SOCIAL SECURITY AND HOUSING ALLOWANCE WEBINAR FOR PASTORS
Please join Adventist Retirement and Empower for a one-hour discussion on what pastors should know about taxes. We’ll talk about being retirement ready and how being a pastor can affect SECA, parsonage allowance, and social security. The session is offered three times so you can select a time that works for you.
How to Know When it is Time to Retire
Somewhere in North America a pastor, we will call “Gregory,” had not felt the energy he had as a younger pastor for more than a decade, but felt it was his duty to continue pastoring his three churches. Now that Gregory has reached 80 years of age the stress of ministry is eroding his health. The joy of ministry is long gone, but what else can a pastor do?
One Sabbath, Gregory preached his sermon and feeling poorly, he headed to his car to go home and rest. Gregory never made it to his car, but suddenly collapsed in the parking lot, abruptly ending his journey on earth.
Throughout my ministry as a pastor/missionary/administrator I, as you, have lived the many realities of the ministry journey from call to retirement.
Relocating Well
My wife and I just bought a house. This is a significant moment for us because our first home purchase was the start of a relocation whirlwind. That whirlwind started right after we bought the house and got married in 2005. As a matter of fact, I bought the house in September. We got married in December, and we put up the for sale sign in January. Ministry called, and apparently, the calls have kept coming because it seems like we’ve been moving ever since. Well, we’re finally in a place where we felt comfortable enough to purchase another piece of property, and so we did, and we feel tremendously blessed by God. I share all of this to say, we can relate to the angst and anxiety related to relocating for ministry in a brand new context.
We have served in several conferences and contexts which have required us to move many times. I feel like we’ve learned some really valuable lessons about transitioning and relocating to the next ministry location. I want to share with you some of the valuable lessons we’ve learned that may help you when the
Transitioning Well
I hope I don’t sound boastful in saying this because it’s not a boast as much as it is gratitude. I am overwhelmingly blessed because every day I have the esteemed privilege of coming alongside pastors to assist them on their journey of delivering high-quality, next-level ministry wherever they are. As a matter of fact, everything we do is for pastors and helping pastors to serve well. I absolutely love this work!
Vision II by Tim Madding
In this presentation, Tim Madding continues talking about Vision and Church-Planting. He answers the question: "Why don't we plant more churches?" He shares his personal story in the church and explains how it relates to whether we're fulfilling the mission or not. Watch the video here.
Tim Madding is the Associate Director of the NAD Evangelism Institute
Vision I by Steve Leddy
In this video from the Church Planters Bootcamp, Steve Leddy talks about how God has given His entire people a message and how He has given them a method to deliver the message. He accurately shares how we have changed the focus of the ministry to being pastors leading churches as babysitters or hovering over churches and have lost the missional focus that multiplication values. Watch the video here.
Steve Leddy is the Evangelism and Church Planting Director of the Potomac Conference of SDA.
Training your Core Team II by Steve Leddy
In this video from the Church Plant Bootcamp, Steve Leddy explains the principles he uses to plant a church and train a core team. Steve helps leaders understand that there is a foundation to create in planting healthy churches. Anybody can throw people together and try to plant a church, but if you're not intentional in training your core group, the odds are drastically lower that it will be a healthy reproducing church. Would you like to know more? Click on the link below to watch the video.
Steve Leddy is the Evangelism and Church Planting Director of the Potomac Conference of SDA
Training your Core Team I by Tim Madding
In this presentation, Tim Madding discusses his perspective on building a launch team. He talks about creating a launch plan for your church plant that explains what you are doing and why you are doing it. Why are we planting this church? Why not help with these other great churches around? What is our purpose when planting this church? To find out the answers to these questions, watch the video below.
Tim Madding is the Associate Director of the NAD Evangelism Institute
How Can NADEI Help Your Church Plan by Tim Madding
North American Division Evangelism Institute is located at Andrews University at the Seminary. NADEI is committed to doing two things: (1) educating the future pastors of the Seventh Day Adventist Church before they launch into their official ministry, (2) equipping and training local church members and pastors in their churches throughout the North American Division. Would you like to know more about how NADEI can help your church plant? Click here to watch the full video.
Creative Community Connections by Heather Crews
In this video, Heather Crews tells stories of creative community connections that she has either had the privilege to be the assistant on or heard from pastors. The stories will inspire and encourage you to think outside the box and develop innovative ideas to reach your own community. Watch the full video here.
Heather Crews is the Associate Director for Women Clergy, NAD Ministerial Association
Still Here
“God, I do not want to pastor a church. Please give me something else!!”
I don’t know if God is sarcastic…That’s certainly how I’d respond to me.
God knows there’s something about you and me that enables us to talk about his love in a way someone else can understand.
Seventh-day Adventism and Aliens
What might this mean for Seventh-day Adventist messaging and ministry?
If [we] fail to combine that higher purpose with a wholistic ministry of healing, our sacrifices will be seen as just another existential transaction.
The demands of pan-human solidarity would radically alter the conditions of religious liberty and almost certainly change the way that we tell the story of redemption.
NAD Women Clergy Retreat
339 women clergy currently serve in the North American Division.
The Ministerial Association is hosting a division-wide women clergy retreat October 9 through October 12, 2023.
Remember to book your hotel room!
Get to Know Our New Managing Editor
While I am certain when I was born, it’s not crystal clear exactly what date it was when I figured out why.
I am almost totally consumed with not simply writing, but also developing resources for faith leaders.
I’m constantly looking for tools that will help us to be more effective in service.
Recruiting your Core Team Part II by Dustin Serns
In this presentation, Dustin Serns helps you to identify and recruit those the Holy Spirit wants on your team. He walks you through five crucial church planting steps: Plant & Recruit, Lay Out Vision, Activate Ministry, Navigate Worship, Train & Send. Click on the link below to watch the full video here.
Dustin Serns is the Senior Pastor of the LifeBridge Church in Washington State.
Recruiting your Core Team Part I by Cris Cazarine Dutra
In this video, Cris Cazarine discusses the steps to take when recruiting members for a church-plant core team. She emphasizes that leaders should identify the type of church they plan to plant before recruiting, and she answers two important questions: When to start the recruiting process, and how to find the right people for your team. Watch the full video here.
Cris Cazarine is the Associate Director of Youth, Young Adult & Campus Ministries at Carolina Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Time to Retake that Cultural Intelligence Quiz?
Gabriela Phillips, coordinator for Adventist Muslim Relations in the North American Division, and Carmelo Mercado, Lake Union’s general vice president, have written a number of articles on Cultural Intelligence. While you may think of yourself as culturally aware and intentional, these articles are worth reading and reflecting on, reminding us of the world beyond our quotidian encounters.
If you’ve already read them, it’s time to retake the CQ self-assessment.
Click the links. Take what you need. Share with a friend.
Cruise Control Off: Cultural intelligence for engaging “them” who are not like “me”
Tools for Decoding Cross-cultural Communication: Mazhar and Islam as a Blanket
Culture, Cultural Intelligence, and the Gospel
After the Earthquake: Ministering to People in Crisis Cross-Culturally
Justice and Mercy—The Culturally Intelligent Way
Power Distance: Neither Distance nor Powerlessness
Culture, Cultural Intelligence, and the Gospel
Answers
Reading Scripture Through CQ Lenses
Adventist Identity in the Context of Communicating with Muslims
A Cultural Intelligence: Emotional Intelligence Approach to Cross Cultural Conflict
NAD Women Clergy Retreat
Currently serving in the North American Division are 339 women clergy. These clergy serve as pastors, chaplains, administrators, professors, departmental leaders and other roles. Currently, every union in the North American Division has women clergy serving and sharing Jesus within their borders.
In recognition of the call God placed in these clergy's life, the Ministerial Association is hosting a division-wide women clergy retreat Monday, October 9 through Thursday, October 12, 2023. With a theme “Connected: Together in Ministry”, this time of refreshing and connection will take place at the Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian in Gaithersburg, MD. Currently accepting registration at the link below, add your name to the list of 58 who are already planning to attend. Registration fee is low because this is a gift to our women clergy, but it goes up on May 31.
Featured speakers are our NAD President Elder G. Alexander Bryant who will speak on connected to the Word of God. Expanding on this topic will be Dr. Elizabeth Talbot, Speaker/Director of Jesus 101. With a focus on Connected to our past, Dr. Michael Campbell, Director of NAD Archives, Research and Statistics will share stories of women clergy in Adventist history. Dr. Karen Cress, President of Culture Shift will provide coaches training in order for us to serve as coaches to one another in our ministry roles.
Register today.
Heather Crews is an associate ministerial director for the North American Division. Dr. Crews’ primary responsibilities include women clergy, pastor recruitment and leadership training.
10 Articles on Money that You’ll Be Glad You Didn’t Miss
From January through May of this year, we’ve shared 10 articles written by Dave Gemmell. They are from his research on pastoral wealth, a topic we don’t always discuss in public. But we should. One thing about these articles that make them so relevant to you and me is that the research they’re based on is 100% focused on Adventist pastors.
The articles are all conveniently linked below. Take what you need. Share with friends.
Why Some Adventist Pastors May Retire as Millionaires
Avoid Tax by Contributing to a Church Retirement Account
Financial Mentor
Deferred Gratification
Avoiding Consumer Debt
Charitable Contributions
Financial Literacy
Spousal Income
Owning Your Own Home
Bonus for Living in a High Cost Area
These articles are condensed from the full report of the study that was presented at the 2022 CALLED Pastors’ Family Convention and can be downloaded here. If you would like to dialogue with the author you can email him at davegemmell@gmail.com.
Connecting and Reclaiming Former Members by Joanne Cortes, Marshall McKenzie, & Hector Caban
Connecting and Reclaiming Former Members by Joanne Cortes, Marshall McKenzie, & Hector Caban