I didn't go to the General Conference, nor do I have the Hope Channel.  But I feel a little like I was there because of the ever-expanding media avenues by which the church and its members are communicating.  From friends' personal updates and pictures on Facebook to news bulletins by Adventist Today, Adventist News Network, and the Adventist Review, I got a little taste of both the social and business aspects of the session. 

I'm glad for the sense of camaraderie I felt coming from personal posts of the people there.  It's great to be connected to a worldwide family; that's one reason that my husband and I make a point to always go to church when we're traveling if at all possible.  I do wish I could have stood in the crowd on Sabbath morning, singing together in a foretaste of every kindred, tribe, tongue, and nation praising God together on the Sea of Glass. 

But I'm also alarmed by the disconnect I perceive between the business side of the session and what goes on in my local church.  The people I see in my church and I were not well-represented there; women and young adults were disproportionately absent.  Furthermore,  at age 35, I think it's scandalous that a church founded by teenagers and twenty-somethings still considers me a young adult.  

I'm glad that delegates brought this issue to the foreground, even when it wasn't officially on the agenda.  I hope that efforts to involve young adults (by which I mean REALLY young adults, as well as those of us who happen to be adults that aren't Baby Boomers) are less lip-service and more put-young-people-in-actual-positions-of-influence than the ones that happened in the 1980s, 1990s, or 2000s. 

But, frankly, I'm alarmed by the whole nomination process.  I don't think the nominating committee process even works well for selecting interested, well-qualified candidates for ministry positions in the local church, and there everybody knows each other fairly intimately.  I can't imagine how it can be effective for a world-wide church, especially when the committee has such limited time to consider the candidates.  Can somebody explain to me where this process came from and why anyone thinks it's a good idea?  I think I'd actually be more comfortable with casting sacred lots. 

I'm glad that pertinent issues of the day were discussed: poverty, creation, ordination, membership guidelines that help protect children from predators.  It's good to see that the church has an idea of what matters to members. 

But I'm definitely alarmed at the level of vitriol I've heard coming out of those discussions.  I'm not talking about dialogue on the session floor, but in blogs, personal posts, and comments I heard circulating after the sessions. 

It seems that we are falling into a mindset of Us vs. Them, labeling ourselves and each other, bashing the other side without trying to fully understand them.  The truth is, we're all Adventists.  We all have reasons for calling ourselves Adventists (incidentally, I would LOVE to see a blog post from all the AToday bloggers explaining why they choose to align themselves with this church - you can find mine here.)  Can't we focus on what draws us together and lovingly discuss the issues that seem to separate us? 

What better way to show God's character than for each of us to embrace someone with whom we disagree and say, this is my brother.  I may not understand him, but I love him, and we're working together to make God's love visible to the world around us.  In fact, didn't Jesus say something about this being the way the world would know we are his followers? 

I want to leave you with a petition I'm directing to the leadership of our church, to each member (that includes YOU!), and to God, whose power alone can make it a reality. 

I...beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all. ~ Ephesians 4:1-6 

Please join me in asking yourself: When have I been arrogant, abrasive, impatient, and created conflict?  What can I do TODAY to be humble, gentle, patient, and united in peace?  

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. ~ Ephesians 4:11-13 

Please join me in asking yourself: What can I do TODAY to support our church's apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers?  Leaders, what can you do TODAY to equip us for God's work and help us grow to maturity in Christ? 

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. ~ Ephesians 4:14-16 

...so the world may know that we are His, and that He is worthy.