General Conference Executive Committee Newsletter An informative publication for members of the General Conference Executive Committee as a service through the office of the Chair.

JULY 2 0 1 7

to this month’s issue Welcome of the General Con- ference Executive Committee Newsletter. We are already midway through the year and just about ten weeks away from Autumn Council when we meet together again as the GC Ex- ecutive Committee. In this month’s issue of the newsletter, the feature article addresses the important topic of church authority. In the article, Dr. George Rice, a former associate director of the Ellen G. White Estate, reviews historical events that led to church organization and analyzes with- in their historical context comments made by Ellen White regarding the authority of the Church. Pastor Mark and Ernestine Finley share a brief but powerful report showing how Christ’s methods of reaching communities are still relevant and effective today. After prayerful study, the Finleys have developed a new, wholistic community outreach seminar which has been very successful in reaching people for Christ in their home state of Vir- ginia and now in England, where it was re- cently presented not far from London. In a report featuring Dr. Larry Blackmer, CHURCH AUTHORITY: vice president for education in the North American Division, we learn how Dr. Black- GOD-ORDAINED OR HUMAN HIERARCHY? mer, who serves as a connection between the Adventist church and a prestigious accredit- ing agency, shares books by Ellen White with By George E. Rice, Ph.D., Retired Associate Director of the Ellen G. White Estate many educators outside of our faith. Finally, you won’t want to miss the inter- eriodically throughout the his- zation, as well as comments made by El- esting news notes in the “Did You Know?” tory of the Seventh-day Adventist len White regarding the authority of the sidebar, along with an important announce- Church, individuals have arisen to criti- Church, and specifically of the General ment and resources link for the upcoming cize various aspects of the Church. These Conference. “End It Now” special Sabbath. criticisms often include Church leader- Please feel free to share this newsletter with ship, its organization and structure, its BETTER those within your circle of influence who you ORGANIZATION NEEDED believe would appreciate read- doctrines, its claim to be (according to ing the material contained Rev. 12:17) God’s remnant Church, and Following 1844, what little organization within this publication. decisions the Church has made during its existed in Adventist churches was con- May you be blessed worldwide business meetings known as gregational in nature. Each church and in your continued ser- General Conference Sessions. emerging company was a law unto itself. vice for the Lord! Often, these critics move Spirit of Belief in the Second Advent, the Sab- Prophecy statements from their context, bath, the high priestly work of Jesus in —Dr. Ella Simmons producing “evidence” that the Church is the heavenly sanctuary, and the Spirit of General Vice no longer to be trusted, and that the voice Prophecy held these scattered entities to- President, of God can no longer be heard in the deci- gether in reasonable unity. To accomplish Seventh-day Adventist Church sions of the General Conference. their world mission, however, the Advent Because these charges are resurfacing believers needed better organization. today, it seems appropriate to review his- In the early 1850s God made known His EDITORIAL torical events that led to church organi- will concerning the organization of the “God has invested His church with special authority and power which no one can be justified in disregarding and despising, for in so doing he despises the voice of God.” —ELLEN G. WHITE

key individuals is well known. Olsen chose two men from among those who were not in sympathy with these messages and made Photo ©2015 / ANN. Photo by James Bokovoy them his key advisers— A. R. Henry and Harmon Lindsay. Because of their various responsibilities in the General Conference growing movement. thy members, for holding church property, and Adventist Review office, and because of “We sought the Lord with earnest prayer for the publication of the truth through the their strong personalities, they were able to that we might understand His will and light press, and for many other objects, organiza- sway the various boards and committees to was given by His Spirit that there must be or- tion was indispensable.”4 follow their line of thinking. der and thorough discipline in the church— Repeatedly Ellen White wrote to Olsen, that organization was essential. System and VOICE OF GOD warning him against the counsel of these order are manifest in all the works of God After the organization of the General Con- men. They were not only sweeping Olsen throughout the universe. Order is the law ference in 1863, Ellen White spoke of the along with them, but they were influencing of heaven, and it should be the law of God’s authority of the church as being the voice of others to make wrong decisions. people on the earth. God. In 1875, she published a letter written The following problems were isolated by “We had a hard struggle in establishing or- to a brother who prided himself in his in- Ellen White during Olsen’s tenure: ganization. Notwithstanding that the Lord dependence: “God has invested His church gave testimony after testimony upon this with special authority and power which no Decisions voted by boards were delib- point, the opposition was strong, and it had one can be justified in disregarding and de- 1) erately not carried out by those who had the responsibility for their imple- to be met again and again. But we knew that spising, for in so doing he despises the voice 7 the Lord God of Israel was leading us, and of God.”5 mentation. 1 guiding by His providence.” In another letter, she said: “I have been Olsen treated Henry and Lindsay as As James and Ellen White spoke of the shown that no man’s judgment should be 2)representative men and sent them merits of organizing and urged the brethren surrendered to the judgment of any one throughout the field to give counsel, toward it, fears were expressed that if the man. But when the judgment of the General men “to whom the people shall listen Advent believers entered into formal church Conference, which is the highest authority and show respect as the voice of God organization, they would become part of that God has upon earth, is exercised, pri- in the conference.”8 Babylon. Ellen White pointed out in 1861 vate independence and private judgment that even without a formal organization, must not be maintained, but be surrendered. These men exercised their authority these fears had already been realized: Your error was in persistently maintaining 3)as “kingly power.”9 “August 3, 1861, I was shown that some your private judgment of your duty against have feared that our churches would be- the voice of the highest authority the Lord While connected with the Adventist come Babylon if they should organize; but has upon the earth.”6 4)Review, these men dealt in an un- those in central New York have been perfect Following the 1888 General Conference Christlike way with those who were to Babylon, confusion.”2 She warned, “Unless session there was a decided change in Ellen receive royalties for their writings.10 the churches are so organized that they can White’s attitude toward the voice of the Gen- carry out and enforce order, they have noth- eral Conference. Understanding the dynam- Henry and Lindsay refused to be led ing to hope for in the future; they must scat- ics of what happened during the 1890s and 5)by the Holy Spirit and turned away 11 ter into fragments.”3 the circumstances under which Ellen White from obeying God’s word. In 1901, as Ellen White looked back at wrote can help eliminate the confusion that Decisions for the whole work were these early years, she wrote: “As our num- exists today. made by a handful of people under the bers increased, it was evident that without 6) influence of these men.12 some form of organization there would be ABUSE OF POWER great confusion, and the work would not At the 1888 General Conference, where A. Although in 1875 Ellen White considered be carried forward successfully. To provide T. Jones and E. J. Waggoner presented their the General Conference and the decisions for the support of the ministry, for carrying messages on righteousness by faith, O. A. made by this body as “the voice of the high- the work in new fields, for protecting both Olsen was elected president. The opposi- est authority the Lord has upon the earth,” the churches and the ministry from unwor- tion to these messages on the part of certain (Continued on page 3 …) 2 (Continued from page 2 …) less than 20 years later her attitude was come out of her. quite different. Upon reading Stanton’s tract, Ellen Taking into consideration all of the White picked up her pen and wrote: “I abuses that existed at the center of the feel deep sorrow of heart that [Stanton] work, Ellen White was forced to say: did not plead with God, ‘Bless me, O God, “This is the reason I was obliged to take bless now I see my error. Thou art com- the position that there was not the voice municating to Thy people the richest of God in the General Conference man- truths ever committed to mortals. These agement and decisions. Method and people are not Babylon; for Thou hast giv- plans would be devised that God did not en to them righteousness and peace; and DID YOU KNOW? sanction, and yet Elder Olsen made it ap- Thy joy, that their joy may be full.’ … pear that the deci- “How could [Stan- sions of the General ton] come from that • More than 1,400 people were baptized Conference were meeting where the on the Philippine island of Mindoro (SSD) as the voice of God. power of God was re- “During our conversation, following a groundbreaking evangelistic Many of the posi- vealed in so marked I told her how Mother drive spearheaded by Adventist World tions taken, going a manner [the 1893 Radio working through Total Member forth as the voice of [Ellen White] regarded General Confer- Involvement. Thirty pastors and 19 lay- the General Confer- ence session], and the experience of the people from Japan participated in the ence, have been the proclaim that the evangelistic meetings held from June voice of one, two, remnant church, and of loud cry was that 9-24. Read more at: or three men who her positive teaching that the commandment- http://bit.ly/BaptisminMindoro were misleading the keeping people were conference.”13 God would not permit Babylon? … • ’s (NAD) select choir, the Aeolians, won the title of “Choir of It is not clear in this denomination to so “I have no such the 1875 statement message to give; but the World” at the Llangollen Interna- tional Musical Esteddfod in Wales. Each (Testimonies, vol. 3, fully apostatize that there one of an entirely year, more than 4,000 performers attend p. 492) whether El- would be the coming out of different charac- the festival, often attracting as many as len White is speak- ter.… another church.” 50,000 visitors. Read Oakwood Univer- ing of the General “Beware of those sity’s news story here: Conference in ses- —W. C. WHITE who arise with a http://bit.ly/oakwoodaeolians sion, or whether she great burden to de- is referring to the nounce the church. • An Adventist youth miraculously sur- daily and weekly The chosen ones vived a black bear attack at an Adventist decisions that were necessary for the ad- who are standing and breasting the storm youth camp in Colorado (NAD). When in- vancement of the work. Her statements of opposition from the world, and are up- terviewed by news media, the young man after 1888 about the decisions of the Gen- lifting the downtrodden commandments gave God credit for sparing his life. Read eral Conference not being the voice of of God to exalt them as honorable and his first-hand account and watch video God seem to reflect the daily and weekly holy, are indeed the light of the world. … at: http://bit.ly/bearattacksurvivor decisions that were made. It is in this con- “When anyone is drawing apart from • An Adventist Hospital in Rio de Janeiro text that Elders Henry and Lindsay would the organized body of God’s command- leads Brazilian liver transplant ranking. have had the greatest influence. As noted ment-keeping people, when he begins to The Silvestre Adventist Hospital (SAD) above, Ellen White said in 1891, “Many weigh the church in his human scales, and has a transplantation rate of 83%, one of the positions taken, going forth as the begins to pronounce judgment against of the highest in the world. The South voice of the General Conference, have them, then you may know that God is not American Adventist News Agency (ASN) been the voice of one, two, or three men leading him. He is on the wrong track.”15 spoke with Dr. Eduardo de Souza Martins who were misleading the conference.”14 Fernandes, head of the General Surgery But does this mean that God has reject- COMMITTEE TO INCLUDE Service of the Hospital and coordinator ed His people, and that the Seventh-day WORLD FIELD of the Liver Transplantation Program. The Adventist Church is no longer His repre- As the church gathered for the General interview is available in Portuguese at: sentative on earth? Not at all. Conference session of 1901, Ellen White http://bit.ly/brasilhospital stressed the urgency of reorganization: • More than 100 leaders from the Inter- ADVENTIST CHURCH “That these men should stand in a sacred American Division (IAD) visited the NOT BABYLON place, to be as the voice of God to the peo- Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) During the early 1890s, at the very time ple, as we once believed the General Con- to see the mission challenges and learn Ellen White was saying that the voice ference to be—that is past. What we want about foreign cultures. The group visited of the General Conference was no lon- now is a reorganization. We want to begin NSD headquarters and other church insti- ger to be considered the voice of God, at the foundation, and to build upon a dif- tutions near Seoul, Korea. They also vis- 16 A. W. Stanton published the tract “The ferent principle.” ited major cities in NSD, including Hong Loud Cry! Babylon Fallen!” Stanton In this reorganization, she saw the Kong, Beijing, Xian, Seoul, and Tokyo. proclaimed the Seventh-day Adventist prospects of breaking the power of those Read more at: http://www.nsdadventist. Church as Babylon, and said the loud cry she considered to be unfaithful stewards. org/news/news_1_read.html?no=776 of Revelation was to God’s true people to (Continued on page 4 …) 3 (Continued from page 3 …) Her hopes were realized. The General Con- His Holy Spirit. I am confident that He will ference Committee was enlarged to include set in order the matters that seem to be mov- representation from the world field. Elder A. ing wrong.”19 G. Daniells was elected president. Indepen- “[God] has appointed that From 1901 on, Ellen White spoke positive- dent entities were brought under the leader- His church on earth shall ly regarding the future of the Seventh-day ship of the General Conference, and depart- Adventist Church. ments were established to guide the work of stand perfectly united in In 1905, she wrote: “We cannot now step these entities, including the medical work. the Spirit and counsel of off the foundation that God has established. Union conferences were established, and the Lord of hosts to the We cannot now enter into any new organiza- the day-to-day decisions of running a world tion; for this would mean apostasy from the work were given to the local and union con- end of time.” truth.”20 ferences. —ELLEN G. WHITE In 1908: “I am instructed to say to Sev- Looking back at this historic session, El- enth-day Adventists the world over, God has len White wrote, “Every time I think of that called us a people to be a peculiar treasure meeting, a sweet solemnity comes over me, unto Himself. He has appointed that His church on earth shall stand perfectly united in the Spirit and counsel of the Lord of hosts to the end of time.”21 In 1909, she spoke again about the author- ity of the General Conference when in ses- sion: “At times, when a small group of men entrusted with the general management of the work have, in the name of the Gen- eral Conference, sought to carry out unwise plans and to restrict God’s work, I have said that I could no longer regard the voice of the General Conference, represented by these few men, as the voice of God. But this is not saying that the decisions of a General Con- ference composed of an assembly of duly ap- pointed, representative men from all parts of the field should not be respected. God has ordained that the representatives of His church from all parts of the earth, when as- sembled in a General Conference, shall have authority. The error that some are in danger of committing is in giving to the mind and judgment of one man, or of a small group of men, the full measure of authority and influ- ence that God has vested in His church in the judgment and voice of the General Con- ference assembled to plan for the prosperity and sends a glow of gratitude to my soul.”17 compensation. To him his mother wrote: “I and advancement of His work.”22 However, some months later God re- am again much burdened as I see you select- In 1913, she wrote: “I am encouraged and vealed to her that He had intended to do ing words from writings that I have sent you, blessed as I realize that the God of Israel is much more at the 1901 General Conference and using them to force decisions that the still guiding His people, and that He will con- session. The realization that the people of brethren do not regard with clearness. … tinue to be with them, even to the end.”23 God had not fully attained what God desired “Your course would have been the course Just prior to Ellen White’s death W. C. brought grief to her heart. She describes to be pursued if no change had been made White said: “During our conversation, I told what God had revealed to her and the agony in the General Conference. But a change has her [Lida Scott] how Mother regarded the of disappointment she felt in “What Might been made, and many more changes will be experience of the remnant church, and of Have Been.”18 made and great developments will be seen. … her positive teaching that God would not Be that as it may, the organizational flaws “It hurts me to think that you are using permit this denomination to so fully apos- that had allowed certain men to operate in words which I wrote prior to the conference. tatize that there would be the coming out of such a way that led Ellen White to say that Since the conference great changes have another church.”24 she could no longer consider the decisions of been made. … In considering the historical evidence of the General Conference as the voice of God “A terribly unjust course has been pur- how Ellen White viewed the authority of had been corrected. sued in the past. A want of principle has been the General Conference, four points emerge revealed. But in pity to His people God has from our study: “GREAT CHANGES brought about changes. … 1. When two or three men dominated the HAVE BEEN MADE” “The course of action which before the decision-making process of the General Ellen White’s son Edson, smarting under conference might have been a necessity is no Conference in the 1890s, Ellen White some unjust dealings he had endured at the longer necessary; for the Lord Himself in- could not consider the voice of the Gen- hands of the Review prior to 1901, sought terposed to set things in order. He has given eral Conference as the voice of God.

4 (Continued on page 5 …) (Continued from page 4 …)

2. Precisely at this time (in the 1890s) 8. Ellen G. White letter 2, 1894. she defended the church against 9. Ellen G. White manuscript 43, 1901. those who would destroy it by calling 10. Ellen G. White letter 7, 1896. it Babylon and urging God’s people to 11. Ellen G. White letter 4, 1896. forsake it. 12. Ellen G. White manuscript 33, 1891. 3. God will not allow the Seventh-day 13. Ibid. PRAYER REQUESTS Adventist Church to so fully aposta- 14. Ibid. tize “that there would be the coming 15. Ellen G. White manuscript 21, 1893. out of another church.” Rather, this 16. Ellen G. White, in General • I am working for the Adventist Media Center church will go through to the end. Conference Bulletin, April 3, 1901. as a Hindi radio speaker. There are 400 mil- 4. Following the re-organization of the 17. White, in Review and Herald, Nov. lion people in India who speak Hindi, most of Church in 1901, Ellen White again 26, 1901. whom are Hindu. I need your prayers. I came 18. White, Testimonies, vol. 8, pp. 104-106. out of darkness. Thanks. viewed the General Conference, par- —Pastor Morris Madho, Pune, India ticularly the General Conference in 19. Ellen G. White letter 54, 1901; Session, as the “highest authority on also in A. V. Olson, Thirteen Crisis • I am a pastor in the South Zambia Conference and a member of the GC Executive Commit- earth,” and its decisions respected. Years: 1888-1901 (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., tee. I have been accepted into the Andrews 1981), pp. 199, 200. University MA in Religion online program. 20. Ellen G. White, Selected Messages Please pray for me. God bless you. —Pastor Ian Chiinya 1. Ellen G. White, Testimonies to Ministers (Washington, D.C.: Review and Her- ald Pub. Assn., 1958), book 2, p. 390. and Gospel Workers, (Boise, Idaho: If you have a prayer Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1962) p. 26. 21. Ibid., p. 397. request you would 2. White, Testimonies for the Church 22. White, Testimonies, vol. 9, pp. 260, 261. like to include in (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press 23. White, Life Sketches (Mountain the newsletter, Pub. Assn., 1948), vol. 1, p. 270. View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. send it to us at 3. Ibid. Assn., 1943), pp. 437, 438. [email protected] 4. White, Testimonies to Ministers, p. 26. 24. Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White: The 5. White, Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 417. Later Elmshaven Years (Washington, 6. Ibid., p. 492. D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1982), vol. 6, p. 428. 7. Ellen G. White manuscript 33, 1891.

CHRIST’S METHODS STILL RELEVANT

A REPORT FROM MARK AND ERNESTINE FINLEY

his past year Teenie and I have been in Garston, England outside of London, to groups with table hosts to facilitate discus- carefully and prayerfully studying how pilot our Managing Life’s Stress Seminar sion on the topics presented. to more effectively integrate the physical, this past May. We sensed the moving of the Holy Spirit mental, emotional and spiritual dimensions Managing Life’s Stress deals with the four in each class. The audience sat in rapt atten- of life in our community outreach initiatives. basic aspects of stress management: tion during seminar sessions and eagerly At our Living Hope Center in the upscale participated in the group discussions. Dominion Valley Community in Virginia, we 1. Stress and your body Although our advertising was limited conducted eighteen comprehensive, total more than one hundred people regularly at- 2. Stress and your health outreach programs with outstanding mind tended the sessions with a significant num- success this past year. 3. Stress and your emotions ber being guests or visitors. A number of our Nearly 200 community members attend- guests expressed the desire to continue ex- ed these programs and many of them are 4. Stress and your spiritual life ploring deeper spiritual truths in personal now exploring the deeper meaning of their Bible studies or seminars. faith journey as we study the Bible together In each class Teenie lectured on one of the We are convinced that Christ’s methods either personally or in small groups. physical modalities to reduce stress such as are still relevant today and that as we meet We were eager to see how these principles regular exercise, a wholesome, natural diet people’s felt needs they will be open to our would work internationally so were delight- and adequate rest and then I made a pre- discussing their eternal needs. Jesus’ caring, ed to accept an invitation from Jacques Ven- sentation on the impact of stress on the four compassionate, people centered ministry ter, pastor of the Stanborough Park Church dimensions of life. We also developed small still touches hearts and changes lives today.

5 ADVENTIST EDUCATION LEADER INFLUENTIAL IN PRESTIGIOUS AGENCY

The National Council of Private School Accrediting (NCPSA) is the largest and most prestigious K-12 nongovernmental accredit- ing agency in North America.

It comprises 17 private school accred- iting associations, including Catholic, Baptist, Seventh-day Adventist, Lu- theran, Montessori, Assemblies of God, Larry Blackmer (second from right), vice-president for education (NAD), for-profit, and more. The organization and select members of the NCPSA met with U.S. Secretary of Education, has been in existence for almost 20 years Betsy DeVos, in Washington, D.C. and was founded by three associations, including the Seventh-day Adventist Ac- crediting Association (AAA). Its mission is to represent private-school accredit- ing associations in setting standards of quality and continuous school improve- ment. General Conference office, telling Blackmer in general. The group also emphasized the As a past president and a current exec- that they “love the food!” They also describe value of private schools to the greater good of utive committee member, Larry Black- the Adventist education system as “one to be the United States. One in every 10 students in mer, vice president for education in envied and emulated.” Its most recent board the U.S. attends a private school, and private the North American Division, connects meeting on June 5-7, 2017, was held at the Ad- schools account for nearly 25 percent of all NCPSA and the Adventist Church. ventist Church’s world headquarters in Silver schools in the country. Private schools save Blackmer has shared the book Educa- Spring, Maryland. the state governments almost US$7.2 billion a tion by Ellen G. White and the Conflict of During their June meeting, the officers of year by educating almost 2 million students at the Ages series with many of the leading NCPSA were invited to meet with the current no cost to the states. members of the group, who report using U. S. secretary of education, Betsy DeVos. At Secretary DeVos expressed affirmation and the material for sermons and worldview the meeting Blackmer shared the recent Ad- support for private education and said she ap- lectures in their respective organiza- ventist education CognitiveGenesis research, preciated the depth to which NCPSA ensures tions. NCPSA board members often which demonstrates the quality of Adventist continuous school-improvement activities. request to hold their meetings at the education in particular and private schools

SABBATH End It Now is an important pro- A report of child abuse is made AUGUST 26 gram of the Seventh-day Adven- every 10 seconds, and according tist Church focusing on raising to the U.S. Department of Jus- awareness and ending domestic tice, 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys violence and the many forms of will be sexually assaulted by the abuse. time they are 18. Every day, more While obtaining reliable than 4 children, most of whom worldwide statistics is difficult, are under the age of 4, die be- figures from various United cause of child abuse. States government agencies Now is the time to act. Plan indicate that in the U.S. every now to get your church involved 9 seconds a person is abused. in raising awareness and ending Furthermore, 1 in 4 women have domestic violence and sexual experienced severe physical abuse! violence by an intimate partner, and more than 15 million chil- Learn more and download free dren witness domestic violence resources at: each year in the U.S. alone. www.enditnow.org 6