RESPONSES TO “WHAT MUST THE CHURCH OF CHRIST DO? ...”

You might be interested in reading some of the responses we have received to our series on what the Church of Christ must do to be saved, all of which thus far have been positive. We invite responses, negative or positive. Tell us what you think. Since this series will continue as long as the paper itself, which is December 1992, there is yet much that will be said on this subject. We will occasionally publish responses, so let us hear from you. We will withhold your name if you request it, but we are finding that more and more people are ready to stand up and be counted on the side of renewal.

We have really enjoyed your articles on “What Must the Church of Christ Do to be Saved?” It has needed to be said for a long time, and praise the Lord someone finally said it. We hope many changes will take place because of it. Continue to work toward that end.—Ken and Ramona Brown. Paradise. Ca.

I just read part 3 of “What Must the Church of Christ Must Do . . .” Great! Just the thing I have been saying for ten years. I am pretty well an outcast from the Churches of Christ because I believe there are other Christians outside the “Church of Christ” denomination, so I am just an independent now. Keep up the good work.—Ed Stevens. Bedford. Pa.

You hit the nail on the head! You took the words right out of my heart. I was raised a Presbyterian and was baptized two years after I married Jeff, who was raised in the Church of Christ. I was attracted to the church for several reasons. Beside the obvious one, there was a knowledge of the Word and who Jesus is—something I wasn’t exposed to growing up. In the last 16 years we’ve lived in Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, Scotland and back to Texas. I’ve seen it all, and over time it has been increasingly difficult to offer the Church of Christ to someone. Jesus, yes, but not the church as it is. Jeff even spent ten years in the ministry. He’s in grad school getting his Ph.D. and is going to ACU to teach. He’s decided the hope for the future is in our classrooms. And as an elder who can make changes, not as a preacher who will get fired. We’re excited about what you’ve introduced to the brotherhood. We’d like to be part of the change. You have my permission to use my letter and my name. I welcome the opportunity, especially as a woman, to speak out loudly on this issue.—Gail Hamm. Lubbock. Tx.

You are absolutely correct on what the Church of Christ needs to do to be saved. Our brethren are among the finest people in the world, and it is a shame so many people are turned off to us because of our divisions, and our position on instrumental music, divorce and remarriage, and other such issues. I pray God that He will continue to use Christians like you to enlighten our hearts and minds to the real truth, that we can be Christians only without being the only Christians. The call for repentance has never been stronger.—David Brown. Florence. Al.

In our third installment of the series (March 1991) we called for a “Proclamation of Repentance” to be read in our churches and circulate as a petition among the churches. If people were free to sign, I ventured that thousands would sign. The proclamation would be a confession that we have sinned against God and against our own heritage by being such a divisive people, and it included a resolution that we would once more become a unity people. We got a number of responses, some from ministers, one saying, “I know five preachers that will sign it.” One lady wrote that she would sign it but that the Church of Christ she attends would frown on the idea. This one-liner from a woman in New Mexico represents the way a lot of readers feel.

As for “Can the Church of Christ be saved?”—or what we must do? -right on, Leroy! I’ll sign the proclamation.—Mrs. Virginia Adams. Las Cruces. NM

Let us hear from you. Go ahead, put it in writing, even if only for our eyes. Tell us what you think we must do to be saved, or if you think we are OK as is, tell us why you think so.—the Editor