Who are the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church?
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Our community began in the early 1800s in England, after people became dissatisfied with the Anglican Church and wanted a simpler, more Bible-focused way of worshipping.
By 1829, the first regular meetings had started, and the name Plymouth Brethren was adopted as some of the early teachers came from the southern England port city.
Like many Christian religions, we base our beliefs firmly on the Holy Bible.
Every church is different and many have different practices when it comes to what people eat and when. One of the things which distinguishes us is with whom we eat. We have a strong focus on fellowship. We express this by sharing meals and drinks only with those who take part with us in the Lord’s Supper (also known as Holy Communion).
While everyone’s different, it’s fair to say the Plymouth Brethren live normal lives, which would certainly be very recognisable to people from many other Christian denominations. We live, work, study, volunteer and support people from all backgrounds across our local communities.
We don’t actively recruit people to our religion. Most members are born into the Church, but some people do join from outside the community. We welcome anyone who is willing to commit to our way of life and beliefs.
We don’t have a long list of formal rules. Instead, we aim to live a Christian life guided by values found in the Holy Bible. These shared beliefs shape how we behave, support each other, and practise our faith.
The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church does not have a formal hierarchy or paid clergy.
Our faith and values promote personal responsibility, and we are deeply family oriented in our approach.
Much like in a family, there are individuals who naturally provide guidance in our lives. Those include Bruce D. Hales and other elders who serve the Church and our members across the globe.
Some critics have labelled us a cult and exclusive and we are neither. We aim to contribute positively to the communities in which we live. For a fuller explanation on this topic, please read this article.
