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Show Family Weekly/ February 11, 1968 Most Often sysucess ministry of Christ, and the state of the world today when Hesaid, “Upon this rock I will build my church.” A church is not a building, nor a hierarchy, but people—people in any denomination who have accepted Christ forall he claims to be—Lord and Savior. I don’t think we need a superchurch, but every denomination needs an awareness of a super-Christ and a superdedication to Him. As it dawns upon us what is happening in America, there could be a ~enewed interest in the Gospel of Christ. Then, when the pendulum begins to swing the other way (if it does), young men will find the ministry the most challenging and exciting profession—even if the pay is smaller than other professions. In today’s world of science and cold logic, how can you continue to insist that the teachings of the Bible ore relevant to our great problems? As anindividual, what is the best way I can study the Bible so that I can understand what Christ taught? In every age men havechallenged the authority of the Scriptures. Men, by nature, assert their self-sufficiency and would like to live in a world of self-law and self-authority. But the teaching of the Bible is that God is Supreme. I have lived in a world where men havetried to run their world apart from the laws of God, andI see the tragic result of their vaunted independence. My own life fell apart when I was in my teens, but when let Christ come into my heart, He brought everything into focus and balance.If I hadn’t been so soundly converted, perhaps I would have joined the ranks of the do-it-yourself crowd. But I have found that people whoaccept the Bible and Christ’s teaching as the final word find a peace and joy unknown to those who try to make their own rules for the game of life. crusades to begin reading the Bible with the Book Women are filling more roies in business, education, and science, but not in the church pulpits. Do you think there should be more ‘women pastors? Women have always had an importantplace in the church. The Bible does not teach that women are to be the servants of men—as was taught when Jesus cameto the earth. He lifted women to their proper place in society. However, nowhere in the Scriptures are we told that women should serve as pastors. Onthe other hand,is it not clear either, that they shouldn't serve in some such capacity. Perhaps, if encugh men do not respond to God’s call to serve in the ministry, women may be called to shepherd God’s sheep. I see no reason why women could not perform these services and be spiritual leaders. Do you think that the calling of an evangelist or minister is still worthwhile for today’s young men? Yes. The preaching of the Gospel is no less important than it ever was. Probably the secularization of our society accounts more than anything else for the few men whoare entering the ministry. Weare rapidly becoming an “atheistic society,” although manyof usare not aware of it. Church attendance is declining, but this does not mean that the Gospel has lost its power. It simply means. that we are losing our capacity to respond to it. We urge everyone who comes forward in our of John. For a beginner, this is the most readable and understandable of the Gospels. Personally, I read five Psalms andfive Proverbs every day. The Psalms tell us about our relationship to God, and the Proverbs teach us about ourrelationship to men. I like to do my Bible reading at the beginning of the day, usually before the family gets up in the morning. Bible-reading, prayer, and meditation make for spiritual growth and development. Having learned the elements of basic Christianity, what must | do to become a Christian and live the Christian life? The formula has not changed through the centuries. Paulsaid to the Philippian jailer who asked the same question: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” The word “believe” means not only to give mental assent to Jesus Christ as Lord of yourlife, but it means to “be-live,” or live by His teachings. We can only do this when we are transformed, or as the Bible says, “saved.” Try as we may, we cannot live as we ought until He lives within us. We take Him by faith, but faith finds expression in “good works.” Jesus said: “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” When He comes to live in us, His goodness and His righteousness become operative within us. day with the Lord is as a thousand years,” we have no authority to set dates. You recently had a crusade in Tokyo. Since Japan is not known as a Christian country, did you find the response there as great as in so-called Christian countries? Yes. The response to our ministry in Japan went far beyond our expectations. There are less than 15,000 Christians in Tokyo, and our committee took the Budo Kan, a large, beautiful auditorium seating 14,000 people. Frankly, I didn’t think it would be filled. But on most evenings ali the crowd could not get in, and some nights hundreds were turned away. In our last service. we had more than 40,000 persons. In ten days we had 200,000 in our meetings, and nearly 10,000 responded to the ap- peal to accept Christ. It could well go down in the record as the most important crusade we ever con- ducted. We hope to go back to Japan soon. With so rauch evil in the world, do you believe in a literal individual named Satan or the devil? The Bible teaches the existence of a personality called Satan or the devil. Over and over, it names Satan as the author ofevil, lying, and deception. But the popular concept of Satan, in which he is pictured as a medieval witchlike person is not in accordance with Biblical teaching. Satan, says the Bible, comes as an angelof light, a fallen angel whoonce contested the authority of God and was cast out of heaven to this earth. It is he who creates the wickedness in the world and the disposition of men to follow him instead of God. I hold no concepts of Satan other than those taught in the Bible. @ Do you believe in a second coming of Christ or was this promise made symbolically? if you believe He is coming, can we know when it will happen? I believe that Christ will come again, just as the Bible says. “This same Jesus shall so comein like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11) He went away visibly, so He will return visibly. He went awayliterally, so I believe that Hewill come backliterally. But. the Bible also teaches that no man knows the day nor the hour of His coming—though it teaches that we can expect Him at any time. The stance of the Christian should be one of watchfulness, expectancy, and hope. We do not know the hour, but just about every major prophecy regarding His coming has been fulfilled. And since “A Billy Graham and his wife Ruth have circled the globe many times in spreading the word of God. Family Weekly, February 11, 1968 |