Danny Shelton's Message to All Adventists andThe General Conference |

Danny Shelton's Message to All Adventists and The General Conference | danny shelton latest sermon

SDA Truth TV | SDA Sermons & Adventist News and 3 more

Oct 1, 2026 

Danny Shelton is arguing that church policy should never override biblical theology or the leading of the Holy Spirit. - Full Breakdown & Bible study.

In this video we break down  danny shelton  and what this message means for the  seventh day adventist  church today. If you've been searching for  danny shelton  preaching on repentance, reformation and the state of the church, this will give you the full context with Scripture.

We look at what he actually said, the Bible verses he used, and why this  sda sermons  moment is sparking so much discussion about the  laodicean church , the  remnant church  and true revival. 

This Sermon is Perfect for anyone following 3ABN,  seventh day adventist  preaching, and end-time  bible study .

You are talking my language

Editorial

Gary Krause, PhD, is director of the Office of Adventist Mission of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.

The world has come a long way technologically. Today, one person, with one phone, can communicate with millions. That is not surprising in our new digital world, a world where an average smartphone is millions of times faster than the computer system that landed Apollo 11 on the moon. In today’s world, more than six billion people—three-quarters of the world population—now use the internet, and more than a billion of them follow Portuguese football (soccer) star Cristiano Ronaldo across social media platforms.

From months to moments

Adventist media has also come a long way. In the summer of 1849, a small group of fervent Advent believers knelt beside printed sheets of paper to ask God to bless all who would read the truth-filled pages. Those sheets were the eight-page pamphlet called Present Truth. Physically and emotionally exhausted after months of work on the pamphlet, James White, author of this new publication, trudged eight miles to the nearest town to post it.

Today, of course, any pastor can ask generative AI, such as ChatGPT, to help them write a feature. Then, with a couple of keystrokes, they can email it or post it on social media to an exponentially larger audience. All done in 30 minutes.

The Trail to Women’s Ordination in the NPUC Started in Oregon

Naomi Pepper 

September 3, 2026

The historic vote on women’s ordination at the 2026 North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) constituency session was driven by Adventists in Oregon. The motion was voted onto the agenda after delegates successfully navigated complex internal union bylaws to secure a direct vote. The efforts of these delegates resulted in a major victory for women in ministry and longtime advocates of ordination equality across the region.

Kessia Reyne Bennett, lead pastor of the Pleasant Valley Adventist Church in Oregon and a delegate at large, offered support that was characteristic of the careful way in which the Oregon Conference constituents presented the proposal. Noting that the move was not oppositional toward either the General Conference (GC) or “the establishment,” Bennett said, “I appreciate the motion for recognizing the authority of of the unions to administer ministerial credentials,” and added that the motion was careful not to compel conferences to put forward candidates who would not align with the conference’s “convictions or the qualifications of the candidate.” Kessia Reyne Bennett praised the motion for recognizing unions’ authority to approve ordinations. Video NPUC

But it wasn’t only Oregonians who spoke out in favor of ordination. José Haroldo Alomia, pastor of the Kirkland Adventist Church in the Washington Conference, said in support of the motion, “As a Hispanic man growing up in Latin America, I used to be of the opinion that women could not be ordained, nor lead in the church as I could.” He added that in over two decades of ministry, he changed his position because “Scripture doesn’t explicitly prohibit it,” and because his ministry “has been blessed and amplified by all the women that have worked with me,” including his current associate.José Haroldo Alomia noted that the Mid-America Union had already implemented the same measure proposed by the NPUC with no adverse effects to the Adventist Church or its mission. Video: NPUC

During more than an hour of discussion on the motion, of the 26 delegates who commented on the motion, seventeen spoke in favor, six in opposition, and three raised questions or declined to state a position. Nine of the seventeen delegates who voiced support are Oregon Conference pastors; one is an administrator in the conference.

The road to getting the motion to the floor was far from simple. Organizers had to navigate significant administrative hurdles to ensure the union leadership heard what a majority—62 percent—of delegates wanted for the women working in their churches.

The question of women’s ordination remains one of the most debated issues within the Adventist Church. Notably, the issue was brought to delegates at the 2015 GC Session in San Antonio, Texas. Out of 2,358 voters representing the world church, that motion fell just 203 votes short of allowing each world division to decide whether to permit the ordaining of women within their territory. There has not been a GC vote about whether unions can decide.

Increasingly, Adventists have pushed back against this stance, advocating more flexibility for unions and conferences to do what they believe is best for their congregations and pastors in their local contexts. With their awareness of how biblical values need to be communicated to increasingly diverse communities, they note how inviting people to join a church that officially discriminates on the basis of gender impedes Adventist mission. Walla Walla, Washington resident Jack Hoehn, author of Adventist Tomorrow: Fresh Ideas While Waiting for Jesus, stated in an interview, “‘Not now’ to female pastors is just another way of men saying ‘no!’”

In 2012, well before the 2015 GC vote, the Pacific Union and the Columbia Union successfully voted bylaw amendments approving “ordination to the gospel ministry without regard to gender” in their respective territories.

In 2021, the Mid-America Union followed, stating in their motion that it,“recognizes the right and responsibility of each local conference to prepare and recommend names for ordination, and will consider all recommended persons for ordination as submitted by the respective local conference executive committees.”

This was the exact language that members of the Oregon Conference executive committee used when submitting their proposed motion for the constituency session agenda. Though this does not compel conferences within the union to take any particular action, it gives each conference the flexibility to follow its own convictions on employment gender equality.

Women’s Ordination: By Whose Authority? | Marko Kolic

 

Women’s Ordination: By Whose Authority? | Marko Kolic

Profit From Prophets

Sep 3, 2026 

Women’s ordination—by whose authority can the church ordain women to gospel ministry? Marko Kolic examines the women’s ordination debate, General Conference votes, and biblical qualifications for church leadership, asking whether Scripture or human decisions have the final say.

North Pacific Union Votes to Allow Women’s Ordination

Delegates to the North Pacific Union Conference’s 30th Constituency Session voted Sunday, August 23, to recognize local conferences’ right to recommend candidates for ordination, opening the way for conferences to submit women pastors for ordination consideration by the union.

The motion, brought to the session following a request from the Oregon Conference, states that the North Pacific Union “recognizes the right and responsibility of each local conference to prepare and recommend names for ordination” and will consider candidates submitted by local conference executive committees. In the vote, 62.6% supported the motion and 37.4% opposed it, with 310 votes cast, according to results displayed during the livestream. Before the main vote, delegates rejected an attempt to require a two-thirds majority for passage: 59.5% supported raising the threshold, short of the two-thirds required, while 40.5% voted no.

The action is significant in the denomination’s continuing debate over women’s ordination. The General Conference Session last voted on the broader issue in 2015, when delegates rejected allowing divisions to decide independently whether to ordain women. Earlier this year, the NPUC Executive Committee asked the General Conference to place women’s ordination back on the agenda for the 2030 GC Session. Sunday’s constituency action goes further locally by establishing that the union will consider ordination candidates recommended by its conferences. The session is being held at Walla Walla University Church in College Place, Washington, with delegates representing the union’s six conferences.

Image: Delegates vote on an ordination motion during the 2026 North Pacific Union Conference constituency session. The motion passed with 62.6 percent support. Image: NPUC constituency session livestream.

North Pacific Union ConferenceStanton

Source

The Good—Not Great—Commission of Women Pastors

Andrew Francis|August 13, 2026

As much of the US spent the evening of Saturday, July 4 outside, celebrating the nation’s independence with barbecues and fireworks, I too was outdoors, though I was not thinking about America’s 250th birthday. Instead, I was at the hot and humid Camp Victory Lake in Hyde Park, New York, for the Northeastern Conference’s second week of camp meeting, which included its annual ordination service. What occurred during that special service helped illustrate the denominational progress Adventism has made, while also highlighting what has been described as its “hypocritical” nature.

Four ordinands stood on stage alongside top conference administrators and General Conference (GC) Vice President Pierre Omeler, who gave the program’s homily. All four ordinands had been serving as pastors and leading churches in the Northeastern Conference for at least four years. All four were vetted by a conference ordination committee to determine their “spiritual stability,” “social maturity,” and other character qualifications. All four went through the same ceremonial procedures during the July 4th ordination program. Yet, only three pastors were ordained.

What Even is the Difference?

Petrice Wideman holds her certificate after being commissioned as a pastor at the Northeastern Conference camp meeting. Photo courtesy of Petrice Wideman

The fourth pastor was Petrice Wideman, lead pastor of the Stuyvesant Heights Church, one of the few women pastors in the conference. She is also Omeler’s daughter. Despite being listed as an “ordinand” in the camp meeting bulletin, Wideman was granted the distinction of being commissioned by the conference, an alternative to ordination that is used almost exclusively for women pastors. While both require nearly identical qualifications and expectations of the candidates, ordination is superior to being commissioned, as it grants the pastor the ability to plant churches and hold administrative positions. Many maintain that different distinctions are just a tool to limit a woman’s pastoral capacities.

“It’s a semantic thing where one word is used for women, but one word is used for men,” Wideman explained. “But the thing is, words are very impactful. So on the one hand, it’s not much of a difference, but then on the other hand, the small distinction is everything, where for many people it will always justify the subordination or devaluing of women leaders.”

The Atlantic Union, which the Northeastern Conference is a part of, currently permits the hiring and commissioning of female pastors. A few other North American Division (NAD) unions permit women’s ordination, in direct opposition to the GC’s mandate based on a vote during the 2015 GC Session to not allow women’s ordination. This distinction, however, seems to be lost on many church members, as seen during Wideman’s commissioning.

Fauci’s 5th Frenzy: 111 Refusals on Capitol Hill

July 30, 2026 NewsHound



Dr. Anthony Fauci’s July 29, 2026, appearance before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Rand Paul, was a contentious spectacle marked by his repeated invocation of the Fifth Amendment.

The 85-year-old former NIAID director, subpoenaed after declining voluntary testimony, opened by accusing Paul of an “obvious obsession” and “unhinged” campaign aimed at putting him “behind bars.” He cited Paul’s prior calls for prosecution, critical comments, and the recent public release of Fauci’s unredacted personal diary. On advice of counsel, he then declined nearly every question—invoking the Fifth roughly 111 times (reports range from over 100 to about 115)—with the fixed reply that he declined based on his constitutional rights against self-incrimination.

Compounding the optics was the preemptive “full and unconditional” pardon Biden granted Fauci on January 19, 2025—his final full day in office—covering any potential offenses from 2014 tied to his government service. That document was executed via autopen, the mechanical signature device, amid later revelations that White House staff (including then-Chief of Staff Jeff Zients) authorized its use after late-night meetings, with limited contemporaneous evidence of Biden’s direct personal review of every name. Critics have hammered the process as a last-minute shield that bypassed traditional accountability, raising unresolved questions about presidential intent and validity even as Biden insisted he made the decisions and that autopen use is longstanding and legal. The pardon did not cover potential new perjury or obstruction from this hearing itself, leaving Fauci still vulnerable and the Fifth as his remaining fortress.

Questions covered long-disputed topics: NIH funding related to gain-of-function research, the Wuhan lab and COVID-19 origins, pandemic response decisions, diary entries, and even trivial probes (tie color, carpet color) meant to test the scope of the privilege. Fauci answered no questions substantively. One of his attorneys was ejected after attempting to interject. Paul and other Republicans expressed frustration, warned of obstruction consequences, and signaled plans for a contempt-of-Congress vote, arguing the prior Biden preemptive pardon (covering actions through early 2025) limited the privilege’s applicability to new testimony risks such as perjury.



Fauci framed the hearing as a political trap rather than legitimate oversight, noting his extensive prior congressional appearances without invoking the Fifth. Supporters of the inquiry viewed the blanket silence as obstructive and damaging to accountability on pandemic policy and research. Critics of the proceedings saw it as a partisan exercise unlikely to yield new facts given the adversarial history between Paul and Fauci. The session produced no substantive answers, amplified existing divides over COVID origins and handling, and left legal questions (contempt, the interplay of pardon and privilege) for further process. It underscored how polarized the residual debates remain, 5-6 years later.

[BREAKING: Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is sending a plane to Washington DC to obtain mountains of evidence against Dr. Fauci so a state-level case can be brought — CIRCUMVENTING the pardon]

How the Jesuits infiltrate and conquer the GCSdA

How Jesuits infiltrate and conquered SDA GC ..... Shown to Ellen white in Dream, just take time read it and meditate upon it .

That night I dreamed I was in Battle Creek looking out from the side glass at the door, and saw a company marching up to the house, two and two. They looked stern and  determined. I knew them well and turned to open the parlor door to receive them, but thought I would look again. The scene was changed. The appearance now presented was like a Catholic procession. One of the company bore in his hand a cross. Another had a reed. And as they neared the house, the one carrying a reed made a circle ‘around the house, saying three times, “This house is proscribed. The goods must be confiscated. They have spoken against our holy order.” Terror seized me, and I ran through the house, out of the north door, and found myself in the midst of a company some of whom I knew, but I dared not speak a word with them for fear of being betrayed. I tried to seek a retired spot where I might weep and pray without meeting eager, inquisitive eyes everywhere I turned. I repeated frequently, “If I could only understand this! If they will tell me what I have said, or what I have done!” I wept and prayed much as I saw our goods being confiscated. I tried to read sympathy or pity for me in the looks of those around me, and marked several countenances of those whom I thought would speak with me, and comfort me, if they did not fear that they would be observed by others. I made one attempt to escape from the crowd, but I saw that I was watched, and I concealed my intentions. I commenced weeping aloud, and saying, “If they would only tell me what I have done.

Testimony for the Church, No. 13, a 1867 pamphlet, p.12.

Mirrored from a Martin Kot's post on FB.

“We Are Here.” Glendale City Church Attends Pride in the Park

Tony Biehl|June 23, 2026|Reports

Earlier this month, the Glendale City Church in Glendale, California, was invited to join GlendaleOUT’s Pride in the Park event—a bring your own lunch picnic in Adam’s Square Mini Park a couple of miles from the church. To honor our LGBTQ+ siblings, about a dozen of us trundled down to the park after church. I like to attend Pride events, so I looked forward to this one. Parking, however, was impossible. I wandered in the parking wilderness for a while, despairing at the sight of what seemed like endless cars and no spaces until a spot finally appeared—Yay!

I clumped two blocks down the street and over a crosswalk with earth tone patterns artistically adorning it—nice. The Mini Park was indeed mini, though well maintained—its central a retired 50s gas station building which served as the main attraction, decorated with Pride banners. There was a crowd, of course, but not overwhelming, and I easily found our group sitting on blankets under a small tree. Since my aging body does not like blankets on the ground—let alone getting on them—I unfolded my special cane into a seat and sat. I munched on my lunch along with everyone else (their own lunches, not mine). Our pastor offered me some chips the church had brought and his wife loaned me a little cloth stand for my soda. They also brought pie for dessert!

Glendale City Church announced the Pride in the Park event on social media. Glendale City has long been an affirming congregation and was home to Adventism’s longest-serving, out pastor. @glendalecitychurch/Facebook

Regional Conference Weighs in on Voter ID and Redistricting

May 26, 2026 NewsHound

On their Facebook page, the South Central (regional) conference posted a statement yesterday about voting rights. Here’s the statement:

Some Online Comments:

• “For all those saying this is inappropriate? Remember that this church was founded on the abolition movement, religious liberty (for all), and supporting public policies that improve the social fabric (as misguided as temperance was). The SDA movement was progressive and political”
• “As a SDA, and a person of color. I would like say this to this woke conference that no one is denying anyone to vote, especially me since I've been voting here in Georgia for many years. BTW...Showing your id to vote, is not racist. Perhaps the racists is the South Central Conference, please stop speaking for us, thank you.”
• “No one is being denied the right to vote. Redistricting needs to be done in some cases to prevent the gerrymandering that has gone on for years. The church needs to stay out of this.”
• “So what exactly is this letter saying? As far as I know, if you are a US citizen you have the right to vote. If you have to show identification to prove you are a citizen, I don't see the problem. Why would redistricting cause any issue? You still have that right. These are genuine questions, not arguments. Im not looking for opinion, I'd like facts.”
• “This is pure politics dressed in holiness robes. Gerrymandering voter districts by race is illegal! That it has been done, and a slight bit of it is now being UNdone, is not a civil rights issue to begin protesting.”
• “I wonder where the similar outrage post was when Virginia, California, New York, Massachusetts, etc. were all making similar redirecting changes. Strange how SDAs had no concern with politics then?”
• “Thank you for this statement! HOWEVER!! This is NOT the stance of “the church“ by and large ( that a party or candidate is not endorsed). We need to address that. We are here because of “the church’s“ participation in what got us here in the first place.”
• “Not like some SDA members care what is voted for. We voted on “no” women pastors but here we are.”

Religious Liberty -- Who should wield power and control?

May 15, 2026 Jewell



Kingly Power

The question “Who should wield power and control?” has divided mankind throughout earth’s history.

On July 4, 2026, Americans will be celebrating 250 years since the signing of the declaration of Independence. All 56 signers committed a treasonous act against Britain—risking their lives and fortunes for the sake of freedom. These brave men believed that religion was a duty we owe our Creator, to Him we owe our very existence.

These founders of The United States understood that governments derive, “their just powers from the consent of the governed.” And furthermore, man’s relation to God cannot be delegated by man, but by God. We celebrate freedom today because men and women who went before us refused the dictates of priests, kings and magistrates, and choose instead the leadings of the providence of God.

THE LAST ACT IN THE DRAMA - TRUMPET IN THE WILDERNESS

 

 P.S.

JAMU Service of Inauguration | Sabbath, May 9, 2026

My response to Joanna de Bruyn's "Epstein, Iran, 250 years, Heritage Foundation Connected"

 Mrs. Joanna de Bruyn my hope is that you accept my observation of your presentation as constructive criticism, and forgive me for pointing out a few oddities. 

You began your presentation mentioning "Epstein, Iran, 250 years, Heritage Foundation Connected", and associated all these with Trump, the American Empire, and the United Nations, all these nexuses make sense. Eventually, you ended up focusing on the United Nations and your recent appeal for the GCSDA Corporation (501C3) to divest itself from that World Government (U.N.) behemoth. 

My question to you is where have you been for the last 30 years that you failed to notice that your fellow Austrailian Russell Standish's son and GEORGETOWN UNIV. (Juris Doctor) ALUMNUS, James D. Standish was an official representative to the U.S. Government and Liaison for the GCSDA to the United Nations in New York & Geneva? 

Besides these violations of 2nd Corinthians 6:14, Bert B. Beach, John Graz, and Ganoune Diop have all been the church’s liaison to the United Nations, while being president/secretary general of the International Religious Liberty Association (IRLA), and SIMULTANEOUSLY secretaries of the Conference of Secretaries of Christian World Communions, an offshoot of the World Council of Churches (WCC). 

So, why are you waking up now regarding this ECUMENICAL duplicity within the GCSDA Corporation?

The Adventist Movement is the CHURCH, not the General Conference of Seventh day Adventist. 

God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Acts 17:24.

God has a church. It is not the great cathedral, neither is it the national establishment, neither is it the various denominations; it is the people who love God and keep His commandments. “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Where Christ is even among the humble few, this is Christ’s church, for the presence of the High and Holy One who inhabiteth eternity can alone constitute a church.

The Upward Look, p.315.

San Francisco Central SDA Church Vandalized With Slurs and Swastikas

2 February 2026 |

No church-goer should arrive at their church on Sabbath morning to see swastikas and hate speech graffiti on the walls of their church. Unfortunately, this was the reality for congregants of Central Seventh-day Adventist Church on the Saturday morning of February 28.

Officers arrived at the church in San Francisco’s Lower Pacific Heights neighborhood at around 8:45 am. Reports were of swastikas, antisemitic language, and homophobic slurs written in fresh paint on the side of the church. The police estimated around $20,000 worth of damage to the church and city utilities located in the 2800 block of California Street. That same day, Sadat Mousa, 51, was arrested in connection with the crime.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle:

“Mousa was booked into San Francisco County Jail on suspicion of felony vandalism with a hate crime enhancement, terrorism for desecrating a cross on private property, and possession of graffiti instruments.

Mousa appears to have a history with law enforcement, including a prison sentence for making threats of violence to family members in a 2010 domestic violence case.

His bond was set at $100,000.”

Some were fearful that the outburst of hate speech might have been in response to heightened tensions regarding the recent Iran strikes. However, The church’s pastor, Mark Ferrell, does not believe it was influenced by the recent attacks by the U.S and Israel.

“Personally, I don’t think it was directed so much at the church,” Ferrell said Saturday night. “There’s a lot of high emotions right now in a lot of people. It’s not just what happened today in Iran.”

The police wrote in a statement:

“This kind of hateful act will never be tolerated in our city,” said SFPD Chief Derrick Lew. “We will do everything in our power to protect our communities and ensure justice is served in this case. I want to thank our officers who acted swiftly to make an arrest in this case.”

Source

Sunday Rest Proposal Raises Troubling Religious Liberty Concerns

A response by the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists

January 18, 2026

Columbia, Maryland.



A proposal by a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization to legally recognize and enforce a “uniform day of rest” represents a disturbing disregard for the religious freedom of all Americans. The Heritage Foundation’s document, “Saving America by Saving the Family,” calls for states and local municipalities to restrict commercial activities on Sunday as a way to promote spiritual engagement and provide a regular day of relaxation for American workers.

Seventh-day Adventists believe all people have been created in God’s image with the freedom to worship according to the dictates of their conscience. For more than 160 years, the Church has forcefully advocated against any form of Sunday law. Adventists have always understood these laws — whether at a local, state, or federal level — as attempts to compel conscience, even when they are defended on pretextual secular grounds such as promoting the health of communities and families.

This new proposal for a “uniform day of rest” is irreconcilable with America’s rich heritage of protecting the religious freedom of all its citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs or nonbelief. It represents a dangerous desire to use state power to advance religious objectives. Restricting commercial activities on Sunday also raises serious practical concerns for members of those faiths that do not worship on Sunday, including Seventh-day Adventists and Orthodox Jews.

Sunday laws run counter to the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which preserves religious freedom for all Americans by requiring the government to remain neutral between different religious faiths. Our church leaders in the North American Division and the union conferences will continue to uphold the banner of truth and religious liberty, firmly opposing this proposal and any similar measures.

Copyright © 2026 North American Division Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists

Source

Immigrants Are Sustaining the Church. Why Are We Failing Them?

Natalie Bruzon

February 4, 2026

During the 2023 North American Division (NAD) year-end meetings, Kyoshin Ahn, executive secretary of the NAD, presented a secretary’s report that included demographic data on North American congregations. In one section, Ahn compared Adventist congregations in the US to the broader Christian church.

When it comes to immigration, he showed that Adventists far surpass not only the national average of immigrants in the population, but also the Christian average. NAD churches are made up of roughly twice as many immigrants—26 percent—as US churches overall. They also include a higher proportion of immigrants than the general populations of both the US—13 percent—and Canada—22 percent. These numbers are significant; they reveal something important about church growth in North America. Put simply, membership gains are driven by immigration. As Ahn stated plainly, “This is where our growth is happening.”

When I look at these statistics, what I see is the story of a dying church, its decline obscured by immigrant vitality. Immigrant churches are growing, sustained by people who often work time- and labor-intensive jobs six days a week, only to come to church and spend the entire Sabbath in fellowship. Immigrant congregations tend to be active: they regularly hold evangelistic meetings, host Saturday night socials, gather for after-church potlucks, and plant new churches in their cities.

Our immigrant sisters and brothers are not peripheral to the church; as noted by the Lake Union, they are central to its life and future. When they are met with violent, authoritarian immigration enforcement, the church is faced with a moral choice: Will we uphold our Christian values, or will we continue to support an increasingly erratic enforcement system—one that has already resulted in the deaths of US citizens and immigrants alike, and whose violence continues to escalate?

How Did We Miss The Sunday Law While Watching For It?

How Did We Miss The Sunday Law While Watching For It?

January 14, 2026 Joanna de Bruyn



By the end of this article, one question should remain: how did General Conference leadership concede ground on Sunday laws years ago, without the church noticing?

In mid-November 2025, Fulcrum7 reported that nine faithful SDAs sent a letter to the General Conference (GC) administration requesting a meeting by mid-December 2025 to discuss ending the church’s consultative status with the United Nations (UN).

This request was urgent, reflecting the seriousness of the times. Over the past five years, religious liberty has been steadily eroded, bringing the world to the edge of the enforcement of the universal Sunday law.

Many SDAs have been lulled into a false sense of security and do not see the importance or the urgent need to depart from the consultative relationship between the church and the UN. Many have been lulled into thinking that Sunday laws are off in the distance, and when that happens, then they will respond to the crises.

The reality is that in 1921 the League of Nations, through the International Labor Office (ILO), introduced a universal weekly rest convention (No. 14), which many member nations ratified. This weekly rest was to be observed according to the customs and traditions of each nation.[1] For a large percentage of countries, this resulted in Sunday becoming the mandated day of rest.[2] These conventions were later adopted by the United Nations when it was formed and it absorbed the ILO into its structure.

In 1957, the UN expanded this framework by passing another weekly rest convention (No. 106), extending the mandated rest to a wider range of occupations. This further strengthened the principle of a universal weekly rest across member states.[3]

Questionnaires sent to member nations in the 1920s and again in the 1950s revealed that many had already mandated Sunday rest. Enforcement often included fines or penalties for Sunday trade, such as requiring employers to pay higher wages or provide compensatory time off. In many countries, the rest period began on Saturday afternoon and continued through Sunday, with additional compensation required for any work performed during that time.[4],[5]

As recently as 2013, the ILO was advising member states on how to make Sunday rest more explicit in national legislation. It is clear that the international legal framework is already in place to implement a Sunday worship law.[6]

Laws alone are not enough; society must also be conditioned to accept not just Sunday rest laws, but Sunday worship laws. The past five years have shown that political powers, media, and social engineers can shape public opinion to the point where the majority will demand such laws if they believe it will bring peace, health, or moral improvement. As recent history shows (2020-2022), many were willing to comply with mandated experimental therapies to preserve social acceptance, personal security, and the appearance of loving their neighbour, even when they weren’t convinced of the health benefits.

The reader may ask, what about religious liberty? Won’t the Seventh-day Adventist Church administration manage to defend religious liberty?

10 Days of Prayer 2026 The Unopened Gift: A Call to Spiritual Revival

10 Days of Prayer 2026

The Unopened Gift: A Call to Spiritual Revival

January 7, 2026

Andreas Mazza, EUDNews.

GC

In the quiet corners of our churches and the private spaces of our hearts, a profound paradox exists: we possess the promise of an infinite power that we rarely dare to activate. While we spend years analyzing the theological dimensions of the Holy Spirit, we often leave the gift itself wrapped and untouched on the shelf. The upcoming "Unleashed" initiative, a ten-day global call to prayer, seeks to change that narrative by moving believers from spiritual observation to active, Spirit-led revival.

The foundation of this movement rests on a simple but radical premise: prayer is the birthplace of the miraculous. History has shown that when the faithful seek God with singular focus, the results are tangible—healed relationships, renewed passion for service, and a complete transformation of the human heart. As ancient scripture promises in Ezekiel, only the Divine Spirit can perform the "spiritual heart transplant" necessary to replace a hardened spirit with one that is vibrant and new.

Sunday Rest Proposal Raises Troubling Religious Liberty Concerns

A response by the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists

January 18, 2026

Columbia, Md.



A proposal by a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization to legally recognize and enforce a “uniform day of rest” represents a disturbing disregard for the religious freedom of all Americans. The Heritage Foundation’s document, “Saving America by Saving the Family,” calls for states and local municipalities to restrict commercial activities on Sunday as a way to promote spiritual engagement and provide a regular day of relaxation for American workers.

Seventh-day Adventists believe all people have been created in God’s image with the freedom to worship according to the dictates of their conscience. For more than 160 years, the Church has forcefully advocated against any form of Sunday law. Adventists have always understood these laws — whether at a local, state, or federal level — as attempts to compel conscience, even when they are defended on pretextual secular grounds such as promoting the health of communities and families.

This new proposal for a “uniform day of rest” is irreconcilable with America’s rich heritage of protecting the religious freedom of all its citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs or nonbelief. It represents a dangerous desire to use state power to advance religious objectives. Restricting commercial activities on Sunday also raises serious practical concerns for members of those faiths that do not worship on Sunday, including Seventh-day Adventists and Orthodox Jews.

Sunday laws run counter to the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which preserves religious freedom for all Americans by requiring the government to remain neutral between different religious faiths. Our church leaders in the North American Division and the union conferences will continue to uphold the banner of truth and religious liberty, firmly opposing this proposal and any similar measures.

Source

ADRA Marks 20 Years of Emergency Response Readiness

The initiative supports early humanitarian action in disaster-affected areas
News

January 13, 2026


8 January 2026 | St Albans, UK [Joe Philpott]

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is marking 20 years since the establishment of its organised Emergency Response Teams, highlighting two decades of rapid humanitarian action in response to disasters and complex emergencies worldwide.

Established in the mid-2000s, ADRA’s Emergency Response Teams were created to ensure faster, more coordinated assistance in the immediate aftermath of crises, including natural disasters, conflicts and public health emergencies. The teams are trained to deploy quickly, assess needs on the ground and coordinate life-saving support with local authorities and humanitarian partners.

Over the past two decades, the teams have been involved in responses to earthquakes, floods, armed conflict and displacement crises across multiple regions. Their work has focused on emergency shelter, food assistance, water and sanitation, protection services and early recovery support, often in highly complex and insecure environments.

“Preparedness is choosing to be ready to serve,” said João Martins, ADRA Europe director. “With disasters increasing across Europe, this commitment matters more than ever. As we look ahead, our priority is to strengthen ADRA teams and empower local churches to be disaster-ready.”

Martins said preparedness enables local and regional responders to act quickly and responsibly when crises occur. “Together, we can bring care, calm and hope into the hardest moments,” he added.

The scale of ADRA’s emergency response work is reflected in two decades of training activity. Over that period, 54 Emergency Response Team trainings have been delivered, with 764 people trained. A total of 121 trainers from across ADRA and partner organisations have contributed to the programme, with trainings hosted in 34 countries and participation from 101 ADRA country offices.

Alongside this growth, ADRA has adapted its emergency response approach to the evolving humanitarian standards and operating environments. This has included stronger coordination practices, clearer professional standards and greater attention to community feedback. Emergency Response Team training covers areas such as security management, humanitarian principles, safeguarding and coordination with national and international partners.

More information on ADRA Europe’s Emergency Response Teams is available on the ADRA Europe website.



[Photo: Nikolay Stoykov, courtesy of ADRA Europe]

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