OUR CHANGING WORLD

 

Bob Douglas of the Arcadia Church of Christ, 1027 S. First Ave., Arcadia, Ca. 91006, reports that his congregation has assumed the oversight of a 13-member missionary group to Bangladesh. A church in Missouri did sponsor the team, but they dropped their support over the question of fellowshiping “denominational” missionaries in that country. Bob tells especially of the plight of Kirk and Linda Davis of that team who are now suffering a serious deficit in their support because several churches joined the Missouri congregation in cutting off support due to the fraternization with missionaries in other churches. If it is in your heart to help in this work, you should write to Bob for further information.

As an editor for these 27 years I have had a continuing concern for “the minister system” and all that it has foisted upon our churches. I see in a recent editorial in Firm Foundation that the editor of that journal also has concern: “We suspect that more and more of the preacher’s mind and heart are taken up with the logistics of running an enterprise and less and less with the opportunity to preach and save the lost. While preachers still insist on being called ‘evangelists,’ the great majority of interest is pastoral in nature.” He goes on to say: “The extent to which we are deliberately destroying the office of evangelist makes us wonder if we still take seriously the plea to restore the New Testament church.”

Bruce Edwards, Jr., 1109-B Brackenridge Apts., Austin 78703, sends us a prospective for a collection of essays on salvation by grace. Of “conservative” or non-cooperative Church of Christ background, he refers to the “stirrings” among Churches of Christ for a more biblical, grace-centered understanding of the gospel. He invites you to contact him if you are interested.

In an Aug. 10, 1979 editorial in the Gospel Advocate, Editor Ira North invited “Our Anti-Cooperation Brethren” to come back home. There have been at least six responses in the papers from the “anti’s,” the essence of which is that they do not want to go back home to what they find in “liberal” Churches of Christ. This journal has a simpler view of matters: we are all already home if we are in Jesus. We can differ on things like the support of Herald of Truth, with each congregation left free to decide the issue for itself. And at home in Jesus we should all treat each other as sisters and brothers. If we are not careful an invitation to “come back home” can be a suggestion that folk are to leave one party and join another.

Princeton Seminary has announced the appointment of two faculty people from the Church of Christ. Dennis E. Smith, an Abilene graduate who earned a doctorate at Harvard, was recently minister to the Park Forest Church of Christ in Matteson, Illinois. He is a new instructor in New Testament. J. J. McB. Roberts, also an Abilene graduate, is an older professor, having taught at Dartmouth, Johns Hopkins, and Toronto before coming to Princeton. He will have the honored William Henry Green chair in Old Testament.

The Church of the Brethren, a peace church concerned for the reconciliation and healing of those broken in body and spirit, has issued a brochure of their core beliefs, one of which is “to work cooperatively with persons and communions committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.” Our own people in Churches of Christ can hold this as a value without surrendering a single truth we now embrace.

There is clearly more concern for the plight of the divorced in Churches of Christ these days. One more instance is the work of Hugh Groover, director of Camp Wyldewood, who conducts two retreats each year for the divorced. Dr. Robert Lane, Medical Center Clinic, Calico Rock, Ar. 72519, commends the work of this camp very highly, You might write him if you want more information.

Many of our readers take advantage of our club rate, 5 names for only 10.00, when they renew, which can include their own renewal. This introduces the paper to a growing number of people. many of whom continue to read it and send it to still others. This is our way of growing, for we use no gimmicks and have no party behind us. You might want to try it.

We have four bound volumes of this journal still available, covering six years of publication. The Restoration Mind, 1971-72 (4.95); The Word Abused, 1975-76 (5.95); Principles of Unity and Fellowship, 1977 (5.50); The Ancient Oder, 1978 (5.50).

The theme for 1980 will be With all Your Mind a study on what it means to think responsibly as a believer. You will not want to miss it.