In his first address to employees at Seventh-day Adventist world church headquarters, church President Ted N. C. Wilson outlined a strategic plan for the denomination meant to spur a renewal of members’ commitment to the church’s mission.

Megan Brauner/Adventist News Network

The belief that Christians cannot “hasten or delay” the Second Coming is a misconception, Wilson said. While the “manufacture” of programs or activities at church headquarters cannot “force” Christ’s return, a “revival of true godliness” and “humble submission to God” among Christians can, he said, citing a quote by church co-founder Ellen G. White.

In the New Testament book of Acts, Wilson said the apostles are described as being “of one accord” and “in one place” — conditions he cited as responsible for the outpouring of God’s spirit. God is looking for a similar mindset among Adventists today, he said.

Wilson said he recently received an email in which someone expressed concern that a push for revival among Adventists might usher in legalism or an exclusivist spirit.

Not so, Wilson assured more than 400 employees gathered in the auditorium of church headquarters today for the address. “This is not a legalistic message; this is a message of love, of hope and of encouragement … God has given us this message, and we are to share it, being as inclusive as possible,” he said.

Sharing that message hinges on prayer, Wilson said, urging employees to embrace an emphasis on personal and corporate prayer.

“You are dedicated, educated, consecrated people,” Wilson said, “but if we’re not praying in humility … our talents are worth virtually nothing[.]”

No single prayer style is mandatory, Wilson said. “If you don’t feel comfortable praying out loud, you don’t have to — you can just pray in your own mind. We’re not trying to force people into a certain ‘shoe’ and make it fit. But we’re to pray. I don’t know what people do without prayer,” he said.

Prayer is also expected to punctuate the meetings of the new Revival and Reformation Committee, Wilson said. “Don’t let the name put you off. Committees don’t necessarily kill everything,” he said. The committee is expected to gather “earnest” people striving to “help God’s people prepare a setting for [his] spirit to do his work,” Wilson said.

Armando Miranda, a world church general vice president, was named chair of the committee, with recently retired General Vice President Mark Finley serving as vice-chair in his new role as an assistant to the president for evangelism.

More than 400 employees of the Adventist Church’s headquarters building attended Wilson’s address, held during morning worship. The building is home to five church entities: the world church’s headquarters, the denomination’s North American Division, Adventist Risk Management, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency and Griggs University. [photo: Ansel Oliver]

Ansel Oliver/Adventist News Network

The next five years will also see a continued emphasis on outreach through technology, Wilson said, citing the impact of the Hope Channel, Adventist World Radio, the Global Internet Evangelism Network and the church’s many Web-based ministries.

Wilson said the church under his watch would also safeguard core emphases such as Adventist education and Health Ministries. “Redoubling” the Connecting with Jesus project, in which Ellen G. White books are distributed to members worldwide, is also a priority, he said. Headquarters employees participated in the project this morning — a collection was taken to send copies of White’s book The Great Controversy to every household in the surrounding postal district.
Wilson also said involving young people in the church’s mission was his goal — “not just putting them on a committee, but going far beyond that.”

A focus on both evangelism and stewardship is expected to be the catalyst for the church’s success the next five years, Wilson said. “When you have those two things heading in the right direction, everything else falls into place.”

The strategic plan is not comprehensive or concrete, and is open to suggestion, Wilson said. “The Adventist Church is not an organization that promotes ‘kingly power.’ We don’t just have someone at the head who says, ‘That’s it, do it,’ and it happens … The best way is to come together in prayer in a setting where a multitude of counselors brings wisdom,” he said.
Soliciting the prayers and participation of employees as the church moves forward, Wilson said he wanted “open communication” throughout the building and the church. “My office is open. If you have an idea or suggestion — I don’t care how small or large it is — you can contact me and talk to me.”

Ted Wilson

Wilson’s presentation was one of several of the series held during the 10-day international event and sponsored by the Geoscience Research Institute.

Although Wilson’s new responsibilities as world church president will prevent him from continuing in many of his previous roles, he shared his intent to remain chair of the Geoscience Research Institute board, a position he’s held since 1999.

“I am so proud of our Geoscience Research Institute and Faith and Science Council,” Wilson said at the beginning of his presentation. “These organizations, along with the Biblical Research Institute, form the core defense for God’s great Word—the Word of God.”

“What an incredible Creator; what an incredible God,” Wilson noted, after reading Revelation 4:1-11. “Praise God for the intellectuals who presented their faith during the ‘Yes, Creation!’ [lecture] series right here at General Conference session. You learn many wonderful things, including the strong evidence for God as the Creator.

“Unfortunately, there are those who dismiss Genesis 1–11 as allegorical, [as] nice stories but only symbolic,” he added. “I want to tell you . . . that God created this world in six literal, consecutive, contiguous, 24-hour days of recent origin.” (Read more)

Southeastern California Conference delegate, Donna Richards, is interviewed by pastor of LSU Church, Chris Oberg.

[Excerpt]

1. Creation

Given the recent discussions in the church about the promotion of theistic evolution in some of our institutions, it came as no surprise that the world church re-affirmed its belief in the historicity of Genesis 1-11, a literal 6-day, 24-hour, contiguous, creation. The delegates did so in two important actions–namely, (i) approving a 2004 “Affirmation of Creation Statement,” and (ii) recommending to the Church Manual committee to incorporate essential components of that Statement into our Fundamental Belief #6.

The 2004 “Affirmation of Creation Statement” is a significant document that summarized the views of the church after a three-year discussion of the issue of creation and evolution. In view of the fact that some within our ranks are claiming that our present Fundamental Belief #6 (dealing with Creation) is ambiguous or broad enough to allow for naturalistic evolution, the 2004 Affirmation of Creation Statement makes very explicit what is implicit Fundamental Belief #6—namely, God actually created the heavens and the earth in six literal days, of 24-hours each.

In the deliberations on the floor and in their vote for these two actions delegates essentially rejected the new views on Creation, arguing that theistic evolution: (i) undermines the authority and reliability of Scripture, (ii) attacks the character of God, (iii) overturns key aspects of the doctrine of salvation, (iv) overthrows the foundation for morality, and (v) seriously erodes distinctive doctrines of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The 2004 Affirmation of Creation Statement ensures that there will be no doubt in anyone’s mind about our church’s position. It was very clear that the representatives of the world church were very concerned that at a time when the Church needed resources to preach the gospel, we are actually paying some people to stand in our classrooms and pulpits to undermine our biblical teaching on Creation. I believe that the 2004 Affirmation Statement will ensure that our members and employees are held accountable.

By recommending to the Church Manual Committee a rewording of our current Fundamental Belief #6 to incorporate the essential components of the Affirmation of Creation Statement, the delegates were seeking to bring a definitive closure to the claim by some that theistic evolution is an option for Seventh-day Adventists. (Full article)

Addressing a crowd of 69,989 Seventh-day Adventists and friends, Ted N. C. Wilson, in his first Sabbath sermon as General Conference president, urged members to “go forward” in confidence through the days ahead.

Wilson’s message — delivered as he was surrounded by the Church’s 13 division presidents, nine general vice presidents, and his two immediate predecessors — came in a morning service where worshippers heard the fourth movement of Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 5, the “Reformation Symphony,” and where the world church leader read words of welcome from United States President Barack Obama.

“Throughout history, faith has shaped our philosophies, our perspectives, and our lives,” Wilson read. “As we face the challenges and opportunities of this unique moment in history, may faith move us to unite in common cause to serve our fellow brothers and sisters. … I wish you all the best for a wonderful event.”

Wilson began his sermon stressing the “heaven-directed journey” of the Seventh-day Adventist Church: “With the power of His truth, God has carved out of this chaotic world the Seventh-day Adventist Church. We are to be a peculiar people, God’s remnant people, to lift up Christ, His righteousness, His three angels’ messages of Revelation 14, and His soon coming,” he said.
“God is the Creator and is to be worshiped on His Sabbath day as a sign of our loyalty to His Word and creative power,” Wilson said, adding later, “Brothers and sisters, look to the Almighty God who can take you through anything you will face in the future. Never lose your full confidence and trust in Him. Always obey His command to ‘Go Forward.’”

“God has a plan for your life and for this church,” Wilson urged the massive crowd. “Never doubt the destiny of this mighty Advent movement. It is in God’s hands. God has given us prophetic instruction to know the culmination of the great controversy — God is the Victor.” (Read more)

Ted Wilson

Go forward, not backward! Stand firm for God’s Word as it is literally read and understood. Of course, we must always humbly recognize that we are finite, fallen creatures observing the works of an infinite omnipotent God. There are things in both of God’s two great books of nature and Scripture that we do not fully comprehend. In fact, we are told that the sacrifice of Jesus will be “the science and the song of the redeemed throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity.” But that which the Lord in His mercy has given to us in clear language to be taken as fact simply because He said so must not be shrouded in skepticism. Don’t go backwards to misinterpret the first eleven chapters of Genesis or other areas of Scripture as allegorical or merely symbolic. As just this week we have once again affirmed in an overwhelming manner, the Seventh-day Adventist Church both teaches and believes in the biblical record of creation which took place recently; in six literal, consecutive, contiguous 24 hour days. The Seventh-day Adventist Church will never change its stand or belief in that foundational doctrine. If God did not create this world in six literal days and then blessed the Sabbath day, why are we worshipping Him today on this seventh-day Sabbath as SEVENTH-DAY Adventists? To misunderstand or to misinterpret this doctrine is to deny God’s Word and to deny the very purpose of the Seventh-day Adventist movement as the remnant church of God called to proclaim the three angels’ messages with Holy Spirit power. Don’t go backwards to atheistic or theistic evolution, go forward to the prophetic understanding that loyalty to God, the Creator and Redeemer, will be seen in the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath as the distinguishing characteristic of God’s people in the very end of time. Seventh-day Adventist Church members, hold your leaders, pastors, local churches, educators, institutions, and administrative organizations accountable to the highest standards of belief based on a literal understanding of Scripture. Utilize wonderful resources such as the Biblical Research Institute’s new book on hermeneutics that helps us know the correct way to interpret the Scriptures.

Ted Wilson Sermon

Ted Wilson

“The Bible is, I believe, to be the authoritative word of God,” said Ted N. C. Wilson, Adventist world church president. “It is God’s word to us, and it is critical we accept Scripture as it reads.”
Wilson said the first eleven chapters of Genesis “are not an allegory,” but are “an authentic, true and literal explanation” of creation and events following, including a global flood.

“We’re facing a critical time,” Wilson added, where “the devil is trying to undermine belief.” While “our doctrine and our beliefs are centered in Christ and his grace,” he added, the seventh-day Sabbath — which creation supports — is “the one sign God is going to use to seal His people at the end of time.”

Wilson, quoting Ellen G. White, a pioneering co-founder of the Adventist movement, called belief in the days of creation as being of indefinite length “the worst kind of infidelity and an impeachment of [God's] wisdom.”

The motion to both affirm the 2004 statement reaffirming belief in creation and review the fundamental belief “has my 100 percent support. We must lift up the Word of God . . . God our Creator,” Wilson said.

Following Wilson’s comments, the motion, introduced by general vice president Gerry D. Karst, went to the floor:

“Part A, I move that the [59th] session of the General Conference endorse the 2004 Annual Council statement, reaffirmation of creation. Part B, further, that the General Conference administration be requested to initiate a process to integrate Fundamental Belief Number 6 and the statement ‘A [Response to An Affirmation] of Creation’ as provided for in the 2005 General Conference Session protocol for amending a Fundamental Belief.”

In what some observers viewed as an attempt to stall the more critical aspect of the measure, Southern Adventist University president Gordon Bietz moved to divide the resolution. The motion passed, separating the affirmation of the 2004 statement from the reopening of Fundamental Belief 6 for review and rewriting, the latter to incorporate the intent of the 2004 statement.
However, both parts of the now-divided measure passed with strong votes.

“This statement [on creation] impacts almost every statement in the Fundamental Beliefs,” said E. Edward Zinke, a delegate from North America. “If we don’t accept creation, we have no reason to [exist] as a church.”

Benjamin L. Clausen, a scientist at the church’s Geoscience Research Institute in Loma Linda, California, opposed the measure to affirm the 2004 statement as worded, saying, “It is a dangerous position to base one’s belief in Scripture on science,” and that “we have no working ‘short creation’ [scientific] model and probably shouldn’t expect one.”

Another North American delegate, Donna Richards, supported the church’s historic position on creation, saying that “teaching anything else is inaccurate.” Alberto Timm from South America added his support, noting that “doctrines do not function in isolation” and that belief in creation is “important for all our doctrinal systems.”

Dan Jackson, the new North American regional president, also took to the floor to affirm the importance of Fundamental Belief 6: “My Creator is my Redeemer — the two are linked.”
World church general vice president Ella Simmons, a former provost at La Sierra University, which was recently rocked by a controversy over the alleged teaching of theistic evolution, said that while academic flexibility is important, it “must come without betraying the Word of God. There are absolutes.” She said that while it is important to hold Adventist “schools, colleges, and universities accountable” for what they teach, “we must first provide clarity” to those institutions.

Pacific Union Conference president Ricardo Graham, who also serves as chairman of the La Sierra board of trustees, supported both floor actions, saying Adventists believe “our faith informs our science,” not the other way around.

Keith Mattingly, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Andrews University, said that “how we promote the doctrine” is the issue, adding that he’s had students who’ve questioned their faith because of how the matter has been handled.

Bill Knott, editor and executive publisher of Adventist Review and Adventist World magazines, urged delegates to pass both parts of the measure.

“If you support the clarity of part A before us, you must then also support the endorsement of part B. If you wish for clarity, follow through, and you achieve what this movement has always been about.”

Both measures passed by large margins, and the examination and possible revision of Fundamental Belief 6 will proceed during the next five years, with the results being presented to the next Session.

June 30 2010, during GC session general vice president Gerry D. Karst introduced the following motion to the floor:

Part A, I move that the [59th] session of the General Conference endorse the 2004 Annual Council statement, reaffirmation of creation. Part B, further, that the General Conference administration be requested to initiate a process to integrate Fundamental Belief Number 6 and the statement ‘A [Response to An Affirmation] of Creation’ as provided for in the 2005 General Conference Session protocol for amending a Fundamental Belief.

Both motions passed despite being split at the suggestion of Southern Adventist University president, Gordon Bietz.

____________

An article by Keith Lockhart, published by Spectrum, is quite interesting concerning more details of this vote.  Here are a few excerpts from his article:

[New GC President Ted] Wilson appealed to delegates to allow the General Conference to initiate a process to integrate the 2004 affirmation with the church’s current fundamental belief no. 6. This states that in “six days the Lord made ‘the heaven and the earth’ and all living things upon the earth and rested on the seventh day.” But the leadership now thinks it is too ambiguous on biblical origins.The president said: “It is absolutely critical that we accept Scripture as it reads. Personally, and I know in the Seventh-day Adventist Church we believe, that the first 11 chapters of Genesis are not allegorical, not symbolic in some abstract way, but they represent an authentic, a true literal explanation of how God created this earth and also those events following creation, including a global flood of massive proportions.

Holding up a Bible he added: “We are facing a critical time. The devil is trying his best to undermine the very foundations of our beliefs that are derived from this Word.”…

Southern Adventist University president Gordon Bietz urged that the vote be split into two sections. The first would be a vote on the reaffirmation of the affirmation of creation, and the second, which he opposed, would be opening up the doctrine for a rewrite.

 

Ben Clausen of the Geoscience Research Institute said that Ted Wilson’s statement put science teachers in Adventist schools in an untenable position. Quoting from the statement, Dr. Clausen said that “it is impossible,” to teach students “scientifically rigorous exposure to and affirmation of our historic belief in a literal, recent six-day creation.”

He added: “There are no available models.”…

With very little time set aside for debate and only a few delegates publicly opposing any modification of the church’s current statement on creation, the proposals easily cleared the floor…

As a participant in the International Faith and Science Conferences in Colorado in 2002-2004, Larry Geraty, president emeritus of La Sierra University… was responsible for drafting the original fundamental belief 6 when he taught at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary thirty years ago. He adds:

I fear that the proposal will result in a more literalistic interpretation that will serve to exclude members who love the church, believe in the authority of the Bible, but interpret it in harmony with accepted standards of interpretation for God’s revelation in both nature and Scripture.

(read the full article…)

During a week of church business, elections and exhibits featuring the practical application of the gospel to all the world, “Yes Creation!” will be a major lecture series open daily to the public.

“If evolution is true, Adventism is a joke,” says Clifford Goldstein. “It’s that simple. There is no place for deep-time Darwinism within the belief of biblical creationism.”

“These seminars are sponsored by the Gen- eral Conference Faith and Science Council and the Geoscience Research Institute (GRI),” said Timothy Standish, PhD, a research scientist at GRI. “This should be seen as a public affirma- tion of faith in the Bible and Creation.”

This week-long seminar began Sunday, June 27 and will explore theological, scientific and practical information about biblical creation in easy-to-understand presentations. Twenty- five scientists, pastors, laypeople, theologians and graduate students from the United States, Africa, South America and Australia will discuss this vital topic in a variety of formats. Presenta- tions will be made in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. There will be a question and answer time.

Understanding the foundations of Adven- tist belief in the Creation is pivotal to other theological beliefs that contribute to a greater understanding of our relationship with God.

“Yes, Creation!” is being presented in Room B311 of the Georgia World Congress Center, adjacent to the Georgia Dome. Sessions are from 12:10 to 1:50 pm and 5:10 to 6:50 pm daily. Each session will comprise three lectures—all of them unique, with none repeated. Copies of the seminar schedule and more information about creation is available at the GRI booth, located on Aisle 300, space 316 in the Exhibit Hall.

Educate Truth has confirmed that a committee has been setup by the LSU Board of Trustees to “discipline,” or quite possibly kick out, three board members for sharing information with three church officials. LSU seems intent that no one, even at the division or general conference level, should know what is going on. This isn’t surprising given their track record since this controversy became public in April 2009. Through questionable advertising practices and harassment of a LSU student who played a significant part in publicizing this issue, they have continually attempted to cover up the problem. There is probably tremendous pressure on board members to keep silent. With this in mind, Educate Truth would like to make it perfectly clear that nothing that has been published here was passed on to us by a LSU Board member.

Finally, over one year later, the LSU Board has created a special committee to look into the problems within the biology department. Why this didn’t happen earlier is a mystery. No news on how many are on the committee or who is on it or how long they’ll take. This is the first action the board has taken to directly address the problems within LSU’s biology department that we know of.