The North German Union has issued a response to the ‘Warning’ that was given to them at the 2019 Annual Council meeting on Tuesday of this Week.
The document—Stellungnahme_des_NDV-Vorstandes_zur_Verwarnung_des_NDV_durch_
die_Weltkirchenleitung—was translated by Google Translate into raw English, and further clarified by Gerry Wagoner.
North German Union website.
Original Document here.
Free Church of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
North German Association KödR
Public statement of the board of the NDV on the 15.10.2019 pronounced "warning" by the Executive Committee of the General Conference
The General Conference Executive Committee held its Annual Council on 15.10.2019. The North German Federation was issued a warning for their ordination practice. This warning also applied to Adventist church leaders in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Two North American Unions (Columbia Union Conference and Pacific Union Conference) were also issued warnings due to their practice of women's ordination.
On the history of the North German Association:
On April 23, 2012, the NDV (Norddeutsche Verband) delegates' meeting concluded with 160 yes and 47 No votes that in the area of the North German Association, females can be ordained, like their male colleagues. Output points for the previous in-depth discussion were three standards:
a) the social norm of an anti-discrimination law in civil and labor law,
b) the Federal Law, 2006 as General Equal Treatment Act enacted a disadvantage for the sake of race, ethnic origin, sex, religion or worldview,disability, age, or sexual identity, and above all
c) the biblical norm, which is in the beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventists, Article No. 14 (FB #14) states, "Racial, cultural, bilateral educational, national, social and societal differences, as well as differences between man and woman must not be divisive among us.”
For ordination / blessing practice:
Because the Working-Policy of the Seventh Day Adventist Church does not allow ordination of women to the ministry, the NDV-Verbandausschuss has accepted the decision of the NDV delegate meeting, to offer a path of equality for male and female Pastors within the territory of the NDV. The SDA Working policy provides: In addition to the ordination for the worldwide Ministerial Credential, which is reserved for men only, a second form of full assignment to the ministry (Commissioned Minister Credential), which also works for women and men worldwide. The only difference is that full ordination has worldwide validity, and commissioning only national. 1
The first assignment is called "ordination", the second "blessing". Examples each are full assignments to the ministry. The NDV Association Committee has decided on its area, both for men and for women exclusively the second form of full commission, the blessing (Commissioned Minister Credential). This is the equality we have created for pastors in the NDV area.
Reason for the warning:
In its most recent decision, the World Church Leadership has now issued a public warning because the NDV is issuing only a Commissioned Minister Credential to pastors in its territory. A general suspension of the Ordination (Ministerial Credential) is not compliant.
Evaluation of the NDV board:
1. The board of the North German federation sees the warning of the World Church leaders as unjustified. The NDV practices one Regulation of "blessing" (commissioning), which on the one hand guarantees equal treatment of pastors, and on the other hand, is within the Guidelines of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. A requirement to "Ordination "is not given in the guidelines of the SDA Church.
2. The warning of the World Church Leadership has been made in the context of the "Procedure for breaches of rules" adopted in 2018. The procedure provides for regulations that were not applied in this case. Contrary to the public presentation of the chairman of the world church leadership, the NDV was not informed in advance in any official correspondence as being in non-compliance with the rules. Rather, the NDV President learned only a few days before of a possible warning for non-compliance. In our opinion, this practice does not reflect the 2018 resolution, nor the spirit of fairness and Christian respect.
3. We regret that no hearing was given to our NDV Union before the delegates issued a warning. This should have taken place before the decision-making body in a timely manner.
4. We question if it is in harmony with Matthew 18: 15 to give such a warning in public without first looking for solutions in a smaller group.
How the NDV is Responding to the Warning:
1. The Executive Committee of the North German Association will examine whether an objection can be raised against the Warning from the World Church, according to the 2018 Compliance Document.
2. Together with the Inter-European Division (EUD) the executive committee of the North German Association will analyze the resulting situation and agree on measures to promote the unity and development of the world church.
3. The NDV Board will — as in its 2016 adopted document "Opinion on Ordination"— continue to focus its attention on their underlying concern that racial cultural, educational, national, social and societal
differences (as well as differences between man and woman) in our Church is not divisive (based on FB #14 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church). This is why we promote the equality of pastors within our world church.
Johannes Naether, President
Friedbert Hartmann, Vice President
Dieter Neef, Treasurer
Response of the South German Union:
The Executive Committee of the South German Union is in agreement with the NDV regarding this warning and the procedure to address it.
Werner Dullinger, President
Jens-Oliver Mohr, Vice President
Dieter Neef, Treasurer
Footnotes:
1. See document "Levels of Pastoral Assignment" at https://www.adventisten.de/utility/dokumente-und-stellungnahmen/
2. See document "Statement by the NDV on the ordination of women serving ministry as pastors" (2016) at https://www.adventisten.de/utility/dokumente-und-stellungnahmen/
Freikirche der Siebenten-Tags-Adventisten).
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What is needed?
Notice that these rebellious entities have settled on a new argument, Fundamental Belief #14. They claim that this belief should prevent us from honoring God’s distinctions between male and female. In this way, they seek to create tension between the Word of God and our Fundamental beliefs—this is the work of the Enemy. When you boil it all down, the Church needs something—something that would have protected us from this onslaught within. What is needed?
A Church-wide affirmation of the biblical teaching on male leadership, and a fundamental belief that acknowledges it.
A fundamental belief on biblical male leadership could also strengthen EGW’s prophetic ministry by acknowledging its uniqueness, and safeguard our belief in the Heavenly Trio from the accusations of AdFeminists. And we need it quick.
While there is still something left to save.
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