Nonviolent Action: Can It Work?

by Joel Stephen Williams

We live in a violent world where human life seems cheap, and the use of violence appears to be increasing. The bloodshed of the past century and the inhumanity of man is shocking. We are now so increasingly capable in our ability to destroy human life with powerful weapons of warfare that most people mock the very idea of nonviolent action. Sider begins his book Nonviolent Action by asking: “What good would it do for three kayaks, three canoes, and a rubber dinghy to paddle into the path of a Pakistani steamship? For a tiny fishing boat with unarmed, praying Americans aboard to sail toward an American battleship threatening Nicaragua? For an eighty-year old woman in a wheelchair to stop in front of advancing Filipino tanks?” Ineffective? Worthless? Delusional efforts of naïve people? Nevertheless, “The tanks stopped, and a nonviolent revolution succeeded. The American battleship left, and the threat of invasion faded. And the US shipment of arms to Pakistan stopped” (xiii).

All of us know of Mahatma Gandhi’s and Martin Luther King Jr.’s success with nonviolent action. Sider contends and gives evidence that there are scores and scores of other instances of nonviolent victories over dictatorships and oppression in the last century. Sider quotes Leonidas Pranao: “There are only two invincible forces in the twentieth century—the atom bomb and nonviolence.” So, in light of the increasing violence, bloodshed, genocide, and destruction in our world today, Sider urges every Christian, whether a pacifist or not, to explore the possibilities of nonviolent action as a way to pursue peace and justice.

Part I is devoted to proving that nonviolent action works. Sider reviews some of the early history of nonviolence, the efforts of Gandhi to bring independence to India, the nonviolent civil rights campaign of Martin Luther King, Jr., the Witness for Peace movement’s influence for good in Nicaragua, and nonviolent revolution in the Philippines. Part II examines the role that nonviolent action played in defeating the Soviet Empire with separate chapters on Cardinal Wojtyla and the Solidarity movement in Poland and on Christian Führer along with other Christians who prayed and protested nonviolently in East Germany.

Part III covers more recent victories for nonviolent action with separate chapters on the women of Liberia helping overthrow the dictator, Charles Taylor, the major role of nonviolence movements in the Arab spring where two countries formerly ruled by dictators held the first free elections in their history, and the creation of numerous new peacemaker teams that have emerged “to expand the use of nonviolent ways to reduce conflict in violent situations” (141). Sider makes no claims for this to be a full history of nonviolent action, of course, but it is sufficient evidence that nonviolent action can and does often work.

Part IV is where Sider calls Christians to action. He declares that the Christian community has never tested the full range of possibilities of nonviolent resistance to injustice and oppression in a sustained, carefully organized, and solidly financed way (157). Neither has any other community. He gives compelling reasons why Christians should explore nonviolent alternatives. He stakes out common ground for pacifists and non-pacifists. The final chapter is the most sobering of all. He reminds us that nonviolent struggle against war will be a long and costly battle. Sider’s work is a clarion call. May it arouse the church out of its lethargy and turn us from false means of reformation.

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This review originally appeared in Stone-Campbell Journal 19, no. 2 (Fall 2016). It is reproduced in Christian Ministry and Missions blog with the kind permission of Dr. William R. Baker, editor of Stone-Campbell Journal. Many thanks to Baker Publishing Group for making the following book, which I recommend highly, available for review: Sider, Ronald J. Nonviolent Action: What Christian Ethics Demands But Most Christians Have Never Really Tried. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2015. 208pp. $22.00.

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The above image of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement at the third Selma Civil Rights March is used under the Fair Use doctrine of United States copyright law.

Pastoral Counseling: Earning the Opportunity to Help

by Bill Bagents

Not every church leader enjoys the role of counselor. There are reasons, both sound and unsound.

Some associate “counseling” with a secular worldview. “The Bible is all sufficient. We don’t need human theories or techniques” (2 Tim 3:14–17; 2 Pet 1:2–3). It’s interesting that we don’t apply that reasoning to our physical health, financial planning, or even the maintenance of our vehicles.

Some know how much time counseling “eats.” Some elderships forbid counseling by their preachers. Others limit it to a specified number of hours per week. Acts 6:2 is cited as a guiding principle.

Some fear liability issues. Legally, there’s heightened exposure to lawsuits. Emotionally, we may experience guilt and pain over what we label as “counseling failures.” It always hurts to see people harm themselves and others (Mark 10:22–23; Matt 23:37–39).

Some are greatly burdened by the messiness, uncertainty, and unpredictability of the counseling process. It doesn’t fit Philippians 4:8.

And some wisely remind us that people have higher needs than those addressed by counseling. Sin destroys (Rom 6:23; Isa 59:1–3). Our commission is to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). However, some foolishly add, “We have no business wasting our time with lesser needs than eternal salvation.” That attitude smacks of unbiblical compartmentalization. It implies that God has little interest in our daily lives, the health of our relationships, and our physical wellbeing. Scripture begs to differ. While nothing matters more than the saving of souls, God cares for us—mind, body, and soul (Matt 16:26; Rom 12:9–13; James 1:27; 2:14–17). Jesus set a wonderful example of compassion across broad contexts (Matt 9:35; 14:14–21; 15:32–39; 20:29–34).

The Inevitability of Counseling

Every Christian is in the people-loving business (Matt 22:39). Every Christian is called to do good to others to the glory of God (Matt 5:16; Luke 10:30–37; Gal 6:10; 1 Pet 2:11–12). Sometimes, the broad umbrella of “doing good” will include what the world around us calls counseling.

We make no argument that we must love or even use the word “counseling.” Rather, we assert that we must stand ready to help people as needed and as ordained by God. More than that, we assert that it is an honor, a privilege, and an opportunity to be able to help others in God’s name (Matt 5:43-47; Rom 12:9–13; 2 Cor 1:3–4; Phil 4:1-3; 1 Thess 5:14).

Taking the Highest Road

Traditionally, articles of this type employ the phrase “earning the right to help.” Many of those articles are strong. Fundamentally, they follow the adage “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” They encourage us to live lovingly, honestly, consistently, stably, and trustworthily so that people will trust and respect us enough to let us help them in God’s name. This certainly fits the principles offered in 1 Timothy 4:12–16.

When thinking of our role in serving people in God’s name, I strongly prefer the phrase “earning the opportunity to help.” It’s an opportunity to serve Jesus (Matt 25:31–40). It’s an opportunity to walk in Jesus’ steps (Acts 10:38). It’s an opportunity to adorn the gospel (Heb 13:1–2, 16; 1 Pet 3:3–4). It’s an opportunity to show love, grow in love, and invite people to contemplate and respond to God’s love (1 John 3:16–18; 4:7–11).

A Caveat

Please don’t be put off by the word “earning.” Every opportunity and ability we possess is a gift of God (Phil 2:12–13). We lack the standing to earn anything from the God of all grace (Luke 17:5–10). We use “earning” from the perspective of the people whom we want to serve. We speak of showing the hurting that we are safe and harmless servants of God. We speak of enhancing their perception that it’s worth the risk to extend a measure of trust. We speak of making it more inviting to accept our offer of help.

A Contemplation

We invite you to think of people-helping opportunities in light of Matthew 7:12. If you needed help right now, what kind of helper would you seek? What characteristics would you want that person to possess? What values would you want that person to live? What level of faith? What degree of knowledge? What type of wisdom? What grace, mercy, compassion, and love?

Whatever our answers to the questions above, we need to embody them in our own lives. That’s the only way to earn the opportunity to help others.

A Prayer for Global Mission Efforts

by Joel Stephen Williams

You are the Lord, our God, the Holy One, our Savior. May we never forget that you are our Savior, you and you alone. You want all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. You do not want anyone to perish, but rather you desire that everyone would come to repentance. It is in you that we put our hope, in you the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. You desire our salvation so much that you gave your one and only Son. You did not send him into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world. For this we praise you, O God, our Father.

Your Son is also our Savior, even the Savior of the world. You exalted him as Savior that he might give us repentance and forgiveness of sins and be the Savior of the church. Your Son, Jesus Christ, gave himself as a ransom for all mankind. He came into this world to seek and save the lost. He is the good shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep. For this we praise Jesus Christ, the Lord.

Your Holy Spirit came and proved the world was wrong about sin and righteousness and that Jesus was the Christ, giving witness to him. Your Spirit has saved believers through sanctification. Your Spirit has given us Scripture from which we can preach the word of truth, the gospel of peace and salvation, so that believers may be marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit. For this we praise your Holy Spirit.

We are humbled, God, that you have dared to call us to be fellow workers with you in this great cause of the salvation of mankind. You have made us your ambassadors as you make your appeal to mankind through us. You are pleased through the foolishness of our preaching to save those who believe. We plant the seed of your word and water it; we know that you make it grow. Apart from you we can do nothing. We have no competence in ourselves; our competence comes from you. Help us as we proclaim Christ, admonishing and teaching everyone, so that we may present everyone to you, perfect in Christ.

And now, Father,
          I commend to you these missionaries….
          I pray for these preachers of the gospel in the US and in foreign fields….
          I pray for these congregations in these countries….
          I pray for Christians, wherever they are, who are suffering from poverty, disease, oppression, or persecution….
          Finally, I pray for lost souls, that they may be able to hear the gospel….

Through Jesus, our Lord, Amen.

(Isa. 43:3, 11; 1 Tim. 1:1; Hos. 13:4; Psa. 106:21; 1 Tim. 2:3–4; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:10; Jn. 3:16–17; 4:42; 1 Jn. 4:14; Acts 5:31; Eph. 5:23; 1 Tim. 2:5–6; Lk. 19:10; Jn. 10:11; 16:7–11; Acts 5:31-33; 2 Thess. 2:13; 5:23; 2 Pet. 1:20–21; Eph. 1:13; 6:15; 1 Cor. 3:9; 2 Cor. 5:20–6:1; 1 Cor. 1:21; Rom. 11:14; 1 Cor. 3:6–7; Jn. 15:5; 2 Cor. 3:5; Col. 1:28).

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Try combining the Scripture readings and your meditations on them with a concluding reading of the prayer based on these biblical passages. Fill in the ellipses with names of missionaries, preachers, and congregations in the US and around the world that you are familiar with to personalize the prayer. Follow the prayer with a letter or an email to one of those plus a donation, if you are able, unless you are already giving on a regular basis.

Pastoral Counseling:

When We Must Share Bad News

by Bill Bagents

“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profane are the kisses of an enemy” (Prov 27:6).

“Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Gal 4:16).

As Christian leaders, we want people to be well, whole, and blessed. We love to tell the good, and we hate to be bearers of bad news. We find joy in seeing others happy. But in this sin-damaged world, much lies beyond our control. In this fallen world, all the news isn’t good.

Why would we state such an obvious truth? We need the reminder that even strong Christians sometimes forget it during challenging times. Some even refer to Scripture as they forget:

• “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you” (Matt 7:7).
• “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven” (Matt 18:19).
• “Love never fails” (1 Cor 13:8).
• “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13).

Especially during crises, people forget to read such verses in context and in balance with the whole of biblical teaching (Matt 26:36–39, 2 Cor 12:7–10). Regarding Philippians 4:13, the context strongly supports the understanding of “I can endure all things through Christ who strengthens me.” As much as faith, attitude, and perspective matter, Paul is not endorsing the absolute power of positive thinking.

Some problems are intractable; they do not have solutions on this planet. Other problems have only partial solutions. Sometimes people come to us for help with meeting unrealistic expectations. What they want is simply not achievable. Easy examples include wanting a job—world-class musician or baseball star—for which they lack the talent or physicality. A much tougher example is wanting a loved one to become a Christian, overcome addiction, and lead a blessed life. It’s tougher because our loved one could make those choices; they lie within the realm of possibility. It’s also tougher because those choices are outside our control. Unless the person wants God’s help and chooses God’s way, the blessings will not come.

What are the options in pastoral counseling when we cannot give people the good news that they crave? The horrible options include:

• Lying, which of course would be called “sparing their feelings” or “protecting them.” We can’t lie and be right with God (Eph 4:25; Rev 21:8). Ultimately, we can’t help people by lying.
• Saying little and hoping they won’t notice. That’s a fundamental insult. There is biblical support for using discretion and not always saying everything that we think. Only a fool verbally vents every feeling (Prov 29:11). But there is no biblical support for withholding needed truth (Acts 20:26–27; Gal 4:16).
• Hinting at the truth and hoping that they’ll figure it out. We love the respect and growth orientation of guided discovery. We recommend and support that process. However, we hate and fear cowardice. As godly leaders, we cannot leave people floundering when they need a clear word of truth.
• Offering hollow platitudes. “Yes, your loss is great, but think of all the blessings that you still have.” “One day, you’ll look back on this and smile.” “We all must accept the bad with the good.” “It’ll all work out in the end.”
• Offering foolish comparisons. “Yes, your situation is bad, but it’s not nearly as tragic and pervasive as Job’s.” “Tough as it is, your life comes nowhere close to the cruelty and injustice that Jesus endured.” “We both know people who’ve suffered more.” Even if true, such words in a time of great pain offer neither insight nor comfort. They sound callous and dismissive. Such words are often perceived as insult or attack.

There are far better options when we must share difficult news with those we counsel.

• Pray for wisdom (James 1:5).
• Speak the truth in love (John 13:34–35; Eph 4:15; Col 3:6).
• Speak in the way that we’d want someone to speak to us (Matt 7:12).
• Speak in language that the person we’re helping is capable of hearing (Prov 25:11–12).
• Use stories (a narrative approach) when a story is most appropriate (2 Sam 12:1–6). This calls for the highest level of discernment. It demands wisdom and experience.
• When the truth needs to be clearly stated, find the courage and state the truth (2 Sam 12:7). Do not leave truth in doubt.
• Use questions to open minds and promote reflection (1 Kings 19:9,13). NOTE: 1 Kings 19 does not stand in opposition to 2 Samuel 12. These examples present different skills that fit different contexts.
• Do nothing harshly. It is not our role to punish (John 8:10–11; Rom 12:15–21).
• Don’t argue. If the person we’re helping can’t hear us yet, we wait. Show all patience (Titus 3:1–7). Sometimes we start to say what we believe to be wise in the moment but come to realize that the time is not yet right. We humbly self-correct and wait.
• Tell the truth but offer only realistic hope. Offer no false dreams. As with Paul in 2 Corinthians 12, the “solution” may not be deliverance or removal of the problem. The solution may be choosing, with God’s help, to accept reality. On a higher level, the solution may be a change of attitude and perspective (reframing) to align our thinking with God’s (Isa 55:8–9).
• Tell the truth and offer ongoing support. Don’t desert those whose needs and issues have no easy answer (2 Cor 1:3–4; Gal 6:9–10; 1 Thess 5:14). We’re blessed to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ,” and to honor the principle that “each one will have to bear his own load” (Gal 6:2, 5). Again, there’s tremendous blessing in wisdom and balance.
• When the heart’s door opens and the time is right, affirm God’s ultimate deliverance. Everything will be right in God’s tomorrow (2 Cor 4:16–5:7). There’s coming a day when God Himself will wipe away every tear (Rev 21:4). Warning: to present this truth prematurely will rob it of its power.

It has been proposed that we can help and comfort others only as far as our ability to endure pain will allow (2 Cor 12:28–29). While that’s not the whole story, it contains an important element of truth. Helping others means entering their world and sharing their pain. It also includes realizing that we can’t always end that pain. Sometimes, we face great challenge even in our efforts to ease it. To be blunt, sometimes people feel worse before they feel better. Sometimes improvement is both microscopic and stunningly slow.

Still, there’s nobility in trying to help others. There’s nobility in loving. And there’s wisdom it trying and loving God’s way. God bless your every faithful effort!

Does Anyone Care?
The Ministry of Care

by Joel Stephen Williams

David Holwick tells that from 1986 to 1990, Frank Reed was held hostage in a Lebanon cell. For months at a time, Reed was blindfolded, living in complete darkness, or chained to a wall and kept in absolute silence. Although he was beaten, made ill, and tormented, Reed felt most the lack of anyone caring. He said in an interview with Time: "Nothing I did mattered to anyone. I began to realize how withering it is to exist with not a single expression of caring around (me). ... I learned one overriding fact: caring is a powerful force. If no one cares, you are truly alone."

Does anyone care? That is a question all of us ask at one time or another, young and old. The answer from the Bible is a resounding “Yes!”

• When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? (Psalm 8:3–4; NRSV).
• Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:6–7).

In ministry we are privileged to be ambassadors for Christ to reach out in a caring way with the gospel to people who have a wide variety of needs. The church’s ministry for two millennia has included care for widows, orphans, the poor, those in prison, the bereaved, refugees, the sick, the disabled, the handicapped, the persecuted, children, and many other groups in need. One of the best resources to study how the church has reached out to care for these different groups, especially in the early centuries, is Thomas C. Oden’s book The Good Works Reader (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2007).

One group in particular that needs to hear that God cares for them is the lost. The Bible tells us that God cares for lost sinners, and God has shown his care in the most powerful way possible by giving his Son at Calvary. God cared enough for every person that Jesus Christ, his Son, came to earth and went to the cross as an atonement for the sins of the world. God “desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:4). Christ has given us the church as a support group plus a way of life that binds us together in care for one another.

Does anyone care? It is our duty as Christians to let the lonely, hurting, lost people of the world know that someone cares.

Baptists and Baptism

by C. Philip Slate

At a more than superficial level, churches of Christ seem to share more theological beliefs with Baptists than with most other groups. We certainly share views on the issues of the subjects (who are to be baptized?) and action (how the act is performed) of baptism. Long we have differed with them on the design (what are its purposes?) of the ordinance. Our debates with them are legion.

Interestingly, on both sides of the Atlantic in recent years, several Baptists have reexamined in an exegetical manner the functions of baptism. George Beasley-Murray stated the case well in his Baptism Today and Tomorrow 1 when he pointed out that (1) Baptists are a separatist group significantly because of their views on baptism. (2) When outsiders read their literature and speak with them, however, Baptists seem to be staunch about the who and how questions while waffling on the why issue. In short, they seem to attach no great theological significance to it as an act. (3) But since we live in an ecumenical age a church can hardly afford to be separatist except on good theological grounds. Thus, Beasley-Murray argues, (4) Baptists need either to begin joining up with others who also attach little significance to baptism, or to justify their separatism by shoring up their theology of baptism. Good points.

Already in 1962 Beasley-Murray’s volume, Baptism in the New Testament gave his exegetical views on baptism (a volume I first saw in the public library in England in 1964.). It is hard to disagree with most of Beasley-Murray’s exegesis of the critical texts on the purposes of baptism. Years later he was asked in Searcy, Arkansas whether he had had occasion to change his mind about what he had written some thirty years earlier. He responded, “No. I did not write a Baptist book or a church of Christ book. This is what the world of New Testament scholarship has concluded about baptism.” 2 For several years Beasley-Murray taught at Southern Baptism Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. There he found the younger men very open to his exegesis, but that the older preachers and scholars resisted it or stood aloof. He accounted for that in part by pointing out Baptist reactions in the 19th century when Alexander Campbell succeeded in winning to his views the largest Baptist church in Louisville, Kentucky!

Robert H. Stein, professor at the Southern Baptism Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, wrote in 1998 “Baptism and Becoming a Christian in the New Testament.” (Pull it up on the Internet). He sees faith, repentance, confession and baptism as part of one process. His exegesis of the baptism texts is good. However, one will find some of his views on the Holy Spirit and the thief on the cross disappointing. Nevertheless, this article is another evidence that some Baptists are reexamining and re-thinking their more or less traditional stance on the functions of baptism.

More recently, Anthony R. Cross of Regent’s Park College, Oxford, has written “The Evangelical Sacrament: baptisma simper reformadum” (Evangelical Quarterly. 80.3 [July 2008]: 195-217). 3 His bibliography is large and reflects the current rethinking on the subject. He reaches conclusions similar to those of Stein and Beasley-Murray. Interestingly, Cross refers to the fear of having any external action connected with salvation as “Protestant Gnosticism.” Not incidentally, that is a term used in the title of an interesting book by a Canadian Presbyterian. 4

One wonders whether Beasley-Murray’s work was a goad to his Baptist brotherhood’s rethinking the baptism issues. By reading at least Beasley-Murray’s Baptism Today and Tomorrow (a brief work) and Cross’s substantive article, one will be in a better position to talk at a more informed level with our friends in the Baptist church, though this subject is not currently as prominent an issue as is Calvinism. 5

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1 Beasley-Murray, Baptism Today and Tomorrow (London: Macmillan; New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1966).

2 I have an audio tape of the interview.

3 This fine article can be found on the Internet as well.

4 Philip J. Lee, Against the Protestant Gnostics (New York: Oxford University Press, 1987).

5 A slightly different version of this article appeared in the British Christian Worker in 2012.

PREACHING THE TANAKH

by C. Philip Slate

For more than two decades I taught an “Expository Preaching” class at Harding School of Theology. One routine term assignment was to develop a proposal for a series of sermons on both an Old Testament and a New Testament book. Early in the history of that course I heard students say often, “I feel comfortable doing the New Testament proposal, but I find the Old Testament project hard to do. I lack familiarity with the Old Testament.”

Convinced that unfamiliarity with the content and appropriate uses of the Old Testament materials was a huge handicap for a preacher, I decided to develop a course on “Preaching from the Old Testament,” which some Jews refer to as the Tanakh (acronym for law, prophets, writings). After all, it was the “Bible” of Jesus, was often referred to by New Testament writers (one verse out of every 22.5 in the New Testament consists of a formal Old Testament reference), is the first half of “our” (Christian) story, and contains much revealed information that is simply assumed by New Testament writers. Given the responsibility of preachers and teachers to shape a Christian worldview about reality, it is imperative that the Old Testament materials be both taught in classes and preached. One happy outcome of that course was that many students reported that “It doubled my Bible,” “It enriched my preaching,” and “It gave me facility with a broader ranger of subject matter that people need to hear.”

The first book I used as a “textbook,” which really was not a suitable text for a preaching class, was John Bright’s The Authority of the Old Testament (1975); but it was helpful in showing how one should and ought to use the Old Testament “authoritatively.” In other words, it is one thing to say the Sinaitic covenant was abolished, but quite another to say that the 39 books were abolished. A. A. Van Ruler’s The Christian Church and the Old Testament (1971) was helpful in showing the various views people have held about the Christian’s use of the Old Testament. Gowan’s Reclaiming the Old Testament for the Christian Pulpit (1984) was very helpful. Of course, the various chapters about the literary types in Old Testament literature were helpfully presented in Fee and Stuart’s How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth.

My purpose here is not to give the various bibliographies I used, including both books and articles by E. Achtemeier, S. Greidanus, and others. Rather, this little article is to say that were I to teach that course today I would use, perhaps along with others, Christopher J. H. Wright’s How to Preach & Teach the Old Testament for All Its Worth (Zondervan, 2016). Wright is the author of better known The Mission of God and The Mission of God’s People. He has an earned PhD, is theologically conservative, and has an interest in ministry. His work deals with the “authority” issues but is suggestive for subjects that have good preaching/teaching value. He provides little in the way of homiletical directions, viz. the various ways in which one may structure sermons from the Old Testament. Thus, for the preacher who is either struggling with the matter of preaching the Tanakh so that its authority makes a legitimate claim on Christian belief, or the ones who worked through that long ago and want a refresher, I recommend Wright’s helpful work (283 pages plus two Appendices and a brief Bibliography).

When Evil Speech is Everywhere:
A Study of Psalm 12

by Joel Stephen Williams

Are we living in the decline or the twilight of Western civilization? Even if we are not living in times quite that desperate, we may feel like evil is everywhere. We may feel like the apostle John during a time of persecution who declared that the “whole world is under the control of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). One part of society’s rebellion against God is the inappropriate use of speech and communication. Words are powerful, and their untruthful or deceptive use is all too common. Are the advertisements we are bombarded with every day truthful? Are the statements of the political leaders of the world always full of truth with no distortion? Are the attacks of militant atheists against belief in God fair and balanced? Do people speak the truth, and nothing but the truth, to one another each day? No! Instead, God’s people are surrounded on every side with hypocrisy, meanness, bullying, falsehoods, equivocation, fabrication, misrepresentation, and duplicity. But this is not new. Our society is very similar to the one in which David lived when he wrote Psalm 12.

Godliness is Rare

“Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men” (Ps 12:1).

David said the godly were a small minority in a manner similar to what the prophet Micah declared in his day: “The godly have been swept from the land; not one upright man remains” (7:2). Likewise, God challenged Jeremiah to search the streets of Jerusalem: “If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city” (5:1). The prophets often warned that goodness seemed to be in danger of extinction (Hos 4:1; Isa. 57:1; 59:14ff; Jer 7:28; 9:2ff; Kirkpatrick, Psalms, vol. 1, p. 61). These statements are not those of pessimists, but of realists, and they are found sprinkled throughout history. One ancient Egyptian document provides us with a parallel: “The gentle man has perished…Goodness is rejected everywhere…There are no righteous. The land is left to those who do wrong” (ANET, 406; cited by Anderson, Psalms, p. 124).

Evil Speech Prevails

“Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception. May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue that says, ‘We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips—who is our master?’” (Ps 12:2–4).

Worldly talk is false, empty, insincere, and deceptive. Words are used to manipulate others in order to take advantage of them. “The tongue is no longer for sharing, but for snaring” (Ash, Psalms, p. 64). Deception and duplicity are common. David speaks of those who have "a heart and a heart," that is, they have a "double heart" (12:2), just as some had two sets of weights in order to practice deception in the marketplace (Deut 25:13). David wrote during a time when truthful speech was uncommon. Flattery, false witness, untruths, proud boasts, and lies ruled the day (12:2–4). Many were using smooth talk to take advantage of the poor and the uneducated (12:5). What David experienced was what we still see today. It may occur in social media or in everyday conversations, but it is the same—evil speech.

God Still Reigns

“‘Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise,’ says the LORD. ‘I will protect them from those who malign them.’ And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times” (Ps 12:5–6).

David declares God’s viewpoint regarding social injustice. God is always on the side of those who are wrongly oppressed by the wicked. The actions and words of sinful man are contrasted with the standard for right speech and deeds, namely, God himself and his words. David proclaims that God’s words are like refined silver that has been purified seven times, that is, completely and perfectly. There is no mixture of untruth in what God says.

Therefore, Trust in God

“O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever. The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men” (Ps 12:7–8).

Even though wickedness seemed to prevail, and despair was an attractive option, David trusted in God's protection (12:7). Yet, he ends the psalm on a negative note. Why did David end his psalm in this way? Perowne declares, “This return to gloom and doubt is, I believe, without parallel at the conclusion of a Psalm” (Psalms, p. 178). Some Bible scholars have suggested that the text ought to be emended (critically edited) by changing the order of the final verses in this psalm. There is no evidence to support this in the manuscripts, however. So, my opinion and the view of most scholars is to leave the text in the order we have received it.

How do we explain the sober ending of Psalm 12? At the time David wrote the words of this psalm, dark clouds due to mankind’s sinful speech must have still been everywhere. The ultimate victory was certain, because God is Lord, but it seemed distant. David was not naïve. His realism is certainly much better than, for example, a faith healer who gives false hope to desperate people by proclaiming, “Isn’t God great? We are going to see some miracles here tonight.” After the revival meeting, people in wheelchairs return home still unable to walk and those with terminal cancer are still not in remission. As it was in David’s day, it is evil, boastful speech.

Although David was discouraged by the seeming dominance of evil, he does not express any doubt. God is still the Almighty One. He could and would keep his people safe and protect them forever. Similarly, the Son of David, Jesus Christ, our Lord, was surrounded by wickedness and false accusations that precipitated the events that led to his crucifixion. Nevertheless, he knew God would keep him safe, and the ultimate victory came in Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Safety and protection obviously do not mean we will never suffer any disease, pain, or heartache. But God will always be the Savior who freely offers forgiveness and salvation, preserving our souls. Even though we are nothing compared to him (Ps 8:3–4; Isa 40:15), he cares for us. He even knows the number of hairs on our head (Matt 10:29–31). So, we should not fear, because nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:35–39).

Conclusion

God’s people “must put off falsehood and speak truthfully” to one another (Eph 4:25). Even though God may seem to be absent while evil appears to reign supreme, we need to continue in trust and faith, not in skepticism, cynicism, or despair. As J. A. Froude reminds us, “One lesson, and one lesson only, history may be said to repeat with distinctness, that the world is built somehow on moral foundations, that, in the long run, it is well with the good, and, in the long run, it will be ill with the wicked” (Barclay, Romans, p. 18). That was the conclusion of the Teacher’s philosophy in Ecclesiastes: “Though sinners do evil a hundred times and prolong their lives, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they stand in fear before him, but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God” (Eccl 8:12–13). Gandhi agreed: “When I despair, I remember that all through history, the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and, for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall—always.”

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Originally published in a slightly briefer version as “Psalm 12, When Evil Prevails.” Gospel Light 81, 2 (February 2011): 29. From time to time in Christian Ministry and Missions, we hope to provide articles which will not only be helpful to all readers but also be content that can be useful in the preparation of Bible class lessons or sermons.

CONTEXTUALIZATION OF THE GOSPEL

by Roger Shepherd

In my educational experience I was taught contextualization in ecumenical mission circles starting in the 1970s. The core idea of contextualization is the idea of taking the gospel to a new context and finding appropriate ways to communicate it so that it is understandable to the people in that context. It is more than theology; it includes developing church life and ministers to people in their cultural context (Michael Pocock, Gailyn Van Rheenen, and Douglas McConnell, The Changing Face of World Missions: Engaging Contemporary Issues and Trends, 15). It gained acceptance and utilization among Evangelicals. Missionaries should communicate the gospel in all cultures or contexts foreign to one’s own. Understanding the concept in this context allows the gospel to be fully integrated into the diverse cultures and societies of the world starting in America. I intend to teach the need for contextualization (teaching the gospel in context) in world mission by addressing relevant questions.

Do we have a need to contextualize the Bible in teaching and preaching? Yes! This concept is in the Pauline methodology as he exercised his liberty in taking the gospel to all contexts whether they are Jew or Gentile (1 Cor 9). Paul did “all things for the sake of the gospel [used nine times in chapter 9], so that I may by all means save some” (1 Cor 9:23). In some contexts Paul related to the people as a Jew. In other contexts it was Gentiles, rabbis, various religious groups, the weak and strong saints, and then, the common people. Why did he do this? He said, “I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some” (1 Cor 9:23).

Contextualization in Missiological Settings

What are some examples that are related in missiological settings? Remember, contextualization is derived from context that means the set of circumstances or facts that surround a particular event or situation. I agree with missiologists who say that we should teach the gospel in all contexts, but that context does not dictate the inspiration and meaning of the Bible. It only affects the methodology used to practice the meaning of Scripture. It is the capacity to respond meaningfully to the gospel within the framework of one’s own situation. Contextualization has to do with how we assess the peculiarity of mission fields such as third world contexts. Indigenization tends to be used in the sense of responding to the gospel in terms of a traditional culture.

Contextualization, while not ignoring this, takes into account the process of secularity, technology, and the struggle for human justice, which characterize the historical moment of nations in the Third World (David Hesselgrave, Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally, 135). Another example is communication that is the imparting or interchanges of thoughts, opinion, information, and the message of Christ by speech or written documents. It is also the means by which we send messages such as telephone, telegraph, computers, radio, television, and pulpit. The way we communicate in Africa is different than Europe, Canada, Barbados, Guatemala, New Zealand, and especially in America. I have done mission work in all of these countries.

Communicating the Gospel

The significant point in contextualization is a specific methodology of communication. How well do we communicate the gospel? Do we care or know how to practice good communication? The science of communication has three significant areas:

1. Aristotle defined rhetoric as the art of discovering in every case “the available means of persuasion.” Persuaders were successful to the degree to which they actually brought the audience to “right,” belief and action (2 Cor 5:11). Persuade people in their setting.
2. The better term is identification in rhetoric that is the study of effective language in the art or science of prose or verse, commentary, figures of speech, and the art of influencing the thought and conduct of the audience (John 10:24; 16:25, 29). Thus, identify with people in their context.
3. The emphasis is on listening. That includes analyzing the causes of misunderstanding and positing remedies (Hesselgrave, Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally, 36–38). Listen to the people in their context (Jas 1:19).

In the biblical context there is a significant need for good communication. I suggest the following seven ways to effectively communicate the true gospel in the biblical context regardless of the culture:

1. Speak the Truth (Eph 4:15; John 17:17)
2. Speak with Love (Eph 4:15; 1 John 2:1)
3. Speech is seasoned with Salt/Wisdom (Col 4:6)
4. Speak with Gentleness (Gal 6:1-2)
5. Speak with Exhortation (1 Thess 2:3, 11)
6. Speak Plainly/Boldly (John 1:17; 10:24)
7. Speak with Confidence (Acts 4:29-31)

Do we have a need to contextualize in a foreign mission field, and even, stateside? Yes, I recommend using it as a strategy. The following five things are significant in communicating Christ in culture that cannot be changed in any context:

1. Paul wanted all cultures to understand that the Christian message is one of divine revelation and not of human origin (1 Cor 2:9–10; Gal 1:11–12; 2 Pet 1:16–21).
2. The way in which Paul communicated the message was in keeping with the nature of the gospel and the purposes of God (1 Cor 2:1, 4; 9:16f).
3. Paul forcefully and faithfully communicated Christ (Acts 18:4-5; Col 1:27–28).
4. Solid conversions and spiritual growth cannot be divorced from sound thinking and right knowing (Ps 1:1f; Phil 4:8).
5. When we have made concessions to people of other cultures, it has been in the form of learning something of what we think. Not until recently have we given much attention to how they think and how they formulate their ideas. Therefore, our ultimate goal should be to bring them—and ourselves—to a completely Christian way of thinking. That is missionary communication! (Hesselgrave, Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally, 289–95).

Contextualization and Other Disciplines

There are four basic trends, philosophies, or positions in these areas to explain contextualization: First, classical or traditional liberalism which is basically syncretism that means the blending of the teachings of all religions in such a way to produce a common religious experience. The result of this is a new “syncretistic gospel” and a “new interfaith spirituality” that the Bible does not allow. Second, a classical or traditional orthodoxy in which the Bible is the religious standard for all contexts. I hold this view (2 Tim 3:15-17). In this context God’s man is complete and culture must conform. This is how Paul preached to lost cultures (Acts 13:41; 14:6-17; 17:22–31) and many other places. He preached only one gospel to the legalistic mind of the Galatians (Gal 1:6–12; 2:7–10). Third, Neo-liberalism holds the view that the Bible only contains the Word of God in imperfect form because of its human authorship. The Bible is the inspired Word of God regardless of the context we preach (John 16: 13; 2 Pet 1:16–21). The Bible did not just fall out of the sky. It was delivered by the Holy Spirit. Fourth, Neo-orthodoxy that is nothing more than existentialism gave birth to postmodernism. This view primarily holds the position that we can make the Bible say anything, which many expositors do.

Epistemology by definition is a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods, and limits of human knowledge. In view of missions it is the study of the basis of knowledge or the approach to knowing the truth utilized by a particular culture. Culture does not dictate what we can and do know about God. Most of the orthodox and evangelical world holds a unified universe and epistemology. In other words, how do we know what we know? It has been revealed to us in the Bible. The world did not emerge from idolatry, polytheism, Islam, naturalism, humanism, existentialism, modernism, now postmodernism, and many other philosophies that discount the supernatural order of the universe and assign it completely to the basis of human reasoning or will that makes it very much incomplete and misleading (Rom 1). The role of missions is to teach that God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and Christianity can and must be understood through the normal and even rigorous historical and literary study of the Bible. For example, we experience a personal relationship with the one transcendent God through the seven pillars of doctrine (Eph 4:1–7), converse with Him through prayer (Matt 6:5–15), walk in his Spirit (Rom. 8), praise him in adoration (Ps 22:3), do all to his glory (1 Cor 1:31), and enjoy Him in the community of believers in the body of Christ (Matt 16:13-19; Acts 2:36–47).

Where is this field of study in academic circles at the present time? It is widely used by Evangelicals. Many leaders (elders, deacons, preachers, and missionaries) in the Churches of Christ are beginning to understand contextualization as a result of academically trained evangelists now ministering in many local churches. It cannot be unscriptural to preach the pure gospel in all contexts or cultures of the world. Culture can never dictate what the gospel teaches. The gospel never changes in what it says about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, marriage and the home, hell, and heaven to accommodate culture. The method used to communicate the gospel can change within cultures. However, culture is changed to a Christian environment by the teaching of the gospel.

How does contextualization assist us in addressing questions about government and Christian-Muslim relations? It aids us from the standpoint of getting to know people in their culture, understand their needs, and then teach them what the Bible says concerning their beliefs. I have personally seen Christianity change the government in mission fields, and I believe it can continue to impact those societies, if we have the courage to teach Christ. I have experienced many Muslims accepting Christ as a result of personal Bible studies, sermons, and even debates in the streets in African nations where it could have been a very radical expression of the Muslim religion. We cannot blend with these religions. We have the responsibility to teach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15–16).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the church must know the context of the particular people she is evangelizing. It is a huge mistake to ignore the significance of contextualization. I summarize what Darrell L. Guder wrote, “The gospel is always conveyed through the medium of culture. It becomes good news to lost and broken humanity as it is incarnated in the world through God’s sent people, the church. To be faithful to its calling, the church must be contextual, that is, it must be culturally relevant within a specific setting. The church relates constantly and dynamically both to the gospel and to its contextual reality. It is important, then, for the church to study its context carefully and to understand it” (Missional Church, 18). It is not a liberal method just because we may not know the significance of contextualization. We can change the world one culture at a time! Changing the world begins in America, and then one nation at a time (Matt 13:38). Jesus believed the gospel was relevant in any cultural context. How about you?

Jesus and Racism in the American Church

by Justin Imel

The deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, along with other injustices against Black Americans have ignited protests across our land. While some of the protests have evolved into riots, others have been in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and such protests have reminded us that there is still a long way to go in overcoming systemic racism1 in our society.

Unfortunately, I fear we have a long way to go in overcoming systemic racism in the church of our Lord. I lived in one place when a local school hired a black man to coach their basketball team. The Sunday following the announcement of the coach’s hiring, one of the elders caught me in the foyer and expressed his dismay. This elder—yes, an elder in the church—could not understand why, with perfectly eligible white men who knew basketball, the school would ever hire a black man. I know about one location where migrant workers came to assist farmers in harvesting their crops one year, and members of the church there referred to those workers by ethnic slurs I choose not to repeat. Regrettably, I could tell you other stories when I’ve seen the people of God treat ethnic minorities with prejudice.

How can the church deal with racism? I don’t wish to be overly simplistic and paint an easy solution, but I believe the answer to racism in the church begins and ends with Jesus. He is the One who built the church (Matthew 16:18). Jesus is the head of the church, and God desires “that [Jesus] might come to have first place in everything” (Colossians 1:18; NRSV). Jesus is “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). If we claim to follow Jesus, we “ought to walk just as he walked” (1 John 2:6).

If we wear the name of Christ, we must respond to those of a different ethnicity as Jesus would; he must always be our standard. How would Jesus respond to those of different ethnicity?

Jesus would sacrifice himself for ethnic minorities

“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (John 3:16). God didn’t send his Son into the world to save the Jews or to save folks of European descent. Jesus came into this world to endure the shame of Golgotha and bear the sins of everyone—red and yellow, black and white.

Since Jesus sacrificed himself for us, God expects us to sacrifice for our brothers: “We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another” (1 John 3:16). While racial equality in the church may not require our laying down our lives, we certainly must sacrifice ourselves.

How can we sacrifice to help bridge the racial divide in the church? Maybe I can give up an evening of watching my favorite TV show to invite a minority couple into my home. Perhaps introverts like me can step out of our comfort zones and warmly greet minority guests to our assemblies. What if I give up my home church for a bit to worship with my brethren at a minority congregation? Could I give up my Saturday to march beside my black brothers and sisters to protest injustices they suffer in our society?

Jesus would treat ethnic minorities with humanity

When Jesus was thirsty and sat down at a well, he asked a Samaritan woman for a drink of water. The shocked woman said, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (John 4:9). In the same verse, John adds this parenthetical statement as recorded in the English Standard Version: “For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” Samaritans descended from the intermarriages between the Assyrians and the tribes of the Northern Kingdom (cf. 2 Kings 17), and, as John records, there was a great racial divide between Jews and Samaritans.

Jesus, because he is the Creator of all (John 1:3), cared not for the systemic racism of his fellow Jews, and spoke to this woman as he would have spoken to any other soul he encountered. He didn’t wait until a “clean” Jewish woman came to draw water, but he treated this Samaritan and sinful woman as one bearing God’s image.

One evening, my wife went to Walmart to get a couple of things and spoke to someone of an ethnic minority on her way out of the store. No surprise there; my wife has never met a stranger. But when she came home, she told me, with tears in her eyes, how shocked the man was that she spoke. In that small community, white folks didn’t ordinarily speak to minorities, and this man was surprised a white woman would treat him with humanity.

How do we honestly treat our brothers and sisters who have a different ethnic heritage? Do we speak? Do we see them as precious souls bearing God’s image? Do we, like Jesus at the well, show humanity to those different from us?

Jesus would serve ethnic minorities

I’ve already mentioned Jesus’s sacrificial death for all people, but before he ever went to the cross, Jesus’s ministry demonstrated service to all races of people. Jesus healed a “foreigner” of leprosy (Luke 17:11-19). While Jesus’s ministry “was ... only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” he healed a Canaanite woman’s daughter because of the woman’s great faith (Matthew 15:21-28). Jesus taught a lawyer who stood before him that any person in need—Jew or Samaritan—deserved to be served (Luke 10:29-37).

Jesus’s limited ministry to “the house of Israel” foreshadowed the universal ministry of his disciples. Jesus chose to live in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, “Galilee of the Gentiles” (Matthew 4:13-16). Matthew’s use of “Galilee of the Gentiles” likely foreshadows the end of his Gospel where Jesus commanded the Eleven to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). In Acts, the gospel was proclaimed to Jews (e.g., Acts 2:14ff), Samaritans (Acts 8:1-5), a eunuch from Ethiopia (Act 8:35), and Gentiles (e.g., Acts 10:34-43). Selfless service was rendered to minorities (Acts 6:1-6).

If Jesus served minorities and taught his disciples to do the same, shall we—as modern-day disciples of Jesus—do anything less? Can we even consider not sharing the gospel with some man because he is a minority? Can we refuse visiting a sister in the hospital because her ethnicity is different than ours? We dare not show any partiality in our service (cf. James 2:1-13).

Jesus would pray for unity with minorities

The night before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed, “I ask not only on behalf of [my disciples], but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, 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). Within the Churches of Christ, we often read these words with an eye toward the doctrinal divisions which run deep in Christendom. That’s an appropriate reading, for our Lord does pray for unity.

However, unity among believers means far more than being “united in the same mind and the same purpose” (1 Corinthians 1:10) when doctrinal disputes arise. Jesus abolished the Law of Moses that he “might reconcile [Jews and Gentiles] to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death [their] hostility” (Ephesians 2:16). Jesus died that he might bring reconciliation between vastly different ethnic groups; therefore, he certainly had such unity on his mind as he poured his heart out to the Father before he went to that old rugged cross.

Shall, we, like our Lord, pray for the unity of all believers? Let us pray for our brothers and sisters who feel marginalized by society. Let us pray for those who face inequality we white Americans cannot even fathom. Let us pray for those with hatred in their heart—let’s pray that God will soften those hearts in order to put “to death that hostility” that divides us.

Let us imitate our Lord and work for racial equality among his people. As we’re baptized into Christ, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). May we live that truth!

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1 Love L. Sechrest says, “Systemic racism considers the way that material, attitudes, emotions, habits, and practices are embedded in social institutions, including power imbalances, the accumulations of intergenerational wealth, and the long-term maintenance of major socioeconomic deficits for other races.” “Racism,” in Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics, edited by Joel B. Green (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2011), 655.

Preaching on Equality and Brotherhood

by Bill Bagents

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov 15:1).

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver” (Prov 25:11).

I can’t remember how many decades ago I was introduced to the journalistic practice of “Afghanistanism.” It was when, for most of us, that country existed only on a map. The practice was simple. When there’s a white-hot issue in your community, write your editorial about Afghanistan or somewhere equally distant. Don’t risk angering people and losing subscribers by speaking to the pressing issue of the day. It was bad journalistic practice; it’s even worse for preachers.

Preach the Word

We love Paul’s famous statement recorded in Acts 20:26–27, “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shirk from delivering to you the whole counsel of God.” This statement didn’t apply just to Paul’s teaching in Ephesus. Everywhere he preached, Paul sought to speak God’s truth fully, clearly, sincerely, and lovingly. Every preacher should do the same. We must because:

• Scripture describes us as members of “the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15).
• Scripture commands us to “follow the pattern of sound words…in faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 1:13).
• Scripture links being “strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus” with entrusting what we have learned “to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim 2:1–2).
• Scripture urges us, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15).
• Scripture charges us, “Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Tim 4:1–2).

In the complex and multiple crises that are currently rocking the world, we are called to give maximum emphasis to preaching on the worth, value, equality, and brotherhood of all people. As battles rage on countless fronts, our world so needs that message of love, truth, and solidarity! As Bible-believing, Scripture-preaching servants, we stand in a unique position to offer hope—and encourage justice, respect and civility—through unmistakably fierce preaching on our common humanity and God’s love for each of us.

By Way of Reminder

You may not need the following reminders. These truths are so well-known. But in the spirit of 2 Peter 1:13, may I “stir you up by way of reminder”?

• “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male, and female He created them” (Gen 1:27).
• The Lord whose glory is “above the heavens” made mankind [all humans, each person] “a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor” (Psa 8:1, 5).
• “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29)!
• “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
• “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him” (Acts 10:34–35).
• “But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, ‘Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of the same nature as you’” (Acts 14:14–15).
• A key part of “the whole counsel of God” affirms, “And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth . . . For we are indeed His offspring” (Acts 17:26, 28).
• “But God shows His love for us [every one of us, each of us, all of us] in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us [every one of us, each of us, all of us]” (Rom 5:8).

Every human is made in God’s image. Every human is endowed with worth and honor by God. Jesus loved each of us enough to forsake the prerogatives of Deity, take on flesh, and die for us (Phil 2:5–11). Jesus loves every individual who will ever live more than He loved His own life. We dare not miss, neglect, ignore, minimize, or fail to teach the fundamental equality and brotherhood of every precious person. And we dare not fail to live what we teach (Mic 6:8, Matt 7:21–23, Jas 1:21–25; 2:17–20, 1 John 4:20–21).

Ministry in a Time of Crisis

by Joel Stephen Williams

“These are the times that try men’s souls.” Thomas Paine published those words on December 23, 1776, in his pamphlet, The American Crisis. They reverberate in our American souls well over two centuries later, especially as we live in a time where we face more than one crisis. How should we do ministry in a time of crisis? When we are discouraged to the point of despair, what should we do? There is no single wise or correct answer to that question. Hopefully the following will be sound advice to guide those who are striving to “live peaceably with all” and to do “what is noble in the sight of all” (Romans 12:17–18).

Discouraged? Do Not Give Up

The writer of Ecclesiastes, the Teacher, witnessed many injustices in life. “In my vain life I have seen everything; there are righteous people who perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked people who prolong their life in their evildoing” (Ecclesiastes 7:15). “There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people who are treated according to the conduct of the wicked, and there are wicked people who are treated according to the conduct of the righteous” (Ecclesiastes 8:14). “Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun. Look, the tears of the oppressed—with no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power” (Ecclesiastes 4:1). But even though life frequently did not seem to be fair, the Teacher still believed that there was a moral compass for the universe that should be heeded. The Teacher did not give up to despair. He declared, “Though sinners do evil a hundred times and prolong their lives, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they stand in fear before him, but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God” (Ecclesiastes 8:12–13).

“The Present Crisis”

James Russell Lowell was involved in the movement to abolish slavery. He was the editor of an abolitionist newspaper and he also wrote poetry to express his views. His poem, “The Present Crisis,” is probably his best-known work. The NAACP named its newsletter, The Crisis, after it. The lyrics have been set to music in a dramatic hymn, Once to Every Man and Nation. Martin Luther King, Jr. often quoted from “The Present Crisis” in his speeches. 1 I was introduced to this majestic poem by Dr. W. B. West in his New Testament class on the book of Revelation. The Christians of the early church were persecuted by the Roman Empire and in danger of losing heart, but the apostle John encouraged them because Jesus Christ was still Lord. W. B. West drew a parallel between Lowell encouraging those in the fight against slavery not to lose heart and the apostle John doing the same in the book of Revelation for persecuted Christians. Consider these lines from Lowell’s poem.

          Truth forever on the scaffold, Wrong forever on the throne,
          Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown,
          Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own.

Look to Jesus

The writer to the Hebrews pointed Christians of his day to the example of Jesus as one who suffered hostility. He did not want his readers to lose heart: “Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1–3).

The apostle John declared the same truth: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). So, when we are confronted with a crisis and are discouraged, and when some of our brothers and sisters are suffering hostility or injustice, the biblical message is that God is still there. He knows what it is like to suffer; Jesus endured the cross. So, do not lose heart. God approves of justice and mercy. It will be well with those who fear and obey him.

1James Russell Lowell, Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Russell_Lowell

On Racism: A Personal Story and a Personal Plea

On Racism: A Personal Story and Personal Plea

by Tim Gunnells

Most of my life I have lived in the South except for a few years out West. My younger years were split between two Southern States that played pivotal roles in both the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement. I was born in South Carolina; our state fired the first shots of the Civil War. The place of my birth was a small city whose majority population was black. I am white.

The middle years of my youth were spent in two different, small towns in Alabama. The towns consisted of primarily two races: black and white. While the whites lived in various parts of the community, most blacks lived in specific sections. Those sections had names. Everyone knew them. The blacks and whites had names too.

I attended public school a decade or so after integration. I never knew what it was like to go to an all-white school, and I am very thankful. My life has been made richer by friendships with people of different races. My parents and grandparents treated people of all races with great respect and showed love in many ways. I am thankful for their good hearts and good example.

Racism was certainly alive in the South during my youth. However, racism was and is not isolated to one region of the United States. In fact, it is not isolated to the United States. Racism is a part of the human predicament. Hatred, prejudice, and fear are not isolated to one race, one region, or one culture.

Since I grew up in a home where racism was not exhibited and I had friends who were black, I did not grasp the extent that others experienced prejudice. I did not fully appreciate the need for Black History Month because “my” history had never been excluded from any books.

My understanding of the world began to change around my sophomore year of college when two black students approached me about participating in a Black History Program in our college’s chapel assembly. They asked me to lead singing for a chapel program. I was the only white person on the stage. When I asked them why they chose me to represent my race, they said, “Because you understand us.” To this day, I have no idea what they meant, but I took it as a genuine compliment. In later discussions, they talked about some of the racism that existed on our campus. Again, I was oblivious to it, but I was not the one facing it.

My wife and I married before she graduated from college. For a particular course, she had to interview a person of a different race about how they had been treated with prejudice. She interviewed one of my dear friends, a black man about 10 years older than me. He was a successful businessman, my fishing buddy, and a member of our church. The stories he told simply flabbergasted me. I never knew a black man who drove a Mercedes could get stopped by the police several times a month. (This is not a diatribe against the police. I have many family members and friends of many races who have served in law enforcement without prejudice.) I am simply saying that I was ignorant that people could be treated so differently because of the color of their skin. Ignorance and naivety can be nice places to live, and I had a comfortable home in both of them.

About a dozen years ago, one of my dear nieces married a black man (unfortunately they are now divorced). They have three precious boys together. To say those boys are beautiful would be quite an understatement. They are smart, strong, and kindhearted. They have also experienced mistreatment because they do not fit nicely into one race.

I also have an adopted nephew who is black. I love him dearly. His smile makes my heart smile. God has blessed our family in amazing ways because of my nephew and great nephews. As their uncle, I will protect them and show them love and stand up for them.

As a Southern, white male, no, as a human being, I am grateful to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others like him who helped to begin to change the world for the better. However, we all still have much work to do by treating all people with love, respect, and kindness. I believe I am most like my hero and savior, Jesus, when I do.

“And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation” (Acts 17:26).

I sing this song with my children and I hope you do too. I hope you live it out by your actions as well.

          Jesus loves the little children,
          All the children of the world.
          Red and yellow, black and white,
          They are precious in His sight.
          Jesus loves the little children of the world.