YOKEFELLOW
Vol. 25, No. 10 A Publication of the
Memphis School of Preaching Oct. 21, 1998
FURTHER ANALYSIS OF THE COMMUNITY CHURCH
Mike Hixson
The "new" community church concept that is sweeping the brotherhood is making great strides in the city of Memphis. Faithful brethren need to be warned about this vehicle committed to change (I Peter 5:8-9). Left unchallenged, this movement will only gain momentum in leading people away from the pattern revealed in the New Testament (II Tim. 1:13).
Historically speaking, members of churches of Christ have placed a high premium on adhering to the New Testament. This trait alone has set us apart from the denominational world. We have genuinely striven to honor the words of Peter when he said, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God, if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth; that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen" (I Peter 1:11). Our intent has been to submit to the authoritative words of Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:18; 17:5; Col. 3:17). We have humbly striven to uphold the timeless slogan, "Speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent."
Granted, not everyone has appreciated the ideals of restoration Christianity. However, numerous men and women, past and present, have made great sacrifices in an effort to uphold the pristine beauty and simplicity of New Testament Christianity to a lost and dying world .
In recent years, a movement has arisen in the church to alter and abandon the ideals of New Testament Christianity. At the heart of the problem is a lack of respect for the authority of Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:18; 17:5; Col. 3:17). It should be noted that when men and women abandon the authority of Christ, there is no shoreline to the ceaseless innovations and alterations that will occur.
One example of the "change agent" agenda formulating among some in the church of Christ is to operate under the name "community church." The Highland Street Church of Christ has been instrumental in establishing the "community church" concept in the city of Memphis. Innovation and deviation from Divine truth are not new to Highland Street. Harold Shank, the pulpit minister, has been a speaker on the Jubilee program in Nashville, Tennessee. One would have to look far and wide to find a program more divisive to the body of Christ than Jubilee. The Nashville Jubilee has become a breeding ground for change agents to propagate their innovative methods and teaching, borrowed in large part from the denominational world. It is also a well-known fact that Highland Street conducts a "contemporary" service each Sunday morning, which makes a mockery of the pattern for worship revealed in the New Testament. Their "hand-clapping" and Pentecostal "hand-raising" in worship is without Scriptural authority.
Thus, it should come as little surprise that Gary Ealy, a former preacher at Brownsville Road and Highland Street, and John Mark Hicks, a professor at Harding Graduate School, have introduced the community church at Cordova, a suburb in east Memphis. It is my understanding that the elders at Highland Street have given their blessings to the new community church in Cordova.
I have in my possession a statement published by Gary Ealy and John Mark Hicks entitled, "A Theological And Strategic Statement For A New Church Planting." The publication states their objective and purpose, meriting some candid questions and observations.
Number one, they state, "This new church plant will target the younger generation of Baby-Boomers (1955-61) and the whole of ‘Generation X’ also known as the Baby Busters (1962-82). This is the first ‘Post-Christian’ generation" (p.2). While it is noble to express concern about evangelism, what about the souls of those who do not fall into the Baby-Boomer/Generation X category? Are they not on the priority list for evangelism? Did not Jesus say, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:15-16)? According to Jesus, everyone is a priority when it comes to hearing the good news of the gospel.
Number two, they state, "God has revealed his pattern for his people in Scripture. This pattern is theological and christological in character. It is not a blueprint of specific details but a call to image God in this world through imitating the life and ministry of Jesus Christ as the people of God" (p.4). I will freely grant we are to imitate God as revealed in the Scriptures. However, we dare not dismiss the "specific details" of the pattern (II Tim. 1:13; Titus 2:1; I Tim. 4:16). It was a failure to adhere to the "specific details" of the pattern that spelled death for Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10:1-2). It was a failure to honor the "specific details" of the pattern that brought swift and decisive punishment on Uzzah (II Sam. 6:4-7). Question, what part of the "specific details" of the pattern can we ignore and remain pleasing to God (Luke 6:46; Matt. 7:21-23; I Tim. 4:16; II John 9)?
Number three, they state "There is one Spirit, the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us as a deposit of our inheritance empowers our ministry, and transforms our character by producing his fruit within us." (p.5). Brethren Ealy and Hicks, how does the Holy Spirit empower your ministry? The Bible teaches the Holy Spirit strengthens our ministry through the inspired Word (Acts 20:32; Eph. 6:17). Brother Rex Turner, Sr. has correctly observed, "Now, when a person thinks that the Holy Spirit has in some mysterious way operated on him-whether by a voice, a leading, a dream, an urge, and inclination, or an intuition-at that very point the word of God ceases to be an absolute standard of authority for him. At that point the word of God takes a secondary position in his life" (Systematic Theology, p.353). Number four, they state, "Fallen humanity is oriented to evil through a sinful nature which gives rise to human sin by the exercise of human freedom. Sin is a free human decision, not a determined necessity" (p.6). Brethren Ealy and Hicks, what do you mean by referring to humanities’ "sinful nature?" Do you espouse as Calvinists do that man is born a sinner? Please tell us that you do not believe this corrupt doctrine. After all, the Bible certainly does not teach mankind is born in sin (Ezek. 18:20).
Number five, they state, "The Holy Spirit works powerfully in the lives of believers to produce his fruit and while he no longer distributes miraculous gifts to believers in the post-apostolic period (e.g., investing the gift of healing in specific individuals), he is not thereby limited from acting in miraculous ways according to God’s good pleasure" (p.6). We just noted a moment ago that the Holy Spirit works in the lives of believers through the Word. Brethren Ealy and Hicks, please prove from the Bible that God is still working miracles today. The Bible indicates miracles were confined to the apostolic age to confirm the Word (Mark 16:17-20; Heb. 2:1-4). Today, with completed revelation, there is no need for the miraculous (I Cor. 13:8-10). To suggest that God still performs miracles is to contradict what the Holy Spirit has revealed in the inspired Word.
Number six, they state, "The musical worship of this new church plant is a cappella (without instrumental music), not because we believe it should divide the body of Christ as a matter of salvation or because it is a fundamental gospel issue (as in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ) but because we believe it is more consistent with the historic practice of the early church and it more appropriately embodies the theological principle of worshiping God in the Spirit out of a renewed heart (Ephesians 5:18-19)" (pp.6-7). Did you take note of the fact that these brethren do not believe the usage of mechanical instruments in worship is a salvation issue? No doubt a failure on their part to respect the "specific details" of the pattern. The reason faithful members of the church reject the employment of mechanical instruments of music in worship is because it is a violation of New Testament authority (Matt. 28:18; 17:5; Col. 3:16-17; I Cor. 4:6; Eph. 5:19).
This analysis has nothing to do with personalities, rather it is intended to show the aggressive and deliberate departure from the truth of God by some in the church. Let it be clearly understood that faithful brethren in the city of Memphis are well aware of the tactics being employed by change agents, and we intend to thwart their abuse of New Testament Christianity through the printed page, the pulpit, and television. To borrow the words of Paul, we are "set for the defense of the gospel" (Phil. 1:17).
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