OUR CHANGING WORLD

 

The Central Church of Christ in Irving (Dallas), Texas describes itself as "An Ecumenical Fellowship" on its sign alongside the busy freeway to the DFW Airport. In a recent issue of the church's bulletin the pulpit minister, James Carter, indicated what ecumenical means to him in practical terms. He is president of the Irving Ministerial Association and has a monthly breakfast with ministers of the area; he serves on the board of Irving Aid, which works for an emergency housing project; he has recently served as guest preacher at an independent church, a Baptist church, and a Presbyterian church, as well as chapel at Dallas Christian College. He also takes his turn as back-up chaplain at a nearby hospital. He recently read a paper on "What It Means to Be a Member of the Churches of Christ" to over 30 representatives of various churches in a Dallas ecumenical gathering. And he will be the speaker at this year's city Easter Sunrise Service. If all these facts do not impress you, this one will: he also recently met at his own church over coffee with a number of Church of Christ ministers. While he did not say, I take it that it was friendly, after all that!

One reaction to the recent ACU Lectureship comes from Arnold Hardin, editor of The Persuader, who wrote as follows: "Two of the main speakers emphasized the urgent need of churches to see to it that 'pulpit politicians' do not continue to be one of our major problems. Brethren, we had better face up to the matter with honesty or else the church is going to continue its downward plunge. People are leaving 'us' and it is mostly because they are starving for a relationship with Christ and we are only feeding them the husks of a legalistic diet. As one of the speakers said, 'We allowed the Baptists to steal grace from us and that it is high time that we get it back!' Amens went up all over that huge audience! Many now believe that the 'New Day' for which many have been praying is coming much sooner than many of us had expected." If you wish to receive Arnold's mailout, which is free for the asking, the address is 2920 Prairie Creek, Dallas, TX 75227.

The Lord willing, I will attend a conference at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis on "Christians Only But Not the Only Christians: Reappraising the Disciples Tradition for the 21st Century," which will bring together leaders from Christian Churches as well as Disciples of Christ in a reappraisal of their common heritage, March 29-April 1. Over 600 people have expressed interest in attending, which has impressed the Disciple leadership that there is substantial interest in getting things moving again. The program from the seminary says, "Behind the conference is the conviction that Disciples have reached a crucial moment in our common life. Ours is a significant heritage of ministry and faithfulness . . . Yet there is a nagging sense that we have 'lost' part of our identity and purpose." The conference hopes to speak to the church's loss of members, a prevailing lethargy, and a superficial and divisive theology among other concerns. Perhaps I will be able to make an editorial comment on this significant event in our next issue.

Chester and Angela Woodhall, missionaries in Zambia, Africa, tell of a visit with that country's prime minister, Kebby Musokotwane, and the subject was the Church of Christ in Zambia, particularly how the church can become self-supporting without overseas help. The prime minister is himself a member of the Church of Christ, of which he says, "It is something that I cannot forget wherever I am in the world."

Olan Hicks, who moves somewhat among Churches of Christ in an effort to make them freer in Christ, explains in his News and Notes that he sometimes withholds names and places in his reports because one segment of the brotherhood still persecutes any brothers who waver from full submission to their decrees, especially schools and churches." He explains that after all these years he no longer fears such tactics but he ministers to people who can be hurt by their association with him. He expresses confidence that the "Pharisees" in the churches are losing their power to do harm. If you want on his mailing list, the address is Box 1253, Searcy, AR 72143.