The 62nd General Conference Session is scheduled to be held on July 3-12, 2025, in St. Louis, Missouri. The voted changes listed on the agenda for the upcoming world gathering reveal a troubling imbalance in priorities, focusing more on tithes, offerings, and return procedures than on the pressing spiritual crisis affecting Seventh-day Adventists. Rather than addressing corporate repentance and the core issues fueling division—such as the ordination of women; church governance and authority; freedom of conscience; the controversial COVID-19 Reaffirmation Statement; federal grants for disaster relief, educational institutions, and healthcare systems; ecumenical alliances; partnership with the United Nations; Pentecostal worship styles; the evangelical gospel; the downplaying of our distinctive beliefs; and LGBT+ matters—leadership appears to be sidestepping the very issues that demand urgent, prayerful, and transparent action.
Out of the 29 agenda items scheduled for discussion regarding proposed changes to the Church Manual, 14 of them—or 48.28%—deal specifically with money and financial issues. The goal is to strengthen the church’s position in promoting unwavering financial loyalty from its members, reinforcing the expectation that they give generously and consistently—and backed by an increased use of Spirit of Prophecy statements to legitimize this expectation.
There is a phrase used in this world that states, “It’s all about the money, honey.” It is an expression used to convey that money is sometimes the true motivation behind someone’s actions or decisions, regardless of what they may claim publicly. It also implies that financial gain—not morality—has become the driving force. The term is often used to expose agendas that prioritize profit over values, integrity, or truth.
The Church Manual of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is sufficiently broad and comprehensive, providing clear guidance on doctrine, discipline, governance, and moral integrity. If church leaders were willing, they could use the existing provisions within the Manual to bring clarity, correction, and accountability to these concerns. However, despite having the tools and authority to act, the 62nd General Conference Session agenda remains silent, choosing instead to avoid controversy, preserve unity, and strengthen monetary procedures.
This inaction allows confusion to persist and undermines the unity and faithfulness within the global Church. By neglecting these deep-rooted challenges, we are widening the gap between the leadership and membership, fostering an atmosphere of suspicion, disengagement, and spiritual disillusionment. This failure to confront the real sources of division weakens our missionary emphasis and reflects a concerning detachment from the principle issues shaping the future of Adventism.
The Church Manual Agenda for the 62nd General Conference Session is found on page 19 of the official 2025 Session Agenda [1] and the topics are as follows:
- A Divinely Appointed Ministry
- Credentials and Licenses
- Making Changes – Why a Church Manual?
- School Board Meetings
- Nominating Committee and the Election Process
- Membership Record
- Transferring Members
- Members Moving Away and Not
- Finance (Money)
- Stewardship (Money)
- Tithe (Money)
- Offerings (Money)
- Transparency and Accountability (Money)
- To Cooperate With the Conference – Elders (Money)
- Treasurer (Money)
- World Health Ministries Sabbath Offering (Money)
- Sabbath School (Money)
- Conducting the Communion Service
- Regulation of Soliciting Funds (Money)
- Relations with Members Confidential (Money)
- Use of “Discipleship”
- Church Board and Its Meetings
- Business Meetings
- To Foster Tithing – Elders (Money)
- Adventist Youth Ministries
- Set Tithing Example (Money)
- Use of “Thirteenth Sabbath Offering” (Money)
- Capitalization of Church Departments
- Dissolving or Expelling a Church
If church administrators would courageously address the root causes of apostasy, compromise, and worldly partnerships infiltrating the Church, just maybe, many of their financial concerns would automatically resolve themselves. Maybe, if the people see that their leaders are standing faithfully for truth, rejecting political entanglements, resisting ecumenical compromises, and upholding the distinct message entrusted to the remnant church, maybe the money will flow much more generously and sacrificially.
Revival brings reformation—and with that comes renewed trust, unity, and generous support. But when members witness the Church aligning with the world while silencing liberty of conscience and truth, confidence erodes, and financial appeals fall on deaf ears. God will not bless disobedience with abundance, and no amount of fundraising is a substitute for spiritual integrity. If our General Conference Sessions would prioritize faithfulness over finances, blessings would follow, and there would be no need to beg people to support the Church.
Sources
[1] https://www.gcsession.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/25GCS-Agenda.pdf
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Amen!
Not all Adventists agree with this text. The Adventism that this text wants is sectarian Adventism and not biblical.
An unrenewed heart can do nothing. God can not bless if it is not given in love and conviction of faith. Problem of the remnant sin above all is coveteousness. I think I read it in comments on Dan 8 don’t remember, BUT SOP stated thus. Another issue is half love of the world and half love of God to this class. God turns His head, because He only takes an undivided heart. Man’s idea, man’s plans, without Council and it is written without a whole heart will bear it’s own fruit. But a rented heart and a faithful widows might God can do more than man in compromise and double digit Billions. The confrence is in bed with the world, they will reap the results. Revelation talks about repent and overcome. God yearns to do great things for His people but He can not bless sin.2Cor, 5 and 6. 1 Cor 12 an 13… Revelations 1,2,3,