Follow the daily reading plan and you will read the entire Bible in a year. November 1: John 11 November 2: Luke 17:11–37; Luke 18:1–14 November 3: Matthew 19; Mark 10 November 5: Matthew 20–21 November 6: Luke 18:15–43; Luke 19:1–48 November 7: Mark 11; John 12 November 8: Matthew 22; Mark 12 November 9: [...]
“And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God" (Acts 15:19). The biggest issue that Jews had with Gentiles in the early church was that Gentiles were uncircumcised. They thought that to be a real Jew, you HAD to be circumcised. As you may [...]
Many Americans believe the next decade will be marked by significant societal problems. A majority say they are worried about economic insecurity, political division, environmental imbalance, a sense of a lack of personal safety, the limits of healthcare systems and other serious challenges (Pew Research Center, 2019). We need more hope, more nurturing of our [...]
The journey of pastoral ministry is multifaceted. We are called to provide and produce spirituality in our congregations. As we gain experience in our calling, we lean more on our experience, which is undeniably valuable. However, over-relying on our experience can diminish the potential that God wants to do in us and cloud our vision. [...]
"Lord, please bring us 20 decisions in the upcoming series," I prayed. Was I being presumptuous? Was I asking for too much? Was it possible? I know God can do it, but would He? We began gearing up for another conference-wide evangelism series. It Is Written was going to join us for this series and [...]
Hospital chaplains provide care for patients and their loved ones during seasons of life that can be scary and full of unknowns. Chaplains pray with patients and perform meaningful religious services, but they also receive specialized clinical pastoral education training to bring together health considerations and pastoral conversations as part of the larger healthcare team. [...]
A trip to the ER or admission to the hospital can bring anxiety and fear — even when you’re confident you’re receiving the best possible care. Patients may face unfamiliar procedures, surgery, bad news, difficult decisions and worries about family members. Many begin thinking about their beliefs and values in ways they haven’t considered for [...]
Tony Andrews, Adventist Health mission and spiritual care director, has more than 16 years of experience as a hospital chaplain. He, like all full-time spiritual care providers at Adventist Health, is an ordained minister in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In addition to his work as a chaplain, Andrews is the director of one of Adventist [...]
Leo Zakhariya is a familiar face at Adventist Health Portland, where he is known as a “hope giver.” Zakhariya was a pastor in Russia before he and his family moved to the U.S. in 2002. It took several years for Leo’s pastoral credentials to arrive, so while he waited, he took a job in environmental [...]
During a stay or short-term visit to the hospital, patients and their family members may need support to maintain their sense of strength and hope. The Adventist Health Spiritual Care team is there to help provide that support. The team of chaplains tends to the well-being of hospital staff members as well. They sit on [...]
