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NEW HORIZONS in the ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH NEW HORIZONS in the ORTHODOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 6 Our Church’s Journey to Reach 14 Review: Olinger’s JULY 2019 Families with Disabilities Geerhardus Vos // // by Stephen J. Tracey by Chad B. Van Dixhoorn DISABILITY AND THE BODY OF CHRIST by Joni Eareckson Tada // 3 VOLUME 40, NUMBER 7 CONTENTS New Horizons in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church Editor: Danny E. Olinger Managing Editor: Judith M. Dinsmore FEATURES Editorial Assistant: Diane L. Olinger Proofreader: Sarah Pederson 3 Disability and the Body of Christ Cover Designer: Christopher Tobias Editorial Board: The Committee on Christian By Joni Eareckson Tada Education’s Subcommittee on Serial Publications 6 Our Church’s Journey to Reach © 2019 by The Committee on Christian Education of Families with Disabilities The Orthodox Presbyterian Church. All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are By Stephen J. Tracey from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard 9 Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing Joy in Volunteering ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. By Pamela Hughes All rights reserved. (We use the 2011 revision.) Articles previously published may be slightly edited. 10 Real Hope and Real Help New Horizons (ISSN: 0199-3518) is published monthly except for a combined issue, usually August- By Esther Vannoy September, by the Committee on Christian Education of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 607 N. Easton Road, Bldg. E, Willow Grove, PA 19090-2539; tel. 215- DEPARTMENTS 830-0900; fax 215-830-0350. Letters to the editor are welcome. They should deal 12 with an issue the magazine has recently addressed. Foreign Missions Their language should be temperate, and they may not charge anyone with an offense. They should be brief, More of the Lord’s Grace in Montevideo and they may be condensed by the editor. 14 Send inquiries, letters to the editor, and other corres- Christian Education pondence to the editor at [email protected]. Review: Geerhardus Vos • Our Membership Send address changes to [email protected]. Allow six weeks for address changes. Vows • Out of the Mouth … The digital edition (PDF, ePub, mobi) and an archive of 16 previous issues are available at www.opc.org. Home Missions Views expressed by our writers are not necessarily Showing Mercy to Our Neighbors those of the editors or official positions of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. 18 Stewardship Copies are distributed free to members and friends of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Nonmembers Giving Is Practical Theology are asked to donate $20.00 for an annual subscription 19 (USD $30.00 if sent to addresses in Canada; $40.00 Prayer Calendar elsewhere abroad). A free e-mail PDF subscription is also available. Requests for a subscription should be 21 News, Views, & Reviews sent to [email protected] or the address below. Periodicals postage is paid at Willow Grove, PA, and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to New Horizons in the Orthodox Presbyterian Cover photo and photos on pages 8–9 are used Church, 607 N. Easton Road, Bldg. E, Willow Grove, PA with permission of Joni and Friends. 19090-2539. For the last few years, Emmanuel OPC in Wilmington, Delaware, has hosted monthly summer block parties in their parking lot. Organized by a committee, the church invites neighbors by distributing around three hundred flyers, putting up banners on the church property, and posting on their website. Recently, they have begun inviting neighborhoods through the NextDoor app as well. The parties have included a welcome station, a children’s station, outdoor games such as giant Connect- Four, giant Jenga, ping-pong, and corn-hole, a Bounce House, live music, and, of course, a tasty grilled meal. 2 / NEW HORIZONS / JULY 2019 DISABILITY AND THE BODY OF CHRIST JONI EARECKSON TADA // In April 1995, a domestic terror- ist bombed the Federal office building in Oklahoma City, leaving hundreds dead or trapped in the rubble. A pastor-friend of mine asked me to join a counseling team that would be ministering among the families who were awaiting news of loved ones. After I flew into the city airport— a terrible crisis—like this terrorist at- a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, and before I could see and serve the tack—they need to see others who smile the lame, the blind, and you will be families—I was escorted to an Ameri- through their suffering. People like you blessed.” can Red Cross center to be cleared and who have courage. People who suffer Invite the crippled, the lame and credentialed. greater conflict always have something the blind? It’s not often that Jesus gets When I wheeled into the center, to say to those who suffer lesser.” that specific about who he wants in- I noticed volunteers placing coffee and Then the mental health counselor vited to his banquet. True, the point snacks on some tables, forms and re- asked a question I will never forget: of this passage is that God’s grace is sources on others. The place was slowly “Could you please tell us where we can lavished on the undeserving—specifi- filling up with families and more volun- find others like you to serve with us? cally, the Gentiles. But it also contains teers. From across the room, an official- We need people with disabilities! You a principle about hospitality toward the looking woman in a white lab coat saw are more valuable to us than you real- oft-neglected and forgotten. Jesus tells me enter. She put down her clipboard ize!” us to break out of the comfort zone of and exclaimed, “Oh my goodness, are The Luke 14 Mandate friends, brothers, and relatives, and in- we glad to see you here!” stead be proactive about reaching out I wheeled up to her, curious. At first Oh, that the body of Christ would to special-needs families. Do this, Luke I thought she must have recognized me recognize the value of including people 14:13 says, “and you will be blessed.” from the Joni book. But when she intro- with disabilities, as did the Red Cross Blessings Abound duced herself as head of mental health counselor! Perhaps that’s why Jesus spe- services for the Red Cross and asked for cifically mentions the lame and disabled Just how is the church bolstered by my name, I realized that wasn’t the case. in the gospel of Luke. The woman in inviting in people struggling with dis- So I asked, “Why are you so glad I’m the Red Cross lab coat probably never abilities and their families? here?” read Luke 14:12–14, where Jesus says, I met Karla Larson, a wheelchair “Oh, sweetheart, you need to un- “When you give a luncheon or dinner, user, while at a Joni and Friends Fam- derstand that when someone like you do not invite your friends, your broth- ily Retreat. When I learned that she in a wheelchair comes to volunteer, it ers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; had lost both legs, had suffered three speaks volumes to others who are filled if you do, they may invite you back and heart attacks, was visually impaired, had with anxiety. When people go through so you will be repaid. But when you give four fingers amputated, had a kidney NEW HORIZONS / JULY 2019 / 3 removed, and had endured countless Jesus has saved us from suffering in hell, and serving him. He does this to show angioplasties, I was stunned. Juvenile but not from suffering on earth. The tes- how mercy ministry is a way of minis- diabetes was at the root of it all. When timony of the Spirit-inspired endurance tering to Christ himself. I met her, I said, “Karla, I’m surprised of special-needs families strengthens the Serving those with disabilities can you were able to make it to retreat!” To church. certainly mean sacrifice. We cannot serve which she replied, “Well, I thought I Serving the Savior at a safe, arm’s-length distance. We can- better come before I lost any more body not remain untouched. But that’s a good parts!” Karla had obviously not lost her What other blessings flow from thing. We shouldn’t merely proclaim the sense of humor. obeying Luke 14? Serving special-needs gospel; we must become the gospel to Throughout the Family Retreat, I families, and serving them sacrificially, is those in need. And that always involves was impressed with the way she poured a very personal way of serving the Lord going the extra mile and making the ex- her time into younger wheelchair users, Jesus. When I read Matthew 25:35–40, I tra effort. When we show love that costs encouraging and cheering them on dur- picture the joy of serving Christ through us our time or infringes on our comfort ing the games and activities. Karla hob- helping a disabled person: “Then the zones—such as home-sitting with a nobbed with parents, listening to and King will say to those on his right … ‘I child with Down syndrome while mom praying with them. And she always sat was thirsty, and you gave me something and dad take a much-needed break—we in front during worship time to enthu- to drink,’ … Then the righteous will an- experience Christ’s love in its fullest. Do siastically belt out all the praise songs. swer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you this and you will be blessed, Jesus says. Karla Larson epitomizes Titus 2:7: hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give Jackie Fernald knows what it means “In everything set them an example you something to drink?’ … The King to embody the good news to eight-year- by doing what is good.” Karla inspired will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever old Arthur.
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