Split #4: 1988
In 1988 the Old Bethlehem Association split over changes concerning baptism and marriage. This was a big split that affected a lot of people.
Prior to 1988, if you were not baptized in an Old Bethlehem Church or church from a corresponding association and wanted to become a member, you had to be re-baptized by an Old Bethlehem Elder. And if a sinner had been divorced and since remarried for any reason other than fornication, they were not permitted to join the church unless they divorced their current spouse and pledged to live "as a eunuch" (celibate until death).
Elders Nolan Queen and Willis Tomblin from Echo and Paul's Chapel church had been baptizing converts that had been divorced previously without fornication being the reason. Such a heavy burden to cause people to bear for membership is not biblical, and these preachers were unwilling to compromise their beliefs.
Although they were technically breaking the rules, many supported them. They were brought up and admonished prior to the 1988 split but nothing happened. In response to this, the rules were changed. A motion was put forth to change the rules concerning baptism so as to not require re-baptism of anybody wishing to transfer to Old Bethlehem churches if their baptism was found to be "orthodox". A motion was also put forth to to change the rules on marriage to not require divorce and celibacy for sinners seeking salvation. They referred to this as “not going behind somebody’s conversion”. Both passed.
The vote to change the stance on marriage was tied at the association. The moderator was Norman Adkins and he broke the tie in favor of the change.
Church members are still prohibited from divorcing and remarrying without fornication being the cause. Divorce for any reason forfeits the right to be ordained in Old Bethlehem.
5 churches later withdrew from the Old Bethlehem Association in their regular business sessions and formed their own association called Calvary Regular United in 1989. Withdrawing in a regularly planned business meeting had become a requirement to properly exit the association. The churches were Comfort, Kiah's Creek, Mt. Sinai, Mt. Olive, and Prichard. Comfort, Kiah’s Creek, and Mt. Olive were founding members and predated the association itself. Comfort and Kiah’s Creek were also founding members of the previous Zion Association. Mt. Sinai was a longstanding member for a century or so. Prichard was newer and an arm off Echo.
The majority of the people stayed with Old Bethlehem. Despite losing 5 churches, Old Bethlehem itself only lost 311 members. In 1989 Old Bethlehem had 838 members while Calvary had 317.
Differing Views
At the end of the day, Bethlehem always had two different sides. From the early 1900s until this point, one side became increasingly restrictive over time. They used to call people out by name in the minutes who they viewed as doing wrong, admonishing them, and publicly ordering them to make things right. They did this for Elders and laypeople alike. Today Old Bethlehem’s rules stress the biblical method of seeking to resolve personal conflicts privately prior to bringing them up in the churches.
Early in the 1900s the association began to threaten excommunication for anybody who “advocated open communion” despite the fact that they themselves were open communion at the beginning. They condemned Sunday schools despite the fact that they were encouraged in the beginning. They condemned “double married” individuals (the term is not biblical) and there was serious debate for years over the exact conditions allowable for divorce and remarriage. Eventually the association looked into it, and the opinion of Elder Jesse Nelson was taken as gospel that fornication alone was a justifiable reason. In a strange turn of events, his published opinion by name became the rule that the association lived and breathed by for years, rather than Christ Jesus saying the exact same thing.
One time Jesse Nelson baptized a woman the some in the association didn’t want to be baptized. He remarked “I’ll baptize them you unbaptize them”. Widely popular in his day, Jesse Nelson had a lot in common with Old Bethlehem now. He, along with many other Elders throughout the years, pushed against unbiblical rules, but many fought back.
The idea of TVs being found in members’ homes was brought up in the mid-1900s but dropped without comment. There were many individuals who believed TVs, movie theaters, and basically anything other than poverty and church going was sinful.
Although it’s never mentioned in the minutes, women wearing pants would have been seen as a great sin by most of these churches. The minutes prohibited women from cutting their hair (even to trim it). This was also an issue of contention in 1988, specifically from the Kiah’s Creek church, although our official ruling on it didn’t change then.
The Alpha Davis Bethlehem that split in 1960 held these same beliefs and were equally controlling. At one point in the 1970s Alpha Davis Bethlehem even wrote in their minutes that bible studies and carrying bibles to church for such purposes was wrong and that only “preaching in the power and demonstration” was acceptable for their members. It’s no wonder they split 3 ways and are all dead or dying today.
Their split of 1969 that led to the Paul Nelson side was over divorce. From what I’ve heard, Paul Nelson believed divorce was so terrible it was never acceptable and may have been unforgivable in his eyes.
From the early to mid-1900s the Bethlehem association grew more closed minded and restrictive. Compounded, no doubt by lack of education, this led to the 7+ splits that occurred starting in the mid to late 1900s.
This rule-loving and argumentative side of Bethlehem is in essence what left us in 1988 and was descended from the same types of people that brought the association down. Even after splitting, the arguments never stopped.
Calvary Split of 1996
The Calvary Regular United Association, whose 4 out of 5 churches had been together for more than 130 years in close communion—lasted less than 10 years before they had a split. In 1996 an accusation was levied at Elder Charles O. Adkins that he had stolen money from the Penny Fund of the association. He denied it and said that he would pay out whatever they claimed he had stolen fourfold. This culminated in a split.
In reality there were some who didn’t want him to be moderator and he was gaining in popularity. There was a certain brother that had been contentious and disruptive for years in Old Bethlehem as well as Calvary. He and a few others were behind this.
Prichard, Mt. Sinai, Mt. Olive, and Elmwood (Left Tom Vance Bethlehem in 1992) left Mt. Calvary and formed Mt. Sion Regular United Association in 1996.
As of 2023 both associations still exist but are dying. Calvary has two churches and Mt. Sion has two churches. The Mt. Sinai and Mt. Olive churches dissolved due to low membership. An unrelated church had taken up residence in the Mt. Olive building last I heard. I hope they can focus on Jesus Christ and succeed where others were turned aside.
Final Thoughts
It’s hard not to see the errors that plagued the association for so many years with the benefit of hindsight. It does seem that Old Bethlehem has begun to move towards the bible more and rules less. The Church’s job is to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, not to quarrel and try and establish their own righteousness.
There were good Christian men and women on all sides of these splits. But the actions of some bad apples took its toll for sure. Going forwards, it is my sincere desire that we will look to God more and stop trying to do everything on our own.
More splits are likely to come if growth and prosperity emerge. It has been so for thousands of years. But the manner in which we choose to conduct ourselves and manifest Jesus in our lives is what ultimately matters.