21st General Conference Session
On Tuesday afternoon, August 23, 2011, the 21st delegation session of the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement was seated with 159 of the 204 delegates representing a worldwide church membership of 37,330. The meeting was held at the new youth property building that was developed by the Romanian Union near Sibiu, in a village called Porumbacu de Sus, Romania.
It was our privilege to recognize two units on the continent of Africa that have become self-supporting members of the world sisterhood of churches. The Angola Union with 1,367 members, and the Rwanda Field with 1,017 members.
It is always exciting to see the work of the Lord entering into new territories. During this term, the Ethiopian Union Mission was established in Africa with a total membership of 551 at the end of 2010. In the northern part of South America, a new unit was also established: the Suriname Mission with just a few members.
Several former GC presidents were present during the meetings to give their experiences and share their advice when needed. Francisco Devai (1967–1979), Wilhelm Volpp (1979–1983), John Moreno (1983–1991), and Alfredo C. Sas (1995–2003). Neville S. Brittain (1991–1995), who left just before the delegation session began, was a speaker at the public meetings in Sibiu, Romania.
After all the reports were presented from the outgoing administration, along with many questions being asked and responded to, on Thursday, August 25, 2011, the temporary officers were elected. Davi Paes Silva was the temporary chairman, Peter D. Lausevic the assistant to the temporary chairman, and Eli Tenorio da Silva as the temporary secretary. After the election of these officers, the outgoing administration laid down their offices and the temporary officers took over the responsibilities of operating the session.
The delegation subsequently divided into six temporary committees: Nominating, Doctrinal, Finance, Bylaws, Medical, and Plans.
Below are excerpts from the opening address of the outgoing president of the General Conference, Duraisamy Sureshkumar, to the delegates assembled from the four corners of the world.
Once again, after many years (since Puslinch, Ontario, Canada, in 1983), we are holding a delegation session on our own church property. We read (COL 69) that Christ is waiting for a perfect reproduction of His character before Jesus will come again. A prophecy is recorded for those living in the last generation that their identity sign will be “in their mouth was found no guile” (Revelation 14:5). God claims that He would produce a people without deceit. In the book The Desire of Ages, p. 671, we have an account that the honor of God and Christ is involved in accomplishing the perfection of the character of His people. If we are His people, then a progressive character must be seen as we develop from one grace to another grace, from one glory to another glory. In Romans 8:17 it states that we will have a wonderful opportunity to partake in the heirship of Christ. In 1 John 3:2 it states that we are His children. The children of a royal family have a clear recognition of who they are, whether they contribute something or not, simply because of their title. Who can be the children of God? Romans 8:14 answers this. We need to have leadership because of who we are. We need to be guided by the Holy Spirit and then we become the children of God.
Can we be controlled by another spirit? 2 Corinthians 11:4. It is possible that there can be another spirit, other gospel, or other Jesus that is guiding us. But there is only one condition to be the children of God, and that is to be guided by the Spirit of God. In order for us to be guided by the Spirit of God, we need another prior step (John 1:12). We must receive and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, and then we receive the power. This is a judicial right, a legal authority, and then we have the power to execute and to perform. That will be the greatest experience. The honor of God and Christ is involved in the perfection of the character of His people. It is not our honor or character that is involved here. It is His honor and character that will perfect His people. Can He do so? Yes, otherwise He would not have made this promise.
God’s people have a great work to do. The world must see that in the church the truth is preached, the truth is lived. Jesus says “I am the truth” and He is the complete system of truth. David said, Thy law and commandments are truth and holiness. These are the people that have that truth, that practice the truth which also have the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus. This is the identification mark of His people. To this people He gives the title of a holy nation, a peculiar people who are called out of darkness into this marvellous light.
We have a duty to give this light to others. Isaiah says, “arise and shine.” Unless we shine, how can we be the watching people on the walls of Zion? We are guardians and are given the duty. God says we have to give the warning, and if we do not give the warning and the wicked will surely die, then their blood will be upon us. We have a life and death obligation. It is not just a privilege but an obligation to fulfill the requirements of duties. If we do not receive the unction of the Holy Spirit, we are powerless. Without power, we are actionless. Without action, we are dead, and this would be a very dangerous situation.
Through the church eventually will be made manifest the final and full display of the love of God to the world that is to be lightened with its glory.1 Our prayer should be, “Lord, help me to have Thy light” or we lose our purpose.
The first settlers in America were a people of vision. They made a city council. In the next year they built a road for 5 miles into the forest. In the fourth year they impeached the council, for they did not understand where that road would go. But in the U.S.A. today, it is the only country that has the longest and widest network of roads. If they did not catch the vision, they would be only a nation among the nations. We need to catch the vision.
We can in our generation finish the Lord’s work. Then, why not ask for the power to finish the work today? We have something to tell the people, we have something to tell Jesus. One thing we can say, Thank you Lord, for saving my soul, for guiding my hand, for bringing me here, for choosing me. We need to experience the depth of His love and His blessing.
As we commence our work, we need to do an evaluation, a self-evaluation and then a strategic planning. My burden is for the young people: One group are those that need to be sustained; the other are the young professionals with quality of life and quality of strength and talent. These resources of our young people are wasted in the Philistine land. I want to thank the Lord that my son is working for the church. When he was about to be employed by a large corporation, one of our ministers talked with him. That prompted his decision. We need to pull the talents of the youth to work for the Lord.
We pledged ourselves to the work of training our leaders and youth, to establish missionary schools in many places, and to hold seminars. Many ordained people have increased since then. The training programs were our priority.
“Missionary operations are constantly embarrassed for want of workers of the right class of mind—workers who have devotion and piety that will correctly represent our faith.
“There are many who ought to become missionaries, but who never enter the field because those who are united with them in church capacity or in our colleges do not feel the burden to labor with them, to open before them the claims of God upon all their powers, and do not pray with and for them.”2 We should appeal and pray for them and with them, so we can channel the resources for the benefit of God.
“Those who have the spiritual oversight of the church should devise ways and means by which an opportunity may be given to every member of the church to act some part in God’s work. Too often in the past this has not been done. Plans have not been clearly laid and fully carried out whereby the talents of all might be employed in active service. There are but few who realize how much has been lost because of this.”3 We cannot overlook the talents of our young people.
We should keep in our mind the 11th commandment: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34, 35). Please read John 17 repeatedly that we may fulfill the prayer of Jesus.
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). May this conference have this aim. Let us ask His grace that we can do all things through His power and grace. Amen.