Evangelical Visitor-September 25, 1972 Vol. LXXXV. No
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Messiah University Mosaic Evangelical Visitor (1887-1999) Brethren in Christ Church Archives 9-25-1972 Evangelical Visitor - September 25, 1972 Vol. LXXXV. No. 18. John E. Zercher Follow this and additional works at: https://mosaic.messiah.edu/evanvisitor Part of the History of Religion Commons, and the Religion Commons Permanent URL: https://mosaic.messiah.edu/evanvisitor/2181 Recommended Citation Zercher, John E., "Evangelical Visitor - September 25, 1972 Vol. LXXXV. No. 18." (1972). Evangelical Visitor (1887-1999). 2181. https://mosaic.messiah.edu/evanvisitor/2181 Sharpening Intellect | Deepening Christian Faith | Inspiring Action Messiah University is a Christian university of the liberal and applied arts and sciences. Our mission is to educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character and Christian faith in preparation for lives of service, leadership and reconciliation in church and society. www.Messiah.edu One University Ave. | Mechanicsburg PA 17055 •«"• :-/::- '•-. r%-"' » MK^i?!' *^"-'T **? «, - '""'•'"- ^%Bn •<** • 72 l K** .' ':WF.-*'^ - l .TJ **4i Wwn^m RMMjijtoJk^ ta'-fl • September 25, 1972 H. H. Brubaker CONTENTS The word honor may be somewhat suspect among us The Nature and Character of the Church 3 who stress brotherhood. As a group we have been alert to Archie Penner the peril of honor seeking and honor giving. We know Life's Twin Choices 4 that God does not read the obituaries or the tributes when He grants His rewards or makes His judgments. Sherwood E. Wirt 6 But honor is not an unchristian word nor an unchris- Religious News tian concept. Indeed the Bible calls us to give honor to whom honor is due and to elders who rule well double Reflections on the Summer of '72 8 honor is in order. J. Wilmer Heisey We would therefore be less than faithful if we neglected "Lovest Thou Me? Feed My Lambs" to recognize the contributions Brother H. H. Brubaker Mary H. Hoke 10 made to the church during his lifetime; to the Publication Evangelism Includes Fellowship Board during these more recent years; and to this editor 11 since the day our paths crossed. Henry N. Hostetter The details of his service to the church are found Church News 11 elsewhere in this issue (page fifteen). Let me here, in this column I often reserve for more personal remarks, The Multi-Purpose Program 12 express my own great love and respect for our Brother John A. Byers Brubaker. Youth Page 13 He was Secretary of the General Conference when I The Paraphrase Contest became its Treasurer. As a result our paths crossed 14 frequently. Upon his retirement from the office of Church News and Vital Statistics Secretary he became a member of the Publication Board. 16 This permitted a continuation of this fellowship and his Editorial counsel. The Spirit and the Church He was a great Christian. He incarnated sacrifice, (Note: The two-page spread on the Messiah Home referred to in the service, and commitment while most of us merely Editorial of September 10 will appear in a later issue.) verbalize these concepts. He exercised the authority of his office with Christian grace. And as he moved from one assignment to another he handed over the mantle of his office with ease and dignity for he trusted the church and his successor. His judgment was respected. He brought prestige to any office he held. He felt no need to impress people with his worth for he had that security which comes from knowing that one is a Child of God purchased at an infinite cost. We will surely miss his counsel, his warm and genuine Evangelical Visitor friendship. As when a giant oak has fallen there is an Volume LXXV Number 18 empty space against the sky so it seems to be within our church. In more biblical terms we exclaim with David, "How are the mighty fallen . ." but we also echo the Official organ of the Brethren in Christ Church, published words of the Revelator, "... Blessed are the dead who die semi-monthly by Evangel Press, Nappanee, Indiana. in the Lord ... for their works do follow them'." Editor: John E. Zercher Editorial Council: The church is poorer because of his death but richer C. B. Byers, Eber B. Dourte, Isaiah B. Harley, E. Morris because of his life and we thank God upon every Sider, Anna Ruth Ressler remembrance of him. Page Editors: John E. Zercher Missions: Glen A. Pierce Editor Christian Service Ministries: J. Wilmer Heisey Christian Education Ministries: John Arthur Brubaker Pulpit and Pew: David E. Climenhaga STUDENT SPECIAL Brethren in Christ Publication Board: Isaiah B. Harley, Lester C. Fretz, Paul E. Hostetler, Louis O. Cober, Paul E. Witter, Dwight E. Bert, Daniel R. We would like to believe that our youth away Chamberlain from home in school would appreciate receiving the Mailing Information: Visitor. We also would like to believe that they Manuscripts and editorial correspondence should be should be receiving the Visitor. addressed to the Editor, P.O. Box 166, Nappanee, To test our belief we are offering this year a Indiana 46550. special student rate of 16 issues for $1.50. The first Subscriptions and change of address should be sent to issue will be October 10—the final issue will be Evangel Press, Nappanee, Ind. 46550. Include both old May 25, 1973, less than ten cents an issue. and new addresses with requests for change of address. Church Boards, parents, friends or students Renewals $3.50; new and gift subscriptions $3.00. themselves may wish to take advantage of this Entered as second-class mail at Nappanee, Indiana 46550. student rate. Use the insert stapled in the center of this issue to EVANGELICAL PRESS ASSOCIATION send one or more student subscriptions. The Editor Evangelical Visitor The Nature and Character of the Church Archie Penner rpHERE IS something incongruous, in my opinion, and mutual participation in each other's lives brings -*• when a "proclaimer of the Word," urges people to home the fuller impact of the concept of koinonia as the commit themselves to Christ, but to evade or avoid the Church (cf. 1 Cor. 10:16ff). Within the Church we are the church. Such advice is either heretical, if tested by possession of each other and belong to each other (cf. 1 Scripture, or, naive, or the use of the word "church" is Cor. 9:19). This koinonia means that our lives with our either post — or extra-biblical. In any case, to this joys, our sorrows, our weaknesses, our gifts are mutually author, it is dangerous fare. shared on the deepest personal and spiritual levels (Jno. The question of the dichotomy of the Church as visible 17:20-26). or invisible can perhaps be quickly dismissed. A purely But this koinonia is triangular. It is not only horizon- invisible Church is non-existent and a visible "church" is tal, it is also vertical. To participate in each other is to not all Church. participate in Christ and the Triune God simul- Whether the church is an institution or not is another taneously. Task and purpose and will thus are made one question which can be biblically and rationally answered in the Church in Christ (Phil. 2:1-8). in brief form. To concede that the church is human in Third, the Church is the body of Christ. (Soma tou that it exists as a group of people and functions within the Christou, 1 Cor. 12). This figure emphasizes the larger human society, is to concede that it is an institu- singleness and corporateness of the Church in communi- tion. The apostolate — a preliminary Church — was ty. This unity in community implies that what one instituted and institutionalized by the Lord Himself when member does in some real sense the whole does. It also on earth. The Church after Pentecost could not deny its suggests that the Head, Jesus Christ, is in full control of institutional character. Its organization and discipline the organism. Where this control is evaded or denied, the are eloquent witness of this. It is here argued that body has become sick and malefunctional. structure per se is not inimical to freedom or the work of Fourth, the Church is the assembly, ekklesia. It is the God and the Holy Spirit. body politic of heaven, the assembly for "state affairs" in The sometimes postulated opinion that a Christian can representation of its King. It is a theocracy with the King be either in the Church or out of the Church is here as its head. Yet it is a democracy with Christ as a brother viewed as fiction. Extra ecclesiam nulla salus — out of (cf Heb. 2:1 If, Rom. 8:29). the church there is no salvation. To be in Christ is to be in Fifth, it is the new incarnation. The Church is the the Church and outside of Christ there is no eternal life, extension of the Christ here and now. The Church for the Church is the body of Christ in union with Him. corporately, not merely the individual believer, is indwelt No option therefore exists to be in or out of the Church by the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor. 3:16ff). As the Shekinah for the child of God. glory abode in the holiest place in the temple, so the Holy If we ponder these matters deeply, they should Spirit lives in the Church to carry on through "its body" profoundly affect our world-view, our ethics and the the work begun by Jesus Christ. It knows no other task performance of our task. than that for which the Holy Spirit has come to indwell First, the Church is the absolute possession of its it.