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Originally Posted by Terry
Hope, you've mentioned two cities where my parents moved my siblings and I to: Phoenix and Albuquerque. What I do remember were families that had moved there were LA. I would not know if there were families already living there meeting in "oneness" prior to the migrations. For example in Alburquerque, the late Bob Danek was the elder. Was his family and others already meeting in Alburquerque prior to the migrations for establishing a "church in Alburquerque"? To my recollection there were two households besides my parents that previously lived in LA. There was another that migrated via Seattle. If you might know, how did the Church in Alburquerque originate?
Hope, based on your last sentence that is what happened in Las Vegas. Brothers and sisters that desired a practical church life according to their vision led them to move to Los Angeles during the mid to late 1960's.
Terry
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Terry,
Brother Danek was an original. He was considered by all in Texas as the original elder and the current elder. I visited there several times. We always tried to fit into whatever the very small group was doing. I remember very distinctly that Benson wanted them to be more closely aligned with So. California and W L.
Eventually most of those in Phonex/Mesa moved to meet with various churches such as Atlanta. The original elder and his wife never could get into the one ministry program. Some who joined these pre-existing local churches/fellowships/free groups had an agenda of bringing the group into a closer relationship with So. California etc. They would blend but were waiting for the group's elders to come around. I have seen the same thing here in NC. We have had LSMers, Gene Edwards advocates and some from the Stephen Kaung school of church life join and submit for a while hoping we would come around to something or other that would align us with their apostle and his ministry.
Don't you just love Eph 4:1-3, I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
When a dear one or ones come among you who desire that you conform to their special fellowship and apostle, you, not them are on the spot. We must practice the above verses. I have been scolded so many times for not joining the special circle. We are happy to receive the believers and whatever help or gift they have but we cannot impose anyone's ministry and leading on the church. In God's administration the church is "local." It is
ekklesia. It is the assembly of the citizens to carry out the business of the government. Today the church,
ekklesia, is directly under the headship of Christ to carry out His kingdom where the church is located. I had rather have the direct administration of the head than the indirect administration from some apostle or would be apostle.
Hope, Don Rutledge
A believer in Christ Jesus who is seeking to be a true disciple.