It’s No Secret: Rocky Mountain Conference Wants No Affiliation With Evangelist Bohr
- Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) concerned about what Stephen Bohr teaches, especially about male headship theology.
- RMC prohibiting its entities from inviting Bohr to speak at any official events, nor is Bohr allowed to use any of RMC’s facilities or use the name of any RMC entities in any of his promotional materials.
- Bohr also not welcome in the Illinois Conference.
01 July 2022 | Rocky Mountain Conference leaders want to “prevent the impression of support for Stephen Bohr,” the president of Secrets Unsealed and a known advocate of male headship theology, according to a letter from conference leaders.
Last year, leaders of the 166-member Golden Seventh-day Adventist church in Golden, Colorado, U.S., planned to invite Bohr to conduct a seminar at their church.
But earlier this year, RMC leaders sent a letter to Golden church which said, in part, “We have noted an increasing stridence to [Bohr’s] messages, and believe that continuing to allow him a platform in our churches and events is no longer advisable.”
The RMC leaders brought up concerns about what Bohr teaches, specifically his advocacy of male headship theology, which is not part of the denomination’s 28 Fundamental Beliefs. Bohr is a well-known opponent of women’s ordination. The letter also said Bohr displays a critical attitude toward those within the church with whom he disagrees.
The North American Division, of which RMC is a part, is one of the few world divisions of the Adventist Church that supports the ordination of women.
Women’s ordination continues to be a divisive topic within the Adventist Church. At this year’s 61st General Conference Session, a proposed amendment to the Church Manual that tacitly approved the ordination of women as elders was so vigorously debated for so long that a decision on the amendment was postponed until the next GC session in 2025.
The RMC also said that although they could not prevent Bohr from coming to Golden, no entity affiliated with RMC was to invite Bohr to speak at any official events, nor was Bohr allowed to use any of RMC’s facilities or use the name of any RMC entities in any of his promotional materials.
“Suffice it to say, we have reviewed extensive samples of his online sermons and lectures, and we are not willing to have it assumed by the general public that we are supportive of his ministry or teachings,” said the letter.
Bohr is also not welcome in the Illinois Conference. In 2019, the Illinois Conference cancelled Bohr’s invitation to speak, also based on his views of headship theology, according to social media posts.
(Photo: Stephen Bohr, a speaker with and president of Secrets Unsealed, is seen giving a seminar in San Jose, California, U.S., on June 15, 2022. The Rocky Mountain Conference leaders said in a letter they wanted to “prevent the impression of support for Stephen Bohr, and more broadly, any ministry directly affiliated with him.” Photo via Secrets Unsealed Facebook page.)
