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MORNING STAR
A Multimedia Christian Publication

P.O. Box 7755, Nashua, NH 03060
Phone: 603-883-4624 - Fax: 603-883-0466


EDITOR IN CHIEF
Toby Trudel - Nashua, NH

EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Pastor Geoffrey Kragen - Roseville, CA

SENIOR EDITORS
Teresa Giordanengo - Canonsburg, PA
Al Murillo III - El Paso, TX

ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Jerry Johnson - Modesto, CA
Norb Novocin - Jacksonville, FL
Sharon Sanders - Jerusalem, Israel
Pastor Russell Walden - Bunkie, LA
Mike Wilkinson - Citrus Heights, CA
Dr. Charles Wootten - Matoaca, VA

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Chuck Bennett - San Jose, CA
Jody Fauss - Lindale, TX
Zola Levitt - Dallas, TX
Dennis R. Mallory - Albany, NY
Joseph A. Nigro - Oradell, NJ
Jeannine Robinson - Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Moishe Rosen - San Francisco, CA
Dale Strand - Dublin, CA
Rick Thrasher - Santa Clara, CA
J.C. Trudel - Naples, FL
Terry White - Washington, DC


SENIOR PUBLISHER - DOS and WINDOWS Editions
Steve Paulovich - Pembroke, NH

SENIOR PUBLISHER - MACINTOSH Edition
Toby Trudel - Nashua, NH

SENIOR PUBLISHER - Hard Copy Edition
Ray Reed - Beaumont, TX

OFFICE SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN
Patrick Auriemma - Nashua, N.H.


U.S. DISTRIBUTION

DIRECTOR OF BBS DISTRIBUTION
Walter H. Bauer Jr. - Sugar Land, TX

AMERICA ONLINE NETWORK DISTRIBUTION
Jerry White - Germantown, MD

COMPUSERVE NETWORK DISTRIBUTION
Kathy Ruess - Albuquerque, NM
Dr. Charles Wootten - Matoaca, VA

GENIE NETWORK DISTRIBUTION
Pastor Geoffrey Kragen - Roseville, CA

DELPHI NETWORK
Rev. Vince Gonzalez - Naples, FL

DISK SUBSCRIPTION DISTRIBUTION
James Byers - Sun City, AZ
Joe Giacco - Durham, CT


MORNING STAR is produced and published monthly, by a staff of born again 
believers in Jesus, located across the United States of America. Correspondence 
to MORNING STAR may be sent via the U.S. Postal Service or one of several 
computer networks.


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Editor's Letter
Editor's Letter
Welcome to our 28th edition of MORNING STAR. This month, we present a variety 
of material that deals with the topic of victimization. Our Feature area along 
with the People Profile, Ministry Focus, Testimony, Prison Ministry, Music and 
Commentary columns are all dedicated to this theme. The stories and articles 
concern both physical and emotional abuse, as well as victimization from 
churches. 

As our Mission Statement says, our intent is not only to bring the Gospel to 
the unsaved, but also to present believers with material to help them in their 
Christian walk. It's our hope that many readers will benefit from the information 
we present in this special issue. 

As always, we give thanks and praise to our Lord for sending this great collection 
of stories and articles our way and enabling us to bring it to you.

As I mention in this letter almost every month, we are looking for material from 
our readers to publish. I've received a few notes asking me what the best topics 
are to write about. Our greatest need at this time is articles for our upcoming 
Feature themes as well as the Testimony, Education, Mission Field and Commentary 
columns. Keep in mind that our Columns section can accommodate material of varied 
topics, including articles on family, singles, Christian youth, short stories and 
poetry.

Documents should be kept under 2000 words in length and may be sent to MORNING STAR 
by the following means:

- Computer disks (best) or printed/typed articles may be sent direct to P.O. Box 7755, 
  Nashua, NH 03060-7755.
- By Fax to 603-883-0466
- Via Internet E-mail to: mstarmac@aol.com

I encourage everyone reading MORNING STAR to share it with others. If you care to help 
make this magazine available in other countries, please contact me directly through 
the Nashua P.O. Box.

Finally, don't forget that we are providing a lot of people, who cannot afford it, a 
free subscription to the hard copy of this magazine. This includes chaplains in 150 
prisons across the country who share it with Christian inmates. We received our first 
letter from an inmate thanking us for giving him something good to read besides his 
Bible. 

Praise God - This is what it's all about folks! (Matthew 25:36b)

If the Lord has provided for you and you can afford to, each 12-issue subscription 
costs us $18 to produce and mail. Help us keep a good thing going.

In service to Him, whom those that have been victimized may turn to, as their 
Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6),

Toby Trudel
People Profile
In this issue of Morning Star, we focus on concerns related to victimization. This 
subject sometimes generates controversy within the local church and the Christian 
community at large. We felt it might be helpful if we answer some general questions 
and criticisms that are frequently expressed. This is not intended to be all-inclusive.
If you have other questions, please direct them to Pastor Geoffrey Kragen at Morning 
Star.

Pastor Kragen has been counseling individuals as part of his pastoral duties for more 
than ten years. In 1990 he founded Sepher Ministries, as a pastoral/counseling ministry, 
and now devotes the major part of his ministry to a counseling practice. Much of his 
time is spent caring for both men and women who are the survivors of intensive childhood 
abuse.

The following material is drawn from Pastor Kragen's own experiences as well as those of 
other professionals with whom he works.


Question: Isn't victimization the latest fad "illness? Aren't people claiming 
victimization to be part of the "in crowd?"

Pastor Kragen: Actually, I wondered the same thing myself as I read more about 
the problem. The answer is yes and no. Certainly as a specific problem surfaces there 
are always people who claim to be dealing with it as a way of getting attention.

But, this isn't an adequate explanation for the volume of accounts of victimization. I 
have talked to several counselors and therapists I work with about this very question. 
There seems to be at least three factors to the increased visibility of the subject. 
First, because of the public discussion more people are willing to coming forward, 
admit they are victims and get help. This is especially true for men who are generally 
reticent about exposing themselves.

Second, victimization is on the increase. For this discussion, abuse includes but is 
not limited to emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Many of the adults I work with are 
only now coming to realize how much of what they had accepted as normal was abusive. 
The familiarity of violence often prevents the victim from realizing they are being 
abused. 

Third, yes, there seems to be a trend for people to claim victimization. As such, 
there is a tendency to identify situations as abusive when they really are not. The 
problem with considering something as simple as a bad taste joke with a sexual 
connotation as harassment, is that it minimizes the severity of true sexual 
harassment. And to describe normal, healthy sexual relationships within marriage 
as rape, as some extreme feminists do, is to downplay the pain of women who have 
been raped.


Question: Is child abuse really as prevalent as we are led to believe? Aren't 
Christians who are trying to be responsible parents opening themselves up to 
abuse charges?

Pastor Kragen: There is clearly a serious increase in child abuse. We are told 
that abortion should be readily available so every child is a wanted child. However, here is a major difference between rhetoric and reality. I suspect there is a significant correlation between the increase in abortion and the increase in child abuse. As we devalue the pre-born, it is reasonable to suspect there is a general decline in valuing human worth, children's in particular. As far as I am aware, no study has been done to see if this relationship exists. Common sense though seems to show that these two types of abuse have risen in tandem.

Also, as society devalues human worth, giving it only on a utilitarian basis, the value of the elderly is also minimized. Simultaneously, abuse of the elderly seems to be also on the rise.

It appears that as humanity is seen as worthy only by what it can do, that violence and abuse increases.

Regarding the second question, yes, there is a risk that Christians will be charged with abuse. This will occur simply because they are trying to use a biblical model for parenting. Never-the-less parents are accountable to the Lord, not the state, for how they bring up their children.

But, this should not be construed to mean that child abuse isn't a serious problem and that it isn't sometimes found within the church. Some "Christians" do use the Bible to justify their abuse behavior. 


Question: While it is sad that people are victims, because Christians are new creatures in Christ, shouldn't they be able to put the past behind them and move on?

Pastor Kragen: This is an unrealistic assumption. It is true that in dependency on the Holy Spirit the resources to overcome the abuse of the past are available. This change however is not instantaneous. It takes time and hard work for people to change.

Consider the individual who grows up in a family where worth comes only from accomplishment. This person may be driven. He may be a workaholic. His sense of his own worth exists only when he is accomplishing something. 

For example, I have seen Christians who believe that they are only acceptable to God when they minister. The first misunderstanding is that we can earn God's approval. Second, when life interferes with ministry, as it frequently does, we assume we are worthless to Him. The fallacy is there is anything we can do in and of ourselves that will make us worthy of God.

But it takes time to unlearn the false view of live that says worth comes from what we can do. This is why Paul says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- the good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2).

This is a process. We must allow the Holy Spirit to help us identify where our perspectives on life are wrong. We must come to see it through God's eyes. This takes time and hard work.


Question: Doesn't a victim oriented focus lead to blaming others for personal problems? Isn't this more of the same excuses for not taking responsibility for our own actions?

Pastor Kragen: This is a common complaint regarding the consideration that people are victims. There is reason to be concerned about this. Historically, much of secular counseling has taken this position. It is suggested that we are not responsible for the way we are. The fault lies with parents, or society, or racism, or socioeconomic barriers. Consequently, we don't have to take responsibility for our actions.

One outrageous case that springs to mind is a pair of murders that took place in a major metropolitan area some years ago. A local politician murdered two other members of the local political body. Part of his defense was that he was a junk food addict and therefore not in control of his behavior. The court accepted this and as a result he only served seven years for a double murder.

But, the recognition that we are victims does not require the abdication of personal responsibility. In fact realty reflects the contrary. To change the patterns we do have to recognize how we learned our behaviors and why we carry them out. This is not for the purpose of blame, but understanding. It is only as we understand our behavior that we can conform it to God's standards in dependency on Him.

An adequate understanding of the process of victimization is vital to taking personal responsibility for our lives and moving beyond being victims. Until the abuse victim really understand how much he is controlled by the abuse he remains a victim. It is only as he sees his true freedom in Christ, and allows the Lord to conform his thoughts to God's reality that he will no longer live as a victim.


Question: What is the responsibility of the Church in helping victims?

Pastor Kragen: If the local church is serious about helping those who are victims of abuse then there should be an effort to educate the leadership regarding these issues. A good resource is the book "Victims, A Manual For Clergy and Congregations." This book was developed by the Spiritual Dimension in Victim Services under a grand from the U. S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime, Washington DC.

If your church is interested in this material, contact The Spiritual Dimension at P. O. Box 163304, Sacramento, California, 95816.

If we are to help victims move towards the Lord and away from living as victims, we must create an environment where they can feel loved and safe. We mustn't excuse sin, but we must disciple people, so that God's Word and the Holy Spirit will convict their hearts. Let the church be a place of restoration, restoration of relationship to God, and restoration of relationships to people.

Let us lovingly help people take responsibility for their own lives. Then they not stop blaming others for their problems. Instead they will desire to be conformed to the image of Christ. As society grows more violent, we in the church will be seeing more people becoming victims of abuse. We MUST be God's loving, merciful hands to a fallen world. If we don't demonstrate God's love, as shown most clearly on the cross, then who will?
Ministry Focus
Ministry Focus
MINISTRY FOCUS

By Norb Novocin


As a minister that works with a vast array of ministries around the world, I was looking forward to writing about a different ministry each month, here in Morning Star. But, as always the Lord gives us more to do than we would comfortably like to do. He likes to stretch us out of our comfort zone. I'm comfortable writing about ministries, its a fairly cut and dry scenario. So when Editor in Chief Toby Trudel asked if I could do an article on a ministry that specializes in working with victims of abuse, I thought, "piece of cake". Little did I know.

As with any job, you organize a plan of attack, this story should be just the same. This is how I imagined this story would go; define abuse, find a ministry that deals in that area, call and interview the person running the ministry, write the article and turn in the finished product to Toby with plenty of time left over for my evening chat on the computer. Oh well, as it says in Proverbs 16:9 "The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps. Thank God, He directs! I never even finished step one before I realized there was much more here the Lord wanted then just a simple article.

Abuse - think about it. How do you define abuse? Here are a few of the definitions the dictionary gives; To trick or deceive., To hurt or injure by maltreatment., To assail with contemptuous, coarse, or insulting words., A corrupt practice or custom. Its almost like defining the phrase, evil works. Sexual abuse, physical abuse, verbal abuse, lack of attention, abuse of children, the elderly, the handicapped, wives, even abuse of husbands, the list goes on and on. No matter how you look at it there is no single definition of what abuse is.

Finding a ministry that dealt with victims of abuse was both very simple and very difficult at the same time. I had it in my head that there would be a ministry somewhere out there that had as its vision, "to minister to victims of abuse". It was much like looking for a restaurant that specializes in food. You soon realize that every restaurant specializes in food just served or prepared differently. I found, that most ministries and churches are dealing with victims of abuse on a regular basis as part of what they are doing.

There are ministries out there that do work with more victims of abuse than others, albeit one small area of abuse. We are going to look at just a few of those.


BETHEL BIBLE VILLAGE

Bethel Bible Village, located just outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was founded in 1954 and is a nondenominational Christian home for boys and girls whose parents are in prison. The children they work with have been orphaned by crime. Bethel Bible Village's emphasis is on what they call "hominess" and togetherness. Each "family" lives in a cottage with eight children and their house parents. The family is involved in Christian and local schools and churches. For most, this is the first time in their lives they have been in a happy home.

Bethel Bible Village considers it their privilege to help mend broken lives and families. They endeavor to introduce each child to Jesus Christ, for they know that He is the only One who can heal their hurts.

Here is a poem written by one of the kids currently at Bethel.

"A Dark Road"
by Ummina

Falling down a dark, scary road.
Where the thoughts of my past starts to unfold.
My past hurts me like a hungry dog.
Following behind me like the mists of glaring fog.
Picking up the broken pieces that my family has left along the trail,
The devil tries to fool me saying I have failed.
Stand tall that little voice would say.
Yesterday is the past, tomorrow is a brand new day.

Many of the kids here have suffered through much and Bethel Bible Village reaches out to them. If you want more information on Bethel Bible Village, contact:

Bob McFarland
3001 Hamill Rd.
P.O. Box 5000
Hixson, TN 37343
Phone: 615-842-5757


PACIFIC GARDEN MISSION

Another area that is awash with people, men, women and children that have been abused is the homeless.

Founded September 15, 1877 as the nation's second oldest Gospel rescue mission, Pacific Garden Mission ministers around the clock to the physical and material needs of Chicago's homeless and other destitute people. At the same time Pacific Garden Mission proclaims to them the power of God to redeem them from sin and transform their lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pacific Garden Mission offers 21 Gospel services and Bible studies each week; also trained workers counsel individually from God's Word, both on the premises and by telephone. Needs are met through numerous separate ministries: 

Homelessness, though temporary, increasingly involves women and children. With accommodations in several locations, the Mission can minister on a given day to the needs of more than 130 women and children. Mothers receive instructions in parenting skills and all women and children are given Bible instruction. Pacific Garden Mission Annually provides some 365,000 free meals, distributes as many as 500,000 Articles of clothing, And records hundreds of professions of faith in Christ.

For more information on Pacific Garden Mission, call or write:

Dr. David G. Saulnier
646 South State St.
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: 312-922-1462


DUNKLIN MEMORIAL CAMP

One of the direct results of abuse is a lifestyle of addiction to mind altering drugs or alcohol.

Dunklin Memorial Camp was founded in 1963. Located on 220 acres of land in the Florida Everglades, it is dedicated to the regeneration of those addicted to Alcohol and Drugs. They minister to the spiritual, emotional and physical needs of the addicted person. Showing them that the love of Jesus is more than able to free them from the chains they have allowed themselves to be bound with. God has greatly blessed Dunklin Memorial Camp with an expanded ministry and with new additions as needs have arisen. Dunklin Memorial Camp is quick to give thanks and all glory to Jesus Christ our Lord for what He has done and look forward to what He wants to accomplish in the future.

If you want more information on Dunklin Memorial Camp, please contact:

Mickey Evans
3342 S.W. Hosannah Lane
Okeechobee, FL 34974
Phone: 407-597-2841


CHILD EVANGELISM FELLOWSHIP

Poverty seems to breed frustration, which in turn breeds abuse, the main victim of this abuse is normally children. America's inner-cities are full of these victims.

Child Evangelism Fellowship is an international ministry to the children of the world. Currently working in 121 countries around the world and in all 50 states, Child Evangelism Fellowship has 1,638 full time workers and have trained 51,804 individuals in just the United States in the special needs of Children. 

In their 1991-1992 year, they were able to minister to 2,821,642 children, around the world. Child Evangelism Fellowship's workers also counseled with 514,892 children, about accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Their 790 local chapters in the U.S. work in the inner city via Video Bus" programs, 5-Day Clubs", Vacation Bible Schools, Bible Fun Times, special summer-time ministries, Christmas and holiday parties and open-air evangelism. This ministry is constantly coming up against the results of sin and abuse with children and deserves our heartfelt prayers and support.

If you want more information on a Child Evangelism Fellowship chapter in your area, you may contact them at:

P.O. Box 348
Warrington, MO 63383
Phone: 314-456-4321


NEW DAWN MINISTRIES

Differences quite often breed abuse, especially when the one receiving the abuse is not able to defend themselves, this is seen especially in the area of the mentally handicapped;

New Dawn Ministries is a local ministry in Jacksonville, Florida reaching out to the mentally handicapped, since 1989. They currently are working with about 40 individuals who have suffered under today's system of "help." New Dawn houses, feeds, clothes, counsels, and prays with each of these very special people. New Dawn emphasizes the verse 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind". Through faithfully ministering to these victims, New Dawn has seen to the Glory of Jesus, a start at the restoration of their minds.

For more information on New Dawn Ministries, you may contact:

Ander Kenney
735 S. McDuff Ave.
Jacksonville, FL 32205
Phone: 904-388-3151


Some of the ministries mentioned in this column are national and international in scope and others are local. If you need assistance because you or someone you know has been a victim of abuse, start looking in your home town and your home church. Help may be a lot closer than you think.


Norb Novocin is Director of Christian Brotherhood, Inc., (CBI), a non-profit organization dedicated to drawing the Body of Christ together. If you would like more information on CBI contact Norb at:

Christian Brotherhood, Inc.
P.O. Box 41503
Jacksonville, FL 32203
Phone: (904) 783-3210.
Internet Email: norbn@aol.com
The Bookworm
The Bookworm
Browsing With The Bookworm

In this issue we review two books. The first, which I review, deals with an essential challenge for the contemporary church, the need to distinguish between Orthodoxy and Heresy. The second book, reviewed by guest critic Janette Kragen, is a change of pace. We need to be reminded that even Christians should to laugh more often.


ORTHODOXY AND HERESY
By Robert M. Bowman, Jr.
Published by Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1992


Robert Bowman is the special projects editor for the Christian Research Institute of Irvine, California. As such he frequently deals with issues of Biblical truth. Because Mr. Bowman deals with cult teachings, he must stand firmly behind an orthodox understanding of Scripture.

Commitment to sound doctrine is a major problem in much of the contemporary church. Often when individuals are victimized by the church it is because of a poor understanding of God's word within that body.

However there is a major difference between poor doctrine, inadequate understanding of Scripture, and heresy. Someone isn't a heretic because they hold a divergent view on prophecy. Heresy is a term that is too often used with little understanding of its meaning. In "Orthodoxy and Heresy," Robert Bowman works to clarify the meaning of these terms.

The back cover of the book describes it focus this way: "The cause of doctrinal discernment is in serious jeopardy, he (Bowman) says. 'Most believers seem to think either there are almost no heretics or that almost everybody but their own little group is a heretic.'

Here is a case for balance. Robert Bowman tells how to be discerning without being vindictive and where to draw the line between teachings that are acceptable and those which lead outside the bounds of Christianity."

The book, subtitled "A Biblical Guide to Doctrinal Discernment," is broken into two major parts and includes several appendices and helps. Section one is a call to Doctrinal Discernment. Much of modern Christianity doesn't seem to feel the need to be bothered with a strong commitment to doctrine. In this first section Bowman reminds us of the importance of systematically understanding the fundamental truths of the faith.

In the second part of the book, the focus moves to "Guidelines for Doctrinal Discernment." It isn't enough to agree that we need to be doctrinally sound; we also must understand the issues. Mr. Bowman does an excellent job of clarifying these principles.

Following these two sections, the author also provides some helpful tools. These include two appendices: "Checking Out a Church's Teaching" and "On Using the world CULT." Also a glossary, recommended reading list, discernment ministries listing and scripture and subject indexes are provided.

This small book, only 126 pages, provides a service to all of us. It clarifies and much clouded area. I recommend you pick up a copy of "Orthodoxy and Heresy" and share it with the leaders in your church.



LAUGH AGAIN 
By Chuck Swindoll
Published by Word Publishing, Dallas, Texas, 1992


When was the last time you laughed aloud during a moment of sheer joy? You can't remember? If you would like to bring laughter back into your life, this book is for you.

Just like his previous books, Swindoll's latest work is a rewarding reading experience. It is filled with wise counsel from a godly man who is not afraid to show his own struggles and weaknesses to the world.

In "Laugh Again," the author talks about a universal addiction that is every bit as destructive to our lives as alcohol or drug abuse. This addictive behavior affects children and adults, men and women, believers and unbelievers, rich and poor, educated and ignorant. Chuck Swindoll tells us that this sin robs us of our joy. He gives us clear guidelines on how to recognize, conquer, and cut this addiction out of our lives forever. 

If you think you can't find the time to read the entire book, here are a few suggestions: First, TURN OFF THE TV! Read just one chapter at a time. Or try sharing one page at a time with your spouse or other family member. You could take turns reading paragraphs aloud. This book also can be used as an excellent vehicle for a bible study of Philippians. Use it either independently or with a group of friends.

Find the best way that works for you, but please don't deny yourself the chance to take a giant leap forward in your spiritual walk; read "Laugh Again."

God created us to enjoy His presence, to love life, and to laugh often.
Praise and Prayer
Praise and Prayer
PRAISE AND PRAYER is our international prayer link column. Send your praise report or prayer request to MORNING STAR for publication in our next issue. Call on your brothers and sisters worldwide and together we will call on God!


PRAISE REPORTS:

Lucinda in Georgia praises God that someone dear to her who has not been to church in 6 years went last Sunday! She also thanks the Lord for their new pastor Jeff Giddons. Pray that the church will grow strong with this new leadership. She also wants to thank the Lord for their daughter's great improvement in school.

Cyndi in Virginia reports that eight people were baptized last Sunday. The ages ranged from about 10 to 50 and two were a married couple. Cyndi asks us to pray for a friend who is having a hard time with losing weight. This is important for health reasons.

Robert in North Carolina reports that Barry thanks all those who prayed for him while he was hospitalized. Barry has been paralyzed from the chest down for 20 yrs and has been a real blessing to Robert and others. Continue praying for him.

"GK" in Missouri praises God that he talked of spiritual things with his 90 year old dad. Pray dad's heart opens up to the Gospel message.

Mike in Georgia thanks the Lord for finding an apartment at college after months of searching. He was down to his last chance, stopped to pray first and got the place!

"PG" on the AOL network praises God that he is finally coming out of a year of heartache, loneliness and bitterness. He is beginning to experience peace at times and moments of joy.

Denise in Florida says she is recovering nicely from her surgery and thanks all who have been praying. Also, her husband Paul who is out of work, has a job interview this week.

Patricia in Colorado thanks the Lord for the real revival among the men in their church! 

David in West Virginia praises the Lord for 16 new people attending their Bible Study.

Anita in New York praises the Lord for her in-laws. She is thankful for their love and care and for daughter Amanda having grandparents to love.

Robert in Ohio thanks everyone who lifting his court situation up in prayer. The Lord won another victory because a great testimony was created on this day. Praise the Lord!

Wasyl on the AOL network thanks the Lord that his daughter, who is expecting a child, is much better now. Praise the Lord that her blood pressure is down and the baby is positioned ready to be born.

Greg and his wife thank everyone for the prayers concerning the youth group at Immanuel Methodist in Des Moines, IA. It was very successful and attendance is improving.

Gene in New York says that Josh came home from the hospital yesterday in good health. Praise God for His healing touch. He thanks all Born Again Christians for their prayers.

Jay in Washington thanks the Lord that her sister Edna did not have to have extensive surgery. She is now home from the hospital but still needs a lot of prayer mainly for depression. Jay also praises the Lord that after 40 years of married life, she and her husband will have a place of their own. 


PRAYER REQUESTS:

Keep in prayer the family of Christian Craig, the 5 year old son of Daniel and Coleen Craig of Glendale, Arizona, who went to be with the Lord on November 12, 1993.

Danny in Texas needs a job. Pray for the Pastor of his church who is very sick and needs a touch from the Lord.

"Solitude", a local Contemporary Christian Country band requests prayer that their music ministry will bear much fruit. Their quite challenging goal is to reach one million souls with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Bill on the AOL network says he is considering RK/Lk eye-surgery to correct extreme nearsightedness. Please pray that he will follow the Lord's will in this matter.

Dennis from New York feels led to have a conference at the Northfield Auditorium located on the Northfield Mount Hermon Schools campus in Northfield, Massachusetts. Pray for an organization that will be willing to sponsor this event.

AOL brother BP's grandfather, Kenneth Coble had a stroke. He needs prayer for his body, his spirit and his soul. He is giving up hope. 

Josie on the AOL network asks for wisdom and spiritual strength to get over her dislike of her boss (who is anti-Christian) so that she can pray for her soul.

Shandolyn has a prison ministry at Lancaster and Baystate Prison in Massachusetts. Pray that they will be stronger in the Lord.

Barry in North Carolina needs a touch from the Lord. He has been paralyzed for over 20 years, and has diabetes and kidney trouble.

Cyndi in Virginia asks prayer for physical problems. 

Gene in New York asks for prayer for the pastor's 11 year old son, Josh Kelsey. He fell and has a fractured skull. They are keeping him in the Intensive Care Unit due to brain swelling.

Danny asks us to pray for his 61 year old father Tom in South Carolina, who was just laid off. His mom, Nancy, is taking it kind of hard. Their biggest concern is financial.

James in Arizona asks us to pray for his ex-brother in law in California who is not saved and has cancer.

Spencer and his dad in New York are seeking the Lord's direction regarding possible mission work in Missouri.

Dennis in Massachusetts informs us that his grandmother, Marion, died last week- she was 83. Keep the family in prayer, especially his mom.

"SG" in Massachusetts asks us to please pray for the Zion Baptist church in Lynn, Massachusetts, as they expand the church building. Pray also for her uncle Joe and other family members for salvation.

Joseph in Missouri asks prayer for spiritual revival at Cross of Christ Church in St. Louis. Joe needs guidance in some business decisions he has to make and asks us to pray for Christians in his area to be more compassionate to each other.

Jen and Laurance in Indiana hope to attend Florida Christian College next August. He wants to teach God's word and asks for prayers to help them with making decisions over the next 8 months in selling their house.

Vince in Florida asks for prayer for his church's finances. They have cut the budget severely and are talking staff layoffs. 

Lenora in Texas asks for prayer for salvation for her 70 year old father.

Patricia in Colorado feels that the Lord is really leading her to call her ex- husband and tell him she forgives him and ask forgiveness s well. She has been praying he will become a Christian. Also, her brother Roger lost his job due to embezzling. Pray for him and his family.

Anita's father-in-law Frank in New York is still having blackouts. Also her friend Michael has liver cancer.

Randall in Minnesota has a prayer request for his grandmother who has lung cancer and for his fiancee Jennifer, for the surgery she recently.

Ronald in Nevada asks us to keep his employment needs in prayer and if the Lord wills, a Christian wife.

John in California and his wife have just been accepted on staff with Christian Light Foundation in Jacksonville, Florida. They are going to be missionaries to the Philippines and need to raise $2500 a month.

Continue to be in prayer for Toby's arm in New Hampshire. 

Keith in Washington asks for prayer for The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America concerning decisions on issues in the church.

Lucinda in Georgia reports that she hit a deer with their van. Please pray that the insurance will not cancel her policy as they have threatened. 

Danny in Georgia and his wife ask for prayer for guidance in buying a new home.

Wade in Georgia needs help with a drug and alcohol problem.

Pray for a revival at Eddie's church in Michigan. 

Lottie, Aaron's mother in New York has cancer. She needs salvation and the Lord's will in her life.

Janette's work situation is somewhat precarious in California and 
is creating some stress for her and her husband Geoff. They know God is in control, but their emotions seem to be forgetting it. She may have to leave the job. Pray that the Lord's will be done here.

Denise's husband desperately needs a job in Florida. He needs guidance and strength. 

Pray for Jen's father-in-law in Indiana who has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from Vietnam.

Robert in Illinois asks prayer for salvation for friends Erik and Brandon, his sister, his two brothers as well as others at school. He also needs strength in following God in his life and for his struggle with diabetes.

Robert asks prayer for Charlotte in Florida who needs to follow God's Word and will for her life. Pray that God will protect her and bring her back into a loving relationship with Him. Also pray for friends, Jan and Jim who may be ready to yield their lives to Christ.

TURKEY - Amnesty International is seriously concerned for the safety of Savme Durmaz and his 15 year old son Sukru who have been in unacknowledged detention since 26 October 1993. Their whereabouts are not known and it is feared that they are being tortured during interrogation. They were detained by Interior Ministry forces who came to their village of Alagz in Mardin province on the border with Syria. On 30 October, six villagers and the youngest son of Savme Durmaz, aged 10, all Assyrian Christians from Alagoz village, were also detained when they went to the authorities to inquire about the fate of Savme and Sukru Durmaz. They were released two days later in very poor condition and subsequently confined to bed. Reportedly they had been heavily tortured in detention.

Sha'alu Shalom Yerushalayim. - Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. (Psalm 122:6a)
S.C.U.D. Warnings!
S.C.U.D. Warnings!
S piritual
C ounterfeits
U ndermining
D octrine

W A R N I N G S
(Relaunch)

By Jerry Johnson


THE BOOK OF (PROSPEROUS) ACTS
(a satirical rewrite)


Chapter 1, verse 1: And, lo, after Jesus was raised from the dead he again appeared before the disciples, saying, "Having conquered sin and death, I now command you to go and collect great stores of material goods and mammon, so that the world may marvel at all I have given you."

2. And behold, the disciples looked about and saw many material goods and much mammon and understood that it was good and much to be sought after.

3. So, the disciples departed, understanding that if they followed the laws of God, that great blessing and wealth would follow according to the will of God.

4. For, verily, did not the scripture state that God sent his son to die that we might accumulate great wealth?

5. So, in accordance to the commands of Christ, Peter, James and John did form the "Fishes and Loaves Catering Business" and, yea, due to being able to feed thousands using but two fish and five small loaves of bread, their overhead was small, but profit was great. And, lo, following many festivals, they prospered greater than all other catering businesses.

6. And Simon the Zealot did run for political office and, verily, became a man of great power and prestige in the region of Galilee and vanquished many of those that would thwart the investments of the other disciples. And, so, Simon was much respected and gained great wealth in his working with businessmen of special interests.

7. And Andrew, according to his manner, ran seminars on how to meet and influence people and, yea, he prospered greatly. And, lo, not many days hence, he committed his wise teachings to a best selling scroll and, lo, he gained greatly in wealth and comfort.

8. And, lo, Philip, after meeting the eunuch on the road to Emmaus, was lead into the used chariot business. And, verily, he prospered greatly and became the sole proprietor of 25 Mercedius Chariots Dealerships throughout the known world and his fame was known far and wide.

9. And Matthew, whom God had already gifted with a skill with numbers, formed "Cash from Carp Tax Services" and invested wisely in the Markets of Rome and, lo, his investments bore fruit twenty, thirty and fifty fold. And he was visited by an angel in the night who told him, "Thus sayeth the Lord, Go to all the world and spread the good news of multi-level marketing." Matthew did as he was commanded and prospered greater than any other disciple.

10. And the other disciples gained, too, in wealth and reputation above all others in their region and lived to be old and exceedingly rich, except for Thomas, known as the doubter.

11. And, not many days hence, there was a long waiting list of people desiring to join the church in Jerusalem ... if their bank balance bore witness that they had learned well the laws of God.

12. So, verily, those who were poor or disadvantaged or visited by trial or tragedy were viewed by those in the church as reaping the results of the sin they had sown. And those visiting from the Far East did recognize the concept of Karma, and felt they had much in common with the beliefs of the church in Jerusalem.

13. And soon the church in Jerusalem was a source of great financial and political force in the region and its name was changed to the Mount of Olives County Club and many powerful people gathered there.

14. And the poor and halt and hurting stayed away in droves.

15. And, during those times, the apostle Thomas, known as the doubter, did not take to heart that God had called him to amass wealth. And it was heard that he was acting as servant to those in pain, speaking of God's love and sufficiency in times of trouble. And great was the number of people who came to hear these words of acceptance and succor.

16. And, in time, the Mount of Olives Country Club did continue to accept those who were qualified, as there were openings by those whose sin caused them to experience hardship and, thus, were required to leave until their bank balance once again indicated God's blessing.

17. And there was talk of franchising the church, but those who could afford the franchise so valued their contacts at the Mount of Olives Country Club, that they chose not to leave. And so, to this day, the church in Jerusalem may be visited at their opulent facilities, reservations permitting.

18. And Thomas's group, which had little wealth, shared all it had in common, and turned the world upside down.


"MAKE THE BUCK STOP HERE" - THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL

It seems quite ironic to me that we in America, the single wealthiest culture with the highest standard of living in history, have had a teaching develop that says God wants to make his people wealthy in material goods.

We already are!

Hopefully the above satire showed how absurd, and differently, the disciples and the church in Jerusalem would look if they were pursuing the same goals as are being extolled by the prosperity gospel teachers today.

After all, once Judas had literally bumped himself off, ten of the remaining disciples were martyred spreading the news of God's love and Christ's sacrifice and tradition says the only reason John was exiled to Patmos was that he had survived being boiled alive in oil. OUCH!

These men lived under the full, complete and personal teachings of Christ for around 1000 days. If anyone would understand what it was that Christ considered important, it was them. And did they spend their lives in ease, comfort and wealth?

Nope.

Like Paul, their lives were poured out like a drink offering to spread the good news of salvation. Somehow, I think they got it right and those who believe Christ merely wanted to bring us prosperity missed the boat that Christ built.

Christ and the disciples spent and lost their lives focusing and investing not in property, venture capital and mass marketing, but people. Remember what the Bible says about putting your energy in things "that moth and rust doth corrupt."

Well, how was that for preaching?

Now, on to a slightly more analytical view of a couple of the teachings of the prosperity gospel. I will freely acknowledge that there are a number of teachers out there preaching this misdirection to whomever will listen. Some of these teachers are as deceived by what they teach as the people who follow them and then there are others, I am convinced, that preach this as a pure con job in order to get money sent to them. I doubt there is a Prosperity Creed per se, but we will go over two of the most common beliefs and line them up against the Word and see how they fare.

"If a believer is in right relationship with God and has no sin, secret or otherwise, in his/her life, they will be blessed with material goods, physical health and will have no trials or difficulties. On the other hand, if there is sin in their life they will not be able to prosper and will, perforce, have trials, traumas and tragedies."

Do I hear the dulcet tones of Karma wafting through the air?

That teaching is strictly eastern in its origin and interpretation, and it is not part of the revealed Word of God.

"Prove it!"

David.

After David had been anointed by Samuel, proved faithful and successful in battle and loyal to the King, he ended up living in caves followed by every misfit and malcontent in Israel while the King of Israel hunted him like a dog. Had he done anything wrong? No. In fact, he had the opportunity to kill Saul twice and each time refused to take the throne by his own hand.

So he had bad when he hadn't deserved it.

Then, after David is King of Israel and Israel is a major force in the region, he lusts after a married woman, commits adultery and arranges the death of her husband. Although he loses the son the liaison conceived, he loses no wealth and keeps his throne and position.

So he had good when he didn't deserve it.

"Well, that changed after Christ came ... he wanted us to be prosperous."

Paul.

Have you read II Corinthians 11:23-27 lately? God utilized Paul to spread the gospel through the majority of the Mediterranean and look at all he went through! Now, I have heard that one of the prosperity teachers stated that Paul had missed the blessing and didn't need to go through all that.

Sure! Paul was wrong and this guy is right.

I doubt it seriously.

Besides, read John 15:20 and II Timothy 3:12. The New Testament is VERY clear, if we desire to be like Christ, we will be persecuted like Christ. Both James and the gospels state that God uses persecution and trial to conform us to the image of Christ. James 4:4 says that friendship with the world is hatred toward God.

Think about it. Adam and Eve handed this world over to Satan and it's been following his lead ever since. This world is a self-centered, violence-loving, status-conscious, stuff-loving, people-hating, God- avoiding, I-gotta-look-out-for-number-one place.

Do you really want this world looking at you with envy? Do you want Saddam Hussein to say you're really a wonderful guy and he really likes the way you think?

The world hates the Lord and, except for those individuals who come to Him, they will continue to hate the Lord and anything that even smells like Him.

The prosperity gospel wants the world to look upon its blessings and be impressed enough to come to the Lord. I guarantee you; if they come, it will be for the stuff and not for the Lord!

"God set certain laws in order and He sticks to them. So if we obey those laws, we are guaranteed blessing which includes material prosperity and physical health."

I'd like you to analyze this concept very calmly: God has set laws in order that He will not go against, so follow the rules and you get a pay off.

God obeys the rules.

So who is in charge? The rules.

This is philosophical and functional idolatry. Those who are into prosperity gospel live their lives according to the "prosperity laws," which God supposedly follows. According to their teaching, God is in subjugation to these laws; He is serving the laws, ergo, the laws are higher than God.

I believe there is a commandment somewhere that has something to do with having no other gods before Him.

"But God has committed to follow His own rules, that's his rule, not mine ... I'm just taking Him at His word."

It sounds Biblical enough ... but does God HAVE to follow His own rules?

Here are three things for you to examine and ruminate on. The first two are thought-provoking, the third may take some Bible study and prayer.

1) God created the conditions that have lead us to develop the laws of aerodynamics, which tell us whether or not something can fly. According to the laws of aerodynamics, which God created, the bumblebee, which God also created, CANNOT possibly fly. Wrong ratios between mass, wing area and lift. Either they are too dumb to know they can't fly or God is not doing things according to our understanding of His law.

2) Newton "discovered" the laws of thermodynamics and physics: to every action there is an opposite and equal reaction, etc. However, scientists are now discovering, much to their amazement, that when dealing with sub-atomic particles, so-called quantum physics, Newtonian law doesn't fit. An action does not result in an opposite and equal reaction. Once again, He who made the laws doesn't necessarily follow them to our understanding.

3) Read I Kings 22 and II Chronicles 18. In these verses God wants Ahab to go into battle so he can be killed, but Ahab doesn't trust his prophets' counsel that he will win. God then authorizes an angel to go down to Ahab and lie to him, so that Ahab will go into battle and die. This is a tough chapter and I have known no theologians courageous enough to deal with this in a group setting. Is God "breaking" his own rules here? You decide.

Main point of this is, either God is calling the shots or His law is calling the shots ... one must be subject to the other. Which are you serving?

In the Old Testament, God used the law to effectively prove that man cannot muster enough righteousness in himself to keep the law. Now a group of people want us to again submit ourselves to the law so we may profit and be impressive to a God-hating world.

But then again, as the pharisees of old proved, it's much easier to try to follow rules than a living God.

Next month: "The books of I and II Psychologicals"
Commentary
Commentary
GETTING IT OFF MY CHEST

Pastor Geoffrey Kragen


I have been thinking about this commentary for a while now. The subject of victimization, the theme of this issue's Feature area, is difficult to deal with. I see many of the results of victimization in my counseling practice. Even with the Lord's help, the scars that result from intensive abuse may never fade.

The abuse I find the most difficult to understand, however, comes from some churches. Frequently I talk to clients who went to their church for help. Instead they received more abuse. Sometimes the problem is simply bad advice given sincerely but from ignorance. Other times the problem is a church that is more dysfunctional than the person needing help. Unfortunately, the result is these people have felt estranged from the very source that can provide help. And what is even worse, they also confuse God's attitudes with the attitudes of that church.

As you can see from the title of this piece, I considered using the column to vent anger. But I realize that isn't a constructive approach. I also recognize that frequently churches aren't aware of the additional damage they are inflicting. In all sincerity, pastors, church leadership, congregations and individual believers do more damage than healing.

I want to explore a few of the reasons this happens. More importantly, I want us to examine our responsibility to the abused of this world. The church is to be the institution that represents Christ to the world. It must be an environment where people can experience the fulfillment of Christ's words. Remember his call to the hurting: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

First, what do I mean by victimize? There are many ways we can unintentionally victimize people. Once serious problem is that we can ostracize the sinner because of sin. The church isn't to be a museum for saints, but a sanctuary for sinners. It isn't the sin that is to be accepted, but the repentant sinner. After all, isn't that what we all are? 

While it sometimes may be necessary to excommunicate someone, the reason is always to be for unrepentance, not the sin itself. The responsibility of the church is to restore, and to provide whatever aid is necessary for growth and maturity. This reflects Christ's call to the church to make disciples. 

Examine Matthew 18: 15-18. Christ's call to discipline is motivated by His desire that sinners be restored. We must never lose sight of this fact. Do we treat people from this foundation, or from a judgmental spirit, legalism and ignorance?

We need to make the church a place where sinners come for restoration and aid in moving from their sinful practices. They need care and help to overcome the results of the abuse they have experienced in their lives. Frequently abuse victims have found there is no one they can trust to care about them. If the church reinforces that lesson, where can they go for help?

The church needs to be the place where the repentant sinner gets care, not more pain. This is especially true for the individual who has been a victim of extreme abuse, be it emotional, physical or sexual. Too often, the sinful patterns that manifest themselves as a result of victimization are seen as the problem instead of the symptom.

Instead of offering comfort and help, we heap more guilt and rejection on someone already guilty and hurting. I'm not suggesting we excuse sin, but if the sinner can't get help to overcome sin in the church, where else can he go?

Do we make the homosexual welcome and safe? There is help for the homosexual today. There is hope of restoration. But the believer struggling with this sin needs a place where he, or for that matter she, can be accepted as a person struggling with sin like everyone else. They need the opportunity for safe, non-sexual relationships with mature individuals of the same sex. There is no better, and sometimes no worse place for this to take place than in the church. The homosexual should not be treated as this year's leper, but accepted as one more person struggling with sin in their lives.

Does the person who was bound up in legalistic patterns their entire life need to be told they are sinners simply because they don't follow the arbitrary rules of a local church? Instead, shouldn't they be cared for because they are children of God? The believer struggling with sin already feels guilty. Therefore, we need to hold out God's promise of strength and power. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, they can find release from the self-protective patterns developed to survive an abusive situation.

More and more we are going to see people who grew up in single-parent homes, or with parents who carried on abusive relationships. These individuals don't have a clue to how to have healthy relationships, how to be functioning spouses and parents. It isn't enough to say simply, "Love your children," "Care for your wife/husband," "Meet your spouse's sexual needs." If they don't know how, or because of abuse are unable to, how do we help them by simply condemning them? Instead, we need to come alongside and love them. More importantly, we must direct them to a loving God who can model His standards for them.

God's two greatest commandments are to love Him and each other. If we are to avoid victimizing people within the local church, we must remember this: hold firmly to God's word, never compromise the fundamental doctrines of the faith. Finally, we must never lose sight of the fact that God loves the sinner and desires that he be saved.

And we also must remember that each believer is God's child. God loves us and desires for our growth. Let the church be the place where we can grow safely, being cared for and helped to move out of the victim's role.
Features
When My Worst Fear Came True
When My Worst Fear Came True
WHEN MY WORST FEAR CAME TRUE 

A mother relives the time her young daughter was molested 

By Diane Smith
as told to Cynthia Culp Allen


Seventeen years ago, my husband, Mike, and I moved from Southern California to the White Mountains of northeast Arizona. We had just begun our family. In that sleepy, little town population 2,000 we felt confident we could raise our children in peace and safety.

For years, we did enjoy the quiet community, and we even launched a successful business there. Life was serene and relatively uneventful until one April afternoon two years ago.

That day seemed ordinary as I hurried about my household activities. Everywhere I went, I was accompanied by my fifth child, 3-year-old Tiffany.

Tiffany was our "surprise package," arriving six years after our other children. This tiny girl's sweet smile and bubbly personality made her the family favorite. Tiff was adored by all of us.

As the afternoon progressed, my daughter and I chatted as we folded clothes. I launched into my "concerned mother" routine, casually asking Tiffany a question I had directed at one time or another to all of my children.

"Has anyone ever touched your private area, Tiff?"

She nodded yes.

"Who?" I demanded, nausea gripping my stomach.

"Wesley," came her quiet answer.

Wesley. The 12-year-old boy I had hired to look after Tiffany several afternoons a week while I worked at my home-based business. I had always been home while they played together.

Don't panic, Dianne, I calmed myself. Perhaps Tiffany is mistaken.

But, as I questioned her further, I realized no 3-year-old could invent the disgusting details Tiff was relating to me.

Decisively, I gathered my purse and my daughter and headed straight to the police. Six months before, I had read this advice immediately contact authorities in a magazine article on child molestation. Little did I realize that this horror would soon invade my own life.

At the police station, Tiffany was taken into a different room for questioning. The authorities had been taught specific procedures to pull the facts out of a small child with a limited vocabulary. Afterwards, they suggested I call a friend to take Tiffany home while they spoke privately with me.

In their office, the officers disclosed the extent of Tiffany's victimization. Not only had my 3-year-old been sexually molested over a week's time, but she had also been raped.

"No! It can't be true!"

Right in their office, I began to scream. I yelled and carried on, never wanting to stop. When I finished reacting, I knew I'd have to face the reality of what had happened to my precious child.

In my heart, I didn't want to believe it. How could a 12-year-old boy do this? I thought. Didn't boys that age fill their minds with thoughts of BMX bikes, baseball cards and Nintendo games? Where had Wesley come up with these vile ideas?


DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH

That evening, when the police questioned Wesley at his home, the boy admitted to everything.

Meanwhile, I took Tiffany to a woman gynecologist, who medically confirmed that the rape had occurred. My daughter immediately began seeing a counselor, beginning the process of working through the trauma.

But I couldn't get over what that boy had done to my innocent little girl. Resentment dominated me. I blamed Wesley for the hurt he'd caused our family.

"He's shattered an innocent girl's life," I told my husband. "Wesley deserves to be punished."

I began to build a case against him, imagining ways to hurt Wesley. Friends, even Christians, justified my vengeful spirit. But because of my spiritual upbringing, deep inside I recognized that there was one important element missing from the tragedy God's grace.

Oh, it was there alright. I knew that from His Word and past experience, but it was difficult to feel His grace amidst such devastating turmoil.

One day, as a friend drove Tiffany and me to a counseling session, she remarked, "Well, Dianne, welcome to the 'Poor-Broken-Slob Club.' Now you can see if your words really work."

I knew what she was referring to.

For years I had been active in a pro-life ministry, counseling post-abortion victims. From the outside looking in, I had experienced other women's abortions, desertions and abuse. I always counseled with positive words and Scripture. Lives had been changed while trusting Romans 8:28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him ..."

Now Tiffany's life had been broken. I was certain no good would ever come from my small child's victimization. In my heart, I knew I was capable of deep hatred. However, in counseling embittered women, I had learned what internal venom could do. I knew it could destroy both my relationship with God and my family. I wasn't strong enough to stop the hating, but I knew God was.

At this point, I didn't feel ready to forgive Wesley. But out of past experience, I knew I had to trust God to use the worst in my life to glorify Himself and benefit others.

With this belief, I whispered a simple, stumbling prayer: "God, don't let me hate."

In my mind, I envisioned a chasm as deep as the Grand Canyon filled with my bile. I saw myself standing on the brink, slipping fast. I knew if I fell in, my joyful, victorious Christian life would be over.

I pleaded again, "God, don't let me step over that edge. Please hold me back."

Even after I prayed, I still wrestled with my emotions. But for the first time in two months, I felt some peace as I allowed God's grace to sustain me.


CAUSE AND EFFECT

The following September, the court date arrived for Wesley's sentencing. I had wondered how a 12-year-old boy could come up with the atrocities Wesley had. My answer came as his counselor revealed his findings.

Pornography.

At a vulnerable age and a crucial time in Wesley's life as his parents were experiencing marital problems the youth had been introduced to hardcore pornographic materials at a summer camp. It was only a matter of time before Wesley acted out what he had seen.

During the court proceedings, Mike and I were allowed to share our grief.

Unable to contain his tears, my husband said, "I will never be able to look at a little girl again without wondering if this terrible thing has happened to her, too."

Standing next to Mike, I poured out my heart. Putting the incident from my mind seemed impossible, especially in our small town where we'd run into Wesley at social events or even the grocery store. Seeing him had even triggered a reaction from Tiffany, the therapist reported. Tiff had begun acting out the molestation with her dolls.

I concluded my statement by pleading with the family to move. "I can't stand the thought of living in the same town and seeing this boy all the time."

When I sat down, the judge called Wesley and his mother to the bench and asked if they had anything to say. The boy stammered as he apologized for his actions, adding, "I've lost all my friends."

His broken mother, weeping openly, expressed her own hurt and remorse over her son's crime.

"Our lives have been shattered," she cried. "This is my son, and I love him. Yet what he has done is so terrible. I know how Mrs. Smith's heart is broken because my heart is broken, too."

Suddenly at that moment, I saw the woman through a mother's eyes. Realizing that her life had also been devastated, I prayed my third prayer: "Lord, help me to forgive."

God had kept me from stepping off the edge into hatred. Now I desperately needed His help to set both Wesley and me free. The Lord honored my request, and I was acutely aware that the mercy I was feeling was a gift from God.

The judge cleared his throat, then sentenced Wesley to two weeks of residential counseling. (Later, we discovered this was a controversial secular program where the youngsters were exposed to more hard-core porn while outfitted with a sensor. If they showed an arousal, they were made to sniff ammonia as a deterrent. After this "therapy," he would be released on probation until age 18.)

After pronouncing sentence, the judge announced to the courtroom, "I am giving this boy the strongest sentence I can under the law."

As the gavel came down to dismiss the case, I whispered to Joanne, from the Victim's Assistance Department, "I'd like to have a word with Wesley."

"No, I don't want you to, Dianne." Her voice was firm. "It's best if the two parties don't interact. I've actually seen fist fights take place."

After assuring Joanne that would not happen, I hurried over to Wesley and his mother. When I reached them, I hugged each one.

Looking Wesley straight in the eye, I told him, "Nothing will ever take away the pain you have caused our family. But, I want you to know something, Wesley. Because of Jesus Christ and His love for all of us, I am able to fully forgive you."

As I returned to my family, I overheard Joanne comment, "Well, I'll be! In all my years in this work, I've never seen anything like that in this courtroom!"

Later, Wesley's mother told me if I hadn't expressed forgiveness to her son, she knew he could never fully recover from his crime.

I still pray for Wesley, that his restoration will be complete, as mine has been. Oh, the pain is still there, but the hatred and vengeance are gone. God has placed peace in my heart instead. He was able to use our family's tragedy for His glory, and hopefully, to help others.


MOVING PAST THE PAIN

Some months later, I flew to Washington, D.C., to speak at a meeting of the "Enough Is Enough" anti-pornography campaign. This group of women are seeking to reduce sexual violence and to prevent women and children from becoming victims of harmful pornography.

I testified (without using my last name) that porn brought unforgettable harm to a 3-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy. I pleaded that our nation's lawmakers would wake up and work to eliminate child pornography and illegal hard-core porn from the open market.

It's been two years since my daughter's molestation. Recently, I took her to the therapist who has worked with her since the incident. Her words brought joy and relief to my heart.

"Your daughter is doing wonderfully," she said. "She's happy and adjusting well. She doesn't need to continue therapy at this time." I learned that I had to be aware that during several development stages, a few sessions could be helpful so recurring memories don't overwhelm her.

As a mother, I continue to pick up the pieces of my shattered life. As I do, I take with me the assurance that God's grace. His undeserved love and forgiveness will be my traveling companion.


Copyright: Cynthia Culp Allen
Reprinted with permission

National Coalition Against Pornography
800 Compton Rd. Suite 9924
Cincinnati, OH 45231
(513) 521-6227
Why Johnny Can't Worship
Why Johnny Can't Worship
WHY JOHNNY CAN'T WORSHIP

By Josh Williams


Bleeding from his lip that he had just hit on the floor, little four year old Johnny could feel the swelling starting and taste the saltiness of the blood. Fear seized him as he tried to hold back the tears. A knot started to take shape in his stomach, it was supposed to be a game! He did not understand. He trusted his father, but . . .

I can already feel the knot again taking its familiar shape in my gut as I lock the door of my car and walk with the family toward the large warehouse building that is our church. We are late again. We pass through the Sunday School areas first, and notice all the kids in their classrooms, or going down the hallway in a line. The sounds of the praise music grow louder as we approach the main sanctuary. I look over the square room. There is a band on the platform playing songs and everyone is singing. 

It's always the same people down in front. You can see the emotion they feel on their faces as they sing. Some raise their hands in submission, and others are on their knees. Then, as I look at the back of the room, I see a different group. They sing, yes, but they lack the same intensity as the people in the front. They are more easily distracted. Some look troubled. Some look like they are in pain. I take my rightful place in the back

I open my mouth to sing, but the words get stuck in my throat. Oh, I know how to sing, and I don't have a bad voice at all, but somewhere between my diaphragm and my larynx, it gets choked. Maybe I feel hypocritical about even being there. I know that God deserves better from me. It isn't that I don't believe in Him, for my intellectual mind does believe that He is there. I realize that I am not being very honest with God. This isn't a true expression of my feelings, this is more like a performance. "I will sing whatever songs they tell me to sing, and then I will fall into that ecstasy of the worship experience." But I never connect. I feel so . . . so . . . impotent! My worship experience doesn't give life to me. It has become mundane and ordinary . . . sort of like the Pledge of Allegiance. 

My mind begins to wander . . . I notice an attractive woman two rows in front of me. I feel guilty and try to put the thought out of my mind. I notice the bass player playing a wrong note . . . I think about work . . . I look at my watch; only forty-five more minutes . . . if he finishes his sermon on time. AM I THE ONLY PERSON IN HERE THAT FEELS THIS WAY?

Little Johnny said "Catch me, Daddy!" And then he would jump with all his might into the arms of his waiting father. The next jump his dad told him to go a little higher to the third step. "Catch me again, Daddy", and again he would jump into his father's arms. Finally, he summoned all his courage, and went to the fifth step. Daddy stood at the bottom as usual, his arms stretched out wide. This was to be Johnny's biggest accomplishment ever; to jump to Daddy from the fifth step. He could already hear the praise and encouragement of his dad. He got down into a crouch, and jumped as high and as far as he could jump. But Daddy wasn't there. Daddy had moved away at the last minute. The little boy lay sprawled on the floor at the bottom of the steps. Through his tears he looked up and saw his Daddy say, "I hope this teaches you son, you never know who you can trust".

Just like Johnny I grew up as a controlling person. I could not allow myself to get into a place of vulnerability. I always made sure that everyone around me was at my mercy.

Up until 3 years ago, I had never had a male friend. I was never comfortable around other men. Now that's changing. I am learning to trust other men. I have never been more 'myself' then I am when I'm with a group of guys. We talk about things that we are feeling and I'm starting to feel okay about being exactly what I am, a man. And as I get more comfortable with my own masculine identity, and learning how to accept the "fathering" from my close male friends, I find hope that I will begin to patch things up with my heavenly father. . . he is NOT my earthly father, who stepped aside.


From TRACKS IN THE SAND magazine
"Uncovering Christian Men's Issues"
P.O. Box 1828
Tustin, CA 92680
Freedom From Pornography
Freedom From Pornography
FREEDOM FROM PORNOGRAPHY

By Chaplain John
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania


One may say, "what do you mean freedom from pornography? I'm not bound like a ball and chain to any book, magazine, videotape, etc., so why must I be set free?" The best illustration I can give is of a young man I know, John.

This young man was introduced to pornography at the young age of twelve. Even though he'd been raised in a good Christian home and had asked Jesus to come into his heart, he had a strong desire to see and read more of the literature that excited his mind and body. Soon the books and magazines were not enough to give him the same high feeling he'd had so, he began lying about his age to get into x-rated movies. At first, the soft porn movies gave him that rush he'd experienced, but soon he was watching and looking for more perverted materials.

In the back of his mind (deeply suppressed), was the knowledge that what he was doing was wrong, so when he would finish looking, the guilt feelings would come. He rationalized that if he were married, all of the physical and mental needs would be met. John did meet, date, and marry a very beautiful Christian girl. While she loved him and did everything within her power to satisfy him, the desire for pornography brought a dark secret into their relationship. It was like something had a hold on him and wouldn't let go. Even though he hated keeping the secret from her, John continued reading and collecting these materials for several years.

One Sunday evening in a church service, the Lord God confronted John with the sin that was in his life. (In our society, it's so easy to call this evil desire a sickness, a disease, or a shortcoming, but God calls it sin. In Matthew 5:28 Jesus said, "anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." John confessed his sin to God and promised to clean out that secret compartment in his house.

While there was a cleansing of his heart, John knew he wasn't totally free, because he still had a compulsion to pick up pornographic magazines and look at them at magazine stands. The compulsion would then drive him back into the filth. Those old familiar guilt feelings would once again flood his mind.

One day, with the help of a good Christian friend, John prayed a prayer asking God to forgive him of his involvement with pornography and other sexual sins. He said he was sorry for these specific sins and renounced them (saying he didn't want to have anything to do with them again). Recognizing the power that is in the shed blood of Jesus to cleanse all his sins and using the name of Jesus, an evil lustful spirit was driven out of his life. There was a marked difference in John's life as he was totally set free from the bondage of pornography and lust.

I know this story is true because I am John, the author of this article and chaplain for Transport For Christ at Harrisburg, PA. Yes, I am free and so can you be if pornography is a sin that is in your life! Jesus has more than filled that void in my life with genuine love for men and women.


From HIGHWAY magazine
A Christian magazine for truck drivers
Published by Transport For Christ
P.O. Box 303
Denver, PA 17517
Bonsai Memories
Bonsai Memories
I found this to be an excellent allegory - one of the best things I've read in a while. - Editor G.K.


BONSAI MEMORIES

by Matt Crawford


bon-sai \bon-`si\ n, pl. bonsai [Japanese]: Potted plant (as a tree) dwarfed by special methods of culture

Planted by my gardener, in her youth I was potted, placed in high regard, and tended on a daily basis. Without benefit of comparison, I didn't know I was a bonsai. And, while it wasn't until later I even knew what bonsai meant, I could sense a difference between the other trees in the garden and me. Similar plants were growing tall and strong, but I could not join them in their ascent. This confused me. The life of a bonsai is not a good one. Nevertheless, I trusted my gardener would take care of me. After all, I got more attention than any of the other plants in her garden.

Bonsai is a science and an art. The training of a young tree's limbs to be perfect and satisfying is difficult business. The natural direction a plant grows is up and out, but my gardener's special methods of culture dwarfed my progress. Every time a new branch sprouted from my trunk, she would meticulously bend and shape it to her desired contour. Hours spent placing wires in just the correct position ensured only her design for my growth. Oh, how my bark ached as she twisted me from my normal shape into a bent and ugly bush. Sometimes I thought she heard my screams of torment, but she only continued pruning and arching me one way and then another.

Occasionally, I think she was deliberately cruel. I can remember going for periods without water or sun light. She ignored some of the bigger trees too, but they had strong tap roots that went deep into the soil and, if need be, could nourish themselves for a while. Confined to a decorative pot, my roots cramped and tangled, I relied entirely on my caretaker. Oh how I longed to be free as the other trees were.

For years I held my configuration, only needing occasional re-shaping. Those were the times when I Conserved my strength and would try to break out of my pot. Yet, somehow she always caught my stray roots, and would snip them before I could shatter my clay prison.

Adding to my misery, my gardener displayed me in her window box so she, and everyone passing, could admire her handiwork. This vantage point afforded me a glimpse of neighboring gardens. I watched in agony as my fellow trees shot passed me and reached toward the sky; their lush leaves and sturdy bark growing and changing with the passing of time. Only I seemed to be the same as when I started out. The injustice of it made me rage inside, yet I felt helpless to change.

At times it was too much to bear and I would try to wither myself. I got very creative at self-inflicting pain so as to forget my incarceration in this potted hell. I even learned how to inflict pain on my gardener. I would refuse to bloom, or shed all my leaves in the night. She would be apoplectic when I did that.

On one of my sun days, she placed me in a new part of the garden, and for the first time I saw what had to be my seed bearer. He looked almost exactly like me! Though fashioned by a different gardener, I knew I had not fallen far from this tree. Knowing this only increased my sadness. Gardeners elsewhere were crippling trees! What a dreadful thing!

That night I tried with all my might to break my pot and escape. I tried so hard that morning's first light found me spent and weary; my sap gone. I had used it trying to burst through the hard clay that surrounded me. When my gardener saw my condition, she feared for my life and placed me near the front edge of the garden to get the early morning sun.

I guess I must have dozed off, for when I awoke I was moving. I assumed I was being taken back inside, but as I looked up I realized that MY gardener was not carrying me. This was a new face. I had been plantnapped! Oddly though, I was not alarmed. The stranger's face was kindly, and His hands bore the stains of sap and fertilizer. Try as I did, I could not figure out what was going on or where He was taking me.

We were traveling through a large forest. It was very damp and green. I could tell this was not a new forest because the trees were large and verdant, but something struck me as peculiar. Signs of fresh digging lingered at the tree's bases. Why, these trees had only been planted here recently. How could thing be? As I was mulling this over, He came to stop. We were at a rushing stream. The clear, clean water lapped and the banks on each side. It was so beautiful.

When He knelt down and began to dig, I knew He was going to release me. I could hardly keep my sap from running up and down my limbs. Was He really going to re-plant me in this dazzling place? It had a northern exposure that would guarantee the best light, and it was right next to the stream. Yet with all the other trees around, and me being so tiny, I feared that I would not be able to sustain myself. 

Then something miraculous happened! As He broke the pot around me, and placed me in the center of the crater He had prepared, my roots and trunk and branches began to stretch and un-bend. In the twinkling of an eye, I had grown to fit the place He'd created especially for me. Certainly I wasn't as large as some of the other trees around me, but I would be able to hold my own and grow. Already my roots were stretching to sip the clean clear water that was so near by. Freedom at last! I shook my branches and let out a loud rustle with my leaves.

While I knew adversities that might never occur in my garden awaited in my new forest, I was willing to face that uncertainty. Besides, the well-tended trees around me gave me the assurance my new Gardener would be back.

So, here I am. It was only recently that the Gardener brought me to this forest, and I'm discovering new things everyday. I've found I must continue to stretch toward the water if I'm to survive. It holds the key to my existence. I've also learned that I can bear fruit. I had never known I was capable of this marvelous feat. It seems I needed the space to grow so my roots could function properly. It's hard to do but it's worth the effort to see the look of pleasure on my Gardener's face as He comes by on His daily inspection.

Life is so different in this place. Once confined and cramped, now I am free to direct myself towards the sun. I have to be careful though, for at times I forget where I used to live and complain about new challenges in this environment. Then I recall the years of constraint and rejoice in the freedom my new Gardener gave me.

I know there are other bonsai out there and I can only hope my Gardener will find them and bring them here to His forest. It is so beautiful, and there's a spot just across the stream that is crying out for an old tree in desperate need of a new life.

Hope to see you someday in my neck of the woods.

Emotional incest is a frightening thing. The feelings of guilt that can entrap a person are strong. The control by the caregiver is often subtle and leaves the victim feeling helpless and confused. But God can break the unhealthy bonds and bring you to the freedom of His grace and love. It is available and He want you to be free.


From TRACKS IN THE SAND magazine
"Uncovering Christian Men's Issues"
P.O. Box 1828
Tustin, CA 92680
He Gathers Every Teardrop
He Gathers Every Teardrop
A wonderful poem and scripture for anyone still suffering pain from circumstances past or present ...


HE GATHERS EVERY TEARDROP

By Glenda Fulton Davis
From JEWISH VOICE MINISTRIES


Regardless of the circumstance,
Regardless of the fear,
Regardless of the pain we bear,
Regardless of the tear,

Our God is ever in control,
Performing as He should,
And He has promised in His Word
To work things for our good.

But as a loving Father would,
He sometimes lets us cry
To cleanse the hurt out of our heart,
To wash it from our eye.

Yet gently gathers He the tears
Within, His hands to stay
Until, He turns them into pearls
And gives them back someday.


Glenda's poem was inspired by this portion of Scripture ...

"Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me. In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. 

Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: 

Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. 

My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. 

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise." 

Psalm 56:8-57:7
False Comfort: Cliches That Discourage
False Comfort: Cliches That Discourage
One of the problems individuals face in their struggles with victimization are cliches. They're told, "Put it behind you," or "Take it to the Lord." People who are trying to help end up hurting the victim more.

Because this problem is so serious, we are reprinting an article from our first year of publication. Dr. Linda Jean Schupp speaks about cliches in this excerpt from an article published in "The Christian Journal of Psychology and Counseling."


FALSE COMFORT: CLICHES THAT DISCOURAGE

By Dr. Linda Jean Schupp


Cliche One: "God will not give you more than you can bear."

There are two perilous aspects to this cliche. The first message assumes that God is the giver of horror or tragedy. If this was not the assumption, then the comforter would not begin by saying "God will not give you."

The second implication can wield a not-so-obvious but equally damaging message, God will not give you "more" than you can bear. In other words, the severity of God's horror gift will be determined by the character of the victim. It implies that if someone is strong and mature that God will give him or her a double dose of tragedy. The strong will have more horror gifts and the weak will receive fewer.

What a paradox! Scripture encourages us to be strong, courageous, and confident, yet the reward for such behavior is the privilege of enduring another onslaught of torture. If we take this cliche literally, then it would seem logical to exhibit weakness so we can avoid tragedy.

I believe that the origin of this may be the misuse of I Corinthians 10:13 where Paul says that there is no temptation taken you but such is common to man. The Corinthians were yielding to all kinds of temptations such as sexual sins and drunkenness. This passage is not discussing trial, but rather providing a way of escape for those who want to clean up their lives and live righteously. Also, there is a freedom of choice for the Corinthians. They could choose to change the way they were living by allowing the Holy Spirit to control them.

In the book I refer to a young father who accidentally ran over his daughter. This had nothing to do with his will. I Corinthians 10:13 is inappropriate to many types of pain and sorrow. In the Bible there are examples of indescribable murders of babies. For example, Herod had all the Jewish babies killed in order to destroy Jesus. In Moses' time the Pharaoh decreed that all Hebrew babies should be killed. Those murders were a Satanic scheme. John 8:44 tells us that Satan was a murderer from the beginning.


Cliche Two: "Have you given it to the Lord?"

This question may be viewed by the sufferer as condemning. Often, when someone uses this cliche, they are insinuating that if you have really given a problem, pain, or situation to the Lord that you should no longer be bothered by it or at least not mention its existence. In their perception, the fact that you are enduring this pain is proof positive that you have not committed it to the Lord.

The Apostle Paul was left with a "thorn in the flesh" and continued to suffer. Whether his thorn was physical or simply problems with people is not the issue. We do know that Paul's suffering was not a lack of commitment on his part.

Rather than use a cliche which questions their commitment, my suggestion would be to offer to pray for the person and to find practical ways of assisting them.

Usually the only person who receives any comfort from asking, "Have you given it to the Lord?" is the person asking the question. If I tell you that you should give it to the Lord then I do not have to deal with the problem. Galatians 6:2 says that we should bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. As a false comforter I may be ignoring the reality of the person's problems rather than choosing to get involved and help the person. Such a spiritual sounding platitude allows us to evade our Christian responsibility one to another.

Colossians 1:18 and I Corinthians 12:13-27 talk about the body of Christ. Each of us has a function to provide and a ministry to each other. I should give what I have to the member of the body who needs it. Christ, the head, may tell the foot or hand to go and minister to the suffering person. The foot or hand may reply, "No Lord, that is your job. I can't do it." While the assigned part of the body is arguing with the head, the sufferer receives nothing. The body tries to give the responsibility back to Christ and Christ keeps giving it to the body. When we tell a sufferer to put a burden in God's hands, we must remember that we may be God's hands to that person. When a sufferer comes to us and shares, he is in effect putting it in God's hands. We should pray and suffer with them rather than deny our responsibility by saying, "Give it to the Lord." When I offer to pray for the person I am joining them in their suffering rather than leaving them to suffer alone. "Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them which suffer adversity as being yourselves also in the body."


Cliche Three: "Cheer up and stop feeling sorry for yourself."

This one is not based on Scripture or theology but it is said so much by Christians that I believe it needs to be included. May people believe that sorrow is not an acceptable emotion to express. following the advice of this cliche can hamper the normal grieving process.

In the book, I cited the example of Beth, a woman whose husband was killed in a plane crash. Her friends unknowingly rejected her when they would not allow her to express her grief. They forced her into playing an unhealthy role. Rejection, denial, and condemnation resulted from this cliche. It is as though the false comforters are saying, "Let's play a game. Smile and pretend that everything is all right." In doing so they reject the person. Also, they deny the person's pain and want him or her to function like a robot. These false comforters are protecting themselves from the reality that a similar tragedy could happen to them. In effect they are saying, "I can share happiness with you, but I do not want any part of your sorrow." "It is easier for me to deny what is happening to you in order to protect myself." In the case of Beth, her visitors also condemned her because she could not withhold her tears of grief which they interpreted as self-pity. In essence they said, "We came to help you with your practical needs and you have placed us in an uncomfortable position by grieving. We have to remind you that you are involved in self-pity, which is a sin."

How much better it would be to follow the advice of the apostle Paul. I have found it useful to apply his principle of "mood matching" which comes out of Paul's statement in Romans 12:15, "Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with them that weep." Many people think that they have to be cheery and pretend that everything is all right, which encourages the sufferer to deny what is happening to them. This prolongs the grief process. The scriptural principle that should be emphasized is to "weep with those who weep." Walk into the pain of those who suffer. Even though there are a variety of opinions as to the explanation, we know that Jesus wept. The impression of the people who observed him was expressed in the statement, "Behold how He loved him." (John 11:36) Jesus is "touched with the feelings of our infirmities." (Hebrews 4:15) Ecclesiastes 3:4 says, "There is a time to weep." We need to give people time to heal. We would not expect a man who had his leg amputated to immediately get up and try to run. Yet, we do not give people in emotional pain the same benefit. We accept the necessity of time for healing in the physical realm, but often fail to accept it in the emotional realm.


Cliche Four: "God wants to make you dependent upon him."

First of all, let me clarify that I believe that it is important to be truly dependent upon the Lord. We must depend upon Jesus as our source of salvation and the Holy Spirit to guide, direct, and empower us to live the Christian life. However, sometimes this cliche can be interpreted so as to create pathology. My concern regarding this cliche lies again in the perception of the image of God. Every time that something catastrophic or terrible happens it should not be interpreted as God trying to make us dependent upon him. In my book, I give the illustration of a woman with a mentally handicapped child who was abandoned by her husband. When someone stated this cliche to her, she could not understand why God would delight in seeing his children become like her son who was not able to walk, speak, make decisions, or take care of himself in any way. Passive dependency and true spirituality should be differentiated. In some cases, the church says that an infant-like dependency is considered spirituality. However, Paul says in the third chapter of I Corinthians that Christians should be weaned from milk and grow up.

The cliche may imply that the less a Christian does, the more spiritual he is. I had a friend who gave up his job and quit working in order to show the Lord that he was totally dependent upon him. Finally, he lost everything, including his wife and home. When he was at the lowest point, he said, "I don't understand why God has not provided for me. I have been totally dependent upon him." I told him that God may have wanted to provide for your needs, but He wanted to provide them through you. He may also have wanted to supply needs for others through you. You may have blocked the channel through which He wanted to operate. My friend had bought into a sick type of dependency. Paul said in II Thessalonians 3:10, "If any will not work, neither let him eat."

Paul did not condone passive dependency. Dependency is normal as a child. Only as we grow into maturity can the Lord use us for His glory and purposes. Another example is that of a twenty- eight-year-old son who lived with his parents. He worked just enough to buy liquor and a few things that he wanted. His parents were amply providing for him. We would not praise this young man and hold him up as an example for people to model. It would be ridiculous to talk about how much faith he has in his parents and that he is expressing it more and more each day by doing less and less. Yet, in the church we sometimes consider passive dependency as great spirituality.

God is not trying to make us dependent upon him. Rather, He is trying to get us to a place that He can depend upon us. When we grow up enough to be useful to Him, perhaps much of the suffering of the world can be alleviated.


Cliche Five: "It is God's Will."

Of all the cliches, perhaps this can be the most devastating. To attribute the tragedy to an ever-loving, good God can inflict unbelievable pain on a grief-stricken person. To provide some clarification, let us look at four realms or aspects of God's will. The first aspect is God's DETERMINED will. It is fixed and unalterable.

A second type of will is God's DESIRED will. His desired will includes all of the things that He would like to accomplish in and through our lives. For example, He tells us to preach the Gospel. Sometimes we do and sometimes we do not. He tells us to love one another and sometimes we do and sometimes we do not. The desired will of God is dependent upon our compliance on our yielding to him.

The determined will is what God causes to happen. God's desired will is what He wants to happen. I have interviewed many people who have experienced deep suffering and grief. From my observation most people interpret this cliche to mean either that God caused it or He desired it. This is the interpretation that my son and I had when people came into his hospital room and said, "This is God's will."

When people used this cliche with my son, he would say, "You should not continue to pray for me. If it is God's will for me to have cancer and you pray for it to be removed, then your prayer is in opposition to God's will." He would say it in a sincere and graceful way, but in his mind there was a contradiction in what people were saying and doing. I do not believe that God gives cancer to children or anyone, because God does not cause evil. He does not cause the drunk driver to drink to excess and kill an innocent party or babies to be murdered. Neither does He want or desire such tragedies. It is contrary to His good and holy nature.

The third realm of operation is what I call God's DILUTED or DIMINISHED will. This is God's permissive will. God permits things which He does not directly determine or desire. For example, God told Jonah to go to Ninevah to preach. Jonah went the opposite way and eventually ended up in the belly of the fish. God did not make or desire for Jonah to sin, but He did allow him to sin. In this case, it was Jonah's choice to operate temporarily in God's diluted will. Fortunately, Jonah got a second chance to obey God and get back in His Desired will.

Sometimes we get into God's diluted will through no fault or lack of yielding on our part. I use the example of a woman who had four children and her husband left her for another woman. Her friends insisted that these circumstances were God's will. The question then becomes, did God make her husband sin? God did not cause her husband to have an affair and desert her and their children. Neither was it God's desired will. God did not want the man to commit adultery.

God's diluted will can be defined as what He wants us to do in circumstances that He did not determine or desire. With Jonah God wanted him to get back into the desired will. The woman whose husband left did not have an option but there were certain things that God wanted her to do in those circumstances. He wanted her to look to him, pray for wisdom, and follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit so as to make the best choices possible for herself and her family.

The fourth realm of God's will is the DISCIPLINARY will of God. The disciplinary will involves the actions that God takes to remove evil and restore good. For example, if we do not recognize and acknowledge sin in our personal lives, God acts to correct us. His discipline is for our good. Just as the parent acts to correct the misguided child, God is training us. The story of Noah and the flood is about God's effort to destroy evil and restore good.

Many confuse the acts of God and the acts of Satan. They need to be clarified. God's intent and purpose in disciplining us is to eliminate evil and restore good. Satan's intent and purpose is to elevate evil and destroy us. A simple differentiation of the acts of God and those of Satan is that God wants to help us, while Satan wants to hurt us.

Another cliche that is related to "It is God's will" is an explanation of why children die. People sometimes say, "Your child was so precious that God wanted him or her in heaven." Let me relate an example of a couple whose children died in a fire. When people used the "God wanted them in heaven" cliche their response was, "He could have made clones of them, or could have lifted them to heaven ever so gently without leaving us with their charred remains."

People try all kinds of ways to explain causes for suffering and they may end up speaking erroneously for God. Also, culture dictates that we have to find a reason to explain anything that we do not understand. Of one thing, we can be certain. Proverbs 6:17, 18 says that God "hates hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, and feet that be swift in running to mischief." God cannot do the things that He hates. He hates shedding innocent blood so He was not responsible for the children's death.

Another mistake that people make is in labeling bad events as good. This leads people to deny loss and act as though nothing has happened. Sometimes this is done as a misapplication of Romans 8:28 which says, "All thing work together for good for them who love God...." All things can work together for good if a person is yielded and allows the free reign of the Holy Spirit. But it does not say that the act itself is good. To say that a murder is a good deed is calling evil good. If we accept evil as good, then we do not allow the griever to grieve. How can you grieve for something that is good? The "God's will" cliche blocks the griever from openly expressing and sharing their true feelings.

Another similar cliche that prevents full grieving is often used when the death of a spouse occurs. People might say, "Aren't you glad that you have your children left." If you only focus on what is left rather than what is missing, you avoid the grief process. Focusing on the remaining family members does not make up for the loss or make the family whole again. Frequently, false comforters point to the living as a distraction from the dead. The message is, "Don't grieve quite so hard. You still have someone left."

While it is important to be thankful for our many blessings and count our blessings, this should not be used as an excuse to prohibit someone for going through the grief process. There is a time to grieve. The griever needs to look at the loss, grieve and mourn it, then go through the adjustment, healing, and recuperation process. This grieving process is thoroughly explained in the research and work of Dr. Elizabeth Kubler Ross.

In closing this discussion on whether God can or will do evil, I would like to make one more point. God is perfect and perfection cannot create imperfection. Imperfection or sin originated in human beings through the influence of the evil one. I believe that Satan confuses the issue. He wants as little difference between himself and God as possible. Satan desires to discredit God. If Satan can get us to attribute his evil characteristics to God, he has discredited God in the eyes of people. Satan's purpose is to make God look as though He is evil and make himself look righteous. He wants the counterfeit to look as real as possible. 

The cliche, "It is God's will," has contributed to the slander of God's character. I am sure that Satan is delighted when people attribute evil to God because it encourages them to turn away from God as I did for a period of time. Praise God, I have moved into a faith that is based on the character of God. God is good! He cannot do evil because his nature is good whether we see it, feel it or understand it. It is very important for Christian counselors to understand God's will and have some discernment of issues related to good and evil. Otherwise, we will promote neither spiritual nor emotional health, maturity, and well-being.


Used with the permission of the American Association of Christian Counselors. Taken from the October 1991 issue of "The Christian Journal of Psychology and Counseling," the official journal of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC).
How To Take Back Control of Your Life
How To Take Back Control of Your Life
HOW TO TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE

By Rev. David Wilkerson
Lindale, Texas


Dear saint of God, I want to show you how to take back control of your life from the devil¥how to reclaim the ground you've lost to him! Here are three things the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart on this matter:


1. You Must Keep in Mind That God Is With You Even in Your Running!

God is with you during every attack of the enemy. He never leaves you nor forsakes you!

Elijah was in utter despair totally confused, fearful, wanting to give up. But God looked upon him in his despondency and sent him a private angel to be a butler and a cook for him!

Scripture says: "As he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baked on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights" (l Kings 19:5-8). 

Have you ever been served a meal so nutritious, it lasted forty days? That had to be some meal!

Here is what I believe the Lord said to the angel before sending him to Elijah:

"Be patient with him! He's hurting, confused, full of questions. He thinks he wants to die, but he really wants to live. He feels useless, at the end of his rope. But I still love him! I've got much more work for him to do in My kingdom. Soon I'm going to awaken his spirit. But, meanwhile, feed him well refresh him! And tell him the journey is too great for him. He can't make it without eating the food I supply!"

Thank God the angel said that to Elijah! It is true the journey is too great for all of us! We can't handle it. That is why God has given us this Word and it's better than any angel! He says, "Go to My Word eat and drink. There you will find all the strength you need to go through this trial!"


2. Taking Back Control Requires Dealing With The Lord's Still, Small Voice!

The voice of the Spirit will ask you the same thing He asked Elijah: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (l Kings 19:9).

God was saying to his servant, "How long will you allow the devil to lie to you? When will you wake up and say, 'Enough of this foolishness!' It's time to take a stand, to fight back to take control!"

Perhaps the Lord is saying the same thing to you right now: "Why are you hiding here, living in this fear and depression? How long will you let this go on? You don't need to fear I have never left you. Get up! Your work for Me is not done. Get out of this cave of sadness and guilt!"

God had to put this question to Elijah twice. At first, Elijah answered that his holiness and zeal had gotten him in trouble: "Lord, they've slain all Your prophets. I'm the only one left and they're trying to kill me!"

But God asked the question again because Elijah hadn't told the whole truth! You see, God was after what was deep in Elijah's heart the real reason his spirit and soul were down and out. It was this:

"God, you let the devil get to me! You let him harass me, take away my joy, put fear in me. And I did not deserve such treatment! I have been holy, obedient, doing all You told me to do. Yet after all my praying, preaching and obedience, I ended up with the biggest battle of my life!"

Does this describe your spirit as well? You've tried your best to do God's will and work, giving Jesus your whole heart and energy and yet you've fallen under attack from the devil!

The Lord is coming to you now, asking, "Why are you so down why so panicky? Let's get to the heart of this. What's the real problem behind it all?" He wants you to admit what is really in your heart "Cod, I didn't deserve this attack from the enemy, when I was trying so hard to please You!"

Perhaps you already have poured out your heart to God in this way. But have you told Him the rest of what's deep inside:

"I'm tired of all the lessons, Lord! I don't want to learn anymore. I'm here simply to do Your will to win victories for You, to save souls. Just let me do that and then go home to glory!"

Beloved, this is the whole issue, the whole problem: We're tired of learning God's ways! We think, "Is there never a time when I can sit back and know the devil is defeated? Won't my battles ever end?"

No God has a different plan! And it is this: "When you learn how to resist the devil, he will flee from you!" (see James 4:7).

You may say, "I already know that!" But many Christians think resisting the devil means railing at him yelling, trying to scare him away. But that is of no effect!

God is talking about something entirely different here. He is saying: "How can you learn how to resist Satan until I have let him come at you, roaring and threatening? He is not a figment of your imagination he is a real devil! And you have to learn to give opposition to him!"

Professional snake handlers those who draw poison from rattlesnakes for medicinal purposes get their training by going straight into the snake pit. It is the only way they can rid themselves of fear! And it is the only way to learn snakes' devices how they move and operate.

Beloved, God wants to take you into the pit to stand face to face with the devil! He wants you to hear the enemy's crafty lying and roaring, so you can learn how to resist him. He wants to teach you to stand firmly to quietly withstand all of Satan's empty rattling!

Scripture says of Michael the archangel: "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, did not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee" (Jude 9). Michael was saying, without fear: "I don't have time to play games with you, devil. I have work to do. The Lord will take care of you!"


3. You Regain Control When You Begin to Understand Why God Has Allowed You to Endure Such a Personal, Grievous Battle!

First, God allows your trial because He wants to make you "devil-proof." That doesn't mean you won't be attacked again. But you will be trained to stand! It is all part of His preparing you for greater service, greater anointing, expanded usefulness in His kingdom.

Furthermore, the Lord is trying to strengthen you against the devil's wiles. He is raising up a body of believers who have faced the devil, who have been strengthened against him and who know his devices and are not afraid of him! God is saying, "Once you understand why you're going through this, you will have taken back all the ground you've lost. You will be in control again by the power of the Holy Ghost!"

Once Elijah's trial was over, he would never run again. He now had a sense of direction he was reassured in his spirit. You see, God was about to send him to nations to raise up kings, leaders and prophets!

God told him: "Go, return on thy way ... anoint Hazael to be king over Syria ... and Jehu ... to be king over Israel ... and Elisha ... to be prophet in thy room" (1 Kings 19:15-16). Elijah had been given fresh anointing power. He was in control again!

"So he departed thence" (verse 19). Elijah came out of the cave to do God's will! He didn't have to shed a river of tears. No he simply had heard the Word of the Lord!

Beloved, the only hold the devil can have on you is fear. And you've got to shake it off in faith! You have to say, "I'm not going down. God is going to give me a fresh anointing from heaven He's going to use me!"

Do you believe that God is not finished with you that He is teaching and training you for better things? He wants to speak to you in your cave of despondency. He wants to tell you what to do and where to go and He wants to bring you out!

So get up out of your despair shake off the bondage of fear and depression! Depart from your cave. You'll discover that the moment you get up and walk out, the anointing will flow! Amen!


From "Don't Run From Jezebel!" by David Wilkerson
For free copies of David Wilkerson's messages, published every three weeks contact:
WORLD CHALLENGE
P.O. Box 260
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(903) 963-8626
Studies
New In Christ
New In Christ
"New in Christ" is a regular MORNING STAR column written primarily for people who wish to learn more about the basic teachings of Biblical Christianity. In this issue we continue our series on the Bible itself - the "Measure of Truth" that God gave us to live by. The editorial staff of MORNING STAR encourages all readers to freely use this information to help new Christians grow in their walk with the Lord.


THE MEASURE OF TRUTH

Part 2 of a 3-part series
By Toby Trudel


THE BIBLE - ARE THE ONES WE USE TODAY RELIABLE?

Many people try to discredit the Bible by saying there must have been mistakes made in copying it over the centuries. This is simply not the case. Although the original manuscripts are no longer in existence, it can be shown that the Bibles we use today were translated from texts that are virtually the same as the originals.


THE OLD TESTAMENT

The Old Testament (The "Tenakh" in Hebrew) was written primarily in Hebrew with a few verses in Aramaic, a sister language, roughly between 1600 and 400 BC. Copies of texts from the Tenakh, found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, were recently carbon dated to have been from around Jesus' time. These Old Testament texts were found to be almost identical to the Masoretic copies (previously the oldest texts) which were from the period up to AD 900.

The individual texts making up the Tenakh today, are the same ones that were the scripture of Jesus' day. The Old Testament read by Protestant Christians and the Tenakh of Judaism are the same except for the order in which the individual books are placed. The Old Testament compilation was completed by 300 B.C. (the latest). It is believed by many that it was Ezra who chaired the first recognition council.

The recent release of more of the Dead Sea Scrolls texts found at Qumran (which were kept secret for over 40 years) demonstrates that the Bible Jesus read and the Old Testament we use today are one and the same. Before the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest copy of the book of Isaiah was from AD 1000. An entire copy of Isaiah was found among the scrolls which is dated back to around 100 B.C. When the Revised Standard Version came out in 1950, there were only 13 corrections made in Isaiah, based on 100 pages of Hebrew scrolls found at Qumran. Every one of these changes were minor corrections in spelling (similar to the way Americans spell "Savior" compared to the English "Saviour") not one of which affected a doctrine or central point. The book of Isaiah we have today is the same one Jesus had.

Rest assured, there is no record of Jesus disagreeing with the scriptures He so often quoted from. In fact he pointed to them and said that they were the books that spoke of Him.

(We are beginning a 3-part series on these new revelations from the Dead Sea Scrolls in the "Special Studies" column in this issue of MORNING STAR!)


THE NEW TESTAMENT 

No serious scholar today questions the validity of the authorship of the works of Plato, Aristotle, Sophocles, Cicero, Virgil etc., In comparison, evidence of who wrote the New Testament, when it was written, and how accurate the original text has been preserved dwarfs that which supports these other writings. The number of manuscript copies of portions of the New Testament found to date is over 24,000. Contrast this to the "Iliad" by Homer, which is in second place with only 643 manuscripts, the oldest of which dates back only to the 13th century!.

A portion of the New Testament found deep in north-central Egypt in 1895 (John Ryland's papyrus) with a text from John chapter 18, is dated by scientists to be no older than A.D. 125 and shows insignificant variation to the Greek texts we have today. Considering the distance this manuscript had to travel, this document had to have been written in the first century. 

According to authors Dr. William White and David Estrada, there is evidence (based on the work of Dead Sea Scrolls researcher, Father O'Callahan) that in cave 7 at Qumran there are 27 portions of the New Testament, some of which have to be dated AD 57-64, based on the other contents in the jar they were found in.

The evidence being brought forth each day creates a real dilemma for the critics that say the Gospels were created 200-300 years after Jesus. Many of these liberal scholars are now changing their opinions, though others refuse to be "confused with the facts" and are holding to their false assumptions.

There are many other manuscripts from that time period. Bodmer Papyrus II (150-200 A.D.), Chester Beatty Papyri (200 A.D.), The Latin and Syriac versions are dated to around 150 A.D. are the same New Testament we have. The Egyptian and Gothic versions along with the Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Alexandrinus, Codex Ephraemi, and others from the 4th and 5th centuries also have the same passages as the earlier versions and are the same as those of today.

As far as accuracy goes in copying, the evidence is astounding. According to Bible researchers Norman Geisler and William Nix, textual corruption between the 5,300 Greek Manuscripts has been shown to be less than one half of one percent. According to researcher Benjamin Warfield, of this half a percent, 95 percent is questionable at best. Even if this minuscule portion is accepted as "corrupted", it has no effect on the interpretation of the passages they occur in. Of the remaining 5 percent (remember, that's 5 percent of the original half percent) which shows some corruption, none of it has any bearing on articles of faith or precepts of duty. (We're now talking about .0025 of the TOTAL Greek New Testament manuscripts.) In comparison, the 643 copies of the "Iliad" have a textual corruption rate of 10 percent according to Geisler and Nix.

Again it is worth repeating, no passages that may be even slightly corrupted effect any doctrine of faith. No basic tenet of Christianity rests on any passage that is questioned. This means that any argument against Christianity, that endeavors to use inaccuracy of the text as the basis for rejection of faith, is totally meaningless.

But that's not all the evidence! The writings of early church fathers of the 2nd and 3rd centuries, Polycarp, Barnabas, Hermas, Tatian, Irenaeus, Clement, Tertullian, Hippolytus, Justin Martyr, Origin, Cyprian all quote directly from the New Testament. There are 32,000 citations of the New Testament by these men and others prior to the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. Using New Testament quotes from these writings alone, it is possible to reconstruct all but eleven of the verses of the New Testament!

YES, you can trust the Bible as being reliable!
New Testament Studies
New Testament Studies
This issue features the fourteenth in a series on the Epistles of John. This is the second study in 3 John. On some occasions this column with be called "Old Testament Study." Future studies will include Psalms and books from both the Old and New Testaments.


GOOD IS FROM GOD
3 John 1-8

By Pastor Geoffrey Kragen


There are people, who in their commitment to a specific point of view, lose sight of God's call to care for one another. They will not work with anyone who doesn't follow the "party line." Sadly, the line is often drawn over issues that are of no real consequence.

I remember one meeting of a group of pastors. An elderly pastor was highly critical of some younger men. Some churches within his affiliation had decided to send members to a Sunday School convention. It was held, (heaven forbid) in a "Pentecostal" church. (By the way, the church was Assembly of God, not Pentecostal.) 

The convention wasn't being put on by that specific church. They were merely making their facilities available. The convention was a valuable service provided to the local Christian community. Laity and clergy both would benefit from attending. To stay away because of some perceived differences would have been detrimental to all.

I don't question the sincerity of that pastor. He came out of a system and day that had lost sight of the need for the Christian community to work together. And yes, there are basic doctrines held by orthodox Christianity that are not up for compromise. These, as seen elsewhere in these epistles, relate to the incarnation and the propitiatory work of Christ on the cross and other non-negotiable teachings. These are to be the basis for separatism.

There are many individuals, who function similarly to this godly old saint. The difference, however, is that their behavior is not due to misguided separatism. These individuals want to protect their own power and position within the church.

The problem created by these people isn't just their own loss of fellowship. They can bring dissension and even fighting into the local church. In some cases this kind of activity can lead to a split within the church. People can argue with one another, and ultimately a church can be destroyed over these self-serving types of behaviors.

I suspect that John was most concerned about the behavior of Diotrephes as it related to potential danger for the Christian community. John spoke to this when he wrote the second part of his third letter. He knew that the church must remain true to God's teachings which advance the kingdom. It could not follow a pattern or a man bringing dissension and disruption.

As seen in the last article, there was much going on in this local church that gave a positive testimony for the Lord. John had commended Gaius because he, and by inference, his church, were providing the gift of hospitality to visiting servants of the Lord.

Vs. 9: As is frequently the case, there was a fly in the ointment. This fly went by the name of Diotrephes. It appears he had a formal position within the local church. He exercised considerable power. He was creating major problems through the misuse of this power.

Diotrephes wanted to hold the place of honor, or authority, within the church. He was obviously impressed with himself. He may have recognized, however, that authority, and for that matter respect, ultimately rested in John. And, possibly as a result of this, he resented John. Diotrephes had no interest in anything that John might have to say.

Vs. 10: Letters of warning about Diotrephes' behavior were being ignored. John therefore explained what he would do if he came to visit. He believed it would be necessary to meet Diotrephes face to face. 

John spelt out the specific behaviors that were unacceptable. Diotrephes was guilty of gossiping with the intent of creating problems and undermining John's authority. Gossip is contrary to Christian behavior. Paul warned about this when he said: "We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:11-12).

Second, unlike Gaius, Diotrephes prevented the exercise of hospitality by the local church. He refused to accept traveling saints or provide for them. Additionally, if that wasn't enough, he wouldn't allow others to offer hospitality. He took steps to expel those who tried to go counter to his wishes.

Vs. 11: Again, John didn't mince words. Immediately following his comments on Diotrephes, he notes that believers are to model themselves after that which is good, not that which is evil. The behavior of Diotrephes is presented as an example of evil.

John reiterates that good behavior, (what Scripture defines as good) can only occur when obedience to God is the motivator. In contrast, those who do evil are functioning outside God's will. Most likely John was suggesting that Diotrephes' behavior showed his lack of godliness. And this being the case, Diotrephes was not to be a model of Christian behavior. He was not to be allowed to exercise a leadership position.

Vs. 12: A third person in the local body is mentioned. This is Demetrius. He is presented in contrast with Diotrephes. This individual had a good reputation. Everyone spoke well of him. John emphasized that truth itself validated these things said about Demetrius. This means that Demetrius was functioning in the truth of the apostles' teachings and God's Word. John knew Demetrius personally. He could testify to Demetrius' godliness.

Demetrius is presented as an example of someone who abides in Christ. Diotrephes is offered as an illustration of someone who is outside a relationship with the Lord. When a person is within the church, but not part of it, he often chooses the role of disrupter. Therefore, he can be used by Satan to undermine the church's efforts to serve Christ.

John warns this church about the importance of doing everything in truth. In the second epistle, truth was the basis for withholding support to people who claimed to represent Christ, but didn't. Here, truth is the criteria by which service is performed.

Vs. 13-14a: Again John restrains himself from further comment. He desired to go to this body and intends to make any additional comments at that time.

Vs. 14b: And so, John closes his letter with a blessing of peace and greetings from those around him.

This last section of the final epistles can serve as a warning to the local church. Remember, our responsibility is to make disciples in obedience to the Lord. We carry out this work as we love Him and one another. We must never allow anything or anyone to interfere with this ministry.

This means we can disagree on secondary issues. But these disagreements don't have to be problems. Nothing in Scripture requires that we agree on everything. We are called to love each other in spite of these differences.

The relationships within the church are a lot like the relationships within a marriage. We don't have to agree on everything with our spouse. We are to love him or her, and do all we can to express our love.

Where churches follow human leaders instead of Scripture, they are in a dangerous position. Even if the person is serving God, we are never to put them on a pedestal. Only Christ can be head of the church.

Second, the Biblical pattern of church authority requires a plurality of elders to be responsible for oversight of the church. No single person is ever to hold an authoritarian role within the church, no matter how sound that individual may be.

Finally, there should be an effort for churches to work together to advance the kingdom. If there is accord on the basics of salvation and the foundational doctrines defined as historic orthodoxy, then there is no cause for separatism.

Paul teaches there are different gifts within the body. As a result, it will function effectively for the Lord. "Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body" (1 Corinthians 12:14-20). It may be appropriate to expand this concept to the churches that make up the Christian community. 

The Holy Spirit uses individual churches with their specific styles to reach out to different members of the community. We are not in competition with each other. Each church has a specific role others can't fulfill. We don't have to appreciate everything other churches do. However, the Lord uses His children as He sees fit.

Diotrephes' crime wasn't that he was opposed to hospitality by itself. But because he was self-centered, he interfered with others who were carrying out God's call. Too much energy has been spent in the contemporary Christian community chopping down the ministries of others. This can be because of liturgical style, or musical tastes, or dress "codes." We fight over translations of Scripture, (although some are so bad that they should be rejected.) We fight over theories of eschatology, (although God will work out His program, regardless of how we think it should be carried out.)

We need to be praying for the ministries of all Christians who serve the truth of the gospel. We need to support these ministries, as God provides the opportunity.