Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 12
June 23, 1960
NUMBER 8, PAGE 3

It's Happening In Florida Too

Jimmy Tuten, Jr.

A great deal has been written lately concerning brethren all over the country who have seen the need to begin new congregations because they could not conscientiously worship where they were being forced to support the institutional movement. Brethren are awakening to the fact that they cannot sacrifice the "purity of the church" nor "its fidelity to New Testament teaching" for the sake of organic unity. It is our earnest prayer that brethren will continue to recognize that until the pristine purity of the gospel of Christ is maintained, there is no unity in any Bible sense of the term.

Some of our brethren in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, have felt the sting of high pressure tactics from individuals and congregations in this area. These have exerted energy in an effort to "line them up" with the institutional group. The same picture that has been painted elsewhere has been painted in this "Venice of America". Coercion on the part of the liberal brethren in forcing their "expediencies" (?) upon others has divided and split asunder many friendships that were thought to be of lasting nature.

On November 15, 1959, a group of Christians feeling that they could no longer be a part of a flock that was being Lorded over by an unscriptural eldership over the Lauderdale Manors Church of Christ, established the "Northside" congregation. Before establishing this new congregation, these brethren exhausted every available means to correct the evil within the congregation of which they were formerly members. Since their efforts were fruitless, and to remain would cause them to violate their conscience, the brethren chose to depart in peace.

The brethren of the Northside congregation would like all who are interested to know that immediate and basic reason or cause for this division was the failure of the elders of the Lauderdale Manors Church to cooperate with any who dared to question their judgment. This attitude of infallibility caused them to be Lords over God's heritage (I Pet. 5:3).

The brethren, in a scriptural and dignified manner, brought up four specific charges against these elders and in spite of the fact that copies of the charges were mailed to each elder by certified mail and were read publicly at three different services of the church at Lauderdale Manors, were unable to get the elders to meet with them to discuss the charges. Instead of meeting with the brethren to help settle the matter in a christian manner, the elders brought in several institutional preachers in this area the day the charges were read. These brethren added confusion by bringing in false charges and thus evidencing they knew little about the real difficulty. Since the autonomy of the congregation was thus violated, the faithful brethren had no other alternative but to leave peacefully. It was apparent that the situation was becoming more severe. After the congregation was established at Northside, the elders of the Lauderdale Manors church sent out a letter to all congregations in this area stigmatizing them as a "faction". We are quoting a part of that letter:

"It is a well known fact that the 'leaders' of this faction, along with their evangelist, are opposed to the orphan homes among us and such cooperative efforts as the Herald of Truth... Since the scriptures teach us to 'mark them which

cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them' (Rom. 16:17), we feel obligated to inform the brotherhood of the sinful action of these brethren".

It is becoming more obvious to those who make up the Northside Church that underlying this whole difficulty was the insistence that these brethren and this writer (who was the full-time evangelist for the Lauderdale Manors congregation at that time) go along with the support of Orphan Homes such as Mt. Dora and cooperative efforts as the Herald of Truth. Direct outside pressure resulted in the elders informing this writer that unless he lined up with certain preachers and congregations in the Miami area it would be expedient for him to be released from his position as evangelist for the Lauderdale Manors congregation. Others within the congregation were singled out and charged merely because they questioned the judgment of the elders regarding the issues, etc.

All this is history now and it is to be regretted that such conditions could not have been worked out harmoniously.

The brethren have one desire at Northside, to follow the New Testament pattern in ALL things, and with more than "lip service". This congregation is self-supporting and is working in complete harmony. Her continual growth illustrates her zeal and sacrificial attitude. Even though opposition continues in the form of false charges, harsh rumors and "quarantine", the brethren are marching faithfully onward!

When in Ft. Lauderdale, worship with us. A cordial welcome awaits you at Northside. Our address is: 17 W. Sunrise, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Preaching brother, if the congregation where you are preaching would support you for a meeting here in 1961, please contact us. We have need of some good, sound gospel meetings in this city.