[aron]

Drake,

I "embrace those who disagree with my views", yes. Do you? What level of conformity do you demand before fellowship is allowed? It seems the "Lord's Recovery" programme demands total compliance on all points. The statement, "We receive everyone" is just a ruse to get them in, and locked into the Apostle. Then, "No differerences whatsoever" according to the Apostle. . . "absolutely identical". If you want that in writing, look at the footnotes in Revelations 2 & 3 RecV.

And the Programme Enforcers, like Ray Graver, Mel Porter, and Paul Hon would make sure that you got the message. No spiritual veneer from them; no "divine and mystical" euphemisms. No - "We do as we are told", per RG.

I have met, and continue to meet, with churches whose conservatism puts the "Lord's Recovery" to shame. All women wear head-coverings, not just those who want to. Women are literally silent in church. And you know what? They have maybe a 70 to 80% retention rate of the next generation. The LC "locality" that I met with maybe had a 10 to 20% retention rate. And that's being generous. You know why? Because the disconnect in the LC was so obvious. What was said vs what was actually done.

And the conservative group that I've met with never gave me a grilling on the "role of women in the church", or asked if I met with and received churches or groups who had women in authority. And I also met with a church started by a woman (Aimee Semple McPherson) and they never grilled me on my opinion of women in church. Live and let live. (But McPherson's group was much more unstable and with higher 'churn rate' than the conservative group).

Yet for you it's an issue. Fine. But my counsel is, be consistent in your application. Otherwise your retention rate will remain in the teens; because the stench of hypocrisy will be so strong as to drive away all but the most deluded naifs.