Can Their Be Unity Without Revival and Reformation?

The ordination crisis within the Seventh-day Adventist Church is continuing its downward slide despite the urgent appeals from President Elder Ted Wilson for unity within the worldwide body of believers. On August 19, 2012 the Pacific Union Conference voted to grant Ministerial Ordination “without respect to gender” following suit with the Columbia Union Conference’s July 29, 2012 decision to grant ordination rights to anyone regardless of gender. Earlier this year the North German Union was the first in the worldwide church to vote for full ordination of women. It seems that the well meaning president is unable to thwart an all out rebellion of the union constituency right in the back yard of the General Conference headquarters. This despite personal visits and appeals from himself, North American Division President Dan Jackson, the popular evangelist Doug Batchelor, and other well known Adventist speakers. Immediately Elder Wilson and two other church leaders published an open response for unity in the August 19, 2012 online edition of the Church’s flagship worldwide periodical, the Review and Herald. Where this crisis is headed next, God only knows. But it would not be long before gay/lesbian pastors arise seeking ordination as has been the trend in other mainline Protestant sects. When the Bible standard is set aside in issues such as this, then division and decline is the only recourse. Just observe the uproar in the Episcopal Church over the ordination of gays and lesbians into the priesthood.

It seems that human effort alone is unable to bring unity in the church body that Christ prayed for and quell the rapidly expanding fires of rebellion. Perhaps we should inquire further and ask is their a Divine remedy for the pernicious malady that is plaguing the church, not only in this long standing controversy over women’s ordination, but a host of other issues that simply will not go away despite the best efforts of the leading men? The answer is yes and it is the God ordained call for the revival and reformation crowned with the purification found in the third and fourth chapters of Malachi’s prophecy. The unfolding of this most urgent need has been Divinely appointed just to meet the needs of the church today, if they would only listen to the call and “cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils” (Isa. 2:22). Please come and see for yourself. You can either view a video presentation of this most urgent topic or download a PDF version of the original sermon address first given in 1948 by V. T. Houteff.

PDF download for “The Revival and Reformation Crowned With The Purification”, Timely Greetings, Vol. 2, No. 30

Tagged as: Elder Wilson, ordination, reformation, Review and Herald, revival, Seventh-day Adventist church, Ted Wilson