Helping With The Restoration (?)
Brother A. R. Holton, staff writer of the Christian Chronicle, says, in an article in the May 10, issue of the paper, the "Vandelia Village Plan" will help restoration. The plan referred to is the one mentioned in the April 19 Chronicle: "Personal Evangelism with an International Scope. This is the plan of the Vandelia Village church of Lubbock, Texas. They have selected a group of men, headed by Ivan Stewart, who will do personal work throughout the world. (?) Certain cities have already been announced, and brethren have been assured that these works will in no way interfere with the churches that are already existing where the workers may go. The plan is now laid for the next three years, and will require $500,000 to finance. The Vandelia Village church will supply some of the funds, as I recall $13,000, so if the "great brotherhood" will speedily and graciously come through with the remaining $487,000, then the elders of the Vandelia Village church will be the overseers of the only church of Christ in the world that is sponsoring "personal evangelism with an international scope." Now don't get me wrong. I am not against personal evangelism, but why don't the elders of that church plan a work that they can do? A. R. Holton calls this plan a "help to restoration." I admit that the plan of this church will be a big "help." It will help widen the breach already existing among churches of Christ; It will help to spread the idea that we do not need divine authority for all that we teach or practice; it will help bring about a hierarchy in the church as it existed in the apostate church; and it will help to encourage other liberal minded elders to begin sponsoring something before everything is taken up.
Of course brother Holton meant that it would help in the restoration of the Lord's church, the Lord's way, etc. But just how will it help? Holton says it will help because it will "restore the missionary spirit of the church." However, suppose the "missionary spirit of the church" is restored, what would it accomplish when the "missionaries" going forth teach that which corrupts the simple organization of the Lord's church; and the sponsoring church sending these missionaries acts without New Testament authority; when the preacher and elders of the sponsoring church along with all the missionaries they send forth to do not believe in the all sufficiency of the Lord's church to do the work the Lord gave the church to do; and in reality do not believe in the all-sufficiency of the New Testament for they practice that which is not authorized therein? Yes, brethren, their plan will restore something, but it won't be the church of our Lord, nor his authority among men!
Let's take another look at this church whose "plan" is going to help the restoration. The following is a quotation from their bulletin the "Vandelia Star." "Tickets are on sale for the Teacher's Appreciation Dinner to be held in the Fellowship Hall Monday, December 10th, at 7:30 P.M. The plates will be $1.25 each and tickets may be purchased from coordinators or Brother Sneed. Everyone is invited — let's show our teachers we appreciate them." (Copied from Newbern Admonisher.) One can immediately see that this church is really helping in the restoration. Yes sir, she is taking brethren right back to the road of digression other brethren traveled two generations ago. What part of the Lord's church will she restore with her "fellowship hall," and "appreciation dinners"? Doesn't sound much like the churches Paul established, does it. Read 1 Corinthian 11. This church is helping the restoration. Not the restoration of the Lord's church, nor the Lord's authority: but the restoration of digression and apostasy as seen in the second and nineteenth centuries.
Capps Road, Harrison, Arkansas