DISTRICT CHANGES AND THINKING MISSION

On Sabbath, January 15 I visited in the Bucks County Church.

It was my joy to be among the worshippers in the morning church service. The worship service was very engaging and I felt my spirit drawn to the Lord.

Elder Troy Haagenson had a wonderful sermon, encouraging us to consider the events of the world, with special attention drawn to the unsettling and unexplainable conditions in the natural world just in the last week’s news. He then gave an altar appeal for re-commitment to Christ and readiness for His coming and several people came forward.

I also had the joy to slip in to another room in the Bucks County Church where a new church plant is beginning to take shape. Hispanic members in the area around Bucks County are working diligently to raise up another new church to the glory of God.

Under able lay leadership, some of whom have been elders and leaders in Philadelphia Spanish churches, this new mission group began their first completely Hispanic worship service at the 11 o’clock hour.

I am thrilled to see the commitment and the willingness of these fine lay leaders to embrace the formation of a church plant process, with the conviction that God and the Holy Spirit can work through them as lay people and lay leaders in the raising up and the leadership of this new church.

In the afternoon, I met with an open meeting of the Bucks County Church family, as we dialogued regarding the decision by the December 8, 2010 Conference Executive Committee to place the Bucks County Church into a two church district comprising Bucks County and Fairview Village. This is the first time in many years that Bucks County has been a two church district, and many members wanted to voice their concern as to the effect this might have on the ability of a pastor to lead them forward in their mission initiatives for the coming year.

Due to the current economic times in our country and thus that affecting our Conference, we are needing to adjust our workforce in order to best fulfill the mission of the Adventist Church in inviting people to be disciples of Christ and be able to provide the financial support of the spiritual leaders for mission in our Conference. This is necessitating some re –districting, consolidation, and even change in our workforce. Among several churches affected by this need, is Bucks County, Fairview Village and Pottstown. Other church districts across the Conference will be adjusted over the next few months.

Presently in Philadelphia, several, if not most of our Anglo churches are multi-church districts, or will be in the near future. Lansdale and Souderton, Boulevard and Phoenixville, Chestnut Hill and a new church plant intentionally reaching a new part of the city, West Chester, Lancaster and Ephrata, and Bucks County and Fairview Village. Our Hispanic work has a 7 church/church plant district, that very soon we need to re-district into districts comprising 4 and 3 churches. Havertown is now ably led by a lay pastor with mentorship from a senior pastor in the Boulevard church.

As we consider and implement the present changes, some have voiced concern that with the vision to treat Pennsylvania as a Mission Field, we need more pastors, not less. While I would favor that in concept, we must prayerfully ask the question and seek direction from the Holy Spirit as to why the question is being asked, and how pastors are being utilized in local churches.

In the Bible and the especially in the Spirit of Prophecy the call is for every person who takes the name of Christ to be a missionary for Christ. Sometimes the concern is voiced that “We work all day, and we need the Pastor to be the full-time mission worker, since we cannot.” Yet the Spirit of Prophecy reminds us that until the laity rally to the work of ministry and join the pastors, the work will never be finished. In other places, the counsel is continuous that the Lord is eager to work through each of us. And that every member of the church has a role to play in winning souls.

Now is the time that our concept of church, of missions, of pastoral leadership needs to be re-examined and changed to come in alignment with the will of the Lord for these last days.

Now is the time that each member of the family of God, each person who claims to have been saved by grace, each person who takes the name of Seventh-day Adventist must be willing to look at their entire day, as being on the mission of Jesus. Being the mission leader at their work. Being the mission leader in their neighborhood. Being the mission leader at their place of recreation. Being the mission leader at their school. Being the mission leader in their home. And being a mission leader in their church.
That is what God has called us, as servants of Christ, as redeemed members of the heavenly family, as chosen and cherished members of a last day church, to be, to act and to think.

A pastor is to be the mission leader. As one Pennsylvania member said to me recently, “God calls a pastor to provide ‘Pastor-leadership, not Pastor-doing.’ Some churches speak mission but they want the pastor to do it.”

There are two ways we can move forward toward the models and structures that best support the mission calling we have as disciples of Christ and members of a last day church.

1.) We can embrace change, and prayerfully examine our current systems and structures and be willing to search out God’s leading in moving past current practices and traditions, to new ways of serving. These news ways, rather than moving away from the Adventist perspective, will in actual fact need to be a direct coming back to the principles and purposes the Adventist Church was raised up for in the beginning.

2.) Or, we can cling to our current practices and structures, even as the need to reach the present world changes, and we come to face the eventual result that the Lord may be allowing our familiar and comfortable methods to become unsustainable. Only then might we become willing to move to a better model and method for mission.

I would like to have the heart of the first way. While change can be unsettling and not always easy to accept, I would rather rise up and follow the call of the Lord. James and John, Peter and Andrew rose up when Jesus came by and invited them to “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Talk about change! They left their nets, their livelihood, their family, their familiar way of working, and followed Jesus into mission.

Will you join me in praying that the same Jesus who called James, John, Peter and Andrew, and who called you and me, will find us willing to follow Him just as faithfully into whatever new activity and approach He wants to lead us into?

PASTORAL INTERVIEWS

Annual Pastor Interviews and evaluations took place this week and will continue next week. Will Peterson and I drove to Harrisburg on Tuesday. Then I got up at 4 a.m. Wednesday in order to pick up Will in Reading by 5:30 a.m. and we drove together to Everett. On Thursday we left by 6:30 a.m. to drive to Williamsport.

At each location Will and I spent 1.5 hours each with a pastor, sharing a devotional message and prayer, then listening to them discuss their district churches. Then each pastor presented their achievements for 2010. They also shared the last 5 years numbers for membership, tithe and baptisms. Then the pastor would share their personal and professional growth goals for 2011 and the district church’s ministry goals for 2011.

Finally we would close with prayer. Most days Will and I each interviewed 3-4 pastors in each location. It is a joy to hear of the different ministry activities of the various churches. The Lord is really blessing our churches in the Pennsylvania Conference. I will be sharing just a few specifics in the President’s Communique.

Here is Will and I at the Everett church with Pastor Bob Williams and Pastor Lonnie Wibberding.

BMA BOARD AND STAFF WORKING SESSION

Blue Mountain Academy Board and Staff Working Session
January 9, 2011

The Blue Mountain Academy Board and Staff spent Sunday in a working session to prayerfully explore 5 areas of focus and develop Strategic Action plans for each of those.

The Board and Staff were grouped around tables and considered the 5 areas of:
1. Maximize intentional opportunities for student’s spiritual growth and development
2. Ensure that all students are given opportunities to maximize their individual academic potential
3. Enhance BMA’s awareness among constituents and potential student families leading to stable annual enrollment.
4. Leverage sound fiscal management, strong philanthropic support to maintain affordable tuition costs.
5. Teach and reinforce personal and spiritual lifestyle choices that are consistent with the Biblical message and the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The entire only worked on 1 Focus area at a time.
Each table presented their top Strategic Action plans for that focus area. Then the entire group ranked the Strategic Action plans in order to narrow down the Strategic Action plans to approximately 5.

There was diligent work and interaction by each table and the entire group.

Our BMA Board and Staff are committed to uplifting and working diligently for the Christian Education of our Seventh-day Adventist young people who have been entrusted to the educational ministry of BMA.

Jesus and Just the "Good Kids"

JESUS AND JUST THE GOOD KIDS

Recently I shared this as a devotional thought for a strategic working session of the Blue Mountain Academy Board and Staff. While this was directed to an educational setting, the principles could be applied to how we think about a Pathfinder club, church Sabbath school ministries, church youth groups, and even church social activities.

What if Jesus only ministered to the “good” kids?
Or those who showed potential for excelling in academically or socially acceptable ways?

Sometimes, the thought arises that we would have a better school, our mission and work would be easier, our outcomes would be different, if we just took in the “good” students and limited severely the amount of the “other” students.

So, what if Jesus only ministered to the “good” students?
How might the gospels read differently today, if that was the case?

Well, think of the demoniac of the Gadarenes. (Mark 5:1-20) He would remain demon possessed. After all, you don’t want a student who is already into the occult as part of your ministry.
So Jesus would by-pass him.
Oh, and by the way, after Jesus cast out the demon, he sent this man, now clothed and in his right mind, back to his village, and later, when Jesus came back to that region, a whole village accepted Jesus and His message.

What about the woman at the well. (John 4:1-38) Now there is a case to avoid. Don’t take her in with your ministry, Jesus. It is obvious she is promiscuous. 5 husbands and now living in sin with another man. No, we don’t want kids that could be sexually active to mess up our world. So pass on this one.
Oh, and by the way, there was a whole village this woman brought to Jesus.
What about the paralytic lowered through the roof? (Mark 2:1-12) It was his sin, according to Desire of Ages, that cause his health to be ruined. So we better not let Jesus have this man associated with His ministry.

We might have kids today who are experimenting with drugs, smoking and alcohol and harming their health.
How do we treat them?
What would Jesus do?

How redemptive should we be?
Or how exclusive should we be?

Peter lies and tries to kill his enemies right in front of Jesus.

Levi-Matthew is a tax collector, and we all know they cheat and steal. And they are traitors to their country.

Simon is a zealot. That is pretty close to being a terrorist and a threat to homeland security.

James and John have a mother that is conniving and trying to manipulate political advantage. Can’t stand to have students with parents like that!

Jesus mixes with tax collectors, drunkards and prostitutes.

If we could just keep Jesus with the “good” kids, then…then He could just be with the likes of Judas and the Pharisees!

Now that is a sobering thought. Perhaps we need to be with more than “just the good kids.” How else can those who are not always the “perfect” or “good” kids be brought to a place in Christ, that they can become a fully committed disciple of Christ, unless they are included in our sphere of influence, and unless we are intentional about seeking to influence those on the margins for Christ?

Ashamed, Anxious or Assured?

Here is the Devotional I shared with the Conference Executive Committee recently. It is drawn from the book, The Great Controversy, Chapter 28, “Facing Life’s Record”

For some Adventists, it fills them with embarrassment. They are ashamed.

For other Adventists, it fills them with anxiety, fear and dread leading to near
immobilization.

And for other Adventists, they become filled with joy and trust.

What does these various things to various Adventists?

The Investigative Judgment, and how it has been presented and perceived by different Christians and different ones in the Adventist Church.

I have been leading the Conference staff each Monday morning worship for several months now, through 1 chapter a week in the book, Great Controversy. 2 weeks ago, we reflected on the investigative judgment. This great teaching more fully reveals our Savior Jesus Christ and the beautiful role He is playing in the working out of our Salvation. He finished paying the price on the Cross of Calvary, for sin. Now He is applying the merits of His sacrifice on our behalf, in His great mediatorial role as our Advocate and our High Priest.
There is no doubt in scripture of a final judgment.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of God…
The books were opened, the judgment was set…
Judgment begins with the house of God…
Who will judge the living and the dead…
The dead were judged out of the book…
For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Ecclesiastes 12:14

The Sanctuary service throughout the history of God’s people clearly teaches the role of the cost of sin, an innocent party providing atonement, and the role of applying atonement for those who choose to be under the blood of the Lamb.

So what scares Adventists about the investigative judgment?

“As the books of record are opened in the judgment, the lives of all who have believed on Jesus come in review before God. Beginning with those who first lived upon the earth, our Advocate (emphasis supplied) presents the cases of each successive generation, and closes with the living. Every name is mentioned, every case closely investigated. Names are accepted, names rejected. When any have sins remaining upon the books of record, unrepented of and unforgiven, their names will be blotted out of the book of life, and the record of their good deeds will be erased from the book of God's remembrance. The Lord declared to Moses: "Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book." Exodus 32:33.” GC pg. 483.

Some get scared about names being investigated, some accepted, some rejected.

But, did you notice the words – OUR ADVOCATE?
What is an Advocate? Someone who stands up for, intercedes for, or presents a favorable case on behalf of another. Right in this description is the wonderful news that we have an Advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous. Some, when reading of the Investigative judgment here, somehow miss the point that there is an Advocate for those who trust in the plan of salvation, and then they become morose and almost spiritually comatose.

“All who have truly repented of sin, and by faith claimed the blood of Christ as their atoning sacrifice, have had pardon entered against their names in the books of heaven; as they have become partakers of the righteousness of Christ, and their characters are found to be in harmony with the law of God, their sins will be blotted out, and they themselves will be accounted worthy of eternal life. The Lord declares, by the prophet Isaiah: "I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." Isaiah 43:25. Said Jesus: "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels." "Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven." Revelation 3:5; Matthew 10:32, 33.” GC pg. 483

Notice that it is the claim of the blood of Jesus that is the reason for anyone’s name to be in the books of heaven. Not our own efforts or merit, or the merit of some perceived saint, but our total response to the love of Jesus and in faith in His blood.

Now, reading on, notice this awesome description of Christ’s intention for us and during His work in the heavenly Sanctuary, what He is pleading for His people who have put their faith in His blood.

“The divine Intercessor presents the plea that all who have overcome through faith in His blood be forgiven their transgressions, that they be restored to their Eden home, and crowned as joint heirs with Himself to "the first dominion." Micah 4:8. Satan in his efforts to deceive and tempt our race had thought to frustrate the divine plan in man's creation; but Christ now asks that this plan be carried into effect as if man had never fallen. He asks for His people not only pardon and justification, full and complete, but a share in His glory and a seat upon His throne.” GC pg. 484

Let me list in brief form the key points Jesus wants for us.
• Restored to their Eden home.
• Crowned as joint heirs with Himself.
• Christ’s original plan for us be carried into effect as if man had never sinned.
• Pardon and justification full and complete.
• A share in His glory.
• A seat upon His throne.

Wow, and I would be satisfied with just a quiet corner somewhere in the earth made new. But imagine, a seat upon His throne! (see also Ephesians 2:4-6, Revelation 3:21)

Since this is a wonderful aspect to the work of Christ, it is going on right now, and it is our joy and a source of courage to us, notice next what Satan is trying to do in these last days.

“Satan invents unnumbered schemes to occupy our minds, that they may not dwell upon the very work with which we ought to be best acquainted. The archdeceiver hates the great truths that bring to view an atoning sacrifice and an all-powerful mediator. He knows that with him everything depends on his diverting minds from Jesus and His truth.” GC pg. 488

Jesus gave a complete price for sin on the cross. Now he is applying that price for the sinner, just as the lamb in the earthly Sanctuary was sacrificed in the outer court and the blood was carried into the Sanctuary and applied before the veil, and then on the day of atonement carried within the veil and applied before the ark of the covenant. Now Jesus is applying the full price He already paid at the cross, to our eternal salvation. There is no other price that can be paid. No other effort. No other merit than that which Christ has obtained and which He gives.

“The intercession of Christ in man's behalf in the sanctuary above is as essential to the plan of salvation as was His death upon the cross. By His death He began that work which after His resurrection He ascended to complete in heaven. We must by faith enter within the veil, "whither the forerunner is for us entered." Hebrews 6:20. There the light from the cross of Calvary is reflected. There we may gain a clearer insight into the mysteries of redemption. The salvation of man is accomplished at an infinite expense to heaven; the sacrifice made is equal to the broadest demands of the broken law of God. Jesus has opened the way to the Father's throne, and through His mediation the sincere desire of all who come to Him in faith may be presented before God.” GC pg 489

In the meantime, Satan loves to taunt Christ. He loves to throw into the arena of the universe the course of those who claim to be a disciple and a child of Jesus, the way some don’t really put all trust, all faith, all willing obedience in their Savior and make Jesus truly number one in their life.

“If those who hide and excuse their faults could see how Satan exults over them, how he taunts Christ and holy angels with their course, they would make haste to confess their sins and to put them away. Through defects in the character, Satan works to gain control of the whole mind, and he knows that if these defects are cherished, he will succeed. Therefore he is constantly seeking to deceive the followers of Christ with his fatal sophistry that it is impossible for them to overcome. But Jesus pleads in their behalf His wounded hands, His bruised body; and He declares to all who would follow Him: "My grace is sufficient for thee." 2 Corinthians 12:9. "Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light." Matthew 11:29, 30. Let none, then, regard their defects as incurable. God will give faith and grace to overcome them.” GC pg. 489

Yes, it is a solemn time. We are living in that day. The final day of atonement.
Do we live in dread, fear anxiety and fright? Hardly able to enjoy being a Christian?

Or do we live in joyful anticipation. Fully trusting our Savior? Fully committed each day to be the man or the woman that Christ can totally have, unreservedly? Have we totally sold out to Christ and have as our only motivation, to please Him?

When we have that attitude and choice, we have no need of fear in the judgment. For we know we are loved perfectly, so we have chosen to love Jesus more than anything else in the world. And “Perfect love casts out all fear.”

Our issue to decide each day, during the last days of earth’s history, is: “Do we love Jesus more than anything else?” Because we love Him, are will be hungry and thirsty to reflect His character, His motives, His atmosphere?” His complete sacrifice and our complete, joyful, trusting surrender -- that answers the question of our standing and fitness in the final judgment.

Lewisburg Church becomes the Milton Seventh-day Adventist Church and Moves into their own building.

PRESIDENT’S BLOG
November 13, 2010

Ten years ago, one of the first church plants to be organized into a church in quite some time, was the Lewisburg Church Plant. Elder Mike Cauley and I, along with Will Peterson, participated in a beautiful service of organizing them from a company into a full fledged church in the Pennsylvania Conference.

Since that time in 2000, members of the Lewisburg have worked diligently under the leadership of lay pastor, Kerry Stahl.

Conference evangelist Lynnwood Spangler held meetings in Lewisburg in the National Guard Armory. Several lay lead evangelistic meetings were conducted by various members, including a series of youth evangelistic meetings. Other mission activities were conducted. And the church grew.

Over the years, different possible locations for the church to establish a mission center to work out of were considered. Some were too far away from the target population. Others were not within the price range of the available resources, and still others did not have facilities that were laid out ideally.

Recently, a church in Milton moved on to a different facility and offered their building for sale. This building was in good repair and on a well-known street in Milton. Floyd Dare worked with our congregation and obtained a sale price that was below the asking price and that enables our congregation to save some money for a few basic repairs that were needed.

November 13, 2010 was the first Sabbath our former Lewisburg SDA Church family, and now the Milton SDA Church family could meet in their recently purchased building, and it was the same Sabbath they had scheduled for many months in advance to celebrate their 10 year anniversary.

Students from the Williamsport SDA Church School took part in the program, repeating Psalm 100 and also providing a music number.

I shared the morning worship hour message and then Will Peterson and I joined the church family for lunch. In the afternoon was a dedication service. Due to a prior appointment, I had to leave early from that service, but Will Peterson stayed on with the happy church family.
Here is a picture of the present leaders of the Milton SDA Church, joined by Elder Will Peterson on the left and Pastor Tom Grove on the right.

“Real Leaders”

President’s Blog
November 12, 2010

“Real Leaders”

Recently an Adventist Conference President shared with me a quote from Heifetz and Laurie, authors of a current book on leadership. I am turning over the quote and its implications in my mind. Here is what it says:

“Followers want comfort, stability and solutions from their leaders. But that’s babysitting. Real leaders ask hard questions and knock people out of their comfort zones. Then they manage the resulting distress.”

Yes, we are creatures of habit. We actually usually prefer the status quo. We don’t want things upset. Often we want things better, without any change required from us.

And yet, when I read in the Bible, whenever God called a man or a woman to a significant work, a ministry, a prophetic office or to deliver His people, it always involved change. It always involved, in some way, calling or knocking people out of their comfort zones. Just think with me of the life of Abraham – called to leave everything familiar and go out, “not knowing where he was going,” the scriptures say. Noah, called to build an ocean-going ship for an event never seen before and never contemplated by anyone else except by the God of heaven who revealed the calling to Noah. Elijah—sent to Ahab to announce there would be no rain, without even knowing that this would last 3 years. David sent to face Goliath with only 5 stones, and a challenge to the entire army of Israel that one with God could be a majority. Esther called to enter the court of the King with the law pronouncing death on anyone who ventured in unbidden. Moses called to lead untrained, unorganized and often unwilling multitudes of former slaves away from the most civilized nation and the most efficient army of that world.

So, I invite you to think about this quote with me. What do you think about real leaders? Feel free to share a comment on this blog.

Oh yes,…Happy Sabbath!