The Group has been granted a hearing before the Potomac Conference Executive Committee! We are scheduled to plead our case on May 28. We ask special prayer support leading up to and during this meeting.
June 1 Update:
The Group has been informed that the Potomac Conference has come to some sort of tentative conclusion. Specifics are being withheld pending another meeting of the Executive Committee in two weeks, when the Conference's action will be finalized. The Group has not been invited to send representation to this next meeting.
June 22 Update:
The conference response was meaningless in that it chose to address a handful of cosmetic symptoms of the problem (such as renaming the Church Ministries Board to be the Church Board) while ignoring the core issues. Full details will be provided in their proper place in The Epic.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Advice from the Spirit of Prophesy, Pt 8
Do not lead with harshness and severity, but with respect, kindness, confidence, and love.--You do not feel under sound obligation to God to be patient and kind and respectful toward your ministering brethren and toward every member of the church. They lose confidence in you and then your influence is crippled. You need the kindness, courtesy, meekness, and lowliness of Christ. You have many valuable qualifications that can be perfected for highest service if sanctified to God. You should feel the necessity of approaching your brethren with kindness and courtesy, not with harshness and severity. You do not realize the harm you do by your sharp, domineering spirit toward them" (Pastoral Ministry, p. 53.)
"Those men who are not called of God are generally the very ones that are the most confident that they are so called and that their labors are very important. They go into the field and do not generally exert a good influence; yet in some places they have a measure of success, and this leads them and others to think that they are surely called of God. It is not a positive evidence that men are called of God because they have some success; for angels of God are now moving upon the hearts of His honest children to enlighten their understanding as to the present truth, that they may lay hold upon it and live. And even if self-sent men put themselves where God does not put them and profess to be teachers, and souls receive the truth by hearing them talk it, this is no evidence that they are called of God. The souls who receive the truth from them receive it to be brought into trial and bondage, as they afterward find that these men were not standing in the counsel of God. Even if wicked men talk the truth, some may receive it; but it does not bring those who talked it into any more favor with God. Wicked men are wicked men still, and according to the deception they practiced upon those who were beloved of God, and according to the confusion brought into the church, so will be their punishment; their sins will not remain covered, but will be exposed in the day of God's fierce anger" (Early Writings, pp. 98 & 99).
"These self-sent messengers are a curse to the cause. Honest souls put confidence in them, thinking that they are moving in the counsel of God and that they are in union with the church, and therefore suffer them to administer the ordinances, and, as duty is made plain that they must do their first works, allow themselves to be baptized by them. But when light comes, as it surely will, and they are aware that these men are not what they understood them to be, God's called and chosen messengers, they are thrown into trial and doubt as to the truth they have received and feel that they must learn it all over again; they are troubled and perplexed by the enemy about all their experience, whether God has led them or not, and are not satisfied until they are again baptized and begin anew" (Early Writings, p.99).
"Some are teaching the truth to others, when they themselves need to be taught the first principles of the Christian religion. They are at war with God through his providence. They watch for something to feel bad about; and they never fail to find it, for the faultfinding spirit is in their hearts and controls their lives. They are always dissatisfied. Their work is too hard, they are not appreciated, or they do not receive sufficient compensation. If anything crosses their track, they draw back like pettish children, forgetting that as Christ's servants they should not be affected by the course of any man. This spirit savors of Satan, and those who manifest it are thereby yielding to his control.
"Ministers of this class are a sore affliction to their brethren in the ministry and to the church. They are a constant source of anxiety and care, and the harm they do the cause of God, eternity alone will reveal. You never know where to find them; for they are like the weather-vane, and change with every change of circumstances. One day they appear to be humble and affected by the Spirit of God, and our hopes are awakened; but the next day something occurs which drifts them into another current, and they are harder to get along with than a willful child; for while they are children in self-control, they are men in years and stature, and cannot be corrected like a child. They do not know what harm they do by their want of self-control. While they feel under no obligations to restrain the natural impulses of the heart, what right have they to take the position of guides to the flock? The Lord has said through his apostle, "Make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way." [HEB. 12:13.] Any crooked path the leader may take, prepares the way for the weak to be turned aside from the path of safety.
"These men do not see themselves; for they look through Satan's deceptive glasses. They do not know that they are contending with God by resisting the efforts of his servants in their behalf" (Gospel Workers, pp. 438 & 439).
"Those men who are not called of God are generally the very ones that are the most confident that they are so called and that their labors are very important. They go into the field and do not generally exert a good influence; yet in some places they have a measure of success, and this leads them and others to think that they are surely called of God. It is not a positive evidence that men are called of God because they have some success; for angels of God are now moving upon the hearts of His honest children to enlighten their understanding as to the present truth, that they may lay hold upon it and live. And even if self-sent men put themselves where God does not put them and profess to be teachers, and souls receive the truth by hearing them talk it, this is no evidence that they are called of God. The souls who receive the truth from them receive it to be brought into trial and bondage, as they afterward find that these men were not standing in the counsel of God. Even if wicked men talk the truth, some may receive it; but it does not bring those who talked it into any more favor with God. Wicked men are wicked men still, and according to the deception they practiced upon those who were beloved of God, and according to the confusion brought into the church, so will be their punishment; their sins will not remain covered, but will be exposed in the day of God's fierce anger" (Early Writings, pp. 98 & 99).
"These self-sent messengers are a curse to the cause. Honest souls put confidence in them, thinking that they are moving in the counsel of God and that they are in union with the church, and therefore suffer them to administer the ordinances, and, as duty is made plain that they must do their first works, allow themselves to be baptized by them. But when light comes, as it surely will, and they are aware that these men are not what they understood them to be, God's called and chosen messengers, they are thrown into trial and doubt as to the truth they have received and feel that they must learn it all over again; they are troubled and perplexed by the enemy about all their experience, whether God has led them or not, and are not satisfied until they are again baptized and begin anew" (Early Writings, p.99).
"Some are teaching the truth to others, when they themselves need to be taught the first principles of the Christian religion. They are at war with God through his providence. They watch for something to feel bad about; and they never fail to find it, for the faultfinding spirit is in their hearts and controls their lives. They are always dissatisfied. Their work is too hard, they are not appreciated, or they do not receive sufficient compensation. If anything crosses their track, they draw back like pettish children, forgetting that as Christ's servants they should not be affected by the course of any man. This spirit savors of Satan, and those who manifest it are thereby yielding to his control.
"Ministers of this class are a sore affliction to their brethren in the ministry and to the church. They are a constant source of anxiety and care, and the harm they do the cause of God, eternity alone will reveal. You never know where to find them; for they are like the weather-vane, and change with every change of circumstances. One day they appear to be humble and affected by the Spirit of God, and our hopes are awakened; but the next day something occurs which drifts them into another current, and they are harder to get along with than a willful child; for while they are children in self-control, they are men in years and stature, and cannot be corrected like a child. They do not know what harm they do by their want of self-control. While they feel under no obligations to restrain the natural impulses of the heart, what right have they to take the position of guides to the flock? The Lord has said through his apostle, "Make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way." [HEB. 12:13.] Any crooked path the leader may take, prepares the way for the weak to be turned aside from the path of safety.
"These men do not see themselves; for they look through Satan's deceptive glasses. They do not know that they are contending with God by resisting the efforts of his servants in their behalf" (Gospel Workers, pp. 438 & 439).
Friday, May 1, 2009
In the World but Not of the World
I'm a fifth-generation Adventist. I received all my formal education through Adventist schools. Many of my extended family members are, or have been, church officers. I am, in short, as Adventist as any individual can get, both spiritually and culturally.
I am also more than a little disturbed by the attitudes and positions expressed in the recent comments by "David." First, I am bothered by his assertion that the answer to young-person retention and membership growth in general is a change in, for lack of a better term, "format." Second, I am bothered by the arrogance of his assertion that, "I am likewise not really interested in what our pioneers did or didn't think." Finally, I am bothered by the relativism which pervades his statements.
It is said that the first generation Adventist joins and stays in the church because they have learned and believe in the doctrines, lifestyle, etc. The second generation stays in the church because they learned the doctrines and lifestyle at the same time as their parents and likewise believe in them. The third generation stays in the church because it's tradition. The fourth generation comes along and wonders why they bother. Why is this? Lack of substance transmission.
I've seen the gimmicks church leaders use to try to retain youth. At one point in my childhood Sabbath School involved a religious perversion of Wheel of Fortune, complete with glitter-festooned wheel and cash prizes. I wasn't impressed. When we reached Earliteens we were told that we weren't going to use the quarterly because they figured we already knew the Bible stuff, so we were going to talk about what Earliteens really wanted to discuss-relationships. I was bored stiff. By Youth the leaders were bringing in orange juice, donuts, etc to make us comfortable and you couldn't tell what the leader was trying to do because the older youth were enjoying the social opportunity too loudly. I was bored to tears.
I'm still in the church, but that is in spite of, rather than because of, the "innovations" designed to attract me. These efforts had glitz, but none of the substance and meaning I was yearning for. It is the absence of substance, meaning, and purpose which drives youth out of our church and discourages new converts. No amount of reformatting will cure the exodus, because the reformatting of Growing Healthy Churches is all about externals, not substance.
So how did I break the generational cycle of loss? The lion's share of credit goes to my parents who started my religious instruction in the cradle. They were consistent, persistent, and encouraged intellectual discussion and questioning but were never pushy or dismissive of my ability to understand "grown up things." These efforts were supported by Adventist teachers and other sincere, committed Adventist adults within my parents' circle of friends who practiced what they preached. The bottom line is that I was actually taught the substance of Adventism both intellectually and experiencially, not just the traditions and lifestyle. That is what is needed to stop the loss, not style or governance changes.
"I am likewise not really interested in what our pioneers did or didn't think." There are so many time-honored truths with which to reply to this it is hard to know where to start. "We have nothing to fear for the future except we forget the past," "those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it," etc. The pioneers that David is so willing to dismiss were led by God is some very specific and spectacular ways to create this denomination. They were fallible humans like the rest of us but they said and did a lot of things which are worthy of our consideration. They had to be doing something right or Adventism would never have gotten off the ground. The spectacular membership growth which occurred under their watch ought to be enough to send those worried about the present "flat-lining" of the Adventist church in North America running to study their example and learn their secrets. To ignore them is pure arrogance and unmitigated stupidity.
"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you" (John 15:19).
"They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them" (1 John 4:5).
"Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 3:4).
Is anyone noticing a pattern here? There is a prevailing attitude in our culture today that "If you feel that it's right for you I have no right to criticize it." This destroys all absolutes. You cannot say that anything is wrong because you might offend somebody. This insidious attitude has oozed its way into the Adventist church and I hear it as the basic premise throughout David's statements. I firmly believe that this is one of the many reasons why we are told to be in the world but not of the world. We must live in the world and interact with its inhabitants, but when we start adopting its philosophies in order to "reach" those outside Adventism it is not us who are converting them--they are converting us. This is the danger warned against in the texts quoted above. Changing our presentation make it more appealing in practice means dumbing it down and hiding our more "controversial" doctrines. This in turn means that those brought into the church under this system don't really understand the fullness of being Adventist. These people then take leadership positions, think they know everything they need to know, and refuse to accept any guidance from more senior Adventists. (By "senior" I mean having been in the church longer, not physical age.) These new leaders then push to do things their way and lead Adventism even further from its origins and central beliefs. This is why the Bible says, "He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil" (1 Timothy 3:6).
What the Adventist church needs is not gimmicks or fresh formats. We need sincere, committed Christian Adventists who not only know but live what they believe. That would be more than enough to retain youth and attract new members.
Religious
I am also more than a little disturbed by the attitudes and positions expressed in the recent comments by "David." First, I am bothered by his assertion that the answer to young-person retention and membership growth in general is a change in, for lack of a better term, "format." Second, I am bothered by the arrogance of his assertion that, "I am likewise not really interested in what our pioneers did or didn't think." Finally, I am bothered by the relativism which pervades his statements.
It is said that the first generation Adventist joins and stays in the church because they have learned and believe in the doctrines, lifestyle, etc. The second generation stays in the church because they learned the doctrines and lifestyle at the same time as their parents and likewise believe in them. The third generation stays in the church because it's tradition. The fourth generation comes along and wonders why they bother. Why is this? Lack of substance transmission.
I've seen the gimmicks church leaders use to try to retain youth. At one point in my childhood Sabbath School involved a religious perversion of Wheel of Fortune, complete with glitter-festooned wheel and cash prizes. I wasn't impressed. When we reached Earliteens we were told that we weren't going to use the quarterly because they figured we already knew the Bible stuff, so we were going to talk about what Earliteens really wanted to discuss-relationships. I was bored stiff. By Youth the leaders were bringing in orange juice, donuts, etc to make us comfortable and you couldn't tell what the leader was trying to do because the older youth were enjoying the social opportunity too loudly. I was bored to tears.
I'm still in the church, but that is in spite of, rather than because of, the "innovations" designed to attract me. These efforts had glitz, but none of the substance and meaning I was yearning for. It is the absence of substance, meaning, and purpose which drives youth out of our church and discourages new converts. No amount of reformatting will cure the exodus, because the reformatting of Growing Healthy Churches is all about externals, not substance.
So how did I break the generational cycle of loss? The lion's share of credit goes to my parents who started my religious instruction in the cradle. They were consistent, persistent, and encouraged intellectual discussion and questioning but were never pushy or dismissive of my ability to understand "grown up things." These efforts were supported by Adventist teachers and other sincere, committed Adventist adults within my parents' circle of friends who practiced what they preached. The bottom line is that I was actually taught the substance of Adventism both intellectually and experiencially, not just the traditions and lifestyle. That is what is needed to stop the loss, not style or governance changes.
"I am likewise not really interested in what our pioneers did or didn't think." There are so many time-honored truths with which to reply to this it is hard to know where to start. "We have nothing to fear for the future except we forget the past," "those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it," etc. The pioneers that David is so willing to dismiss were led by God is some very specific and spectacular ways to create this denomination. They were fallible humans like the rest of us but they said and did a lot of things which are worthy of our consideration. They had to be doing something right or Adventism would never have gotten off the ground. The spectacular membership growth which occurred under their watch ought to be enough to send those worried about the present "flat-lining" of the Adventist church in North America running to study their example and learn their secrets. To ignore them is pure arrogance and unmitigated stupidity.
"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you" (John 15:19).
"They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them" (1 John 4:5).
"Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 3:4).
Is anyone noticing a pattern here? There is a prevailing attitude in our culture today that "If you feel that it's right for you I have no right to criticize it." This destroys all absolutes. You cannot say that anything is wrong because you might offend somebody. This insidious attitude has oozed its way into the Adventist church and I hear it as the basic premise throughout David's statements. I firmly believe that this is one of the many reasons why we are told to be in the world but not of the world. We must live in the world and interact with its inhabitants, but when we start adopting its philosophies in order to "reach" those outside Adventism it is not us who are converting them--they are converting us. This is the danger warned against in the texts quoted above. Changing our presentation make it more appealing in practice means dumbing it down and hiding our more "controversial" doctrines. This in turn means that those brought into the church under this system don't really understand the fullness of being Adventist. These people then take leadership positions, think they know everything they need to know, and refuse to accept any guidance from more senior Adventists. (By "senior" I mean having been in the church longer, not physical age.) These new leaders then push to do things their way and lead Adventism even further from its origins and central beliefs. This is why the Bible says, "He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil" (1 Timothy 3:6).
What the Adventist church needs is not gimmicks or fresh formats. We need sincere, committed Christian Adventists who not only know but live what they believe. That would be more than enough to retain youth and attract new members.
Religious
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