On November 24, 2008, Clinton Williams of the Eagle Creek Church of Christ here in Indianapolis, mailed out a letter to area churches. It seems several brethren had gotten together and developed a vast program “for the building of God’s Kingdom.”

They’ve joined a web site started by the Fall Creek Parkway Church of Christ (here in Indianapolis) and have decided to enlarge it to a website to “help the lost nationally and internationally find a church home, a place to hear the gospel, hear acapella Christian singing, unify the congregations with a place to find local and regional calendar of events, and links to individual congregation web pages and web sites” [italic mine—DPA]. Shades of the Herald of Truth international TV program (launched under 5th and Highland, Abilene, Tex., in the 1950s and 1960s)!

They’ve begun with five minute daily inspirations, and want the area churches to assist them –”we know that they cannot bear the burden of recording and preparing 5-minute inspirations alone.” Then why did they launch something they already knew was beyond their ability to handle? Is there any authority in the word of God that would make one congregation responsible for the lost all by itself?

Next, they conducted a city-wide gospel meeting to “seek the lost and bring the congregations together by working together.” Isn’t that what local congregations are already doing in their own communities as they preach the gospel? Thus, they are excited about “our vision” and are now soliciting “your support.” To do this, they want to meet with the area churches’ “leadership” and “form a committee to assist us.” Thus, they seek area churches’ time, support, and love for “their vision.”

If this is an individual committee idea, where is the authority for a “committee” to oversee the work of the churches? Is this not the same error of the American Christian Missionary Society that led to the establishment of the Christian Church? The church is its own missionary society with its own leadership; autonomous, independent, and locally overseen by its own elders (Acts 14:23; 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:1-4, etc.). If this is a church project (since it was mailed out on church stationary), who gave this congregation the authority to launch a “vision” they knew was far in excess of their ability—and far beyond the scope of the local congregation (seeking to go “nationally” and “internationally”).

Unfortunately, they did not consult the word of God for “their vision,” and “their vision” is not for the “building of God’s Kingdom.” Rather it is for their own “vision”! There is nothing scriptural, nor for or from God for it! Brethren, you had better find God’s vision instead!

11853 Halle Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46229