September, 1938
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
284
Around the King's Table By PAUL W. ROOD
also has a responsibility. Many a church is hindered because of the attitude of some or many of its members toward the pastor. His morale is broken by the opposition or indifference of his members. W e may ask: W hat is the responsibility of a church member toward his pastor? In putting the question, we are taking for granted that the pastor is a man of God with a call from God and a message for God. W e are thinking of a spiritually minded, orthodox, and evangelistic pastor. It is the duty of every member of the church to pray daily for the pastor. He has a difficult and important task. He needs the prayers of all his people. They can pray him into a blessed and powerful ministry. A praying church will have a fruitful min istry. But prayer must be persistent. Satan does not mind how much believers labor in prayer for a few days, or weeks, or months, if at last he can bring discouragement and cause their intercession to cease. The pas tor needs continual prayer. The church member should speak well of his pastor. Sometimes a father, speaking in the presence of his children, will criticize his pastor, and then will wonder that the children are not influenced by the pastor s ministry. Moreover, if church members would speak kindly of the pastor to out siders, many would be influenced to come to church. The pastor should be encouraged by his members. If you have been helped by his sermon, why not tell him that you have? W hy not write him a letter, telling him what he has meant to you and your fam ily? Your commendation might make him a better preacher. Most ministers have plenty of discouragements, and a few encourage ments would be a blessing to them. If your pastor is true to the Lord and His Word, will you not strengthen his hands by your enthusiastic cooperation? Changsha Bombed! Following one of the worst bombing raids of the present Sino-Japanese con flict, and just as this issue was about to go to press, a cablegram dated August 18, 1938, was received from Charles A. Rob erts, Treasurer of the Hunan Bible Institute, Changsha, Hunan, China, reading as fol lows: “C hangsha B ombed . I nstitute U n touched . C hristian R efugee H ospital C ollapsed . P atients M oved I nstitute D ormitory .” This brief communication should be an urgent call to prayer to every Christian interested in Biola in China.
thousands of individuals are thereby brought under the influence of the Word. Bible Institutes are training hundreds of young people every year to become mis sionaries and soul-winners, on foreign fields and in the homeland. The Bible has been translated into more than a thousand languages and dialects, and is now avail able to more people than ever before. Bible classes are being held in churches, halls, and homes, and multitudes are studying the Word. Young people by the thousands are volunteering for missionary work. The lay men’s movement is being used of God to bring souls to Christ. The radio is enab ling evangelistic speakers to reach thou sands where formerly they could reach mere hundreds, and millions where hereto fore only thousands could be brought under the sound of their message. Child evan gelism is becoming a nation-wide spiritual movement. Never before in our day have we seen so many people with a burden for the salvation of children as are being en listed in this cause today. The World’s Christian Fundamentals Association is ag gressively seeking to stir the hearts of Bible-believing Christians in America (of whom estimates indicate that there are twen ty million), who have not “bowed the knee to Baal” but who are, in a true sense, funda mentalists. In these consecrated individ uals and groups is all the "material” needed for the greatest spiritual lire in the history of mankind. In the power of the Holy Spirit, prayer, zeal, and faith will kindle the flame. Let us expect God to work. Let us pray the prayer of the psalmist: "It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law” (Psa. 119:126). Let us dare to believe God. What is Your Duty Toward Your Pastor? Many years ago, a striking cartoon ap peared in a publication now out of print called T h e R am s Horn. In the drawing, a wagon represented the church. The preacher was standing where the horse usually stands. He was pulling the wagon, and perspiration was rolling down his his cheeks. The members of the church were sitting on top of the wagon, and some were complaining that the seats were un comfortable. Some of the deacons were holding the wheels while the preacher was pulling, and thus no progress was made. This cartoon illustrated vividly a situa tion that is too often prevalent in a church. Many church members realize that it is the preacher’s business to pray and preach and work, and they forget that each member
Are the Days of Revival Over? Frequently during the last few years statements have been made by preachers and writers that the days of revival are over. The argument presented is that the apostasy is now so far advanced that there is no possibility of revival. The effect of this teaching has been a hopeless and pes simistic attitude among many Christian workers. “W hat’s the use?” is the answer often given when Christians are urged to pray for revival. W hy should any one take this fatalistic position and presume to decide how or when God should work? W ho are we to declare that revivals are no longer to be expected? Does God no longer act in re sponse to believing prayer? It is obvious that if Christians constantly are told that the situation is hopeless, they will cease to pray believingly in expectation of great things from God. There have been other periods in the history of the church when the outlook has been very dark, but in many of these pe riods of seeming hopelessness, some one has been enabled to take hold of the prom ises of God by faith and to pray prevailing ly—and revival has come. WTiy should it be thought incredible that what God has done before He can do again? The difficulty is not with God. The Word of God is clear: “Behold, the Lord s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isa. 59:1, 2 ). The difficulty is with us. Finney used to say that any community could have a revival if God’s people in that community would pay the price of a re vival. God is still on the throne. Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Holy Spirit is still in the world. The Word of God is still sharper than any two- edged sword. The gospel is still the power of God unto salvation. Then why should there be gloom and discouragement? W hy should we not, rather, allow God to do what He wants to do through a surrendered and believing people? There are at least eight movements or trends that indicate that the greatest revival this world has ever seen is possible, and, let us say it with emphasis, probable. Among these encouraging signs is the sum mer conference movement. Bible confer ences are being held in all parts of the land, and the Word of God is faithfully taught and preached in these gatherings. Many
Great Blessing Anticipated at Fourth Annual Summer Bible Conference, Pacific Pali sades, Calif., August 27 through September 5, 1938. Please Pray! Come if You Can.
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