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<BR></FONT><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">----------</FONT></P>
<P><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">From:</FONT></B> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">owner-meeting@kent.net on behalf of Jones, Rob (SF02)[SMTP:ROB.JONES@HONEYWELL.COM]
<BR></FONT><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Sent:</FONT></B> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Wednesday, October 27, 2004 8:25:32 AM
<BR></FONT><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">To:</FONT></B> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">meeting@kent.net
<BR></FONT><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Subject:</FONT></B> <FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Re: meeting: Pan African Brethren Conference on Missions (8th - 12th Nov)
<BR></FONT><B><FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Arial">Auto forwarded by a Rule</FONT></B></P>
<BR>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3>Hi Everybody</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3>Don I think that you hit the nail on the head, we have
become proud of our way of meeting, of analyzing other Assemblies and Local
Churches, and classing them according to our understanding of what a local
Church should be. We even exclude other groups because they meet slightly
different to us, even though they may be independent, have the same
understanding of the Biblical Doctrines as we do, but differ in that they may
have a full time Pastor, or hold the Breaking of Bread service differently etc.
Here in South Africa the two main independent groups are the Independent Baptist
(Not the Baptist Union/Southern Baptist), and the “Brethren”, with a few other
Churches that have no affiliation with any other Church. At what point does an
Assembly cease to become an Assembly, and become labeled as Apostate?
</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3>In Paul’s writings, he wrote to many different kinds of
Local Churches, from those with a good solid Biblical Based foundation, to those
that was very worldly (Corinth), yet he considered the Saints gathered there as
fellow Christians.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Over the years I have heard various
“Brethren” slate this or that Assembly, because they have become liberal, or are
too conservative, etc. </FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3>If we look at the New Testament example, there were
independent Churches, but that did not stop Paul and others interacting with
them, or help troubled Churches with their problems (Paul and Barnabas trip to
Jerusalem). </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3>The question arises, are we just brethren (Brothers)
gathered in the name of Jesus (irrespective of what label we have) or Brethren
as opposed to Baptist etc. </FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><FONT face="Times New Roman">If any Conference, organization etc
is established to have a Laodicean hierarchy in having authority over many
Assemblies, that I believe to be unscriptural, but to gather to learn from
gifted speakers, following the principle of the Berean Christians, and go back
and help our own local assembly with the knowledge gained, I believe that
conferences such as this one can be of a blessing to the Believers.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Georgia"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3>Thanks</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#000000 size=3>Rob</FONT></P></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> owner-meeting@kent.net
[mailto:owner-meeting@kent.net]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Don
Andersen<BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, October 26, 2004 4:15 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
meeting@kent.net<BR><B>Subject:</B> Spam: Re: meeting: Pan African Brethren
Conference on Missions (8th - 12th Nov)<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<P>John,</P>
<P>I think what has happened to them is this. They became prideful at
being THE gathered saints! <FONT face="Times New Roman"></P>
<P align=left>Everything that any of their Assemblies decreed on earth was
considered bound in heaven. They insisted that the authority of Christ in
their midst even validated erroneous Assembly decisions, until He saw fit to
correct them. Anyone who rebelled against an Assembly decision or displayed
contempt towards an Assembly was in danger of excommunication. An Assembly
that was insubordinate to another Assembly's decrees was no longer considered
an Assembly. <FONT face="Times New Roman">As disagreements arose within
their <FONT face="Times New Roman">ranks, the swords they had wielded against
the Opens were ruthlessly turned on each other. One division after another
devastated their leagues. Some of them were over serious doctrinal
aberrations, some simply over what constituted the legitimate "Assembly
decision" in squabbles between Assemblies. But instead of re-evaluating and
backtracking, they attempted to justify their own sides of the divisions by
biased inter! pretations of Old Testament types based on their own
pretentiousness. They increasingly likened themselves to the faithful
Israelites, and everyone else to the heathen or the idolaters in these Old
Testament types. But Christians who really worship the Lord simply can not be
compared to the idolaters and heathens that deny Him, no matter how wrong
their way of worship!</P></FONT></FONT>
<P>These were all gathered to the Lord's name alone. But God seems to
have disowned them as they have crumbled into a few crumbs here and there,
their testimony decimated. If we read the History of Brethren by Neatby
and Noel, we see that there was a central hierarchy in the beginning of the PB
movement in London. Elders from all the assemblies met to decide
everything. I believe they met at Park Street. Course this was
after Darby caused the division between his group and the group that became
the Opens. Perhaps if there had been a central hierarchy from the
beginning we would still all be together. There seems to have been such
in the early church. When there was a dispute in Judea, they sent Paul
and Barnabas and others to Jerusalem to resolve the matter. Acts
15:2 The Council of Elders from Jerusalem sent some to Antioch with
their decree on the matter. Acts 15:22.</FONT><BR><BR><FONT
face="Times New Roman" !><STRONG><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva">Your loving
brother,</SPAN></STRONG><STRONG><SPAN
style="COLOR: #cc00ff; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva">
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></STRONG></FONT></P>
<DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><SPAN
style="COLOR: black"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><STRONG><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Geneva">Don Andersen
</SPAN></STRONG><B><SPAN
style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Unicode MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><B><SPAN
style="COLOR: black"></SPAN></B><B> </P></DIV></B></FONT></DIV>From:
"John Black" : Dear loving brethren; What ever happened to those people
with no name, believers gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
Brethren is a non-scriptural name, it divides the Body of Christ, brethren is
a scriptural name, we are brethren to every born-again soul from Pentecost
till the rapture. Calling ourselves the Brethren is popular, and para church
organizations are tripping over each other. There is an endeavour to have a
central eclesiastical hierarchy, haveing authority over large groups of
assemblies. Satan has transformed himself into an evangelical, we are rich and
incresed with goods, some are trying to gain control of the government of the
U.S.A. Keep looking up brethren our redemption draweth nigh. In Him our hope
!! Your loving brother, John Black </DIV><BR clear=all>
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