During Dr Wendy Jackson's commissioning at Avondale College Church on Sabbath, November 10, College President Prof Ray Roennfeldt—in clarifying what they were doing—said the following:
"And we’re not saying Wendy’s ministry is in any way inferior to anyone else’s because the Church is not mature enough to recognise there is no difference between commissioning and ordination—and Scripture commands neither for men or women pastors."
He further made the following appeal in support of the cause:
"We need to support Wendy and her sisters—our sisters—in ministry. We need pew and pulpit to speak up and say, “Enough!”
The Church officers claimed that Wendy Jackson's commissioning was an affirmation of women in ministry. However, in reality, the commissioning and things that were said made a strong statement that regardless of what church members think, the SPD leaders have decided to take a certain path with regard to the issue of women ordination, and that path is unambiguously spelled out in follow-up actions. The announcement that the SPD will request the GC for a fourth vote on women’s ordination was associated with a photo of SPD officers and a GC vice president. And, the impression given is that a GC vice president endorses that decision.
Some have argued that Commissioning is in compliance with GC Policy. However, in this territory [SPD], commissioning is viewed by some members as a pseudo-ordination. Moreover, after three clear decisions at the GC sessions it is mind-boggling that the SPD leadership is asking for a fourth vote.
Cultural Infiltration
It is undeniable that the idea of women ordination came from outside the Church. This pursuit is really about fashioning ourselves after the daughters of Babylon after many of our scholars received higher theological degrees from institutions outside the Church.
A time is coming when everyone will be called up to choose whom to follow, and our individual choices will have eternal consequences.
Dr. Isaac Menge
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“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
