July-August 1997
What on Earth is God Doing?
Celebrating two churches' journey out of exclusivism and into the oneness of the body of Christ
by Jim Bevis
One of the wonderful things about the current movement of God across the church and nation is that God is changing not only individuals and local congregations but also entire denominations. To my knowledge, every major religious group in America and abroad has been touched to some extent by the fresh breath of the Holy Spirit blowing across the church.
My wife, Anne, and I come from the Church of Christ. The first 20 years of our ministry were among acappella (noninstrumental) Churches of Christ. Most of the churches I have served as minister were either Churches of Christ or independent churches coming out of the Alexander Campbell/Barton Stone Restoration Movement of Churches of Christ, Christian Churches and Disciples of Christ.
Even our ministry has now merged into the more inclusive body of Christ, regardless of label. One of the great blessings of our lives has been the freedom to embrace all of God's people regardless of their affiliation and walk in spiritual oneness with all of those who carry Christ's banner.
Recently, Anne and I attended the Jubilee gathering in Nashville, Tennessee. Jubilee draws more than 10,000 participants, primarily from churches of Christ across the United States. The conference theme was "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus."
Jubilee was probably the first Church of Christ meeting I had attended in 20 years, and I was thrilled at much that I saw and experienced. Messages of grace, love and hope flowed from every speaker coming to the pulpit.
Jesus was lifted up in all messages. The Word of God was expounded without the sectarian bias that has characterized some corners of the church. The message was free of traditions, emphases and distinctives, being taught as the doctrine of God.
We were welcomed and loved by those who knew us. Never did we feel unwelcomed or treated as outcasts. We were received.
Let me hasten to say that from my perspective, Jubilee has not arrived and probably never will (neither have I), but Jubilee and thousands of believers among Churches of Christ are being exposed to the new thing that God is doing.
The Worldwide Church of God
Although different in many respects, a connection exists between what I've just shared and what is happening in the ranks of those in the Worldwide Church of God. Since its founding, the Worldwide Church of God, under the leadership of Herbert W. Armstrong, has been considered a cult by orthodox Christians.
After Armstrong's death in 1986, the new leader, Joseph Tkach Sr. and his associates began to turn the church toward a more biblical stance on many issues. WCG leaders began to reexamine every doctrine and tradition in the light of the revealed Word of God, and many of their beliefs began to fall by the wayside or experience radical (and divine) adjustment.
Before Tkach, "Armstrongites" centered their faith in the old covenant, rather than the new, denied the biblical doctrine of the Trinity and proclaimed themselves the "only true church," regarding all others as deceived, at best.
Now, according to their own testimonies, they are coming out of the "fog of legalism" and experiencing real life, under the new covenant, given by the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:6).
I don't know how you respond to these developments among Churches of Christ and the Worldwide Church of God, but for me they are a breath of fresh air. Especially the brokenness of Joseph Tkach Jr., who succeeded his father as leader of the Worldwide Church of God.
How many times have we seen the leader or leaders of a denomination say: "We were wrong. Forgive us"? I've not seen this before in my lifetime, but it's past due.
Letting God Do His Work
In a pastors' prayer meeting after discussing the developments in the Worldwide Church of God, one of the brothers prayed, "Lord, do this same work among all of us."
What about it? Could this same thing happen in your group and mine? Are we willing to reexamine our doctrinal distinctives and time-honored traditions in the light of the Cross and Word of God? Is it possible that my group or yours has nothing to repent of?
Not likely! What would happen if all of us laid it all on the altar of God and said, "Lord, return to us only that which is from you."
Are we willing to turn loose of the traditions, mind-sets and biases that may be blocking the new wine from flowing in our churches?
"Lord, what a work you are doing among your people. We praise you and say, 'Do it again, Lord, among us.'"
Jim and Anne Bevis serve as Ambassadors-at-Large for Mercy Ships, a division of Youth With a Mission. They have conducted 67 national and international conferences focusing on renewal, revival, prayer and reconciliation. Jim is the executive director of the Conference on Spiritual Renewal and has been a minister of the gospel for the past 35 years.