Historically speaking our church’s umbrella was once large enough for two views of the Godhead, especially Christ’s position and origins. Seems strange that we can’t find a large enough umbrella for two views on WO to exist.
But now having accepted that Christ is the Being of the Godhead whose source and power is underived that move (I can’t spell maneuver, remember) is an interesting one. But at the same time is shows how hollow the whole argument is on the anti WO side. Their basis for rejection WO has been rejected by the church. That should say something to them, but I suspect they aren’t hearing it.
Thanks, Stuart, for consistently uplifting the God of grace and for exposing our need of this Savior. You adroitly captured the Alamodome floor in your list.
And, I have to admit, whereas before I was hesitant about stepping on the bathroom scale, I’ll be more careful now about stepping off it.
i think this article captures well what all pro-wo advocates think, and have long ago concluded…but for headship advocates, i have a feeling it will come across as condescending, and also unbounded enough to be perceived to justify anything and everything in the name of jesus’ love, which is kind of their major beef against anything from california and much of the first world…
TW’s Sherman Sabbath called for Church Unity. Sitting there the thought occurred that one of the problems we have is a disconnect between leaderships definition of unity and that of those who are being “led”. The call for unity is defined by Chris Christy is shut up and sit down.
The ministry of Christ was NOT shut up and sit down.
It is not just WO or creation or LBGT or the FB wording that unity is being called for by leadership. It is the whole idea of men and women studying for them selfs that frightens those who say UNITY.
Throughout earths history we have examples of individuals calling for and demanding unity. In almost every case those calling for unity really wanted conformity. It is total conformity which brings about dictatorship. That should frighten both conservatives and liberals. Good Christians who study for the selfs will disagree on a variety of levels. But disagreement should not stop us from worshiping together. It is most important that unity and conformity do not become the same.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
1 John 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
There was a long time pastor who recently posted, on Spectrum, that not once in 43 years did the conference ask him what he thought about anything.
Are conference officials or even pastors interested in any feedback from anyone?
This forum site provides feedback but if one is deaf…it doesn’t matter.
Stuart does a great job at defining in 5 statements WHAT makes us Human.
Each of us has our OWN culture living in a global world with over 4Billion other cultures that are both similar and dis-similar at the same time. [And we attempt to worship together in church each week creating a worship format that suits everyone].
We all interpret [according to our past experiences]
We are all selective [by what we each like and approve]
We are inconsistent [ our preferences CHANGE from time to time, AND over time] [Ever hear a family member say – I thought you liked that! or I thought you Didnt like that!]
The end is near – we have no idea what will cause our demise, and when.
When it comes to Members of the Church Unity, Members of the Church Conformity, I think James White said it best in 1870. He gives a little one hand-ful list of Doctrines, and then says, "These are GENERALLY believed by Seventh day Adventists."
And THAT was when the church was small. Our first missionary never went until 1874.
The more we Counter what makes Humans Human when it comes to multiple ways to worship Him to understand Him to have freedom to discuss Him the More Specific Rules we are going to attempt to make about how we relate to God and in preaching the Gospel of the Good News to the world.
We have to Remember and Recognize that each group that brought Colonialism to various parts of the world brought with them their Culture, Traditions, and “Religion”. They told the peoples they over whelmed that “Your culture is meaningless, worthless, YOU have to live by OUR ways of living, OUR ways of believing in a God”. With harsh penalties if they didnt.
Each Seventh day Adventist Missionary preached ONLY that which was understood by them in their personal culture. And THAT became the format of how the new converts were to Think, to Read and Understand the Bible, and to Live.
And of course this has passed on from generation [1880s and beyond] to generation, from family to new family, to the next family.
And yet, when the GC brings all these together once every 5 years, it is EXPECTED by everyone that ALL SDAs are the same [except in dress, and how one flavors their food], because we say, "We are UNITED."
As we see by these 5 propositions, that “United” is further from the Truth about World Wide Adventism. And to expect Uniformity in the form of Conformity is being unrealistic.
About the MOST we can expect is for everyone to be able to say — “I love God,” and to our neighbors, “I want you to be able to love God.”
Truer words never spoken…If they study for themselves and arrive at different conclusions- then what? Well, I know that the answer to this is: “God/Spirit would never lead you that way”…“It doesn’t harmonize with counsel…”
But that is the very thing that the current SDA president wants because then the Second Coming can occur because the church will be comprised of unified “perfected” people (or perfectly unified). God help us.
My perception is that TW really believes that the concept of “unity” is defined by accepting his theological views, his spiritual guidance, his ideas on intellectual formation (reading only denominational books), and so on. Anything is acceptable as long as it is his view. And any disagreement will have “grave consequences.”
He better be prepared for the fact that people will not “sit down” and much less “shut up.”
I think that TW does know that already (not shutting up) and he is just waiting for the “dross” to fall away so that his church can at last be perfected (Kevin P.).
Hmmm…now that I think about it…it could end up being a 2 person church. lol
Wait until Autumn and Spring councils coming up.
The Generals will be getting together.
The Bible says, it is Spring Time when ALL the Generals get excited.
Not only the generals, but the whole kommandatura and the sekretariat!
On a serious note, I will immediately activate all my parakeets’ abilities to detect maneuvers. I am sure they will come up with something soon. Will keep you posted.
“Stay tuned” (K Paulson, 2015)…
