Now that the World Church has made plain what it believes Scripture says about making women rulers over men, what will the General Conference do about the divisions, unions, and conferences in rebellion? Ask not what the General Conference will do, but what you can do. We do not have a hierarchy, no kings or popes in the church of God. While some General Conference Executive Committees have usurped the
authority of the General Conference in Session, it was not in their prerogative to do so. The authority to make doctrinal decisions is to be made by the World Church leaders in Session. So it is with the decision to expel a rebellious conference. That authority is only given to the General Conference in Session, not to a smaller body of men at Annual or Spring Council. The procedure for removing a union is spelled out in the General Conference Working Policy B 95 15. It specifies that it is the General Conference in Session that has the power to expel a conference from the World Church. How
| The General Conference Executive Committee does not have the authority to remove a conference |
does the process begin? It begins with a determination that the conference is in apostasy and will not repent of wrong doing. In other words, it is in rebellion against the World Church. The case is presented to the General Conference Executive Committee and is placed on the agenda of either an Annual Council or a Spring Council for a vote on moving it to the next General Conference Session, or if deemed necessary, a specially called General Conference Session to vote on the matter. Again, we do not have a hierarchy. The General Conference Executive Committee does not have the authority to remove a conference. That authority rests with the representatives of the churches from around the world when in Session.
The General Conference Executive Committee has many responsibilities, some of which have been neglected. We suffered many years with poor leadership in the Sabbath School. We have watched General Conference media spread false gospels and work contrary to the vote of the General Conference Session to not ordain women. The General Conference Executive Committee headed by President Ted Wilson has been patiently dealing with the rebellion and it will rest upon their shoulders to refer the rebellious unions to a General Conference Session if the rebellion does not end. Let us pray for the administrators of the General Conference as they seek wisdom from above.
In His time, the General Conference administration has responded to the unions in rebellion and those who have contemplated joining with them. The General Conference Secretariat has just presented a document to the church entitled "Unions and Ordination to the Gospel Ministry-----Comprehensive Working Policy Explanation". It answers the heresy being widely circulated in the church that unions have the ultimate authority in deciding who shall be ordained to the gospel ministry. It is true they have
the authority to make that decision as long as it is in harmony with their constitution and bylaws which must be in harmony with the World Church, if they wish to remain in the World Church. After a detailed explanation of how authority in the church works, a summation is given. "In sum, there is nothing in the GC WP that enables unions to ignore the actions of the GC Sessions or the Executive committee. In selecting who should and should not be ordained to gospel ministry, each union is bound to maintain and implement the criteria for ordination found in the GC Working Policy, and to comply with the World Church practice and policies."
We see God's leading in the statement prepared by the General Conference Secretariat. The statement has come in a timely manner, just as some unions are having to deal with the vote at San Antonio. In its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, August 19, the North Pacific Union Conference executive committee voted 26-4 to rescind the call for a special consituency meeting to discuss the ordination of women pastors. "We do not believe that convening a special constituency meeting about the ordination of women as pastors would be productive at this time for the North Pacific Union Conference."
The Netherlands Union, the Pacific Union, the Columbia Union, and the Northern German Union have all transgressed their Bylaws and voted to ordain women pastors. There are other things the General Conference Executive Committee can do in attempting to deal with the rebellion. The General Conference Bylaws provide for the removal of General Conference elected officers for cause. Three
"The General Conference Executive Committee shall have power to elect or remove, for cause, officers, directors, and associate directors"
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Divisions of the World Church have responsibility for unions in rebellion. A division president who is not faithful to the decision of the General Conference Session, to not ordain women pastors and thus not make women conference presidents, can be removed from his office. "The General Conference Executive Committee shall have power to elect or remove, for cause, officers, directors, and associate directors of departments/associations/services and committee members, and to fill for the current term any vacancies that may occur in its offices, boards, committees, or agents due to death, resignation, or other reasons. The phrase 'for cause,' when used in connection with removal from an elected or appointed position, shall include but not be limited to 1) incompetence; 2) persistent failure to co-operate with duly constituted authority in substantive matters and with relevant employment and denominational policies..." Article XIII -General Conference Bylaws
Not being a hierarchy, the General Conference president does not make this decision, nor does a majority of the Executive Committee decide the matter. It takes a two thirds vote of the Executive Committee to remove an elected officer. "The removal from office by the General Conference Executive Committee of any person elected under Article VI, Sec. 1. of the Constitution or its withdrawal of credentials or license shall be by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at any regular meeting." Article XIII -General Conference Bylaws.
It was the highest authority in the church that said no to women's ordination at San Antonio. Some seek to act as kings and popes and take to themselves the authority given only to the World Church in Session. Doctrinal matters such as the ordination of ministers is to be decided by the World Church when in session, not by a local conference, union, or division. Not even the General Conference Executive Committee in its Annual Meeting is to decide such important matters. When important doctrinal issues need to be decided, it is the work of the General Conference in Session. The General Conference Executive Committee takes care of routine business between sessions. If something cannot wait until the next scheduled Session, then a meeting of the World Church can be called by the Executive Committee. It must not usurp the authority of the Session as it did when deciding a woman could be ordained as a local elder. That was an illegal act. It is a doctrinal matter and such a change in doctrine is to go before the World Church when in Session.
Since the matter of ordaining women elders was decided by an Annual Council, then an Annual Council can undo their error in usurping the authority of the General Conference in Session. The World Church has made clear women are not to be rulers over men. Yet, the General Conference Executive Committee voted years ago to allow women elders. This is a contradiction to what was just voted at San Antonio. We are hopeful the General Conference Executive Committee will address this at its upcoming Annual Council Meeting.
While the World Church leaders have their responsibilities, so do church members. What shall I do? Did I play a part in allowing rebellion to grow in the church? How did some unions end up with leaders that have rebelled? Because the church is not a hierarchy, and the church member has so much influence to select leaders, what happened? Well...work it out. How did America end up with Bill Clinton being re-elected after the country found out who he was and what "it" is. Or how did America end up re-electing Obama after finding out who he is? Late term abortions and homosexual marriage did not just happen because Obama wanted it. Some think the system is broken, but it is not. Both America and the church see the results of what happens when the people are not right with God.
In order to have a just and moral society or church, the citizens and church members must be moral. They must care about what is happening around them. When they do, when church members are consecrated and living for Jesus, then they will elect consecrated representatives. They will have spiritual discernment. And, no matter what the cost, they will speak and vote their conscience. As with the County Clerk in Kentucky, USA, they will go to jail before compromising their faith. "The greatest want of the world is the want of men,--men who will not be bought or sold; men who in their inmost souls are true and honest; men who do not fear to call sin by its right name; men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole; men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall." Education, pg. 57. How is it in your church? Do church members speak up? Or do they leave it all to the pastor? A good example of
| The Executive Committee of the Pacific Union Conference rebelled against their constituency and bylaws |
how representative government works is found in the South-eastern California Conference. Not all church members in Southern California are immoral and not walking with Jesus. But, it is hard to be consecrated when living in Sodom. Look at the surrounding culture. It is like the Netherlands and much of Western Europe, full of immorality. When the world comes into the church, the culture of the world is what you get -- the teaching of evolution in a Seventh-day Adventist university, homosexual church members, and the making of a woman conference president. There is no difference between men and women in the world, the husband stays home with the baby and the wife serves in the army on the front line. With the world in the church, there is no difference between men and women in the South-eastern California Conference, nor in their union. The Executive Committees of the Pacific Union and the Netherlands Union rebelled against their own constituency and bylaws, as well as Scripture and the World Church when they approved the ordination of women pastors.
In a representative democracy, leaders are a reflection of those who elected them. It all begins with the individual church member and works its way up to the highest level of church administration. That Elder Wilson is the General Conference president means that not all divisions are a reflection of Europe, North America, and Australia. How far has America fallen? She no longer appears as a lamb, but has transitioned to speaking as the dragon. She has invited the pope to speak to her legislature this month. Both Republicans and Democrats have revealed they no longer see America as a Protestant nation. Not one United States Supreme Court Justice is a Protestant. The Court consists of a majority of Catholics, six, and the rest, are Jews in name only. The influence of the nation is seen in God's church.
The course being pursued by the United States is not only far from Protestant, but is anti-Protestant, anti-Bible. We are nearing the end. What must I do? How can I make a difference in my local conference? It takes the power of grace to make us brave and courageous Christians. First we must believe. We must believe not only in Jesus, but in His promises to transform us, to change our characters. "Notwithstanding the prevailing iniquity, there was a line of holy men who, elevated and ennobled by communion with God, lived as in the companionship of heaven. They were men of massive intellect, of wonderful attainments. They had a great and holy mission--to develop a character of righteousness, to teach a lesson of godliness, not only to the men of their time, but for future generations. Only a few of the most prominent are mentioned in the Scriptures; but all through the ages God had faithful witnesses, truehearted worshipers.
How often those who trusted the word of God, though in themselves utterly helpless, have withstood the power of the whole world--Enoch, pure in heart, holy in life, holding fast his faith in the triumph of righteousness against a corrupt and scoffing generation; Noah and his household against the men of his
| "The Vaudois and the Huguenots, Wycliffe and Huss, Jerome and Luther, Tyndale and Knox, Zinzendorf and Wesley, with multitudes of others have witnessed to the power of God's word against human power and policy in support of evil" |
time, men of the greatest physical and mental strength and the most debased in morals; the children of Israel at the Red Sea, a helpless, terrified multitude of slaves, against the mightiest army of the mightiest nation on the globe; David, a shepherd lad, having God's promise of the throne, against Saul, the established monarch, bent on holding fast his power; Shadrach and his companions in the fire, and Nebuchadnezzar on the throne; Daniel among the lions, his enemies in the high places of the kingdom; Jesus on the cross, and the Jewish priests and rulers forcing even the Roman governor to work their will; Paul in chains led to a criminal's death, Nero the despot of a world empire.
Such examples are not found in the Bible only. They abound in every record of human progress. The Vaudois and the Huguenots, Wycliffe and Huss, Jerome and Luther, Tyndale and Knox, Zinzendorf and Wesley, with multitudes of others have witnessed to the power of God's word against human power and policy in support of evil. These are the world's true nobility." Conflict and Courage; pg.9.Be a Daniel! Be an influence for Christ! Be a savor of life unto life. Time is running out. If not today, then when? The choice is ours. Want a fancy car, a large new home, or expensive clothes? Go for it, but think about it first. If you want the things of this world today, then you are giving up your inheritance of tomorrow. And, like the young man who received his inheritance to enjoy the pleasures of this world, he landed in a pigpen without any friends. The worldly pleasures of this world are fleeting deceptions. They do not make one truly happy as does sharing Jesus with those who know Him not.
If you find yourself in a conference in rebellion, look around. What do you see? Reason from cause to effect. Who elected the delegate to your conference constituency meeting? He was at the meeting that elected your conference president, secretary, and treasurer. The conference business is not a rubber stamp. What happens at the constituency meeting is up to the church delegates that vote. Twenty years ago I stood before my local conference constituency meeting with a resolution to support the decision of the General Conference to not ordain women pastors. The conference had asked me to withdraw the resolution numerous times before the constituency meeting. I refused. The conference secretary stood before the meeting opposing the resolution telling us there was no need to vote yes on the matter because the conference was bound by its bylaws to follow all General Conference regulations. The constituency followed the reasoning of the conference leaders and voted no on the resolution. Not long after that my local conference voted to ordain women pastors.
| "The new birth is a rare experience in this age of the world" |
leaders voted to rebel against the General Conference. It is one thing to disagree, it is altogether another matter to outright go contrary to church law and Bible truth. The church remains in a Laodicean condition. The problem begins with unconverted pastors baptizing unconverted men and women. "The new birth is a rare experience in this age of the world. This is the reason why there are so many perplexities in the churches. Many, so many, who assume the name of Christ are unsanctified and unholy. They have been baptized, but they were buried alive. Self did not die, and therefore they did not rise to newness of life in Christ." Vol. 6, Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary; pg 1075.
False teaching pervades the church on the very foundation of our faith. How many NAD and TED pastors understand and agree with this truth: "Holiness is wholeness to God. The soul is surrendered to God. The will, and even the thoughts, are brought into subjection to the will of Christ. The love of Jesus fills the soul, and is constantly going out in a clear, refreshing stream, to make glad the hearts of others." Ibid. pg. 1076.
| "If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" |
According to the New Testament writings of the Apostle Paul many of these leaders in the NAD and TED are accursed. Paul says that those who have brought a false gospel into God's church are accursed. "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Galatians 1:8,9.Achan had brought an accursed thing into the camp of Israel as they were on their exodus out of Egypt. "Accursed" is a very strong word to be used to identify those who have brought a false gospel into the church. Here is a passage from Joshua that describes what it means to have an accursed thing in the church. "Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you." Don't think the church will be blessed as long as we allow these false teachers to continue to teach false gospels in the church. God will allow us to continue to suffer as long as the accursed remain.
Come let us reason together saith the Lord. Reason from cause to effect. As long as we have the blind leading the blind, then we remain a blind people. Many want to kill the messenger, but don't argue with me. It is Jesus that tells us we are a blind people, but He tells us this in an effort to save us from ourselves and our blind leaders. Jesus gives us the solution to our lost condition. "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Revelation. 3:17-22.It would be good to spend a thoughtful hour each day contemplating the life of Jesus. For it is by beholding His character that we are changed into the same character (2 Cor. 3:18). Matthew 24 tells us the end is at hand. We see the world is as it was at the time of the great flood, a sign that Jesus is coming very soon. America has reached across the abyss and is walking hand in hand with the papacy. Have you considered what is about to happen in America with the campaign for the upcoming presidential election? A Seventh-day Adventist is on the campaign trail. What does this mean? Can it have a bearing on the soon coming of Jesus? I think so. "I saw that the holy Sabbath is, and will be, the separating wall between the true Israel of God and unbelievers; and that the Sabbath is the great question, to unite the hearts of God's dear waiting saints...
| "This enraged the church, and nominal Adventists, as they could not refute the Sabbath truth" |
I saw that God had children, who do not see and keep the Sabbath. They had not rejected the light on it. And at the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth, and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully. This enraged the church, and nominal Adventists, as they could not refute the Sabbath truth. And at this time, God's chosen all saw clearly that we had the truth, and they came out and endured the persecution with us. And I saw the sword, famine, pestilence, and great confusion in the land. The wicked thought that we had brought the judgments down on them. They rose up and took counsel to rid the earth of us, thinking that then the evil would be stayed." Broadside 3.Notice that when the Sabbath is being brought to the attention of the world, there is a reaction because it is the truth especially controverted and cannot be refuted by Bible truth. It appears that God may not be waiting on us to begin this last act in the drama of the ages. He has been waiting on us for over 170 years. Something comes to mind when we see the pope coming to address the American Congress, and Dr. Ben Carson high in the polls for U.S. president. Do you recall one of the female candidates seeking the same position as Ben Carson, the Republican nomination for president four years ago, Michele Bachmann? It seems she had a problem that caused her to leave her church. "Michele Bachmann has removed her membership from a church in Minnesota which teaches the pope is the anti-Christ. Bachmann was asked about the church’s statement when she was running for Congress five years ago. 'It's abhorrent, it's religious bigotry, I love Catholics, I'm a Christian, and my church does not believe that the pope is the antichrist, that's absolutely false.'” abibleanswer.org She left that Lutheran Church when she found out it was true, her church does teach the pope is the anti-Christ.
That is not the only Seventh-day Adventist teaching that will come up in the next year as Dr. Carson and his beliefs are scrutinized with a fine tooth comb. What will Dr. Carson do on the Sabbath Day when meetings may be scheduled or work is to be done? The Sabbath will come to the attention of many who have no idea there is such a thing, or at least not that it is on the seventh day or that it is still binding, or that it means just what the fourth commandment says. "The seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates." When professing Protestants and Catholics who like his conservative positions on many issues discover just what Seventh-day Adventists believe, including Sabbath worship and rest, there will be arguments over these doctrines. If not in the primary election, absolutely in the election in November when the Democrats take aim if he is the Republican candidate.
But, astute Republicans are wise enough to see what lies ahead if he is their candidate. As attractive as he looks today, that can all change rapidly when church doctrine enters the debates. Of course this can all be dodged by Dr. Carson if he substitutes Sunday worship for Sabbath Worship. If this were to happen, then preparing a people for the second coming will be delayed until Seventh-day Adventists do the work of proclaiming the Sabbath more fully. That will require a revival and reformation in the church called by Jesus, Laodicea. That revival will begin with individuals seeking Christ. The question again to be asked is "what shall I do"? If we want to see a transformation in the Netherlands Union and the Pacific Union, then we need to see a revival in those union's churches. It begins with us. If we want consecrated leaders, then it will take consecrated church members to elect them.
It is past time that we buy "gold tried in the fire", "white raiment", and "eyesalve". What is the cost? We must give up our sin polluted hearts to Jesus. What a deal! Jesus stands at the door knocking, wanting in. Has He not done enough for us that we would finally let Him in? It is true, dying to self is the hardest battle we shall ever fight, but if we will go to Jesus, just as we are, if we listen to Him when He says "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst....I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world," what is the greatest battle ever fought will be won through the power of His grace. If we will feed upon Jesus, if we will spend that hour each day learning of Him, seeing His great sacrifice for us while we are yet sinners, then we shall be changed into His image from glory unto glory! It is a Bible promise that cannot fail!
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