Truth Magazine

By Daniel H. King

What do you think of Truth Magazine? Do you consider it a good medium of teaching? Do you enjoy the presentation of biblical topics which the writers attempt on a weekly basis? Do you appreciate the strong stand taken by the editor and writers for “book, chapter, and verse” in preaching, and teaching, and writing? If you do not, of course we would like to hear from you and have the opportunity to deal with questions or objections that you might have. A letter to the editor or one of the writers would not be out of place.

But if you do enjoy it, and feel that it would be worthwhile to enlarge its circulation – then why not give us a hand? Gift subscriptions are a great idea for many reasons, and you likely know what most of those reasons are, so I will not bore you with them. But have you ever given them? I would venture to guess that there have been many opportunities that we all have missed where we could have given a gift subscription that would have brought sound and scriptural teaching into the home of someone we know and love for fifty weeks of the year – yet we ended up giving something of only very limited temporal importance. How about considering a gift subscription to Truth Magazine next time around.

1. Give a subscription to a Christian located in an area where no sound church exists. Many is the person who is transferred to a place where no brethren are found, where no New Testament church meets, or where liberalism has swept away what once was. What an encouragement it would be to them to receive a weekly paper like Truth. It could be the thing that will make the difference between whether they will be utterly lost to the Lord and His kingdom or strengthened in their trial. There are areas where liberalism has won the day in years past without so much as a fight but because someone had been reading Truth Magazine new opportunities to teach are now available. What about it, is there someone you know that fits our description?

2. Give subscriptions to relatives and friends. Articles in this paper touch subjects of interest to the Christian and non-Christian alike. Denominationalism and its errors are dealt with in a fashion which we hope will be both informative and convincing. If you feel at any time that they are not, then register your complaint. We promise that you will be listened to and not ignored. If you believe in the power of the printed page, especially in fruitful connection with the Word of the Gospel (Rom. 1:16), to alter thinking and so to change men’s lives, I should think that you would want to use every means at your disposal to convert those whom you love. We hope that you will consider Truth Magazine as such a means, especially for those who are far away from you geographically.

3. Give a subscription to your children when they move away from home. Often kids go away to college to a strange place where the Lord’s people may not be found in abundance. And while their time for reading may be limited while they are away at school, still they will have just a few moments to peruse their mail when they get it and sufficient time to read articles of particular interest to them at the time. When they get married and move away for good, how about giving them a subscription to assure that some sound Bible teaching continues to flow into their home and influences them to remember God in those first difficult and sometimes turbulent years of wedlock. It might make a very great impact upon that new home! Why not give it a chance?

4. Give a subscription to a new Christian. So very many new Christians are lost again to the world that those of us who are trying to encourage them along the way ought to use every conceivable scriptural method to teach and strengthen them. Good reading material in their home is a way that can surely be beneficial. Why not make the little sacrifice that it will take to send the ones that you think could be thus helped a free subscription?

5. Give as a gift to a young preacher. Many is the young man who goes into preaching at great personal sacrifice. His funds are extremely limited in this day of rising costs and spiraling inflation. For him a subscription to a journal like this would be a tremendous boon, but he has to, by virtue of his financial straits, consider it an extravagance beyond the limits of his meager means. Why don’t you ask him if he gets this paper, and if he doesn’t, give him a subscription as a gift? I will never forget the kind Christian lady who in my first years of preaching subscribed to one of the journals for me when I could not afford it. I read and studied those articles that appeared voraciously, gleaning many sermon ideas and teaching suggestions that I have used continuously in my preaching.

6. When you have finished with it, hand it on to someone else. Don’t throw it away! When you see an article that you think would be helpful to someone in particular that you know, give them that issue and ask them to read it. Place old copies in the vestibule of the meeting house as free literature for those to take who wish to read it. Stack them as you finish with them in a convenient place and at the end of the year give them to some preacher who may want to keep them for future reference; or mail them to a preacher in the Philippines or to Nigeria; or keep them for your own future reference and personal edification. You may be surprised how much you will enjoy re-reading them ten years from now. But whatever you do – don’t throw them away!

If you really believe in the things that we on the staff of Truth Magazine believe in, how about showing it by putting the paper to work for you. We can all spare a few extra dollars to disseminate a literature that stands for “the faith once delivered to the saints”. In a day when Playboy and other gutter-filth enters the homes of millions, Christians had better start throwing their influence around! How about using Truth Magazine to help do it for you!

Truth Magazine XXIV: 50, p. 807
December 18, 1980

By Theron N. Bohannan

This is not to announce a paper or new magazine but rather a combination of two great names under which God’s wonderful truths have been and shall continue to be proclaimed and every error and ideology of men shall be exposed and dissected with the “sword of the Spirit” of God so all who really want to know His Truth may do so via this new media.

It is with greatly mixed emotions of a sad heart on one hand, while on the other, it is with immense joy and a great and good feeling toward all with whom I have had to do through the acquisition of, and being the owner and publisher of, The Gospel Guardian for more than half a decade; plus, being an equal stockholder and publisher and corporate president as mentioned above.

In looking back and re-reading an article I wrote in the September 15, 1975 issue of the Gospel Guardian, I think this article perhaps, in part at least, should be entitled “An Antithesis” or “The Second Part.”

This is, however, in part, a statement to our readers and well wishers through the past years appraising you of the fact of our divesting ourselves of all the corporate stock of the Gospel Guardian Company, Inc. On September 19, 1980, there was a meeting in Lufkin, Texas of a three man committee with me and James W. Adams. This committee had been selected from and approved by the whole Board of Trustees of The Cogdill Foundation approximately four months prior to this time at its annual board meeting in Memphis, Tennessee. This writer has been a member of this board for more than a decade of years, and still is. I was not, however, one of the three men picked to serve on this committee. I was the one, with the approval of the whole board, who did the selecting of this committee to handle the mechanics of the closing of the already agreed upon acquisition of Gospel Guardian, Inc. by the entire Board of the Cogdill Foundation. The September 19, 1980 committee meeting was held in the office of James W. Adams, Editor of the Gospel Guardian, in Lufkin, Texas. There were, as always in such transitions and/or sales, many stipulations and details to be worked out, especially when consideration is given to the future and to other generations who will someday take this present Board’s place. It is, and has been from the beginning of my acquisition of the Gospel Guardian, my hope and prayer that the Lord would allow me to live to see this great old periodical phased, in someway, into strong, true and faithful younger hands that would be not ashamed nor lack the courage (through her and/or other combinations just as sound) to “rightly divide the word of truth” for the present, as well as the future generations. This, I believe we have done and, at the same time, preserved by a sort of fusion of the two original names of the Guardian and the Truth publications.

Using the word “merger” loosely, this transaction amounts to just about that, or a “fusion” of the names of these two fine papers, The Gospel Guardian and the Truth Magazine. According to the agreements and stipulations, all will be owned by the Cogdill Foundation (a non-profit corporation) about the first of January 1981, lock, stock and in its completeness. The shares have already been signed over to said Foundation. At that time, the paper, book stores, the publishing of books and tracts and all operations thereof will be under the control and managed by the same Board of Trustees, as they are now and have been, for the most part, for many years and have very successfully handled the business.

This writer is not getting any younger and the burdens that necessarily go with the office I have held from the beginning as corporate president, owner and publisher are not getting any lighter with the passing of time. Then too, but far from the least of the reasons for this move at this time, is that our beloved editor and friend and brother, James W. Adams, is in need of some long past due relief and rest from the burdensome duties of editing and managing of a regularly published paper. Brother James mentioned this idea, on behalf of both him and me, about a year ago. So then later, via many phone calls and some letters prior to the Board meeting of the Cogdill Foundation (I believe in 1979 and perhaps early in 1980), this whole matter began to demonstrate to me the probable wisdom of becoming a little more interested in effecting an effort to this end. To my dear friend and brother, James D. Yates, who is one of the fine elders of the Spring Branch Church in Houston, Texas. Lennie and I owe so much to him and Sister Mildred, Jim’s sweet wife, for their encouragement to go forward with the proposition of somehow relieving us of the burden of responsibility from two standpoints; (1) of non-deductibility of all costs, of underwriting expenses and (2) all the frustration connected therewith. Not that it was not worth it and many times enjoyable, but personal, legal and extremely costly civil problems were getting to us. Thank you, Jim and Mildred.

Back to Brother Adams, it really; hurts so many of us that we shall not henceforth be able; to read his soul Moving, thought provoking articles we have become accustomed to reading. His excellent mind and typewriter are going to be missed. I “suspect” he might do some pamphlet or Bible lesson or book writing after a good rest and relief from present rigors and pressures. He and Sister Gertrude have so generously and gallantly given of themselves in this effort. This, as I say, is only a guess and certainly none of our affairs, only his. Of course it has been said, “a wise man sometimes will change his mind but” – and there is no use saying what the other type of man never does because my dear friend and brother, James Adams, never was afflicted with that other type of attitude – no, never.

This whole idea to merge or sell or some other arrangement began to more and more become a possible reality in the minds of all who are directly concerned with either or both the Guardian or Truth. We have all carefully and prayerfully considered and gone over every conceivable aspect of such a transaction, sale and/or fusion and the effects such might have on all our readers, customers, friends and brethren. By this we do not mean that all monetary aspects of said transaction, as that is immaterial and therefore irrelevant to all that should be concerned. We do, however, mean the effects for good; that is, how best to get God’s truth before more souls and more effectively teach against the horrors of error in the world, and even more importantly, those evils that are always creeping and sneaking into our Lord’s church. Yes, in congregations where you might least expect to find such weak teaching.

This is also not to say there has been no monetary considerations as concerning the overall operation of these two publications, as compared to the cost of the two, turned into one publication. We therefore feel that we shall be, with the Lord’s blessings, your helping cooperation, your prayers, your contributions, your book and literature purchases, your subscriptions and advertising in a great deal better position to successfully reach more people both in and out of the church with the same grand lessons of truth about God and His ways, in the future as in the past, through this media of the Guardian Of Truth which new name and new masthead or format you will be receiving with the first issue of the new year, 1981.

In my reminiscence of these years subsequent to the September 15, 1975 issue and even before, during the long period of acquisition, it brings tears and a heavy heart for many reasons, both joyable and sorrowful. First, I do not have the words to express my appreciation and thanks to a beloved friend and brother for all his willful help and willingness to carry so much of the load of the pressures of being the Editor-in-chief of the Guardian. As if that were not enough, he was the general manager of all the operations. We loved James Adams and his family before we starting publishing the Guardian and that love and admiration has increased and ripened through the years.

Then our thanks and gratitude to our beloved brethren, Roy E. Cogdill and Kent Ellis who, from the very first and for a time were our associate editors. But, alas, too soon other writings and books brother Roy wanted to finish forced him to resign that place on our little staff. We are and shall be ever grateful to him for his encouragement and advice.

Then for a short time it was James Adams and associate, Kent Ellis, in the editing department. Quite soon our dear friend and brother, Peter J. Wilson,of Portland, Oregon joined our growing group of good writers and was prevailed upon to become an associate editor along with Adams and Ellis. Oh, that was good. We were going first class again. Some time after that (I believe the later part of 1979 or early in 1980) Brother Ellis, for personal reasons, none of which were in any way connected with his association with the Guardian or it’s personnel nor any of the Guardians affairs, desired to resign from its editoral staff. However, Brother Pete Wilson is, and shall be, an associate editor to the end of this arangement in December, next. I must say, and I can say, because I was the one who just would not take no for an answer, it took some real doing to steal enough of Brother Wilson’s time to come in with us at the Guardian as a regular contributor of the very fine, in deed the very finest, gospel writing and shortly thereafter he became an associate editor with Brother Adams. There just could not have been a better choice made. We, speaking for myself and so many hundreds of our readers, Brother Peter, all shall be eternally grateful for the great lessons you have written for the Guardian during the past several years. Brother Wilson, I and every one (not one exception) together hope you will accept a place in that long list of staff writers of the combined two lists, which will (no doubt) soon become one list and just maybe longer when the papers become one, “The Guardian of Truth” Owned and published by the Cogdill Foundation Corporation.

I just cannot mention all the good brethren who have been the “LIFE BLOOD” of our efforts with the Guardian. Time and space will not permit me to do that here. I just want to mention however, a few more, not the least of whom is Brother Jesse M. Kelley who has been our printer, arranger and mailer from the very first issue. He has also made many fine contributions by his writing of good and sound articles. Another writer comes to mind, Brother Dennis C. Abernathy, who has written so much, our thanks to him. Brother Bill Cavender also contributed excellent articles, and since he is a staff writer for Truth Magazine, we shall be expecting to se more of his writing in Guardian of Truth, next year. Our thanks also to Brother Donald R. Givens of Canada for his good articles and to Brother Vaught D. Shofner for his brilliant work through the years. There are so many, many more – I say, “Thanks,” from the bottom of my heart for the good and wonderful work you have done for us in the great truths you have set forth in your great efforts.

Truth Magazine XXIV: 50, pp. 805-806
December 18, 1980

By Mike Willis

This issue of Truth Magazine completes twenty-four years of consecutive publication. Through the years, Truth Magazine has been a medium for discussion of issues which were troubling brethren. The paper was born during the discussion of the sponsoring church and of church support of orphan homes and colleges in order to provide a medium through which those issues could be honorably discussed. Thousands of brethren have studied the issues through reading the pages of Truth Magazine. I personally have a great appreciation for the good which was accomplished by those who published the paper before me.

One cannot be content to rest upon past laurels of victory. The cause of Christ demands our constant, persistent efforts and labors. There are millions of Americans who have never obeyed the gospel; they need to be taught. There are thousands of brethren who have never studied the issues which have divided the church; they need to be exposed to material answering liberalism. There are thousands of saints who need to be grounded in the truth. Through the pages of Truth Magazine, we have sought to teach some who might not have been taught through other means. Truth Magazine is not indispensable; it is, however, another means of teaching people the gospel.

Closing this volume marks an end and a beginning – as does the last number of each year. But this end and beginning are unique. We look back on twenty-four years of service with appreciation for those who have sacrificed in labors before us. We look back on battles fought, casualties suffered, and victories won. But looking ahead, there lies before us new prospects for service, new challenges, new helpers, and a new name. With our next issue, the paper will be called Guardian of Truth. This represents a change in our name but not in our thrust. We shall continue to preach, defend, propagate, and guard the precious truths of New Testament Christianity (Phil. 1:17; Jude 3). Our commitment. to the gospel of Christ in its pristine purity and simplicity is irrevocable! In fact, our volume number will not be Volume I but Volume XXV to reflect the fact that this labor is a continuation of Truth Magazine. The change in our name simply reflects the purchase of Gospel Guardian as we welcome its subscribers into our mailing list. We intend to stand for the same truths and teach them with as much boldness as before.

We are “set for the defense of the gospel” (Phil. 1:17). We plan to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). We intend to imitate the example of Paul who, in his conflict with the Judaizers at Jerusalem, acted as follows: “to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you” (Gal. 2:5). That is our intention in being a guardian of truth. We are guarding the truth, not in the sense that a miser hoards wealth and watches over it to be sure that no one steals it, but as a doctor guards the purity of the precious medicine which he dispenses. We, like Paul, are going to guard the truth in order to be sure that its truths are not corrupted by the traditions of men. We are not in the business of sitting on the truth but in the business of spreading it as the only hope of salvation in a world oppressed and doomed by sin. Yet, in respect to the message which is taken to the lost world, we want to be positive that it is the truth of the gospel. Hence we want to be a guardian of truth.

Truth Magazine Bookstore

In behalf of our bookstore manager, Bob Whitehead, I would like to express appreciation for our customers trusting us with their business. Without the book business, Truth Magazine could not be printed. Publishing Truth Magazine has always been a financial loss. Were it not for our book business, this loss would be greater than we could afford to bear and Truth Magazine could not continue to be published.

However, because of your continued book business, we are happy to announce that more new publications are being planned by Cogdill Foundation. The revisions on the first twenty-four books of the Walking with God series (pre-school through third grade) are nearly completed; the writing has been completed for several months and the art work is nearly half completed. We hope that sometime during 1981 this literature will be on the market. Brethren will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of this material, both with reference to its content and its appearance.

New books are being planned. In 1980, we published Abstain From Every Form of Evil, We Gather Together, Neo-Calvinism In The Church of Christ, He Looked ForA City, A Commentary On Paul’s First Epistle To The Corinthians, Directory of Churches, and perhaps other new books which I cannot remember at the present. Plans for new publications already started are as follows: Britnell-Woods Debate, Porter’s Sermons Outlines, a book of sermons edited by Earl E. Robertson, publication of twenty years of Question-Answer columns by Marshall Patton and other works.

Being a non-profit business, Cogdill Foundation cannot give its earnings to its Board of Directors. Salaries can be paid to employees but the remainder of the profits can only be used to publish other literature such as we are publishing. Hence, no one is going to get rich because of Cogdill Foundation. Rather, we shall continue to concentrate on producing more literature which teaches the word of God. Every book order which is directed toward Truth Magazine Bookstore makes it possible for more literature which is useful to brethren to be published. In the same manner, every book order that is directed to liberal brethren’s bookstores are used to promote a production of liberal publications. On this basis, I appeal to brethren to direct as much book business toward Cogdill Foundation as possible. We want to serve you better each year.

I must also commend Bob Whitehead to you. Bob has labored many years to make Truth Magazine Bookstore one of the best book stores in the nation. He is not interested in seeing us handle a bunch of denominational garbage. He is interested in selling good material and providing good service. I have been in meetings as far as 600 miles from Truth Magazine Bookstore during which orders placed on Monday arrived on Wednesday. Brethren appreciate that kind of service and Bob intends to deliver it.

Excited About The Future

Yes, I am excited about the future. I am thrilled to see the number of reports concerning the establishment of new churches. I never have completely recuperated from the shock of seeing so much good news of this nature as I have seen since beginning to edit Truth Magazine. I am impressed with the number of young gospel preachers who are laboring among us. Most of them are dedicated to Christ and well taught in the first principles. I do wish that more of them were reading some of the restoration literature classics such as T.W. Brent’s Gospel Plan of Salvation, Lard’s Commentary of Romans, McGarvey’s Commentary on Acts, and other such material. Frankly, I have more respect for these men than I have for the writings of William Barclay, Albert Barnes, Hendriksen, and other denominational scholars.

I am also excited about the work planned through Guardian of Truth. Truth Magazine has the highest circulation which it has enjoyed in several years. Now, we are adding the mailing list of Gospel Guardian to our mailing list. Hence, our circulation is continuing to show increases. That reflects, to some degree at least, that brethren are enjoying the paper and recommending it to their friends. We appreciate this good-will. Without it, no paper can long exist.

With that in mind, I would like to again request our friends to recommend Guardian of Truth to their friends. Pick up some of those old issues which are laying around the house and give them to your friends with your personal recommendation. If you would do’that much, you will help us to increase our circulation and expose more people to the teaching which is available in our pages.

In accordance with our agreement with the Post Office, we will publish no issue next week. We look forward to our first issue of 1981 under the banner of Guardian of Truth.

Truth Magazine XXIV: 50, pp. 803-804
December 18, 1980

By James L. Yopp

Crossroads And Other Churches

In conversing with the elders and preacher at Crossroads, they seemed startled when I told them I had the same objections to their practices that I had to the other liberal-minded churches of Christ. Aside from the few things mentioned earlier, they are lock, stock, and barrel but a reflection of institutionally flavored churches. They have “My School” (day care center), different kinds of ministries (tape, campus, youth, associate, etc.), a chorus (choir?), special drives, and a multitude of other practices that are being carried on in many churches. Whatever they do, they just seem to be more effective in doing it!

The Crossroads church of Christ, as other churches, has a particular fascination with organizations. They not only have the previously mentioned day care center (“My School”), but a “Tape Ministry,” “Christian Family Services,” “Fanning Springs Retreat Center,” and “Campus Advance.” There are, in addition, offices that have been created within the local church such as “Women’s Counselors.” They recently added a “Girl’s Counselor in our Youth Ministry.” In the apostolic church, there was a local, autonomous group carrying on the work of evangelism, edification, and benevolence under her elders. There were deacons to serve, evangelists to preach, and all were saints. There was a conspicuous absence of the organizations and officers peculiar to Crossroads. (See Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:1-3; Philippians 1:1; Ephesians 4: 1-12).

As is the increasing practice of some churches, Crossroads has a penchant for observance of days. They have “CA Play Day,” “Bring Your Neighbor Day,” “Double Contribution Day,” and “Special Fifth Sunday Contribution.” They even went so far as to suggest,

Since so many will be away during the Christmas Holiday season and because a “fifth Sunday” falls on Decmeber 30th, the elders have moved our usual “Fifth Sunday Contribution” to December 16 (At the Crossroads, Dec. 9, 1979).

As Paul told the Galatians, “Ye observe days, months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you (Gal. 4:10-11).

Over the past few years, many churches have added choirs to their programs (called “choruses”). Crossroads is no exception. They have a group known as “Crossroads Singers” that not only presents religious music in concert, tours the country, but sings secular songs during certain seasons of the year, including the Christmas holiday festivities. While the named things are bad enough, please observe the following.

The Crossroads Singers will make a special guest appearance at an Ole Fashioned Gospel Sing at University Auditorium on Saturday evening, January 27 (At the Crossroads, January 21, 1979).

At the same time Crossroads is incurring the wrath of denominational people with her approaches, she is rubbing elbows with those in error.

A choir has absolutely no authority from the word of God. Not only is there an absence in the divine record of any such thing, but we are commanded to sing to one another and no person is excused from participation who is able to perform (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). No defense has ever been attempted, to my knowledge, for the existence of the Crossroads Singers.

It has become increasingly fashionable with many to charge for the services or goods offered to the world by the church. Many churches charge for their tapes, their papers, the use of their buildings, etc. Crossroads is no exception. Among those items for which they receive money are: retreats, seminars, “My School,” records of singers, use of the building for weddings, spring banquets, and tapes. Please note that many of the things for which they charge have no scriptural right to be engaged in by the church in the first place.

In discussion with the Crossroads’ elders concerning the practice of raising money by any means except the first day of the week contribution (1 Cor. 16:1-2), their reply was, “Some churches have a savings account.” I do not know where they found that passage, but it is not in my Bible.

It should have been no shock (though it was) to learn that during their 1979 “Florida Evangelism Seminar,” they had a collection on Friday night (wonder why not the Lord’s Supper?).

On Friday evening, participants were given an opportunity to make a cash contribution or a pledge in support of the Campus Advance program and the Florida Evangelism Seminar. The total came to almost $40,000 – much higher than ever before (At the Crossroads, Sept. 9, 1979).

The next time one of the Crossroads’ members proposes to teach a denominational member on proper giving on the first day of the week, they cannot avoid condemning their own practice!

A Denominational Flavor

In addition to the similarities of Crossroads to some other churches of Christ, there is a certain denominational flavor that comes out of Crossroads. We would like to mention several examples.

The use of the name Crossroads is denominational. The location of the building for this congregation is in the middle of ablock, not at a crossroads, the community is not known as Crossroads, and there is no geographical reason for such terminology. As the Jehovah Witnesses borrowed an expression from the Old Testament, so did the 14th St. church when they moved into their new building. They quote Jeremiah 6:16 (“Stand at the crossroads . . . “) on the front of their bulletin (where appears a drawing of the cross that dominates their building). Even when a secretary answers the church phone, she says, “Crossroads (emphasized) . . . (pause) . . . (softly) church of Christ.” The people call themselves (as do others) “Crossroaders.” The term Crossroads is sectarian in use. Please observe the logo they use on their publications:

A use is made of personal testimony. Frequent references to ones who “share their faith” can be found in Crossroads’ writings. Inserts in local bulletins have personal testimonies (At the Crossroads, Feb. 10, 1980, and Feb. 17, 1980). The activities of the members at Crossroads seem to center on “witnessing” to the neglect of plain, pointed Bible instruction.

There is a constant go-go-go attitude in their writings. One new scheme scarcely is mentioned until something else is proposed. Additionally, there is a continual use of superlatives to describe anything in which the people (especially leaders) at Crossroads may be involved (as great, exciting, rich, rewarding, best, large, excellent, finest, tremendous, etc.). One who is familiar with the New Testament writings could hardly equate the Crossroads’ approach with the early saints.

An increasing hint at a willingness to ‘compromise in order to have unity with different segments of the “restoration movement” is apparent. After speaking at the Canton Christian Conference in Ohio, Lucas stated,

While we have our distinct differences with these brethren, we must recognize that they are our brothers in Christ, and I am convinced that there is a real need for greater communication between us. We are not suggesting any compromise of our convictions or watering down our message, but we are saying that we need to make every effort to bring about greater understanding and unity among all Christians and to “reason together” on matters of concern. This is, it seems to us, in the highest and noblest tradition of the Restoration Movement and is the spirit of New Testament Christianity (At the Crossroads, April 6, 1980).

This may not seem as dangerous to you as it did to me for I knew that Lucas has attended a meeting at the Northwest Christian Church in Gainesville and sang with the instrument as well as leading the closing prayer. Apparently it did not compromise Lucas’ convictions to sing with the instrument!

In another issue of At the Crossroads (Sept. 23, 1979), after commending Reuel Lemmons, J.D. Bales, and Yater Tant, Lucas stated,

And there is hope for the kind of unity that Jesus prayed for in John 17 as long as we hold to these fundamentals, and when we are willing to discuss our differences in brotherly love without trying to ostracize or run anybody out of the brotherhood.

However noble be the intentions expressed in this quote, the one question that should come back to haunt every disciple is: What does the truth say? The only unity in which this writer is interested is one in which we all seek the word of God for every teaching, every practice, and every belief. If book, chapter, and verse cannot be produced for something, abandon it. Let is be understood: Every church that continues to practice (or would uphold practices) something that has no Bible authority, that church is guilty of dividing the body of Christ. Such churches erected the barriers to unity. To challenge them to produce a passage is not creating division, it is trying to solve division. To refuse to participate with any congregation in something that has no Bible authority is not causing division; it is upholding the truth. When Crossroads abandons those practices for which she has no Bible authority, unity can be a reality.

Conclusion

There are some good things about Crossroads. There are some very bad things. To a degree, they are willing to be open and discuss their practices. There is a hesitancy to come to the defense, with appropriate scripture (because there is none?), for many of the practices mentioned in this article.

I confess that Crossroads makes me ashamed for the little that I do, but that is my fault – not theirs. To launch an attack on Crossroads because of jealousy is wrong, but I fear this may be the case in some of the recent attacks from various churches, papers, and individuals. Judge ye what I say.

Truth Magazine XXIV: 50, pp. 801-802
December 18, 1980