Turn on your imagination! This story is more fun if you picture your own church pastor as you read (which could be either a man or a woman). One afternoon, a pastor was sitting in his home office, writing a sermon, when he heard a strange sound. He stopped typing and listened. “Meeeee-ow!” His ears perked up. Was that a cat? “Meeeee-ow!” The pastor got up and looked out the window. He froze. High in the air, clinging to a wobbly tree branch, was a cat. Question: Do you have any pets? Have they ever gotten into trouble or done something silly? “Oh dear,” the pastor thought. “Now what do I do?” The pastor couldn’t ignore the cat, it clearly needed help.  So he went outside and walked toward the tree. He reached up, but the branches were far too high. “Here kitty kitty!” he called. The cat stared back at him and didn’t move. The pastor hurried to the garage and returned with a ladder, but when he leaned it against the tree, the tree began to sway. The ladder wobbled. The branches shook. And the cat panicked and scrambled even higher into the flimsy limbs. “Well,” the pastor said, scratching his head, “this isn’t working.” Then he had a very creative idea. Question: What do you think the pastor is going to try?  He went back to the garage, but this time he climbed into his car. He drove over and carefully backed up to the tree. He grabbed some rope, wrapped it around the tree trunk and then hooked it onto his car bumper. “If I pull just a little,” he thought, “the tree will bend low enough for me to reach the cat.” Slowly — very slowly — he drove forward. The tree leaned… and leaned… and leaned… He checked again. “Just a little more,” he said. But the moment he nudged the car forward… TWANG! The rope snapped, the tree sprang upright, and the cat shot into the air like a furry rocket! Question: What face do you think the pastor made? The pastor gasped! He looked up. He looked around. The cat was gone. He searched the yard and asked his neighbors if they had seen a cat flying through the air, but no luck. Puzzled, he eventually gave up the search. Several days later, the pastor was at the grocery store. As he turned down an aisle, he ran into a woman from his church. They chatted for a moment, but then the pastor noticed something odd in her cart: lots of cat food and kitty litter. The pastor was surprised. “Did you get a cat?” he asked. “Oh, Pastor!” she exclaimed, “You will never believe this.” She explained that her daughter had begged and begged for a cat, but she always told her no. Finally, she told her daughter, “If God gives you a cat, then you may keep it.” Question: What do you think happened next? “Well,” she continued, “I watched my daughter go outside, kneel in the yard, and pray. And right then—truly—you won’t believe this—a kitten came flying out of the sky, paws out like a parachute, and landed right in front of her!” The pastor smiled the biggest smile. Because he did believe it. He knew that God has a sense of humor and that sometimes, quite literally “every good and perfect gift comes from above.” (James 1:17). Kelly Wasemiller is a former Adventist educator and now stays at home with her twins. She and her husband live in South Dakota.

What is one simple thing any church member can do to help someone take a step closer to Jesus?” One of the simplest ways any church member, no matter their age, can help someone take a step closer to Jesus is by sharing their testimony. During my four years serving in summer camp ministry ay Glacier View Ranch, we were always encouraged to do just that. We shared how God was blessing us, where we were struggling, and how we had seen His presence in our lives. I was deeply blessed as a staff member because we were constantly ministering to one another as a team, while also being there for the campers. At the same time, our leaders were ministering to me too. None of us were master evangelists. We were simply college students trusting God to use our stories, and He did. In a culture that often encourages us to keep faith to ourselves, choosing to share how God has been at work in our lives is both countercultural and deeply faithful. Those summers continue to shape how I share my faith today. —Vanessa Alarcón, head elder for the Boulder Seventh-day Adventist Church What advice would you give a church member who wants to share their faith but feels unsure or unprepared? For years, my life was driven by the pursuit of success and the pressure to do more—even when it came to sharing my faith. Looking back, I realize that much of my “striving” was really me trying to do the Holy Spirit’s work through my own human efforts. Something shifted when I began to understand John 15 in a new way. I realized that my main responsibility isn’t to produce results, but to abide in the Vine. My role is simple: stay connected to Christ. When I do, God produces the fruit—love, joy and peace. My job is simply to share that fruit with others. I’ve noticed that my feelings of inadequacy surface when I rely on my own self-sufficiency. But when I am truly connected to the Vine, I move with a quiet confidence, knowing that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. —Duane Hallock, member of the New Haven Seventh-day Adventist Church How can an everyday church member build trust with someone who doesn’t go to church? We can build trust by simply making friends with people; it is called friendship evangelism. It also involves going around the church and surveying nearby neighborhoods to learn about their needs, then coming together as a church to help meet those needs. Friendship evangelism is about building genuine relationships by simply making friends with others. It also includes reaching out to the surrounding neighborhoods, learning about their needs, and working together as a church to help support and serve the community. —Ronisha Belgrove, Bible worker, Minnesota Conference of Seventh-day Adventist What is one way church members can show Christ’s love outside the church walls? We show love by going out meeting people exactly where they are. Christ method alone will bring true success without judging or condemning the people but by speaking and meeting them exactly where they are with Christ’s love alone. In following Jesus’ example, we know He spoke the truth aways in love. “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Savior mingled with people as one who desired their good. He showed sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He invited them,’Follow Me.’” (The Ministry of Healing, 73) “Jesus did not suppress one word of truth, but He uttered it always in love. He exercised the greatest tact and thoughtful, kind attention in His intercourse with the people. He was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, never gave needless pain to a sensitive soul. He did not censure human weakness. He spoke the truth, but always in love.”  (Steps to Christ, 12) – Ronisha Belgrove, Bible worker, Minnesota Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Questions and curation by Hugh Davis

For patients waiting for a second chance at life, time matters. So does trust, compassion and the belief that healing is possible. Over the past year, AdventHealth Porter Transplant Institute experienced meaningful growth not just in volume, but in the number of lives renewed and families reunited through transplant care.  In 2025, the Institute completed 120 kidney transplants and 29 liver transplants, the highest annual totals in the program’s history. Each transplant represents more than a milestone. It reflects a person who can return to daily life, a family moving forward together, and a future filled with renewed hope.  Growth guided by purpose  This growth was driven by a clear focus on serving patients more fully and more equitably. The Institute expanded its hepatology and transplant surgery teams, strengthened pre-transplant care with additional advanced practice providers, and welcomed eight new team members across nursing, pharmacy, medical assisting and referral coordination.  At the same time, advances in organ perfusion technology allowed more donated organs to be preserved and successfully transplanted, expanding access for patients who may have had fewer options in the past. Paired kidney exchange transplants and new protocols for Hepatitis C–positive and expanded ABO-compatible kidneys also helped more patients receive the life-saving care they needed.  Innovation that opens doors  Innovation at AdventHealth Porter is never about technology alone. It is about removing barriers and helping patients move forward with clarity and confidence.  This year, teams introduced process improvements to support more timely evaluations and smoother journeys to transplant, including enhanced referral management, improved waitlist monitoring and the addition of FibroScan imaging in clinic for non-invasive liver assessment. New pathways such as A2-to-B kidney transplants and Hepatitis C–positive transplant options have opened doors for patients who may have been declined elsewhere, while maintaining strong outcomes and safety.  Care that takes a team  The spirit of collaboration extends beyond the main campus. The Institute now supports six kidney and eight liver satellite clinics, partnering closely with referring providers across Colorado and neighboring states to bring expert transplant care closer to home.  “It takes everyone before, during and after surgery to prepare patients for transplant and support them through recovery,” transplant leaders shared. “That shared commitment allows us to serve more people safely and compassionately.”  What sets AdventHealth Porter apart  AdventHealth Porter’s transplant program is recognized for its personalized approach and commitment to early evaluation. The Institute performs living donor kidney transplants at twice the national average and achieves preemptive transplant rates that exceed national benchmarks. These outcomes reflect a focus on seeing patients early, communicating clearly and caring for each individual as a whole person.  Looking ahead with hope  As the AdventHealth Porter Transplant Institute looks to the year ahead, momentum continues to build. Priorities include continued growth, expanded organ perfusion capabilities, broader access through satellite clinics and strong performance within the CMS IOTA model for outcomes, volume and organ acceptance.  Above all, the work remains grounded in AdventHealth’s mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ.  “Our goal is simple,” leaders shared. “To bring transplant to more patients and help restore them to health. Every transplant is a life transformed.” 

When more than 500 people gathered for Southview Seventh-day Adventist Church’s first Sabbath in its new home, the celebration marked more than a move. It reflected years of prayer, shared leadership and patience—lessons Pastor Sean Lee (이세현) believes can help other churches navigate major decisions under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. For Southview, the journey included three distinct seasons: leaving an owned church building, worshiping in a rented space for nearly seven years, and finally moving into a permanent home in Eagan, Minnesota. Pastor Lee says each stage shaped the church long before the doors to the new building opened. “This wasn’t just about finding a church,” Lee said. “It was about who we were becoming as a church while we waited.” Leading through transition, not around it When Southview sold its previous building and moved into a rental church, leaders faced a key choice: slow down and wait, or continue growing as if the church already had a permanent home. Lee said the leadership chose to keep moving forward. “If we weren’t growing while we were renting,” he said, “it would be even harder once we moved. We didn’t want to restart everything.” That mindset shaped how elders, deacons and ministry leaders approached the season. Children’s ministry, Pathfinders and outreach continued. Leaders stayed intentional about connecting with families and members, even when space and scheduling were limited. Lee admits the rental years brought challenges, but he also sees them as shaping who the church is today. “That season taught us flexibility, humility and how to depend on one another,” he said. A team-led search, not a pastor-driven one One of the strongest themes in Southview’s story is shared leadership. Lee is clear that the search for a church home was never his project alone. “If you have Spirit-filled, mission-driven people with professional skills, let them lead,” he said. “Pastors shouldn’t pretend they know everything.” Southview formed a facility steering committee that included members with experience in finance, management, architecture and law, along with a mix of younger and older members. Instead of guessing what the church needed, the group gathered real information—observing children’s programs, measuring space and studying how ministry actually functioned. The church board and congregation were kept informed along the way. Lee said this transparency mattered. “People needed to feel ownership,” he said. “This wasn’t about one voice. It was about discernment together.” When listings were limited, elders expanded the search by driving through different communities, identifying churches that might fit, and making calls. Lee said the process required persistence and participation from many people—not just leadership meetings.   Prayer as more than a formality Planning and spreadsheets were part of the process, but Lee says prayer carried equal weight. Southview’s prayer teams consistently lifted the search, especially during discouraging seasons when options seemed nonexistent. “At one point, there was nothing out there,” Lee said. “That’s when we realized all the planning in the world doesn’t replace God’s timing.” That lesson became clear when the church explored purchasing the building it had been renting. Leaders believed it made sense, but doors repeatedly closed. Rather than pushing forward, they paused. Looking back, Lee believes God was redirecting the church. “We thought that was the path,” he said. “But God led us away from it and toward something better suited for us.” When the building Southview ultimately purchased became available, it did not immediately stand out on paper. But leaders felt impressed to visit and pray. Once inside, many sensed the same conviction: this was where God was leading. “It wasn’t the option we expected,” Lee said. “But it was the one that brought peace.” Funding the vision—together Southview’s ability to move forward was supported by multiple capital campaigns over several years, rather than one large push. Lee said the goal was not just raising funds, but keeping the vision alive during a long waiting period. Early campaigns helped prepare the church for transition. Later efforts reminded members that renting did not mean giving up. Even when there was no clear building on the horizon, members continued giving faithfully. One capital campaign stood out for its impact—the one led largely by young adults. Instead of simply participating, young adults were invited to lead, with support from experienced leaders. Some brought professional experience in fundraising, finance and planning. The campaign focused on the idea of Planting Our Future, emphasizing that the next generation had a stake in where the church was headed. “It felt different when young adults stood up and said, ‘This is our future,’” Lee said. “It gave them ownership.” That involvement strengthened the church across generations. Older members saw young leaders stepping forward. Younger members felt trusted. Together, the church stayed engaged in the long process of waiting and preparing. Lee believes church identity played a major role in the success of the campaigns. “People need to know who they are, where they’ve come from, and where they’re going,” he said. “When that’s clear, generosity follows.” Moving carefully into what God provided When Southview finally moved into its new building, leaders resisted the urge to rush decisions. Lee said the number of choices—large and small—was overwhelming. Moving too fast, he warned, can divide a church. “We wanted to do things right, not just do them quickly,” he said. That same intentional approach continues as Southview settles into its new community. The church is now in a visible location, known to residents and community leaders. Lee sees that as both a responsibility and an opportunity. Southview’s mission statement—“Sharing the truth, love, and hope found in Christ Jesus”—guides the next chapter. The word sharing, Lee says, is intentional. The church wants to be outward focused, connected to its new community, and guided by the Holy Spirit as it builds relationships in Eagan. A visible place, and a clear calling Southview’s new church sits on a hill near a well-known intersection in a highly visible location. Lee said he has been preaching from Matt. 5:14–16, especially the line: <a class="cat-post-excerpt-more" href="https://www.outlookmag.org/how-southview-found-a-church-home/" title="Continue reading How Southview Found a Church Home Prayer, people and patience“>Read more…