One of my favorite hobbies is reading old LDS General Conference talks. You’d be forgiven for thinking that sounds boring. Today’s conference talks are usually boring. But that wasn’t always the case. I’m going to start a new series to highlight some of the most interesting conference talks ever given.

The conference talk that will be discussed in this post is one I discovered only a week ago. It’s a 1984 talk given by Elder Ronald Poelman of the Seventy. (Several blogs have written about this talk, and I’m indebted to their analysis.)

Alan over at the Pure Mormonism blog provides a nice summary of Poelman’s talk:

Elder Poelman began his talk by reminding the congregation that there is an important difference between the gospel and the Church. “There is a distinction between them which is significant”, he said, “and it is very important that this distinction be understood.”

Poelman cautioned that failure to distinguish between the two, and to comprehend their proper relationship, could lead to “confusion and misplaced priorities”.

The gospel, he explained, is the substance of the divine plan for personal, individual salvation and exaltation. The Church, on the other hand, is the delivery system that provides the means and resources to implement that plan.

As Elder Poelman explained it, the gospel of Jesus Christ is eternal and unchanging. The Church of Jesus Christ is not. “Policies, programs, and procedures do change from time to time as necessary to fulfill gospel purposes.”

“When we understand the difference between the gospel and the church and the appropriate function of each in our lives, we are much more likely to do the right things for the right reasons.”

Elder Poelman admonished the congregation to remain mindful that every church member has not only the right, but also the obligation to exercise his free agency and receive a personal witness not only of gospel principles, but also of Church practices.

According to Elder Poelman, the ultimate goal of each of us should be to eventually get to that point in our spiritual and intellectual growth where we will no longer need the institutional Church in our lives. Here is how Elder Poelman put it:

“As individually and collectively we increase our knowledge, acceptance, and application of gospel principles, we become less dependent on Church programs. Our lives become gospel centered.”

Pretty tame, no? Apparently not. Poelman’s suggestion that Mormons should distinguish between the Church and the Gospel—a distinction Joseph Smith himself made—was too radical for the Brethren. His saying that spiritually mature members will become “less dependent on Church programs” was likely met with disapproval, too.

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