“I’ve been to four of these conferences so far but this was the first time that someone from the NAD came," exclaimed Ann Roda-Hernandez, pastor for families at New Hope Seventh-day Adventist Church in Fulton, Mary. "It was absolutely amazing that the NAD leadership was there — Dan Jackson, the Ministerial Department team and some Union presidents. It was the greatest show of affirmation that I’ve ever seen from our church! It meant a lot to the women clergy and it was a positive and inspiring experience for us who have experienced opposition to our calling.”
Since God as a general rule has not called male tithe-paid Adventist ministers to pastor local churches, according to the SoP, I think Ann needs to explain why she thinks God has called females to do that.
She has simply read the writings of Ellen G White, in particular a quotation you seem to fear like the plague. Ellen White states clearly that women are called to such tasks - and should be ordained.
Then Johann, by all means quote for us here where Ellen White ever said that women are called to pastor local churches.
She plainly said that male tithe-paid ministers were not as a general rule to do that work. If she said men aren't supposed to, then where are you going to find a quote that says women are?
Hint: Find a quote where she says that women are supposed to serve as local church elders. I've never read one, but that is what you need to find to support your point.
I repeat: Tithe-paid ministers are supposed to be raising up new churches, not pastoring existing churches, as a general rule.
Bob:
You sure have a way of mixing facts and defining them to defend your own bias.
In reality there is but one kind of ordination in the New Testament which is listed not by title but by definition.
I was ordained, first as a local elder in 1959, and then as a pastor in 1962. In a way this was a mistake, because a local elder is called a bishop in the New Testament. But we will leave that subject for now.
When I was ordained by our Division Pesident it was not because I had been working as a pastor in a district containing nine local churches, but because I had presented a number of souls to be baptized by three different ordained ministers on different occasions while serving as a pastor. After I was ordained I was transferred to another district where I kept on winning souls, now baptizing them myself, until I received a call from Africa.
I think I have told you my story before, that before we sailed for Africa I visited our friends and when I got to Miss Jensen she felt sorry we were leaving. She was still a member of another denomination and had not taken her stand for the Advent Message. Now she said,
- I am afraid that since you are leaving I'll never be baptized.
Then I told her there was still one more Sabbath before we were leaving, and I was certain we could talk the deacons into filling the baptistery with water by then.
Bob, I am amazed how efficient you are at splitting the Word of God in an attempt to let it fit your bias. When I read that quote of Ellen White I find it defining the ministry I was ordained to perform as well as the ministry our female pastors are called to perform. Your bias does not permit that definition, so I wonder . . .