Truth Magazine

By Glendol McClure

In a previous issue, the article entitled, “What We Need Is Less Love,” was presented for your consideration. In that article we discussed areas where less love is needed. The areas discussed were, we need less love for self, for the pleasures of this world, for material wealth, for the wages of unrighteousness and finally, for the praises of men! In conclusion, it was stated, “But what we need more of is love for God’s truths found in the Bible. Dear reader, where is your love focused, on things we need less love for or on the truths of God’s word that all need more love of? Which?”

Since we last discussed the need for less love in the above mentioned areas, in this article we will discuss areas whereby we need more love. Please consider the following.

More Love for Bold Preachers and Preaching! 

It has become the norm of some preachers to avoid controversy and speak in such a way as to prevent upsetting anyone in the audience. “Paul and Barnabas waxed bold” in their declaration of the word of the Lord even though many were stirred to anger and eventually ran Paul and Barnabas out of town (Acts 13:46-51). Many brethren in the first century waxed bold in their teaching (Phil 1:14). Paul taught the Gospel boldly, even though he was persecuted (1 Thess. 2:2).

We need preaching that is scriptural, specific and to the point, with proper applications made. Bold preaching is needed on moral issues such as immodesty, social drinking, gambling, abortion, homosexuality, divorce, dancing, attending the prom, materialism, filthy movies and TV shows, etc. When these issues are ignored, then you have soft preaching. Paul commands sharp rebuke of sinners, not soft, meaningless “preaching” where application is not made (1 Tim. 5:20; Tit. 1:13).

We need preaching that clearly marks and identifies error and false teachers of error. Error must be marked according to Paul’s divine admonition — “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Rom. 16:17). Paul practiced what he preached and commanded to the Roman brethren concerning marking and avoiding (2 Tim. 2:16-18; 4:10, 14; Gal. 2:11-14). This manner of preaching was commanded of Timothy by Paul (2 Tim. 4:1-5). Therefore, if it was needful and profitable to engage in such preaching in the first century, it is especially needful in the twenty-first century, because “evil men and seducers shall wax (grow) worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (2 Tim. 3:13).

It is a sad day when brethren shun and avoid preachers who preach the gospel with boldness, clarity, and love. It is not uncommon to see preachers who follow the apostolic pattern of first century preaching avoided, criticized, vilified, falsely accused, and even fired. We shouldn’t think these actions on the part of some to be unusual, though they are shameful and sad! 

There are numerous accounts in the Scriptures where messengers carrying forth God’s word were ostracized and even put to death for declaring “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20 27; cf. 26:19-21). A few cases in point that most Bible students are familiar with: (1) John lost his head because he opposed the unlawful marriage of Herod and Herodias (Matt. 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-28). (2) Stephen was stoned to death because of the bold preaching wherein the present day Jews and their forefathers were accused and convicted of rejecting the prophets, the law and the eventual murder of Jesus Christ (Acts 6:9-7:60). (3) And, Jesus the Master preacher and teacher was crucified and slain because of the message he preached, which is recorded for our learning in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and frequently referenced in the epistles.

Yes, we need to have more love for the truth and those who boldly preach it. Encouragement should be given to those willing to take a firm stand on God’s word. Compromise with sin and error must be avoided and is not an option! The proclamation of sound doctrine with boldness and love must be demanded and supported by brethren for spiritual survival to occur in the sinful world we live in. Please encourage gospel preachers you know to “speak boldly as (they) ought to speak” (Eph. 6:20; Col. 4:4).

More Love for Divine Authority! 

To act without authority and to disrespect proper authority, is a serious matter. In every avenue of life, authority must be respected. When authority is disrespected and ignored, problems and troubles abound. The majority of problems in every society are the result of a disrespect or lack of authority — problems in the home, in schools, in the work place, in government, in business, and in the Lord’s church. 

Jesus laid claim to all authority in matters religious. He declared, “All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matt. 28:18). He warned religious people of his day that works that were of the will of the Father would be accepted by him. He also declared that works that were of the will of men were iniquity or lawlessness! This divine warning should strike at the heart and thinking of  every religious person, yet, in the religious world today, there is gross disrespect for this warning! The Jews of Jesus’ day questioned Jesus about authority, but displayed disrespect for divine authority by their rejection of him (Matt. 21:23-27; John 1:10, 11). Clearly, the authority of Jesus was from heaven and not of men!

When one engages in worship of the true and living God, it must be based on heavenly authority for it to be “in spirit and in truth” worship (John 4:21-24). Paul wrote of the zeal of Israel, but, their zeal was misplaced zeal because they went about to establish their own righteousness and did not submit to the righteousness of God (Rom. 10:1-3). They did not respect the authority of God.

When congregations of the Lord add unauthorized practices to the work and worship of the church, are they acting by the authority of heaven or of men? When congregations engage in and sponsor recreational and social activities such as summer camps, ball teams, meals in the “fellowship hall,” Christmas plays, skits, and parties, etc., where is their Bible authority? From heaven or of men? When worship involves the use of mechanical instruments of music, hand clapping, lifting up hands or humming in the worship, where is their Bible authority? From heaven or of men (cf. Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16)? When women are placed in leadership roles in the worship assembly, where is their Bible authority? From heaven or of men (cf. 1 Tim. 2:8-15; 3:15)? You see, when religious works are done without a clear apostolic example, divine implication, or direct statement, then the noble question must be asked, “by what authority doest thou these things? And who gave thee this authority?” (Matt. 21:23). Let us heed the divine instructions of Paul regarding authority, where he said, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Col. 3:17).

More Love for the Lord’s Church! 

To have lack of love for what Christ “purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28) shows utter disrespect and disregard for “the blood of the covenant,” counting it “an unholy thing” (Heb. 10:29). While lack of love is displayed among many by disrespecting the divine mission of the church (evangelism, edification, and benevolence), there are many other areas where love for the Lord’s body is neglected. Here are at least three areas where love is often lacking.

1. Faithful attendance is commanded of all members (Heb. 10:23-26). To willfully forsake the assembling of the saints, where God is worshiped and his word studied, shows lack of love. Selfishness, and disregard for other members and the Lord’s work is also displayed by those who forsake the assembly. Faithful attendance indicates love for the Lord’s church.

2. Holy living by members of the Lord’s body is commanded (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:16-26; Col. 3:1-7; 2 Tim. 2:19). Members who live hypocritical lives bring untold damage to the Lord’s body. The apostle Peter wrote, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:15, 16). It is not difficult to see why holy and pure lives are commanded of God’s people. Purity in life demonstrates love for Christ and his church.

3. Humbleness and submission one to another is commanded of members of the Lord’s body. Paul taught that members are to have “the mind of Christ” (Phil. 2:1-8). The lives of members are not to be driven by selfishness and pride, but as Paul directs in Ephesians 4:1-3. Numerous divisions have occurred because of members who had little regard for scriptural unity. Those who endeavor to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” show love for the Lord’s church.      

More Love for Knowledge of God’s Word! 

Hosea wrote, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee” (Hos. 4:6). With reading comes knowledge. Without reading, one remains in ignorance. Consider some of the passages that teach the importance of reading God’s word (Exod. 24:7; Deut. 17:19; 31:11; Josh. 8:34, 35; 2 Kings 23:2, 3; Neh. 8:8, 18; 9:3; Isa. 34:16; Jer. 36:6-13; Acts 8:27-32; 1 Tim. 4:13; Eph. 3:4; Col. 4:16; 1 Thess. 5:27). 

After reading these passages, can we not see that knowledge can come only when God’s word is read? Proper study of any subject demands reading. The only way to know God’s will is to read and study it. The Hebrew writer severely condemned ignorance (Heb. 5:12-14). Paul exhorted Timothy to “give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:13). Countless souls continue to be destroyed because of lack of reading which results in “lack of knowledge.”

More Love for Sacrificial Living! 

Inasmuch as God sent his son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice to God for all men, all men must sacrifice their lives unto God for the cause of Christ (Heb. 7:27; 9:26; 10:5-12; 11:4; 13:15). Paul wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2).

We are to glorify God in this body (Matt. 5:13-16; 1 Cor. 6:20). Glorifying God is brought about by living a godly life and keeping ones self “unspotted from the world” (Jas 1:27); by doing good works that are ordained of God (Matt. 7:21-23); by remaining “faithful unto death” (Rev. 2:10). Our life on earth must be spent in sacrificial service to God, preparing for the life to come (cf. Amos 4:12).    

Conclusion

We have mentioned and discussed several things whereby we need more love. The areas mentioned are by no means exhaustive. There are many other areas that could be mentioned where more love is needed, such as more love for the souls of the lost, for godly homes, for scriptural discipline of wayward members, for godly leadership, etc. The points we have discussed should be carefully examined and practiced by all who are striving for the heavenly reward.

By Mike Willis

Living in an age when many people who profess to be religious choose not to affiliate with any church, one might be inclined to accept the view that the church is unimportant. Indeed, many religious leaders teach that one can be saved without being a member of any church. Unsurprisingly, many are choosing to do just that — to have a salvation experience without ever being identified with any church. This makes the church a relatively unimportant and unessential organization.

The Church in Ephesians

In some respects, the book of Ephesians has the most extensive comments about the church that one can find in the Bible. Let us look at some of the statements made in this book:

1. The church is the fulness of God. As the book opens, Paul gives praise to God for the salvation he wrought in Christ Jesus our Lord. He concludes the chapter by describing Jesus’ glorified position:

. . . And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all (Eph. 1:23).

This statement emphasizes that the church is not an afterthought in God’s eternal scheme. Later in the letter, Paul ties the church to God’s eternal purpose in Christ Jesus: “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph. 3:9-11).

In the phrase, “the fulness of him that filleth all in all” one sees the church  as the consummation of God’s work through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The gospels of Christ confirm this understanding of the church. Using the figure of the church as the “kingdom” of God (see Matt. 16:18-19), the gospels open with an announcement that the time has come for the establishment of the Lord’s kingdom. John the Baptist preached, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). When Jesus began his public ministry, “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17). When the apostles were sent out on the limited commission, they were told to “preach the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:2). 

Recognizing that the church is a part of God’s eternal purpose in Christ Jesus and that it is the kingdom of  God on earth, one sees that the church is not an afterthought of God. The church was not established because the Jews rejected Jesus as their king. Quite the contrary, the church is the consummation of God’s eternal plan through Christ Jesus. That being the case, the church is not an unimportant spiritual institution one may or may not choose to join.

2. The church is the saved of God. The second thing one notices about the church is what it is. Sometimes men understand the church to be a building, an organization of local churches in a particular denomination, or a mystical institution composedof all of the churches in the world. It is none of these. The word church is used in two senses in the Scriptures: (a) To include all of the saved people in the world and (b) To describe those saved people in a given locality who choose to work together in a local fellowship. 

Looking at the first use of the word, one sees that one cannot be saved without being a member of the Lord’s church. In Ephesians 2:16-17 Paul wrote, “And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: and came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.” This passage emphasizes several important truths: (a) Reconciliation to God occurs in the body of Christ, a synonym for the church (see Eph. 1:22-23). Therefore, one cannot be reconciled to God without being a member of the church. (b) All men are reconciled to God in one body. The context of Ephesians 2 is that both Jew and Gentile are reconciled to God in the one body, the church. Paul found no room in the first century for two churches — one fitted for Gentiles and another fitted for Jews. Rather, all men are reconciled to God in one body. (c) Men are reconciled to God in one body by the cross. One’s salvation by the cross involves his being a member of the church.

Later in Ephesians, Paul describes what God has done for the church. Writing in Ephesians 5:23-31, Paul states the following about the church:

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body (Eph. 5:23).

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish (Eph. 5:25-27).

Jesus is the “saviour of the body.” Hence, if one wishes to be saved, he must be a part of the body that Jesus saves, which is his church. Jesus “gave himself for” the church. If one is going to benefit from the shed blood of Christ, he must be a member of his church. Those who are in his church are washed clean by his blood; they are a “glorious church, not having spot of wrinkle,” not because they have never sinned, but because their sins have been washed away in the blood of the Lamb of God. Consequently, those in the church are “holy and without blemish.” The church is all of the saved people of the world. Those who are not in the church do not benefit from the blood of Christ.

Looking at the second use of the word church, to describe a fellowship of saints in a given locality who are working together to accomplish the revealed will of God, one notices that Christ expects his saints to be affiliated with a local church. Saints are taught not to forsake the assemblying of the local church (Heb. 10:25), to give money to support the work of the local church (1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 9:6-9), and to assemble each Sunday to remember the Lord’s death in partaking of the Lord’s supper (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:17-34). When first century saints moved from town to town, they sought to identify themselves with the local saints (Acts 9:26; Rom. 16:1-2). We do not read of saints being “members at large,” that is being a part of the “saved,” but not affiliated with a local church.

3. There is one church. A culture that accepts that there are literally thousands of different denominations is surprised to learn that, in the New Testament, there was but one church. There were many different religions in the first century. The pagans had temples that gave homage to many deities — Zeus, Hermes, Diana, and hundreds of others. The Jews worshiped in the Temple at Jerusalem but were divided into various sects, such as Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Herodians, and perhaps others. But one could not be saved in any of these religions. He had to believe in Christ Jesus for salvation, so says the Scriptures:

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins (John 8:24).

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6).

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

If one is not a member of Christ’s church, he cannot be saved. And, Christ has only one church. He promised to build his church (Matt. 16:18), not “churches.” Jews and Gentiles are both reconciled to God “in one body” (Eph. 2:16). After identifying Jesus’ body as his church, Paul said, “There is one body” (Eph. 4:4). The numeral “one” means more than none and less than two!

What is expressly stated, that there is but one church, is confirmed by Paul’s illustration. Paul wrote of Jesus’ spiritual headship after his ascension saying, “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Eph. 1:21-23). Jesus is the head of the body. No head is attached to more than more one body, as would be the case were Jesus head of hundreds of churches or denominations. Nor is there a body with more than one head, as would be case if both Jesus and the pope, a president, a synod, or council were heads of any given denomination. There is but one body or church and that body has but one head, Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

Inasmuch as the church is composed of those saved through the blood of Christ, one should understand that whatever are the conditions for salvation are the conditions for membership in the Lord’s church. When one is saved from his sins, he is added to the church by the Lord (Acts 2:47). When one believes in Christ, repents of his sins, confesses his faith in Christ, and is baptized in water for the remission of his sins, he is cleansed of his sins by the blood of Christ and added to the Lord’s church — those people who have been saved by Jesus Christ. A person cannot join the church in this sense, for only the Lord can add him to the church. One who has obeyed the gospel unto salvation needs to affiliate himself with others in his area who have done the same thing. In this sense, he joins himself to a local church — a group of Christians who have been saved by the blood of Christ who and have agreed to pool their resources in order to work together under common oversight (cf. Acts 9:26). 

One who lives outside the fellowship of the church is seeking to do something other than God’s determinate will. The church exists, not because some men think it is a good thing, but because the Lord willed it to be established and  providentially oversees its continued existence. Are you a member of the Lord’s church? In our next lesson, we will study the identifying marks of the Lord’s church.

6567 Kings Ct., Avon, Indiana 46123 mikewillis1@compuserve.com

By Jerry Falk

The country of Spain is located south of France and north of Morocco (Africa), its only neighbor on the Iberian Peninsula being Portugal. Spain is practically the same size as California and Indiana combined, making it Europe’s third largest country. Its Mediterranean climate, similar to that of the Bible Lands, nurtures olives, figs, oranges, lemons, and grapes. With dry summers and mild winters, Spain has become one of the world’s most popular vacation attractions, receiving over sixty million visitors annually. (That’s twenty million more than its total population!)

Most people seem to take for granted that Spaniards speak Spanish, but at least four languages are spoken on the peninsula. Castilian is the official language of the country, “with Catalan, Galician, and Basque also spoken in their respective regions” (The Cambridge Factfinder  316). Castilian Spanish is the same language spoken by many North, Central, and South Americans, not to mention Cubans, Dominicans, and other inhabitants of the West Indies. The differences between Castilian Spanish spoken in Spain and that of the regions mentioned above can be likened to the linguistic peculiarities encountered between the British and native English speakers of the United States.

Ninety-nine percent of Spaniards are Roman Catholic (ibid.); however, this figure drops significantly when taking into account only those who actually practice what they claim to believe. The religion of the majority, in my mind, is adequately represented by an unfinished church building in Barcelona known as “La Sagrada Familia” (The Sacred Family). Its majestic, ornate spires tower above the city, but they are empty on the inside. Similarly, for many Spaniards, Catholicism is a time for flamboyant religious parades, popcorn, cotton candy, balloons, drinking, and dancing . . . but when the party’s over, the emptiness remains. It kind of reminds me of Jesus’ analogy of the scribes’ and Pharisees’ “house” (i.e. their lives) which was “swept and put in order” but at the same time was left “unoccupied” (Matt. 12:43-45, NASB). Just as in Jesus’ day, superficial devotion to God leaves the “house” of many devoid of true spiritual life.

Many Spaniards have turned to a mixture of Catholicism and superstition. For example, almost every restaurant in Spain has an image of “Saint Pancracio” near the cash register. It is believed that regular offerings of fresh parsley to this idol will bring money to the business. Others rely on the powers of “white magic” (a mixture of incantations, potions, and Catholicism) for everything from bringing good fortune to one’s home to finding a new romance. Drawing people’s attention from these worldly and fanciful enticements to the true religion of Christ has proven to be a very difficult task indeed . . . difficult but not impossible!

In fact, in the past twelve years or so, a handful of souls in Spain have been able to see through the empty pageantry and place their trust solely in God’s written word. These individuals are now members of faithful churches of Christ in Badalona (Barcelona), Tarragona, Seville, Dos Hermanas, and Tenerife (Canary Islands). Aided by providence and a new Spanish Constitution ratified in 1978, Christians now enjoy the government’s assurance of “free religious expression and the right to assemble and worship.” This is a wonderful blessing, especially considering the fact that up until only twenty-five years ago “an estimated 80 percent of (non-Catholic) churches closed by force under General Francisco Franco’s 36-year regime” (Christianity Today, 10/7/96). After hundreds of years of being literally forced to acknowledge the Catholic Church as Christ’s one true body, Spaniards can finally make up their own minds with respect to religious preference.

The establishment of faithful churches of Christ in Spain can be traced back to the efforts of brothers Wayne Partain, Bill Reeves, Efrain Perez, John Pate, and others. Many of the first contacts made were originally members of “churches of Christ” that had come under an ultra-liberal influence unparalleled among institutional churches in the United States. In the late 1980s and early 90s, some of these contacts began to recognize that they had overstepped the boundaries of biblical authority and, as a result of their efforts and those of the brethren mentioned above, several faithful churches were established. Since then, others (former Catholics and Evangelicals) have been added to their number.

Perhaps a brief history of a few of the faithful congregations in Spain will help you to become more familiar with the work in this country.

Badalona (Barcelona). When Efrain Perez (from Chile) moved to Spain in 1989, he was received almost unanimously by the brethren in Badalona. (Other “churches of Christ” at this time had become wrapped up in a Protestant ecumenical movement, headed by Juan Monroy, a contact made by institutional brethren during the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. Monroy is Herald of Truth’s representative to Spain and president of the “FEREDE” (Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities of Spain). As these churches began to maintain fellowship with the non-Catholic denominations of Spain, the distinguishing marks of New Testament Christianity were grievously altered. Many members of these congregations now regard themselves as “Evangelicals” and in the worship services of some of these churches you can find instrumental music, women leading prayers, tithing, and other errors associated with mainstream Protestantism. The most destructive consequence of this movement is the adoption of the Evangelical practice of baptizing people for a “public testimony” and not for the forgiveness of sins. Unbelievable, but true! Before brother Perez’s arrival, the church in Badalona had refused to participate in this apostasy, making his job of teaching them somewhat easier. By the time he returned to his native Chile in 1998, more than twenty souls had been added to their number and several had been trained to preach. Brother Perez was also instrumental in drawing up the legal paperwork necessary for me to acquire a Spanish residency card, by means of which I would be able to preach the gospel in Barcelona from 1989-1992. The church in Badalona now numbers about thirty in attendance, with brothers Juan Gimenez and Jose Pinto doing most of the preaching and teaching.

Tenerife (Canary Islands). In 1991, brother Perez traveled to Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, one of several Spanish-owned islands off the northwest coast of Africa, with the hope of teaching a few contacts. When his efforts failed to bear fruit, he flew to the island of Tenerife to visit the mother of one of the members of the church in Badalona. As a result, eleven people were baptized! The church now numbers about eighteen in attendance.

Seville. Around this time, John Pate (from Newnan, Georgia) decided to move to Seville with his wife and daughter in order to teach his wife’s sister’s family. Since my arrival in 1992, about thirty people have obeyed the gospel, about half of which continue to fight the good fight. Perhaps one of the most encouraging and steadfast members of this congregation is Enrique Gallardo. Enrique is 65 years old and had been a “Jehovah’s Witness” for almost eight years. He and another brother by the name of Jorge Sanchez are tireless personal workers who also help me at least once a month by presenting sermons.

Dos Hermanas. In 1989, two men from this city just nine miles south of Seville asked the “pastor” of an ultra-liberal “church of Christ” if he could recommend material that would help them in their personal Bible study. Amazingly enough, he told them about brother Wayne Partain’s excellent commentaries and sermon notes. Correspondence with brother Partain and their investigation of the Scriptures led them to believe that they were in error. Several months after Bill Reeves, John Pate, and I visited and studied with these men in 1992, about eleven individuals broke ties with the liberal church and started meeting on their own. They now number about 35 in attendance, with brothers Juan Garcia, Miguel Lopez, Pablo Lorenzo, and myself doing the preaching and teaching.

jerryfalk63@hotmail.com

By John Humphries

India is a nation of one billion people and is expected to exceed China in population in about 20 years. The land area is about one-third the size of the continuous 48 states of these United States. The climate is considered tropical to sub-tropical in most of the nation. However, across the northern borders of the nation extend the towering Himalayas with their snow-covered peaks. To the east, lies the East Bay of Bengal. To the west is the Arabian Sea. To the south of India is the island nation of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. 

India is a country with 23 states and seven Union Territories. For the most part, each state is divided along linguistic lines. For example, Telugu is the main language spoken in Andhra Pradesh, a large state in southern India. Thus, India is a nation of many languages and dialects. Each state, along with its dominant language, will also have many different dialects that are spoken by the tribal people within its borders. This is why visitors must use translators when going into the many villages to preach to the people. While English is spoken widely in the cities of India, Hindi is the national language even though many Indians do not speak it (especially in Tamil Nadu State). Most educated Indians will speak several languages including English, as there are many English medium schools in the cities of India.    

The prominent religion in India is Hindu with 84% of the population professing one form or another of Hinduism. There is also a large minority of Moslems (12%) in India, giving India the largest population of Moslems in the world except for Indonesia. A number of other religions (including Christianity) make up the remaining four percent of the population. In South India, there are more than 450 churches of Christ (conservative), ranging in size from several families to more than three hundred and fifty members in the larger congregations. Nearly 400 Indian preachers are working with these congregations. The combined membership in the congregations is estimated to be at least 42,000. However, no man has the exact count of the faithful (2 Tim. 2:19). It is obvious that we have barely touched the hem of the garment in gospel work among the Indian people. 

India will only permit visitor or tourist visa status to those of us who wish to visit India and work with our brethren there in the gospel. They will not allow any “missionaries” to come for extended periods of time. In fact, some of the political parties in India would ban all non-Hindu religious activity completely if they could have their way. Thankfully, they are in the minority at this time. The attitude of these ultra-conservatives is that India is Hindu and Hinduism is India — and no one else is welcome in India. There are violent, bloody clashes with Moslems periodically with these radical Hindu factions. It is also true that these Hindu radicals have killed an alarming number of denominational people in recent months. “Anyone who kills cows and eats them deserves to die,” is what some fanatical Hindus say to justify killing believers in Christ. Again, thankfully, this fanaticism does not reflect the thinking of most Hindus who are generally very tolerant of other religions. In fact, a large percentage of Indians are very interested in hearing what we have to say about God and Christ.

I have been going to India since 1976 and have seen the church grow tremendously over the past 24 years. Our approach is to have preacher training classes for one week with 20 to 40 preachers. We select a location and invite the preachers from nearby villages/cities to come for all day classes, attending Monday through Friday. We teach books of the Bible and also many different topical studies. In the evenings we preach gospel sermons in nearby places. The week will, therefore, be quite full. Then, we will travel to another centrally located spot and repeat the procedure for the preachers in that area. In our last trip to India (mid-September to early November 2000), we taught well over 200 preachers in our classes and baptized 369 people as a result of the evening gospel meetings. Large crowds will assemble and listen to the preaching.

Several generations ago in the USA, it was not unusual for some of our pioneer preachers to preach gospel meetings and baptize several dozen people. That is the way it is at the present time in India. They are about 75-100 years behind us in their response to gospel meetings. However, India may not remain as responsive to the gospel as she is now as materialism, worldliness, and other factors continue to come into play. I have seen a lot of change (more and more materialism, immorality, and an increase in the divorce rate) in the 24 years that I have been going there. However, for now, India is very responsive to the gospel. 

We (several gospel preachers) also have written gospel tracts for India and have had them translated into some of the Indian languages. There are over a dozen of these tracts that have been printed in India over a period of years. We try to print them in 5,000 and 10,000 lots per tract. We have, therefore, printed many hundreds of thousands of gospel tracts and distributed them through the Indian brethren to the people. Just over the past ten years alone, we have printed over a million copies of gospel tracts. This is a very important part of our gospel work as the tracts continue to teach when we leave India to come home.

Another important work that we do is providing Bibles for the poor saints in India. We purchase Bibles in the language of the brethren so that they will have a copy of the word of God. Many of our brethren are daily wage people (cf. Matt. 20:1ff.) and simply cannot afford to purchase a Bible. We are able to obtain inexpensive Bibles (about 80 cents each) for them. Separate from this effort is our work of printing a Telugu language New Testament (10,000 copies). We have previously printed 10,000 copies and they have been given out to brethren and those with whom they are studying. During each trip we print songbooks for the brethren to use in their worship to God. Some of the Indian preachers publish a monthly gospel magazine that is useful in teaching the people. Other preachers publish this on a quarterly basis as they have the funds available. 

We are not attempting to get involved in a big support raising effort for Indian preachers. However, for those interested, an Indian preacher can adequately provide for his family for $35 a month in the villages. Those in the cities have far greater expenses to deal with and would need $100 or more depending upon the city and their family circumstances. It is unwise for brethren to respond to letters from India requesting financial help without checking with those of us who know something of the Indian culture and the brethren there.

There is a need for faithful, young gospel preachers who love God and people to get involved with the gospel work in India. Some of us are not getting any younger, and we would like to have some dedicated young gospel preachers who are willing to follow up year after year in these India efforts. In other words, we need some who are willing to continue to go each year (or every other year at least) for six weeks or so at a time and become acquainted with the brethren, learn the culture, and further develop the work there. By the way, churches (elders) need to see the value and importance in sending preachers (including their own) to India for gospel work. Churches see the value of gospel meetings each year. Indian brethren also need this.

It is also highly important that one not go alone, especially for the first time. The Lord sent his disciples out two by two for a number of good reasons. The culture and conditions in India are unlike anything we know in this country. Some from the western culture have experienced cultural shock when they have landed in India. We need to go with some one who will be an encouragement to us in a difficult, strange environment. One really needs to talk with those of us who have experienced India before undertaking the trip. It would be even better to go with some of us for the first time. We can help to avoid painful mistakes that first timers might make if they were on their own. There are important cultural and social matters in India that must be respected by those of us from the west (1 Cor. 9:22). For those interested in going, we can guide them through the entire process from preparation to go to their return home. 

There are many nations on this earth and all of them need the gospel. We are aware of this and know of many good brethren who are sacrificing (going and/or sending) in order to preach the gospel in those places. Please remember, however, that “into all the world” certainly includes  India! I will be happy to answer any questions concerning the gospel work in India. We can use all of the help that we can get!

I do not know who wrote the following words, but they are to the point. 

    The sob of a thousand million of poor lost souls sounds in my ear and moves my heart: 
    And I try to measure, as God helps me, something of their darkness, 
    Something of their blank misery, something of their despair.     
    Oh, think of these needs! I say again, they are ocean depths: 
    And beloved, in my Master’s Name, I want you to measure them, 
    I want you to think earnestly about them, I want you to look at them until they appall you, 
    Until you cannot sleep, until you cannot criticize. 
    Let their desperate plight so grip your heart, that you will pray, that you will give sacrificially, 
    That you will say, “Here am I; Lord, send me.”          

8705 Wooded Glen Rd., Louisville, Kentucky 40220