Church Authority

[Gregory Matthews]

Whether you agree with the following statement or not, it is an important statement on Church authority and also on COVID.

https://adventist.news/news/concerns-regarding-covid-19-church-governance-and-liberty-of-conscience?fbclid=IwAR0vkqlk3wYYDFAJAe56EpWWYV5vr_e0bydgEDWF15lWvZSC_u0bMBPHBhU

[GHansen]

Interesting document; however, the idea of church authority in Adventism is more or less,  moot. Examples of this are especially obvious in the areas of WO and gay activism. People carrying out agendas contrary to the stated position of the church should be disfellowshipped. By that I mean that they should be denied access to communion and church fellowship. That's what church authority is about, in Scripture. A group of people who became SDA in a predominantly RC country years ago were "disfellowshipped" from the RC church. They were shunned by their community, could not function in society. They had to move to a more welcoming place. That's the result of church authority.

It basically boils down to accountability. Local members are not accountable to even each other, much less their pastor, local conference, union, or division. Most pastors have no idea about the personal lives of their members, who they are living/sleeping  with, the condition of the family and so forth. I'm going to guess that most pastors have no time to get involved in the lives of their church members. That's because the elders and deacons are not allowed or are incapable of assuming responsibility for the well being  of the congregations. Hopelessly dependent on ministerial labor is how EGW described the situation more than 100 years ago. Things have gotten worse, not better.

All churches are not like Adventism. Some choose elders and deacons who do care and are involved in the lives of those under their care. They meet with them regularly, counsel with them, and inquire as to their well being. People who do not cooperate are, eventually disfellowshipped, i.e., they are no longer welcome in the community of faith.

Probably, as the SDA denomination is today, at least in the States, everyone will continue to do what is right in our own eyes.