"...I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth."(1 Timothy 3:15) In the 1950's and 60's, a spiritual war was waged within churches of Christ. At issue were fundamental questions of authority and church governance that are still relevant today: How is Bible authority established and applied. Can churches build and fund human institutions through which they perform their work? Is the "sponsoring church" arrangement scriptural? In The Simple Pattern, general editor Jim Deason brings together an exceptional group of preachers whose voices need to be heard. By combining sound doctrine, practical application, and first-hand experience they bring clarity to the confusing debates surrounding these issues. History and Background of the Institutional Controversy (Steve Wolfgang) Bible Authority & the New Hermeneutic (Dan King) Church Support of Human Institutions (Paul Earnhart) Scope of Local Church Benevolence (Carrol Sutton) The Sponsoring Church (L. A. Stauffer) The Social Gospel: Kitchens, Recreation, etc. (Bill Hall) Reading The Simple Pattern will provide a clear, concise, conservative view of these vital subjects, and will help future Christians unite around the biblical work and mission of the Lord's church.