BENNER LIBRARY ivet Nazarene Universi KANKAKEEJLUNQ1S ' Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. PSALM 127:1. NIV A N • E D TOR A THE UNSETTLING OF THE SOUL OF AMERICA By General Superintendent Raymond W. Hum T he unsettling of the soul of America is the way a portunity for personal advancement, personal reward, Time Magazine writer characterized America’s or notoriety. It is extremely difficult to think that church­ recent revelations of hypocrisy, greed, betrayal of public men could be entrapped with this kind of materialism. trust, and lack of ethics in general. This question was As the Church of Jesus Christ lifts high the banner of put very bluntly, . Has the mindless materialism of the holiness we must constantly and personally concentrate 1980s left in its wake a values vacuum?”1 It is easy to on “being” what Christ expects in purity of thought and find many 20th-century parallels in today’s “eviscerated deed. Our actions must testify to holiness of heart and ethics.” Astute watchers of the public and business mind. In a generation of such vast and fast-growing scene conclude that not since the reckless 1920s has knowledge we must see knowledge as somehow sub­ the business world seen so many searing scandals as ordinate to “being.” In our action-oriented society of have been recently afforded. Stories of insider trading rapid change, where doing is so important, we must see on Wall Street, white-collar scams, money laundering, “doing” as far down the scale from “being.” In Romans contracting kickbacks, bribes to purchasing agents, li­ 12 the apostle admonishes to “think of yourself with censing officials, and much more. Some skeptics con­ sober judgment... Be careful to do what is right in the cluded that this is “... the decade of the pin-striped eyes of everybody . overcome evil with good” (vv. 3, outlaw.”2 17, 21, NIV). In Paul’s final warnings to the Corinthian Thomas Mulligan of the Duke University Business church he specifically warned the Corinthians not to do School raises an important point in concluding that “.. anything wrong (2 Corinthians 13:7). unethical behavior is more the result of being too fo­ cused on their task than on overt intent to do evil.” This To the Philippians Paul gave advice that is good for all does underscore the subtleties of temptation in the of us when he said, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, midst of a society where values have become so whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, skewed. whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is What are the values we hold dear? Is it money, or excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. position, or authority? If wealth is the measure of the Whatever you have learned or received or heard from values we hold dear, it will exalt individuals at the ex­ me, or seen in me— put it into practice. And the God of pense of the common good or welfare. We can under­ peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8, NIV). □ stand how the non-Christian could fall into the trap of 1. Time Magazine, May 25, 1987, 14-15. looking upon position in government or society as op­ 2. Ibid., 22. ORDERS Go ... and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. emerges victorious from the en­ the King’s wishes, though one By SERGIO FRANCO counter with death. An empty tomb might say that the wishes of our is the spectacular credential of His loved ones become commands for victory. Having destroyed the ene­ us, and thus it would have been here it is, on the last page of mies of God and man, having per­ enough for Jesus to say, “These are Matthew—what we call the fectly shown us the way, the King My wishes.” No, not at all. These TGreat Commission. And althoughreturns to His other throne. are orders. Marching orders. This is it is not new for a single reader of If we were writing the last chap­ what we must do. Not that, not the this magazine, it has directions for ter about this history of conquest, other thing, but this. them, and for us. Its importance we would surely write down the Now, nearly 20 centuries after re­ grows if we see it as part of the first King’s directions for His subjects. ceiving the orders, it is time to Gospel, because that will help us re­ We would write His orders. make an evaluation of how well we member what kind of book Mat­ Well, there they are, in Matthew have followed them. We have done thew is. 28:19-20: much in the name of the King, and The first book of the New Testa­ Go . and teach all nations, much of that has been good. But ment is frequently known as “the baptizing them in the name of the these orders still are not fulfilled. gospel of the King.” A careful study Father, and o f the Son, and of the There are millions who have not of Matthew lends support to this Holy Ghost: teaching them to ob­ heard clearly the story of the King conclusion. He wrote especially to serve all things whatsoever I have and His victory, which is the story the Jews, to tell them that, at last, commanded you: and lo, I a vith of all people who love Him as their their King had come. The key you alway, even unto the end o f the King. phrase in this gospel is: “this was in world. There are meetings, theories, order to fulfill what was written by They resound like a symphony criticism, evaluations of missionary the prophet. .. Matthew’s charge played upon a thousand : “ ru- work galore ^bat is easy to do. But is simple and powerful: Israel, your ments. The repetition L im­ none of it counts for those who die King has arrived. pressive: ALL power; ALL nations; without finding out about the I ’ ' 0. ALL things; ALWAY. The plan and Let us put an end to all the crit­ Granted, Matthew describes a provision are complete. icisms and obstacles to the mis­ King who is very different from all But this is not just a declaration sionary task. Let us put our shoul­ the rest. He is cradled in a stable, to move us. It is an order to all of us der to the wheel, all of us involved and His first courtiers are some who march behind this new King. in that task, and in the whole shepherds who open their eyes to They are marching orders. Note the church, because what we have here try to understand this marvel. tense of the verbs: go, tea ch , are orders. But this King’s whole life is filled preach—all are imperatives. Marching orders. □ with spectacular conquests. He tri­ These are not options that the umphs over envy and hatred. He King has left us and that we may SERGIO FRANCO is administrator of subdues the sea and calms the consider as an alternative action. Spanish publications for Publications In­ storm. His hardest battle is joined Nor are they suggestions for life in ternational at headquarters in Kansas from His cross-throne. And He the Kingdom. They are not even City, Missouri. NOVEMBER 1, 1987 HERALD M„fiHOLINESS Bible Quotations in this issue: Unidentified quotations are from the KJV Quotations from the following translations are used - ■ * W. E. McCUMBER.McCUMBER, Editor in Chief by permission. IVAN A. BEALS, Office Editor (NIV) From The Holy Bible. New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the MABEL ADAMSON, Editorial Assistant International Bible Society (NBV) From the Modern Language Bible, the New Berkeley Version in M odern English, copyright rnntrihufinn I EUGENE L. STOWE • CHARLES H. STRICKLAND uontriouting W ,LUAM M GREATHOUSE • JERALD D. JOHNSON © 1945, 1959, 1969 by Zondervan Publishing House Editors. | JQHN A KN|GHT . RAYMOND W. HURN General Superintendents, Church of the Nazarene HERALD OF HOLINESS (USPS 241 -440) is published semimonthly by NAZARENE PUBLISHING HOUSE, 2923 TROOST AVE., KANSAS CITY, MO 64109. Editorial offices at 6401 The Paseo, Cover Photo: by Mark D. Marvin Kansas City, MO 64131. Address all correspondence concerning subscriptions to Nazarene Publishing House, P.O. Box 419527, Kansas City, MO 64141. Copyright 1987 by Nazarene Pub­ I D. Ha-Ha-Tonka, Camdenton, Mo. lishing House. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Herald of Holiness. P.O. Box 419527, Kansas City, MO 64141 SUBSCRIPTION PRICE: $6.50 per year. Second-class postage Volume 76, Number 21 November 1,1987 Whole Number 3481 paid in Kansas City, Mo. Litho in U.S.A. IN THIS ISSUE THE UNSETTLING OF THE SOUL OF AMERICA 2 WEEP NOT, DOUBT N O T ....................................................... 12 General Superintendent Raymond W. Hurn Albert J. Lown ORDERS.............................................. 3 JACOB’S DAUGHTER............................................................... 13 Sergio Franco Poem Janet White LETTERS.......................................................................................4 AGREEING WITH GOD ABOUT TOMORROWS................13 “ THIS IS THAT ...” .....................................................................5 Harol D. Wright Eugene L. Stowe IMPROVING YOUR PRAYER L IF E .........................................14 NAZARENES IN THE MILITARY: Stan Meek MEN AND WOMEN WITH A MISSION ................ 6 MISSIONS HAVE COME HOME TO AMERICA..................15 Lillian Johnston Book Brief Jerry L. Appleby CAN’T YOU DO JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE?................ 7 THE EDITOR’S STANDPOINT.................................................16 Vermelle Hinson W. E. McCumber ARE WE REALLY MINISTERING?...........................................8 BY ALL MEANS........................................................................