Paulsen's latest pastoral dialogue in South America; lay-involvement obviously key for a pastor of 72 churches July 2, 2008 Jacarei, SP, Brazil Ansel Oliver/ANN

Pastor Jan Paulsen met yesterday with seven pastors in South America a Spanish-language dialogue broadcast internationally on the church's Hope Channel. The Adventist world church president brought his usual encouragement of involving women and youth in leadership and urging pastors make time for their families. [photo: courtesy Hope Channel]

President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Pastor Jan Paulsen, brought the latest episode of his live, televised dialogues with pastors to South America yesterday, encouraging local churches to include women and young members in leadership.

Paulsen spoke through a translator during two separate episodes with seven pastors from Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries in "Pastors: In Conversation." The third and fourth unscripted telecasts were broadcast internationally on the church's Hope Channel from here at the Adventist Media Center -- Brazil.

The dialogue with pastors was broadcast yesterday from the Adventist Media Center -- Brazil. Though Paulsen asked about local challenges, many issues were similar to those raised during his pastoral dialogues in other parts of the world.

When asking about challenges specific to the region, most participants spoke to issues that have resonated in other regional pastoral dialogues: intercultural ministry and training lay leadership.

"The church will do well when the spiritually gifted lay people in the local church are activated," Paulsen said. "A church does not do well when it relies entirely on the pastor."

Paulsen also spoke to another universal challenge of prioritizing one's own family.

"Your wife, your closest partner should also receive a sense that your care for her is not diminished by your care for the church, and that [your] children feel they have a ? high value in your setting aside quality time," Paulsen said.

The task can be a difficult one when some pastors are in charge of more than one church, Paulsen acknowledged. One pastor, Pablo Carbajal from Ecuador, said he pastors 72 different churches.

Paulsen learned from the group that women make up more than 70 percent of local congregations. He asked how they were leading out in ministry.

Carbajal said women made up nearly 70 out of 80 attendees of a recent leadership workshop. Pastor Nelsen Tapia from Chile said many women are involved in a hospitality ministry, while Pastor David Barzola from Argentina said some women are preaching and offering counseling.

Roughly a quarter of a million people join the Adventist Church in South America each year.

Paulsen has hosted previous conversations with pastors in North America and Europe and will host another episode in Africa in August.

Digg del.icio.us reddit newsvine Y! MyWeb

ANN World News Bulletin is a review of news and information issued by the Communication department from the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters and released as part of the service of Adventist News Network. It is made available primarily to religious news editors. Our news includes dispatches from the church's international offices and the world headquarters.

Reproduction Requirements:
Reproduction of information in this article is encouraged. When reproducing this material, in full or in part, the words "Source: Adventist News Network" must appear under the headline or immediately following the article. The words "Source: Adventist News Network" must be given equal prominence to any other source that is also acknowledged.

Ground 7 News Podcast:
Ground 7 News is a review of news and information issued by the Communication Department from the Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters and released as part of the service of Adventist News Network. Reproduction of the ANN podcast is encouraged. When rebroadcasting this material, in full or in part, the words "Source: Adventist News Network" must be mentioned before and after the podcast.

ANN Staff:
Rajmund Dabrowski, director; Ansel Oliver, assistant director; Elizabeth Lechleitner, editorial assistant; Carol Little, proofreader. Portuguese translation by Azenilto Brito, Spanish translation by Marcos Paseggi, Italian translation by Vincenzo Annunziata and Lina Ferrara and French translations by Stephanie Elofer.