Local Churches

[nathan]

Pastor Randy has a clear goal for Biblical Families of starting local churches, home churches first. I would love to be a part of a local church again - without hiding my family. We want churches that are Christ-centered, but plural-friendly.

I'd like to start some discussion on this. I think we will face a few challenges, I'd put the first ones in 2 categories:

1) Geography. We know each other thanks to the Internet - to "do church" together we will have to be at least moderately close to each other. Either we will have to vastly grow in numbers (which I expect to happen very slowly for now - but who knows what kind of societal upheaval/change could affect that rate in the future), or some of us will need to move to be part of church plants, in the future. Right now I'm aware of 2 states that have 5 or more Christian plural-friendly households: Texas and Florida - but even here we are too scattered for weekly meetings. (Maybe we should start small with some monthly fellowships?) So, would you be willing to consider moving to be a part of a church plant in the future?

2) Theology. This one could get interesting: I perceive that those who come to a Biblical understanding of plural marriage come from vastly different backgrounds, and tend to be very much "Bereans" of the Word. We will have different takes on "gifts of the Spirit", on free will vs predestination, on the Law, etc. (I do NOT want to start a debate on the various merits of these positions here! - I have learned to respect many different brothers on the road God has them on.) Seems to me we will have to very aware of the old saying "In Essentials, Unity; in Non-essentials, Liberty; in All Things, Charity". (BTW if you though that was Augustine, apparently it's not:
http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/unitas/essrev.html)
The question here is: will it even be possible for us to fellowship together long-term across differences that usually create denominational boundaries? Or will we have to have different churches with particular distinctives? I honestly don't know the answer, but worry that we will be too small in number to risk being divided so, for a long time to come. But we will all be challenged if we attempt to stick together. And once we grow and gain some attention, Thomas Paine may figure in here: "“If we do not hang together, we shall surely hang separately".

That leads to the 3rd challenge: Future persecution once we're no longer so small as to be ignored as a joke. (Or once we are established in a particular community or two.)

You thoughts and input requested.

 

[sweetlissa]

I have recently become interested in Webcasts and Podcasts. They are not the "real thing" but I think they might work to help bring us together in cyberspace so that we could at least worship together. I just don't know how to do it, so there is a lot to learn unless someone already knows this technology.

BTW, I will move whereever daPastor goes.

lol
Lissa

 

[The Duke Of Marshall]

So, would you be willing to consider moving to be a part of a church plant in the future?

The question here is: will it even be possible for us to fellowship together long-term across differences that usually create denominational boundaries? Or will we have to have different churches with particular distinctives?

That leads to the 3rd challenge: Future persecution once we're no longer so small as to be ignored as a joke. (Or once we are established in a particular community or two.)

1. I would want to move to be closer to the rest of you guys, but moving is an expensive endeavour. So therefore everyone has to move close to me. lol, just kidding. But seriously, even though I would want to be close I don't know if I would be able to or not.

2. I think that'll will be one of the toughest "internal" obstacles to overcome. Everyone I have met on here is very accepting of others beliefs, but we haven't started any assemblies as you are talking about. I'm afraid that there may be some beliefs that may not be reconciled with other beliefs and yet others who aren't willing to compromise on some things. I would definately be interested in hearing any suggestions that anyone may have.

3. It's definately going to take courageous people to withstand the persecution. Not all are called to action, but I believe that all ARE called to persistence, staying the course, and keeping the faith.

 

[^_^]

one of the people I study online with has the notion that we in the sacred name movement are spread apart for a reason, that is to be salt everywhere. I tend to agree in so far as with truth being watered down so badly over the last 2000 years, we need witness lives everywhere. So I'm not sure that living in closed communities is such a good idea either, sure it's safer in the short term, but when the government decides to intervene, they are bigger and more powerful, we'd be sitting ducks... just ask those FLDS folks in Texas...
and we all know how powerful the spirit of Jezebel is, so let's not set ourselves up for destruction.

 

[The Duke Of Marshall]

So I'm not sure that living in closed communities is such a good idea either, sure it's safer in the short term, but when the government decides to intervene, they are bigger and more powerful, we'd be sitting ducks... just ask those FLDS folks in Texas...

Actually I don't think that Nathan was proposing any kind of compound situation. More or less it would be assemblies more like you see in "mainstream" Christianity where there's a building located somewhere and people just come there from wherever they live. The kind of community that we're talking about is somewhere relatively close. Like within a 3 or four county radius.

I definately wouldn't be one that would propose or support a closed community situation such as a fenced in, gated, compound. That's definately not what Nathan is proposing. More like closely located within an hour or two driving distance.

 

[^_^]

ah, my bad, I misunderstood.
Yeah, that would be much better