September 09 Beacon

September 2009 V o l um e 4 # 9

Wading River Baptist Church P.O. Box 438, 1635 Wading River-Manorville Road, Wading River, NY 11792 (631) 929-3512; 929-6022 www.wrbc.us [email protected]

The Search for Intimacy Reflections on the Ephrata Cloister (Part 1) “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin” (2 Corinthians 11:2). This summer, while on vacation, I visited the famed Ephrata Cloister in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. Maureen and I spent a fascinating afternoon experiencing the history of the Brotherhood, a Brethren sect that flourished there in the mid-eighteenth century. Our tour of the Cloister brought to mind some spiritual concerns which continue to be relevant to evangelical Christians. This month and next month, I want to share some reflections on two biblical issues raised by the history of this settlement. First some history. The Ephrata Cloister was founded by Conrad Beissel. Beissel was born in Eberbach, Germany in 1691. His father died before he was born and his mother died when he was eight. Moving to Heidelberg, he learned the baker’s trade and associated with the Pietists (disillusioned Lutherans who wanted a more experiential religion than they found in their own church). He was jailed briefly for his religious beliefs, and upon release was encouraged to go to America, and specifically to Pennsylvania, where the colony’s charter guaranteed religious freedom. Arriving in Boston in 1720, Beissel journeyed to Germantown, Pennsylvania. There he became a weaver, and under the influence of Peter Becker, a member of the German Baptist Brethren, an Anabaptist group, moved to the Conestoga territory (what is now Lancaster) and lived there briefly as a hermit. In 1724, he was baptized and joined the Brethren, and by virtue of his personal charisma, powerful persuasive charm, and natural leadership abilities, he soon became an influential leader.

Seventh-Day Baptist Church, which continued meeting at Ephrata until 1934.

Conrad Beissel’s House Beissel, however, developed highly mystical views of the Christian faith. He broke with the Brethren in 1728, and four years later, moved the short distance to Ephrata and there founded a colony which drew adherents from the Brethren. By 1750, there were 300 residents there, divided into three groups: the Brothers (celibate men); the Sisters (celibate women); and the Householders (married couples and their families). Members of the colony pursued a life of asceticism. They were vegetarians. Their schedule was strictly regimented, requiring long hours of work and prayer but allowing little time for sleep. The Ephrata Brotherhood is still remembered for its printing press—their printing operation was one of the most important in America at the time. They translated and published the Mennonite 1500-page Martyrs’ Mirror (still available today). Beissel was a prolific composer, developing a unique style of seven-part unaccompanied hymn singing. The Brethren were known for their unique style of German calligraphy called Frakturschriften. Following Beissel’s death in 1768, the community declined. The last celibate member died in 1813, and the remaining Householders formed the German

Conrad Beissel was convinced of the overriding importance of two beliefs: Sabbatarianism (Saturday worship), and celibacy (the superiority of the unmarried state). This latter position was part of his pilgrimage to join God in Heaven. Under the influence of the German mystical pietist, Jacob Boehme, Beissel believed that the Christian was a virgin reserved for intimate union with Christ in Heaven, and therefore should not engage in a marital relationship in this life. His basis for this belief was the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:2: “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.” Beissel’s “jealousy” at this point was the source of his virtually dictatorial authority at Ephrata. Beissel, however, diverged from the mainstream Pietist movement to follow the minority’s mysticism. This was not the mysticism we see invading evangelicalism today—a mysticism with its roots in Eastern religions. Rather, it was the mysticism of Post-Reformation Europe, a spirituality which sought to move beyond the orthodox creeds of a spiritually dead Lutheranism to a more vital relationship with Christ. Given the low level of spiritual vitality in seventeenth-century Germany, we can appreciate this passion. Beissel, however, was an extremist who sought to achieve a degree of intimacy with Christ nowhere taught in Scripture. A case can be made that Beissel’s tragic loss of his parents and his difficult continued on page 2

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upbringing by impoverished relatives can explain, at least in part, his passion for intimacy. He was starved of the experience of deep, emotional love as a child, and seems to have sought it all of his life. Failing to find it, he saw such intimacy as possible only in the next life, the full enjoyment of that intimacy being accorded only to those who had preserved themselves as “chaste virgins” in this life. Although Pietist spirituality is a relic of history, the contemporary fascination with Eastern contemplative mysticism shares something of this same search for intimacy with the Lord. Many professing believers in evangelical churches have sought emotional fulfillment in the Christian faith that they have been denied in their dysfunctional homes. Divorced parents . . . feuding parents . . . parents too busy to care and love . . . this is the tragic experience of many younger followers of Christ today. Emotionally starved, they have resorted to forms of hyper-spirituality foreign to the Bible. Reflecting on this quest for intimacy, what are we to conclude? How does a Christian find intimacy with the Lord? Is it a mystical experience neglected by most Christians, or is it an impossibility in this life? Let me offer the following two observations. 1. The biblical image of the church as the Bride of Christ is a vivid symbol of the corporate union of the church with her Lord. This corporate union is the result of

the union of each individual believer to the Lord Jesus which follows faith in Him and is outwardly symbolized through baptism (Rom 6:5). The nature of this future union is our being transformed into the likeness of His resurrection (Phil 3:20-21; 1 Jn 3:2). Beissel’s erroneous doctrine of celibacy, specifically denounced by the Apostle Paul as a “doctrine of demons” in 1 Timothy 4:13, emerged as a result of taking the Apostle’s obviously figurative description of the church in 2 Corinthians 11:2 literally. The church will be united to Christ as His Bride in Heaven some day (Rev 19:6-9), but that spiritual union does not require the rejection of marriage in this life. 2. Intimacy with Christ in the Christian life now is achieved through obedience to the Word of God. That’s what Paul says in Romans 6, where having spoken of the union of the believer with Christ in the future, goes on to emphasize the importance of present obedience (Rom 6:16-22), using the imagery, not of marriage, but of slavery! John underscores the same truth in 1 John 3:3, namely that those who have the hope of future physical likeness to Christ purify themselves now in the image of His spiritual purity. But it could not be more clearly expressed than it was by the Lord Jesus himself in John 15:1-10. For example, “Abide in Me, and I in you (v. 4) . . . If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you (v. 7) . . . If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My

love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (v. 10). Thus, this union is a union of obedience; and God’s Word, the Bible, is the pathway to the intimacy with Christ that is available to every believer in the present age. Jesus prayed to His Father: “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (Jn 17:3). Throughout Scripture, “knowing” is associated with the marital union (Gen 4:1, 17, 25, and many other passages). How is this intimacy achieved? The Lord Jesus continued, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (Jn 17:17). This is the way that the followers of Christ may be “in Him” and in His Father (v. 21)—“I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity” (v. 23). There is no greater spiritual intimacy than this. So to the Pietistic mystics of the past like Conrad Beissel and to the contemplative mystics of the present, the message is the same. There is no mystery; the intimacy with Christ that you crave is readily available now, not through asceticism or mind-emptying meditation, but through consistent obedience to God’s Word. Next month, Part 2: Christ”

“The Reproach of

− Pastor Ron Glass

Missionary of the Month Purse program, “Friendship” picnics, and the distribution of Christian books/videos. The Bannons’ prayers also include a praise for an incredible two weeks of the English camps for 172 Lithuanian teens, each with a heart-wrenching story, where broken lives were redeemed and a brand new life given to those placing their trust in Him.

The Wading River Baptist Church has selected Michael and Debbie Bannon as the missionaries of the month for September. Coincidentally, Michael and Debbie will be celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary in the month of September, on the 8th. Of their 30 years together, the Bannons have been associated with World Venture for 28 years. It was not until 1997 that Michael and Debbie, through World Venture, began working in Lithuania. We must remember that Lithuania was under Communism and Russian control until 1990 when Lithuania became the first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence. Since then, the mission field has expanded, forming a team called KTG, meaning “The Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Their prayer requests continue to include

Michael and Debbie Bannon the KTG as it is now involved in a website ministry, an English language camp for teens, and international women’s Bible study, an orphanage ministry, a “Good News Club” for children, a Samaritan’s

Other prayer requests would include their daughter, Krista Bannon, who will be attending a boarding school in Germany; for continued financial support for all events, rent of facilities, etc.; for the Bannons’ Lithuanian language skills to improve; for God’s wisdom in how to best use computer technologies for evangelism and discipleship; and, most of all, for Lithuania’s authorities to permit an atmosphere conducive to preaching the Gospel to the people. − Joan Tyska

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Let’s Get Acquainted with Ed Tolf Upon meeting Edward Martin Tolf, Jr., it would be reasonable to think Ed is a native of the southwestern US due to his love for that part of the country. Knowing this, it is most surprising to see him find a comfort zone here in New York. Even more surprising is to find out he was born in Chicago, Illinois, November 21, 1949, and remained there for 23 years.

Pacific and Pacific Rim countries. 1984 to 1988 he flew P-3’s out of Whidbey Island, WA while in the Naval Reserves.

His father, Edward Martin Tolf, Sr., was a Captain for TWA and served in the US Navy during WW II as a pilot. His mother, Shirley Jean Tolf, was a wife and mother to her only son, Ed. His Christian parents provided an outstanding environment for Ed that brought him to know his Savior at age nine at a Free Church Camp. He was active in the church youth group throughout grade school and high school and even into his college years. He taught Sunday school as a high school student and led a couple of Bible studies while in college. Ed was the chaplain in his fraternity while at Arizona State University. He has attended Baptist churches as well as Bible churches throughout his life. In some of these churches, he worked the sound systems. He was also a Boy Scout, earning the level of Star Scout ― a level reflecting participation, leadership, service and self-directed advancement through merit badges offered by the scouting program. Many summers were spent at his grandparent’s home in Michigan on Gull Lake. There he acquired many fond memories swimming, water skiing, boating and going to the Bible conference youth group with his local friends. As a young boy, he began developing a cowboy image and took to the basement of his home to target practice. Ed still likes to target practice, but not in the basement any more! And then there was the Saturday ritual of watching the westerns on TV, from the first one on through the last one. And those were truly the days when Saturdays were not filled with cartoons but with the good ole westerns. Then there were those winter family vacations in Phoenix, Arizona that introduced him to the “dude” ranch. It did not take him long before he practically lived at the stables, working from sunup to sundown volunteering to help with horses, even cleaning their stalls. He rode 3 or 4 times a day, sometimes 6 or 7 days a week. He only left the stables to eat lunch or to do

a few hours of school work. It is quite possible that it was at this time his love for the Old West began developing, a fondness that would eventually bring him into the heart of the west where the west would begin to settle in his heart. His high school years were active with a variety of activities. He played the saxophone not only in the school band but also in the high school jazz band. He was very much athletically inclined and was the athletic trainer for 2 years at his high school. He also played tennis and football in high school. After graduating from Lake Park High School in Medina, IL, Ed continued his education at a variety of schools of higher education. He first attended LeTourneau College in Longview, Texas for 1 ½ years before getting his Associates of Arts degree from College of Du Page back in IL. He received his Bachelor of Science from Arizona State University and his Master of Arts Degree from Trinity Southern University in Dallas, Texas. His activities while in college continued in a pattern much like his high school days. Ed was in a college jazz band, was an athletic trainer for a year in college, participated in intramural tennis and swimming, and was also an ambulance attendant for a semester at LeTourneau College. While at Arizona State University and attending a Campus Crusade for Christ event, Ed met his wife, Denise, now married this November 29th, 34 years. They have 2 sons; William Edward Tolf, 30 years old, and Edward Martin Tolf, III, 27 years old. In 1974, he joined the naval flight training command as a pilot/officer, eventually flying DC-6’s and C-130’s out of Barbers Point Hawaii & Guam throughout the

It is not hard to see that his love for flying, most likely initiated by his father, has spilled over into his career as a pilot. His resume is quite impressive, flying the Gulf Stream aircraft as well as other turbo jets, multiengine and single-engine planes. Not only did Ed fly in the US Navy, but for a corporation for over 21 years and for charter aircraft owners for 7 ½ years. His most recent employment is with Excelaire at MacArthur Airport. We can praise the Lord that Ed is a cancer survivor! When he was in El Paso in the mid 1990’s, he went through a tough time with an operation, chemo and radiation. He is now cancer free. Ed has traveled the world over and has lived in remote places, but has never felt more at home than when he lived in Arizona and Texas. In the 16 years that he lived there, the southwest entered into his very soul, never to leave him. This would explain the “John Wayne” image that one might see in him with his cowboy boots and styles of the southwest. He loves the tales of the old west and a good John Wayne western. He likes to horseback ride and to target shoot. He would never turn down an invitation to a Texan BBQ, especially if the grill was looking like a pistol!

Ed takes a strong liking to Corvettes, having owned a couple in his lifetime. Other interests includes coin collecting, wood working, real estate, home remodeling/building, reading, swimming, water sports and boating. Not surprisingly, he loves reading western novels and has read over 200 in the last couple of years. Ed’s wife, Denise, found WRBC in the yellow pages just two short years ago. In that time, Denise has become the church secretary and Ed has become a strong part of the church’s fellowship. Both of them have been a blessing to our church. − Joan Tyska

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“Back to Basics” Senior Saints Luncheon The “Back to Basics” Senior Saints luncheon on August 1st was truly a basic event: from the decorations, hymn singing, food served, and to the devotions received. Decorations were quite simple and basic; black-eyed Susans, sunflowers and marigolds were all arranged on dinner tables clad in flowery garden-print tablecloths. Fruit bowls of fresh grapes and cherries on the tables offered a decorative as well as an edible item.

Dinner itself was basic and unusually well received. After an appetizer of chicken

wings, a summer garden salad bar, though quite elaborate, was basic featuring as many garden-fresh vegetables as possible. A dessert featuring local fresh peaches finished the meal. And what fun it was to go back to some basic childhood songs and sing them with renewed appreciation. What a surprise to learn that there were multiple verses of the old familiar songs like “Jesus Loves Me,” “The B-I-B-L-E,” “This Little Light of Mine,” and “Kum A La.” John Piraino, the devotional leader, stayed with the theme and brought some basic thoughts concerning the Bible. It was obvious that a lot of research was revealed in John’s presentation, bringing a new appreciation of some basics that are

overlooked in how the Bible is interwoven into our daily lives. Wanting to give the seniors a preview of WRBC’s A Sacred Concert scheduled for Sunday’s church service the next day, Shannon, Sarah and Linea Piraino presented a basic concert of hymns to everyone’s delight. A moment of deep appreciation for the Piraino family was offered at the end of their musical presentation. Normally, “Trash to Treasures” would qualify as a basic collection of old knickknacks of the seniors brought in for an equal exchange. But for this luncheon, mysteriously anything but basic treasures appeared overnight to the pure delight of the seniors. We thank the anonymous donor. Already plans are in the making for the next luncheon earmarked for the middle of October. Keep a watch for the announcement of the date. We are looking forward to seeing some new faces then. − Joan Tyska

A Sacred Concert “Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto Him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto Him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise” (Psalm 33:2-3, KJV). musical praise through a display of some of the awesome talents within the church. The entire service was given over to these most talented young people, prior to their return to college. Shannon was

accompanied by her sisters, Sarah and Linea. Chris Hallstrom narrated Scriptures and footnotes throughout the service, infusing the power of the Word of God and the testimonies of the hymn writers into the musical performance. The coffee hour that followed this sacred concert allowed for the congregation to acknowledge these gifted musicians and to enjoy fellowship with them. − Joan Tyska

“To God Be the Glory” was not only the opening congregational hymn of the church service on August 2nd, but also a reflection of the content of the service. The featured musical artists, Shannon Piraino (violin) and Steve Heuzey (piano), presented to WRBC a service filled with

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“This Little Church Went to Market” A Review of This Little Church Went to Market: The Church in the Age of Entertainment, by Gary Gilley (Darlington, England: Evangelical Press, 2005) In the last few years, several critiques of contemporary approaches to church growth have appeared. One of the best I have read is Gary Gilley’s brief book, This Little Church Went to Market: The Church in the Age of Entertainment. This is actually the first in a series of three “this little church” books evaluating current trends in evangelicalism (I will review the second book next month). Gilley, a graduate of Moody Bible Institute, has been pastor at Southern View Chapel in Springfield, Illinois, for thirty-three years. This Little Church Went to Market explores the phenomenon of “new paradigm churches”—churches “identified by a philosophy of ministry intentionally designed to effect numerical growth” (p. 17). These are churches which have adopted methods based on market strategy, business techniques, and demographics, rather than on the New Testament. The author gives particular attention to the Willow Creek (Seeker-Sensitive) and Saddleback (Purpose-Driven) models. Gilley contends that they are committed to creating an atmosphere of fun, and that in fact fun has replaced holiness as the church’s goal. The primary means to this end are entertainment, market-driven philosophy, and psychology. Evangelical Christianity has succumbed to an entertainment-oriented culture attuned to the dynamics of commercial television. This, explains the author, caters to that culture’s “insatiable appetite for amusement”—a culture where the foundational values of character and integrity have been replaced by personality and image. If entertainment is society’s standard, then how can the church compete in the world’s marketplace unless it becomes a “bastion of entertainment” (p. 31)? Because God designed Christianity to be a “thinking faith,” insists Gilley, the antidote to this trend is in-depth study and application of Scripture. The market-driven technique exemplified by the Willow Creek Association focuses on “selling” its product by meeting people’s needs. But, as Gilley points out, this entails a destruction of the Gospel itself. New paradigm, market-driven churches claim to have changed their methods, but not their message. Gilley rightly insists that this is impossible, since method is intrinsically linked to message. In fact, in this environment, the appeal to felt needs has eviscerated the Gospel preached in most churches, and Gilley explains the troubling dynamics of the con-

sumer-oriented message advocated by market-driven churches today. Perhaps the strongest influence behind the new paradigm churches, however, is the invasion of psychology, apparent most conspicuously in the Seeker-Sensitive appeal to felt needs. The biblical message addressing sin, salvation, and sanctification has been psychologized into a therapeutic message. At this point, Gilley highlights several contrasts between psychology and Scripture (pp. 49-52), chief among which is the fact that psychology is mancentered (seeking his happiness), while the Bible is God-centered (seeking His glory). He traces the roots of this psychologized “Gospel” back to Robert Schuller, who focused on giving the unchurched what they wanted; and it worked. Gilley reminds us that today “truth doesn’t stand a chance against success” (p. 61). Thus, American evangelicalism is no longer committed to truth, but has become a cult of self-fulfillment. Once again, we are brought back to the naïve newparadigm mantra: “methods change, the message stays the same.” However, the message is shaped by the method. In marketing, the product must be modified to meet the consumer’s perceived needs. New paradigm churches contend that the unchurched have not rejected God, but have rejected the church because it is irrelevant, boring, and fails to meet their needs (pp. 68-69). Or, to say it another way, “I believe” has been replaced by “I feel” (p. 71). This is all a denial of the Bible’s teaching that the goal of a Christian’s life is not self-fulfillment, but faithfulness to the Lord. In chapter 7, Gilley explores the influence of entertainment in greater detail. The church has become conformed to the world’s obsession with amusement largely through its desire to experience God through feelings. According to chapter 8, however, genuine biblical worship is centered on truth, and that entails an intellectual component. Truth is contained in God’s Word, but today, “the Word of God is increasingly taking a back seat to the managerial and the therapeutic” (pp. 8687). New paradigm churches have lost confidence in the sufficiency of Scripture and have therefore abandoned the systematic expository preaching of the Word. Truth has also been lost as the source of musical worship in new-paradigm churches (chapter 9). Genuine worship is a response to divine truth, but contemporary evangelicals are choosing their

churches on the basis of the music, ignoring the biblical mandate that the authority of Scripture should dominate our singing (pp. 94-95). When it comes to music, therefore, Gilley makes the case for “swimming up stream against the fads of the moment” (p. 102). The author entitles chapter 10, “The Gospel According to Warren,” charging the pastor of the Saddleback church with modifying the Gospel. Referencing The Purpose Driven Life, he shows how Warren has distorted the biblical message of salvation to one that amounts to “find God and you will find yourself (purpose).” He thereby “trivializes Scripture, belittles doctrine and replaces them with psychology, mysticism and worldly wisdom” (p. 111). Gilley makes a strong case for returning to the foundation of the Bible (pp. 112-114). This Little Church Went to Market concludes by reminding the reader that the truth of the cross has always been the offense of Christianity. To remove that offense is to abolish Christianity itself. To show itself relevant, the church has always been tempted to do just that, but a church that is not appreciably different from the world has “marginalized itself through compromise” and is unnecessary (p. 116). This is the direction of the new paradigm church today—an apparently successful church, but a compromised one; and it is only a matter of time before it implodes. Out of the inevitable ruin, we can trust that God will raise up a stronger church, one “more concerned about feeding the sheep than entertaining the goats, a church that knows the difference between worship and amusement” (p. 117), a church that is not ashamed of the Gospel. Gilley’s book is short and to the point. It is readable by members of the congregation, not just by members of the “clergy.” Although the principles addressed here are widely neglected today, they are of fundamental importance to the future of evangelicalism. I highly recommend that every believer who is serious about being or becoming a member of a God-honoring church, and every leader serving in a Gospel-preaching church, read this book, absorb the principles it expounds, and commit himself to being part of a truly Godhonoring congregation. Next Month: This Little Church Stayed Home − Pastor Ron Glass

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Five evenings of Vacation Bible School can hardly be squeezed into one issue of the Beacon but hopefully pictures can be worth a thousand words as each picture tells a story, a story of the many God Sightings, evidence of God in the daily lives of the VBS volunteers and students of VBS. Each of the following pictures represents just a slice of the total. − Joan Tyska

Behind the scenes

Sing & Play Swamp Stomp

Rocky’s Preschoolers

Fearless kids, preschoolers, crew leaders and even a Mom!

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Sing & Play Swamp Stomp

Snack Shack

Spotlight Drama

Gator Games

The Director – “Miss Katie”

“Skeeter” Tech Advisor on Snack Break

Dockside Drive-In

Bible Bayou

“Skirdita” Friends of the Bayou

“Skeeter”

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Bible and Baseball, 2009 During the week of Monday, August 3, to Friday, August 7, WRBC held a camp that we entitled “Bible and Baseball.” Six days before the start of the camp, I called Pastor Ron and said to him, “I need a shoulder to cry on.” Why? Despite sending out cards, advertising the camp in the Community Journal, and prayer, only 4 kids had signed up. Pastor Ron exhorted me to not lose hope; so as Monday, August 3, approached, I was mildly optimistic.

By the time Friday came, I don’t believe that any of us (adults included) wanted to see the camp come to an end. We really had fun! On Friday afternoon, we went back to our house for lunch and pool time.

However, when all was said and done, the camp far exceeded any of my or any of the other staff member’s expectations. Only 3 other kids signed up in the final week, but with the participation of some of our church family – both kids and adults – the camp was an overwhelming success.

and refreshments, and also for the second Bible lesson of the day. On Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, our Child Evangelism Fellowship missionary, Phil Ormsby, taught the lesson. On Wednesday and Thursday, Phil’s assistant-in-training, 17-year-old Peter Hamblen, gave the lesson.

I gave an opening Bible lesson each day by the bleachers and, at times, on the field. On the first day, we evaluated the kids’ skills. But from Tuesday to Friday, we played doubleheaders. In five days, the kids played nine full 6-inning games. In between games, we went inside for snacks

As most of you have already heard, three kids – one boy and two girls – made professions of faith. We praise God for working on the hearts of these young people. Let’s continue to pray for their spiritual well-being.

I would like to thank all of the adults who served in the camp: Carl Chapman, Peter Albrecht, Phil Ormsby, Peter Hamblen, my wife Geraldine, Joan Tyska, and our “drama players,” Jackie Hallstrom and Sue Hart. I also extend my appreciation to Bill Ambrosini and the Shoreham-Wading River Little League for their generous donation of baseball equipment. Most of all, we praise God, because despite my mild optimism, He allowed this camp to exceed our expectations; “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21) − Steve Visconti

Open Theism Dr. Gary Gilley, pastor of Southern View Chapel in Springfield, Illinois, and author of This Little Church Went to Market (see book review by Pastor Ron Glass on page 5), has also written on the subject of open theism. I will concisely review Gilley’s four-part critique of open theism, accessible through his church’s website (www.svchapel.org). As we studied together in Sunday School on July 5, 12, and 19, open theism is a description of God that emphasizes man’s libertarian freedom―the ability to make a choice for each one of a number of alternatives, no matter how contrary some of those options might be to a person’s character. Open theists insist that for such freedom to be genuine, our decisions must be immune from God’s interference. The free will of man is the crucial presupposition that open theists have held to in formulating their doctrine of God, and it is also the lens through which they examine the Word of God. Gilley explains, “Open theism takes all the scriptural evidence for the omnipotence, sovereignty, control and foreknowledge of God, strains

it through the grid of personal freedom, producing an image of God barely recognizable by previous generations of Christians.” Gilley labels the redefinition of the knowledge of God as the “preeminent doctrinal shift” demanded by open theism. Open theists limit God’s knowledge to the past and the present―all that can be known, they claim. Open theists deny that God knows the future infallibly due to the degree of uncertainty in human decisionmaking. Consequently, God can anticipate only the future of highest probability, and He risks being taken by surprise. The biblical testimony to God’s foreknowledge, particularly that within Isaiah 40-48, “pulls the rug out from under openism,” Gilley writes. God repeatedly affirms His knowledge of future events and His sovereign control in bringing them to pass: “Behold, the former things have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you” (Isa 42:9); “My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure” (Isa 46:10).

The publication of The Openness of God by Clark Pinnock et al. in 1994 helped propel open theism from a “stirring on the fringes” of evangelicalism to a more mainstream conception of God’s attributes. Gilley identifies writer Philip Yancey and theologian Gilbert Bilezikian as two popular figures who have packaged erroneous open-theistic views in “attractive formats,” enabling open theism to “sneak in through the back door of the [evangelical] camp.” Open theists would have us believe that God is continually learning from and adapting to our supposedly free decisions; that we have entered into a “give-and-take” relationship with God and cooperate with Him to determine the outcome of history. However, this exaltation of man’s freedom comes at the great cost of God’s sovereignty, omniscience, and immutability― three biblical attributes of God. Gilley concludes by quoting from Psalm 50:21 (“You thought that I was just like you”) in pinpointing a profound error of open theism: “their God is too human.” − Peter Albrecht

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September Bible Quiz Questions

August Bible Quiz Answers 1) Bethany (NASB) or Bethabara (KJV) (John 1:28).

1) Who found the book of the Law in the house of the Lord?

2) His being told that the Ark of God had been captured by the Philistines (1 Sam 4:17-18).

2) Where is it mentioned, in the New Testament, that David was a prophet?

3) Rainbow (Gen 9:13-15).

3) Which sin is expressed by Jesus as being unforgivable? 4) What word means “the place of a skull?”

4) Abihail (Esth 2:15). 5) Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High (Gen 14:18-20, Heb 7:1-2).

5) What does Jesus say defiles a man? Bonus: Who said, “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life?” Hint: O.T.

Bonus: 1 Cor 15:45. Submit the Bible reference and correct answers to: [email protected]. The correct answers will be announced in the next newsletter!

― Felix Acerra

September 2009 Sunday

Monday

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7

9:45 AM Sunday School 11:00 AM Morning Worship Service

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9:45 AM Sunday School

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday Friday Saturday

1 6:30 PM Bible Study – Proverbs – Steve Visconti (929-0344)

2

3

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9 7:00 PM Prayer Meeting (Psalm 6)

6:30 PM Bible Study – Proverbs

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10 8:30 AM Ladies Prayer

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12 9:00 AM Work Day – Gardens 8:45 AM – 4:00 PM AWANA conference 1st Baptist Patchogue

15 6:30 PM Bible Study – Proverbs

16 7:00 PM Prayer Meeting (Psalm 7)

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18

19

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22 6:30 PM Bible Study – Proverbs

23 6:30-8:00 PM

24 8:30 AM

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AWANA begins – Chris Hallstrom (886-1334)

Ladies Prayer

26 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM Outreach Car Wash – WRBC parking lot – Steve Visconti (929-0344)

7:00 PM Prayer Meeting (Psalm 8)

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8:30 AM Ladies Prayer

29 6:30 PM Bible 30 6:30 PM Study – Proverbs

11:00 AM Morning Worship Service

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11:00 AM Morning Worship Service

27 9:45 AM Sunday School

8:30 AM

Ladies Prayer− Joan Tyska (727-5998)

7:00 PM – Board of Deacons Meeting

11:00 AM Morning Worship Service

20 9:45 AM Sunday School

7:00 PM Prayer Meeting and Exposition of Psalm 5 – Sanctuary

AWANA 7:00 PM Prayer Meeting (Psalm 9)

Invite your family and friends to visit our website! www.wrbc.us 9

PO Box 438 Wading River, NY 11792

Wading River Baptist Church

Our Purpose 1. To glorify God through sharing the good news of salvation by God’s sovereign grace through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. To nurture believers through a strong program of Christian education, youth ministries, and expository Biblical preaching. 3. To provide an opportunity for Biblical worship, service, and fellowship. 4. To extend our ministry throughout America and around the world through participation in home and foreign missions.

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For the Exaltation of God in All Things For the Proclamation of Faith in Christ For the Transformation of God’s People

WRBC is affiliated with the Conservative Baptist Association of America and the Conservative Baptist Mission to the Northeast.

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