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Yes. the SDA denomlination whilch on some levels rejects women lin ministry has a co-folunder who is a female! [NOTE: On other levels of the SDA denomination women aare fully accepted in ministry. ] The public at large fails to understand this incostent reality. That is a valid point. Elen White was issued the credentials of an ordained minister, for a number of years. No, she did not pastor a SDA Church as she ministered to the denomlination as a whole. We have many men in administration who are considered clery and do not pastor SDA congregations.

The so=called lSabbth l School Qluaterly ils the published recommendation for SDA congregations to use in their Sabbath Schoool clases.. SDA Congregations are free to use other mteriL. Many do use other material, including non=SDA material.

As to other related ilssues: * All people who wish to worshilpl in a lSDA congregation in peace, are welcomed to attend. I p[ersonally know of some homosexuals who attend SDA Congregatios but are not members. * Homosexuals who remain celebate are welcomed to be baptized and become mebbers. 8 There are a few ccases where a non-celebate homosexual has been baptized and allowed to become a SDA member. Such is rare and a viiolation of policy.

That's the way it works in my Church as well.

As to the policy related to homosexual SDA Clergy, it is simply this: Homosexuals may be ordained as SDA Clerlgy only as long as they remain celebate. If they do not remain celebate their ordination will be revocked. We do have some who do remain celebate. We have revoked the ordination of some others who did not remain celebate.

The varioius levels of the SDAChruch operte under a Constitution whilch also has w set of Bylaws. The Consstsilltion is seldom changed, bult may be changed. The Bylaws are often changed. In the Unilted States, the SDA Church has registered wlith the governlment, in order tko be covered by the protections of law that apply to religious organilzations. That process has included the ConstilltulIn the United kStates, In the Unlited States, t he authority to authorize the ordination of SDA clegy has generally lbeen given to the Union Conferences by their Constiltution. In short, the Local Conference recommends ordination and the Union Conference aplproves. As an example, my credentials cOme frkom teh Pacific Union kl coknference aftere the Northern kCalifornia conference recommended such. Under the procedure listed above, the General Conference is considered by many, including me, to not have the authority to tell the Union Ckonferences whom they can ordain.

The work of God on Earth is done by imperfect people. God accepts them as they are, capitalizes on their leadership and may address their areas of their weakness with changes in leadership personnel. Change is built in to the manner by which God works today in ministry. Change is a part of God’s plan. For about a month I have been considering whether or not I should initiate a change in the operation of club Adventist and I have reached a decision which I will explain in this post. Recently, I was sitting across a table of food. I looked toward my wife and I said: “I can see your head and hair, but I can not see your face. It is only one big black space!” This began 15-20 years ago when I was informed that I had a growth inside of one of my eyes that would have to be detached. That surgery was unique in that the surgical instruments inside of my eye were so small that the surgeon needed to use a microscope to see them. And I had to remain awake enough to be able to talk to him. The surgery was successful, but it left me with a scar on my retina. Presently I receive injections intro my eyes for Age-related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) and Geographic Atrophy (GA). These do not cure the e problem, they only delay the partial blindness that will eventually occur. I am now legally blind in one eye and I am presently losing my central vision in my other eye. Due TO my dcreasdl abililty to read and to use the computer I need TO s t TO STEP aside and Stan needs to appoint someone else to assume the duties that I have had. I wish them the very best. I may (?) continue to keep the power t hat I have had to e EDIT and correct my own posts. That remains to be decided. In loking over my past, I am especially thankful for the article that I wrote with g Gustave and Spectrum published. Check out the following if you wish to read that article: HTTPS://spectrummagazine.org/views/opinion/a-catholic-and-an-adventist-disagree-over-trinity-interpretations-yet-find-friendship-online/ My ministry has been unique in manly ways. To see another type of my ministry check oout the flowing article: https://spectrummagazine.org/views/i-was-adventist-chaplain-and-labor-union-representative/

The so-called Annual Coulncil is one pf two important meetings that are held by the General Conference each year. This 2026 meeting ended recently. In this thred provide you with links to information related to those meetings. The first set of links is kprovided by Spectrum. Annual Council–Friday–Focus on OneVoice27 and a Leader Resignation Over Korean Money Scandal Annual Council—Sunday—Membership Trends, Church Manual Concerns, and New VP Elected Annual Council 2026 – Monday: Church Finances Grow Despite Auditing Worries Annual Council 2026 – Tuesday and Wednesday: Newly-Elected NSD President and “Adventist Intelligence” Introduced To che ck on what Adventist Today might say about those lmeetilnggs see: https://atoday.org/

I read Jim Bakker's book "I was Wrong." While in prison, he was harassed by a "Big Black Bubba" sort of guy. "Bubba" would drop by Bakker's cell, compliment him, tell him he was "cute," and make subtle and overt sexual remarks. Bakker described his absolute fear of being raped. Ultimately, he found the grit to stand up to "Bubba." He told him that he would never submit to his abominations, would fight with every ounce of his strength. "Bubba" sensed he meant it. "Bubba" stopped coming 'round. Jim left prison "intact." Good on him!

🌾 Parting shot: Windswept wonder Photo: Marcia Kneisel Reader Marcia Kneisel of Littleton, N.C., captured this morning scene along North Carolina's Outer Banks — in the town of Kill Devil Hills during a brief fall getaway.

Readers sound off The post Letters to the Editor <label class="rltv-edition-check-wrap" onclick="event.stopPropagation();" title="Add to 5-Story Mini-Newspaper"><input type="checkbox" class="rltv-story-checkbox" data-id="170511633" data-title="Letters to the Editor" /><span>+ Edition</span></label> appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

A central issue in Stendahl's position is the understanding of Galatians 3: 24,25: 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. KJV 24 So that the law was our custodian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian; RSV As evinced by the different translations above, one view is that the purpose of the law was to bring people to Christ, presumably by convincing individuals of sin and driving them to Christ for forgiveness. The KJV reflects this view. The RSV translation says that the law was to keep us [safe] until Christ came. I agree with Stendahl on this point. Verse 25 says that we are no longer under a schoolmaster. That is what the RSV translation indicates. The law's purpose was to safeguard us until Christ arrived. Once Jesus came, the law ceased to have an active roll in our life. Luther held to a continuing roll for the law. This was his "second use" of the law. The NPP relinquishes the second use to the work of the Holy Spirit. The traditional SDA interpretation of the law aligns with that articulated by Thomas Aquinas. He divided the law into different sections, as do SDA: "Wherefore to worship God, since it is an act of virtue, belongs to a moral precept; but the determination of this precept, namely that He is to be worshipped by such and such sacrifices, and such and such offerings, belongs to the ceremonial precepts. Consequently the ceremonial precepts are distinct from the moral precepts." "Therefore besides the moral, judicial and ceremonial precepts, the Law contains others which are called "commandments." [The "commandments" (mandata) spoken of here and in the body of this article are not to be confused with the Commandments (praecepta) in the ordinary acceptance of the word.]" "Furthermore the commandments may be distinguished from the precepts, so that those things be called "precepts" which God Himself prescribed; and those things "commandments" which He enjoined [mandavit] through others, as the very word seems to denote. From this it is clear that all the precepts of the Law are either moral, ceremonial, or judicial; and that other ordinances have not the character of a precept, but are directed to the observance of the precepts, as stated above." Question 99, articles 1-6 SUMMA THEOLOGIAE: The precepts of the old law (Prima Secundae Partis, Q. 99)

One Voice 27 is in full swing in Asia. We have meetings going on now in our district. Over 100 attending nightly. Every church (9) in the district involved.

On September 27, 2026, California enacted Assembly Bill 1803, expanding the state’s mandatory workplace harassment training requirements to include practical guidance on identifying, reporting, and confronting workplace hate speech. The post California AB 1803: What Churches and Ministries Need to Know About the New ‘Anti-Hate Speech’ Training Mandate <label class="rltv-edition-check-wrap" onclick="event.stopPropagation();" title="Add to 5-Story Mini-Newspaper"><input type="checkbox" class="rltv-story-checkbox" data-id="170511542" data-title="California AB 1803: What Churches and Ministries Need to Know About the New ‘Anti-Hate Speech’ Training Mandate" /><span>+ Edition</span></label> appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

She was in her day starting to meet this and was fighting this. She had different issues she had to deal with and put forth different amounts of effort on what was pressing at the time. The last issues was a tie about things that were starting to grow out of the first world war, and the proper use of her writings. This was her last great battle. She fought this battle as she was old and frail. Sadly, this is a battle she lost. Stephen Haskell was a very close friend of hers, so close that when they were both widowed that he proposed to her. Yet, they had one big, on going argument; how prophecy works. He had a much more fundamentalist view and insisted that Mrs. White's experience fit the view of the Fundamentalists. She held a much more liberal view of inspiration and what visions did and DID NOT do for her. Both were frustrated that they could not convince the other to their understanding, but remained close friends. After she died, he continued the same argument with Willie, where Willie gave the same ideas as his mother, but Haskell was far less cordial to Willie than he was to Mrs. White. I see the wisdom for her turning down his proposal (and finding another woman for him.) Marriage can change attitudes, especially with the role of men in the 1800s. Would he have remained cordial with their different views of inspiration? Could their differences on how inspiration worked ripped the church apart? There were less friendly correspondence between the Whites and the pastors who's thought developed into what is called "Historic Adventism." Among their followers (I did not find this in their writings directly) there were people saying that Mrs. White no longer believed that she was a prophet. No, she did not give up believing that she was a prophet, she just had a different view of what a prophet was than what they insisted a prophet should be. Sadly, I'm not sure how "shocked" she would be since she really had to face these issues, but she would be greatly disappointed that she lost the battle.

📸 Magic of the Mountain West Photo: Aaron Damiani Reader Aaron Damiani of Chicago sends this pic from Fort Smith, a small community in southern Montana, about 90 miles southeast of Billings: "I snapped this photo this weekend to share with my wife and kids the beauty of the Montana skies in Fort Smith, right as the sun was setting. In the Adirondack chairs are dear friends who were smoking cigars and taking it all in."

CORRECTION: An estimated 60-million people are on Medicare. The $90 will go to an estimated 20- million people. Those who have Medicare Advantage are excluded from teh fefulnd.

My wife and I will be watching at home.

Strength training For women, cardio has been king — or should we say queen? — for decades. New awareness of the health benefits of building muscle has led more of them to start lifting weights.

So this is a analysis of many studies. Not as good as a pure study to compare ADHD to gastro problems. But almost two million people is a lot. It increases accuracy. Today researchers are learning so much about the Gut - Brian connection. So there is great hope for people with ADHD !

What went wrong was allowing executions to become a medical matter instead of a law enforcement issue. Some countries have routine executions without problem. A bullet to the back of the head is about as foolproof as one can get. If they had medical personnel on staff who knew enough about intravenous infusions, they would have realized when the victim started complaining about pain in her arm. It is called extravasation. The blood flows into the body rather than the vein. Starting IVs can be tricky. Most hospitals specially train and certify nurses to do difficult insertions. They develop and maintain their skills through continuous practice. The real problem is administration who have refused to have special executions teams with IV skills. Better yet, insist that executions be carried out by law enforcement personnel. Don't fool around with 9mm slugs. Use a .45.

Lot easier to lie than to remain celibate. A mother posting about her gay son claimed that, even though he was living with another gay boy, they were celibate. Anybody believeing that two gay young men living together are celibate doesn't understand the gay community or the nature of sin. Sin is not something people can control. Homosexuals usually can't just turn off their libido. Neither are they capable of being truthful about their activities. They may repress their desire, which can lead to other uncontrollable abominations. People can be delivered from homosexuality in the same way alcoholics and junkies are delivered from their addictions. Some may" hibernate" for awhile. In their hearts, they remain alcoholics, junkies whatever. Synanon operated a very successful live in treatment center, for various addictive behaviors, e.g., alcoholics, substance abusers, gamblers. Some stayed in the program for years, clean and sober. Even so, when they left the program, even after a decade or more "inside," many returned to their addictive habits. Some homosexuals "get the cure" marry, have children and still return to homosexuality. Read the book "Mindhunters" for insight on the workings of sociopathic minds.

Just quoting my college professors and other church leaders talking about how we tend to fall into the three groups of Des Ford's theology, Walter Rea's attack on Ellen White and also on the other side the so called "Historic Adventists" on how they all appeal to traditions that developed within conservative Christianity but does not look nor respect all the facts.

EGW was not a pastor. As far as I know, she never functioned as a pastor, i.e., served as the overseer of a congregation. It is quite a stretch to compare her work to the work women want to do in the church today. Some may remember Dan Collins. He worked with Amazing Facts in the days of Joe Crews. Dan was hired because he was an effective soul winner. He was noticed when he brought a dozen people to an AF crusade, ready for baptism, schooled in SDA doctrine. How many SDA pastors. male or female, meet that criteria? Some people want a female pastor. Some want a homosexual. A person who wants a straight male pastor can go to a congregation which has one. If one is not available, connect with 7th day Baptists or the Church of Christ, 7th day. The statement of faith 7th day Baptists hold is one with which most SDA could agree. A home church might be an option. Those who are opposed to woman pastors should keep in mind that your tithe may be used to pay them.

What EGW did or did not do is not necessarily the right thing to do. Same goes for the pioneers. The denomination was essentially a legalistic cult for the first 40 years of its existence, according to EGW. Paul outlined the qualifications for pastoral office: 1 ¶ This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. There is a direct correlation between his role as husband and head of household and his ability to "rule" a church. Similar qualities are described in Titus: 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ordered an en banc rehearing, vacating a panel decision that protected a religious mission's right to hire only co-religionists for non-ministerial roles. The post Ninth Circuit Vacates Protection for Religious Employers in Hiring Dispute to Hear Case En Banc appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

In the western territories people such as Elder Loughborough ordained women. The New York Conference wanted to ordain women and the Atlantic Union approved the ordination of women. The General Conference said that while they were free to ordain the women, they requested that the women get the paperwork without the word "Ordained" until more of our members were ordained that it is Biblical to ordain women. From this history, which part would you say they understood to be only a temporary measure? If they did not want to ordain women they would have simply told Loughborough and the others and the conferences and unions that wanted to ordain women to simply not to, instead of setting up a system where we have always for all practical purposes ordained women only avoiding the word. Ellen White could have taken the paperwork without the word "Ordained" She could have written testimonies to Loughborough, the New York Conference, the Atlantic Union telling them that women's ordination was wrong and to send Daniels and General Conference leaders before him that we simply should not ordain women instead of setting up this way of ordaining women and avoiding the word. While some religions may argue over ordaining women, the issue in the Seventh-day Adventist church has always been whether we should be honest and open that we ordain women, or to ordain them in a round-about way avoiding the word but in fact doing the task? The purpose for hiding what we were doing was, according to Daniels, to allow to educate our members that it is Biblical to ordain women. The church has never decided to make ignorance, that our pioneers wanted to educate away from, to be a rule to be enforced on to the church.

Why the church must unapologetically leverage global diplomacy rather than surrender to the margins by default. The post A Seat at the UN over the Posture of Fatalism appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

The union conferences were given the ability to choose ordination back in the 1800s. Some, back then, choose to ordain women, however, the General Conference did make a request for a temporary differentiation between male and female ordination. That men get the papers that include the word "Ordination" while women's papers get the same pay, with their husbands getting the same stipend as given to the wives of the ordained men, but that the women's papers omit the word "Ordained." That the women get ordination in the local church, but are allowed the same responsibilities as ordained pastors (although there tended to be an exception for certain administrative offices in the hagiarchy of the church). In other words, since the 1800s, our church has been ordaining women, but in a round about way. According to General Conference President A. G. Daniels (who came into office long after this practice was started) this round-about ordination was only to be temporary so that our members can become educated, but agreed that the unions had the right to ordain who they wish. Ellen White did NOT take this round about ordination option, but took the same papers as the men that included the word "Ordained." (Now, there is one copy, out of several copies over the years) where someone crossed out the word "Ordained." Now, when Mrs. White crossed out something, she would place her initials over the cross out. However, this cross out does not contain her initials. Critics of women's ordination argue that Mrs. White needed the paper with the word "Ordination" to get paid. However, other women who carried the papers that did not include the word "Ordained" got paid, got the same pay as the men who carried papers that carried the word "Ordained." Mrs. White could have carried the papers that did not use the word "Ordained" and still have gotten the same pay, so this argument does not fit the facts. The votes taken in the General Conference sessions has never changed this policy, but has been described as "kicking the can" further down the road while maintaining the same round-about ordaining women with paperwork that does not include the word "ordained." What these "rebellious" conferences are doing is deciding to just be open and above board about the language of the paperwork, taking advantage of the powers the church gave them in the 1800s, and choosing to no longer fulfill a temporary REQUEST by the General Conference leadership. Why do so many of our members show a neurotic need to prove that we are good Baptists, and if we are not going to ordain women, then why didn't our leadership prevent the ordination of women from the start? Why did our pioneers and leadership set up a way of ordaining women without using the word "Ordained" which they said was only to be temporary?

This was an interesting post! I had no idea of this lol!!!

I have often wondered, if Ellen White was alive today, what would her opinion be about how people have treated her writings. I think she would be shocked.

So,, now the question becmes: What shouold a Christian ckongregation do when a single women in the congration g ives birth? [Note: In my professional experience, I have come to believe that such often hapens due to "lDate Rape."] Recenty he senior pastor of the SDA lcongregation that I attend, brought two young, single women to the front. He introduced them as having recently given birth. He called upon the congreation to support them in theier decision to raise the children. I fully agree with his call for support without judgment.

So then you face the dilemma of if Christ became fully man or not when it comes to fully man and fully God,...

Because ww totally still have smallpox and polio and measles, mumps and rubella running wild and killing millions. Oh, wait...