Editorial
March/April, 2000
Volume 35, Number 2
Many Brethren will gather, Lord willing, on July 28-30, 2000 at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania for a conference called “Brethren Alive–2000.” The scriptural theme will be Acts 2:42-47, and the focus will be on the life that marks the church, and we trust, the Church of the Brethren.
The Brethren Revival Fellowship has been troubled about the apparent waning vitality of the Church of the Brethren. Here and there one notes excitement and spiritual health, but it is not an exaggeration to state that many of our congregations merely exist. This lethargy translates to the district and the denominational levels, for it is difficult to find sufficient nominees for elective offices and qualified persons for employed positions. Attempts by denominational officials to spark some life seem to fall flat.
Nearly twenty years ago, Brother W. Hartman Rice, one of the founders of BRF, preached a sermon on Acts 2, titled “Why Churches Grow.” Churches grow when they are vital, and churches are vital when their ministers and members are spiritually vital. Life means growth, both in the physical and the spiritual realms. Hence, a message about growth is also a message about life in the church.
Churches grow because they want to grow. It sounds simple, but it is true. There are many congregations that have not experienced a baptism in years. They have not called a minister from within the congregation in years. What is distressing is that many congregations simply do not care! Churches that grow don’t plan to grow. The aim of the early church was to be faithful to the Word of God, and the people flowed in. God sends His people to places that teach and preach the Gospel and the authority of the Bible. Our focus should be teaching the Bible, and allowing its message to draw persons to Christ.
A church grows and is vital when the Word of God is preached (Acts 2:41). The early Christians freely and readily accepted the apostles’ message. BRF believes that a big boost to life in the church would be for ministers to take courage and preach the Bible as it reads, and for their hearers to have the courage and listen to and obey the Word. God will bless.
A church grows when its members participate in the church (Acts 2:42). Many professing Christians place more value on the world’s activities than on the church. But the early church’s members were faithful in attending “the teaching sessions, Communion, and prayer meetings” of the church. (The Living Bible.) Are you absent without leave from the church?
A church flourishes when its members are in awe of what God is doing (Acts 2:43). When one views the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls, a sense of awe and wonder arises at the power and vastness of God’s work. The same should be said of the church. Could we translate into the church some of the excitement we see Christians have about worldly things? Vance Havner said, “A person should leave a church service with either a charge or a shock.” Has that happened to you lately?
A church grows when it has unity and peace (Acts 2:44, 46). Unity and peace come only through a common commitment to the truth of the Gospel. We cannot manufacture peace, but we are to endeavor to keep it, with truth as central.
A church expands when it shares of its bounty (Acts 2:45). This was not communism, but a necessity dictated by the fact that there were thousands of out of town visitors in Jerusalem at Pentecost. Many, after their conversion, stayed on in Jerusalem to learn more of Christ. Something that would do more to spark life in many congregations would be to lift an offering for Gospel preaching missions in another part of the world. The most active and vital churches are those which are in the business of sending both money and missionaries to tell the Gospel story.
A church grows when it praises God (Acts 2:47). Worshipping God should be the first priority of every New Testament church. Proper worship leads to the edification of believers, and then to the evangelization of the lost.
We earnestly pray and work for new life within the Church of the Brethren. That life must begin with a new commitment to the truth of the Bible and a recovery of the historical faith and practice of the Brethren. We hope you can join us at Elizabethtown this summer.
Spirituality: God’s 2000 Year Old Formula
(The Biblical Basis for the Brethren Alive 2000 Conference)
By Harold S. Martin
In the mid 1990s, Peter Gomes, professor at Harvard University for more than two decades, wrote a book about the Bible. He says that people in our churches are on “a pilgrimage for spirituality.” Gomes says that most journalists who interview people on religious subjects want to discuss issues like the role of women in the ministry, the place of homosexuals in the church, and reasons why many blacks are turning to Islam. But people on the street and in the bookstores, he says, are asking questions like, “if I want to read the Bible on my own, should I start with Genesis?” The editorial in ` (December 23, 1996) says that demand for religious and spiritual titles has jumped more than 300% during a two year period in the mid 1990s.
It is encouraging to note the surge in demand for materials on spirituality, but at the same time, growing numbers of people are seeking spiritual and moral grounding through Eastern religions and through New Age writings. The U. S. News editor says, “What we are seeing may not be so much another revival (another Great Awakening), as a new diversity.” He concludes by saying that some are returning to biblical fundamentalism, and others are moving toward a spirituality that is not rooted in Judeo-Christian beliefs.
Christian researcher George Barna told the news reporters that he believes many people “are into spirituality, but they do not limit themselves to Christianity. They think it is important to believe in some deity, but they believe that any faith will do. They are very much into inclusiveness and tolerance and pluralistic attitudes” (December 18, 1999, World). A University of Chicago sociologist (Stephen Warner) recently told Religion News Service that “it will be increasingly difficult to distinguish Christians and Buddhists…the lines between the two religions are blurring” (December 6, 1999, Christianity Today). In the new quest for spirituality, very little is said about the biblical teaching concerning who God is. It is becoming cool, modern, and progressive to be “spiritual,” but without a clear vision of the true and living God who came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to become the one and only way of salvation. The nature of the true God as revealed in Scripture is not usually defined by those who embrace the new spirituality.
The concept of spirituality is mentioned more often in our churches today than it had been during the past several decades, but it is seldom defined. The word “spiritual” is used in several ways in the New Testament. The word “spiritual” is used in a number of settings:
Demonic hosts in warfare are called “spiritual forces of evil”(Ephesians 6:12). The future resurrection body is called a “spiritual” body (1 Corinthians 15:44). The gifts given by the Holy Spirit for ministry and service are “spiritual” gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1). Christians are pictured as stones in a building which is forming a “spiritual” house (1 Peter 2:5). The manna which sustained the Children of Israel in the Wilderness was called “spiritual” food (1 Corinthians 10:3). But the distinctive use of the word “spiritual” in the New Testament most often has to do with the believer’s growth and maturing in the Christian life. The word “spiritual” refers to a frame of mind which is opposite the thinking of the worldly and sensual mind.
Spiritual persons are those who have experienced the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, and have received a new life in Christ. But spirituality involves more than regeneration (more than experiencing the new birth). Spirituality has to do with growing sanctification and an increasing level of holiness in daily living.
In the book of Acts, we learn about spirituality in the early church. Peter’s preaching on the Day of Pentecost had been effective, convincing many of the necessity for salvation through Jesus the Messiah. They were told to repent and to submit to water baptism (Acts 2:38), and then they were formed into a distinct community of believers. Acts 2:42 says, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” This passage sums up very concisely the main elements of the life and activity of the early church.
Three thousand souls were converted on the Day of Pentecost, but conversion is not the end in our Christian experience; it is only the beginning of the new life. The believers continued to devote themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. These are indispensable characteristics of God’s people in any age if the church is to do its work well.
1. TEACHING
Doctrine (teaching) refers to giving instruction, imparting knowledge, clinching a point. The teaching in the early church centered on proclaiming the facts about the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus, along with duties that are mandated for the Christian life. The apostles undoubtedly told and retold their experiences with Christ, telling about the things He had done and had said. This teaching of the apostles was authoritative because it was the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ communicated through the apostles. Jesus had said to the apostles that the Holy Spirit would come and “teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26).
In the New Testament we have the teachings of Christ and of the apostles. As Christians we seek to live by the truth which God has revealed in the Bible. The better a person knows this truth, the more effective a witness he can be. That’s why it is so important for the local church to focus on teaching its members both in Sunday School and from the pulpit. Over and over again the Bible emphasizes the teaching ministry of the church. The commission of Jesus is to go and make disciples of all nations, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). The Apostle Paul says that one of the requirements for an elder in the church is that he should be “able to teach” (t Timothy 3:2). The New Testament at a number of places ranks teachers on the same plane as apostles and prophets (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11).
So much of the Christian life today is based on experience. But whose experience is valid? We need a standard by which to measure our experience–and that standard is the Word of God. The new emphasis on spirituality often focuses on sharing experiences, rather than seeking to search out the deeper meanings of holy Scripture. In Church of the Brethren settings, some are looking at spirituality as “one person seeking out another to share stories of his or her faith journey” (CoB Messenger, October, 1999, page 19). There is some value in sharing experiences, but that must never become a substitute for hearing solid expositions of the great doctrinal truths of Scripture.
Every one of us should count it a wasted day if we do not learn something new from the truth of God’s Word. The Scriptures are the food which nourishes the individual believer. That is why the most noble among Christians are those who “search the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11). The Word of God contains an inexhaustible supply of spiritual truths that cannot be completely comprehended in a dozen lifetimes. Therefore the careful study of the Bible must become a lifetime commitment.
God designed the church to be a place where His Word is proclaimed and explained. Believers should beware of churches and fellowships where people do not carry their Bibles. Teaching doctrinal truths becomes the backbone of healthy Christian lives. The Apostle Peter says that we should crave “the pure milk of the word” like newborn babies. This is the primary means by which we grow (1 Peter 2:2). The expository preaching of the Word should have a place of priority in every service of the church.
2. FELLOWSHIP
The first Christians not only devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings; they also devoted time to “fellowship.”
Fellowship speaks of being together in a congenial atmosphere, sharing similar interests and experiences. Fellowship means “to have in common.” As Christians, we are a family, part of a body of believers, and members of the body are to help each other. Fellowship (Greek, koinonia) includes the concept of “giving.” Fellowship is not just punch and cookies. Fellowship contains the root idea of participating together in some common event, and giving ourselves for the benefit of others.
We need to be with fellow Christians to talk with them, to worship with them, to work with them, and to learn from each other. When we meet together in assembly with other Christians, we benefit from the fellowship. We encourage one another. God’s people pray together, strive together, sing together, and work together. When we see the zeal of our fellow Christians and share in their trials and rejoice in their joys, it gives us new courage and new devotion for the Lord Jesus.
One of the most specific instructions in the New Testament regarding fellowship can be gleaned from those passages which use the phrase “one another.”
We are to “love one another” (Romans 13:8).
We are to “tarry for one another” (1 Corinthians
We are to “care for one another” (1 Corinthians 12:25).
We are to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2).
We are to “exhort one another” (Hebrews 3:13).
We are to “pray for one another” (James 5:16).
It is the spiritual duty of believers to stimulate each other to holiness and faithfulness. God instructs us in Hebrews 10:24-25 to “stir up one another to love and good works.” For a Christian to fail to participate in the life of a local church is altogether inexcusable. Those who choose to isolate themselves from a local fellowship of believers are disobedient to a direct command of Scripture (Hebrews 10:24-25). We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together.
John Fawcett’s hymn speaks of good fellowship. “Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love; the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.” In stanza three, we sing: “We share each other’s woes; each other’s burdens bear; and often for each other flows the sympathizing tear.”
3. THE BREAKING OF BREAD
Some think that this could be a reference to a meal in a private home, but the context suggests that it refers to the observance of the communion elements. The phrase “the breaking of bread’ (in Acts 2:42) is an idiom that speaks of the bread and cup remembrance of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ as a ransom for our sins. Later, in Acts 2:46, we read about “breaking bread from house to house” and eating their food “with gladness and simplicity of heart.” This statement refers to the daily sharing of food, especially with the visitors who had come to Jerusalem from a distance. Many who came to observe Pentecost were converted in response to Peter’s sermon, and they stayed on to learn more about their newly found faith.
The duty to remember the Lord’s death by observing the bread and cup communion is not an optional activity. In 1 Corinthians 11:26-28 we are told that in celebrating the communion we are proclaiming the Lord’s death, and we are to do it until the Lord comes. The early church may have observed the communion on each Lord’s Day (Acts 20:7). We are to examine ourselves, and then we are told: “Let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.” Remembering the Lord’s death by observing the bread and cup communion is a New Testament command, and we are not to take lightly what our Lord commands.
Communion calls for self-examination (1 Corinthians 11:28), and the purging of sin, and thus the breaking of bread is a purifying influence in the church. The bread and cup ceremony, along with the feet washing and the simple evening meal (developed a bit later in church history), are highly symbolic of great spiritual truths–and are means by which God conveys His grace upon us.
The piece of broken bread and the sip of the fruit of the vine (in the communion service) are observed in remembrance of Christ’s broken, bruised body and of His shed blood (1 Corinthians 11:24-25). When we participate in “the breaking of bread” we are remembering Calvary. We are thinking of how our Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross. We are recognizing that He was wounded for our transgressions and that the wrath of God which was poured out on Him should have been heaped upon us! We are saying with the hymn writer, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”
The Scriptures do not say specifically how often the early church celebrated the breaking of bread, but it was likely more often than the twice a year love feast which the Brethren have traditionally observed.
4. PRAYERS
Prayer is a reference to making reverent petitions to God. It is the conscious turning of humans to God to seek divine help in time of need. The emphasis here was on collective prayer. It is not only the praying of individuals appealing to God, but it refers especially to the church praying as a body–as noted in Acts 1:14, 1:24, and 4:24-31.
The early Christians believed that they could not get through life in their own strength, and they discovered that indeed we do not have to face life in our own strength. We can go to God in prayer. Our God encourages us to come boldly to the throne of grace in order that we might find mercy and the help we need (Hebrews 4:16). God is all powerful and can accomplish things without our help, but He has chosen to let us participate in change through the avenue of prayer.
How prayer works is a mystery to us because our minds are limited, but prayer is an activity that produces results. The God who reveals himself in the Bible is a Christ-like heavenly Father who pays attention to the cry of His children. The Apostle James says that God does not “upbraid” (“scold” or “look coldly”) upon us when we come to Him in prayer, seeking wisdom for facing the dilemmas of life (James 1:5).
Sadly, prayer is greatly neglected in the church today. Programs, concerts, skits, and entertainments of various types draw large crowds. Prayer meetings, by way of contrast, attract only the faithful few. Surely the lack of real dedication to regular prayer is one of the reasons for much of the weakness in the present day church. In the New Testament, we are commanded to be in an attitude of prayer at all times (Luke 18:1; Ephesians 6:18), and we are instructed to be devoted to prayer (Romans 12:12; Colossians 4:2).
The early church knew the critical importance of learning doctrinal truths, of observing regular times of fellowship with other believers, of remembering the Lord’s death in the breaking of bread, and of being diligent in the activity of prayer. These are marks of spiritual vitality, and there were some obvious results of their diligence in teaching, prayer, and fellowship.
The New Testament church was a joyful church. Their activities were carried out “with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God” (Acts 2:46b-47a/NASB). There was joy–a deep sense of well-being because they knew that God was at work, and that He was using the circumstances of life to develop within them the character traits of endurance and patience and reliance upon God.
The New Testament church was an attractive church. They are described as “having favor with all the people” (Acts 2:47a). People in the community could see clear evidence of their transformed lives. Aristides, a noted philosopher in the days of the early church, described the Christians with these words: He says, “They have hope for the world to come; they do not commit adultery or immorality, nor bear false witness, or embezzle. They honor father and mother, and do good to those who are their neighbors…
The New Testament church was a growing church. Day by day people were being saved, as they observed the ongoing conduct of the believers. The text says, “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47b). The new believers may have made deliberate attempts at evangelizing the lost, but the context indicates that in this case, the greatest impact was made because of the respectful lifestyle seen by those who looked on from the outside. John R. W. Stott says, “Doubtless (the Lord) did it through the preaching of the Apostles, the witness of church members, the impressive love of their common life, and their example as they were praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people” (The Message of Acts, page 86).
Four qualities marked the activity of the early church. The new believers moved toward spiritual maturity as they were taught the strong meat of God’s Word. Along with the apostles’ teaching, there was a strong emphasis on fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. They “continued steadfastly” in these activities day after day and month after month. They were committed, reliable, steadfast. They refused to quit. Any church that receives a steady diet of sound doctrinal teaching, and practices fellowship, prayer, and respect for the Lord’s broken body–will not quickly be in danger of spiritual decay.