Adventist church president speaks with Inter-American ministers during special webcast

February 9, 2009 – Belize City, Belize…[Libna Stevens/IAD]

Seventh-day Adventist Church President Pastor Jan Paulsen sat down yesterday with six pastors from parts of the Caribbean region for a one-hour conversation. Pastor Paulsen encouraged ministers to embrace the youth, continue community outreach, and stay true to their pastoral calling.

The panel of pastors represented the English and French speaking regions of the church in Inter-America during Pastors: In Conversation, the sixth in a series of live and unscripted telecasts held throughout the world church since 2007. The program was hosted by Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America, from Belize City, Belize.

When asked about the postmodernism which is affecting the church today, Pastor Paulsen encouraged the ministers to continue to uphold and preserve church values.

“You have a responsibility to God and to the people to make sure that while you are current and sensitive to the realities which surrounds us all that you also minister to the real values that we carry as a church,” said Pastor Paulsen. “These are the reason why we exist as a church and that you let these values guide the people.”

Pastor Paulsen also urged pastors to involve the youth in the work of the church.

“You know as pastors, the youth can be very challenging,” he said. “But they are young and have energy and drive and would like to be put to work in the church. Please be patient with them, please use them, please engage them, motivate them to give their best to the church.”

Pastor Paulsen also touched on the importance of the partnership the wife offers the pastoral ministry.

“Being married is not a requirement of the ministry, but it [pastoring] is a very demanding task,” he said. “It is very good to have a person as a partner to you, who is close to you.”

When asked which among the different elements of the ministry – preaching, counseling, and teaching – were the most challenging, most participants agreed that responding to the personal needs of a vast number of church members through counseling was a major challenge.

“When you counsel you are sharing with individuals concepts that would help them and enable them to move through and this can be the most difficult aspect of the ministry,” said Pastor Ricard Bain, who pastors in North Bahamas.

Pastor Leslie Gillette of the Belize Union of Churches agreed, saying he often finds himself at a loss for words when members come to him for certain counsel.

Leslie Gillette of the Belize Union of Churches agreed, saying he often finds himself at a loss for words when members come to him for certain counsel.

Pastor Philbert Royston, representing the North Caribbean Conference, said the ministry must take a look at training the wealth of knowledge within the congregation to minister to God’s people.

Paulsen resounded his message for more involvement in the community as the church keeps growing.

“It will become more and more important the more we grow,” he said. “We as a church are a predominant factor in the function of a community.”

“Historically we’ve been involved in education,” he continued. “We run the largest protestant educational system in the world with 7,000 schools. These are centers for producing Christians for the community.”

To reinforce the work of community outreach, youth ministry, and counseling, Pastor Paulsen emphasized the importance of maintaining that strong sense of calling preserved by preaching the identity of the church.

“We are a global church,” he said. “I find that Seventh-day Adventist ministers around the world are enormously convicted. There is a sense among them that this is what God wants them to do.”

The webcast was streamed live at www.interamerica.org and will broadcast on Hope Channel at a later date.

Additional conversations with pastors are scheduled to take place in India, Korea and Russia.

For more on Pastors In Conversation, visit www.news.adventist.org