Quote:
Originally Posted by chaotic_resolve
I'd have to disagree. When BOTT first started out, saints were allowed to go. I remember this because in the mid-late 80s Bro. Jeff Arnolds saints rolled in deep and filled several rows when he preached.
BOTT moved from being open to being Pastors, Ministers and Church Workers only. This was in the early 90s that happened. I was there for several years because of that allowance.
It was only a few years ago that they completely closed it to licensed ministers and wives only.
And it's ~not~ due to content issues, it's due to seating issues. Bro. Mangun has resisted the temptation to rent out an arena and have it like a GC or what Landmark used to be. Even though I'm unable to go for now, I fully respect and agree with his decision. Moving to an arena would take away from the impact and power of BOTT.
Again, it didn't start "preachers only" and content wasn't the reason it's now preachers only. It's about seating availability.
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You are correct! I last attended BOTT in 1990 (if memory serves me correct) and either the next year or very soon thereafter it became a ministers only meeting.
As you stated that was due strictly to seating ability. They did not want any preachers to miss the meeting because lay people were in the pews.