Preparing for End Time

[Gregory Matthews 6,435]

The Adventist Review has posted on its website the following comment of mine:

I believe that the SDA denomination has been given a role to play in End Time events and that God has given us specific advice as to how we must prepare to fill that End Time role.

As I understand that role,  local congregations and members must be able to act independently without the support of a centralized church structure. In that role congregations and members must rely on  following the support and leadership that God is giving them.  This will not be a time when we will be able to ask how others are responding to the leadership of God.  It will simply be between us and God.

Unfortunately I the current trend in denominational governance as leading toward greater centralization of authority.  I see this in votes of our recent Annual Council.  

I do not see either the NAD or the direction of our local conferences as preparing our congregations and members for what will be required of us events of End Time that we will face.

We need a new direction in our mission and ministry as I see it.

This is not a personal attack on any person in leadership.  I thank God for the many leaders who are standing firm for what they believe is God's will for us.  Rather I suggestion that we give a greater focus on preparing our congregations and members to function in the coming End Time.

 

[Gregory Matthews 6,435]

The above post may be found at;    https://www.adventistreview.org/1910-22

 

[BlessedMan 653]

On 10/17/2019 at 7:47 AM, Gregory Matthews said:

As I understand that role,  local congregations and members must be able to act independently without the support of a centralized church structure.

This part, I can agree with, for it is the essential nature of Bible prophecy as it advances.

I do not really see the "centralizing of power" that keeps getting talked about though. I think sometimes we want something so bad that we call opposition to what we want, something that it isnt.

There seems to be two main areas where the "centralizing power" indoctrination is enacted with the most ferocity. Neither of them are worth half the concern we give them.

[BlessedMan 653]

4 hours ago, Gregory Matthews said:

The above post may be found at;    https://www.adventistreview.org/1910-22

 

I made this comment in another topic here that you started on the same topic

Quote

My comment had nothing to do with did I "like" the article or not. It was more an expression of surprise, because the title specifically said "10 reasons why I stay in the church; yet the first thing out of the author's mouth is a list of conspiracy type allegations, splayed in rhetorical fashion; with an anecdotal approach to the "10 reasons."  So to me, when I read the article; all I saw, or, most of what I thought I was seeing, simply didnt add up.  I think that the "centralizing power" thing has been far-fetched, and way over the top. Even though I was in church "leadership" I experienced mostly drama-ship; (not by the leaders) and I still feel that the "centralizing of power" thing is the "click-bait" of modernity's Big Religion, and mostly by ones who are themselves interested in taking the very "control"  they criticize in their rhetorics. THAT certainly doesnt make said criticism "valid," but it does come across as quite unproven. The author of the article in question, to me, gave a confusing message.