Pastors, be warned!

SDA head tells preachers to keep politics out of the pulpit

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

WITH memories of the fiery "stinking truth" sermon still fresh, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has warned its pastors to keep politics out of their pulpits.

Head of the 250,000-strong West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Pastor Derek Bignall left no doubt about the position of the church as he ordained nine new pastors last Saturday.

"You are a priest, a minister, a friend and a servant. You are a teacher of righteousness, so when you come to the pulpit, you must preach Christ and him crucified. This pulpit is made to preach Christ, not politics. This place is for Jesus and Jesus alone," Bignall said.

Bignall, delivering the main address at the service of ordination for the church's western region at the SDA Conference Centre in Mount Salem, St James, did not make any direct reference to pastor Lorenzo King's controversial sermon at the Andrews Memorial Church in Kingston recently.

King, against the backdrop of calls for Prime Minister Bruce Golding to tell the country the full truth about the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips issue involving Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, urged leaders to give "the full, stinking truth" to the nation at all times.

The following day Bignall issued a statement saying King was not speaking for the SDA church.

On Saturday he told the new pastors that Jesus walked on earth for 30-plus years and yet did not become involved in the political issues of the day.

"He went about doing good -- healing the sick, feeding the poor, caring for the erring. He never had any contention with Rome. We are here to tell men that Jesus Christ is coming again and soon."

"The greatest work, the highest work, the most noble work pastors are called to do is the saving of souls. No work is greater than this. Angels would be excited to do the work that we do, co-labourers together with Christ for the salvation of souls," he said.

"We must teach the members how to live like Jesus; to be kind to the erring ones, the weak and the strong ones. Pray for them and treat them well," Bignall said.

Those ordained as pastors were Howard Morgan and Mario Parchment from the Petersfield and Whitehouse District of Churches in Westmoreland; Andre Wallace and Trevor Reid from the Vaughnsfield and Harrison District of Churches in St James; Orsick Page, Flecon Moodie, Delbert Brown and Jeremy Earle from the New Market, Goshen, Siloah, Southfield and Bull Savannah District of Churches in St Elizabeth.

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COMMENTS (27)

Anancy Bedward
6/15/2010

The pastor is not correct in saying that Jesus did not get involved in the politics of the day. Jesus said he was a KING with a KINGDOM. Any Roman ruler at that time hearing those words would have viewed them as a treasonous political message.
.
Politics affect the lives of everybody in a society. I think that christians should have some political involvement in order to prevent the rise of tyranny.

Peter Sparks
6/15/2010

The church is hiding Dudus. The security forces, in addition to seraching, the homes of politicians, need to search churches. Dudus has been absent for a while now; He heeds unparrelled privacy ( what places can provide this?) he needs to eat, shower, shave, watch TV, etc. This means he is in a place that provides creature comforts!

nickoy lewis
6/15/2010

I don't agree with Pastor Bignall. The Church can't operate like we don't live here; because we do and are affected by all that's happening in our country. John the Baptist preached for people to be saved and he also challenged evil and corruption in the government of Herod at the time; he was imprisoned and beheaded but he spoke the TRUTH. Read Matt 14:3-4.
Cut out the hypocrisy!!!

real southy
6/15/2010

Rev Martin Luther King walked on the Earth for 40 odd years and he got involved in the politics of the day. he lost his life but his name will live on in history. Pastor Bignall's name will be forgotten as soon as he leaves his pulpit

Richard Wayne
6/15/2010

Jesus was very wise in his utterances but certainly not silent on civic issues and politics. Lorenzo King's use of the placards may have given his otherwise awesome sermon a "black eye" but it was the the "stinking truth." Get over yourself Pastor Bignall!!!

Hope Alive
6/15/2010

What is Mr. Allen doing as the Head of State? Isn't he an Adventist.

Hope Alive
6/15/2010

Hogwash, Bignall. You mean the SDA pastors should not say anything detrimental to the JLP? If you do you'd be hurting Charles, Gallimore. Lorna Golding, and the many others in the govt.

Free Buju
6/15/2010

Well said Jaye Stone.
Howie J

dayvid green
6/15/2010

we keep asking where is the church where is the church when anything goes wrong
the full stinking truth is required and the pulpits can be the staging area , Rome wasn't the threat it was the pharisees that were politicizing the true religion with their hypocrisy , claiming to be a godly nation and doing the opposite ..same with Jamaica our leaders make bold claims of godliness and morality then return to their proverbial vomit and all the while the people suffer , we need the stinking truth

rudolph reynolds
6/15/2010

Now we know why the SDA church has been silent on the GG's convenient absence when it was time to sign the Casino gambling bill.

kauz rich
6/15/2010

I do not agree with Bignall at all. If issues concern us, then men of God should speak on these issues.If preachers of the past had adopted this mentality, then the liberties that we have enjoyed in western societies would be non existent. We have been called to be light in this world, not run away and hide.Even though Christ's kingdom is yet to be fully revealed, we are not to accept all unrighteousness and resign ourselves to total corruption.

george watson
6/15/2010

Maybe you need to tell the GG that. Why not say that members of the church should not take part in politics, such as the Jehovah Witnesses do? You want to have your cake and eat it too --- Partcipate in politicis at the highest level, but not be subject to criticism.
I used to study with the Adventists, but when I learnt that the gambling bill had been signed into Law and heard that the GG was on leave, but did not resign, I knew that that was hypocrisy at its heightsand that was it for me.

Hugh Maxwell
6/15/2010

This is a joke. The GG is an SDA; and he sanctioned a gambling bill inderectly. I guess the filthy lucre of the office of the GG was too much for him to resist. I remember my uncle (an adventist) used to have someone worked for him on the sabbath at his job and claiming that he is keeping the sabbath holy. If this is not that an evil and hyprocrisy - making someone sin for you and that is fine.
Is who SDA fooling again.?.politics is in the SDA church alive and well!

6/15/2010

The Seventh Day Adventist church is the Official Church of Jamaica...thanks to Bruce....Constitutional seperation of Church and State needed..

Kweli Simba
6/15/2010

Pastor Bignall is correct in instructing the new leaders that their job is to preach salvation and not politics. Politics and religion never was a good match. An abiding theme in all religions is that this world is not the home of the believer. Believers are encouraged to come out from among them and be separate and touch not the unclean things. The church's voice must be heard in the context of encouragement and grace as in render to Ceasar the things that are his and God the things of God.

Jade July
6/15/2010

Mr. Bignall is correct, he did not say they could not talk about it he is telling them not to preach it from the pulpits. There are many forums the church has that they can discuss such issues. When they tried to get Jesus involved in such issues he said "render unto Cesar what is Cesar and unto God what is God @ Man A Yard the political leaders of the day had no problems with Jesus, go back and read your bible or read the history of the day

mark kendall
6/15/2010

Bignall is in the wrong church. He should be a Jehovah's Witness. Why? The SDA church is already embroiled in politics. They are a member of the world council of churches.

Peter Lawrence
6/15/2010

Pastor Bignall's sense of politics is warped . How is it that this man -. President of SDA pastors- thinks that asking for truth from politicians is "interfering in politics". Jesus said " I am the way, the truth and the life", but Bignall would rather cover up lies than call for truth?, is it fear of reprisals? Even the PM apologised for hiding the whole truth. The bible is full of brave men confronting falsity in high places. looks like "see no evil" coverup to me. shhhhh. Down Pastors!!

brian whint
6/15/2010

Pastor Bignall. have you ever heard of the Holocaust that took place in Germany in 1933-1945? What did the churches do? Did they not remain aloof, & silent on all the political and injustice carried out against the Jews? Are you not aware that the church is one of the most powerful institutions in this world? If the churches work together to add pressure on political matters as well as spearhead clean up actions of criminality , this would be a better Jamaica. Thats a duty of the church.

Maude Cooper
6/15/2010

By the way, do the people who disagree with Mr.Bingill know that there are religions out there that does not allow their members even go out to vote? I strongly feel that every country has to have a leader and voting should be part of that process. But that as far as the church should accept...Politics has not place in the church, there are all kinds of news media for everyone to get their full of politics and make their own decision…and if they need counsel the pastor can do it one on one. No Pope or pastors can replace Jesus /God they are only messengers .

Maude Cooper
6/15/2010

I guess the part of the bible that says one cannot hold God in one hand and Satan in the other, or that some will use the name of God for evil works, was ripped out of some of them now-a-days preachers bible. Redemption is what church should be about…Some of these criminals never go to church when they were alive, but when they die you see their bodies in church and pastor preaching like anyone can use broom-stick to push them to heaven…. That should never happen, pastors or anyone who can read a bible should do it over the body of a criminal only at the graveside not in a church.

Jaye Stone
6/15/2010

True. The separation of church and state is something Jesus believed in. He never once pointed a finger at the Roman occupation of Israel from the manger to the cross, and even exhorted Peter to pay Rome its due taxes. So when religious leaders call on the Prime Minister to call "a national day of fasting and prayer" when Jesus refrained from such, is showing how little they understand that Jesus' message was not to change the politics but the hearts of individuals. Jamaica is not the church.

Lloyd Roberts
6/15/2010

This pastor's exhortation is full of so much holes, one does not have to be a theologian to see its non-alignment to the teachings of the Bible, using the historical experiences throughout. Is Christ's commentary to "render unto Caesar ..." a-political? And what is politics anyway? The machinery used to impact the every aspect of the citizenry's lives. I see his exhortation as likely a back-handed intrusion into politics itself - what if there was another government in place? Mmmmm?

L S
6/15/2010

There is nothing wrong in asking for the truth! If the PM"s was affiliated with another religious faith or no church at all would Pastor Bignall make these same remarks? It is the responsibility of the church to help direct the country espcially on moral grounds and hold our leaders responsible. Thats part of the education that the parishioners should receive from the church.

Man A Yard
6/15/2010

When politics affect the lives of people, what should the church do? Bury its head in the sand? Jesus was not crucified for healing the sick, feeding the poor, and caring for the erring. He was crucified because he challenged the authorities and their mode of thinking. The church does not exist in a vacuum but is affected by what is going on around it. I find Bignall's remarks to be immature at best.

Chris Burgess
6/15/2010

Dear Sir,
Allow me to comment on Mr. Bignall's warning to SDA pastors.
Had Jesus Christ take this cowardly approach that Mr. Bignall proposes then I suppose the Jewish fathers and Roman rulers of the day would have never felt the need to change their ways.
Mr. Bignall, the church must be like an attentive and fearless shepherd. Keeping quiet is not an option in the Jamaica we have today

Steve Allen
6/15/2010

This is for pastor Bignall , as a pastor and teacher you should let your followers know everything that is going on in your country, you may try to hide sometimes but one of those days you will have to face the truth , because the truth can never be hidden.

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Pastors, be warned!