UKXIJ paajs^ sjenxasomojj Letters Parsonage allowance alert resources for those in the ministry. J. Ron du Preez responds: A thoughtful I am happy to report that the problem Alfred Johnson II, Central States reading of my article shows that only a outlined in the November 1995 issue Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, small part deals with the question of a has been solved. President Clinton Kansas City, Kansas biblical basis. Just as in Acts 15, where recently signed into law the Small the written Word of God is referred or Business Job Protection Act of 1996, Divine designs for dealing with alluded to twice as much as the work of which included a provision that the rental ethical issues the Holy Spirit, so I have the same value of any parsonage or a parsonage Ron du Preez© article (September balance in my article. allowance for a retired minister is not 1996) demands a challenge. One can The point is that these early subject to self-employment (SECA) agree that Acts 15 is a great place to find Christians did indeed go to the written tax. While the Church Retirement a model for dealing with church issues. Word of God (see Acts 15:15-17, etc.) Benefits Simplification Act of 1995 did Mr. du Preez has some very good points in order to discover which ethical not make it through Congress, we are and insights into what happened at that standards were to be followed by the pleased that this significant provision first church council. But du Preez© believers. Obviously, by omitting any survived to be included in the ©96 Act. article violates the central and obvious reference to circumcision, while Thank you to all of the clergy who reality in the whole Acts 15 story. mentioning other vital moral matters, responded to this call to write to their Indeed, it contradicts that reality! Du they were indicating that they U.S. Senators and Representatives, Preez asserts no less than nine times, in understood that this Old Testament urging a legislative solution to the various ways and allusions, that the ritual was not binding on Christians. problem. Thomas E. Wetmore, council at Jerusalem was following The careful Bible scholar recognizes Associate General Counsel, General "scriptural" or "word of God" or that Christians were not required to Conference of Seventh-day Adventists "biblical basis," etc., in finding the maintain what Ellen White calls "the solution to the circumcision issue in the ceremonial distinction of circumcision" If at first you don©t succeed beg early church. He tries to make the point (Acts of the Apostles, 141, cf., 194, for mercy that they found guidance for their 195). Other theologians note that after In the August 1996 issue of conclusion to dispose of the requirement the cross, this ritual was no longer Ministry, Jim Cress©s article about in Scripture. Nothing could be further needed (see Berkhof©s Systematic failure thrilled me. You see, at Union from the truth! Theology, p. 620; Leon-Dufour©s College elementary school, Mrs. The careful student of Scripture Dictionary of Bible Theology, p. 79). Moyers was merciful to me. She let knows that not only is there no In other words, circumcision was me take the 6th grade Bible exam four reference to Scripture as the basis of actually part of the ceremonial law (in times, until I finally passed! the decision they made, but all the its broader sense) that was done away Anna English, my 8th grade teacher, Scripture was in favor of those who with at the cross. told my parents that I would have to wanted to retain the circumcision Concerning Acts 15, Ellen White repeat the 8th grade unless I significantly standard. No one at the Jerusalem notes: "The Holy Ghost saw good not to improved. My dad saw to it that I council used any scriptural argument impose the ceremonial law on the improved. whatsoever to justify the conclusion Gentile converts; and the apostles and At Maplewood Academy, Mr. Ford they came to. They just said, "It elders, after careful investigation of called me into his office two months seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to the subject, saw the matter in the same before graduation (©39) and informed us . ." to dispose of the requirement. light" (Story of Redemption, p. 307, me that I probably would not graduate, In discarding circumcision, the Chris [emphasis added]). which scared me into enough midnight tian teachers in Jerusalem were clearly Thus, the actions of these early hours to eke through chemistry. setting a different course from Moses. Christians did not contradict God©s At Peabody College for Teachers The real message of Acts 15 is that Word, but instead faithfully followed (Vanderbilt) I failed my doctoral orals. the new pathways in which God chooses Scripture as they understood the wider When I retook them I passed over the to lead His people cannot always be scope and broader meaning of the negative vote of the chairman. found in previous Scripture, and that ceremonial laws. In brief, Acts 15 Praise the Lord for mercy.... Felix sometimes the church has to move teaches that as believers seek for A. Lorenz, Jr., Northville, Michigan ahead on the basis of practical and guidance on ethical issues, they need to redemptive considerations, under the be sensitive, both to the guidance of the June issue guidance of the Holy Spirit, even when Holy Spirit as well as to the divinely- The June 1996 issue of Ministry was there is no previous paradigm to refer inspired Scriptures, neither of which a winner from cover to cover. Keep on to. Elder K. Walter, Springfield, will contradict the other. Ron du being used by the Lord to provide rich Oregon. Preez, Collegedale, Tennessee If you©re receiving MINISTRY bimonthly without having paid for a subscription, it©s not a mistake. Since 1928 MINISTRY has been published for Seventh-day Adventist ministers, but we believe 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 Jesus Christ. We want to share with you our aspirations and faith in a way that we trust will provide inspiration and help to you too. We hope you will accept this journal as our outstretched hand to you. Look over our shoulders, take what you want and find helpful, and discard what you cannot use. Bimonthly gift subscriptions are available to all licensed and/or ordained clergy. Requests should be on church letterhead. 2 MINISTRY/NOVEMBER 1996 First Glance This month we take up the issue of homosexuality. Although 2 Letters there is some significant reflection in one or two of our theme 4 Are you ready to quit? articles on the source and "curability" of homosexuality, our Will Eva primary focus is on the more general challenge of how to be pastors following Christ in our care of those who are 5 Without a smile Walter Pearson homosexual. In addressing this question, we must declare a foundational 6 Compassion an alternative lifestyle belief that along with some heterosexual behavior, the practice John C. Cress of all homosexual behavior is foreign to God©s original design 10 A homosexual in my congregation? for human sexuality. Sexuality is not only to be experienced Kate McLaughlin and celebrated within the bounds of heterosexual marriage as a beautiful "recreative" divine gift, but is also to be embraced, 12 Homosexuality: establishing a Christian backdrop for pastoral care because of its inherent powers, as a "procreative" gift. It is this Thomas E. Schmidt foundational procreative capability that homosexuality, by its innate physical design, is clearly unable to achieve and thus to 15 Do you pray for gays? authentically celebrate. This obvious and natural inadequacy Julia C. S. Vernon in homosexual relationships demonstrates the foreignness of 16 Ministry through a sewing machine and a cookbook homosexuality to God©s will and creative genius, and to what is essential in human sexuality and our very existence. 18 Ten commandments for improving pastoral marriage counseling We believe it is critical to preserve the integrity of God©s Barry C. Black original design and craft of humanity. We believe also that this same humanity is jaded when one human being steps in to 22 Christians and the homosexual destructively judge the personal life of another. Thus we are J. Grant Swank, Jr. contending for a christocentric, biblical, and decisive approach 23 A cry from the valley of death as we care for those with homosexual concerns. Bruce Moyer We will not all agree with what we read in this issue, but 26 A practical theology of ordination whatever our thinking, it is always ours to exercise the spirit of Keith A. Burton Christian forbearance. 28 Caring in the age of AIDS James A. Cress 30 Seminary extension courses for North America Benjamin D. Schoun 31 Shop Talk Ministry is the international journal Walter L. Pearson, Jr. Ekkhardt Mueller, Euro-Africa SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: Steve Hanson of the Seventh-day Adventist Joel Sarli P.O. Box 219, CH 3000 Ministerial Association. Michael A. Speegle Berne 32, Switzerland Ministry, (ISSN 0026-5314), the interna Heikki Silvet, Euro-Asia tional journal of the Seventh-day Adventist ASSOCIATION SECRETARY: CONSULTING EDITORS: Isakovskogo St. #4, Korpus 1, Ministerial Association 1996, is published James A. Cress Matthew Bediako Stroghino, 123181 Moscow, Russia monthly by the General Conference of Ellen Bresee Jaime Castrejon, Inter-America Seventh-day Adventists and printed by the EDITOR: Willmore D. Eva Floyd Bresee P.O.