Needed Truth Magazine

Needed Truth Magazine

Needed Truth Magazine is a Christian, Plymouth Brethren magazine which first appeared in 1888[1] in Scotland. The magazine discussed whether reception was to the Lord's Table, or if reception was to the assembly itself. This distinction had implications whether a believer from other evangelical churches could occasionally meet with the saints in a New Testament assembly. The publication of the magazine crystallised the two sides of the argument to such an extent that within five years they ceased to be in intercommunion.[2]

Eventually, several assemblies who subscribed to the ideas of Needed Truth magazine separated out into what some called Needed Truth Brethren ("The Separation"). There are currently over 100 of these assemblies still in existence around the world in the UK, USA, Canada, Burma, India, Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi, Australia, Jamaica, Belgium (although they designate themselves as the "Church and Churches of God"). They operate a website - see http://www.churchesofgod.info/index.php. Needed Truth magazine still exists 120 years later, and in 2008 was revamped into an A4 full colour format with a new title - "NT". It now features regular testimonies and interviews with people actively involved in Christian work alongside its historic mix of articles on the person and work of Christ, Christian living, the context of Bible times, prophecy, and the relationship between assemblies.

The ideas in the magazine also influenced many assemblies which did not separate, in that they eventually took on Needed Truth teaching and formed another sub-sect, the Gospel Hall Brethren.

References

  1. ^ http://www.hayespress.org/needed_truth_2010.php
  2. ^ http://www.benrff.org/documents/Rice%20Thomas%20Hopkins.pdf

External links

  • Full-colour Magazine available from the website of Hayes Press Christian Publishers or see the Needed Truth website at www.neededtruth.net