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NEWS and VIEWS
GOSPEL MEETINGS DECLINE Garreth L. Clair
The gospel meeting [i.e. old time revival meeting] is a subject that does not get much attention today. I do not know why the gospel meeting concept is not as popular among churches of Christ [cf. Romans 16:16] as it was in past ages but there can be no real doubt that they are not being used by congregations as they once were. Perhaps there are many reasons that this old and tried method of evangelizing [i.e. teaching] our neighbors and edifying the membership has fallen on less popular times. In this dissertation let us examine some possible reasons for this change in evangelistic fervor.
This change in popularity of gospel meetings began in the late 50s and has continued to the present time. Many congregations began by limiting their involvement in protracted meeting to one each year. This practice led to the three day meeting, including one Sunday [i.e. usually]. Today we have heard of some churches that have abandon the yearly gospel meeting all together, they have no gospel meetings. REFERENCE --- Col 1:10, “to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;” ASV 2 Cor 9:8, “And God is able to make all grace abound unto you; that ye, having always all sufficiency in everything, may abound unto every good work:” ASV 2 Tim 2:21, “If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, meet for the master's use, prepared unto every good work.” ASV Titus 3:1, “Put them in mind to be in subjection to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready unto every good work. “ASV
First, the membership of most congregations is so busy with the secular workplace that they have hardly any spare time. Many families are living lifestyles that forces both husband and wife to work so that they may make ends meet. This of course is a lifestyle choice that has surely extinguished the time for religious observances beyond the Sunday morning worship. This fact in no way excuses the Christian of their responsibilities to God and to the support of the local congregation’s work commitments. REFERENCE --- Matthew 6:32-34, “32 for after all these things do the Gentiles seek [glc – material security, things, status,]; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 but seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
Secondly, the sports and activities of our public school system have increased dramatically in the past 60 years. This increase is seen in the introduction and increase in popularity of soccer, martial;-arts, and other new innovations in sports and physical activities offered by the educational system. This has surely taken away from Christian parent’s valuable time because of their children’s involvement in some of these activities. There is also the tremendous increase of girls [i.e. women’s] sports activities in the school system, this has also brought dad and mom into the time consuming activities of providing transportation and materials for out of school activities for both sons and daughters. REFERENCE --- Again parents and young people see Matthew 6:33-34, “33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” ASV
Thirdly, we must also note the increase of martial problems throughout our culture, the ever eroding concepts of marriage, living together, etc of our society today. The acceptance of living together without marriage is nothing less than fornication and uncleanness yet it is accepted in our society today. All this change of attitude toward marriage, divorce, living together, and homosexuality has lessened the interest of our society in spiritual [i.e. religious] matters. People who know their lifestyle violates the teaching of the Bible simply reject the Bible and all religion that condemns them. This change in our culture has deadened the influence that gospel meetings have had in the past. REFERENCE --- Matt 5:32, “but I say unto you, that every one that putteth away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication , maketh her an adulteress: and whosoever shall marry her when she is put away committeth adultery. “ASV 1 Cor 5:1-2, “1 It is actually reported that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among the Gentiles, that one (of you) hath his father's wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and did not rather mourn, that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you.” ASV 1 Cor 6:13-18, “13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall bring to nought both it and them. But the body is not for fornication , but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body: 14 and God both raised the Lord, and will raise up as through his power. 15 Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? shall I then take away the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot? God forbid. 16 Or know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall become one flesh. 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication . Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” ASV Heb 13:4, “4(Let) marriage (be) had in honor among all, and (let) the bed (be) undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” ASV
For those who live these wicked lives there is only one hope, that they will one day see the error of their way and turn to God’s way. Only then, will there be zeal for gospel meetings and for things of a religious nature. Mankind must return to the foundations of true religion established by our Lord Jesus Christ nearly 2,000 years ago. Matthew 16:18, “And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (ASV)
Let us all seek the things of God, let us concentrate ourselves to God’s Truth John 17:17. As we consider the failings and the causes of our failing to serve God as faithful as our for-fathers, let us rededicate ourselves to the principle of truth; “seek ye first the kingdom of God [i.e. the things of God] first in our personal, martial, family, neighbor, and all things. INFORMATION PLEASE!
BROTHERHOOD PUBLICATIONS [i.e. hard copy] As of 2007 Heritage and History 1. The Christian Baptist (1823-30) was edited by Alexander Campbell with emphasis on "A Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things." Campbell's Millennial Harbinger (1830-70) continued this emphasis but moderated to promote the missionary society and similar organizations unauthorized by the ancient order of things. 2. The Gospel Advocate (1855-61, 1865-present) has been edited by Tolbert Fanning, William Lipscomb, David Lipscomb, E.G. Sewell, F.D. Srygley, J.C. McQuiddy, A.B. Lipscomb, H. Leo Boles, James A. Allen, Foy E. Wallace, Jr., John T. Hinds, B.C. Goodpasture, J. Roy Vaughn, Ira North and Guy N. Woods jointly, and F. Furman Kearley. In the early years, the Gospel Advocate was a stalwart in defending the Bible pattern against the onslaught of instrumental music and missionary societies. F.B. Srygley said of "the second generation of writers for the Advocate," "Soft preaching was not characteristic of the preaching of any of them" (Gospel Advocate, 2 Mar. 1939, p. 193). Under Goodpasture (1939-77), the Gospel Advocate began to moderate and drift. The Gospel Advocate became an advocate of many things not found in the gospel such as institutionalism and related practices. 3. The American Christian Review (1856-87), edited by Benjamin Franklin, helped to hold the line against instrumental music and missionary societies in the north and midwest. 4. Lard's Quarterly (1863-68), edited by Moses E. Lard, carried many strong articles and protested any departure from the truth but tried to accommodate the missionary society. 5. The Octograph (1883-87), Octographic Review (1887-1913), Apostolic Way (1914-40), and Apostolic Review (1920-40) were edited by Daniel Sommer, who was influenced greatly by Benjamin Franklin. 6. The Firm Foundation (1884-present) has been edited by Austin McGary, G.H.P. Showalter, Reuel Lemmons, William S. Cline, and H.A. Dobbs. In its early years, it helped hold the line against instrumental music and missionary societies west of the Mississippi River. Lemmons led the Firm Foundation away from the firm foundation of truth on institutionalism and related practices. 7. The Gospel Guardian (1935-36) was edited by Foy E. Wallace, Jr., and the Bible Banner (1938-49) by Foy E., Jr. and Cled E. Wallace jointly, with much help from Roy E. Cogdill beginning in March of 1946. Both were strong papers during the battles over premillennialism and the rising tide of pseudo-unity movements. The Bible Banner openly opposed and restrained the move to get colleges in church budgets. 8. The Gospel Guardian (1949-80) began with Foy E. Wallace, Jr.'s blessings and was edited by Yater Tant, William Wallace, Eugene Britnell, and James W. Adams. Roy E. Cogdill was owner and publisher of the Gospel Guardian during 1949-62, and wrote often in its pages. It focused on defending the Bible pattern against the onslaught of institutionalism and related issues. After the last copy of the Gospel Guardian appeared in December of 1980, it merged with Truth Magazine to form the Guardian of Truth. 9. Truth Magazine (1956-80) has been edited by Bryan Vinson, Jr., Cecil Willis, and Mike Willis. Roy E. Cogdill was close to Cecil Willis and had a significant influence on Truth Magazine until his death in 1985. At first, Truth Magazine focused on modernism in the Chicagoland area, where seventeen preachers had been lost in seventeen years. Then, the paper faced the onslaught of institutionalism, and fought back a false unity movement in the 1970s-80s. Under the name Guardian of Truth, it continues to provide a forum for preaching the gospel and defending sound doctrine in the face of current dangerous trend. 10. Searching the Scriptures (1960-92) was first edited by H.E. Phillips and James P. Miller jointly, then by Connie W. Adams. Searching the Scriptures was a strong voice for the truth first in Florida, then in the southeast and finally nationwide. After the last copy appeared in December 1992, it merged with Guardian of Truth. 11. Preceptor- current editor for information --- DBrown1224 12. Gospel Truths - current editor for information --- tulsa33@juno.com
RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE
Note: The term "religious tolerance" has three distinct meanings:
Anon (taken from the Native American Indian Traditional Code of Ethics. Inter-Tribal Times, 1994-OCT) "8. All the races and tribes in the world are like the different colored flowers of one meadow. All are beautiful. As children of the Creator they must all be respected." Anon "Toleration isn't much. But it is the first step towards curiosity, interest, study, understanding, appreciating and finally valuing diversity. If we can get everyone on the first step of tolerance, at least we won't be killing each other." Abdul Baha, "I Heard Him Say" "Let us have love and more love; a love that melts all opposition, a love that conquers all foes, a love that sweeps away all barriers, a love that aboundeth in charity, a large-heartedness, tolerance, forgiveness and noble striving, a love that triumphs over all obstacles." Dr. Erhard Busek, M.P., Austria "The struggle against intolerance is a duty of the individual as well as an obligation of the society." George W. Bush, President: Address to a joint session of Congress, 2001-SEP-20. "I ask you to uphold the values of America and remember why so many have come here. We're in a fight for our principles, and our first responsibility is to live by them. No one should be singled out for unfair treatment or unkind words because of their ethnic background or religious faith." At a news conference on 2005-APR-28: "Role of religion in our society? I view religion as a personal matter. I think a person ought to be judged on how he or she lives his life or lives her life. And that's how I've tried to live my life: through example. Faith plays an important part in my life individually. But I don't ascribe a person's opposing my nominations to an issue of faith….The great thing about America is that you should be allowed to worship any way you want. And if you chose not to worship, you're equally as patriotic as somebody who does worship. And if you choose to worship, you're equally American if you're a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim." Alexander Chase, journalist and editor: "More and more people care about religious tolerance as fewer and fewer care about religion." Garreth L. Clair, Evangelist Church of Christ: “Tolerance is always a wise and useful virtue; no nation or group of people can survive without it. Tolerance in religious matters has limits; only that which is opinion can contribute to toleration. Those things that are clearly taught upon the pages of the Holy Scriptures, properly interpreted cannot be a contributing factor to religious tolerance…” Sermon – 3-8-1998 – considermagazine.com Lee R. Clancey, Mayor of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in a Proclamation promoting diversity & tolerance: "...tolerance is a personal decision that comes from an attitude that is learnable and embraceable - a belief that every person in earth is a treasure, vital to the health and prosperity of all..." James Dobson, founder and president of Focus on the Family" interviewed by Tony Snow of Fox News Channel, 2001-SEP-20 "It is very important to understand that pluralism is part of our system. We don't all think the same thing and part of our strength is that we come from different perspectives. We have to respect one another even when we disagree with each other. There has to be a spirit of tolerance for the views of others, while also being deeply committed to the positions we hold. If we do that, I think we can coexist and learn to love each other better." 2 Albert Einstein "The wiser you are, the more you believe in equality, because the difference between what the most and the least learned people know is inexpressibly trivial in relation to all that is unknown." George Eliot "The responsibility of tolerance lies with those who have the wider vision." Walter Farrell, "The Looking Glass" "Tolerance does not...do anything, embrace anyone, champion any issue. It wipes the notes off the score of life and replaces them with one long bar of rest. It does not attack error, it does not champion truth, it does not hate evil, it does not love good." Robert I. Gannon "Tolerance...is the lowest form of human cooperation. It is the drab, uncomfortable, halfway house between hate and charity." Kahlil Gibran, Lebanese artist & poet (1883 - 1931) "I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet, strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers." Goethe, "Maxims and Reflections" "Toleration ought in reality to be merely a transitory mood. It must lead to recognition. To tolerate is to affront." Senator Barry M. Goldwater, 1981-SEP-16 "The great decisions of government cannot be dictated by the concerns of religious factions.... We have succeeded for 205 years in keeping the affairs of state separate from the uncompromising idealism of religious groups and we mustn't stop now. To retreat from that separation would violate the principles of conservatism and the values upon which the framers built this democratic republic." David Grayson "Commandment #1 of any truly civilized society is this: Let people be different." Joshua Liebman, social critic: "Tolerance is the posture and cordial effort to understand another's beliefs, practices, and habits without necessarily sharing or accepting them." Martin Luther King, Jr. "I have a dream...that some day my children will be judged not by the color of their skin but rather by the content of their character." Dr. Thomas Klestil, President of the Federal Republic of Austria: "The more people come together, the more borders will be opened and people and opinions get together, the more unrenouncable tolerance will be a fundamental part of our social life. Without tolerance there is no religious liberty, no freedom of conscience and no freedom of thought." C Everett Kopp, former U.S. Surgeon General "The American ideal is not that we all agree with each other, or even like each other, every minute of the day. It is rather that we will respect each other's rights, especially the right to be different, and that, at the end of the day, we will understand that we are one people, one country, and one community, and that our well-being is inextricably bound up with the well-being of each and every one of our fellow citizens." Eric von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, "Principles of the Portland Declaration" 1 "19. Tolerance can be exercised only by those who have well-grounded convictions (although it will not always be exercised even by them). For such people tolerance is an act of self-abnegation; although they are convinced that those who differ from them must be wrong, they nevertheless will protect their rights." Martin Luther "Peace if possible, but truth at any rate." Richard D. Mohr, "A More Perfect Union" "Religious belief is a fine guide around which a person might organize his own life, but an awful instrument around which to organize someone else's life." Bill Moyers "If being tolerant of differing opinions, if believing that America has to make it as a pluralistic nation, if being civil, if that makes you a liberal, I plead guilty." Prophet Muhammad: Riyadh us-Saleheen Volume 1:632 "You have two qualities which God, the Most Exalted, likes and loves. One is mildness and the other is toleration." Prof. Fritz Muliar, Austrian actor "Tolerance is obvious, but tolerance alone is not enough. Tolerance means more than toleration. I want more." From the home page of this web site on 2002-SEP-11: "9-11:
A time to look backwards and condemn the religious intolerance that drove (and drives) religious fanatics to murder innocent people in New York, Washington, Sudan, Bosnia, etc.
A time to look forward and dedicate ourselves as individuals to the creation of a just world, free of religious hatred.
A time for us to hold our faith groups to a higher standard of love and justice.
A time for us to realize that our perception of God's light can guide us or can blind us." Senator Warren Rudman "The millions of Christians in this country reflect just about every conceivable political point of view. For one highly conservative group to proclaim itself 'the Christian Coalition' strikes me as decidedly un-Christian arrogance.... We reflect countless races, religions and lifestyles, and we often differ on questions of morality and behavior. The only way so diverse a nation can survive is by all of us practicing a high degree of tolerance. But tolerance is not the way of the Christian right. Its leaders want to impose their one-size-fits-all morality on everyone. It won't work. When any group tries to impose its values on everyone else, the result will inevitably be resentment, hatred and violence. John Shelby Spong, Episcopal Bishop "When the dust settles and the pages of history are written, it will not be the angry defenders of intolerance who have made the difference. The reward will go to those who dared to step outside the safety of their privacy in order to expose and rout the prevailing prejudices." Martin Niemoller "In Germany, the Nazis first came for the Communists, and I did not speak up, for I was not a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak up, for I was not a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak up, for I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I did not speak up, for I was a Protestant. And then they came for me, and by that time, no one was left to speak up." National Conference of Christians and Jews: Statement on Religious Freedom and Mormonism "It is not the policy of the National Conference to promote one religious faith over another or to champion the views of any religious group. However, it is our intent and our very purpose to oppose vigorously the actions of any group, religious or secular, that would enhance or engender religious prejudice." Brian Trent: (from his historical novel "Remembering Hypatia:" "What matters," Synesius [of Cyrene] said excitedly, "is the actions of any given people. Suppose you were a Babylonian, and you worshipped Marduk, and the way you worshipped him was to dance around a fire, throwing spices into the flame. . . or suppose you worshipped Dionysus. . . but suppose that whoever you worshipped, you were kind to your neighbors, loving to your children, respectful of the elderly. It wouldn’t matter what God or Gods you bow before!" Simon Wiesenthal "Tolerance and human rights require each other." Wendell Willke "No man has a right, in America, to treat any other man TOLERANTLY, for TOLERANCE is the assumption of superiority." Zain Winter "The idea that a country or a people could somehow be ordained by heaven to commit unspeakable acts in God's name is insane. Unfortunately, history is full of inhuman acts by religious leaders in the name of their dogma or holy war. Only when the world accepts there are no chosen people and no chosen religions will we earn the right to call ourselves human beings."
CONCLUSION: It is apparent that many people from all walks of life have a yearning to be tolerant. Well, that is ok up to a point but I must disagree with many of the comments that I must disagree with most of the statements contained in this listing of statements of toleration. Perhaps, I am just too religious to compromise the truth as I believe it exist in the religious realm. There is only one truth, that truth emanates from GOD. The only standard authorized by God for man's religious practice is the Bible. Since this is true I have no options when it comes to truth, if the Bible says it it is the truth --- if the Bible does not teach it it is not the truth. Please examine the following scripture references: John 8:32-36, "32 and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33 They answered unto him, We are Abraham's seed, and have never yet been in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Every one that committeth sin is the bondservant of sin. 35 And the bondservant abideth not in the house for ever: the son abideth for ever. 36 If therefore the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." ASV
John 17:17, "17 Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth." ASV
John 12:48, "48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." KJV
Heb 5:8-9, "8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation;"
CONSIDER THIS: Is it possible that mankind has become so hardened to sin that he no longer considers it important to follow any prescribed course by God in any arena? Perhaps we have encouraged ourselves so long to exercise tolerance that we do not know the difference between tolerance and intolerance. Yes, there are times when the true Christian must practice intolerance. The Lord was intolerant with the sinfulness in people of his day and was crucified for it. Let us hope that we can be intolerant of sin and the disregard for truth toady without suffering death for it. May God continue to bless all who will stand up for the "TRUTH". glclair@aol.com
Consider Magazine is an independent work by Garreth L. Clair Garreth has over 46 years experience as a preacher, and is currently the preacher for the church that meets at 4840 Cemetery Road, in Hilliard OH. http://www.cemeteryroadchurchofchrist.org/ Copyright 2005, All Rights Reserved. (Please contact us for permission to reprint.) Please help us show up on search engines, by putting a link to http://www.considermagazine.com on your website!
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