|
|
Directory of Former
Information requested as applicable:
Names Listed alphabetically: Baker, Skip & Linda Dee
skipbaker@cox.net
Position: We both worked at the Review & Herald Publishing Association back in the mid 1970s. Linda then worked for the head Lawyer at the General Conference when I was the photographer at the Review. In 1980 we took a call to work in California at the Adventist Media Center where I worked as the still photographer and Linda worked for the President of the Simi Valley Adventist Hospital out there out there in California. But by 1980 we had read Des Ford’s thousand page book on his defense for the Glacier View camp, and we could see the light that Adventism was rejecting the Holy Spirit’s call to truth, so along with others we added our voice to the decent on the west coast. By 1984 we were untangled from Adventism and free in the face of the gospel., having lost our earthly possessions for the truth of that gospel. It was amazing to see how many ministers were doing the same thing at the time. True Men of the Cloth lost everything including their retirement rather than to go against that gospel, while others who were pretend preachers stayed in for the money, truly they have their reward. It was the old ones who were so near retirement who lost so much. Called in and forced to swear allegiance to Ellen White rather than to Jesus Christ they were forced to make a decision for or against Christ that few ever are faced with in our lifetimes. Or are we all faced with it everyday? As one former pastor has stated here he feels that if Christ Himself were to come down to try to correct Adventism his words would fall on deaf ears. I can’t help but feel the same way for no amount of argument can fight against the words of a false prophet that is firmly in control of her church from the grave. It’s an amazing thing to see. Cales, Paul
grosfader@cox.net
I was kicked out in 1969. I tried to go back to the fundamentals of SDAdventism, attended John Osborn's 'campmeeting' in Santa Rosa twice. I was appalled at his 'ordaining' ministers, at the overt pursuit of "perfection" in this life, and the obvious lack of sincerity and interest in the truth-seeking individual. Those chaps were on a power trip, and they did, indeed, trip . . . flat on their faces. It was at that meeting, as I meditated in the back row . . . yes, backslider's row . . . the Holy Spirit spoke to me and set me on the right track. Those who believe are not judged [John 3:18] Those who do not believe are already judged. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus [Rom. 8] We are not saved by doctrine; we are saved by
the death of Jesus Christ who died for our sins. We will never be perfect in
this life. The Holy Spirit does work in our lives in a wonderful way to mold us
to His Will, but our righteousness is as filthy rags. Salvation is a free gift.
There is nothing we can do to earn it. Don't be a disciple of men. I'm not any
kind of an "ite", a follower of men . . . I meet with believers when possible,
but I am led by His Spirit, and it is wondrous indeed what understanding comes
when one doesn't try to figure it all out by himself. Fischer, Dennis J.
dennisfischer@neb.rr.com
I left due to theological
considerations after more than forty years as devout SDA.
I am an
active member of Faith Bible Church. My wife and I were
members of the First Evangelical Free Church for five years. We have been
members of Faith Bible Church, a non-denominational church, for about three
years now. We greatly love our new church family of over 1,000 members.
Interestingly, in our church, the offering plate is NEVER passed. A small slot
in the back of the worship center is simply labeled "offerings." We do not
believe in OT tithing, and our modern church campus is debt-free. Truly, the
Gospel breeds generosity wherever it takes root. We no longer yearn for the
ritual laws of Moses to finance the Great Commission.
Kelly, Russell Earl
russkellyphd@earthlink.net
Kuykendall,
Rick
rkuykendall@minister.com Lenkume, Julius
jolelenkume@yahoo.com
Thank you.
Puciata,Walt birdinhand55@sbcglobal.net In a nut shell, as I look back on it, I did not have the real "makings" of an SDA pastor, for I had not the heritage and upbringing that many of the successful ones do (of course, success is relative, in terms of spiritual progress, I guess). I was raised in quite a dysfunctional and emotionally abusive home but the way our minds are designed, in order to cope, much of what we suffer as children gets repressed and becomes unconscious. But at about the age of 30, as I was nearing graduation from seminary, the Lord had begun to reveal to me how what I experienced as a child had effected myself esteem and ability to enjoy healthy relationships. In order to function and have any sort of effective ministry at that point, I decided that it would be good to approach Scripture from my own need for healing and then bring from what I learned, insights for others who no doubt had had less than ideal experiences as children. Though some folk expressed appreciation for the things I was trying to minister to, this approach was not well received by most of the patriarchs, matriarchs and church administrators and I was eventually advised to take a leave of absence. However, before I did, I had injured my wrist roller skating with some church youth and a year or so later discovered that I had actually broken the navicular bone in my wrist and needed to have surgery. By then I had just begun to establish a painting contracting business and was doing all of the work myself. The Indiana Conference fought my Workers Compensation claim, the local church I was by then a part of, in California, wouldn't intervene and I was forced to apply for welfare and food stamps. I stopped going to church regularly and a friend from this local congregation came by to show me a local newspaper ad that was inviting all former and/ or grieving Adventists to a meeting where the Northern CA Conference president would answer questions. I went and stood up to explain what had happened to me and sat down to listen to his response. He said "Sometimes the church must make business decisions." While he was explaining this, a wave of urgency rushed over me to get up and walk out. I never again set foot in an Adventist church. I sometimes go to a non denominational church down the street. In 1992/93, I wrote a daily reflection manuscript which is still unpublished. It is entitled Restoring the Years. It is of the Hazelton format, daily meditations/ reflections for those whose biological family or origin traumas caused them to look for and become enmeshed in another spiritual "family" that matched their parental experience. Slattery, Wallace D. E-mail: Tashonka@msn.com Author: Are Seventh-day Adventists False Prophets? Church Employment: I worked for the cult as a church school principal from 1973 through 1983. Testimony: Seventh-day Adventist from birth to age 43. I first became aware there were problems with Adventist teaching and history in the middle 1970's. I finally contacted Walter Rea in August 1980; what he showed me shattered a lifetime of teachings. I slowly and carefully studied my way out of Adventism in 1983-84, taking my entire family with me. Can I help you in any way? Wallace Slattery Taylor, Greg
gregt@pngusa.net
www.oneflockministries.org Be sure to
read Pastor Greg Taylor's "An Open Letter to Our Friends and Family". He tells
of his and his wife's journey out of Adventism. It is most moving. See also the
appendix as it deals with the relevance of the Sabbath. Greetings Robert, I was a pastor for the SDA church for over 20 years counting my Seminary sponsorship. We left Adventism purely over the New Covenant. We became convinced through the study of the New Testament scriptures, that the old covenant Sabbath is not required for post cross Christians. We have a deep heart for the SDA church and pray that the message of the book of Galatians will truly be taken to heart. The blessings that come from such study are worth all the rejection that one might receive at the hands of those locked into the old covenant. We are
currently serving in a church plant in Hagerstown MD. We are so blessed to be
part of the greater Christian community and the revival/renewal movement that is
sweeping through churches across denominational lines!
Greg Taylor Vogt, Paul & Rhonda White, Paul A. Jr.
ucanb@aol.com Mr. Sanders: I would request that you upload all contents of my testimony as I would not want my testimony to be misconstrued. My Testimony: My name is Paul A. White, Jr. I was raised in the Seventh-Day-Adventist Church. I was and have been up until my exit from the church a member of the Berea-Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Roxbury, Massachusetts. I have been blessed by God with a musical talent and I readily lent my abilities to the church’s musical program. To make a long story shorter, I attended elementary, academy and college at AUC with a year abroad in Collonges. I always felt there was something wrong. During Sabbath school class, I would question our teachers as to the validity of their instruction which would usually have a response of “just listen and don’t be disruptive”. Adventists have always had way of in intimidation through physical and authoritative overpowering. Being African-American, there were so many things that were forbidden due to the dogmas set by the church. I fully understand these dogmas now. The founding administration of the SDA Church was for the most part represented European-Americans establishing themselves during an era closely following the civil war. Therefore, the cultural influence was set by European standards. It was interesting that the congregation at Berea SDA Church and many other SDA Churches within the Northeastern Conference were made up of congregations of color representing 98-99% African descent. Due to conditions fueled by their own self-hatred and quests for acceptance by their white counterparts felt an overwhelming sense of pride to experience a member of color who could assimilate a Eurocentric musical performance. An overwhelming percentage of Caribbean-Adventist represented within the SDA Church further ignites this quest for European acceptance in consideration that these individuals in their native islands were British subjects where the oppressed tends to assimilate their oppressor in search of self-recognition. For this reason, I believe the majority of recognized Adventist Musicians are overwhelmingly of European classical standards. I readily admit that due to my quest for acceptance and recognition I pushed myself in European direction. I am not by any means stating that there is something wrong with the Eurocentric musical thought, I merely introduce to the discussion the near absence of African Cultural Influence within the church. I am so happy to be rid of these dogmas. I challenge the SDA Church to publish a list of accomplished artists who are currently attending members of the Church in good and regular standing. They could possibly submit a list of “former” Adventists. It is a travesty that these doctrines kill the creative artistic spirit in young, aspiring minds within the church. Where are the dancers, the Jazz musicians, the R&B musicians, the athletes, the reggae artists, the actors, the secular writers etc.? Where? The majority of Adventists is found in two professional areas. Medical science and education. This is a direct result of the SDA curricular agenda. The Adventists are now so determined to follow their monies that they will not entertain any situation that questions their validity. The day that I sent my resignation of membership to the Administrative Board of the Berea SDA Church, I could then imagine how African-Americans felt upon the freedom from slavery. Possibly, some of the Adventists of color would have opted to stay in consideration of their disdain for Afrocentric related culture and freedom of thought. Sadly, this sentiment is still existent today within the SDA Church where we currently live in a society that is trying to diversify itself to represent all forms of art and culture. Adventist Colleges should lose their accreditation if they do not offer all forms of artistic culture and freedom of thought which represents American Society. They should receive no federal assistance or academic recognition if their Institutions of Learning are aligned with a racist, unfounded thought process which suppresses talent and natural ability. What really is upsetting are the active Adventists who bring to the forefront these questions but are too afraid to walk away and answer their true calling because the money’s good and retirement benefits are coming into view. I guess my real beef with the SDA Church is it’s disregard for African-American Culture and its embracing of all things Eurocentric. How completely foolish. I really wonder if God is pleased or if He just understands their ignorance and renders pity. As for the controversy surrounding Mrs. White, we now know that she is invalid but we need to take a closer look at the circumstances which may have led to her fallacies. Let’s look at those individuals who may have been the “real” masterminds behind her lies and deceit for their own personal gain. The Adventist Church is not a place for any progressive, free thinking creative, artistic person. It will create a cage for them so they can flutter but can’t fly. Shame on an organization that grants free reign to those who tow the line on its suppressing dogmas. Christ said “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you”. Remember, “not as the world giveth” and in my opinion, the Adventist World is not a peace and never has been a peace. And, for those who opt to remain within the Adventist Community, I sincerely wish you God’s Speed. I wish you His Peace and His Love. The above represents my personal thoughts, Paul A. White, Jr. Willey, Wayne I am Pastor of the
Seventh-day Christian Church, · 1. Seventh-day Adventism is a legalistic, sub-Christian cult which ignores and minimizes the gospel of Jesus Christ in order to keep its members in the slavery of legalism. · 2. When I became a follower of Jesus Christ, Christ called me to be a minister of the gospel within the SDA denomination. I was a missionary to the Seventh-day Adventist cult for almost 25 years. Christ released me from that calling by closing all opportunities for me to continue any ministry (even a lay ministry) of the gospel within the SDA denomination. · 3. I believe that Seventh-day Adventism, like ancient Israel/Ephraim (Hosea 4:17), is so completely joined to its "idols" (legalism, Ellen White, etc) that even a personal appearance of Christ in human flesh to appeal for a spiritual/theological change would not be sufficient to transform Seventh-day Adventism into a Christ-centered denomination which makes the preaching of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ its primary and central focus. · 4. I believe that Seventh-day Adventism is a corrupt organization which inflicts mental, psychological and spiritual abuse upon its members. · 5. In the past nine and a half years, I have not had a single moment of regret over leaving the Seventh-day Adventist denomination.
·
6. I continue my ministry of the
gospel through personal evangelism and on the World Wide Web (the internet).
From: CDJapheth@aol.com Willis, C. D. MD
Anybody wanting a copy can get it by dropping me a note with your mailing address . My address is PO Box 3118,Pinedale, California,93650. For the record I and my wife of 56 years NEVER regretted leaving the CULT. I was quite justifiably angry at the deception while she was more relieved. Cordially CD Willis MD SDA Pastors leave the Church in Uganda
Pastor Aroni Pastors and Directs One Flock
Ministries in Kenya. To read his
Testimony and see his picture click on:
http://www.oneflockministries.org/pages/12/index.htm
The journey out of the Adventist Church has taken me a good 3 years, but it culminated this year, 2003. I joined the SDA Church in 1983, and became a concervative Adventist, the hard core legalistic types as they come, who read the Voice of Prophecy books and regarded them almost at par with the Word of God. My turning point started when I started reading writers like Venden, Jack Sequira and the like who opened my minds to righteousness by faith. This was in 1995 when I had been appointed as Associate District Pastor which took place in 1993. I was later in 1995 appointed District Pastor, a position I held until 1998, when I left for Bugema SDA University, to peruse a Bachelor's degree in Theology where I was recently suspended while remaining with only 18 credit hours to finish the course having struggled on my own to raise the fees for my studies, save for the 2 quarters when a well wisher paid part of it. The suspension was due to my gospel convictions as opposed to the teachings of E.G. White and my associations with Life Assurance Ministries. Well, with the influence of the Gospel being revealed to me, the tone of my sermons in evangelistic efforts began to change direction towards salvation by grace through faith. But what continued to disturb my conscious was the the fact that while my fellow evangelists and myself never at any one time mentioned the name of White nor her teachings by directly quoting from her writings, in our series, she was nevertheless a cardinal point as a testing truth, directly a condition for baptism come the time for administration of baptismal vows. I continued to note this as sinister, tricky and clandestine. With my joining the university in 1998, I had the opportunity to be exposed to a fairly well stocked library and fairly well balanced professors and an opportunity to read the writings of Desmond Ford who opened my eyes further in the direction of the simple gospel of salvation. I now had the opportunity and the ability to examine the teachings of White in the light of the gospel and always found myself in a theological catastrophe and most of my professors supplied my curiosity and those who attempted only threw so many threats of denominational woes that would befall any who ventured along those lines of inquiry. This made me very suspicious and sharpened my curiosity further so I continued to study myself out of the church as one brother once commented. Another reason that finally added to my leaving the SDA Church is the brutal unchristian nature in which they treated those who got problems with the ecclesiastical leaders. Their method is more vengeful than redemptive. Mukiibi Ivan Israel:
Mukiibi@dr.com Christopher Ddamulira: Daniel Nsubuga nsudanie@yahoo.com
-----Original Message----- Robert, Thanks for the interest you have shown in us. I am just sorry for not replying in time it was all due the time difference. I was doing an in service degree in Theology at Bugema Unversity. I stopped SDA service voluntarily though later on the leadership lied that they fired me because I never believed in the spirit of Prophecy and we neglected giving due respect to Sabbath which is the identity of SDAs. The University never allowed us to continue because we do not believe in all the 27 Fundamental beliefs of SDA yet we are training for ministry and serving ministers. I had however attended the SDA Bible school which was at Katikamu now at Kireka, which offers diplomas in ministerial service. Okello and Mukiibi have been also stopped from completing their degrees and they had only two months to finish. Ddamulira and Luswata hold their degrees because they had finished. All at Bugema University. In Uganda the work is being done by untrained ministers as they have no question about the doctrine. They just pick on an elder and give them a church and later ordain them for the ministry. They say they have had enough disappointment from scholars. And they do not plan to use trained pastors except those who have gone thru their own Bible college where they feed the pastors in training to EGW and the remnant motif all the time. When we left, they quickly picked elders to replace us, and not brilliant degree holders in Theology which should be important, but they question the SDA Doctrines. This is because in the University the training looks at EGW without bias. Churches: In 1996, I was a pastor at Busabaga with six churches. From 1997-2001, I was at Kajjansi with still churches attached to my service. I stopped Mid 2002 when I was Lakeside College Church. The rest of my colleagues have longer service experience in SDA ministry. Since then God has faithfully taken care of me and now its a team of five Pastors, with many who know the Truth but remain, because they work for the church yet. We do not have occupation out here. Once again thank you so much and in your news later thank all those who have helped us both morally and financially in our transition without which life could be so difficult. Yours in a blessed hope Nsubuga Daniel |