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Aaron Scott

How long to leave inactive members on the books?

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 6042 **8/7/15 4:12 am**

If you had members that moved on (were either not going to church at all or were attending elsewhere, perhaps not even another Church of God), how long would you retain their names on the roll?

Let's also assume that, so far as we know, they are not backslidden, at least into open sin.

Personally, I'm pretty much of the mind to move them off quickly, since that leaves them with a say in a church they no longer attend, but I've known of instances where people stay on the books for YEARS...perhaps out of request, perhaps out of belonging to a church they attending 20 years before, etc.

Thoughts?

Nature Boy Florida

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16646 **8/7/15 5:27 am**

Better ask your overseer.....they can get mad if it looks like the state is losing members on their watch....even if accurate.
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Whether you like it or not, learn to love it, because its the best thing going today!

Mat

Members on the role ...

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1994 **8/7/15 6:46 am**

Members on the role who are not faithful to the local church can (and will) come back to "haunt" you when a problem arises. Issues like challenges to the pastor's leadership, building projects, and now-a-days, building usage issues and same-sex marriage issues, are an opportunity for those who are not "invested" in the local church but who have a voice to comeback and "muddy the water".

As an old Baptist Pastor said, "Every Fall you should have a membership drive to drive away those members who are not committed."

How long to wait, if you have had no contact and can not find them, how about in the seventh year? Sounds Biblical, and if they don't care enough about their membership, they do not need to be a member.

Mat

Aaron Scott

My thinking is 3 months, open sin, going elsewhere, death, or transfer

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 6042 **8/7/15 7:01 am**

If a person doesn't come to church for three months, and is not sick, etc., I consider that enough of an absence to question their membership duties. They DID promise to support the church in giving and attendance, did they not?

And like Mat alluded to, indeed, I have seen former members show up for pastoral elections like bugs out of the woodwork. They don't show up for roughly forever...until there is some decision to be made, and then they want a full and equal voice. NO.

I know we ALL, overseers and pastors, want to keep people on the roll. But if it's really a false number...how are we serving the Kingdom? And how are we in good standing with the One called Faithful and TRUE?

If a person doesn't show up for 3 months...is living in open sin...is clearly attending another church...dies...or requests a transfer...I'm thinking we should go ahead and move on. If they return, we can have them rejoin.

JLarry

Acts Mod Posts: 3346 **8/7/15 8:28 am**

I think the CoG should allow Active and Non Active members.

Only Active members should be allowed to vote.

Non Active IMO would be anyone who have not attended in three months, unless they have a sickness.
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No one who died without Christ is happy about their decision.

sheepdogandy

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 7307 **8/7/15 8:28 am**

Is the Pastor's salary still determined by the number of names on the roll?

There you go.
_________________
Charles A. Hutchins
Senior Pastor SPWC
Congregational Church of God

www.spwc.church

Aaron Scott

JLarry...WONDERFUL IDEA!

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 6042 **8/7/15 8:37 am**

That's a very thoughtful idea. If the Church of God will adopt that practice, I would prefer that, since no one wants to have to inform anyone that their names are being taken from the roll.

Aaron Scott

Deleted to post elsewhere.

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 6042 **8/7/15 8:48 am**

Delete.

Quiet Wyatt

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **8/7/15 8:56 am**

When it comes to a business meeting of the church, if they are not tithe-paying members, they don't get to vote on anything.

We have a member here who retired and moved several hours away. He still faithfully sends his tithe every month, and asks that his membership remain here. He has never been a problem at all.

I think ultimately it all comes down to a case-by-case issue. If there are grounds to remove someone, then do it.

Old Time Country Preacher

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 **8/7/15 10:56 am**

1. Send a letter to everbody what aint attended fer the last 5 years or more.

2. State in the letter that in order to maintain integrity in the church membership, your church is working to bring the membership roll current and up to date.

3. In the letter, clearly state that if they aint attendin nowhere invite them back. If they attend sommers else, bid them God's blessings. If they wish to retain their membership at your church, ask them to write a letter within the next 30 days requesting their membership remain intact at your church. This puts the ball in their court.

4. Then, lets just say that there are 50 folk that either don't respond or are attendin sommers else, remove about 5 members a month from the membership roll till ya get everthing current.

sheepdogandy

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 7307 **8/8/15 2:58 pm**

Dean Steenburgh

Golf Cart Mafia Capo Famiglia Posts: 4682 **8/8/15 6:51 pm**

I posed this same question a few years ago to the legal dept. & they said you should remove non-existent members at the same rate you include new members.

In order to define someone as a non-existent or non-supportive member it is suggested that you inform them of their 'inactive' status in order to define one who is MIA. This varies from state to state as to the legal issues involved. In many states you can't just verbally inform them that their vote doesn't count any more, especially on the day of a business meeting.

I was told to search my church membership list & send out a letter explaining the reason for a called membership meeting or you can explain that the church office is doing some purging of the files in the event of future business meetings. In the letter explain to all of the membership what your churches definition of a 'member in good standing' is & also inform them of the definition of an inactive member.

In the letter you must explain that ______________ Church of God will allow all of it's members 30 days to re-acclimate to the fellowship of the church. If within 30 days they do not begin to re-fellowship with the church then a second letter is to be mailed out explaining to them that at the current time their membership has been placed as 'inactive' whereby all rights (including attending membership meetings & voting) will be restricted until the pastor & his church board can meet to discuss re-admittance to membership with full privilege.

Re-admittance includes going through membership class again & signing a new membership card.

.
_________________
"Empty nest syndrome is for the birds!"

Email me at: SteenburghDean@gmail.com

Church planters are focused on just one thing ...introducing people to Jesus!
What are you focused on?

Quiet Wyatt

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **8/8/15 8:42 pm**

Dean,

Before any business meeting we have, including any announcement of any upcoming business meetings we may have, I make it clear that while anyone is welcome to attend, only tithe-paying members' voices are to be heard in the meeting, per the Minutes, which would of course include any vote that is taken.

"Q. Should those who do not pay tithes have a voice in the church?

A. If a member does not have enough interest in the church to support it with his tithes, he should have respect enough for the church to keep quiet in business meetings." (22nd A., 1927, p. 32)."

Old Time Country Preacher

Re: How long to leave inactive members on the books?

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 **8/8/15 9:37 pm**

sheepdogandy

Hon. Dr. in Acts-celeratology Posts: 7307 **8/9/15 7:29 am**

Does any Church of God pastor on this board receive his salary based upon the number of members on the church roll?

This ain't rocket science folks.
_________________
Charles A. Hutchins
Senior Pastor SPWC
Congregational Church of God

www.spwc.church

wayupnorth

Something to ponder

New Member Posts: 11 **8/9/15 7:59 am**

That's the COG way:

Lie about membership so pastor, overseer and higher ups look good.
Lie about finances, so pastor don't have to send in the proper dues.
Lie about attendance, so pastor looks good to higher ups.

One time I took names of deceased members off the role of a particular church I was pastoring and I received a call from the Overseer demanding that I put those names back on the roll. He went on to say that if I show a decline in membership and not an increase that I would never get anywhere in the COG. Needless to say it took me 20 years to realize that the COG is not so honest. I'm not talking about individuals but as a denomination not so honest. Just take a moment and look at all that goes on behind closed doors in closed meetings. I mean come on God sees everything. Enough of my ranting.

Quiet Wyatt

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 12817 **8/9/15 8:06 am**

Dean Steenburgh

Golf Cart Mafia Capo Famiglia Posts: 4682 **8/9/15 11:57 am**

Cojak

Re: Something to ponder

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24285 **8/9/15 7:31 pm**

Old Time Country Preacher

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 **8/10/15 12:54 am**