Someone Needs To Apologize
A few years ago I inadvertently misrepresented a point of Baptist doctrine while preaching. In the audience was a lady who was a member of the local Baptist church. After services she very kindly pointed out my lack of knowledge on the particular point of Baptist doctrine that I had used, and upon checking into the matter I discovered she was right. In the next service I publicly apologized for my mistake. I have always felt that Truth will stand and error will fall without resorting to unscrupulous practices such as knowingly misrepresenting. I also feel that when one does misrepresent and it is called to his attention, even though an unconscious mistake, an apology is in order.
I have heard the gospel preached in the church for several years. I have been blessed to have heard some of the best of our preachers of this generation. And I have also heard some of the worse, have heard a wide variety of preaching from a great variety of preachers. I say this in way of qualification for the following remarks.
In light of the modernism being taught among us today by men who have been preaching the gospel for years, someone needs to apologize. Many of the same men who have long condemned certain practices among our denominational friends are today promoting these same practices among the churches of Christ. In many cases, if what they are teaching today is scriptural, they have in years past misrepresented the denominations by condemning them in what they now teach as scriptural. They ought to apologize!
For years I have heard preachers condemn the practice of observing religious holidays such as "Easter" and "Christmas." Now I hear and read by admission of practice, from some of the same men, that such is all right. I have heard of congregations having "Christmas parties" for the young folks. I know of a congregation that "observed" Thanksgiving with a worship service and stated in a program given at this service, "This is one thing in which we can join hands with our religious neighbors". This same congregation had a picture of a rabbit and lily on the front of their bulletin last Easter with large words, "Happy Easter". I have an advertisement, received from DeHoff Publications, concerning preprinted covers for "Sunday by Sunday Bulletins". In this advertisement is, "Christmas and Easter full color designs at no extra charge" Someone needs to apologize!
I have heard it declared for years from many of our pulpits that there is only one way to finance the work of the local congregation. That is, by the contribution received from members on each first day of the week as they lay by in store as God has prospered them. Now I read and hear of registration fees at Youth meetings, registration fees at Bible Forums, special collections, collections during so called gospel meetings on any night of the week, and fund drives of every sort and kind. One letter that I have received reads, "A registration fee of $1.00 per person will be charged to cover the expense of food and entertainment." This is in a letter bearing the heading, "Church of Christ". Another reads, "There will be 'a registration fee of $1.50. This will be used to defray the cost of the social part of the meeting." Someone needs to apologize!
I have heard it pointed out from the scriptures that a missionary society violates the organization of the church as given by God. That elders are limited to the oversight of the "flock of God which is among you." Yet, we have missionary societies among us today under the disguise of various names. I have a paper published by `Southwest Church of Christ" (Los Angeles) concerning `Philippine Mission News". In this paper it is stated the Philippine Bible College and the work in the Philippines is sponsored by the Southwest Church of Christ. The dependence of the Church and the spread of the gospel upon the Philippine Bible College is stressed in this paper. Contributions from congregations are asked to continue this work. Here is a school, set up specifically to train men to preach, send them into mission fields in the Philippines, sponsored by a congregation in the United States, and supported by many sister congregations. What other element or arrangement would be necessary to make this a missionary society? The name? I hardly think so. Someone needs to apologize!
For years preachers of the gospel have proclaimed condemnation for the synods, conventions, etc. of denominations. No group of men from several congregations have the scriptural authority to meet together and legislate laws or rules to govern several or all of the congregations of any district. But we have our conventions and synods just the same. At least here in California. I have attended such meetings where the policies of several congregations concerning certain phases of their work were made. The necessity of such meetings is generally the same necessity of synods and conventions for the denominations. An organization or plan of work is promoted which God has not authorized. In as much as God has not authorized it men must impeach the wisdom of God in His divine plan and program and meet together to work out the details of arrangement and organization. Of course, we do not call them conventions or synods. No, we call them "lectureships," "fellowship meetings," "Elders meetings," "Preacher and Elders luncheons," etc. Someone needs to apologize!
As I have listened to gospel preaching I have always heard (until the last few years) that the Church is sufficient to do the work the Lord has charged it to do. I have heard preachers cry out against human organizations and tell us we have no need for educational societies, missionary societies, and benevolent societies. Yet, many of these same preachers now tell us such arrangements are all right. Of course, they must not be identified by the above terms; they are called Orphan Homes, Old Folks Homes, Philippine Bible College, etc.
Certainly a person has a right to change his convictions. If he learns from the word of God he has been wrong in certain things he has preached he should change, if he wants Heaven as an eternal home. But, if through a better understanding of God's word he learns he has misrepresented someone I believe an apology is in order. Yes, all who are advocating the above mentioned unscriptural practices need to apologize. Most important, they need to apologize to God!