General Conference 2010 - #2

Well, the delegates spoke, and they choose another person as General Conference President for the next 5 years: Ted Wilson, the son of a previous GC President, Neal Wilson. They also changed the person at the head of the Secretariat. They elected the first Asian: G. T. Ng. This will be the first time in decades that there is not an African descendant among the top 3 officers or someone from Inter-America, South America, or Africa among the inner circle – the places where the overwhelming majority of the church resides. Oh, I forgot to mention that they returned Bob Lemon as Treasurer. One of the reasons that I have not missed a General Conference since 1980, and I sit through all the Business meetings and listen to every discussion and every speech, is because I teach History of Adventism. Over the years I have used what happens here as great illustrations of the trajectory of the Church. I have divided the history of our church in significant periods. I suspect that we are now entering a new period – a period as significant as when Robert Pierson took over in 1966. It is fascinating to be living and teaching “within history.” What I have found to be true is that the political winds are similar in composition and direction as the ecclesiastical winds; and they intermingle with each other. It makes for intriguing academic and theological analysis. Again, so many, many, encounters with acquaintances were made, from the distant and recent past! My camera has not ceased clicking: http://www.wallawalla.edu/campus-life/spiritual-life/gallery/general_conference_2010. I also took time to stop by the Andrews University booth to take a look at the spanking new Andrews Study Bible. I was privileged to be one of the original 12 authors. But the place to be is at the Walla Walla University booth! What a team they have there – and they are BUSY! The music, as at all GC sessions is great. Tonight the combined Oregon’s and Romanian Men’s Chorus were featured among lots of other musical artists including an African American signing group.