The unique
and distinctive position of the "Churches of Christ" from the beginning
has been their undenominational and non-sectarian character. They have
had no human name to wear, no human creed to bind them, and no human
organization to support. These are denominational characteristics. When
any congregation adopts a human name, a human creed, or a human
organization, it denominationalizes itself and surrenders its New
Testament identity. There are many congregations over the land today
that are in eminent danger of doing just that.
It has
always been a struggle to prevent such apostasy on the part of God's
people. Departure has usually begun in the corruption of the
organization or government of the people of God. Following that has come
the introduction of the "doctrines and commandments of men" and the
injection of human innovations into Christian worship.
Satan
created dissatisfaction among God's people, Israel, in the Old Testament
day and caused them to want a king so as to be like the nations around
them. In demanding a king, they rejected God as their king and all of
their troubles began in their dissatisfaction with God's arrangement.
God later said, "I gave you a king in my anger and took him away in my
wrath." They became so determined to have an earthly king that their
nation might be led to great power and glory that they made an "idol" of
that desire and it led them ultimately to reject Christ when he refused
to be an earthly king. This, of course, meant their complete destruction
as a nation.
History
repeated itself in the story of the early church. Even before Paul left
this earth the "spirit of iniquity" was already at work. By the Spirit
of God Paul warned the people of God against impending apostasy. He
warned that it would grow out of a dissatisfaction with God's ways and
God's Word. To Timothy he wrote, "the time will come when they will not
endure sound doctrine but having itching ears will heap to themselves
teachers after their own lusts." (II Tim. 4.) He told the elders
of Ephesus that from among their own number men would arise speaking
perverse things and drawing away disciples after them. Again he
prophesied the revealing of the "man of sin, the son of perdition," who
would sit in the "temple of God,
as God." This prophecy pointed forward to the corruption of the
government of God's people and the apostasy of the church. It came about
in precisely the same way that it had before. Satan created
dissatisfaction with God's ways and God's Word. The churches departed
from the simplicity of God's plan for the government of His people. A
distinction arose between bishops and elders. The bishop extended his
influence over more than one congregation. The metropolitan bishop grew
into a patriarch and the patriarchs began to hold their religious
conventions or councils and pass their laws. In 606 A.D. the first
universal bishop was chosen and the departure was complete. Apostasy was
full grown. It did not come overnight and was not purposeful or
intended.
The same
story exactly is the history of what we commonly call the "Restoration
Movement" on this continent. The church was prospering. Satan was
unhappy and he planted in the hearts of God's people dissatisfaction
with God's ways. They began to try to enlarge and improve upon them.
"Cooperatives" were formed among the congregations of a district. Those
"cooperatives" grew into statewide organizations and then merged into
the "American Christian Missionary Society." Before long human
innovations in worship and human doctrines and commandments in teaching
made their appearance Ad soon apostasy was complete and the "Christian"
or "disciples" church movement fully emerged.
Object
lessons are hard to learn. We profit little from studying history though
we should profit much. Brethren go, generation after generation, making
the same mistakes, following the same pattern of apostasy and departure.
We are witnessing the same old attitudes and problems in our generation
as known in the past.
There is
manifest dissatisfaction with God's ways in the church today. Big
promotions within the churches of Christ are the order of the day. We
must be like our neighbors about us with our "church schools and
theological seminaries," our "benevolent societies" to make a big
display before the world, and since there is the "Lutheran Hour," the
"Catholic Hour," the "Baptist Hour" we must have the "Church of Christ
Hour" and hence the combination known as the "Herald of Truth. Then,
too, the local churches can never evangelize the world without some sort
of federated, centralized medium through which to work, so we will
function in the work of evangelization through "sponsoring churches" and
then our work will be effective and we will be recognized like other
religious bodies. We are busy on every hand building us a "tower
of Babel" to make a name for ourselves and God is confusing our speech
so as to bring all of our big efforts to naught.
Whatever
sectarian bodies at large are doing, we must do. The end is not yet.
Catholic organizations are running large display advertisements in our
popular magazines and so a number of our brethren have formed a
corporation, non-profit in its nature, of which James Walter Nichols is
a director, to advertise the "Churches of Christ." Thousands of dollars
are being solicited to spend in this direction. Though such a
corporation and such solicitation of contributions were condemned by
these very "Herald of Truth" promoters in the Lufkin debate. Surely the
"legs of the lame are not equal."
No longer
is a congregation respectable when it does its own work under its own
elders. That plan is outmoded by these modem movements. Giant promotions
organized among churches and within churches have taken over the
benevolent and evangelistic work of the congregations. All the
congregations have left to do is worship and raise money to support
these human arrangements through which their work is being done. The
equality of New Testament churches is about to be forgotten. It is to be
expected that their autonomy and independence will soon disappear.
Autonomy cannot exist long without independence and equality. Human
arrangements like the "Herald of Truth" are already dictating the hiring
and firing of preachers who will not line up. They will increase their
domination of churches as time goes on. It is history repeating itself
as all who will open their eyes can see.
Giant
combinations and propaganda machines have taken hold of the brethren and
are seeking to control the churches. In many instances they are doing it
too. The Gospel Advocate "spearheads" the movement and the now impotent
"Firm Foundation" plays "second fiddle" to their tune. The institutions
among us all line up and the presidents of the various colleges send in
their commendations and all of the superintendents of the orphan homes
and other benevolent institutions add their voices to the chorus. They
want all the independence of the preachers as well as that of the
congregations to be surrendered to them so that there will be no
dissenting voice against their promotions. They need "millions of
dollars" and are beginning anew their campaigns to get it, and along
with their financial power and independence will come complete
unfaithfulness to the cause which they profess to espouse. That is
history too but many of the brethren will not heed its lessons. No
religious school has ever remained faithful to the "faith" that
established it when it gained financial independence. They won't in the
future. We shall see! By all of this combined influence the churches are
being stampeded into denominationalism at headlong speed. One has to
stick his head in the sand to keep from seeing it.
Itching
ears must be scratched and sound doctrine cannot be endured. So the line
is being drawn rapidly. Congregations are formulating their creeds to
bind it upon those whom they fellowship and division in the body of
Christ is being hastened by the human institutions and those who have
made them their "idols." Very few, if any of them, are bold enough to
say that support for such human institutions and arrangements are
essential to the salvation of our souls or the identity of the church.
Not yet! About the nearest to that is the bold assertion of Athens Clay
Pullias when he declared publicly at Nashville that the "support of the
expansion program of David
Lipscomb
College
is essential to faith in the Great Commission." But many others are
willing to make support for these human arrangements a test of
fellowship or at least they draw the line of fellowship against those
who oppose them. They would force those who oppose them to either
acquiesce in them and violate their consciences even in doing so or be
"quarantined" or "disfellowshipped."
This is
not an imaginary situation on our part. We give you the picture as it is
developing all over the country:
The
Central Church
in Amarillo fired Hoyt Houchen
some two years ago because he dared preach against worldliness, dancing,
and human institutions doing the work of the church. When the elders all
resigned and the church went into the hands of "receiver," Robert C.
Jones, it is reliably reported that a good brother was told by him that
he would not be considered for the eldership because he was opposed to
"Herald of Truth." That not only put upon the preacher the demand that
he abide by their creed or he couldn't preach, but it made support for
"Herald of Truth" a qualification for the eldership.
As a
sequel to this Central situation, the Southside
Church
through her preacher wrote Brother Lloyd Moyer a questionnaire about
what he believed and preached relative to "brotherhood elders" running
"brotherhood orphan homes" and "brotherhood projects" like the "Herald
of Truth." We give you the letter and Brother Moyer's reply:
Mr. Lloyd
Moyer Church of Christ 309 - 36th Street Richmond, California
Dear
Brother Moyer:
At
Business Meeting last evening it was suggested that you held convictions
against the principles upon which the Herald of Truth is defended, along
with such homes at Tipton — where the work is under a local eldership.
The
brethren desire to know the truth upon this question and felt the
Christian way to learn the answer was simply to write and ask you. This
they ask me to do.
Would you
be kind enough to advise if you do have convictions that such
undertakings violate the principles by which the Lord's work should be
guided? An early reply, of course, will be greatly appreciated.
Fraternally yours, Jack L. Mackey, preacher.
(Brother
Moyer's Reply)
Southside
Church
of Christ
40th and
Lipscomb
Amarillo,
Texas
Dear
Brethren
In
response to your letter of May 4, 1955,
in which you inquire if I hold "convictions against the principles upon
which the Herald of Truth is defended, along with such homes as Tipton —
where the work is under a local eldership."
Yes, I do
hold such convictions.
You ask,
"Would you be kind enough to advise if you have convictions that such
undertakings violate the principles by which the Lord's work should be
guided."
Again, I
must say, yes, I do. It is my conviction that an eldership can have the
oversight of, and control only the work of the congregation where they
are elders. I feel that it is a step toward "Rome" to center the power
and control of a "brotherhood" work in
ONE
headquarters. I mean by "brotherhood" work, a work to which all
congregations are equally related. Much more could be said, however, I
think this is enough to answer your inquiry.
Since the
brethren are divided over the "war question," "marriage question,"
"college question," "eldership" and many others; should I advise you of
my convictions on these things? Or, as your letter indicates, is it
possible that you make a test of fellowship only on the Herald of Truth
and Orphan Homes?
Would you
be kind enough to advise on this matter? An early reply, of course, will
be greatly appreciated.
Fraternally, Lloyd Moyer.
In His
Reply, Brother Moyer Raised A Pertinent Issue:
What other
provisions will your creed include and stipulate? What do you demand of
a preacher on other questions about which there is a difference? Is it
possible that only Herald of Truth and Orphan Homes are worthy of such
an important place on the spiritual agenda?
Following
is another letter from another "Church of
Christ"
which is not supposed to have a human creed, cancelling a meeting which
they had invited a faithful gospel preacher to hold because he did not
subscribe to their creed. These two issues drew the line of fellowship
and this is being repeated many times all over the country.
Box 307
Vega, Texas
April 22,
1955
Mr. Hoyt
Houchen
Highland
Church of Christ
San Antonio, Texas
Dear
Brother Houchen:
By
unanimous consent in our business meeting, we decided to cancel our
meeting with you in September of 1955.
We think
it advisable that you not come because of your attitude toward the
Orphan Homes and the Herald of Truth radio program.
Yours in
the Spirit of Christ, Vega
Church of Christ
By Doyle
Chapin.
Of course
such an attitude is always "fraternal" and "in the spirit of Christ" but
it amounts to disfellowshiping just the same and draws a line down
through the body of Christ that means division. Churches that have been
strong in years past cannot invite certain preachers to speak for them
because they have a political fence straddling preacher who is afraid
that recognizing and extending fellowship to a preacher opposed to these
human arrangements will identify him and he doesn't want that because it
might injure his "usefulness." The brethren do not want him embarrassed.
The
Arlington,
Texas, church recently fired Brother
Paul Foutz for preaching on New Testament principles that applied to
these problems. He hadn't even mentioned the specific organizations by
name. They demanded that he not preach on them. He refused to give in to
their effort to dictate what he could preach and subscribe to their
creed and they unceremoniously fired him. I understand one of the elders
(?) declared that before they hired another preacher he would sign a
written statement that he would not preach against these things. James
Willeford held a meeting immediately following that incident for this
congregation and spent about an hour one night trying to justify the
Herald of Truth. The most of his proof (?) was misrepresentations of
what someone else had done. Many of these things so misrepresented were
matters concerning which he knew better. But such is in accordance with
their "idol" and in harmony with their creed.
When
Brother George Jones was convinced of the truth during the Lufkin debate
and went back home to Midland Boulevard Church at Fort Smith, Arkansas,
where he was preaching and told the elders about it and asked them to
study the question with him, they at first agreed to do so. Then "Herald
of Truth" advocates (including a former preacher) began to exert
pressure and influence on the elders. Jones was fired. They gave him
three weeks notice, I believe, which was a very bighearted way to treat
a man with a family. I don't know but they probably signed the last
check, "In the spirit of Christ." One of the elders refused to go along
with the action and resigned. We understand Brother George had a rather
threatening letter from Earnest Highers who had formerly preached there
and evidently felt that he still should help to run it. After George was
fired, James Walter Nichols held a meeting there and the Midland
Boulevard
Church hired Gordon Clements, fair-haired "Herald of Truth" disciple, to
preach for them. He will scratch their ears. And moreover, he can
expertly operate their mimeograph and teach them how to hang up their
trousers at night. So goes the creed making. This means that Midland
cannot fellowship the other congregation in that city or the preacher
that preaches for them. Thus the Cause of Christ is divided and it is
happening all over the land.
And so it
goes, on and on, for many other instances of such could be given. The
Broadway elders in Lubbock so control the other churches in Lubbock,
directly or indirectly, that a preacher who is not in harmony with
Broadway practices and ideas cannot preach for them. If a preacher dares
to take issue with what Broadway is doing, he does not last long.
Recently that has been demonstrated very clearly.
Recently
this writer spoke one night in Fort Worth at the Castleberry
Church
and was told that the Berry
Street
Church
in the same city did not announce the service though they were duly
notified of it. If it had been Otis Gatewood or a "Herald of Truth"
promoter, they would have been enthusiastic in their support of it. That
means the line of fellowship is drawn. This was repeated in
Tulsa. We spoke at Fifteenth and
Delaware and the Tenth and Rockford and the Eastside
Church
did not announce the service. Just a failure to announce it would not be
serious. They have the right to leave off any announcement they wish and
make those they wish but when they refuse to announce a service at a
sister congregation because they differ over the "Herald of Truth" and
do not agree on how the church is to do its benevolent work, then they
are drawing the line of fellowship. I have preached at both Tenth and
Rockford and Eastside in years
past in gospel meetings, but I am out of fellowship with them now
because I am not willing to subscribe to their human creeds.
Don't
misunderstand me, I am not complaining. All of this has affected me but
little. I haven't had a meeting cancelled since the Sixth and Izzard
Church
in Little Rock set their course
along this line and Cleon Lyles, their preacher, wrote me not to come
for a meeting scheduled for this year. That was almost two years ago. Of
course, they said they were "making a change in their plans" but I knew
what was at work behind the scenes. If I had not preached the
"all-sufficiency of the church" and condemned all of these modern
efforts to improve on God's ways, I could have continued to be popular.
But my convictions are not for sale. They have never been. For that
reason the churches that were not willing for the truth to be preached
on these issues have quit inviting me to preach for them. I found out
several years ago that when you oppose these "church institutions" like
David
Lipscomb
College
you will be cut off. That is a sad state of affairs but it is true. "Institutionalists"
have a creed, it may not be written, but it is a creed none the less.
Preachers who will not subscribe to it will be "quarantined." They are
bringing every bit of the pressure to bear through these tactics that
they can exercise. But, thank God, there are "seven thousand" that have
not bowed the knee to "Baal" yet and who will not. There are also many
congregations throughout the land that are determined to maintain their
undenominational characteristics. May their tribe increase.
Brethren,
are you ready to abandon the ground, "We will speak where the Bible
speaks and we will be silent where it is silent"? Are you ready for the
elders of the church to formulate a human standard of fellowship, make
for you a human creed? Are you ready for human church institutions to
disrupt the fellowship of the body of Christ? Are you ready for human
arrangements that do not have "precept, approved example, or necessary
inference" in the scriptures to be made the test of Christian
fellowship? If you are, you are well on your way to complete apostasy
from the New Testament church. It will not be long till other departures
will come. In fact, they are already coming. Witness the announcement by
the Central Church
in Amarillo that they have
decided that all matters of expediency or judgment will be referred to
the congregation to decide by majority vote. There is no place to stop
when New Testament ground has once been surrendered. The flood tide will
sweep you away completely. There is time now to awaken. These issues can
be fully and freely discussed and the truth can be determined in such
discussion. When the truth is known by the people of God, most of them
will accept it. An "iron curtain" is not the answer to the problem. That
means totalitarianism and not Christianity. Only the truth can turn the
minds of even the people of God away from the "god of big things" and
institutional promotions that corrupt the government of God's people,
and cause them to be satisfied with the "simplicity that is in Christ."
May God help us that it may be so!
Gospel Guardian Issue
No. 19 — September 15, 1955
Other
Articles
Permissive Parents
Six Steps to
a Broken Home
Proper Attitudes for Proper Giving
