I learned this from a dear man that taught Sunday school back in1984. He said:
 The Lord is definitely trying to expose sin and refine the people in our churches today. There is so much division and problems within many churches. Gossip, pride, arrogance, and rebellion are just four of the many problems running rampant inside the church doors. Which of course is: SIN.   

The main cause of the problems is that many Christians have knowledge, but lack application! Falsely thinking that knowledge is all that is needed. It takes more than mere Biblical knowledge to live as a Christ follower. We must apply the principles set forth in the Word of God.  

 This Godly gentleman told us the following story that he called:

                                                       "Lord remove the stumps" 

       Three or four men recognized that there were problems within their church. So this group of men decided to meet weekly to pray for their church. Week after week, month after month these men met to pray.

    One of the gentlemen was an older fella, all he would ever pray was, "Lord remove the stumps. Oh, Lord remove the stumps!"

    During this time, one of the leaders of their church died, a few months later, another leader died. Until after a couple of years four of the men in the leadership of the church had either left the church or died.     

    Meanwhile, during the course of the two years, the church started experiencing growth, the leadership had changed hands, and there seemed to be a new sense of joy within the congregation. 

    The gentlemen that had been meeting weekly to pray were discussing the changes that had taken place since they had begun praying faithfully for their church. But the younger men didn't realize the significance on how God had worked. It wasn't until the old gentleman turned to the other men and said, "I prayed for God to remove the stumps, and He did!"

    

    I must admit that as a young Christian I didn't understand the point to his story. It wasn't until after  my husband and I bought this property that I could understand it. After clearing the trees for the driveway and the house, they still had to remove the dead stumps before we could begin building.  
   We are to be the light in the world to the lost. We are to be the salt of earth. The Light shines and casts out the darkness, while the salt causes the unbelievers to become thirsty for the things of God. If we are not willing to be light and salt than we have no business being in leadership positions in our churches. Church is not a place for pretending or playing around to puff up oneself.

    I believe that is what God needs to do in many of our churches today. A frightening thought!

Post script 11/27/11: It's been brought to my to my attention that upon reading this story some people thought that it was about a certain individual church congregation. I'd like to state firmly that this is a story told to our adult Sunday school class many years ago and does not in anyway reflect upon any one particular church congregation. It is just a part of my Journey in my life with Christ.