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Adventist Annual Council Report - October 2004

13.6 Million Are Baptised Adventist Members; 2,756 Baptized Daily

| 11.10.2004 | ANN/APD | International

More than one million people joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a Protestant mainstream denomination, in the year ending June 30, 2004, bringing the total world church membership to 13,663,497.

On average, 2,756 new Adventists are baptized daily, with 13 congregations formed in the same 24 hour period. There is one Adventist for every 468 people in the world today, down from one for every 490 people a year ago. If current trends continue, it's projected that there will be one Adventist for every 100 people on Earth by the year 2034, said Bert Haloviak, director of archives and statistics for the church.

"The Lord has been good to His church, and has blessed growth initiatives," said Matthew Bediako, secretary of the world church. The church is reaching the un-reached populations of the earth through a worldwide Global Mission program.

Six of the church's 13 world regions -- Inter-America, South America, East-Central Africa, Southern Africa-Indian Ocean, Southern Asia Pacific and North America -- have memberships of more than 1 million each. The church regions with the largest membership are: Inter-America, with 2.5 million; South America, with 2.345 million; and East-Central Africa with, 2.068 million.

North America, having just climbed back into the million-plus rank over the summer, represents just under 8 percent of worldwide Adventist Church membership. The Seventh-day Adventist Church was founded in the middle of the 19th century as part of a popular religious awakening in North America, but today is a Christian World Communion, with its largest concentration of members in Africa, South America and Asia.

At the same time, the church is revising its membership counts through audits of regional church records and due to departures from the church. Bediako said the church has an average global retention rate of "about 70 percent."

Bediako, who in delivering his report was assisted by secretaries of the church's 13 regions, said, "although we would like to see the retention rate go higher, we need to make sure our figures are accurate." He appealed to the church's regions to complete membership audits "as soon as possible."

He added, "the conservation of the harvest is as important as the reaping of the harvest."

Among areas of strong church growth since the 2003 Annual Council, the afternoon session heard about India, where 114,000 were baptized in the past year, up dramatically from the 15,000 baptisms reported in 1994. In the South Pacific region, evangelistic campaigns in the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea have brought thousands into church membership. South America's membership continues to climb through public evangelism and small group Bible study outreaches, while in the Northern Pacific, millions of Bible study invitations were placed in leading Japanese newspapers, leading to thousands of inquiries. [Editors: Mark A. Kellner/Ray Dabrowski/Chris Schaeffler for ANN/APD]

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Mission Initiatives Dominate Meeting; Mission Statement Revision, New Values Statement Voted

| 11.10.2004 | ANN/APD | International

"You are here because of what you bring to this [assembly]," Pastor Jan Paulsen told delegates to the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Annual Council meeting, held at the world headquarters. The first business session commenced on Sunday morning, October 10, with delegates voting statements of values and vision for the 14-million baptised adult member church, where between 25 and 30 million Adventist Christians worship weekly.

Although the primary purpose of the meetings is the business affairs of the church, Paulsen emphasized in his opening comments that morning sessions of the council would be devoted to mission, which he said is the chief task of the church.

This being the last such gathering before the 2005 General Conference Session in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), Paulsen said, "there are many, many far-reaching issues that are before us, and they are reflected in the agenda that we have."

Among those to be discussed in coming days is a new fundamental statement of belief relating to a Christian's spiritual growth. Paulsen told delegates the matter was of great importance as the church moves forward: "If we are indeed, as we have been told in council, that in the year 2020 the Adventist community, at its current rate of growth, is likely to number 50 million; [of which] 12 percent only of whom have been members in the year 2000, it becomes quickly a first-generation church. How do we make sure that we hold this family together? How do we make sure that the identity, the vision, that which we value highly, our faith, our doctrine, our spiritual values, remain intact?"

Already, in opening-morning actions, Adventist leaders voted revised wording for the church's mission statement and a values statement.

The amendments to the mission statement (see related text link) talk about the everlasting gospel "of God's love" in the context of Rev. 14:6-12 "and as revealed in the life, death, resurrection and high priestly ministry of Jesus Christ," and leading them to accept Jesus as personal Saviour "and Lord." The mission statement now calls for people to unite with Christ's "remnant church" and for the church to nurture "believers as disciples" in preparation for His return.

The values statement (see related text link), which was approved, although its wording will continue to be studied by leaders, emphasizes that "Advent values are rooted in the revelation of God provided through the Bible and the life of Jesus Christ." The statement affirms "every person is gifted for, and needed in, the diverse activities" of the church.

"Our respect for diversity, individuality and freedom is balanced by regard for community," the statement adds.

Most of the morning session was devoted to specific mission-related and strategic initiatives of the church. Mark Finley, director of the Center for Global Evangelism at the church's world headquarters, and speaker/director of It Is Written, underscored the practical aspects of the Center's services as they relate to evangelism. "Training and motivation are of primacy to our task," he said. He refers to pastors involved in evangelism as "evangelistic pace setters," and in one specific program, groups of young pastors will receive mentoring in the art of public evangelism. In Finley's words, "our passion is to motivate church leaders, pastors and lay people to embrace a greater vision of God's longing to reach lost people."

Michael L. Ryan, a general vice-president of the world church, who introduced the mission-segment of the council meeting, said that mission is what the church focuses on. "This sense of mission is driven by the realization that every person, regardless of circumstances, is of infinite value to God. We have a God-given mission to reach the world with His love. But do we have a plan to reach the world?"

Presiding over the denomination's strategic planning, Ryan connected the strategic plan to mission objectives of the church. He asked: "What are the goals we must work toward? What should be our vision for the church of 2010? Our vision is clear: to invite every person in the world to respond to the good news about Jesus and His soon coming. This is the mission for which we exist. This is the mission that must occupy our time, energy, and resources."

As the church moves into the next five years, the mission focus is on three key strategic values of growth, unity, and quality of life. "These values are not new. They reflect the essence of Adventism. They reflect the Adventist heritage. They reflect the way the Adventist Church operates," Ryan emphasized.

The Annual Council participants were also presented with a report on the recently adopted mission initiatives, as well as plans for new and creative involvement of laity in mission activities, including the Elijah Project, a collaborative effort of church and lay ministries to involve Adventist youth in the presentation of a comprehensive evangelistic program.

Harold Baptiste, chairman of the Sow 1 Billion initiative and a church general vice-president, referred to the global campaign to distribute 1,000 million Bible study invitations as "an extraordinary initiative -- a plan to blanket the world."

In the last 12 months, each region of the church has taken up the Sow 1 Billion challenge and adapted the invitations to study the Bible in ways that both reflect the identity of the church in that region, and which fits with the culture in which they are operating. "We praise God for the stories that are flowing in of people who have responded to this invitation to study the Bible," Baptiste reported.

According to Baptiste, the Sow 1 Billion initiative has given a new impetus to Bible Correspondence Schools around the world. "There are 140 Bible Schools in 130 countries, with Bible lessons in more than 70 languages. These schools are an integral--and very effective--part of our church's outreach ministry. Sow 1 Billion has made it abundantly clear that we need to support and maintain this vital worldwide network... [and] has also helped prompt the expansion of local church-based Bible schools. In North America, for instance, there have been more than 300 new church-based Bible schools added over the past year," he said.

Another legacy of Sow 1 Billion is a new spirit of cooperation -- a new dynamic -- that has been forged between different church entities. Sow 1 Billion may have been a simple plan to print and distribute Bible study invitations, but it is a plan that has mobilized an extraordinary range of people, ministries and institutions worldwide to work together toward this common goal.

Baptiste also cited HopeTalk.org -- an international Bible study Web site that was developed to help provide online Bible studies for Sow 1 Billion. HopeTalk relied on the active support of hundreds of Bible Schools around the world, along with the involvement of many lay Internet ministries.

Also voted Sunday morning was the proposal to expand distribution of the Adventist Review, the official church paper. This 32-page, English-language magazine is expected to reach members in the ten world church regions where English is a major language, and it is hoped that other regions would translate articles into other languages for local use, leaders said.

According to Dr. Paulsen, the program would "make it possible for one issue of the Adventist Review to be distributed at no charge.... I expect over a million copies and it may well grow beyond that, depending on the demand from the world church."

According to Dr. William G. Johnsson, editor of the Review, the plan would be to incorporate content that is aimed at building faith and understanding of church doctrine and mission. Regular articles would cover doctrinal topics, and contributors would largely be drawn from outside of North America. The new publication would be called "Adventist World" and "would be designed to foster the unity of the world Adventist family."

The magazine's text would also be available via the Internet, effectively joining other church outreaches via satellite television and the Internet, each aimed at strengthening member participation and retention.

Johnsson estimated the cost of the new venture at between U.S. $2.2 million to U.S. $2.4 million each year, with a target launch date of September or October of 2005.

"We think it is critical to the church, to the church's witness, to the unity of the church that we have a voice that can speak to the whole world church, with the same message to all," Paulsen said.

Related Sites
Values Statement
Mission Statement Amendment

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Adventist Church Headquarters Operations Review Voted

| 11.10.2004 | ANN/APD | International

Leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church voted October 10 to establish a commission to review "ministries and services" performed by the world church headquarters and report back in less than six months on how operations can be improved or streamlined.

The 37-member panel will be called the "General Conference Ministries and Services Review Commission," and is due to report back to the church leadership in April 2005.

Introducing the resolution, Pastor Harold Baptiste, a general vice president of the church, told delegates: "Today, the Seventh-day Adventist world organization consists of 13 world divisions, 101 unions and 521 conferences and missions around the world. Questions repeatedly arise: Do the ministries and services performed by the General Conference in 2004 adequately meet the needs of the world field in the best way possible? Is the church being efficient and cost effective? Might there be alternative ways of accomplishing the ministries and services which would better serve the needs of a rapidly growing and changing world church?"

Pastor Jan Paulsen, world church president, in remarks at the beginning of the October 10 business session, said the idea had come from world church executives: The proposal was "an issue in response to what has come from the world church leadership, that we look again at the question of the ministries and the services that the GC offers to the world church. This is also potentially quite far reaching," he said.

Although delegates ultimately approved the measure, floor discussion included items of concern to many.

Pastor Harald Wollan, secretary of the church's Trans-European region, with headquarters in St. Albans (United Kingdom), said, "The proposal we have in front of us states we need to look at what is most cost-effective to the world church. I think this is necessary for all we do."

However, Wollan added, the world church often relies on support from the headquarters to help accomplish its mission. A "strong" headquarters can help promote church unity as well, he said.

"If we reduce the numbers of personnel in the departments, this will in one way or another, affect the perception of the unity of the church with the programs that are promoted throughout the church," Wollan said.

Pastor Laurie Evans, president of the church's South Pacific region, welcomed the new commission: "We shouldn't be afraid of it, if we enter into it with openness and transparency," he said.

Several delegates noted the brief amount of time available to the commission, but Baptiste said this would motivate members to work. Pastor Ulrich Frikart, head of the church's Euro-Africa region, based in Berne (Switzerland), said he hoped the commission would have access to earlier, similar studies of headquarters operations.

Dr. Peter Landless, associate health ministries director at the world headquarters, echoed the comments of several others, when he said, "Review and reappraisal is essential. Transparency would inform that this is not merely limited to services and departments, but to the entire [headquarters] administration as well."

Commission members could be named as early as this week, Baptiste said. [Editors: Mark A. Kellner/Chris Schaeffler for ANN/APD]

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'Affirmation of Creation' Report Discussed, Response to be Considered

Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 12.10.2004 | ANN/APD | International

Following presentation of a report from a series of international faith and science conferences, the Annual Council of the Seventh-day Adventist Church considered its recommendations and set up a committee to prepare the Council's response.

"An Affirmation of Creation" report, which was presented to the delegates by Lowell Cooper, general vice president of the Church and chairman of the conferences' organizing committee, recognizes the Adventist faith-based belief in the Biblical account of creation, but it also expresses an affirmation of Adventist scholarship in theology and science.

The report was drafted at the conclusion of the International Faith & Science Conferences 2002 to 2004, and was sent to the church body, which established a three-year series of consultations on issues in faith and science, particularly those relating to the Adventist understanding of origins, evaluated the findings in theology and science and how they interface, and contributed and challenged the Adventist understanding of origins.

During a nearly two-hour discussion on the report's recommendations, the council delegates confirmed the outcomes of the conversations as "valuable," and "essential" in a climate of today's emphasis on evolution.

The eight-page document presented the delegates with three specific recommendations: (1) In order to address what some interpret as a lack of clarity in Fundamental Belief number 6, the historic Seventh-day Adventist understanding of the Genesis narrative be affirmed more explicitly; (2) Church leaders at all levels be encouraged to assess and monitor the effectiveness with which denominational systems and programs succeed in preparing young people, including those attending non-Adventist schools, with a biblical understanding of origins and an awareness of the challenges they may face in respect to this understanding; and (3) Increased opportunity be provided for interdisciplinary dialog and research, in a safe environment, among Seventh-day Adventist scholars from around the world.

Dr. Jan Paulsen, president of the world church, chaired the session. In his concluding remarks, Paulsen restated his earlier comments that the "church was never unclear in what we stand for," and several delegates expressed their appreciation of the report's emphasis on affirming the Church's belief.

Citing a statement in the report that "while we found widespread affirmation of the Church's understanding of life on earth, we recognize that some among us interpret the biblical record in ways that lead to sharply different conclusions," Martin Feldbush, director of the Church's Chaplaincy Ministries, commented that there "does seem to be some unfinished business... everybody is agreed that there is a Creator involved ... [but] then there were sharply different conclusions about how the Creator was involved in the process. There is a need for continuing dialogue and research, [but] how will we continue to manage or seek to resolve those sharply different conclusions?"

Roy Adams, associate editor of Adventist Review, inquired of those who participated in the conversations whether there "was any movement at all, did anyone change their position in course of deliberations?" and whether "those who attended the [conversations] are satisfied that this was money well spent if not one changed their position?"

Delbert Baker, president of Oakwood College, Huntsville, Alabama, expressed his views as an educator, and said he "didn't get the sense that there was in any way changing the doctrines, or moving them, but did feel the Church was addressing an issue that was vital and needed reinterpreted for out time."

"There was a great sense of collaboration, discussion, exposure, of coming together and talking about a vital subject in the 21st century. This was the type of thing I've heard theologians say on campuses, that we need to talk about these things, [the] positive asset to the whole history of our church. When our young people see this document [it will] say to them that the Church is seeking to look at this from a fresh perspective and re-establish it in the context of our time. I think it's a good thing."

The discussion also emphasized that the four-person committee charged with drafting a response to the report should not only consider a statement of reaffirmation of the Church's Fundamental Belief regarding creation, but that such a statement express the meaning of the belief with more specificity. Drafting of a response to the report's recommendations, the committee will be chaired by Lowell Cooper with Angel Rodriguez, director of the Biblical Research Institute, L. James Gibson, director of the Geoscience Research Institute, and William G. Johnsson, editor of the Adventist Review, as members.

Commenting on a recommendation to address what some interpret as a lack of clarity in the Church's creation-related doctrinal statement, Ted N. C. Wilson, a general vice president, said: "I think action we take here will be extremely important in helping the world field to understand what we mean by number six, ... six literal days, [and] I understand them to be 24 hour days that are literal. Even with the word 'literal,' it would be helpful [to use] the word 'contiguous,' or 'sequential'." He also suggested that there would be a "greater clarity expressed in identifying the flood as a global event, not just a localized event."

Kent Staunton, lay member of the committee from Australia, expressed a feeling of "some discomfort" if there were expressions of belief "without any room for differences." He said, "It's interesting, I think, that God didn't create the world in black and white. He created the world in colour. I would be uncomfortable with something that sought to remove differences in the name of unity, for I fear that may be something that is exclusive and creates division rather than inclusive in pursuit of object of unity. [We] must be very careful ... we need to use words of Scripture, [but] when we add to words of Scripture we must be very careful ... [the] words of Scripture are open to have shades and we need to be open to those shades."

Gerry Karst, a general vice president, commented on the impact of the creation belief "on those involved in Adventist teaching ministry.

"Our own young people in church [and] parents of our young people have a right to expect that their kids will receive an Adventist education in all areas. In these formative years of their life, they will need to be exposed to various views, but at the end of the day they have the right to hear from teachers who believe by conviction what Adventism teaches about a certain topic," he said.

Related Site
Read the Organizing Committee's Report:
http://news.adventist.org/specials/annual_council_2004/creation_report.html

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Church Learns Strengths, Weaknesses in Retaining, Nurturing Members

Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 12.10.2004 | ANN/APD | International

The Seventh-day Adventist Church "has a very large agenda to engage" in dealing with things that keep -- and repel -- members, as well as those that nurture Christian growth, a new survey, presented October 10 to the church's Annual Council, reveals.

"The church faces large challenges in retaining its youth, speaking to the secular mind, dealing with population growth and encouraging members to remain faithful by maintaining a rich devotional life," declared Dr. Roger Dudley, director of the Adventist Theological Seminary's Institute of Church Ministry in Berrien Springs, Michigan. The 81-question survey was sent to 408 leaders of church regional and local units, executives in education and health care, and others. Departmental directors were also given the opportunity to participate in the survey, if regional leaders chose to make copies for them. In all, 294 leaders and 132 others who also received survey copies sent in completed forms.

The "Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats," or "SWOT," survey, was conducted by the Institute at the request of the world church's Strategic Planning Commission, which has long sought "data to use in helping the Adventist Church move into the future in a manner that will maximize its mission to the world," as Dudley explained.

The departure of young members -- in North America, it's estimated that 40 percent to 50 percent of teenagers baptized either leave the denomination or become inactive by their mid-20s -- is also apparently a concern in the church's 12 other world regions. The influence of post-modern, secular and affluent societies was seen as a threat to membership growth by 75 percent of world church leaders. Third among weaknesses was the perception that only 50 percent of members are actively involved in Bible study and prayer.

The fact that Seventh-day Adventists have a Biblical basis for their doctrines, offer a message of hope, and are a multi-cultural church were cited as the top three strengths of the Church. Cited as offering the greatest opportunities for church growth, were: openness to the Church's message, more technology by which that message can be communicated, and a recognition that people in situations of "personal transition" in their lives are more open to the gospel.

The major threats to the Church were an increasing growth in secularism, and two societal factors: faster population growth -- more people to be reached -- and increasing poverty worldwide, which could cause problems for church finances.

Dr. Richard C. Osborn, president of the church's Pacific Union College in Angwin, California, United States, supported the report, but also urged the church to consider as "high priority to correct [the] problem" of such great numbers of youth leaving the church. He said that it was important for the world church leadership to consider "what to do to transfer the young people from colleges to congregational life," but also told ANN that leaders need to consider other factors in the loss of young people after college years.

"The report is one thing," he told ANN, "but addressing the issues raised is another. It seems that the [membership] losses occurred in the transitioning process from attending institutional churches [on a campus] to finding a suitable local church. Issues of worship style and acceptance at the local church seemed to be the critical points."

Osborne said a key factor for young people are their ties back to the local church community. Those coming from -- and going to -- churches with strong ethnic concentrations are more likely to remain affiliated than those who go to churches without that common bond. [Editors: John T.J. Banks/Mark A. Kellner for ANN/APD]

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Adventist Annual Council Report: Plan to Distribute 2 Million Books Voted

Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 13.10.2004 | ANN/APD | International

A new plan for worldwide distribution of 2 million books by one of the church's founders, Ellen G. White, was voted by delegates October 11 at the Adventist Church's Annual Council meetings.

A document outlining the project says the need arises out of an apparent decline in readership of these volumes, despite a continuing belief in their importance for the church today. Seventh-day Adventists refer to the writings of Ellen G. White as the "Spirit of Prophecy."

"It is also widely acknowledged, both within and outside of Adventism, that the Spirit of Prophecy has been--and continues to be--primarily responsible for the church's remarkable theological and administrative unity worldwide. The church needs to nurture this historical and ongoing spiritual influence," the document states.

Ten books have been chosen to be included in the set, which will be distributed over a five-year period and financed by the church's world headquarters, regional and local administrative offices around the world. The goal is for each Adventist family to have a set of the books. It was also suggested that each family who receives a set of these books would pay a fraction of the cost.

"There are also study guides along with the books, which is the key to the project," Ted Wilson, a vice president of the world church, told Annual Council attendees. "We hope to have CD-ROMs ... and [local] organizations may put them on the Internet as well." Translation and coordination of distribution to the local administrative office will be the responsibility of each church division, or region.

After the church's regions have looked at the project, called "Connecting With Jesus," the final plan will be presented in April 2005 to church leaders at Spring Meeting. "We feel that with the great challenge of evangelizing the world and nurturing church members in understanding what has driven the church in the past and what must drive it in future ... this is absolutely crucial," Wilson said. [Editor: Wendi Rogers for ANN/APD]

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Church President Paulsen Meets Press After Annual Council Ends

Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 15.10.2004 | APD | International

Saying the 20-million-plus Seventh-day Adventist world community "is a big ship that turns around slowly," world church president Pastor Jan Paulsen told reporters October 14 at a press conference that leaders must consider the cross-cultural implications of growth and governance in the movement.

He made his comment after a five-day meeting of the church's executive committee, a session known as Annual Council, and noted that the 2004 council, the last annual gathering before the 2005 world session in St. Louis, Missouri (USA), was particularly loaded with administrative items, as well as larger issues. The question of how to reconcile more conservative forms of Christianity found in some nations versus the "Northern Christianity" of many Western lands, is "a big issue," he said.

"Even raising the issue is important," Paulsen added when discussing the matters -- such as the guidelines expressing an Adventist philosophy of music as well as a report affirming the church's traditional view of a literal, six-day, recent creation.

Asked to comment on those academics and others who may hold differing views on such subjects, Paulsen said it was important to recognize the common Christian faith among members in the church. Those academics and pastors who disagree with various positions have settings in which to raise and examine their theories, he said, but the classroom or the pulpit are not proper locations for this.

"When you identify with the ministry of the church, you have to identify with what the church stands for," Paulsen explained.

On the music guidelines, Paulsen said he was "not disappointed" that some of the more specific statements on music were not voted as the final document.

"I have learned there is a huge variety of music" in the world, and that people in different parts of the world respond to different kinds of music. Therefore, "it's better to state principles, and not be overly prescriptive," he added.

"Obedience to God is obedience where you are," he said, acknowledging the differences in cultures. He added that the guidelines are just that, "not a policy statement -- they are not an instrument by which we measure spirituality."

Responding to a question about Christian-Muslim relations, Paulsen said "our relation as Christians needs to be non-confrontational, non-hostile ... there has to be an element of respect."

He said that "once you become confrontational and hostile, you draw the worst out of others, including the fanatics among them."

On what he, personally, expects from the church's 2005 General Conference Session -- a quinquennial world assembly that elects church officers, including his position -- Paulsen said, "I serve at the pleasure of the church," adding that it was his to "personally discover" what God wants him to do in the future.

"I understand the reality of spiritual leadership," Paulsen said. "I need to know what the Lord wants me to do. We shall see what that discovery looks like." [Editor: Mark A. Kellner for ANN/APD]

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Music Philosophy Guidelines Voted

Silver Spring, Maryland/USA | 15.10.2004 | ANN/APD | International

Delegates to the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Annual Council meetings received and approved a document outlining views on music in an October 12 session.

Titled "A Seventh-day Adventist Philosophy of Music," the document, which was presented to delegates during an earlier leader's meeting in 2004 and then distributed to the world church regions for review, was brought for discussion and possible implementation.

"We believe that the gospel impacts all areas of life," the statement reads, in part. "We therefore hold that, given the vast potential of music for good or ill, we cannot be indifferent to it."

The church has not had a music statement, or guideline, since the early 1970s, explained Ted N.C. Wilson, a general vice president of the world church and member of the music committee. "This document, I'm sure, has some items that may not be agreeable to everyone," he said. The committee aimed at a "very balanced approach to this subject based on scripture" and the counsel of one of the church's founders, Ellen G. White, who wrote on the subject.

Pastor Jan Paulsen, world Adventist Church president, emphasized the nature of the document, stressing that this was not an official policy of the church.

"A document such as this is presented as guideline, not policy," he told delegates. "Guidelines are a point of reference. It is there to help us. It's something we come back to, consult, [as] it becomes educational. I would hope and will make specific recommendation that any guideline on music our church adopts does not become an instrument by which we measure spirituality. It is destructive to our community to engage in such."

He added, "We allow it to talk to us in our various cultures. ... Music must express itself in every culture."

Parsdon Mwansa, president of the church's Southern Africa-Indian Ocean region, supports the document: "This is a guideline, something people can use to say 'this is what I see as principles from which I can choose what I can or cannot do.' The document is elastic enough to accommodate quite a lot."

"We need guidelines regarding music," said Ulrich Frikart (Berne/Switzerland), president of the Church's Euro-Africa region. "This document could say a lot, but the language does not show to me the main target audience for this document is our young people. I feel a lack of sensitivity for our young people and this is a concern for me. I would like a document in which we would express that we understand their struggle. ... The culture of our young people in music is a major way of communication. As it is, it will be of no use. Our main target will not ... identify with this. We have to guide them ..." [Editor: Wendi Rogers for ANN/APD]

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Media Mirror: Adventists affirm stance on two topics

Cleveland, Ohio/USA | 24.10.2004 | The Plain Dealer/RNS | International

Adventists affirm stance on two topics

Saturday, October 23, 2004

from Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service

Worldwide leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church tackled two sensitive subjects - creationism and appropriate music for worship - during their annual council meeting last week in Silver Spring, Md.

After three years of discussion across the globe, the Adventists affirmed the church's historic stance supporting the biblical account of creation. They also approved "A Seventh-Day Adventist Philosophy of Music" that shied away from specifics because of concerns about the diversity of cultures represented in the worldwide religious body.

"We reaffirm the Seventh- day Adventist understanding of the historicity of Genesis 1-11: that the seven days of the Creation account were literal 24-hour days forming a week identical in time to what we now experience as a week; and that the Flood was global in nature," says an executive- committee response to a report from the church's faith and science committee.

Jan Paulsen, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, acknowledged that there are "shades of difference" among Adventists about how long it took to create the Earth and how long the Earth has existed, but he believes there is more agreement that "life as we know it on Earth is the handiwork of God."

Drafters of the executive- committee response said the report and three years of conferences included discussion of the tensions between the scientific and theological world on how human beings came to be.

On the matter of music, church leaders decided to remove suggested "applications" from the church's philosophy that would have recommended that congregations "shun theatrics" and say "Amen" instead of applauding during worship services.

"Not all sacred/religious music may be acceptable for an Adventist," says a statement that is considered to be a guideline rather than policy. "Sacred music should not evoke secular associations or invite conformity to worldly behavioral patterns of thinking or acting."

Paulsen said his world travels for the church have impressed him with the wide range of worship that is considered appropriate by church members.

© 2004 The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio/USA. Used with permission.

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