When God Comes with a Loud Thud
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An international newspaper Our mission: To inform, for Churches of Christ inspire and unite Vol. 75, No. 5 | May 2018 christianchronicle.org When God A blessing in the storm? comes with TORNADO DAMAGES ministries’ offices but may help a gospel publication a loud thud spread its message — literally. BY CHELLIE ISON | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE WHY A DECLINING CHURCH closed to Perhaps, just perhaps, a tornado make way for a new, growing that damaged the offices of three church-supported ministries will congregation to take over its building. help lead a soul or two to Christ, Matt Wallin said. BY BObby ROSS JR. | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE “Maybe a tract has blown somewhere KANSAS CITY, Mo. that it will be picked eff Pendleton met and married his wife, up and read,” Wallin Marcia, at the Red Bridge Church of said after an EF-3 Christ, a once-thriving congregation less twister with 140 mph than a mile from the Kansas state line. winds ripped through JHe baptized his daughter, Kelly, there. the offices of a gospel Wallin When loved ones died, he sang hymns publication he serves, and shed tears there. House to House/Heart to Heart. The “It’s a cherished place for so many,” said Jacksonville, Ala., facility also houses Pendleton, who served as a church elder. the offices of two other ministries “There are so many memories there.” associated with Churches of Christ At one point, average Sunday attendance — Polishing the Pulpit and the Great topped 350. Smoky Mountain Marriage Retreat. The church “Maybe an emergency worker, expanded to two volunteer or college student will be morning worship converted as they interact with us in assemblies. the cleanup or rebuild,” Wallin said. But in more “Maybe our grace under pressure recent years, the will show Jesus to someone.” congregation Melissa Webster, whose husband, became older Allen, ministers for the Jacksonville and grayer. The Church of Christ, was at the building Deb Smeltzer, right, hugs a numbers shrank, when the storm hit. She and her fellow Christian on the new down to about 80 daughters met at the building and congregation’s first day of on a typical Lord’s were able to get into the basement worship at the Red Bridge Day. Attracting just moments before the storm hit. Road location. and retaining “We’re just really thankful no one young families was hurt,” Wallin said. became increasingly difficult. Many of the ministries’ employees “Lord, show us your will for Red Bridge,” work remotely, so their daily opera- the church’s leaders began praying a year tions were not severely impacted, ago. “What do you want us to do? What do he said. The latest issue of House to you want us to become?” House/Heart to Heart was published The answer came not with a whisper but and delivered as scheduled. with a loud thud — as God opened the door PHOTOS BY EMILY JOHNSON “God is able to do a lot with a little,” for the old, declining church to close and a Drew Hathaway and sister Harper are dressed up for the Southpoint Wallin said. “So, pray for recovery for new, growing church to replace it. Church of Christ’s first Sunday morning assembly at the Red Bridge everything, but also for our light to See CHURCH PLANT, Page 10 Road building. Their mother, Karen Hathaway, walks behind them. shine and for God to be glorified.” 2 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE MAY 2018 MAY 2018 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE 3 Teens serve the ‘Soul-winning’ evangelist Phillips dies at 86 hungry as their TULSA, Okla. — Marvin Phillips, a minis- thousands of attendees from Churches What a great friend!” ter known for his ever-present smile, a of Christ to the Tulsa He launched ministries to support teachers strike missionary who raised money to buy Fairgrounds annually. evangelism overseas and hosted a Bibles for Africa and the driving force The free gathering, weekly TV show. He also had a well- OKLAHOMA CITY behind the Tulsa Workshop died April later shortened to “the developed sense of humor, friends ews helicopters circled 18 after a long illness. He was 86. Tulsa Workshop,” ran said — including the ability to imitate the Oklahoma State Phillips was pulpit minister for the for 40 years. a Coke bottle opening, a referee’s Capitol on a Tuesday Garnett Church of Christ in Tulsa Terry Rush, minister whistle and an electric drill. One book afternoon as thou- for 26 years, retiring in 1996. He for the Memorial Drive he authored is titled “Never Lick a Nsands of teachers squeezed had served with the church since its Church of Christ in Moving Blender: Humorous Insights Phillips into the rotunda, demanding beginnings in a school gym in 1970. Tulsa and longtime that Motivate and Encourage.” more money for their over- He oversaw the International Soul co-director of the workshop, said of crowded, dilapidated schools. Winning Workshop, which brought Phillips, “This man made a difference. EXPANDED COVERAGE: christianchronicle.org “We’ll be Inside Story back on Wednesday!” they chanted. DESPITE RAPID MODERNIZATION, the internet remains out of reach in many parts of About five Africa. So Christians are taking a web-based university back into the classroom. miles away, on South Harvey Street, a beige van Online learning, old school Erik Tryggestad drove slowly through the BY ERIK TRYGGESTAD | THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE inner-city neighborhood of Capitol Hill, a mostly PRETORIA, South Africa Spanish-speaking commu- his isn’t Wakanda, the dazzling, nity of small houses, muffler high-tech African kingdom shops and gas stations with depicted in the blockbuster film barred windows. “Black Panther.” Four teenagers darted But Pretoria is, nonetheless, back and forth from the van, Tan ever-modernizing metropolis, knocking on doors, handing the seat of power for the Republic out white, shoebox-size of South Africa’s executive branch, to-go meals and running home to nearly a million souls. back to reload. On a Friday afternoon, the city’s “We know that this businesspeople rush into cafés and walkout has affected a lot buffets and squeeze into minibus of people, including people taxis. Nowadays, more who are less privileged,” and more of them use said George Hartman, one their smartphones to of the teens, “so giving them summon rides from lunches, which they usually Uber and a local ser- would get at school, is a vice called Zebra Cabs. great way to help.” Amidst the techno- The teens worship with the logical waves crashing ERIK TRYGGESTAD Memorial Road Church of Xoshe across the continent, Zonge Xoshe teaches NationsUniversity material, designed for the internet, in Pretoria. Christ on the north side of something decidedly town, just outside the affluent low-tech is going on in the basement describing the final days of King His students — some in their 20s, Oklahoma City suburb of of the Downtown Church of Christ. David. “It shows you that, with the other more “advanced in years” them- Edmond. I’m a deacon there, With the distinctive tap, tap, tap of experience he has and the older he selves, dutifully scribble down notes, and interviewing these kids chalk on chalkboard, preacher Zonge gets, the closer he gets to God. Do pencil on paper. was surreal. I had just seen Xoshe writes out Bible verses from the you realize that? But with Saul, once “See, don’t get close to God, as you many of them perform skits Old Testament book of 1 Kings. he assumed the position, only for two are, and when you get old you get away and puppet shows at the “Some translations use the words years he stayed with God, and then … from God,” Xoshe warns the students. See STRIKE, Page 4 ‘advanced in years,’” Xoshe says, humility made way for arrogance.” See OLD SCHOOL, Page 25 4 THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE INSIDE STORY MAY 2018 STRIKE: Don’t be blind to the real world — our city FROM PAGE 3 Edmond, “because we’ve got testing, North Texas Leadership Training and this is the point where we’d be for Christ convention in Dallas. I studying for state tests.” remember when most of them were Several of her friends have vaca- born. I’m pretty sure I was at the tions, including Disney trips, sched- weddings of a few of their parents. uled for the end of the term, Rieger I hope their parents are as proud said. Others have mission trips of them as I am. scheduled for early June, including Rather than use the statewide Jared Pollock, a senior at Edmond teacher strike as “Spring Break Memorial who plans to serve along- 2.0” (as one of them, Isaiah Phelps, side fellow Christians in Honduras. joked), the teens traveled south to But “mission” isn’t confined to work with the Capitol Hill Church Central America, said Brian Plumb, of Christ, an inner-city congrega- a youth minister for the 2,400- tion planted by Memorial Road that member Memorial Road church. meets in a former funeral home He teaches the youths that Jesus’ across the street from an elementary mission to serve, seek and save school — empty and eerily quiet on goes on continually — and far the second day of the walkout. beyond the confines of the church’s Children from the neighborhood walls. Giving out meals is one worship with the congregation, said simple way the young believers can youth minister Matthew Brazle, and live out their faith, Plumb said. the church feeds the attendees. Logan Mayes, youth and family Many, when they arrive for Sunday ERIK TRYGGESTAD ministry associate, added that the worship at 4 p.m., haven’t eaten all day, Isaac Jones, right, and George Hartman hand out free lunches in the Capitol service project forces the teens to he said.