Smith's Friends

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Smith's Friends is a worldwide Christian fellowship with no official denomination. Established in Norway early in the 20th century, they are called The Christian Church in official correspondence, but are also referred to as Brunstad Christian Church, "the friends", "the fellowship", "the Norwegian Brethren", or "the Norwegian Movement."^[1]

The group has more than 220 churches in over 50 countries.^[2] The Norwegian researcher Knut Lundby has estimated that in the late 1990s, its membership was at 25,000 to 30,000 and growing.^[3] As many as two thirds of its members live outside Norway.^[2]

Contents 1 Background 2 Teachings 2.1 Theology 2.2 Mission 2.3 The A-team 3 Organization 4 Criticism 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Background

Johan Oscar Smith (1871-1943), credited as the founder of the group, was originally a member of the Methodist church. After a religious conversion in 1889 Smith began preaching to small gatherings. In 1905, his brother Aksel Smith (1880-1919) joined him and for nearly a decade, beginning in 1906, they were associated with the Norwegian Pentecostal movement. The two groups drifted apart as the Pentecostals became more structured. Some time after the split Smith's followers started to be referred to as "Smiths Venner," which translates to "Smith's Friends" in English. In 1908, Johan Oscar Smith met Elias Aslaksen (1888-1976) while serving in the Norwegian Navy. Under the leadership of Johan Oscar Smith, Aksel Smith, and Elias Aslaksen the group began to grow quickly, especially during the wartime years, and established their first congregation.^[4]

Today, Smith's Friends still centers around Norway, and its main mission center Brunstad Conference Center. There are fellowships in more than 65 countries, which identify themselves as being part of The Christian Church (Den Kristelige Menighet in Norwegian).^[4]

The church has its own publishing house, Skjulte Skatters Forlag, publishing books and distributing audio-visual media intended for edification and spiritual help. The monthly journal Skjulte Skatter, ("Hidden Treasures") has been published every month since 1912.^[5]

[edit] Teachings

[edit] Theology

Smith's Friends have their basis in the New Testament, believe that the Bible is the word of God, and say that they do not have any doctrine outside that foundation. The fundamental elements of their faith are: faith in Jesus as God's son, faith in the Holy Spirit, forgiveness of sin, baptism and the Lord's Supper.^[6]

Parts of Smith's Friend's basic view correspond with traditional conservative Christian theology. The Bible is considered God's Word in all ways, an infallible book which is inspired (God-breathed) by God himself.^[7] They interpret the Book of Genesis' histories (Adam and Eve, Noah, The Tower of Babylon) as actual historical people and events. Mankind descended from Adam and Eve, who were created by God over 6,000 years ago. They reject the evolutionary biology, but allow that Creation may have taken place as a part of it. In addition to the Bible, they use some books and scriptures written by some of the elders in the movement, but they do not have the same status as the Bible.^[8] Their most central internal publication has been Smith's letters, a collection of letters which the founder Johan O. Smith wrote, mostly to his brother Aksel.

Smith's Friends practice the Baptism of adults by complete immersion into water.^[9] Confirmation does not exist, but the most local churches hold a brief teaching of faith which parallels the ecclesiastical confirmation. It is generally referred to as Bible Instruction. In the largest churches, the youth will attend Bible instruction while attending 9th or 10th grade; in smaller churches they may hold the training in collective groups gathering some classes, all young people.

Smith's Friends believe that after Adam fell, he and his descendants became imperfect. By following Jesus and following the teaching of Sanctification one can win this perfection back, totally or partly, depending on how far one manages to come on this way in their lifetime.^[10] They believe that the forgiveness of sins is undeserved and by Divine grace when one believes in Jesus Christ.^[11] However, it is not the intention that Christians should continue as religious sinners.^[11] Deeds of faith is both expected and required, and it is being taught that you can get victory and overcome everything that you know is wrong.

Smith's Friends believe that sin in one's flesh can be defeated by the power of the Spirit, in the same way as Jesus did.^[12][13] Therefore, the teaching that Jesus was tempted but did not sin, is central to Smith's Friends' doctrine.^[8] Smith's Friends differentiate between deliberate and unconscious sins. Sins which are unconscious are acts which occurred without the person being aware of them. God does not demand remission of unconscious sins, since the perpetrator did not intend to sin, and is therefore innocent. By "walking in the Spirit", i.e., by the leading of God's spirit, an individual will be led into temptations where the previously committed unconscious sins become evident and the individual becomes conscious of them.^[13] The individual's responsibility is then to acknowledge the sin so that one does not commit the sin. In this way the individual will come to a deeper holy life.^[14][13]

Smith's Friends do not teach that they are the true gospel, but write: "Everyone who lives a life that is ‘crucified with Christ’ is a member of this body – regardless of time or place, culture or traditions, and regardless of affiliation or association to Brunstad Christian Church."^[15] However, there is almost no formal contact and communication with other religious communities. However, they believe it is possible to achieve salvation in other religious communities, but that this will usually be limited to receiving the forgiveness of sin. Also, that a person with a calling to fulfill all the promises of the Gospel, will have a difficult time achieving this in places other than among Smith's Friends.^[16]

Lowell, a Ph.D. studying the Smith's Friends, said that they did not believe that they were the only people with the true Gospel, and that the Smith's Friends accepted that there was hope for people outside their church.

“

Do they believe there is no salvation outside their group? Definitively not! Do they believe that those who have been members of the group, but for one or another reason has left it, have wasted their salvation? I have not found any evidences that it is true.[17][18]

”

Smith's Friends believe the Christian life begins when you become born again, i.e. experience a second birth: an act by faith, a faith given by God's grace. After the "experience of rebirth" one will receive divine grace so that the believer can live according to God's will. To be born again is not sufficient, and does not represent complete salvation, and is nothing more than a beginning. Two scriptures which could, arguably, be presented as Smith's Friend's mottoes are "... work out your salvation with fear and trembling!"^[19] and "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."^[20]

An analysis done by Geir Lie, "Kristologien i Den Kristelige Menighet: en misforstått impuls fra Keswickbevegelsen?", points out that Smith's Friend's theology may be inspired by the Catholic mystic Madame Guyón.^[21]

[edit] Mission

The work of Smith's friends has spread worldwide in a manner in which differs from mainstream Christian organizations. There is little or no importance put on deaconry and the missionary work is done chiefly on a one-on-one basis. All monetary contributions to the mission work go through DKM’s central organization and it is the desire of those who lead DKM that as much of the money as possible that is collected goes directly towards mission work. Over several decades, Smith’s friends have driven the mission work in this way, contributing millions of dollars, among other places, behind the “iron curtain” before it fell. DKM has traditionally been a tentmakers mission, where the missionary who has been sent out takes his regular work along to the place he is going, instead of being supported by the church he has been sent by. This has resulted in the establishment of several businesses in developing countries, where it has been used as an economic foundation for mission work. In countries with a high unemployment rate, it is common that members of the church work for these companies. Among these countries are Russia and Ukraine. The Christian Church is in the process of building conference centers in several foreign countries. As of January 2008, conference centers were under construction in India, Romania, Kenya, Ukraine and Cameroon.^[22] In southern Germany they have also started a mission project where they meet people out in the streets and invite them to their gatherings.^[23]

[edit] The A-team

The A-team – established in April 2002 – was erected in connection with the expansion of Brunstad, and is a team of workers made up, for the most part, of youth belonging to Smith’s friends from all over the world. The young people who come are in their late teens or early twenties. These workers enlist to the A-team voluntarily and the length of time they stay is up to the individual, although staying for one year is normal. The A-team is composed of young people from all over the world and many different cultures. The A-team’s first task was to expand the Brunstad Conference Center. After the expansion of Brunstad was finished, the main task of the A-team was to maintain the place, host different events and complete various other building projects on the site. The A-team has also spread to other parts of the world, including Hamar and Stord, in Norway; The Netherlands, Finland, Mexico, Russia, China, South Africa, North America and Ukraine. Here they are largely occupied with development and building different projects started by The Christian Church. During the building period at Brunstad, (2004) there was the largest A-team to date, with around 450 young people from 20 different countries. The A-team’s main task during that time was to build the Brunstad Village. The units were produced in Russia and assembled at Brunstad by the A-team – a total of over 300 cabins. The current number of young people who live and work at Brunstad is now around 220. The number of young people who work under similar conditions on other projects for Smith’s friends around the world is not currently known. A large portion of those who work at Brunstad work for BCC: the company which is responsible for renting out the place for large events. It is also the A-team who manages DKM’s internal events, such as the two summer conferences held yearly in July and August. The A-team will be re-structured from the summer 2008, and the so-called A-team school will begin. Brunstad will be recruiting apprentices in various trades and increase the education of the workers.^[24]

[edit] Organization

Smith's friends have no membership rolls. A frequently quoted criteria for being a 'member' is Galatians 5:24 (NKJV), "And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Leaders are not elected; they are appointed based on a combination of their virtues and their natural abilities.

After Johan Oscar Smith died in 1943, leadership passed to Elias Aslaksen followed by Sigurd Bratlie in 1976 and Kåre Smith in 1995. Each change in leadership occurred after the death of the previous leader.

[edit] Criticism

They emphasize self-sacrifice, denial of self, unquestioning acceptance of the wisdom of the brothers, and social separation from other organizations and the world at large.^{[citation needed]}. Some of their more extreme attitudes and practices, e.g., explicit anti-homosexuality, have moderated since leadership of the group shifted in a "revival" in the early 1990s.^{[citation needed]}.

The denomination has little or no contact with other Christian groups.^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official home page in English
• Book on Smith's Freinds: "The Way of the Cross"
• Book on Smith's Friends from "a longtime expert on free church movements and cults." Synopsis contains brief description of Smith's Friends.