(November 2002 Edition)
Editorial - Coping with the Crisis, We are Reorganizing
At the Lord's Table - How Much do I Weigh?
Taking an Indirect, Impersonal Leap of Faith
Editorial
Coping with the Crisis, We are Reorganizing
An editorial article in the June issue, Is It Time To Reorganize? has provoked some very interesting and encouraging responses. As must be expected, views vary greatly. Some feel that the work of the truth is most effective if carried out by big centralised organisations with adequate levels of funding. To many others, big organisations with their councils, synods, and committees, can be unwieldy, bureaucratic, impersonal and sometimes insensitive. Of course, anecdotal support for the various standpoints is given. Recent experience suggests that neither bigness nor centralised control guarantee effective performance, especially in the spiritual arena. Yet, small efforts at coping with big problems can lead to frustration because of inadequate resources, and their “public relations” are often unsatisfactory.
We can divide the responses to the article into three broad categories. We will comment briefly on each of these, and let our readers take things onward from there, according to their own consciences.
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Response: The “dire crisis” referred to in the article is being exaggerated, and right now all reasonable needs of the Brotherhood throughout the world are being effectively taken care of, principally by our three Bible Missions. These need our consistent financial support, but no “reorganisation” as proposed is needed, and no other help is required.
Comment: We hope that this confidence is fully justified, and it is obvious that the enormously expanded field of missionary activity will certainly require greatly increased levels of funding for our troika of Mission organisations. Ever since the very first meetings of the original Christadelphian Bible Mission in the 1950’s, in which a few of us still alive were deeply involved, fund raising and public relations have never been very dynamic aspects of the work. In fact, they have often been almost apologetic, as if there is only a humanly fixed pool of money out there rather than a super-abundant supply limited only by the blessing of Almighty God (II Cor. 9:8). We believe that jealousy of perceived ‘competitors’ has no place in the divine economy. We may be quite mistaken, but a lot of correspondence we have received and much personal experience do suggest that there is indeed a “dire crisis,” and that it is very far from being adequately dealt with at present. -
Response: The second category of responses has been encouraging. Fully acknowledging that there is a “dire crisis” worldwide, they have presented much evidence that we are in fact “reorganising” quite quickly, and in a Scriptural manner. There is no space to give details here, but we have been told about very many activities going on outside the aegis of the Bible Missions: Christadelphian Save the Children Fund, Meal-a-Day, several international Care Groups, and many cases of “twinning” ecclesias in Canada, the USA, the UK, Germany, Australia and New Zealand with struggling ecclesias and groups in many poorer parts of the world.
Comment: Learning about these efforts has been a great encouragement. There is, however, a serious dilemma associated with these smaller initiatives. On the one hand we are understandably cautious about doing our alms before men, and therefore tend to limit information about them. Also confidentiality is essential in some cases, and in many areas of the world today. But if generous saints know nothing about these useful initiatives and efforts, then the necessary resources will not be made available. It is a difficult dilemma to resolve. A happy compromise has to be worked out somehow. And it is possible that if there are too many small initiatives and schemes of aid, donor fatigue may set in. -
Response: The third category of response – thankfully the smallest – is simple denial. There may be a “dire crisis” but it is no concern of ours. Our only duty is to “hold fast” to the purity of the faith, and quietly wait for the salvation of our God.
Comment: Some ecclesias with which we have had direct involvement during the past year are hardly aware of anything going on beyond their narrow circle, and virtually no announcements are ever made about the Brotherhood at large. In one case of a quite large ecclesia, no member appeared to know that there were Christadelphians in Jamaica (the Kingston ecclesia is 113 years old). They were amazed beyond measure to learn that there were brothers and sisters in Russia who could not speak English. How ever could they ever have learned the truth?, was their astonished response. And when told that there were now more than forty brothers and sisters in Moldova, the poorest nation in Europe, they simply shook their heads in disbelief.
Consensus: Overall, the consensus is that it is time to reorganise, but in a gently persuasive and orderly manner without raising hackles or stepping on toes. Moreover, this reorganisation is already well advanced in a few areas of the Brotherhood. The newer, and the specialised and focused, initiatives need more publicity and more support, without forsaking or in any way abandoning the many faithful workers in our traditional organisations such as the Bible Missions. The work is so big, there is room for all, and clashing concepts of ‘turf’ and ‘spheres of influence’ are political not spiritual, and must be abandoned. Perhaps most crucial of all, the ecclesial basis of the Christadelphian Brotherhood must be retained intact and inviolable. Despite a few voices suggesting that this is an “archaic” system, and we would be more “successful” with a centrally-directed system like the ‘JWs’ and the ‘SDAs’, most Christadelphians feel that our cherished structure of ecclesial autonomy has not only served us well, but is fundamental to our faith.
We sincerely believe that, if our claims to true doctrine and practice are in any way to be credible, all we do must be infused with a far more evident and pervasive spirit of love. The love of Christ must constrain us, not Christadelphian politics. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:35).
At the Lord's Table
How Much do I Weigh?
In these days when dieting and slimming are all the rage, it might be pertinent to ask, How much do I weigh? Simple. Here is a scale; let me weigh myself.
I might be pleased or shocked when I check the needle, but either way, whatever the reading ‑ it is not telling me the truth! The fact is that I do not really weigh anything at all. I can prove that quite easily by bungee jumping or being an astronaut orbiting the earth. In free fall or in orbit (which is the same thing, actually), I weigh nothing. Indeed one way to get that discouraging statistic on the dial down quickly is to go to the World Trade Center and stand on my scale while taking an express lift from the 96th to the ground floor*.
What my scale is measuring is not something intrinsic to me like my eye colour or my voice. My weight is an entirely relative thing, depending on where I happen to be when I weigh myself, and what I am doing at the time. I can reduce my weight by climbing a mountain, certainly because of the extra altitude ‑ and possibly also from the effort! What the scale is actually measuring is the pull of the earth’s gravity on my body.
Divine relativity
Isaiah taught relativity long before Albert Einstein. You must realise that
God measures weight very differently from us. To Him, big men, puffed up
with conceit, have zero weight (Psa. 62:9). Whole nations are like a
few specks of dust on the balance, too tiny to move the needle (Isa.
40:15,17). In fact, the prophet suggests, they are a minus quantity,
less than zero. Which, of course, is mathematically absurd. But God’s
scale is not ours. He uses altogether different units.
Remember Belshazzar, who, we are told, did not humble himself? On the wall, the divine hand wrote, Tekel: You have been checked on My scales and found to be a light weight (Dan. 5:27).
In stark contrast, Isaiah says that God weighs the path of the just (Isa. 26:7). To God, our faith weighs far more than the biggest monuments and towers that puny man can build. And many times throughout the Scriptures God’s holy Name is said to be heavy or weighty ‑ Hebrew kabod, usually translated ‘glorious’ (Ex. 15:11; Deut. 28:58; Neh. 9:5).
“What massive stones!”
In his brilliant journal articles about the Temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem,
Israeli Christadelphian archaeologist Bro. Leen Ritmeyer tells about one of
the carefully hewn stones of the Temple which is 45 feet long and weighs an
incredible 570 tons. He discusses, with graphic illustrations, the method
by which the Jewish stonemasons managed to transport that huge stone block
from the quarry to the Temple site and fit it flawlessly into the rising
edifice.
Jesus and his apostles must have seen that stone, and many others like it. On a sightseeing tour, the apostles were awed with the sheer grandeur: Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings! The Lord Jesus was not impressed. In his eyes, those gigantic blocks of stone, obviously meant to project King Herod’s egomania, were utterly inconsequential. Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down (Mark 13:1-2). When I was at the top of a great skyscraper, I was told that I was supposed to marvel at the greatness of man’s achievements and the triumph of capitalism. When I told the guide it reminded me more of the Tower of Babel, he didn’t seem to like it.
In contrast to the relative weightlessness of the old Jewish Temple, or modern skyscrapers, we read from David of the majesty and glory (weight) of God’s coming Kingdom (Psa. 145:5,12).
So I will ask myself again: How much do I weigh? It all depends on what is inside me. If I am puffed up with self, then nothing. If I am full of faith, my weight will exceed by far the weight of those temple blocks and soaring human towers and match the weight of the Kingdom to which my God has invited me to be a glorious part.
Glen Isaacs
* This exhortation was written by the late Bro. Glen before the events of September 11, 2001. He was fascinated by the scientific concepts of gravity and relativity, and his lectures on them were witty and unforgettable. Eds.
I love Peter’s letters. It seems that Peter could empathise with people like me who are timid, have lots of problems, and easily get discouraged. He understood sisters; maybe his own wife made sure of that. He felt for those of us who have unbelieving partners, those of us facing heavy trials, and those of us who suffer more affliction than we feel we can handle.
The kinds of qualities and virtues Peter urges us to develop appeal to me. Submit yourselves…Show proper respect to everyone…Slaves, submit yourselves with all respect…Wives, be submissive…Husbands, be considerate…All of you, be sympathetic, be compassionate and humble…Do not be frightened…Rejoice…Be eager to serve…Do not lord it over those entrusted to you…Young men, be submissive. What’s that: young men and women, be submissive? Today’s fiercely aggressive culture treats such an idea with contempt. How desperately do we, as the saints of God, need these virtues today!
Peter gives me great comfort when he tells me: Cast all your anxiety on God, because he cares for you. I appreciate his gentle exhortation to make every effort to be at peace with God. I find that there are so many things that can make us cantankerous and resentful. I ask God to forgive me and help me when I get bitter and miserable. For we really do need to be at peace with God, and with one another. It’s high time to do this, says Peter, for we look for a new heaven and a new earth full of peace and joy.
Mary Eyre
Taking an Indirect, Impersonal Leap of Faith
Faith is being sure of what you hope for, certain of what you do not see (Heb. 11:1 NIV).
Preaching is taking a risk to a certain extent, “stepping out in faith.”
In terms of walking the high-ways and by-ways in the rain, cold or hot sun (depending on the climate in which one is called to preach), dealing with dangerous, flesh threatening dogs; tired and thirsty having just handed out 2000 hand bills ‑ this is traditional preaching in its usual sense.
“Untraditional preaching, indirect, impersonal preaching” of not having face to face, personal contact, not proclaiming the gospel message directly to someone sat down in front of you, falls more into the category of “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some” (I Cor. 9:22). This is not the tired, sweaty feet, back-tiring worn-out physical type of preaching, but has more to do with a computer you pray does not freeze on you, a decent data base that you have figured how to do what you want it to do, and a printer that does not jam too often.
Placing a Biblical advertisement in the newspaper in faith, sitting at home praying about whose eyes see the advertisement and to whose hands it lands, and what happens as a result is an act of faith. This is preaching in an indirect, impersonal, non-physical way and yet believing that potentially this is equally effective as a way of reaching people with the gospel message. For all preaching, no matter what method is used, is in the hands of our Heavenly Father (Isa. 55:6).
Ads were placed
It is with these principles in
mind that three advertisements were placed in Jamaican newspapers late last
year and early this year advertising the Introducing Bible Basics Bible
Course. Preaching from a distance, learning the gospel message from a
distance with no direct face to face contact with whomever answers and
applies for the Bible Basics course, is the method we were trying.
To date we have had 566 people who have applied, of which 77 have completed the course. If the preaching were to stop there, it would not be classed as preaching at all, as preaching is reaching people with the gospel message of truth in order to convert and to save. Our goal is for the people we reach “to cross over from death to life” by believing the truth of God, having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by being baptized into his saving name and living according to his words.
So we had a three-year plan that became a two-year plan because of the interest shown. In year one, place advertisements in newspapers and see what the interest will be in doing the Bible Basics course. In year two, concentrate on the responses and in particular where these responses are coming from (mapping out “locations of interest” for potential future Bible campaigns). After a number of completed courses have been received, organize a Bible Basics Bible School, “Close encounters of the Third kind,” face to face direct personal contact.
Follow up
In Jamaica, this took place
during the summer earlier this year. Out of 72 contacts we had at the time
of organizing the Bible School, 12 people said they would attend. The
activity was held Thursday, August 1, to Tuesday, August 6, 2002, at the
Weslore Great House and Conference Centre just outside Montego Bay. This
was to coincide with two public holidays to give maximum opportunity for
those who could attend Bible School to not interfere too much with
employment commitments.
Of the 12 contacts who were scheduled to attend the Bible School, seven attended some, if not all, of the school. With the addition of those who were newly or recently baptized on the island, along with those teaching and those supporting the Bible School, attendance at the Bible School numbered 53.
For one of the attendees, a lady aged 31, this was the first time she had ever stayed overnight away from home. Yet she was prepared to attend the Bible School on her own not personally knowing the hosts, the sponsors, or who she would be meeting for the duration of the Bible School. Here was a risk, “a leap of faith” that went far beyond putting an advertisement in a newspaper.
The Bible school
What was equally noteworthy was
the level of interest seen at the Bible School. Over the six days, we had a
total of 36 different Bible sessions. This, by any standard, can be thought
of as “a heavy Bible school program.”
Not knowing what to do, as we had no previous personal contact with those who were scheduled to attend, a heavy Bible school program was thought the best way forward. This proved in practice to be a good thing, as the level of interest was far and above what was envisaged. Thanks be to God. When one of the Bible School teachers asked for attendees to read Genesis 6 to 11 in preparation for his class the following morning, contacts were seen reading their Bibles late into the night. This displayed genuine interest and the desire to learn more about the Bible’s message. This was also reflected in the level of concentration and interest in the classes which was extremely encouraging.
In the UK, if the BBC receives one comment or complaint, it is assumed that this represents the comment or complaint of a 1000 listeners. I was led to think, rightly or wrongly, that if this is the level of interest of the few we had reached via our newspaper advertisement, how many more are there who are also potentially interested?
Interactive participatory classes were prepared with room for comments from the floor. The atmosphere at the Bible School was informal, but serious with a lighter Bible program in the evenings, as people got to know each other whilst relaxing around God’s word. Each morning class lasted between 30 and 40 minutes, which was followed by questions and discussion. Each class was based on the Australian Bible Seekers Series, “Exploring the Bible.” Each contact received a study pack on registration at the Bible School which included the study booklet “Exploring the Bible.”
The choice of the series was received very well. At the end of the school the contacts were asked to finish the course which they have now begun in order to foster growth.
We are now looking forward to the second of our Bible Basics Bible Schools to take place on the eastern side of the island. It was felt that, due to the previous Bible school being on the western side of the island, our contacts on the eastern side should have something more convenient for them.
We thank the Lord for blessing our efforts with a concentrated time to teach, preach, and discuss His words together directly and personally.
Devon Walker, Round Hill, Jamaica
Thirty years ago there was a brother in the Kilcoy ecclesia in Guyana called Bill Naidu. For some reason, he was also known as “Lord.” He was massive in body and strength, and great of soul. His strength was no doubt sustained by his correspondingly massive meals of fiery Creole cuisine, which we used to call “fireballs.” One day he was one of a team sent to demolish a dangerous, derelict section of an abandoned sugar factory. Most of these hardened men were scared of the assignment, and left the most hazardous aspects of the job to Bill. He considered this attitude very selfish, so he called everyone together, took off his hard hat, and asked them to join him in a special prayer. Although only a minority were Christian, they all not only took off their hats but joined Bill fully in the work afterwards. It was a meaningful moment for me, for I was one of that team.
By far the richest Caymanian is Captain Mabry Kirkconnell. A multi-millionaire, he is owner of Kirk Shipping, a chain of supermarkets, specialty stores, in-bond shops, tourist attractions, and many other prosperous businesses. He is also Speaker of the Assembly (lower house of Parliament). One day I saw Mabry come into one of his own supermarkets where I was shopping. He picked up one bottle of soft drink and joined the check-in line behind me. A mere housemaid and a social nobody, I made way for him to go ahead of me. He modestly shook his head, smiled at me, then quietly waited his turn in the line to pay his sixty cents for the drink. I learned from that meaningful moment the lesson of genuine humility.
My meaningful moment may be very different from others you have published. It is a reminiscence of a very old man. I was 18 when England, then viewed by us in the West Indies as the “mother country,” a.k.a. the colonial master, played Germany in World Cup football. There was no TV then, of course, and only a few of us even had wireless. The German national anthem sung at the game included the words, Everything is twice as good when Jewish blood is spurting from the knife. The entire England team promptly cried, Heil Hitler! and gave the Nazi salute. Heil is a word implying worship. We had been led to believe that Britain viewed with favour the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people, not their extermination. It was a great shock, since in Barbados we have a beautiful 300-year old synagogue built for Jewish refugees from persecution to worship, which is a national treasure visited by tourists, including brothers and sisters coming to the Caribbean.
Quiz
What did Jesus Really mean When He Said ...?
[For a good discussion!]
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“A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet.”
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“A house divided against itself will fall.”
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“Wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
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“Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
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“I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”
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“It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
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“Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
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“I have not come to call the righteous.”
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“Those who believe...will pick up snakes with their hands.”
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“If anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”
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“No one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”
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“I have overcome the world.”
There's a Difference Between Talking and Doing
It isn’t
those who talk the most that always do the best
Nor is it those who boast the most that always pass the test.
It isn’t those who say they’re good that show to us the way,
Nor is it those who think they’re best that always win the day.
Not often the man with the braggart’s tongue is the one who succeeds in the
job
Nor is it the man that commends himself that will be approved of God.
Paul, 2 Corinthians 10:18, courtesy of the late brother Len Richardson