Reflections on GC 2010

Jeff Nicholson

The 23rd June to the 3rd July 2010 was a memorable experience as the Adventist family gathered in Atlanta, Georgia from all sections of the globe to share in the 59th General Conference session. Atlanta was a ‘warm,’ welcoming city in both senses of the word, for the delegation in attendance. The venue afforded excellent access by both public and private transportation. While the delegates caucused, the other attendees were afforded a wide range of activities as various church departments provided a wide variety of educative and devotional programmes while the various institutions and independent ministries provided a wide variety of exhibitions to peruse in the adjoining Georgia World Conference Centre facilities. The exhibitions promoted the work, resources and achievements of the various institutions. There were venues serving food and refreshments and other venues presenting plays and concerts by renowned Adventist groups.

One new innovation in the daily programmes that was well received, were the morning and evening devotional presentations featuring not by well known high profile preachers but regular district leaders from the various divisions of the church. John Ferguson from the Grantham district in our local conference was one of the presenters featured.

A General Conference session would not be worth its salt without the numerous opportunities for networking with friends and colleagues from all sections of the world field as one learns of the progress and challenges being faced in the various sections of the church. One is challenged and made envious as one learns of the phenomenal growth being experienced in some areas, and saddened as one sees the challenges to evangelism in other places. One stands in awe as we learn of the persecution and challenges faced in many areas of the world and stand in honour at those who have paid the ultimate price of persecution and martyrdom for their faith.

The election of a new leadership regime is the highlight of the session, as one seeks to read into the selection what direction the church will take into the future. The election of Elder Ted N C Wilson seems to be a vote for continuity as he advocates traditional conservative Adventist values, doctrinal orthodoxy, mission and service.

The second Sabbath of the session saw the keynote speech of the new president in which he reminded the congregation that “the Bible contains an accurate record of our origins and is a reliable record of our salvation.” He continued to exalt the centrality of sacred scripture in the life and mission of the church and the unique self understanding of Adventism as summed up in the proclamation of the Three Angel’s Messages of Revelation 14 by saying, “we see in its pages our unique prophetic identity and mission.” Pastor Wilson finally called the congregation to stand in renewed commitment to “message and ministry to which we have been called that we might face the judgement with confidence.”(Listen to the sermon, "Go Forward" by Ted Wilson, GC President).

The grand finale of the General Conference session is the parade of nations, when the various divisions and national churches parade in their national costumes and celebrate the achievement of their regions. A view of the attendees in the auditorium gives one the impression that the numerical power in the church has shifted from the North to the South, though the institutional and political power still resides in the North.

It is crucial that we realise that this shift, though a joyful event in light of the worldwide spread of the Three Angel’s Messages is not an inevitable event. The major issues retarding the growth in the Northern regions are ones of affluence and the destruction of the historic Biblical faith due to the postmodern philosophies impacting our societies. Our institutions of higher learning must serve the church by resourcing it for the fulfilment of its historic mission and not become an instrument for the undermining of its historic sense of mission and purpose.

Issues recently rearing their head in La Sierra University concerning the church’s understanding of Genesis 1-3 and our understanding of human origins are not unique to that institution. Even in the conservative South of the church in some of our institutions of higher learning one can hear the rumblings of critical theologies which, if not challenged will destroy our historic biblical understanding, our doctrinal beliefs and our very sense of purpose, mission and manifest destiny. Our prayer for the new administrative team must be that they will remain true to our purpose and historic mission centred in Scripture and that they will take the necessary steps to advance more aggressively our mission of proclaiming the Three Angel’s Messages - fulfilling God’s destiny for the restoration of his fallen creation.