THE FISHERMEN'S NET NEWSLETTER
 February 2000 |
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[ Read this Fisherman's Net newsletter in French, German, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish. ]
Published by New Covenant Ministries
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February 2000 |
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[ Read this Fisherman's Net newsletter in French, German, Italian, Portuguese or Spanish. ]
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A Royal Priesthood and Church Polity Over the almost four centuries of our existence Seventh Day Baptists have always held that speaking out boldly to a lost world about the need for repentance of sin and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord should always be first and formost in importance. Our often unique position in Christian ecclesiatical settings has often called us to defend a second Biblical truth. We have often found it necessary to call the attention of Christians to the need to observe the seventh day of the week as God's ordained and commanded day for our worship as part of our love for and recognition of Jesus as our Lord and the Lord of the Sabbath.We sometimes overlook a third unique cause that often also calls out for support- to remind Christians that God has also called them to be "a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9) which includes how Christians should relate to each other and to God in their church polity. The question that begs to be answered is- "How Should the Church of Christ be governed?" Church government has been an issue within the Church since it began. When Jesus said that He would build His Church and give it the "keys to the kingdom," did He intend for it to have a single autocratic ruler or even a government of apostles and elders? Or did He want His Church governed by all its members equally? Some churches are convinced that the Bible teaches the church should be governed in a hierarchical structure from the top down. This has clearly been the structure of the Roman Catholic Church with the Pope as the Vicar of Christ. Other churches still believing in a hierarchical structure for church government do not have just one man at the top wielding all the power. They have a governing Board of Elders that make the decisions for the church. The third type of church government is followed by congregational churches and is a democracy of all members. We must not allow humanly devised theories of church government replace the clear teachings of the Word of God. The question to be answered is- "Does the Bible set out a clear directive for the governing of the church?" Let us look first at Acts 15. It is clear that the matter in dispute should be brought to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. Note now that not just the apostles and elders were present but that it says the whole Jerusalem church "received them." What multitude? Why the whole church body of verse 4 of course. Note that the suggestion of James was not only acceptable to the "apostles and elders," but also had the approval of "the whole church" and the letter was sent in the name of "the apostles and elders and brethren." Even churches that are governed by elders admit that "correct church government should always be based on multitude of counsel." The real question is- how many church members does it take to be called a "multitude"? Clearly, Jesus Christ is the "Head" of the Church and the rest of us are "members of His body." At no time did Jesus ever appoint any man to be the head of His body. It is also true that He chose group of apostles to serve His people. But notice what Jesus said was expected of them- They were not to be like the world in ther leadership. They were to be humble servants. Christ warned His disciples that they should not act like a lord making "final decisions" in deciding doctrinal or even administrative matters. He said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you" (Matt. 20:25-28). An honest study of the New Testament Church in the book of Acts will show that there is no mention of apostles and elders making important doctrinal or administrative decisions without the agreement of the whole church. Earlier when seven deacons were chosen, they may have been "ordained" by the apostles but they were chosen by "the multitude of the disciples" (Acts 6:2) Again we ask the question- what constitutes a "multitude"? God's form of government for the nation of Israel was a theocracy. Under this theocracy God was King (Judges 8:22-23; 1 Sam. 12:12). Moses was only a prophet. At Mount Sinai God sought a direct relationship with the people. Note that It was the people who refused that relationship out of fear. They wanted Moses to continue to be a "go between" for them. Moses became a "mediator" and occupied a position unparalleled by anyone until Jesus Himself (cf. Deut. 34:10; 18:15-19). Even with that unique position, there is nothing in God's Word that gave Moses authority to function in a priestly ministry over Israel. And now under the New Covenant all believers are called "a holy priesthood." When it came time for Joshua to relinquish his role as the leader of Israel, did he appoint a successor? He did not. Joshua gathered the people together and asked them to make a choice- "Choose ye this day whom ye will serve." If that doesn't sound like a plenary decision, what does? When Judges were ruling Israel there were at times multiple judges and sometimes no judges at all. Was there a board of elders that appointed these judges? No. Many times the people just "did what was right in their own eyes" which would have worked if they actually were doing what was right. At this time God dealt directly with His people. When Israel later had a human king, this wasn't what God wanted. It was a rejection of God's direct rulership (1 Sam. 8:6-7). God did not want the people looking to human leadership, it was the people who chose that. Even then the kings of Israel were not allowed to function as priestly intermediates. In the New Covenant it is clear that God wants to have a direct relationship with all His people. By using a congregational form of government, rather than a government by intermedators, we can allow each member to have a direct relationship with God. God has often used human servants as His representatives when the people didn't listen and didn't wan't to listen to Him. He used kings and prophets and priests and apostles and elders and yes even Babylonians. But these aren't His preferences. He wants a "priesthood of the believers." He longs for a direct connection with each uf us. It is CONTRARY to the clear Old and New Testament patterns of God's relationships with His people to adopt anything but a DEMOCRATIC form of church government! Only congregational polity puts each person in a direct relationship with God. Is this different from the Old Testament? Not at all. God did not want human rule then and He doesan't want it now. To want human intermediators is to deny that Christ is actively filling these roles in our personal and ecclesiastical lives. Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant, the supreme Judge, the High Priest and the King. We are all appointed to be a "royal priesthood" with a relationship with the Father that is only mediated through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:9, 1 Timothy 2:5).
A Servant Churchby John Camenga
Our church has a special relationship with other Seventh Day Baptist churches. Our church in Daytona Beach started in 1884 because the Rogers family brought their faith with them when they moved here from Plainfield, New Jersey. Other early Daytona Beach SDBs came here from our church in Richburg, New York. Our church benefits when SDBs come here for vacations or retirement. Our "snow birds" and retirees provide a lot of encouragement and support for us. However, we are much more than a "retirement church," or a "snow bird church." In 1962, S. Kenneth Davis came to Daytona as our first full time pastor. The congregation was small and "seasonal." There were large fluctuations between summer and winter attendance. Pastor Ken received financial support from the SDB Missionary Society. This agency shared our vision of a strong, vibrant, year-round church. They believed our church could serve the needs of new SDBs from the area, as well as "snow birds." This "Missionary Pastor Program" continued when Marion Van Horn became pastor. Now our church is helping provide vision for other Seventh Day Baptists. In 1997 and 1999 winter residents Owen Probasco and Norma Rudert served as Conference presidents. Your Pastor is president for 2000, and this year our Conference chose another winter resident, Clayton Pinder, as president-elect. He will serve in 2000-2001. Five of the dozen members of the Conference’s "General Council" live in the Daytona area at least part of the year. We will host some General Council meetings here. It makes sense to have it meet where many members live. Conference also elected Michael Spearl as a vice president. Mike will assist the president at the Conference sessions next summer. One more duty is coming our way. In August of 2000, our ladies take on responsibility for our national Women’s Board. (The ladies of the Caraway church are part of the new Women’s Board, too.) It is exciting to have so much responsibility. These leaders need our prayer support. We are a servant church. We provide servant-leaders for our Conference. We are not in a position of power or authority. We now have an opportunity to "repay" those who had faith in our church nearly forty years ago and invested in us so we could have full-time pastoral leadership. Pastor John Reprinted from the Daytona Beach Sentinel.
Grace Irene Crandall |
If you are looking for Rwanda on a map, you will find it in the middle of the African continent, near the equator. This means that the days and nights are nearly equal in length. It also means that the workday is approximately 12 hours Tong.
When night falls, it comes with a "thud," quickly and quietly bringing mosquitoes that are noisy, disease carrying pests. Small ones, Anopheles mosquitoes, make a fainter noise and can carry the malaria parasite. Since malaria can be deadly, babies and young children head indoors for protection at nighttime.
A day in the life of a Rwandan is shrouded with pain that we in North America can only imagine. During the past two years, mountain rebels caused so much trouble that the people in the mountain villages moved to the valley so they could be under military protection. They lived in makeshift huts made of poles and thatch, or poles with plastic tarpaulins.
The government soon restricted the camps to an area that could be easily patrolled and secured. The camps were rather large, with some numbering up to 80,000 occupants.
Thankfully, food and water problems were kept at a minimum with government shipping and distribution. Finally, during the first half of 1999, people were able to return to their mountain homes.
During the time of the camps, Seventh Day Baptist churches were able to exert some influence. Clothing was taken to the occupants and, in many of the camps, church was held weekly. When they went back home, the church went with them.
While the rebels were in the mountains, the SDB pharmacy was moved into Ruhengeri, a village northwest of the capital, Kigali. While it was located there, the people in the village visited often and told Rev. Nduwayesu that they needed a clinic or pharmacy in Ruhengeri.
Rev. Nduwayesu hopes that they will be able to build a structure and turn it into a pharmacy. It would take about $6,000 to complete the project. Along with the plan for this pharmacy, he hopes to erect several others in that rural region of Rwanda.
in addition to their refugee and orphan work, church members are sent to neighboring communities to meet those interested in starting churches. The dedication of these men(traveling on foot and using their own finances) is unequaled. Rev.Nduwayesu also spends much of his time on the road, meeting groups interested in affiliating with Rwanda Seventh Days.
Donated funds would encourage these trips and guarantee a higher number of successes. Money to purchase tracts, study books, and Bibles would allow them the opportunity to teach those who do not know Jesus Christ.
Evangelism requires time. But it also requires funds to permit a fulltime person to do the teaching and preaching.
-reprinted from the Sabbath Recorder
When God does it His way
The seven of us (Heather Wright, Jenny Butler, Luke Jakubowski, Ben and Sarah Calhoun, Erik Henry, and myseTf) began our trip to Jamaica with a clear "wake-up call."
God prepared us to serve by making sure we knew He was going to do it His way. It took us two days to get to Jamaica with delayed flights and birth certificate difficulties. We met Pastor Andy Samuels and his daughter, Tsafiq, in the Kingston airport, tired, smelly, and in two-day-old clothes, but broken. Believe me, after two days of airport lines and food, you would be beat into submission too.
The project last July consisted of helping to build Maiden Hall Conference Centre, running VBS at the Charles St. Church in Kingston, helping the Greater Portmore crusade, and leading some sporadic devotions at area schools. But the project seemed a facade compared to the reality of what God did in us and through us and what He is continuing to do in Jamaica.
The trip was difficult for each one of us in different ways. Heather had never flown before, and since our trip required us to take eight planes in all, she was petrified. Jenny was attacked by "mosquitoes on steroids" for 10 day". The Patoian dialect of the people was hard for all of us to understand. Many times it was too hot at night for Ben and Erik to sleep well.
But the most trying for everyone: the food was... different... and often we were served more than we could eat. And me, well, I disliked Jamaica as soon as I set foot on the island. I disliked the tropical vegetation, I disliked the people who would stare and shout "whitey" at our van, I hated that I could not understand what the Jamaicans were saying, and I detested the fact that every house and building had huge iron gates surrounding the doorways as if to shut out the world.
But as the 10 days passed, I grew to love the people. They are the epitome of hospitality. They have very little, but what they have, they give. They don't let things worry them or run a crazy schedule like we do.
The way they worship is amazing, in style and in spirit. In some ways they may be legalistic, but they are truly obedient people and, consequently, they are powerful in the Holy Spirit.
The Jamaicans made me see more clearly the power that unfolds in a life that is set apart and free of sin. That's what God asks of us.
Well, God asked something more than holiness and purity of me in Jamaica. The day before my team was scheduled to leave, He asked me to stay for another week. Since I disliked the country so much, it had to be Him!
So I gritted my teeth and said, "Okay, I'll eat food off of trees for another week, or two, or three. Whatever you ask." That very day, He began to show me all the beautiful things about Jamaica.
The next morning the flight plans were finalized, I found a place to stay, and there I was. And I loved every minute of it! Through my obedience, God gave me family there and opened doors of ministry between here and Jamaica.
I can't imagine what impact it will have on the future, but I'm so excited I can't stop talking about God and the wonders He does. It seems like I'm in a constant state of jumping up and down in excitement and praising Him.
Oh, how I pray you're sharing in the adventure! ~
Jamaica journey,Mon
by Miriam Lawton, Lttle Genesee, N.Y.
Okay, so I may be stubborn. So what? That just means it may take a "2 by 4" to get my attention. Or you could just take away all my securities and prsent me with obstacles that must be hurdled Apparently, God doesn't like the 2 x 4 idea.
I'm talking about the work project I went on to Jamaica last summer. It was quite a learning experience for me. I had never been so scared in my life. There I was, with strange people learning strange customs, and laughed at everywhere I went. In case you don't know, I am a huge control freak. I like things my way. I like to know where my things are at all times, and I need personal space.
I like being able to stop eating when I am full-whether I have eaten all the food on my plate or not. But when I was in Jamaica, those things were, well, luxuries. You see, I didn't do the "tourist thing" a whole lot. Karlene and my sponsors, the Samuels, wanted us to have a real Jamaican experience. "Lucky" us.
Going to Jamaica made me realize how I have to surrender all of myself to God... So, every morning, we would have akee and saitfish. Akee is the Jamaican national fruit. It is a red fruit that grows on trees, and opens up like a flower when it is ripe. Inside, there are three yellow things sticking out with huge black seeds at the end. You take these out, cut off the seed, then boil and fry the yellow part. The end result looks like scrambled eggs. Some people swear they taste the same, but I don't think so. Maybe that's because eggs make me nauseous and I had to eat the akee.
I probably had just about every Jamaican food there is: curried goat, rice and peas, stewed peas, chicken foot soup, rundown, jerk chicken, avocados (which they call pears), pineapple, coconuts, mangoes (there are about 15 kinds), guinepps, boiled green bananas, cow's foot, goat liver (for BREAKFAST!), shu-shumba, dashi, guavas, coconut water, and the like.
And we didn't always have running water. No hot water. Ever.
Even in the country (that is, not in Kingston), people were everywhere, always talking or being loud or busy. And it was hot. Not an extreme hot, but more of a constant hot that never went away.
This all would not have been so bad if I had been able to plan my days, or prepare a little for the next day. But they don't do that in Jamaica. They "go with the flow," "play it by ear," "improvise." I don't do that well.
It's strange how God uses experiences in our lives to teach us. I believe I learned more from going to Jamaica than I gave. God used every single circumstance to teach me to give Him complete control.
I had no other choice. In the States, it is so easy for me (and other people) to think that I don't need God, or that I don't have to give Him every single part of me every second of every day. I show lack of faith in God by worrying about where I am going to go to college, or what I will do with the rest of my life, or if I will ever get married, or what I will wear to the Prom.
These are things that God has complete control of, things that He created-yet I still try to take control.
Going to Jamaica made me realize how I have to surrender all of myself to God, all of the time. The trip showed me what wonderful benefits we can reap.
So here is my point: don't play God.
There already is one. There cannot be another.
Short-Term opportunity!!!
If you feel led to some short-term mission work, Maiden Hall needs workers like crazy this spring. The Jamaican SDB Conference is building a three-story building for camps, Conference, pastoral training, and rental use. It is slow going because it is all being done by hand; so the more hands the better! If interested please contact me:
Jessy Olson at Judson College, CPO #638 1151 N. State St. Elgin, IL 60123 or at 9149 N. John St. Milton, WI 53563
It is indeed truth that God does not need any one man to raise up children to worship Him. Indeed, as Christ stated, rocks can be raised up to His praise! This article is proof of the mighty hand of God in doing exactly that! When any group truly desires to understand the Father, and the Son He sent, and are willing to replace their preconceived ideas with His Ways, God can and does bring them into a more perfect understanding. This article shows the progress these brethren made in coming to the understanding that His Sabbaths are made for us! Please also welcome them into the company of the brethren!
About 1991, as the Associate Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Lucerne Valley, California, I prepared a sermon on "Sunday Worship." The following texts were included: Acts 20:7; I Cor. 16:2 and Rev. 1:10. The only frontal position I could generate was an emotional one in as much as Jesus had risen from the dead and the excitement of Resurrection Day along with the privilege to exercise or take advantage of grace. Let's celebrate Sunday! --- but where was the authority? After presenting the sermon, a feeling of shallowness lingered, a feeling of comfort came as I contemplated the knowledge of being in "good company" of such spiritual writings as: The Baptist Faith and Message; Lewis Chafer D.D. of Dallas Theological Seminary; Cambridge Companion to the Bible: Bible Dictionary; William Barclay; and others. It also helped when my pastor also incorporated the same scriptures mentioned above in this apologetic for Sunday Worship.
Sometime later, after becoming the Pastor of the First Baptist Church, I was asking the Holy Spirit to guide me in a search of the scriptures, to explore every "Sunday Keeping" and "Sabbath Keeping" article and book I could find. As my study progressed I found others that were thinking or acting upon becoming Sabbath keepers. Our Women's Ministry Director shared with me her longing for the Sabbath Rest she had experienced early in her Christian life. I received a phone call from a longtime friend (a conservative Baptist Pastor) informing me that his church had decided to become Messianic Jewish Sabbath Keepers. I hastened to share with him that I too, along with some of the church staff, were strongly considering the Sabbath. To this point neither of us had any idea the other was being "weaned" from Sunday. We visited with several of our congregation on their first Sabbath Worship Service.
Some friends informed me there was a Seventh Day Baptist Church in Riverside which my wife and I as well as four other families from my congregation visited. On this day I told Pastor Gabriel Bejjani I was already at the "point of no return" to become a Sabbath Keeper (which he shared from the pulpit). We visited with Pastor Gabriel that afternoon and he and his congregation began praying for us. His church supplied some very helpful materials including a book called "The Sabbath: God's Creation for Our Benefit" by Rodney L. Henry. This book was instrumental in helping to give a Scriptural approach to separating the "ceremonial laws from the moral law (or Ten Commandments)" with which many in our congregation had been struggling.
In a Seventh-Day Adventist periodical Liberty (January/February, 1999) mailed to me, it was pointed out by Samuele Bacchiocchi (well known to Sabbath keepers as a Seventh Day Adventist writer and researcher with access to the Vatican Library and the first non-Catholic to graduate from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome,) that on May 31, 1998 in a letter from Pope John Paul II to the churches was trying to convince the world that the Roman Catholic Church had not changed the Sabbath to Sunday and that it was Scripturally sound to be worshipping on the first day of the week. He again used the familiar Scriptures used in my "Sunday Worship Message". This brought back the feeling of shallowness and a question as to why the controversy. How could men of such integrity and knowledge come to opposite conclusions. This questioning often lands me on the opposite side of thinkers around me.
I remembered years ago having a copy of the book From Sabbath to Sunday, by Samuele Bacchiocchi, which had been given to me in a box of books by a Sunday-Keeper when he found out I would be studying for the ministry. Exploring the book, thinking I had found the "Golden Egg" documenting the authority for Sunday Worship. Instead I found it leading me in a direction I refused to go. After all I was studying to document Sunday Worship and I didn't want to be confused by the "facts." But now I found myself willing, willing to seek the truth. I searched for the book. Not finding it , I called the Seventh Day Adventist Book Store in La Sierra, California to ask about Bacchiocchi's book. I was informed that Bacchiocchi was scheduled to speak at the La Sierra University Church that very next weekend. We attended with some Sabbath-keeping friends and one family from our congregation. Our friends sought out the pastor of the La Sierra Church whose mouth fell open when I was introduced as the pastor of a First Baptist Church. He said, "You mean a Sunday-Keeping church?" He later brought Dr. Bacchiocchi to us where we were visiting near the back of the auditorium. I made it known that I wanted to get his new book "The Sabbath Under Crossfire" which was to go on sale that next day. The pastor said he had some in his office and went to get a copy. Dr. Bacchiocchi made a gift of this book which he autographed as we visited. I, a Sunday Keeping, Non-Adventist Pastor was proud to be given a pre-sale copy. I was excited as I shared the book with my people and proclaimed that we had received a copy before our Seventh Day Adventist Friends had an opportunity to purchase one!
Later this Lucerne Valley Seventh Day Adventist church learned of our study of the Sunday/Sabbath issue from the La Sierra Church. This let the "cat out of the bag" and many in our small town were asking questions as to "Why the sudden interest in the Sabbath at the First Baptist Church?"
We (the church staff, their families, and others both in and outside the church) decided to study and pray for a period of six weeks before taking any action (some covenanting to fast at least one day a week). We also agreed that we would individually search the Scriptures and pray without sharing or trying to influence one another.
I made an appointment with the the High Desert Southern Baptist Director of Missions to discuss our study. I gave him a copy of "The Sabbath: God's Creation for Our Benefit." I asked him not to comment on his feelings until he had read and prayed about it. He counseled me to tell the church how I felt and present a study to "catch them up with me." After reading the book he agreed that it was theologically sound and he had no problem if we were keeping the Sabbath out of obedience. Although this was his first encounter with a Southern Baptist Church wanting to be Sabbath Keepers, he would not have any problem with our continuing in the Southern Baptist Association and living out our conviction to worship on the Sabbath.
After the six-week period agreed upon and following the Director of Mission's counsel, I called a special business meeting, and presented my conviction to the congregation. I asked for permission to have a month-long Wednesday night study of what the Scriptures had to say about the Sabbath. This we did.
The previous pastor wrote two letters to me letting me know he was opposed to the church going to the Sabbath and sent his leaflet called " Lord's Day or Sabbath." I supplied the congregation copies of this leaflet (a pro-Sunday leaflet.) I also supplied them with a copy of "The Sabbath: God's Creation for Our Benefit" along with my leaflet entitled "When, Where and Why." "When, Where, and Why," most of which is gleaned form Bacchiocchi's "From Sabbath to Sunday," is a reply to "Lord's Day or Sabbath." In addition to this reply, "When, Where, and Why" points out some things that I had read through the years that I believe are a desperate need to "cut and paste Scripture" and "grabbing at straws" by Sunday keepers. A few, not all, are included here;
The shallowness and lack of integrity of the pro-Sunday writers had a lot to do with my accepting the Sabbath as God's Rest.
During our time of study, many expressed that they had longed for this for years. Others were not even interested, some were hesitant and a few were somewhat negative but continued the study and as time went on stated that they knew they would have to "out of love" obey the commandment to "Remember the Sabbath Day, to Keep it Holy" --- Exodus 20:8.
At the end of the study time each person voted on their conviction as to whether the Scripture says we should become Sabbath Keepers. This required a constitutional change and a two-thirds majority vote. I can honestly say those who were diligent and stayed with the study were convicted to vote "yes." Some who voted "no" decided to stay with us and make the change. Yes, there were a few who could not. All but one Sunday School Teacher happily became Sabbath School Teachers. Praise the Lord!
We had as Sunday Keepers maintained a Jubilation Service (Music Fellowship) with several churches in the community. We want to continue this fellowship. We have had several pastors and laity who have given us their blessing either publicly, by letter, or in conversation without solicitation.
We are looking forward to showing our love to God by "Keeping His Rest."
Reprinted from The Sabbath Sentinel.
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \_ \_ \_ FISH THE INTERNET- READ THE FISHERMEN'S NET NEWSLETTER \_ \_ \_ \_ .e0e. .e0e. This electronic newsletter produced by Fisherman's Net \_ \_ 0HHHH~HHHH0 Publications: a division of New Covenant Ministries. \_ \_ `HHoo ooHH' \_ \_ `HH HH' "The time is coming, says the Lord: when \_ \_ `V' I will make a new covenant." -Jeremiah 31:31-33 \_ \_ \_ \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
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