Jared Douglas is a young person from North Carolina. He recently started a Seventh-day Adventist news channel called Seek7News. After learning about the banning of Conrad Vine, he sought to interview Jim Micheff and Conrad at the recent GC Session. He was neutral on the situation with Vine in Michigan until speaking with both men. Micheff declined to be interviewed. Conrad took the time to be interviewed by Jared.
After interacting with both men, Jared did two things. He started a petition in favor of Conrad Vine, and wrote a 95 Thesis for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He is representative of many young people in the church looking for truth and a deeper connection with the church.
Rescind the Ban on Dr. Conrad Vine
95 Theses for Liberty of Conscience in the Seventh-day Adventist Church
1. Jesus Christ is the only Head of His Church.
2. Ministries given by God must not be forced under human authority to belong to an institution.
3. To silence truth is to fight against God.
4. Liberty of conscience is God-given, not a favor from leaders.
5. Conrad Vine spoke rightly; he was unjustly silenced.
6. Ron Kelly defended God's work and was wrongfully punished.
7. Erton Köhler has abused his office, why for denying liberty of conscience During the pandemic. I call for him to resign.
8. Jim Micheff acted against local churches to enforce conference will. I call for him to resign.
9. Ted Wilson misused his authority during his presidency, suppressing liberty of conscience during the pandemic.
10. The conference may not block ministries that honor and follow Christ.
11. Leaders who punish truth-tellers 'Ought to repent'.
12. Christ gave the gospel to all, not just to a committee in Silver Spring.
13. To restrict ministries is to hinder the mission of God.
14. Freedom in Christ cannot be replaced by human policy.
15. Members may hear and speak the truth without interference.
16. The vote of a congregation carries more weight than the threats of leaders.
17. Leaders who oppose liberty will answer to God. Acts 5:39
18. Church members belong to Christ; they are not property of the conference.
19. The gospel is not a commodity to be controlled.
20. No leader should demand control over ministries.
21. The Spirit works best where there is freedom and choice.
22. The mission field is wide; control only narrows it.
23. Leaders Should repent for their pride and control.
24. God’s people must call sin by its right name.
25. The Bible warns against ruling over others. Matthew 20:25
26. Christ led by washing feet; He did not lead with force or control.
27. The early church grew under freedom, not tight control.
28. “By appealing to the GC to override the Village Church’s business meeting, Pastor Gallimore denies congregational authority and must repent or step aside.”
29. No vote can take away the Great Commission.
30. Conferences should support ministries, not bind them.
31. Conferences should not be allowed to spend uncontrollably. God holds us accountable to be good stewards of His money and not waste it on unnecessary expenses — for example by spending it on cruise ships or to take pastors to the Holy Land.
32. The truth will not stay silent.
33. God’s work is bigger than any office or title.
34. Leaders who harm liberty should step down.
35. Ted Wilson should repent for the wrong he allowed during his term. For Dening Liberty Of Conscience During The Pandemic.
36. Truth is the truth, even if leaders don’t agree.
37. The gospel does not need permission to go out.
38. God is not pleased with fear-based control.
39. Members must speak up when liberty is attacked.
40. To stay silent is to agree with wrong.
41. Jesus never forced anyone to follow Him.
42. Leaders should follow His example.
43. The church is strengthened by attacks from outside; we are weakened by attacks from within.
44. God’s power flourishes in liberty
45. Members are not property of the conference.
46. The Spirit gives gifts to all, not just leaders.
47. The church manual does not go above the Bible or Spirit of Prophecy.
48. The Bible must guide, not man’s tradition.
49. Vine and Kelly’s words must be heard and remembered.
50. Liberty of conscience is not a side issue — it is central.
51. Tithing is between God and the giver. Church positions should not be based on tithes.
52. Controlling leaders bring fear, not faith.
53. God calls us to faith.
54. Titles do not give the right to abuse people with authority
55. The truth will remain when leaders fall.
56. The Spirit can work without the conference’s approval.
57. Leaders who do wrong should make it right.
58. God calls for confession, not cover-up.
59. No tithes-ation without representation.
60. Conferences must support, not suppress.
61. Elders must be able to call a board meeting.
62. God’s people must be free to serve.
63. The mission is God’s, not man’s.
64. No human can own the gospel.
65. Ministries belong to Christ.
66. All believers must guard liberty.
67. How can we call the General Conference Session the highest authority if it is voted by mostly church employees and certain ministry leaders who depend on a check from the GC and whose bosses are present? (In a business world this is called a conflict of interest)
68. Our leaders should fear God more than losing control or position.
69. The conference and union should respect the autonomy of each individual church.
70. The church must return to the Bible and primitive Godliness.
71. Liberty of conscience is worth defending at any cost.
72. Christ set us free — do not become slaves again.
73. The Spirit still speaks through humble workers.
74. Leaders must humble themselves before God and serve others.
75. Fear of losing position leads leaders to act wrongly.
76. True unity comes from truth, not control.
77. Liberty of conscience is worth more than unity based on lies.
78. God calls for servants, not masters.
79. Vine and Kelly spoke with courage when many stayed silent.
80. To attack those who speak truth is to attack Christ.
81. A leader’s first duty is to guard liberty of conscience.
82. When that liberty is taken, the church becomes a prison.
83. The conferences have overstepped their power by not allowing certain speakers on the pulpit who are neither censured nor disciplined.
84. Ministries should be partners, not slaves to conference offices.
85. The mission field is wide; control only narrows it.
86. Leaders must repent for their pride and control.
87. Conferences employee pastors to represent it and churches elect elders to represent it.
88. The Three Angels’ Messages call us to “fear God and give Him glory” (Revelation 14:7), not to place the mission of the church under the authority of the United Nations.
89. To bind the right arm of the gospel to the arm of the UN is to risk placing Christ’s ministry under Babylon’s influence.
90. The church must not confuse cooperation with compassion: Christ calls us to serve the suffering, but not to surrender His mission to worldly powers.
91. The WHO may guide nations, but it cannot guide the remnant church; that task belongs to the Word of God and the Spirit of Prophecy.
92. When the Adventist Church echoes U.N. language above Scripture, it betrays the liberty of conscience entrusted to it.
93. The Three Angels’ Messages are a warning against Babylon — how then can the church align with its councils and policies?
94. Our health message was given by God, not by the World Health Organization. To unite the two is to risk corruption of the right arm of the gospel.
95. Christ is the Head of the church; the U.N. must not sit in that seat.
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Thanks for listening,
Jared Douglas