What does the ideal church look like? How would it function in a sinful and broken world? Did you ever think within yourself, “If only Jesus could be here in person and give us some plain instructions.”

I think I remember reading somewhere of someone commenting like this, “Doing church is hard.”

We have all seen our share of church struggles. Obviously, there are many different visions in the hearts of church members and church leaders as to what the ideal, scriptural church should look like.

There are some hard questions that beg for answers. These questions center around issues like how to rightly understand church authority, what is legalism or how should we interpret denominationalism?

If you are a student of history you are quite aware that the struggle to understand these issues is not a new one. Not everyone enjoys history, but since I do and this is my blog, I am going share a little history in this post.😊

This time it will be from the Brethren side of the Anabaptist family. The Brethren originated in Europe about 200 years after the Anabaptists emerged from the State religions in Europe. The Brethren were strongly influenced by the Anabaptists, but they also were impacted by the Pietists. The Brethren migrated to America in the early-to-mid 1700’s.

Carl Bowman, in his book, Brethren Society, portrays some of the struggles of the Brethren in the mid-1800’s. He identifies four “dilemmas” troubling the Brethren in that day. (pages 103-104)

1. The dilemma of faithfulness.
2. The dilemma of unity.
3. The dilemma of separation.
4. The dilemma of authority.

Have the questions changed any in 150 years? Not really. Every generation wrestles with the same issues to some degree.

The Brethren in the mid-1800’s were divided on these issues. They viewed themselves as having restored “primitive” or “apostolic” Christianity. In the 1800’s some individuals began to challenge some of the firmly entrenched views held by the Brethren.

Bowman states it like this, “Which beliefs and practices are essential elements of the original apostolic faith, and which are later additions? What are the dividing lines between timeless truth and cultural tradition? What changes can be permitted in the ancient order of faith and practice? How can innovation and progress be reconciled with the restoration of primitive Christianity?” (page 103)

Bowman shares some of the discussion of the annual meeting of 1876. We cringe today when we hear some of their words and actions. But, it may also help us understand where some of the contemporary thinking has its roots in the Brethren family.

As reported by Bowman from the full report of Annual Meeting in 1876, one brother is quoted saying:

“We are drifting from the old practices and the ancient order. Every year we drift a little. The    
older brethren here can see that. Every time when we commence getting a new thing in the church…there is something of the old practice that must move in order to give room for the new…It is not my intention to deviate from the ancient order of the church, which I believe was gotten up by Brethren influenced by the spirit of Jesus Christ.”  (page 104)

Probably the most startling action, in my mind, at this Annual Meeting, was that some of the conservatives pressed the meeting for a ruling that nothing in the church could be changed because every aspect of Brethren life and doctrine “was part of the essential faith of the apostles”. (page 104)

Quoting Bowman, “They even went so far as to ask Annual Meeting to ignore any future query that even suggested ‘a deviation from the former practice and old established order of the church’.”

To this generation I simply say that the struggles to understand what a faithful church looks like is not new. I suspect that for the early Brethren, their view flowed from a very strong belief in separation, not only from the world, but also from other churches.

This matter of what the church should look like regarding unity and uniformity can give rise to strong emotional reactions. I would encourage us to be, first of all, patient with our brothers and sisters and secondly, spend time in careful thought and study of both the Scriptures and the history of the church.

Reaction is easy. Well thought-out responses are hard work.

DSJ