Should Pastors serve on
Community Projects?
The Problem Illustrated A d e n o m in a t io n a l S e c r e t a r y o f Evangelism has stated : “ The redemption o f the world is not dependent upon the souls we win for Christ. . . . There cannot be individual salvation. . . . Salvation has more to do with the whole society than with the individual soul. . . . We must not be satisfied to win people one by one. . . . Contemporary evangelism is moving away from winning souls one by one to the evangelization o f the structures o f society." Similarly, a well-known church leader recently stated: “ Churches should not neglect the saving o f souls but should also have something to say in affairs concerning govern mental institutions, labor unions, manufacturers’ associations, clubs and other organizations, where decisions are being made on major issues affecting society.” In apparent agreement with this philosophy, Walfred Erickson, director o f the Pacific North west Council on Theological Education, stated : “ The average church member knows little o f some o f the most worthwhile undertakings o f the church agencies. For instance, the World Council o f Churches sponsored a cooperative at Ioannina, Greece, which built an automated one million dol lar plant for killing, dressing, and packaging chick
ens. The plant means work for 60 skilled and un skilled workers and a steady income for 100 chick en growers.” (Watford Reed, “ Action Emphasis Seen for Churches,” The Oregon Journal, March 8, 1969.) Of quite the contrary opinion, however, is J. Howard Pew, who speaks to the matter o f church involvement in social problems: “ This means that sessions must lead their congregations in a study o f methods o f metropolitan government and in form all cities o f the nation what is the best type o f metropolitan government. They must study mass transportation and inform, among others, the lead ers o f the city in which they live how to overcome traffic problems and how best to transport the working population to and from work. They must inform their state capitals as to what is an equit able representation in state legislatures, and they must come up with a solution to such poverty as may exist in certain segments o f our population. Since the congregation speaks o f the Christian con gregation, the assumption must be made that it knows the mind o f Christ concerning metropoli tan government, mass transportation, equitable representation, etc. It must not only be able to declare to the various governing bodies, ‘Thus saith the Lord,’ but, to continue, sessions must be ready
THE KING'S BUSINESS
14
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online