Restoration Authors

[Nazarite]

I saw that Wes made a post about a great book by Joe Beam. I thought I would add a note about one of my all time favorite authors within our movement, Carl Ketcherside. If you have never read Ketcherside, then you should add him to your reading list. His writing has been a significant influence upon my thought and has encouraged me to dig a lot deeper into my Restoration roots. Carl died about a decade ago. He was a "reformer" within our movement, calling us back to the restoration principals that first guided us. He edited a book on our restoration history which is available online at http://www.freedomsring.org/heritage/
One of the best books he ever wrote, in my humble but accurate opinion, was The Death of the Custodian also available online http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/wcketcherside/tdotc/index.html

If reading The Death of the Custodian doesn't prove to be one of the better books you have ever read, I'll give you your money back. Read it and be blessed.

And if you do read it we can start a discussion thread on his work. I think you would find that very stimulating.

Eric

[WesWoodell]

I've heard of that book I think.


I'll look for it.

[Stinker]

From what I have heard people in the church say about Carl, he was against the unofficial office of 'Pulpit Preacher' and that he taught that the Evangelist that established a congregation was the authority over it till they grew to the point of having their elders to take over.

Is this correct Nazarite?

[Nazarite]

Carl held many views in his lifetime. The one you are referencing is one of them. He was born to a Lutheran family (his parents were Luthern by name only according to Ketcherside). He became a Christian as a teenager and was part of a very conservative group. He was a preacher in a "non-institutional" church for many years and did not advocate having a located preacher. That is where his belief system regarding the evangelist first developed. In the 1950's he was a "champion" of sorts for the more conservative groups and debated many times about institutionalism and located evangelists. However, as he immersed himself in his studies he came to some different conclusions about both of those issues.

[Stinker]

What problems did he find with his beliefs?

[WesWoodell]

he taught that the Evangelist that established a congregation was the authority over it till they grew to the point of having their elders to take over.


Wasn't that the way it was done in the NT ?

[Stinker]

Since the New Testament is widely available, I think the 'brotherhood' relies on the members of any new congregation to study enough to take care of themselves. There may be a fear of there becoming a denominational 'Pastor' mentality if there is an Evangelist over any congregation. (Pulpit Preachers not withstanding?)

[Nazarite]

Evangelistic oversight is what I beleive you are referencing. And espcially among African American churches it is a common practice (and commonly accepted). It is different but I don't believe it contradicts scripture when no qualified shepherds exist. Of course that brings up a whole new question as to what are the "qualifications" of a shepherd? Do the letters to Timothy and Titus contain "qualifications" or "qualities?"