Lin

“PS> I also appreciate the ministry of Paul Washer and John N. who were a part of the True Church Conference. ”

I do, too. Which is why that extra step they taught in Matthew 18 broke my heart.

” I also would have said something here.  It was because of a similar teaching which resulted in me not even being taken before the deacons or the church and being expelled in the privacy of the pastor and his group of elders.  In case any of you are wondering what I was expelled for, it was for calling the pastor to repent for subverting the gospel message he was preaching in outreaches. My other sin, and I have this in writing, was “rebellion to authority”…..of the pastor, of course.”

I was not expelled but had something similar happen and it was over horrible  sin in the camp of elders! They did not want it to be public.  So, I am attuned to any false or extra biblical teaching on this subject. Having a title conferred on one by other men yet having no fruit is not what scripture was talking about. Elders are the spiritually mature and would be very humble.

I was also very concerned about the extra step they added in to Matthew 18 at the True Church conference. I was a bit saddened to see Washer make such a big deal about elder rule in his 10 Indictments of the church sermon to even imply that not having elder rule means it is not really a church. There are plenty of churches without official elder boards (which look like fortune 500 boards) but have ‘elders’ who are spiritually mature and do care for our souls and for scriptural  truth being taught. They just do not seek power over others. They ‘oversee’ with love and humility.