The Montana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is seeking to change its bylaws at the upcoming June 18th Constituency Meeting.
There are two changes that appear to arise from female ordination ardor. They are:
Preamble
The integrity of each entity is measured not by congregationalism, but by their fidelity and commitment to the organization of the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist movement. Just as the Montana Conference is made up of constituents that are expected to conform to and support the Conference, the Conference is expected to conform to and support the World Seventh-day Adventist organization. That includes worldwide church decisions that run counter to the progressive expectations of a local conference. Montana sent delegates to the 2015 General Conference Session, and was granted citizenship in the voting process there.
The reference to "a presidential system" could be a dig at the authority of the General Conference. If it is, it begs the question, "Won't our constituents be inclined to demonstrate the same loyalty to our Conference that the Conference demonstrates to the Worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church?" Sure. Those who live by defiance will also perish by it.
Section 3 . Church Beliefs
There is a recent trend among liberal Conferences and Unions in the NAD to downplay the authority of the Seventh-day Adventist World Church Working Policy because it restricts their attempted violations of the SDA Pastoral Ordination policy (which applies only to eligible males). The recent trend is to claim fealty to the 28 Fundamental Beliefs, because in them there is no clear statement of the biblical principle of male leadership. It's an end run designed to appear loyal to Church doctrine while defying THREE consecutive world church votes on the topic.
We hope that the Montana delegates will rise up against these recreant bylaw changes by the Montana Leaders & executive committee. We are members of a worldwide church, not just a local slice of a conference. It is unethical to attempt to sever loyal Seventh-day Adventist members from the world-wide church that they are a part of.
We point to the recent WCAS meetings in UCC as a prototype of resisting NAD progressive congregationalism. WCAS Newsletter here.
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