Truth Magazine

By Louis J. Sharp

Two letters received from the Sylvan Hills church of Christ, Sherwood, Arkansas, have some revealing and disturbing statements. They are disturbing because they indicate a complete lack of understanding in regard to the work and organization of the church. They reveal a departure on the part of these brethren undreamed of thirty-five to forty years ago. We certainly did not think any of us would live to see churches of Christ publicizing and promoting a state or national convention of any kind, but we were wrong!

From the letter dated November 23, 1987, we quote:

The Sylvan Hills church of Christ is pleased to announce that we will host the 4th Annual Arkansas State Lads to Leaders and Leaderettes Convention on Saturday, March 5, 1988. We encourage you to begin now to make plans for sharing with us this special event.

The theme for this year’s convention is once again based on that of the National Convention. The theme for 1988 is “One Another Relationships. ” There are many scriptures that deal with how we are to treat one another.

The Bible Bowl book for study is The Old Testament Book of Exodus.

Please keep these in mind as you prepare for both the State and National Conventions.

From another quote, we learn of the origin of these Conventions:

We wish to express appreciation to the Downtown Church of Christ in Searcy, Arkansas for the excellent job they have done in hosting the State Convention from 1985-1987, with the first one originating there in November of 1985.

In the second letter, dated January 20, 1988, we learn something about Convention rules and pre-registration:

Award certification will be given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in each category. National Convention rules apply to all competition. . . Bible Bowl questions will be taken from the Old Testament Book of Exodus, and will be worded from the New American Standard Version.

Pre-registration fee is $6.00 per person. This includes the cost of the banquet and awards fee. This will be non-refundable. Please make your checks payable to Sylvan Hills Church of Christ.

Please bring at least one adult per five Lads/Leaderettes to act as judges and chaperones. Remember, ladies can judge Lads, but gentlemen cannot judge Leaderettes. (They may have trouble here. What about equal rights? L.J.S.)

In reading the above, I could not help but wonder, “Where do the elders come in?” If they are going by National Convention Rules, did the elders have a part in formulating those rules? Do they even know what the rules are? Remember, this is conducted by the church that is supposed to be under their rule and over-sight!

And where do we read of the church charging for any of its services? The pre-registrants were instructed to make their “non-refundable” checks to the Sylvan Hills Church of Christ. One reason this is so sad to me, personally, is I preached for this church in its very beginning, when two or three families desired to establish the church in their area. It is another example of a work I helped with thirty-five to forty years ago who consider me narrow and uninformed today.

How far must the departure be before there is an awakening among our brethren of years past? *e read of their sectarian and denominational concepts. I am reminded of the plight of the Jews who returned from Babylonian captivity. They began to inter-marry with the people of the land. “And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews language, but according to the language of each people” (Neh. 13:24).

We have a generation that knows not the language of Scripture. How different the admonition given by Paul to young Timothy:

Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. . . . Take heed to thyself and unto thy doctrine, continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee (1 Tim. 4:12,16).

I agree our young people need training and guidance under the oversight of our elders, but not under the rules of a state or national convention. We are hearing the language of Ashdod today!

Brethren, we have drifted!

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 15, p. 453
August 4, 1988

By Jerry Fite

The gospel is the message that Christ died for our sins and was raised for our justification (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Rom. 4:25). This fact is the unique foundation for our salvation (Rom. 1:16). When received, the good news fosters a hope for heaven that is certain, which in turn spurs on a life of love (Col. 1:5). The gospel is the message that links the saving God with dying men.

Prayer is the means that links the heart of man with the attentive God. Through prayer, we can manifest our heart’s desires and anxieties to the God who is able to abundantly deliver and bless (Phil. 4:6-7; Eph. 3:20).

The gospel and prayer are two unique and powerful media. Paul presented the various characteristics and effects of the gospel truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, sword of the Spirit and the word of God under the imagery of a Roman soldier’s armor (Eph. 6:10-17). Yet this armor was to be coupled “with prayer” for all the saints (Eph. 6:18). It too is protective in that through steadfast prayer we are continually “watching thereunto” on behalf of our brethren. To be strong in the Lord we must be committed to the gospel of Christ and prayer.

While the gospel and prayer help the Christian, prayer also helps the gospel. Paul writes, “. . . that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel . . . that I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak” (Eph. 6:19,20). In other words, prayer was solicited so that “God may open unto us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ,” and that “I (Paul) may make it manifest as I ought to speak” (Col. 4:3,4). Paul also requested that his brethren pray that the word might be allowed to “run” and “be glorified” in the new regions he was entering, as it had among the Thessalonians (2 Thess. 3:1).

Notice how prayer was connected with the spreading of the Gospel. Brethren prayed that the message of Christ might “run” or easily spread in new areas without being deterred by strong opposing influences (cf. 2 Thess. 3:2, Acts 17:8,13; 18:6). Brethren prayed that the message of Christ might be “glorified” or exalted in the lives of people in other areas. They prayed that God would “open the door to speak” or give his messengers of the good news an opportunity to speak. As Christians we are asked to pray that the evangelists might speak “boldly” or have the courage to speak and make plain what was needful in the face of opposition.

In the New Testament, prayer was offered on behalf of the gospel to make it more accessible, not more powerful. The opening of hearts came through what was spoken, not through speech mixed with a special prayer (Acts 16:5). After receiving the opportunity and the courage to present the gospel, evangelists just preached the gospel of Christ. No prayer was offered immediately preceding or following a gospel sermon to make it more affecting. Prayer was not some evangelistic device to unlease the enlightening power of God.

Paul prayed that his Jewish brethren may be saved even though he knew that some of them would be lost (Rom. 10:1; 2:3,5). We should pray that the gospel of Christ spread without opposition and be glorified in people’s lives, even though we know that some will oppose the truth and deter its progress (2 Thess. 3:1,2). We should pray for opportunities to preach the gospel. As the proclaimers of the gospel, when facing opposition, prayed for boldness to speak (Acts 4:29-3 1), we too should pray for the courage to point out what they boldly taught. However, we should be careful not to leave an impression that the gospel, when presented, will carry a more affecting punch if coupled with a prayer than the gospel that is just truly presented. For such a distinction is not revealed.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 15, p. 459
August 4, 1988

By R.J. Evans

Optimism is defined as “an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and happenings or to anticipate the best possible outcome” (Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary). To be successful in most any endeavor, we must look at the bright side with a spirit of optimism. The physician, the engineer, the accountant, and the lawyer are all successful because they made up their minds as to what they wanted to be, and then pursued that field with an optimistic attitude. Many are failures because they never make up their mind as to what they are going to do. Paul said, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth ” (Col. 3:2). We need to optimistically set our minds on the spiritual course that God has outlined for us. Some never do this. They remain in a constant state of indecision and never commit themselves to a responsible position in service to Christ.

The apostle Paul suffered so much for the cause of Christ. He was imprisoned frequently, beaten, shipwrecked three times, often hungry, thirsty, cold and naked (2 Cor. 11:23-28). Yet, Paul was able to put the most favorable light on all these happenings, and “anticipated the best possible outcome.” He stated, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17). It is indeed a remarkable thing, after all he suffered, that Paul called these afflictions light. I’m afraid that if we were suffering only a fraction of what he suffered, we would be inclined to call it a “dreadful load.” But the most severe tribulation and affliction are nothing compared with the glory awaiting us. Hence, Paul could be optimistic (and so can we, if we are faithful to God).

The Christian has so much for which to be thankful – redemption, forgiveness, joy, hope, contentment, peace Oust to mention a few). He also has something wonderful toward which to look forward – Heaven! Surely, this engenders optimism. We can have the attitude of Paul: “I can do all” things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Phil. 4:13). With the strength derived from the Lord, we can face everything in life with an optimistic spirit.

There is no adverse power greater or mightier than God. Therefore, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31) When we contemplate all that is meant in this passage, a warm, secure feeling is produced in our hearts. How wonderfully bright things become! We may lose our relatives, our earthly friends, our health, but the Lord remains, “for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5).

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every work” (2 Cor. 9:8). If our faith is in God, knowing he is indeed able, we can and should have an optimistic outlook toward the various aspects of life. He has provided salvation (Acts 4:12). In time of temptation, he provides a way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13). In teaching and attempting to convert the lost, he gives the increase (I Cor. 3:7). When we die in the Lord, there is rest provided from out labors, and our works will follow us (Rev. 14:13). We could go on and on!

Let’s be optimistic! We have reason to be. Make the best of every situation, set your spiritual goals, and then, reach forward and achieve them! “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended.- but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14).

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 14, p. 429
July 21, 1988

By Jeffrey Kingry

Back in 1986 I had a crisis of conscience. I had made a trip or two in my life, and every time I lifted off in recent years, the feeling of responsibility for taking the gospel to the world weighed heavily. Looking down from 30,000 feet the immensity of our task came home to my heart. Anna and I have always tried to push out to the edges in our choices of where to go to preach, but regardless of the fact that we have concentrated our efforts in the north and northeast, where brethren are few, yet . . . we have merely been nibbling away at the job of “unto the uttermost parts of the earth.”

There are men working in Africa, western Europe, central and south America, and a handful of brethren in Asia. But, there is no one in eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, the People’s Republic of China. The conventional wisdom has always been: (1) These are Communist countries and one might get in trouble preaching the gospel there; (2) No one knows their language; (3) You can’t get resident access to the country; and (4) it would be too hard on any American to go to such strange places.

But, I wondered, what if one could gain access? What if one could learn the language or study with English speaking natives? What if one had the cultural and personal flexibility to “be all things to all men”? All great deeds require preparation and a degree of planning and providence. A preacher would never just “happen upon” an opportunity to preach in one of these places. It took many years of preparation and experience before Paul heard the Macedonian call and left the land of his youth.

So, in 1986 we began pursuing every possible way we could to find some way of obtaining residency legally in those countries that are currently closed to the gospel multinational employment, foreign service, government employee . . . and one of them worked!

In May 1988, the U.S. Consulate in Shenyang, China asked Anna, my wife, to teach at their elementary school for U.S. dependents. Since the Kingry family is a package deal, the Chinese asked, “What will Mr. Kingry do?” The consulate responded, “He is a minister of the gospel.”

“That is fine. But he must do something. He will teach English at the University.”

The Kingry family is leaving Vermont July 15th for Shenyang, China. We will travel and be guests of the Chinese under diplomatic passport, with official status. However, I am not an employee of either the State Department or the PRC (except for two or three classes a day). The Chinese government will provide us with a small apartment Chinese style – as my “wage” for teaching. We will live and work among the Chinese citizens and students. I will have daily access to 3rd year university students who speak English. I plan on teaching them about Jesus. I would gladly baptize all 1,250,000,000 of them. But, practically speaking, we’ll start with those we meet and have opportunity to teach. “Who is sufficient for such a ministry?”

But, we need your help to go. We leave California August 5th. Our air-fare will cost $4,000 ($1,000 x 4; Anna’s way is being paid by the State Department). We need $1,000 per month support to replace what we are losing. We must pay to store our things in the U.S., and ship over some winter clothes. It will be next to impossible to care for these things long distance. Can you help? We need to hear from you soon.

Above all, we need the loving prayers and encouragement of the saints. I am ready to go, but seared to death. God answered my prayer, and now I must “pay my debt.” Remember us, brethren, in your petitions to God that we might be bold to speak the gospel regardless of the consequences.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 14, p. 434
July 21, 1988