Centralization --- Almost In Its Final Form.
For several years faithful preachers like brethren Roy Cogdill, James Adams, Charles Holt, Cecil Douthitt, Curtis Porter, along with scores of other faithful servants of God have cried that we are headed for apostasy — digression. Their cries have been back to the Bible, back to book, chapter, and verse for all we do in religion. Their pleas have been met with slander, sophistry, ridicule, lies and anything else that brethren (?) like Goodpasture, Pullias, Dixon, Thomas Powell, Benson, Harper, Woods, Totty, Warren, Watson, and others could use to turn the minds of good people away from listening to what they termed, hobbyist, cranks, frantics, church splitters, church disturbers, and etc.
To the person not concerned about the bride of Christ for which He gave His blood, to the person who had a personal dislike for some of these men, to the person who wanted to make a "big splash" to the world about what the church of Christ is doing, this fight between brethren has seemed ugly, distasteful, and not in keeping with conduct "as it becometh the gospel of Christ;" but a look at the following will show that brethren, who were first listed in this article, have not cried about a spook in the dark! There was something out in the dark! It was an attitude of brethren to disrespect the word of God and to lead the church of our Lord into digression, apostasy, sectarianism, modernism, and denominationalism.
Look at this brethren!! The Firm ( ?) Foundation, March 1, 1960, has an article concerning "A-Million-For The-Billion" Campaign."
Wrong Endorsers
"Such men as A. R. Holton, A. M. Burton, J. M. Powell, Batsell Barrett Baxter, Willard Collins, Cecil N. Wright, Alan M. Bryan, Elza Mulford, James D. Bales and E. Claude Gardner heartily endorse the plan." These are fallible men! There are some who wouldn't give the snap of their finger for what these men say, because they are not inspired and are not the final court of appeal in religion. Many of us would have been impressed had Paul, Peter, James, Jude, Christ and others of the inspired, infallible men endorsed the plan. But until inspired, infallible men endorse the plan, it makes little difference to us what these fallible men say. They are wrong!
"Brother A. R. Holton, after talking with brethren across the nation, called a meeting of a few of those who were interested in this plan for world evangelism. This meeting was held in Lubbock, Texas October 5, 1959." First, who gave brother Holton the authority to call an ecumenical council of the church in the United States? Did Peter, or was it the Pope of Rome who lay his hands on our brother, giving him such power and authority? Sounds like Pope John XXIII calling an ecumenical council for the entire world, doesn't it. At the next meeting they probably will call an ecumenical council of all the churches of Christ in the world. It is no longer shades of Romanism; it is Romanism!
They, in this plan, plan to spend during the 1960's "$1 million for South & Latin America: $1 million for Africa: $1 million for Europe; $1 million for the Middle & Near East."
The Plan
The plan to do this preaching is to have plenty sponsoring churches. Can't do anything these days without a sponsor of some kind. Sounds like the Catholics — they need a sponsor, godfather or godmother, at the baptism of a child. By the way, who sponsored the Apostle Paul while he preached the gospel? Did he do it un-sponsored?
The Gladstone church of Christ in Frederick, Oklahoma is taking the lead in this plan. Who gave them the authority (divine) to take the lead? The Foundation article list three things the Gladstone elders want to emphasize. They are: (1) All reporting of funds sent or received will be strictly voluntary, (2) The Gladstone church of Christ does not seek to receive funds, (3) This campaign in no way is designed to take the place of other efforts churches interested in Asia now have in progress, or will have in progress, in the future. After counciling with others, the Gladstone Elders believe this is the most effective way they can further world Evangelism. They may not seek to receive funds, but will they? May I suggest that sending a preacher and supporting him, is a better way to do what they call, "world evangelism."
A chart appears in the article showing how this plan will be accomplished. Basically the chart is as follows;
Doesn't this chart impress "the simplicity that is in Christ?" 2 Cor. 11:3. It should be kept in mind that now -1960- the Gladstone's elders don't want to receive and control the money; only the information. But give us a few more years and the chart will look like this:
The information of the right hand of the above chart was taken from another chart in the same article in the Foundation.
With the above chart in practice among churches of Christ, we will be like the denominations:
How long, how long, will it be until we see this day, Lord save us from denominationalism.