INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PASTORS OCTOBER 2008 FEATURING FIRSTGLANCE Ministry® is the international journal of the Seventh-day Adventist® Ministerial Association and has been published since 1928. Association Secretary James A. Cress The Church in Inter and South Editor Nikolaus Satelmajer 5 Associate Editor Willie E. Hucks II America: An interview Consultant to Editor Myrna Tetz Editorial Assistant Sheryl Beck The division presidents of the Adventist Church in two Database Assistant John Feezer IV divisions share their thoughts about God’s work in their Professional Growth Anthony Kent IN Contributing Editors Jonas Arrais, Sharon Cress, regions of the world. John M. Fowler, Clifford Goldstein, Anthony Kent, EVERY Peter Prime, Kit Watts ISSUE Nikolaus Satelmajer and Willie E. Hucks II International Editors Chinese Robert Wong Indonesian Edwin T. Pandjaitan Letters Japanese Yukio Ebihara Murder or deserved death? Korean Sung Sun Hong 3 10 Portuguese Zinaldo Santos Ministry under fi re Russian Ilie Leahu Spanish Marcos Blanco (South America) Editorial What is the message in the story of Nadab and Abihu for Spanish Fernando Zabala (Inter America) 4 today’s pastors? International Advisors Ron Clouzet, Daniel Duda, R. Danforth Francis, Passmore Hachalinga, John Kakembo, Efraín Velázquez II Ilie Leahu, Miguel Luna, Bruno Raso, Hector Sanchez, Dateline Houtman Sinaga, Bruno Vertallier, Gary Webster, Measapogu Wilson 28 Consulting Editors Leslie Baumgarter, S. Peter An interview with George Brown Campbell, Ben Clausen, John C. Cress, Raoul Dederen, 13 Ron Flowers, Jeanne Hartwell, Michael Hasel, Roland Book Review A former division president shares valuable insights about Hegstad, Mitchell Henson, Gerry Karst, Kathleen 29 Kuntaraf, Ekkehardt Mueller, Norma Osborn, Jan leadership. Paulsen, Robert Peach, Leslie Pollard, Ángel Manuel Rodríguez, Fredrick Russell, Maylan Schurch, Loren Sandra Doran Seibold, William Shea, Penny Shell, Dan Smith, Russell Pastor’s Pastor Staples, Richard Tibbits, Steve Willsey, Edward Zinke 30 Advertising Editorial Offi ce Small groups in the Adventist Subscriptions/renewals/address changes 17 [email protected] (email); 301-680-6512 (phone); 301-680-6502 (fax) Church in South America Ministerial Resource Center Cathy Payne See how the power of small groups resulted in rapid church 888-771-0738, 301-680-6508 Cover Illustration Abel Marquez growth. Layout 316 Creative Subscriptions 12 issues: United States US$32.50; Jolivê Chaves Canada and overseas US$45.50; single copy US$3.00. To order: send name, address, and payment to Ministry® Subscriptions, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Building a growing church: The Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600 U.S.A. 20 Web site www.ministrymagazine.org South American experience To Writers We welcome unsolicited manuscripts. Before submitting, review the writers’ guidelines at How has membership grown in South America? What www.ministrymagazine.org. Please send manuscripts via email with your name, address, and telephone lessons can others learn from them? number. Send editorial correspondence to [email protected]. Alberto R. Timm Ministry® (ISSN 0026-5314) is a journal of the Ministerial Association, © 2008, published monthly by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® and printed by Pacifi c Press® Pub. Assn., 1350 N. Kings Road, 24 An interview with Alejandro Nampa, ID 83687-3193. Member Associated Church Press. Standard mail postage paid at Nampa, Idaho. Bullón Adventist®, Seventh-day Adventist®, and Ministry® are the registered trademarks of the General Conference A well-known evangelist talks about ministry in South Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists®. America. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Vol. 80 Number 10 Marcos De Benedicto Bible credits Scripture quoted from NIV are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version. Scriptures quoted from NKJV are from The New King James Version, copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers. 2 MINISTRY October 2008 Letters Our Readers Respond... Pastors’ spouses meetings, I’ve made friends with whom I As I read the prophecies, it seems to hanks to Ellie Gil for her heartfelt article have met outside of our regular meetings. me that it will not be so much technol- T(“Finding Purpose in a Multichurch Some of the best advice that I’ve been ogy that will fi nish the gospel work, but District”—August 2008) about pastors’ given about ministry has come from members of the church that are awak- wives. As a pastor’s wife, I deeply appre- these friends. Recently, as I dealt with ened through the mighty power of the ciated her sentiments and advice. There a potentially explosive situation, one of Holy Spirit. The Lord has ordained each is so much emphasis on how pastors are my ministerial friends gave me practical member to be a living demonstration of called to a sacred ministry but very little to advice from his ministry that saved me His saving power and truth. It is this mani- help and support young ministers’ wives. from making some pretty tragic mistakes! festation of the Spirit that we need to be I believe that every pastor’s wife is equally Another colleague is an expert in preach- earnestly seeking. It is through this power called to ministry as is the pastor—and we ing, and because we worship on different that God will fi nish His work through His have as many shades of expression in that days, we have used this to our advantage people. Technology will undoubtedly be call as there are individuals. so that he can come to my church and a part of the mix, but must not be seen One thing I’ve learned the hard way constructively critique my preaching. as a substitute for a people empowered is when it comes to getting involved in My involvement in the local min- by the Holy Spirit. church as the pastor’s wife, it’s important isterial alliance has also boosted the —Jim Reinking, email not to just take the fi rst job thrust upon reputation of our church in the com- you. If you’re asked to do something munity. I was asked by its president if Biblical canon that you’re neither gifted at nor passion- our church would host an Easter prayer While as a conservative Christian ate about, consider carefully whether service during the Passion Week. I wasn’t I appreciate John C. Peckham’s article God is calling you to do it. Accepting a sure what to expect, since this was our (“The Biblical Canon: Do We Have the position too quickly can lead to burnout first time hosting a joint ministerial Right Bible?”—June 2008) and efforts and frustration, or even resentment of event. When I showed up to our own to frame the current debate over the ministry in general. church, it was packed with people from canon in easily understood terminology, I have also discovered that when our community. Soon thereafter, I was and while I found his arguments and things get tough, or my husband the pas- asked to give a short talk about the description to be solid and disarmingly tor is working through church confl ict, it meaning of the Cross. People came up to simple, I think that many of us in the can be easy to start thinking of members me, expressing to me that they were so conservative wing of Christianity like to as “those people.” happy to know that Adventists believe in think that the issues are simpler and the But I have learned to call them “our the death of Jesus Christ. As I ran errands answers more easily arrived at than they people.” And I do so because these are over the next couple of weeks across really are. To be fair to the importance the people whom God has called my town, I had numerous people come up of the issue and to those who seriously husband to shepherd and whom we to me and ask me if I was the Adventist are studying this very important topic, are called to serve. Without them, we pastor. When I replied “Yes,” they told we need to acknowledge that simplistic wouldn’t have a reason to be here. me how delighted they were to attend formulations do a disservice to the Bible. —Sarah K. Asaftei, Marietta, Georgia, United that prayer service and how they now In his article, he was gracious and positive States know that Adventists are Christians. and as thorough as he could be in a short —Michael Campbell, pastor, Montrose, Colo- space as he discussed the issues. I am Ministerial associations rado, United States more concerned about those who will s someone who also recently transi- read what he wrote and sigh contentedly Ationed from a post in church admin- Evangelizing the world that, yes, once again someone affi rmed istration to the pastorate, I appreciate Jeff have appreciated Mark Finley’s many their position, and go on without carefully Scoggins’s article titled “The Local Ministe- Iyears of tireless commitment to evan- considering all sides of the discussion rial Alliance: Strengthened by Differences” gelism. As I refl ect upon the Mark Finley which is occurring today. (August 2008). Shortly before I made this interview (“Evangelism—The Heartbeat Many of us feel that the church—as transition, a mentor shared with me that of the Church: An Interview With Mark it slid away from the simplicity of the this was an important area of support, Finley”—June 2008), it makes sense to use gospel—made many and serious mistakes and that I should seek to become involved every avenue available to us, including in it’s church councils.