Braasch, Dennis

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MY BACKGROUND

I have been raised in “The Way” all of my life. I professed to serve GOD, in 1961 at Pulaski, Virginia convention when I was 9 years old. My grandparents professed in the 1920s. My parents, all of my aunts and uncles and all of my cousins and family professed / are professing.

My parents had meetings in their home from their early days and for as long as they were able. Sunday dinners were always full of friends and fellowship in our home. We always went to Gospel meetings if they were happening, not out of a duty, but out of Faith.

The “workers room” was always ready. Our workers stayed in our home very frequently.

Two of my mother’s sisters began in the work in 1942/1944 and labored in Norway beginning in 1947.  They served with joy and thankfulness, praying for us every “morning and night” as my Aunt Olga would tell us every time we saw her.

My sister and brother-in-law have had meeting in their home for decades and been an unwavering haven for the workers and friends.

Professing has never been a duty – It’s been a life of love for my family since my grandparents professed.

As most of us, we believed that we were following/living in a way that was pure, honest and honorable.

MESSAGE TO OUR WORKERS

I love and am very thankful for every worker who has served or is serving with sincerity, honesty, love and integrity for a day or for a lifetime.

I love am very thankful for every worker who has, through their life, demonstrated the power of God’s Spirit to feed and show us the true Fruit of the Spirit in the life they are living or have lived.

I am heartbroken by what the despicable behavior – of what we thought was a few but now appears to be many – has done to bring disgrace on the Way we and our families have loved giving our lives to. This despicable behavior includes all of the perpetrators and the ones who have and are still covering up / not proactively addressing this issue now and for decades past.

I love and am very thankful for each worker that has chosen to stand up and be heard in their disdain for the lack of focus on addressing the CSA/SA issues and the reluctance to correct doctrine that is false, i.e., exclusivity, history of the church, and other similar topics.

Workers that serve with sincerity, honesty, love and integrity and bring the presence of God’s Spirit are always welcome in my home.

WHAT I’M THINKING

I love the fellowship in our meetings, and I love our friends and workers who have a true love for God, His Son and His Spirit and are trying their best to serve God with integrity, in Love, Honesty and Sincerity. I will always search out fellowship with you because I need it. I am thankful for each of you.

At this point, and for the following reasons, I cannot continue to support the Way as it is:

  • Unwillingness of our Church (Leadership) to proactively discuss, address and correct the CSA/SA crisis in our church.
  • Unwillingness of our Church (Leadership) to be clear about key elements of our doctrine:
  • Exclusivity While some would like to keep silent on what is really believed, it is clear that exclusivity of the Way is a key element of the Doctrine today. If it is not, we should loudly and clearly revoke it.I do not believe this is scriptural and it is certainly not in alignment with what Jesus taught or what the Bible instructs.I cannot support or be associated with this belief any longer.
    • Foundation or beginning of the Way
      • It is clear that this Way was established in 1897 by John Long, William Irvine and others, not, as we have been taught, from the days of Christ.
      • The History of the Way is well documented including the beginnings of key elements of doctrine.
      • The key issue here is the Lack of Transparency with our history.  It would be easy to correct this, saying we are “patterned after” the early Christian church.
  • Ministry as the only way to God (Living Witness Doctrine LWD)
  • As I understand it, this LWD doctrine was adopted by William Irvine in 1907 and added as a key part of his belief system. It was not part of the initial group’s thinking as they started on their missions.
    • It seems like this is still in the background, if not the foreground of the Doctrine that is now being held onto.
    • This belief puts the workers between the friends and God, which we clearly know is not scriptural.
    •  It also, asserts/supports the idea that the Workers are “right, even if they are wrong” as some of the Overseers have recently stated.
  • Grace vs. Works
  • Clearly salvation comes from the Grace of God and the sacrifice / resurrection of his Son.
    • True works that God values, come as a result of Faith, Hope and a love to serve.
    • It has been eye-opening that it appears from recent discussions, many people in the Way have been taught to believe works are more important than the Grace of God through the sacrifice of His Son. In other words, salvation come from works, not God’s Grace.
    • As a fellowship, we need to clearly state and clarify what we believe here.
  • Some of these topics are taught clearly and some are not, but they are allowed to exist which is wrong and destructive.
  • Sister Workers
  • Often, sister workers seem to be treated like “second class” citizens or as “reporting to” the brother workers. I understand there is an order defined in the Bible that is the “thought basis” for this, however the feeling is often that the sisters “work for” the brothers.
    • There has been far too much abuse and demeaning of our sister workers over the years, many who are the most spiritually helpful in the fellowship.
    • There is (should be) a kindness in God’s family that treats everyone as “sister and brothers” with love and respect, “esteeming the other better than ourselves”. This often seems to be missing.
  • Unwritten Rules
  • We have so many un-written rules that have been established “by men” including dress, requirements for participation in meetings, requirements for baptism, etc.
    • We have different “levels of fellowship”: the good, the ok and the one’s that “profess but don’t possess”. These are all practices and judgements of men. This is destructive and definitely what Jesus warned us against.
  • Lack of Transparency in all things, including finances
    • It now appears most likely that there really are large sums of money in accounts controlled by the workers, even if they are in the name of some of the friends. It is not unreasonable to believe these accounts could total tens or hundreds of millions of dollars on a global basis.
    • How are they held and accounted for?
    • Are they being accounted for in accordance with the applicable laws in the countries they are held?
    • We should understand this as a Fellowship group and certainly not be in a position to be blindsided by another scandal.

I love the fellowship in our Fellowship. When we can be part of a Fellowship that is proactively addressing these issues and has removed the unsound doctrine, I want to and will gladly return. 

Until then, as I told our Overseer, I cannot and will not be connected with the lack of transparency, coverup and dishonesty that currently exists.

It goes against every basic moral teaching we have had since our youth.

PATH FORWARD FOR ME

God and His Son teach us to work for and to love peace and all the other fruit of the spirit.  I believe there are three options for me to consider:

  • To stay in the WAY and agitate/work for change.
    • This does not bring peace for anyone, and it is increasingly clear that there is no change coming on these issues.
  • To stay in the WAY and not agitate/work for change.
    •  This is unacceptable because there will not be ANY peace with this approach.
  • To step aside (or forward):
    • This is what God is asking me to do. It allows peace to return to my life and the life of each one that makes a different choice.
    • This choice allows me to spend my time and energy continuing to strengthen and deepen my relationship and to be a help to those that need it.
    • This is the choice I have made.

I love God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I love the teachings of the Bible. I love fellowship that comes directly with God and with all those who love him, in theWAY or not.

 I will continue to go to our Sunday and Wednesday meetings as long as I can, because I love the fellowship with those I meet with and because I have been welcomed into these meetings. I cannot in good conscience continue to go the Gospel meetings, Special Meetings or Conventions. I have also asked that the Union meeting be removed from my home beginning in February.

In addition to the Sunday and Wednesday meetings, I will host fellowship in my home for any that want to join me without the shackles of CSA/SA cover-up, exclusivity, lack of transparency and other unsound doctrine.

I love and am thankful for all of our friends, no matter what choice they make for themselves. It is clear we stand before Jesus in judgement as individuals. We will not be able to “blame” our walk on any other person. We will be accountable for what God has shown us and convinced us of individually.

For this reason, I must do what I believe God is directing me to do.

It is certainly clear that Jesus will be the judge of each of us. He will ensure peace and unity in his Father’s house through His judgement.

My responsibility is to be true to God in my service and a help and encouragement to those I have contact with.

I have come to believe that God may have a different direction for each of us but that this direction will work together in Unity for those that truly serve him.

I am here to support any that want my support and fellowship. I will actively do what I can to serve God with humility, honesty, love, integrity and transparency.

I am happy to discuss any of this with anyone who has an interest.

With Love and Care,

Denny [Dennis Braasch]
[South Carolina]