A Guest Column by Pr. Trend Fad

Cutting-Edge Ministry to the 1ERHAM Demographic

Today it is very important for the church to especially minister to an important, recently identified people group in our cities and in our midst: the 1ERHAM. To which group do you refer? Obviously, to the one-eared, red-headed albino male (1ERHAM). As the earth's population has continued to increase, the 1ERHAM has continued to increase. They now constitute an important people group. Historically, Seventh-day Adventists have had little work among or success with 1ERHAMs. The church's first official 1ERHAM ministry wasn't even launched until 1982 when the NAD set up a task-force to explore 1ERHAM ministry initiatives.

Success has come only slowly. However, today the church in North America is blessed with more than 40 officially sanctioned local church 1ERHAM ministries. In the North American Division we now list over 3000 1ERHAM members in our church!

But there is so much work still to do. The following list is provided as helpful suggestions for strengthening the 1ERHAM ministry in your local church and conference.

1. Communicate profiles of those who are successful at reaching 1ERHAMs, how to find ministry resources, and how Church funds are used.
2. Find ways to bridge the social gap created by prejudice against 1ERHAMs.
3. Conduct listening sessions with 1ERHAM members and Church leaders in all conferences (possibly at camp meetings).
4. Convene the same groups that have already met again in one year to share progress reports.
5. Teach pastors what is working to reach 1ERHAMs.
6. Develop a Union-wide directory or database of the 1ERHAM ministries offered by church members.
7. In each conference, appoint someone who specializes in ministering to the needs of 1ERHAMs to serve as a liaison or consultant. This person need not be a Church employee.
8. Fund an annual retreat where 1ERHAM members can network, fellowship, and develop outreach initiatives.
9. Establish a multigenerational task force that will develop strategic plans for reaching 1ERHAMs.
10. Develop measurable action plans at all levels of the Church for reaching 1ERHAMs.
11. Provide pastors with training on conflict management, community relations, and communication. Have weekend seminars on 1ERHAM sensitivity training.
12. Include more than a token 1ERHAM member on the Union and conference executive committees; increase 1ERHAM representation to 25 percent of the committee membership.
13. Establish a model 1ERHAM church in each conference.
14. The multiple layers of the Adventist Church structure is not understood nor supported by 1ERHAM members. Church structure must be re-studied.
15. The Union Conference should provide funding for 1ERHAM grass-roots initiatives.
16. Allocate evangelism funds for new methods to reach postmodern people and new generations. Include on every book cover, every evangelistic meeting poster, etcetera, one or more representatives of the 1ERHAM demographic.
17. Communicate a back-to-basics Adventism that promotes Christian faith as our primary focus and discipleship as a central part of our spiritual community. The 1ERHAM loves this stuff.
18. Ask each conference and Union officer to connect with a 1ERHAM member who can mentor them and help them understand new points of view.
19. Insist that 1ERHAM leaders at the conference and union be accountable to their generational peers among church members.
20. Re-allocate monies to support local ministries. Close schools, churches, and programs that are failing and focus on developing fewer entities that provide quality programs and services. After all, 1ERHAM ministry is the latest thing. How can we sleep at night if we have not hitched our wagon to the latest star!
21. Develop a tithe reversion policy that gives money back to local churches to support outreach initiatives for 1ERHAMs.

If you would like to be included in the 1ERHAM e-mail list, send an e-mail note introducing who you are, which local church or ministry you are involved in, and year of birth to the official NAD 1ERHAM liaison, Pr. Trend Fad, or email me at PrTrendFad@Compuserve.com. And next time you see a one-eared, red-headed, albino male, thank your lucky stars that we are on the cutting edge. May Adventism not be left behind!

Pastor Trend Fad has attended numerous cutting-edge ministry events for many years. He has learned how to serve donuts to small groups, ask ice-breaker questions concerning ice-cream, and minister to several unique people groups without forcing doctrine down their throats. He has certain preferences for certain kinds of music, but thought it best not to specify what his favorites were. He also did not indicate which institutions he received his education at. Perhaps his next email will provide this data. Let us know if you have any localized sightings of Pr. Trend Fad. He seems to be very active.