Articles
Is public evangelism obsolete?
It is often said that new converts go out the back door of the church as quickly as they enter the front door. Public evangelism then becomes the scapegoat for this mass exodus, and the church-growth movement is offered as a ready-made cure for this serious problem. Here the author tackles the difficult question, Has the church-growth movement rendered public evangelism obsolete?
Narrative preaching
Many preachers feel that giving a narrative sermon is simply telling a story, but much more is involved than that. Seven simple steps are outlined here in developing a narrative sermon to its fullest potential. One step is to fill out the dynamics of the story immersing your self completely into the Biblical life situation, so that you are able to "walk your character around." You will be interested to discover the other six steps.
Family life ministry that works! (Part 2)
In the first article in this two-part series (MINISTRY, June, 1 984), Monte Sahlin indicated how to define the needs and do the kind of planning that careful development of a family life ministry requires. In this article he discusses how to communicate well with the target audience, points out the skills the program personnel need, and shows how family life programs may be made to contribute to the total church program.
Creation, a pillar of the faith
The Called Church series has been designed to highlight some of the unique aspects of Seventh-day Adventist theology and to demonstrate how each position is faithful to Scripture. Many churches incorporate creationism into their teachings, but few are the churches that still hold to a literal creation occupying six twenty-four-hour days. The author, who is an accomplished scientist, explains why creationism is still fundamental to Adventism.