Independent Ministries

1. Independent Ministries By James A. Cress cressj@gc.adventist.org

2. Last Day Prediction • Apostle Paul, speaking to church leaders: • Take heed . . . For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch . . . (Acts 20:28-30

3. Greatest Challenge from Within • Attacks come from outside – like wolves. • Persecution combines pain / opportunity. • “The blood of the martyrs is seed” – F. F. Bruce • Why ‘inside problems’ greatest challenge? • Aim – draw away disciples. Destroy good fruit you labored so diligently to harvest.

4. 1. Good Intentions • Many independent offshoots see problems in the churches and begin with an earnest desire to reform the church.

5. 2. Poor Methodologies • Focus inward vs. outward • Intent is directed at reforming the church rather than winning the lost.

6. Outreach = Method for Revival • “If you will go to work as Christ designs that His disciples shall, and win souls for Him, you will feel the need of a deeper experience and a greater knowledge in divine things, and will hunger and thirst after righteousness.”-- Steps to Christ, p.79

7. 3. Sociological Product of Times • Age of Fierce independence • Question leadership • Reject authority • Postmodern Query: How do I feel? How does this all relate to me?

8. Members have same attitude • “These devoted souls consider it a virtue to boast of their freedom to think and act independently. They will not take any man’s say-so. They are amenable to no man. I was shown that it is Satan’s special work to lead men to feel that it is God’s order for them to strike out for themselves and choose their own course independent of their brethren.” - Testimonies to Ministers, pg. 29

9. 4. React to perceived negligence • Why doesn’t the GC do something to solve this problem? • Believe in monolithic top-down control • Want world church to resolve local issues • Some believe world church failed to appropriately discipline heretics • Backlash from ultra-conservative right • Beware either extreme

10. Temptation: Go Independent • “God has a church upon the earth who are His chosen people, who keep His commandments. He is leading, not stray offshoots, not one here and one there, but a people.” - Testimonies to Ministers, p. 61

11. 5. Appearance of Righteousness • Fenced-off Stream • 90% Pure 10% Poison • What the can not discern will kill them

12. 6. Independent vs. dependent • Totally dependent upon other people’s money. • $12-15 million annually diverted from the mission of the church to unaudited entities. • Funding that otherwise would have gone to mission of building up the work. • Presumption: Cannot trust church to spend the money wisely.

13. 7. Distinctions to keep cashflow • First, subtle difference between church and ministry • More conservative • More concerned • More committed • More capable • Later, greater differences • Finally, heretical doctrines

14. 8. Major in Minors • Small issues made great - “Men will make a world of an atom and an atom of a world.” - Testimonies to Ministers, p. 65 • Pray for discernment to recognize difference between major versus minor matters

15. Flaw of Pentecostalism: Over-emphasize smallest gift • Perfectionism • Nature of Christ • Worship style and music • Women in ministry • Sensationalistic eschatology • Attack-based evangelism • Preach against others instead of “for Christ”

16. Uniformity not required • “We sought most earnestly that the Scriptures should not be wrested to suit any man’s opinions. We tried to make our differences as slight as possible by not dwelling on points that were of minor importance, upon which there were varying opinions.” - Testimonies to Ministers, p. 65

17. 9. Pseudo-Reverence - Ellen White • Quote obscure passages – emphasis supplied • Fail to quote others • Appearance of education, devotion, spirituality

18. Abuse & Misuse the Gift • “I have been made very sad in reading the pamphlet that has been issued by Brother S. and by those associated with him in the work he has been doing. Without my consent, they have made selections from the Testimonies, and have inserted them in the pamphlet they have published, to make it appear that my writings sustain and approve the position they advocate.” - Testimonies to Ministers, p. 32

19. Methods Lack Integrity • “It will be found that those who bear false messages will not have a high sense of honor and integrity. They will deceive the people, and mix up with their error the Testimonies of Sister White, and use her name to give influence to their work. They make such selections . . . they think they can twist to support their positions, and place them in a setting of falsehood, so that their error may have weight and be accepted by the people.” - Testimonies to Ministers, p. 42

20. Doing the Devil’s work . . . • “Those who start up to proclaim a message on their own individual responsibility, who, while claiming to be taught and led of God, still make it their special work to tear down that which God has been for years building up, are not doing the will of God. Be it known that these men are on the side of the great deceiver . . .

21. . . . Doing the Devil’s work • . . . “Believe them not. They are allying themselves with the enemies of God and the truth. They will deride the order of the ministry as a system of priest-craft. From such turn away, have no fellowship with their message, however much they may quote the Testimonies and seek to entrench themselves behind them.”- Testimonies to Ministers, p. 51

22. 10. Ignore Matthew 18 • Reject God’s methodology for conflict. • Avoid engaging directly individuals with whom they have differences. • Take concerns directly to the church • Bypass the church polity (Board of Elders) • Tell the world!

23. 11. Work secretly at first • Presuppositions dictate methodology • “Secret information” tends toward “secret” processing • Targets: • New believers • Recently revived members • Emotionally vulnerable • Warn of potential persecution from pastor

24. 12. Target New Believers • Doubt • Despair at moment when new members most need nurture and protection • Create alternative authority in vulnerable minds of spiritually immature

25. 13. By Their Fruits • Church needs to be pure to win souls • Emphasize behavioristic performance • Refuse to enter kingdom and prevent others • Parasite – lives off host

26. Identity of True Church • “Jesus sees His true church on the earth, whose greatest ambition is to cooperate with Him in the grand work of saving souls.” - Testimonies to Ministers, p. 19

27. Whose spirit controls? • “When the truth abides in the heart, there is no place for criticism of God’s servants, or for picking flaws with the message He sends. That which is in the heart will flow from the lips.” - Testimonies to Ministers, p. 88

28. Criticism curses the critic • “Earnest workers have not time for dwelling upon the faults of others. We cannot afford to live on the husks of others’ faults or failings. Evil speaking is a twofold curse, falling more heavily upon the speaker than upon the hearer. He who scatters the seeds of dissension and strife reaps in his own soul the deadly fruits . . .

29. Changed by what we look for • “The very act of looking for evil in others develops evil in those who look. By dwell-ing upon the faults of others, we are changed into the same image. But by beholding Jesus, talking of His love and perfection of character, we become changed into His image.” - The Ministry of Healing, p. 492

30. 14. Presumptive Claim: ”Historic Adventism” • Essentials – “The Sntials” • Sola Scriptura • Sabbath • Sanctuary • Stewardship • Salvation by Grace • Second Coming • State of Dead • Spirit of Prophecy

31. 15. How to Know Who to Trust • Credentials • Trusted Recommendations • Track Record • Associates

32. 16. Create “Big Lie” with Cover-up • Matthew 28 – Falsehood justified by the conclusion that the end validates the methodology.

33. cressj@gc.adventist.org