Congregations of Record
A Congregation of Record is a Congregation of Recorded Elders or a CORE.
The word "Record" simply means testimony. That testimony is both in writing by your words and in deed. It does not include contracts or oaths which bind but does include a token offering to give substance to your words while allowing you to remain free.
Congregations of the early Church were nothing more than free assemblies of families who came together seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness in word and deed.
They sought to practice Pure Religion by taking care of one another through faith, hope and charity and the perfect law of liberty without using any of the benefits offered by the world of Caesar or any other authoritarian Benefactors.
At Pentecost the heads of families being Baptized began to form a network by the free elders of each family gathering in small groups of ten who picked ministers to serve their needs in society. This was the Church and together they naturally formed the Church in general.
Congregation of Recorded Elders
- A congregation is a free assembly.
- It is bound only by bonds of love.
- It should be connected in a spiritual sense by charity.
- It should strive to be consistent with the character of the creator.
- It should seek to act in one accord.
- It is groups of families served by one Minister of the Church.
- It has no common purse.
- It is not a corporation or an unincorporated association.
- It is not a legal entity.
- Each family’s spokesmen is an Elders.
- Two or more Elders and a Minister of the Church form a CORE.
- Ten families are generally thought to be ideal.
- Any gathering of congregations is also a free assembly.
- A congregation of Ministers is a convention of Churches.
In order for a congregation to form a part of the kingdom it must gather with other congregations by choosing a minister. That minister facilitates the charity within the congregation. That minister's job other than facilitating the charity within the congregation is to connect the congregation of the people with other congregations.
The Minister
- A minister is a legal representative of Christ who came to save, serve and set free.
- A minister is a titular servant of to the people in like manner.
- A minister is a member of the Church.
- A minister's Membership is by appointment or anointing, ex officio or ordination.
- A minister is part of the body of the Church
- A minister is a clerk or "clergy" in one form of government called the Church.
Church
- It composed of the "called out" ministers of Christ.
- It consists of the ministers of his kingdom at hand.
- It is the legal entity of Christ.
- It is the institution of God appointed by Christ.
- It is “A body or community of Christians", those following Christ.
- It is united under one form of government by the profession of one faith.
- It is observes the same rituals and ceremonies.
- It does not include the congregation as a legal entity
- but in its most general sense:
- It is the religious society founded and established by Jesus Christ,
- It is to receive, preserve, and propagate His doctrines and ordinances.
- but in its most general sense:
- The individual and families of congregations should be linked as one Spiritual body in both practical and real ways. This is accomplished by their charitable communion through their Ministers of service in a virtual society. They are bound by a common love for one another within the mission of the Church and purpose of Christ. With the help and service of every family in congregations of congregation through the network of Ministers, Bishops and Archbishops chosen by the people, the people become one nation under God.
Terms like bishop and archbishop or liturgy are common terms in the modern Church, but in the first century Church they often had a very different meaning and purpose.