Missionary society

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Churches of Christ Divided In mid 1800s

• Issues
• Missionary Society (1849)
• Instrumental Music (1859)
• Result
• Formation of Christian Church (1900)
• Later Disciples of Christ (liberal)

2
Churches of Christ Divided In mid 1900s

• Issues
• Sponsoring Church (Herald of Truth)
• Orphan Homes
• Colleges in Church Budget
• Social Gospel (Recreation)
• Result
• Split among churches 1955-1965
• Institutional churches of Christ

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Divisions WithinThe Church of Christ

1. Missionary Society (1849)
2. Instrumental Music (1859)
3. Colleges in Church Budget (1938)
4. Orphan Homes (1950s)
5. Sponsoring Church (1950s)
6. Social Gospel (1960s)

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DivisionsWithinThe Church of Christ

• Sponsoring Church

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Sponsoring Church

• 2nd major issue
• Referred to as
• Church cooperation
• Sponsoring church
• Centralization
• Herald of Truth

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Sponsoring Church
Local Church

Sponsoring Church
Local Church

Preach Gospel

Local Church

Local Church
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Sponsoring Church

1. History Behind It

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1. History Behind It

• Push for greater evangelism after WWII
• Broadway (Lubbock, TX) Germany
• Union Street (Memphis, TN) Japan

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1. History Behind It

• Push for greater evangelism after WWII
• Herald of Truth
• 1947 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa James W. Nichols
• 1950 Joint effort of Nichols James. D.
  Willeford
• 1951 offered to Broadway Church (Lubbock, TX)
• 1951 offered to Fifth Highland (Abilene, TX)
• First nationwide Radio then TV program
• Batsell Barrett Baxter speaker
• Over 2000 churches supported

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Herald of Truth
Local Church

Fifth Highland Church Abilene, TX
H. O. T.
Local Church

Radio TV

Local Church

Local Church
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1. History Behind It

• Push for greater evangelism after WWII
• Herald of Truth
• One Nation Under God
• 1991
• Sycamore Church of Christ (Cookeville, TN)
• Solicited 10 Million (first 17 Million) mailing
  to every home in US

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1. History Behind It

• Push for greater evangelism after WWII
• Herald of Truth
• One Nation Under God
• Multiple sponsoring churches small scale

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Sponsoring Church

1. History Behind It

1. The Issue

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1. The Issue

• Is Not
• Preaching the gospel
• The use of a radio or TV program
• Is good being done?
• Can churches ever cooperate?
• A matter of methods
• Is
• Can church A send money to church B to preach
  the gospel?
• Can multiple churches work through one eldership?

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Sponsoring Church

1. History Behind It

1. The Issue

1. Problems With Sponsoring Church

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1. Problems With Sponsoring Church

1. No authority

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How Authority Is Established
Acts 15
VV. 13-21 James appealed to direct statement
from Amos 9
Command / Statement
V. 12 Paul Barnabas appealed to example of
their work miracles
Approved Example
VV. 7-11 Peter appealed to events at Cornelius
house infers
Necessary Inference
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Sponsoring Church Arrangement
None
Command / Statement
None
Approved Example
None
Necessary Inference
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1. Problems With Sponsoring Church

1. No authority
2. Violates the limitation of elders authority

1 Pet. 51-4
Acts 2028
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1. Problems With Sponsoring Church

• No authority
• Violates the limitation of elders authority
• Destroys congregational autonomy
• Each congregation is autonomous independent (1
  Pet. 51-4 Acts 1423)
• The sponsoring church oversees a brotherhood
  work.

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Herald of Truth Brotherhood Work

• Meeting of brethren from across the country
• In Memphis, TN
• September 10, 1973
• Brethren from other churches confronted the
  Abilene elders
• Things their preacher was teaching
• Direction they were taking the H.O.T.

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1. Problems With Sponsoring Church

• No authority
• Violates the limitation of elders authority
• Destroys congregational autonomy
• Each congregation is autonomous independent (1
  Pet. 51-4 Acts 1423)
• The sponsoring church oversees a brotherhood
  work.
• If another church can oversee part of another
  churches work why not all?

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What Part of Work Can be Delegated?
Local Church Elders
Sponsoring Church Elders

1. Members
2. Resources
3. Discipline
4. Worship
5. Work

?
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1. Problems With Sponsoring Church

• No authority
• Violates the limitation of elders authority
• Destroys congregational autonomy
• Activates the church universal
• Universal church
• No organization
• No treasury
• No work
• No officers
• Sponsoring church larger than local church!

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Work of the Churches of Christ
Broadway Church Elders
Offered H.O.T.
James Nichols James Willeford

• Not mention Broadway
• Not the work of Broadway
• Mention Churches of Christ

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1. Problems With Sponsoring Church

1. No authority
2. Violates the limitation of elders authority
3. Destroys congregational autonomy
4. Activates the church universal

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Sponsoring Church

1. History Behind It

1. The Issue

1. Problems With Sponsoring Church

1. Arguments Made to Justify

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1. Arguments Made to Justify

1. Churches sent to other churches in benevolence
   in NT times

Acts 1127-30 1 Cor. 161-2 2 Cor. 8-9
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Acts 1127-30 1 Cor. 161-2 2 Cor. 8-9

1. Funds received used for benevolence, not
   evangelism

Those making the argument see a difference
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Acts 1127-30 1 Cor. 161-2 2 Cor. 8-9

1. Funds received used for benevolence, not
   evangelism
2. Receiving church was in need not a creation
   of their own making
3. Cannot crisscross in Gods plan

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Cannot Crisscross in Gods Plan
Plan for Forgiveness
Repent Baptized (Acts 238) Repent Pray
(Acts 822)
Alien Sinner Erring Christian
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Cannot Crisscross in Gods Plan
Worship
Lords Supper (Acts 207) Singing (Acts 1625)
Only First Day Anytime
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Cannot Crisscross in Gods Plan
Officers
Elders (1 Tim. 31-7) Deacons (1 Tim. 38-13)
Qualifications Qualifications
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Cannot Crisscross in Gods Plan
Work of Church
Evangelism (Phil. 415) Benevolence (Acts
1127-30)
Send to Evang. Church to Church
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Acts 1127-30 1 Cor. 161-2 2 Cor. 8-9

1. Funds received used for benevolence, not
   evangelism
2. Receiving church was in need not a creation
   of their own making
3. Cannot crisscross in Gods plan
4. What actually happened in these texts

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Acts 1127-30
Antioch
Elders Jer.
Elders Bethany
Paul Barnabas - Messengers
Elders Joppa
Elders Lydda
Elders Emmaus
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Acts 1127-30
Antioch
NOT
Paul Barnabas Messengers
Elders Jer.
Elders Bethany
Elders Joppa
Elders Lydda
Elders Emmaus
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1 Cor. 161-2 2 Cor. 8-9
Thess.
Philippi
Galatia
Antioch
Corinth
Paul, Titus others - Messengers
Jerusalem
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1 Cor. 161-2 2 Cor. 8-9
Thess.
NOT
Galatia
Philippi
Antioch
Corinth
Paul, Titus others - Messengers
Jerusalem
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1. Arguments Made to Justify

• Churches sent to other churches in benevolence
  in NT times
• Philippi was a sponsoring church (Phil. 415
  2 Cor. 118)
• Logically No church would mean none of those
  that sent to Philippi had fellowship!
• Chronologically When I departed not after I
  got to Corinth
• Geographically Sent money 100 miles north to
  Phil. So they can send it 200 miles south to
  Corinth

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1. Arguments Made to Justify

1. Churches sent to other churches in benevolence
   in NT times
2. Philippi was a sponsoring church (Phil. 415
   2 Cor. 118)
3. Dont believe in Cooperation

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Cooperation
Are Cooperating Doing Same Work Accomplishing
Same Goal ARE TIED TOGETHER
Are Cooperating Doing Same Work Accomplishing
Same Goal NOT TIED TOGETHER
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Cooperation
Are Cooperating Doing Same Work Accomplishing
Same Goal ARE TIED TOGETHER
Are Cooperating Doing Same Work Accomplishing
Same Goal NOT TIED TOGETHER
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Cooperation
Local Church
Local Church
Are Cooperating Doing Same Work Accomplishing
Same Goal ARE TIED TOGETHER
Are Cooperating Doing Same Work Accomplishing
Same Goal NOT TIED TOGETHER
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Sponsoring Church

1. History Behind It

1. The Issue

1. Problems With Sponsoring Church

1. Arguments Made to Justify

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