0n July 14, 2014, Alice Silva and Amber Machado were “married,” with Alice taking Amber’s last name. In June 2016 Alice Machado became a baptized member in the Chico Seventh-day Adventist church in Northern California Conference (NCC). Amber Machado was already a baptized member of the Chico church.
Ginger Harwood baptized Alice Machado at the Chico Church. Harwood holds a commissioned minister credential through the Pacific Union Conference. Harwood was “ordained” as a Seventh-day Adventist minister in 2013 in a rebel ordination service held at the La Sierra University church in Riverside, California. The Seventh-day Adventist Church never has and currently does not practice the ordination of women to the gospel ministry. In a November 8, 2016 email stated to be from NCC president Jim Pedersen to a concerned member, Pedersen wrote
The SDA Church continues to call all people to a saving relationship with Jesus, including baptism. There is also an understanding that members are not yet perfect, including those who get baptized – but there is a growth experience as we become more like Christ. The LGBT discussion continues to expand and be defined by the church, upholding the biblical foundation of marriage.
Now, three years later, “ordained” pastor Harwood has baptized a practicing lesbian into the Seventh-day Adventist church.
And we were told that accepting women’s ordination would never lead to this.
Interestingly, 23 years ago Harwood wrote a chapter in The Welcome Table, a book promoting the ordination of women. Back then she saw that those who opposed women’s ordination felt that, “such changes will alter our core identity” (p. 271). In that book, Harwood’s is perhaps the most credible, measured, and fair-minded chapter. And yet, two decades later she is bringing into church membership a person whom she must have known to be currently “married” to another woman. This is what is so chilling. If just twentyish years of journey brings one of the coolest heads and most rational among supporters of women’s ordination to the place of baptizing a lesbian, where has the same passage of time taken those more radical?
To baptize a practicing lesbian is something new for the Adventist Church. To embrace it would be to engage in change of Adventist core identity. One wonders if Harwood would have thought 23 years ago that this is where she would be today.
People who are convinced that their view is correct act on those beliefs. It is inevitable. What is happening in Northern California Conference right now is a time-machine to the future. These events are foretelling what will be happening in your Conference tomorrow if the current beliefs promoted by the current leadership of the Pacific Union and the North American Division are permitted to play out. Members in local conferences need to do what Seventh-day Adventist Church president Ted N.C. Wilson called for in his 2010 address to the Church:
Seventh-day Adventist Church members, hold your leaders, pastors, local churches, educators, institutions, and administrative organizations accountable to the highest standards of belief based on a literal understanding of Scripture.
There is a linkage between the theology of women’s ordination and queer theology. While this is denied on the one hand, we see it turned into practice on the other. People who are convinced that their view is correct act on those beliefs. There are two opposite approaches to biblical interpretation in the Church, and there are two different sets of actual beliefs and practices which stem from them. God’s Church stands at the door of pluralism and paganism.
For more extensive information, see
http://www.fulcrum7.com/blog/2017/2/2/married-lesbian-baptised-into-chico-seventh-day-adventist-church
NOTE: Errors corrected and two new paragraphs added.
37 replies on “"Ordained" Woman Pastor Baptizes Lesbian SDA “Married” to Lesbian Member. NCC Takes No Substantive Action”
The president of the NCC needs to be fired first, and then Ginger Harwood.
This is a serious scandal in the SDA church and misuse of tithe.
If this is not checked very soon, wrath is going to fall on all of us.
We have no need to fear, nor to be confused, except we “Forget” how God has led us in the past. Please remember that while God loves the sinner He Abhors the sin. Acts 3:19. May God help us to repent of this great wickedness. 2Chron. 7:14
Tess, I think our leaders have already forgotten how God has led us in the past. And thus, we have a great deal to fear.
There is absolutely in trusting in leaders at this time. I tremble for our church–we are approaching an iceberg–but we can survive only if we get on our knees and keep our eyes on the captain (Jesus) of our ship and in faith look to Him alone to give us victory. Time is short–let’s be ready to run with the horsemen and win this war with the prevailing evil that’s ready to engulf us.
Yes! This is a misuse of tithe. It may be that womens ordination is a precedent for other abominations coming into the Seventh Day Adventist church such as same sex. Unfortunately it is becoming a global problem in the SDA church and the wrath of God will indeed fall upon the church if the evil is left unchecked.
On November 12, 2011, the Dallas Brooks Center in Victoria Australia was packed with 2,500 Seventh-day Adventists who wanted to hear from General Conference president, Pastor Ted Wilson who was also invited to ordain local pastors to ministry. Then the corruption in the Victorian Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church became apparent when they ordained a woman showing that the conference was in deep division with the world church which has rejected the ordaining of women. GC president Pastor Ted Wilson was faithful to his biblical principles by declining to participate in or acknowledge the ordaining of the woman. The Victorian Conference SDA church rebellion was manifest.
Do not pay tithe to rebellious conferences such as the Victorian Conference but send it to more worthier SDA church conferences such as in third world countries. Get the word out!
Amen Brother many of our leaders are drunk with the Wine of Babylon. The Tsunami is on the horizon. . It’s time to eradicate the cancer, before it metastasis to the rest of the body. Yes sadly, there will be causalities, but think of those that are asleep and sitting on the fence… SOP warns us, the church will past through the Sanctuary and be judged, before probation closes. And the earth will swell with the loud cry of the 3d angles message… and Christ has told us, “I have sheep in other folds, and when I call they will hear My voice and will come out of Babylon…
http://www.factsoffaith.org
Is Pastor Harwood commissioned or ordained? I’m confused with the wording in this article. Other than The fact that Adventism is debating/discussing both issues, I see WO and LGBT separately. I say this because of rumors that ordained male pastors are guilty of what Harwood is being accused of.
Ms Haywood was “ordained” in an “ordination” service which the world church does not recognize. She actually has a “commissioned” minister credential granted her by the Pacific Union. The Seventh-day Adventist church has never, from its beginning until today, practiced the ordination of women to the gospel ministry.
The confusion stems from the differing belief systems now evidenced within the church and different practices. But there aside from issues over women elders the policy is actually fairly clear.
It is evident now that “Pastor” Harwood was not ordained but She was cursed.
WOW! Dear “GOD” Help Us! All of this came to pass because it looks like there just isn’t any “Real Men”. Man enough to stand up against this, out right “Wickeness”! Where are the “MEN” in this Chico Seventh-Day Adventist church? How could a “MAN” who have a real relationship with “GOD” even allow this? This Pastor; No Pastor is an Owner of any Seventh-Day Adventist church! I’m asking again. Are there any “MEN” belong to this church? I hold hardly agree with Brother Douglas Carlson.
The president of the NCC needs to be fired first, and then Ginger Harwood.
This is pitiful! Well, this is what Satan does to those that are completely lost! These are twisted minds, and unless Christians!!!
Real Christians, take a stand, you can kiss the Chico Seventh-Day Adventist church Good-by, and all those that continue their attendance and Membership there. This is what you call Travesty, of the Gospel of “JESUS CHRIST”! …and Men And women that have decide to go their own way! ….and they are lost!
I just sent this letter by email to the pastor and elders in our local church in Apache Junction.
Here is the letter:
This is a letter addressed to Pastor Bledsoe, the Elders of Apache Junction, and our head deacon.
I think it should go out to the entire church, but for now I am sending it to the spiritual leaders of our church. However, I do consider the entire church board to be spiritual leaders and a few of those board members are also getting this email. And I am interested in your advice and comments.
The subject of this letter is the content of this article which has already been fact checked and given much circulation. You need to read this before going on:
http://ordinationtruth.com/2017/02/03/ordained-woman-pastor-baptizes-lesbian-marries-lesbian-ncc-approves/
The NAD is made up of local conferences. And then unions. The article addresses the conduct of one of the several conference presidents in the NAD- the President of the NCC (Northern Calif Conference).
The president of the NCC has brought reproach on the entire work of the SDA church in the United States. It is required that when a brother errs and makes a mistake, spiritual leaders, usually his peers, need to go to him and ask him to repent, and make wrongs right.
I do not think this is the responsibility of local elders in conferences outside the conference in question. This responsibility belongs to other conference presidents to address this issue, equalls to an equal.
I suggest, as spiritual leaders in Apache Junction, we address this issue with our Conference President, Elder Keyes. That we go in as a group, sit down with him and say something like this:
“Elder Keyes, the president of the NCC has made a serious error in judgment. We believe it is your responsibility as a peer and equal in rank, to have a spiritual visit with the NCC president ASAP.
He needs to know that using an ordained woman minister is our of harmony with the intent of the action voted at the 2015 GC. And that this woman minister has baptized into full church membership a practicing lesbian couple.
This action has brought reproach on all Conference leaders and the SDA church. What needs to be done is Ginger Harwood needs to be fired, and I would recommend you resign your position as NCC president immediately.”
The exact wording could be worked on, but I think my intent in clear.
And I do not believe Elder Keyes should be allowed to duck this issue and say it does not concern him. It concerns all of us. I think this action would have more meaning if we went in to see Elder Keyes as a group, but if the leaders in our church are not interested in pursuing this than I will contact Elder Keyes myself. Conference leadership does have responsibilities, it is just not a “good ‘o boys club.” Homosexuality is a sin and when brought out openly before the church as it has in the NCC it needs to be addressed openly.
I believe that every single Conference President needs to rise up and address this issue as a body. Certainly this act is close to the sin of Beth or Mount Peor. Read carefully PP chapter 41 on the “Apostasy at the Jordon.” For any conference president to turn away from addressing this issue is a serious neglect of duty and demonstrates a participation in the NCC’s open sin.
Sincerely,
Douglas Carlson (elder in the Apache Junction church, retired SDA pastor, Michigan conference)
Isn’t it time we required our spiritual leaders to actually be just that?
“Isn’t it time we required our spiritual leaders to actually be just that?”
If you understand the situation, then you understand why it is impossible for them to do as you suggest.
1. Definition is the first requirement for any organization to have any viable identity. If there is no definition, then you have no,
2. Accountability to state any conditions. And without Accountability, you have no,
3. Discipline. This is comparable to law, judgment, and punishment. So now we know why the liberals love the present situation as it gives them free reign to do and act as they please and no one can challenge them because there is no definition of right and wrong. The best our leaders can do is advise and beg with the hope that some will value unity above personal conviction.
What we have now is anarchy comparable to the liberal agenda in our civil government that defy authority on any level that would challenge their agenda. And like the liberal agenda in our church, they get massive doses of affirmation to support them in their rebellion. When the church opted for Pluralism after the Dr. Ford fiasco, they emasculated church leadership and ever since then “every doctrine is blowing” and no definition and identification of truth to oppose what developed after that fiasco.
But even if we can identify the problem, we still have no format for the solution. Some assume God will solve the problem and so sit around and do nothing waiting for God to solve the problem. If and when God solves the problem, it will be by “terrible things in righteousness” beyond any human comprehension. Patience is the final virtue attributed to the saints but no one knows how the final outcome will materialize or be consummated.
Well said. However there is always something that can be done. Personally I don’t have a problem with women’s ordination. I have a problem with the attitude of these people towards unity. If the session voted against it you accept it. In my congregation we had to disfellowship a member because of the way she conducted herself. It took a long time where we tried to engage in dialogue but she was only interested in negative propaganda towards the church. We also brought 6 members to a dissiplinery because of an insident. Some of these members left to attend another congregation but others stayed. Our church has a structered way of looking at new doctrine. It is a scientific aproach. It needs to be real truth. Homosexuality has never been blessed by God. If these people know it, then they are deliberately going against the bible and God. And a deliberate sin cannot be tolerated in the church. During the Desmond Ford fiasco, our own church pastor had to stand in front of the church with the 5 senior pastors in the conference to state what he believes. He eventually left the church.
To C J and Douglas,
Well said and on point. Where are the men and who will go and address this transgression with the leadership? Current events are moving more rapidly than I thought and it can’t be much longer before Jesus returns.
In light of this development I will see if I will be able to make an appointment with my Conference President and tell him my concerns on this issue. I would suggest that we pray for those that will be doing this for the Holy Spirit to speak through them. If we speak our own words I don’t think the outcome will be very good.
Have a blessed Sabbath,
Joe
While many churches would not agree with what took place in this church and would affirm they would never do this, at the some time, they fail to see the spirituality of their own church is in perfect harmony with what took place.
God is allowing the evil spirituality that many embrace to develop to such an obvious conclusion that no one can claim they did not know what was happening in the SDA church. So while this specific evil that took place would be opposed by some, they will see more clearly in the future that it is the same spirituality they have endorsed on many other issues that seem less vile and evil.
The women’s lib movement and the WO movement in the church is the same spirituality that endorses and allows this Gay couple to be baptized. And that spirituality advocates and embraces a lawless Christ as the counter part of the Christless law the Jews advocated in rejecting Jesus the Messiah.
The SDA church of today has embraced a “lawless Christ” and it is being manifested more and more in some the most vile evils that the church will not condemn nor act to correct.
The church has rejected bible definition and accountability coupled with the necessary action of discipline to correct the errors. Why are we surprised? As the Lord said to Jeremiah, “See this evil? You haven’t seen anything yet.”
This article posted on Atoday is affirmation about the intense evil allowed without discipline in the SDA church.
“Fresh Accusations Against Adventist School Allege Secrecy About Physical, Sexual Abuse”
If church leaders didn’t know about this situation, it is because they didn’t want to know. Whether all the stories related are true or not, may be questionable. But with all that smoke, there is certainly some fire. So again, as the Lord said to Jeremiah, , “See this evil? You haven’t seen anything yet.”
If people accept levels of authority, they must also accept the level of accountability that comes with the authority. If not, then there will be a reckoning with God they won’t wish to be confronted with. That these things can happen in the world is bad enough, but when the church community is afflicted with this evil, it is far greater in intensity by way of the high profession the church makes to represent the kingdom of God.
I am so sad to see the women in our church who seek WO and all those who either support it or simply fail to understand the true root of it which is rebellion just as was found in Lucifer and led to his fall when he sought a position not given to him by the Creator. Whenever we disregard the path God lays out for us to best learn of His love and mercy and embark upon a path of our own choosing then nothing good will follow.
I am a woman who admittedly struggles at time to let my husband lead, when I do so, I am questioning God and I am daily striving to learn more of God’s love for me and how to allow God to teach me to love others as He would have me; this cannot be accomplished if I decide to become the leader in my own home. I was created to be equal to my husband but God gave me the roll of wife and mother.
Those who see no issue with WO need to study the origins of the feminist movement, pure spiritualism. The 60s taught women they don’t need a man and science allowed them to have babies with test tubes and now children say they are neither boy nor girl. All this does is remove us from our Creator. And very very soon the test of our loyalty to the Creator will be tested by the Sunday law…who will stand firm if they cannot honor how God Himself set up the family structure both of home and church family.
We need to pray for our sisters and brothers in Christ who fail to see these dangers.
amen!
Now what?!
“Now what?!
Good question. What we must understand is this, what the church tolerates the church endorses. If there is no discipline, then it is an accepted norm. And each of us must decide our own personal position and obligation if we are members of the SDA church.
We must protest at bare minimum. And if not, we are guilty of tolerating sin and endorsing sin. This is so intense, that when Achan stole from the enemy and took plunder for himself in the Jericho situation, the whole camp was cursed, even when they didn’t know why. So God demanded exposure of the evil and action appropriate for the situation before any further blessing could be realized.
Here we have open and visible evil advocated, tolerated and accepted without so much a word from leadership to condemn the activity and then take action to correct the evil. So the question “Now what?” is very relevant and demands some answer on some level.
How can anyone pray for the latter rain for the church community in light of this present situation? Absurd duplicity beyond comprehension. If there is no official public response by the leaders of the church, then we can say with Solomon, “The curse causeless shall not come.” The curse has come and will surely intensify as further developments increase in evil.
I am speechless. Not because there is nothing to say. I am speechless because, well, I never….!
“Many parents will have to render an awful account at last for their neglect of their children. They have fostered and cherished their evil tempers by bending to their wishes and will, when the wishes and will of the children should bend to them. They have brought God’s frown upon them and their children by these things. Parents, have you forgotten that which is written in the Holy Word: “He that spareth the rod hateth his son.” Children are left to come up instead of being trained up. The poor little children are thought not to know or understand a correction at ten or twelve months old, and they begin to show stubbornness very young. Parents suffer them to indulge in evil tempers and passions without subduing or correcting them, and by so doing they cherish and nourish these evil passions until they grow with their growth and strengthen with their strength. RH September 19, 1854
Lots of parents with lots to answer for. Lots of privileged children that never grew up that hate their parents enough to make them want to answer for them. With many less privileged that serve HIM, removing any self justifications or excuses. Maybe we should warn them?
These seemingly “last days” leave many of us speechless.
The church membership from NCC need to withold there tithes until the president and the pastor is fired. They are a disgrace to the church and for what the church stands for. These leaders believe that they own God’s church and that it belongs to them. They don’t belong there. I am soooooo upset at this. May God have mercy on His church and people.
I understand how upset you are by this. I am equally upset. However, it is not our right to withhold tithe from God’s church, no matter what apostasy is going on. Tithe belongs to God. It is His money from the moment you receive it, and this is His church. Remember the widow who gave her last few mites at the temple? Jesus commended her. Yet the church in that day was full of hypocrisy and corruption!
Give to God what is God’s. It is an act of faith and submission to Him. It is not your responsibility to “vote” with your money, because it is God’s money. If it is misused, what does the LORD say? “It is Mine to avenge; I will repay.”
Do not fear – though the boat appears to be sinking because of the storm, Jesus is in the boat. You may think He is asleep, but He asks you to have faith. The boat WILL reach the other side – BECAUSE Jesus is in it!
To Micheal Maw, tithe money needs to be sent to the Union or General Conference. There is a Satanic Breach in that church.
The General Conference is the church! The World Church, where the Vows and the principles, and yes including the General Conference Working Policy of the church created through “GOD’S word is maintained by “Faithful Men” called to the work!
The Pastor of that church needs to be removed. The President of that Confrernce needs to be Removed! The President of that Union Conference needs also to be removed and Replaced; if a resolution cannot be met!
We as Christians have been warned by our Lord and Savior, “JESUS CHRIST” that Satan still comes in Disguises, and he only chooses the one that works.
Wherefore our instructions are clear where-in written: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of “GOD”: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1
We Cannot Serve “GOD” Anyway We Want Too, and Still Survive The Second Coming of “JESUS CHRIST”!
This is awful yet I am not surprised. There is a sequence of steps down the road to sin and perdition. Gender role confusion + rebellion= THIS! Sad day for the Chico church. I pray they will repent and more importantly, someone will stand up for the truth.
Women Pastors and gay marriage are both so very against what the Bible teaches! Why has the SDA Church turned its back on true Biblical teachings? These issues are something I can not and will not personally accept. I guess I no longer fit into the SDA Church at all! Most of my own local Church members seem to accept these very liberal views. The ones who disagree have split off to form another Church they call the “Free SDA Church”. I don’t seem to fit in with either group. I guess it’s time for me to move on, this time on my own without any Church I suppose.
Ella, Please don’t forget that the world church in San Antonio refused to permit the ordination of women to the gospel ministry. Thus, what you are seeing is rebel action even though it is by leaders. Also, the church absolutely does not permit the practice of same-sex sin. According to the world church, this is grounds for removal from fellowship, not addition to fellowship. Please stay your ground. Stand for truth in the church side by side with your fellow Seventh-day Adventists who are determined to follow Jesus. What Union or Conference are you in?
Gender Neutral-is the new term for blending the creation of Male – Female! Why? Is this a Feminist Movement? Or an act of Satan?
Well if you go back to reading your bible you will quickly discover that this Gender Neutral Spells out that the Second Coming of “JESUS CHRIST” is a lot closer than most Christians believe; if they still believe! Some of the people in the Adventist Church have begun serving “GOD” with their Intelligence instead of with their heart; they no longer study the word of “GOD” under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because they treat the word of “GOD” like it is a DEMOCRACY”. They left what is written, in the Gospel of “JESUS CHRIST! Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. John 16:13
There is no such thing as Gender Neutral, that is of the Spirit of Satan. Because, Gender Neutral destroys Male and Female, and removes the Creation of “GOD” from the beginning, Where-in written: “GOD” created Man in his Own Image, in the image of “GOD” created he “HIM”; Male and Female created “HE” them. Genesis 1:27
Gender Neutral, makes Male and Female disappear!
I pray for the day when all people of God, of any denomination, or none, will recognize that in God’s loving eyes we are all the same, and all worthy of God’s love.
We are all valuable in God’s sight and He loves us all. Where is this disputed? However, we are not all the same because we make differing choices in relation to God’s revealed will for the human design. Some choose moral practice, some immoral. The Bible sets the standard, not present cultural preference.
Amen….
In the SDA Church – women are indeed being ordained as pastors. Those who oppose this are in open rebellion of church policy.
Current Working Policy give the power to ordain in the lap of the Unions. They are allowed to ordain whom they choose.
Women have been allowed to be pastors for many years in the SDA church and most all that I’ve heard from – have an ordination service to ordain them as commissioned pastors in the church.
Amen.
Wasn’t Ellen White an Ordained Pastor? I have a copy of her ordination.
These statements reeks with Fanaticism/extremism. This is no different than the prostitute thrown at the feet of Jesus. The law said she should be stoned. That was biblical law. Jesus said he that is without sin throw the first stone. Are we to adhere to policy and practice ceremonial law are are we to adhere to biblical principle? Principle never changes and is written in the ten commandments. Even the tradition of Priest and high Priest were
replaced. Now the church is considered a Priesthood of believers. What has changed, only the Levi men where Priest in the Bible, now all believers are Priest.
We are going to be recognized for our fruits. The others are going to be left behind. Jesus will say: I don’t know you, evil doers.
Not all who claim knowing Jesus are going to be saved, only those who obey and follow Jesus example.
Those who have been born to a new life to whom Jesus is the only way, truth and LIFE.
We are new creatures in Christ. We repented of our sin. Those sins have been washed and forgotten by Jesus. From now on, We will live like Jesus, until the day we die, fighting the evil, corruption and misleading of this fallen world. AMEN.
It was honorary only. She was not an ordained pastor. Her office as a prophetess was much higher than simply a pastor has.