Restoration Movement – Part 2           (also available: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com)

More about the independent Christian Churches.  We believe, arguably, that we have come the closest to maintaining the historical position of the Restoration Movement, to believe the Bible is God’s guide for us while seeking broad unity as much as possible in ministry areas with other Christians.  This independent branch of the Restoration Movement again became the fastest growing evangelical church fellowship in the United States in recent years.  Not because the people are better, but because the movement’s plea just makes sense.
 
The independent Christian churches over the years have developed various para-church organizations to support the work they do, such as publishing houses (Standard Publishing in Cincinnati, OH; College Press in Joplin, MO, etc.) and Bible Colleges to train preachers and ministry workers (Ozark Christian College in Joplin, MO; Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, MO; etc.).  They support a wide variety of missionary organizations around the world.  In addition, preaching/teaching conventions exist to inspire and support, such as SPIRE Network, the International Conference on Missions, or the MO Christian Convention.  They also have Campus Ministries in several university towns to support Christians getting an education in secular colleges (MU Campus House, MSU Campus House, etc.).   I mention more Missouri things simply because I’m most familiar with them.

Christian churches believe Jesus and his apostles instituted only two picturesque ordinances for the church.  The first ordinance is baptism when a person becomes a Christian, representing the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and allows the person to be “buried with Christ in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith” to walk this new life (Colossians 2:12; Romans 6:3-5; Acts 2:38, etc.).  Baptism, these scriptures tell us, provides forgiveness of sins and God’s gift of his Holy Spirit.  The second ordinance is the Lord’s Supper, which Jesus provided as the fulfillment of the Passover feast the Jews celebrated in the Old Testament.  Now, under the New Covenant, we regularly remember what Jesus did for us in his death, burial, and resurrection by observing “communion” when the church gathers.  Two ordinances, both visually picturing what saves us.  Baptism says we our entering this new life identifying with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection; and Communion says we continue this new life identifying with his death, burial, and resurrection.  Jesus saves, as we act in faith.

Again, a very basic overview.  The Restoration Movement is a “back to the Bible” movement that simply wishes to allow what Jesus and his apostles taught to guide our beliefs and practices, as we seek to be Christians only.
 
Walter Scott was a great evangelist in the 1800’s; it’s been said he baptized over 30,000 people in his 30 years of ministry!  As he traveled the country with preaching assignments, he would go into a town on his horse and head to the schoolyard.  When the kids got out, he would gather them around and tell them he wanted to teach them something.  “Hold up your left hand with five fingers and repeat after me” he would tell them.  “Faith, repentance, baptism, remission of sins, gift of the Holy Spirit; one for each finger, now let’s repeat that.” After they had it memorized, he’d say, “Now go home and tell your parents what you’ve learned and tell them the man who taught you will be speaking at ______ tonight.”  Large crowds would gather.  I like his illustration. Responding to Jesus with faith and repentance, we meet Jesus in his saving act with baptism, and he then offers us forgiveness and his Spirit.  Then we walk by faith with God’s Word as our guide.  That’s what people in the Restoration Movement desire.

Question: Maybe you have a question for me. If so, contact me at: rwillisx2@gmail.com.

This movement formed in the early 1800’s as a variety of men studied the scriptures and determined many church organizations were out of line with what Jesus and his apostles taught.  These churches tended to be guided by creeds and church dogma more than the scriptures. The desire was to restore biblical teaching.  As is common with such movements, initially they sought reform within their own church (Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian). With resistance, gradually new churches formed, seeking to be independent of any denominational hierarchy, each congregation overseen simply by their own elders, the Bible as their guiding document.

Some of the early leaders in this movement were: Thomas and Alexander Campbell (father and son) and Barton W. Stone, whose groups would formally merge in 1831.  Each developed churches that generally followed basic teachings they discovered in the Bible, such as the Bible being the only rule of faith and practice, baptism by immersion in water for remission of sin, and the Lord’s Supper (communion) being offered weekly to all who claim Christ as Lord (open rather than closed communion).  There were many other preachers and leaders who played part in the early years, such as Walter Scott, the colorful Raccoon John Smith, Jacob Creath Jr., and many more. From this movement came several slogans that were popular, here are a few:

We are not the only Christians but seek to be Christians only. In other words, although we seek a pure form of Christianity with the Bible as our guide, we recognize that we are saved by grace through faith, and we do not claim you must be in a Restoration Movement church to be a Christian.  We desire to work cooperatively with Christians outside our own churches in love and with a goal of ministry, realizing differences in beliefs.  While true, we are serious about being non-sectarian (simply Christian).
 
Where the Bible speaks, we speak, and where the Bible is silent, we are silent.  In other words, we preach and teach what Jesus and his apostles lead us to preach and teach but realize there are many vague areas or topics the Bible does not speak specifically about, and we do not wish to be divisive where the Bible is not clear.  Where it is clear, we stand strong.

No creed but Christ, no book but the Bible.  Rather than base faith on a man-made creed, we need to point people to Jesus allowing him to motivate correct beliefs with the Bible as the authoritative guide.
 
In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things love.  In other words, we desire unity around basic doctrines such as the divinity of Christ; man’s sinful condition and need for the salvation of Christ; the bodily death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus to accomplish our salvation; our need to accept Christ in faith that turns to him with repentance, baptism, and faithful living with Jesus as Lord.  The Bible is authoritative and our guide.  But we wish liberty in many areas where the Bible is not so clear.  No matter the topic, we wish to conduct ourselves with love toward all.

This Restoration Movement was the fastest growing church body in the United States in the 1800’s, but then saw division, resulting in liberal Disciples of Christ churches, somewhat legalistic non-instrumental Churches of Christ, and the independent Christian Churches, hopefully truest to our historical position.

One of my favorite preachers at my home church in Vandalia, MO (First Christian) was Jim Cook (whose son Tim would later become a close friend in Moberly, MO). One of the phrases I remember Jim Cook using over and over was to talk about the “habit patterns of your life.” Habits can be good or bad, depending on the habit and what it reinforces, or where it leads us. The habit of cussing, for example, is a bad habit, reinforcing the use of unnecessary and sometimes hurtful words, leading to trash talk that does not reflect good Christian character. The habit of telling your spouse you love them is a good habit, reinforcing your care and commitment.

Jim Cook would say, “Pay attention to the habit patterns of your life, because they give evidence to the direction you are going, evidence as a Christian if you are on the right path or not.”

Justin Early (author and speaker) has said, “We are all living according to a specific regiment of habits, and these habits shape most of our life.” It’s true, don’t you agree? One habit I created for myself during my working years was to start each day with the Bible and prayer. My wife Rexanne would leave for work about an hour before I had to leave (she had to drive from Lebanon, MO to Fort Leanard Wood, about 30 miles). Once I was up, showered, and dressed, I would have a light breakfast while reading a chapter from a book of the Bible, reading through the book over the course of days or weeks. Once finished with the daily reading, I would pick a key verse and write it in a journal along with my thoughts, to reinforce what I’d read. Then I would take time to pray for the day, for family, and for a variety of other things on my mind and heart. This habit helped me start each day with God and his way in focus. The habit of Bible reading and prayer is important for all Christians, the time and method used can vary for each individual.

In the book “Deep Discipleship” by J.T. English, he says, “We are not just minds that need to know doctrine but whole people who need to learn rhythms and habits that help us live into the story of God.” He emphasizes that doctrine is important, we need to know what we believe and why, but it must be complimented with daily rhythms and habits that “live out” what we believe. As we learn the Bible story, he says, we need to see ourselves as part of that story. Being a disciple is more than mental belief in Christ; it is also living for Christ. “Be doers of the Word, and not merely hearers, deceiving yourselves,” says the half-brother of Jesus (James 1:22).

What about the habit of church attendance? How important is that to you? Yes, I know, Christians are the church, not a building, but the writer of the book of Hebrews in the New Testament emphasizes our need to meet together, as the early disciples did (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:24, 25). “Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some” the Hebrews text says. Not meeting together with other Christians to hear God’s Word taught, to sing praises, to participate in the Lord’s Supper, to have fellowship, to give toward the work of the church, is an example of a bad habit. The Christian is not immune to the schemes of the devil. We need routines that bolster our faith.

Jim Cook said, “Pay attention to the habit patterns of your life, because they give evidence to the direction you are going.” What do the habit patterns of your life say?

I’ve heard it said repeatedly within the Restoration Movement Christian Churches, “We are a people of the book!” The Restoration Movement was a “back to the Bible” movement of the early 1800’s that resulted in local churches (no denominational oversight) with elders, and the Bible as their lone guide for faith and practice. This book, the Bible, contains an historical account of God and his creation, of the sin that has corrupted this world, and of his plan to bring redemption through the Messiah – Jesus. It contains God’s message to those who will accept it and obey with faith in this Messiah (Christ), listening to his words and those of his authorized apostles, contained in the New Testament pages. The question becomes: How can we claim allegiance to this book, if we don’t read it?

Recent studies show that only about 16% of people read for pleasure. Schools assign far less reading material than in the past. And within the church, let alone society at large, biblical illiteracy is rampant. Social media has become our “go-to” for learning, with all its sound bites, videos, and sensational takes on the world we live in. That includes Ai and all the false info put out there. What is your source of most of the information you digest to sort out truth in this world? Are you a Christ-follower, a person who theoretically is “of the book”? How does your source of info manifest itself in daily living?

It's been said that whatever we give our attention to shapes us into the person we become. Where do you gain most of your worldview, what attracts your attention most?

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season…the wicked are not so but are like chaff that the wind drives away” (Psalm 1:1-4).

God’s Word can guide us, but only as we learn it, meditate on it, and apply it to the way we think and live. Maybe you are not a reader, not everyone is. That is not the only way to gain biblical instruction. Attending a class at a good, biblically oriented church, or a small group that studies the Bible, with a mature, Bible educated teacher, can provide the knowledge needed. The early church “devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching” (Acts 2:42) and good teachers will provide you with the counsel of Jesus and his apostles. Teaching is one of the few skills listed in the qualification of an elder in the church, most of the qualifications being about moral standing (2 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9).

Are we in the Restoration Movement churches still a people of the book? More specifically, are you as a Christian a person of the book? It’s been said that if we read the book and ponder, read it and ponder, read it and ponder, with time something divine happens: The Bible will start reading you and it will change you!  Allow the “word made flesh” – Jesus – to impact you through the words of scripture he left us, and his apostles were inspired to write down. These words guide his followers.

Question: What methods do you use to hide God’s Word in your heart (Psalm 119:11)?

Pope John Paul II once wrote, “Life with Christ is a wonderful adventure!” If you’ve been a Christian for long, you know this to be true. But you also realize that “adventure” is not all feel-good positive stuff. Life with Christ includes battles against evil, against the schemes of the devil, who tries to usurp lordship from Jesus. There is a spiritual battle going on around us we must be aware of.

In the C.S. Lewis book The Screwtape Letters, Lewis provides us with a glance at the devil’s playbook. In the book Lewis has Screwtape (a demon) writing letters to his nephew, Wormwood, instructing him in the art of temptation. In these letters we can see ourselves, as we deal with everyday things, often victims of Satan’s tactics. What are some of the lessons we can learn as Screwtape teaches Wormwood?

One key point made, as Screwtape instructs the young demon, is to be subtle and tactful in tempting humans. Patiently pursue your prey. Screwtape states that, “real worldliness is a work of time.” With time the novelty of the victim’s conversion will wear off. If he or she does not seek Bible knowledge and encouraging relationships faith will not take root, and the normal struggles of life will eat away at what little faith remains. Ease the Christians sense of discipleship into complacency and time will do its work.

Another lesson from uncle to nephew is that deception and half-truths are important for luring humans toward vice. Praying is all right, according to Wormwood’s uncle, if it stays divorced from Bible study. It’s OK to talk to God as long as he’s not allowed to talk back. Jesus says of the devil, that he “does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is the father of lies” (John 8:44). Satan knows the Bible better than the typical Christian, so Screwtape hopes to hide this truth from sight, and string the Christian along with half-truths and lies as the Bible sets idle.

The lessons continue. “You can’t be too careful to see that the patients remain completely fixated on politics,” the nephew is told. Government exists for good reason and rightly managed it is a tool God can use for good in this corrupt world (Romans 13:1), but it often fails due to leaders unresponsive to God. It is not the answer to our ultimate need, and we are side-tracked by the devil if we allow it to consume us.

“It is funny how mortals always picture us putting things into their minds,” says Screwtape, “when in reality our best work is done by keeping things out.” Christians who mindlessly go about their daily lives, little thought about the spiritual realm, little attention to the God they “claim” as Lord, sparse attendance to the church gatherings, few mature Christian alliances to keep them on track; such Christians wander aimlessly away from heaven. The devil does not want you aware of the words said by the apostle Paul, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

“A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all – and more amusing,” laughs Screwtape as he fixes his eyes on you. In such ways we walk the gallows toward the devil’s noose.

Question: What subtle tricks has Satan used on you? What is your plan to keep him at bay?

While out roaming around recently I came across an evangelistic pamphlet in a store. Like many you will see, and like the message of many evangelists in our country, its theme centered on the quote, “Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” As is often the case, the pamphlet explained that all a person needs to do is say a prayer inviting Jesus into their heart. In this edition of Waking Up Eutychus, I’d like to challenge that concept.

On the day of Pentecost, when the apostle Peter preached the first resurrection sermon, he quoted from the prophet Joel when he said, “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21; Joel 2:32). What the apostle Peter quotes is also in the apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, “for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him; for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:12, 13). Joel’s prophecy states it, the apostles Peter and Paul preach it, so isn’t it true? Indeed, it is. My contention is with taking that sentence and turning it into the “just invite Jesus into your heart to be saved” idea. One does not equate to the other.

The biblically adept person may quickly realize that there seems to be a contradiction. Didn’t Jesus once state, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). More is involved with the quote from Joel than simply calling out, “Lord, Lord.”    More is involved than just mentally believing. More involved than inviting him into your heart.

Eric Lyons in a related article within Apologetics Press, says that to “call on” someone is usually recognized to involve action more than mere verbal petition. He says when a doctor goes to “call on” a patient, he doesn’t just say, “I wish you well, you owe me for the office call.” On the contrary, he involves himself in service to that patient.  If a male suitor to a young lady wishes to “call on” her, it means he grooms himself and prepares to make her happy. Lyons also says that when we study how this expression is used throughout scripture, the conclusion will be that a deeper meaning is implied. He lists the example of Paul appealing to Caesar, with the word “appeal” being the Greek word used we translate into “call”. He was calling on Caesar as a Roman citizen to judge his case. But it required him to submit to a process, doing all necessary to follow this process to Rome and stand before Caesar.

When Peter quoted Joel in Acts 2, he then told them how to go about “calling on the name of the Lord.” He explained the process. Notice, even after Peter quoted Joel the crowd listening to him didn’t just verbally call out to be saved, instead they asked, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). And Peter explains the process. “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:38, 39).

Similarly, in Romans 10 where Paul quotes Joel, if you continue reading, the question is asked, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?” Believing alone is not calling on him, otherwise why that question? It was the same on Pentecost, after Peter’s sermon they believed, and then asked, “What shall we do?” Calling on the name of the Lord is to seek his way, to allow mental belief to motivate action belief, and to do what Peter set in motion, repenting and being baptized, identifying with what saves: Jesus’ death, burial, & resurrection.

Question: What about you, have you “called on the name of the Lord” by repenting of sin and being baptized in Jesus’ name?    It doesn’t end there, a faithful walk is required, but it starts us down the path.

(FYI: For those interested, the Christian Restoration Association featured one of my articles on their webpage recently. To check it out, go to: www.thecra.org and scroll down on the home page. Title: A Mighty Fortress is Our God.)

Jennifer is a recruiter for New International Ministries, an organization that coordinates and provides administrative oversight for many different missionary endeavors. The mission Rexanne and I are involved with, Open Door Libraries, is also under their wing.

Jennifer, what first attracted you to overseas mission work? I grew up in a Bible college environment and became friends with many of the women who were studying to go on the mission field. During a week of jr. high camp, I made the decision to go into full-time mission work. Since many of the women who had invested in me were focused on Haiti, I initially made that my focus as well. God had different plans and would later redirect me to Taiwan.

What was your major at Central Christian College of the Bible, and what classes/professors inspired you? Starting out my major was Christian Education but during my time there they added a Cross-Cultural ministry degree. Rather than staying an extra semester I ended up getting a double minor in Christian Education and Cross-Cultural Ministry. The professors at CCCB were all great but I really enjoyed mission’s classes with Dr. Curtice. He was passionate about what he was teaching and an advocate for women in missions and ministry.         I also loved Dan Schantz, our Christian Education professor. He modeled what it looked like to make students feel welcome in a classroom and gave creative and encouraging feedback on tests and assignments.

How long were you in Taiwan and how did that mission work? I lived in Taiwan from January 2001 to June 2014. While there I worked with Team Expansion doing church planting in the capital city of Taipei. My team worked with university students and young professionals teaching English Bible studies and planting simple churches. We gained access to the universities through previously existing relationships with Taiwanese professors who had been students in the US and became Christians through campus ministries. When they returned, they had the desire to introduce their students to the gospel. An open door to do that is to use English. Our relationships with students began at their university but outside of class we would spend time with them on weekends and special occasions. Our goal was for them to know Jesus, but it was important that we approach the relationships without an agenda, showing the love of Christ regardless of their response. One of my favorite events was my annual Thanksgiving dinner at my apartment. It started out as a way to share my American tradition, but by the time I left it had become a great combination of foods from different places and a chance for Taiwan students to know Taiwan Christians.

Did you need to learn Chinese? I learned Mandarin Chinese. Many of my students were from working class families so they also spoke Taiwanese and taught me a few phrases. Learning the language where serving is so valuable because it helps you dive deeper. It can also be very challenging, helping instill a good sense of humility and understanding of how God works through our weaknesses.

After Taiwan, what was the transition into your next phase of mission work? After Taiwan I had the opportunity to work in Newcastle, Australia for four years. I worked in a local church helping lead the children’s ministry. I also taught scripture classes in the local schools. Although Australia is a modern, English-speaking country with access to the Bible and churches, the percentage of practicing Christians is shrinking rapidly. The majority of kids we taught in the schools had never heard key stories from the Bible, so teaching scripture classes was a great opportunity to be in the community and share the story of Jesus each week with those who had never heard it.

Where else has your role as a recruiter for New International taken you? My main focus has been on colleges and universities in the Midwest. I’ve traveled with interns to Europe and the Middle East. Our recruiting and mobilization team is growing so in the future we would like to visit more of our on-field affiliates to learn about their day-to-day ministry and how we can recruit more effectively. I’m also taking on the role of Director of Short-Term Projects which will hopefully give me the opportunity to develop prayer trips to new locations and fulfill our mission of connecting the local church to the global church.

What differences have you noticed between the church overseas compared to the church in the U.S.A? My time in other countries has shown how big God is. Christians in Taiwan make the choice to follow Jesus despite strong societal and familial pressure. In Australia they do community well because of the culture they come out of. New Zealand Christians live in a highly secular culture that removes any political benefits of being a Christian, yet they recognize that their situation is similar to the first century church, choosing to follow Jesus faithfully because he is enough. These experiences challenge and grow my faith in a way that it would not have if I’d never left Missouri.

From your experience, what do you wish American Christians had a better grasp of? The mission of God is to make himself known but we often get distracted by our busyness and our politics, our buildings and our programs. There is a beauty in letting go of the cultural Christianity you’ve grown up with and just simply following Jesus. Obeying Jesus by loving your enemies, forgiving and extending grace and mercy really are things that can change the world just as they did in the first church.

Thank you, Jennifer, for sharing your experience. Many prayers are with you for the days to come.

(also found on Rick’s blog: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com)    

There are several hymn writers who were prolific in their writing. You might think of Isaac Watts, or Fanny Crosby. And although many know the name of John Wesley, the diligent preacher of the 18th century whose ministry resulted in the Methodist Church, not as many know his brother Charles Wesley, known more for his hymns. And maybe his hymn “How All the Welkin Rings” doesn’t sound familiar, but you know it well.

Both John and Charles Wesley began their ministries by making a trip to the colony of Georgia in the southern part of the “new world” of America, ruled by Britain. The odd thing was, impacted by their strongly Christian mother Susanna, they started in ministry without ever really becoming Christians. While studying at Oxford, the brothers were part of Bible study groups so methodical in their practice they were dubbed “methodist.”  Yes, they studied the Bible diligently, but they had never really made a clear decision to accept Jesus as Lord and follow him as a sincere disciple. Their walk into ministry was more of an automatic response from their past.

In the colony of Georgia, their efforts failed. Charles was demanding and autocratic. He insisted on baptizing babies, by immersing them three times (in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit). One angry mother got so upset she fired a gun at him. (Source: Then Sings My Soul, by Robert Morgan) Charles left America first, depressed. His brother John would leave later, also very low in spirit. Back in England they both began attending a Moravian Church, and on Sunday, May 21, 1738, Charles who was then 31, wrote, “I now found myself at peace with God, rejoicing in the hope of loving Christ. I finally saw that by faith I stood.”

Both brothers had spiritual experiences that felt like conversions to them. Their mother, Susanna, wasn’t sure what to make of this. She stated, “I think you have fallen into an odd way of thinking. You say that till a few months ago you had no spiritual life and no justifying faith…so I heartily rejoice that you have attained a strong and lively hope in God’s mercy through Christ. Not that I think that you were totally without saving faith before, but it is one thing to have faith, and another thing to be sensible we have it.” Like many people (me included), it took a wakeup call for their faith to become what it should be. Not just routine, not automatic, but a sincere walk of faith as a disciple who earnestly wants to obey the Lord (true faith always includes obedience).

Charles now gained victory over his temper and his drinking habit. Charles also started writing hymns. It is said he wrote over 6,000! Those of us who remember using hymn books, probably know several of them. Do you remember, “Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia. Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia. Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia. Sing ye heavens and earth reply, Alleluia.” But there’s another one you’ll recognize.

Hark, how all the welkin rings,
Glory to the newborn king.
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Maybe that first line doesn’t ring a bell. Welkin was an old English word for “the vault of heaven.” The friend of Charles Wesley, evangelist George Whitefield, published this carol in 1753 with a collection of hymns, and he changed the first line to what we know today, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”

Question: How have hymns impacted your spiritual life for good? Can you relate to the story of John and Charles Wesley’s journey to true faith? Is it active biblical faith that drives purposeful discipleship?

(find also at: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com)

I was roaming through the local Hobby Lobby when suddenly, in front of me, there was a giant Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus blow up. When I say “giant” I’m talking about yard blow ups that were probably 20 feet high. As I continued perusing through the store, I noticed what to me was an odd combination of Christmas stuff, some honoring Jesus as the Christ-child, others playing on the more secular slant of this holiday.

Why is it that our culture (and others) enjoys mixing fact with fiction for important subjects like this? It’s not really so hard to understand when you stop to consider the beliefs, and unbelief, of those who make up our culture. We are, more than ever in the past, a pluralistic nation, Christianity increasingly being pushed to the fringes. But this mixture of facts with fiction has been going on for a long time. We take something like the truth of Saint Nicolaus, known to be a good man who gave to those in need, and have evolved it into our modern Santa Claus. “It’s all in fun,” many will say. But how many have taken the myth of Santa and transferred it into what they believe to be the myth of the Christ-child?

Has the devil been successful in his attempt to make this holiday so secular, so filled with legend, so apt to mix fact and fancy, that the manger scene becomes just another fun myth we portray yet don’t believe was real?

C.S. Lewis once said, “As this Christmas approaches, let us do more of what matters and much less of what doesn’t.” He also said, “All over the world men and women will meet on December 25th to do what is a very old-fashioned and, if you like, a very pagan thing – to sing and feast because a God has been born. Are you uncertain whether it is more than a myth? Well, if it is, then our last hope is gone. But is the opposite explanation not worth trying?” Some said Lewis had a touch of Ebenezer Scrooge in him when it came to Christmas, but like many things, he saw through much of the hype. He thought the gift-giving and card-sending was a commercial racket. He once wrote an essay called “Xmas and Christmas” in which he created a fictional land called Niatirb (Britain spelled backward) that celebrated two festivals, Xmas was a festival of excesses, with participants frantically exchanging cards and gifts, often reluctantly. The other, Christmas, was a much simpler, quieter celebration centered on the birth of a child.

Here's the thing. We can compare the excesses of the typical American Christmas to the simplicity of a Christ honoring celebration, but neither type of celebration is demonstrated or commanded in scripture by Jesus or his apostles who created the New Testament pages. Yes, the gospels tell us the story of nativity, much more earthy and dangerous than our typical Christmas scenes depict, but when it comes to festival, there is only one we are told to celebrate: the Lord’s Supper. God wanted our simple focus to be on the sacrifice he made through himself, as his son (God in the flesh), died for our sins, then was raised from the grave, providing salvation to all who humbly submit to him in faith.

As we search for the best approach to the Christmas season, there is nothing wrong with remembering the birth of Jesus in a manger to Mary and Joseph, the announcement to the shepherds nearby who tended sheep probably used in temple sacrifices (one reason they were chosen?), recalling the travels of wise-men from the east sometime later who provided gifts to honor Jesus’ birth (maybe aware because they’d learned from those Hebrews left in Babylon during the exile many years before). It is an amazing story of God’s advent into the lives of we humans. Just let the focus be there, remove as much clutter from the culture as possible, and then keep remembering the story, as the adult Jesus truly demonstrates he is Messiah. Let the search lead to him!

Question: What is your favorite Christmas tradition that honors Jesus? Honor him by taking part in communion and church services to honor him every week, as he’s asked of us (Luke 22:17-20; Hebrews 10:25).

(also find at: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com)

What is needed for Dad and Mom to hand off faith in Jesus to their children? Many parents feel inadequate at communicating their faith to their kids, leaving it to the church. That is not wise. Not because the church staff and volunteers don’t do their best to transmit biblical truth, it’s just that they don’t have the connection parents have, and that factor is crucial. In a recent article in Christian Standard magazine, Tyler McKenzie discusses what most data points to, if parents want to give their children the best chance to grasp faith in Jesus. For the sake of this one page Waking Up Eutychus, let me summarize, with a few comments of my own added.

Daily, parent-initiated, kid-led faith conversations. In other words, parents may open the conversation, but kids ask the questions and are allowed to do most of the talking. The parent listens and responds honestly, offering advise as needed, pointing to biblical truth as applicable. The child must know the parent won’t be condemning, and will accept all honest questions, within a loving, caring atmosphere. A great time to have this conversation? At the supper table.

Authoritative parenting style over authoritarian or permissive. What is authoritative compared to authoritarian? Authoritarian makes demands, is unbending, adopts the “my way or the highway” mantra. By contrast, authoritative: is high on expectations and direction, but also high on warmth and affection; is high on discipline and accountability, but also high on emotional response and communication; is caring but not indulging; is clear on boundaries while encouraging freedom within the boundaries; is firm on convictions but flexible in application. A parent won’t do these things perfectly, no doubt, but should seek such balance.

Fathers matter a lot. Not diminishing the mother’s role but simply acknowledging that fathers are crucial to what a child needs growing up. The power of a godly father has extraordinary power. The absence of this is seen over and over in the lives of people who love their moms but become criminal and struggle to find God’s place for them.

Grandparents matter a lot too. Some research has shown that a faithful grandparent can replace the role of a faithless or absent parent. Certainly, it enhances things when you have a faithful and present parent!

The 5:1 Ratio. The Powell and Fuller Institute found that when kids are mentored and loved by a broader Christian village, it has a profound impact. This intergenerational village provides spiritual support where faith is modeled and the connection with your child multiplied. I’ve seen this in my own life (Rick), growing up with many from First Christian Church in Vandalia, MO having influence. To think church isn’t important is to be naïve when it comes to spiritual formation of the child, in particular, but for you, parents, also.

Stable marriage, with a united faith walk. Certainly, the parent in a stable marriage best impacts the child. And when both parents go to church together and share similar beliefs, this impact is enhanced.

If the child goes to college, the first two weeks are critical. More than one research has shown that the beginning of college is pivotal. Getting your child plugged into a faith community during that time strongly influences their long-term spiritual habits. Again, from personal experience (Rick), I was introduced to the campus minister at the National Street Church of Christ when I started at SMSU in 1970, but allowed my non-Christian friends influence to dominate, did not get involved with the campus ministry, and suffered spiritually because of it, almost losing my faith during college.

Good theology must serve as the foundation for parenting. Once more, research has shown that what many parents pass down is a Christianized version of “the American dream.” A means to the goal of a good life, comfortable, happy, and moral. That’s not orthodox Christianity. We need Jesus as Lord, whatever may come, with holiness instead of happiness as the primary goal as we follow him. Enjoy happiness when it comes, but do not make it the ultimate goal.

Question: What needs to be tweaked for you to be the kind of parent who makes the best Christian impact on your kids?

(articles can also be found at rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com)

There are many places in scripture where we learn things that perplex us.  “What does that mean?” we may ask, as we scratch our head.  One of those places where scripture confuses is found in the book of Exodus as Moses is sent by God to free the Israelites.  We find these words in Exodus 7, “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh….  You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land.  But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you.’”

And it happens, over and over, as the plagues occur and Pharaoh hardens his heart, refusing to let the Israelites leave his country.  It takes a total of 10 plagues before he finally relents, and even with the death of all the firstborn in Egypt (except for the Israelites who put blood on their doorposts so the death angel will “Passover”), even after allowing them to go, Pharoah will change his mind again and go after them.  Why would God harden his heart, we ask, creating this destructive timeline that hurts many people in the process?
 
One response is to say that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so he could demonstrate his power over the false gods of Egypt, demonstrating to the Israelites that he is truly God.  As it turns out, each of the plagues attack a symbol of a false god that Egypt worshiped (the Egyptian god Heqet was represented by a frog, for example).  Although it is true that God accomplished that objective during the plagues, I don’t think that answers the question of God hardening Pharaoh’s heart.  And it doesn’t satisfy those who view all the destruction that occurred because of the plagues.  It is an example of God bringing good out of bad, of pursuing his purposes in spite of resistance, but does it explain how we are to take hardening Pharaoh’s heart?  I don’t think so.

R.C. Sproul, a respected theologian, has said “The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart, however it is accomplished, is a judgment of God on a person who is already recalcitrant in his soul and at enmity with his Creator.”  And Martin Luther argued that God did not come in and directly or immediately create fresh evil in Pharaoh’s heart, he simply removed his common grace from Pharaoh, he removed the restraints, allowing Pharaoh to be Pharaoh, blinded by his position of authority.

But let me put it in simpler terms.  I had a professor at Central Christian College of the Bible in Moberly, MO who explained this to my satisfaction.  His name was Edsil Dale, and in addition to teaching at CCCB, he also taught an adult Sunday Bible class at Union Ave. Christian Church.  I was his assistant for several years, learning a lot from him.  He used this phrase: The same sun that melts butter, hardens clay.  What did he mean; how does this help?

It means that when applied to Pharaoh, he always had a choice.  As God acted through the plagues, Pharaoh could relent and allow the Israelites to go (God melting his heart), or he could resist and refuse to allow the Israelites to go (God hardening his heart).  God did not force Pharaoh’s heart to be hard, he simply took action that provided a choice, and as Pharaoh chose to resist, God was indirectly hardening his heart.  The same sun that melts butter, hardens clay.  Pharaoh’s choice: to draw near God in surrender, or to push him away.

Questions:
1.  What example can you think of that demonstrates this principle?
2. What tough situation are you facing that provides a choice: to have a heart that melts and draws God near seeking his will, or to push God away as you allow your heart to harden?

As I browsed through the art gallery I was taken by the contrast of styles. From a more traditional painter, the Realist, there were beautiful scenes of landscape and images of buildings and people. Sometimes hidden within the picture were items of symbolism, put there by the artist to make you think, to provide more than a scene, to also provide a message beyond the obvious one. I moved on to an Expressionist painting; a copy of Van Gogh’s “The Scream” stood before me. The emphasis on emotions and subjective feelings overshadow reality in these paintings. As I continued through the gallery, there was examples of Baroque style, Surrealism, Pop Art, pictures more classic in style, etc.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right, and I find beauty in the artistic renderings of various styles, but in the end, I want a picture that brings meaning, that allows me to understand what the artist was communicating.

Maybe this can help explain the variety of Bible translations we have available today. Why do we need the King James (the Bible the apostle Paul used), the New American Standard, the English Standard Translation, the New International Version, in addition to paraphrases like The Message, etc.? (By the way, that “apostle Paul” parenthetical reference above was sarcasm. Not always obvious without context.)

The Hebrew language of the Old Testament is a very basic language. This language has only about 8,000 words, which must be used to communicate. Compare that to our English, a language that has about 100,000 words. Because of its small vocabulary, Hebrew words have a broader meaning when used. It is full of desert browns which can camouflage meaning, unless you consider context. And that’s the point. To understand the meaning you must understand the context. But it creates a dilemma for the person (or team) translating Hebrew into English. What English word best communicates what the Hebrew author had in mind?

Like painting a picture, what colors, what scene, what style, best communicates what the author wanted to say? The translators do their best, but they choose different words from the large arsenal available to them in English. The true “translator” at least attempts to use words that, from their studied perspective, say just what the original said. By contrast, the “paraphraser” just takes an English version and puts it in the paraphraser’s words, potentially moving the reader further away, rather than closer, to the author’s meaning.

As the New Testament, written in Greek, is translated into English, it provides a different challenge. Greek, like English, has many words to communicate with. 350,000 or more, to put a number to it. So, the trick is the opposite of translating Hebrew. We must take a language that is very specific and translate it to a language that is less specific. Again, the translators do their best, but they vary with the words they use.

Lois Tverberg, of Our Rabbi Jesus, who studies cultural settings of the Bible, gives an example of the Hebrew word for “fear” that is the same as “awe” or “reverence.” We are constantly told to “fear the Lord” and in context it doesn’t mean to run scared, but to reverence in awe the Lord. What word should the translators use? Or how our English word “love” is broken into several Greek words that are more specific: philia (deep friendship), eros (romantic), storge (familial), and agape (unconditional). The word “love” paints with broad strokes.

So, what translation is best? It’s a matter of opinion. My suggestion: use more than one and compare. Get a good study Bible that provides introductions to each book, and comments on historical context.

Questions: What art style do you like best? What Bible translation do you prefer? Should you try another?

Alfred Lansing  authored a book in 1959 called Endurance, named after a ship that took 27 men on an unbelievable adventure. The intent was to deliver a team led by Sir Ernest Shackleton to the shores of Antarctica below South America. Once there, the plan was for his team to go by dog sled across the continent. It is December 1914 when their ship enters an ice field. It traps them on all sides. The hope is to break free from the ice pack and reach Vahsel Bay, the starting point of the overland journey. They never make it.

The ship comes close. At one point they can see land on January 19, 1915, but the ice is too dangerous, and it moves them away. Governed by these huge masses of ice they float for another 10 months until the pressure on the ship starts to break it up. On October 27, 1915, they must take their equipment, the sleds, their three teams of dogs, food, three emergency boats, and abandon ship.

Now, on top of these massive flows of frozen water, they must live in tents. They can supplement their food supply with seal and penguin meat, since they are not hard to capture. As they are continually pushed northwest the 27 men hope to get near enough to land so they can launch the three small boats. But, moving with so much equipment is hard on the rough ice, with mounds of snow. They are at the mercy of the field of ice they find themselves on. The temperatures reach -20 at times. They are dressed warmly, prepared for the overland trip in the Antarctic, but they are not dressed well for wet conditions. They will be wet a lot.

On April 9, 1916, the ice packs have moved far enough north that slightly warmer temperatures cause them to melt and start breaking up. The men must now use the emergency boats. First, they must kill their dogs, the third team being used for food. For about two weeks they are adrift. The boats have small sails and oars for rowing, but the wind and rain and snow and sometime huge waves make these two weeks miserable. That they are not capsized seems a miracle. They sleep in shifts through the nights, needing to miss large ice flows that could destroy the boats, and try to hold to a path that will reach one of several islands. Even that depends on nautical readings their guide can only make when skies are clear to see the sun. On April 24, 1916, they manage to reach a small beach on Elephant Island, where there are no people, and the beach is surrounded by glaciers. They cannot survive for long here.

No one knows their location; most presume them all dead. It’s decided that Shackleton and five others will take the largest of the three boats and try to reach the island of South Georgia, where a whaling station exists. It is 650 nautical miles away! After many difficult days they make it to South Georgia, but they land on the western coast and the whaling town is on the opposite side. The rough sea and swift current could easily push their boats past the island if they try to go around, with strong winds that would not allow them to return once past. So, again, Shackleton decides to take two of the men and hike across the snow and ice-covered island. The problem? They must cross mountains 7-10,000 feet high with steep ice-covered crevices. It’s never been done.

These three men do it! People who later cross the island will say it is hard to believe that three men so worn out and ill-equipped could accomplish this journey. They are able to get the three men left on the west coast, and the 21 left on Elephant Island, although it takes several months to get there with more ice issues for the rescue ship. The title of the book, also the name of their ship, says it well: Endurance. An amazing story.

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, rejoicing in hope… We rejoice in suffering, knowing that suffering produces endurance…” (Romans 5:1-3).

Questions: What tough circumstances have you endured? What is the ultimate cause of bad circumstances? Has enduring in such tough times provided benefit for you, as a Christian? Read Romans 5:4-11; 8:28.

Martin Luther was one of the primary reformers during the 16th century, issuing his 95 theses in 1517 on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Rexanne and I have been there. While on a trip to one of the libraries we work with, this one in Berlin (Open Door Libraries), we took a side trip to Wittenberg and visited the city of Luther. We have a picture we took of the Castle Church in our den. As Luther stood before the Diet of Worms that was asking him to recant his teachings, he said, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. Here I stand, I can do no other. God help me.”

Luther wasn’t just a priest and theologian; he also was a writer of hymns. He was credited as helping bring back a real sense of worship to Sunday gatherings, which included singing. As he had sought to bring the Bible to the common man by having it translated into the local vernacular (German in his case), he also brought back congregational singing by writing hymns in German. Prior to this, Catholic services were in Latin and did not allow for singing or even understanding.

One of Luther’s most famous hymns was “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”. Back in the days when the church I attended still sang hymns, this was one of my favorites. Luther once wrote, “Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.” I agree that music is powerful, for good and for bad (reference a lot of modern music that applauds immoral values). But in the right context, at church for example, music helps us remember concepts that we easily forget if we just hear them spoken or just read them. That is why the Psalms are so powerful, songs the Jews sang.

Speaking of the Psalms, Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” was inspired as he read Psalm 46.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though the waters roar and foam… Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Truth be told, I’ve always had a negative reaction when modern song leaders refer to the singing portion of a service as “worship”. Yes, music touches our heart, but that doesn’t make it “worship” any more than the preaching and teaching, the offerings we bring, and certainly not any more than the communion time. In fact, when you search the New Testament, it is hard to find any place where any of those things are called worship. Romans 12:1 says, “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” As I understand it, worship occurs not so much during Sunday services, but when we allow those services to direct us toward humble service, helping others, telling them the good news of Jesus. God is honored (worshipped) by our actions more than by our words and songs. Faith without works is dead (James 2).

But that doesn’t mean music shouldn’t hold an important role in assisting our discipleship. As we address each other in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19) we encourage our soul. We make the message memorable. Rejoice and sing to the Lord!

Question: Have hymns impacted you? What is your favorite? Look up words to: A Mighty Fortress.

It had been a prayer of ours for some time. Thinking of retirement years: what if we could become involved with a mission organization to help in some small way? But what? I wasn’t a preacher; neither of us had mission experience outside a few short-term mission trips. While browsing through the booths at an International Conference on Missions we came to one called Open Door Libraries. We discovered that it was originally the Institute for Christian Resources (ICR), founded by Willard Black (Ozark Christian College), with a goal of getting Bibles and Christian material behind the Iron Curtain. When the Iron Curtain fell Willard’s vision became these libraries, continuing to provide Christian resources, but also providing a presence in these formally Communist countries. People were frustrated with the church, and many would not darken the door for worship, but they would go in a Christian library to explore. The libraries would also provide a friendly environment for missionaries in these countries, a place to study, meet with other supporters, counsel with those considering Christ; as well as a place for ministries to gather. We’d helped organize and run our home church library.  We both loved to read.   A library mission, interesting, we thought.

Each year at the Missouri Christian Convention, Open Door Libraries had a booth. We’d wander by and talk, but years went by with nothing concrete, and we kind of gave up on this dream. Then one year I stopped to talk to Dan Wiese at the booth.  Both he and wife Linda helped on a part-time basis with the newest library in the middle east, a unique location. Our conversation intrigued me.  The door swung open again. The next year the Executive Director of ODL was at the booth, Glen Gibson, and he told us they were planning a short-term trip in 2018 to the library in the middle east, led by John and Eileen Richardson. We decided it was time to jump.

That trip led to another the following year with the Richardsons, to see the libraries in Berlin, Germany and Prague, Czech Republic. We found the directors of each library welcoming and with a multi-level ministry in place. The middle east director provided a great experience for us, but we didn’t see a fit there. Berlin and Prague were different. We offered to come as needed and available for extended periods of time. We traveled to Prague in 2021 and spent 6 weeks, the first week being trained by Jim and Laurie Barnes (directors).  The other five weeks saw us running the library while they returned to the states to visit supporters, family, and to attend the mission’s conference. Then in 2023 we traveled to Berlin to do similar work for about a month, while Larry and Teri Lewis (directors) came back to the states.

While on these trips, we’ve had free time to do some amazing things. We’ve been to Petra in southern Jordan, riding camels through the valley, sharing tea with Bedouin. We learned the Israelites may have spent considerable time here during their wilderness years.  Aaron is buried not far away, and Bedouin believe the rock Moses struck the second time is on the hill of this valley, still producing water. We stood on Mt Nebo and looked out as Moses did to see the Promised Land. We’ve wandered through the crooked streets of old town Prague, viewing ancient architecture, admiring the statue of Jan Hus in the square and learning of his huge influence proceeding the Reformation. We traveled to Karlstejn Castle above the quaint village south of Prague and visited the Bone Church in Kutna Hora. We’ve wandered through the ruins of Kaiser Wilhelm Church in Berlin, where Dietrich Bonhoeffer once spoke, and now a stark reminder of Hitler’s rein and destruction.

That has all been historical icing on the cake. The main thing we’ve experienced is the impact of these libraries on people. Islam rules in the middle east, and atheism rules in Berlin and Prague. But people are people, and as Augustine said many years ago, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee, O Lord.” Souls hungry for reconnection with God can find a ready resource with Open Door Libraries. Augustine also said, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” It is eye-opening to experience these different cultures, seeing the common thread we all have: a need for God’s salvation through Jesus, Messiah.

Question: What exposure have you had to mission work? Check out: www.opendoorlibraries.org.

We live in an odd age. Many who call themselves “Christian” have little or no desire to attend and be active in church. I’m not sure you can find another age in history where this is so true. Why has this happened? There are probably dozens of contributing factors to this dynamic. In generic terms, we are independent Americans and tend to go our individual way. But this tendency goes beyond being American. Add the disenchantment of the younger generations as they saw dad and mom go through the motions in a lackluster way, plus bad experiences with church, faulty theology (once saved, always saved) and you start to see a bigger picture.

We should note that Christians are like any other group, having varying levels of maturity. As a result, they can do immature things at times, leaving a black mark in the minds of those impacted. An old anonymous quote goes, “To dwell in love with the saints above, why that will be glory. But to dwell below with the saints I know, now that’s a different story.” So, I get the frustrations that can occur with church experience.

But does that make walking away from church OK? Can you really live the Christian life purposely separating yourself from the church? Saint John of the Cross, a Spanish priest in the 1500’s, once said, “The virtuous soul that is alone…is like a burning coal that is alone. It will grow colder rather than hotter.” It’s certainly true for me. The times in my life when I’ve strayed from regular church involvement have seen me rather quickly gravitate away from God and become more worldly in my thinking and direction. Author Philip Yancey agrees, saying, “Whenever I abandon church for a time, I am the one who suffers. My faith fades…”

If we’re honest, all of us probably know deep down that abandoning church to go it alone is not OK. Imagine if Joshua or Caleb, the only two of the twelve spies who thought they could defeat the enemy, went on alone. They were surrounded by doubters, by those too lacking in faith to do what God had asked. But the people of Israel were going to stand or fall together. And as long as there were people like Joshua and Caleb, the plan moved forward. Sometimes slowly and with faltering steps (many did not make it to the Promised Land), but forward. It’s like that in the church. We struggle at times to find solid, knowledgeable and mature people to do church with. “Am I the only one trying to walk by faith with God’s Word as my guide?” we might ask. If so, be a Joshua, be a Caleb. But you aren’t alone, or don’t need to be. There is always a remnant of sincere, God-fearing, God-honoring, God-loving, mature, Christ-following people. Find them. Be one of them!

“The church is like manure,” so said evangelist Luis Palau, “Pile it together and it stinks up the neighborhood; but spread it out and it enriches the world.” One problem with the church is when it becomes enamored with its traditions and rituals. Yes, it’s important to meet together and share in the Lord’s Supper weekly, to study the Bible together, to pray and be encouraged by each other (Heb. 10:25), but rather than an end, it should be a beginning, a launching platform for action. We spread out into the community sharing the gospel and making disciples. That’s what Jesus told us to do (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16), and we stagnate when we don’t.

Can church be a mess? The one in Corinth that Paul wrote to certainly was. But as such people leave the world culture and adapt to being in God’s Kingdom, that’s what we should expect, right? A diverse group of people struggling to adopt this new lifestyle of being a Christian. It’s called discipleship. And it’s a group activity, as we learn from the apostle’s teaching (Acts 2:42), which takes time and effort, the church accommodating this process. Similar to Alcoholics Anonymous, we help each other succeed. In such a way we stay on the narrow path that leads to life (Matt. 7:13-14). Do we need church? I sure do.

Questions: Have you seen people “put on a face” and act at church? Have you? How can we each be the kind of Christian we want to see in others? What would you say is most needed to make church more authentic?

It’s the mantra of our modern society. “I just want to be happy!” And, I mean, it is even written into our countries Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among them are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”  Is happiness a self-evident truth?
The pursuit of happiness; that’s how the declaration reads. But we all know it is an elusive thing. You’ve experienced it, right? Happiness is based on circumstances. The sun shines, I feel good, the day includes enjoyable activities – I’m happy! The rain comes, I feel under the weather, I’ve got to go to work and do some difficult task – I’m not happy. I get to see the grandkids, the colonoscopy resulted in no issues, we’re going to eat at my favorite restaurant – I’m happy! I’m home alone, they found a mass on the X-ray, I can’t afford that vacation I so want – I’m not happy. And so it goes.
The case often made for living the “gay” lifestyle is this: Don’t they have a right to be happy? But let’s not stop there, too often the battle cry of the Christian becomes: Doesn’t God want me to be happy? Certainly, he does, but not in a temporary, selfish, push God away sort of culture. Underline “temporary”.
You see, the problem is, such a mindset is earth bound. In other words, it’s all about having as much fun and enjoyment in this life as possible. No thought about what happens after death, no thought about heaven or hell.
Maybe we should be reminded of Jesus’ words. You remember him, right? “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body and after that have nothing more they can do. I will warn you who to fear, fear him who, after you’ve died, has authority to cast you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him” (Luke 12:4, 5). Or, on a more positive note, “If then you have been raised with Christ (in baptism, a Christ-follower), seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ appears, then you will also appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:1-4).
Friends, this is a sin plagued world, and the “happiness” enjoyed by Adam and Eve in the garden is long gone. Don’t get me wrong, there is much to be happy about in this life, but it must be balanced with a heartfelt pursuit of God through Christ, who offers to save us from sin (our own, in particular), but this salvation comes with the cost of discipleship. Such discipleship, when sincerely pursued, offers much. Moral boundaries, for our benefit, purpose as we connect with God’s will, meaning as we find life in Christ, and eventually an eternity of joy that surpasses any fleeting “happiness” this life has to offer. But it requires some sacrifice, we must truly take up our cross and follow Jesus as Lord (Matt. 16:24). Jesus once said, “Remember the word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). We are starting to see some of that in our society. It’s not happiness. But if faithful, it leads to something better.
Truthfully, happiness is not talked about much in scripture. I put the world “happy” in my You Version search browser and it just spun without result. There’s a reason for that.
When we find happiness naturally because good things have happened, that’s great. But let’s not make it our primary pursuit in this life; it will lead to a dead-end. But when we seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, there will be a day when we are happy indeed.
Question: Discuss happiness vs holiness. From the evidence of your life, which are you pursuing?

I had a turnaround experience as a senior in college, finally becoming serious about being a disciple of Jesus.  I returned home without a job, and it took several months to land one. During that time, I read the Bible every day while working three part-time jobs, and I prayed.  I prayed that God would allow me to end up where I could take Bible college classes and become more effective working in the church, with a goal to be an elder someday.  I was thinking I’d end up in St Louis, since most Park and Recreation entry level jobs were in the city.  And St Louis Christian College was there!

There was a recession going on at the time and city park jobs were few; they were laying off instead of hiring.  So, trying other options I took state merit exams and ended up having two interviews the same day for Employment Service jobs in Sedalia and Moberly.  The interview in Sedalia went well, I thought. The manager seemed to like me.  I drove from there to Moberly and felt that interview did not go well, The manager admitted he hadn’t had much luck hiring young guys just out of college.  I went home counting that one out and hoping for Sedalia.  About two weeks later I got a letter telling me I was not chosen in Sedalia.  Then a letter came offering me the job in Moberly!  I was very surprised, and guess what: Central Christian College of the Bible was in Moberly.  My prayer had been answered.
 
I took classes at CCCB each semester for several years, getting about 20 hours of credit, while also volunteering at Union Avenue Christian Church as a deacon and Sunday School Superintendent, teaching the high school class and eventually teaching an adult class that Edsil Dale (Bible college professor) had taught for years, with him handing it off to me when he retired from teaching.    

Then I went through a divorce.  That’s a long sad story. I never thought it would happen, but it did.  It took me awhile to get myself aligned, but meeting Rexanne and us moving to Lebanon and attending Southern Heights Christian Church finally made me feel grounded again.  I didn’t think being an elder was probably ever going to happen at this point, knowing some churches think being “the husband of one wife” includes not being divorced.  I was a deacon for a few years.  We hosted and I led a small group in our home for about 20 years, both Rexanne and I were also active in missions.  Rexanne was on the Mission Team and later when the team was dissolved, Jeff Hinson asked her to become the mission’s liaison for SHCC.  She also served as part-time office manager for a few years.

Eventually I was nominated as an elder.  I talked to Mark Shoemaker and explained the circumstances of my divorce.  He told me that his interpretation of “the husband of one wife” was that you didn’t practice polygamy.  Divorce could be a problem but depends on the circumstances.  He was satisfied with mine.
 
I only hope my teaching and writing have properly represented God’s teaching in scripture, and that my participation in decisions with the other elders have taken us down a good path.  It’s been my privilege to serve in this way, a calling I’ve never taken lightly.  I’ve worked with a variety of men who have served as elder and could not ask for a better group of brothers to do ministry with.

As we transition with our move, we hope to find new areas of ministry at 9th St Christian in Elden.  Thanks for making our 25 years at SHCC such a great experience, allowing me to write since June 2012-- over 600 Cross Points!  Waking Up Eutychus is similar, and I may make it available soon. Ask about it.

Cross Point: “Peace be to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Grace be with all who love our Lord.” Ephesians 6:23, 24.  We love you guys!

Rick’s blog: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com. Also working on two projects: Waking Up Eutychus & The Vagabond Angel.

This week and next I’ll write my two last articles, thanking you for our 25 years as members at SHCC, ending this weekly installment of Cross Points.  First, let me talk about the mission involvement we’ve had.  Our first mission trip came in 2002 with Scott Springer ministries, heading south to Juarez, Mexico with 11 total from SHCC.  The group consisted of: Bill & Frances Adams, Ken & Judy Vest, Ernie & Eva Campbell, Mary Fox, Evelyn Clark, Dorothy Winterowd, Rexanne and me.  We helped conduct one day VBS at two churches, taught and preached at Sunday services at both churches, and spent a week doing construction work on a third church.  Many memories, including the faces of the kids during VBS activities, the joy expressed by Christians living in terribly poor conditions, and the nightly climb up a ladder to the roof to watch the lights of the city come on across the Rio Grande toward El Paso.

Our next mission trip was in 2007 with Master Provisions to Ukraine and Kosovo.  This time our SHCC group consisted of: Bill & Frances Adams, Ken & Judy Vest, Mary Fox, Rexanne and me.  We taught and preached again on Sunday in Belogorsk of the Crimean Peninsula (now part of Russia).  We sang Christian songs in English and Russian on the banks of the Black Sea one night, listened to by many sitting on the balconies of the small hotel where we stayed.  Rexanne and I ended up supporting a young, adopted girl for 12 years who lived in Belogorsk.  We experienced war-torn Kosovo and made new friends there.  In both places we saw how clothing through Master Provisions was distributed and how orphan kids through Master Care were supported.

Our third mission trip was in 2014 to Honduras, again with Master Provisions.  Our SHCC group consisted of: Daniel Peregoy, Nick Gaston, Danielle Shoemaker, Sam Dane, Tonya Soum, Terry Lutz, Michael Lutz, Dave and Dorothy Shoemaker, Rexanne and me.  We helped with construction projects within the His Eyes complex where they provide medical, vision, and dental care.  We took food to poor families nearby who sometimes lived in small concrete block houses with dirt floors on the hillside overlooking the city of Tegucigalpa. We took clothing (Master Provisions again) to a remote mountain village and found hundreds of people waiting in the street (there was only one dirt road through the small town) when we got to the church there.  We took kids up a hill to conduct a short VBS type program with them while clothing was distributed.  We also saw coffee being grown on the steep hillsides, used to provide extra support for the ministry of His Eyes.

Our fourth mission trip was in 2016 to the Crow Creek Lakota Reservation in South Dakota, to help with a week of camp for young girls in the Diamond Willow Ministry facilities overlooking the Missouri River.  Our SHCC group consisted of: Terry & Deb Milton, Sam & Pat Dane, Tim & Donna McKeever, Rexanne and me.  We experienced the poverty conditions of these Lakota (Sioux) people, who refuse to live the modern way, yet cannot live the old native way, struggling with alcoholism and abuse. The kids find a safe haven of learning and care at Diamond Willow, including church services each week.  It was very sad to leave them at the end of the week.
 
Rexanne and I have since become involved with Open Door Libraries, a ministry originally intended to get Bibles and Christian materials behind the Iron Curtain.  Once the curtain fell it became this library ministry, providing resources for missionaries, Bible’s and Christian materials for all, and a meeting place that becomes a hub for many missionaries and Christians in a generally non-Christian environment.  We went on an exploratory trip to the library in Amman, Jordan in 2018, another to libraries in Berlin and Prague in 2019, then served for 6 weeks in Prague in 2021, 4 weeks in Berlin in 2023, running the libraries as the directors returned to the states to visit family, attend the International Conference on Missions, and raise support.  SHCC’s elders provided oversight and encouragement as we involved ourselves part-time with this mission.  We hope to continue this effort.

While Rexanne and I have been involved in a variety of ways at SHCC, missions have been a passion.  Rexanne has served as the mission’s liaison for several years, writing articles to keep the work of these missions in front of us all. We only hope the above experiences have been beneficial to the ministries and to the SHCC people involved.  We know they were beneficial for us, broadening our perspective on gospel work around the world.

Cross Point: “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).  

Rick’s blog: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com.  Also working on two projects: Waking Up Eutychus & The Vagabond Angel

I attend an independent Christian Church, part of what is called The Restoration Movement. If you are at Southern Heights Christian Church, so do you.   A “back to the Bible” movement dating to the early 1800’s.  We are only “independent” in terms of not relying on a denominational headquarters, with each congregation overseen by a group of local elders, no governing authority beyond the local church, reliant on the Lord, guided by his Word.  As part of this group of churches, you might hear people referring to being a “First Century Church.”  What they mean by that is we seek the doctrines and practices of the early Christians, not complicated by the creeds and detailed traditions that get codified within many churches.  The Bible, the New Testament in particular, provide our blueprint for living.  You might hear those espousing such to say, “We want to be a New Testament church.”

Some clarification might be needed.  Yes, we want to be a New Testament church, but the New Testament provides us with very honest details about the early Christians.  Like the Old Testament, there is no elevated and glorified version of the church presented.  We see those who make up the church with all their warts and mistaken ideas.  In fact, the letters written that follow the gospels (Matthew, Mask, Luke, and John), along with the book of Acts, all are written not only to encourage, and instruct, but to correct the many errors being made.  The 1st Century Church is far from perfect.  So, when we say we want to be a 1st Century Church, a New Testament church, we must qualify that.

To be such a church means we want to follow the Lord, and we recognize that to do so we must know what he taught, and what his authorized apostles taught.  Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul.  What does that really mean?  It is more than mushy feelings for God, or sound-bite Christianity.  It means we truly seek him, truly study what he said and determine how it should impact our daily lives. When the Apostle Peter preached the first sermon after the resurrection of Jesus on Pentecost, he told the crowd, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” So, we don’t tell people to say a little prayer to invite Jesus into their heart, not found in the New Testament.  Instead, we tell them what Peter told them, “Repent and be baptized” and when they do so their sins are forgiven, and they receive God’s Holy Spirit to live within. Each time we encounter teaching or practice like this, we seek to teach and do, as they taught and did.
 
But that’s just half of the story if we wish to be New Testament Christians.  The letters to the churches that make up the bulk of this guidebook, much like the prophets of old, provide rebuke and warnings, correcting where many were in error.  One example, in the book of 1st Corinthians Paul writes that they are in disunity because they align themselves behind different teachers, some following Paul, some Apollos, some Peter, etc.  In fact, all those teachers should be following Christ, and so should their students.  He goes on later to write about sexual immorality within the church.  They are even arrogant about it!  For such, he writes, it may require formal discipline, removing them from the church.  When we say we want to be New Testament Christians, we certainly don’t mean that we want to be guilty of following our preacher instead of Christ or becoming sexually immoral, etc.

We desire to be New Testament Christians.  Let’s understand that means obeying the teaching of Jesus and his apostles, while also refraining from the teaching and practices they condemn.

Cross Point: “Now disclosed through the prophetic writings, made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith” (Romans 16:26).

Rick’s blog: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com (Vetus Via)
Or go to the SHCC app under “Connect” for Cross Points

Simon Weil (French Philosopher) has said, “All sins are attempts to fill voids.”  Yes, it may involve doing things God has forbidden, but it can also be doing good things that take the place of God.  It is more than bad behavior, it is allowing lifestyle to become our idol, violating the first of the ten commandments (you shall have no other gods before me).  And this can take place as we form our personal identity.

We all find our identity as individuals in some way.  For many it comes from their job.  They gain an education and pursue a career, applying self to it diligently, and that becomes their identity.  “I am a lawyer” or “I am a professor” or “I am an engineer” or whatever may fit the profession.  If they lose their job, or if they are criticized for their work by someone respected, their identity is threatened.  For others it may be that it comes from being a parent.  High value is put on raising the kids. The parent is active in the child’s schoolwork. They go to their games. They praise their accomplishments.  If despite this the child becomes rebellious or fails in their schooling or has no desire to pursue the path you’ve planned for them, then the parent’s identity is threatened.  For some it may be that they gain identity from their politics.  The person gives to the party. They go to the rallies. They talk passionately about the causes. They go to vote.  But if the other party wins, if none of the policies favored are adopted, if the government path goes a different direction, this person’s identity is threatened.
 
None of the things mentioned above are bad things. In fact its good to apply ourselves to our profession, to be intentional in raising our kids, to be purposeful in practicing our democratic values.  The problem comes when such things create our identity.  Becoming “who we are.”  And if our identity that is formed in such a way is threatened by others, we can become locked in bitterness.  If our identity that is formed in such a way is threatened by our own failings, it impacts on the lens we see everything through.

Soren Kierkegaard, a Christian thinker of the 19th century, has said that only if our identity is built on God and his love can we have a self that is able to venture anything and face anything.  The apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old one is gone.”

If we take our meaning in life from our family, from our work, from a cause, or from some achievement other than God, the thing we take our meaning from enslaves us to it.  St. Augustine once said, “Our loves are not rightly ordered,” meaning we as Christians can think we honor God by putting family first, or making our job of ultimate importance, or pursuing a cause, but if we honor those things above God, we have not really honored God.  Augustine also said, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.”  And Jesus made a bold statement when he said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even their own life, such a person cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26).  This is most likely hyperbole (exaggerated statement to make a point), but the point is clear.  Jesus must come before even family.  We must be “in Christ” in a truly identity way, so that whatever else goes wrong, we have Christ, and thus we have self.
 
Honestly, where do you find your identity?  Look at the time you spend, the money you spend, the attention you give to whatever is important to you.  What does it point to?  Is it God?  Is it Christ as Lord?  C.S. Lewis put it this way: “The almost impossibly hard thing is to hand over our whole self to Christ.  But it is far easier than what we are all trying to do instead.  What we are trying to do is remain what we call ‘ourselves’ with our personal happiness centered on money or pleasure (or family), while seeking to behave properly. But if I am a field of grass, all the cutting will keep the grass less but won’t produce wheat. If I want wheat, things must be plowed up and re-sown.”  Isn’t that what Jesus said: we must die to self, be buried (in baptism), and rise as a new person (Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6:3-5, etc.)? That may not be the “American Dream” sort of Christianity, but it is what the Lord tells us.

Everybody must live for something.  And that something defines our identity.  Let me ask: Who are you, really?

Cross Point: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it” Jesus, in Luke 9:23.

Rick’s blog: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com (Vetus Via)
Or go to the SHCC app under “Connect” for Cross Points

She was born in 1883 (Chester Arthur was President).  At 92 years of age in 1975 she had seen a lot in her lifetime.   At 5’ 8” I was able to tower over her petite 4’ 11” frame.  She lived in one of the older, stately two-story houses on S. Williams Street in Moberly, MO.  My acquaintance with Josie began as I looked for a place to live, preparing for my first job out of college, which took me to Moberly.  I spent all day checking out apartment complexes with no luck.  Toward the end of the day I stopped and prayed, “Lord, help me find a place to live.  The affordable options are minimal.”  At my last stop I was told of a lady who had an upstairs one-bedroom apartment for rent, currently available.  Not what I really wanted, but I decided to go check it out.

Josie greeted me at the door with a smile, inviting me in.  She told me she had often rented the apartment to staff or students at Central Christian College of the Bible, which interested me since I planned to take some courses there myself.  She said the grand piano in the spacious living room was the centerpiece of many past parties when her husband was alive.  Now, she was alone in this big house, most family and friends dead, her only daughter living in Kansas City.  We sat down in the small sitting room, where we would spend many evenings later, and as she talked, I knew God had answered my prayer (and maybe hers too).
 
In the weeks and months ahead, I would push through the clothing in my closet of the apartment’s bedroom, the door on the back side leading into the upstairs hallway.  It reminded me of Peter in the C.S. Lewis story, going through the wardrobe to another world beyond.  I’d go down the stairs and join Josie in the sitting room to watch TV, or more importantly, to listen to her stories, transferring me as if in a portal, to the other world of Josie’s past.

She would tell me about her family coming to the state in the late 1800’s, her memory of riding in the back of a covered wagon as they came across the prairie of northeast Missouri toward Moberly. The town was young then, founded in 1866, just after the Civil War. Her father became a successful businessman and built the house she still lived in, Josie (an only child) and her husband eventually taking it over.

In the early 1900’s cars became more prevalent, but Josie rarely would drive.  At 4’ 11” she could barely see over the steering wheel.  She needed thick wooden lifts to allow her feet to reach the pedals.  On one occasion a friend was in the hospital, and she wanted badly to go see her, but Josie’s husband was away on business.  Determined, she got in their car and started out.  I can hear her cackling as she talked about running over curbs, veering wildly down the streets narrowly missing other cars, then running into a tree when she finally arrived at the hospital!  Someone later told her they saw her car, but could see no one driving, thinking it must be a ghost.  “Oh my!” Josie cackled, “it made me laugh so hard I thought I’d lose my teeth!”  (She had false teeth, I’d seen it happen.)

What a joy to spend such time with her during my first year in Moberly.  She encouraged my faith, was always the gracious host.  A few years later we went to visit Josie in Woodland Hospital, days before she passed.  She’d been in a nursing home for a while.  Her daughter informed her who was visiting, and the strangest thing happened.  Josie sat up in bed and started talking.  “Rick, let me introduce you to _____ (someone I’d never met from her past). Oh, and over there is Jesus, I know you’d like to meet him.  Isn’t this the grandest party!” Her daughter explained it was a near death phenomena, remembering people from years ago, thinking of her religious heroes, and merging it all with people in the room whom she recognized.
 
As I stood there with tears in my eyes, I couldn’t help but smile, knowing that Josie’s vision was about to come true.  Thank you, Josie Allen, for being one of the dearest friends, one who nudged me on, encouraging me on this Christian path.   I can see your smile, hear your laugh, see the twinkle in your eyes. And when I slip through the wardrobe to heaven one day, I’ll be anxious for the introductions you’ll make. You, dear lady, are not forgotten.

Cross Point: “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from earnest counsel” (Prov. 27:9).  Be an unexpected encourager for someone in your life who needs a friend.

Rick’s blog: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com (Vetus Via)
Or go to the SHCC app under “Connect” for Cross Points

You are attending the Wednesday night small group meeting, and it is time for prayer.  As the group offers their prayer requests, what do they consist of?  If you have real life experience to rely on you know that the list will be dominated by people who are sick or facing medical care of some sort.  I get it.  When I am sick or facing medical care that concerns me, I want people to pray.  I’m thankful for such during my heart surgery last year. But as I examine prayer in the New Testament, I can’t help but ask: Why is praying for the sick not commonly seen?

Typically, when we look at the New Testament for guidance, we seek precept or precedent. Either a command or an example.  When it comes to prayer as our topic, we will look hard to find either of these to guide us concerning prayer for the sick.  There is one exception. In James 5:14-16 we find these words: “Is any among you sick? Let him call the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up.  And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.  Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”

Careful thought about these words from James 5 might conclude this isn’t a simple request to pray for someone who is sick, hoping they get better physically.  There’s more going on here.  Is this person on their deathbed possibly seeking to correct their relationship with the Lord, needing salvation?  It talks about “the prayer of faith will save” and “if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”  Whatever the case, this is not a simple prayer to be healed physically.  We have learned over the years that internalizing guilt for wrongdoing can be harmful to a person’s body and mind, so confessing sins and praying for one another can provide healing to the person.  Is that part of what’s going on here?  Consider this scenario: the person is repenting on death’s bed, saved as a result with sins forgiven, and “the Lord will raise him up” references his resurrection one day in the future.  Whatever it tells us, this is the lone verse I’ve found about praying for the sick.

Didn’t Jesus heal the sick?  Indeed, but hopefully we realize that was very unique.  Part of Jesus healing the sick provided proof of who he was.  Certainly, he cared.  Certainly he had compassion on the hurting (just like he does for you when hurting) but he didn’t heal all who were sick, and those who were healed would face more sickness, eventually death, so permanent healing awaits us in heaven, not in this life.  Sin is the cause of all that’s bad this side of heaven.  At the very least, sin indirectly has caused any sickness we have, so sin is the more important problem we need to address, wouldn’t you agree?  And this seems to be part of what James 5 tells us.

If prayers for the sick are hard to find in the New Testament, what do we find that guides us in our prayer life?  When Jesus was asked to teach his disciples to pray, what we call the Lord’s Prayer consists of these elements: we honor God’s name, we pray that God’s kingdom will come, his will done, we pray for our daily bread, we ask God to remind us that sins are forgiven similar to how we forgive, we pray not to be led into temptation (a prayer for awareness, that we avoid sin), we ask to be delivered from the evil one, and this prayer ends like it began, honoring God (his kingdom, his power, his glory).  In addition to this, when we look to the apostle’s example in the New Testament, we find them praying for boldness to present the gospel, to stand strong against those who persecute them (Acts 4:23-31).  Prayers of thanksgiving are encouraged (Colossians 4:2, Ephesians 5:20, I Thessalonians 1:2), along with prayers for opportunities to present the gospel, that doors may be opened, for strength with the bearer of good news in a hostile environment (Ephesians 6:19, Colossians 4:3, etc.).
 
Pray for the sick, by all means! Just as sin plays its part in all sickness, God plays his part in all healing, either directly or indirectly.  To God be the glory!  But as we take time to pray, please make thanksgiving and eternal things more important than the temporal things of this life.  God encourages us through his word down that path.

Cross Point: “Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit… To that end, keep alert, making supplication for the saints, and for me, that words may be given to proclaim the gospel” Eph. 6.

Rick’s blog: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com (Vetus Via)

I was about 20 years old, a junior in college at MO State University (then SW MO State).  I was taking a sociology class and one assignment was to attend a showing of a documentary about Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich.  It was in a large theater, and I sat toward the back in the dark auditorium.  As they played the black and white film, which showed scenes of the rallies Hitler held in Nuremberg, I was transfixed by the images. Thousands lifting their arm and hand as they gave the “Heil Hitler!” while he rode into the stadium.  The cheers as he pounded the podium and spoke in his loud and emphatic German language.  The Nazi swastikas hanging ominously in the background.  Sieg heil! (hail victory)!

And victory almost came for this evil empire.  How did what appeared to be such an obvious political error happen to an entire country?  The answer is not simple, a complicated maze of thinking that has roots in the previous war (WW1) when the German people felt unfairly oppressed with restrictions after the war and looked for a hero to restore their pride.  Hitler became that hero.  But it was much more than that.  As I sat and watched the stark images in black and white during the documentary, it presented a picture that was very unattractive.  But thinking about it later I realized, these scenes in real life did not play out in black and white.  They played out in the normal colors of life, a kaleidoscope of blue skies, pastel green fields, amber dresses, yellow finches, and the ever-present red background of the black swastika on their flag.   The evil was hidden among the swirls of color.
 
The apostle Paul tells us the devil is a subtle enemy disguising himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14), to lure us into his lair.  He uses ordinary things of life to tempt us.  As our country moves more and more toward an anti-Christian stance, seeking salvation by political means, justifying their selfish ambitions and pursuits with the call of “freedom,” wanting to live life for pleasure and the all-important goal of “happiness,” the values of the Bible are pushed to the side as an antiquated thing of the past, no longer meaningful. Things are not so black and white, and we become confused by the colors of darkness.

To correct this trend, we cannot start with secular culture.  They have sold out to these new and attractive values that pursue hedonism as a new form of righteousness.  They are living according to their values, give them credit for that. The problem, and the beginning of a solution, is with the people of God who make up the church.  We are the ones who so often do not live up to our proclaimed values.  We say we believe the Bible, the teaching of Jesus and his apostles, but then must admit we don’t really know the Bible, nor the teachings of Jesus.  We live in an age of biblical illiteracy.  An age when “all you’ve got to do is say a little prayer and invite Jesus into your heart and you’ll be saved.”  And then what?  Is that really how salvation works?  Is the call of Jesus to “say a little prayer”?  That’s not what I find.  Jesus calls us to discipleship.  “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them… teaching them to obey” Jesus said.  We are saved by grace through faith, but it must be faith that follows.
 
Dietrich Bonhoeffer died in a Nazi concentration camp toward the end of WW2.  He had tried to wake up the German church to the deception of Hitler and his henchmen.  The color of darkness blinded them, and they failed to hear his message.  He talked about “cheap grace” that “believes” yet does not follow, does not act.  The demons have such belief (James 2:19).  Whether Christians can save the U.S. from destruction, I don’t know, but I do know this: we can help save ourselves and others if we make our discipleship real.  If we act in obedience to the one that we call Lord.  A worthy pursuit in 2025.

Cross Point: They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, fellowship, to the breaking of bread and prayers (Acts 2:42). Make every effort to supplement faith… (2 Peter 1:4,5). For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness (2 Samuel 22:29).  Your word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).

Check out Rick’s Blog: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com

You can see some interesting things on the internet.  Not all of it is good, in fact much of it is borderline at best.  Yet occasionally there are things worthwhile.  Recently I saw a post that listed “questions that atheists ask.”   As all of us who are Christian seek to, “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, always ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (I Peter 3:15-16), thinking ahead about such questions is good. Here are the questions and my response.

1. Why does God allow suffering?  All people, Christians included, can struggle with this question at times, if we or a loved-one is suffering from illness or injury.  We are emotional beings; it is natural to have such struggles. But in our mind, we can know the answer.  We suffer because we live in a sinful, messed up world.  For God to create a world of free will, with non-robotic people, this was necessary. But that comes with consequences as we all make bad choices, as we defy God and go our own way.  There is a cumulative effect from this, causing good people to suffer from the actions of others, as well as from our own actions.  Can’t God stop it anytime he wants, we might ask?  Yes, but other than occasional times when he does miracles to provide proof of himself or to protect his salvation plan, he generally does not, to protect our ability to make independent choices.  One day, in heaven, there will be no more crying or sickness or death (Rev. 21:4), but until then suffering is a result of sins impact.

2. What proof is there that God exists?  People can choose to believe whatever they want to, and some choose to push God away, so they often deny his existence.  But honest thinking people can look around at the world and universe we live in and see undeniable evidence of God, the Creator.  Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.”  Do you know what the odds are that this complicated universe could happen by chance? That the planet earth could exist for humans to live and breath upon as an accident of nature?  The odds are astounding against such!  Could evolution result in the human brain, more complicated than the most elaborate computer humans have ever been able to “create”?  It defies logic.  We could go on and on, the evidence surrounds us.  Or we can believe what we want and push God away.

3. Why do Bible texts contain contradictions, if it is the Word of God?  An example would be how the gospel authors (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) describe the resurrection story. Matthew says, “for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone” (Matt. 28:2), and Mark refers to “a young man dressed in a white robe (an angel), sitting on the right side” (Mk. 16:5).  Yet in Luke’s account we are told the women took spices to the tomb, but they did not find the body of Jesus, and “while they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them” (Luke 24:4). John’s account doesn’t mention angels at all, just that Mary Magdalene ran to tell the disciples the stone had been removed (John 20:1, 2). Was there one angel or two angels or no angels?  Such things help us know the Bible account is not fabricated, because multiple witnesses always provide unique testimony, rarely are their stories exactly the same.  It appears there were at least two angels, but Matthew and Mark only mention one of them, Luke mentions both, and John just doesn’t include them in his telling of the story.  There are answers for the critics of these seeming Bible contradictions, if we search for them.

4. How do you reconcile science and the Bible?  The critics will mention the flood, for example.  How could a worldwide flood really happen?  If we accept the first words of the Bible, “In the beginning God created…” then his ability to do such miracles should be apparent.  The truth is, such a flood can account for many things that scientists claim took millions of years of evolution (the Grand Canyon, one example).  We find fish fossils buried on mountain tops, how did that happen? Many mysteries can be answered if we just start by believing the Bible.

There are many other questions the critics throw out.  I’ve provided few details above, which if you are truly interested you can research.  Just know there are answers and we need to have some basic understanding to solidify our own faith, and to be ready when such conversations occur. (One resource: Lee Strobel’s books.)

Cross Point: “Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season…” (2 Timothy 4:2).

Check out Rick’s blog – Vetus Via, at: rickwilliswrites.wordpress.com