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.

A New Way to Look for the Second Coming of Christ

I want to share something related to the last days and also in relationship to the second coming of Jesus Christ. I realize what I am going to share is completely different from anybody else that I have heard or read. My wife would say she's not surprised at that. But I share this with you just because I'm afraid we are so used to looking at preparing for the second coming in one way that we are overlooking something else from the Bible. We are so used to being motivated by scary, sensational events as a way to get ready for the second coming.
Turning your Bibles to Matthew 24:36, No one knows. Question: Are people more likely to cry out to the Lord when life is horrendously bad or when life is awesomely good? Horrendously bad. What we have heard for the last 50 years that I've been around is that things will continue to get worse before Jesus comes back. We assume that globally everything deteriorates. What if that is wrong?
Matthew 24:37-39; 42-44, Thief in the night. All my adult life I have heard that life will become more horrible until we get to that day. And as we see those horrible things coming about we are urged to get right with the Lord. Sounds to me like the whole Christian world is looking for the second coming of Christ right now. How could it be like a thief in the night? Could it be that the horrible things that the Bible speaks about are really events that happen right down to the wire, right at the very end, within months of Jesus return? And for the years before that, part of what much of the world is experiencing is a growth in compassion, humanity and peace.
You say, “Well Jesus is not coming back very soon then because we don't see too much compassion, humanity and peace.” We see the beginning of it. We saw uprisings in Egypt, Yemen, other countries of the Middle East which are controlled by oppressive dictators. The youths used Facebook, the Internet and other technology to stage revolts which are still going on in some places. What do they want? They want freedom. They want jobs. They want peace. They want their lives secure and safe. Maybe this is the beginning of things getting better in the world.
Years ago when I spoke in evangelistic efforts it always troubled me that we really didn’t have an explanation for the Soviet Union. Prophecy was silent about it even though for many years the Soviet Union and communism was the biggest threat to America. The Cold War was fought with the realization that it could become a hot war any minute and hence World War III which could end the world. But prophecy was silent.
Now we look back and see why. The Soviet Union was just a blip in history and communism is all but defeated. God didn’t see a reason to speak about it.
Today there are radical Moslems seeking the end of the USA and seeking more. Prophecy says nothing about them. Maybe for the same reason… they will not be here much longer. Peace will come soon.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Peace and safety, sudden destruction? As the world gets worse we are all led to look towards God for help. But as the world gets better who will then look to God? That is when the thief comes. This is a biblical truth we need to take seriously.

Balance of Justice and Mercy?

Balance between justice and mercy? I've been asked to share some thoughts about this dilemma that we are often confronted with. We all want balance in life. To be extreme at one end of the spectrum or the other is not healthy. When it comes to justice and mercy, we like there to be a balance. We are afraid of too much love because that could lead to promiscuity. We shrink from too much justice because the law doesn't care. Humanly speaking we think balance works. But in God's world things aren't that simple.
Justice has with it the strength of the law and the law doesn't care about anything but justice. No one can set aside the law. Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death." It is because of the eternal nature of the law that Christ had to die. He fulfilled its just requirements and set us all free in his mercy. Jesus fulfilled the justice of the law so he can justify those who have faith in him through mercy. They become justified by faith. (Romans 3:25, 26)
Mercy can only come when justice reigns supreme. One cannot set aside the other. But without mercy we are lost. There can be no balance… but we are saved anyway. That is the wisdom of the cross. God saves us and remains just. What a wonderful God we have.
What about in the way we treat one another? When we think of balance we often think 50-50 or half justice, half mercy. That may sound equitable humanly speaking, but spiritually it is very difficult, for both justice and mercy must work at 100% strength. The law contains no mercy like for forgiveness, or power to overcome, but only condemnation and justice. And God does not dole out his love in percentages. When God says he love you he loves you infinitely.
So how can we relate to one another with a "balance" of justice and mercy? We attempt to evaluate and offender’s "worthiness" to receive mercy. And if we think they are "worthy" we dole out mercy in portions: less punishment, a probationary time, etc. It seems to work alright especially in a parent/child relationship. We do this in an effort to "discipline" or teach a person to do better in the future. Even churches sometimes discipline their members.
But we must always remember that we are sinners and come under the condemnation of the law, we deserve death. That punishment cannot be administered in percentages. But God forgives us through Jesus death on the cross and mercy is given as 100% life... forever! Keeping this truth in our hearts will help us to show rebuke and/or mercy as we seek prayerfully to be led by God.