Touching base once more from Tranquility - as in New Jersey!!

Your response is requested on the following - is there counsel for or against ministers of other denominations preaching on Sabbath morning in an Adventist church??

The aside is that the pastor of a neighboring church, a United Methodist one, is a refugee from Cuba whose cousin is an Adventist minister in Florida. Her church and ours have exchanged our choir cantatas, their members sing with our choir, (along with a lovely Russian Orthodox lady from my workplace!!), and I have preached several times in their church. We would simply like to have her come and share from time-to-time with us!!

Hope 1998 is wonderful for you - ain't it neat we are this much closer Home?

___________

Good to hear from you folks again! ___________, did you ever bring me up to date on the rest of your family--your parents and your sister? If you did, pardon my short memory and indulge me once again. I'd be interested to know.

Now as for your question, the idea of inviting the Methodist pastor in to speak on Sabbath morning may sound quite attractive for a number of worthwhile reasons, but you should be aware that the church manual speaks quite definitely about matters like this. Here are a few statements from the 1995 edition:

Unauthorized Speakers in Our Churches--Under no circumstances should a minister, elder, or other church officer invite stranger or any unauthorized persons to conduct services in our churches. Individuals who have been dropped from the ministry, or who have been dismissed from church fellowship in other places, or designing persons who have no authority from the church, should not be permitted with plausible words to gain admittance to our pulpits. Great care should be exercised to prevent this. Each one worthy of the confidence of our churches will be able to identify himself or herself by producing proper credentials. There may be times when it is proper for our congregations to be addressed by government officials or by civic leaders. All others should be excluded from the pulpit unless permission be granted from the conference or local mission office. It is the duty of every elder, minister, and conference president to see that this rule is carried out. (p. 65.)

God's work is to be jealously safeguarded by the responsible leaders in every step of organization, from the local church to the General Conference. In order that enemies of the work may not gain access to our pulpits, it is most strongly urged that no one be allowed to speak to any congregation unless he or she presents valid and up-to-date denominational credentials. It is recognized, however, that there are times when it is proper for our congregations to be addressed by government officials or by civic leaders; but all unauthorized persons should be excluded from the pulpit. (p. 124.)

The manual has a chapter entitled, "The Pulpit Not a Forum." It is well worth reading (pp. 185-187). The next-to-last paragraph reads: "In view of these considerations, it must be evident that the church cannot confer upon any individual the right to exploit personal views and opinions from the pulpit. The sacred desk must be reserved for the preaching of the sacred truths of the Divine Word and the presentation of denominational plans and policies for the advancement of the work of God."

These statements may not categorically preclude your asking the Methodist minister to occupy the pulpit, but they should raise a red flag in your mind. Am I correct in assuming that you are the pastor of the academy church? If so, you need to consider whether the impact of various kinds of ecumenical moves on the student body may be more extensive than you might intend them to be. What message will you give to the students about the distinctiveness of the Seventh-day Adventist message and our mission? (I would not equate distinctiveness with exclusivism, by the way.) And will the message the other pastor gives be harmonious with our faith? What if you have guests there who have chosen that particular Sabbath to enter an SDA church for the first time? These are some matters to think about. If you still think you should go ahead, then the Manual seems to require that you seek approval from the conference office.

I did not find any statements from Mrs. White that addressed this situation. Perhaps there are some, but I didn't locate them.

I guess that's it for now. I hope this will be helpful to you in some way. God bless.

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William Fagal, Director
Ellen G. White Estate Branch Office
Andrews University
Berrien Springs, MI 49104-1400 USA
Phone: 616 471-3209
FAX: 616 471-6166
E-mail: egw@aubranch.egwestate.andrews.edu