|
February 2000
|
This is our February cover
James
Henderson, regional director for Africa, reports on his October visit to the Congo.
Mr. Henderson writes that no visiting minister from our fellowship had been to the Congo (formerly Zaire) for almost two years, partly because of the wars, and partly because of our budget limitations.
What I found in the Congo was most encouraging, he wrote. Miraculously, we have no reports of any of our members or contacts being wounded or killed.
We have 10 congregations of the Congolese WCG that promote the gospel in face of both physical and spiritual warfare. They rely on God to use them whenever the Holy Spirit gives them opportunities. Page 5.
What is an
"evangelical" Christian? asks Pastor General Joseph Tkach in this month's
Personal.
We are members of the National Association of Evangelicals, and we have called ourselves an evangelical denomination. When we use this word to describe ourselves, what are we saying?
"Evangelical" comes from the Greek word for "gospel," so we might expect that an evangelical Christian puts a high priority on the gospel--but this is not always the way the word is used. In some places, evangelical simply means Protestant; in other places it practically means Pentecostal. Some people want to define the term narrowly and others more broadly. Some people desire this label; others despise it.
Alister McGrath, an evangelical Anglican, offered six major distinctives of evangelical Christianity: 1) The supreme authority of Scripture, 2) Jesus Christ as incarnate God, 3) the Holy Spirit, 4) personal conversion, 5) evangelism and 6) the importance of the Christian community. Pages 6 & 7.
Pastor General Joseph Tkach writes about our identity and mission.
The priority that Jesus gave the church was the gospel. Take this message into all the world, he said. "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:46-47).
God, true to his promise in the Scriptures, has provided for forgiveness for all nations, and this forgiveness is possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This is the foundation of Christian identity, and it is also the foundation of church identity. Pages 16 to 18.
Income for December
averaged $100,025 per banking day, writes controller Ron Kelly.
The average daily income for the year was $93,478, short of the $95,000 per banking day we had projected.
Total 1999 income from all sources was $34 million. Expenses were $36.7 million. During 1999, it was necessary to take about $2.7 million from reserves. Page 21.
J. Michael Feazell
writes that a common belief among Christians is that all people who do not hear the gospel
and accept it before they die are eternally lost and without hope.
One of the distinctive doctrines in the Worldwide Church of God is our belief that God does provide an opportunity for every person to respond to the gospel, even those who seem to have had no such opportunity before death. Pages 24 to 28.
By Charles Albrecht
Church Administration has set the dates for U.S. district conferences this year. On each weekend, the conferences begin midday Friday and run until midday on Sunday.
Plenary sessions will include the following: The WCG as a Denomination; Growing in Pastoral Ministry; Future of the WCG--Toward a Spiritually Based Vision and Strategy; Finances--Present Realities, Future Possibilities; and Preaching.
Breakout sessions will include topics such as enhancing worship services, local church administration and women's sessions.
Although this is a required conference for WCG pastors, we encourage elders, other ministry leaders and members to attend (pending space availability). Congregational leaders who cannot make their regional conference would be welcome to attend a conference in another area (pending space availability).
If you have questions about the conference, please contact your pastor or the conference coordinator listed at right. Following is a list of dates, locations, regions and coordinators.
Date Place Contact
Jan.14-16 Jekyll Island, Georgia coordinator
Atlanta, Charlotte bob_persky@wcg.org
and Orlando districts
Feb. 4-6 Fayetteville, Arkansas coordinator
Memphis and Oklahoma districts randy_bloom@wcg.org
March 10-12 Pasadena coordinator
Pasadena district susan_earle@wcg.org
April 7-9 Bagdad, Kentucky coordinator
Knoxville and Nashville districts garvin_greene@wcg.org
May 5-7 Medford, Oregon coordinator
Seattle and Sacramento districts tracey_rogers@wcg.org
May 19-21 Cedar Falls, Iowa coordinator
Kansas City and Milwaukee districts ray_a._meyer@wcg.org
June 23-25 Ogden, Utah coordinator
Salt Lake City and Sedona districts mike_kuykendall@wcg.org
July 28-30 Baltimore, Maryland coordinator
Rochester district ken_williams@wcg.org
Aug. 12-14* Dallas, Texas coordinator
*dates may Big Sandy district carn_catherwood@wcg.org
move to Aug. 19-21
Sept. 15-17 Shipshewana, Indiana coordinator
Cleveland and Akron districts
fran_ricchi@wcg.org
I'd like to tell you how good it's been to study Michael Feazell's "Finding Peace in Christ" each time for the past several months. It's been so much help to me in understanding the covenants.
Evelyn O'Briant
Kilmichael, Mississippi
Praise God! How can Jesus love me so much to open my eyes to see this clearly after almost 40 years. It is like God lifted a veil from my eyes.
I did not think it was possible to love God any more than I did. I want to fall before him and wash his feet with my tears of gratitude.
Mary Frances Holland
Newnan, Georgia
Thank you for posting so many articles and study papers on the website. I am a former member who left because of the doctrinal changes, but have come to enlightening conclusions in my own studies (before, I would have considered them heretical conclusions).
Since then I've read Mr. Tkach's book Transformed by Truth and am interested in the study papers you've published on various doctrinal issues. I don't have to agree with every single point, but your studies are enlightening.
Name withheld
It is with admiration and nostalgia that we look at the picture of Arthur and Marie Docken receiving a plaque of appreciation for their 37 years of service (December WN). We would like to extend our congratulations to them.
We are among the direct recipients of their services while they were assigned in the Philippines. We hope and pray that the Dockens are all doing fine, and may God bless them and their loved ones always.
Samuel and Nilda Librojo
Ventura, California
I want to let you know how wonderful I think the article honoring our oldest members is in the January issue. What a great way to start out the new millennium issue.
I was so touched by it, and I hope and pray that members around the world will be inspired and uplifted by it. This is a beautiful way to look at the past of the WCG.
Susi Albrecht
Pasadena
I would like to thank all the brethren who have been praying that I would be granted a scholarship to continue my education.
Through St. John's University, I was granted a scholarship to pursue a master's degree in pastoral counseling from prison. My situation reinforces my thoughts that God's will prevails no matter what our circumstances may involve.
Karl M. Klett
Marion, Ohio
By James
Henderson
Since James Henderson's October visit to the Congo, the cease-fire has not been honored. Sporadic fighting is taking place in many parts of the country. Jacques Muzalia, our representative in Goma, warned Kimani Ndungu, East African area pastor, not to make his planned late November visit to our groups there because of increasing hostilities between ethnic groups.
KINSHASA, Congo--What was I to expect? No visiting minister from our fellowship had been to the Congo (formerly Zaire) for almost two years, partly because of the wars, and partly because of our budget limitations. Would we still have churches there? What would be the state of the members?
What I found in the Congo was most encouraging. Miraculously, we have no reports of any of our members or contacts being wounded or killed.
We have 10 congregations of the Congolese WCG that promote the gospel in face of both physical and spiritual warfare. They rely on God to use them whenever the Holy Spirit gives them opportunities.
Because of economic constraints there has been no external evangelism. Instead the concentration over the past year has been on congregational evangelism through house churches. Attendance has increased by 20 percent to 500. Amazingly, despite the hardships and the poverty, they are financially in the black, which shows how much member goodwill there is in this nation where few earn more than $5 a month.
Our churches in the Congo are like beacons of light shining in the darkness of evil.
They reach out to a struggling and confused country. For example, our congregation in the fishing community of Muanda, on the banks of the Congo River, has begun an educational project with 95 pupils. The aim is to take the young children off the streets and begin to teach them about Jesus and give them basic teaching and Christian values.
The churches are pastored by three nonsalaried ministers--Raphael Benza Tsuka, Benoit Mpinda Ndayi and Paul Mvita Kalume. The immediate goal is to develop more leaders, especially to ordain a minister in Katanga province, which is more than 2,000 kilometers from the capital city, Kinshasa.
1. That God would bless the land with peace and safety.
2. That they would have more contact with other WCG congregations--they feel isolated.
3. That leaders would multiply.
4. That God would use them mightily to promote the gospel.
The Congolese brethren pray for you, and rejoice in being part of a vibrant international fellowship.
Worldwide Church of God youths in Congo
CONGO ELDERS--Ministers from left: Benoit
Mpinda Ndayi, Raphael Benza Tsuka and Paul Mvita Kalume.
KINSHASA LEADERS--Photos by James Henderson
Personal from Joseph TkachWhat is an "evangelical" Christian? We are members of the National Association of Evangelicals, and we have called ourselves an evangelical denomination. When we use this word to describe ourselves, what are we saying?
"Evangelical" comes from the Greek word for "gospel," so we might expect that an evangelical Christian puts a high priority on the gospel--but this is not always the way the word is used. In some places, evangelical simply means Protestant; in other places it practically means Pentecostal. Some people want to define the term narrowly and others more broadly. Some people desire this label; others despise it.
Sociologists use the term evangelical for believers and churches that are more conservative than average. This segment of Christianity is growing (though that says nothing about its theological accuracy), and its members report more commitment to their faith and more involvement in their churches. This category includes churches that belong to the NAE as well as congregations and individuals that are in mainline Protestant denominations or in the Roman Catholic tradition.
Evangelical is often distinguished from "fundamentalist"--a term that originally meant Christians who believed in five major fundamentals of the faith, but which eventually came to be associated with ultraconservatives who were against scholarly studies, against new translations, against anything new and generally against anyone who wasn't a fundamentalist. Some of the more opinionated fundamentalists gave conservative Christianity a bad name, and in the 1950s moderate conservatives began to group themselves under the "evangelical" label to give themselves some verbal distance from their right-wing cousins.
So what is an evangelical? Alister McGrath, an evangelical Anglican, offered six major distinctives of evangelical Christianity: 1) The supreme authority of Scripture, 2) Jesus Christ as incarnate God, 3) the Holy Spirit, 4) personal conversion, 5) evangelism and 6) the importance of the Christian community (Evangelicalism and the Future of Christianity, InterVarsity Press, 1995, pp. 55-56).
These six beliefs are not a hard and fast boundary, but in general they serve to mark the boundary between evangelicalism and mainstream Protestantism. (A different list of beliefs and practices would be needed to describe the boundary between evangelicalism and fundamentalism.)
Evangelicals have much in common, yet are fragmented, often by doctrine. Though they all accept the authority of the Bible, they interpret it in different ways. Some baptize infants, some stress predestination, some speak in tongues, some insist on a specific form of governance, some emphasize social work. Perhaps this variety is better than enforced conformity, but it can make Christianity appear to be obsessed with trivialities--and indeed, sometimes we Christians do get distracted by such issues.
As you know, I have repeatedly noted our need to emphasize the main things, not peripheral matters. We can and do have beliefs about the periphery, but we must not emphasize them so much that we create barriers, as if people who don't agree with us could not possibly be converted.
We of all people should know that it is possible for Christians to be wrong about important matters, and we should understand the need to be charitable toward others who serve Christ as best they know how.
For these reasons, we strive to keep our central beliefs relatively simple, rather than lengthening our list of what's "essential."
I found a book by John Stott particularly refreshing: Evangelical Truth: A Personal Plea for Unity, Integrity and Faithfulness (InterVarsity, 1999).
Stott has been an evangelical leader in England for 50 years, so he is well acquainted with theological diversity, and he has consistently advocated patience and peace.
So in this month's Personal, I thought I'd do something a little different, and highlight some of the key points that he makes in his book. Stott distills the essentials of evangelicalism down to three doctrines: revelation from God, the redemption of Christ and the transformation that comes from the Holy Spirit.
The gospel is tightly connected to these three priorities--it is revealed by God, centers on the cross of Christ and is effective through the work of the Holy Spirit. Stott uses 1 Corinthians 15:1-5 to make these six points about the gospel: 1) it is about Christ, 2) it is based on the Scriptures, 3) it is rooted in history, 4) it proclaims a theological significance to Jesus' death, 5) it is the message of the apostles and 6) it is personal, in that people receive it, take their stand on it, hold on to it and are saved by it.
The death of Jesus is of central importance. The ceremony that Jesus gave us to remember him is a memorial of his death. That is how he wanted to be remembered, and that is indeed the most distinctive feature of the Christian faith.
Jesus died for us, for our sins. There are several theories of why his death saves us, but Scripture repeatedly says that we are saved through his death--he died for us, for our sins. Stott puts it this way: "Christ died as our substitute--instead of us--so that we might not have to die for our sins ... but he also died as our representative, so that when he died we died with him" (p. 81).
Justification is the theological link between Christ's crucifixion and our salvation. Because of what Christ did on the cross, we can be justified--counted as righteous--accepted by God--completely forgiven--our sins no longer counted against us. (Scripture uses a variety of words to convey the idea.)
Stott sees five important aspects of justification: 1) it comes by grace, 2) it is based on Christ's death, 3) we must be "in Christ"-- united to him and his church, 4) it is received by faith--and faith is not a "work" that earns our salvation. "Faith has no function but to receive what grace freely offers" (p. 78) and 5) justification is given so that we are led by the Holy Spirit in a new life--"created in Christ Jesus to do good works" (Eph. 2:10).
Faith and works are both enabled by the Holy Spirit, the third essential element of evangelical faith. Christian life begins with a spiritual rebirth, a regeneration. The Holy Spirit comes into us and we are born anew, born of the Spirit, born from above. We have been given a new life, and the Spirit within us assures us that we are indeed God's children. We can know, we can have confidence, we can be sure, because our salvation does not rest upon our fallible performance, but upon the work Christ has already finished.
But there is still work being done in our lives, the work of the Holy Spirit leading us in a life of obedience and good works. There is work being done in the church, the body of believers.
Evangelicals do not have a sophisticated theology of the church, but the church is important in evangelical life and faith. It is important in our worship, our ministry to one another, and our mission to the world around us.
Fundamentalists often retreat from the world, viewing the church as a place of safety in which they may hide from the evils around them.
In decades past, evangelicals often fell into this fortress mentality, too, but this has been changing. Evangelicals now average higher levels of social involvement than either fundamentalists or mainstream Protestants. They are taking seriously Jesus' command to love your neighbor, and they are making a difference for the kingdom through the good works that we are called to do.
This side of Jesus' return, evangelicals will probably never have organizational unity. We will always come to different conclusions on peripheral doctrines, and we will always have different denominations promoting those different conclusions.
These doctrines may be important, but they should never become so important that they become our focus, nor should they be mental barriers that prevent us from recognizing other believers as Christians. They should not prevent us from worshiping with and working with people who share the essentials of the faith: respect for God's revelation, a trust in salvation by grace based on Christ's crucifixion and a recognition of the necessity of the Holy Spirit working in our lives.
Christianity has a tremendous depth, touching on a wide variety of human endeavors and ideas. It has enormous complexity, for those who want to plumb its depths, but at its heart it is simple.
There is a basic "core" Christianity--a belief that we can be set right with God through the death of Jesus Christ, as revealed in the Scriptures.
Salvation does not depend on the kind of clothes we wear, the days we meet on, whether we drink coffee, whether we interpret the millennium literally or figuratively, our understanding of predestination or a host of other issues that Christians are sometimes concerned about. It is not wrong to study such matters, but we need to keep our focus clear.
Friends, my prayers are with you. The task is not easy, the hours we work are not short, and the truth is not always easy to understand. But the rewards are great, both in this life and the next. Thanks for your support.
Editor's note: If you are interested in the history and definition of fundamentalism and evangelicalism, here are a few sources you might consult, and a few quotes from them:
"Evangelicalism. A movement in North American Christianity that emphasizes the classical Protestant doctrines of salvation, the church and the authority of the Scriptures, but in the American context it is characterized by stress on a personal experience of the grace of God, usually termed the new birth or conversion" (B.L. Shelley, in Dictionary of Christianity in America, edited by Daniel Reid [InterVarsity, 1990], p. 413).
"Evangelicalism. A movement in modern Christianity emphasizing the gospel of forgiveness and regeneration through personal faith in Jesus Christ, and affirming orthodox doctrines" (Millard J. Erickson, Concise Dictionary of Christian Theology [Baker, 1986], p. 52.)
"Fundamentalism. Movement which first took shape primarily in the United States as a protest of conservative Protestants against theological modernism in the early 20th century. In reaction to more naturalistic theologies, fundamentalists emphasized certain fundamental doctrines such as the inerrancy of Scripture, the virgin birth of Christ, substitutionary atonement, the resurrection of Christ, and the second coming. (The exact list of these `fundamentals' has varied)." George Marsden, in New 20th-Century Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Second edition, edited by J.D. Douglas [Baker, 1991], p. 345).
PASADENA--Two millennia ago, give or take a few years, Jesus was born, and angels announced the good news to shepherds nearby. God inspired Matthew and Luke to include the story in Scripture, and it has been part of the Christian story ever since. It is still news for many people.
The story is so simple that a child can understand it, and traditionally, children have participated in it through Nativity plays and musicals. Children rejoice in the good news that a Savior was born for us. By rehearsing the story themselves, they will not easily forget that God came to earth as a humble human to save us from our sins.
Children in the Pasadena congregations performed "Twas the Night Before," a musical drama about Jesus' birth, narrated through a poem set in the rhythm of a well-known Christmas poem. Two performances were given: Sunday, Dec. 12, in the New Life Fellowship in the Recital Hall, and Saturday, Dec. 19, in the Pasadena A.M. congregation in Ambassador Auditorium.
The play was written by Rachel Olson and copyrighted by the Contemporary Drama Service. The play was directed and costumed by Janet Morrison, member of the New Life Fellowship, with help from many others.
The star of the show was wrapped in swaddling cloths. Shown here are some of the
supporting cast--Abel Dizon as Gabriel, Betsy Hanson as Mary, Steven Morrison as Joseph,
Stephanie and Tiffany Perez as shepherds, Michelle Murphy and Carmel Dizon as narrators,
plus the choir. The congregations joined the children in singing the closing song, Joy to
the World. [Photos by Thomas C. Hanson and Ron Grove]
EDMONTON,
Alberta, Canada--Ross Jutsum, former chair of the Ambassador University Music Department,
appeared here in concert, Sunday evening, Dec. 19.
People's Pentecostal Church, pastored by Laurence Hueppelsheuser, and the Edmonton WCG jointly sponsored the evening. The three hundred plus in attendance enjoyed contemporary worship and traditional hymns celebrating Jesus' birth.
Dr. Jutsum travels full time for State of the Heart Music Ministries, serving congregations across denominational lines.
Members from both congregations expressed pleasure with the concert and the shared evening of worship.
Joe Kaldun, WCG member, said, "I love to see our congregations co-operating in love and unity!"
The Edmonton WCG congregation shares the People's Church building, meeting Saturday mornings and cooperating on a number of community outreach programs. Bob Millman.
The Westchester, Manhattan and Middletown, New York, churches collected more than 167 shoe boxes filled with toys, candy, hygiene products, school supplies and other small items for Operation Christmas Child.
Operation Christmas Child provides opportunities for people of all ages to be involved in a hands-on mission project that reaches needy children in more than 50 countries.
This project sends a message of hope to children in crisis areas of the world through gift-filled boxes, relief aid and Christian literature. The children are shown the greatest gift of all, the love of Jesus Christ. Susan Boedeker.
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee--The Chattanooga and Murphy, North Carolina, Women's Ministry participated in Operation Christmas Child for the third consecutive year.
Operation Christmas Child is a project of Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse. Shoe boxes are wrapped, labeled with age and gender, and filled with appropriate clothing, school supplies, toys, candy and personal hygiene products.
The Women's Ministry also included notes identifying themselves and telling the recipient of God's gift of Jesus Christ.
The Women's Ministry collected donations from the church in October. On Nov. 13, the women met to hear Miracle in a Shoe Box, a book from Samaritan's Purse that tells the story of a shoe box. Afterward, the women assembled the boxes and followed with a sack lunch.
Gloria O'Neal, leader of the Women's Ministry, delivered 152 boxes to a collection terminal Nov. 21, where they were designated for Kosovo.
For more information about Samaritan's Purse, visit their website at www.samaritan.org Tammy Perez.
FORT WORTH, Texas--The three Fort Worth WCG congregations; Daybreak Fellowship, an interdenominational church in Euless, Texas; and the Dallas North congregation shared in the Operation Christmas Child project.
Wayne and Patsy Plumlee of Dallas North and Max and Oleta Devereaux of Fort Worth attended a Daybreak Fellowship service to dedicate and ask God's blessing on about 100 colorfully wrapped boxes, asking that each would reach their destination and that each child could hear about Jesus and his wonderful love. Oleta Devereaux.
CHRISTMAS CHILD PARTICIPANTS--
From left, Wayne and Patsy Plumlee and Oleta and Max Devereaux
PITTSFIELD, Massachusetts-- The Pittsfield congregation shared a Christmas service with the Immanuel Community Church of Pittsfield Dec. 26.
The service included praise music, a sermon titled Heaven Couldn't Keep Silent, an offering and communion. The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ transcended all boundaries as believers met to worship our Lord together.
This service was the third interdenominational service the two congregations shared in 1999. This blending of voices in praise, the experience of different forms of worship and the common fellowship has enriched both congregations. Tom D'Ettore.
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana--Fifty-five teens from Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida gathered for a Summer Educational Program (SEP) regional teen weekend Dec. 10-12 at Fontainebleu State Park.
Guests Charles
Taylor, pastor of the Miami, Florida, North church, and his wife, Keysha, led praise and
worship and discussion sessions throughout the weekend.
Friday night began with a praise service followed by a get-acquainted activity and fellowship time.
On Saturday Pastor Charles gave a message in which he described a teenage girl who ran away from home and became a prostitute. After realizing her mistake, she decided to return home, not sure if her parents would forgive her. She left a message on their answering machine to tell them she was on her way home and to her surprise, when she arrived, there was a banner displayed saying: "Welcome Home! We Love You!"
Pastor Charles reminded everyone that God is never too far from us that we can't reach out to him even when we've messed up and made mistakes. He still loves us.
Vocal solos were performed by Janine Jackson and Luciendo Camblard. Jennifer Moore did a reading titled "Oliver's Story," illustrating a reluctant teen's visit to a nursing home. The teen was so moved by an elderly patient there that he forgot his own discomfort and let Jesus work through him to make a difference in the life of that patient just before his death.
Later, teens broke into groups for intercessory prayer and discussion time and were asked to write and perform skits on issues they face in their daily lives and the Christian approach to handling them.
Adult leader Nathan Mitchell covered the topic of drug use with his group. Later he gave a testimony about his own drug-related experiences and their consequences. He shared how addiction led to a terrifying downward spiral that almost cost him his life.
Nathan encouraged the youths to stay close to God and not try to solve problems on their own.
A formal banquet and dance took place Saturday evening during which the teens gave honor to Anthony Rice, pastor of the Baton Rouge, Lafayette and Alexandria, Louisiana, churches, for his years of service to the youths.
Sunday's events included a visit to a nursing home, where the teens, led by Pastor Charles and Keysha, sang praise songs to an appreciative audience who did not want them to stop. Afterward the youths visited with many of the patients. The day ended with miniature golf and laser tag.
Several teens gave their impressions of the weekend. "It was really great to have that many kids my age at praise and worship and giving so much respect for God," said Bethany Winfield.
"Having Nathan there was awesome because real life experiences help us to connect," related Kyle Fontaine.
"When I was at the SEP camp, I experienced what many teens hope to find from drugs and alcohol, that is peace of mind," said Mandy Pfister. Joy Cryer.
SAN JOSE, California--More than 90 teens and 15 adults gathered for a weekend of praise and worship Dec. 18 to 20 at Mount Cross Camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Participants from California and as far away as Washington, Colorado and Texas joined in the San Jose-organized get-together. A praise and worship band from Azusa Pacific University provided music. Activities included Bible studies, singing, skits, a banquet, a dance and outdoor activities among the redwood trees.
The guest speaker
was Barbara Egbert, assistant SEP director. She shared with teens her call to conversion
and emphasized three main points: 1) God is awesome; 2) God loves me; and 3) God's way
works.
Bill and Joy Funsten, youth directors in San Jose, coordinated the event.
SAN JOSE, California--A reunion of youths, their spouses, children, parents, advisers, coaches and all who supported them from 1977 to 1981, will take place Memorial Day, Monday, May 29, at 4250 Kirk Rd. in San Jose.
The dress will be nice casual and the day will feature a buffet lunch, photographs and a remembrances session.
Costs are $15 for those 12 and older, $10 for those ages 4 to 11, and free for those 3 and younger. Please send payment as soon as possible made payable to Linda Smith and mailed to her at 3942 Paladin Dr., San Jose, California, 95124.
For more information contact Elva (Alvarez) Stainthorp at LesMiz1@aol.com or phone 1-408-723-0737, Linda Smith at SmithLinda @aol.com, or John Jester at JohnJester@aol.com John Jester.
BLOWING ROCK, North Carolina--A new type of regional weekend is emerging in the Mid-Atlantic region. They are called Discovery Youth Retreats.
For the past two years, Greg Williams, pastor of the Fayetteville and Dillon, North Carolina, churches, has spearheaded these retreats for the youths. Geared toward sixth to 12th graders, the Discovery Youth Retreats include a whole lot of fun, but the main purpose for the event is to discover Jesus Christ.
From Dec. 21 to 23, "God, a Baby?--Discovery Retreat" was conducted in Blowing Rock. Sixty- four youths from 10 WCG congregations attended. These included half a dozen teens who were invited by friends.
Thirty adults served as drivers, counselors, guest speakers, worship leaders and on the food staff. Paul David Kurts, pastor of the Boone and Hickory, North Carolina, congregations, led the three praise and worship services; and Tim Brassell, pastor of the Norfolk, Virginia, congregation, provided the motivational sermons.
The Christian Assembly Grounds, where the camp was conducted, has facilities for volleyball, basketball, table tennis, billiards and indoor swimming. One night, half of the campers chose to go skiing or snowboarding, while the other half played in the gym and then watched a movie.
During one praise and worship service, the campers were divided into four groups and assigned to produce skits based on different aspects of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Christian Valencia from Gastonia, North Carolina, said, "The skits were fun, even though we were all kind of nervous at first." His cousin, William Valencia, thought that basketball and the praise and worship were the best parts of camp.
The next Discovery Weekend is planned for March 24 to 26 in White Lake, North Carolina, which will include skiing, basketball and a dance. A canoe trip on the New River in North Carolina is scheduled for Aug. 11 to 13.
For more information, contact Greg Williams by e-mail at Greg_Williams@wcg.org or call him at 1-910- 433-3060. Shane Bazer.
By Shane Bazer
BLOWING ROCK, North Carolina--When we arrived at the youth retreat in Blowing Rock, I noticed three Latino kids who didn't quite fit in.
I asked the retreat director about those boys, and he said they were invited by someone who attends the Hickory, North Carolina, congregation.
William and Oscar are brothers, and Christian is their cousin. Christian's mother has expressed interest in going to church, and the boys thought the retreat sounded like fun even though they don't go to church.
They weren't mingling with the other kids, so I decided to spend some time with them. I called them My Three Amigos. They still didn't talk with the other campers as far as I could see. I was afraid they might not be enjoying themselves even though they were at every activity including the sermons.
The focus of the retreat was God as a baby. The messages focused on God becoming a baby in Jesus so he could live in us. The final message by pastor Tim Brassell centered on how God has used youths throughout the Bible. In many cases youths were chosen because the adults would not give their lives over to God.
At the end of the message, Pastor Tim asked if anyone wanted Christ to be more than just a friend. Did anyone want Christ to be his or her Lord and Master? He invited any to come forward to make a public confession of their willingness to give their life over to God.
I was smiling when I saw the first girl walk forward. Then a boy followed and then another girl. I was getting a little misty eyed when the sixth camper decided to make it known that God was more important than anything else. Then one of the youths from my church area walked forward. I was moved to tears to see her walk forward.
Then my three amigos stood up, and with tears streaming down their cheeks they walked forward and made the commitment. The only one who was shedding more tears was I. In all, 14 youths committed or recommitted their lives to God that day.
Shane Bazer volunteers as the youth minister in Raleigh, North Carolina.
TOLEDO, Ohio--A Christian music festival will take place at the Hillsdale County Fairgrounds in Hillsdale, Michigan, June 24. The concert will begin at noon and end at 11 p.m.
WCG youths are invited to attend.
The concert, "Rockin' With the Rock," will feature national Christian recording artists Bleach and Shaded Red, accompanied by five local and regional Christian artists.
Volleyball and plenty of food will be available. The concert is produced by Triple J Ministries, an organization dedicated to bringing opportunities for youths to know Jesus.
The concert admission is $5 per person, or $20 per family of four or more. Ticket information, directions, hotel accommodations and volunteer opportunities can be obtained by calling Triple J Ministries at 1-419-345-5533 anytime.
Triple J Ministries is not affiliated with the WCG, but its founders are WCG members.
Triple J Ministries spoke to youths at New Hope Christian School in Hillsdale Dec. 1. Jeff Miller gave a sermon on having a personal relationship with Jesus--total surrender. Six girls came to the altar and surrendered to Jesus Christ.
OLYMPIA, Washington--Marni Zorn, 17, participated in a mission to Lima, Peru, July 11 to Aug. 9.
The purpose was to tell the people they encountered of God's love for them, to teach them God's word, and his plans for them.
Marni said: "My church, family and friends worked hard to put me on the mission field, whether it was through time, money or prayer, and I greatly appreciated it."
The trip started in Garden Valley, Texas, where group members went through intense drama training and sessions to learn their parts, God's plan and his word.
In Peru, they performed a play three to five times a day, about a man who knows there is something more to life, and seeks to fulfill that emptiness inside of him. In the end he finds Christ.
"We saw miracles happen right before our eyes," Marni said. "Of course the greatest miracle is God's love, and his sacrifice for us, but so is salvation and miraculous healing.
"I saw the eyes of a blind woman open, which had been sealed since birth; a girl who couldn't walk without a limp, strut out of the marketplace; and a man deaf since 17, now 64, sing songs to the Lord with his eyes shut, in unison with the church. God is truly great. He is wonderful."
CINCINNATI, Ohio--You are invited to attend the Christian Teen Retreat 2000 (TR2K) Feb. 11-13 at Woodland Lakes Christian Camp and Retreat Center in Amelia, Ohio (about 20 minutes from Cincinnati).
This retreat is for youths 12 to 19 years of age. This year is Y2KJ--Year to Know Jesus.
We ask that you bring two nonperishable food items. These will be collected and donated to a charity or food bank.
The cost is $75 per person. Check-in is at 7:30 p.m., Friday. No dinner will be served that evening. Dismissal on Sunday will be at 1:30 p.m. Youth coordinators are welcome at the same price.
Please send your name, address, age, youth coordinator's name and phone number and $75 (check payable to LCAF--Retreat 2000) to Teen Retreat 2000, 8263 White Hill Lane, West Chester, Ohio, 45069.
The price includes two nights dormitory-style lodging along with meals. George Hart.
The Summer Educational Program (SEP) Office announced that applications are available for the two sessions of camp scheduled for the summer.
The first session, June 25 to July 10, will be the traditional SEP program, and will be offered to those ages 12 to 15. The emphasis will be on developing a relationship with Jesus Christ.
The second session, July 12 to July 28, is called Higher Ground and will be offered to those who have been to at least two sessions of SEP, or who are ages 16 through 20. The Higher Ground session will have less structure than the traditional program, and will have a more spiritual emphasis with a focus on discipleship.
Tuition for first-time campers is $625.
Staff applications (high school volunteers and college and adult staff) are also available, with positions filled as applications are received and approved.
For more information call the SEP Office at 1-972-712-5737 or visit the SEP website at www.sepcamp.com Jeb Egbert.
By Bev Anne Moynham, Lorraine Welsh and Tamara Moore
The opportunity to have a visit from Jan Johnson, an award-winning author who has written eight books and 1,000 magazine articles, was a blessing for the women of the Ottawa and Calgary congregations, their friends and neighbors and others in the Christian community.
Mrs. Johnson spoke at the Canadian elders and wives conferences in August, and to the women in Ottawa, Aug. 8, in Calgary, Aug. 22.
Linda Rabey was host for the event in Ottawa, which 50 women attended, including seven from other denominations. Lorraine Welsh was host for the event in Calgary, attended by about 80 women, including about 20 from other denominations. Advertising was placed on Christian radio stations, newspapers and bookstores, and invitations were sent to churches in the communities.
After opening comments and worship music, Tamara Moore gave an overview of the transformation that took place in the WCG and what a pleasure it was to reach out to sisters in Christ at events such as these. She then introduced Mrs. Johnson, who spoke on Enjoying the Presence of God All Day Long and Saying Yes to God.
Susan McConnell said that Mrs. Johnson is "very real, and she gets to the heart of our intimacy with God."
Mary Ann Saik of First Alliance Church said: "I have been rehearsing Jan's perspective regarding her relationship with Christ. This practice of enjoying the Lord's presence all day long is exciting and contagious because I am learning a new dimension of his real joy in my life."
For more information about Mrs. Johnson, see her web site at www.janjohnson.org.
See January WN for itinerary. Applications must be received by Jan. 31. Once the minimum number is met for the tour operation, additions after Jan. 31 will be on a case by case basis.
While there is no deadline for booking this cruise, because of its popularity and limited sailing schedule any wishing to participate are encouraged to do so quickly because specific cabins and deck locations may not be available later in the year.
Tuesday, Oct. 10, Montreal, Quebec: Cruise St. Lawrence River.
Wednesday, Oct. 11, Quebec City, Quebec.
Thursday, Oct. 12: Quebec City.
Friday, Oct. 13: Cruise Saguenay Fjord.
Saturday, Oct. 14, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island: Anne of Green Gables tour option.
Sunday, Oct. 15: At sea.
Monday, Oct. 16: Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Tuesday, Oct. 17, Bar Harbor, Maine: Acadia National Park tour option.
Wednesday, Oct. 18, Boston, Massachusetts.
Thursday, Oct. 19, Newport, Rhode Island.
Friday, Oct. 20, New York, New York.
For complete information on these tours as well as the Britain bus tours (January WN) please contact Travel Gallery at 1-800-858-6999 or john@travelgallery.com
By Joseph Tkach
Various authors have various ideas about what Christian churches ought to be doing--and there is much validity in what they say.
Pastors can find many helpful points in books by Rick Warren, Christian Schwarz, George Barna, Lyle Schaller and others. A healthy church will be doing things that help members and things that attract new members. We have used such books ourselves, and have published similar ideas, such as in our pamphlet Vision 2000.
Yet it is possible to turn a perfectly valid list of ideas into legalism--or even into a program that works without Christ, simply because it hits smart sociological buttons. We do not have to look far to find growing churches that have bad doctrine. In some cases they are growing because of their bad doctrine. The world is not lacking for people who like dogmatism, moralism and separatism.
The cultish groups that are growing are obviously doing something right. They project a clear sense of identity, they may have programs for families, children and women. They have methods of getting people involved in the work of the church, in sharing the message, in studying doctrines and doing good works. They may be socially healthy and increasing in membership, and they may look good by external measurements, but inside they are spiritually weak.
Our vision for the church must not make outward results its priority. When Christ established the church, he did not focus on family ministries, worship styles or special interests. He did not tell the apostles to create special programs for building fellowship, service and ministry. Those things might well happen, but they were not the priority.
The priority that Jesus gave the church was the gospel. Take this message into all the world, he said. "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:46-47). God, true to his promise in the Scriptures, has provided for forgiveness for all nations, and this forgiveness is possible through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Paul said almost the same thing when he defined the gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
This is the foundation of Christian identity, and it also is the foundation of church identity. We are to be a people who believe and teach the message of Jesus' death and resurrection, of repentance and forgiveness, all according to the Scriptures.
This is not just one of the many things that the church does--it is the central thing, the spring from which all else must flow. Our identity, our mission and our ministries should all radiate from this center.
For example, Paul tells us that we are to forgive other people as Christ has forgiven us (Col. 3:13). The gospel of grace leads us to minister Christ's grace to the world. We are a forgiven people, a church in which prostitutes and chiselers are welcome so that they can receive assurance of God's mercy and pardon along with the godly love, acceptance and encouragement that leads to a new life.
How can the church be a hospital for sinners if it refuses to allow the most desperate sinners to come through the door?
In the gospel, God's righteousness is revealed (Rom. 1:17). The righteous God, who is faithful to his promises, forgives and cleanses all who are in Christ. All who put their trust in Christ belong to God and are given the righteousness of Christ.
We have no righteousness of our own. We stand only by grace, and the better we realize it, the better we are able to receive others who desperately need grace.
That does not mean that we are oblivious to sin. Far from it! We could not appreciate grace without knowing how evil our sin is.
The New Testament gives us plenty of commands, so it is not difficult for us to see that we fall short. Our strength is not in ourselves, though.
It is in Christ, through whom we are not only cleansed and reconciled, but also sanctified and made righteous. In Christ's power through the Spirit, we struggle with sin as long as we live, and that should help us be patient with others, especially those whose sin happens to be different from our own.
Jesus died for our sins because he loves us. His goal is forgiveness. He was gentle with prostitutes, gentle with Peter's failure, but he pulled no punches with the Pharisees' attitudes of religious superiority. Are our attitudes toward sin similar to his?
As Paul's letters show, there is a place for loving discipline, but his letters also show tremendous patience in dealing with problem-filled churches. His letters are filled with grace, not with stern condemnation. We must be a church in which grace and forgiveness are more prominent than condemnation.
Jesus told his apostles to teach believers to obey everything Jesus commanded. As we consider what the church should be and do in its future, we need to consider this pair of commands: Sin not, and judge not.
Love one another, Jesus commanded. The church is to be a people who love one another. They spend time together, they care about one another, they help another with spiritual and material needs. They live the "footwashing" life Jesus commanded.
Jesus also commanded, "Do this in remembrance of me," so his people share bread and wine in remembrance of Jesus' body and blood. Jesus didn't give us many other rituals. He was not big on rituals, but he did command this one.
It was not because he was interested in the external formalities or because he was wanted a certain kind of bread or a certain kind of wine. Rather, he assigned this sacrament because it uniquely identified his people--they are the people who find their identity in a crucified and risen Savior.
We are to remember Christ--and we are to remember him in the way that he commanded, through bread and wine. As often as we do this, we are confronted with the gospel that Jesus died for us and that we now live in his resurrection.
He died not just for me--he died for us. We are all equally indebted to him; there is no room for arrogance at the Lord's Supper; we are all being served by our Savior.
The Lord's Supper reminds us of who we are, and that our message is built on an ignominious death and a glorious resurrection. That puts us in perspective. That tells us what our sin deserves, and with what power we have been rescued.
Luke describes the early church at its best: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread1 and to prayer" (Acts 2:42).
This is a praiseworthy response to the forgiveness and new life that we have in Christ. We need to be attentive to doctrine, especially the gospel, and to regular fellowship, worship and prayer.
Verse 46 repeats these thoughts: "Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes2 and ate together with glad and sincere hearts."
Whether our church is large or small, rich or poor, modern or pre-modern, our primary sense of identity and mission should be in these things:
1. The message about Jesus Christ, a Person, the Son of God, God in the flesh, crucified and resurrected for all people.
2. The message of God's grace and forgiveness, which is manifest through Jesus' death and resurrection for our sakes.
3. The call to faith (trust and confidence) in Jesus Christ, faith that is accompanied by repentance (acknowledgment in godly sorrow of personal selfishness and need for mercy) and salvation.
4. The central message of the Scriptures, both Old Testament and New.
5. Good news for all nations, for all sinners.
6. Love one another, forgive one another, serve one another--all illustrated by the gospel itself.
7. Share bread and wine in remembrance of Jesus Christ, for the bread and wine picture the central truth of the gospel, that salvation is possible because Jesus died for our sins.
8. A concern for doctrine, for the apostolic teaching, which includes all the points of the gospel.
9. A concern for fellowship, for meeting with one another, sharing with one another, eating with one another, all in response to the gospel.
10. A concern for worship-- prayer, praise and the Lord's Supper.
The principles above help us keep our practical ministries in perspective. Small groups are not an end in themselves, for example. We do not create small groups just because other churches have them, or because some book said that this was a way to facilitate evangelism or growth.
Small groups can help, but they are a method, and the goal is more important than the method. The goal is to meet together for worship, fellowship in Christ, sharing and helping one another. If small groups help this happen, great! If they don't, then their focus should be changed.
Similarly, we teach the ministry of all believers, but not because it is a buzz word in some circles. It has a theological basis, the fact that Jesus died for each of us, and has been gracious to each of us, and has commanded each to serve others.
The way in which each one serves may be shaped by health, finances or other circumstances out of our control, but we are to serve in whatever way we can.
We are to share our time, talents and treasures, because our lives have been bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. Christ owns us totally, not just 10 percent of our money and one day of our week.
Racial reconciliation is an important and much-needed ministry in our multi-ethnic church. But it can flow only from reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ.
When God gave us the "ministry of reconciliation" (2 Cor. 5:18), he meant first of all our reconciliation to him through Christ, and secondarily our reconciliation to all human beings, and flowing from that, reconciliation to specific people groups.
Racial reconciliation, or any particular ministry of the church, is rightly understood not as an end in itself, but as a result of our reconciliation with God through Christ. Such ministries should spring from the gospel of grace at work in our lives, not merely from an effort to make the church attractive.
Children's ministry is another example. We do not promote children's ministry merely because "all growing churches have a good children's ministry."
Nor is children's ministry a church-growth strategy designed to attract a certain socio-economic group. Nor is it simply to perpetuate ourselves as a congregation.
Children's ministry exists to teach the gospel to children, because Jesus commands us to preach the gospel to everyone. There may well be numerous additional benefits to children's ministry, too, but we need to keep the main goal in mind.
We could list a variety of other ministries, all legitimate in themselves. But the problem with lists is that they can easily become a list of things to imitate in order to look like a healthy church. But a pile of programs is not what makes a church healthy.
The gospel is what makes a church healthy. We must keep the gospel in the forefront of our thinking and planning, or all our programs and ministries will be mere hollow shells.
Our identity is in Christ, in the crucified Savior who died for our sins and was raised in glory. That means that we were sinners, deserving shame and death.
We can identify with Jesus on the cross. We were there, as it were, crucified with Christ. And the cross continues to be our point of identification--a call to humility, service and grace. What we have been so freely given, we are to give freely to others. That is ministry.
When Christ returns, what will he look for? Will he judge us by the number of members, the size of our budget or the number of magazines we print? Will he judge us by the days we keep, the songs we sing, the number of ministries we have? Will he look for the buildings we use or the decorations we have? No.
When Christ returns, what will he look for? He will look for faith--it is those who trust him who will be saved. And he will look for faithfulness--those who are doing what he told them to do. We are called to do his work, to be about his business--the task of trusting in his grace and mercy as we spread his good news and of living out its implications.
1. This is not the place to show that "breaking bread" means observing the Lord's Supper. Perhaps it is not possible to prove it. However, it would be odd to list ordinary meals in this verse of otherwise worship-oriented actions. There is nothing unusual or noteworthy about being devoted to eating.
But we do know that Jesus commanded his followers to observe the Lord's Supper, and that he made no restrictions on how often this should be done. The implication of 1 Cor. 11 is that it was frequent, and history shows that the Lord's Supper was characteristic of the early Christian church meetings.
2. As above, this is most likely a reference to the bread and wine of communion, not only to dinner parties.
The New Testament tells us that Jesus is our intercessor, our mediator, our Savior and King. But only the book of Hebrews tells us that he is our priest.
This unique concept is the central message of Hebrews, the main idea from which the others flow. Priesthood is the purpose for which Jesus was made human (2:17); his priesthood is the reason we should hold fast to our faith (4:14); and the proof that the old covenant has been set aside (7:12).
Jesus guarantees a better covenant, a better relationship with God. And because he lives forever at God's right hand, "he is able to save completely those who come to God through him" (7:25).
The old covenant priests could not save anyone, but Jesus is fully effective at what they could only picture. Jesus does it not by adding himself to the old covenant, but by fulfilling the old so thoroughly that the old becomes unnecessary. He supersedes the old covenant, replacing it with a better covenant (7:22).
When we have Jesus, we do not need the old covenant. The practices commanded in the Old Covenant (circumcision, various rituals, sabbaths and festivals) have no spiritual merit for the Christian. All we need is Jesus.
"Such a high priest meets our need--one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself" (7:26-27).
The Old Testament priests had to make sin sacrifices every day, showing that the final solution had not yet arrived. But Jesus was so effective that once was enough. It did not have to be repeated.
The Levitical priests had to offer sacrifices for their own sins, but Jesus did not, because he had no sin. When he offered himself, it was not for himself, but for everyone else. He was the kind of sacrifice we really needed--without blemish, fit even for the holiest place in heaven.
The old covenant appointed imperfect men as priests (7:28), but God promised to appoint another priest, a permanent priest--which implies someone who is perfect in himself and perfect in his work (Psalm 110:4).
"The point of what we are saying is this," the letter says (8:1), drawing attention to its main point. After seven chapters, here is what we should have firmly in mind: "We do have such a high priest." What humans need, what God has promised, has finally come. We have the priest who is able to save us completely. We need to focus our thoughts on him, hold fast to him and have confidence in him.
He is our priest not only because he lives forever, but because he has been exalted to a position of royal and spiritual power: He "sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and ... serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man" (8:1-2).
What earthly tabernacles and priests could only picture, Jesus Christ is. He is the reality forever, not a temporary imitation.
The author has capped off seven chapters with a simple summary: Jesus is our high priest. What then? The letter begins to move forward from this by discussing the work of a priest.
"Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer" (8:3). What did Jesus offer? The author has already told us in 7:27, and he will develop it more fully in chapter 9, but here he mentions it only briefly. First, he wants to set the scene for chapter 9 by discussing the tabernacle.
If Jesus were on earth, he observes, "he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law" (8:4). The earthly rituals were being taken care of. The temple work was being done by Levitical priests, as the law required. That is not where Jesus is doing his work. But the earthly temple does teach us something about the priestly work of Jesus.
The tabernacle of Moses, and later the temple, was "a copy and shadow of what is in heaven." It is therefore important, and "this is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: `See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain'" (8:5).
The author is quoting Exodus 25:40 to show that the earthly tabernacle was a copy, not the real thing. The Levitical priests served at a copy, and the rituals they performed were copies, not the spiritual realities.
"But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises" (8:6). Just as the heavenly sanctuary is better than the earthly one, so also is Jesus' priestly ministry better than the Levitical ministry, and so also is the new covenant better than the old.
How much better? The tabernacle was merely a copy, a cheap imitation, in comparison to the heavenly reality. In the same way, the Levitical priesthood, although divinely ordained, was merely an imitation of a heavenly reality fulfilled by Jesus Christ.
How exact is the copy? The Levitical rituals came in great variety: water rituals, grain rituals, special clothing, hand motions, killing of animals and releasing of animals. All these rituals were fulfilled by and superseded by the work of Jesus Christ.
We do not see exact correspondence for every detail, nor do we need to. We cannot insist that the spiritual is just like the physical. We do not expect that the heavenly sanctuary has wool and linen curtains, bronze basins, acacia framing and red ram skins. Indeed, it does not need curtains, frames and skins at all. Those are merely physical things corresponding to a spiritual reality.
Jesus' priestly work is much better than the old priesthood--in quality, not quantity. The work he did once was better than millions of rituals done by Levites. Christ's work was so much superior that it did not have to be repeated. It was a different kind of priesthood. We should expect major differences between spiritual realities and earthly copies.
In the same way, we should expect the new covenant to be different in quality from the obsolete covenant. Just as every ritual has been superseded, so also is every detail of the law. In some cases we can see how the new covenant modifies or clarifies an old law, but in other cases we see laws disappear without any particular replacement.
The new is better than the old, as far as heaven is from earth. The old covenant promised a long life in the land of Israel; the new covenant promises eternal life with God. It is a very different kind of covenant.
The author of Hebrews likes to show that the Old Testament Scriptures contain hints of the dramatic change brought by Christ. There are hints of a "rest" to come, hints of a priesthood to come, hints of a spiritual reality that supersedes the rituals.
Now he shows that a change in covenants was also predicted. "For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another" (8:7). The fact that a new covenant was predicted, implied that something was wrong with the Sinai covenant.
"God found fault with the people" (8:8), but it is also correct to say that there was something wrong with the covenant. The author has already said that the old covenant could not make anyone perfect (7:11, 19). It could point toward perfection, but it could not bring it. Many Jews thought it was good enough, but it was not, and that is why God predicted a new covenant:
"The time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah" (8:8). This is quoted from Jeremiah 31:31, which is one of many prophecies of a new relationship between God and humans. The prophets described it as a new spirit, a new heart, a covenant of peace, an everlasting covenant. This covenant would be made with Israelites, but also open to gentiles.
"It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord" (8:9). Because the Israelites broke the old covenant, the new covenant will be different.
"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people" (8:10). Obviously, the Israelites had some of God's laws in their minds, and they often wanted to obey them. But this prophecy implies that the new covenant will have a different level of internalization. The relationship will be characterized by attitude, not rituals.
"No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, `Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest" (8:11). All humans will have equal access to God; no longer will one tribe have special status. Jeremiah's prophecy does not spell out all the details, but the germ is here of a very different covenant.
"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" (8:12). The covenant does not predict perfect people--it predicts perfect forgiveness, a forgiveness available to everyone based on God's grace, without any priests or rituals.
This prophecy implied that the old covenant was ineffective and soon to be replaced. "By calling this covenant `new,' he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear" (8:13).
Even in Jeremiah's day, the old covenant was doomed. Israel's history had already shown that this covenant could not bring the people toward perfection. God's plan required a new covenant, a covenant of forgiveness, a more spiritual covenant, a covenant with a perfect priest, who made a perfect offering for all sin. That is the subject of chapter 9.
Michael Morrison
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2000