ON BEING BROTHERLY

Wynnewood Chapel in Dallas, located at 2303 S. Tyler, has proved itself exemplary in many respects in its effort to better understand the religious world and to create a deeper sense of fellowship within the Restoration Movement. It is the only Church of Christ I know of that has invited a Jewish rabbi to share in discussions at its forums. And it was there that I heard a Roman Catholic priest say rather startling things about his own church’s role in ecumenicity, an experience never before enjoyed within the walls of a Church of Christ building.

It was at this little chapel that the current unity forums among us had their origin. For the first time in our history representative leaders from nearly all our many groups of Churches of Christ-Christian Churches met together at Wynnewood Chapel to study and pray together. At some of these forums at the chapel as many as eight different factions would be represented on the program! Some who came to scorn remained to pray. Even those who were abusive were listened to with respect and invited again the next time!

But even more impressive than these dramatic examples of brotherliness is the week-to-week practice of those who meet at the little chapel. Even though the chapel congregation is non-instrumental, it is not anti-instrumental in that it does not make the use or non-use of the organ a test of fellowship. While the little community of God is mutual in its teaching program, which means that several brothers do the speaking instead of a professional minister, it does not make the modern pastor system, to which most would have serious objections, a test of fellowship.

Some who frequent the chapel are premillennial in conviction; some have no scruples about instrumental music; some favor the pastor system. In some instances theological differences go even deeper. Still every child of God is respected as such and is treated as a brother, and he is free to say whatever he pleases, restricted only by love and his own conscience. The congregation even helps to support missionaries abroad who hold positions so different from their own that they probably would not attend the chapel if they lived in Dallas.

While these facts are impressive in a brotherhood that has long been given to obscurantism, the folk at the chapel recently rose to new heights in brotherliness when they invited a premillennial brother from across town to come over and give a series of lessons in his interpretation of prophecy. There are several congregations in Dallas that are premillennial, but for all these years these Churches of Christ have been cut off from all communication with the mainline. Years ago a few debates were held. New journals were started to fight the doctrine and those who espoused it. It was often bitter and nearly always unbrotherly. The result was that these congregations, about 125 of them over the country, were cut off as cleanly as a surgeon’s scalpel removes a finger from the hand.

While the brothers at the chapel had remembered the premills in all their unity meetings, they wanted to do more than that. They believed they owed it to themselves to sit down and listen at length to what these brothers from across town really believe. They made inquiry as to what man among them was best equipped to set forth the premillennial position, and brother Gene Mullins, minister of the Linda Heights Church of Christ, was recommended. For the next two months Gene came over one night a week and shared with us his views regarding prophecy. It was a great experience.

Gene made us conscious of some of the precious prophecies of the Old Testament that those of us of a non-premill background had too long neglected. He raised questions that we may never answer, and he was asked a few that he might not soon forget. More important, he cleared up false impressions about the premill position. Some in attendance had heard the old bugaboos: the premills do not believe that the Christ now reigns; they believe in a second chance for the sinner; they believe the church is only an accident and that we are not in the kingdom now. Gene made it clear that while premills do believe that the Christ is yet to sit upon David’s throne in Jerusalem during the millennium, he nonetheless reigns at God’s right hand even now. And while he distinguished between the church and the kingdom, he certainly accepts the scriptural teaching that we are now in “the kingdom of the Son of his love,” as Paul puts it. It is simply that a more glorious manifestation of that kingdom is yet to appear.

I am especially grateful to Gene for showing me something in Acts 1 that I should have seen long ago. The apostles ask the Lord: “Is this the time when you are to establish once again the kingdom to Israel?” This question comes from his own disciples who had been under his teaching for years. He must have taught them that the sovereignty would once again be restored to Israel, and they were now asking if that time had come. I had always assumed that this represented a misconception on their part, and that Jesus’ reply was something of a rebuke. But the context does not indicate this, but only that they could not know what only God knows.

Gene also stimulated us to think about what prophecies such as Isa. 11 and Zech. 14 might mean. To what is the prophet referring when he says: “The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea?” And how about Zech. 14:4: “His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives. . .”?

The study may not have transformed us into premills or premills into a-mills or what have you, but it certainly brought us closer together as brothers. We found ourselves discussing many subjects, one being how we might help each other in taking Christ to the needy.

Even though the premills may not be right in their prophetic notions, they are nonetheless beloved brothers who should be loved and respected and listened to. When we do listen we will realize that their position is both scriptural and reasonable. It is scriptural in that it is based upon the Bible, even if all the passages may not be correctly interpreted; it is reasonable in that it makes sense. So often we are led to suppose, when we hear this position berated by belligerent critics, that only idiots or demons would hold such views. When men sit down like gentlemen and like brothers, with open minds and loving hearts, they are more likely to discover that there can be two or more sides to a question, and that no one has to be either a moron or a devil to hold a divergent view.

It could happen that we would venture so far as to conclude that the other fellow just might be right while we are wrong, or at least that he might have some truth to offer on the subject.

If I am not mistaken, the premills who shared in this study learned something themselves. If nothing else, they learned that they do have brothers, even in Dallas, who will listen to what they have to say without wanting to fuss and debate—and treat them like brothers while they’re at it. They had about concluded that they had no such brothers.

This experience impressed all of us with the folly of our dividing over matters of this kind, and of the greater folly of allowing such faction to be perpetuated from one generation to the next. Even at such responsible educational centers among us as Abilene and Nashville, the ugly division is preserved in that the line of fellowship continues to be drawn against those who are premill instead of a-mil.

So we say three cheers for Wynnewood Chapel for setting this example. Let us hope that such experiences will soon be common among us, that ACC and Pepperdine will have premill brothers as chapel and lectureship speakers and that congregations everywhere will ask them to lead in prayer or to speak to their assemblies. Better still, that we will frequent each other’s meetings and cooperate in the Lord’s work, and will sit together and pray together, and come to love and understand each other more.

If a generation ago, when so much bitterness was generated over millennial views, we had quietly arranged some dialogues between dissenting brothers instead of staging noisy debates that only led to fratricide, we would have avoided all this brotherhood carnage. Most of us cannot be held responsible for what happened then, but we are certainly to blame if we permit our generation to continue such folly. We cannot, therefore, simply be passive, by resolving merely to harass the premills no longer (though this would help) , for we must actively pursue them in love.

Being a brother means, then, that we will not only stop making repairs in the fence that faction erected between us, but that we will completely demolish the fence and haul it away. But brotherhood means still more. Once the fence is removed, we will not wait for the separated brother to come to us, wounded as he may be by all the strife, but we will go to him and bring him in loving arms to our house for dinner.

UNITY FORUM IN KENTUCKY

Southeastern Christian College, Winchester, Ky., will host the Third Annual Unity Forum, July 58, and we are authorized to let this announcement serve as an invitation to disciples of Christ everywhere. The first of this series was conducted at Bethany College in West Virginia, which is associated with the Disciple wing of discipledom, while the second was held at Milligan College in Tennessee, more generally related to the conservative Christian Church wing of our Movement.

It is appropriate, therefore, that this third forum of the series should be within the non-instrument wing of Churches of Christ. Southeastern is a fine little junior college, supported by premillennial congregations for the most part.

LaVern Houtz, president of the college, is zealous for the cause of unity among all our segments, and he is eager to have substantial representation from all our ranks. He is a delightful Christian brother and he will make us a splendid host. Being in Barton Stone country, he is planning for us to spend an afternoon at Old Cane Ridge, along with such lesser attractions as Natural Bridge and Daniel Boone Forest. Perhaps he figures that if Barton Stone and Daniel Boone cannot attract us to Kentucky that we are beyond redemption.

Even more exciting will be the program itself. One special attraction he has in view is for Harry Bucalstein, a Jewish Christian, to discuss the passover in reference to the Lord’s Supper.

There will, of course, be representative participants from all parts of our cellular brotherhood, and a detailed program will be forthcoming. But this is the time for you to know about it and to make your plans accordingly. Visitors will be housed in the dormitories, if they wish, and the expenses will be moderate. You may write for further information to President LaVern Houtz, Southeastern Christian College, Winchester, Ky. 40391.

CANE RIDGE IS CALLING

Cane Ridge is calling, calling. . .

Can’t you feel the mood it had?

All the fervor and the spirit

There united and made Glad?

Still Can Ridge is calling, calling …

To thy heritage hold fast.

Lift the plea for unity

Long as time and truth shall last.

—MAYME GARNER MILLER