When it became apparent that the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus had global implications, the General Conference issued a directive to its subsidiary organizations to follow the local health department mandates. As country after country shut down and its citizens sheltered in place, in North America, the question of weekly church attendance became a flash point for many Christian denominations.
These congregational-style denominations do not have a central tithing system and remuneration for their pastors. Consequently, many of their pastors experienced a dramatic loss in income as members not only didn’t attend church but were also not receiving a regular income from their jobs as well.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church’s system of tithing and its central collection system which was put together in the late 1860s and refined in the early 1870s was well suited for this issue and had been stress-tested in previous global pandemics such as the Flu Pandemic of 1918.
As the Covid-19 pandemic deepened, the General Conference released regular health and nutrition videos. However, one participant opposed vaccination, which became apparent in these videos. This individual was eventually removed from their public-facing role and later left for other employment.
During the pandemic, as senior Church leadership sheltered in place, individuals from independent ministries and church members stepped in. Initially protesting mask mandates and lockdowns, these groups later opposed vaccination efforts. Their influence grew as they aligned with political movements, demanding new Church policies on vaccination.
Dr. Conrad Vine, President of Adventist Frontier Missions (AFM), became a vocal critic of the Church’s public health policies. In sermons, he accused the General Conference of elitism and claimed the Church was influenced by federal healthcare funding through Medicare and Medicaid. At a Maine camp meeting, Dr. Vine suggested creating independent organizations that could offer more generous exemptions for unvaccinated members, diverging widely from current General Conference policies. He also used the phrase “Go Woke, Go Broke,” criticizing perceived compromises in Church values.
In light of Vine’s allegations of General Conference compromises, we believe it is pertinent to disclose that Intelligent Adventist learned that during a missionary training session in East Asia in 2023, Dr. Vine publicly disclosed that AFM received an offer of a 10-year 100-million-dollar donation from a donor contingent that AFM retain Dr. Conrad Vine at the leadership helm for the duration of the donation. He further stated at the time that the AFM board was considering the donation and its stipulation.
We contacted Adventist Frontier Missions for a statement on September 6, 2024. Dr. Vine called IA that day, and during our conversation, he specifically called the assertion of the donation “fake news” and stated that he was “not in conversation with anyone with a million dollars, let alone one with a hundred million to give” to AFM.
Subsequently, individuals closely associated with AFM reached out to IA to affirm the initial public comments made by Dr. Vine in East Asia and the 100-million-dollar donation in 2023.
This raises questions about the influence of such donations and the implications for non-profit governance.
Key Questions for Consideration:
- Did the AFM board receive or consider a large donation with leadership stipulations?
- Why did Dr. Vine deny comments previously made publicly?
- How does accepting conditional donations impact independent Adventist ministries?
- Does AFM’s reliance on such funding violate any rules with the IRS for non-profit leadership and influence?
- Has AFM’s increased donations during the pandemic reflected genuine mission support or political alignment?
- Could the donation stipulation limit the board’s ability to remove Dr. Vine if necessary?
Adventist Frontier Missions, a member of Adventist-laymen’s Services & Industries (ASI), has not commented on Dr. Vine’s remarks regarding tithe diversion or alternate structures. ASI has also not announced changes to its support of AFM.
The Michigan Conference President, Pastor Jim Micheff, citing private discussions with Dr. Vine, issued a conference-wide ban preventing him from preaching in conference churches. Additionally, tensions between the Michigan Conference and the Village Church Senior Pastor led to the latter being placed on administrative leave.
AFM’s board policy provides its president with a salary 7.5% above the denominational wage factor. The organization’s IRS 990 Forms are available for review.
Intelligent Adventist will reach out to AFM’s Board for comment.
Whistleblowers from AFM and its affiliates can continue to contact us here.