In 1968, Jon Braun, the National Field Coordinator for Campus Crusade for Christ, Jack Sparks and five other top CCC program administrators — Peter Gillquist, Richard Ballew, Gordon Walker, Ken Berven, and Ray Nethery — left CCC to explore founding New Testament churches.
In the interim, Jon Braun and Richard Ballew had adopted a hierarchical model of church administration based on Shepherding Movement teachings.
[9] The NCAO implemented its own liturgy and in its teaching stressed the personal authority of the apostles and congregational elders and a strong clergy/laity distinction.
[13] That same year Thomas Nelson Publishers hired Peter Gillquist, who was the putative head of the NCAO, to be its new books editor.
[15] In the summer of 1977 the NCAO suffered a split, as those in the eastern part of the United States, led by Nethery, refused to adopt as binding papers prepared by those from the western U.S.
[20][21][22] Evangelical Orthodox Church On February 14, 1979, the six remaining members of the General Apostolic Council dressed themselves in robes, formed a circle, laid hands on one another, and ordained themselves as bishops.