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Letters to the Editor - July/August 2007
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RESPONSE TO JULY 22 ISSUE
'Felt Sidelined Most of the Time'
(posted 7-23-07)
Dear Paul [Williams]:
Thank you. I am sitting at my desk feeling a bit stunned with my eyes tearing. I’ve been to MANY of the conferences you mention (“A Tale of Two Conferences,” July 22) and have felt sidelined most of the time. Thankfully, not by my husband, who is very appreciative and vocal about the contributions women make to the kingdom; but, it is rare to see the contributions of women acknowledged within our brotherhood, much less in print.
I’m also thankful that though they’ve received little encouragement or recognition, thousands of women have been faithful to the Lord’s call, doing what they could with the resources available to them. I’m deeply grateful for their example.
—Karla McElroy
Saved by Words
(posted 7-13-07)
I appreciated Chuck Sackett's word of admonition for contemporary preachers not to "give up on words" or depend too much on "sensory aids" rather than using "artfully prepared words" ("What's Happening With Contemporary Preaching?" July 22). I'm in awe of what an angel told Cornelius about Peter: "He shall speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household" (Acts 11:14, New American Standard Bible). The first Gentile convert was won by words. PowerPoint can never replace the point of power in preaching—words spoken "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (1 Corinthians 2:4). Let us be as discriminating in our selection of words as we are in the texts from which we choose to preach.
—Victor Knowles
Joplin, Missouri
RESPONSE TO JULY 8 ISSUE
'Refreshing Insight'
(posted 7-13-07)
Randy Gariss’s Reflections of July 8 (“How Do We Make Disciples Who Look Like Jesus?”) is a refreshing insight into disciple making. Though we use different words for the three ingredients Gariss recommends, we agree with his premise that study, relationships, and service are the major factors in helping men and women, students and children as they seek to follow Christ.
We believe with Randy the former model of study alone did not produce the great numbers of Christ followers we were led to believe would happen; especially if we followed the right curricular path; certified our teacher/lecturers; and built strong Bible classes. As we examined the New Testament we too moved to this trilogy of elements. However, bringing the folks who are committed to the “school” model is not an easy or quick process.
Looking through new lenses sometimes takes time to make the adjustment to seeing in a different way. However, Gariss’s new lenses bring clarity to what we thought we once knew.
—Myron Williams
Southland Christian Church
Lexington, Kentucky
RESPONSE TO JULY 1 ISSUE
Church Must Address 'Illegal' Issue
(posted 8-17-07)
The articles on nationalism in the CHRISTIAN STANDARD on July 1, 2007, made me wonder why and finally ask, “Why haven’t the CHRISTIAN STANDARD and Christians in general written or commented on and taken a stand on the question of illegal aliens in America?” What part of “illegal” doesn’t the church understand? Can the church sit back and say and do nothing about the “illegal” issue?
If a great number of illegal aliens try to get by with “breaking and entering,” what makes the church believe, like many liberal-minded people, they will be immune to illegals breaking into their homes at will? Are we promoting civil disobedience by not commenting on it from the religious and pious stance? If we do not take a stand against blatant disobedience, will any morality stand a chance of survival?
The same is true when it comes to the terrorist religion of Islam. It was founded on the destruction of “infidels” and will never change. Yet good-intentioned Christians have the mistaken notion we can all exist peacefully and live side-by-side. Muslims are Ismaelites and in Genesis 16:12, God said they would war and be warred against forever. When will we ever learn? Don’t we believe God? God help our unbelief.
—Dan Brossman
Lander, Wyoming
It Reminds Me of a Story . . .
(posted 7-23-07)
After reading "I Never Notice the Face" (by Paul S. Williams, July 1), I thought of a story by Stephen Vincent Benét called "The Bishop's Beggar." If you have not yet read it, I recommend it to you for a curious twist on the idea of dealing with the beggars of the world. What was a bane to the bishop ultimately becomes a blessing. My own copy of the story is included in a posthumous collection of his works titled The Last Circle (Farrar, Straus and Co., 1946).
I appreciate your writing. And as for fiction or poetry, I have always appreciated S.V. Benét.
—Margaret K. Dismore
Johnson City, Tennessee
'Courageous Articles'
(posted 7-10-07)
I want to applaud and thank you for the articles “The Problems of Christian Nationalism: Two Views” (by Patrick Nullens and Ethan Magness, July 1). Those were courageous articles, healthy and beneficial to the church at large. I know you will probably take some flak for them, but you did the right thing by trying to position our churches more biblically, rather than more nationally. That way, we have a perspective to speak and love our nation without idolizing it. Thank you for your courageous publishing. May God bless you.
—James Price
Diamond Bar, California
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