Editorial
September/October, 2007
Volume 42, Number 5
There are times when those who are concerned about revival and renewal in the church grow weary in the attempt to see progress. We have heard some say, “I’m just tired of the battle.” Others have said that trying to bring healthy change to a denomination that has veered from its historic roots, is diverting from the real work of the church. They stress the importance of seeking to bring the lost to faith in Christ, of nurturing the local congregation, and are inclined to let the larger body go its own way.
Calling for biblical faithfulness in the church has always been a challenge. In the fourth century, faithful Christian leaders struggled with the matter of whether or not Jesus was fully God and fully man. In the sixteenth century the Anabaptists struggled with the matter of believer’s baptism as opposed to infant baptism. The Pietists insisted that the Protestant emphasis on justification by faith alone was to be followed by living the kind of life which honored Christ. In the twentieth century there was the need to stand for the fundamental basic doctrines of the Christian faith which were being undermined by the liberal modernist movement.
Seventy years ago many Brethren churchmen had embraced the modernist ideas about the mission of the church, and their interpretations of the Bible. This was a major factor that led to the declining membership in the Brotherhood. While there are many concerns about the current state of the Church of the Brethren that give us cause to lament, there have been some positive developments at the Annual Conference level that have taken place in the last 25 years—including the 1983 decision that sexual intercourse belongs within heterosexual marriage; the 1989 mission theology paper which stresses the need for proclaiming the simple gospel along with giving the cup of cold water; the 1998 paper which reaffirms the New Testament as our rule of faith and practice; and the 2002 declaration that the licensing and ordination of homosexuals is not accepted in the Church of the Brethren. There have been some positive effects resulting from the years of preaching, teaching, evangelizing, seeking to promote the truth of Scripture, and guarding against the inroads of error. Read Brother Craig Alan Myers’ essay on why we care about the Church of the Brethren.
Why We Care About the Church of the Brethren
By Craig Alan Myers
It is good to recall from time to time the importance of our church fellowship, usually known as the Church of the Brethren. Our temptation may be to dismiss her importance, to ignore her doctrines, to forget her people, and to downplay her future. We may be tempted to say, “I don’t care about the Church of the Brethren”—as if it is some abstract thing “out there.” Yet, the Church of the Brethren is worth caring about. We care about the Church of the Brethren:
1. FOR HER RICH HERITAGE AS A FELLOWSHIP
We find ourselves to be the beneficiaries of a rich legacy, directly stretching back nearly three hundred years. The Church of the Brethren arose in Europe in the aftermath of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) and other regional strife. Much of the conflict was rooted in religious concerns, as well as political advantage. Those in the larger, “magisterial” churches (Catholic, Lutheran, and Reformed), began to reexamine their Bibles and saw a very different Christian faith from what was commonly on the religious scene of the times. Many began to pray and to teach on the essential doctrines of the New Testament and how those teachings might be lived out.
However, indirectly we see that the Church of the Brethren is firmly rooted in the churches of the Reformation period (1520-1560). The early Brethren studied the writings of the early Church fathers, and also those of the major reformers, and were familiar with the Anabaptist wing of the Reformation. Alexander Mack and the other early Brethren embraced the essential understandings of the Christian faith as held by the Protestant/Anabaptist reformers. Yet the Brethren saw that real Christianity was not only marked by right teaching, but also right living. They saw that obedience to the mandates of the New Testament was essential, down to the details of the rites (such as baptism), and the ordinances (such as the Love Feast). They did not hold that obedience was to be done in a legalistic way so as to achieve salvation, but that it was right, in that God—as the Father to His family on earth—had appointed definite means through which believers might grow in holiness.
Our heritage, then, is as a distinctive people. While friends of the early Brethren thought a separated organization was a mistake, Mack believed that only through establishing a new fellowship could God’s Word be lived out to its fullest. It is ironic that many who believe that the Church of the Brethren is beyond revival, often join with churches that do not have the New Testament distinctives. Yet Brethren should and do stand out, not in appearance only, but in how we apply the New Testament.
Our heritage, passed on by the early Brethren, promotes the Gospel and New Testament Christianity. Mack declared, in Rites and Ordinances, “We have no new laws, but simply wish to establish a church in line with the New Testament.” Brethren were known from the start as an evangelistic people. They reached out in Bible studies, and through regular preaching. The Brethren baptized eight persons in August 1708—and grew, to over 250 within seven years. As they came to America in the 1720s, they continued, after a lull, in reaching out with the message of the New Testament—and grew. As they moved west and south as pioneers and settlers in the New World, they preached the Gospel to family, friends, and neighbors—and grew. In the Industrial Revolution, they adopted the printed page through newspapers, magazines, and tracts—and grew. As opportunity came to travel overseas, they sent forth missionaries to Denmark, India, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, China, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, and Brazil—and grew.
Our heritage, developed through the years, has embraced service to others and consecration of self to the Lord’s work. Brethren have always been willing to lend a hand to neighbors–whether or not those neighbors were Brethren–to rebuild barns, homes, and businesses devastated by fire, flood, earthquake, tsunami, and war.
2. FOR HER DOCTRINES—THE TEACHING OF THE WORD OF GOD
The Church of the Brethren has been a doctrinal church. That is, it is a teaching church, and known for teaching the New Testament as it is. If it is found in the New Testament, we believe it. That is why we say, “The New Testament is our creed,” and “the New Testament is our Rule of Faith and Practice.”
This is more than “Brethren tradition.” When we speak of our doctrines, we are teaching those things taught in the New Testament. Sometimes we express a summary of those teachings in the form of The Brethren’s Card.
a. We have those doctrines that describe what we embrace and teach, namely the essential Biblical teachings that we hold in common with other Christians. Our distinctiveness is not in holding, cultlike, aberrant interpretations of what we find in the Bible. In addition, to be sure, not everyone who has joined the Brethren over the past three hundred years has embraced every one of our understandings. Yet we do say, “This is what we teach and will continue to teach.” We understand that we have no authority to tamper with or “update” what has been “standard issue” Christianity for nearly two thousand years, We want to heed the Bible when it says, “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us” (2 Timothy 1:13-14). The fundamental teachings of the Word of God never change, for they reflect the eternality and immutability of the God who reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
b. We have those doctrines that tell what we oppose as a body, and these cautions bear even more relevance in the 21st Century: We stand against carnal war and the taking of human life by Christians. War continues to be with us, and we try to be consistent in saying, “We won’t participate in the wars of this world.” We uphold the value of life by opposing abortion. Connected with this is our opposition to the use of violence in settling conflicts, whether personal conflicts or those in industry. We oppose intemperance, which means the abuse of necessary things (such as food) and the use of harmful things (such as beverage alcohol and illicit drugs). These are things that harm the body and damage the soul. We oppose going to law and using the civil oath. We stand against divorce and remarriage, and membership in secret societies that tend to undermine the finished work of Christ on the Cross. We oppose games of chance (such as the lottery and casino gambling) and sinful amusements (that tend to elevate self and take away from our devotion to God). We stand against extravagant and immodest clothing. We care about these things–both what we embrace and what we resist–and want to encourage others to carry them on until Jesus comes.
3. FOR HER PRACTICES—ROOTED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
We care about the Church of the Brethren due to its rites and ordinances and the things they symbolize or represent. We are known by what we believe, and by what we practice. We have those doctrines that explain what we do. These are the rites and ordinances of the church, and these tend to set us apart from other church bodies. However, that contrast with other Christians shows just how far from New Testament Christianity many have strayed.
In the New Testament we find that Christians are commanded to observe certain rites and ordinances together in the gathered body. Over time, these things have come to mark the Church of the Brethren even more so than our doctrines. They represent great spiritual truths in the lives of believers, and we have declared, that they are “essential factors in the development of the Christian life.”
We practice baptism by trine immersion. We immerse to reflect a ritual cleansing and full immersion into the Christian life. We immerse repeatedly–reflecting the Tri-unity of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. That Brethren were known as “Dunkers” reflects the emphasis placed on this rite through the history of the church. In baptism, we make the commitment signified by the three vows that date back in their current form to 1848, and every member ought to renew that commitment in his heart at every baptism:
1. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He brought from Heaven a saving Gospel?
2. Do you willingly renounce Satan with all his pernicious ways, and all the sinful pleasures of this world?
3. Do you covenant with God in Christ Jesus to be faithful unto death?
We practice the semi-annual Love Feast, and for many it is the high point of their devotional lives. We gather in the evening service, wash one another’s feet, greet each other with the holy kiss or Christian salutation, share the simple fellowship-meal or Lord’s Supper, and commune with the Bread and the Cup. As we do so, we find our thoughts drawn to Christ’s sufferings in Gethsemane, His passion on the Cross, and His death to pay for our sins. We are reminded that we we are in the Church together, and we continue to pray for the Body of Christ as it perseveres in the work of worship, edification, and evangelism today. In times of physical ailment, the anointing service reminds us that Jesus is the Great Physician, and is working out His will in our lives. We are encouraged to place our full trust in Him, not only for our immortal souls, but also for our temporal bodies.
We practice the laying on of hands. We do this as a prayer that God would visit us afresh with the enabling Holy Spirit, and renew our souls and spirits. Sometimes we are discouraged in our physical condition, and sometimes we realize our helplessness in serving Christ as we ought. Therefore, we implore God to give us a fresh visitation of the Holy Spirit so we can go on in our work for Him.
4. FOR HER PEOPLE—THE INCARNATION OF THE CHURCH’S BELIEFS AND PRACTICES
We care about the Church of the Brethren because of her people. The doctrines and practices of the Church do not exist on their own. They come alive in the lives, struggles, hopes, and dreams of Brethren people. The Church of the Brethren is a “people-oriented” fellowship, meaning that we go beyond the basic teachings and essential practices, to where they are lived out daily wherever we might find ourselves.
We care about Brethren people of the past. To turn away from our doctrines, practices, and fellowship would be to turn away from the very church that our spiritual ancestors struggled to extend. We may have an idealized (or even idolized) view of the Brethren past. We may think that if we simply were able to go back to the “good old days”—that all would be fine in the Church. This overlooks the fact that the Brethren of past generations were men and women tainted by the Fall as much as we are, and that they had to live out their lives with toil and struggle like we do. To care about the Church of the Brethren is to show respect and appreciation for earlier persons who cared about her.
We think of men who studied and preached in the farther reaches of Brethren history:
—such as Alexander Mack, who was willing to lose all for the sake of Christ, as well as the other seven who covenanted together to organize the “new” thing in 1708;
—such as John Naas, who endured persecution for his Biblical Brethren faith;
—such as Peter Becker, who helped organize and revive the Brethen in America;
—such as Peter Nead, who came to the Brethren as an outsider, yet became a sturdy defender;
—such as John Kline, who rode many miles to exhort the Brethren on the American frontier;
—such as Wilbur Stover, who saw the Brethren reaching India with the Gospel;
—such as Stover Kulp, who believed Nigeria would be fruitful in the message of Christ through the Brethren;
—such as A.C. Wieand, who loved the Bible and sought to train young men for the ministry of the Church he loved;
—such as J.H. Moore, editor of The Gospel Messenger, who took time to write a small book–The New Testament Doctrines–that continues to teach and encourage nearly a hundred years later;
—such as Otho Winger, college president and churchman, who worked to prevent schism in the Church he loved. We think of men and women of the recent past, who labored mightily to persevere in a church that was seemingly forgetting its heritage and promise:
—such as I.N.H. Beahm, who loved knowledge in service to Christ, and who always sought to bring the Bible to bear on the discussions of the Church;
—such as C.C. Ellis, who began a school to train ministers, and who loved the Church of the Brethren enough to understand the times;
—such as W. Hartman Rice and Linford Rotenberger, who loved the Church enough to not let it continue unhindered into liberalism, and were willing to do more than simply bemoan the condition of the Church;
—such as Donald Miller, who preached faithfully, and in his older years worked to establish and pastor a congregation in Maine;
—such as Murray Lehman, another faithful preacher who mentored and encouraged young men in the ministry;
—such as the men and women who prayed for revival in the Church of the Brethren.
We care about people of the Church of the Brethren today, who continue to serve Christ and follow the New Testament in their lives and teaching, and who bear the Gospel faithfully in congregations across the country. Oftentimes they are isolated from larger groups of faithful Brethren, but continue to serve and persevere with the Church they love. There are faithful ministers and pastors, deacons, and Sunday School teachers who serve without much recognition, and they continue to do it. While some may give up, many are “showing up,” and doing the work of the ministry. Some are going forth on mission fields, sometimes at great personal cost, and are preaching, teaching, and serving, because Christ’s Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) still grips them.
We care about the Church of the Brethren in other lands–notably India and Nigeria–and realize our communion with them. They have not “bowed their knee to Baal” and are faithful to the New Testament beliefs and practices under extremely trying conditions.
We care about the Church of the Brethren in the generations to come. New Testament Christianity, as we understand it, should have a home, and its natural home is the Church of the Brethren. To give up and break into autonomous units with no organic relationship is to debilitate the body so that there can be no energy with which to encourage and evangelize the next generation.
We care about the Brethren in their congregations. We are not Brethren individually, but we are incorporated into the larger church fellowship, first in congregations, then in districts, and then in the wider fellowship across the country. We cannot lightly abandon those who continue to uphold the New Testament, whether or not they do it in all particulars as we ourselves may. In New Testament times the Apostle Paul worked diligently to teach, encourage, and reprove congregations that sometimes were not the kind of churches they should have been (such as Corinth and Galatia). He did not abandon them to false teaching. He patiently persevered in preaching the Gospel and explaining repeatedly the Scriptures. Paul cared, and we care, about the people of God wherever they may be.
5. FOR HER FUTURE—THE CONTINUING WORK OF GOD UNTIL JESUS RETURNS
We care about the Church of the Brethren for it can have a promising future. In recent years, there has been a renewed emphasis on missions and church planting. New works in the Dominican Republic, in Haiti, in Brazil, and in Sudan are breathing new life into what seemed like a moribund denomination. Days ahead can always look stormy and dark. When we grow discouraged, it becomes easy to think that other corners of God’s vineyard promise brighter prospects. However, to think that way, and abandon where God has placed us–whether congregationally or denominationally–is to believe that God’s work has failed. It is to believe that God’s Word does return void. Vance Havner, the evangelist, recalled that “the lowest ebb is but the turning of the tide.” If things look bad, it is stirring God’s people among the Brethren up pray for revival. If things look up, it will stir us to pray with more fervor that revival come. When revival falls from Heaven, we will pray that God give us strength and energy to receive the harvest of souls that we are anticipating now. Elijah, the prophet to Israel, was called by God to preach in some of the darkest days of Israel’s history. The Israelites were worshipping idols and living for self. God, however, would not forsake Israel. The time came when even the prophet himself was extremely discouraged. He saw that God’s people had turned away from God. He thought he alone was faithful to God Almighty. He told God,
“I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life” (1 Kings 19:10).
Yet, God reminded Elijah,
I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18).
Perhaps God is saying the same thing to us today in the Church of the Brethren. Thus we care about the Church of the Brethren, and pray for revival, that God may receive all the glory.
