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The gospel is so simple so that rightly presented even a child should be able to understand and be saved by it, and at the same time so complex that it will be the subject of study throughout eternity.

Oh no. I'm afraid that I have been left behind. Is this what hell is like?

tell them to look to Jesus, for their walk with God, not to the church. tell them to look to Jesus to care for the church, to cleanse it, to shake it, to purify it, and to build it and empower it to witness.

Marco Polo? From Italy? Yes, you are correct! Marco Polo, 1254-1324, from Venice

ESV | ‎Je 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? ESV | ‎Ro 3:10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; ‎11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. ‎12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” ‎13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” ‎14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” ‎15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ‎16 in their paths are ruin and misery, ‎17 and the way of peace they have not known.” ‎18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

A person could actually obtain ministerial credentials online which would enable them to conduct weddings and funerals in most states, besides conducting weekly services. They can choose the name of the church that they form and determine its doctrines. This is how one could eliminate apostasy and not allow apostates as attendees or members, by creating a new church that is purer than the wind-driven snow. The organizers would, however, be obligated to follow the laws of the state or county or city wherever they establish their church. I suppose they could even create an online church. The Pharisees, too, struggled to eliminate "apostasy" when the upstart, Jesus Christ, introduced heresy into the Jewish faith. Christ, of course, demonstrated that it isn't hard-line religion that people need, but a redirection towards serving others and focusing on meeting their needs. In the Kingdom, the Laws of YHVH will be programmed into our minds, and, with Self dead, the needs of others will be more important than our own. We can warm the pews in any denomination we choose, but it's following Christ's teachings that matter. We can associate with the churches of the Prodigal Son's brother who was angry about the feast given upon his apostate brother's return, or, we can associate with the churches of the Prodigal Son, who said, "I am not worthy to be called your son. Let me be your slave."

Brother _ tells me that the Adventist denomination has apostatized all the time and that God's people will not remain in it. I have pointed him to the messages to the churches in Revelation where Christ notes the Churches' good points and their errors. No where in that biblical record does Christ command anyone to leave any of the 7 churches. But Jesus does tell the people who are in those churches what they are to do to escape the condemnation that will come to those who do not hear and heed His reproof. The problem with Laodicea is that the Laodiceans in general think that they have heard Christ's corrections and that it is their brethren (everybody else in Laodicea) that needs to hear and act on the message. The message to Laodicea is that it is in apostasy. Laodicea as Jesus portrays it is not Hot or Cold, it is Lukewarm. Lukewarm is not as Jesus would have Laodicea to be. Thus since 1844, Laodicea has been polluted by doctrines that Satan has thrust into the churches unless it is possible that Satan has attacked all of the churches except Laodicea. And since Jesus said Laodicea is Lukewarm, it follows that something has come into Laodicea to dampen her zeal for Jesus. But Laodicea looks at her teachings and does not see anything wrong with them. Greg's example of the church in Boulder splitting over a conservative and liberal mindset shows that there is something wrong with Laodicea better than I can show. Christ's instruction to Laodicea was not to split into separate congregations because of conservative and liberal viewpoints. That is not the unity that Jesus prayed for when He was on earth. The boulder solution is not God's solution. God would have us come together in unity and divide to keep the congregations from getting too big. Instead of one big church in town several small churches is better, but not divided along lines pf Greg's example: united in doctrine and dispersed to make more light houses throughout the city.

Bingo!

The power of positive thinking.

I know from firsthand experience that some people spend far too much time and delight in attacking others and portraying them as evil. Although they may gain an audience, sooner or later some may begin to understand that the attackers are calling attention to other's "dirty laundry" in order to make themselves look better. It's a poor sport, those who chronically surmise evil and project evil motives into others. Alas, for the evil speakers, their "dirty laundry" will be exposed for all to see on that Great Day of Judgment. I suppose that if we answer a rage-a-holic calmly and respectfully, the tone of the conversation could migrate from heat to logic. If we could shrug off insults like a duck sheds water we would have greater peace. Trying to convey emotionally charged issues without attacking or wounding someone's feelings or self-worth is a learned experience, learned by trial-and-error.

I was in the real estate "flipping" business in the early 1990s. I hired an SDA attorney to probate a property with 4 adult children. They're supposed to get their money 90 days from closing. These were poor people. He paid them out of his own pocket, and he had to wait 90 days to get it back. What a gentleman. Class act! I had a dentist who treated my ex-wife's son on a regular basis. After she and I were divorced, I went in because I chipped a molar. I just needed a crown. He did the whole 9 yards (x-rays, diagnosis, etc.). I did not have a lot of money at the time and no insurance. It took awhile, but I paid him every cent that I owed him. He was a real Scrooge about that money, and still acts like I stiffed him even today. What a prick. I'm also an actor and musician. Most that I've seen don't understand the emotion that goes with a performance. They get the notes or the lines right, but devoid of the emotion. This has been what I've seen from most performers on the platform. Just like there is good and bad in every group, SDAs are no different. I might consider hiring one, but he/she would have to prove themselves first. Just my $.02

maybe I will just wait to write the checks until the 15th

The answer from a professional counseling standpoint is: You do not attempt to answer the person. The list of their alleged offenses in not the central issue. Here is what you do: 1) You shut your mouth and you begin to listen to the person. 2) Listen for the hurt (injury) that has caused the break in the relationship. 3) You attempt to get the person to identify and acknowledge that hurt. Once you have done that you have reached a place where there is a potential for you to assist in the healing process. Here is the rational: 1) People seldom leave over doctrine. 2) People leave over relationships and spiritual injury. 3) When this is the case, getting into an intellectual argument over perceived wrongs (doctrine and policy) is seldom helpful. All such discussions confirm people in the harm that has been done to them. NOTE: My answer is specific to the question asked and the way it was worded. There is a place for a discussion of doctrine, policy, practice and life style. But, that discussion often should be limited.