From Trickle to Flood  - Don C. Truex (9/9/87)
[Note the date of this article. Suggestion: Have your children read it. Discuss it with them. What have they seen and heard about among "Churches of Christ"? What is wrong with these things? srf]

I grew up listening to great gospel preachers thunder the warning of Hosea to those who were choosing the path of digression within the body of Christ: "They have sown the wind and they shall reap the whirlwind" (Hosea 8:7). I read the appeals of faithful preachers for our "liberal" brethren to "stand in the ways and see, and ask or the old paths, wherein is the good way, and walk therein" (Isaiah 6:16). The concern was voiced that the small trickle of unauthorized innovation being introduced would eventually become a flood that even liberalisms most ardent supporters would one day decry. Sadly, these warnings were met with accusations of "Anti-alamism," being "legalistic," and "mote-hunting." Like Israel of old, the answer came, "We will not walk therein."

The trickle has become a flood. As foretold, many of our liberal brethren are now disturbed by, as one writer characterized it, "the barnacles on the ship of Zion." Where has digression led? The answers may surprise you.

Oran Rhodes is the editor of Sound Words, a rather conservative paper published by our "liberal" brethren in Redwater, Texas. The contributing writers are men of wide reputation, keen minds and powerful pens. And they are appalled at what is happening among "their brethren." In an article entitled, "What Does He See?", Brother Rhodes penned the following: "What does our Lord see among His people today? If He looks in some places, he finds 'Jumping Jacks For Jesus,' 'Cookies For Christ,' 'Clowning Around For The Lord,' and 'Bicycles For Bringing One.' In other places he sees the church to be the champion -- of the church Basketball League -- with the newspaper clipping reading, 'Church of Christ Kicks Baptist For City Championship.' If these were not real, or if they were only isolated cases, it would not be worth the space used here, but these kinds of things go on regularly throughout the land. God forbid.

"What does the Lord see? He sees training programs and schools that teach men how to everything except be faithful gospel preachers. He sees churches with million dollar budgets with less than 10% utilized to preach the gospel. He sees elders who are more concerned with keeping the peace than keeping the truth. He sees churches filled with adulterers and adulteresses, with liars and revelers and nothing being done about it."

In another edition of Sound Words, Dean Fugett wrote, "We have scores of programs and projects begun by brethren that are not part of the church, not in or under the church; not divinely decreed, but still attached to the church... Stop and count the number of 'works' that draw from the church even while not answerable to, nor under, nor in the church: publishing houses, seminars, colleges, workshops, youth camps, rest homes, hospitals, exercise centers, family-life centers, multi-million complexes, etc. Doesn't it never become strange to you how much money we, who emphasize that which is not see, spend on that which is seen?"

And finally, John Waddey, a "liberal" preacher who wrote the tract, "Anatomy Of An Anti," had this assessment of the state of his own innovative and  institutional brethren: It is appalling to see entire congregations that are virtually illiterate as to the doctrine of Christ. Twenty years of jiffy-mix sermons have taken their toll. Much of the preaching is so watered down and meatless that it would be well received in most protestant churches. We do not see a lot of error being taught; it is really 30 minutes of trivia that leaves a church suffering from malnutrition.

What is the point? First, our young people need to be schooled in the fact that there is a tremendous difference between the practice of faithful children of God and the digression chronicled above. They need to know that the division of the 50's was not merely a result of undefined philosophical differences but the result of proud doctrinal differences regarding the activity of the local church. Second, it doesn't have to be! The abuses noted above do not have to be tolerated. Why not simply and humbly try the Lord's plan? Why not resolve, with us, to follow the divine blueprint for the work and worship of the church? It is time for all who profess to be God's faithful children to earnestly contend for and walk within "the faith once for all delivered." (via The Caprock Messenger)

Transportation for Zelma Bobbitt
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Sun.,  18, am& pm  - Dwight & Andrea Osteen
Wed.,  21, pm  - Rocky
Sun.,  25, am  - Legg pm - Rice
Wed.,  28, pm  - Michael Gove