The General Conference Administrative Committee voted on Tuesday, July 17, 2018, to approve a complicated proposal offered by the Unity Oversight Committee. Details here:
https://www.adventistreview.org/church-news/story6303-administrative-committee-takes-step-forward-in-unity-process
The action proposed by the Unity Oversight Committee (UOC) for Annual Council 2018 is inadequate. God has spoken through His people. The world church has voted not to permit units to act unilaterally to ordain women to the pastoral ministry. Neither did the church vote in 2015 to permit modified specious credentialing practices. Since the 2015 vote, non-compliant conferences and unions in the North American Division (NAD) have been given more than sufficient opportunity to come in line with the decision of the world church. MORE THAN THREE YEARS HAVE PASSED since the San Antonio July 8, 2015 world church decision. In this time, NAD leadership has brought not even one insubordinate entity into compliance.
The proposed UOC plan calls for noncompliance to be reported to the next higher level. If that level fails to address the non-compliance, that level becomes responsible to the next higher level of organization. Thus, in the North American context, some entity would need to report non-compliance by Pacific Union, Columbia Union, or North Pacific Union (all of which presently embrace non-compliant practice regarding ordaining or credentialing women pastors). But reporting to the non-compliant union itself would be ineffectual. Then, if somehow the matter were actually forwarded to the North American Division, what? NAD does nothing.
If the matter is not resolved by the NAD, the General Conference can assign the matter to be reviewed by the compliance committee. And in all this there are no time limits. Indeed, the proposal asks for “much prayer and dialogue.”
There is no concrete set of time limitations at any stage. At every stage the implementation of any action is built on indeterminate “mays” and “ifs.” And even if a committee somewhere has enough conviction and energy to call for the actual application of sanctions, the possible actions are:
- Warning. (No action to address individual leaders.)
- Public reprimand. (The leaders of the non-compliant entity continue to have voice and vote. They are rewarded for their non-compliance. But a reminder is given each time they seek the floor, publicly stating that their entity is in non-compliance.)
- If non-compliance continues, members of the non-compliant entity may be removed “for cause,” according to Bylaws Article XIII Sec. 1. c. and GC B 95.
But this option (number 3) ALREADY EXISTS. By creating an elaborate series of additional steps, barriers are created which hinder the application of discipline.
And, according to the plan, even
In instances where a president has been removed from the membership of the committee “for cause,” other members of the General Conference Executive Committee from that union shall continue to exercise full privileges without mention of reprimand.
Thus, the process envisioned by the UOC achieves little. It actually adds layers. Church members are not calling for additional bureaucratic labyrinth or for time-consuming, ineffectual actions. The effect of this plan, if implemented, will be to facilitate non-compliance, assuring no substantive consequence will be applied for breaching the trust of the world body.
The proposed plan will further divide the church of God.
Instead, we urge all parties to consider a simpler proposal: to immediately remove “for cause” at Annual Council 2018 the three current NAD executive administrative officers, whose inaction has deeply damaged the global unity of the church and in the North American Division.
Three years have passed and nothing substantive has been done. Let the Annual Council now act.
10 replies on “CAP: Scrap Proposal, Sack NAD Officers at AC2018”
One word…….fear…….
Please do what you can to implement this… The previous Annual Council used circular logic and got nowhere, when they could have taken action against those rogues…
PS: Don’t forget SPD (South Pacific Division) is like NAD’s right hand man… they need sacking too..
Further delay on this issue is nothing more than a kicking the can down the road again. The Conferences, Unions and the NAD have shown that they do not intend to comply with the World Church Vote. Immediate removal of the officers of the NAD, Conferences and Unions involved should take place. There has been enough time given for compliance and the deliberate disregard for the authority of God’s World Church demands immediate action. I believe in forgiveness and true repentance should be accepted, However, their rebellion disqualifies them for continuing in a leadership role.The Church must have total unity.
Jim Cox, Retired
I see plenty of ignorance here about church authority and where it actually resides. If you are truly bent on splitting this church in a significant way, continue with your present Pharisaic course.
These men accepted the position of leader. They carry enormous influence. They are responsible for insubordinate entities in the NAD. Their potential removal falls clearly within the authority of the GC Executive Committee. If they are effective leaders, they can lead. If they are not, they can be removed.
God wasted no time in the Korah rebellion. Many found themselves underground!!! There can be no unity until the rebels are removed. Convene an emergency meeting of the GC, give those out of compliance 15 days to comply or permanent dismissal on the 16th day……!
Lord help Us! This is beyond ridiculous; this is pure “Pretentious” and “Deliberate” Apostasy. The Spirit surrounding those that “Refuse” to comply with the decision reached at the 60th General Conference Session in San Antonio Texas, clearly…. is not of “GOD”!
We’re in the last days Gentlmen, and the Evidence is clear. that the Holy Spirit is slowly being withdrawn from the earth, Readying For the Second Coming of “JESUS CHRIST”!
The Spirit of Prohecy speaks of this very Spirit; Know Ye not; that it is also spelled out in the Spirit of Prophecy; that “All who exalt their own opinions above divine revelation, all who would change the plain meaning of Scripture to suit their own convenience, or for the sake of conforming to the world, are taking upon themselves a fearful responsibility”. (The Great Controversy,p. 268).
The QUESTION IS; We that are left; and know that this is not of the Spirit of “GOD”! WHAT ARE “WE” GOING TO DO ABOUT IT!
Keeping Silent; will only promote this Pretentious Apostasy!
I watched AC 2017 live streaming last year hoping and praying this issue would be addressed. I watched how the report from the committee on this issue was ambushed and destroyed. I watched the report instead of being acted on, turned back to committee for another year of review and study. I was in sympathy our GC President, Ted Wilson. He tried. I saw Randy Roberts stand on as the head mouth piece of the rebels and lost all respect for him, and those gathered around him.
Why would anyone expect anything different in 2018? Last year delegates from Europe and the NAD dominated that meeting. No discipline of wayward, out of compliance divisions, unions or conferences was going to be tolerated.
At the end of that historic session when the report was sent back to committee I had a sense of loss that must have been something like that expressed in the days of Rehoboam when the 10 tribes left:
2 Chronicles 10: 16: When all Israel saw that the king refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse’s son? To your tents, Israel! Look after your own house, David!” So all the Israelites went home.
No, I am not advocating a split, or an abandonment of the church. I am saying I just identify with that moment in time long ago and the feelings generated by that “Annual Council” meeting long ago.
-Doug Carlson, retired SDA pastor, Michigan Conference
There was a time when Ellen White no longer considered the voice of the General Conference the word and direction of God. While I hesitate to promote that idea, being fraught with the dangers of open rebellion, never the less, I do wonder, has that time once again come? And if so, then what? Serious thoughts, no easy solution, let every man be humbly convicted in his own heart as to what this may mean.