following the ten commandments

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CHURCH OF GOD

Evangel MARCH 2014

following the ten commandments 5 an“Hdonmorotheyor,ursofaththater

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you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

CHURCH OF GOD

7 5 t h I N T E R N A T I O N A L G E N E R A L A S S E M B LY ORLANDO, FLORIDA

07.29.14 - 08.01.14

FAITH | LORD | MISSION “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be ONE, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me”

JOHN 17:20-21 NIV

DR. MARK WILLIAMS

JOYCELYN BARNETT

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Contents

march 2014

volume 104 n issue 3

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS • “You shall have no other gods before Me.” • “You shall not make for yourself a carved image.” • “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” • “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” • “Honor your father and your mother.” • “You shall not murder.” • “You shall not commit adultery.” • “You shall not steal.” • “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” • “You shall not covet.” —from Exodus 20 (NKJV)

obeying the ten commandments 10 Worship the Right God in the Right Way by John Alexander The first two commandments 12 Do Not Misuse God’s Name by Hoyt E. Stone Careless words have consequences. 14 Finding the Rest of God by Rocky McKinley Remember the Sabbath. 16 A Matter of Honor by Diane Mann The fifth commandment 21 You Shall Not Murder by Mary Ruth Stone We are our “brother’s keeper.” 22 The Truth About Adultery by Rick Whittier All sex outside marriage is sin. columns 23 Do Not Steal by Daniel Smith 5 In Covenant, Mark L. Williams Be content with God’s provision. 7 On My Mind, Lance Colkmire 34 Where Are They Now? David Roebuck 24 Tell the Truth by M. Darrell Rice A four-way truth test departments 4 Ministry Snapshot 25 Countering a Covetous Spirit 6 By the Numbers by Tony Richie • Let’s desire God! 8 Currents features 17 GlobalConnect 26 A Summer Story by LaQuita Propes 30 Viewpoints God’s enduring grace 32 People and Events

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PUBLICATIONS MINISTRIES DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR M. Thomas Propes DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS Terry Hart ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Raymond Hodge MANAGING EDITOR Lance Colkmire

MINISTRY SNAPSHOT Royal Rangers at Christ Central Church of God (Lindale, Texas) learn how to make popcorn on the stove.

CENTRAL DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Robert McCall 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 Stephen Darnell, Les Higgins, Ray E. Hurt, Cheryl Johns, David Nitz , Tony Cooper, Antonio Richardson

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.

If you have a ministry photo to be considered for this page, send it to [email protected].

February Evangel Poll In which area do you have a testimony that you should share this week? Deliverance from addiction - 15.4%

Divine guidance - 15.4%

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 ©2014 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)

Financial provision - 0%

Supernatural peace - 46.2%

Overcming temptation - 7.7%

Resolution of family problem - 0%

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MEMBER OF THE EVANGELICAL PRESS ASSOCIATION AND THE INTERNATIONAL PENTECOSTAL PRESS EVANGEL • mar 2014 ASSOCIATION

IN COVENANT mark l. williams general overseer

TEN WORDS FROM GOD

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S A CHILD, I dreamed of the day when I would be old enough to stay up late to watch the entire broadcast of The Ten Commandments. Bedtime at the Williams’ house always came just about the time the death angel was making its way through the land of Egypt. My school friends would describe scenes like Moses holding up a staff and the Red Sea standing up, rolling back, and congealing like Jell-O as the children of Israel cross on dry land; and the moment when a multicolored shaft of light streaks out of heaven and burns words on a stone tablet. Inevitably, my friends would conclude their descriptions with words (in 1970s vernacular) like wow and shazam! Now that I am old enough to stay up a little later, I seldom see the movie aired. Times have changed and cinematography and special effects are far more sophisticated. Most of the actors from the 1956 production are probably dead. Sadder still is the reality that many in 21st-century America do not even realize what the title Ten Commandments refers to, much less where they are found. The Ten Commandments is a list of laws in the Old Testament books of Exodus and Deuteronomy that are foundational to the Christian life. The word commandment is translated from a Hebrew term meaning “word.” These “ten words” form the Decalogue containing God’s expectations, requirements, and guidelines for human beings who desire to live in righteous, holy covenant with Him. These directives address vertical and horizontal relationships and can be summed up in one word—love. In the words of Jesus, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matt. 22:37). The

first four commands speak of our love for God, and flowing from that love is the last six—love for those around us. The Ten Commandments go right to the heart of the matter, which are matters of the heart. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Out of the [heart] spring the issues of life” (NKJV). Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34 NKJV). Out of the heart proceed things that defile a person—evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, lying, and blasphemy (see 15:18-19). The unredeemed heart, according to Jeremiah, is “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jer. 17:9 NKJV). Those who pretend to be righteous need to be reminded, “Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). You may not bow down and worship a graven image; but do you love any person, place, pursuit, or pleasure more than God? If so, it is idolatry. You may not use profanity; but if you do not live in the parsonage what you preach in the pulpit, you are taking the Lord’s name in vain. The Ten Commandments are like a mirror reflecting the person you really are. They identify, describe, and define sin, but they do not contain the remedy for sin. However, what the Law could not do, Jesus did! Jesus came and not only defined sin but also brought the remedy. His blood can cleanse the heart and enable us to fulfill God’s perfect will. Before we enter debates on where the Ten Commandments should be posted, let us first ask whether we have allowed the Holy Spirit to post His law on our own heart. May we become written epistles— truth incarnated—seen, read, and known by all men and women. May the Church of God become so profoundly transformed that those around us will stand in amazement and, if they grew up in the ’70s, shout, “Shazam!”

May we become written epistles— truth incarnated —seen, read, and known by all men and women.

EVANGEL • mar 2014

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BY THE NUMBERS

ONE IN FIVE DON’T KNOW A CHRISTIAN ACCORDING TO the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary’s Center for the Study of Global Christianity, 20 percent of nonChristians in the U.S. do not personally know any Christians. However, atheists and agnostics claim more personal contact with Christians, likely because many have had past associations with Christians. Agnostics

97%

Atheists

94%

Baha’is

89%

Buddhists Hindus Jews Muslims

33% 20%

15% 58%

Percentage of religionists in North America who know a Christian (2010)

CHURCHES THAT ATTRACT TODAY’S YOUNG ADULTS The most recent Faith Communities Today report found that only 16 percent of 11,000 religious congregations nationwide have “significant” young adult participation—that is, at least onefifth of adults are between ages 18 and 34. Here are four of the strongest correlating factors: 1. Newer church: Congregations organized in the year 2000 or later are nearly four times more likely to have significant young adult participation than churches started in 1976 or earlier. 2. Use of technology: Churches reporting major use of technology were more than twice as likely to draw young adults than those reporting marginal use. 3. Men: Young adults are nearly twice as likely to become involved if women make up one-fourth or less of a congregation than if women are the majority. 4. Multiple pastors: Young adults are twice as likely to attend a church with two or more full-time leaders than with a single full-time pastor. 6

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WHY WE GIVE IN MOST PEOPLE—half of all respondents—admit they aren’t sure why they give in to temptations. Of those who did give a reason, few believe it’s because of their human or sinful nature:

50% 20% 20% 8% 7% 2% 1% 1%

Not really sure To escape or get away from “real life” Because I enjoy it To feel less pain To satisfy people’s expectations To take a shortcut to success Source: OmniPoll N = 1,021 Not enough willpower Barna Group study conducted for Todd Hunter’s Human or sinful nature book Our Favorite Sins (Other: 9%) (Thomas Nelson, 2012)

ON MY MIND lance colkmire editor

MISSIONS IN THE MIDDLE

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Y WORLDVIEW changed when my home church started a bus ministry in 1976. I was 17, and I became responsible for a bus route that mostly reached Mexican migrant children living in Dade City, Florida. One family lived in a trailer with a yellow sign reading “This Property Is Condemned.” Another lived in an apartment with concrete walls and floors, and almost no furniture. One Saturday I met a little boy with a bloated stomach that reminded me of pictures of starving children in Africa. Meanwhile, during my freshman year at the local junior college, I started working as an English as a Second Language (ESL) tutor. This program served some of the children I was bringing to church on Sundays. When I transferred to Tennessee’s Lee University as a junior, I planned to major in English, minor in Spanish, and become a missionary to Latin America . . . or become an ESL teacher in the U.S. and do weekend outreach ministry through a church. However, during my senior year at Lee, while doing student teaching at a local middle school, I also worked as a sports reporter for the Cleveland Daily Banner. By the time I graduated, I realized writing would become my career, while children’s ministry would be my weekend focus. Yet, missions still had a place in my heart. Finally, in 2001, I was privileged to take my first international missions trip, doing children’s ministry training at the annual Church of God Youth Congress in Jamaica. My sessions were held under a tent, and when a loud rainstorm blew in, muddying the ground beneath us, it was “No problem, Mon”—my students simply gathered in a close circle around me so they could hear and try to stay dry. The following two summers, my daughter Allison and others from South

Cleveland Church of God flew with me to Jamaica, where we ministered in the Church of God children’s camp. The 2003 experience began with our puppets flying out of the back of a pickup truck on the way to camp, and ended with a pinkeye plague sweeping through the campers. Precious memories! Since then, I have been blessed to return to Jamaica. Also, I have done children’s ministry training in the Philippines (four times) and Western Europe (three times).

The EVANGEL is again welcoming a missions publication into its pages. Last summer, I served with People for Care and Learning in leading a children’s ministry team to Cambodia, and we are returning this July. While these short-term trips are significant, their impact is miniscule compared with the ministry rendered by the missionaries I have met—servant leaders like Yves Bazile in Paris, Scott Rains in Manila, and Matt and Katie Nelson in Cambodia. In addition, I have interviewed and written Evangel articles about various missionaries, including Waneda Brownlow (Africa), Chris and Kathy Swift (Western Europe), and Vince Hungate (urban Atlanta). Missions has always been a focus of the Evangel. In 1933, the Evangel began

featuring a section called “In Foreign Fields.” In the initial entry, E. C. Clark wrote: Feeling the importance of this work, we are trying to keep before our people, through the Evangel, the mission cause. The funds are barely able to take care of the workers we have in foreign fields. Considering the condition of the world and the growing opposition to heartfelt religion, we are praying for God to awaken our people to the importance of the hour.

In 1947, Church of God World Missions started its own publication—The Macedonian Call. Three years later, this publication became part of the Evangel. Every three months, one issue of the Evangel was The Macedonian Call. This continued until 1964. From 1962 until 2013, World Missions again produced its own quarterly magazine—SOW (Save Our World). That is now changing, as the Evangel is again welcoming a missions publication into its pages. The new four-page mini-magazine, GlobalConnect, will be featured in each issue of the Evangel. You will find it in the center, which is where missions belongs—as a central focus of the church.

Four ways to contact the editor: • [email protected] • 423-478-7592 • Church of God Evangel on Facebook • Box 2250, Cleveland, TN 37320-2250

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CURRENTS The purpose of CURRENTS is to inform readers of trends and events influencing the culture.

Mint supports herself through NightLight International by making jewelry and crafts.

fighting thai sex trafficking n A SMALL, DELICATE silver cross hangs around Mint’s neck, a charm she reaches for nervously from time to time as she speaks. “Mint” is her nickname, an Anglicized version of the long Thai name she was given and would rather not make public. As a former prostitute, the 24-yearold is concerned about bringing shame to her family, though she says everyone in her village in the northeastern province of Issan—a poor agricultural region along the border with Cambodia and Laos—would assume, or simply know, she had to be doing sex work to send money back home. Everyone in Bangkok knows how it works. Many of the countless massage parlors, go-go bars, and karaoke joints peppered throughout the city are frequently thinly veiled fronts for prostitution. Heavily made-up girls hang around in the periphery of joints catering to Western tourists. Most of the Asian customers, including Thai men, head to brothels and bars elsewhere, away from the sex-tourism districts. Sex work is such big business in Thailand that the International Labor Organization estimates, conservatively, that it 8

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generates 7 percent of the country’s gross domestic product. Not all sex work is done willingly. Prostitution is a driving factor for human trafficking—the sale, transport, and profit from human beings who are forced to work for others. Thailand is struggling to curb trafficking amid international pressure, and dozens of American groups, many of them evangelical, have entered the country in recent years to fight the issue, with the blessing of U.S. foreign policy. Yet Mint said, “I wasn’t tricked into this—not into prostitution, nor into a Christian life. I entered sex work by choice, but that doesn’t mean it was an easy choice.” She now has a steady job with NightLight International, the anti-trafficking organization that got her off the streets. NightLight’s motto is emblazoned on its website: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” (Isa. 9:2 NIV). And the oppressed, as far as NightLight founder Annie Dieselberg is concerned,

are women exploited by the sex industry, along with children, who are at high risk for such exploitation. Dieselberg founded NightLight in 2005 after almost a decade of missionary work in Thailand with her husband, a pastor of an evangelical church in Bangkok. What Dieselberg enjoys doing most, she says, is rescuing women. She roams the streets at night, searching for those who may need a way out of prostitution—the “survivors,” as she calls them. NightLight employs 50 women, paying them around $250 a month to make crafts and jewelry. The salaries are above Thailand’s minimum wage, and the organization provides medical insurance and a savings plan, as well as a small child-care center. Most of the women at NightLight’s four-story building, just blocks from Bangkok’s infamous Nana Plaza sex district, are younger than 30, and come from Thailand, Burma, and Laos. More than a decade ago, the U.S. Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act established a set of legal tools to combat trafficking nationwide and around the world. To help Thailand, in 2010 the U.S. government awarded almost $12 million in funding to nongovernmental organizations in East Asia that run anti-trafficking programs; about one-sixth of that went to faith-based organizations. “We work closely with many of them, and they give us tips on who the trafficking victims are and where they might be,” said Saowanee Khomepatr, director of Thailand’s Bureau of Anti-trafficking in Women and Children, part of the Ministry of Social Development. But the latest U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report found the Thai government was not fully complying with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. That means possible U.S. trade sanctions if the Thai government can’t prove by the end of 2014 that more trafficking victims are being helped, or that more traffickers are ending up behind bars.

Rescuing sex workers is difficult and often unsuccessful. However, Dieselberg is convinced most women would rather quit prostitution if offered a decent-paying alternative. “We usually have a waiting list of women wanting to come work at NightLight,” Dieselberg says. And that tells her women aren’t so eager to sell their bodies on the streets.

According to NightLight, 160 Thai women and 45 women from other countries have come through the organization since its founding in 2005. There’s no way to know if any of these women have gone back to prostitution. Mint, for one, is grateful for NightLight’s help and has no desire to go back to the streets. “There may be some women out there who say they feel

fulfilled when they find a foreign boyfriend or a man who gives them money for sex,” she says. “But we don’t really know their full story. We don’t know the kinds of things they had to endure, what they’ve been through.” Someday, when Mint has enough savings and business know-how, she plans on starting her own crafts store in Bangkok. —Ruxandra Guidri, RNS

online seminary education expanding n THEOLOGICAL education is increasingly leaving brick-and-mortar schools and heading to congregations and family homes as more seminarians study online. Until 2012, the Association of Theological Schools (ATS)—the main accrediting body for more than 270 seminaries and graduate schools—did not allow any degrees to be offered fully online. Now ATS allows Master of Arts programs to be earned fully online, and there is a process for Master of Divinity programs to waive residency requirements. So far, six schools—Pentecostal Theological Seminary (PTS), Anderson

University School of Theology, Chicago Theological Seminary, Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary— have been granted exceptions to residency requirements for either the Master of Arts or Master of Divinity degree, according to Religion News Service. Today, 103 ATS member schools (38%) offer at least six courses online. “The schools have been learning more effective ways to provide online courses,” said ATS executive director, Daniel Aleshire. “The door has been opened for

schools that have particular expertise, particular information, and a particular constituency that would benefit from this form of information.” Still, there’s some fear that students unsuited to ministry—whether by lacking interpersonal skills or moral character— could walk away with an online degree, Aleshire said. He continued, “There’s real formational power in a community of students with teachers living and working together, and online students aren’t going to have that kind of experience. There’s also real formational power in working with persons in a congregation and being engaged and embedded in a congregation.” Aleshire said online programs at ATS member schools must also have some “patterns of face-to-face interaction.” Dr. Sang-Ehil Han, vice president for academics at PTS, said: At the Pentecostal Theological Seminary, online students engage in interactive and relational learning nurtured by a combination of learning resources such as instructional videos, guided readings of texts, online research assignments, and/or forum discussions. Students are drawn into participatory learning through interaction with one another and with a credentialed professor, who then provides the overall instructional guidance. While they continue to serve in their local ministry setting, PTS online learning is possible anywhere an online connection is available. EVANGEL • mar 2014

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worship the right god in the right way the first two commandments by john l. alexander

T

HE FIRST TWO commandments— “You shall have no other gods before me” and “You shall not make for yourself an idol” (Ex. 20:3-4 NIV)—are dealing with two different problems. The first commandment tells us not to worship false gods. The second is concerned with worshiping the true God falsely. Here are the two most important questions we must answer: Will we worship the right God? Will we worship the right God in the right way?

Worship the Right God “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, where you were slaves. Worship no god but me” (Ex. 20:2-3 GNT). Edmund Crowney said the first commandment defines all others to follow, for in it God defines Himself, establishing His identity and His right to speak commandments for us to obey (How Jesus Transformed the Ten Commandments). God Deserves My Undivided Attention Before God told His people what He wanted them to do, He told them who 10

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He is: “I am the Lord.” He is the sovereign ruler, maker, sustainer, and controller of the universe. Not only is He sovereign; He is also a personal God. When He said, “your God” (v. 2), He used the singular form of the pronoun. He was talking to individuals— to you and me personally. He knows you, and He wants to be known by you. The personal God is also powerful. His relationship with us is a saving relationship. Most people see the Old Testament as only about the law of God and the New Testament as the grace of God. Yet the first commandment is all about grace. God said, “I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, where you were slaves.” God also spoke to Israel this way in Isaiah 43:1: “I have called you by name, you are mine” (RSV). The personal and powerful God is also practical. This is the divine order of God: He revealed Himself, delivered the people, and then gave them instruction. Before He gave the Ten Commandments to live by, He gave His loving grace to establish a personal relationship with them. Out of this relationship He gives rules for guidance.

Andy Stanley said, “Rules without relationship lead to rebellion” (The Grace of God). God Desires My Undivided Affection The Ten Commandments are not about the law of God but the love of God—His love for us and our love for Him. He is one Lord, and He wants our single-hearted love— fully and completely devoted to Him. God is too often seen as a God of law, rules and regulations, do’s and don’ts, and “thou shalt nots.” Yet that’s not what the Bible teaches us. God is love, not law, and He wants us to love Him and to love others as He has loved us. God Demands My Undivided Allegiance “No other gods” makes it clear we are to have an undivided allegiance to God. Who is He? He is the Great I AM. What has He done? He has delivered us. What does He want? No other gods before Him. It cannot get any simpler. When this commandment was made, no other nation prohibited the worship of other gods. Israel’s neighbors were pagans—they worshiped lots of different

gods. People believed that certain gods ruled particular geographic areas or natural phenomena. There were all kinds of gods, and the people believed they all had to be kept happy. And while a person or nation might have a favorite god, they certainly wouldn’t think of narrowing their worship to just one god. They could worship whomever they chose and as many as they chose. People today attempt to make God into what they want Him to be and put that before God. Here are three phrases that frame the meaning of putting something “before God”: • Instead of God—we substitute something else for God. I have heard it said, “It’s not that people don’t want God; it’s that they’ve found something they want more.” • In front of God—we snub God and make Him an afterthought in our everyday lives. • In addition to God—we crowd God out, as shown us in Matthew 6:24: “You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other” (TM). God is saying, “I don’t want to be just first in your life: I want to be the hub of your life that everything else comes from; and if I’m not Lord of all, then I’m not Lord at all.” In Isaiah 42:8, He states, “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols” (NIV). How do we give glory to another? By sharing our allegiance. We find another god instead of the one true and eternal God—like the god of pleasure, the god of possession, the god of play, or the god of position. God doesn’t fit until God is first, because that’s where He belongs.

Worship the Right Way “You shall not make for yourself an idol” (Ex. 20:4 NIV). A Created God Limits Real Worship

Not only does idolatry reduce God to a human level, but idolatry also reaches to the heart level. Martin Luther said, “Whatever the heart clings to and relies on, that is your god. Anything you love, serve, or value more than God is your god.”

God burns with jealousy when we put anything before Him. A created god limits real worship because idolatry regards God at a dishonored level— seeing Him as “the man upstairs,” a “gimmee” god, our “errand” god, or a “saccharine” god who makes everything sweet. At this dishonored level, we are saying, “Any faith will do, just have faith.” The problem is that we have made God into something He isn’t and then worship Him as the image we have created in our mind, and that is an idol. A Created God Leads to False Worship An improper concept of God causes us to worship the right God in the wrong way. This is false worship. Remember that an idol is a physical image used to represent the spiritual God. Christ said in John 4:24, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (NKJV). What if a woman came home and found her husband and another woman kissing? And suppose the man said to his wife to justify his actions, “She is so beautiful that she reminded me of you.” Who would buy

it? God won’t buy this line either: “God, this just reminded me of You, so I’ll just love on You by loving on the things that remind me of You.” 1. We worship the right God in the wrong way whenever we worship God’s creation above God, the Creator. Jeremiah 14:22 says, “None of the idols of the nations can send rain; the sky by itself cannot make showers fall” (GNT). 2. We worship the right God wrongly by worshiping God for some of His attributes but not all of them. We focus on His love, compassion, and mercy, but leave out His holiness and justice. We try to make God into what we want Him to be instead of allowing God to make us into what we’re supposed to be. 3. We worship the right God wrongly by making the expression of worship more important than the essence of worship. Expressions of worship have to do with style; the essence of worship has to do with God. Whenever our focus shifts from the person of God to the style of worship, we’re in danger of breaking the second commandment. 4. We worship the right God in the wrong way when we divorce our concept of God from the conduct it produces in our lives. Too many people simply go to church, sing a few songs, pray a few prayers, feel some warm feelings, and maybe even get convicted by the sermon . . . but then they can just go out and live the way they want to live. The danger is that the worship experience can serve to bring more pleasure to us than it does to God! We must have a proper concept of God. The Creator God Liberates True Worship The passionate cry of God is to liberate us into true worship. He said, “You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Ex. 20:5 NASB). God burns with jealousy when we put anything before Him. While some jealousy Continued on page 13

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Idolatry is the attempt to represent a supernatural God in a natural way by reducing God to the human level. William Barclay

stated, “The very essence of idolatry is that it is the worship of a thing instead of the worship of a person; the dead idol has taken the place of the living God” (The Ten Commandments).

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by hoyt e. stone

do not misuse god’s name

I

T WAS ON A warm, sunny day, below the Blue Ridge Parkway, when I felt the gut-wrenching pain of hearing someone use the Lord’s name in vain. I was struggling to pastor my first church (in Bassett, VA) and to care for my wife and young son. In order to meet personal financial obligations, I had taken a job selling insurance. On this particular day, my supervisor had assigned a young man from Chicago to work with me. He was nice. Young. Handsome. Sophisticated. Well-versed in the technicalities of the insurance business. I drove my car. He sat in the passenger seat and gave me glowing reports of how they operated “up North.” We stopped at a farmhouse and, when exiting from his side of my new black Rambler, he snagged his sport coat on the door handle . . . and then used Christ’s name in vain. His words were loud. Angry. I felt slapped in the face. So much so that I remember little of the visit. Back in the car. More driving. More conversation. I discovered that the young man’s favorite slang expression was “Jesus Christ.” I was not a prude. Having grown up in the coal fields of western Virginia and having worked for 10 years as a butcher—first in a slaughterhouse and then a series of grocery stores—I had spent many hours around rough, blaspheming, vulgar-talking men. I knew all about bad language. I had heard it used in anger and I had heard it used in jest and even with affection. Until that beautiful spring day, I had learned to take such talk with a grain of salt. Ignore it. Pass it off as stupidity, like Grandpa Holmes had once told me. On that day, however, the way my traveling companion kept using my Lord’s name was just too much. I pulled my car to the side of the road and confronted him. I first 12

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told the young man how much the name Jesus Christ meant to me. My Lord and Savior. He did not feel that way. Still, he listened to me. He apologized. He even promised to try to avoid using that expression. We worked together until noon, when it was time for me to check in with my supervisor. Unfortunately, the young man’s habit was such that he let the words slip again and again. I explained things to my boss and said, “I will not spend another hour in my car listening

to such offensive language.” A Methodist, my boss was sympathetic and assigned the expert from Chicago to work with someone else. Like many in this church, I learned the Ten Commandments as a child. Mother and Dad taught me, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (Ex. 20:7). The NIV makes the third commandment more contemporary: “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.”

Scripture lets us know we are always, and under all circumstances, to respect and honor God the Creator. If we do not, Exodus 20:7 says there are consequences— “The Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name” (NIV). The incident above seems a clear violation of the third commandment. However, the commandment can be, and often is, broken in other ways. What the mouth speaks comes out of the heart, and thus it is in the heart where blasphemy, dishonor, and lack of respect originate. Sadly, ours has become a day of vulgarity. Four-letter words seem to rule and reign. This is not to imply that any and every slang word is a breach of the third commandment, but to emphasize that careless words have consequences. They always offend God, and they may offend friends and neighbors.

Ten Commandments. God is supreme. He rules the world. People are to always honor and respect Him.

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. This channel of grace is too precious to treat with contempt.

Christ, our Lord and Savior. This is the channel of grace opened for God’s children. This gift is too precious to treat with contempt. Never should His name be uttered lightly. Never should we pray without sincerity. Never should we sing His name unless it comes from the heart. Certainly we should never teach or preach without bringing the heart into reverent contrition at His feet. Even our human relationships portray starkly the error of misusing names. As a young man, I learned the consequences of telling Nancy over the phone how much I thought of her and then adding, “See you Saturday night, Joann.” That date never occurred. Humor, laughter, words that speak of a joyful heart—these are good and they bring sunshine into the dreariness of our days; but they should never lead us to misuse the name of the Lord our God.

Over the years, an entire lexicon of words has been created. Many believers do not know, and some do not seem to care, that these derivatives are offensive. I was a grown young man before someone explained that golly and gosh were euphemisms for God, just as darn and heck were lighter versions, or derivatives, of more offensive words.

In awe, we bow before Him. We confess our sins. We ask forgiveness. On the basis of His eternal, incomprehensible love— “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16)—we are redeemed and restored to relationship with Him as sons and daughters.

To more fully grasp what is involved here, let’s note the overriding purpose of the

Thus, we pray to Him, “Our Father in heaven.” We pray in the name of Jesus

worship the right god

other god, because I, the Lord tolerate no rivals” (GNT).

is indeed rooted in selfishness, there is an appropriate kind of jealousy that’s rooted in passionate love. God makes this clear in Deuteronomy 32:21: “They made me jealous by what is no god and angered me with their worthless idols” (NIV). This kind of jealousy is fiercely protective of one’s rights or possessions, demanding faithfulness and exclusive worship.

A God who is not jealous over His people is as contemptible as a husband who doesn’t care when his wife is unfaithful to him. God is jealous for us, as I’m jealous for my family; I want what’s best for them, and God wants what’s best for us. Why are the first two commandments first? Because God is about relationship, not rules!

When we worship the right God in the right way, our worship will be centered on the person and work of Jesus, and that will lead to a transformed life.

The emphasis of jealousy here is on Yahweh’s righteous anger in response to any who violate their pledge not to bow down or serve any other god. Exodus 34:14 declares, “Do not worship any

The God who told us not to make an image of Him has, in fact, given us an image of Himself in the New Testament to worship. Colossians 1:15 tells us Jesus “is the image of the invisible God, the first-

John L. Alexander, Ph.D., is lead pastor of the Sanctuary Church of God in Orlando. This article is adapted from his new book Timeless: The Ten Commandments Today (available through pathwaybookstore.com).

Continued from page 11

He is that He is! He is God Almighty! “In him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Hoyt E. Stone is a minister and former editor of the Evangel who lives in Cleveland, Tennessee. [email protected]

born of all creation” (ESV). The writer of Hebrews says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” (1:3 NIV). Jesus himself said in John 14:9, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (NCV).

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by rocky mckinley

finding the rest of god

T

HIS ARTICLE IS DUE TODAY. I probably should have written it yesterday, but I could not because yesterday was my day off.

I take every Monday off. I am not legalistic about it. I just believe if I can protect it, I will. So I have sanctified it—I have set Monday aside. Let me explain why. Some Things Need Explaining Since 1997, my wife and I have been parenting twins. Obviously, raising one child is a huge responsibility; raising two is twice the responsibility. It is our job to help them grow up into responsible, respectable Christians. In our endeavor to help them mature, we have had countless conversations about what they should and should not do. Some of the instructions are short. They are easy to comprehend, and they do not

require lengthy conversations. At other times, we must go into more detail to drive the point home. In giving the Ten Commandments, God kept some short: Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal. He elaborated on some of the other commandments—especially the fourth one. God uses 99 words in the NIV (94 in the KJV) and four verses to teach His children about the importance of observing the Sabbath: Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he

rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy (Ex. 20:8-ll NIV).

I do not believe any one of the Ten Commandments is more important than any one of the others. God gave all of them to us for a reason. However, when it comes to Sabbath, we can easily get caught up in our busyness and push this commandment aside. God knew this could easily become a neglected area of our lives, so He explains in detail the expectations He has concerning the Sabbath. Sabbath is a commandment, not a suggestion. Who’s in Charge? Man and woman were created just before the first Sabbath. Before God allowed Adam to work even one day, God invited him to partake in this wonderful day of

“Early on in my ministry, I neglected the Sabbath. I justified my actions because I was doing the ‘Lord’s work.’”

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rest. The Sabbath is not, therefore, a question of only resting when we are tired, but a sign of commitment to our Father. God requires that we rest. He alone wants to be God. When we don’t participate in Sabbath, we are saying it all depends on us. When we neglect the Sabbath, we are creating ourselves as lord over our lives. If you are like me, I have never been successful at being my own master. I fail miserably when I try to control my life seven days a week. The Things That Matter Most The Sabbath commandment bridges the commandments concerning our relationship with God and the ones about our relationships with one another. As the speed of our lives increases, the quality of our relationships decreases. Our relationship with our spouse suffers. Our relationship with our children weakens. Our relationship with our closest friends is found wanting. If the quality of these tangible relationships decreases, imagine what happens with our relationship with our unseen yet ever-present God. The problem with busyness is we become too busy to notice we are too busy! We don’t purposefully neglect these relationships. It just happens. Sabbath gives us one day a week to focus on the only thing that we can take to heaven with us—our relationships. Corporate Rest Every July, my church participates in Sabbath. We intentionally rest as a corporate body. We still meet on Sundays, but we cancel all small-group activities and plan family-friendly events. I teach our parishioners the importance of rest and relationships. We have done this for seven years now. I believe marriages have been saved and families restored because of our annual Sabbath month. I have watched people grow in their walk with God. They trust Him to do what they cannot do.

It Applies to Me Too I will let you in on a secret, but please don’t tell my church. Our annual Sabbath is more for me than it is for them. I need it. I have a tendency to fall back into my old habits and routines. Every summer, God’s Word reminds me to rest. Just like the Sabbath rest for the land mentioned in Leviticus 25:4, my life becomes more fruitful when I sanctify a time of rest. Early on in my ministry, I neglected the Sabbath. I was at the church seven days a week and worked long hours. I justified my actions because I was doing the “Lord’s work.” In all of the good I was doing, my family was suffering. God convicted my heart and I had to sanctify the Sabbath and keep it holy.

As a lead pastor, I still work on Sundays. But now I take every Monday off to focus on my relationship with my God, my spouse, and my children. I rest from the worries of my job. I allow God to do more in that one day than I can get done in six days. I know there are things to do and people to see. There are never enough hours in a day. So, stop. Recognize God as the Creator, setting aside one day for rest. Be still and know that He is God. Rocky McKinley is founding pastor of Destiny Community Church in Newberry, Florida. For more information about observing the Sabbath corporately, email him at [email protected]. Just don’t expect a response on a Monday; that’s his day off.

PRACTICE GOD’S PRESENCE THE SINGLE GREATEST PRINCIPLE for a life of inner peace is practicing the presence of God. The psalmist declared in the midst of troubled times, “The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Ps. 46:7 NKJV). But isn’t God everywhere? Yes, but there is a difference between the omnipresence of God and the experienced presence of God. God is everywhere, but unless we are aware of it, we will not experience His presence. The Bible uses the term presence of the Lord to speak specifically of the experienced presence of God. “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest,” God promises (Ex. 33:14 NKJV). The psalmist said of the Lord, “You will fill me with joy in your presence” (16:11 NIV). Jesus said, “Where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matt. 18:20 NIV). Haralan Popov survived being imprisoned for his faith by practicing the presence of the Lord. He spent 13 years in a Bulgarian prison. While in solitary confinement, he wrote these inspiring words: I was alone for ten days. I felt so close with God in solitary confinement that I spent the time in praise and worship. Such close communion with God! I talked with Him. He comforted me. It was a spiritual feast for me. . . . Lying starved, alone and too weak to move, I felt I could reach out to God and be taken into His arms (Tortured for His Faith).

—David C. Cooper

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countering a culture that is more about the “I” and the “me” than the “we” and the “us.” The apostle Paul reiterated this case for honor in Ephesians 6:1-3: Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” . . . If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth” (NLT).

by diane mann

a matter of honor

II

N A CULTURE where it is easy to dishonor what God honors and to be entertained by what He condemns, we must take a fresh look at the Ten Commandments. The times demand it and our future depends on it. The fifth commandment states clearly and succinctly, “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you” (Ex. 20:12 NLT). The Hebrew word translated honor comes from a root word meaning “weighty.” It implies an attitude of placing value and the weight of importance on one’s father and mother—regarding them as ordained by God and truly significant in one’s life.

defending this timeless law, teaching our children to lead a life of honor toward their parents. This commandment does not say children are to honor their father and mother until they turn 18, and then they are free of any responsibility. Honor is commanded for a lifetime. It is the heartbeat of God for the family. But is this doable? The ideal is that the child will never shame his or her parents, never bring them any heartache, and never display any anger toward them. However, the reality is not always so pristine.

This is more than a mere suggestion; it is a command. God gives a wonderful promise—a long and full life in a God-given land—to those who obey it.

What about when parents do not exemplify lives deserving of honor? It goes back to the vertical relationship with God expressed in the first four commandments. When that relationship is intact, our horizontal relationship with others, specifically our parents, becomes easier.

In a court of law, some people “plead the fifth [amendment]” when they do not want to respond to the queries of the prosecution. We in the church need to “plead the fifth [commandment]” by

While sons and daughters whose parents honor God will probably find it easier to keep the fifth commandment, realize that honor does not always mean to agree. It means a submission and level of respect

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Obedience is a result of belonging to the Lord and heeding spiritual authority as the right thing to do. Obedience is the fruit of honor. It produces a harvest of favor and longevity. God always honors those who honor Him and that which He loves. Conversely, disobedience is the fruit of dishonor. If we fail in life, it could be because we choose a life of dishonor. It is impossible for God to simply overlook the breaking of this commandment by those thinking it is irrelevant and unnecessary. The heart of honor is willing to protect, care for, yield, submit, listen, and learn. One preacher said, “Honor is a seed that will outlast a lifetime.” Thankfully, my sister and I had parents who loved the Lord. It was an exciting adventure to be the daughter of Garland and Louise Mann. They taught this scripture for what it is—a commandment, not a suggestion. They were clear. If we obeyed, there would be privileges. If we disobeyed, there would be consequences in this life and in the one to come. I am chuckling now as I write about our parents’ instructional techniques for this text. There are times when I am teaching my daughter about this same verse that it seems I am opening my mouth but my parents’ words are coming out! Today I plead the case for the fifth. Love it. Live it. Lavish honor on your parents and enjoy the journey. It is God’s plan. Diane Mann is pastor of the International Worship Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. [email protected]

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A m o n t h l y u p d a t e f r o m t h e w o r l d o f Mi Mi s s i o n s

TIM HILL Director

to GlobalConnect, the newest feature of the Evangel! Each month gh h World Missions leadership anticipate visiting with you through these pag pages. We look forward to introducing our missionaries, telling you about our SK SK WULXPSKVVKDULQJRXUFKDOOHQJHVDQGGLVFXVVLQJRXUFRPPRQHIIRUWVWRIXOÀOOWKH Great Commission. If we do our job well, we believe you will learn a lot about what World Missions does, who are the people who do it, what are the obstacles we must overcome, how you can connect with us by prayer and participation, and what we are planning for the future. Welcome as we begin our journey around the globe together! Here’s a snapshot of World Missions ministries: • When did World Missions start? 1910 • How many countries are we in? 177 (not counting the U.S. and Canada) • How many missionaries serve? 272 from North America; 348 from other nations • How many churches do we have? 29,937 • How many additional churches are getting started (missions)? 3,822 • How many members? 5,932,161 outside North America • How many Bible schools do we operate? 124 • How many students are enrolled in Bible schools? 30,131 As you can see, we have a great story to tell! Enjoy reading GlobalConnect each month, and stay in touch. You can contact us by email at [email protected], by phone, toll-free, at 1-800-345-7492, or by mail at Church of God World Missions, PO Box 8016, Cleveland, Tennessee 37320-8016. Your questions and response to articles are welcome.

Welcome

The Amos 9:13 Paradigm Church of God World Missions Director Tim Hill recently shared the miraculous year of generosity toward missions in the Church of God. “We have just closed the books on a most remarkable year, and all I can say about it is this: It’s been an Amos 9:13 kind of season,” Hill stated. He went on to tell the story of a portion of scripture placed upon his heart when he was elected to the missions director post last year. The Message Bible states in Amos 9:13, “Things will happen so fast your head will swim; one blessing on the heels of the next.” Since the 2012 Church of God International General Assembly in Orlando, the following has taken place in

Church of God World Missions giving and happenings: • General Assembly offering for missionaries received over $700,000. • Marcelly’s Dream initiative launched, bringing in $1 million to date that is providing the Word, water, walls and wellness around the world. • A new church planted every six hours of every day around the world; more than 1,400 in the year. • USA Church Planting aligned with World Missions, resulting in the launch of a new Assessment, Coaching, Training and Serving (ACTS) model. • Two new nations awarded the &KXUFKRI *RGFHUWLÀFDWLRQWRRSHUDWHDV a government-recognized denomination.

JOHN CHILDERS Assistant Director

WORLD MISSIONS CHURCH OF GOD

FUSING TODAY’S DREAMS WITH TOMORROW’S POTENTIAL.

GlobalConnect

WORLD MISSIONS LEADERSHIP Tim Hill, Director John Childers, Assistant Director Dee Raff, Missions Administrator Bill George, Education/Publications H. Grady Murphy, Missions Communications Kenneth Blanton, Chief Financial Officer

FIELD DIRECTORS Africa – Peter Thomas Asia/Pacific – Ken Anderson Caribbean – Ishmael Charles Latin America – David Ramirez Europe/CIS/Middle East – Larry Hess

EDITOR Bill George DESIGN EDITOR Brandon Spell MEDIA TEAM Janet Polen Price, Team Leader; Brandon Spell, Judy Pyeatt

• More Unreached People Groups LGHQWLÀHGDQGHQJDJHGIRUKDUYHVW “While World Missions this year adjusted to more than a $1.1 million reduction in the reallocation and basic budget process, we saw an exponential increase in freewill and auxiliary giving that brought in almost $1.5 million in extra revenue,” Hill explained. “The majority of that amount was designated; however, it still sustained ministries that could have otherwise been lost.” Hill concluded his remarks by revealing the best news of all—1.6 million souls were saved in Church of God ministry around the world. “What a great Amos 9:13 kind of year!” global

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MARKING a

missions

milestone W W W. M A R C E L LY S D R E A M . O R G

Marcelly’s Dream Inspires Record Giving Marcelly Thompson, 7-year-old adopted daughter of missionaries Max and Debbie Thompson, had a vivid dream while her family was in transition just before the 2012 General Assembly. As she slept, Jesus appeared and told her she would preach the gospel in Africa. Because she was Brazilian by birth and her parents had served in Latin America, the Africa connection was unexpected. Within a few days, however, the Thompsons were named to head an orphanage in Liberia, West Africa— without missions leaders knowing about the child’s experience. When Director Tim Hill heard about it, Marcelly’s dream underlined to him that God has a calling for each person and He wants His Word to transcend all boundaries and accomplish His will. “Marcelly’s Dream” became the World Missions rallying cry, with the aim of providing the Word, along with water, walls, and wellness. Amazingly, within 13 months of its inauguration, $1 million has been given

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through the Marcelly initiative. This milestone was reached at the beginning of 2014, and donations continue to arrive LQWKH:RUOG0LVVLRQVRIÀFHHQDEOLQJ the distribution of Bibles; providing clean water; building and upgrading orphanages, churches, and Bible schools; and offering medical and counseling care to orphans, caregivers, and missionaries around the world. Further, sister ministries such as Volunteers in Medical Missions, People for Care and Learning, and Men and Women of Action, which had been facing reduced funding, were assisted by the Marcelly income and have their income secure for this year. Included in the initiatives of Marcelly’s Dream are the following: •Awarding new Bibles among 130 church-related orphanages • Distribution of 7,500 Fire Bibles, including junior youth camps in the USA • Drilling water wells in Senegal,

Zambia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea. • Assistance in building a boys dormitory in Indonesia • Assisting Phebe Grey Orphanage, Casa Hogar, El Shaddai, Kibera Kids, and other orphanages with property improvements • Assisting with building a church in Cameroon and another in Niger • Undergirding Indian Ministries of North America • Initiating the African Firewall Project that will build churches and training centers across the continent • Building 50 homes in the Build a City project in Cambodia • Enhanced missionary resourcing • Entering a missionary care SDUWQHUVKLSZLWKWKH2IÀFHRI  Ministerial Care. The story of Marcelly’s Dream is told on a dedicated website, www.marcellysdream. org. Those who wish to donate may use Project #102-9275.

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Featured Missionaries

Leading a Jungle Hospital Tucked in the tiny village of Rio Viejo in the jungles of Honduras, Central America, a hospital ministers to the needs of 15,000 people along the Cangrejal River. Church of God missionaries Dr. Martin and Wendy Williams provide comprehensive medical, dental, and spiritual care to the people of Northern Honduras. The Williamses’ mission field embraces more than a thousand square miles of mountainous jungle and includes 31 small villages. Since the hospital was opened in 2007, hundreds of people have received ministry. The hospital has earned a reputation for quality care and caring people. Not only do people enter the hospital clinic for treatment, but the Williamses

also offer preventative health instruction in 14 public schools. Named the Dyer Rural Hospital after Julius (Jack) and Shirley Dyer, the missionaries who mentored the Williamses in their early days in Honduras, the property includes the hospital building, a dormitory to host visiting teams and practitioners, intern housing, and a home for the Williams family. In 2013, they dedicated the Wunstel Ward, which includes an operating theater and a seven-bed pre/ post-op area. Dr. Williams was born in Ecuador and grew up in Canada. He met Wendy, who has roots in Florida and Alabama, at Lee University, and they married the year following graduation. After pursuing a program of chemistry and pre-med studies at the University of Florida, they accepted a missionary appointment to Honduras in 1994. He completed medical school in 1997. They have a son, Samuel, who attends Lee University, and a daughter, Rachel, still at home. This gifted couple extends the ministry of the hospital by welcoming

groups from U.S. churches that work with them in visiting villages to offer outpatient care. They also host dentists and medical specialists who come for weeks at a time to enhance the clinic’s services. Besides the Williamses, the staff at present includes Mark and Heather Younger, Brandi Compton, and Tabitha Hiers. The Youngers take care of facilities management and provide general assistance, and Brandi and Tabitha are registered nurses. The hospital has also trained several interns, who have moved on to other areas of service. The Williamses are kept in Honduras by the donations of individuals and churches. Learn more about them and see photos at their website, www.junglehospital. com. Gifts for their support should be designated to Project 065-0078.

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What’s Happening in Missions India

Pastor K.P. Joseph, a pastor from South India who has moved to the state of Rajasthan where there are few Christians, reports advances among four unreached people groups—the Bagadi, Dholi, Ragar, and Saini. Each of these groups speaks its own language and observes its own customs. In recent weeks, 23 new Christians among the Bagadi group and two from the Dholi were baptized. Pastor Joseph often begins in a village by conducting children’s classes, where the children receive tutoring for their school work, as well as learn songs that communicate the gospel. Parents often observe the classes, where they hear the Bible VWRU\IRUWKHÀUVWWLPHUHVXOWLQJLQWKHLUFRQYHUVLRQ To learn more about unreached people, visit www.joshuaproject.net.

Nigeria Dr. T.L. Lowery, American evangelist, recently conducted a crusade in Nigeria and also had the opportunity of preaching to the Redeemed Christian Church Camp near Lagos, where more than 500,000 worshipers attended. The evangelist was accompanied by pastors Daryl Arnold, Tennessee; David Robinson, North Carolina; Michael Richardson, Florida; and Mr. and Mrs. Victor Karns, Colorado. Nigeria has opened another hospital, this one associated with one of the Lagos congregations. Deway Medical Center was made possible through donations from the Jacksonville, Regency, Church of God and Pastor John Morgan. This church provided a 40-foot container loaded with medical supplies and eight hospital beds now used in the center, as well as a 30-kilowatt generator providing electrical power to the church and medical center. The Church of God in Nigeria, led by Alex Abiola, who translated for Dr. Lowery, is experiencing healthy growth. Fifteen new churches were added during 2013, with more than 1,000 new Christians joining the church.

Missions Church Planting in the USA

With 40 million U.S. residents born in another country—13 percent of the population—and with a World Missions track record of starting a new church every six hours, the Church of God Executive Committee has asked Missions to spearhead a church planting initiative in the United States and Canada. The initiative centers on a plan called ACTS—Assessment, Coaching, Training, and Serving. Each applicant will be evaluated for church planting readiness, assigned to a coach who will serve as a mentor, exposed to training opportunities in areas that will equip for planting, and will be taught how to make the church a serving community. Because of the numbers and percentages of unchurched people in the U.S., it has been referred to as the world’s third largest mission field. More than 800 languages are spoken in the U.S. and Canada.

www.cogwm.org

Worldwide In a recent report by the Pew Research Foundation, it was revealed that among 198 countries studied, fully a third of them demonstrated governmental religious hostilities during 2012, the most recent year for which statistics are available. The study indicated that among the world’s 25 most populous nations, Egypt, Indonesia, Russia, Pakistan, and Burma had the most restrictions on religion. The Church of God has congregations in all these countries. The Foundation reported on both government restrictions and social hostilities. Persecution is especially obvious in Islamic-dominated countries. “In our context in the United States where we can practice our faith with a minimum of obstructions, our brothers and sisters in at least 110 countries face daily challenges to their ability to worship God,” observed World Missions Director Tim Hill. “It is our duty and privilege to pray for our persecuted brethren around the world.” 20

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www.cogchurchplanting.com

you shall not murder We are our “brother’s keeper.”

perhaps 2,000 years. Cain brashly asked God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain had no right to ask this question. He didn’t want to accept responsibility, confess his sin, and return to relationship with God. God pronounced punishment, and Cain declared it “unbearable” (see v. 13). It is doubtful that Cain ever knew peace again. But, was his question answered? Was he his brother’s keeper? Are we? It took the entire Book of Genesis for Cain’s question to be answered. It was not verbalized again, but it seems to hang in the air throughout the book. Cain’s answer to conflict was anger and murder. He refused to be a peacemaker.

* Scriptures are from the New King James Version.

H

ALFWAY THROUGH the Ten Commandments, God wrote, “You shall not murder” (Ex. 20:13).* One might think it would be higher on the list since murder was the first sin mentioned after the original transgression of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from the Garden. In a fit of jealousy over the favor of God toward his brother, Cain killed Abel (Gen. 4:8). Many centuries passed before God forbade murder in writing. The King James Version says, “Thou shalt not kill.” The Hebrew word translated kill means “to dash in pieces, that is, kill (a human being), especially to murder” (Strong’s Concordance). “You shall not murder” seems straightforward enough. Yet, throughout Scripture and still today, questions are raised about its meaning and application. Consider the following:

• Does defending ourselves against a would-be killer constitute murder? (After all, self-defense is a legitimate plea.) • Can we abort a pregnancy at will and remain innocent of this commandment? (Regardless of guilt, it is legal in much of the world and is frequently performed.) • Does “throwing the switch” in a capital murder case break the sixth commandment? (In some jurisdictions, execution is considered just punishment.)

The sons of Jacob descended from a family tree of godly men, but they ran from peacemaking and reconciliation. They wanted peace but were unwilling to do the work of making peace. Finally, along came a man named Joseph—the firstborn of Jacob’s favorite wife, Rachel. Jacob showed favoritism toward Joseph, so the sons of Leah, Bilhah, and Zilpah were jealous. They plotted to kill him but settled, instead, on selling him into slavery in Egypt. Their actions were wicked but did not end in murder.

Adam and Eve grieved over the death of one son and guilt of the other. In the midst of the turmoil, God asked Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” (Gen. 4:9).

Joseph the slave eventually became second to Pharaoh. Famine led his brothers to Egypt for food. They found themselves at the mercy of a man they did not know but who knew them well. Their brother Joseph had the power to give them life or death, and they didn’t recognize him. Finally, during a second visit, Judah gave an emotional and powerful speech of intercession for Benjamin, his youngest brother. Sensing transformation, Joseph couldn’t restrain himself. He went for total reconciliation.

Cain’s answer was unacceptable: “I do not know.” Then he asked a question of his own. It was a question not answered for

“I am Joseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore Continued on page 23

Questions always have and always will abound. Opinions differ; they also differ in regard to the alternatives to the urge to kill—peacemaking and reconciliation.

^

• Does war between nations break this commandment? (David said God taught his hands to war—Ps. 18:34.)

by mary ruth stone

In subsequent generations, Abraham and Lot chose separation over peacemaking. Isaac and his half-brother Ishmael chose unresolved conflict. Twins Jacob and Esau chose deceit and threats to kill. The ancient question still hung in the air unanswered: “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

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by rick whittier

• Adultery is motivated by lust; Christians are to be holy and sanctified. • Adultery is not necessarily physical; it is a matter of the heart! We must not minimize the negative impact of promiscuity and sexual impropriety. In The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis wrote, “The truth is that whenever a man lies with a woman, whether they like it or not, a transcendental relation is set up between them which must be eternally enjoyed or eternally endured.”

“A man who commits adultery has no sense”

Sex involves both body and soul. Sex is intended by God to be a form of intimate bonding between a husband and a wife. This is part of what is meant by “they become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24 NIV). Any

(Prov. 6:32 NIV).

the truth about adultery

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ELEBRITIES AND pop culture have mainstreamed immoral behavior. The average person on the street now believes adultery is not wrong; people roll their eyes at any suggestion that sex outside of marriage is sin. Welcome to the postChristian world. Traditionally, we defined adultery as “extramarital sexual activity.” Dictionary.com defines it as “voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than his or her lawful spouse.” The word is derived from its Latin origin, adulterare, which means “to corrupt.” This is an accurate description. The Bible indicates adultery can be committed before marriage (referred to as “fornication”) as well as after marriage. Statistics say 22 percent of American husbands and 14 percent of wives have cheated on their spouse. Christian marriages are not excluded. Too many church members accept sexual immorality as inevitable. The time has come for the church to effectively address questions like these: What is the problem with a little “sexual indiscretion” from time to time? Is God just trying to keep us from having fun? Is the seventh commandment relevant today? 22

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Let’s note what Scripture has to say: • “A man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself” (Prov. 6:32 NIV). • “If a man is discovered committing adultery, both he and the woman must die. In this way, you will purge Israel of such evil” (Deut. 22:22 NLT). • “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral” (Heb. 13:4 NIV). • “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God” (1 Thess. 4:3-5 NIV).

other usage of sex is sin and is, therefore, destructive. Don’t believe what you hear in our culture—movies and reality shows don’t show us the lasting and painful results of adultery. There is good news, however, and this is what we are to preach in regard to adultery: Jesus forgives repentant sinners, including those who commit adultery! If we come to Him in repentance and confess our sins, He is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). When you hear it said the seventh commandment is outdated, recall these points: • Adultery has been accepted as normal, including by many in the church. • Adultery is sin in God’s eyes, regardless of what our culture says.

Most troubling to many is Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:28: “Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (NIV).

• There are eternal negative ramifications of adultery.

These five passages explain important truths about adultery:

• Jesus offers forgiveness and healing to anyone who repents of adultery.

• Adultery destroys the soul. • God punishes adulterers. • Sex is to be confined to marriage.

• Unchecked, adultery will destroy mar- riages, families, and futures.

Rick Whittier is administrative bishop of the Church of God in Minnesota. [email protected]

by daniel smith

do not steal

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UMAN RIGHTS and freedom are touchy issues addressed by the eighth commandment. “You shall not steal” (Ex. 20:15 NKJV) forbids taking away another person’s property—not simply material goods, but also human liberty.

Pursuing liberty and happiness is a Godgiven right. However, in this pursuit we must not suppress the rights of others. To do so is a direct transgression of God’s law, whether or not material goods are stolen. Three Essential Principles The eighth commandment teaches three essential principles for all people to acknowledge and live by daily. 1. The Lord is the owner of heaven and earth. God is the owner of everything because He is the Creator of all. The Lord declared, “Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Ps. 50:10). As the Creator-owner, God holds the right to give ownership to people.

you shall not murder Continued from page 21

be grieved or angry with yourselves. . . . I will provide for you” (Gen. 45:4-5, 11). With that promise, the question that had hung over the entire Book of Genesis was finally answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” the first murderer had asked. Joseph answered with a resounding, “Yes!” He answered with his deeds, his forgiveness, and his reconciliation. Students of the Law in the time of Jesus raised similar questions. Jesus gave answers. After Jesus told a lawyer he would live if he loved God with all his

2. The Lord provides for us. He grants us the right to live freely and have possessions. America’s founding fathers understood this principle, as seen in the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” 3. The act of stealing shows a person is dissatisfied with God’s provision. The apostle Paul teaches us to be content with what we have (Phil. 4:11-13). The individual who steals has a fundamental unbelief in God’s faithfulness. Stealing is a failure to trust in God’s provision. Stealing Within the Church In churches today,

sometimes a thief slips in to steal personal or church property. However, more serious (and more common) stealing is occurring within the body of Christ. For instance, “the member” might silence the voices of other members. Another example: Leaders who fail to listen and lead from a servant perspective might take the freedom of members away. Consequently, many hurting individuals have been enslaved by the very institution God has established to present the message of freedom. The first step in solving this problem is for the leadership of the church to address the issue. The pastor must learn to serve as Christ served. The pastor must learn to care for, listen to, and empower people, for this is the way to restore human freedom. Second, the laity must learn to work together as a team. A team environment produces a sense of belonging, ownership, and freedom to express oneself. To solve the problem of stealing within the church, we don’t need iron bars and police officers, but repentant hearts that will trust God and follow His Word. Daniel Smith, D.Min., is pastor of the Bude, Mississippi, Church of God. pastordaniel [email protected]

being and loved his neighbor as himself, the lawyer asked, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:27-29). Jesus responded by telling the story of the Good Samaritan. The bar for peacemaking had been raised. There seemed to be no one left to hate except one’s enemy. Even that concept came to Jesus with another question. Hear what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. . . . For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? (Matt. 5:43-44, 46).

In Romans 12, Paul echoed the words of Jesus: “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. . . . Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (vv. 19, 21). Cain’s original question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” insinuated that he only wanted to be concerned with himself. It took all of Genesis for a man to say, “Yes. I will care for my brother.” So, what is the secret to keeping the sixth commandment? Loving every human being as we love ourselves. Mary Ruth Stone, Ed.D., is director of Lee University’s Center for Teaching Excellence. [email protected] EVANGEL • mar 2014

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by m. darrell rice

tell the truth

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MAGINE WHAT IT would be like if everyone told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. That’s the call of God’s ninth commandment: “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor” (Ex. 20:16).

What Does This Commandment Mean? The first four commandments teach us how to love God, while the last six teach us how to love our fellow man. The ninth commandment suggests that based on a proper love for God we are to love our fellow man enough to speak the truth and not spread lies and untruths about him.

cover-up, and disclaimers fog the truth. Sometimes it’s blatant and other times more subtle.

In recent months, several prominent authors, politicians, and scientists have admitted to plagiarism. They took someone else’s work and words and claimed it as their own. So prevalent is this tendency that the editors of the Evangel will put this article through a “plagiarism check.” I’m OK with that, because authors of much more notoriety have fallen by the wayside for such dishonesty. God wants us to replace lying and misrepresentation with honesty in our words, hearts, and thoughts. Another troubling tendency toward bearing false witness is the amazing ease in which we accept and repeat unfounded information about others. While so much positive and helpful information is immediately available via the Internet, irresponsible bloggers and gossip columnists often make it their business to destroy reputations with half-truths and lies.

Martin Luther offers an insightful definition in his Small Catechism. We should fear and love God so we do not tell lies about our neighbor, betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way. It’s all about telling the truth and nurturing relationships. Dishonesty Today Being dishonest is a way of life these days. It is very difficult to discern who is telling the truth. Many try to balance the risk of being caught in a lie against the benefits of lying. Exaggerations, overstatements, understatements, false statements, spins,

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Long before this particular lightning-speed communication tool, British author Terry Pratchett wrote, “A lie can run around the world before the truth has got its boots on.” It is disturbing to come across gossip and slander on the Net, but even more so when it is repeated. While truth is lacing up its boots, the misinformation has already made its rounds. The ninth commandment is intended to protect us from defamation of character and uphold an honest person’s reputation. The Consequences of Lying Telling an untruth is a monumental wrong, difficult if not impossible to make

right. To tell a lie is to open a pillowcase of feathers to the four winds. A day later, go find every feather and reassemble the pillowcase. You can’t do it. Like the feathers, lies keep traveling. A few years ago, one of my favorite college football coaches was recruited to leave Georgia Tech for Notre Dame. After a celebrated eight years in Georgia, he lasted only five days at Notre Dame when it was discovered he had deliberately padded his résumé—falsely claiming degrees he never earned from institutions he never attended. He is now coaching a lower-level team, and his reputation is forever ruined. Other examples abound. The damage is done. Yes, God is willing to forgive, and life goes on. Better, we can avoid this unnecessary suffering by committing to truthfulness and honesty. Pursuing the Truth A few years ago, I was invited to join the local Rotary Club. At the end of each weekly meeting, we recited the Rotarian ethical guide for personal and professional relationships known as the “Four-Way Test.” I learned that many of the members adopted this test as a guide for ethics and relationship in their businesses; therefore, I decided to adopt it as well. I’ve invited my ministerial colleagues in Oklahoma and Kansas to join me in this commitment. In fact, we gave a coffee mug to each minister with the “Four-Way Test” of the things I think, say, and do: 1. Is it the TRUTH? 2. Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? 4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? Sounds a lot like the ninth commandment, doesn’t it? M. Darrell Rice is administrative bishop of the Church of God in the Heartland Region. [email protected]

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Help for Overcoming

N LOVING WELL, William P. Smith says, “When I realize that God makes His gifts fit each person, there’s no way I can covet what you got because it just wouldn’t fit me.” Nevertheless, covetousness remains a persistent problem for people today— including churchgoers. Why is covetousness so pervasive? What is it really? How can we overcome it? A Dangerous Emotion The first nine commandments deal with actions, while only the tenth deals with emotion. Implicitly, coveting is such a dangerous emotion that it leads to evil action. So, some might think that transforming people’s external behavior can ultimately produce changed hearts. Significantly, Jesus inverts this order, insisting first on inward cleansing from “greed and self-indulgence” (Matt. 23:2526 NIV). He emphasizes heart and intent both in a law’s purpose and observance (Mark 10:5; Matt. 5:28). In a sense, “You shall not covet” (Ex. 20:17 NKJV) may be the most distinctively “Christian” command in the Decalogue! It’s consistent with the Lord’s self-revelation to Solomon regarding inner motives (1 Chron. 28:9). The same Spirit (not just the letter) shines through the tenth commandment as the Gospels (2 Cor. 3:6). Popular Misconceptions Covetousness is not necessarily most common in the poor or oppressed. Rich and powerful rulers are among the most infamous offenders. David coveted his neighbor Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, leading to adultery and murder (2 Sam. 11). King Ahab coveted Naboth’s field, leading to lying, murder, and stealing (1 Kings 21). Then there are those “regular church members” such as Ananias and Sapphira, who succumbed to covetousness, leading to blasphemy and lying (Acts 5:1-11). Divine judgment came on them all. Covetousness isn’t all about property either. To covet signifies inwardly indulging a longing for acquisition. Its extreme

countering a covetous spirit by tony richie form is a consuming insatiable appetite. The nature of the desire itself is wrong, not necessarily its object. Covetousness is thus related to lustful desires. Coveting sets the heart on that which is not appropriately desired (Deut. 5:21). It occurred in the Garden of Eden with the “forbidden fruit” (see Gen. 3:6). Paul describes coveting as indicative of all inordinate or irregular desire, and particularly representative of the sin principle in fallen human nature (Rom 7:7-8). James says it’s finally fatal (1:15). Ultimate Issues Coveting displaces love of God with love for this world and desire for it rather than for God (1 John 2:15-17). Augustine observes that sin comes when we try to fulfill a perfectly natural desire, longing, or ambition without God. All good things, and all our security, are rightly found only and completely in God. C. S. Lewis suggests that our desires aren’t too strong, but too weak. We’re halfhearted creatures, flirting with this world, when infinite joy is offered to us. We’re far too easily pleased. Let’s desire God (Ps. 42:1)! Israelite craving for meat coupled with contempt for manna angered God, bringing terrible judgment (Num. 11:4-35). Therefore, in Lord, Change My Attitude, James MacDonald says covetousness is a wilderness attitude that blocks God’s fullness in our lives. An appropriate attitude adjustment replaces covetous cravings with holy contentment (1 Tim. 6:6-10). Let’s “desire earnestly” spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 14:1 NASB) and spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3).

How, then, can we avoid such a pernicious yet so powerful temptation? First, know there isn’t anything essentially wrong with wanting more than you have (Ps. 37:4). What’s wrong is to want it at your neighbor’s expense. Second, Jesus teaches that in seeking God’s righteous kingdom rather than running after material needs, both are fully satisfied (Matt. 6:33). Third, anyone who sincerely practices “love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18 NKJV) cannot be given to covetousness (Rom. 7:7; 13:9). Fourth, the level of love required to live above sinful desires is possible only through the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-25). Fifth, the ultimate model of unselfish love is God’s gracious gift in Christ (John 3:16). A Matter of Character Generosity and unselfishness are diametrically opposed to covetousness (1 Tim. 6:18-19). Developing such character traits requires active intentionality. For John Wesley, the preventative and cure for debilitating bondage to covetous desire was a sustained discipline of giving. He urged believers to earn all we can, save all we can, and give all we can! Tithing supplies our lack, not the Lord’s. Sociologists say contemporary society suffers from “a painful, contagious, socially transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety, and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more” (Graaf, Wann, and Naylor). They call this disease of greed “affluenza.” Jesus calls it foolishness (Luke 12:13-21). Covetousness appears in cultures as unbridled capitalism, consumerist materialism, expansionist nationalism, or exploitation of indigenous peoples. It appears in churches as ministerial elitism, celebrity-style clergy, or the so-called prosperity gospel. It appears everywhere objectifying women as property. Wherever it appears, it is sin. Tony Richie, D.Min., is pastor of the New Harvest Church of God in Knoxville, Tennessee. [email protected]

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by laquita propes

A summer story . . .of god’s enduring grace LL IFE IS NOT a journey you want to make on autopilot, because things can change in a moment. My beautiful daughter, Summer Joy, was born March 2, 1989. She had no major problems except for a two- to three-year developmental delay. She was learning, thriving in school, and taking no medications. Just like her name, she was full of sunshine and joy. Then on May 25, 2002, our lives changed forever. This Saturday was filled with the typical things—shopping, eating out, doing laundry, planting flowers outside, having dinner, and then preparing for church the next morning. During Summer’s bath that evening, I ran downstairs to change the clothes from the washer to the dryer. As I passed the bottom of the stairs, I heard a dreadful cry that said to me, Summer is in pain; something terrible has happened! Mothers have a sixth sense that can distinguish the difference in certain cries, and this was one I had never heard before. As I rushed upstairs to see what was happening, my heart was a bundle of fear and horror. The small stuff of life became insignificant, and the long nightmare of 911 calls, hospital visits, brain surgeries, and diminishing health began. My baby was crying with a headache. Her eye and the left side of her head looked red, but I thought it was from her pressing on it. My heart was heavy—struck with panic and confusion about the situation. As I helped her out of the tub, she wouldn’t even let me dry her off. She ran and fell on the bed, screaming with pain. My first thought was to grab the bottle of Tylenol for her. When I got back to her room, she was standing at the television, trying to turn it off. With an earsplitting

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shout, she held her head and cried, “It’s too loud! It’s too loud!” As I gave her the medicine, I noticed that when she looked at me, she was not focusing on my face; I knew something was terribly wrong. My husband, Tommy, heard the crying and came to see what was happening. Still crying, Summer told him her head hurt, and immediately she seemed to fall asleep. At first I thought

she was just exhausted from crying, but then I realized she was unconscious. What followed was a time of horrifying silence. Summer didn’t say another word or make another sound until after seven hours of brain surgery six days later. During the last days in intensive care, Summer would cry out through her oxygen mask, “Oh, my God. Help me, Jesus!” She would say it so loud and with an

attitude that I would try to quiet her so she wouldn’t disturb other patients. But someone nearby said, “It’s OK . . . I know she is going to be all right because she is calling on the right Person.” Our Private Room Days transpired before Summer was able to move her right side, but as prayers continued, the miracle continued. After nine days in intensive care, we were able to move her into a private room . . . and were we ever thankful! At last I could abandon the knotty couch I had been sleeping on in the waiting room and the chair by her bed. And most of all, no longer would I have to take showers on the seventh floor (even though that was a great shower), and no more swollen ankles from sitting and sleeping in a chair. Now we had our very own room, full of stuffed animals and flowers. Best of all, we had a bathroom and couch that made into a bed. Shortly afterward, Doris Fuson delivered the best Italian meal ever. The world seemed almost normal again. I didn’t realize, then, that life would never be the same. Seizures In August 2003, Summer and I were having a typical day at home. I had just prepared her lunch and she was eating from her tray and watching a DVD. Tommy was out of town preaching in Pennsylvania. All of a sudden I heard her scream, “Help me . . . help me . . . help me!” After her surgery, when she would get upset, she had become a little more demanding in her tone. When you add in the drama of a teenage girl, well, you can have somewhat of a diva! I guess God knew she would have to be tough to make it through. I ran in there to see her tray knocked over and she was in a full-body convulsion. I had never seen anyone have a seizure, so I wasn’t sure what it was. I immediately dialed 911 and told them, “Please hurry; something has happened to my daughter, and I think she may be having a seizure!”

I knelt down beside her and was screaming, “Oh, honey, what’s wrong . . . what’s wrong?” In between that, I was praying loudly and asking God for mercy. I thought the ambulance should have already been there, so I called again. They assured me they were on their way. There was road construction and they had to take an alternate route. I begged them, “Please hurry!” Later I understood she could hear what I was saying when all of this was going on, because she said, “Why were you screaming and asking me what was wrong? I tried to tell you!” I never screamed in her ear again.

During the last days in intensive care, Summer would cry out through her oxygen mask, “Help me, Jesus!” The type of seizures that are specific to Summer are partial and generalized. The partials can either be simple or complex, and one presents itself with a series of loud screams, followed by panic, rapid pulse, loss of coordination, and right-side body contractions. She usually has an aura (warning sensation), and the transition back to a normal state can last up to one hour. The other type starts with moaning and tremors. She fidgets back and forth, then she will go into a trancelike state for a few minutes. She drools, contracts, and is nonresponsive. She can have loss of bladder control. Then she will cough and start to recover. She has no recollection of this type. We handle her seizures the

same—attend to her, making sure her airway is open, assure her that all is well. Seizures cause a lot of anxiety, panic, fear, and stress for her. Her face loses complete color and turns gray. Her hands and feet perspire, and she feels a burning sensation (like a fire) in her stomach. Her mouth can also draw up at the corner. It is devastating to see your child go through something like this. She can have 18 to 22 seizures per month, even with the handful of medications she takes. I have to keep a separate calendar with the seizure activity noted. We are always on “seizure alert.” Unanswered Prayers Has life changed for the Propes family? Indeed, it has. We are unable to do a lot of the things we used to do, and that is sad to me. Some days, Summer just doesn’t feel well. She will even say, “I want Jesus to come get me now.” Even though some things are new, our faith in God remains the same because He never changes. There are so many unanswered questions I don’t understand, but I have been raised to trust God. That’s what I do. Women my age are, for the most part, taking care of themselves; or, if they do find themselves in difficult places, all the responsibility may not rest solely on them. That’s a good thing. Even though Summer is 24 years old, I still assist every day with bath time, her food preparation, and any other needs she might have. It’s like having a small child for a much longer period—combined with the drama and needs of a teenager. I realize there are reasons why we have our children when we are young! We need the energy for sure. Lattes and lavender-scented baths are simple things, yet sublime. Through the years, I have been blessed to find good caregivers that allow me to do ministry with my husband or to just have special time together. I have said on several occasions that our date night included a funeral or a wedding. That’s pitiful, I know, but things are better now, even though we are always conscious of our situation no matter how far we go.

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I’m so grateful for every moment and each person who has entered our lives. God has always provided that special one. Sometimes I find myself trying to ensure the future and end up like the children of Israel, wanting more than one day’s manna. But God provided enough manna for only one day. So I surrender to Him and let faith carry me through those times of uncertainty. And enough “manna” (caregiver) is always there. He is so faithful and comes through for me, and He will for you, too! My Hectic Schedule As hard as we try to have a regular routine, there are those days filled with anxiety and unexpected turns. When it’s time for me to give Summer the different daily medicines, my heart goes out to her because she will hold out her little trembling hand, but she takes whatever I give her with no questions, whether it is a Tylenol or a cup full of medicine. Such blind faith! Each day is filled with new surprises, and we always have the possibility of a seizure and the anticipation of more to come. The anxiety of that anticipation clouds her day; however, we have learned

to live with whatever happens. Sometimes the seizure passes, sometimes it doesn’t. We remember the funny times because it helps to take us through the not-so-funny times. With the Lord’s help, we make it one day at a time.

with the lord’s help, we make it one day at a time. Like most of you, I have several electronic devices for quick access to my friends and the cyber world, but I don’t think I will ever be completely paperless. I must keep one calendar for a particular medicine for Summer, a separate calendar for her seizure activity during the day, and then a calendar with my schedule on it. Sometimes the days are too short. I feel like I’m constantly journaling and juggling things. Recently I read where journaling is like a farmer tilling the soil—only this is my life that is being tilled.

When I take time to jot down my feelings and current dilemmas, it is incredible to see the way feelings slip out the end of my pen with solutions to problems I did not know were possible. As I’m writing tonight, she has just had a seizure and has not been able to keep any food down for about 24 hours except for Sprite and a few crackers. These are the dark times, the days when we hold on, believing God for our family and praying for a new day. It always comes. And with that new day comes new hope and the determination to keep striving for all that God has for us. It’s amazing what a good night’s rest will do for a tired body and mind. I used to tell my son, Matthew, “Things will be better in the morning.” Keep Walking This walk of faith (sometimes in the fog) is difficult because we’re asked to believe what we cannot see. This means we often have to walk a dark path. My problem is that I like light better than the dark or the foggy night. If I can see what God is doing—how He is working everything together for good—then I don’t need faith. But still I want to see. This is not my problem only. We say we want more faith, but really what we want is sight. Sight says, “I see that it’s good for me.” God asks us to keep walking, because He is holding our hand. I’m so glad I didn’t know the first 13 years of Summer’s life what would happen on that Memorial Day weekend in 2002. If I had known, I would have been overwhelmed with emotions, to say the least, and I would have been trying my best to find a solution. We cannot live independent on our own knowledge. That is not trusting God. And He asks us to cast our cares on Him because He loves us. Read the rest of the story by getting the book, A Summer Story, from pathwaybookstore .com or by calling 800-553-8506.

Summer and LaQuita Propes

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LaQuita Propes is a member of the International Women’s Committee for the Church of God. She is married to M. Thomas Propes, secretary general for the Church of God. laquitapropes.com

VIEWPOINTS

What is the biggest challenge you face in serving Christ in contemporary culture, and how are you handling it? god, family, church SHIRLEY L. ROBERSON IS ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT OF THE CORNERSTONE FAMILY WORSHIP CENTER CHURCH OF GOD IN WASHINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA.



DO NOT CONFORM to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Rom. 12:2 NIV). In June 1999, I gave my life to the Lord. I prayed and became a Christian—it was just that simple! Finally, I was truly His. Then the biggest challenge came—serving Christ in a contemporary culture. To face this challenge, I needed to be rooted in God’s Word. However, reading and studying God’s Word every day was a challenge for me, because I would put everything and everybody else ahead of spending time with God. Working every day, attending school at night, spending time with my husband, taking care of my children, and spending time with my grandbaby seemed to take priority. I did not have time to read or study the Word of God— so I thought. I began reading other books and magazines when I should have been reading the Bible. My priorities were out of order. I had to rearrange my life so it was God first, family next, and then the church. Once I changed my way of living and put God above everything else, my life became easier to deal with. I began reading the Word of God daily. My family was a little happier, and my responsibilities at church began to be fulfilled in the order of importance. Please do not think this all happened immediately. It took some time as I realized what staying grounded in the Word meant. Staying rooted and grounded in His Word means studying the Word for oneself. Paul wrote to Timothy, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). The Word will stand when everything else passes away.

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Getting focused and staying on course are very important. Rather than deviating or drifting away, we must grow in the Lord. We have so many opportunities to hear God’s Word through television, radio, CDs, and the Internet. We have no excuse not to be close to God. Remember, a relationship with Christ is not a oneday experience. This long-term relationship will continue to grow and develop over time. Our natural bodies need nourishment on a daily basis, and so does our spiritual person. You can never get too full of God’s Word, so “eat” as often as you can, as many times as you can. If you starve yourself spiritually, you leave room for the devil to do whatever he desires with your life. Always remember the right order: God, family, church.

the right balance NATHAN HEADRICK IS PASTOR OF THE SOUTH CHURCH OF GOD IN RED LEVEL, ALABAMA.

AS CHRISTIANS, we are mindful of the way people perceive us. This is especially true of those of us who are pastors. This poses a major challenge, at least for me. If I wear a suit, I am too stuffy. If I wear jeans, I am too casual. If I drive a nice car, I am being too flashy. If I drive a clunker, I am too cheap. The issue is finding the right balance. We want to be “all things to all men” (1 Cor. 9:22), like Paul, who wanted to be relevant to the Romans without offending the Jews. In other words, we cannot allow the church to think we are too close to society. However, we cannot allow ourselves to appear stuffy, judgmental, and distant to society, or they may not come to our church. We end up feeling pulled in several directions at once, all the while trying to watch every move that we make and carefully sculpt every word to communicate the right message. If we are not careful, that message has a tendency to speak of us and not Christ. I decided long ago to just be me and to minister as best as I can. People are looking for someone who will be real with them. Yes, there are those who will not care for certain aspects of my

personality. However, I cannot please everyone every time. The important thing is to make sure that while being me, I am also being Christlike. We can act like a “super Christian” on Sunday during our church services. Yet, people do not see us only within the walls of the sanctuary. Pastors are real people, and we occasionally offend others. So we have to learn when and how to apologize. I am not saying to apologize for our stands on social issues, like traditional marriage and being pro-life. We must take those stands even when they offend someone with a different opinion. I am saying that when we offend needlessly, and people’s perception of us has caused them to feel hurt, we should do all we can to make amends. I am Nathan Headrick, yet I must reflect Christ accurately to society. I am not to convey my own story, but the message of Christ and the Cross. I try to ensure that the opinions I give are Christ-centered and based firmly on the Bible. This is especially important when I am speaking to someone who may misunderstand my heart. As a Christian, especially a pastor, I have to be ready to defend clearly the stands that I take based on the Bible.

a heart after god in a godless world KELSIE KICHEN IS A STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MOBILE. SHE ATTENDS THE OAK PARK CHURCH OF GOD IN MOBILE, ALABAMA.

I AM A YOUNG WOMAN who must make the heartbreaking confession that my generation has abandoned a holy God. Reverence of God has left our hearts and minds. Contemporary culture says, “I am in control and I determine my destiny,” but the holy God I know whispers gently to our heart, I planned your footsteps before you were born; trust and follow Me. Control and trust are the main issues this generation struggles with in serving God. Contemporary culture is drenched in immorality that does not line up with the Word of God. With media that is consumed by sex and the value of image, everywhere my generation turns we are pulled and tossed among false interpretations of our identity, blurring God’s plan for us. Growing up in a Christian home, I learned the value of being sensitive to God’s Word and standing on it in the midst of trials,

thereby finding my true identity in Christ. Jesus Christ plans my every move and monitors the heartbeat that He gave me. The lies the world feeds me don’t have room in my heart to stay because Christ resides there. When I think of the problems my generation faces and the battle to follow God in a world that has abandoned Him, this passage comes to mind: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:15-17 ESV).

We are called to love the people of the world and not the world itself . . . but I believe we have confused the two. Our first call is to live out the will of the Father. We can achieve this only through an intimate relationship with God that takes time and devotion. Relationships—that is another area in which we do not excel. With technology taking the place of faceto-face interaction, the initial design of communing and walking daily with God is a hard task for most of my generation. However, I cannot live without that walk daily. I fall flat on my face and everything goes black without the sweet Holy Spirit guiding me and holding my hand every step of the way. He is my life source. Even when I can’t grasp His amazing love and trust Him completely, He still loves and waits. I may live in a culture that has blurred the image of God, but I know there is hope—the fact that He is above all. All I can do is breathe Him in and let Him radiate through my life to those around me. To be a living vessel for Him is my call: Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work (2 Tim. 2:21 ESV).

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PEOPLE AND EVENTS

DECADES-LONG VISION BECOMES REALITY FREGON, APY Lands, South Australia—Australians Graeme Treloar and a friend, Nick Pichiguin, both found the Lord as their Savior in the 1970s. God spoke to them during that time that they would minister together someday. When Graeme and his family moved to the United States, they thought that ministry would never come to fruition. Eight years ago, however, Graeme returned to Australia for three weeks to see if any doors of ministry would open. None did until the very last night. Some Aboriginals came to where he was staying and played their didgeridoos (wind instruments). At that moment, it was plain to Graeme and Nick that they were to minister to the Aboriginals—native Australians who have suffered much discrimination and abuse. Three years ago, Graeme Treloar led a team into Port Augusta and built a youth building in seven days. They also went to Nepabunna and repaired homes, built a veranda for an elder (Kelvin Johnson), and built relationships. The next year he brought another

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team and visited various communities, building more relationships in the APY Lands. While in Fregon, Graeme was invited by the elder (Roger Kyapipi) to return and lead an evangelistic crusade. Only invited guests are allowed to enter the lands of the Aboriginals. They still have to gain a permit and pay a fee for the visit. The roads on the APY Lands are in poor repair. There are many washouts and potholes. Also, many wild animals, including donkeys and camels, wander the Lands. In building his team for the crusade, Graeme asked missionary Glen Anniskette to be the keynote speaker and his wife, Susie, to help minister in music. Graeme’s wife, Scarlett, and their son, Kris Battle, also helped with music. Betty Ann NeeSmith (from the Treloars’ home church in Georgia), who has been on all three trips with the Treloars, came to minister to the children. Of course, Nick Pichiguin was there to drive and help with the pre-event logistics. The journey began with Graeme and Kris flying into Adelaide and meeting with Nick to

buy all the supplies for the crusade. Graeme’s and Nick’s vision was to not only feed the people spiritually but physically as well. They bought one ton of meat along with all of the other necessary supplies.

Glen Anniskette (left) and Graeme Treloar receive gifts. Graeme, Nick, and Kris arrived first in Fregon to prepare the home they were to stay in for the event. Witjiti George, a local Aboriginal, loaned a vacant home to the group. It was filled with spiders, so Graeme, Nick, and Krsis cleaned it out for the rest of the team. On the first night, about 100 people attended the meeting. The Holy Spirit moved, and nearly

all the people came forward for prayer. Two were saved that night, and a man’s shoulder was healed. The next night, attendance was lower. Graeme learned that the communities were observing what they called “the secret men business.” During this time, the roads are closed between the communities and no one is allowed to travel at night. The “business” the men carry out is an ancient barbaric practice that brutally promotes men into being boys. Regardless of the Enemy’s scheme, the services continued and some were able to push through the barricades to attend. Some of the team wondered if God had removed most of the men from the community because of their possible negative influence toward the crusade. One night, God miraculously delivered a young girl from a tormenting demon. It was incredible to see her standing with two of the team members smiling and enjoying the hugs and prayers. Twenty people committed their life to the Lord during the crusade, and many were healed. The last night, team members were asked to stand before the congregation, who presented them with handmade bracelets, necklaces, and baskets. Graeme and Glen were given two beautiful paintings of crosses. The congregation then sang “God Be With You” in their native tongue. This ministry is continuing. Graeme and Scarlett Treolar are moving back to Australia to continue to work with Nick in the APY Lands. To learn about supporting this ministry, contact Susan Anniskette (sanniskette2010 @gmail.com).

For daily news updates about what’s happening in the Church of God and Evangelical world, visit FAITH NEWS NETWORK, at www.faithnews.cc.

DECEASED MINISTERS

Florida Seniors Revisit Church of God Auditorium JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—Church of God senior adults revisited the Church of God Auditorium here as the concluding event of their 2013 Young at Heart convocation. Their theme, “Under the Shield,” referenced Ephesians 6:16—“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Bishop Martin Wright and the Church of God Sanctuary of Praise hosted the three days of worship and workshops. The concluding service was a reunion “homecoming” at the former auditorium, affectionately known as “Steel and Blue” because of its street location. The auditorium was dedicated in 1932

and housed the national headquarters and general assembly of Church of God black ministries until desegregation in 1966. Afterward, the building housed the state offices of Florida black ministries until their relocation to Cocoa in 1978, and a local congregation until 1991. Former Administrative Bishop Quan L. Miller preached the reunion, and participants wore t-shirts displaying the former Church of God emblem of a cross and shield. At the close of the event, seniors took home gift baskets of items provided by Operation Compassion. Bishop Jerry L. Pugh leads senior adult ministries for the Cocoa office.

n AUVENSHINE, Marie D.; 62; ordained minister; Georgia; David Auvenshine (husband)

n LANE, Marla Elaine; 70; ordained minister; Illinois; Roger Lane (husband)

n BAGGETT, Troy Alvin; 78; ordained bishop; North Carolina; Curtis Baggett (son)

n MCALPINE, Stanley Lloyd; 57; exhorter; Alabama; Melinda McAlpine (wife)

n BARRET, Violet Z.; 99; exhorter; New York; Mavis Barrett (daughter)

n MCGUIRE, George A.; 93; ordained bishop; Tennessee; Dennis McGuire (son)

n BROOKS, Virgil A.; 89; ordained bishop; Georgia; Louise Brooks (wife)

n MCKAY, Eldridge Ray; 86; exhorter; Alabama; Michael Kantz (stepson)

n BROWN, Donald R.; 75; ordained minister; Arkansas; Alma Brown (wife)

n MURPHY, Dorothy M.; 97; ordained minister; Tennessee; Grady Murphy (son)

n BUTLER, Franklin D. R.; 79; ordained bishop; Georgia; Betty Butler (wife)

n MYERS, William Oliver; 81; ordained bishop; Virginia; Dessie Myers (wife)

n CAUDILL, Jim; 63; ordained bishop; Ohio; Donna Caudill (wife)

n NATIONS, Arvle Ben; 85; ordained bishop; North Carolina; Marie Nations (wife)

n CRAVEN, Ruth S.; 97; ordained minister; Tennessee; Joyce McKinney-Arrington (daughter)

n OGDEN, Jesse, Jr.; 72; ordained bishop; Georgia; Pat Ogden (wife)

n DYSON, Odell Lonnie; 93; ordained bishop; North Carolina; Priscilla Butler (daughter) n GOMEZ, Fernando Gregorio; 63; ordained minister; Argentina; Olga Vargas (wife)

n PARKER, Wilma Ann; 50; exhorter; North Carolina; Billie Ann Peal (mother) n PATRICK, Doyle D.; 85; ordained bishop; Arkansas; Charlene Patrick (wife) n RICE, Billy Joe; 83; ordained minister; Texas; Jerry Rice (son)

n HUTCHISON, Jacob T.; 84; ordained minister; Tennessee; Joann Hutchison (wife)

n SEARS, Daniel Mervin; 67; ordained bishop; West Virginia; Mary Sears (wife)

n IVY, George Washington; 94; ordained bishop; Texas; Juanita Ivy (wife)

n SMITH, Lawford A.; 74; ordained bishop; Florida; Evadne Smith (wife)

n JERNIGAN, Marvin C.; 81; ordained bishop; North Carolina; Denise Gaddy (daughter)

n WALKER, Alma Lucille; 89; ordained minister; Tennessee; Crystal Walker (daughter)

n KELLEY, B. L.; 78; ordained bishop; Tennessee; Patrick Kelley (son)

n WALLACE, Dennis Lee; 64; ordained bishop; Nevada; Cha Suk Wallace (wife)

n KEMP, Charles Tulon; 81; ordained bishop; Illinois; Kathy Bowers (daughter)

n WISECARVER, Kevin L.; 52; ordained minister; Arkansas; Gloria Lone (aunt)

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW? by david g. roebuck

sanctuary of praise

a century of worship

M

ARCH 2014 is a month of celebration for Bishop L. Martin Wright and the Church of God Sanctuary of Praise in Jacksonville, Florida. This congregation has been proclaiming the gospel in the “first coast” city of Florida for more than a century. The Church of God was first established in Florida in the spring of 1909, when General Overseer A. J. Tomlinson and T. L. McLain traveled to Tampa and then to the Pleasant Grove Camp Ground near Durant. As a result of the camp meeting in Durant, 174 joined the Church of God and Tomlinson credentialed 19 ministers. From that foundation, the church quickly spread throughout the state. Although events surrounding the planting of the first congregation in Jacksonville are uncertain, the Church of God may have had a presence there as early as 1909. When the General Assembly Minutes began listing congregations in January 1913, Jacksonville was on the list with Crawford F. Bright serving as clerk. S. E. Everett may have been the first “settled” pastor. In their earliest years the congregation worshiped in a tent, a store building, and a member’s home. After Crawford Bright became the pastor, the church purchased land on the corner of Steele Street and Blue Avenue, where they worshiped in a house. When segregation and Jim Crow laws made it expedient for the General Assembly to establish a separate structure for

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black members known as the “Church of God Colored Work,” Jacksonville became their headquarters and convention center. Utilizing the property at Steele and Blue, they constructed an auditorium to serve both the local congregation and the national work. As pastor and an experienced builder, Bright oversaw the construction. The congregation dedicated the lower level in 1932 and the upper level in 1936. Although the national meetings ended with racial integration in 1966, the local congregation continued to worship in and be identified as the Church of God Auditorium. Surrounded by an aging neighborhood, there was no room to expand, however. Bishop Thomas Chenault led the congregation to locate property at 5755 Soutle Drive, where Bishop Wallace

J. Sibley Jr. dedicated their current facilities on June 13, 1991. Today the Church of God Sanctuary of Praise serves Jacksonville through more than 40 ministries. Their holistic approach includes a robust Christian education program and a multidimensional outreach to serve the needs of the city. Educational programs emphasize both the study of the Word and practical applications to everyday life. Many ministries focus on the needs of hurting people. Classes for unwed mothers include an emphasis on health and financial stability. Chaplains reach into jails, prisons, hospitals, nursing homes, and shelters for women and men. Undergirding these ministries is a commitment to be a Pentecostal church that preaches the Word. According to Bishop Wright, “Our main drive is to reach the unreached with the message of salvation, to proclaim the Word of God, and to take the gospel to the streets.” David G. Roebuck, Ph.D., is the Church of God historian and director of the Dixon Pentecostal Research Center on the Lee University campus. droebuck@ leeuniversity.edu

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