In the second in CAP’s series of articles on the Commissioned Minister policy wrongly voted by the Upper Columbia Conference (UCC) executive committee on March 29, 2016, we chart differences between the policy of the Seventh-day Adventist world church, as indicated in the current edition of the Church Manual and NAD and GC Working Policy, and the UCC. When placed side-by-side, it becomes very clear that the UCC executive committee has exceeded its authority and placed itself in opposition to the practice of the world church. This helps explain why some UCC churches are now calling for a special session of the Upper Columbia Conference constituency to meet to reverse the policy.
Three conferences (Oregon, Washington, and Upper Columbia conferences in the North Pacific Union in the North American Division) have currently implemented the incorrect policy in some form. Seventh-day Adventists who respect the decisions of their world church and long to work in unity with brother and sister members around the world, are asking questions about the strange transference of duties and responsibilities of the ordained minister to the commissioned minister. The new policies even permit the ordination of local church elders by commissioned ministers.
The Council of Adventist Pastors has been led to provide documentation and analysis of these developments so that church members are able to make informed decisions regarding right and wrong practice, and to help maintain transparency and accountability for church leaders. We invite Seventh-day Adventists to read and widely circulate these materials.
CLICK HERE: Commissioned Minister Crisis 2: UCC Commissioned Minister Policy Compared With World Church.
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3 replies on “CM Crisis 2: UCC Commissioned Minister Policy Compared With World Church”
Always handy to have a crisis, isn’t it?
No surprise. Satan can only be met with a plain and bold thus saith the Lord. I know that the President of the General Conference has never wanted to draw fire for fear they might have something on him. This spirit of hatred for God is vicious. They crucified the Lord. They will crucify ANYONE who opposes their error and evil attempts to cause confusion and disunity in the ONLY church that is seeking to uphold truth in the world. The church members must convene local business meetings, vote in and out local church leaders according to their fealty to scripture. It follows that the church members themselves must be lovers of truth and Bible to do this work, but it needs to be done. This is the new dialogue that we need in this church. Who is on the lord’s side and who is not. Sola Scriptura, Sola Fide, Sola Gracia. No fudging; no evasion of plain biblical texts. We are not saved by lowering the standard, avoiding duty and cowardice. We have to face the Beast head on at the local church level and everywhere else in this church. The Beast is not out there. He is here pushing error, deviance and defiance among us. God calls upon us to rise to the occasion and to the issues: all of us wherever we are. Let it not be Elder Wilson alone to stand for truth but all of us. We are expected by God to do this, leaders or no leaders, the world must know that we Seventh Day Adventists live by and only by every word that comes out of the mouth of God; we treasure loyalty to God above all else and that this is the definition of our religion. Elder Wilson or no, Elder Ratsara or No, because some think the SID division was responsible for the frustration of this diabolical agenda at the last general conference. No, it is millions of us who love God and His truth and if you bring this evil once again to our General conference, we will reject it. North America Seventh Day Adventists need to wake up: this IS the beginning of the shaking, followed by the close of probation and the culmination of our 100 plus years of warning the world. When the Lord finishes His work of representing the repentant who have taken God’s offer of pardon and desisted from rebellion, He is ON HIS WAY. The heavens clearly reveal a great cosmic rearrangement going on already. The Lord is Coming. Let us be faithful against the rebellion that is well nigh global and seeks to sweep us into its ranks.
The reason I said I know the president may hate to draw fire is because I know that he is already the target of hatred for his righteous positions on so many other issues and he may not want to draw more fire than he can handle. It is sound to be wise but my suggestion is simple: that office requires bold stands on ALL issues and he should not be afraid to publicly through the review and interviews at 3ABN or elsewhere state GOD’S positions on anything. God requires it. That is what he signed up to do. In the meantime, let us support and pray for him. Our leaders who are faithful to scripture and faithful to their duties need our prayers.