Everyone Equal

Chronicle and Echo/September 24, 1984

Everyone in the Jesus Fellowship is equal, it is claimed.

Bugbrooke Pastor Mr. Noel Stanton said: 'We are brothers together - that's very much our ethos, one of shared equality.'

Despite this, however, there are four distinct categories of members, shepherd's assistants, elders and senior elders.

The 50 elders, including 15 seniors carry out the main 'caring' role, but the Fellowship deny that this means they are the 'bosses'. 'We see elders as servants - we don't see them as bosses,' said Mr. Stanton.

And Mr David Hawker, Press officer and elder, said: 'In all this you have got to understand the principle of trust which operates between us.','We remain open to one another and we share with one another what we are doing. None of us would think of acting in isolation from our brethren.'

'The kind of 'us and them' idea, of elders and the rest, is not valid.' he added.