Restoration History: The Sand Creek Address - Church In-fights

         Evaluation of The Sand Creek Address (1889)

W. Carl Ketcherside considered the Sand Creek document “divisive”, labeling it a tool that was as “unscriptural as ever, conceived by the minds of partisan men”. It was a “death knell for the autonomy of the local congregation”.  One of the pillars of the Restoration Movement was Unity; therefore, according to Ketcherside, the Sand Creek Address failed to achieve this. This was certainly a far cry from the methods used in the past at unification. Around 1827, John Wright encouraged both the Stone followers in Indiana and the “New Lights” to “unite and face their problems together; and to call themselves Christians” (North, 189). The Sand Creek document served the opposite purpose. In their attempt to unify on ideas, the writers of the document were promoting separation. Congregations were encouraged to “disfellowship from one another” (Ketch.) and elders were encouraged to “pronounce the sentence of spiritual death upon another congregation over which they held no jurisdiction” (Ketch.).

Invitation To The Lord's Supper

On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread… (Acts 20:7a). We are getting all the elements ready…The Bread, The Wine (grape juice). The Lord said, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes…Do this, in remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:25-26). Let’s take the time this week to “Examine ourselves” as we approach the Lord’s Table.

We will dine on Sunday March 11^, 2018. Service begins promptly @ 9:00 am. For Christ’ body was wounded; for Christ’ life was taken. The Disciple of Christ says “Lord, I believe it. My life springs from your suffering; my joy from your sorrows; and my hope of glory everlasting from your humiliation and abasement unto death” (Campbell, A.) We look forward to serving you!

Invitation to The Lord’s Supper

Transformation Ministries Florida

Meeting Place: Sundays @ 9:00am Hampton Inn - 5740 N. State Road 7, Coconut Creek, Florida 33073

Pastor Pratt Brown, Pastor Andrew Hall

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Early Church Splits & Union - The Bible Only?

A Perspective on the Restoration Movement

The church of God is complex. These days we use the term “It’s complicated!”. Throughout church history the church has gone through many cycles. One such cycle was the Restoration Movement. According to James North (2) “The church has constantly gone through cycles of revival in order to cast off some of the accretions that have built up around the structure of the church”. Throughout the process, we find people leading the charge with a variety of opinions, many rallying the cause under a variety of titles such as Liberals, Conservatives, Fundamentalist, Disciples of Christ and even, “Christians”.

“Probably the most significant of the reviving and cleansing movements was the Protestant Reformation” (North, 2). The Movement took place in the Americas around the year 1800 and its goal “was to restore the church to the ideals of the New Testament” (ibid, 6). These ideals were built upon the twin pillars of (1) The Unity of all Believers, and (2) The use of the Bible as the only authority for the Faith and Practice of Christians. This platform was very attractive, considering the state of the church at the onset of the movement. There were sectarian divisions, splits over doctrine, objections to the use of musical instruments, creeds and church polity. One thing was sure, the Reformation Movement was very appealing in that it was a breath of fresh air for the church in general and the community of unbelievers who had to endure constant scandals, fights and splits over these issues. “The existence and competition of rival denominations was a stumbling block to the smooth progress of the Gospel. Therefore, removing the stumbling block was to be the goal of the Movement” (ibid, 7).

The strategy was brilliant.

One Week Into Our Newest Church Plant! God is Calling People To Himself

Here we grow!  One week later….

The presence of the Lord was certainly within our midst. I am thinking we will need a much bigger space, very soon. I watched a baseball movie years ago and in it someone said “If you build it, they will come” (Field of Dreams). So too the Bible states “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). I tell you, if you ask of God, He will not disappoint. There were 10 visitors with us today! 10. Thank you Jesus!

When We Take The Easy Path

Choosing To Compromise

In the years 336 – 323 BC, Alexander the Great was leader of the known world. He “fought many battles, conquered strongholds, put kings to death, advanced to the ends of the earth and plundered nations” (Apoc.). He ruled the world for 12 years. The Jewish people had hoped for continued economic stability, as they had under the rule of the Ptolemaic kings, even Cleopatra. But this was not to be so. 

Alexander the Great called his closest and most respected military officers and divided the nations among them. Under this new leadership, “many evils were caused upon the earth” (Apoc. 199).

As is usually the case, insiders decided “Since we have separated from the Gentiles around us, many disasters have come upon us”. A proposal was made to bow to the new kings of the land (in this region it was Antiochus Epiphanes) rather than seek God for a solution to the hardships they were experiencing. I find it interesting that we usually give in and return to the familiar, rather than embrace the present circumstance and seek God. I tell you, this is hard! When faced with a tough decision, and I have been there many times, I go back in search of ease, rather than seek God’s face for direction. Could it be that God permitted these things in order to advance His cause? The question then is where do I fit into this narrative? Is God asking for something new? Is He asking me to adopt a new strategy or to stretch my faith beyond what I am accustomed to? Every time I face a mountain, it’s an opportunity for God to remove it. Unfortunately, most times I take the long and hard road of going around the mountain or allowing the mountain to fall on me (smh). God, give me faith to face this one!

Praying for the victims of the Parkland Mass shooting in Florida

When Death Comes...

DEATH    When it comes, we are reminded of another world; one we pay very little attention to – the spiritual world. It exists! The place to which our loved one departed. Now we’re all alone. People around us, yes, but we can’t help but feeling all alone. We miss you. How will we live without you? You were part of our world. Love you, hate you, can’t stand you, must have you…We miss you. Now you are gone. Where to? How can you do this to us? Why did you have to go like this? A range of emotions we feel at this time. We wish you were still here. We feel lost without you.

The People Who Neglected God

Neglect God, Love The World - Malachi

Malachi speaks very strongly concerning Messiah coming – his prophecies relate to both comings of Jesus. In chapter 4, he begins with “The great day of the Lord”, using imagery such as “burning like an oven, the wicked will be stubble, burn them up (there's a Jamaican way of saying this one that's stronger), leave them neither root nor branch, trample the wicked, ashes under the soles of your feet, strike the earth with a curse”. I am assuming the people knew he was prophesying, but these were harsh words. Yet to the people of God, these were comforting words to hear about their oppressors. How easy it is to wish destruction upon your enemies or your oppressor.

Christians in The Minority or The Majority?

A Typical Day At The Beach In The Bahamas

It's the day before we launch a new Apostolic church ministry in Fort Lauderdale Florida . I thought how best to spend the morning than at the beach, one of my favorite places. Already a good group of people here, plus this is a tourist area (Bahamas). Some playing games, some walking, some exercising, some (like me) just hanging out. Oh, there's a couple hanging out with their dog ...dogs must have beach time too y'know.

But within the crowd is a small group of people (party of 7); they were up to something different. They were singing songs, praying and lifting hands and heart in worship...the worship of the sovereign God of heaven. How do I know? They were calling His name, Jesus!

Ministry Beginnings @ Transformation Fort Lauderdale

Day 1 – Transformation Ministries Florida

Well, it’s in the books! First day of Ministry. The day I have been anticipating for years. A dream, a calling, a passion? Call it what you will, my Dad and family have started a new ministry. This I believe is a high privilege. A bit anxious the night before. I flew in from Nassau, got a haircut, and went to hang out with the team in Deerfield Beach...Nothing like some good "American Food" - burgers, nachos with cheese, chicken wings, coke. Things we take for granted...Can't get this on the islands.  A little later, I headed back to the hotel to check out the meeting space. We'd been working on plans for a while. A range of emotions when we were done with the setup...