Hobby-Riders. They!
We had a strange experience with hobby-riders in Bald Knob recently. A couple moved into town and identified themselves with the Bald Knob church. About one week later they identified themselves with a church in Searcy. After one of our elders and I talked with them about their sudden "right-about-face"; they explained that they couldn't worship with us in Bald Knob because the church didn't support Orphanages and the Herald of Truth. We explained to the couple that we do believe in supporting the needy and that we are doing such this very month. We also explained that we are supporting one radio program and partially supporting another one. Then they replied, But we believe you ought to be doing it through the Orphan Home and the Herald of Truth!! Now, there is your hobby, don't you see? The oldest orphan home among churches of Christ is about fifty years old, and the Herald of Truth was established about 1951 A.D., and yet this couple doesn't even believe in worshipping with a church that doesn't support them both.
But you can't please hobby-riders. This year their doctrine is, "If you don't practice church-support to orphan homes and the Herald of Truth, we can't fellowship you." But what will they add to their creed next year?? It could be "Except you believe in church support to colleges and the Gospel-Press we will not fellowship you." Once we submit to the dictatorial whims of the hobby-rider there is no stopping place. The church in Bald Knob stands right where Paul stood when he said: "To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you." (Gal. 2:5) When will our institutional brethren wake up to the realization that they are placing themselves under the same condemnation as the Judaizing teachers who taught: "Except ye be circumcised....ye cannot be saved"? (Acts 15:1) "Except ye believe in church-support to human institutions ye cannot be fellowshipped" or "Except ye believe in supporting the Herald of Truth we cannot work in the church with you," etc. Wake up!!!
— Bald Knob, Arkansas