October 15, 2018 | Columbia, Md. | North American Division

“This is a very challenging time for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America. Actions taken at the 2018 General Conference Annual Council meeting in Battle Creek, Michigan, did not have the outcome for the church that we had strived toward. Many of us are dealing with fear, disappointment, and even anger.

We believe that this voted document, which outlines a system of governance to address church entities not in compliance with church policy, does not follow the biblical values proclaimed by the Protestant reformers and the founders of the Adventist Church. This document, as voted, has made centralized power possible, and created a hierarchical system of governance.

In a collaborative effort, leaders in the NAD are discussing how the church in North America will move forward. Although this is difficult, amid the rancor we must keep our faith in Jesus. He is our Leader, and it is our trust in Him that will light our way. The mission, the work of the church, must and will go forward.

Policies don’t hold us together. The Spirit of God holds us together. We urge you to pray for the Church; pray that we allow the Holy Spirit to do its work, to let the Holy Spirit keep us united.”

When a democratic representation of the Church participates in a voting process, aren’t they morally obliged to also participate in the outcome? Honor demands that. We may not like the outcome, but we ought to accept it, having participated in the process.

My advice: Seek peace, and pursue it. Ask God for the wisdom and strength to comply. Repent where necessary, and be at peace. Don’t fear.

I can say, I haven’t heard much rancor here in the halls of Battle Creek. While the halls of social media have been awash with rancor here and there, the Kellogg Arena has been rather amiable. Here is a collection of quotes harvested from social media:

NAD will need to make some tough decisions in the near future. Hope people are ready to be just as radical as the document that was voted yesterday. #GCAC18

Those who were heavily accented ( English not their mother tongue ) seemed to be in favor of the punitive compliance committees. Those whose English was not foreign sounding were opposed.

Isn’t it great that the majority of the church are no longer white, English speakers? Now we truly have diversity. (Oh, but diversity is only good when you get the result you want. When it goes the other way, blame it all on the primitive, uneducated, culturally backward people of darker skin and heavier accent.)

It has nothing to do with the color of their skin, nor their level of education, It has everything to do with their partriarchal, chauvinistic, macho, misogynistic, tribal mind sets. The patriarchal mind set is not merely misogynistic, it is also authoritarian, and therefore supportive,of TW’s autocratic agenda.

North American Division Women Clergy Organization Joins Dissent Against “Compliance”

The more I read up on #GCAC18 the more I think of Joshua, they needed the old people to die off before they could go to the promise land. It’s because of the older generation why they had to wonder in the first place. Get out the way so we can get to our goals!

NAD will need to make some tough decisions in the near future. Hope people are ready to be just as radical as the document that was voted yesterday. #GCAC18

Can we make a non compliant pathfinder badge? #GCAC18

Derek Morris‏ @DrDerekMorris 2h2 hours ago Blessed to meet Andy Weaver, an Amish Adventist lay leader of West Salem Mission in Ohio. He shared a powerful testimony at #GCAC18.

Jon Paulien‏ @JonPaulien No matter how you are feeling today, I have a short word for you: Revelation-Armageddon.com

I thought the discussion process yesterday—though long—was amiable, and the outcome was in harmony with the Bible.

Raj Attken‏ @RajAttiken The growing distance and disconnect between Church as people and Church as Corporate Bureaucracy in Silver Spring, if not reversed, will render the institution irrelevant and unnecessary, if it hasn’t already #GCAC18

“If God is our defense, we don’t have to defend ourselves.” - Andy Weaver #GCAC18

“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing” (Ephesians 5:11).

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