The truth is under fire as Amazing Facts presents its Holding the Line Summit, where Ted Wilson is a key speaker despite his duplicity at the last General Conference Session and the resulting harm to perhaps millions of Seventh-day Adventists. © Amazing Facts International
By Arnie Suntag
It is time for all of us as Seventh-day Adventists to stop defending hypocrisy and deceit. The moniker for the Amazing Facts upcoming Holding the Line Summit, hosted by Doug Bachelor and the Granite Bay SDA Church, in which Ted Wilson is a featured speaker, is the epitome of pretension. It only serves to highlight the enormity of the rift in reality that has fragmented our church.
The aura surrounding Ted Wilson and the General Conference leadership, particularly since the start of the pandemic, may well be the biggest elephant in the room in Seventh-day Adventist history. While there may be some in the church who have spoken out on this subject, they did not take the gloves off, as it were, perhaps for fear of reprisal or censure. I am not going to follow their lead, even though it may garner denunciation and perhaps even sheer hatred for me as an individual. Nonetheless, the truth will stand undaunted despite the most vehement efforts by those who have been misled. “For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth” (2 Corinthians 13:8).
Far too many in our church have defended Conference leadership with the subliminal perception that the Conference is the voice of God. They portray Ted Wilson as being a “good man,” just as they do others in the upper echelons of church administration. And while he may project to the uninitiated an image of virtuousness and honor, this surely cannot qualify him to be labeled a good man. Jesus said, “Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God” (Mark 10:18). Yet, I hear this statement about Ted Wilson and other Conference leaders in our churches all the time. I would not dare to call myself a “good man” despite years of devotion to the Gospel, as I know there is still work to be done in order to overcome sin in this life – a process that scripture attests to being fully achievable. Quite frankly, in reference to Ted Wilson, I would assert that a man like John MacArthur, the well-known pastor of Grace Community Church in California, has proven to be a more faithful servant of the Lord since he stood his ground in rejecting the pandemic mandates, even at his own peril and that of his church.
Ted Wilson and his cronies, on the other hand, have embraced government mandates, touted the dominant narrative, and promoted what we now unequivocally know to be flawed science—costing perhaps millions of Seventh-day Adventists their jobs, their homes, and even their lives. We need to tell it like it is without the sanctimonious rhetoric that has characterized today’s General Conference in a way that is nothing more noble than being politically correct. To use the words of Ellen G. White, “We hear that the voice of the Conference is the voice of God. Every time I have heard this, I thought it was almost blasphemy” (April 1, 1901, Ms. 37, 1901). It is high time that we stop beating around the bush and start calling sin by its right name. By continuing to rationalize the indefensible, we are doing a terrible disservice to the millions who would otherwise find their way to the precious truths that have been bestowed upon us as Seventh-day Adventists. It is a hissing and a reproach.
How long are we going to promote duplicity? The illegitimacy of what Ted Wilson did at the last General Conference Session cannot be understated. In short, he lied in a televised forum seen by many in our church and those in the mainstream. It cannot possibly be more obvious or disconcerting. Now we are being accosted with a highly touted event, Holding the Line, which, under the circumstances, effectively renders the Seventh-day Adventist experience the equivalent of a three-ring circus. Perhaps there are good intentions underlying this upcoming event, but the intent inherent in its moniker, “holding the line”, is bold-faced and offensive, unless one is completely oblivious to the events of these past couple of years. It begs the question, “Holding what line?” Ted Wilson and the General Conference betrayed our worldwide membership by kowtowing to the irreligious pronouncements of renegade authoritarians. They knowingly condoned the acquisition of funds from the government, placing themselves and the millions of Seventh-day Adventists worldwide in a vulnerable position as a result.
Are we to expect that Ted Wilson will recant his position on government mandates and so-called science in order to add legitimacy to this Amazing Facts event that endeavors to teach us how to take a stand in a morally declining world? Hardly. To this day, Ted Wilson and the General Conference refuse to remove ADCOM’s 2021 Reaffirmation Statement—the illegal declaration that placed the lives of millions of Seventh-day Adventists in jeopardy. Yet, one of the key purposes of the Holding the Line event is purportedly to teach us “what to say or do when pressured to conform to the world’s ideas.” Enlisting Ted Wilson as a featured speaker is the ultimate paradox. He and his colleagues have not only embraced the world’s ideas, but have also foisted them on the entire world church. Let’s be honest about this.
If Seventh-day Adventists are going to be so deluded as to endorse the premise of this Amazing Facts event without even a whimper, it will be overwhelmingly apparent that we have been indoctrinated into the ideology of this world, rather than the principles that founded our church. Let’s stop putting the blinders on. It’s time to say enough is enough.
About the Author: Arnie Suntag is the founder and president of Walk of Faith, an organization that conducts seminars and educational series on health and disease prevention and provides outreach services to the community. For inquiries or comments, call (866) 359-2640 or email Arnie Suntag at arniesuntag@walkoffaithmedia.org.
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amen brother Arnie.
Thanks, Arnie, for speaking out for us!
The greatest want of the world is the want of men—men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall. Ed 57.3
Thank you brother Arnie S.
Praise God for your courage to speak up and tell the truth. The Church is the Bride of Christ, His true followers who do not cave to man’s deceits.
Dear Brother Suntag,
Just finished reading your feelings about the upcoming Holding the Line summit, sponsored by Doug Bachelor. I haven’t read the article in the Messenger, that you mentioned–the one that “tells it straight, without equivocation”. Can you tell me what the article says?
I would also like to know what ‘duplicity’ that Ted Wilson is guilty of at the last General Conference Session.
I’d very much like to know what foul things are taking place in, and around, our SDA Church. I’m 81 yrs old. I’ve been a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian, since I was 13 yrs old–so I’m certainly not blind to some of the ‘shinanigans’ that go on in my beloved church. Would just like to try and stay ‘in-the-know’.
Eugene (Gene) Augustin
Blessing’s to you, my friend.
Gene
Brother, please see the link below for starters.
http://adventmessenger.org/let-mutual-love-continue-ted-wilson-at-the-ecumenical-luncheon-during-the-61st-general-conference-session-in-st-louis/
I understand where you’re coming from but the vaccine was never a salvation issue. Could he have handled things differently? Of course, but at the same time to condemn a man for something that was not a salvation issue is harsh. Maybe I don’t understand the issue fully but if his sole problem was saying we should get the vaccine then I don’t see the problem. It would be interesting to ask him how he would handle things differently because I’m sure we would all handle things differently from what we know now. Hopefully, we have all learned from it so we don’t repeat our mistakes again.
With all due respect and love, it was about mandated vaccination and the govt having the right to force a violation of the sanctity of the temple of the Holy Spirit against the individuals conscience. That is an overstepping of the authority of anyone in the GC and something I believe could certainly be considered an issue of salvation. It’s not that we can look back in hindsight and say mistakes were made or we did what we thought was best at the time. There was already evidence of this being potentially lethal when the reaffirmation statement was made and Elder Wilson used coercive tactics at the GCIS to prohibit discussion to even be brought to the floor. No man has the right to put himself in the position to override anyone’s personal conscience and no adventist should make a policy statement or issue a directive in matters of personal bodily autonomy. The best position was to abstain from making any statement beyond it being a matter of personal conscience not to be violated by any man or organisation. Lives are still being lost or devistated as a result of the effects of these things on the human body and that should have been an anticipated possibility. If I could see foresee it, that means there was plenty of cause for concern at the time of the reaffirmation statement and most definitely at the time of the GCIS. God is giving time for those who have trad upon the conscience of men to humble themselves and seek repentance and forgiveness that they might be restored and I pray that they will heed the promptings. At least that’s how I see it. God bless
Like I said I completely understand where you’re coming from and agree to a point. But at the same time we need to be careful casting stones when we ourselves need just as much grace and forgiveness. Especially, when that decision was made years ago. How do you know what his heart is now? That’s not for you to judge. Yes, call them out at the moment to be a true watchman but to continue to harp on something when you have no idea if anything has changed seems a little odd. If he continues to make the same mistake or others then yes that is our duty. If we lived during the time of David would you still call out his sins years after the fact when he was forgiven by God? Our job is not to judge that is Gods. But by all means if you have learned anything new or relevant please share.
With all due respect, I’m not sure that you do understand where people are coming from on this issue. This is not about throwing stones, but about calling out error when it impacts, in this case, the entire world church. This is what we are supposed to do as Seventh-day Adventists (Isa 58:1). More importantly, it is not about something that happened years ago. It is happening right now and it is ongoing. If permitted, it will destroy more lives in our church when the next pandemic, climate lockdown, or Sunday Law comes around – which it prophetically will. Are you actually informed on this issue? You may want to watch these two messages and then do your own research before you comment further, otherwise, and I say this with love, it is merely rhetoric without a factual basis. See if you still have the same sentiments after watching these messages. Here are the messages that relate the reality of the situation (just cut and paste them into your browser:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjCi1xb32zw&t=1497s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjCi1xb32zw&t=1481s
You’re missing the point. What I’m asking is when has Ted Wilson said recently that we should all take the vaccination and there’s no other choice? This story is specifically related to Ted Wilson and how he hasn’t stood up for truth. That’s what I’m asking. Of course there are divisions and conferences or beliefs held by some that we all need the vaccination. It’s one thing to recommend the vaccination but it’s another to force it on others. So when has he said this recently? That’s all I’m asking. Please provide me with the link of Ted Wilson specifically saying you have to get the vaccine and there’s no other choice because that’s what’s being asserted.
Kelly Williams, excellent reply. Our brother Andrew O’Neal wants forgiveness to be extended where none has been asked for. It is very much a necessity that Elder Wilson ask for the forgiveness of those he has hurt by supporting the mandates and not assisting those who needed the church to help them stand for bodily autonomy. Elder Wilson’s actions were shameful but, with the Lord’s help, he can make things right. As of yet, he has not. Just like with the women’s ordination issue. That is eating the soul out of our church. God bless you Kelly Williams, and may God open the eyes of our brother Andrew O’Neal.
No he wouldn’t change his mind or our SDA Adventist health system received $22B from the government and only 1B from worldwide tithe. Who’s side will our SDA GC conference President take next time?
I contacted an Amazing Facts rep several days ago. He told me this Summit was arranged three years ago.
In view of what has transpired over the last three years, I believe this could be a test for Amazing Facts.
It’s definitely a matter of prayer.
This is correct. The intention of the summit is to discuss areas where compromise is creeping into the church, and call people to stand fast to the morality of the Bible. It is not, as some are here saying, a defense of Ted Wilson’s decisions not an endorsement. Those who are so quick to revile and thrown stones at their own brethren should be more careful than to accuse Amazing Facts of things they know nothing of.
As I’ve already said, this is not about throwing stones. With all due respect, the entire basis of the AF summit was contradicted, and still is being contradicted by Elder Wilson – a main speaker for the event. Amazing Facts knows full well what happened at the last GC session and yet put a promotion out with comments like this one: “Do you sometimes struggle with what to say or do when pressured to conform to the world’s ideas? You’re not alone! ” Yes. Right. We’re not alone. Elder Wilson did exactly that, and continues to do so. Are you fully aware of what is happening with the GC? I don’t know you, but out of love for you as a brother in Christ, I strongly urge you to watch these messages and then see if your sentiments are still the same (just cut and paste them into your browser):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjCi1xb32zw&t=1497s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjCi1xb32zw&t=1481s
I see the irony, but only on the part of Ted Wilson. Amazing Facts is standing for the truth and proclaiming a clear message. Wilson will have to stand or fall on his own merit, and if he be found hypocritical, God will decide. However; there are too many people too quick to cast stones without any knowledge of the people who comprise Amazing Facts or the work that is being done. They weren’t sitting in the meetings planning the event. They don’t even know the names of three people who sat in those meetings.
Yet, they’re ready to take up arms against their fellow laborers instead of approaching them and discussing the matter. They would rather gossip than pick up the phone and call the ministry to voice their concerns.
The choice AF had as a ministry was very simple… if they preplanned the conference without knowledge of the contradiction that their headline speaker would enter into prior to the event taking place, they could:
A. Close their eyes, plug their ears and plow ahead knowing that the plow was broken, the mule was lame and the soil full of stones, or
B. Recognize the inconsistency, double speak, and desire to control the conscience as a clear indication that God is not present – those are dragon characteristics – then cancel the event at whatever cost.
The weighing of these two options was undoubtedly done, if not by Pastor Doug, then at least by a concerned board member or department director with a shred of spiritual discernment. We all must consider carefully where we place our allegiance and support. If I, as a faithful and God-fearing employee of a ministry, let’s say AF, see evidence of Creeping Compromise (read the book by Joe Crews) making it’s way into the organization where I am contributing, then I must make a choice whether to stand for God by speaking out and leaving, or to just shrug my shoulders and say there’s nothing I can do. It may seem like lunacy to leave a good job and friends because of disagreement with the practice of the ministry, but if I am to be found faithful to God, how could I continue to support something, even by my presence as an unpaid volunteer, that is leading people into a state of confusion? The fact is that we all must make this decision whether or not we work for AF.
In this world, there may seem to be situations where a decision cannot be overturned, but so far as I’m aware, the only such decision is called the close of probation where those who have chosen to take their stand on the part of God will be place on the right and those who have caved in to the pressures of this world will be separated to the left. This is a right or left moment for AF and its employees.
It is not an act of casting stones to identify a tree that bears bad fruit and forewarn others about the tree, lest they should partake of it and become sick… “wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them.”
When the religion of Christ is most held in contempt, when His law is most despised, then should our zeal be the warmest and our courage and firmness the most unflinching. To stand in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the Lord when champions are few—this will be our test. At this time we must gather warmth from the coldness of others, courage from their cowardice, and loyalty from their treason. The nation will be on the side of the great rebel leader. – 5T 136.2
If God abhors one sin above another, of which His people are guilty, it is doing nothing in case of an emergency. Indifference and neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God. – 3T 280.3
As an illustration of the failure on your part to come up to the work of God, as was your privilege, I was referred to these words: “Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.” Judges 5:23. What had Meroz done? Nothing. And this was their sin. They came not up to the help of the Lord against the mighty. – 2T 247.1
KJV 2 Timothy 4:2-5
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
This solemn charge to one so zealous and faithful as was Timothy is a strong testimony to the importance and responsibility of the work of the gospel minister. Summoning Timothy before the bar of God, Paul bids him preach the word, not the sayings and customs of men; to be ready to witness for God whenever opportunity should present itself–before large congregations and private circles, by the way and at the fireside, to friends and to enemies, whether in safety or exposed to hardship and peril, reproach and loss.{AA 503.1}
KJV Isaiah 56:10-12
10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.
12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.
100% Correct. If we don’t speak up now after this most grievous denial of religious freedom from these leaders we certainly will deserve whatever other nonsense they send our way in the next event.
The vaccine issue is a salvation issue.Am from a very small country in the world but be come to fully understand this.
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Ted Wilson is poisoning the sheep like his father did. Next he will pollute old SDA programs. Amazing Facts will be called Amazing Fiction; It is Written to It is not
Written; Voice of Prophecy to Voice of Compromise; and more. The SDA Church is now run like a mafia, sad to say. It’s money and power first and dissenters get
punished, sued, disfellowshipped, ignored, and shunned. Why be a member and supporter of a church organization like this? It has kept church members in the
dark for years about the nonsense. The blind really do lead the blind today- and ready to fall into the ditch! Millions have left the SDA Church over the past 40 years,
including hundreds of pastors, due to church politics, policies, and more. Remember, Jesus saves and not the SDA Church! (The SDA Church and the Catholic Church
both believe that you must be a member to be saved. I have proof statements that are clear but have no room to post them here. Do your own research and you
will find them like I did.) I go to a Bible believing, Sabbath-keeping church that is non-SDA. Seventh Day Baptists are OK too. Check them out. God bless. Take care.
“unequivocally know to be flawed science”
I am not sure which science you refer to as being unequivocal but I am sure you would find great disagreement there.
Some science is unequivocal. There are still FACTS in this world, despite the narratives spewed out by the woke mob to discredit them. For instance: FACT: the covid-19 vaccine can cause myocarditis, heart attack, stroke, autoimmune diseases and other serious side effects. FACT — The SDA health message centers on the use of natural remedies — not genetically modified experimental vaccines. I could go on, but I think by the context, this is what the article is referring to.
Amen brother, what the church should be doing now is remembering how God has led us in the past. After all, the greatest risk to the church today is to forget that very thing. Time to dust off the Foundation Principles of Seventh-day Adventists that the Spirit of Prophesy emphatically endorsed and revive the primitive Godliness of the early church.
The SDA Church has adopted Catholicism’s salvation view. Here’s some proof: “I profess that outside the Catholic Church no one is saved.” -Pope Sylvester II, Profession of Faith, 991 A.D. “Like the ark, the (SDA) church will help save God’s people.” -Adventist Review, Aug. 9, 1984, p. 18. “The local (SDA) church becomes
the ‘port of entry’ to the kingdom of God.” -Adventist Review, Oct. 1, 1992, p. 23. “The SDA Church will triumph gloriously and will go through triumphantly, as a
corporate body, to the sea of glass.” -Gordon W. Collier, Sr. in The Early and Latter Rain of the Holy Spirit, p. 183, in 1973. Where do we find this thinking in John
3:16 and Acts 16:30, 31? Again, Jesus saves people individually. Just look at this proof at the cross when Jesus granted eternal life to the repentant thief- and
without an investigative judgment! (Matthew 8:11 mentions that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be in heaven by Jesus Himself in 31A.D., way before 1844. When
did these ancient saints go through an investigative judgment since it did not begin until 1844 according to SDAs? No SDA wants to answer that question because
it destroys Ellen White and the IJ teaching, which is not Biblical. All churches know this except the SDA Church.) Who will use common sense and be honest?
Not sure why John MacArthur was referenced in this article. He was once asked, “Once the person takes the mark of the beast, is there a possibility with him coming to Christ?” His response, ” Yes” he goes on to talk about the tribulation period and how it could be possible to be saved (simple youtube search and you’ll find it).
But okay.
With all due respect, come on….are you serious with this comment? Really? It has absolutely nothing to do with the point being raised in the article. The reference in the article is only to point out that at least somebody in the Christian world, unlike our own leadership, took a stand against the trampling upon freedom of conscience by woke authoritarians — something that our church should have been doing since this is one of its fundamental principles. The article does not promote or hold John MacArthur up as some sort of authority on biblical truth, since, for one thing, he is not even an SDA. Evidently, you are missing the entire point. And, since you’re obviously trying to discredit that comment, what about Elder Wilson’s repeated statement that the mark of the beast is any day of the week other than the seventh day Sabbath?