The Adventists were quite surprised that we had officially formulated our fundamental beliefs so early in our history. We were told how important it is to hold on to them. Without a strong set of beliefs and standards, you fall prey to a mixture of ideas and beliefs. And if you lose your beliefs, you lose sight of who you are.

During the discussions with some of their leading ministers, we were asked to explain the Holy Days and the plan of salvation. Although the Adventists do not accept the Holy Days as being necessary for Christians today, they were complimentary of the fact that we had held on to them.

They were also quite complimentary of Mr. Herbert Armstrong. One of their elders commented that, in his opinion, "Herbert Armstrong did more for spreading the truth of the Sabbath in the 20th century than any other single person." It was quite encouraging to hear such positive comments about Mr. Armstrong and his work from those outside our organization.

From this example of how they identified Mr. Armstrong, I was reminded again of how we have always identified ourselves, and how the world has identified us.

What Identifies Us?

Although the Adventists mentioned Mr. Armstrong only in connection with the weekly Sabbath, we know and continue in the knowledge of the annual Sabbaths. As we therefore approach the Feast of Pentecost, which is the anniversary of the founding of the church, we should be absolutely clear on who we are-what identifies us. We claim the greatest title that any group of people can claim—the "church of God."

This is rather ambitious. The term "church" can be defined as an assembly or group of people. We should all know that the term "church" as used in scripture isn't referring to a building. Therefore when we claim to be a part of the church of God, we are claiming to be God's people—to belong to Him.

The Identity Statement which was adopted by the Council of Elders in November of last year addresses this issue. Notice the wording:

The Church of God is a spiritual body of which Jesus Christ is the head. Members are called into the Church, and God is preparing them for the Kingdom of God through the work of the Church. As the head of the Church, Christ has placed some in positions of leadership for the edification and unity of the Church. The United Church of God, an International Association, is a continuation of that body Jesus Christ founded. We, in the United Church of God, an International Association, do not claim that all Christians are among our fellowship. However, we have a distinct identity and endeavor to function according to the principles of unity and organization found in the Scriptures.

One of the difficulties we face today is the desire by some to want to define others. How can we do that when Christ warned us about passing judgment (Matthew 7:1)? Instead, we should concentrate on who we are. What makes us a part of the body of Christ? The Identity Statement was not intended to define anyone else. We simply wanted it to be clear that we believe we are a part of the body of Christ, the church of God, which has existed since the day of Pentecost (Acts 2).

The issue of identity is one that cannot be ignored. The church was founded on the Day of Pentecost in the year Jesus Christ was crucified. Many groups claim to be the modern-day descendants of that church, yet their beliefs do not remotely reflect what that church was like. The Bible and history describe a group of people in the 1st century who kept the commandments and the Holy Days while claiming the title "Church of God." Our beliefs must identify us as being a part of that body and our fruit must confirm the truth of such a statement.

The Empty Church

Some time ago, I came across a book titled The Empty Church, Does Organized Religion Matter Anymore? The book was written by Thomas C. Reeves in 1996. I found it fascinating reading. The book sets out to answer the question of why attendance in mainline U.S. churches has been on the decline in recent years. The author's conclusion was quite interesting and revolved around this idea of identity and belief.

Mr. Reeves had many things to say about the churches of this nation and what is happening to them. The book discusses the crisis of declining membership that is occurring in what he calls mainline churches. The primary Protestant churches in America, which he calls the "seven sisters," are: American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A., the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church.

What has caused these organizations to lose membership? Mr. Reeves blames it on a lack of identity—not knowing who they are or what they stand for.

The author makes these statements: "Since the cultural revolutions of the 1960s and 1970s, the mainline churches have been in a serious and unprecedented numerical decline, losing between a fifth and a third of their membership. In 1993, Methodists, for example, rejoiced that their losses had slowed from 64,344 in 1991 to 58,866 in 1992. In 1995, a researcher observed that the Methodist Church had lost 1,000 members every week for the last 30 years" (The Empty Church, pages 10-11).

In a study released in 1993 by sociologists Mark Chaves and Kirk Hadaway and the religion professor Penny Long Maler, it was found that only 19.6 percent of Protestants and 28 percent of Catholics were in church on any given week. "Why are the mainline churches empty?" asks Mr. Reeves. This is the purpose of the book—to address the question of why organized religion seems to have failed in our society.

Mr. Reeves concludes that the churches of our society have failed to provide a standard of conduct and belief. Without strong beliefs the churches have failed to make a meaningful contribution.

Mr. Reeves concludes that in the churches today, "Solid teaching is at a premium, and the basics about sin, repentance, judgment, and hell frequently go unexplored.... What does the Episcopal chaplain at Princeton University tell young people who come to him with questions? The Rev. Frank Strasburger declared in 1994 that he is not in the business of dispensing dogmatic answers about anything" (The Empty Church, page 24).

The short answer to the declining church attendance is that religion in general and churches in particular have failed. The primary reason given is the liberal, "we stand for anything" principle. It is a proven fact from 50 years of research that the mainline Protestant churches, advocating an openness that says there are no real standards of belief or conduct, are dying.

There is no level of commitment without a distinction of belief. Mr. Reeves makes this statement about the future of the mainline churches: "The mainline churches, light on questions of eternal importance, lacking a distinctive identity, and permissive to the bone, seem doomed" (page 31).

Observing Our Identity

When Christ said He would build His Church in Matthew 16:18, He meant exactly what He said. The church was built upon a sure foundation (Ephesians 2:20). We claim to be a part of that church today. Are we living by those standards as laid out in Scripture? Do we have a strong conviction of our beliefs? Do we understand our purpose? With Pentecost approaching, I believe these are all important questions for us to consider.

God's calling, and His wonderful truth as revealed in the pages of the Bible, provide us with our identity. We are committed to preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and living our lives following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. We observe the annual festivals as yearly reminders of God's plan of salvation. This is our identity. We must never lose it.

The need to preach the gospel, baptize those being called by God and nurture those who have been added to the body, form the basis of why we exist as a Church (Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19-20). Christ knew what He was doing when He said: "I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

As we celebrate Pentecost this year, let's be thankful that God has given us such a wonderful identity and let's be sure we never lose sight of who we are.