Hard Jobs in Adventistm
May 15, 2001 - 9:30am - John McLarty
I've never personally met anyone who has grown old and happy supporting a family on the income they earned as a colporteur. I've met more successes among teachers in small Adventist elementary schools, but their position, too, is often tenuous. Every time a parent sneezes, the teacher gets clobbered. The slightest budgetary surprise in a small school turns into a full-blown institutional crisis, and the teacher is first to suffer. A supportive family moves away. There is a large graduating class, leaving fewer students for the next year. The local church has an unexpected repair bill. Any of these things puts the teacher’s continued employment at risk. Sometimes personality conflicts jeopardize a subordinate’s position, and by and large the church lacks a mechanism for redressing grievances. Of course, there are many who find satisfaction and fulfillment in working at such jobs, despite the risks. They are heroes of the church. However, because of the unrelenting stress of these jobs, I sometimes question whether we are morally right to urge people with families to take them. The system owes its most loyal employees better treatment.
Asking hard questions about the Adventist system is central to the mission of Adventist Today. AT exists to serve the Seventh-day Adventist Church through responsible, accurate journalism and wide-ranging exploration of policy, theology and the dynamics of spiritual life among its members. We are obligated to ask hard questions in a church that has specialized in giving confident answers.
Our goal is not to destroy or diminish the church but to help it do a better job of serving as a house of prayer for all people. We continue to affirm God's presence in the church while pointing out that many aspects of Adventist culture and thought are better explained sociologically than theologically.
We like to think of ourselves as a voice of Progressive Adventists— an informal fraternity (or sorority or whatever would be the inclusive equivalent) of people whose thinking and way of life is distinctly Adventist, but who have been shaped by higher education, the passage of time and a deep Christian humanism. While we look for the speedy return of our Lord, we advocate policy and practices that may foster a vital and healthy church two hundred years hence should time last. We give careful attention to theological inadequacies and inconsistencies, systemic flaws and human error within the church in hopes of helping to shape a better future.
How can we do better at our job of providing quality journalism for the church? Ideally, all leading positions at AT should be held by people who love the church but are not employed by any of its institutions. We need editors who can devote at least half time (and preferably more) to following stories, cultivating writers, developing contacts and contacting donors. I dream of the day when Adventist Today will be able to employ a full-time editor. I dream of the day when we will have a network of reporters spread across North America and beyond, ready to pursue stories as they develop.
The publication of Adventist Today over the past eight years has made a difference. It may have affected church policy. For sure it has touched lives. People tell me AT is their connection with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They are more at home in the church because they know others share their questions, see the problems and still claim it as home.
Money alone will not help us find the balance between loyalty and opposition, between hard, critical thinking and warm faith. But a million dollars would help the magazine achieve the kind of independence that is needed to do the most credible job of serving as an independent journalistic voice for the church.
As you read in this issue about some of the hard jobs in Adventism, we ask you to consider as well the hard job of reporting on Adventism. Maybe you could serve as an editor or reporter. Maybe you could help the magazine achieve a greater degree of financial independence. We appreciate your interest. We invite your support.
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Asking hard questions about the Adventist system is central to the mission of Adventist Today. AT exists to serve the Seventh-day Adventist Church through responsible, accurate journalism and wide-ranging exploration of policy, theology and the dynamics of spiritual life among its members. We are obligated to ask hard questions in a church that has specialized in giving confident answers.
Our goal is not to destroy or diminish the church but to help it do a better job of serving as a house of prayer for all people. We continue to affirm God's presence in the church while pointing out that many aspects of Adventist culture and thought are better explained sociologically than theologically.
We like to think of ourselves as a voice of Progressive Adventists— an informal fraternity (or sorority or whatever would be the inclusive equivalent) of people whose thinking and way of life is distinctly Adventist, but who have been shaped by higher education, the passage of time and a deep Christian humanism. While we look for the speedy return of our Lord, we advocate policy and practices that may foster a vital and healthy church two hundred years hence should time last. We give careful attention to theological inadequacies and inconsistencies, systemic flaws and human error within the church in hopes of helping to shape a better future.
How can we do better at our job of providing quality journalism for the church? Ideally, all leading positions at AT should be held by people who love the church but are not employed by any of its institutions. We need editors who can devote at least half time (and preferably more) to following stories, cultivating writers, developing contacts and contacting donors. I dream of the day when Adventist Today will be able to employ a full-time editor. I dream of the day when we will have a network of reporters spread across North America and beyond, ready to pursue stories as they develop.
The publication of Adventist Today over the past eight years has made a difference. It may have affected church policy. For sure it has touched lives. People tell me AT is their connection with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They are more at home in the church because they know others share their questions, see the problems and still claim it as home.
Money alone will not help us find the balance between loyalty and opposition, between hard, critical thinking and warm faith. But a million dollars would help the magazine achieve the kind of independence that is needed to do the most credible job of serving as an independent journalistic voice for the church.
As you read in this issue about some of the hard jobs in Adventism, we ask you to consider as well the hard job of reporting on Adventism. Maybe you could serve as an editor or reporter. Maybe you could help the magazine achieve a greater degree of financial independence. We appreciate your interest. We invite your support.
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 | John McLarty | John Thomas McLarty is the former editor of Adventist Today. He serves as pastor with North Hill Adventist Fellowship in Edgewood, WA and WindWorks Fellowship in Olympia, WA. He is working on a book titled God, Rocks and Women. |