Manchmal werde ich gefragt, wie viele Personen wohl in Deutschland nicht mehr zur Gemeinde gehören oder nicht mehr zur Gemeinde kommen. Nach meiner Einschätzung - gestützt auf die Diplomarbeit eines Theologiestudenten - beläuft sich diese Gruppe auf ca. 25.000. Da wir in Deutschland gegenwärtig etwa 35.000 Gemeindeglieder zählen, sollte jeder beim Vergleich dieser beiden Zahlen spüren, um welche Aufgabe es sich bei dieser Arbeit handelt. Häufig sind es ja die Jugendlichen aus unseren Gemeinden, die andere Wege einschlagen, und wir sind bestürzt, dass es so viele sind (We are sad that they are so many)

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In the 5-year period between 2000-2004 5 million new believers joined the Church and over 1.4 million members left the church during that same period.

http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/other-documents/conserving-gains.html

Of those born Adventist or entered Adventism along with a parent during childhood one third will leave the Church.

(GSS) The General Social Survey 1972-2000 (c.othr6(77)

Third

One Third

The proportion of Adventists born into the church, remain loyal to it without ever faltering, and die within the faith in which they were raised may well be less than 20 percent of the total membership.

Bull & Lockhart, Seeking a Sanctuary, 349

Adventist born die as Members

Teenage Adventists leave the Church in their mid-twenties at the rate of 40-50%. Some may return later.

Dudley, Why Our Teenagers Leave the Church, 35

40-50%

The official apostasy rate is 26.3 percent of conversions in the developing world during 1994. However, Lawson's interviews revealed a situation which was far different.

Visiting Afro-American evangelists had conducted evangelistic efforts during the previous three years in Zaire resulting in 1,500 baptisms.

Lawson’s painstaking interviews found that only 50 were still in the church or 3.3 percent of the 1,500!

Ronald W. Lawson is Professor of Urban Studies at Queens College, City University of New York.

Evangelistic Efforts Persisting Members

Worldwide, the church lost 35 members for every 100 baptized in the past five years. In some world church areas, the numbers are even less encouraging, Haloviak reported, with reports of 61, 65 and even 104 members being removed from membership lists for every 100 joining.http://news.adventist.org/2005/10/worl-church-membership-growth-retetio-focus-of-suay-afteroo-sessio.html

Convers

ions

Loss

es

http://www.formeradventist.com/stories/index.html

KELLOGG

One of the founders of Adventist Health Work

Why did he leave?

Power (Control) & Money He wanted to build a Health Empire Wanted the Church to finance it Doctrinal Differences His book “The Living Temple” contained some Pantheism It challenged the Three Angels MessageHe believed E.G. White got some Health Ideas from him

Ellet J. Waggoner,1855 -1916Author, Physician, Assistant Editor for the Signs of the Times (1883-1891). Worked in England, taught at Emmanuel Missionary College

Why did he leave?His entanglement with British nurse Miss. Edith Adams and subsequent divorce and remarriageChanging Doctrinal Views

1. Pantheism that is more subtle than routine pantheism;

2. Christ lives within the believer, the believer is made

sinless by the internal, transforming work of Christ — and is thus declared just because

the person has been made actually just, not

justified.3. Questioning the Three Angels Message 4. Rejected the Church Organization. G.R.Knight, Organizing

for Mission and Growth, 93

Regardless of what happened to the man, Mrs. White declared about the message, "I see the beauty of truth in the presentation of the righteousness of Christ in relation to the law as the doctor has placed it before us." MS 15, 1888.

Editor of Liberty and associate editor of Review and Herald until 1901 Member of General Conference Committee until 1899.President of the California Conference of the church, 1901-03 Chief defender of religious liberty and against Sunday lawA Hero of 1888 and Righteousness by Faith

He was controversial, pompous, egotistical, harsh, confrontational, abrasive, consequently he clashed with Church leaders and then he felt wronged."Because Jones frequently did not really believe he was wrong when reproved [by Ellen G. White], his differences with Mrs White festered (in) …his mind." (G.R.Knight, From 1888 to Apostasy, 228)

Church never fully accepted righteousness by faith Jones, "God's Everlasting Covenant," Remarks made in the Battle Creek Sanitarium Sabbath School, n.p., July 20, 1907, p. 31

Jones rejected the Church Organization. Promoted each man alone, full independence. G.R.Knight, Organizing for Mission and Growth, 93-94

Decided to work for J. H. Kellogg and was attacked for it by Church leaders

Dudley Marvin Canright (1840–1919)

For 20 years, Canright labored as a minister and evangelist across the USIn 1876 elected to the General Conference Executive Committee.In 1878, he was elected President of the Sabbath School Association

Why did he leave?1.Ambition thwarted. He eyed the G.C. presidency He Questioned:1.Ten Commandments as binding upon Christians2.the Sanctuary, 3.the position the U.S. in prophecy, 4.the Testimonies, 5.health reform,6.Ellen G. White

M. Canright visited Texas from May 5-15, 1876. During that time, he organized the Dallas Seventh-day Adventist Church. Encouraged Whites to visit Texas

Conradi and Wife Elizabeth

Most successful Adventist missionary from the Dakotas, across Europe and Russia Real founder of European Adventism President of the European Division Vice-President of the General Conference Field Secretary of the General Conference

Why did he leave?

Attacked for his policy of combatantcy even on Sabbath in WWI Humiliation with the dissolution of the European Division and his loss of the presidency (Loss of Power) As an independent Bible student he had trouble with Adventist Fundamentalism which began to prevail in the 1920’s and 30’s and stopped all discussions The Bible alone the basis of his beliefs. E.G.White was an important non-canonical author, but not a “prophet” Questioned the Sanctuary message Rejection of his book on Revelation which deviated from the Adventist message and applied the The Angels Messag to the Reformation

Why did he leave?

”I am not committed to all the church has taught, nor are you. None of us believes everything the church has taught down through the years.” Ford before the Sanctuary Review Committee, Aug.1980

1.The 'sanctuary' explication of 1844 does not stand up in the light of the Bible, 2.The 'investigative judgment' undercut the whole basis of Protestantism: belief in salvation by God's grace apart from good works.“

3.Christ came with Adam's pre-fallen nature

4.Ellen White never claimed infallibility, her writings should be studied as those of a great church leader and pastor but not as a "Bible."

Pastor in AustraliaHead of the Religion Department at Avondale CollegeMember of the Biblical Research Committee Professor of Religion at Pacific Union College

Fourth-generation former Seventh-day Adventist pastor, Author of four books on Adventist issues, Founder of Life Assurance Ministries, Inc. Founding editor of Proclamation!

Why did he leave?

Forced to promise to teach all of the church’s Fundamentals of Belief.

He rejected: 1844 sanctuary message investigative judgment

Questions Ellen G. White

Missionaries rescued the Gu family from starvation and they became AdventistsFor back-breaking work, and humiliation he got and Adventist EducationEditorial member of the Signs of the Times Publishing HouseSecretary of the China Conference under Communist control until 1956Translator of evangelistic books such as: The Atom Bomb and the End of the World.Pre-eminent historian of Christianity in ChinaHistory professor at East China Normal University, ShanghaiInvited by U.S. Congress to the 1989 National Prayer

Why did he leave?1.Paternalism and authoritarianism of the missionaries Ex.: Gu question to pastor Lindt:”How could a billion people fit into New Jerusalem? “ Lindt:”Gu is a bad boy.” “If you raise doubts about what the Bible says…you must leave my class.

2. Narrowness and insensitivity to local culture. During week of prayer pastor Rebok collected all the Chinese classical novels , stories and new magazines of the students and burned them in front of all the whole student body.

3.Inflexibility and doctrinarians. No alternate views tolerated. 4. “I could not believe in their groundless dogmas and interpretations of the Bible, so I finally left the church”

One of the most important Harlem Renaissance writer, poetwrote over 20 books, plays, and anthologies and was considered the leading authority on the Harlem Renaissance.

Why did he leave?

RacismWas asked by church leaders to give up his collection of fiction

Some Adventist hospitals perform abortions-on-demand

Adventism in theory believes in Righteousness by Faith. Yet in practice it teaches righteousness by keeping the Sabbath, eating clean meats, etc.

The words written by Ellen White have always left us confused.

The Investigative Judgment is Fundamental Belief 23 of the SDA church. This judgment is found nowhere in scriptures

There is no Biblical mandate to assemble on Sabbath, nor keep the Old Testament regulations imposed on the Jews.

etc http://www.formeradventist.com/stories/teresaarthurbeem.html

TERESA BEEM

Father Minister Raymond W. Numbers loyal until death to SDAPaternal Grandfather Ernest R. Numbers minister and G.C. Officer committed adultery and questioned E.G.WhiteMaternal Grandfather W.H.Branson G.C.President

Professor of History of Science and Medicine at Andrews, Loma Linda and Univ. Wisconsin

Wrote Prophetess of Health which provided a naturalistic explanation for her Health Message After its publication he was fired at Loma Linda

After his move to Madison “I thought maybe it would be good to attend the local church”

The G.C. sent Robert Olson the expose him to the church. Olson said: “Br. Numbers do you believe that the Investigative Judgment began on Oct. 22, 1844.” Numbers answered: “I don’t Know” Olson: “Then you are not really an Adventist”

“I decided that if my presence was that disruptive, I wouldn’t have anything more to do with the Church.” SPECTRUM, vol 36 (3), p.9

From Staunch Defender to Non-Believer in E.G.White

Walter T. Rea

Dirk Anderson

1) General Church atmosphere, friendly, caring 2) Humiliation and loss of Power (church

office…)3) Insensitivity to peoples life issues (divorce,

different life styles, unemployment…)4) Problems with the Church Organization5) Suppression of independent thought6) Shape of the Church Service and Liturgy7) Disrespect for the local culture and certain

cultural treasures8) The Church has misuse of Ellen G. White9) Adventist Sanctuary Doctrine has no Biblical

support 10)The same is true of the Investigative

Judgment11)The prophecy & National Sunday Law

teachings are wrong

Growth of Secularization (Worldliness) Adventist education produces higher

social status and greater economic resources

For lifelong members, upward economic

mobility is associated with disengagement from the church. Bull and Lockhart, p.354

Along with their annual planning and budgeting for evangelism, executive committees and local church boards should assess the membership retention capacity in their territory. This will require careful review of membership care measures along with accession and loss patterns. Analysis of the situation should be followed by deliberate steps to address the circumstances that lie within the church's ability to change.

RECOMMENDED   To approve the following appeal to the world Church regarding membership retention and the reclaiming of former members;

http://www.adventist.org/beliefs/other-documents/conserving-gains.html

This Appeal was voted by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Executive Committee at the Spring Meeting in Silver Spring, Maryland, April 10, 2007.