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[Truth]

Originally Posted by Ohio

You are right about the language hypocrisy. All foreign language churches were condemned as divisions in the body of Christ, and not a true testimony of Christ in the city. So the Anaheim Korean Church was condemned but the Korean-speaking-meetings in Anaheim were perfectly kosher. The key was to use the proper "politically-correct" terminology "Chinese-speaking" or "Korean-speaking" and God will magically bless you for being on the "proper ground."

It got a little comical during announcements. It was a "mortal" sin to just say "Chinese-meeting," so everyone was well rehearsed at saying "Chinese-speaking-meeting." After a while we would hear, "college-speaking-meetings." How weird is that? Did we really believe that all these correct "utterances" were the key to unlock Biblical blessings?

I have never seen anything wrong with meeting as a Korean Church, Chinese Church, or Russian Church. These type of churches are necessary to meet the language needs of some Christians. If I was in China, I would do my best to join an America Church so that I can understand the services in my language. It just doesn't make sense to condemn a church for being language-based. This has nothing to do with violating the one-new man.

[OBW]

It seems that the only true command in scripture is to not forsake assembling together. That you have any kind of reason for meeting here v there is not commented upon. But if you are going to meet together, you should be on the "same page" with the others there — at least for the most part. That would seem to be the combined wisdom of Paul and the writer of Hebrews (who may or may not be Paul).

[alwayslearning]

Originally Posted by OBW

But if you are going to meet together, you should be on the "same page" with the others there — at least for the most part. That would seem to be the combined wisdom of Paul and the writer of Hebrews (who may or may not be Paul).

I agree and it seems to me the starting point of the "same page" is the common faith i.e. the essentials. If a Korean Church is reaching out to the Korean people in my city with the gospel and sound Christian teaching to edify the believers who am to judge and condemn? They are on the "same page" together as a church and in fact I am on the same page as they are except I don't speak Korean so I meet elsewhere. Nothing wrong with that IMHO.