CHURCH OF GOD
Evangel AUGUST 2016
“By the GRACE of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10).
• Beyond Amazing • Finding Strength in Weakness • A Flood of Grace • Sanctification Revisited
Contents
august 2016
volume 106 n issue 8
“GOD IS GRACIOUS to grant and preserve any human life, since every individual is born spiritually dead in sins (Eph. 2:1). By His grace God continues His providential care of all creation and particularly of humans (Matt. 5:45). Yet the greatest blessing of God’s grace is personal salvation received through faith in Christ (Eph. 2:8-9). “God does not stop the flood of grace to His people after their salvation. He keeps the floodgates of grace open so that grace can abound to us and flow out to others through us (2 Cor. 9:8; 1 Peter 4:10).”—Henry Holloman (The Forgotten Blessing)
our gracious god 10 Beyond Amazing by Jerald Daffe God’s incredible grace 12 A Flood of Grace by Lance Colkmire Interview with Matthan Poole 14 Finding Strength in Weakness by Will Witte Perfected through grace
16 Game Theory and Cheap Grace by Cornelia Scott Cree The discounting of evangelism
21 Congregation in Crisis by Tonia Hedgway Grace to forgive 22 Graced to Pray by Karl-Otto Böhringer Confident communication with God columns 24 Sanctification Revisited by James M. Beaty 7 On My Mind, Lance Colkmire Breaking sin’s power 34 Church of God Chronicles, David Roebuck features
departments
4 Ministry Snapshot 26 The Day God Tamed the Elephant 6 By the Numbers by Prabhula John 8 Currents Honeymoon salvaged 17 GlobalConnect 30 Viewpoints 28 A Living Letter by Darlia Conn Tribute to a faithful mother 32 People & Events EVANGEL • aug 2016
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PUBLICATIONS MINISTRIES DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR M. Thomas Propes DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS Terry Hart MANAGING EDITOR Lance Colkmire CENTRAL DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Robert McCall
MINISTRY SNAPSHOT Over a two-week period (April 18-29), the Smoky Mountain Children’s Home (Sevierville, TN) family read the Bible aloud from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21. It was evident that children, youth, and adults were moved by the power of God’s Word. Pictured reading are the executive director, Walt Mauldin, and his wife, Tammie.
CFO Wayne Walston PRINTING DIRECTOR Mike Burnett
EVANGEL STAFF EDITOR Lance Colkmire EXECUTIVE SECRETARY Elaine McDavid COPY EDITOR Esther Metaxas GRAPHIC DESIGNER Bob Fisher
EDITORIAL AND PUBLICATIONS BOARD Tony D. Cooper, Les Higgins, Ray E. Hurt, David W. Jarvis, Cheryl Johns, Antonio Richardson, T. Dwight Spivey
INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Mark L. Williams, David M. Griffis, J. David Stephens, Wallace J. Sibley, M. Thomas Propes
CHURCH OF GOD congregations meet throughout the United States and in more than 180 other countries. To find a church and times of services near you, access the church website, www.churchofgod.org, or fax your request to 423-478-7616. Publication of material in the Evangel does not necessarily imply endorsement of the Church of God. The Church of God Evangel (ISSN 0745-6778) is edited and published monthly. n Church of God Publishing House, 1080 Montgomery Ave., P.O. Box 2250, Cleveland, TN 37320-2250 n Subscription rates: Single subscription per year $17, Canada $24, Bundle of 15 per month $17, Canada $28, Bundle of 5 per month $7.50, Canada $11.25 n Single copy $1.50 n Periodical postage paid at Cleveland, TN 37311 and at additional mailing offices n ©2016 Church of God Publications n All rights reserved n POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Evangel, P.O. Box 2250, Cleveland, TN 37320-2250. (USPS 112-240)
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[email protected].
Church of God DECLARATION OF FAITH WE BELIEVE: 1. In the verbal inspiration of the Bible. 2. In one God eternally existing in three persons; namely, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 3. That Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of the Father, conceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary. That Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead. That He ascended to heaven and is today at the right hand of the Father as the Intercessor. 4. That all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and that repentance is commanded of God for all and necessary for forgiveness of sins. 5. That justification, regeneration, and the new birth are wrought by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. 6. In sanctification subsequent to the new birth, through faith in the blood of Christ; through the Word, and by the Holy Ghost. 7. Holiness to be God’s standard of living for His people. 8. In the baptism with the Holy Ghost subsequent to a clean heart. 9. In speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance and that it is the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Ghost. 10. In water baptism by immersion, and all who repent should be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 11. Divine healing is provided for all in the Atonement. 12. In the Lord’s Supper and washing of the saints’ feet. 13. In the premillennial second coming of Jesus. First, to resurrect the righteous dead and to catch away the living saints to Him in the air. Second, to reign on the earth a thousand years.
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MEMBER OF THE EVANGELICAL PRESS ASSOCIATION AND THE INTERNATIONAL PENTECOSTAL PRESS ASSOCIATION
EVANGEL • aug 2016
14. In the bodily resurrection; eternal life for the righteous, and eternal punishment for the wicked.
BY THE NUMBERS
10 FACTS ABOUT
ATHEISTS
ESTIMATING THE NUMBER of atheists in the U.S. is complicated. Some adults who describe themselves as atheists also say they believe in God or a universal spirit. At the same time, some people who identify with a religion (e.g., say they are Protestant, Catholic or Jewish) also say they do not believe in God. But one thing is for sure: Along with the rise of religiously unaffiliated Americans (many of whom believe in God), there has been a corresponding increase in the number of atheists. Here are key facts about atheists and their beliefs: 1. The share of Americans who identify as atheists has roughly doubled in the past several years: from 1.6% (2007) of American adults to 3.1%. 2. Atheists, in general, are more likely to be male and younger than the overall population; 68% are men, and the median age of atheist adults in the U.S. is 34. 3. Self-identified atheists tend to be aligned with the Democratic Party and with political liberalism. Atheists overwhelmingly favor same-sex marriage (92%) and legal abortion (87%). 4. There are many people who fit the Fewer Americans would be deterred dictionary definition by an atheist presidential candidate of atheist (“disbeliever in God”) but do not call themselves atheists. About three times as many Americans say they do not believe in God or a universal spirit (9%) as say they are atheists (3%). 5. Nearly all (97%) of atheists say they seldom or never pray. However, atheists are more likely than U.S. Christians to say they often feel a sense of wonder about the universe (54% vs. 45%). 6. Only 9% of atheists say they share their views about God and religion at least weekly. 7. About a third of atheists (32%) say they look primarily to science for guidance on questions of right and wrong, up from 20% in 2007. A plurality (44%) still cite “practical experience and common sense” as their primary guide on such questions. 6
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8. Americans like atheists less than they like members of most major religious groups. 9. About half of Americans (51%) say they would be less likely to support an atheist candidate for president, more than say the same about a candidate with any other trait mentioned in a Pew Research Center survey—including being Muslim. 10. About half of Americans (53%) say it is not necessary to believe in God to be moral, while 45% say belief in God is necessary to have good values.—Michael Lipka,
THE NEW DIGITAL ECONOMY 72% of Americans have used some type of shared or on-demand online service
But exposure to these services varies widely
A NATIONAL Pew Research Center survey of 4,787 American adults—its first-ever comprehensive study of the scope and impact of the shared, collaborative, and on-demand economy—finds 72% of American adults have used at least one of 11 different shared and ondemand services. At the same time, around one-quarter of Americans (28%) say they have not used any major shared or ondemand platforms, and many are wholly unfamiliar with the tools and vocabulary of the new digital economy. For instance, 15% of Americans have used ridehailing apps like Uber or Lyft, but twice as many have never heard of these apps before.
ON MY MIND lance colkmire editor
CHURCH QUITTERS F
OR THE FIRST TIME in many years, I saw Tim the other day. When his girls were little, they were part of my children’s ministry. Tim now has a granddaughter. He asked me if I still attend South Cleveland Church of God. “Yes,” I answered. “Are you attending church?” “No,” he said. “Somebody ought to kick me.” If I went around kicking everyone I know who has quit going to church, I would be locked up as a serial kicker. And my foot would be swollen. So I came up with a better plan: I eavesdropped on the inaugural meeting of the imaginary CQA—Church Quitters Anonymous—to gain insight on why people drop out. Here’s what I heard.
Josh: I’m Josh, and I’ll facilitate our meeting. Beth: My name is Beth. My parents took me to church every Sunday when I was a kid. I memorized Bible verses and heard all the Bible stories. I guess I’ve just grown out of going to church. How many more times do I need to hear about David and Goliath? Ty: I know how you feel. And then there’s David in the lions’ den. Beth: You mean Daniel? Ty: Yeah, him. By the way, my name is Ty. Jan: I’m Jan. You know, there’s a whole lot more in the Bible than stories about giants and lions. You mentioned Daniel. His prophecies are filled with beasts, rams, horns, and statues. And they all tie into the Book of Revelation. Josh: So, Jan, why don’t you attend church to learn more about this? Jan: I tried; I really did. But then I started watching these two TV preachers who are experts on the end-times. They
Josh: Jan: Liz:
Josh: Liz:
Bob: Ty: Beth: Ty: Bob: Josh: Bob:
Liz: Bob:
Josh: Bob: Sara:
know so much more than any pastor or church teacher I’ve ever had. So you watch them instead of going to church? Yes, and a couple of other Christian TV shows. My name is Liz. I don’t care for TV preachers, but I love Christian worship music. That’s how I connect with God. I plug in my earbuds when I jog, when I sit on my back porch, and when I’m doing chores—it’s just me and God. Wouldn’t it be even better if you also worshiped with other Christians? It’s too distracting. At church, they don’t always sing my kind of music. And I’ve seen people on a church praise team who have no business being there. I’m Bob. Let’s call them singers what they are—hypocrites. Just like the Sad-you-fairs in the Bible. You mean the Sadducees and the Pharisees? Yeah, them. My wife and I used to go to Praise Pointe Church, but she got hurt. Bob, do you want to share more about this? I’ll share all right! My wife didn’t dress as good as some of them churchy do-gooders, and they judged her. What did they say? They didn’t say anything; it’s just how they looked down their noses at her. Did you try another church? Why bother? They’re all the same— full of hypocrites. I don’t feel that way about my church. I’m Sara, and I’m not a total church quitter. It’s just that during the fall our kids play travel soccer,
and during the summer it’s travel baseball. So we go to church around Easter and most Sundays in the winter. I feel sort of guilty for missing, but I’m more connected to other travel-ball families than to the people at church. Ray: I’m Ray. Sundays are my only day off, and God said that’s the day of rest. So Sunday mornings I sleep in, and Sunday afternoons are family time. I think God is pleased. Nora: I used to do everything at church. Watch the nursery . . . lead fundraisers . . . sing in the choir . . . cook church meals. If someone else wouldn’t do it, they said, “Ask Nora.” After all those years of church work, I was burned out. My time was done. And now, my heavenly reward awaits me. Lance (I had to say something): But haven’t you all read the Book of Hebrews? Ty: I don’t care what the Hebrews or the She-brews think. Lance: Hebrews is a book in the Bible. Ty: Yeah, that’s right. Lance: Hebrews 10:25 says, “Don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing” (CEV). Jan: But all of us here are believers. Josh: And we’re meeting together right now. Lance: Sigh.
Four ways to contact the editor: •
[email protected] • 423-478-7592 • Church of God Evangel on Facebook • Box 2250, Cleveland, TN 37320-2250
EVANGEL • aug 2016
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CURRENTS The purpose of CURRENTS is to inform readers of trends and events influencing the culture.
Legal Marijuana Breeding Illegal Growth
Bill Aims for Abortion-Free Oklahoma n THIS NOVEMBER, Oklahoma residents will start seeing state-sponsored pro-life messages. Governor Mary Fallin signed The Humanity of the Unborn Child Act on June 6, with the goal of moving the state toward “an abortion-free society,” according to the bill. The new law requires the State Department of Health to develop and distribute educational material about babies developing in the womb and maintain on its website “a comprehensive list” of agencies and services that help women through pregnancy and childbirth. The material must promote adoption instead of abortion. The health department website also will include this statement: “There are many public and private agencies willing and able to help you carry your child to term and assist you and your child after your child is born, whether you choose to keep your child or to place him or her for adoption. The State of Oklahoma strongly urges you to contact them if you are pregnant.” The health department must also create “materials designed to provide 8
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accurate, scientifically verifiable information concerning the child at two-week gestational intervals.” The material will show pictures of developing babies inside the womb, and public service announcements will “clearly and consistently teach that abortion kills a living human being.” In addition, the new law requires the State Department of Education to cooperate. Oklahoma’s high schoolers will soon learn about the stages of a baby’s development under a program the Department of Education must create. Tony Lauinger, director of Oklahomans for Life, said the education program is a key part of the law. “When young people have a good understanding—in advance—of the development and humanity of the unborn child, they are much less likely to view abortion as an acceptable ‘solution’ to an unwanted pregnancy,” Lauinger said. The law forbids any program or state employee from referring pregnant students to abortion providers. The law takes effect November 1.—WNS
n IN COLORADO, anyone over the age of 21 can grow up to six marijuana plants in an “enclosed, locked space.” But pot growers with bigger ambitions beyond individual recreational and medicinal use are flocking to the state. Not all of them abide by the law. What started as illegal growers working seasonally in secret inside abandoned warehouses and on federal land has turned into a phenomenon called “grow houses.” Growers rent or buy homes where they cultivate anywhere from hundreds to thousands of marijuana plants in year-round operations. When law officers in Pueblo County raided eight homes, they discovered hundreds of plants—far beyond the legal limit. The residents came from out of state, according to the Denver Post. Some had international ties. “Their plan is to send it out of state,” Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk Taylor told the Post. “That’s well-documented.” Transporting marijuana out of Colorado is against the law. Taylor predicted this surge in criminal activity back in August 2012, three months before the vote for legalization. He participated in a large drug bust then, with a joint task force seizing more than 13,000 plants worth more than $40 million. Taylor told local media at the time such illegal activity would become more common if voters opted to legalize marijuana use.
Amy Mercer, Lee University librarian, reads to a group of children at the Phebe Grey Orphanage library in Liberia. Lori Mattace, Lee’s public services librarian, is seated.
Lee Campus Unites to Aid Orphanage n A GROUP FROM Lee University recently took a three-week trip to Liberia to bring supplies and aid to the Phebe Grey Orphanage, all of which were donated or fund-raised by Lee faculty, staff, and students. The education honor society Kappa Delta Pi, Squires Library, and the Early Learning Center collected over 700 books for the library at the orphanage school. Librarians in Lee’s Squires Library worked to catalog books in a spreadsheet, while two of Lee’s benevolence classes put books into plastic bags for protection from the tropical humidity. Numerous members of the faculty and staff donated suitcases to transport the books, and new textbooks were donated for classroom use. Mava Wilson’s computer information technology class at Lee researched and set up learning games on donated laptops which were taken to the school along with durable cases and long-life batteries. Since the orphanage has no electricity, 10 solar packages were donated, each of which has the capacity to light one large room. Donated packages to provide exterior lighting were also installed at the orphanage. The College of Education faculty made 10 instructional videos to help the teachers at the school with basic teaching techniques and classroom management. A class in the COE also prepared learning games for every grade level. Faculty and staff who traveled to Liberia included Murl and Carolyn Dirksen,
Lori Mattace, Amy Mercer, and Arlie Tagayuna. Lee students included Abigail Christopher, Barbara Curran, Rachel Richards, Spencer Smith, and Georgia Wright. “I have gained so much appreciation of the resiliency of Liberians from children at the orphanage,” said Tagayuna. “Listening to their stories, around 103 of them, and witnessing their plight to recover from civil war and Ebola, I am humbled to know that they are hopeful of the future. Everyone has a special dream. I have never seen children so appreciative and celebratory as when we turned on the first solar light inside their dormitories.” —Karen Chambless
Could Genome Project Lead to Synthetic Humans? n ON JUNE 2, the journal Science published a paper written by 25 researchers announcing their intention to begin a 10-year project aimed at synthetically creating an entire human genome—the complete set of genes present in a cell. Although the researchers are clear the goal of the Human Genome Project-Write (HGP-Write) is to synthesize a human genome in a lab dish—not to create a baby—many bioethicists and other experts are raising skeptical eyebrows. Making a human genome could have serious religious and ethical implications, said Paige Cunningham, executive direc-
tor of The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity. “Although the prospect is remote, scientists could potentially design people on computers who would be born without biological parents,” she said. The Human Genome Project, completed in 2003, enabled scientists to read the sequence of the 3 billion base pairs of chemicals that make up the complete set of human DNA. It laid the foundation for HGP-Write, with which researchers hope to actually write or synthesize all 6 billion DNA letters of a human genome. They intend to use a host cell line and gradually swap out large chunks of its genome with lab-synthesized DNA. Researchers admit HGP-Write will require public involvement and consideration of ethical, legal, and social implications from the start. They also note the many potential benefits of the project, such as enabling researchers to grow human organs for transplant, engineer human cell lines that are immune to viruses or resistant to cancer, and make vaccine production much quicker and cheaper. The list of potential benefits is “not an adequate reason to take such an enormous moral step,” said Laurie Zoloth, a bioethicist at Northwestern University, in Science magazine. Even though the researchers are clear they only intend to create a genome in a dish, Cunningham fears what could happen if such technology fell into the wrong hands. And the gene-editing process already is fatal for many embryos, she noted. “How many more will die in this research?” she asked.—WNS EVANGEL • aug 2016
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HE PREACHER John Bradford, “when he saw a poor criminal led to execution, exclaimed, ‘There but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford.’ He knew the same evil principles were in his own heart which had brought the criminal to that shameful end” (Aubrey Townsend, 1843). All of us who, like Bradford, have accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, can state in reference to those decimated by sin, “There but for the grace of God, go I.” God’s grace provides the means to come into a right relationship with our heavenly Father through Jesus Christ, and then reaches to the end of our lives. No wonder the apostle Paul repeatedly spoke of God’s grace toward the individuals and churches in his greetings at the beginning of the various letters: • “Grace to you and peace from God our Father” (Rom. 1:7). • “Grace be unto you” (Phil. 1:2). • “Grace, mercy, and peace” (2 Tim. 1:2; Titus 1:4). Titus 2:11-14 provides three distinct aspects of the work of God’s grace in our lives. First, God’s grace enables sinners to experience salvation. Second, His grace enables believers to live in righteousness. Third, God’s grace enables believers to continue looking for the return of Christ. Grace and Understanding The essence of grace is God choosing to be for us by offering His favor. This positive position extends toward us even when we stand in opposition to Him. For that reason, we may define grace as “God’s unmerited favor” to the sinner or lawbreaker. Once we become a believer, that grace continues toward us as we mature in Christ. A word of caution: God’s grace is not to be understood as continued favor if we choose to disregard His Word and will for our individual and corporate lives. The Holy Spirit works to convict us when we have failed and turned aside. Then it becomes a matter of our accepting or rejecting this drawing to Himself.
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by
Beyond JERALD DAFFE
AMAZING The Incredible GRACE of God
In the Old Testament, we clearly see God’s grace in dealing with Israel. His hand of favor is upon them offering health, prosperity, and safety. They are His chosen people. Repeatedly, however, they fall into idolatry and reject prophetic warnings. Then there comes a point when grace is replaced with judgment. The 10 northern tribes are decimated as a nation by the Assyrians, and the two southern tribes are taken into captivity by the Babylonians. It is blatant heresy to believe once we are saved, we can live however we want without the need for repentance and remain in relationship with our heavenly Father. Grace and Salvation The centrality of grace in bringing salvation is declared in Titus 2:11: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (NKJV). No one can earn, bargain, or beg their way to salvation. We are devoid of any self-made righteousness. Our inherited sinful nature from Adam creates a dividing chasm between us and God that cannot be bridged by our efforts. Only by God’s grace can we be reconciled to our heavenly Father. The “golden text” of the Bible, John 3:16, says God’s love for us extends favor through the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus Christ. All we need to do is believe in Jesus and
receive His forgiveness to become sons and daughters of God. God’s grace provides a miraculous spiritual transformation when we repent of our sins. However, the circumstances of some individuals’ lives further amplify the definition of grace as “unmerited favor.” Rick, a former student of mine, played his guitar at bars on Saturday nights and in church on Sundays. He knew the path of salvation but never made a commitment to Christ. His life choices eventually resulted in an arrest and a potential sentence of life plus 30 years. Concerned he might commit suicide, his cell was watched 24 hours a day. Falling on his knees, Rick asked God’s forgiveness and release from incarceration. Miraculously, within 30 days he was released to Teen Challenge in Chattanooga. We rejoice in testimonies such as this. But let’s not forget all of us were facing a spiritual death sentence without any reprieve except for the grace of God. Grace and Holiness God’s grace not only provides salvation; it “teaches [believers] to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:12 NIV). His grace enables us to resist temptations and lusts which oppose godly living as outlined in Scripture. No believer is exempt from temptations appealing to
“All of us were facing a spiritual death sentence without any reprieve except for God’s grace.” both the mind and the body. However, through God’s grace, our commitment to truth, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we are able to lead a self-controlled life of holiness (sanctification). Paul encouraged one group of believers with these words: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6 NIV). Again we see the awesome grace of God extended to us. As gospel artist Phil Johnson wrote, “He didn’t teach us to swim to let us drown.” In a testimony service, a young dirtbike racer said, “I thank the Lord that I
have been delivered from alcohol, drugs, immoral behavior.” Knowing this individual, his parents, grandparents, and their local church, I wondered how all of this could have been kept hidden. Thankfully, he ended the list of potential sins by indicating God’s grace had enabled him not to become entangled with any of those behaviors. Not only does God redeem us from sin; His grace enables us to live victoriously even while living in a sin-dominated culture. He purifies “for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:14 NASB).
Grace and Hope The third expression of God’s grace is “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (v. 13 NKJV). Before Jesus ascended to heaven two millenniums ago, He promised His disciples He would return (John 14:3). After ascending, two heavenly messengers said Jesus would “come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11 NIV). We believers sometimes lose an expectancy of Christ’s return. Thinking about the long passage of time and still He delays can breed complacency. Becoming overwhelmed by daily life can make us downcast and cause us to lose focus on our triumphant future as promised by Christ. Our concern isn’t to be on the exact time of His return but, rather, to be expectant of this promised reality. God’s grace enables us to wait in anticipation of this blessed hope of Christ’s appearing. Many of us grew up singing songs emphasizing Christ’s return. One line that immediately comes to mind is, “Our Lord is coming back to earth again.” We would sing it with emphasis and excitement. Paging through the Church Hymnal, it is interesting to note the era in which many of these songs were written. An environment of cultural disdain, financial depression, drought, and world unrest caused believers to look for Christ’s return. Some would charge these people with being escapists. Maybe. But the content of their songs indicates a hope generated by God’s marvelous grace. Grace and Us The conclusion of the matter from Titus 2:11-14 is that God’s grace isn’t limited to salvation; it extends throughout our entire lifetime. Grace enables us to become the children of God. His grace enables us to live a victorious, holy life. His grace enables us to expectantly look forward to Christ’s return, maybe today. Jerald Daffe, D.Min., is professor of pastoral ministry at Lee University. jdaffe@ leeuniversity.edu
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Evangel
INTERVIEW
A Flood of GRACE by LANCE COLKMIRE
Matthan Poole is associate pastor of the 103rd Street Church of God in Jacksonville, Florida, which has a twice-weekly ministry to men living at The Bridge Community Release Center. Poole leads the church’s ministry to these men, who are employed during the day and work on substance-abuse treatment, education, and vocation courses at night. On Monday nights, Poole leads a worship service at The Bridge. On Sundays, the church transports several men from The Bridge to 103rd Street for morning worship and a full-course meal. Curtis Rhoden is the church’s lead pastor.
address. I was into alcohol and drugs— anything to escape reality and the truth. I came home one day, overdosed, and died. My wife, Sara, revived me. After that she said, “I can’t watch you do this to yourself any longer. It’s either your drugs or your family.” My son was 3 at the time. I called out to my mother. She said, “We’ll get you help if you want it. Will you go to Pennsylvania?” I’m like, “Yeah, I’ll go to Pennsylvania,” but my motives at first weren’t pure.
How did your church get started with this ministry? The church bought a nice bus, but it was just sitting there. Pastor Rhoden would pray, “Lord, I know You haven’t blessed us with that bus for it to just sit there.” A man named George showed up one day. He had connections with The Bridge, and he said it was sad that they couldn’t find any churches in the area that would let some of the men attend their services. Pastor Rhoden said, “Yes, let’s do it.” That was four years ago. My wife and I were attending another church, and I knew God had called me to the ministry. I heard they were having this going on here and were needing volunteers. I came and jumped right in, and eventually took it over. It was God working in it all. Tell about your deliverance from substance abuse. I was an addict for 10 years. When I was young it was fun, but I grew up. I had a wife and a son. I had issues I wouldn’t
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Sara, Matthan, and Malachi Poole
She said, “For 13 months?” I’m like, “Yeah, I’ll go for 13 months.” I went to Peniel Ministries, and God changed my life. It took a little while for it to start working because my mind was cloudy; but the love, the counseling, and the mentorship changed my life forever. After finishing Peniel, you pursued ministry credentials? Yes. I’ve been ordained for going on two years. I’ve been a chaplain since 2014. I’m in school now at North Florida Theological Seminary, working on my master’s in theology. I love doing ministry. I love sharing my testimony, helping these guys. Those are the ones God came for—to seek and save those that are lost. I don’t care how many titles I get on the front of my name or the end of my name, I always want to remember where I came from. I thought this life would be harder than the old one. This life is hard, but not as hard as that old life. Doing the will of God is worth it all. I’m an associate pastor and a construction manager. You mentioned your mom earlier. I take it you have a praying mom? Yes sir, my grandparents are Bishop W. B. and Dorothy McCue. They pastored Doctor’s Inlet Church of God for years, and built a lot of churches. They’ve passed on. My mother is Susan Thomas. She’s married to Steven Thomas, and they pastor Otis Road Church of God on the west side of Jacksonville. Yes, she and my grandmother prayed me through. On her deathbed, all my grandmother wanted was to see me and my wife serious
about church. She didn’t get to see it, but my grandfather did. He got to tell me how proud he was of me. That was one of the highlights of my life, because he was a man that didn’t say stuff like that. How has the outreach to The Bridge impacted the church? It has brought a spirit of unity. There were some people who didn’t like it, but they’re no longer here. That was fine. There were other people who didn’t know until they saw the guys and how they acted—that they were regular people. There is such a love of God shown here. Of the guys at The Bridge, 95 percent of their offenses were drug-related. A lot of them were young and stupid. I see myself in their testimony. I could be right there beside them, but God’s grace was sufficient for my life. He kept His hand on me. Tell about a particular man your church has helped. My buddy Brad graduated from The Bridge about two years ago. He had been incarcerated for eight or nine years. He’s my age, but respects me like I’m his father. I’ve discipled him and helped him. We work out together three or four times a week. He can be real with me. I’ve seen the Holy Spirit working in his life, cutting things away from him . . . and Brad giving them up, saying, “I can’t do that anymore.” He comes to church
“I don’t care how many titles I get on the front of my name or the end of my name, I always want to remember where I came from.”
Sunday Morning, April 10 MATTHAN POOLE preached the morning message, titled “Flood of Grace,” at 103rd Street Church. He compared the flood of Noah’s day with the flow of blood and water that poured from Jesus’ body when His side was pierced (John 19:33-34). Matthan made these points: • Noah and his family found grace (“unmerited favor”) from the Lord. Today, God’s grace is available to all people. • In preparing for the first flood, Noah did all the work, including sealing the ark with pitch. In the second flood, God did the work, sealing it with Christ’s blood. • “How can God use an ex-drug addict like me? There is royal blood flowing in my veins.” After church, as she has been doing for four years, Alba Smith was the chief cook for the home-style lunch, which included roast beef, green beans, field peas, mashed potatoes, mac-and-cheese, garden salad, bread, and various desserts. During the meal, some men from The Bridge expressed their impressions of the 103rd Street Church of God: • Dennis: “The church saved me. It gave me opportunities to receive Christ.” • James: “It’s like a family. I have become a true follower of Jesus.” • Mike: “Church is a chance to be around positive people. . . . I’m not judged by my past. . . . They never serve exactly the same meal.” • Vincent: “They volunteered to come get us.” • Juan: “I come to hear the Word. Church gives me a sense of peace.”
consistently. He does maintenance on our air-conditioning, gives rides—whatever he needs to do. How would you encourage more churches to reach out to hurting people? We have to be the body of Christ. We’re His hands and feet. Just paying our tithes, coming to church, and not committing “big sins” is not going to cut it on Judgment Day. There is a hurt world looking for the gospel of Jesus; we’re not just to sit here and wait on the Rapture. You preached this morning about the grace of God, saying this message of grace has been abused. I grew up in a very legalistic church. When I was at Peniel, Pastor Ronald Brock passed on the message of grace to me. He said grace was not an excuse to sin but an empowerment to live as a conqueror. I’ve learned God has called us to a life of holiness, not because He doesn’t
want us to have fun, but because a man without control is like a city without walls. It’s the freedom that you get by living a right life through God’s grace. Mention the role your wife plays in your life. You’re going to get me to cry now. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for the strong woman she is. Sara was raised in the Church of God. Even when I was in Peniel for 13 months, she stood by my side. She lifts me up, and she can put me in my place too. You’ve got to have that. She was understanding when I went to preach at The Bridge on our anniversary. She sacrifices for the ministry, and she teaches Sunday school. Our son, Malachi, opened my eyes to how my heavenly Father loves me. He’s only 7. He talks about God. His bus driver, who goes to our church, says he preaches to everybody, “Are you a Christian?” I see God’s hand on my life and my family.
EVANGEL • aug 2016
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Finding Strength in by WILL WITTE
I
God’s All-Sufficient Grace
HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED to have a mental illness . . . yet I pastor a Bible-believing church. How is that possible? you might ask. The answer is simple: by God’s grace. If you are still reading, maybe you wonder what I might have to share worth reading, or maybe you just want to know what the twist is. If you are the latter, let me get straight to the point: there is no twist. I encourage you to read on anyway. Having experienced three specific episodic events of mental illness, I can identify with the apostle Paul, who sought the Lord on three separate occasions for deliverance from his “thorn in the flesh,” only to hear Him say, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). 14
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It is doubtful Paul came to accept this lightly. Often we read Scripture quickly and matter-of-factly. We fail to experience the gravity of the events encapsulated within the verses. We read passages like 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 with little contemplation of time frame, intensity, and implications. We read that Paul asked God three times to take away his infirmity. Then God said His grace was sufficient. Paul got over it and began to rejoice in his situation. End of story. The reality is that Paul went through a life-altering experience that crippled him. It brought him to a place of impotence and utter humility. His affliction is characterized as “a messenger of Satan” and “a thorn in the flesh” (v. 7). Even worse, it was “given” to him, with God implied as the giver. The Word says Paul begged for its removal.
The span of Paul’s pleading is unknown. Minutes, hours, days, months, or even years might have transpired. We do know the affliction was more than he could bear. Anyone who has faced a debilitating illness can understand the anguish and despair Paul experienced. My own circumstances spanned a period of about 14 years. I came to realize the organ I rely on to understand the world around me was broken and not always reliable. This was devastating. Worse yet was to think the divine healing provided for all in the Atonement might not be fully realized for me in this life. It was crippling for me as a Pentecostal. Then there was the timing. Each of my three episodes coincided with pivotal moments of ministerial growth and personal challenges to avoid spiritual compromise. This was not coincidental; it was demonic.
Looking back, it has been over three years since any symptoms of past difficulties have been noticed by my wife, myself, or those around me. My wife believes God has healed me, and I optimistically hold out hope that this is indeed the case. “Praise the Lord, it is over,” some might say. Yet for me the battle is one I claim victory over today. I look to tomorrow with hope that I will be able to count it as a victory as well. Let me explain further. When a bone breaks, there comes a point when it is declared healed. When cancer goes into remission, there is a point the patient is declared “cancerfree.” When someone is diagnosed with a mental illness, however, the delineation
Hope does not depend on a medical diagnosis or social acceptance. between illness and wholeness is rarely medically declared or acknowledged, and the stigma is almost never erased. Society and the church are both unlikely to issue a clean bill of health and restore confidence in, and relationship with, individuals who suffer mental infirmities. Yet, the church is full of such sufferers, and it is time we began to address the issue head-on. Thankfully, hope does not depend on a medical diagnosis or social acceptance. Hope finds its confidence in God’s grace—a grace that is sufficient beyond all infirmities. Power being made perfect in weakness is a holy promise, not a hollow platitude. It’s a promise from the One
who does not lie. It is the only sufficient mooring point on life’s troubled sea. The application of this grace heals the wounded. It is experiencing the ever-present God walking alongside the infirmed that turns human weakness into divine strength. Experiencing His grace makes it possible to glory in infirmities. This realization gave life to my bones, strength to my soul, and renewed purpose to my calling. Learning I had a mental illness caused me to see myself as He sees me—broken and full of imperfections. I had defined myself by my academic accomplishments and intellectual abilities. I often considered myself to be the smartest person in the room and ignored the insight and contributions of others. Now I saw myself as powerless in the areas of my greatest pride. I came to realize my assumed strengths were my greatest deficiencies in life and ministry. Recognition of my weaknesses has caused me to depend on one of God’s greatest gifts—other people, especially my wife. This has become one of the most empowering things that could ever happen. It has positively impacted the ministry God has entrusted to me. This struggle has caused me to depend on the body of Christ and to be broken before it. It has broken down barriers and opened up opportunities for ministry. My weakness has also opened my eyes to others who are broken. It has brought
about an understanding that they are just as capable of being used by God to accomplish His great pleasure as those who appear to have it all together. In fact, they often have an appeal to the hurting because they hurt. However, coming to an understanding of our limitations and to a point of acceptance is not enough. We must begin to see the beauty in our brokenness. Paul did not settle with mere acceptance of Christ’s claim of power in weakness. He declared, “I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (v. 9 NASB). I cannot yet say I’ve completely reached that place, but I am on the journey. I can also say if you find yourself broken, take heart. You have come to a place where the majesty of divine strength begins to bloom. It is when a flower begins to open up and lose its shape that it becomes most beautiful. There is no infirmity beyond the sufficiency of God’s grace. To say otherwise is to attribute impotence to the Almighty. His grace is either sufficient without qualification or altogether insufficient. Are you willing to consider the beauty of your brokenness as the gift of God’s grace that His power might be made perfect in your weakness? Will Witte, M.Div., is pastor of the Copper Hill, Tennessee, Church of God.
Getting Heaven Into Us GRACE IS GOD as heart surgeon, cracking open your chest, removing your heart— poisoned as it is with pride and pain—and replacing it with His own. Rather than tell you to change, He creates the change. Do you clean up so He can accept you? No, He accepts you and begins cleaning you up. His dream isn’t just to get you into heaven but to get heaven into you. What a difference this makes! Can’t forgive your enemy? Can’t face tomorrow? Can’t forgive your past? Christ can, and He is on the move, aggressively budging you from graceless to grace-shaped living.—Max Lucado (Grace, Thomas Nelson)
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Game Theory and
C HEAP GRACE Fashionable Evangelism Discounts Salvation E
CONOMIST John Forbes Nash won a Nobel Prize for game theory. He made two points: 1. The more valuable something appears to be in the minds of the competitors, the higher the price it generates. 2. Competitors seek to keep the final price as cheap as possible, which he called “equilibrium.” For math nuts, there is a pile of equations we will ignore here. Both of Nash’s points apply to modern Christian evangelism. Nash described a bar scene where a group of college men are discussing the young women. A pretty girl enters, and several of the men go over to get her attention. A little later, a drop-dead gorgeous girl enters, and all the men gather round.
by CORNELIA SCOTT CREE The prize of the game—the gorgeous young woman—earns her value by her perceived worth to the men based on her beauty, even though she might be a tiresome pill. The merely pretty woman may be much more clever, intelligent, and talented, but this does not factor into the game. Let’s apply this to the issue of Christian evangelism. Clearly, the most valuable thing available to humans is the salvation of their soul. Its loss is an eternal disaster. However, modern evangelism does not attach a high price to salvation. The most popular religious TV programming focuses on the “love of God” to the point of leaving listeners to conclude God is too nice and too tolerant to ever send anyone to hell.
Some theologians dub this “sloppy agape” or “cheap grace”—what cost Christ everything, we regard lightly or not at all. It is one jump from there to the wrong conclusion that God saves everyone and hell is a wild image from Renaissance literature, with gargoyles spitting and lashing out their tongues at us from the stone walls of ancient cathedrals. Some teachers conclude there is no hell at all except for a handful of really bad people (and we all know who they are). The rest, they say, end up in heaven. There is not a shred of Biblical evidence to support universal salvation or the absence of hell. To compare this with Nash’s theory, if there is no competition—no real loss in choices of life or death—why bother with evangelism? If hell is not a big deal, then being saved is not a big deal either. Many selfproclaimed Christians believe their sins are not so bad that anyone, certainly not themselves, must die for them. Nonetheless, to get their ticket punched each week, they show up at church. Equilibrium for them is the uneasy selfsatisfaction of knowing they have done the very least. Cornelia Scott Cree is a 1991 graduate of the Pentecostal Theological Seminary and a retired missionary to China and to prisoners. She is a former working journalist now keeping up with three online blogs. corneliacree@ reagan.com
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Global Connect August 2016 EDITOR Bill George DESIGN EDITOR Mark Shuler CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Janet Polen Price
Partners in the
GosPel From the Director
The missionary apostle Paul prayed an interesting prayer for the people of the Church of God in Philippi: Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now (Philippians 1:3-5 NLT). Paul was often accompanied on his missionary journeys by faithful companions and coworkers—26 different names of his colleagues are mentioned in the epistles— but the partnership he references in the prayer does not concern associates in travel: he’s talking about partnership in giving. Later in the Philippian letter, he reminds them—“As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No
other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once” (4:14-16 NLT). Four times in different writings, he testifies to the fact that this church had played a big part in keeping him involved in missionary work. Paul’s experience with this generous church provides an example of how missions work is accomplished: a dedicated person answers the call of God to “go,” and a faithful church sends money to the field to make his or her ministry possible. You would be thrilled and happy to meet the missionaries of the Church of God who serve around the globe. Although some of them live in comfortable settings, others sacrifice greatly to fulfill God’s calling. They sometimes live without the comforts we take for granted—dependable electric service and running water in the kitchen and bathroom. It’s just not available where they minister; but they do not complain. The truth is this: the church tells these dedicated men and women they may go in response to God’s commission, but then adds, “Oh, yes, by the way, you have to provide your own salary and expenses while you are there!” That would be a deal-killer for some people. What can we learn from Paul’s prayer? We as a church need to recognize the gifts we have received in Christ, and our gratitude should move us to have a missions heart that results in missionary partnership. Thank God for every dedicated individual and every committed local church that makes missionary support part of their lives! n
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What’s Happening in Missions News From arouND the globe
Seven More
Baptized
Baptism is an important sacrament in the lives of Christians. In the Middle East, it is one of the biggest steps a new convert makes, because of its public proclamation of faith in Jesus Christ. This is when many face obstacles that most Christians in the West only read about. Over the past few weeks, Church of God career missionaries in a Middle Eastern country have baptized seven more people. God is reaping a harvest throughout the globe and these missionaries are grateful He allows them to participate in His mission in this dangerous part of the world.
Missionary Trainers Expanding Ministry
Kevin and Hope Burroughs are expanding the church planting and pastoral training ministry they are doing in Africa into Latin America. This expansion of territory will have far-reaching Kingdom impact, both on the local and global level. A seismic shift has taken place in Latin America in the past 30 years. Multitudes have left the rural areas for cities. Higher education is becoming the norm. Evangelical revival is sweeping across the region. Growth, cultural changes, and the evangelical explosion are requiring future ministry leaders to be equipped and ready to be mobilized. The need for theological and leadership development is at an all-time high. The Burroughs are employing the skills they are learning in Africa in the Latin American context, and they expect to see a church planting explosion.
Czech RepublicFamily
Missionary Kelly Myers shares that living as an expatriate far away from her family for most of the time can be a difficult thing. It has gotten easier over the years, though, as she has adjusted more and more to living outside of her home country. She often wishes she could live closer to her family. While there will never be any substitute for biological relatives in her life in Prague, she is grateful for the family she has in the Czech Republic. Her church family is a reminder that she has those who love and support her on both sides of the ocean. One group is related by blood and the other by a love for God and what He is doing in the Czech Republic!
Parachurch Missionary
In Romania, Hannah Martin says the past few months have been a whirlwind of activity, ministry, and visiting new places. She has stepped into new roles of leadership and is aware more than ever of her new responsibility, accountability, and complete dependence on the Lord. She testifies that grace and new mercies every day have carried her through. Hannah recently had the opportunity to visit a Christian school and speak on what it means to be a missionary from America living in Romania. At the House of Joy, great challenges were evident with one of the moms, which made Hannah very aware of how emotionally invested and exhausted working with individuals can really be. A special prayer was offered for those in the leadership team, asking for them to be warriors in taking the territory God has assigned them.
First GospelFilm Ministry in Vietnam
Twenty-five-year-old Daniel is birthing the gospel film ministry in Vietnam, with assistance from Church of God missionaries Chuck and Sherry Quinley. He gives this testimony: “Like many young people in Vietnam, I was raised by an extremely violent father. He abused us greatly, my mother in particular. One day my mother was driving down an alley in the city, when her motorcycle suddenly stopped in front of a room where Christians were meeting. She tried to start the motorcycle, but it was dead. A Buddhist, she listened to the Christians singing, walked inside, and went straight to the altar where she knelt down, broken before the Lord. I, however, went on with my life—hating my father and being destroyed by the emotional damage that hatred was causing me. I could not forgive him. I turned to my mother’s God and I asked Him to give me the power to forgive my father, so the pain could fall away into my past. Jesus did that for me, and I have followed Him since that day. The moment I forgave my father, I began to speak in tongues! I feel called to make gospel films for the Vietnamese people, because film is a powerful way to tell the Christian story and invite people to accept Jesus.” 19
Missionary Children Care, Too
Frequently, emphasis is placed on the career missionary and spouse, because they are at the forefront of fund raising and are obviously following God’s leading. Children are seemingly along for the ride. Some of them, though, feel the calling as strongly as their parents, and willingly participate in ministry. Children of a career missionary in the Middle East have adapted well to the missions field. In preparing their newsletter, the parents allow the children to contribute to the content. The younger child wrote: “What’s up? Things are going great! I will soon get my practice drums and start taking lessons. Daddy says the neighbors will not be so happy, but I am not sure what he means. In a few days, we have to get our visas renewed. It is always a lot of standing in lines and very boring. I pray it will be faster. I think it is cool that we will be coming to the United States for a little while for the Assembly, but I agree with my older sister—we will miss our friends here a lot. I just do not understand why someone has not invented a faster way to get to America and back to the Middle East. Have they not seen Star Wars?”
Indian Ministries of North America
Under the leadership of Johnny K. Hughes, IMNA recently acquired a truckload of bottled water from a sister organization for the Navajo H2O Ministry. Providing clean, safe drinking water is at the core of this mission’s humanitarian purpose. Located in Manuelito, New Mexico, the ministry also oversees the Native American Dream Center. Clothing, food, and other household items are donated through the center. When the 22 pallets of water arrived, it was a beautiful sight! One who benefited was an elderly Navajo Indian grandmother, who has no running water; she relies on others to get water to her, as she lives in an area where water simply is not available to her or others. Another recipient stated, “We go to haul water eight miles away about every morning. The cases of water from your ministry really help with the kids who love water. Thank you for your help, and for being open.”
Praying for Children inIndonesia
Long-term career missionaries, Tommy and Poppi Smith, are dedicated to the “4-14 Window”—those children in the 10-year critical period from ages 4 to 14, during which 85 percent of conversions to Jesus Christ occur. Poppi’s Kitchen ministry feeds 600 children weekly at 10 locations. When ministering to children, Tommy realizes one day the little ones will become pastors, business leaders, evangelists, lawyers, doctors, governors, and perhaps even the country’s president. It is not unusual for Tommy to pray for children. During Sunday services at a local church in Jakarta, Indonesia, the Holy Spirit impressed upon Tommy to pray for all the children. At the location of the service in the Mall of Indonesia, parents brought children and children brought parents for prayer. God released healing, deliverance, blessing, and peace to the families as they were prayed over.
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www.cogwm.org
for updated information weekly. 20
by TONIA HEDGEWAY
CONGREGATION IN CRISIS
H
AVE YOU EVER been married?” Esther asked as she offered me more tea. The middle-aged woman’s question stunned me. She and her husband had been attending our church for more than a year. They were both in the choir I directed. I was delighted when they invited me for dinner, since I wanted to get better acquainted with them. I assumed they knew my ex-husband was the former senior pastor of the church. Apparently, Esther and her husband, Jim, had no idea the church was recovering from the worst crisis in its history. They were quite involved in church life and seemed to know a lot of the members—members who didn’t gossip. I sighed and began to tell them the story. When my former husband, Pete, became the pastor of Clideville Community Church, there were about 50 congregants. We were warmly accepted and our new flock quickly outgrew the building. Within a short time, the members voted to construct a larger sanctuary. Watching individuals accept Christ and grow in their faith was thrilling, but the building project took up a great deal of Pete’s time and energy. Much of the work was done by volunteer labor, and he often grabbed a hammer to help. I became a bit concerned that his other pastoral duties were being neglected. The new sanctuary accommodated about 300 and was packed for the dedication service. The choir and congregation sang hymns of praise. Special acknowledgment was given to all those who worked on the building. Well, to almost everyone. No one mentioned how hard their pastor had labored. And no one except me knew how much that hurt him. Things seemed to change after that. Pete came to believe the lie that no one appreciated him: not his congregation, not his wife, nor his children. In public he still appeared as a charismatic and loving
pastor, but at home he was often angry and distant. I concluded he was having either a midlife crisis or pastoral burnout. What I did not know was he was having an emotional affair with an elder’s wife, though I had my suspicions. Richard and Deborah seemed to do everything with us. We skied, fished, had hot-dog roasts, and ate most Sunday lunches together. My observations and complaints were perceived as jealousy and selfishness. Pete asked me for a divorce before he admitted it had anything to do with Deborah. When the truth finally surfaced and Pete resigned from the church, my world was shattered, and I believed our church would fall to pieces as well. It didn’t. For the sake of our teenagers, I decided to remain in the same town and church. This let me witness how our hurting congregation began the healing process. It was a painful yet marvelous thing to watch. Forgiveness was huge. Pete had focused much of his ministry on helping his sheep to love and forgive one another. Now they had to forgive him. Many of them struggled with this. “I can forgive Pete for what he did to us,” one member told me, “but I can’t forgive him for what he did to you.” It took some time and lots of prayer, but I finally came to the point where I could respond to those kinds of comments, “If I can forgive Pete, so can you.” Very few left the church in the months following Pete’s resignation. There was not a church split. I believe that’s because the members were “rooted and grounded in love” (Eph. 3:17). The majority of them were mature in their faith. Their first loyalty was to Jesus Christ, not their pastor.
Knowing the tremendous damage a church scandal does for the cause of Christ in a small community, members prayed hard and refused to be part of the gossip around them. They were determined to carry on the mission of their church. I believe that’s why my new friends Esther and Jim had no idea what had happened. The next pastor was chosen with great caution and much prayer. He led the wounded sheep into the loving care of the Good Shepherd. He and his wife welcomed my children and me into their fold with opened arms.
It’s now been over 25 years since all that happened. I moved to another town when I remarried. The Lord kept His hand on our children. They all have successful marriages and jobs. Grandchildren have blessed us beyond words. I have a close friend who keeps me updated on the Clideville Community Church’s progress. Like all churches, it has had its difficulties. Imperfect people make imperfect churches. But usually, her report is encouraging. I always breathe a sigh of relief . . . and thank the Good Shepherd for keeping that flock together. While this story is factual, all the names (including the author’s) have been changed. EVANGEL • aug 2016
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Graced to P RAY Empowered, Ongoing, Confident by KARL-OTTO BÖHRINGER
COMMUNICATION With God
W
HILE GROWING UP in Germany, attending church was normal, even during the time of the Nazi regime. For this reason, I knew how to pray and did so regularly throughout my childhood. Yet, my praying was superficial; I prayed memorized words out of duty. When I was older, before a church service, I would prepare a few sentences to pray openly. Very often one of the other people praying “stole” my thoughts, and I had to start planning anew. At about the age of 22, I found this condition untenable. What a hypocrite I was! Then, as I was considering quitting my religion, I met sincere Christians in England who had what was lacking in me: the inner conviction and joyful witness of their faith. This caused me to thoroughly examine my relationship with God. I spent six weeks in a Christian retreat center with two services every day. At first it seemed all the sermons had no positive influence on my life. However, a young German who was suffering from leukemia prayed for me regularly. Although he probably had only a short time to live and had every reason to give up hope, he did not concentrate his prayers on his illness. Amazingly, he thought about others and radiated a supernatural love and confidence. I’m convinced that through his prayers the work of the Holy Spirit was released in my life and led to my conversion. Every so often, I wonder what would have happened 22
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without his prayer support. For this reason, I want to dedicate myself more than ever to serving others in the same way. Empowered Praying Following the retreat, one Sunday at church, the minister’s sermon confronted me with my sin. I realized I had broken the greatest commandment in the Bible. Instead of loving God with all my heart, I was indifferent and preferred to have my own way. Now, at last, the prayers of my friend were answered. I was able to earnestly repent, asking God to forgive me for not letting Him have first place in my life. From that day forward, my whole being was changed. I was born again, and my prayers entered into a new dimension. I now understood the meaning of Jesus’ promise to His disciples in John 14:16-17: “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever . . . He dwells
Our PRAYERS can rise to God’s throne and change the world.
with you and will be in you.”* Despite my seemingly pious way of life, I hadn’t been able to receive the Holy Spirit because I had been far away from God and living my own life. That is why my prayers were ineffective and had not changed me. If the Holy Spirit dwells in us, He can empower our words. He becomes the mainspring and source of our prayers. Walter B. Knight wrote: Paganini, the great violinist, came out before his audience one day and made the discovery that there was something wrong with his violin. . . . He went behind the curtain to look for it, but discovered somebody had stolen his and left the inferior one in its place. He remained back of the curtain an instant, then came out before his audience and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I will show you that the music is not in the instrument, but in the soul.” And he played as he had never done before. Out of that inferior instrument, the music poured forth, until the audience was enraptured with enthusiasm, and the applause almost lifted the ceiling of the building (Knight’s Master Book of 4,000 Illustrations).
In the same manner, the Holy Spirit will make us frail, sinful human beings so passionate that our prayers will rise to God’s throne and change the world. Whoever is inspired by the Holy Spirit can come to the Lord and experience the fulfillment of Romans 8:14-15: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive
the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” Ongoing Praying The apostle Paul knew his readers had to work very hard during the daytime. Paul himself was untiringly active. At times he made tents in order to pay for his keep and to support his fellow laborers, all part of his sacrificial assignment as a traveling messenger of the Gospel. Nevertheless, he assured the believers in Rome that he always made mention of them in his prayers (Rom. 1:9), and he urged the Christians in Thessalonica to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17). A faithful Christian woman placed this sign over her kitchen sink: “Three times every day my prayer service takes place here.” These words not only state that trivial tasks can be done as a service to God, but that we can be connected to Him through prayer while doing our daily chores. While practicing the piano, the finger exercises were so boring that I had a brilliant idea. I decided to combine them with learning English vocabulary, which for me, also was a dull exercise. This was fun and saved time. Similarly, there are many routine chores than can be made more meaningful by adding prayer. There are also many moments throughout the day in which we can talk with God: while stopped at a red light . . . while waiting for someone . . . while brushing our teeth . . . while falling asleep at night. Such moments can be spiced with short times of prayer. Praying without ceasing should become a regular inhalation of the soul. I have watched bicyclists drinking out of a bottle attached to their bikes without slackening their pace. In a similar way, throughout the day, Christians through prayer should drink from the heavenly fountain in order to gain power and direction for whatever lies ahead. There are times for lengthy, concentrated prayers when everything else must be laid aside. There are also times when a short prayer gives us fresh strength to manage the tasks in front of us.
After every great sporting or spiritual exertion, a time of quiet and relaxation should be observed. All believers, especially those who are sensitive or suffering from nervous complaints, must be careful not to pray in their own zeal, but to be dependent on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They must seek inner refreshment and peace from the Lord in prayer. Every extreme originates from the devil. If he cannot put on the brakes, he will try to drive us instead. Confident Praying If we pray continually and through the power of the Spirit, we will remain spiritually fit and efficient for the Lord. We will be prepared for confrontations with Satan. Consider how David prayed: I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies. . . . In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears (Ps. 18:1-3, 6).
Lord Jesus, You deplore the lack of prayer and the spiritual weakness of Your followers. Help us, under Your leadership, to develop perseverance in prayer that we may be strengthened and motivated to serve You more effectively. Let us also acknowledge our limitations, and slow down so we can regularly take time to seek new power in quiet solitude. Amen. * Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Karl-Otto Böhringer, a retired professor, lives with his wife, Beryl Ann, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. For many years he served the Church of God as an evangelist, pastor, church planter, radio minister, editor, and author.
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SANCTIFICATION by JAMES M. BEATY
Revisited Jesus Delivers From Sin’s Dominion
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HEN I JOINED the Church of God in 1940, nearly every testimony (and we testified in those days) began, “I thank the Lord that I am saved, sanctified, and baptized in the Holy Ghost.” To some people this was confusing, but the Church of God learned this from its history. We were the “Christian Union”—a small group of sincere Christians—before we came into contact with the Wesleyan Holiness tradition and before we received light on the baptism in the Holy Spirit. If we remember this historical development, it helps to explain what we meant by this testimony. 24
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Jesus in the Center We have always known Jesus is the source of it all. Jesus saves, Jesus sanctifies, and Jesus baptizes in the Holy Spirit. Critics have often said the Pentecostal Movement is too focused on the Holy Spirit and that we neglect Jesus. But that is not the way we see it. Countless people have been baptized in the Holy Spirit while praying, “Thank You, Jesus.” However, in our lack of precision, we have sometimes encouraged this misunderstanding. Too often we have spoken of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as though Jesus had no part in it—like it was just a matter between us and the Holy Spirit. This has been reinforced by some of the hymns of the Christian church, like, “Come, Holy Spirit.”
So it is important for us to remember the words of John the Baptist: “I indeed baptized you with water, but He [the Messiah] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:8 NKJV). On the Day of Pentecost, Peter said, “Being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He [Jesus] poured out this which you now see and hear” (Acts 2:33 NKJV). Three Experiences or One? Another critical question regarding the testimony of being saved, sanctified, and baptized in the Holy Spirit is, “Are these three separate experiences or not?” When we look for answers, primarily from Scripture and also from our history, we find some light.
In Samaria, they must have been saved and sanctified under the ministry of Philip, because Peter and John went to Samaria to pray for the new converts to receive (welcome) the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:4-17). Unlike the way we receive a physical gift—with an extended hand, palm up—we receive a person by extending a welcome. In the case of Gentiles in the house of Cornelius (ch. 10), I believe they were saved, sanctified, and baptized in the Holy Spirit all at one time. An angel had told Cornelius, “Send . . . [for] Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved” (11:13-14 NKJV). The same has been witnessed in Pentecostal revivals. Drunks came to the altar and were saved, delivered from the addiction to alcohol, baptized in the Holy Spirit, and left to live a radically different life, and sometimes to preach the Gospel. The Spirit’s Convicting Power I believe when a person is open and yielded, both to the Word and to the Holy Spirit, there is a deep conviction that moves on that person so he or she is saved and sanctified in the same experience. What I mean, and what I think most of our early ministers meant by sanctified, is “the power of sin is broken.” Sin’s dominion is broken. We are not only forgiven, we are also freed—delivered from the dominion of sin. We have a new Lord and we have been freed to walk in newness of life. We have a sense of victory. The problem we as a church face today is not wanting to confront sinners directly with the Gospel. We do not want to rock their boat. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is not moving in our midst to convict sinners. Our culture says, “I’m OK; you’re OK. Leave me alone.” However, Jesus said the Holy Spirit would “convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8 NKJV). Jesus also told His followers, “You will be my witnesses” after receiving “power” from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8 NLT). A
witness can only testify to what he or she has experienced—what he or she has seen and heard. Jesus said to the man whom He had just delivered from a legion of demons, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you” (Mark 5:19 NKJV). Witnessing is not winning an argument and pushing the other person to accept Christ against their will. Instead, witnessing provides the basis for the Holy Spirit to work. The Holy Spirit convicts and convinces of sins, points the hearer to Jesus, lifting Him up as the ever-living
Drunks came to the altar and were saved, delivered from the addiction to alcohol, baptized in the Holy Spirit, and left to live a radically different life. Savior and Lord who is able to save unto the uttermost. Jesus is the One who saves, but the Holy Spirit works so closely with Jesus that Scripture speaks of the saved person as being “born of the Spirit” (John 3:6). Saved, Sanctified, and Baptized The terminology of being “saved, sanctified, and baptized in the Holy Spirit” is rich. Since these three dimensions of Christian experience are pictured in Scripture as beginning experiences in the Christian life, they tend to cluster
together. But they can be pulled apart and experienced as separate moments. Let us look at each of these. To save means “to rescue from mortal danger, as in the case of fire or water.” We have broken the rules of our Maker and have thus been alienated, so we need to be forgiven (pardoned) and reconciled to God. We have been in bondage and need to be set free. We must be saved. The saved person can and should be sanctified. However, because of the lack of teaching, whole segments of the church know nothing about sanctification. To live “free from sin” is not to live a perfect life that cannot be improved, but it does mean being free from the dominion of sin. We have a new Master who has delivered us from that bondage. So perhaps we should use the word delivered instead of sanctified, since the latter word sounds braggadocios to some. Actually, both words should be understood as pointing to the One who does the work. Jesus delivers from the dominion of sin, and we become His “love slaves.” People who have been sanctified should declare, “I am His.” What has touched the altar is holy and is now, in a new sense, “His.” Too few of our members go on to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. What should the church do about it? 1. More teaching is needed from the Word about the baptism in the Holy Spirit, both published and personal, by ministry and laity. 2. More time and space must be set aside for believers to receive this gift. 3. More people must be prepared to help those who have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit with this crucial step. By God’s grace, we need to hear the testimony of being “saved, sanctified, and baptized in the Holy Spirit” in our churches again. James M. Beaty, Ph.D., is a member of the Church of God Historical Commission who served as a missionary educator for many years. EVANGEL • aug 2016
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by PRABHULA JOHN
The Day God Tamed the ELEPHANT
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HE YEAR WAS 1987. Our father felt he would be able to better provide for his family if we migrated to the U.S. Before we left India, our parents had a stern conversation with the entire family. Dad said, “Although we are going to a foreign country, we want you children to remember we are Indians. Our customs and our culture are different. When you are older and you go out to college and work, you will be required to live according to their culture. However, when you step inside our home, you will still be living in India. Anybody who disobeys your mother’s rules will be shipped back to India to a boarding school!” Thankfully, my parents raised obedient children. None of us gave them much trouble growing up. Twelve years after our move, with all the kids now working, my parents felt it was time for my sister and me to be married. Letters and phone calls were made to our church and friends in India, searching for suitors. A Christian man was found for my sister through church members who highly recommended him. My sister’s future was coming together nicely. My dad told us because we were so close to each other, it might make sense to get us married at the same time so I wouldn’t feel alone when my sister left home. So we began to make wedding plans for two. Before long, my parents told me a suitor had been found for me. He was the son of my childhood Sunday school teacher. We soon went to India to meet our suitors. Although this was an arranged marriage, our parents were a little more liberal than traditional Indians. Our
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dad told each of us if for any reason we decided our suitor was not the man we should marry, we could back out. Even if we were at the altar during the wedding, all we had to do was look at Dad, and he would stop it. After prayerfully seeking God’s wisdom and guidance, my sister and I were married two days apart, since we were two years apart. Having a double wedding would lower my father’s status, which was unacceptable in our Indian culture. After the two weddings, our parents thought it would be in the best interest of us girls if we went on our honeymoon together. Our grooms asked us where we’d like to go. We decided on going back to our summer home in the mountains, since we hadn’t been there in 15 years. Our grooms were gracious and agreed. So, the next day, bags packed and car loaded, we headed to the mountains. However, our childhood memories did not recall we had to pass through a jungle to reach our summer home. Now as adults, and a little nervous with our respective grooms, whom we barely knew, we were more vigilant of our surroundings. En route to the mountains, in the middle of the jungle, a truck had pulled over to the side of the road. There was no other vehicle in the vicinity, and our chauffer told us we needed to pull over to see if we could help. Nightfall was coming, and the people in the truck would not be safe in the jungle. Our husbands assured us we would not be in danger, and we would leave as soon as they could assess the need and help the truck’s occupants. Thankfully, the travelers in the truck had only stopped to look at a herd of
elephants grazing near the road. They looked inside the car, and pointing at my sister and me, said, “You might like to take a closer look at the elephants, since this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” My sister was wearing a sari, so she decided to stay in the car. My brother-inlaw said he had taken many pictures of elephants and this would be easy, so my husband and I should step out of the car and he’d take a picture. Since he was older and apparently had experience with elephants, we stepped out of the car for the picture. An elephant mother was with her two calves, who were eating bamboo shoots. They were across the street from where we were parked, and a six-foot-deep ditch separated the jungle from the road. My brother-in-law looked through his camera lens and said, “You should go closer to the elephants for a better picture.” My husband questioned him about our safety, and he assured us he had taken pictures of elephants a hundred times before, and it shouldn’t be a problem. My husband and I jumped across the ditch, posing for the camera, using the elephants as our backdrop. When the camera flashed, the mother apparently felt threatened and trumpeted for help. Soon, we saw two herds running toward us from inside the jungle. My husband screamed, “Run to the car!” and tried to grab my hand to cross the ditch. My athletic abilities are limited if someone is holding me, so I pushed his hand away and jumped the ditch. But out of fear and loss of direction, I ended up running toward the jungle instead of running to the car! (We later found out my brave brother-in-law had already reached
“ To my dismay, the mother elephant was 50 feet away from me.” the safety of the car and sat behind locked doors.) When my husband realized I had not followed him, he started screaming my name. I realized I was running the wrong way and turned around to see where he was and where the elephants were. To my dismay, the big mother elephant was 50 feet away from me. Looking backward while still running, I slipped and slid down a slope that was overshadowed by a large thornbush. I was now stuck under the bush. When I tried to get up, the bush pushed me back down to the ground. All the while, my husband was screaming my name, looking for me. I yelled back that I was stuck under a bush. I quickly prayed, Lord, if this is the end of me, save my husband. Let him not come looking for me and get trapped here to be killed by these elephants. However, my husband was resilient. He came looking for me from the other direction and dragged me out from under
the thornbush. “Follow me, and be fast!” he said. We finally got to the car, and even before we could shut the door behind us, the chauffer took off, telling us if the elephants got to us, we’d all be in trouble. After hugging each other and thanking God for our safety, my brother-in-law said, “The elephants in the zoo never acted that way.” Momentarily, I forgot he was older than me and was my older sister’s husband, thus I should not speak harshly to him. I blurted out, “Are you insane, man? The elephants in the zoo are chained to the feet and caged behind iron bars. I’m calling Daddy!” My sister told me to calm down. My husband quietly placed his hand in mine and said, “Let’s be thankful for our safety, and just praise God for His goodness.” Late that night, we reached our cabin in the mountains. It was just as we had remembered it. After thanking God for
keeping us safe despite our poor judgment, we retired to our respective rooms. Upon our return home, my husband was nervous to tell my dad about the elephant encounter. Daddy simply smiled and said, “I sent you kids to go have fun and get to know each other; instead, you decided to go chasing elephants. At least you’ll cherish this memory for the rest of your lives, and it has certainly built a bond between the two of you; so all is well.” We later learned God created the elephant to have empathy. If a smaller creature is fallen and helpless, the elephant usually will not hurt it. So when I slipped under the thornbush, God had tamed the elephant from following me and crushing me to the ground. Twenty-eight years later, we still remember the incident with much laughter, and praise God for His goodness. Prabhula John is youth pastor for the Rockville, Maryland, Church of God.
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A LIVING LETTER The FAITH of My MOTHER O by DARLIA CONN
N NOVEMBER 8, 2010, my mother, Merle McLuhan, turned 90. By then she was living in an assisted living home near Phoenix, Arizona. She had suffered the loss of her husband of 67 years, and had lost some of her memory due to a few mini-strokes. When I said, “Happy 90th birthday, Mom” she asked me quite simply, “How did I get to be 90?” I pulled out my iPad, and with the help of the Google Earth app, I proceeded to show her in detail every place she had lived during those 90 years. We went from the place she was born in Saskatchewan to Moose Jaw, Canada; to Minot, North Dakota; on to Kroonstad,
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South Africa; to Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe); back to the small South African town of Irene, near Pretoria; and then back to the USA. I found the house in Cleveland, Tennessee, where the family lived while my brother Dwayne and I attended Lee College and Dad traveled as a World Missions representative for the Church of God; from there to Woodstock, Georgia, where she and my father, M. G. McLuhan, lived while serving on the ministerial staff at Mount Paran Church of God; and finally after their retirement, to Phoenix, Arizona. It was all a little bewildering to her, but for me it was a good exercise in following the path that had produced this remarkable woman. Estella “Merle” Reesor was born in her parents’ log farmhouse on the plains of Western Canada, near the small town of Consul, Saskatchewan, 70 miles above the United States border and directly north of Havre, Montana. She was the fourth of six children born to Pete and Bessie Reesor. The lessons she learned during those early years stood her in good stead in the years to come. A relentless work ethic and resourcefulness are necessary qualities for both farmers and missionaries. As a schoolgirl, her job was to milk cows, separate the milk before putting it into bottles, and then deliver it to the townspeople in nearby Consul before going to school each day. She learned to cook for large numbers of people, make clothes, grow vegetables, and preserve or pickle everything that wouldn’t survive in a root cellar during the cold winter months. Mother
made my clothes, including my wedding dress many years later. In the early 1930s, a revival came to Consul through the ministry of two evangelists, Helen Swanson and Josephine Walker. The entire Reesor family became Christians and, from then on, they housed every evangelist and teacher who came to the area. Mother was 10 years old when she gave her heart to the Lord. Within a short time the Church of God was established in Consul by Paul H. Walker, a noted pioneer in the early history of our denomination. My father, M. G. McLuhan, and his family, also homesteaders, lived 10 miles north of Consul, and all came to know the Lord during the same general time period. During the evenings, there were weekly prayer meetings, youth services, or ongoing revivals. Since Mom had taken piano lessons for a couple of years, she soon started to play for services in her home church. Mom and Dad were married in August 1940, and soon made the transition from the farm to full-time ministry. Dad was the teacher, and Mom supported in every possible way, accompanying his solos and the choirs, cooking for crowds, and doing whatever was necessary. Dad’s quicker temperament was always softened and balanced by Mother’s common sense and quiet influence. My brother Dwayne especially remembers one instance of Mom’s teaching us about prayer and faith by her example when we were teenagers living in Africa. Mother told this story in her memoirs: I went every week in the morning to the Ladies Meeting at the church while the kids were all gone to school. One morning the speaker had spoken about the parable of the mustard seed. She gave each one of us a small bottle with a mustard seed in it. And she told us that
we only needed that much faith, which didn’t seem like much, but maybe it was, because it wasn’t long before I needed to have that kind of faith. One day when the kids came home from school, I said, “You know what? I’m about running out of money, and your dad isn’t going to be home for more than a week or so. We really do need some money for groceries.” I showed them the little bottle with a mustard seed in it, and said, “We’d better pray and ask the Lord to supply our need, because truly, we do have a need.” Right after we had prayed, we got a letter in the mail with a check from a friend who said, “I’m so sorry that I didn’t send this to you long ago, because I sold Brother McLuhan’s records and had the money but didn’t get it off to you.” But God knew that it came in exactly when we needed it.
When still living in Africa, a lady once said to me, “Your dad preaches it, and your mother lives it.” I assumed she meant the Gospel. It used to bother me because I thought she meant that Dad didn’t live it; but I came to realize she was talking about Mom, who didn’t preach or make pious pronouncements. She simply lived a life of love and acceptance. How does one live the life like my mother did? How does one become the living letter written by the hand of God that is read by all? I am not suggesting that Mom’s way is the only way, because we have different personalities, all designed by God to fulfill His purposes when we are committed to Him; so some letters are written in bold, all caps, and some in elegant italic script. Mom’s “font” was legible and clear with an occasional curlicue. So, from my experience of her, let me tell you how to be a living letter. 1. Know the One in whom you first believed (2 Tim. 1:12). That was the bedrock foundation of her life. Mom loved God and knew she was loved by Him and that she was in His good hands. 2. Behave consistently and in a disciplined way (see v. 7). What you saw was what you got. There was never a hidden message or agenda with Mom. If words were needed, she said what she meant and no more.
3. Choose to see and speak the good (Phil. 4:8). Mom never complained. It isn’t that she was unaware; she just refused to dwell on it and, as a result, she was happier, and so was everyone around her. You didn’t have to wonder what gossip or negative comment you were going to hear when you saw her. She simply didn’t go there. Once, a fellow faculty member’s wife was having some negative things to say about Mom; so she followed the Biblical pattern, and took Dad with her as a witness and went to see the lady to ask her what the problem was. Of course, Dad was
Merle McLuhan
righteously indignant, but Mom was quietly determined to resolve the situation. The lady in question refused to talk about it. Years later, when I made an ungenerous comment about the lady in question, Mom replied, “Oh, she’s a good old stick! That’s just her way!” 4. Have fun (Prov. 17:22)! Our home was filled with laughter. We could always find something to laugh about, even if we had to create it with practical jokes. Mother was usually the instigator of such fun. She loved playing games, and all the fellowship and popcorn that went along with Monopoly, Canasta, Scrabble, or Dominoes. 5. Leave the judging up to God (Matt. 7:1). When we were living in Rhodesia,
I remember coming home from school and seeing a neighbor, Wendy, having tea with Mother on the patio; to my horror, I saw that Wendy was smoking a cigarette. Of course, that was in the day when we didn’t think in terms of health, just in terms of sin, and that was certainly a big black one! When I asked Mom about it later, she just replied that Wendy liked to have a cigarette after a cup of tea, so she had provided the ash tray . . . end of discussion. Who knows what seeds were sown in that relationship. The last I heard, Wendy’s daughter was married and serving God through Youth With A Mission. On another occasion, while living in Atlanta, Mom’s hairdresser, Frank, went through a sex-change operation and became Fran. Many of “her” clients departed, but not Mom. Though transgender issues were certainly not within her comfort zone, she kept taking homemade cinnamon rolls to Fran when she had her hair done, showing her love and acceptance. What Mom did quite naturally now has a name and how-to books to go with it—we call it friendship evangelism. Mom didn’t lead Bible studies or give a lot of advice. She left that up to Dad, whose ministry was to do both. Instead, she was a homemaker in the truest sense of that somewhat-beleaguered word. She shared her home with friends, neighbors, her children’s friends, and many itinerant missionaries. Rarely did anyone spend just one night; sometimes the visits stretched to weeks. It was always “open house” at my parents’ home. A legacy of financial wealth would be shabby in comparison to the legacy that Mother left for her family and friends. Her legacy was this: a pure heart, personal integrity, unconditional love, faith in God, and hope of eternal life to come. I count it the greatest of blessings to be her daughter. Darlia Conn is adjunct faculty in the School of Music at Lee University, Cleveland, Tennessee. This article is excerpted from Faith of Our Mothers (Pathway Press). EVANGEL • aug 2016
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VIEWPOINTS
Describe a ministry situation that was particularly challenging for you, and how you approached it. STAND WHEN WE CAN’T UNDERSTAND STEVE SMITH, M.A., is administrative bishop of the Church of God in New Jersey.
I VIVIDLY REMEMBER the excitement in our home when my wife, Karen, became pregnant with our second child. Our firstborn, Sarah, had been praying for a baby sister as long as we could remember. After 10 years of praying without an answer, her prayers went from “Lord, please give me a baby sister” to “Lord, please give me a baby sister or brother.” Finally, Karen was pregnant. It was Sunday. I was up as usual praying for God to move at the early service, where I was to preach. The evening before, we had driven to Hartford, Connecticut, to visit and pray with a family. When she woke up, Karen was not feeling well. Instead of going to church to minister, we drove to the hospital to see the doctor. When the doctor returned with the result of the sonogram, we could tell from the tone of his voice and the look in his eyes that something was badly wrong. Baby Joshua did not have a heartbeat. We prayed for a miracle, but Joshua was born four months early without a heartbeat. The situation was very difficult for us, especially for our 13-year-old Sarah, who had been beseeching God all those years for a baby brother or sister. The Enemy whispered into my spirit, Where is God now? Your daughter will never trust again; how will you preach about a Healer who didn’t save your child? Jesus described the devil as both a liar and a thief (John 8:44; 10:10). Sarah went to a chalkboard in our hospital room, picked up a piece of chalk, and wrote, “God, I thank You that my brother is in heaven, and I thank You that You will give me another sibling.” Karen and I were blown away by her faith and maturity. The Lord granted her request three years later, giving her a brother named Jonathan. In this life we will face challenges and besetting circumstances. The question is not, What can we do to avoid attacks from the Enemy? Instead, we must ask, How can we respond to such attacks when they come?
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Here are three truths about God that can strengthen our faith: 1. God is love, so His will is always best even when we don’t understand. 2. God is all-knowing, so His direction is always right even when we don’t understand. 3. God is all-powerful; He will give us the strength to stand even when we can’t understand. The way in which we respond to our circumstances determines whether our faith will be strengthened or weakened; whether God receives greater or lesser glory; and whether our witness of God’s power and presence in our lives will be greater or lesser. God has since that time faithfully manifested His healing power numerous times in our lives and ministry. In December 2013, we prayed for a lady hospitalized in a coma with all her vital organs shut down. About half an hour into praying, she started responding. Unknown to me at that time, that same day at the doctor’s recommendation, the family had planned to take her off life support. She survived five cardiac arrests. God completely healed her and now she boldly shares her testimony that Jesus is her healer.
LEARN TO DISCERN
TONYA BANKS, Ph.D., is assistant pastor of the Victory Praise Church of God in Washington, D.C.
I AM WRITING about a challenge caused by a mistake, with a lesson learned. Victory Praise Church of God, where Brenda R. Anderson is the pastor, conducts several outreach ministry activities, including these: • feeding the homeless at shelters and on the streets • providing meals every Sunday morning and Thursday evening • providing blankets, socks, and toiletries to the homeless • picking up the homeless from shelters and bringing them to church • bringing children and youth to church. One late evening some years ago, I left work, went to get something to eat, and was on my way with my food to my car.
As I was walking, I saw a gentleman and recognized that he was homeless, and gave him the food I had just purchased. I asked him if he lived in a shelter. He said yes, so I offered him a ride. However, when I asked him the name of the shelter, I was not familiar with it. I called my pastor to ask her about the shelter, and it was not familiar to her either. However, she did not know that I was with the homeless man. The man and I walked to my car, which was in a parking garage. I entered the car on the driver’s side, and he entered on the passenger’s side. I proceeded to back the car out of the space and drove toward the exit to pay. As we were approaching the exit, the man began acting weird. He slouched down in the seat as if he was trying to hide, and he would not put on his seatbelt. In spite of this, I proceeded to pay and started talking to the man. I cannot remember what I said, but as we were driv-
ing, I recall him talking about basketball. Then he suddenly asked me, “Have you ever killed anyone?” Then he said, “I have killed someone before.” When he said that, it seemed as though my heart dropped to the bottom of the floor as I was driving. I thought, This man is going to try to kill me. I must get him out of the car. I drove to the first shelter I knew about, exited the car, went inside, and notified security to come and get the man out of my car because he was refusing to leave. This was a challenge to me in ministry; however, I had put myself in this situation, which I should not have done. My pastor told me I had better never do that again! Even in this, the Lord God Almighty protected me. When we want to do good to others, we must be careful to follow the Lord’s leading. In ministry, we must be wise.
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PEOPLE AND EVENTS
divine promise realized Kannapolis, NC—In 1994, the Lane Street Church of God built a new sanctuary and family life center on 15 acres next to Interstate 85. Nine years into our mortgage, Cannon Mills closed its doors, and our community lost 3,500 jobs in one day, severely affecting all churches—especially ones with debts. We were in desperate times, driving me to deeper prayer. The Holy Spirit urged me to walk and pray in the sanctuary. After many months of crying with frustration, the Lord said, I’m going to give the church millions of dollars. In my humanity, I wondered, How is God going to do this . . . and when? A nearby stadium had wanted to buy several acres of our property, but the deal failed. Though discouraged, the Lord continued to promise this great gift. Then, one day, the Holy Spirit said, Stop questioning and start thanking Him. One Sunday morning while preaching a message on God’s provision, out of my mouth came God’s promise of a million dollars to the church. Immediately, a godly Church Council member, Wilbur Blount, stood up and said, “The Lord did not tell our pastor one million; He told him millions.”
He added, “I can tell you the day and time God revealed this to me, but I could not speak of it until the pastor had spoken it.” Of course we had a great time of rejoicing. As time passed, we continued to struggle: the church’s air- conditioning even went out, and our septic system failed. After service one Sunday morning, another council member approached me with dreams he had. Tim said in his first dream, there was a hospital on the church property. In his second dream, again he saw the hospital. In the third dream, he went inside and walked around and saw beds. He asked for help understanding these dreams because they seemed so realistic, but I was also puzzled by them. These events covered several years. In 2008, we were approached by a land developer. After a year of negotiations and an offer that dropped from $3 million to $1.5 million, this deal fell through. We had no idea this developer had signed a contract with a local hospital for our location. Also unknown to us, a “certificate of need” had been sent to Raleigh, our state capital, with our address on it as the site needed for a
new hospital. Several months later, while I was preparing for a Wednesday evening service, a reporter called from the local newspaper. He asked me about the sale of our property to the hospital. I informed him we had not sold our property and to please wait to hear from me before printing any of this. I immediately called the local hospital, informing the publicrelations person we had not sold anything nor was there even a contract on our church. I was answered with a great silence, then, “Let me call you back.” Other people began telling me North Carolina’s government website listed a new hospital to be built on our location. It wasn’t long before the hospital called, asking
god has always been there
Wade and Judy Easom
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to meet. They apologized for the mix-up and informed us they were still interested in our property. If purchased, we would be able to remain on site until we relocated. They gave us $100,000 in earnest money, which enabled us to get back on our feet. After finalizing the contract, we received $5.2 million. Years of hardship and frustration ended with prayers being answered and promises fulfilled, praise the Lord! While prayerfully looking for a new location, we were led to a man who owned land in the heart of Kannapolis, just one mile from the new Science and Research Center. He said he was waiting for my call. We were able to purchase as much land as we sold for a fraction of its value. We have begun a new ministry every year we have been in our new location. We give God the glory for everything.—Wade H. Easom, lead pastor of Living Water (formerly Lane Street) Church of God for 29 years
Keller, TX—I have always felt a sincere closeness to the Lord, even as a small child. I remember talking to someone in my room before I could communicate well with my parents. This memory came back to me as an adult while praying. The Lord spoke to my heart, I have always been there with you. Jeremiah 1:5 came to mind: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you” (ESV). My parents divorced when I was only 3 years old. My sister and I were put in the custody of our father, and my mother was
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granted custody of my older brother. My father remarried and had two more daughters. Being a single mother, my mom could only afford to come get my sister and me once or twice a year. I remember always missing her and constantly thinking about the quality time we did spend with her. I remember her taking us to Disney on Ice and the Ringling Brothers Circus. She always wanted to do something special and impressive because we didn’t see her that often. I had no idea how much she sacrificed to do those things for us until I became a mother myself. She and my brother lived in a tiny trailer, barely making ends meet, and even as a child I noticed her living conditions. After every visit with her, I would return home to my dad’s house and pray for my mom to be safe and find happiness. On one of the nights we were with her, she dropped us off at our father’s house, and it was late. It was during winter, maybe Christmas break. When she left, we headed straight to bed. I remember praying and crying like I never had before. I asked God to please let my mom make it home safely. That memory stuck out in my mind for years. When I was about 16, sitting at my mom’s kitchen table, we were having a discussion about God and the effectiveness of prayer. My
mom hadn’t stepped into a church since her divorce. I told her about my memory of her dropping us off late that winter night and my prayer for God to keep her safe. She started weeping, and then she told her side of that story. She and my brother, who was then 12, were on their two-hour trip home when one of her tires blew out on a downtown Dallas highway. She made it safely to the side of the road, and then spent 30 minutes trying to wave someone down to help her. It was freezing outside, so she got back into the car, turned it on, and realized she was almost out of gas. She took off her coat and put it on my brother to keep him warm. At that moment, she saw bright lights in her rearview mirror from a truck pulling up behind her. An old, scruffy-looking man got out and started changing her tire without saying a word to her. When he finished, he walked to his truck, pulled a gasoline container out of the back, and poured its contents into my mom’s car. My mom could not believe what was happening. She started digging through her purse to see what she could offer the man. All she had was a five-dollar bill. She took the money out in hopes that it would be enough to repay him for his kindness. She got out of the car, turned to where the truck was parked, and to her surprise, it
DECEASED MINISTERS
MOON, Billy Wayne; 66; exhorter; Alabama; Judy Moon (wife)
BROWN, Merlin Barnes; 93; ordained bishop; Georgia; Pamela Brown (daughter-in-law)
MUSHEGAN, David; 77; ordained bishop; California; Sandra Mushegan (wife)
DAILEY, Robert Allen; 77; exhorter; Ohio; Linda Dailey (wife)
POLO, Joel; 63; ordained bishop; New York; Jesusla Polo (wife)
DYAR, Perry Eugene; 63; ordained minister; South Carolina; Carolyn Dyar (wife) ECHOLS, Melvin J.; 72; ordained minister; Alaska; Art M. Echols (wife) HILL, John Willis, Jr.; 87; ordained bishop; Texas; Mildred Hill (wife) HOUSE, Pansy; 98; exhorter; Indiana; Gilbert House (son) JACOBS, Thomas Rudolph; 82; ordained bishop; Alabama; Carolyn Jacobs (wife) JARVIS, Norma; 82; ordained minister; North Carolina; Charles Jarvis (husband)
PURSLEY, Cleo L.; 70; ordained minister; Florida; Janice Pursley (wife) ST. MARTIN, Urbain; 66; exhorter; New York; Marie St. Martin (wife) STEWART, Gerald Ray; 55; exhorter; California; Vicky Stewart (wife) STONE, Balcus Dee “B. D.”; 85; ordained bishop; North Carolina; Mildred Stone (wife) STOVER, Paul T.; 99; ordained bishop; Georgia; Jim Stover (son)
JONES, June Baker; 76; ordained minister; Virginia; A. B. Jones, Jr. (son)
WALLACE, Percival E.; 63; ordained bishop; Florida; Barbara Wallace (wife)
LEWIS, Paul Arthur; 83; ordained bishop; Virginia; Frances Lewis (wife)
WHITE, James T.; 71; ordained minister; South Carolina; Drema White (wife)
McBRIDE, Odell; 93; ordained bishop; North Carolina; Carolyn McBride (wife)
WILLARD, Raymos Earl; 69; ordained bishop; Mississippi; Bettye Willard (wife)
wasn’t there. There was no truck and no man. My mom had never understood what happened until I told her about my innocent prayer. The smile on her face said she now understood. God had performed a miracle for her and my brother. This experience is now a fading memory to my mom. Maybe
it wasn’t for her anyway; maybe it was for me. This experience proved that childlike faith is all it takes for God to move. My heavenly Father bestowed His love upon me by blessing the woman who loves me unconditionally. God has been with me from the beginning, and He’ll continue to be with me until the end.—Laura Bradley EVANGEL • aug 2016
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CHURCH OF GOD CHRONICLES by david g. roebuck
“FULL OF GOOD WORKS” MELISSA MURPHY
P
ROVERBS 22:1 declares, “A good meetinghouse where the holiness believers name is rather to be chosen than worshiped, and she was one of 16 charter great riches.” When she went to members of the Holiness Church at Camp be with the Lord in 1921, the Creek organized on May 15, 1902, in the Church of God Evangel article that eulohome of W. F. Bryant. gized Melissa Murphy was simply titled Church of God history recognizes her “Maddox.” Yet, the article penned by as Melissa Murphy, who hosted the first General Overseer A. J. Tomlinson vividly described a woman whose faithful service in life assured her a good name at her death. According to Tomlinson, she was “a light in many homes—always willing to make any sacrifices to wait on the sick, or to help her friends and neighbors, in times of need. No night was too dark, no wind was too cold to keep her from going when duty demanded it. She literally wore herself out in service to others. Scarcely a text in the Bible could be more appropriate here than this one: ‘This woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did’ (Acts 9:36).” The woman Tomlinson compared to the Bible’s Dorcas was born Margaret Melissa Gay in the mountains of north Georgia in 1847. She grew up in a Baptist home and An artist’s conception of Melissa Murphy about the time married Drury Shearer after the Civil of the first Church of God General Assembly, which she War. Together they had six daughhosted in her Camp Creek, North Carolina, home ters. His family name was given to the schoolhouse where a revival of holiness shook the Camp Creek, North General Assembly in her home in 1906 Carolina, community in 1896. and spoke during that meeting on the The couple was among the 40 excluded importance of Sunday schools. Following from the Liberty Baptist and Pleasant Hill Drury’s death in 1901, Melissa married Baptist churches for “endorsing the modJames Callaway Murphy in December ern . . . theory of sanctification.” Undoubt- 1903. Theirs was the first wedding Pastor edly they were present in 1900 when a A. J. Tomlinson officiated after he joined mob of 106 dismantled and burned the the Holiness Church.
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Not long after the first General Assembly, the Murphys relocated to Cleveland, Tennessee, and lived in the house next door to the Tomlinson family. She became a charter member of the North Cleveland Church of God when it was set in order in October 1906. Regrettably, James Murphy died not long after the first General Assembly. Melissa went on to outlive her third husband, James Tilley, and was married to Caswell Maddox from November 1920 until her death on March 15, 1921. Tomlinson described their marriage as a happy one, and noted that she attended Sunday school and the preaching service as long as she was able. In his article eulogizing Melissa, Tomlinson described a woman whose life bore witness to her good name. She was “a faithful member, having enjoyed the pleasure of a sanctified life filled with the Holy Ghost.” He continued, “In the services she was always glad to give her testimony for the Lord to show which side she was on. Her conversation and general life were a blessing to those with whom she mingled. . . . But, although she is gone, and many of us will miss her much, yet we have no doubt about her present and future abode. Truly she died as she lived—a Bible saint.” David G. Roebuck, Ph.D., is the Church of God historian and director of the Dixon Pentecostal Research Center in Cleveland, Tennessee.
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