Advantage of Smaller Churches

[Woody]

I was thinking that if our churches were to make a more sincere effort to follow the teachings of Ellen White ... that we would be able to have smaller churches and have far less strife and disagreement.

Quote:

Choose poverty, reproach, separation from friends, or any suffering rather than to defile the soul with sin. Death before dishonor or the transgression of God's law should be the motto of every Christian. As a people professing to be reformers, treasuring the most solemn, purifying truths of God's word, we must elevate the standard far higher than it is at the present time. Sin and sinners in the church must be promptly dealt with, that others may not be contaminated. Truth and purity require that we make more thorough work to cleanse the camp from Achans. Let those in responsible positions not suffer sin in a brother. Show him that he must either put away his sins or be separated from the church. {5T 147.1}

Having ONLY those WITHOUT sin in SDA churches might be an advantage .... there would be fewer of us but ... we might be a better witness without all the fluff disrupting things.

It clearly was her feeling that there was no reason to have sinners around ......

Quote:

"There is no excuse for sin." 4 T 623

[Morning Glory]

I grew up in a small chruch.....and I don't think that I agree that there is a great advantage in fewer numbers. We got the most boring pastors, usually. The good ones only stayed a very short time then the "owners" of the church had them removed. It is UGLY when a small church is divided, and especially ugly when YOU are on the receiving end of the divide.

True, you get to know the people better. That is, if people are willing to be known which didn't seem to be the case w/ most of the members of my home church. I would say that about half of the memebers I didn't even know.

When is the Mrs chk coming home, RW?? You need a diversion!!

MG

[Woody]

Huh ... Good one MG. You are probably right. A diversion is needed. But where else can I have such fun !

Actually what I said here ... I can't honestly take the credit that you have so kindly bestowed.

These were the words that a member of our church used and I have tried to transfer them here. I think I have given them pretty close to the way they were given to us.

So folks ... please no rocks ... they are not MY feelings. I just wanted to see if there was this kind of support out there.

Yep, the people of this church wanted to know what my wife was going to do about all this "fluff" in the church. The church here had gone from 300 to 30. This is no exageration. This is the truth. And these people were still concerned with the fluff. They wanted more people kicked out. The word "fluff" is an exact quote in reference to some of the 30 who remained. I heard it myself. Apparently a church of 30 is not small enough.

To me this is totally unbelieveable. And it may be to some of you. But then some may agree. This was my purpose ... to find out if there is support for this kind of belief. So, don't be afraid people ... speak up !