In God We Trust
As announced last month, the Rhomberg and Washington Sts. church will soon (we hope by Mar.6) move into our new building at the corner of Oak St. and First; and will be known as the OAKS-WEST CHURCH OF CHRIST, of Burnet. To better acquaint you with our work, we will use this space in the next two or three issues of Plain Talk.
The R. &W. church of Christ had her beginning Sept. 17, 1961 when former members of the Vanderveer St. church (including three elders and one deacon from there) found it necessary to establish a new congregation. (Details are clearly set forth in a booklet, "The Church Belonging To Christ" which has had wide distribution in Burnet, and will be sent to all who request it now.)
This congregation purchased a small brick building, remodeled some rooms for Bible classes, installed a baptistry air-conditioning, etc., to provide facilities for God's work; and have enjoyed four peaceful and fruitful years of service to God. The Burnet work has been completely self-supported, including support and housing allowance for evang.
Robert F. Turner, editor of Plain Talk. in addition, this congregation assists a native preacher in Mexico, and two other preachers in difficult fields in the USA.
The R. &W. congregation, and the OAKS-WEST church which follows it, operated as a completely independent, autonomous church of Christ. We have no denominational allegiance with any other "churches "; and do our God-assigned work without the "aid"(?) of human societies, institutions, or any organized functions larger or smaller than the independent local church. We have not found ourself hampered in any scriptural work by this obviously scriptural arrangement.
We have conducted extensive radio work, newspaper advertisement, local and nation-wide mailing program, and supported our evangelist in meetings in places that could not support him. PLAIN TALK is one example of a teaching project which we fully support.
These things are said not to boast, for we realize we have fallen short of our potential; but to indicate what an independent church can do by scaling her activity to her ability -- remaining the independent church God intended each church to be. There is no need -- and certainly no scriptural justification -- for the money-pooling "sponsoring church" arrangements so attractive to many churches of Christ today. We thank God for past blessings, and press toward tomorrow.