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NEWS IN BRIEF Ups and downs New figures from the Christian Research Association show that smaller, traditional churches are shrinking steadily in Australia. Over the past decade, traditional Uniting churches have declined by 30 per cent and Catholic churches by 19 per cent. Pentecostal mega-churches saw a 27 per cent increase in numbers in the same period.—Herald Sun Smoked out The Australian government has delivered on its promise to introduce laws requiring cigarettes to be sold in generic packages with 75 per cent of the pack covered in graphic health warnings. Adventist health leaders have expressed their support. Tobacco giant, Philip Morris, is already working on a legal challenge.—ABC Put your money . . . Echoing the concerns of the global Occupy movement, religious groups in the US have withdrawn $US55 million from big banks, saying they dodge taxes and have no interest in local communities. Los Angeles Adventist pastor, Ryan Bell, is among the leaders moving their dollars to community banks and credit unions.—Washington Post Harvest Adventists in the south of Colombia have seen more than 1500 people come to Christ. Public meetings were held in the growing region’s five largest cities, including the capital, Bogotá. During 2011, church members connected with their communities through blood donor drives, health expos, a half-marathon and prayer initiatives.—ANN Early concerns The first round of Egyptian elections has seen Islamist parties take the lead. The Muslim Brotherhood’s “Freedom and Justice Party” has 40 per cent of the vote, with the hardline Salafist “Al-Noor” party gaining 20 per cent. Local Christians are concerned for their future. The complex election process will continue until mid-2012.—CNN Idiot box Channel 7’s plans to air the US comedy/drama Good Christian Bitches in 2012 have drawn the ire of Christian groups. Family Voice Australia says the term “bitch” is abusive to women and the program treats Christians with contempt. After similar protests in America, the series was renamed Good Christian Belles.—Family Voice Australia HOW MANY CAN YOU DO? This year’s camp mission offering supports a major youth initiative. The Worldchanger Bible Project. Our aim is to equip 200,000 young people in the Pacific Islands with Bibles to share their faith. We need to raise $A1.1 million. So far we have raised just over $A140,000. We still have a long way to go… Please generously support this camp mission offering and change a young person’s world. Be a Worldchanger, right here, right now! Find out more at www.worldchanger.me
NEWS Timetable to review ordination theology Wahroonga, New South Wales An ongoing discussion on the issue of women in church leadership has prompted the Seventh-day Adventist world church to order a thorough review of the theology of ordination. Biblical scholars and church administrators in the South Pacific Division (SPD) will do their part by submitting a series of draft discussion papers to the SPD biblical research committee by March 31. The commitment to study the issue was made at the 2010 General Conference (GC) session with a timetable and outline of the review process released at the Church’s annual council in October last year. Dr Artur Stele, world church vice president and director of the Biblical Research Institute, said the process would examine the foundation of ordination as well as its implications for church practices. The GC’s Biblical Research Institute will coordinate the process of studying ordination with corresponding biblical research committees in each of the church’s 13 world divisions. “This will be a very careful process,” GC president, Dr Ted Wilson, said. Each division is asked to request its biblical research committee to study the theology of ordination and its implications for church practices in that region. SPD field secretary, Dr David Tasker, will coordinate the process here. He has already contacted a wide group of biblical scholars and church administrators, asking each to comment on one of 12 aspects of ordination. Pastors pray over Prime Minister Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea In December, Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill was surrounded by Seventh-day Adventist pastors at Korobosea church for a prayer and dedication of his leadership and government. The Prime Minister was invited to attend a church service and unveil a million kina proposed state-of–the-art refurbishment of Korobosea church to cater for the influx of membership in the city. Mr O’Neill acknowledged the contributions of the Adventist Church with other Christian denominations in the country, saying churches played an important role in all communities throughout PNG. “Not only in spiritual development but in provision of health and education services as well,“ Mr O’Neill said. “My government appreciates these services.” The Prime Minister pledged K1.5 million to the delight of the local congregation. K1 million of this donation comes from the current church-state partnership program and the remaining K500,000 comes from the Prime Minister’s discretionary fund. President of Papua New Guinea Union Mission, Dr Leigh It’s an unprecedented task. “We’ve taken a lot of things for granted,” Dr Tasker said, reflecting on Seventh-day Adventist church practice. “We do a lot of things Dr David Tasker explains how the SPD will based upon what John be involved in the review of ordination. Wesley did, which is not wrong but it’s a tradition rather than a theology. So we’ve never looked at a theology of ordination before. I mean, why do we ordain deacons and then elders and then ministers? What is the biblical justification for having those different levels of ordination? And that’s [just] one of the issues that we’ll be looking at.” The SPD, along with the other divisions, will review the study made by its biblical research committee at the 2013 year-end meetings. It will make recommendations to the Biblical Research Institute director for consideration by a theology of ordination study committee with appropriate division representation. This committee will analyse the materials received from the divisions and prepare a combined report by June 2014 to be reviewed by various General Conference committees, with a view to processing recommendations as part of the 2015 General Conference session agenda.—Ansel Oliver/ANN/Kent Kingston Rice, thanked the Prime Minister and acknowledged his government’s support. Dr Rice also thanked Korobosea church members for Pastor Leigh Rice prays for Mr O’Neill. their contribution in tithes and offerings and taking the initiative to engage in the major facelift project for their church. “These visible externals reveal a much more important internal quality—a healthy church,” Dr Rice said. He told the congregation they were a fine example of the vision of the church in PNG to be always growing and excelling in all areas of ministry. Senior church pastor Kadasa Damaro was overwhelmed with the support of the Prime Minister which was needed to complete the church.—Andrew Opis record.<strong>net</strong>.<strong>au</strong> • JANUARY 21, 2012 7
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