LATEST NEWS - The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists has suspended The Record Keeper. (Adventist News Network article) (Statement from Cancel The Record Keeper to all parties involved)

A Petition to Halt the Production Of and Release Of and to Withdraw All General Conference Support From The Record Keeper

As members of the Seventh-day Adventist church, we respectfully disagree with the decision of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists in supporting the upcoming web-series, The Record Keeper. Since this production is associated with the book, The Great Controversy, and with the Seventh-day Adventist denomination at large, we ask that you would hear the voice of your concerned brothers and sisters of this denomination, who will be unwillingly connected to this production by such an association.

WHEREAS, we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9), we determine not to mingle the holy with the profane, including the use of worldly methods and policy in our methods of evangelism, remembering Nadab and Abihu, who offered strange fire before the Lord, which He commanded them not (Leviticus 10:1).

WHEREAS, as Seventh-day Adventists we believe that God’s remnant are uniquely identified as those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus (Revelation 12:17), we hold to the counsels given to us by the Spirit of prophecy regarding both the attendance and the use of theatrics in our manner of outreach, which method is specifically mentioned as one which Christ did not use (SpTEd, 191). To continue this production will only serve to indicate that we do not take our position seriously and to make of none effect the testimonies of God’s Spirit, showing to the members, both young and old, and to those not of our denomination, that we do not take the words of the Lord’s messenger seriously, opening the door to further disregard of prophetic counsel.

WHEREAS, we believe that the gift of prophecy is among those gifts which Jesus gave in order to bring us together as the body of Christ that we might be knit together, united in faith, and protected from the winds of false teaching which are most certainly blowing all around us (Ephesians 4:7-16), we believe it especially urgent that we consider the counsels that it has pleased the Lord to give us.

WHEREAS, our commitment is to Jesus Christ and His testimony, and not to whether young people approve or disapprove of a particular method of evangelism, keeping in mind Isaiah 3:4, 12 which warns us of following such a course, as well as the history of Aaron who followed the will of the people in making a golden calf, irrespective of God’s word and much to His displeasure. We love both our young people and those more advanced in years (the originator of the petition being a young adult himself), and we believe that the best means of reaching them is by giving them an example of a committed, unwavering faith that makes no compromise, remembering that "the greatest want of the world is the want of men - men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall." (Ed, 57)

WHEREAS, this series is not representative of Seventh-day Adventist lifestyle and beliefs as found in the Bible and the Spirit of prophecy, and by its association with the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, this series serves to give to the members of the church, as well as to the world, the impression that the theatre is an acceptable diversion and an acceptable form of evangelism.

WHEREAS, we have prophetic warning against conforming to the world in order to have a greater influence with the world, the following passage being one of those warnings: “We will thus lead them to conclude that the requirements of Christ are less strict than they once believed, and that by conformity to the world they would exert a greater influence with worldlings. Thus they will separate from Christ; then they will have no strength to resist our power, and erelong they will be ready to ridicule their former zeal and devotion." (4SP, 339) See also Romans 12:2; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17. In separating from worldly policy in our methods of outreach, we help to answer the prayer of Christ who prayed that though we be in this world, we are not of the world (John 17).

We do hereby request that you, the elected representatives of the Seventh-day Adventist church, take action to cease all General Conference support, whether financial or otherwise, for The Record Keeper. We humbly remind you that you must give an account to God for the funds placed in your stewardship, as well as the influence you, as leadership, exert upon church members and the world at large. A public acknowledgment would do much to restore our confidence in your leadership and undo the wrong influence already exerted to the end that souls might not be misled into unsafe, soul-destroying paths. It is because of our love and concern for the church, Christ’s body here on earth of whom He is the Head, for our fellow church members, young and old alike, for those outside of our denomination, and for your own sakes that we humbly set forth this petition. We prayerfully urge you in the name of Jesus Christ to seriously consider this petition and take the necessary actions in order that we, as Seventh-day Adventists, might “stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:27)

May God bless you. Please know that our prayers are lifted up on your behalf as you make this important decision.

447 people signed this petition.