A Time to Gather Stones

The Preacher of Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time to gather stones. He meant God’s control of human affairs does not rule out man’s responsibility. If fields are to be readied for planting of crops or building houses, then stones must be taken off the land. That means work is necessary if progress is to be made. This is not an earth shattering idea, but a necessary reminder of the God-ordained value of work. God works through the believer’s work. Certainly, God’s grace makes our interests, desires, plans, and energy possible. Because of this, productive activity takes place. This is a good time to review the gathering of stones in our church life since so many in our congregation have been scattered during the brief summer break.

The summer months have been busy with a missions’ trip to Bosnia, Vacation Bible School, and Youth camps. With the new technology of digital cameras and power-point projectors we are able to see immediate, colorful, and engaging reports on where our church family has been and what happened. This is good. Reports, mostly presented on Sunday evenings, inform us and enable us to feel a part of all that is going on. The Bosnia Missions Team gave us a sense of “you-are-there” in their pictures of the people of Gorazde. The students in the seminary in Novosibirsk, Siberia were again brought closer to us in Frank Pass’s presentation. Steve and Kim Reitz, with CrossWorld in Gorazde, have expressed their gratitude for our partnership with them in the midst of a Muslim population. The Bennetts will soon take us on a picture-trip to their ministry time in Costa Rica.

Bryan Ryan has shouldered an extra load by coming back from his teen camps and organizing our Vacation Bible School. We weren’t sure if we were going to be able to have it this summer given the limited pool of workers. But faithful servants in our church family rose to the occasion. Scores of boys and girls heard the Bible truths bound up in John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress.” And to top off a week of evangelistic outreach, a 3 x 3 basketball tournament was conducted on our much used basketball court. Over twenty of our neighborhood young men joined in on the competition. If we are going to be a church without walls, it is going to take this kind of thing to build relational bridges into our community. The eleven baptisms in several months are a cause for rejoicing in God’s salvation and challenge us to increase our commitment to the work of evangelism.

The Ladies Bible Class will resume in September after its summer sabbatical. But the study “Helpers By Design” has been meeting twice each month in various homes. Summer Care Groups have met on Wednesday evenings in the Fellowship Hall to study Thomas Brook’s Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices. There is much to be gained by looking at our adversary’s playbook. If the Devil’s temptations are to be successfully resisted, we need to know what they look like.

More “stone-gathering” is in our near future. Awana will begin in September. The second year of our Bible Institute will offer a course in Hermeneutics. Look for the flyer that will explain all the details. The Faith-Builders Sunday School class will begin a study in Church History starting in September. Keep your eye on the book nook for the course textbook, Christianity Through The Centuries, by Earle E. Cairns. This overview of the history of the Church will explain “the development of doctrines, movements, and institutions” in the church. Attention will also be given to “the impact of Christianity on its times and to the mark of the times on Christianity.” An exposition of 2 Peter will begin soon on Sunday mornings providing a helpful biblical backdrop for the church history study. A series on the principles and nature of revival will be offered by Justin Culbertson on Sunday evenings. This close look at revivals in the Bible is being linked to a special Saturday morning conference at Faith Bible Church in September on Revivals in Church History. Several local pastors will be speaking. Further information will be provided.

Pray that the necessary zoning changes on our property will be permitted without any complications. This relatively insignificant change from agricultural to residential zoning will make it possible to proceed with the construction of our new building. And, speaking of prayer, all the stone-gathering mentioned above calls for Christian intercessors to “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and may find grace to help in time of need.”

Dr. Howard E. Dial
Berachah Bible Church