The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1959-10-02

got started and &l IA
how 1t spread. w
The reader should DR.. Foreman
see the book Of Acts In . modern
English translation, in order 70
understand moro quickly. All that
can b done in this column week
BY week will be to point up some
particular truth or truths Of prac-
ttcal importance for life today.
my Witnesses"
The story of the Christian
Church begins with Jesus. He gave
the marching orders. Tho church
is . true church when it carries
out his directives, It fades away
into q no-church when 1t forgets
tho Master. Now tho question
Americans always ask about any
thing club. 4 gadget. 4 ma
chine. even q hole in the ground
L.: What II It for? What's it sup
posed to do. and will it work?
What Is the Church supposed to
do? What is 1t for? That is 4 fair
question. The New Testament pre-
sents the Church under various
names. and gives various Though
not contradictory answers to
that nrst question. One Of the
plainest of these answers Is in the
words Of Jesus which shine like a
beacon-light in the very first lines
Of this book Of Acts-a light which
gives direction and meaning to the
whole story. and indeed gives di-
rection and meaning for the
Church Of today.
YOU SHALL BE MY WIT
NESSES, Jesus said to his friends
and followers. The hrst and main
business Of Christians IL not argu-
ment, It is testimony. It Is not con-
eocting ideas, it 10 telling . story.
II 10 mot heArsAy stories. II 10 per
sonal experience. The business Of
. witness in court or anywhere
else Is to state the facts as he
sees them. The Church has many
tasks and responsibilities; but II
We forget this central responsible
itv we are not much good other
wise.
Testimony for Christ - witness
ing on his side more than talk
When you order seeds or seedlings
in the spring. you can read what
the catalogue says and get quite
excited over the prospect. Every
advertisement in the seed cat
alogue, every picture in 1t, is testi-
mony-in talk. A much more con-
vincing testimony Is what you or
your neighbor actually raised. You
are not going to believe in to-
matoes any better than the real
tomatoes you have seen and eaten.
no matter what the catalogue says.
But If you have admired the to-
matoes from a certain kind Of seed,
you can let the catalogue 90.
The Bible has a great deal to say
about Christ. and 30 does the
Church. But It's with the Church
as with the seed catalogue-what
really convinces people 10 some
actual samples. The best witness
to Christ that can possibly be, is
q good Christian.
Int All The Wevld
Tho tragedy Of the church 10
something that would be very
funny II II were not 80 tragically
wrong. Every Sunday morning in
almost any church. there will be
people who arc m, king two mis-
takes 1T once. Ono Is about what
witnessing" means. They think 1t
means words, or words-and-music.
They take part in the service. they
sing with loud voices, they say the
incest things about Jesus or shout
Amen" when the preacher says
them and they call that wit
Messing for Jesus" True testimony
Is not just sweet-talk set to music;
It 10, as st. John put 1t. walking ~
He walked, living as He lived.
Furthermore, an exclusively stay
at-home witness il not what Jesus
. intended. He distinctly said, ITO
the end Of the earth" How far
away, In how many lands and Ian
guages, with how many mission
aries, IL your church testifying for
Jesus? A church talking only to
itself about Christ has forgotten
the Directive.
(Bsesl eH eetliass Copyrighted b.
The Division Of Christian Eduestioa,
Nstiensl Council II the Churches Of
christ b tAe O. 8. 4. RelssseA By
CoMnunlty Press seRviee.)