment, and starts But how did this growth occur? building momentum. We began with the John Grys is Two years ago a trusted friend introduced church board as the core implementation administrative pastor me to a new approach to church growth team. of the Hamilton called Natural Church Development (NCD). I 2. The survey. The pastor, along with thirty Community Church in Chattanooga, read the materials with mixed emotions. active members, completed an eighty-ques Tennessee. Could this work in our setting? Was this just tion survey. A NCD coach/consultant then another program? The materials promised scored and returned the results. The eight authentic growth. I began to pray for guid characteristics were plotted on an easy to read ance in determining whether this approach bar chart showing strengths and areas that could integrate our piecemeal attempts to needed work. (See sidebar for contact Greg Schaller, gain health and growth in our local church. sources.) D.Min., is pastor of 3. Action plan. The summarized findings of the Stone Mountain Seventh-day Eight elements that help churches grow the survey showed areas where we needed Adventist Church in Christian Schwartz, the author of the change. We moved from not knowing where Lawrenceville, materials, is a researcher who did extensive to start, to agreeing to address our weakest Georgia. study on what makes churches grow. He characteristic. The first survey uncovered attempted to measure the natural characteris holistic small groups as our weak link. From
MINISTRY January 2001 the urgency created, we formulated an Eight characteristics of a healthy church action plan to grow small groups. 1. Empowering leadership: Leading via vision casting, mentoring, equipping, Prayer, sermons, testimonies, coach delegation, and change. ing, promoting, and leadership 2. Gift-oriented ministry: Understanding and matching spiritual gifts to tasks for mentoring created a focused ap meaningful service. proach. One night Mary found herself 3. Passionate spirituality: Faith lived out of a love relationship with Jesus Christ by in a safe place, sharing her need and practicing spiritual disciplines. finding healing. 4. Functional structures: Combining the life in the church with systems, goals, 4. Repeat the process. Six to twelve and planning to move forward. months later the survey was taken 5. Inspiring worship services: God-centered worship with transforming preaching again. Our results? Holistic small that leaves the congregation edified and uplifted. groups turned into a strength and 6. Holistic small groups: A spiritual atmosphere of transparency, trust, and sharing need-oriented evangelism was identi with the application of biblical truths to daily living. fied as the area needing the most 7. Need-oriented evangelism: Connecting to already existing friendships by work. We discussed using small listening, meeting needs, and connecting the gospel to personal situations. groups as places to evangelize 8. Loving relationships: A relational environment of affirmation, encouragement, friends. We held training events on joy, and intentional conflict resolution. "Becoming A Contagious Christian"4 and prototyped the new resource, For more Information, contact the following Resource Centers: "Friend 2 Friend."5 For six months, * Center for Creative Ministry 800-272-4664:
MINISTRY inner circles of church administrative life. Every organization has developed its own protected vocabulary and methodology, which they do not readily share with those outside the circle. Business professionals have sometimes been made to feel, by some church leaders, that they do not understand that the business of the church is spiritual. However, developed skills and ethical practices used in business apply to spiritual entities. Here busi ness professionals can be helpful to the church. Experience indicates that religious organi The church and zations will become more effective as they thoughtfully utilize the skills available from business and management professionals. volunteerism There are ways to find common ground and even a common language that will enable the church to benefit from the talents available through trained business and professional personnel. It remains true, however, that the church is much more than secular business Paul Cone and ction depends on how we use and should be led with this in mind. Lawrence Downing our resources. All else is just talk. High performance and Establishing teamwork progress depend upon effective In parish ministry, it is not uncommon for and efficient resource manage all church business matters, no matter how Ament. In a church setting, the most valuable menial, to be left to the pastor. Typically, resource is our members, particularly those church officers make only token appearances who volunteer to extend the ministry of the at the weekly services to announce hymns, church. Church managers who utilize these pray, or call for the offering. Elected officials effective and performance-driven people will usually represent 10-30 percent of the mem attract more like them with the result that bership. In many churches, the majority of church resources will multiply. Key compo the members sit in the pews or do not come Paul Cone, Ph.D., was head of nents of church resource management at all. The challenge is to increase participa business include making projects attractive and rele tion among this majority group. Too often administration, vant, establishing a sense of teamwork, and congregations look to the pastor to achieve graduate, and conducting quality training programs. this goal. The pastor's personality and preach executive programs ing may get some people into the church, but at the University of Making projects attractive this is only the beginning. The more difficult Southern California. People are the only resources with the and important task remains: to incorporate inherent ability to become more valuable the efforts of the quiet majority as the con with time and training. When given a sense gregation seeks to fulfill its mission. of accomplishment, when working as a team If the local minister develops skills in lead with others, when appreciated and respected ing the church to design quality strategic and as peers, people will give significantly superi operating plans, there will be sufficient guid or performance. ance and control to empower volunteer teams Professional businesspeople will be willing to act and perform the business of the church to serve on church boards and teams if they in a superior manner. Skills may be developed know how to fit in. The reverse is also true: in team formation and use. Committees only Lawrence Downing, Business and professional people who have discuss and recommend but are limited when D.Min., is pastor of volunteered their expertise have also come it comes to implementation. However, teams the White Memorial Church in Los away frustrated, unappreciated, and cynical. can execute programs and projects. Angeles, California. Good leaders seek to reverse this. When members become participants in Pastors can initiate volunteers into the mission-centered congregations, they should
10 MINISTRY January 2001 1 be invited to select a team they would university system, it became clear ble results (not mere talk or reports). like to join. New members receive that certain findings could be equally 4. Volunteers are motivated to training for that team responsibility. applicable to the parish. Here are become involved when they receive This gives new members immediate some examples: public, team, and individual recogni social ties and personal involvement. 1. Involvement is the secret for ini tion. Conversations with church leaders tial and continued interest and who employ volunteer team-ministry support. Recommendations models demonstrate that these con 2. The volunteers' performance So what should church leaders do gregations get significantly increased and willingness to serve are enhanced to obtain the maximum help from performance results, as compared to when they: (a) are freed to serve on members who can be motivated to churches whose volunteers function their own terms; (b) feel they are mak join volunteer groups? Here are three independently one from the other. ing a worthwhile contribution; (c) see starting suggestions: Other churches can learn from these development opportunities for them 1. Establish denominational semi congregational leaders. The leaders in selves; (d) find that the project is nars to help all ministers make these congregations may conduct attractive and relevant to real needs; effective use of volunteers and to seminars on how to incorporate vol- and (3) can customize the task to their organize the local parish into unteerism into the local parish. time, interests, and commitment empowered volunteer teams. length. 2. Define focused projects where Successful use of volunteers 3. Volunteers identify with a small volunteers can make meaningful The church, perhaps more than group when (a) they know and like contributions and place volunteers any other institution, is essentially a the leader; (b) they can see that their where they can have maximum volunteer organization. In a consult personal skills are needed; (c) the impact. ing study we were involved in which group can set its own goals, priorities, 3. Learn to listen! Volunteers base we assessed the use of volunteers in a and plans; and (d) they can see tangi action on their agenda, not ours, n
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January 2001 M I N I S T R 11 embodied among them. If these things were clear in our minds and hearts as ministers, prophetic sermons would concentrate less upon placing guilt at the door of the congregation and more upon a procla mation, spoken in awe, exposing the hidden things that God seeks to call to birth among His people. Such preaching would more close ly resemble the proclamations of the Hebrew prophets, revealing a higher consciousness in the preacher of the pain and experience of the people; the sermon coming, at least partly, Preaching as an from the experience of the people. Preachers must develop attentive ears as they walk among the people. I have often had instrument of the shape of a sermon significantly affected by what I hear in a counseling session, a phone call, or a visit prior to the sermon. transformation The focus of our listening is shaped by the character of God. Since we know that God pays particular attention to the needy, it will often be in the crucible of human need that y first premise: the church God's Word becomes self-evident. Sometimes Stephen P. McCutchan is more than a religious this will indeed be manifested in the agony of organization to which a member; or sometimes it will be apparent in interested participants have the response of the church to the human attached themselves. need within the larger community. Because MOn the contrary, the church is the Body of God is a God of justice, it will often be in the Christ. That is more than a mere metaphor. concern about injustice that God's Word will Just as we affirm that Jesus is the Christ and be expressed. The same will be evident in acts therefore embodies the Word of God, so in of forgiveness, healing, generosity, to name a faith we claim that the Word of God contin few of these acts. The challenge for the pastor ues to be embodied in the continuing Body of is to discern the word that God is expressing Christ, the church. through this particular congregation in this My second premise, following from the particular moment in time. first, is this: the task of the preacher is not only to bring the Word of God to the people The Bible and the people but to articulate what God is saying to and The canon by which the preacher seeks to through the congregation. measure the behavior of the church to discern the Word of God incarnate, is the Scriptures. Discerning God©s Word in the In the Bible we have the testimony to the congregation Word of God as it is expressed first among a The Word of God is already present. people (the Old Testament) and then in the Sometimes it needs to be exposed to the con transcendent person of Christ (New sciousness of the people, and sometimes it Testament). While it may be clearest in Christ, needs to be celebrated as the miracle of God's we must not forget that to the great majority grace already expressed in the lives of God's of the world, it is the life of the humanity of people. This reality, of course, does not elimi the church that is seen first of all. We should Stephen P. nate the need for the prophet who challenges not expect that the Word of God will be auto McCutchan the people to respond to what God is doing matically self-evident to the world. It needs to pastors the Presbyterian among them, but it does shape the prophetic be proclaimed in a way that enables both the Church in aspect of the sermon. Just as the disciples did members of the church and the community Winston-Salem, not always understand the Word as embodied that witnesses the church, to recognize what is North Carolina. in Jesus, so the members of the congregation being expressed in their midst. may have trouble discerning the Word as it is Pastors need to accept that they are listen-
12 MINISTRY January 2001 ers to the Word as well as proclaimers people hear the sermon. When the midst of the divine and sociological of the Word. They are to expect that it pastor does not stand outside the realities connected to that role, the is God proclaiming the Word both congregation seeking to bring the pastor is to be receptive to being through them as they lay the Word of God to bear on the people, addressed by God through both the Scripture alongside the life of the con- but rather stands within the congre Scripture and the congregation and gregation and as they seek to gation seeking to listen for the Word the interplay between the two. It is articulate what they have heard to the of God, which is taking shape within from that experience that the words congregation. They also need to listen the lives of the gathered people, it of the sermon will best be formed. for the echo of the Word that is pro alters how the people listen. While claimed as it ripples out over time the gospel may have an "over against- Conclusion among the people and rebounds back ness" as it finds expression in our As any preacher knows, it is not to the proclaimer. Preachers should world, the pastor is allied with the the words spoken but the interaction never expect that a sermon is finished congregation in seeking to discover between the words heard and the when it is initially spoken. It contin the miracle of the incarnation as it lives of those who hear them which ues to work in the life of the finds expression in the lives of the creates the message received. All of congregation, sometimes in the most people who have been gathered by this is so far beyond our control that unexpected ways, and reshape itself to the Holy Spirit for the purpose of we recognize that the Word that is be reproclaimed long after the initial hearing, receiving, and giving expres proclaimed through the instrument spoken word is delivered. sion to God's Word. of a sermon is truly a word from God. The difference in the function of And the word that returns to the How context shapes hearing the pastor versus the average person preacher can equally be a word from The pastor must constantly pay is that pastors have been given the God that furthers the development of attention to the way the congrega time and training to be theologians the expression of God's Word within tion's context shapes the way the in residence among the people. In the the living Body of Christ, m
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January 2001 MINISTRY I take his advice about 80 percent of the time. I feel free to say, "I disagree. Thanks for the input, but I don't agree with that."
DM: What then?
LS: I don't do much work on the sermon Friday afternoon, but then something hap pens that I call "the Friday night miracle." That is when the Holy Spirit helps me put the Feedback and final touch on the message. DM: Bill Hybels has mentioned that if he has a question or concern about something in evaluation his sermon, he might also solicit some preser mon feedback before he preaches the sermon Key to relevant biblical for the first time. LS: Yes. If we are addressing a really sensi preaching tive issue on which the church doesn't have a clearly defined position, we might solicit pre sermon feedback from the elders. For instance, erek Morris: Lee, you serve as a couple years ago, when I preached a series on Lee Strobel and Derek Morris a teaching pastor at Willow evolution and creation, I got some presermon Creek Community Church, feedback from one of the elders and from Bill. one of the largest Christian churches in the world. Some DM: Having preached a sermon for the D15,000 members and seekers regularly attend first time, as you usually do on a Saturday the weekend services. One distinguishing night, do you always receive postsermon feed characteristic of Willow Creek is the strong back in preparation for again presenting the commitment to relevant biblical preaching, sermon during Sunday services? and I would like to discuss that. Let me start with a comment you made in a discussion LS: Yes. We all receive postsermon feed with Bill Hybels, senior pastor of the Willow back, though it varies considerably. Lee Strobel is one of Creek Church. You mentioned that feedback Sometimes it is written; other times it is ver the teaching pastors at Willow Creek and evaluation have been the key factors in bal. On one occasion I received a six-minute Community Church, your growth and development as a commu voice mail message to which I responded from South Barrington, nicator of relevant biblical messages. What my car as I was driving home. Illinois. do you mean by that? DM: One of the things that Bill Hybels Lee Strobel: For me predelivery evalua emphasizes is that when soliciting feedback tion is really important. I don't think I have and evaluation for your sermons, you have ever spoken without getting some presermon got to ask the right people the right questions feedback. I finish a preliminary draft of my at the right time. It is unwise to invite people sermon manuscript by Thursday night. On at random to provide feedback, because you Friday morning I'll give it to at least one per get distortion. Some people are trying to son. He critiques it. I expect him to be honest. impress you; some people have an ax to Sometimes he scrawls at the end, "This is grind. How many individuals provide you Derek Morris, tremendous! God is going to use this." Other with postsermon feedback? D.Min., is professor of preaching and times he recommends that I make this or that pastoral theology at change. A lot of times he will make sugges LS: There are three individuals who pro Southern Adventist tions, such as "I think this passage of Scripture vide me with postsermon feedback. I would be University, would really be meaningful at this juncture." suspicious if someone enthusiastically volun Collegedale, After a written critique of the sermon is com teered to critique my messages. I would Tennessee. pleted, we have lunch together and discuss it. wonder why.
14 MINISTRY January 2001 DM: How does postsermon feed er how feedback and evaluation have sage on a Saturday evening and blew back on Saturday evening impact your helped you to preach relevant biblical it big-time. There was just something preaching at the Sunday services? sermons, could you imagine ceasing wrong with the message, and I didn't any feedback at this point and just know what. Bill pulled me aside and LS: It could be a word, a move going on without it? talked with me for about two hours ment, a gesture. Once somebody after that message. Now, this was very noticed that when I made a point I LS: I wouldn't want to. That is early in my preaching. It was probably would step backward from the podi why I solicit feedback before the mes about the fifth message that I had ever um instead of stepping forward, sage. I want the feedback because I given in my life. I stayed up all night which is more powerful. That was know that this is the only way I am and worked on the message, then great feedback! Another person said, going to grow. If you are in an envi gave it two more reviews the next day, "You are scanning the people, but you ronment where for some reason the and it was much better. But if I had are not focusing." I would say 80 per people feel the speaker's ego is too not been in community with Bill, if I cent of the time there is at least one fragile, or he or she is too insecure, or had not known that Bill really loved suggestion for fine-tuning the ser there is something wrong with the me and valued me, that would have mon. The feedback, however, is not community that people feel reluctant been a very devastating encounter. So always a suggestion. Sometimes it is to provide feedback, it doesn't mean I think evaluation and feedback have simply an affirmation. One of the eld they don't still have opinions. I want to be in the context of community. ers likes to write "Waverly Avenue!" Just recently I did a Scripture slide That means "home run!" because service and felt very good about it. when a home run is hit at Wrigley THINK However, the feedback that I immedi Field, home of the Chicago Cubs, it ately got after the Saturday evening goes out onto Waverly Avenue. I EVALUATION meeting was that I needed to cut a section of it that I really liked. As I DM: Do you always implement AND FEEDBACK thought about it, I realized that I the suggestions you receive? enjoyed this section because of the HAVE TO BE IN THE response that I received, but it didn't LS: No. It's important for speakers really contribute to what we were try to have the freedom to disagree and ing to accomplish in the service. At to do what they think is right in the CONTEXT OF first receiving such feedback can be a end. I listen carefully to all the feed blow to your self-esteem, and it can back, and I disagree with probably COMMUNITY. sting, but the sting goes away very about 30 percent of it. And some quickly when the salve of the whole times the suggestion is too radical. It community is applied. is too late on Saturday evening to tell to know what my listeners are think me to implement a totally different ing. I want them to feel free to be able DM: I hear you saying that a lov structure for the sermon. That's a to communicate with me so that I ing, caring community is an essential suggestion that cannot be imple can improve. context for feedback and evaluation. mented by Sunday morning. Rather, I If that sense of community is missing, need to know how I can work with DM: If evaluation and feedback it's easy for a preacher to become what I have to make it better. are such valuable resources for defensive. Can you think of any other preaching relevant biblical sermons, reasons preachers might resist feed DM: Do you receive any postser why do you think so few preachers back and evaluation of their sermons? mon feedback after the Sunday solicit feedback and evaluation of services? their sermons? LS: I wonder if some preachers have the feeling that they are a cut LS: The senior pastor, Bill Hybels, LS: Some preachers may not enjoy above everyone else. They may be the always gets a sermon tape and offers a level of community where there is dominant, autocratic type who some feedback. If he is out of town, I trust and love and a feeling of securi believe no one should dare to ques may receive the feedback several days ty. It is not always pleasant to receive tion what they do or evaluate what later, but it provides additional help feedback. I wouldn't like being they say. They might feel free to eval ful advice and input that I can involved in an atmosphere where uate everybody else, but have great implement in the future. there is a lot of feedback and evalua difficulty with anybody assessing tion without a sense of community. I them. To me, such an attitude is a DM: As you look back and consid can remember one time I did a mes community killer. Bill Hybels not
January 2001 MINISTRY 15 only accepts the evaluation and feed DM: How much time would the am going to add a new one here." In back of his sermons, he solicits it. group be given to do their research? the end, maybe half the original sug Some pastors feel that if they allow gestions would be implemented. themselves to be vulnerable enough LS: I would give the group about Things have changed somewhat now to be critiqued, it somehow diminish six weeks in the spring, and then that we have a team of teaching pas es their leadership or impairs their they would go on a retreat. The tors. But soliciting feedback regarding status. They think such input some group could sit around a big table topics for preaching is still a very how knocks them down a notch. But while people share their best ideas. helpful mechanism for us. I don't think so. Bill will take notes and elicit com ments. The retreat phase might take DM: Would you recommend that DM: I notice that at Willow Creek about a day and a half for all the sug process for others who want to keep you also solicit feedback when plan gestions to be exhausted. on target and preach relevant biblical ning the whole preaching year. How sermons? has that process worked? DM: So now the teaching pastor has a list of relevant suggestions for LS: Absolutely! Even if you didn't LS: Bill pulls together a group of sermon series. What is the next step go away on a retreat, the brainstorm- about eight laypeople and staff, in the process? ing process is so valuable. I had a women and men, mature and new person come up to me and say, "We Christians with different back LS: Bill comes back from that heard about this sermon series plan grounds. He says to them, "I want retreat with a list of maybe four pages ning process and we tried it, and it you to think about what we should of potential message series. Then was really hard to implement. We got include in the teaching diet of Willow there would be a second retreat in great ideas and we planned it out, but Creek. What series do you think June for elders and some other key it didn't come out that way." I needs to be taught and what series discerning staff. We would discuss replied, "That's OK. It didn't work out would you want to hear personally? each suggestion, pray about it, and perfectly with us either, but the Go to the bookstore and get some then take the different suggestions for process is important." ideas, see what is being written, talk series and plot them into the calen to your friends, and come up with dar. We never actually implemented DM: Lee, it's been exciting to hear not just vague ideas like 'something anything in totality that we had from someone who has a real passion on the family,' but a title for the planned in June. After the second for relevant biblical preaching. I want series, and break it down into what retreat Bill would go on a study break to thank you for the practical sugges you would cover in the individual in July and August. He would take the tions that you have shared with us weeks and give us specific titles for calendar with him that we had devel that can help us connect effectively what you think should be covered." oped in the second retreat, pray about with our listeners and preach rele it, and then make changes. He would vant biblical sermons, m come back to the team and say, AI think we need to start off with this * "Preaching for Life Change," part of an audiocassette series as opposed to that one, and I series called Defining Moments
How to we get them have a wider aisle in the rear. If you 5t <$>£ef>£erJess 3niernaiionalresource have chairs in your worship area, the far ministry spouses tO listen/ continued from page 6 solution is simple: set up fewer chairs. The ushers can always add chairs. pew; the Joneses have sat in the left * ySefeuaaf arficfes specifically rear of the sanctuary for generations. Conclusion gearedto cferqy spouses So we may begin by roping off cur The Word of God has the power to * Sjfaray Sfessinys and rently unused areas. Then, gradually, change lives. As pastors, we need to iestinxoaiafs add a roped-off row or section until help our people listen effectively to + (SJorlowiae news ofeu&j/s ana the desired configuration is reached. that Word when it is preached. We activities We had a pew that was against the want the Word of God to transform back wall of the sanctuary and a few their lives. Through these techniques, people had squatter's rights on it and we can help fulfill the words of the Contact©yourlocal conference office to in0ui wouldn't budge. We removed the Lord, who said, "He who has an ear, pew and explained we wanted to let him hear...." SB
16 MINISTRY January 2001 ministry^
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;t|t??ji5':(+18% shipping & handling) When this kind of professionalism domi nates, heart-to-heart communication slowly degenerates into a computerlike technique. The pastor may go through the forms quite skillfully, but where is the spirit? The real minister ministers with the kindness of a saint showing personal interest and touch. He doesn't think of his church as a work station and his parishioners as cases; rather, he thinks of his church as a hospital where wounded people can find loving and tender care. Cold professionalism may look "cool" in Pitfalls of the pulpit, especially when accompanied by high-sounding titles. However, that coldness draws few to Christ for the simple reason that ministry it doesn't actually lift up Christ. It cannot actually solve problems. Biblical theoreticians may succeed in unraveling theological knots, The three "Ps" but when they are not reaching into the Scriptures to meet human need, little solid, long term benefit comes to the people. A min ister can avoid the pitfall of professionalism hirty-eight years ago I presented only if he loves the Lord of the church, the Bert B. Beach a lecture to a group of pastors people, and the work he has been called to regarding the three "Ps," or pit do. Like Jesus, the true pastor suffers with and falls, faced by ministers. Today, as even for his sheep. I look around, I see that the same It is a penetrating question: What do our Tchallenges remain. Perhaps they need to be members most need from us? Theory? addressed more urgently than ever. Technique? Authoritarianism? Scholarship? What are these pitfalls, and how can they These things have their place and can be be handled? helpful, but they need first of all inspiration, hope, kindness and comfort, gentle under Professionalism standing, a heart beating with true interest in When the young ministerial intern arrives people, constrained not by mere professional at his or her first church, he normally exhibits duty, but by the love of Christ. The letter of considerable enthusiasm. He's enthusiastic perfunctory professionalism killeth, but the about his calling. He valiantly and fearlessly spirit of passionate proclamation in partner wields the sword of the Spirit in battle for His ship with the Spirit maketh alive. Lord. However, after having faced disappoint Petrification ments and defeats, he often finds that his zeal While on a recent trip to Brazil, I bought has evaporated under the hot sun of pastoral several fossils. They make nice displays. But engagement. The sword of battle hangs flac they are cold, hard, and dead. It is a law of cid at his side. For some, this evolution takes ministerial life that one either grows or decays longer than for others. But there are in fact and petrifies. I have never met a minister, no very few who escape it entirely. matter how seasoned and experienced, who didn't need to keep growing spiritually and Bert Beach, Ph.D., is It is as though the "first love" of ministry director of inter- is lost and is slowly replaced by an unemo intellectually. church relations for tional professionalism. Tasks are still being Few things keep a pastor growing more Public Affairs/ fulfilled, but in a routine, dutiful, mechanical than public evangelism. Preachers can wither Religious Liberty, way. Preaching, outreach, counseling, and up and petrify from the sheer lack of working General Conference, visiting are no longer done under the inner with people on the soul level. Vigorous evan Silver Spring, constraint of the divine call. To a disturbing gelism keeps a minister both "fighting trim" Maryland. extent, ministry has simply become a career, and methodologically up to date. or a mere job. In-service training and progress in knowl-
18 MINISTRY January 200! HESE PITFALLS If anyone ever had a reason to be the truth is that people have enough pessimistic, it was Paul in prison. Yet troubles and burdens of their own DO NOT Paul from his prison wrote that most without having to endure a pes T joyous of his epistles, Philippians. simistic, critical pastor. Without doubt, Paul knew times of POUNCE UPON inner gloom and possibly even some Antidotes despair and depression, but in his These are some of the pitfalls that THEIR MINISTERIAL epistles there is no evidence of his ministers face. There are others of communicating it to others. course, but these are especially insidi PREY AT ONCE, Criticism is often the maidservant ous, because they do not pounce of pessimism. No minister can truly upon their ministerial prey at once. THEY DEVELOP be an ambassador of God and speak Instead, they develop slowly, like a critically and disparagingly of God=s malignant cancer. church and its leadership. No ambas The three "Ps" of prayer, purpose- sador can speak in a derogatory way fulness, and passion represent helpful of his own country and government antidotes. The spiritual autobiogra edge are also a must. It is doubtful and continue in office. Speaking neg phy of the apostle Paul gives the that God calls people to the ministry atively of colleagues and leadership ultimate answer. He tells of how God who do not enjoy (at least to some is a sure way to close the door to any Himself pointed out to him the extent) study. Life-long study and advancement. It is also a sure way of source of power that makes the min earnest mental application is par for opening the door to negativism and ister strong, productive, and the ministerial course. Frequent exer depression. A minister may well successful: "His answer was 'My grace cise is as necessary for the ministerial become weary in body and faint at is all you need, for my power is mind as it is for the body. If the mind heart, as at times everyone does. But strongest when you are weak.'" H is being starved, ministers become anemic and superficial, petty preach ers who simply mouth the obvious. While in prison, waiting for the executioner=s axe, Paul still wanted to grow through study. Some snicker at and depreciate book knowledge, CREATION, CATASTROPHE, but Paul loved his books and asked AND CALVARY Timothy to bring his "books" and "parchments" (2 Tim. 4:13). The time in which we live offers Offering the latest in-depth biblical unprecedented opportunity for this and geological analyses of issues type of growth. The minister with his related to the biblical creation computer and the Internet has and flood narratives, Creation, immediate access to almost unlimit Catastrophe, and Calvary ed resources of information and explains from a spiritual and theo knowledge. There is no reason and logical standpoint the importance these certainly no excuse for us to stagnate. beliefs have for our faith. Topics include: Why a six-day creation nonevolutionary worldview is supported Pessimism by the best biblical scholarship available. Why and how The older minister is probably Genesis 1 and 2 are complementary creation stories more subject to the pitfall of pes rather than conflicting ones. What difference does it simism than is the young minister. make whether we believe in a universal flood? Is pro The older man is more likely to have gressive creation an appropriate position to adopt? experienced disappointments and failures, even a series of them. Thus, Hardcover, 219 pages. ISBN 0-8280-1323-3. US$14.99, Can$22.49. TO ORDER, CALL 1-800-765-6955 he faces the danger of becoming pes or stop online ot OTw.reviewandnefold.com. simistic, which can, by the way, spread to others, even the congrega tion. Ministers, though human, must avoid this at all costs.
January 2001 MINISTRY 19 of worldly wisdom, the second, I'm afraid, goes against the grain of some churchly piety. But those who have taught us best in the church agree with both these points, and so should we. It's clear that the Bible writers believed the education of the young should build religious conviction. According to Deuteronomy 6, for example, God expected Israel to teach the divine commands and stories to every gener Conviction and ation; these things, after all, had to be "upon your heart." 1 Ellen White declared that the education of the young should be "consistent truth in with our faith." The "work of true education," she says further, is training students to "pos Adventist sess .. . the courage of their convictions."2 Opposition to teaching particular truth and conviction education The heirs of the Enlightenment, who shaped the worldly wisdom of today, disagree with this view of education. At his inaugura hen Tony Campolo, the tion to the presidency of Harvard in 1869, Charles Scriven well-known preacher- Charles Eliot mocked teaching that instills in professor, flies home students some particular set of beliefs about after speaking appoint what is good and true. That may be "logical ments, his response to and appropriate in a convent, or a seminary Wquestioning seatmates depends on whether for priests," he said in his speech that day, but he feels like talking or not. it is "intolerable" in universities.3 A Harvard He explains that "when someone asks student under Eliot, DeWitt Hyde, who what I do, and I want to talk, I say I'm a soci became president of Bowdoin College, ologist." The person perks up—"Oh, that's thought the "narrowness" of church colleges interesting!" and wants to know more. "But if "utterly incompatible" with responsible high I really want to shut someone up," he goes er education. "A church university," he on, "I say I'm a Baptist evangelist. That gener declaimed, "is a contradiction in terms."4 ally does it." Similar attitudes—we may call them "liber Our society, in large measure, is afraid of al" attitudes—are still commonplace. The conviction, especially religious conviction. famous Columbia University professor, And the well-educated (who often ride air Jacque Barzun, wrote in 1991 that trying to planes) tend to dismiss "Baptist evangelists" inculcate "any set of personal, social, or polit as pushy and closed-minded. So Campolo's ical virtues" in the classroom is "either self-deprecating story rings true. It's funny indoctrination or foolery." 5 John Mear- because people really have those attitudes. scheimer, a political scientist at the University One reason for our society's fear of convic of Chicago, told colleagues in his 1997 tion is that conventional educators think address on "The Aims of Education" that the schools should be non-committal about reli university's job is to produce thinkers who are gion and morality. As for the stereotype about skilled, knowledgeable, and independent. It "Baptist evangelists," that reflects a weakness has no business defending a particular truth Charles Scriven, for closed-mindedness that really does exist or implanting a particular morality. He says, Ph.D., is interim among believers. proudly indeed, that his university is "a fun president of I have led Adventist colleges, and I think damentally amoral institution."6 Kettering College of the best education is partisan education, edu It's not just people connected with biblical Medical Arts, cation that builds religious conviction. I also religion, however, who disagree with these Kettering, Ohio. think the best education opens minds to attitudes. Some five centuries before Christ, growth. If the first point goes against the grain the Greek writer Aristophanes wrote a play
20 MINISTRY January 2001 called Clouds. He meant it a as a criti Enlightenment tradition played a key cism of Socrates, the philosopher of role in loosing the blood-dimmed that same period whose thinking did tide. On January 20, 1942, fourteen much to form the ideals of "liberal men, all officials in the Nazi govern education." ment, gathered for what history The play is about a young man, a remembers as the Wannsee spendthrift and idler who has hardly Conference. These men completed a any conscience at all. His desperate Holocaust strategy, a plan for elimi father, having heard about the school nation of the Jews from Europe. Not in Athens where Socrates is teaching, only did they agree on the murder of decides to enroll his son there. He Jews. They agreed that their mouths hopes education under renowned would be mines for gold, their hair a teachers will transform him. But the textile for clothing, their fat a source school, it turns out, puts all the focus of soap, their bones raw material for on raising questions. Although the fertilizer! And of these fourteen mon son hears defenders of traditional val sters, eight had doctoral degrees^ ues, the overall emphasis is criticism It's no wonder that a Holocaust of traditional thinking and morality. survivor who became a school princi As Aristophanes tells the story, even pal in Massachusetts remarked one Socrates has nothing positive to teach day to his teachers that he was "sus about how to live. He ridicules inher picious of education." In a note he ited wisdom, yet offers no substitute left in their mailboxes at the start of for it. He says nothing about what a school one year, he said he had seen person should aim for in life, nothing "what no one should witness": gas about the standards and convictions chambers built by learned engineers, that should prevail. children killed by highly educated physicians and nurses. So he could Develop convictions or drift not trust learning for its own sake, How does Aristophanes voice his and he appealed to his teachers to disagreement with all this? In the help their students become better play he has the son finish school—and people. "Your efforts," he said, "must leave as selfish as when he came. He has never produce learned monsters, not been transformed. He still lacks a skilled psychopaths, educated conscience; he is still a spendthrift Eichmanns. Reading, writing, and and idler.7 arithmetic are important only if they The point is the very one I am serve to make our children more making: unless education builds con humane." 10 viction, students (and in the end, societies) drift to the path of least Growth, honesty, and authentic resistance. You stay with what you spirit think and feel already, or move True education builds conviction, toward what the dominant surround including religious conviction; by ing culture thinks and feels. In the making us more authentic in spirit, it early twentieth century, the poet makes us more humane in our deal William Butler Yeats noted that the ings with others. exceptions to the rule—the persons But true education also imparts a who steer a course, not just drift with readiness to test inherited under the wind—are, all too often, perpetra standing: to analyze it and improve tors of evil. "The best lack all upon it. It gives learners both the conviction," he complained, "while ability and the eagerness to advance the worst are full of passionate inten in knowledge and insight, making sity." The effect, as our violent them, as Ellen White said, into century shows, is the loosing of "the "thinkers, and not mere reflectors of blood-dimmed tide."8 other men=s thoughts." They become And people educated in the persons who have both "breadth of
January 2001 MINISTRY was confronting the fact that the the atmosphere of danger and uncer NLESS main characters inside the compound tainty just before His arrest in had been schooled in Adventism, Jerusalem, Jesus told His disciples that UEDUCATION even if they had drawn away from it the coming Spirit would deepen their in their devotion to Koresh and his understanding even after He was BUILDS CONVICTION, wild, apocalyptic speculations. Their gone. 13 backgrounds somehow made them The ideal for us, Christ's followers, DRIFT TO vulnerable to his intoxicating certi is obvious: we should grow in wisdom tude, his many answers, his few all our lives. As the poet says in the questions. But in this case the damage famous hymn: "They must upward was far graver than the embarrass still and onward, Who would keep ment of young girls forbidden by abreast of truth." 14 their family to wear dresses without long pants. Embracing the difficulty Perhaps, then, the mature religious mind" and "clearness of thought." 11 Having an eagerness to learn community will not only expect and In a word, true education opens and grow learn to live with the difficulty that minds to growth. But this point really These stories show that religious goes along with learning; it will actu does go, all too often, against the people—Adventist people—face, and ally embrace that difficulty. Ellen grain of churchly piety. When I was a sometimes acquiesce to the tempta White embraces it. She challenges the boy, a family came to my congrega tion of self-satisfaction and closed- Church to foreswear the conservatism tion convinced that, from duty to mindedness. It's just not automatic that seeks to "avoid discussion." God, all women and girls had to wear that we love the Lord, as we are com Without "new questions" or "differ long pants under their dresses. I was manded, with our minds. The stories ence of opinion," she says, we veer familiar with nonconformity; against show, too, the hazards of giving in to toward the ignorant "self-confidence" convention, my family kept the this temptation. And stories from that feels "no necessity for more truth Sabbath. But to me this new family's mainstream Adventism underscore and greater light." 15 nonconformity was just weird: I saw the point. During World War II the Against those who think any no good "reasons" for it, nor any leadership of the church in Germany acknowledgment of "error" will lead readiness, on their part, to entertain again and again expressed its support, others to doubt, or cause "dissension change. even its praise, for Hitler. The church and disunion," she declaims: "We This was my first awareness that kept proclaiming its message, insensi cannot hold that a position once religion could unite with folly, or ble to the Holocaust©s unfolding evil. u taken, an idea once advocated, is not, what I thought was folly. Later I Had I been in Germany then, I under any circumstances, to be relin became aware of the endless stream might have been as numb to the quished. Those who allow prejudice of bad typing (it's hardly writing) that "blood-dimmed tide" as anyone else. to bar the mind against the reception zealots with similarly narrow preoc It's not easy, after all, to acquire the of truth cannot receive the divine cupations send to whomever they "breadth of mind" and "clearness of enlightenment." 16 feel should receive it. Usually, it's thought" that is called for if we are to marked by silly, dangerous certitude: live properly in this world. But the Striving for harmony all answers and no questions. fact that it's not easy by no means But if mature believers embrace When I first heard about the inci excuses us from trying. the difficulty that goes along with dent in Waco involving Branch When the Bible pictures Jesus as a learning, they at the same time strive Davidians and their leader, David child, He is an eager learner, "sitting for harmony. Our passion to learn Koresh, I was in my church with among his teachers, listening to them must be driven always by love for one someone whose brother was inside and asking questions." When it pic another and by concern for the the compound. Later, after the mad tures Him as a teacher in His own Church and the Church's mission. ness concluded in a fatal fire, I sat in right, He is pushing boundaries. When Paul dealt with a quarreling the same church one day not far from Against the conventions of His age, community in Corinth, he reminded two children who were now father He rescues the Sabbath from legalism. the members that if differences of less from that fire. Clearly, what had Against these same conventions, He outlook decline into petulance and happened was "close to home." And opens the learning circle to Mary, pride, they cannot be constructive. now my heart, not just my head, was whom others would have excluded "Knowledge puffs up," he said, "but confronting what had happened. It because she was a woman. Then, in love builds up." 17
22 MINISTRY January 2001 The idea of discipleship also puts that Bartimaeus joined so eagerly. Press, 1991), 54. learning in perspective, by connect True education also opens minds to John J. Mearsheimer, "The Aims of Education Address," The ing it with shared mission. The case growth—what Bartimaeus also want University of Chicago Record, October 23, 1997, 7 The author of Bartimaeus, the blind man Jesus ed—so this magnificent alliance can makes "one" exception with respect to morality: the univer sity condemns "cheating, academic fraud, and plagiarism." healed outside of Jericho, illuminates grow stronger and more effective See Martha Xtissbaum, "Aristophanes and Socrates on the matter perfectly. As the context in through deeper understanding. Learning Practical Wisdom," in Jeffre> Henderson, ed., \ale Classical Studies, 26 (Cambridge Cambridge University Press. Mark's Gospel suggests, the man Conviction? Yes! It must be central 1980), 43-97 wanted not only to see, but also to in education. I-'rom Yeats's poem "The Second Coming," widely antholo understand. And when Jesus granted Minds open to growth? Yes! This, gized. I rely on David Patterson, When Learned \Un \hirder. r.ssctys his wish, he immediately "followed too, must be central. on [he Essence of Higher Lducation (____ Phi Delta Kappa him" on the road to Jerusalem. 18 He If the marriage of conviction and Educational Foundation, 1996). became a learner, engaged in his mas learning isn't easy, it's still worth pre T he educator Hairn Ginott recounts this story in his Teacher and Child (New York: Avon Books, 1972), 317 ter©s mission. That mission, of course, serving. For when conviction and Education, 17. was just the love, the radical generos openness to growth join hands, the 1'or thorough documentation of this fact, sec Jack M. Pratt, "Living in a Time of Trouble German Adventists Under Nan ity, that Paul upheld in his letter to partnership helps the whole body of Rule," Spectrum 8 (March 1977): 2-10, Eiwm Sicher, the Corinthians. But the point now is Christ reach toward the greater faith "Seventh-day Adventist Publications and the Nazi that Bartimaeus wedded learning in fulness, and the greater abundance of Temptation," Spectrum 8 (March 1977): 11-24, and Roland Blaich, "Nazi Race Hygiene and the Adventists," Spectrum 25 the school of Christ with enlistment life, that is, after all, the essence of (September 1996): 11-23 This latter appeared also in Volume in the cause of Christ, and thus being a Christian. HI 65 (September 1996) ot Church History became, according to James William See Luke 2 41-52, Luke 10:38-42, and John 16:12-15 See in our and many other hymnbooks, "Once to Lvery Man McClendon, "the paradigmatic and Nation," for which James Russell Lowell wrote the 1. This phrase is from verse 6. But see the entire chapter poem Christian scholar." 19 Scripture quotes in this article are from the New Revised The story of Bartimaeus puts the Standard Version. The quote is on page 20. The commission here cites, without 2. Testimonies, 3 159, and Education, 17, 18. page numbers, the chapter on "Dangers" in Gospel Workers. The commission here cites Testimonies to Ministers, 105, 106. church's vision of learning in the con 3. See James Tunstcad Burchacll, "The Alienation of Christian 1 Corinthians 8.1. text of conviction. True education Higher Education in America Diagnosis and Piognosis," in rlhe story is in Mark 10'46-52 Stanley Hauerwas and John Wcsterhoof, eds , Schooling builds religious conviction—puts James William McClendon, Jr, Systematic Theology: Doctrines Christians (Grand Rapids: Kerdmam, 1992), 133. (Nashville. Abmgdon, 1994), 32 learners into the alliance with Christ 4. Quoted in Jaroslav Pehkan, The Idea of the Untvavty: A
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January 200 / MINISTRY 23 "I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and with out offense till the day of Christ" (Phil. 1:9-10, NKJV). Without the Spirit of Christ, all our doings are in essence, vain. When it comes to real ministry, we are only the channels through which His power flows. God opens our spiritual eyesight in every pastoral encounter. These emerging insights, developed through visitation, can be classi fied into four areas of consciousness: the sense of pastoral calling, the sense of com mission, the sense of commitment, and the Reflections on sense of competence. The sense of calling Most important, a deep sense of calling has a pastoral visit to do with the inner conviction that the pas tor is a representative of Christ. Besides their priestly, prophetic, and evangelistic func tions, pastors, like shepherds, are primarily Chor-Kiat Sim lipping out of the sanctuary alone responsible for the care of their flock. Not after the worship service, Jane's* only are personal visits the best way of doing steps showed discouragement, rejec so, but they promote harmony within the tion, and a lack of spiritual ardor. congregation and support educational and Only a few days before she had told evangelistic programs as well. * God sends pas Sme that her husband had left her for a tors as the message incarnated. 2 Divine younger woman. As her pastor, I made an messages are always sent by messengers. appointment to visit her. When pastors make visits, they help their In her living room, she poured out her members to a better understanding of a pas anguish and bitterness. After an hour had tor's role and function and thus enhance the dragged by, she began to repeat her stories of spiritual health of the congregation. Christ's frustration and grief. My patience was gone. I call to His disciples to feed the flock recorded longed for a way out. Forgetting her needs I in John 21:15-17, is definitely relevant today. thought, "She's wasting my precious time." Diligent visitation in homes, combined A feeling of helplessness overwhelmed me. with spirit-filled preaching in the pulpit, In desperation I prayed, "God, help me." results in members filled with power and Suddenly her expression changed. With light enthusiasm for their Lord. A positive response in her eyes, her complaints stopped and she to Christ's commission to nurture motivates whispered, "Pastor, I know what's wrong with them to love. People need love, care, and me. I have placed my husband between myself renewal. Both sensitivity and communication and God." identify a caring pastor who represents a com Amazed, I affirmed her for her conviction. forting and redeeming God.3 The spiritual insight Jane had was remarkable. Pastoral service is incomplete without visi I know that such experiences are not always as tation because pastoral presence reminds dramatic as this one, but as I drove off to my both the visitor and the visited that God is Chor-Kiat Sim, next visit, I marveled at how the Spirit worked love. God's divine presence when communi D. Min, B.C.C., is a in Jane when I prayed for help. I almost cated through a pastor inspires the members Chaplain, at the missed the experience, as did Jane, by termi to be active in fellowship and worship. Such Washington nating my visit prematurely in frustration. dynamic pastoral ministry is evidence that Adventist Hospital, Indeed, God=s gift of spiritual discernment is the pastoral call plays a part in the fulfillment Takoma Park, Maryland. vital in every phase of a pastor's ministry. The of Christ's promise of sending another words of Paul took on a new meaning to me: Comforter Qohn 14:16).
24 MINISTRY The sense of commission Following the example of Jesus, who istry, and who helped me in effect to The sense of commission mandat comforted His followers personally, is apply the Richards questions to my ed by Christ in John 21:15-19 just as important as preaching or wit situation. My visit with Jane could challenges pastors to provide nurture nessing. Christ's teaching about the have been disastrous if my pastoral to their congregations through pas Good Shepherd attempts to inspire value systems had been in a state of toral presence. God uses the presence His disciples to be leaders of the flock erosion. However, with my wife's of His willing agents to enrich rela and to seek the lost sheep (John encouragement, we helped Jane per tionships and to remind the world 10:14-17). severe in her faith and cope with her about the plan of salvation. Christ crisis. A few years have elapsed since came to this world 2,000 years ago The sense of commitment that experience, and I find that what clothed in human flesh in order to The sense of commitment to pas I learned then is perhaps even more save human beings. He came to live, toral visitation requires preparation of important now. to minister, and to die on the cross for the whole being. The world renowned our sin. Salvation cannot be assured Seventh-day Adventist preacher, H. The sense of competence apart from Christ.4 An active response M. S. Richards raised three questions Besides being called, commis to Christ's commission, both in nur about ministry calculated to help pas sioned, and committed, pastors ture and outreach, helps parishioners tors commit themselves to a caring should enhance their ministry with a to understand the way God works for ministry. The questions could well be sense of competence that should every person. asked before each pastoral visit to pro accompany them as they visit. In Christ Himself visited those He vide the pastor with focus and order to be competent, a pastor ministered to. He went to them in spiritual direction: (1) What am I? (2) should acquire certain basic skills. their homes, by the wayside, or one- What have I done? Why am I here? Here are six suggestions: on-one in the temple (Luke 4:6). (3) From what principles do I under 1. Administer wisely and plan intelli Some of the most touching narratives take this work?5 gently. Keeping good records and in the Gospels describe Christ's visits. Pondering these questions has setting realistic goals to meet the spir For example, Christ visited with guided me in my visitation. itual needs and faith development of Nicodemus, the woman at the well, Answering them honestly can be a congregation ensures an effective visitation program. Our God is a God of order. Systematic and organized HE SENSE OF COMMISSION MANDATED BY efforts are required in doing God=s work. TCHRIST CHALEENGES PASTORS TO 2. Team up with others. All churches usually have at least a few church PROVIDE NURTURE TO THEIR CONGREGATIONS members with whom it is difficult to relate. Additional support is needed in THROUGH PASTORAL PRESENCE. such cases. Making pastoral visits two by two is advisable because the gifts of one complement those of the other. Lazarus, and later, His disciples by the helpful. For example, these questions Christ sent His disciples out in twos Sea of Tiberias and on the Emmaus prompted me to examine my person (Mark 6:7). A spouse, colleague, or Road (Luke 13-32; John 3:1-8; 4:7-24; al and professional identity when I elder who can fulfill such a role can be 11:1-7; 21:1-6). Christ demonstrated visited Jane. I was a young pastor invaluable. compassion, insight, and understand then. I had just been assigned to my 3. Create a supportive staff. A well- ing in His visits. Similarly, pastors who church. Still in my thirties, my ener organized administrative secretary provide pastoral care for their congre gy was strong and ambitious. But makes some of the telephone calls to gations become role-models who lurking beneath the surface of my ensure that parishioners are home inspire others to action. progressive pastoral aspirations were and helps to organize visitation and Pastoral visitation reflects a deep the quicksands of self-centeredness other pastoral functions. In this busy awareness of a pastor's own faith. and self-consciousness, waiting to world, it often takes an average of ten Particularly at this point in history, jeopardize the effectiveness of my telephone calls in order to set up one every pastor should portray comfort true vocational journey. But thank appointment for the pastor. Often, and care since the day of redemption God for His effective guidance and having such a person (perhaps on a is near. A pastor should live so that that of a few spiritual mentors whose voluntary basis) is not as impossible the Holy Spirit can be manifested in humility and wisdom taught me the as it seems in some situations. the confusion of these last days. steps to take in my practice of min 4. Equip laypersons. Pastoral respon-
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1" Steel Frame For Acfcledl JDupbifity
EJQzensofBeautiuf sibilities are not complete without an 6. Make referrals. Pastors should sent His angels to appear on the wide ongoing training of others in the admit their limitations and make screen of the universe but He came to skills of visitation.6 Training lay peo referrals when specialists are required. visit us. He visited once and promised ple to work may be difficult in the The contemporary world has ushered to come again. beginning, but its effectiveness multi in extremely complicated spiritual, Shouldn't pastors make pastoral plies in the long term. Teaming up social, economic, and political issues. visiting a top priority? n with trained elders or lay persons to Pastors are being prudent when they visit some of the difficult members refer some of their perplexed parish can be a wise approach. ioners to those who specialize in * Jane is a pseudonym. 5. Develop prudence and tact. relevant areas of expertise. Pastors should respect church mem- 1. E. N. Jackson, "Calling and Visitation, Pastoral," bers= time and privacy. I love to use Conclusion Dictionary of Pastoral Care and Counseling (Nashville, holidays or Sabbath afternoons to In this age of email, telecommuni Tenn.: Abingdon Press, 1990), 115. 2. H. M. S. Richards, Feed My Sheep (Washington, D.C.: visit members in addition to evening cation, and the Internet, pastoral Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1958), 85. visits during the week. Many of my visits are by no means obsolete. 3. C. Raymond Holmes, The Last Word (Berrien appointments have been made by Though pastors should employ these Springs, Mich.: Andrews University Press, 1987), 110. asking certain church members after devices, they should not be allowed 4. Hans K. LaRondelle, Christ Our Salvation (Sarasota, worship service whether they could to take the place of fulfilling Christ's Fla.: First Impressions, 1998), 12. be available in the afternoon. Pastors basic commission to tend to the 5. Richards, 83. 6. Ellen G. White, Pastoral Ministry (Silver Spring, Md.: should not drop into members' flock. There is no substitute for per General Conference Ministerial Association, 1995), homes unexpectedly. sonal visitation. Christ could have 226.
the Damascus road in that God had for when Adventist orthodoxy, as inscribed Letters continued from page 3 given him before his heart had been in the "Twenty-Seven Points" docu changed.... ment, makes virtually no mention at all larger percentage of strange faces in But "outrageous grace" does not of these concerns? their midst and the issue of divorce and encourage antinomianism any more Rock's article invites reflection on our remarriage finds relocation an answer than Jesus gave Mary Magdalene a free most basic convictions as a church. to some of its problems. . . . pass to keep on sinning. The good news Fortunately, the "Twenty-Seven Points" —Robert H. Alien, Ontario, New York of the Cross is that guilt-stricken sinners document, with its preamble on the have already been forgiven and their role of the Holy Spirit, encourages us to Outrageous grace best response is to believe it, to live do precisely this. "T~he force and beauty of the rhetoric under the liberating joy that our Father —Charles Scriven, interim president, Kettering I in James Cress's Outrageous Grace in heaven has reminded us that we are College of Medical Arts, Kettering, Ohio (September 2000) not only transcend His sons and daughters and that we ed the page, but lifted us far above should live, not only "as if" but truly as just read "How Many Really Great conventional theologies that have His children.. . . I Preachers Are There?" (September clouded Christianity for centuries. —Herbert E. Douglass (retired president), 2000) and say to Snyder, "That is the Jesus used the condemned woman Weimar College, Weimar, California best article I have ever read!" but I am as an opportunity to reveal God as the another "old brother Elmer" and say universe's Father, not primarily as the n your very fine September issue, that to all writers. So don't get the big- universe's Cosmic Cop or Vengeful I Calvin Rock argues that preaching head. But seriously, Ministry could use a Judge. Why is it so hard for us to see in cannot be Black unless it addresses the few more streamlined articles with sim our Lord's mercy to this condemned "justice concerns" that help to define ple words. woman, the marvelous model of how Black preaching. He then intimates that —Edward W. Craves, Lake Ekinore, California Cod relates to this rebel world? preaching cannot be truly prophetic Wherever I look in the New Testa unless it addresses these concerns: jus ment I see God's "outrageous grace" at tice, he says, is the "defining core" of work. No tickets or prepayment were prophetic "righteousness," or at least of required before the 5,000 plus were fed the righteousness set forth in Isaiah. (Matt. 14:19-21). In fact, nowhere do I It follows, I believe, that for Anglo (or find Jesus asking for a prerequisite con any other) preaching to be truly dition before He healed the sick or prophetic, it must embrace the exam raised the dead. .. . ple of Black preaching with respect to Paul never forgot the blazing light of justice concerns. But how likely is this
January 2001 MINISTRY 27 REPORT
Turning scars into stars How a small Chinese church discovered its purpose
arly last year, our little church in Chi-Ba in were far apart in mountainous areas. the Yunnan province, conducted a sale. A Finally most of the injured persons and their family piano, minivan, computer, desks and bench members were able to assemble in the church at Da Ping es, and other sundries were sold to raise Di. The injured still needed medical attention, but now funds to meet a human emergency. Some in the circle of Christian concern and love, they burst E4,000 other Adventists in the province joined the fund- forth in praise and singing. Adversity was forgotten in raising with their special donations. When the Good those moments of praise, and those of us who were well Samaritan ministry was over a few weeks later, our could only marvel at the strength of the faith of the church was the richer, as it extended God's love and injured. The praise fellowship and preaching of the Word grace to members of another church that had been lasted well past midnight.The following day we moved caught in a severe tragedy. them to the central hospital where good care was pro Last February, some fifty young people of the Miao vided. Christian Church from Wu Ding in Yunnan province, One day we traveled more than thirty miles to visit a China, set out by truck to travel to a nearby village to chorister who was so seriously injured that he could not share their faith. The road was mountainous, the terrain be taken to the hospital. When we got to him, we found rough and slippery, and the him all bandaged from head to weather was snowy. During their ITH THE FUNDS WE foot. His skull and lower jaw had journey, the truck skidded and been broken, and he had fractured plunged into the deep ravine of a his arms and legs. For days he could RAISED, WE RUSHED TO river. Two died instantly, and the w hardly eat or move. When we rest were injured, 17 of them seri reached his place, we sang and ously. The news of the tragedy THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT WITH praised. A faint smile crossed his spread through the country. face, and we were able to move him With the funds we raised, we MEDICAL SUPPLIES, EQOD, BLANKETS, to the hospital. rushed to the scene of the acci The tragedy united the people in dent, with medical supplies, food, the villages around as nothin§ else blankets, and other emergency would have. Even though people needs. We also took with us a were poor, there was a spirit of shar team of lay ministers who provided spiritual and emo ing and willingness to help. The churches, regardless of tional support to the injured and the suffering relatives. denomination, united to bring help, healing, and hope. Upon arrival on the scene, we found the injured laid out Our little Adventist church shouldered much of the on the floor of two nearby houses; they had no means to responsibility of locating the injured, comforting the go a hospital. In the midst of their suffering, they were bereaved, counseling the families involved, and provid singing Psalm 46:1, 2: "God is our refuge and strength, a ing every possible help. For days our church turned itself very present help in trouble; therefore will not we fear." into a make-shift camp. Fear was certainly not their lot, but pain was. We Now, almost a year later, the injured are back to some decided to transfer the injured to the main provincial normalcy. Other churches that joined this ministry of hospital. But first we had to return to our church, pro Christian concern and care marvel at how a tragedy vide a report to the members, and raise some more turned itself into a triumph of God's grace. Our own funds. When we got back to the site of the accident, we church at Chi Ba discovered an identity of its ownXan were surprised that not a single injured person was there. identity that it exists not for some theoretical purpose, We were told that they had been moved back to their vil but to be of service to those who suffer spiritually and lages, to do whatever they could for themselves in their physically. Turning every scar into a star of hope is after homes. Over the next few days, we tried to locate each all the central part of Christian ministry.—Robert Wong, injured person. The task was challenging, as the villages Ministerial Secretary, Chinese Union Mission, Hong Kong «
28 MINISTRY January 2001 PASTOR'S PASTOR
Forward to the beginning
A t the opening of a new millenni- lesser minds are just catching up to the /\ urn, it seems particularly signifi- point from which he began to dig. For /\cant to return to the beginning. example, ponder the title of his Perhaps no portion of Scripture has University of Chicago doctoral disserta been more challenged or derided than JAMES A. CRESS tion: The Argument to Design in British the simple declaration of Genesis, "In Religious Thought: An Investigation of the the beginning God created the heaven Status and Cogency of Post-Humean and the earth" and the Bible's subse Forms of Teleological Argumentation With quent description of seven 24-hour Reference Principally to Hume and Paley. I creation days. once told him such an impressive title For Seventh-day Adventists, the liter should be acknowledged in Ministry. al days of creation, culminating with the And now, John, it has! seventh-day Sabbath, holds particular account of creation has received repeat I admitted to John, who is a scholar significance for our worship of Jesus ed body-blows from skeptics, scientists, of such note that he won the 1994 John Christ both as Creator and Redeemer. and some spiritual leaders who have Templeton Foundation prize, that I did Sabbath rest is rooted in creation vainly attempted to reconcile geologi not understand every word in the book. and grounded in love. cal columns and epochs of time with This is not light reading. But the depth Coming directly from the Lord's the simple Genesis story. of spirituality linking creation, the cata example at the conclusion of His cre Even self-declared and perhaps well- strophic Genesis flood, and the cross of ative work, as Christ rested and intentioned religious people express Calvary, coupled with the strength of sanctified the seventh day, the Sabbath opinions ranging from outright accept evidence and logical reasoning on rest is rooted in His fiat creation. ance of evolutionary speculation to behalf of creationism, makes this book a Sabbath becomes the perpetual memo cautious questioning of the age of most significant landmark and worth rial of His rule over that which He made. nature's basic building materials to the effort necessary to study its chapters. Coming directly from the Lord's refusal of dialogue with anyone holding Every pastoral and seminary library experience at the conclusion of His alternative views. should include this book (see advertise redemptive work, as Christ rested in the Some believers have attempted to ment on page 19), not for easy-reading, tomb from redeeming His creation, the remain faithful to the biblical view by but for its evidentiary record of the Lord's Day is grounded in His love. developing elaborate explanations of strength of creationism's case. Sabbath becomes the energizing seal of imponderables. Others have been so Baldwin brings scholars—scientists, His redemption, providing the secure certain of their answers, they have archeologists, theologians, and rest of grace. ignored basic questions that must be geologists—together to demonstrate No wonder the last book of the Bible answered. So what is the best current why a six-day creation non-evolutionary calls people to "worship Him who made evidence to support creationism or to worldview is supported by the best bib the heavens, and the earth, and the refute evolution? lical scholarship; why and how the first fountains of water." We are called to cel I have found that the new book, two chapters of Genesis are comple ebrate Jesus' creative initiative, to Creation, Catastrophe, and Calvary, edit mentary creation stories rather than commemorate His redemptive love, and ed by John T. Baldwin of Andrews conflicting accounts; how and why the to anticipate His ultimate restoration. University, presents credible fresh evi biblical text clearly demands a universal Likewise, believers should not be sur dence and deep spiritual insights into flood; and how the Bible's final pages prised that Satan would do whatever the debate. use the very terminology of Genesis and possible to obscure the magnificence of After perusing this book, I tele Exodus to call people back to faithful God's creative power or the abundance phoned my long-time friend and ness in following God's plans and God's of His redemptive grace. From a cosmic colleague to say, "John, this is the book commands. view, when Jesus' reputation as either you were born to write!" Focusing on a worldview that Creator or Redeemer is diminished, For years I have both admired and includes the great controversy between Satan's self-inflated pride is exalted. teased John for his ability to plumb the Christ and Satan, Baldwin challenges Over the past 150 years, the biblical depths of theological thought while continued on page 9
January 2001 MINISTRY 29 RESOURCES
Caring for one another of the way through. This does several In many of our churches our atten things. dance is a poor representation of our 1. We have a visual, weekly reminder book membership, often new members of those who were away. Hi-tech church ideas slip through the cracks and sometimes 2. The church collectively owns the George Barna, president of Barna even those who are less visible and problem and the solution, and all have Research group predicts that by 2010 involved of the older members can be the opportunity to do something to we will have 10 to 20 percent of the "unmissed" at church. help. American population relying primarily Elders and pastors are stretched to 3. The weekly attendance is tracked or exclusively upon the Internet for its stay ahead of things, especially when accurately and logged into a database. religious material. Many of these will be you consider that sometimes our non- 4. The sense of community grows as people who would never set foot in a attenders represent 50 percent or more people begin to pray, call, write, and church. of the church. encourage each other. A church Web site can provide many To help the "body to care one for 5. Every week we see, pray for, and unforeseen options, with its 24-hour another,"we initiated a system to contact those whom we have not day access to church ministries. empower and encourage those who seen—in some cases for years. Churches with a Web site can help peo attend to contact, pray for, and encour Is it working? The question is more ple in many ways: Newcomers to a age those who do not. accurately asked, "Is God working in community can use the Web to connect Each Sabbath we place a large board response to our prayers and contacts?" with someone who will accept them in in the foyer. Using a "Post-It" remov The answer is overwhelmingly Yes. spite of their pain and past. They can able glue stick and business-card-size People who have not been to church also find a church near them to minister cards, we attach the names, addresses, for years are coming back. It is not pos to the needs of their family. Searchers and phone numbers of all the church sible to forget anyone who at some will use the Web to help them find God. members—regular attenders and chil time made a commitment to Christ and Daily devotions can be offered to dren (children under the age of five are needs our prayers and support. anyone who gives their email address. listed on their mother's card). Couples We have just decided to take a Audio messages on inspirational topics have individual cards. month's break from the "Body Board" and Christian music can be down As people arrive, they or our greeters so as to not wear out the saints. We will loaded for listening. Online chatrooms simply take their name off the board resume it as we come into the festive and staff can provide pastoral care, and place it in a box under the board. season. which includes women's ministry, youth Visitors also fill out a card, and it too is —Peter Smaela, pastor, Lancaster, ministry, and spiritual counseling. placed in the box. Pennsylvania. —Douglas Raymond Rose, Texas. At the end of the service the board is turned so that it faces the people as Transporting flowers they come out. The names left on it are Knowing that the pastor would be those who were not there. As attending visiting the sick in the hospital, I have members leave, they take as many had people say, "Pastor, since you are cards as they feel they can contact and A Path Straight going to visit Mrs. Jones in the hospital, encourage these non-attenders to the Hedges would you mind taking the flowers on through a card or a call and prayer. By Borge Schantz (Silver Spring, Md.: the communion table?" Of course, I With a computer it is easy to print General Conference Ministerial Asso usually would take the flowers, but, I the cards and organize a simple data ciation, 2000). Paperback, 165 pages, have never found a good way of trans base to manage the information U5$12.95. porting flowers until I hit upon the idea gathered. This is a manual "written for individ of putting a seat belt around the flow Our goal is to have the board cleared uals who want to be involved in ers in the passenger side of my car. It every week. We are planning to do this cross-cultural evangelism in the ever- works fine! for two months with a weekend expanding Seventh-day Adventist —Willis H. Switzer, pastor, Franklin, Virginia. "revival" series planned for two-thirds world field." The book is not merely
30 MINISTRY January 2001 RESOURCES
theoretical, but deals with how to serve. den for the salvation of men and Schantz writes honestly and directly; The author is clear, direct, and rele women, boys and girls. No cheap solu he is practical and encouraging. He not vant. He takes a biblical and practical tions are offered the reader, no only invites and encourages, he moti approach and provides the reader with unbiblical triumphalism, and no vaunt vates. The principles a significant background of experience ed proclamation of great successes. Schantz sets out are in varied cultures. What we find is a call to engage, con applicable in all cul In his introduction to the book, Jan sider, and reflect on the unfinished task, tures. Here is no Paulsen, president of the Seventh-day the countless millions into whose ears narrow, sectarian Adventist Church, notes the four areas no gospel message has come, into view of the gospel of the book's concentration: (1) reach whose hearts and minds the blessings of commission. The ing new areas, (2) strengthening a saving Christ have never entered. Here author has written a existing churches, (3) providing evan is the challenge. Everyone who reads refreshingly frank gelistic models, and (4) demonstrating and studies this book is encouraged to book that will have that evangelism is not just a question of reconsider their relationship to the appeal for all who are serious about resources. The book usefully expands uncompleted task of witnessing to the communicating the gospel in an age of on each of these categories. unsaved with emphasis upon the poor, change, challenge, and opportunity. Who should read this book? Anyone the marginalized, or as the author puts it —Patrick ]. Boyle, Watford, Hertsfordshire, anywhere in the world who has a bur "the hedge people." England. IKI
'"We:edn honestly sayftom, personal, experience-that the more, vegiye,OMrselyes to" the work of'the'Lord Jesus, 'the more ye: experience ., •God's love and tlie niorewe realize how precious 'every ••' person is-to-Christ." .... • ,' •—Ralph /4r«t>/ January 2001 MINISTRY 31 in the Presence dfthe Holy Waiting is an essential part of spiritual life in which we discover new and healing rhythms of grace and gratitude. Marguerite Shuster, an associate professor of preaching at Fuller Theological Seminary, embraces the task of wait ing in God's presence from experience as a woman, a pastor, and a teacher. •tetatm&na' Presence of the Holy/ As the pastor of large African-American congregations in Los Angeles and New York City, Ron Smith learned that God is both the subject and the audience of the sermon. Sermons communicate what God has said and what the proclaimer and congregation have to say to Him. He now serves as editor of Message magazine. NewYiSonsoflfi^yFor Pastors JeaftersTMd Chaplains resenceof toe Holy Only those who are secure can play, for only they believe that good will triumph over evil. Calvin Miller, Tuesday April 3,2001 professor of preaching and pastoral studies at Beeson Divinity School is uniquely equipped to help ministry professionals experience personal and corporate spontaneity in the presence of God. in the Presence of the H Grace is only given to sinners, and only they can know the height and breadth of holy joy. Morris Venden©s Phohe 301-680-651S; Fax 301-680-65(32: ; four decades of preaching about grace have helped tens E-mai! [email protected] of thousands rediscover the gladness of being children of www.ministerialassociation.com God. He now is associate speaker for the Voice of Prophecy, the This seminar is ideal for ministerial/clergy association international radio broadcast of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. meetings, seminary or college classes, and chaplain groups. This seminar is made possible with the cooperation of Sponsored by Ministry Magazine Oakwood College and Southern Adventist University. Satellite broadcast in North America nr Satellite broadcast SOUTHERN Professional Growth Seminars outside of North America GENERAL CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVEIMTISTS Nonprofit Organization MINISTRY U.S. Postage 1350 N.KINGS ROAD PAID NAMPA, ID 83687-3193 Nampa, ID Permit No. 147 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED