Carree Sings. Pastor Meadows Philosophizes
A recent five day conference at Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church, Atlanta, was sponsored by the men’s group recently inaugurated at the church, “M.O.B.” Gospel Artist Isaac Carree sang for 15 minutes or so in the course of the Sabbath service. But Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, twice on Saturday, and Sunday morning events revolved around Pastor Nevilon Meadows, who may well have spoken for at least a dozen hours total during the course of the five day conference. The talks by Pastor Meadows represented just the tip of his didactic iceberg, as he possesses a stock of presentations on many varied topics. Extracts from several of these, combined with a large dose of Q & A, formed the body of the six addresses he offered not only to the “Men of Berean,” but (on Wednesday and twice on Sabbath) to listeners of both genders.
My former employer once remarked that Paul McCartney was such a prolific songwriter, he often wound up with more ideas than he could use. When this occurred, he would take several of these ideas and place them into a single song. The result would be a song that was more like two or three songs all rolled into one. Pastor Meadows is also prolific, but has developed his ideas into separate “songs” that reside in the form of Power Point presentations on his computer. But rather than deliver six of these narrowly focused lectures, he instead “sampled” content from his entire body of work. This kept things moving along, as the result was several servings of highly concentrated information, and a broad overview of Pastor Meadow’s total inventory. It served to whet the appetite for more. More was available, for a modest sum. Pastor Meadows is not on the conference payroll. He lives on the proceeds of lecture fees and the sale of media. He is a self-proclaimed “hustler,” but the merchandise he is pushing is very useful. Here is the pastor’s website:
The Wednesday night start of the series of talks by the pastor was too brief and wide ranging to serve as more than an overture to the lengthy presentations that would follow. Thursday and Friday evening, and Sunday morning presentations were geared toward an all-male audience. As the pastor’s appearance was sponsored by a men’s group, a large measure of his attention was directed the issue of manhood. The speaker, as Pastor Russell stated with regard to a recent sermon by himself, “pulled no punches” in the course of his men-only symposiums. But although the subject of manhood is a specialty of Pastor Meadows, his wide-ranging interests address many additional areas of concern, both topical and eternal. Sabbath's morning sermon was a more extended overview of the speaker's ouvre than the exclusively male sessions, and could have been discovered at time marker 1:58:30 in this broken link to the ENTIRE SERVICE. The user has removed it. Also unavailable is the June 14th service, due to copyright infringement. ChurchPond is an alternate source for videos of Berean Services, but seems to be joined at the hip to YouTube. I can comprehend a crackdown on copyright violation. Some slick in-house lawyer for Sony has discovered that they are missing a few hundred million a year by not cracking the royalty whip toward houses of worship. The "removal by user" of this service is less comprehensible, but I definitely have some pet theories about this, ones which I am most reluctant to share.
Isaac Carree prefaced the sermon with song, and reappeared after the sermon. The final song was very nice, but was not particularly well integrated into the sermon material. As the content of the sermon could be described as "The Greatest Hits of Nevolin Meadows," it would be difficult to isolate a single theme to accentuate with song. But it was all, as previously stated, very nice.
Isaac Carree prefaced the sermon with song, and reappeared after the sermon. The final song was very nice, but was not particularly well integrated into the sermon material. As the content of the sermon could be described as "The Greatest Hits of Nevolin Meadows," it would be difficult to isolate a single theme to accentuate with song. But it was all, as previously stated, very nice.
Pastor Meadows was introduced by Berean Lead Pastor Fredrick Russell, who noted that the guest speaker was originally attached to the Lake Region Conference (Chicago and environs). He had been Youth Director there, but left this position in order to “serve on the front lines.” Pastor Russell said that the Conference office exists in order to serve the frontline church [and not vice-versa, he seemed to imply]. Pastor Nevilon Meadows was called to a wider ministry, one currently designated by the acronym M.U.D. (Men Under Development). The Lead Pastor reminded everyone that the second week in August would be dedicated to women. Next year, however, the “weeks” would be rebranded as “seasons” [presumably extending their periods and significance]. M.U.D. was a ministry, Pastor Russell said, and recognized nothing that God did not breathe into. He added that recent writing and reading had put him in mind of this concept: “You have to recognize yourself as nothing. You have to realize not only that God is greater than you; other people are greater than you.”
An endorsement of the new Berean men’s association was offered. “Entry level contact with this church should be to connect with Earl [Blair, leader of the “Men of Berean”]. Pastor Russell asserted that this Sabbath’s speaker had done a “deep dive” into the topic of men. He then described Pastor Meadows as having a “forthright, in your face manner” [an understatement, believe it or not]. “Not to you ladies,” Pastor Russell amended, “but men require the direct, blunt approach!”
Rather than gloss the Sabbath sermon, a summary of the discursive, interactive, and very informative Sabbath afternoon installment of Nevolin Meadow’s series will be provided below. This talk was geared, like the main Sabbath sermon. to persons of both genders. It offers samples of many of the various subjects that constitute the pastor’s wide-ranging field of interest. It was not a unidirectional lecture, as was the morning sermon. It was more like a dialogue between the pastor and the congregation.
“I HAVE TAKEN ALL KNOWLEDGE AS MY PROVINCE”- BACON
The size of the Berean sanctuary had not shrunk since the 11:00 am service, but the size of the congregation, seven hours later, was about a fifth of what it had been earlier. They were dispersed here and there, in small clumps, distant from the rostrum. Pastor Nevilon Meadows set about to remedy this sorry condition.
“Folks sit in the same seat every time they come into church.” We were conditioned. “If there were a blackout, you would still be able to find your seats. Being conditioned is doing the same thing, the same way, all of the time. Condition leads to tradition. Tradition leads to conservatism. Conservatives don’t change!” [Degrees of typical physical separation between persons varies from culture to culture. It has been established that residents of New York City sit closer to one another than do residents of Atlanta, for example. The branch of science that studies this phenomenon is known as Proxemics, a term invented by anthropologist Edward Hall. A knowledge of how closely one should stand to people from other parts of the world comes in handy not only for diplomats and missionaries, but for anyone who does not wish to give offense to people from distant places.]
Questions were welcome, the pastor stated. He did not mind being interrupted. The first question from his audience asked for some clarification of the topic of the morning sermon, “The Advantage of Being an Adventist,” The pastor prefaced his reply by noting that there were many types of Adventists, but a proper one manifests the following characteristic: “You try to be on the Lord’s side. You say He’s worthy.” {A major theme of the speaker’s presentations was the superior nature of “worship” to “praise.” He oft lamented that praise seems to have supplanted worship in the Adventist denomination. Worship is continuous. Praise is usually mandated by another, as exemplified by the request “everybody clap your hands!” It was ironic to those who had been closely following Pastor Meadow’s remarks that guest artist Isaac Carree made just such a request in the course of his morning performance.] The denomination would now be subjected to some additional criticism.
The important subject of the Sabbath was raised, “Seventh-day Adventists have not been taught that the Sabbath is about relationships. We think that it is about legalism.” By observing the Sabbath, we are acknowledging that God is our Creator. We also acknowledge that our Creator chose to be our Redeemer. The pastor had previously noted a trend in Adventist services to replace a recitation of the fourth commandment with John 3:16. This circumstance was serving to diminish what makes Adventism so distinctive. Two other distinctive features of the denomination were mentioned.
The first was the “Sanctuary.” Fundamental Belief 24, “Christ’s Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary,” is one that critics of the church love to sieze upon, but there can be no question, by those who believe in the accuracy of Scripture, that something remarkable occurred around the year 1844. Belief 24 reveals this about Jesus: “In 1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2300 days, He entered the second and last phase of His atoning ministry, which was typified by the work of the high priest in the most holy place of the earthly sanctuary. It is a work of investigative judgment which is part of the ultimate disposition of all sin, typified by the cleansing of the ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the Day of Atonement.” This information was furnished in a vision to Hiram Edson, a pioneer Adventist, and explains why there was no earthly manifestation of whatever shake-up may have taken place on that fateful day. You are free to either accept or reject the truth of this vision. Here is a statement by Mr. Edson, concerning this experience: “I saw distinctly and clearly,” writes Edson, “that instead of our High Priest coming out of the Most Holy of the heavenly sanctuary to come to this earth on the tenth day of the seventh month, at the end of the 2300 days, He for the first time entered on that day the second apartment of that sanctuary and that He had a work to perform in the Most Holy before coming to this earth.”
Here is Here is a LINK to the Wikipedia article on Adventist eschatology.
A second distinctive feature of Adventism, the “health message,” is no longer so very distinctive, Pastor Meadows noted. The world is now aware of it. The pastor stated that we were not currently teaching it, because we were not practicing it {the universality of this negligence was a case of literary exaggeration by the speaker, but it is true that Adventists are not all health-conscious. Additionally, the world no longer invariably considers Seventh-day Adventists to be “those anti-smoking guys”].
Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church stands at the beginning of a year-long capital campaign (fundraiser) to raise money in order to make some repairs and improvements to its physical plant. Pastor Meadows proposed to add his mite to this effort by furnishing a few thoughts from his presentation on Stewardship. It was one entitled “The Golden Calf Offering; the Lord, or the Ring.” He said that the motif of this presentation was “essential and non-essential jewelry.” The two-way effort that results in salvation was likened to stewardship. “Stewardship requires discipline.
Stewardship requires partnership. Partnership is the foundation of salvation. No one will be saved on this planet without human effort! The star on your crown in heaven signifies your willingness, your sacrifice” (here is a useful LINK about these “stars”). The pastor noted Adam’s relationship to God. “I am the Creator,” says God to Adam. “You are the created. I am the owner. You are the steward.” God introduced the concept of stewardship before anything else in the course of His relationship with man.
“Partnership is the foundation of the family.” A segment of Genesis 3:16 was quoted to the mixed-gender congregation: “… thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” Adam was not given dominion over anything until Eve arrived. The pastor observed that citations of Ephesians 5:22 often fail to include the preceding verse, 21. It is a short one: “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” This implies that that marriage is, like stewardship, and like salvation, a two-way street. Here is oft cited Verse 22: “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” Pastor Meadows is no misogynist, and would further qualify Verse 22. “A husband cannot be head of the household unless he is responsible for the souls of everyone in his family, including himself.” The wording used in the Bible is very significant. Pastor Meadows quoted part of Genesis 1:26: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion…” The pastor emphasized that it was always “them,” and never “him” in the Bible. Adam alone was incomplete. He (they) was not given dominion until he was married. It was Adam and Eve together that represented the image of God.
A few parenthetical comments on marriage were offered by the speaker. “There are two types of dead marriage,” Pastor Meadows stated. The first type anticipates its mortality. A spouse experiencing this kind of union might think the following: “I just can’t wait until the kids leave the house!” The second type is D.O.A. “The couple arrives at church in separate cars,” the speaker said.
Returning to the subject of stewardship, Pastor Meadows reminded people that there are several things that we can dedicate to God. (1) Time. (2) Talent. (3) Treasure. A fourth “T” word, “Temple,” was appended to this list. With regard to “time,” the pastor made the interesting remark that “Time never existed before Adam” [this is the kind of thing that theologians might endlessly debate among themselves]. Adam’s job as “first steward” was restated. The concept of “Talent” was expounded briefly. “God gives us our talents. It is up to us to develop them.” The third “T,” “Treasure,” was glossed by this comment: “The treasure of Adam was Eve. Adam could then see himself as complete.” The notion of “Temple,” which I originally assumed might have to do with an “offering” of praise, instead referred to that “living sacrifice,” our bodies. We are obligated to God to take good care of ourselves [here is a link to a 1929 recording of the song “Button Up Your Overcoat,” which features the insightful lyric “Don’t eat meat”].
The pastor asked a question that everyone in attendance knew the answer to. “Is money the real problem?” “No,” responded all who knew Scripture. Pastor Meadows verified the truth of this. “It is the love of money that is the real problem!” The speaker equated the science of giving to the science of chemistry {during a class earlier that day, an instructor had defined the word “catalyst” as something that causes a change. I badly wanted to add that, during the process of causing this change, the catalyst itself does not change. This makes “catalyst” a very satisfying concept for describing the actions of God in our lives. As I am painfully shy, I said nothing]. The pastor noted that the impetus for giving flows from the heart to the hand. Second Corinthians 9:7 was mentioned:
“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
Pastor Meadows divided the science of giving into three categories. You give out of your abundance. You give out of obligation. You give as a sacrifice [this later category, “sacrificial giving,” is the theme of the current Berean Capital Campaign]. Folks on fixed incomes invent excuses not to give, he stated. But we are not to tithe based on our income, but on our increase. Pastor Meadows related that, when he was a youngster, and asked his father for money, his father had the uncanny ability to pick out a ten out from a pocketful of fifties. This was not a skill that we were encouraged to acquire for ourselves. An analogy was provided that compared the complimentary categories of “heart” and “hand,” as they related to the art and science of giving, to twin loads balanced on opposite sides of a fulcrum. The intent of this analogy may have been to emphasize that giving is a “balancing act” [but cheerful givers always tilt the see-saw in the direction of “heart”].
A peripheral statement was elicited, no doubt. by the focus on the notion of “balance.” “The taller you are, the more difficult it is to keep your balance,” Pastor Meadows said. The lesson that can be extracted from this fact was quickly described. “The higher that you think that you are, the more difficult it is to discover the balance between you and God.” Pastor Russell, six hours earlier, had similarly recommended humility to the congregation.
The duality of the concept of “justice” {a field that is often symbolized by balances, and fulcrums] was brought up. “God will be just! But there is no justice unless justice is dispensed” (another two-way-street). As God’s stewards, we are often delegated by Him to mete out justice ourselves. If we have nothing else to offer, we can at least offer justice [perhaps a vow of poverty would enhance one’s judgmental skills. Exodus 23:8 admonishes: “And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous”].
A recurring theme of the Pastor’s presentations was now mentioned, probably for the sake of those who may have not previously heard it. It had been raised in the all-mens session on Thursday night. It was the touchy subject of homosexuality. The platitude “Love the sinner, hate the sin” does little to instruct anyone as to what tactics should be utilized when dealing with homosexuals. Several hours were spent Thursday debating this subject [I have always attempted to treat this issue very sensitively, but was nevertheless banned from a forum called “OpenChristian.” They are not so very “open,” when it comes to any criticism of their lifestyle choices, even though these rebukes reflect the unambiguous Word of God. Henceforth, I will join my banner to that of Pastor Meadows. In the words of Bugs Bunny, “I suppose you know, this means war…” You can’t make a significant dent in sin by being sensitive. Ellen White’s thoughts on this subject would soon be revealed].
The younger generation in attendance at Thursday night’s debate seemed to be more accepting of “gayness” than those with more experience of life. As fellow members of a minority, they felt obligated to stick up for anyone who is looked down on by the majority. Pastor Meadows noted the historical advocacy by the Adventist faith for civil and religious freedom (but simultaneously lamented the faith’s lack of involvement in the Civil Rights struggle). His overall attitude toward homosexuals may be described by the famous statement by Evelyn Beatrice Hall: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” But the methods whereby the church should address this issue were based on another statement.
If there exists any leitmotif for the speaker’s attempts to get Christians in general, and Adventists in particular, back on the right track, it is revealed in a very significant passage written by Ellen G. White. It comes from a 707 page compilation of her work entitled “Evangelism” (link is to a free PDF). The approach advocated by Sister White is to be discovered throughout the book, but is spelled out plainly on page 30. Here is the quote that Pastor Meadows alluded to:
“NO TIME TO LOSE. We have no time to lose. The end is near. The passage from place to place to spread the truth will soon be hedged with dangers on the right hand and on the left. Everything will be placed to obstruct the way of the Lord’s messengers, so that they will not be able to do that which it is possible for them to do now. We must look our work fairly in the face, and advance as fast as possible in aggressive warfare.”
Just as he had done during Thursday night’s exchanges, Pastor Meadows inquired of his listeners: “If you are being aggressive, who throws the first punch?” This seeming digression served, in actuality, to tie together 90% of what the speaker had been saying. We are all dropping the ball, badly. We are conforming to the world, and not to Christ! [my emphasis]
The topic of balance was resuscitated. What we term the “fulcrum” in a balance, Pastor Meadows revealed, is described in nautical terms as a keel. An extended keel serves to enhance the balance of a vessel {but makes it hard to pillage and plunder folk who live up shallow streams; therefore the Viking longboats had very small keels: another crazy digression by myself]. Pastor Meadows displayed his mastery over forms, a good compliment to his mastery over content, by exhibiting a tailor-made image of the cross-section of a ship, complete with keel, superimposed over an image of the front elevation of Berean SDA Church. The image was accompanied by the pastor’s expressions of hope that we, as a church, would be enabled by God to discover our balance.
It has now been so long since “Exhibit A” was depicted, I feel obliged to redisplay it. It was the “conversation piece” for the next segment of the Sabbath evening discussions.
“What do you see?” Pastor Meadows solicited interpretations from the crowd, in the manner of Hermann Rorschach.
“The picture represents discipline and self-control!”
“It is like ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…'”
“It reminds me of a lady walking past a group of construction workers!”
“The cat is walking with confidence, despite the danger.”
A half dozen similar reactions were provided. Toward the end of the litany, an auditor asked the pastor, “Who’s in control?” The pastor, like a good Freudian, turned the tables. “Who do you say is in control?” “The cat,” was the ready response [the pastor had previously noted the existence of what he termed “Sabbath School Questions.” These are queries where the questioner already knows the answer his own question, and is angling for an opportunity to do this very thing, preferably before as many witnesses as possible. These “questions” arose frequently during the course of Pastor Meadow’s Berean presentations]. The cat/German Shepherd image was intended to raise the issue of self-control, as it relates to gender. The internet source for the image reveals that it represents the last step in the training of a police dog, and is indicative of the triumph of “nurture” over “nature.”
Analogies to the principles and practices of the pastor’s M.U.D. program (Men Under Development) were provided. The nature of the dogs in the photograph was not to operate on the level of intelligence, but on an instinctual level. But, the speaker noted, “If these dogs can stand there, under control, and they operate on the level of instinct, then what about you?” M.U.D. teaches boys how to be men. Manhood would be the focus of the next segment of the freewheeling program.
The next question, one posed by a leader of the “Men of Berean,” will explain the presence of the graphic plastered just above this sentence. Here is the question: “We know that an index of prisoners reveals that a large portion of these were men who were not able to read by the age of eight. What are your thoughts about this?” [This is an extreme paraphrase.]
Pastor Meadows asserted a fact that also sounds like some kind of conspiracy theory. But it is, regrettably, all too true! He described the explosive growth in this nation’s prison population as an effect of the privatization of the management of these institutions. There is big money in the “corrections” industry.
A call and response interchange took place with the men in attendance who recalled some previous assertions by the speaker. “Man is who I am! Manhood is what I do!” Manhood consists of behaviors. You can be a man, but fail to do the things of manhood {a certain demographic was again cited, but I will again allow this unruly dog to remain asleep for now, undisturbed]. Several stages on the road to manhood were described, beginning with unembellished maleness, leading through boyhood and manhood, and ending with the assumption of leadership roles. The age of eight, mentioned in the preceding question concerning literacy and incarceration rates, is considered by Pastor Meadows to be a significant one in the formation of the character of future leaders. The nascent phase of “maleness” focuses only on the genitalia. Many live their entire lives without advancing beyond this level. It lies in the realm of instinct, and is animal in nature. “I am as important as my penis,” Pastor Meadows humorously proclaimed, then added, “I know you’re not supposed to say ‘penis’ in church.”
The process of forming new men was described. “Every male has a need for his primary mentor. His primary mentor should be his dad!” A member of the congregation ratified the importance of this by remarking that “Kids will act on what they observe” [the dog that I was hoping would remain asleep was reawakened at this point, as an example of the kind of model that kids assuredly ought not to emulate]. The need to aggressively deal with the issue of homosexuality was restated, based on the Ellen White quote from “Evangelism.” “To be a man is a calling!” Pastor Meadow’s assertion tied in nicely with the topic of last Sabbath’s SERMON at Berean. “To be a homosexual is a choice!” Manhood as a manifestation of actions was again mentioned. “It is a choice to do, or not to do the things of manhood,” the speaker noted [“Ye shall know them by their fruits,” notes another. My contribution: “If it walks like a duck…” All anyone has to do in order to stop being a homosexual, is to stop engaging in homosexual acts. Southern University Professor Andy Nash (this quarter’s Sabbath School lesson book author) got into hot water by stating this simple concept a few years ago in a REVIEW of the lopsided “Adventist” movie “Seventh Gay Adventist”].
The absence of good male role models in the lives of many young men was mentioned. “No woman has to fail in raising a son. But there is one thing that they can’t do! They can never give him everything he needs to be a man. They cannot ‘invite’ him into manhood. A mother can support a son on his journey to manhood. But she cannot ‘affirm’ his manhood!”
A lady arose in order to ask a “Sabbath School” question, which assumed the form of a lengthy testimony. She was a single mom. Her 14 year old son had been acting up at school too many times. At her wit’s end, she took a belt to the school, proclaiming to the school authorities, “Bring him out!” [This does not sound like a wise move.] As a result of her escapade, DFCS (Department of Family and Child Services) made a house call, informing her that she would have to evacuate. “The father is not in the picture, but not because he is a bad person,” she added [he may be more than a little negligent, however]. “What are a single mothers options? What can parents do when the system is working against them?”
Pastor Meadows answered immediately, brushing aside the “victim mentality” reveled by the question, and attempted to empower a person who obviously intended to remain trapped in her dilemma, awaiting the arrival of some knight in shining armor. “We don’t get involved in the system,” he stated. “But the system belongs to the Devil,” the questioner replied. Pastor Meadows outlined a view that Ellen White is on record as also holding, vis-à-vis governmental affairs. “The Bible says ‘render unto Caesar.’ You have to comply with the law unless some fundamental Scriptural principle is being violated. You need to get involved in the system!” The pastor noted the existence of religious liberty leaders in the church [at Berean, this leader is Isaiah Delemar]. “You have to get involved, because eventually you will get dragged before the system” [a reference to end times tribulation, as prophesized]. Pastor Meadows now firmly threw the ball back in the direction of the questioner: “The system is broke, because you broke it!” [This was definitely not the “tea and sympathy” that the lady had probably expected to receive.]
Two more visual aids were displayed side by side at this point The left hand image was a bowl of black and white puppies. All were asleep, except for a pair in the foreground. One of the pair had their mouth open. The other had placed its paw into the open mouth of the first. The right hand image was like a juvenile version of the “Peaceable Kingdom,” and displayed a baby cat, a baby chicken standing on a baby pig, and a baby duck standing on a baby rabbit. They all appeared to be getting on famously! The pastor again made like Rorschach: “What do you see?”
“One puppy is feeding another puppy. No other puppy is getting anything to eat.”
The pastor fine-tuned his query: “Which image represents a family? The one on the left [puppies], or the one on the right?” [the Peaceable Kingdom.] The speaker, at this point, provided a simple definition of a word that is relatively simple to start with. “Something that is dysfunctional is something that does not work the way that it is supposed to.”
“The one on the left,” someone shouted. The puppies were undoubtedly relatives, although they were not very engaged with one another.
Pastor Meadows issued a provocation” “Which one looks like your church?”
“The one on the right!” The pastor’s prior definition of “dysfunctional” had subtly influenced his listeners, who all secretly harbored the idea that their church was, indeed, “dysfunctional.”
“Because they don’t look alike, you don’t think they are functional?” Pastor Meadows was laying a heavy dose of the Socratic method on the congregation. A tad more discussion led to a conclusion by the speaker: “Your value judgment about the right hand image [the Peaceable Kingdom] is based on appearance.” A member then offered an insight concerning the right hand image.
“The group in the picture are unable to reproduce with each other!” This was true, but it had no bearing whatsoever on the lesson the pastor was attempting to illustrate. He started to zero in on his target.
“Most of our Black families look like the one on the right,” he asserted. The target was now squarely hit. “One more. Which one looks like your church?”
A very sagacious answer was now sagely provided, but it was not the one that Pastor Meadows was fishing for. “We are like the puppies in the bowl,” a man proclaimed. “They are forced to be together, but they are ignoring each other” [the correct image, which was not the puppy picture, had previously been identified by the audience, but in an intuitive, and not in a reflective manner].
Pastor Meadows quickly dismissed the preceding insight about the apathetic puppies. “Sorry, the bowl of puppies does not look like your church.” A very brief history lesson followed. “In 1844 [the end of the prophetic period foretold in Scripture] all were getting ready to go to heaven. Where were all the blacks? In slavery! We changed this. Recently, the Caribbean invasion [the influx into the United States of many black Adventist islanders] occurred. We don’t look like those puppies!” This concluded the discussion about Exhibit B and Exhibit C, the lazy puppies and the motley menagerie. Adventism is a polyglot operation. The focus was now shifted from denominational, to domestic affairs.
Pastor Meadows had some advice for the women in attendance. He lamented the tendency of some women to surrender some of the power that they are entitled to, just because the man they are attached to does not have any power. This was revealed to be the first of seven mistakes that women make. If they happen to have more education, they pretend as if this is not the case They “dumb it down.” The speaker seemed to imply that, just because they are in a relationship, it is not needful for women to lay down their power. The ultimate power of women is the power of refusal. “Usually in relationships, it is the man who approaches the woman,” Pastor Meadows observed. “The woman has he last say-so. She has the power!” But seldom does she make statements such as “Yes, you can go out with me, but you have to keep your hands to yourself.” The pastor digressed in order to note the emphasis that is placed on the bride, but not the groom, in marriage ceremonies. The groom may be standing at the front of the church, but is typically ignored. But when the bride enters, every eye and camera lens is instantly directed toward her.
Pastor Meadows would not go on to reveal all of the seven mistakes that women make, but did offer a second example. Several old sermons at Berean, delivered earlier, by other speakers, had warned the congregation to not get involved romantically with highly flawed people, assuming that one could easily steer them into the paths of virtue at some future time. Second Corinthians 6:14 advises “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers…” Jesus can change people’s nature, but other people seldom succeed in doing so. Pastor Meadows unveiled mistake number two: “She falls in love with a man’s potential.” She may attempt to placate her mother with a statements such as “Just wait til' the Holy Spirit gets done with him!” Pastor Meadows hinted that they were putting the cart before the horse. “She’s not looking for a man on her knees, but on her back,” he noted.
Celibacy was not recommended. The speaker observed that some claim that they don’t need a man. They have Jesus. Pastor Meadows recalled a comment once made by legendary Adventist Pastor E.C. Ward: “A woman is not ready to be married until she is she is twenty-five years old.” A few of the “steps of dating” were cited. The first of these steps was designated “generalized” dating. At this stage, girls of 10, 11, or 12 years of age are entirely subject to the will of their parents. It is they, and not she, who decide whether a young suitor is appropriate or not. Needless to state, these outings are to be highly chaperoned affairs. A subsequent stage, suitable for 15, 16, and 17 year olds, might be called “specialized” dating. This phase is characterized by “group dates.” The speaker warned us that the church will exert heavy pressure on young people to go ahead and pair off during this stage. “You need to pick one!” But the time is not yet ripe for commitment. In fact, the more dates a young girl has, the better she will fare. Pastor Meadows assured us that “As long as she is in the will of the Lord, she can have as many Leroys as she wants!” He suggested that it may even be a good ideas to let each know of the others. Nobody could claim the rights of sole proprietorship.
The stages of dating advance. The girl is now twenty years old. She soon gets her first degree, and may perhaps choose to work for a year in her field. When she reaches 23 or 24 years of age, she earns her master’s degree. At this point, she and her intended should receive something that used to be quite common, but is now falling out of fashion. It is “pre-marital counseling.” The deliberate process just described by the pastor serves to eliminate most of the mistakes related to courtship that many young ladies incur. She now twenty-five, E.C. Ward’s perfect age. “Then she is ready,” Pastor Meadows consented.
Sunday morning would witness the pastor sticking up for some of the mannerisms and slang of the younger generation, even extending provisional indulgence to the casual employment of the “N” word. He was not necessarily advocating that these usages persist, but rather that they not present an insurmountable barrier to those who hoped to evangelize the younger generation. It was one more warning, in a long series of warnings issued not only by Pastor Meadows, but also by a host of other recent speakers, that Adventists should strive to suppress their judgmental attitudes, a prelude to evangelizing those who are different from us [by extension, this could include gays as well, but they are a much tougher nut to crack than gang-bangers, as the later group includes many who thirst for righteousness, but the former group is terribly self-righteous. Guest Pastor Edwards Woods II was not as exasperated as I am at present when he delivered a “sensitive” and inclusionary SERMON at Berean back in March].
The “baggy pants” question was raised by one of the Sabbath evening auditors. “It has been going on for ten years now,” the questioner related. “I thought it would have died out by now. If anything, it is getting worse!” Pastor Meadow’s response revealed that he did not exactly endorse this fashion trend. The concept of “empowerment,” as it was in the case of the “damsel in distress,” was raised. “In Florida [the speaker’s base of operations] they have made a law against it.” The speaker spelled it out, once again, for anyone who may have been taking a nap the first time he said it: “We can talk about it all day, but if you don’t get involved, ain’t nothin’ gonna happen!”
“Men of Berean” functionary, lawyer, and church Religious Liberty Leader Isaiah Delemar had something to say. “Is not God in control of all of this?” Pastor Meadows was quick to reply, “God is not in control! God is in charge. There is no choice in control! [This reference to our obligation to assume personal responsibility was also cited with regard to the presumed “control” that parents exercise over their children.]
Pastor Meadows furnished a term that described his theological preferences. It sounded intimidating when first spoken, but upon reflection was not at all obscure. “I am a non-canonical proclatory prophet of the Second Coming!” The “non-canonical” business might have been better rendered as “super-canonical.” Things were excluded from the original canon because they were badly out of alignment. Ted N.C. Wilson would be first to assert that Adventist “Spirit of Prophecy” material is inadmissible if it is not perfectly conformed to Scripture. The pastor seemed to have proclaimed himself a prophet as well, and it would be easy enough to determine if this were true. There exist a “canonical” litmus test for this gift. Anyone can prophesize, and many do. Not just Ellen White, or (presumably) Nevilon Meadows. In First Samuel 19, Saul himself prophesizes. The proof will be in the pudding. Here is a LINK to an Andrews University lecture on this subject. “Is Saul also among the prophets?” Yes! Is my former co-worker Pastor Harris? If he says so, as he has never told me a lie before. You? You never know…
A question by someone highlighted that the speaker had left us hanging in mid-air, “What are the other six points?” [In regard to “The Seven Mistakes That Women Make,” I believe, but the speaker had actually manage to describe two out of the seven points.]
“If I told you, my CD’s would not get sold!” [You have to admire the man’s candor.] Isaac Delemar sought a big lesson that might be distilled from all of this varied material. He asked the pastor “What is the action plan?”
Pastor Meadows prefaced his response but grouping the subject into four broad categories: (1) Family (2) Finance (3) Education, and (4) Religion. “Most black people have problems with finance” [the questioner, Elder Delemar, had recently introduced a church-wide initiative, via a sophisticated two hour PowerPoint presentation, to straighten out everyone’s money problems by applying Scriptural principles to the field of finance]. “Most black people also have problems with family,” he added.
“There is a difference between being a ‘good' man, and being a ‘God’ man. Find your purpose, and you will be a ‘God’ man” [here is a link to a very recent SERMON that reveals how we may all discover our callings]. Pastor Meadows stated that difficulties with Family and Finance could be overcome by reference to category four: Religion. “A man, as head of the family, should say “This is the church we are going to!'” But the seeming dictatorial nature of this proclamation should be softened by providing accessory information. “But he has to answer the question ‘why,'” the pastor amended. “He even has to be able to explain his directive to himself.” The category of Education is of such importance, it required no endorsement by the speaker. The conversation seemed on the verge of wrapping up, but this was a premature vibe. A listener asked the speaker where his materials might be available for purchase, after the discussion. Pastor Meadows’ answer was brimming with humor: “I don’t know where I’m going to sell my CD’s, but I know one thing. I’m going in the same direction you’re going!”
The pastor described one of the many presentations that he carries around with him. It has the provocative title “How to Raise a Thug.” Some background information on the origin of the term “Thug” was provided. Thugs strangled their victims, presumably in order to avoid the shedding of blood. Pastor Meadows revealed that we had all seen them in Indiana Jones movies. They were the ones wearing turbans. Here are some pointers on truly bad parenting:
- “Give him whatever he wants.”
- “Laugh at his use of foul language.”
- “Let him make all decisions on his own.”
- “Avoid the use of the word ‘wrong.'”
- “Pick up everything that they leave behind; this will give them experience in the art of passing the buck.”
- “Quarrel in front of him, so he will be accustomed to quarrels.”
- “Give him money. Never let him ‘own’ his money.”
- “When he gets into trouble, apologize for him. Then apologize for yourself, while you are at it.”
Older dogs can learn new tricks. “Sometimes parents cannot be saved, until they see their children sin.” The topic of freewill was revived by the speaker. “The parent is in charge, but the child is in control,” Pastor Meadows asserted. This terminology had been previously applied to the nature of God’s control over our lives. Persuasion is superior to brute force. God wants followers, and not an army of slaves.
“His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”
Some cautionary words written by Ellen White were mentioned. To aspire to an advanced level of devotedness, while continuing to eat meat, was likened to hypocrisy by the speaker.
The conversation had been commenced with a description of three distinctive characteristics of the Adventist denomination. It would be closed (nearly closed, anyway) by the provision of not three, but four SDA distinctions:
- “We are part of the Remnant Church.” Not the whole. Just a part. The “other sheep” verse was cited as a certification that Adventists do not picture themselves as an exclusive club, The speaker noted that the denomination could not have existed before 1798 [the end of the 1,260 year dominion of the papacy: a “faithful remnant,” according to Ellen White, certainly existed before this date, but Pastor Meadows may have been referring to the organization].
- “We keep the commandments, with an emphasis on the fourth.”
- “We proclaim the worldwide message of the Three Angels.”
- “We believe in the ‘Spirit of Prophecy.'” [E.G. White, et al]
Time are changing, but not necessarily for the better, with regard to liturgical practices. This theme permeated all six of Pastor Meadows’ Berean presentations. “Practice becomes based on Preference. And Preference excludes Principle!” Old denominational controversies were alluded to, which came as news to a new Adventist like myself. “Ellen White was never against drums in worship services!” [My unfinished post on the “Church of Christ Ban on Musical Instruments” will never be concluded. I think I will turn it into a page and then hide it HERE.] The pastor reminded us of his criticism of the denomination’s trend toward “praise” (a very drum-intensive endeavor), at the expense of worship.” I will include here a reminder of his expression of regret that some congregations now recite John 3:16, rather than the fourth commandment, during Sabbath services.
A split in the church was shaping up, one determined by what generation a member belonged to. Pastor Meadows stated his intention to prepare a sermon that addresses these backward steps, one to be called “Old Men Will Dream Dreams.” “Being young is not the opposite of being old!” This was a variation on a previous theme stated by the speaker, “Being a woman is not the opposite of being a man.” “There is a division in the church, and it is based on age groups,” the pastor declared. ” M.O.B. [again, “Men of Berean,” the sponsors of this week’s activities] should be appreciated by the older men in the church. They need to say to the seniors, ‘We’re moving, and you’re not present!” The pastor had a good plan in mind, which he now proceeded to implement.
Some parting ephemera appeared. Masons and Shriners [yesterday’s news, and deservedly so, I continue to assert] were mentioned. The pastor made a provocative comment: “I believe every president has been a Mason” [perhaps JFK was the Catholic version of a Mason, which is a “Knight of Columbus”]. “Hillary can’t be president, because she is not a Mason!” [Here is a LINK to a very amusing song on this topic.]
The direction of Adventism, and black Adventism in particular, was declared a last time by the speaker, and, in a case of possibly saving the best for the last, the largely forgotten names of William Foy and Hazen Foss cropped up. Before there was Ellen G. White, a pair of black men were overcome by the “Spirit of Prophecy,” but as the pastor stated, “Foy was Coy, and Foss was lost!” Information on Foss is indeed hard to come by. Here is data on Foy from the Church Heritage Manual. If you already know of him, just skip past the italicized material.
After growing up in a country setting for a large part of his life, he than married in the middle or late eighteen thirties and moved to Boston, where his skills in farming and carpentry provided him a means by which to live.
In 1835 Foy was converted, under the preaching of Elder Silas Curtis, at the Freewill Baptist Church in Augusta, Maine. Here Foy converted to Christianity, and began to inquire what he should do to be saved. Shortly thereafter, Foy began receiving visions about the Advent. After he moved to Boston, many witnessed him during times of these visions.
His first vision concerned the ultimate victory of the saints. Then late one Friday evening he entered into his second vision, which lasted twelve and a half hours, until early Saturday morning. It was based upon the judgment, and the level of preparedness in the church. Given the racial tensions of the times, Foy was apprehensive to share the visions. However, he trusted God, and shared what he had been given.
After travelling extensively with his message, Foy was given two more visions shortly before the disappointment. New material was presented to him showing three platforms, which indicated a third phase in the message from God for that time. In perplexity, he ceased public work, but maintained an interest in the Advent movement. He died on November 9, 1893, at the age of seventy-five. This information was taken from a book by Delbert W. Baker entitled “The Unknown Prophet.”
“The church compromises. The church collapses not because of outside forces, but collapses due internal causes. We have a perfect message, but imperfect people. The influences of the world have caused us to compromise.”
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