The Church In Haltom City, Fort Worth, Texas
In keeping with the desires of the Haltom City congregation, Fort Worth, the following statement is issued:
Early in 1958 a group of brethren from the Birdville church in this city began meeting in a rented building in the east section of town and became known as the Haltom City church of Christ. They secured brother H. O. Foster, formerly a member of the Calmont congregation, to preach for them and work in molding them together. After a while brethren Bob Roden and Seburn Cox were appointed elders and they with brother Foster, have provided a good program of teaching and training within this congregation.
They have purchased property at 6101 Linton in Haltom City, on the proposed new freeway to be built soon, and are presently securing a loan with which to renovate an army barracks that has been moved onto the lot. When it is completed is will have been refinished without with brick and remodeled within. They should be in it within a matter of weeks. Their attendance is about 50 on the Lord's day and the contribution is near $80 per week.
Like all new congregations beginning out of liberal churches, many problems have been encountered. These brethren have been charged with having taught: (1) that I Corinthians 16:1, 2 furnishes no kind of pattern for contribution, therefore brethren may take contribution whenever the elders decide; (2) that a church may not from its treasury relieve needy saints unless they are widows indeed. This writer recently conducted a meeting for these brethren, in which the "issues" before the church were dealt with, and talked at length with both elders and brother Foster about these charges. These charges are without foundation, and to the best of my knowledge these brethren know, love and teach the truth.
In the 30 months that brother Foster has worked with these brethren he has been found to be a faithful teacher and a Christian. He has done a very fine job and is well suited to this type of work, being a mature man. Beginning about mid-July, brother Richard Donley, now preaching in New York, will move to Fort Worth to devote full-time to working with these brethren. We are happy to commend the Haltom City congregation as being true to the teaching of Christ and we look forward to their increased influence for good in the east part of this city and elsewhere. Brother Donley, a very fine preacher of the word, will be the fourth full-time man in Fort Worth who stands against the innovations in work and organization that besets us.