POLICE LOCK A BAPTIST CHURCH Christianity Today (November 12, 1982) has an interesting article about the struggle of the Faith Baptist Church of Louisville, Nebraska. to keep its school going in the face of state opposition. This case has attracted national attention. The State insists on licensing such schools and requires them to have state certified teachers. Rev. Everett Sileven refuses these requirements on the grounds that this is state interference with the affairs of a church. The case has not only awakened widespread interest and support especially from fundamentalists, but has also created bitter feelings in the town of some 1,000 people. For Rev. Sileven and those who agree with him it is a matter of principle for which they are ready to go to prison and make every sacrifice. An article in the Grand Rapids Press recently quoted a leader of Baptist preachers as saying that there are some 77 schools in Michigan that could be prosecuted under similar circumstances.
SOCIOLOGISTS SAY CHURCH GROWTH CAUSED BY CIRCULATION OF SAINTS This is the heading of a short item in the October 29 issue of Evangelical Newsletter and the matter is the subject of a longer report in Christianity Today (11/12/82). Two Canadian sociologists made a five year study of 16 churches in Calgary, Alberta. The congregations were conservative, “evangelical” churches, not those of “mainline” denominations. They found that 70% of the new members came by transfer from other churches; 17% were from .immediate families of previous members and only 13% of new members had been “unchurched.” Most of these were reached and brought into church by relatives and friends. Although 13 percent is a small amount, it would be wonderful if the Christian Reformed Church could report such growth. On the other hand, it is good to realize that some of the phenomenal growth reported by such churches as Dr. Falwell’s (from 35 to almost 20,000 members) does not really mean a net growth in total church membership, but “circulation of the saints” at the expense of loss in other churches.
WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE? This is the title Joseph Bayly gives his “Out of My Mind” column in Eternity (November/82). He is alarmed at the way many even in evangelical circles are conforming to the mores of the day on such matters as marriage after divorce and homosexuality. He mentions liberation theology, women’s theology, black theology and homosexual theology, and says they are alike in “starting with a problem, a need, a desire, rather than with God; then building a construction that is unbalanced to support their teaching about that need. If Bible passages have to be explained away or even rejected to support their thesis, so be it.” He recalls how his liberal professor in 1942 adapted Paul’s teachings to suit the cultural change of our day, and finds to his dismay that 40 years later “a respected professor at an evangelical seminary would reject St. Paul’s teaching about gender differences with almost the same words.” Bayly issues a clarion call to take the Bible seriously and not rationalize parts that convict us of sin.
WHAT IS MISSION? Moody Monthly November, 1982) has an article entitled “What in the World Is God Doing?” in which a number of missionary leaders express opinions on a number of questions about the present status of mission work. Warren Webster, general director of the Conservative Baptist Foreign Mission Society, comments about some misconceptions people have about missions. He calls attention to the fact that there is a great deal of confusion about the meaning of “mission.” Almost any kind of enterprise outside of the local church is called mission work. Quoting Dr. Stephen Neill he says, “When everything is missions, nothing is mission.” His concluding sentence contains a warning that applies also to the Christian Reformed Church. “Today, when liberal denominations are returning to an emphasis on evangelism, evangelicals may pass them going the other direction with an unbalanced emphasis on social concern.”
AN INTERVIEW WITH JERRY FALWELL The same issue of Moody Monthly contains an article based on an interview with the pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church and head of Moral Majority. Rev. Falwell claims that the media continually misrepresent his words and actions and try to put him in a bad light. He has been accused of deception in raising finances for his projects. What especially concerns him is the failure to distinguish between his role as pastor of his church and preacher on the Old Time Gospel Hour, and his leadership in Moral Majority. Mention is made of the social action pro· gram of his church in aiding the poor and working with pregnant girls to help them in not having abortions. He receives some 200 threatening letters a month. Anyone interested in getting Falwell’s own statement of his views on a large number of vital issues will do well to read this interview.