DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY OF OUR MEMBERS NO LONGER ATTEND HERE?
(BECAUSE OF VARIOUS REASONS, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO STATE THE EXACT NUMBER OF OUR MEMBERS WHICH NO LONGER ATTEND HERE. AMONG THESE REASONS IS A FAILURE OF THE MEMBERS TO NOTIFY THE CHURCH THAT THEY ARE MOVING THEIR MEMBERSHIPS.)
ARE YOU CONCERNED, AND HAVE YOU CONTACTED THEM TO BRING THEM BACK?
(THE ELDERSHIP IS EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT ANY MEMBER WHO HAS LEFT. WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN GETTING THEM BACK IN MADISON!! MANY CONTACTS ARE MADE WITH THOSE WE KNOW WHO LEAVE THE CONGREGATION.)
BRETHREN, DO YOU NOT FEAR GOD? ARE YOU NOT MINDFUL THAT ONE DAY YOU WILL STAND BEFORE GOD AND GIVE AN ACCOUNT FOR DESTROYING THE UNITY OF THE CHURCH THAT HAS BEEN A LIGHT TO THE WORLD FOR SO LONG?
(THE ELDERSHIP DOES "FEAR GOD" AND ARE VERY AWARE OF THE TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY WHICH WE ALL BARE. WE AGREE THAT EACH PERSON, INCLUDING ELDERS, WILL ONE DAY "STAND BEFORE GOD AND GIVE AN ACCOUNT".)
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO MEET WITH JIM BILL MCINTEER AND WILLARD COLLINS TO DISCUSS THE DIVISION OF THIS CONGREGATION?
(CONSIDERATION IS CURRENTLY BEING GIVEN TO INVITING VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS IN TO "COUNSEL" WITH US CONCERNING VARIOUS ISSUES. PERHAPS AT SOME POINT, THIS MAY INCLUDE THESE TWO GODLEY MEN.)
(THE ABOVE STATED IS CURRENTLY THE METHOD USED BY THE ELDERSHIP TO MAKE DECISIONS CONCERNING ISSUES WHICH COME UP. THIS METHOD IS ONLY USED AFTER MUCH PRAYER, STUDY, DISCUSSION, AND DELIBERATION ON THE PART OF THE ELDERSHIP.)
IF THE ABOVE POLICY IS STILL IN EFFECT AS IT WAS PUBLISHED ( IN THE MADISON STORY ), THEN WOULD YOU PLEASE, EACH (ELDER) GIVE US A PERSONAL INDIVIDUAL STATEMENT EXPRESSING YOUR SUPPORT FOR THAT FEBRUARY 4TH ANNOUNCEMENT (CONCERNING THE SECOND SERVICE BEING A MORE CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP)?
(EACH INDIVIDUAL ELDER DOES ENDORSE THE ABOVE STATEMENT.)
(WITHIN OUR STUDENT MINISTRY, THE HUSBAND / WIFE TEAM CONCEPT OF TEACHING IS USED IN SOME CLASSES. THERE IS ALWAYS A MALE PRESENT IN CLASS IN A LEADERSHIP ROLE. THE ELDERSHIP BELIEVES THAT THIS OCCURRED IN THE CASES ABOVE. )
7: IS THIS POLICY ( POLICY IN THE MADISON STORY ) STILL IN FORCE - THAT THOSE ELDERS WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN THE MINORITY IN A DECISION WILL GRACIOUSLY SUBMIT TO THE POSITION OF THE MAJORITY IN ORDER TO PERSERVE THE UNITY OF SPIRIT IN THE BOND OF PEACE?
8: WHAT'S THE SCRIPTURAL BASIS THAT YOU HAVE FOR LETTING WOMEN, NAMELY [...............] AND [..........] TEACH AND ASSIST IN TEACHING OUR 7TH GRADE YOUNG MEN, MANY OF WHOM HAVE ALREADY BEEN BAPTIZED?