Canadian Adventist Messenger for 1985

32 Pages·2013·4.97 MB·English

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CANADIAN ADVENTIST
From The President's Diary
Volume 54, N 4, Apr,/ 1985, Oshawa, Ohtani
G.E. Maxson/Editor
June Polishuk/Associate Editor
Allan Colleran/Art Director
CONFERENCE EDITORS
L. Larsen/Alberta
M. Tetz/British Columbia
D.M. MacIvor/Man.-Sask.
L. Lowe/Maritime
D. Crook/Newfoundland
E.R. Bacchus/Ontario
C. Sabot/Quebec
Official Organ of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada:
President, J.W. Wilson; Secretary, G.E. Maxson; Treasurer,
N.W. Klarn; Departmental Directors: Education, J.D.V. Fitch;
Personal Ministries and Sabbath School, CS. Greene; Ministerial,
W.R Bornstein; Public Affairs, D.D. Devnich; Publishing
W. Ruba; Youth and Stewardship, P.A. Parks; Trust Services,
F. Lloyd Bell; Consultant to Health Care Institutions,
AG. Rodgers. Issued monthly, annual subscription price in DON'T WORRY . . .
Canada $5.00. Out of Union $10.00.
Conference Directory
CANADIAN UNION CONFERENCE - J.W. Wilson, President;
G.E. Maxson, Secretary; N.W. Klam, Treasurer; 1148 King Street
East, Oshawa, Ontario LI H 1H8. [phone].
ALBERTA CONFERENCE — H.S. Larsen, President; W. Olson,
Secretary-Treasurer; Box 5007, Red Deer, Alberta T4N 6A1.
[phone].
BRITISH COLUMBIA CONFERENCE — G.B. DeBoer, President; •
P. W. Dunham, Secretary, E. Tetz, Treasurer, Box 1000, Abbotsford,
British Columbia V2S 4P5. [phone]. you mess with something long enough, it will break! If
MANITOBA - SASKATCHEWAN CONFERENCE — D.M.
Maclvor, President; M.D. Suiter, Secretary-Treasurer; 1004 Victoria you're feeling good, don't worry, you'll get over it. Don't
Ave., Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N OZ8. [phone]. worry, you will always find something the last place you
MARITIME CONFERENCE — L.G. Lowe, President;
Secretary-Treasurer; 121 Salisbury Rd., Moncton, N.B. El E 1A6. look.
[phone]. Don't worry, it is impossible to arrive at your destination unless
ONTARIO CONFERENCE — G.W. Morgan, President; 0. Parch-
ment, Secretary; KR. Heinrich, Treasurer, Box 520, Oshawa, you know where you are going. Those wiser than I have said all of the
Ontario L1H 7M1. [phone].
above.
QUEBEC S.D.A. CHURCH ASSOCIATION — C. Sabot, President;
LM. Abel, Secretary; G.R.J. Gray, Treasurer; 940 Ch. Chambly, Now why are we here? Well, for one reason, it is to help our youth
Longueuil, Quebec J4H 3M3. [phone].
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR MISSION OF SEVENTH- build a spiritual offense (after all that is the best defense). He who
DAY ADVENTISTS — D. Crook, President; B. Christenson, shortchanges his education will be shortchanged the rest of his life.
Acting Secretary-Treasurer; 106 Freshwater Road, St. John's,
Newfoundland AIC 2N8. [phone]. The function of the Christian teacher is a function of ministry. The
Legal Directory teacher is the key, that's where the action is. Daily he meets the up-
For the information of members and friends who wish to coming generation. A godly teacher is the greatest gift any faculty can
remember the Church and its institutions in preparing wills and have. For this there is no substitute.
legacies.
ALBERTA CONFERENCE CORPORATION of the Seventh-day Thank God for our schools. Let's fill them up to the brim with our
hard I. R MdTAAaHddAyvvENe e AIBnnTdttROiisvsItTBte CCInASthh HiCsuu tOrrC ccCNOhhh FL--u EUBPrRMco.OhxEB . N5I -AB 0C1 o0C0Ex70O ,1C4 RR0O P0VeR0Odic,P R DtAoOAebrRTiebaIAro O,A tTAsNIvflOo beoreNnfd ru t,toh aeBef ,T. t 0ShS4 eeVNa vs2S e6kSenAa vt41hteoP.-n do5tahn. y-, efatenrtnaYsitotyiuc. syeoeu, tthh.e T ghree adt ipvuidrpenosde r oetfu Crnaenda doinan t hSeD iAnv secshtmooelnst i sw tioll plarostv ifdoer
by Ric MSAadAsvRkeaInTttcIiMshteE Cw CahnuO,r NcShF7 ENInR cOE. Z-N 81C. 2E1 CSOalRisPbuOrRy ARToIaOdN, Mofo tnhcet oSne, vNe.nBth. -Ed1aEy tchoel lseegteti,n ogf whhise orew yno furre yeo wunilgl smteary, acnhyowohsee rteo flroovme kainndd esergrvaert eJne stuhsr.o ugh
1A6. Once that decision has been made, the other two basic decisions of
ONTARIO CONFERENCE CORPORATION of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church - P.O. Box 520, Oshawa, Ontario Ll H 7M1. life will be so much easier — the choice of a life work and the choice of a
SASKATCHEWAN CONFERENCE CORPORATION of the life companion. There never ever has been a time in the church's
Seventh-day Adventist Church - 1004 Victoria Avenue, Saska-
toon, Saskatchewan S7N OZ8. history when the church has had such a reservoir of well trained, highly
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN CANADA - 1148 motivated, extremely dedicated youth.
King Street East, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 1H8.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH in Newfoundland and Aren't you proud of our young people and our dedicated, soul
Labrador - 106 Freshwater Road. St. John's, Nfld. A1C 2N8.
winning and soul saving teachers? April 27 is Christian Education Day.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH - Quebec Conference,
or Eglise Adventiste du Septieme Jour - Federation du Quebec - How about a big genuine show of support for our teaching ministry
940 Ch Chambly, Longueuil, Quebec J4H 3M3.
and their fantastic pupils.
Printed by Maracle Press Limited. Second class mail Don't worry — they'll never let you down!
registration number 0912. Address all enquiries to 1148
King Street East, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 1H8.
ISSN 0702-5084
2 MESSENGER/APRIL 1985
TO SAVE OUR SCHOOLS,
TO
SAVE OUR
CHILDREN
J.D. Victor Fitch
Director, Office of Education, Canadian Union Conference
O
n September 4, 1984, the schools? Has there been a loss of faith
American Broadcasting in our schools over the last years which
Company preempted all has affected the enrollment and the
of its prime-time programming so that financial commitment?
ABC News could address a problem of Jennings concluded the special pro-
growing concern. Peter Jennings, the gram which pointed out the enormous
host of the program entitled To Save problems of the public school along
Our Schools, To Save Our Children, with the challenge which faced the
said, nation by saying, "There must be a
"No other country has committed so decade of dedication as massive as our
much to public education for so efforts to put a man on the moon. The
long. We have staked the survival of costs will be enormous, but if our
the American idea on an educated schools fail, we all fair Again as I
citizen. Our security, our economic reflected upon our own education it
competitiveness in the world and was obvious that the costs are enor-
our leadership depend on it." mous, but truly, if our own Seventh-
day Adventist schools fail, we may
The program was divided into three
indeed all fail.
major sections. In Jennings words,
Sabbath, April 27, 1985 has been
"First the students themselves. Oh, designated as Educational Day and
they've changed. They are more Elementary School Offering. Our first
difficult to reach. Struggling to school opened in South Stukely,
reach them, these are today's teachers, Quebec in September, 1884. During
a profession itself threatened by the the intervening years the Lord has
challenges of the next decade. And blessed and prospered the work of
there are our local communities, Adventist education in Canada. Has Christian education available to our
yours and mine, which have in- any other church, for its size, com- children. Thank you for your prayers
creasingly lost faith in their schools. mitted so much to Christian education and your financial support for Christian
It is a disturbing scenario." for so long? Do we stake the survival of education. May the Lord continue to
All through the program my thoughts our church on members being edu- lead and bless as we labour together to
continually came to Seventh-day cated in our Seventh-day Adventist save our schools, to save our children.
". . . if our own Seventh-day Adventist
schools fail, we may indeed all fail."
Marc on Education - page 21
MESSENGER/APRIL 1985 3
THEY PREPARE
H WHY LORD
Literature evangelists are reaching
homes where the gospel message will be
received in no other way.
4(cid:9) MESSENGER/APRIL 1985
Canadian literature evangelists of labours. Soon he reported sales of 120
the past and present can rightfully We copies of Patriarchs & Prophets and 32
claim they "prepare the way of the copies of Man - The Masterpiece. Besides
Lord." In his book The Lord is My his medical ministry he reported by
must
Shepherd, a history of the Seventh-day June, 94 missionary visits and 59 Bible
Adventist Church in Canada, J. Ernest Readings.
Monteith calls the early colporteurs It is marvellous in our eyes how the
"the first apostles of Adventism to the takee up Lord has used the printed page and
Maritimes." Here is how this qualified faithful literature evangelists to open
historian pays tribute to the work of the the door for the Advent message in
colporteurs who have lit the torch in province after province in Canada.
the early years of the Seventh-day But you say, that was nearly a
Torch
Adventist Church in Canada. hundred years ago and you may
"Longard was one of many who had rightfully ask what is happening today
part in the colporteur work. Many of in the literature ministry. Is the torch
these early workers were colporteurs still burning brightly? In 1984 the
— John R. Israel, David Corkham, H.A. literature evangelists sold $1,290,978.00
Rice and F.W. Mores to mention a few. worth of literature. Besides this, they
In 1890, colporteurs in the Maritimes gave away 42,889 tracts and pamphlets.
took 3,534 orders in the amount of They enrolled 2,674 people in the Bible
$8,259.00. A year later the number of W. Ruba Correspondence School. 567 interested
sales rose to 3,608 in the amount of people came to church. The literature
$9,277.00. In 1891 canvassers began Publishing Director, evangelists prayed in 6,946 homes,
working for the first time in Prince Canadian Union Conference gave 1,859 Bible Studies and saw 72
Edward Island. They placed 1,400 precious souls baptized into the
copies of Bible Readings in the homes. It Church.
was generally believed by the Evan- his seed-sowing." We praise God for this accomplish-
gelists that the most encouraging A light is kindled in Newfoundland. ment and we thank everyone who has
success from tent labour in these At the General Conference session in contributed to it. However, we cannot
provinces the past two years was 1893 it was decided to begin work in rest satisfied because the opportunities
where the place had been previously Newfoundland. As an outcome of this and challenges today are far greater
canvassed for Bible Readings." Page 68. action, two colporteurs, L.T. Ayres and than the accomplishments. We have
The work of the colporteurs in the early E.O. Parker, who had spent part of 1892 nearly 35,000 Church members and
days of the message must not be canvassing in the Maritimes, were sent only about 60 people are engaged in
underestimated. Thanks to this seed- to Newfoundland. En route to their the literature ministry on a full or part-
sowing by the colporteurs, the evan- new island home, Mrs. Ayres became time basis. If each member would
gelists could report that adults had acquainted with one of her fellow distribute magazines or booklets at a
begun the observance of the Sabbath. travellers on board ship and gave her value of only $2.00 per week, we would
Literature evangelists carried the Bible Readings. Later this lady, Mrs. get 31/2 million dollars worth of liter-
Torch of Truth to Manitoba. The work Anna Pippy became the first Seventh- ature into the hands of the public,
of the canvassers for the years 1889 to day Adventist convert in Newfoundland. which would be three times as much as
1891 was successful both financially The colporteurs reached Newfound- what the literature evangelists are
and in soul-winning. At the General land during the fall of 1893. Parker doing now. What a challenge! What an
Conference Session in March, 1891 it made Carboneur the scene of his opportunity! What a sowing effort that
was reported that $8,000.00 worth of would be and we could go on reaping
books had been placed in Manitoba in Many for another 1,000 days.
the previous two years. It was also Every province in Canada needs
stated that when the canvassers began more literature evangelists. Every
people who
their work, there was not known to be a church member must take up the torch
single Sabbath keeper in the province, and light his corner if we are really
won't accept
but by the time of the Conference thirty serious about finishing the work.
or forty had begun its observance. The I appeal to every pastor, the con-
Bible studies
Lord is My Shepherd p. 80. About the ference administrators and the con-
beginning of the Adventist work in cerned lay members to be aware of
or attend an
Alberta, Elder Monteith writes, "As what is happening in the publishing
had been often the case in many areas programme in your area. Every church
of the world, Seventh-day Adventism evangelistic should have at least one active liter-
was first heralded to the pioneer ature evangelist. They are the ones
population of Alberta by colporteurs. meeting will who contact more people each day
T.R Astleford, father of Elder Astleford, than any other group of denomina-
was the first to undertake to spread read a tional workers. I appeal to every
Advent teachings in the West. Astleford missionary minded Church member to
spent five years circulating the printed book. join the literature ministry now and
page in Edmonton and district. In a take the Torch of Truth to every home
short time he reaped the harvest from in Canada.
MESSENGER/APRIL 1985 5
The
world through literature. Every member
C.E. Bradford
must spread the Word. There are some
members of the church to whom God ha- Canadian Union
SPEAKS OUT given special gifts, and He selects these t(
represent the church's publishing ministr.
Revolving Fund
in a full-time ministry. The church support-
ON this person. This is why the publishing:
ministry must care for its full-time literature
F. Lloyd Bell,
evangelists. They are the whole church's
LITERATURE responsibility. These people are workers Director,
for the total church. Just as the church is Trust Services, Canadian Union Conference
EVANGELISM responsible for the care of its preaching
ministers, so the church is responsible for
The Canadian Union Revolving Fund
the care of its literature evangelists!
continues to grow and to be a tremendous
Also young people who have feet and
blessing to God's church across Canada.
hands, and a mouth to speak, and life in From Botwood, Newfoundland to Duncan,
The publishing ministry of the church is their bodies, the vitality of youth, can take
Vancouver Island, and to 135 other churches,
ordained of God. It's a reality. It's a fact. part in this ministry. People are willing to church schools and institutions in between,
We've got a winner! The church cannot help young people. The student literature loans totalling over $5 million have gone
exist long without this ministry, and we evangelist has an advantage over the adult
out. Some of this money has been loaned
who are given some measure of respon- literature evangelist in that people are out, returned, and loaned out again. Many
sibility in the church must look upon touched by a young person who is en-
of these buildings, witnessing to God's
ourselves as change agents. We've got to deavouring to get an education, and who is
glory, could not and would not have been
change people's attitudes about the litera- working his way through that educational
constructed if it had not been for the
ture ministry. We've got to make our people experience. The student literature evan- sacrifice and dedication of God's people
gelist will find doors open to him. Later on,
through their loans to this fund.
whatever the call of God, and whatever
At present there is $4,100,000 on deposit
their future life vocation, it will be en-
in the fund, and this is on loan to 70
hanced many times over by the experience
churches and schools throughout Canada.
of meeting people and serving people's
We give our depositors 81/2% interest, and
needs. If they do their student literature
we loan it to the churches at 91/2%. We
evangelistic work well, they will be better
would like to take this opportunity to
prepared to do their life work well.
express our appreciation to all those
I would like to give a personal testimony
churches presently with loans for keeping
on why I believe so strongly in the literature their payments up-to-date. Out of 70
ministry. When I was 18 I was assigned the outstanding loans there is only one de-
territory of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. linquent account. This is excellent.
It was hard work, but today I look back on At a recent committee of the General
those student colporteur summers as the Council and the Canadian Union Executive
best experiences of my life. They toughened Committee, it was voted to expand the use
me up, set the stage for my entire pastoral of the Revolving Fund from the financing of
and evangelistic ministry. They enabled me approved capital improvement projects to
to know how to reach the hearts of people
include also major church improvements.
and to persuade them for heaven.
This will be a help where we are expanding
What about the harvest, the actual our churches, schools and other facilities.
results from the books that are sold? Some Thank you once again for your dedication
years later E.E. Cleveland came to Winston- to this important area of the Lord's work.
Salem, the territory I had canvassed, and Loans to the Revolving Fund should be
baptized hundreds of people. Some of sent directly to: The Canadian Union
those people came into the church because Revolving Fund, 1148 King Street East,
they had read our books. And all through Oshawa, ON L1H 1H8.
my ministry since, I have seen the harvest Loans from the Revolving Fund are only
reaped as a result of literature seeds sown . for authorized church projects, and they
Truly there is no work that will produce a must be made through the church board to
larger or more lasting harvest for eternity . the local conference committee, who will
Finally, I must say this: We must come to forward the request to the Canadian Union
the place where every member of the Trust Services Committee.
church feels a personal burden for the If further information is requested,
publishing work. When literature evan- please write to the Canadian Union Re-
gelists are out there serving the church the., volving Fund.
are representing me. I am in a sense out
there with them, and I support them. I am,
in some measure, fulfilling my responsi- SIGNS
bility as a literature evangelist, not to escape
OF THE TIMES
my personal responsibility for sharing
conscious and aware of their individual Adventist literature with my neighbours
The
responsibilities. and friends, but because I cannot go
All members of the church are pub- canvassing full-time every day, they are full gospel magazine.
lishing ministers. Every member of the representing me every day full-time. Let's
church is a literature evangelist in a sense. pray always that God may bless our faithful Sponsor more in '85.
Every member must communicate to the literature evangelists!
6(cid:9) MESSENGER/APRIL 1985
Here's Informa tion
About th e G.C. Session
There is more than enough hotel space Thursday, July 4, Middle East/South Africa
and seating for anyone wanting to attend and Inter-America.
the 54th General Conference Session in Sabbath, June 29, will feature a "Festival
New Orleans next June 27 through July 6, of Praise" and "Strategy '90" at 2 p.m. The
according to General Conference assistant Mission Pageant, a highlight of the session,
treasurer Don Robinson, session manager. will be on the second Sabbath, July 6, from 4
The site of the session — the Superdome to 5:30 p.m.
— covers 52 acres and seats up to 95,000 Afternoon programs especially for
people. The city of New Orleans has women are scheduled July 1 to 4. Juniors
thousands of available hotel rooms. and Earliteens can attend a day camp for
All official delegates to the session and youth June 30 through July 5. Reservations
their support staffs will be advised through may be made through the General Con-
their employing organizations concerning ference Youth Department.
travel and room reservations. Visitors may A parade through downtown New
make their own hotel reservations directly Orleans will take place at noon on Monday,
with hotels in New Orleans or through July 1.
Travel Lite Company, the official travel Various church institutions and depart-
agent for the G.C. Session, at 541 Lincoln ments — plus the world divisions — will set
Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139 USA. The up exhibits in the Superdome.
company's telephone numbers are (305) Adventist Health System/EMA has
672-0308 and the toll free [phone]. assumed overall responsibility for the
The Telex numbers are 441582 and Superdome food service operations during
4950728. Without cost to the church, Travel the session. It will be directed by Clinton A.
Lite has negotiated favorable rates with Wall, a registered dietitian and Dietary
hotels in a variety of price ranges and Services Consultant of AHS/EMA.
various distances from the Superdome. Meal service at the Superdome will
Travel Lite will handle computerized consist of dining service for the noon and
registration for all delegates and visitors evening meals on the arena floor of the
and will provide a "Find a Friend" service Superdome with eight fast-moving serving
indicating where all registrants are staying lines. The service will provide 10,000 meals
in New Orleans. per day and more on weekends, making it
Those interested in camping in the area the largest vegetarian dining service in
should contact the Greater New Orleans history. In addition, there will be a limited-
Tourist and Convention Commission, 334 service a-la-carte cafeteria and several
Royal St., New Orleans, LA 70130, for a list concession stands will serve traditional
of available campgrounds. The telephone Adventist foods.
number of the commission is (504) 566- Since food supplies must be ordered in
5011. advance, the food service for the session
The daily program of the session will will ask delegates to pre-select and pre-
begin at 7:45 a.m. with music and devo- purchase tickets for the evening meal (noon
tionals, followed by a business session from New Orleans meal tickets will be included in the delegate
9:30 to noon. "Window on the World" (a and technical staff package). Visitors will be
film program showing Adventist world asked to pre-select and pre-purchase both
work) and session committees begin at 1:30 June 27 noon and evening meals. Meal coupons
p.m., after which business sessions meet purchased in New Orleans will be more
from 3:15 to 5:15. expensive. Additional information on meal
Evening programs will feature reports of through coupons is being sent out by Adventist
the world divisions of the church. The Health System.
evening schedule is: Sabbath, June 29, Visitors interested in attending the
Northern Europe and North America; July 6 Ministerial Association's pre-session meet-
Sunday, June 30, Euro-Africa and South ings from Sunday, June 23, through
America; Monday, July 1, Africa-Indian Wednesday, June 26, should watch for
Ocean and Far East; Tuesday, July 2, registration applications in Ministry maga-
Southern Asia and Australasian; Wednesday, zine.
July 3, China/USSR and East Africa; and
MESSENGER/APRIL 1985 7
D. Douglas Devnich
I)
AN
DOCTRINE
OF THE
CHURCH
St. Thomas Aquinas
once said of the
church of God
"It is a
wonderful and
sacred mystery."
8(cid:9) MESSENGER/APRIL 1985
UINAS WAS God and it is the object of What then is the next
AQ
RIGHT, because the Redemption which the turning-point in our
in all of time, Bible proclaims! evolving catechesis? There
past and present, so few From my childhood until are those in the Church who
seem to grasp the meaning of now, I have observed the perceive that we are moving
the church of God. So many Adventist Church as it faced into a time which calls for an
have abused it — as if the several crises. I remember enlightened understanding
church were merely a human the days when the of the Doctrine of the
institutional tool by which Shepherd's Rod movement Church.
they might seize power to severed some members from It could be speculated that
rule other souls. In some orthodox Adventism. During the recent crisis in the
cases the church has become my educational career I Adventist Church as it
a social concourse within remember the debates relates to the Spirit of
which petty emotional relating to Brindsmead Prophecy might have been
imbalances are mutually theology. Then there was the avoided by a better
shared. Some people have era of spiritual renewal when understanding of the
understood the church to be the doctrine of righteousness Doctrine of Inspiration.
nothing more than a place by faith received greater Because of our experience
for group therapy to salve emphasis. For some in the with the question of divine
troubled souls. And, of Church it was an issue to be inspiration, it becomes a
course there are some who resisted; for others it was matter of urgency that we
need no church. They are manna from heaven. It was a now do a better job in
sufficient unto themselves — "great awakening," when it understanding the doctrine
without the God and Father should have always been the of the church. Perhaps then
of the church. Without the heart and substance of we might avoid being torn
Spirit of Life. Their minds — Adventism. again in an ecclesiologial
perpetually a spiritual More recently, we have scuffle.
vacuum. survived the struggle in In recent years some
The Christian faith today defining the role of the gift Adventists have learned
is a living reality, rather than of prophecy in the modern through trauma what they
an ideological illusion, church. Some have left the should have known by
precisely because christians Adventist Church because of clearer theological thinking.
have maintained that the faulty perceptions about one They learned that the
church is in the very heart of of God's greatest gifts to the Doctrine of Inspiration does
God! The Divine necessity of church. Others have found not require the prophet to be
the church stands at the very the clarification effort to have absolutely original. They
heart of the Bible. The strengthened their faith in learned that a prophet
church is the invention of the writings of Ellen G. White. communicates in the context
Continued on next page
MESSENGER/APRIL 1985 9
of his or her time and culture. They learned mystery of which Thomas Aquinas spoke. life and ministry of Christ you come to
that inspired writings do not come by word The church in orthodox christian thought know the church as divinely and purpose-
dictation but by thought inspiration. They and theology is the womb in which spiritual fully ordained.
learned too that a prophet, without dis- life from Jesus Christ reaches us. To abort II. The Church is composed of
service to his or her calling, may borrow ourselves in any way from the womb is to
the Covenant People of God
ideas from a variety of sources. disconnect ourselves from life in Christ
Once again, the sooner we learn the Jesus. and through them a Reve-
meaning of the doctrine of the church, the It may be that we in the Adventist lation of God is given to the
better we will endure and survive the Church have been far too timid in pro- universe.
challenge ahead in the matter of church claiming the authority of God in the church.
authority. In our reaction against the pontifications of That through the church the
In an effort to clarify the meaning of The Rome, and in our abhorrence of the abuses manifold wisdom of God might
Church let us consider two scriptural of medieval Roman Catholicism we have now be made known to the prin-
definitions of what the church is. Obviously tended to swing to the opposite extreme of cipalities and powers in the
these two points do not exhaust the subject. uncertainty in the matter of church author- heavenly places. (Ephesians 3:10 RSV)
Much more can be said. ity. This lack of certitude often leaves
If we believe the Bible at all, we must
I. The Church is God's only church members unsure about whether
believe that when the church of God
redemptive agency in the they should lead; whether they should
expresses itself liturgically, theologically
follow; or whether they should rebel.
world: and administratively, it is the best ex-
Let us learn that whenever and wher-
pression of wisdom that God has on this
Take heed to yourselves and to all
ever the church meets together in com-
earth at that time.
the flock, in which the Holy Spirit munity to decide its destiny, the outcome
Yes, it may change and grow, but God
has made you overseers, to care for must be viewed as the expressed will of
blesses the world in the work of the church
the church of God which he ob- God for the church of God on earth. Each
whenever the church works. The Covenant
tained with the blood of his own member, making his or her contribution People of God who are hid in Christ Jesus,
Son. (Acts 20-28 RSV) has a part in putting a human face on a in their thoughts and in their words reveal
divine mystery. The church on earth, in all
The Blood of Jesus Christ established the wisdom of all ages — in them God is
of its efforts, continues to mobilize the Body
the church. The church is the extension of acting to save sinners.
of Christ.
Jesus Christ Himself. It is His Body. It is the Think of it — angels of heaven would
church which applies the merit and meaning Yet, far too frequently, some have gone love to be able to participate directly in the
of the blood of Christ which was shed for away from such "high points" in the deliberations and witness of the church. It is
the redemption of souls. Without the church's life and ministry feeling that the there where God's singular vehicle is for an
church the linkage is broken between assembly was scarcely different from a expression in this dark world of the great-
God's redemptive act on Calvary and man's shareholder's meeting of Ronald Mac- ness and majesty of their Father and our
desperate need of salvation in the world. Donalds Inc. Father — God Almighty. But no, God has
Unfortunately some have come to think The Bible teaches that wherever and kept it from angels and he has given it to
in modern times that the church is optional whenever the church meets, there is God! us.
for the christian. Some have looked at the church as merely Peter said: "Thou art the Christ, the Son
The church is not an option. some kind of accident of history — it was of the Living God."
No person can wipe his or her "hands not necessary, but it happened. They must Jesus said: "Upon this Rock I will build
clean" of the church without jeopardizing be reminded that it is a foundation stone of my church; and the gates of hell shall not
his or her own salvation. This is the sacred the christian faith, that when you know the prevail against it."
Colour Transparencies Sought
for Messenger Covers
Scenes in Canada, nature slides and pictures typical of the four
seasons in 35mm, 21/4 sq., 4 x 5 etc format, are requested for use as
colour Messenger covers. If you have such a selection that are clear
and sharp, send them to the Messenger office. If we choose to use
yours, we will give a credit line to the photographer and Messenger
pays $35.00 for a one-time use for each transparency purchased
and will return your slides to you. Slides should be labelled as to
location.
Mail your transparencies to:
Messenger, 1148 King St. E., Oshawa, Ontario L1H 1H8
10 MESSENGER/APRIL 1985