ADVENTIST NEWS Round up

Posted July 16th, 2007 by Linda Greer
Schneider/Paulsen Favor Continuation of Amazing Facts/3ABN Merger Talks
By Edwin A. Schwisow, AToday.com (19 July 2007)
Leaders of the North American Division and General Conference favor continuing exploration of a proposed merger by Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN) of West Frankfort, Ill., and Amazing Facts of Sacramento, Calif., according to Don Schneider, president of the North American Division in Silver Spring, Md.
In an hour-long interview with Adventist Today magazine, conducted yesterday (July 18), Schneider disclaimed any day-to-day involvement in the merger discussions themselves, but acknowledged that he and Jan Paulsen, General Conference president, jointly signed “a positive letter” that responded to questions directed to them by Doug Batchelor, president of Amazing Facts, and Adventist lay persons involved in the merger discussions. The letter, dated May 16, 2007, has fueled speculation that its content puts a damper on prospects for the merger.
Schneider acknowledged that sending jointly signed letters is unusual for the two highest-ranking Adventist executives in North America, but that in so doing they believed they could demonstrate their complete agreement on matters pertaining to the merger. Schneider says that a copy of the May 16 letter was not addressed directly to Danny Shelton, president of Three Angels Broadcasting Network.
Amazing Facts is a financially independent evangelistic and educational ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church whose employees carry licenses and credentials issued by the denomination and agree to abide by the working policy and other guidelines of the church. Three-ABN is also a financially independent organization and prepares Christian television programming for broadcast worldwide via satellite. Its programming promotes Adventist doctrinal teachings and lifestyle, but 3ABN itself and its assets are neither owned nor operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and its regular workforce does not carry credentials or licenses issued by Adventist Church entities. While many on the payroll are Adventist church members, 3ABN also employs members of other faiths.
Neither 3ABN nor Amazing Facts receives financial support directly from the church, and sources close to 3ABN report that cash flow problems there have been cause for recent concern. Both are non-profit organizations, and their respective leaders have no legal claim to company assets themselves.
Batchelor Denies that Merger With 3ABN Called Off
By Edwin A. Schwisow, AToday.com (26 June 2007)

Doug Batchelor today denied rumors that the merger talks that began in April between Amazing Facts, an independent ministry supportive of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and Three Angel's Broadcasting Network (3ABN), a self-supporting ministry with similar status, have been called off.

"It is not done," he said of the merger, "but it is definitely not dead.... I spoke with [3ABN president] Danny Shelton last week about it."

Employees of both organizations have been quoted as affirming informally that the merger talks have ended. "I have heard of the rumors, though I have not heard the rumors themselves," Batchelor said. "It may be that our extensive travels in recent weeks have made it appear this way. I just got back from Alaska, myself, and others involved have been traveling too." These travels have slowed the process, he said, but plans for a merger remain alive.

Batchelor says that he favors releasing a progress report about the merger process to help squelch rumors and speculation now apparently enjoying some credibility among staff members of both organizations.


Shorter Workweek Meant to Bolster Pastors' Home, Spiritual Health
By Elizabeth Lechleitner/ANN, Des Moines, Iowa (July 12, 2007)

"At least one conference in the Seventh-day Adventist Church's North American region has concluded that frazzled pastors don't make for successful ministry. That conference, spanning the U.S. states of Iowa and Missouri, is encouraging pastors to trim their sometimes 80-hour workweeks to a saner 45 to 55 hours.

'We've seen more disturbingly high incidents of stress-related illnesses, marriage problems, divorce and conflict between parents and children among Adventist pastors than at any other time,' says Iowa-Missouri conference president Dean Coridan.

The region is inviting pastors to reprioritize their lives and recast their roles within the church. 'The day of working an 80-hour week must come to an end. The church does not own us,' Coridan tells ministers during workshop sessions, which he has led in the region for 18 months.

Ministry shouldn't jeopardize the health of any pastor's spiritual life or family happiness, Coridan says. But all too often conferences, church members and pastors themselves have equally unrealistic expectations of pastoral ministry.

The conference's executive committee is developing a curriculum to teach church elders how to better support pastors by being spiritual leaders. Coridan says the committee also plans to push for cohesive job descriptions for pastors throughout the region, in which they'll be cast in mostly outreach, rather than church maintenance roles.

'It's easy to keep piling onto that initial job description until the pastor is overworked and overwhelmed,' Coridan says.

The solution, he says, requires pastors to delegate and say 'no' to some responsibilities. Coridan adds that while the plan may not fully eliminate pastoral exhaustion, ministers in the conference have found it beneficial." [More of the Story]