CHURCH POWER STRUCTURES came into existence early in the history of the Christian church. Even in the New Testament, John in his third epistle mentions one, Diotrophes by name, who loved to have the preeminence, who would not receive the brethren, also forbidding them that would and casting them out of the church.    In Revelation 2:6 and 13 Christ speaks of a people whom He calls, "Nicolaitans."   Much speculation has been made as to who they really were but Jesus plainly states that He hates their deeds and He hates their doctrines, Smith's Bible Dictionary says of them, "The teachers of the church branded them with a name which expressed their true character," I believe this to be true, for the word, nicolaitan, means to rule over or to oppress the people.

     It was only a short time after John's day until the churches of the larger cities were ruling over the churches round about them, their pastors having become wealthy, now ruled like little kings.   The religion of the Nicolaitans was in full power.    It was this Nicolaitan type of Christian church with its fast developing power structure that eagerly seized the opportunity of becoming a state religion having united together at first loosely under the name Catholic, meaning Universal.    They then all turned with one accord against those over whom they could not rule determined to destroy them by slander, by exile and even by death.   Is it any wonder that the Savior said He hated the doctrines and deeds of the Nicolaitans?    That the true churches of Christ ever at any time identified with them is more than I can believe.   His churches were rather those who had to flee to the mountains and the caves, maintaining their worship in secrecy.

     A THOUSAND YEARS LATER, when protesters In the Catholic Church were at last able to break free and set up their church organizations, they one and all set up power structures more or less like the Catholic from which they had come.   The only ones among them at that time who had no power structures were the lowly and despised Anabaptists, who in some mysterious way began to appear in many parts of Europe as soon as a semblance of religious liberty was permitted.   One and all, these Anabaptists held strongly to the autonomy and independence of the local congregation and the perfect equality among members.   They had no princes to rule over them, only Jesus Christ.    In 1560 Cardinal Hosius said of the Anabaptists, "There have been none for these twelve hundred years past that have been more generally punished."   This takes them back to the very beginning of the Catholic Church, proving that there were those who didn't join in that great power structure.

     One commentator on Anabaptist history declared them to be the miracle of the ages, having been able to survive such persecution for over a thousand years, yet without any uniting organization or central head.   He made the same error that most people make when they look down upon despised Baptist churches as weak because they are not members of one of the big power structures.   They do not understand that the strength of the true churches of Christ is Christ Himself.

     When New Testament churches later began to be called "Baptist," they still held tenaciously to the principles of independence and autonomy of the local church in all its work, However as time went by they began to look round about at the other churches with their big power structures to rule over them, and they began to say, "Let us Baptists make us a great power structure like the other churches round about," So they did, and they did and they did many times.    We are reminded of Israel in Samuel's day, when they said to him, "Make us a king to judge us like all the nations."

     God comforted Samuel and said, "They have not rejected thee but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." (I Samuel 8:7)   In like manner Baptists have forsaken Jesus Christ to build them power structures like the apostate churches round about.   And of course they have built a great many of them.    The name means nothing.   Whenever churches unite together in an organization as a continuing body over the churches, to which they commit their Great Commission responsibilities, and which they support together as one, then it is a power structure.   It may be called an association, convention, fellowship, conference or something else, so don't be deceived by the name.

     THERE ARE CERTAIN NATURAL LAWS under which power structures work, and these laws are not from the Bible.   The main law of every power structure is:   Do anything necessary to protect the structure and to extend its power and growth.   When this law is applied it results in the following policies being carried out.

     1. Develop a great pride among preachers and churches in the power structure. (Pride and glory in Christ are secondary.)

     2. Continually preach the doctrine that in cooperation (unity) there is power. (Thus ecumenicalism is a necessary end of all power structures.   Jesus said "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.")

     3. Keep competition going between, the churches for growth in numbers and in giving to the power structure. (Spiritual growth or born again membership means nothing to a power structure.)

     4. Reward the successful with high positions and great honor in the power structure.

     5. Gradually ease up on any narrow doctrines or strict practices that hinder the fast growth of the power structure.

     6. Watch for any criticism and down grade.

     7. Smoothly ease out of any position and in the end out of the organization anyone who is critical or a "trouble maker."

     8. Where there is rebellion or strong opposition, be ready to fight it with slander and defamation of character, making sure the members of the power structure get only the approved report, (All news media is of course controlled by the power structure or its faithful servants,)

     9. Wherever possible make power structure converts of other preachers and churches through flattery and enticing offers, but if unsuccessful be merciless to destroy.

     10. When a power structure becomes evil enough there will be no limits to its persecution of those who will not bow to its authority.   (When founded, the Jesuit Order is said to have taken the stand that it is right to do evil, if good, the protection and promotion of the church, is the end result.   "The end justifies the means."   There is no power structure that will not, if necessary, take the same stand.   It is certain that in most church power structures there are many individuals to whom these policies are quite repugnant.   They are honest and sincere followers of Christ, but they are blind to the nature of the beast they serve, or their own love for the beast has made them unable to see.

     Jesus said plainly, "Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. BUT IT SHALL NOT BE SO AMONG YOU." (Matt. 20:25-26) Among true Baptist churches there is no "clergy" or "laity." All are equal. Pastors are not rulers over the people but their servants. Peter, whom the Catholics claim was their first pope, teaches this: "The elders which are among you I exhort} who am also an elder ...Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre(money), but of a ready mind; neither as being Lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock." (I Peter 5:1-3) Elders therefore are NOT lords in the church.

     Certainly there is no room for man-made power structures Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matt. 13:20) So even the smallest church has Jesus in its midst. He said, "But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren." (Matt. 23:8.)   Jesus gave His church the Great Commission saying, "All power is given unto me in heaven, and in earth.   Go ye therefore."

     The greatest power structure ever set up by man falls far short of that power that Jesus has.

     Jesus told. His church. "Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with POWER FROM ON HIGH." (Luke 24:49) The "power from on high" came into the church on the day of Pentecost. There was divine power in the midst of the church.   There was divine wisdom in the midst of the church. There was divine guidance in the midst of the church.   There was supernatural communication between each local church and the ONE HEADQUARTERS in heaven and with Christ who is "head over all things to the church." This was all the power structure necessary to preserve those tiny, faithful churches in mountain hideaways through the long years of the dark ages and persecution.   Afterward when so many of them suddenly appeared men were surprised, for there was no visible organization over them as the Catholics had "How could they survive?" they asked.

     Cannot men see that when a local church joins itself to a human power structure it has turned its back upon Christ and His express commands, it has turned to the deceptive strength of the visible presented to it by Satan and has abandoned the real power that God alone provides.   It has turned to a system where men are placed in high positions and are glorified instead of Christ. It has left the one Master for another. Jesus says plainly, "No man can serve two masters," (Matt. 6:24)

     I would rather remain with the few old fashioned churches that fellowship together in the Holy Spirit's leadership with no earthly power structure where even small churches can and do send missionaries to the far parts of the earth by faith in a Great Master.   These missionaries are led of the Holy Spirit and honor no master but Jesus Christ.   They are supported direct from the churches as the Holy Spirit leads with no middle-man between them and the missionary.   This is the New Testament way, and it is pretty much the stamp of a New Testament Church.   What kind of a church is yours?

Milton, FL

Bro. & Sr. Wiley Cameron

Photo courtesy of:
Kathy Green-Nichols
Rebekah Home for Girls 1977-1981

Wiley Cameron, Sr,, age 8o, of Eatonton, Georgia passed away at
an Atlanta hospital on December 25, 2009.

Wiley Cameron and his wife Faye worked with Brother, Lester Roloff, for 35 years in Corpus Christi, Texas, in the City of Refuge Ministries.   He assumed leadership of the ministry and became pastor of Peoples Baptist Church where he served for many years after Brother Roloff's death in 1982.

After their retirement, the Camerons moved to Eatonton, Georgia, to be closer to their children and families.    A celebration of his life will be held at Grace Baptist Church in Eatonton, Ga. on Wednesday, December 30th at 1:00 p.m. with Pastor Chris Webb officiating.   The family will receive friends on Tuesday, December 29th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Vining Ivy Hill Chapel in Eatonton, Ga.

Survivors include his wife, Marion Faye Cameron of Eatonton, Ga.; son Wiley (Carla), Cameron, Jr. of Eatonton, Ga.; daughters, Patsy Cameron of Lithia Springs, Ga.; Genie (David) Smith of Augusta, Ga.; Alice (Tom) Ptak, of Milledgeville, Ga.; eleven grandchildren; eighteen great-grandchildren.

Contact information for both the church and funeral home is listed below.

Grace Baptist Church
Pastor Chris Webb
P. O. Box 3956, Hwy. 44
Eatonton, GA 31024
(706) 485-5895

Vining Ivy Hill Chapel
105 Lower Harmony Road
Eatonton, GA 310124-6022
(706) 485-4144

Thank you for your prayers and support
Jim Fellure, VBP Director

Emmaus, PA

     I just received word that Bro. Milton Martin was taken to the hospital with an irregular heart beat.   In the process of running tests, the doctors discovered that he also has leukemia.   They will be performing a bone scan to determine what stage the leukemia is in. Please pray for wisdom for the doctors and strength and peace for Bro. Martin at this time.

I just talked with my mother and they are expecting Dad to return home Friday morning the first.   The heart shock therapy worked well and he is hoping to get a good night's rest.   The prognosis on the leukemia is that it is one of the least aggressive types and that he should be able to deal with it for the moment.   We will try to update more as soon as he gets home.

Letters To The Editor

To whom it may concern:

I wanted to let you know that Brother Wiley Cameron passed 
away on 12/25/2009.

Kathy Nichols
Friend and former Singer of the Honey Bee Quartet. 1977-1980
                          ~~~~~~~
Dear Sister Kathy,

Thank you for letting us know.

The Editor

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