in the homes across the United States more than five billion hours are spent weekly in watching television? Now surely there must be some redeeming factors about TV, however, the decent programs are generally far outshad- owed by the trash that is so prevalent. We app rec ia te our many pastor friends who are greatly concerned about busy church schedules. Some people become so involved that they forsake their families. Coming home after a trying day at the office a man found his wife in tears. “What are you crying about; what’s the matter?” he asked. She explained between sobs, “Well, you see, the pastor was here today. He asked me a question that’s been bothering me so much I haven’t been able to do anything but think about it.” Agitated he wanted to know, “What in the world did he say? Did he get per sonal?” Quickly she replied, “Oh, no, nothing like that. All he asked was ‘Does Christ live here?’ ” Relieved her husband suggested, “Why all the tears? That’s not a difficult question. Why didn’t you tell him that he ought to know the answer without asking. He knows we attend church regular ly.” Again in tears she replied, “But he didn’t ask that.” “Well then why didn’t you tell him how much money we give to his church for missions and all those other things he asks for?” “But that wasn’t his question,” she explained. Still trying he again offered, “Couldn’t you have pointed out that you help with the ladies group and I serve on the building committee? And that we see to it that the children are there every Sunday?” Now even more upset, his wife point ed out, “But he didn’t ask any of those questions. All He wanted to know was, ‘Does Christ live here’?” How is it with us? Does Christ really live in our home? Does He have not just a place, not even just the prominence, but does He have the pre eminence? Unless He does you will meet with frustration and failure. Ask the Lord to give you His strength, wisdom and power through the in dwelling presence of His Holy Spirit.
M ISSIO N A RY TO AM E R IC A It’s interesting to realize that, for nearly a thousand years after Christ came to earth, people of Norway still didn’t know about the Lord. History re cords that it was somewhere around A.D. 1000 that King Olaf visited Eng land. While there the Norwegian mon arch heard the exciting news of the Gos pel for the first time. He was so chal lenged that he couldn’t wait to get back and tell his people. Young Leif Erickson, upon hearing of God’s love, received the Saviour. Yet, there was real sadness mixed with his joy. His father, known as, Eric “The Red," was in far off Greenland and because of the distance he might never return. Leif Erickson was so burdened that he decided some thing desperate had to be done. He gath ered together a crew of Norsemen and sailed off to the far away land to tell his father and his companions about Christ. The ship was not very large and storms in the North Atlantic can be extremely severe. The vessel was so blown and battered that the course was lost and instead of Greenland the in trepid missionaries landed on the shores of North America. So, Leif Erickson was really the first Christian missionary to this continent. The next time we’re hesitant to talk about the Saviour to someone else, remember Leif Erickson. He was willing to risk his very life to bring to those in spiritual darkness eter nal life. Have we heeded the Lord’s com mand, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” As Paul exhorts us, “Awake to right eousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: / speak this to your shame.”
Rev. Kenneth Fischer (right), pastor of the Mag nolia Baptist Church, Anaheim, Calif., with his brother, Rev.Loren Fischer (left), assistant pastor, meet with Mr. James Hill, director of the Biola Music Department. Both pastors are graduates of Biola.
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