Introduction
Welcome to each of you and also the webcast audience. Likely those watching the webcast are greater in number than those who are here. In fact, I am confident of that. Either way, we are happy to have you join us. We have a theme for today, which is that we are to be examples of believers. Our theme verse is 1 Timothy 4:12, which says, “. . . be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” If time allows, we will revisit this verse at the close of the first session.
Agenda
During the ministers’ meeting this past camp meeting, I responded to twenty questions. Today we will look at eight questions, using the first hour to do so. Then we will take a fifteen-minute break. Sister Antonia Schleicher will speak for the second hour, and that session will also be followed by a fifteen-minute break. Lastly, Brother Olusola Adesope will speak until 12:15, which will leave us adequate time to get to the Fellowship Lodge for lunch by 12:30.
“. . . be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity“ (1 Timothy 4:12).
Overview
A quick overview of the eight questions reveals that number one speaks to the subject of dating; number two asks if “It is what God gave me” is justification for a statement made from the pulpit; and number three asks, “When can we spank?”
Concerning the fourth and fifth questions, when this meeting was prepared a few weeks ago, I had not planned to send out the document on sexual misconduct that was emailed to each of you recently. Hopefully, you received that. If you didn’t, you are not on the headquarters mailing list for ministers. If you did receive it, there is no need for me to repeat what is in it, so I’ll touch on questions four and five very briefly.
This reminds me that the email to RSVP for today’s meeting was unintentionally sent out weekly for a time. After about the third or fourth reminder, one recipient asked, “Who do I contact to convince them that I am indeed coming?” Even so, not everyone sent an RSVP. It is helpful when everyone does respond, because then we can prepare for the lunch accordingly.
The sixth question relates to the multi-cultural nature of the Apostolic Faith, and the situations that arise from that. This is a real question that came to me. It concerns our global work. At times we have individuals from a variety of cultures converging on one location, and it is happening more and more. When we get to that question, I will need to be careful not to overlap Sister Antonia’s presentation. I have had numerous conversations with her over the past few years relating to cultural issues and the challenges that they present, so I may end up relating some things that she is better equipped to speak on. If that happens, I want her to go ahead as planned.
Question seven will address the challenges of working with peers, whether they are ministerial or otherwise. Question eight asks what role formal training plays in qualifying for the ministry.
Those are the questions. Before we look at them individually, I want to emphasize that I will be responding to these questions rather than answering them. Often times there are variables or circumstances which I have not been made aware of that would change the response. One example comes from my recent travels. A situation was described to me as two individuals being in the work while living together unmarried. My initial response was obviously that they could not be in the work, because they were not living right. Then it was further explained that they are married, they are faithful, and they are loyal in every aspect of the work. However, the father of the bride—who is not of our congregation—deems them not married, because the groom did not pay the dowry. We discussed the situation and concluded that it is in a groom’s best interest to get along with his father-in-law. And, as it is not against the Bible to pay a dowry, why not pay it and be embraced by the family? That is only one example of an initial response being influenced by further information, but it is not unique.
1: Did we hear you state that you are opposed to young people dating?
· Parental vs. pastoral responsibilities
· Distinguish between instructing and imposing
· 1 Corinthians 7:1
When I was at the United Kingdom camp meeting, I was asked to speak on the topic of marriage and pre-marriage. Then after the camp meeting, before school began, I included some of the same thoughts in a Sunday morning sermon in Portland. That was kind of fun because it got a reaction. What I stated in that sermon was that at school there is pressure for students to enter the teen dating scene. And if dating is defined as teens of the opposite gender spending one-on-one time together in a private setting, then I am not a fan. I posed the question, “What good can possibly come out of that situation?”
The goal I had in mind with the sermon was two-fold. First, it was to convey to our teens and perhaps to those in their early twenties that the idea that a person is weird if they do not have a boyfriend or girlfriend is nonsense and can just be dismissed. It is not necessary for young people to be in a romantic relationship, and it can be very unhealthy. I can’t recall everything from that sermon, but one thing I mentioned was something I had heard: If we follow society’s leading, youth will engage in many different close relationships prior to marriage. Many romantic, some intimate, none with a commitment beyond today. In schools, they teach about leaving a carbon footprint, but what about the damage of leaving a social footprint?
The second goal was to support parents who are teaching their children it is better for young people to spend time together in groups rather than pair off. Why would we teach our youth to have numerous close romantic relationships that they will regret later? What would a young person benefit by having all of those throw-away relationships and gaining that reputation? Potentially there is someone emerging in the future who has been more careful and would not be interested in one such as that. I do not know any responsible parent who would allow their teen to be in a one-on-one private setting with one of the opposite gender. If that is how dating is defined, then I am absolutely against it. If dating is defined instead as kids in groups or kids in public settings walking and talking together—well I don’t want to say that is dating or not dating, just that it is healthy for kids to get together. It is not possible by the way, to mandate that a teenager not be interested in another teenager—you were, and I was. However, guidelines can be set.
When a person is old enough to marry, and marriage is contemplated, the situation is different. This is where courtship comes in. In the sermon, I referred to “courtship” as an old word that is not so much used nowadays. I described it, and I know that at least one twelve-year-old was listening and got the message. Afterward, he was asked by his mother, “What is courtship?” He said, “It is dating someone with a view toward getting married,” and that is what I was trying to convey.
Courtship is necessary in order to become acquainted with another person and also to more clearly know their intent. We do not advocate that people marry someone they do not know. However, before there is a courtship, the couple must be old enough to take on the responsibility of marriage. Two nineteen-year-olds ought not to be getting married, and if I were asked to officiate such a wedding, I would object. That is not old enough. When I married, I was twenty-three and Debbie was twenty-one. A case could be made that we were not old enough. However, it is too late now; we have been married for forty-four years.
“Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman” (1 Corinthians 7:1).
Even when in an appropriate courtship, and convinced the relationship is leading to marriage, it is not wise to put oneself in the position of being tempted or compromised. A courtship that is non-physical is a healthy one and will provide the foundation for a healthy marriage. Once a relationship becomes physical, once passion is involved, it is no longer possible to get to know the real person. Anyway, that is one man’s opinion.
I characterize my dating comments as “one man’s opinion,” because they are intended to instruct, not impose. It occurred to me that Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 7:6, “I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.” Perhaps I am similarly speaking by permission only. However, Paul meant he had no personal revelation but was offering his counsel. In our case, his words became part of the holy Scriptures and therefore I can cite them as divine inspiration, even if admittedly mixed with my own perspective. Beyond that, there are numerous verses throughout the Bible that teach against putting oneself in a position to be tempted. Proverbs 6:27-28 says, “Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?” Of course, the context is that these Scriptures refer to the seductive woman alluring a man, but the principle still applies to all men and women.
Paul also recognized the existence of passion—the natural man—and he said, “This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication” (1 Thessalonians 4:3).
While ministers have a responsibility to instruct, it is the parents’ job to impose, and we should not cross the line into the parental area, especially concerning teens or older kids still living at home. If a young person makes a poor decision or appears to be violating what we think is best, it is the parent’s role to guide them, and we do not have the right to interfere. At some point, we do have some prerogative if the individual is in the work, but we should be careful about exercising that.
Questions have been asked that relate to social media and online dating. This introduces an element to the dating question that did not exist very long ago. I have not given much in-depth thought to this but will say it would be risky to base a relationship on a bio written by an individual who is only going to speak of themselves and their history in the most flattering terms. Without knowing the person or their family, there is no means of learning about or verifying past relationships, employment, debt, or potential mental health issues. Would we want our young people to risk the next five decades on a “sanitized” bio of a complete stranger? Ted Bundy took a great photo. He was a handsome guy—and also a serial killer.
I am told that some of our young people do go on dating sites, and in fact have met other of our young people there, which makes me wonder why they don’t just meet here rather than look outside our church. If we totally condemn the practice, we run the risk of alienating some of our young people, so we would do better to offer guidance. The guidance I would give is first, it is risky, and second, what is presented on social media about oneself is often not what exists in reality.
We can only advise our young people of these things. They may or may not accept or embrace our suggestions. I have had fun talking to my two oldest grandsons about the subject of dating. I tease them a lot and have told them that I do believe in dating—at the right time. I tell them there are four stages to a relationship: friendship, courtship, marriage, and then dating. This is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but true. A husband should date his wife. I have officiated the weddings of some of the ministers here and am confident that I told every one of them beforehand they needed to date after marrying. Spouses must spend time together. This is something my wife reminds me of with some frequency, and she always liked it when I met with couples preparing for marriage, because that also served as a reminder to me of these things.
2: Does “It’s what God gave me” constitute the basis for preaching a message or making a declaration during a sermon?
· Jeremiah 23:28
· 2 Timothy 3:16-17
· Cite it. Own it.
This question really came to me in the late nineties, during which time I conducted the Sunday afternoon camp meeting services for two or three years. There was an incident involving a minister who no longer attends here. He made a random statement from the pulpit and then turned to me and said, “I did not know I was going to say that!” It was as if to imply the statement must have come from Heaven. I probably sat there bewildered. I didn’t know he was going to say it either. It was an awkward statement springing from his personal opinion rather than from Scripture. This is an example to show that the answer to the question at hand is, “No.”
“The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:28).
If God gave you a message, you will not need to declare that it came from God; it will be evident. If it is necessary to explain that God gave you something to say, that is suspicious. I am inclined to believe it came from your own viewpoint.
We do rely upon extemporaneous preaching rather than reading our sermons or referring too often to our notes during a sermon. That being the case, even in a situation like this where I am relying more heavily on notes, I could say something that when transcribed and read later and passed through the editorial process, does not meet the standard. So, the fact that we say something from the pulpit or in a ministers’ meeting does not mean it is inspired from Heaven. It means we are doing our best to offer instruction or convey the message of God’s Word. We will succeed at times, and we will fall short at times.
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
The basis of our authority is not our own personal experiences, even though we might share a day-to-day illustration. The basis of our sermons is God’s Word. We try to give illustrations here and there throughout a sermon, but not too many—not one after another. I recall that Spurgeon said illustrations are the windows that let the light in.1 It is true. There will be times when people in the congregation have glazed-over looks in their eyes. Then an illustration is given and suddenly they come alive. Illustrations are good, but keep in mind that we do not want people to remember the illustration; we want them to see the Word of God more clearly.
The basis for our sermons is not our Minister’s Manual, either. It was designed to be a ministerial operational manual. We might cite something in it, but we wouldn’t build a sermon on something we read in it. Nor would we build a sermon on something we heard in a ministers’ meeting. We wouldn’t preach on what Brother Darrel said. People want to know what God said.
I was asked if the document recently emailed to ministers, reiterating our sexual misconduct policy, could be shared with all of the workers in the church, and absolutely it can be. The policy doesn’t just apply to ministers; it applies to everyone. However, we wouldn’t use that as a basis for a sermon.
Years ago, I subscribed to a Christian magazine, and recall seeing an advertisement for fifty-two sermons that could be bought—a person wouldn’t need to study at all. But we do need to study. That is where we get our inspiration, not from someone else’s manuscript. It comes from the Word of God to our hearts. I have seen books offering sermon illustrations as well. Sometimes we do quote someone else or use an illustration that is not our own, but if so, we must remember to cite where the information came from. If we do not give credit, others who have that same book will wonder why we didn’t.
For those who want to know if they can quote the Portland headquarters to enforce policy, it would be better if you owned what you were enforcing. This is how we operate as an organization. We each embrace the policies. Hopefully what we send out from Portland is worthy of owning and embracing. If you do not think it is, then feedback is appreciated.
[1] Spurgeon, Charles. “Illustrations in Preaching” in The Art of Illustration. New York: Wilbur B. Ketcham, 1894. Accessed at http:// https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42558.
3: When is it appropriate for a Sunday school teacher to spank a young student?
· Apostolic Faith discipline policy
· Apostolic Faith abuse and reporting policies
· Mark 9:42-43
Never. You may not lay your hands on these children, or young people for that matter—even a teenager who is unruly. You cannot squeeze their shoulder and use physical force to bring them into line. We need to be smarter than they are. We do not use physical force.
The Apostolic Faith has discipline, abuse prevention, and reporting policies. These are articulated in the Safety and Security Manual and the Volunteer Handbook, which are readily available on the Safety page of our website. They should also be in binder form at each branch location.
“And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched” (Mark 9:42-43).
Reading from page twenty-five of the Volunteer Handbook, it says, “No one may spank, hit, or use any type of physical discipline with children.” I have mentioned before that having been deposed for a $5,000,000 lawsuit against the church, I was very happy to be able to declare confidently how I was taught in regard to this issue. This was from the time I began teaching Sunday school in the mid-seventies and on. Even so, it was a very sobering experience. We want to make sure we are following the policy; we do not lay our hands on children.
Our abuse prevention and reporting policies are found on pages twenty-eight through thirty of the Volunteer Handbook. Abuse is defined to include “sexual abuse or exploitation, negligence, maltreatment, or threatened harm to a child.” So we do not use physical discipline with our students, and we do not threaten them either. That is also considered abuse.
This section of the handbook includes instruction for mandatory reporters who see something. I remember walking through the Sunday school department maybe a year ago and seeing a child who had bruising on her face. I went right to the department head and asked if they had noticed. The department head said they had, and they already knew what had happened to the child. It had nothing to do with abuse. Had we not known the background, we would have had a responsibility to contact the Oregon Children’s Services Division and make a report.
These pages also give awareness about predators, who operate by grooming not just the child, but the people who have charge of the child. These are called “gate-keepers.” This would be the department head or the Sunday school teacher. Predators do this to gain the confidence of all involved, so no one would suspect them. These topics are all covered in our safety materials.
4: What is the relationship between forgiveness and consequences?
· Genesis 3:21-23
· There is forgiveness
· There are consequences
This topic was covered in that document reiterating our sexual misconduct policy, so I won’t take the time to go over it again, except to say with respect to consequences, that sin leaves scars. That is reason enough to teach our young people the importance of getting saved and staying saved.
In regard to staying saved, we also need to teach our young people not to cast away their confidence. In some cases where they think they have backslid, they have merely gotten discouraged or doubted along the way and haven’t actually sinned. We do not want to hear in a young person’s testimony that they prayed through in the spring, backslid over the summer, prayed through again in the fall, but backslid over Christmas, and then prayed through again yesterday. This may have happened, or it could be that they were just dealing with normal teenage hormones and emotions. We need to convey a message of confidence to our young people, while at the same time emphasizing that we will not cover up actual sin.
“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken” (Genesis 3:21-23).
I will mention one more thing on the topic of forgiveness and consequences. It seems to be common among perpetrators or those who are guilty that they have the uncanny ability to cast themselves as the victims over time. I have seen some who have failed and have quietly and humbly owned their failure and recovered to what extent they could. Others, however, when faced with overwhelming evidence that indicts them, kick, scream, excuse their behavior, justify their failure, and ultimately blame the very ones who went about trying to save them. So there are two responses. Some respond successfully, and with others the response is dismaying.
The appropriate response is given in 1 Peter. Recently, I wrote a letter to someone who you would not know. His claim was initially one of guilt. Then it was, “Well, no, never mind.” In writing to him, I said “Please read and be guided by the following admonition of Peter.” Then I quoted 1 Peter 2:19-20: “For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” I also quoted from 1 Peter 3 and 4, which you are all familiar with.
I closed the letter with, “We herein request that you graciously allow us to accept your earlier offer to retire from the work. Please do not advocate for or defend yourself. Please do not allow anyone to attempt to advocate on your behalf. If any object to your retirement, please demand that they accept it without you offering excuse or blaming anyone else.”
What he had already described was enough to indict him, so it was over. We are not going to make everybody aware of what a guilty person has done. So they need to just accept the consequences and humbly try to recover.
I have just one more thought on all of this. It is disappointing to see more effort devoted on the part of some to extend sympathy and support to the perpetrators who come forward saying, “This is not fair. This is not right. Why am I being picked on?” What about the victims? Why don’t we support them? We do.
5: Can one who is guilty of sexual misconduct while serving in a leadership role resume in that role after being restored to God?
· What constitutes sexual harassment, abuse of power, or sexual misconduct?
· How does a person report what he believes is sexual harassment, abuse of power, or sexual misconduct?
· 1 Timothy 3:2, 7
There are consequences for misconduct. The question came up a week or so ago about one who may have gotten saved in their early teenage years, then backslid and committed sins, but later on got saved, stayed saved, and is now a minister. The sexual misconduct document recently sent out was not in reference to that type of situation. Notice that the question states “while serving in a leadership role.” The policy applies to those who commit sexual misconduct while a minister or in another leadership role.
The definitions for sexual harassment, abuse of power, and sexual misconduct are all given in that sexual misconduct document, and also in some of our safety materials, so I will not go over that. The reporting policy and the responsibility of ministers to handle such things were also addressed. We hold to the Biblical standard, which is higher than the legal standard. It is higher than the secular standard.
“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach . . . Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without . . .” (1 Timothy 3:2, 7).
In the last month, there was a rash of news articles online in Oregon, and maybe in the national news as well, concerning sexual misconduct. Southern Baptists were indicted, the Boy Scouts filed bankruptcy, and there was news of two men from a southern California mega-church who had previously resigned due to sexual misconduct charges. We would like to think that sexual misconduct could never take place in the Apostolic Faith Church, but it has. As I have told you before, I have dealt with it somewhere in the world nearly every year for the last twenty years.
I think I have mentioned before that sometimes older men suddenly have an unusual interest in younger attractive women—teenagers or young women. They do not show the same interest in those who are less attractive or in young men of the same generation. That is weird. I think they consider themselves charming. It is not charming; it is creepy. I have written in my notes, “Acting stupid is not a sin, but stupidity must stop.” It has to stop. Do not put me in a position where I have to come to you and say that you are acting stupid. See, this isn’t as fun as the dating subject.
6: I am the pastor of a branch church that is multi-cultural where different perspectives collide when it comes to operating according to what I understand to be Apostolic Faith ways. Can you provide me with some guidelines?
· 1 Corinthians 3:8-9
· Competitors or colleagues?
· Patient and gentle vs. harsh and demanding
As I said in the opening, Sister Antonia may speak to some of this in the next session.
“Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building” (1 Corinthians 3:8-9).
Paul, Apollos, Peter, and others who made up the Early Church were not competitors. Paul said, “We are labourers together.” That does not mean they were all the same. There were not. We endeavor to have unity, which means it is not automatic. It is something we must strive for, fight for, and by the grace of God we do enjoy it.
The availability of webcasts and the internet have made our work more global than ever. That being the case, even moderately different approaches in one area of the world or another that in times past would have been isolated, are now seen by many. This has left some scratching their heads, asking, “Is that how we operate globally?”
We do not claim to do everything perfectly in Portland, but we happen to be the world headquarters, so that is the standard. If any location is conducting itself in a manner other than the way things are done at the world headquarters, many at that location are wondering why. They are questioning, “Why are we not being consistent with global unity?”
It is incumbent that all Apostolic Faith churches operate in a consistent manner. Anyone from anywhere in the world should be able to step into any of our churches and feel that they are in an Apostolic Faith service. There will still be some differences—not every church has a symphony orchestra like we do at the headquarters, some congregations are larger and some are smaller. One thing that will be the same is that the focus is always on God, not on the individual.
Concerning being patient, I was very conscious when preparing this presentation that I not be harsh and demanding here today. Our workers serve voluntarily. Consider the people who are now making preparations for our break and lunch, and who will soon serve us. Are they in every church service? They are not. Are they always around the altars tarrying and praying? They are not. However, they are volunteering in the work. They found an area where they can serve, and we benefit. When we see them, it would not be helpful to say, “I didn’t see you in meeting last night,” or to ask, “Why weren’t you at the altar?” We could forcefully articulate expectations and demands, and I might endorse that approach if it would work, but it doesn’t work. It is counterproductive. In fact, it works just the opposite. They may think, “I took the day off, I am working sixty-hour weeks with my commute, I am giving my all . . .” It is much better to be appreciative for what they do give, and we will find that they are also appreciative of what we give. In some cases, they are more giving than we are. Many of us have the luxury of orchestrating our schedules around church activities. Some of them are juggling two jobs and have a family besides. So the patient, kind, appreciative approach won’t always inspire, but it will be more successful than the alternative.
7: I have a difficult time working with a ministerial peer. Do you have any suggestions for me?
· Do you exact a standard of your peer that you do not live up to yourself?
· Distinguish between carnality and personality
· Ephesians 4:1-4
This is not an unusual challenge. We spend a lot of time together in our local churches, and we all have different personalities. If we exact too high a standard of someone, they are probably thinking, “Look in the mirror, buddy,” because they see some shortcomings on our part. We need to be very gracious. Make the distinction between carnality and personality, and if there is someone who simply rubs you the wrong way, bear with them—they are bearing with you!
“I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body . . .” (Ephesians 4:1-4).
I wish we could blame cultural differences when this problem comes up in our churches, but most often it is among people of the same culture, the same ethnicity, and nearly the same background. Usually, the conflict is simply two people with differing personalities who have a hard time getting along.
I do not have a suggestion for this problem but let me point out that conflict can be a teacher. There is always something for us to learn, and we learn more from our critics than we do from our loyalists. When was the last time any of you learned a valuable lesson from someone who is deeply loyal to you? When was the last time you learned something from a person who said, “That was a great sermon?” We learn when someone offers a critique, but we learn more from someone who offers a criticism. There is a difference. Years ago, I told the young ministers before they preached their first sermons that they would learn more from my shortcomings than the strengths I might have. I still hold to that.
There is productive conflict and there is destructive conflict. If you are experiencing conflict and choose to go at it with guns blazing and a “shock and awe” campaign, you will end up in a war that you won’t win. Choose to be productive instead.
If you have been married for any length of time you know the value in productive conflict. The first two minutes into an argument are your opportunity to either escalate or de-escalate the conflict. If you blow those first two minutes, prepare to sleep on the couch, so to speak.
8: What part does formal academic training play in qualifying one for the ministry?
· Exactly what did Hymenaeus and Philetus study? 2 Timothy 2:15-18
· If we have formal academic training, there is no need to draw attention to it because it should be self-evident.
· If we lack formal academic training, demeaning those who do have it will only make our audience wish we did also.
This is kind of a fun topic too. As stated on the overhead, if you have to declare that you have had formal training, it must not be evident. If you indict it, your audience is probably wishing you had it.
Training, formal or otherwise, is an asset. You do not have to be an academic for training to benefit you. You do not have to be the smartest guy in the room, either. Where I work, I am surrounded by people who are all smarter than me, and that makes me really smart. In all seriousness, it is true. They do not just answer “Yes, do it,” to anything I suggest. Instead, they say things like, “Wait a minute,” “No,” and “Consider this.” It is very valuable to solicit input and receive it.
Whether we have had formal training or not we need to speak correctly. When an audience hears good grammar, they appreciate it. Poor grammar is noticed.
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some” (2 Timothy 2:15-18).
We need to read and to study. If we do not read, we will not be read, and if we cannot write, we cannot teach. Someone told me once, “I am a teacher, not a writer.” I disagreed. A person is not a teacher if they are not a writer. Any teacher has written.
The most important qualification for the ministry is given in our Minister’s Manual. It says, “There are many factors that contribute to the success of our efforts in the work of the ministry but the greatest requisite is the unction of the Spirit of God upon us and our work for God.”
If we can have that anointing as we deliver God’s Word, the people will forgive the grammar mistakes that we make. Sometimes we pray, “God bless Your Word,” forgetting that God’s Word is already blessed. We want to convey God’s Word and deliver God’s Word faithfully. All the training in the world will not compensate for a lack in that area. That is what we must have above all else.
“. . . be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity“ (1 Timothy 4:12).
We will close where we began. Be an example of believers in word, conversation, charity, spirit, faith, and purity. Our public lives with respect to being an example are only as good as our private lives. We want to spend more time preparing the messenger than the message. The messenger’s life must be consistent with the message. If what exists privately fights with what is projected publicly, we have built on a house of cards that will collapse. If on the other hand, our lives are in tune with God, we will be successful in conveying His message.
Introduction
Before I read my prepared remarks, I want to greet all of you and thank you for attending. Good afternoon to the West Coast audience and good evening to those elsewhere in North America. Also, greetings to the many who, as I have learned, are joining us from across the seas in the middle of the night. I should have anticipated this and perhaps chose a different time, but we appreciate you joining us. This is indeed a global meeting, and we are thankful for each one who has tuned in.
This is not the same as our usual camp meeting gathering. If it was, we would be serving breakfast or a continental breakfast before or afterward, but God has chosen that we operate distanced for a season, so we yield to that.
Agenda
The purpose of this meeting is to enjoy a measure of fellowship, and perhaps provide a springboard for future similar meetings, whether they take place with all of us together in one accord in one place, or whether we meet remotely while scattered around the world.
“For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:6-7).
This Generation
Tis generation lives in globally unprecedented times. COVID-19, economic, political, and cultural disruptions have landed forcefully upon us all at once. Looking back to 9/11, it was traumatic and sobering, but in some ways uniting—at least in the short term. This year has been different in the “uniting” aspect especially, not only in the United States, but also globally.
We want to remember that while 2020 is indeed extraordinary for this generation, it is not unparalleled. I came of age during the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. During my teen years, a cloud of uncertainty hung over the nation. The USA experienced assassinations, the Vietnam War, violent protests, drug experiments with resulting overdoses, a sexual revolution, the legalization of abortion, and the resignation of a president among other things. However, during those times we also put men on the moon and brought them back safely, so it was not all bad.
Older generations experienced the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War, and other unsettling events. I say all of this to point out that at some level, every generation is shaken, and must come to grips with the reality that we live in a broken and divided world. More than one person has said lately, “It could be that God is speaking.” It could be? He is! The real question is, “Is the human race listening?”
That Which is Unshakeable
God spoke through Haggai. In chapter 2, verses 6 and 7 we read these words, “For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.”
Through aged Haggai and a younger Zechariah who also prophesied during that time, the Lord spoke to the restored Jews and charged them to resume building the Temple, which they did to completion. The prophet Haggai brings to mind an illustration, unsourced, that was sent to me by one of my sisters who lives in Arizona, which is desert country. It goes something like this:
If you go to the southwest desert and catch one hundred red fire ants and one hundred large carpenter ants and put them in a jar together, at first, nothing will happen. However, if you violently shake the jar and dump them back on the ground, the ants will fight until they eventually kill each other.
They fight each other because the red ants think the carpenter ants are the enemy and vice versa. In reality, the actual enemy is the one who shakes the jar.
That is exactly what’s happening in society today. We have liberal versus conservative; socialist versus capitalist; Democrat versus Republican; pro-mask versus anti-mask; and class warfare pitting one ethic group against another ethnic group.
The question we need to ask ourselves is, “Who is shaking the jar and why?”
Applying this illustration to the spiritual realm, we know who shakes the jar. It is Satan. Why? To destroy.
In Hebrews 12, the writer looked back to Haggai’s reference, noting God’s thundering on Mount Sinai and said, “Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain” (verses 26-27).
So, what can be shaken will be shaken, but there is that which is unshakeable. Perhaps our day is that “once more,” revealing the contrasts between two truths. There is the tenuous and temporal nature of what can be shaken—aspects that relate to the order of this world. There is also the enduring and eternal nature of those things which cannot be shaken and will therefore remain—attributes that relate to the order of Heaven, such as charity and heart purity.
Competing Voices
May God help us to distinguish between the competing voices of our day that we might hear God! The chattering of twenty-four-hour cable television pundits, talk radio, and internet venues contribute to our 2020 uncertainty and instability. To be captivated by those venues is to be held hostage by the enemy at his will, and often not even know it. Those voices have proven to be terribly flawed. They promote contrived narratives and redefine words and phrases, and they rewrite history. The consequences of all of that are anything but edifying. Whether it is those voices or others, the ones who speak the loudest and most frequently may not be the best ones to listen to. The silent and content often have more to offer, even if they scarcely speak. Hebrews 12:28 says, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”
When it comes to voices, Satan often roars. We read in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” I’ve heard it said that one need not run faster than the lion, just faster than the slowest one in the group. Well, we cannot outrun, outtalk, or outwit the devil. He is an adversary from another world, even if he is mostly limited to using the weapons of this world. Ephesians 6:12 tells us, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” If our conflict were against flesh and blood, our ingenuity, intellect, or strength might suffice. Those qualities are among the best our enlightened culture views itself to possess. Well, look around, and you tell me: Are the weapons employed by this world working? When virtue and morality are defined by a fallen human race rather than by Scripture, we have a lament like the one we read in Isaiah, chapter 5, verses 20 to 21, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” The depraved human condition indicted by the Bible is accepted and even promoted by our culture. More and more, those who teach the Bible are openly condemned for being intolerant and for fomenting hate.
In our church community it helps to be reminded of the devil’s methods. We read in part in 2 Corinthians 2:11, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” We could also read that verse this way: “We are not ignorant of his purpose.” His purpose is to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. If God speaks, and He does, so does the devil. He accuses the brethren for one thing. Sometime back I received an apology from one who described in detail how they distracted me during a church service as evidenced by the look that I gave them. The apology was very gracious and there was a promise not to distract me again, but there was one problem: They did not distract me, and I gave them no look. I didn’t even know they were present! That incident reminds us of two lessons: First, Satan is an accusing liar. Secondly, it does not pay to assume what somebody else might be thinking. We might be disappointed by how little they are thinking about us.
The Christian Response
The Christian response to 2020 events stands in contrast to the response of the world. But then, the Christian response is distinguished from the world’s response every year. We see the contrast in Ephesians 4, verses 31 and 32: “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”
The world’s response is to debate and call it “having a conversation.” Also, the world often demands retribution, and damages not only property, but relationships too. The Christian response is patient, and full of grace and forbearance. One response is destructive and tears down, and the other response is productive and builds up. These are character-proving and character-developing days. The difficulties of this year are not the cause of the best and worst we see in others or even in ourselves; 2020 simply reveals what already existed.
Our 2020 response to challenges is different from the world’s because our goal is different than the world’s. Colossians 3:1-2 tells us, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Our affection cannot be divided successfully. The more we focus on Heaven, the less interest we will have in matters that pertain to earth. In light of eternity, it is futile to be preoccupied with making the world a more comfortable place for sinners to live while they are on their journey to Hell. Instead, we want to be occupied with inspiring others to focus on things Above rather than devoting so much energy to things below. Like Abraham of old, we look for a City that hath foundations whose builder and maker is God.
The Christian response is different than that of the world because we recognize the real adversary cannot be overcome using their strategies—the strategies of the world. It is stated in 2 Corinthians 10:3, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.” To walk in the flesh is to admit our humanity. It is to acknowledge the limits of not only our physical, but also our mental capacity. We won’t always get everything just perfect.
With regard to our limitations, grace is our friend and a valuable weapon in this spiritual warfare. We are thankful when we are the recipients of grace, whether from God or from others. I am thankful to be the recipient of grace extended my way when I say things imperfectly. However, Satan not only wreaks havoc on sinners who sin, but he attempts to do so when well-meaning Christians fall short of God-like perfection. Either way, we want to be quick to extend love, grace, and forgiveness even when those attributes are not reciprocated. They are mighty weapons of the Spirit that are productive.
Spiritual Resources Overcome Spiritual Forces
We are reminded by 2 Corinthians 10, verses 4 and 5, “(for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” Spiritual forces can only be overcome effectively by spiritual resources. The might in our arsenal includes the sword of the Spirit, which is why Paul in his final charge to Timothy admonished him, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2).
In our church services, we are to be urgent with the Gospel message every time, all the time. If the sermon fails to convey a Biblical truth, it’s merely a speech. We want sermons rather than speeches; we want preachers rather than speakers. Stick to declaring God’s Word rather than advocating for social agendas in the church. Current narratives are subjective and therefore divisive. The Word of God is what unites us, our various personal viewpoints notwithstanding. Our messages in our church services should not be driven by toxic rhetoric offered by political and media talking heads. Where do those debates leave the audience? You know they leave the audience frustrated at best, and angry or more at worst.
Speaking of being angry, I am reminded of spending a Friday night in Bethlehem during a 2016 Holy Land trip. We were advised not to leave the hotel after dark because there was a mosque nearby. We were told that the attendees of that particular house of worship would leave the prayer meeting agitated. Later, that came to pass; we witnessed a protest and a dumpster fire in the middle of the street nearby. That is not to judge all mosques by that one, but it is to say that they successfully left their congregants agitated and angry. We want our church attendees to leave our services thankful to God rather than angry at the world. Anger does not change any but the one who has it in his heart. We will succeed if we elevate God’s Word rather than current events. Our people know about the current events, they are bombarded with them 24/7 away from church. When they come to the house of God, let’s faithfully deliver God’s Word.
Hebrews 4:12-13 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
We know that God’s Word is alive, active, searching, revealing, and it has the power to operate on and change the human heart. So rather than being driven by the current news cycle, our services and our messages are to be inspired by the living Word of God and led by the Holy Spirit. The news cycle approach shifts attention away from God’s Word and away from our mission. It is a distraction that undermines effectiveness not only as a minister, but also as a church.
Our Mission is Clear
I am thankful that our mission—even if challenging—is simple and clear. It’s the Great Commission. We see it demonstrated in the Acts of the Apostles from start to finish. The title of the Book suggests activism, but modeled differently than what apparently is happening in many churches today. Near the beginning of the Book, Acts 1:8 says, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The Book concludes with these words in Acts 28:30-31: “And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” These two passages not only describe the Apostles’ activities at the beginning and end of the Book, but also what they did in between the first chapter and the twenty-eighth.
We learn of the cultural condition of the Roman Empire from religious and secular history more than from Paul or the Bible. Paul’s mission was not to reform Rome. A few have wanted me to wholeheartedly endorse some aspects of our current social environment while many, representing all districts of our work, have asked me just as fiercely to indict the same aspects of our current social environment. Paul did neither in his day. Rather than exhort Christians to reform Rome, he taught them how to be light and salt in Rome. He primarily targeted the underlying carnal condition of the human race rather than emphasizing the symptoms of his culture’s dysfunction. When he did note the symptoms, it was to illustrate the condition in order to point his readers or listeners to the remedy. If we confront the problems of our society using the tools offered by our society, we are doomed for defeat, as evidenced by what we see in our society.
George Hughes wrote this description of the Apostolic Faith approach, and I am quoting excerpts, “The great aim of our work . . . is the salvation of souls. For this reason, it is vitally essential that every service we hold is completely successful from start to finish. The songs, selection of music, testimonies, and above all, the sermon, should be so inspiring and inspired that every unbeliever will receive the impetus needed to start him on his way to God.” The aim of every facet of our church service is the prayer meeting, and that is true even when we are conducting services remotely. Hopefully, we leave those who are participating and watching inspired to go to prayer afterward. Pastors of goodwill and with good intentions can become misdirected. It’s important that we conduct our services in a uniform manner globally, in line doctrinally and according to the same pattern of worship. If your approach is different from every other Apostolic Faith Church in the world, you need to employ corrective measures rather than expect the rest of us to conform to what you are doing.
The principle that Brother George applied to a church service also applies to everyday living. We could insert our lives and then quote “should be so inspiring and inspired that every unbeliever will receive the impetus needed to start him on his way to God,” and we could add, “and continue in the way to God.” That philosophy should give pause to those whose social media comments are counterproductive, attracting attention to the writer rather than to the Savior.
We are active in advocating for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Rather than preach against the sins of the world, preach Jesus! My 2010 trip to India with Debbie was instructive along those lines. There were idols everywhere. I had never seen idolatry of objects practiced so extensively. But rather than preach against idols and idolatry, I was encouraged to preach for Jesus Christ. We don’t need to pound the pulpit against the evils of our generation. Our people already know those evils are wrong and that we are against them. When people attend our services or tune in, we want to present something different than what they are bombarded with while they are away from church. Let’s present to them Jesus the Light of the world.
It is Never too Late to Learn
With regard to some upcoming training sessions, it is never too late to learn. When I was in high school, college, and even in the business world, I was always happy when I finished my schooling or training. However, it soon became evident that schooling continues—it never stops. When I became employed, I was first engaged in applying tax law. It was enjoyable work except that the laws changed every time Congress convened, and that required more homework. With the advent of personal computers, I learned to successfully navigate MS-DOS, Microsoft’s disk operating system, but then came upgrades and more learning. When I bought my first PC in the 1980s, I was told that my twenty-megabyte hard drive would be all I would ever need, and it was all I needed . . . for about two years! Throughout life, the learning process continues. Even the grocery store Safeway moved the coffee beans from aisle three where they have always been to a new location that had to be learned.
Possible Topics
We have been working on training session possibilities in the subject area of “Greater Understanding.” We want to have a better understanding of each other’s experiences so we won’t unwittingly speak or act offensively. Conversely, when someone unintentionally or ignorantly speaks or acts towards us in a manner that we deem offensive, we want to know how to extend forbearance. This sword has two edges, but each edge can be covered with love and grace. The emphasis of such training is to educate. The goal is to leave us better equipped to support one another in the church, and extend understanding to those outside the church.
One session may speak to family-related matters, including challenges faced by parents of adopted and foster children, those in single-parent homes, and those dealing with other matters, such as infertility. We could also touch on topics unique to families that have been impacted by suicide, have members engaged in the LGBTQ community, or have members involved in criminal activity. Remember that rather than preach against the sinner, we preach for Jesus. That is not to say that we condone sinning; we condemn it, but we do so in a manner that does not demean or devalue the sinner. We want them to be drawn to God’s love.
Another session may address health-related matters. This could include how to accommodate individuals with chronic illness or physical disabilities, such as hearing or sight impairment. A better understanding of sight impairment may lead us to change the way we describe “blind Bartimaeus” when we preach about him. Other health-related topics to consider could be mental health disorders, PTSD suffered by war veterans and others, clinical depression, and the consequences of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. A third session may focus on ethnic and cultural matters. This session could include the opportunity to hear experiences of different ethnicities. It would leave us better informed of challenges faced by minorities.
All three sessions may include some personal testimonials of individuals willing to share their first-hand experiences that some of us without those experiences can hardly relate to. We hope to learn what is helpful to those facing such challenges as well as what is not helpful to them.
An Example
I’ll give you an example from my recent reading of a Book titled “Unified” by two men, Tim Scott and Trey Gowdy. Tim Scott is a current US Senator from South Carolina. He is a former businessman, insurance agent, and financial advisor who went into politics over a decade ago. Trey Gowdy is also from the state of South Carolina. He was a prosecutor before going into politics. He served eight years in the US House of Representatives before leaving political office a couple of years ago. Scott and Gowdy were strangers to each other when they first arrived to serve in Washington, having come from different areas of South Carolina. Once there, they met and quickly became very best friends. In the book, they share how they view the topic of law enforcement from two different perspectives, and it is very enlightening. From them, I learned the acronym DWB—Driving While Black. I didn’t mention that Tim Scott is black and Trey Gowdy is white. Some of us have heard of such things, but others have experienced such things. I watched a YouTube clip of Trey Gowdy telling how Tim Scott was stopped seven times while driving in a period of roughly a year. Then he exclaimed, “I wasn’t stopped once!” Gowdy, a former prosecutor, is the product of a middle-class, nuclear, suburban family, and sees law enforcement through a different lens than Tim Scott. Growing up, Gowdy’s father demanded such respect for authority that he would not allow his son to refer to police officers as “cops.” As a prosecutor, he sees the blindfolded Lady Justice as holding balance scales in one hand and a sword in the other. Lady Justice hears the case, applies the law without impartiality, and rules accordingly—Gowdy sees law and order when he thinks of law enforcement. On the other hand, Tim Scott is the product of a single-parent home. He grew up in poverty, with a mother who worked two jobs, while living in the projects. To him, law enforcement conjures up images Trey Gowdy has not experienced. Law enforcement causes him to visualize policemen with billy clubs, dogs, and fire hoses.
These best friends come from different planets of the universe (figuratively speaking), though they are from the same state. Both want the same thing. We all do! We want protection from harm. Once Scott and Gowdy learned of one another’s wildly differing perspectives, they could understand each other better and thereby be unified in their legislative work together.
Learning from their dissimilar backgrounds and perspectives helps us understand that it is impossible for a white person who has never been bullied, degraded, or treated as unworthy of human dignity solely due to skin tone, to properly relate to the emotions of a person of color who has experienced all of those things and more. Some of us hear about it, others experience it with some frequency.
These two men were called upon to seek political solutions. We value and we do pray for devout leaders seeking to do so. But even they acknowledge that righteousness cannot be legislated. A change of heart cannot be successfully mandated by an act of Congress or an executive order. So we leave the political activism to those in political office. Political activism has never been our approach in Apostolic Faith church services. Those arguments are subjective in that Christians of good conscience can have polar opposite views on how to address what both agree are clearly Biblical issues of morality. Since it is subjective, activism is a divisive distraction that undermines our efforts to emphasize the remedy offered through the Blood of Jesus. I’m not declaring that civic engagement is always inappropriate. I am saying that it should not be part of our church services. It is counterproductive. It does more harm than good. It detracts from our mission and from our message.
The proposed training sessions will not be church services, by the way. They will be learning sessions, understanding sessions; they are not intended to fix the world. Our goal is to educate ourselves and gain a better understanding of the challenges encountered by those we fellowship with. We want to be better equipped to support one another. We want to avoid unwittingly making someone’s challenge yet more challenging. Since our training must be rooted in Biblical precepts—not must be, we want it to be rooted in Biblical precepts—it may run counter to the common contemporary approach.
Unity is Not Uniformity
A better understanding of one another will enhance our unity. In Ephesians 4, Paul speaks of the unity of the church. Verses 1-3 are a plea for unity where he says, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
In the next three verses, we see seven components of unity. Paul said, “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.”
Verses 11-13 speak of diversity in unity and also of the purpose and the outcome of unity. The diversity is that, “He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.” The purpose is, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” And the outcome is, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”
In 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 we see, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.” There is one body, but many members.
Within the body, we have very noticeable differences (and some unnoticeable): we are different physically, and we have different personalities and genders. We are diverse culturally, even sometimes within the same ethnicity. We have different creativity levels as well, and have seen wonderful creativity during the last eight months by our churches all over the world. Debbie and I are different creatively. She has beautiful penmanship and is quite artistic. My penmanship is horrible, and I can hardly draw stick figures. On the other hand, she claims to be very weak in math where she thinks I am strong—but actually she is modest there because she is a seamstress, and that requires arithmetic. She also makes quilts, and that requires geometry, so she may be stronger in math than I am. In any case, we have differences!
On vacation years ago, Debbie and I rented a bicycle built for two. I spoke of this several years ago in a meeting. The bicycle had two seats, two sets of pedals, and two handlebars. The front handlebars steered the bicycle, and the back handlebars were just for someone to hold on to. They were attached to my seat, and my seat was loose. As we rounded our first corner, I leaned into it, steering that direction, but Debbie who was seated behind me, leaned and steered the other way. This twisted my seat, so you can visualize what position that put me in. That was not unity! However, we finally figured it out and enjoyed our unified bicycle ride.
I am reminded of Brother Steve Mixer’s sermon on Sunday evening, October 11, where he said, “Unity is not uniformity.” He didn’t invent that saying, but I took it from him, so I will give him credit for it right now. Anyway, unity is not being exactly like one another. He reminded us that vocal ensembles are not in unity because they sing in unison. They are in unity because they have perfect harmony while singing different parts.
In a Century camp meeting fifteen years ago, Debbie and our daughter Alicia, and her husband Rob, were asked to sing a trio. What transpired was a very timid, cautious, White trio singing before an enthusiastic Southern Black congregation. The song was about Heaven; I asked Rob what they sang and he remembers it as “We’ll Understand It Better By and By.” The congregation obviously recognized it, and part way through, they began to spontaneously join in. As the song continued by the vocal trio on the platform, the momentum of the congregation picked up, and by the end of that special, it was amazing; we couldn’t hear the trio anymore! I think they walked away wondering what happened. This is an illustration of unity—both in the vocal trio who harmonized beautifully, but also in that entire body of believers joining to sing with them.
The source of division is carnality and its outcome is destructive. The source of unity is Christ and its outcome is productive. It is what we find described in the 133rd Psalm, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
We may be geographically and even culturally distanced one from another, but through the Gospel, we are perfectly blended in beautiful harmony. The Word of God and the sanctifying power of the Blood of Jesus have brought us together in the same sweet spirit of fellowship.
A Better Day in View
Lord willing, we will meet again, perhaps at a different time to accommodate the global audience a bit better, and we will give plenty of notice as to when we will do that. We look to the Lord to guide regarding the subject matter as we go forward.
I will end where I began, with the passage from Haggai where God is speaking. We want to be among those who hear Him. Haggai 2:6-7 says, “For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations,” and we will conclude with this thought: “and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house (speaking of the Temple) with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.” Like the prophet, we also have a better day in view! We look forward to meeting together again, where the glory of God inhabits the praises of His people.
Between now and then, unless the Trumpet sounds first, God bless you for the work you continue to do all around the world, and let the Name of Jesus be exalted. Keep your focus. Let God’s Name be glorified, and we know that souls will be saved as we are in these last days of this great harvest.
Thanks so much for joining us today and may God bless you as you go your different ways. We will conclude with a closing prayer. Brother Bob Downey will please come up and dismiss us and then we will sign off. Thanks again.
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