Newsletter Vol.2, #21—June 4, 2006
Matthew 8 23And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.
June 12th
June 20th
SOME TALK THE TALK, BUT MAY STUMBLE WALKING THE TALK
A man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.
The
tailgating woman hit the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she
missed her chance to get through the intersection with him. As she was still in
mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very
serious police officer.
The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a cell.
After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping the guy off in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'What Would Jesus Do" bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker and the chrome-plated fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car." --selected
"Keepers At Home"
Larry Ray Hafley
Aged women are to "teach the young women to be...keepers at home" (Titus 2:3-5). This is in harmony with 1 Timothy 5:14: "I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully."
Controversy surrounds the fact that Paul says that young, married mothers are to be "keepers at home." Does this forbid a woman to work outside the home? "Yes," say some, "it is a sin for a woman to have a public job." Those of this persuasion should live by their conscientious conviction and not become contentious because others do not share their viewpoint.
Note, however, that the passage does not say a woman sins by working at a public job. It implies that she sins whenever she fails to be a keeper at home. Some women are home all day, but they are not keepers at home. There is no virtue in the fact that a woman stays at home, that is, that she does not have a job outside the home. She may be home all day and be lazy, or she may be a busybody "wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not" (1 Timothy 5:13).
On the other hand, a woman may work several hours a day outside her immediate household and not neglect her family in any respect. She may still be a keeper at home.
The virtuous woman of Proverbs fame is described as one who "looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness." Yet, "She perceiveth that her merchandise is good....she maketh fine linen and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant" (Prov.31:18, 24). Whatever a woman does outside the home, whether it be as a tentmaker like Priscilla, or as a servant in the gospel like Phoebe, she should not let that detract her from her duties in the home (Acts 18:3; Rom.16:1; Phil.4:3). A woman may, therefore, perform certain tasks outside the home so long as she does not abandon her responsibilities in the home.
A Christian, like Paul, may give himself wholly to the work of an evangelist while working at secular work. Paul "ceased not" to "warn every one night and day," but, at the same time, he employed his hands to provide the necessities of life for himself and his companions (Acts 20:31, 33-35). Likewise, a woman may be a keeper at home while finding time to labor at outside work.
The Bible teaches that a woman is to be a keeper at home. She may fail her obligation through idleness or by spending too much time outside the home at another job. However, to say that a woman is automatically guilty of sin because she has a job outside the home is to misunderstand the teaching and meaning of Titus 2:5. See Proverbs 31:10-31.
MARKETING MISSIONS
Jim E. Waldron
The Indianapolis Star, April 23, 2005: "Westlake Church of Christ, 612 N. High School Road, is having a square dance from 6 to 8 p.m. today to raise money for the teen mission trip. Call (317-244-3974)."
Ibid., www.indystar.com; April 30, 2005: "Westlake Church of Christ will have a hog roast from 4 to 8 p.m. May 7. The dinner is $7.50 for adults and includes a pork sandwich, potato chips, pickle spear, baked beans and a drink. The child's dinner is $3.50 and includes a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, chips and a drink. Proceeds will go toward a teen mission trip with adult chaperones to the Turks and Caicos islands the first week of July. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the church office, 612 N. High School Road, Indianapolis. For more information call (317-244-3974)”
Churches that follow the Spirit's orders and raise funds by freewill offerings on the first day of the week (I Cor.16:1-2) are fulfilling their God-given obligations to do evangelism, edification and benevolence and are doing the Fathers's will (See Matt. 7:21; Mark 16:15-16; I Cor. 9:7-14; Gal. 6:6; Acts 11:22-23; II Cor. 9:1-2,12).
But the Holy Spirit has not authorized the church to take advantage of a free enterprise system or any other marketing plan to go into business selling pies, old clothes, dinners, car washes or promoting dances. To do so is to clearly go beyond what is written (II Jno. 9).
Contrast the concept of marketing missions above with this letter we received at Crossville:
"May 18, 2005: I have made modest contributions to the Waldron Mission Fund from time to time, never as much as I wanted to, but as much as I could afford at the time. I just celebrated by birthday – or actually, the beginning of my "birthday season" on May 16 (my actual birthday). My 'birthday season' will conclude on Memorial Day. I use the time between now and then to examine my long life as a Christian (baptized 60 years ago at 16) and to do special things in the name of the Lord. After prayer, I have decided to send Waldron Mission Fund a check each month in the amount of $12.50. May God bless this 'Widow's Mite' as He has blessed me. Genie V."
Jesus said, it is more blessed to give than receive." Acts 20:35
--Bulletin Briefs, July 2005, Vol. 8 #7
Question: Is the “contrast” still in keeping with the instructions of 1 Cor.16:1-2? Can a church set up a “mission fund” and have those outside that church send contributions? What ever happened to sending directly to the preacher? --Larry