Outside looking in!

[David Mauldin]

A friend of mine (5 years) recently joined a group of Christians who are strangely similar to the Assembly. (From what I gather his Dad who is a pastor in a traditional evangelical fellowship is very unahappy with his choice.)  Despite the fact that my friend has become very acquaited with the Assembly he doesn't see the connections.  My friend has made a commitment to live with/amongst these people/ share his property (much in the same way we did, brother could I borrow...." and he is "spending time"  "NOT DATEING" a young woman I suspect that this relationship is very much overseen by the leaders in this group but my friend doesn't talk about it. My point in writing this is ....I have noticed a change come over my Friend.  He is much more  grounded and secure in himself than he was a year ago.  He is happier than I have known him to be.  While we have breakfast together he is continually recieving phone calls from his bretheren, "Hi brother hey I'm having a problem with my computer..." etc.   what I think I am seeing is that probably for the first time in his life my friend has a family!  They are in constant touch/fellowship/communion with one another. I actually envy what I see!   I step back and ask myself, "insn't this what the assembly was all about?  The subjigation of our own rights in trade for the family? Isn't it worth it for some people?  Yet for a person who is willing to think as an individual, think for themselves isn't the result the opposite?  I welcome your thoughts!

[Joe Sperling]

David---

You make a good point actually. But continue to watch
your friend. he now has a family, but soon it might be
all he has. As he becomes more and more absorbed in
"the group" his connections with other people will suffer.

At least that was what happened with the Assembly. You
gained a family, but in a sense lost your real family and friends and acquaintances you had before. All of your time becomes dedicated to your new family and everything else
in the world is forgotten.

I remember when I first entered the Assembly my Mom thought I had changed tremendously. I was dedicated to a "cause" in her eyes, I was disciplined and more stable
than I had ever been. But through time both she and my father began to see the truth and both later asked me why
I was in a "cult". This was a result of watching several bizarre things happen to me while in the Assembly. One disciplinary action in particular convinced my Dad who continued to try to "rescue" me from my cultic experience.

I would say don't envy your friend at all if he is in a situation like the Assembly. He may one day be envying you for the freedom you have,  and suffering under the bondage he is under. This of course is just my opinion.


Take Care,  Joe