January
2004
Preach
the Word
The inspired words of the Apostle make the sound of an emergency vehicle coming speedily down the highway: “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:1-5 NIV).
These were some of the last words Paul wrote. He knew what was coming and he wanted people to be in the know. Today we often hear of preachers who simply say, “I just preach Jesus.” Isn’t it interesting that Paul didn’t say that here. Other places he spoke of preaching Christ, (usually that is referring to the heathen) but here, in speaking of the church, he seems to broaden the scope. The fact that the New Testament contains so much more than just the four gospels indicates that there is more to preach than just Jesus. He is the hub of our message at all times, but the spokes encompass so much more.
Walter Scott, called by some the “Voice of the Golden Oracle,” and a great Restoration Movement leader, said that the gospel was fourfold: “Facts to be believed, Commands to be obeyed, Promises to be enjoyed, and Threatenings to be avoided.”
How interesting it is that much of the New Testament is made up of books that were written to correct problems in the church. In the above passage the evangelist is told to “preach the Word.” He is given instructions that, in the face of those who teach what is not right, he is to correct those things.
Often times in our churches today there will be a class or series that deals with the cults and what they teach. This should be done. Often times in our churches today there will be a class or series that deals with some of the religions in the world (Islam, Buddhism, etc.). This should be done.
Often times in our churches of yesterday there were classes or series that dealt with what was being taught in the denominational churches. This should still be done.
Often times in our churches of yesterday there were classes or series that dealt with what was being taught in some Restoration Movement churches and colleges. This was done, but not enough, because when the great schism occurred in our Movement in the middle of the last century, it caught many not knowing the issues and brought a state of confusion to many congregations. Christians asked, because of being kept in the dark, “Why can’t we all just get along?” But by that time things had deteriorated to where there could be no fellowship between light and darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14).
Preachers (evangelists) and elders, take seriously the task that God has given you. Educate yourselves so that you know not just scripture, but also what is happening in the brotherhood right now. Preach the Word!
Mini-Messages....Current Thoughts and Trends is a
magazine that culls other magazines for items of interest and importance. Our
readers will be interested to know that this last year they have reported on
many articles that have appeared in the Restoration Herald. You may be
also interested in knowing that we
received a request for the bound manuscripts from the first three Symposiums
that were sponsored by the CRA from the Princeton Theological Seminary
library. I find it interesting that we can get noticed and make some sort of
an impact without compromising our core beliefs....Make sure you check out
American Rehabilitation Ministries’ websites at www.arm.org and
www.abarc.org. Not only do they
have some interesting information about their work, but you will also find
some good Bible study materials....Rolland Steever is a regular columnist of
this paper. With each column he
usually sends a note. Here is the note he sent with the column on page 18.
“In a conversation I had with J.D. Murch a short time before his death, he
told me that at one of the conventions, he was sitting with McLean, who
assured him that he did not agree with nor endorse the new direction of the
Disciples. He was then well up in
years and at a time when conservative voices were not allowed to speak.
Pity that the good man had to put up with things at the last part of
his life that ultimately destroyed the whole fabric of the Restoration
Movement. If only our present
generation could learn from that!”....Some may be a bit surprised to see the
article on page 6. Last year, we
carried an article by the same author on the same subject (NACC). We thought
it only fair that if we printed the one from last year that we should also
print the one from this year. Personally,
we have heard many good things about the music part of the NACC this year.
That was to be expected. Bob Russell and the crew from Southeast
understand and know how music is to be done and used.
We compliment them on a wonderful job.
We also heard some good things about Rick Atchley’s message on
repentance. We thank Bill Welker for his timely review of the NACC....In many
church papers, we find that prayers have been requested for the President of
the
Februar
The National Missionary Convention
This is being
written the day after the National Missionary Convention hasclosed its meeting
in
Across from the CRA booth was a mission that works on the other side of the world. I talked several times with the great-grandson of the founder of the mission. Also across the aisle was a camp that works hard to influence young people to use their lives in the service of Christ.
On one side of us was a Christian college devoted to raising up preachers to work in the harvest fields all over the world.
On the other side was a
booth representing a mission working in the
We got to visit with
interesting people from all over the world. Leah Moshier stopped by.
Leah and Dolly Chitwood started an orphange (Kulpahar Kids’ Home and
Another I was so pleased to
meet was a gentleman who stopped by the booth. His story is that he had just
returned from
Stories abounded from all over the world. People came from many different backgrounds simply to attend. We had several opportunities to explain the Restoration Movement to some attending from other religious groups. We also provided reading materials for these searchers.
Next year, the National
Missionary Convention will be in
We don’t have a report on the final figures, but the display area included more than 450 spaces. (Two observations from the display area: 1. From the looks of some displays, their mission coffers are full to overflowing. 2. Care needs to be taken in who is allowed to come and speak and/or display. There was at least one Charismatic denominational group there, handing out materials and gathering names and addresses.) Over 162,000 registered as a show of support. Over 1,900 teens attended. There were 23,000 name badges made. One preaching service had well over 7,000 in attendance.
Walter Birney is the unassuming Director of the NMC and does an outstanding job year after year in putting together the nuts and bolts of the convention. He is ably assisted by his wife, Iva Lou.
Mini-Messages...Preachers
need to be careful as to what meetings they recommend to their people.
Those who plan meetings need to be careful as to whom is allowed to
lead or speak or display at such meetings.
The problem spoken of in the December issue (article by Phil Young)
were caused in part because some people, from one of our congregations, were
encouraged to attend a denominationally led meeting in California.
The warning given in James 3:1 has to be applicable not just to
teachers, but also to those who allow false teachers a speaking place or
encourage people to hear such teachers....The November, 2003, issue of The
Australian Christian, a journal of Churches of Christ in Australia,
reported news of the recently held Sunstate Convention made up of the
associated churches of Christ in Queensland. The theme of this largely
debating/business conference, was “The Next Level.” Here is a quote from
that report which may be of interest to you: “Other motions discussed by
the Conference included separating baptism from membership, which was approved
after much debate.” A number of Bible believers in churches of Christ in
March 2004
Tribute to Jim Willoughby
I cannot give adequate information about the early days of James L. Willoughby. I met him when he and his wife, Virginia, placed their membership with the congregation where I was ministering. I had called in their comfortable home and found out that they owned their own business. It was what brought that business into being and what they had done with it that is the real “Rest of the Story.” Here is the way he related it in a “Faith-Promise” program at the church.
Years before, he was attending a congregation and became convicted during the “Faith-Promise” program at that church, that he needed to make more money so he could give more money to missions. He tried an upholstering business, but that didn’t do what he wanted. A friend approached him with a problem he was having in making something he needed. Jim said, “I can make that.” He did, and from that he developed some suction cups.
After making his new
suction cups, he needed a way to market them.
Jim said, “I put my suction cups on a coat hanger and went to
According to Jim, the salesman put the cups in his desk drawer and forgot about them. Then one day, a customer came in complaining about how quickly the suction cups he was getting from the salesman were wearing out. The salesman immediately reached in the desk drawer and pulled out Jim’s suction cups, gave them to the disgruntled customer and said, “Here, try these.” The customer did and was pleased. He represented the Kraft corporation. From that point, Jim’s business flourished.
Jim and Virginia kept their
“Faith-Promise.” Missions
became the over-riding reason for Jim’s life and business.
A visit to the business showed how important missions was in Jim’s
life. Two complete walls in his
office had nothing but pictures of people from around the world that he had
helped and maps of certain areas of the world.
He was especially interested in Southeast Asia and made many trips to
Once, when I was about to
leave for a trip to
Twice, he asked me to visit
The accouterments and the
luxuries of success were not important to him.
He drove an old Ford Taurus that needed to be replaced.
The business makes industrial suction cups. He was very successful at what he did. In fact, Jim told me that a man had come by his office a year or so ago and told him that he was now the number one suction cup producer in the world. Jim said that he had no idea. But more than suction cups were made there. If you have seen the blue plastic fish banks that IDES has used for years, know now that it was developed and produced by Jim.
Jim and Virginia did not wait until they were blessed to start using the resources God had given them. No, they made a commitment before they had anything that they would serve God and whatever He put in their hands they would use for Him. They kept this commitment. Thousands have benefitted from one couple’s faith-promise commitment.
I called and asked him to give his testimony at church during a “Faith-Promise” program we were having. He said, “No, I’m not a public speaker. I’ve got a heart problem and just can’t do it anymore.” About an hour after we hung up from our conversation, the phone rang and it was Jim. He said, “God’s been so good to me, I guess I have to do it.” What a blessing that testimony was and still is.
Jim would be embarrassed by this column. He wanted all glory to go to God and that is where it is going. It is just that God works through his servants in ways that can be an encouragement to others. For that reason we have told just a part of this story. To tell the whole story would take more pages than we have in this issue. You may not have known or heard of Jim Willoughby before you read this, but he is known in heaven and in quiet places around the world that worship the true God.
Jim went to be with the
Lord on December 3, 2003. He was
returning from a trip to
“Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them’” Revelation14:13 (NKJV).
Mini-Messages....We
received a letter in which a
former missionary sent his thanks for 20 years of receiving the Restoration
Herald. He said in
part, that the RH “gave
us a sense of the pulse(s) of the Restoration Movement. I don’t always agree
with everything you print (and I suspect you would be skeptical of
unquestioned acceptance since you seem to place a high priority on critical
thinking.). Now that we are back in the US, I see even a greater need for
responsible nay-saying such as found in the pages of the RH...The
non-instrumental brethren have the luxury of dozens of periodicals while
we...[don’t]...Keep up the responsible nay-saying!”....Former Senator Bob
Dole was interviewed recently. The
interviewer asked why, when he was running for President, he didn’t attack
President Clinton like so many politicians do to each other.
His comment was classic. He
said, “I viewed him as an opponent not an enemy.” Lawyers will argue a
case in court and then eat lunch together.
Why can’t Christian discuss differences without feeling that the
other person is an enemy? How many
churches would not have split if Christians had discussed differences in a
mature way. The Devil is our
enemy. The brethren are not the enemy....Pray for your elders this week. LM
April 2004
A Sad Verse
There are many sad verses of scripture. In Luke 15 there is one that tells of the older brother hearing of his young prodigal brother’s return, and it says, “But he became angry and was not willing to go in; and his father came out and began pleading with him” (15:28 NASU). How sad that someone would not rejoice with his father when the father’s child and the brother’s brother had repented and come home. How sad that a father would have to beg a child to rejoice and join a party celebrating a loved one’s return. I wonder if we have those in our fellowships who refuse to rejoice when an erring child has come home? (Have you ever seen someone leave just before baptisms?)
3 John 9, is another sad verse. The apostle John writes, “I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say” (NASU). Here we find those so caught up in their own importance that they will not share what the apostle wrote with the congregation. This too has its modern counterpart when some refuse to preach or teach from the Word. In effect they are saying that their words are more important than that of an apostle. This also takes place when Bible college professors refuse to give credit to the writers of Bible books, but count on their modern scholarship to know who the “real author” was.
When it comes to sad verses
of scripture, I think that none can be sadder than I Kings 19:18.
It is a message of hope to Elijah, but at the same time it is a sad
message: “Yet I will leave 7,000 in
The thing that is so sad about this is that Elijah felt that he was alone. That should never happen to God’s servants, and yet it happens all of the time. Scores are the men who have occupied pulpits who leave or get broken, because they feel that they are alone.
How much better it would
have been if that 7,000 would have been on top of Mt.
There is so much going on in the world right now that calls for Christians to take action. One brother wrote and said that he thought the Restoration Herald should send a letter to all of our churches telling them about things where we all should be taking a stand and writing a letter. He is correct that there is so much more that Christians should be doing.
I drive around the country and see 10 Commandment signs in yards, but is there more that we can and should be doing?
Abortions abound and there are those who picket, but is there more that we can and should be doing?
Pornography runs rampant and there are those who try their best to close the outlets of this garbage in our society, but is there more that we can and should be doing?
Lawmakers propose not just silly laws, but laws that harm the family, children, and marriage. Radio personalities speak about these things and we wring our hands over the whole corruption of society, but is there more that we can and should be doing?
Television makes stars out of flaunting homosexuals and tries to throw their life styles in our faces. We talk about how bad it is, but is there more that we can and should be doing? How many called or wrote to CBS after their Super Bowl half-time show?
Bible colleges change their focus to producing “Christian leaders” rather than preachers (an economic and ego driven move) and we simply cry, “Why isn’t someone doing something?” We forget that we (the individuals in the church) are someone.
There are things that can be done. There are organizations that can help keep us all informed about various needs concerning family and law matters such as Focus on the Family, and the American Family Association. We need to be informed and we should take the responsibility to make sure that we are informed. There are questions that can and should be asked of individuals and organizations. If they want money, then they should be more than willing to answer questions.
What I am saying is that there are times when we all get the Elijah complex and feel like we are alone. We are unaware that there are others who believe as we believe and feel as passionately as we do. The way to deal with this is to stay close to God in Bible study, prayer and obedience. And when we see something that is wrong, something that needs to be corrected, something that should be changed, then take a stand. Write a letter. Make a phone call. Send an e-mail. Begin to inform others. And when we do, my guess is that you will find that you are not alone, but there are others also, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.
Don’t hide in a cave like Elijah. Stand on the mountain in sight of all. Listen to the voice of God through the Word. Get back to doing His will.
I wonder if the 7,000 had
stood beside Elijah on
Mini-messages....On
page 18, Kent B. True asks, with tongue in cheek, “Why not baptize your own
babies.” As silly as that
sounds, there was an article in the Spring 2002,
Stone-Campbell Journal, published by
College Press and edited by a professor at Cincinnati Bible Seminary on
“Infant Baptism and the Boundaries of Christian Fellowship.” The
concluding paragraph said, “If Churches of Christ (a cappella) and
I read somewhere that someone once asked the philosopher Ludwig
Wittgenstein how it could have been that people could have been so
stupid to have believed that the sun revolved around the earth. He is said to
have responded, “I agree, but I wonder what it would look like if the sun
really did revolve around the earth?” The point being, that it would look
exactly the same.
For some time now we have been concerned about what seems like a move to take our churches and form them into a denomination (shades of restructure of the 1960’s). A guest speaker at the 2002 NACC said, “Don’t be afraid to call yourselves a denomination.” I wonder if he was coached to say that.
The October issue of the Restoration Herald carried a strong article concerning “The Subversion of a Movement and The Betrayal of the Churches.” For some it may have been too strong, thinking that things like this can never happen. After all, we learned our lessons in the middle of the 20th century concerning these things, but new kings have taken the throne who have not known Joseph.
Joe Carson Smith identified
(Restoration Herald, October, 2003) three “players” that are
directing us down this road to denominationalism.
They were identified as the Christian Standard, the North
American Christian Convention, and the Church Development Fund originally
based in
Let’s take another look at these. First there is a cross pollination at the top of these organizations. The two editors of the Christian Standard, and a past editor, are on the 10-person Board of Stewards of the NACC. The Executive Director of the NACC is on the 10-person board of Church Development Fund and the Chief Executive Officer of the Church Development Fund is on the Board of Stewards of the NACC. The President of this year’s NACC is automatically on the Board of Stewards, but he also serves on the Board of the Church Development Fund. 2 I’m sure that these are honorable men, but in a brotherhood as large as we have, why must so few hold so many positions?
Yes, they have said that they refrain from voting if something comes up involving their other institution, but how difficult it must be for those who do vote to vote against something that relates to the organization of their fellow committee men.
Christian Standard says that it does not accept advertising, yet these three organizations have gone together to sponsor “The Blueprint Tours.” Advertisement for “The Blueprint Tours” in its pages automatically gives advertising to the NACC and the Church Development Fund. Funny how that works.
The NACC was never to become an ongoing ministry, but thus it became one with just a vote of a few people. It was never to have joint relationships with other organizations, but that has gone by the way side. Allow me to quote from a March, 2000, RH editorial3: “The NACC adopted a document in 1969 called the NACC History and Purpose. It was published in 1973. Part of that document says, ‘It (NACC) shall have no affiliation with parties, factions, agencies, institutions or special interests; neither shall it seek to imprison the fellowship of Christian brethren within the frontiers of any single form of human organization’.”
Have such affiliations developed? One preacher wrote to the CDF asking how much money it was giving to the NACC each year as a “Ministry Partner.” The answer came back that the CDF had entered into a “confidentiality agreement with the NACC” and thus could not divulge that information. Doesn’t the NACC belong to the people?
The CDF, although having
done many good things in our brotherhood, now seems to want to control larger
segments of our brotherhood than just their own growing businesses of making
loans, buying property, designing buildings, etc. Now they have created a
“Nationwide Church Planting Ministry” called Stadia. The goal is to bring
all local church planting organizations under the banner of Stadia and thus
the CDF. With this, Stadia is
expected to “provide a unified, organized approach to church planting by
finding, training and deploying individuals who are committed and qualified to
serve as church planters across the country.”4 This
is wonderful! A national organization based in
Here is some history to
ponder. In the early days of the Christian Restoration Association , we sent
evangelists all over the country, to start churches in areas of the country
where we had few churches. We did not have local evangelistic associations in
those days. These men would go
into a community, rent an auditorium, and then start a three or four week
revival. When the revival was
over, there was a nucleus for a new congregation.
During a ten year period, CRA evangelists started 122 congregations.
One evangelist was sent to
It is an age old argument of whether a large centralized government is better than a small local government. We tend to think that people in a local area know their needs better than someone in an office many miles away.
It has also been widely reported that the CDF has tried to add an already on-going seniors ministry to its stable. They have reached some sort of mutual agreement with that ministry at the present time. Already there are CDF ads appearing quite prominently in seniors’ programs and magazines. Seniors would be a great source of income to the CDF. There is, of course, nothing wrong with helping seniors, but all of this under one entity is dangerous for the independent welfare of our people and Movement. Again, these are honorable men, but even honorable men make mistakes in judgement. What decisions will those in coming generations make? Will they go farther than their honorable predecessors did?
More and more we seem to be moving in the direction of becoming an evangelical denomination. It used to be that once in a while a “guest” (code for “denominational”) speaker would be at the NACC. That number has been increasing at a steady rate until this year the NACC is advertising 12 “guest” workshop leaders.5
But now comes the piece de resistance that shows where this train is going. The Executive Director of the NACC made a presentation to the presidents of the Bible colleges in February of this year. He was proposing or announcing that the NACC is adding to its work something called “Ministry Connect.”
1. A minister, looking for a church, will pay a one-time fee of $130.00 to be added to the program. He fills out an extensive personality and doctrinal belief profile designed around a computer program that projects leadership strengths.
2. A church, looking for a preacher, pays $595.00 when it has a staff opening. The church describes the opening and fills out a related computer program questionnaire to identify the type of leadership characteristics the church is looking for.
3. The NACC/Ministry Connect then provides up to ten candidates, selected ostensibly through the computer program, (controlled by someone at the NACC) that provides the best match for the church. The Executive Director of the NACC felt that since it is all done by computer there is no potential for abuse. (Anyone want to buy some good “swamp land?”)
One Bible college president referred to this as a “national placement service.”
Perhaps these men are not moving us toward a denominational status, but to paraphrase the words of Wittgenstein, “I wonder what it would look like if they were?”
Endnotes:
1.
The Church Development Fund is based out of
2.
Information checked and correct as of November 2003.
3.
Go to our website: thecra.org. to read previous editorials.
4.
Cornerstone, vol 24, number 4, winter 2003, published by the Church
Development Fund.
5. Christian
Standard, February 15, 2004, p. 7.
I Don’t Like Death
This issue of the RH carries announcements of the death of several of God’s saints. I don’t like death! Yes, I know that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8), but death means separation. Death separates those we love from us.
At Christian deaths we have heard people say, “No need to cry, after all we know where he is.” Knowing where someone is does not make the time of separation easier.
Paul, in speaking of death (1 Thessalonians 4:13), does not say “don’t mourn.” No, he says that as Christians we don’t mourn in the same way as others mourn. We have hope!
How interesting that when Stephen, the first Christian martyr, died the Bible says that devout men carried Stephen to his grave and made “great lamentation over him.”
T.R. Applebury, the late
beloved professor of
As Christians we know Who holds our future, and know that our future is secure because of the resurrection of Christ. But right now in this flesh I still don’t like the temporary separation.
Clarence Greenleaf
Feb. 23, 1915 – March 5, 2004
People are usually remembered for what they do and not just what they say. Thus it is in my memory of Clarence Greenleaf. I had known who he was from afar, had heard him preach several times, but at that point we had never really met.
It was at the NACC in 1987 that I got what has become a lasting picture of Clarence. We were walking to a hotel for a college reception. The life-squad was in front of the hotel. I later found out that a man at the reception we were about to attend had passed out. They were there to care for him and take him to the hospital. I saw Clarence Greenleaf approaching the hotel from the side. He was alone. Every eye was probably watching the life-squad, but for some reason my eye was fixed on Clarence. When he saw the man carried by the life-squad, Clarence stepped even more into the shadows than he had already been, leaned against the side of the hotel, bowed his head, put his hand to his forehead, and in that quiet place prayed for the man.
I had been busy watching what was going on, but Clarence got involved in the very best way. It was clear as to why he started the National Prayer Clinic. Clarence believed in prayer and prayed. I watched him and learned.
Mini-Messages....Joe O’Neal
has written some books about Clarence Greenlearf, including a tribute book,
and collected some of his sermons. You
may find out more about these by e-mailing
Joe at nybias@fast.net.
These are items that you will wnat to have....We hope to have further
tribute to Lewis Foster in the next issue of the Herald. Lewis was a
CRA trustee for 49 years....This issue also carries the news of the
passing of
July 2004
An Open Letter to Paul S. Williams
Dear Paul
As you know, March 29, 2004, I received the following e-mail.
“It has become a concern of churches in the Northeast that the Orchard Group, formerly the Go Ye Chapel, has financially supported a Baptist church plant in lower Manhattan with funds given by Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, and has placed an intern, a recent graduate of Lincoln Christian College, with the church plant, Mosaic Manhattan. I personally have heard Greg Farrah, the Baptist church planter, affirm his belief in eternal security and his belief that baptism has no part in the salvation process.
Please see the following links to make the connection between the two organizations.
http://www.westernrecorder.org/wr/wrsite.nsf/stories/200410-Manhattan
http://www.gycm.org/NYVenture/NYVenture-Winter02.pdf (scroll down to page five)”
After reading the materials I wrote to you and said:
“The following information was recently sent to me in an e-mail. Is it correct? From looking at the two web-sites, it seems to be, but I thought I would come straight to you to find out for sure.
“Hope you are well.”
You wrote back:
“Your
source has provided you with incomplete and inaccurate information. I would be
happy to give your source the correct information directly.
“Every supporter of Dustin's work at Mosaic Manhattan and every dollar spent
in administration toward that work has been received as "restricted
giving" by churches fully aware of the nature of our relationship with
the church.”
I wrote back the same day:
“Thanks for the quick reply, Paul. Please allow me to ask just a couple of questions:
1. Is this really a partnership between GYCM (Orchard) and a Baptist group?
2. Is Gregg Farah (sp) really a Baptist?
3. Is he the lead man in the plant?
4. What do you mean "restricted giving?"
Thanks. Hate to bug you but want to give the proper answers to the questioner.”
Your answer was:
“I
would prefer to avoid any triangulation. I find direct responses tend to provide
less confusion. I would suggest it would be inappropriate for you to respond
directly to a situation in which you are not personally involved, particularly
if the individual or individuals in question have not taken their questions
directly to those who are personally involved.
“Dustin is an intern who will plant a Christian Church/Church of Christ after
his invovement (sic) with Mosaic is completed. Dustin's beliefs are fully
compatible with Restoration Movement teachings.
“As you are probably aware, "restricted giving" is the development
term for funds that cannot be used for any purpose other than the purpose for
which they were designated. All funds received for both Dustin and our
administration related to Dustin have been so restricted, as are the funds for
every other project we support. No unrestricted or General Fund monies are being
used for this project.
“The beliefs of the church are clearly spelled out on their web site.”
I wrote back:
“I'm sorry if this is troubling to you, but the fact is that your paper told of GYCM starting two churches in Manhattan. You say in your column that Mosaic Manhattan is "the first church of the partnership." Yet, nowhere do you say that the lead person in this partnership is a Baptist.
“The other website that the correspondent sent me tells about the same man and claims that he is a Baptist. Do all of your supporters know that Orchard is starting a Baptist church? You say it is the first of two that you plan to start in 2004. Why is there no mention of Gregg Farah being a Baptist in your literature? Was that information in another issue of NY Venture?
“Inquiring minds want to know.”
I never received a reply after that. I did notice that you sent CC’s of the correspondence to Mark Taylor, Brent Foulke, Brent Storms, and Dave Smith, but I am not quite sure why.
Paul, you hold several responsible places in our brotherhood. Not only are you the President of the Go Ye Chapel Mission (Orchard Group), but you are also an Editor-at-Large with Christian Standard. And If I remember correctly, you were on one of the two original committees that helped bring about the Board of Stewards of the NACC and have been on that Board since its ill-advised inception. What I am saying is that you are an important person who has the ear of many people.
I have also heard you tell of how long your family has been in the Restoration Movement and that you have a great love for it.
Yet, now it seems that GYCM has helped to start a Baptist church in Manhattan. Your paper, NY VENTURE (Winter 02) tells how you are partnering to start this congregation. You even say that, “...we hope to see at least two churches planted in Manhattan by 2004. Mosaic Manhattan, the first church of the partnership, will begin public services next spring.” I take it from that you are claiming the Mosaic Manhattan congregation as a part of the new church plants of GYCM.
You said: “The beliefs of the church are clearly spelled out on their web site.”
Well, I checked that out and what I found was:
5. About SALVATION
Salvation is a gift from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by
self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God́s
offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sińs penalty. Eternal life
begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith. Romans 6:23;
Ephesians 2:8,9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1
6.
About ETERNAL SECURITY
Because God gives man eternal life through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure
in the salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of
God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power
of God that gives this security. John 10:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25;
10:10,14; 1 Peter 1:3-
They have another section on baptism that says:
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9.
About BAPTISM and the LORD'S SUPPER (Communion) Unless I am mistaken, there is nothing there that says that Baptism is integral with salvation. Instead, what I read is a totally Baptist view of the salvation process. Correct me if I am wrong, but if their view on salvation is Baptist and the lead church planter is a Baptist, then isn’t this a Baptist church that GYCM has helped to start? Paul, I notice that at the NACC in Phoenix a person from “Mosaic” in California is speaking. Is this where the name “Mosaic Manhattan” came from? Is the man in Manhattan and the one in California connected by “Mosaic?” Is this another Baptist who will be speaking at the NACC? Paul, I needn’t remind you of the historical and scriptural differences that we have had with the Baptists. Please remember that Alexander Campbell fellowshipped with the Baptists after he left the Presbyterians, but the relationship “went south” when the Baptists realized that Campbell preached baptism “for the remission of sins.” That wasn’t the only difference. W.T. Moore said that the differences included: 1. The work of the Holy Spirit in conversion, 2. The differences between the Old and New Testaments, 3. Ordination and authority of the ministry, 4. Method of administration and frequence of the Lord’s Supper, 5. The means of receiving remission of sins, 6. The Trinity, 7. Christian experience connected with conversion.1 These are some major differences. These are more than just shades of gray.2 I have looked through the materials that are public from Go Ye Chapel Ministry and find no mention that this partnership is with a Baptist group. Is it mentioned? Where have people been told this? As one who holds several positions of leadership among our people, I think it is important that we know where you stand. Many have been troubled by the direction of the NACC the last few years. Many have seen a change in the Christian Standard since January 2003. Can we draw the conclusion that all of these changes paint a mural of what you and a few others would like for our brotherhood to become? Is your leadership trying to move us away from a New Testament position to an evangelical denominational position? A few answers to the above questions would sure help. In His service and yours, Lee Mason 1. Dean Mills, Union on the King’s Highway, (Joplin: College Press, 1987), p. 52. Similar lists are found in Union in Truth by James B. North, published by Standard Publishing, 1994, pages 116-117; and P.H. Welshimer, Concerning the Disciples, ( Cincinnati: Standard Publishing, 1935,by P.H. Welshimer, page 72-73. 2. Shades of Gray, “And So It Goes,” Christian Standard, April 18, 2004, p. 16
August 2004 Can We Learn History’s Lessons? I have never understood those who say that they do not like history. Granted, there have been history teachers who taught dates rather than history. That kind of thinking will turn-off most people. I am sure that more than one teacher has approached students saying that "history" is really "His story." It is the story of God and His people and how they have worked through the years. History cannot be boring when it is a story of people; people who lived and were important enough to do something that changed the course of mankind on this earth. Every historian approaches the subject with certain biases. The maxim in studying history is to also study the historian so one can tell from where he is coming and what some of his biases might be. Restoration history is thrilling! The story of men of God who rejected man-made creeds, names, and books and chose to follow Christ, wear His name, and follow only His book, often at much loss, can set the heart a stirring.
One of my predecessors here at the CRA was James DeForest Murch. Murch has both supporters and detractors concerning his various ministries. Be that as it may, he wrote a history of our people called "Christians Only" published by Standard in 1962. It is a shame that the book is out-of-print at the present time. For the rest of this column I would reproduce quotations from pages 286- 291, from the chapter entitled: Leftist Status and Growth, that speak to our present time and trouble. He is speaking of the Disciples of Christ and their move toward denominationalism. Restucture was just beginning to take place. Read these quotes in the light of what has appeared in this column the last several months. "Friends of the present Convention system insist that it is thoroughly democratic in purpose, organizational structure, and operation, and that it has no motives or future intentions beyond those stated in the Preamble. They see all nonco-operative elements in the brotherhood as unduly concerned for the autonomy of the local congregation and about incipient ecclesiasticism. They feel that the critics of the Convention have a spirit less than Christian and that they misrepresent it because they themselves are not in a position of leadership" (p. 286). "The International Convention is, to all outward intents and purposes, the denomination" (p. 286). "The Convention is responsible for the publication of the annual Year Book which lists Christian churches and churches of Christ...the ministers and other full-time Christian workers, and contains the reports of it affiliated agencies." (Ed.note: See: www.Christianchurchtoday.com.) "Lately, a tendency has been noted to eliminate names of ministers and statistics of churches which do not support ‘the recognized agencies’" (p. 288). "The Christian Board of Publication was admitted to membership in the I.C.C.C. (International Convention of Christian Churches) in 1952. The proposition of a ‘brotherhood publishing house’ had been a matter of debate in the Convention since 1907....Traditionally, all publications serving the Disciples were privately owned because of the fear that the editorial pronouncements of ‘official’ journals would be construed as ‘the voice of the brotherhood’....it has now become for all intents and purposes a part of a denominational structure" (p. 288). "The three major agencies which withdrew from the U.C.M.S. retained affiliation with the International Convention and elicit support far beyond the Leftist orbit of the I.C.C.C....The Board of Church Extension serves the churches through (1) loans to churches for the erection of new buildings...the purchase of sites for new buildings..." (p. 289). "Besides the agencies mentioned, the International Convention lists other ‘Co-operative Relationships’" (p. 290). "The impressive denomination-like machinery of the International Convention...becomes more firmly entrenched in the life of the brotherhood with the passing of years" (p. 290). "They seek ecclesiastical status and are willing to make concessions which will promote ecumenical achievement. Their strong supporters in local churches are of similar timbre. In earlier days, the leadership of these churches had strong doctrinal commitments and held them passionately and aggressively. Today sound Biblical doctrine, the meaning of church membership, and commitment to the Restoration cause are sometimes deemed less important than social status and business success....they (members of such churches) frequently cannot hear Biblical preaching" (p. 290) They are "zealous ecumenicists. They believe the movement which had its origin with the Campbells, Stone, Scott, is primarily a unity movement and that its chief function is to merge and unite....In their zeal for the ecumenical church they overlook, minimize, or pervert, the historical basis of unity proposed in the early days of that movement....They are schooled in the new science of ecumenics which has to do with world community....With the same cleverness which enabled them to gain control of the major educational institutions...they are now working toward the accomplishment of ‘world mission’" (p. 291). Compare the above to what is happening today and ask yourself, "Do we have to go through the same things all over again?"
When you get this issue of the Herald, we will be just a little over a month away from Symposium 2004. I do hope that you plan to attend this gathering. Our theme this year is: The Word Speaks. We are living in a time when "sound doctrine" is often neglected. The purpose of this year’s biennial Symposium is to examine some of the basic doctrines that we desperately need to understand in order to grow in Christ. Dr. Jack Cottrell says of this study: "The doctrines we are focusing on in this study bring to mind the question, ‘If your house caught on fire, what would you save first?’ Many expensive, beloved things would be passed over at first because some things simply take priority in this sort of situation– financial records, pictures, and mementos, for instance. In a similar way, we are dealing here with the ‘first things’ of Christianity, the bull’s eye of Christian faith, its most fundamental truths." The teacher, the preacher, the elder, and the person in the pew will be helped by the careful study that these men will present. Leading off as our first speaker on Thursday afternoon at 2:30 will be Dr. Jack Cottrell speaking on "The Reality of Truth." In an age of subjectivity, can there be, and is there, objective truth? If there is, what is it? Our next speaker at approximately 3:30 p.m. will be Chuck McCoy dealing with the topic "God Is." In a time when people deny the existence of God, Christians now, more than ever, need to be prepared to give an answer for the hope they have. Our banquet will be at 5:00 p.m. Denny Coburn will act as master of ceremonies while Tony Sullivan will be our speaker, and his wife Suzanne will provide special music. At this time we will be honoring Jim Greenwood, Don Nash, Denver Sizemore, and George Stansberry with the Sword and Trowel Award. At approximately 7:30 p.m. we will convene to hear David Eubanks, popular president of Johnson Bible College, develop the theme, "God Has Spoken." What should, and does, it mean that the eternal God has spoken to His creation? Our next speaker will be around 8:30 p.m. At that time Larry Oetzel, Vice-President of Louisville Bible College, will lead us in a study entitled: "Jesus is God’s Son." At a time when it is not popular to even mention the name of Jesus, Christians need a fresh view of God’s greatest gift to man in the person of His Son. Friday morning we will begin with a continental breakfast at 8:00 a.m. where Dr. Russell James III, will be speaking. Dr. James is the President of Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, MO., and is very concerned about the direction that many of our colleges are taking. At 9:00 a.m. Dr. Harvey C. Bream, Jr., will be leading us on the topic of "Jesus Is the Only Savior for Man." When the world tries to tell us that there are many ways to God, we shall be reminded that Jesus is God’s only answer for man and his sin. At approximately 10:00 a.m. Paul Nichols, chairman of the CRA board and evangelist with the Lynn, IN, church will deal with "We Are Saved by Grace through Faith." No subject is discussed more and understood less by the evangelical world than this one. At 11:00 a.m. Kerry Allen, past-President of Bluefield College of Evangelism and Executive Director of Person to Person Evangelism will preach on the theme "We Are Saved At Baptism." At a time when Reformation thinking is leading the way in many of our churches, he will deal kindly and honestly with the subject of the importance of baptism. Our final speaker at 12:00 p.m will be Mark Fugate from the fast-growing Bright Christian Church who will lead us in the grand theme of the Second Coming by preaching on "Jesus Is Coming Again!" A discussion time will close out the program. We do not have a lot of music at this meeting, but what we do have is done with great excellence as Art Bush takes the lead. Cost for the Symposium is $25.00 per individual or $30.00 per couple (one set of manuscripts); $12.00 for college students. Tickets to the Thursday evening banquet are just $16.00 per person. No nursery is provided for this meeting. Mini-Messages....Sorry about the mix-up on names in the July mailing. A computer somewhere caused the problem....I just received word of the death of Dr. Reuben Bullard, formerly a professor at CBC&S. Dr. Bullard taught the first college class I ever had. What an encouragement as he helped build our faith in God and His Word. He was a rare and very talented man who will be greatly missed....Don Nash’s commentary on Acts is finally here. This is an ideal book for anyone. It has plenty of special studies that could stand alone as books themselves. Order yours today from the CRA....We have scheduled only one seminar at the CRA for this fall because of the Symposium, but it is an important one. Chuck McCoy will be dealing with the end times. He calls this seminar: "I Want to be Left Behind." Reserve a place early for this time of learning. See page 8 for the ad....Don’t just send your young people away to college. Send them with prayer and keep in contact with them. College can either make or break a young person. Pray. LM
The Ukranian preacher was probing to understand American Christians. He asked me, "Do you have an order for your church service?" "Yes," I replied and then went on to tell him our order of service. His next question was: "How long is your service." My answer was: "About an hour to an hour and a half." He replied, "Then you [Americans] don’t like preaching." The typical Ukranian service lasts from two to three hours with as many as three men speaking. The first is a short sermon (10 to 15 minutes) which is used to introduced the theme for the day. This is followed by a longer sermon. Then comes a shorter sermons, usually delivered by a senior preacher, which straightens out anything wrong in the first two sermons. What he said about us not liking preaching bothered me. I thought about it and went back to him with what I thought was a possible explanation for their longer service and three sermons. The Communists allowed them to have services, but not individual classes like our Bible school hour. This was because the communists did not have enough KGB agents to be in each class, whereas one agent could cover and report on one church service. When we add the time and teaching of Bible school to the church service, we come much closer to the "time" by which the Ukrainian preacher was making his comparison. I do like preaching. In fact, I think that most of our people like real preaching, i.e., preaching that comes from a study of God’s Word and is delivered in a heart-felt way. Good preaching does not have to be flashy to be good. I admire both the styles of the "flaming" evangelist as well as the style of the teacher as long as they have something to say that comes from the Word. From all indications our people also appreciate good preaching. There were over 40 different preachers who preached at the Delmarva Family Camp this year. Hillsboro Family Camp featured about 25 sermons. And the preaching at both of those events was outstanding. It seems to be that preachers are getting into the Word and allowing the Word to speak. The crowds at both of these camps, and many of the others Family camps just seem to keep growing each year. Could it be the preaching? Granted there are some who do not like preaching. Jack Hyles, the late Baptist preacher of Hammond, Indiana, used to tell of a woman who told him that his yelling hurt her ears, to which Hyles replied, "I have an idea it is not my yelling as much as it is what I am yelling that bothers you." I don’t know of many preachers who "yell" anymore, but those who preach the Word will bother some people, which may be why some circles want to and have cut back on preaching. Symposium 2004 will have some of the very best preaching/teaching that our brotherhood has to offer. The messages will be dealing with foundational issues and will be presented by men of integrity who love Christ and His Word. If you love good preaching, please attend Symposium 2004, October 21-22, at the Manor House Banquet and Conference Center in Mason, OH. Register today and reserve your spot. Mini-Messages...We have restocked the Gareth Reese commentaries (see page 5). We sold out at the Hillsboro Family Camp.They would make excellent Christmas gifts. Another great Christmas gift is Jack Cottrell’s, "The Faith Once Delivered." Call the CRA and place an order right away....Prayer Clinics are wonderful meetings for our men— excellent preaching and wonderful times of prayer. Check the Calendar on the back page and plan to attend one....Psalm 122:6 says that we should pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Today we should pray for the peace of the church. LM
November 2004 The "Directory of the Ministry" The November, 1971, issue of The Restoration Herald carried the following article written by James DeForest Murch. I wish to reprint the article here and then make a few comments. "‘A Directory of the Ministry of the Undenominational Fellowship of Christian Churches and Churches of Christ,’ published annually at Springfield, Illinois, contains a voluntary listing of approximately 5,000 churches, 6,000 ministers, 1,000 missionaries, 40 institutions of higher education, and 50 benevolent agencies (hospitals, children’s homes, and homes for the aged) not listed elsewhere. "The term ‘Christian Churches’ does not refer to congregations legally and officially related to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) with headquarters at Indianapolis, Indiana. The term ‘Churches of Christ’ does not refer to congregations of the same name which make the use of missionary societies and instrumental music in worship tests of fellowship. The churches listed are identified as parts of the Restoration Movement which had its American origins in the early part of the Nineteenth Century. "The publication of such an encyclopedia of information was made necessary because of legal requirements of various agencies of government at national, state, and local levels. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service in many cases refused to grant tax exemptions to local churches, to schools and colleges, and to benevolent institutions until they could prove they were related to a valid and authentic fellowship of churches. Missionaries unrelated to such a fellowship were often denied visas and U.S. State Department protection in foreign lands. Many donors to churches, missionaries, and institutions have been refused tax exemption for their gifts. These government requirements were developed as the result of a plethora of irresponsible, independent religious racketeers seeking tax exemption and other government favors illegally. Many U.S. Military Draft Boards refused to grant exemption to ministers and students in Bible colleges and seminaries unless they could prove a valid and authentic relationship to a recognized fellowship of churches. Applicants for U.S. military and institutional chaplaincies were for similar reasons unable to qualify for service. In many other situations, free and autonomous congregations, ministers, missionaries, and educators serving them were embarrassed by being unable to prove their status and enjoy the rights and privileges which were theirs in a free land. ‘A Directory of the Ministry of the Undenominational Fellowship of Christian Churches and Churches of Christ,’ solves these and many other problems. It is now accepted in lieu of an official national religious census. It is also accepted and recognized by the ‘Yearbook of American Churches.’ "In this same connection, courts of law recognize the rights and privileges of local congregations, listed in the Directory, to hold their property in fee simple and in perpetuity, without regard to claims of any outside organization or denomination, such as The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Churches so listed are considered valid beneficiaries of the free congregational polity which continues to be maintained through the long history of the Restoration Movement in America. "There are many practical benefits provided by the Directory. It acquaints brethren with the facts concerning the rapidly growing fellowship of Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. It lists widely utilized publications, voluntary agencies, conventions, conferences, Christian Service camps, campus ministries, schools, colleges, seminaries, radio and television broadcasts, giving addresses and other information. It contains a directory of home and foreign missionaries, mission stations, and mission fields which are widely supported. Ministers seeking churches and churches seeking ministers find a fund of valuable information in its pages. Brethren moving from city to city and community to community often find agreeable new church homes by reference to the book. "The volume constitutes an impressive testimony to the amazing growth and influence of the Restoration Movement at home and abroad. It serves to promote wider fraternal relations with like-minded brethren and intelligent participation in worthy co-operative ministries. It contributes to a deeper loyalty and inner strength for the Movement as a whole and guards against an incipient isolationism which sometimes plagues free churches. It cannot be studied without churches. It cannot be studied without giving a new dimension to and a new appreciation of brotherhood life. "Listings in the ‘Directory of the Ministry’ offer no official ecclesiastical sanction or status. Applications for listing are purely voluntary. Withdrawals are possible upon request. Listings do not delineate barriers to wider fellowship. Churches and agencies are free to determine the limitations and the latitude of their fellowship without regard to Directory listings of any nature whatsoever. "The ‘Directory’ is chartered under the laws of the State of Illinois as a corporation not for profit. It operates with the assistance of a self-perpetuating advisory board of well-known and trustworthy brethren who are members of Christian Churches and Churches of Christ. The present board consists of Burris Butler, John Carter, James W. Greenwood, Henry Gruenberg, Earl C. Hargrove, W. E. McGilvrey, James DeForest Murch, Floyd M. Strater, and Leonard G. Wymore. The publication is capably edited and managed by Ralph and Zella McLean. All correspondence should be addressed: Directory of the Ministry 1525 Cherry Road, Springfield, Illinois 62704." The work of the McLeans is now carried on by their daughter, Judy Noll and her family. The board of directors has changed and there is now an advisory board. The cost of a "Directory" is just $25.00 and can be purchased from the above address. I am one who is very grateful for the "Directory of the Ministry." Hardly a week goes by that I don’t have occasion to use it. When I travel, I like to take it along. There is one problem with the "Directory" but it is not the fault of the staff who so faithfully put it together. In the opening pages of the "Directory" there is a statement telling who these churches and people are who are listed. There is also a great statement telling what they believe. Here is part of that statement: "Following the basic principles of the ‘Restoration Movement,’ they accept and teach believers’ baptism (immersion) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins; they assemble for worship on the first day of the week, making the observance of the Lord’s Supper a focal point in such worship...." From what I read in some church websites, I wonder if there may be some listed in the "Directory" who do not believe that baptism is "for the forgiveness of sins." Those who voluntarily submit their information are saying that they do believe that statement when they send in their data and request to be listed. It is not up to the "Directory" staff to check for orthodoxy. It is up to those who seek inclusion to be honest. It would be nice if those reporting were as conscientious as those who publish the "Directory." Mini-messages....Are you planning on making any year-end gifts? If so, please remember the CRA....Check the items on page 21 for gift buying ideas.... You may get this before October 21 which will still give you time to attend Symposium 2004. We hope you will come. If you can’t come, please pray for this great meeting. LM
December 2004 Biography Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time; – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow There is nothing like a good biography to inspire a person to greater heights. Biographies are about real people who actually lived and breathed and walked and talked, and usually did something in life that merits mention. Biographies of great people of history have always been fascinating to this writer. George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Teddy Roosevelt are just a few of history’s more intriguing personages. When it comes to the Restoration Movement there are some exciting biographies out there. Here is a list of some recommended reading Memoirs of Alexander Campbell, Volumes 1 and 2, by Robert Richardson. Richardson was a close colleague of Campbell. It is quite an inside look at the early days of the Movement. Home Life and Reminiscences of Alexander Campbell by Selina Campbell. Written by Campbell’s wife it presents a little different view of the great man. The Fool of God by Louis Cochran is the life of Alexander Campbell in novel form. Cochran also wrote one on the life of Raccoon John Smith. Coming up in time there is one entitled: In the Cauldron of Russia by Ivan Prokhanoff. This concerns the church during the 19th century in Russia. Prokhanoff lived from 1869-1933 which covers the rise of the Communists to power. This book can be purchased from POEM in Joplin, MO. Adventuring For Christ in Changing Times is the autobiography of James DeForest Murch, the first Director of the Christian Restoration Association. Murch seems to be at the center of everything that he writes about, but then it is his autobiography. Those looking for early information about the early days of the Cincinnati Bible Seminary would do well to check out Murch’s reflections. Never Turn Back is the title of the memoirs of Fred W. Smith, Sr. I found every part of this book fascinating and wish that every young preacher would take time to read the life of this preacher, missionary, educator, and writer. Fred was the father of four preacher sons. A Vessel Molded and Used By The Potter is the life story of John A. Wilson of Springfield, OH. This book skims the surface of Mr. Wilson’s 60 plus year ministry with the First Christian Church of Springfield (where you can get a copy of this book). Again, this is a book that every young preacher, let me correct that to say, every young man who desires to be a preacher, should read. So many names and stories! Of great interest is the conversion of his brother Seth, who became THE Seth Wilson of Ozark Christian College and how John helped work his way through college by being the cook and housekeeper of Burris Butler, Owen Crouch, and Darwin Peterson. Some of these books are out of print and hard to find, but perhaps Amazon or Ebay can help you find them. I’ve saved the best biographies for last. Four wonderful books all about the same person. These four books ought to be read and reread often. The books all carry the name of the authors. What are they? Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. You will find them in a Bible close to you. They contain the story of the greatest One who ever lived, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Read one of those four biographies tonight. You can get to the other books I’ve mentioned later. Mini-Messages....In the article by Dan James, beginning on page 3, Dan tells how important fellowship has been to him in his fight with cancer. As of this writing, Dan is again undergoing chemotherapy. Please be in prayer for Dan, his family and the good congregation he serves....Gareth Reese has come out with a new commentary on 1 Corinthians (see the ad on page 20). The Reese commentaries would make wonderful Christmas presents for your church staff....I am writing this just two days before Symposium 2004. We are anticipating a great meeting. Manuscripts of the messages delivered are available in either book or CD (pdf) format. Call and order your copies today....My good friend Joe Guthrie is always reminding and encouraging people to read through the Bible every year. If your church or class would like some Bible reading records that would help you, please call the CRA today. We need to get into the Word and get the Word into us. New Year is a great time to begin. LM
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