Best Practices
| July 13, 2011
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 "Lord Jesus, bless all who serve us, who have dedicated their lives to the ministry of others - all the teachers of our schools who labor so patiently with so little appreciation; all who wait upon the public, the clerks in the stores who have to accept criticism, complaints, bad manners, selfishness at the hands of a thoughtless public. Bless the mailman, the drivers of streetcars and buses who must listen to people who lose their tempers.
Bless every humble soul who, in these days of stress and strain, preaches sermons without words."
- The Prayers of Peter Marshall
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| Editorial | |
 Visiting the Saints at Home
by Loren Seibold, Best Practices editor
When I was child, it wasn't unusual for people to drive up to your house unannounced and be invited in - relatives, salesmen, friends just passing by. One of those was the pastor. He'd stop in just to pray for us, and if it was mealtime, he'd stay to eat.
In my mind, doing home visits is kind of a quaint idea, harking back to rural times when someone was always home. Which is probably why, when I announced that I'd be visiting all the homes of the people on my church membership lists, the response from the older members was enthusiastic. "That's just what we need. We haven't had that for a long time."
This last, I knew, wasn't completely accurate: my predecessor was a very outgoing fellow, and I knew he had visited church families, making me think this complaint had taken on the status of a permanent grumbling point about pastors. Plus, he is a better Bible worker and evangelist than I am, and was more likely to have spent his visiting time at the homes of non-members - and shouldn't that be more important?
While the older set (50+) was enthusiastic, the younger families (below 40) seemed puzzled. They'd heard of pastors visiting members' homes, but some couldn't quite picture it. One younger man put his hand over the phone mouthpiece (which, by the way, doesn't work and never has) and I heard this, muffled: "The pastor has this strange notion that he has to visit everyone's home. Can he come over here?" Apparently his wife said yes.
Even among those who thought visiting was a good thing, it's been awfully hard to get it done. When I was a child, nearly every mom was home and could get ready for guests. Nowadays no one is home for most of the day, and people don't necessarily want guests. Except perhaps for those in nursing homes, every visit has to be scheduled. You can suggest a dozen times and not find one that works. Some just said, "We'll call you" - which hasn't happened either. Visiting is great in principle. It just doesn't fit into the reality of busy families. Which is why with some we settled on meeting somewhere for lunch.
I know a pastor who's an exceptional preacher and leader, who told his large institutional church from the time that he interviewed there that he'd not visit anyone. His role was preaching and administration - he had associates to do the personal work. In fact, his church is so large that he'd probably never get to but a fraction of the people anyway, and he's got plenty of other things to do. Still, I wondered whether it was wise for him to make that announcement.
Do you visit the homes of your church members? How often, and for what purpose? Is it an idea whose time has passed? Or is it still needed? Let's talk about it on our Best Practices Facebook page. 
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| Media |
 Adventist pastors (or pastors of any faith) aren't supposed to be addicted to pornography. Yet several years ago, Bernie Anderson found himself in this uncomfortable spot. Learn how God took Anderson's recipe for disaster and turned it into a powerful healing ministry in this winner of the 2011 SONscreen Film Festival professional category. Currently Anderson serves as Lead Pastor of the Wasatch Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church in Salt Lake City, UT.  The next Adventist Media Summit presentation is uploaded and ready to view. Brian Solis is globally recognized as one of the most prominent thought leaders and published author in new media. A digital analyst, sociologist, and futurist, Solis has influence the effects of emerging media on the convergence of marketing, communications, and publishing. He is principal at Altimeter Group, a research-based advisory firm, and has led interactive and social programs for Fortune 500 companies, notable celebrities, and Web 2.0 startups. Brian works with business on new media strategies and frameworks to build bridges between companies and customers, employees, and other important stakeholders.
 The secret password has been removed from the video about the implosion of the Marion Church. Thanks to Mark Piotrowski for catching the mistake. Marion Seventh-day Adventist church, founded in 1888 has long passed its glory days. Pastor Mar de Oliveira, in trying to bring some life back into the church somehow alienates the key leaders. He is left with as few as eight people attending. Listen to Mar as he tells the story of how the church is beginning to rediscover itself after the church leadership meltdown.  NAD Communication Department is launching a new show entitled Tech Talk. Listen to Pastor Bryant Taylor and Chip Dizard share some of their excitement about the potential that the iPad has for ministry.
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| Reading for Pastors | Focus on the Family was a major resource early in my ministry, and I appreciated much of what they produced. Through the years my allegiance waned because of Dobson's persistent political drumbeat. Its new president, Jim Daly, has the notion that Focus on the Family should be about families! (Read the whole Christianity Today interview here .)
Christianity Today editor David Neff remembers his Seventh-day Adventist father. Quote: "Fathers and sons often don't see eye to eye.... But on this we agreed: The Christian faith is essentially eschatological." Video: How to remember names of people you've just met. Is church membership Biblical? Matt Chandler thinks it is. Quote: "If there is no understanding of local church membership, then who are we to submit to and obey?" From a stewardship specialist: 11 reasons not to offer online giving . Quote: Reason #1: "You want to frustrate those who no longer use checks or carry cash." A fantastic piece to share with your church board! Greg Atkinson gives 8 reasons people come once and don't come back. Quote: "One way to assure guests will not return is to have a confusing, long or hard to find process for getting their kids registered and in the right classroom." The sad end of one of the most successful American ministries: Schuller's Crystal Cathedral. What will happen if there's no federal budget agreement by August 3? Monte Sahlin asks. Is your congregation ready to help your people who don't get full Social Security checks? Josh McDowell: the internet is destroying Christianity. Quote: "I made the statement off and on for 10-11 years that the abundance of knowledge, the abundance of information, will not lead to certainty; it will lead to pervasive skepticism. And, folks, that's exactly what has happened. It's like this. How do you really know, there is so much out there... This abundance [of information] has led to skepticism." Do you agree? Recently a church member told me that we shouldn't organize church because we should let the Spirit lead, even if it leads to 3 or 4 hour services. Apparently the English bishops don't agree. They want church to be shorter. |
| To the Point | |
A collection of quotes from the Scottish-American preacher and senate chaplain Peter Marshall:
A different world cannot be built by indifferent people.
Give to us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for - because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything.
God will not permit any troubles to come upon us, unless He has a specific plan by which great blessing can come out of the difficulty.
If you hug to yourself any resentment against anybody else, you destroy the bridge by which God would come to you.
It is better to fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed than to succeed in a cause that will ultimately fail.
Lord, where we are wrong, make us willing to change; where we are right, make us easy to live with.
May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right.
Most of us know perfectly well what we ought to do; our trouble is that we do not want to do it.
One person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety-nine who have only interests.
Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned.
Teach us, O Lord, the disciplines of patience, for to wait is often harder than to work.
The measure of life is not its duration, but its donation.
When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.
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| News, Ideas & Reminders |
- the One project: Seattle // February 13-14. A gathering of Adventists celebrating the supremacy of Jesus Christ. Your call to ministry came from Jesus, your passion for ministry finds its flame in Him, and your strength for ministry comes from Him; so come be refreshed and re-calibrated. For more information, contact info@the1project.org or visit http://www.the1project.org.
- Pacific Press is recommending Steve Wohlberg's Exposing Harry Potter to coincide with the release of the latest in that franchise. Wohlberg asks, does this kind of entertainment give people a taste for the occult?
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| Upcoming NAD Events |
Do you have an event you'd like to invite NAD pastors to? Send details to BestPractices@Ameritech.net. Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day. Aug 27, 2011, World Wide. Order a FREE kit from AdventSource to help you plan an event for your church. If the fourth Sabbath in August is not a convenient date for your church to observe Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day, please work with your pastor to find another date. This year's resources will be available on the web site beginning in June. Phone: 800-328-0525. For more information, email: service@adventsource.org Pacific Union Ministerial Council. Aug 29, 2011 - Aug 31, 2011, Ontario Convention Center, 2000 E Convention Center Way, Ontario, CA 91764. Be enriched by outstanding preaching, practical workshops, inspirational music and refreshing fellowship with pastors from around the Pacific Union. Phone: 805-413-7254. For more information, email: vivienne@puconline.org Men's Ministries Day of Prayer. Sep 3, 2011, North American Division. Across the North American Division churches rally their men to pray for their families and churches. For more information, email: mlabrador@carolinasda.com Nurture Periodicals. Sep 4, 2011 - Sep 10, 2011, North American Division. Adventist Review, Insight, Guide, Primary Treasure, Our Little Friend. Festival of the Laity 2011. Sep 7, 2011 - Sep 10, 2011, Sheraton Dallas, 400 N Olive Street, Dallas, TX 75402. Come for training and strengthening your ministry capacity in the areas of: Bible Instructors, Children, Christian Education, Communication, Community Service, Deacons & Deaconess, Disabilities, Elder, Family & Singles, Greeters & Ushers, Health, Hospitality, Information Technology, Pastors, Pastors' Spouses, Personal, Prayer, Prison, Sabbath School, Stewardship, Women, Young Adult, Youth. Phone: 301-680-6430. For more information, email: carol.barron@nad.adventist.org. 7th Annual National Conference on Innovation: where provocative thinkers collide and engage in meaningful, unexpected conversations. October 2-4, 2011, Crowne Plaza - 33 East Fifth Street, Dayton, OH 45402. Presenters Include anna Lappe, Gabe Lyons, Ron Stout, Diana Fleming, Sid Lloyd. Online registration here. |
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Best Practices is a Vervent publication of NAD CHURCH RESOURCE CENTER. Editor: Loren Seibold, Ohio Conference. E-mail:
Best Practices. You are free to republish pieces from Best Practices in your own
newsletter or blog, with attribution to the Best Practices newsletter and the
author of the piece. |
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