I watched a documentary a couple years ago that followed the training of Navy Seals. It was impressive to watch what young men would put themselves through to become a part of America’s elite fighting force. There was one aspect of the training that caught my attention in regard to the current state of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. During their training candidates have to perform surf passage, where about eight individuals are in an inflatable raft with the task of paddling out to sea over large waves. All the groups on their first try completely failed, with rafts and bodies flying everywhere. In time they learned to listen to the officer giving directions and started rowing as a team. This teamwork led them to pass through the toughest of waves.
As we think about the current the state of affairs within the Seventh-day Adventist Church from the local congregation to the General Conference, I believe we could find consensus in the following statement: We are not rowing together.
The church is made up of people from all over the world with varying backgrounds, viewing the world through different lenses and ideologies.
This doesn’t have to mean that we can’t paddle together, but it seems obvious to many, myself included, we are indeed paddling in different directions.
If we are all honest, whether as lay persons or denominational employees, the affects of individuals trying to row in different directions is obvious. I am also concerned with the fact that more and more I hear statements, privately and publicly, that certain people groups with certain views are the problem in the church and if group X or Y were gone the church would move forward. The message is clear— certain people shouldn’t even be in the boat.
This troubles me deeply. As a movement with a strong emphasis on prophecy, highlighting the rise and fallen of kingdoms and people groups, we should be strongly aware that no worldview is perfect. I am constantly reminded of Prov. 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to man, but its end is death.” Follow that up with Rom. 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The message should be loud and clear that we cannot rely on our world view of how the church should look. Seeking to cleanse the church from those who see through different glasses than we do, won’t make the church better.
What we need, what Jesus longs to do, is bind us together through the power of the Holy Spirit.
This will only happen through sincere prayer with humble hearts.
Imagine how far those Navy Seal hopefuls would get if they sat in the boat, tried to row in their own different directions, and criticized each other. They would be in a constant state of turmoil, getting dumped over and their bodies tossed by the waves.
But that is our currently reality.
My appeal to the readers of this article, regardless of what church or conference you belong to, would be to seek the Holy Spirit through prayer. That each of us would seek a deeper relationship with Christ, that would lead us to building bridges of relationships with each other and allow the Holy Spirit to dissolve the labels we give ourselves and each other and bind us as one in Christ.
Lee Rochholz is president of the Iowa-Missouri Conference.
