Brother Branham, in respect to the order of the church, we have tried to go accordingly to the way we understand the orders given in the dedication of the new church. And by doing so, some have gotten mad and left the church. And others will not listen to anything we say, especially the children. We have talked to the parents about their children, and they won’t take care of them. Now, have we misunderstood? Or, are we going about it in the wrong way? Thanks.
Now let me answer this as they come down.
In respect to the order of the church, we have tried to go accordingly to the way we understood it given in the dedication of the new church.
Now, that’s correct, you’re doing right. Now, this is supposed to be deacons, I suppose, ’cause it’s right here, it’s a deacon’s job. All right.
And by doing so, we have often…people has often gotten mad at us.
They do at me, too! They’ll do at any man. See? A person that does that, there’s something wrong with that person. They’re not right with God, for the Spirit of Christ is subject to Christ’s teaching, Christ’s house, Christ’s order. See? And any man that…or any woman, or any persons, children, that would get angry with a godly deacon that would tell them to be…and, or any parent would get angry with a deacon…Really, we want everybody in this church that we can get; but if that would only cause trouble somewhere else, there’s a thorn or “a rabbit in the woodpile,” as we used to say it. That person isn’t right.
If they leave, there’s only one thing to do: let them go, and pray for them. See? Then maybe some of the deacons go to their chur-…or, go to their house sometime, and find out why they left, and ask them what was wrong. Then, and if they…See if he can reconcile them. If they can’t, then take two or three witnesses with him, that they might be understood. Then if they can’t be understood, then it’s told before the church if they are a member here of the church. Then they are…
And then if they’re not members of the church, course they’re not members of this congregation, they should be made to be ruled. See, they—they’ve got to listen to our orders here, because this is the orders of the church. This is things we don’t want to do, things that I don’t like to do, but it’s things that must be done. And I’m exposing myself: and tell them here by this tape, it’s me, they can hear me talking and know that it’s me, not you men. You’ve asked me these questions, and I’m giving it to you the best that I know how from the Word of God.
“Now, if those people get angry and go out from you, what does the Scripture say about it, Brother Branham?”
“They went out from us because they wasn’t of us.” And that settles it. “Left the church,” that’s what they did. All right.
Others will not listen to anything we say, especially the children.
The children are supposed to know discipline, they should get it at home. But even if it’s mine, my kids get in here at anytime, they get disorderly, I don’t want you to draw one string; Sarah, Rebekah, Joseph, Billy, or whoever it might be. You tell me, I’ll see to it. If they can’t behave, then they’ll stay away from church till they do learn to behave. This is not an arena, this is the house of God. This is not a place to play, and skate, and write notes, and laugh, and cut up, this is the house of God; is to be carried out godly.
You come here to worship, not even to visit. This is not a—this is not a picnic ground, this is not a visitation place; this is the visitation place of the Holy Spirit, listen to what He has to say, not to one another. We don’t come here to fellowship with one another, we come here to fellowship with Christ. This is the house of worship. And children must be disciplined, and if they are…of by the parents. Let it be known! That if these deacons…If these parents of the children will not listen to what these deacons said, then this parent should be corrected themselves.
We have talked to the parents about the children, and they won’t take care of them.
If they are members of this church, then you should take two or three with you and call that parent into a private meeting, into one of the offices. I don’t care who it is, if it’s me, if it’s Brother Neville, if it’s Billy Paul and his little boy, if it’s Brother Collins and one of his children, or any of the rest of you. We are…We love one another, but we’re duty bound to God and this Word. If it’s Doc, the…no matter who it is, we’re to call one another in and be honest with one another. How can God ever deal with us, if we’re not honest with one another? How we going to be honest with Him? See?
This is an order, we must keep the house of God! And deacons are supposed to know how to do that. See? And that’s why I’m telling you now, keep them things caught up. And if this, you tell the parents and they won’t listen to this, won’t listen to it, then you get you another deacon or one of the trustees, or some good person of this church, and call…take your trus-…Take your deacon board, all your deacons together, say, “Brother Jones, Brother Henderson, Brother Jackson,” or whoever it might be, see, “their children are disbehaving, we’ve told them two or three times about their children, and they won’t listen to it.”
Then call Brother Jones in, or Brother Whoever-it-is, and say, “Brother Jones, we’ve called you in here for a meeting. We love you, and we…you’re a part of us, you’re one of us. Let me just set this certain tape and listen what Brother Branham said about it, see. Now, we’ve asked you to make those children behave. See? If they won’t behave, and you can’t make them behave in church, leave them with someone while you come to church until they learn how to behave themself in the house of God.” See? But this is an order, it’s got to be carried out! See?
William Branham, Sermon "Church Order"
https://en.branham.ru/sermons/63-1226
