OUR CHANGING WORLD

 

The Eastern Heights Christian Church in Tulsa and the Highland Church of Christ in Louisville are cooperating in the support of David Brown, a missionary in South Africa, along with a native worker. Both churches see this as putting into practice the unity conferences now being conducted by Christian Churches and Churches of Christ.

The conferences in Conway, Arkansas and Irving, Texas, where “more open churches” were invited to share, had a unique feature in that they heard from former ministers who now serve other denominations. In Conway we heard from Bob Cannon, onetime minister to the Inglewood (CA) Church of Christ and missionary to South Africa, who now serves an Assembly of God in Eureka, CA, while in Irving we heard Robert Meyers, former professor at Harding University and minister to the Riverside Church of Christ in Wichita, who nows ministers to a Congregational Church in Wichita. Both men made impressive contributions and manifested a gracious spirit toward those they had left, and they were probably the most surprised of all, to be invited to share as equals with those who are inclined to divorce themselves from those who leave. It was a maturing experience for all concerned, and a prelude to what will one day be common, as we continue to grow in grace.

As this issue goes to press I am home from an uplifting visit to Oregon and California. In Portland, Oregon I was with the Central Church of Christ, spoke in chapel at Columbia Christian College, breakfasted with students, shared in a Bible class at the college, and addressed a preachers’ luncheon on “Betrayal of a Heritage.” In Bakersfield, CA I breakfasted with preachers, and at the Church of Christ in Exeter I spoke several times on our heritage in history and in Scripture. My next time out will be with Ouida in Arkansas City, KS, with the Random Road Chapel, March 28-30, and in April I make my longest trip of the year, the Lord willing, all the way to Montevideo, Uruguay, as well as Buenos Aires, Argentina, just across the bay.

The Restoration Studies Center at ACU has acquired the old pulpit of the Ahorey Presbyterian Church in Rich Hill, Northern Ireland, from whence Thomas Campbell emigrated to America in 1807. That church is well aware of its role in our heritage. The Campbell Tower graces the 200-year old church and a stained-glass window honors Alexander Campbell. When I visited that church, its minister, Al Scott, a Campbellite himself of sorts, insisted that I stand in Campbell’s old pulpit and minister somewhat, while he served as the audience. So I told the story of how the church on a Sunday back in about 1800 was invaded by the Irish Guard in search of rebels. An elder besought Thomas Campbell to pray, which was a sure way to frustrate any guard, for when brother Campbell prayed he prayed. In the prayer he quoted the whole of Ps. 46, which I read on the occasion. We are pleased that the old pulpit has come to Texas, an unlikely home for it but nonetheless an appropriate one. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ, after six years of covenantal work and study in which they sought visible unity, have agreed upon an “Ecumenical Partnership.” It means that they will enjoy fellowship without actually becoming one denomination, which neither church seemed to want. They issued a joint “Declaration” on “The unity we seek” that speaks to us all, part of which reads: ‘The unity we seek is not something we create through our own efforts or design; rather, the unity we seek comes as a gift from God to all those who follow Christ as their Lord and Savior. The unity does not depend on like-mindedness, nor is it destroyed by our diversity.”