Major Controversial Issues of the 20th Century

I. Bible Classes

A. Whether it was scriptural for a church to have Bible classes was discussed just after 1900. B. The fundamental cause of this issue is a failure on the part of those who oppose the Bible class arrangement to recognize general authority and the law of expediency, a belief that there must be specific authority for all things. C. This issue was more serious in Texas than anywhere else mostly because two early Texas colleges, Lockney and Gunter, were operated by those who opposed Bible classes. D. Ultimately, a great majority of the churches accepted Bible classes as a valuable expedient but a tiny minority have continued to regard such classes as unscriptural.

II. Premillennialism

A. The question of premillennialism was first raised in 1914-1915 when R.H. Boll began teaching it in his front page editorials in the Gospel Advocate.

1. He was dropped from the Advocate staff but in 1916 became editor of Word and Work where he continued to present the premillennial view.
2. His views precipitated a stormy controversy which plagued the church for 20 years.

B. Two milestones in the premillennial controversy.

1. A written debate between Boll and H. Leo Boles (1928).
2. An oral debate between Foy E. Wallace and Charles M. Neal (1933).

C. Foy E. Wallace led the struggle against premillennialism in the church and, more than any other preacher, was responsible for its ultimate rejection. D. Louisville, Kentucky was, and continues to be, the center of brotherhood premillennialism.

III. The War Question

A. The question whether a Christian can take life in the military service of his country, though a frequent topic of debate among churches of Christ, has not been made a test of fellowship leaving the final answer to the individual’s conscience. B. David Lipscomb’s pacifism continued to have strong influence even through the World War I era when most periodical articles stated that Christians could not bear arms. C. In 1926, of 450 preachers who responded to the survey question, “Do you believe that a Christian can scripturally take human life in war?”, there were only 24 who responded “yes.” D. During World War II, a sharper division appeared.

1. The Bible Banner took the view that a Christian could accept military service.
2. During both world wars, most Christian men disregarded pacifism in the pulpit and served in the armed forces. The “conscientious objector” was the exception and not the rule.

IV. Church Cooperation, Institutionalism and the Social Gospel

  A. Beginning in the 1930’s but coming to the forefront in the late 1940’s, 1950’s and even into the 1960’s, the most serious issue that churches of Christ faced in this century is church cooperation, institutionalism and the social gospel.

1. Many debates have been held, churches have divided, and fellowship has been broken.
2. This is the most serious division, in relation to numbers, that churches of Christ have suffered.

B. A definition of terms.

1. Church cooperation, i.e., the sponsoring church arrangement. A church and its eldership assumes oversight of other churches in all or part of their work.
2. Institutionalism. The support of human institutions such as orphan homes, colleges, hospitals, etc., from the church treasury.
3.  The social gospel. The use of recreation and unlimited general benevolence as evangelistic tools.

C. This issue, as with that of the missionary society, is a question of whether or not the church, as ordained by God, is sufficient to do the work God has given it to do. D. Many think the division this issue has caused is just over the support of orphan homes from the church treasury, just as some think the only difference with the Christian Church is instrumental music, but much more is involved. E. The difference is a basic approach to Biblical authority. Those supporting these views use as their authority such principles as:

1. The authority of silence.
2.  “The end justifies the means.”
3.  “There is no difference between the individual Christian and the church.”

F. The testimony of Floyd A. Decker illustrates the institutional church has embraced practices and doctrines that were unknown among those who adhered to the restoration principle of speaking “where the Bible speaks” and being “silent where it is silent.”

1. Decker was the “pastor” of the Murrell Boulevard Christian Church in Paducah, Kentucky.
2. In 1930 he heard J. Petty Ezell preach on the differences between the Christian Church and the church one can read of in the Bible. Moved by a love for the truth, he left the Christian Church.
3. In 1944, he wrote an article titled, “Why I Left the Christian Church” which appeared in Unity Forum. (See page 53) a. In the article he mentioned 13 reasons for breaking ties with the Christian Church. b. Today, all of these things are practiced by some churches of Christ. 1) If these were being practiced by churches of Christ in 1930, do you think Floyd Decker would have left the Christian Church? 2) Many of the churches of Christ which have embraced these practices are continuing on the path of digression and are close to accepting instrumental music in their worship (some are already justifying clapping while singing with the same reasoning the Christian Church uses to justify instrumental music in their services). c. His article shows that these “progressive” churches are teaching a doctrine that is new, originates with men and is foreign to Scripture.