Dunker Journal

Brethren Revival Fellowship announces the publication of a commentary on The Acts of the Apostles, by Mark E. Baliles. It has 352 pages, and the suggested donation is $20.00.  Send your request and donation to Brethren Revival Fellowship, P.O. Box 543, Ephrata, PA  17522-0543, or make your request here:

The Brethren New Testament Commentary series aims to give a readable explanation of the New Testament text, with loyalty to Anabaptist and  Pietist values.

The book of Acts provides the link that connects the four Gospels with the remaining part of the New Testament. Luke begins the account by telling about the ascension of Jesus, mentioning another command of Jesus to take the gospel message to the ends of the earth, and then gives much information about the earliest days of the church.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John tell what Jesus began to do and teach. The book of Acts tells what Jesus continued to do and teach through the apostles in the church. The Acts of the Apostles presents the account of the establishment and development of the early Christian church. In Acts we learn about the giving of the Holy Spirit, the early advance of the gospel, and the formation and spread of the church. The Acts gives the historical background for many of the New Testament books which are named in the Epistles.

This commentary is a tool which attempts to explain and apply the teaching of the text through an exposition and an application of the Bible message. There are helpful divisions to aid in structured teaching of God’s Word.

The writer of the commentary on the book of Acts is Mark E. Baliles, serving as pastor of the Indian Creek Church of the Brethren in Vernfield, PA. The General Editor of the series is Harold S. Martin, a Church of the Brethren elder and editor of the BRF Witness.

TIME MAGAZINE: Has the Oil Spill Damage Been Exaggerated?

DORIS JEAN HIGH HAS a photo report of the work done today to repair the vandalism done to the Kreider Church Cemetery, near Manheim, Pennsylvania. Kreider’s is an old meeting house of the White Oak Congregation. More on the graveyard vandalism at Kreider’s can be found here and here.

ONE ANABAPTIST GROUP HAS DOUBLED in size since 1992, and is now twice as large as the Church of the Brethren. It does not brook homosexuality, women ministers, or divorce and remarriage. It also retains 85% of its young people. It has not changed its doctrinal teaching since 1632.

TRULY R.I.P. Art Gish dies in tractor accident.

BRETHREN BIBLE INSTITUTE BEGINS Monday (Sunday for dorm students).

THE LARGEST CHURCH BODY IN THE WORLD HAS STRENGTHENED its position on the ordination of women.

IF YOU WANT TO GO to Harvard or Yale, you better not join 4-H or the FFA. Come to think of it, I think we’d be better off with government officials who did participate in 4-H or FFA, rather than those who went to Harvard or Yale.

FOR THOSE INTERESTED in saving money on back-to-school items, here is a list of states, with their dates, of sales tax holidays.  I note that the list includes the states where there are significant numbers of Brethren, such as Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, and Missouri.

AT ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN PITTSBURGH, one ecumenical guest conspicuous by his absence was Archbishop Robert Duncan, of the Anglican Church in North America.  He is based in Pittsburgh, his diocesan see, but wasn’t on the platform. I wonder if he was even invited?

FOLLOWING UP to the recent post on Bible-believing churches actually following the Bible in their practices:

“It is very easy for objectors to say that the reason Christian women were not allowed to become religious ministers back in the ‘olden time’ was because the position of women in society back then would have made the Christian faith disreputable to outsiders if women were allowed to function in this way . . . The problem with this argument is that it is actually the reverse of the truth. The Christian church did not have to exclude women in order to fit right in. Excluding women from the ministry was the odd thing to do. The ancient world was crawling with priestesses, and if Christians had admitted women into their ministry, no one would have raised an eyebrow. The church took the counter-cultural route and did something that made her stand out — which is, incidentally, what we are being called to do.”

TECHNOLOGY REVIEW:  Why Our Universe Must Have Been Born inside a Black Hole. This could explain how the universe appears to be billions of years old, yet eyewitness accounts declare it is less than ten thousand years old.

ANOTHER THOUGHT ON THE “FEAR” MEME that ran through several speakers at Annual Conference:

Liberals cannot imagine themselves into a way of thinking in which conservatives do what they do and believe what they believe for good reasons. And since they cannot believe that conservatives are motivated by rational beliefs and admirable motives, they must appeal to darker, more primitive impulses to explain their behavior. [From Timothy Dalrymple, on a different subject, but still relevant.]

Such as “fear.” But the only fear I heard at Annual Conference was from the liberal side. They are deathly afraid, and sense in their depths, that Annual Conference will affirm the 1983 Statement on Human Sexuality. The rant given in the On Earth Peace Insight Session on Sunday evening, and the relentlessness of the Monday evening sermon by Earle Fike, are clues to that fear.

I also thought there was a telling moment in the Standing Committee model hearing on Tuesday night. One of the scarf-adorned liberal members of Standing Committee, when asked if she would support the Annual Conference decision next year at Grand Rapids even if it went against her viewpoint, demurred by saying, “We’ll let the spirit lead.”

In other words, “No.”

A WRITER FROM SOJOURNERS MAGAZINE VISITS a Bible-believing church, and is surprised that the church actually believes the Bible.

THE FRIENDS OF ISRAEL GOSPEL MINISTRY PRESENTS the annual Winona Lake Prophecy Conference, July 25-30, 2010, at the Orthopaedic Capital Center, on the campus of Grace College and Seminary. (PDF File).

THE Y.M.C.A. IS DOWNSIZING to one letter. Just Y? I have to wonder if it is because some local Y.M.C.A.’s are re-emphasizing the “C” part?

FROM STAN NOFFSINGER, General Secretary, on the issue of LaVerne Church of the Brethren distributing rainbow colored scarves at National Youth Conference, as found in the NYC Advisor packet:

The staff and I are aware that a few youth plan to wear and give away rainbow-colored scarves at NYC. The scarves are meant ‘to show that the church should be a place where everyone is welcome.’ This is not an activity coordinated or endorsed by National Youth Conference; however, because the Church of the Brethren believes there should be no force in religion, we will not prevent the scarves from being worn or shared at NYC. Everyone in attendance may respectfully accept or decline any item that is offered. Our personal opinions and beliefs vary widely. Recognizing our diversity and honoring one another’s relationship with God, we expect respectful interactions among all NYC participants — youth, advisors, and staff — in all situations.

What would happen if a group started handing out American flags to those attending NYC? Would the national staff be as laid back over that?

OUR SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS GO OUT to Camp Alexander Mack, which lost Peter Becker Lodge this morning in a fire. Becker Lodge contains both the kitchen and dining halls, offices, as well as lodging for the summer staff.

ROMAN COIN HOARD FOUND in Britain.

Now on Query #2 on implementation of congregational ethics paper. Some questions raised as to details and process. Standing committee is recommending that the query be adopted and a committee be put in place to answer it.

We started today with a Conference Bible Study led by Stephen Sweitzer. It was a good look at several Scriptures.

Now back to business. On the By-laws, there are some technicalities being addressed. Approved by a 2/3 majority without much opposition.

The On Earth Peace “Bible study” last evening was well attended, and Dan Ulrich and I tried to make it a Bible study. The third participant, though, made it a show of histrionics and irrelevancy. He also early on introduced the issue of homosexuality-and that was the irrelevant part. I heard from someone else today, that it wasn’t a three part Bible study, but two Bible studies and a rant. That third participant was frequently touching and hugging me–it was quite uncomfortable. His wild gesticulations and raising his voice made it clear that It wasn’t Bible study, but a frontal, “in your face” promotion of the homosex cause.

Several brothers made good comments. They were then rebuked for saying that homosex is sin.

Interesting. But it shows the single-minded thought of those who oppose the Bible and the faith.

Now on NB #5, on the Brethren Bylaws. Mostly a technical and grammatical revision to reflect the recent changes in denomination structure. Should pass easily. Bro. Roy McVey is raising some points. It is true that while we have the church there are some technical points that require us to have a corporation.

It is also true that the CoB representation on the M&M Board is not according to numbers. So, contrary to modern approaches, the CoB is not “one person, one vote” in Board elections.

Well, it won’t be considered today. However, I believe Bro. Replogle erred in stating that the item could not be amended. If it is an item of business (not a query), then it should be amendable.

Next up is the annual memorial tribute.

This year there is plenty of room for tables for the delegates. I don’t know why tables are not provided–groups with larger delegate bodies have tables for delegates to put their papers, laptops, etc.

Another thing about Conference is how little we hear the name of Christ and mention of the Gospel. Much of what is reported could be said in the same way as a secular agency-and often is.

Report of Haiti is being given. One aspect is the building of “long-lasting temporary shelters”. That would seem an oxymoron. The work in Haiti is one of the bright spots of the COB.

I am not going to guarantee live blogging of the Conference, but I may give some updates. I don’t have my laptop, so testing these comments is more difficult than if I did.

Common Spirit fellowship was just recognized. This group admits all regardless of belief or unbelief, or sexual practice. The statement of welcome sounds like it was written by Carol Wise, the director of BMC (gay caucus). It spoke of “hurtful opposition” in its District. Likely it was merely opposition because of Christian standards of conduct.

Introduction of new fellowships. The M&M Board is calling for 250 new church plants by 2015. That’s a good goal, yet I wonder if the COB is entrepreneurial enough to see that happen.

Conference business has begun. The session is being webcast-for all 3 who are watching on this 4th of July.

It is striking how so many, especially on the liberal side, disparage Roberts’ Rules of Order. As long as the liberals were in charge, Roberts’ Rules were fine. But when they began to not get their way, then all of a sudden, Roberts’ was no longer a good thing.

Another thought is that it is often implied that the conservatives in the church are the ones who are limited in perspective. It has been my experience that the most narrow-minded folks are liberals. They cannot conceive of the conservative viewpoint, whereas most conservative people can well articulate the liberal viewpoint. In fact, in many instances, the liberal perspective is fairly easy to share. The conservative perspective is at times more challenging to navigate, and more nuanced and in need of interpreting.