An International Food Fair at a local Seventh-day Adventist Church was featured in the most recent edition of the Northwest Gleaner, the official publication of the North Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The food festival was open to the entire community and is described on page 23 of the March/April 2022 Gleaner magazine. The following foods were served: corned beef, beef rouladen, orange chicken, beef sausage, chicken barbecue, beef teriyaki skewers, and other foods. [1] [2]
The church office was contacted and asked if the meat was real or vegetarian, just in case the Gleaner magazine was featuring vegetarian meat, since no clarification was mentioned in the article. According to the church secretary, it was real meat. When asked why it wasn’t vegetarian, she said it was for the entire community, as if we didn’t realize how important it was to provide real meat. When told that providing more healthy alternative dishes would have been a great witness, the secretary remained silent.
The Gleaner called this Seventh-day Adventist International Food Fair, which offered a variety of flesh foods to the public, a “resounding success.” [1] [2] A resounding success? Whose standard of success are we using? Is it God’s standard or the world’s standard? How can we call an evangelistic outreach a “resounding success” when we reject both the light and the God who gave us the health message?
“God gave the light on health reform, and those who rejected it rejected God” (General Conference Bulletin, April 6, 1903).
What is the light that God has given us in terms of health reform? We’ve been told that there shouldn’t be a table in our institutions where people can eat flesh foods.
“Let us be health reformers in every sense of the term. Let us make known in our institutions that there is no longer a meat table even for the boarders, and then the education given upon the discharging of a meat diet will not be only saying but doing. If patronage is less, so let it be. The principles will be of far greater value when they are understood, when it is known that the life of no living thing shall be taken to sustain the life of the Christian” (Manuscript Release, vol. 18, p. 356).
When trying to do outreach for the community, we are instructed to offer healthy, simple, and wholesome foods. We are also told through inspiration that flesh foods are to be excluded for the following reasons:
“Those who are suffering as the result of a wrong course of action are to be shown the necessity of reform in their habits of life. They have violated the laws of health. By the eating of flesh meat and of rich, highly spiced food, they have injured the digestive organs; and if they would get well, they must adopt a simple, wholesome diet” (Manuscript, 36, 1905).
“The disease upon animals is becoming more and more common, and our only safety is in leaving meat entirely alone. The most aggravated diseases are now prevalent, and the very last thing that physicians who are enlightened should do is to advise patients to eat meat. It is in eating meat so largely in this country that men and women are becoming demoralized, their blood corrupted, and disease planted in the system. Because of meat eating many die, and they do not understand the cause” (Manuscript, Release, vol. 18, p. 355).
Souls are perishing and we are pushing them further into the grave. Ellen White was given a vision of our health message in 1863. This was the beginning of our distinctive, one-of-a-kind health work. We became pioneers in the fields of health, diet, natural remedies, and lifestyle changes that would restore humanity to God’s original design. It was part of that plan to eliminate flesh foods. These counsels were once widely accepted in Adventism, and we were far ahead of our time. However, we have lost sight of our vision, message, and mission.
“Among those who are waiting for the coming of the Lord, meat eating will eventually be done away; flesh will cease to form a part of their diet. We should ever keep this end in view, and endeavor to work steadily toward it. I cannot think that in the practice of flesh eating we are in harmony with the light which God has been pleased to give us. All who are connected with our health institutions especially should be educating themselves to subsist on fruits, grains, and vegetables. If we move from principle in these things, if we as Christian reformers educate our own taste, and bring our diet to God’s plan, then we may exert an influence upon others in this matter, which will be pleasing to God” (Counsels on Diets and Foods, p. 380).
Consequently, we have abandoned God’s purposes for our institutions and are celebrating this failure as a “resounding success.” The opportunities for thinking we’re right when we’re completely wrong have become endless.
Sources
[1] https://nwadventists.com/issue/2022/03/viewer
[2] https://nwadventists.com/news/2022/02/salmon-church-holds-international-food-fair
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Shame on this church for participating, and shame on the Gleaner for publishing the article!!! No one reads the SOP anymore. People are NOT getting ready for Jesus to come back. The same is happening in our hospitals. We have more non-Adventists working in them than Adventists.
Even my own church has started giving chicken away in our Community Services Out-Reach! It is disgusting. To use the excuse that it is for the public is a joke. We should be educating the public on how to eat healthy. We have free books sitting on a table. Instead of putting these books in the people’s bags, we fill their bags of food with chicken!
I will never understand how some of our people think.
Same thing is happening in the community food bags given away by the local Adventist church where I am at, you can expect to get a chicken or chicken parts (thighs, drumsticks etc….)
It is because the churches are partnering with the state/county in giving out these bags with flesh meat in them… I am sickened by what is happening, when as a denomination a certain sound could be given, it is not…. God have mercy on their souls..
My church is currently facing a meat question with our pantry. While we might argue the point, the larger problem is that this did not rise to a level of concern until someone outside the operation realized that some of the meats were unclean meat. Here is a recent statement from a servant of the pantry….
“The (city name) SDA Church pantry does not enforce religious dietary fundamentals on the diverse people it serves. With that said, we don’t order Pork or buy it. We chiefly rely on the free will donations from the Food bank of (regional name). We are THANKFUL for everything freely given to our pantry. The pork loins fill and empty freezer for starving families. The food bank has richly blessed the needy families in the (city area).”
There are several multiple things here I have issue with.
It is my understanding that this was brought to a ‘next level’ (conference) member which resulted in a response which basically supported the pantry and their action.
This is now at the board level of our church. We shall see what happens soon.
Something makes me think that I have mentioned this “issue” some weeks in the past in another post… Probably something about prophesy.
Additionally, I hold a similar sentiment “No one reads the SOP anymore”.
A whole other conversation I wish I could have in my church.
My church is currently facing a meat question with our pantry. While we might argue the point, the larger problem is that this did not rise to a level of concern until someone outside the operation realized that some of the meats were unclean meat. Here is a recent statement from a servant of the pantry….
“The (city name) SDA Church pantry does not enforce religious dietary fundamentals on the diverse people it serves. With that said, we don’t order Pork or buy it. We chiefly rely on the free will donations from the Food bank of (regional name). We are THANKFUL for everything freely given to our pantry. The pork loins fill and empty freezer for starving families. The food bank has richly blessed the needy families in the (city area).”
There are multiple things here I find of concern.
As of this moment, It is my understanding that this was brought to a ‘next level’ (conference) member which resulted in a response which basically supported the pantry and their action.
This is now at the board level of our church. We shall see what happens soon.
Something makes me think that I have mentioned this “issue” some weeks in the past in another post… Probably something about prophesy.
Additionally, I hold a similar sentiment “No one reads the SOP anymore”.
A whole other conversation I wish I could have in my church.
Many still read the SOP my friend….many still regard the truths and teachings of this message as life unto life. We cannot assume because the majority walk away from it, that all do. Remember Elijah.
I can’t believe what I just read. Never thought I’d see the day when a church would serve flesh meat and the Conference would approve. Are the people at that church just ignorant or just out right defiant?? It’s one of the two. People should flood that church with phone calls denouncing what they did. They haven’t helped the community. They’re hypocrites.
Hold on a minute….there weren’t any catfish steaks, fried shrimp or pork chops, so everything must still be okay! Right?
Greater reforms should be seen among the people who claim to be looking for the soon appearing of Christ. Health reform is to do among our people a work which it has not yet done. There are those who ought to be awake to the danger of meat eating who are still eating the flesh of animals, thus endangering the physical, mental, and spiritual health. Many who are now only half converted on the question of meat eating will go from God’s people, to walk no more with them.—The Review and Herald, May 27, 1902. – {LDE 82.1}
The Principles of the Pioneers are being replaced, in one way or another, by the pillars of neo-Adventism as the leaders lead the sheep into the slaughter fold.
The enemy of souls has sought to bring in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the work for the last fifty years would be accounted as error. A new organization would be established. Books of a new order would be written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful work. The Sabbath of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but God being removed, they would place their dependence on human power, which, without God, is worthless. Their foundation would be built on the sand, and storm and tempest would sweep away the structure. – 1SM 204.2
Who has authority to begin such a movement? We have our Bibles. We have our experience, attested to by the miraculous working of the Holy Spirit. We have a truth that admits of no compromise. Shall we not repudiate everything that is not in harmony with this truth? – 1SM 205.1
We are God’s commandment-keeping people. For the past fifty years every phase of heresy has been brought to bear upon us, to becloud our minds regarding the teaching of the Word—especially concerning the ministration of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, and the message of Heaven for these last days, as given by the angels of the fourteenth chapter of Revelation. Messages of every order and kind have been urged upon Seventh-day Adventists, to take the place of the truth which, point by point, has been sought out by prayerful study, and testified to by the miracle-working power of the Lord. But the waymarks which have made us what we are, are to be preserved, and they will be preserved, as God has signified through His Word and the testimony of His Spirit. He calls upon us to hold firmly, with the grip of faith, to the fundamental principles that are based upon unquestionable authority. – 1SM 208.2
Ich bin froh, dass die Adventistenkirche endlich zu Verstand gekommen ist und wieder Fleisch anbietet, anstatt die persönlichen Geschmäcker des 19.Jhds zu propagieren…
Live every day like Jesus is returning that day, and let God take care of the church. There will always be that faithful few who stand strong on their faith, and by the power of Jesus Christ for what is right. I wasn’t put on this earth to judge. Come out of her my people, so that you do not take part in her plagues. Stand strong for what you know to be right and true and let everyone else go their own way. I’m not saved or lost by what they believe or practice. Daniel and his friends set the example in front of us, we must follow on their foot steps. Always keep your eyes on Christ the author and finisher of our faith!
Thank you for your encouraging words. I’m overwhelmed with what is happening within our church and so many are oblivious and others are embracing this apostasy. Our Lord’s heart must be breaking. Wake us up and Come soon Lord Jesus!
My first question would be: Are these people that are promoting these flesh foods, Seventh-day Adventists? Today its the health message they are throwing by the wayside. What principle(s) will they discard tomorrow? Will it be the holy Sabbath day that they will throw out next? Are they still calling themselves Seventh-day Adventists? Why? What do they have to offer the world?
Ellen White prophesied that the day is coming that it will no longer be safe to partake of flesh foods. She wrote, “Flesh foods are injurious to the physical well being, and we should learn to do without them, Those who are in a position where it is possible to secure a vegetarian diet, but who choose to follow their own preferences in this matter, eating and drinking as they please, will gradually grow careless of the instruction the Lord has given regarding other phases of the present truth
and will lose their perception of what is truth; they will surely reap as they have sown,” Counsels on Health p. 130.2
“There are many who feel that they cannot get along without flesh foods; but if these would place themselves on the Lord’s side, resolutely resolved to walk in the way of His guidance they would receive strength and wisdom as did Daniel and his fellows”.
There is a message in the Bible for these so-called Seventh-day Adventists:
“HIS WATCHMEN ARE BLIND; THEY ARE ALL IGNORANT, THEY ARE ALL DUMB DOGS, THEY CANNOT BARK, SLEEPING, LYING DOWN, LOVING TO SLUMBER”.
ISAIAH 56:10
Terrible…just terrible…where is our health message? This is sin! We are to teach the people to eat healthy not diseased meat. Looks like pork in the picture too….sad!
What a slap in the face to our Lord and Savior!
“They have violated the laws of health. By the eating of flesh meat and of rich, highly spiced food, they have injured the digestive organs; and if they would get well, they must adopt a simple, wholesome diet”. E.G.W. (Manuscript 35. 1905.) By this statement She – E.G.W. – condemned God for doing the same – i.e. violating laws of health which He himself has set up, – in Genesis 9:3. Gen. 18:8, and in Luke 24:42-43. Mind you, i DO eat meat products though I try to eat as little of them as possible. And I do not condemn/accuse those who don`t eat any meat, of anything. And I know for SURE that in God`s eyes they are not any better more holier nor more loved by God than me who eats meat.
Romans 14: 1-3 -“1Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on his opinions.a 2For one person has faith to eat all things, while another, who is weak, eats only vegetables. 3The one who eats everything must not belittle the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted him. 4Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”
There are vegetarian zealots, who go too far – as there are those going too far in other aspects of spiritual life – focusing only on eating meat, like it was great sin, even mocking/insulting those who eat meat. While on the other hand they are overindulging in consumption of other more harmful foods, like sugar. E.G.W. writes – by God`s directives, that sugar is more harmful to our health that meat is. But I never saw much – if any, articles on AM about sugar danger.