News from the proceedings of our 21st General Conference Session can be found at http://gcsession.sdarm.org
One point of note we would like to draw your attention to is the unanimous concern expressed by the delegates for the spiritual welfare of our Church at large. Many expressed their heartfelt belief that “a revival of true godliness among us is the greatest and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this should be our first work.” Delegates also recognized that any efforts for revival and reformation must begin with the ministry. In recognition of this concern the Session issued a declaration, calling for ministers and workers to take positive steps in addressing this need at their respective local church level.
The seven point declaration acknowledges a decline in spirituality as evidenced by a lowering of the standards revealed in the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy. Points 4) and 5) of the declaration read:
(4) The work of educating the churches must be combined with the presentation of the messages from the book of Revelation in connection with Christ as our personal Savior. “If our people were half awake, if they realized the nearness of the events portrayed in the Revelation, a reformation would be wrought in our churches, and many more would believe the message.…But whatever phase of the subject is presented, uplift Jesus as the center of all hope, ‘the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright and morning Star.’” TM 118:1.
(5) The only way to succeed in the work of Reformation, is that each member must understand his need of a Savior. “Before there could be any permanent reformation the people must be led to feel their utter inability in themselves to render obedience to God. They had broken His law, it condemned them as transgressors, and it provided no way of escape. While they trusted in their own strength and righteousness, it was impossible for them to secure the pardon of their sins; they could not meet the claims of God's perfect law, and it was in vain that they pledged themselves to serve God. It was only by faith in Christ that they could secure pardon of sin and receive strength to obey God's law. They must cease to rely upon their own efforts for salvation, they must trust wholly in the merits of the promised Saviour, if they would be accepted of God.” PP 524:1.
The full seven points from the Declaration of Porumbacu can be found at: http://gcsession.sdarm.org/bulletin_11.htm