As previously reported in Saved to Serve’s Mid-day Power Surge video, the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) has responded to all the criticism they received for their decision to not change the Oakwood Adventist Academy team’s tournament game scheduled for Saturday (Sabbath) to another time. Oakwood Adventist Academy was scheduled to play in a tournament game at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. They petitioned the AHSAA to change the game time to 7:30 p.m. when the Sabbath hours would have finished. The AHSAA refused to accommodate the Adventist academy and this led to the team having to forfeit the game and their chances to advance to the championship playoffs.
This story sparked national attention and brought a lot of criticism to the AHSAA. Even the Governor of the State of Alabama, Kay Ivey, wrote a letter asking the AHSAA why they didn’t accommodate the religious beliefs of Oakwood Adventist Academy and change the game time. In a February 24, 2022 letter, Alvin Briggs, Executive Director for the AHSAA, asked Governor Ives: “Is the public narrative over Oakwood’s treatment accurate?” The letter goes on to explain that the AHSAA simply upheld the agreement that was made in writing with Oakwood Adventist Academy. The letter stated:
• In 2017, Oakwood requested full membership into the AHSAA.
• The AHSAA Central Board of Control had questions about Oakwood participating since their school is a Seventh Day Adventist organization that recognizes the Sabbath from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday.
• Oakwood agreed to follow the rules of the AHSAA and agreed to participate in all playoff games without petition, or forfeit.
• This statement was provided to the AHSAA in writing, and the AHSAA responded, in writing, accepting their agreement to participate in championship play, without petition, or forfeit.
• Oakwood’s administration would take responsibility and ownership and explain the situation to the student-athletes, parents, and stakeholders.
By concealing their secret consent to play on the Sabbath so that their application to join the AHSAA as full members could be approved, the Oakwood Adventist Academy administration betrayed the students, staff, and God. However, it has all come to light, demonstrating that we have weak, compromised leaders who are willing to sell out God’s truth for the “corruptible crown” of this world (1 Corinthians 9:24, 25). They’ll give up their birthright in exchange for a pot of lentils. They will forfeit heaven for the “pleasures of sins for a season” (Hebrews 11:25). None of this would have occurred if we had heeded God’s warnings against engaging in competitive sports.
Click to read the full story: http://adventmessenger.org/the-ahsaa-writes-governor-kay-ivey-explaining-that-oakwood-adventist-academy-agreed-in-writing-to-play-in-all-tournament-games-including-saturday/
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