OUR CHANGING WORLD

 

I urge you to give special attention to Cecil Hook’s piece in this issue. I consider it one of the most soul-searching articles we have ever published. It gets to the taproot of our ills, personal and congregational. Cecil’s essay was a blessing to me and I am sure it will be to you.

The place of women in the church is demanding attention in Churches of Christ as well as other churches, and, like other churches, the viewpoints range from traditional to non-traditional. The Cahaba Valley Church of Christ in Birmingham, Alabama has taken the position that women in their congregation can minister to men as well as to women, as God calls them. They have also announced that women will be appointed to serve as deacons as well as men, and that by 1994 they expect women to be giving sermons to the congregation. Insofar as we know this is only the second Church of Christ to go this far, the first being the Brookline, Mass. church, which has announced that its women may do any ministry than men do, including serving as elders. The Bering Drive Church of Christ in Houston has not yet gone as far as Brookline and Cahaba Valley, but it has recently issued a report on changes that it is making. The women as well as men will serve in Sunday morning worship as ushers, greeting visitors, receiving the offering, reading Scripture, leading prayers, leading singing, and serving communion. As might be expected these changes are of concern to the traditionalists, as is indicated by a recent issue of The Spiritual Sword, 1511 Getwell Rd., Memphis 38111 on “Role of Women in the Church.” In this issue the position is taken that “it is not proper” for women to preach, lead prayer or singing, or preside at the Lord’s Supper.

The controversy over the ministry of women among Churches of Christ sometimes becomes dramatic. In a recent forum at Freed-Hardeman University in Tennessee this issue was discussed. Leaders of both the Bering Drive and Brookline churches, referred to above, were on the program and were allowed to expound their more liberal views, which in itself is encouraging since Freed- Hardeman has the reputation of being a bastion of conservatism. Arguing on the ground of changing cultural conditions, Robert Randolph from Brookline said that he had no problem with women serving as elders in our churches today. Lynn Mitchell from Bering Drive agreed with Randolph. I know both Randolph and Mitchell as brothers who love the Lord and who sincerely seek to make the Scriptures relevant to the needs of our modern world. The traditionalists were, understandably, alarmed by these “tossed by every wind” viewpoints, and they too are sincere, intelligent brethren. It is one more instance of how we are going to see things differently. Unity does not demand that we see such matters exactly alike, but whether we will graciously allow congregations to differ. We can have churches with women leading in public worship and churches that do not, and we can still love and accept each other even as Christ loves and accepts us—in spite of our weaknesses!

The Lord willing, I will help the College Park Christian Church in Normal, Illinois, which also calls itself “A Church of Christ,” celebrate the 20th anniversary of its merger, March 9-10. Back in 1971 I was around to see the Emerson St. Church of Christ (non-instrument) and the Sunset Christian Church, both of Normal, merge into a congregation that took the above dual name. Bruce Parmenter of Wichita, Ks. will join me that weekend for the celebration. It would be delightful to see friends who live in that general area. A banquet is planned for Sunday night. Call the College Park church for further information, 309-452-1598.

If God grants, I will be at the Overland Park Christian Church in Overland Park, Ks. (Kansas City area), April 26-28, for a meeting of the executive committee of the World Convention of Churches of Christ. The committee is responsible for the convention that will be in Long Beach, August 5-9, 1992. Circle that date and plan to attend. The WCCC convention, which is held every four years, is a significant event because it is an umbrella convention that includes all branches of the Stone-Campbell tradition. It is a worldwide fellowship of our people. I have been asked to prepare the study guide this time around, which is both an honor and a delight. At the convention in New Zealand in 1988 people from all three churches of our Movement were on the program.

The Friendswood Church of Christ in the Houston area has published a “Congregational Profile” that hints of “the road less traveled” for one of our churches. It reads in part, “We have come to understand and accept the freedoms and demands of God’s wondrous Grace. We appreciate and learn from our traditions but strive foremost to follow the teachings of the scriptures and the leading of the Holy Spirit.” They say they want “the openness and freshness caused by daily growth and walking with Christ, even though at times we are fearful of leaving the comfort and security of human tradition.” They say they “accept, love, and show people of all types the redeeming, lifting, forgiving Christ.”

The World Bible Translation Center in Fort Worth, a Church of Christ agency, has begun a translation of the Bulgarian New Testament. Bulgaria has long been in need of an easy-to-read rendition in its own language. The work should be completed this year. The work will be done in Bulgaria and will involve native translators. Erwin Bishop is directing the project that will prove to be a great blessing.