So how about your church and pastor(s)?

[Tom Wetmore]

I know some have posted about their experiences (mostly negative) with their local church and/ pastor(s). I don't think it is a big stretch that one's experiences at that level of the church greatly influences their overall attitude about the Church more broadly and of the big issues facing Adventism. What I am interested in is current, or very recent, experience.

OK, I'll start even though I have posted such before. Perhaps unlike many here, I am fortunate to be in an area where there are many options for local church, with maybe around 70 or so. The church I have been regularly attending (New Hope) for several years is not where I have my membership (Spencerville). Overall positive in both. New Hope has about 800 members and 3 pastors and Spencerville has about 1500 members and 4 pastors. Sermons are generally inspiring and well presented. Both have an associate pastor that is a woman. The two churches are very different though. New Hope is has a very contemporary service and is very active in the community and with overseas projects. I really enjoy its vibrancy and the comfortable informality. Spencerville is very traditional in its service, even a bit "high church". We were very active and involved at Spencerville and the academy it operates, but not so much now at New Hope. Probably will be once we get around to transferring our membership.

OK, anyone else?

[Gregory Matthews]

It was another time an another place. It was a small town in that country with only one church in the town. That church was a Seventh-day Adventist church and with an adult membership of 400+ it was the largest SDA congregation in the country.

Then the politics of the country changed with a formal treaty between that country and the United States. As a result every resident of that small town moved away. That was a personal choice of theirs and not due to being evicted.

The result was that the country placed guards at the entrance to the town to keep people from vandalizing it.

Due to my military assignment, I had the authority to enter the town and spend time there. Other than U.S. military like me, the only people in the town were local citizens who were hired to keep in in good repair. I would drive by the SDA Church, sometimes enter it and reflect on the changing circumstances that in a brief moment of time took that largest SDA congregation in the country to an empty church that no one attended.

Lesson: Events outside of our control may bring about changes that no one can predict. Churches must learn to move with the times and adapt to changing circumstances.

[Gregory Matthews]

I take you now to another time and place in the United States.

A local congregation dates back in history to EGW preaching in it on a Sabbath. It has been one of the largest congregations in the Conference. It has a history that is associated with a prominent role in the local community and in the State in which it is located.

It has a congregation that is diverse--theologically and economically. It welcomes women in ministry and it has hired pastors who come from minority racial backgrounds which did not represent the racial distribution in the congregation.

Now its demographics are changing. People are moving away. Members are driving in on Sabbath from distances. I has little presence in the community. Members recognize that if something is not done, it is a congregation that is on the decline.

The congregation has reached out to make the church a friendly place to people outside of the present congregation. That attempt has been successful, but it is recognized to not be enough.

A situation arose in which both pastors went to other positions in the denomination. The congregation considered this to be an opportunity to obtain the leadership that would turn things around.

They reached out to an internationally recognized pastor, with an international background and a history of bringing people back into active fellowship with the denomination and proven leadership. One who in his present position is approached to make a change in position on a weekly basis.

He interviewed, outlined a plan and was asked to become the new pastor. He stated that if he were to come, he would need to bring his selected associate pastor with him and another person to assist him. That was accepted. The congregation agreed to the overall direction of his program. He went on to state that neither he nor the associate pastor would be able to move to the area for several months. The congregation and Conference agreed to all of that.

While not in the area yet, he is involved. For Church Board meetings either he or his associate fly in from another state to give planning guidance.

Every Sabbath for the 2014 year has already been planned out with a selected speaker and an assigned topic. There are no open Sabbaths and every Sabbath is focused on the overall mission of this congregation in its local community.

The expectation is that he will be successful in making the church a place for people to come and be spiritually refreshed. The expectation is that the membership will be involved in the over all mission of the congregation.

Folks there are many issues that congregations face today. But the future does not have to be bleak. It may take leadership. It may take a willingness to adapt to the changing times and demographics. But, it can be done.

[Tom Wetmore]

I was looking for current personal experience with the church where you attend or are a member...

[Naomi]

Personally I must say that I feel that I have had a very good relationship with the majority of pastors & churches which I have attended.

However, the local pastor in the East Pea Ridge church is definitely one of the very best pastors which I have had an opportunity to be associated. He is an avid student and a powerful, intense speaker; you just feel that it is from his heart! Additionally, he is a good Shepard of the flock. No one is perfect, but he ranks right up there! The congregation appear to greatly appreciate his tireless efforts and devotion.

The atmosphere within the church is one of a big family. People come and go throughout the week. It's like a big home that everyone takes responsibility for it's decorations, maintenance, etc. I rarely go to the office that there isn't someone in the building, doing something.

I do believe the harmony, love and caring exemplify what our churches should be ... not just a building!!!

[CoAspen]

Our current pastor is young, dresses casually quite often, doesn't use a pulpit, mixes personal experience with sermon, is down home in his presentations and stays on time. Very good, applicable sermons and speaks with a Hispanic accent, which he is!

Very well liked. Our church is getting younger as the children have all grown up, married and now have kids and babies of their own. This pastor hits the mark for his audience. We really like him.

Our church is very involved in the community and other projects, a choice for everyone!

[debbym]

we have a lay lead church, and a strong sense of the priesthood of all believers. we have men and women speakers sabbath morning, and young adults leading and speaking as often as possible, maybe 1 or 2 times every month.

we have branch sabbath school in the afternoons for a month every two or three months. we serve lunch on us to whoever wishes to come, mostly the homeless population, we give away clothes and have a bible study in our church for the public every thursday. it is well attended.

we have three sabbath schools, one on the book of acts, one a recovery addictions support group, and the other the quarterly, and then the childrens classes.

wednesday night prayer meeting is not as well attended, but ongoing.

we meet and have an organizational meeting every month to plan music, the church service, coordinators for each week, the speakers, and what families with prepare and serve the lunch.

we meet every month to pray and to discuss our mission, how we will serve and minister to the community. we are flexible and change whatever is needed we respond to as we can, in peace and in unity.

[phkrause]

I've actually never had a negative experience with pastors, in any church that I've attended. My Mom first took me and my brother to the Brooklyn German Church in Brooklyn, NY when we were little, so I don't remember anything thing from there. Than after a few months or so, she was informed that there was a Jewish Adventist Temple in the Bronx, close to where we lived. So my father started attending with us. We had 2 or 3 Jewish pastors. J.M. Hoffman, Herb Siver, not sure about the others at the time. After they left we had a Sandy Roseman. At AUC, in Lancaster, MA, we had a number through the years that we lived here. But one pastor and wife team that really stands out to me were Pastor Pat Morrison and his wife Jane. The only husband and wife team that made a great difference, and worked together. Most of the other pastors wife's never really helped in the church that I can remember, except at the Jewish Temple. The Pastor they have now at the AUC College Church, has to be the most hard working Pastor I have ever met. His name is Pastor Don Pate. Anyway like I said, have never had any negative Pastors, all have had different strengths. and of course weaknesses.

[Windsor]

TOM AND GREGORY

both of these are good posts about members and churches

dgrimm60

What about you dgrimm?

[Gerr]

Like everything else in life I've had some outstanding pastors, a few mediocre pastors that in mho had no business in the ministry, and the others mostly nothing to be excited about and nothing much to criticize. I really like my present church. When I first came here almost 8 years ago, it was pretty much a lily white church. Occasionally a black Adventist would drop in. At first I was not at ease in it, being the only minority and Asian in the congregation. But everyone has been very welcoming and friendly. Over the years since I've been here, the members have become more diversified. I believe there is a genuine brotherly love in this church. Our pastor is young, and this is his first pastorate. I have seen him grow. I believe he is one of the called.

[debbym]

I have found ministers to be completely human, subject to all the foibles of their members.

They are on duty though like dr.'s and nurses, and need to be spiritually armed and prepared to disciple their members and then support them in shining in the community the light of Divine Love.

It has been good when they do this, and i also am responsible to be equipped by the indwelling Spirit, to be consecrated, and to live every moment devoted to God. We are all responsible to show forth the praises of God. We cannot do it in our own strength, and no one else can, or ever will.

[CoAspen]

Quote:

I have found ministers to be completely human, subject to all the foibles of their members.

And need all the support they can get from their members!!!

[rudywoofs (Pam)]

my current experience with the"official" pastor where I live is rather unremarkable.. I've only met him once, never heard him preach. He resembles Howdy Dowdy in appearance - that's what strikes me most.

I kinda feel sorry for him. He has 3 area churches to pastor, but on the bright side, he doesn't need to prepare so many sermons.

He doesn't seem to be too involved in any of the communities...

But he seems nice...

[Aliensanctuary]

Once a full house at 80 or so attendees, the little SDA church in our town now averages about 10-12 old people every Sabbath. The out-of-town pastors have five churches, so we don't see much of them as they come and go over the years. The last few times I attended, about a year ago, were sleepy DVD sermons by SDA notables.

All of the children grew up and moved away, and the nail in the coffin was the scandal that the head elder, a respected surgeon at the local hospital and the best sermon preacher, was banging the unmarried church school teacher, who ended up pregnant. Now, the church shrinks every time one of the elderly members pass away.

I suppose I could do something to get the church off of life-support, but were I to "preach" a sermon, I most likely would be asked to leave, since my spiritual beliefs have morphed away from standard Adventistism.

[nuff sed]

Our current pastor is young, dresses casually quite often, doesn't use a pulpit, mixes personal experience with sermon, is down home in his presentations and stays on time. Very good, applicable sermons and speaks with a Hispanic accent, which he is!

Very well liked. Our church is getting younger as the children have all grown up, married and now have kids and babies of their own. This pastor hits the mark for his audience. We really like him.

Our church is very involved in the community and other projects, a choice for everyone!

Sounds like "Dany' to me..........Nuff Sed

[CoAspen]

Yup!

[Kevin H]

New York is focusing more on local leadership. Out pastors had traditionally 2 churches about 40 miles apart and would have 2 weeks of preaching in both churches, and one week at just one church. Now they have given pastors 4, 5 or more churches.

The church I attend has been an odd fish from the start. Our city has the traditional Seventh-day Adventist church. But the church organist, about 15 or something like that years ago, had a daughter who is a marriage and family therapist. She and her daughter started to have churches services in a park for her clients, their children, and their children's friends. They would meet in a park for nice weather then different homes or rental places during bad weather. Today they have their own church. I've belonged for about 5 or 6 years, but while affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist church, except for the sermon, it is more of a children's church and community church.

Our pastor use to preach about once a month, but I think it has been about 2 years since I've seen him at church, and I last saw him was at campmeeting. He is busy with the more traditional churches, I think with this new conference policy, he has increased from his traditional 2 churches plus us, that he now has 5 or 6 churches plus us, so the other churches tend to take up his time, while our church is pretty much self sufficient.

In the 1970's there tended to be a reading of what Mrs. White said about country living, so our churches tended to consolidate and find a country spot in the middle of where their members live and put up a church in the country where members are traveling up to 40 or 50 miles one way. So you have churches be just a weekly gathering place out in the middle of no where. I'd like to see us as members move into the country and to have more churches like the one I attend that is more of an out reach church to a community rather than a country club for our members.

[Liz]

The church I attend recently got a new Pastor, he is wonderful. The one they had before did not want to be here, and he made it clear he didn't want to be here--I really hope he is happy wherever he ended up--he is a very nice man, he just did not want to pastor us.

Anyways, our new Pastor seems to be really excited about outreach and spreading the Gospel. Tomorrow night (New Year's Day) for prayer meeting he is holding a special anointing, for any and everyone, he is encouraging any who are sick physically or spiritually to attend.

[JoeMo]

I support 2 churches. Both of them have been pastorless for quite some time; so the congregations run the services. At first it was scary; but now it's great! Both churches have a "leadership committee" rather than a pastor; and they rotate praise service, sermons, and outreach ministry. Everybody is pitching in at both churches. It's great!

[Narcah]

Thankfully our church of ~70 people don't have a pastor and the elders run the church.

[Tom Wetmore]

Just curious... You say thankfully your church doesn't have pastor. Why are you thankful to not have a pastor?

[Naomi]

Just curious... You say thankfully your church doesn't have pastor. Why are you thankful to not have a pastor?

Just moving this to the top ... would love to hear the answer ...

Quote:

inquiring minds want to know

[debbym]

i did not have the question directed to me, but we do not have a pastor and this is why i am thankful.

we all feel the burden and responsibility to serve and see that everything is done, planning, speakers programs, outreach, members needs.

if we had a pastor we would feel we had someone else who was going to take care of it all.

this way everyone's spiritual gift is needed and everyone is needed, and counted on, and those who have the gifts to lead lead and organize, provide hospitality, prayer support, groups organized and conducted, members needs attended to. This way every gift is brought into action.

[Gail]

I kinda like that idea, too- that of active, spiritually-alive members!

[Narcah]

Because our last pastor was a disaster and we do great without one. Also, (s)he is split between 3 churches and we would only see him/her once a month. I like having the local elders lead out.