By Laura (Hooper) Bryan
Response to George Peterson foundation preface about the guidelines/policy of CSA in the Tri-State area of Arkansas- Oklahoma-Missouri:
To the Tri-State Worker Staff:
Thank you for showing concern for the present day situation we are facing. Much of it has not seemingly been our own doing but could be laid to our guilt by the way God sees it if we have/had knowledge and do/did nothing. God help us to go forward under the strong guidance of His Holy Spirit.
I do have somewhat against what was written in your email, however. This comes from a place in my heart of sadness and not of anger. I quote your letter here,
In addition to these guidelines, He gave specific instructions regarding the form and order of the church. The New Testament church would be established on a foundation. This foundation, the ministry, was set up by Jesus Himself when He chose the 12 and later the 70.
And again:
You are built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone (Eph. 2:20).
Two items here that I want to address: the foundation and how it includes the prophets and the apostles.
If I listened to only what is being taught here, I would be inclined to believe it. I have wrongly said in the past that the ministry is foundational. However, as I actually read those words in black and white the ministry is the foundation of the New Testament church the spirit within me was very unsettled. I was keenly aware that those words were not right and in no way what God intended.
I pondered over the letter, read in scripture about the foundation, the prophets, and the apostles. I prayed deeply for clarity. As I pondered these things, those scriptures became very clear to me as they never had before.
The prophets of old were spoken to directly by God and His angels. The prophets were given the prophecies concerning Jesus being the Son of God, the Messiah, and the spotless Lamb of God. When we read in the Revelation concerning the foundation of the city wall, the names of the 12 apostles are there. Revelation 21:14 KJV And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Judas’ name would not be included in the 12 apostles.
They were to choose another man which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. Acts 1:21-22. God’s choice was Matthias. These were men who walked with Jesus in the flesh and were witness of his works, death, resurrection, and ascension. This is key…witness to his works in the flesh. No other apostle names are there in the new Jerusalem city wall, not the 70 apostles and not even Paul’s. Why? Because the twelve walked with Jesus from the beginning of his ministry and were purposefully chosen of God to be EYE WITNESSES to Jesus being the Messiah and the Son of God. They were witnesses that the prophesies were true.
That’s what the foundation is about. All about prophecies from God given to the prophets being witnessed to by the 12 apostles. All about Jesus. THAT IS THE FOUNDATION AND THE ONLY FOUNDATION. Prophesy and the fulfillment of it. Only Jesus. Do not add or take away from that foundation.
What Paul said about the prophets and apostles is absolutely correct. You are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone (Eph. 2:20). And what he is talking about is foundational because he is talking about the prophecies concerning Jesus and the witnessing to the fulfillment of them. Jesus is the foundation, and the prophecies and witnesses are pointing directly to Jesus the foundation. They line up with that chief corner stone.
When Jesus sent the 12 apostles 2×2, perspective is important here. It wasn’t about their being sent 2×2. It was about their being witnesses to the prophecies.
The 2×2 ministry is not foundational at all. Jesus sent the disciples out by two, because of two or more being witnesses establishes a matter. Deut. 19:15. He did not send them out to be the foundation of the New Testament church. By the time the New Testament church was being organized, the foundation had already been established. Paul wasn’t even bold enough to claim that he was part of the foundation. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
I am not saying that the preaching of the Gospel shouldn’t go 2×2. Jesus sent out men in that way to preach the Gospel to places wherever He Himself would be going. Matt. 10:5 Luke 10:1 He sent them with a temporary mission: Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matt. 10:8. He sent them with temporary conditions: no purse, no bag, no change of clothing or shoes. Matt. 10:9-10. He sent them with temporary powers: heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils. Matt. 10:8
When the seventy returned to Jesus they were excited that the devils were subject to their command through Jesus’ name. Luke 10:17
When He was ascending into heaven again, He commissioned them in a different way: teach ALL the nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Matt. 28:19. He did not send them without purse, bag, change of clothing, or even a command for them to be celibate.
He deemed going by two a good way to go. I do not speak against a 2×2 ministry preaching the Gospel although we can read that the New Testament ministry was often sent alone, by 2, and even by more than 2. I support a ministry that teaches Jesus: His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and His return. I support a ministry that teaches salvation by grace through the blood of Christ. I do not align with the teaching that the ministry is the foundation of the New Testament church.
I have heard from more than one worker that a person cannot claim salvation unless he/she hears the Gospel from a 2×2 minister. That is a teaching I cannot align with. That is not a ministry of salvation by grace through the blood of Jesus. That is like saying Jesus is the Way, but the 2×2 ministry are the gatekeepers. It’s like saying that the Bible is a dead book and only the 2×2 ministry can quicken or illuminate it for a person. I don’t put God/Jesus/Holy Spirit in that kind of box. Nor do I align with the teaching that a person cannot know salvation unless they are in meetings, gospel meetings, and conventions. God uses mankind to teach the Gospel. Matt. 28:19-20. But we certainly don’t want to limit His power to that.
The ministry is not an extension of the Levitical priesthood as I have heard some say. The Levitical priesthood ended with Jesus Christ our high priest. We have no need for any other high priest or intercessor other than Jesus. The ministry is not an extension of the 12 apostles as being included in the foundation. As far as I know, none of the workers have been eyewitnesses to Jesus works in the flesh.
I initially thought, Who am I to be saying these things to the workers? To the overseers?? Surely there’s someone else that can do this, and much better than I can. However God has laid it on my heart, and He will not leave me alone about it. Speaking truth and speaking out against wrong comes with a burden and a cost. I’m thankful for God’s strength and guidance through all of this.
I have just shared with you truth. Just as the Lord has extended His grace towards me in revealing this foundational truth, He also extends the same mercy and grace to you. Please consider these words prayerfully with all honesty and humility, laying aside any prejudice or preconceived beliefs. I am very open to any discussion about these things.
Signed with humility and great thankfulness for God’s grace and power,
Laura (Hooper) Bryan
Lowell, Arkansas
January 7, 2024
This letter is sent with Jim’s consent.
When someone asked me further questions, I wrote the following.
Letter Addendum.
Thank you, __________, for digging just a little deeper. If I understand your question correctly, you are asking why I wrote those conditions of the first commission of sending the apostles were temporary? And I wondered when someone would ask that! I’ll answer that question, but please let me know if I haven’t addressed your question.
When Jesus sent out the 12 apostles as we read in Matthew 10, He sent them as it says, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He told them to preach The kingdom of heaven is at hand (or has come near), meaning Jesus/Messiah is here.
- Go by two and two
- Go ONLY to the Israelites preaching the kingdom of heaven has come near.
- Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils
- Take no money in your purses, no bag for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor staffs. Your needs will be met.
- When the mission was complete, they returned to Jesus. Of the 70, He sent them as we read in Luke 10:1 KJV two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. He sent them in a preparatory way to cities that He himself would soon visit.
- Go by two and two
- Go ONLY to the cities where I will soon be visiting.
- Carry no purse, no bag, nor shoes
- Don’t stop to visit anyone along the way. They had a mission, and it wasn’t to visit everyone along the way. It was to deliver the message The kingdom of heaven has come near
- They were not to go from house to house eating and drinking. They had the mission to deliver the message before Jesus would visit those very cities, The kingdom of heaven has come near
- They were sent with power to heal the sick.
- The seventy returned again to Jesus saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
- When the mission was complete, they returned to Jesus.
Sometime after Jesus sent out the 12 and the 70, He had a conversation with the 12 disciples. He said to them in Luke 22:35-36 KJV, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. - When I sent you out the first time with nothing but the clothes you were wearing, did you find that your needs were not met? No.
- BUT NOW, take your purse and your bag.
At His ascension he commissioned the 11 apostles as we read in Matt. 28, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.
- Go to ALL nations, baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, teach to observe my commandments.
Now…those are different commissions. I say that the first had temporary conditions because
1. They would only go to Israel
2. They had restrictions on what to take, how to interact with people, and where to stay.
3. They were sent with power beyond any that mankind has.
If today’s ministry is to go as Jesus sent the 12 and the 70, they are only somewhat following two conditions of that commission. I say somewhat because the conditions that they claim to follow is that of going 2×2 and that of having no purse, no bag, and no extra change of clothing. So then what of all the other conditions if they are claiming the commission of the 12 and the 70? Does the ministry get to pick and choose those conditions? And do they get to choose how closely they adhere to those conditions?
The commission of the 12 and the 70 were very specific for those two groups. The commission of the apostles at the time of Jesus ascension was this:
1. Go teach ALL the nations
2. Baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
3. Teach to observe my commandments.
Different commission, different conditions, and even a different message. Never do I read that Jesus commanded that the apostles/disciples be celibate.
God still sends people to all nations teaching the Gospel and baptizing. There is no doubt in my mind about that! My doubt is in the strict form that is to be adhered to without question that is taught to be foundational and doctrinal.