Biblical Relations Between Local Congregations (Autonomy vs. Other), Leadership?

[DCR]

steve,

Unless I am reading you wrong in places, some of your thoughts seem contradictory between what you've said before and what you're saying now... and even between thoughts presented in the same post...

1- Now, I'm a little confused.  It seems like you've been criticizing this concept all along. 

2- It makes sense for people to go to the closer of the two churches, in this case.  But, it's their choice.

3- Another thing to take into account is that neighborhood churches may have been established in the past when people were less mobile.

4- Surely, you can't expect anyone to force all these different congregations located in these different communities to disband?

1- Nope.  Not me.

2- I couldn't agree more.

3- I wasn't aware that most people in TN still traveled by horse and buggy.  I thought they had cars and bicycles and buses, etc.  Past doesn't have to determine future.

4- Nope. 

DCR, I think you're putting many, many words into my mouth.  You're attributing things to me that I have never even thought to myself, much less articulated to anyone else.

You have criticized there being too many individual congregations in an area.  I try to explain historically why that is (citing that many community congregations were established during times when travel wasn't as efficient).  Then, you respond with this goofy statement, "I wasn't aware that most people in TN still traveled by horse and buggy."  And, you say that past doesn't determine future.

Well, what are you saying there then?  What are you implying with regard to all those congregations?  The only thing I can conclude is that you think these churches should disband and consolidate.  You now deny that.  So, what are you suggesting, if that isn't the case?  These individual congregations exist.  You criticize their existence because you think there are too many of them.  If you don't think they should disband... then, I guess you're okay with them continuing to exist, right?  There seems to be some inconsistent thought here.

I'll have to respond to the rest of your post later.

[stevehut]

1- You have criticized there being too many individual congregations in an area. 

2- I try to explain historically why that is

3- The only thing I can conclude is that you think these churches should disband and consolidate.  You now deny that. 

1- Yes, I have.

2- Yup.     Which means they served a purpose at one time.  But that doesn't mean it still has to be that way today.  I would like to think that my church leaders are thinking about the best way to serve the local community, and not just protect their own institutions.  (And I'm still puzzled by all the COC's in my area, which are within a short walking distance of each other.)

3- Since you raise the idea, yes, I suppose it could be useful to consolidate some of the congregations.  It just might be a better way to serve the local population.  But I didn't suggest it, and as I've said before, I have never known of a case where that was done successfully.

Again, most of my comments here have been about a single congregation, not about multiple churches working together. 

[DCR]

(And I'm still puzzled by all the COC's in my area, which are within a short walking distance of each other.)

In some cases, CofCs that are in close proximity to each other are actually the result of a past split.  If there are two churches within a mile of each other... then, it's possible that one of the churches has certain issues on which it disagrees with the other, such as perhaps opposing the church having kitchens or opposing the church sending its money to certain organizations/institutions, or perhaps a church that does one-cup communion (these are rare).  Or, some churches may have more progressive worship services.  But, that's a whole other issue.

But, divisions happen... kinda like your Portland Church situation and Kip McKean... or how your group, led by McKean and others, split off from the mainline CofCs in the first place.

At that point, there are other issues to resolve before anyone can talk about congregational consolidation.

That could explain some of the multiple CofCs in your area.

[stevehut]

Kitchens?   

[Bocephus]

Kitchens?   

You don't know about kitchens?

[DCR]

Kitchens?  

Some teach that it is not appropriate to have fellowship meals or to have kitchens in the building where they worship.  They'll quote 1 Corinthians 11:22, "Have you not houses to eat in?"

Also, for that matter, some churches are against having separated classes in a Sunday school format.  They believe the church must just have one assembly for worship... with no separating into classes for Bible study periods.

I don't want to get too far off track.  But, let's just say that there are some issues like that that separate some CofCs from others.

[stevehut]

You don't know about kitchens?

Um, I know it's a place to cook food...