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Ernie wrote:

YorkandAdams wrote:

Josh wrote:What is the nature of this split?

It's over internet and enforcement of standards. Appalachian Mountain Church wants a more consistent application of standards over the internet issue. They also feel that Eastern has slipped on enforcement of standards quite a bit. They want consistency in enforcement, more of a hardline approach.

They got guts to take a stand like that, and I wish them well in the future.

Are there particular congregations in which the majority of the members are wanting to be part of this new conference?

I would never have guessed that there would someday be a group who would one day try to "out-Eastern" the Easterns. But I guess once you get a freight train rolling, it is hard to stop it.

As far as I know, there is only one congregation in Eastern that has a majority of their members leaving.

It's the church in Manitoba that kicked this whole thing off (can't remember the name) which has the majority of families leaving.

Some of the people I know leaving for sure are from the following congregations

miners village
honey brook
waterloo
owasco lake
little falls

Ernie wrote:

ohio jones wrote:

YorkandAdams wrote: Appalachian Mountain Church wants a more consistent application of standards over the internet issue.

Just getting started and already nicknamed.

I noticed that also.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

It's not like anyone from Appalachian Mountain Church is going to see it.

Hats Off wrote:

YorkandAdams wrote:
Rumor was Meadow Springs (the group that pulled out of Weaverland) might give oversight temporarily to ordain a bishop, but I'm not sure what the plan is for them. They also feel that Eastern has slipped on enforcement of standards quite a bit. They want consistency in enforcement, more of a hardline approach.

I thought Eastern was hardline - we think CMCO seems hardline but they were not hardline enough for Eastern. I could certainly see Meadow Springs supporting them, if for no other reason than to help legitimize themselves. I just finished reading Peter Hoover's "Secret of the Strength." He has about as much use for all these divisions as Valerie does. Makes you wonder, couldn't we just get along?

I just talked to someone today, who happens to be a lot closer to this thing than I am. Bishop support will not be coming from Meadow Springs. Three bishops from Nationwide are going to give oversite. Sorry for the confusion.

To be fair to those leaving, Eastern has been suffering for a while under top-down authority; specifically, some bishops have decided to use Internet in their businesses without their congregation first affirming limited business Internet use.

I don’t fault the membership at all for deciding they want consistency from their leadership.

Ernie wrote:

Hats Off wrote: I just finished reading Peter Hoover's "Secret of the Strength." He has about as much use for all these divisions as Valerie does. Makes you wonder, couldn't we just get along?

1. We are all willing to part ways with certain others who profess themselves to be Christian. I do think there comes a time when this is necessary.
2. Divisions like this have to do with the perceived direction a group is headed, not the specific issues themselves.
3. Some folks are willing to part ways on doctrinal issues. Others on practical issues. Sometimes I fear it has just as much or more to do with leadership issues.
4. I agree that we should just "all get along" but I wouldn't be caught saying that in certain places. I do have parameters. I felt this might be a safe place to express this frustration.Those considerably more progressive than me would wish that I could say this among them, just like we wish the Easterns and Application Mountain folks would say that among us. How true!
5. I definitely feel like there could be greater respect among all conservative Anabaptists.

It makes me feel sick - we solve disagreements and misunderstandings by having another split.

ken_sylvania wrote:

Hats Off wrote:is volleyball out at Eastern?

Not totally. Just its considered more of a school or family game. They do not want to encourage a "play mentality" among their youth.

Curious - Is this "play mentality" meaning they consider this environment should be focused on work and not play or does this mean something else ?

Hats Off wrote: It makes me feel sick - we solve disagreements and misunderstandings by having another split.

this reminds me of a general unresolved question i’ve had for some time. i wonder what you might think?
Jesus was born into a Jewish family, attended synagogue.
He did not arrive to assimilate.

could it be that Christians have an internal core of ever-seeking? hopefully, ever-seeking to be more Christlike. obviously, often missing the mark. but, that compelling desire to “leave, and, follow Him?”

Jesus did not come to make us comfortable. but, He offers peace, to those who follow Him.
not peace for all. peace for those who follow Him.

how can this not result in divides of some description?
of course, what we have seems to be divides of every description!

i do wonder.

i often read from Catholics quite harsh criticism of the many varying Protestant groups/denoms.
possibly this has made me wonder about how all this splitting began.

so far, i come up with, it began with Jesus in synagogues.

Some of this seems inevitable - it just seems to be too much. (until, of course, when I have THE ANSWER and most don't agree with me then I will cause the next division.

Sudsy wrote:Curious - Is this "play mentality" meaning they consider this environment should be focused on work and not play or does this mean something else ?

There was a evening message given on the importance of sobriety during one's youth at Bible School. One of the points was that there is no where in scripture that suports the theory of sowing wild oats. When someone becomes a christian, the carnal self has to be destroyed and the new self must be embraced (or something along those lines). Since many youth join the church in their mid teens, this eliminates the vast major for being eligible for a youth group (most youth groups all people who are 16 or older). They should (in theory) want to be spending time edifying the Lord in there activities. Singing songs of praise to the Lord, working hard, spending time with their family. The Eastern view is that they should be grown up and responsible well before they are ready to get married.

Sudsy wrote:

ken_sylvania wrote:

Hats Off wrote:is volleyball out at Eastern?

Not totally. Just its considered more of a school or family game. They do not want to encourage a "play mentality" among their youth.

Curious - Is this "play mentality" meaning they consider this environment should be focused on work and not play or does this mean something else ?

I am assuming that by "this environment" you are referring to the Bible School environment.
They want the Bible School environment to be focused on spiritual growth, learning and enrichment. Activities such as singing together or having cottage meetings for elderly or shut-in people are considered to be more spiritually productive than participating in sports.
The "play mentality" has to do with a culture that can develop where youth (and adults) are heavily focused on having fun times with their peers. Some examples would be where it's easier to get together a group of young people for a volleyball game than for a local street meeting, or where a bee to split and stack firewood for an elderly neighbor 'has' to be followed by a snack and games in order to encourage participation. It's not felt that life has to be all church or work, but that leisure activities should be such that they don't dampen the appetite for spiritual things or service opportunities.