Editing Open Brethren (section)

===Increasing diversity===
By the middle of the twentieth century, a number of streams were becoming apparent within the Open Brethren, especially in North America. A clear line of demarcation (albeit with some overlap) appeared between more conservative assemblies, generally known as ''[[Gospel Hall Brethren|Gospel Halls]],'' and the more "progressive" ''[[Bible Chapel Brethren|Bible Chapels]]'', with the latter being more receptive to innovations like accompanied music and collaboration with non-Brethren Christians. [[Robert McClurkin]] was welcome in both circles, but he complained that the Gospel Halls were being influenced by literature from the very strict [[Needed Truth Brethren|Needed Truth]] movement (an 1892 schism from the Open Brethren), and that a rigid line of demarcation was being drawn. This line was far less pronounced outside of North America, however.

In the second half of the twentieth century, the Brethren movement diversified further still, especially through cultural adaptations in [[Third World]] countries. Examples of this include some assemblies in [[Papua New Guinea]], which began using [[coconut]] flesh and milk instead of bread and wine to celebrate Holy Communion (or "the Lord's Supper", as many Brethren prefer to call it). In France, Brethren have established a central committee offering leadership and direction to assemblies that choose to participate, despite the common Brethren aversion to central organisations, while Brethren in [[Ethiopia]] have leadership conferences at which some collective decision-making takes place. In Germany, many Brethren assemblies have joined [[Wiedenest]], a joint Brethren–[[Baptist]] venture which operates a [[seminary]], conference centre, youth movement, and [[missionary]] organisation. In predominantly Muslim [[Pakistan]], some assemblies seat men and women on opposite sides of the room, as in a [[mosque]]. When they pray, they do so on their knees.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.partnershipuk.org/qwicsitePro2/php/docsview.php?docid=1659|title=The 'Brethren' movement – a briefing note|date=Jan 2013|access-date=12 Feb 2013|pages=24|archive-date=1 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201050358/http://www.partnershipuk.org/qwicsitePro2/php/docsview.php?docid=1659|url-status=dead}}</ref>

International Brethren Conferences on Mission (IBCM) were founded in 1993 in [[Singapore]] by unions of churches from various countries.<ref>Neil T. R. Dickson, Tim Grass, ''The Growth of the Brethren Movement: National and International Experiences'', Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2006, p. 9</ref>