Questions Young Pastors Ask: Should I marry before internship or during internship? When is the best time to get married?

Answer. As a general rule, it is always best to get married when you are already a regular worker. By then you are already matured enough. You also avoid getting into debt at such an early age. Though God can work through your circumstances, many unnecessary troubles can be avoided due to untimely wedlock.

Questions Young Pastors Ask: I just finished college. What next?

Through the years I have been compiling questions young pastors ask and have attempted to share my views and encourage God’s young workers to remain faithful to their holy calling. Pastor Ardison D. Bernardo

Q. I just finished college. What do I do next?

A. Even before you finish college express your intentions and desire to become involved in the ministerial work force by setting an appointment with the ministerial secretary of your mission or conference. He can help you take the right steps. Also, take other pastors’ advise by heart and pray well. God will open doors and lead the way. Ministry is a life of faith so act by faith.

Dealing With Failures

Pastors will do their best to equip members for ministries, yet there will always be problems along the way. There is no fool-proof strategy in ministry. As a pastor I must understand that people make mistakes, are not perfect, fail at times, or may become irresponsible. And that is normal. It’s okay.

But when is okay okay? When do you start telling people that it’s not always okay to be irresponsible? Challenging people to constantly improve themselves?

I don’t have to blame myself when people fail, or backslide, or when they become irresponsible. God is still in control. And when all things fail, I simply need to put them into God’s hand and let him handle the problem. Of course I have a crucial role in helping these people become effective and efficient ministers but I don’t have to blame myself when they do fail.

I do need to become responsible. For their failure might be rooted in my failure to disciple them. I must strive for excellence. And yet I can only go as far as sharing with them what God has revealed to me. I must not be fearful. I can only be bold.

Programs That Makes Sense

My district had the privilege to participate in a youth rally held at the Adventist International Institute of Advance Studies in Silang, Cavite. Part of the program was the open forum with Pastor Buraka Muganda, General Conference (GC) Youth Director. So during the open forum I grabbed the opportunity and asked, “Pastor, I always had a passion to reach out to young adults and young professionals but it seems that we are not reaching out to them. What is the church doing about it?”

With all honesty he admitted that the church is doing well in reaching out to ages 6 to 16 but has no well-established program for young adults and young professionals. The GC is now working hard to come up with programs to reach the 16-35 age group.

This is a challenge for all of us. We are losing most of our potential church leaders once they finish college and start working. So the next time a young account executive, or a newly promoted business manager attends your youth program, ask yourself, “What does our youth group have to offer them that will make sense in their lives?”

Rule no. 1

Rule no. 1: Love you family with all your heart, mind, and soul. Your family will either break you or make you.

How God created women still amazes me. They are by nature creature of relationships .I believe that more women will make it to heaven than men just because they are creatures of love.

The lesson that struck me the most is to remember your wife at all times. There is no excuse for forgetting her. Love your wife and she will love you more. Take time with your family and you will be blessed.

I am blessed to have a wife like Cindy. She keeps me on track. She keeps me blessed and loved. And she makes me happy all the time. As a mother she really wants to give her best to her son. I really love my wife.