I have been with biblical families from the beginning and have see a lot of people come amd go. It was very biblical focused and discussion was open on all topics. It seems though there is a slight less of a focuse on the bible as in the beginning it was very focused on that. I might be wrong in some peoples eyes. But we need to return to the bible more. I have been pouring and poundering why this might be the case. One thing I have noticed I have seen in the last year or two is if a new person comes along amd asks a questiion that there is a thread to some seasoned members will say there is a thread already on this subject and refer them to that thread I think that might show a little less engagement to the subject the new person asked about. Of course this view might be wrong to some. We need to return to reading Gods word and praying
I've noticed this in my lurking and limited interactions as well, and I think there's a plausible (albeit perhaps cynical) explanation:
Folks who find themselves outside of the camp become a law unto themselves. Because polygyny is societally unpalatable for various reasons, many people tire of receiving the left foot of fellowship and go off on their own to pursue what they believe to be appropriate. However, without the connective tissue of abiding inside of a body of believers, we drift. As these well meaning people become a law unto themselves, their interpretation of Holy Scripture begins to matter as much (if not more) than the primary source material, Scripture itself.
This is one reason I've been tinkering with the idea of a patriarchal online church. While it's easier to opt-in to opportunities to fellowship without any real accountability (as each head of household is essentially functioning as a law unto themselves), it affords fewer iron sharpening opportunities for the men and less protection for the women and children who find themselves in patriarchal households that may not be being managed properly. Such a church could have a blended eldership representing both [Messianic] Jewish and Gentile perspectives, and exist for the purpose of mutual edification, wise counsel, and yes (gasp) accountability.
I understand this community's hostility towards and suspicion of 'Churchianity', but at the end of the day, conservatively at least a third of the New Testament is written to churches. If Paul were alive today, many folks on these forums would've never received a letter. It is impossible to obey those who have the rule over you as a patriarchal man when you won't submit to the authority or oversight of another human being. This notion that we can be part of the body and yet live in a way that is happily divorced from it is without any scriptural precedent whatsoever.
P.S. For what it's worth, I've observed the same phenomenon in other camps as well. Folks who are intensely evangelistic and regularly go out on the streets to preach, etc., are often ostracized from Church communities, viewed with suspicion, and find themselves living as pilgrims and pietistic gypsies, traveling from one congregation to another. As time goes on, many of these people accumulate all kinds of curious doctrines, become plagued with repeated divorces and other things that would disqualify them from just about everything except church discipline.
No doubt many of them mean well, and even began well, but we must pray and ask the Lord for grace to persevere unto the end, and to be numbered among the sheep of His pasture on the Last Day.
