The Epic, Pt. 23

Takoma Park has a celebrity member. I don’t mean a Hollywood type or a professional athlete. This is a church celebrity—Elder Matthew Bediako, Secretary of the General Conference. (For anyone reading this who might not know, that makes him the number two most powerful person in the Seventh-day Adventist World Church.)

Up to this point in the dispute Elder Bediako had not made any public statements one way or the other and Pastor DeSilva had claimed that his silence was a token of support. This argument was having a lot of sway with many in the church, and the Group became concerned about the way Elder Bediako’s influence was being used for him, particularly since we had heard privately from reliable sources (such as his wife) that he was very troubled by the changes. It occurred to the Group that given his busy travel schedule word might not have caught up with Elder Bediako that Pastor DeSilva was claiming to have his endorsement, so the Group wrote him the following letter asking that he publicly declare his position one way or the other and end the confusion about his stand.

“May 16, 2008

“Dear Elder Bediako,

“We are writing to you regarding the present disturbance at the Takoma Park Church over the recent change in organizational structure. As you know, this change is contrary to the form of local church governance mandated by the Church Manual. The fact that this change has been successfully muscled through sets a terrible precedent at a time when the entire conference is being pushed by conference leadership to make whatever changes they might deem necessary to achieve church growth—specifically by concentrating authority with the pastors so they can “lead more effectively” and by abolishing the church board.

“What you may not know is that over the last few months you have been described by the pastoral staff and their supporters both publicly and privately, directly and by insinuation, as being wholly in favor of this change. It has been our understanding that you have not publicly spoken against this because you did not wish to improperly use your influence as a General Conference officer, not because you were in favor of the change. While we respect this concern the unfortunate reality is that by choosing not to actively use your influence you have inadvertently allowed others to use it for their own purposes.

“If we correctly understand your position on this matter, we respectfully submit that the time has come to declare your position publicly either for or against the changes now occurring in the Takoma Park Church. Whether you do so as Secretary of the General Conference, a local elder, or simply as a rank-and-file member, we beg you to make a very clear public declaration of your position on this change in church structure. We suggest that one way to make a public declaration of your position is to call for a meeting of all the officers of the church and state your position to them.”

When the completed letter was delivered to Elder Bediako it carried about two dozen signatures. This was his reply:

“May 28, 2008

“Fellow Members:

“Thank you for your letter. The situation at the Takoma Park Church is very unfortunate and very disturbing. I have not made any public statement to any group because I have not been around to know the details of what has taken place so far.

“I need to let the Church know that my role will be for reconciliation so there could be peace in the Church in order to do the work that has been assigned to us as a Church. I want to appeal to all parties—both the pastoral staff and those who are unhappy about what has happened—to exercise restraint and work together to find a solution.

“Pastor Vernon Parmenter, my Associate Secretary, and one who has been assigned to be responsible for the Church Manual and its application, has already written a letter addressed to the Takoma Park Church, pointing out statements from the Church Manual. This is a document that the whole world Church has voted and it is applied all over the world. As one of your elders, I am in full support of the Church Manual.

“Whatever I can do to bring peace will be the way I will approach the whole situation at the Takoma Park Church.

“Thank you for letting me know exactly what has taken place in the Church.

“Sincerely,

“Matthew A Bediako
“Executive Secretary
“General Conference of SDA”

Elder Bediako, clearly, is a politician who doesn’t relish sticking his neck out. The third paragraph, however, said all that needed saying regarding his position. He pointed us back to the letter written by Elder Parmenter—which Pastor DeSilva had dismissed as out-of-line, misinformed, and irrelevant—and not only stood behind that letter but declared that his personal support was for the Church Manual, which must be followed.

Next: A Finer Point

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