Our church was planning an aggressive year of soul winning and I knew we needed God’s wisdom and guidance more than ever before. I asked our first elder, as the elected spiritual leader of the flock, to lead out in a week of prayer and fasting. He looked at me with an expression on his face as if to say “Wouldn’t we all die if we went without food for seven days?”

         There are far too many years in my life when I can’t really remember doing anything of significance. Those are usually the years I didn’t plan anything of significance!

          Now is a great time to outline our plans for 2007. This includes putting dates in the calendar for major items.

          Here is a visual picture someone shared with me that helps me tremendously as I plan each year— If you had a jar you wanted to fill with rocks, gravel, sand and water, your success would depend on which items you put in the jar first. If you started with the sand or gravel, you

         Pastors are struggling human beings, too. But that is why it is especially important for us pastors to be humble and teachable. We need to hear, in a loving way, what areas we might need some growth or help in. Who is in a better position to do this than our wives?

          Within the past few months an informal, random and anonymous survey was taken of dozens of pastors’ wives in the NPUC with this simple

         If you have never experienced a tragedy up close you have lived a more privileged life than most. Peter indicates that there will be suffering among believers throughout the world (1 Peter 5:9). But when tragedy and suffering come our way we have a different response than those who have not internalized the hope of the resurrection at the second coming of Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:13f.)

 When I was a boy in Miami, Florida our family would go to MV (Missionary Volunteer) meetings on Sabbath afternoons. The youth and young adults led out but everyone was invited. That was when I first heard the MV aim- “The Advent Message to all the world in this generation.” Even as a second grader I could see that this was a huge challenge, one worth devoting my life to.

          A few years ago, on my way back from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, I stopped by that same church building. It had become a

 I imagine most pastors’ wives work outside the home. My wife teaches math at a local high school. A few months ago I realized that both of us were becoming busier and busier trying to keep up with our own lives and the lives of our two children that are still at home. One evening I asked my wife if I could come to her classroom during her lunch break and we could eat together. “Why?” she asked. That’s when I realized it had been far too long since we had just gotten together for lunch just for fun. “Just because I want to see you and eat with you.” “At school? I guess

A couple of weeks ago I had lunch with Tom Lemon, Ministerial Director of the Oregon Conference. I was curious so I asked him “How are your meetings going at Mt. Tabor?” With his characteristic smile, but an extra twinkle in his eye, he said “I forgot two things about having your own evangelistic series. I forgot how fun it is and how hard it is.” Then he went on to tell me about the great support of the church, the young(er) couples who were coming, the dozen interests the church already had ready before the meetings, how technology could be both a blessing and a

I had finally finished writing the outline for my Sabbath sermon. It was ready to be preached. But wait. I needed one more step. I needed to apply the “4Q” (4 Questions) test to my sermon.

1. Is it Christ-centered? Does my sermon clearly point to Jesus as the Creator, Savior, Risen Lord, Heavenly Mediator and/or Soon-coming King? Does the message make it clear that Jesus is my Best Friend? Or is it just religious talk?

         When there are several church districts in the same geographical area there is a tremendous opportunity for united effort, and a great potential for “turf guarding.”

          Scene #1- A meeting with area Adventist pastors. I had been pastoring in the area for about a year. At the pastors’ meeting I told a few experiences of transformed lives from a recent evangelistic series I had held. I was excited to see God’s grace and power at work as His word was