doctrines Archives » Stanton Blog

10 September

Procrastinating truth another year

By Kevin|2019-04-11T02:09:37-06:00September 10th, 2014|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Truth is timeless. It is unchanging. It maintains its value through the always-evolving marketplace of ideas, like the gold standard in a world of paper currencies. Trends in human thought come and go, and philosophies rise and fall in popularity like fad diets, but truth is like a rock, never succumbing to the pressures of relativistic philosophies or changing "understandings." It is what it is, and what it always has been. The Truth. It also doesn't need to wait another year for us to acknowledge it, either. Or figure it out, or agree upon it, or agree to teach it. Truth just needs to be discovered and immediately taught. This is why Christianity in the first century thrived and turned the world upside down--because people [...]

16 June

The Suitcase of Books

By Kevin|2019-04-11T02:09:31-06:00June 16th, 2014|Uncategorized|15 Comments

One of the best teaching tools the Stanton Church of Christ had going for it in its old Non-Member Classes was the infamous Suitcase of Books. Eventually the inconvenience of passing it around to the next Non-Member Class Teacher, or perhaps the hypocrisy of it, led to its demise. Nevertheless, The Suitcase of Books played a convincing role in many conversions to the sect, because it truly was a unique and effective visual illustration of the confusion caused by the doctrines and traditions of fallible men. I'm not positive the Suitcase of Books has been retired completely, actually. If it hasn't, it most definitely has lost some of its rhetorical power, because alas, the point made by the Teachers using the Suitcase has come back [...]

5 September

2 Opinions Chapter 3

By Kevin|2022-12-03T08:06:56-07:00September 5th, 2013|Uncategorized|211 Comments

NEWLY REVISED AND TRANSLATED! Now presented in the newest Modern Pharisaical Translation (MPT). [4] It has been brought to our attention that church members and rabbis have had some trouble defending various rules from the Bible, so we've provided the following chapter from the book of 2 Opinions for easy reference. It will no longer be necessary to quote various rabbis, May Meetings, October Meetings, or founding documents. Members can now simply refer to book, chapter and verse below to defend their favorite teachings. 2 Opinions Chapter 3 Christians must not eat food or drink anything but water in their building at any time. Christians must not take food into their building at any time. Christians must not have weddings or funerals in their building. [...]

28 August

Dinosaurs and moon landing conspiracies

By Kevin|2019-04-11T02:08:45-06:00August 28th, 2013|Uncategorized|50 Comments

With some of the more bizarre doctrines of the church, you have to laugh a little or you'd cry. Please don't misunderstand this post to be about poking fun or mocking in any way. I assure you that I'm doing no such thing, and everything written here is written in love, and with the intent to enlighten and edify. Can someone hold some wacky opinions and still fit into the paradigm of love under the New Covenant? Yes, no doubt. But elevating men and women to the status of being more revered and spiritual than anyone else just makes wacky opinions more likely. The thinking cap tends to get hung up on the rack gathering dust. Let me just admit here that there are a [...]

5 August

Unbiblical teaching against wine

By Kevin|2019-04-11T02:08:18-06:00August 5th, 2013|Uncategorized|9 Comments

The church routinely substitutes its own human reasoning in place of what the Bible actually says, and this couldn't be more the case than with the teaching against wine. Drinking wine continues to be taught against, apparently, although it is now OK to cook with alcohol if someone else buys it for you. With that, let's put aside the traditions of men and take a look at what the Bible really says about alcohol. If you're a Christian, you may be surprised to know that the Bible doesn't make a blanket condemnation of alcohol. Instead, the Bible's teaching on it is consistently one of moderation, not prohibition. Both the Old and New Testaments actually come right out and authorize drinking alcoholic drinks. This passage from the [...]

1 August

Teaching for doctrines the commandments of men

By Kevin|2019-04-11T02:08:07-06:00August 1st, 2013|Uncategorized|6 Comments

One of the biggest problems with the sect is the extremes they've gone to in "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (in good old King James English). There have been no areas of life untouched by the rules and regulations of fallible men in the 40+ years of existence of this sect, from whether you can have a glass of wine with your dinner, to whether you can go on a family vacation, what you can do on that vacation, and who you can enjoy your recreation with. The rules (a.k.a. judgments) of the church have reached all the way into the sacred bedroom of a married couple, regulating such things as sexual positions (face to face), distance apart (6 to 12 inches), how [...]

30 July

Rules of attire

By Kevin|2019-04-11T02:08:00-06:00July 30th, 2013|Uncategorized|170 Comments

With this post, I'll begin a series on various rules of men that have been created by this church. Some may have changed here and there over time, and some may not have been enforced equally across all congregations. But every one of these has been verified by former members. Keep in mind that the point here is not to argue the validity of the reasoning behind any of these rules, but to argue that the church composed of fallible humans should not be making rules like these at all. "They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules." Mt 15:19 (NIV) "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Mt 15:19 (KJV) Dresses for women required on [...]

29 July

Changing doctrines

By Kevin|2019-04-30T09:53:03-06:00July 29th, 2013|Uncategorized|104 Comments

One of the staple teachings I had growing up in the Stanton Church of Christ was the idea that truth never changes. Therefore, if any church had ever changed their doctrines, you could be assured it was not the True Church, because 1 Tim 3:15 says the True Church is the pillar and the ground of the unchanging truth. The only problem is that the church has most definitely changed its doctrines over the years. That's the purpose of the May Meetings, in fact...to discuss doctrine and reach conclusions for the sake of "unity." Invariably, each May Meeting creates a flurry of excitement around all the "new understandings" of scripture "brought back" from the meeting. These "church councils," which are nothing more than the equivalent [...]

"This needed to be said Kevin, thank you. I believe you are getting to heart of the problem in the church. Instead of a Christian being allowed to exercise their own conscience, the conscience of a few people living in South Carolina and California is forced upon the entire brotherhood." ~Anonymous

"Great blog, Kevin. I'm originally from Stanton (I remember you being a young boy there). I Spent almost twenty years in the church seeing many of the things you speak about but keeping them in the back of my mind, and doubting my own feelings that something wasn't right.

"This constant gossiping was so confusing because it was OK for teachers to talk about people, but no one else to even question actions of a teacher. Being outside of that influence and away from the constant intimidation, it is so much more clear. There was no love or understanding. I'm sure most, except for the leaders, know something is wrong if they would just be honest with themselves. I regret so much putting my children through this more than I regret putting myself through it.

"I'm just glad I left. No need for being bitter toward anyone because it was my choice to be there and stay there. Keep up the good work." ~Loraine Forshee

I have read every word of this blog… I spent many hours/days reading… Feeling so sick inside… I felt so grateful to find this blog." ~Anonymous

"I left the group because I realized that what the group taught and what God teaches were often-not always-vastly different. I had to make a choice; stay out of fear, obligation, because of relationships, or leave so I could continue to follow Christ. I left. You know, one thing I heard A LOT while in the group is that “fallen away ones” are always longing to come back into the group.” At the time I believed it, but I just haven’t found it to be true! If it were, there would be plenty of people flocking back, and it isn’t happening. I have been in contact with quite a few who have left, and not one of us has thoughts about going back. Ever." ~Debby Stevens

"What’s ironic is that we point these things out to them only for them to ignore, dismiss and scoff at the blog both publicly in talks or sermons, and among themselves in secret. For you leaders and members of the SCOC who still read this blog, it’s one thing to dismiss the dissenters, but when you have people in your own ranks parroting the SAME EXACT PROBLEMS we talk about here (some of whom don’t even read the blog yet they see the same things we do), it may be time to consider your ways instead of having “unity” (conformity) meetings trying to ignore it." ~Advocate for Peace

"I too am a current member in 'good standing' in the church. I read the blog and I know of two other current members who also read it. I am sure you're wondering why in the world I would still be attending after reading all of this. Honestly, I am weak and just don't have the courage to leave because of family members who are still involved. Because of the threat of withdrawal for murmuring it's impossible to ask others what they think of the blog posts and videos. I am sure I will leave someday, I'm just not quite ready." ~Anonymous

"I'm currently a member in "good standing" in the church. I read the blog, even though its frowned upon. I can't begin to tell you how closely the comments and personal testimonies align and match what's happening in the church. You read something here, and it opens your eyes to that behavior now. so that when you see it happening, you instantly think about who it happened to here on this blog, and you know the damage it causing." ~Anonymous

"I’m not giving up on God like they believe I’m lost now. I’m so glad I found this blog. It helped open my eyes to what I was a part of for TOO long." ~Not going back

“I blush for my fellows who hold up the Bible as the bond of union, yet make their opinions of it a test of fellowship; who plead for union of all Christians, yet refuse to fellowship with such as dissent from their notions. Vain men! Their zeal is not according to knowledge, nor is their spirit that of Christ. Such antisectarian-sectarians are doing more mischief to the cause and advancement of truth, the unity of Christians, and the salvation of the world, than all the skeptics in the world. In fact, they create skeptics.” Barton Stone

"Someone told me here just recently that, Gary, do you realize what’s happening, under cover? People are coming out and expressing what it is that they feel, their disdain and contempt for what you believe. I’ve got to know how to respond. And I know how I respond. That’s the basis of this lesson. I refuse. I refuse, to the uttermost of my being to dignify the absurdity of the questions and the challenges in which it is that people will present. What I mean by that is that I will not honor, they are not worthy of my consideration. … [M]y whole estimation was to not give it a nickel’s worth of consideration. But I want to give you what it is how I deal with things like this. How I respond. Because I don’t. I don’t." Gary Preman

Truth Defender on Why I care about politics and cultureHow can a woman learn the role God designed for her in the church and marriage in a church started by Merie, who rebelled against God’s order that women stay silent in the churches? Short answer. They…
Non institutional One cupper on Why I care about politics and cultureAnd he is still apart of the church of Christ but the one he started right?
Anonymous on Why I care about politics and cultureHe is living in Texas and is worshipping in a home with other believers. My advice would be to contact him through his instagram page if you would like more information.
Non institutional One cupper on Why I care about politics and cultureWhere is Joe worshiping
Anonymous on Why I care about politics and cultureFrom my understanding, Joe didn’t start his own sect. About a year after his unscriptural withdrawal he left the Stanton sect which he had been a part of since birth, and he and his family attended a…
Non institutional One cupper on Why I care about politics and cultureDose anyone know besides Joe gautreau if there has been anyone who broke away from stanton and stared teir own sect of churches of christ
Truth Defender on Why I care about politics and cultureHumility, Pride, Love, and Truth. Of these four words, which do you hear most in Stanton? I'd say it's a close contest between love and pride, though in the past, pride won by a lot. Now, pride appear…
Truth Defender on Why I care about politics and cultureThe concept is scriptural, and in accordance with nature's law, IMHO. Good overview by anonymous. Anytime a member of any organization publicly violates the organizations standards, rather than bring…
Anonymous on Why I care about politics and cultureThe reason they do public confessions is to clear themslves of public sins. They believe that a member can sin collectively against every member in their congregation by committing a sin in public. (A…
Luke clips on Why I care about politics and cultureWhy dose stanton do public confessions
Truth Defender on My Story, by Matthew EzellIt seems reasonable, when one zooms out and looks at what was happening in America at the time, a great book on it is “Sexual Sabotage” by Judith Reisman. Beginning with Kinseys degenerate “Sex Report…
Truth Defender on Why I care about politics and cultureInteresting, thank you for posting. Wonder if you were in Stanton prior to 1984, when my family left. The tradition, unscriptural, of female teachers has been devastating. Kevin’s mother was very astu…
Liz Montalvo on My Story, by Matthew EzellIn hindsight, once I left Stanton, I began to realize that the obsession by some Stanton leaders with members' sex lives illustrated their own sexual depravity. God is all knowing and He alone will ju…
Liz Montalvo on My Story, by Matthew EzellIt is heartbreaking that Matt was withdrawn from and I can't help but see the similiarities between what occurred with his father-in-law and mother-in-law. Jill was the sweetest soul and a dear friend…
Liz Montalvo on Here’s Joe Gautreau’s letter of withdrawal…where do I start?Agreed. I placed membership at a Houston Church of Christ in the 1980s and in no way was I turned away or my past checked because I had been a member at Stanton. It was quite the opposite.
Liz Montalvo on Gossip, evil surmising, and slanderAmen Loraine.
Liz Montalvo on Why I care about politics and cultureI find it interesting that Kevin has “forbidden” the use of names but he mentioned Merie & another woman in his opening post & conveniently left out his mother who did quite a bit of harm. I k…
Anonymous on Why I care about politics and cultureYes, there is a reason Bible class is after worship and not before. Worship is the most important activity of not just Sunday, but the entire week, as well as the only time the church is commanded to…
Luke clips on Why I care about politics and cultureIs there a reason stanton dose not have Bible classes before worship
Anonymous on Why I care about politics and cultureTo answer your question about non-class... Stanton conducts children's classes on Sunday morning and/or evening after worship while the adults have their class, so no, they are not 'non class'.