Best Practices
| March 8, 2012
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"We also, before the temptation comes, think we can walk upon the sea, but when the winds blow, we feel ourselves begin to sink . . . and yet doth it yield no good unto us? We could not live without such turnings of the hand of God upon us. We should be overgrown with flesh, if we had not our seasonable winters. It is said that in some countries trees will grow, but will bear no fruit, because there is no winter there."
- John Bunyan
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| Ministry |  They Called Him Rabbi
Teaching is as important as preaching in a sermon
When Jesus walked the dusty roads of Palestine, He was acknowledged by the people as Rabbi, meaning teacher. In fact, teaching is what occupied most of Christ's time on earth. As a former teacher myself, I sense that it is not just preaching that needs to be done from the pulpit, but teaching.
Both preaching and teaching should be part of a sermon, but they're not necessarily the same. Preaching means to advocate a belief, or to publicly proclaim a message. Teaching encourages learning through explanation or demonstration. If we leave teaching out of our sermons we cannot expect our congregations to follow through with what we advocate or be empowered by our messages. Matthew 28:20 says that we are to teach people to obey, not tell people to obey. Telling brings awareness and conviction, but teaching enables.
I write my sermon with the question, "What do I want my congregation to learn from scripture, and apply to their lives?" I want not just to advocate, but to answer their what, why, and how questions. The results have been gratifying.
Take, for example, the concept of sanctification. When I was a layperson I remember that pastors used the word "sanctify" often, but I can't remember any explanation as to what the word actually meant. When I explained it to my congregation, and how it applied to our journey as disciples, I had several members thank me because in their decades as Adventist believers no one had ever made it clear to them.
Similarly, people often participate in communion with only a weak understanding of what it means. I split my communion sermon into three small sermons, one to be preached for each of the ordinances: the footwashing, the bread, and the wine. Many members confessed that they had never realized that the bread and the wine were akin to legal contracts with God, promising to exchange their life for the life of Jesus and giving God permission and themselves a willingness to be changed into new creatures in Christ.
Our members may understand what our doctrines say, but they may not understand the reasons behind them, or how they'll help them to follow Christ. I would encourage that we would all be known as teachers, as Jesus was, so that our members can move from knowing what we believe and ought to do towards understanding the whys and hows of discipleshi
What's your experience? Comment on this article at our Facebook page |
| Response |
After a lifetime of pastoral ministry I couldn't agree more. The relationship stuff is certainly the most challenging, demanding, and frustrating side of ministry. It can also be the most rewarding and personally fulfilling. But does anyone ever 'master' it? I can't say I ever did. I continually felt like a beginner, even after 40 years.
Most pastors now at rest might have lived longer on another career path. I thank God for the positive relationship stuff that kept the negative stuff from becoming overwhelming. Would I follow the promptings again? Yes. Would I plan to be more fervent in prayer? Absolutely. I always admired certain colleagues who seemed to function unscathed by criticisms and conflict
- Ken Lockwood
As the wife of a retired pastor, I think being a true shepherd is a lot like a good marriage - you have to get a lot of rough edges knocked off - a lot of personal stuff left behind - in the process, but you have to keep persevering. If you're willing to keep working and learning, it gradually gets better and you enjoy it more. Basically, it's called learning to be unselfish.
Great article! Should be reading for all considering the call.
- Cam Page |
Upcoming Conferences
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Andrews Music and Worship Conference: March 29-31  NAD Ministerial is delighted to partner with Andrews University in offering the 2012 Music and Worship Conference. Click the photo to the left to watch a short video invitation from Conference director Nick Zork. March 29-31, 2012 will mark the ninth annual Andrews University Music and Worship Conference. "For effective worship ministry in a changing world, we must stay rooted in firm Biblical principles. Hosted on the University campus, this conference will provide theologically-grounded training opportunities for church musicians, pastors, worship leaders, and anyone involved in worship ministry. As a participant, you will have access to a variety of seminars, workshops and worship experiences." 3 Rezns WP12 Is 4 U: April 8-11
 NAD Ministerial is delighted to partner with the Pacific Union Conference in offering WestPoint of Evangelism 2012. Click the photo to the left to watch a short invitaiton from conference director Brad Newton. " WestPoint is three days of speakers and seminars designed to inspire and strengthen God's call to connect your community with Christ. Meeting in the heart of the Silicon Valley, you have access to leaders from Facebook and Google to guide you towards the ways these two global-reach technologies can impact your local church's mission. WestPoint is seminars and workshops on church growth and evangelism, communication, the cutting edge resources for ministry, leadership, and Biblical teaching presented by experts who are not just reading about it but living it in daily ministry. SONscreen Film Festival: April 12-14
 Pastors, if you or some of your members are into film and video then they should check out the NAD sponsored SONscreen Film Festival. Click the photo to the left to watch a five minute video about this Adventist film festival. SONscreen is the annual gathering for Christian young adults who have a passion for using film and video for the purpose of creating timely and relevant productions for social awareness, outreach, and uplifting creative entertainment. Since its debut in October 2002 , the festival has become the destination for established and up-and-coming Christian filmmakers to share their creative work, gain exposure, and network with other media and film professionals. SONscreen Film Festival X is April 12-14, 2012 in Simi Valley, CA
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Resources for Pastors
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New Fund Raising Resource for Congregations Are you planning a building project--a new church, addition, school building, or Community Service building? Do you wonder how you should go about getting the funds? Does it seem like your campaign for funds goes on forever? Are your members or constituents tired of talking about money? If you have these questions and probably many others, Successful Fundraising, published by NAD Philanthropic Service for Institutions and distributed by AdventSource may be for you.
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| Reading for Pastors | Author Jane Overstreet on the six key traits of what she calls "unleaders".
Having once built a church in the face of community opposition, stories like this pique my interest. In suburban Chicago (not far from Bill Hybel's church) an Islamic congregation has repeatedly been denied permission to build a mosque in their preferred style, with dome and minaret, because it would be "obtrusive" - even though churches with towers exist in the same vicinity. Right or wrong?
Major denomination okays (optional) name change: Southern Baptists can now label their congregations "Great Commission Baptists".
A timely topic worth thinking about: should a politician's religion matter? In the next US election, at least one of our choices will be a Mormon or a Roman Catholic. Here is some interesting source material.
- Many past Presidents were less open about religion than candidates today - and some were decidedly unconventional. Quote: "Even though he is considered one of the greatest presidents, Abraham Lincoln likely would be neither nominated nor elected today: he never joined a church, publicly confessed a creed, nor publicly uttered belief in God's endorsement of his policies."
- Kennedy's decisive address about his religion in 1960 sounds like our traditional Adventist stance! Quote: "I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute, where no Catholic prelate would tell the president (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote; where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference; and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the president who might appoint him or the people who might elect him . . . and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all."
- Amy Sullivan's TIME essay on the de facto religious test in US politics. Quote: "Voters aren't wrong to care about the moral views that guide a candidate. The problem is that religion has become so politicized that it actually gets in the way of providing that moral clarity."
- And don't forget Article VI, paragraph 3: "No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."
A controversial answer to the question, "Why is God so silent?" Quote: "It is odd to say, but God's silence may actually preserve his mission for us. The ability to be stable here in this life is actually facilitated by God's (empirical) silence."
Outreach: what happens when you start a courageous outreach to gangs - and it attracts dangerous people? In this case, the city is shutting down Chattanooga's church-run Club Fathom. Quote: "Under the current mayor's administration and court rulings telling us how we are to conduct our worship services and what types of people we can or cannot allow - it makes it impossible to live out the gospel of Jesus Christ to love and accept all,"
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| To the Point | There is always one fact more in every man's case about which we know nothing . . . I have never met the man I could despair of after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.
- Oswald Chambers
In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.
- John Bunyan
First: He brought me here, it is by His will I am in this strait place; in that I will rest.
Next: He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child.
Then: He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow.
Last: In His good time, He can bring me out again - how and when, He knows.
Say: I am here - By God's appointment, in His keeping, under His training, for His time.
- Andrew Murray
You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.
- John Bunyan
If two angels were to receive at the same moment a commission from God, one to go down and rule earth's grandest empire, the other to go and sweep the streets of its meanest village, it would be a matter of entire indifference to each which service fell to his lot, the post of ruler or the post of scavenger; for the joy of the angels lies only in obedience to God's will.
- John Newton
Fear, lest, by forgetting what you are by nature, you also forget the need that you have of continual pardon, support, and supplies from the Spirit of grace, and so grow proud of your own abilities, or of what you have received from God."
- John Bunyan
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| News, Ideas & Reminders | A reminder that we have a Best Practices Facebook page that we'd love for you to join.
Humor: How you can tell if someone is new in church
Humor: You think elections are bad now?
Risk management for children under you care remains a big problem in the church. (Major lawsuits about sexual abuse against the church now working their way through courts in California.) Check here for latest child protective resources.
Other NAD resources:
From Walt Williams: InMinistry Spring Intensives now posted and open to interested pastors. Check in and check them out. One might be just what your ministry needs right now.
An early announcement of the 8th annual National Conference on Innovation, October 7-9, in Columbus, Ohio. Speakers include Miroslav Volf (Founder and Director of Yale Center for Faith and Culture and Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology, Yale University Divinity School), Mark Wexler (Executive Director and Co-Founder of Not for Sale, a movement to re-abolish slavery), and David Kinnaman (President of Barna Group, the nation's leading research organization focused on the intersection of faith and culture.)
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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.
Youth Week of Prayer. Mar 17, 2012 - Mar 24, 2012, North American Division. Special materials are available online. For more information, email: dunchiem@gc.adventist.org Great Controversy Tour . Mar 30, 2012 - Apr 12, 2012, Italy, Switzerland, France and Germany. Join Gerard Damsteegt, associate professor of church history at Andrews University to see prophecies of Daniel and Revelation come alive! Visit Rome, Italy and Reformation sites in the Waldensian Valleys, Switzerland, Germany and France. A most exciting experience! To reserve your spot, call or fax 269-471-5172. For more information, email: gctours@mac.com SEEDS Atlantic Union. Mar 30, 2012 - Apr 1, 2011, Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa, 243 Tresser Blvd, Stamford, CT 06901. The Festival of the Laity SEEDS Conference is for Church Members, Leaders, and Pastors Who Equip Them. You will find inspiring worship services, heartwarming music, exciting witnessing stories, challenging preaching, and 65 different seminars that will encourage and equip you for reaching people for God. Phone: 800-255-7568. For more information, email: ContactSEEDS@nadei.org Worldwide Day for Prayer and Fasting. Apr 7, 2012, Worldwide. First Sabbath of each quarter has been designated as days of prayer and fasting for the world church. Families and individuals are encouraged to establish the first day of each month and one day a week as normal or partial fast days. Support information and helps are being developed by the Prayer and Fasting Subcommittee. Religion Communicators Council. Apr 12, 2012 - Apr 14, 2012, Philadelphia Airport Marriott Hotel, 1 Arrivals Road (Terminal B), Philadelphia, PA 19153. Plan now to attend the annual convention for the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) "In(ter)dependence: Religion Communication Today". You will experience interactive workshops, and attend two award banquets. Featured Speaker: Debra L Mason, Executive Director, Religion Newswriters. For more information, email: rccprc@rcn.com; nmonn@pensions.org ASI - Mid-America Union. Apr 19, 2012 - Apr 22, 2012, Ramada Plaza Denver North, 10 E 120th Avenue, Northglenn, CO 80233. "Practical Evangelism". Featured speakers: Shawn Boonstra, Associate Director NAD Ministerial, and Don Mackintosh, Director NEWSTART Global Weimar Health Evangelism. Visit ASImidamerica.org for details. Adventist Singles Retreat - Chesapeake Conference. Apr 20, 2012 - Apr 22, 2012, Mount Aetna Retreat Center, 21905 Mt. Aetna Road, Hagerstown MD 21742. Guest Speaker: Nikolaus Satelmajer. Forest Randall will teach the Sabbath school lesson. Phone: 410-992-9731 or 410-531-3192. For more information, email: fmthomas1950@yahoo.com Adventist Singles - Pacific Union. Apr 26, 2012 - Apr 29, 2012, Loma Linda University, Wong Kerlee International Conference Center, Chan Shun Pavillion, 11121 Campus Street, Loma Linda, CA 92350. Featured Speakers: John Bradshaw, Director/Speaker, It Is Written; Luis Torres, President, Guam-Micronesia Mission. Phone: 805-413-7254. For more information, email: vivienne@puconline.org The ACS Outreach Leadership Conference is sponsored by the Adventist Community Services - Washington, the North Pacific Union Conference and NAD Adventist Community Services. It will be held at the Washington Conference Office in Federal Way, Washington on March 2-4, 2012. Participants will hear challenging speakers and choose from 30 training seminars. For registration and more information: www.washingtonconference.org/ACS.
Nonprofit Leadership Certification Program
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| Best Practices is a publication of the NAD Ministerial Department. Editor: Loren Seibold. Publisher: Ivan Williams. 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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