(Note: The “Primitive Christianity Study Group” is fictional — an imagined community.)
So, what kind of organization is the “Primitive Christianity Study Group”?
Sailor Seagal, who was familiar with the group in its earliest days, recalls the story like this:
“Our story begins in London in 1920, with a small gathering of about ten people. At the time, it was hardly something you could call an organization. It was simply a friendly dinner among close companions. One of us happened to be a church pastor, but the others were a mix of people — a businessman, a ranch owner, a schoolteacher, an ordinary office worker, and several wives. We enjoyed one another’s company very much, and our monthly dinners became something we all looked forward to. Leaving the children with a nanny, those few hours together felt like a pleasant and much‑needed break from daily life.
Everything began when Pastor Jonathan Parrott shared a personal concern that had been weighing on his heart. Jonathan had been reading a book by the eighteenth‑century mathematician William Whiston, Primitive Christianity Revived. As he read, he began to wonder whether the doctrine of the Trinity — taught by many churches today — might not be entirely correct. His words surprised us deeply. Most of us had accepted that traditional teaching without ever questioning it. To be honest, Jonathan may well have been the only one among us who thought seriously about faith itself. The rest of us simply assumed that religion was something inherited from our ancestors and passed on, unchanged, to our children.
At that point, someone made a gentle proposal: ‘Why don’t we try to help Jonathan work through this? Each of us can read the book at home and think carefully about what seems true. Then, at our next dinner, we can share our thoughts and even take a vote. Who knows — perhaps God will guide us.’
Everyone agreed. Most of us quietly assumed that the Trinity would be proven correct without much trouble. And yet, to our surprise, we truly felt that God did guide us. When we met again a month later, we found ourselves unanimously agreeing that the Trinity was mistaken. We were filled with excitement. The many verses we had underlined in our Bibles seemed to glow with new meaning. From that point on, our meetings increased to twice a month, and before long they became weekly Bible study gatherings. Friends who heard about our discussions began to join us, and the circle grew quickly.”
From that very small beginning, much developed. Two years later, regular study circles were being held in several parts of the United Kingdom. Five years after that, similar gatherings had begun in the United States, Canada, France, Switzerland, and Germany. Around the same time, conventions were organized so that members from different regions could meet together. How we should organize ourselves also became an important subject of Bible study. There were many opinions, and at times even some confusion, but we continued forward with a shared wish to “build an organization based on the Bible.”
The structure we have today is not perfect, and we expect it will continue to change as God guides us. We do not claim to receive inspiration like a sudden clap of thunder. Rather, we trust that the holy spirit works more like sunlight — quietly and steadily helping us grow.
Let us now give a gentle overview of how the organization looks today.
Local gatherings of the Primitive Christianity Study Circle usually meet in places known as “○○ Coffee Houses,” with the name of the area filling in the blank. Each Coffee House has several experienced men called “elders.” Men who assist them are known as “servants,” usually a small number. These expressions come directly from the Bible (Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 5:17). Their role is simply to care for the people who attend. For that reason, their work is also referred to in English as “caring duty,” often shortened to just “caring” or “duty.” In Japan, they are affectionately called “Care‑san” or “Sewayaku‑san.”
To help guide the Coffee Houses within each country, a “Branch Center House” is established. Volunteers there support the work in practical ways, such as printing. To provide coordination and guidance worldwide, a “Headquarters Center House” has also been established, currently located in the suburbs of London.
At both branch and headquarters Center Houses, a small group of experienced individuals serve in what is again called “caring duty.” They are chosen for their qualities of love and humility. Depending on the size of the group, about half of them are replaced every two or three years. No one serves for two consecutive terms, and the maximum is three terms in total. Those serving at headquarters are often elderly men, so they are warmly referred to as “Caring Grandpa” or simply “Grandpa.” In recent years, however, many countries have adopted the custom of calling elderly brothers “Grandpa” and elderly sisters “Grandma,” so it is sometimes hard to tell who officially serves at the branch or headquarters level. The individuals themselves do not seem concerned about titles. Phrases like “Thank you, Grandpa!” and “Thank you, Grandma!” are often heard at meetings and conventions.
All of our work is done on a volunteer basis. Many of us gladly devote a great deal of time to sharing our beliefs and supporting one another. Each Coffee House may also approve a special form of service known as “Nazirite Service,” based on the Bible account in Numbers chapter 6. In prayer, individuals make a personal promise to God. For example, someone might decide, ‘This month I will try to spend ○○ hours sharing the good news,’ or ‘During the summer, I will focus on helping with the construction of the ○○ Coffee House meeting place.’ Making such a personal commitment before God is referred to as “becoming a Nazirite” or “doing Nazirite service.”
There is no need to make such promises public. However, the individual is encouraged to speak with the elders of the Coffee House to ensure that the plan is reasonable, and to receive their approval. The Coffee House is simply informed that ‘Brother ○○ has been approved to carry out Nazirite service for a certain period.’ There is no obligation to report afterward on whether the promise was fulfilled.
Finally, no explanation of the Primitive Christianity Study Circle would be complete without mentioning the “Lion Post.”
Every Coffee House has a suggestion box placed in the meeting hall. Because it is shaped like a lion’s face or figure, it is known as the Lion Post. Its origin can be traced back to a suggestion box that once stood in a London coffee house during William Whiston’s time. In the early study circles of Parrott and his companions, written submissions were already a familiar and cherished custom.
During meetings and Bible studies, anyone is welcome to submit written thoughts. These may include impressions of what was learned, personal opinions, or honest questions. Those responsible for teaching use these submissions as helpful references when preparing talks and discussions. Submissions considered especially valuable are shared with branch offices and with headquarters in the United Kingdom. In fact, many advances in Bible understanding and improvements in organization have grown directly out of these heartfelt contributions.
Since God can bring praise even from the mouths of ‘little children’ (Matthew 21:16), we never know through whom guidance may come. For that reason, we try to remember the importance of never looking down on “the least ones” (Matthew 25:40).
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