Truth Magazine

By Mike Willis

Several years ago, the Crossroads church of Christ in Gainesville, Florida began to draw national attention. Ira Rice rarely published an issue of Contending for the Faith without devoting some attention to the Crossroads movement. Some early articles had trouble elucidating the problem at Crossroads. Several years have passed and one is able to write more clearly about the Crossroads movement for we are well beyond the crossroads and able to see where the philosophy and doctrines espoused at Crossroads lead.

The Crossroads church in Gainesville, Florida was formerly known as the 14th Street church. They changed their name to “Crossroads” for they were at a crossroad in their thinking. Would they continue in the mainstream of liberalism and walk in the path which other liberal churches were walking or would they venture into new fields and try something different? They were at the crossroads and chose to reject the option of staying in the “traditional” path walked by most liberal churches in order to cut a new path into territory previously unwalked by churches of Christ.

Crossroads Is A Big Liberal Church

Whatever one might not be able grasp about other aspects of the Crossroads groups, he should have no trouble grasping that the Crossroads movement is thoroughly committed to and entrenched in liberalism.

The 1982 Budget of the Crossroads church listed these expenditures:

World Bible School $5,600

Alan Cloyd, Restoration Ministry 600

Bus Ministry 12,600

Christian Family Services 45,000

Kitchen Supplies 4,000

Flowers 2,200

The Crossroads church is a liberal church committed to ministering to the “whole man.” “God expects benevolence, personal and family counseling and every other ministry to be emphasized and utilized in seeking and saving the lost.”(1) Committed to this philosophy, the following programs were a part of their ministry:

1. Fanning Springs Development. A retreat with accommodations for about 250.(2)

2.Christian Family Services. 120 acres of land at Riegel Ranch were purchased for this facility.(3) Group care facilities at Riegel Ranch were projected to care for 40 to 60 children in 6-8 cottages. “We want to start with one cottage to house eight children with house parents. We estimate the first cottage will cost about $250,000. In addition, operating funds of about $100,000 per year must be raised.”(4)

3. Time and Stress Management Workshop.(5) This workshop charges a fee for participation.(6)

4. Girl Scouts troops meet in their building.(7)

5. An annual “Play Day.” “Our annual Play Day will be coming up on Saturday, March 24 and will be held as usual at Fanning Springs. A nominal fee will be charged for the meal. A full day of games, recreation and sports activities are planned for the entire family.”(8)

6. Donations have been taken at times other than the first day of the week. “Our annual Bring Your Neighbor Day is coming up April 1. There will be two services that morning, the first at 9:30 and the second at 11:30. Following each service there will be a barbecue lunch and a program by the Crossroads Singers. On Wednesday evening, March 28, we will be taking donations to pay for the chicken.”(9) Churches which developed from the Crossroads movement have followed in their footsteps of not being content with the pattern of a contribution taken on the first day of the week (I Cor. 16:1-2). The Boston Church bulletin wrote, “Our elders in Boston have provided us with an opportunity to meet the needs of the poor around the world by scheduling a Wednesday night contribution.”(10)

7. The Crossorads church receives donations from other congregations. In a bulletin stating that their Sunday worship attendance was 991 and their contribution was $12,679, the following statement appeared: “I want to bring you up to date on our fund raising for the new facilities. The initial response to our new building program has been tremendous. Despite a world-wide recession and economic problems in our country, our members and brothers and sisters around the country have given generously and have made sacrificial pledges.”(11) What a departure from the New Testament pattern in which one church sent another church money! In the New Testament, one church sent another church money to relieve the benevolent needs of its members (Acts 11:27-30; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 8-9; etc.). The church in better financial circumstances sent to a church in worse financial circumstances, not the other way around.

8. Black History Weekend. The Crossroads church conducted a “Black History Weekend” in connection with Black History month. A musical drama entitled “We’ve Come This Far By Faith” was conducted at the Crossroads church.(12) Another concert was conducted in February 1988.(13)

9. Crossroads Singers. The Crossroads church formed a special group of singers called “The Crossroads Singers” who entertain at the worship services and conduct special concerts at Gainesville and around the country.(14) They have produced several albums for sale through their ministry, including a Christmas album entitled “Holiday Souvenirs.” In their advertising brochure, the Crossroads church explains the function of this group,

The Crossroads Singers are an integral part of the total work of the congregation. Their local concerts serve as an effective way to share with the community the message of committed Christian living. The Singers are used in conjunction with evangelistic crusades, vacation Bible schools, and special services.

10. A day care center.(15)

The Crossroads church is a big, liberal church. In this respect, the Crossroads church is identified with the liberal churches across this country which have redefined the work of the church to include fields of work not authorized by God. Every passage of Scripture which has been used to condemn other liberal churches for being involved in the social gospel applies with equal force to the Crossroads church and its satellites.

Crossroads’ Unique Features

Despite the objections which most of us would have to the Crossroads movement, these are not the objections of their sister liberal churches. Across the country, objections began to be made to the Crossroads church and her satellites. Here are some of the common objections to the Crossroads movement:

1. The Prayer Partner. Following the principles enunciated in Robert Coleman’s The Master Plan of Evangelism, the Crossroads brethren developed a plan in which “every member must have a master – someone must be designated for every member to serve as his master . . . called ‘prayer partners’. . . . The prayer partner functions much in the same way a Catholic priest functions.”(16) The prayer partner system is used to exert pressure on the member to control his conduct.

2. A restructured organization in which the preacher and a group of “soul talk leaders” make up the leadership of the congregation.(17) Chuck Lucas at Crossroads was the leader of the Crossroads movement, even though there were elders in the local church. A new theology of organization began to evolve in the Crossroads churches in which a commitment to the preacher predominated.

3. Total Commitment. No Bible believer is opposed to total commitment to Jesus; however, many are opposed to the Crossroads philosophy of total commitment. “Total commitment at Crossroads, according to all that I can find out, involves slavish loyalty to the Crossroads program and its leaders, the giving of large sums of money to the cause, even if one has to borrow it . . . and giving up their jobs to devote more time to the Crossroads cause.”(18) Slavish commitment to a human leader and man-made rules brought objections from many different parts of the country where Crossroads satellites existed.

Nevertheless, this was just the crossroads. The Crossroads church was not content to stay at the crossroads; they were determined to move beyond the crossroads. We will relate this development in the next issue.

Endnotes

1. At the Crossroads (hereafter abbreviated ATC), [6 November 1973], p. 1.

2. ATC [31 January 1982], p. 1.

3. ATC [31 January 1982], p. 1.

4. Quarterly Newsletter for Christian Family Services [January 1984], p. 2.

5. ATC [31 October 1982], p. 3.

6. ATC ( 14 March 1982], p. 2.

7. ATC [5 September 1982], p. 2.

8. ATC [11 March 1984], p. 3.

9. ATC [25 March 1984], p, 3.

10. Boston Church of Christ [1 November 1987], p. 3.

11. ATC [9 October 1983], p. 3.

12. ATC [15 February 1987], p. 1.

13. ATC [14 February 1988], p. 4.

14. ATC [31 October 1982], p. 3; [18 October 1981], p. 3; [11 July 1982], p. 3.

15. The Crossroads Singers, p. 8.

16. Charles G. Goodall, “A Letter To A Crossroads-Type Church,” Torch [August 1981], p. 4.

17. Charles G. Goodall, “A Follow-Up Letter To Sunrise Members,” Torch [September 1981), p. 22.

18. James P. Needham, “The Crossroads Phenomenon,” Torch [October 1981], p. 6.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 7, pp. 194, 214-215
April 7, 1988

By Johnie Edwards

The place of deacons is very vital to a successful working church. A man who had been a deacon for some twenty-five years once asked me, “Just what is the work of deacons? I’ve been one for twenty-five years and I do not understand what I am supposed to be doing.” Realizing many deacons may not have the proper concept of their work, we study:

Qualifications For Deacons

The qualifications for deacons are found only one time in the Bible. Please take your Bible and read 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Please do that right now. It can be seen from this reading that deacons can be out of place.

(1) Double-tongued. A deacon must not talk out of both sides of his mouth. He must be a man who is stable in his speech. It is like Paul told the Colossians, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Col. 4:6). A deacon must not say one thing and mean something else!

(2) Drink. A deacon must not drink. Can you imagine the influence a deacon would have on others if he drinks. One appointed to serve as a deacon must not be 44given to much wine.” Does this mean he can drink a little every now and then? The wise man said, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging; and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Prov. 20:1). It would be difficult to drink even a little and observe the admonition which says, “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder” (Prov. 23:31-32).

(3) Greedy of filthy lucre. A man who serves as a deacon must not acquire his money or possessions by base gain. He must be honest in his dealings. A greedy deacon would not have time to do his necessary work in the church and thus would be out of place.

(4) Deacons are not elders. A deacon is out of his place when he tries to be an elder or do the work of an elder. A deacon is a deacon, is a deacon, is a. . . ! Deacons do not have the oversight of anything; oversight belongs to the elders (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:1-3).

The Place of Deacons

The qualifications for deacons also teaches us something about the place of deacons. It is the place of deacons to:

(1) To be grave. Deacons must be honorable men who are respected by others in the church. They must be men of dignity who are sober minded and reverent in decorum.

(2) Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. A deacon’s place is to have a good attitude toward the truth. He must be sound in the faith. Too often there has been a continual struggle between sound elders and liberal minded deacons in regard to the work of the church.

(3) Blameless. It is the place of a deacon not to have any cause for blame in his life. This does not mean that he is to be sinlessly perfect. It does mean that his life must be above reproach as he uses the office of a deacon.

(4) A family man. It is the place of a deacon to be the husband of one wife and rule his children and house well. The family of a deacon can disqualify him from serving as a deacon. The wife of a deacon must “be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things” (1 Tim. 3:11). A deacon must have the respect of his own family in order to have respect of others.

A Deacon Is A Servant

The work of deacons does not involve oversight but service. The office of a deacon is not an honorary position but a place of serving. The deacons arc to serve the local church under the oversight of the elders. Deacons are like minutemen – ready to serve at a moment’s notice. If a man does not want to serve, then he ought not be a deacon! There are a number of things that a deacon can surely do in his serving. The deacons can help the elders in carrying out some things such as: seeing that the church building is open and closed, that the building is cleaned, that things are in place for worship; maintaining the grounds around the building, the baptistry, ushers, work in the area of benevolence, keep attendance records, keep the tract rack filled, be a treasurer, see about the sick, serve tables and the list goes on. It is not stated that those men in Acts 6:1-6 were deacons but certainly deacons would do well to help serve in this business. Of course, a deacon has other responsibilities because of his relationship to Christ as a Christian.

The reward of one who serves well as a deacons is worthwhile. “For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 3:13).

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 7, p. 197
April 7, 1988

By Harry R. Osborne

Have you gone to the worship services of various churches? There is an amazing variety among them. In fact, there is so much variety that one wonders how so many practices could come from people supposedly following the same book, the Bible. The obvious fact is that they do not follow the simple New Testament pattern for worship. Instead, they add to and subtract from that biblical pattern to suit their own desires.

Examples of denominational “worship” seem to be reaching a new high in lows these days. We all remember the denominational group in California several years ago that added a drive-in window for all of their members who could not spend the time to come in for the whole service. It was a kind of “Jiffy-Prayer” booth. So many gimmicks have come down the line that it is impossible to list or even remember all of them.

A few weeks ago, however, I was intrigued by the scheme of a group who came to the Living Stones church here in Alvin, Texas. Several fellows of muscular build, called “the Power Team,” did karate chops pulverizing huge blocks of ice in “worship” to God. I thought surely that was the worst it could get – until last Sunday. On that Super Bowl Sunday, the Second Baptist Church in Houston had services in the gymnasium where they erected a 20-foot TV screen to watch the football game. During the whole thing, the deacons sold nachos, hot dogs, popcorn, and cokes while young women dressed as cheerleaders pranced around and lead cheers. At halftime the preacher, called the “headlines man” for the evening, gave his address. I am certain all were edified. Is this “worship” as God intended it?

Let’s look at what the New Testament says about the worship of the church. In Colossians 3:17, we are reminded that we need authority for whatever we do, either in word or in deed. Let us see what that church in the New Testament did and what they were instructed to do. In this way we can determine the full pattern regarding worship as God gave it by the inspired writers.

First, we see that the New Testament church engaged in prayer to worship God. Jesus taught the disciples that prayer was an act of worship and reverence to God (Matt. 6:9). In Colossians 4:24, the church at Colossae is enjoined to pray. The church in the book of Acts is seen praying (Acts 2:42).

Second, we see the preaching and teaching of God’s word in worship. Acts 2:42 says that the early church “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13 makes it clear that the apostles’ teaching is in fact the word of God. When men speak “the oracles of God,” it is so “God may be glorified” (1 Pet. 4:11).

Third, we see Christians in the first century singing praises to God. They were commanded to speak “one to another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19). Nine times in the New Testament we find commands to or examples of singing in worship to God.

Fourth, we find New Testament Christians gathering on the first day of every week to partake of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7). This was in fulfillment of the command given by Christ on the night of his betrayal (Matt. 26:26-29). Paul makes clear the place and manner of partaking the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:20-34).

Fifth, we mad of first century Christians giving of their means upon the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:2). Paul affirms that this is an act of worship in 2 Corinthians 8:5. Christians gave to meet the needs God authorized the church as a unit to discharge, but they gave only on the first day of the week.

When we have noticed those five acts of worship, we have covered completely what the New Testament calls “worship.” No ice smashing, nacho selling, cheerleader prancing, TV watching and so on – just things that focus on adoration of the God of heaven.

The term “worship” in our New Testament is defined as “to make obeisance” or “do reverence to.” It is said to denote “an act of homage or reverence.” Praying to God does that. Singing praises does that. Preaching God’s word does that. Thinking upon Christ’s death in the Lord’s supper does that. So does contributing out of love for God and his cause.

Where in the world did people get the idea that these other things give homage and reverence to God? They may be things in which men like to engage, but “worship” is to please God! We please God by doing the things he says we ought to do.

Brethren, we need to be very cautious about these principles, too. There is always some well intentioned soul who comes along and decides that we could add “enthusiasm” into our services by various means. What lies behind the well intentioned, but often errant suggestion that follows is a basic misunderstanding about the nature of worship. Worship is to please God! The uplifting we derive from it ought to be a by-product of the fact that God is praised, not the other way around. I hear a multitude of brethren talking about the main purpose of worship being the energizing of ourselves and our brethren. That concept is nothing short of sectarian thinking and will lead all who follow it into the same practices we see in the denominational world! The denominations structure their services around what will excite them the most. The Christian seeks to worship, adore, and praise the Almighty God of heaven and receives joy as a by product of his service to God.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 7, pp. 195-196
April 7, 1988

By Wayne S. Walker

The word of God contains many excellent examples of faith and righteousness – consider, for example, the lives of Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, and Paul, as well as the perfect life of Jesus Christ. The Bible also pictures several negative examples – illustrations of what God does not want us to be or do – like Cain, King Saul, Bar-Jesus, etc. However, many of the people who are described in the Bible are like most of us – a mixture of good and bad. One such individual was Lot. We are introduced to Lot in Genesis 11:27. “This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot.” Haran died, and when Abraham departed for Canaan as God commanded him, he took his nephew Lot with him.

I. Lot’s bad example can be seen in Genesis 13. Because of strife between the herd men of Abraham and Lot, Abraham suggested a separation. Since the plain of Jordan was well watered, Lot chose it, leaving Abraham with the less productive hill country. Here we see Lot’s greed and selfishness. His choice was seemingly based only on monetary considerations, rather than on any feeling of respect for his uncle or concern for how his decision might affect himself and his family. Too many men today are making moves with the company to places where there are no faithful congregations solely on the basis of getting a promotion or receiving more money instead of the spiritual needs of their wives and children.

We are told that Lot “pitched his tent even as far as Sodom. But the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the LORD” (Gen. 13:12-13). In fact, the city’s wickedness was so manifest that God determined to destroy it. And evidently ten righteous people could not be found there to spare it (Gen. 18:16-23). The overthrow of Sodom is used throughout the Bible as an illustration of God’s punishment of sin (Deut. 12:23; Jude 7). Even Jesus used it as an example of wickedness (Matt. 10:15; 11: 23-24). Today, the term “sodomite” is still a synonym for homosexual (Deut. 23:17). And the Bible specifically teaches that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God (Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-11).

The result of this choice upon Lot and his family is clearly seen in Genesis 19 by the evil influence that it had upon them. His own sense of values had become warped enough that he apparently thought offering his two virgin daughters for fornication was preferable to allowing his guests to be seized for homosexuality (v. 8). And even though he knew that the city was to be destroyed, “he lingered” so that the angels had to take hold of his hand and lead him out of the city (v. 16). His sons-in-law, and apparently his married daughters, thought he was a fool for trying to convince them to flee (v. 14). His wife was so attached to her life in Sodom that while fleeing she took one last, longing look in direction violation to God’s command and was turned into a pillar of salt (vv. 17, 26; cf. Lk. 17:32). And Lot’s unmarried daughters were so corrupt that they got their father drunk and enticed him to commit incest so that they could have children (vv. 30-38). What a sad story.

II. Yet, as we turn to the New Testament, we find that Lot had some redeeming qualities. He is, in 2 Peter 2:7-8, referred to as “righteous Lot, who was oppressed with the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds).” If we did not have this statement in the New Testament, we would probably not be left with this impression of Lot based upon the picture we are given in Genesis. Still, even in Genesis 19, we can see glimmers of the righteous character of this man in spite of his weaknesses and mistakes.

He knew enough about the condition of the city to recognize a clear danger for his visitors if they stayed in the street (vv. 23). Though living in Sodom, he did not participate in nor even condone the conduct of the Sodomites, pleading with them, “Do not do so wickedly” (v. 7). It seems that he had even been warning the men of Sodom concerning their evil – “he keeps acting as a judge” (v. 9, NKJV). Once he saw that he had been wrong, he tried to save others, though he was unsuccessful with his sons-in-law (vv. 12-14). And in the end, whatever else may be said of him, Lot heeded the instructions of the angels to flee, and thus saved himself from the destruction of Sodom (vv. 15-22).

III. Let us look at some applications for us today that we can make from the account of Lot. We must exercise our senses so that we are able to recognize the danger of sin and to learn right from wrong (Heb. 5:14) Like Lot, we live in a sinful environment and must also torment our souls that we do not allow our consciences to become seared (1 Tim. 4:2). This can occur by becoming so familiar with evil that we grow calloused to it. The great English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744) wrote in his Essay on Man,

Vice is a monster of so frightful men,

As to be hated needs but to be seen;

Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,

We first endure, then pity, then embrace.

May we, who are to keep ourselves unspotted from the world and be God’s peculiar people, never allow this to happen to us.

We should never enter into any evil relationships, especially those that would make it appear that we are condoning that which is wicked, and most certainly those that would pull us into participating in sinful activities. “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. . . . Come out from among them and be separate” (2 Cor. 6:14-17). Yes, we must live and work with the people of this world, else we could never have an influence for good upon them. But let us be careful as to who is influencing whom. “Evil company corrupts good habits” (1 Cor. 15:33). We need to watch the kind of friends and associates we have. You cannot throw one good apple into a barrel of rotten ones and expect the good one to make the others better. Remember that “friendship with the world is enmity with God” (Jas. 4:4).

It is most important that we not allow our family to be influenced for evil. Parents have a spiritual as well as a material responsibility for their children. “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Lot put his family in a situation that contributed to their downfall. You would not allow your child to play in the middle of a busy street because of the evident danger to his physical well-being. Yet, many parents will let their children choose friends, go places, and do things that are clearly detrimental to their spiritual health without much effort to warn or guide them. Lot did save himself, but lost his family.

We have an obligation to warn and try to save others however bad the situation may appear. Lot was not able to convince his sons-in-law to escape, but at least he made the attempt. In our day, it is true, there do not seem to be too many people who are willing to hear and respond to the gospel. But how many people are we contacting in an effort to save their souls? In Ezekiel 3:17-21 the watchman was told that when the enemy attacked and he gave no warning to the people, their blood would be on his head. However, when he gave the warning, even if the people refused to act and were destroyed, he would have delivered his own soul. Will there be any blood on our heads in the day of judgment? Remember, Lot tried.

Finally, whatever else may happen, it is necessary for us to heed and obey God’s word. Lot made some bad decisions along the way, but when the angels told him to get out of the city, he got out. He saved himself. In Acts 2:40 Peter told the Jews on Pentecost to save themselves from that perverse generation. How could they do this? By obeying the instructions given back in v. 38. Then in Philippians 2:12, Paul wrote to the Philippian saints and said, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” This was possible because they had “always obeyed,” not only in Paul’s presence but also in his absence. The only way that we can have eternal salvation is by obeying him who himself obeyed God’s plan to bring about that salvation (Heb. 5:8-9).

Conclusion

Surely we can all see that Lot made some serious mistakes in his life and suffered the consequences. In these areas, his example serves to warn us not to make the same mistakes in our lives as well. Yet, Lot also exhibited some characteristics by which he was able to make the best of a bad situation and eventually overcome his mistakes, at least in saving himself. In these, we need to emulate his example and develop these same characteristics so that we might live as God would have us to live in this present evil world and ultimately overcome. Lot lived as we do, facing many of the same choices and decisions that we must make. May we consider the account of his life and learn from his example.

Guardian of Truth XXXII: 7, pp. 198-199
April 7, 1988