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While visiting or living in Los Angeles, plan to stay at BIOLA HOTEL. Clean, com fortable, convenient. Reason able rates by day-week-month or permanent. Dining Room. Next to the Church of the Open Door, to the Central L.A. Public Library, and the hub of the Greater Los An geles Freeway Network. Oper ated as a public service by the Bible Institute of Los Angeles.
write or telephone fo r reservations
536 So. Hope Street Los Angeles, Calif. 90017 MAd ison 7-9941 Harold F. Churchill, Mgr. Biola Hotel
R O O M R E S E R V A T I O N N o t e : Please fill in as much information as possible Name ............................... -.......... Arrival Date ........................ Address ....................................... Day of Week ....................... Qty ............................................ Time of Day ..............*»....... Accommodations Desired With Bath ............. Without Bath .............. Amount enclosed as confirmation of reservation $............................. Number of Guests ............... Adults ............... Children ............... Plan to Stay: Day(s) ............... Week ............... Month ............... Desire Information Concerning Permanent Residence ....................... Signed ................... — ........ -.... Date.......... Phone.... ...............
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Reservations generally necessary.
T h e K i n g © B u s i n e s e E S T A B L I S H E D 1 9 1 0 A publication of the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, Inc. Louis T. Talbot, Chancellor • S. H. Sutherland, President • Ray A. Myers, Board Chairman FEBRUARY, in the year of our Saviour Vol. 55, No. 2 Nineteen Hundred and Sixty-four Established 1910 _ Dedicated, to the spiritual ■development of the ('hristian home
HOW CAN THE
JEWknowCHRIST This 75-year old mission was found ed to bring a Christian witness to the Jew. Every day in m any cities in the U. S. and Israel a staff of dedicated workers make their w ay along the streets in business and residential areas to engage Jew s in conversation concerning M essiah - Jesus. Children are gathered for club meetings and are won to the Saviour. Radio m essages reach m illions of Jew s every week, in North Am erica and Israel. The results — the Lord says, “ Sow the seed . . . and I will give the in- crease." W ill you share in this seed sow ing m inistry? A copy of the A.M .F. M onthly will be mailed to you free if you write today to: Archie A. MacKinney, Director American Messianic Fellowship 7448 N. Damen Ave., Chicago 45, III.
EARLY GOSPEL BROADCASTS — Vance Havner .................... 8 GOSPEL BROADCASTING — Al Sanders .............................. 10 THE HOLY SPIRIT IN YOUR TEACHING — Roy B. Zuck ........ 13 THE GREAT CHURCH WASTELAND — William L. O'Byrne ........ 14 BARRIERS BETWEEN BRETHREN — Wilbur E. Nelson ............. 16 A NEW MISSIONARY ZEAL — Dorothy C. Haskin .................. 18 JUNGLE PLYING FOR CHRIST — Betty Rebanks Dell ............... 20 THE FIVE DOLLAR CHURCH ............................................... 21 JOURNEY INTO ERITREA — Fred D. Acord ......................... 22 KARL BARTH'S VISIT — John E. Dahlin ............................ 24 A PSYCHIATRIST PRESCRIBES PEACE — Frederick Milkie ........ 26 STRANGE FIRE — Nathan Bailey .......................................... 28 UNIQUE TRAINING SCHOOL FOR MISSIONS ......................... 41 HOW THREE LOST THEIR HEADS — Dick Hillis ..................... 44 GEORGE WASHINGTON AND HIS MOTHER — Martha S. Hooker ......................................................... 45 THE KING WHO NEVER CAME BACK — Edward H. Arenson .... 48 F&thm MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR — Samuel H. Sutherland ........... 6 DR. TALBOT'S QUESTION BOX — Louis T. Talbot .................. 30 TALKING IT OVER — Clyde M. Narramore ............................ 32 PERSONAL EVANGELISM — Benjamin Weiss ........................... 33 BOOK REVIEWS — Arnold D. Ehlert ..................................... 34 WORLD NEWSGRAMS — James O. Henry .............................. 36 SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE — Bolton Davidheiser ...................... 37 CULTS CRITIQUE — Betty Bruechert ................................... 38 UNDER THE PARSONAGE ROOF — Althea S. Miller .............. 39 ALUMN I NEWS — Inez McGahey ........................................ 47 Colutimi READER REACTION ........................................................... 4 PEOPLE IN THE NEWS ............ v........ .................................. 5 PRESENTING THE MESSAGE ............................................... 31
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THE FAMILY BIBLE SCHOOL FOR
MARRIED COUPLES ELOHIM BIBLE INS TITU TE Castile, New York Family Bible School for Married Folks! One of the Church’s greatest potentials for Christ’s service is in the Bible believing mar ried couples of America who are willing to dedicate their lives to H IM and follow that dedication with thorough Bible preparation. 12(i graduates serving CHRIST on 59 home and foreign fields. Couples with children ac cepted. If you mean business with God, write Rev. Donald M. Perkins, Box 415, Castile, N.Y. W A N T E D ! ! Used cars for use by Missionaries on furlough. In donating your used car for this worthwhile purpose, you will receive a tax-deductible receipt for top re tail value. Write: ASSISTANCE TO MISSIONS, inc. Box 3232, Glendale, Calif.
— All Rights Reserved —
S. H. SUTHERLAND: Editor A L SANDERS: Managing Editor BETTY BRUECHERT: Copy Editor
PAUL SCHWEPKER: Controller
JANE M. CLARK: Circulation Manager
VIRG IN IA SCHWEPKER: Production Manager EDITORIAL BOARD: William Bynum, Bolton. Davidheiser, Arnold D. Ehlert, Charles L. Feinberg, James O. Henry, Martha S. Hooker
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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION — "The King's Business" is published monthly. U.S., its possessions, and Canada, $3.00 one year; $1.50 six months, 30 cents, single copy. Clubs of three or more at special rates. Write for details. Foreign subscription 75 cents extra. It requires one month for a change of address to become effective. Please s6nd both old and new addresses. REMITTANCES Should be made by bank draft, express, or post office money order payable to "The King's Business/'
ADVERTISING — for information address the Advertising Manager, The King's Business, 558 South Hope Street, Los Angeles 17, California. MANUSCRIPTS — "The King's Business" cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to manuscripts mailed to us for consideration. Second-class postage paid at Los An- eles, California. Printed In U.S.A. by hurch Press, Glendale, California. ADDRESS: The King's Business, 558 So. Hope St., Los Angeles 17, California.
FEBRUARY, 1964
3
and quality were so limited. I have read every article in the past few issues and am thoroughly convinced that your magazine will fill a real place of usefulness in our home. Mrs. Leon Fiedl, North Surrey, British Columbia. LETTERS TO GOVERNMENT As a family we really enjoy THE KING’S BUSINESS. Our purpose in writ ing this letter is to make known the great need on the part of Christians to write to government officials in Washington. We have a great country and we are able to worship the living God in spirit and in truth. How long will we have this privi lege if we don’t protest mistakes that are being made. We’ve talked to others and they say “let George do it.” What’s hap pening to us — won’t we protect our wonderful freedom of worship? Paul and Deanle Thomas, Burbank, California. THE LAST TRUMP May I ask a question about Dr. De- Haan’s article in the October KING’S BUSINESS entitled “Will the Church Go Through the Tribulation?” Paul says (I Cor. 15:52) the dead in Christ will be raised “ at the last trump.” Dr. DeHaan says this is before the tribulation. Jesus said (Matthew 24:31), “After the tribu lation . . . He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” If the dead in Christ are raised before the tribu lation and that is “at the last trump” how can there be another trumpet sound years later. That is a contradiction of language. Either Paul was mistaken or Jesus was mistaken or Dr. DeHaan is mistaken. And who are these “ elect” that are to be gath ered together after the tribulation if the church is already in heaven? •E ditor ' s N ote : Dr. DeHaan answers the question in regard to the trumpets as fol lows: “ You forget there is more than one trumpet. The last trump for the Church (1 Cor. 15:52) is NOT the last trump for the world. The seven trumpets of Revela tion have no connection with the “sound of the trumpet for the Church” or the last trump of l Corinthians 15. In the typoplogy of Israel (Number 10) there were two trumpets, blown on different occasions. You are quite mistaken when you say ‘either Paul was mistaken or Jesus was mistaken or Dr. DeHaan is mis taken.’ You failed to add ‘or I might be mistaken.’ ” The elect referred to here are the scat tered remnant of Israel — not the church. Your recent Christmas folder -suggesting subscriptions to THE KING’S BUSINESS will not be acted upon since all you can show on your covers are pictures of trees and other things. Why can’t you use the cradle or something that has Christ in it for the cover of your December magazine? We can find other pictures any time or anywhere else. Therefore, there is no order for you, because God has been left out. Anonymous, Selma, California. W ILL NOT SUBSCRIBE BECAUSE OF COVERS
EDITORIAL COMMENTS Regarding Dr. Sutherland’s editorial on that “damnable habit” — smoking —, I lovingly suggest that if you are to be con sistent, you should also run another edi torial entitled “A Long Overdue Indict ment Against Overweight Christians," since heart trouble is the No. 1 killer in this country, and doctors agree that over eating is a major contributing factor. Editorials and sermons on this subject might cause those poor saints who have trouble controlling their weight to be uncomfortable. It might even drive them out of the churches. Then they, at least, might develop a Christian understanding for their imperfect brethren who smoke! For they also would know what it feels like to be treated as a spiritual leper or, at best, a second-class Christian. Or do you think God might be more concerned with the soul than with the stomach? In which case, you could run an editorial entitled: “Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged” ! Mrs. Jeanne Campbell, Anaheim, California. EDITORIAL NOTE T he K ing ’ s B usiness , as its powerful editorials by editor Samuel H. Sutherland have shown, has no desire to" become .in volved with modernist or liberal teachings of any kind. We deplore the trends of Neo- Orthodoxy and those which attend to it. EVANGELISTIC APPEAL We do appreciate our subscription to T he K ing ’ s B usiness , and its evangelistic appeal. We are subscribing for some of our relatives who do not know the Lord, and are praying that they will come to know Him through reading this magazine. As missionaries our work keeps us separated from them and from a personal witness. James A. Brown, Palmer, Alaska MA IL CARRIERS I look forward to getting T he K ing ’ s B usiness each month, and enjoy every word -of it. I had the pleasure of giving several numbers of it to our mail carrier. He was greatly interested in it. Pray for him. Mrs. Ruby K. Iwln, Pontiac, Michigan NEW FRIENDS Just recently during illness a friend gave me some recent issues of your maga zine to read. I found real delight and blessing in every article. I have wished many times to subscribe to such a maga zine with such variety of useful material for a pastor’s wife. Until now I have tried a number of periodicals all of which were disappointing because the selection
TEN SERMONS ON TH E SECOND COM ING
I. M. Haldeman Chapter headings include: Is the Coming of Christ Before or After the Millennium! The Great Tribulation; The Thousand Years and After; etc. Those who read these expositions of I. M. Haldeman will find themselves well rewarded. $4.95
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
4
Everett Swanson, founder-director of Compassion, Inc., recently was award ed an honorary doctor’s degree by the
tian Assembly. Dr. Ford’s chief re sponsibilities will be in the field of public relations and conference pro gramming. Dr. Bernice T. Cory, editor of the children’s division of Scripture Press Publications, has announced the com pletion of a new teacher training film strip entitled “ Ties That Bind.” One of a series of nine, this filmstrip for the Cradle Roll Department shows how the Cradle Roll can bind family members together, the church to the home and the home to the church. Rev. Argos Zodhiates, pastor for 16 years of the Evangelical Church o f Katerini, Greece, has been barred from Greece. Immigration officers took the evangelical pastor off a train at the Yugoslav-Greek border as he was returning from England. Security police of the government called him “ undesirable,” accusing him of prose lytizing Greek Orthodox Christians. Neither the Church nor the Greek government has been able to prove the charge. In Washington, the Greek Embassy and the U.S. Department of State have received strong protests in regard to this action from the Na tional Association of Evangelicals. Bob Pierce, presi
On December 21, 1963, Dr. Donald G. Davis, professor at the Bible Insti tute and Talbot Theological Semi nary from 1950-1958, went to be with the Lord. Final services were in charge of Dr. Charles L. Feinberg of Talbot Seminary and Dr. John E. Danish of Berean Church of Irving, Texas. A graduate of Moody Bible Institute, and holding degrees frora the University of Southern California^ Northern Baptist Theological Semi nary and the University of Edin burgh, Dr. Davis enjoyed an outstand ing preaching and teaching ministry in various churches and schools. In 1952 he founded Berean Baptist Church of Los Angeles, of which he was pastor at the time of his death. Having served as a chaplain in the U.S. Army during World War II, he was a major in the U.S. Army Re serve. He leaves to mourn his wife Ethel, also a trained Christian work er, three daughters and two sons, in various stages of training for the Lord’s service, a brother, James, and a host of friends, among whom are many he led to Christ during a fruit ful, soul-winning ministry. Philip E. Howard,
Kon Kuk Univer sity of Seoul, Korea. He was also given a letter of appreci ation by the Min istry of Health and Social Affairs of the Republic of Korea for his “ contribu tion to the improve- ment of the welfare of the Korean peo
Dr. Swanson
ple.” Upon his return from Korea, Dr. Swanson announced the appoint ment pf Robert Swaney, formerly inter national extension director of the Gideons, as assistant executive direc tor of Compassion, Inc. Richard W. Cooke has been named Acting Administrator of the National Sunday School Association, following the resignation of Dr. date A. Risley as NSSA Executive Secretary. Former ly Director of Promotion for NSSA, Dr. Cooke will now be responsible for the supervision of the many facets of NSSA, as well as serve as Editor- in-Chief of LINK, the monthly NSSA publication. Ralph B. Odman, general secretary of the Unevangelized Fields Mission, has announced the penetration into an other tribe in West Irian. Mr. David Scovill and Mr. Stanley Sadlier, accom panied by Dani Christians, have tra versed high mountain ranges and made peaceful contact with the peo ple of “T Valley.” Work has begun at once on building an air-strip and a mission station. Dr. George Ford, executive director of the National Association of Evangeli cals, has been named executive vice- president of the Winona Lake Chris
Jr., former editor and president of The Sunday School Times, died Christ mas m o r n in g in Vero Beach, Flori da. He was 65 years old. The active serv ice of Dr. Howard for the Times be gan with his ap
dent of World Vi sion, Inc., is fea tured in a new 90- minute film entitled “ So Little Time,” in which the var ied ministries of this organization are presented. “ So Little Time” pro vides a history of
Dr. Howard
Dr. Pierce
pointment as associate editor in 1927. Between that time and his retirement at the close of 1961, Dr. Howard was associate editor for thirteen years, edi tor for nineteen years, and president for thirteen years.
missionary work mainly in Asia dur ing the past decade, in addition to showing views of the most recent victories and heartaches in the prog ress of missions.
MAK ING TIME COUNT for Christ
MAKE YOUR TIME COUNT! See these new VBS materials at your Christian bookstore or send coupon today . . . SCRIPTURE PRESS PUBLICATIONS, INC. Wheaton, Illinois 60187 Please send me FREE: □ 1964 VBS Guidebook Q New filmstrip, "Making Time Count for Christ,” for free showing on ______________ or ______________ (first and second choice dates). Name_ K B S-124
Vacation Bible School results in more decisions for Christ than almost any other church effort. VBS can . . . win to Christ those who won’t attend other church services . . . deepen the faith of all who attend . . . Combat juvenile delinquency . . . strengthen home, church, neighborhood, and nation! Every church should have VBS! Pray and plan to invest your time in a really outstanding VBS program this year. For maximum pupil appeal, clear Bible teaching, and strong evangelistic impact, plan to use Scripture Press’ timely 1964 VBS courses for all departments! Start today! Getyour FREE copy of the colorful 24-page, help-packed 1964 VBS Guidebook! SCRIPTURE PRESS WHEATON, ILLINOIS
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FEBRUARY, 1964
S
a messagefrom ^ mSm, the editor ^ -
O PPO RTUN IT IES U N L IM IT E D in Pakistan, India, Japan To proclaim the Gospel of
JESUS CHRIST. Urgently Needed
Doctors Nurses
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BY DR. SAMUEL H. SUTHERLAND
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^PRESIDENT, THE BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES, INC. t In Retrospect
Teachers
Elementary, secondary and Bible schools
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Evangelists Town and Village Outreach Write for information and literature w §1 / | . :___MISSIONARY Woman s Union society 156 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10010 Founded 1860
As one looks back in retrospect at the tragic death o f the late President, John F. Kennedy, the thought comes more and more into focus that very possibly he was the victim o f the cur rent political ideology. Before the assassin had been even partially identified, remarks were heard to the effect that the dastardly deed had been accomplished by either an extreme rightist or an extreme leftist. Let it be said, first o f all, that the assassination o f a Presi dent is an unthinkably vile. act. It is the product o f an utterly twisted, warped, deceived mind that has moved entirely away from the area o f rationality until the individual has become com pletely obsessed with the devilish desire to kill regardless o f the consequences to himself. But certainly this is not saying that he is not morally responsible for such a dastardly deed. When the shooting occurred, the late President was on his way to a luncheon meeting to deliver an address. According to newspaper reports, he was going to level some o f his biggest oratorical guns at the rightists, the very individuals who have been shouting most loudly and consistently against the soft atti tude o f government in its handling o f Communists and Com munistic sympathizers. Indeed, if those who were to be rather severely criticized by the President in that luncheon address had had their way, individuals like the one who assassinated the Presi dent would doubtless have been put behind bars or deported from our country long before the terrible event took place. And the President would be alive today! Both newscasters and the press reported that the accused assassin had been interviewed three weeks before President Ken nedy arrived in Dallas, and he was allowed to go free. They said he had likewise been interviewed a week before the President arrived in Dallas and, again, he was allowed to go free. Even after re pudiating the United States and living in Communist Russia for a period o f time, when he requested to return to this country, he was allowed to do so and, according to reports, was even provided the money for his passage back to this country through the U.S. authorities! The day after the President’s funeral, the newspapers came out with the news item that the accused assassin had recently been in Mexico, seeking a visa to enter Havana, Cuba, and from thence to go back to Russia. He likewise had visited the Russian
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Embassy in Mexico City, seeking a visa for entrance into the country. The incarceration o f one known Communist such as he was, or a hundred known Communists, depriving them o f the rights which every right-minded, loyal American should have the pri vilege to enjoy is far less an offense than the assassination o f our President. Certainly in the minds o f our founding fathers, the liberty which they provided for Americans as law-abiding indi viduals was never intended to extend to sworn and dedicated enemies o f our system o f government. It is quite readily agreed that there has been extremism mani fested on the part o f an appreciable number o f rightists. We repudiate that attitude and believe that these extremists have grievously erred in their name calling and apparently indiscrimi nate habit o f applying the Communist epithet to all who happen to differ with their convictions. But the thought persists that if the recommendations o f the rightists had been followed even to a relatively small degree, individuals like the one who was suspected o f shooting thé President down would either have been in confinement or at least under far closer surveillance than evidently was the case. Every card-carrying Communist or dedi cated Communist, whether he carries a card or not, is a potential killer because he has pledged himself to assist in the violent over throw o f this country. God alone knows how many Communists there are in the United States who would be delighted to have the opportunity to rub out the Head o f State by assassination or any other effective manner. One such Communistic sympa thizer evidently took advantage o f this opportunity. The result is tragically evident. Certainly this is not to imply that all who lean to the left are Communists, or even Communistic sympathizers, but it is an inescapable fact that way down at the far end o f all leftist ten dencies there is the utterly Godless, religio-political system known as Communism. It is that system that creates anarchy and Presi dent shootings. The great mass o f those at the left end o f the political spectrum are those who would utterly destroy our entire American way o f life and deprive us o f the very privileges that we have enjoyed in these United States for the past 180 years or more. At the worst, the far end o f the rightist position is composed merely o f those who are name callers. We believe it is not accurate to speak o f the extreme rightists and the extreme leftists in the same breath by way o f condemnation. Granted that, at the moment, this is more o f a political than religious conflict, we cannot escape the conviction that in the final analysis this political situation, if allowed to continue, will become a religious situation and that is where we as the church o f Jesus Christ become actively involved and concerned. We believe, there fore, it is time the church o f Jesus Christ was taking a very active part in doing everything possible to curtail influences in our be loved country which can only lead to its destruction. (continued on page 29)
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FEBRUARY, 1964
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T he church at Thessalonica was its own publicity. It needed no press agent. Paul wrote: “We need not speak anything.” In other words, “We do not have to tell about you. Word has gotten around and everybody is talking about what kind of Christians and what kind of church you are.” What a wonderful thing if more church- es had. such a reputation today! How did the Thessalonians do it? Not by hiring a good public relations man. Not by expensive publicity. Not by shows and stunts and suppers. “ From you sounded out the word of the Lord.” It was their clear testimony to the Gospel that did it. One might call this “The Early Gospel Broadcast.” Thessalonica was a Gospel broadcast- ing station both audio and video for their witness was both heard and seen. The words “ sounded out” occur nowhere else in the New Testament. They carry the idea of rolling thunder or the clarion call of a trumpet. Dr. MacLaren calls the Thessalonians “ God’s Trumpet.” Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “ If the trumpet [or bugle] give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare him- self to the battle?” Here we have the battle, the bugler and the bugle. We are in the battle, we are the buglers and our testimony is the bugle. Alas, too often the bugle is muffled and muted, confused, indistinct, the notes are flatted and slurred. Today the church is not sounding a clear trumpet call to doctrine or duty and men do not prepare for the battle. There is a wrong way to sound the trumpet. Our Lord said: “ Therefore, when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward” (Matt. 6:2). This is Pharasaic ostentation and much of our bragging and boasting in our religious bodies today sounds more like this trumpet than the clarion call of the Thessalonians. What was the trumpet note of these Thessalonian Christians? The church at Ephesus had works and labor and patience (Rev. 2:2) but at Thessalonica it was a work of FAITH, a labor of LOVE and a patience of HOPE. The Ephesian works were not mixed with faith, their labor was not warmed by love, their patience not forti fied with hope. The Thessalonians showed their faith by turning to God from idols, their labor was the service of the living and true God and their hope was manifested in waiting for God’s Son from heaven. Here was a church with a great reputation and we do well to ask: Is this what men are saying about our . churches today? It is not enough to say we are putting up more buildings, raising more money, attracting more people? All this can be done without the Holy Spirit. If our people are not turning to God from idols, serving the living and true God and waiting for His Son from heaven, then we are not sounding God’s trumpet; we are merely blowing our own horn. Are we producing a bet ter grade of Christians who are really born-again, sep arated from the world, submitted to the Lordship of Christ, filled with the Spirit and winning others? Are we developing members who are living broadcasting sta tions, sounding out the Gospel by life and by lip in the home, in business, in school, in social life, seven days in the week? If we are not doing that, we had better close down the main station! Let us look a little more closely at the three-fold testi mony of these Thessalonian Christians. First, they turned to God from idols. They had been converted! “ Convert ed” is a good old word which we do not hear much now in our church life. We heard it when I was a boy in the little country church where I grew up. We not only heard about conversion; we saw conversions. People came to that old church sinners and went out saints; they THE KING'S BUSINESS
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by Dr. Vance Havner
8
came headed for hell and departed bound for heaven; they came lost and left the church saved; they came blind and went out seeing. Today too many churches are filling up with members who have never turned to God from idols. They are just what they have always been. You will observe that the Thessalonians turned TO GOD first. If we truly turn to God we will certainly turn from idols. Yet Paul said to the people of Lystra: “We preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God” (Acts 14:15). Either way, it comes out the same. If you tell me that you have turned to God I will say “ Amen,” but I will also ask, “What about your idols?” We are growing a crop of church members who “ fear the Lord and serve their own gods.” “ The Lord knoweth them that are His” but they should prove they are His by departing from iniquity. On the other hand, if you say, “ I have turned from my idols” I will say “ Amen, but did you get through to God?” If not, you only sweep out the house and seven demons return so that your last state is worse than your first. It is good to give up liquor and gambling and theatres (although some look at the same old movies they saw twenty years ago now brought to their living rooms!). But unless men get through to God by living faith in Jesus Christ, they are only reformed sinners . . . and the hardest sinner to convert is a reformed sinner. That is the correct order: Christ must first dwell in the soul to fill the vacancy when the idols go. Idolatry is not confined to pagans across the sea. There are more strange gods in America than anywhere else on earth. The first two Commandments, to say nothing of the other eight, are perhaps broken by more people under the Stars and Stripes than in all heathendom. Furthermore, these saints “ served the living and true God.” They made a good start and they followed it by patient continuance; the step became a walk. Our Chris tian witness is weak and ineffective today because most of our church people have never made up their minds to say, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” “ No man can serve two masters.” We live with divided loyalties. We equate “ Christian service” with an hour at church on Sunday and a contribution in a duplex en velope. Every Christian is meant to be in full-time Chris tian service, living for God every hour of the day, every day of the year. We put what we do at church in one compartment and how we live all week in another and never the twain do meet. Serving God is not bondage; it is the expression of loving devotion. Our Lord’s commandments are not griev ous. We are told to be “not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord” (Rom. 12:11). Mr. Moody said: “ I never knew a lazy man to be. converted. I have more hope for the conversion of drunkards, thieves and harlots than of a lazy man.” What impressed the people of Macedonia and Achaia about the Thessalonians was not that they had turned to God from idols. If they had turned back to their old ways, the impression would have been faint and fleeting. It was not that they were looking for the Lord from heaven for that might have been dismissed as superstition. What the outsiders saw was these Christians busy day by day serving the living and true God. What sounds out as a clear trumpet call to this world around us is men and women happy in the service of the King. They are hot interested in what we do at church on Sunday. Our business is serving God all the time while we work in the shop or office to pay ex penses. There is too much impersonal witnessing. We can be so busy with religious organizations that we don’t have time to be Christians, so busy going to meetings of the Gospel Witnessing Association that we have no tune to be Gospel witnesses. It is possible to get people FEBRUARY, 1964
busy doing things Christians should do without being Christians or without Christian motivation. We confuse Christian work with mere church activity. We pay a church staff to do “ church work” and we go to church on Sunday to sit and watch them do it. Pastors, teachers and evangelists were meant to perfect the saints for THEIR ministry (Eph. 4:11, 12), for every Christian is meant to be a missionary. It has been said that Chris tianity began as a company of lay witnesses but has become a professional pulpitism financed by lay specta tors. The devil never won a greater victory than when the church got fouled up on this point and Christianity be came a performance instead of an experience. Finally, these Thessalonian saints not only turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; they waited for His Son from heaven. The early Christians looked for the Saviour to return. They were not only ready; they were expectant. It has been said that such expectation discourages evangelistic and missionary en deavor. Yet here in Thessalonica the same people who were waiting for God’s Son from heaven were busily serving that living and true God and it has always been so. It was only when that blessed hope died down that the church settled in this world and began to try build ing the Kingdom here. That hope has never been fully recovered in the centuries since but wherever it shines it is a mark of the New Testament Church. The Thessalonians were waiting. This world is one great waiting room. The whole creation is “on tiptoe” waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God (Rom. 8:19). The Jews are waiting for their final restoration to the homeland. The world is waiting for Antichrist. The church is waiting for her Lord. And in glory our coming King is waiting till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled and the fulness of the Gentiles be come in, “from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His foot stool” (Heb. 10:13). Sometimes we grow alarmed over the failure of Christianity and the growing power of evil, “ Truth forever on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne.” But God is just abiding His time. When the right moment comes, our Lord will step into this tangled bedlam and take over. These boastful enemies of Jesus Christ do not know that they are merely getting His footstool ready! We are not awaiting an event; we are looking for Someone. “The night is far spent, the day is at hand.” Our souls “ wait for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning.” A little girl riding on a train said to her mother when they came out of a long tunnel, “ O mamma, it’s tomorrow!” The night will soon pass and it will be God’s tomorrow. Are you a Thessalonian Christian? Have you turned to God from idols? That takes care of the past. Are you serving the living and true God? That takes care of the present. Are you waiting for His Son from heaven? That takes care of the future. How did these Christians get that way? It began with the election of God (I Thess. 1:4). God chooses us before we choose Him. “As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” They received the Gospel (verse 5). They became followers of the 'Lord (verse 6 ). They became examples (verse 7). They be came God’s trumpet, from them the Word sounded forth (verse 8 ). Paul did not lecture on idols in Thessalonica. He did not preach ten sermons on Diana in Ephesus nor discuss demonology in Philippi. He preached the Gospel. When men really believe the Gospel, they have no truck with idols, no use for Diana, no traffic with demons. Only the Gospel can produce a church like Thessa lonica. What it did for them it can do for you. Repent and believe the Gospel! 9
“ IT f we don ’ t hear from you this week, vu; may not be JL on the air.” “ This is the most urgent crisis we ever faced.” “ If you don’t send some money today, countless souls may be lost.” Such appeals are not unfamiliar to those who listen to religious radio programs. That the cries are increasing in tempo and “ pitch” should be of real concern to every Christian. Having been in Christian radio for the past 14 years, and working on commercial stations since 1943, I feel that changing trends in this important area of ministry make it imperative to examine some of these significant trends. First of all, there is a multiplicity of programs and voices on the air today. Several years ago there were only a handful of national religious broadcasts released during the week-days, with a few more on Sundays. These were programs of stature and prominence. Today, however, there are as many as 25 or 30 heard throughout the day. The second thing which affects the changing trends of Gospel broadcasting is the fact that there are more dramatic and emotional appeals which are given on some of this large number of programs. As an example, the speaker on one broadcast, which has recently started in Southern California, has openly declared, “ If you will send us $10.00,1 will personally see to it that the Supreme Court ban on Bible reading and prayer is rescinded.” Because this speaker touches an area close to each of our hearts, and because numbers of Christians are often undisceming and immature in judgment, they send the money in the confidence that what is promised will be accomplished. Generally the money is entirely sacrificial, for the people who give to such causes may not have a great deal of this world’s goods. In another case, one radio station manager reported that the only way a response could be secured for broad casters was through emotional stories and heart appeal. Some clever promoters have used other.popular crusades of the day such as anti-communism. There are probably a score of broadcasts which have climbed on the “ band wagon” and are vigorously beating “patriotic drums” sometimes simply to further their own purposes. Without question, Americans need to be awakened concerning the Red conspiracy and her sister in evil, known as “ creeping socialism.” But when people are whipped into a veritable frenzy without being given any other sug gestions than to “ send us your money,” the cause of Christ is hindered. If Satan can get the Christian to thinking that he should fight issues rather than sin, he has won a tremendous battle. The believer, thereby, loses sight of the fact that he is wrestling not with flesh and blood, but against principalties and powers, unseen hosts. While we are completely opposed to communism, we need to realize that it is not our primary enemy. There is a cause of Satan behind it. When the Lord Jesus was asked what the signs of His coming were, He stated, “Many shall come in my name.” This is recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke. As we see
other signs of our Lord’s imminent return, we cannot but feel that the rise of “voices” and clamor for money are a part of the total picture. It seems to be another definite indication that these are the last days in which we are living. A third thing which has caused the changing face of radio is the growing number of Christian stations on the air. Many of them falsely claim the name of “Chris tian.” A number of stations are broadcasting religious programs “ back to back” (sometimes known as “piggy back broadcasting” ). This is a case of one religious broad cast after another. The block may continue anywhere from 2 to 24 hours a day. As Christians we need to be practical and ask ourselves, “How can we get the unsaved to listen to such a station?” Usually it is when a man experiences a real heart hunger in his spiritual need, that he will turn on a religious program. Sometimes, if he is caught, off guard by such a broadcast, a person will leave it on. Generally, however, he turns it off. A further complication is the fact that across America there is now not only one station carrying an abundance of religious programs in nearly every metropolitan market, but also in some cases there are two and three. Every station is ultimately after the ear of the Christian in the area, for Christians are the ones who can'be counted on to sup port the ministry. It is a veritable “ ether wave tug-o’- war.” In the minds of most people, the entire situation has become deplorable. Because religious radio stations are springing up across the country to accommodate the growing number of programs and because they are gen erally operated on a minimum budget, inexperienced management and personnel are retained. This is espe cially true in small areas where the quality of presenta tion is extremely poor. A wide spectrum exists in the field of religious broad casting stations today. Perhaps it could be summarized into four areas, although the range itself is even wider. First of all, there are secular stations which carry some religious programs during the course of a week. These stations are becoming fewer and fewer. The second type of station is the religious facility which will carry all kinds of programs. Over its frequency will come an evangelical broadcast often followed by those of such cults as Christian Science, Unity, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventism. One of the fastest-growing and perhaps most confusing broadcasts is Herbert Arm strong with his weird interpretations of Scripture. The third type of station is a Christian outlet which operates as a means of building up an income-producing business. This station will carry all Christian programs, as many of them as can be obtained, without a particular question relative to quality, reliability or ethical standing of the individual program producer. The fourth type of station, and we can be grateful for the growing number of these in existence today (as well as others which hope to become this type of facility), are presenting a total programming concept
* gospel broadcasting: is it ending?
by A l Sanders
10
THE KING'S BUSINESS
"Endless appeals b ring questions to the unsaved .”
national program, who has been on the air for more than a score of years, recently declared that he had seen the ministry grow every year since it started. Last year it leveled off and this year gives indication of having fallen behind. What this outstanding broadcaster has said is true with many of those who operate with fewer outlets but nonetheless seek to maintain proper standards. Faced with these urgent problems, dedicated servants of the Lord recently met in Lincoln, Nebraska to discuss frankly where Gospel broadcasting has been, where it is now, and where it will go, if present trends continue. The group concluded that every effort should first be made to carry out a plan of action and education through an organization which has already been established, The National Religious Broadcasters. Their annual con vention, headed by Dr. Eugene R. Bertermann of the “Lutheran Hour,” meets each January in Washington, D.C. at the Mayflower Hotel. At that time, a free ex change of ideas is given between broadcasters and station operators. Manifestly, owners of radio outlets have expen sive facilities to be maintained and, often, paid off. Stations will be encouraged to examine the broadcasts which they are now carrying. A time of honest investi gation needs to be made in order to know that programs released are legitimate, and that appeals are honest and carried out as advertised. Operating overhead must not be excessive. Broadcasts should be examined as to whe ther they are bona fide non-profit, not only in the sight of the government, but also in the eyes of the Lord and His Word. They must be of sound doctrine. The local Christian station faces a problem in securing sufficient revenue to operate. It must come from the sale of time to religious programs but needs to be supplemented by secular accounts. Admittedly, this will be a difficult area of development, but all of the Christian stations are concerned about it. Christians brush their teeth, eat breakfast food, wash their hands, just as do the people who listen to classical, popular or Western stations. Sponsors like Colgate, Kellogg’s and Lever Brothers need to be sold on such facts. Basically, the Christian station has a very loyal audience. It is composed- of people who turn on their radios and generally leave their dials set that way throughout the day. Information and market survey materials need to be given to potential secular sponsors so that they may see what type of a consistent audience they are buying. There is perhaps no greater need of service for the concerned Christian station than this type of national recognition. Ethical and concerned Christian broadcasters need to establish a program of public information as to what is now being achieved, as well as the dangers in “unplanned” or “ unthinking” Christian stewardship. Without becoming negative or hyper-critical, it is possible to show how a concerned Christian can discern the true from the false, the reputa ble from the racketeer. Regular articles and feature stories need to be offered to Christian magazines exposing some of the questionable areas of broadcasting. Holes need to be stopped up so that Christian dollars will not con tinue to be drained out. The secular press and secular radio stations also should be apprised of these efforts and given specific information. Frankly, we are firmly convinced that if something is not done soon, a federal investigation will be made. This might involve stations carrying a high percentage of religious broadcasts as well as some of the questionable broadcasters themselves. (continued on next page)
'for the family needs. Not only are broadcasts of estab lished and reputable Christian ministries presented, but also there are other features which will attract the un saved to time in. Have you ever met a man who went to church 18 hours a day, 7 days a week? If so, he would no doubt be warped and withdrawn from life. No doctor would recommend that a person eat steak, or any other type of food, every meal of the day. In Biola’s own programming ministry with its two full-time Chris tian stations in Los Angeles and San Diego, classical and semi-classical as well as sacred music are featured. This has attracted people who would not otherwise tune in and people generally who never attend church. The fourth problem which is facing Christian broad casters is the fact that the radio industry itself is rapid ly changing. In the “ golden days” before TV, all types of programs would be utilized. Today, radio is a special ized medium. In a given area, one facility will be “ top 40” popular music, another Western, still another classi cal. Other formats have included all news, conversation or beamed at one particular language or ethnic group. (Some, sad to say, and often the most popular by ratings, program music of the “ rock ’n roll” variety.) Stations are also changing from a moral standpoint. We deplore the fact that continuity departments of major networks first let down bars by allowing certain profane words over the airways. It is now true with local stations as well. Certain four-letters words (for merly considered swear words), are no longer taboo. Originally, the networks decided to allow them to be used after 9 o ’clock in the evening, presumably when the children had gone to bed. The admitted purpose was to enable actors more adequately to express themselves. “After all, the words are not to be considered profane. They are merely ‘expletives.’ ” On most stations such words are heard at various times throughout the day. Perhaps the newest and most explosive matter which concern's broadcast operators is the Federal Communica tions Commission’s edict called the “ Fairness Doctrine.” Throughout the years, the FCC, radio’s regulatory body, has allowed opposing political views given in a policy known as “ equal time.” The new stand, however, requires that all controversial matters be given equal time. Sta tions have gotten around this ruling in the past by de claring that any “ controversial” program of a paid na ture, could not have an opponent asking for free time. If the opponent wished to purchase time, and if such time were available, it might be purchased. In two recent cases, however, the FCC has upheld that free (sustaining) time must be given. In addition, if any individual or group is mentioned on any broadcast, a transcript of that program must be sent before or during the release to those involved giving them opportunity of objecting and requiring equal time to present opposing views. This harrassment will ultimately lead to the fact that few stations will be able to survive and put on religious programming. Consider the fact that religion is now, in the eyes of our Supreme Court, a controversial subject. This is the basis for the ruling on prayer and Bible reading in our schools. In this way all religious broad casts are in jeopardy and question. This four-pronged attack upon true Christian pro grams has resulted in the fact that established Christian broadcasters, who are reputable and ethical, and who will not stoop to some of the obnoxious tactics of begging and emotional appeals, have been hurt. The director of one
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FEBRUARY, 1964
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