Skip to content

South Pacific Division President Affirms Women in Ministry

townend

General Conference President Elder Ted Wilson has requested that each division president of the 13 world regions, clarify the meaning of the vote taken on Wednesday, July 8, 2015. On July 10, North American Division President Daniel Jackson issued a Clarification of Roles on Women in Ministry and Trans-European Division President Raafat Kamal issued a letter addressed to women in ministry. The following statement was issued in the South Pacific Division's magazine, the Record on July 11. -Ed.

“We want to affirm our women in ministry,” said Pastor Glenn Townend, incoming president of the South Pacific Division, at a Friday morning meeting of the SPD delegates at the 60th General Conference Session. “We also need to think about how to move forward. This includes how we speak to those who don’t understand the diverse cultures comprising our world church.”

“I am fully in support of women in ministry,” continued Pastor Townend. “And from my understanding from Scripture and the writings of Ellen White, there is no reason they should not be ordained. We don’t all agree and I respect that, too. Every time the church has addressed this issue, it is getting closer to yes. I’m disappointed. And I know some people are really disappointed.”

Pastor Townend then initiated a prayer session to support all women in pastoral ministry, women ministry more broadly, and women feeling the call to ministry. The delegates gathered into five groups and prayed for God’s blessing, His leading and His healing.

“I feel really good now,” said Pastor Townend after the session of prayer. “Because we’ve been in the presence of our God. And there is such a spirit of unity. I hope this support will be communicated to all our women in ministry, not just those here in San Antonio.”
 

Townend also recorded a video in which he spoke to women in ministry following the vote saying,

We support you. We know that God has called you. Be faithful to God–to that call, and serve, because without you doing your job as God has called you, we are the weaker.

Subscribe to our newsletter
Spectrum Newsletter: The latest Adventist news at your fingertips.
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.