Yes.

Andy Nash, editor, Adventist Today, Chattanooga, Tennessee

 

I support it.

Ervin Taylor, Executive Publisher, Adventist Today, Loma Linda, California

I totally support this!

Marcel Schwantes, Online Editor, Adventist Today, Glendale, California

Absolutely. It's time!

Norka Blackman-Richards, Fourth generation SDA, Daughter of SDA Missionaries, wife of a SDA Minister , Founder of non-profit organization 4 Real Women International, inc. and adjunct-lecturer for the City University of New York.

I have thought this for some time.
Wallace Minder, Retired Dean, School of Education, LSU

If the United States can end segregation .... so can the church.

African-American Conferences should never have been established in the first place. Will there be different sections of Heaven people will live in?

Time to come together on Earth so Jesus can take us together to Heaven!

Pastor Jim Landelius
Oklahoma Conference

Organizing around the mission instead of race? What a novel idea--I love it! You have my vote...
Linda McCabe, pastor's wife, PA.

Yes - I agree with Pastor Russell.

Segregation--for any reason--whether done in the name of church growth or evangelism or whatever is immoral. A segregated church is hardly a foretaste of the kingdom of God.

Jeff Crocombe
Senior Lecturer- Church History
Faculty of Theology, Helderberg College
South Africa.

Yes. I pastor a multiracial church in a military community. The military is the best integrated organization in the country. My number one question from new members is why in the year of our Lord 2008 our denomination is still racially segregated. unfortunately my answer has had to be, based on my experience, that blacks have wanted it that way. Here in the South any time I have tried to do inter-conference campmeetings, or evangelism, i always get flack from Reginal Conference Presidents.
Freddy, as a black pastor, is the ideal guy to lead this charge. He has my full support.

I understand somewhat of the historical development of this abnormality, which today makes us look rather hypocritical. We preach about love, harmony and unity, and of a heaven where we will all live together in peace and harmony. The reality is, what we are to be we are now becoming; so if we cannot unite here, how will we make it there? The reality is some of us will not make it unless we change our attitude. I wholeheartedly support Frederick Russell. Its a dialogue we must face and resolve.
Leon Wellington

My first response is that we should have Spanish, Black, White, Korean, etc conference where there is atleast 3000 members of the culture and structure the Union conference with all different ethnic persons to serve the departments and administration. The conference could have at least three officers with the major work conducted by persons at the Union level.
I will agree with a different structure if the White conference merged with the Regional conference. The problems is in the churches - It is a fact that when Blacks become the majority, Whites leave or start a new church. Black will stay with a White magority membeship. Racism is still in the Adventist church - mor sutle. Can you explain why the Adventist church with nearly 3/4 Black membership as never had a Black GC president in 147 years of history. Why has there been only one NAD Black president in the history of NAD. There is a problem - This talk of being one is always one sided.

I was in New York City and I could not find a white church in area of New York City several years ago. Do you realize that when Blacks become the majority in a church, the Whites leave? The problem is not organizational - The churches must come together and in most large cities, the White membership is dying. Is this the reason for the talk of coming together.

I worked in an area where the membership was 95 percent Black, but all the leadership was white in the conference office. It was not because there were no qualified Black leaders - The conference is now 99 percent Black. I went to England many years ago, and I was amazed. My first trip as a Black American. The church had over 500 members with about 20 to 40 whites, but the leadership was White - I could not believe it. It is time for the white churches and white conference to merge with the Black conference and Black churches. There is not need for White churches.

Dear Friends:

What will probably work best is to keep this thread focused on the petition itself, with people adding their names and support here.  

The best place for extended debate is the main article thread itself, where some discussion has started already.  This will keep the two threads more focused.

(We recognize that reading Adventist Today content requires premium access, which you can get by subscribing online for $8/year.  As you can understand, we need to have a revenue stream to pay staff and produce first-class content.) 

Andy Nash

Editor, Adventist Today

 

It is time to end the divisions among the church…it is inconceivable that some oppose evangelism simply because “they belong to the other conference” and refuse to work together. I was a member of the church board and one day the pastor furiously objected to evangelism together with the “other conference” and even working together “with them” to build a church and worship together…absolutely ridiculous. Off course, it seems that church administrators are accountable to nobody and as long as they have a secure paycheck, things will remain as business as usual.

JIM

It's time!!

Gary E. Russell

Yes! It is way past time to change the orgainizational sturcture in the North American Division. Not only do we need to eliminate the race based conferences; but also the wasteful duplication of effort and unnecessary multiple layers of administration. If the Brethren won't/can't then the laity will and it will continue to come by way of the pocketbook. People will give to what is working rather than blindly continuing to support a system that is laregly broken.

Jere Webb
jw@jerewebb.com
208.861.2222

I shout a resounding AMEN to the idea of abolishing all race -based conferences and reorganizing the Adventist Church in North America. For too long we have mis-represented the church founded on the laws of love, and it is long long past due that this church wake up and return to our first love. God's will be done in earth as it is in heaven, sayeth the Lord. There is no division in the kingdom of heaven, but rather love rules supremely. So while there is yet time, Adventist need be awakened to their self-imposed lack of trust in God's omnipotence to overthrow all evil, as well as a paralysis in our love relationship with Jesus and our neighbor which is preventing love from growing day by day. Seventh-day worshipers whose last names are not Adventist are starting to pop up all over the country, because we have become paralyzed and feeble as a denomination failing to acknowledge that race-based conferences do not reflect the image exemplified in the words One faith, One Lord, One Baptism, or and every nation, tongue and people or, there shall be one fold and one shepherd. Love is what is missing. Love suffers long and is kind, does not envy, or extravagant, or puffed up, and always in keeping with what is right and proper. Love is unselfish and not easily provoked, it thinks no evil and rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in truth. Love bears, hopes and endures all things and never fails.

God's will shall be done, the question is will adventist be the commandment people whom God uses to accomplish this task or will God find others who will Love God Supremely and Love Our Neighbor as Themselves? I believe that in restructuring, another key issue that needs to be addressed is to shift our focus away from "the Sabbath" to a focus on "Love" which encompasses all of the Law. Is almost as though God is saying " you hypocrites, you say they only keep 9 out of 10 but yet you only keep 1 out of 10. This is a tall order considering the wheat grow with the tares, but love is the most powerful force in the universe. God is love.

YES,YES, YES

karl F. Hafner MD, MPH
Yes, it is absolutely time. It should have happened long ago.

Yes I support the call for the abolishment for race-based conferences, both black and white, Long over due! I don't think we will find anywhere in the Bible where God mentions segregation in eternity, and we need to be preparing for Etenity with God.

Kudos for this over-due article.

YES, I support the call for restructuring of ALL conferences. (May all the turkeys vote for Xmas/Thanksgiving, only to find out that they are sheep.)

Stefan Burton-Schnüll (Pastor, Bermuda Conference)

I don't know all the answers, but it is absolutely tragic that our church is still segregated. We're 60 years behind America on a moral issue. This subject needs more visibility. I have lived in the Southwestern Union for 18 years and worked for the church in this union for 5 years. I only learned that the Southwest Region Conference existed a couple of years ago. I am appalled at my own ignorance and the fact that my church has swept this issue under the rug.

Jenni Eno, SDA Teacher

Yes, these separate conferences need to be abolished (integrated?), but it needs to be done by blacks wanting to do this. I believe that it is a poor witness in my community, Tappahannock VA, to have 2 separate churches. When other Protestant churches, in Richmond VA, have done this is, they have thrived and grown, (and it gets reported and noticed on the TV news!). We need each other - black, white and mixed, in order to spread the complete message of the gospel. Dawn Schram http://www.hymndescants.com

Absolutely support. Do you think I enjoy being a part of a hypocritical organisation.

The reorganization of the Adventist Church in NA with the abolishment of race-based conferences has been due long time ago. Humberto

I support this inspired effort. Audrey Norman Jones Birmingham, AL

Yes. Todd J. Leonard Pastor, Canton Adventist Church Relationships Pastor, Buckhead Community Fellowship

Conferences cannot sussessfully dictate with whom believers worship. Within our South Georgia community are three Adventist churches -- one with a Hispanic pastor, one with a black pastor, and one with a white pastor. Each church has cultural differences. None of these churches limit who can attend, and racial diversity is present -- especially within the "white" church. Is it really the intent of those calling for the abolishion of separate conferences to homoginize all members? Do they wish to stiffle diversity of worship expression? Within the Adventist Church there is non-race-based diversity of worship styles. Some appeal more to traditionalist, others to those with freer expression. People gravitate to the churches where they find worship fulfillment. Would we insist that these churches all blend and their differences disappear? Within North America we have churches for people who speak various languages. Will we insist that all must worship together in the same tongue and abolish all others? While the blending of conference offices may someday be chosen or legislated, forced worship has never worked and never will. If it is the will of the membership to all worship together in one place and in one way it will happen by their choosing when they choose to do so. In the meantime, please respect all people. Worship where and how you choose, and allow others to do the same.

Lyndon Johnston Taylor Wellington, NZ

Pastor Russell is to be commended for his timely article. I have long believed in the need for radical change in the administrative structure of this church. Race based conferences should clearly be eliminated, as should the entire top heavy system. May our leaders take this challenge seriously and move us toward a structure that represents good stewardship.

I agree with Pastor Russell's petition: Pastor Milt Pruitt Cleveland, Tennessee Pastors Coalfield, TN Seventh-day Adventist Church

I agree fully, whole heartedly. As Andy Nash has recommended I will discuss this more in the section under the main article thread.

Yes, I definitely agree. Bring the unions together, do not segregate. Jerri

...living in fidelity, making the teaching about God attractive (Titus 2:10) Perfect Love casts out fear...and separation. It's time we seek love, passionate heart of God, and learn to lose fears, that divide. pastor Alex Golovenko, London, Ontario.

YES YES YES YES The History of the SDA church may show a PAST need for certain conf. division. However, it is now PAST-time for these sad practices. Thank You Pastor Russell for having the courage and conviction to say something. Owen Graham Founder of L.I.F.E (Living in Faith Everyday) Christian SDA

Isn't the real problem style of worship. If TV Black worship services are any example of what I would find in SDA Black worship experience, I'm not sure I would want to sign the petition, but if we all were looking at a common ground in the worship experience like I have seen in other denominations, introducing a diversity of music, including spirituals etc, then maybe. People leave when they feel uncomfortable or threatened. I've seen white on white schisms, just saw one about a year ago. Race wasn't the isssue, power, and who wielded it, was.

Regards,
Douglas

Douglas, why not switch off the TV, head over to a Black SDA church, and find out for yourself?

Stefan

Sorry Andy,

I just saw your note about keeping this stream about signing and other comments under the article. As my kids say, "My bad". 

Regards, Douglas

Yes - LONG overdue!

 

Wolf Jedamski,

Administrator and Pastor of Mission

Collegedale Church

Yes, it is about time...  Please add me to the list.

- Justino

I agree 100%.

Karlene Graham

I support Pastor Russel's petition....Jaime Estremera-Fitzgerald - Jupiter Florida

Yes.  I have wondered for the thirty-six years I have been a member of the church how we could expect to make an positive impact on our communities if we hang on to outdated sinful structures that were rejected by the world fifty years ago.  The love of Christ should have compelled us to reject prejudice and bigotry.

A reorganization is necessary for many reasons.  One is that the demographics of the nation have changed enormously in the  last century since most of the conferences and unions and it is way past time to adjust.

Fritz Krieger, Pastor

 

Yes.  I am tired of making excuses for our segregated system.  We are 40 years late. 

Fritz Krieger

Yes.

Geoffrey Marshall, Adventist layperson, AY Leader, Kingston, Jamaica.

YES.

It's about time.

Yes this is long overdue, but my question is are we really readiy and willing to do the hard work of equitable distribution of power and authority in order to achieve this. Given the history of race relations this country and the SDA church I am not overly optimistic.

LeRoy Washington

Marion Miller, pastor, Minot, ND

I support the call to abolish all race-based conferences world wide.

Jeff Crocombe, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of theology, Helderberg College, South Africa.

Yes, About time!

I have always been concerned by the apparent segregation of race in the Adventist church.  It should not continue.  We are all children of God!

Paula ORourke - Ohio Conference member

 

I support abolishing race-based conferences.

I'd like to see this applied to all races, not just black and white.  I can understand the logic in separating churches due to a language barrier (Spanish churches, Korean churches, etc.) but it often causes self-segregation among members who speak English but feel more comfortable within their culture. 

There should be ways churches can intergrate comfortably while addressing the language issue.  I attend a very diverse, bilingual church in Texas and there is always a translator who repeats the speaker every few phrases.  It's not at all as cumbersome a solution as one might think, and the rewards of greater fellowship are more than worth it. 

Kathleen Walker

I agree w/ and repeat as my own, LeRoy Washington's comments:

 

Ella M

Please add me to your list of those who want to see a united church with no hint of segregation to blemish the Gospel.  For whatever reason they first started, regional conferences need to be disolved if the SDA Church is to have anything meaningful to say to our society. I think their existence is an embarrassment.

^{Thirty years ago I expressed my dismay over race based conferences with a friend who was a pastor in a regional conference.  He seemed embarrased with the topic and my comments, and quickly changed the subject.   Ever since then I wondered if my views were wrong, but I'm now encouraged to note how many others today find the concept of conferences organized on the basis of race to be out of step with biblical Christianity.  When will church leadership begin re-examining this old race-based structure of church organization?} 

^{Ronald Welch}

^{Danbury, Nebraska}