[Editor’s Note: Editha Kern passed away this week. Her husband Olin Kern (1934-2009) married my parents (Norman and Jane Sage), eulogized my mother, and was the preacher for the Central Church of Christ in Charlotte, Tennessee at its birth. Brother Kern wrote the following article for Searching The Scriptures in October, 1963. It details the early days of Central where both my mother’s (Petty) and Janice Mayo’s (Burgess) families worshipped. It is presented here to honor those who sacrificed in the past and to caution those who will lead in the future. The original edition of the journal can be found at searchingthesciptures.com or truthmagazine.org.-JS]
Olin Kern, Charlotte, Tenn.
By request of the co-editor, brother James P. Miller, I am writing this article. Should it encourage any to preach “The Whole Gospel,” then, its design will be fulfilled.
Without question the darkest hour in anyone’s life is when it is necessary to turn your back on some of your dearest friends and do only what Almighty God would have His children do— live faithful in words, deeds, and actions. I know of no one who desires or is pleased to see a congregation disintegrate beneath his teaching. Thus, when the old congregation divided and this new congregation became a reality in May, 1962, we were filled with mixed emotions. We were happy to stand for TRUTH and TRUTH alone, but deeply saddened by the failure of some to give themselves wholly over to God.
Like most all other congregations of our day and time who are forced to make a decision between truth and error, we were marked and labeled as “GENUINE ORPHAN HATERS” and other things that can not be printed upon the pages of this or any other paper. While it is certainly true that the ORPHAN HOME question was a side issue of this difficulty, it is by no means the main reason behind the division. The principal reasons were as follows: (1) the liberal view— in this group are those who condone and engage in (a) the social gospel (b) social drinking (c) worldliness (d) institutionalism, and such like. Also in a business meeting on Jan. 22, 1962, the elders formed this decree: “We (the elders) will write each preacher that is to hold a Gospel meeting at this place and instruct them to preach sermons to the sinners (???) but not to preach any doctrinal issues.” In view of the various positions held in the congregation there is little wonder as to why they only wanted sermons to the alien sinner. Sermons to the congregation would not be in agreement with their thinking. While it is true that all in this group would not accept all of the above mentioned, certainly these four groups cover a very good cross section of the afore mentioned difficulty. (2) The conservative view— in this group the brethren wanted nothing but the “WORD.” It is this group with which I am proud to be a small part.
On May 20th 1962 we had our first meeting in the high school auditorium. There were 55 present that meeting. Certainly all were anxious, not knowing what lay beyond. We had no money, no place to meet for any length of time, and no support for a preacher. A few days later we had a business meeting in order to raise some money so that we might erect a place of worship. Little did we know at that time of the coming opposition; the builders and all concerned were to be badgered by the liberal brethren or friends of the liberal brethren. However, we were able to raise two or three thousand dollars among our own group. The Riverside Drive church in Nashville, Tenn., gave us eight hundred dollars toward a down payment for a building. By this time we were well on our way— we thought. We had our lot paid for and a sufficient amount (we though) for a down payment on a building. We had been informed to this end: should we raise 20% of the total cost of the building, we would be able to secure a loan. We raised that amount but the loan was not to be, at least not at this time. We were now told that we must raise 50% of the total cost in order to get the loan. All were discouraged by this, but God always has a way of rewarding those who remain faithful to His cause. A few days after we were turned down on our first try for a loan, one of the brethren mortgaged his house for four thousand dollars ($4,000.00), and we were able to secure the loan and begin construction on the meeting house. On the last Sunday in November, we met in the building for the first time. The total cost of our building, seats, and all, was $12,775.00. The building shown above has four class rooms plus an auditorium and a study. By having folding doors on the back class-rooms we can seat almost two hundred. Incidentally, we had a high of 217 in a recent Gospel meeting. Our attendance for Sunday morning worship during the month of May was one hundred and one.
After the meeting house funds were made available, the brethren talked about building a home for the preacher. This was a must because there was no place to rent in this rural area and it hardly seemed logical to move to a near-by city and there find a dwelling place. Funds for this endeavor were not difficult to obtain because the bank could lend us the money to construct the home against the lot, and the note payment would remain the same. In about four months all of our needs were well taken care of; we had a meeting place, we had a house for the preacher, and support had been raised for the preacher.
The brethren were told of my needs as a Gospel preacher and support was soon coming from many parts of the country within a month. Last winter I was in need of a small amount of support and three congregations came to my assistance. Two were informed that my need had been taken care of and that they should not continue their support. The other congregation is supporting us at the present. The following congregations are having a part of this good work and without their help I certainly would not be able to preach full time in this area: Riverside Drive church of Christ, Nashville, Tenn.; Franklin Road church of Christ, Nashville, Tenn.; Rock church of Christ, Dickson County, Tenn.; Thayer St. church of Christ, Akron, Ohio; Park Blvd. church of Christ, Louisville, Ky.; West End church of Christ, Franklin, Tenn.; Locust church of Christ, Mt. Pleasant, Tenn.; and Academy St. (later Oak Avenue-JS) church of Christ, Dickson, Tenn.
For all of these congregations and the many individuals who have taken an interest in the work here at this place we are thankful to God. Because of God’s help and their assistance we are where we are today. Our greatest dreams have been fulfilled ten times over. Perhaps we lacked in faith when we first began, but without question there are still many in Israel who are satisfied with “JUST THE TRUTH.” It is my hope that our strength and faith have been increased by whatever success we have attained.
Should all the men be able to work eighteen (end of 1964) months, the congregation here will be able to support its own work. By this I mean, they can employ a preacher full time, pay on the note, have a couple of meetings a year, and be able to pay all the bills. Two and one-half years after the birth of this congregation it should be totally upon its own—and I hope and pray to God that it will still be preaching the truth—the word of God, so that division will never be necessary again.
As long as there is a chance to preach the truth in any congregation that may have liberal tendencies, I pray that brethren will keep the “Sword of the Spirit” hot, letting it fall where it will. We are not glad to report a division, but we are glad to report that there are some in this corner of the vineyard planting the word in a simple fashion and that God is giving the increase.
Though some of our liberal friends would deny the truthfulness of this article, I still stand before God and man ready to defend all that is said.
Kern, Olin. “A New Congregation.” Searching the Scriptures. vol. 9, no. 10, Oct. 1963, pp. 10-11. www.searchingthescriptures.com. Accessed 12 Nov. 2021.
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