63rd Street Christian Congregation

Billy Bob and Church Control Billy Bob Bookme
Cutem Off Church
1-800-CUT M OFF
BillyBobBookme@RideTheFence.com

Hello, Billy Bob coming at you.
I was talking to my uncle Billy on dad's side about furthering my preaching career. I want to be a circuit preacher. Well I haven't been booking as many meetings as I desire so I talked this over with uncle Bill. Bill said, "we can start a special meeting in July, or at New Year, or Labor Day. We will invite all the Cutthem Off Churches to attend. There is the Narrow Cutthem Off church, Straight church, Conservative, Moderate, Liberal, Only True, the Faithful Cutthem Off church and in one city the Cutthem Off church has split about five times and there are a couple of the churches there that claim to be the strongest of the five." Uncle Bill went on to say, "we shouldn't have any trouble getting an audience and this would give you an opportunity to audition your talents and maybe book some meetings." I said to uncle Bill, "would you do all that for me?" He replied, "not exactly just for you but I also have an interest in these possibilities, let me explain." "Billy Bob you know your uncles on your mom's side are no exception on the marriage question but believe in women cutting their hair, Christmas celebration, and women wearing pants. Well I'm sick of their liberalism and false doctrine and have a plan to address it. If I created a brotherhood paper, had a special big meeting, and even created a church address book to include all the faithful Cutthem Off churches we could use this to our advantage.

Most of the brethren would believe this was just an aid to further the gospel or keep the brethren informed and that would be true to a degree but the underlining benefit would be to control those liberals and those uncles of yours teaching that no exception false doctrine." "Here is how I think it would work." "We would let all faithful brethren submit articles to the paper but if we disagreed with one of the brethren we wouldn't allow him to write in the paper thus sending a signal to all that this brother is unfaithful. We could do the same with the directory or even keep some from preaching at this big meeting we are thinking of starting. We could even omit whole congregations." "You see Billy Bob, this would enable us to control what is going on in the Cutthem Off churches and keep the church pure. Also Billy I'll see to it that you preach on Saturday night because that's the largest crowd and you can showcase your talents."

Well, after listening to my uncle Bill I asked, "how will you determine who is faithful and who is not? Where will you draw the line of fellowship? How will you determine what issues are important enough to cut off someone and which are not? Will you continue to fellowship mom's brothers who are no exception? Will you offer any Bible verses to support what you are planning on doing?"

Well, to this my uncle Bill responded, "I have thought about these questions and have decided that since me and my brother Bob are starting the meeting, the paper, and address book, we should be the ones who decide who gets used and who gets cut off."

I said, "isn't that just "picking and choosing" or being arbitrary about the matter?" He said, "yes, I guess you could look at it that way but I have been around the Cutthem Off churches for a long time and believe I know what is best for all of us!"

I said, "uncle Bill, I do want to preach the circuit and your offer sounds good but there is something about it that just sounds "un Biblical." "There is no Bible teaching that allows you to do what you are talking about with this "control and cutting off the brethren." We have always practiced "unity in diversity" on the Christmas, women wearing pants, differences on the eldership, and divorce and remarriage. Why do you want to start cutting off the brethren you disagree with on these subjects now?"

Uncle responded, "son I know I'm not consistent on these issues but I think it will make the church more holy."

I sure do want to be a circuit preacher and I guess down in my heart I know what I'll have to do to make it work. I hate being inconsistent and mistreating brethren in the Cutthem Off churches but "no one is perfect" and if a brother or a congregation gets cut off it's thier problem not mine. I think my main job should be to protect my preaching career! I know God would want me to do that!

Billy Bob Bookme
Billy Bob Bookme