Author Topic: SDA Church Responds to the Election of Woman President  (Read 9967 times)

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Mimi

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SDA Church Responds to the Election of Woman President
« on: October 31, 2013, 07:56:17 AM »
A response from the GC in the Review: Moving Forward Together
A RESPONSE FROM THE GENERAL CONFERENCE TO RECENT ACTIONS IN NORTH AMERICA


Working Policy, which is the recording of our agreements as to how we will work together to do the Lord’s work and mission, serves as one of the practical unifying agents that the Holy Spirit uses to bind the church together. Policy is not inflexible. It can be changed but it reflects the understanding of the collective group, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When personal convictions are placed ahead of the collective policy decisions of the worldwide church, troubling precedents are set. God works in an orderly way and wishes His church to exemplify this sanctified behavior through the power of the Holy Spirit. Humility and submission to God for the good of the church body as outlined in the Word of God and the Spirit of Prophecy are fundamental Biblical principles for the benefit of the church.

At the 2012 Annual Council in a voted action entitled, “Statement on Church Polity, Procedures, and Resolution of Disagreements in the Light of Recent Union Actions on Ministerial Ordination,” the world church strongly indicated that it does not recognize as ordained ministers individuals who do not meet the criteria outlined in policy. It deeply concerns the world leadership of the church that recently a local conference constituency elected as a conference president an individual who is not recognized by the world church as an ordained minister. Ordination to the ministry is one of the criteria set forth for being a conference president. General Conference administration is working with the North American Division administration as they deal with the implications of this local conference action, which is contrary to the 2012 Annual Council action.
  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89 

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Church Responds to the Election of Woman President
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2013, 10:33:55 AM »
The swift response from the leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church indicates the gravity of the situation. The conferences and unions that are participating in the rebellion have mistakenly believed that because they have support, that God will protect them. As with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, He will not. Because judgment does not come rapidly does not mean it will not come. Time is given that all might choose whom they will serve. Either the Bible and the church have authority or they do not. We know they do, so it is just a matter of time before justice is seen. Until then, mercy lingers with those who stand against God and His church.

The North American Division president is working with the World Church as to how to deal with the matter of the unrecognized woman at the NAD year end meeting soon to begin. It will be difficult for the NAD leaders, many of whom are participants in the rebellion, to not see their woman be able to vote. On the other hand, their president, the leader of the rebellion, has in the past yielded up his principles and voted with the world church in reproving the rebellion. It is hard to know which way he will go on this one. Unlike the union and conference leaders, the division leaders are elected by and are part of the General Conference of the World Church. Being in defiance of the law he is governed by can cause him the loss of his job. Will  he follow wrong principles or will he yield up his principles and do what is right and keep his job? We pray that he will stand on Bible truth and follow the laws he has accepted in a church that proclaims obedience to the law of God. But, if he cannot do it honestly, then let him side with the rebellion and suffer the consequences of defying the God of heaven.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Mimi

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Re: SDA Church Responds to the Election of Woman President
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2013, 05:42:29 PM »
From ANN. The complete statement:




Adventist officers release statement regarding a local conference’s recent election of president


The Seventh-day Adventist world church headquarters is located in Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.
Statement urges working together to fulfill church’s mission

October 31, 2013 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Author: ANN staff

Seventh-day Adventist world church officials today released a statement regarding a local conference that recently elected as president a person who is not recognized by the world church as an ordained minister. Ordination is one of the criteria for being a conference president. The statement, in its entirety, follows:


Moving Forward Together

A response from the General Conference to recent actions in North America

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has been called by God as an urgent, end-time voice proclaiming God’s love and last day message to the world. He has commissioned us to proclaim the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14:6-12 to people worldwide desperately looking for hope. The message and mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is unique and is heaven-sent. Our top priority as a church is knowing Jesus ourselves and sharing His message of redemption. Nothing is to stand in the way of this proclamation as we unite to reach every “nation, kindred, tongue and people” with the “everlasting gospel.”

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a fellowship of believers bound together by a common commitment to Christ, the truths of the Bible, a worldwide church organization and a mission to the world. Each of these elements is vitally important in preserving the unity of the church and keeping it from fracturing. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is not organized as a collection of independent units. Although each Conference/Mission, Union and the General Conference (which includes the divisions) have their own constituencies, they are also united by common commitments, mutual trust and agreed upon policies. The Church, the body of Christ, is inter-related. Actions that affect one part of the body affect the whole. The Apostle Paul stated it succinctly in these words, “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.” (1 Corinthians 12:12) 

Working Policy, which is the recording of our agreements as to how we will work together to do the Lord’s work and mission, serves as one of the practical unifying agents that the Holy Spirit uses to bind the church together. Policy is not inflexible. It can be changed but it reflects the understanding of the collective group, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When personal convictions are placed ahead of the collective policy decisions of the worldwide church, troubling precedents are set.  God works in an orderly way and wishes His church to exemplify this sanctified behavior through the power of the Holy Spirit. Humility and submission to God for the good of the church body as outlined in the Word of God and the Spirit of Prophecy are fundamental Biblical principles for the benefit of the church.

At the 2012 Annual Council in a voted action entitled, “Statement on Church Polity, Procedures, and Resolution of Disagreements in the Light of Recent Union Actions on Ministerial Ordination,” the world church strongly indicated that it does not recognize as ordained ministers individuals who do not meet the criteria outlined in policy. It deeply concerns the world leadership of the church that recently a local conference constituency elected as a conference president an individual who is not recognized by the world church as an ordained minister. Ordination to the ministry is one of the criteria set forth for being a conference president. General Conference administration is working with the North American Division administration as they deal with the implications of this local conference action, which is contrary to the 2012 Annual Council action.

The world church is currently working together in a Theology of Ordination Study Committee with participation by all divisions to better understand the functions of ordination as well as the role of women in relation to ordination to the gospel ministry. A careful process is functioning and reports will be given to the 2014 Annual Council with the expectation that this subject will go to the 2015 General Conference Session for a decision under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

We have every confidence in the Lord’s leading of His precious remnant church. By God’s grace and through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, the church will find its way through this challenging time as we move forward with the unique message and mission entrusted to the Seventh-day Adventist movement. It is God’s plan that we proclaim His end-time, prophetic truth to every corner of the globe and especially the enormous metropolitan centers of the world through “Mission to the Cities” utilizing every form of comprehensive urban evangelism including comprehensive health ministry and many other methods. We urge all church members and leaders to pray that the Holy Spirit will unite us to fulfill Christ’s promise that “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) United in Christ’s love, bound together in a common Biblical message, linked through a common church organization and committed to one another with mutual respect and trust through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are confident this church will triumph at last and proclaim Christ’s eternal message of truth to the ends of the earth in anticipation of Jesus’ soon second coming.

—The General Conference Executive Officers
  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89 

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Church Responds to the Election of Woman President
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2013, 07:28:38 PM »
It is being reported that the NAD president and his associates have rejected the World Church's authority and will seat the SECC's illegally elected conference president at the North American Division's year end meetings which is now in session. The North American Division president is now out in the open with his rebellion. The NAD has published the GC's statement of warning today.  It is interesting that they did not even mention the new president's name or the conference involved. They introduced the GC statement thusly:


Seventh-day Adventist world church officials today released a statement regarding a local conference that recently elected as president a person who is not recognized by the world church as an ordained minister. Ordination is one of the criteria for being a conference president. The statement, in its entirety, follows:

Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Mimi

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Re: SDA Church Responds to the Election of Woman President
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2013, 02:21:06 PM »
This is just in from NAD NewsPoints:

You may view the Friday evening (November 1) live worship service on Hope Church Channel. Friday's evening worship speaker is Elder Ted N. C. Wilson, president of the Seventh-day Adventist World Church. The program begins at 6:00 p.m. EST.

You may also view Sabbath morning's program (November 2) on Hope Church Channel beginning at 9:00 a.m. Adult Ministries Director, J. Alfred Johnson, has planned an interesting program dealing with children in outreach. Elder Dan Jackson will deliver the sermon for the Divine Worship service beginning at 10:45 a.m.

  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89 

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Church Responds to the Election of Woman President
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2018, 08:45:42 PM »
No matter what the world church does, the South Eastern California Conference will continue their rebellion. Today, they re-elected their woman president. Many believe the constituents can battle against the rebellion. They can, but in the SECC the delegates are the problem. Their leadership is what they want. In a "bottom up" government, the leaders reflect the beliefs of the churches that elect them. Unless there is revival and reformation in the Southern California churches, there will be no change in leadership.

It was a pastor from this conference that baptized the lesbian in the Chico California church. Thus, there is a definite connection between ordaining women pastors and taking homosexuals into church membership. 70% of the SECC voted to re-elect their woman leader over men.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

colporteur

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Re: SDA Church Responds to the Election of Woman President
« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2018, 05:06:31 PM »
The decision that all will have to make if the NAD separates or withholds tithe from the GC will be where to send tithe.
It's easier to slow a fast horse down than to get a dead one going.

thx4mercy

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Re: SDA Church Responds to the Election of Woman President
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2018, 08:36:44 AM »
The decision that all will have to make if the NAD separates or withholds tithe from the GC will be where to send tithe.

Wonder what the faithful pastors would do if the NAD splits off.  If they stayed with the NAD, we would want to help support them. ???

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Church Responds to the Election of Woman President
« Reply #8 on: November 23, 2018, 09:54:53 PM »
I don't think most church members of the NAD will leave the church. We would leave the NAD if we had to,  but not the church. I don't think the NAD will be dissolved. It will be the unions and conference leaders that will have to be removed and if it comes to it, some conferences may have to be removed, like the SECC. Then, the church members of those conferences will elect new leaders. The ones who follow the rebels will have to follow them where ever they go. But, they cannot remain in the church if they continue in rebellion. There will be revival and reformation, which means that some will have to leave the church since they will not agree to revival and reformation. Ordaining women elders is only a symptom of a much deeper problem. Many are not converted and some have so hardened their hearts that they can no longer repent. We cannot know who has passed this point, but some have.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

colporteur

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Re: SDA Church Responds to the Election of Woman President
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2018, 03:30:04 PM »
Mark Finley while vocal regarding Gavid Gates is nearly silent by comparison regarding Dan Jackson and the NAD. Some believe that is because he is sympathetic to the rebellious NAD cause. Others wonder if he is just quiet because he does not want the church to split. Im not sure how keeping quiet is going accompluish that. It is important to remember that he put forth the idea of the Third Option at GC that being let everybody do what they want. That was pretty much the second option.
It's easier to slow a fast horse down than to get a dead one going.

colporteur

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Re: SDA Church Responds to the Election of Woman President
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2018, 03:59:54 PM »

I asked the conferance president in front of the church a few weeks ago what his person conviction is regarding the WO issue. His reply, " I believe the Bible." He then said that it is not important what he thinks. Well, and election is coming up this summer and it will be decided if he will continue after filling in or if another will be chosen. Seems to me that his view on this should known. He did say however, that their were pastors in the days of EGW. To me that indicates his position.

It's easier to slow a fast horse down than to get a dead one going.