Plymouth Brethren

I grew up in the Church of England, including church schools to what we call level 6. Whilst I received the Lord in the C0fE, when I returned to London, I joined a Gospel Chapel (PB). When I felt led to the ministry, I left them and joined the Baptist Union and the paid ministry.

The PB's were classic dispensationalists whilst the baptists of my day were not and mostly adhered to premillennialism. Another major doctrinal difference was that foreknowledge was the basis for election and predestination. To-day, doctrinal positions vary greatly within the organization, but most are dedicated to the Scofield Bible and Clarence Larkin theories. There are a few who have shifted to the amil viewpoint and classic Calvinism, abandoning the idea that foreknowledge is the key to election.

Just my thoughts,

Cheers,

Jim

 

PB's consider themselves to be fundamentalists, and in practice they are fundamentalist. They still maintain closed communion and divide their Sunday services in to morning for believers, including the Lord's Supper and an evening gospel service, open to the public.

They still have no paid ministry, but do have regular preachers. In Kingston, Canada, the area where I live, the local PB Gospel Hall is called baptist by the general populace, and so described
by other churches. I have preached there a couple of times and received well. They don't like clerical titles and am known as Mr.

They still go door-to-door, two by two every week, hold vacaion Bible school and especially child evangelism.

I remember some years back where they would not have a television in the home. Then someone got the bright idea that the world was round and the only way "every eye would see Him" would be on the television. Soon every home had a set.

The membership is mixed, but largely older folks. Unlike many churches to-day, men are dominant, and every member is well versed, especially in dispensationalism, and everyone carries a Scofield Bible, well marked. I have no difficulty fellowshipping with them, but I wouldn't dare preach an amillennial sermon.

Cheers,

Jim

 

You may not get that many responses, because they are not as common in many parts of the U.S.
The first Plymouth Brethren I really met were in my SBC church which they joined because no PB churches around. They fit in quite well to a conservative SBC church.
They were indeed dispensationalist and emphasized Scripture memory.

In the UK, I met a number of ex Plymouth Brethren. They had all been part of closed assemblies, and consciously left, seeing those assemblies as way too stifling.

Karen

 

Read the late F.F. Bruce. He was Plymouth Brethren. Brilliant scholar ad university professor.

Cheers,

Jim

 

What a number of people are not aware of, is that in Australian History, the Plymouth Brethren are the only church denomination to have been banned by the government. It was for taking money from people circumspectly.

Any exclusive church has to be suspect, and should be avoided. (IMHO).

 

All churches have some form of exclusivity. For example, one could not receive holy communion in an Anglican church who was not an Anglican, among other benefits.

Baptist have been inclusivists also.

The PB's are as open as anyone. They mostly celebrate a closed table for members in good standing only.

Cheers,

Jim