It’s Official: Covenant Brethren Church

[steve-in-kville]

Some time ago, I started sketching out a "flow chart" of the various COB congregations local to me. Basically it was highlighting the characteristics between what would be considered a progressive congregation, mid-stream and of course, the conservative end.

The results? Multiple notebook pages of scratch that wouldn't make sense unless you were part of the COB and/or quite familiar with individual congregations. There was no reason or rhyme to anything.

[MaxPC]

Steve, would the conservative end of the COB departures tend to shy away from the CBC out of a desire to maintain more traditional Brethren practices such as close communions, some level of Plain dress, headcoverings, simpler styles of worship, less visible patriotism (such as flags), etc, etc, or would the dividing issues be more on a doctrinal level?

On the surface, that appears to be the go-to cover story. The two congregations that would be on the conservative end of my informal poll are dominated by two or three families that tend to "run things." I understand that has more to do than dress, worship styles, etc. Appears to be a control issue.

How little we learn from history, huh? I do wonder if the tendency toward such "control issues" (and I'm asking, not endorsing) might stem from a recognition of the consistent history of the COB at large to drift "left" over the last century and a half...?

Heir, that is certainly a valid observation based upon my experiences. The tendency to drift and rebel will certainly bring about the opposite reaction in those who value Biblical foundations and authority; part of that reaction will be the instinct to exert more control.