Blending Bros Turning Their Backs on Church History

[Indiana]

Nigel Tomes: four articles that have been irresponsibly ignored and unaddressed by the blending brothers, in their path of deviation in the Local Churches

http://concernedbrothers.com/History...clusivism2.pdf

http://www.twoturmoils.com/NigelNewWayAnalysis.pdf

http://www.concernedbrothers.com/Cas...r__Passing.pdf

http://www.lordsrecovery.us/GeorgeMu...nderAttack.pdf


As earnest seeking believers, we need to not only have a sound knowledge of the Bible, but also of the history contained therein and in subsequent writings that record a history of the apostles and early Christians. Further, books such as Miller's Church History or The Pilgrim Church cover church history into the 20th century, that must be explored.

A reason that the Lord has a way for seeking or rejected saints to go on with Him on a right Path today is because of the training that brothers like David Canfield, Nigel Tomes, and Dave Shields have had on church history in the Midwest and Great Lakes area churches. Canfield did not fall for the LSM modus operandi of invading localities and setting up shop for LSM, and he wrote accordingly to the saints and elders in Chicago.

In the following links, Nigel Tomes gives apropriate, responsible accounts of church history, past and present, as local church history is tied to church history in general, and to the history and the teachings of the Bible, Old Testament and New.

In a word, if we take lightly the knowledge of the Bible and church history, including that of the local churches, we, (especially those in the leadership) will sooner or later come off the tracks and look very foolish in doing so, as has surely been the case with leaders today in the Local Churches. They have turned their backs on church history and are busy about carrying out an agenda. With blinders on, they will not listen to, or heed, sound advice and fellowship, as they continue in an unrepentant state down a path of deviation. Existing in a bubble, they behave as if they could not be, or should not be, touched by anyone.

May all the saints, especially perhaps the young people in the Local Churches, listen to responsible fellowship and respond honestly in their heart to take care of the churches both now and in the future, according to truth. Don't live your life in a bubble, thinking you can never be wrong, since God's people throughout time have always needed repentance. By learning church history, we can correct ourselves and be brought back to the right path, according to God, and according to His word.

[OBW]

I did a quick scan of the linked articles and have some comments. I know that we do not see eye-to-eye on all of this, but in this case, even where we may not agree fully on “why” the exclusivism exists, I think we clearly agree that it exists.

Watchman Nee Rejected The Exclusive Way

This article is premised upon the very idea that there was a prior recovery in the form of the Brethren. I do not deny that aspects of the truth have often been disregarded or even ignored. But that there is any so-called “recovery” is an error. For anyone to think that they are the ones in such a “recovery” is itself an error of exclusivism and therefore a way taken by one claiming no exclusiveness. Clearly the Brethren practiced an overt exclusivism in rejecting Nee for visiting other assemblies. But to see your own ministry as something so important that you view it as “God’s recovery” is doomed to be exclusive if it is not so from the outset.

One of the errors of the "Recovery" is that they may bring out certain truths, but just like others before them, they tossed out many babies with the bathwater that they claimed was the prior error. They may have found something "new," or more rightly previously ignored, but they turned their back on other things in the process to create a need within their own ranks for recovery of things that were before.

History, Not Hagiography — The Recovery’s “Great Leap Forward”—“The God-Ordained Way”

The very notion that there is a “God-Ordained Way” that stands against Christians is exclusivism at it worst. This is an outgrowth of the kind of thinking that presumes a special blessing on your group as being “the recovery.” After reading cases below concerning the Brethren, it is clear to me that the same blindness exists in the LCs. It doesn’t matter that they might be able to claim deep truths (although I challenge some of them as actually being truths) it is like Laodicea. Somehow Christ has been pushed outside and is knocking to get back in.

The emphasis on numbers and rapid growth is almost irrelevant. It would not have mattered if numbers and growth were not emphasized.

After The Founding Fathers — Historical Case Studies: Zinzendorf & James Taylor

“There was no re-evaluation of Taylor’s ministry among the Brethren after his passing; no reconsideration of his teachings in the light of Scripture.” Within the Local Church, is it “time for a re-evaluation?” It is long past time. The delay may be its ultimate demise.

The Church Under Attack — George Muller & Bethesda Chapel, Bristol — An Historical Case Study

This work really doesn’t do much more than provide anecdotal information. It might be true that the Open Brethren grew faster than the Exclusives after the split, but the data available does not establish it. And it does not provide a reason. Correlation is not Causation. I may believe that it is actually true, but this article does nothing more than speculate.