May 2004 Contents

This is our May cover

In This Issue

Conference

Two hundred thirty-eight workers in the harvest gathered for a regional conference in Chicago, writes Doug Johann­sen.

The next regional conference for ministers and members will take place in Portland, Oregon, April 30 to May 2. Page 3.

Pastor General

In 2003, we announced in the WN that the Worldwide Church of God would formally consider the role of women in the church, writes Joseph Tkach. In this issue of the WN, we are publishing an introduction to the topic. Page 6.

Financial report

Donation income for March came in almost exactly the same as March 2003—right at $1.5 million, writes WCG controller Ronald Kelly.

When we add in other sources of income, the totals for March show a 6 percent increase. Page 9.

Apologetics

We cannot prove to a skeptic, beyond all shadow of doubt, that God exists, writes John Halford. But that does not mean that we have no evidence. Page 10.

Window on the World

Once again the government of Haiti has collapsed, writes Barbara Edwards. This is Haiti’s bicentennial year, but there is not much to celebrate. Page 14.

Lessons From the Bible

Things are not always as they appear, writes J. Michael Feazell. That was certainly the case with Jesus.  Page 17.

Youth ministry

A disciplemaking youth ministry cooperates with the Holy Spirit in equipping by skillfully and persistently presenting the gospel through the teaching of Scripture, writes Ted Johnston. Page 23.

Bible Study

In Romans 9 to 11, Paul deals with Israel’s role in God’s plan, writes Michael Morrison. Does the new covenant mean that God no longer has a special interest in the Jewish people? Page 25.

Ministry team

The WN interviewed Richard and Diane Gross of Spencerport, New York, about a growing ministry that Jesus has given them. Page 27.

Members, ministers gather
for regional conference in Chicago

By Doug Johannsen

 CHICAGO, Illinois—Two hundred thirty-eight workers in the harvest gathered at the Renaissance Hotel for a regional conference, March 26 to 28.

The theme of the conference was set by Dan Rogers, superintendent of U.S. ministers, as he presented interactive workshops on “Creating a Disciplemaking Environment in Your Church” and “Growing a Healthy Church—Balance.”

Bob Nelson (left), Detroit East, and Charles Giles, Freeland, Michigan. [Photos by Doug Johannsen]

Ronald Kelly, church controller, briefed full-time pastors on the administration of the now fully funded pension fund and gave an update on transitioning to the new financial model.

Charles Albrecht, Church Administration budget manager, briefed church treasurers and advisory council members on issues pertinent to their responsibilities.

Pastor General Joseph Tkach gave the keynote address Friday evening, March 26, giving examples of what God is doing through our denomination, not only in numerical growth, but in impact on Christianity in general.

Dr. Tkach told how a professor in one of his classes said that the Worldwide Church of God was one of only two 20th century movements worth mentioning. Dr. Tkach also gave the Sunday morning sermon. The service concluded with communion.

Conference comments

Listen to what some of those who attended had to say:

“I brought seven of my leaders, and they came home buzzing with excitement. They’ve already formed an ad hoc task force that is outlining a plan of how our congregations can develop and maintain a balanced disciplemaking environment.

“I am discovering what an incredible resource the regional conferences are for helping me as a pastor to develop leaders. I went to the conference with six workers and came home with seven leaders!”

John Stonecypher
Pastor of the Des Moines and
Mason City, Iowa, congregations

.

“What impacted me the most was the degree of change I felt we, as a local congregation, need to be making and the need I have to take an active part in that change.

“I feel God has placed in me the ‘will’ to be a better servant and the desire to learn how I can do so. This weekend has given me the opportunity to get to know quite a few of the men and women God has placed in positions of responsibility in our denomination. Interacting with so many in God’s ministry and seeing the love and desire they exhibit fills me with the same desire to serve.”

Steve Deuel
Champlin, Minnesota,
Living Hope advisory council member
and worship leader

Dan Rogers talks to Liz Garman (center) and Nora Lindquist.

“Dan Rogers pointed out that since we regularly have intercessory prayer for those who are ill, why not include those who are lost, those who do not know Jesus? That’s the worst illness someone could have, not having a relationship with the Lord. That and being a friend of sinners as Jesus is were two of those ‘aha!’ moments for me.

“More than a dozen youths were present whom I had met at the 2003 Iowa Spiritual Enrichment Program (SEP) and Minnesota 2003 Snowblast, and it was wonderful to see them again and so heavily in­volved!”

Doug Johannsen
Pastor of the St. Paul and Champlin,
Minnesota, congregations

“We made some commitments as a direct result of the conference, and we formed a team to begin restructuring and reorganizing our church and ministries. This is the most exciting thing we have done in such a long time; there is light at the end of the tunnel!

“A special thank you to Dan Rogers, Joseph Tkach and the whole corporate team who take their time to invest in us at the local level. We are ready to go out and become friends with sinners!”

Nancy Lehmkuhl
Des Moines, Iowa

“What impressed me the most about this year’s regional conference was the wonderful positive spirit and the opportunity to work together with leaders from our local congregations during the discussion groups.”

Sam Butler
Pastor of the Grandville and
Muskegon, Michigan, congregations

“We had some good and thoughtful discussions during the discussion times that Dan Rogers’ presentations allowed. It helped all of us to see more than ever before how the local church is ‘our’ church.

“As always it was great to be able to talk with the headquarters team and spend time with old friends. We continue to build on what we’re learning, and I’m sure God is yet going to do great things with us.”

Briscoe Ellett II
Pastor of the Flint and
Freeland, Michigan, congregations

“This conference was the most encouraging I have attended in the past few years. By following through with the Sonlife curriculum we were able to see just how much pro­gress we really have been making at the local congregation level. The Lord truly is doing a great work in our midst.”

Michael Houghton Sr.
Pastor of the Elkhart and
Michigan City, Indiana,  congregations

Naomi Biswas at conference

“One thing that impressed me was the humility and openness of the staff from Pasadena. They were positive, caring and sincere, and it showed.

“The emphasis on prayer and especially praying for the un­churched whom we come into contact with was inspiring. We have heard this before, but this time it really made an impact on me.”  

Charles Holladay
Pastor of the Bloomington and
Mankato, Minnesota, congregations

“I am thankful I could attend, and I’m glad that I am a member of the Worldwide Church of God! I am thankful for our leaders and their dedication first to God, and flowing from that their devotion to the work of empowering our pastors and members to join the work God is doing in the harvest field.  

“By attending the conference, I have been given a clearer understanding of how to yield to God’s will personally, as well as strategies to inspire the entire congregation to do so. God is good!”

Lisa Seltzer
Champlin, Minnesota, Living Hope advisory
council member and worship leader

“Springtime is a time of renewal, a time for plowing and the sowing of seeds. Today, everything seems to have a quick fix or a simple solution, but in the old days, plowing was one third of the work done to produce the crop. In spring the soil turns easier than in the fall.

“When I look at the un­plowed ground in my life I also see soil conditions hardened by years of neglect. There is a saying down on the farm that I always liked: ‘Do whatever it takes to get the job done!’ If we don’t get the soil in condition to sow in the springtime, neither will we have a harvest in the fall.”

George Denn
Worship leader, Solid Rock Fellowship
in Mankato, Minnesota

“This conference was most helpful and encouraging, and we must share the hope and promise with our congregations. I am convinced that if we instill the vision in our members that was instilled in those who attended the conference, we will then be well on our way to fulfilling the Great Commission: making disciples who make disciples who make disciples.”

John Bailey
Pastor of the Beloit, Wisconsin,
congregation

Women in Church Leadership:
An Introduction

By Joseph Tkach

In 2003, we announced in the WN that the Worldwide Church of God would be formally considering the role of women in the church. We invited members and pastors to send us their research. As we expected on this controversial issue, we received a variety of responses. Some were well thought out; others gave opinions without any particular support. 

Members of our doctrinal team read these papers and discussed the issue for several months—and several more months of discussion are scheduled. In this issue of the WN, we are publishing an introduction to the topic. This article is a committee product, and although not every member of the doctrinal team sees this issue in exactly the same light, we present here some introductory matters that we agree on.

The question is sometimes phrased as “women in ministry,” but we should note that we have always had women in ministry. That is, we have always had women who served in the church, in a variety of roles, and we’ve had women who were leaders of groups within the church (although their role as leader was not always acknowledged with a specific title).

The question before us is whether women can be ordained as elders. A related question would be whether women can serve in leadership offices that are generally reserved for elders, such as senior pastor, district superintendent, etc.

This is not simply an academic question. In some of our smaller congregations, women are already serving in roles of spiritual leadership. As the Worldwide Church of God has learned more about spiritual gifts and lay ministries, we have also observed that gifts in areas of spiritual service, such as worship, biblical studies, public speaking and pastoral care, are not limited to men.

In some cases, women are currently serving on congregational leadership teams, not because of any push for feminine representation, but because the congregation believed, and the district superintendent agreed, that these particular women had spiritual maturity and belonged on the pastoral leadership team. 

Before we entered this study, some members of our doctrinal team felt that these women could be ordained as elders; other members believed that the Scriptures forbid the ordination of women as elders, and some were undecided. Our goal is to understand what the Bible says to us about this subject. We are in agreement on the introductory issues, as the article below presents them.

We plan to publish more articles as we continue to work through the questions in a systematic way. Our next paper will be on the subject of ordination: just what does it mean to ordain a person to a role in the church? Future articles will examine the major relevant scriptures to see what they do and do not teach.

We believe it is just as important for members to see how we reach our decision, as it is to read the final decision. It is my prayer that we will all learn from the process, and be filled “with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that [we] may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9-10).

In Jesus’ service,
Joseph Tkach

Women in Church Leadership:
An Introduction to the Question

The Worldwide Church of God Statement of Beliefs does not say anything about women in church leadership. However, it does say that the Bible is “fully authoritative for all matters of faith and practice.” Our question, then, is what the Bible says about women’s role in the church. Our starting point, and the final authority, is Scripture.

Our Statement of Beliefs also says that we are willing to grow in knowledge, willing to respond to God’s guidance. We recognize that we do not always understand Scripture perfectly. Some parts of Scripture are difficult to understand. Others parts are easy to understand but difficult to apply.

Scripture often calls on us to resist trends within society; at other times it encourages us to follow cultural customs. For example, Scripture includes the following command: “Greet one another with a holy kiss” (Rom. 16:16; 1 Pet. 5:14). Although Christians in some cultures have no problems with this command, people in America generally do, and in the WCG we have long considered this command to be based in culture and not a timeless truth. We encourage members to implement the principle of the command, without obeying it literally, even though Paul probably never thought the day would come when a kiss would be offensive rather than friendly.

When Peter and Paul wrote their commands for a holy kiss, they were influenced by their culture. When Paul told slaves to obey their masters (Eph. 6:1), he was accommodating himself to culture. He was not advocating slavery itself. There is no question that some of his commands apply only to his culture. Others just as clearly are timeless, and there are a few in the middle that are debatable.

So, the question is, how do we tell when a biblical command is based on culture and in need of modification for the different cultures we live in today? How do we tell when a command is timeless? When Paul writes that he does not permit a woman to teach or have authority over men (1 Tim. 2:12), is he just expressing his own opinion (after all, he states it as what he does, and not as a command), or should we treat his policy as a permanent rule for the church?

How do we decide what God’s will is? It is a question not just of what Scripture says, but what it means for us today. Should we apply it literally? Or should we (as with Rom. 16:16) analyze what principle lay behind Paul’s words, and follow that? Let us look at an example of a conflict between Scripture and culture. Although this example is not an exact prototype for the issue of women in the church, it does help illustrate the question.

Comparison with slavery

In 1 Tim. 6:1-2, Paul tells Chris­tian slaves to respect their Christian masters, and he never commands the masters to free their slaves. Is Paul therefore supporting slavery, as many 19th-century Americans argued? Or was he simply going along with culture, so the gospel would not be seen as an enemy of society—“so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered”?

Slavery had a few positive functions in ancient society, but Paul could have challenged slavery itself as demeaning, as contrary to the love that should characterize God’s people, and as a violation of the created order. But he did not; neither did he challenge the political system of Rome, the frequent brutality of the army, or unfair methods by which taxes were collected.

Nevertheless, the gospel challenges culture. It challenges us to treat poor people with respect, not to favor the rich (Jas. 2:1-7). The gospel challenged Jews to treat Gentiles as equals; it challenged Philemon to treat his slave Onesimus “as a dear brother” (Phm. 16). If masters treated their slaves as family members, then slavery would soon disappear—and in this way the gospel challenged the attitudes that allowed slavery to exist. The gospel sowed the seeds that undermined the injustice of slavery—but the Bible does not attack slavery directly.

Some people today say that the gospel sows the seeds that undermine gender restrictions, too. Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” This verse is about equality in salvation, but does it sow the seeds for leadership equality within the church, too? Is it not possible for people to have equal importance within the church without having the same roles? However, the church no longer treats Jews and Gentiles differently; we de­nounce as unjust the existence of slavery; should we also stop differentiating between men and women when it comes to leadership in the church?

In other words, when Paul said that women should be silent in the churches, was he simply going along with his culture, just as he went along with slavery, knowing that the gospel would eventually correct the problem? Did he expect his comments in Gal. 3:28 to eventually counteract his comments in 1 Tim. 2:12? Or was he so close to his culture that he never really thought about it, just as he probably assumed that a holy kiss would always be fitting and appropriate? Or was Paul giving a policy that provides permanent guidance for the church?

History

The church has not always been on the right side of cultural questions. When it came to slavery, some Christian churches were in the forefront of the move for emancipation. But in the 20th century, many churches resisted the cultural move for social equality for the descendants of those slaves. Sometimes culture is right, sometimes it is not.

Culture sometimes asks ethical questions, but for Christians, culture cannot answer them. Rather, we look to Scripture as the foundation for what we do. Even if some cultures in the 1930s said that we should treat Jews as subhuman annoyances, the gospel says that Christians should have resisted the cultural trend, even though some church bodies went along with it. But when it comes to the authority of women in the church, it seems that the church is responding to culture rather than being an initiating force.

Nevertheless, we believe that the scriptural record as it pertains to women in roles of leadership requires careful study and a detailed response to the question of the ordination of women as elders.

Dealing with differences

The issue does require careful study. When it comes to a holy kiss, we can’t just say, “The Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it.” That approach may sound humble, but it is simplistic and arrogant, because it assumes that “I” have the only accurate understanding of what Scripture teaches.

The truth is that we all come to Scripture with some assumptions from our own culture. Some of us come from a culture where women are expected to submit to men in particularly restrictive ways; others of us come from a culture that encourages women to think for themselves and to take leadership roles.

Some cultures today are similar to ancient culture in their attitudes about women; others are quite different. Some people are afraid that any change in gender roles will cause more social chaos; others feel that changes are necessary. Each of us needs to be aware of the bias we bring to the Bible and, through discussion with one another, see how our particular bias might be influencing our understanding. In that way we let the Bible speak to our biases.

Prayer is an indispensable part of the process—we want to discern God’s will, rather than assuming that we have already got it right. We want to understand why some sincere Christians come to different conclusions on this issue, and then we want to decide which explanation seems more likely to be what God intended when he inspired the Scriptures. We want the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth (John 16:13)—and that means that we don’t have it all yet. No one does.

Since no one group has a perfect understanding of all the issues, there are some differences of opinion on biblical interpretation, even when there is agreement on the most basic doctrines of the faith. Some Christians think that the Bible instructs women to be completely silent in church; others do not, even when those holding each view have an equal belief in the authority and accuracy of the Bible.

Some Bible-believing Christians believe that women must wear a covering on their head when in church; others do not. The question we have is not whether to believe the Bible; it is how to understand what the Bible is teaching. Are the biblical restrictions on women cultural, like the holy kiss, or are they permanent, like the prohibition on adultery?

Since conservative Christians are divided on this issue, we would be naïve to think that we will achieve unanimous agreement. No matter what conclusion we come to, some members will think we have not weighed the evidence fairly. What should they do then? Is this issue important enough to leave the church? We don’t think so (and it is possible that not even the doctrinal team will be unanimous). Our unity depends on Christ, not on complete agreement on every point of doctrine.

There are many doctrines that are essential to Christian faith—for example, the church must teach that there is only one God, and that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet there are many other doctrines that are not essential to our faith, but are practical guidelines or policies for our physical life, and these may differ from culture to culture, or from one time in history to another.

We want to get them right, but we must also understand they are not essential to what it means to be a Christian. We believe that eldership of women is one of those doctrines. It is a policy matter, not part of the Statement of Beliefs. People do not need to leave the church if they think we are wrong about the millennium, nor do they need to leave if they think we are wrong about women’s role in the church.

No matter who our congregational elders are, they are not perfect, and we all have to respect them anyway. We have to weigh what they say, accept the true and overlook minor mistakes. That will be the case whether an elder is or is not a woman. We might like to be part of a church with all the guaranteed correct answers, but such a church does not exist. Spiritual growth does not depend on being in a perfect church. Rather, we must learn to do the best we can in the circumstances we are in, trusting in Christ to cover us with his righteousness.

Some members will be disappointed if we permit women to be elders; others will be equally disappointed if we do not. We do not know how many hold one opinion, or how many the other—for our task, it does not matter. Our job is to discern what God wants us to do, and we will therefore concentrate on prayerful study. We will be consulting with pastors and their supervisors frequently as we share the preliminary results of our research, and we will keep you informed in the WCG News and on our web site.

We do ask for your prayers, and for you to study the issue along with us. We will all learn, and as we share the strengths and weaknesses of various arguments, we hope the great majority of us will agree on the results.

Update From Finance & Planning

March income increases

By Ronald Kelly

PASADENA—Donation income for March came in almost exactly the same as March 2003—right at $1.5 million.

When we add in a few other sources of income, the totals for March show a 6 percent increase over last year. We haven’t been able to use the word increase frequently in the past few years, so this is truly good news. Thank you so much for your continued financial support for the work of our fellowship.

Year-to-date income

Donation income for the first quarter of the year was just over $3.6 million. Last year, first quarter contributions came in at $4 million, so we are down about 10 percent. However, selected property sales and estate donations have exceeded our projections, making the total income 6 percent more than last year.

After three months of 2004 accounting, we have spent $114,000 more than we projected in budget planning. That’s pretty close guesstimating. Our reserve funds and line of credit provide for facilities sale costs and maintenance, and as I have mentioned before, we no longer fund those costs out of member donations. Your contributions are used only for ongoing church expenses.

Sale of homes

We have now sold four of the homes on South Orange Grove Boulevard, with the fifth and final home we placed on the market in December scheduled to close by mid-April.

As we progress into the second quarter of 2004, we continue to concentrate on the sale of the west campus of our Pasadena property. We are working with city officials in the entitlement process that contains some delays because of the east campus sale. Interest is in­creasing from a variety of sources, organizations and individuals to purchase the west campus, even though we are not soliciting offers because we are working to entitle the property.

Church groups, schools, corporate executives contemplating a relocation of staff, and developers are among those who steadily inquire about the property. Of course, no sale has yet taken place, but we continue to be optimistic about the ultimate potential. 

Our Church Administration and Financial staffs in Pasadena are hard at work putting all the pieces in place to roll out our anticipated new financial model quickly after the west campus sells. Computer software and programming consume a great deal of our staff time.  

Regional conferences

At the regional conferences, I meet with pastors to review procedures that can be done at the local level to be successful at launch time. We all hope that time will arrive soon.

Our conferences this year are off to a great start. We have already completed two conferences (see page 3 for article and photos about the Chicago conference) and by the time you receive this issue of the WN, we will have conducted the Pacific Northwest conference in Portland, Oregon.

For those of you who live within driving distance of Lexington, Kentucky, our conference there is June 4 to 6, and if you live in the Rocky Mountain West, the Denver conference is June 25 to 27. We hope to see many of you there.

 Wills and Trusts

Many members have requested information on how best to make a gift to the
Worldwide Church of God, either during their lifetime or upon death through wills, trusts or other means.

If you want to receive information regarding such gifts, the Legal Department of the church is available to aid you in this regard without cost or obligation. Please write Legal Office, Worldwide Church of God, Box 5005, Glendora, CA 91740.

Hope or hype:
Are Christians just
cockeyed optimists?

Adapted from the British magazine

By John Halford

John, the last survivor of Jesus’ original 12 disciples, wrote the Book of Revelation when he was an old man, living in exile in a Roman penal colony.

VERSAILLES, Indiana—

When the skies are bright canary yellow

I forget ev’ry cloud I’ve ever seen,

So they called me a cockeyed optimist

Immature and incurably green.

I have heard people rant and rave and bellow

That we’re done and we might as well be dead,

But I’m only a cockeyed optimist

And I can’t get it into my head.

I hear the human race

Is fallin’ on its face

And hasn’t very far to go,

But ev’ry whippoorwillIs sellin’ me a bill,

And tellin’ me it just ain’t so.

I could say life is just a bowl of Jello

And appear more intelligent and smart,

But I’m stuck like a dope

With a thing called hope,

And I can’t get it out of my heart!

South Pacific; Rogers and Hammerstein

Am I, like Nellie in South Pacific, also just a cockeyed optimist? Like her, I’m stuck on hope, and I can’t get it out of my heart.

I believe that although the world is a pretty awful place now, it is going to get better. I believe God is alive and interested in what is happening to us here below, even though sometimes it doesn’t seem like it. And I believe that although I am getting older, I will live forever. I also believe that you probably will too.

You see, a verse in Revelation 1:18 alters everything we know about being alive: “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades [the grave].”

Let’s take a closer look and unpack this verse, because it revolutionizes our un­derstanding of what it means to be a human being. 

The person who wrote this was John, the last survivor of Jesus’ original 12 disciples. When he wrote it, he was an old man, living in exile in a Roman penal colony. While there, he was given a remarkable vision of what the future held for the world in general and the followers of Jesus in particular.

Beyond the grave

John recognized the speaker of these words as Jesus, who had been executed about 60 years before. Now, six decades later, he appears and claims that he is the “living one,” who “was dead.” John knew that. He had seen Jesus after he was resurrected and ascended to heaven. But then Jesus says he will stay alive forever and ever. He also claims to have a key that will unlock the way to defeat the power of the grave, not only for himself but for others too.  

Considering our experience of life and death, this is a preposterous statement. In the days when these words were written, an average life span was around 45 years. Few made it past their three score and ten. Today, better health and hygiene have extended the average life for people living in the richer parts of the world. It isn’t unusual to find birthday cards for a 100th birthday on sale. The United Kingdom has about 8,000 centenarians. By 2030 that number may increase to more than 30,000.

It is estimated that about half the children born in a developed European nation today can expect to live past 100. Some researchers believe it may be possible to extend human lives to perhaps 150 or so years. But that is about it. Inevitably even the fittest of us have a date with the grave.

No wonder we get excited when scientists come up with something (such as Viagra) that can prolong just one aspect of our lives. But realistically, no one should expect to live “for ever and ever.” But here is Jesus claiming he has a way to overcome the power of the grave.

If true, this is the most astounding breakthrough in longevity ever announced. If it is not true, this article is just the ramblings of a cockeyed optimist, and you are wasting your time reading it.

So am I, like Nellie, “immature and incurably green”? Are you, if you believe it too?

Smoke and mirrors?

The only evidence we have for believing such an outrageous statement is that Jesus Christ was resurrected from his grave, and eventually ascended to heaven, where he still is. When it comes down to it, the Christian faith stands or falls on that.  

St. Paul, one of the first, and arguably the greatest evangelist, was honest enough to admit that. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:15-19: “If there’s no resurrection, there’s no living Christ. And face it—if there’s no resurrection for Christ, everything we’ve told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you’ve staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ—sheer fabrications, if there’s no resurrection” (Message Bible).

“If corpses can’t be raised,” continues Paul, “then Christ wasn’t, because he was indeed dead. And if Christ wasn’t raised, then all you’re doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever. It’s even worse for those who died hoping in Christ and resurrection, because they’re already in their graves. If all we get out of Christ is a little inspiration for a few short years, we’re a pretty sorry lot.”

But Paul goes on to reassure the Corinthians (and us), “But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries” (verse 20).

But how can he be so sure? Where is the evidence that Jesus was resurrected and is alive?

Willing to adjust

We cannot prove to a skeptic, beyond all shadow of doubt, that God exists, and that the Bible is true. But that does not mean that we have no evidence. Or that the evidence is so shaky that every whiff of criticism can blow it away.

The Christian message has al­ways had its critics. Some criticisms have been valid, and have caused us to think about our understanding of the Bible. It was silly and shortsighted, for example, for medieval theologians to insist that the sun went round the earth when the evidence clearly showed that the opposite was true.

Today, the increase in knowledge in nearly every field continues to challenge traditional ideas, and some concepts we have taken for granted do need to be adjusted.

But this does not mean that the core be­liefs of our faith are being undermined, or that the whole idea is so flimsy that we have to go back to the drawing board every time someone brings up an awkward question.

Some people have worried, for example, about the idea behind the best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code. It is based around the search for evidence that Jesus was not crucified, buried and resurrected as the Gospels tell us. Rather, he married Mary Magdalene, moved to France and had children, founding a family line that survives to this day. The church suppressed this information, and tried to destroy it. But the truth was preserved by secret societies, and the evidence of who Jesus really was is buried under the Louvre in Paris. If exposed it will bring down the whole edifice of Christian belief. And only one man and woman can unveil the truth—you know the sort of thing.

The author clearly says it is a work of fiction. Nevertheless it unsettles some people who worry that there might be something in it. Oh how we love conspiracy theories!

The right to believe

But why do we assume that what we believe is so vulnerable? Why not turn the argument around and ask how good is the evidence that Christianity is not true? Or to put it another way, how much proof do you need before you have the right to say you believe something? 

Let me go (humbly and respectfully, I hope) on the offensive. You see, I don’t believe that the theory of evolution, as it is usually ex­plained, is good enough to be the only acceptable explanation for the origin and development of life. I believe other explanations exist, and that to dismiss them out of hand is arrogant and unscientific.

I am not suggesting that evolution is a load of bunk. I have seen enough evidence to acknowledge that it, or something like it, might explain how life develops within a species. Charles Darwin was a careful scientist, as are many who followed in his footsteps.

I have seen professional paleontologists at work, and I am im­pressed by the meticulous care with which they sift and evaluate their evidence—such as it is. I think they make a plausible case for what they call microevolution—that is, change and development within a species. But to extrapolate that evidence to show that it accounts for the actual origin of those species, is, I think, stretching things.

I don’t think they have proved their point beyond all shadow of doubt, and I believe other points of view deserve to be heard. One of those points of view is that there is a Creator God and he created the cosmos (including life) for a purpose, and that purpose includes the eternal destiny of what is now the human race.

Now, I don’t expect the above paragraphs to cause dyed-in-the-wool atheists to throw in the towel and head for the nearest church. But I also do not accept that it gives them the right to ridicule me, because it is not a ridiculous thing to say.

You see, there is no conclusive evidence that there is not a Creator. No one has proved that God does not exist. There are no serious questions about the fact of Jesus’ existence. If we measure the Gospels by the same standards we evaluate other historical literature, we must conclude that they are a reliable record of what Jesus said and did.

Scholars will always quibble about the details, but the questions do not threaten or undermine the essential components of Christian be­lief, including the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Based on the standards that we believe other things, my faith in the message of the Bible should not be considered uneducated, immature, foolish or naive. It is not therefore the ramblings of a cockeyed optimist to believe that a man born 2,000 years ago was crucified, buried, resurrected and ascended to heaven, and is still alive today.

Still much to learn

If there is one thing that the last few decades should have taught us is that no one, believer or non-believer, should be calling each other foolish or naive. It should be obvious to all that there is a tremendous amount still to learn.

What is being discovered on the frontiers of knowledge should cause everyone to be willing to re-evaluate even the most entrenched ideas. Tried and tested physical laws seem to break down at the sub-atomic level. Constants such as the speed of light might not be quite so constant after all. Traditional physics is being turned on its head.

Isaac Newton proved the ancients were wrong in their explanation of reality. Then Albert Einstein showed that Newton was wrong in some of his ideas, and once again reshaped our understanding of the universe.

The more we look into it, the cosmos seems to be ever more intricate, mysterious and marvelous. And let not those who believe in God be smug and say we told you so, because we didn’t. No one anticipated the discoveries that are revolutionizing our understanding of reality.

What is interesting is that scientists, trying to find words to explain what they are learning, resort to terms that sometimes seem more appropriate for theology than physics. But why not? Truth, after all, is truth, and genuine discovery poses no threat to a proper understanding of our Creator.  

Nothing that has been discovered has undermined the faith of this cockeyed optimist. On the contrary, it has reinforced it. I see no reason not to be “stuck like a dope on a thing called hope.” In fact, in this ever shifting and rather dangerous world, it makes more and more sense.

So can we talk about hope for a while?

An anchor for the soul

“Faith, hope and charity,” wrote St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “and the greatest of these is charity.” He did not go on to say which of the three is the least, but chances are you’d opt for hope. Unlike faith, the way we use the word hope today carries with it an element of uncertainty.

You buy a lottery ticket hoping it is the winning number. You plan a picnic hoping it doesn’t rain. You know you can’t have absolute faith that you will win the jackpot or not get wet. You just hope you don’t. Hope is what you have when you can’t have total faith.

But that is not the way the Bible uses the idea of hope. It is much more than a sort of decaffeinated faith. The writer of the New Testament epistle to the Hebrews describes hope as an “anchor for the soul” (Hebrews 6:19).

Sailors drop an anchor when they want their ship to stay in a fixed position in the ever-changing environment of the sea. An anchor stops your drifting. You know where you are.

You need some anchor points in this world, which sometimes—and never more than now—seems to be adrift. Old ideas are found to be wrong. Trusted institutions are shown to be unreliable. Traditions are abandoned. Who can you trust? What can you count on? Where are we headed? Have we lost the plot? Is there a plot?

Into this sea of uncertainty, the Bible brings some fixed points—things you can count on no matter what else happens. It tells you that there is a God. Then it tells you that he is benevolent and loving, and wants good things for you.

That is not as obvious as it might seem. Many people believe in “gods” that are anything but benevolent. Some are nasty bits of work indeed, and their followers are told that it is best to keep out of their way unless you want something they control—such as rain, fertility or wealth. And then you’d better approach them carefully, and make it worth their while. Even some people who claim to believe in the God of the Bible have a level of understanding that is not much more sophisticated. However, it is not how the God of the Bible reveals himself.

Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham, explains it like this: “Christian hope isn’t optimism, a vague sense that things will probably turn out all right.

“Christian faith is trusting—and going on trusting through thick and thin—in the God who made un­breakable promises and will certainly keep them.

Christian hope is looking ahead to the time when, according to those promises, God will make the world over anew, completing the work he began in Jesus” (Hebrews for Everyone, Tom Wright, SPCK 2003, page 67).

The resurrection of Jesus to eternal life, and all that it implies is not just the wishful thinking of cock-eyed optimists. Nor is it just the refuge of naive people who won’t face reality. It is an idea that has been carefully examined by educated and brilliant people, who have chosen to believe it after considering the alternatives. It can be defended and supported. There is no evidence to show that it isn’t true.

That is why I say that the scripture I quoted at the beginning transforms everything we know and believe about our existence. I don’t believe “the human race is falling on its face,” although I think it is time we fell to our knees. There is hope for us, and that hope is based on who Jesus was, and still is.

That hope cannot be casually dismissed as superstition. And when you take it seriously, and let it provide a foundation for how you live your life, the more it becomes a reliable and comforting anchor for your soul.

SEP Camps in Summer 2004

WCG youth ministries is delighted to announce seven Spiritual Enrichment Program (SEP) camps in the United States this summer. Each camp offers a Christ-centered, fun-filled, safe environment in which children and teens can meet Jesus, grow in their love for Jesus and be equipped to serve with Jesus. Camp locations, age range for campers, camp dates and contact information are shown below. Campers are urged to apply early—space at each camp is limited.

SEP-Ohio (Bellefontaine, Ohio): preteen camp (ages 8 to 12) June 13 to 18, teen camp (ages 13 to 18) June 20 to 25, contact (online) www.sepohio.com

SEP-South Carolina (Greenville, South Carolina): preteen and teen camp (ages 10 to 20) June 29 to July 4, contact (online) www.CarolinaCamp.com

SEP-California (Big Bear, California) preteen and teen camp (ages 8 to 20) July 4 to 10, contact Dennis Pelley

SEP-Colorado (Sedalia, Colorado) preteen and teen camp (ages 10 to 18) July 18 to 25, contact Sarah.Miles@milestone-inc.com

SEP-Illinois (Lacon, Illinois) preteen and teen camp (ages 10 to 18) Aug. 1 to 7, contact (online) www.heartlandwcg.org (see “Youth” link)

SEP-Washington (Orcas Island, Washington) preteen and teen camp (ages 7 to 18) Aug. 8 to 15, contact

SEP-Connecticut (Plymouth, Connecticut) preteen and teen camp (ages 7 to 18) Aug. 15 to 21,

Window on the World

From Randal Dick
Superintendent of missions

Who cares what happens to Haiti?

By Barbara Edwards

 PASADENA—Once again the government of Haiti has collapsed—this time under President Jean-Ber­trand Aristide, its 45th president since independence in 1804.

This is Haiti’s bicentennial year, but there is not much to celebrate. Dire poverty, illiteracy and corruption are only a few of Haiti’s maladies.  Is it any wonder that these long-suffering people are discouraged and disillusioned?

Haiti is only 600 miles from the United States. It has long been the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Globally, it is on the bottom rung of the economic ladder. Why is Haiti always in such a desperate state? Can anything be done to help?

Surprising parallels

The United States and Haiti share a common history. Both threw off European colonialism and became the first independent nations in the modern Western Hemisphere. Independence for one immediately led to freedom for its slaves, whereas the slaves of the other had to wait more than 80 years. One became a weakened, isolated, pariah state following its independence; the other became the strongest and richest nation the world has ever seen.

What happened?

In 1492, during a time of challenge, exploration and conquest, Christopher Columbus landed on Haiti’s north coast at present-day Cap Haitien. The country was mineral-rich and abundant in fruits.

It is reported that Columbus wrote, “I have found paradise.” The Arawak, the original inhabitants, called the island Ayti, meaning “land of mountains.” However, in honor of Spain, Columbus’ sponsor, he named the island La Isla Espanolo—The Spanish Island, which is modern-day Hispaniola.

The Arawaks embraced Columbus and his conquistadores as allies against the Caribs, a cannibalistic, cruel, ferocious and warlike people. However, the Spanish used their military superiority to enslave both the Arawak and Caribs. Through abuse, sickness and forced labor, the native population was decimated within 40 years.

The Spanish ceded one third of Hispaniola to the French in 1697. (The eastern two thirds of Hispaniola is today the Spanish-speaking Dominican Republic.) The French renamed their new colony Saint-Domingue. They established a flourishing slave-plantation system, and by the end of the 18th century, Saint-Domingue was the world’s richest and most profitable colony.

The population at that time totaled more than 450,000 slaves from West Africa, more than 25,000 free mulattoes (people of mixed white and black ancestry), and about 30,000 French planters. The merchants and plantation owners became prosperous, while the slaves were subjugated and condemned to lifelong forced labor. Any attempt at rebellion or resistance was met with savage brutality. 

The French colonies in the Caribbean were involved in fighting elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere, including participation in the United States’ fight for independence. About 800 Haitian volunteers fought in the American Revolution, where they gained valuable military experience. Sixteen years later the French Revolution established another republic founded on the principles of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.

The revolution in France inspired the Haitian slaves to revolt against their oppressors. It was led by ex-slave Toussaint L’Ouverture. He freed the slave population and in 1798 became governor-general. Toussaint L’Ouverture was a brilliant man whose vision was for a free and equal Haiti working in harmony and cooperation with the French. But it was not to be.

Napoleon Bonaparte intended to dominate the world, including the Western Hemisphere. An independent ex-colony was not in his plans to re-establish the French Empire. He sent an army of 40,000 to regain control over Saint-Domingue and to re-impose slavery. But the Haitians had tasted freedom and were determined not to allow the oppression and cruelty of slavery to be reinstituted.

The military campaign was brutal. Thousands of Napoleon’s men were lost to yellow fever and guerrilla warfare. He was defeated, and in 1804, the independent Republic of Haiti was proclaimed. Slavery was outlawed—a bold and radical move. Haiti was the first and for a time the only country in the Western Hemisphere where slavery was forbidden.

The European colonial powers refused to recognize Haiti’s independence. Even the newly independent United States did not formally recognize Haiti, fearing that the concept of freedom from slavery would “infect” slaves on U.S. soil and disrupt its flourishing economy. So, from the moment of its birth, Haiti became an international pariah state—isolated and weak. And that is the way it has been for 200 years.

After two centuries of nationhood, Haiti has little to celebrate. Although nominally Christian, Voodoo shares the stage as a sanctioned religion. The strong-man political culture has resulted in 37 coups d’etats. The country is seriously overpopulated—currently about eight million, but nobody knows for sure. It is stripped of natural resources, and desperately needs development. But the world has other priorities, and the outlook for this tiny country is grim.

What does Haiti need?

Prayers are needed! Too simplistic? With our human eyes and understanding we see Haiti’s

WCG school in Haiti

greatest needs in terms of political, social and economic reform. But Haiti’s greatest need is spiritual. Understandably, considering its sad history, many Haitians are ready to give up. Foreign investors likewise see little potential.

God sees Haiti differently. He does not look on it with natural eyes. He mourns over the atrocities. He sees the tears and hears the prayers. He sees beyond the physical poverty. He sees Haiti washed as clean as snow.

Haitians need help, not only from the international community to aid the reconstruction of their country. They need friends to aid them in the reconstruction of their hearts. The people struggle with a poor self image and a sense of fatalism. They have lost the capacity to hope. John Halford, making a pastoral visit, was told: “Forget about us. Nothing ever works here.”

Our church in Haiti

Haitian Christians (including WCG members) realize that their kingdom is not of this world. Although they are affected by the country’s pervasive pathos, they try to keep their priorities from becoming blurred.

The WCG in Haiti began in the 1970s. The church has had several resident ministers. Blaise Franklin, the current pastor, moved back to Haiti from the United States about 20 years ago and established a bakery business. For many years his home was the meeting hall, office and social center.

For a while, the roof of his home became a workshop where members could be trained and em­ployed. The love and dedication of Mr. Franklin and his family has been a major factor in the survival of our small congregation in Haiti. Life has not been easy, and it still isn’t.

A few years ago, the church purchased an old home, which was remodeled into an office and meeting hall. In 1997, they decided to serve the community by using the premises as a kindergarten and school—Les Ambassadeurs’ Centre Educative Classique Evangelique (CECE).

The children receive a Christian education from kindergarten to primary school (called fondamentale).  They leave the institute at age 12 or 13. Mr. Franklin is the academic director. Enrollment is 217 children —180 in kindergarten and 37 in primary school.

Because of the insecurity and economic situation, many parents cannot pay tuition, so the survival of the school economically is a constant struggle.

You can help

Jack Brunet, pastor of the French-speaking Caribbean churches, visited Haiti March 25 to 29. He reported: “The members are fine, not injured, just tired and disillusioned living in a country where there is no real hope. The only hope is in Christ. The last time John [Halford] and I came to Haiti, we saw Haiti like the doors of hell; but I can say today, it is the hall of hell. Because of the fight to survive, the insecurity, the anarchy, the transportation problems, it is difficult for the brethren to come to church.”

So, please do not forget Haiti in your prayers. The greatest need for the members is to be encouraged to be a light in Haiti’s darkness. Pray that their hearts will be engaged upward—that the future kingdom will be more real to them than their present circumstances.

  Pray for vision and that they will come to know Jesus Christ intimately. Pray that they will make Christianity attractive to onlookers and be transformed to manifest the love of God. Pray that God will raise up dynamic and committed leaders—leaders with integrity and a heart for God.

Encourage the members. Let them know that we are a worldwide church and they are integral to the body. They are not an abandoned little outpost of the church. Author John El­dredge said that “it’s the little platoons that change the world.”

E-mail messages can be sent to Mr. Franklin at jblaise22@compa.net  

During the recent crisis in Haiti, the church was greatly encouraged to receive messages of support from many parts of the world.

God cares about Haiti. He has not forgotten them. Neither should we.

Lessons From the Bible

The Gospel of Mark, Lesson 17
Mark 3:7-12

A Lesson About Appearances

 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” But he gave them strict orders not to tell who he was.

By J. Michael Feazell

Things are not always as they appear. That was certainly the case with Jesus. The crowd saw a miracle-worker, a remarkable man of God who could heal their diseases. They had come from all over the region, and the crowd was so thick that Jesus had a boat ready in case the crowd pressed him into the Sea of Galilee.

Crowds

Crowds are funny. Crowds don’t have brains like people do. Crowds can’t reason—they can only react, somewhat like an animal reacts. There may be voices of reason in a crowd, of course, but those voices are ordinarily as effective as shouting during a thunderclap.

When they heard all Jesus was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.

Ecstatic crowds have been known to stampede and trample people at soccer matches. Such crowds have even, at times, crushed their own players in a mindless rush of bodies. Angry crowds have destroyed property and murdered people. People in crowds often suspend good judgment and do things they would never do if they were alone and thinking.

Crowds can be thrilled one moment and furious the next. Crowds are unpredictable, and for that reason, potentially dangerous. Evil people can stir up crowds to do evil things. Likewise, good people can calm crowds and set the people in the crowd back to straight thinking. A town clerk once did that in Ephesus, which saved Paul’s life (see Acts 19:24-41).

Jesus knew about crowds. He took precautions, but he also knew that his time had not yet come. He knew he would be killed, but that evening at the shore of Galilee was not the time or the place. The time would be the season of Passover, and the place would be Jerusalem.

‘Son of God’

The crowd saw Jesus as a healer of diseases. The demons saw something else. “You are the Son of god,” they called out. Jesus ordered them to be silent.

It might appear that the term “Son of God” would have meant the same thing to that first-century crowd as it means to us today. It didn’t.

“Son of God” had several meanings in the ancient world. In gentile nations, it was not uncommon for kings to bear the title “son of god.” Kings of Egypt were “sons of Ra,” an Egyptian god. Many Roman emperors held the title, “son of god.”

In the Old Testament, however, the term “son of God” referred to someone especially near to God. For example, angels were referred to as “sons of God” (Job 1:6). Israel itself was called the “son of God” (Exodus 4:22; Hosea 11:1). God referred to the king of Israel as “my son” (2 Samuel 7:14). The king is referred to as the “son of God” in the second Psalm—“You are my son; today I have begotten you.”

Messiah

The demons knew that Jesus was especially dear to God. Maybe they even knew he was Emmanuel—God with us, or as John put it, “the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14), or as in Hebrews, the Son by whom God made all things (Hebrews 1:2), the express image of God’s person (verse 3).

In any case, Jesus told them to be silent.

Why didn’t Jesus want people to know who he was?

"Father, forgive them...." Jesus said. And the Father did.

Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the anointed one, the king, the Son of David, the Son of God. But God’s idea of Messiahship was radically different from the crowd’s idea of Messiahship. Grace and truth, sacrifice and love were the marks of authentic Messiahship. But a conquering king with mighty armies overthrowing the Romans and leading Israel to national greatness was the Messiah the crowd wanted.

A crowd praised Jesus on Palm Sunday.

A week later, a crowd, stirred up by evil men, demanded his execution.

Jesus wasn’t what the Messiah watchers were looking for. He had the popularity. He had the people’s imagination and loyalty. He had the charisma. He had the devotion and support of God, as witnessed by his miracles.

But to the most zealous of the Messiah watchers, to men like Judas, it became more and more evident that Jesus was a fraud, a stubborn fool who for whatever reason would not declare himself and take the reins of leadership. To them, Jesus was a supreme disappointment—a man who could have restored the fortunes of Israel but wouldn’t—a man who only appeared to be the chosen of God, a charlatan who was merely giving the people a cruel, false hope.

Savior

Jesus was not the Messiah they had been waiting for. Instead, he was far more than they could have ever dared dream or hope. He was more than they were yet capable of comprehending. He was YHVH himself, Immanuel, God With Us, come to his people as one of them, come to humanity as one of us all, come to deliver us all from the greatest oppression of all, come to restore us all to the household of God.

Mel Gibson’s movie about the crucifixion of Jesus has sparked debate over whether the Jews killed Jesus. The debate itself belies ignorance of who Jesus was and why he came.

Jesus was a Jew, sent to his own people to be rejected by his own people (John 1:11). Yet others of his own received him (verse 12).  Jesus was sent for the sake not only of Israel, but for the sake of the whole world (1 John 2:2). Does it make sense to blame Israel for being God’s chosen people? To do so is to blame God for choosing Israel—for choosing Israel as his precious instrument for their vital part in the ultimate salvation of the world. Jesus was the representative of all Israel, the true and faithful Israelite for the sake of all Israel, and it is as the perfect Israelite that Jesus represents before God all people in the world.

Every human is to “blame” for the crucifixion of Jesus, because every human has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). But Jesus gave himself freely, not because anyone “made” him, or because he “had” to. He did it because he loves humanity. It was God’s free grace toward undeserving sinners that led to Jesus’ crucifixion—undeserving sinners like you and me. The crowd that shouted, “Crucify him!” were no bigger sinners than those of us who sing “That Old Rugged Cross” on Easter morning. “Father, forgive them…” Jesus said. And the Father did.

Blame game

Would Christians who “blame” Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus prefer that Jesus not have been crucified? Would they prefer that he not have shed his blood for the sins of humanity and been raised from the dead? Jesus said of his life: “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father” (John 10:18).

Jesus’ crucifixion was God’s will, Jesus’ will. God loved the world—Jews and gentiles alike—so much, that he sent his “only begotten” (King James Version), or “one and only” (NIV) Son to save the world by dying and rising from the dead (John 3:16).

There is no sense, no logic, no Christian love, in the historical epithet “Christ-killers” that some “Christians” have leveled at Jews. Every human bears responsibility, Jew and gentile alike, for the death of Jesus, and thank God for it; it is through this self-sacrificial means, this supreme expression of divine love and intimacy with humanity, that God has saved us all and restored us to fellowship with him and with each other.

He is risen! The Jesus who in his rejection by us all cried out, “Father, forgive them; they don’t know what they are doing,” is the same Jesus who rose in glory and is our Advocate with the Father. He is the same Jesus whose Spirit moves us to love one another as he commanded.

Blame the Jews for killing Jesus? Blame anyone for killing Jesus? Nothing could be farther from the heart of Jesus than setting blame, for all humanity is to blame, and in Jesus, all humanity is forever forgiven for all sin. For this purpose he came, and for this purpose he lives that we all might live in him, blameless before God.

Appearances

It was an otherwise ordinary day by the sea. Except for the crowd, the healings and the shouting demons. When it was over, the people went home. They went back to work. They weren’t part of a crowd any more. They were people again; they could think and reason again.

They wondered about that day at the sea. They wondered who that amazing man was who healed the sick. They talked about him in their towns. He had inspired a sense of hope in them, whoever he was. Some said he was John the Baptist, come back to life. Others said the great prophet Elijah had returned. But things are not always as they appear.

The day would come when they would hear of this man again. And what they would hear would change everything.

Maybe you need to see beyond appearances too. It might appear to you that your sins have the better of you. It might appear to you that God is fed up with you, sick and tired of your falling short, ready to spew you out of his mouth and wash his hands of you.

Things are not what they appear. God loves you and always will. Christ died for us, Paul says, while we were still sinners (Romans 5:10). Jesus didn’t wait until you were behaving better before he loved you and saved you. Sin doesn’t stand between God and you—God already took that barrier away.

That means you can stop worrying and trust him. He loves you, he saved you and he’ll never let you go.

Don’t believe the lies your sins tell you—despite what your sins say, God does still love you, and he won’t ever turn his back on you.

So why not take your struggles with sin to him—in faith that he’s already forgiven you—and trust him to help you become more like him? He’s right beside you.

Youth Ministry

Disciplemaking ministry foundations (part 5)

Communication of the Word

By Ted Johnston
National youth ministry
development team co-director

CANTON, Ohio—This article continues a series examining the foundations of disciplemaking youth ministry. These foundations are essential characteristics that establish ministry environments within which the Holy Spirit advances our Lord’s Great Commandment-Great Commission work.

This month we look at communication of the Word—the foundation that leads to Word-directed disciples.

In writing that “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16a) Paul reminds us that God

Scripture is a tool of the Spirit to bring us to Jesus. To study Scripture apart from this purpose is to miss its message.

 inspired the writing of the Bible. He also notes that the Spirit uses Scripture to make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (3:15b).

Indeed the focus of the Bible is the gospel—the good news of God’s gift of salvation in Jesus. This salvation is a gift (we can’t earn it), and we receive and continue to experience this gift as we place our trust (faith) in Christ Jesus. 

Within this essential Christ-centered, gospel-focused context, all Scripture (including the Old Testament to which Paul specifically refers) is, indeed, “useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work” (3:16b-17, NRSV).

A disciplemaking youth ministry cooperates with the Holy Spirit in this equipping by skillfully and persistently presenting the gospel through the teaching of Scripture. As young people encounter the gospel, many who are lost are found; many of the found begin to grow; and many grow to where they become equippers of others—ably using Scripture to ad­vance the Lord’s disciplemaking good work on earth.

As youth ministry workers and parents, our challenge is clear. We must present the gospel through the teaching of Scripture in ways that engage our children, teens and college-age young adults. Thank God that we have access to many great teaching resources to assist us.

If you haven’t done so recently, why not visit a good Bible bookstore to examine some of what is available? If you’re looking for resource recommendations, feel free to contact me at Ted.Johnston@gci.org.

Also, I encourage you to attend one of this year’s WCG regional conferences, which have displays of youth ministry teaching re­sources and some break­out sessions concerning teaching children and teens. In addition, you may have the opportunity to at­tend one of our YouthBuilders seminars in your area.

Let me hasten to add, however, that there is no magic teaching resource or method out there. More than any specific resource or approach, we who are teachers (including parents) need a profound and continuing personal encounter with the Word of God.  

Effective teachers prayerfully spend time getting to know God in the Scriptures, and then share how his Word has impacted their own lives. This is essential because our goal is to see Scripture transform lives, not merely inform minds. And so we, as teachers, must personally study the Bible and allow it to transform our lives.

Filled with God’s Word, we then seek to teach effectively the gospel-centered message of Scripture to our students. In that regard, let me share an approach that I have found to be quite useful in teaching youths of all ages (and adults too!). It’s a way to structure your lessons with your students in mind. This approach is summarized in the acronym HBLT, which stands for hook, book, look, took.

Hook

With any audience (youths in particular) you have only a short time to connect. The purpose of the hook is to grab attention. In designing your hook, ask yourself, how will this lesson be relevant to my students? How can I help them be­come excited about this lesson?

In short, start by connecting with the real interests and needs of your students. What’s on their minds? What are they struggling with? What are their joys? Their sorrows? Their frustrations? Connect using a hook—often in the form of a story, perhaps a piece of music, maybe a testimony from one of the students or from your own life.  

Book

The focus of our teaching must be Scripture. Our goal is to get youths into the Word so that the Word might get into them. But a word of caution—the Bible is diverse; it covers a lot of territory and spans thousands of years. Certainly all Scripture has tremendous teaching value—but remember the purpose for all Scripture—it is given to us to lead us to Christ.

Jesus himself told some experts in the Hebrew Scriptures (what we call the Old Testament): “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).

Scripture is a tool of the Spirit to bring us to Jesus. To study Scripture apart from this purpose is to miss its message. So get your students into Scripture, but do so to get them connected with Jesus’ life and his gospel. To do so is to have what might be called a Christ-centered, gospel-focused approach to teaching. That’s what we want because that’s what our students need.

As you discuss a particular passage or story from Scripture, make it interesting. Make it an experience—not merely a presentation. Remember how students learn at various age levels and teach in ways that will involve and excite them at that age. Drama is a wonderful tool. Rather than merely reading a passage of Scripture, lead your students in enacting the scene. 

Also, don’t be afraid to help your students memorize passages of Scripture. Young minds are like sponges, and helping them soak up Scripture will help plant gospel truth into their impressionable minds.

Look

The purpose of the look step is to provide a bridge from Scripture into the lives of the students. It’s vital for students to understand clearly how the wisdom and power of Scripture applies to the real issues they face day to day. By constructing this bridge you’ll help students understand that Christ is the living Savior who cares about them personally and that his way is relevant to their daily lives. 

A helpful approach is to share your personal stories (and those of others) to illustrate how the gospel has changed your life. It’s also helpful to engage them in a group discussion of how the passage of Scripture being discussed relates to contemporary life.

Took

In the final step the teacher moves from illustration to application (from look to took). An encounter with the Word of God is not complete without an appropriate response. And so the teacher lovingly, yet clearly invites a response by presenting example applications of what is being addressed in the passage being discussed. Multiple examples are best, because it is rare for one application to be universally relevant. By offering multiple examples, students are encouraged to be open to the work the Spirit will do to apply the teaching to their individual lives.

To help in the application process, it’s effective to provide follow-up opportunities to implement the lesson learned. For example, a service project might be conducted through which students live out a teaching on serving others.

As youth ministry leaders and workers, let’s commit to growing in our ability to establish and maintain the ministry foundation of the communication of the Word. As we do, we’ll see our students become more and more Word-directed in their daily lives. In this way they will mature as disciplemaking followers of Jesus Christ.

Bible Study

Israel's Opportunity
for Salvation:
a study of Romans 10

By Michael Morrison

 In Romans 9 to 11, Paul deals with Israel’s role in God’s plan. Does the new covenant mean that God no longer has a special interest in the Jewish people? Since salvation is by faith, is there a role left for Israel? In chapter 10, Paul develops but does not answer the question.

Israel’s failure

Paul begins by expressing his hope that the Jews would accept the gospel: “Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved” (Rom. 10:1, TNIV throughout). Paul wants his own people to be saved.

Humanly speaking, we would expect the Jews to do quite well: “For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God …” (v. 2). But the problem is that “their zeal is not based on knowledge.”

What knowledge did they lack? “They did not know the righteousness of God.” They knew that God is righteous, but they did not know how he would count humans as righteous. They therefore “sought to establish their own.”

This verse contrasts a righteousness based on the law, and a divine righteousness that comes through faith (9:30-31; 10:5-6). The Jews aimed at righteousness through their covenant with God, a relationship the Gentiles did not have. The Jews, focusing on the law, could not see a different means of righteousness, and could not see God working with other people.

As a result of looking to their works, “they did not submit to God’s righteousness” (10:3). God’s righteousness must come by grace, not works, and as long as people look to what they do, they fail to accept the gift of righteousness the gospel reveals.

So Paul concludes: “Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes” (v. 4). Some translations say the “end” of the law; others say the “goal” of the law. If Christ is the end of the law, the law has come to an end. If Christ is the goal of the law, then the law points to Christ.

Both goal and end can be supported by other verses, but which emphasis did Paul intend here? Perhaps he meant both meanings. In a race, for example, the goal is also the end. When we reach the goal or purpose of some endeavor, the project is finished. The TNIV uses a different word: culmination or climax. Christ is the supreme expression of what the law was. Now that we have him, we do not need the preliminary, for he is the means of our righteousness.

Paul’s conclusion is clear: Righteousness cannot be obtained through the law. Rather, it must be 1) given through Christ, 2) received by faith rather than works and 3) available to Gentiles as well as Jews. When it comes to salvation, Jews do not have special privileges. The law, which was unique to Israel, is not the means of salvation.

In verses 5 to 10, Paul will elaborate on faith, and in verses 11 to 13, he will emphasize that it is available to everyone.

Contrast between law and gospel

Paul supports his point by quoting Leviticus 18:5: “Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: ‘The one who does these things will live by them’ ” (v. 5). The old covenant included faith, but it emphasized obedience. Since no one could do everything the law required, it could never be a means of righteousness. The new covenant, however, is based on faith, so it succeeds where the old covenant could not.

“But the righteousness that is by faith says: ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” (that is, to bring Christ down) or “Who will descend into the deep?” ’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead)” (vv. 6-7, quoting parts of Deut. 30:4, 12-13). Moses told the Israelites that God did not choose them because they were righteous, so they should have known that God could reveal himself to sinners, including Gentiles.

Moses told the Israelites that the commandments are revealed rather than hidden. God’s word for them was readily available. Paul applied this principle to Christ and the gospel—the word of God in the gospel is easy to obtain.

“But what does it say?” Paul asks in v. 8, and then he quotes Deut. 30:14: “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart.” Deuteronomy goes on to say “so you may obey it,” but Paul does not quote that, for he is applying the principle to the gospel, not the law. He says instead, “… that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim.” The message about righteousness through faith is not hard to get.

Paul shows how accessible true righteousness is: “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (v. 9). Paul is not giving a new formula for salvation—he is showing how the words mouth and heart apply to the gospel. It is Christ (not the law) that should be in the heart and mind.

“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved” (v. 10). Here, Paul puts faith and confession as parallel ideas, not distinctly different, and he puts justification and salvation as roughly equivalent terms. The law required obedience, but the gospel requires acceptance.

Everyone is invited

“As Scripture says,” Paul notes in v. 11, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” This is quoted from Isa. 28:16, which says that God will lay a cornerstone in Zion for a sure foundation, and people who have faith in this cornerstone will not be found short on the day of judgment. Paul quoted the entire verse in 9:33; here he just repeats the part about believing in Christ as the key to salvation.

Paul then repeats a favorite theme: “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’ ” (vv. 12-13, quoting Joel 2:32). Salvation comes by calling on the Lord, looking to him for salvation. In Joel, the Lord was Yahweh, but Paul uses the verse for Christ, showing that he accepted Jesus Christ as God.

Salvation comes by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord. The problem is that Paul’s own people are rejecting the message. He highlights this in verse 14: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?” They have to call on the Lord to be saved, but if people think he is a crucified criminal instead of the Messiah, they won’t call on him.

“How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?” (vv. 14-15). This is a general sequence of preaching and salvation. But the problem can’t be solved simply by sending more preachers—preachers have already been sent, and most of the Jews still haven’t believed. So where in the sequence is the problem for the Jews?

Israel hears but does not believe

In verse 15 Paul shows that messengers were sent: “As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’ ” This is quoted from the Greek version of Isaiah 52:7, which uses the common New Testament verb for preaching the gospel. In Isaiah’s day, the good news was the prophecy of the people being restored to their land.

Paul says in verse 16: “But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah [53:1] says, ‘Lord, who has believed our message?’ ” People didn’t accept the message back then, either—it is an old problem.

Isaiah says that the message has to be believed—it’s a matter of faith, one of Paul’s favorite topics. He says in verse 17: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Here, Paul seems to be completing the evangelistic sequence of verse 15. People need to hear the message before they can believe it—but simply hearing the message does not always lead to faith. 

In verse 18, Paul asks: “Did they not hear? Of course they did: ‘Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.’ ” This is quoted from Psalm 19:4, which says the heavens declare the glory of God. So if the whole world has heard the message, the Jews have also heard.

“Again,” Paul asks in verse 19, “Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says [in Deut. 32:21], ‘I will make you envious by those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.’ ” Yes, Israel understood, but they failed, and God told them in advance that he would work with other peoples. And this key verse revealed to Paul what God was doing in Paul’s ministry: He wanted the salvation of Gentiles to make Israel envious, so the Jews would then accept the gospel.

“And Isaiah boldly says, I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me” (v. 20, quoting Isaiah 65:1). Isaiah is talking about wayward Israelites, but Paul applies it here to Gentiles. If God can reveal himself to disinherited Jews, then he can do it to anyone. So God turned away from the zealous, and blessed people who didn’t even know to ask.

Paul concludes the chapter by saying, “But concerning Israel he says, ‘All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and obstinate people’ ” (v. 21, quoting Isa. 65:2). God did not want the Jewish people to go astray, but they would not listen. Israel had an opportunity for salvation, but most were refusing it.

But does that mean that God has given up on them? Certainly not, Paul says. But that is in chapter 11, and we’ll see his conclusion in our next issue.

Richard and Diane Gross:
growth and development seminars

The WCG News interviewed Richard and Diane Gross of Spencerport, New York, during a visit to Pasadena. Jesus has given them a growing ministry, and we wanted to share the scope of that with our readers. Richard and Diane attend the Rochester, New York, church.

 WN: Would you both share an overview of what you do and how the ministry started?

Richard: We both have been privileged to do many things for the church going back several years. We began this ministry in 2000. It is also the year I was healed, our house emptied of our children and the year we organized our companies.

Diane: The ministry takes several forms. Through both of our companies, LifeHouse Beacons, Inc., which is my company, and Let’s Talk Jesus Enterprises, LLC, which is Richard’s, we do growth and development workshops and seminars.

We take people through experiences designed to make plain various ways to live a more confident and peace-filled existence in God. We also seek to raise awareness of the issues that stand in the way of such a life.

Richard: Let me list the workshops we do at present: The Practical Art of Forgiveness; Destiny Management—Paths for Women; The Practical Art of Being a Man; Gender Reconciliation; The Practical Art of Releasing Fear and Anger; Marriage and Parenting; The Practical Art of Life Success.

Two others are strictly associated with Let’s Talk Jesus Enterprises, because they are overtly Christian in their orientation: The Practical Art of Educating Church Youths and The Practical Art of Discipling Others.

We also provide workshops for teens and youths. We also create and tailor workshops for specific needs. If we feel that we’re not qualified to address a specific area, we’ll help find someone who can.

Richard: LifeHouse Beacons is set up to appeal to the secular, or unchurched, audience, many of whom want nothing to do with “church.” Let’s Talk Jesus is decidedly Christian oriented. Either way, to the believer or the non-believer, we are always dealing with God’s word. One way strengthens Christians in their walk. The other way opens a door to God’s principles to teach a healthier and wiser way of life, and to grace.

WN: How did you come to discern your ministries?

Diane: In November 2000, we started doing these workshops. I had been experiencing a leading by God for a while to quit my job and follow a new career that he would show me.

One day my company decided to send me to a business summit as a representative of the company for two days. I was surprised when the first night of the summit the facilitator stood up in front of 360 business people from all over the world and said: “If you want to be truly successful, then you have to figure out why God put you on this earth, and what he specifically has for you to do. Until you do and get in alignment with what he wants you to do, you can never be truly successful.” This was the theme for the entire weekend.

Through a series of events, God clearly showed me what I needed to do. When I came home and got off the plane I told my husband, “I have to quit my job.” He asked, “Why?” I told him what had happened, and he fully supported me.  We have been doing these workshops ever since. This was about a month after Richard’s healing.

Richard spent many years battling mental illness. It almost destroyed our marriage. In 2000, Richard asked for and received a healing. He became a different person.  He was no longer in the bonds of fear and discouragement. In that year he formed his company and did things he would never have done.

Richard: I was told that part of the healing was to witness it, and I soon came to realize that all of our experiences were for the benefit of others. Same for Diane, but she had already known it. It was necessary for me to be healed so I could be transparent and vulnerable, placing confidence in the Creator, proclaiming the glory, power and hope of God in every way.

WN: Can you tell me a little about any of the workshops?

Richard: I think the workshop that is closest to my heart is The Practical Art of Being a Man. There is so much misunderstanding about what it means to be a man. Male roles are shifting in society, and have been for a few decades.  Some of those shifts are good, some are not so good, but all off them have contributed to muddying the waters regarding what a Christian man is supposed to be. 

What the Practical Art of Being a Man deals with is best summed up in the acronym I use for the workshop, C-H-R-I-S-T: Commitment, Happiness, Responsibility, Intimacy, Strength and Trust. It is excellent for beginning, supporting or charging up men’s ministry.

Diane: The Practical Art of Forgiveness leaves me in awe of how God touches people’s hearts. I have seen healing miracles in people’s lives and relationships during this workshop. We seek to help people understand the vital difference between forgiveness and reconciliation, what forgiveness really is, what stands in the way of forgiving. A major part of what we do that many other workshops don’t is provide tools to help people overcome their obstacles and learn how to forgive.

We get frequent comments to that effect. The Forgiveness workshop, by the way, is our contribution to our community, and is given with no fees attached.

Richard: Diane’s Releasing Fear and Anger workshop is great. People learn the God-given purpose of anger and fear and the appropriate, balanced uses of these emotions. They are also shown ways to begin dealing with their own emotions more responsibly, learning ways by which they can begin to walk more fully by faith and not by emotion.

Diane: The women’s workshop (Destiny Management—Paths for Women) is basically to help women assess where they are in their lives—what’s working and what’s not working, and why. This involves areas where they may be stuck. We then go through a process that helps each woman crystallize for themselves where they would like to be in order to truly live the lives God has called them to. Then we discuss what needs to happen for them to get from point A to point B.

WN: What experiences or training prepared you for this ministry?

Richard: Educationally, I have a bachelor of art’s degree in education and English literature. My first master’s is in education, and I just received my master of divinity degree. Added on, over the course of my career, are numerous workshops and additional courses in education, psychology, suicide prevention and intervention, counseling, supervision and much independent research and study.

Experientially, I have taught high school for nearly 30 years. In the course of that time, I have worked with parents and students, supervised staff, created programs, written curricula, linked with agencies, sat on boards, and have just been involved in a broad array of activities working with people.

I am a hospice chaplain. Ministering to dying individuals is an incredible spiritual and educational experience. I also work in job development with disabled individuals.

I’ve had my share of traumatic life experiences. For my 18th birthday, a number of my dorm mates burst into my room and sexually gang-assaulted me. The experience stayed buried in me for more than 30 years until it fully surfaced at a workshop and retreat a couple of years ago. 

A year after that sexual assault, my brother was killed in Vietnam. I can’t begin to tell you the trauma of losing him. He was my closest friend and like a surrogate father. About a year after that, I was assaulted, nearly losing an eye. I have also had my portion of the usual, and not so usual, issues such as rejections, disappointments, estrangements and conflicts.

Much time has been invested deconstructing and understanding my issues. God has truly created a new person, but the memories of my former life can still serve others. Our experiences are worthless unless we share them for the benefit of others. We are too often afraid to be vulnerable and transparent, especially as men. Yet, in vulnerability and transparency there is strength. Diane and I both know the pain people suffer.

Diane: I grew up with a terrible home life. I experienced sexual, physical and emotional abuse. I was even a teen runaway, living on the streets of Los Angeles for a while. I took drugs and lived a pretty wild life. 

After I came into the WCG my life-style calmed down, but I was still scarred and devastated emotionally. My daily life was a wreck even though Jesus was now part of my life. I became anorexic and developed obsessive compulsive disorder. Plus my husband was bi-polar, clinically depressed and on his own emotional roller-coaster.

Life was not fun. God is faithful, though. Even when I felt he wasn’t with me, Jesus was guiding me. He was preparing me for the work he had planned for me. I have been a business executive and presently do communications and conflict resolution consulting work in addition to the workshops.

The Lord was teaching me how to cooperate with his healing work in my life. I am convinced that Jesus desires to heal all of us, but sometimes we do things that block that healing. Lack of forgiveness is a good example. It is impossible to heal when we harbor unforgiveness in our heart.

It is my passion to share with others the things I have learned as the Lord has healed my soul. I believe it is his desire that we never waste an experience, but that we use every experience to help edify the Body and all humanity and give glory to God.

WN: Could you summarize the core of the concepts you put forth in your workshops?

Richard: We have a life that Jesus has laid before us, and if we don’t commit to it, it is meaningless. It is our personal re­spon­­sibility to surrender to Jesus. I can’t tell you how short I feel our perspectives often are on what it means to commit.

Also, we need to stop looking at other people, organizations, circumstances, past history, traumas and even Satan, and blaming them for what we are. We have been given grace and have been made new. We no longer need to live under the influence, under the bondage, of the past. The acceptance of personal responsibility for my actions has been the most freeing experience of my life.

Diane: Personal responsibility, accountability and the application of true love are how I summarize the general thrust of most of our workshops. The important key, though, is that all the workshops are not merely theoretical or abstract in nature. They are designed to allow people to begin actually applying the principles to their own lives with greater success, right in the workshop.

WN: What makes your workshops special? Why should anyone want your workshops?

Diane: Because God “breathes” on the workshops and touches people’s hearts. We know it is God and no other. There is no way we, as humans, can reach people at the depths that are plumbed and the levels that are reached.

Richard: I believe God has gifted us, individually and especially together. Our workshops are penetrating, exciting, fun for us and the participants, creative and practical. Participants leave changed, and that is a gift, too. Our workshops are a safe place to change. When one tries change in the world, they often pay a much higher price. And we care very much about people. We have many comments to read on our web sites.

WN: How does someone get in contact with you?

Diane: My web site is www.LifeHouseBeacons.com. You can telephone me toll free at 1-866 LifeHouse (543-3468) or send e-mail to me at info@LifeHouseBeacons.com. Richard’s web site is www.LetsTalkJesus.com. You can call him toll free at 1-866 Why Jesus (949-5378) or send e-mail to him at info@Lets TalkJesus.com or richard.gross@ wcg.org.

Update:
News of people,
places and events

SUNDAY CHURCH PLANT—J. Michael Feazell,
WCG national publications director, speaks to a
new church congregation Sunday, March 21, in
Rancho Cucamonga, California. Neil Earle (far left)
pastors the congregation, along with the Glendora
church. www.ienewcovenantfellowship.org
[Photo by Susan Earle]

 Champlin, St. Paul members
prepare for Palau campaign

CHAMPLIN, Minnesota—During the last several months, members of the Living Hope (Champlin) and New Life (St. Paul) churches have been learning about evangelism and preparing themselves for a Luis Palau campaign in St. Paul Aug. 7 and 8. More than 400 churches are participating.

“Our members have volunteered to work with youths and be on prayer teams and other ministries,” said Pastor Doug Johann­sen. 

Karen Doyle

Karen Doyle, a speaker and area representative for Stonecroft Mini­stries as well as a representative of the Luis Palau festival team, accepted an invitation to speak to Champlin and St. Paul members Feb. 14 and 15.

Here are some excerpts from her message: “You and I are the preachers, you and I are the ones sent. We are evangelists—not like Billy Graham or Luis Palau or a street corner evangelist. Not all of us are called to be that type.

“There are types of evangelists. We each have a different type.” She went on to explain that there are at least eight types of evangelists and that these types would be discussed in detail in evangelism training sessions. “Take these classes and you will learn what type of evangelist you are. You will learn how to use your type to meet other people. Being an evangelist is simply reaching out and telling others about Jesus Christ. God gives us instances, opportunities in our lives.”

“Did you know that 85 percent of people who come to know Jesus Christ come because they have a re­lationship with someone?”

Urging us into friendship evangelism, she continued: “If you are in school, are you talking to just the people who believe the way you do? If you’re in your office, are you going to lunch with just the people who are Christians? Are you reaching out to people who don’t know Jesus? We need to develop a relationship with them. When we gain their trust then we have the opportunity and privilege of sharing Jesus Christ with them.”

Tuscumbia program helps girls
with unwanted pregnancies

TUSCUMBIA, Alabama—Each year, Faith Community Church, the WCG congregation in

Roland Stanley

 Tuscumbia, participates in the Shoals Save-A-Life Baby Bottle program as one of its community help projects.

Each person who takes a bottle agrees to donate the amount they can collect in three to four weeks. Contributions are usually daily pocket change, but can be currency or checks. Save-A-Life is a Chris­tian program to counsel and assist girls through unwanted pregnancies. As the name im­plies, the intent of the program is to save the babies. The program collected more than $120,000 during the 2003 campaign in churches and schools. Roland Stanley.

Mooroolbark, Australia,
church active in community

FAMILY EVENT—Teens serve free ice cream before movie.

MOOROOLBARK, Australia—After several years of taking what seemed like uncertain and faltering steps, the Mooroolbark Christian Fellowship (MCF) in Victoria has become an increasingly active part of the Mooroolbark community over the past two years.

As the congregation’s networks have developed, the church has found itself playing a facilitating role in bringing many groups in the community together in practical ways.

MCF’s community presence be­gan several years ago when the church began meeting in the community center after other meeting places became unavailable. Although the congregation had been involved in the community for some time, from the beginning of 2002 partnerships have increasingly been forged between the congregation and the community center, as well as with the traders association, community groups, school

MOVIE NIGHT—Families arrive for movie night.

 communities and other churches.

As a congregation, we have been graciously welcomed by pastors and members of several churches, and have been involved in regular cooperative ventures. 

Many of the church’s networks have been developed through a quarterly magazine, Living Today, which is delivered to all Mooroolbark households (about 7,000). Living Today highlights and celebrates success stories and community initiatives, as well as promoting community services of our own and other churches’ activities designed to serve the community.

Each edition also features a lead article discussing a Christian value or principle in general terms and familiar language. A companion article inside presents a more overt Chris­tian perspective on the same topic, along with contact details for follow-up literature. Randall Bourchier.

Buford church encourages
regulars and newcomers

BUFORD, Georgia—Buford Fellowship Church, pastored by David Whited and Terry Cohron, has em­barked on a new program to encourage regular at­tendees as well as bringing new babes-in-Christ into the church.

We have initiated a monthly Wednesday evening Bible study, and weekly Sunday Bible studies. We have also started monthly men’s breakfasts with accompanying Bible study.

We have retained our monthly potluck dinner.

On Feb. 29, we were blessed with a performance by a group of musicians called “The Trumpet Ensemble.” They performed several numbers and were conducted by our own Sally Stratton. We had 30 visitors and a total attendance of 71. Whit Russell.

Rey Taniajura elected to
relief group board of directors

Rey Taniajura

MANILA, Philippines—Rey Taniajura was elected to the board of directors of PHILRADS (Philippine Relief and Development Services, Inc.) March 15.

The organization serves as the relief and development arm of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC).

It seeks to en­able and equip local churches to minister to the poor and needy.

In addition to providing relief and livelihood assistance, it also helps set up community development projects and child development centers.

Elected chairman of the board of PHILRADS is Dave Sobrepena, general secretary of the Assemblies of God church in the Philippines.  Elected vice chairman is Felipe Ferrez, president of the Fours­quare Gospel churches of the Philippines. Arlan Aquino.

Wilson women conduct worship
at elder care home

WILSON, North Carolina—The Wilson women’s ministry conducted a Christmas service at the Piney Wood Elderly Care Home in Ahos­kie, North Carolina.

Helen Johnson, women’s ministry coordinator, opened the program with a thank-you for the invitation. Doris Murphy led worship with Altrovise Terry at the piano. Women’s ministry members combined their voices in songs of praise.   Lauretta Lewis invited everyone to the throne of God in prayer.

Stella Whitley extended a welcome to staff members, the wo­men’s ministry group and the 22 residents in attendance. Beatrice Askew gave personal recognition to the residents. Doris Murphy sang “O Come O Come Emmanuel,” after which her husband, James, read a poem, “Music on Christmas Morn­ing,” written by Anne Bronte.

Linda Terry read Isaiah 40:10-11, followed by Phyllis Smith, who read Luke 2:8-14. Markie Braswell lit the Advent unity Candle of Christ, followed by a reading by Toy Braswell.

Lisa Askew played Silent Night on an electric keyboard.

Then, Helen Johnson delivered a message titled “You Are Not an Accident.”

Stella Whitley gave a response to the message, with a grateful heart of being able to get to hear the message and get to know the women of the Worldwide Church of God. Helen Johnson.

WCG members attend
children’s ministry workshop

PASADENA—Fourteen members  from three of the WCG Pasadena  congregations (NewLife Fellowship, Community Life Fellowship and Pasadena Spanish) attended the Connecting Kids to Christ Workshop March 20 at the Foothill Community Church in Covina, sponsored by Children’s Ministry magazine.

The  workshop started with us finding the “One Thing” that is needed to connect kids to Christ. This “One Thing” is starting and developing a lifelong friendship with Jesus as the core of children’s ministry from nursery to preteens. Participants did a lot of fun-filled learning activities to aid in teaching lessons to children.

The morning was spent on learning how to renew and strengthen your relationship with God so your ministry would be an overflow of your life and then developing a clear goal and strategy to accomplish God’s call for you. Participants then learned how to master creative ways to help, know and follow Jesus as their forever friend.

In the afternoon, participants were grouped in the specific ministries where they serve (nursery and preschool, elementary, preteen and leadership) and helped each other (using a workbook) by sharing their experiences in groups of four.

The seminar wrapped up with participants committing to connect kids to Christ through everything they did.

For further information or to find the location of the workshop nearest you, visit the Children’s Ministry magazine’s web site at www.cmmag.com/cmml2004 or call them at 1-800-888-5991. The more people who attend, the lower the registration fee, and each paid registration includes a one-year subscription to Children’s Ministry magazine. Ezer Maninang and Nancy Akers.

Cambridge women plan retreat in July

CAMBRIDGE, Ohio—The Cambridge women’s ministry will be host for a retreat July 23 to 25 with a theme of “The Master’s Table.”

The cost will be $90 per person. A non-refundable $45 deposit is needed by June 15.

Attendees will see the passion play The Living Word.

Speakers will include Lyn Mills, who will talk about planning to survive widowhood. Rose Harless will speak on Heaven’s Grocery Store.

Please contact Lyn Mills at 5254 Skyline Dr., Cambridge, Ohio, 43725; phone 1-740-439-7037; e-mail cambridgemom@yahoo.com.

Pastors, ministry leaders
defend marriage in Manhattan

DEFENDING MARRIAGE—Pastors and ministry leaders, including Daniel Bierer, WCG pastor, gather on the steps of City Hall in Manhattan March 29 to proclaim the biblical definition of marriage.

NEW YORK, New York—More than 300 pastors and ministry leaders gathered on the steps of City Hall in Manhattan March 29 to proclaim the biblical definition of marriage.

Five hundred congregations were represented. Several WCG members were present, including Daniel Bierer, pastor of the Manhattan, Westchester and White Plains, New York, churches.

“Participants came with an attitude of repentance, humility and love to acknowledge that the moral decline of our culture is primarily the fault of the believing church due to its passivity and indifference in regards to the societal needs at large,” Mr. Bierer said. “Matthew 19:4-6 was read in defense of the traditional biblical view of marriage.”

Joseph Mattera, founder of the City Covenant Coalition, led the press conference and prayer rally that followed. Roderick Ceasar led the group in singing praise songs on the steps of City Hall.

Manhattan Community Church, the WCG congregation in Manhattan, is an associate partner of the City Covenant Coalition.

Response from Bulgaria

BONN, Germany—“We received several letters from readers of the Bulgarian magazine Swiata Istina, who express their gratitude for the magazine,” said Alois Mair of the German Office.

A pastor of two evangelical congregations wrote: “For several years we read your free Bulgarian magazine Swiata Istina. With this letter I would like to ask you for several copies for my brethren.

“Many believers need Christian literature. I am an evangelical pastor in the village of Marinka, 15 kilometers away from Burgas and in the village Panichareno, 30 kilometers away from Burgas.

“The people there are gypsies. My wife works with 50 children, ages 5 to 15. These children need Chris­tian literature, materials for children, pencils and books for their education. The unemployment rate and poverty are devastating, therefore spiritual literature, the spiritual light, helps a lot for the strengthening of our faith and our hope.

“I have pastored these villages for 13 years, and we are happy to see that you sacrifice your money, your time and your talents for God. With great joy we will pray in both villages for you! The Lord bless and expand your work!

“We would like to receive 50 to 60 copies of your magazine. We ask for booklets and New Testaments. We bless your work and your sacrifices for God’s Work in Bulgaria.”

Nikolay Nikolov, our friend and partner in the gospel in Bulgaria, together with his family and friends, visited the pastor and his congregation. They donated 100 New Testaments, Swiata Istina magazines, 200 Christian calendars for 2004, toys for 100 children, food and clothing.

Mr. Nikolov also informed us that a WCG information brochure in Russian is ready for printing.

“These are exciting developments,” Mr. Mair said. “God seems to be opening new doors for the gospel in Bulgaria, and we are privileged to have a part in it. Your prayers that God’s will may be done are appreciated.” Alois Mair.

 
PTM COURSE COMPLETED—Beatriz Manalad (center, left photo) receives certificate Feb. 21 from Jim Roberts, San Francisco pastor, and Hazel Roberts for completing PTM’s Experiencing the Word course. [Photo by Jun Caranto] At right, Pastor General Joseph Tkach and his wife, Tammy, along with John Siston (left) present certificate to John Shrewsbury.

 1980s Imperial High School reunion
set for Dallas

DALLAS, Texas—If you were a student attending Imperial High School in Pasadena in the 1980s, you are invited to renew old friendships and make new ones at the Imperial High School (IHS) 1980s Reunion in Dallas, July 9 to 11.

The IHS reunion will take place at the DoubleTree Hotel Dallas Near the Galleria, 4099 Valley View Lane, Dallas, Texas, 75244. Call 1-800-222-TREE (1-800-222-8733) for reservations and mention you are with the Imperial High School Reunion to get our special room rate of $75 a night. (Free shuttle service is available from DFW Airport by using the hotel courtesy phones in the baggage claim area.)

The cost for the reunion is $45 for each adult. Children are free. Please make your checks payable to Liana Scott and mail to Liana Scott, 1717 E. Belt Line Rd. No. 1312, Coppell, Texas, 75019. A dinner-dance is planned for Saturday evening, July 10. Your reunion fee covers all costs. A family based event will take place Sunday, July 11, so bring your spouse and kids!

Please reserve your room and send in your reunion fee as soon as possible. We would appreciate knowing how many plan to attend. Also, if you know someone who attended Pasadena IHS during the 1980s, please pass this information along. For additional information, contact Amy Anderson-Wendland (amywendland@sbcglobal.net) or Liana Graham-Scott (liana.scott@ celanese.com).

Women inmates baptized in Philippine prison

PAMPANGA, Philippines—Iron bars and prison walls did not prevent the Word of God from entering the prison cells for women at the Pampanga Provincial Jail. Pastor Carlos Castro explained the gospel to the inmates Feb. 16. Visiting team members were padlocked in the cells along with the inmates during the Bible study.

On March 3, nine women in­mates surrendered their lives and put their trust in Jesus Christ and affirmed their allegiance through baptism. Rudy Sultan.

Pikeville church plans citywide youth event

PIKEVILLE, Kentucky—The Pikeville WCG congregation is the main thrust behind JULY JAM (Jesus Unconditionally Loves You. Just Ask Me.), a youth outreach scheduled for this summer. Several churches are participating.

The outreach will take place in the city park every Friday evening during the month of July from 8 to 10 p.m. Each evenin will feature area bands, a message and a youth drama team.

Pastor Tim Brassell will speak the third Friday. Cameron Mills, former University of Kentucky basketball player, will be the featured speaker for the final night. Light refreshments will be available and free things given away each Friday. There is no cost for this event.  

JULY JAM will give church members an opportunity to share God’s love with the youths in our area.

For more information, please call Mike Stewart at 1-606-639-6102 or send e-mail to him at mike.stewart@gci.org.

Not too small to do great things in the Lord

MICHIGAN CITY, Indiana—The Michigan City church, which averages 30 people in attendance, is sponsoring 10 young people for the Spiritual Enrichment Program (SEP) in Illinois this summer, and they are still looking for ways to send more.

“This is as a result of the burden felt by two of the members for young people,” said Pastor Michael Houghton.

After the 2003 regional conference, Cleone Colvin and Jody Brinkeman approached Mr. Houghton with what they called a “crazy idea.” They said they wanted to minister to young people. This was  “crazy” because this congregation had no young people at all in regular attendance.

The congregation worked to organize a youth day celebration of Jesus with youth messages and activities and a potluck featuring hot dogs and macaroni and cheese. Attendance that day was 28 adults and 19 young people. From zero to 19 in one event was extremely encouraging for the two women, so they decided to push on.

A fund raiser allowed the congregation to scholarship young people to SEP.

“Listening for the voice of the Lord and being willing to follow his lead will always produce great things,” Mr. Houghton said. “These two ladies built a ministry from the ground up simply because they were willing to follow the Lord.

“The Lord is working in mighty ways in the WCG, and it is a great privilege for all of us to be a part of what he is doing.”

Copyright © Grace Communion International, 2004