By a vote of 185 yes, 124 no, with two abstentions, the General Conference Executive Committee (GCEC) on Oct. 14, 2018 adopted a plan to facilitate course correction for church entities rebelliously engaged in ordaining women to the gospel ministry.
One day later, October 15, NAD leaders issued their own statement. Disagreeing with the GCEC decision, they asserted that the newly voted plan “seeks to create a hierarchical system of governance.” Present NAD leadership indicated that “In a collaborative effort, leaders in the NAD are discussing how the church in North America will move forward.”
The Council of Adventist Pastors (CAP), a group including both conference-employed and retired North American Division pastors, decided to issue its own statement as follows:
At the 2015 General Conference Session held in San Antonio Texas, it was voted not to permit any Division to unilaterally engage in the ordination of women to the gospel ministry. Yet recent years have seen approximately 60 such illegal ordinations—many actually occurring after San Antonio. What was voted by delegates in 2015 was not a policy decision; the motion enacted was based on the word of God. Recall the motion’s wording:
“After your prayerful study on ordination from the Bible, the writings of Ellen G White, and the reports of the study commissions, and;
After your careful consideration of what is best for the Church and the fulfillment of its mission,
Is it acceptable for division executive committees, as they may deem it appropriate in their territories, to make provision for the ordination of women to the gospel ministry? Yes or No”
Church membership is always voluntary. The people of God by faith are bound to obey the decision voted. CAP pastors believe that for the NAD to manifest anything less than whole-hearted commitment to timely and full cooperation with the world church is profoundly misguided.
With rejoicing CAP reiterates its full support of the 2015 San Antonio decision and indicates its full support of the voted decision of the 2018 Annual Council. As pastors and workers presently serving Jesus in the North America Division, NAD CAP pastors treasure unity with the world church.
Consider these sample responses from some NAD CAP pastors:
* Pastor Kent Knight, ret., states “I found Sunday’s deliberation and the outcome of the resulting vote to be greatly reassuring of God’s leading. I retired last evening with a prayerful concern for those who were disappointed.”
* Pastor Larry Kirkpatrick says, “Here we stand at the end of time and just now some are trading present truth for a stale feminism that cannot be reconciled with Scripture. But Jesus is ready to help those who have become confused to turn to Him.”
* Pastor Lonny Liebelt wrote, “I was grateful that the motion was passed at Fall Council to move forward with the compliance issues in our church today.”
* Pastor Jim Anderson says, “God’s counsel is being followed, at least by our brothers and sisters in much of the world. Lord, may it be so in the NAD.”
* Pastor Dan Knapp, ret., said, “The vote to implement the Compliance Document Sunday, October 14 confirms once again that Biblically-based faith and governance practices will triumph over strained Biblical hermeneutics, secular cultural accommodation and radical gender obliterating social political correctness.”
* Pastor Alvaro Sauza writes, “I am praying for Elder Daniel Jackson to seize the opportunity of stepping up to the plate and humbly submitting to the decision we have made as a church. May our NAD president take the lead in surrendering personal agenda for the sake of unity. I believe God is waiting for a genuine demonstration of Micah 6:8 by the NAD.”
* Pastor Mike Lambert added, “I am part of something that is bigger than me. It is the Great Advent Movement, tasked with a mission that goes to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. On Sunday, our brothers and sisters in Christ from around the world voted a document to help keep order in our great mission. Let us faithfully pray for and support their decision.”
Refusal by GCEC to act decisively toward errant NAD leadership as necessary, would spread the virus of non-compliance to the General Conference Executive Committee itself, making the GCEC itself non-compliant. If present NAD leaders manifest anything short of full cooperation with the world church, let it be known that those leaders speak for themselves only and not for rank and file workers and members. Our hearts and prayers are with the God of heaven and His world church. Jesus never purchased peace by compromise (DA 356). Neither can God’s remnant church.
13 replies on “NAD CAP Pastors Release Special Statement, Support World Church Decision”
So sorry for NAD and those rejecting the church. The shaking does not shake out the church, but shakes out of the church those refusing to follow it, just like Korah, Datam, and Abriam. I can only plead with these opposes to please get on board and not follower the great deceiver.
The Shaking is due to the rejection of the gospel and the need for the three remedies as presented by the True and Faith Witness (Jesus) to the church of Laodicea. You can’t give what you don’t have. Those preaching naval gazing will be shaken out. The gospel of perfection and Last Generation basing Jesus’ return on our works of getting it all together is death to our movement. “They do not realize that salvation can be obtained only through the blood of Christ, through his imputed righteousness; but this alone will avail to make fallen man what he should be, and exalt him to become a member of the royal family.” RH, November 8, 1892
Karl, you seem not to understand that Last Generation Theology is all about salvation through Jesus’ blood. Salvation through the blood of Christ is not only about justification, but sanctification as well. Consider the following passage from the book of Hebrews:
“Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. . . .
“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
“Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Heb. 13:12,20-21).
Elsewhere the apostle John writes that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (I John 1:7), and makes it clear two verses later that this cleansing is in addition to the forgiveness of sins. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (verse 9).
That sounds a lot like perfection to me.
I can’t understand how you can claim that the “gospel of perfection and Last Generation” theology is “death to our movement,” when in fact this is the Biblical basis for our movement (see Zeph. 3:13; I Thess. 5:23; II Peter 3:10-14; I John 3:2-3; Rev. 3:21; 12:17; 14:5,12). And it has nothing to do with “our works,” as you claim, but rather, the work of the Holy Spirit in and through the believer. “Our own works” as the Bible defines them (Rom. 3:20,28; Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-9) have nothing to do with sanctification, but refer instead to self-generated, surface piety which of course can save no one. Thus Ellen White declares:
“Those who are living upon the earth when the intercession of Christ shall cease in the sanctuary above, are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator. Their robes must be spotless, their characters must be purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling. Through the grace of God and their own diligent effort they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is to be a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God’s people upon the earth. . . .
“When this work shall have been accomplished, the followers of Christ will be ready for His appearing” (GC 425).
This has nothing to do with “navel gazing,” as you put it, but rather, Jesus’ bride making herself ready, wearing the fine linen that stands for “the righteous acts of the saints” (Rev. 19:7-8, NIV).
Above all it is imperative that we be strictly faithful to the Holy Word of God, which means accepting the original gender role distinctions in spiritual leadership as God designed them (I Tim. 2:12-13). When Adam and Eve sinned and tried to hide from God, He called for Adam (Gen. 3:9), not Eve, even though Eve was the first to sin (verse 6). This is why the New Testament identifies Adam as the one through whom sin and death entered the world (Rom. 5:12-19; I Cor. 15:22), and why the order of gender authority as defined in Scripture extends to the Godhead itself (I Cor. 11:3).
Biblical faithfulness and divinely imparted holiness are the key, pure and simple.
Congratulations CAP for this statement. This is needed. Thank God for His leading and able hands. Let us pray for the implementation of the vote. It will consolidate the unity of the church.
So you are saying these pastors approve of inquisitional type tribunals? Regardless of your view about woman in ministry ( a non-biblical church policy) these compliance committees spell doom to this movement and the propagation of the three angels.
No Bro. Wagner….. Not so!! Those who decide not to comply with this new policy may very well remove themselves from participating in the work of this movement. As for the “propagation of the three angels messages”….. What you must understand is that many of those leading “non-compliant territories” or members of such have already abandoned the propagation of the three angels messages by virtue of their acceptance of “all things Babylon” within their territories. Just look at the church services on youtube…. Just look at the thrusts of many seminars and symposiums on college campuses…. its about “pushing the envelope”, not advancing the three angels messages.
I encourage you to read the chapter “From Sinai to Kadesh” in Patriarchs and Prophets (beginning at pg. 382 para. 3). This clearly brings out the particulars of the rebellion of Miriam and the sympathetic support of Aaron. What you’ll see is that he (Aaron) failed to factor in his unfaithfulness at Mt. Sinai (when left in charge in Moses’ absence) while considering the claims of Miriam to be “an equal partner” in decision-making. Clearly, 3,000 people were dead because of his unwillingness to stand for God, but this did not factor into his thinking on the Women’s Leadership issue. Being blunt…. “there is a yet-to-be-numbered carnage” of lost souls within Non-compliant territories and compliant territories who are getting no direction as to “right and wrong”, “truth and error”, as they march off to stand on “Biblical Principles” for women’s ordination.
Please read Acts 15 when Paul appears before the Jerusalem council. My question is, was it biblical for Paul to appear before the council?
The Holy Spirit was at work last Sunday. We need to go forward and help those who are searching for truth. Andy Weaver testimony just show you that God is working outside our church. Thank God we are still protestants and follow scriptures in regards to what the Bible clearly teaches. The WO movement in our church is a curse.
I remember back about 5 years ago when Larry K. wrote about George K. At that time I thought Larry was off base but time has revealed he was correct. Thank you Pastor LK
It is encouraging to see decisive action being taken. As you probably already know the California conference has voted in, yet again, a woman as their conference president. How does all this effect such an illegal presidency? I know, one step at a time. Our Lord is more patient with us than we sometimes are with each other. We will be praying for GC leadership for they will appreciate much needed prayer. Also, I wish to personally thank Ordination Truth for their attentiveness to this matter and their willingness to be transparent in their witness so we can view the evidence for ourselves.
NAD News website reported on the appeal and prayer Ted Wilson gave to the Fall Council at Battle Creek on Oct. 10th – they posted a video and a transcript of his message. https://news.adventist.org/en/all-news/news/go/2018-10-10/president-of-the-general-conference-of-seventh-day-adventists-ted-nc-wilson-calls-for-prayer-ahe/ after the vote on Sunday the video and transcript was taken down, leaving this reminder of the pettiness of NAD leaders.
Individuals have freedom to join the group that fits them best. If you are like the Baptists in belief, join them. If you are like the Jesuits in belief, join them. And if you are like the Seventh-day Adventists in belief, then stay with them. But to champion causes not in harmony with the Bible, the Spirit of Prophecy, and the organized church, in favor of social trends already reveals that the “champion” is but a wolf wearing a lambs coat. Eventually the wolf is discovered and the shepherd protects His flock.
Why is it that people are so against women’s ordination when it would help to spread the message. Biblically there is nothing against and it is of sound judgement. According to James White it is okay. So much of our church was built on James statement why are people so against it now.
If you do not accept his statement then all of the organization of the church is wrong.
So true, we are only on the right path, if we follow God’s path for our life! God asked Ellen to be His prophet when He did because he knew she would be unaccepted in 2015. Thank God for Ellen!