Changing the Gender Pronouns in the Spirit of Prophecy to Accommodate Women’s Ordination

“And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:19.

On Sabbath, September 22, 2018, Pastor Shawna Campbell was ordained into pastoral ministry at the Loma Linda University Seventh-day Adventist Church by the laying of hands. The prayer and ordination service was officiated by the top leadership at the Southeastern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

Dr. Sandra Roberts, President of the Southeastern California Conference, presided over the ordination ceremony and welcomed Pastor Shawna Campbell with the following words:

“It is such a joy to have you as a pastor in the Southeastern California Conference. And now on behalf of your congregation, your colleagues in ministry here and throughout the conference and the world church it is my privileged to welcome you as an ordained minister in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Southeastern California Conference. Congratulations!” [1]

Even though the Seventh-day Adventist Church has voted on three separate occasion to not ordain women into the gospel ministry, [2] last week President Sandra Roberts ordained Shawna Campbell in behalf of the world church and gave Shawna a certificate of ordination and a ministerial credential.

The Loma Linda Univerity Church also gave their affirmation for the ordination service of Pastor Shawna Campbell by breaking out in applause. On several occasions during key moments they clapped their hands to indicate approval.

Jonathan Park, Vice-President of the Southeastern California Conference, congratulated Shawna Campbell on her ordination:

“You have been called by God to be a minister of Jesus and the church has recognized this call and by praying and laying on of hands has separated you to be a servant of God.” [3]

Changing the Gender Pronouns in the Spirit of Prophecy

Jonathan Park next read a special selection from the Spirit of Prophecy that talks about church ministers. He read from Mrs. White’s book Pastoral Ministry on page 20. But he didn’t read the statement verbatim, as originally given to us by God. No, in the above video you will see how he changed the male gender pronouns to accommodate the ordination of women pastors.

The original statement uses male pronouns when referring to ministers and states:

“The more that the minister of Christ associates with his Master, through contemplation of his life and character, the more closely will he resemble him, and the better qualified will he be to teach his truths.” (Pastoral Ministry, p. 20). [3]

This is what Johnatha Park said/read publicly to Shawna Campbell during her ordination service:

“Spirit of Prophecy, The more that the minister of Christ associates with his, and I will replace with her, Master, through contemplation of his life and character, the more closely will she resemble him, and the better qualified will she be to teach his truths.” (Adapted from Pastoral Ministry, p. 20). [3]

This is a gross violation against the Holy Spirit and the pen of inspiration because we are forbidden to change God’s wording:

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:2.

We are also told in Jeremiah 26:2 that God’s servants must speak the words He has given us and to “diminish not a word.”

This new “gender-inclusive” reading of inspiration gives the false assumption that God is sanctioning the ordination of women into pastoral ministry. How does an individual or even an entire conference approve the public altering of the Spirit of Prophecy during an ordination service?

If the writings of Mrs. White sanction the ordination of women into the the gospel ministry, then why don’t they just read those statements from her writings that support women’s ordination? Why do they have to change the male gender pronouns to female pronouns in her writings? Think about that. Why do they have to literally change the wording to fit their positions? The reason why they are changing the pronouns is because they are attempting to sanction something that God’s word simply does not sanction.

There are hundreds of references in the book Pastoral Ministry that refer to the ordained minister. And each reference always uses male gendered pronouns. In just one paragraph alone (Pastoral Ministry, page 102, paragraph 1) there are 20 male gender pronouns that refer to the “pastor.” [4] This one paragraph is talking about general principles for our church pastors.

In fact, there are NO statements in all of the Spirit of Prophecy that refer to pastors with the female pronouns “she,” “her” or “hers.” In the Spirit of Prophecy, every reference to the word “pastor” uses only the male gender pronouns of “he,” “him” or “his.”

God Himself laid down the requirements and qualifications for ordination. The Biblical basis for ordination into ministry comes from the instructions given to Arron and to the priests as they were appointed to officiate in the sanctuary services.

Priests were ordained to officiate in the Sanctuary: “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil…And he (Moses) poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.” Leviticus 8:1, 2, 12.

Priest were chosen from the “sons” (not daughters) of Aaron: “And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest’s office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.” Exodus 29:9.

Only men from the tribe of Levi: “At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.” Deuteronomy 10:8.

No man with a blemish could officiate: “No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God…Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them.” Leviticus 17:21, 23.

God was not discriminating against women or against the men from the non-Levitical tribes of Israel or against anyone with a “blemish” when He laid down these rules. Everyone in Israel was of equal value before God; it’s just that the priests were ordained to minister inside of the sanctuary. The prophets, the kings, the judges, the watchmen and the women were given different, equally important roles – roles that were not related to the day-to-day ministry of the sanctuary or its services.

The instructions ascribed to the priests and to the sanctuary service were not to be taken lightly. Failure to follow God’s instructions resulted in terrible judgments. Not even the Kings of Israel, or the prophets, or the judges or the women were allowed to enter the sanctuary and start officiating.

For example, when King Uzziah entered the sanctuary and began offering incense before the Lord, the High Priest told him to stop because he was breaking the commandments of the Lord. Instead of humbling himself, the king became very angry for being told that he was in violation of the law. It was during his fit of anger that the Lord smote him with leprosy and he died (Read 2 Chronicles 26:16-21).

Then there was Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:6, 7) who was following the cart upon which the ark of the covenant was being carried. When it appeared that the ark was about to fall over, Uzzah steadied the ark with his hand – a direct violation to the law of God. He was killed immediately for his error. God’s word clearly said:

“And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die.” Numbers 4:15.

It was Jesus who was leading the children of Israel and giving them instructions for the priesthood (Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-3). Christ followed the same Biblical model found in the Old Testament when He organized the Christian Church by ordaining “men” into apostolic ministry. It is an indisputable fact that Jesus ordained 12 men to become apostles (ministers). This is the order He established in His church. The Biblical principles for ordination are consistent in both the Old and New Testaments.

“And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: And Simon he surnamed Peter; And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite, And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.” Mark 3:14-19.

The apostles, who were ordained by Jesus, continued in the example established by Christ for ordination. When they were about to find a replacement for Judas, who had committed suicide, they looked for a “man” who had the following qualifications:

“Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection…And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.” Acts 1:21, 22, 26.

There were several women who were more than qualified to take up that responsibility. But the apostles never even consider ordaining a woman. They did a survey of all of the “men” who had been with Christ from the very beginning. They weren’t discriminating against women, because everyone had equal value in God’s eyes; but not everyone has been given the same responsibility.

The 12 apostles later called the church and asked them to find 7 men who they could ordain by the “laying of hands.”

“Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business…Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.” Acts 6:2, 3, 6.

The first Christian church was located in Antioch, and its leadership consisted of apostles, prophets, elders and teachers.  They obeyed the voice of the Holy Spirit and ordained Paul and Barnabas, two men, into the gospel ministry by the “laying of hands.”

“Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” Acts 13:1-3.

Paul reminded Timothy that his ordination came “through the laying on of my hands” (Timothy 1:6). Timothy had obtained the “gift” of ordination into the gospel ministry by the “laying of hands” from the “presbytery” (1 Timothy 4:14). This “presbytery” was a council of elders of which Paul was a member.

All the Biblical evidence shows that women’s ordination with the laying of hands into the pastoral ministry is inconsistent and incompatible with God’s word. It’s just not Biblical.

The laying of hands for ordination is a Biblical ordinance used to affirm the calling of God into the gospel ministry. The Southeastern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists prayed at the start of this ordination service, they prayed for Pastor Shawna Campbell by laying hands on her and they prayed at the close of the service – hoping to sanctify something that God say He CANNOT sanctify.

Our Biblical positions and church policies (which voted “no” to ordaining women) are being replaced by a cultural preference. Our world is trying to fiercely eliminate the gender roles and gospel order given to us in the word of God. We cannot bow down to the radical spirit of our age that is causing many to abandon the Bible and to shift over to a politically correct, gender neutral, all-inclusive gospel ministry. This would result in the rejection of the authority of the Scriptures. Is this not what is being played out in front of our eyes?

What we are seeing today is a clear reversal from the early days of the Seventh-day Adventist movement. In the early days, Adventists were in agreement on this matter over female pastors, and this consensus continued unbroken for over 100 years.

In December 19, 1878, church founders James White, J. H. Waggoner, Uriah Smith, and J.N. Andrews (all editors for the Signs of the Times) published an editorial on the women’s role in the church. These were not just ministers and leading men in the church. These were the founders and pioneers of the movement who were led by the Holy Spirit and by the testimonies of the living prophet, Ellen White, who held these men accountable. And here is what they published in an editorial entitled, “Women’s Place in the Gospel.”

“A woman may pray, prophesy, exhort and comfort the church, but she cannot occupy the position of a pastor or a ruling elder.” [5]

In the Seventh-day Adventist Church women have freely exercised a vast range of ministries – prophets, medical missionaries, foreign missionaries, colporteurs, teachers, spiritual mothers, counselors, writers, editors, prayer warriors, scholars, professors, preachers, apologists, evangelists, literature evangelists, singing evangelists, musicians, lecturers, Bible workers, door to door missionaries and many other roles.

However, women’s ordination with the laying of hands into the pastoral ministry was not one of them, because it is not Biblical. No woman was ever ordained as a priest or a apostle (pastor) in both the Old or New Testaments. There just isn’t any Biblical support. This issue has nothing to do with equality, fairness or worth. It has to do with the roles that God Himself has given to both male and female.

“Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain ‘Thus saith the Lord’ in its support” (Great Controversy, 595).

“You must bring your creed to the Bible and let the light of the Bible define your creed and show where it comes short and where the difficulty is. The Bible is to be your standard, the living oracles of Jehovah are to be your guide” (Faith and Works, p. 77).

Sources

[1] https://youtu.be/PQVftV5Mn38

[2] http://adventmessenger.org/when-unity-in-the-church-becomes-a-30-year-process/

[3] https://youtu.be/iLUjmsob70s

[4] http://text.egwwritings.org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=PaM&lang=en&collection=2&section=all&pagenumber=102&paragraphnumber=&QUERY=pastor+he+him+his&resultId=1

[5] http://adventmessenger.org/wp-content/uploads/Pioneer-SDAs-Position-on-Womens-Ordination.pdf