READERS' EXCHANGE

 

I’m often reminded of Lk. 13:34 where Jesus laments over Jerusalem. We cry out “Oh, Church of Christ, Church of Christ, the one who is wearing His wonderful name but is so bound with legalism by believing we are the only ones with the truth, how we have longed to share a deeper knowledge of Him, but you would not.” But we are holding on to 1 Jn. 5:14: “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” --- L. W. Case, Brookhaven, MS.

Your and Carl’s thoughts so honestly shared are a balm to my itching heart. Your “An Encouraging First for Churches of Christ” addresses an issue, the issue of protecting our beliefs and practices by refusing to listen to, much less consider the possible validity of another Christian position, that in my opinion must be resolved before the original unity can regain any real and lasting momentum. --- Harold Bast, Ft. Worth, TX

At first I threw it out because I didn’t realize what it was. But after several copies I glanced through one and caught “Church of Christ,” and since then I have read every copy. I was brought up a Catholic but my husband converted me. We’ve attended several churches, but I am at last getting my eyes open as to what the real church is, and to see what is really important over against what is not so important. Nothing can change what I see now, as you put it: “We are to receive one another even as Christ has received us, warts and all.” --- Cindy Foshee, Guy, AR.

We are attempting to find others in the Oklahoma City metro area who are longing for a spiritual and effective fellowship. We are a small group of people of Church of Christ-Christian Church background, and we seek to provide something not available within the “system.” We need and want to give love. --- Pam and Dennis Johnson, 3700 Shadywood, Midwest City, OK. 73110 (405-737-2599).

Things are really going well here at Mid-South Christian College. We have 57 students this year, which is a record enrollment. And the spirit and the enthusiasm is at an all time high. --- Bill Griffin, Senatobia, MS

Our non-instrument churches, except for a handful of earlier ones, started after WW2, mostly by efforts of men from Harding College, who were very young. Japan was under American occupation, and due to the war we were all very poor. Since the “living god” Emperor was no longer our uniting spiritual symbol, we were caught in a vacuum. Because of the free handouts people poured into the churches. Legalism, Americanism, materialism, and Church of Christism were taught by the missionaries throughout Japan. But when Japan made her economic recovery such missionaries lost their magic touch. The weak, mushroomed churches lost their “masters,” but legalism lives on. Today the last line of Judges applies to us: “There was no king in Israel at that time. Everyone did whatever he pleased.” --- Moto Nomura, Chitose, Box 22, Tokyo 156, Japan.