Church leaders review ordination issue, growth and vote initiatives
IAD President Pastor Israel Leito (center) speaks to executive committee members with IAD representatives to Theology of Ordination Study Committee members Dr. Elie Henry (right), executive secretary and Carmen Perez (left) of the Inter-American Theology Seminary, to go over the findings of the church on the ordination of women. Images by Libna Stevens/IAD
May 14, 2015 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens/IAD
Day two of the church’s business meetings saw executive committee members from across the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Inter-America reviewing a brief history of the latest findings of the church’s Theology of Ordination Study Committee on the issue of women’s ordination. More than 100 top church leaders also took the time to vote on upcoming initiatives and activities during meetings in Miami, Florida, yesterday.
Inter-American Division President Pastor Israel Leito told committee members that the General Conference had petitioned each church division to go over documents regarding women’s ordination.
Raquel Korniejczuk of Montemorelos University reads the Consensus Statement on Seventh-day Adventist Theology of Ordination during committee meeting, May 13, 2015.
“Two of our representatives from the Inter-American Division who were part of the TOSC meetings in the debates and discussions will present an overview of the theological positions,” said Pastor Leito.
Carmen Perez, vice president of the Inter-American Theological Seminary and Pastor Elie Henry, IAD executive secretary were the two representatives who presented findings and documents to the committee members.
Church leaders read the Consensus Statement on Seventh-day Adventist Theology of Ordination, Theology and Practice of Ministerial Ordination, discussed the three Way Forward Statements and revisited the history of the church and ordination.
“We want you to have the issues clear in your mind so that you can as delegates and under the influence of the Holy Spirit make an educated decision on the matter as part of the church body,” said Pastor Leito. “Regardless of what your opinion is, let us keep the highest level Christian attitude possible as the issue is brought up during session.” Pastor Leito encouraged leaders to keep in between the two extreme opinions for the good of the church.
The IAD has nearly 400 delegates—one of the largest delegations in the world church – who will be able to vote on the issue and many other initiatives and programs during the church’s 60th General Conference Session, in San Antonio, Texas, in July.
Church leaders prayed on behalf of the women’s ordination issue, as well as the unity of the church and all decisions to be made by the body of the Adventist World Church, and testified of their support in remaining united in moving forward with the decisions taken regarding ordination.
Dr. Gamaliel Florez, education director for the church in Inter-America prays on behalf of women’s ordination issue to be discussed at GC Session in July.
“We have before us an issue that is not new,” said Pastor Melchor Ferreyra, personal ministries director for the IAD. “Every time the church faces a challenging issue, the church comes out triumphantly. We should feel free to give our opinion because this church is in the hands of God.”
Dr. Leonard Johnson, president of the church in the Atlantic Caribbean Union, said that whatever position the church arrives at, there is likely to be debate or fall out. “I hope that we will come to some consensus and decision whereby once we leave session, we can all respect one another notwithstanding our differences and the church can move on.”
The position of the Inter-American Division submitted to TOSC last year still stands, said Pastor Leito.
Part of the position of the IAD states: “There is no explicit mandate in the Bible for the ordination of women or men to church leadership, yet there is no command against the same. The Inter-American Division is willing to accept the ecclesiastical decision taken by the SDA Church in plenary session.”
Church leaders appealed to executive members to encourage the rest of the delegates to take the time to review the documents and findings on the issue of women’s ordination available online at Adventistarchives.org
Secretary’s Report
Dr. Elie Henry reports on the regional and membership growth in Inter-America.
IAD Executive Secretary Pastor Elie Henry reported on the latest information on the growth of the church. Today, the church in Inter-America has 24 unions, 10 of which have union conference status, 13 have union mission status and one is categorized as a union of churches. These unions are made up of 87 conferences, 38 missions and 15 regional areas.
The church membership stands at 3.6 million members, 20,896 churches and congregations, and 3,421 ministers. Baptisms and profession of faith totaled 937,316 during the 2010-2014. Figures indicate that there was a 10% growth during that four-year period, added Henry.
The executive secretary also reported that out of 24 unions, some 15,000 churches and congregations in 12 unions have entered their memberships in the church’s official platform software to manage and audit local church memberships.
Membership audit figures for the 2010-2014 period revealed that some 600,190 persons were dropped, were not found, or had passed away.
Sabbath School and Personal Ministries
Church leaders also voted on making Sabbath School and Personal Ministries separate departments. For years, both have been joined but leaders see that greater attention needs to be given to strengthen the Sabbath school ministries if the two are split, said Pastor Leito.
“We want you to know that the departments will function separately from the Division Office after session, each with its respective team of leaders,” said Pastor Leito to top union administrators. “This is something we would also like to see taken care of in your church territory as much as possible.”
Pastor Hiram Ruiz, IAD’s public campus ministries director for Spanish region, speaks of the upcoming summit for university and Adventist professionals scheduled to be held in Cuba, Dec. 17-22, 2015.
Hope Channel TV Inter-America Strategic Plan
Executive Committee Members voted to adopt Hope Channel Inter-America’s strategic plan for the next five years to guide the growth, direction and development of its three television channels in English, Spanish and French. Hope Channel is the official global television network of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to which Hope Channel Inter-America is affiliated.
Hope Channel Inter-America’s Mission statement includes sharing the hope of the gospel through Christ-centered programming in the languages and cultures of the peoples of our territory for a better life today and for eternity.
Public Campus Ministries department
Leaders voted the new job description of the director for public campus ministries for Inter-America, a position which is being filled by Pastor Hiram Ruiz for the Spanish region and Pastor Balvin Braham for the English and French regions.
The new public campus ministries will be headed by the two leaders who will provide vision and strategic planning to minister to and support for the Seventh-day Adventists who, for a variety of reasons, attend public colleges and universities.
“The church has been losing ground with this segment and we want to make sure to set up the infrastructure to give more attention to, support to and retain our university students through public campus ministries in our territory,” said Pastor Leito.
Cecilia Iglesias, IAD women’s ministries director, shares with the committee members the new evangelism initiative that motivate women’s ministries leaders to share Bible studies in there communities.
Leaders voted to hold a special summit for university and Adventist professionals to be held in Cuba, Dec. 17-22, 2015.
Women’s Ministries
Women’s Ministries is promoting an evangelistic program called B=B or Bible Equals Baptisms, were some 69,000 certified women’s ministries leaders are encouraged to purchase the Bible of the Adventist Woman to use as an evangelistic tool to share the ministry with other women.
“Every woman that has been prepared for this ministry has to find in her family, friends or acquaintances at least one woman that will become the object of her care, attention and preparation to be brought at the feet of Jesus,” the initiative states.
In addition, Women’s Ministries voted to adopt a new certification program called Thinking Well, Living Well Program, which will educate women of the church about mental health. It was developed by the Women’s Ministries department of the General Conference with the collaboration of many health professionals and individuals occupied with the constant challenges that women’s health can bring.
To learn more about Inter-America’s initiatives and activities, visit interamerica.org