October 2012 SOUTHERN Pastors Are People, Too Sección En Español Vantage Point The Alarm Clock of Prophecy There is a clock called “prophecy” contained within the Holy Scriptures to assist human beings in the aimless meandering of life. Look at some of God’s timetables! Israel’s Egyptian exodus was dated, as was its Canaan entrance. The Bible outlines many prophecies. I am sure that Christ’s return is dated and will be neither delayed for indulgence nor advanced for impatience. It is as calculated and dated as His birth. Count on it! There is nothing nebulous about the return of Christ. Check His first advent. Galatians 4:4 says, “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.” John the Baptist had no misgivings about God’s schedule. Mark 1:15 reports, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel.” God is conscious of the clock! The Bible writers often used agrarian terms to signal the coming of Jesus, and the time when Jesus returns for His children. Mark 4:29 says, “But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” Notice the picture language of the Bible. John saw that sickle. He reports in Revelation 14:15, Ron C. Smith, “And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on D.Min., Ph.D. the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: … for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” There Southern Union will be a summation, an end-time, and a harvest. President Keep something in mind when using and following this picture. Not all grain rip- ens at once and together. So harvesting is a protracted business. It suggests a period of time. The writer of the Chronicles pictures the harvest as the time of David’s victory and the day of the overcomer. How near to this are we? There are definite patterns throughout your Bible to suggest that God always works to a plan. To this end, the books of Daniel and Revelation showcase prophecies that point out how our world will end and how the return of Jesus will usher in the great day of the Lord. We encourage you to read and study God’s Word, for it outlines the picture in vivid relief. Christ has extended an offer of grace for a limited time. How we view it and what we do with it is our personal responsibility. This I know! It is an offer that will be with- drawn at any moment. The clock of prophecy signals the alarm. 2 T IDINGS • October 2012 SOUTHERN Contents Volume 106, No. 10, October 2012 The Southern Tidings is the Official FEATURES Publication of the Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists SOUTHERN UNION CONFERENCE Pastors Are People, Too 3978 Memorial Drive • Mail Address P.O. Box 849, Decatur, Georgia 30031 Telephone (404) 299-1832 www.southernunion.com 4 Staff Editor R. STEVEN NORMAN III Editorial Assistant IRISENE DOUCE Circulation BOBBIE MILLBURN The Return Advertising NATHAN ZINNER Production COLLEGE PRESS Layout BRIAN WIEHN Contributing Editors 6 Adventist Health System RAINEY TURLINGTON Adventist University of Health Sciences SARAH CROWDER Florida Hospital for Carolina RON QUICK CREATION Health LYNELL LAMOUNTAIN Children Opens Bone Florida MARTIN BUTLER Marrow Transplant Unit Georgia-Cumberland TAMARA WOLCOTT FISHER Gulf States BECKY GRICE 9 Hispanic MARIEL LOMBARDI Kentucky-Tennessee STEVE ROSE Oakwood University TIM ALLSTON South Atlantic WHITNEY JORDAN I Was in Prison and You South Central MICHAEL HARPE Southeastern ROBERT HENLEY Visited Me Southern Adventist University LUCAS PATTERSON Conference/Institution Directory 10 CAROLINA (704) 596-3200 P.O. Box 44270, Charlotte, NC 28215 FLORIDA (407) 644-5000 P.O. Box 2626, Winter Park, FL 32790-2626 A Student Missionary GEORGIA-CUMBERLAND (706) 629-7951 P.O. Box 12000, Calhoun, GA 30703-7001 Writes Home GULF STATES (334) 272-7493 P.O. Box 240249, Montgomery, AL 36117 11 KENTUCKY-TENNESSEE (615) 859-1391 P.O. Box 1088, Goodlettsville, TN 37070-1088 SOUTH ATLANTIC (404) 792-0535 P.O. Box 92447, M.B., Sta., Atlanta, GA 30314 SOUTH CENTRAL (615) 226-6500 P.O. Box 24936, Nashville, TN 37202 12 Adventist Health System SOUTHEASTERN (352) 735-3142 P.O. Box 1016, Mt. Dora, FL 32756-0056 13 Adventist University of Health Sciences ADVENTIST HEALTH SYSTEM (407) 357-2482 14 Carolina 900 Hope Way, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714 ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY OF 16 Florida HEALTH SCIENCES (800) 500-7747 18 Georgia-Cumberland 671 Winyah Drive, Orlando, FL 32803 OAKWOOD UNIVERSITY (256) 726-7000 20 Gulf States EWS 7000 Adventist Blvd., Huntsville, AL 35896 22 Kentucky-Tennessee SOUTHERN ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY (800) SOUTHERN P.O. Box 370, Collegedale, TN 37315-0370 24 South Atlantic SOUTHERN TIDINGS Volume 106 Number 10, October 2012. 25 Southern Adventist University Published monthly by the Southern Union. Free to all members. N POSTMASTER: send changes of address to Southern Tidings, 26 South Central P.O. Box 849, Decatur, GA 30031 28 Hispanic [email protected] 43 Announcements 44 Classified Advertising 47 Events Calendar October 2012 • T IDINGS 3 Cover Feature Pastors are People, TOO BY ROGER HERNANDEZ Someone wrote that being a pas- MINISTRY CHALLENGES attention, your children expect a trip tor can sometimes feel like “being to the mall, and your dog expects a the captain of a ship, in the middle Expectations walk. You are supposed to preach of a storm, in shark infested waters, Everybody has a plan for the like John the Baptist, lead like John with a mutinous crew, and a leaky pastor. The Conference, Union, Maxwell, make your children laugh boat.” That’s pretty extreme, but it’s Division, and General Conference like Johnny English (Google it), and no secret that ministry has some are all interested in providing great be holy like John the Apostle. It’s not challenges. Since October is Pastor programs that you should try imme- easy fulfilling all the demands people Appreciation Month, I’d like to give diately. Your elders, board, ministry have on your life. you a glimpse of some of those chal- teams, and members are delighted to lenges, and then offer some practical implement those programs as long Conflict suggestions to affirm the ministry of as it does not disturb what they are A recent study revealed that pas- the men and women who serve in doing and someone else can do it. tors are involved in a serious conflict our Union as pastors. Your spouse expects your love and in their church at least once a month. 4 T IDINGS • October 2012 Acting as a referee and making a members do 80 percent of the Get Involved decision one way or another can work, and give 80 percent of the Probably this one trumps all send the signal that the pastor favors funds. This creates a problem in two others. What would happen if you one side over the other, which cre- fronts. One, it can cause frustration went to your pastor along with two ates some uncomfortable situations. in the pastor, as he sees the lack of others, and asked for a meeting? Put Conflict is stressful, and many times cooperation and commitment. Two, on your solemn face as you request the effects from it are carried into the it can create some push back from to have the meeting as soon as pos- pastor’s home, affecting the quality the congregation when the reality sible. When you show up, explain of life of the family. This is accentu- of their present state is presented to that the reason you are there is to ated when the conflict is with the them and commitment is asked for. offer to help in whatever is needed. pastor itself, which, if not managed After applying CPR, you will have a properly, can influence negatively Ideas for Affirmation very happy pastor! Be a part of the the pastor’s family’s perception of Here are some practical sugges- 20 percent. ministry, especially the children. tions you can do to affirm your pas- tor’s ministry as well as the family’s. Love their Children Finances Unconditionally It is no secret that we are living Affirm the Positive Pastors’ children are just that: in difficult financial times. Here are Many times, the people who children. They possess no super- some interesting facts about Adven- call, text, email, or come to see the natural powers, and should not be tist pastors in North America, and pastor do it because they have an expected to perform as super-Chris- the length of service in their present issue to resolve, a problem to share, tians. Give them a break. Love them. district: or a criticism to impart. Do some- Nurture them. Make them want to be 51 percent: 3 years or less thing different. Catch your pastor pastors when they grow up by the 21 percent: 4-6 years doing something good and make a way you treat their parents. 10 percent: 7-9 years big deal about it. It works with chil- Pastors are not perfect. They are 11 percent: 10 years or more dren: It’s called positive affirmation. sinners saved by grace just like you The constant moving can strain It works with adults, too. Most pas- and me. Make this October Pastors’ the finances (as well as many other tors don’t work for the money or the Appreciation Month a special one. areas). It’s hard to gain equity in a affirmation, but it is always nice to My friend, Pastor Chuck Burkeen, home, find new doctors, dentists, feel that someone cares enough to has the following quote in his email and day care.