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June 2000
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This is our June cover
Most Christians are
in small churches, writes Pastor General Joseph Tkach.
Though megachurches usually get more attention, small churches are the backbone of Christianity. People are more likely to come to faith in a small church than in a megachurch.
Most WCG congregations are small, averaging less than 100 people in attendance, so it is important to understand how small churches function. They are not miniature imitations of multi-ministry megachurches. Rather, they have a dynamic of their own. Pages 6 and 7.
WCG congregations around the world met for services during Holy Week.
The Queens, New York, congregation had a Palm Sunday service that included a newly composed hymn written for the service by member Serge Volpe.
The Rochester, New York, congregation combined with Genesee Valley United Methodist Church for a Good Friday service.
The Longview, Texas, congregation participated in a citywide Easter service that the Longview News-Journal called "a glimpse of heaven" as members from 10 churches participated.
The Houston, Texas, North congregations joined with the Imperial Valley Assembly of God for a Lord's Supper service. Pages 8 and 9.
If God, for
Christ's sake, has completely forgiven me for all my sins, past, present and future, then
what is to stop me from just going out and sinning all I want?
Is the law meaningless for Christians? Does God now condone sin? Doesn't he want me to stop sinning?
Mike Feazell responds to these questions and others in his article "Trusting God With the Problem of Sin." Pages 10 to 14.
This month Randal
Dick shares a report from Jack Brunet, regional pastor for the French West Indies.
Mr. Brunet writes that the Caribbean islands can become a chain of Christian love and solidarity. We are constantly seeking ways to build good and positive relationships within the WCG neighborhood islands. Pages 16 & 17.
A national gathering of Christian young people and their families is planned for the Mall in Washington, D.C., Sept. 2.
The event is dubbed The Call or The Call DC, and it will be a day of fasting and prayer for the nation, say organizers, who include leaders from numerous churches and ministries. Page 24.
Congregations in the United States met for the National Day of Prayer May 4.
In San Antonio, Texas, members met at various mall gatherings and school flag poles to pray for the nation and city. That evening, nearly 100 pastors and wives met at a pastor's home for prayer and fellowship.
In Pasadena, members met at the Fine Arts Recital Hall for a praise and worship service. Page 28.
Income through
April was $8,446,730, writes controller Ron Kelly.
For the same period last year, income was $9,715,981, so income is down 13 percent this year. However, many special offerings were not tabulated until May. Page 27.
AZUSA, California--Azusa Pacific University conducted commencement exercises May 6 at the university's Cougar Stadium.
Domenick Picinic of La Verne, California, was the lone Ambassador Center graduate. He received a bachelor of arts degree in graphic design in the undergraduate ceremony that took place in the evening.
That morning, graduate commencement exercises took place. Pastor General Joseph Tkach received his doctor of ministry degree. David Smith, an elder in the Pasadena Contemporary Life congregation, received a master of arts degree in Christian Education: Youth Ministries. Thomas C. Hanson, WN editor, received a master of arts degree in Religion: Biblical Studies.
Gordon Kirk, pastor of Lake Avenue Congregational Church in Pasadena, gave the address at the undergraduate commencement. Dr. Kirk spoke on integrity--an essential component of the value-driven paradigm.
Andrea C. McAleenan of Claremont University gave the address at the graduate commencement. Dr. McAleenan spoke on imprints on your life: inspirations for your journey.
The Ambassador Center had a banquet on the Azusa campus April 29. Honored were Domenick Picinic and Eric Alvarez and Sherwin Goff, who plan to graduate in December.
For more information about the Ambassador Center, call 1-626-815-3874, send e-mail to acenter@apu.edu or write to the Ambassador Center, Azusa Pacific University, 901 E. Alosta Ave., P.O. Box 7000, Azusa, California, 91702-7000.
The Azusa Pacific University Internet website is www.apu.edu, and the Ambassador Center website is www.wcg.org/acenter
Domenick Picinic
AMBASSADOR CENTER BANQUET--Church
treasurer Bernie Schnippert speaks at banquet honoring
Ambassador Center graduates April 29.
COMMENCEMENT--Above from left: WCG graduates
David Smith, Joseph Tkach and Thomas C. Hanson.
Speakers: Gordon E. Kirk (left)
and Andrea C. McAleenan.
HOODING CEREMONY--Pastor General
Joseph Tkach receives doctor of ministry hood.
UNDERGRADUATE COMMENCEMENT--The undergraduate
commencement May 6 in Cougar Stadium.
[Photos by Ron Grove and Thomas C. Hanson]
I couldn't keep myself from expressing my absolute joy and peace at the clarity, directness and biblically accurate message of God's grace in Mike Feazell's article "A Simple Matter of Trust" in the April WN.
How amazing: the Father said it, Jesus said it and the Holy Spirit says it through the words of this outstanding article. It is so simple, yet unfortunately so many in Christian leadership and laity either don't fully understand it or if they do, they don't know how to manifest it.
I began to understand it with Ralph Orr's sermons on the subject of the Holy Spirit, and continue to grow in understanding, appreciation and love for the Father, and Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
This along with other life-shaking events have given me a perspective and deeper appreciation and understanding of God's grace and forgiveness, and his involvement.
Jay Goldby
Poway, California
I read your article on "A Simple Matter of Trust" and enjoyed the truth that you so thoroughly expounded.
I thought of how refreshingly different it is now pre-Easter in our church than years ago when we were exhorted to fast and pray to discover hidden sins before going to the Passover service.
I became so discouraged with those messages. As if I didn't already know about sin in my life. I couldn't do anything with what I knew, let alone with the sins that were hidden.
After a while I stopped asking God for more insight into my hidden sins and I stopped preaching those kind of messages to members.
I made plenty of other mistakes, but that was one God worked out of me. I've come to see that obsessing over my sins puts me at the center of my consciousness instead of Jesus. It's as effective a distraction as being self-righteous. Either way I can't believe in Jesus because I'm either impressed with my righteousness or with my unforgivable sinfulness.
Now, like the woman forgiven for her many sins I can cry tears of joy. Thank you for reminding us that the gospel lifts heavy burdens off our shoulders. We can remember Jesus' suffering and death without heaping up guilt. We can remember that he was raised from the dead and realize the meaning that has for us individually and collectively.
Ken Williams
Rochester, New York
I just came in for lunch and picked up the WN and began reading your article on "A Simple Matter of Trust."
WOW! The Lord has certainly gifted you in putting a seeming complicated issue into everyday terms. May this be a rich blessing to others too. May the Lord bless and keep you as we share his awesome message of love (grace).
Tom Kennebeck
Orr, Minnesota
It was through the article "A Simple Matter of Trust" that I came to accept Jesus as the Lord of my life.
I've been in the WCG for 25 years, and for years I've felt like the person you described, trying to be good enough to be acceptable to God. I felt like such a failure and so unforgiven.
Now that I'm a new creation in Christ, I can't praise and thank him enough for his amazing and wonderful gift to us. He has brought me out of the darkness and into his wonderful light by his grace.
Ellie Jones
Patterson, Louisiana
When the major doctrinal changes occurred a few years ago, I was thankful that God opened my eyes to see where I had been wrong. I read the New Testament from cover to cover and read every article in the WN.
Perhaps the best material to help me clearly understand why the Sabbath, Holy Days and other old covenant laws were no longer required was David Albert's book, Difficult Scriptures. It is logically written and easy to read.
I purchased some additional copies for our church library for those who are still grappling with the issues. You can purchase copies for $15.50 each (includes shipping) by sending a check to David Albert, 1938 Truman NE, Albuquerque New Mexico, 87110, or send e-mail to him at dalbert@swcp.com
Shane Bazer
Cary, North Carolina
Years ago, when I was a young Christian, after hearing The World Tomorrow, I sent for my subscription. I discovered, even in my early walk with God, that the magazine contained material not in harmony with the Word of God.
My young friends, as well as my pastor, confirmed this. I never read it again until recently. I knew it was not consistent with the "faith once delivered."
Having come to know Pastor Joseph Tkach and other leaders in the movement, I have come to understand the full turnaround of the church as well as the magazine. What a marvelous miracle.
Your brothers and sisters of National Religious Broadcasters laud your efforts and your outreach in his name. Our Lord Jesus must have smiled--yes, even applauded--when the Worldwide Church of God became vibrant and alive in him and took the courageous stand on issues as you did.
We're praying for you and love you very much.
Warmly in his name,
E. Brandt Gustavson
President
National Religious Broadcasters
Thank you, thank you, thank you to Bernie Schnippert and his staff for their part in the sale of the Big Sandy, Texas, campus and the ongoing sale of the WCG campus in Pasadena.
Big Sandy was dear to my heart, having been my college for four years, place of employment for seven more years, place of marriage and birth of three of our four children, area of sales work for five more years, and first place to serve in the ministry, three years. That totals 19 years as home. Two of our children now live in Texas because of these roots. Few were more attached than us.
I remember how hard we tried to sell the campus from 1977 until it reopened. We had no serious takers in those years. Then we reopened the campus in 1981, and added a number of campus buildings in 1990, thankfully with cash instead of 25-year loans like the first two and a half decades.
I am thankful or the sale of the campus as a unit, for the buyer, our Texas employees, the church and the surrounding community.
Not many companies willingly buy their own water and sewage treatment plants and separate water storage supply (Lake Loma) and subject themselves to federal, state and local government authorities.
If the campus had sold piecemeal at auction, we were certainly at risk of continuing to own and maintain the campus-proper along with the utilities.
We wish the sale of the Pasadena property could be done, and done now! But few of us have had to work with townships, zoning boards, variance committees, city managers and planning commissioners.
I have had but a small taste of it here in Washington, Pennsylvania. We are leasing a building, seven days a week, year round. It was used and zoned as a tavern for decades. We are seeking to have it recognized as a church. A win-win-win for all involved: the tavern owner, the church and the local community.
I naively thought, simply ask, "please approve us," and they say "yes," and it's done.
Well, not quite. We had to provide building plans to the state (in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania). We are seeking a variance because any public-use building with more than five cars in the lot must have a paved parking lot. We want a sign, but it can be only so big, placed here, not there, but maybe over there if you get a variance.
When I put myself in their shoes, I realize safety is indeed a driving factor in their rules and regulations, along with prudent monetary investments. Going through this for a single building has helped me realize a little, just a little, of what you are dealing with concerning 53 acres and scores of structures.
So again I say thank you to you and your staff! Keep up the good work.
Tom Smith
Washington, Pennsylvania
Personal from Joseph TkachMost Christians are in small churches. Though megachurches usually get more attention, small churches are the backbone of Christianity. People are more likely to come to faith in a small church than in a megachurch.
Most WCG congregations are small, averaging less than 100 people in attendance, so it is important to understand how small churches function. They are not miniature imitations of multi-ministry megachurches. Rather, they have a dynamic of their own, often a slower pace and a more friendly face.
Our small churches will be a little different from small Baptist, Methodist or Presbyterian churches. Our history and our geographical circumstances will make some things different for us. Yet we can learn from other small churches some ideas that may help us in our own.
Small churches are not confined to small towns--they are found in the biggest cities, too. Some are dying, but others are thriving, and God is doing a remarkable work through them. We need to see what small churches do best, so we can make the most of our strengths, and not try to be something we are not. If Christ has made us a little toe in his body, we want to be the best little toe we can be.
Small churches have several important strengths:
* Relationships. People know one another and care about one another. If someone is missing, others notice. When big churches set up small groups, they are trying to imitate something that comes naturally to a small church.
* Involvement. Everyone gets actively involved in the church. A high percentage of people have assigned duties: setup, cleanup, ushering, greeting, sound system, music, scripture reading, teaching children and speaking.
* Stability. Large churches may lose five percent of their members each year. Small churches retain members better, partly through involvement and largely through relationships.
In general, the larger the church, the more business-like it must function. The senior pastor must be an executive, an administrator. The programs of the church must be well organized, well coordinated, professionally done. There must be a clear organizational structure.
Small churches tend to function more informally, more through the relationship networks of the church. Decisions are made more on how they affect people, and less on logic.
Church management textbooks are usually designed for mid-size and larger churches, so their advice doesn't always work in the small church. This is especially true when it comes to programs or ministries. The books say, the more the better. Have something for every age group, every need, every day. This is impossible for the small church.
The small church cannot offer the same array of special-interest ministries. It cannot follow the same methods and expect the same results. It cannot have the same kind of children's ministry or the same kind of youth group. But neither does it neglect them.
Small churches tend to have activities in which everyone is involved: seniors, teens, singles and marrieds. The activity is a success if most of the congregation comes.
Small churches don't always have a designated women's ministry--the women are already involved in ministry. They don't have a big teen ministry--they involve their teens in ministry and activities anyway. They may have only a tiny children's class, but they make sure that the children enjoy it and feel welcome at church.
I make these observations not to provide an excuse for small churches to abandon ministries they ought to have, but simply to point out that a small church doesn't have to have everything. Women, teens, children and men should all be involved in the church.
Small churches cannot do everything, but each one can do something, and they need to do it as best they can.
"Researcher George Barna has observed that the most effective churches deliberately limit their ministries, focusing on those specific areas for which they have resources and in which they have the ability to serve with excellence. If even large churches have to observe this principle to be effective, how much more do small churches whose resources are even more limited need to follow it?" (No Little Places, Klassen and Koessler, p. 90).
The pastor's role in a small church is more relational. Leadership is exercised less by command and more by consensus-building. Members want good sermons, but they want good relationships even more. They want pastors who love them, who care for them. They will reject his ideas (no matter how good they are) if he doesn't love the people.
It takes time for a pastor to build these relationships, to build the trust needed to lead. It usually takes several years. The pastor needs to learn the culture of the church and how to work within that culture. The pastor needs to know how to suggest ideas, whom to suggest them to and how to implement the ideas the members have.
Pastors grow in influence by spending time with members, by visiting the sick, by performing funerals and weddings, by caring about the people. He initiates change more by asking questions, by helping people see the need for change, than by having all the answers.
Churches need leadership, or else they stagnate. Pastors need to be optimistic about what God is doing in the church, and what he can do in the church. Pastors need to help members be excited about the mission, to have a clear idea of what they are doing.
This leads to growth. Healthy small churches grow. Growth can affect the relationship networks within the church, and because of that, some members may resist growth. They do not want new people taking the pastor's time away from them. They do not want new people taking ministry roles away from them.
Growth means change, and some people have a low tolerance for change. Change means conflict. But a refusal to change means slow death. "We may have to choose between the past and the future, between clinging to our old ways and having a vital church for our children and grandchildren" (Klassen and Koessler, p. 61). If we want our church to survive, we must be willing to change.
How do small churches grow? It is generally through personal relationships, through members inviting friends and relatives to church. People may be invited for special programs, or simply for a weekly worship service, but the invitation begins with a relationship.
When people visit a small church, they should be warmly welcomed. The greeter or usher does not just shake hands and give a songbook--the greeter begins a relationship, making the person feel loved, making sure the visitor gives his or her name and address in the guest book.
In many small churches, there is follow-up within the week. A lay member brings cookies, fruit or some gift to say, We're glad you visited. The church is building on its strength: relationships. The church is saying: We care. We like you. We want you back. Love is the water that helps the seeds sprout and grow.
The most important ingredient in church growth is the members' attitudes about their church. They make no apologies for their small size. They belong to the church and are involved in the church not because of its music or its building, but because God is working in the church, and they want to be where God is.
When people are excited about what God is doing in their lives, when they see the church as a place in which God works, they find it much easier to invite people. "Come and see," they say. "I think you'll like it."
In our impersonal, technological world, many people are looking for greater meaning to life, something spiritual, something that gives them community and friends. Some try to find this in a bar; others find it in small churches. The people who care about them convince them that God cares about them.
Small churches must look to God. He's the one who has set us in our places, and he wants us to be the best we can be, to bloom even if we are a little plant. As long as we are small, we want to be the best small church that we can be.
Steve Bierly, Help for the Small-Church Pastor. Zondervan, 1995.
Ron Crandall, Turnaround Strategies for the Small Church. Abingdon, 1995.
Carl Dudley, Making the Small Church Effective. Abingdon, 1978.
Ron Klassen and John Koessler, No Little Places. Baker, 1996.
Lyle Schaller, The Small Church Is Different! Abingdon, 1982.
For more details on these resources, see www.newlife3.org/books
"One half of all Protestant churches in the United States and Canada average fewer than 75 at worship, and a fourth average fewer than 35" (Schaller, p. 58).
"Small congregations have more in common with other small churches than they do with larger congregations in the community, or in their denominational communion" (Dudley, p. 16).
"Too many small-membership churches spend an excessive amount of time lamenting their weaknesses, bemoaning their shortcomings and emphasizing their limitations. A more productive approach is to identify, affirm, and plan to build on strengths" (Schaller, p. 73).
"God wants us to use what we have, not moan about what we don't have.... God will not hold you accountable to match the deeds and ministries of a larger church. You will be accountable, however, to be the best small church you can possibly be" (Bierly, p. 75).
"In a big world, the small church has remained intimate. In a fast world, the small church has been steady. In an expensive world, the small church has remained plain. In a complex world, the small church has remained simple. In a rational world, the small church has kept feelings. In a mobile world, the small church has been an anchor. In an anonymous world, the small church calls us by name--by nickname! As a result, small churches have survived where others have failed" (Dudley, p. 176).
David Orban
LONGVIEW, Texas--For the third year, the Longview congregation participated in a citywide joint Easter service.
For the past eight years, Jim Johnson of Fellowship Bible Church has coordinated the effort to bring several churches from across the city together. This year, pastors and members from 10 churches participated in an early morning service, April 23, at a city park.
The Longview News-Journal called the service "a glimpse of heaven" as participants crossed barriers of denomination, race and geography.
Last year, pastor David Orban gave the sermon, and this year six Longview members presented a skit written by elder Lee Berger. The dramatic reading was performed in first-century costumes borrowed from the drama department of a church not participating directly in the Easter service.
Other churches provided advertising, the sound system, singers, musical accompaniment, prayers and the sermon. Early morning rains stopped long enough to allow several hundred worshipers to come together at a city park to demonstrate their common belief in the importance of the death and resurrection of our Savior.
The Longview News-Journal said that a few years ago the WCG "was considered a near-cult until members searched the Scriptures and realigned their thinking." About the skit WCG members performed, the paper said: "Their new-found joy was evident again as they re-enacted the apostles' discovering Jesus had risen."
Mr. Berger said: "We are excited about cross-denominational harmony and are happy that our history as a church has prepared us to be participants in these opportunities to demonstrate the true unity all Christian believers share in Jesus Christ."
HOUSTON, Texas--The Houston North Saturday and Sunday congregations gathered April 18 to share a communion service with the Imperial Valley Assembly of God, where Houston North meets for worship services.
Members from both congregations attended and served together in a spirit of worshipful unity.
Pastor Walter Kolbe of Imperial Valley Assembly of God led the congregation in participating in the Table of the Lord. Pastor Chris Beam confessed past hurts, divisions and separations fostered by our own denominationalism and pride, and the congregations repented together.
Pastor Beam and Pastor Kolbe washed each other's feet in an act that symbolized a unity of the two churches in a spirit of forgiveness, commitment and love.
RESURRECTION PLAY--Pasadena children performed Angels Unaware for the Los
Angeles, Pasadena and NewLife congregations in April. From left: Ben, Steven, Stephanie, Tiffany, Betsy, Melinda, Nicholas, Brittany, Stephanie, Kassandra
and Carmel. Inset: Moriah and Abel. [Photos by Thomas C. Hanson]
District superintendent shares his experiences during Holy Week
services.
By Ken Williams
I started Holy Week this year by attending services in Queens, New York, on Palm Sunday, April 16.
We sang a newly composed hymn "Hosanna," written for Palm Sunday by member Serge Volpe. We waved palms and thatched crosses as we remembered the multitudes and children crying out to Jesus "Hosanna to the Son of David." I thanked God that our children know the Lord, seemingly better than we adults do at times.
Pastor Craig Bacheller reminded us in his sermon that the people who praised Jesus turned on him a few days later and cried out for his crucifixion. He concluded that we cannot rely on the praise of people. We must place our trust and lives in God's hands as Jesus did.
The services concluded with baptisms. Two were teenagers.
The Palm Sunday service, the children and the baptisms were still fresh on my mind as my wife, Nancy, Michael, our 17-year-old son, and Tyler, our 21/2-year-old grandson, attended the Lord's Supper service in Rochester.
Tyler heard the instructions for those of us who participated in the footwashing. Tyler said to Nancy, "Ty-ty wants feet washed too!" Tyler heard that Jesus washed his disciples' feet and he was going to have his feet washed too.
Tyler sat in my lap as Dick Orrvick washed his feet. Ty-ty got down, sat on the floor, put his socks back on, and watched intently as Dick and I took turns washing each other's feet. I envied his innocence and enthusiasm.
I experience the truth of Jesus' words when I watch Tyler, "Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself."
Nancy, Tyler and I attended a combined WCG and United Methodist Good Friday service. The sanctuary was darkened in memory of Jesus' death and burial. The cross at the front of the sanctuary was draped with a black shroud.
Leonard Banks, pastor of our church, and Gwen Wilson, pastor of the Genesee Valley United Methodist congregation, conducted the services.
As we listened to them read scriptures recalling Jesus' betrayal, suffering, death and burial, Tyler became agitated. I too was feeling some deep emotions but had put them out of my mind. Church is no place for deep, dark emotions--right?
Wrong! Tyler was teaching me a lesson. The more agitated he became the more nervous I became, and I vainly tried to calm him down. He finally said, "Ty-ty no like church!"
He normally looks forward to church, but that night he didn't like it. The pastors continued reading scriptures describing Jesus' brutal crucifixion. One by one the candles were blown out. The room was growing darker by the moment.
Tyler said out loud, "Ty-ty want the lights on!"
I held him close and whispered: "Tyler, you need to whisper. This is picturing Jesus' death. It's dark because we are remembering Jesus' death."
I didn't expect a two and a half year old to understand, but I was a little desperate. Tyler said with a great deal of emphasis, "Ty-ty no like death!"
I finally realized what was bothering him. He was getting the message of Good Friday loud and clear. He was feeling precisely what I was feeling only he was able to express it. I don't like darkness either. I especially don't like death.
I suddenly realized how effective this service was. Both our grandson and I were agitated by the awareness of death. We love Jesus and he actually suffered an awful death and entered a dark tomb. Neither of us liked it at all. So, I joined him and said, "Papa no like death either, Ty-ty!" He calmed down, and the service ended.
Nancy had told Tyler that it would be better on Easter Sunday. She told him the lights would be on and there would be a white draping on the cross. She explained that God raised Jesus from the dead on Easter Sunday.
The first thing Tyler looked for when he entered the sanctuary was the white cloth on the cross. He pointed it out to his grandmother. We made sure that every light was on at church. Tyler and I made a special trip up to the cross at the front of the sanctuary and enjoyed the beautiful light shining off the white draping. We both agreed that light and life are good.
I enjoyed watching him sing with his usual enthusiasm while his mother and our daughter, Heather, and grandmother, alternately held him during services.
I thanked God for Holy Week, for the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the transformation this gospel has made in our family, and for being alive in Christ.
Ken and Nancy Williams
Craig Bacheller
By J. Michael
Feazell
"OK, I understand that the blood of Christ covers all sin. And I understand that there is nothing I can add to the equation. But here's my question: If God, for Christ's sake, has completely forgiven me for all my sins, past, present and future, then what is to stop me from just going out and sinning all I want? I mean, is the law meaningless for Christians? Does God now condone sin? Doesn't he want me to stop sinning?"
That's already four questions. And they are very important ones. Let's go through them one at a time, and see if any more crop up along the way.
First, you said that you understand that the blood of Christ covers all sin. That's a great beginning. A lot of Christians don't understand that. They believe that the forgiveness of sins is a transaction, kind of a business deal, between a person and God. The idea is that you do the right thing for God, and God will give you forgiveness and salvation.
For example, you put your faith in Jesus, and God rewards you by applying Jesus' blood to your sins. Tit for tat. That would be good deal, to be sure, but still a deal, a transaction, and certainly not the pure grace proclaimed by the gospel. In this setup, most people are damned because they didn't ante up in time, and God divvies out the blood of Jesus to only a few; it never actually redeemed the whole world.
But many churches don't even leave it there. Potential believers are lured in with the promise of being saved by grace alone, but once the believer enters the church, the list of rules comes out. If you don't toe the line, you might well get kicked out, and under certain circumstances, not only out of the church, but out of the kingdom of God as well. So much for "saved by grace."
There is definitely, according to the Bible, a place for removing a person from the fellowship of the church (which does not remove a person from the kingdom, of course), but that's another subject. For now, suffice it to say that organized religion tends to have a love affair with keeping sinners out of the church, whereas the gospel trumpets them an invitation to enter.
According to the gospel, Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice not only for our sins, but also for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). That, contrary to what a lot of Christians have been told by their preachers, means no less than absolutely everybody.
Jesus said, "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself" (John 12:32). Jesus is God the Son, by whom and through whom all things exist (Hebrews 1:2-3), and his blood redeems no less than everything he made (Colossians 1:20).
You also said that you understand that there is nothing you can bring to the table to sweeten the deal God has drawn up for you in Christ. There again, you are way ahead of the game. The world is full of sin-battling preachers who lay weekly guilt trips on their cowering flocks with a litany of specially selected commissions and omissions that reputedly ignite God's ever-shortening fuse and threaten to land the whole pathetic lot of spiritual low achievers in the fiery torments of hell.
The gospel, on the other hand, declares that God loves people. He is not out to get them. He is not against them. He is not waiting for them to trip up so he can squash them. Quite the contrary, he is on their side. He loves them so much that he has set free from sin and death all people everywhere by the atoning sacrifice of his Son (John 3:16).
In Christ, the door is open to the kingdom of God. People can believe God's word (faith), turn to him (repent) and claim their freely given inheritance--or they can continue to deny God as their Father and reject their part in the family of God. God honors our free choice. If we disown him, he lets our decision stand. That is not the choice he wants us to make, but he does allow us the freedom to make it.
God has done all that needed to be done for us. In Christ, he has said "Yes" to us. It is up to us to say "Yes" to his "Yes." But the Bible indicates that there are, amazingly, those who say "No." They are the wicked, the haters, the ones who oppose God and themselves.
When all is said and done, they have committed themselves to the proposition that they have a better way; they have no need of God. They regard not God or man. To them, God's offer of complete amnesty and eternal blessing is pure trash, a meaningless and worthless insult. God, who gave his Son for them, simply ratifies their appalling decision to remain the children of the devil they have chosen over him.
God is the Redeemer, not the destroyer. And he has done all this for no other reason than that he wants to, and he is free to do what he wants. He is bound by no outside rules, but he has freely chosen to be utterly faithful to his covenant love and promise. He is who he is, which is exactly who he wants to be, and he is our God, full of grace and truth and faithfulness. He forgives our sins because he loves us. That is how he wants it, so that is how it is.
There is no law that could bring eternal life (Galatians 3:21). We humans simply don't keep law codes. We can argue all day over whether it is theoretically possible for humans to keep the law, but when all is said and done, the fact is, we don't keep it, never did and never will, and nobody ever has but Jesus.
There is only one way salvation comes, and that is through God's free gift apart from anything we do or don't do (Ephesians 2:8-10). Like any gift, we can take it or leave it. Either way, it is ours already by God's grace, but we can use it and enjoy it only if we actually take it. That is a simple matter of trust. We believe God and turn to him.
If, on the other hand, we are certifiably stupid enough to reject it, we will, tragically, continue to live in our self-imposed darkness and death as though we never had light and life handed to us in a golden goblet.
Such a choice, such contempt for God's free gift--a gift paid for by the blood of his Son through whom all things exist and consist--is nothing less than hell. But it is a choice made by people whose invitation to pre-paid life is just as real and valid as the invitation of those who accept theirs. Jesus' blood covers all sin, remember, not just some sin (Colossians 1:20). His atonement is for all the creation, not just part of it.
Those who scorn such a gift are kicked out of the kingdom only because that is their own preference. They want no part of it, and God, though he never stops loving them, won't allow them to stick around and ruin the joy of the eternal celebration by stinking up the place with the pride and hate and unbelief they have made their gods.
So they go where they like it best--straight to hell where there is nobody having fun to spoil their miserable self-absorption.
Free grace is good news! Even though we didn't earn it or deserve it, God decided to give us eternal life in his Son. Believe or scoff, it's our free choice. Whatever we decide to do about it, this much is forever true: Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has concretely demonstrated how much he loves us, and how far he has gone to forgive our sins and restore us to himself.
He has freely poured out his mercy everywhere in abounding love on absolutely everybody. It is pure grace--God's free gift of salvation, and it is enjoyed by everybody who believes his word and accepts him on his terms.
OK then, that brings us to your questions. If God has already forgiven my sins even before I commit them, what is to stop me from just going out and sinning my brains out?
First, let's clear some ground. Sin is primarily a condition of the heart, not merely individual acts of wrongdoing. The acts of wrongdoing don't come from nowhere; they spring naturally from our corrupt hearts. The solution to our sin problem, consequently, requires a fixed heart, getting at the source of sin, rather than merely treating its effects.
God is not interested in finely behaved robots. He wants a love relationship with us. He loves us. That is why Christ came to save us. And relationships are built on forgiveness and mercy, not on forced compliance.
If I want my wife to love me, for example, do I force her to act as though she does? If I did, I might get compliance, but I certainly wouldn't get her to actually love me. You cannot force anybody to love. You can only force people to act.
Through self-sacrifice, God has shown us how much he loves us. Through forgiveness and mercy, he has proven his great love. By suffering for our sins in our place, he has demonstrated that there is nothing that can come between us and his love (Romans 8:38).
God wants children, not slaves. He wants a love relationship with us, not a world of cowering whipped dogs. He made us free beings, with real choices to make that matter to him very much. And the choice he wants us to make is him.
God gives us freedom to behave as we wish, and he forgives our failures. He does it because he wants to. He set things up that way, and he makes no apologies for it. If we have any sense, we will see his love for what it is and latch onto him like there's no tomorrow.
So what is there to stop us from sinning all we want? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And there never has been. The law certainly didn't stop anybody from sinning all they wanted (Galatians 3:21-22). We have always sinned all we want, and God has always permitted it. He's never stopped us. He doesn't like it. He doesn't condone it. He doesn't endorse it. In fact, it grieves him. But he has always permitted it. That's called freedom.
When the Bible says that we are righteous in Christ, that is what it means (1 Corinthians 1:30; Philippians 3:9).
We are not righteous in ourselves; we are righteous in Christ. In ourselves, because of sin, we are dead, but we are also, at the same time, alive in Christ--our lives are hid in Christ (Colossians 3:3).
Without Christ, we are in hopeless shape, sold under sin, with no future. But Christ saved us. That is the gospel--good news! His salvation, if we receive it, puts us on a new footing with God.
Because of what God has done in Christ for us, including his prompting, even urging, us to trust him, Christ is now in us. And for Christ's sake (he intercedes for us; he resurrects the dead), we are, in spite of our deadness in sin, acceptable--righteous--before God. And the whole business, from start to finish, is done, not by us, but by God, who wins us not by force, but by the power of his self-sacrificial love demonstrated in his death.
Paul was very plain about the purpose of the law. It shows us that we are sinners (Romans 7:7). It declares the fact of our slavery to sin so that we might be justified by faith when Christ came (Galatians 3:19-27).
Now, suppose for a moment that you enter the judgment actually believing you are righteous because you had always striven really hard to obey God. And so, instead of taking the wedding garment provided at the door (the free, clean one that goes only to dirty people who know they need it), you go in by a side door wearing your striving-real-hard garment, reeking all the way, and sit down at your place at the table.
The lord of the house will say to you, "Hey buddy, where did you get the brass to come in here and insult me in front of all my guests with your sewage-soaked rags?" And then he will say to the staff, "Handcuff this filthy imposter and dump him in the swamp."
We simply cannot clean our own dirty faces ourselves with our own dirty water, our own dirty soap and our own dirty washcloths, and go happily on our way thinking our hopelessly filthy faces are clean. There is only one way to remedy sin, and it does not lie with us.
Remember, we are dead in sin (Romans 8:10), and dead people, by definition, can't remedy their deadness. Rather, the acute knowledge of our sinfulness should lead us to trust Jesus to clean us (1 Peter 5:10-11).
God has given us such indescribably great mercy and salvation not so that we feel a license to sin, but to free us from sin. That freedom not only removes our guilt from sin, but it also empowers us to see sin stripped naked for what it really is instead of dressed up in the pretty costume it wears to fool us, and to reject its fraudulent and pretentious power over us. Even so, when we still sin, which we certainly do, Jesus remains no less our atoning sacrifice (1 John 2:1-2).
God not only does not condone sin, he condemns sin, pure and simple. He does not like or endorse our glazed-eyed rationalizations, our comatose suspension of good sense or our hair-trigger, dive-in responses to temptations of every sort, from anger to lust to scorn to pride. And he does not even frequently bail us out of the natural consequences of the things we choose to allow ourselves to do.
However, because our faith and trust are in him (which means we are wearing the clean wedding clothes he provides), neither does he kick us out (as some preachers seem to think) of his wedding feast because of the poor choices we make.
Have you ever noticed that when you become aware of sinfulness in your life, your conscience plagues you until you confess your sins to God? (And chances are, there are some forms of sinfulness that you find yourself confessing rather frequently.)
Why do you do that? Because you have committed yourself to "go out and sin all you can"? Is it not, rather, because your heart rests in Christ, and you, in tune with the Spirit who dwells in you, are grieved until you re-establish a sense of right relationship with him?
The Spirit in us testifies with our spirit, we are told, to the truth that we are the children of God (Romans 8:15-17). Two things to remain keenly aware of here: 1) You, by the testimony of the Spirit of God himself, are, in Christ and with all the saints, a child of God, and 2) The Spirit, as the inner witness to your real identity, does not neglect to rumble your landscape when you choose to live as though you are still nothing but the dead meat you used to be before Jesus redeemed you.
Make no mistake. Sin is God's enemy and your enemy. We need to fight it tooth and nail. But we must never think that our salvation depends on the level of our success in overcoming sin. Salvation depends on Christ's success in overcoming sin, and that's already been done. Sin and the death that shadows it have already been defeated in Jesus' death and resurrection, and the power of that victory resounds through all the creation from the beginning of time and forever. The only overcomers in the world are those who trust in Christ to be their resurrection and life.
God takes joy in the good works of his children (Psalm 147:11; Revelation 8:4). He delights in our acts of kindness, our sacrifices of love, our devotion to justice, honesty and peace (Hebrews 6:10).
These and every good work are the natural outgrowth of the Spirit's work in us, leading us to trust, love and honor God. They are part and parcel with the love relationship that he has built with us through the sacrificial death and resurrection of the Lord of life, Jesus Christ. Such deeds and such work are God's own work in us, his beloved children, and as such, they are never useless (1 Corinthians 15:53).
Our faithful devotion to do what pleases God reflects our Savior's love, but again, our works of righteousness in his name are not what save us. The righteousness that finds expression in our words and deeds of obedience to God's commands is righteousness that God himself is behind, joyfully working in us to his glory to bring forth good fruit.
For us to try to take credit for what he does in us would be silly. It would also be silly to think that the blood of Jesus, which covers all sin, leaves any of our sinfulness uncovered. Because if we think that, then we still don't have a clue as to who this eternal and omnipotent triune God is--this Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who created all things, redeems us freely and magnificently with the Son's own blood, dwells in us through the Holy Spirit, and renews the whole creation, indeed, makes us into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) along with the whole universe (Isaiah 65:17), because of his indescribable love.
Though God commands us to do what is right and good, he simply does not determine salvation by record books. Which is good for us, because if he did, we would all turn up in the reject pile.
God saves us by his grace, and we can walk in the joy of that salvation if we give up all our claims on life and turn to him and trust him and him alone to raise us from the dead (Ephesians 2:4-10; James 4:10).
Salvation is determined by the One who writes names in the book of life, and he has already written absolutely everybody's name in that book with the Lamb's blood (1 John 2:2). It is a colossal tragedy that some refuse to believe it, because if they would trust the Lord of life they would find that the life they have been scratching to save is not really life at all, but death, and that their true life, waiting to be revealed, is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). God loves even his enemies and wants them, along with all people, to turn to him and enter the joy of his kingdom (1 Timothy 2:4, 6).
So let's summarize. You asked: "If God, for Christ's sake, has completely forgiven all my sins, past, present and future, then what is to stop me from just going out and sinning all I want? I mean, is the law meaningless for Christians? Does God now condone sin? Doesn't he want me to stop sinning?"
There is nothing to stop us from sinning all we want. There never has been. God has given us free will, and he values it. He loves us and desires a love relationship with us, and such a relationship comes only through free choice, rooted in trust and forgiveness, not through threats or forced compliance.
We are not robots or videotaped characters in a predetermined play. We are created as real, free beings, made so by God in his own creative freedom, and the personal relationship God has with us is real.
The law is far from meaningless; it serves to make it abundantly plain that we are sinners, falling far short of God's perfect will for us. God permits us to sin, but he definitely does not condone it. That is why he has gone to such astounding self-sacrificial lengths to save us from it.
Sin hurts and destroys us and everyone around us. It springs from a corrupt heart of unbelief and selfish rebellion against the very source of our life and being. It saps us of true life and true being and imprisons us in the darkness of death and nothingness.
In case you haven't noticed, sin hurts like hell--literally, since that is in essence what it is. It makes as much sense to "go out and sin all I want to" as it does to stick my hand in the lawnmower. "Well, then," I heard one man say, "if we're already forgiven, we might as well just go out and commit adultery."
Sure, if you want to live in constant fear of being caught while you risk unwanted pregnancy and some nasty STDs, and then wind up breaking your family's hearts, discrediting yourself, losing your friends and paying alimony out the nose, not to mention a plagued conscience and the likelihood of having to deal with very angry husbands, boyfriends, brothers or fathers.
Sin has consequences, bad ones, which is precisely why God is at work in you to conform you to the image of Christ. You can work on listening and cooperating, or you can keep feeding appendages to the garbage disposal.
And we must not forget that the usual sins we think about when we say things like "go out and sin all I want" are only the tip of the iceberg. What about just being greedy, or selfish or rude? What about being unthankful, or saying mean things, or not helping out when you ought? What about holding a grudge, envying someone's job, clothes, car or house, or harboring angry thoughts about someone? What about taking home your employer's office supplies, sharing in gossip, or belittling your spouse and children? On and on we could go.
These are sins too, some big, some little, and guess what? We "go out" and do them all we want to. It's a good thing God saves us by grace and not by works, isn't it? Sin is not OK, but that does not stop us from sinning. God does not want us to sin, yet he knows better than we do that we are dead in sin, and that we will continue to be dogged by sin until our true life, redeemed and sinless, which is hidden in Christ, is revealed at his appearing (Colossians 3:4).
Purely by the freely given grace and limitless power of our ever-living and ever-loving God, believers paradoxically have died to sin, yet are alive in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:12, 6:4-11). Despite our sins, we no longer walk in death because we have believed and accepted our resurrection in Christ (Romans 8:10-11; Ephesians 2:3-6), a resurrection that will find its consummation at the appearing of Christ when even our mortal bodies put on immortality (1 Corinthians 15:52-53).
Nonbelievers continue to walk in death, unable to enjoy their life that is hid in Christ (Colossians 3:3) until they come to faith, not because the blood of Christ does not cover their sin, but because they cannot trust Christ to raise them from the dead until they believe the good news that he is their Savior and turn to him.
Nonbelievers are as redeemed as believers--Christ died for everybody (1 John 2:2)--only they don't know it yet, and because they don't believe what they don't know, they continue to live in the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15) and the futile pursuit of life in all the wrong places (Ephesians 2:3).
The Holy Spirit transforms believers into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). In Christ, the power of sin is broken, and we are no longer its prisoners. Even so, we are still weak and give place to sin (Romans 7:14-29; Hebrews 12:1).
Because he loves us, God cares very much about our sinful condition. He loves the world so much that he sent his eternal Son that whoever believes in him would not remain in the darkness of death that is the fruit of sin, but would have eternal life in him. There is nothing that can separate you from his love, not even your sins. Trust him. He helps you walk in obedience, and he forgives your every sin. He is your Savior because he wants to be, and he is very good at what he does.
RALEIGH, North Carolina--The Raleigh-Wilson Women's Ministry will be hosts to an "Enjoying the Presence of God" retreat July 21-23 at Embassy Suites in Cary, North Carolina. Guest speakers will be Jan Johnson, Tammy Tkach and Sheila Graham.
Raleigh, North Carolina, Women's Retreat
July 21-23
Enjoying the Presence of God
Registration Form
Name
Address
Home Phone E-Mail
Emergency Name Phone
Registration Fee: $75 through June 20. Thereafter, $95. (Includes all sessions, workshops, box lunch and dinner on Saturday.) Note: Registration fee is transferable but not refundable.
Make check or money order payable to LCAF-Raleigh and mail form and payment to Janet Shigehara, 916 Indian Trail, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27609
Make your hotel reservations directly with Embassy Suites, 201 Harrison Oaks Blvd., Cary, North Carolina, 27513. Phone: 1-919-677-1840. Mention that you are with the women's ministry retreat.
Cost: $110 per night, plus tax. Rates guaranteed until June 20. Suites have two double beds, a den with sleeper sofa and a bath. Suites can accommodate up to five people. Breakfast and evening hors d'oeuvres are included.
For questions call Helen Johnson 1-919-965-2823, e-mail: HGjohn965@aol.com or Janet Shigehara 1-919-876-2106, e-mail: rjshigehara@juno.com
Window on the
WorldFrom Randal Dick, superintendent of missions
This month I would like to share a report from Jack Brunet, regional pastor for the French West Indies.
Jack originally served as an elder in Quebec with his wife, Betty. They were hired into the full-time service of the ministry in the early 1990s and since that time have served such diverse areas as Belgium, Madagascar, Angola, Congo and now the French West Indies.
It seems that wherever Jack and Betty serve good things happen. What follows is his encouraging report about the church in the French West Indies.
Note: English is not Jack's first language. In fact, he learned English in the last eight years. This article uses Jack's own words as much as possible.
By Jack Brunet
FORT-DE-FRANCE, Martinique--In the Body of Christ, every living cell is linked with another, which contributes to unify the whole structure.
It happens the same way in the WCG congregations internationally. As we can say, the Caribbean islands are like a necklace of pearls around the east side of Central America. More than a poetic figure, these islands can become a chain of Christian love and solidarity in the Caribbean.
Insularity is a big problem for each of us. It is important to break the isolation syndrome so that every island can feel they are part of the whole body. We are constantly seeking ways to build good and positive relationships within the WCG neighborhood islands.
Among others, the Martinique church is one of the pillars of this synergy. It is 36 years old, the oldest WCG congregation in the French-speaking Caribbean. This is a mature, living and dynamic congregation, strongly rooted in the WCG.
The French West Indies churches, since last July, have had their own legal autonomous structure working under the umbrella of the Union of the WCG in France. All the French churches give royalties to the Union, which supervises, unifies and mentors them.
Regarding religious affairs, the emphasis is put on grace, discipleship, Christian leadership and worship. Spiritual growth is really visible among the brethren. On March 19 in Martinique, we had a baptism ceremony for 10 people with songs, praise, worship and sermon where families and friends were invited. After the ceremony, two additional people who were attending asked to be baptized. We anticipate similar results at the next scheduled event for June.
Contributions were 73 percent more than the first three months of last year. Regarding worship, many groups of people are creating original new songs for praise and worship, and we have in mind to produce some gospel and worship CDs.
One of our members won some song contests in Martinique and she is supposed to work with some other artists from Martinique on producing a CD. We also have planned to present two spiritual evangelism concerts July 1 in Martinique and in Guadeloupe. Our choirs will be combined with the choir of the Dominica church Aug. 5 to bring people closer to Christ or to help renew their faith and relationship with Christ.
Brethren are involved in many ways in the congregations. We have a team of writers and speakers for a weekly, Christian 15-minute radio program, broadcasting through Pelee FM. We expect to produce more programs when our recording studio is ready. We will also have programs available for the radio stations that don't have any religious programs on the air. We will also help Guadeloupe, Haiti and French Guyana to promote the gospel.
We also work on building bridges with other denominations on the island. Our women are an active part of the congregations in the French West Indies. A women's retreat will be conducted in Guadeloupe Aug. 11 to 13 for US$100 (lodging and food included). For this first conference, Pat Halford will be our guest speaker.
Regarding outreach programs, French West Indies churches are more and more involved in their neighborhood communities. The choir and orchestra from Martinique participated in a fund-raising telethon and also sang in some homes for elderly or disabled people. Children visited disabled youths in Riviere L'Or with songs, sharing thoughts and gifts.
Since 1995, the Martinique church has collected US$10,000 for needy people in Martinique and around the world (Madagascar, Haiti and the Indian community in French Guyana).
Our latest involvement was to help some families affected by Hurricane Lenny last November in Le Precheur on the Caribbean coast of Martinique. Guadeloupe members also helped to rebuild a house for a homeless family of Deshaies since Lenny destroyed their home. We are increasing our solidarity funds to be able to do more.
The Guadeloupe choir participated in a project for blind people, where one thousand choirs joined in France for the Retina Foundation and the Red Cross.
As mentioned earlier, building bridges between the Caribbean islands is important. This is why we highly recommend and encourage the sister church program among the WCG congregations. It is a new way to build a better world, to avoid prejudice, promote positive behavior and open minds.
French-speaking people don't want to be entrenched in their enclaves, along with their cultural limitations. This is why we contribute to build the multilingual European community. Because of their position in the Caribbean, the French West Indies are at a crossroad of cultures, languages and history between Europe, Africa, South and North America.
It is also why we are working under two regional directors' supervision, John Halford regarding Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guyana, and Charles Fleming regarding Haiti and the English Caribbean islands (ministerial mentoring for the team leaders of St. Lucia and St. Vincent).
For the past three years we have tried to amplify the Caribbean cooperation with different exchanges. In August, Dominican brethren will stay a few days in Guadeloupe.
The Entertainers, the Trinidad church steel band, which gave a concert in Martinique two years ago, is planning another visit to play with pan player Guy Louiset of Martinique. Our youths will participate in the Christian Educational Program (CEP camp) in Trinidad at the beginning of August with many youths coming from most of the Caribbean islands, to develop and mature a new generation of young Christians.
Martinique is a pillar of this regional cooperation inside the French-speaking community, helping the new planting of a church among the Galibis (Indian community in Saint-Laurent du Maroni in French Guyana).
The congregation also helps the Haitian churches pastored by Blaise Franklin. The Haitian congregation of Port-au-Prince will celebrate its 25th anniversary in August. It is tough to live in Haiti, our brethren there need prayers because the country is in chaos: politically, socially, economically, morally and spiritually.
Despite the difficult situation, the Haitian church sponsors the Ambassador Kindergarten serving more than 60 children. It is through this children's ministry that the church tries to reach the neighborhoods in downtown Port-au-Prince.
Please pray that WCG income increases so we can make a greater financial contribution to Haiti and other needy areas of the world.
We are positive toward the future of the WCG in the Caribbean knowing that God is in charge of his children and leads them for his purpose and glory. Being surrendered to Christ, as the living head of the church, our congregations around the world can contribute to make the difference for the kingdom.
The Holy Spirit is working in each one of us growing in maturity and joy in our Lord. We are turned to others sharing hope and love, building spiritual bridges among us for a better world where the Christian light can shine and help people accept a new way of life in Christ.
BUILDING BROTHERHOOD--Members from
Dominica and Martinique in Grand Riviere, Martinique.
JOYFUL CHILDREN--Jessica, Jordan
and Johan Myrtil.
COOS BAY, Oregon--The Coos Bay women's ministry had a weekend retreat Feb. 4 to 6 on the coast near Florence, Oregon. The theme was Shine Jesus Shine.
Sarah Ann Woodfield, coordinator of women's ministries in the Pacific Northwest, was the featured speaker.
Susan Wheeler and Patricia Mitchell gave presentations, and Adella Villers and Cheryl Cooper conducted workshops.
A worship team from Salem, Oregon, provided music at a banquet Saturday night.
Marie Allworth, one of the retreat organizers, gave the closing comments Sunday evening.
During the taking of the sacraments, each woman lit her own candle using the flame of the main candle. Amidst the candles' glow, the women recited their closing prayer and sang "Go Light Your World." Tom Curtis.
A Sisters United in Christ women's ministry conference will take place July 22 at the Kellogg Conference Center at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.
The theme is Building Bridges, and the keynote speakers will be Dee Armstrong, Edna Barr, Jannice May and Barbara Rogers.
The event begins at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m.
The registration fee is $25 and the deadline for registration is June 30.
Mail registration fee to Mary C. Campbell, 1878 Lee Rd. 61, Auburn, Alabama, 36832.
For more information contact Eula Carlisle at 1-334-727-2174. Annette Winston.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 2000