Praise God!!! We have Godly leaders in place at the GC level. For many years, we were in desperate need of true leadership. President Ted Wilson and the rest of his team are working to keep us true to the Word of God.
I was disappointed, but not surprised when the Columbia Union leaders listened to President Ted Wilson’s appeal not to go against the world church’s policy for ordination and still chose to vote in favor of ordaining women. I have worked within the Columbia Union as a pastor and have seen firsthand the push to breakdown the Word of God in this matter… stripping the local pastors of the opportunity to voice their belief about women ordination. The bullying of local conference leaders is sad when the Word of God is so clear on this subject.
I hope and pray we will finalize this debate once and for all at the next GC Session in Texas USA.
Questions & Answers Regarding Current Issues of Unity Facing the Church
The following document addresses issues raised regarding the unity of the church, the authority of the General Conference, and its relationship to other levels and entities of the world church in connection with the current discussion on ordination to the gospel ministry. This document does not address whether ordaining women is appropriate but rather clarifies and corrects arguments that have been used throughout the discussion.
Here are the ten questions the General Conference answers in this document…
1. Does the General Conference have authority to determine the criteria for ministerial ordination at the union level and below, or does the union conference have the delegated authority within its territory to establish such criteria, including gender?
2. Is the worldwide Theology of Ordination Study Committee, requested at the 2010 General Conference Session and established at the 2011 Annual Council, also studying the issue of the pastoral ordination of women?
3. Was it constitutionally appropriate for the General Conference Sessions of 1990 and 1995 to discuss and vote on the issue of ordaining women to ministry?
4. Did the 1881 General Conference Session vote to authorize the ordination of women to the gospel ministry?
5. If female pastors have already been ordained by some organizations in China, why not allow the ordination of women to the ministry in other regions of the world?
6. Is the ordination of female pastors in China recognized by the world church?
7. How is General Conference policy determined, and how is it related to practice? What is the connection between decisions voted by the General Conference Executive Committee, the General Conference Session, and policy?
8. Is it obligatory for all entities of the world church to be in full agreement with the General Conference model constitution and working policies, or are they permitted to be only in “general” agreement?
9. What did Ellen White say about the authority of the General Conference?
10. What is the difference between unity and uniformity?
[CLICK HERE TO READ THE DOCUMENT]
jimmiles
August 10, 2012
” I have worked within the Columbia Union as a pastor and have seen firsthand the push to breakdown the Word of God in this matter… stripping the local pastors of the opportunity to voice their belief about women ordination. The bullying of local conference leaders is sad…”
Large claims. I hope they amount to more than just that your personal view was not the majority view. Anyway, why would local pastors’ views have more weight than any member’s views? Fact remains, the unions have the GC policy’s blessing to choose whom to ordain, even if the current office-holder of president disagrees with their choice. You can choose your opinions, but you can’t choose your facts.
Ken Lytle
August 11, 2012
Our leaders at the General Conference have stated that, “the recent action taken by the Columbia Union Conference Constituency Session to approve ordination without respect to gender represents a violation of these policies.” This has NOTHING to do with my PERSONAL views or YOUR personal views… What matters is what the Word of God says!!! The Bible CLEARLY teaches that men are to be the spiritual leaders in the home and that to qualify for church leadership… men must first prove themselves in the home setting. This has NOTHING to do with which gender is better… we are all created equal in the eyes of God, but have been given specific gender roles. This my brother… is Biblical facts.
A Colleague in Ministry
August 15, 2012
Ken often posts Biblical “facts” according to how Ken sees it. It’s an interesting conundrum that Biblical scholars and theologians in Adventism are still working diligently to come to some good conclusions about all of this, but that Ken has found the “facts.” Ken, they should have just called you on this brother, and then we could get on with doing church the correct way. LOL
I love ya brother, but you often come across as a little over the top with your conclusions. BTW, are you a pastor anymore, or are you doing something else now?
Ken Lytle
August 16, 2012
When I state that something is a Biblical fact… there is more than one verse and common sense behind one. When it comes to “home and church leadership,” Paul would say this about the liberals in the church, “I have fed you with milk and not with solid food, for you were not yet able to bear it; nor are you able even now” (1 Cor. 3:2). “For indeed because of the time, you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again what are the first principles of the oracles of God. And you have become in need of milk, and not of solid food” (Heb. 3:2). Let’s trust in God’s Word and move on to other things.
Brett Denman
August 18, 2012
I’m with Ken on this one. The Bible is perfectly clear on this subject. It’s the progressive sect of our church that wants to go against the clear teachings of the Word of God. Guys like Jim Miles should follow what the Word says and not what he personally wants. God bless.