Hi all,

I just finished reading an interesting article by Joe Beam on the Grace-Centered Magazine site. I think it does a great job of explaining what is happening in the Non-Instrumental group and that there are some parallells with the Instrumental group. Check it out by CLICKING HERE and then come back and share your thoughts.

-- Anonymous, February 22, 2002

Answers

Barry --

Very interesting article by brother Joe. His chart helps to make his point, and I believe his point is very well taken.

Withing the Independent Christian Churches and instrumental Churches of Christ, we see much of the same thing, though I'm not sure if there are six "groups" within our movement. Maybe less, but some of the same things happening with us as with the churches of Christ.

My wife has been a member of a non-instrumental homeschoolers email group for some time now. It's amazing some of the things they bring up. Recently they are "discussing" wearing of dresses -vs- slacks for women.

Most, if not all, believe in wearing dresses forSunday AM service. Some say it's okay to wear slacks for PM or mid-week, but not at the AM service. Others believe it is a sin to wear anything but a dress, any day of the week. And they can get really nasty in their condemnation of others who don't believe as they do ... I guess they would be in the "zealots" catagory Joe Beam speaks of.

Anyway, as Danny has stated in another thread, I believe we need to take a strong stand where the Scriptures speak, and not make a test of fellowship where the Scriptures are silent. It would keep us out of a LOT of trouble.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

I think there are a lot of people in the church, especially the old timers (myself getting close to becoming one), who are uncomfortable with the freedom which is in Christ, and uncomforatble with new things, seeing both as sinful. Just an observation.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Another observation: Our whole country is becoming more and more polarized. Whites vs. Blacks, Blacks vs. Jews, Jews vs. Koreans (what's up with that?), North vs. South, East vs. West, Liberal vs. Conservative, Democrat vs. Republican, Men vs. Women, Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice, and (of course) Christian vs. Non-christian. So it's of little surprise to me that the church is affected also.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

I think there are a lot of people in the church, especially the younger ones, who are uncomfortable with the concept of respect for their elders, and the elderly, and uncomfortable with the concept that they might actually be wrong about their "us vs. them" mentality. Just an observation.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

There are a lot of older folk with just as big of an "us vs. them" mentality, I saw it in spades in my last church.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

While I have certainly seen a "lack of respect" on the part of younger folks of late ... I must say I have seen quite a lack of respect on the part of older folks (and yes, I'm getting up there as well) towards the younger members of congregations. And it's not just a "my-way-or-else" thing, which certainly goes both ways.

There is a "fear of the unknown" that many older folks have when regarding younger people. And maybe there is some sort of "fear of the KNOWN" when it comes to younger people and their attitude towards the mature.

Even with all of this, back to the subject, the "divisions" even within "our" branch of the RM is more than just age-based. I know older folks who would be to the left of the norm, and younger folks who would be to the right of the norm ... whatever the "norm" might be.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Darrell.....

Exactly!!! However, I found it humerous that in a later post....John accused the church of "labeling" just like society....and yet...in his previous post.....he labels people (i.e., "old timers").

That was a knee slapper!!!

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2002

I call myself an old timer sometimes. I didn't consider it labeling. Anymore than calling someone a senior, elder, venerable, or whatever. Don't look for fire where there isn't any smoke.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2002