January 2001Contents

To reconcile means to bring together in harmony and friendship, said Curtis May, director of the church's Office of Reconciliation Ministries (ORM).

ORM conducts reconciliation services in WCG congregations and has district chapter leaders throughout the United States. Pages 4 to 7.

Personal

Jesus was not married, writes Pastor General Joseph Tkach in this month's Personal. But let's suppose for a minute what some people seem to think that he would have done. Pages 6 & 7.

No other name

Jesus is not like any human judge we're ever going to meet, writes Mike Feazell in part two of No Other Name.

No human judge takes on himself every criminal's punishment and then declares the criminal "not guilty!" Pages 10 & 11, 20-22.

Women in church

Some wonder why women should be allowed to do anything in church. To give perspective on this issue, let's look at the biblical evidence. Pages 12 to 15.

Window on the World

For the past five years, the Worldwide Church of God has been supporting an effort to establish indigenous congregations in rural Bangladesh, writes Randal Dick.

Europe

In the past few years, a network of locally produced magazines has sprung up, writes John Halford, European regional director.

Today, the publishing aspect of our church is alive and well in Europe. We thought you would like to see a quick review of the European produced magazines. Pages 18 & 19.

Financial Report

Our regular tithe and offering income was just over $1.6 million for November, writes controller Ron Kelly, bringing the year-to-date mail income to $18.1 million. Other contributions brought the year-to-date total to $27.1 million.

Legacy Partners has extended an opportunity for us to stay in the Hall of Administration for a few months after escrow closes. Page 23.

Letters to the Editor

Ministry of reconciliation

I had an interesting conversation with two women last week after church. They had only recently started attending the Worldwide Church of God and have been baptized for about one year. They were expressing their gratitude for the changes in our fellowship.

In both cases, they had lived in a divided home. Family ties had been severed. Family reunions and gatherings were met with remarks about paganism. But today their families have been healed because the Worldwide Church of God, and their husbands, had come to see the error of our past teachings and the veracity of the orthodox Christian church. Today, they worship together, each and every Sunday, for the first time in more than 25 years. And for the first time in as many years, the family will come together and celebrate the Incarnation of our Lord and Savior.

That may not be your experience in the Worldwide Church of God, but for many of us the traditions of the WCG separated us from family relationships. Christmas 1960 was the last time I assembled with my aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents in place.

Last year, I was able, for the first time in years, to celebrate Christmas with my father. He flew to New York City and attended our candlelight Christmas Eve service. To say the least, it was a tear-filled reunion, that encouraged, not just us, but the entire congregation. The gospel is the ministry of reconciliation, not the ministry of separating.

Free in the Divine Freedom

How thankful I am to our Father for your series of articles that appeared in The Worldwide News.

These have been topics of great misunderstanding, and he has inspired you to clarify them using easy to digest language. To me this also shows how tenderly he loves us.

God has taught me so much from your articles back to the beginning of the year. My heartfelt thanks to our Creator and Lord. This sinner is exceedingly joyful.

Evangelism issue

I particularly appreciated the article titled "Why Would Anyone Want to Be a Christian?" by Michael Morrison. Things got even better when I read "The Empty Tomb: Reasons to Believe" by Neil Earle.

For the latest information about the Office of Reconciliation Ministries, see the ORM website at www.atimetoreconcile.org

Office of
Reconciliation
Ministries

The following is taken from an interview of Curtis May, director of the church's Office of Reconciliation Ministries (ORM), by Olivier Carion in London, Sept. 28.

Olivier Carion: Would you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do in the United States?

Curtis May: In ORM, we do workshops and conferences on reconciliation. I preach on this subject as we see walls that need to be torn down in the world and between Christians as well.

Curtis May: To reconcile means to bring together in harmony and friendship. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were separated from God and were kicked out of the garden, and since that time humans have been separated from God and from each other.

Curtis May: Yes, we go into congregations and talk about issues. We give sermons on the subject, we have conferences and interactive discussions where people can ask questions.

Olivier Carion: You're talking about reconciliation. This is the heart and core of the gospel, isn't it?

Curtis May: It sure is. God has given us not only the ministry of reconciliation, but the gospel of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:16-21). Christ said in John 12:32: If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself. Reconciliation is what Christ is doing with men and women as he brings them to himself.

Reconciliation forms a cross. You have vertical reconciliation between humans and God. Then you have horizontal reconciliation between humans and humans.

Curtis May: We use four steps in reconciling people to each other. One is confession or acknowledgment. People need to acknowledge that oppression has existed and that this has caused hurts.

Step two is repentance or turning away from this wrong action, to start to live in a loving way.

The third step is reconciliation itself, that is to reach out, and former enemies become friends.

The fourth step is restitution. Restitution is sometimes possible, sometimes it's not. But at least the desire should be to pay back things that were taken.

Olivier Carion: It seems that reconciliation touches almost every aspect of life.

Curtis May: And it is a way of life. Jesus Christ was the greatest reconciler, and he is to live in us.

Olivier Carion: What are some of the types of racism you have been able to identify?

Curtis May: Unaware racism is where the person says, I don't think there is a problem, and he or she keeps on doing things that hurt people and doesn't realize it. They do things that put down other people and they are unaware they are doing it.

Cultural racism is when we put down people of another culture: their dress, their speech, their tradition, what they eat. Stereotyping is seeing an ethnic group as all being alike.

Internalized racism is when an oppressed people start to internalize and act out the oppression that has come on them. We try to get them past that stage and to start to open up and to let go of those feelings and start to be free of the pain and the suffering.

Curtis May: We have our own section under Reconciliation on the WCG web site (www.wcg.org) and our own website (atimetoreconcile.org).

Chris Beam--Houston, Texas

In January 2000, Cherry Steinwender of the Center for the Healing of Racism and Chris Beam conducted a weekend workshop at St. Catherine's College near Louisville, Kentucky. In attendance were several civic and government leaders as well as many from the religious community. They focused on helping participants develop empathy toward different cultures.

At the end of March, they participated in a workshop in Cincinnati, Ohio. They endeavored to give understanding and freedom to share hurts involving racism.

Mr. Beam also works with a committee at a coalition ministry called Northwest Assistance Ministries in North Central Houston. They spent more than a year searching out anti-prejudice resources and developing a team of volunteers to go into the community with activities geared toward youths.

Last summer they conducted a weekly activity at a lower-income apartment community that centered on prejudice, respect for human rights and the oneness of humanity.

They plan to start an Overcoming Prejudice Project in one of the Houston Y's after-school programs. For more information on this program, call Mr. Beam at 1-281-353-6712 or send e-mail to him at chris_beam@wcg.org

Dan Bierer--New York City

A message given by Max Lucado in Atlanta, Georgia, turned Dan Bierer's heart toward the ministry of reconciliation as Mr. Lucado talked about the prayer of Jesus in John 17. Jesus had simply prayed that the disciples who would follow his disciples would all be one "so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

Mr. Bierer attended an annual prayer summit with 150 pastors sponsored by Concerts of Prayer International, which is devoted to prayer and bringing pastors together from all denominations and cultures. Concerts of Prayer Greater New York co-sponsored Jammin' Against the Darkness in Madison Square Garden. More than 12,000 youths attended the event and more than 800 made decisions for Christ.

Mr. Bierer has also worked with Pastor Ron Robinson and World Impact, which is dedicated to urban ministry and planting churches cross-culturally in the inner city.

Two racial reconciliation worship services have been conducted in the New York area.

Keith Brittain--North Carolina

Keith Brittain is district superintendent of the Mid-Atlantic district. In the mid-'90s he conducted an African-American cultural event in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

He later conducted cultural events or racial reconciliation workshops for the Winston-Salem and Greensboro, North Carolina, congregations; Columbia, South Carolina; Norfolk, Virginia; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Washington, D.C.

Mr. Brittain, motivated by ethnic sensitivity, has surveyed his churches so he can have the right balance of music, which includes black gospel music.

Steve Brown--Clearwater, Florida

Steve Brown has been involved with racial reconciliation since the St. Petersburg, Florida, race riots in 1996, when he called Mr. May for advice in helping to bring aid to the community. Since then he has followed his passion as a racial reconciliation facilitator in many arenas in the church and community.

For the past four years, Mr. Brown has served the City of Bradenton, Florida, as a racism awareness facilitator for the Police Department Drug-Free Community Partnership. He works with the National Conference for Community and Justice, which exposes prejudice. He has assisted in weekly Bible studies for a girls detention center, and at a girls and boys lock-up.

Carn Catherwood--Big Sandy, Texas

Carn Catherwood has sought to expose and reconcile walls of genderism, racism and culturalism.

Over the past five years Mr. Catherwood and his wife, Joyce, have traveled over much of the United States conducting workshops on reconciliation, speaking to women's groups and in general advancing the kingdom in these sensitive areas.

He is one of the original ORM Advisory Council members and district superintendent for the South Central district.

George Hart--Cincinnati, Ohio

George Hart has had a heavy burden for racial reconciliation since attending a Promise Keepers Clergy Conference in Atlanta in 1996. At the session on Breaking Down Racial Walls he was overwhelmed at the intense pain he witnessed in the men of color.

In 1997 he attended an event at the Center for the Healing of Racism in Houston, Texas, and became more aware of the pervasiveness of racism. The Cincinnati Central congregation has been host for a racial reconciliation workshop attended by Mr. Catherwood.

Mr. Hart is involved in reconciliation ministry in his community, which has been targeted by outside hate groups. Partnering with a ministerial organization, he was co-host for a racial reconciliation workshop for the community in the spring of 2000.

Willard High--Chicago, Illinois

Since organizing the Chicago, Illinois, reconciliation workshop, in Joliet, Illinois, in 1997, Willard High has been involved with various reconciliation efforts.

His congregation has established its mission statement, which includes reconciliation as part of its ministry thrust.

The congregation plans church social activities that encourage cross-cultural fellowship. As a member of the South Holland Ministerial Association, much of Mr. High's focus has been upon reconciliation. He was on a committee that recommended a plan to help ministers build allies across cultural lines through regular intentional fellowship.

Mr. High is enrolled in a workshop called Exploring Racism and Connecting Cultures, sponsored by Healing Racism Chicago Southland. Plans for congregational development include establishment of a Ministry of Reconciliation within the congregation.

Christina Kuo--Federal Way, Washington

In the next 10 years, one million people will move to the Seattle, Puget Sound region. Despite its natural beauty, high tech industries and thousands of dot.com millionaires there are still problems.

Like all urban centers, there has been a noticeable increase in gang activities, irrational killings, racial tension, crime and domestic abuse. All these issues have a complex history and are fueled by misunderstandings, miscommunication and misinformation.

Tina spends most of her time focusing on overseas issues concerning China and its churches. Sensitive U.S.-China relations and religious persecution of Chinese Christians are problems that have a complex history and are exacerbated by misinformation, social conditioning and miscommunication.

In China, Tina and her co-workers work at the government and grassroots level, listening to concerns and needs. They find common grounds of interest and build from there. Over the years, this approach has produced long-term results.

Be it in the East or West, the ministry of reconciliation (building bridges, re-education, developing mutual understanding and establishing trust) takes time.

Raul Ramos--Pasadena

Raul Ramos is a Hispanic American raised in New York City. He has experienced firsthand how people can allow racial differences to divide and demoralize them. He thinks it is especially sad when individuals believe they are of less value because they are different from others.

Mr. Ramos helps people first be reconciled to God. Too often, he says, people, including Christians, erroneously believe that God prefers some people to others because of their race, ethnicity, language, educational level or gender. But the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ came and tore down the walls that divide people so that all would be one before God.

Ron Robinson--Newark, New Jersey

Ron Robinson, chapter leader in Newark, died of a heart attack Nov. 27. At a memorial service Dec. 9, Sharpe James, Newark mayor, praised Mr. Robinson for his work in the community.

Fred Clark of the World Impact Christian School said they will name their computer room the Ron Robinson Computer Room.

Mr. Robinson used his black inventors exhibit to help break down the walls that separate cultures. He used the exhibit to show the many contributions and achievements that African-Americans have made to American industry and technology and to encourage young people to realize that they have the ability to make, invent, design, create and achieve their own ideas and dreams.

Leigh Sniffen--Pasadena

Leigh Sniffen's journey as a reconciler began when Mr. May invited her to attend training with the Center for the Healing of Racism in Houston, Texas, four years ago.

From there, God opened up other opportunities for her to continue participating in various areas of reconciliation. She received additional training as a facilitator of racial dialogue with the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission (HRC). Since then, she has facilitated racial dialogues each February during Black History Month, and throughout the year as needed.

In 1999 she participated in a city-wide study conducted by HRC to assess the state of race relations in Los Angeles going into 2000.

As a volunteer mediator with the Los Angeles city attorney's office, she mediated disputes throughout the community with the city's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program. Later, she completed a six-month training program, Leadership Development in Interethnic Relations (LDIR), which focuses on race relations. Occasionally, she conducts diversity appreciation workshops, does ethnic and cultural identity exercises, and participates on mediation teams.

Leigh is one of a number of city volunteers comprised of Christian, Jewish, professional and civic leaders recruited and trained to do racial dialogue throughout the Los Angeles area in the event of serious racial discord. On occasion, they meet with diplomats from other countries who come to study Los Angeles' model for resolving disputes among its citizenry.

Tom Pickett--Fort Worth, Texas

The ministry of reconciliation is picking up steam in the Fort Worth area of North Texas. Tom and Adrienne Pickett moved there from Pennsylvania in May 1999. Mr. Pickett had been involved in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with racial reconciliation, and he continued with that ministry in Fort Worth.

Mr. Pickett has been asked to give prayers on the topic of reconciliation in several citywide times of prayer. The main event was on the National Day of Prayer 2000 in downtown Fort Worth.

Last summer he went to Houston to receive more training at the Center for the Healing of Racism. Since then he has been involved with the Ministerial Alliance in Azle, Texas, as pastors came to see the need to support racial diversity and equality in this city west of Fort Worth.

On Sunday, Oct. 22, Mr. Pickett participated in the 100th anniversary service of the Wesley Chapel CME in Azle. This is the only black church in the city and it had its beginning after land was donated from the owner to runaway slaves. The church received attention when some teenagers painted a racial slur on it. Since then the Azle Ministerial Alliance has offered a great deal of support. The mayor and Mr. Pickett were two of the last speakers at this service.

Ron Washington--Livonia, Michigan

Since the Livonia, Michigan, congregation's racial reconciliation weekend in 1997, Mr. Washington has been involved in several reconciliation activities.

Mr. Washington spoke on racial reconciliation in Toronto, Ontario, for its African-Canadian celebration, twice in Columbus, Ohio, and in Toledo, Ohio. The responses from the various presentations have been positive, though also indicative of the difficulty of the topic.

The Livonia congregation has been involved in several areas of reconciliation. For the past three years they have been host for a worship fest, drawing worshipers from various denominations to present an evening of worship. This opened up the opportunity for the congregation to work with Clarenceville United Methodist Church in their homeless week for the past two years. For a week they house, feed and otherwise provide for 60 homeless from the area.

The congregation also shares the Lighthouse Ministry concept with other churches. God seems to be softening the hearts of his people as we seek to be the answer to Jesus' prayer in John 17:20-21. "I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you."

Personal from Joseph Tkach

If Jesus were married ...

We begin 2001 with a redesign of the WN. For this redesign, our layout artist, Ron Grove, used a different type font and design for the masthead as well as the headers on our regular columns. The blue bars at the top of each page are gradated instead of solid blue.

We hope the redesign will give a more inviting feel as you read the WN. May the Lord bless all of you with a joyous and prosperous New Year in your walk with him.

If Jesus were married ...

Jesus was not married. But let's suppose for a minute what some people seem to think he would have done.

* Jesus would inspire total confidence. Oops. One disciple betrayed him, and the others ran off. Only the women were faithful.

* Jesus would do all the talking. Wrong again--Jesus wants his wife (the church) to talk. She makes a few mistakes, of course, but that's the way we all learn. Both men and women are inspired to speak.

* Jesus would watch television while his wife served him snacks. Silly, isn't it? The truth is, Jesus would serve his wife when she was watching television. He knew he was going to die the next day, and yet he washed the disciples' feet while they argued with each other.

* Jesus would be so dominant that his wife would never be seen. False. Jesus wants his church to be seen. He exercises his dominance by encouraging his wife to go into the world to work.

* Jesus would manage his children well. Jesus is not the problem--we are. Yet often we expect marriages within the church to be even better than what Jesus has! How ironic! Do we think we deserve more than he does?

We have various myths about marriage that are a little laughable, but when we try to live the myth, we cause a lot of pain. Husbands cause pain, and wives cause pain. We are both shot through with sin, and sin hurts people.

Singles

Some people are better off single, and some people are better off married. God created men and women for marriage, but he gave some people the gift of being single (1 Cor. 7:7).

We need to value our singles and appreciate them the way they are. When we talk about marriage, we do not want to slight the unmarried. It is a perfectly honorable state.

Some do not use it honorably--just as some married people do not handle marriage responsibly, either. No matter what state we are in, we are called to serve.

A single person, Paul said, can be totally dedicated to God. A married person necessarily has divided interests (v. 32-34). Single men and women can be enormous agents for the kingdom of God. Jesus was single, and Paul was single. Lydia and Phoebe probably were, too.

Your body is not your own

Paul discusses the responsibilities married people have for each other: "The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife" (v. 4).

Neither husbands nor wives can make selfish decisions. The husband cannot just go off on his own some evening without letting his wife know where he is, because his body does not belong to him alone, but also to his wife. She has a right to know.

This verse prohibits unilateral decisions even for spiritually worthy causes; it is true for carnal pursuits as well, and the principle is as true for wives as it is for husbands.

The focus is on self-control, not other control. We can't demand our rights from our spouse. We can't demand to control their bodies. Even if that is our right, we cannot live the way of demand. What we can do is to control our own body in the way that honors the spouse. We work on ourselves rather than ordering others around. We try to please, not to demand.

Let this mind be in you, Paul wrote (Phil. 2:5-10). Think like Jesus did. Though he had great power, he did not use it for his own advantage. He took on the nature of a servant, he humbled himself to serve his wife.

God does not measure greatness the way we do. He does not look at leadership the way we often do. Jesus did not demand his rights. He just did the job that he was given to do.

Paul later gave some instructions to husbands and wives. He told wives to submit (Eph. 5:22). He told husbands to give themselves to their wives in service (v. 25). Some husbands claim to be willing to die for their wives, but are actually unwilling to change a diaper. I have a simple instruction for such husbands: Die daily. Because if you aren't willing to serve, you stink worse than a diaper.

In Paul's instructions, he focused on each spouse's responsibility. He told husbands to love and care for their wives; he did not tell the husbands to demand submission. He told wives to submit, not to demand more love or more sacrifices. Each of us must attend to our own responsibilities whether or not the other person does.1 We have to concentrate on what we can do, not on what the other person isn't doing.

Do you deserve a break today?

If we got what we deserve, we'd be dead. All of us, through God's grace, have more than we deserve. In Jesus, we have been given eternal life, something we did not earn and something we could never earn. If our sins were counted against us, we'd deserve punishment every day, but we get blessings instead. We don't deserve a break today, but God gives us one anyway.

Every day, we need to be thankful for the blessings we have--always better than we deserve. When we see our spouse, always remember, this is better than I deserve. Always be thankful.

Remember the million-dollar debt God has forgiven you. Be forgiving when your spouse slips up (Matt. 18:23-35). Forgive each other from the heart, and do it fast. This is where the gospel of salvation by grace has an incredibly practical application in our day-to-day lives. It calls us to be gracious toward our spouses. It calls us to make sacrifices.

Husbands, love your wives even if you have to get down on your knees and wash their feet. Or stand up and wash the dishes. Honor them, respect them. Do not belittle them, for they are heirs with you of eternal life.

Service

Peter calls us to humility and self-sacrifice: "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men" (1 Pet. 2:12). If you don't keep the laws of the land with integrity, don't be surprised if your family has trouble obeying you.

"Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect" (v. 18). If you bad-mouth your employer at home, don't be surprised if your family has trouble respecting you.

"To this you were called," Peter writes, "because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps" (v. 21). Yes, we follow him into suffering, into sacrificing our pride. If we have trouble obeying him, and we all do, then it should be no surprise that people have trouble doing what we want.

Peter has similar instructions for wives: "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands" (3:1).

And he has similar instructions husbands: "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives ... so that nothing will hinder your prayers" (v. 7). If you don't treat your wife right, how can you expect God to listen to you? Be considerate--that means to consider her needs before your own. That is what love means.

Ephesians 5:21 says that we are to submit to one another. We do not do this in exactly the same way (parents submit to their children in a different way than children submit to their parents), but we must all submit to one another's needs. We need to consider our spouses better than ourselves, better than we deserve (Phil. 2:3). Husbands, lead by example.

Husbands are called to love their wives. This means that they should be patient with them, kind with them. They do not envy or brag. They are not proud, rude or self-seeking.

They do not get angry easily, nor do they dredge up mistakes of the past. Husbands should always protect, always trust, always be optimistic and never give up (1 Cor. 13:6-8).

Christ calls us to self-sacrifice, to be living sacrifices. We give our lives to him, and we live for him, and we let him live in us in our day-to-day relationships.

Good marriages don't just happen. They take work and conscious effort. When we live with someone every day for years and years, our patience will be tested. Our selfishness will be seen. Our spirituality (or lack of it) will be evident. We will make mistakes, and we will need forgiveness, and we will need to be forgiving.

Let grace abound! Forgive one another, just as Christ forgave you (Col. 3:13). Be Jesus to your spouse.

For the record

The final line of my December column was missing in the printed version. It should have read "... and we see him as he is and we share in his eternal glory."

Footnote

1 A spouse is not required to stay in cooperation with an abusive or life-threatening situation.

No other name

In Part One we considered the strange but common belief among many Christians that all people who do not accept the gospel before they die are eternally lost and without hope.

We began by reviewing the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man, and from there we reviewed various passages that assert that God's purpose for humanity is salvation. We reaffirmed that there is no path to salvation other than by God's grace through faith in the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, Jesus Christ. And we had begun to look at the depiction of the Judgment given in Revelation 20.

Righteous Judge

Returning to Revelation 20:11-15, we find the two great truths of human destiny, attested continually in Scripture, once again jumping out at us: 1) All, that is, everybody, gets judged, no exceptions, and 2) Jesus is the judge.

Now let's sit down and give a little serious thought to that. What sort of judge is this Jesus? Well, for one thing, he is not like any human judge we're ever going to meet. No human judge takes on himself every criminal's punishment and then declares the criminal "not guilty!" But this one does. In fact, he already did. In fact, he did it from the foundation of the world. Which means that the power of his redemption precedes even the very first salivating of Eve's mouth for the forbidden fruit.

This is no ordinary judge. This judge holds all the universe every moment in the miraculous dance of existence by the word of his mouth. This judge not only gives existence to every single human, he became one of us for the express purpose of forgiving us all crimes against him and giving us eternal life in himself. This judge draws all men, women and children to himself in his death and resurrection from the dead. This judge is no ordinary judge.

He is perfectly fair and just, but not just fair and just, because that would leave every one of us dead. His perfect fairness and justice are overpowered by his perfect mercy (Hosea 6:6; Matthew 9:13; 12:7; James 2:13). He has gone to extraordinary lengths, through his own incarnation, to see to it that people are saved. He took all our sinfulness upon himself and so destroyed sin in the flesh (Romans 8:3). This is no ordinary judge.

This universe springs from the gracious freedom of the triune God to be who he will be. By his grace the worlds exist. By his grace every person exists. And by his grace the eternal Son of the Father became flesh for us, atoning for the sins of the whole world, that God's gracious purpose for us might be fulfilled in him, the eternal Son, Jesus Christ.

When all the people of the world, the great and the small (Revelation 20:12), including all the dead (verses 12-13), stand before the judgment seat, they are facing none other than Jesus Christ. Imagine the scene. Their judge, the one who holds their eternal fate in his hands, is none other than the Lamb of God, the atoning sacrifice not only for our sins but also for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:1-2). They are in the hands, the spike-pierced hands, of the risen Son of God, the crucified and glorified Christ. They are at his mercy--at the mercy of the Author of mercy.

Judgment day

Imagine you are sitting in the Court of the Universe, waiting with pounding heart for the Judge of All Things to walk in and pass judgment on you. You had never really taken seriously the idea of a final judgment. You had heard people talk about God and such, but it never really meant anything to you.

Now you realize that there really is an accounting to be given. The piper is going to be paid, after all. You are heartsick. Your breathing is shallow, rapid. Sweat is trickling down your spine. Your eyes focus on the signs above two doors behind the bench. One reads, Exit for Perfectly Sinless and Righteous Saints. The other reads, Exit for All Others.

Flooding through your mind is a hideous collage of your lies, lust, meanness, betrayals, selfishness, greed. And now this is it, the day of reckoning. You feel numb. You know you've got no hope. You hear yourself groan.

Then the Judge walks in and takes his throne. His presence overwhelms you. He is like nothing you could have expected. The whole courtroom seems to come alive in response to him.

He is the definition of power and of authority, yet he radiates peace, serenity and love. He is so compelling that your thoughts are no longer on yourself and your dread. Your body relaxes, an unexplainable joy bubbles up from the center of your being. As awesome as he appears, you suddenly feel you would rather be smothered in his embrace than live another moment without him. You know that whatever his verdict, it will be good, and you are no longer afraid of anything.

"How do you plead?" the Judge asks. His voice seems to draw the truth from your lips.

"Guilty," you respond, and as you do, you realize two things at once, that you are deeply ashamed of your sinful life, and that the Judge has already dropped all charges against you. Your shame melts into grateful tears of joy and peace of heart as you receive his life-giving gaze into the depths of your soul.

"Guilty of what?" the Judge asks, with a playful smile. "There doesn't seem to be any record against you. Are you ready to join the celebration? Good. Let's go eat." And he holds open the Exit for Perfectly Sinless and Righteous Saints and beckons you to enter with him.

Or, of course, you could plead not guilty and try to argue your case, demanding to demonstrate that you really are a right decent sort of fellow in the main and should be counted among the saints because of all the quarters you put in that donation jar in the grocery store line. Or you could try to argue that you should be let off the hook because God has no right to impose his arbitrary rules on you in the first place.

Or you could simply tell God to leave you alone, he can keep his gospel, you don't need it, you want none of his lovey dovey stuff, you'd rather keep what works for you, your survival of the fittest, dog eat dog, fend for yourself way of life, at least you're the master of your own domain. All these avenues allow you to exit with your nose in the air through the All Others door and find yourself where you like it best, in the dark, free to stew in your own self-satisfied juice.

No need to worry

Even if you don't like my little tale of the heavenly courtroom, the point is that there is no need to worry that our departed loved ones, nor any of the rest of the masses of humans who have died, are consigned to the eternal flames simply because no missionary reached them with the gospel message before they died. Jesus knows the gospel too, and yes, ladies and gentlemen, he can present it even better than we can.

Sad to say, the Bible tells us that some will not accept the grace of the Creator and King (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 19:20; 20:15). They will not trust the Son of God and his Father. And there could be no greater tragedy, indeed, no greater stupidity, than for guests invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb to reject God's free gift of grace in favor of their own pitiful and miserable attempts to make life worthwhile. But that is exactly what our broken human nature is bent toward doing.

Our "just desserts" oriented minds find it distressing to put all our eggs in the one basket of the Father's outrageous grace. Such a deal would mean not only that our hard work at being good didn't really matter in the end, but worse yet, that some pretty unsavory types might be allowed to stroll into the kingdom alongside us as well--just by nothing more than believing in God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

There must be some way to distinguish the deserving, like us, from the undeserving, like that weed-smoking pimp on the corner. There must be some way the good, decent people will get a better deal than the blatant sinners will get. This free, undeserved grace thing just has too many question marks around it for us to be entirely comfortable with it. It is the Judgment of God's grace, and it works off its own logic, a logic as high above ours as heaven is above earth (see Isaiah 55:8-9 and Psalm 103:11-14).

Two sets of books

A remarkable thing takes place during this heavenly judgment sequence of Revelation 20. First, all the dead are gathered and some books are opened (Revelation 20:12). Then, another book is opened, not the "books" just mentioned, but "another book," distinct from them. This book is called the Book of Life. And then these dead people are judged "according to their works, by the things which were written in the books."

These "books" contain the record of their works, all the evidence needed to judge them, and on the basis of the evidence, where do you suppose it leaves them?

It leaves them, naturally, in the same spot you and I are in--red-handed guilty. That is the hideous predicament of every one of these people, and the predicament, in fact, of all people who have ever lived.

"There is none righteous, no not one," God says. "All your righteousness is as filthy rags," is his assessment of where we humans stand in terms of judgment. "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God," just in case anyone is still wondering who "made it" and who didn't.

Just to be sure we understand that absolutely nobody is left out of this judgment, we are again told that everybody who has ever died is there: the sea gives up the dead in it and Death and Hades give up the dead in them (verse 13). Don't get the idea that anybody has slipped through the cracks. Everybody stands before this judgment seat. And all are judged "according to his works."

At this point, things seem to have taken an ugly turn. There is indeed not one righteous. Everybody who has ever lived and died is condemned by their own actions as recorded in the books. And they have to stand there and wait their turn while Death and Hades get tossed into the ultimate incinerator (verse 14).

But wait! What is this? That "other" book turns up again. The judgment according to their works by what was written in the books is not the end of the story! There is another book, the Book of Life, and the only ones who wind up in the lake with Death and Hades are those whose names don't appear in this Book (verse 15)!

It was sitting there all along. Everybody whose name is in it gets a full pardon. And how do names get in it? By the atoning blood of Christ. The great mystery is that through Christ's Atonement, everybody's name is in it. Believers simply receive what was there for them all along.

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). Those who will not believe, on the other hand, are unable to make the leap.

This has been the message of Scripture all along, Old and New Testaments alike--a testament to Jesus Christ. "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life" (John 5:39-40).

There is only one way to be saved--faith in Jesus Christ. The very Law that brings condemnation by our failure to keep it also brings salvation through its proclamation that God would send his Messiah to rescue us from our sins. The curse of death does not have the last word! In Christ, all things are made new. The Word of Life is himself the final word for humanity!

Sinners welcome

In Matthew 25:31-46, all people come before the judgment seat of Christ. On what basis does Christ separate the sheep from the goats? The Bible gives only one basis for salvation--either accept God's gift or reject it.

One of the fascinating things in this parable is that the people who have been displaying the self-sacrificial love of Christ do not even realize they have been doing so. They have no personal sense of having been particularly good or holy or righteous. "When did we do all these things?" they ask, surprised.

Ironically, those who are rejected are also surprised, surprised that the judge would think they have done nothing worthwhile for God. "When did we fail to do all these things?" they ask, incredulous. They have no need, they believe, for this free and undeserved grace reserved for dirty sinners. They have a stack of good report cards and a pocket full of merit badges, and if that is not good enough for this so-called judge, then they want no part of his kingdom of losers.

It's about grace

Who will love Jesus more--the one who is forgiven much or the one who is forgiven little? Jesus poses the question in Luke 7:41-50. The point? People who think they are decent moral folks don't seem to be looking for grace. People who know they are big sinners tend to be hungry for grace. Big sinners will get into the kingdom ahead of some big righteous people, Jesus says (Matthew 21:31). A friend of sinners, he was called, and that is just what he is (Luke 7:34). He is your friend and mine, after all.

Religious people tend to think they have an inside track on who is going to be saved and who is not. The rule keepers, the good boys and girls and the holy people are in, and the troublemakers, the stinkers, the porn stars, the lowlifes, the unwed mothers and the like are out.

"Don't count on it," Jesus says. "You think you know about righteousness? Why won't you trust me to be your righteousness, because you can't even see you're nothing more than a dolled up corpse, so rotten your nose can't smell your own stink. I will have mercy on whom I want to, pal, so take what you've earned and get out of here" (forgive my loose paraphrase of Matthew 20:13-15).

How many sinners have died longing for justice, for righteousness, for peace, for hope, for truth, for freedom, but having no clue where to find it? In Christ, and in Christ alone, these ageless quests are finally ended. "And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3).

Remember what happened when Jesus touched the lepers? Everybody else stayed as far from lepers as possible. But not Jesus. Not only was he unafraid to touch lepers, but when he touched them, the lepers got healed. Our minds are like lepers' bodies, hopelessly deformed and rotting. But when Jesus took human nature upon himself, not only did his mind not catch corruption from our minds, he healed the human mind.

That healing is open to everyone. All it takes to receive that healing, to begin to experience the joy of that healed mind, to enter the kingdom of God, is accept his free gift--to trust that in Christ's death and resurrection the astonishing almighty God of lavish love has done everything that needed to be done to secure our place at his table.

The will of the Father

In the last book of his Narnia Chronicles series, The Last Battle, Christian author C.S. Lewis presents a symbolic picture of the final judgment. A man who was well acquainted with the intimate love of our Savior, Lewis was not afraid to depict the gracious salvation of a soldier who died having never believed in the only name under heaven whereby people must be saved. When Emeth, the Calormen soldier, came face to face in the final judgment with Aslan, the Christ figure in the story, he immediately loved Aslan, knowing Aslan was the true longing of his soul.

Is this concept so far-fetched? The Lord who died for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8) knows those who are his (2 Timothy 2:19). Jesus tells us that God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:17). John tells us that Jesus died not only for our sins but also for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). Is this same Jesus not the Lord of all space and all time?

Perhaps Lewis' depiction is not far off. In Matthew 25:31-46 we learn that Jesus lives in those who are his and that his works are accomplished in them even though they are not entirely aware of it. Is it too much to say that by God's grace such people might know and love the glorious risen Lord as the deepest longing of their souls?

And is it too much to say that those whose hearts have become fully committed to whatever opposes the kingdom of God--some to the egotistic pursuit of their own ends, some to cruelty and hatefulness, some to evil and rebellion against whatever is good and pure--will be filled with terror and hate for him?

And yet, even so, there is still the element of surprise, of supreme reversal, in which even the blackest human heart can be melted and transformed by the radical grace of our radically gracious God. "Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last," Jesus declares (Luke 13:30).

Human expectations of justice and fairness are knocked on their ear when God's Son starts shelling out the fabulous grace of his Father. Witness the parable of the workers in the field (Matthew 20:13-15). He is dangerous, this One, because he forgives where we can't muster forgiveness, and he blesses where we can't see any justification for blessing. He saves the undeserving, the "deserving" get mad about it, and he tells them to shove off.

What is God's will? Jesus said, "This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life; and I will raise them up on the last day" (John 6:40).

Now some argue that God's will is also that a great many not see the Son and not believe in him and not have eternal life so that he will not raise them up at the last day. But let them take their rain cloud somewhere else. That is not what the Bible says.

Other objections

Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). Through Jesus Christ, God is pleased to reconcile all things to himself whether on earth or in heaven by making peace through Jesus' blood on the cross (Colossians 1:20). The vast majority of humans died without ever hearing the gospel. Therefore, we must take into consideration the possibility that their decision of faith, or decision of non-faith, may well be one that takes place in the realm of death.

Objections to such a suggestion include the idea that the church is a little flock, so God intends to save only a few. The church may be a little flock in this age, but we are not talking about the church of this age. We are talking about those who have not known the gospel before they die. We are talking about the new creation in its full flower.

Another objection is that such trust in the grace of God for all humans would destroy any impetus for spreading the gospel. To that, I can only say Nonsense. Jesus our Lord commanded us to spread the gospel, and that is sufficient motivation for any of us.

Besides, one who possesses by God's grace and in the power of the Holy Spirit such good news cannot help but spread it. How can forgiven sinners like us want the rest of the world to continue living in the misery of not knowing that God loves them and has reconciled them to himself through the blood of his Son?

As the Spirit dwells in us, how can we not care whether others continue to live hopeless in their sins without the healing balm of the Savior?

But to say that God depends on our puny and often destructive efforts is to limit God. God loves us so much that he grants us the grace to participate with him in his joy of bringing people to faith, but surely we can admit that our track record is such that he has to do more clean up after us than we are of actual help to him.

Universalism? No. God gives humans freedom to trust him and also allows them not to trust him. Relationships are built on trust, and those who finally will not trust God will remain alienated from him. The Bible indicates that some people will not trust God to forgive them, but will instead by their own choice, in spite of their God-given freedom to believe, remain his enemies.

On that topic, though, let's never get the idea that hell is on any kind of par with heaven. Hell is only a tiny weed bed in a dark corner under a porch on a little street in the outskirts of the vast immeasurable expanse of all things made gloriously new in Jesus Christ.

Those who choose to cower there in the dark do so not because that is where God wants them, but because God, in his free grace, allows them to trample on his love and huddle in the nowhere place they have "created" for themselves in their darkened minds.

I have received letters from some readers who strongly disagree with what I have written on this topic. But it is interesting that nearly every letter that disagrees also grants in essence that the Scriptures lead us to trust that God will indeed deal righteously with those who die without knowing the name of Jesus. I offer that he will deal with them in no other way than in accord with his eternal faithfulness and mercy as demonstrated supremely in Jesus Christ, the great Judge.

Not a 'religion'

An amazing thing about the kingdom of God is that it is nothing like a religion or an exclusive society or club or institution. The religions and institutions of this world erect barriers and rules to keep the riffraff out. But the kingdom of God is designed to encompass everybody--everybody whom God has created.

Everybody is born, because of Jesus Christ, with a golden invitation to his kingdom, only they don't know it yet. Some, upon finding out about this invitation, don't want it. They have better things to do, more important fish to fry. Others figure they have better ways of getting in, working for it instead of taking charity. Others don't want to be in a kingdom that lets in so many losers.

When all is said and done, the only people who will be excluded from the kingdom of God are those who refuse to accept it on the terms it is offered--absolutely free to the completely undeserving by simply trusting in the grace of the Giver.

It is not that hard to be a Christian. There is no secret handshake, no riddle or maze to figure out. And thank God, it certainly doesn't depend on how competent the church is as spreaders of the gospel, even though our Father in his grace has blessed us with such a wonderful role in that task. Jesus says simply, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:20). He doesn't say when. He doesn't say, "Oh, by the way, beat the deadline or you're burnt toast."

This Savior has all the ends sewed up. The final judgment is rigged. Not only did the Father send his Son into the world that whoever believes on him would not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16), indeed, not only did he send his Son into the world precisely not to condemn the world but so that the world might be saved through him (verse 17), he also committed all judgment to him--he made his Son the supreme presiding Judge of the final judgment.

This is not the God of popular imagination! This is not the God people grow up on, the stern stone-face God who blows away the sinners and sends winning lottery tickets to the pious and obedient. This is the God of the Bible, the one who can't be stopped from lavishly dishing out his grace to anybody and everybody who will accept it.

God is not a "butterfingers." No one is going to slip through the cracks. Jesus Christ has a personal and intimate interest in every person who has ever lived, and he has gone to incredible lengths to see to it that they will take their place at his Father's table. He will not force anyone. But neither will he consign anyone to condemnation simply on the basis that one of us Christians did not get to the poor unfortunate wretch with the gospel message before he or she died. God's grace is not geared to our level of competence in evangelism.

When people die they get judged (Hebrews 9:27). It is a final judgment. But the one who sits on the judge's bench is none other than the One who bore the marks of slaughter for them, and boy, has he got good news!

You will find no teaching in the Bible, regardless of what many Christians believe, that Jesus is powerless to confront and save people when their physical life has ended.

In the words of the finale from the musical Les Miserables: "For the wretched of the earth, there is a flame that never dies, Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise."

Whatever the author of the verse intended, this is not just a lovely sentiment. It is God's own truth. Jesus is that eternal Flame, and even the darkest night has found its end in the rising of the Sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2), the only name under heaven by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

Women who spoke
the word of God

Women have an increasing role in the work of the church. Women not only lead women in "women's ministries," but also lead men and women in music, prayer, teaching and speaking.

Some people wonder why women should be allowed to do anything in church; others wonder why women can't do everything in church.

To give biblical perspective on this issue, let's look at evidence that God has used women to speak to his people. Women have spoken the word of God, and they have done so with divine approval and divine authority.

Hagar

The Lord gave Hagar a promise similar to the promise given to Abraham (Genesis 16:7-10). Hagar then "gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: `You are the God who sees me,' for she said, `I have now seen the One who sees me' " (verse 11).

What Hagar said is now in the word of God. She told us one of the names that tell us who God is. He is the God who sees us, and Hagar is the person who spoke that truth.

Miriam

After God brought the Israelites through the Red Sea, Miriam sang praises that are now part of the word of God: "Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing.

"Miriam sang to them: `Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea' " (Exodus 15:20-21). In public worship, Miriam sang what is now the word of God.

Miriam was a prophetess, which means that she spoke the word of the Lord. A prophet is someone who speaks on behalf of God to the people; a prophetess had the same role. Miriam had a role of spiritual leadership.

Deborah

The next prophetess in the Bible is Deborah. "Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time. She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her to have their disputes decided" (Judges 4:4-5).

Deborah was a prophetess and a judge, and in both roles she spoke the word of God. Her role was not just a one-time event, but an ongoing responsibility.

The people came to her for leadership on a regular basis--and there is nothing in the Bible to suggest that anyone thought it was unusual for a woman to perform this role. She was simply the most qualified person, and people accepted that.

God can raise up stones to do his work, and if he needed a man to do his work, he could raise up a man. But in this case he chose to work through a woman, showing that there is no theological reason that God can't use a woman to speak on his behalf, or to have a woman lead his people.

There were many men in Israel at that time, but God wasn't searching for one to be the judge, and apparently the Israelites weren't, either. They were quite willing to go to Deborah to have their disputes decided. She had wisdom, and her wisdom was more important than her gender.

Deborah was a prophetess, someone speaking the words of God. "She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali and said to him, `The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: "Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead the way to Mount Tabor. I will lure Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands" ' " (verses 6-7).

Here the Bible describes a woman speaking the words of God, giving commands to a man who was apparently enough of a leader that he could raise an army of ten thousand men. God is quite willing for a woman to give his commands to men.

There is nothing in the nature of God or the nature of men and women that makes such a thing inappropriate. God can use women, and we need to be alert for the possibility that he is, and we need to be willing to respond.

Deborah went with Barak, and in verse 14 she again gives the word of the Lord to Barak: "Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the Lord gone ahead of you?"

So they went, and they won. It was a great victory, and Deborah and Barak commemorated their victory with a song of praise that is now part of the word of God.

"On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song: `When the princes in Israel take the lead, when the people willingly offer themselves--praise the Lord! Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I will sing to the Lord, I will sing; I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel' " (Judges 5:1-2)

Who is this "I" who is singing? In verse 7 we see that it is Deborah: "Village life in Israel ceased," the song says, "ceased until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel."

Deborah is the primary author of this part of Scripture. Like Miriam, she was singing praise to God in public worship. She is expressing spiritual leadership, speaking the word of God. This is a legitimate thing for women to do.

When the best person for the job is a woman, then God is quite willing to use a woman to do the work that needs to be done. Even in a patriarchal society, God can use women to speak his words.

A similar thing happened with Hannah, the mother of Samuel. "Hannah prayed and said: `My heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance. There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God' " (1 Samuel 2:1-2).

Again, a woman's words are now inspired Scripture. She spoke the word of God with words of worship that have inspired synagogues and churches for thousands of years, and that is a notable achievement for anyone. God inspired her to sing a song of praise.

Most of God's spokesmen were men. In this patriarchal society, all the priests were men, the kings were men, the military leaders were men. But even in that male-dominated society, God could use women to do his work.

Huldah

In 2 Kings 22, we catch another glimpse of what God was doing with women. In the 18th year of Josiah's reign, workers found a scroll of the law in the temple.

Josiah told the high priest what he should do: "Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found" (verse 13).

The high priest wanted to ask the Lord about the scroll, so he "went to speak to the prophetess Huldah, who was the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah" (verse 14).

They could have looked for Jeremiah, but there was no reason to. Huldah spoke the word of the Lord just as much as Jeremiah did. A prophet speaks the words of God, and a prophetess speaks the words of God, and God inspires one just as much as the other.

So they asked Huldah, and in verses 15-16 we read her reply: "She said to them, `This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Tell the man who sent you to me, "This is what the Lord says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people, according to everything written in the book the king of Judah has read." ' "

Huldah was commenting on the meaning of the Scriptures and predicting the future, giving an authoritative message from God. Again, there is no indication that anything unusual was happening.

No one said it was strange to go to a woman instead of a man. Huldah was known as a prophetess, which means that she was known to speak the word of the Lord.

She was doing the same thing she had on many other occasions: She spoke on behalf of God to the people. That is what prophetesses did.

New Testament

In the New Testament we learn of other women who spoke the word of God. Mary sang praises that are now in Scripture (Luke 1:46-55).

Anna was a prophetess (Luke 2:36-38). After Jesus was resurrected, he appeared to some women and gave them a message: "The women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

"Suddenly Jesus met them. `Greetings,' he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, `Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me' " (Matthew 28:8-10).

Jesus has no problem with women delivering commands to men. There is nothing inherently wrong with that. He gave them that authority by giving them the message, and in doing so, these women were speaking the words of the Lord. Jesus expected the men to listen to the women and obey the command they delivered.

There were prophetesses in the early church, too. When the disciples were speaking in tongues, Peter told the crowd what was going on. It was a fulfillment of Joel's prophecy: "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy" (Acts 2:17-18).

God inspires both men and women to speak. That was not unheard of in Old Testament times, and this is the way it should be in the new covenant age, too. God will cause both men and women to speak.

Luke does not tell us what the women were inspired to say. All the preaching done in the book of Acts is done by men. That was probably a practical necessity in that culture. But there is nothing theoretically or theologically wrong with women being inspired to speak.

Luke mentions in Acts 21:9 that Philip had four daughters who prophesied. As prophetesses, they would speak the word of God, as they were inspired by God.

They may have composed songs of praise, like Miriam and Deborah did, or they could have commented on the meaning of the Scriptures, as Huldah did. All of those are within the range of what is biblically possible.

1 Corinthians 11

1 Corinthians 11 gives us another example of women speaking the word of God--and this in a letter from Paul, who is sometimes quoted as saying that women should not speak. But that kind of quote is possible only when it is taken out of context, because 1 Corinthians 11 shows that Paul did approve of women speaking, even in church.

There are many details in the chapter that we cannot explore now, but we can take note of a few things about women.

Paul writes: "Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head--it is just as though her head were shaved" (verses 4-5).

Christians have debated the meaning of these words for centuries. Paul was writing about a cultural custom we do not have today. His point seems to be that that men and women should act in culturally appropriate ways when they pray or prophesy.

Paul is addressing something that is done in public. He is not worried about whether people cover their heads in private--and prophesying almost by definition has to be done in public.

Paul is discussing something that other people can see. The concepts of shame and honor concern what other people can see.

In chapter 14 he talks in more detail about prophesying, and it is something done in church, in the worship services. It seems clear that in chapter 11 Paul is talking about women praying and prophesying in church.

What does Paul mean when he talks about prophesying? In chapter 12, he lists prophecy as a spiritual gift. In chapter 14, he says: "Everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church" (verses 3-4).

Prophecy is the ability that God gives to people to strengthen, encourage, comfort and edify others. Paul wished that everyone in the church could do this. It is a valuable gift, for the strengthening of the church as a whole. It is done in church, for good of the church. Verse 24 says that prophecy is something that could convince people of sin and could lead someone to faith in Christ.

When Paul writes about women who prophesy, he means women who encourage, comfort, edify and strengthen the church. He means women who are speaking in church to help the church grow, to help believers become better servants of God.

Some speakers must be silent

In verse 26, Paul gives some instructions for the worship services. "When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church." The priority in our worship services is building and strengthening the church.

In verses 27-28, he says: "If anyone speaks in a tongue, two--or at the most three--should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God." "Keep quiet" is a Greek word that is later translated as "silent." It does not mean total silence, but peace and order. Instead of everybody talking at once, people ought to take turns.

Verse 29: "Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said." We don't have to assume it is a message from God just because somebody said it is.

Rather, we should judge it carefully, thinking about what it means and how it fits in with other things we know about the gospel.

Verses 30-31: "And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop [the same Greek word is used here for being quiet]. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged." Everyone could prophesy, as God gave the spiritual gift to encourage, comfort, edify and instruct.

Which women should be quiet?

Paul said they could all prophesy, as long as they took turns doing it. So what did he mean when he came to verse 34: "women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says"?

Is he contradicting what he wrote in chapter 11? Is he saying, contrary to the Scriptures that we have seen, that women are not allowed to speak the word of God? Or that they can do it anywhere except church?

No, Paul is not contradicting himself. There are several reasons to believe that this verse applies to a limited situation.

First, common sense tells us that women do not have to be completely silent in church. They can say amen; they can sing hymns; they can whisper a question to their husband to find out what verse is being discussed.

Paul does not forbid all talking or all questions--he is concerned mainly about peace and order in the worship service, and what he forbids is talking that disrupts the worship service.

When he tells women to be quiet, he uses the same Greek word that he had used for men who were speaking in tongues or prophesying. He is referring to out-of-turn talking.

The second clue that Paul is discussing a limited situation is that the Law does not tell women to be silent in the worship meetings. The Bible says that wives should be in submission to their husbands, but not to all men in general.

The Greek word for "women" also means "wives," and the context indicates that Paul meant "wives."

Third, verse 35 shows that the command is limited to wives: "If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church."

This verse cannot apply to single women, widows or women married to non-Christians. When Paul says that women must be silent, he means that wives are not to be asking disruptive or nonsubmissive questions of their husbands in the worship service. Whispered questions are not disgraceful, but disruptive questions are.

Paul has just talked about how various speakers would prophesy, and the others would weigh carefully what was said. There may have been discussion at this part of the worship service, and people would ask questions of the speaker. This cannot be proven, but it is a plausible situation, and it helps make sense of what Paul wrote.

Paul is saying that it is not appropriate for a wife to get involved in this discussion, or to challenge what her husband had said. That would be nonsubmissive, and therefore against what the law says.

If wives want to find out something, they can ask their husbands at home. If it's somebody else's husband, of course, they couldn't ask at home; they would have to ask in church just like everybody else.

If we take verse 34 out of context, we could turn it into a requirement for total silence of all women in church. But that is not what Paul meant. Paul is simply requiring wives to be silent for a time, just as he required everybody else to be quiet for a time. The context itself tells us that Paul's words are limited to a specific situation--a situation that rarely occurs in churches today, because our worship services use a different format.

A basic rule of biblical interpretation is that we should try to understand a writer in such a way that we don't make him contradict himself.

The Bible clearly says that women can speak the word of God, and Paul allowed women to speak in church. So when he says that women have to be silent, we need to understand that his comments are limited in some way by the situation.

That is what we have done here, and that is what we need to do in 1 Timothy 2. When it says that women are not allowed to speak in church, we should not try to make it say more than it means.

We should try to understand the words in such a way that they do not contradict the clear examples in Scripture that women can speak the word of God.

As we explained in our 1996 study paper, the basic conclusion is that women can speak in some situations, and they can have certain kinds of authority, but not others.

Paul does not spell those details out for us, but Scripture leads us to that conclusion. In that study paper we associated the limit of authority as that of an ordained elder. But a person doesn't need to be an elder to speak in church, or to give sermons, or to comment on the meaning of the Scriptures, or to comfort and edify and instruct. Women may do all those things, as God gives them the spiritual gifts to serve the church.

Peter gives us a fitting conclusion when he says, "Each one should use whatever gift he [or she] has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks [whether man or woman] he should do it as one speaking the very words of God" (1 Peter 4:10-11). Anyone who speaks in church should strive to speak the words of God, and women are certainly included in those who may speak the words of God in church.

Window on the World

For the past five years the WCG has been supporting an effort to establish indigenous congregations in rural Bangladesh.

This effort is headed up by a WCG member, John Biswas, who is himself a Bangladeshi. I have been reporting on the progress of the efforts in Bangladesh for several years, but I made my first visit to the new brethren in Bangladesh, in November, along with John Biswas and Rod Matthews, regional director for Australia, New Zealand and South Asia. I'd like to share some of this incredible experience.

En route from meetings in Europe, I flew past the magnificent Himalayas and landed in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh. Rod Matthews arrived later the same evening and was met by John Biswas. We planned our arrival to coincide with the Moslem Sabbath to minimize any problems that could arise from our being Christian ministers in a 93 percent Moslem nation.

The cyclone

I was fatigued from the journey and went straight to bed. When I awoke and looked out the window, I noticed that it was raining and windy. "Oh great," I thought, "What a day for flying in a small plane."

We had ambitious plans for our four days in Bangladesh. We wanted to see the most brethren possible. So we were delighted to find a missionary flying service, which, for a modest cost, would fly us to our somewhat remote destination. The flight was scheduled to take about 30 minutes. If we had tried to drive, it would have taken 12 hours.

We made our way by taxi in the wind and rain to the airport, where we were met by our pilots. They informed us that a cyclone (hurricane in North America) had stalled over the coast of Bangladesh. The captain said that severe cross winds prevented us from taking off or landing, and he put our mission on hold.

We sat for about three hours in the terminal, and noticed that one after another, all commercial flights were canceled. No one was flying anywhere in Bangladesh that day. Eventually, the captain told us that weather conditions would probably continue to deteriorate the rest of the day.

We were frustrated because it was too late and too dangerous to try to go by car. Furthermore, the pilots couldn't take us the next day because of prior bookings. This meant that the trip was virtually wasted since three of the four days we had in Bangladesh would be consumed with waiting or driving.

We decided to return to the hotel, but agreed to make telephone contact with the pilots at 3 p.m. to confirm the situation and work out what, if anything, could be done the next day.

Flooding

The trip back to the hotel was one of those experiences you never forget. We had come to the airport a few hours earlier with rain in the streets and people splashing through puddles. Now, as we made our way back to the hotel, we found that the situation had dramatically changed. Water now had nowhere to go.

At first it was not too bad--kind of like driving in a Texas toad strangler. But as we continued, it seemed that water rose all around us. One after another, we encountered areas that were flooded so deeply that they were impassable. We could see sections with so much water pressure below the street that manhole covers were forced open and geysers of water would add to the mayhem.

At one point the water was inches below the windows of the taxi. I couldn't believe the engine didn't flood and strand us in the middle of the instant pond. Other cars and trucks tried to negotiate the miniature lakes along with us. Some would plow through successfully, while others would grind to a halt and the passengers would abandon ship. Fathers waded in water up to their chests with little ones on their shoulders.

Someone told me later that many vehicles in Dhaka have modified exhaust systems to keep the exhaust above the water in the streets and thereby enable the vehicles to negotiate deeper water.

We finally made it back to the hotel about noon. We were wet, tired and hungry, so we ate lunch and discussed our predicament. We had each been praying that God would show us his will in this matter.

Probably a hundred or more brethren were going to make their way to the place where we were supposed to have arrived at 11. We hoped that they had not tried to travel in the cyclone.

We later learned that not too far from our destination, 20 fishing trawlers had left their village that morning. Two days later only 11 had returned. Several hundred people were killed during this storm.

The flight

At 3 p.m., per our agreement, we reached the pilot on his cell phone. He said if we hurried, we had a window of opportunity and we could go. We considered this an answer to our prayers.

We got back to the airport at 4 p.m. The sun was getting low. The co-pilot met us and said, "Hurry, we can just make it." We took off into the setting sun, climbed to 1,000 feet and were cleared by air traffic control direct to our destination. After all, no one else was in the air that day over Bangladesh.

The trip was short and remarkably pleasant. I was shocked at how little dry land was below me. How could people live in this? The next day I would see for myself.

John Biswas was concerned that the flooding would have obscured our landing area, which turned out to be a river. If the river had overflowed its banks too much, it might not be clear what was river and what was flooded rice paddy. It would not have been healthy to land on a rice paddy covered by a foot or two of water.

When we arrived, the pilot began to bank and descend, checking for confirmation of wind direction and looking for suspected power lines, which I'm glad he located before we landed.

After taxiing a short distance, the pilot cut the engine in the middle of the flood-swollen river. I wondered how we were going to get to shore?

Then, pandemonium broke loose. People by the hundreds came running and lined the banks of the river shouting and waving. About 30 dugouts overflowing with men and boys made their way from both banks of the river toward us.

It looked like we were completely away from civilization, yet throngs of people appeared and the numbers just kept growing. I then remembered that Bangladesh, though only half the size of California, is home to 130,000,000 people--half the population of the United States.

On the road

Two boats were selected to carry our bags and us to shore. We weren't halfway to the shore when our plane took off in a cloud of spray and a roar that echoed up and down the river. Those pilots were anxious to get their aircraft out of harm's way and back to Dhaka.

We made it safely to shore, collected our bags, paid for our transportation and greeted the curious crowd. It was now about 5 p.m. and we had about another hour of daylight. John wanted us to hurry.

John directed us along a path away from the river, where several rickshaws were parked. The van we hired couldn't negotiate these roads, so we were taken by rickshaw a couple of kilometers to the place where the road became passable.

We loaded our gear into the van and drove into the sunset. We constantly negotiated our way around every imaginable form of transportation, people, livestock and a plentiful supply of potholes. In between villages the road was dark and lonely.

At this point John confided in us that he had hoped not to be on the road much after dark. I asked why, although I was pretty sure I didn't want to know. John explained that at night in rural areas of Bangladesh, armed bandits sometimes place barriers in the road to stop passing traffic and rob the passengers.

We made it safe and sound to Barisal, the provincial capital, where we were scheduled to spend the night. We needed rest but we were jetlagged and adrenaline-charged from the events of the day, so Rod Matthews and I went up to the roof of our hotel. There we watched masses of humanity making their way through the streets of the city in the middle of the night.

We knew that this city could benefit from the knowledge of God and his Son, Jesus Christ.

The next day, we would take a quick look at the Anglican church and school where John had been educated, and then we would make our way into the countryside to the place where the brethren would be waiting for us. I will tell you about that incredible experience in the next installment of Window on the World.

TRANSPORTATION IN BANGLADESH--
Rod Matthews beside a bicycle rickshaw, one of
the most common modes of transportation in
Bangladesh. [Photo by John Biswas]

Regional Snapshot

European magazines take hold

There was a time when the WCG published in several European languages. This aspect of our worldwide work became an early casualty of the cutbacks of the last few years.

One by one, as it became harder for the parent church to maintain the support staff and facilities, these international editions had to be canceled.

It might have seemed that the international publishing effort was over. But publishing the gospel, along with preaching it, seems to be part of our church's DNA. In the past few years, a network of locally produced magazines has sprung up. Today, the publishing aspect of our church is alive and well in Europe.

We thought you would like to see a quick review of the European produced magazines.

Germany

The German Office in Bonn produces Nachfolge, which means, approximately, discipleship. The circulation is about 6,000, with readers in Germany, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland. Nachfolge is designed as an interdenominational Christian magazine, emphasizing discipleship and sound biblical doctrine. The editor in chief is Santiago Lange, and the day to day managing is done by Sylvia Mair.

Nachfolge is published bi-monthly and is sent free to all who request it, as means allow. Nachfolge has been well received among the evangelical community in Germany, and has attracted quality contributions from writers from other denominations. Nachfolge readers contribute a high percentage of the income of the German church at this time. The small staff hopes to expand circulation, while steadily improving the quality in the next year.

Bulgaria

An offshoot of the German publishing effort is a magazine published in Bulgaria. Holy Truth is the result of a cooperative effort between the German Office and Bulgarian- based Nikolay Nikolayev. Nikolay's dream is to reach with the gospel his people who were deprived of Christianity by two generations of communism. His magazine now has a circulation of about 3,000.

The content is based on articles published in Nachfolge, and some of the other European magazines, along with material by Bulgarian writers. The German church provides the paper, and with the help of congregations in Holland, has raised the money to buy an updated press.

France

La Vie Chretienne (The Christian Life) is produced by our office in Paris. Donat Picard is the editor, assisted by copy editor Dominique Martin De La Cruz. Marie-Angelique Alcindor is responsible for public relations and design.

La Vie Chretienne is published quarterly, and has a circulation of about 7,000. Although finances are a struggle, the quality is steadily improving. Editorial content is a mix of material submitted by writers from France, and translated material previously published in the church's other publications. An Internet web site is also under development.

Britain

The United Kingdom's magazine has just completed its fifth year of publication. Circulation is well above 20,000 with a waiting list of several thousand. The editor is John Halford, assisted by Mary Hammond, public relations and production consultant; Michelle Powell, production assistant; and Bronwyn Silcox, proofreader.

The goal is to provide "food for the spiritually homeless." Millions of people have an appetite for spiritual things and try to sustain themselves with astrology, New Age and fringe spirituality. Most people in Britain have lost contact with the churches, and know hardly anything about the Bible. We want our readers to begin to see that Christianity is a relevant approach to life.

The 32-page magazine is published bi-monthly. About half the copy is supplied by WCG members. The rest is commissioned from outside our denomination. We have no trouble getting material from Britain's top Christian writers. Time and money are our main challenges. We could probably expand our circulation tenfold in a couple of months if we had the resources.

A few months ago we went on-line. We invite you to look at our web site, where you'll find the full text of our two latest editions. We have learned that many people around the world have become regular cyber-subscribers.

Scandinavia

Rather than publish a magazine, the churches in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland work together to produce a series of booklets under the general title Livets Kilde Hefter (Source of Life). Circulation is about 1,500 copies. Editor Carl Frederick Aas explains, "Our intention is to serve Christians in whatever denomination they belong and to explain to the nonbeliever basic and important Christian questions."

The program is an inter-Scandinavian effort. The booklets are written by Mr. Aas, Scandinavian pastor, assisted by one or two other members. Roy Ostensen, previously editor of the Norwegian magazine, together with several other members, do the proofreading.

Our church in Stockholm, Sweden, makes the Bible test, which appears in each booklet. Eva and Alan Beal (in Malmo, Sweden) are responsible for the layout and production. The booklets are packed and sent out by the church in Copenhagen, Denmark. Everything is done on a voluntary basis.

Plans include inviting readers to discussion groups. The church is also producing the Bible on cassette and CDs, which are sent as a token of appreciation to those who support the efforts financially.

Spain

The church in Spain produces Verdad y Vida (Truth and Life), a bi-monthly magazine with a circulation of 1,300 (including 200 in Colombia). Although once a religious country, modern Spain has pretty much abandoned Christianity. Editor Pedro Rufian explains that Verdad y Vida reaches out to the unchurched and non-Christians with the gospel.

Editing, translation and production is a team effort among the Spanish members. Content is based on articles translated from the U.K. magazine, along with Spanish-language articles contributed by members in Spain and Latin America. Verdad y Vida shows a small profit. Although free, contributions from readers slightly exceed production costs.

Holland

The Dutch church has for the last four years produced the bi-monthly magazine Lifeline. The editorial team recognizes that Holland has become a biblically illiterate society, with little understanding of Christianity. Lifeline's goal is to reach people in nonreligious terms, helping them to see that the truth of the Bible is indeed a lifeline in a world that has lost contact with God. Editor Jesse Korver wants to expand the circulation by advertising and distribution on public transport.

Malta

This island country in the Mediterranean was once part of the British Empire, and nearly everyone speaks English. The U.K. magazine has a circulation of several hundred. The church in Malta has begun producing a four-page insert carrying articles of interest to readers in Malta. At least one article is published in the Maltese language. Tony and Dora Stagno spearhead this effort.

Italy

We have learned that publishing in Italy is a complicated business, but Daniel Bosch is working through the complexities, and the Italian church hopes to be publishing something later this year.

Modest but effective

We in Europe recognize that compared to the impressive media we had a decade ago, our efforts to publish the gospel are modest. Yet in many ways, we believe these magazines are having more effect.

The denominational magazine had to be general, and only one or two pages were available for local content. They were, without question, beautifully produced, but they were exotic foreign plants--and thus vulnerable. Their successors are written and produced in the countries of origin, and the focus can be tighter.

Because the publications are based, written and produced locally, they are also indigenous species. In every case, we'd like to improve. But, if need be, we can also keep going if things become harder. Nikolay from Bulgaria has shown us that where there is a will and a press, the gospel can be published. We are working hard over here to do our part.

Update from
Finance & Planning

November income needed a slight boost

As we begin 2001, it's time for all of us working with church finances to analyze our income and expenses for 2000.

Overall we are pleased that our financial picture is not bleak. It's not too rosy either, but we are thankful for a year of general financial stability. I'll wait till next month to summarize the year, so this month we concentrate on November numbers.

Our regular tithe and offering income was just over $1.6 million for the month, bringing the year-to-date mail income to $18.1 million. Mail income was supplemented in November by our fall festival season offerings of more than $900,000.

We have not yet completed tabulation of the fall offerings and also will have additional offerings from Thanksgiving to count. So far, festival or seasonal offerings are at $3.7 million for the year. These figures show income running about eight percent below the same period last year. If we continue to operate at a negative eight percent level, additional cuts will need to be made to maintain a reasonable budget.

As I have reported in previous months, this year we have had more estate donations than projected and we have continued the sale of personal property at the Pasadena campus. These contributions brought the year-to-date total to $27.1 million. These additional sources of income have taken some of the pressure off our budgeting process and have been a welcome blessing (although we are still expecting a nearly $6 million loss to reserves, as I have repeatedly explained).

Looking ahead to 2001, it is difficult to project estate donations and other forms of income. Of course we will no longer have furnishings, art and equipment left to sell, so we already know we cannot project these sources of income at the 2000 level.

That makes regular tithe and offering income coupled with festival and seasonal offerings the single most important factor in the future financial picture for our churches.

So while we do not plan to have pledge cards this year, we trust all of our members will prayerfully consider the financial needs of the church for 2001. And as we have so often said, a regular and consistent donation pattern is one of the most effective ways each member can rally to the needs of the church.

Our plans for relocation of the headquarters facility continue on a slow track. As I write this column the environmental impact study, one of the most important pieces of the puzzle that must be put in place, is in the hands of Pasadena City officials. They reviewed the study and solicited public input in December and January.

These things take a lot of time and energy, but at least the project keeps moving on track. Once the study has been approved, we pray the final development stages will take place and that escrow will close by mid year.

In the meantime, Legacy Partners has extended an opportunity for us to remain in the Hall of Administration for a few months after escrow closes. This will allow us to continue our evaluation of a future office facility, make the necessary preparations to renovate the new building and complete that project before the final move off campus.

Please continue to pray with us for a successful close of escrow and a smooth transition to a new location. At that point our financial attention can be largely devoted to funding our local church evangelism and outreach programs.

We can't thank you enough for your faith and patience through this long process. Our God is faithful and will see us through all our difficulties and trials.

Statement of Income and Expenses for
WCG and PTM combined for November 2000

Sherwin Goff graduates
from Azusa Pacific University

AZUSA, California--Sherwin Goff, 68, received his master of arts degree in pastoral studies from Azusa Pacific University Dec. 15.

Mr. Goff, who was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, has been in the church for 35 years and is as a deacon. He completed lay pastor training in Pasadena in 1998 and will join the leadership team in Glendora and San Bernardino, California.

He previously attended services in Portland, Oregon; and San Jose, California. He has seven children and 19 grandchildren.

Update: News of people, places and events

Dee Bulante honored during Pastor Appreciation Month

32-Dee & Christine Bulante.jpg (11552 bytes)

TUCSON, Arizona--KFLT, the Family Life Radio station, broadcast a letter by member Thelma Smith about Pastor Dee Bulante in October during National Pastor Appreciation Month.

After services Oct. 28, the congregation honored Mr. Bulante with a potluck. Five members read letters aloud for Mr. Bulante and his wife Christine.

"He and his wife, Christine, are interested in my life and that I have my needs. I love them.--Addie Whelchel

"I have learned so much from you. I have come to understand more of what grace means. I'm no longer under the law, but under grace through Christ Jesus."--Zita Mickens

Member Barbara Speer said: "We see through our pastor's passionate and personable example just what it is to live under grace. He illustrates through personal experience, humor and heartfelt sincerity how we all are under grace. We want to thank him for all these things he has done through hard work, study, perseverance, and most of all, through God's grace."

Church announces ministerial ordinations

PASADENA--Church Administration announced the following ministerial ordinations:

Lufkin participates in Thanksgiving basket program

LUFKIN, Texas--The Lufkin congregation participated in the communitywide Thanksgiving basket program Nov. 18. Members helped with food contribution, packaging and delivering the food. Kenn Allbright.

Jacksonville participates in Operation Christmas child

JACKSONVILLE, North Carolina--The Jacksonville congregation participated in Operation Christmas Child, a project of Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse program.

Members of the congregation covered shoe boxes and filled them with appropriate gifts to be sent to children. For $5 per box, a Bible in their language would be included along with the gifts.

Other churches expressed concern about the Jacksonville WCG also serving as a drop-off location for other participating organizations.

However, after Mary Lynne Walton told Operation Christmas Child headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, how the WCG was transformed by grace, the WCG was approved as the drop-off location. Dixie Marino.

Tampa church honored for support of abuse center

TAMPA, Florida--The Tampa congregation received a plaque Oct. 26 in recognition of supporting Sunrise Abuse Center by providing groceries and paper supplies and providing breakfast and dinner on Thanksgiving.

Penny Morrill, chief executive officer, presented the plaque to Pastor Pete Kendall and Roy and Bettie Endres. Bettie Endres.

SUPPORT FOR ABUSE CENTER--
From left: Pete Kendall, Tampa pastor,
Bettie and Roy Endres and Lynn Rowe.

Mount Sterling church honors military veterans

MOUNT STERLING, Kentucky--The Jesus Kids group, with their leaders, William Nesmith, Tracy Sewell and Jan Crouch, honored the eight veterans in the congregation on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. The veterans spoke about their military experiences, and each received a certificate. Pastor James P. Humphries was among the veterans honored. A traditional Southern Thanksgiving dinner followed.

On Oct. 14, 40 members enjoyed a Hawaiian luau after the worship service. Hawaiian food, music and dancers, complemented by Hawaiian hats, leis and table decorations, were presented under the direction of Francis Cassity and her crew. Marjorie Hillman.

Anniston, Alabama, has Thanksgiving Homecoming

ANNISTON, Alabama--The Anniston church had a Thanksgiving Homecoming Nov. 5 with 57 in attendance. The church furnished a turkey and dressing meal. A number of members gave testimonials and "What I Am Thankful For" stories. A praise and worship song service took place after the meal. Don Johnson.

Church employees Jan Weiner, Neil Kubon take new jobs

PASADENA--Two Facilities Administration employees have accepted new job responsibilities.

Jan Weiner, a 31-year employee who has served in various areas, most recently as events manager, has accepted a position at California State Polytechnic University in Pomona. She was honored at a reception in Facilities Administration Nov. 20.

Neil Kubon, project manager, accepted a job with Corporate Contractors in September.

Danielle Spearman: homecoming queen

NORTH HAVEN, Connecticut--Danielle Renee Spearman was the first African-American to be crowned homecoming queen at the University of Connecticut Oct. 27.

Danielle is a junior, an honors student and a member of the Honors Council Academic Committee. She is president of the Minority Advancement Program in Psychology. She also had her research accepted by the Connecticut Psychological Association. She is a member of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology.

Danielle and her parents, Melvin and Marlene Spearman, attend the Meriden, Connecticut, congregation. Marlene Spearman.

Henry Sanders named cab driver of the year

LAWTON, Oklahoma--Henry Sanders, a deacon in the Lawton church, was named 2000 Taxicab Services Driver of the Year by the International Taxicab and Limousine Association.

According to the Lawton Constitution, Mr. Sanders believes that being a cab driver is more than a job. "It's the idea of helping others," he said. "If I feel that I go and pick up a customer on time and get them where they want to go on time, then I feel good about it."

Mr. Sanders once talked a soldier out of leaving the army and was awarded a certificate by the soldier's battalion.

Davenport festival: `Let Him Transform You'

DAVENPORT, Iowa--For the fourth consecutive year, more than 500 brethren gathered in Davenport to celebrate Jesus Christ in their lives. This year's theme was "Let Him Transform You." Sermons and workshops centered on the transforming actions of Christ.

The daily worship services helped develop an attitude of celebration with lively praise music, a colorful banner procession by church youths, and praise dance; interwoven with prayer and expressions of worship and adoration of our Father and our Savior. Services were cybercast on the Internet, allowing shut-in members to join in from home.

A three-part workshop on Christology helped facilitate a deeper grasp of the nature of our Lord Jesus.

The children's church focused on learning about the love of Christ through music, games and crafts. Daily women's roundtable sessions provided sharing time for discussion of the aspects of our personal relationship with Jesus. Guest speaker Jack Frey helped with ideas for building men's ministry programs in local congregations.

Brethren contributed hundreds of pounds of food and other grocery items for distribution to food banks. In addition, towels, washcloths and toiletry items were collected by the women's ministry program, gift wrapped, and delivered to a women's shelter and a crisis pregnancy center.

"I was impressed with all the outreach ministries that our women are involved with," said Beverly Worden of the Des Moines, Iowa, church. "It shows that there are many areas in which we are able to share the love of Christ."

In addition to the praise and worship evening conducted each year, a special Youth Praise was sponsored. Invitations were sent to area churches, inviting you