Unity and Mission: A Statement Upon Which to Agree
Monday, October 31, 5:20 PM: The discussion on the Mission and Unity document resumed late in the afternoon. Soon after discussion began, Pastor Randy Roberts of the University Church in Loma Linda made this motion: “The Seventh-day Adventist church exists to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ as expressed in the Three Angels’ Messages. It is thus with grave concern the members of the NAD executive committee witness the passage of the unity document at the Annual Council.
“The implications of this will create—indeed is already creating—profoundly divisive and demoralizing reality in many parts of the North American Division. While we wish to register our vigorous disagreement with the intent of this document, we do not wish to respond impulsively. Therefore in light of this document we move to authorize NADCOM (North American Division Committee) to appoint a subcommittee to craft a thoughtful path forward.
“Furthermore, recognizing that the underlying focus and context of the Unity in Mission document was the ordination of women to ministry in two unions in the division, we wish once again to publicly affirm our unwavering support and steadfast intent to realize the full equality of women in ministry, in fulfillment of Biblical principles, in the Seventh-day Adventist church. In light of these realities, we do not want the Unity in Mission document to be a deterrent to an ongoing, proactive progress toward the full equality of women in ministry in our division. We invite earnest prayer for the leading of the Holy Spirit as we engage in this process.”
After some discussion, most of which was in support of the motion, the motion passed 163 to 35.
