MARVIN BRYANT'S MINISTRY

In our May issue we made reference to some of the "converts" of the Bryant-Shank ministry, which is designed to reach denominational preachers, as being "bankrupt." Marvin Bryant objects to this description, so I am pleased to retract it for the sake of peace. One of Marvin's own co-workers, writing in the Aug. 2 Firm Foundation, appealed for one of these men with: "We desperately need to place Herb NOW with a good church . . . This arrangement would allow him to 'get his feet on the ground' in the shortest amount of time." This describes the plight of a number of these men better than the term I used, and yet it conveys what I had in mind. Their situation often appears "desperate" and they need to "get their feet on the ground." One former Presbyterian preacher was advertised as wanting to come over to us. He was at that time working in a restaurant. It is to be expected that this kind of ministry would attract the "desperate" kind, as well as some of the more responsible kind. We do not fault Marvin for this, and we are not trying to give him a hard time. It is that we simply cannot believe that this ministry, in the main, moves us away from the sectarianism that we so badly need to overcome. Some of Marvin's men are not only not of the "desperate" category, but it is predictable that some of them are going to be of help to us in working toward a non-sectarian Church of Christ. I met some of these when they had their annual meeting in Dallas this summer, and I rejoice. This is one of the surprises of the past few years, the help we are getting from the extreme right. Some of our most dedicated reformers, young and bright, are from the so-called "anti" group, the non-class group, and the one-cup persuasion. Marvin will also make his contribution. But still I would like to discourage this program in that it nourishes our exclusivism. I especially object to that aspect of the program that assumes that our brothers in the Christian Church are to be 'converted' or 'reached' and brought over to the Church of Christ. This serves to negate the many unity efforts that have taken place and are taking place within our divided brotherhood.  — the Editor