Why I voted for Barack Obama

The election is over for which I am extremely glad and I am happy with the presidential outcome. Yet, I appear to be in the minority of many Christians by voting for Mr. Obama. Here in the South, there has been a strong push from conservative Christians to vote for Romney. In fact most of the southern states including North Carolina where I live supported Romney. So, I have put together four reasons why I voted for Mr. Obama: 1. Pres. Obama eliminated sanctioned torture in our military as soon as he came into office four years ago. This is very important to me because I cannot imagine Jesus sanctioning torture for any reason. 2. Pres. Obama cares for and works for the poor in this country. American cultural Christians put great emphasis on being against abortion and same-sex marriage. They state that this is because of their strong Christian values. I have no argument with that, but Jesus spoke more about the poor then he did abortion (which he did not mention once) and he emphasized the need for caring for the poor more than same-sex marriage (which he did not mention once. In fact, the Bible does not address the committed, same-sex relationship.) Cultural Christians today twist God and the Bible to support their strongly held positions. Some of those positions are credible. Even though the Bible says very little about them, but one should not ignore what the Bible does clearly emphasize. 3. The Republicans have fought Pres. Obama from day one and have not given him a chance to move forward in several very good ways. Yet, even with that gridlock the economy is improving, albeit slowly. 4. Billy Graham and his organization have revised their theology to state that Mormonism is no longer a cult. Where I live in Charlotte, Billy Graham is a spiritual hero. As a pastor, I have always appreciated Billy Graham and feel that he is one of the few TV/world evangelists who are actually honest. I admire the lack of scandals in his long and successful career. In my way of thinking theology, the study of God, is more important than any political position. I had no problem with Romney's Mormonism and the presidency. But to set aside a long-held position simply to throw one’s support to a Mormon candidate reveals a weak theological foundation. I am surprised at that. I realize these reasons fall outside the purview of most conservative Christians today but I can see the character, the words, and the practice of Jesus agreeing with all of them. It is time for us to follow Jesus and the Gospel not just the popular, cultural, Christian position.

Women's Ordination

I have been following the developments of women’s ordination issue in the Adventist church for years. Now the Columbia Union Conference and the Pacific Union voted (August 2012) to allow women's ordination. Technically the union conferences have authority to approve ordination. Though the General Conference (our chief governing body) has no power to stop it, they have taken a very hard stand against this movement in the interest of unity. In my opinion their argument should be identified as one for "uniformity" not unity. Unity is something that comes in the midst of diversity. Uniformity is when we all look and act the same. In Acts 15 there was a major issue arising in the early church when Gentiles, who had never become Jews, joined the church. Some Jewish Pharisees, who converted to Christianity felt that the Gentiles should "… be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses." (Acts 15:5) The apostles, Peter and Paul with others went to Jerusalem to discuss this with the leadership there. Peter addressed them, sharing how God had sent the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles just as He had done for the Jews. (Acts 15:7-10) Then Paul and Barnabas spoke about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. (Acts 15:12) The Council of the church in Jerusalem (the General Conference of that day) then decided not to require the Gentiles to follow the Jewish ceremonial law. Clearly, they recognized what God had already done for the Gentiles. To ignore the evidence of God would be to ignore God. Many consider women's ordination in the Adventist church to be a similar issue. God has shown his acceptance of women by giving many the gift of pastoral ministry and today there are many women serving in our church as pastors. For years the general conference has discussed the ordination issue but keeps putting it off until a later date. A Commissioning service is meant to appease women. Votes to give them equal pay have also come; but still no true ordination. Maybe the GC is stuck in bureaucracy. So now the union conferences are beginning to act, to affirm what God has already done. Right before our eyes God has called women to serve in ministry, without asking our permission. It is time to affirm that gift. I wish our church had a clear theology of ordination. What we do in ordaining pastors as higher than local elders has no biblical basis. Women can be ordained as local elders but not pastors. Until we have a clear theology of ordination, we're just arguing. Since our church is avoiding that issue as well, it is time for a more local body to take a stand and recognize women as equal to men, under God, in the gift of pastoral ministry.

Personal...

How do I explain the state of my life now? At the end of 2011 everything was as it had been for 30+ years. I was enjoying the exciting task as the pastor of a local church. As most pastors I looked ahead months in advance and made plans for the future. This was done bathed in study and prayer. But as January 2012 rolled around I knew something was just not right. Because I have been dealing with back and neck pain in various forms for the last 18 years, had 5 surgeries on my spine and was taking very heavy medications to help, I knew it could not go on. Some of the surgeries helped, others did not. This disabling pain was affecting my ability to succeed in ministry. I took a look at myself and realized that I was not putting in a full day's work. I was not being honest with my calling. I would spend time resting, reflecting, avoiding, because of my personal battles. I was tired; I didn't have the energy to fight the battles pastors need to fight. So I fell upon the mercy of the Lord and the Carolina Conference and was placed on paid family leave for 3 months. This leave became a disability leave with insurance taking over in financial help. Now, some eight months later I really don't think I will be returning to pastoral ministry. I have had three more surgeries since going on leave and am not significantly better, yet. I have come to grips with the fact that my pastoral ministry is concluded and for all practical purposes I am taking an early retirement. When I started my schooling at Southern in 1977, I was as a brand plucked from the fire. My life was going nowhere fast. I was lost in every sense of the word. I needed rescuing quick! And God rescued me! He provided parents to support me, a fine institution to teach me discipline as well as how to know the Lord and a beautiful Christian wife to labor with me. Some 30 years later I can look back and say that I have no regrets. It has been a wild, adventurous, satisfying and exciting ride. I have had experiences that most people know nothing of. I have seen God work in ways that no one could even imagine. God took this wayward, rebellious, hippie, beach bum surfer and turned him into a Minister of the Gospel. Every day God was leading, helping, empowering, and blessing! For without God's help I would not have lasted a day. He has been there and is still there, even now in this new life chapter. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly in God's people and tremble as I think of the future of our church. We are cascading through the 21st century trying to grapple with issues that are bigger than mankind. I love the Seventh-day Adventist church for which I have labored in Christ all these years. Nothing has changed in my heart. I now will allow younger and healthier men and women to lead the people in following Christ. It is only as we seek God's guidance that we can find the strength and the courage to move on. Jesus is the most important name in the world and we need to trust in his presence and His Word. I continue to do that and look forward to what God can do in my life even now.

They Shall Pick Up Snakes

At the end of Mark's gospel there is a section in chapter 16, verse nine to the end of the chapter, which brings up a few things that are somewhat new to scripture and which are disputed because some earlier manuscripts do not contain this section. Most of what appears in this section is found in other Gospels. But there is one area in verses 15 through 18 that can easily be misunderstood. Mark 16:17, 18. Jesus is speaking, "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Looking for signs of Jesus presence or activity or approval is nothing new today. The church leaders who followed Jesus around in the first century often asked for miraculous signs from him. Today, we can get over anxious to have signs from God that affirm us. In our zeal to be seen as followers of Jesus, we can recklessly force God's hand (so to speak) to vindicate us with a miraculous sign. I am speaking only of the part about handling snakes and drinking poison. How shall we relate to these things? Is this to prove our faith and demonstrate we are true followers? Are we trying to force God's hand? And what then is the conclusion if we die from the snake or the poison? Does that mean we had imperfect faith? Does that mean we are not a follower of Jesus? Can someone in their desire to see signs from heaven, do something which ends their life within 24 hours, not as a result of persecution, but what looks to the world as a reckless disregard of danger. But what is testified by the church is that they were following Jesus. I have no desire to sit in judgment upon someone else's faith. We are all pilgrims in this world; none of us has complete knowledge. We must join together as seekers and followers of Jesus, not emphasizing our differences which can only divide us but encouraging one another in our common faith. But as a pastor and theologian I am afraid of taking a fundamental position on Scripture that would lead one to be that reckless. Is it possible to survive a poisonous snake bite or ingest some poison while on a missionary journey? Of course. The apostle Paul, after being shipwrecked on Malta, was building a fire (Acts 28:3-6), and while gathering brush was bitten by a viper. He then shook it into the fire. He suffered no ill affects. God protected him from the snake’s bite. That is quite a different scene that if Paul had gone looking for poisonous viper's and handled them, let them crawl all over his body, allowing them to bite him to demonstrate his faith. That would strike of presumption to me. Once again, I have no desire to sit in judgment upon someone's faith. But to use the word of God as a way to prove you are a follower, which sets you apart from others, can be reckless and result in a very sad end. This seems to do nothing to spread God’s love and gospel. In a Charlotte Observer story, June 23, 2012, Randy Wolford handled a timber rattle snake while preaching at the Apostolic House of the Lord Jesus Christ. He tempted the snake to bite him, and it did. Refusing any medical treatment, Randy died that night; leaving his wife and four children without a father. I'm sorry, this served no gospel purpose, and in my mind is an example of the worst in Christian fundamentalism. What kind of example did Randy leave for his family? When we discover that Randy's father suffered the same fate years ago, we wonder if this is some rite of passage. I only hope that Randy's four children do not follow in his footsteps. For I wonder how the gospel of Jesus Christ is spread and affirmed through this practice. Maybe the opposite is happening.

Gender Neutral Ordination

The 12 year long debate in the Adventist Church concerning women's ordination is heating up. Just recently the Southern California Conference of SDA Executive Committee voted to ordain women in that conference. Also, they recommend to the Pacific Union Conference, the next higher authority to take up the issue anew. The Pacific Union Conference Executive Committee voted to call a special constituency meeting this year to vote on this. A General Conference document has surfaced stating that the local conference has the authority to place pastors in churches and the Union Conference has the authority to decide who gets ordained as pastors. Apparently that document does not state the candidate has to be a male, so on the strength of that document, the Union will decide whether to ordain women. As stated above, this has been debated for at least 12 years. Until now all governing agencies have reluctantly accepted the General Conference vote to not ordain women. This new movement by Southern California and the Pacific Union may create a new precedent. This is something worth watching for those on both sides of the issue. As I understand it the strongest argument against women ordination has been the lack of biblical evidence for it. People sometimes ask me for my response. It is very simple. What we do now does not have complete biblical precedent. In the New Testament, local elders were ordained to lead the churches. There is no example of a pastor being ordained apart from local elder leaders. Yet, in the Adventist church women can be ordained as local elders, but not as pastors. Where is the biblical precedent for having an ordination of pastors which is "superior" to that of local elders? So, what I say we need is a clear biblical theology showing why we ordain pastors differently then local elders. I have read some attempts at such a theology. The conclusion in these attempts state this is based upon Ecclesiology, or the church has been given authority to do certain things which are not spelled out in the bible. If that is the case, then the church can decide to ordain women on that basis. Since there is no biblical evidence of women ordination and the church sees need for it today, it can vote to ordain women and not be outside the realm of a biblical mandate. As a pastor I have much appreciated the helpful ministry of local women elders. There are already women in the Adventist church who serve as senior pastors upon a local elder ordination, yet without the benefit of pastor ordination. It is time to ordain women, giving them the same authority and support as men who do the same ministry.

My personal cage

It has been 5 weeks since the neck surgery to fuse the remaining vertebrae in my neck into bone. There are only 2 small bones left that are not fused together. It has been 5 weeks I have carried around this personal cage called a "Miami J Collar". It keeps my head in a fixed position like when you need to stretch to see over a wall. There is little side to side movement allowed and no looking down at your shoes. This is to keep the neck relatively fixed so the bones can grow together. I worry what it will be like when the collar comes off and my mobility is greatly reduced. Such is the result of bad genes when it comes to spine health. This is the 6th surgery on my spine. Three on the lower back ending in a fusion and now three on the neck with a fusion. Fusion seems to be the going solution to my spine troubles. Along with the surgery, I am now officially on disability through special insurance the North American Division has for pastors who need it. It lasts for 2 years, then ends. I am also to apply for Social Security disability within the first year. I think that is so the government will begin paying the my salary rather then the insurance company. This salary works out to exactly 58% of what I was receiving previously as a full time pastor. Since my health deteriorated, just spinal issues, I am not able to work full time as a pastor or anything else right not. I have lived with these issues, including pain and strong drugs for the last 19 years, I also have depression and simply no energy. I don't blame God for this, it is not his fault I was born with these propensities and as a young person I was so reckless and extreme with activity. Injuries which came were only partly felt then and are now fully experienced with a debilitating condition. Yet God is an ever present friend through this and I am confident will lead me out of this valley to another place of ministry more suited to my physical condition. Malia is not too excited about this current state of affairs. This was not planned. We are suppose to both be working until retirement, then enjoy those years together while traveling and enjoying our kids and grand-kids. She is impressed that I am able to find financial savings in our monthly bills so my reduced salary does not impact us too much. But I have assured her that I will still "take care of her" as I always have and we will have our retirement as planned, just a little sooner and adjusted financially. For now I am resigned to hold my head high (as if I could hold it any other way) and be the best I can at being disabled, following where Jesus leads and accepting what I must to still live in the joy of his presence.