Spirituality and Statistics

In the year 1900 Ellen G. White wrote with a touch of sadness about the "influence of . . . older church members" who failed to practice the truth and whose in­fluence, she said, would certainly "leaven those newly come to the faith" (Testimonies, vol. 6, p.371).

With a note of pathos, the servant of God observed the painful relationship existing between spirituality in the church and church statistics. Here is her affirmation:

The Lord does not now work to bring many souls into the truth, because of the church members who have never been converted and those who were once converted but who have backslidden. What in­fluence would these unconsecrated members have on new converts? Would they not make of no effect the God-given message which His people are to bear?—ibid.

In the light of the foregoing statement pastors will see that blame for meager baptism statistics lies not alone at the cold and sinful doors of the world, but at the doors of the church too. In the very next paragraph of the statement concerned, the servant of the Lord called upon all to "ex­amine their own practices," to correct those habits that were unjurious to themselves, detrimental to the babes in the faith, and that would prove calamitous to new con­verts if indeed new converts could find their way into the churches under these circumstances.

"Vast Amount of Rubbish"

The volume 6 testimony written at the turn of the century represented the repeti­tion of counsel written by Ellen G. White earlier in the year 1876. In volume 4, page 68, she spoke realistically of the "vast amount of rubbish brought forward by pro­fessed believers in Christ, which blocks up the way to the cross." Then she added an observation that explains why baptisms are possible at all, in some places. "Notwith­standing all this," she declared, "there are some who are so deeply convicted that they will come through every discouragement and will surmount every obstacle in order to gain the truth." But she added, "Had the believers in the truth purified their minds by obeying it, had they felt the im­portance of knowledge and of refinement of manners in Christ's work, where one soul has been saved there might have been twenty."—Ibid.

The foregoing suggests that the lack of "refinement of manners in Christ's work" had proved to be a deterrent to success in winning souls. In Testimonies, volume 4, pages 237, 238 the writer described Breth­ren J and G who were standing directly in the way of the advancement of the work of God in the place where they resided. These men were "in special danger of los­ing eternal life," she declared. She spoke of the tent meeting that was held in this community and where "hundreds were convicted of the truth; but God knew the material of which that church was com­posed. If souls came out into the truth, there were none to nourish and cherish them, and to lead them along to an elevated life." What a tragic situation!

Quarrel With the Angels

The servant of the Lord then referred to Brother I who had "an envious, faultfind­ing, jealous spirit." Because of his sins this man was cast out of the church, and Mrs. White did not encourage the believ­ers to invite him to unite with them again, for she explained, "With the spirit he now has, he would quarrel even with the angels of God. He would wish to rule and dictate the work of the angels. No such spirit can enter heaven."

As I read these alarming exposés, the reasons behind our failures in evangelism, I trembled for the church of God and for my own soul. Here are startling facts to conjure with. Am I a stumbling block or a steppingstone in the great program of evangelism?

The servant of God declared with divine insight: "A holy God will not bring out souls to the truth to come under such an influence as has existed in the church. Our heavenly father is too wise to bring souls into the truth to be molded by the influ­ence of these men who are unconsecrated in heart and life. These men are not in harmony with the truth. They are not in union with the body, but are drawing off from the church. They are working at cross purposes with those whom God is using to bring souls into the truth."—Ibid., p. 238.

A Revival and Reformation

We ministers know that there are churches here and there among Seventh-day Adventists in the midst of which there are disgruntled spirits, critical, faultfind­ing, and unhappy. The local church seems to have been leavened by this spirit. This is sometimes true, particularly of smaller churches where unfortunately everybody seems to know everybody else's business. Because it is impossible for the pastor to bestow upon the many churches under his care all the attention that they need, this spirit seems to multiply. How can God work to unite new believers with churches like these when this spirit is in the ascendancy? He will not do this.

Is it not right that we should take to our churches everywhere these alarming ex­planations of failure on our part to win souls, invite our members to participate in a revival and reformation of life and take serious inventory and stock of the situa­tion?

There will be some who will want to use these testimonies as a club to hammer the critics in the church. So-called reformers will use these testimonies as ammunition for their own guns, and blast the Seventh-day Adventist Church. All of these things notwithstanding, as pastors we must faith­fully face the facts. We must invite our people to ask the question, Am I standing in the way of the Lord's work? If we are, we should take the roadblocks out of the King's highway and make plain, straight paths for the Lord to work and perform miracles.

We have yet to see in our evangelistic work a repetition of Pentecost on a world­wide scale. Whatever interferes with that work must be removed, and it is our busi­ness to see that it is removed.