What Is The Issue 10 27 18 AM Bill Hall

The speaker discusses the historical context of the 50s and 60s when a division arose among God's people regarding church support for orphans' homes. The main issue was the presence of an institutional board overseeing this work, which lacked New Testament authority. The speaker emphasizes the importance of following New Testament authority in all aspects of church practices, highlighting verses from Colossians, 2 Timothy, and 2 John to support this argument. The focus is on ensuring that all actions are authorized by scripture to be considered good works. I'd like to turn in your Bibles to James Chapter 1, which will be our first passage this morning. Well, it's thrilling to see the interest that you have in these studies. I've done these studies in many, many places, and it's just interesting to see how much interest there is nearly everywhere in what happened. And my part of this is to go back to the 50s and 60s and to discuss what the initial issues were that led to division among God's people. And then Brian will take us up to date with things that are going on now. And it's great to be associated with Brian. He's known me all his life. No, I mean, I've known him all his life. I think that's the way I'd better put that. And I appreciate Brian so very much. Well, when we talk about what took place back in the 50s and 60s, we're talking about a very difficult time among God's people. If you were not living at that time, and most of you were not, I think you'd have a hard time imagining what really went on at that time. In 1954, in the pages of the Gospel Advocate, which was the most widely read paper among Christians, there was a call for a quarantine against anybody who preaches what I'll be teaching this morning. This was not some small thing. It was on the editorial page endorsed by the editor, B.C. Goodpasture. And because of this and other things that were already happening, preachers were fired, meetings were canceled, families were divided. It was a very, very difficult time. And Christians, to be honest with you, were not acting like Christians. I did some things I wish I hadn't done. I was a young preacher. I warned everybody to go out strong and fighting, getting ready to go. And now I look back and say, I wish I hadn't done some of those things. No apology for what I taught. I taught the truth, I'm convinced. But at the same time, I made some mistakes and a lot of other people made mistakes. And one of the problems when you get into a time like that is that people don't listen. They may be so hardened in their prejudices that they don't pay any attention to what somebody else is saying. Or it may be they're thinking, how am I going to answer this? They're thinking about what they're going to say instead of listening carefully to what the other person is saying. And consequently, a lot of people had no idea where the real issue lay. So my purpose this morning is to try to, as clearly as I can, tell you what the real issue was in all of the controversies that existed. So we'll do the best we can along that line. And there are two things I want you to be sure to carry out of here. What the issue was, and second, what was wrong. And I'll be repeating a statement over and over and over. Well, the first major issue we'll talk about is whether the church should support orphans' homes or not. Now, at first glance, somebody might say, you mean churches didn't believe in supporting orphans' homes? That seems rather strange, doesn't it? But many people did not understand what the issue was. Let's first of all talk about what the issue was not. The issue was not whether orphans should be taken care of or not. James 127 takes care of that. Look at James 127. Are orphans to be taken care of? That answers that question. Yes, indeed. Now, second thing, the issue was not who were the most benevolent, kind, loving people. Some people kind of got carried away and they said, well, these people just don't care about little orphans. No, that was never the case. And time has shown that those who were opposed to church support of orphans' homes were just as kind and benevolent as those who were for them. And in fact, many, many, many people, possibly some here, have adopted children. There is now an adoptive agency called Sacred Selections. Some of you no doubt are familiar with that over in California who do not receive support from churches and are helping people to adopt children. And many individuals send to them, but they don't receive any money from churches. So it was not who is the most benevolent and who is the kindest. That wasn't the issue. Well, what was the issue? Well, the issue had to do with what I'm calling a middle-man organization standing between the churches and the work to be done. Are we familiar with the term middle-man? Sometimes you may hear somebody say, buy the factory and erase the middle-man. What do they mean by that? Well, by the time you pay a delivery man and the wholesaler and the retailer and all that, you've paid too much. Just go to the factory and erase the middle-man. Well, I don't care how you do your business. You can go to the factory or the retailer or whatever you want to do. But the point I'm making is God never arranged for a middle-man in between the churches and the work to be done. Many people did not understand the issue. So what you have here is a middle-man organization, an institutional board standing between the churches and the care of the orphaned children. So if you think of those circles over there, they are the local churches. They send their money. And under the oversight of this institutional board, then the care of the orphaned children take place. What is the issue? The issue is the institutional board providing oversight for the work of churches of Christ. Somebody said, well, what's wrong with an institutional board? No New Testament authority. If you don't remember anything else from all this, I want those words to ring in your mind. No New Testament authority for the institutional board. Right here, let me correct a misunderstanding. Occasionally you might hear somebody say, well, those people just don't think you have to have New Testament authority for what they do. Well, there were people back in the 50s and 60s who said, we do a lot of things for which we have no authority. But they were not the leaders of the institutional movement. The leaders of the institutional movement knew that you had to have New Testament authority. I went to David Lipscomb College, which is presently David Lipscomb University. Baxel Barrett Baxter. That may sound like a funny name to most of you, but it was a name known by everybody in the brotherhood back in the 50s and 60s. Probably one of the best known names. I sat in his Bible class, and he gave us some of the best material I've ever seen on how to establish New Testament authority. He knew we had to have New Testament authority. That's why we had debates. Guy in Woods, W.L. Totty, some of those men debated this thing, and they were doing everything they could to try to find New Testament authority for what they were doing. So we don't need to say, well, these people just don't believe in New Testament authority. They did. I think they missed the application to what we're talking about, but they would have said you have to have New Testament authority. Now, again, that's back in the 50s and 60s, and I think we need to make that clear. But what's wrong with an institutional board? The institutional board would have been made up of Christians from many different churches. Here in Alabama, you might have two or three from Birmingham, maybe one or two from Jasper, maybe one or two from Cullman, one or two from Athens, and they come together, and they form this institutional board, and the money goes from the churches, but the oversight is provided by this institutional board made up of Christians from many different churches. No New Testament authority. Turn with me to Colossians chapter 3. Colossians chapter 3, look at verse 17. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. You can't do anything in somebody's name unless that person has authorized it. I used to use the illustration when Charlotte was still living. Charlotte would go out in the backyard, and there's somebody out there with a backhoe, and he's digging up our backyard. Charlotte said, What are you doing? And they said, Well, Bill Hall sent me to do this. Well, that's all right if Bill Hall authorized it. But if Bill Hall didn't authorize it, he cannot do it in my name. Do you see that? Now, this doesn't say whatever you do in word or deed, say that you're doing it in the name of the Lord Jesus. That's not what it says. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. You see to it that it's authorized by the Lord. Go to 2 Timothy 3. Verses 16 and 17. 2 Timothy 3, 16 and 17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. What furnishes us to every good work? The Scriptures. Consequently, if a thing is a good work, you're going to find it authorized in the Scriptures. If you cannot find it authorized in the Scriptures, then it's not a good work. No matter how good it may appear to us to be, it's not a good work if it's not authorized by the Scriptures. Turn to 2 John. Look at verse 9. Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. What is that telling us? Here's the doctrine of Christ, the wholeness of the doctrine of Christ. Is it in the doctrine of Christ, or is it outside the doctrine of Christ? And we won't turn to it. You'll remember this. But in Matthew 21, verse 25, Jesus asks the question of the baptism of John. Was it from heaven or of men? That's a great question to ask about anything. Where did it originate? Did it originate from heaven, or did it originate from men? Now, what is the issue in regards to the church support of orphans home? We have an institutional board providing the oversight for the work of Churches of Christ in the caring of these children. What's the question? Can it be done in the name of the Lord because he authorized it? Is it authorized by the Scriptures? They furnish a man of God to every good work. Is it in the doctrine of Christ, or is it outside the doctrine of Christ? And is the institutional board from heaven, or is it of men? That's the question, and that's the issue. Well, someone may be thinking, surely there were those who raised scriptural reason for having this institutional board. Well, there were many arguments made. I'm not going to go into all of them, but when you get the booklet, it will go into a little more discussion of this. Maybe deal with some. But probably the argument we heard most was, the Bible says to do it, but it doesn't tell us how to do it, and the institutional board just becomes a method by which churches could take care of the orphaned children. Well, all of us agreed that methods could be used. That's what the buildings and supervision and groceries, that's what all that was about. Let's suppose, for instance, that the Gardendale Church were to have five widows indeed. Remember 1 Timothy chapter 5? Some of the translations now use really widows. The church here at Gardendale, let's just say you have five widows indeed. They meet the qualification of 1 Timothy 5. They're the obligation of the church here. How is the church here going to take care of those widows indeed? Well, there are several ways. If they're able to take care of themselves, maybe the church just gives them money and lets them take care of themselves. But suppose you had some widows indeed, and they're not able to take care of themselves. The church could buy a house and put those widows indeed in the house and pay somebody to come and supervise and buy some groceries, but it would all be done under the oversight of the elders of the Gardendale Church. They wouldn't just send money somewhere and say, You take care of them. It would be under the oversight of the elders of the Gardendale Church. That's method. But what we're talking about here is not method. We're talking about oversight. The work of Churches of Christ. It's whether the oversight would be provided by an institutional board or whether the oversight would be provided by the elders of each local church. Let me just ask you a question. Which have you read in the Bible? In the Bible, have you read of elders being overseers of each local church? Or have you read of an institutional board made up of Christians from several churches being the overseers of a work of the church? Which one have you read about? That's the issue. It's an institutional board not found in the Scriptures, not authorized in the Scriptures, providing oversight for the work of Churches of Christ. Well, somebody says, We don't hear much about orphans' homes much anymore. Was that you all? I heard talking about that the other day. Somebody was saying, Well, we don't do much supporting of orphans' homes anymore, and so that's kind of a dead issue. Well, what about the schools up in Florence, Morris Hill Bible School, Faulkner University, David Lipscomb? How many of those schools could be named that do receive money from churches? How do those schools set up institutional boards providing oversight for the work of church, well, for the money spent by the churches? Same setup. And it's rather interesting. Pastor Barry Baxter, whom I mentioned a moment ago, wrote a tract before his death called Questions and Issues of the Day, and in it he wrote this, Some who are agreed that the church can contribute to an orphan's home are not convinced that the church can contribute to a Christian school. It is difficult to see a significant difference so far as the principle is concerned. The orphan's home and the Christian school must stand or fall together. And I might just mention, back in the 1800s, you know what the institutional problem was? The missionary society. And the church is divided over the missionary society. How were the missionary societies set up? An institutional board providing oversight for the evangelistic work of the churches. And then along come these same people who objected to that institutional board and the missionary society, and they accepted the orphan's home, but it was set up exactly the same way. And now comes Baxter, and he says the schools are exactly the same way. You can't object to one and accept the other. Well, I would just say, if you're going to object to the missionary society, you're going to have to object to all of these institutions. They're all the same. What's the issue? The issue is an institutional board providing the oversight for the churches of Christ. What's wrong with that institutional board? I don't have you just to talk about that. What's wrong with it? No New Testament authority. Well, there came a second issue related to the orphan's home question. And that had to do just with who did the church have a responsibility of caring for? The battle over the institutional board had been going on for quite some time, several years, when somebody began to look and say, wait a minute, does the church have responsibility for orphans anyway? Doesn't the Bible teach that the church's benevolent work is for saints, brethren, disciples, other terms like that? And all of a sudden the issue shifted. This was the primary issue. The primary issue was the institutional board providing oversight for the work of churches of Christ. And all of a sudden the issue shifted and all the debates then from that point on pretty much were over whom the church had a responsibility to care for. In some ways that was unfortunate because people lost sight of the institutional board as being the primary problem involved in all of this, leaving us vulnerable to something else that might arise in the future. In the 1800s it was the Missionary Society. In the 1900s it was the schools and the orphans' homes and old folks' homes. Now, what's going to be the next institution that's going to arise? And because we've had our attention taken away from the focus here, suddenly people say, well, maybe the church could support this. And folks, I'm going to sound a warning. The next institution may be the camps. Now, I have no objection to Christians owning a camp. I have no objection to Christians teaching the Bible in the camp. But camps have become so big in our minds, almost bigger than the local church. And if we're not careful, one of these days in the next generation or so, somebody's going to rise up and say, well, you know, the camps do so much good and they're training our young people and that gives them a chance to get together. And couldn't the teachers in the camp be supported by the churches? Well, somebody said, what about the issues back in the 50s and 60s? Oh, that was about whom the church can support. Do you see the problem? Let's not lose sight of the institutional board as the primary problem in this battle that was had back in the 50s and 60s. Now, it's fortunate that somebody raised all of that because it forced some of us to get our Bibles out and look and to say, just who does the church have a responsibility to? And let's just do a little tour of the Bible and see if we can determine that. Turn back to Acts chapter 2. Look at verse 44 and 45. Now, all who believed were together and had all things in common and sold their possessions and goods and divided them among all as anyone had made. All who believed. Turn to chapter 4. Look at verse 34. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold and laid them at the apostles' feet and they distributed to each as anyone had need. Any among them. Go to chapter 6. Speaking of this same distribution, verse 1, Now in those days when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. All right, let's see. What have we seen? Believers. Any among them? Disciples. Go to the 11th chapter of Acts. Start with verse 27. And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them named Agabus stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. They sent it to the brethren. Romans chapter 15. In Romans 15, Paul is talking about his wanting to go to Spain, but he says, verse 25, But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints, for it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. Now, 1 Corinthians 16. Speaking of this same contribution, look at verses 1 and 2. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also on the first day of the week, that each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. Now on to chapters 8 and 9. I'm not going to read several verses here, just one or two. Speaking of this same contribution, chapter 9, look at verse 1. Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. And then let's go to 1 Timothy chapter 5. This is the passage I mentioned a moment ago about widows indeed, or those who are called really widows. But obviously these are Christians. Look at verse 5. Now she who is really a widow and left alone trusts in God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. All right, let's put all that together. What all have we heard? I'm not sure I can do it. Believers, any among them, disciples, brethren, saints, and widows who continue in prayers night and day. And that's the ones that we have a record of, that the Church did benevolence for in the first century. Now there were two disputed passages along that line. I'm not going to discuss both of them. But probably the one we heard most was Galatians chapter 6, and I'll take you to that. There is a discussion in the booklet on the other passage, but we are limited in time. But Galatians 6 verse 10 was probably the one used most to try to justify churches helping those who are not Christians. Look at verse 10. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. And so he said, see there, the churches are to do good for all, but especially those who are of the household of faith. The problem with that is, if you go throughout the chapter, the context shows you that this is an individually applied passage rather than a congregational applied passage. For instance, look at chapter 6 verse 1. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in a trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness. Verse 2, bear one another's burdens. Verse 3, for if any one thinks himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Verse 4, let each one examine his own worth. Verse 5, for each one shall bear his own burden. Verse 6, let him who is taught in the words share in all good things with him who teaches. Verse 7, do not be deceived. God is not all whatever a man sows. Do you see the individual application of this? Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Let's pause to say, what are we talking about here? We're talking about a man who sows and reaps. Now verse 9, let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Who's going to reap? This man is going to reap if he does not lose heart. Therefore, what does therefore mean? It goes back, doesn't it? To what has just been said, what's been said. As a man sows, that he will also reap. Verse 10 then says, Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Why would we do good to all, especially those of the household of faith? Because as a man sows, that he will also reap. Somebody say this, but there's a plural pronoun there. I was about to come up with an illustration. I'm going to use it in a moment. There's a plural pronoun used there, but cannot a plural pronoun be used in regards to what we're going to do individually? Let me give you an example. We'll turn to it. You remember 2 Corinthians 5 verse 10, We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad. We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, but we're going to be judged not by the we, but by each individual. Do you see that? All right. Galatians 6, 10, As we have opportunity, let us do good to all men. And the context shows that we're talking about individual work rather than congregational work. Which led to this. Somebody said, Yes, but can't the church do anything the individual does? I'll tell you an experience of mine. I had David Lipscomb when I was a student there. I ended up in a class that was an indoctrinational class in regards to all these issues. I didn't know it when I signed up, and here I was right in the middle of that class, and the only one to oppose the church support of Orphan's Homes. Several of those classes began, and let me just say the teacher was really fair. I look back at him amazed at how fair he was. The numbers of those classes began with, Mr. Hall, I'd like to ask you a question. And I was Mr. Hall. And one day he asked me a question, and I don't remember now what the question was, but I gave him an answer. He said, Yes, but my understanding is that whatever the individual Christian can do, the church can do. And the argument really went like this. The church is made up of its members, so whatever the members do, that's the church doing it. Well, somebody raised the question, What if a member gets drunk? Did the church get drunk? Well, then there came a little bit of a variation. Well, whatever the individual can do in obedience to the Lord, the church can do, or something similar to that. No, the Bible makes a distinction between what the church as a group does and what the individual does. Turn to Matthew 18. Look at verse 15. Is it true that whatever the individuals do, the church does it? Well, let's listen to this. Verse 15 of Matthew 18. Moreover, if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. Well, according to that argument, by the time you've told two or three, you've already told the church. No, you haven't told the church yet. You've just told two or three individuals. So, individuals may function separate and apart from the work of the collective group. Somebody says, well, but what about money? All right, turn to Acts chapter 5. I'm sorry, Acts chapter 4. Let's see this clear distinction between an individual action and church action. Verse 34. Nor was there anyone among those who lacked, for all who were possessors of lands or houses, sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet, and they distributed to each as anyone had need. All right, people brought their resources, laid them at the apostles' feet, who in turn distributed what was laid at their feet. Now, the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Verse 1 of chapter 5. But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold the possession, and he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles' feet. Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God. Ananias, while that land was yours, it was yours. You could sell it or not sell it. After you sold it, it was under your control. You could bring it or you could not bring it. Now, once he laid it at the apostles' feet, he surrendered control, and from that point, distribution was made as the apostles sold it. If I can get my billfold out of my pocket, I'll just... All right, what's in here? Don't ask me how much. What's in here? That's under my control. I can feed my family if I have a family. I can buy a gift for somebody. It's under my control. If I see somebody in need out here, I can help them, and if I do it in the name of the Lord, then the Lord gets the glory and the honor. But if Sunday morning, I put some of that into the treasury, I have surrendered control. Now, it is the activity of the collective group. Do we see that? Let me make one more illustration. Here's a man, and he's a member of the Kiwanis Club. He's also a member of the local church. Well, if what the members do, that's the church doing it, then what the members of the Kiwanis Club do, that's the Kiwanis Club doing it. And so he takes $200, goes and buys groceries, and takes it to a native family. The church said, that's the church acting. The Kiwanis Club said, no, that's the Kiwanis Club acting. It's megalomania. It's the man acting. Again, if he does it in the name of the Lord, then the Lord gets the glory and the honor. But it's not, it's neither the church nor the Kiwanis Club. But now suppose the Kiwanis Club gives him $200, and he goes and buys groceries, and gives it to a native family. That's the Kiwanis Club acting. Can we see the difference between an individual action and the church action? All right. What have we covered? How are the orphans' homes set up? How are the colleges set up? How are the missionary societies set up? With an institutional board providing the oversight for the work of Churches of Christ. What's wrong with it? No New Testament authority for an institutional board providing oversight for the work of Churches of Christ. And then the issue shifted as to just whom the church should help anyway. And it became then a question of limited benevolence, they called it. Somebody said, well, if the individual can do it, the church can do it. No. No, there is a difference between what an individual does out of his pocket and what the church does out of its treasury. I hope that clarifies what the issue was. But the primary issue in regards to the orphans' home was that institutional board for which there was no New Testament authority. Keep that in your mind. Well, we're going to pause, sing a song, give me a little relief, give you a little relief, and we're going to sing to all in the name of the Lord. Let's all stand up and sing. Hmm. Hmm. What then you do in word or deed to all in the name of the Lord to God in name of man or creed to all in the name of the Lord to all in the name to all in the name of the Lord In word or deed let God be free to all in the name of the Lord Be not deceived by word or deed to all in the name of the Lord The Spirit is dead In word or deed to all in the name of the Lord To all in His name to all in the name of the Lord In word or deed let God be free to all in the name of the Lord Till toll and plague be put here on earth to all in the name of the Lord If rich and free if you be one to all in the name of the Lord To all in His name to all in the name of the Lord In word or deed let God be free to all in the name of the Lord It keeps singing, doesn't it? That's great. All right. You leave this building and somebody comes up to you and says, I heard that there were churches that believed that you shouldn't What was the issue? What are you going to say? An institutional board standing between the churches and the work to be done providing oversight for the work of Churches of Christ What's wrong with it? No New Testament authority Now, the second major issue had to do with what was called the sponsoring church arrangement Back at the end of World War II there was a great deal of excitement about evangelizing those nations that were defeated in World War II And so the elders of the Broadway Church in Lubbock, Texas said to all the churches you send us your money and the elders of the Broadway Church will assume the oversight of the evangelization of Germany Some of you old timers may remember Otis Gatewood was the man chosen to spearhead the evangelization of Germany Well, the elders of the Union Avenue Church in Memphis, Tennessee said to all the churches you send us your money and the elders of the Union Avenue Church will take on the oversight of the evangelization of Japan And then another one will take on the evangelization of Italy Well, this created quite an outcry Let me just say right in the beginning that some who saw the error of the institutional board In fact, I might as well just say initially my own father had a difficulty in seeing the error of this My dad would say that that institutional board is an unscriptural overseeing body But the eldership is a scriptural overseeing body Now, it wasn't all that long before he saw that while it may have been a scriptural overseeing body it was functioning in an unscriptural way It's oversight They had overstepped the oversight of any local eldership Well, what's wrong with one eldership overseeing the work of many churches of Christ What's wrong with that? No New Testament authority for an eldership to be functioning in that realm What have we already quoted? We won't go into them again But Colossians 3, 17 Whatever you do do it in the name of the Lord 2 Timothy 3, 16, 17 The scriptures furnish us to every good work 2 John verse 9 Don't go beyond what's in the doctrine of Christ Is it from heaven or men? So the question is this one eldership providing oversight for lots of churches of Christ Can it function in that realm in the name of the Lord? Can it function in that realm because the scriptures authorize it? And because it's in the doctrine of Christ Is it from heaven or men? But in addition to that turn to 1 Peter chapter 5 Start with verse 1 1 Peter 5 verse 1 And see if we read as we read these verses if you can see some limitations that may be placed on elders in this passage Starting with verse 1 of 1 Peter chapter 5 The elders who are among you I exhort I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed shepherd the flock of God which is among you serving as overseers not by compulsion but willingly not for dishonest gain but eagerly nor as being lords over those entrusted to you but being examples to the flock and when the chief shepherd appears you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away Did you see any limitations? You elders oversee the flock or shepherd the flock of God which is among you That limits the oversight of the elders to the local flock and the work of the local flock The elders of the Gardendale church have absolutely no say in the affairs at Fuldendale or at Mount Olive or wherever else Their oversight begins and ends with this flock and the activities of this flock Back in the 1990s there was a work began called One Nation Under God campaign The Sycamore elders in Coquitlam, Tennessee said to the churches Send us 17 million dollars and we will provide oversight for putting a piece of literature in every mailbox in America Then next year we'll put literature in every mailbox in the Caribbean and in Canada and then on and on and on until the world is evangelized and all of this is going to be done under one eldership Now they eventually didn't raise that 17 million dollars and so they did the work for 10 million dollars but I was living in Florence at the time and I think I can safely say that the Shoals area churches furnished a million of those dollars I kind of kept up with it The churches in that area got really excited about it Now here's a million dollars raised by the churches through first day of the week contributions A million dollars sent up to Coquitlam, Tennessee so that the elders of the Coquitlam, Tennessee church could send all this evangelistic material all over the nation Is that one eldership overseeing the flock of God among them and the work of that flock or is that a work of churches of Christ being overseen by one eldership Do you see the problem? Well all I know is I was down in Milton, Florida right when this campaign was really going strong and there was a church and the sign out in front of it said Church of Christ One Nation Under God Well obviously they thought the One Nation Under God campaign was a part of their work and yet here's a part of the work of this church in Milton, Florida being overseen by an eldership hundreds of miles away Is that one eldership providing the oversight of the flock of God among them? Is that a possibility? Can't we see that what we really have is the work of many churches of Christ and all of it being overseen by just one eldership And somebody raised a very interesting question If some of the evangelistic work of churches of Christ can be overseen by one eldership why could not all of the work of all of the churches of Christ be done under the oversight of one eldership? And once you get to doing that you're kind of headed toward Rome, aren't you? With that kind of centralization Well somebody says But didn't you read just a few moments ago about churches of Macedonia and Achaia sending to Jerusalem for the poor saints in Jerusalem? Yes But that was a church in need They were not able to take care of their own members And so churches that were able to do their work and beyond then sent to Jerusalem so it could take care of its own needing Now if you want to make Jerusalem a sponsoring eldership If you want to make Jerusalem a sponsoring eldership then they could take care of all their needing, no problem But all the churches send money there so they can oversee the care of needing in all of the What would that be? Far East or whatever Do you see the problem? The Sycamore Church in Cookville was not a church in need The Broadway Church in Lubbock I think at that time was the biggest church of Christ in America They weren't a church in need Now along this line Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 8 This is the I mentioned a moment ago These two chapters Chapters 8 and 9 in 2 Corinthians have to do with this support sent by the churches of Macedonia and Achaia to the church of Jerusalem for their needy saints Now look at verse 13 beginning 2 Corinthians 8 verse 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened but by an equality that not this time your abundance may supply their lack that their abundance also may supply your lack that there may be equality as it is written He who gathered much had nothing left over and he who gathered little had no lack Alright, think about it Here are smaller churches over here and they send to this big church in Lubbock, Texas Is that creating greater equality or greater inequality? It was the other way around with the help from the churches of Macedonia and Achaia It would have been more like Lubbock sending to these little churches so there would be equality Do you see that? So what we have is just the opposite when they send to the larger churches with their big contributions and the poorer churches send to them so that they can take the oversight of all this work for churches of Christ What's wrong with it? One eldership taking the oversight of many churches of Christ What's wrong with it? No New Testament authority Somebody says but don't you think churches can cooperate? Those of us who lived back in those days will well remember that churches that did not participate in this kind of thing was called anti-cooperation A-N-T-I anti-cooperation as though we didn't believe in cooperating There are two types of cooperation There's concurrent and there's collective Let me see if I can explain that I live in Eastland Place up in Hartsell Pretty big subdivision Suppose it gets run down people have gotten careless and the city council sends out word Eastland Place must clean up their place Alright so we're going to cooperate in cleaning up Eastland Place Well there are two ways we could do that My next door neighbor is named Kenneth I guess we could all just get money and bring it all to Kenneth and say Kenneth we're just going to hire you You go and you clean up Eastland Place That's collective activity There's another way we could cooperate I clean up my place The doorman next door cleans up his place Kenneth cleans up his place On up the street there the Mortons they clean up their place I'm calling real names here Each one of us cleans up his own place Well wait a minute There's an elderly lady that lives across the street from me and she may not be able to clean up her own place So those of us who are able go and clean up her place for her because she's not able Have we cooperated? That's New Testament cooperation Every church doing its own work but if there's a church over here that cannot take care of its own needy then let the churches that are able send to that church and let them take care of their own needy That's what we read in the Bible That's concurrent cooperation but the collective cooperation under the oversight of one eldership is not in the Bible and that was the problem Let me just mention one more thing along this line then we're going to have another song I want time to talk about the fellowship halls The biggest I guess we would say the biggest program that took place was called The Herald of Truth All of us older people know about The Herald of Truth It was a nationwide at first radio program then it became a nationwide TV program even reached into other parts of the world and churches all got caught up in that Huge number of churches said to the Highland elders in Abilene, Texas who took the oversight of The Herald of Truth for all of the churches and in fact when it first came on the air I well remember they would say The churches of Christ salute you with The Herald of Truth then somebody said wait a minute we've got the churches of Christ working under one eldership and so they changed the format and they said well the Highland churches assisted by churches of Christ present The Herald of Truth but the truth it was the same thing it was churches of Christ all working under one eldership in The Herald of Truth there was a man named Richard Hughes if you put me over there as far as you can over there and put Richard Hughes as far as you can over there that's how far we're apart in our thinking on any of these questions he was a professor at least at the time in Pepperdine University and he wrote a history of the churches of Christ in the 20th century he called it Reviving the Ancient Faith and he was very fair in what happened back in the 50s and 60s and he brought up The Herald of Truth incidentally he also brought up this quarantine as one of the big events that took place in the 20th century the idea of quarantining any preacher that preaches what I'm preaching right now but he also brought up The Herald of Truth and he said one thing that none of the churches recognized was that when The Herald of Truth first came on it was a very doctrinally issue a very doctrinally held program they would talk about baptism they'd talk about all kinds of things that we think of contrary to denominationalism but then they began to recognize that the programs that really got the attention of people were those that dealt more with good self-image good families kindness and so The Herald of Truth made a shift from the more doctrinal things into a more feel-good type of program but since all the churches were supporting it all the preachers were listening to it and without anybody observing what was happening what was happening in The Herald of Truth was happening in the pulpits all over the land and the churches got away from that first principle we call it basic kind of teaching and made the shift into teaching that was more feel-good type of teaching and he said this is Richard Hughes he said you could have gone months and months and months and months and never heard anything distinctive from denominationalism other than maybe giving the Plan of Salvation Faith, Repentance, Confession, and Baptism and that is the problem when we get into centralized influence and money the first thing you know you've got big forces speaking over here and the others are listening and are affected by what they're saying that's not really the issue but it tells you something that can grow out of that type of issue sponsoring church sponsoring eldership giving the oversight for many churches of Christ what's wrong with it? No New Testament authority for one eldership to provide the oversight for many churches of Christ hope we understand that and now we've got one more song to go and give you a little bit of a break and faith is the victory and whoever is going to lead that come on up and let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again let's stand again This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory This is the victory Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again Let's stand again As a young man, I led singing for churches that were institutional. Lines had not been carefully drawn at that point, and some of those were really large churches. And if any of them had a fellowship hall, I was never in it, and would have been, likely, under those circumstances. But only in the 60s and 70s, it became very common, as churches built new buildings, that they would arrange for a dining area and a kitchen to be in their buildings. What is the issue? Well, let's see if we can figure that one out. Is there New Testament authority? Does that sound familiar? Is there New Testament authority for a local church to plan and provide facilities for social activities as a part of its work? That's the issue. I brought along, if I can find it, there we go, a list of things that Franklin Puckett presented in the Arlington meeting. I've gone through this list, and believe it to be accurate, of things that the Church is assigned to do in its work. Let me just list these very quickly. One is to provide an assembly of the saints. And it gives Hebrews 10, 24 and 25. That's why this building. This building is here because the Church is to provide for an assembly of the saints. In this assembly, the saints are to observe the Lord's Supper on the first of the week. So the Church provides plates for the bread, and bread, fruit of the vine, cups, and so forth, is needed for that. Why? Because that's what the Church is to do. They're to sing psalms unto the Lord, and with spiritual songs, teach and admonish one another. So we have psalm books. Don't use them much anymore, but we have PowerPoint. Have somebody lead the singing. They're to pray together for one another and for all men. They're to preach and attend to the teaching of God's Word. That's why this pulpit area. That's why the PowerPoint. That's why the public address system. And that's why back behind me there are classrooms. Why the classroom? What's the authority for this building and the classrooms? Well, the Lord has told us to worship Him, to teach His Word. And all of these things facilitate the very thing the Lord has told us to do. Number six, they're to lay by and store on the first day of the week as they have been prospered. And I don't see them anywhere, but I guarantee you there's some baskets around here for collecting money, because that's something the Church does. Number seven, they're to support the preaching of the gospel. And you may send checks to somebody, or if you knew somebody that was going to some other country, you might buy an airline ticket. And why? Why? Because that's what the work of the Church is. They're to provide for the fulfillment of the needs of certain destitute saints. And we've already talked about what the Church may do along that line. And the local church is to exercise discipline against its undoubted members. Now, the question and the issue is basically this. Do we add number ten? That's nine things that Brother Puckett has found in the Scriptures, and I believe he's correct, that the Church is assigned to do in its work. Do we add number ten? Provide for social activity. Now, if so, the Church at Gardendale needs to build them a dining area and a kitchen, if that is a true work of the Church. But if the Church is not involved in social activities, then there is no authority for the facilities for those social activities. Can we see that? Well, somebody said, well, but surely somebody had some ideas as to how maybe this could be defended. Well, there were some. The first one I'm going to mention I did not take seriously. Some tried to compare the water cooler and the restrooms to the fellowship hall. There was an article written by a man, and it was distributed widely. I mean, it just came out in bulletins everywhere. It was called Willie the Water Cooler. And Willie the Water Cooler became concerned because he had heard that some people didn't believe in eating in the building and was afraid that somebody might decide you shouldn't drink in the building, and therefore Willie the Water Cooler would lose his place in the building. And my brother-in-law, Len Hedrick, hit the nail right on the head. He said, when we start planning socials around the water cooler, we'll take the water cooler out. Obviously, the restrooms and the water fountain had nothing to do with social activity, and I never did take that as a very serious argument. An argument that I have been hearing more recently is that it's for edification, that when we bring Christians together, this is edifying of the group, and so the basis on which we might defend a dining area and a kitchen is that it falls under the umbrella of edification. Well, in regards to that, I would say several things. First of all, I don't ever find in the Scriptures edification linked with people eating together. I'm turning to Ephesians chapter 4. I find edification here in Ephesians chapter 4, verse 11. He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. They will all come to the unity of the faith. In fact, this would probably be the most complete passage, maybe also 1 Corinthians chapter 14, on the subject of edification. But there's nothing in here about people getting together and eating and socializing. I'm turning to Hebrews chapter 10. Here's a link between edification and what the church might be doing. Hebrews 10, look at verse 24. Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembly of ourselves, as in the matter of some, but exhorting one another. And so much the more, as you see that they're approaching. So as we assemble for worship, we stimulate one another to love and to good works. We exhort one another. This is edification. I see edification. I'll mention one more. Romans chapter 14. In our not placing a stumbling block before a brother, Look at verse 19. Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace, and the things by which one may edify another. So here is edification. It's linked to not placing a stumbling block before a brother. It's linked to apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. It's linked to our worshiping together. But I don't see anything in the Scriptures that suggests that edification is linked with Christians getting together and socializing and spending time together. I just don't find that. In addition to that, how far are we going to take that? If Christians getting together for a potluck dinner would bring edification, what about maybe chartering a bus? Getting some Christians on that bus and going to Niagara Falls. Just think about the time they would spend together. Can the church do that? And some who support the fellowship halls and the kitchen are opposed to the gymnasium. But if Christians eating together would be edifying, wouldn't playing volleyball together or basketball, where do we stop? Do we put anything that brings Christians together under the umbrella of edification? Wouldn't that be a bit of a problem? So let's just suppose that somebody came and said, We want to observe what all is going on here. We bring them into the auditory and hear people worshiping. What are you doing here? We're worshiping God. This is edifying to us. Then there's some other time we take them back to some of the classrooms and here they are diligently studying the Word of God. What's going on? Well, we're being edified by the teaching of the Word of God. And then some other time we take them down to the kitchen and dining area and here may be a few talking about the Bible, but here are other people talking about their grandchildren and their children and here are others over here talking about their business and here are some over here, probably the biggest, talking about Alabama football and Auburn football. And you say, What's going on here? And you say, Oh, this is edification. That sounds like a big stretch to me to think that that falls under the category of edification when you know that's exactly what takes place at the dinners and then you also have the wedding showers and the receptions. No, what's wrong? No New Testament authority. We do well to stick with this list of things that Brother Puckett has given us from the Scriptures and make sure we're not moving into another category. Well, another thing that was mentioned is fellowship, of course. Somebody said, Well, if the churches have fellowship, why wouldn't the church have a fellowship hall? Well, it's a misunderstanding of the word fellowship. What does the word fellowship mean? Sharing, communion, mutual participation, similar terms. It's doing things together or togetherness. That's what fellowship is. Let me mention three possibilities. First of all, there would be fellowship in a business partnership. Here are two men, they form a business partnership and they're in fellowship in business. There's fellowship that's social. So some of us get together and we have hamburgers and Coca-Cola and play volleyball and we're having social fellowship. And then there's fellowship in spiritual realms. Now, let me ask you a question. Is fellowship ever used in regards to a business partnership? Don't answer too fast. Yes. Turn to Luke chapter 5. This is when Jesus told Simon Peter, Let out your nets for a catch. Peter said, We've toiled all night and taken nothing. Nevertheless, it's your word. We'll let out the nets. Look at verse 10. Well, let's start with verse 9. For he was all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken. And so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Partners. That's the same word that comes basically from the word for fellowship. They were fellowshippers in the fishing business. Well, that raises a second question. Is the word fellowship ever used in regards to social activities? Not in scriptures. I have here a listing of all of the scriptures that contain koinonia or some related word. All the scriptures. And not one of them has anything to do with eating together or socializing together. Here's one that talks about the fellowship of his son. Fellowship of the Spirit. Well, you get the idea. Let me have you turn to two or three passages. Go to 1 John chapter 1. Notice the use of fellowship here. And observe. It has nothing to do with donuts and coffee or volleyball or basketball or anything of that nature. Verse 1, beginning of 1 John 1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled concerning the word of life, the life was manifested and we have seen and bear witness and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us. That which we have seen and heard we declare to you that you also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. John, why have you written what you've seen and heard and felt? Well, I want you to have fellowship with us. I take that to be the other apostles. And our fellowship is with God. Can't you see the nature of fellowship in the scriptures? Turn to Philippians chapter 1. Verse 3, beginning, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you always and every prayer and mind-making request for you all with joy for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. And I want to take you to one particularly. Go to 1 Corinthians chapter 10. Look at verse 16. 1 Corinthians 10 verse 16. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? The word communion, going on there, fellowship. It's interesting how we've begun to call the Lord's Supper the communion. If your wife were to say, I'm going up to the building to prepare the fellowship, that sounds kind of funny, doesn't it? But that's the way we, but really the bread and fruit of the vine are the means by which we have communion, we have fellowship with the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Let me make this statement. The Gardendale Church has a fellowship hall. You're in it. That's what's going on right now. This is fellowship, and the study of certain biblical issues, we're having fellowship. We had fellowship in singing a moment ago. The Gardendale Church has a fellowship meal. It's called the Lord's Supper. And it's observed every first day of the week. And that's the only fellowship meal that I can read about in the Scriptures. It's called fellowship. And the amazing thing is, people have taken the word fellowship, used in the Bible of spiritual activities, and used it as an excuse for spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for eating places and kitchens for the preparation of what we're going to be eating. When the Bible doesn't even use fellowship in regards to that. Did Christians get together and eat? Yes. But I don't ever find it except one time in connection with a local church. Turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. This is the only time that I can read in the Scriptures of a church being involved in a meal in which food has just been eaten. And that's where the Corinthian church had, as far as I can tell, turned the Lord's Supper into a common meal. Look at verse 20. Therefore, when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others. And one is hungry and another is drunk. What? Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you. Now, I am aware that some people use this Scripture to try to establish the idea that the Lord's Supper was always used in connection with a common meal. But this Scripture tells them, Eat at home. Rather than saying, Great, go ahead and eat your meal. No. You have houses to eat and drink in. And then verse 34, But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come. The truth is, there is not a Scripture in the Bible to my knowledge that links the Lord's Supper with a common meal. I do not know of a one. Now, did they do it in the 2nd century? Some people say yes. But when you study the Bible, what do the Scriptures furnish us? To every good work. And if the idea of partaking of the Lord's Supper in the midst of a common meal, if that is a good work, it is going to be found authorized in the Scriptures. I do not know where to find it. I do not think you are going to find it. The question is not what they did in the 2nd century. The question is not what abuse may have taken place in Corinth. The question is, what is the Lord's Supper? It is the bread and fruit of thine, which is a fellowship of the Body and Blood of Christ. That is what it is. And it is not to be associated with a common meal. Not as far as the Scriptures teach. So I will leave you with that. All right. Quickly. What was the issue in regards to the Orphan's Home? It is a board of directors providing oversight for the work of many churches of Christ. What is wrong with that board of directors? No Scriptural authority. What was the issue in regards to the Sponsored Church, where one eldership would take on the oversight of the work of many churches of Christ? What was the issue? That sponsoring eldership. What is wrong with it? No New Testament authority. And what about churches building the dining areas and the kitchens in their buildings? No New Testament authority. Let us make sure before we launch out on any program of work that we have New Testament authority for what we have. And I want to make this one more statement. How do churches go into apostasy? They do not take one giant leap. They take one little step. And somebody says, Well, what is the difference in this and this? Well, I do not see any difference. Well, what is the difference in this and this? I do not see any difference. What is the difference in this and this? I do not see any difference. And the first thing you know, they are way over here justifying everything by what is already accepted. Nothing is to be justified on the basis of what has already been accepted. Everything we do needs to be established on New Testament authority. And if we do not have New Testament authority, if it is in agreement with something we are already doing, maybe we need to go back and look at what we are already doing. But that is how churches go into apostasy. And unless we have solid evidence in Scripture for some particular activity or work, we need to leave it off. Because that is the way churches eventually get far, far away from what is right. And that is what Brian is going to deal with. And I hope every one of you is back. What time did we say? One o'clock? One o'clock.