Quote:
Originally Posted by VoiceInWilderness
We recognize no higher ecclesiastical body as an authority.
Additional Provisions:
The purpose or purposes for which the corporation is formed are as follows:
1. to conduct worship services in the manner prescribed i the NT
2. To edify Christians with teachings of the scriptures.
3. To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
4. To seek universal fellowship with Christians for the testimony of God.
5. To minister spiritual and temporal needs of the poor, sick, orphans, and widows according to brethren love inspired by God.
6. We engage in home and foreign missionary activities in cooperation with affiliated churches
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Not the Church in Detroit specifically, but the Local Churches in general, this may have been in the vision in the 1970's but these points indicate how much the vision has changed.
In 1988 when a core of elders from the Church in Anaheim resigned, they went into further detail to show how the vision has changed.
Of points above the two that have been distinctly lacking from the recovery for many years:
4. To seek universal fellowship with Christians for the testimony of God.
(
in the ministry LSM publishes, fellowship indicates according to the One Publication. More or less.)
5. To minister spiritual and temporal needs of the poor, sick, orphans, and widows according to brethren love inspired by God.
(
Sadly, this been deferred to non-LSM affiliated Christianity and non-profit organizations to fill this need. From my experience, the primary concern is to appear in the meetings and if you speak, speak according to a LSM publication. How could "the brothers" know spiritual and temporal needs if they don't visit the poor, sick, etc? There's a certain regimin in the so-called churchlife, but it doesn't include contacting or visiting brothers and sisters. Only maintaining the meetinglife.)