stand before the world leaders of my church, your church,
our church, and I have a few words to leave with you.
I take my thoughts from something that Elder and Mrs.
Ralph Neall have written describing how typically a sect
evolves into a church.
They say a sect is often begun by a
charismatic leader with tremendous drive and commitment
and that it arises as a protest against worldliness and
formalism in a church. It is generally embraced by the poor.
The rich would lose too much by joining it, since it is unpopular,
despised, and persecuted by society in general. It has definite
beliefs firmly held by zealous members. Each member makes a
personal decision to join it and knows what he believes. There
is little organization or property, and there are few buildings.
The group has strict standards and controls on behavior.
Preachers, often without education, arise by inner compulsion.
There is little concern about public relations.
And then it passes on to the second generation. With
growth there comes a need for organization and buildings. As a
result of industry and frugality, members become prosperous.
As prosperity increases, persecution begins to wane.
First generation of children born into the movement do not have to make personal
decisions to join it. They do not necessarily know what they
believe. They do not need to hammer out their own positions.
These have been worked out for them. Preachers arise more
by selection and by apprenticeship to older workers than by
direct inner compulsion.
In the third generation, organization develops and
institutions are established. The need is seen for schools to pass
on the faith of the fathers. Colleges are established. Members
have to be exhorted to live up to the standards, while at the
same time the standards of membership are being lowered.
The group becomes lax about disfellowshiping non-practicing
members. Missionary zeal cools off. There is more concern over
public relations. Leaders study methods of propagating their
faith, sometimes employing extrinsic rewards as motivation
for service by the members. Youth question why they are
different from others, and intermarry with those not of their
faith.
In the fourth generation there is much machinery; the
number of administrators increases while the number of
workers at the grass-roots level becomes proportionately less.
Great church councils are held to define doctrine. More schools,
universities, and seminaries are established. These go to the
world for accreditation and tend to become secularized. There
is a reexamination of positions and modernizing of methods.
Attention is given to contemporary culture, with an interest in
the arts: music, architecture, literature. The movement seeks
to become “relevant” to contemporary society by becoming
involved with popular causes. Services become formal. The
group enjoys complete acceptance by the world. The sect has
become a church!
Brethren and sisters, this must never happen to the
Seventh-day Adventist Church! This will not happen to the
Seventh-day Adventist Church. This is not just another
church—it is God’s church! You are the men and women
sitting in this sanctuary this morning on whom God is
counting to assure that it does not happen.
Study, know what is ahead, then with God’s
help prepare your people to meet it!
Already, brethren and sisters, there are subtle forces
that are beginning to stir. Regrettably there are those in the
church who
- Belittle the inspiration of the total Bible,
- who scorn the first 11 chapters of Genesis,
- who question the Spiritof Prophecy’s short chronology of the age of the earth,
- and who subtly and not so subtly attack the Spirit of Prophecy.
- There are some who point to the reformers and contemporary
- theologians as a source and the norm for Seventh-day
- Adventist doctrine.
- There are those who allegedly are tired of the hackneyed phrases of Adventism.
- There are those who wish to forget the standards of the church we love.
- There are those who covet and would court the favor of the evangelicals;
- those who would throw off the mantle of a peculiar people;
- and those who would go the way of the secular, materialistic
- world.
Fellow leaders, beloved brethren and sisters—don’t let
it happen! I appeal to you as earnestly as I know how this
morning—don’t let it happen! I appeal to Andrews University,
to the Seminary, to Loma Linda University—don’t let it
happen! We are not Seventh-day Anglicans, not Seventh-day
Lutherans—we are Seventh-day Adventists! This is God’s last
church with God’s last message! You are the men and women,
the leaders, whom God is counting on to keep the Seventh-day
Adventist Church God’s remnant church, the church God has
destined to triumph!
The servant of the Lord says, “Fearful perils are before
those who bear responsibilities in the Lord’s work—perils the
thought of which makes me tremble.” —Selected Messages,
vol. 2, p. 391. And in Ezekiel 22:30 we read, ”I looked for a man
among them who could build up a barricade, who could stand
before me in the breach to defend the land from ruin” (N.E.B.).
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