Truth Magazine

By Bill Crews

Its title is My Book of Bible Stories. Its hard cover is gold in color, and the letters of its title are indented. They are shining red letters, giving the appearance of golden red. It is attractive and appealing to the eye. The book was copyrighted in 1978. A notation on the flyleaf says: “This Book Is Published in 93 lan- guages” and “Total  Books Printed of All Editions: 38,300,000 Copies.” The book is divided into eight parts and claims to tell 116 Bible stories for children. The stories are illustrated with colorful pictures, either one or two at nearly every opening.

The copy I am holding was given by a woman, who is obviously sincere and honest, to our daughter as a gift for her little boy. Though beautiful in appearance and represented as a wonderful book to read to little children and to be read by older children, it’s an insidious piece of poison. It was put out by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. The publishers are the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., International Bible Students Association, Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. And you, our readers, should ­know that these are the people who call themselves by the misnomer, “Jehovah’s Witnesses,” a name arbitrarily given them by judge J.F. Rutherford back in 1931. It came from a misapplication of Isaiah 43:10 and 44:8 which were spoken by Isaiah, from God, of ancient Israel (see 43:1, 3 and 44:1; read all of chapters 43, 44, and 45 in which the restoration of God’s people Israel from the Babylonian captivity and under Cyrus, king of Persia, is foretold and depicted). What Rutherford’s disciples go about doing from door to door does not fit the meaning of “witnesses,” and what they teach did not originate with nor honor Jehovah.

The first paragraph of the foreword of the book begins: “This is a book of true stories,” and ends, “They even tell about what God promises to do in the future.” The second paragraph begins: “This book gives you an idea of what the Bible is all about,” and ends, “It also shows the grand hope of everlasting life in a paradise earth that God has given to people.” So, even before the stories begin, some of their false doctrines are introduced. The statement on the flyleaf that “Bible quotations in this book are paraphrased” should be taken more as a warning than as a statement. (They made their own translation to support their doctrines.)

The very first story of the book is titled, “God Begins to Make Things.” After telling the reader that before God made the sun, the moon, the stars, and the earth, he made the angels, the book then says: “The first angel God made  was very special. He was God’s first Son, and he worked with his Father. He helped God to make all other things. He helped God to make the sun, the moon, the stars, and also our earth.” Thus they seek to indoctrinate little children with their God-dishonoring doctrine that denies the eternalness and deity of Jesus Christ. They teach that the eternal Son of God, our Savior, had a beginning, that he was an angel, the first angel that God created, a created divine being, “a God.” Colossians 1:15-17 is listed, along with Jeremiah 10:12 and Genesis 1:1-10, at the end of the story.

Because Colossians 1:15 refers to Jesus as “the firstborn of all creation,” they teach that he was both created and the first thing that God created. The passage rather shows his preeminence in regard to the creation. “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” is followed immediately by: “for (which indicates an explanation of the last statement, bc) in him were all things created (emphasis mine, bc) in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things (all created things, bc) have been created through him, and unto him; and he is before all things (all created things, bc), and in him all things (all created things, bc) consist.” “The Son of his love” (v. 13) obviously was not a part of the created things. 

They also appeal to Revelation 3:14, which refers to Christ as “the beginning of the creation of God.” They say that this means that Christ was the first thing created; however, Bible-language scholars insist that it means “the beginner or cause of the creation.” This is in harmony with the context of Colossians 1:15-17 and other Bible passages. John 1:1-3 reads: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (this affirms his deity and his equality with the Father. Their New World Translation mistranslates: “and the word was a God,” bc). “The Same was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made.” Christ was not one of the “made” things; Christ was not one of the “created” things. He was, rather, the One through whom and by whom all things were made or created.

Micah 5:2 (correctly cited by “the chief priests and scribes of the people” to identify for Herod the Great the place where the Christ was to be born, that is, Bethlehem) says of the Christ, “that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings are from of old, from everlasting.” Far, from being created, he had always existed. No wonder he is called “the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15) and “the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance” (Heb.1:5). Far from being created, Christ created all things that were created, upholds all things that were created, and is heir of all created things.

Jehovah’s Witnesses, using Revelation, chapters 7 and 14, entirely out of context and in diametrical opposition to many Bible passages, teach that exactly 144,000 people will live forever in heaven with God. All of the rest of the people who meet with his approval, they will live forever upon this physical earth after it has been renewed and made perfect as it was in its original state (remember, they call this “the grand hope”). In the Bible we are told that there is “one hope,” just as there is “one God and Father,” “one Lord” (our Lord Jesus Christ), “one Spirit” (the Holy Spirit),  “one faith” (the faith of the gospel), “one baptism” (baptism in water in obedience to Christ), and “one body” (the spiritual body of Christ, his church). See Ephesians 4:1-6. This one hope is “laid up for you in the heavens” (Col. 1:5; 1 Pet. 1:3-4). They have two hopes: one for the 144,000 and another, which they call “the grand hope,” for the rest of God’s people. What will happen to the physical heavens and earth according to the Scriptures? 2 Peter 3 gives an emphatic answer to that question. Read verses 3 and 10-12. They will be no more; they will cease to exist.

The pretty yellow and red book of Bible stories for children declares this doctrine of their hope of living for ever on this renewed and perfect physical earth again and again in its various stories of the Bible. What a pity that so many have been produced and will have their effect in leading little children astray.

From Park Forest Proclaimer, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

By Mike Willis

As the most popular book in the world, the Holy Bible deserves one’s attention and study. When one turns to its “Table of Contents,” he notices that the Bible is divided into two sections: Old Testament and New Testament. The Old Testament consists of 39 books and the New Testament consists of 27 books. 

The division into two testaments is based on the wording of Scripture itself. When Jesus instituted the Lord’s supper, he said, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28; parallels in Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25). In Paul’s discussion of the change of covenants, he uses both “Old Testament” and “New Testament”:

Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life (2 Cor. 3:6).

But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ (2 Cor. 3:14).

The layout of the Bible into two testaments is drawn from the teaching of Scripture itself.

Three Periods of Bible History

The Bible may be accurately divided into three periods of Bible history on the basis of these two testaments. These three periods of Bible history are:

1. The Patriarchal Age. The Patriarchal Age draws its name from the word “patriarch” (Heb. 7:4), the “fathers,” drawn especially from the patriarchs Abraham, Isacc, and Jacob. The term “Patriarchal Age” is used to describe the relationship God sustained with all mankind from the creation. There is no existing written law that reveals what was God’s covenant with mankind before he revealed himself to Moses. However, sin as the transgression of God’s law did exist; there was moral right and wrong; there were religious ordinances in place, but the details of that covenant are not revealed. The patriarchal age ended for the descendants of Jacob at the giving of the Law  of Moses (approx. 1450 B.C.), but continued for the rest of creation until Jesus’ death on the cross.

2. The Mosaical Age. The Mosaical Age draws its name from Moses as the lawgiver. God called the descendants of Abraham, through Isaac and Jacob, into a covenant with him. He led the people out of Egyptian bondage and to Mt. Sinai where God revealed the Ten Commandments and other laws to Israel. Moses wrote the books of Genesis- Deuteronomy, which became known as The Law, the foundation documents for the Old Testament. As the years passed, other books of history, wisdom literature, and prophecy were added, until the Old Testament was completed in the fifth century B.C. This Law regulated the life of the children of Israel from the time it was given on Mt. Sinai until the death of Christ.

3. The Christian Age. The Christian Age draws its name from Christ as the lawgiver in this period of Bible history. However, he wrote none of the New Testament. Instead, he gave the Holy Spirit to the apostles and prophets of the first century who wrote the 27 books of the New Testament. This book is designed to govern all of mankind from the death of Christ until his second coming.

The Old Testament Foretold the Coming of Christ in Types and Shadows

The Old Testament instituted a form of worship that foreshadowed the work of Jesus Christ. When one reads the worship instituted in the Tabernacle, he perceives that this worship foreshadowed the coming of him who is the true sacrifice for sin, Jesus Christ. For example, John the Baptist describes Jesus saying, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The people immediately could understand how a one-year-old lamb without blemish was slain and its blood sprinkled on the altar as an atonement for sin. By John’s comparison of Jesus to the “lamb of God,” the common man would understand that Jesus is man’s offering for sin. Paul describes Jesus as “our Passover” (1 Cor. 5:7). Israelites would remember the institution of the Passover at the time of the tenth plague in Egypt when the firstborn were slain. Every house in Israel was told to slay a lamb and sprinkle its blood on the doorposts and lintels. When the Lord saw the blood, he would pass over that house so that its firstborn would not be killed. Christ is our Passover. His blood saves us from the judgment of death. 

The types and shadows of the Old Testament are prophetical of the great atonement that was made in the New Testament. Consequently, Jesus could say about his work in fulfillment of the Old Testament, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matt. 5:17). His coming was not to destroy the law and prophets but to fulfill them. One may compare this to an engagement and wedding. The wedding does not destroy an engagement between a couple, although the wedding ends it; rather, the wedding is the fulfillment of the engagement promise. In a similar way, Jesus’ death on the cross did not destroy the Old Testament, although it brought this period of Bible history to an end. Rather, his work was the fulfillment of God’s divine purpose and plan to save mankind through his Son.

The Change of Law Is Foretold in the Old Testament

The change of covenants was predicted in the pages of the Old Testament itself. For example, Jeremiah who worked in approximately 625-587 B.C. wrote as follows:

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more (Jer. 31:31-34).

This passage foretells the “new covenant” that God would make and describes several things about the nature of the covenant itself. One will not enter the covenant by birth and then be taught to “know the Lord,” as occurred under the Old Covenant when a Jewish boy entered the covenant of circumcision at eight days old and later learned to “know the Lord.” Rather, under the new covenant, one must know the Lord to enter the covenant. God’s laws must be written on the table of one’s heart to be a member of the covenant community. The writer of Hebrews quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34 and applies it to the New Covenant that Christ established with his disciples (Heb. 8:7-13). He concludes by stating that the Old Covenant has passed away: “For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. . . . In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away” (Heb. 8:7, 13). To state that the Old Testament is abrogated is to teach what the Old Testament itself foretold would occur.

The Old Testament Is Not Binding Today

Early Christians had trouble understanding the change in covenants, just as do many people today. There are several books of the New Testament that specifically are designed to address this change, including Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, with various texts also found in other books. Here are several Scriptures that teach that men are no longer living under the Old Testament:

1. Ephesians 2:14-17. Paul wrote, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.” Notice that the “law of commandments” was “abolished in his flesh.” 

2. Colossians 2:14-17. Speaking of this change of covenants, Paul wrote, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” The “handwriting of ordinances” was nailed to the cross. As a consequence, men are no longer obligated to observe the Jewish feast days (such as Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles), the new moon feast, or the sabbath day. 

3. Galatians 5:1-4. The book of Galatians argues extensively that men are saved, not by keeping the Law of Moses, but by faith in Christ Jesus. In developing this theme, Paul emphasizes that the Law served as a schoolmaster to bring men to Christ but, now that the faith of Christ has come, men are no longer under this schoolmaster (3:24-25). He then addresses those Judaizers who tried to impose the keeping of the Law of Moses on Gentile Christians, specifically as this applied to the law governing circumcision. He wrote,

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace (Gal. 5:1-4). 

Not only is one not bound by the Law of Moses, Paul argues that those who impose the keeping of the Law of Moses on man are (a) obligated to keep all of the Law of Moses, not just a part of it, (b) Christ has become of no effect to such a person, and (c) he is fallen from grace.

4. Hebrews 7:12. The entire book of Hebrews develops the theme of the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant. There are many passages in the book which show the change of covenants. In Hebrews 7:12, the writer argues that the Law must have changed in order for Christ to be priest. “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law” (Heb. 7:12). The argument is simple. The Old Testament mandates that the descendants of Levi be priests (Heb. 7:11). Since Christ is from the tribe of Judah, he could not be a priest unless the Law changed. The change in Law came when Christ died on the cross. 

And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth (Heb. 9:15-17).

The necessity for a new covenant is also shown by the need for a better sacrifice than was offered under the Old Testament. The blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin (Heb. 10:4); consequently, a superior sacrifice for sin was needed which need was filled in the sacrifice of the atoning blood of Christ.

There are many other Scriptures that emphasize the same truth that the Law has changed. Men are no longer living under the Old Testament but under the New Testament (for example, see 2 Cor. 3). 

Application

Understanding the change of Laws has definite applications for today. Here are some of them:

1. One learns what to do in order to be saved from studying the New Testament. The conditions for salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ are found in the New Testament, not in the Old Testament. Today, one must search the pages of the New Testament to find the conditions for pardon from sins.

2. The laws regulating life in the Old Testament are not binding today. This applies to all of the Old Testament, both those things popularly recognized and those that are not so well understood. Men are justified by the blood of Christ. Consequently, there is no need for animal sacrifices. All Christians are priests (1 Pet. 2:5), so there is no need for a separate priesthood descended from the tribe of Levi. One does not have to go to Jerusalem to worship at the Jewish Temple on three annual feast days (Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacle), because where one worships is unimportant (John 4:20-24).

In moral issues, one is not allowed to practice polygamy as once was acceptable during the Old Testament (see Exod. 21:10-11); rather, each man is to have his own wife and each woman her own husband (1 Cor. 7:1-5). The Law regulating divorce and remarriage has changed. The Law of Moses allowed divorce and remarriage for both parties in a divorce for “uncleanness” (adultery was punishable by death). Christ allows only the innocent party, who divorces his mate for fornication, to remarry (Deut. 24:1-4; Matt. 19:9). There is no binding law for a civil state that punishes fornication and adultery by death (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:21-24; John 8:4). These are some differences in moral law between the Old Testament and New Testament.

3. The laws regulating public worship for the church must be found in the New Testament. Were the Old Testament binding on mankind today, men would assemble for public worship on Saturday, the Sabbath. In the Temple animal sacrifices would be offered and other rudiments of the Jewish worship service would be observed. Since the Law has changed, men are not regulated by the Old Testament, but the New. What is done in worship must be found in the New Testament. New Testament saints assemble for worship on the first day of the week, not on the Sabbath (see Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; Rev. 1:10). The New Testament provides no authority for Sabbath observance, a separate priesthood, instrumental music in worship, a separate choir, burning incense and lighting candles (as acts of worship), tithing, and a host of other practices common in many churches.

The modern practice of going through the Old Testament in smorgasbord fashion to pick and choose which parts one wants in the local church is logically inconsistent and biblically wrong. The Law has changed. Men are no longer bound by the ordinances and statutes of the Old Testament.

Conclusion

What is recorded in the Old Testament is true, for the testimony of the Lord is sure (Ps. 19:7). There are valuable lessons to be learned from the study of its pages, as Paul indicated as follows: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). However, Christians are not bound by its teachings as a Law for the church. Christians live under the New Testament, under the authority of Christ.

6567 Kings Ct., Avon, Indiana 46123 mikewillis1@compuserve.com

By John Smith

Nearly three generations in the former Soviet Union were subjected to intentional, aggressive, and institutional efforts to stifle religion and belief in God. The Communists’ antagonistic opposition to religion left a multitude of scars: alcoholism, abortion, prostitution, lying, racketeering, pornography, suspicion, and corruption on all levels of society. These are not so much the results of Communism, as it is the inevitable result of ignoring and opposing God. The former Soviet Union is full of people whose hearts and souls are empty, longing for something of substance to fill them. The Russian people desperately need the gospel. The nature of the work has changed over the past decade, but the need remains large and pressing.

Lots of thoughts run through my mind as I reflect upon the last ten years of involvement in evangelistic efforts in the former Soviet Union. The demands of the work have tested and exposed so much about what we are made of. I remember the early challenges to even getting involved: “Aren’t there lost people in Montana? Why spend all that money to go to Russia?” “Are your efforts just youthful exuberance? Will you stay with the work and the people whose lives you shake up with the gospel?” “Should you get involved if you can’t or won’t eventually move to live there?” Additionally, while in Russia we constantly faced questions we had never anticipated and situations that we felt uncertain about how to handle. It was all very humbling. Our failures and limitations often made us wish that people better suited for these situations would get involved. But at countless times we realized that prayerfully doing our stumbling-best had to continue if the alternative was to do nothing at all.

Even under the repressive regime of Communism in quiet and intrepid ways, the Lord’s work was being carried out. A Christian from Germany smuggled Bibles and teaching material into the country on a regular basis. In homes across the country, people read and studied the Bible in small, secretive groups. It is difficult to document these efforts and know the extent of their influence, but evidence of their existence is undeniable. At the risk of life itself, hungry souls were reaching out to know their God.

Moved and troubled by the writings of Jeff Kingry, in the summer of 1991, Greg Gwin and Phil Morgan traveled to Moscow as part of an international language program. Their primary focus during this daring trip was to “spy out the land.” They wanted to see if Russian language Bibles would pass the watchful eyes of the custom officials, if one could distribute Bible correspondence courses, and if there was an interest among the people in spiritual issues. Unlike “the faithless eight” who returned defeated and frightened, Greg and Phil returned convinced that good work could and should be done in the Soviet Union. 

With the collapse of Communism, God opened a door of opportunity to the largest country in the world. Through the efforts of a number of good men, the gospel began to be taught publicly in several former republics. Churches were planted in several Russian cities among which were Moscow, Podolsk, Tula, Kaluga, Nizny Novgorod, and Pavlova. In addition to these, churches have been planted in the former republics of Lithuania, Moldova, and Kazakhstan.

Moscow

The past ten years have not been easy ones for the church in Moscow. It in many ways it reflects the truth  taught by Jesus in the “Parable of the Sower.” Nearly all of those who so readily and eagerly embraced the gospel in the early years have grown weary or been seduced by materialism and have returned to the world. But, there remains a dedicated and resilient remnant much in need of encouragement and assistance. 

The congregation began with the conversion of two professors from what was then known as Moscow State University. A number of public lectureships were held in the early 1990s with several students from the university being converted. The congregation faced many difficulties. The members were spread over a vast region, and it was difficult to secure a suitable meeting place. They were a diverse group of people who had some difficulty integrating themselves into a cohesive unit. The pressure and temptations brought on by new found freedom were tremendous. Mistakes were made by some of the Americans who worked among them. They did not receive sufficient long-term, consistent support. Despite these and other obstacles, there remains a small faithful group who meets in a family’s apartment.

Tula and Kaluga

The church in Tula, Russia, had its beginning in the fall of 1994. A series of public lectures and public Bible studies were held in October. This work was followed up by two more groups of public studies and as a result souls were converted and a congregation born. In the early days of the church in Tula, Carl McMurray was influential in providing stability and consistent teaching for these young saints. Ron Roark and Larry Paden lived for varying lengths of time in Tula providing valuable teaching and leadership. From Tula, interest was directed to the near-by town of Kaluga where a second congregation was planted. 

Of particular note in these two cities is the presence of native Russian preachers. Alex Seryogin and Mike Lapenko have preached in these cities. Alex and his family have recently moved to Moscow to work with the church there. The impact and influence of these two good men cannot be overstated. The future of the churches in Tula and Kaluga is bright in large measure to their good work. 

Nizhny Novogorod

The church in Nizhny Novgorod was started in August 1993 when some Baptists there contacted some of the institutional brethren who had been broadcasting the World Christian Broadcasting programs into Russia. These brethren were invited to come and conduct classes in the city. Eventually the Gants were invited to move to Nizhny Novogorod to continue these preaching and teaching efforts. Today there are 30 members who worship together and the Russians do the majority of the teaching and preaching and baptizing.

The church in Pavlova, two hours from Nizhny Novogorod, was started in 1995 as a result of a woman, who was converted in St. Petersburg while visiting family in that city. Upon her return home, the Gants were contacted and they began traveling there for Bible studies and preaching. There have been seven baptisms in that city since that time. Unfortunately however, three of those baptized live in other cities where there are no churches and no other Christians. There are five wonderful souls trying to spread the gospel of Christ in Pavlova today.

Moldova

Serghei Corchmaru was converted while a doctoral student in Moscow. Steve Brewer worked patiently for well over a year sowing the seed of faith in his good heart. In 1995 he returned home and immediately began teaching all who would listen. Steve Brewer traveled to Chisinau in May 1996 to encourage Serghei and help establish a congregation. Among others, Steve studied with Ekaterina Emnova who later became the first convert in Chisinau. A number of other American preachers have joined in this work and assisted in establishing a vibrant congregation.

In May 1998 the Brewer family moved to Chisinau where they labored for over a year. In large measure, due to their good work, a number of women were converted to the Lord. Among them were Serghei’s mother and his future bride, Anna.

Contact was made in the spring of 2000 with a congregation in Benderi, Transneister (a breakaway Moldovan republic about one and one-half hours east of Chisinau). This small congregation was established through the work of an “institutional preacher.” They do not appear to have been infected by traditional American liberalism and have welcomed Serghei who preaches for them a couple of Sundays a month. Patiently and lovingly he is leading them closer to the truth.

Kazakhstan

Through an initial contact with a foreign exchange student from Kazakhstan, a door of opportunity was opened for work in this former Soviet republic. Since 1998, several evangelistic trips have been made to Almaty, the former capitol and largest city of the country. Most recently (October 2000) a team of preachers was able to conduct a publicly advertised series of Bible lectures drawing several dozen attendees. To date there have been nearly 20 baptisms. As with any new work there are some obstacles to overcome. Some of the early converts have fallen away. There is a great need for someone to live and work in Almaty on a long-term basis.

It is beyond the scope of this article to provide a list of all the people who have worked in the former Soviet Union and where they have worked. However, there are a few whose contribution must be discussed. 

Dan Tholen and Mike Garth, young men from Tampa, Florida, followed Greg Gwin and Phil Morgan to Moscow through the same language program. Rather than returning home at the end of their study program, they stayed. They worked tirelessly in Moscow and were of great assistance to others who worked in Moscow and surrounding cities. 

Steve and Joy Brewer have done exceptional work in Moscow and Chisinau, Moldova. The Brewer family was a great stabilizing force in both churches. Joy’s sacrifice and service is worthy of special mention. Unless one has lived, kept house, and raised children in either of these cities, you cannot appreciate the difficulties Joy faced. She did so bravely, faithfully, and cheerfully.

Charlie and Kay Gant are currently working with the churches in Nizny Novgorod and Pavlova, Russia. The contribution these two noble saints have made to the Lord’s work in Russia cannot be over estimated. Their courage, faithfulness, and sacrifice are inspiring. They have faced opposition and disappointment, health problems and shortages of needed goods, as well as the stress of being separated from children and grandchildren.

Ron Roark has made a number of trips to Tula, Kaluga, and Moscow, Russia. Ron has dedicated himself to helping the native preachers grow in their knowledge and faith. As a result of his work and influence there are three native Russian men preaching and teaching in this region. 

How have Christians in America benefitted from involvement in the Lord’s work in the former Soviet Union? This work has challenged many to exercise their faith in God and prayer. In doing only that which is comfortable and secure, what results is more a reflection of us than God. Through involvement in foreign evangelism and its attendant risks, many have become spiritually bolder to expect greater fruit and have greater trust in the Lord (see 2 Cor. 9:8-11). Courage comes not from realizing what we can do, but from realizing what God can do through us.

Involvement in foreign evangelism has allowed many to broaden and clarify their understanding of who needs to be converted. To people in my generation and older, the mention of the word “Russian” would most likely evoke feelings of despite, fear, uneasiness. After all, they were the enemy! But, for 74 years they suffered under an aggressive policy that denied the existence of God and opposed serving him in any way. Rather than despising them, we need to have compassion for them. The gospel is for all! The church of our Lord is not, as observation might lead one to believe, for white middle-class America. It is for the Russian, the Chinese, Mexican, and Black. It is for the poor and the unfortunate.

Teaching and preaching in the former Soviet Union has helped those involved to build a greater confidence in power of Word.  In 1992, I watched Tommy Poarch teach class after class without the aid of outlines or notes. He simply read from the Bible and asked simple questions. No gimmicks, material rewards or fancy presentations. Simply the power of the word of God.

What has been accomplished in the former Soviet Union could not have taken place without the involvement and commitment of a multitude of people, and certainly not without God’s care and answered prayers. Countless congregations and individuals have cooperated in this work. It has involved a myriad of prayers that toppled a government, opened doors of opportunity, emboldened workers, strengthened new Christians, spread the glorious name of Jesus, and gave courage to those who have decided to answer the call for help from a foreign land. It has involved the sacrifice of wives and children. It has involved men and women from many different congregations, most of whom had never met, who were willing to run off bulletins, type manuscripts, make arrangements for meetings, preach, teach classes, look after families, and do a host of other things in the absence of their local preacher.

I shall forever be thankful to have had the opportunity to teach the gospel in the former Soviet Union. It has been my privilege to work with some outstanding men in this important work. The work that has been accomplished since the fall of Communism is worth all the money, conquered fears, family sacrifice, and other hardships that had to be overcome.

John A. Smith with assistance from Phil Morgan, Greg Gwin, Charlie Gant and Serghei Corchmaru.

6215 Nolte St., Indianapolis, Indiana 46221 possum8@attglobal.net

By Kevin Maxey

The Lord has blessed my family since March of 1999 with the opportunity to worship and work with the church that assembles in Ramstein, Germany.

Geographic Information

Ramstein, a small city of 19,000 people, is located about 1½ hours southwest of Frankfurt. Germany is home to 82 million souls and is comparable to the size of Alabama and Georgia combined. Imagine if there were only four or five small struggling faithful congregations in all of Alabama and Georgia. This is the condition of the Lord’s body in Germany. There is a dire need for laborers to be sent forth because the fields are certainly white for harvest (John 4:35; Matt. 9:37-38).

History of the Church

Troubled by the liberal and institutional error being taught at the nearby Kaiserslautern congregation, a group of Christians began worshiping in the town of Sembach in 1980. A short time later the church moved her assembly location to Ramstein. In 1983 brother Steve Wallace came to work with this body and labored faithfully to spread the gospel to both Americans and Germans for 16 years.

German Work

While I continue to learn the German language, my wife has been a tremendous help with the work. Jennifer majored in German in college and speaks fluently. Though the congregation currently consists of all American brethren, we are making increased efforts to reach the German community with the gospel. We have put up new German street signs, placed various advertisements in German newspapers, printed German tracts and flyers, and invited German neighbors and friends to attend our services. We have been encouraged to see eleven German residents attend in the last 14 months. Four of these have attended more than once.

It is not against German law to put flyers into residential mailboxes. We have taken advantage of this free     avenue for distribution and began passing out lesson one of a German Bible correspondence course two Saturdays each month. We have, to this date, distributed over 2,000 courses in the cities of Ramstein, Jettenbach, and Neirsbach  Nine Germans have enrolled in this study thus far. We pray God will bless this effort and help us find souls searching for the truth (Col. 4:3).

American Work

Approximately 45 Americans who are stationed here, either with the military, civil service, or a contract company, work and worship with the congregation in Ramstein at this time. There are eleven American military bases within a 20-minute radius of our area. One hundred fifty thousand Americans live within a one-hour radius. We receive anywhere from 20 to 35 visitors each month, mostly consisting of Americans moving to the area, working on temporary duty, or traveling through.

One of the biggest challenges of this work is refuting the error of institutional and liberal doctrine. At least 80% of our visitors are from this background. Most find our ad in the local American paper, see that we are the closest church to the Ramstein base, and as a result visit us first. When they discover we do not teach what they are accustomed to hearing, they move on to the Kaiserslautern congregation. Some however, after attending the Kaiserslautern group find them to be too liberal and return to us. This has turned out to be an incredible teaching opportunity not often found at a typical stateside congregation. Over the years, of the brethren who worshiped with the Ramstein church for their entire tour, 90% of them learned the truth on these issues and went back to faithful congregations in the States. I pray this trend will continue.

May the Lord give us all the strength, love, and wisdom necessary to boldly spread his glorious gospel throughout this sin-filled world (Mark 16:15; Acts 4:29; Eph. 4:15).

Eichenring 4a, 66877 Ramstein-Miesenbach, Germany