We at Olive Branches have established this site as a public service. It is hoped that the collecting of these information sources and links together in one location will assist others who may be searching for similar information in the course of their own personal study.
Our desire is to encourage and support the study of the Bible. It is not our purpose to promote "membership" in a particular group or church organization. We are not necessarily "anti-organization". We recognize the potential benefits of organizations in providing a strong pool of collective resources in order to both "feed the flock" and to "do a work", as well as to provide a forum for fellowship and mutual edification. We also recognize the potential dangers of organizations, with their tendency to promote exclusivity, intolerance, and a hierarchical form of self-government, and a "spectator" form of worship which often breeds complacency and can lead to putting the congregation to sleep spiritually. We do not believe that "membership" in an organization is required in order to be a part of the "Body" of Christ. Organizations can and should serve as useful tools in service to the Body and to Christ, but they of themselves are not the Body. Organizations, like tools, can amplify the strength of the individual members of the Body. But if out of control, they can also wreak much destruction and cause damage to the Body. The individual members of the Body must develop the ability to discern, with the help of God's Spirit, when to make use of a good tool, and when to discard a dangerous one.
We do not consider ourselves to be "official members" of any church organization at this point in time. We do support several that we feel are making exceptional contributions to the spreading of the Gospel, or are providing special services that meet important needs. We occasionally attend the local congregations of several different groups in our area and have developed friendships in each. We are simply a part of the Body of Christ.
Our historical background has been primarily from the groups representing the various seventh-day Sabbath keeping "Churches of God" and you will quickly find that our web site draws heavily (but not exclusively) on this "family" of resources.
We do not necessarily endorse everything that you will find on this web site but we believe that true, honest study includes the open exchange of ideas and the careful comparison of contrasting beliefs, with the Bible itself serving as the ultimate measuring rule and standard. We also recognize that there are many topics in the study of God's Word that are not as clear as we would like them to be. However we feel that in these points we can "agree to disagree" while still working together for mutual edification.
We personally believe that there is continuity in the scriptures and that the entire Bible represents the progressive revelation of the Plan of God. The Old and New Testaments do not represent a "Plan A" that failed and was replaced by "Plan B", but rather God has had a single plan from the beginning which He is revealing to us according to His timetable. We also feel that the Creation is now approaching the final stages of that plan, and in so doing, understanding is beginning to increase. It is not His desire that those who truly seek Him remain ignorant of what is to come. It is time to correct the mistakes that have resulted from attempting to build Theologies on only half of the instruction book. It is time for Christianity to carefully re-examine its Jewish roots. Likewise, it is time for Israel to dig below the facade that has become Modern Christianity and re-discover the historical roots of Yeshua (Jesus). There is much that we can learn from each other.
-- Mike & Cathy Styer