Greetings everyone,
Undoubtedly, the theory of evolution, as purported by scientists, is erroneous. But evolution in the field of languages is certainly a reality. For instance, nowadays, we say "You guys" when addressing a mixed group. During my school years (that was some time ago, I admit) "guys" referred to men only. We also call children "kids" when that term originally meant young goats. The other day, as a group of "kids" were enjoying a meal of very hot tacos, I heard one of them say, "It's cool!"
Do you now understand my dilemma when someone calls me at CAD, asking, "Can you guys tell me how many kids you are expecting at the Youth summer camp this year?"
NEWS IN BRIEF
Mr. Roderick Meredith's new booklet—"How God Intervenes in World Affairs"—has been mailed to all member households. Earlier this week, he put the finishing touches on his "Dear Brethren" letter for the July-August 2002 Living Church News.
Mr. & Mrs. Ames were in Wyoming last Sabbath for the annual Wyoming Family
Weekend, and then stayed over in Yellowstone National Park for a couple of days. They returned to San Diego on Thursday, June 20th.
Mr. Carl McNair just finished conducting a Regional Pastoral Conference in Kilgore, Texas. He will be returning to San Diego this Sunday, June 23rd.
Mr. Mario Hernandez left San Diego yesterday, June 19th to visit the brethren in Spain, Portugal and Canary Islands. "I will spend the first days of July, including the Fourth of July weekend, in France, visiting some of my old friends in Strasbourg," he said before leaving.
INTERNATIONAL
FROM KENYA
Mr. Ernest Owino informs us that the Church attendance in his country is growing steadily. "It has become absolutely necessary," he writes, "that we establish a new congregation about 30 km south of Ndhiwa. […] I feel there is a real need for a new video group (as you know the people there cannot afford transportation costs to attend with the Ndhiwa congregation). If this is done, I should be prepared to spend more time in western Kenya—guiding these interested new "converts." We are expecting about 30 to start with the location (Got Kojowi) and more, apparently, will be flowing in, out of real interest in what we are teaching."
FROM SOUTH AFRICA
Mr. Syd Hull writes, "Things are really taking off in the RSA concerning God's work. I was down in Pietermaritzburg a couple of weeks ago and am very glad to announce that the church there is suddenly showing quick growth. There are 8 new people to be baptized next month when I again visit that church. In the Johannesburg area there are another four people coming into the Church. This year so far, we have 14 new people from our mailing list whom God is adding to His Church. Apart from this there is the possibility of several people coming with us from Phalaborwa. This should crystallize within the next month or so. We have two certified translators in the church who will be doing simultaneous translation from English to Afrikaans at this year's FOT.
"We are receiving encouraging feedback from Mauritius. If you could possibly help us out with some audiotapes in French on a regular basis it would help us tremendously. We are implementing the very positive advice received from Mr. Carl McNair during his recent visit to this country. Please tell Mr. Carl McNair that on visiting the Bloemfontein church this last Sabbath, I was presented with a copy of our first Afrikaans issue of Tomorrow's World magazine. In the semi-annual letter to our mailing list we have made people aware of this Afrikaans TW magazine. We are really trying to be all things to all men. On the 28th of June the Afrikaans agriculture magazine, "Landbou Weekblad", will carry our ad for the booklet "Who Controls the Weather?" the English edition, "Farmers Weekly" will carry our ad for the same booklet on the 5th of July. Dr. Meredith's latest booklet, "How God Intervenes in World Affairs" is now being translated and should be ready next week."
CONCLUSION
As members of the Living Church of God, we call ourselves Christians. Justly so. But there are millions of people in the world who also call themselves Christians. What makes anyone a Christian? Certainly not the name alone, but also what that name stands for. It includes the responsibilities and duties attached to it. "What's in a name?" wrote Shakespeare. "That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet."
Nearly always, we Christians pray in the name of Jesus Christ. But do we take time to reflect just what that name stands for? Simply repeating His name in our prayers, without reflecting on its true meaning, is of little value. Shocking as it may sound, more often than not we merely use His name in our prayers but we don't really pray in His name. Christ told us, "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:13-14). Why then so many prayers, seemingly made in His name, remain unanswered? Because they are not really made in His name, but only by using His name. Christ's name stands for Peace, Truth, Mercy, Forgiveness and Compassion. These are some attributes of His character. To pray in His name, we must express these same attributes. Live by them. Practice them in everything we do or say.
History shows that more wars, more atrocious crimes and violence have been committed in the name of "religion"—equated in people's minds to justice and freedom—than in any other name. Adversaries on both sides appeal for victory using God's name, as their Advocate, their Defender, to justify their cause whatever its merits. I remember reading Mother Teresa's words when she accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. "In the name of the hungry, of the naked, of the crippled, of the homeless, of the blind, in their name, I accept the award," she said. This is more in accord with Christ's own words at the time of the Judgment, "I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me" (Matthew 25:43).
Let's be true Christians and bear His name by bringing the changes He wants to be brought in our lives. Then we can call on His power and authority. In closing, I would like to quote a wise observation made by Richard Feynman, 1965 Nobel Laureate in Physics: "You can know the name of a bird in all the languages of the world, but when you're finished, you'll know absolutely nothing whatever about the bird… So let's look at the bird and see what it's doing—that's what counts. I learned very early the difference between knowing the name of something and knowing something." We, too, as Christians, need to know the difference between using the name of Christ and knowing Him and His power.
Y'all have a wonderful Sabbath!
Dibar Apartian