Anger. Frustration. Sadness.
When I heard the news that the Michigan Conference had officially voted to terminate the employment of Pastor Ron Kelly by a vote of 13-2 of the Executive Committee, those were the emotions that hit me like a bag of rocks.
First, for the injustice towards a man who I came to view as a friend while laboring together in El Salvador, but secondly for the future of the Conference that raised me.
What do I tell my conservative leaning young adult friends who felt that Village Church and Pastor Kelly were a lifeline to a denomination that they felt viewed them as discardable? “Toe the line, or get out!” ??
That’s what they feel is the message to them from the Michigan conference. And to be honest, I can’t say I’m convinced that isn’t the message meant to be received. It seems those most dedicated to structure, mainly want yes men on all things.
As I continue grappling with how to answer my friends, I think I will start with this. This hurts, but the Seventh-Day Adventist Church is still God’s Remnant body tasked with carrying the good news of the Everlasting Gospel to the ends of the earth. Warts and all, this is God’s body, not man’s. So stay in the Church, find a local church where you can be intimately involved with their mission to the community, and throw your personal religious life into that body.
If, as a young conservative Adventist, you feel a calling toward gospel ministry consider the options of that ministry carefully and with much prayer.
Creating online apologetic content in defense of Adventist doctrine, working as an Adventist in non-Adventist religious liberty organizations, working as a chaplain, or if God is specifically leading you to pastoral ministry within the church toward that option as well. I would not discourage anyone from pursuing any of those options, but if as a young conservative you plan on ministering in employed church work make sure that you sharpen various ministry skills so that you will be prepared for the situation where leadership takes aim at you the way they have had Elder Kelly, should that tragedy befall you. We all know that Pastor Kelly will never stop serving the Lord in whatever place God leads him and his family next, and young conservative Adventists should follow his example.
To the Adventist moderates and fence sitters I now appeal to you. Choose ye this day where you shall stand. Is the horribly unfair and unjust process that we have seen unfold over the last months really something that you are ok with? If even secular courts and justice systems would find it unfair, should not the people of God hold themselves to a higher standard?
Conservative young adults in your congregations are looking to your response. Will the elders, teachers, Sabbath school leaders, Adventurer and Pathfinder leaders, who raised them stand for them if injustice befalls them from church leadership? How you respond to the treatment of Pastor Kelly will answer that question in many of their minds. You can demand more clear processes, trials, and organizational standards.
The Executive Committee in Lansing is only part of the Church structure, you as local members are vital parts of that structure as well. If the boards of 30% of the churches in Michigan vote to have a constituency meeting over the recent actions, then by the handbook we must have that meeting. If not now when?
The Lord is waiting on a people united in mission, truth, and most importantly love. Love requires accountability, consistency, and fairness. Love from leaders to members. Love from members to leaders. Will we be that generation so united?
“When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.”
Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own. – Christ’s Object Lessons, 69.
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Joey Carrion is a political science student at Andrews University, and is very interested in the interaction of political conservatism and religious liberty. He is a co-host on the Gio and Joey Show, which analyzes political and cultural news and events from an authentically Protestant and Adventist worldview. In his spare time he enjoys basically anything outdoors, country music, studying prophecy and theology, reading, and volunteering with his church family in Gobles, MI.
You can follow him on X at the handle @AdventistCowboy.