Who are We: A Gathering Dedicated to Removing Stumbling Blocks to the Way of Christ
- Causes no one to stumble
- Raises funds for foster youth and transition-age foster young adults
- Raises funds for orphan and adoption programs
- Raises funds for caregiving options, especially for widows
- Raises funds for Christ-Minded, Biblically Based schools, and ministries
- Uplifts the upright to have significant influence in society as a blessing to it
For, in Matthew 18:20 NKJV, Jesus Spoke, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." And in Proverbs 11:11 NKJV, "By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted, But it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked."
And in 2 Corinthians 3:4-6, Paul tells us is we are sufficient as stewards of the new covenant; it is the Spirit of Christ, not the letter of the law. It reads, "And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."
So we come together in the name of the Lord with the same Spirit of teaching, peacemaking, and leading as the Apostle Paul. We come in the name of wisdom that leads to understanding through the Proverbs. And as we come in the name of their authors, we focus on getting to know who they are and what they meant by the words they often use that need to be clearly understood.
We use Paul's language to be careful not to cause anyone to stumble, as he dedicated his life to. We get to know Paul first because he implores us to imitate him. He is God's blameless example of a follower of the Way to an intimate, personal relationship with God. And we heed the Word of God not to have anything against our brother, lest He judges us by the same measure we judged.
In Luke 6:42 (NKJV), Jesus asks, "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye. And in Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus commands us, "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."
We call ourselves Disciples of Jesus Christ, not Christians. We have nothing against the Saints identifying as Christian except hypocrites. We work here to free ourselves from our hypocrisy and then to rebuke theirs, careful to cause no one to stumble. We are using the precise language of Paul: to refer to ourselves as Disciples of the Lord and all who follow the Way as our Brethren of Saints. And as we stick to Paul's language, we avoid the word Christian as he does, merely disciplining the Way to an intimate relationship with the source of all that is good, free of all Elders, exempt tax status, collection plates, and pews that corrupt.
We also reject sectarianism and distance ourselves from the distinction of Christianity with the authority of Jesus, as He forbids sectarianism and welcomes all on His side to heal and preach the Gospel. As Luke 9:49 NKJV says, "Now John answered and said, 'Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.' But Jesus told him, "Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side."
So, not Christians, but we are Brethren of Saints, taught by Disciples in the Ministry of the Saints and led by the wisdom of God expressed through his Apostles and Devine inspiration of the Gospel and New Testament authors. We look to the Word of God and each other, not the Church, to discern the meaning and edifying paths of those who seek wisdom and have understanding, the upright in our society, and bring our bodies into line with our spirit, placing it under subjection, to avoid hypocrisy and all that disqualifies us from the prize, treasure stored up in heaven, being sure to not cause anyone to stumble, in a shared journey of faith.
We follow the Way covered by the sacrifice of Christ that gives us eternal life, the forgiveness of all sin (past, present and future), and covers us in the Glory of Jesus Christ that redeems us from original sin, the fall of man, and the ugliness of the sin in our flesh so that we may fulfill Christ greatest commandments and the Great Commission.
Jesus responded to the question of which is the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:36-40 - NKJV "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
And the Great Commission is given to us by Jesus in Matthew 28:19 NKJV, as Jesus commissions us to "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
We consider supporting any Christ-minded, Biblically-based school or mission. But we focus our fundraising on where the fatherless end up far too often and with the statical chances of grave harm through the foster care system, homelessness, substance abuse, and prison. For in Isaiah 1:16-17 NKJV the Lord says of a people that have fallen from His grace, the way to restore His favor is not prayer but specific action "When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow." As such, to restore the nation, we are a ministry of action in the ways above, not one of prayer and holding out our hands.
Finally, we are not a non-profit. Jesus commands us to pay taxes, so we serve only one Master, God. In Luke 20, 21-25, Jesus teaches us, "Then they asked Him, saying, 'Teacher, we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth: Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?' But He perceived their craftiness, and said to them, "Why do you test Me? Show Me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?" They answered and said, "Caesar's. And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." Also, in Matthew 6:24, Jesus admonishes us to avoid masters, including ones that would limit our speech and stewardship of His treasure, such as non-profit tax code; Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
For this reason, we are self-sufficient and pay our way by selling taxable goods and services, as Paul made his way as a tentmaker.
God bless,
Haile Edward Clay