The Body of Christ

Men and brethren, greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Regarding the question who's in the body of Christ, here are my thoughts.

The phrase "the body of Christ" has been used among us to describe those who have a common belief, that around the turn of the 20th century God began to pour out his spirit in a way not previously experienced since the time of the early church. Around the same time, people with this common experience would gather holding worship services. In these gatherings God began to raise up leaders, men with obvious gifts ministering to the people. Bro. William Sowders was one of these men. From Bro. Sowders and others working together came the understanding that God was calling people together to restore what once had been in the early church.

God began to reveal many wonderful truths that marked and separated this gathering of people. The phrase "the body of Christ" was used by the apostle Paul to describe the church functioning under the head ship of Christ (1st cor. 12). This understanding caused our spiritual forefathers to reject organized religion. Believing that in order for Christ to be the head, men (God called ministers) must remain free to be lead by the spirit. It continues to be my conviction that ministers and laotie alike are to follow the leading of the spirit and allow Christ to be the head of his body. This would be a critical part of the answer to the question who is in the body of Christ.

Over governing the lives of those in the body of Christ causes someone else to be the head and not Christ. This does not negate the fact that God has placed in the body leaders, ministers who's job is to feed, guide and protect those placed under there care. And we are to know them which are over us in the Lord, obey and honor them. Some people's idea of being under the headship of Christ means they are to be their own head deciding what is good and evil. I believe this to be the same spirit that caused the first man Adam to sin.(Rom.13:1-8, 1st Cor.14:32, 1st Peter 5:1-6) These show a spirit of humility, calling for submission to one another, the younger and the elder.

Not programing or over governing the worship services was also a very important understanding that God gave our forefathers. The phrase "watch the spirit"was used and even posted in many churches encouraging people to be lead by the spirit. These are some earmarks that accompany those in the body of Christ. I think it important to understand that the restoration of the church (the body of Christ) is not yet complete. Therefore, being "in the body" is relative to what the head of the body has called for you to do or know. Clearly the call to have faith towards God through Jesus for the remission of sin is the beginning of every ones relationship with God. This faith would come by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

How can a man hear with out a preacher and how can he preach unless he is sent (Rom 10). This would continue to be the case for all who are in the body of Christ. As the head of the body leads you into greater understanding through the hearing of the word, we would respond to that leading. Christ must be the head of his body! That is not to say that every one who does not receive what I believe to be the truth has rejected the leading of the spirit and therefore is not in the body. Judge nothing before the time! (1st Cor. 4:5) I do believe that time will show that our hearts are not right if we are presented with truth and we won't respond. However, God has great patience and works with us all in amazing ways to bring us to where he wants us to be. So we who have heard the preaching of our God ordained forefathers and have responded to the leading of the spirit of the head of the body are in the body. We have been blessed to hear and to have responded to Repentance, water baptism and Holy Ghost baptism.

The call to overcome, to come to the threshing floor and rebuild the temple (restore the church, become the perfect representation of Jesus, be the cloud that Christ returns in,) etc., etc., etc. Those who have not heard these messages but are responding to what they are hearing and are under the headship of Christ. Who can say they are not in the body? We know that the time will come that the call to "come out of her my people" will go out and will include a come into him message if they are truly under the headship of Christ then they will respond. And maybe some of us who have been hearing the word of God and receiving great revelation will reject the voice of the head of the body and will be unjust and wind up spiritually in death, hell or the sea!

Clearly this people who have heard the early teaching of Bro. Sowders and others, now for 100 years and continued in the faith keeping our services open for all to participate under the leading of the holy ghost and preserved a threshing floor where men could preach and teach there conviction and endeavored to keep the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace until we come to the unity of the faith and are gathering to gather even now on a regular bases is as close to a corporate representation the body of Christ as I have seen. If there are others that hold these earmarks then surely they are also apart of the body of Christ!