USGA TRUTH RESEARCH COMMITTEE

Transcription

1 USGA TRUTH RESEARCH COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES 1988 ~ 2017 General Assembly of the True Jesus Church in the U.S.A Bloomfield Avenue, Lakewood, California Published May 2018

2 USGA Truth Research Committee Regulations and Rules 1. Truth Research Committee (TRC) is formed to seek the biblical truth to guide the direction of church development and Christian living of believers. 2. The committee members are elected from the ordained ministers in US churches by USGA Council, the committee shall consist of nine members, with one being a coordinator. The term for each committee is the same as the USGA Council members. 3. In general, a TRC meeting will be convened every year. However, the meeting can also be convened whenever deemed necessary. 4. Sources of agenda issues shall be as follows: (1) Proposals from National Church Conference, USGA Council, USGA Standing Committee, and Regional Council (2) Proposals which have been approved by congregational meetings or church council meetings in local churches/ houses of prayer (3) Proposals from Truth Research Committee members 5. The coordinator shall allocate proposals to the committee members, who shall then perform thorough research and prepare reports. The coordinator shall call a meeting to discuss the proposals. 6. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the committee attempts to construct consensus-based resolutions. If no consensus is reached, the issues will be subject to further research. 7. Resolutions of this committee shall be reported in NCC and covered in notices to all churches as well as posted on USGA website. 8. If there are different opinions on the resolution of a certain issue, the issue may be proposed again by following rule 4. Updated April 2, 2006

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE Matrimonial/Memorial/Special Holiday Church s point of view on holding matrimonial service at the church chapel and biblical standpoint on marriage.... 3, 13 Service program for commemorating the marriage of a member with a non-member How to show concerns toward members who married non-members... 44, 75 Issues of divorce and remarriage... 2, 16, 23 The stance of our church regarding legal weddings or marriages officiated by a justice of peace Breaking marital engagements Situations in which a member cannot be allowed to marry in the church Church s point of view on distributing invitations for weddings or funerals Whether wedding vows constitutes swearing... 55, 64 The Permissiblility of Cremation... 8 Church s point of view on holding memorial services on the Sabbath Placing coffin in the chapel during memorial service Review special services & programs to any holidays and special days held by a church Study on Thanksgiving celebration The teachings of the Bible to follow family traditions such as setting up a Christmas tree during the Christmas holiday and eating moon cakes or zhongzi (sticky rice wrapped in leaves) Benediction/blessing in a setting other than the church chapel 71 Church s Pastoral Definitions of "Fasting" & "Praying" Church s point of view on prayer of understaning , 58 Dealing with believers who have become members of other denominations Dealing with the problems of a believer who is homosexual Dealing with problems of sex before marriage... 17, 50 Definitions of "Adultery" and "Fornication" Holiness between a couple prior to their marriage Oral sex... 60, 65 Whether members who have committed serious sins but have repented may serve The permissibility of allowing a truth-seeker to join choir Proper actions during services, eg: clapping hands, taking picture, etc I

4 Procedure for worship services; eg: stand or kneel when singing the concluding chorus Sabbath worship acceptable to the Lord Time of the Sabbath Day Whether a person in a coma may be removed from life support Special events held in the church chapel The use of the term holy work Church s Administration Relationship between the National Church Conference and the USGA Immigrant ministers participating in sacred work in a local church & the USGA Church structure and holy offices... 6, 21 Issue on addressing ministers... 2, 32, 33 Duties of elders and deacons... 7, 35, 65 Ordaining all GA Standing Committee members as elders Ordaining all current full-time ministers as elders Age requirement for a widow to become a deaconess Ordination of a deaconess Formal post or duty of a wife of deacon in the Church Examination of the current practice of having full-time ministers serve in administrative roles Church s point of view on laying hands on the elected church council members Re-evaluating voting procedures Functions of the USGA TRC and IA TRC The standpoints & spirit for evaluating & rewarding church workers Can the USGA hire non-members to join its full-time staff? Dividing full time ministers into stationary pastors and traveling evangelists 66 Issues regarding the Holy Communion... 38, 46 Issue of whether a woman can be a chairperson of the church council Issue of whether women are allowed to preach... 43, 51 Principles in dealing with church funds Issues of setting up interest-free loans to assist members in emergency Issues regarding how to address those members who have been excommunicated Conducting "Yard/Garage Sales" for evangelical outreach Purpose 53, 63 Leasing church property to commercial entities for constructing cell phone transmission tower 53 Allowing peddlers to sell products to church members on the church's parking lot or the driveway on the Sabbath 53 Leasing church property to another Christian denomination 53 Using on-line purchase fundraising to collect funds II

5 Carrying out the resolution of the 9th WDC regarding Church administrative Principle Proper methods of offering tithes Using the dove in the church logo. 67 Using the chapel to perform classical music Qualification of holy workers... 68, 70 Basic Doctrine/Basic Beliefs Baptism... 21, 28, 33, 49 English version of the basic beliefs... 39, 43 God s name... 7, 22, 34, 36, 47, 49 Holy Spirit.... 1, 5, 28, 33, 38,42 Issues regaring our basic beliefs... 25, 43, 66 One True God Commentary/Reference Matthew 7: Spirit & Soul... 31, 49 Mortal Sins... 31, 58 1 John 3:9; 5: , 41 The doctrine of predestination. 58 Others Attitudes towards other denomination... 6, 12 How to discern spirits... 6 Impact of the ecumenical movement & strategy of awareness and defense Revised Version of Chapter 3 of the Religious Education Teachers Manual.. 69 Corrections on historical background information in church publications on how the Sabbath Day was changed 71 Length of Creation Week 76 Accepting Donations from Outside Organizations 76 III

6 MINUTES OF THE FIRST TRUTH RESEARCH CONFERENCE TRUTH RESEARCH COMMITTEE True Jesus Church, U.S.A. Date: 4 th - 6 th July, 1988 Venue: Garden Grove, California, USA Chairman: Daniel Kau, Shyh-Kuang Yang Present: John Wu, Chung-Kuanq Hsieh, Eun-Jun Jung, John Lo, Daniel Kau, Derren Liang, Shyh-Kuang Yang Absent: Paul Wong, John Lin Observer: Shun-Tau Hsieh Recorders: P. Huang, T. Chang, H. Lin, Y. Chen, P. Huang, C. Chen PROPOSALS AND RESOLUTIONS: PROPOSAL TR001: Review the draft of Believer s Guide to Daily Living PROPOSER: 12th NCC/ Elizabeth Church RESOLUTION: Refer to revised version (attached) PROPOSAL TR002: The history of the True Jesus Church as was presented to the Honolulu Church by Dn. Shea. In the history it was said that the Holy Spirit first poured down to California Azuza Church and then went to Mainland China. Bible says Holy Spirit comes from East to West, NOT West to East. (References: Is. 43:5, 49:12; Ezek. 43:2, 47:1; Mt. 24:27) PROPOSER: Honolulu Church RESOLUTION: A. It shall come to pass in the last days that God will pour out of His Spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28-31, Acts 2:17-21). B. The occurrence of the Pentecostal Movement in the United States at the beginning of the twentieth century or at the end of the 19 th century: 1. The news of praying for the Holy Spirit was spread to China from the West. 2. There were people speaking in tongues, but also the works of the evil spirit and imitation of speaking in tongues also existed. 3. Those who received the Holy Spirit did not understand nor submit to the Truth; the incorrect mode of water baptism for redemption of sins was practiced. The works of Holy Spirit gradually disappeared. C. True Jesus Church: 1988 TRC meeting minutes (E) 1

7 1. Although the early workers contacted with the western evangelists, they received the promised Holy Spirit from God directly in the prayer instead of being laid hands upon by the western evangelists. 2. In accordance with the prophesies of the Bible, the True Church must be established in the East by the Holy Spirit in order to spread the salvation throughout the world (Is 49:11,13 & 2:2; Ezek 43:1,2; 47:1,2; Mt 24:27; Rev 7:1-3). 3. The early workers received the Holy Spirit. Submitting to His revelations, they established the True Jesus Church with the perfect gospel. PROPOSAL TR003: The term pastor is not appropriate when addressing a full-time minister in the True Jesus Church, U.S.A. PROPOSER: Elizabeth Church RESOLUTION: To address a full-time minister as: Preacher : 0 vote Minister : 2 votes Pastor : 5 votes (carried) According to the number of votes counted, a full-time minister is still to be addressed as Pastor based on the resolution of N.C.C. held three years ago. PROPOSAL TR004: If a member has legally divorced his/her excommunicated spouse due to adultery or non-member spouse due to adultery but living with the same spouse later on, how is the church going to handle this matter? PROPOSER: Elizabeth Church RESOLUTION: Such kind of deeds does not glorify God. The church is to warn those involved and to make clear to the members that it should not be taken as a common practice (Deut 4:3, 4). NOTE: The Truth Research Committee s opinions to marriage: 1. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate (Mk. 10:7-9). 2. Unless a spouse commits adultery no divorce is allowed (Mt 5:32). Even though the spouse commits adultery, it is preferable not to divorce. If divorce is a must, the innocent divorcee may remarry. 3. To vote for the following statements: a. If the divorce is not because of adultery, both parties are not allowed to remarry unless one party dies. (Favor: 4 votes, carried) 1988 TRC meeting minutes (E) 2

8 b. If the divorce is not because of adultery and one party remarries (thus committing adultery), the other party is hence allowed to remarry. (Favor: 2 votes) PROPOSAL TR005: Can the marriage ceremony between a Church Member and a non- TJC Christian be held in the chapel of the True Jesus Church. PROPOSER: Northern California RESOLUTION: To vote for the proposal: 1. Favor: 0 votes 2. Disfavor: 5 votes (carried) 3. Abstain: 2 votes Reasons of disfavor: 1. In God s view, Christians of other denominations are still Gentiles. The Bible indicates, Do not marry Gentiles (I Cor. 7:39; II Cor. 6:14-18; Neh. 13:23-27). 2. During the wedding ceremony, due to the limitations of time and the content of the sermon, it would be inappropriate to preach gospel during such occasions. 3. If such ceremonies are allowed, the members may mistakenly believe that the Church encourages inter-marriage with Gentiles. PROPOSAL TR006: Is the matrimonial ceremony allowed to be held in the church for the female member who intends to remarry after divorcing her excommunicated spouse due to adultery or non-member spouse due to adultery? (Elizabeth). A determination be made pertaining to the permissibility of matrimonial services for those church members who are either divorced or remarried in our church chapel. (General Assembly) PROPOSERS: Elizabeth Church, General Assembly RESOLUTION: 1. To not encourage divorce and to avoid negative influences on the believers, such wedding ceremonies are considered improper to be held in the chapel. 2. However, sacred workers may be invited to conduct the wedding ceremony. PROPOSAL TR008: Systemize the contents of The Five Essential Doctrines of our church. PROPOSER: Elizabeth Church RESOLUTION: The purpose of this proposal is to collect criticisms and opinions which are relevant to systemize the contents of The Five Essential Doctrines. Because Elder Wu s article will be published personally instead of by the church organization, the following 1988 TRC meeting minutes (E) 3

9 suggestions are made by the committee: 1. All TRC members are recommended to read Elder Wu s article. Any written criticisms or suggestions are to be addressed directly to Elder Wu. 2. Elder Wu is recommended to submit his article to IA for review TRC meeting minutes (E) 4

10 MINUTES OF THE SECOND TRUTH RESEARCH CONFERENCE TRUTH RESEARCH COMMITTEE True Jesus Church U.S.A. 1. Date: 12 th 14 th January Venue: Pacifica, California, USA, 3. Co-chairman: Daniel Kau, John Lin 4. Present: Chung-Kuang Hsieh, Eun-Jun Jung, Daniel Kau, Derren Liang, John Lin, John Lo, James Wu, John Wu, Shyh-Kuang Yang 5. Committee Business: A. Elect the Coordinator of the Committee Daniel Kau was elected as the coordinator of the Truth Research Committee. He may appoint some person as secretary to assist him to carry out the duty. B. Proposal: Any proposals regarding the Truth requires a 2/3 majority of votes to be passed. Carried 6. Proposal & PROPOSAL TR007: PROPOSER: Study and discern the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues in different denominations. ELIZABETH CHURCH A. Related background and issues: I. The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament: the sole purpose of Holy Spirit in the Old Testament was to move and inspire servants to perform His will. He was not indwe1ling as in New Testament times because salvation was yet to be fulfilled. II. III. The experience on the Day of Pentecost: The believers on the Day of Pentecost spoke in unknown tongues, not in any worldly language. The devout Jews nearby heard them speaking in their own languages because God opened their ears. In the Bible, two terms, namely Dorea and Charisma are used to describe the gift of the Holy Spirit from God. When Dorea is used, it refers to the gift of the promised Holy Spirit Himself, for the purpose of individual salvation. When Charisma is used, it refers to gifts of the Ho1y Spirit to be used for the common good and edification of the church. IV. A person may receive the Holy Spirit ( Dorea ) before accepting the mode of water 1990 TRC meeting minutes 5

11 baptism stipulated in the Bible. V. Miracles in other churches may be manifested by: (1) faith (Mk. 16:17-20), (2) the power of God, (3) Satan. B. How to discern spirits: I. Based on physical manifestation of spirits: The fo1lowing phenomena may occur when one is possessed by evil spirits: 1. Spiritual slant is not evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit.In most cases, it is the work of Satan (1 Sam. 28:20, Mk. 9:18). 2. Foaming at the mouth (Mk. 9:18). 3. Loss of consciousness (1 Sam 28:20). 4. Inflicting harm upon oneself or other strange and unusual actions (Mk. 5:2-5). 5. Feeling compressed or in pain, having chills, and losing facial color. II. III. Based on the truth: 1. Denial of the fact that Jesus Christ was manifestation of God Himself in flesh (1 John 4:2). 2. Refusa1 to obey and observe both the teachings and the Apost1es (1 Jn 4:6) 3. Adding and deleting from the truths in the Bible (1Tim 4:1-3; Gal.1:6-9) Based on conduct: Evil spirits show their characteristics through the conduct of the person they are possessing. Such behavior includes violence, uncleanliness, arrogance, etc. (Gal. 5:19-21, Jn. 8:44, Mt. 7:17-18). C. Attitudes towards other denominations: I. Generally speaking, it is not possible for members of other denominations, who not yet received the Biblical mode of water baptism, to receive the "Dorea" Holy Spirit. Members of other denominations who HAVE received the Holy Spirit should receive the Biblical mode of water baptism as soon as possible, in order to have the infilling of the Holy Spirit. II. Other denominations may experience signs, miracles or other works of the Holy Spirit through their faith (Mk 16:17-20); however, not all spiritual experiences necessarily come from God. There have been instances of works done by evil spirits or human manipulation (counterfeited spirits). PROPOSAL TR009: PROPOSER: Study the organization and offices of the early church and our present day church. ELIZABETH CHURCH The purpose of the church is to evange1ize and to pastor the members. All church organizations should be based on this purpose and all works should be distributed among those who are gifted TRC meeting minutes 6

12 PROPOSAL TR010: (A) The permissibility of a Deaconess to perform the Holy Communion, the Water Baptism, or laying of hands. (B) The permissibility of a minister who has not received the Holy Spirit to perform Holy Sacraments PROPOSER: GENERAL ASSEMBLY, USA (A) (B) This issue was previously addressed in a resolution from the IA Truth Research Committee. The second part of the IA resolution was given on1y as a suggestion. If there is no male minister present, a Deaconess can perform water Baptism or other holy sacraments. Generally speaking, we need to follow the order of Christ being the head of church and man being head of woman. Based on IA resolution, all adopted it accordingly. (A minister who has not received the Holy Spirit, which is a prerequisite of being a minister, cannot perform any Holy Sacraments). PROPOSAL TR011: PROPOSER: The permissibility of using the name of Jehovah. PACIFICA CHURCH Adopted as follows: JEHOVAH is an incorrect translation. The correct translation is "YHWH" which means I AM WHO I AM" (Ex 3:13-15). In reading the Bible, we should use "The Lord ( 主 ) or "God ( 神 ) instead of using "Jehovah. Refer this matter to IA Truth Research Committee with our studies and report the results to NCC. Suggest to IA TRC and request the Bible Society in Hong Kong to make necessary changes in the Chinese Bibles. PROPOSAL TR012: PROPOSER: Designate the times when the Sabbath Day begins and ends. PACIFICA CHURCH Based on Bro. Tseng's study of the exact time when the Sabbath Day begins and ends there was lengthy discussion focusing on whether span of the Sabbath should be from sunset (Friday) to sunset (Saturday) or from dawn (Saturday) to dawn (Sunday). No definite conclusion or consensus could be reached. Highlights of the discussion follow: (A) The committee proposed this study to be further research in depth by Bro. Tseng and other members. Bro. Tseng is to submit more study material and more direct Bible evidence to support his view. (B) As far as the passage of Gen 1:3-5 is concerned, the majority of members felt that citing it as the basis to substantiate the view that the Sabbath begins at dawn is not strong enough. It was suggested that Gen 1:3-5 should be used as a reference on1y, not as direct evidence to decide 1990 TRC meeting minutes 7

13 the beginning of the Sabbath Day. It was weak evidence, because there was no sun in the beginning of creation. (C) The passage of Lev. 23:27-32 should be further studied by Bro. Tseng, who felt that this sunset-to-sunset Sabbath observance re1ated to the Day of Atonement, and should be cited as a special isolated case. Other members thought that the principle of counting the starting time of the Sabbath should be the same as the one in Lev. 23:32. (D) (E) The passage of Ex 16:21-30 is supporting Bro. Tseng's view that (Saturday) to dawn (Sunday). Jn 19:32 mentioned that the soldier broke the legs of those people who were crucified with Jesus. This passage is a strong argument for the view of sunset of sunset. (F) Mt. 28:1 Late on Dawn Beginning of AM Sabbath AM First Day 6:00 6:00 Elder Wu read a direct Greek translation: Now late on Sabbath, it is getting dusk, toward the beginning of the first day According to a Greek dictionary, dusk and dawn are almost identical. Dusk could refer to 3 different time periods, from 3 PM to 6 PM or from 6 PM onwards. It also gives different Bible scriptures to illustrate different timing conventions. Bro. Tseng will study more about the word Dusk and its significance on determining the times of the Sabbath Day. All members need to study not only the exact time of the Sabbath, but also the manner and attitude in observing the Sabbath according to Biblical teaching. Insights and comments are to be brought to the next meeting. PROPOSAL TR013: PROPOSER: The permissibility of cremation HOUSTON CHURCH There are no clear teachings in the Bible concerning cremation, nor are there teachings which state the definition of a correct mode of burial. This matter should be at the discretion of individuals and their family members. PROPOSRL TR014: PROPOSER: The permissibility of abortion. GENERAL ASSEMBLY, USA We would stay with the present principles as stated in the Believer s Guide. The following cases would be referred to IA: (A) rape, (B) incest, (C) medical evidence of a deformed fetus and a 1990 TRC meeting minutes 8

14 doctor s advice to abort. SPECIAL ISSUE: PROPOSAL: PROPOSER: The Baptisms of Lin-Sheng Chang and Barnabas Chang. Elder John Wu Elder Wu presented his view regarding the baptisms of Lin-Sheng Chang and Barnabas Chang: A. Lin-Sheng Chang did not receive the promised Holy Spirit when baptizing Barnabas Chang. B. According to John 20:21-23, however, when Paul Wei laid hands upon Lin-Shen Chang, Chang received the power of forgiving sins. So, the baptisms of Lin-Sheng Chang are considered valid. The Truth Research Committee rejected this proposal by a majority of 8 votes TRC meeting minutes 9

15 MINUTES OF THE TRUTH RESEARCH COMMITTEE MEETING Date: October 14, 1995 Location: Garden Grove Church Chairman: John Lin Recorder: Huei-Chia Chou Committee Members: Huei-Chi Chou, Eng-Jeng Jung, Daniel Kau, Derren Liang, John Lin, John Lo, Meishi Tsai, John Yang, and Shyh-Kuang Yang RE: TRUE and ONLY Five Truth Research Committee members met on October l4, 1995, at Garden Grove Church to discuss the issue in the above caption. Herewith the result of the discussion for your perusal RESULT OF DISCUSSION A. QUALIFICATIONS OF A TRUE CHURCH A true church must meet these qualifications: preach the full gospel, blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, empowered by God to work miracles. 1. Preach the Full Gospel The true church fully submits herself to God's commandments and the teachings of the Apostles. Therefore, the truth that she preaches is built upon the foundation of the Lord Jesus, the Apostles and the prophets [Ephesians 2:19-40; II John 19:11]. Keeping the holy Sabbath under grace [Matthew 19:17; Mark 2:27-48; James 2:8] and believing in the sin-cleansing efficacy of water baptism [Acts 2:38; I Peter 3:21; Titus 3:5] are among some of the essential doctrines of the church. 2. Blessed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit The true church must be blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit identifies the church as the body of Christ [John 1:32-33; 3:34; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:23]. The church is empowered by the Holy Spirit to forgive or retain sin [John 20:21-22]. The sign of having received the Holy Spirit is evidenced by the speaking of tongues, and the blessings of diverse spiritual gifts [Acts 2:1-13; 10:46-47; 11:17; I Corinthians 12:1-11, 28]. 3. Signs and Miracles 1995 TRC meeting minutes E 10

16 In preaching the gospel of salvation, signs, and miracles will accompany the true church [Mark 16:17-18; Hebrews 2:3-4]. B. THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE CHURCH 1. Many passages in the Scripture have prophetically pronounced the emergence of the true church in the End time before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The emergence of the True Jesus Church actually fits into this description of promise. a. The destruction and rebuilding of the holy temple in the OT, typifies the rise and all of the true church [Amos 9:11; Ephesians 2:19-20]. b. The outpour of the Holy Spirit is divided into two periods, namely, the autumn rain (early rain) and the spring rain (latter rain).the abidance of the Holy Spirit during the spring rain season was an indication of the revival of the true church [Joel 2:23, 28-31; Acts 2:17-41; Revelation 19:5-6; Zechariah 10:1]. c. Hoping to bring his people back to God, Prophet Elijah prayed that there would be no rain for three and one-half years. This prophetically signifies that the true church in the End time has the responsibility to reform and correct the erroneous teachings of churches at large, so as to bring them back to God's pure truth to receive the regeneration of baptism and the renewing of the Holy Spirit [1Kings 18:17-40; Malachi 4:5-6; Titus 3:5]. d. The Scripture predicts that the true church of the Last Days will emerge from the East [Ezekiel 43:2, 4; Matthew 24:27; Hosea 6:3; Revelation 7:1-3; 6:1-2; 19:11-14]. e. The title "True Jesus Church, is given by the Holy Spirit. This name contains mystical biblical truth [John 3:33; I Corinthians 3:23; 11:3; I Timothy 2:5; John 8:31; Revelation 3:12]. 2. Some of the Bible references regarding the one true church are a. One holy temple [I Corinthians 6:19; Ephesians 4:4]. b. One body [Colossians 1:23; I Corinthians 12:20; Ephesians 4:4] c. One bride [II Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 21:9-10; Song 6:8-9] d. One true vine [John 15:1-6] e. One ark [I Peter 3:20-21; II Peter 2:5] 3. The Lord said "I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one Shepherd" [John 10:16]. "Fold" implies "church" and "shepherd" signifies Christ. The Holy Spirit oversees the church. The scripture "I have other sheep" includes truth seekers and true 1995 TRC meeting minutes E 11

17 Christians who have gone astray. The Lord Jesus will lead them one by one back to His fold. C. OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS OTHER DENOMINATIONS 1. Our believers should have no doubts in their minds that our Church is the true church in the End time. However, when sharing the gospel with sincere truth-seeking Christians, we should treat them with kindness, patience, and love. Impart to them the full gospel of the Bible. Indicate to them that the Bible is the only basis whereby we based our truth upon [Matthew 10:6; Acts 13:44-46; Romans 9:1-3; II Timothy 2:24-26; 4:2-5; I Corinthians 9:19-23; Jeremiah 23:3-4]. 2. Towards the opponents and the revilers of the truth, we must defend the truth tooth, and nail; contend for the faith with all vigor and wisdom [Galatians 1:6-9; Jude 3-4; II John 7-11] TRC meeting minutes E 12

18 MINUTES OF THE TRUTH RESEARCH COMMITTEE MEETING Time: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm, July 27, 1997 Location: Philadelphia Church Chairman: H.C. Chou Recorder: C.Y. Kuo Attendees: K.M. Huang, S.K. Yang, D. Liang, J. Wu, P. Ho, D. Kau, C.Y. Kuo, J. Lin (tel), G.H. Chen (written report) Observer: H.H. Ko Items of Discussion: 1. What is our church point of view on holding matrimonial service in the church chapel? What is the Bible standpoint on marriage? 2. What is the basis for requiring that both the bride and the groom be our members for them to have the marriage ceremony held in the church chapel? 3. How can the church show concern and provide actual assistance toward members who decide to marry non-members? 4. Other issues and questions concerning church members marriage. Discussion and Combined discussion on Items 1, 2, & 3. _ Marriage affects the entire family Marriage affects the church Emphasize marriage within the church, among members a. Do not marry non-believers (Deut 7:3) b. Widows who remarry should also remarry within the church (I Cor 7:39) Prevent increasing marriage with non-members so that it does not have a negative affect on church growth. Taiwan GA current practice: will not administer marriage of members with non-members, but a special service may be held for them to explain the biblical teaching of marriage. Adam was the son of God, and Eve also belongs to God. The first marriage was a blessing that God gave to His son - which is also the first miracle. The end of human life is also the end of a marriage. The children of God make up the church, the holy temple (Eph 2:3-6). A marriage ceremony in the True Church should be like the one that God had instituted. In the eyes of God, a marriage ceremony held for a member and a non-member is like marriage for the living and the dead TRC mm-july 27 13

19 Is marriage with non-members recognized by God? The state of marriage discussed in I Cor. 7 is referring to the present state of believing. Not allowing the marriage ceremony (of member and non-member) to be held in the church chapel is like denying the non-member from receiving the Gospel. But if it is allowed, will it affect our church emphasis on marriage among church members? _ You are a holy nation (Deut 7:6) The people of God should do according to God words. Believers and non-believers should not be yoked together (II Cor 6:14). The will of God is hidden in the Bible. Man point of view cannot replace that of God. Marriage with non-members is not God will. Justice should accompany mercy; we should show mercy if it does not alter God justice and righteousness. All our churches worldwide have the same practice regarding this issue. We need to care about the individual faith and the effect it will have on his/her family. We need to show our love and concern throughout the entire process. Discuss the advantage/disadvantage and gains/losses based on the Bible standpoint. Marriage is a covenant before God. The Bible point of view should not be changed by actual circumstances. Nehemiah: To prevent them from departing from God, God chosen people were not allowed to marry Gentiles, e.g. Solomon. Is administering a marriage ceremony for a non-member against the Biblical teaching? Is administering a memorial service for a non-member against the Biblical teaching? Are there conditions under which we may administer a marriage ceremony between a member and a non-member? Some members marry non-members because they have no other choice. If no other church candidates are available, marriage with non-members may pave the way for bringing him/her to the church. Proposal A Revise 1995 Edition of Member Guide, Chapter 8, Paragraph VI, Item 5 as he church chapel is to be used for wedding ceremonies in which both parties are members of the church. If one of the couple is a non-member but is seeking the Truth and has kept him/her self pure and holy, then the couple may hold their wedding ceremony in the church chapel. Voting: 2 For, 5 Against, 1 Abstained (Failed) Proposal B Revise Paragraph VI, Item 7 as he church may hold a special service to commemorate the marriage of a member with a non-member. The basic principle is that the church will not officiate the marriage. (If passed, the program of this special service will be discussed) Voting: 8 For (Pass) Proposal C Program for special wedding service I. Service begins II. Hymn singing (non-wedding-related hymn only) 1997 TRC mm-july 27 14

20 III. Prayer (in understanding) IV. Sermon (teachings regarding husband and wife) V. Hymn singing (non-wedding-related hymn) VI. Prayer VII. Service ends Voting: (1) Suggestion to remove the parenthesis (non-wedding-related hymn only) in item II. and V. Result: 2 For, 4 Against, 2 Abstained (Failed) (2) Retain the originally proposed Program Result: 8 For (Passed) _ The church should actively provide counseling for youths who have married non-church members. 4. Other issue and question regarding the marriage of a church member such as divorce, remarriage, fornication...etc. will be discussed in the next meeting. Next meeting date: 11/26/ TRC mm-july 27 15

21 MINUTES OF THE TRUTH RESEARCH COMMITTEE MEETING Date: Place: Attendees: Chairman: Recorders: 11/26/97, 8:00 a.m. ~ 6:40 p.m. Dallas church Gien-Hung Chen, Jonathan Chou, Paul Ho, K.M. Huang, Daniel Kau, Derren Liang, John Lin, James Wu, Shyh-Kuang Yang, Jonathan Chou K.M. Huang, Gien-Hung Chen ISSUES AND RESOLUTIONS: I. Definition of fasting and praying A. Fasting means to abstain from food and drink. Fasting can be one meal, two meals or an all day event, or for a specified number of days. In principle, one must abstain from food and drink during the period of fasting and prayer (Jon. 3:5-7). For example: If you fast in the morning you should skip breakfast until your next meal. If you intend to fast for two meals, you should not eat breakfast and lunch nor drink water. However, if you want to fast all day, you can only break your fast the following morning. B. You may not choose to fast if you have a health problem or due to special circumstances. But you can certainly join in the prayer. C. Fasting is a personal commitment to God, a time of devotion and supplication for God mercy and grace, privately. (Mt. 6:16-18) II. The issue of divorce and remarriage A. The principle of marriage: Believers must respect and honor their marriage. What God has joined together, let not man separate (Mk. 10:7-9). Husband and wife should live joyfully; husband must love his wife, and wife must submit to her husband (Ecc. 9:9; Eph. 5:22-23, 33). A wife must observe her chaste conduct and be submissive; in the same manner, the husband must live with his wife with understanding, giving honor to her (1 Pet. 3:1-8). B. Husband and wife must be faithful to each other till the end. If they encounter marital problems, they should resort to prayer faithfully seeking God help; meanwhile examining themselves. They should also seek counseling from church ministers, if necessary. Neither of them should initiate separation or divorce proceedings. C. The two conditions permitting divorce are: 1. If a spouse has committed sexual immorality the innocent spouse may* divorce the offender (Mt. 19:9), or 2. If the non-believing spouse forsakes the believing spouse (1 Cor. 7:15). * May is used here because it is the church stand not to encourage the innocent spouse to initiate divorce proceedings TRCmm-Nov 26 16

22 D. Can a divorcee remarry? 1. Under condition II.C.1 the innocent spouse is permitted to remarry. 2. Under condition II.C.2 the believer can remarry only when the non-believing spouse commits adultery or remarries. E. With the exception of condition II.D, a believing spouse who remarries commits adultery; s(he) who marries the divorcee also commits adultery (Mt. 5:32; 19:9; Mk. 10:7-9). F. The wedding of believers under Condition D is inappropriate to take place in the chapel. However, they may request the church to hold a special service in their homes. G. Believers who are permitted to remarry under Condition II.D, will not be ordained as ministers. For other positions, such as, as board members, sermon leaders, religious teachers, fellowship coordinators, and the like, the church committee may carefully evaluate and consider their qualifications if they have acquired the level of virtues and spirituality. III. Dealing with the problems of sex before marriage (fornication) A. The teachings of the Bible: 1. Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge (Heb. 13:4) 2. Sex before marriage constitutes a relationship of a husband and wife. (1 Cor. 6:16) B. Guiding principles: If an act of fornication has taken place, the church should render appropriate counseling to the couple, exhort them to repent and marry each other. The couple are forbidden to hold their wedding in the chapel. C. Sex before engagement: 1. If both parties are believers a) They should be counseled to marry each other; but their wedding should not be held in the chapel. They should be temporarily suspended from participating in sacred work. b) If one party refuses to marry the other, the church shall counsel them to get married. c) If the first party refuses to marry the second party and further commits sexual act with a third party or marries a third party, the jilted second party can remarry. However, the wedding should take place outside of the church. 2. If both parties agree to marry each other but they face opposition from their parents: a) They should ask the church to help overcome their parents objection. b) The church should encourage the couple to insist on their getting married as soon as possible TRCmm-Nov 26 17

23 3. When one party is a non-believer and the other party is a believer: The church should counsel them to get married as soon as possible. 4. If a believer is forced and raped, according to the teachings in Deuteronomy 22:25-28, the believer is allowed to marry. (S)he should be treated with love and compassion indiscriminately. If both parties to be married are believers, they are permitted to hold their wedding in the chapel. D. Sex after engagement: 1. If both parties are believers, they should be counseled to get married, however, the wedding ceremony should not be held in the chapel. They should also be temporarily suspended from sacred works. 2. If a betrothed sister was forced to have sex by someone: a) The church should encourage her fiancé to accept and marry her. b) If her fiancé refuses, she can be considered as forsaken and can marry someone else. If she and her groom are church members, they may marry in the church. IV. Dealing with the problems of a believer who is homosexual A. If a believer commits an act of homosexuality, according to Romans 1:26-27 and Leviticus 18:22; 20:13, the church should excommunicate the offender. B. If the offender commits the act out of ignorance, the church will counsel the offender. If the offender continues to sin, the offender will be excommunicated. C. If the problem is purely psychological without sexual activity, s(he) should be counseled. V. Principles in dealing with church funds A. A church is a non-profit organization. Therefore, any investment for the purpose of gains and profits is against church standing. B. The collections of the General Assembly are derived from the donations of the churches. The funds are utilized for ministerial and other sacred works. Any surplus should be put into use for helping underdeveloped churches, church construction, hiring permanent staff, or assisting new developing areas. C. Any investments do involve risks. But church funds should be kept in safe custody of institutions that do not involve high risks. D. Church growth is dependent upon the power of God (Ac. 3:6). As the temple of God is called a house of prayer, church growth, therefore, should not be prone to profit and gain (Mt. 21:12-13). E. Past history of mismanagement of funds in similar situations should be a lesson to us. VI. Dealing with believers who become members of other denominations A. Principles: 1997 TRCmm-Nov 26 18

24 A believer shall be excommunicated if (s)he intentionally shows resistance against the general situation, rebels against the church, creates chaos and becomes a member of another denomination. If the act is out of ignorance, the church should exhort the believer to return with love. B. Handling methods: 1. If the believer is baptized in another denomination, the church should strike him/her off the rolls. If the believer who was a member of another denomination and baptized in our church, later returns to the original church, we should exhort the believer to return. If (s)he shows no repentance to return, his/her name should be taken off the register. 2. If our believer is actively participating in the activities of another denomination, the believer should be discouraged from continue doing so. 3. If our believer is either ordained or hired as a holy worker of another denomination, we should exhort him/her to return to our church. If (s)he refuses, then (s)he will be excommunicated. 4. If our believer participates in the service of another denomination, receives their laying of hands or partakes their Holy Communion, our church should stop that believer from further participation, explaining to him/her the seriousness of the matter so that (s)he) may repent. 5. If our holy worker joins the membership of another denomination, (s)he should be excommunicated. Next TRC meeting: May 8, Topical assignments to TRC members for discussions. (Please forward your research papers to GA by 4/25/98). 1. Define the meanings of adultery and fornication. [Dn. John Lin, Pr. Derren, Liang, Dn. Chao-Yet Kuo] 2. Dealing with the problems of breach of promise. [Dn. Daniel Kau, Pr. Gien-Hung Chen, Pr. Jonathan Chou] 3. The relationship between NCC and GA. [Dn. James Wu, Dn. Paul Ho, Dn. Moses Huang] 1997 TRCmm-Nov 26 19

25 MINUTES OF THE TRUTH RESEARCH COMMITTEE MEETING Date: November 16, 1998 Time: Place: Attendees: Recorders: 8:00 a.m. ~ 6:30 p.m. Elizabeth Church Pr. Gien-Hung Chen. Pr. Jonathan Chou, Dn. Paul Ho, Dn. Moses Huang, Dn. Daniel Kau, Pr. Derren Liang, Dn. John Lin, Dn. James Wu. Dn. John Lin, Sister Betsie Liu 1. Definitions of Adultery and Fornication Findings: Adultery refers to extra-marital sexual relationship with someone other than own spouse; whereas fornication, may include all kinds of sexual immorality. 2. Relationship between the National Church Conference and the General Assembly 1) When the issue of circumcision arose, the church in Antioch sent Paul, Barnabas and a few others to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and elders. Paul and Barnabas reported to the council all the things that God had done among the Gentiles. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the council came to a decision and wrote a letter, delivered by Judas, Silas, Barnabas and Paul, for the Gentile Christians to follow. As a result, the believers rejoiced over its encouragement and their faith was strengthened. 2) The National Church Conference is composed of the GA Committee Members, the full-time preachers, and delegates of the churches in the nation. The Conference, based upon the teachings of the Holy Bible and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, engages in discussions and finds solutions as to how to promote the sacred works for development of the churches. 3) The GA Committee Members are elected during the NCC. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Committee Members are to execute the decisions made in the Conference and also work together with the churches in order to promote evangelism, pastoring, and establish churches as the Lord has commanded. 4) In view of aforesaid, the NCC and GA are of one body. 5) It is recommended that the Primary Purposes of the GA Bylaws under Chapter One, Article 6 be reiterated in Article 9 of Chapter Two. And that the Bylaws Committee is to study Section 1 of Article 9 of the said Chapter regarding that the 1998 TRC mm Nov 16 E 20

26 NCC is the highest policy-making body and to make revision thereto as deemed fit. 3. Can ministers, including elders, deacons, and full-time preachers, who immigrated to USA, participate in sacred works in a local church as well as in the General Assembly. 1) All ordained ministers of the True Jesus Church, including retired full-time preachers, regardless of where they are ordained, shall maintain their office of ordination despite the fact that they may have moved to a foreign country. 2) When a legal-resident minister has resided in a locality, which is under the jurisdiction of a local church, for six months or more, and has intention of continuing the residency in that locality, the church shall invite the minister to join the Church Council. The minister is also qualified for candidacy in a general election for church board members, or, in the election of the GA committee members. 4. Church structure and holy offices 1) According to the Scripture, a church should establish elders, deacons to pastor the church and preach the gospel. Presently, because the church is lacking in personnel, lay members are often chosen to be church board members. In order to return to the spirit of the Bible, the Church Council and the Church Board should be one committee. 2) Biblically speaking, elders are overseers of the church while deacons are the assistants. Hence, the TRC recommends that the chairman should be chosen within the Church Council from among the elders, deacons, or the officers in charge of the Religious Affairs. 3) As such, the TRC recommends that the Bylaws Committee to make appropriate revision to the bylaws for endorsement by GA as well as NCC. 5. What is the church position in regards to a holy worker who only imparts the basic beliefs to someone who wants to be baptized but does not require the person to attend service in the True Jesus Church. 1) Before administering baptism, the holy worker must ensure that the person understands the fundamental beliefs of our church, including the beliefs that the Lord Jesus is the only true God; that the True Jesus Church is the true church of the end-time; and that baptism is to cleanse away one s sins. The holy worker must also coordinate with the local church about the imminent baptism so that the local church can follow up with pastoring work. 6. Include the phrase justified through faith in our Basic Beliefs TRC mm Nov 16 E 21

27 1) Dn. Moses Huang will research this issue and report his findings to the TRC in the next meeting. 7. The definition of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the Article of Faith pertaining to the One True God should be more explicitly explained. 1) Pr. Jonathan Chou will do a study regarding the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit and will, then, include more explicitly the definition of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the First Article of Faith about the One True God. 8. When reading the Chinese Bible, replace the word Jehovah with the word Lord. 1) The word Jehovah in the Chinese Bible is a mistranslation. Previously, NCC has resolved that when reading the Chinese Bible, replace Jehovah with the word Lord or God. GA should send a reminder to all churches regarding the previous resolution of NCC. 9. In speaking, use the words Lord Jesus instead of saying Jesus only. 1) It would be more appropriate to address our Lord and Savior Jesus as Lord Jesus instead of just Jesus. (See Phil. 2:9-11). 2) Dn. James Wu will pen a missive in this respect for circulation by GA to all churches. The next TRC meeting is schedule in October 1999 on a day prior to the full GA Committee meeting. Especial meetings may be held whenever deemed necessary TRC mm Nov 16 E 22

28 MINUTES OF THE TRUTH RESEARCH COMMITTEE MEETING Date: October 15, 1999 Time: 8:00 a.m. ~ 6:30 p.m. Place: Elizabeth Church Attendees: Pr. Gien-Hung Chen, Pr. Jonathan Chou, Dn. Moses Huang, Dn. Chaoyet Kuo, Pr. Derren Liang, Dn. Luke Loh and Dn. James Wu Chairman: Pr. Derren Liang Recorder: Sis. Betsie Liu ISSUES AND RESOLUTIONS: 1. Supplement to the 1997 resolutions of the issue regarding divorce and remarriage : 1997 Resolutions: A. The principle of marriage: Believers must respect and honor their marriage. What God has joined together, let not man separate (Mk. 10:7-9). Husband and wife should live joyfully; husband must love his wife, and wife must submit to her husband (Ecc. 9:9; Eph. 5:22-23, 33). A wife must observe her chaste conduct and be submissive; in the same manner, the husband must live with his wife with understanding, giving honor to her (1 Pet. 3:1-8). B. Husband and wife must be faithful to each other till the end. If they encounter marital problems, they should resort to prayer faithfully seeking God help; meanwhile examining themselves. They should also seek counseling from church ministers, if necessary. Neither of them should initiate separation or divorce proceedings. C. The two conditions permitting divorce are: 1. If a spouse has committed sexual immorality the innocent spouse may* divorce the offender (Mt. 19:9), or 2. If the non-believing spouse forsakes the believing spouse (1 Cor. 7:15). * May is used here because it is the church stand not to encourage the innocent spouse to initiate divorce proceedings. D. Can a divorcee remarry? 1. Under condition II.C.1 the innocent spouse is permitted to remarry. 2. Under condition II.C.2 the believer can remarry only when the non-believing spouse commits adultery or remarries. E. With the exception of condition II.D, a believing spouse who remarries commits adultery; s(he) who marries the divorcee also commits adultery (Mt. 5:32; 19:9; Mk. 10:7-9). F. The wedding of believers under Condition D is inappropriate to take place in the chapel. However, they may request the church to hold a special service in their homes. G. Believers who are permitted to remarry under Condition II.D, will not be ordained as ministers. For other positions, such as, as board members, sermon leaders, religious teachers, fellowship coordinators, and the like, the church committee may carefully evaluate and consider their qualifications if they have acquired the level of virtues and spirituality TRC Minutes Oct 15 E 23

29 Supplement to D.2. Under condition C.2, in principle, the believer can remarry only when the non-believing spouse commit adultery or remarries. 2. Study the impact of ecumenical movement to our church and develop a strategy of awareness and defense (23 rd NCC proposal). Resolutions: A. The criteria of a true church according to the Bible include: 1. Abidance of the Holy Spirit: The church is the body of Christ and must possess the Spirit of God as evidence that she is established by God. She is then entrusted with the authority of remitting or retaining sins. The Holy Spirit is also the guarantee of the heavenly inheritance for the members (Rom 8:9; 1 Cor 12:13; 1 Jn 3:24; Jn 1:32~33, Jn 3:34, Jn 20:21~23; Eph 1:13~14). 2. Signs and miracles will follow: Miracles evidence that the Truth that is preached is true, and that God bears witness both with signs and wonders (Heb 2:1~4; Acts 14:3; 2 Cor 12:12; Mt 11:2~6). The promise of the Lord is, And these signs will follow those who believe (Mk 16:17~20). 3. The Truth that is preached must be biblically sound (Eph 2:19~20; 2 Jn 9~11; 1 Cor 4:6; Gal 1:6~9; Rev 22:18~19). B. The basis of the unity of the church is to become one in the Truth: There is only one body of Christ (church) and one Holy Spirit. God is one: one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Eph 4:3~6, 13; 1 Cor 12:4~12). C. Our attitude toward ecumenical movement: 1. According to the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, He who is not against us is on our side (Mk 9:38~40). 2. The members of our church must have the firm conviction that the True Jesus Church is the only one true church of the end times. 3. We must actively preach the complete gospel to the other churches, so that they may one day enter the true church established in God s name. 3. The issue of whether believers may hold memorial services on the Sabbath. Resolutions: A. The purpose of God establishing the Sabbath day includes: 1. Man may remember that God is the Creator (Ex 20:8~11; Ezek 20:20). 2. Man may attain rest (Ex 23:12, 16:29; Gen 2:3, 15). 3. Man may remember God s grace of salvation (Deut 5:15; Lev 23:3). 4. Man may know that sanctification comes from God (Ezek 20:12; Heb 10:10, 14; 2 Thess 2:13). God desires man to sanctify themselves on the Sabbath day and not to engage in secular work (Neh 13:22; Isa 58:13~14). 5. Man may look forward to the eternal Sabbath in the heavenly kingdom (Heb 4:1, 9~10; Rom 8:22~23). B. Therefore, the commemoration of memorial services is to be avoided on the Sabbath. If it is inevitable that the memorial service must be held on a Sabbath, it should be held after all the church activities are completed TRC Minutes Oct 15 E 24