Decisions had to be made from time to time as to where or when services
of the church would be held; the church
needed to be told
of the impending visit
of an apostle, or
of some prophet or teacher from abroad; a question has been raised as to the good faith
of one
of these visitors, and there must be some discussion
of the point and a decision on it; a fellow Christian from another church is on a journey and
needs hospitality; a
member of the local congregation planning to visit a church abroad
needs a letter
of introduction to that church, which someone must be authorized to provide; a serious dispute about property rights or some other legal matter has arisen between two
of the brothers and the church must name someone to help them settle the issue or must in some other way deal with it; a new local magistrate has begun to prosecute Christians for violating the law
against unlicensed assembly, and consideration must be given to ways and means
of meeting this crisis; charges have been brought
against one
of the
members by another
member, and these must be investigated and perhaps some disciplinary action taken; one
of the
members has died, and the church is called on for some special action in behalf
of his family in the emergency; differences
of opinion exist in the church on certain questions
of morals or belief (such as marriage and divorce, or the resurrection), differences which local prophets and teachers are apparently unable to compose, and a letter must be written to the apostle — who will write this letter and what exactly will it say?