Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Ted N. C. Wilson Holds the Keys to the Kingdom?

Ted Wilson has done all sorts of interesting things - lived in Abidjan, been president of something large and significant in Moscow, and received a Ph.D. in Religious Education from New York University. To some astute GC watchers, this puts him next in line for the presidency of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists once current president Jan Paulsen leaves the post. And to further drive the Ted-Wilson-as-president buzz, this official picture from the GC website has Wilson at the front of the line of current vice presidents ahead of Ella Simmons, who looks awfully lonely floating amid the veep sea of men. And what is with the creepy right-eye motif?

Of course from another perspective, the picture above has Ted Wilson as far away as he can be from current president Jan Paulsen, indicating that Wilson is least likely to become the next Prez. Some folks have hinted that Mark Finley (who for some strange reason reminds me of Kermit the Frog) might be next in line.The truth of the matter is that all this guesswork about who might be the next leader of the Free SDA World is premature. Jan Paulsen is doing a fine job of presiding, and until the conclave with its grey smoke and white smoke, the speculation will just have to sit patiently like a kid in church.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Heaven help us if either of those gets the nod.

Anonymous said...

If we're going to study placement in the photo, I might also point out that Ted Wilson is farthest to the right...

Veggieburger Network said...

Hmmm. A valid point. But does that mean that Finley is left of center?

David Hamstra said...

...and Jan Paulsen is farthest to the left (doing the Tubingen tango beneath the crop judging by the smile on his face!).

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

Wilson elected. Good thing that there was a change.

Altom said...

Hei, you speculate very well. Ted has become the president. Your text is very interesting in this moment. Good job.

Anonymous said...

I know Ted wilson very well and he is truely a humble and Godly man.

Anonymous said...

Ted is "Humble and godly"... this has nothing to do with wisdom & open-mindedness & openess to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Fanaticism and religious arrogrance will take the church backward & never forward.
When I hear a leader saying we shouldn't mingle with other Christians or shouldn't read except Adventist books, OH MY LORD, HELP US. Are we a cult???
I come from a Muslim country & this is what they do. Opressing people

Anonymous said...

I'm amazed at the hurtful comments
posted on this site. It's statements such as these that give
Christianity a negative image. Where's the love in your hearts? If we have time to criticize, then there must be time to pray, huh?
Next time, try a little kindness.

Patty

Dennis Fischer said...

Somehow the photo of SDA leaders reminds me of the sober-faced, holier-than-thou Mormon leaders. After all, the Mormons claim the Adventists have stolen their health message.

Adam Hendron said...

Addressing Anonymous (go figure), 3 posts prior:

Wilson "oppressive"? You've got to be kidding! That's like calling Mr. Rogers a child abuser. You have twisted the president's words into a meaning he clearly did not intend. Beware: some people, if permitted in Heaven, would find fault even there.

Humility and godliness have EVERYTHING to do with wisdom (Pr 1:7). Wilson is more "open" than most to what the Holy Spirit inspired Mrs. White to write. The arrogant turn their noses up at that Testimony of Jesus.

This Church has been going backwards ("backsliding") for too long. Now we have a leader who listens intently to God, and this is our best chance in years of pleasing Him as a people.

The rebellious will not be forced out; they will leave willingly, of their own accord. By gradual compromise, they have come to love the world, and view God's Remnant from much the same perspective: "Fanatical legalists." Humph.

Unknown said...

If we have 'said' open mindedness then where would this lead? If your house doesn't have a solid foundation under it, it will fall and crumble. The same is true for us, we need to stand true to our beliefs. This isn't fanaticism but from the Bible.

Anonymous said...

Don't you all get it, the SDA Church is a religious system. Religious systems are designed to control people not free them. They oppress and scare people to stay within the system and eventually you end up with a bunch of brain dead individuals who have no ability to use their own brains and hear the voice of the Holy Spirit for themselves. They instead rely on their "Godly leaders" to think for them.

There is virtually no difference between the SDA system and the Catholic system. The only difference is the outward doctrinal beliefs. To believe that any worldly system is a "remnant" is not Biblical. Individuals are the remnant, the temple, the church, and the body of Christ. Not systems.

So for Wilson to say we shouldn't read outside of SDA literature is his job. He is supposed to reinforce the control system so that nobody goes and starts thinking on their own, because the day we start doing that is the the day he and all the pastors and the SDA system is without a job!

Anonymous said...

Yes I also know Wilson very well and he is a humble religious charlatan.

Anonymous said...

I've been an Adventist for 6 years now and found that the SDA church is not ruled by the conference or a president. The highest authority in the church is Christ, then its the Church board. The function of the rest is mostly administrative.