"So let's say their profit was $200,000 and they decided to donate $50,000. Perhaps if I came clean, I reasoned, the scales would fall away and I'd reach a new level of spiritual enlightenment. They sought to restore what they saw as the biblical pattern of order which would allow them to live in conformity with the will of God, and which had been corrupted by the development of the ecclesiastical systems of existing churches. Transcript Includes the following: Exclusive Brethren news tracker & news archive. "When I read about some of the conduct the Brethren get up to, it's more like a cult-like organisation than a mainstream religion. Note that the version at the Internet Archive is, at times, slow to open and that not all internal links may work. influencing the lives of the brethren and leading to a deeper apprehension of the Lords Supper and the enrichment of the service of God. When Russell Stewart was in the dock admitting to causing the death of his wife, daughter and a family friend,members of the Exclusive Brethren church packed the public gallery. This cult-like control is unbiblical, and is one of the reasons why the movement has attracted negative publicity. Pro/Contra My Brethren (Pro and Contra) History and Ministry of the Exclusive Brethren (so-called). Within days the Brethren tracked me down in Christchurch and appealed for my return. Theyneedpeople around. This study was formerly hosted at theexclusivebrethren.com the only site endorsed by the Exclusive Brethren. The site has since been renamed to plymouthbrethrenchristianchurch.org, to reflect the movements 2012 name change. Confessions were a regular part of his teenage years. It was a decision that changed my life. [28] By 1911, it had become known as the Gospel Publishing House, but this name has since been depreciated. Pastorlink was established by and for Brethren pastors. There was no television, no radio, no access to modern technology, and we went to church every day. * Around 800 mainly small private businesses Brethren were long noted for teaching cessationism the idea that the so-called sign gifts (such as miracles, divine healing, and speaking in tongues) were given only to the early church to authenticate the apostles, and "ceased" with the death of the last apostle. Once more I find myself a free agent a chrysalis emerging for another cycle of reinvention. Three-day religious conventions were a teen dating ground (that's where Diana, who grew up in Palmerston North, met Cambridge local Adrian). The event, named "Game Plan 2016" was held at Auckland's Vector Arena and cost $2415 to attend both days Hansen and Apiata spoke. Brethren women are distinguished by their white or blue headscarves and long hair -- which must never be cut. (I was lucky to have the first eight years of my education in the public system, which gave me limited exposure to non-Brethren kids, but these days sect children are educated entirely within the Brethren system.) Rob told Steve Cannane that the exclusive brethren talking about the greens destroying the social fabric was the ultimate in hypocrisy. The Exclusive Brethren - now rebranded the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church - says it does not own, operate or hold any commercial business interests itself, but members run their own "family businesses". [24] The Stewards' trust was established in 1919 to provide financial support to Brethren assemblies, and currently owns around 150 of the 200-odd Brethren assembly properties in New Zealand. He says, "We think women have a major role: to be a Godly influence on their husbands and families. Users of UBT's internet security product ("often a Mum or Dad") were able to customise its filters, he said. Assemblies affirming a continualist position (that all gifts of the Holy Spirit are operating today) include Street City Church in Wellington,[18] Life Church, Manurewa in Auckland,[19] Tasman Church and Hope Community Church in Nelson. The doctrine of separation from iniquity or separation from sin, makes the Exclusive Brethren unique. This was followed up by a visit by Darby himself later in 1875. ApologeticsIndex.org is published by Anton Hein together with his wife, Janet, and the Apologetics Index team. It has two parts: Members of the Exclusive Brethren do not make friends, or even eat with people outside their church. Picture / Doug Sherring, Dargaville couldn't be further from the Beehive, where revelations of Exclusive Brethren political lobbying and espionage are fuelling Parliament's running dog-fight. It operates bookshops and a publishing house, and, for many years, published the Treasury magazine. Life in the Exclusive Brethren could be happy enough if you stuck to the rules, Craig says. Divorce is rare. When Te Atatu Bible Chapel embraced the Charismatic movement in 1978,[15][16] it was not treated as the Te Papapa assembly had been almost fifteen years earlier. The first shows I watched were The Simpsons and Family Guy. [7] Unlike Darby, he did not believe in maintaining insularity from non-Brethren Christians, and preached in churches of many denominations. Like Cambridge couple Diana and Adrian* who left the Exclusive Brethren 16 years ago after realising they couldn't live a lie. It expressly denies being either a union or an advocacy group; its stated aim is to give pastors a forum for mutual support and encouragement. I saw a GP for a second opinion; a white-haired doctor who brusquely imparted there was nothing wrong with me, and "your emotions are a completely normal response to an extreme situation". I began talking to outsiders for help and advice. Members who break rules are required to confess their sin during church meetings and demonstrate their repentance. and How did a group whose values are detached from those of most Australians infiltrate the highest office in the land? It's easier to control people when they're addicted. - NZPA. One, for 25 years a manager of an engineering firm, who speaks only on the condition of anonymity, openly expresses a sense of persecution. The most serious charges were dropped. The church is strictly controlled by a central authority. They keep themselves apart because they believe that "it is impossible for God to fully bless and use his children who are in compromise or complicity with evil". What later became the GPH Society Limited originated in May 1900 when Edward Whitehead opened the Bible and Tract Depot at Palmerston North,[27] with the purpose of publishing Christian literature to serve primarily the Brethren movement in New Zealand, but also the wider Christian community in both New Zealand and Australia. Meanwhile, ex-Brethrens here and overseas are telling of the pain of being shunned by family still in the church. A happy Craig as a baby on his dad's lap at the piano. Now 30, the journalist reflects on a decade of laughter and heartache. Through SGnLS (Southland Gay and Lesbian Support) I met other gay people, and realised I was not alone in the world. Members who do something against the Exclusive code are required to confess their sin during church meetings and demonstrate their repentance. In December 2007, not long after my ultimate confession, I was ushered to a consultation with Hales when he visited Invercargill for special church meetings. Source: The Exclusive Brethren, BBC. The board of the Arise Church is promising changes as its founding members resign amid abuse allegations. Most casual observers would say I've moved on. The Exclusive Brethren A Current Sociologial Appraisal by the late Bryan R. Wilson. Charlotte wrote a letter of recommendation for AUT's Bachelor of Communications degree, and I started working at TV3 as a first-year student. Peebs.Net is a website that endeavors to investigate and report the Truth behind the Exclusive Brethren, a group of so-called Christians, and by so doing, help break the chains and break down the barriers that prevent us from seeing our families, friends and loved ones, trapped in what many are calling a bona fide Cult. I left Hong Kong on October 31 last year, the 10-year anniversary of my final excommunication from the Exclusive Brethren. As well as forcing Brethren businesses to purchase locked-down computers, phones and IT services, UBT also charged "consultancy fees", which could amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and even started taking controlling stakes in profitable companies through a venture called Vision Accelerator. Within this site you will find explanations, stories, history and Exclusive Brethren memorabilia ranging from the quaint to the shocking. The Stewards Trust and Stewards Foundation are two separate, but closely related, organizations with identical membership. If brethren and sisters continue to fellowship with other professing Christians who hold and practise the sign-gifts they will have to withdraw because we will have nothing to do with these practices. When a member falls out of line, or is perceived to fall out of line, the first step in the process is for that person to be 'shut up'. The evangelist and hymn-writer James George Deck arrived in New Zealand in 1853 and established the first formal Brethren assembly at Ngtmoti, near Nelson, on 1 January 1863, although historian Peter Lineham believes that Christians had already been meeting informally on Brethren lines in nearby Motueka for some time. Complete rejection, and uncritical acceptance, of this movement are both minority positions among New Zealand Brethren today. They believe the rules have been relaxed since their time in the fold. Mum had a honey-coloured guitar. The leader of the church has absolute power to appoint the priests, resolve breaches of the rules, approve marriages and decide on punishments. Research resources on religious movements, cults, sects, world religions and related issues, Article continues after this advertisement , Original content Copyright 1996-2022 Apologetics Index, History and Ministry of the Exclusive Brethren (so-called), [p]remier resource for their origin, progress and testimony 1827-1959 on, Name Change: Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, Exclusive Brethen/Plymouth Brethren Christian Church Beliefs, Plymouth Brethren Christian Church: Cult-like control, The Social Dimensions of Sectarianism: Sects and New Religious Movements in Contemporary Society, The Exclusive Brethren A Current Sociologial Appraisal, Breakout: How I Escaped From The Exclusive Brethren, Exclusive Brethren news tracker & news archive, The Exclusive Brethren Christian Fellowship, can still be viewed at the Internet Archive, Secretive sect softens ban on outside contact, difference between theological and sociological definitions of the term cult., John de Ruiter College of Integrated Philosophy, The Church of Almighty God (Eastern Lightning), The Bible is the inspired and literal word of God, God is a Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, members must keep away from any person or group that does not follow Exclusive Brethren teaching including other Christians. ", Rob McLean, who was excommunicated from the church over a decade ago, said for many older Brethren, the commercial control of the church was history repeating itself. Brethren and their companies are encouraged to buy their supplies, groceries, petrol, internet, insurance - the whole range of goods and services - from companies that give cash back to the church through a range of kickback arrangements. ", Doug Watt, a spokesman for the church, said:"The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church considers this to be a private matter and have no further comment to make.". Despite the claim that Plymouth Brethren Christian Church is the historic name (http://www.plymouthbrethrenchristianchurch.org/) it is an entirely new invention. Our social lives were bound up with other sect members and, by the time I reached my teens, my peers and I were well and truly enmeshed. Remembers Adrian: "Once you were out, you started to question it." By the time I was born, in the late autumn of 1989, the Exclusive Brethren had morphed into an oppressive sect that tightly managed every aspect of its members' lives. Initially, they saw no need for any but the simplest pattern of organization, and their separation from all existing churches was not conceived as a negative decision, but rather as the only basis on which the unity of true Christians could be established. Exclusive Brethren member shopping at Woolworths Dargaville. nd to my brethren in the various connections resulting from the 1959 and 1970 crises, who seek to walk in the light and in truth. Russell Stewart, photographed by police, shortly after he left the scene of a fatal crash at Baylys Coast Rd, Northland, in June 2016. While we don't have fellowship and eat with them, we still appreciate they're genuine people." Rob McLean, who was excommunicated from the church over a decade ago, said for many older Brethren, the commercial control of the church was history repeating itself. I stayed briefly with my aunt and uncle in Palmerston North, and in January 2008 I was sent on to stay in Sydney under the watchful eye of Bruce Hales himself. Members of Exclusive Brethren churches are expected to be totally loyal to the leader of the Exclusive Brethren. It remains the most painful experience of his life. No member is allowed to eat in the same room as a worldly person, they are forbidden from owning a pet and they are restricted from socialising with anyone outside of the Exclusive Brethren. The awful, incomprehensible reality of being true to yourself is that sometimes it means hurting those you love most dearly. Sarah and I got caught up in a media scrum with the Kardashian family while filming an unrelated story in Yerevan, and joked to local Armenian reporters that we'd come all the way from New Zealand to see Kim and Kanye. A few years ago a review prompted a round of visits to ex-members. Like many other movements that came to be regarded as sectarian, the Brethren began with a profound and deeply anti-sectarian sentiment, and they still reject the designation sect. [6] Although he was associated with the Exclusive Brethren of John Nelson Darby, he decided that the schism that had taken place in 1848 was irrelevant to New Zealand. I didn't want to leave but it seemed inevitable, and the longer I waited the more collateral damage I would cause. Once someone leaves the Brethren, they are forbidden from having contact with anyone still in the church, including their relatives. Who should be admitted to the breaking of bread ceremony? Inquiries regarding developments after 1959 have led to the inclusion of subsequent history. Most of the jokes went over my head. Latest items: Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: Powered by FeedBurner, Abusive Churches/Spiritual Abuse Cult FAQ. [29] Of all Brethren institutions, Pastorlink is one of the newest: it is only in the last twenty to thirty years that the practice of having pastors has become common in Brethren assemblies in New Zealand. Graeme Hubbard left the Exclusive Brethren at 21. and others who were in practical fellowship with them for the years c. 1827 to 1959. Diana was drinking whisky with her family from age 13. [], Members of the Exclusive Brethren are very limited in their contact with outsiders. [25] The Stewards' Foundation, established in 1955, lends money to Brethren assemblies, institutions, workers, and missionaries.[26]. I knew there was no future for me in the sect. It was one of those scorching Australian summer days where the tempo slows, as though the very effort of moving is too much. New Zealand's Exclusive Brethren, who number fewer than 2000, operate about 800 small businesses, according to a political pamphlet they released in 2002. Nothing will ever be as bad as escaping my sect upbringing. Brethren priests receive no formal training and their methods ranged from abuse to emotional manipulation. In. Meanwhile, the political storm around the Exclusive Brethren intensifies. The web site appears to be an attempt to counter the flow of negative publicity surrounding the Exclusive Brethren (example: The Brethren sent us to Hell), Members are not allowed to have televisions or radios and they are forbidden from using the internet, because the book of Revelation tells them that the devil is the prince with the power of the air. This week the New Zealand Presbyterian Church voted to ban anyone in a sexual relationship outside marriage from its leadership roles (though 35 per cent voted against the ban). For members of the Exclusive Brethren, a strict religious sect, constraints such as these are normal. Says one, his smile like a plea: "We don't want to get into a media conflict. They are evil. [4], It is not a denomination in the organizational sense, but a loose network of like-minded autonomous local churches, or "assemblies", as Brethren churches are generally known. He settled in Motueka which is still the religion's New Zealand stronghold. I had no plans, and nowhere to go. [8], The slow pace of communication between the British Isles and the far-flung colony of New Zealand allowed Deck to operate more or less independently. Baby Craig, left, with his cousin and their grandmother. They cannot form friendships, or eat with people outside the church -- who are known as "worldlies". According to the Evangelical publication, Operation World, there are 202 Brethren congregations in New Zealand[2] with 16,164 in regular attendance (including children). The site itself is no longer online. These early Brethren were men of education and social positiontwelve of the earliest Brethren were, or were training to be, Anglican clergymen (in England and Ireland); five were ministers in Nonconformist churches; a number had private means, including five with titles, and another eight were, or had been, commissioned officers. On Sundays church attendance ramped up to four different services, with the earliest at 6am. READ MORE: * Exclusive Brethren cult leader's millionaire son accused of assault * Father of girl sexually assaulted by former Exclusive Brethren member wants abuser jailed * Exclusive Brethren members in 'clean-up' operation after fatal crash * Potential witness in Exclusive Brethren sex abuse case paid to remain silent * Former Brethren allege high rate of abuse in New Zealand * Exclusive Brethren: Sect's secretive leader tells followers to drink rat poison * Exclusive Brethren told to 'pray for the IRD' after favourable settlement * Baby Leo's dad Samuel Forrest to sue Exclusive Brethren church. They adopted the new name, as did their counterparts in Australia (the Christian Community Churches of Australia) to avoid confusion with the similarly named Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. A broker with the insurance company, Crombie Lockwood, said he was instructed to use a special code with Brethren clients, discounting his commission by 20 percent, which went to the listed "sub-agency", UBT (Universal Business Team) a church-controlled company. The Exclusive Brethren churches have a rigid code of behavior and rules governing anything from contact with outsiders to the length of ones hair or the approved colors of the scarves worn by female members. There are two main motivations thought to be behind Brethren-backed political campaigns: promoting parties whose policies are closest to Brethren values (anti-gay rights, pro-traditional family, privatisation and decentralisation), thus delaying the "Rapture", when Jesus Christ is expected to descend and take away true believers; and, the more worldly theory of promoting parties with business-friendly policies to further Brethren's own business interests. There was a narrow window to say goodbye. A flowchart illustrates how the Exclusive Brethren - or Plymouth Brethren Christian Church - money-go-round works. And representations of Brethren women as oppressed are "rubbish. []. It was a bright spring day when I got one final phone call from a priest. They are distinguished from the Open Brethren from whom they separated in 1848. I think they expected we'd go back and were surprised when we didn't. It was a catastrophic reordering of life, and other experiences don't come close. So that's a very, very unsatisfactory situation for Bruce Hales.". I knew I was breaking her heart, but had no choice. "You'd get a new dress and you'd have to get the perfect scarf to match it, and the right shape. Members marry other members. They're allowed to talk to us now," says Adrian. What about university or professional careers? This system was all I had known, it was all my parents had known, and all their parents and grandparents had known before them. Adrian is cynical about the Brethren culture. Photo: Supplied. Last week. Although some run computer businesses, the technology is frowned upon for private use because it has the power to employ the satanic number 666. no member of the group will speak, work or eat with them. There has been much speculation as to why the website disappeared. Two months ago that name did not exist. Going to the movies meant planning an elaborate cover story, taking a circuitous route to avoid being followed, checking for sect members, and pulling a hood over my face before making the quick dash across Invercargill's Dee St and into Reading Cinemas. Rob McLean said he believed making money should not be the primary goal of an organisation calling itself a church. doctrine) to which they subscribed. Open Brethren do not have the restrictions Exclusive Brethren face. Helen Clark's calling for Don Brash to step down as National Party leader because of his now-renounced relations with Exclusive Brethren lobbyists. "There were real pissheads in there: they drink heaps, it's the only thing you're allowed to do." Many Exclusive Brethren work in Brethren-owned companies, so they have to give up their jobs as well as their family and their home if they leave the faith. This week, former teachers at Brethren-run schools claimed the schools heavily censored reading material, ripping out chapters on reproduction from science texts, and dictated every aspect of the children's lives. Many of UBT's vendors are leading global brands which provide a wide range of products and services, from travel, corporate fuel cards to insurances. Apologetics Index curates research resources on religious movements, cults, sects, world religions and related issues. Once the couple went to the beach with some other young families and took a portable stereo, which got them temporarily banned from church. Old gospel songs trigger something deep inside even though I've long since stopped believing the words. * An internal memo sent to Brethren worldwide leaked to One News talks about setting up an umbrella group code-named National Office Assist. In Dargaville, the businessmen give the impression they're in the dark about the masterplan. Most members are so isolated within the sect that they cant even imagine a life on the outside. Photos come down from the wall and you disappear from Brethren lists, never to be spoken of again, except in hushed tones as a warning to others. Families do not have televisions, radios or computers, or go to the cinema or theatre. Sorrow overthe past and humility in the present may be the keystones to those many groups to visit one anothers meetings and to see how little stands between them and to share meetings in the spirit of oneness not implied superiority. * A national trust, run by three of the Secret Seven who bankrolled the anti-government pamphlets last year, now operates 15 regional campuses under the umbrella of Westmount School. Wearmouth said it had been an "incredibly difficult" two years since his son died. Two young girls who left recently are pregnant already," says Adrian. Elusive Exclusive Brethren [Transcript] of the Background Briefing broadcast by ABC Radio National (Australia) on Apr. Source: Secretive sect softens ban on outside contact, The Guardian, March 15, 2003. The Exclusive Brethren are an evangelical protestant Christian church related to the Christian or Open Brethren, according to the BBC website on world religion and ethics. It remained within the Brethren movement. 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