Letter to brethren

To our fellow brethren, Elders, their wives, and our workers,

We feel the need to write this anonymously because we don’t want whoever wrote this to have any influence on the interpretation of this letter. Rather, we want wholeheartedly to help point to the scriptures and Christ alone.

Because we love Christ and Christ loved the church; we are writing this out of love for our fellowship with brethren who love Christ and point us toward him. Eph 4:15 “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.” We want to allow Christ to shine his light on us and the Church to see these matters in truth and to turn to the scriptures and the leading of the Holy Spirit for our answers. We are sending this out with the hope that the elders and workers will start meeting together to make decisions in the church, along with giving the responsibility back to the elders in each field to take care of the matters amongst the church. This will allow the workers to be able to share the gospel more freely just as Paul in Acts has showed us how to do.

With current issues coming forward it has been in our hearts to go back to the scriptures for even clearer revelation from God on how decision making was made in the church, and how oversight was given. Reading again in Acts 15:2 “there was no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.” Verse 6: “And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.” Verse 22: “Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas” These verses have brought clarity that decisions made must include not just the workers; but the elders, and input from the church in unity. By making these decisions together it helps us to share accountability and not give sole responsibility to any certain group, which leads to authority.

Another example of making decisions together is in Acts 6 when the apostles wanted to give themselves continually to prayer and the ministry instead of worrying about the daily distributions. Verse 2-3: “then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, it is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables, therefore brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.” The apostles didn’t choose these men. The multitude of brethren did because they knew their spirits. When we walk alongside our brethren and are being guided by the Holy Spirit and see it in others, we too as a church can choose wisely. Many times throughout Acts the apostles and elders made decisions together and they welcomed any input from other brethren. We feel this should happen now; whether that be if someone is apt for the work after they feel their need and offer, or if there is to be a new Sunday or Wednesday elder, or to make any adjustments to meetings or the fields. Then on the other hand, when any concerns come forward like we have had in recent days, we can come together in unity of spirit and heed to these warnings that Paul gave us of false brethren, or the evil that can come amongst our fellowship. We want to strive together to make our fellowship as edifying and pure as we can while we are on this earth. Making decisions together prevents any authority or hierarchy; we are witnesses for each other and as Proverbs 24:6 says, “in multitude of counselors there is safety.”

We understand how weak we are in ourselves and with authority given we easily allow human nature to creep in and pride and power to make decisions. Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” We are in this world and live in the flesh ourselves so we are not immune to these same evils that can overtake us where power can reside. In Acts 10:25-26 Peter showed the spirit of true humility when Cornelius came to him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. His response was to say, “Stand up; I myself also am a man.” We must walk in true humility in our place in order for God to always have the glory.

We understand that it seems practical to have overseers to help make decisions, and until this time it hasn’t seemed to have been questioned. As this position holds a high responsibility, which leads to authority and power, it is a concerning position to keep. It not only puts a lot of pressure and stress on those in that place but has allowed a lot of evil to transpire as we are now seeing the truth come forward. Paul warned us in 2 Corinthians 11:12-15 “But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”  We must be careful to watch for these things. Anyone who has not taken unlawful acts to the law has been deceitful and not stood for truth or followed the scriptures. I Peter 2:13-16 “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.”

This has brought us to Acts 20 when Paul called the elders of the church in Ephesus together to speak to them and in the 28^th verse he said, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” Again in I Peter 5:1-3 “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” It seems that scriptures have pointed to the elders to take on overseeing the fields in their area, being an example, making decisions together with the whole church, and remembering that they are not Lords, but ensamples to God’s heritage, that he would still receive the glory. In doing this it would allow the workers to continue unhindered by these great responsibilities to just teach the Gospel story and share the love of Christ that we love to hear.

Regarding the new CSA info, Code of Conduct, and Child Policies we are thankful for the effort that is being made to help make a safer place of fellowship for the future of the kingdom. We are thankful for the sake of victims and potential future victims that there has been some removal of the evil that has resided amongst us. Research has shown that abuse is most likely to happen in the places we feel safest, such as our own homes and churches. We know how God feels about these sins, which also happen to be crimes, and how important it is to protect the spirit of a child. Therefore, we must go back to the scriptures about how to handle these matters in our fellowship. Having paperwork for legal purposes is helpful, but we know the Bible is our real Code of Conduct that we must abide by when we are seeking to be led by the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 5 explains all we need to be doing very clearly. Paul was coming to them saying it was commonly reported about fornication (sexual immorality) amongst them. Verse 2 “And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.” This is a warning that we must take this out of our fellowship. Verses 6-8 explain that “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” and to purge it out so there would be a new lump. Just as Christ sacrificed, we can too in order to keep the feast with sincerity and truth. These verses emphasize again that we must be humble to judge righteousness vs. unrighteousness and not be a respector of persons in judgement (Prov 24:23) when removing these sins from amongst us.

I Corinthians 5: 9-13: “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to accompany fornicators (sexually immoral): yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator (sexually immoral), or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? Do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore, put away from among yourselves that wicked person.” These verses explain that while we are in this world we will always be amongst these things in and out of our fellowship. If we are judging it outside of our fellowship, we must judge it within and remove it from us. This means we cannot allow those who have committed sexually immoral crimes back among us for the safety of past victims and possible future ones. We know we are all sinners, and each have a chance to repent and seek God’s mercy with a pure and honest heart. We are all very humbled by this and so thankful for it. So this means we still care for the souls of men who have done these wicked things and we pray for them in love. To love them also means to do as Romans 14:13 “Let us not therefore judge one another anymore: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.” Verse 21: “It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.” Just as an alcoholic is told to never put themselves in front of a drink which could tempt them again, we must do the same for the sexually immoral. By allowing them amongst their temptations it is putting a stumbling block or weakness before them.

Our salvation comes from our personal relationship from God. Romans 11:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” If we can have fellowship alone with God, we can know his spirit and know his mercy. We are thankful for this opportunity God gives to all souls. We can see that Jesus was abused in many ways as our Savior and Lamb. Matthew 25:40 “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Those who have known abuse have understood in a greater measure the sufferings of our Savior. We must love the wounded lambs among us and care for them as we care for Jesus. Bringing back the wolves who have harmed them is bringing more harm to them by not providing a safe place for them to have fellowship.

Before bringing this all together please read this situation that occurred recently that teaches us many things:

See: https://wingsfortruth.info/2023/05/31/robert-corfield-circumstances/

and https://wingsfortruth.info/2023/05/17/robert-corfield-removed-from-work/

Here was a situation where someone had an issue with pedophilia, had therapy, the workers knew of his tendencies, and he was still in the work until elders who did have training on investigating came to remove him themselves. This is a special situation since they had training to qualify them to investigate, which we are not to do unless we are trained. But it gives us an example of elders overseeing the flock and taking care of the sheep. It also proves that even after therapy for a pedophile that the weakness will ALWAYS be there. They are typically very manipulative and charismatic people. So, we hope his reaction was in honesty. If so, he showed relief from being removed from his weakness. That is how we love our brethren; by understanding we must remove the evil amongst us to protect the pure and innocent. Also, to protect the souls who have tried to repent of their evil deeds by keeping them from their weakness. It should not be an option for them to come to ANY fellowship where children could be present. Fellowship is not our salvation, Jesus is. John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

So, what we take from these lessons from scripture and experience is that we must be willing to come together as the workers, elders and the whole church to make decisions in unity of spirit. Proverbs 24:6 “For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety.” We cannot any longer leave these responsibilities to just the workers. We want to have a church who is willing to judge unrighteousness together without partiality so we can all be held accountable together, and no ability for authority or power is given. Many lambs have been wounded by abuse because it has been protected by those who were given authority. In order to keep this out we must come together as elders and the whole church and bring the responsibilities back to us in weeding out any unrighteousness. We do this because of what the scriptures have made clear and because we want to protect his flock. This is written in love and desire to strengthen our unity in understanding the teachings of Christ and his truths. We hope this can evoke discussions about these situations for the desire of unified change and the hope of the kingdom.

With love and care in Christ,

Anyonymous