We need to contemplate afresh the worth of the human soul, the infinite price paid for its redemption, and the limitless love of God that reaches out after the lost and erring. We need to pray for that deep, yearning, abiding love that will know no rest till the lost are found. Wanderers need to be reclaimed, lambs brought into the fold, and the sick, helpless, aged sheep nurtured, comforted, and cherished till the journey's end. Such is the basic responsibility of ministry in the remnant church of God.
The one all-comprehensive purpose of the church is to seek, to save, and to hold that which was lost—lost in sin, lost from God and righteousness. It is to guide men, women, and children clear through to the kingdom of God. It is to love, lead, protect, and preserve the souls of men. Is it therefore too much to say that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, and is brought into the genuine fellowship of the church, than over ninety-nine saints who, in striving to achieve some earth-made goal, seem more concerned over quotas and achievements than over the souls of men? Is there not more interest in the hearts of the angels over one child led to God and into the loving care of His church than over all the per capita records of earth—if those records and computations become so paramount that souls are jeopardized in their attainment? Is there not more concern in the bosom of Christ over keeping the aged and helpless in the fellowship and tender care of their church than in all the frenzied attempts to surpass previous records, sometimes by actually stripping the church of its noncontributing members?
The church was instituted to save men, not to disconnect and disfellowship them. It is charged with retrieving and reclaiming wanderers. Flagrant sin and apostasy must be dealt with, but never should a name be removed without repeated visitation, entreaty, and opportunity to return to fellowship. The removal of a name should be the last step in a series of fruitless endeavors. If unavoidable, it should bring a heart sorrow to the church.
To cite a flagrant case, removing from membership an elderly couple, in whose hearts burns the hallowed fire of the advent hope, but who live with, and are wholly dependent upon, unbelieving children who will not allow, them one cent for gifts to their church, is a travesty on the gospel, a perversion of ministerial prerogatives, and actual malfeasance in spiritual office. There is no "retired" column in heaven's church record book. Let us beware of injecting in our church books an extra column which is out of harmony with heaven. Either a person is a church member or he is not. If he is a member, he is entitled to a rightful place on the church record book, without reservation or censure, and without being made to feel ill at ease and unwanted. Such trifling with souls cannot be condemned too strongly.
Again, to retard the baptism of children who have sincerely given their hearts to God in their early teens, but who cannot provide their quotas, and thus for a time may be a financial liability upon the congregation, is a flouting of the great commission that constitutes the divine character of the church, and the justification for its very existence. To designedly hold the "little ones" back for a later baptism—until after the total membership list for the new year is made up (or held down)—is a violation of the whole plan and purpose of the church and its membership.
Once more, to urge with unseemly haste the transfer of membership to another church for those who have moved elsewhere, confessedly to clear the record because of the financial involvements, is to turn the church into a heartless financial clearinghouse, stained with sordid implications. And finally, to drop a lad in the overseas service of his country from the church membership books "for the duration," or to place his name on an "inactive" page because he cannot give his offerings, pay his tithes, and raise his quota for the Ingathering is utterably reprehensible. Such instances are relatively rare, but they are not unknown. Even one solitary case would be too many.
Such contingencies did not obtain in the apostolic church, but in all too many instances today, the gifts .of the Spirit have been superseded by the "giving ability" a pastor can sustain in his church. There has developed among us a system of measurements and standards whereby the success of a minister is often rated by his ability to put his church or district over a financial and achievement goal.
Brethren in the ministry of the church, we need to study anew the place and purpose of the church, the purpose and relationship of membership therein, and the evaluation that God puts upon the individual soul. We need to study afresh our ecclesiastical system, and see whether distortions and abuse have crept in—and if so, correct them. God cannot truly bless plans for the support of foreign missions that pervert the very giving of the gospel at home. He cannot smile upon a distorted program for service and sacrifice that compromises the basic principle of soulsaving and soul conservation. He may bless in spite of, but not because of, such perversions. The infinite love and sacrifice of all heaven would be poured out for the winning and holding of a single soul. Let us keep the individual soul in that place of paramount worth with which God has invested it.
L. E. F.
