The days are fast approaching when there will be great perplexity and confusion. Satan, clothed in angel robes, will deceive, if possible, the very elect. There will be gods many and lords many. Every wind of doctrine will be blowing. Those who have rendered supreme homage to “science falsely so called” will not be the leaders then. Those who have trusted to intellect, genius, or talent will not then stand at the head of rank and file. They did not keep pace with the light. Those who have proved themselves unfaithful will not then be entrusted with the flock. In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and He cannot use them. The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view. There are precious ones now hidden who have not bowed the knee to Baal. They have not had the light which has been shining in a concentrated blaze upon you. But it may be under a rough and uninviting exterior the pure brightness of a genuine Christian character will be revealed. In the day time we look toward heaven but do not see the stars. They are there, fixed in the firmament, but the eye cannot distinguish them. In the night we behold their genuine luster. 5T 80.1
Roberta Baumann tribnews@hngnews.com Apr 18, 2023 Updated 4 hrs ago
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The Glorious Garden Festival at the Lodi United Methodist Church in 2021. The church is adding more family events to include members.
First Presbyterian Church
Though our lives have largely returned to normal since the COVID-19 pandemic forced us into quarantine, many have changed their habits. Some may go out to eat less than they used to and others may no longer attend church in person.
Many churches today offer online services, with pastors either hosting live streaming services or pre-recorded sermons. That’s made it difficult for some to quantify exactly how many people are attending services, but blogger Thom Rainer, founder and CEO of Church Answers, an online community and resource for church leaders, is studying the trend. One blog notes that median church attendance prior to the pandemic was 65; today it’s 55.
Another study by the Pew Research Center notes that a survey of Americans in November 2022 showed attendance habits have decreased somewhat.
In Wisconsin, it depends on the church.
“Many people say churches are coming back,” said Dan Schulz, community health program director with the Wisconsin Council on Church. “But it’s about half as many as what they had before, so it’s really tough.”
Churches had lost attendance before the pandemic, Schulz said; COVID just exacerbated the situation.
That’s led pastors to find new ways to invite their members back. Rev. Glen Reichelderfer, interim past of First Presbyterian Church in Waunakee, said he’s taken a moment to speak directly to members watching services online also as a way to gauge the number of participants.
He’ll ask, “So if you’re out there, drop us a line,” he said.
Other churches have organized more in-person activities, Schulz said, like Bible studies or events for kids and families.
At Lodi United Methodist Church, the Rev. Peace Kim said the church has about 80% to 85% of its attendance in the pews as it did prior to the pandemic. Kim said he has tried to create a multi-sensory experience for the congregation “something that’s hard to catch when they attend services online.”
Kim said leading up to Easter services, he also encouraged members to attend in person and had about 200 in all for the two services. Still, Kim said offering live-streamed worship has been useful.
“I personally, as a minister, want to see people face-to-face, but I appreciate online attendance,” he said, noting it allows older and infirm members or younger members who are away to continue to worship.
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The church has added more children’s activities for families, as well.
According to Schulz, most churches are continuing to offer worship online as well in person since the pandemic ended.
Pastors have adapted in other ways, too. Reichelderfer said his sermons became a little shorter when he began recording them and they include more from his personal life.
New precautionary measure at many churches include using fist-bumps instead of handshakes for fellowship greetings. Church meetings are also routinely virtual, Schulz added.
Online collections are also taken now, but whether the financial contributions are up to pre-pandemic levels depends on the church.
“Some are doing OK; some really struggle,” said Schulz, with the Wisconsin Council of Churches. “I think that’s probably the case for more churches than not, that finances have gotten tighter.”
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Kim believes offering smaller gatherings may be a way to keep congregants seeing one another in person, and he figures in those, too, when considering the membership.
“I try not to count the level of attendance and involvement only with Sunday worship,” he said.
From Bible and spirit of prophecy
The days are fast approaching when there will be great perplexity and confusion. Satan, clothed in angel robes, will deceive, if possible, the very elect. There will be gods many and lords many. Every wind of doctrine will be blowing. Those who have rendered supreme homage to “science falsely so called” will not be the leaders then. Those who have trusted to intellect, genius, or talent will not then stand at the head of rank and file. They did not keep pace with the light. Those who have proved themselves unfaithful will not then be entrusted with the flock. In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. They are self-sufficient, independent of God, and He cannot use them.
The Lord has faithful servants, who in the shaking, testing time will be disclosed to view. There are precious ones now hidden who have not bowed the knee to Baal. They have not had the light which has been shining in a concentrated blaze upon you. But it may be under a rough and uninviting exterior the pure brightness of a genuine Christian character will be revealed. In the day time we look toward heaven but do not see the stars. They are there, fixed in the firmament, but the eye cannot distinguish them. In the night we behold their genuine luster.
The time is not far distant when the test will come to every soul. The mark of the beast will be urged upon us. Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands and conformed to worldly customs will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be, rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. The contest is between the commandments of God and the commandments of men. In this time the gold will be separated from the dross in the church. True godliness will be clearly distinguished from the appearance and tinsel of it. Many a star that we have admired for its brilliancy will then go out in darkness. Chaff like a cloud will be borne away on the wind, even from places where we see only floors of rich wheat. All who assume the ornaments of the sanctuary, but are not clothed with Christ’s righteousness, will appear in the shame of their own nakedness.
When trees without fruit are cut down as cumberers of the ground, when multitudes of false brethren are distinguished from the true, then the hidden ones will be revealed to view, and with hosannas range under the banner of Christ. Those who have been timid and self-distrustful will declare themselves openly for Christ and His truth. The most weak and hesitating in the church will be as David—willing to do and dare. The deeper the night for God’s people, the more brilliant the stars. Satan will sorely harass the faithful; but, in the name of Jesus, they will come off more than conquerors. Then will the church of Christ appear “fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.”
The seeds of truth that are being sown by missionary efforts will then spring up and blossom and bear fruit. Souls will receive the truth who will endure tribulation and praise God that they may suffer for Jesus. “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” When the overflowing scourge shall pass through the earth, when the fan is purging Jehovah’s floor, God will be the help of His people. The trophies of Satan may be exalted on high, but the faith of the pure and holy will not be daunted.
Elijah took Elisha from the plow and threw upon him his mantle of consecration. The call to this great and solemn work was presented to men of learning and position; had these been little in their own eyes and trusted fully in the Lord, He would have honored them with bearing His standard in triumph to the victory. But they separated from God, yielded to the influence of the world, and the Lord rejected them.
Many have exalted science and lost sight of the God of science. This was not the case with the church in the purest times.
God will work a work in our day that but few anticipate. He will raise up and exalt among us those who are taught rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the outward training of scientific institutions. These facilities are not to be despised or condemned; they are ordained of God, but they can furnish only the exterior qualifications. God will manifest that He is not dependent on learned, self-important mortals.
There are few really consecrated men among us, few who have fought and conquered in the battle with self. Real conversion is a decided change of feelings and motives; it is a virtual taking leave of worldly connections, a hastening from their spiritual atmosphere, a withdrawing from the controlling power of their thoughts, opinions, and influences. The separation causes pain and bitterness to both parties. It is the variance which Christ declares that He came to bring. But the converted will feel a continual longing desire that their friends shall forsake all for Christ, knowing that, unless they do, there will be a final and eternal separation. The true Christian cannot, while with unbelieving friends, be light and trifling. The value of the souls for whom Christ died is too great.
He “that forsaketh not all that he hath,” says Jesus, “cannot be My disciple.” Whatever shall divert the affections from God must be given up. Mammon is the idol of many. Its golden chain binds them to Satan. Reputation and worldly honor are worshiped by another class. The life of selfish ease and freedom from responsibility is the idol of others. These are Satan’s snares, set for unwary feet. But these slavish bands must be broken; the flesh must be crucified with the affections and lusts. We cannot be half the Lord’s and half the world’s. We are not God’s people unless we are such entirely. Every weight, every besetting sin, must be laid aside. God’s watchmen will not cry, “Peace, peace,” when God has not spoken peace. The voice of the faithful watchmen will be heard: “Go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.”
The church cannot measure herself by the world nor by the opinion of men nor by what she once was. Her faith and her position in the world as they now are must be compared with what they would have been if her course had been continually onward and upward. The church will be weighed in the balances of the sanctuary. If her moral character and spiritual state do not correspond with the benefits and blessings God has conferred upon her, she will be found wanting. The light has been shining clear and definite upon her pathway, and the light of 1882 calls her to an account. If her talents are unimproved, if her fruit is not perfect before God, if her light has become darkness, she is indeed found wanting. The knowledge of our state as God views it, seems to be hidden from us. We see, but perceive not; we hear, but do not understand; and we rest as unconcerned as if the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, rested upon our sanctuary. We profess to know God, and to believe the truth, but in works deny Him. Our deeds are directly adverse to the principles of truth and righteousness, by which we profess to be governed.
* 5T 80.1 – 5t 84.null.null
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