OUR CHANGING WORLD

 

Princeton Seminary reports an interesting development that reflects a significant change in the church at large. While a few years back, the typical seminary student was a young man just out of college, more than half the students today are from the outside world, many of them in mid-career. There is also a much higher percentage of women.

The Disciples of Christ are beginning a pilot telephone network project in an effort to hold on to the 67,500 Disciple families that move every year. An “800” number will receive calls from churches from which a family moves and in turn will inform the church closest to the family’s new home. They figure that if they can hold on to an additional 10% of their mobile members they will reverse their trend and begin to grow. This method is being encouraged among churches in general and by the National Evangelistic Association. It is assumed that the estimated 80,000 Church of Christ families that move will immediately identify with a new congregation, but this may be a false assumption. Our studies indicate that in the typical city we will have as many or more non-active members as active.

Ouida and I are now carrying cards indicating that we have willed our bodies to medical science. I like the idea that when the time comes Ouida will only need to dial a number, thus avoiding all the fuss and “arrangements.” And we are both pleased that medical students will be able to make use of our bodies once we have taken our leave of them. The director of anatomy at the Southwestern Medical School in Dallas wrote us both nice letters commending us for making “an important contribution to medical education and research.” While he did not promise, we presume that they will not call for us before our time! If you are interested in doing this yourself, you should contact your state university’s medical school. Part of your decision is that there will be no burial. The remains are eventually cremated.

If you have not already, you will surely see the Texas Sesquicentennial Wagon Train on TV sometime in the next six months. Two families in our church in Denton are with it on its long journey up and down Texas. One of our members, Don Stringer, is its creator. So we have a map of its itinerary on our bulletin board, with all its stations marked with their dates, and we are praying for it all the way. We don’t exactly ask the Lord to “Remember the Alamo!,” but it is something like that. But God is longsuffering toward his special people, the children of Israel and the sons of Texas!

We remind you of the conferences for more open Churches of Christ at the Central Church of Christ in Irving, Tx., near Dallas, Feb. 20-22. The theme is “The Nature and Challenge of Christian Liberty,” based on Galatians. Subjects include the nature of legalism, balancing baptism, proper use of Scripture, freedom from strife, nature of freedom, the Lord of Liberty. Speakers include Ervin Waters, Mark Berrier, Bob Douglas, Cecil Hook, Joe Jones, John Wright, Ed Fudge, Wayne Dockery, Bill Love, Bob Randolph, Julius Hovan. I have been asked to address the closing session on Saturday morning, at which time there will be a Communion service. Those already in the Dallas area are urged to take advantage of this opportunity. The location is 1710 W. Airport Fwy and the phone is 214-259-2631. The opening session is Thursday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m.