• About
  • Submit Article
  • Style Guide
  • Writing Agreement
  • Podcast
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • Archive
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact
Menu

ADvindicate

11256 Benton Street
Loma Linda, CA, 92354
Phone Number
Reasoning from Scripture

Reasoning from Scripture

ADvindicate

  • About
  • Writers
    • Submit Article
    • Style Guide
    • Writing Agreement
  • Podcast
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • Archive
  • Comment Policy
  • Contact

A black sabbath?

June 1, 2014 Gerry Wagoner

Sermon begins at 21:00.

May 24, 2014, Alex Bryan, the newly reinstated pastor of the Walla Walla University, gave a startling presentation. All sanctuary windows were shuttered and taped leaving the congregation in complete darkness during a 22-minute sermon followed by an additional 2 minutes of silent darkness.  His sermon advocated the necessity of darkness for us to completely communicate with God in prayer.  (Even the graphics on the screen were reversed out, displaying only small white letters on a solid black background, again insuring complete darkness).

Significant sermon quotes included excerpts from:

  • "Cloud of the Unknowing," by an anonymous 14th century mystic who is highly revered and advanced by the Catholic Church
  • "Entering the Dark Cloud of God," by Barbara Brown-Taylor, a renowned Episcopal theologian.

It is also extremely significant to note that Brown-Taylor presented an identical sermon to Bryan's May 24 sermon on May 25 at a Festival of Homiletics in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The attached link shows Time magazine's article quoting her sermon. Who is teaching whom? and what?

Along with these quotes, Alex Bryan attempted to affirm his darkness thesis with scriptures from both the Old and New Testament, twisting texts all along the way.

In spite of numerous warnings from the General Conference President of the Seventh-day Adventist church to avoid Emergent “spiritual formation” and the mysticism that attends it, some of our progressive church leaders are determined to import these teachings into the congregations that they serve.

"Stay away from non-biblical spiritual disciplines or methods of spiritual formation that are rooted in mysticism such as contemplative prayer, centering prayer, and the emerging church movement in which they are promoted. Look WITHIN the Seventh-day Adventist Church to humble pastors, evangelists, Biblical scholars, leaders, and departmental directors who can provide evangelistic methods and programs that are based on solid biblical principles and The Great Controversy theme." Elder Ted Wilson, inaugural address, Atlanta Georgia, July 3, 2010

"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin"  (1 John 1:5-7).

Please read our comment policy before leaving a comment.

Comments
Tags Alex Bryan, Sabbath, Walla Walla, Darkness, emergent church
← The hypocrisy excuseGLOW goes at fair despite officials' restrictions →
Thank you!

Recent
45 YEARS IN THE CHURCH OF ADVENT
Jul 25, 2025
Tony Rigden
45 YEARS IN THE CHURCH OF ADVENT
Jul 25, 2025
Tony Rigden
Jul 25, 2025
Tony Rigden
REFLECTIONS ON THE GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSION OF 2025
Jul 18, 2025
Kevin Paulson
REFLECTIONS ON THE GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSION OF 2025
Jul 18, 2025
Kevin Paulson
Jul 18, 2025
Kevin Paulson
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
Jul 18, 2025
Ellen G. White
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
Jul 18, 2025
Ellen G. White
Jul 18, 2025
Ellen G. White
THE UNERRING LODESTAR
Jun 26, 2025
Kevin Paulson
THE UNERRING LODESTAR
Jun 26, 2025
Kevin Paulson
Jun 26, 2025
Kevin Paulson
A GOSPEL "WITH NO IF's"
Jun 20, 2025
Kevin Paulson
A GOSPEL "WITH NO IF's"
Jun 20, 2025
Kevin Paulson
Jun 20, 2025
Kevin Paulson

ADvindicate Inc. Copyright © 2012-2022. All Rights Reserved. TERMS & CONDITIONS | PRIVACY POLICY