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Overview of Berrien Springs Religious Liberty Event Presentations

By • January 23, 2026

Here is a comprehensive overview of the Religious Liberty event in Berrien Sorings on January 17, 2026. It includes chronological segment markers to help viewers locate the presentations within the video event flow.

The video link: https://www.youtube.com/live/3-L1BlsEnyQ

This does not constitute an endorsement of the views expressed by the speakers but is simply presented as it is a newsworthy event. Further, as it is an electronic summary it may miss or misinterpret key points so please be sure to talk to the speakers or view the video for any questions as to the content.

Conscience, Courage, and the Cost of Silence: A Guide to the Religious Liberty Weekend

Event Overview Hosted by the Village Seventh-day Adventist Church at the Berrien Springs Methodist Church, the Religious Liberty Weekend brought together legal experts, medical professionals, and theologians to discuss the erosion of civil and religious freedoms. Under the theme “conscience, courage, and the cost of silence,” speakers explored how history, prophecy, and current events are converging to challenge the faithful.

Below is a detailed recap of the event, organized by the order of appearance in the video.

1. Opening Presentation: The Methodist Foundation

Speaker: Pastor Dawn Oldenberg Host, Berrien Springs Methodist Church (Video Segment: Opening)

Pastor Oldenberg opened the event by discussing the historical connection between Methodism and Adventism, noting that John Wesley was forced to preach in open fields after being driven out of the Anglican churches,. She then shared her congregation’s modern struggle for conscience.

  • The Cost of Standing Firm: In 2019, her congregation disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church due to the denomination’s evolving stance on LGBTQIA+ issues, which her church found unbiblical.

  • The “Ransom”: To keep their property, the congregation had to pay a “ransom” of $127,000, which required selling their parsonage.

  • Key Message: She urged attendees to “stand on the Bible” regardless of the cost, stating, “I would rather be judged by God than judged by the world”.

2. Historical Warnings: Sweden’s “Preaching Sickness”

Speaker: Dr. Gerhard Erbes Founder, Facing Crossroads Institute (Video Segment: Second Presentation)

Dr. Erbes presented a historical case study from 18th and 19th-century Sweden to illustrate the spiritual dangers of silence.

  • The Conventicle Act (1726): To protect the state Lutheran church, Sweden banned private religious gatherings in homes. Violating this law could cost a citizen their annual salary (approx. $40,000–$60,000 today).

  • The Children’s Revival: In the 1840s, when adults remained silent due to fear of financial ruin, the Holy Spirit moved upon children. Thousands of youth, some as young as six, began preaching repentance.

  • Medical Persecution: Authorities labeled this the “preaching sickness” and subjected the children to medical abuse, including bloodletting and physical punishment.

  • The Cost of Silence: Erbes argued that silence never removes the cost; it only transfers it to the most vulnerable. He concluded that religious liberty exists only “where conscience meets courage”.

3. The Peril of the Republic

Speaker: Elder Ron Kelly President, Advent Mission Institute (Video Segment: Third Presentation)

Elder Kelly drew parallels between the decline of the Roman Republic and the current state of the United States, warning against “arbitrary power… established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness”.

  • The Spirit of Popery: Kelly warned that the “spirit of popery”—the desire to control conscience and punish dissent—is not limited to the papacy but can permeate any institution, including the Adventist church.

  • Honesty and Friction: Using the analogy of a plane crash caused by a lack of friction on the runway, Kelly argued that “friction” and honest dialogue are necessary for truth. He criticized the modern tendency to suppress debate in the name of unity.

  • Imperialism vs. Consent: He emphasized that “right makes might,” not the other way around, and that imposing values on others (imperialism) is a repudiation of the Declaration of Independence.

4. Keynote Sermon: “True and Free” vs. Official Adventism

Speaker: Dr. Conrad Vine President, Partners in Evangelism (formerly AFM) (Video Segment: Divine Service)

Dr. Vine delivered a sermon titled “Striking the Flock,” contrasting two streams of Adventism through the lens of Soviet history.

  • A Tale of Two Churches: Vine detailed the 1920s split in the USSR between “Official Adventism,” which compromised with the state by bearing arms and registering congregations, and “True and Free Adventism,” a remnant that refused to register or break the Sabbath, facing imprisonment and execution.

  • Vladimir Shelkov: He highlighted the story of Pastor Vladimir Shelkov, a leader of the True and Free church who died in a Siberian labor camp in 1980 after testifying against the state’s atheism and violence.

Modern Application: Vine argued a similar divide is emerging in North America today between an institutional church aligned with federal funding/UN goals and a “True and Free” movement loyal to Scripture.

  • Call to Action: He introduced a formal petition to the UN Secretary-General, declaring that faithful Adventists wish to withdraw support for UN objectives. He urged attendees to Bow down to God alone, Stand up for their faith, and Speak out against compromise.

5. Legal and Global Threats: The UN and Sunday Laws

Speaker: Jonathan Zirkle Attorney, Liberty and Health Alliance (Video Segment: First Afternoon Session)

Jonathan Zirkle analyzed the geopolitical landscape through Revelation 13 and 17, focusing on the formation of the “image to the beast.”

  • Project 2025 & Heritage Foundation: Zirkle identified a push for a union of church and state through the Heritage Foundation’s “Project 2025” and the New Apostolic Reformation. He noted these groups are advocating for Sunday laws under the guise of a “uniform day of rest”.

  • The UN as a Religious Entity: He argued the UN is becoming a vehicle for global spiritual ecumenism, mirroring the Vatican’s strategy,.

  • Letter to Ambassadors: Zirkle read from a “Letter to the Ambassadors” sent by his organization to UN representatives. The letter warns that the UN’s rejection of God-given inalienable rights in favor of state-granted rights is a return to tyranny and urges a withdrawal of support.

6. Medical Liberty and the “Common Good”

Speaker: Dr. R. Alan Hoffman Physician and Aerospace Medicine Specialist (Video Segment: Mid-Afternoon Session)

Dr. Hoffman addressed the conflict between the medical model of autonomy and the public health model of the “common good.”

  • Wired for Liberty: Hoffman asserted that liberty of conscience is biologically and spiritually “wired” into the human brain and is essential for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

  • The WHO Pandemic Agreement: He critiqued the World Health Organization’s proposed pandemic agreement and the U.S. PREP Act of 2005, arguing they prioritize “equity” and the “common good” over individual human rights and informed consent.

  • Data vs. Narrative: Hoffman presented data suggesting that wealthy nations with strict pandemic measures often fared worse than poorer nations, challenging the efficacy of centralized health mandates.

7. A Nation in Distress: The Canadian Perspective

Speaker: Barry Bussey Canadian Attorney, First Freedoms (Video Segment: Late Afternoon Session)

Barry Bussey reported on the rapid erosion of civil liberties in Canada, often a testing ground for policies that reach the U.S. later.

  • The Emergencies Act Victory: Bussey celebrated a recent federal court ruling that declared the Canadian government’s use of the Emergencies Act against the Trucker Convoy unconstitutional.

  • Legislative Threats: He warned of Bill C-9 (Combating Hate Act), which lowers the threshold for “hate speech” and removes the “good faith” defense for religious debate, potentially criminalizing biblical preaching.

  • Cultivating Courage: He emphasized the need to “cultivate courage” to withstand the rising administrative state and threats to tax-exempt status for churches.

8. Ministry in Action: Drops of Grace

Speaker: Pastor Dennis Page Drops of Grace Ministry (Video Segment: Closing Interview)

The event concluded with an interview with Pastor Dennis Page regarding his prison ministry in El Salvador.

  • Miraculous Access: Page shared how his team has been granted access to high-security prisons, including those housing notorious gang leaders. He reported that men cut off from the outside world are receiving literature and singing praises to God.

For more information on the initiatives discussed, speakers referred attendees to faithfuladventist.org, firstfreedoms.ca, and dropsofgrace.org.