North American Division President G. Alexander Bryant and AdventHealth’s CEO Terry Shaw met to create the “Together in Mission” Alliance Between their Two Organizations, 8 Days Before the 2022 “Pig in the Pond” Festival

There is no longer any reason for anyone to wonder about AdventHealth’s influence and role within the Seventh-day Adventist church. G. Alexander Bryant, the President of the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists, and his staff met with Terry Shaw, the CEO of AdventHealth, and other AdventHealth executives on October 6, 2022, “for a day of vision sharing, design thinking, and collaborative planning for the future.” [1] In other words, not only is AdventHealth an organizational unit of the North American Division, but now the NAD has partnered with AdventHealth in a new “Together in Mission” alliance in which these two organizations will work together on a shared vision for the future.

Adventist World, the international publication of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, released this news. Here we have the largest periodical in circulation within Adventism that the General Conference has ever produced praising the virtues of this new alliance between the NAD and AdventHealth. The report said:

• “Leaders from the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and AdventHealth recently met in Orlando, Florida, United States, for a day of vision sharing, design thinking, and collaborative planning for the future.” [1]

• “While our individual organizations have different endeavors, our principles are the same,” said Terry Shaw, president and CEO of AdventHealth, who hosted the event at AdventHealth’s corporate headquarters. “Today, we are here to discuss how we think about leadership, building teams, and being more effective in our markets.” [1]

• “G. Alexander Bryant, president of the Adventist Church in North America, shared an overview of the church’s vision, goals, and strategy for the coming years. ‘Our theme for this visit is ‘Together in Mission,’ and the three strategic focus areas are multiplying the ministry of Jesus, effectively using media, and mentorship of the next generation of leaders for the church,’ Bryant said.” [1]

What does this mean? Most importantly, these recent statements permanently put to rest the question of AdventHealth’s standing in relation to the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And the answer comes from G. Alexander Bryant, the President of the North American Division. Apparently, AdventHealth is working “together” in helping to fulfill the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America.

What this actually means is that the North American Division is ultimately making itself responsible for the business decisions that AdvenHeath makes because they are fully supporting and backing them up. The “buck stops at the NAD.” They are now working together. This demonstrates that AdventHealth is not alone. They have a powerful ally in the NAD, who just formally confirmed this to everyone.

These public statements and the dissemination of these images to the entire Adventist world family are only strengthening AdventHealth’s footing in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This very public announcement only solidifies the leading role that AdventHealth plays in the Adventist church. AdventHealth is being portrayed as a shining example of a partnership between the church and its entities, working side by side to accomplish the mission of the church. This is how it’s being portrayed to Seventh-day Adventists worldwide. This is what Adventists are being sold.

This also shows that the NAD supports AdventHealth’s initiatives. They are supporting them fully and standing behind them. In order to affirm this new “Together in Mission” alliance, President Bryant actually traveled to the corporate offices of AdventHealth in Florida to meet with them.

Does this imply that AdventHealth is doing everything right, now that it has the full backing of the North American Division? Not at all. Does this new “Together in Mission” alliance with the NAD now change and sanitize everything AdventHealth has been doing? Absolutely not. It doesn’t change anything. If anything, this should bring AdventHealth under more scrutiny. The NAD must take up the challenge to make sure that “Together in Mission” means that the actions of AdventHealth will reflect the values that we share as Seventh-day Adventists.

But just because AdventHealth has the approval of the NAD doesn’t mean they have the approval of God. That is not automatic. And it doesn’t change the fact that Sabbath-breaking is still Sabbath-breaking. Sponsoring NASCAR races on Saturday morning [2], all-star football games on Friday night [3], and pork BBQ cookout competitions on the Lord’s Day [4] are still outside of the will of God, not just for us but also for the world. AdventHealth’s pro-LGBT [5], pro-transgender [6], the pro-witchcraft [7], pro-Satan [8], pro-Hip Hop [9], pro-alcohol [10], pro-Catholic doctrine [11], pro-Yoga [12], pro-Halloween [13], pro-violent sports [14] and other corporate entanglements are all still evil. Sin is sin, no matter who supports us or not. The Bible still says that these are violations of the will of God. And God’s word still forbids us from forging partnerships with diabolical corporations like Disney.

Why then did the North American Division travel to Florida to demonstrate an increased dedication to AdventHealth and to stand in support of it? Why? Although it’s possible that there are other factors at play, I think that this is at least one of them, if not the most crucial. According to Becker’s Hospital Review, AdventHealth’s annual revenue is $14.1 billion dollars. [15] Therefore, regardless of AdventHealth’s activities, partnerships, or policies, there are 14.1 billion reasons for the General Conference to declare that the NAD and AdventHealth are deepening their relationship.

This goes to show that an annual revenue of $14.1 billion has a way of covering up a multitude of iniquities. Obviously not with God, but rather with people in this world. Some people have a tendency to overlook the numerous sins of others when they have an annual revenue of $14.1 billion. Tragically, what we are seeing right now is the best illustration of what it means to abandon the faith while still having the full support of the church behind you, allowing you to carry on with your rebellion.

“In vision I saw two armies in terrible conflict. One army was led by banners bearing the world’s insignia; the other was led by the bloodstained banner of Prince Immanuel. Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust as company after company from the Lord’s army joined the foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the commandment-keeping people of God” (Testimonies, Vol. 8, p. 41).

This is not the time to lend support to those who are abandoning the Lord’s standards and siding with the enemies of God’s people. God is calling us to engage in the Lord’s battle against the principalities and powers of darkness. In this hour of need, God is urging us to act. If we remain silent in the face of this horrifying evil, we will share in the guilt with those who want to destroy us. We have lost sight of the fact that God did not call us to be popular, prosperous, powerful, or successful. God has called us to be faithful, and being faithful means that we recognize and resist the host of evil that is warring against God and His commandment-keeping people.

In every age, God’s faithful people have always stood opposed to Satan and his devices that have sought to bring us down. Will you not resist? Will you not raise your voice in protest? Will you not fight the battle of the Lord? Will you not engage the enemy that we have within our ranks? Will you not confront the opposition where it is most powerful? Or do you simply sit back and wait for someone else to carry out the task that God has given you?

“In these days He has instituted no new plan to preserve the purity of His people. As of old, He entreats the erring ones who profess His name to repent and turn from their evil ways. Now, as then, by the mouth of His chosen servants He predicts the dangers before them. He sounds the note of warning and reproves sin just as faithfully as in the days of Jeremiah. But the Israel of our time have the same temptations to scorn reproof and hate counsel as had ancient Israel. They too often turn a deaf ear to the words that God has given His servants for the benefit of those who profess the truth. Though the Lord in mercy withholds for a time the retribution of their sin, as in the days of Jeremiah, He will not always stay His hand, but will visit iniquity with righteous judgment” (Testimonies, Vol. 4, p. 165).

Sources

[1] https://www.adventistworld.org/adventhealth-and-north-america-church-leaders-meet-for-mission/

[2] http://adventmessenger.org/adventhealth-is-offering-racing-tickets-to-sporting-events-that-are-scheduled-on-the-sabbath/

[3] http://adventmessenger.org/adventhealth-will-sponsor-an-all-star-football-game-that-is-scheduled-to-be-played-on-friday-night/

[4] http://adventmessenger.org/adventhealth-sponsored-the-2022-pig-on-the-pond-festival-an-annual-event-that-runs-on-saturday-and-features-pork-eating-bbq-cooking-competitions-pig-races-live-music-and-carnival-rides/

[5] http://adventmessenger.org/adventhealth-increased-its-financial-contribution-to-the-lgbt-movement-above-their-original-1-million-dollar-pledge/

[6] http://adventmessenger.org/a-transgender-marriage-made-in-hell-adventhealth-and-disney/

[7] http://adventmessenger.org/adventists-must-rethink-their-partnership-with-disney-which-is-now-teaching-children-how-to-communicate-with-the-dead-using-latin-incantations/

[8] http://adventmessenger.org/disneys-new-animated-series-is-about-satan-and-his-antichrist-daughter/

[9] http://adventmessenger.org/our-new-health-message-consists-of-providing-fun-loving-insanely-addictive-hip-hop-dance-workouts/

[10] http://adventmessenger.org/alcohol-music-dancing-disney-and-advent-health-when-will-the-general-conference-finally-put-an-end-to-this-abomination-in-the-church/

[11] http://adventmessenger.org/the-stations-of-the-cross-devotion-started-by-st-francis-of-assisi-will-be-held-at-adventhealth-university-on-good-friday/

[12] http://adventmessenger.org/on-saturdays-adventhealths-paid-membership-gyms-provide-yoga-zumba-synchronized-swimming-weightlifting-cycling-and-other-instructor-led-dance-workouts/

[13] http://adventmessenger.org/adventhealth-gets-into-the-spirit-of-halloween/

[14] http://adventmessenger.org/adventhealth-is-a-championship-partner-in-the-violent-sport-of-professional-hockey/

[15] https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/adventhealth-s-operating-income-nears-1b-in-2021.html