Even a verbatim account of the 1967 Autumn Council would be like making a molehill out of a mountain. This statement applies not only to the council's moments of deep spiritual significance but also to the time spent on tortuous problems confronting our movement in an era of bewildering change.
Major Council
Usually the second council after the General Conference session is a small one devoted mainly to North American Division business. But the session this year found all overseas division leaders, along with North American local presidents, in attendance. The worldwide revival and evangelistic advance, plus numerous knotty problems, undoubtedly led to making this council a major one. Daily business sessions were held in the Takoma Park church but the evening reports were given at the Sligo church and broadcast over the Columbia Union College FM station. The large evening attendances probably rate this council as the one with the greatest community impact of any Autumn Council conducted in recent years.
Negatives and Positives
So that we may be able to end this article on a positive note, consideration will be given first to problems discussed at the council. The very first business session plunged the delegates into the barbed church-state relationships in the United States. Our educational and medical institutional administrators are faced with multimillion-dollar building programs. The American Government's financial give-away program is well nigh irresistible. Can the financial structure of the church survive if she is expected to dole out expansion and remodeling dollars? Any pastor-evangelist whose church or district sponsors a church school faces in miniature what the church faces with its universities, colleges, and hospitals.
The traditional American Adventist position has been to refuse acceptance of government funds either for operating expenses or for capital improvements. Good consecrated men on both sides of the church-state volleyball net presented their views forcefully and clearly. One was reminded of the early New Testament church council recorded in Acts 15, where a very spirited but pointed discussion took place over the matter of circumcision and related laws. The issues of this early church council seem to be minute compared with our dilemmas today, but the importance and relevancy of their problems to their day was just as great.
Who knows the right way to pursue? I discussed this problem with men of opposing views, and each presents seemingly logical and conclusive evidence supporting his stand. If the vote depended upon the sincerity and dedication of these men, it would result in a draw.
Solutions Available
Those reading these lines may have the answer. There is one thing certain, our leaders need our prayers. Just as the world's political leaders face problems they are unable to solve, so do our church leaders. There is one difference—a vast difference— we have a God who has the answers. Our in ability to solve these problems does not mean that there are no solutions. It simply means that the church needs to move for ward on its knees. Guidance will come if leaders and laity alike are determined to elevate Christ and His plans above all. My own personal viewpoint is that we need to restudy our objectives as a church. This could possibly lead to a major overhauling of our present policies and trends and place an emphasis on certain values and goals that formerly have been neglected.
This particular problem was not solved. We will face it again and again. For certain, if the church continues to operate on its present educational and medical policies, written or unwritten, something must give one way or the other. Our earnest prayer is that God's plan for us will triumph and not man's will. If men triumph without God leading, disaster will be our reward.
Heartstrings and Purse Strings
A second major problem stems from salary rates. It is rather interesting to note how much time and energy were spent on the dollar sign. Yet as I reread Acts 151 couldn't find a single word or phrase dealing with wage scales. The entire church council was involved with theological discussions. I have often wondered what would happen to our councils if at least half the time was spent on theology! Attendance at this year's council was always at its height when financial matters were being discussed. Heartstrings and purse strings seem to be quite inseparable.
Buttonholing several hospital administrators helped me to understand some of the salary problems they face in the medical field. Competition, area wage scales, the American Nursing Association, hospital unionization, and Federal wage-hour laws are the main contributing factors that affect our denominational hospital wage scales. Space will permit only a brief commentary. The crux of the whole problem centers on our basic concept of sacrificial living on the part of denominational employees. The antecedent of this concept is our denominational wage scale, which in the past has been equated with lower, as compared with the world, but livable salaries. Which road should the church travel? Shall we remain as a unit and keep wage scales relatively uniform or shall we permit one segment of the work to launch out on its own and pay what the worldly environment dictates? Should trends of the times affect our decisions in this area? If we say Yes, then what will we answer when educational and publishing institutions come along with the same arguments? These are not easy problems, but God has the right solution. We appeal to our world ministers to pray that God will grant wisdom to our leaders in dealing with these and a host of other problems. To condemn or criticize is not only useless but damaging.
Need of Reversing a Trend
One interesting combination of both good and bad centers on our financial gains. In 1966 our tithes and offerings exceeded any past records. But the relationship of tithe and mission giving is still headed the wrong way. During 1966 in North America, according to the treasurer's report, our members contributed the lowest average ever for missions—only .242 for every dollar of tithe. In 1931, our highest record was .679, and this was in depression years.
It was pointed out that if our 1966 mission giving was in the same proportion to tithe as it was in 1931, we would have contributed nearly $30 million more! More than double!
From a financial standpoint, one of the finest actions taken in recent years, from this writer's viewpoint, was the allocation this year of nearly $700,000 for evangelism in North America. This administration is not merely talking evangelism, but giving tangible evidence of its conviction. Of course the $44 million budget, the largest in history by $4 million, electrified the delegates. Especially when numerically our church is small, to consider an amount of this size staggers the imagination. God is good to give such a liberal spirit to His people.
The morning devotionals were outstanding. These will appear in the Review. The nightly reports of world divisions were most encouraging.
In spite of difficult problems, in spite of Satan doing everything possible to stop the church's progress, in spite of adverse circumstances in every country, a feeling of triumph pervaded the entire session from beginning to end. This is God's movement. I, along with you, am proud to be a Seventh-day Adventist and doubly proud to be a Seventh-day Adventist minister.
