ClarkeComments.com

Hello all:

There is quite a discussion going on at Christian Church Today about reconciliation between the churches of Christ and independent Christian Churches.

I posted a message on the forum and got some interesting feedback. It seems to me that some of our more liberal breathern believe that instrumental music is more of a preference for most members of the a capella churches and not a conviction. While those who replied to me assured me this is not the case, it is still apparent that we have a lot of misunderstanding on both sides of the keyboard.

I’m also pleased to report that Crosspointe Christian Church of Ashland, Kentucky, has linked to Clarkecomments.com. I hope that our conversation can expand even more.

-Clarke

Hello all:

I am pleased to announce the start-up of Restorationmovement.org.

I created Restorationmovement.org to create one comprehensive portal of information for all Restoration Movement churches.

The site is still under development. Currently, I only have the church of Christ links up, except for some regional things, were are limited to Oregon at the moment.

If you have links you would like to recommend, or if you would like to help me devlop or maintain a region, please email restoration (at) clarkecomments.com

Also, I hope to have a better template soon, so the site shouldn’t be staying so ugly.

-Clarke

Hello all:

I just finished reading A Common Life, W. Carl Ketcherside - The Mission Messenger.

This article was written in 1975, 4 years before I was born. It is as relevent now as it was 30 years ago when it was written.

Ketcherside’s words sum up what I’m feeling now - that fellowship cannot be limited just because one person believes it is alright to use church funds to pay for a television ministry and another does not; that one person believes that it is okay to use multiple communion cups and another believes that they have to drink from the same cup as the rest of the congregation; that one person believes they should use an instrument of music while worshiping God, and another does not.

Being here in this moment is refreshing, and scary. It challenges my entire being and the thinking I’ve held for my entire life.

I’ve always welcomed my brothers who were more conservative than I, but held those at bay who were “liberal”.

Maybe the terms “liberal” and “conservative” are like the terms “Baptist” and “Lutheran”. The Restoration Movement has always called us to be “Christians Only”. When I have labeled myself as a conservative, have I been labeling myself as something other than as a Christian only? I have to ponder this more.

On Halloween, my wife and I attended a party held by one of her friends from school that she hadn’t seen in several years. Talking with her, I found out that her husband had been attending Northwest College of the Bible and that they attend a Christian Church in the area. We talked about our membership in the church of Christ, and a little bit about a capella music. It was a wonderful experience to hear someone with her faith talk, and for me to be able to greet her as a sister, just because she attends a congregation that uses instruments of music in worship.

I feel liberated, and I praise God for that.

-Clarke

Hello all:

I have addded more links to the site, including a couple of publications I’ve found and a link to an essay on the development of the one-cup, no-class movement.

The essay link is under the “fellowships” category and is worth the read. While I was aware of a one-cup congregation here in my area, I didn’t know they were also part of the no-class movement. In retrospect that makes sense. The essay highlights different splits within the one-cup, no-class churches, so there are really five or six different fellowships within this small group of churches.

After reading The Old Paths Advocate, I found that there is a gospel meeting in my area later this month. I’m going to try and attend once or twice, meet some of the people involved, and see what this group is like. If you live in the Northwest and want to attend, the info is included below.

-Clarke

Gospel Meeting:
Wilsonville , OR
Northwest Thanksgiving Meeting
With Frank Brancato
11/20/2005 - 11/27/2005