OUR CHANGING WORLD

 

A new congregation has begun in Pflugerville, Texas. Interested people are asked to contact Nelson Page at 251-3314 or Arlis Morgan at 251-4403.

Pioneer Bible Translators is an effort within our own Restoration family to do something about the 2,000 tribes without the scriptures. Young people who have missionary ambitions would do well to investigate PBT. The contact is David Filbeck, Lincoln Christian College, Lincoln, Il. 62656.

The editor of First Century Christian issued an editorial in his April issue on “The Church of Christ Zoo.” He concedes that the church does not really have the character of a zoo, but that certain predacious creatures are turning it into one. Every strange animal, buzzard and reptile alike, are being invited into the zoo. The zoo keepers are “the Ketchersides and the Garretts.” The keepers open the doors to all the varmints of the religious world. No distinction is made between sheep and goats, and the vulture and the dove perch on the same roost. But at last he identifies the critters that the keepers let in: “the broad fellowship in the church of Christ zoo will include the advocates and users of mechanical instruments of music, and holy-roller pentecostals” as well as rationalists and modernists of the rankest sort. The editor makes no reference to the fact that it is the Lord who is really the keeper of the zoo and that he is the one who determines who is in and who is out. It is our role to accept all those to whom he allows entrance, no more and no less. And, yes, that means that we just might be stuck with some strange critters, some with animalistic characteristics, including editors. For my part, I accept those that are in the fellowship, and I do not dictate the bounds of that fellowship.

Larry James, writing in the bulletin of the Carrollton Ave. Church of Christ in New Orleans, sets forth a summary of Thomas Campbell’s Declaration and Address. One of the points is: “Inferences and deductions cannot be formally bound upon members of the body farther than those members see the connection.”

Assuring those concerned that they have no intention of imposing a creed, the San Mateo Church of Christ, 525 S. Bayshore Blvd., San Mateo, Ca., is requiring that those who request their aid in the mission field “to fill out a questionnaire.” This is because of present efforts in the brotherhood to be sound in faith and practice. We have not seen the questionnaire, but we wonder how true it remains to the hallmark of our Movement — “No creed but Christ.”

Hundreds of our most appreciative readers did not even know that this journal existed until someone sent them a free subscription. Many of these have in turn introduced it to others. Since we look to no sect or party, this is our only way of further exposure. “We want to thank someone for sending the paper to us,” is a comment we often receive. This summer is a good time for you to send us a list of names so that we can process them for our first fall issue in September. Only 1.00 per name, a minimum of five, no maximum. We do the mailing. If you wish a bundle to hand out yourself, the price is 20cents per copy per month. We especially want the list number so as to prepare for a fall harvest. Our next issue will be the September number. If you believe in what we are doing, please be diligent in sharing it.