Category: Hear From the President

Years ago, Dr. Herman Hoeh, now deceased, suggested that I subscribe to the magazine Biblical Archaeology Review. Though my subscription ended, I still occasionally look through back issues. Doing so reminds me that archaeology often confirms what is stated in the Bible. It also reminds me that this field of study is a hotbed of discussion and often heated disagreement between various schools of thought. Although vigorous debate can be healthy, it also can lead to unhelpful contention and even hostility that runs contrary to the cause of truth.

Currently, the two main schools of thought in this debate are referred to as biblical minimalism and biblical maximalism. Minimalism views the Bible as purely a literary work, written no earlier than the Persian period, which was long after Moses, David and Solomon. This viewpoint casts doubt on the historicity of these biblical characters, noting a lack of archaeological evidence to substantiate their existence. Minimalists maintain that the Bible should be considered a theological work, not a reliable historical record. In contrast, Maximalism views the Bible as historically reliable—representing actual people and events. This viewpoint maintains that the core stories of the Bible are true, though it concedes that some accounts may have been embellished somewhat by legend.

A third, though fairly minor, school of thought in this debate is sometimes referred to as fundamentalism and sometimes as literalism. It views the Bible as 100% accurate in all respects—even when archaeological evidence is missing or is contradictory. This viewpoint is the archaeological equivalent of young earth creationism. Neither maximalists nor minimalists take this viewpoint seriously.

Does this debate really matter? One might argue that it contributes little to the Christian faith. Let’s get some perspective here. The Bible is not a simple or secular history book. It is God’s revelation to us, told through the story of his people Israel, which prepares the ground for the life and work of Jesus Christ. That is what the Bible is about, and what it is for. The Bible’s principal lessons do not depend on the meticulous accuracy of geographic details nor the exactness of calendar dates.

That said, archaeology has shown that the Bible is remarkably reliable as a record of history. For example, the Bible tells of Israel being taken into captivity by the mighty armies of the Assyrian Empire. Years ago, many scholars dismissed this account as fable, since no trace of the Assyrian Empire had been found at that time. However, mid-19th century archaeological excavations uncovered the ruins of Nineveh, Assyria’s capital city. Ancient cuneiform inscriptions were found there that dramatically confirm the biblical record.

Uncovering the past continues in spite of the turmoil in the Middle East. One such excavation is being conducted by Hebrew University at Khirbet Qeiyafa, a city 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem. Khirbet Qeiyafa had great strategic value in the ancient kingdom of Judah because of its location on the main road from Philistia on the coast to Jerusalem and Hebron in the hill country. It was in this area that the famous battle between David and Goliath occurred.

The excavation at Khirbet Qeiyafa has already uncovered 200 meters of the city wall, two city gates, a pillar building (perhaps a small stable), ten houses and the earliest known Hebrew inscription giving evidence that David and Solomon ruled over a well-organized, fully urbanized Judahite state in the tenth century B.C.E. (the inscription and other artifacts from the excavation are pictured at http://qeiyafa.huji.ac.il/).

Exciting developments like this continue to keep me interested in biblical archaeology. However, my faith does not depend on these discoveries. Frankly, it is far too easy to get hung up on such details—expecting the Bible to say more and do more than God intends.

The Bible is not primarily a history book, although it has proven historically reliable. Therefore, we should not be quick to jump on the “band wagon” of any of the schools of thought in this ongoing debate. Such viewpoints come and go, while God’s written Word stands as what it is: an infallible guide to all matters pertaining to salvation.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In Psalm 113:5-6, the psalmist asks: “Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?”

We still are asking that question.

The self-help sections of bookstores and online catalogs offer seemingly countless books addressing ways to know God from Christian, quasi-Christian and other religious perspectives. Some of these books teach universalism; others teach pantheism or panentheism. Those with a New Age perspective inevitably promise keys to finding secret knowledge concerning God.

It seems that many people are seeking to know God or at least to connect with some sort of “higher power.” That should not surprise us since God created humans in his image, giving us a “spiritual appetite.” Theologian and philosopher Blaise Pascal is credited with saying that within each person there is a “God-shaped hole looking to be filled” [see footnote (1) for his actual words, translated into English]. That being so, one would hope that a person sincerely seeking to know God would receive clear direction from all Christian churches. Sadly, that is not always the case, as illustrated in this cartoon:

Given our limited minds, we humans are unable to fully comprehend all there is to know about God. Paul put it this way: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33). Though God lives in “unapproachable light” (1 Timothy 6:16), he has not left us completely in the dark. Note Jesus’ remarkable statement in Matthew 11:27: “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” I love how the second-century Christian teacher Irenaeus explained this verse in Against Heresies:

No one can know the Father apart from God’s Word, that is, unless the Son reveals him, and no one can know the Son unless the Father so wills. Now the Son fulfills the Father’s good pleasure: the Father sends, the Son is sent, and he comes. The Father is beyond our sight and comprehension; but he is known by his Word, who tells us of him who surpasses all telling. In turn, the Father alone has knowledge of his Word. And the Lord has revealed both truths. Therefore, the Son reveals the knowledge of the Father by his revelation of himself. Knowledge of the Father consists in the self-revelation of the Son, for all is revealed through the Word.

This means that no one can know God unless and until God reveals himself. And he has chosen to reveal himself through Jesus. The word reveal comes from the Greek word apokalupto meaning to take off the cover—to disclose or reveal. It is the opposite of kalupto, which means to cover up; hide. The Old Testament speaks of the Shekinah glory of God, present within the innermost part of the Tabernacle behind the veil. No one was allowed beyond that veil except the high priest, and then only once a year. For most of the time, God remained hidden behind the veil. So when Jesus said he had come to reveal the Father, his followers were understandably intrigued.

When Philip asked Jesus to show the disciples the Father, Jesus replied: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). God sent his Son to “pull back the covers” and reveal who he is through his Son. We must be careful not to let preconceptions of what God is like determine our thinking and behavior toward God. Only Jesus has perfect and complete knowledge of God. And he shares that knowledge with us.

Through the life and ministry of Jesus, we get the best look at what God is like this side of our resurrection in glory. Jesus alone is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He alone brings “insider knowledge” of the whole of God as the eternal Son of God. He alone is God’s self-revelation in time and space, flesh and blood. In Jesus, God has come to us in person, meeting us face-to-face so that we may know him truly and personally.

Jesus shared himself and what he knew with his disciples, whom he called his friends. And he commissioned them, and those who follow them, to go into the world and make that knowledge known—not through books and programs offering esoteric, “hidden knowledge” or esoteric, private experiences. And certainly not through a complex web of philosophical arguments and counter-arguments. Jesus told his followers that they could come to know God through relationships, including relationships with each other and with those outside the Christian community. He said that the clearest sign that would point others to him would be the love that his followers have for each other—a love reflecting God’s own love for all people.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Last week the world breathed a sigh of relief as the US Congress voted at the last minute to raise the debt limit, narrowly averting what could have become a global economic crisis. The crisis has only been postponed. It looks like we will have to face it again in the new year.

Sadly, our world has become a suffering, complicated mess. Even rich and powerful nations struggle to govern themselves—a reality that highlights the need for the human race—all of us—to accept the friendship and helping hand of our Creator who made us for better things. I am grateful that God has allowed us to see through the murk and despair to realize that there is a way to live that leads to joy and hope, in loving partnership with God through Jesus. That is the true message of the Bible.

Sadly, some use Scripture to preach a message of impending doom.

In some of my recent visits to churches, I have been asked about the book The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn who pastors a large Messianic Jewish church in New Jersey. His book, which was published in 2011, is a work of fiction. However, Cahn based it on Bible prophecies (Isaiah 9:8-21 in particular) that he interprets as predicting a series of calamities he says God is bringing on the US. In his interpretive scheme, Cahn draws parallels between the last days of ancient Israel and current events in America since 9/11. He sees nine signs (he calls them “harbingers”) hidden in Isaiah’s prophecies, showing how God is progressively judging America for its sins.

Gripping stuff, I suppose, if you like that sort of thing. Personally I don’t. I found the book hard to read. That, of course, is my personal reaction and I wouldn’t bother to write about it if The Harbinger was intended only as fiction. What we read for entertainment is a personal matter and my opinion of Cahn’s book would matter only as much as my opinion of a book like Winnie the Pooh. However, Cahn has a more serious agenda than mere entertainment. As he writes in the beginning of his book, “What you are about to read is presented in the form of a story, but what is contained within the story is real.” He intends that The Harbinger be taken as a serious call for national repentance.

Cahn’s theme is based on the idea that the US is in a special covenant relationship with God. Starting with that premise, it is only a small step to apply prophecies given to ancient Israel to the present situation in the US. Isaiah 9:10, for example, becomes a prophecy of the destruction of the World Trade Center then 9/11. Cahn’s approach reminds me of the central premise of British-Israelism, which we learned is not the secret that unlocks Bible prophecy, nor is it the proper lens through which to interpret Scripture.

Sadly, biblical prophecy can be a rich vein for exploitation in the hands of alarmist preachers. We should not be surprised when people who read The Harbinger ask, “Is there something to it?” While we can applaud the theme of calling for repentance and a return to godliness, misusing prophecy is not the way to do it. Appeals to biblical authority should be based on a correct exegesis of Scripture.

In claiming that the nine harbingers are God’s warnings specifically to America before he passes judgment on the country, Cahn is taking an Old Testament concept out of context. America is not Israel. Israel’s calling and mission culminated in Jesus Christ.

There was a time when God sent prophets to warn a particular person or country. But that was then and this is now. Hebrews 1:1-2 succinctly sums up how God speaks to us today:

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

God’s message to America, and indeed to all the world, is found in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. That message is a loving call to repentance and an invitation to fellowship—not a threat of terrible punishment upon any one particular nation. So whatever merits The Harbinger has as a novel, it has no special insights for those who value biblical truth. Personally, I would rather read Winnie the Pooh.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Why is it that atheists often are seen as rational and logical while Christians are seen as desperately clinging to their beliefs when all the evidence is against them?

It seems to me that some of the reasoning exhibited by atheists is anything but logical. For example, some of them are pressuring Congress to provide non-believing chaplains to serve members of the U.S. military who do not believe in God.

I am not making this up! Jason Torpy, president of the Military Association of Atheists and Free Thinkers (MAAF), noting that 23 percent of those in the military say they have no religious preference, claims that existing chaplains are unable to provide the “positive outreach and support” unbelievers need. Therefore, he concludes, non-believing members of the military should have chaplains who share their lack of belief.

A chaplain who does not believe in God? To me, that sounds like the ultimate oxymoron.

Though I’m sure you’ll get a chuckle out of the cartoon at right (by GCI elder Monte Wolverton), this situation is no laughing matter. How would an atheist chaplain counsel, console and encourage an atheist colleague? Would the chaplain remind them that they are a cosmic accident, with no purpose other than what they decide to pursue? Would they find consolation and comfort in being reminded that they are only a product of their genes and that their brain doesn’t really have original thoughts, so there is no reason for them to have anxiety before going into battle?

Some of today’s atheists would have felt right at home in ancient Corinth. At the time Paul wrote his letters to the church there, Corinth prided itself on its liberal, freewheeling lifestyle. The city’s “anything goes” approach was adversely affecting the church, and Paul’s letters were wake-up calls to the members, reminding them of their responsibility to come out of that world and embrace Christian values.

Paul wrote, “Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become ‘fools’ so that you may become wise” (1 Corinthians 3:18). He then admitted that he was one of those “fools for Christ” (4:10). I suppose that atheists today would say a hearty “Amen” to that! They consider Christians to be fools for believing in God’s existence and that Jesus Christ died for our sins.

But we are not the only fools. As Psalm 14:1 states, “The fool says in his heart that there is no God.” So both sides are fools. The question is—Who is the bigger fool?

Some atheists and other nonbelievers, seeing that they lack political influence, seek to bring unbelievers together under the common heading of “brights“—those with “a naturalistic worldview, free from supernatural and mystical forces.” Think about that—would atheist military chaplains encourage non-believing soldiers with affirmations that they are smarter than soldiers who seek comfort from God in whom these “brights” do not believe? It’s no wonder that many people see through the “logic” behind atheists’ arguments. Remember, that to be successful, atheists must prove that God does not exist. They cannot claim victory just because we believers cannot prove to their satisfaction that God does exist. However, we must also remember that exposing the weakness in the atheists’ argument does not, in itself, prove God’s existence.

We must be careful how we go about trying to prove that God exists. A common mistake is to claim that creation proves God’s existence by quoting Romans 1:20: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” But this verse does not say that creation proves God’s existence. Rather, it says that if we already believe that God is Creator, then we are able to see in the creation something of God’s own nature.

A stronger proof of God’s existence is the life of a believer who is being transformed—a person who, in relationship with God, through the Holy Spirit, is sharing in the perfect humanity of Jesus Christ.

It is often said that there are no atheists in foxholes. Like all people, when unbelievers find themselves in fear or torment, they need a reason for hope. They certainly don’t need an atheist chaplain who would reinforce their unbelief (as in the cartoon above). What they need is a caring believer who will offer the comfort and unconditional love that come from the one Source of eternal hope. More than anything else, such comfort, hope and love may get them wondering if perhaps God really does exist.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We believe that prayer is vital to a life of faith. Skeptics may view it as merely talking aloud to an imagined deity, but that is not our problem. The problem we face with prayer is when it seems to go unanswered. When I think of biblical examples, two come immediately to mind. The first is found in the prophet’s prayer in Habakkuk 1:1-4. Perhaps you’ve prayed using similar words:

How long, Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.

God answered Habakkuk’s prayer, but not in the way he expected.

Having prayed for the injustice in Judean society to be corrected, Habakkuk was stunned when God’s answer was that the nation would be invaded by the Babylonians and carried into captivity. Instead of hearing what he hoped would amount to divine justice, Habakkuk was told that he would have to endure even more injustice. He didn’t complain nor did he deny God’s existence for not answering in the way he expected. Instead, Habakkuk received God’s answer and carried on—he was changed by prayer.

The second example of seemingly unanswered prayer is that of Jesus praying in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46). There, in agony, anticipating the painful sacrifice that lay ahead, Jesus pleaded with God the Father: “Is there no other way?”

Jesus returned to this prayer after checking on his disciples, his closest friends on earth. They were asleep and after waking them, he returned to entreat God with the same question: “Is there no other way?”

Jesus then went again to seek the comfort of his friends, but they were still asleep. Then the cycle repeated itself once more.

My perspective is that when Jesus saw his disciples sleeping the third time, he realized the answer to his seemingly unanswered prayer. That his closest friends could not comply with his request to merely stay awake, showed Jesus that all humanity ultimately fails due to its brokenness. Thus the answer to his prayer was clear—there was no other way. Though his coming death, resurrection and ascension were not the answer that Jesus sought at that moment, he willingly submitted and carried on. He did so even with joy, anticipating what would be accomplished for his disciples and for all humanity (Hebrews 12:2).

As you know, Jesus added a supplemental clause to his prayer. To borrow from the world of insurance terminology, he added “a rider.” He begins with the words, “If there be any way that this cup can pass from me…” and then the rider: “…yet not what I will but what you will.” Jesus’ prayer was not simply a request, much less a demand. Rather it showed his complete trust in his heavenly Father. His prayer demonstrated faith lived out in action.

Though we tend to see prayer as what we say with our voices, God views it as what we do with our whole lives—all that we say, think, hope, love, believe and desire. God’s answer to our prayer thus addresses all that we (and, ultimately, all humanity) are and need to become in relationship to him. Wouldn’t any answer from God less than that be superficial? I’m sure we’re all thankful that God has not said “Yes” to all of our requests!

Certainly, we can verbalize our prayers to God. But since God’s relationship with us extends far beyond just listening to our words, his answers to our prayers involve more than just a snap judgment of “Yes,” “No,” or “Wait.” In prayer, we not only talk to God but also seek to discern how God is responding to us—trusting that his every response is one of loving us towards maturity in Christ. So while God may say “No” to one of our particular requests, that “No” always comes out of his wisdom and compassion for us as whole persons and so should not be regarded as a rejection of us, but as an affirmation of us as his children. Our heavenly Father is wiser and more loving than we are and so are his answers to our prayers.

I’m not suggesting here that God’s answers to our prayers only involve what he does to change us spiritually and never involve changing our circumstances, relationships and physical conditions or those of others. God is omnipresent and sees and knows the needs of everyone before we observe them. He already has his plan of redemption in motion that includes everyone, even the whole of creation. Prayer is our way of joining him in what he is doing in us, in others and in our world. However, we must be the first to understand that we do not always know what is best for all concerned, or just how he is going to accomplish all that he is doing to bring about his redemptive purposes. God’s answer to prayer takes into consideration all of time, all of space and all of creation. So we entrust all our prayers to him, trusting him to exercise his loving wisdom in his every answer. We can count on his answers to always exhibit the same wisdom and compassion we see lived out in Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate, crucified, resurrected, ascended and coming again in the glory of his kingdom.

Rather than becoming weary in prayer and well-doing, we can carry on as did Habakkuk and Jesus. A life of prayer offered to the living, redeeming God will always remind us that our own efforts will not bring the ultimate solutions to humanity’s problems. We need God’s saving, redeeming and transforming power. We acknowledge that we lack the wisdom and all-encompassing compassion that God exercises in deciding just how he will realize his saving purposes. Incorporating our prayers into his loving and wise purposes, God will use them to help us become the Christ-like person he intends for us to be. With that perspective, we will pray more and more like Jesus—from the depths of our hearts, gladly echoing his rider, “Yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Yours in Christ’s service,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In last week’s Update, I wrote that it was the 18th anniversary of my becoming President and Pastor General of our denomination. It was also, of course, the 18th anniversary of the death of my father, Joseph W. Tkach. My dad had the unique, and in some ways unenviable, opportunity to be the appointed successor of our founder, Herbert W. Armstrong.

As the church’s second Pastor General, my dad led the church through the most challenging decade of its history. He presided over tumultuous changes, which resulted in the abandoning of some deeply entrenched doctrinal errors, but also in a massive downsizing of our church, as many rejected the reforms.

This journey of change was often circuitous. Understanding did not come to my dad all at once. He often made course corrections and restatements along the way. But, in retrospect, we can see how one issue led to another as understanding unfolded.

Last week, Ted Johnston sent me an article he had written following my dad’s death in 1995. It was a tribute to my dad’s courage and vision during his ten years as Pastor General. Ted was pastoring two congregations in western Colorado when he wrote the article. Today he is a senior member of our administration and one of my close friends and colleagues. Ted compiled the article from letters that my dad published in the Pastor General’s Report, spanning the time from the commencement of dad’s administration in January 1986 until just before his death in September 1995.

Reading Ted’s article reminded me of how much we all owe to my dad. It has been said that only those who have served as the President of the United States can really appreciate what that office is like. I can say the same about being the President of GCI. As the years of my presidency have gone by, I have understood more and more the pressures my dad was under and the courage and vision he possessed in leading us through our many changes.

As October is pastor appreciation month, I have republished Ted’s article (“A journey of change,” linked above-left). I am sure it will bring back memories for those of us who shared those turbulent times and give valuable perspective to those who either are too young to remember or are new to our fellowship. The article documents an amazing, perhaps historically unprecedented story of change within an entire Christian denomination for which God gets the glory, but my dad deserves our deep thanks.

While I am not sure who designated October as pastor appreciation month, I am grateful that there is such a focus during one month of the year. Of course, pastors ought to be appreciated all year long—as the apostle Paul noted in 1 Corinthians 12, they are one of the Holy Spirit’s gifts to the church. However, pastors are only human and can grow weary and discouraged (see this month’s issue of Equipper at http://mindev.gci.org/Web%20Documents/Equipper8.10.pdf). This can happen especially when there are critics and naysayers in the congregation. So it is a good thing when church members encourage their pastors, thanking them for their ongoing efforts.

One of the most encouraging things I hear from people is that they are praying for me. And I must say that there are times when I feel lifted by the thought that I have many prayer partners. I believe that my own prayers are not equal to the encouragement I receive when others tell me that they are praying for my health, strength and inspiration from God.

It is no accident that God inspired the title and role in the church known as pastor to mirror for us his own shepherd’s heart and mind. In today’s atmosphere of freethinking, rugged individualism, the pastor’s role as the shepherd of a congregation who is called to guard the flock from bad theology may be one of the hardest dynamics to implement in our culture. So as pastor appreciation month begins, let me be one of the first to say to our pastors, “much thanks and congratulations for your perseverance and faithfulness.”

With love in Christ’s service,

Joseph Tkach

PS: For those reading this who are not pastors, I encourage you to say thanks to your pastor this month. For ways to do so, see http://www.lifeway.com/Article/HomeLife-Pastor-Appreciation-Five-Ways-To-Say-Thanks?emid=jhowe-pastorstoday-article-pastorsappreciation-20130930.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Tammy and I recently traveled to Staten Island, New York to share in an anniversary celebration at Hands for Christ Community Church—one of our most interesting and unusual congregations. One year ago, Pastor Mary Bacheller had a dream come true when Hands for Christ held their inaugural worship service. Weekly attendance has grown to around 40. About 120 attended the first anniversary worship service—they had invited members from other New York City area churches.

Hands for Christ Community Church is an apt name, because the congregation serves the deaf and hearing-impaired community. They conduct their worship services entirely in American Sign Language (ASL). All their hymns and music are signed—watching their choir signing in ASL was quite an experience (see the picture at left). In a reversal of what is usual, those of us who can hear were the ones who needed an interpreter.

Tammy and I joined with Pastor Mary in baptizing three members at Mary’s home and then blessing them in the anniversary service (see the picture at right). We also helped commission three new ministry leaders. The whole anniversary celebration was inspiring. I thank Pastor Mary and the other Hands for Christ leaders for their faith, determination and hard work in shepherding this pioneering church plant to this point in its journey with Christ.

On the subject of anniversaries, this month marks the 18th year of my serving as President of our church fellowship. I can honestly say that “time flies when you’re having fun” (despite some anxious moments). There is no greater joy than seeing people grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior.

GCI is active in about 100 countries and territories, with about 55,000 members gathered in about 900 congregations. I say “about” because it is difficult to get precise numbers since we have added several thousand new members in Asia and Africa in the last few years. Because we are a small denomination, it is my blessing to be able to know the majority of our ordained ministry, not only in name but also in person. This is true for many of our members as well, although I must confess that since crossing the 60-year age threshold, I cannot always recall names as I used to. However, my recall of God’s commission to our church fellowship has not been forgotten in any way. Collectively, our memory is strong in the calling God has given to all of us to be in his ministry of all believers.

Traveling to annual conferences around the world, I am reminded that we are alive in Christ. It is a recurring and delightful thought that Christ lives in us all through the multiple relationships we have with one another. We are bound together in an intricate network of relationships that fascinates me whenever I think about it.

Other Christian leaders often tell me how impressed they are with the relational nature of our fellowship. We probably underestimate how unusual and important this is. According to a recent article in Christianity Today, 19.8 percent of North American non-Christians do not know any Christians (see the graph below) and 60 percent have no relationships with any. According to LifeWay president Thom Rainer, in his book, The Unchurched Next Door, though most people come to church because of a personal invitation, seven out of ten unchurched people have never been invited to attend church, despite the fact that 82 percent of unchurched people are at least somewhat likely to attend when invited.

LifeWay Research surveyed over 15,000 adults and found that about two-thirds are willing to receive information about a local church from a family member, and over half are willing if the information comes from a friend or neighbor. The survey also showed that 4 percent of formerly churched adults are actively looking for a church to attend regularly (other than their previous church) and 6 percent would prefer to resume attending regularly in the same church they had attended. The survey also indicated that over 60 percent are not actively looking for a church but are open to the idea of attending regularly again. It showed that many would respond to an invitation to attend church when given by a friend or acquaintance (41 percent), by their children (25 percent) or by an adult family member (25 percent). The issue of affinity surfaced here: 35 percent indicated that they would be inspired to attend “if I knew there were people like me there.” Unfortunately, the study also revealed that only 2 percent of church members have invited someone to church in the past year.

Statistics like these remind me of Jesus’ words in Matthew 9:37: “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” I can only echo the words of Lee Strobel, author of The Case for Christ, “Seven out of 10 unchurched people would visit a church if a friend invited them. What are we waiting for?”

Your brother in Christ’s service,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

God has provided a wonderful plan of salvation, based not on human merit but on his grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). This word “grace” has become shorthand for Christians. Some understand its meaning well, while others seem to view it as being in conflict with the idea of law. “Now that we are under grace, do we have to keep the law?” is a question Christians have asked for nearly 2,000 years. Paul addressed this question in his letter to the churches in Rome:

So what do we do? Keep on sinning so God can keep on forgiving? I should hope not! If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realize we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land! (Romans 6:1-3 The Message).

According to Paul, this “new life” in a “new land” is not lawless. It is not “law” or “grace” as though the two are opposed. Instead, the word “grace” should be understood as representing the many parts or aspects of God’s whole plan of redemption. God’s grace has always included within it a call for the response of an obedience that trusts in (has faith in) God’s grace.

It is often stated that the old covenant is “law” while the new covenant is “grace.” Though this shorthand way of thinking is not totally inaccurate, it can lead to the unfortunate idea that law and grace are totally at odds. But what we see in Scripture is that the old covenant was not graceless and the new covenant is certainly not lawless. Instead, what we find are two forms of God’s one gracious covenant with the Old Testament presenting the promise and the New Testament presenting its fulfillment in Christ. Each of these has its particular form of obedience corresponding to its particular form of covenantal grace.

Under the new covenant form of grace, we live by the law of Christ that is written on our hearts. Paul refers to that law as “the law of the Spirit” (Romans 8:2) and “the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). These new covenant references equate the law with the will and heart of God, which is shared with us as his children by the Spirit of Christ. As we submit to God’s will and are moved by his heart, we experience the freedom that we have been given from the condemning effect of sin. Note this related comment from Trinitarian theologian Andrew Purves concerning the covenanted way of response to God’s grace found in both the old and new covenants:

God knew that Israel would not be able to be faithful as God required. Thus, God, within the [old] covenant established and maintained unilaterally by God, freely and graciously gave a covenanted way of responding so that the covenant might be fulfilled on their behalf.

Israel was given ordinances of worship designed to testify that God alone can expiate guilt, forgive sin and establish communion. This was not just a formal rite to guarantee propitiation between God and Israel, however. By its very nature, the covenanted way of response was to be worked into the flesh and blood of Israel’s existence in such a way that Israel was called to pattern her whole life after it.

Later, in the prophecies of the Isaiah tradition especially, the notions of guilt-bearer and sacrifice for sin were conflated to give the interpretative clue for the vicarious role of the servant of the Lord. It would take the incarnation actually to bring that to pass, however, for Jesus Christ was recognized and presented in the New Testament both as the Servant of the Lord and as the divine Redeemer, not now only of Israel, but of all people. Jesus Christ has fulfilled the covenant from both sides, from God’s side, and from our side (from the paper “I yet not I but Christ: Galatians 2:20 and the Christian Life in the Theology of T. F. Torrance”).

Purves’ insights help us appreciate the age-old Christian axiom: “Jesus did it all,” while also answering Francis Schaeffer’s famous question: “How should we then live?“ Unfortunately, some think grace means living any way we want. Some, objecting to that conclusion, insist that we obey all 613 laws of the Torah. But neither of these responses to grace is God’s will for us as followers of Jesus. As Paul explained, we are called to die daily, letting Christ live in us through the Holy Spirit. As we yield to Christ, we experience his kingdom reign and share in his obedience to the Father’s will including what he is doing to fulfill the Father’s mission to the world. As noted by Thomas F. Torrance, we live out the obedience of faith in Christ’s fulfillment of the heart and good will of God for us:

It is only through union with Christ that we partake of the blessings of Christ, that is through union with him in his holy and obedient life… Through union with him we share in his faith, in his obedience, in his trust and his appropriation of the Father’s blessing (Theology in Reconstruction, 158-9).

To help us understand the important relationship between law and grace, we have included in this issue an essay by Dr. Gary Deddo in which he discusses this topic from an Incarnational, Trinitarian perspective (click here or the “Grace and obedience” link under “Contents”). I think you will find his essay both challenging and informative.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Some claim that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal power. But viewing him in that way falls far short of what the New Testament teaches, undermining a full understanding of one of the most exciting and encouraging dimensions of our relationship with God.

In teaching about the Holy Spirit, the New Testament uses analogies related to both power and personhood. But why the mixture? If the doctrine of the Trinity is so important, why didn’t the New Testament authors spell it out more clearly?

It’s important to remember that the Bible was written within a particular cultural setting where some things were understood without detailed explanation. It’s the same today. If I mention “Monday morning quarterbacking” to Americans, most know what I mean without elaboration. But people unfamiliar with American football culture would not understand.

As we read what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit, we need to ask, are we expecting it to answer questions that were not questions in its original cultural setting? Would the original audience have assumed without further explanation that the Holy Spirit was personal and acted as a powerful agent? Scripture shows us that the answer is yes.

There are many places in Scripture where the Holy Spirit is referred to in personal terms. In John 16:14, Jesus refers to the Spirit using a personal (rather than a neuter) pronoun, saying “He will glorify me.” In Acts 15:28, the apostles spoke of the Spirit in personal terms when they said “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.” The characteristics of a person are assumed by the biblical authors when they spoke of the Holy Spirit acting as do human persons: teaching, comforting, guiding, giving, calling and sending. They spoke of the Spirit as being resisted (Acts 7:51), argued with and personally replied to (10:14-20), grieved (Ephesians 4:30) and lied to (Acts 5:3-9). They also spoke of the Spirit distributing gifts according to his own will (1 Corinthians 12:11).

The early church recognized that “Holy Spirit” was used throughout Scripture as a proper name, just as are “Father” and “Son.” Jesus indicates that all three are personal names when he directs his disciples to baptize in “the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). This command hearkens back to Jesus’ own baptism where the Father, the Son and the Spirit were each personally present (Matthew 3:13-17).

Jesus distinguished the Spirit from himself in a personal sense when he said, “I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away, the Comforter [Paraclete] will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7 KJV). Jesus regarded the Holy Spirit not as an effect (comfort) but as a person who brings comfort (the Comforter).

In saying that he would send the Holy Spirit, Jesus distinguished the Spirit from himself and the Father in a personal sense: “But the Counselor [Paraclete], the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and will bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26 RSV). “When the Counselor [Paraclete] comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me” (John 15:26 RSV).

Because the name Paraclete is unfamiliar to us (my spell-check keeps asking if I mean “parakeet”!), English Bibles translate it as Counselor, Helper, Advocate or Comforter. But these translations fall short in conveying the name’s full meaning. Those who spoke Koine Greek understood Jesus’ meaning—they recognized that Jesus was speaking in personal terms when referring to “the Paraclete,” just as he was speaking in personal terms when referring to “the Son” and to “the Father.” Though these personal names were revolutionary, they were not ambiguous.

In the ancient world, paracletos often was used in a legal sense—like our words advocate, attorney or lawyer (though likening the Spirit to a lawyer might not go down so well today!). Paracletos also was used in a military sense. Greek soldiers went into battle in pairs, standing together as they fought off the enemy. The Greeks called this trusted soldier and friend a paraclete. So when the first disciples heard Jesus refer to the Spirit as the Paraclete and speak of him otherwise in personal terms (as in Acts 1:5, 8), Jesus’ meaning would have been apparent to them without further explanation.

From the beginning, the early church was functionally and implicitly trinitarian. Like Jesus, it spoke of the Father, the Son and the Spirit using personal terms. However, as Christianity spread, other teachings arose. Church leaders had to counter heretical teachings concerning the nature of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit and the relationships between the divine persons. Out of these debates came the doctrine of the Trinity, which was formalized in the Nicene Creed (shown below) where the Father, Son and Spirit are presented as unique divine persons who are inter-personally related. Note this comment from Thomas Torrance:

A definite doctrine of the Trinity was found to arise out of a faithful exegetical interpretation of the New Testament and out of the evangelical experience and liturgical life of the Church from the very beginning. It made explicit what was already implicit in the fundamental deposit of faith. It was with the formulation of the homoousion [meaning “of one being”—the term used in the Nicene Creed] clarifying and expressing the essential connection of the Son to the Father upon which the very Gospel rested, and with the application of the homoousion to the Holy Spirit to express his oneness in being with the Godhead of the Father, that the theological structure of the Trinitarian understanding of the Godhead unfolded and established itself firmly within the mind of the Church (The Trinitarian Faith, p. 199, emphasis added).

Though the Nicene Creed made explicit the personhood of the Father, the Son and the Spirit, some Western thinkers (particularly since the Enlightenment) have explained God’s nature in impersonal, mechanistic and creaturely ways, including saying that the Holy Spirit is not God, but an impersonal power that emanates from God. But impersonal explanations of God’s nature always fall short. Why? Because God is not a creature, nor is he a mechanism. His true nature as a tri-personal, relational God is known only by revelation, from Jesus, recorded in Scripture. There the Holy Spirit is revealed as the Paraclete—a divine Person who is personal just as are the Father and the Son.

Grounded in this stunning revelation, we may think, speak, worship and act with assurance, knowing that the Holy Spirit is God just as the Father is God and the Son is God. One God; three persons: blessed Trinity!

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

PS. For more on this topic I recommend these articles at GCI.org and The Surprising God:

• The Deity of the Holy Spirit (http://www.gci.org/God/deityHS)
• Is the Holy Spirit God? (http://thesurprisinggodblog.gci.org/2011/06/is-holy-spirit-god.html)
• The Eternal Spirit—an article in a series on the Nicene Creed (http://thesurprisinggodblog.gci.org/2011/11/eternal-spirit-nicene-creed-7.html)

For an eye-opening study on the Bible’s cultural context, see the book, Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by Richards and O’Brien.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Though we have learned as a denomination to appreciate regional and cultural differences in the way we worship God, that does not mean that we believe that “anything goes.” We draw the line at behavior that leads people away from a right relationship with God.

As I travel around the world, I take note of questions from our pastors and members. Their questions often arise from what they heard a popular preacher say on television. They ask me: “Have you read their book?” “What do you think of their teaching?” My answers typically advise caution, for sound theology often is lacking in what televangelists offer. I don’t mean to paint them all with the same broad brush, but the unfortunate fact is that many of them teach what is known as the health and wealth gospel. It’s also known as the word of faith, positive confession or seed-faith teaching. Some give it more pejorative names like name it and claim it or blab it and grab it. Perhaps calling it the health and stealth gospel would be the most accurate, for this false teaching has the potential to lead people away from the true gospel.

Missionary experts have noted how many people who embrace the health and wealth gospel are caught up in it for three to five years before they realize that the only ones prospering are the televangelists. When they realize they have been duped, some look for another church where they can recover from the false teaching. Sadly, others stop attending church altogether.

Health and wealth teachers abandon sound principles of biblical interpretation and teaching and utilize sensational, often bizarre theatrics to keep their audiences stirred up. Their message is that physical health and wealth is the evidence of God’s saving grace. But that teaching is nonsense—it is grounded in several exegetical, hermeneutical and theological errors.

One error is the belief that you can release the power of heaven through your words. This is quite a departure from the examples of prayer in Scripture. It is akin to occult or magical practices where spirits, powers and forces must do your bidding if you know the right words (incantation) to say. This approach makes God out to be some sort of cosmic vending machine!

Another error is the belief that you need special, private revelation from God to understand the teaching, because it is not made clear in the Bible. Here is an illustrative quote from a popular word of faith televangelist: “The Bible can’t even find any way to explain this. Not really. That’s why you’ve got to get it by revelation. There are no words to explain what I’m telling you. I’ve got to just trust God that he’s putting it into your spirit like he put it into mine.” Really? The apostle Paul warned in Galatians 1:6-9 about claims to special, private revelations and interpretations. Be on your guard!

The reason the health and wealth gospel is spiritually harmful is that it presents a relationship with God as a transaction: If you don’t do your part, you won’t be blessed. But if you speak the right words, with just the right attitude (what they erroneously refer to as “faith”), then God must give you the asked-for benefit.

God is not interested in a transactional relationship with us. His covenant is not a contract—not an if you, then I proposition. God gives to us freely out of his own goodness, love and sheer generosity in accordance with the promises he freely has made toward his people and creation. Relating to God in a transactional way is a form of pagan religion—a form of idolatry—that denies God’s grace and distrusts his gracious character. It is the very thing that Jesus condemned in the Jewish religious leaders of his day. The idea of conducting a transaction with God is doomed from the beginning for we can never perfectly “do our part.” But, thankfully, God never wanted or expected that we would. Rather he invites and enables us to receive his blessings by trusting him to be true to his promises—true to his word—indeed, true to himself.

In and through Jesus and by the Holy Spirit, our heavenly Father has given us the greatest blessing of all. Its focus is not physical health or wealth. Jesus did not heal everyone in his ministry. No one got wealthy, including Jesus himself. Some, in fact, gave up all their worldly possessions! The miracles Jesus performed were limited and temporary (even those he raised from the dead eventually died again!). These miracles were signs that pointed to the greatest blessing of all: redemption and reconciliation to God in Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ priority was to reconcile people to God so they would put their entire trust in him and lead lives reflecting his character. Paul refers to this Christ-likeness as “the fruit of the Spirit,” which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NRSV). Paul exulted in “the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God” (Romans 11:33) and proclaimed, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). That is the “health” and “wealth” that we are to seek and to receive by faith.

If our focus is on temporal, physical rewards, Christ becomes merely a means—a tool—to gain our own ends. A transactional gospel ignores Jesus’ warning about getting caught up in “the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth” (Matthew 13:22) that choke out the development of genuine, mature faith in our gracious God.

I could cite other scriptures, but I think I’ve made the point. GCI does not support or promote the health and wealth gospel. We believe that it distorts Scripture, conflicts with Jesus’ message of the gospel and threatens a right relationship with God. Please remind those who are tempted to embrace it of Paul’s warning that, “The grace of God… teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12, emphasis added). Also remind them of Jesus’ warning: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15).

With love, in Christ’s service,

Joseph Tkach