As the Sabbath slowly arrives late Friday night on a long Georgia evening in Atlanta, the men and women who staff the committees and business meetings at the General Conference Session are praising God that it is over. I've worked on staff with a number of GC Sessions and I can tell you they are bone-weary after long days, constant demands and unrelenting background noise. And the tension.

Let's be honest about it, meetings of this kind in the Adventist Church are filled with tension. And there is little emotional release because we put so much energy into pretending that there is no tension. We want to be seen--and see ourselves--as one big, happy family when beneath the surface there is much to fight about.

Some people go home from this session who expected to be reaffirmed in their jobs but are now unemployed. Some people went to Atlanta hoping that perhaps God would give them wider opportunities and lightening did not strike.

Some people are deeply heartened by the emphasis on defending certain aspects of the creation doctrine and adding language to the definition of marriage. Others are delighted that the Church is urging social action to reduce global poverty, to collaborate widely to promote wellness, and to prevent violence against women and girls.

There are those who will go home feeling defeated and slapped down. There are those who will go home sorely tempted to celebrate victory over the brothers and sisters they disagree with. The temptation of the first group is to give up on the Adventist faith because of the narrow-mindedness of other Adventists. The temptation of the second group is to rule vigorously without compassion or balance and label that behavior doing God's will.

We are a diverse people. Not just in age or ethnicity or gender, but also in ideas, education and culture. What would Ellen White have to say if she were present this Sabbath in Atlanta? Would she urge us to celebrate our diversity, rejoice in our differences, or would she urge us to continue to press our views as strongly as we can, seeking to win over the others?

If the Sabbath is a day of rest after a week when labor has focused on discussion and making decisions, then it seems that we are breaking the Sabbath if we do not put away our differences and our arguments and focus on what does unite us. We are united in Christ Jesus; united not only internally, but united with all those who have gone before and all those who name His name around the globe today. Clearly we Adventists differ from the vast bulk of Christians on many things, but on the Sabbath perhaps we are not keeping the Sabbath unless we rest from a labor of differing and let Christ reign, let God be God.

I would strongly urge that you take a breath. Let the flurry of details sink in and think and pray about what is important to you. I know there are disappointed readers who are inclined to give up on the Adventist Church after some of the things that occurred this week. (And perhaps even more so things that did not occur.) I am going to spend much of my time this Sabbath praying for you. I hope you stay. We need you!

I know there are others who feel very positive about the outcomes of this week. Although I am not happy with every detail, I tend to agree with you that many good things have happened. I am going to be praying for you that you will resist the ungodly urge to disregard those who are disappointed, even despairing. If the decisions of this week are particularly encouraging to you, then you have a special responsibility from the Lord to reach out and draw in the discouraged.

Jesus specifically warned His people about "the faithful and wise servant whom the master has put in charge" and the temptation to say, "My master has delayed his coming" and "begins to beat his fellow servants." (Matthew 24:45, 48-49) He gave this admonition in response to a concern about "the signs of [Christ's] coming and of the end of the age." (24:3) It is part of a longer passage that is Jesus specifically talking to Adventist people.

There will be no revival or reformation if we cannot celebrate our differences. There will be no significant outcomes, spiritual or otherwise, if we cannot give one another the freedom to disagree openly and listen carefully to those with whom we disagree. I believe as a movement we have grown large enough and old enough to be mature enough to do this. I know that God's call us to do it. Please try it for at least one Sabbath. Is 24 hours too much to ask?