Please tell us more about this Church!
What would you like to know? Just ask questions, and I will attempt to answer them.
How would I find this Church (if there were one in my area)?
And what must I believe to join?
I can believe in UR?
What if I believe in the Trinity?
What if I’m Binitarian?
Would I have to be a Modelist (or Arian)?
Could I be premillenialist?
Would I have to be baptized again?
How would I find this Church (if there were one in my area)?
I’m sorry but I don’t know where you can find one. To the best of my knowledge there is no record of all the churches anywhere. Someone else (or was it you) asked me this question. So I emailed the secretary, who is also one of the leading brethren. He did not respond.
And what must I believe to join?
There is no such thing as joining one of these local assemblies. They are expressions of the only church that there is, and they recognize that there may be other expressions of the Church. If you make it known that you are a disciple of Christ, that is, a Christian, you will have full privileges of fellowship and may exercise your ministry whether it be speaking, or singing, or praying, or prophesying.
I can believe in UR?
I don’t know anyone in any of the churches of the group who do not believe in the ultimate reconcilation of all to God. So if you believe this, they would be pleased that you came to this understanding.
What if I believe in the Trinity?
Most of the people in these churches and possibly all of the leading brethren believe in the Trinity. But theological beliefs are not a condition for fellowship.
What if I’m Binitarian?
You wouldn’t be rejected on that account. I myself am not a Trinitarian.
Would I have to be a Modelist (or Arian)?
Nope. There may be a few modalists in the group since the group came into existence through a special moving of the Spirit of God in a Pentecostal Bible School, but I am not aware of any. I doubt that there are any Arians at all.
Could I be premillenialist?
The group in general are post-tribulation premillenialists .
Would I have to be baptized again?
No. The group recognizes as baptism those were in the denominational churches, and have been immersed. I am not sure whether or not they would suggest baptism for those whose form of “baptism” was affusion or aspersion.
Wow!!!
THANK YOU.
This should be of interest to everyone here.
I (for one) had no idea such groups existed.
THANK YOU!!!
I think it is hard to find “Christian” Universlism churches. I have yet to know of any in my area, if I did I would sure go and visit for sure. Perhaps it depends on where you live, I live in a very legalistic religious town…SIGH! …Very close minded… 
OK Paidion, I would like to have a time of fellowship with you and your ekklesia next Lord’s Day. What is the address and time of fellowship, I in 
You sound like the Plymouth Brethren, the early years 
(but with a little b, they’re so humble you know 
), but I know that they DO NOT believe in UR. But at least they know where in the next town is an Assembly of Believers that gather under the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ alone, with NT Principle and Practices so that any Believer may have fellowship and Break Bread as they travel. What’s the big secret?
If they have conferences as you mentioned in an earlier post, they must know how to contact the other fellowships, to pass around the news of their plans. You have told us that there are fellowships in Canada, USA and in other parts of the world.
Come now brother Paidion, fess up.
Or maybe they are a secret society that you can only be invited to by another member? 
Secret handshake and all 
Come now Paidion… share 
Hey Paidion
Sounds very much like what we are trying to do here in Windsor with our humble little Byng Road Ekklesia House Church. All are welcome, we are UR friendly and we don’t bite . But we are from a Plymouth Brethren background.
There’s nothing to confess, Pilgrim. I have stated that I will share all I know of this expression of the Church (which is sometimes called “The Move”. Outsiders call it “The North Battleford Group” since it had its origin in North Battleford, Saskatchewan due to a special moving of the Holy Spirit in 1948 in which God restored the five-fold ministy to the Church.
As far as I know, there is no official list of churches. I do know that most of the churches are located outside of North America. I also know there is at least one church in the following locations:
Henry, Illinois
Omaha, Nebraska
High Point, North Carolina
Milwauki, Wisconsin
St. Louis, Missouri
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Montevideo, Minnesota
St. Charles, Illinois
Peoria, Illinois
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winkler, Manitoba
North Battleford, Saskatchewan
Yes, there are a few similarities between this circle of fellowship and the “Plymouth Brethren” (In my twenties, I fellowshipped with an assembly of PB). Here are the similarities:
- Communion every Sunday
- Body ministry
- No formal membership. Genuine Christians are recognized as members
- God is a trinity
Here are some of the differences:
-
NB: post-tribulation, PB: pre-tribulation
-
NB: A brother appointed by the elders “opens” or begins the meeting, usually with group singing. When he is finished the meeting is open to anyone to minister, both sisters and brothers.
PB: The meeting is open for body ministry right from the start. Only brothers may minister in this way. Sisters are to be silent except in group singing. -
NB: The churches are under the authority of the leading brethren, also known as “apostles”. God restored the church in 1948.
PB: The churches are independent, and are governed by the local elders. The Church is presently in a state of ruin. -
NB: Ideally, the Lord will reveal a theme for the meeting.
PB: Every Sunday morning meeting is a gathering to worship and praise Jesus for His sacrifice.
5: NB:The elements of the communion are wine and unleavened bread.
PB: The elements of the communion are wine and leavened bread.
-
NB: The communion is mostly separate from the rest of the meeting. Only elders give thanks for the bread and wine.
PB: The communion is central to the whole meeting. Any brother may give thanks for the bread or the wine as the Spirit leads. -
NB: Anyone present may take communion
PB: 1.(open brethren) If there are visitors, the elders talk to them as they enter, and try to determine whether they are Christians. If they think the visitors are true Christians, they are invited to participate fully. If they think not, the visitors are ushered to a bench in the back to which the bread and wine are not passed — but neither is the collection bag! -
(tight brethren) The only people who are permitted to participate in the communion are those who have applied to the elders for fellowship.
-
(exclusive brethren). I have heard that it is almost impossible to participate. I do not know the logistics.
-
NB: It is believed that all people will be eventually reconciled to God.
PB: It is believed that many people will be sentenced to endless, conscious, punishment in hell. -
NB: The gifts of the Spirit presently operate in the Church.
PB: The gifts of the Spirit ceased when the last book of the Bible was written.
Some Beliefs in which I differ from the NB group:
- I am non-Trinitarian
- I think that there are some factual errors in the Bible.
- I do not believe in the existence of a “soul” of “spirit” separate from the body, which goes to heaven or hell at death.
The NB group’s main publication is “The Sharon Star”. You can view it by clicking of the link below:
Greetings Paidon, I was reading through the Sharonstar statement of faith and I saw that it said that those that were filled with the Holy Spirit must show it by speaking in tongues. I grew up in the pentecostal church and growing up in that, the pressure was always very high to speak in tongues. I remember being a young teenager begging God to give me the gift of tongues. I remember being a young man begging God to give me the gift of tongues. It never did happen though I asked God thousands of times in my youth. I no longer have that urgency that I did in my youth, though I do, every once in a while, still tell God that he could give me that gift if He wanted to. What do you think about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit after your many years and experiences?
The General Lutheran Church is a UR Lutheran denomination.