Declaration by the Enterprise, Oregon SDA Church
The Enterprise, Oregon SDA Church members met in business session November 11, 2024 to determine a prayerful, Bible-based response to “Official Statements” that have been made by the SDA General Conference. These “Official Statements” were not generated, conceived of, nor voted on by the SDA delegates in session and have not been voted on by the SDA membership at large. By unanimous vote we at the Enterprise, Oregon SDA church find these “Official Statements” by the SDA General Conference to be inconsistent with the governance of the SDA Church, the SDA Church Manual and the SDA Fundamental Beliefs. As such, any coercive action to compel anyone, by threat of job loss, recrimination or sanction to accept any medical treatment against their personally held religious conviction, is incompatible with the Bible, inspired writings and the very nature of religious liberty. We, the Enterprise, Oregon Seventh-Day Adventist Church affirm the principles of the reformation: Sola Scriptura, Sola Christus, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia and Soli Deo Gloria. These are the abiding principles with which we measure any “Statements.” We also find that references to the United Nations, World Health Organization, etc., are unacceptable in defining any activity, planning or purpose in God’s Church. We declare that the Word of God and His will as communicated by the prayerful study of His Word will be the sole authority upon which we will choose to govern our lives and the activity of the Enterprise, Oregon SDA Church. We are saved as individuals and not as a group. Each individual is alone responsible for how they live their life in accordance with the convictions that are the result of The Holy Spirit aligning an individual’s heart and mind with truth. “…and when He may come – the Spirit of truth – He will guide you to all the truth, for He will not speak from Himself, but as many things as He will hear He will speak, and the coming things He will tell you; He will glorify Me, because of Mine He will take and will tell to you.” John 16:13,14 YLT.
No earthly committee or organization is to sit in the place of the Bible and Holy Spirit. Any attempt to do so is blasphemy of the highest order. It is disingenuous to employ punitive actions against those who have a conviction contrary to the General Conference “Official Statements” while stating that the General Conference is permitting people to exercise their freedom of conscience and then for the SDA General Conference to further state that medical treatments against one’s will is not a violation of liberty of conscience or a matter of Religious Liberty. Therefore, to anyone who is in need of clarity on the Enterprise, Oregon SDA Church members and any who choose to attend this Church and are convicted on matters of religious liberty which come through, prayerful study and Holy Spirit revealed truths; the freedom to exercise a strongly held personal conviction is in alignment with our church beliefs and we will defend the right of individuals to act within these beliefs, so long as these beliefs are grounded in The Bible. We will uphold an individuals right and privilege to do so in spite of how contrary these beliefs may appear to the “Official Statements” that have been made by the SDA General Conference.
This statement has been reviewed and voted by the Enterprise, Oregon SDA Church Board and is in accordance with the unanimous vote of the Enterprise, Oregon SDA Church in Business Session November 11, 2024 and on January 11, 2026. This statement has been considered by the Enterprise, Oregon SDA Church in Business Session and it has been affirmed by appropriate procedural vote that this will be the operational position and that this statement will be made public so as to clarify to employers and those in positions of authority, that the Enterprise, Oregon SDA Church and its member are not subject to the “Official Statements” of the SDA General Conference, nor are they in any way, expected to depart from their Bible-based, prayerful and personal, strongly-held convictions. The Enterprise, Oregon SDA Church will support the individual in these matters of individual religious liberty in whatever way is feasible.