An Interesting Letter

[Woody]

SEVENTH ..DAY

Adventist Church

New Jersey Conference of

Seventh-day Adventists, Inc

July 24, 2012 James A Greene

Executive Secrerary

Sent Via Email

Elder Ted N. C. Wilson, President

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist

12501 Old Columbia Pike

Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600

2303 Brunswick Avenue

Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-4410

Phone: (609) 802-0855

FAX: (609) 802-0868

E-mail: jgreene@njcsda,org

RE: June 29, 2012 Letter to Columbia Union Officers and Executive Committee Members WebSite: www,njcsda,org

Dear Elder Wilson:

I am in receipt of a copy of your letter of June 29, 2012 addressed to the Union Officers and Union

Executive Committee Members. I want to thank my Union Officers for sharing a copy of your letter with

the delegates to the Special Columbia Union Session meeting so that we may have the viewpoint of our

World Leaders as we meet to discuss this important issue of the ordination of women to the gospel

ministry.

I have read and re-read your letter several times, and while 1 personally resonate with your appeal for

unity, my conscience is struggling with how to react to your appeal for absolute uniformity in how the

Columbia Union relates to General Conference Policy on this issue. After much prayer and thought, I feel

that I must share with you and the other World Leaders why I must at this time vote against this

recommendation of the General Conference in Session while also voting in favor of the General

Conference in Session actions concerning the doctrines of the Church.

As ministers in the SDA Church, we have been for years teaching all new converts the 27 (now 28)

Fundamental Beliefs adopted by this Church, including belief number 14, which reads as follows:

14. Unity in the Body of Christ:

"The church is one body with many members, called from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. In

Christ we are a new creation; distinctions of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and differences

between high and low, rich and poor, male and female, must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in

Christ, who by one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one another; we are to

serve and be served without partiality or reservation. Through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the

Scriptures we share the same faith and hope, and reach out in one witness to all. This unity has its source

in the oneness of the triune God, who has adopted us as His children. (Rom. 12:4,5; 1 Cor. 12:12-14;

Matt. 28:19, 20; Ps. 133:1; 2 Cor. 5:16,17; Acts 17:26,27; Gal. 3:27, 29; Col. 3:10-15; Eph. 4:14-16;

4:1-6; John 17:20-23.)" Takenfrom the Official SDA Church Website

Your letter is asking that the members in attendance at the Special Union Constituency Meeting vote

contrary to the Church Doctrine above. Your letter does not give any scriptural nor Spirit of Prophecy

reference specifically forbidding the ordination of women. Instead your appeal is for us to walk in

lockstep with the GC actions of 1990 and 1995, even though these actions are themselves in direct

opposition to our church doctrine on unity. On page 7, point #5 of your letter you quote the 1990 GC Session action to say "in view of the possible risk of disunity, dissension, and diversion from the mission

of the church" the Session approved the Annual Council recommendation that ordination of women to the

gospel ministry not be authorized."

I note with interest that the reason for not granting approval was a fear of "disunity, dissension and

diversion from the mission of the Church", which is exactly what is happening in our Church today

because of church leadership's failure to act in accordance with our Church Doctrines. Today, members,

especially the younger generations in North America and other Divisions, see the leaders of our Church at

all levels, from the local congregation to the GC, providing leadership that does not sync with what they

believe the Bible and our official Doctrines teach in the matter of human relations and discrimination.

Because the 1990 action was based on the recommendation of Annual Council to not act at that time, it is

obvious to me that Annual Council can vote to recommend a change in the wording of the policy at this

time to allow for the ordination of women pastors, even without waiting for the next GC Session. I

personally believe that if you, as our world leader, would take a stand and publicly state to the entire

church that we must end this discrimination and start administering this church in accordance with our

doctrines, the rest of the world leaders would step into line with you and seek to stop the discrimination in

our church.

One of my favorite quotations from Ellen White is as follows:

"The greatest want of the world is the want of men-- men who will not be bought or sold, men who in

their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose

conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens

fall." Education p. 57

If Martin Luther and the other reformers had heeded the advice and counsel of the church leaders, during

the time of the reformation, to cherish church unity over what the Bible teaches, there would not be a

Seventh-day Adventist Church today. It was because of these reformers willingness to place scripture

above church policy and practice that the great protestant reformation took place.

I appeal to you to reflect on our official church policy on this matter and how it conflicts with the Bible

and Church Doctrine. I am convicted that the Bible and doctrine must take precedence over policy and

that true unity comes not from strict adherence to church policy, but from adherence to doctrine and the

mission of our church.

Please know that I am praying for you and your leadership during these challenging times.

C: GC Officers and Division Presidents (Request GC President's Office Share with All Others)

NAD Officers

Columbia Union Officers

http://www.columbiaunion.org/site/1/July...20President.pdf

[Tom Wetmore]

I have known Jim for close to 35 years. He is a good man that is not afraid to speak his mind and stand firm on his convictions.

[Woody]

I have known Jim for close to 35 years. He is a good man that is not afraid to speak his mind and stand firm on his convictions.

Cool And he did a super job.

[teresaq]

Someone commented elsewhere that they had been at the '90 conference. He remarks that there was no secret ballot, that a good 50% at least of those who raised their hands against would have cast their ballots for if it had been secret.

I guess men who are not afraid to stand up and be counted even should they finally find themselves to be in the wrong, are wanted.