CHURCH RESOURCES
The recent articles about tithe and church support are realistic ("The Mystery of the Waning Windfall," June, 2004). This denomination faces financial problems. Dedicated women and men struggle to balance needs with resources. Pundits tell us that it is likely to get worse as Seventh-day Adventists shift from giving through official channels, while others say that it is simply the economy, and things will get better once the economy experiences a rebound.

In the meantime, programs suffer. Congregations are united in districts that share one circuit-riding pastor. School boards drop classes and programs that are considered unrelated to the core. Small congregations depend on untrained people who may be overwhelmed with the responsibilities placed upon them. Spiritual care suffers. Evangelism is reduced. In many places the local church becomes less relevant to the life of the community. It's true that the economy is a factor in decreased giving. But other factors are clearly at work. The generation of Adventists coming on the scene has a perspective toward church organization and support that differs from previous generations.

This generation wants to direct involvement in how funds are used. It wants to be able to say: "My gifts built this school," etc. It does not satisfy them to know that their funds went into some big pot of money, which was spent by unknown people higher up. This thinking leads to greater giving on the local level, where people see tangible results. It fosters the growth of so-called independent ministries that give people the satisfaction of knowing exactly what their gifts accomplish. It leads away from giving to higher organizational levels of the church.

Adventism is changing. Many of these changes are good. Among these are an increased emphasis on grace, and a growing perception that congregations are hospitals where sick people find healing and restoration. One result of this is that we accept people into membership that in another time would not have been accepted.

This has, in some instances, led to a situation where we are perceived to have no standards. Everything is left to God's great judgment.

But the result of this new openness is that many supporters are not certain that today's Seventh-day Adventist Church is a church they want to support financially. They feel an obligation before God to place their funds where they believe God would want them placed. But they question whether today's Seventh-day Adventist Church is that place.

All these issues with our new generation Adventists have a spiritual root. Resolution starts at the top. Members must trust, and believe in the leadership in the local conference.

Decisions must be open and seen as ethical. The Adventist world is behind the secular world in understanding ethics. But our members who work in that secular world know, and expect more on the part of leadership. They expect ethical behavior and openness in action.

The resolution of the tithe and giving issues depends on, among other things, building: a) trust, b) a climate of openness, c) a church that while accepting people and teaching grace, stands for something and helps people to grow spiritually, and d) an organization that can be identified as Adventist.

Temple Matthews

HOW LOW IS LOW?
I see several problems with the editorial about the Amish Roy Adams wrote about ("A New Low," June, 2004).

1. These are supposed to be 16-year-olds; as such they would need parental consent to be on this show. If the network doesn't have these consents, they're in trouble. If they got that consent on false pretexts, they're in trouble. However, if the parents and the child went into this with eyes open, we may not like it but it's part of our freedom of speech.

2. The Amish, as I understand it, also have a belief system that allows their youth to go over fool's hill and not be judged as fools by their elders. At 25, or when they are married, they must make a decision, as I understand it, to be a part of the community, or not.

3. The devil and those who are controlled passively or actively have always sought ways to make fun of religion. They report a person's religious affiliation when they are Catholic or Seventh-day Adventist when they are suspects in a crime of any kind.

4. The largest problem is that we, as a church, no longer talk about the dangers of movies, television programs, and other irreligious entertainment much, if at all. Ministers use sermon illustrations from currently running movies. Some of these movies are not rated PG. Some have scenes of frontal nudity, people engaged in intercourse, swearing, and taking God's name in vain.

Somewhere at the home level we aren't leading our youth into a conversion experience so that they can decide against the things of the world that will leave them outside of the heavenly city.

Pete

REMEMBERING BOB EDWARDS
"The Lord is coming, are you ready?"

"I want to be ready to walk in Jerusalem just like John."

The sweet, exquisite harmonies of the King's Heralds (Voice of Prophecy Singer Bob Edwards Dies) came through my portable phonograph in a New York City Housing Project apartment. Some of my earliest memories of Adventist music poured out of the 78 rpm records I played over and over again as a girl in Brooklyn. The four friendly-looking men on the album cover seemed as if from another planet, and their achingly pure rendition of a Palestrina chorale was my first introduction to the music of the High Renaissance.

Little did I know that life's turnings would bring me into personal contact with several of these gentlemen, but the most memorable, to me, was Bob Edwards.

His sweet, high tenor lifted up my young soul and led me toward a deep appreciation of classical music, which continued for years as I joined the choir of Greater New York Academy and learned to respect and love the magnificent chorales of Bach, Handel, and Brahms. Still, the music of the Voice of Prophecy quartet showed that a variety of styles could all be offered to the same Creator God. Whether Southern gospel or formal classic harmonizing, it all had the same purpose: to prepare us to "be ready."

Years later I joined the staff at the Adventist Media Center in Newbury Park, California, where loyal employees worked to present God's "present truth" to the countless cultures and ethnic groups of our world. I saw firsthand the intense work ethic and absolute devotion to the cause of Seventh-day Adventist evangelism. Highly gifted musicians poured their time and talents into their passion for musical ministry. These men and women traveled endless miles in the days before coast-to-coast TV, sharing the finest in public speaking and music with many who otherwise would not have access to this kind of talent.

I was blessed and honored to know Bob Edwards, the prototype of a true Adventist missionary, a brilliant Bible scholar who prepared for his Sabbath School lessons by studying the original Bible languages, an avid amateur astronomer, a Civil War buff (directly descended from William A. Seward of Lincoln's Cabinet)--but most of all, a truly decent, gentle, funny man who downplayed his many gifts and talents and made me feel completely comfortable as we exchanged Civil War trivia and news Sabbath mornings in the beautiful garden setting of his home church in Thousand Oaks, California.

When I heard this afternoon that Bob had passed away, I went online and listened to a clip of some of the original quartet music, the music that made my heart soar in the rough, crime-ridden world of 1950's Brooklyn, the music that kept a steady hold upon my soul through years of Adventist education, and the music that continues to pull me toward heaven.

Thank you, Bob, thank you. In my own way I continue your music ministry by teaching praise and worship songs to the elementary schoolchildren at La Sierra Academy. I want their hearts to ache with passion when they hear glorious harmonies and lovely, powerful lyrics, as my heart filled with joy for the Lord at your music.

May we all meet, along with the brave, dedicated pioneers of Adventist Media outreach, and harmonize together with the Master Musician forever.

Judith Murphy Nelson
Riverside, California

MORE ABOUT JOB
I really enjoyed Nathan Brown's treatise on Job's suffering ("Suffering's Glorious Unanswer," May 20, 2004). It's by far the best I've ever read.

I would just add one thought: It would have been nice if Mr. Brown could have remarked about the outcome of Job's suffering. According to the apostle Paul, the experiences in the Old Testament are for our example, and the entire Scriptures are for our admonition.

Having said that, it is highly important to remember that the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before his suffering experience. Also, Job lived 140 years after that, and the Bible says Job died old and full of years.

Could this be the rewards of suffering?

Ferd Moreno
Portland, Oregon

CLOSING THE BACK DOOR
Tim Goff's excellent article, "Growing With God" (May, 2004), subtitled, "How to slam the back door of your church," missed one important point.

About 30 years ago, one of the union conference ministerial departments in North America decided to find out why many new members exit through the "back door." They conducted a survey--a kind of "exit poll"--of members who had dropped out within a year of their baptism, asking why they left. One answer stood out above all others: "the church wasn't friendly."

When leaders and churches heard this, they responded with multiple tactics aimed at making churches more friendly: training for greeters, potlucks after church, encouraging members to invite visitors home for a Sabbath meal, a period during the service for the members to stand and welcome those sitting around them, etc.

All this was very good and needed to be done, but the dropouts' reply had been misunderstood. Later students of this problem came to realize that when they said "the church wasn't friendly," they did not mean that "nobody greeted me, nobody smiled, nobody shook my hand and welcomed me." What they meant was, "I didn't make any friends. I spent a year in the church, and I didn't develop any close friendships." Church growth specialists say that if a new member doesn't make two or three close friends within their first six months, they will not stay.

To "slam the back door" we need to be aware of this problem, and develop tactics to address it. This is difficult, because we cannot "assign" friendships, they have to develop naturally. One of the best tactics is to put new members to work quickly, to give them a job (or even two) in the church. In working with other church members, friendships will develop.

John Duge
Chula Vista, California

The subhead, "How to slam shut the back door of your church," presents a problem. I would suggest that when God created everything, the "back door" was also created, and it was open. Lucifer chose to use it, and he took a third of the angels with him. Eve and Adam chose to use it and took this world with them. However, Christ died to keep the front door open, and all who will, can come back to Christ. The back door will always be open, even in the new earth; it is just that by Christ's death and my acceptance of Him as my Lord, I will never use it.

I have attended classes in grade school, academy, and college. Every one of these levels of education have Bible class requirements. What made an impression on me, though, were certain teachers. I remember the walks to Friday night meetings with my math teacher. We discussed God for a mile each way in the middle of a Michigan winter (not in a blizzard) under the clear night sky full of stars. It was mentoring, helping me to develop correct images of the God of the universe. Not every teacher I had was able to do that, but there were always some.

So it is with our church family. Not every member in a church can be a mentor, but there should be at least one or two to do it. It is rewarding to both the giver and the receiver.

Jim Garber

IS 20 PERCENT ENOUGH?
Picture my family surrounding a Thanksgiving dinner. Before we bow our heads for the blessing I say, "I'm changing my will."

Would I have everyone's attention? The dinner can wait, as everyone says, "We want to hear about father's will. We want to hear the important things."

If my will is composed of five parts, neatly composed, and I say, "I plan to read only 20 percent of my will, and the changes--one out of five--well, let 'em wonder." How many would enjoy that dinner? Not one; and rightfully so.

The Adventist Review is published weekly, and I doubt that a single member would be happy reading 20 percent of the news. No sir, I want to hear it all. If Adventist World Radio is setting up a new short wave transmitter, I don't have to wait until Sabbath to hear the news from some better informed member of God's family.

We are living thrilling days of joy, challenge, and victory; and I want all the news--not just 20 percent of it.

As I was paying bills I picked up the bill for TV Guide and noticed how pricey it was. I thought, I can't afford TV Guide and the Adventist Review, so I chucked TV Guide in favor of our church paper. It's committed to helping me prepare for heaven. TV Guide won't do that.

Dick Rentfro
Thorp, Washington