Letters to the editor
Follow Christ
I agree with many of the issues in Jim Coggins's editorial on simple living (Jan. 10). However, John Redekop's "Are the churches ready?" gives the reason why the church must look at simple living. A simple lifestyle may provide the path back to living a life more consistent with the New Testament church. The consequence of putting one's faith in money is that it ultimately destroys community. Instead of the community responding to one another's needs, we look to government and corporations to provide these services. Now these institutions are acknowledging that they cannot accomplish this task adequately and are throwing the responsibility back to communities (which are becoming extinct). Redekop is correct that the church community should fill in these gaps of service. However, we cannot expect that these services should be provided by churches reorganizing their current financial resources. We are barely able to meet our present needs due to church members drowning in consumerism and materialism. The only answer lies in radically altering our lifestyles, dropping our nets (all our material baggage) and following Christ.
Brent Goerz, (E)
Prince George, B.C.
Biblical relativism
Recent letters illustrate a common phenomenon in evangelical Christian circles: Make your arguments authoritative by simply inserting a bracketed Scripture reference after each statement. When your opponent responds with her/his own list of Bible verses on the other side of the issue, discredit them with a second volley of canon fire (pun intended). This has particularly been the case with letters to the Herald on dancing in the past while. Both sides strongly believe that God and His Bible give them full backing.
One would have thought that the 16th-century Reformers' cries of "Scripture alone" would have brought an unparalleled unity to the church. Instead, we have Christians on every side of almost every issue, with each interest group, age group and denomination claiming to "stand on the Word".
The Bible stands against those who would say there is no unchanging truth, no absolutes. The problem is that we are coming at the problem of moral relativism with our own unique brand of it--biblical relativism. The Bible has come to mean whatever we think it means. And since everyone has different opinions on what it means, we have reduced it to essentially meaning nothing at all.
Perhaps this stems from an individualism in our churches which is so big we can't even see it. Our faith consists of "me, Jesus, and the Bible". Because we all now have our own "personal relationship with Jesus Christ", we also all have our own interpretation of Scripture. We highlight in yellow the verses which particularly minister to us and our prejudices, while breezing over those that contradict our perception of reality.
Perhaps without intention, we have made the Bible the prooftext of the individual, rather than the book of the church. The problem is that as individuals, we too often cannot see past our own experiences, and read them into Scripture. That is why the gathered church needs to reclaim her Scriptures. Only in the context of a historically aware community can we come to an unbiased interpretation of the Bible. We need to return to what the Orthodox, Catholics and early Anabaptists held to be so important--the church decides what the Bible does and does not say, not the individual.
Jonathan Goossen, (E)
Hepburn, Sask.
Both kinds of music needed
I appreciated the editorial on church music (Jan. 24). I am a senior who has come to enjoy the vitality of modern worship music. At the same time, I miss some of the really great hymns of the past. Your appeal for balance and understanding was very helpful.
There was, however, one area where I felt that the categories were too rigid. I question whether there has to be as strong a separation between outreach music and worship music as you presented. Sally Morgenthaler's book Worship Evangelism argues strongly that we can worship and evangelize at the same time. The book is not just her own opinions. It includes the experience and conviction of many other worship leaders. I fear that Christians who attend only outreach-oriented services will miss participating in worship. I also suspect that many of the people we are seeking to reach may come out of curiosity to see what Christians do together, not just to enjoy a performance designed for their benefit.
George C. Bush,
Bedford, N.S.
Movies to entertain
My wife and I were puzzled about the movie critique, Mirror, Mirror on the Wall (Feb. 7). Movie going is not neutral ground. When renting a video or going to the theatre, you are buying the product. Your money says thank you and keep producing more like it. You can object to vulgarity and sexual content, but the industry is not motivated by the viewer's moral dislikes. It is motivated by a person's willingness to pay money to watch.
You can objectively intellectualize movies too, but the primary purpose of movies is to entertain. Judging by the number of movies Christians watch with vulgarity and sexual content, it looks like many have a great appetite for this form of entertainment. Should we not try to discourage this instead of encouraging it?
Mark and Anita Dobell,
St. Catharines, Ont.
Best investment
After having been away from the Herald for over 15 years, I have just paid for a 3-year renewal. It is definitely the best investment in a church publication that I have ever made. The Jan. 24 and Feb. 7 issues deal with some deep issues in my life. May God richly bless and reward you for your effort to help the hurting. Keep up the good work. Thanks.
John Penner,
Lacadena, Sask.
Thank you
Thank you for spotting my book, "A Lift for Living" (Feb. 7). It took a year to write and 3 years to publish. Publishers are never in a hurry. About 400 copies sold the first year. I have 100 left before we have to reprint.
Movie reviews have no place in the Herald. I read the Herald from cover to cover--we need to know what is happening across Canada. Your feature articles have been excellent. Thank you. Your staff is on my prayer list. The Lord bless you all.
Herman Kroeker,
St. Catharines, Ont.
More thought needed
As a busy wife and mother, I am usually excited to see an issue of the Herald, and view its arrival as an invitation to pour a "cuppa tea", relax and read for a few moments. We place each issue on the table in our family room to share with visiting friends and family. However, I was very disturbed by the article "A Tangled Web" (Jan. 24), and instead of sharing this issue, I found myself hiding it for the sake of the children in our home.
Coming from a dysfunctional family, I acknowledge that such awful situations as the one described in this article exist and need to be addressed. However, I am not convinced that an article written in this manner is the way to do it. What about young innocent children who learned of such activity for the first time? Can you return their innocence? What about children who perhaps were home alone without proper supervision while reading this article? Would this be healthy? Could not this lead to further problems, more "tangled webs"?
An article informing parents of ways to guard against such sinful activities and an admonition to take responsibility for what takes place in their homes (friends, viewing and reading material, etc.) would have been far more appropriate. Included in such an article could be ways to teach modesty between siblings and how to begin at pre-school age to teach love, respect and courtesy for siblings.
The article violates Philippians 4:8.
Our families today are bombarded through printed material, media and television with violence, sex, sin and lust. Must articles of this nature also appear in a Mennonite publication?
I request that more prayer and thoughtful consideration is given before articles of "sensitive" subject matter be printed.
Amy S. Burslem,
Coquitlam, B.C.
Simple pleasures
I enjoyed the articles concerning simple living (Jan. 10). I read somewhere, "We must learn to live simply so that others may simply live." I agree with Audrey Carli that "My most precious luxury is Christ", and I, too, have learned to be "very appreciative of the things money cannot buy, the simple pleasures of daily life".
One spring morning, while I was walking by the Burnaby Library, a woman stopped me, and, pointing to a bed of pansies, exclaimed, "How sweet! Look at their little faces." I was delighted that someone would stop me to share this simple joy. God has provided us with so many things to enjoy which do not cost us anything. Unfortunately, many people spend their lives in pursuit of wealth and miss out on enjoying the beauty of God's creation. The poet William Blake wrote: "To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour."
Angeline Yap,
Burnaby, B.C.
Church music in transition
In every generation, Christians find comfort, assurance and joyful celebration in joining fellow believers in song. It can become a problem when we disagree on what songs to sing. I thank Jim Coggins for his helpful editorial on church music (Jan. 24). The songs we sing together should be chosen so all attenders are served. This means that no one group insists on dictating its preference. There will be differences of opinion, but, over the years, we tend to resolve these differences. It can be done.
May God continue to bless us as we sing together.
Bill A. Wiebe,
Abbotsford, B.C.
Being ready
Bravo to Walter Unger for "The legacy of failed prophecy" (Jan. 24). I am fed up, too, with the neat timelines and charts that usually turn irrelevant a year or two after they appear. Dispensationalism has received far too much emphasis. I'm not saying we should not live in light of Christ's return, but what does it profit to look for 3 sixes under every briar patch and shadow? Growing up reading The Late Great Planet Earth and Apocalypse Now, I got enthralled with how "all the pieces fit together". Looking forward to a pre-trib rapture was also appealing.
I thank God I was introduced to other believers who showed me this was not the only way of looking to the end. I think more people should adhere to pan-millenialism--it will all pan out in the end. What's important is that we are serving Christ with all our heart, soul and mind. If we are, we will be ready.
Scott Derksen,
Otterburne, Man.
Be ready for His return
I do not agree with "The legacy of failed prophecy" (Jan. 24). Prophecy was not intended to be difficult to interpret. The angel told John, "Do not keep the prophetic words of this book a secret" (Revelation 22:10). Two thousand years ago, Jesus criticized the religious leaders of Israel for failing to interpret the signs of the times (Luke 19:44). The armies of the world are planning to invade Israel, but Jesus will have the victory.
Willy Wynker,
Vauxhall, Alta.
Discouraging
"The legacy of failed prophecy" (Jan. 24) discouraged me. Was the article uplifting? Did it encourage you to serve the Lord more fervently? It certainly did not do that for me. Would it be too much to ask you to write articles that would be uplifting and help me to do the work of the Lord with enthusiasm and a burning desire to win others to the Lord before it is too late?
George Teichrieb,
Winnipeg, Man.
The Manchild
"The Cosmic Christ" (Dec. 6) had a number of acceptable lessons and delightful teachings. However, I would like to draw attention to what I think is a misinterpretation. The woman in Revelation 12 is not Mary or the church but is identified by the sun, moon and 12 stars (Genesis 37:9) as representing Israel. Israel was pregnant with the church--salvation is of the Jews (John 4:22). The Manchild represents not the Messiah but the church, who shall reign with Christ (Revelation 2:26,27). As a child is not manifested until it is born (completed), so the church today is still being formed (in the womb). When the last one is added, it is raptured (I Thessalonians 4:17), and Satan will go after Israel. Then the Manchild will come down as armies from heaven with Christ (Revelation 19:14), dressed in white linen, "without spot or wrinkle" (Ephesians 5:25).
Henry Baerg,
Chilliwack, B.C.
Return to the M.B.Herald Vol. 36, No. 6 Home Page