SIMPLIFYING CHURCH SERVICES
It is announced that Pope John XXIII has signed an order that will institute a major liturgical reform for the Roman Church. In effect the order will simplify and shorten daily services. This has been requested by many bishops.
We wonder if any of our readers of long standing can look back and feel that our Adventist church services have been simplified and shortened over the years? In general we think that in large centers our services have been shortened; but have they been simplified?
To shorten and simplify church services and yet retain life and interest is not easy. One of the changes much needed among us years ago—and perhaps still needed in some parts today—was the elimination of monotony: "The prevailing monotony of the religious round of service in our churches needs to be disturbed."—Testimonies to Ministers, p. 204.
We can become too long and too monotonous in private and public worship. We can become too verbose and stay too long in visiting the sick, and, of course, take too long in our preaching. Our forms of service need to preserve life or they become too dull for the worshipers, and they need to be simple and unostentatious or they will produce what once was called a Puritan reaction against ritualism and formalism.
We can watch these things in an organization like ours, where the local pastor still has considerable freedom of action in such matters.
H. W. L.
"NEXT THINGS NEXT"
The words "I so move" have marked the beginning of many a great project of the church. No one can second the motion if there is none.
"Why do we sit still?" (Jer. 8:14) was Jeremiah's challenge to Israel. In the hour of greatest opportunity the sons of Jacob were idle. Or were they? It just could be that they were guilty of wasted motion. Busy attending to this detail or that, they had no time to conduct a major operation. Lost to such men is the philosophy of Booker T. Washington—"Next things next." Secondary objectives receive primary effort while the big issues lie unresolved. "I don't have time," is sure prelude to peptic ulcers and poor performance.
"Why do we sit still?" A hungry world is crying for spiritual bread. A thirsty world, mortal casualty of sin, cries out, "I thirst!"
In a rut? Exhausting your energy spinning your wheels trying to get out? Time has taught its students one sure method of emergence, namely, prayerful ingenuity; fresh energy for a fresh approach. The world awaits the motion. Angels stand ready to second it. Christ at Calvary has exhausted discussion. Are you ready to vote?
E. E. C.
SPIRITUAL ILLITERATES
Some months ago a Methodist conference on Christian education was held in Ohio, and several speakers deplored the fact that Americans are in general becoming "spiritually illiterate." Some of the speakers went so far as to state that they thought this was one of the most serious problems facing the church in this country.
From our experience we would say that it is one of the most serious problems facing the Christian church in many lands today. Many laymen and women have no idea how they could explain the doctrines of the church to which they belong. Once in a while we have heard ministers say, when a doctrinal point was being discussed: "I am no doctrinarian!" By that simple expedient they relegate their theological thinking to others. Is it safe for us laymen and ministers to let a select few, whom we call the theologians, do our theological thinking for us?
We think there are great deficiencies in the preaching that emanates from some of our pulpits. When preachers do not carry on a methodical, systematic study of the Scriptures, how can they expect their congregations to understand even the rudiments of the theology upon which the life of the church is based? In olden days preachers who went in for expository preaching bred a generation of theological thinkers to the extent that the lay men and women could discuss theology intelligently with their ministers. For example, Susanna Wesley could discuss theology intelligently with her two brilliant sons, John and Charles, to the extent that she probably saved John from falling into the errors of extreme Calvinism. It surely was no mean accomplishment for a woman in those days to be able to stand up to those boys on predestination! Could our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, take part in an intelligent conversation on that topic in the family circle today? Some may be able to do this, but we venture to suggest that this kind of thing is disappearing from our midst.
When preachers concentrate their whole energies on short topical sermons, the basis of which is gathered from some journal or newspaper, then, as one editor has said, "Such sermons are 'usually a sign of spiritual debility.' " It surely is true to say in this respect: Like preacher, like people!
These are the days when we need to include in our pulpit ministry a certain amount of expository preaching that will inspire the people to turn to the Word of God. We must make it a living Book as we expose the Lord Jesus Christ as the central figure in its pages. There is no valid reason, not even in the incessant campaigns to which every church is subject today, why a preacher cannot carry on a certain amount of Bible preaching that leads people to the foot of the cross as in days gone by. We cannot continue to boast of having the truth unless we are constantly delving into the mine of truth. That brings us face to face with Him who said, "I am the truth." We cannot continue to preach Christ with saving power unless we are constantly rejoicing in His company, which can be found only in the Sacred Word. After that, and along with that, we find Him in meditation, in prayer, in communion with God's saints in deity service, and in a thousand other ways that rise from the basic step of living in the atmosphere of God's word.
H. W. L.
