Is It Parallel? Questions For Herald Of Truth
Quite aside from the fact that "Herald of Truth" has become an organization which cannot be defended by Brother Buchanan or anyone else, I would like to submit, to those who try to make the relief sent to the saints in Judea a parallel to principle with the "Herald of Truth," the following questions for consideration:
Antioch (and other churches) sent relief to the famine-stricken saints in Judea. Why? Because a need existed in Judea that did not exist in Antioch. If the need had been as great in Antioch as in Judea, would the Antioch churches have sent relief to Judea? (Yes I know the famine was universal, but the need was obviously not the same in every place.)
Then, is not the need for gospel preaching as great in Houston as in Abilene? If so, is not the responsibility of the Houston churches to preach the gospel in Houston (by radio or otherwise) just as great as the responsibility of the Abilene churches to preach it in Abilene (by radio or otherwise)? Surely the answer is yes. Then is it scriptural for the Houston churches to send money to an Abilene church so that the Abilene church can preach the gospel in Houston?
It takes a lot of imagination to see, in the churches sending relief to the poor saints in Judea, a parallel with the "Herald of Truth," even in principle.
They might come a little nearer finding a parallel in the church at Philippi sending help to Paul in Thessalonica. But even here there is little similarity. Paul did not set up a machine in Thessalonica to do world-wide evangelism. He was simply preaching the gospel in a field where it was badly needed, and Philippi sent help where the need was. I have an idea (and I doubt that anyone thinks I am wrong) that when the church was firmly planted in Thessalonica, that Philippi stopped sending money there and sent it to some other needy field.