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 Two
years ago I preached for a church in New Jersey, and heard how
one “EXODUS” movement worked. When the planners came into
this community and found an estab- lished church, with adequate
property, well located for the members and those with whom they
worked, they insisted that the church building be sold, and that
the members (with their treasury) be added to their EXODUS
effort. A few heeded the liberal and status-conscious call but
more stable minds prevailed, and most of the church continues to
meet at the original location, and serve God according to their
ability.
Recently
this was brought to my mind anew when I read a form letter from
a church in Erie, Pa.; listing $39,952.27 in out- standing
debts, and asking for $50,000. because “we stand to lose
everything this small congregation has unless we receive help
immediately.”
It
seems an “Exodus Erie” was planned (by some “think BIG”
organizers) that promised to bring 100 families to this area.
The Erie brethren, less discerning than their conservative
brethren in N. J. , fell for the spiel of the “brotherhood”
busybodies, and set in motion a building program to accommodate
the expected inflow. Instead of 100 families, two families came.
(Count them: one, two.)
And
if that isn’t enough, the letter says, “The reason for our
financial need can be attributed to our building program to a
great extent. We regretfully admit that through failure of an
improperly handled program and affairs pertaining to it, we are
now without
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money to pay for what has been done already
and none to finish the building which is useable but not
completed.”
Further,
“If you have contributed any to Exodus- Erie in the past four
years, will you please indicate the amount below and to what it
was designated — such as “Exodus—Erie Building Fund”,
“Exodus— Erie Evangelistic Fund”, “Jerry Overby”, etc.
We need this information in order to complete an audit since
part of our records have been misplaced.”
I
feel sorry for the brethren of the original church in Erie.
Having worked in difficult fields, with small groups of saints,
I know how tempting the promises of the Exodizers must have
sounded. “You’ll be a BIG church, with a fine building, on
the RIGHT side of the tracks!” Excuse me if I remember, “the
devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth
him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And
saith unto him, all these things will I give thee, if thou wilt
fall down and worship me.” (Matt. 4:8-9) Jesus understands
their failure (Heb. 4: 15-16) and will forgive if they will
repent and turn to Him.
If
brethren want to move to N.J., or Pa., and plant the cause of
Christ, in a new field, this is wonderful. But they should know
that the “seed is the word of God” (Lu. 8:11) and not a
fancy building, built on the wreckage of another congregation.
“Church-hood” planners do not respect the independent
church, serving God according to its God-given ability.
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