And I touched on some of the water baptism problems here:
http://www.apostolicfriendsforum.com...8&postcount=77
However, it has gotten much worse. You will not find the connection of water baptism and remission of sins on their public statement of faith. (They have a blasphemy statement that you are making a pledge of the old nature.) The Yahshua abomination is put in the most critical spot of the document I am next describing. It is very questionable as to whether they receive an apostolic, remission of sins, water baptism. Those who leave, who are not the early crew of the 70s and 80s, may well need a water baptism in Jesus name for the remission of sins!
And more and more they try to make water baptism a pledge or vow (the pure Bible says simply
the answer of a good conscience toward God, 1 Peter 3:21) to stay essentially forever under their supposedly
anointed ministry, and any leaving will trigger all sorts of walls of recrimination, plus wild roadblocks are in the way even if you simply see the foundational doctrinal errors.
If you want to be baptized, they want you to sign a document of about 135 pages, put your initials on it about 100 times, to a document with foundational errors, which you are saying is revealed truth that you totally accept as fully your own conviction!
Their Bible perspective is a total disaster. Infallibility and inerrancy only in the "original autographs" (meaning no actual discernible text that you read, it is liberal claptrap that Joel Stein fell for way back, and infected the Homestead Heritage beliefs) and they were trying to put out their own version for years. Blair Adams (1944-2021) started in the 70s really believing his King James Bible is the pure word of God, but the
fellership got hijacked. It is more and more their literature that matters, and they compound that problem by taking the convoluted writings of Joel Stein and the center and giving it the byline of Blair Adams. And for Versions, they jump around a dozen corruption versions, smorgasbord style. People in the fellership can be reading the NLT or even the Message. And it is very painful when you see the literature, especially if you are a Bible believer! Scriptures are continually misused, poor translations emphasized, they pull out whatever fits what they want to say. (Their
rhema.) Lots of scripture verses listed, sans text, with poor applicability to the topic.
The people inside are put under heavy restrictions in terms of reading and studying outside material. They are kept away from tons of fascinating research, and truth. The blood of Jesus is de-emphasized. Folks are not really looking into beautiful elements like the Ron Wyatt archaeology, and how the blood of Jesus landed on the mercy seat through the earthquake crack on the day of the crucifixion.
Just trust the elders, and the truths (and errors) they bring forth.
There are problems.
And the people who join up are often in the dark. Questions are asked, and vague and slippery answers are given. People will end up contacting me to understand what Homestead Heritage believes on issues like water baptism! They can sense that I am far more informative and transparent than the couched and scripted answers they get from Homestead.
Plus, since I speak positively about the vision and dedication, and keep my critiques focused on doctrine, I maintain street cred for those trying to weigh the pluses and minuses.
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Nonetheless, their homesteading visions, and the sense of Christianity being community, remain real.
Areas that were not shipwrecked.
The gifts and the callings of God are without repentance.
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Lord Jesus, speak to their hearts.
If there are honest heart spots, lead them out of darkness, especially the counterfeit names, and into your glorious light.
In Jesus name!
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