On August 3, the Village SDA Church in Berrien Springs held a business meeting to see if Conrad Vine had done anything to warrant the Michigan Conference’s banning of him last September. Conrad was given an opportunity at this meeting to present his case, and the church voted 119 — 18 to affirm him as an elder in good standing, thus restoring his ability to speak in the Village Church pulpit.
Upon learning of the business meeting outcome, Jim Micheff sent a letter to the General Conference, asking the Church Manual Committee to weigh in on the decision by Michigan Conference to ban Conrad Vine from speaking in any pulpit in Michigan. They were asking for the GC to give them permission to override a duly called church business meeting who voted to support a duly elected church elder and member in good standing.
The GC sent a reply back to the Michigan Conference that essentially said two things:
We won’t get involved in your offensive against the Village SDA Church.
If you are looking for someone to give you permission to override a legitimate business meeting decision from one of your congregations, go ask the (Lake) Union.
Thus, Jim Micheff sent a letter to the Village Church on Thursday last week, stating that they were turning to the Union for help,
Observations
The fact that Jim Micheff is looking for upper administrative support confirms to me that he is ‘out over his skis’ on this issue. He is in a tight spot of his own creation.
Tithe is down over four million dollars in 2024 and 2025 and the deficit continues to increase. $4,016,772.
Out of 59 conferences in the NAD, the Michigan Conference has experienced the largest tithe drop in 2025 @ 7.09%.
The Michigan Conference has lost five of their best pastors, and their conference secretary.
They have attacked and injured one of the best churches in the entire SDA field; one that had a significant following around the world in their weekly live-stream.
Morale is at a forty-year low in this Conference, as members watch this crusade against liberty of conscience play out. Michigan administrators have created an autoimmune problem in Michigan, setting the Conference against freedom of speech for its members & pastors, and pitting the Church manual against itself.
Dear Pastors, many of you remained silent while your conference pursued an aggressive campaign against Pastor Ron Kelly, Conrad Vine, and the Village Seventh-day Adventist Church. If this pattern persists, your own positions—and livelihoods—will soon face financial threats. Now is the moment to unite against administrative overreach and boldly defend liberty of conscience and local church autonomy. This will help restore confidence in the administration and turn the ship around.
World church implications. Dear Seventh-day Adventists around the world. Do you want your conference to exercise veto power over your business meetings, and church officer selections? They will, if this situation in Michigan is allowed to stand.
Please contact the Lake Union and let them know your thoughts here and here: 269.473.8200
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“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when injustice rules, the people groan” (Proverbs 29:2).
