Purging members off the church roll

[JerryNumbers]

The church that my wife grew up in, several years back took some 80 members off of the roll. When they did this they had a small committee, & this small committed took care of this. They did not go talk to nor attempt to get in contact with none of the members.

At this time there is only one person left in this church that was a part of this. Just recently my brother-in-laws wife found out that while her husband lived in Houston for a short time they had taken him off, they had been attending, not knowing this. Some years back when she was saved, & baptized, they did not know about this.

Sister-in-law, found out from the one that is still left about the committee, from what she stated the committee set down together, going though the list of members one by one, deciding who stays, who leaves, with the pastor at that time heading this committee.

I cannot say how she found out.

I know the proper way to do this, but have any of you ever been in a church that did this or heard of it being done in this manner?

[OLD fashioned preacher]

I've known of some that if you have not been in church in the last _____ months (with no discernible nor excusable reason) you are removed. But their bylaws are written that way. This is not including church discipline.

When I was Southern Baptist (over 35 yrs ago) our church (over 700 members at the time) had an inactive list if you went AWOL 6 months, removed after 1 yr inactive no show.

[John81]

I've never heard of a church doing it like that. I've heard of churches that don't drop anyone so they can keep their numbers up.

One would think if a member hasn't been around for a time, someone from the church would get in touch with them and see how they are and what's going on. That should certainly be done, where possible, before dropping them.

In our church I know one of our pastors tries to visit anyone who hasn't been to church for awhile. Our pastor also makes it a point every so often, if someone has been missing, to ask the congregation to reach out to them.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

I am not saying they had never been contacted, the question concerned the dropping. I don't generally take the time to list all the details in my posts -- typing isn't exactly as reflexive for me as writing or speaking.

Of course, upon second look at the OP, I realize your comment could have been referencing the church originally mentioned.

Edited March 18, 2012 by OLD fashioned

[JerryNumbers]

Within the pages of the Bible there seems to be only one reason to remove a person from the church role, that would be church discipline. Yet I believe that would involve contact with that person, 1 Corinthians 5, & it would be the church doing this, not some committee appointed or elected that sets down together going though all the members, deciding on who stays, & or who is removed.

I said none of them were contacted, I should have said that my brother-in-law was not contacted, I just took it for granted no one else was. And this took place several years back, & as previously stated, all that were on that committee have died except for one person, a woman.

And it was by accident that his wife found out this out within the past few weeks, this was several years before she was saved & baptized.

[Salyan]

What if someone hadn't undergone church discipline, but has just gradually ceases coming to church? Or what about teenagers that we're in the roll, but dropped off into the world and are no longer interested in the things of the Lord?

[OLD fashioned preacher]

Some also move out of town and are not heard from again

[Oldtimer]

What if someone hadn't undergone church discipline, but has just gradually ceases coming to church? Or what about teenagers that we're in the roll, but dropped off into the world and are no longer interested in the things of the Lord?

Or, some who want their membership to remain at our church while they routinely attend/support another one nearby. That church doesn't have a cemetery. Ours does and gives free burial spaces to members. It's a sticky situation for the by-laws committee, as we also have elderly members in assisted living arrangements who cannot be active in the church.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

Or, some who want their membership to remain at our church while they routinely attend/support another one nearby. That church doesn't have a cemetery. Ours does and gives free burial spaces to members. It's a sticky situation for the by-laws committee, as we also have elderly members in assisted living arrangements who cannot be active in the church.

Assisted living, bedridden, on life support ---- all these are obviously through no fault of the individual, why would anyone think they should be removed from the roll? Hopefully some folks in the church are "taking the church" to them. We had some in these type situations; had, past tense, only because they have died. Edited March 19, 2012 by OLD fashioned

[1Timothy115]

I've not been involved with this in the local churches I've attended.

[Oldtimer]

Assisted living, bedridden, on life support ---- all these are obviously through no fault of the individual, why would anyone think they should be removed from the roll? Hopefully some folks in the church are "taking the church" to them. We had some in these type situations; had, past tense, only because they have died.

That's the point. There are inactive people that we definitely DO NOT want to remove from our membership roll. That's what I meant about being a sticky situation. We have to do more than simply state that all inactive members will be removed after x timeframe, as that's not the case.

And, yes, depending on the individual circumstances, we are "taking the church" to them in various ways. Visits, prepared meals, thinking of you & birthday cards, phone calls, copy of the bulletin mailed each week, copy of the worship service on CD, etc. These folks aren't forgotten as their ability to be an active part of our church life, on site, fades away. They are as important, if not more so, than our Support Our Troops care packages and the aid we give to those in our community who have hit hard times, for example.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

That's the point. There are inactive people that we definitely DO NOT want to remove from our membership roll. That's what I meant about being a sticky situation. We have to do more than simply state that all inactive members will be removed after x timeframe, as that's not the case.

And, yes, depending on the individual circumstances, we are "taking the church" to them in various ways. Visits, prepared meals, thinking of you & birthday cards, phone calls, copy of the bulletin mailed each week, copy of the worship service on CD, etc. These folks aren't forgotten as their ability to be an active part of our church life, on site, fades away. They are as important, if not more so, than our Support Our Troops care packages and the aid we give to those in our community who have hit hard times, for example.

We don't have an "inactive roll". Using this term puts unable as inactive and "bless me if you can" "knots on a log" "attend in body but not in mind and spirit" individuals as "active" . :puzzled3:

[Anon]

Our church constitution says if a member is not present in church at least one time in six months (or something like that) then they are automatically purged off the rolls. Now, we do not keep super close tabs over it, but, if someone stops coming to church (and they are not a shut-in), then there is no reason to keep them on the rolls and keep including them in church benefits without them bothering to come out to services or participate in any way.

[JerryNumbers]

What benefits does a person receive that's on the church role that's not attending church?

From my understanding of what is written in the Bible on this subject, it would be wrong to drop them from the role without 1st having contact with that person, no matter what kind of bylaws have been put in place.

Usually a church that has a cemetery given a family plot, at a fee, or even free of charge. After that has been given to them, & or sold to them, it should still be theirs. Unless its been stated that you lose your family plot if you become inactive & or stop attending, & or move your membership.

If as some churches are, the cemetery & church is seperate, them it makes no difference, I know of several churches with cemetery's & they're completely separate from each others.

[Anon]

We have a family that claimed they were going to come back but they haven't been in church for a year. They go to other churches, or they just don't go. They have no interest in attending ours.

There's no reason they still need to be on the church list to receive phone calls or emails or updates or anything pertaining to the church if they do not feel the need to attend (and this is not a shut in, this is a middle aged family with kids).

Anyway, regardless of anyone's opinions on the matter...its been voted into our Constitution which everyone gets a copy to read before they join.

That is "notice" enough, in my opinion...and someone who does not come to church in a whole year, nor contacts the pastor to discuss it, nor opens the door for visits, obviously does not want to be in the church.

Some of you all are kind of touchy about what other people's churches do, when there's nothing in the Bible saying whether its right or wrong.