Vernon C. Sparks

Laodicea, Her Authority, Organization, and Destiny: Adventism at the Crossroads Vernon C. Sparks

?Protestant Reformation's Final Movement, or God's End Time Church? In Revelation 3:14-21, God?s end time church is named Laodicea. In those verses, His remnant people are described as having the tendency to evaluate their spiritual condition, and work, at a much higher quality than is Christ?s judgment of it. He states that the Laodicean church, though entrusted with the knowledge of His last warning messages for the world are spiritually ?wretched,? ?miserable,? ?poor,? ?blind,? and ?naked.? (verse 17). Matthew 25:1-13 is the parable of the ten virgins waiting to attend a wedding feast. In this account Jesus is also describing His remnant people. Christ?s story says that ?while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.? (verse 5). This present volume is a Bible and Spirit of Prophecy study regarding the form of, and reasons why, Christ brought His end time people into a highly organized movement. It also describes how Christ?s ordained methods of operating His organization tend to be abused, and even ignored. It explains how His people tend to operate Christ?s publishing, educational, health, and even ministerial work more in harmony with the wisdom and wishes of man and the world than with the clear directives of the Lord whom we claim to be serving. But, all is not gloom and doom. There is counsel as to how to revive from the Laodicean condition. This present volume goes into detail as to what Christ will do to awaken His people. It presents the inspired explanations as to how His remnant will be ?shaken? into the condition necessary for Him to be able to pour out upon them the Latter Rain to empower and equip them to give the Loud Cry and thus finish His work upon this earth. Entire chapters are dedicated to the divine instructions regarding the importance of not running ahead of, but cooperating with, Christ in these important dealings with His people. Table of Contents 1?The Church That Knowest Not 2?Messages to Laodicea 3?Lessons From the Apostolic Church 4?Lessons From Early Adventism 5?Purposes and Scope of Church Organization 6?Authority in God?s Church 7?God?s Plan Misused 8?God?s Plan Misused?Part 2 9?Supportive Ministries 10?Supportive Ministries?Part 2 11?Man?s Responses to Apostasy 12?The Remnant Church?s Response to Apostasy 13?The Role of Leadership in Revival and Reformation 14?The Shaking of Adventism?Phase One 15?The Shaking of Adventism?Phase Two 16?The Shaking of Adventism?Phase Three 17?When God?s Two Churches Become One 18?Running Ahead of the Lord 19?Holding Up the Hands of the Prophet 20?By Every Word 21?A Theocracy Still 22?When God Takes the Reins Appendix A?Should There Be a General Conference President? Appendix B?The Right Man in the Right Place Appendix C?Should There Be a World General Conference? Appendix D?The Laodicean Church Appendix E?Order and Organization Appendix F?How to Deal with Wrongs in the Church Appendix G?Apostasy Appendix H?Lessons From Josiah?s Reign Appendix I?Lessons From the Apostasy at Sinai Appendix J?Lessons From the Church in the Wilderness