Hello Bill, Thanks for your reply. As for “Ten reasons that …

Comment on Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference by Hubert F. Sturges.

Hello Bill,
Thanks for your reply. As for “Ten reasons that men should not be ordained” — it was simply humor, and intended to lighten up the conversation.
Seriously, we as a church desperately need to become more knowledgeable on the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy, When I hear a sermon, it is clear to me as to whether the Spirit of Prophecy has been consulted. Ellen White has given us information and warnings that we all need. It is sad to see the blatant rebellion in the church over women’s ordination. It is also sad to see some churches still hanging onto “New Theology” (all of grace and none of keeping the law, salvation even for those who continue in sin.) Possibly even worse is to see “church growth” coming hand in hand with eastern forms of meditation, etc. But enough of that.
I consider myself to be a literate SDA. I have read much in the Spirit of Prophecy. I have the EGW CDROM on my computer. Which makes it easy to find answers in the SOP without having to read the context. I have all my life used the Bible as a reference book — looking up texts, reading portions here and there. Our Sabbath School Lessons promote this approach. About five years ago, I decided to read the Bible through cover to cover. It was an eye opener! It brought to mind many important messages I needed to know. Each year I choose a different Bible to read. — The King James Bible is my standard, The Andrews Study Bible (NKJV), Everett Fox’s translation of parts of the Bible – translating the Bible to be read aloud, The Reese Chronological Bible, etc.
I strongly recommend that every SDA read the Bible through cover to cover. Even if using just your own favorite translation. I like to mark my Bible, using four different colors to emphasize certain points.
One other thing, it is impossible to find a Bible in a bookstore of such quality that your highlighter does not bleed through to the next page. I would recommend looking at www.evangelicalbibles.com This is a source of really good Bibles. Such will cost from $150 – $220. But if you are going to spend many hours reading it through, it is worthwhile to have a high quality Bible. It makes it a joy to hold it and read it.
Pray while you read the Bible. It will strengthen your prayer life. Get up an hour early each morning to read and pray. It will brighten up the whole day

Hubert F. Sturges Also Commented

Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference
Hi, Jody,
I checked and found that the correct spelling for the website is www.evangelicalbible.com
There is no “s” in it. Hope this works. If not try putting it in Google. If you still have a problem, send me an email, hfsturges@gmail.com


Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference
Brother Hills,
To your quote from Testimonies vol 6, I say a loud AMEN. When I was in college at PUC, 30 – 40 ministerial students spent the summers canvassing. It was a wonderful experience for them. I guess is not done that way any more. When it comes to women’s ordination, I think the problem is not just women’s ordination, it extends to men’s ordination too. I believe that men also need to have the experience of winning souls before they are ready for ministry. Those women who have the ability and experience of winning souls from the community would have a place and make a real contribution to the ministry.


Northern California Conference Votes to Act Independent of the General Conference
Brother Henry,
So far I have not become involved in the issue of Women’s ordination. I will make a comment on the ordination off Ellen White. She was in a special way the “messenger of the Lord.” Because of her position, her work, and her relationship to the Lord she was ordained.
However, we have no evidence that she was a pastor of a church, and did not, so far as I know, get into the politics of the church, except to present messages from God as she received them. A good example is the 1888 issue. Even in the heat of politics, she did not take sides — until she received a message from the Lord, which she passed on to others.
In our present situation, to be ordained to the ministry is closely tied to being the pastor of a church. I believe that this is not necessarily the plan of God. We have a number of ministries in the Adventist church. Most of them are not a matter of ordination, but instead leaders are “commissioned.”
I served a term in Ethiopia. When I became head of the hospital in Gimbie, I was commissioned. It never occurred to me to seek ordination. In our present situation, we still have the problem of the close tie between ordination and being pastor of a church. I am not sure that this is necessary. When women are called to ministry, they have special talents that fit them for a number of areas in the church. Wouldn’t it be good to ordain them for these special ministries, for which they are best suited?


Recent Comments by Hubert F. Sturges

What does it take to be a true Seventh-day Adventist?
I just looked in my WordSearch computer Bible program and “trinity” is not a Bible Term. “Godhead” is found in three places, all in the New Testament.
Ellen White made another comment, that we must recognize three persons in the Godhead, equal in their being divine and eternal. Beyond this, “silence is golden.”
It is so easy to want to know more. But we are only asked to believe, trust, and love.


What does it take to be a true Seventh-day Adventist?
Dear Sean,
Can a person be in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ, and not believe His teachings? I do not think so.
John chapter six is an extended discussion about the body and blood of Christ as being essential to a relationship with Him, and for salvation. This discussion concludes with this verse: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
As a missionary in Africa, I understand that many will be saved who do not and cannot understand many of the teachings of the church, though sometimes we are surprised with the knowledge and spirit these dear people show.
Those who have the capability to understand, and have the opportunity to know the doctrines are in a much different position. I believe that a person is expected to understand and believe the doctrines of Christ to the full extent of his capability.
An end time issue is to show that grace is sufficient to save, and to restore in men the image of God. Th will be exemplified in the 144,000 who show in a special way that Jesus did not die in vain.


Why the Bible?
Sean, to quote:

The Bible makes many extraordinary, even magical, claims about the nature of human history and about the nature of reality in general. Of course, so do many other fairytale books and well-loved moral fables. What, if anything, makes the magical claims of the Bible any different? Why should should anyone believe in the historical existence of talking donkeys and snakes, a truly virgin birth of an incarnate God-man, people raised from the dead, someone walking on water, splitting the Red Sea to walk through on dry ground, the creation of all life on this planet in just six literal days, a worldwide flood that destroyed every land-dwelling animal except for those on Noah’s ark, and on and on and on?

I don’t like the word “magic” to describe the supernatural acts of God. The supernatural is very different from magic. Such acts are always very practical and necessary to the situation at hand.
I believe that if a person knows God and His creative power as He is declared in the Bible, all these questions are answered. But how can a person “know God?” He cannot, a person can only believe what the Bible says, and then “experience” Him.


A “Christian Agnostic”?
I read with interest the article about Ervin Taylor, PhD, the “Christian agnostic.” He is reported to believe, “perhaps for political reasons in certain settings, that he does actually believe in God and in Jesus as the Son of God, born into this world from a virgin woman and raised from the dead after three days to ascend to heaven to intercede for us with the Father.” (This statement by Sean Pitman might not exactly reflect Dr. Taylor’s belief, but I quote it as it probably comes close.)

This statement describes the “crossless Christ.” It is a common belief among Christians who like also to say, “Jesus is enough.”

Jesus came to “seek and to save the lost.” The “lost?” The concept of being lost comes straight from Genesis. To believe that you are lost requires that you accept the Genesis story in total, or there is no basis for being “lost.”

Yet, Dr. Taylor, I will grant is an honest man. He is simply expressing the all too common belief of many Christians that Jesus Christ has no requirements. He is simply giving a philosophical basis for the lukewarm lifestyle of far too many even of Adventists. Jesus Himself said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

If we all from highest to lowest let this guide our lifestyle, many problems in the church would be solved. If we do not do this, let’s face it, we are not even Christians.


A big reason why so many people are leaving the church
Sean,
About that “Social club” mentality … What if you called it “fellowship” would that affect your thinking? They say that if a new convert does not make real friends within the first six months, he will leave. Maybe that “social club” is a good idea?

I believe that doctrine is important — very important. I also suspect that people who don’t “believe” the doctrines of the church are more likely “ignorant” of what they are.

Evangelists and pastors over and over again will say that a relationship with Jesus Christ is primary. In this area, a young person will likely adopt the attitude and interests that his parents or mentors are excited about. What we need in this church is more “holy excitement!”

Doctrines? I believe that a person must have an understanding of the Bible and its doctrines that matches his level of education. If a PhD has a fourth grade understanding of the Bible, he is vulnerable to questions he cannot answer. With a PhD understanding of the Bible he will be ready with the answers he needs.