Reading The Bulletins
This column shall be devoted this time to giving quotations from various CHURCH bulletins to show what is going on among us in the recreational, entertainment and "fellowship" craze which has grown up so rapidly within the last few years. It is like a raging forest fire now. There seems to be no stopping place and there is no telling to what end such practices will lead. Just a few years ago, we would have written up such things as the doings of the Christian Church; but today some among us are doing about everything that we condemned them for doing then: Yet some brethren can not see that digression and modernism have come into the church! These are but examples of what is going on all over the nation. Read these quotations and take a good look at the thinking of the brethren and the place to which it has brought us.
YOUTH MEETINGS, of one kind or another, seem to be the thing of the day. A church that does not plan and sponsor some kind of "youth meeting", either city-wide or area-wide, is just not in it today! They are back numbers; old-fashioned; and probably made up of a "bunch of cranks." Look at these announcements of such:
The young people of the three congregations of the church of Christ in Terre Haute invite the young people in this area to a youth fellowship meeting May 4 and 5. An afternoon of fun is planned for Saturday afternoon, beginning at 2:00 P. M., to be followed by an evening of congregational singing. A basket dinner and song rally on Sunday afternoon is planned. The theme of the meeting is "My Father's Business".
Adequate overnight accommodations. NEIGHBORING CONGREGATIONS. Please announce this meeting. — Irvington News, Indianapolis, Indiana
The following announcement really "takes the cake." It is the "height" or "depth" of such foolishness. This announcement was accompanied with the picture of a big pig! Now get this:
Attention Young People
Only six more days before our greased pig chase! Announcements have been sent to all the congregations around and we should have a lot of visitors to help us run down our greasy pig. Some preachers too, perhaps. Don't forget to bring some old clothes. There will be a weiner roast afterwards and if we have our tent up by this Saturday, perhaps we will be able to meet after supper and sing for a while before going home. Lots of fun and CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP (Emphasis mine, Editor) for all! In case of rain, it will he held on the next Saturday.
— Troy Tidings, Troy, North Carolina Yes, the above appeared in a bulletin published by a church of Christ, This is not some Christian Church foolishness. Did YOU know that chasing a greased pig was a way to have "Christian fellowship"? It seems that most of the members of the church think today that "fun" and "Christian fellowship" go together. Instead of having a gospel meeting, why not just have a greased pig chase?
No doubt there can be preachers found who will think this is all right and will provide "Christian fellowship." Some of the preachers would no doubt be good at this sort of thing. The word "fellowship," even with the word "Christian" to modify it, has come to mean and include any sort of fun, frolic and foolishness that brethren can think up; from chasing a greasy pig to meeting in the church basement of Fellowship Hall for a big meal.
The following two quotations are taken from the bulletin of the "On the March" and modern Proctor Street church in Port Arthur, Texas. They are not to be out done by any other in this field.
AREA YOUNG PEOPLE'S MEETING
We want our young people to remember the area young people's meeting we are going to have here tomorrow (Friday) evening at 7:30. We should have the best representation of all the congregations in the area, but we are going to have to do much, much better than we have been doing if we have more than most of the smaller congregations. We want all of the adults who wish to hear the wonderful singing done by these young people to come; it will do you good to hear them sing. We plan to serve refreshments in the Junior Auditorium after the program.
We are planning to have an area young people's meeting here at Proctor Street this coming Friday night, April 19, at 7:30. The program will consist of songs by the choruses from Ninth and Elm in Orange, South Park in Beaumont and Proctor Street, and all of these combined. All young people of the area are invited to be present, and we should by all means have a good representation from Proctor Street. All adults who wish to attend are certainly welcome. We would like to have a full house for this program. Refreshments will be served in the Junior Auditorium after the program.
Here we have a church so ambitious that they plan and arrange a program for the young people of the area. It is for the YOUNG PEOPLE, but the adults may come and "look on" and "hear" as spectators and visitors.
Some of the churches will present their chorus in special numbers! Did you know that a church should have a chorus for either young or old? Well, it seems that many of them do. Of course, they do not have a CHOIR yet and it is wrong for the sectarians to do such things. We just call ours a CHORUS and that makes it all right. They can put on a program, perform for the people and entertain, and such is acceptable and the thing with many of our modern churches. Yes, brethren, it is later than YOU think. Of course, a good, up-to-date church needs a JUNIOR AUDITORIUM where they can serve refreshments!
Random Quotations From Two Late Bulletins Of The Broadway Church In Lubbock, Texas:
In the March 14 issue there is a picture of a large group sitting at tables in their large "fellowship hall," who look as if they had just finished a bounteous repast. Under the picture we have this: "This picture shows a group who attended the pre-meeting fellowship held in fellowship hall last Saturday night." That is the way to have a "pre-meeting fellowship" — eating and drinking! Every time I see such a picture or read of brethren engaging in such things it always brings to my mind the description of the Israelites — "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." 1 Cor. 10:7 In the same issue we read this: "Seventy-two students were present last Sunday to enjoy their first meal at the Bible Chair since before the Christmas holidays. The meal was prepared by the Pioneer Park church of Christ ..." We also read an article about "Interest In Livestock At Children's Home Grows." . . . "This coming Sunday, March 24th, the young people of the Jr.-Sr. High Bible Chair will have Open House . . . . Refreshments will be served in the afternoon and evening . . . ." "Approximately 250 people enjoyed the fellowship luncheon following the noon service of the meeting last Friday. The meal was provided by the ladies' Wednesday morning classes." (From March 21 bulletin.) This church has long been a leader in such matters. All of these have been presented to show just what is going on, with the hope of shocking some brethren into reality about the digressive tendencies and practices among us. Please send me any bulletins announcing any and all such affairs as these.