[jude24]

I can't read New Testament Greek, or Hebrew. I don't have years to spend studying Church history and where doctrine came from. I can't spend twenty hours a week studying a passage. My pastor can do all those things, and does, and then explains it to me. If I had to struggle on my own, or only with other people who know as little about the Bible as I do, how would I ever grow?

My experience with this kind of group has shown me that they tend to reject, resent, and distrust even conservative Christian scholarship.

I grew up in a group not unlike this, complete with the distrust of Christian scholarship. I just graduated college, and was debating between seminary and law school (I was accepted to both). When I was investigating seminary, I was flat-out told by a preacher that I could learn whatever I needed for ministry from the local assembly. That was the general spirit of the feedback I got from most people in that church, although there were some exceptions. To them, the idea of a seminary-educated church leader borders on heretical, because all you need is your trusty King James and a Strongs.

[JenB]

That's such a switch from what I'm used to. My denominations (PCA) won't ordain a man who hasn't been to seminary.

While some people may be able to study on their own, what prevents the group from being dominated by one person with very strong, but entirely wrong, convictions?