The Epic, Pt. 48

On January 19, 2009 a meeting took place between the Group and Elder Bediako, at his request. Elder Bediako is a member of the Takoma Park SDA Church and the Executive Secretary of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The meeting took place at Elder B’s home, which was so packed for the occasion that people were sitting on the fireplace hearth for lack of other space. Elder Bediako was provided with a summary of the Group’s efforts to date. The floor was then opened for individual statements. Many took the opportunity to describe troubling behavior they had observed from the pastoral staff in the last few years. These testimonies described behavior such as Pastor DeSilva and the business manager misinforming the congregation on financial matters (particularly in regards to the loan for the a/c repair), Pastor DeSilva pressuring potential baptismal candidates, and expressions of jealousy from Pastor DeSilva that an associate pastor should be asked to perform the funerals of prominent members instead of him.

One individual questioned Elder Bediako about his position on the change in governance structure. (Even after the letter from Elder Bediako had circulated Pastor DeSilva continued to claim that he had Elder Bediako’s support. He claimed to have met privately with Elder Bediako after he had written the letter and been told that the Group had misinterpreted it. Mrs. DeSilva, likewise, claimed to have spoken directly with Elder Bediako and been told that he supported the new governance.) The Group wished to clear up this confusion once and for all, and was eager to hear his answer. His response was quite telling.

“The General Conference was 80 years at Takoma Park. When we left, nobody noticed. We were in our own circle—we didn’t go out. The need to reach the community, nobody will oppose it. I’m 100% in favor of that. I personally believe it should not be done only by Takoma Park. Sligo [SDA Church] is also in Takoma Park. The hospital, WAH, is there. The college is also there. Personally, I wish we were working together to really reach that community.

“I’ve met with Alan twice. If you were to see his outline, his diagram, I’ve made a lot of changes on it. And when he came to my office I took and made suggestions. …I’ve made corrections. Miller called me, and I said, ‘According to my suggestions, I would be 100% behind it because that’s Church Manual.’ He understands all that.

“My outfit is the one in charge of the Church Manual. I’m saying that Secretariat, of which I’m the head of it, is in charge of the Church Manual. If there are to be any changes, it comes through us, and we’ll work it out. Now, would I tear up and change what we have agreed upon? And that’s why Parmenter wrote that letter. I say, he’s the one responsible for that, he’s the secretary for the world Church Manual Committee, and I have approved it. For him [Pastor DeSilva] to say that I’m in favor of that, yes I’m in favor of that, according to my suggestions…

“The General Conference president doesn’t have that power [to unilaterally change the Church Manual]! …The Adventist Church is not like the pope—he speaks, and no one questions. To make that change it has to go to GC Session.

“The Church Board should appoint all other subcommittees, and should report to the church. Unfortunately, some of our ministers are going outside to learn how the church should grow. Even the church growth specialists are beginning to say that what has worked on the outside will not work in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, because our church is different.”

At the end of the meeting Elder Bediako expressed astonishment and disbelief that the Potomac Conference was allowing all of these things to happen at Takoma Park unchecked and acknowledged that the Group’s efforts were not about some personal agenda, but rather God’s agenda.

Next: Voting the Vision

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